It’s nice to see the hotel industry innovating to respond better to the marketplace, particularly the business traveler. Martina sent me this post on Relactions outlining a new wave of affordable “no-frill chic” hotels being launched that provide safe, comfortable and clean hotels that appeal to the traveler on the move who values this over space and amenities. Some examples include Yotel, EasyHotel.com, CitizenM, and the highly anticipated Aloft. This is a great trend that seems to have already taken off in Europe and will soon spread across North America. Westin’s launch of heavenly beds and showers a decade ago has spawned some much needed energy in the placid hotel industry – guests value a good night sleep and a relaxing shower over room service and flat screens, go figure.
This latest trend builds off the same principles, while removing the nice-to-haves to keep prices in check. We’re also seeing a boon in the opposite side of the spectrum – small, boutique hotels that are able to cater more nimbly to their guest’s every need and are able to charge higher prices to do so, even when competing with the big chains. I can see myself being a customer of both, one for business and the other for pleasure.
BIG marketing for small business 
Fellow citizens,
The citizenM booking engine is live and waiting for you to say hello.
Log on at citizenM.com to book a room for a stay at the Amsterdam Airport hotel from June 21st onwards.
While booking, you can enter your preferred room settings – favourite colour lighting, the most comfortable temperature, preferred music, amount of daylight and more.
You are also guaranteed a 15% discount via http://www.citizenM.com
Become one of the first citizens to enjoy the affordable luxury, nice towels, huge bed and friendly smile of the first citizenM hotel.
See you then,
Your future friends at citizenM
http://www.citizenm.com
When it comes to hospitality, the concept is very well represented by a wave of new hotel companies that promise to (finally) bring some real innovation to the industry by combining style with budget, mixing the chic with affordable rates.
No-frill chic hotels want to appeal to both budget consumers who will love to experience some extra chic at no extra costs, and to the more demanding travellers who are ready to welcome a non-traditional concept of luxury and service. The spectrum is indeed quite wide, and ranges from the core “no-frills/back to the basics” model (very close to the low-cost airlines concept) to a more chic level, where also the sophisticated desing-minded types and the business travellers can feel confortably cocooned by stylish architectural details.