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The hotel group MEININGER Hotels strengthens its presence in the capital of Europe and inaugurates its second hotel in Belgium with today's opening of the MEININGER Hotel Bruxelles Gare du Midi. Within walking distance of the country's largest railway station, Gare du Midi, the new hotel building is located in the heart of the Belgian metropolis. 150 rooms with a total of 678 beds now welcome individual, group and business travellers. In addition to the MEININGER Hotel Bruxelles City Center, which opened in 2013, the hotel group now has two hotels in the Belgian metropolis. It is already the fourth hotel for the Benelux region: The group's largest hotel, the MEININGER Hotel Amsterdam City West, and the MEININGER Hotel Amsterdam Amstel, which opened last year, are both located in the Netherlands. The opening of the MEININGER Hotel Bruxelles Gare du Midi stands for the execution of the hotel group's accelerated growth strategy: MEININGER expects to grow its number of beds by 150 percent and operate 34,000 beds internationally by March 2024.

Delicious chocolate, the Atomium and of course Manneken Pis - Brussels has a lot to offer: From the UNESCO World Heritage Site Grote Markt to the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium to the European Parliament, Brussels is a vibrant, multicultural and international metropolis. "Brussels' colourful mix precisely reflects the philosophy of the MEININGER hotel group," says Hannes Spanring, CEO of MEININGER Hotels. "Brussels is a magnet for tourists, not only because it's the seat of the EU, but also because of its diverse art and cultural landscape. We also feel that here. In our first Brussels hotel, the MEININGER Hotel Bruxelles City Center, we were able to record an excellent occupancy rate of 96 percent last year," Spanring explains. "We are all the more pleased to celebrate our second opening in the city and have our accelerated growth strategy taking further momentum. Besides our strong opening pipeline with destinations like Zurich, Paris and Washington D.C. we're also reviewing more than 100 potential hotel projects in Europe alone."

Just a few minutes from the Gare du Midi train station, where long-distance trains from major European cities such as London, Paris or Amsterdam stop, the new hotel is in a prime city location. Tram and metro stations are within walking distance and the historic center of Grand-Place is just a short walk away. 6,700 square meters comprises the above-ground gross floor area of ​​the new building. Following the MEININGER hybrid concept, this house also has a flexible room structure: from double rooms to private multi-bed rooms to a bed in a dormitory, guests can choose their own style. Reception, lobby, lounge, breakfast room and bar as well as the typical MEININGER guest kitchen and game zone are located on the ground floor. There are also 30 on-site parking spaces. The interior design takes up Brussels' dynamic art scene. "With our interior design we would like to commemorate one of the most famous sons of the city, the painter and representative of surrealism René Magritte," adds Thomas Hagemann, COO of MEININGER Hotels. "Our interior design concept takes our guests on a journey through an illusionary world," continues Hagemann.

The MEININGER Hotel Bruxelles Gare du Midi was realized together with Nelson Canal.

For the hotel group, it is already the fourth new opening this year. Only two weeks ago, on 24 July, the company opened its first hotel in Baden-Wuerttemberg, the MEININGER Hotel Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof. On March 25, the MEININGER Hotel München Olympiapark, the second MEININGER Hotel in the Isar metropolis, opened its doors and a few days earlier, on March 18, the hotel group celebrated its premiere in Hungary with the MEININGER Budapest Great Market Hall. This year, two further MEININGER hotel openings in Europe - in Paris and Lyon - are also planned to mark MEININGER's entry into the French market.

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The hotel group MEININGER Hotels continues its expansion course and opens its first hotel in Baden-Württemberg, the MEININGER Hotel Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof. Adjacent to the newly developed Heidelberg district of Bahnstadt and only ten minutes from the main railway station, the hotel is an ideal starting point for exploring the romantic metropolis. 100 rooms with a total of 331 beds welcome individual, group and business travellers with immediate effect. Heidelberg will not remain the only location for the MEININGER Hotel Group in Baden-Württemberg: The opening of a MEININGER Hotel in Stuttgart is planned for 2021.

Millions of visitors every year cannot be wrong - Heidelberg is not only one of the most beautiful, but also one of the most popular travel destinations in Germany. With 1.5 million overnight stays in 2018, the city reported a record year for tourism and took the lead among destinations in Baden-Württemberg. All the more reason for the MEININGER Hotel Group to be pleased to welcome travellers to the city on the Neckar. The five-storey new building with a gross floor area of over 3,600 sqm is the first hotel of the hotel group in Baden-Württemberg. This means that the Berlin-based hotel group now has a total of 13 hotels in Germany.

"Whether it's a cultural weekend or a romantic break - with its picturesque shores, its historic old town and venerable university, Heidelberg is a true tourist magnet. With our location in the immediate vicinity of Heidelberg's youngest city district, Bahnstadt, and the main railway station, our guests are right in the middle of Heidelberg's colourful mix of history and lively diversity," says Hannes Spanring, CEO of MEININGER Hotels.

