From hybrid hotels and hostels to coliving and coworking spaces, concepts are continuing to merge as consumer behaviour changes faster than ever before.
In this series, we’ll help you stay ahead of the curve as we look at the latest hybrid hospitality industry news that highlights the changing nature of how people stay, live, work and play…
1. NEW HYBRID HOSPITALITY BRAND KABANNAS CONTINUE UK EXPANSION
New hybrid hospitality brand Kabannas has announced the completion of its multi-million pound refurbishment of its two UK regional properties in Liverpool and Newcastle.
This follows on from their acquisition earlier in June of Hayweight House in Edinburgh where Kabannas are converting the office property into a new format hybrid hotel.
Backed by funding from RoundShield Partners, the company is targeting more than €100m worth of acquisitions focused on micro accommodation assets across Europe. The guest experience is at the forefront of Kabannas’ vision, offering high-quality yet affordable accommodation across Europe, with a focus on social connectivity.
Interestingly, Kabannas’ acquisition profile is centred around repositioning hospitality or non-prime office properties with assets ranging in size from 2,000 to 10,000 sqm, located in European gateway cities. Excited to follow this brand’s journey!
2. WORLD’S ONLY HOTEL LAB – MM:NT – SCOOP SKIFT INNOVATION AWARD
TFE Hotels’ innovative MM:NT Berlin Lab has been recognised on the global stage, with the team winning a Skift Hotel Innovation IDEA Award.
The Skift IDEA Awards are one of the travel industry’s most coveted awards for excellence in design, creativity, and innovation and celebrate the brands and businesses that are redefining the future of travel.
Skift Judges said MM:NT showcased TFE’s forward-thinking approach to redefining hotel stays: “This innovative, digital-first ‘lab’ enables the continuous testing/reconfiguration of the hospitality experience, including design, amenities, and sustainable materials, with real-time-feedback from guests.”
It has been an absolute pleasure to work with the MM:NT team since pre-launch and we are so excited to continue our journey together with this innovative hybrid hospitality concept.
3. HABYT SECURE FINANCING FOR EUROPEAN GROWTH PLANS
Co-living and flexible accommodation provider Habyt has announced the successful closing of €40m in financing, led by Mars Growth Capital – the joint venture between MUFG and Liquidity Group.
The new capital will be pivotal in supporting Habyt’s ambitious expansion strategy to extend its portfolio to approximately 30,000 residential spaces in over 50 cities around the world across three continents including the United States, Europe and Asia.
Luca Bovone, Founder and CEO, Habyt: “With this fresh capital, we are well-positioned to pursue strategic deals that will strengthen our presence in key markets and drive our long-term profitability. Flexible living is naturally a model that aligns with sustainable financial growth, offering high-demand solutions in urban environments worldwide.”
In addition to this, earlier this year the brand announced their new ‘Habyt Flex’ concept which offers ‘integrated lifestyle experiences, combining essential amenities under one roof and allowing for both short and long stays’. Their hybrid concept has been designed as an answer to the ever-evolving landscape of how people live, work, travel and connect and in particular the rise of job hopping as well as remote working.
Exciting times ahead for the brand!
4. GENERATOR AND DUSIT HOTELS ANNOUNCE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EXPANSION
Hybrid hospitality leaders Generator and Freehand Hotels have entered a strategic partnership with Dusit Hotels and Resorts, the hotel arm of one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, Dusit International.
Under the partnership, the Generator and Freehand brands will leverage their extensive network and strengths in developing lifestyle hybrid accommodation models to introduce Dusit Hotels and Resorts in key European destinations such as London, Paris, and Rome, as well as in the United States, focusing on New York, Miami, and Los Angeles.
Similarly, Dusit Hotels and Resorts will introduce Generator and Freehand’s award-winning hybrid models in prime city destinations such as Bangkok, Manila, Kyoto, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Phuket and Bali.
We have been working with the Generator and Freehand Hotel brands since 2021 across their organic social platforms and we are incredibly excited to continue along the journey as they get set to expand further.
5. HYBRID HOSPITALITY GROUP – ROOM00 – ACQUIRE TOC HOSTELS
Dorsa Holding Group and boutique-hotel and hostels operator Room00 Group have acquired 100% of the shares of TOC Hostels in a €20 million deal.
The acquisition of these properties – located in key Spanish tourist hubs including Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville – marks a strategic move that enhances Room007’s presence in the competitive European hybrid-hostel market, where affordable, flexible and community-driven accommodation continues to soar in demand.
With this deal, Room00 now manages a total of 22 properties across Spain, Portugal, and Italy, strengthening its foothold in Europe’s hybrid hospitality sector. The acquisition aligns with the company’s expansion plans to capture the growing market for budget-conscious travelers seeking modern, flexible lodging options that blend the best of hostels and boutique hotel experiences.
Ignacio Requena, CEO and founder of Room00 Group, said the firm’s strategy would be ‘a consolidation and expansion of the TOC Hostels brand throughout Spain, Portugal and Italy, foreseeing a turnover in its first year of at least €70 million’.
Room00 — which has accommodation brands Room007 Hostels, boutique Room Select Hotels and lifestyle LETOH — will announce a fourth brand soon, which is likely to include some of the six TOC Hostels’ properties, which are in the Spanish cities of Barcelona, Granada, Madrid, Málaga, Sevilla and Valencia.
6. SIX-MONTH TURNAROUND PLAN LAUNCHED FOR SELINA
Selina’s new owner – Collective Hospitality – has launched a six-month turnaround plan aimed at addressing financial challenges following its rapid expansion.
