Implode-o-Meter News - At Microhotels, the Price Is Right and the Space Is Tight (HOTEL AUSTERITY ARRIVES STATESIDE!!)

On a recent business trip to New York, Kelly Buck went small for her hotel room -- as in 100 square feet. Ms. Buck, a nonprofit marketing executive from Auburn, N.Y., sought a good deal and found one at the Pod 39, one of a growing number of so-called microhotels that are taking a smaller-is-better approach. And the price, about $100 a night, was right... A sister hotel, the Pod 51, goes even smaller, with some rooms measuring 65 square feet and offering a shared bathroom...
As hotels seek to blunt the appeal of Airbnb and court younger and more independent travelers, some, like Ms. Buck, are choosing microhotels.

These hotels blend elements from cruise ships and hostels and are characterized by compact guest rooms, an embrace of technology and an oversize communal lounge.
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The micro concept first gained traction in Europe with brands like CitizenM and Yotel at airports and in urban centers. Now the model is expanding. Yotel, which has a property in Manhattan, plans to open others in San Francisco, Boston, Miami and Brooklyn, as well as London, Geneva and Singapore. Pod expects to open another hotel in Manhattan, as well as in Brooklyn and Washington.

It is not just specialty chains that are drawn to the concept. Lured by the profit potential of squeezing more rooms into the same amount of space, and possibly reducing the overall cost of construction, larger chains are planning microhotel projects.

Hilton Hotels & Resorts is introducing Tru, which will have an average room size of 225 square feet, compared with the typical room size of about 350 square feet at Hampton Inn, which is owned by Hilton. Marriott International, which introduced Moxy in Milan, is creating a guest room in the United States that is expected to be about 180 square feet....

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At Microhotels, the Price Is Right and the Space Is Tight (HOTEL AUSTERITY ARRIVES STATESIDE!!)