The brand known for its large suites is now offering a smaller one-room version for today’s cost-conscious travelers and developers. Embassy Suites’ first major room redesign in 25 years will offer the same amenities and features (a living room, wet bar, bathroom and bedroom area), just in a smaller 370-square-foot package.

The new rooms were designed with the business traveler in mind. “While families love all the space they get with a two-room suite, a portion of our guests—mainly business travelers—have told us they don’t necessarily need all that space,” said Jim Holthouser global head of full-service brands for Hilton Hotels. “We’ve been testing this concept for a while now, and business travelers have been an integral part of the design process. We think we’ve successfully preserved the spacious feel of the suite, while reducing the suite’s footprint.”

Developers will also benefit with the option of adding more hotel into the conventional Embassy Suites footprint. They’ll be able to allocate up to 20 percent of guestrooms as the new compact suites, lowering construction costs, a necessity with today’s rising costs and lessening credit.

The new design offers a smart wall that is accessible as soon as guests enter, helping the suite feel as spacious as the traditional two-room version. The wall has compartments for business materials, photos, local art and includes a place to recharge PDAs and iPods. The 14-foot by 18-foot room includes a walk-in shower, microwave, refrigerator, activity desk, 42-inch flat-screen TV, upscale furniture, sliding barn doors into the bathroom and plenty of natural light.

“We experimented with dozens of designs and conducted extensive tests before finalizing the one-room suite design, which is about 20 percent smaller than the traditional Embassy Suites suite,” Holthouser said. “Guests still have access to all the other Embassy Suites amenities, including our complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast and evening reception, spacious atriums and fitness centers, only now with a choice of a one-room or two-room suite.”

A converted federal office building in Buffalo will be the first with the new suite design. The new prototype room will become part of new-build hotels later this year.