a&o Hostels expand in Belgium with opening of a&o Antwerpen Centraal

Antwerp, 23 October 2024 – Europe’s largest hostel chain, a&o Hostels, has announced their first expansion into Belgium with the planned opening of a&o Antwerpen Centraal from November 1st, 2024. The property formerly operated as the budget hotel "Century Antwerp" and will see a&o invest 4 million euros in renovations between now and early 2025 as the company adds its 41st opening to locations in 11 European countries.

a&o Antwerpen Centraal is a nine-storey property with 133 rooms and 516 beds, offering single, double and family rooms with double and bunk beds. This Opening continues a&o's expansion course and marks the second opening of 2024, following a&o Brighton Beach in the UK. According to the Berlin headquartered hostel chain, there are plans to add another three or four properties to the portfolio in 2025.

Speaking on the decision to launch operations in Belgium, a&o Founder and CEO Oliver Winter said: "Antwerp is an extraordinary city and can be perfectly explored on foot, by bike or by public transport within distance of the a&o property."

With a&o set to celebrate 25 years of operations next year, the company aims to be Europe’s first hostel chain to operate net-zero in 2025. With a CO2 footprint of just 3.73 kilograms per overnight stay, the company celebrates up to 80 percent lower emissions than their competitors. The growth strategy remains focused on property conversions over new builds, with Oliver Winter adding: “We are open-minded and adaptable in terms of size and layout of the properties we chose to invest in. This enables dynamic growth.”

Antwerp – a city with historical charm

In the 15th and 16th centuries, Antwerp was one of the largest cities in the world, with around 550,000 inhabitants. Today, the university city is the largest in Belgium and the second-largest seaport in Europe. The largely preserved historic city centre has numerous buildings from the late Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque as well as Art Nouveau and Art Deco which makes the city a highlight for tourists from all over the world. “Antwerp is a fascinating journey into the most diverse eras of European art history, especially for young people”, said Winter.

The city on the Scheldt is also the perfect starting point for visits to the capital Brussels, which is approximately 50 kilometres away, and Ghent, known for its medieval architecture.

Plans for additional expansion

Over 2.7 million guests stayed in a&o properties in 2023 and with almost three million overnight stays in the first half of 2024, the company continues to grow. Families, solo travellers, couples, school groups and business travellers continue to book the properties across Europe owing to the modern, functional and affordable city centre locations accessible by train and public transport. With plans to continue growing across the continent, a&o have set their sights on potential