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Spotted: As the coronavirus pandemic and national lockdowns have emptied cities of tourists, many hotels are facing an uncertain future. One Amsterdam-based hospitality company is adapting to the changes with a rebrand. Zoku specialises in lofts designed as home-office hybrids. The company’s target market is co-workers and people who travel for work. Its rooms are designed for long-term stays and include communal spaces.

With offices closed, and co-working and travelling both curtailed, Zoku has rebranded its spaces as private work lofts. For a daily fee, guests can get a quiet place to work for the day, away from homeschooled children, noisy roommates and partners on conference calls. A room-service lunch is included and the rooms are equipped with a kitchen, high-speed Wi-Fi and office supplies such as stationary. 

As the hotels’ communal spaces are closed, the Zoku has also implemented a “buddy system” to help its longer-term residents stay connected. Each resident is assigned a team member, who does a daily check-in and asks about their wellbeing. 

According to co-founder Hans Meyer, “One of our main challenges is to keep the business afloat … So, our lofts are especially interesting for people who can’t work at home or go into the office at this time. It’s a great example of using unused capacity, re-thinking your business model and adapting yourself to new circumstances. And, if successful, it’s something we can pursue post-crisis.”

In order to survive the coronavirus, the hospitality sector is going to need to adapt and innovate. At Springwise, we have covered a number of ideas aiming to help the industry weather this storm. These have included a 100 per cent vegan hotel and modular hotels that can be adjusted to meet demands.

Explore more: Travel & Tourism Innovations | Work & Lifestyle Innovations