Sneak peek: Canopy by Hilton's stylish hotel rooms

MCLEAN, VA.—Guests staying at a Canopy by Hilton hotel will receive a welcome gift upon check-in inspired by the destination.  In Chicago, they may get Garrett's Popcorn. In Denver, think treats from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.

Each evening, they will be treated to a happy hour with local beers and/or wines.

Guestroom artwork will depict surrounding attractions.

Each property in Hilton's newest brand will have a different look and feel depending on what city it is in.

"It's about making sure we are open, warm and welcoming to anybody who wants to experience a great neighborhood hotel with a great social interactive energy in the lobby, great guestroom, local design," said Gary Steffen, global head of Canopy, during a recent tour of two model Canopy rooms at Hilton Worldwide headquarters here.

Hilton's 12th brand will debut early next year in Iceland. The 115-room property is now under construction on Hverfisgata Street in the center of Reykjavik.

More than 20 properties are in various stages of development. They will be located in cities such as New Orleans, Chicago, Dallas, Baltimore, Denver, and Washington, D.C.

"There were all sorts of different consumer groups that basically we satisfy many times with our hotel concepts, but we were looking for areas that weren't satisfied by Hilton or anyone else," says John Vanderslice, global head of luxury and lifestyle brands of Hilton.

Most of the properties will be in the United States. About 80% will be newly built properties. The rest will be renovated buildings.

Canopy will be a so-called "lifestyle" brand. Such brands tend to appeal to younger, more tech-savvy travelers who want public areas to be as creatively designed as guestrooms. Major hotel chains have been introducing lifestyle brands in recent years, mostly to appeal to Millennials, those travelers in their 20s and early 30s whose purchasing power is increasing. Marriott imported the European AC Hotel chain to the USA last year. Hyatt Centric debuted this year.

But Steffen says Hilton wants this lifestyle brand to appeal to the masses.

"We wanted to make sure that this isn't targeting just the millennials. It's the mindset of people who want to experience that," he says.

Hilton introduces new lifestyle brand

In another departure from the typical lifestyle ethos, designers spent just as much time on guest rooms as they did on public areas.

In recent years, hotel designers have concentrated many resources on turning lobbies into living rooms where people can work and play, meeting rooms into vibrant spaces and restaurants into destinations.

Hilton wants the guestroom to once again become a place where travelers want to spend their time.

"They're an afterthought," Steffen says of most guestrooms these days. "People are used to staying at a lifestyle hotel that has not such a great room ... All the money is being spent on the social spaces to keep that active that literally, I think, the eye has been taken off the ball."

Hilton got input from more than 11,000 consumers before designing the model rooms. Two rooms--one meant to showcase one in a converted building, one in a newly built one--are on display at Hilton headquarters in McLean.

Each of the two model rooms has a neutral color scheme to create a relaxing environment that will serve as a contrast to the bustling lobby and dining areas.

A sliding door separates the sleeping area from the bathroom and entrance to insulate guests from hallway noise.

Designers wanted to appeal to the changing needs of modern-day travelers. That resulted in the development of the "Hallboy," a mirror by the front door that has a ledge for mobile phones and keys. An outlet will be installed next to it for charging phones.

A chaise lounge by the window offers another place to rest or work. In a nod to the brand's name, the bed has a canopy. A desk doubles as a dining table. USB ports and outlets are located throughout the room to charge multiple devices.

The closet will have no doors, "uncloseted," says Steffen. Most guests don't make use of a traditional closet. They are just looking for a place to set down their bags and store some items.

Water stations will be located in hallways for guests to refill portable water bottles.

Rather than traditional room service, guests can leave a brown paper bag on their door knob each night to request a simple breakfast of items such as fruit and yogurt. Or they can head downstairs for quiches, salmon, breakfast pizzas, and more. Each will be included in the room rate.

"The research came loud and clear. If you take some of these hassles out of the customer journey, I'm willing to pay for it. Just don't nickel and dime me," Steffen says.

Ultimately, designers want to replicate the feeling of being at home, he says. They don't want the room to feel as sterile and rigid as a regular hotel room. Hence, such quirky features as mismatched nightstands.

"We like the term 'found' item," Steffen says. "You could say you found that chaise lounge, or even the desk, in the neighborhood or a flea market. It's part of the residential feeling we're trying to create."