a&o Florence: Berlin budget group continues to expand in Italy

- a&o Florence offers 125 rooms and 520 beds over five floors
- Former office building covers 4,000 m2 and has 40 underground parking spaces
- Opposite Campo di Marte train station and 10 minutes to the city centre
- Scheduled to open late 2021/early 2022, once renovation work is complete
- a&o continues to pursue its expansion strategy

“Florence is a great anniversary present,” says Winter, who founded a&o 20 years ago, with its first hostel in Berlin-Friedrichshain. With 39 hostels in 23 locations across eight countries, a&o is now Europe’s leading hostel brand.
A mere 10-minute walk from the city centre, “a&o Florence perfectly fulfils our requirements in regards to location and connectivity,” adds Henri Wilmes, Chief Investment Officer. “Florence is a leading European destination for visitors from all over the world – acquiring such premises here certainly represents a milestone for the company.” The renovation work both on and inside the five-storey building, covering an
area of 4,000 square metres, should begin in late 2020/early 2021. a&o Florence is located in the east of the city – Florence’s Artemio Franchi football stadium is just a 15-minute walk away.
 

50 locations by 2023 – a&o continues its rapid expansion
a&o is currently represented in Italy with two hostels in Venice and is set to continue its rapid expansion in both southern and eastern Europe. New hostels in Warsaw, Budapest and Copenhagen are confirmed for the first half of 2020 and other locations – including in Germany – are constantly being reviewed. Henri Wilmes: “We’re getting closer and closer to our goal: 50 a&o locations by the end of 2023.”
“Everyone can travel” - core market: families, school trips, groups
Group trips still account for the largest share of a&o’s guest numbers with 125,000 families, 13,000 school trips and 7,000 other groups of nine people and over (2018). With a soon-to-be 28,500 beds in 23 cities and eight countries, a&o has evolved into the leading European hostel chain since being founded in 2000. Bookings can currently be made at 39 hostels in 23 cities and eight European countries. With room rates from as little as EUR 12, central locations, comfort and quality, a&o is now also a smart accommodation choice for business, solo and senior travellers.
Company press releases and downloads: https://www.aohostels.com/de/presse/
 

About a&o Hostels
a&o was founded in 2000 by Oliver Winter and currently operates 39 hostels in 23 cities and eight countries across Europe. Other new openings are planned for the first half of 2020, including hostels in Warsaw, Copenhagen and Budapest. The a&o guest mix is varied: as well as backpackers, it also includes solo travellers, families, school groups and clubs. The number of business and senior travellers is also on the rise. As Europe’s largest provider of hostel accommodation, the chain reports annual growth of more than 15 per cent. With around 28,500 beds and about five million overnight stays, a&o has a turnover of around EUR 152 million (2018). The American investor, TPG Real Estate, has owned a&o since 2017. a&o is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2020 – the company is still managed by its founder.