I just got an email advertising element hotels for groups: room configurations with common space and package pricing for groups.

I'm wondering whether this will be better or worse overall for individual travelers staying at these element properties.

Imagine sharing a suite with a bunch of strangers... Is your private room is smaller because you have access to shared space replacing a desk and chair/couch? It would be like having to walk through the concierge lounge to access your room. Can�t imagine the aggravation if your suite mates are throwing a party while you are odd man out wanting a quiet evening. Even as part of the group I often wouldn�t like it ... forced socialization.

I sure hope the hotels are selling these only to groups and not to random strangers. I also hope/assume that each room has its own private "en suite" bathroom, meaning at least toilet, shower, and sink.

For certain groups, I can see the potential attraction of such accommodations, whether it's a group of friends who can't (or don't want to) fit into a single room or suite or a business group, perhaps even those traveling together for a team building exercise rather than a standard project or training assignment. OTOH, for business colleagues, the lack of privacy could be an issue with rooms in different locations in the same property where the group can meet easily for breakfast, transportation, drinks together, or evening plans.

Not every hotel is going to be a perfect fit for every traveler. Lodging with shared facilities has been around for as long as hotels have been around. If a certain format doesn't appeal to you, don't stay there. That said, this doesn't appear to be what's actually happening with this brand.

Here's a portion of the description of the Studio Commons room type at the Element Scottdale at SkySong, which is open.

"Featuring a private area with a full kitchen, dining area and plenty of lounge space, plan your next extended family trip or celebration with our new Studio Commons. A private corridor links the communal area to the numerous King Studio Suites."
Source: https://www.marriott.com/hotels/hote...room-container

To me, the use of the word private twice clearly indicates that you're not going to be sharing this space with random strangers. As for the bathroom, the King Studio Suite is a defined room category with it's own bathroom. So, no sharing of bathrooms will be happening.

Agree that not every property is right for every person or situation. I�m unlikely to book reservations at a hostel, bed & breakfast, Air BnB or VBRO, So this new (to me) format of communal hotel living doesn�t appeal.

I wonder how/ if it flexes to stay profitable. For example, booking a beach house for the extended family I know I�m committing to paying for exclusive use of the house whether I need all five bedrooms or not. Versus say some near college campus apartments that rent rooms with shared communal space. If one roommate leaves the landlord will put someone else in there and the others have no say on the matter. Just like campus dorms except no RA to moderate disputes.

Maybe the shared facilities will be located at them far end of the "studio commons" with doorways between this area and the public hallways of the hotel functioning as moving curtains so tha groups can book the "studio commons" space plus (within reason) as many rooms (king studio suites in the above example) as are needed. Such an arrangement would give the hotel a lot of flexibility in implementing this concept.

The Studio Commons is also listed as a "4 bedroom," and if you click to book it the rate is ~4x the price of a king bed room. So it sounds like they just have 4 King Studio Suites and a lounge room at the end of a hallway, and can close off the hallway to create a 5-room private space.

I've seen similar arrangements at plenty of other hotels, where the last rooms at the end of a hall -- usually a suite and a standard room -- are accessed via a vestibule with a common door that's normally left open. It enables them to be combined in a slightly more elegant fashion than a traditional connecting door.

It certainly would be smart to have it set up as other people have suggested. In one hotel where I worked, our Presidential Suite was four bedrooms. Two of the four bedrooms had entrances to both the internal private hallway for the suite and main public hallway. Effectively, we could sell the suite as a 2, 3, or 4-bedroom suite.