Carlson: Most Radissons in the U.S. will be upper-upscale

Orlando—More details were unveiled Thursday in Orlando regarding Carlson Hotels’ plan to invest more than $1 billion in the Radisson brand in North America.

First was a more concrete explanation of the two tiers that now define Radisson: The upper-upscale Radisson Blu and the upscale Radisson. Along with those definitions, brand managers outlined the five new room design concepts available to owners and the initial room deployment timelines.

“Our focus is not so much on the color of the swoosh,” said Carlson President and CEO Hubert Joly, referring to the blue swoosh that will accompany the Radisson Blu logo and the green swoosh for Radisson. “Our focus is on building the quality of the assets.”

That said, the company will undergo significant renovations and select new developments to position each Radisson as an upper-upscale Radisson Blu or an upscale Radisson.

Click here to read yesterday’s announcement

The Radisson Blu rollout will be progressive. “When do we introduce Radisson Blu in the U.S. market?” Joly asked.  “When we have a critical mass of true upper-upscale properties in the U.S. market, then they will be Blu. I expect this to happen in 2011, maybe when the first flagship opens in one of these cities.”

Thorsten Kirschke, EVP and COO of the Americas for Carlson, said the company is close to finalizing a development deal for that first Radisson Blu in North America.

Eventually, Joly said, he expected the majority of Radissons in the United States to be upper-upscale Radisson Blu.

“Going forward I would expect a good balance in the future development of Radisson Blu and [traditional Radisson],” he said. “I would expect in five years from now the majority of the portfolio—60-70 percent—will be upper-upscale.”

For Radisson owners and operators, that means new service components, new room styles and two new restaurant concepts.

The new Radisson service offerings include a three-hour laundry service, early check-in and late check-out. These strategies support Carlson’s “Ambition 2015” five-year plan that calls for, among other priorities, a focus on travel empathy, particularly among leisure travelers.

Two new restaurant concepts include the upper-upscale Filini, an Italian restaurant that focuses on local, fresh ingredients and a coffee-and-wine culture. RBG, a more casual grill restaurant featuring sandwiches, salads, steaks and burgers, originally launched in Carlson’s Park Inn brand in Europe.

Tom Trout, VP of architecture and planning for Carlson in the Americas, said the Filini concept is more suited to Radisson Blu properties, while the RGB concept is essentially ready to go. “It’s really all there right now,” he said. “We can just pick it up and put it in your hotel right now.”

Carlson worked with LWA Architects to develop the new room concepts—three upper-upscale designs and two upscale designs (see slideshow).

The concepts are:
• New York Mansion: A dark, club-like, masculine room. Upper-upscale.
• Naturally Cool: A contemporary, stylized and sleek room with wood floors. Upper-upscale.
• And Relax: A more feminine-styled room with white tile flooring and soft furniture lines. Upper-upscale.
• Urban: A comfortable, modern room showcasing modern art elements and seating. Upscale.
• Ocean: A light, contemporary room with touches of color. Upscale.

Gordon McKinnon, EVP and chief branding officer for Carlson, said most properties would have a combination of two or three different room designs in each hotel.

Trout called attention to the dominance of lighting in all the concepts. “We have to own that component,” he said. All rooms have reading lights in addition to ambient lighting.

Other common elements include adaptations of iconic architectural design, like the Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chair.

The company will begin the room rollout with the two upscale concepts, Urban and Ocean, beginning May 1. The base FF&E package will include all loose furnishings, and owners can opt for an upgraded program that includes casegoods and built-in lighting.

Trout acknowledged that most design conversions will be retrofits at this point, and the company partnered with several preferred designers to assist owners in the changeover. Those companies are LWA, auspod, Gettys, Design Continuum and Mackay Wong.

Additional conference coverage:
Carlson commits more than $1 billion to Radisson growth
 

News releases:
Radisson to expand as a powerful, globally consistent, first-class brand
Carlson Hotels unveils 'Ambition 2015' strategy