Hotel Property Award | Forum Munich | 196+ forum

About the Hotel Property Award

Established in 2002, the Hotel Property Award is considered one of the most prestigious annual European hospitality real estate awards.

This industry award targets hotels that were completed and opened in Europe between January 2023 - June 2024. The prize goes to a hotel which stands out from among its competitors in terms of architecture, design and innovation, no matter whether it is a luxury or a budget hotel, a chain hotel or privately managed, short or long stay, city hotel or holiday resort.

196+ forum Munich regards a homogeneous combination of all the individual aspects to form a winning, and ultimately economically successful hotel concept as crucial, regardless of the category into which a particular hotel falls.

An independent jury nominates up to ten hotels and shortlists three finalists, which are presented every year at 196+ forum Munich.

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Hotel Property Award Winner 2024

Congratulations to OLM Nature Escape for winning the Hotel Property Award 2024!

The OLM Nature Escape is an Eco Aparthotel which is energy self-sufficient. Sustainability is the core topic of the structure: The focus is on using renewable energy which the Escape generates itself. The sources of energy (photovoltaic modules, artesian well, geothermal heating plant) make the hotel into a CO2-neutral building. The new construction is embedded into the surrounding nature in a manner that is architecturally unmistakeable. OLM is not a classical hotel, but an apartment hotel, and almost all the rooms are equipped with a kitchenette, so if you don’t want to be served a meal on any particular day, you can cook for yourself. You will find the ingredients in the hotel’s own shop, or in the village. The structure of the complex is circular and measures 110 metres in diameter. The two-storey ring making up the building has been sensitively integrated into the landscape, creating a seamless harmony between the interior and exterior areas. Grassy spaces blur the boundaries between inside and outside and offer guests unhindered views of the surrounding meadows and the mountainscape. The 33 different-sized rooms/apartments offer private saunas, free-standing baths, living and sleeping areas clad in larch wood aligned towards nature, with well-proportioned balcony areas, and relaxing seating areas. The central area of the OLM is the “Prenn°” restaurant, situated directly above the wellness area with its outdoor swimming pool. This is where guests will find a variety of culinary events which change as the week progresses, as well as a relaxation area with a stone fireplace and a range of board games.

Other finalists in alphabetical order

With its biophile architecture, the Resorthotel Luisenhöhe - Gesundheitsresort Schwarzwald was integrated into the landscape of the Southern Black Forest Nature Park and the UNESCO Black Forest Biosphere Reserve. Adopting as its motto “natural.healthy.living.”, the GesundKunft® concept offers a 360-degree health and recreation experience. The architecture takes second place to the surroundings, with a weathered shingle façade, as well as intensively and extensively landscaped roofs, cladding, walls and terraces. Placing the building construction further back behind the treeline preserves the characteristic silhouette of the natural surroundings. The curved shape of the main building, and the placing of the underground garage under the meadow, leave space on the surface to bring the meadowscape over the building and up to the main complex. The curved construction shape developed from the height profile opens up a perfect panoramic view, and when the weather is good you can see beyond Freiburg into the Vosges. The interior design uses warm, natural, timeless materials so that the architecture is continued with regional tones. Open areas flooded with natural light and an organic design idiom invite you to spend time there. With their GesundKunft® sleeping areas, natural loggias with a panoramic window, the room ambience, the “Genussschränkle” indulgence cupboard, and the wellness shower with a view, the rooms and suites are a place providing both comfort and regeneration. All areas of the Luisenhöhe are fully accessible. Located close by the Luisenhöhe is the valley station of Schauinsland cable car, which transports passengers to the summit of the Schauinsland mountain 1,284 metres on high.

The Villa Viva Hamburg is the first social guesthouse in Hamburg. The non-profit organisation Viva con Agua (VcA), a network which advocates for access to clean drinking water and builds wells in Africa and other places, owns a majority shareholding in the guesthouse. The investment capital for the new building did not come from VcA, but from social investors associated with the founder Benjamin Adrion. At least 40 percent of the profits from the guesthouse go to VcA. The topic of sustainability, but also ESG, is addressed not only when it comes to the building materials, energy and interior fittings, but also in the funding, conserving neighbourhood interests, workplace culture, and partnerships. Inclusion and diversity are major features of what the VV is about, both when it comes to accessibility, gender-neutral toilets, as well as in its support for disadvantaged people. Art and music are also important as universal languages. International artists are integrated into the design of areas such as the stairways, the façade or the RoofDrop Bar. The VV is an inspiring model for businesses and shows how the preservation of capital and moderate returns can co-exist with creating a social added value. The Villa Viva building complies with the KFW 55 “Energy-efficient Building” quality seal. Using wood as a building material plays a major role, as do recycled materials or furniture bought on flea markets. The guesthouse has a wide range of possibilities for overnight stays, ranging from “camping cabins”, through to various sizes of rooms for different budgets. The guest area on the ground floor, the Viva Cantina, is an open space for meeting people, with a “magic kiosk”. The building is located on a triangular plot in the Münzviertel, right behind Hamburg’s Main Station. The area is well known for the commitment of its residents and for the urban mix of art, social education and diverse culture. Together with Viva con Agua, the VV is also a member of the advisory council in the district, where it plays an active role and represents the interests of the neighbourhood.

Hotel Property Award nominees 2024

Previous winners

OLM Nature Escape, Campo Tures (2024), Falkensteiner Hotel Montafon, Tschagguns (2023), Wilmina, Berlin (2022), Ruby Luna Düsseldorf (2021), Grand Park Hotel Rovinj (2020), Schgaguler Hotel, Kastelruth (2019), QO Amsterdam (2018), Bretterbude, Heiligenhafen (2017), Hotel Reichshof Hamburg CURIO Collection by Hilton (2016), Hotel Zoo Berlin (2015), Holzhotel Forsthofalm, Leogang (2014), Radisson Blu, Nantes (2013), Topazz, Vienna (2012), 25hours HafenCity, Hamburg (2011), Roomers, Frankfurt am Main (2010), Lindner Hotel Tierpark Hagenbeck, Hamburg (2009), 25hours by Levis, Frankfurt am Main (2008), Schlosshotel Elmau, Elmau (2007), Daniel, Graz (2006), Colosseo, Europapark Rust (2004), Hotel Amigo Brussels & Accor Suite Hotel Hamburg (2003), Hilton Cologne (2002).

Gallery 2024

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