Case Study: Delivering Destination EV Charging for Atlas Hotels

The Challenge

Atlas Hotels operates a portfolio of high-footfall Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn and Hampton by Hilton hotels serving business travellers, event visitors and leisure guests. At locations such as Holiday Inn Express Northampton - South, situated just off the M1, guest convenience is critical.

Hotel teams were receiving increasing numbers of enquiries from guests asking about EV charging, and this feedback was taken seriously. EV charging was no longer just a nice addition. It had become a practical requirement and an important search filter on booking platforms, influencing where guests chose to stay.

Atlas Hotels needed a solution that would support guests seamlessly, without adding complexity for hotel teams, and a partner that understood how EV charging fits into the overall guest journey.

The Approach

Go Zero worked closely with Atlas Hotels to deliver destination EV charging at Holiday Inn Express locations across the UK, including Northampton South, Cambridge, Bicester, Lincoln, Newport and at Birmingham Airport and the NEC.

At Holiday Inn Express Northampton - South, the installation includes four charging sockets across two dual chargers, positioned neatly alongside the building, with a dedicated payment kiosk installed nearby. The aim was to integrate charging into the hotel environment in a way that felt intuitive and unobtrusive for guests.

From the outset, the focus was on understanding the guest journey. For EV drivers, charging often forms both the first and last interaction with a hotel. Ensuring that experience is smooth, reliable, and stress-free was a core consideration throughout the project.

Rather than treating the installation as a standalone technical exercise, Go Zero worked in partnership with Atlas Hotels from scoping and planning through to installation and ongoing support.

EV Charging as a Guest Expectation

For Atlas Hotels, EV charging is increasingly viewed in the same way Wi-Fi was over a decade ago. Once considered an added extra, it has now become an expected amenity.

Guests want reassurance that they can arrive, plug in, stay overnight and leave fully charged, ready for the day ahead. Providing that certainty plays an important role in the overall guest experience, particularly for business travellers and those attending meetings or events.

Why Go Zero

Atlas Hotels selected Go Zero for its partnership-led approach and its understanding of how EV charging needs to work in a hospitality setting.

Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, Go Zero focused on working with the hotel team to determine the right approach for each site, with the shared aim of improving the guest experience.

This was not positioned solely as a revenue-driven initiative. Instead, the emphasis was on delivering a reliable, end-to-end charging experience that reflects Atlas Hotels’ standards of service and care.

Flexible payment and access

To support a wide range of guest preferences, the charging solution includes multiple payment options. Guests can use a QR code on the charger, pay via the on-site payment kiosk, book charging in advance using the Go Zero app, or use a tap-and-pay mini kiosk available at reception.

This flexibility helps remove barriers for guests and makes charging simple, regardless of how familiar they are with EV infrastructure.

The Outcome

EV charging is now available at Holiday Inn Express Northampton - South and Cambridge, enabling Atlas Hotels to respond confidently to rising guest demand and enhance visibility on booking platforms where EV charging is used as a filter.

The installations were delivered smoothly, with no disruption to hotel operations, and continue to be supported through Go Zero’s managed service model.

Customer Feedback:

Claire Waddington, Atlas Hotels Ltd, said:

“We’ve been having more and more guests asking for EV charging facilities, and it’s something we’ve taken very seriously. Go Zero has made the process really straightforward. They’ve clearly got the expertise in EV charging, and the whole experience has been seamless. We’ve had no issues with the installation and we’re really happy with the service that’s been provided.”

Go Zero insight

Andy Taylor, CEO at Go Zero, said:

“We’re seeing a growing number of hotels asking for destination charging that is reliable and fully managed. Hotels need us to go beyond just charging to offer a solution that enhances the guest experience without adding operational complexity. Working with Atlas Hotels is a great example of how a collaborative approach leads to strong outcomes for everyone involved.”

The Bigger Picture

As EV ownership grows and destination charging becomes a key part of how drivers plan journeys, hotels that offer reliable, well-managed charging are better placed to meet guest expectations. This project with Atlas Hotels demonstrates how destination charging can be introduced in a way that supports guests, hotel teams and long-term operational needs.