Specialist property lender Leumi UK, a subsidiary of Israel’s Bank Leumi, has agreed to a financing package of £26.3 million for the acquisition and merging of two hotels in Bloomsbury, near Russell Square in London, for hospitality investor Zorca Holdings. The acquisition price was not disclosed. The loan facility will go towards the purchasing and refurbishment of the hotels, as well as merging the two hotels into a single, five-star, 74-bed hotel with an event space and F&B offerings. The new hotel is set to open in late 2024. The hotels are contained within a 19th century Georgian townhouse with gardens leading towards the British Museum. Owned by Laith Pharaon, Zorca Holdings is a subsidiary of the Malta-based investment firm Orca Holdings. This deal marks Leumi UK’s second hotel partnership with Orca Holdings, having previously provided financing for the acquisition of the Zetter Group in London in 2021.

Delta Real Estate acquires the Radisson Collection Hotel, Old Mill Belgrade in Serbia

Serbian firm Delta Real Estate has acquired the four-star, 236-room Radisson Collection Hotel, Old Mill Belgrade in Belgrade, Serbia, for an undisclosed amount. Located near the city centre, the hotel sits within the repurposed first steam-powered mill and includes 14 apartments. Delta’s operations span retail, hotels, mixed-use developments and offices in Serbia and the Southeast Europe region, including the five-star, 165-room InterContinental Hotel in Ljubljana, Slovenia and the four-star, 390-room Crowne Plaza and four-star, 46-room Hotel Indigo hotels in Belgrade.

Chinese property investor MDJM has completed the acquisition of, and renovation works on, a portfolio of two boutique hotels in the UK: the three-star, 20-room Fernie Castle Hotel in Fife, Scotland, and the four-star, 13-room Robin Hill Hotel in Torquay, southwest England. Set across 17 acres, the original Fernie Castle dates back to 1353 and is situated within forest and lake surroundings some 40 miles north of Edinburgh. Post-renovation, the hotel can now host up to 180 guests for weddings and other events. The Robin Hill is situated a short distance from the seafront at Torquay Harbour in Devon, with the original building dating from 1896.

Zamfir family acquires the Becali Hotel Inter in Venus, Romania

The Bucharest-based Zamfir family, owner of energy firm Energoutil Contact, has acquired the four-star, 98-room Becali Hotel Inter for €8 million (€82,000 per room) from Theodora and Mihai Mincu. The property is situated in Venus, Romania, on the coast of the Black Sea, and features two restaurants, an outdoor pool and direct access to the beach. The hotel is due to return to its previous name from 2012, the Carmen International hotel-restaurant complex. Theodora Mincu is the eldest daughter of businessman George Becali, who acquired the hotel in 2021 for €6.8 million from Romanian agriculture firm Interagro’s founder and businessman Ioan Nirculae.

SD2P acquires the future You Urban Home in Amiens, France, from developer Vinci Immobilier

French owner-operator SD2P has acquired the 94-room future You Urban Home hotel in Amiens, northern France, from French developer Vinci Immobilier. The future hotel, located near the city’s main train station is expected to have an F&B offering, co-working space, meeting facilities, private cinema room and a fitness area. The development will be carried out in tandem with the city of Amiens and is part of the Les 3 Mondes project, which includes 500 residential units, a senior living home and 14,500 sqm of offices. The hotel is set to be delivered in Q4 2025 with works to begin in August 2023. The hotel will be operated under SD2P’s lifestyle You Urban Home brand, with the first one currently open in Deauville, France.

EXTENDAM and DG Invest acquires the Blue Sea Calas Marina hotel in Alicante, Spain

French investment firm EXTENDAM and its operating partner DG Invest have acquired the 118-room Blue Sea Calas Marina hotel in Benidorm, Alicante, Spain. Situated just 250 metres from Poniente Beach, the hotel includes a restaurant, swimming pool, meeting facilities and games room. Closed since 2020, the property is set to reopen as a 134-room Ibis Styles hotel in early 2025 after extensive renovation and repositioning works.

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