Berlin-based budget group a&o is set to operate its second hostel in the Netherlands. It already has a location in Amsterdam. With the acquisition of City Hotel Rotterdam, it will also manage a location at the Schiekade.
a&o already has a portfolio of over 40 establishments in 21 cities and almost ten countries. The company wants to offer affordable travel in all major European cities. Founded in 2000, the brand continues to pursue a growth strategy: As Europe’s largest provider of hostel accommodation, a&o reports annual growth of more than 15 percent.
The brand always provides hotel accommodation at central locations that are easy to reach and offer unbeatable value for money to guests. The offer includes different room categories from single and double rooms to familiy and the popular shared rooms. As target groups, a&o appeals primarily to families and group travelers, but also to individual travelers and couples.
History of a&o Hostels
Company founder and CEO Oliver Winter came up with the idea for a modern hostel concept while traveling as a student-teacher. His stroke of genius was to give people – young people on tight budgets especially – the opportunity to find affordable accommodation at central locations in big cities. The concept consists of three pillars: professionalism, central location, and universal ease.
Oliver Winter launched his first a&o hostel with 164 beds in Berlin-Friedrichshain. The company expanded steadily in the following years together with TPG Real Estate, the institutional partner it acquired in 2017. “We always treat our guests and employees honestly at eye level,” emphasizes Oliver Winter. “We consciously do without formal uniforms and snazzy designs. In a nutshell: everyone can be who they want to be at a&o.”
