Exclusive: Serviced apartment firm Lamington launches ‘hometels'

Serviced apartment provider Lamington Group is to launch the first example of what it claims is a new concept, "hometels", which aim to bridge the gap between Airbnb and a hotel.

The 71-bedroom venue, which Lamington Group says is a flexible living environment with the best parts of home combined with the services and security of a hotel, will open in Southampton in June.

It is the second site under the Room2 brand, following a pilot in Hammersmith that launched in 2016, offering what the company claims is a "completely different approach" to staying away from home.

Founder and managing director Robert Godwin said: "Speaking to our guests in both Room2 Hammersmith and our existing apartments, we heard that they want more than what a traditional hotel, aparthotel or an Airbnb can offer. They want something that combines the best of all three, with flexible living, all the comforts of home and personable, attentive service.

"We've responded by creating the Room2 ‘hometel' concept and we believe it's a real game-changer. Our ambition is to be the brand that creates and leads the hometel category in the UK and we're perfectly positioned to do that. We're young, independent and dynamic, which means we can move fast to fill this void in the market."

All rooms in Room2 Southampton come with their own kitchen, TV, seating area, USB chargers, free Wi-Fi and hairdryers.

There will also be a selection of split-level mezzanine bedrooms for families, a coffee bar, a shop selling food, gym, bar, laundry facilities and communal space for working and socialising, called ‘the Living Room'.

Rooms for two people start at around £125 per night.

Godwin added: "Guests said they were finding it hard to live their life the way they do at home when they stay in hotels. For example, we had business people saying they lost their healthy routines every time they stayed in a hotel because they couldn't cook their own meals.

"At the same time parents were telling us that standard hotels make it difficult for their families to socialise and keep the children's bedtime routines. Room2 is our solution to all of those problems. It bridges the gap between an Airbnb and a hotel.

"You have your living room and kitchen space, but you also have the peace of mind of hotel-level security and cleanliness. For families, our Southampton property even has rooms with split-level mezzanine floors, so the kids have somewhere to play and sleep within the safety of the room itself."

The Lamington Group is a property business that operates serviced apartments in Hammersmith and Brook Green.

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