New Low-Cost Hotel Chain in London Charges for Towels, Cleaning

You've heard of no frills airlines charging fees for baggage and all sorts of other extras. Now no frills hotels are coming to London.

According to the UK's Daily Mail, a hotel chain debuting in London at the end of the month will charge extra for everything from using a hair dryer, to clean towels to getting your room cleaned.

The Malaysian chain, Tune Hotels, is pricing its standard rooms at about $56 per night, which happens to be a great deal in the British capital. Online specials offer even lower introductory rates.

The room charge covers a bed, bathroom with shower and central London location.

But guests will pay about $3 for use of a hair dryer, $12 daily for room cleaning, and $1.60 for each towel.

"It's all about choice. We say consumers should assemble the experience as they see it," says the company's chief Executive Mark Lankester. "We aim to provide whatever suits the customer in terms of timing, price and the comfort people require."

The chain's first London hotel is opening on Westminster Bridge Road, with another 15 hotels planned in the Greater London area by 2017. The company also operates hotels in Malaysia and Indonesia (Kuala Lumpur in photo).

Tune Hotels' founder, Tony Fernandes, is also behind the no frills, low-cost airline AirAsia.



Photo, flashpacking life, flickr