New brand Cloud.7 Hotels launches with major plans

A new independent hotel brand Cloud.7, has emerged with its first property set to launch in Istanbul, Turkey.

Meanwhile, the group has set its sights on 15 property deals for 2016 in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and the Middle East.

Cloud.7 is owned by Kerten, one of investor Michael O Shea’s investment vehicles, which is also the majority shareholder behind Turkey’s hugely successful The House Hotel Collection.

The new hotelier on the block has classified itself in the affordable segment claiming to offer a stylish yet reasonably priced new hotel brand that offers cosy and comfortable ‘clouds’ (rooms), built around the connected guest-experience.

Cloud.7 claims that the brand ethos is in response to the lack of supply of affordable yet high quality upscale hotels in these regions where independent hotel penetration remains low.

The 15 new hotels will open in the next two years and the brand has made it its priority to attract the 227 million digitally savvy international travellers that generated nearly US$ 250 billion in international tourism receipts for 2014 alone.

Cloud.7 will offer guests free Wi-Fi, check-in and out online, in-room ‘handy’ mobiles, 24-hour access to the Cloud.7 hospitality team via social media, a focus on local creative collaborations and natural produce and ‘Meet the Locals’ - where guests can get connected to and share experiences with like-minded locals in the city.

Commenting on Cloud.7’s regional expansion, Kerten owner Michael O’Shea said “Our ambition is to become the no.1 choice for the digitally-savvy traveller who values affordability, style and adventure in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and the Middle East by 2020."

"As we seek property owners in each of our target countries, our emphasis will be on each of our properties adopting its own unique interpretation of Cloud.7 as our management brand is independent, nimble and new enough to respond and adapt to the dynamic demands of the connected-generations and the cultures in which our hotels make our homes,” he said.

Speaking ahead of the launch of the first Cloud.7 property, Marloes Knippenberg, former commercial director for Hilton Worldwide, now CEO for Cloud.7, explained “We will be doing a lot of things differently with Cloud.7 with the aim of shaking up the more traditional hotel model that remains predominant in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and the Middle East to become a regional leader in affordable smart-hotels that blend the authentic buzz of local and social with stylish comforts.”