The Pentahotels Group, based in Frankfurt, wants to open five hotels in Belgium by the end of 2013, as part of a goal to increase the brand's portfolio by 70% this year. According to a press release from the firm, the Belgium expansion will feature the chain's first airport hotel, which will add 573 rooms to the inventory. investment in qatar
The present Mercure Brussels Center Louise, Alliance Hotel Brussels Airport, Mercure Liège, Alliance Hotel Brussels Expo, and Mercure Leuven Center will be managed by the hotel group.
The Pentahotel Group, which is managed by New World Hospitality, plans to open seven more hotels outside of Belgium in 2013, including properties in the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, and Hong Kong. In 2013, the business will expand from 2,925 rooms to 5,000 rooms across 27 locations.
Pentahotel operates 11 hotels in Germany, one in the United Kingdom, one in Austria, and two in mainland China. It plans to have 80 hotels operating under the brand by 2014.
The brand's expansion is projected to be led by Asia, with new properties in mainland China. In 2014, a 204-room hotel in Guiyang and a 384-room hotel in Shenyang are set to open.
The Pentahotel Group was rebranded as a "design-driven" brand in 2012, with the goal of expanding. "Neighborhood lifestyle brand providing independent travelers with comfort and style in a contemporary atmosphere," according to the company's website.
The "pentalounge," a "lifestyle lobby" that serves as a greeting room, bar, café, and community hub, combines "a balance of fun with functionality, comfort with inventiveness, and style with simplicity," according to the business.
Japan and Germany are leading the way in terms of commercial investments.
According to recent data from Jones Lang LaSalle, direct investment in global commercial real estate increased by 8% in the first quarter, led by a rise in activity in Japan and Germany.
The firm attributed the $94 billion volume in the first quarter of 2013 to "increasing confidence in the global economic recovery and a persistent demand for direct real estate exposure."
All regions saw growth, but Asia Pacific was especially strong, with a 30% increase in volumes in Japan and ongoing activity in Singapore and Hong Kong. According to JLL's preliminary figures for the quarter, Europe saw an overall 8 percent gain, headed by a 40 percent increase in volumes in German, compared to the same quarter a year ago.
According to Jones Lang LaSalle's Global Capital Flows report, which tracks hotel, office, industrial, and retail space in 60 countries, volumes in the United States increased by 20% in the third quarter.
"The demand investors continue to have for direct real estate is demonstrated by volumes of nearly $100 billion in the first quarter of the year, in what is often a quieter season," said Arthur de Haast, president of Jones Lang LaSalle's international capital group. "The number of assets for sale continues to rise, buoyed by a slowly improving global economic environment and growing property values, particularly in key cities."
The amount of global transactions is expected to continue to rise in 2013, according to Jones Lang LaSalle.
"Buyers are encouraged to look at opportunities slightly up the risk curve by the improving sentiment across all real estate markets, and vendors are encouraged by an increasing number of buyers examining assets in more secondary locations," said David Green-Morgan, global capital markets research director.