SkiAdcock

Saw this in an industry e-newsletter I receive. The Marriott International chairman on Chinese menus, bigger lobbies and the future of hotels

http://online.wsj.com/articles/bill-...ing-1405716717

Interesting article.

Cheers.

sammyindc

Thanks for sharing.

davie355

Fascinating piece. Odd that in-room desks are out of vogue. Where to work, then?

N1120A

Kind of makes sense. With the rise of smaller laptops, ultrabooks and tablets, I think more people are probably working from bed or a chair.

darthbimmer

Is it just me, or are a lot of Mr. Marriott's new design maxims really cases of "It depends"?

For me this depends on how long I'm at the hotel. If I'm just there for one night before moving on, I won't unpack my suitcase. Maybe I'll hang my jacket in the closet and drape my pants over the back of the desk chair. But when I'm in one place for 3 or more nights I'll unpack my suitcase and hang my shirts and trousers.

Also, do Millennials watch TV? As in, watch video on a TV screen? One that's not at least 56" size and hooked to their game system(s), 7.2 sound, ChromeCast, etc?

Whether or not I want to use a desk depends on how much work I'm doing in the room. If relaxing and need to spend 15 minutes answering work emails, I'll do it from the armchair, sofa, or sprawled out on the bed. But if I need to put in a few hours of work from my hotel room I always set up at the desk for it. If I walked into a room without a desk I'd call down to the front and inform them my room had been burglarized!

This change, I like. I always figured the move toward small lobbies was a result of bean-counters running the businesses: The lobby can't be billed to a paying customer, so don't waste more space on it than necessary for minimal function.

joshwex90

I'm a millennial. I live out of my suitcase for 1-2 nights. If I'm there 3 nights or more, I much prefer a closet and drawers.

I do like how they adapt though, much better than other chains I find

UrbaneGent

This is interesting. I take the flat plastic/leater tray on the desk with the glasses, papers, etc., put my Macbook on it and work in the bed propped up with my paperwork scattered on the bed. I use the desk to put my tickets, receipts, etc. and if there's no table, in-room dining.

SkiAdcock

I agree with darth & josh. If I'm doing email just for a few minutes then anywhere is fine, but if I'm going to be working for a long period of time then I prefer a desk. I also agree on the suitcase/closet/drawers aspect.

I do like how Bill's on social media though

Cheers.

dll

I often don't work at a desk as I've discovered over the years, almost invariably, the desk is situated in the direct blow path of the air vent (often facing it at a 90-degree angle). Thus you are faced with the unsavory choice between freezing to death while you work or disabling and working in a stuffy room. Have others found the same to be true?

SkiAdcock

Nope. But I have found that often the desk doesn't face the tv so if I want to work and/or surf FT & still watch the news or a movie, it's harder to do that. Since I'm not a millennial I still prefer watching shows on the tv vs. my Kindle Fire

Cheers.

Boo_Radley

I'm 26 (classify how you like), and I absolutely never unpack my suitcase in a hotel. It seems downright bizarre to me. As for the desk, I use it from time to time. It wouldn't be a deal-breaker to remove, but I'd prefer it kept. One thing that is quite important to me that wasn't touched on is power outlets. Not having at least one power outlet near the bed is infuriating, though I don't think this is even a generational thing anymore now that everyone has smart phones and laptops.

plagwate

Yes, I experience this all the time and it annoys me to no end. If I could simply point the vents up, this issue would be resolved.

lsugolfer

Millennial here...I hang my sportcoat(s) up, everything else is in my suitcase. No matter the length of my stay which are typically 2-4 nights. Use my laptop from my bed more often than the desk.

Only time I really need the desk is when I'm truly working from my hotel room for multiple hours.

Miesque

This is a challenge I face on a regular basis as someone who does like to use the desk and is compounded by the fact that I like my room on the cold side. If the room happens to have a couch than I usually end up moving there. If I sit on the bed past a certain amount of time I get very tired and want to go to sleep, so its not a productive place for me to use the computer other than some short prior to bed use.

lsugolfer

Any FS Marriott I've stayed at in the last 3+ years has the desk on a swivel that allows me to move it out into the walkway so I can watch TV.