Prompted by the pandemic and driven by the desire to see the world, a growing number of people are opting for fully remote working styles. As they embark on their digital nomad lifestyles, flexible accommodation options that allow guests in for longer periods than hotels or Airbnb but don’t bind them to sign lease long-term agreements are increasingly in demand. Berlin-based start-up Habyt aims to fill this gap with lets lasting around six to nine months. Designed specifically for ‘nomad’ lifestyles, the platform is fully digital, with operations – from viewings to transactions – taking place online. The platform, which has seen significant success, has secured funding of $42 million to drive its growth plans, including expanding its list of locations, which currently amounts to 50 cities worldwide.

With droves of people no longer attached to a single place of permanent residence, there’s a clear need for a greater variety of rental options. Indeed, there are currently around 35 million digital nomads globally, many of whom find daily rates of hotels too expensive for their stays and traditional long-term tenancies too rigid for their dynamic lifestyles. This means there’s an opportunity for brands to cater to them with rentals that hit the middle ground between hotels and long-term leases. Tapping into nomad HNWIs, Ukio offers luxury apartments that combine the comfort of a home with the conveniences of a hotel, allowing people to stay between one and 11 months.