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When you are first told that IKEA is to start a hotel chain , the obvious image of a flat pack room full of flat pack furniture comes to mind, but in reality the Swedish furniture maker's influence is to be more modest. The chain, which is yet to be named and will consist of hotels in 100 locations across Europe will not even feature IKEA furniture, we are told. Yes it will have a certain Swedish feel to it, which is to be expected since the furnishings will be created by craftsman from the Scandinavian country, but what other influence will IKEA have on the hotels? IKEA is a well established brand and one that has a solid reputation for a well made product at a reasonable price and this is something which is transferable. That does not mean that the IKEA name must be emblazoned all over it, as we are assured it won't be, but that the ethos of the company will come across. A good reputation is not just a well crafted marketing campaign, but comes from the groundwork put in throughout the organisation. Quality and confidence shines through whatever the product and if IKEA can apply the same philosophy to a hotel room in Belgium as it does to a dining chair called 'Ingolf' then it is bound to be a success. Without obvious IKEA branding customers will not be told that the hotel is part of the IKEA portfolio, but through its execution they will simply know. Harald Muller, a Brussels -based business development manager of Inter IKEA's property division, said: "It's not an IKEA hotel. It's a continuation of our normal investments in real estate." The first hotel in the chain is expected to be opened in Germany in 2014 before others to follow in Britain, Poland , the Netherlands , Belgium and the northern European countries which originated IKEA in the first place.
