Speaking to BigHospitality, Motel One, which opened its first hotel in Munich in 2000, revealed a development team was based permanently in London exploring possible locations in big cities. Glasgow and Manchester are also being investigated as possible target locations for the budget brand.
Just over a year ago it was announced the hotel group had acquired a property within former council buildings in Edinburgh as part of a mixed-use development in the city. At the time it was hoped the £25m, 208-bedroom hotel would be open by summer 2012 but small delays to the development have pushed the expected opening back to before Christmas this year.
However the group has already lined up a second site in the city in Princes Street for a 140-bedroom hotel which it plans to open next year as well as a London site to launch in 2014. The 258-bedroom hotel in the capital is expected to be located near Tower Bridge.
Newcastle
Ambitious expansion plans for Motel One include a site in the High Bridge area of Newcastle which has recently been acquired and will be built in partnership with nearby property developers Lugnao Property Group. The 222-bedroom hotel just off Grey Street will be located close to the expanding cultural area in the North East city.
As part of the development, expected to cost in the region of £10m, 52 of the bedrooms will be created in a converted Victorian building with the rest located in a new building which will be linked to the rest by a central, private landscaped courtyard.
Great design for little money
Although the company is not pushing to meet specific targets for UK expansion, Motel One plans to increase its hotel portfolio across Europe from 39 to around 60 hotels by 2014.
In 2011 the business achieved 70 per cent occupancy across its venues in Germany and Austria.
The UK hotels are expected to be in the mould of the current sites the company operates which feature high-design elements such as egg chairs and natural stone walls. The brand also operates a unique multi-purpose 'One Lounge' in all its hotels which serves as a lobby, breakfast room and bar in one.
A Motel One spokesperson said the company was always on the lookout for new sites in the UK and wanted to operate in all major cities in the country.
"Motel One is a young and stylish product that focuses on three qualities, namely excellent location, affordable prices and high quality in service and design. Business as well as leisure guests appreciate these features."
"The success of Motel One Group is decisively based on the concept 'Great design for little money' provided at first-class, inner-city locations. High service standards, valuable materials and good design are the distinctive features of all Motel Ones," the spokesperson said.