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Extended stay hotels are one of the biggest travel trends of 2026. More people want space, a kitchen, and flexibility, not just a bed for the night. That's why aparthotels near Waterloo, like Stow Away, are in demand. Stow Away is an eco-friendly aparthotel in London's Waterloo, built for short breaks and long-term stays. It has studio apartments with kitchenettes and its own resident wine bar, Unwined. If you're looking for hotels near Waterloo station with the comfort of home and a great glass of wine downstairs, this is the kind of stay people are searching for right now.
Travel habits are changing. People aren't just booking one night and rushing off anymore. They want a base. Somewhere with a proper bed, a kitchen, and room to breathe.
This shift has a name in the industry: extended stay hospitality. It covers aparthotels, serviced apartments, and long-stay hotels built for guests who need a week, a month, or longer. Analysts describe this as a response to "bleisure" trips, workations, and digital nomads who blend work and travel, with long-stay hotels offering a convenient, cost-effective lodging solution for people embracing this lifestyle.
It's not a small trend either. The global extended stay hotel market is growing fast, and forecasts put it on track to nearly reach $89 billion by 2030 as the sector expands from around $61 billion in 2025 to $65.7 billion in 2026, driven by business travel growth, urban employment hubs, cost-effective long stays, and rising demand for serviced apartments.
UK hotel operators have noticed too. Consultants at PwC point to extended-stay and hybrid accommodation as one of the smartest ways for hotels to add flexibility and stay resilient going into 2026, as repositioning underutilised spaces and exploring extended-stay or hybrid accommodation models helps diversify revenue and meet growing demand for value, flexibility and experience-led stays. Even booking data backs this up. Industry commentary on 2026 UK hotel figures notes that short stays still dominate the market, but that's exactly why extended stay concepts and apartment-style products are drawing more attention from UK operators looking to capture longer, higher-value bookings.
In short, long-stay hotels aren't a niche anymore. They're where UK travel is heading.
If you're searching for London Waterloo hotels that actually fit this way of travelling, Stow Away is built exactly for it.
Stow Away Waterloo is an eco-aparthotel, a short walk from Waterloo station, right in the middle of London's South Bank. It's made from 26 repurposed shipping containers, fitted with solar panels, and designed to be as low-impact as possible. You can read more about the building's design on Stow Away's site. That's a very different pitch to a standard chain hotel near Waterloo station.
Every studio comes with a kitchenette, a king-size bed, blackout blinds, air conditioning, and a proper marble bathroom. Whether you're staying one night or one month, the room works the same way: like a small, stylish flat, not a box you're just passing through.
That's the whole idea behind "stay longer, pay less." Stow Away rewards guests who book extended stays, because that's what more travellers actually want in 2026: hotels in Waterloo, London, UK that feel like a home base, not a stopover.
Ground floor at Stow Away, you'll find Unwined. It's the hotel's resident wine bar, and it's become a destination, not just a place for guests to grab a drink.
Unwined Waterloo serves an unusual and ever-changing wine list from around the world, paired with seasonal dishes from guest chefs. The team behind the bar will happily help you pick something new if you're not sure where to start. It's the kind of wine bar Waterloo has been missing: relaxed, knowledgeable, and genuinely fun rather than formal.
For guests staying at Stow Away, it means your evening starts before you even leave the building. For locals, it's a reason to visit even if you're not staying the night.
Put it together, and Stow Away sits right at the centre of where hospitality is heading in 2026. Guests want hotels near Waterloo Station that offer real living space. They want long-term stay hotels that don't feel clinical. And they want a bit of on-site personality, like a proper wine bar, not just a lobby bar menu.
Stow Away offers all three: sustainable design, flexible studio apartments for short and long stays, and Unwined right downstairs. It's a strong example of why aparthotel Waterloo searches are climbing, and why this way of staying in London is only getting more popular.
If you're planning a trip to London and want somewhere that suits a few nights or a few weeks, Stow Away Waterloo is worth a look. Book direct for the best rates, browse the rooms, or head straight to Unwined restaurant to see what's on the menu this season.