Almost the hundredth. Motel One Paris-Porte de Versailles, which has just opened its doors, could have symbolised turning a corner for the German hotel operator. In its place, it is in Munich, in the city where it all began 25 years ago, that the group crossed this threshold a few weeks ago with the opening of the Motel One Munich Hauptbahnhof, a stone's throw from the station.
Founded in the Bavarian capital in 2000 by Dieter Müller, the group initially relied on a small portfolio of motorway hotels. Hence its name, which today does not reflect its presence in many of Germany's and Europe's major cities, but which has stuck, as the brand was already recognised before Motel One took over. its urban shift. A few years after its inception, the brand has reoriented itself towards the heart of the city, based on a promising concept: budget hotels, but of high quality. With low prices and rooms that focus on the essentials, but with furniture signed by major international designers. All of which underpins the brand's ambition to become the leader in budget and design hotels.
In all its establishments, this approach is symbolised by a hotel icon, the egg chair, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen for the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. EAmong other things, giving lobbies the upper handThese range from Wittman's Merwyn armchairs at Motel One Munich-Messe to Officine DASA's Eva pendant lights at Motel One Berlin-Spittelmarkt, from Arketipo's Jupiter armchair at Motel One Manchester-Royal Exchange to local touches such as a custom tartan fabric in Glasgow or sofas in the shape of a croissant in Paris and a piano at Motel One Warsaw Chopin. To reinforce the spirit of place, establishments designed by an in-house design team also collaborate with local talent, such as street artist Charles Levalet and graphic designer Marion Dufour, recently in Paris.
A large number of rooms, vast lounges in the form of lobbies where you can relax and work, meeting rooms in most cases, and a sustainable approach with a number of hotels bearing the "sustainable" label: the German brand has added another key aspect to these features, which are expected by business travellers. ideal situations for business trips. With hotels located, for example, on Princes Street in Edinburgh and rue Royale in Brussels or just a stone's throw from Ku'Damm and Alexander Platz in Berlin, but also close to many train stations and airports, or right next to major trade fair venues such as Frankfurt Messe or the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre in Paris.
With a presence in most of Germany's major cities, Motel One has gradually extended its network across Europe, opening its first hotel in Austria in 2011, followed by the UK in 2012, and now has a presence in the United Kingdom. now present in 13 countries. Including the United States, a country that was the first to introduce top-of-the-range economy hotels.
From business to lifestyle
Launched in 2022 in New York's Financial District, the The Cloud One the lifestyle spirit of Motel One a notch aboveWith trendy bars, an arty atmosphere and, of course, a sophisticated design. Since this first opening, The Cloud One brand has grown to six establishments, with addresses in Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Nüremberg in Germany, as well as Prague and Gdansk, with Lisbon to follow later this year and no doubt two more hotels on the other side of the Atlantic.
Building on these two concepts, the Group plans to around thirty hotels under developmentThese include the planned opening of a fifth hotel in Vienna next September, the Motel One Donau City and, later in the year, a second hotel in London, in the Shoreditch district. But France is also on the list of current projects, with a The Cloud One hotel. The top-of-the-range brand is expected in NiceIn 2028, the Cité marchande la Buffa will be transformed into a 4-star hotel with 358 rooms, two restaurants and a rooftop swimming pool. It will ultimately be the largest hotel in the city.
The arrival of a French investment fund, PAI PartnersCould the acquisition of a stake in Motel One help the group to expand in France? It's likely, as it is in Benelux and Southern Europe, where Motel One still has little presence. Already involved in the growth of B&B Hotels between 2016 and 2019 before selling its shares to Goldman Sachs, the investor has taken 80% of the shares held by Dieter Müller, the founder remaining as chairman of the group. For the record, B&B had gone from 20 to 50 openings a year under the tutelage of PAI Partners. Will Motel One follow suit?
