In the last five years (2015-2019) CEE has experienced EUR 4.2 billion worth of transactions – nearly half of the total hotel transaction volume (EUR 9.4 billion) achieved by the region in the last 20 years. Capital cities remained magnets for investment, experiencing 72% of transactions in CEE between 2015-2019. CEE hotel sector peaked in 2019, experiencing unprecedented investment levels of EUR 1.4 billion. Total of 55 hotels changed hands last year, comprising over 10,000 rooms.  The average deal size in 2019 was EUR 31 million and average price per room at about EUR 142,000.  The region has been experiencing growing diversity of investors in recent years, although in 2019, European investors secured 84% of the total transacted volume. Czech Republic remained region’s hotspot, securing EUR 620.4m of investment in 2019 and capturing 43% share of CEE6* market – however investment scenes in Bulgaria and Romania recorded a robust increase, with markets seeing 490% and 212% YOY growth respectively. The most popular hotels among investors in 2019 were upper-midscale and upscale hotels, accounting for 42% of transacted volume. In 2019, the largest transaction in the CEE region was the purchase of the InterContinental Prague for EUR 225m. Nearly EUR 2 billion of transactions where initially expected in 2020, underpinned by several major deals already in progress across the CEE-6 region. However, the completion of these deals is becoming more unlikely due to the growing COVID-19 pandemic. 

After impressive first six months of 2019 for the CEE investment market, the second half of the year marked itself with even greater investment volumes. Overall, in 2019 there was a number of transactions for a total of nearly €14.0 billion.