NOVUM Hospitality opened its first niu hotel on February 1. With over 146 rooms in three separate categories, the niu Cobbles features design byÊ interior architects JOI-Design. From the name over the door down to the tiniest detail inside, each niu hotel captures the individual character of the hotel’s unique location.
For niu Cobbles, this means reflecting the area’s extraordinary industrial heritage and the lively ambience of what is today a pulsing metropolis on banks of the River Ruhr. The hotel’s name can be seen as part of this local storytelling (cobbles are a recognised symbol of old German coalmining cities).
“We are extremely proud of our new hotel in Essen, and now it’s full steam ahead,” says David Etmenan, Chief Executive Officer & Owner of NOVUM Hospitality. “The niu Cobbles demonstrates exactly where we are heading with the brand. Our unique and striking interiors, and our concept of finely honed hotels with a local touch and a regular programme of events, are setting new standards in the European midscale hotel sector.”
Guests can take advantage of self-check-in and check-out using the niu-App, which features a digital key system based on Hotelbird technology. Of course, the latest digital technology is a key part of the niu brand, and guests and visitors will find plenty of examples throughout the new hotel Ð from conveniently located sockets and USB ports, smart flatscreens and super-fast wifi to an Instagram wall, background beats and bluetooth speakers in the rooms.
Raw materials such as industrial-style wire mesh combine with bold design elements to create a casual, informal environment that makes playful reference to the region’s industrial past. Particularly noteworthy are niu hotels’ eye-catching wall designs. As part of a long-term collaboration for the water project Viva con Agua, artists associated with the Millerntor Gallery are transforming the walls of niu hotels with their unique designs. At the niu Cobbles, artist Bjrn Holzweg has created a range of animal heads in urban polygon style and a range of industrial design colours. Profits will go to the charitable water and sanitation projects being run by Viva con Agua.
The urban industrial look continues in the rooms, where guests can chill out in a cosy niu beanbag, or discover the local attractions without leaving the bathroom. And in the niu-Shop guests will find plenty of design, food and other products to remind them of their stay.
Over forty niu hotels are planned for Europe over the next two to three years, and over the next six years David Etmenan plans to double the number. For now, his focus is on the German-speaking countries, the Netherlands and the UK. The niu Cobbles in Essen will be followed later in the year by the niu Saddle in Frth, niu Dairy in Haarlem, niu Franz in Vienna, niu Welly in Kiel and the niu Rig in Lbeck.
