The first ZIP by Premier Inn hotel will open with 138 rooms in the Roath district of Cardiff in early 2019.
Whitbread conducted extensive research that revealed guests were willing to forego traditional expectations – such as large rooms and super-central locations – in favour of a lower price.
ZIP by Premier Inn hotels will be located on the outskirts of major towns and cities and will feature small, modern rooms with prices from £19, representing excellent value for money.
The rooms are billed as ‘basics done brilliantly’ and are around less than half the size of a standard Premier Inn room, at just 8.5 square metres. The rooms are compact, however, the clever design by PriestmanGoode – the design consultancy behind First Class Cabins for airlines including Air France, Lufthansa and SWISS – means that the space has been packed with useful features such as lightboxes, flexible bed formats & en-suite shower rooms. The vibrant new brand was developed in partnership with global brand consultancy, Wolff Olins while design consultancy JCS Design developed the interior spaces.
ZIP’s smaller room format will give Whitbread access to a broader range of buildings in towns and cities across the UK and provide a great accommodation offer for the highly price-sensitive customer. Whitbread has secured a second site, set to open in Southampton with 140 rooms, and is actively seeking further acquisitions in out-of-centre town and city locations that suit the smaller room format.
All standard ZIP rooms include:
- Twin single beds with Hypnos mattresses which can be pushed together to create a double bed.
- Private bathroom with power shower.
- Premier Inn Free Wi-Fi.
- 24-inch television.
- Air conditioning.
All ZIP guests also benefit from:
- On-site team 24/7.
- An ironing room on every floor.
- A large communal area where breakfast is served – this space transforms into a bar in the evenings, serving a range of alcoholic and soft drinks.
Optional paid-for extras include:
- Hot or cold breakfast for £3.95 per person.
- Rooms are cleaned between guests’ stays. For guests’ staying for more than one night the room is not cleaned daily, but additional room cleaning can be purchased for £5 per day.
- Fast Wi-Fi at £5 for 24 hours.
