Ahead of this year’s International Hotel Investment Conference (IHIF), Hilton (NYSE: HLT) has signed a franchise agreement to open Hilton Heidelberg, a 244-room upscale hotel in Heidelberg’s city centre. The property will undergo a major refurbishment before welcoming guests in Summer 2022. The hotel is owned by Invesco Real Estate, the global real estate investment manager which acquired the property in 2017.
Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, development, EMEA, Hilton said, “Hilton Heidelberg is an exciting addition to our growing portfolio in Germany and builds on the significant momentum in conversion demand for our brands. More and more owners are choosing to affiliate with our upscale and collection brands, a testament to the strength of Hilton’s commercial systems and international brand awareness.”
Hans-Peter Hermann, senior director – Hotel Asset Management at Invesco Real Estate adds: “Invesco Real Estate is investing in refurbishing and repositioning the hotel into a market leader benefiting from the Hilton brand. Our investment programme for the Hilton Heidelberg is targeting a BREEAM in Refurbishment certificate, complementing its ESG strategic priority focus across its entire hotel portfolio.”
Heidelberg is a thriving university town, steeped in history and famed for its distinctive gothic architecture. Numerous large corporates are headquartered in the town and Heidelberg has a reputation as one of Europe’s leading scientific hubs as well as being home to the European Molecular Biology Laboratory.
Guests to the hotel will be a short walk from Heidelberg’s baroque old town and the historic Heidelberg Castle. Heidelberg University, founded in the fourteenth century and the oldest university in Germany, is three kilometres away. Once refurbished, the hotel will offer 244 stylish guest rooms and suites, as well as a restaurant, bar and executive lounge. Guests will also benefit from access to the hotel’s gym. Meetings and events will be held in the hotel’s seven conference rooms, which will provide more than 550 square metres of modern meeting space.
Hilton’s burgeoning European portfolio will welcome around 40 new hotels this year, including new hotels in Dusseldorf, Stuttgart and Konstanz. Hilton recently opened its first DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Germany in Frankfurt, and plans to open Wasserturm Hotel Cologne, under Curio Collection by Hilton, in September.
Hilton Heidelberg will be part of the award-winning Hilton Honors guest loyalty programme, allowing more than 118 million members who book directly with Hilton to earn Points for hotel stays and experiences, plus instant benefits including contactless check-in with room selection, Digital Key and Connected Room.
Hilton Heidelberg is part of Invesco Real Estate’s exposure to the European hotel sector, the firm’s allocation represents now €1.3bn assets under management in the European hotel sector, consisting of 24 hotel investments across six countries in Europe.
The hotel will be located at Kurfuersten-Anlage 1, Heidelberg, 69115, Germany.
