LyLo

What LyLo does

LyLo is a modern hostel/accommodation brand operated under Event Hospitality & Entertainment (EVT), offering pod-based sleeping units, private rooms and ensuite accommodations across four operational properties in New Zealand (Auckland, Queenstown, Christchurch Airport) and Australia (Brisbane), with two additional Australian locations (Gold Coast and Fremantle) announced as coming soon. The brand is built around proprietary self-contained pods featuring COMFI mattresses, USB charging, personal lighting, fans, privacy screens and dedicated lockers, paired with digital self check-in/out and, at select sites, self-pour bar systems using room-key tab management. Pricing is positioned at the affordable end of accommodation — single pods from NZ$39-49/night in NZ and AU$61/night in Brisbane, with private ensuites and group pod rooms at higher tiers — and a 10% direct-booking discount (LYLO10) is used to drive lylo.com conversions alongside multi-OTA distribution on Booking.com, Expedia, Hostelworld and others.

LyLo monetizes through three primary streams: nightly accommodation revenue across pod and room tiers, on-site food and beverage (Miss Lucy's Bar in Auckland, rooftop bars in Queenstown and Brisbane with self-pour systems), and campervan rentals via the LyLo Road Trips sub-brand, which bundles indoor-kitchen-equipped vans with freedom-camping capability and offers complimentary LyLo stays for 15+ day rentals. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer, with heavy emphasis on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook community building, social events (trivia, BBQs, yoga, games nights), a Mates We Rate referral network across UK, Netherlands, South America and Southeast Asia, and competitions such as the Ultimate NZ Road Trip giveaway. Sub-products LyLo Play, LyLo Work and LyLo Groups extend the core accommodation into social/entertainment, coworking (with a Work + Travel program in Auckland), and group bookings for up to 12 guests respectively, targeting solo travelers, backpackers, digital nomads, groups and families across the Australasian backpacker corridor.

Name

LyLo

Legal name

LyLo

Website

https://lylo.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LyLo is a modern pod-based hostel brand under EVT, operating four properties across New Zealand and Brisbane with on-site F&B, coworking, group bookings, and an integrated campervan rental sub-brand targeting backpackers, solo travelers, digital nomads and groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Budget Hostel Accommodation

NAICS

All Other Traveler Accommodation (721199), Recreational Goods Rental (532284)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Auto Rental & Leasing (No Drivers) (7510)

akta.pro primary industry

Capsule & Pod Hostels (THAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Campervan Rentals (Class B / Converted Vans) (THADAIAA)

Keywords

• Pod hostel accommodation
• Backpacker lodging
• Campervan rentals
• Budget travel accommodation
• Co-living hostels

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Accommodation Revenue: LyLo generates primary revenue through nightly pod and room rentals across its properties in New Zealand and Australia. Room types include single pods, pod rooms (groups), private rooms, and ensuite rooms at varying price points per night.
2. Food & Beverage: On-site bars and restaurants at LyLo locations including Miss Lucy's Bar in Auckland, rooftop bars in Queenstown and Brisbane, and self-pour bar systems. Revenue from food, beverages, cocktails and craft beers.
3. Campervan Rentals: LyLo Road Trips generates revenue through campervan rental services in New Zealand, with vans featuring indoor kitchens, freedom camping capabilities, and comprehensive outdoor equipment packages. Bookable through lylo.com.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

LyLo operates modern hostel/accommodation properties offering self-contained pod sleeping units, pod rooms, private rooms and ensuite rooms across locations in New Zealand (Auckland, Queenstown, Christchurch Airport) and Australia (Brisbane, with Gold Coast and Fremantle announced). Properties feature communal kitchens, social spaces, on-site bars and restaurants (including Miss Lucy's Bar and rooftop bars with self-pour systems), coworking facilities and a curated events program. The offering is extended by LyLo Road Trips, a campervan rental service in New Zealand, providing a complete travel accommodation ecosystem for budget-conscious travelers, backpackers, groups and digital nomads.

