Scott Mayerowitz, Executive Editor of The Points Guy, visited Marriott’s new headquarters and shared details of an innovation project they’re working on there: rooms that use less space, because the bed descends on top of the couch.
You’ve probably seen beds that fold into a wall in order to save space. That’s a manual process, open up a closet and the bed comes down. This is a higher tech version of the idea, which Mayerowitz shared to Instagram:
By putting the bed on top of the sofa, Marriott is able to offer smaller rooms with the same features. And smaller rooms mean more rooms in a hotel. That’s good for revenue, and will let them compete for owners looking to maximize revenue per square foot of their real estate.
The open question is how guests will receive the idea. It looks cool! Maintenance is almost certain to be a nightmare. And you’d better check what you’ve left out on the couch before putting the bed down, though I have to imagine Marriott will require safety features as part of this project to forestall lawsuits.
Marriott brought us Moxy, without desks in the rooms. This, though, is next-level space-saving. The future is here, or at least in Bethesda, Maryland.
Nothing really new- Sir Terrance Conrad had this in his shop in the late 70/80? as suggestion for studio apts.
Just waiting for the 1st lawsuit when someone is sitting on the chairs or a child gets smashed
“The open question is how guests will receive the idea…”
What are they, 12? The same way I processed the idea that they don’t need to have a desk in a room, because you should hang out in thier lobby… I simply stop staying at those locations.
@ Gary — Not happening for me. I finished college long ago.
If they are priced right I’m sure it would work. Doubt I would stay in one but people stay in hostels and tube hotels (mainly in Japan) so plenty of people will pay for less space if cheap enough.
Besides VERY small limited-service properties under Moxy or other yet-to-be-launched brands, I think the only practical application are hospitality suites that previously had a Murphy bed.
Before legacy Marriott started renovating its flagship Marriott brand another 2014, a Marriott property would often “upgrade” me into a suite. Except the suite had a drop-down Murphy bed.
These suites were basically spaces for corporate board meetings or drink receptions. But they allowed the owner to have a bed in the event that occupancy was high and another room was needed for a guest.
I imagine the electronic drop-down bed is a lawsuit waiting to happen. I can see someone sitting on that sofa only to have the bed fall down and crush them. Maybe not right away but certainly within its expected lifespan, which is probably 10 years.
This is partially the same problem as other fancy electronic gadgets, like automatic window blinds. They look great and function relatively well for a year or two, but generally start having problems. Especially if they were cheaper models.
3600+ nights at Marriotts. No lounge open, find another hotel. Destination fee. Find another hotel. No King room with a tub, find another hotel,. Can’t use the bed and the uncomfortable couch at the same time, find another hotel. Marriott really needs to fire the room design team. Go back to comfortable furniture, useful bathrooms and a more positive customer attitude.
It sure isn’t the place Bill Marriott and his dad started.
Just stop!.. ugh.
You want to sleep in a pull-down bed in a cramped space, book an Amtrak Superliner. At least you’ll wake up somewhere else.
Guests are going to break these things in profusion.
Forget The Heavenly Bed.
This will be The Bonvoyed Bed.
Oh H3LL NAH!!
If they did this in a lowest tier price point I could see it….but I (nor will my employer) pay $385 a night ‘corporate’ rate to stay in a gimmicked up dorm room.
Aside from the obvious danger’s to people & property what’s going to happen when dozens of rooms are taken offline for maintenance?
Agree with Doug. Plus people put stuff on sofas. What if they forget and it’s crush city? Who’s liable?
I won’t stay at hotel with the this. And I live Marriott. Or I should say, I loved Marriott with the Marriott family running it.
I can see it now – ”you have received an elite upgrade …… from the couch to the bed” 🙂
Let’s consider the mechanism necessary to slowly lower/raise an entire mattress and wood frame FROM ONE SIDE. Maintenance nightmare is right!
I saw this headline and photo from BoardingArea and assumed it was posted by the satirical Takeoff Nap blog.
LOL – those things are going to break so much and drunk people are going to want to ride on them – workers comp for housekeeping and engineering and liability insurance for drunks taking rides are gonna negate any cost savings and guaranteed people calling down to front desk constantly asking for help. Also they look stupid.
I thought I accidentally clicked on the Babylon Bee or The Onion.
As long as we are going for the Dorm room motif I say install shared bathrooms too. Perhaps one large restroom per floor? Could work?
I am lifetime titanium
I NEVER stay at moxy or aloft, and will never stay in a room that has this contraption, never
I hear to further shrink the footprint of the room they will offer complimentary
lockers for storage in the hallways and shared bath accomdations
Also cranks to lower or raise the beds in case of power failures for your enhanced security
Brilliant
I understand Millennials complained removing desks was not a sufficient upgrade
Welcome to Bonvoid!
I fail to understand the value proposition of an aloft or moxy give the small room and crappy furnishings at close to the same price as a midrange business hotel. This seems like more of the same with added risks of injury, property damage, and breakdown.
So I’m a no – but someone is choosing to stay in a moxy, so who knows.
@Doug: The same idiots who told us nobody wanted desks in hotel rooms (that lasted about 6 months before Marriott conceded defeat) are the same idiots who have more or less designed every new or renovated hotel room since 2014 WITHOUT a bathtub. Walk-in showers are cheap and allow hotel owners to more easily renovate rooms. But they are impossible to clean because the sliding door is prone to mold and hair, among other things.
