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I've stayed at Roam in Miami, London, and Bali. I was at the London location as the same time as the author of the linked article, and am currently at the tail-end of a three week stay in their Miami property. I think to compare the pricing to a long-term lease, or the facilities to a luxury hotel, is to miss the point. The biggest value proposition is in having a community of like-minded people from the moment you walk through the door. I've never met so many friendly, diverse, interesting people as I have each time I've stayed with them. I sold my home in San Francisco at the beginning of 2015 and have been a full-time nomad since then, staying mostly in hotels. I am 10X more social and more productive when I stay at Roam. Being in a city where you don't know anyone, and aren't a native-speaker of the language, can be very lonely. Having to track down laptop-friendly coffee shops, or commute to co-working spaces, or hunt restaurants for lunch and dinner, can consume a ridiculous percentage of your day. Roam completely solves these issues by facilitating a community, providing great co-working spaces, and having a well-stocked commercial kitchen. Is it more expensive than living on your own? Not compared to SF or NY (or zone 1 in London, where the old London property was). And not compared to a hotel. Is it as nice as a 5-star hotel? Nope (at least none of the rooms in which I stayed). But I'd rather walk out the door of my room and be invited to drinks with friends, than waved at by a bellhop. |