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The budget hotel market is very large in Brazil, with millions of domestic and international travellers each year

ZEN Rooms Co-founders  Nathan Boublil and Kiren Tanna

It seems Rocket Internet-backed budget hotel booking platform ZEN Rooms is on an expansion mode.

Less than a month after announcing its launch in key Asian markets, including Thailand, Sri Lanka and the Philippines, the Singapore-headquartered company has made an entry into Brazil.

Initially, the services will be available only in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, with double rooms starting at US$40 (BRL140) per night.

“Following strong customer satisfaction levels in Asia, we identified Brazil as a market where we could bring similar value: improving the reliability of low-cost accommodation. Put simply, we want travellers to always have a room nearby, without surprises on the basic quality standards. The budget hotel market is also very large in Brazil, with millions of domestic and international travellers each year,” said Nathan Boublil, Global MD of ZEN Rooms.

Also Read: Building an international business: What I learned founding ZEN Rooms from scratch

Started in 2015 by Boublil and Kiren Tanna, ZEN Rooms is a leading budget hotel network in Southeast Asia, operating in 600 locations. ZEN claims it offers reliable hotel stays at low cost, thus helping democratise travel — similar to low-cost airlines. The rooms are equipped with free WiFi, comfortable double beds, air-conditioner and in-room shower..

According to the firm, all rooms are audited and improved to respect the clear ZEN Guarantee before they get listed on the platform.

“In Brazil, 90 per cent of the 10,000 existing hotels are independent. These can suffer from a lack of trust regarding their reliability, especially inexpensive locations. At ZEN Rooms, the important aspects of a room are checked. So despite the low rates, this means a safer experience for the millions of budget travellers in Brazil,” adds Marcel Vítor Santos, who is responsible for the country’s operations.

Also Read: Rocket Internet’s ZEN Rooms blasts off to 4 new Asian markets

In the months to come, the company intends to add hundreds of rooms to the network. “There are plenty of growth opportunities: for example, in Rio, we are already working on supplying more affordable rooms for the summer Olympics”, says João Guilherme Soares, Rio City Manager.

As part of the launch, ZEN is offering a special discount of 30 per cent on all its rooms in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

Besides Rocket Internet, leading Qatar-based telco Ooredoo is also an investor in ZEN.

The post After Asia expansion, ZEN Rooms to test the LatAm waters with a launch in Brazil appeared first on e27.

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