Romanian investor George Copos plans to invest EUR 30 mln in his hotel properties

Local company Ana Hotels, owned by Romanian investor George Copos, plans to invest EUR 30 million in its hotels in Bucharest, Poiana Brasov mountain resort, and the Eforie Nord seaside resort, in the next 3-4 years, according to Christine Schillings, the group’s general manager. The company will first refurbish the Europa spa hotel in Eforie Nord, where it will set up an outdoor treatment area that will include a saltwater pool, facilities for mud packing and mud baths. The project should be completed before the start of the 2017 summer season, writes local Wall-street.ro. In the spring of 2017, the Bradul hotel located in Poiana Brasov, one of the most famous mountain resorts in Romania, will enter a renovation process. In parallel, Ana Hotels will refurbish its hotels in Bucharest. The Crowne Plaza hotel will see its current fitness center extended into a 700-sqm spa and wellness center. The hotel’s current conference room will also be enlarged, reaching a total area of 1,400 sqm, plus a garden of 3,000 sqm. Moreover, the company will invest EUR 10 million in refurbishing all the rooms of its flagship property, the Athenee Palace Hilton five-star hotel. Ana Hotels will add a new 70-room wing to the hotel, as well as a conference room, which will require another EUR 10 million. Ana Hotels is now managed by the Belgian Christine Schillings, who took this position in April this year, replacing Alexandra Copos, owner George Copos’ daughter. In the first nine months of the year, Ana Hotels saw a 11.5% increase in its turnover compared to the same period last year. In 2015, the company posted a turnover of EUR 29.8 million. Ana Hotels was set up in 1996. It currently owns seven upscale and luxury hotels in Bucharest, Poiana Brasov, and Eforie Nord, which together have an accommodation capacity of 975 rooms. George Copos, who founded Ana Hotels, used to be the owner of football club Rapid, which he sold in 2013. He also sold the Ana Imep electric motor producer to a Japanese group this year. The Copos family also controls the Ana Pan bakery and pastry shop chain. editor@romania-insider.com