‘Pop-up’ hotels firm Snoozebox in Qatar World Cup talks
London-listed portable-hotels firm says it is looking to enter the Middle East market, with events such as the Dubai Expo 2020 also of interest
The ‘pop-up’ hotels company Snoozebox is in talks to provide rooms at Middle East events including the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the company’s top executive told Al Arabiya News.
Snoozebox, which is listed in London, provides temporary hotels made from modified shipping containers, which can be stacked vertically according to demand.
The company – which counts retired British Formula One star David Coulthard as its president – has served high-profile events like the London 2012 Olympic Games and Glastonbury Festival, and has a semi-permanent hotel at the Silverstone Circuit in England.

It recently signed a preliminary deal to provide accommodation for football fans at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, reportedly for 2,000 rooms and to be located in the city of Saransk.
Snoozebox is looking to branch out into other markets – and says the Middle East is of “particular interest” in providing its temporary hotels.
“The Middle East as an international territory is a priority,” said Lorcán Ó Murchú, chief executive of Snoozebox. “There’s a very exciting pipeline of events stretching right out to 2022 for the World Cup.”
Ó Murchú said Snoozebox has presented its offering to the Qatari World Cup organizing committee, and talks are ongoing about providing temporary accommodation for fans. No agreement has been reached yet, he said.
The news follows a report last month by Samba Financial Group, which warned that Qatar could struggle to fill the 60,000 hotel rooms it will need for the World Cup after the tournament ends.
The use of ‘pop-up’ hotels could help alleviate that problem, providing opportunities for companies like Snoozebox. Qatar’s World Cup organizing committee declined to comment on this, and would not confirm whether it had held talks with Snoozebox.
Mideast opportunity
Several other organizations in the Middle East have also expressed an interest in Snoozebox, Ó Murchú said, for both accommodation around entertainment events and to house workers. One organization, which he did not name, had expressed an interest in building an event hotel around the Expo 2020 in Dubai.

The company already has a regional partner that is looking at event opportunities, as well as building “semi-permanent” hotels around venues like race tracks. It is also looking at temporary hotels for workers in the energy and construction sectors, Ó Murchú said.
He did not put a timeframe on launching Snoozebox hotels in the Middle East, but said there was “no shortage of opportunity” in this market.
Next-generation hotel
Snoozebox was founded by the late entrepreneur and racing fanatic Robert Breare, reportedly after a miserable camping experience. Breare, who died suddenly last July, opened his first 40-room hotel at the 2012 British Grand Prix.
Snoozebox’s rooms are fully air-conditioned, have private bathrooms and wireless internet, and are of three- to four-star quality. They are fully portable and don’t require mains services like plumbing; each hotel has a special reception and hospitality area.

Ó Murchú said the company can cater for a wide range of guests – from “VIPs” to couples to construction workers sharing a room. Its rooms at the Silverstone hotel start at £65 ($105) a night – but the company was charging £1,995 ($3,240) for a five-night stay at its Glastonbury hotel.
The company is about to launch a next-generation portable hotel, formed of a trailer with expanding sides – rather than a solid shipping container – with six rooms. This model can be set up in just 24 hours, rather than the six-to-seven days Ó Murchú says it can take Snoozebox to configure its current hotels.
Financial woes
Snoozebox is pinning its future on the quick-to-assemble next-generation hotel model. “The portability is more efficient, the operating costs will be lower, and the speed of deployment will be significantly faster. That will allow us to do more events,” said Ó Murchú.
The relatively slow speed of deploying its previous hotels has been the primary challenge faced by the company, the executive added.

Snoozebox has had a tumultuous financial history, with its share price having dropped by more than 63 percent over the last 12 months.
The AIM-listed company made a loss of £9.4 million in 2013, despite accommodating almost 32,000 people at its hotels, and is not forecast to make a profit until 2016 according to Edison Investment Research.
Ó Murchú acknowledged the “operational challenges” the company had faced, but said it has been building demand and has seen many guests rebooking for future events.
Richard Finch, leisure analyst at Edison Investment Research, said that the company needed to demonstrate its performance in the UK before exploring markets such as the Middle East.

“From an investment angle… The company has to prove to everyone that they can get the product out and actually make a return,” he said.
While there are opportunities for the company internationally, a focus on the Middle East is likely “way down the line”, Finch added.
-
Record World Cup costs put Qatar in losing game
Brazil will be lucky to see an economic boost from the year’s FIFA tournament – and there’s no hope for Qatar in 2022, experts say Economy -
FIFA ignored Qatar’s ‘high terror risk’ ranking
Qatar 2022 admits it had a 'relationship' with Bin Hammam but denies he was a part of the official bid team Sports -
Beckenbauer banned by FIFA for failing to cooperate
Beckenbauer is provisionally banned for failing to co-operate with a FIFA ethics committee probing the Qatar 2022 World Cup Sports -
Blatter slams ‘racist’ British media over Qatar
As a corruption scandal engulfs Qatar’s 2022 World Cup bid, FIFA President lashes out the media Sports -
Football sponsors raise pressure on FIFA over Qatar claims
Sponsors Adidas, Sony, Visa and Coca-Cola call on FIFA to deal thoroughly with allegations of bribery to secure the 2022 World Cup for Qatar Sports -
Cameron hints England may host 2022 World Cup
World soccer governing body FIFA is investigating the bids that awarded the 2022 World Cup to Qatar Sports -
Fresh corruption claims over Qatar 2022 cup vote
The Sunday Times accused Mohamed bin Hammam of using $1.7million to secure key Asian votes Sports -
IOC: Qatar 2022 winter World Cup won’t affect Winter Olympics
Staging the 2022 Qatar soccer World Cup in winter will not affect the Winter Olympics in the same year, International Olympic Committee president ... Sports -
FIFA chief: Jan-Feb 2022 Cup in Qatar not viable
FIFA President Sepp Blatter is standing by his opposition to holding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in January or February. The comments Friday in Abu ... Sports -
Qatar unveils dhow-inspired stadium amid World Cup controversy
Qatar reveals the design of its new football stadium despite the debate over changing the 2022 World Cup dates. Sports -
Qatar 2022 plans welfare standards for contractors
Amnesty International condemned human rights abuses in Qatar Sports