As consumer demand for travel continues to grow, hotel developers are investing in new properties in fresh destinations. However, a subtle shift is underway as travelers increasingly seek a genuine touch of locality in their journeys. It’s more important than ever for hotel brands to provide a personal touch and offer exclusive experiences that appeal to modern travelers. According to Skift Research’s The Luxury Traveler: Survey Findings, 82 percent of travelers reported that engaging with local culture and community greatly improves their travel experiences.
This has given rise to a new type of upscale travel where exclusivity is defined not just by luxury but by a genuine connection to the place and its people. Choice Hotels International is positioning its portfolio of upscale brands to meet these modern travel trends.
“Upscale means a high-quality hotel experience that’s approachable and thoughtful. The latter aspects of that description, approachability, and thoughtfulness, are hallmarks of our hotels. Our upscale hotels are not pretentious, not meant for a narrow audience or cookie cutter in their approach,” said Indy Adenaw, Choice Hotels International’s senior vice president and general manager, upscale brands.
The company catalyzed its upscale strategy in 2022 with the acquisition of Radisson Americas. Subsequently, it expanded and redefined the Radisson and Radisson Blu brands with fresh identities and improved guest experiences, spurring interest among guests and developers alike.
The Relaunch of Radisson Individuals
With the market ripe for expansion, Choice’s natural next step is an investment in Radisson Individuals, a soft brand for full-service, boutique, one-of-a-kind independent hotels. The company recently reintroduced Radisson Individuals in the Americas as an upper upscale brand. This transition from its previous upscale tier includes upgraded amenities, a strong emphasis on distinctive local character, and superior guest service.
“The biggest difference between upscale and upper upscale is the breadth of amenities. An upper upscale hotel may have more expansive dining offerings and better meeting and function space. A secondary difference is that upper upscale tends to have a more selective range of locations within the tier,” said Adenaw. “We’re hyper-focused on the most special locations for Radisson Individuals, and this elevation to upper upscale is a nod to our commitment to deliver something special at each hotel within the brand.”
Telling the Untold Story of Each Hotel
A fast-growing segment of travelers wants to experience their destination through every aspect of their visit. However, they are often met with hotel options that feel uniform and out of step with the local culture and community.
Radisson Individuals answers that problem by creating a tailored experience that weaves each destination’s cultural fabric into its design, cuisine, wellness amenities, and service. Design elements are rooted in local traditions, while food and beverage options draw on regional flavors. Wellness amenities are thoughtfully curated to reflect the local ethos, complemented by service designed to ignite a sense of exploration and cater to guests’ innate curiosity.
“We’ve worked hard to tell the untold story of each hotel, and we’re excited about what travelers will experience,” Adenaw said.
Radisson Individuals is part of the highest category of brands within the Choice ecosystem, according to Adenaw.
“We’re not new to the soft branded space. In fact, we started this space in hospitality with the Ascend Collection. Given our experience and reach in this space, we wanted to focus Radisson Individuals on the richest travel experience we could envision for independent hotels, which is upper upscale in our system,” he explained.
There are currently 15 Radisson Individuals properties open across the Americas as part of the Choice Hotels family.
Radisson Individuals for Owners
The Radisson name enjoys very high brand recognition, which provides new Radisson Individuals members with a strong foundation for market entry and growth. Owners gain the advantage of a widely recognized brand while maintaining their properties’ unique character and bespoke services. Properties also gain direct access to a dedicated customer base by tapping into Choice’s more than 68 million rewards program members. According to the Skift State of Travel 2024 report, loyalty programs are key drivers of profitability and long-term stability and are therefore regarded as some of the most valuable assets in hotel companies’ financial portfolios.
Owners also benefit from ChoiceConnect, a new, mobile-friendly owner’s portal that allows franchisees to manage their hotels remotely by aggregating all property metrics in one place and simplifying access to all Choice applications with a single click. This platform is part of Choice’s dedicated Upscale Service Delivery Model which combines with the brand’s compelling value proposition to boost franchisee performance and drive revenue growth.
Additionally, Radisson Individuals owners gain access to Choice’s proprietary technology platforms and relationships with technology partners for support across property management, operations, and revenue management.
The brand’s alignment with over 60 million Choice Privileges members, strong digital platforms, a global sales force, and third-party partnerships dramatically increases the exposure and booking potential for affiliated hotels. Experts in Commercial Strategy, Brand Performance, and Operations actively support this effort, concentrating on performance and growth within the upscale segment.
Understanding and meeting owner needs is central to the relaunched brand’s philosophy, according to Adenaw. Owner insights and feedback directly shape the brand’s direction and operations.
“We have a long history of being franchisee-friendly. We’re highly attuned to owner needs, and we’re designing Individuals alongside some of our owners,” he explained. “That doesn’t mean an open door on what can be done, but we set direction and ask our owners to execute within a framework. We seek their input, build on their ideas, and cultivate a system of collaboration. They have a level of involvement that may not exist in other hotel brands.”.
Navigating the Upscale Market
With an upscale brand portfolio that also includes Ascend Hotel Collection and Cambria Hotels, Choice has a strong presence in the segment, with upscale hotels in more than 90 percent of the top 25 U.S. markets. Ascend offers over 350 boutique and historic hotels, casinos, and resorts, including Hotel Napa Valley in California and the Graystone Lodge in Boone, N.C., while Cambria also has a strong presence across the country, with over 75 hotels open nationwide, covering nearly 75 percent of the top U.S. markets. Cambria ranked number one in the upscale segment in J.D. Power’s 2023 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study.
For owners, joining Radisson Individuals means accessing a powerful network to expand market reach while leveraging a strong operational infrastructure to meet upscale market demands.
“We are the industry’s one to watch in upscale,” said Adenaw. “When you combine the strength of Choice’s distribution engine, our more than 68 million loyalty members, and our cutting-edge technology, you have a winning formula for owners to tap into a major market segment.”
Looking ahead, Radisson Individuals’ focus will be on deepening the connection between local culture and upper upscale hospitality. Travelers can expect continued innovation in technology, customized services, and the introduction of new properties in new markets that reflect the true character of those locations.
For more information about Choice Hotels, click here.
This content was created collaboratively by Choice Hotels and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX.
