Christie & Co recently launched their new report focusing on the hostel markets in Vienna, Prague and Budapest. The report shows an overview of the business model itself, key characteristics, the evolution of the hostel concept and gives a deeper insight of the mentioned markets: Vienna, Prague and Budapest, in terms of demand, supply and especially branded supply.

Union Investment has agreed to acquire two planned hotel properties in Kraków and Katowice with a total of 527 rooms. The developer, vendor and future operator of the two midscale hotels, which are scheduled for completion in autumn 2021, is UBM. The purchase price of the ibis Styles-branded hotel in Kraków and Mercure-branded hotel in Katowice is approximately €86 million in total. Both leases run for 25 years.

Värde Partners, a leading global alternative investment firm, entered into a definitive agreement to sell a portfolio of eight luxury hotels operating under The Dedica Anthology brand to Covivio, a European real estate operator, through its subsidiary Covivio Hotels. The portfolio includes New York Palace and New York Residence in Budapest and Carlo IV in Prague.

Romanian bank BCR has completed the sale of the historic Oscar Maugsch Palace, located on Bucharest’s Universitatii Square, to the Luxembourg-based Vivion Investment Fund, controlled by Isaac and Amir Dayan from Israel. The value of the transaction is estimated to be between €30-35 million, according to unofficial sources quoted by Economica.net.

Accor has entered into a binding agreement to sell its 85.8% stake in Orbis to AccorInvest at a price of PLN 115 per share, corresponding to proceeds for Accor of €1.06 billion (PLN 4.55 billion), in line with Orbis’ Gross Asset Value. This completes the Orbis transaction, following the acquisition by Accor of Orbis’ Management and Franchise business last October for €286m.

Europa Capital has sold the Radisson Collection hotel in Warsaw on behalf of its value add fund, Europa Fund V to Wenaas Hotels Europe A/S, part of Wenaasgruppen. The sale follows the comprehensive refurbishment of the property, which has been upgraded from a Radisson Blu to a five star Radisson Collection branded hotel, the first in Poland. The 311-room hotel will continue to be operated by Radisson Hospitality AB under an International Management Agreement.

Real estate developer Mulberry Development, controlled by businessman Ovidiu Șandor, has obtained the building permit for the Radisson Blu hotel in Timișoara. The 160-room hotel will be completed in 2021. The hotel will be operated by the Radisson Hotel Group.

Libra Internet Bank and developer Niro Group have signed a financing agreement worth €24 million for the development of a Swissôtel hotel on Expozitiei Boulevard in northern Bucharest.

With the checkout of the last guest on 4 November 2019 a new era has started in the story of the downtown building which in the past 20 years was known as the four-star Starlight Suiten Hotel Budapest. The new Mamaison Hotel will open its gates expectedly in mid-summer 2020. CPIPG also announced plans for a brand new 3-star property (located between the ex-Starlight and the Four Seasons Gresham Palace.

The opening of the Moxy Bucharest Old Town hotel in the historical centre of the capital is planned to take place by the end of 2019.