Residence Inn by Marriott is a brand of
extended stay hotel
An apartment hotel or aparthotel (also residential hotel, or extended-stay hotel) is a serviced apartment complex that uses a hotel-style booking system. It is similar to renting an apartment, but with no fixed contracts and occupants can "check ...
s. , there were 874 Residence Inn hotels in the United States, Canada and Mexico with 107,680 rooms, plus an additional 243 hotels with 30,417 rooms in the development pipeline.
The brand's slogan is "It's not a room. It's a Residence". It was the first extended-stay brand in the United States and was a key player in launching the concept of a "suite" in a hotel.
History
The chain traces its roots back to in 1975, when
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 397,532. The Wichita metro area had ...
developer Jack DeBoer found himself with apartment properties that were facing unusually high vacancy rates. He repurposed one of the apartment buildings, converting the residential units to monthly rentals, and named it The Residence. In 1981, DeBoer and developer
Robert L. Brock
Robert L. Brock (December 27, 1924Obituary from Kansas Historical Society June 7, 1998) was an American businessman. He was born in Pawnee Rock, Kansas, and graduated from Sterling High School and Kansas University.
He started "Inn Operations" ...
(then the largest franchisee of
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn is an American chain of hotels based in Atlanta, Georgia. and a brand of IHG Hotels & Resorts. The chain was founded in 1952 by Kemmons Wilson, who opened the first location in Memphis, Tennessee that year. The chain was a division ...
), formed a joint venture, launching a chain called The Residence Inn. The hotels focused on the "extended-stay" market, a term they invented. The hotels were aimed at guests staying five nights or more, who would not need conventional daily hotel maid service, which reduced operational costs. Their guests were mostly business travelers on lengthy work assignments, patients of nearby hospitals, and those in need of temporary housing. In January 1985, Holiday Corporation, the parent company of
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn is an American chain of hotels based in Atlanta, Georgia. and a brand of IHG Hotels & Resorts. The chain was founded in 1952 by Kemmons Wilson, who opened the first location in Memphis, Tennessee that year. The chain was a division ...
, bought a 50% stake in The Residence Inn chain. In early 1987, DeBoer bought back Holiday's interest in the chain, before selling the entire company to
Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. is an American multinational corporation, multinational company that operates, franchises, and licenses lodging including hotel, residential, and timeshare properties. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. T ...
on July 7, 1987.
Historically, the usual appearance of a Residence Inn was a main building, called the "Gatehouse," which houses the front desk, a common area for meal service, an on-site coin-operated laundry, a swimming pool and exercise room and often several outbuildings similar to condo or apartment complexes. Most had exterior corridors. More recent constructions, however, have moved away from the outbuilding style and instead have a more traditional layout with all suites in the same building. The suites are much larger than traditional hotel rooms, however. They are typically around 450 square feet for a standard suite and 750 for a two-bedroom suite. Residence Inns typically feature a complimentary small hot breakfast in the morning and a complimentary reception on Monday through Wednesday evenings called "The Mix".
Although DeBoer died in 2021, the original Wichita property is still operated by his company, under the WaterWalk brand.
The first Residence Inn to be opened by Marriott was in
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
.
In contrast to Marriott's other extended-stay brand, the low-cost
TownePlace Suites
TownePlace Suites is a brand operated by Marriott International. The chain is part of the mid-tier extended stay lodging segment of the hospitality industry and consists of all-suites hotels. As of year-end 2018, TownePlace Suites operated 433 h ...
, Residence Inn competes in the upscale industry segment, along with InterContinental's
Staybridge Suites
Staybridge Suites is an all-suite, residential-style brand of hotels within the InterContinental Hotels Group. The hotels are primarily targeted toward extended-stay and corporate travelers. Over 220 Staybridge Suites hotels are in the Unite ...
,
Hyatt
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, commonly known as Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, is an American multinational hospitality company headquartered in the Riverside Plaza area of Chicago that manages and franchises luxury and business hotels, resorts, and vacat ...
House, and
Homewood Suites by Hilton
Homewood Suites by Hilton is an American chain of all-suite residential-style hotels managed by the Hilton Worldwide. As of December 31, 2019, the chain consists of 505 hotels in 4 countries and territories with 57,545 rooms. 490 Homewood Su ...
.
Accommodations
Historical
From 2015
Gallery
Image:Residence Inn in Mocton.jpg, A typical Residence Inn, this one in Moncton, New Brunswick
Moncton (; ) is the most populous city in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Situated in the Petitcodiac River Valley, Moncton lies at the geographic centre of the Maritime Provinces. The city has earned the nickname "Hub City" because of ...
File:Residence Inn Marriott - Hillsboro, Oregon.jpg, A Residence Inn in Hillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro ( ) is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Situated in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city hosts many high-technology companies, ...
File:Phoenix Residence Inn Marriott hotel kitchen area in studio suite.JPG, A Residence Inn kitchen
File:Phoenix day Residence Inn Marriott Hotel studio suite living area.JPG, Living area
File:Hotel Room with queen size bed.jpg, Bedroom
References
External links
*
Locations
{{DEFAULTSORT:Residence Inn By Marriott
Extended stay hotel chains
Marriott International brands
Hotels established in 1975
1975 establishments in Kansas
Controversies in the United States