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An interesting example of
a young hotel company that
has been trend setting in
international hospitality
is ZOKU Hotels
whose first property opened
in 2016 in Amsterdam.
After the COVID crisis,
the company has expanded to
Copenhagen, Vienna, and Paris.
The company characteristics
that have determined
its development are high
awareness of changing demand,
corporate responsibility,
contemporary
design and agile management.
The concept targets the new
segment of digital moments.
The owner, Hans Mayer,
observed how traditional
hotel offerings did not
address the needs
of the grown group
of short term expats.
Small hotel rooms with a bed at
the center or long
stay accommodations in
the outskirts of city
were hardly a match for
the activities and interests
of this group of
young professionals.
Furthermore, a
welcoming living space
would have to be accompanied by
social community spaces that
would allow them to
connect with their peers.
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In the years prior to
the first opening,
these ideas and personal
observations were elaborated
in a large number of interviews
with young professionals
working abroad.
This was followed by an iterative
design process in which
stakeholders
experienced evolving
prototypes for the new room.
The result was a 24
square meter loft
to the living and
working space at
the center in which
guests would feel
comfortable to receive friends
or business relations.
Furthermore the lofts have
kitchenette and a tucked
away sleeping area.
The hotel also features
a large combined working
and dining area.
This community
space was not only
open to hotel guests
but also became
very popular among
residents with
demographics similar to the
hotel's target segment.
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The company sustainability
vision is based on
the idea that hybrid
working spaces help address
the inefficiency of maintaining
separate living
and working spaces
along with the
associated mobility.
ZOKU Amsterdam hotel is climate
neutral actively reducing CO
two emissions
whenever possible and
compensating with green
energy initiatives
when necessary.
These policies aimed at
promoting environmental
sustainability and
social cohesion
led ZOKU to become
the first B-Corp certified
hospitality company
in the Netherlands.
ZOKU boosted its brand awareness
with a limited PRB-Jet.
But for instance, the radical
innovation award in 2015,
and ample free publicity in
international business magazines
and hospitality publications.
Four years after its opening,
