Whitbread PLC, the UK's largest hospitality group today unveils ZIP by Premier Inn, a new no-frills hotel concept. The first ZIP by Premier Inn hotel will open with 138 rooms in the Roath district of Cardiff in early 2019.
Whitbread conducted extensive research that revealed guests were willing to forego traditional expectations - such as large rooms and super-central locations - in favour of a lower price.
ZIP by Premier Inn hotels will be located on the outskirts of major towns and cities and will feature small, modern rooms with prices from £19, representing excellent value for money.
The rooms are billed as 'basics done brilliantly' and are around less than half the size of a standard Premier Inn room, at just 8.5 square metres. The rooms are compact, however, the clever design by PriestmanGoode - the design consultancy behind First Class Cabins for airlines including Air France, Lufthansa and SWISS - means that the space has been packed with useful features such as lightboxes, flexible bed formats & en-suite shower rooms. The vibrant new brand was developed in partnership with global brand consultancy, Wolff Olins while design consultancy JCS Design developed the interior spaces.
ZIP's smaller room format will give Whitbread access to a broader range of buildings in towns and cities across the UK and provide a great accommodation offer for the highly price-sensitive customer. Whitbread has secured a second site, set to open in Southampton with 140 rooms, and is actively seeking further acquisitions in out-of-centre town and city locations that suit the smaller room format.
Premier Inn Managing Director Simon Jones commented: "We are delighted to be opening our ZIP by Premier Inn in Cardiff and the team are hugely excited about welcoming our very first customers. In developing the concept, we have undertaken considerable research, including having had six ZIP rooms on sale to customers for many months. It's clear through the research that people want the basics done brilliantly, such as a comfy bed and a power shower but they are happy to compromise on location or some extras if they are paying a fantastic price for their room. We will continue to learn from our customers as they experience the product and will evolve and innovate the concept as we open more ZIP hotels".
All standard ZIP rooms include:
- Twin single beds with Hypnos mattresses which can be pushed together to create a double bed
- Private bathroom with power shower
- Premier Inn Free WiFi
- 24-inch television
- Air conditioning
All ZIP guests also benefit from:
On-site team 24/7
A large communal area which serves breakfasts that are equally convenient to enjoy in the shared area or to take away and eat on the go. This space transforms into a bar in the evenings, serving a range of alcoholic and soft drinks.
