Oxford locals unimpressed by city ‘pod’ hotel plans

Criterion Capital’s Zedwell hotel chain is planning to convert Oxenford House, at 12-15 Magdalen Street above Five Guy’s, into a 276-bed hotel.

Rather than traditional hotel rooms, however, the company has proposed sleep pods or ‘cocoons’, futuristic-looking rectangular capsules containing a mattress and some storage space for each occupant within a shared dormitory.

The plans propose ‘sleeping pods’ instead of rooms in the new hotel (Image: T2S Architecture Ltd)

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In the planning application submitted to Oxford City Council in March, which remains under consideration, the applicant said: “A capsule hotel is a modern and efficient form of visitor accommodation that offers compact, self‑contained sleeping pods arranged both vertically and horizontally to make optimal use of space.

“This form of accommodation is increasingly popular in major cities around the world as it provides a budget‑friendly yet high‑quality alternative to traditional hotel rooms, particularly for short‑stay visitors, business travellers and those seeking affordable, centrally located lodging options.

The plans propose ‘sleeping pods’ instead of rooms in the new hotel (Image: T2S Architecture Ltd)

“The proposal will introduce this innovative accommodation model to Oxford, diversifying the city’s hospitality offer and responding to contemporary tourism trends.”

Its part of a major expansion of Zedwell’s sleep-pod model across the UK, with the company committed to deliver more than 9,000 rooms by 2028.

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However, a comment from a resident’s association representing those who live around St Giles submitted an objection to the proposal.

The association said: “We would be pleased to see this building brought back into full use and the badly neglected corner of the city centre conservation area tidied up.

“However, we consider that this application fails to meet the standards which should be required for applications for substantial work on buildings which are in the conservation area and close to listed buildings.”

Five Guys on the ground floor of Oxenford House (Image: Oxford Mail)

The group of locals took issue with what they saw as the ‘lack of information in the application’, such as undefined ‘plant’ floors, how sustainability requirements would be met and what would happen to the building’s windows if the internal ‘pods’ were installed.

They also said the user facilities at the proposed hotel were ‘basic’, with no apparent food provision, just one customer lift to serve the 276 pods, and no evidence of ‘appropriate facilities’ for customers with disabilities.

Concerns were similarly raised about ‘supervision’ of the densely-occupied site and the impact on utilities like sewage and drainage.

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Previously plans from the same developer saw proposals for student accommodation and offices on the site, which now appear to have been replaced by the boutique hotel plans.

Other hotel plans in the city include a 145-room aparthotel and community hub on the site of the former Odeon Cinema in George Street, and two separate plans for hotels in Queen Street and Bonn Square.

These are a 129-room hotel above the Halifax and Waterstones shops on the corner of St Ebbe’s, and the £60million transformation of County Hall in Speedwell Street, with the council due to move out next spring.