Prague is the second most attractive market in CEE for hotel operators with a presence or interest in the region. Its popularity is backed up by H1 2023 being a period of healthy recovery for Prague hotels which achieved the second highest (after Budapest) RevPAR (revenue per available room) among the region’s capitals. In this year’s first six months, it reached €69, which is an increase of 57 percent versus H1 2022, and already a 5 percent increase versus the pre-Covid H1 2019. This was primarily driven by the strong ADR (average daily rate) growth, which surpassed 2019 levels by over 20 percent. Hotel operators are optimistic about the industry’s outlook and keen to expand across the CEE region. However, 28 percent of planned hotel projects in the region are facing delays or put on hold, mainly due to the increased development costs, reports Cushman & Wakefield in the Hotel Operator Beat survey.

Bucharest is the fifth most attractive market out of 20 cities in CEE-12 in terms of the interest of the main operators to invest in new hotel facilities in the next period, while the results of hotel operators in the Romanian capital reaching pre-pandemic rates, according to a survey by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox. 

Synapsis Property Ventures plans to build a new type of hotel at the entrance to Železná studienka in the office zone next to ESET's headquarters in Bratislava. The plan has already received a positive investment decision from the City of Bratislava. The total cost of the construction is estimated by the developer to exceed €50 million. The project is co-financed by Tatra Banka. 

Romanian real estate company Rock Development Holding will invest €70 million in the development of its first five-star luxury hotel in Poiana Brașov. The new luxury project will comprise a hotel with 120 rooms and an aparthotel with 75 residential units.

Hospitality group Accor has inaugurated The Crown, a four-star hotel in Kraków, which is part of the Handwritten Collection, a portfolio of boutique hotels from around the world. This is Accor’s second property of this kind in the region and the first in Poland.

At the beginning of August, ibis Styles Warszawa Airport with 124 rooms was launched in Warsaw, replacing Holiday Inn Express Airport opened in 2012 in the Poleczki Park complex with six office buildings. It is the 19th facility under the ibis Styles brand in Poland. The hotel is managed by the Accor network.

Marriott International has signed an agreement with Vlora Marina to open a new dual-branded property comprising a new hotel under the Marriott Hotels brand and Marriott Residences available for private ownership. Situated in the coastal city of Vlorë, the new build property will benefit from a prime waterfront location in the heart of the city as well as being a part of Vlora Marina investment. The new build complex is expected to debut in 2028 

The first Hampton by Hilton hotel in Târgu Mureș has been inaugurated in July following an investment of €11 million made by Multinvest Group. 

Marriott International has signed an agreement with Valdarke d.o.o. to bring an Autograph Collection resort to the island of Cres in Croatia.

Hotel chain Hyatt has expanded its presence in Bulgaria with the recent opening of its second Hyatt Regency hotel. The Hyatt Regency Pravets Resort, previously part of the Spanish chain RIU Hotels, is now under the umbrella of Hyatt Hotels Corporation. This expansion follows the opening of Hyatt Regency Sofia in 2020.