Switzerland: YOTEL is set to bring its YOTELPAD extended stay brand to Europe when it opens three properties in the Lake Geneva region from 2020 onwards.
Hubert Viriot, CEO of YOTEL said, “The Lake Geneva region is a natural location to introduce YOTELPAD to Europe. Centrally located and with an unusually high proportion of global organisations, the region is home to an exceptionally dynamic and mobile workforce and welcomes frequent international business travellers, visiting their headquarters or attending conferences.”
“Unsurprisingly, demand for affordable, short-term lease options is very high, yet housing stock is limited, and local tenancy laws typically require long term commitments. As a result, there is a high proportion of frustrated demand, either overpaying for residential accommodation or staying at traditional hotels in the Geneva and Lausanne city centres, miles from the business zones where MNCs and NGOs are typically located. Our YOTELPADs will be located minutes from the actual demand, considerably cutting down on commuting hours on the A1 highway.”
Viriot continued: “YOTELPAD is a phenomenal brand as it provides total flexibility at an affordable price. Guests simply need to plug in and choose how long they want to stay from a day to a year. The rest is hassle free: no cumbersome tenancy contract or utility bills, and access to a community. There is nothing comparable in this region and we are therefore confident YOTELPAD will thrive and hopefully open up opportunities to roll out our other brands YOTEL and YOTELAIR.”
YOTEL completed a survey with several MNCs and NGOs in the Geneva and Vaud cantons and the response “was overwhelming in expressing a need for such a hospitality offering in the region”. This led YOTEL to develop three YOTELPAD projects with a combined 438 keys, 15 minutes from the Geneva and Lausanne city centres in Plan-les-Ouates, Etoy and Pregny-Chambésy, “immediately giving it the scale to operate efficiently”.
The company says YOTELPAD “takes the essence of luxury serviced apartments into purposefully designed compact homes, known as ‘PADs’, fulfilling the requirements of the global citizen at an affordable price”. Each PAD includes YOTEL’s SmartBed, super-fast free WiFi, storage space, a kitchenette, bathroom and adaptable work and dining areas – all within a space up to 30 square metres. In addition, guests have access to facilities including public areas, 24/7 health club and meeting and co-working spaces. Guests can also enjoy regular community-focused events to network and socialise with like-minded people, healthy food options from a GRAB+GO and choose from a vast selection of pay-as-you-go services such as housekeeping, laundry and transportation.
YOTEL says YOTELPAD will “not only resonate incredibly well with employees headquartered in Switzerland, but also with people from across the globe working for organisations such as the UN, Red Cross or other giant MNCs such as Nestle and Ferring. With top universities in the region like EPFL, HEC, EHL and the University of Geneva, YOTELPAD will also be a great solution for international students on exchange programmes, foreign scholars and visiting parents”.
YOTEL currently has YOTELPADs under development in Dubai, Miami, Park City (Utah), and Mammoth (South California).
