Marriott Attempts to Lure Millennials with New ‘Less is More’ Brand

Marriott hopes hotels with smaller rooms will woo younger customers to its new Moxy brand of hotels.

Marriott is preparing to launch a new brand of hotels in the U.S. Moxy, Marriot’s 18th brand, will have smaller-than-average rooms, clocking in at 183 square feet as opposed to the hospitality industry’s typical 250 to 300 square feet. The design will be minimalist and feature “industrial-chic” accents, such as concrete floors, exposed columns and unique furniture. This is Marriott’s latest attempt to draw in younger customers and a more modern crowd.

Moxy is already open in Milan, but has approved agreements for locations in New York, San Francisco, New Orleans and Seattle. A one-night stay will cost around $240 in New York, which is slightly below the city’s $260 average cost for a hotel night. Each of the properties will have between 160 and 200 rooms, but no restaurant. There will, however, be a full bar and a 24-hour grab-and-go convenience stand with food.

In addition to smaller rooms, Moxy will be on the forefront of hotel technology. Guests will be able to use mobile devices as room keys, and the beds will have motion-activated lights underneath so it’s easier to see in the middle of the night.

Marriott is not the first to dip into the mini-room concept. Various mini-room properties in the U.S. already exist, and they make a profit, including Yotel, Pod Hotel and CitizenM. However, the majority of the guests at the aforementioned hotels are not stateside, but international, where the microhotel idea is already flourishing.

[Photos: Marriott International]