Marriott CONNECT Proto | Boise, Idaho

In the fall of 2015, Guerdon constructed a model Marriott Courtyard hotel room to be displayed at Marriott’s Owner’s convention in Orlando, Florida. The full scale room was merchandised and on display for all in attendance at the convention to walk through. The exterior was covered in signage, while the interior room was complete and livable, from the functioning air conditioning down to the soap in the bathroom.

Constructed in Boise, the model traveled nearly 3,000 miles to make it to the convention. The interior of the model was complete, though ‘housekeeping’ staff needed to fluff the pillows and upright a few items like chairs and the microwave and such that had been secured for the transportation.

Over the preceding 18 months, Marriott had begun an initiative to push for their owners to look to modular as a viable solution for building their hotels. Guerdon was selected from a group of manufactures to pilot the program and deliver one of four model units to the trade show. The model units also served as a way for Marriott to unveil the newest generation of interior finishes for the respective hotel brands.

After the show, the unit returned to Boise, Idaho (where it was manufactured) and now serves as a model for interested developers to walk through. Since the show, Guerdon has manufactured the first ever Marriott hotel to be built using modular construction. Many other developers who were at the show are interested in using the technology for their next hotel. Expect to see a lot more hotels using modular construction in the coming months.