Marriott Brings Millennial-Targeted AC Hotel Brand to America
Marriott has officially opened the AC Hotel New Orleans Bourbon, a major move in the nearly 60-year old brand’s renaissance as a destination for next-generation travelers, who bring expectations of well-designed hotels with social lobbies for work and play, along with rooms featuring the latest smart tech.
Founded in 1998, the AC Hotels brand has nearly 80 properties in Spain, Italy, France and Portugal. AC joined the Marriott portfolio in 2011, and the New Orleans property is the first of 100 planned U.S. hotels in the next few years in urban markets including Miami and Washington, D.C.
Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson realizes his company has been suffering from "predictability of room size, predictability of design and consistency," USA Today reports. "I think increasingly, over the last couple of years, (guests are) saying, 'We want that genuine, authentic service, we want to do business with a company we think is good, but let us also have something that turns us on when we travel.'"
The AC Hotel New Orleans Bourbon’s 220 rooms have minimalist design, hardwood floors, bedside USB ports, Bluetooth-enabled speaker systems and flatscreen TVs.
Instead of a minibar in the room, a small shop off the lobby sells wine, beverages and snacks, and an open library with computers and wireless printers replaces a traditional business center. A "media salon" offers a contemporary alternative to the standard conference-room fair, and is wired for presentations.
