Growth with foresight
Berlin, 04 October 2023 – At Expo Real 2023, Leonardo Hotels Central Europe draws a positive balance of the current year, and the outlook for the upcoming year promises further growth. The hotel group is banking on new hotels, new markets and a new brand. Only last year, the Fattal Hotel Group – parent company of Leonardo Hotels – closed a hotel fund with more than 315 million euros to expand its portfolio with a focus on Europe. This amount served as seed capital for investments amounting to one billion euros for the purchase of several hotels in different markets and locations in Europe. The hotel chain is also well positioned for future expansion plans, as Yoram Biton, Managing Director Leonardo Hotels Central Europe, emphasises: "We are currently working on launching a new fund to further accelerate our dynamic growth. We anticipate the fund to be of the same magnitude as the previous one. It will not only strengthen our position in the business and conference sector, but also help us expand our offer into the segment of leisure travellers and FIT travellers. We are very positive about the future.“
One of the hotel chain’s special concerns is the strategic expansion into the French market. Houses in Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux, Lyon or Strasbourg are the focus here. They will form the basis for sustainable growth in the neighbouring country. "We are confident that we will soon be able to position ourselves in France. In addition to France, we are also setting our sights on Scandinavia as a new market, and we also want to strengthen our presence in Eastern Europe. As always, we will act with caution and foresight everywhere," says Yoram Biton, outlining further pillars of the hotel chain's expansion strategy.
Exceptional hotels with unique personality
The company is also set on expanding the Leonardo Limited Edition brand, which was launched only a few months ago. The sub-brand brings together a curated selection of independent hotels and is to be rolled out across Europe. "We are already sifting through suitable properties and are confident that we will soon launch Leonardo Limited Edition in the European market," says Jan Heringa, Vice President Development and Project Management.
New hotels for the international leisure segment
The hotel chain is reporting strong growth in the leisure segment, as well, thereby following in the footsteps of its parent company Fattal Hotel Group, which is the market leader in this segment in Israel. One example is the Leonardo Lago di Garda - Wellness and Spa in picturesque Lazise on Lake Garda, which opened in April 2023 and raised the number of Leonardo hotels in Italy to six. In Spain, Leonardo Hotels was also able to add new hotels: Four hotels and two attached apartment buildings in Mallorca and Ibiza were opened in June 2023 after extensive renovation and have since complemented the portfolio of Leonardo Hotels Central Europe in Spain. The new NYX Hotel Ibiza, the Leonardo Royal Ibiza Santa Eulalia, the Leonardo Royal Mallorca and the Leonardo Royal Mallorca Palmanova Bay bring the company's presence in the country to a total of 17 locations, seven of which are on the Balearic Islands and ten on the mainland. Another milestone was reached in Austria, where after completing the renovation and rebranding of eight hotels of the former Star Inn Group, Leonardo Hotels Central Europe now ranks among the largest hospitality providers in the country. The hotel group is thus able to add further top locations for business and leisure travellers to its portfolio – among them Vienna, Linz and Salzburg.
New openings in Germany strengthen lifestyle and business travel segment
In Germany, Leonardo Hotels Central Europe has its strongest presence with more than 60 properties. The Leonardo Royal Cologne Bonn Airport opened in July 2023 as a new top address for business travellers and event planners. And from Berlin, Leonardo Hotels Central Europe reports good news, as well: Following the takeover of a hotel in Berlin-Köpenick, the four-star property will be extensively renovated while remaining in operation throughout the process. Rebranded as NYX Hotel Berlin Köpenick by Leonardo Hotels, the property will be the first location of the lifestyle brand in the capital from April 2024 on. In Hamburg, the NYX Hotel Hamburg, located directly on the Fleet, has been delighting tourists and business travellers since its opening in July. Here, urban lifestyle meets art and Hanseatic spirit, which strikes a chord with the times. With the opening of the Leonardo Esslingen in November 2023, the hotel group is establishing itself in the Stuttgart region for the first time.
Renovation of existing properties
Leonardo Hotels Central Europe is by no means focussed exclusively on portfolio expansion, however. The hotel group is also investing in the maintenance of its existing hotels. Next year, for example, the 449 rooms of the Leonardo Royal Frankfurt will get a new look with new bathrooms, and the public areas will be given a makeover, as well. After an extensive renovation of the rooms and public areas at the Leonardo Royal Baden-Baden, the spa will also take on a new splendour. "The continuous renovation of our existing hotels is part and parcel of our sustainability concept. Only those who consistently invest can offer their guests the best possible experience in the long term,“ Yoram Biton sums up. "As hosts, this has always been our commitment.“