Mauve No More

Usually bringing a samurai sword to the airport will land a person in the back room of a Transportation Security Administration office. But during one weekend, the Marriott in Tampa International Airport seeks to lure as many sword-wielding patrons as it can.

The annual Tampa Japanese Sword Show attracts more than 400 people each of the three days it is held at the Marriott, says hotel General Manager Zach Curry. And the sword enthusiasts, who are a break from the business travelers the hotel typically sees, were some of the first to experience the hotel since it finished its $9 million renovation of all 298 rooms.

Curry arrived at the Marriott in November, after a manager rotation program plucked him from the Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans. He oversaw the luxury hotel during a similar renovation in early 2011, putting him through similar challenges with new scenery.

However, because the Marriott is designed like a trident, with three prongs of about 100 rooms each, the renovation didn't temper customer satisfaction. “We had better customers reviews for the six months during renovation than the first six months (of 2011),” Curry says.

The key was that each section of rooms could be closed for renovation without customers in other rooms knowing. So the hotel never had to ask guests to “pardon its dust.”

Curry explains that the rooms' new look is designed to match the destination-driven trend in the market. The paintings of downtown Tampa and other regional landmarks adorning each room are supposed to “brand” Tampa Bay, creating repeat customers. In its recent renovations, the airport espouses a similar strategy.

The heavy blue and mauve paint job was the first target of the redesign, according to Curry. The older look was updated with brown and green and more modern work. “When you look at the old rooms it makes you think of Tampa 15 years ago,” he opines.

But the aesthetics were only a minor change brought on by the renovation. In fact, minor details are exactly what Marriott aimed to alter with the massive renovation.

Shelving was added in the bathrooms to capture more space for bathroom sundries, and an extendable desk is now featured in each room, among other changes. “It may not seem like a big deal, but it really helps create a better customer experience,” Curry says.

The hotel is also updating its wireless Internet capabilities, which will increase bandwidth to accommodate the many devices business travelers now carry.

The hotel is enjoying more than 80% in occupancy right now, according to Curry. And the Republican National Convention comes at the perfect time. The Gulf Coast is not as much of a draw during the end of summer and fall, so the increase in tourism expected from the convention will help pad the hotel's occupancy.

The renovation is a refreshing sign of economic recovery. Says Curry: “Travel is picking up, and we're definitely starting to see more hotel renovations.”