European hotel management group Hotel Co 51 has appointed Wayne Androliakos as its new chief executive. He takes over from Tobias Linder, who will be shifting within the larger Vastint group, which owns Hotel Co 51, to become head of asset management for Vastint Holding.

Androliakos brings extensive hospitality management experience with him to his new role. He previously led global operations for Generator and Freehand hotels, and prior to this was with European hotel management group Cycas Hospitality for 14 years, where he progressed from general manager of its first hotel to become chief operating officer. He commented: “I’m looking forward to harnessing my experience of working across multiple international brands, accommodation styles, cultures and markets to enhance Hotel Co 51’s reputation as an employer of choice as we focus on training and retention programmes that help our people grow.”

Fast growth

Hotel Co 51 was established officially in 2020, and has quickly grown to manage a portfolio that today includes 42 hotels across Europe, all under Marriott brands. The portfolio is predominantly Moxy hotels, but also includes four Courtyard by Marriott hotels, two Residence Inn apart hotels in Germany, and an AC by Marriott hotel in Scotland.

It is part of the Vastint property investment and development group, which is active across Europe, undertaking a wide variety of projects with sustainability at their core. The hotels division, Vastint Hospitality, has grown a portfolio of new build hotels across Europe over the last decade, working closely alongside Marriott as it rolled out its new, mischievious brand, Moxy. As a result, Hotel Co 51 now operates more than one third of all Moxy hotels across the Continent.

Among current development projects are a refurbishment of Moxy Glasgow, which has been in operation for ten years and is being temporarily closed during renovation works. In Berlin, a 91 room extension is being added to the Moxy Berlin Ostbahnhof hotel.

For Hotel Co 51, its sustainability credentials are helped by the fact that the company only manages new build properties developed by Vastint Hospitality. These typically use timber where possible in their construction, and harness efficient methods of modular and off-site construction.

Projects in Poland

Current developments include the Element hotel in Wroclaw, Poland, where Vastint is building a 115 room hotel designed for long stay guests. Rooms feature built in, fully equipped kitchens that help to create a home from home feeling for business and leisure travellers. Close to a train station and tram stops, plus a local shopping centre, it makes for a convenient base for those heading to the city.

Looking further ahead, Vastint has plans to develop another hotel in Poland, the 150 room Moxy Katowice. This project will replace the city’s former Silesia Hotel with a seven storey new build.