MEININGER's expansion plan for Spain

The European hybrid hotel chain presents its roadmap in Barcelona to establish itself as a multi-city platform in Spain, with Madrid as the next stop in 2028.

MEININGER Hotels, the European hybrid hotel chain, presented in Barcelona the results of the first months of operation of its MEININGER Hotel Barcelona Fira Gran Via—its first property in Spain—along with the details of its expansion plan for the country. The event brought together company representatives and members of the media at the hotel itself.

MEININGER Barcelona Fira Gran Via is the brand’s 37th hotel and its first property in Spain. Following the opening of Edinburgh as its first UK property, MEININGER now has 38 hotels across Europe. The two openings mark the end of a three-year period without new additions to the network. The operation is part of the company's expansion strategy in southern Europe, in which Spain has been identified as a priority market.

"Barcelona, at the heart of Catalonia, is both a key market and a global destination that uniquely combines leisure and business travel year-round, making it the ideal location to introduce our hybrid concept into the Spanish market," explains Ajit Menon, CEO of MEININGER Hotels.

A first summer that confirms the forecasts

Since opening, the hotel has recorded €800,000 in revenue during its first two months of operation, July and August, with room occupancy of 50% and more than 7,200 room nights sold. The average length of stay was 2.34 nights. For the opening year, from June 25, 2026, to March 31, 2027*, the company forecasts an overall occupancy rate of 65%. In the longer term, the hotel is expected to achieve room occupancy of above 80%.

Since the opening, 84% of guests have come from international markets, while 16% have been domestic guests from Spain. The main international source markets are France, Germany and Italy. This demand mix, with a strong international component from the first months of operation, supports the company's thesis about Barcelona's appeal as a destination and ultimately validates the investment made to launch the project. These results are underpinned by a total investment of nearly €4 million in furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E). The project has also generated 30 locally hired jobs, reinforcing the company's commitment to the economic development of the environment in which it operates.

A value proposition designed for the guest

This efficiency largely stems from the hybrid hotel concept that defines the entire MEININGER brand: a model that combines exclusively private rooms —with the quality, privacy, and service standards of a hotel—with shared common spaces that provide the characteristic social atmosphere of a hostel. This approach allows the company to serve very different guest profiles within the same property, including families, groups, school trips, individual travellers and business travellers, without relying on a single demand segment. This helps balance occupancy throughout the year while supporting a competitive pricing strategy.

This positioning is, in turn, supported by an asset specifically designed to maximize that commercial flexibility. The hotel has 162 rooms, including single, double, and multi-bed rooms for up to 4 people, with flexible configurations geared toward the different demand segments mentioned. This "hotel" layer is complemented by the "hostel" layer of the concept: common areas that include a breakfast area, two terraces, a Heat & Eat zone, and a reception-bar space, designed to foster a social atmosphere and community among guests.

Its location opposite Fira Gran Via, one of Europe’s leading exhibition and conference venues, reflects the company’s location selection criteria, with stable year-round demand, good transport connectivity and an established urban environment fully integrated into the Barcelona metropolitan area.

Madrid: next phase of the expansion plan

The company confirms that the Barcelona project forms the basis of a broader expansion plan in Spain, rather than an isolated market entry. The next project is already underway: the Madrid hotel is currently in the demolition phase prior to opening, scheduled for September 2028.

The asset, located in the Pacífico neighborhood—500 meters from Retiro Park and well connected to Atocha station—, will be developed as a new-build project, unlike Barcelona, which involved the conversion of an existing building.

It will feature 193 rooms and 691 beds, and will hold a hostel license, thereby expanding the offering to additional target groups, including five- and six-bed rooms and mixed shared dormitories. The project will maintain the group's brand standards, with the goal of replicating the BREEAM Excellent certification obtained in Barcelona.

Growth plan in Spain

Beyond Madrid, the company has identified a plan to open approximately nine hotels in Spain, which would represent around 1,500 additional rooms. Target cities include Málaga, Valencia, Granada, Seville, and Bilbao. The company also does not rule out strengthening its presence in the Barcelona metropolitan area, evaluating opportunities in areas such as Sant Adrià de Besòs and Badalona.

The selection of new locations is governed by strict criteria: stable demand throughout the year, well-connected urban locations, format flexibility (new construction or renovation of existing buildings), and long-term lease agreements with institutional and private investors aligned with the business model. The local regulatory framework is also a determining factor in decision-making: current regulations in Palma de Mallorca are particularly restrictive, while in Málaga the company is monitoring a possible moratorium on new hotel developments.

^{*MEININGER’s financial year (FY27) runs from April to March. Therefore, the figures given for the opening year refer to the period from the hotel’s opening on 25 June 2026 through to the end of the financial year on 31 March 2027.}