ECE Work & Live has acquired two extended-stay hotels under IHG’s Staybridge Suites brand, located in Liverpool and Newcastle. This acquisition lays the foundation for ECE’s planned strategy in the UK hotel market, which aims to build an institutional-quality portfolio of mid-sized hotels in the mid- to upscale segment. For this strategy, ECE has partnered with Maya Capital which has contributed its sourcing capabilities and will also act as asset manager on this transaction.
Both properties benefit from prime locations, strong operational performance, and excellent guest ratings. They are managed by the operator Cycas Hospitality.
ECE Work & Live intends to build a portfolio of 7-8 mid-sized hotels in the UK regional cities outside London, with a total investment volume of up to GBP 150 million. The focus will be on established properties in strong locations with stable performance and management agreements under leading brands, as well as assets with value-add potential, including vacant possession opportunities. Value will be generated through operational improvements and active asset management.
“The acquisition of the two Staybridge Suites hotels in Liverpool and Newcastle is part of our opportunistic approach to invest in smaller-scale UK hotel assets that, on an individual level, are too granular and often overlooked by institutional investors. Extended-stay concepts are in high demand in the UK and offer attractive recurring yields. We welcome the opportunity to build a portfolio with value-enhancing potential,” says Jan-Hendrik Walloch, Managing Director Investment at ECE Work & Live.
David Pralong, Managing Director at Maya Capital added: “This venture combines both our expertise and resources to create value in a hotel segment where we have high conviction and that continues to show strong operating performance.”
The Staybridge Suites Liverpool, opened in 2008 and last refurbished in 2017, offers 132 rooms across seven floors. It is within walking distance of the city centre and just minutes from James Street Metro station. The hotel sits directly on the waterfront, adjacent to Liverpool’s largest event arena with 11,000 seats and close to exhibition halls hosting numerous annual events.
The Staybridge Suites Newcastle boasts excellent connectivity to the city centre and public transport, with Manors Metro station only one stop from the main railway station. Located in an established area within walking distance of the Quayside waterfront, the Millennium Bridge, and the BALTIC Centre, the property opened in 2009 and underwent a comprehensive refurbishment in 2024. It features 128 rooms across seven floors.
Maya Capital was founded in 2014 by David Pralong and has deployed more than €2.5 billion in multiple asset classes across Western Europe.
Savills represented ECE Work & Live on the transaction.
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