Report: Fairfield by Marriott enters Europe

Marriott International has brought its Fairfield by Marriott brand to Europe, debuting in the city of Copenhagen with a 222-room waterfront property in Nordhavn – a new urban development in the North Harbour district.

Fairfield by Marriott Copenhagen Nordhavn is part of a new-build development, with the red brick building also housing the first Residence Inn in Scandinavia, though the two properties are quite distinct ­– the fitness centre is the only shared facility. The properties were opened in partnership with Danish management company, Core Hospitality.

Business Traveller visited the property shortly after the opening to find out more about the brand, its expansion across Europe and the difference between brands across the Marriott International’s portfolio. We won’t go into too much detail about the specific property, as you can find out more in our dedicated Tried and Tested review.

But first, an introduction to the brand. Fairfield by Marriott launched in 1987 in Georgia, Atlanta, inspired by John Willard and Alice Marriott’s family retreat of the same name in rural Virginia. “The brand is really grounded on their experiences on the country retreat – those ideas of warmth, comfort, family and simplicity,” explains Mary Garris, global VP of Classic Select brands at Marriott International.

Fast forward to 2024 and the brand is the second largest in Marriott International’s portfolio, with over 1,290 hotels in 20 countries and territories – plus a pipeline of 450+ hotels globally. The brand is largely represented in the US, with 1,183 properties located here, though there is also a growing presence in Asia, and a few properties in Central America, the Caribbean and South America.

While European travellers may not yet be aware of the brand, this is all set to change in the coming years as Fairfield expands across the region with 17 properties – including its first in the UK.

Fairfield by Marriott is regarded as an “upper midscale” brand within the group’s ‘select’ tier – more on this later – and attracts a 50/50 mix of business and leisure guests. It is also described as a “gateway brand”, meaning that it is often the first Marriott experience for many guests before they try out the myriad other brands in the portfolio.

Copenhagen was chosen for the European debut as the city resonates with US travellers – many of whom are members of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty programme. The hotel group has also been successful with its lifestyle brands in the city – Moxy Copenhagen Sydhavnen and AC Hotel Bella Sky Copenhagen.

Bringing a well-known US brand to Europe is no easy feat, however, hence the time taken for the brand to make it over to this region.

“We don’t want to just put a flag somewhere, we want it to be successful. To get the right brand in the right location, it’s really important, and take time to do that,” explains Sandra Schulze-Potgieter, VP of Premium & Select Brands, EMEA.

“In general, we don’t select locations. Very often our owners say they have a location and want our brand, and then we guide the owner and franchisee. Sometimes it’s very aspirational what they are looking for, and we have to have frank discussions and say the brand wouldn’t make sense from a commercial point of view.”

“For us it’s always looking at the data first and not being ignorant going into a new market and thinking we know it all. Core hospitality has been a really strategic partner. They are from Copenhagen, they know the business, the source market, and the customer travelling here. It made a huge difference to have someone with a local knowledge,” she adds.

“A location is just a dot on the map. But then we look into the data – how could we benefit from that location, and how could the location could benefit from the brand? We also look at what other brands we have in the market, because we don’t want to compete within our own company.”

Manchester-based firm OCCA Design Studio was tasked with creating a European prototype. The firm partnered with Scandinavian-based Mette Fredskild Design and Henning Larsen Architects, bringing elements of the Danish ‘hygge’ (cosiness) into the mix.

“One of the challenges when you’re asked to create a prototype for Europe [is that] we’re a continent of 44 countries. We have Finland, Malta and everything in between. It’s a very diverse territory to try and create a ‘look’ for,” explains Kate Mooney, founder of OCCA Design Studio.

“Every colour, texture and piece of furniture was [chosen] to celebrate that very diverse European mix of cultures, climates and approaches to design and hospitality.”

The Copenhagen property acts as a blueprint for the future properties across Europe, featuring a calming palette of blues and greens, organic materials and geometric shapes. While this contemporary and timeless design will be consistent across Europe, each one will have a locally inspired flair.

“It was very important that we took this American brand and made it Nordic, made it Danish. You’ve all heard about Hygge… We felt that matched so well with this brand,” adds Sanne Faergsted, the hotel’s opening general manager and director of operations at Core Hospitality.

Aside from the design aesthetic, the biggest difference with the US version is the size of rooms. All rooms in the Copenhagen property measure 17 sqm, with categories differing on the beds (twin or Queen) and whether or not there’s a sea view. By contrast, approximately 15-20 per cent of rooms in US properties include separate working and living spaces.

Rooms also feature just the essentials – a mobile desk, comfy bed, open wardrobe and bathroom with a rain shower. The Fairfield brand is more focused on the flexible, open-plan public spaces, designed for working, socialising and relaxing.

