Hilton Tells Travelers, ?Y?all Come Back Now?

Hilton Garden Inn in Bentonville doesn’t leave grits on its guests pillows, or a complimentary cup of sorghum in its mini fridges. What the 92-room hotel’s guests do leave with, its management says, is a heaping helping of southern hospitality designed to bring them back.

Well y’all, it’s apparently working.

The hotel, 100 yards from the intersection of S.E. Walton Boulevard and Interstate 540, grossed $1.1 million in sales through May — the most recent figures available from the Bentonville Advertising & Promotion Commission. The city has a 2 percent A&P hotel tax and receipts show the Hilton Garden Inn leading that market by about 17 percent.

Steve Wright, director of sales for the Hilton Garden Inn Bentonville, said the local franchise has about an 85 percent occupancy rate during the week and 45 to 50 percent on weekends. Home to the world’s largest company, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the city’s endless parade of business travelers keep the hotel sold out Monday through Wednesday.

“What makes the Hilton Garden Inn brand unique is we pride ourselves on personalized service,” Wright said. “We talk about true southern hospitality and teach our staff to be very genuine and warm. We also call each guest within 15 minutes to make sure they’re happy with their room. It’s not rocket science. It’s courtesy.”

The fastest growing hotel chain in America according to several industry journals, Hilton’s upscale, mid-priced brand targets primarily business travelers in more than 160 locations nationwide. It’s smaller than the Beverly Hills, Calif., firm’s metropolitan Hiltons which target a “downtown” clientele. The “garden variety” Hiltons are tailored for suburban areas and airports.

Every hotel in Northwest Arkansas struggles to win weekend business. But Hilton Garden Inn is getting more than its share of coveted Saturday soirées such as weddings, family reunions and softball tournament entourages.

The third week of October, for instance, signals both the Ole’ Applegate Place and War Eagle craft fairs, and the arrival of the University of Florida Gators football team in Fayetteville to play the University of Arkansas. The handful of Hilton Garden Inn rooms not yet booked for Oct. 18 will cost $159 per night.

Hilton Garden Inn has 35 employees and is arguably the most upscale franchise on Bentonville’s “Hotel Row.” It typically has a $135 weekday rack rate but dips to $49 on weekends. The only higher priced hotel in that market is Rogers’ Embassy Suites, which has a $149 rack rate weekdays.

Wright said complimentary amenities such as high-speed and wireless Internet access, complimentary meeting rooms, an $8.95 “all you can eat” full menu breakfast, and vendor-haven The Exchange Lounge bar also keep guests coming back.

The hotel is locally managed by Omni Hospitality LP of Fayetteville, which owns six local hotels and is building two more.

“We recognize all of our guests by their name,” Wright said. “So many of our guests call on Wal-Mart and come back again and again because we treat them like family.”