STOCKHOLM – This is a city where everything is expensive, especially living space and office space. Which makes Motel L’s pop-up office promotion even more remarkable.
Motel L is a new high-design/low rates hotel concept at Hammarby Allé 4, in the southern part of Stockholm, about 20 minutes south of the Old City tourist area. (The Metro stop is literally at the Motel L entrance.)
The deal is, Motel L gives you a workspace in a dedicated section of the lobby. AND they give you high-speed wifi, office supplies (seriously!) and tea and coffee. The coffee, by the way, is excellent and you have a variety of choices!
You give them … well, we weren’t particularly clear on that. The answer apparently is, “Nothing.” It’s free. You just have to check in on Facebook. And you have to arrive after 11 a.m. on weekdays, and noon on Saturdays. But otherwise, you are welcome to come in, use their resources and literally run your business from their lobby.
All this is in a very contemporary space not so different than Motel One, the giant Munich-based hotel chain that redefined budget travel expectations.
We talked to the staff this morning, and they confirmed this is new and startups are welcome. In fact, the idea is to build the Motel L brand’s image among the creative class. Hense, the FB check in. And of course Stockholm – home to Skype, Spotify, King (Candy Crush) and other technology companies – has one of the densest populations of techpats and expats in Europe.
Opened in 2014, Motel L is the latest brand from Stockholm-based Ligula Hospitality Group. Ligula owns, manages and develops about a dozen concepts and brands in the hotel and restaurant industry.
Motel L’s motto is, “Choose with your heart, think with your wallet.” We stayed there, and it’s great. Rates starts at 650 Krona, which is about 70 euros, or $75. (The typical rate is closer to 100 euros per night.)
We have more about Motel L here.
Co-CEO of Dispatches Europe. A former military reporter, I'm a serial expat who has lived in France, Turkey, Germany and the Netherlands.
