Louvre Hotels Launches Capsule Hostel Brand HoSho
Main Photo: The new HoSho Brand by Louvre Hotels
Date: November 2021
Name: Hotel HoSho Paris Sud Porte d’Italie
Location: South Paris, France
Number of Keys: 39 rooms – 246 beds!
Seller: The building was an office block
Buyer: A franchise partner with Louvre Hotels, owned by Chinese Jin Jiang
Louvre Hotels Group has launched Hosho, a new capsule hostel brand. The first property is in the south of Paris, close by the Porte d ’Italie metro station, with 246 beds spread over 39 rooms with private showers and separate toilets.
Louvre, which is owned by Chinese hotel giant Jin Jiang, is hoping to target budget-conscious travellers’ families, groups and backpackers, with prices starting from €20.
Hosho, first announced in June 2021, features rooms ranging from four, six and eight beds, a co-working space, laundry facility, communal microwave ovens and vending machines, and lockers for storage.
“With Hosho, we thought about a new concept for smart consumers who want a safe, comfortable and inexpensive experience in the heart of Paris. If our clients embrace this never-before-seen experience, adapted to their needs, we intend to develop Hosho in the European capitals and mid-sized cities,” Françoise Houdebine, VP Marketing of Louvre Hotels Group, said.
Despite its low price, Hosho has invested in a design and a décor which is both pop and urban, reflective of today’s trends and inspiring travelers. The design was led by Louvre Hotels Group teams in partnership with the London studio B3 Designers, specialized in spaces that have a positive impact.
Led by B3 Designers, the bedrooms are inspired by Japanese pods. Mark Bithrey, founder and creative director, B3 Designers, explained: “Our brief was to deliver a budget-friendly, trendy, modern offering, with no compromise on design and execution. We drew inspiration from Japan’s pod concepts to create unique all-in “capsules” that include a comfortable bed, a reading lamp, a mirror that folds out into a work-top, lock-away storage space with ventilation for shoes, electrical outlets, a pegboard, and black-out blinds for privacy and a good night’s sleep.”
Additionally, several spaces were created in partnership with artists such as the series of silkscreens signed by the Parisian artist Lucas Jacquinet, the huge fresco of Paris signed by Giulia Carlicchi in the lobby or the big street-art wall on the rooftop.
Louvre Hotels say that a third of French people living outside of the Capital plans will come to Paris in the near future. A quarter of these travelers want to save money on lodging and plan a budget of, on average, 82 euros per person for lodging in Paris.
The Hosho can-be-made-private rooms of 4, 6 or 8 beds are ideal for groups of all types and will especially win over the French clientele. 58% of whom will visit Paris as a family. Hosho also offers single-sex rooms in secured zones where part of the floor is closed off.
Plans are to target primary markets in Europe…In UK, for example, this is likely to be between 10 and 15 properties, but multiple HoSho within some of the larger markets (London, Edinburgh, Dublin). We think 50 HoSho trading by 2030.
THPT Comment: The growth in the hostel sector abounds with 4, 6 and 8 to a room, but with capsule type beds…. a variation on a theme and with Louvre’s bold pricing, it is likely to attract plenty of interest. Although interesting they call it Hotel HoSho….
First Seen: Louvre press release
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