Marketing Communication News reports BLOC Hotels appoints Start Design

Premium hotel brand, BLOC, announces a strategic and creative partnership with Start Design to create a market-leading brand development programme. Marketing Communication News, 30 October 2019, reports that Start Design will work closely with BLOC to redefine the hotel experience for a new generation of travellers. With 18 months to go before the opening of BLOC Grand Central, the new 227-bedroom, 23 storey purpose built tower in Birmingham, the brand development programme will occur in tandem to BLOC preparing for an ambitious, nationwide expansion.

Founded in 2010, BLOC set out to challenge the idea that compact, short-stay hotels were, by nature, a second-tier option for travellers unwilling to pay exorbitant rates for high-quality, luxury level accommodation. Since launch, demand for BLOC Hotels and its approach to hospitality has skyrocketed, especially among short stay travellers. The new brand experience will continue the hotel brand’s ethos of putting design thinking at the heart of everything it does – from its sleek mobile booking, check-in and room control platforms, to calming, intelligent room design.

“We’ve spent years travelling and staying with short-stay hotel brands around the world, and found many, quite frankly, well below expectations, at any price,” says Rob Morgan, BLOC CEO and founder. “We’re working to improve the model for guests, cities and communities. The market is long overdue a refresh and with it the experience. For our hotel brand, design has always been a lens through which to address that. King-size beds and quality of sleep are obviously of central importance. But, as we see it, there’s so much more to a ‘great short stay’. The old bed and kettle model doesn’t work for today’s travellers. With better design, you can get the best out of your locations, spaces, employees and manufacturing processes. Since our first meeting with Start Design, they have echoed this commitment to design. It’s very clearly in their DNA, and we’re thrilled to be working with them going forward as we bring our hotels and our hotel brand to travellers across the UK,” continues Rob.

Darren Whittingham, Start Design CCO adds; “It’s a real pleasure partnering with the BLOC leadership team to help define and strengthen their ethos. They have an unshakeable belief that design thinking can truly shape and differentiate their brand, improving the quality of the guest experience for every traveller. This aligns perfectly with our beliefs and approach. Great design, sets great brands apart, BLOC Hotels is a great brand of the future and one to watch.”