City Room Rentals

What City Room Rentals does

City Room Rentals (legal entity: Edinburgh Room Rentals Ltd) is a UK-based online accommodation marketplace founded in September 2014 by Nick Findlay, headquartered at CodeBase Stirling in Scotland. The company operates a two-sided B2B2C platform connecting Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) operators and universities with students, corporate visitors, festival-goers, and long-let tenants across approximately 57 UK and Ireland cities. Its core products comprise four booking verticals: short-let, student, festival (notably the Edinburgh Fringe), and apartment long-term lettings, supported by modular services including booking management, content/channel management with bespoke channel manager technology, OTA integration (Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com), revenue management and yield optimization, group booking referrals, and dedicated personal account management.

The underlying technology is a proprietary booking platform launched in March 2016 with 24-hour OTA synchronization and a bespoke channel manager that distributes partner inventory across multiple OTAs and direct channels. CRR monetizes through a mix of transaction fees on direct bookings, managed services fees for booking administration on behalf of PBSA operators and universities, professional services for revenue management and income targeting, and rental income from at least five residential properties owned through wholly-owned SPVs (City Rentals Group Ltd, SPV City Room Rentals, SPV CRR) in the Stirling area and beyond. Pricing spans weekly student rates of £51-£412, daily short-let rates of £80-£285, and monthly apartment rentals of £400-£1,500 depending on location and property type.

The go-to-market combines B2B sales-led enterprise contracts with universities and PBSA operators (including multi-year agreements with the University of the Highlands and Islands, Allied Student Accommodation, Stirling Venues, GSA, Student Roost, CRM, and others), B2C direct booking through its own website, and OTA channel partnerships for extended reach. The company has no disclosed external funding beyond a 2015 Young Scottish Edge grant (backed by Sir Tom Hunter) and 2015 backing from the Mansion Group, and operates as a private, founder-led limited company with 11-50 employees.

Name

City Room Rentals

Legal name

Edinburgh Room Rentals Ltd

Website

https://cityroomrentals.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

City Room Rentals is a UK-based online marketplace connecting Purpose Built Student Accommodation operators and universities with students, corporate visitors, and festival-goers across ~57 UK and Ireland cities, offering booking management, OTA distribution, and revenue management services supplemented by owned-property rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Accommodation Marketplace

NAICS

All Other Traveler Accommodation (721199), Other Traveler Accommodation (72119), Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps (7213)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Hotels & Motels (7011)

akta.pro primary industry

Local/Regional Vacation Rental Marketplaces (Geo-Focused Platforms) (THAMALAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Summer/Conference Housing & Guest Accommodations (EDALACAI), Co-Host / On-the-Ground Operations & Guest Services (BPAJAIAI), Lodging Reservations (Hotels, Vacation Rentals) (HSACALAI)

Keywords

• Student accommodation marketplace
• PBSA booking management
• Short-term accommodation
• OTA channel management
• Festival accommodation booking

Headquarters

HQ city

Stirling

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Booking Management Services: Provides booking management and revenue services to PBSA operators, universities, and hotels. The company takes bookings on behalf of partners and charges for the service, providing content management, OTA integration, and revenue optimization.
2. Property Revenue Management: Revenue management and income targeting services for summer lettings and accommodation providers. Analysis of property income potential with booking management service delivery.
3. Direct Property Bookings: Direct booking fees and commissions from short-term lets, student accommodation, festival stays, and apartment lettings booked through the company's own platform
4. Owned Property Operations: Revenue from company-owned properties acquired through SPV City Room Rentals and SPV City Rentals Group Ltd, including residential and short-stay properties in Stirling area

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

City Room Rentals operates as an online accommodation marketplace that connects students, festival-goers, corporate visitors, and leisure travelers with short-term, student, festival, and apartment accommodation across 33+ cities in the UK and Ireland. The company also provides B2B booking management, OTA channel management, and revenue optimization services to purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) operators, universities, and hotel partners.

