I’m not sure where the tradition of free hotel food came from. Was it the free coffee in every lobby? Or the free continental breakfast from every economy hotel chain? Or even the free cookies at DoubleTree? In fact, I’ve also gotten free cookies on stays at Holiday Inn and Hampton Inn. I was really excited when I got free wine at a Kimpton a couple years ago. And free scones and fruit baskets from the Fairmont just about blew my mind. Wherever this complimentary food tradition began, the game has just been changed by Residence Inn, a division of Marriott.
Residence Inn Mix
Last week, Marriott unveiled a new social experience, Residence Inn Mix. Hotel guests are invited to get in the Mix in the hotel lobby every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evening for a night of socializing facilitated with local entertainment, food, and drinks. Every Monday night features appetizers, fresh off the grill items on Tuesdays, and Wednesday serves up a rotation of food trucks, local specialties, and desserts.
Return to the Beginning
The food and beverage scene may look like an odd move for Residence Inn, but it’s actually taking the Marriott chain back to its beginning. J. Willard Marriott and his wife, Alice, opened an A & W Root Beer franchise here in Washington, DC back in 1927. 30 years later their son, Bill Marriott, opened the world’s first motor hotel in nearby Arlington, Virginia.
Residence Inn Mix Launch Event
I was invited to Arlington recently to be a part of the Residence Inn Mix launch event. I was greeted with food from DC staples such as Dangerously Delicious Pies, Astro Doughnuts, and The Sweet Lobby. The bars were open with complementary wine and beers and the s’mores station was in full swing with the fire pit was blazing. My favorite feature of the night was the throwback to JW Marriott and his original business plan- root beer floats! Goodies Frozen Custard was on hand serving up all-you-can-drink root beer, cream soda, orange, and grape floats. My only regret of the evening was that I couldn’t eat more! Everything was amazing.
I’ll be honest, Residence Inn isn’t in my normal hotel repertoire. But it may be now. I’m not always huge on socializing when I’m traveling. I’m usually beat by the end of the day with an early call time the next morning. Still, I try to experience as much of every city I visit as I can and, to me, that is the beauty of Residence Inn Mix. Residence Inn has taken the guesswork out of new city exploration. They bring the highlights to you.
I argue that it’s still important to get out and explore the city, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stressed over picking the exact right place to eat…sometimes I’ve wandered around looking at so many menus that I have no choice but to grab something quick and dash off to my next thing. I look forward to getting in the Mix all across the country.
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| Recognize anyone? You might not if you haven’t seen the back of my head recently. |
Have you tried the Residence Inn Mix? In which city do you most want to get in the Mix?
Go. Live.
