Yotel! to rent rooms by the hour
Simon Woodruffe, the entrepreneur behind the successful Yo! Sushi restaurants, is to launch a chain of hotels that can be booked by the hour.
According to The Independent newspaper, the Yotel! chain will open three properties in London, with plans to expand the brand across the country if it is successful.
The newspaper reports that Mr Woodruffe wants to provide “designer” accommodation at budget prices; the accommodation is intended to rival four-star hotels but the rooms will be available at £75 per night or, if customers prefer, £10 per hour.
Gerard Greene, managing director, is quoted as saying: “We are offering flexibility. I can’t dictate what people do in their rooms. Love hotels are probably the most profitable ones in Japan. If guys are sneaking off with their secretaries, why not make money from it?”
The Independent reports that the ensuite rooms, with no external windows, will measure just 10 square metres and will feature rotating beds. This is a space saving measure rather than anything “kinky”, the newspaper helpfully reports.
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd
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