Pod Hotels

Hoteliers Richard Born and Ira Drukier developed BD Hotels’ successful micro-hotel concept to accommodate the needs of today’s savvy traveler. BD was the first to introduce the micro-hotel model to New York City in 2007 with the launch of the original Pod Hotel, Pod 51, in Midtown East. The hotel’s values of affordability, community, and innovation, reflected in accommodations ranging from 110-150 square feet along with vibrant communal spaces, prompted immediate success. BD launched a second outpost, Pod 39, in June 2012, expanding on the formula of the original. The micro-hotel phenomenon continued with Pod DC, the first Pod Hotel property to be established outside of New York City. In October 2017, Pod BK began welcoming travelers to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The Pod Hotels' flagship property, Pod Times Square, opened with 665 rooms and 45 apartments in January 2018. The 2019 appointment of Rani Gharbié as Head of Acquisitions & Development ushered in a new phase of expansion for the Pod Hotels, with Pod Philly opening in September 2019 and anticipated growth to 50 properties within 10 years. Culture, activity, and density are the core components of ideal target markets, which include Miami, San Francisco, Austin, Boston, Seattle, Chicago, Toronto, and Mexico City.