With the new hotel, MEININGER is opening its second hotel in Cologne and bringing the hybrid concept to a city center location
MEININGER Hotels continues to expand and strengthen its presence in Cologne. After the MEININGER Hotel Köln West (opening in 2023), the hotel group is planning a second hotel in the Rhine metropolis, at Luxemburger Straße 1–5 on Barbarossaplatz. The opening is scheduled for Q2 2029.
Cologne on your doorstep: Step out and explore
The cathedral city is one of the most sought-after city destinations in Germany. In 2025, the metropolis counted around 4.25 million guests and more than 7.22 million overnight stays for the first time¹. As a cultural center in the Rhineland, Cologne offers a wide range of cultural activities with more than 30 museums and over a hundred galleries. At the same time, Koelnmesse is a sought-after international trade fair location.
Barbarossaplatz is a central starting point for exploring the city on foot; in the spirit of MEININGER's motto "Step out and explore". Many districts as well as gastronomic and cultural offerings are within easy reach from here. Nearby are the Hohenstaufenring with its lively bar scene as well as the city center toward Neumarkt, the old town and Cologne Cathedral.
"With our second hotel in Cologne, we are continuing our growth in Germany, our largest market. Cologne is an important location for us with high demand. Barbarossaplatz offers a central location with very good connections and is ideally suited for our hybrid concept and different travel occasions", says Ajit Menon, CEO of MEININGER Hotels.
The building is being implemented as an office-to-hotel conversion. Owned on behalf of a Canadian pension fund and managed by Avison Young Investment Management, the six-floor office building is being converted into a MEININGER hotel. To deliver the refurbishment, Avison Young Investment Management has appointed Alfons & alfreda as its execution partner and service developer — the same team behind the MEININGER Hotel Köln West. In this way, an established office property is being transformed into a new accommodation option that combines hotel comfort with lively hostel flair. Avison Young (Germany) acted as broker of record on the transaction, advising the owner throughout the process. “Twelve years on from acquiring this building, we're excited to give it a new and meaningful role. Sitting on Barbarossaplatz, one of Cologne's key transport nodes, it lends itself perfectly to place-making — so we're breathing new life into a well-located building and rethinking it for what the city centre needs. For Avison Young Investment Management, being a responsible steward of the built environment and creating lasting social value is exactly what this represents. We're proud to develop a new flagship location for MEININGER, leveraging the local and technical expertise of Alfons & alfreda,” comments Amy Erixon, President, Avison Young Investment Management.
Flexible room offerings for a wide range of guests
The new MEININGER Hotel Barbarossaplatz will have 305 rooms and up to 1,160 beds. A mix of double rooms and multi-bed rooms is planned, which are aimed at families, individual travelers, larger groups such as school classes and business travelers. For those arriving by car, there are 30 parking spaces, including at least four with e-charging facilities.
MEININGER continues to grow in Europe
Projects like the one in Cologne reflect MEININGER Hotels' ongoing expansion across Europe. Following the recent openings in Barcelona and Edinburgh, further locations will follow in Tel Aviv (2026), Strasbourg (2027), as well as Madrid, Porto and Dublin (2028).
About Avison Young Investment Management
Avison Young Investment Management is the investment management platform of Avison Young and develops real estate investment strategies for institutional investors and capital partners. The company pursues an active management approach throughout the entire real estate lifecycle and is responsible for acquisitions, asset and property management, as well as the long-term development of real estate portfolios. Its investment portfolio comprises office, residential, industrial, retail and life sciences properties across North Americaand Europe. Since its founding in 2012, assets under management have grown to approximately CAD 700 million. https://im.avisonyoung.com/
Media contact at Avison Young
Martina Rozok
ROZOK GmbH
T +49 30 400 44 681
About Alfons & alfreda
Alfons & alfreda is a dynamic real estate developer with a passionate commitment to creating outstanding, long-lasting properties of the highest individual quality. Headquartered in Düsseldorf, the company carries out new construction projects and revitalizes existing properties in Germany’s growth regions. From the first sketch through implementation to final inspection and sale or handover, Alfons & alfreda covers all aspects of a traditional real estate developer’s work. Through multifaceted, modern development approaches, Aa consistently focuses on the highest standards of quality and sustainability with the goal of achieving long-term positive impacts on society and the environment.
Learn more about Aa: Alfons-alfreda.com
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