News & Stories

Amsterdam. Amsterdam's policy to "freeze" further hotel development in the city center is increasing real estate prices. A recent report published by Collier Netherlands confirms that a total of over 1 billion euros in hotel real estate changed hands in 2017 with a transaction price up 70%, making a number of investors richer and happier.

Milan. The Italian real estate hospitality market has continued its positive path since 2014. During the first nine months of the year, the country in fact recorded a total hotel investment value of 735 million euros, representing 11% of the overall real estate investments in the country.

London. Alternative hospitality sectors are becoming the 'new norm', according to Paul Collins, Executive Director, Head of Hotel Investment Properties UK & Ireland at CBRE. He identifies three categories of alternative lodging which are moving into the mainstream, including: microtels; hostels; and serviced apartments. Macy Marvel sums up the trends and new brands.

Wiesbaden. Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Andaz: Hyatt Hotels will now also expand its presence in Europe with its new brands. The group, which has up to now concentrated on full service and luxury, is now set to modify its concept with Hyatt House and Hyatt Place. Both these brands are pitched at the 4-star level, in the select service category and also in the long-stay segment. The luxury lifestyle touch is now also set to be expanded in continental Europe with the Andaz brand. The will to expand is great, the concept design is ready, and flexible contract and cluster benefits are in place to convince investors, Peter Fulton says, Group President EMEA/SouthWest Asia at Hyatt Hotels Corporation.

London. Capitalization rates for fixed income prime hotel investments such as lease contracts have reached sub 5%, according to a report from property experts HVS Hodges Ward Elliott.

Paris/Munich. To get an AccorHotels manager to an appointment of late is difficult: The gigantic Booster Project has all employees very busy – also because many questions are still open. All the better it was then to meet Andrea Agrusow last week for an interview in the Novotel Airport Munich. The new COO of AccorInvest Central Europe is also Chairman of the Board of AccorInvest Germany – and thus one of the first new faces in the newly structured Accor world. At her side are: Michael Verhoff, Managing Director of Human Resources at AccorInvest. His presence too had its reason. As of 1 July 2017, AccorInvest has been under the umbrella of Accor S.A and is now responsible for real estate, lease and tenancies – and is thus, as of immediately, strictly separate from AccorHotels. The latter is now "a mere" management contract partner of AccorInvest.

Munich/Frankfurt. 13 hotels in Germany and the Netherlands now have a new owner: They have been acquired from various funds, managed by subsidiaries of Apollo Global Management, for a total of three mandates by Invesco. The operator is Event.

Berlin. For a long time, the hotel business was a "closed shop", especially for investors. Now, a new hotel lease data base is to provide more transparency in Germany.

Rome. L'Agenzia del Demanio, the Italian state property office, in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence has just assigned fifteen buildings included in the second wave of the "Valore Paese Fari" project, which started with the renting of lighthouses. Renting coastal towers or lighthouses to private investors from Italy and outside seems to have become a beneficial project for the state treasury, for tourism and the investors. The agency will call for more tenders in future, namely for about 100 new assets per year.

Berlin. With its mini-hotels in German lighthouses, the Berlin-based company Floatel has been very successful: The first three are 100% booked out for all of the next two years. Now, Floatel is expanding to Spain and Italy. There, the company has won tenders for concessions for three lighthouses in Venice, Apulia and on the island of Ischia. Managing Director Tim Wittenbecher on the challenges of converting lighthouses, including the need for an anti-mafia certificate in Italy.