SMART TRAVELLER
If you’re sick of staring at your own four walls, many hotels are allowing you to use their rooms as offices for the day
As 2020 turns into 2021, working from home continues to dominate our professional lives but cabin fever is starting to set in for some. Research by Accor has found that 41 per cent of people in the UK feel their work-life balance has worsened, while 22 per cent feel less productive owing to distractions. So how about a change of scenery? Hotels have lots of empty rooms and are marketing them as clean and safe workspaces that can be rented by the day, week or month. Embracing the “work from anywhere” trend, they are hoping that vacant rooms will be filled, while workers will get the peace they need alongside access to hotel facilities. Here are some “work from hotel” schemes operating in the UK and further afield.
HOTEL GROUPS Accor
Programme: Hotel Office What’s included? Private rooms with in-room amenities and access to on-site bars, restaurants and wellbeing rooms, subject to availability in participating hotels Location: 220 hotels currently in operation in the UK, 70 across Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, and South America; more to come in Europe and Russia Timings: Daily (9am-6pm) or a five-day package Extras: Breakfast, a snack or lunch on the go Price: From £35 per day; members of ALL – Accor Live Limitless get a 5 per cent discount all.accor.com
The Ascott Limited
Programme: Work in Residence What’s included? Studios and apartments with high-speed wifi, coffee and tea, printing facilities in reception, and parking, subject to availability at participating properties Location: Over 90 properties across more than 20 countries Timings: Daily (8am-7pm), weekly or monthly packages Extras: Widescreen monitors, webcams for videoconferencing, Bluetooth speakers, food delivery, grocery shopping, printing, concierge services, in-room chef Price: From £69 the-ascott.com
Day Break Hotels
What’s included? This website allows guests to book rooms, suites and apartments at partners including Radisson Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Hotels and Resorts and NH Hotels Location: International Timings: Hourly or daily (hours vary per hotel) Price: Varies per hotel daybreakhotels.com
Hilton
Programme: Workspaces by Hilton What’s included? Rooms with a desk, tea and coffee and enhanced wifi. Access to gyms, pools, dining areas and business centres where available. Individual hotels are also offering extras including free parking and bike hire. Location: Expected at most Hilton hotels across the UK, plus locations in the US and Canada Timings: Daily (hotel hours vary) Extras: Breakfast, a snack or lunch Price: Varies per hotel. From £75 at Conrad London St James workspacesbyhilton.com
Mandarin Oriental
Programme: Working from M O What’s included? Private rooms with high-speed wifi, printing, a dining credit and gym access Location: Most city hotels globally Timings: Daily (8am-6pm) Price: Varies. From £342 at the group’s London property mandarinoriental.com
25 Hours Hotel
Programme: Home Office What’s included? Pet-friendly private rooms with high-speed wifi, Nespresso machines, tea, Schindelhauer bikes and Bluetooth speakers Location: Select hotels in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Vienna, Zurich Timings: Daily or five days Price: €50 daily; €200 for five days 25hours-hotels.com
LONDON HOTELS
The Dorchester Programme: Working Away What’s included? A private suite for up to six guests with an on-call IT concierge, tea and coffee and a £100 spa and dining credit Timings: Daily (7am-7pm) Price: From £1,275 Validity: Until November 30, 2020* dorchestercollection.com
K West Hotel and Spa Programme: Work from Home Alternative
What’s included? Executive rooms with desks, wifi, tea, coffee, and parking. A week pass includes five full days and a four-night stay with daily breakfast and a room-service dinner on two nights Timings: Daily (8am-6pm) or a week pass Price: £79 daily; from £550 weekly Validity: Until December 30, 2020* k-west.co.uk
Shangri-La Hotel at the Shard
Programme: Meeting in the Sky What’s included? A room holding six guests for meetings, with flipcharts, high-speed wifi, printing and Nespresso machines Timings: Daily (7.30am-5pm) Extras: Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea Price: £390 Validity: Until December 31, 2020* shangri-la.com
The Stafford
What’s included? A Mews suite with a desk and a two-course lunch in-room or in the restaurant Timings: Daily (8am-6pm) Extras: Timings can be extended Price: From £395 Validity: Until December 31, 2020* thestaffordlondon.com