Marriott International has opened two hotel apartment properties, in Kuwait City and Jazan, Saudi Arabia, as part of a concerted effort to expand its extended stay portfolio.
Both hotels are under the Residence Inn by Marriott brand and represent the beginning of a push to open 12 properties across the Middle East and Africa, with a total of 1228 rooms, in the extended stay segment by 2018.
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The operator claims it has seen a 13% year-on-year increase in RevPAR rates within its extended stay-portfolio, as well as increased demand from the region’s Gen Y demographic.
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“The region’s extended-stay segment continues to go from strength to strength, boosted by both economic growth as well as a new generation of travellers,” said Marriott International Middle East and Africa president and managing director Alex Kyriakidis.
“While we are seeing rising demand for extended-stay accommodation across the board, it’s particularly important to note that nearly a quarter of our Gen-Y guests stay in our MEA hotels for five or more nights - the highest portion of Gen-Y extended-stay travellers of any region in the world.
“This reinforces both the need for extended-stay properties, particularly amongst younger MEA travellers, as it also highlights the unique and changing habits of this demographic within the region.”
Residence Inn by Marriott Kuwait City offers 139 suites, while Residence Inn by Marriott Jazan in Saudi Arabia has 79 suites. Suites in both properties have fully equipped kitchens and the hotels offer a daily free hot breakfast service.
Another of the operator’s brands within the extended stay segment, Marriott Executive Apartments, is also expected to see significant growth over the coming years, with six properties in the pipeline in Saudi Arabia alone.
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