Whitbread launches cheaper, smaller Premier Inn 'hubs'

2nd Jul 2013 07:37

A new hotel concept by Premier Inn offering cheaper, more compact and modern city-centre rooms will be launched in London next summer, according to the UK's largest hotel group Whitbread.The company said on Tuesday that the 'hub by Premier Inn' idea boasts "ingenious, contemporary room design and excellence connectivity that will offer good value for money and appeal to customers who value price, location and design over space". The concept is targeting major city centres across the UK such as London and Edinburgh, with the first 'hub' being opened on St Martin's Lane in summer 2014. The 11.4 square-metre compact rooms will have a desk that folds into a bed, luggage storage under the bed, an en-suite bathroom, free wifi and a 40-inch smart-screen TV. Meanwhile, through a app on a mobile device customers will be able to book, check in, pre-select room temperature and light settings, choose TV or radio channels, and even pre-order breakfast.Four other sites will open in the next three years - all in London - with the company targeting a total of 40 hotels (6,000 rooms) opened or in the pipeline by 2018. 'hub' hotels will cost 25% less to build and operate compared to a Central London Premier Inn, Whitbread said."Premier Inn has played a leading role in shaping the budget hotel market and we believe 'hub' will do the same for a new generation of compact city centre hotels," said Patrick Dempsey, Managing Director of Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants. "'hub' will work in tandem with Premier Inn, appealing to more price-sensitive customers seeking quality accommodation in the heart of a city. It will enable us to broaden our customer appeal and further strengthen our competitive edge."The company said that the 'hub' concept will help achieve its target for 75,000 rooms in the UK by 2018 and provides it with "another exiting new growth platform".