A Techy Stay
Tech-driven Airbnb-hotel experience launched by The Guild
Falling somewhere between boutique hotels and Airbnb apartments, The Guild is a collection of stylish suites located in upscale residential buildings in Austin, Dallas, Miami, and Cincinnati, with a location in Denver opening soon.
Functioning as both the brand and the operator, The Guild offers spaces that range from a mix of traditional hotel rooms to apartment-style accommodations like studios, 1-bedrooms, and 2-bedrooms. Most units come with facilities like fully equipped kitchen, fresh local coffee, on-site lounge, office, gym, and pool. What makes The Guild experience different from traditional hotels or Airbnbs, however, is its adoption of technology. Guests, for example, can quickly get grocery or dinner delivered from services like UberEats and DoorDash, rather than paying for costly room service. Guests also check in digitally using a keyless entry and exchange an average of 40 text messages with their dedicated concierge, whom often also covers the front desk, reservations, and maintenance. But the idea isn’t to replace humans with technology. “It’s cool to see how tech can connect people and not be a substitute for people,” said co-founder Brian Carrico.
The Guild now leases 290 units across its 5 markets. Before launching, The Guild evaluates the potential for marketability by looking at the area’s walkability and the prevalence of businesses and conferences. By the end of next year, The Guild expects to operate in 1,000 units across up to 10 markets.
Sources: TechCrunch (October 9, 2018) | The Guild