Product overview

City Room Rentals operates as an online accommodation marketplace offering four core booking products: Short Let accommodation for professionals and leisure travelers, Student Accommodation for university students including PBSA and summer letting, Festival Accommodation with a focus on Edinburgh Fringe, and Apartment/Long-term Lettings for extended stays. The platform spans 57 UK and Ireland locations. Supporting the core booking platform, the company offers modular add-on services including Booking Management Services, Content Management Solutions with a bespoke channel manager, OTA Integration (Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com), Revenue Management Services, Group Booking Referrals, and dedicated Personal Account Management. A complementary University Partnership Platform enables higher education institutions to outsource student placement to private accommodation. The company also operates property holdings through its SPV City Rentals Group, which acquires residential assets for management via the in-house short lets team.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Short Let Accommodation Short-term rental accommodation booking service for professionals, leisure travelers, and visitors across UK cities, covering stays from a few days to several months with properties ranging from individual rooms to full apartments.
• Student Accommodation Purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) booking service for university students, including term-time and summer letting options. Partners with universities and PBSA operators to match students with suitable accommodation across UK and Ireland university towns.
• Festival Accommodation Specialized accommodation booking service for festival-goers with particular focus on the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, providing affordable student accommodation options during peak festival periods.
• Apartment Lettings Long-term apartment rental listings and booking service for extended stays, with monthly rental prices typically ranging from £400 to £1,500 pcm depending on location and property size.
• Booking Management Services Full-service booking management offering for PBSA operators, universities, and hotels, covering reservations handling, guest communications, and end-to-end booking administration on behalf of accommodation partners.
• Content Management Solutions with Channel Manager Proprietary content management solution with a bespoke Channel Manager for property listings, integrating with leading OTAs (Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com) using 24-hour synchronization, unified brand listing management, and discounted OTA rates for PBSA operators and hotel partners.
• Revenue Management Services Expert analysis and management of property income potential, including summer income targets, rent guarantees, and yield optimization strategies delivered for investors and accommodation providers.
• PBSA Summer Letting Solution Specialized service for purpose-built student accommodation operators to maximize occupancy during summer letting periods, including a complimentary customized summer revenue forecast report for partner operators.
• University Partnership / Student Placement Platform Student placement platform built in conjunction with universities and higher education providers, enabling universities to outsource student housing to private accommodation providers and supporting allocations offices with c.150 student placements during peak intake.

