The Central and Eastern European (CEE) hospitality market is showing a positive evolution, with all the performance indicators higher than in the previous year. Between 2013 and 2017, Bucharest stands out with an average increase of overnight stays of 10.1% per year, the highest in the region, according to Cushman & Wakefield’s latest report.

While investors in CEE are figuring out what is the best operating model for maximising hotel investments and returns, international investors are flooding the market to acquire assets. Marius Gomola MRICS, Managing Director of Horwath HTL Hungary and Founder of HOTCO talked to Property Forum about recent developments on CEE hotel markets.  

Orbis Hotel Group, the strategic partner of AccorHotels, has signed a management contract for a new ibis Styles hotel in the city centre of Bucharest.

Orbis SA, an exclusive partner of AccorHotels for Eastern Europe, and Rox d.o.o. have signed an agreement on cooperation which will result in the opening of a Novotel hotel in Zagreb in late 2020.

In Central and Eastern Europe, hotel owners are experiencing record months in terms of average daily rates which was the primary driver of the double-digit RevPAR (Revenue per available room) growth recorded by central European cities in 2017. The growing trend was also seen in the first half of this year (H1 2018). The only exception was Warsaw where RevPAR dropped slightly due to declining occupancy, yet the prices of rooms increased as in other capitals. The higher room rates translated to notable gains in hotels’ profitability which brought significant interests from investors. The lack of hotel properties available for sale and shortage of development sites in prime locations is turning attention to conversions of existing buildings into hotels. As the demand continues to grow and the development pipeline remains limited in most markets (except for Warsaw and Vienna), profitability is expected to stay strong also in the coming years.

Cushman & Wakefield has become the manager of three buildings of TRIUVA, a PATRIZIA company, including the Five office centre in Smíchov, Wenceslas Square 9 and Lindner Hotel Prague, as well as the new acquisitions of funds managed by Amundi Immobilier Paris and Amundi Czech Republic - Praha City Center in Prague 1 and the Polygon House in Pankrác.

As of August 2018, the Radisson Collection Hotel, Old Mill Belgrade began a new chapter as the latest addition to the premium lifestyle collection of hotels by Radisson Hotel Group.

In line with its development strategy for AccorHotels branded hotels in Eastern Europe, in particular on the very promising Romanian market, Orbis signed 3 new agreements in recent weeks for a total of 370 hotel rooms.

New research from Colliers International and Hotelschool The Hague reveals that despite many countries recently introducing legislation to restrict the use of Airbnb, the hospitality service continues to grow in five main European cities – London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Madrid and Paris.

Lithuanian company Apex Alliance, the owner of the Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Bucharest’s old town, will invest €90 million in four new hotels on the Romanian market. The hotels will operate under Marriot International and Hilton World Wide brands.