Yotel

Yotel
Product typeHotels
OwnerAl-Bahar Group, United Investment Portugal, Kuwait Real Estate Company (AQARAT) and Starwood Capital Group
Introduced2007
Related brandsYotel Air, Yotel Pad
MarketsUnited States, EMEA, Asia-Pacific
Websitewww.yotel.com

Yotel is a hotel chain based in the United Kingdom. The company's main shareholders include the Al-Bahar Group, Starwood Capital Group, United Investment Portugal, and Kuwait Real Estate Company (AQARAT).[1] The company operates under three different brands: Yotel Air, Yotel and Yotel Pad.[2]

History

[edit]
Yotel in Downtown Miami
Room within a Yotel in New York City

The first Yotel was opened in 2007 at Gatwick Airport, closely followed by one at Heathrow Airport.[3] In 2009, Yotel opened a branch at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport[4] and the company won the Business Accommodation of the Year award at the Business Travel World Awards.[5][6][7]

On June 13, 2011, Yotel opened[8][6] a hotel in New York City at 570 10th Ave,[9] as a part of the $300 Million MiMA complex[10] which includes residential units. Rockwell Group and Softroom designed the 669 rooms[11][12] sized at 16 square metres (170 sq ft) each.[13] Yotel New York has a multi-bar 4,000 square feet (370 m2) balcony, Terrace.[14]

In 2015, Yotel announced plans to expand to Boston, Dubai, Singapore (Orchard Road and Changi Airport), Paris (Charles De Gaulle), Miami, London and San Francisco.[15] In 2017, Yotel opened its city centre hotels in Boston[16] and Singapore[17] and begun construction in London.[18] It also announced a further location in Amsterdam city centre.[19] Later in the year, Yotel formed a $250 million strategic partnership with Starwood Capital Group for a 30 percent stake in the company and the first city Yotel investment in Edinburgh was confirmed.[20]

In 2018, Yotel launched its new brand: YotelPAD. YotelPAD is an extended-stay business, where guests can stay from one day up to a year. Yotel confirmed 6 new PAD developments in Park City, Dubai, Miami and Geneva.[21]

Furthermore, the company announced properties in Glasgow[22] and Istanbul New Airport.[23]

In 2018, Yotel also forged a partnership with Plug and Play – a Silicon Valley innovation platform for start-ups, corporations and investors.[24]

In 2019 & 2020, Yotel opened its first hotels in London, Edinburgh, Istanbul, San Francisco, Washington DC, Park City with plans to open Porto, Glasgow and Miami in 2021. YOTEL will have 20 operating hotels by the end of 2021 with another 15 under construction.

In July 2022, Yotel announced plans to open its first hotel in Japan, a 244-room property in one of Tokyo's main shopping districts, Ginza.[25] In March 2023, Yotel announced it would open its first YotelPAD location outside of the U.S. in London, England. The hotel will open sometime in Q4 2023 and will be the company’s seventh overall property in the U.K. and third in London joining locations in London City and London Shoreditch.[26]

Description

[edit]

The Yotel concept came about when the founder was on a first-class flight.[27] The team enlisted the help of aircraft cabin designers Priestman Goode to design and build a prototype room known as a 'cabin'.[28] The original prototype cabin was displayed at an exhibition called 100% Design in London.[29]

Hotels have self-check-in kiosks and keyless entry, convertible double beds, adjustable mood lighting and systems.[2] Furthermore, the New York hotel is home to the YOBOT, the world's first robotic luggage concierge.[30] The hotels in Boston[31] and Singapore[32] have delivery robots which take amenities to the rooms. These robots are programmed to negotiate lifts and corridors and they can interact with people.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Our Board | YOTEL". www.yotel.com.
  2. ^ a b "Discover Our Brands | YOTEL". www.yotel.com.
  3. ^ "Yotel – Reviews and Ratings of Hotels in London". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2 December 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  4. ^ "Revolutionary new hotel concept planned to open in Schiphol Airport". Al Bawaba. 27 November 2007. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  5. ^ Bergerson, Robert (10 February 2009). "YOTEL chosen best business hotel of the year". Carrentals.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  6. ^ a b "YOTEL- the iPOD of the hotel industry brings affordable luxury to New York" (PDF). London, United Kingdom: YO! Company. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 December 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2010. "Yotel Times Square Review". Bloginity. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  7. ^ "Awards – Corporate Information – IFA Hotels & Resorts". Kuwait: IFA Hotels and Resorts. 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  8. ^ Bundhun, Rebecca (9 December 2010). "Yotel hotel chain targets Abu Dhabi and Dubai". The National. Abu Dhabi, AE. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  9. ^ "Yotel". New York, NY: Hotel Planner. 18 May 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  10. ^ "United States Properties". 2007. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  11. ^ "At new NYC hotel, a robot handles the luggage". The Wall Street Journal. New York. Associated Press. 22 June 2011. Archived from the original on 25 June 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
  12. ^ "Yotel New York at Times Square". New York, NY: NewYorkCity.com. 18 May 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  13. ^ "Yotel to open in Times Square". The Globe and Mail. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  14. ^ "Yotel – Introducing the Robo-Hotel". New York, NY: Urban Daddy. 9 May 2011. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  15. ^ "YOTEL Expansion Plan | Hotel Development | YOTEL". www.yotel.com.
  16. ^ Mest, Elliott (23 June 2017). "Yotel Boston officially opens". Hotel Management. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  17. ^ Ho, Valerian (15 September 2017). "Yotel Singapore to open next month". Business Traveller. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  18. ^ Cranshaw, Rachel (31 January 2017). "Yotel group to open first Europe city-centre hotel in London's Clerkenwell". The Telegraph. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  19. ^ "Yotel to Open New City Hotel in Amsterdam". www.yotel.com. June 2017. Archived from the original on 31 January 2020.
  20. ^ Key, Alys (26 September 2017). "Yotel checks in for global growth with $250m private equity backing". City AM. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  21. ^ Lim, Shawn (26 January 2018). "Yotel marks entry into serviced apartments with launch of YotelPad". The Drum. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  22. ^ Trainer, Paul (7 July 2018). "Yotel to open new hotel in disused office building on Argyle Street". Glasgowist. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  23. ^ Morris, Hugh (26 April 2018). "The new airport at the crossroads of Europe and Asia that's vying to be the world's largest". The Telegraph. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  24. ^ Dyson, Molly (10 April 2018). "Yotel partners with Plug and Play". Buying Business Travel. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  25. ^ McCarthy, Daniel (25 July 2022). "YOTEL Will Open Its First Hotel in Japan in 2024". Travel Market Report. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  26. ^ McCarthy, Daniel (15 March 2023). "Yotel is Bringing its Long-Stay Brand YotelPad to London". www.travelmarketreport.com. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  27. ^ "5 Minutes With Yotel" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 September 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  28. ^ "Yotel by Priestman Goode". Dezeen. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  29. ^ "Yo! Home at 100% Design". Dezeen. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  30. ^ Beaumanis, Viia (11 April 2014). "New Wave of Low Cost Lodging Trade Shabby for Stylish". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  31. ^ "At your service - get waited on by this Boston hotel robot". Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  32. ^ "Robots are taking Singapore's hotel industry by storm – here's where to go for some robot hospitality". Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.

51°31′4″N 0°9′7.5″W / 51.51778°N 0.152083°W / 51.51778; -0.152083