Accor continues to revitalise its long established Ibis brand across Europe, building on a long tradition of providing travellers with affordable accommodation.
The brand has more than 2,500 hotels around the world, in close to 80 country markets, and is growing in key markets through a number of partnerships. In Accor’s home territory of Europe, the brand is continuing to build its presence under three sub-brands: Ibis, Ibis Styles, and Ibis Budget.
The brand was originally launched in 1974, as a value-driven offering for travellers on a budget, and the first hotel opened in the French city of Bordeaux. Since then, the brand has grown not just across Europe, but into Asia, Asia Pacific and South America. It reached the 1,000 hotel milestone in 2014.
“Ibis continues to demonstrate its promise of reliability and what matters for the value-minded traveller,” said Florence Liger-Tourres, vice president of marketing for Accor’s economy brands across Europe & North Africa. “These latest additions show the attractiveness of ibis to our guests and partners, who value and trust the forward-thinking spirit of a leading economy brand.”
Recent European openings have included Berlin and Neckarsulm in Germany, Madrid and Hasselt in Belgium, as well as the launch of the Ibis Styles brand in Estonia, with the opening of a hotel in the middle of the capital, Tallinn. The Tallinn hotel was created from the renovation of the former L’Ermitage hotel in the city, and its 122 rooms feature interiors styled in black and white, as a celebration of the art of photography.
Among upcoming pipeline openings are two hotels in Spain. Ibis Styles Madrid Airport Valdebas will open in June, featuring a pool and a lounge bar on the rooftop. With 260 rooms, it will be the largest Ibis hotel in Iberia. Also coming to the market will be the new Ibis Budget Madrid Albasanz, offering 99 rooms of great value accommodation in the city centre.
Further openings are planned in Berlin, with the launch of sister hotels Ibis, and Ibis Budget adjacent to terminal one at Berlin Brandenburg Airport. Each will have 114 rooms, ideal for travellers and offering park & fly packages, as well as an extra early start breakfast.
And two more airport hotels are coming, in Hungary and Poland and both will be the Ibis Styles format. The Hungarian property at Debrecen, the country’s second largest airport, will have a combination of 72 rooms with 16 long stay apartments. The Polish property will feature 75 rooms, in a property located at Katowice airport.
A couple of Belgian additions are the Ibis Budget Arlon Porte du Luxembourg, and Ibis Styles Hasselt. The Arlon property has 70 rooms, including some with the brand’s signature bunk bed, ideal for families on the move. And in Hasselt, the recently opened hotel has 91 rooms with interiors reflecting local naval history and an expedition to the Antarctic.
