Hotel Marriott Near Belview Winery - Report Example

Hotel Marriott Near Bellview Winery Detailed information on the new product concept New product concept proposed in this project is opening a Marriott hotel within five miles of Bellview Winery. Marriott hotel endeavours to position itself as a hospitality service provider which delivers distinctive experiences in each of its hotels while also retaining the authentic flair of the property. It is known to serve contemporary local cuisine fit for gourmets. The positioning of the Marriott Hotel conveys that Marriott hotel provides more than lodging and repast. It aims to provide a ‘distinctive experience’ at each of its properties. Thus, a regular customer can look forward to novelty in Marriott hotel if she is visiting a different location. While a hotel can bring about novelty in many ways, this project proposes to build this novelty by way of its location and amenities. Bellview Winery serves as the most suitable location for a new property of Marriott hotel. The following points explain how it is a new concept for Marriott hotel: Hotel near a Winery: Opening a hotel so close to the winery would add to the company’s existing line of hotels which provide distinctive experiences and would thus supplement its positioning. Distinctive experiences would be closeness to the winery, tour of the winery, golf course and corporate meeting halls. Before finalising this concept, the idea was to enter into a property which provides ultra luxury services to its guest. The following questions were raised with respect to this idea: What is ultra-luxury? Is it presidential suite, or, rich pas-time, connoisseur’s dining or located in nature’s lap? Who are the guests? Mid segment corporate executives, individuals, families, youngsters, top corporate executives? From where the guests might arrive? From neighbouring states, across the country? From abroad? From research and discussions, it was concluded that ultra luxury hotel should have a golf course and its proximity to the winery will give it a natural edge. New Jersey came up as an ideal choice due to its location and topography. Since, the state is more or less a sort of crossroads of commerce with excellent transportation connectivity; it becomes a natural choice for the developers of the property. The woods add beauty to the state making it a favoured hotel destination. It was agreed that such facilities are usually bestowed by corporates on their top executives; hence top corporate executives are most likely to frequent this hotel. Also, since New Jersey lies within the sprawling metropolitan areas of New York, the majority of customers would be from New York on a business trip or annual vacation. The proposed property would deliver ultra- luxury deals to its customers with an advantage of fusing them with nature. It will have a golf course which goes well with the positioning of the hotel as ultra luxury. The golf course would overlook the winery, making it a perfect background setting. Since such amenities are mostly enjoyed by the top executives of corporates, all other amenities (such as corporate social halls and individual tours to winery) which might be expected would also be available. Detailed information on how the product will be delivered including all the services and facilities The new Marriott hotel at Landisville aims to provide leisure activities to its elite class. Star attractions in leisure activities would include a 18- hole golf course and individual tours to the winery and vineyards. The golf course would be the best in the state, spread over lush green 132 acres, overlooking the vineyards on one side and oak trees on the other. It would be accessible to the life members of The Marriott Elite Club. This club is meant for the elites of the society who do not require stay overnight at the hotel but would want to indulge in its services. It would also serve as a ground for elites of the society to catch up with each other in leisure. It is planned to forge a tie-up between Marriott hotel and Bellview Winery for the visits of their guests to the winery and the vineyards. The pick-up and drop to the winery would be arranged by Marriott hotel. Internally, it would be shared between the two companies on an equal basis. The tie-up would enable the customers of Marriott hotel to tour the wineries on Saturdays. The tour would be organised at 2:00 pm and 3:00p.m. and the customers may pick any timing they like. The customers would also be gifted a Bellview wine glass to carry back with them. It would also be arranged that the customers are not charged for the tour. Marriott hotel would pay for this on a volume discount basis. The payment terms, as proposed by Marriott are: Less than 15 guests: $6 per person More than 15 guests: $7 per person Currently, Bellview Winery charges $10 per person for touring the wineries. Apart from wineries tour, guests of Marriott hotel may also visit the winery for wine tasting from Monday to Saturday. The timings would be regular winery timings i.e. 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wine tasting would be free of cost. It is assumed that people who take interest in wine tasting are either connoisseurs of wines or keen to learn more about ones. Marriott hotels target market matches with the former and it is anticipated that the guests would like to spend as much time in the winery as possible. Hence, it is proposed that Marriott would keep a luncheon buffet table called ‘Characteristically Marriott’ in the restaurant of the winery. The investment and running cost (minus rent) would be borne by the Marriott while the revenue would be shared between the hotel and the winery in 60:40 ratios respectively. The table would be accessible to all the customers of the restaurant. Such an arrangement would result in two major benefits for the hotel which are: It would remind the existing customers that they are enjoying this outing courtesy Marriott. It would inform other visitors of the wineries that there is a Marriott hotel nearby and thus would increase the presence of the hotel in the area. In the state of New Jersey, it is prohibited by law to ship the retail consignments of wines outside state. Thus it becomes really difficult for the visitors of the winery, from outside states, to carry home with them their selected casks of wines. Therefore, it is arranged that the wine cases bought by Marriott guests would be shipped by the hotel on the behalf of the guests. However, guests need to bear shipping charges and administration expenses which would be 5% of the total consignment value or $70, whichever is lower. This tie-up would result in a win-win situation for all concerned. While Marriott hotel would have an ultra luxury and novel service to provide, Bellview Winery can be assured of regular traffic. The customer would be the king who would enjoy the relative advantage of being at the Marriott than any other luxury hotel. The luxuries offered by Marriott are compatible to the target segment it is aiming for, and, novel as well. Hence, this new product concept goes well with the existing positioning of the group as ‘distinctive experience’ provider. It is a simple yet, obviously, very profitable proposition. It would be an addition to the existing line of novel, distinctive and authentic Marriott. Read More