Housing seekers enter luxury hotels

Last year, Gothenburg had the highest hotel occupancy of all Swedish major cities: 71.9 percent. As a result, there were just over 60,000 more guest nights than the year before. That's it, then. Since the corona center hit, the occupancy rate has instead plummeted downwards.

- At the end of March we had a 75-80 per cent occupancy rate last year. This year, it was rather around twenty percent on average. Of course, it's a dramatic difference, says Camilla Nyman, regional manager at Elite Hotel.

This has resulted in several hotel chains trying to attract guests with significantly reduced prices. Housing applicants have caught the eye for this, and are tipsing each other on, among other things, the Facebook group "Apartments in Gothenburg". Suddenly, hotels can actually be an option. Even luxury hotels.

At Elite Plaza you can now stay a month from 9995 SEK.

- Some choose for a larger room or suite, or room with a balcony - which we have at Park. But then you have to put on a few hundred patches. And if you want breakfast, it also costs SEK 1400 extra per month, says Camilla Nyman.

Anyone booking such accommodation has access to the entire hotel, including a gym and relaxation area.

- This has given us new customer categories. Some may need to be quarantined for some time because of the infection, and then we can stretch out a hand. There may also be young couples who want to try to live together, it can be housing seekers, and there may be people with other nationalities who, due to closed borders, cannot go home now, says Camilla Nyman.

She does not hide under the chair that the corona eruption has made the situation very difficult for all hotels.

- We all bleed, so it is. Reducing the price of long-term housing is a way for us to earn income in order to retain our staff and survive this.

Sara Lake is the CEO of Clarion Hotel Post, which also lowered prices.

- We now take SEK 14970 per month, but that includes breakfast and cleaning, and the rooms are very nice. Within the chain we also have even cheaper alternatives. At Nordic Choice, there are rooms from SEK 8970 per month, she says.

Prices may not be carved in stone. The negotiating position is good for anyone who wants to stay in hotels today. And it gets better the longer the corona eruption lasts.

- For the entire industry, this is a huge challenge. It is important to change quickly and find new customers and opportunities, says Sara Lake