Business Traveller has had a sneak preview of a new serviced apartment brand due to launch in the UK this year.
Max Thorne, a former senior vice-president at Bridgestreet, is chief executive of the new company, currently called CL Serviced Apartments but poised to announce its official brand name at Berlin's International Hotel Investment Forum in March.
Backed by US-based investment firm Oaktree, which has initially allocated US$0.5 billion to the project, the aparthotel company has already acquired "multiple" properties in London, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dublin, Thorne told Business Traveller, the first of which will open in December.
Thorne said all properties would be situated in "triple-A" city locations and that the company's pipeline was "pacing in line with our aspirations to have over 2,500 units". The longer-term plan is to expand the brand in Europe.
Apartments will be bookable for stays of one to 60 nights, and Thorne anticipates that just over 50 per cent of guests will be business travellers.
He said that while the typical customer would be tech-savvy travellers aged 25 to 40, the brand would welcome all demographics. He described the brand as "cheeky and a bit of fun", saying that it aimed to help travellers explore the city.
Business Traveller viewed a prototype apartment in a location near Heathrow. A minimum 30 sqm and priced at a "mid four-star level", Thorne said, there will be three categories – Cool, Really Cool, and Really Cool Big Spaces offering "a bit more indulgence".
While open plan, the unit makes good use of space with a passageway keeping the bedroom and living room/kitchen separate. The design is fresh and modern with a colour palette largely of grey, mocha, cream and orange. Facilities include 42-inch LG flatscreen TVs, a work-cum-dining table, plenty of UK/US/European plug sockets and USB ports, and free wifi, phone calls and movies.
Kitchens feature granite worktops and integrated appliances. Both the bathroom and bedroom have ample storage for longer stays.
Guests will be able to control the blackout blinds, mood lighting and air conditioning via tablet computers, and to "push" content from their personal devices wirelessly to the TVs. Wall maps of the local area show jogging routes, stations and landmarks.
Buildings will have 24-hour reception and security, and "collaboration areas" in the lobby.
Thorne is happy to show readers around the prototype room – tel +44 (0) 7768 617 995.
Michelle Harbi
