Why Big Hotel Brands Need to Act More Like Airbnb

The big hotel brands can do a lot more to elevate the whole “local” trend by recommending apps and web-based platforms that guide guests to local neighborhoods, just like Airbnb hosts do. The concept of the next generation hotel acting as a hyper-connected knowledge hub in its immediate community is compelling, but for the most part unrealized. The industry has talked at length about the potential role of hotels as gateways into their neighborhood, but in reality, it’s been mostly actualized via hotel associates acting as insider sources, partnerships with local restaurant/bar owners, and maybe a generic list on a hotel website somewhere. That was interesting five years ago. For the average person booking a guest room at a major chain, the direct connectivity to the local community that so many travelers want is random and remote, for all intents and purposes. There are exceptions of course. At the Columbia Marriott Hotel in South Carolina, the Soda City Farmer’s Market takes place every weekend next door. The Marriott’s Midlands Modern Southern Food Arts restaurant is ranked as one of better restaurants in town due to its menu crafted with ingredients sourced at the market. Assistant GM Jeff Kaplan says the hotel also works with a local startup called Columbia Food Tours that brings visitors to half a dozen local farm-to-table restaurants in the downtown core, including Marriott. “Most people don’t sit around on a Friday night and say, ‘Hey, let’s go to the Marriott for dinner, but that’s what happens here,” explains Kaplan. “We don’t serve typical business hotel food and that’s a pretty unique thing.” Still, that’s often as good as it gets in terms of how a big brand can immerse guests in the local community. So is the idea even worth considering anymore? We spoke with Gray Shealy, executive director of the Master's of Hospitality Management Program at Georgetown University. Previously, Shealy was the global design director for W Hotels. He says hotels should look to Airbnb and other sharing economy companies for inspiration. While hotels have always been an entry point into a destination, they could be more immersive portals into the un-touristy areas within their destination. Following is our full Q&A with Shealy about the crossroads where the big box brands find themselves. Skift: Branded hotels have obviously come a long way in terms of offering a more localized experience, but the ev