After Vincennes, Lyon and Bordeaux, MEININGER is puursuiing its development in France and has announced the opening of a new hotel in Marseille in 2021 further to a study by MKG Consulting.
The German economy brand, a subsidiary of the Cox & Kings group, has just signed a contract with the real estate developer Coffim to create a new property in France. This will be in Marseille, and will bring the number of properties in France to four, with Paris Porte de Vincennes (249 rooms) due to be released this year, Lyon (169 rooms) next year and Bordeaux (173 rooms) in 2021, for a total of 2,600 beds.
Close to the shopping centre "Les Terrasses du Port" and the "Docks Village", the new MEININGER will be located in the 2nd arrondissement of Marseille and will have 194 rooms. 574 beds will be divided between traditional double rooms and dormitories, according to the brand's hybrid concept, which consists in broadening its customer spectrum by combining different types of accommodation. The hotel will also offer 22 parking spaces, a kitchen accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and a game area (table football and billiards), which is characteristic of MEININGER hotels.
The choice of Marseille is far from insignificant, as Hannes Spanring, CEO of MEININGER Hotels, explains: "Marseille has undergone an impressive transformation in recent years and is developing into the Mediterranean metropolis of tomorrow. The city is a perfect response to MEININGER's strong growth and ambitious development plan in Europe and beyond. The local youth hostel market, in particular, offers great potential, according to our analyses, while consolidating our national presence in France." The operator is supported by Fundotel for its development in France.
More globally, MEININGER is interested in Europe. In order to develop on this territory, the German hotelier has partnered since 2014 with Covivio, ex-Foncière des Régions. "The partnership established with Covivio multiplied our growth potential and made us gain visibility in countries where the group is present. For us this constitutes a formidable accelerator for unfurling the MEININGER brand and concept in Europe," explained Hannes Spanring, CEO MEININGER Hotels. This alliance resulted in the different properties to open in France and Italy (Milan – 80 rooms) and Germany (Munich - 172 rooms; Berlin 245 rooms and 238 rooms).
Six other implantations are also expected on the continent: Heidelberg (100 rooms), Brussels (150 rooms) and Zurich (174 rooms) scheduled for 2019, Geneva (104 rooms) and Glasgow (160 rooms) for 2020, and Dresden (165 rooms) for 2021.
MEININGER is in tune with the "new" hotel concepts, focusing essentially on value for money, location and friendliness to attract travelers who want a "feel at home" experience. Positioned in the economy segment, the group aims to reach a portfolio of 50 hotels over the next five years.
By 2021, MEININGER aims to operate at least 5,412 rooms in Europe. The group is also looking at the East Coast of the United States with a 154-room project in Washington DC that has been signed with Altus Realty, owner and developer of the project, and is expected to open in 2020.
