Residence Inn grows, eyeing business and family travel

By Mark Chesnut

This year has been a big one for Residence Inn by Marriott. The extended-stay hotel chain debuted its very first European property while announcing its expansion into South America — all while strengthening its position as a favored brand for both business travelers and families.

The Residence Inn Fort Lauderdale Pompano Beach offers amenities for business travelers and families.

The Residence Inn made its entrance into Europe with the opening in October of the Residence Inn by Marriott Munich City East in Munich, Germany, within walking distance of the city’s Ostbahnhof train station. The 125-room property has one meeting room for eight people. In addition, Marriott plans to introduce the chain in South America in 2012 with the opening of its first property in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

The Residence Inn brand aims to make it easy for business travelers to blend work time with family time while on the road. An excellent example of this dual focus is the Residence Inn Fort Lauderdale Pompano Beach, a beachfront Florida hotel with an interesting lineup of features and activities, including cocktail hours two or three times a week, plus occasional live music and family-oriented poolside movie nights.

Special events vary by hotel, but all Residence Inn properties feature a swimming pool, fitness center, free hot breakfast, meeting space, a business center with free access to computers, printers and fax machines. The ample selection of studio, one- and two bedroom suites are equipped with full kitchens with refrigerator, stove, microwave and coffee maker, and the hotels offer free grocery delivery service (the 24-hour on-site convenience store is ideal for business travelers and families who find they’ve forgotten an important item or who may be feeling late-night hunger pangs).

Travelers with younger children can make use of Marriott’s “Tots Travel Too” program, which is available at Residence Inn as well as Marriott’s Courtyard, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Springhill Suites and TownePlace Suites hotel brands. The program provides free use of travel cribs with covers, outlet covers, disposable bibs in the lobby breakfast area, and a bathtub toy that each child can take home. Items from the company’s line of children’s products are also available for purchase to take home — which might also help harried business travelers who don’t have enough time to shop for supplies back at home.

Related resources

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Mark Chesnut is a travel writer, editor and publisher of LatinFlyer.com, which focuses on travel to Latin America. He loves free breakfasts, but hates waking up for them.

Tagged: Family time, Florida