Marriott Launches Apartment-Style Brand To Cater To Remote Workers

Marriott International is rolling out a brand of apartment-style accommodations in North America that will target longer-term travelers who are able to take their work with them.

The company calls the new brand Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy, and it emphasizes that the brand will be distinct from Marriott's existing extended-stay options. Marriott didn't release a timetable for opening the new properties, or say exactly where they will be.

Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy will resemble apartments in that the units will feature a separate living room and bedroom, full kitchen and in-unit washer and dryer. 

Unlike Marriott's existing extended-stay brands, however, the new offering won't provide certain standard hotel services, such as food and beverage, meeting spaces or any retail.

"Travelers planning vacations and long business trips today are seeking more choice in accommodations, and the introduction of Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy responds to those trends," Marriott International President Stephanie Linnartz said in a statement.

Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy will also be distinct by being in the upscale and luxury segments, featuring amenities that the hotelier says will "reflect the local neighborhood for independent travelers seeking more space and residential amenities," something like the company's Autograph Collection and Tribute Portfolio lodging brands.

Marriott, which has a portfolio of nearly 8,200 properties worldwide, already has some experience with this kind of property, just not in the U.S. or Canada. In the rest of the world, the company operates Marriott Executive Apartments, an upmarket apartment-style brand.