Operations
with the relaunch in 2026? Will you be collaborating with a specific designer? We will be undertaking a light renovation that will seek to connect with both Geneva and the hotel’s clientele. It will be timeless in essence, classic and contemporary with occasional elements of vibrant colour in keeping with Room Mate’s brand identity.
You’ve spoken about partnering with institutional landlords like Axa Real Estate and BNP Paribas. Can you elaborate on how these relationships shape your growth strategy – particularly in high-end urban markets like Geneva and London? Across our 33 hotels in 15 European cities, approximately 50% of our existing landlord ownership base comprises of institutional pension funds, the rest being large family offices. Typically, these institutions, who are core and/or core-plus investors, look to own real estate in AAA and/or AA locations in major cities under a lease model with a tenant that has also strong covenant strength. Room Mate provides them with this opportunity because we enable investors to acquire and own well-located real estate while maximising returns due to our affordable luxury bed and breakfast business model. We maximise every square metre of real estate while also maintaining the high level of customer service provided by our hotel staff who we call our ‘roomies’. All of this translates into better customer experiences and scores, and more profit for both us and our landlords.
With the acquisition of Staying Valencia, you’ve added many properties in a single city. What’s the long-term strategy there – are you building a micro- destination model within urban centres? No, not at all. Although we bought those properties, the reality is that it was a collection of extremely well-located, small boutique hotels in the historic city centre, all within a short walking distance from each other. In total there are just under 500 bedrooms to give you an idea. It was a great opportunity for Room Mate because we had a lot of conviction in Valencia as a destination with everything that the city has to offer the traveller, yet there was a clear lack of quality lifestyle hotels in the city.
What about your plans to expand into Paris, Lisbon and Germany? Can you give us a preview – are there any deals in the pipeline or locations you’re actively scouting? The team is constantly scouting for new opportunities that fit with our affordable luxury bed and breakfast business model. We have a very large active pipeline right now. However, we are also very
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selective in terms of our criteria. Our growth strategy is one that puts a premium on quality as opposed to quantity. Over 80% of our existing hotels are in AAA locations across most of the exciting cultural cities in Europe. This strict criterion is something that we need and want to continue to offer.
Room Mate has invested heavily in refurbishing existing assets. What performance uplift or guest feedback are you seeing post-renovation – particularly in places like Amsterdam and Florence? The refurbishments we’ve carried out aren’t just about aesthetics – they’re a strategic investment. They’ve allowed us to compete more effectively in saturated markets, command higher rates, and elevate the overall guest experience in a way that aligns with the expectations of today’s traveller. We’re already seeing tangible results, both in terms of performance and guest feedback. In cities like Amsterdam and Florence, the impact has been particularly noticeable. Following the renovations, we’ve been able to push our ADR up by approximately 8%, depending on the market and seasonality. Guests are responding positively and are
Above: The brand’s ethos is to create hotels that feel like homes.
Opposite and below: Palazzo dei Fiori by Room Mate Hotels.
ILime Tree; Palazzo dei Fiori
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