Hotel boom in Wroclaw
The Sheraton, in the company's first foray outside Warsaw, is expected to open in about two years. City officials said a prime piece of city center land was sold to Sheraton for development of the hotel.
"It's good that (these chains) are opening up in Wroclaw," said Jacek Protasiewicz, a city spokesman. "The city is getting closer to Western European tourists and businessmen because they know these hotels."
While Sheraton will pony up zl. 17.5 million ($4.5 million) for the half-hectare plot of land on plac Dominikanski, just off the market square, it was not the highest bidder. Exbud bid zl. 24 million ($6 million).
But city officials, who had an asking price of zl. 13 million ($3.2 million), also took design plans and brand recognition into account when deciding the tender.
"First, (Sheraton) was the best architectural project and because of the location aesthetics were very, very important," Protasiewicz said. "Secondly, because (Sheraton) is a known international brand, it can only raise the prestige of Wroclaw in the business environment."
But Sheraton isn't alone in coming to Wroclaw.
Protasiewicz said that over the next two years the city is slated to get about 2,500 high-standard hotel rooms. In addition to the Prima Best Western and the Sheraton, Holiday Inn, Plaza and Orbis are all currently building new hotels in the city.
"There was a lack of good quality hotels in the city," Protasiewicz said. "But over the last three years that hole has been systematically filled."
But demand for rooms is still high and the market is far from saturated, said Markus Brall, general director of the Prima Hotel Best Western Wroclaw, an 80-room, three-star hotel. "This year the town was fully booked for five months," Brall said.
"It's good that (these chains) are opening up in Wroclaw," said Jacek Protasiewicz, a city spokesman. "The city is getting closer to Western European tourists and businessmen because they know these hotels."
While Sheraton will pony up zl. 17.5 million ($4.5 million) for the half-hectare plot of land on plac Dominikanski, just off the market square, it was not the highest bidder. Exbud bid zl. 24 million ($6 million).
But city officials, who had an asking price of zl. 13 million ($3.2 million), also took design plans and brand recognition into account when deciding the tender.
"First, (Sheraton) was the best architectural project and because of the location aesthetics were very, very important," Protasiewicz said. "Secondly, because (Sheraton) is a known international brand, it can only raise the prestige of Wroclaw in the business environment."
But Sheraton isn't alone in coming to Wroclaw.
Protasiewicz said that over the next two years the city is slated to get about 2,500 high-standard hotel rooms. In addition to the Prima Best Western and the Sheraton, Holiday Inn, Plaza and Orbis are all currently building new hotels in the city.
"There was a lack of good quality hotels in the city," Protasiewicz said. "But over the last three years that hole has been systematically filled."
But demand for rooms is still high and the market is far from saturated, said Markus Brall, general director of the Prima Hotel Best Western Wroclaw, an 80-room, three-star hotel. "This year the town was fully booked for five months," Brall said.
