Checking in and checking out the upgrade at Frankfurt Marriott Airport Hotel

CMW’s Simon George flies in to find much cause for MICE optimism at the newly refurbished Frankfurt Marriott Airport Hotel: Take Germany’s largest airport, add two premium hotel brands and then factor in major infrastructure projects in the shape of a new airport terminal (Terminal 3) and a Skytrain connecting all three terminals that will smooth the arrival of hotel guests and generate passing traffic in the next 2-3 years, and it is clear that an exciting MICE story is emerging at the newly refurbished Frankfurt Marriott Airport Hotel, located next to Terminal 1. Frankfurt Marriott Airport Hotel and Frankfurt airport, which is operated by Fraport, are, by definition, inextricably interlinked – from a business standpoint, both need each other. A site inspection of both the Marriott and Sheraton parts of the hotel as well as a tour of Frankfurt airport visitor centre allowed CMW a deeper understanding of what the hotel is trying to achieve, which markets it is targeting, and to quiz management on its dual branding strategy which is encapsulated by the hotel’s marketing slogan – Two unique experiences, one address.” Sheraton – a conference hotel at the airport Having become a Marriott brand following Starwood Hotels & Resorts US$12.2bn acquisition by Marriott Corporation in September 2016, it is the Sheraton with its 48 years of meetings experience that caters for the MICE market, offering 58 event rooms, one conference centre (1,200 capacity) and 4,175sqm of total event space. According to Jochen Kuemmel, assistant director of sales, the Sheraton targets 80% of guests from the MICE sector. In contrast, although the Marriott does offer event space for MICE groups, it has no conference facilities and is more targeted at the individual traveller. Explaining the respective nuances in terms of positioning between the two hotel brands, Rob Oudshoorn, director of sales and marketing, picked up the story: “With the Sheraton we continue to focus on the Sheraton Club, meetings, connecting people, being a global hub at the end of the da With the Marriott, it is a slightly more individual.” Oudshoorn says the dual branding brings the two hotel brands and their respective restaurant/bar/Davidoff lounge facilities together. “We don’t want to separate where our guests can go. As a Marriott guest you should be able to go for breakfast in Flavours (Sheraton Hotel) or have a cocktail in the bar and then go back to your room at the Marriott. The same goes for the Sheraton guest.” The event booking window very short, with booking times are currently short and often last minute because of the global economic situation and an unwillingness to commit, Kuemmel reports, forecasting that demand would not recover to pre-pandemic levels until the second half of next year. Sky Train – a game changer The Sky train promises to be transformative for the Frankfurt Marriott Airport Hotel and is generating real excitement as the project nears completion. It also explains why the hotel’s Eatery restaurant and bar were built, so it could target non-resident business (i.e. passing traffic). Fraport has estimated that, eventually, 44,000 people per day during the airport’s operating hours (from 5am to 11pm) will use the Sky Train platform outside the hotel. By linking all three airport terminals and stopping right outside the hotel therefore it will inevitably bring additional footfall, Kuemmel adds.