Ruby offers guests, owners multi-faceted, urban micro appeal.
ATLANTA ─ With its recent acquisition of Ruby hotels, IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) has found a new crown jewel for its burgeoning premium portfolio.
Since its 2013 launch, the premium urban lifestyle brand has built its foothold of more than 30 open or pipeline hotels in prominent European cities through space-optimized, character-rich properties focused on delivering upon modern travelers’ priorities. Now, the brand is planning to bring its unique approach to the U.S. and capitalize on the growing “urban micro” subsegment.
Lauren Krostue, IHG Hotels & Resorts
In this exclusive Q&A, Lauren Krostue, Vice President, Global Brand Management for Ruby, outlines the path to the brand’s forthcoming U.S. debut, and how Ruby will reshape what travelers and owners expect from premium hospitality.
Hotel Investment Today (HIT): Why was Ruby such a priority addition for IHG?
Lauren Krostue: Ruby was the right brand for IHG at the right time. We’re always exploring potential opportunities to fill white spaces in our portfolio, and ensuring that any new brand maintains a clear swim lane and distinct offering for guests and owners. In Ruby, we now have an established brand in a priority growth market – one that appeals to guests who want a premium city stay experience without a hefty price tag, and to owners who value flexible, cost-efficient development.
Our expansion into the U.S. is the latest milestone in our global growth plan targeting more than 250 properties during the next 20 years. We’ll be selective and strategic within that growth, but we envision Ruby as a welcome addition to major U.S. metropolitan markets. The U.S. has seen a recent rise in conversion and adaptive reuse projects. Ruby plays into this trend through its conversion-ready, franchise-friendly model that overcomes the high barriers to entry often associated with this space.
HIT: How will Ruby hotels stand out in the increasingly crowded premium and lifestyle segments?
Krostue: Ruby hotels are an ideal intersection of flexible and space-efficient design, a premium stay experience and an affordable price point. In bringing each Ruby hotel to life, we examine how to remove unnecessary extras to optimize space and focus on what guests want most. For example, our right-sized food and beverage program replaces full-service restaurants and room service with select items and barista coffee served throughout the day at our lively, destination bars. And we’ve reprioritized the areas and resources other premium hotels often devote to fitness centers or pools to elevated moments that delight and meet guest needs while still delivering that important “wow factor,” ranging from premium fixtures and finishes to rainfall showers and cozy beds.
HIT: How does Ruby dispel the potential perceptions that the development of “one of one” hotels can be complex and costly?
Krostue: Prioritization across design, amenities and services is critical. However, even in creating unique and distinct properties, Ruby provides freedom within a framework and a degree of standardization that lowers risk and complexity for owners. Our four guest room types and public space “kit of parts” reduce time and guesswork within the design process, and include premium furniture, fixtures and equipment packages that seamlessly fit different configurations. Additionally, our select service operating model aligns lobby and bar spaces and features self-check-in kiosks to condense staffing needs.
HIT: Ruby further elevates the “one of one” concept by giving each hotel a unique identity. How can owners, developers and designers extend these identities throughout their properties?
Krostue: Each Ruby hotel has a unique identity and name that’s rooted in the culture and history of the city it calls home. We want guests and visitors to feel that connection between our hotels and their surrounding cities. One of the first Ruby properties I visited was the Ruby Stella in London, whose literary inspired motif pays homage to early printing presses and Charles Dickens.
What’s made these concepts resonate is not only how different they are from each other, but how well they balance brand cohesion and each hotel’s unique story in just the right moments and locations that matter most to guests. This ranges from in-room design touches that pique guest curiosity to artwork and props in our bars and lobby. For instance, guests and visitors at Ruby Stella will notice ink pots and quills, embossing tools and vintage books throughout the property echoing both literary history and its old world, Victorian vibe.
In Ruby, we now have an established brand in a priority growth market – one that appeals to guests who want a premium city stay experience without a hefty price tag, and to owners who value flexible, cost-efficient development.
Lauren Krostue
HIT: Food and beverage are essential guest experience elements. How will Ruby hotels deliver on this without the restaurants or room service options common across the premium space?
Krostue: Our food and beverage offerings showcase how we align our select service operating model with premium traveler priorities. Instead of a full restaurant, we’ll offer specialized options throughout the day. This includes a breakfast buffet with hot and cold staples (including local hero items and others inspired by local culinary trends or establishments), an evening snack menu, and barista coffee and tea.
We’re also eager to bring the energy that’s made Ruby’s bars a destination for guests and locals in Europe to the U.S. Most of these bars are open 24/7 and feature live music and crafted cocktails.
HIT: What’s next for Ruby hotels?
Krostue: We’re already having great conversations with potential owners who are excited about Ruby and looking ahead to our first U.S. projects. We’ll have more to share on specific timing and locations soon.
Overall, Ruby is positioned to thrive through its unique, premium urban lifestyle and conversion friendly concept and support from IHG’s strong owner relationships, commercial engine, loyalty program and expertise. I’m excited for Ruby’s next chapter and confident that it will resonate just as well in the U.S. as it has across Europe.
Mary Scoviak is custom & design content director for Hotel Investment Today by Northstar.
The views and opinions expressed in this content do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hotel Investment Today by Northstar or Northstar Travel Group and its affiliated companies.