Europe -  Brussels

For a comprehensive review of the Europe market, click below:
HVS In-Depth Europe Hotel Valuation Index:   2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001

Brussels, with a population of approximately 1.2 million, enjoys a strategic location in the heart of Western Europe, making it both a regional metropolis and an international hub. In addition to its role as capital of Belgium, the city is home to NATO’s headquarters and is widely known as the ‘capital of Europe’, hosting both the European Parliament and the European Commission. However, described as the ‘new Berlin’ by the New York Times in 2015, an eclectic and creative facet of Brussels has recently emerged, represented by its community of artists, architects and designers.

Arrivals in Brussels grew constantly since the decline observed in 2009 – following the economic crisis – until 2015. After the terrorist attacks in March 2016 heavily impacted visitation to the city, 2017 showed signs of recovery, primarily coming from the business demand generated by the various EU and international entities based in Brussels, while leisure demand was still below previous levels. However, 2018 saw the return of the leisure segment, leading to a 10.0% increase in visitation. The Brussels hotel market bounced back in 2017 with RevPAR growth of around 20.0%, and this positive trend continued as the market again recorded impressive RevPAR growth of more than 10.0% in 2018 and 5.0% in 2019. 2020 performance figures contracted on account of the pandemic. As a result, hotel values in Brussels decreased by around 14.6% on 2019. 2021 saw the start of recovery, mainly from the summer onwards, leading to a 5.2% increase in hotel values compared to the previous year. However, RevPAR levels remained at just 25.0% of that achieved in 2019. In 2022, Brussels showed strong signs of recovery, both in occupancy and average rate, as a result of leisure and corporate demand starting to rebound, and resulting in substantial rate growth.

Currently, there are around 200 hotels in Brussels, providing almost 18,500 rooms in total. The city’s pipeline continues to be relatively modest and includes 12 projects expected to open in the next three years, of which four will be in proximity to the airport, two near Brussels Midi Station and one in the Brussels Expo area. Two of these hotels are conversions of existing properties, while the other ten are new developments that are expected to bring more than 2,000 new rooms to the market, mainly in the airport area, representing around 11.0% of the current supply. The hotels that are expected to open in Brussels city centre include the 198-room The Hoxton Brussels (opening in April 2023), the 511-room Cardo Brussels Hotel (January 2024), the 126-room Corinthia Grand Place Hotel Astoria (January 2024) and the 180-room The Standard Hotel Brussels (May 2025). Other notable openings in the wider Brussels market include the 262-room Mövenpick Brussels Airport (April 2024) and the 80-room MOXY Brussels Midi Station (December 2024).

In line with the rest of Europe, the volume of transactions decreased substantially in 2020 (three hotels sold) and 2021 (one hotel sold). These transactions included the 80-room Hotel Izán Avenue Louise for €8.4 million (around €105,000 per room), the 172-room Ramada Brussels Woluwe as part of the BEL hotel portfolio, the 125-room Pullman Brussels Airport as part of the Kadans Science Partner and AXA IM – Real Assets merger and the 148-room Qbic Brussels. In 2022, there were six recorded sales for a total of €252.9 million, setting a new record. While the majority of the transactions took place in the fourth quarter, the most notable included the 252-room Hotel Metropole, which changed hands in November for around €78 million (approximately €310,000 per key); the 246-room NH Brussels Louise bought for €35 million (or €142,000 per key) in November; and the 212-room proposed Souverain 25 Hotel (as part of a mixed-use development) for a reported €61.7 million (around €291,000 per key).

Change In Value For Market: (€Euro)

Legend
Significant Value Increase: Greater than +10%
Moderate Value Increase: Between +3% and +10%
Stable Values: Between -3% and +3%
Moderate Value Decline: Between -3% and -10%
Significant Value Decline: More than -10%

For more information, please contact:

Sophie Perret, MRICS, MBA
Managing Director
[email protected]
  • +44 0 2078787722 (w)
  • +44 0 7725781037 (m)