Amsterdam franchise opening in March 2019 with additional French locations to come
Singapore-based company, The Ascott Limited, has stepped up its European expansion as it enters Amsterdam with its first franchise agreement on the continent and first property in the Netherlands region.
As one of the leading international lodging owner-operators, Ascott will franchise the Citadines Apart’hotel brand to Amsterdam based WIN Hotels group, who will operate the property, named Citadines Sloterdijk Station Amsterdam, scheduled to open in March of this year. The residence is located in the district of Sloterdijk, with easy direct access into the city centre and airport and within close proximity to several company head offices including Dell BV and KPN B.V.
Managing Director of Ascott Europe, Ngor Houai Lee, said: “Ascott’s strategic entry into Amsterdam through franchise is a significant move to expand both our European and global network of properties. We see strong potential in this market to respond to the ever-increasing demand from tourists, who are travelling from all over the world to visit Amsterdam, as well as those travelling for business, with Amsterdam now the twelfth most visited city in the world.”
“Europe is a key focus for us, with two franchises in Nantes and Strasbourg to open this year and in 2020 respectively, alongside the third Crest Collection opening in Paris last month and the fifth UK Citadines property opening this summer. Ascott’s strategy is to aggressively expand in the coming years to edge closer towards a target of 160,000 units globally by 2023, through direct investment, management contracts and franchises. This strategy has already seen success with the addition of over 30,000 units across 189 properties in 2018, making Ascott one of the fastest growing global players in the lodging industry, boosting the portfolio to over 100,000 units, and surpassing the initial target of 80,000 units by 2020.”
Patrick Kerkhoven, Chief Operating Officer at WIN Hotels group, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Ascott to bring Citadines Sloterdijk Station Amsterdam into the Netherlands region, with no better place to start than the metropolitan hub of Amsterdam. Ascott’s extensive global experience and footprint across continents attracted us initially, alongside the strong brand recognition and willingness to innovate and respond to market demands. With people choosing to stay in Amsterdam for longer than the average European city break, we are delighted to be part of an offering that ensures guests receive a more flexible, comfortable stay, whether this be for a week or a few weeks, and the opportunity to truly feel at home.”
WIN Hotel Group is a family owned company based in Amsterdam. Their first property as opened in 1997 in Damrak, Amsterdam and at present the company owns more than ten hotels in the city, most of which are operated under international brands.
The Citadines model offers room types ranging from studio rooms to two bedroom apartments offering a living space and an in-room kitchen, giving guests’ from space to relax and unwind with the added security of reception and staff on hand. Currently operating more than 57,000 serviced residence units across the globe, with an additional 42,000 already under development, Ascott aims to increase its global footprint to comprise of 160,000 units by 2020.