In the public areas you’ll find plenty of seating areas, The Social Market (a kitchen island which offers a complimentary breakfast), a 24/7 market for grab-and-go drinks and snacks, a fitness centre and ironing room.

“The idea is that it’s a hot desk in your room, but you’ve got the social areas and the different mixed-use spaces to work from,” explains Mooney.

“It works well for business today. We work in coffee shops today, we work anywhere. I don’t think it requires that big physical desk in order to really deliver for a business traveller’s needs,” adds Garris.

Fairfield by Marriott is regarded as an “upper midscale” brand and sits within the group’s ‘select’ tier – find out more here.

The issue with these categories is that it has all become rather meaningless to customers, especially with the over-proliferation of brands in recent years. Why does one brand fit better in one category than another? And what qualifies Fairfield by Marriott as an “upper midscale” brand?

“The terminology of categories has changed so much over the years. We’re now trying to streamline it a little bit with luxury, premium (formerly known as full-service) and select tiers,” says Schulze-Potgieter.

“Select brands are select-service. You have everything you need but not the extras that you would have in a full-service/premium property. What are the essentials for the customer you’re attracting? That can depend on the brand and the market.”

“[It’s about] only having the services and amenities that you need. It’s that uncomplicated hotel experience…. I don’t need the fuss and added service I may get at a premium and luxury tier,” adds Garris.

Facilities and amenities are not consistent across the Fairfield brand. In Copenhagen, for instance, you won’t find an evening restaurant, with the owners instead embracing the local area and promoting the independent restaurants and cafes nearby.

“The local businesses appreciate that we haven’t built four restaurants. You go out and experience the local area – it’s sometimes difficult if you give guests all of the services within the hotel. It also drives business travellers out of the hotel – it’s so easy to check in, have your room service, do your meeting and fly out. You have to branch out,” explains Schulze-Potgieter.

“In the Middle East, however, we need to have an all-day dining restaurant for any tier. It’s part of the culture to have food available 24/7,” she adds.

When Fairfield debuts in the Middle East in 2027, there will be an upgraded version of The Social Market to appeal to that specific customer base.

Occasionally, if properties are dual-branded, there’s the potential for additional services. For instance, the Fairfield in Copenhagen boasts a large fitness centre, thanks to the presence of the extended-stay Residence Inn brand in the same building.

Room amenities, too, can differ within the Select tier, depending on the region. “In the European market, we don’t need safes. It’s not a standard for a Select brand. If you go to Africa, you have a safe in every tier. It’s something a lot of our customers travelling internationally ask for, but [at Fairfield] we have safety storage boxes at reception.”

So far so good, but what makes Fairfield “upper midscale”?

“Midscale sits within the select tier and is your entry-level. Upper midscale has some additional services. For example, at Fairfield we have The Social Market, a gym and 24-hours check-in,” says Schulze-Potgieter.

“Upper midscale is not [about] the room, it’s defined by the public area facilities – the opportunities to socialise, work, dine, meet with friends. The room prototype is 18.3 sqm which is enough to have a good experience, but you shouldn’t spend 24/7 in your room,” she continues.

Marriott is focusing a lot of attention on the upper midscale arena, describing it as one of the biggest growth opportunities within the EMEA market.

Also within upper midscale, and better known amongst UK travellers, is the Moxy brand. To make matters slightly more complicated, however, this is more of a lifestyle brand – Fairfield is its classic counterpart.

“People looking for the experiential hotel stay will choose the Moxy. People who prefer the classic, traditional experience, we have the Fairfield by Marriott,” explains Piotr Stempkowski, senior director of Select Brands EMEA.

Hopefully you’ll now have a better understanding of Fairfield by Marriott, which may come in handy over the next decade as the brand expands across Europe.

Destinations in the pipeline include the UK, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Turkey. Fairfield is also set to debut in the Middle East in 2027, with two properties in Saudi Arabia.

Of most interest to our readers will be the property in Warwick, set to open in early 2026 and competing with the likes of Hampton by Hilton and Premier Inn. The 142-room new-build hotel will be attached to the British Motor Museum just off the M40, which showcases more than 500 vehicles and attracts over 20,000 visitors annually.

Neighbours include Jaguar Land Rover’s global research and development centre and Aston Martin’s world headquarters, and the site complex also boasts ample meeting and events facilities.

According to the press release, rooms at this property will have more amenities than the Copenhagen counterpart, featuring separate living, sleeping and working areas – complete with an ergonomic workstation, a sofa, fridge, coffee machine and microwave.

Marriott International already operates a Delta property in Warwick, which sits within the group’s Premium tier.

As for the Copenhagen property, it’s experiencing a roaring success in its first six weeks  – with a full house expected in the next week. “We hit the market with what it needed. It’s a really positive thing,” concludes Faergsted.