Marriott opens ‘Ikea’ hotels

Hotel operator Marriott has teamed up with Ikea’s commercial property arm to launch a European hotel chain designed to attract younger travellers seeking style on a budget.

The first Moxy hotel is expected to open in Milan early next year and Marriott aims to establish 150 hotels over the next ten years in Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Moxy hotel rooms will all feature flat-screen TVs, USB ports next to wall sockets and floor-to-ceiling wall art representing the local city. The announcement follows in the wake of the successful growth of chic but cheap hotels such as B&B Hotels, CitizenM and Motel One.

Ikea subsidiary Inter Hospitality will be the initial developer and owner of the first Moxy hotels and it expects to secure 50 sites over the next five years.