a&o Hostels Strengthens Construction Leadership with Appointment of Gernot Porcher

London, 21st October 2026 – a&o Hostels, Europe's largest hostel chain, has appointed Gernot Porcher as its new Senior Vice President of Construction. In his new role, Porcher will oversee the planning, construction and maintenance of the company's growing European portfolio.

Prior to joining a&o, Porcher served as Vice President of Real Estate at Deutsche Hospitality (formerly Steigenberger, now H World International). Earlier in his career, he spent five years at Ernst & Young (EY), serving as Head of Project and Risk Management from 2010 to 2015. Originally from Hesse, Germany, he holds degrees in Architectural Engineering and Real Estate Economics (ebs).

Welcoming the appointment, Oliver Winter, CEO and Founder of a&o Hostels, said: "With Gernot Porcher, we're gaining expertise on multiple fronts. He is a true real estate all-rounder, with extensive experience spanning design, planning, project delivery and long-term asset management. He also embodies the qualities that support our corporate ambitions: solution-focused, open-minded and committed to quality."

Clear structures, continuous development and an openness to learning and innovation underpin Porcher's approach to real estate. Together with his team of ten specialists, which is expected to grow in the coming months, he will focus on driving innovation and long-term value creation across a&o's expanding portfolio.

With six new properties planned across Europe by the end of 2028, four of which are scheduled to open in 2027, Porcher sees adaptability as key to unlocking future growth opportunities. Commenting on his vision for a&o's portfolio, he said: "The successful evolution of our portfolio and the unlocking of new growth opportunities will be driven by increasingly adaptable real estate."

He added: "It's only once a building is operational that things become really interesting." Porcher’s are that price competitiveness, sustainability, durability and flexibility will remain the defining pillars of successful hospitality real estate development.

New Locations on the Horizon

Following the acquisition and refurbishment of properties in Manchester, London, Milan, Florence and Brussels over the past two years, a&o is set to continue its expansion across Europe.

Among the key openings planned for 2027 are a&o Berlin Checkpoint Charlie, which will become the company's fifth property in the German capital, and the new a&o Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof. Two additional properties are scheduled to open by the end of 2027, with a further two expected to follow by the end of 2028.

Founded in 2000, a&o Hostels currently operates 46 properties with approximately 31,600 beds across 32 cities in Europe.

Oliver Winter sees significant scope for continued growth: "We see clear potential to double our portfolio. Over the past two years alone, we have expanded by around 11,500 beds. We remain firmly committed to our mission of making affordable travel to Europe's cities and metropolitan destinations accessible, particularly for families, young travellers and school groups."

In 2025, the Berlin-based company welcomed almost three million guests and recorded approximately 6.6 million overnight stays. Strong demographic trends and continued market demand are also helping to establish the hostel sector as an increasingly recognised institutional asset class. Most recently, a&o completed an €874 million refinancing agreement with global investment firm Apollo. StepStone Group and Proprium Capital Partners have owned the company since late 2023.