Tru by Hilton for 'techies' and 'minimalist modern millennials'

Is it possible for a hotel chain to be "high tech" and at the same time, state-of-the-art hotel for “minimalist, modern millennials?”

Tru by Hilton says it is!

The chain says its Tru by Hilton brand “is designed for cross-generational appeal.” Among the features it touts are modern guest rooms and lobbies designed to provide more public space.

Technology is weaved throughout the design, allowing guests to check in and change their thermostats from their mobile devices as well as access Netflix accounts from the large, flat-screen television. There are also little nooks in the lobby for working, meetings and getting away from it all.

Christopher Nassetta, the chain’s president and CEO, told the Wall Street Journal in 2016 when the brand was first launched, that it was aimed at travelers who “are united by a millennial mindset—a youthful energy, a zest for life and a desire for human connection.”

It’s geared toward the young person who doesn’t want to sit in their room but also doesn’t want to go to a bar but rather prefers “chilling out” at the hotel with others.

True, but business travelers have also taken notice

Tru by Hilton properties feature the amenities and experiences that matter most to guests, including comfortable beds, smaller, more efficiently designed rooms with a mobile desk, large bathrooms with premium bath amenities, top-rate in-room entertainment, a complimentary build-your-own “Top It” breakfast bar with healthy, sweet and savory items, a 2,880-square-foot lobby with areas for guests to work, play games, eat and lounge, along with a 24/7 “Eat. & Sip.” market with gourmet snacks and drinks. The hotel experience is enabled by technology including mobile check-in, Digital Key, super-fast free WiFi, remote printing, a social media wall, lobby tablets and accessibility to outlets everywhere. Additionally, Tru by Hilton properties offer fitness centers that leverage the latest fitness trends including barre, TRX bands, free weights, cardio and flexibility gear.

Hand sanitizer is everywhere and there are plastic shield barriers in place at the grab-and-go food and beverage station in the lobby. Guests will also experience lighting in the rooms, lobby and elevator that are easy on the eyes.

Tru by Hilton features smaller but more efficiently designed rooms. The St. Petersburg hotel is one of the first in the brand to provide “connected rooms,” turning every room into a smart room. Guests can use their Hilton Honors app to unlock the door and to control the television and thermostat. It also can be used to log into personal accounts for streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu. The guest’s log-in will be cleared from the system at checkout.

With a focus on sustainability, the bathrooms feature dispensers for soap and lotion instead of individual paper-wrapped products or plastic bottles.

There’s also a big emphasis on the local community with a display of local restaurants and entertainment venues by the elevators, and a designated area in the grab-and-go food and beverage counter for locally made products.

Tru by Hilton is trying new things to make guests more comfortable and expand the reach of the brand.