In an effort to fortify its beingness successful nan Greek hospitality sector, Spanish finance head Azora has decided to create a strategical confederation pinch nan Ioannou family, nan founders of Donkey Hotels. This marks Azora’s latest measurement successful expanding its portfolio successful Southern Europe and capitalising connected Greece’s steadily increasing tourism industry.
Partnership Structure & Ownership Details
The business has been formalised done nan acquisition by Azora-managed costs of a 50.1% equity liking successful Donkey Hotels S.A. The remaining 49.9% is retained by Ioannou family members. By combining Azora’s finance expertise pinch nan Ioannou family’s operational acquisition and heavy section connections, nan confederation is designed to create an institutional-quality hospitality level focused connected nan Greek market.
Donkey Hotels’ Luxury Portfolio
Donkey Hotels presently owns and operates 5 luxury hospitality assets successful Greece, totaling 834 rooms. Four of these – Athenaeum Intercontinental, NEW Hotel, Semiramis Hotel, and Periscope Hotel – are located successful Athens. NOUS Santorini Hotel, nan fifth, is located successful Santorini. With reputations for design, integration of section culture, and work quality, these hotels are smartly positioned successful cardinal municipality and leisure destinations.
Growth Strategy & Planned Renovations
Through targeted acquisitions and guidance of some leisure and business recreation properties, nan recently formed associated task intends to grow Donkey Hotels’ hospitality footprint. The partners are aligned successful their ambition to toggle shape nan level into a starring subordinate successful nan Greek edifice market. To do so, spot renovations, peculiarly astatine nan Athenaeum Intercontinental, will beryllium supported by superior injection, successful summation to different imaginable acquisitions.
Greece’s Strong Tourism Market
Having attracted complete 36 cardinal world visitors past year, Greece retains its spot arsenic 1 of Europe’s astir move tourism markets. According to CBRE’s European Hotel Investor Intentions Survey 2025, nan state still stands arsenic 1 of nan apical 5 destinations for edifice investors, bolstered by sustained request successful some luxury and leisure travel. As such, Greece is fertile crushed for finance and semipermanent improvement successful high-quality hospitality infrastructure.
Azora’s Regional Experience & Strategy
Following its acquisition of nan Sheraton Rhodes Resort successful 2022, this transaction builds upon Azora’s existing activity successful nan region. Azora’s business pinch Donkey Hotels aligns pinch nan company’s broader hospitality strategy, which focuses connected acquiring and repositioning high-potential assets, managing large-scale edifice platforms, and moving alongside beardown section partners.
Azora’s Expansive Hospitality Portfolio
Spanning complete 60 hotels and 14,500 rooms crossed Europe and nan US, Azora’s hospitality portfolio highlights its beardown beingness successful nan European edifice finance landscape. Moreover, its full assemblage finance has exceeded €4.1 cardinal since 2011, demonstrating its expertise to make worth done some strategical acquisitions and operational improvements.
Donkey Hotels’ Legacy and Market Position
On nan different hand, Donkey Hotels brings section expertise and a rich | bequest to nan associated venture. With a estimation for curating unsocial impermanent experiences that blend taste relevance pinch modern design, nan institution was formed successful 2021 done nan merger of nan YES Hotels S.A. and Athenaeum Hotel and Tourism Enterprises S.A. Its Athens-based properties are members of nan Design Hotels collection, symbolizing a beardown accent connected experiential value and aesthetic.
Opening Doors to New Opportunities
The collaboration betwixt Azora and nan Ioannou family signals a caller section for Donkey Hotels–one that intends to institutionalise and standard nan level while preserving nan section personality and unique characteristic of its properties. With coagulated funding, a clear strategy, and favourable marketplace conditions, nan associated task is good positioned to play a cardinal domiciled successful shaping nan adjacent shape of Greece’s high-end hospitality sector.