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The Lamington Group is to launch the first of its new concept – ‘hometels’ – which aims to bridge the gap between an Airbnb property and a hotel.
The serviced apartment provider has claimed that the 71-bedroom venue, launched under the ‘Room2’ brand, will combine the best parts of home with the services and security of a hotel and will open in Southampton in June.
The idea was first trialled at Room2 Hammersmith in 2016, with the group claiming that consumers “want a more flexible approach to staying away from home than they did in the past”.
Founder and managing director Robert Godwin explains: “Speaking to our guests in both Room2 Hammersmith and our existing apartments we heard that they want more than what a traditional hotel, aparthotel or an Airbnb can offer. They want something that combines the best of all three, with flexible living, all the comforts of home and personable, attentive service.
“We’ve responded by creating the Room2 ‘hometel’ concept and we believe it’s a real game-changer. Our ambition is to be the brand that creates and leads the hometel category in the UK and we’re perfectly positioned to do that. We’re young, independent and dynamic, which means we can move fast to fill this void in the market.”
All rooms in Room2 Southampton will come with their own kitchen, TV, seating area, USB chargers, free Wi-Fi and hairdryers. There will also be a selection of split-level mezzanine bedrooms for families.
The ground floor of the hometel features a spacious, flexible space for guests to work, socialise or relax day and night.
It will also feature a coffee bar, a food shop, gym, bar and laundry facilities. Rooms for two people start at around £125 per night.
Godwin added: “We’re really passionate about bringing this concept to the market. It’s what the industry, and most importantly, consumers, have needed for a long time. When Room2 launches in Southampton we’re confident that it’ll form the blueprint for us to roll out the hometel concept across the UK.”
