Urban residences open their doors to lifestyle

"Don't be confined to your flats": a new generation of urban residences is sending travellers a very different message from their predecessors. Driven by the vague lifestyleLocke, Zoku and co. are aiming to appeal to travellers who are young in mind and body, with lively bars and restaurants, coworking spaces and thoughtful design. " Every Locke residence is designed to be lived in, not just slept in." says Stephen McCall, CEO of the edyn group, owner of the Locke brand. A 180° turn In short, compared to those establishments that for a long time emphasised the comfort of their fully-equipped flats. These 'home sweet homes' were so practical and cosy that there was no need to leave them to dine or work. And why should you, when the services offered by these residences are reduced to a bare minimum?

In the middle of the last decade, however, long-stay accommodation specialists began to open a more contemporary page in their history, under the impetus, for example, of Capri by Fraser, a brand with a "work & play" spirit launched by Frasers Hospitality, or lyf, the lifestyle brand of the Ascott group, which took off in 2019 and is preparing to conquer the world. Paris in 2024. On the programme, a hybrid offering combining traditional rooms and coliving flats, a social kitchen and a shared workspace, as well as meeting rooms. For its part, Adagio has also decided to bring life to its lobbies with the unveiling in 2018 of its concept The Circlea convivial place organised around a shared kitchen, piano and table football, which has since been deployed in a number of establishments.

However, when it comes to the services and experiences offered to their customers, some retailers are now going even further. In London, for example, a microbrewery aThe Locke at Broken Wharf, located not far from the City, offers its customers a restaurant offering a contemporary experience in terms of both food and décor. And what about the future WunderLocke, due to open in Munich in May? It will have no fewer than four bars and restaurantsAll designed by the founders of the Michelin-starred restaurant Mural, with a rooftop cocktail bar overlooking the Alps to top it all off. There's also a heated swimming pool and, for business travellers, a vast coworking area.

For its part, if the first Zoku in Amsterdam was voted "one of the 25 coolest hotels in the world" by Forbes, as much for its lively communal spaces as for the ingenuity of its loft-style studios. " Each loft is equipped with a full kitchen, a large table for four people to work, meet and eat at, and a dining area.a raised bed that can be easily hidden away if you are receiving a colleague or visitor" says Marc Jongerius, co-founder and managing director of the brand, which appeared in Vienna and Copenhagen and is expected to be launched in the near future. in Paris in autumn.

Zoku's aim is to offer all those digital nomads who criss-cross the globe an ideal place to rest for a while and reconcile work and leisure. " Moving to a new city for an extended period of time can lead to great lonelinessThat's why we make people feel at home as soon as they walk through our doors." he continues. And all this with social spaces - preferably on rooftops - where customers and local residents can get together, network and share ideas over a coffee or a quick meal.

In the same vein, English-speaking long-stay brands have long made events between residents a signature feature of their offer. At Residence Inn, a Marriott brand, customers are invited to relax and break the ice over a beer or a glass of wine, an offer dubbed RI Mix. But with this new wave of lifestyle apartment-hotels, the desire to encourage encounters is being extended to the local environment, to the whole neighbourhood. " We grant experience is as important as functionalitystresses Stephen McCall. Cultural activities play an essential role in bringing our guests closer to the local population." says Stephen McCall. Events created by Locke residences in partnership with local designers and businesses include collage clubs, wildlife drawing clubs and floral design workshops.

However, these new brands do not have a monopoly on lifestyle or experience. A long-established player in the long-stay sector, such as Ascott, is part of this trend with its lyf brand. For example, at the future lyf Paris Gambetta residence, entertainment and events open to outside customers will be offered to local players, who will even be invited to organise them. In a different style, last year's opening of the Citadines Eurometropole Strasbourg shows that this brand can sometimes venture beyond the classic residential offer. This apartment-hotel offers a vast spa with indoor poolA 100-seat restaurant and a meeting and seminar area for up to 300 people. " It's a Citadines 2.0 of sortssays Ngor Houai Lee, Managing Director Europe of the Ascott Group. The product itself remains in line with Citadines' long-stay standards, with rooms with kitchenettes. The franchisee has chosen to add services around it, which is consistent with the location." 

Adapting supply to demand, rather than demand to supply, is also the approach taken by Appart'City with its Bistrot City restaurants, whose concept has been redesigned around bistronomic cuisine based on local, home-made products. Launched several years ago, its network of restaurants has five residences in Montpellier, Lyon Part Dieu, Lyon Cité Internationale, Le Bourget and Ferney-Voltaire. " We do not develop Bistrot City on existing sites, but rather on sites under development if the location is suitable for catering." says Emilie Sarda, marketing and communications director at Appart'City. How far should we go to avoid deviating from the fundamentals of the residential model?