US: Wyndham Hotel Group’s Hawthorn Suites extended stay brand has launched a grocery delivery pilot.
According to Wyndham, consumers spent an estimated $42 billion in online grocery orders in 2016; a 160 per cent increase in revenue for the online grocery industry from 2015.
Now, through a partnership with Peapod and Instacart, guests at select Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham locations can can have grocery items delivered directly to their accommodations. The service is designed to “ease the burden of extended-stay travellers who would otherwise need to venture offsite in an unknown locality to find foodstuffs and ingredients for meals”.
“The popularity of online grocery shopping and delivery keeps rising, and we want to get out in front of this demand. If guests enjoy this convenience at home, we want them to enjoy it on the road, providing them with what they need to be comfortable while travelling,” said Larry Hambro, VP of brand operations at Hawthorn Suites.
“We know convenience is king for long-term travellers staying in new cities for weeks or months at a time. An essential part of helping our guests stick to their regular regimens when they stay with us is delivering the comforts of home, like a homemade meal or their go-to snack,” he continued. “Our grocery delivery pilot makes that possible by giving guests the power of selection combined with the convenience of online shopping and curated dishes. We get everything delivered these days straight from our computers and phones, from car rides to shaving kit subscriptions to groceries so why shouldn’t we also get them when we’re traveling for extended periods?”
Guests can access the amenity via hawthorne.com/homemade. Depending on the hotel’s location, users will be connected with either Peapod or Instacart to order online. Hawthorne does not charge guests any additional fee for the service.
“We launched grocery delivery service as a pilot program so we can understand how guests respond to and use the service, what works and what might need tweaking,” said Hambro. “When the pilot runs its course later this summer, we’ll then be able to focus on the right direction for the future of the program, while addressing what makes the most sense for our guests, our hotels and the Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham brand.”
The service is currently available at eight Hawthorn Suites hotels including locations in Chicago, Philadelphia, Charlotte and Orlando.
“For the traveller who stays at a hotel for weeks or months at a time, a stay isn’t vacation – it’s life. We know our long-term guests crave the routines and comforts of home, so we’re always finding ways to help them do that,” Hambro said. “We know they’re already cooking and shopping when they stay with us – we just made both easier.”</p
