One of the most interesting panels at the second run of DesignInn Southeast Asia on Tuesday, 10th March, was a discussion regarding hybrid hospitality.
The term is defined as a synthesis of traditional hospitality models, residential real estate, and even commercial real estate.
This would mean weaving together conventional hotel operations with a full range of residential models from build-to-rent (BTR), co-living and dormitory-style residences, student housing, and even co-working spaces.
In doing so, a single property will be able to cater to several markets all at once.
Technology is driving the trend: the application of relevant innovations has developed a dynamic approach that enhances the overall guest experience on several levels but also adapts rapidly to the hospitality sector’s ongoing evolution.
How can you tell when a property is a hybrid hospitality establishment?
They may look like conventional hotels on the surface, but it is important to note that there are several aspects that set hybrid hospitality properties apart from their more conventional peers.
These include:
- Optimised, multi-functional spaces Lobbies aren’t just places to check in or out of or even glorified waiting areas anymore. Lobbies may also double as a hotel’s cocktail lounge or coffee shop, while adjacent rooms or spaces may be transformed into private meeting rooms or small event spaces, and the conventional business centre may be expanded into a coworking hub;
- More diverse clientele Hybrid hospitality venues, like all other hotels, cater to a mix of leisure and business travellers. However, given that many have a serviced apartment component or dormitory service, they also cater to long-staying families, diplomats on extended assignment, and short-term workers. As dining venues, spa and fitness facilities, and coworking spaces are open to the public, these establishments have a more diverse range of markets to cater to;
- More flexible stay periods These properties offer the conventional 3D/2N stay for conventional travellers. But, as pointed out above, they also offer stays for as long as a year or more in their properties in rooms or suites kitted out for everyday and family living; and
- Hybrid hospitality is community-centric These properties centre on a live-work-play principle, their offerings going beyond the usual run of MICE, buffets, and gyms to offer diverse retail spaces, curated events open to the public, and excellent dining options for the neighbourhood and beyond.
How hybrid hospitality benefits its stakeholders
The benefits of hybrid hospitality goes beyond the symbiotic operator-guest relationship common to the greater hospitality sector.
We recently discussed the concept of making hospitality more resilient in these uncertain times, and hybrid hospitality actually helps in that respect as it can more easily and rapidly adapt to evolving market conditions, guest preferences, and socio-economic issues.
For operators, it means maximising available space per square metre: essentially activating spaces into different uses within the day.
For example, conference rooms on the property can be used as standard MICE venues throughout the day; at night, these can be transformed into social event spaces or those specific to a property’s calendar of curated activities.
On the other hand, hybrid hospitality changes the game for consumers as it offers them a broader spectrum of choices when it comes to accommodations.
Companies, for example, can commandeer a set number of dorm-style rooms for project teams; the same would apply for schools attending local events.
For families, especially expatriates coming into a country for jobs running one to six months,the serviced apartment concept offers stays that feel more like home, decreasing the need for adjustment prior to either heading home or moving into their own place where they’re assigned.
Hybrid properties also benefit younger travellers as it puts them right where the action is without needing to leave the property.
The way hybrid hospitality is evolving, it would not be too much of a stretch to say that it could be the future of the industry as a whole, encompassing the human needs for food, shelter, and community in a single venue.
