Hotels have long competed to make the guest room feel like a retreat, but nhow Hotels & Resorts is betting that some travelers want something very different: a place to play. The design-driven European brand has launched GAME:NXT by nhow, a new gaming and esports concept developed in partnership with SK Gaming that brings professional-grade digital experiences directly into the hotel stay.

Following a pilot at nhow Berlin, the concept is now expanding across Europe, with nhow Frankfurt the latest property to introduce dedicated Gaming Rooms. Six rooms feature high-performance PCs, ultra-fast connectivity, ergonomic gaming setups, dual high-resolution screens and PlayStation 5 consoles, with VR headsets and streaming equipment available on request. Guests can also request portable POGA Gaming Suitcases, which turn a conventional hotel room into a private gaming setup with a PlayStation 5, controllers and an integrated screen. The suitcases are now available at participating nhow properties in Germany, the BeNeLux, Italy and France, while Gaming Rooms are planned for nhow Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Brussels in 2027. A new Gaming Studio is also planned for nhow Brussels, following Berlin’s model as a space for content creators, esports teams and boot camps.

The Curated Take: GAME:NXT is interesting because it treats gaming as part of the culture of travel rather than simply another hotel amenity. For a generation accustomed to bringing entertainment, community and work into the hotel room through a laptop or phone, the next evolution may be hotels deliberately designing spaces around those digital identities. Nhow is essentially asking what a hotel room looks like when gaming is one of the reasons a guest wants to be there.