Leonardo Hotels is a thriving hotel chain with over 160 properties across Europe, headquartered in the vibrant city of Berlin. This impressive network is part of the Fattal Hotel Group, a global force in the hospitality industry.
This story began in 2006 when David Fattal, a visionary hotelier originally from Haifa, Israel, founded the Leonardo Hotels brand. At the time, Fattal was already leading Fattal Holdings Ltd., a successful tourism company based in Tel Aviv. The first Leonardo Hotel opened its doors in Nuremberg, Germany, marking the start of an exciting journey. The distinctive name and logo were registered with the German Patent and Trademark Office in 2007, and its international registration followed in 2008.
The birth of Leonardo Hotels marked the beginning of Fattal’s international expansion strategy. The company started by acquiring hotels in Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland. This growth was fueled by Fattal’s own resources and investments from various funds. The expansion continued with rebranding hotels in Israel around 2009 and acquiring or building new hotels in countries like Hungary (from 2011), Austria (from 2012), the United Kingdom (from 2015), Spain (from 2015), Italy (since 2015), the Netherlands (since 2016), Czech Republic (since 2016), Ireland (since 2017), Poland (since 2017), and Romania (since 2021). In April 2022, the hotel group announced a new fund specifically dedicated to further expanding its reach across Europe.
The Fattal Holdings (1998) Ltd. umbrella encompasses the Leonardo Hotels brand. The company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Sunflower Management GmbH & Co. KG, serves as the management company for Leonardo Hotels in Europe. The hotels themselves are either owned by Fattal Holdings or one of its subsidiaries, or they are leased. In 2021, Leonardo Hotels Central Europe alone employed a workforce of 2,700 individuals.
Yoram Biton, the Managing Director of Leonardo Hotels Central Europe, oversees operations from Berlin. He has been instrumental in driving the brand’s success. The Leonardo family of hotels boasts four distinct brands: Leonardo Hotels, Leonardo Boutique Hotels, Leonardo Royal Hotels, and NYX Hotels by Leonardo Hotels.
By August 2022, the Leonardo Hotels group, including its sub-brands, had grown to over 160 properties. Germany is home to the largest concentration of Leonardo Hotels. Some of the most significant acquisitions include the Jurys Inn hotels in the United Kingdom and Ireland (51 hotels as of April 2022), the Apollo Hotels in the Netherlands and Belgium (13 hotels as of August 2018), and a portfolio of six hotels on the Balearic Islands.
From its humble beginnings in Nuremberg, Leonardo Hotels has blossomed into a prominent force in the European hospitality industry. Fattal’s dedication to expansion and commitment to quality have propelled Leonardo Hotels to the forefront of the hospitality market. The future looks bright for this dynamic brand, promising even more exciting growth and innovation in the years to come.
