Hotels, Hospitality & Leisure

Our real estate practice has developed a specific expertise in the hotel & leisure sector.

With Brussels being among the top 5 most attractive markets in the Benelux region and other cities such as Antwerp, Gent and Brugge listed among top-10 market by international operators*, the Belgian hospitality sector seems to still be triggering a high interest and shows signs of recovery with investors and operators optimistic, after a couple of difficult years.

Successful hotels’ transactions depend on thorough preparation and a trusted adviser with a solid experience and knowledge of the key stakeholders and players on the markets to guide you throughout the process, leave no stone unturned and ensure a successful completion.

With decades of expertise and an in-depth knowledge of the sector, our team understands the challenges and questions raised in the course of real estate transactions and advises key players at all stages of their projects.

*Source: Cushman & Wakefield Survey, March 2021

Our Offer

We advise and provide support to our clients in hotel and leisure transactions such as

• sales and acquisitions (asset deals or share deals),

• lease and occupancy agreements (existing or turnkey premises),

• hotel managements agreements.

We are therefore able to assist our clients at all stages of their real estate projects, whether the need is to provide advice on the acquisition structure (including tax aspects), to negotiate, to draft documentation or to litigate.

This holistic approach enables us to think ahead, anticipate the issues and tailor our services accordingly so as to achieve the best possible results.

Our Relevant Experience

• Assisting the French group B&B Hotels Belgium with several projects in Belgium amongst which the acquisition of the IBIS Budget business in Liège, as part of a complex and major transaction between B&B Hotels and Accor including 30 hotels in France, the acquisition of the QBic business in Brussels, and several other hotel developments (turnkey projects) in Belgium (Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Namur, Hasselt, etc.). Our assistance includes the drafting and negotiation of their occupation agreements (long leases and leasing) or acquisition agreements, as well as all ancillary agreements

• Assisting Vastint (Inter-IKEA group) in their development projects in Belgium. Recent examples include the transformation of an office building into a hotel (leased to Marriott under the brand Courtyard) and a new hotel development in Brussels (building constructed on the site of the previous headquarters of Solvay and leased and operated under the Moxy brand)

• Assisting Nelson Canal and Nelson Midi in the negotiation of the occupancy agreements with hotel operator Meininger for two hotels in Brussels

• Assisting Capital France Hotel, a specialist hotel investment vehicle asset managed by Schroders Real Estate Hotels on the purchase (structured through a share deal) from KKR’s Real Estate Partners Europe of two hotels in Antwerp : Radisson Blu Astrid and Park Inn

• Assisting French investors in the acquisition of part of the hotel & leisure complex “Le Dolce” in La Hulpe

• Assisting AG Real Estate, a subsidiary of AG Insurance, with the sale of the well-known Wiltcher’s Complex, located in Brussels, avenue Louise, and comprising the prestigious Steigenberger Wiltcher’s 5-star hotel, to AXA Investment Managers

• Assisting the French hotel-group Maranatha with the sale of the four-star hotel Sofitel le Louise to the international real estate fund AINA

• Assisting Motel One with the drafting and negotiation with developer Cores of a long lease agreement for a large hotel to be built (turnkey) in Antwerp

• Assisting Befimmo in the negotiation of the hotel management agreement (and ancillary agreements) with Standard for the exploitation of the hotel part in the multifunctional ZIN complex in Brussels.

• Assisting an international hotel operator in the conclusion of a management contract for a new hotel to be developed near Brussels

• Assisting the Portugese hotel-group Pestana with respect to potential acquisitions in Brussels for the opening of their first hotel in Belgium

• Assisting DROH!ME with the development of a new leisure park based on sports, nature, culture and education (the DROH!ME melting park)

• Assisting KBC Insurance on the acquisition and lease of a part of the “Sunparks Ardennen” holiday park at Vielsalm owned by Foncière des Murs (a French SIIC) and operated by the Pierre & Vacances Group

• Assisting JC Decaux Holding and its subsidiaries, that own and occupy the Green Lane site, in the redevelopment of the site; analysis of urban planning constraints and possibilities; preparation of a lease to third parties

• Assisting a joint venture composed by a French operator and a French investment fund in the acquisition of two hotels located in Brussels.