24-hour room service, the price is lower than the rent in the same area, and there is no need to deal with landlords and intermediaries
Will long-term rental hotels become the "new home" of young people?
Our reporter Zhou Yi's "Workers Daily" (July 27, 2022, version 04)
It's that time of year again for graduation.
This summer, graduate Zhang Ruiyi came to Beijing for an internship and stayed in a hotel for a two-month lease.
The hotel not only meets his daily needs, but also has flexible monthly rent, breakfast, express delivery, 24-hour security and room service, but the price is lower than the rent in the same area.
In recent years, under the influence of the epidemic, the hotel industry has been severely affected.
On the one hand, there are young people looking for convenient and cost-effective living places, and on the other hand, there are hotels in urgent need of relief.
Tenant: It is better to live well than rent well
Zhang Ruiyi graduated from Shandong University this year and got an internship opportunity from a company in Beijing International Trade. "Before I came, I heard about long-term rental hotels. There is no need to prepare additional household items. The environment is better, and the rental period is flexible, which is more cost-effective than renting a house."
After Zhang Ruiyi's field inspection, he and his friends checked into a light luxury hotel in Beijing Gaobeidian, which is only ten minutes' drive from Guomao, where he works.
The original price of the hotel is 8,200 yuan a month, and the discounted price is 5,298 yuan.
Nearby one-bedroom rents are generally around 5,000 yuan a month, and two-bedroom apartments are around 7,000 yuan a month.
Zhang Ruiyi said that renting a house is generally "pay one to three", and one month's rent must be paid to the intermediary, and water, electricity, gas, and broadband must be paid at their own expense. He said that the pressure is very high, "and if you rent for three or five months, some landlords are not willing to rent to me, and it is very troublesome to ask for more."
"Eating a free breakfast in the morning, blowing the air-conditioning, and receiving express delivery at the front desk, the messy house is a clean and comfortable space after a day of work." Zhang Ruiyi said that he was very satisfied with the long-term rental of the hotel.
On social platforms, many young people like Zhang Ruiyi shared their life in a "home" hotel: some arranged flowers and plants in the room, and some replaced the bedding with a three-piece household set.
"The hotel is my home. I specially bought a wine cooler and various wine glasses." Zhou Jie, a professional manager, currently lives in the Xiyuan Hotel in Beijing. He did not expect that five-star hotels would also offer monthly rental services. The Japanese price is more than 2,000 yuan.
"At present, many hotels offer monthly rentals, especially in some second- and third-tier cities or popular tourist cities. Long-term rental hotels have become the first choice for some consumers, and there is no need to deal with landlords and intermediaries in order to rent a house." A hotel in Beijing Sales Manager Hong Hao said.
Hotel industry: Long-term rental business is a bailout, not a bust
In fact, long-term hotel rentals are not a new business in the hotel industry.
The long-term rental business has always been a segment of the hotel market.
Recently, long-term rental hotels have become popular among young people, mainly due to the decline in their prices.
"About 50% off is a common discount offered by hotels to long-term renters during the epidemic." Chao Li, chairman of Nanjing Lichao Hotel, said that her hotel is a mid-to-high-end brand, and the long-term rental price of 4,000 to 5,000 yuan a month has never been seen before. No, it only appeared during the epidemic.
Chao Li said that in the past, the hotel industry hoped to entertain more business customers and travelers, and the price has been relatively high.
However, the current number of traditional customers has dropped significantly, and the hotel industry is facing greater operating pressure. Many hotels have begun to launch low-cost long-term rentals.
Under the influence of the price advantage, it has attracted some young people.
Compared with last year, the overall unit price of the hotel has decreased this year.
Qunar.com data shows that this year, the average nightly price of four-star and five-star hotels has dropped by about 30% compared with previous years, and the prices of other low-star hotels have also dropped by about 20%.
Hong Hao revealed that before the epidemic, the problem of brand homogeneity in the hotel industry was serious, and the experience of traditional brands was similar.
After the outbreak of the epidemic, the number of foreign tourists has decreased, the involution of local brands has further intensified, and the competition has become increasingly fierce.
In this context, some hotels have begun to pay attention to tapping the potential of long-term rental business.
The popularity of long-term rental hotels may not last long
Although the current popularity of long-term rental hotels continues to increase, the reporter learned in the interview that neither tenants nor hotels have plans to use them as a long-term choice.
"In the long run, I will still choose to rent a house. For the price of 40 square meters in a five-star hotel, you can rent a house of about 100 square meters, with more space, and you can cook, and you will feel more like living." Zhou Jie said, Although he is satisfied with the hotel's various services and security, there are still many inconveniences to "settle down" in the hotel.
"The problem of eating is mainly solved by take-out, hotel restaurants and fast food. In addition, I also bought a laundry tub and hangers in the room to solve the laundry problem."
Hong Hao said that, except for the fully functional senior suites, the infrastructure of most rooms in the hotel can only meet relatively simple living needs, and it is indeed difficult to give people the feeling of being suitable for long-term stays.
At present, the proportion of rooms in high-end hotels that provide long-term rental services is still relatively low, and generally speaking, more budget hotels provide long-term rental services.
Hong Hao said that under the epidemic, the hotel considers long-term rental or emergency cash flow, but in the long run, long-term rental will not become the mainstream business of the hotel.
"From the perspective of revenue management, the hotel aims to maximize daily revenue, thereby dynamically adjusting the structure of the customer source." Hong Hao believes that after a period of bail-out and self-rescue, the long-term rental period provided by the hotel will definitely be Correspondingly shortened, the scale of long-term rental business will also shrink.
After the epidemic, the flow of people has resumed, hotels have returned to normal prices, and the long-term rental hotel fever may cool down quickly.