JO&JOE, a hybrid hospitality brand part of the worldwide Accor Group, is pleased to announce its arrival in Colombia for the first time with the construction of a new Open House concept in the city of Medellín.

JO&JOE is a shared accommodation experience belonging to Accor’s portfolio of economy and lifestyle brands and is aimed at a broad international community of global explorers with a special focus on engaging millennials and the millennial minded.

Offering more of a lifestyle experience than a standard hostel, while remaining uniquely different than traditional hotels, JO&JOE is perfect for groups of friends, solo travelers or those taking family trips. The new project joins two existing JO&JOE destinations already open in France – Paris and Hossegor – and with more up-and-coming JO&JOE projects slated for Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Budapest, Rome, Glasgow, Liverpool, Vienna, Moscow and London.

“We are excited to bring the JO&JOE concept to Medellin, a rising tourist hotspot that has been completely transformed in recent years,” said Francois Leclerc, VP Brand & Operations, JO&JOE. “The shared accommodations of JO&JOE are styled as Open Houses that break traditional lodging codes and create a new standard for the lifestyle segment. This hybrid accommodation model is designed to appeal to travelers as well as locals, who meet up for lunch, drinks, evening fun and feel welcome to spend the night.”

Construction on JO&JOE ’s new location in Medellín will begin in August 2020. Offering 198 beds, the seven-story building will be located on Calle 10A of El Poblado in Medellín, a sector known as Nuevo Provenza. The hotel is expected to be completed in 2022 with an investment of approximately 18 billion Colombian pesos. Following the successful opening of JO&JOE Medellín, the brand plans to open additional locations throughout Colombia, such as Cali, Bogotá, Santa Marta, Palomino (between Magdalena and La Guajira), Villa de Leyva (Boyacá) and San Andrés. Around the world, additional JO&JOE locations are expected to debut in Paris, Río, Rome, Liverpool, Vienna, Glasgow, London and Moscow over the coming years,

Redesigning the concept of hospitality

JO&JOE is the union of two great concepts, the fun of a hostel and the comfort of a hotel. Coined as an ‘Open House’, a JO&JOE location is lively, surprising and innovative. The concept is based on fostering cultural exchange and coexistence, with an abundance of common spaces, both outside and inside its buildings. Simple and minimalist design schemes blend smoothly with environmentally-friendly raw materials used in the architecture and furnishings.

The project‘s vision will be brought to life by a team of award-winning local architects from ALH Architecture Studio (Arango Largacha Brothers). Through smart and sensible analysis, the design team develops creative processes that deliver success and employ rating systems to determine the level of environmental impact that a project is likely to generate. A special highlight of the JO&JOE project in Medellín will be the embodiment of local graffiti artists, since “street art” is very famous in the city.

JO&JOE aims to break with the conventional vertical distribution of spaces and functions found in traditional hotels. Instead, spaces are flexible for greater freedom of movement and to promote interaction between guests. Visitors can easily move throughout the Open House during their stay, energized by colorful and brightly illuminated spaces for gathering or meeting up on all floors.

Guests will feel at ease whether visiting JO&JOE for business or at leisure, and can choose from a diverse range of accommodation styles. Group dormitories - known as the “Together” options – are generous rooms where several people can bunk while maintaining privacy with adaptable modular space. The “Yours” option offers private, hotel-style rooms designed to accommodate two or three people.

The best atmosphere in its category

JO&JOE was introduced by Accor in 2017 in two locations in France: Paris and Hossegor. The concept was born from a study that sought to understand why traditional hospitality was not succeeding with the new generation of travelers and what could be done differently, with an open mind and a millennial spirit of sharing.

The result was JO&JOE – with its philosophy of experiential and unexpected moments, where new and old friendships can bond and even teamwork can grow through the encouragement of daily group activities, sports and games. Each hotel offers on-stage music and entertainment during the day and at night in a variety of styles to pique the interests of guests and locals.

A team focused on service

The people who work at JO&JOE are truly unique. Guests will appreciate the relaxed personalities of the staff, who are friendly, sincere, and skilled at understanding people and forming new relationships – thereby reflecting the DNA of the Open House concept. Above all, JO&JOE team members treat guests not as transient travelers, but as roomers who belong there and will return as friends, again and again.