I think this is more of a PR stunt to make Marriott look hip and cool.
How much influence does Marriott actually have over the design of properties?
As we all know, Marriott doesn’t own nor manage most of its hotels. Owners want flexibility in the event they have to convert their property to another brand.
Just great if you wake up at night and want to sit on the couch and read or work on the computer while your partner sleeps. This is as stupid as the music that went along with the video. And what happened to actual drawers in modern hotel rooms? A few more ideas like these two and you might as well rent a box for the night.
And for an encore, Marriott will combine the sink and toilet in rooms.
So much room for activities!
They should get rid of the sofa to cut costs more deeply.
No thank you. Hotels are cutting maid and cleaning services, trimming hours for food service, and now bunk beds? This is a hard pass for me.
No. Never.
@David P,- Accor’s F1 hotels often have shared bathrooms, but then that’s the 45 euro a night option where the youth football teams stay.
Even if putting aside the safety risk and potential litigation issue if getting harmed by a falling bed, is Marriott going to BonVoy the customers who get blamed for “breaking” such a bed that just gives up after the “normal” wear and tear in a busy hotel room?
I can think of times that I wanted to sit on the couch and do something, and my roommate wanted to nap for a while on the bed. I guess with this new setup you have to both be on the same page.
Marriott has gone completely down the tubes, is just plain sad. Oh, how I miss my beloved Starwood… 17 years of elite status reduced to nothing. Dirty, old Ritz Carltons that are wilted versions of their former selves. A complete embarrassment of a company. I never thought if find myself choosing Airbnb’s over hotels, but here I am…..
Beautifully stated by Doug, above. I echo his comments with resounding vigor, and have nothing to add:
“3600+ nights at Marriotts. No lounge open, find another hotel. Destination fee. Find another hotel. No King room with a tub, find another hotel,. Can’t use the bed and the uncomfortable couch at the same time, find another hotel. Marriott really needs to fire the room design team. Go back to comfortable furniture, useful bathrooms and a more positive customer attitude.
It sure isn’t the place Bill Marriott and his dad started.”
I agree with many posted comments. by the way, the first thought I had in watching the video is that it would be gross if the bed pillows were to come in contact with the sofa back cushions, as they appear to.
Ridiculous
It only seems like last week I was wishing people a Happy New Year.
I say that as today must be April 1 already
As a former housekeeper and current hotel employee, I can tell you this is a REALLY bad idea. Housekeeping staff is already pushed to clean rooms in 30 minutes (or less) regardless of the level of dirtiness…and waiting for these stupid beds to come down (or go up?) in each room is going to waste precious time.
Not to mention, how am I supposed to get in there and make the bed with the frame around it? From a practical standpoint, it’s going to be a nightmare to keep all the nooks and crannies clean…a spilled drink or someone having an accident is going to be a PITA to clean up.
A spilled glass of wine that previously would’ve just stained the sheets and mattress pad is now going to be all over the couch below.
What if the stupid thing malfunctions and falls on me while I’m cleaning under it?
Knowing how some owners/managers like to cut corners, stuff falling into disrepair is a very real possibility. More moving parts=more stuff that can break.
NOPE.
As a former housekeeper and current hotel employee, I can tell you this is a REALLY bad idea. Housekeeping staff is already pushed to clean rooms in 30 minutes (or less) regardless of the level of dirtiness…and waiting for these stupid beds to come down (or go up?) in each room is going to waste precious time.
Not to mention, how am I supposed to get in there and make the bed with the frame around it? From a practical standpoint, it’s going to be a nightmare to keep all the nooks and crannies clean…a spilled drink or someone having an accident is going to be a PITA to clean up.
What if the stupid thing malfunctions and falls on me while I’m cleaning under it?
Knowing how some owners/managers like to cut corners, stuff falling into disrepair is a very real possibility. More moving parts=more stuff that can break.
NOPE.
As a former housekeeper and current hotel employee, I can tell you this is a REALLY bad idea. Housekeeping staff is already pushed to clean rooms in 30 minutes (or less) regardless of the level of dirtiness…and waiting for these stupid beds to come down (or go up?) in each room is going to waste precious time.
From a practical standpoint, it’s going to be a nightmare to keep all the nooks and crannies clean…hair, crumbs, a spilled drink or someone having an accident is going to be a PITA to clean up.
What if the stupid thing malfunctions and falls on me while I’m cleaning under it?
Knowing how some owners/managers like to cut corners, things falling into disrepair is a very real possibility. More moving parts=more stuff that can break.
NOPE.
Finding the he bathroom in the middle of the night in a strange room is hard enough. Trying to get down when half asleep is a risk management nightmare. My other concern was for the housekeepers, as some have posted.
I have stayed at the Moxy in Tokyo, but only because the rate was so good. Got the twin room so I would have a place for my suitcase.
Whoops! Sorry for the triple posts. Can’t delete my edited comments.
Back with an update. I have a friend who manages a hotel where they are testing these beds, and he said there are safety measures built in. The bed will stop and reverse if it detects something beneath it, and it will not raise if there is more than 5lbs of weight on it, so nobody can go joyriding on it, lol.
Still curious about the housekeeping issues, I guess we’ll find out soon enough.