The hostel chain A&O is continuing its expansion course and has opened another location in the Belgian capital Brussels. The newest A&O Hostel, which opened its doors in December 2024, is located in the former "The President Brussels Hotel" on Boulevard du Roi Albert. The opening of this property will further expand the chain's success in Belgium. It follows the opening of the first A&O location in Antwerp in October 2024, which was added to the portfolio just a few weeks earlier. This rapid expansion in Belgium is another milestone in the group's growth strategy.
The A&O Hostel Brussels Centrum currently offers 296 rooms, a large parking area with 45 parking spaces and covers an area of around 20.000 square meters. An extension is planned for this year, which will increase the number of rooms to 377. A&O will invest a total of around seven million euros in this. The renovation will be carried out gradually and without interrupting operations, so that guests can continue to benefit from the usual services.
growth strategy and expansion plans
Oliver Winter, founder and CEO of A&O, is delighted with the rapid success of the expansion in Belgium. "It is really unusual to realize two ideal candidates within such a short period of time. First Antwerp, now Brussels - this means that our growth targets in Belgium have been met," said Winter at the opening of the new building. The opening in Brussels brings the total bed capacity of Europe's largest hostel chain to more than 30.000 beds, which further consolidates A&O's position as one of the leading hostel chains.
For A&O, the purchase and subsequent conversion of existing properties is an essential part of the growth strategy. Winter emphasizes that "acquisitions are our favorites" because they enable dynamic and healthy growth. The acquisition of existing properties offers the advantage that the location and condition of the properties already meet the basic requirements of the brand. This makes it possible to carry out necessary conversions and modernizations while operations are ongoing with foreseeable effort. This process enables the properties to be quickly adapted to A&O's specific needs and ensures that guests can stay in modern, well-equipped accommodation right from the start.
In the anniversary year of 2025, the brand's expansion will continue. The opening of the A&O Firenze Campo di Marte in Italy is already planned for February 2025. The new hotel in Florence will be housed in a former municipal administration building and will have 121 rooms. This is just the beginning: other locations in European cities such as London, Manchester, Paris, Madrid and Lisbon are already on the list of potential expansions. The continuous expansion shows A&O's ambitions to further expand its presence in European cities and to offer even more travelers the opportunity to stay in centrally located and affordable accommodation.
With the motto "Everyone can travel", A&O consistently pursues the goal of offering affordable accommodation to young people who love to travel, as well as families, school classes and business travelers. The company focuses on good value for money and the latest facilities. Each hostel in the chain offers practical and modern facilities that are geared to the needs of guests: from functional guest rooms to shared kitchens, work areas and free WiFi. The central location of the houses in the cities ensures that guests can easily reach their destination using public transport and trains.
The popularity of A&O Hostels is also reflected in the company's impressive figures. In 2024, A&O recorded around 2,7 million guests and 6,2 million overnight stays. In addition to the typical hostel guests who come from the young traveler and student segment, business travelers as well as solo vacationers and families also find their way to the hostels. The concept of combining central and affordable accommodation with a wide range of service offerings has proven to be a recipe for success.
The facilities in the hostels are geared to the needs of modern travelers. Guests will find a bar, a guest kitchen, work areas and, of course, fast internet. Digitalization is actively promoted so that guests can easily book online and the hostels are ideally suited to both leisure and business travelers thanks to their digital infrastructure.