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered over 45,000 bed nights during Edinburgh International Festival (June 2015)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Scottish Property FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024City Room Rentals officially joined the Scottish Property Federation, the foremost trade association representing the UK's real estate sector. Membership offers opportunities for industry insights, stakeholder connections, and policy influence.
• Allied Student Accommodation LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023Awarded long-term contract to deliver hotel booking services across Allied's PBSA asset in Edinburgh. CRR provides expertise, management capabilities, and income delivery skills to enhance portfolio performance during summer letting seasons.
• University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023Awarded long-term contract (up to 5 years) to provide booking services for all UHI campus locations. CRR delivers high-quality, seamless accommodation experiences for campus users and has helped UHI exceed net operating income financial metrics while broadening reach within alternative tourism channels.
• Glasgow UniversitiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 2021Partnership with leading Glasgow universities to support allocations and accommodation offices, helping place hundreds of first-year students during busiest intake in over a decade.
• Uninest Student ResidencesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 April 2019Partnership in Dublin with Uninest for their flagship property Ardcairn House, providing booking management and revenue services for summer commercial break hosting.
• Hattington CapitalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 April 2019Partnership in Dublin with Hattington Capital for their property Highlight Thomas Street, providing booking management services.
• CodeBase StirlingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2019Relocated to CodeBase Stirling, the largest technology incubator in the UK and one of fastest-growing in Europe, home to over 60 companies.
• Global Student Accommodation (GSA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2018Partnership with leading international student operator to deliver summer lettings income across GSA's key UK markets including Edinburgh, Cardiff, Southampton, and Liverpool.
• Curlew Capital / Curlew Student TrustminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 December 2017Partnership to market iconic John Bell House in Belfast city centre, offering affordable accommodation to students and leisure customers.
• Student RoostcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 August 2017Partnership with Student Roost following Brookfield's acquisition of UNITE properties, assisting with sales cycle for Edinburgh properties.
• Edinburgh International Television Festival (EITF)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2017Renewed as Official Accommodation Partner of EITF, providing accommodation for festival delegates.
• University of the Highlands and Islands (Fort William)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2016Partnership with UHI and City Heart Living to launch campus accommodation in Fort William, operating as commercial hostel during summer months.
• Entrepreneurial SparkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2016Accepted onto Entrepreneurial Spark programme, the world's largest free business accelerator based at RBS HQ Tech hub, Gogarburn.
• City Heart LivingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2015Provided consultancy expertise on new UHI accommodation development valued at £44m, building two brand new student residences.
• Guardian TV FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2015Partnership to create brand new Festival Campus offering the heart of Edinburgh during festival season.
• CRM StudentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 May 2015Partnership with one of the largest student accommodation providers in the UK for booking management and revenue services.
• Stirling Venues (University of Stirling)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2015Exclusive agreement to provide booking management services for Stirling Court Hotel (year-round) and approximately 2000 student accommodation beds operating as commercial hotels during summer vacation.
• Bowfonds Investment Management / CollegiateminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 April 2015Partnership to provide booking management services for student accommodation, breaking revenue records.
• Heriot Watt UniversitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 March 2015Partnership to match students with available private accommodation beds in Edinburgh city.
• Napier UniversitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 March 2015Partnership to match students with available private accommodation beds in Edinburgh.
• Mansion StudentminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 February 2015Agreement to provide booking management for all Mansion Student accommodation, breaking revenue records.
• UNITE StudentscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 December 2014Early partnership with leading UK student accommodation provider for matching festival-goers to affordable accommodation.
• Knight FrankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnight Frank was impressed by City Room Rentals' specific knowledge and track record in PBSA market, helping remodel financial appraisals for student development projects.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Emerging players

• Hello Student: UK-focused PBSA operator and accommodation brand, overlapping with CRR's target market of UK student renters. A potential partner for managed services and a competitor for direct student bookings in shared geographies.
• Student Roost: Major UK PBSA operator following the Brookfield acquisition of UNITE properties. Already a CRR partner for summer letting and group bookings, making it both a comparable PBSA provider and a key customer for CRR's managed services.
• Unite Students: Largest UK PBSA operator, historically a CRR partner for festival accommodation and summer letting. As a vertically integrated operator, Unite represents both a key channel partner and a potential competitor if it brings distribution fully in-house.
• Mansion Group: UK student investment and accommodation specialist that is both a CRR partner (financial backer since 2015 and client) and a peer in the PBSA sector. Its investment focus on UK student property creates potential for vertical integration risk or partnership opportunity.

Broad incumbents

• Booking.com: Dominant global OTA whose short-let and long-stay inventory competes with CRR's marketplace listings and through which CRR itself distributes via channel manager integration. Represents both a distribution partner and competitive threat.
• VRBO: Major vacation rental marketplace operated by Expedia Group, competing with CRR's short-let and apartment letting products. Represents a broader incumbent alternative for property owners considering OTA distribution versus CRR's managed services.
• Hostelworld: Leading global OTA focused on hostels and budget accommodation, with significant overlap in CRR's festival/student short-stay segment, particularly during Edinburgh Fringe. Larger and better capitalised, with broader geographic reach.

Direct peers

• Uniplaces: Online marketplace for student accommodation, primarily in Europe, connecting students with verified private and PBSA rooms. Overlaps directly with CRR's student accommodation vertical across UK and Ireland university cities.
• Amberstudent: Global student accommodation booking platform offering PBSA bookings across the UK, Ireland, and other markets. Competes head-to-head with CRR for international and domestic student bookings in UK university towns.
• Student.com: Global online marketplace for student accommodation, allowing students to search and book PBSA and private rooms worldwide. Direct competitor to City Room Rentals' core student marketplace offering, though Student.com operates at much larger global scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cityroomrentals
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-room-rentals
• Facebookfacebook.com/CityRoomRentals

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City Room Rentals