Product Development for Wyne
Hospitality
Product Strategy Why?
The hospitality market requires flexibility to meet the distinct needs of business and leisure travelers. In the mid-2010s, Yangon saw a surge in demand for hotel accommodations due to political reforms and increased tourism. However, despite commanding some of the highest nightly rates in Southeast Asia, hotels in the region often fell short in quality, service, and value. The market lacked modern, mid-range hotels that catered to business and leisure travelers seeking a welcoming, comfortable, and home-like experience.
What?
Wyne Hotel set out to fill this gap in the market by designing and developing a hotel that offers a seamless, high-quality experience. From intuitive online booking to thoughtfully designed physical spaces and consistent service standards, Wyne Hotel aimed to provide comfort, convenience, and reliability for guests throughout their stay.
How?
Focus on targeting mid-range business and leisure travelers by:
Modern Design: Create contemporary interiors with a warm, inviting atmosphere.
Guest-Centric Service: Train staff to deliver attentive, personalized service.
Integrated Experience: Develop a user-friendly booking website and align digital touchpoints with physical experiences.
Value for Money: Offer competitive pricing ensuring guests feel they receive more than expected for their stay.
Role & Responsibilities
Product Manager - Chief Architect
Conducted market research to understand traveler preferences.
Set the product strategy and executed on product roadmap.
Defined room type offerings and their features to cater to specific user groups.
Collaborated with interior designers and engineers to ensure vision alignment.
Managed the end-to-end product lifecycle, from concept design to launch.
The Approach (Process)
Research:
Conducted competitive analysis of room offerings at similar hotels.
Interviewed 50+ travelers and corporate clients to identify key needs and pain points.
Strategy:
Segmented the target audience into four categories: business professionals, couples, families, and solo travelers.
Defined KPIs such as occupancy rates, guest satisfaction scores, and revenue per available room (RevPAR).
Design & Development:
Created room designs optimized for each traveler segment:
Business travelers: Work desk, comfortable chair, high-speed internet.
Leisure travelers: Spacious layout, luxurious bedding, and scenic views.
Family travelers: Multi-room setup, kid-friendly features, and additional storage.
Solo Travelers: Compact, budget-friendly spaces with modern essentials.
The Solution (Key Features)
Users (hotel guests) are the driving force behind the layout and design of the hotel.
Major product features for the rooms based on design and development strategy include:
1. room-length working surfaces for business travelers and recessed LED lighting for modern comfort and energy efficiency,
2. recessed ribbon windows with shading overhangs for visual comfort from hot tropical sun while providing ample natural lighting with the options of sheer and blackout curtains for privacy,
3. ample storage space with safe deposit box and organized wardrobe for all travelers,
4. Full bathroom amenities featuring water-efficient fixtures including overhead rain shower, all by renown German fixture brand Grohe.
For the public space and amenities, we included:
1. comfortable and spacious double-height sitting lounge as their living room when they meet guests,
2. quick-grab cafe for morning kick-off,
3. all-day dining including American/continental/local breakfast options,
4. mellow pub for evening cool-off,
5. relaxing roof-top spa and gym to de-stress.
Power in Numbers
91%
First-year Travel Season Occupancy
20%
Returning Guests
70+
Nationalities Stayed
Visuals & Artifacts
Reflection & Learnings
What Went Well:
Personalization of room types resonated strongly with diverse traveler segments.
Collaboration with design and construction teams ensured timely delivery.
Challenges:
Balancing the budget while delivering premium features for each room type.
Addressing operational complexities in managing diverse room offerings.
Lessons:
Deep user research is critical in designing products that address diverse customer needs.
Flexibility in offerings increases both guest satisfaction and revenue potential.