The plan focuses on cutting corporate costs, paying off some partnership debt (around $50 million is being raised to pay down debt with local and regional partners) and focuses on driving occupancy (into the 70% range) with ‘a much more exhaustive distribution approach’.
Singapore-based Collective Hospitality bought the majority of the operating subsidiaries of Selina PLC from Joint Administrators late last month. It now owns the leases to approximately 100 hybrid hotels/hostels in 22 countries across North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia.
This strategy is intended to restore the company’s financial health while maintaining its appeal to digital nomads and both millennial and GenZ travellers.
Collective Hospitality CEO Gary Murray said:“The way of doing business is different today. The way of travelling is different today. Corporations accept the digital nomad type of employee… Today, when we’re building traditional hotels, we always put in coworking areas – something you never did five years ago. We’re opening a Radisson Red in Phuket and half of the lobby is a digital nomad work area… The hospitality business has evolved to digital nomads, probably one of the fastest growth segments. And interestingly enough, most of the big brands have not been able to nail it.”
Collective Hospitality is owned by Destination Group, founded by Murray in 1996. Along with Selina, the group also owns hostel, hybrid and lifestyle brands including Slumber Party, Bodega Hostels and Socialtel.
7. SWG3 AND STALLAN-BRAND RECEIVE PLANNING PERMISSION FOR MULTI-PURPOSE GLASGOW HOTEL
SWG3 and partners Stallan-Brand have received planning permission for a new hybrid hotel project in Glasgow’s Clydeside.
Glasgow City Council has approved plans for the 142-bedroom hotel to be built at the corner of Eastvale Place and Sandyford Street, bolstering the local hospitality scene and creating more than 100 new jobs.The building will comprise two restaurants, two bars, co-working spaces, a gym, movement studio and a rooftop terrace. The hotel will establish a vibrant focal point for the city’s creative community, with a range of studio spaces also on offer.
8. MASON & FIFTH TO OPEN THIRD MIXED-USE SITE
London-based hospitality and lifestyle brand Mason & Fifth has been selected as the chosen operator for alternative investment manager Cheyne Capital’s Taxi House development, which will rebrand under the name Mason & Fifth, Westbourne Park when complete in June 2025.
Upon launch, the property will comprise 332 private studios – each furnished with its own kitchen and en-suite bathroom – as well as ‘Out & About’ studios. Offering short and long term stays, the site’s amenities nclude a new canal-side all-day dining concept, a wellness studio including a pool, sauna/steam room, a gym and treatment room, and a panoramic tenth floor lounge and terrace, with a cinema and listening lounge.
There will also be a series of artist studio spaces that will be home to 200 local artists and makers as well as a pop-up retail space which will host a revolving set of partners and exciting emerging brands.
Super happy to see our former client go from strength to strength – the brand currently operates two long and short stay buildings in Central London locations and is set to announce two more openings in London in Belsize Park and East London. Works on the Mason & Fifth, Westbourne Park site began in 2022 and bookings will open for long- and short-term stays from January 2025.
9. CRITERION SECURE £16M REFINANCING DEAL FOR ZEDWELL HOTEL EXPANSION
Criterion Capital has secured a £16m refinancing deal from Metro Bank to fund the expansion of its Zedwell hotel brand, with plans for 13 new properties across the UK by 2027.
The funds will also refinance Zedwell Greenwich, which opened in October 2023. Criterion Capital‘s strategy focuses on converting outdated buildings into modern lifestyle hotels.
Omar Aziz, director at Criterion Capital, said: “We would like to thank the Metro Bank team for their support of the ambitious plans we have for our innovative Zedwell brand. The opening of Zedwell Greenwich marked a significant step in our strategic expansion. The hotel boosts the local economy and showcases Greenwich as a key destination for sustainable tourism by offering a unique, sleep-focused experience.”
Criterion Capital currently owns 23 hotels across the UK and 30 buildings in London.
10. VERTUS EDIT TO OPEN CANARY WHARF APARTHOTEL
Vertus Edit – part of Canary Wharf Group – has announced it will open its first aparthotel in February 2025, offering an upscale long-stay experience in one of London’s most sought-after business districts.
Located in Canary Wharf, the aparthotel will feature modern apartments with hotel-like services and facilities including curated lifestyle programming, a coworking space, lounges, terraces and a gym. This new venture caters to both professionals and business travelers seeking the flexibility of extended stays without compromising on luxury, amenities and connection.
The launch of Vertus Edit aligns with the growing demand for hybrid spaces (and guests), blending residential living with hotel services for a more seamless and personalised guest experience. The aparthotel aims to foster a sense of community, with event-driven social spaces and services designed for long-term residents.
This marks another addition to Canary Wharf’s mixed-use community which is aiming to attract and cater to those looking to stay, work and relax.
11. PRIZEOTEL REBRANDS AS PRIZE BY RADISSON
Radisson Hotel Group has rebranded its midscale lifestyle brand prizeotel to Prize by Radisson, as well as revealing two hotel signings in Germany and Poland.
The current portfolio consists of 21 properties in operation and under development across Europe.Prize by Radisson, Berlin City, is expected to launch in 2027 and forms part of a mixed-use development in the Prenzlauer district. T
he project is targeting a DGNB Gold certification while the 315-room hotel will feature a hotel lobby bar, social area, coworking space, and breakfast restaurant all on the top floor.
This marks another larger hotel chain moving into the hybrid/lifestyle space.
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