Marriott transforms traditional hotel experience with world’s first "live beta" incubator

Marriott Hotels, the flagship brand of Marriott International, celebrated the grand opening of its M Beta at Charlotte Marriott City Center, an innovation lab that functions as the world’s first hotel in “live beta.”

From keyless entry upon arrival to digital experiences in the fitness studio, every corner of the hotel allows for rapid prototyping, inviting guests to test and give feedback in real-time, ultimately shaping their future hotel experience.

“As the leader in the premium full-service category, Marriott Hotels is transforming the traditional hotel experience.  We are inviting guests to be part of the innovation and decision making,” said Mike Dearing, managing director, Marriott Hotels.  “M Beta at Charlotte Marriott City Center is a forward-looking testing ground for exciting new concepts as we constantly evolve and challenge our way of thinking.”

Physical Beta Buttons are located throughout the hotel to gauge consumer feedback with a live-tally. By simply pushing a Beta Button, guests and visitors share their ‘approval’ for the corresponding innovation. Beta Button engagement, votes and feedback on hotel innovations are then aggregated and brought to life in real-time via Beta Boards, digital screens placed throughout the hotel for all to see.

Concepts featured in the hotel will rotate periodically and feature new products as well as various service offerings. Today, M-Beta at Charlotte Marriott City Center will launch and test the following:

• Hosted Arrival: No traditional front desk check-in, but personal greeters waiting for your arrival where you are – at the curb, in the lobby, on the go.

FLEX Fitness: Guests have access to nearly 1,000 on-demand group and personal workouts available on screens in the tech-driven, on-demand fitness studio or in-room, as well as access to local fitness boutiques, available to book directly.

• LG Studio in the Dynamic Meeting Space: As the first iteration of a new partnership between Marriott Hotels, the LG Studio features a full LG kitchen within the hotel’s meeting space, providing an elevated food and beverage experience that can be tailored to any type of gathering, from a brainstorm to a networking event.

• Immersive Kitchen at Stoke Restaurant: Removing the walls between the kitchen and dining area, the Immersive Kitchen within the Stoke restaurant and bar puts guests in the center of the action, allowing chefs to interact more closely with and entertain guests with impromptu culinary offerings. The interactive space also encourages a sense of exploration among guests with a regular rotation of local artisan tastings and cooking classes.

• Localized Marketplace: Coco and the Director is a community center and the true social hub of the hotel, which allows travelers to enjoy locally sourced coffee, unique retail and limited-edition food selections from Charlotte small business. An ongoing rotation of literary, music, educational and entertainment events are featured, providing a constant source of inspiration for guests and locals.

Charlotte Marriott City Center opened in 1984 has undergone its transformation in the last two years. Consumers can track the continued evolution of the hotel through #MBeta and Marriott Hotels on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

M-Beta at Charlotte Marriott City Center is yet another element that demonstrates Marriott Hotel’s ongoing transformation, elevating everything from its hotel design to associate training to best meet the evolving travel tastes of its guests.

The brand is embracing the new pace of change, with the goal to not only transform the physical experiences on-property but also to also enable guests to think differently. Last month, the brand launched its #MGravityRoom, an interactive replica of the evolving modern guest room designs. It also recently announced its partnership with TED, bringing new ideas and creative conversation to guests.