Marriott Hotels M Club Lounge Update

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As part of our continuing effort to lift and shift the perception of the Marriott Hotels brand, the M Club Lounge concept was developed to create an elevated, premium concierge lounge experience for guests while evolving the typical concierge lounge business model to drive value and return to properties and owners. To date, there are 26 M Club Lounge proofs-of-concept in the U.S. & Canada. Furthermore, investment and interest in implementing the M Club Lounge concept has been strong, with over 35 additional properties with plans for an M Club Lounge approved or in review for development.

Consumer research¹ has shown that proof-of-concept hotels have seen a lift in both their Average M Club Lounge Concierge Lounge score and Average Elite Appreciation Score post vs. pre-renovation: 

	All Guests	Gold and Platinum Rewards Members
Average M Club Lounge Concierge Lounge Score	+13.6 (+8.6)	+17.0 (+11.0)
Average Elite Appreciation Score	+5.4 (+3.7)	+6.6 (+4.9)

 

 

 

 

Bold numbers indicate points above 2015 Marriott Hotels brand average.

Marriott has used insights gathered from consumer research¹ and a return-on-investment analysis² to finalize the North American M Club Lounge Design & Operations Standards, which are effective as of July 31, 2016. There is currently no brand standard requiring properties to implement an M Club Lounge; however, all properties with M Club Lounges will be required to comply with the finalized standards. Properties that have participated in the proof-of-concept program will be receiving a communication in the coming weeks outlining next steps with regards to M Club Lounge Operation Standard compliance requirements and timeline.

Additionally, the M Club Lounge Design & Operations Programming Guide is now available on MGS for hotels. This comprehensive resource was developed to help hotels bring to life this elevated concierge lounge experience, and it contains specific guidance on both requirements and strategies to help hotels design and activate the M Club Lounge.

M Club Lounge is a critical pillar of the Marriott Hotels Product Transformation (MHPT), an integral component of enhancing brand perception and consideration, and reliant on delivering a holistic design and operating formula. As such, during the latter half of 2016, Marriott will be defining and testing a training and certification process to help properties deliver on this formula and maintain the integrity of the M Club Lounge. We will plan to provide an update on progress with this phase of work in Q4 2016.

We thank you for your continued support. Should you have any questions, please contact Christoph Roshardt (Managed by Marriott) or Guy Reinbold (franchised).

 

¹ guestVoice data through July 16, 2016. Includes results for questions with 75 or greater post-renovation responses. Analysis compares scores 1 month prior to completion of renovation and +9 months post-renovation.

² Post-audit ROI Analysis included a sample of five US managed hotels. Tracking Period was June – December 2015 for majority of hotels. This is a proof-of-concept program and we will continue to monitor the results of this program. There is no guarantee that a particular hotel will achieve these results.