Hybrid Hotels

Hotels and Coworking spaces, the future? We bring you today a news item published before the pandemic in THE HOTELS NETWORK, but which provides many insights into Coworking - Hotel hybridization, and some pioneering hotels in this trend.

Coworking spaces are nothing new these days, though they are becoming increasingly popular as more workers embrace flexible jobs that don't impose a specific location, and more and more startups look to build their businesses on-the-fly.

What you see less of, however, is the combination of coworking spaces within hotels, but this, it seems, is changing. Looking at the popularity of these spaces and who they have become popular with, it is perhaps not hard to see why the hotel industry is starting to adapt.

Users of coworking spaces tend to be the younger generation, who prefer flexibility in the workplace and who, in most cases, are looking for travel and excitement in the way they work. The entrepreneurial and collaborative setup of these new-age offices also allows workers to easily connect with like-minded people, establishing a seamless experience where work can be combined with social activities, networking and more.

Traditionally, this is not something you would expect to find in hotels, but as lifestyle needs and technological advances change, more and more hotels are abandoning the traditional business center model to accommodate a new wave of mobile workers. Not only do these spaces open hotels to new audiences and the community, but by charging a fee, they can generate revenue, leveraging existing space and activating profitable economies of scale. Revenues also trickle down to other areas of the hotel, such as restaurants, lobby stores, coffee shops and so on, as visitors seek to explore the facilities and stay under one roof.

We spoke to a handful of hotels to find out what they are doing and what the benefits are.

Hobo, Stockholm

Stockholm's Hobo Hotel doesn't present itself as just a hotel, but as a new design hotel that welcomes both professionals and visitors. Its name is even based on the traveling lifestyle of 1930s America, and "hobo" means a thoughtful and curious person, who sees himself as a citizen of the world.

On the hotel's website, Hobo bills itself as "a meeting spot, a place to work, an office, or just a nice place to visit and hang out." It goes on to say, "And, obviously, you can also stay here. Check out our 201 amazing hotel rooms, all of which are loaded with handy gadgets you can borrow during your stay."

As for why the hotel encourages workers, general manager Mattias Stengl tells us that the whole ethos of Hobo is to be part of the community.

Hotel Schani Wien, Austria

In Vienna, Hotel Schani Wien combines tradition with a modern way of welcoming community members and guests. Located right across the street from Vienna's central train station, this trendy hotel has seized on the idea of combining a traditional Viennese coffeehouse with modern work facilities.

To this end, they have integrated a coworking space including twelve desks into the hotel lobby. Hotel guests can use the space free of charge and locals have the choice between a 10-day or 30-day coworking pass (€90 and €150) or renting a coworking desk for €190 per month. Coworkers are encouraged to sign up for the hotel's newsletter as an additional point of contact.

The hotel's PR and Marketing Manager, Anita Komarek, says that since the coworking space was introduced three years ago, it has had a very positive impact on the hotel. "Our lobby is never empty and is becoming increasingly popular with guests and locals. On average, we sell up to 20 coworking passes at a time and use 1 or 2 fixed desks. Our guests like the technology we offer and love the atmosphere when they arrive at the hotel; in our opinion, coworking is the answer to new work demands."

Hotel Tryp by Wyndham, Dubai

The Tryp by Wyndham Hotel, located in Barsha Heights in Dubai, also offers a coworking space within the hotel. The "NEST" coworking space offers guests and non-guests hourly, daily or monthly passes (for a fee), to catch up on work with like-minded people in a creative space. The space offers sofas, tables, desks and many different areas to work in. Non-guests of the hotel (as part of the fee) can also access the hotel's facilities, from the pool to the gym, and discounts at the hotel's restaurant, which helps keep non-guests in the building.

Hotel manager Joella Moore explains why the hotel included NEST, as it is located in Barsha Heights in Dubai. "This was one of the key factors for including NEST in the hotel: this ultra-modern and dynamic district focuses on stimulating an interactive community around entrepreneurs, freelancers and businesses. As a result, NEST was designed within the hotel to fit the needs of the modern worker," says Moore.

He adds that since opening, it has had a very positive impact on the hotel, both from a community standpoint and in terms of revenue. "In less than six months it has become the go-to place for local business people and international business travelers. In addition, the NEST audience has generated substantial revenue for TRYP Dubai's restaurants, bars and rooms, resulting in increased return on marketing investment, brand awareness and media coverage created by NEST's event programming for the hotel," he added.

While coworking spaces within hotels may not suit every guest or every hotel, it is clear that a sense of community is achieved by opening up the common areas and encouraging local residents to use the facilities as a central meeting point.

New spaces are popping up all over the world, including at a hotel we covered in The Hotel Stories two weeks ago: the New Esplanade Hotel in Perth. The new-look hotel, which will open this summer 2018 after an extensive renovation, will include one of the city's most flexible coworking spaces. The reason for its inclusion? As a key part of the hotel's new strategy to re-establish itself as a vital part of the community.

The hotel's ninth floor will be occupied by a dedicated 24-hour coworking space designed for guests and locals to come together to work, meet, find inspiration and socialize. In fact, the entire hotel is designed to act as a central hub for the local community, with a 24-hour lobby, comfortable common areas, a rooftop bar and café that will welcome non-guests.

Let's keep an eye out for this space, as the trend of coworking facilities in hotels continues to evolve. At THN, we strongly believe in the effectiveness of this ongoing and popularizing trend. To discover more examples of this coworking facility movement and how we help hotels attract and promote them, be sure to also check out our article on hotels with high-impact website conversion strategies.

News originally published by The Hotels Network, read the original here.