The Hoxton will open a 188-room hotel on Alter Wall in central Hamburg in summer 2027, the brand announced at the start of October. It will be The Hoxton’s second hotel in Germany and its third in the German-speaking region, after Berlin and Vienna.

The brand, founded in London in 2006 and marking its 20th anniversary this year, is part of Ennismore, the hospitality company that formed a joint venture with Accor in 2021, with Accor as majority shareholder. Ennismore is working in Hamburg with The Chocolate on the Pillow Group, a hotel group and management company that operates more than 20 hotels in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, according to the announcement carried by Hospitality Net.

What is planned on Alter Wall

The hotel will occupy a 1950s building of ten floors in the Nikolaiviertel, close to the Binnenalster and the Town Hall and about a 15-minute walk from the Elbphilharmonie. The 188 rooms sit between the first and eighth floors in six categories, including the brand’s Cosy, Roomy and Biggy types, and 32 of them interconnect. Swedish studio Stylt Trampoli is designing the interiors.

  • A Mediterranean-inspired ground-floor restaurant, open from breakfast to dinner, with 130 seats and a canal-side terrace for a further 40, according to Tageskarte and Hogapage.
  • A rooftop restaurant serving Iberian-inspired seafood, with 120 seats, a wraparound terrace and views of the Elbphilharmonie, the Michel and the Town Hall. Tageskarte reports that restaurant guests will have their own lift.
  • An all-day lobby bar and a private dining room for up to 20 guests.
  • The Apartment, the brand’s events space, with three meeting rooms, a pantry kitchen and a private terrace over the canal.

What the partners say

The city’s mix of historic charm and contemporary energy, from its canals and neo-gothic landmarks to its thriving nightlife scene and groundbreaking modern architecture, makes it a natural fit for The Hoxton.

Cédric Gobilliard, COO, Ennismore Europe, quoted by Hotels magazine

With The Hoxton, we’re bringing one of Europe’s most exciting lifestyle brands to Hamburg, a particularly attractive market for the hospitality industry in Germany. We’re delighted to further strengthen our partnership in this exceptional location.

Erik Florvaag, CEO and managing partner, The Chocolate on the Pillow Group, quoted by Hotels magazine

Michael Lutz is the hotel’s general manager. Tageskarte reported on 15 September that he took up the post that month, after serving as general manager of the Mövenpick Hotel Hamburg from April 2023.

A project first reported in 2021

The Hamburg hotel is not a new signing. Tageskarte reported on 21 December 2021 that the former Sofitel at Alter Wall 40 would become a Hoxton with 188 rooms, as part of a redevelopment by Art-Invest Real Estate. At that time the wider scheme was scheduled for completion in 2026, and the hotel was described as a lease, with GHOTEL Group named as tenant alongside Ennismore.

Tageskarte’s September report, citing the Hamburger Abendblatt, describes the scheme as five buildings between Rödingsmarkt and Adolphsbrücke, including 84 apartments and about 22,000 square metres of offices. This month’s announcement does not name the building’s owner, state the contract structure or give an investment figure, and THD has not confirmed how The Chocolate on the Pillow Group relates to the tenant named in 2021.

THD’s reading

This is THD’s analysis, not a statement from the companies. Three points stand out for owners and operators.

  • The room count has not moved since 2021, but the date has. A scheme reported as due in 2026 now has a hotel opening in summer 2027, a reminder of how long city-centre conversions in Germany can take to deliver.
  • The food and drink plan is large for the size of the hotel. On the figures reported by the German trade press, the two restaurants and canal terrace offer around 290 seats against 188 rooms, before the bar and private dining. That only works with local trade, which is the brand’s stated model.
  • Ennismore is again working with a local operating partner rather than alone. Mr Florvaag’s reference to strengthening an existing partnership suggests the relationship is expected to continue, although neither company has announced further joint projects.