Key facts
- YOTEL hotels are offering an 'anti-appy hour' to reduce guests' social media use.
- Guests use a Bloom card, after downloading the Bloom app, to block social media apps for an hour.
- The initiative is available at YOTEL properties in European cities like Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London City, and Manchester.
- During the 'anti-appy hour,' guests are encouraged to engage in activities like writing postcards or enjoying a special cocktail.
- Bloom cards require a physical tap to regain access to social media, making users less likely to unlock them impulsively.
YOTEL hotels are introducing an 'anti-appy hour' to encourage guests to disconnect from their phones and social media during their stays. Launched to coincide with Global Wellness Day, the initiative allows guests to use a Bloom card to block access to social media apps for one hour.
Guests must first download the Bloom app and then tap their phone against a Bloom card at the hotel bar to initiate the digital detox. This feature is available at YOTEL properties in European cities such as Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London City, and Manchester. The hotel chain aims to foster more meaningful travel experiences by providing this hour of disconnection.
During the 'anti-appy hour,' guests are encouraged to engage in offline activities, including writing a postcard, enjoying a specially created Bloom cocktail, or simply conversing with fellow guests. The Bloom card's design, requiring a physical interaction to regain access, is intended to deter impulsive unlocking of social media apps. As part of the partnership, guests can also receive a 10% discount on Bloom cards for personal use outside the hotel's promotional hour.