IS there any sector wherein millennials aren’t considered the trendsetters? One of the sectors that have fully recognized the power and influence of millennials is real estate. In the arena of hospitality, hoteliers in the Philippines are now changing gears to adapt to the country’s relatively young backpacker culture that opts for small, but experiential, accommodations.
While the backpacker culture is not new worldwide, it is a relatively fresh trend in the Philippines, bringing with it a whole other set of perceptions on what ideal lodging is.
In backpacker culture, there is more of an emphasis ongoing back to basics, on eschewing the large and lavish for the more humble but personal—a tenet that applies to living spaces, too.
A highly experiential generation, millennials opt to stay in places that enrich their travel experience. While huge behemoth hotels offer luxury and tried-and-tested quality in terms of service, hostels and boutique hotels are now competing for attention by offering a more bespoke and genuine experience free from any frills. In an interview I read recently, luxury hotel designer Clint Nagata—who has worked on several local developments—was quoted as saying, “I think the trend is now on smaller hotels. People want to be in a more comfortable environment.”
Budget meets personality
But what truly gives hostels and boutique hotels the edge that developers are making the most of?
Hostels and boutique hotels are all about performance in the details, without breaking the bank for both lodger and hotelier. Small and streamlined doesn’t equate to bland and bare. In fact, developers are now building these smaller accommodations with a specific style and aesthetic in mind.
Whether it is a Filipiniana-inspired, like the Luneta hotel, or colorfully modern, like the Makati Junction Hostel, lodgers get a room choc-full of personality at a fraction of a standard hotel room’s cost. This reminds me of a line I once read from Heather Balsey, senior vice president of America’s brand management InterContinental Group, when she said, “It’s the one or two small touches in the experience that makes a guest smile, laugh and gives them a memorable moment.”
Aside from the inherent style, these accommodations offer a sense of community unparalleled among other lodging options. Ask any backpacking millennial and they’ll tell you that part of the experience is in the people they encounter. Local developers are banking on this by creating public spaces and activities that foster a greater sense of community through interaction. As the saying goes, “it’s not where you are, it’s who you are with.”
That said, while there is a focus on letting local personalities and style shine through, the importance of technology is an element that remains ever-present. Developers are investing in technology to provide, at the least, reliable Wi-Fi connection. This serves the dual purpose of letting millennials—arguably, the generation who relies on technology and the Internet the most—stay connected online, while also acting as promoters of these small-scale lodgings.
Rooming in the Philippines
As the country slowly joins the famous Asian backpacker route, developers are working hard on creating and nurturing these in-demand spaces. Excitingly, aside from bringing in more job opportunities through tourism, the trend of hostels and boutique hotels has also given boutique developers and even new business owners a chance to take a slice of the so-called backpacking pie.
Plenty of the best-ranked hostels are even run by backpackers, having armed themselves with intimate knowledge and understanding of the people and culture they are servicing. And because hostels and boutique hotels are an experience in themselves, they also invite lodgers to sample a new take on seemingly “worn-out” locations. Just take a look at the continuously increasing number of hostels and boutique hotels in densely-packed places, like Manila, Cebu, Davao and even in Boracay. With the strong millennial market looking for experiential, immersive and vibrant accommodation opportunities to complement their adventures, it’s really no surprise that local developers are gearing up and preparing to make room for this exciting hotelier trend.
Image credits: Photo courtesy of Hostel World, Photo taken from The Picasso Boutique Serviced Residences Facebook, Photo courtesy of Canvas Boutique Hotel