Skift Take
The hybrid hostel/hotel with a James Beard-nominated bar concept is growing in America but not fast enough for our tastes.
The new Freehand Chicago represents the most updated incarnation of the hybrid hotel/hostel segment, which has been popular in Europe for years, combining both regular hotel rooms and shared hostel rooms.
The first Freehand in Miami opened in 2012 just one block back from the gauntlet of glamorous South Beach resorts with equally glamorous prices. Shared rooms start under $50 per head, while the 33 single rooms run anywhere from 25-60% below the cost of the lowest priced beachfront resorts depending on the season.
The surprising thing in Miami is that guests booking the single rooms are often people who can afford the big name resorts, but they want the low-watt local charm that Freehand cultivates so well. Part of that is due to the James Beard-nominated Broken Shaker bar with a colonial outpost ambience, the peace and quiet, the palm tree-shaded pool in the backyard, the international clientele speaking a dozen different language
