Can we still talk about business hotel chains in the strict sense of the term? The professionals themselves are divided on the question. “Yes, when 60 ’s clientele consists of business travellers, whether travelling individually or for meetings and seminars”says Didier Boidin, IHG's vice-president of operations for Western Europe, Russia and Ukraine. He cites as examples Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn for his group, and Pullman for competitor Accor.
But he could just as easily have added the historic Hilton, Marriott and Sheraton brands, which have built their reputations on welcoming business people from all over the world.
Naturally, these brands' hotels offer everything that business travellers need to successfully complete their missions. Today, they also offer new services to meet the needs of mobile executives. One example is the "Link" in Sheraton hotels, a space in the lobby where computers are made available free of charge for an hour to keep you connected. The offer can also include practical services such as the daily dry-cleaning service offered in Pullman's Business package. Or even offer adapted timetables, as at the Moevenpick Bangalore, which has introduced a new pricing system, based on a 24-hour period rather than an overnight stay, to make life easier for business travellers who have to catch an early or late flight.
Lifestyle convergence
These days, however, there seems to be a blurring of the boundary between these large, studious and busy business caravanserais and the more intimate establishments, which are more jeans and jacket than suit and tie. The hotel industry is turning everything upside down. You can find a spa on the floor just above a conference centre, business centres integrated into the most refined designs, and even meeting rooms in the shade of coconut palms. This convergence of genres touches on the Gordian knot of the hotel business: filling hotels 365 days a year, weekdays and weekends. "We need both types of customer - business and leisure - to be profitable."says Pierre Frédéric Roulot, CEO of Louvre Hotels. A different way of working
Radisson Blu, Rezidor's business brand par excellence, has understood this with its establishments where design reigns supreme while offering state-of-the-art facilities and conference rooms. "Today, many travellers take time out from their work to indulge in leisure activities. Conversely, others come at the weekend with their families, but still want to be able to work a little".says Willem Vander Zee, the Scandinavian group's Managing Director for France and Benelux. 
To appeal to Gen-X, the groups have adopted two strategies: launch new brands such as A loft for Starwood Hotels and Andaz for Hyatt, or capitalise on their existing chains while revamping their concepts.
Crowne Plaza is embarking on a three-phase plan: Freshen up, Move up and Shine. It's all part of a programme to bring the brand back into line with the tastes of the new generation. In other words, the group wants to improve the brand's quality of service and performance, but it is not revealing all the details of this project. One thing is certain: the final phase will be based on a new visual identity. Results expected between 2013 and 2015...Appealing to Generation X
For its part, Courtyard by Marriott has just unveiled a prototype of the concept that will be used in future establishments. Existing hotels will also have to comply. "Today's travellers no longer want to be tied to a desk to study their files because it's almost the only way to access one of the few electrical sockets available in the room".says Amy Mc Pherson, President of Marriott International Europe. As a result, the latest-generation room is "riddled" with sockets, with an adapter to top it all off. Guests can choose to work at their desk, lying on their bed or slumped in their armchair while watching a programme on a flat-screen TV. For added flexibility, the furniture can be moved around as required in this space where beige dominates, warmed by honey-coloured wood and touches of green and blue to give a fresh impression. In the common areas, the contemporary design favours nooks and crannies where you can meet up to chat or work in small groups. And, of course, high-speed WiFi is available throughout the establishment. Connectivity, conviviality, but also, and above all, a welcome lightness in a world that is all too serious: a breeze of freedom is blowing through the hotel. - serious world: a wind of freedom is blowing through the business hotel industry in the 21st century. 
