Even though Best Western Hotels & Resorts Vib brand has been in existence since the end of 2014, it hasn’t taken off in a big way. That’s why the company is looking to revive Vib with a relaunch of the boutique new-build upscale/upper-midscale brand.
As of the beginning of 2022, only three Vib properties were open. Although first envisioned as a North American urban brand (think New York or Chicago), the original trifecta of locations included Springfield, Missouri; Antalya, Turkey; and Bangkok, Thailand. So, from the beginning, the brand was all over the map.
Next, Covid slowed any momentum that was developing, according to Larry Cuculic, CEO of Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “We expected to have a higher growth pattern, but Covid took new construction out of the pipeline,” he said. However, considering the brand had been in existence for five full years before the pandemic hit, Cuculic also admits that Vib “has had its challenges, but we are committed to the brand.”
So, during the pandemic, Best Western decided to take a closer look at Vib to redesign a new prototype based on elements that would be more attractive to today’s guests and developers. According to Ron Pohl, president of international operations for Best Western Hotels & Resorts, “The new Vīb prototype is designed for urban and dense suburban areas, delivering the upscale vibrance and modern amenities that today’s younger and more remote workforce are seeking – such as unique food and beverage offerings in every hotel.”
A new 102-room property in Tempe, Arizona, which opened in March, serves as the template for the relaunched brand. The hotel, located less than 30 minutes from Best Western’s international headquarters, is owned and managed by the company.
Pohl said the Tempe prototype reflects updated brand standards, including a flexible lobby space built with an open floor plan and guest rooms about 20 percent larger than their predecessors. The F&B offering is Arizona’s first Cousins Maine Lobster. The rooftop lounge at the Tempe property will be replicated elsewhere when allowed by local code, noted Pohl.
Even before the new prototype opened, developers were getting on board. The pipeline for Vib now includes 10 properties in destinations ranging from Cape Town and Crete to Denver, Chicago, Oklahoma City and Miami.
Given its “motivation to build the brand,” said Cuculic, “we will be offering financial incentives for the right developer in the right location.” Another selling point for developers, he said, is Best Western’s membership model. The company is not a franchisor. Rather, “it is a non-profit membership association that doesn’t have shareholders,” noted Cuculic. “Members enter into an agreement with us, and all fees and dues paid go back to the members. We don’t touch revenues or profits.”
Best Western is now up to 18 brands, several of which are relatively new and in the boutique space. Aside from Vib, there’s GLo, a midscale new construction brand for secondary cities, introduced in 2015, and Aidan and Sadie, boutique brands introduced in 2018 designed for urban conversions. That may be it for a while. According to Cuculic, “While we wanted to maximize our offerings, we think we are pretty well done at this point. We are looking to focus on what we’ve determined to be important,” which is to say the further development of existing brands.