In the tradition of the university city - with the Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg has the oldest university in Germany - the interior design follows the motto "Know-How": "Studying, research and knowledge have a long tradition in Heidelberg. True to the motto, the interior design of the hotel guarantees smart space solutions in the university city. Asymmetrical shapes, colour contrasts and a material mix of metal and wood turn apparent opposites into a harmonious whole," explains Spanring. The house is characterised by a particularly flexible room structure. "Travellers can choose between single and double rooms as well as private multi-bed rooms and a bed in a dormitory, allowing us to cater to the individual needs of our guests", continues Hannes Spanring. Like most MEININGER Hotels, the new building in Heidelberg also has a guest kitchen and public areas with plenty of room for social interaction. There are also 25 parking spaces available for guests.

Many places of interest are only a few minutes' drive from the MEININGER Hotel Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof by public transport. The city center can be reached within ten minutes by tram or bus, which are within walking distance of the hotel. The Heidelberg train station is located in the immediate vicinity of the new hotel. The youngest district of Heidelberg was built on the site of a former goods and marshalling yard and is one of the largest urban development projects in Germany. Cultural institutions, shops, a campus for research and science as well as generous open spaces and green spaces characterise the quarter.

The MEININGER Hotel Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof was realized together with the LIST Group. "We are pleased that we have successfully completed our first MEININGER hotel project. The cooperation of all parties has worked smoothly in the 13-month construction period. The result is a modern new building, which is extremely attractive for various guests due to the optimal composition of location, equipment and design," adds Michael Garstka, Managing Director of the project developer LIST Develop Commercial. The turnkey construction of the new building was the responsibility of the general contractor LIST Bau Rhein-Main, a specialist in the construction of hotels. The building is owned by PATRIZIA Immobilien AG, and the MEININGER Hotel Group is taking over operations under a 20-year lease.

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New hotel project drives growth in the UK - 34,000 beds expected internationally till 2024.

With the signing of a new hotel project in Manchester, MEININGER Hotels is expanding its presence in the United Kingdom and once again reaffirming its ambitions for accelerated growth. The hotel group expects growth in beds of almost 150 percent to 34,000 by March 2024.

The new MEININGER Hotel is being built in the third largest metropolitan region in the United Kingdom. The hotel building in Manchester, with a gross floor area of almost 8,000 sqm, will have 212 rooms and 785 beds on a total of 12 floors. It is expected to open by the end of 2021 and is one of currently 17 hotel projects in Europe and the U.S.

"Manchester complements the rapidly growing portfolio of MEININGER Hotels. The demand for hotels in the city is growing continuously due to major infrastructure projects. In addition, Manchester has the largest office market outside London and benefits from a powerful event program throughout the year, attracting both leisure and MICE guests. MEININGER's distinctive hybrid concept can serve these segments exceptionally well," explains Hannes Spanring, CEO of MEININGER Hotels, emphasizing the strategic significance of the new location.

The building on 269 Great Ancoats Street will have double rooms, private multi-bed rooms for up to 6 people and beds in shared dormitories on floors two through eleven. In addition to the reception and lobby, there will also be a bar, outdoor terrace and MEININGER's typical guest kitchen and game zone on the ground floor. On the first floor, a breakfast room of almost 300 sqm is planned. As part of the lease agreement with development partner S Harrison Developments Ltd, the property will initially be operated for a period of 20 years.

Due to its location, the MEININGER Hotel Manchester is approximately ten minutes' walk from the main train station making it a central starting point in the North English trade fair, music and media city. The Northern Quarter, the city's popular nightlife area with restaurants, bars and boutiques, is also a ten-minute walk away. Important venues such as the Convention Center, Manchester Arena and Etihad Stadium are less than 20 minutes' walk away. From the nearby New Islington tram stop, it is less than ten minutes by public transport to downtown, the Central Station and 30 minutes to Salford Quays.

Doros Theodorou, CCO of MEININGER Hotels is confident: "The city's potential for MEININGER Hotels is immense," and continues "with three terminals carrying over 22 million passengers annually, Manchester Airport is the global gateway to Northern England and the third largest airport in the UK. Over 60 airlines ensure that Manchester is directly connected to over 200 destinations worldwide. We're expecting high occupancy rates from the very beginning of MEININGER's operation in Manchester."

The MEININGER Hotel London Hyde Park has been in operation since October 2006 and achieved a room occupancy rate of 94 percent in the past financial year. Over the next three years, the hotel group plans to expand into the U.S., Switzerland, Iceland and France. The first MEININGER Hotel in France will open this summer in Paris. The MEININGER Hotel Paris Porte de Vincennes holds 950 beds, making it the largest hostel-style accommodation in the French capital. Further deals, over 130 in Europe and 20 in the U.S., are currently being reviewed.

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As part of its expansion plans MEININGER Hotels is experiencing strong growth in Germany and will be returning to Cologne. Only in 2017 the hotel group separated from a property, now a new project is sealed: In fall 2022 a new MEININGER Hotel will open in the German city on the Rhine.

