PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Wyndham Garden has revealed its new prototype, Arbor. The cost-effective, new-construction prototype offers a fresh perspective on guest experience and a smart layout designed to maximize efficiencies and challenge rising construction costs.
As part of Wyndham’s efforts to maximize value for owners, Arbor aims to reduce construction costs while enriching the guest experience. The four-story, 110-room prototype is inspired by the harmony of nature, bringing the outside in with elements of dappled light, textured wood, natural fabrics, and flexible outdoor space. The blueprint offers developers a scalable option at under 58,000 square feet, fitted for less than two acres of land.
The brand also introduced a new food and beverage concept named Nice&Vice, crafted by celebrity chef Jet Tila, empowering guests to choose their dining experience in a way that’s convenient, satisfying, and unexpected. The Nice&Vice menu offers a selection of easy dishes strategically streamlined from just a few ingredients that also can ease impact to the bottom line.
“With the majority of Americans spending less than seven percent of their day outdoors, we wanted to create spaces that bring the outside in, honoring our brand’s identity with a connection to nature to help our guests travel at ease,” said Danica Boyd, Wyndham Garden brand leader. “We also recognize the importance of thoughtful planning in today’s construction climate, and designed Arbor as a breath of fresh air for both guests and developers. With a new look, a sharper footprint, and a creative dining experience, Wyndham Garden is planting new roots for a future built on smart, sophisticated design—from the ground up.”
The launch of Wyndham Garden’s new Arbor prototype is a critical next step in Wyndham’s new-construction growth strategy, which began with Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham’s Moda prototype last year. With a newly expanded design and construction team—led by the experts behind the widely respected development practices of La Quinta by Wyndham—the company is introducing competitive and efficient prototypes across some of its growing brands to build a foundation for long-term growth and help drive success for its owners. Wyndham Garden’s Arbor prototype advances Wydham’s strategy in the upper-midscale space, elevating one of its namesake brands and positioning it for incremental expansion.
Wyndham Garden continues to be one of the fastest-growing brands in the company’s portfolio, experiencing 68 percent system growth over the last five years. The brand is expanding its global presence, debuting its first hotels in Argentina, Oman, and the Philippines in 2019 and preparing to debut in the countries of Georgia and Australia next year.
Arbor’s Efficient Design
Designed by architectural firm CallisonRTKL, the Arbor prototype offers simple framing and foundation across approximately 57,500 gross square feet to help reduce construction costs and meet land requirements in a range of markets. The brand enlisted a Developer Advisory Council, made up of a dozen developers across multiple brands and segments, to provide feedback on critical elements of the prototype including back-of-house design and lobby configuration.
The interior design creates an airy, approachable experience for guests through a balance of nature and structure with expanded natural light, a focus on texture, naturally inspired materials, and wood-look accents. The entry experience creates the sense of walking to a serene clearing, with an abstract interpretation of an arbor adorning the ceiling—starting from the porte cochere and extending through the lobby into the back patio—accented by wooden features and clustered pendent lighting creating an anchored path. Public spaces incorporate intimate gathering areas including a flexible outdoor space with communal seating, a fire pit, and a creative recreation area for lawn games.
Guestrooms are designed with serene color schemes, luxe textures, and clean, simple lines. The brand also expects to offer hotels the option to provide upgraded, premium wellness features through Delos’ Fresh by Stay Well program, including air purifiers, mood-enhancing aromatherapy, and shower infusers that neutralize chlorine.
A New Menu With Nice&Vice
Based on research showing travelers seek both healthy and indulgent experiences, Wyndham Garden created Nice&Vice to empower travelers to choose their dining experience—whether they want to stay on track or enjoy something a little indulgent. Wyndham Garden partnered with Food Network celebrity Chef Jet Tila to create elevated dishes that are convenient and satisfying.
From the ‘Chicken, Grains and Greens Bowl’ to ‘Sticky Spicy Chicken Wings’ and more, Nice&Vice is purpose-built to offer guests choice while streamlining supply costs and kitchen space for operators. The menu relies on a condensed selection of ingredients that can be combined to create multiple dishes, all of which can be cooked in a Turbo Chef oven, making execution quick and more cost-effective.
Hotels will also introduce the Nice&Vice Market, a twist on traditional grab-and-go marts that will offer elevated snacks, healthy bites, fresh salads, and quick meals alongside more decadent treats.
