Episode summary
The Great Hotel Branding | Bloomberg Businessweek
Bloomberg Businessweek Daily
· · Hosts: Carol Massar, Tim Stenovec · Guests: Brandon Presser
Summary
Hotel rooms are converging on a uniform look and feel, even as prices range from $300 a night to $1,300 or more. Brandon Presser argues the trend is not just corporate cost-cutting; it also reflects shorter trips, more casual travel habits, and guests who now need less storage and fewer traditional room features like drawers and closets.
He says consolidation in lodging matters too. A small group of big chains controls more than 60% of the world’s hotels, and owners are incentivized to join those systems because the brands bring distribution, management, and an instant lift in property value. That makes it easier for hotels to adopt standardized beds, nightstands, and layouts.
The discussion also ties bland rooms to labor shortages and operational practicality. Presser says service is under pressure because there is roughly a 20% gap in hotel staffing needs, and simpler finishes like laminate floors can be easier to maintain than carpets that stain. The hosts and Presser agree that lobbies are getting more design investment while rooms become more agnostic, optimized for comfort, familiarity, and social-media-ready public spaces rather than personality.
Key takeaways
- Brandon Presser says over 60% of the world’s hotels are controlled by six corporations, reinforcing standardization across properties.
- Presser argues shorter, more casual trips have reduced demand for closets, drawers, and other in-room storage.
- The host says a $300 room and a $1,300 room can feel nearly indistinguishable, which is the core problem behind hotel blanding.
- Presser says hotel service is strained by a roughly 20% gap in staffing needs at hotels.
- Presser believes lobbies are getting the design investment while guest rooms are being made more agnostic and predictable.
Notable quotes
“whether you're paying $500 a night or $1,500 a night”
“we can think about, you know, big corporations and uh, you know, the pipelines where they all buy the same beds and the same, you know, nightstands from the same places”
“there's almost a 20% gap in service needs at all these hotels, meaning every year millions of hotels are opening and there's simply no one to work at them”
“We're comparing a room that's $300 versus $1,300”
How the episode opens
Bloomberg Audio Studios podcasts, radio, news. — You're listening to Bloomberg Business Week with Carol Masser and Tim Stenc on Bloomberg Radio. — You're not going nuts. Don't worry. Hotel rooms are all starting to look the same. whether you're paying $500 a night or $1,500 a night.
Listen, there's a little quiz on the website and it's three hotels and you have to put what they cost. Um, — And nobody will get these right. — I got one right. No, you got one right. — No. And you can do it in Kyoto, you can do it in Miami.
Brandon Presser would know. He's been in more than 3,000 hotels. He spends an average of 200 nights on the road each year. He recently wrote about what he calls quote the great hotel Blanding. Brandon Presser as Bloomberg Pursuits travel columnist. He's on the road as he usually is. So, why are all hotels starting to look the same? Whether you're paying $1,500 a night or $500 a night?
Well, I think I think the answer um is is actually more complicated than it seems. I I think that we can think about, you know, big corporations and uh, you know, the pipelines where they all buy the same beds and the same, you know, nightstands from the same places. But the answer is actually a lot more complicated and it has to do with human behavior, too.
What do you mean? — Um, we travel, it seems like we travel a lot more. And in a way, we do, but our trips have become a lot shorter over the last hundred years. And we don't dress up for different activities like we used to. We dress more casually now. So we use less storage space in a hotel as well.
From the episode’s captions: roughly the first two minutes, lightly cleaned. Keep watching on YouTube →
Topics
- hotel branding
- hospitality design
- hotel homogenization
- travel industry
- brand identity
Companies and tickers mentioned
- Bloomberg
Watch the episode
Watch “The Great Hotel Branding | Bloomberg Businessweek” on YouTube
Summary, takeaways and quote selection by Octagon. Quotes are short excerpts; the full conversation is in the episode.
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