Spanish hotel group Room Mate outlines UK plans
Room Mate CEO Kike Sarasola told BigHospitality that London in particular provided a strong opportunity for his design boutique chain, which currently operates 23 hotels in Europe, Turkey, the US and Mexico.
“London is throbbing. I don’t see any impact from Brexit, it’s on fire," he said. "Everything is going on here and it's a fantastic time to be here."
Sarasola is currently searching for suitable sites for his 'affordable luxury' hotel brand with all areas of central London being considered
"We are looking at other UK cities, but we have to start with London and establish our brand here first," he said.
Brand identity
Sarasola described the Room Mate brand as having a 'strong connection' with its local area. Each hotel is given a name and personality profile before being designed accordingly.
Room Mate does not operate restaurants within hotels, instead the company enlists outside operators, or forgoes restaurants altogether and guests are actively encouraged to explore the area the property is in.
Sarasola said: "To do a nice hotel you get good decorator in, but it's about more than that, it's providing a different experience and that’s what Room Mate has been able to do.
"We are always in the centre of cities. We feel that the best way to travel is visit a friend, which is why each of our hotels has a name and personality. We like to connect guests with the neighbourhood. I want to help guests visit the city and not be in my hotel all the time."
