In February 2023, the opening of ibis Styles Copenhagen Orestad marked a major milestone as the first ibis Styles branded hotel to open in Denmark, and more specifically in Copenhagen. The opening also symbolises ibis Styles' shift towards an affordable lifestyle concept and personalised design for each hotel, while encouraging creativity through the #OpenToCreativity programme.
ibis Styles Copenhagen Orestad : when urban meets nature
Located just a few metro stops from the city centre, the area where ibis Styles Copenhagen Orestad is situated was originally a wasteland ten or twenty years ago. As the city has grown over the last fifteen years, this area has grown with it, becoming an integral part of Copenhagen. The interior of the hotel, which is completely built out, reflects its location, where urbanity and nature meet.
On one side, an urban design zone, characterised by neon lights, graffiti and bright colours, houses the bar as well as work and relaxation areas. On the other side, the breakfast and restaurant areas are dominated by a plant decor, with green tones, plants and wallpaper depicting nature. The decor was designed by a Dutch company.
The hotel has 186 rooms. The lobby is a large communal area where everything is within easy reach: from breakfast to the restaurant, from the bar to the relaxation area. ibis Styles Copenhagen Orestad has introduced an innovative concept, the floating reception. Instead of a traditional reception desk, the hotel uses iPads, allowing staff to move around and manage all operations in the lobby. This initiative has been very well received by guests.
The restaurant, called 'Sunder', offers lunch and dinner. The menu offers a variety of options, from traditional dishes to various salad choices.
"Since opening, the ibis Styles Copenhagen Orestad has experienced strong occupancy, achieving a 94% occupancy rate. While filling 186 rooms may seem like a challenge, most of them have already been booked by Accor fans, including the 72 million members of the ALL - Accor Live Limitless loyalty programme worldwide." - Louise ADOLPH, ibis Styles Copenhagen Orestad General Manager
The hotel mainly caters for leisure guests, particularly families and young travellers from Europe, notably France, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands. However, the proximity of the surrounding businesses also attracts a business clientele. The hotel offers many options for families, including family rooms and a child-friendly breakfast with a varied choice.
ibis styles : the new affordable lifestyle
The ibis Styles brand is striving to introduce a more lifestyle-focused approach to its hotels following the emergence of the new 'bleisure' trend, which involves combining business and leisure travel. The ibis Styles offering does not currently exist, so the brand is gradually evolving the experience for its customers.
With 643 hotels, ibis Styles offers 643 different themes. The advantage of staying in an ibis Styles is therefore to enjoy the same comfort but in a different environment. ibis has been democratising travel for 50 years by offering affordable rates and the ibis Styles brand intends to continue along this path.
ibis Styles implements a number of concepts in its hotels. Each hotel is symbolised by an image created using artificial intelligence, and ibis Styles is also working on different media. In each ibis Styles establishment, common areas are equipped with "Perfect Photo" corners where guests can take selfies with works of art to share on social networks.
"Overall, the ibis Styles brand offers an experience perhaps better suited to leisure travellers compared to the classic ibis Rouge brand, which is targeted more at business travellers. However, it's important to note that the business landscape is changing significantly, with the emergence of the 'bleisure' trend. This evolution of the business world means that business travellers are also looking for quality comfort and service experiences, which ibis Styles offers." - Marie-Agnès FROMENT, Global Economy Brands Director ibis Styles & greet.
#OpenToCreativity, the new ibis Styles programme
ibis Styles aims to make access to events and the local cultural scene more accessible to all, which is why it is interested in digital art as a more affordable form of artistic expression. Art can sometimes seem complex to those new to it, but in this context it is an immersive art form that anyone can participate in.
Launched in 2022, ibis Styles' global #OpenToCreativity programme kicked off last year with two events, one in Bangkok and one in Seville, featuring a local designer who proposed a participatory artwork in collaboration with locals and the Instagram community.
This year, ibis Styles organised the first #OpenpARTy, which took place at ibis Styles Copenhagen Orestad on 28 September. The featured artist was Isaac Malakkai, one of Copenhagen's favourite street artists, renowned for his work in physical and digital spaces, including animation and motion graphics. He created a live digital artwork and invited customers to participate in the project. Once completed, the artwork was transformed into a non-fungible token (NFT). All the artworks can be found in the ibis Styles space gallery, Metaverse, as well as on social networks.
More events will be held in Copenhagen next year to showcase the local scene and offer the community and guests a different experience - not just a place to stay.
