Accor‘s Handwritten Collection is building momentum, with a string of openings planned across Europe in the coming months.
Launched in 2023, the collection brand allows independent, individually styled hotels to join Accor’s powerful distribution network and loyalty system, without conforming to the restrictions typically required by a formal hotel group brand. As a result, guests can enjoy an intimate, stylish hotel stay, often in a property that reflects the unique character of its owner and host.
Building a distinctive collection
Since launch, the Handwritten brand concept has connected with distinctive hotels around the world. Already more than 20 are part of the brand, in locations as varied as Krakow, Singapore, San Francisco and Sydney.
In the Netherlands, Accor has already launched Handwritten with a hotel in Amsterdam, the Hotel Der Zand, that joined the collection in 2024. Now, there are additional properties coming in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Maastricht. The first of these will be the Grand Canal Boutique Hotel, a 25 room hotel with a canalside position in the heart of Amsterdam.
In France, Handwritten already has a presence in Paris, and this will be joined shortly by two more properties. The Hotel de l’Abbaye du Tronchet will offer guests a unique experience, having been created from a former abbey building set in the landscape between Rennes and St Malo. A renowned restaurant awaits, while the property also has extensive spa and wellness facilities plus a suite of meeting spaces suited to company away days.
Also launching is the Hotel Kasano Calvi, on the island of Corsica. An intimate 39 room property, its interior reflects the owner’s passion for modern art, with unique pieces hanging in several rooms.
In Italy, the Hotel Giacomo Morra Alba joins Handwritten following a complete refresh of the property, paying tribute to its founder. The hotel has 92 rooms, has a charming courtyard and offers guests a carefully curated selection of wines from its cellar. The hotel is in Alba, a town famous for wine and white truffles, in the Piedmont region just to the south of Turin.
To the north in Switzerland, the Hotel Meierhof will become a Handwritten hotel later this year, and the first in the country. A listed building in the famous destination of Davos, the hotel has 37 rooms and is in walking distance from the local cable car.
A launch in the Greek market
Elsewhere in Europe, the first Greek hotel to join Handwritten is being prepared. The 36 room Rocca a Mare Heraklion is on the island of Crete, and promises great sea views from every angle. This is a modern masterpiece, offering a high tech feel and contemporary aesthetics – with a great wellness offering and, of course, a pool to relax by.
And in Hungary, Accor will be adding the Hotel Lycium in the country’s second city, Debrecen. Launching in summer 2025, the hotel will be part of a new development that includes the region’s largest conference facility, the Kolcsey Centre, and a modern art museum.