Product overview

LyLo is a modern hostel accommodation brand operated by EVT (Event Hospitality & Entertainment) offering pod-style sleeping units, private rooms, and ensuite accommodations across six locations in New Zealand (Auckland, Queenstown, Christchurch Airport) and Australia (Brisbane, Gold Coast, Fremantle). The core product is LyLo Accommodation, supplemented by LyLo Road Trips (campervan rentals for New Zealand exploration), LyLo Play (social activities and events), LyLo Work (coworking facilities), and LyLo Groups (group booking services). Each property features communal kitchens, social spaces, and wellness amenities, with some locations including on-site bars like Miss Lucy's in Auckland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LyLo Road Trips: Campervan rental service offering self-contained vehicles for road trips in New Zealand, featuring slide-out bed and fixed bed camper options.

Products and services

• LyLo Accommodation Modern hostel accommodation offering self-contained pod sleeping units, pod rooms (4–12 guests), private rooms, and ensuite rooms across properties in New Zealand and Australia. Includes communal kitchens, coworking spaces, social areas, and on-site bars/restaurants. Targeted at solo travelers, backpackers, groups, families and digital nomads.
• LyLo Road Trips Campervan Rentals Self-contained campervan rental service operating in New Zealand with pickup and dropoff at LyLo properties. Two vehicle models (Slide Out Bed Camper and Fixed Bed Camper) feature indoor kitchens, freedom camping capability, 48-hour off-grid power and comprehensive outdoor equipment packages. Targets travelers planning self-drive New Zealand road trips, with complimentary 1-night stays at LyLo Auckland or Christchurch for bookings of 15+ days.

Quantifiable outcome

• Direct booking discount of extra 10% off when booking through lylo.com
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• EVT (Event Hospitality & Entertainment)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyLo is part of Event Hospitality & Entertainment (EVT), a major Australian hospitality and entertainment group. EVT owns and operates a portfolio of accommodation brands including QT Hotels, Rydges, Atura Hotels, Independent Collection, thredbo, as well as entertainment venues like Event Cinemas and GIFTO gift cards. This parent company relationship provides operational backing, brand credibility, and potential cross-promotional opportunities across the EVT portfolio.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Selina: Selina is a global hostel/hotel hybrid brand targeting digital nomads and backpackers with design-led shared and private accommodation plus coworking and social programming. It is directly comparable to LyLo's combined Sleep/Play/Work product stack.
• YHA New Zealand: YHA New Zealand operates a nationwide network of backpacker hostels including locations in Auckland, Queenstown, and Christchurch. It is a comparable direct peer to LyLo in the NZ hostel segment, though more traditional and dormitory-oriented than LyLo's pod format.
• Base Backpackers: Base Backpackers operates a chain of social hostels across Australia and New Zealand (Auckland, Queenstown, Sydney, Melbourne, and others). It directly competes with LyLo for backpackers in the same AU/NZ markets, particularly Queenstown where both brands have a presence.
• Generator Hostels: Generator is a European-origin design-led hostel chain offering pod-style and private rooms with on-site bars, social spaces, and coworking. It is directly comparable to LyLo in targeting modern, style-conscious backpackers with hotel-grade amenities at hostel prices.
• Nomads Hostels: Nomads is a backpacker hostel brand with locations across New Zealand, Australia, and other destinations, offering shared dorm and private rooms targeted at the same backpacker and working holiday segment as LyLo.
• Jucy Snooze: Jucy Snooze is a New Zealand-based pod/capsule-style hostel brand operating in Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown. It is the closest direct competitor to LyLo in the NZ market, offering similar private pod sleeping units to backpackers and budget travelers.
• Britz Campervan Rentals: Britz is a major New Zealand and Australia campervan rental operator owned by THL. It is the most direct peer to LyLo Road Trips in the NZ self-drive campervan rental market, with a substantially larger fleet and broader pickup network.
• Maui Campervan Rentals: Maui is another THL-owned NZ/AU campervan rental brand offering premium motorhomes and campervans. It competes with LyLo Road Trips in the New Zealand freedom-camping segment and is relevant for benchmarking campervan pricing and fleet scale.

Broad incumbents

• Hostelworld: Hostelworld is a global OTA specializing in hostel bookings, and one of LyLo's listed distribution channels. It is a broad incumbent peer in that it aggregates LyLo and its direct competitors, influencing price discovery and demand flow across the segment.
• Booking.com: Booking.com is a leading global OTA and a key distribution channel for LyLo alongside Hostelworld and Agoda. As a broad incumbent it shapes the competitive landscape in which LyLo's direct-booking strategy must operate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/staylylo
• Instagraminstagram.com/staylylo
• TikToktiktok.com/@staylylo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/staylylo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 LyLo