Workspace as Easy to Book as a Hotel Room – Now Testing at Marriott

2013-01-15 — /travelprnews.com/ — Now Marriott offers a choice of flexible work and meeting space easy to find and simple to reserve, just like a hotel room. Workspace on Demand (workspaceondemand.marriott.com) is a new service being tested among hotels primarily in the Washington, DC and San Francisco areas. People can book small meeting space, as well as lobby seating areas and communal tables to work, meet, connect and collaborate.

 The way people work today is changing, whether it is entrepreneurs and independent consultants or mobile employees at large corporations. According to research firm IDC, the number of mobile workers – those without a fixed office space – will increase to nearly 1.2 billion globally this year. Many companies are at the forefront of this trend, reducing office space and associated costs by encouraging their employees to find flexible work spaces. Workplace flexibility has introduced a new philosophy for managers and benefits for employees by focusing on results, as opposed to time spent in the office.

“Whether you work from home and need a place to meet a client in the neighborhood or you want a flexible space to meet and collaborate with company colleagues, we want to welcome you into our hotels and Greatroom lobbies,” said Paul Cahill, senior vice president, Brand Management, Marriott Hotels & Resorts. “Younger workers are changing the work dynamic. They are mobile and global, living lives untethered to the traditional work environment, and we are evolving with them.”

Workspace on Demand is a collaboration between Marriott and LiquidSpace, a mobile/web app connecting people in search of flexible workspaces with venues providing workspaces.

“LiquidSpace is driven to find new ways to help professionals work smarter, and Marriott’s high quality workspaces and meeting rooms are an exciting addition to our growing marketplace” said Mark Gilbreath, CEO and founder, LiquidSpace. “Marriott’s new Workspace on Demand service is helping to accelerate a dramatic transformation in the real estate landscape – seen as the Consumerization of Workplace. Companies are reducing their total real estate expense by moving away from fixed assets and individuals are enjoying more personal choice in where and how they work.”

With Workspace on Demand, flexible workspaces can be booked easily at more than 30 Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels and Courtyard by Marriott hotels. Primarily being tested at properties located in the Washington, DC and San Francisco areas, meeting space and workspace can also be booked at select hotels in Atlanta, Houston and St. Louis. In addition, you can book meeting space at the Redmond Marriott Town Center hotel in Washington state where Workspring at Marriott is offered – the hotel industry’s first workspace built specifically for small collaborative meetings.

About Marriott International, Inc.
Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) is a leading lodging company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA with more than 3,700 properties in 74 countries and territories and reported revenues of over $12 billion in fiscal year 2011. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 18 brands, including Marriott Hotels & Resorts, The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Bulgari, EDITION, Renaissance, Gaylord Hotels, Autograph Collection, AC Hotels by Marriott, Courtyard, Fairfield Inn & Suites, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites, Marriott Executive Apartments, Marriott Vacation Club, Grand Residences by Marriott, and The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club. There are approximately 300,000 employees at headquarters, managed and franchised properties. Marriott is consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business operations, which it conducts based on five core values: put people first, pursue excellence, embrace change, act with integrity, and serve our world.

For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com.

About Liquidspace
Based in San Francisco, California, LiquidSpace is a real-time marketplace where people can confidently and quickly choose a better space to work or meet by the hour or day – online or from a mobile phone. Whether a coworking venue, business center, hotel work space, library or private office, LiquidSpace lets business people find, book, and share over 2,000 great workspaces and meeting rooms in over 250 cities across the US. And, businesses can earn more, inspire loyalty, reach prospects, and incubate new communities by sharing their extra space in the expanding LiquidSpace ecosystem. For more information, visit: https://liquidspace.com/

Connect with john.wolf@marriott.com