It has taken nearly five years, but Marriott International has managed to start turning around the big ship that is the iconic Sheraton.
Three years ago the company committed to reinventing the 84-year-old brand, a key piece in the 2016 acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts. With nearly 450 properties across 74 countries and territories, Sheraton is Marriott’s most global flag.
The most tangible evidence of Sheraton’s new direction revealed on Thursday is a design overhaul, unveiled last year at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown and more recently in Denver, Tel Aviv, Dubai, Guangzhou and Mianyang. Six more properties are on track to complete work this year. By the end of 2022, more than 40 system hotels are expected to have adopted the new look, with customized features based on location.
The brand refresh, originally intended to debut in 2020, hit a speed bump with COVID that slowed the pace of some renovations. But low occupancies during the pandemic have had a silver lining, motivating some owners to speed up the pace of their work, too. Overall, “we feel good about our pace” based on similar brand relaunches by Marriott, said Amanda Nichols, Sheraton’s senior director and global brand leader. Going forward, she expects some owners to roll out the new look gradually, while others will go all in.
“This is a pivotal moment for Sheraton as we see hotel owners embracing the new vision and bringing it to life for the first time,” Nichols said. “Our mission is to be the world’s gathering place.”
The refreshed public areas have been reimagined as gathering spaces, said Brittney Hepler, senior designer on the project. Riffing on the brand’s new tagline, “Sheraton. Where the world comes together,” she says lobbies take their inspiration from public squares, inviting guests and locals alike to come together and connect.
The new-look lobbies are an open, adaptable mix that incorporates living room-style seating areas, private soundproof booths that allow for socially distanced work, a community table for work and socializing and studios that function as micro collaboration/social spaces without complete separation from the lobby atmosphere.
The focal point of the lobby is the coffee bar bar—part bar, part coffee bar, part market. The scalable concept is meant to morph through the day as needed, providing locally sourced food and beverage choices.
An optional separate bar will provide a more intimate space for cocktails.
The club lounge, provided for Marriott Bonvoy elite members and Sheraton Club level guests, has also been incorporated into the lobby and upgraded. The move, Hepler says, will forge a stronger connection with guests as well as improve operating efficiencies. Premium food and beverage and amenities, enhanced connectivity and 24/7 access are part of the experience.
“Guests and locals should feel a sense of collective and belonging,” Hepler explained.
Modernized guestrooms have been designed with soft finishes, light wood tones and black metal accents. Rooms at the flagship Phoenix hotel were furnished with a height-adjustable work table, open closets, refitted bathrooms and layered lighting. These combine with classic amenities such as the Sheraton Sleep Experience platform bed and houndstooth-patterned seating.