Premier Inn’s new “Hub” hotel offers reduced rates but with an equal reduction in roominess. What are travellers happy to forego for a smaller bill?
Premier Inn’s new concept hotel aims to bring city centre living to the budget driven traveller. This week the hotel chain launched “Hub”. Lauded as a new generation in compact city centre hotels the first “hub” is set to be opened in London’s St Martin’s Lane in Summer 2014. The rooms on offer will be 25% cheaper than Premier Inn’s standard fare, so under £100.
The price might be right but what do you forego for that cheaper price? The “hub” measures 11.4 square metres. Yes, its compact says Premier Inn but it couples with it an innovative design which ensures every centimetre is optimised; the desk becomes a bed, under the bed is storage for luggage, there’s an en-suite bathroom with a power shower, free Wi-Fi and a 40” smart screen TV.
Is good value the willingness to forego a little comfort? How does the “hub” measure up to a serviced apartment?
First of all it is important to think about the traveller targeted by the “hub”. It’s likely to be a young city-breaker who’s looking to spend more time outside than inside. The room is simply a place to rest their head and their primary motivator is price. For a short term guest who just wants something cheap then they will welcome the idea of a hotel room with enough space for a bed.
For a traveller looking for somewhere to stay for longer they are looking for extra benefits and comfort. A small place to stay is tolerable for a couple of nights when you are barely awake in your room. It is difficult if it is a space you are actually attempting to live in. For many business travellers their visit to London might be a week, two or even longer. In those circumstances a box room doesn’t give them enough space. A serviced apartment is 3-4 times the size of the average hotel room. There is a separate lounge and kitchen that is designed for home-style cooking. The bedroom is in a different room, as in the bathroom. It offers comfort, practicality and privacy. The price isn’t prohibitively expensive as it averages at £135 + VAT a night.
Location is always a key factor for visitors to London. Clarendon takes extreme care when choosing a location for a serviced apartment. We specifically choose prime locations; The City (Spitalfields and Tower Hill); Holborn which is close to Great Ormond Street Hospital, UCL; Goodge Street with easy access to Regent’s Park, Soho and Tottenham Court Road; Clarendon House and Gardens close to the beauty and tranquillity of Kew Gardens; Canary Wharf near Canada Square and multinational headquarters; Wraysbury Hall a short distance from T5 at Heathrow for international travellers. Each location suits the different motivation and tick-list for the range of business travellers Clarendon has worked with in its 25 year history. Not every traveller is motivated by the same thing, be it price, location of facilities. For this reason Clarendon offers a range of locations with each serviced apartment meeting a minimum of comfort and luxury.
Serviced Apartments are more cost-effective when a visit is longer. For those simply looking for somewhere to lay their head for a night then a small hotel room will make it easier for them to find somewhere to sleep but it means they forego a lot of other creature comforts. Clarendon understands that its longer term visitors are partly motivated by price but they also want somewhere to stay that is central and makes it easier for them to live their lives while they are away from home. Clarendon often says it aims to create a home from home atmosphere in each of its apartments making it simpler for business travellers to find exactly what they are looking for.