HotelF1

After the successful launch of the ibis brand positioned a notch below the midscale Novotel, the group Accor reiterated its strategy in 1984 with the creation of Formule 1, an economy hotel brand positioned a notch under ibis and that was opened its first location in 1985. The Formule 1 hotels were low-key lodging with the essential collective commodities and no on-site restaurant.[3]

The construction process of Formule 1 hotels was completely industrialized and standardized, allowing Accor to open one location every week.[4] In the early 1990s, the engineering techniques of Formule 1 inspired the group Accor to launch another economy brand, Etap Hôtel (now ibis budget).[5] In the late 1990s, the construction techniques of Formule 1 were also adopted by Accor's other economy brand, ibis.[6]

In 1997, Formule 1 occupied 39% of the super-economy hotel market in France.[7] From 1985 to 2005, 100 million customers stayed in Formule 1 hotels.[8]

In 2007, Formule 1 was rebranded as HotelF1. In September 2009, Accor announced the sale of 158 HotelF1 hotels in a €272-million sale and management-back deal.[9]

In 2012, following a new hotel star-rating system in France, HotelF1 became a one-star hotel brand.[10]

In 2017, Accor announced a new branding strategy and refurbishment program for HotelF1. Shared rooms with a per-bed pricing were introduced. The lobby became a social open space, with a wall to share local tips and a terminal screen with +100 arcade games. The brand signature became On the road.[2][11]