Spin cycle: Hotel complex for bike fanatics

Within Onomichi U2, Hotel Cycle which – as the name suggests – is a hotel that welcomes bicycles. Guests are invited to cycle up to the check-in counter and each room features racks on the wall to keep bikes safe while not in use. Not only is the hotel built for cyclists, the rest of the multipurpose space is geared towards their lifestyle as well. Giant, the bicycle retailer, has a store and repair shop, and the Yard Café features a cycle-through window. Almost any open space in the complex allows people to travel on bike.

Onomichi U2 serves as an enclave for visitors to Shimanami Kaido, a 70km bicycle expressway that crosses six bridges and links eight small islands, and is considered to be one of the best cycling routes in the world.

In our Pedal Power Market we discuss the rise in businesses, particularly cafés, catering to cyclists. It is exciting to see other sectors, such as hospitality, consider how it might do the same.