Qbic

Qbic Hotels emerged in 2007 as a hospitality operator with a focus on converting underutilized real estate into affordable, design-led hotels. The company was founded by Paul Rinkens, Rino Soeters, and Marcel Voermans, who had prior experience in the Dutch hospitality sector with concepts like the Design hotel La Bergère. Rinkens, in particular, began his career with major hotel groups like Hyatt and Trusthouse Forte before venturing into his own hotel concepts. The core idea for Qbic was born from a predecessor concept called Cubi Total Living Concept, a modular, cube-shaped living space that could be rapidly assembled within existing buildings.

The business model centers on transforming vacant office buildings into stylish, budget-friendly hotels, a process significantly faster and more cost-effective than traditional hotel construction. This strategy targets real estate owners and developers, offering them a high-margin solution for empty properties. Revenue is generated primarily from room bookings, with a pricing structure inspired by low-cost airlines where earlier bookings secure lower rates. The target market is the budget-conscious traveler who values style, efficiency, and sustainability. Operations are streamlined through self-service check-in kiosks and a 'no-frills' approach that keeps operational costs low.

The defining feature of a Qbic Hotel is the 'Cubi,' a prefabricated, pod-like room module that integrates a bed, a bathroom designed with Philippe Starck elements, a television, and a workspace into a single, compact unit. This modular innovation allows for the quick conversion of office spaces into fully functional hotels. Beyond the rooms, the hotels emphasize sustainability as a core value, not merely a marketing tactic. Initiatives include using solar panels, water-saving rain showers that mix air with water, LED lighting, natural toiletries in dispensers, and mattresses made from natural materials. The brand also focused on community integration by hiring locally and partnering with social charities.

Qbic's first location opened in Amsterdam at the World Trade Centre in 2007, followed by London in 2013 in a converted office building in Shoreditch. The brand later expanded to other cities, including Manchester and Brussels. However, in 2021, the London and Manchester hotels were sold and subsequently rebranded. The London property became The Corner London City, and the Manchester location was set to become a Yotel. Keywords: pod hotel, modular construction, sustainable hospitality, budget design hotel, office conversion, Paul Rinkens, Cubi, asset-light hotel model, eco-friendly hotel, self-service hotel, affordable luxury, hotel franchising, real estate transformation, community integration, social charity partnership, pod accommodation, budget-conscious travel, European hotel chain, hospitality innovation, adaptive reuse