Leonardo Hotels Central Europe set to make a multi-million investment
The international hotel group is using a third partnership to drive forward expansion and is extending its portfolio in both the business and leisure segments
Berlin, 11. April 2024 - Leonardo Central Europe concluded a third partnership agreement with major Israeli institutions in January. As with the preceding partnerships, the aim is to drive forward further expansion. The group’s expectation is that the initial investment commitment of €246 million will increase to €400 million.
“We are delighted to be entering into a third partnership,” said Yoram Biton, Managing Director, Leonardo Hotels Central Europe. “It will allow us to continue our dynamic growth. We have expanded our portfolio by more than 40 hotels during the past two years alone. The new investments will strengthen our presence in Europe still further. Rather than solely concentrating on the business and conference segment, we will also be looking to the leisure travel sector. This is an area in which we will be boosting our offering and creating new services.”
The partnership, which bears the name “Fattal Partnership III (International) LP”, will seek to accelerate further expansion away from the core business market and into the holiday travel segment. Up until 2022, Leonardo Hotels were primarily sited in central European city and business locations. Since this time, the company’s highly diverse portfolio has been extended to encompass many stylish hotels at fabulous leisure destinations including the picturesque Lake Garda in northern Italy, the Spanish holiday islands of Mallorca and Ibiza and Paris.
New market: France
The Leonardo Boutique Paris Opéra, which only opened for business in December 2023, represents the group’s first venture onto French soil. Centrally housed in a city palace, it also forms a basis for further expansion in France, where the hotel group already has its eye on future openings in Paris and Marseilles. This new addition to the portfolio is being operated under the Leonardo Boutique Hotels brand, which impresses its guests with individuality, personal service, and loving attention to detail. A feel-good atmosphere, high-quality fixtures and fittings and a timeless design are stylishly complemented by warm shades of colour and floral patterns.
A new brand in Germany
Following its acquisition of the Sir Nikolai in Hamburg from the Sircle Collection, Leonardo Hotels Central Europe is now set to launch the Leonardo Limited Edition brand on the German market. The country’s first hotel to operate under the Limited Edition name opened its doors on 9 April 2024 as The Nikolai Hotel Hamburg – Leonardo Limited Edition and takes Leonardo Hotels’ brand representation in Germany to a total of five.
Leonardo Limited Edition encompasses a carefully curated collection of individually styled hotels, each of which is capable of standing entirely alone. They all boast a separate character and an inimitable design as well as having their own stories to tell. The Nikolai Hotel Hamburg – Leonardo Limited Edition is no exception in this regard. Offering 94 rooms and suites, it is housed in a listed former “Kontorhaus” beside the Nikolai Fleet Canal. The historic charm of the building enhances the unique character of the hotel it accommodates today. Every one of the stylish and individually designed rooms delivers modern comfort at the very highest level. The hotel’s atrium features a retractable glass roof, and other facilities include a bar, a restaurant area, and a spa.
New location in East Germany
Leonardo Hotels is adding another location to its portfolio in the form of a new build in Leipzig in the East of Germany. The group already owns a total of eight hotels in this area of the country in Berlin, Dresden, and Weimar. Leipzig’s exciting history, culture and architecture means that it offers considerable potential for business and leisure travellers alike. The NYX Hotel Leipzig Brühl by Leonardo Hotels is located in the “Brühl”, the city’s main shopping street, and lies in close proximity to the birth house of Richard Wagner. NYK Hotels is a unique lifestyle brand which offers an impressive mix of creativity, art, and design. It will prove a perfect match for the pulsating cultural metropolis of Leipzig and for the city’s cosmopolitan vibe and spirit. Opening is scheduled for 2026.
Expansion in Poland
Leonardo Hotels is reinforcing its presence on the Polish market by doubling the number of rooms and suites at the Leonardo Royal Warsaw to a total of 362. 184 new rooms, all with breathtaking views, have now been created in the heart of the Polish capital. This serves to underline the importance of Poland for a hugely expanding company such as Leonardo Hotels. The new rooms are located in an adjoining wing of the JM Tower, which has housed the Leonardo Royal Warsaw since 2017. Renovation of the public areas will get underway once the extension works have been completed in the spring of 2024. The light-flooded conference rooms, the restaurant, the cosy bar, and the inviting open lobby will all be given a tasteful new makeover. Finally, renovation of the 178 rooms in the existing building is scheduled for completion in 2025. But all the areas of the hotel already have one thing in common. Fabulous panoramic views from one of Warsaw’s highest buildings.
The Leonardo Royal Warsaw is one of four hotels the group operates in Poland. The others are the stylish NYX Hotel Warsaw and two charming Leonardo Boutique Hotels in Kraków.