This is the first hotel in US to customize its facilities for motorcycle enthusiasts and travelers. Scheduled to open in March 2008, in Milwaukee, home to the manufacturing unit of the legendary motorcycle Harley Davidson, Iron Horse Hotel is the country’s first modern luxury boutique hotel with a separate facility for the large and growing segment of motorcycle enthusiasts.
Announcing the hotel’s special biker suites and facilities Tim Dixon spokesman for the Iron Horse Hotel said,
Today’s motorcycle riders are senior executives, CEO’s and successful entrepreneurs. These are weekday business travelers accustomed to luxury hotels. We’ll offer this customer the business services they expect along with features and amenities that address their needs as riders.
Promoted by Dixon Development, the hotel will offer the standard features such as wireless Internet, a top-notch business center, well-appointed meeting rooms, a secured covered motorcycle parking, rag bins, an on-site bike wash, packed saddle bag lunches, road trip maps and in-room storage areas for boots, helmets and heavy riding leathers, among others.
The Iron Horse Hotel aims at capturing the 20 million Americans that hit the road on their motorcycles annually. The Motorcycle Industry Council, the past 14 years has seen a rapid increase in the sale of motorcycles, peaking at one million for three straight years, the industry represents a $23 billion dollar business.
Dixon, a rider himself and frequent business traveler says that this market is so niche and nobody has promoted an exclusive hotel for them yet. He said,
It’s a leisure market segment that travels by its very nature, yet no high-end hotels are offering the special amenities they need,
A national trend
According to a Motorcycle Industry Council owner survey, the average motorcycle rider in America is 41 and over 50 percent of them are married and are college graduates and their earnings are much above the national average.
A heritage hotel
Architecturally, the Iron Horse Hotel will be housed in a 100-year old warehouse and retains an incomparable property with interiors that reflect the American Industrial era. The six-story building will feature exposed brick walls and iron details are being preserved and enhanced by soft finishes and a warm color palette and will offer 102 luxury rooms.
Adding quickly that the several of the design concepts and finishes arose from focus groups of both business travelers and motorcycle riders Dixon said,
This isn’t a themed hotel - it’s a hotel that addresses the needs of a diverse clientele.