After signing the contract for the new hotel project, MEININGER Hotels celebrate their return to the Rhine. The opening of the hotel comprising a gross floor area of more than 7,900 sqm and more than 200 rooms is planned for fall 2022. MEININGER currently operates 12 hotels in Germany and plans to open new hotels in Cologne, Dresden, Heidelberg and Stuttgart by 2022. Over the next three years, the hotel group expects an international increase of more than 2,300 rooms and 8,000 beds. In the same period, the total number of beds in Germany will rise to more than 9,000.

Hannes Spanring, CEO of MEININGER Hotels on the new project: "We are very happy about the comeback. For more than 10 years we operated the MEININGER Hotel Cologne City Center in Engelbert street. After the separation it was clear for MEININGER that we will come back to the city with a new, much larger property. We succeeded now. After intensive research, we have signed for a project that offers four times as many rooms as our first Cologne property and the location is excellent. The exact location is still secret, however."

For Cologne, which has seen growing numbers of visitors from the MICE, cultural and leisure segments for years, the MEININGER hybrid concept is particularly suitable for serving the needs of diverse target groups at the same time. The concept combines the advantages of a hotel and hostel. Benefits include a very flexible room structure, from a double room to a private multiple bed room to a bed in a dormitory, en suite bathrooms, a spacious shared kitchen where guests can cook on their own, a game zone with football table or pool table, and free Wi-Fi.

"The optimal use of space and the acquisition of both, hotel and hostel guests are top priorities in the development of our hotels. The planning of the room structure, adapted to the local market and its guest segments, is therefore essential for our success. In the past financial year, we recorded a room occupancy of 90 percent across the group, the best proof that MEININGER's distinctive hybrid model works very well," says Doros Theodorou, CCO of MEININGER Hotels. The hotel group's ambitious expansion plans currently include 16 hotel projects, including the U.S. and Iceland. Over 130 deals in Europe and 20 in the U.S. are currently being reviewed.

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MEININGER Hotels is stringently executing its expansion strategy and will grow further in France: With the signing of the contract for a new hotel in Marseille, MEININGER's number of prospective beds in France grows to over 2,600. The new hotel is expected to open in summer 2021.

The fourth MEININGER hotel in France is coming to Marseille. The expansion into the second largest city of France got sealed by the contract signing between the hotel group and the French real estate developer COFFIM. The new hotel will be located in the middle of the "new Marseille", the totally renewed urban area around the Marseille harbour and will have 194 rooms, 574 beds as well as 22 parking spaces.

As part of Euroméditerranée, Europe's largest urban renovation project, the once-neglected port area has undergone extensive refurbishment, new building projects and the establishment of major cultural and leisure facilities, including several shopping and business centers. Hannes Spanring, CEO of MEININGER Hotels about the new location: "Marseille has undergone a tremendously impressive transformation over the last few years and is developing into the Mediterranean metropolis of tomorrow. The city offers everything that we're looking for when it comes to MEININGER's accelerated growth and our ambitious expansion plans in Europe and beyond. The local hostel market, in particular, offers great potential according to our analyses, while at the same time we are consolidating our national presence in France."

Typical for MEININGER Hotels, the new hotel centrally located at 22-25 Rue de Forbin will have an extremely flexible room structure. It is therefore appealing to different types of guests, such as city travellers, families, backpackers, groups and business travellers. Accommodation options include private single and double rooms, rooms with multiple beds and a bed in a dormitory. "With our hybrid concept, which combines the advantages of a hostel and hotel, we are able to appeal to an unusually wide target group. The flexible room structure allows us to maximize our occupancy rates way better than let's say a classical hotel," adds Hannes Spanring. The hotel also offers a kitchen which can be used by guests 24/7, a game zone with table football or pool table and free, unlimited Wi-Fi.

From the hotel, the largest port in France is just a five-minute walk away, as well as the sea-facing shopping center "Les Terrasses du Port" with a great gastronomic offer and the trendy harbor docks "Docks Village" with diverse shopping and culinary opportunities. The Joliette metro station is about 300 meters away from the new MEININGER Hotel. The main station Marseille Saint-Charles can be reached by metro in about 5 minutes. On foot, it is about 10 minutes from the hotel to the city center and the old harbour. The Marseille Provence Airport can be reached in about 30 minutes by car or 60 minutes by public transport. "We are very happy to realize a first hotel in Marseille with MEININGER in such an excellent location. It will allow us to pursue our development in Marseille, a city in which COFFIM is historically present and has realized numerous projects," explains Thibault Dutreix, General Manager of COFFIM.

The MEININGER hotel group with strong growth ambitions will open its first hotel in France this summer. The MEININGER Hotel Paris Porte de Vincennes holds 950 beds, making it the largest hostel-style accommodation in the French capital. Also under construction are a MEINININGER Hotel in Lyon (169 rooms and 590 beds) and Bordeaux (173 rooms and 526 beds). The openings are planned for 2020 and 2021, respectively.

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