A Guide to Yotel Hotels

Yotel is a United Kingdom-based hotel chain, with properties around the world in urban centers, resorts and airports. It specializes in offering a modernized take on capsule hotels.

Instead of sleeping on a shelf, Yotel hotels feature compact rooms, some with bunk beds, and larger accommodations and suites.

Its brands include Yotel, Yotelpad for longer stays and Yotelair (properties inside airport terminals). These are great options for people looking for affordable options that focus more on location rather than spacious rooms and a long roster of on-property amenities.

Here’s how to know if these properties are right for you.

This U.K.-based hotel chain is known for its affordable, compact accommodations with a common theme: a heavy reliance on technology. This helps each Yotel location to cut down on the number of on-site staff (which Yotel refers to as crews, a nod to the founder’s love for aviation), something that can help keep room prices low.

The reception desk is referred to as mission control, which basically handles all functions of these hotels, and guest rooms are called cabins.

The cabins make smart use of space and are designed to be a trade-off between cost and room size. One of the tech-friendly amenities at Yotel properties is vending machines that sell items including snacks and toiletries.

Yotel currently has 16 Yotel properties, five Yotelair locations and three Yotelpads in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Seven of the 24 locations are in the U.K. and six are in the U.S.

There are three Yotel family brands in the hospitality group. Each has its own specifics to be aware of when checking into the property. Here’s what separates them from one another.

Yotel

Yotel is the brand for city hotels found in places like Boston and Singapore. They have some elements that are more like traditional hotels, with a restaurant and bar, gym or outdoor terrace. Coworking space is another common amenity to bring in business travelers.

Rooms come in a variety of dimensions with prices tied to the space, including some junior suites or larger rooms dubbed First Class in certain locations.

Yotelpad

Yotelpad refers to Yotel properties designed for long stays from around a week to as long as a year. This is Yotel’s version of Airbnb, and these properties are found in urban and resort locations.

The first property opened in Park City, Utah, and has since been followed by locations in Miami and London. These locations are dubbed “pads.” They come with traditional residential amenities like bedrooms, living and dining areas, and kitchens.

Yotelair

Yotelair is the Yotel properties within airports, some of them airside and some landside. These typically have smaller cabins than city center or long-stay hotels since guests usually stay for a few hours or one night while traveling.

You’ll find them in airports including in Amsterdam, Istanbul, Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Singapore.

Despite the limited number of staff at the hotels and the small size of some rooms, Yotels don't skimp on some amenities. Yotel offers features like smart TVs, numerous power outlets, rainfall showers and heated towel racks. Beds in many rooms can easily convert from a bed to a sofa to save space.

In addition to saving space, the brand wants to help travelers save time (especially important at some of its airport hotels). There are kiosks that handle check-in and checkout functions, among other things. Guests can use the Yotel app to request items (sometimes delivered by robot) or check out. Robots can also store or return luggage instead of a bell staff.

If you prefer luxury hotels or spacious guest rooms, Yotel probably isn't what you're looking for, but it's a great option for travelers who want to stay in city centers and need a simple room at an affordable price point.

Yotel Club is the free loyalty program that provides certain benefits when travelers book directly with Yotel. It includes 15% off stays and special access to promotional rates. Instead of being awarded points, members earn cash back credits through the Guestbook program to use for future Yotel stays.

Unfortunately, not all hotels participate. These include Yotelair properties as well as Yotels in Manchester, England, and San Francisco plus the Yotelpad in Park City.

JetBlue TrueBlue

Yotel has a partnership with JetBlue Airways that awards points to TrueBlue members and offers special benefits to Mosaic elite tier members when staying at a Yotel property.

TrueBlue members will receive special rates if they book directly through the Paisly portal from JetBlue as well as a welcome amenity.

Mosaic travelers are eligible for an upgrade and late checkout. Certain Yotel property bars serve JetBlue’s special pre-/post-flight cocktail, the Mint Condition, using Bombay Sapphire Gin or Tito’s Handmade Vodka, ginger, lime, cucumber and mint.

Credit card rewards

When using a credit card that gives bonus points for spending on travel categories (like hotels), you would gain extra earnings when booking with Yotel, too.

They include cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, which offers 3x Chase Ultimate Rewards® points spent on hotels, and the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, which offers 3x Citi ThankYou points on hotels.

The Yotel hospitality group has three different hotel brands designed for different needs, from urban stays to extended stay.

The group's airport hotels are great options because some of them are airside, which means you don’t even need to leave security or immigration (when traveling overseas) to find a comfortable place to sleep.

Yotel leans into technology throughout the travel experience, and its new partnership with JetBlue brings special benefits. Yotel is a good option if you are looking for a good deal instead of a spacious suite. For many travelers, Yotel fills a niche they have been looking for in various locations.