Stoddart took pride in the efficient, rational design of his hotels, which reflected the enthusiasm for scientific management of his era.[4] He expressed his approach to hotel design as a series of rules or formulas that would lead to maximum profitability. His design philosophy was similar to that of E.M. Statler's emphasis on efficiency in hotel architecture, except that Stoddart's hotels were smaller, less luxurious (e.g., not all guestrooms had ensuite bathrooms), and were in smaller cities.[4] Both Stoddart and Statler aimed their hotels at serving the market niche of traveling sales representatives.[4]