Australia: Ascott’s coliving brand lyf will open a property in the Melbourne suburb of Collingwood this month.
Opening on Saturday May 14, lyf Collingwood Melbourne features 105 studio rooms, including studio and two-bed offerings, designed to suit both leisure and corporate travellers.
“The opening of lyf Collingwood signals the start of a phase of growth for The Ascott Limited in Australia, following successful integration of the Quest Apartment Hotels brand into the business,” said The Ascott Limited managing director – Australia David Mansfield. “We see great opportunity for expansion across key gateway cities in Australia, especially for our globally successful Citadines Apart’hotel and lyf brands and we are currently working with a number of interested parties on both management and franchise models.”
lyf Collingwood Melbourne is intended to be a space where leisure and corporate travellers can mix – offering a networking lounge, free barista made coffee for Ascott Star Rewards members, high speed Wi-Fi, a communal kitchen and a laundry space complete with an old school arcade-style games machine.
“Start-ups and technopreneurs don’t just want a conference room — they want fun, creative spaces and the opportunity to explore. They want to bond and network organically,” said lyf residence manager Shermaine Chong. “Guests don’t just want a room and a shower. They’re looking to connect with like-minded people. They want a team who can help them really discover the fabric of a neighbourhood — the secret bar, the pop-up restaurant, the late-night comedy gig. Our guests want authenticity and community — they want somewhere to stay that is much more than somewhere to sleep.”
lyf’s ‘Two of a Kind’ studios – designed for friends or colleagues travelling together – feature side-by-side apartments with separate lockable entrances and a shared kitchen. The ‘One of a Kind’ studios – for singles or pairs – have more floorspace, while ‘One of a Kind Plus’ are accessible apartments complete with open format bathrooms, wheel-in shower and easy access counters and door handles.
Four other lyf properties are set to open this year in Bangkok, Cebu, Kuala Lumpur and Xi’an. Five more are scheduled to open in Beijing, Danang, Ho Chi Minh City, Manila and Paris by 2025.
The Ascott Limited has set a target to sign 150 properties with over 30,000 units under its lyf brand by 2030.
