Dive Brief:
- Marriott International’s Renaissance Hotels brand debuted a global digital marketplace, R Finds, offering products from local artisans, creators and small businesses, the hotel company announced Tuesday.
- Aimed to “connect travelers to the heart of the communities that Renaissance Hotels co-exist within,” R Finds has more than 175 products available for purchase, including handcrafted goods, artisanal foods, home decor and wearable art.
- R Finds was created to help travelers immerse and engage in the culture of their destination, while elevating the small businesses within those communities, according to Marriott. Hotel marketplaces have also been shown to drive brand loyalty.
Dive Insight:
R Finds offers an array of products, including fragrances, vintage posters, watches, jewelry, home goods, purses and apparel, curated by Renaissance Hotels’ Navigators, hotel associates who are experts on the neighborhoods they serve.
The items are made by local artisans in the more than 175 destinations where Renaissance Hotels are located, including U.S. retailers like Chicago’s Sunday Standard, Ox & Pine Leather Goods from Texas and Meyer the Hatter from New Orleans.
According to Sophia Roe, James Beard Award-winning chef, artist and advocate, and contributing editor for the R Finds platform, the marketplace reflects Renaissance Hotels’ commitment to “making an authentic difference in local communities — and creating memorable, meaningful experiences for travelers.”
The commission-free marketplace provides local entrepreneurs global exposure without additional costs, according to Marriott.
Simultaneously, the marketplace gives hotel guests a way to “authentically discover and support” the local businesses in the destinations they travel to. For many travelers, particularly those of younger generations, being able to immerse and engage in the culture of their destination is becoming increasingly important — and even shifting the way they plan trips, according to PMG.
Hotel marketplaces can also drive brand loyalty, hospitality professionals previously told Hotel Dive. Many hotel companies, though, sell products that can be found within their guest rooms, like linens, bathrobes or specialty shampoos.
“If we can give something that the customer can use on a daily basis, your brand name crosses their mind every single day,” hotel operations consultant Sam Hilton told Hotel Dive in September.
In early 2025, Renaissance Hotels plans to add the brand’s custom blended honey kit to the digital shelves of R Finds.
