US travelers have a new option when it comes to the fast-growing extended-stay hotel market.
Wyndham’s new brand, Echo Suites Extended Stay by Wyndham, officially opened its first hotel this week in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The 124-room hotel is the first property for the new extended-stay brand, adding to a growing list of offerings from Wyndham and its competitors, such as Marriott International, Hilton and Hyatt.
There are a variety of reasons for the broader industry push into extended-stay brands, and Wyndham leaders seem especially bullish on infrastructure projects underway in the U.S. as a driver for business in future Eco Suites hotels. Additionally, the company likes the sustainability of demand for extended-stay hotels even in uncertain economic times.
“When you look at extended investment [segment’s] Occupancy rate, it’s doing a lot better than the rest of the industry right now,” Wyndham CEO Geoff Belotti said in an interview with TPG this week.
A huge wave of coast-to-coast construction is expected to come from 2021’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure and jobs acts, as well as a 2022 spending package of $280 billion for chip manufacturing plant building. Construction workers need a place to live while they are on the job.
Wyndham leaders anticipate that the construction generated from combined packages could bring Wyndham franchisees a $3.3 billion opportunity for additional room revenue.
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“There’s a lot of building going on around the country,” Bellotti said. “We are already seeing in many markets that our hotels benefit.”
Eco Suites Spartanburg is a mix of single and two-queen studio suites with kitchens; Public spaces include a fitness center, lobby and 24/7 laundry. Because Eco Suites operate at the economy end of the extended-stay segment, guests shouldn’t expect free breakfast — that’s what Wyndham’s high-end Hawthorne Suites brand is all about. Wyndham also has Waterwalk Extended Stay, which serves as a hotel-residence hybrid with a mix of furnished and unfurnished units for longer stays.
During a stay at Echo Suites, guests will find a clean, well-equipped and affordable stay. Average rates will vary by market, but Echo Suites Spartanburg was priced as low as $84 per night for stays this week. Complimentary housekeeping is offered every two weeks — extended-stay hotels typically see guests staying at least 10 nights — but guests can pay for more frequent cleaning.
Other offerings, from kitchenware to room soap and shampoo, are offered through the Wyndham mobile app prior to arrival, Balotti said.
Similar to what Wyndham’s competitors expect with their respective extended-stay brands, Eco Suites is expected to grow rapidly. The company already has deals for 270 Echo Suites hotels. Wyndham leaders expect 75 Echo Suites to either open or be under construction by the end of 2026, and the brand expects to open 300 hotels by 2032.
“When you look at the infrastructure bill and its impact in terms of where the money is being allocated, it’s no surprise to see that the states where the most are being allocated are the states that have the most implemented and signed eco suites through the Wyndham contract. .” Bellotti said.
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