Investment in the hotel sector is experiencing a significant upswing, with Romania witnessing a 56% increase in 2024 versus 2023, reaching €69.3 million. This trend aligns with a broader European surge, where hotel investments reached €20.5 billion, marking a 70% rise and establishing hotels as the leading asset class.
Romania's investment landscape mirrors the European trend of diversifying into commercial assets, particularly hotels. Notable transactions include the acquisition of Bucharest's Ambassador Hotel by Austrian investors.
Over the past three years, 19 hotels have changed hands in Romania, totalling €179.95 million in investments. Mountain and seaside resorts account for ten of these hotels, representing 39% of the total investment value.
"Romania is part of the European trend of diversifying investments into commercial asset classes, with the hotel real estate sector being a big winner," says Ștefan Oana, Head of Capital Markets at Fortim Trusted Advisors, a member of the BNP Paribas Real Estate Alliance.
Significant transactions include the €10.5 million sale of the Orizont Hotel in Predeal, a 139-room project with spa and conference facilities. At the seaside, the Pam Beach Hotel in Olimp was sold for nearly €10 million and will join the Steaua de Mare network as an all-inclusive resort.
Cities like Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and Oradea have also attracted substantial investment, with 14 city hotels sold in the last three years, driven by the growth of business and city break tourism.
Oana anticipates continued growth in this segment, particularly in regional centres with business and cultural tourism potential like Cluj-Napoca and Iași.
