PREMIER INN set to launch compact‘ hub’ hotel brand
WYNDHAM set to open eight new China properties
Premier Inn is launching a new hotel concept incorporating cheaper compact rooms in city centre properties. Hub by Premier Inn will be opened in major cities with the first property due to open in Covent Garden, London in summer 2014. Three more central London properties will follow in 2015 and another in 2016.
Wyndham Hotel Group has announced its plans to expand in China with the development of eight new Ramada properties in emerging cities over the next two years.
Rooms will be up to 30 per cent cheaper than a comparable Premier Inn in central London, at £ 100 a night mid-week and off peak prices will be less. Each room will measure about 11.4 sqm and will come with an en suite bathroom with power shower, wardrobe, desk and a 40-inch smart screen television.
Hub by Premier Inn will be the UK’ s first hotel chain where the rooms can be remote controlled using a smart phone app. Guests will have the option to check in online and then control the room’ s temperature, lighting or even what is on the TV using their phone.
The new hotels will be developed in Linyi, Liuzhou, Changzhou, Changsha, Suzhou, Wuyishan and Xishuangbanna. These cities are seeing increased business traveller traffic as international companies are keen to establish a presence in their rapidly developing industries.
Duana Elledge, executive vice president and managing director of Wyndham in Asia-Pacific said: " The lack of quality rooms in many second-tier and third-tier cities provides us with opportunities to further expand our presence. We are proud to announce these new additions which will help grow our footprint in the region.”
The group currently operates 573 hotels within China and is the largest US-based hotel company in the nation. This development is the latest in Wyndham ' s extensive expansion plans globally, which has already seen the group open new hotels in Singapore and Istanbul so far this year.