AccorHotels, about to celebrate its 50th anniversary, on Wednesday announced the further rollout of its AccorLocal service, which gives local shopkeepers the opportunity to offer their products at Accor hotels.
The AccorLocal app has about 3,000 active users and now offers hundreds of services in more than 250 hotels in France. It will be rolled out in 2018 and 2019 in major cities and capitals around the world.
The intent is to give hoteliers a chance to promote their goods and new services to non-hotel guests and better connect with the local community. It gives locals 24/7 access to services such as floral, yoga and pilates instruction in a room let by the hotel, bread delivery, or access to a car rental service.
Hoteliers are free to determine the services they wish to propose based on local needs and on their own relationships with local shopkeepers.
The hotels themselves also feature many services now offered by AccorLocal. In just a few clicks, a customer can reserve a service offered by a hotel in their neighborhood, without having to book a room. Services could range from spa; use of swimming pools, fitness rooms or co-working spaces; takeaway breakfasts; access to printers, ironing rooms, and parking under surveillance.
“We have now chosen to make this unparalleled wealth available to benefit community life by developing an unprecedented model, creating social connections and value for small businesses, local communities and staff members at our hotels,” said Sébastien Bazin, chairman and CEO of AccorHotels.