Leading serviced apartment provider, Cuckooz, has looked at the challenges facing families travelling to the capital when it comes to securing accommodation with enough space for family life.
Cuckooz looked at the average sq ft of hotel rooms within five miles of London city centre for a family of four, before breaking this space down per person.
The data shows that the average room size is 277.2 sq ft and cost an average of £196.27 a night – £0.71 per sq ft. However, when you break this down for a family of four, family travellers are getting just 69.3 sq ft of space each!
The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) states in its guidelines that for a single-occupancy cell including a toilet facility, prisoners should be given a minimum of 64.5 sq ft, that’s just 4.8 sq ft less than the average London hotel room.
Cuckooz found that when looking in the city centre of London alone, the average size of a room for a family of four did increase notably to 339.7 sq ft on average, 84.9 sq ft per person. The downside? So did the price. With the average room costing £486 per night – a 148% increase and a cost of £1.43 per sq ft.
According to Statista, the average cost of an overnight stay in London is currently £132 per night. Therefore, families travelling to the centre of London either have to look within five miles and pay 49% more than the average for prison cell-sized accommodation, or they have to pay a huge 268% premium for more space.
It’s this lack of suitable family accommodation that led Cuckooz to launch their first serviced apartment solely focussed on family travel in June of this year. Cuckooz operates seven serviced apartments across London, as well as a flexible workspace with an integrated creche facility for parents returning from maternity leave. All of Cuckooz’s apartments provide the space and amenities required for family life and on average are sized at 964.3 sq ft, 241.1 sq ft per person for a family of four – three and a half times the size of the average London hotel room and considerably better value at £0.32 per sq ft.
But it’s not just about space, and that’s why Cuckooz went the extra mile with their family-friendly focussed Old Street site and partnered with the Modern Nursey. The two-bed deluxe apartment has been carefully curated with a family of four in mind, complete with cot, toddler bed, high-chair, teepee, ball-pit, plates, baby-friendly cups & cutlery, baby bath, potty, a nappy changing station, playmat, all-natural bathroom toiletries by Jackson & Willow, a stroller and assorted toys and books recommended by Cuckooz childcare professionals.
Co-founder of Cuckooz, Charlie Rosier, commented:
“As a mother, I know all too well about the struggle of finding accommodation for a family and the main issue is always whether or not we will have enough space. Any suitable option often comes at a cost which can deter many from even considering a trip away and opting for a cheaper, smaller room can often spoil a trip as tensions rise after a few days of living on top of each other.
London is an amazing city with plenty to do as a family unit, but unfortunately, there isn’t enough hotel accommodation that is fit for purpose at a price that many families can afford. That was the main motivation that led us to launch our first family-friendly site in London.
Serviced apartments already provide a great alternative to hotels with the space and amenities needed for a smooth family trip, but we wanted to take it a step further and cross every box that arises when travelling as a family and with kids.
While you may pay more than the average hotel room, serviced apartments are far better value on a cost per square foot basis, much cheaper than the inner city premiums charged by hotels as a whole, and not only do you still get the benefit of the great location but you get the space and style you would expect for your money.”