Sleep quality also plays a larger role within hostels

Cube houses to get new beds

Together with Stayokay Rotterdam, Auping recently worked on a renewal of the iconic cube houses in Rotterdam. For this project, the company supplied 16 Original beds with 90x200 One mattresses.

According to the bed manufacturer, the role of sleep comfort in hospitality is visibly changing, including within hostel concepts where guests have increasingly high expectations regarding comfort, appearance, and the overall stay experience.

In the heart of Rotterdam's Cube Houses, Stayokay welcomes guests from all over the world every day. Backpackers, families, tourists and business travellers stay in one of the Netherlands' most famous architectural locations. It is precisely in such places that hospitality, according to those involved, is increasingly about the combination of location, appearance and comfort.

At the same time, an iconic building also presents practical challenges. Spaces are laid out differently, rooms require flexibility, and every detail must align with both comfort and efficient use. Particularly in a hospitality environment where rooms are used intensively, factors such as ease of maintenance, longevity, and efficient working for housekeeping also carry significant weight.

Changing expectations

According to Eli Nahuis, B2B Sales Manager at Auping, guest expectations are visibly changing. “Even within hostels, guests increasingly want to experience the same quality as they do at home. Especially now that the target audience is widening and hospitality concepts are increasingly converging,” he says.

Whereas hostels used to primarily revolve around flexibility, price, and location, the focus is increasingly shifting towards comfort and the overall guest experience, according to Auping and Stayokay. This also changes the role of sleep comfort; no longer just a practical basic provision, but as part of how guests experience and rate a stay. “With a shared focus on sustainability and hospitality, we are taking a step together towards future-proof travel,” says Nahuis.

Practical use

“A sleeping solution needs to be not only comfortable for the guest but also fit within the daily operations of a hospitality concept,” says Nahuis. “Especially at locations where rooms are used intensively, that combination is becoming increasingly important.”

According to Auping, these developments align with a broader shift within hospitality, where the lines between hostels, hotels, and lifestyle concepts are increasingly blurring. Guests expect the same tranquillity, quality, and attention to detail in more and more places.