Hotel operator Strawberry, in partnership with property investor Slättö, has announced the launch of a new hotel chain, focusing on strategic locations, quality, and high sustainability. 

This marks Strawberry's first hotel chain launch in 30 years, adding to its existing four chains. 

The partnership aims to open at least 20 hotels within ten years under the new hotel chain across Nordic territories.  

This initiative is set to address a need in the region, where domestic and intra-Nordic travel is noted to have surged since 2019. 

Strawberry owner Petter Stordalen said: “With the new hotel chain, we are trying to challenge the image that the stops along the way are something boring, necessary, and tiring and instead see it as an opportunity to recharge for the exciting things to come.” 

The hotel chain will offer a blend of designs suited for both short and long-term stays, digitalisation, efficiency, and competitive pricing.  

It intends to target car-borne travellers, sports teams, and individuals seeking temporary or extended accommodation.  

Slättö views this hotel venture as a strategic addition to its portfolio, which includes housing, light industry, logistics, and community properties.  

The hotel chain investment aims for high sustainability and accessibility. 

This includes plans for wood construction, renewable energy generation using solar cells and geothermal energy and achieving environmental certification and resource efficiency through digital solutions. 

Slättö head of hotels Erik Möller said: “Hotels need to constantly develop in order to attract a broad target group, in addition, hotels also need to be able to adjust quickly to meet new market needs and thus contribute both to good guest experiences and a stable and secure profitability for the business.  

“The hotel chain is therefore developing as a versatile service destination to meet exactly these market trends.” 

The companies plan for Sweden to serve as the first market for the new chain. 

The first hotel is slated to open in the second quarter of 2025 in Falkenberg, Sweden, featuring 151 rooms.  

Agreements with landowners and strategic partners have already been secured to ensure the hotels include a range of services and offerings through external partnerships. 

In December 2023, hospitality cloud platform Mews announced the deployment of its property management system across more than 100 Strawberry Hotels. 

The platform is expected to provide flexibility, scalability, and security.