With the rise of digital nomads, it comes as no surprise that many will find themselves working from a hotel or hostel at some point.
Whether it’s in the lobby, in the room, or some defined business centre space, it works just fine for a day or two if you just want to get things done. Basically, it allows one to be antisocial and get through that long overdue project.
As hotels continually look to increase their revenue streams, they started looking at Coworking and Shared office space as possible options.
The concept is interesting:
Can hotels have a coworking space within their building that benefits the local community, its guests, and the hotel? What would this look like?
There are many ideas, but it will have its challenges.
A few hotel chains bring up the term coworking to attract more remote workers but what does it mean to them.
Often, the ‘coworking spaces’ that I have seen in a hotel are just some nooks positioned within a lobby.
Should it technically be called coworking then, or is it just the next iteration of the old business centre room? Do you remember the old desktops and printer that often didn’t work?
Beyond this, the biggest challenge with the expansion of hotels providing some sort of coworking option will be whether a community will develop due to the transient nature of people in a hotel.
I’m not so sure.
One reason that many choose to work out of coworking spaces wherever they go is to connect to a city and people that live there.
Coworking is not just about having Wi-Fi, a table, chairs, and some coffee or tea.
Sure, those are the basics sure. But the connection between members, whether it’s economic or personal, cannot be ignored. Such as community members referring each other on projects. Building relationships. The ‘We are all in it together’ mentality.
It’s all important!
Without this, hotels are just building a work space that shares amenities.
There is every indication that coworking will continue to become larger within the hotel industry. Whether it’s a partnership with a nearby local space or even housing an actual coworking space in a hotel, I am curious to see how these will work and develop. Some groups that are already offering coworking and shared office space as an option include Virgin Hotels and the Accor Hotel Group.
Will hotels be able to build a space with a community of vibrant and engaged people or will it just be a pass-through workspace?