The chain is looking to build the hotels in busy, prime locations in prominent cities including a flagship hotel in the heart of Liverpool.
It seems almost inevitable that all of the IKEA hotels will be decked out with the brand’s famously affordable identikit flat-pack furniture. This could prove to be an eventful opening weekend for the hotel staff who may be required to self-assemble all of the beds, wardrobes and tables in a similar vein to weekend DIY warriors.
The furniture giants have partnered up with hoteliers Marriott International to launch the new brand which will be known as Moxy Hotels. The flagship hotel has been mooted to be included in Liverpool’s stalled £160m Central Village development.
This will put the hotel bang in the centre of the city amidst a hotspot of cafes, drinking establishments, offices, venues and nightclubs. It is thought that it will offer direct competition to the Ibis budget hotel in the city which is located just off Albert Docks as the premier hotel for young groups, stag and hen parties, football fans and revellers.
The first of the Moxy Hotels is set to open at Milan's Malpensa Airport in September this year. A number of other hotels from the Moxy chain are due to open throughout Europe in the next 18 months including four in Germany and one in Norway. These range from 165 rooms to 317 rooms.
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The group are hoping that they can truly revolutionise the hotel industry in the same way that they completely altered the furniture scene since opening in 1958. Attitudes to furnishings and furniture construction and decoration are now completely different to what they were before IKEA became the World's most popular retailer in the industry.
"Today's global traveller is looking for a stylish travel experience with modern technology at an affordable price, said Amy McPherson, president and managing director of Marriott International in Europe. "The economy sector is the fastest growing segment in Europe, and we see tremendous opportunity to deliver a product that truly exceeds expectation. With the planned opening of the Moxy Milan Malpensa this year, we are hopeful that we can redefine economy travel for the next generation traveller."
DFurniture Store Managing Director, Farzana Patel, believes that the IKEA business model could revolutionise other industries: "The way that the majority of interior design and furniture brands and companies operate now is based upon the IKEA blueprint."
In terms of the hotels own décor, the Moxy brand will be strikingly different from their IKEA brethren. Whereas the furniture retailer revels in stark, bright blue and yellow colours, the hotels will be adorned with more sombre, neutral tones of brown leather and natural materials. This is designed to evoke an organic, restorative feel.
Floor to ceiling wall art, significant to the location of the hotel will be present in every room of the hotel. All of the guestrooms will be fully stocked with the latest technologies and bathroom amenities.
Like the IKEA stores, the layout of the hotels will differ significantly from the competition. Whereas, the furniture store tends to be set-out with one designated walk through path leading all shoppers past all of the available items – the hotel will have a more open space feel in an attempt to build up communications between all of the guests. The communal areas will be designed to inspire cohabitation with comfortable sitting areas and large flat screen adorning the walls.
The communal areas will serve healthy food options but it remains to be seen whether or not the hotel will stock IKEA's legendary meatballs.
