Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate will be the 17th addition to Safestay’s ever-growing portfolio which spans 15 cities across 11 countries in the UK and Europe. Opening in Summer 2024, it will be housed in a beautiful and spacious Grade A listed building, located on one of the oldest thoroughfares in the Scottish capital.
Pilot PR is proud to be working with Europe’s leading hostel group, Safestay Hostels and Hotels, to announce their growing portfolio, innovative tech upgrades and new partnerships for the year ahead.
New opening
Cowgate – literally used as the route for driving cattle to market from as early as the 1490s – is now well known for its lively pub, club, bar, restaurant and cafe scene and is within walking distance of Edinburgh’s most popular attractions and sites including the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle.
Once renovations have been completed, Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate will offer plentiful communal spaces, a café, bar and 225 beds in a variety of room combinations – from eight-bed dorms to two-bed private rooms with ensuite facilities – typical of all Safestay hostels and hotels.
“Opening in Edinburgh represents Safestay’s ongoing commitment to expanding our portfolio in the UK as well as in Europe’s most exciting destinations,” says Safestay COO Peter Zielke. “Safestay Edinburgh Cowgate will offer travellers the perfect blend of modern comfort and value for money, as well as an exceptional base from which to explore this culturally rich city.”
Cutting-Edge Technology
Following the highly successful pilot of automated check-in kiosks at Safestay Elephant & Castle this year, Safestay will be rolling out this new technology across four additional Safestay sites in early 2024 with the ultimate goal of providing cutting-edge check-in kiosks at each Safestay hostel and hotel. Guest feedback from this forward-thinking initiative shows an appreciation for a more streamlined and efficient arrival experience. By automating the check-in procedure, Safestay is able to free up its dedicated guest service teams to focus on delivering even better customer engagement and a more personalised service throughout the guest stay.
In another strategic move, Safestay has opened a European Head Office, based in Warsaw. This ‘one-stop shop’ is dedicated to consolidating sales and marketing activities across the Safestay portfolio, with a particular focus on student, sport, and social group bookings, which are an integral market segment for the Safestay brand.
Innovative Partnerships
To further enrich the travel experience for guests, Safestay continues to foster exciting partnerships with local businesses and travel brands. The latest of these is an exclusive collaboration with Busbud – a cool, new travel booking website specialising in intercity bus tickets across the globe.
Users can search, compare, and purchase tickets from 3,900+ bus companies in 21,000+ cities connected by 2,300,000+ bus routes across 80+ countries, making Busbud the go-to tool for bus travellers worldwide. Safestay’s partnership brings exclusive discounts for its guests travelling across Busbud’s European network.
“Our partnerships are driven by the aim to offer unique, curated experiences to our guests which help create memorable and authentic experiences that go beyond the typical tourist journey,” Zielke says. “We believe that travel should be about connecting with local culture, and our partnerships will help our guests do just that.”
Safestay’s expansion into Edinburgh, with further announcements expected in 2024, along with its commitment to creative technologies and exciting partnerships, reaffirms its status as Europe’s leading hostel and hotel group. The team is determined to deliver unparalleled value, comfort, and adventure to travellers seeking memory-making experiences in vibrant city centre locations.
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