Savery gears services to business clientele
Business travelers account for a large share of the guests who stay at the Renaissance Savery Hotel, and the hotel has tailored many of its services and amenities to their needs.
In the past year, the Savery started offering its Fit for You fitness package, a bundle of fitness equipment that guests take to their room to allow them to exercise in private. The package includes a variety of fitness wedges and resistance bands, together with instructions on how to use the equipment. Barbara Eslick, the Savery’s director of sales and marketing, said the equipment is popular among guests who want to exercise in the comfort of their own room or squeeze in a workout while catching up on work.
“It’s great for someone who has gotten in late and might want to fit in a few minutes of exercise before they go to sleep,” Eslick said.
The Savery has a couple of fitness rooms, one of which is open 24 hours a day, but Eslick said the Fit for You package provides another option to make exercise convenient for guests.
A more unusual amenity the Savery offers is its eucalyptus inhalation steam room. This room, similar in appearance to the hotel’s other steam room, is a dry-heat sauna with eucalyptus vapors, Eslick said. Eucalyptus oil is dropped into a machine and the vapors flow through the room, which is large enough to accommodate about six to eight people. She said people often comment on how much better they feel after inhaling the vapors, especially business travelers who have endured long plane rides and meetings.
“The heat and eucalyptus combination open up the sinuses and relieve headaches,” Eslick said. “It’s a relaxing and invigorating experience and a way to unwind at the end of the day.”
Eslick said there aren’t many eucalyptus inhalation steam rooms around, especially in the Midwest. The room is located in the Savery near the whirlpool, sauna and other steam room.
A third feature of the Savery that has been well-received by business travelers and other guests is the Starbucks Coffee kiosk on the skywalk level of the hotel, Eslick said. Although it’s not a full café, it serves traditional Starbucks specialty coffees and coffee products. It’s open from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“There is usually a line out there every morning,” Eslick said. “Our guests love that they can get their favorite coffee right here before they head off to their morning business meetings.”
The Savery, which opened in 1919, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The hotel was bought in 2002 by Marriott International Inc. and underwent an extensive renovation when the hotel chain rebranded it as a Renaissance property. Eslick said the Savery has been able to maintain its identity under Marriott’s ownership.
“As a Renaissance hotel, we’re encouraged to do things that are very unique, whimsical and magical,” she said. “We do some of the same things as our sister hotels, but we try to find a unique twist. That’s why we offer some of these things that you won’t find at other hotels.”