Tech-centric Bob W enters Germany with Charly acquisition

Through this acquisition, the Helsinki and Tallinn based aparthotel specialist has added seven properties to its collection of 27 aparthotels in operation across Europe.

Entry to Germany

Bob W has become known for its distinct approach to providing a five-star, contactless service in locally designed apartments located in hand-picked neighbourhoods. Bob W acquired Charly Hospitality with the knowledge that the two companies have a similar approach to technology and design in short-stay aparthotels.

The hospitality company currently operates properties across the UK, Spain, Finland, Italy, Norway, Greece and Estonia. These properties are now being added to a total of seven aparthotels in Bonn, Munich, Berlin, Lübeck and Cologne in Germany, as well as Amsterdam.

Each of these seven properties will be moved over to the Bob W brand in 2023, benefitting at this time from the integration of Bob W’s own tech platform and suite of apps. By the end of the year, the hospitality company aims to operate more than 40 properties overall. This target will be achieved through a combination of leases and management agreements.

Niko Karstikko, co-founder and CEO of Bob W, commented: “We are super excited about entering Germany with Charly and adopting their world-class team. The locations and properties are gorgeous. Once we apply our tech and brand standards, the next generation of travellers will have yet another place to call home with the most loved hospitality product on the market.”

Charly Hospitality founder, Jona Schaeffer, said: “With Bob W, we have found the perfect home for our team and our portfolio of boutique aparthotels in Germany and the Netherlands. We strongly believe in Bob W’s potential to become the market leader in alternative accommodations in Europe and are delighted that Charly will play its part in it.”

Future growth

Bob W intends to continue expanding across Europe, with a particular focus on Germany as this is the largest domestic travel market in Europe. The company expects Germany to be its largest market by the end of 2024.

The company was founded just before the pandemic by German-born Sebastian Emberger and Niko Karstikko, who is from Finland. Bob W has rapidly grown since this time. The company acquired Estonishing Stay in Estonia in May 2022 and in October it then bought KOTI Hotel in Finland, at the same time securing €21 million in series A funding.

“We’re getting huge traction with our approach to tech and reinvented hospitality,” said Karstikko. “Guests are responding very positively to the investment we make in their surroundings and in our customer experience, and that is translating into brand loyalty and repeat bookings.”

“We offer travellers the best of both worlds — hotel and apartment — and our formula works. That’s what is driving our growth plans. We will continue to expand quickly but sustainably in existing and new markets where there is high demand for what we offer and the fundamentals add up.”