ECE successfully completes first hotel project in Italy
ECE Work & Live has successfully completed its first hotel project in Italy and handed over the property to the operator Ruby Group, which is now preparing everything for the imminent opening. The project marks a significant milestone in ECE's international expansion in the hotel segment and in the sustainable conversion of existing properties.
Within a construction period of two years, ECE Work & Live has transformed a listed property from the early 19th century in the heart of Rome, which was last used as an office building, into a modern hotel of the lean luxury brand Ruby. The new hotel with a total of 164 rooms spread over six floors, as well as a rooftop bar, is centrally located on Via Nazionale – just a few minutes' walk from Roma Termini central station and numerous sights.
Torsten Kuttig, Director Hotel Development at ECE Work & Live: "With the successful completion and handover of our first hotel project in Italy, we are sending a strong signal underlining our international hotel strategy. The transformation of a historic property into a modern hotel in the heart of Rome shows how we combine sustainable development, architectural quality and economic attractiveness. We are delighted that we have been able to profit from the Ruby Group as the operator for this special project."
Catherine Hilt, Director - Head of Development Southern Europe at Ruby Group: "The handover of the building is an important milestone for us in our expansion in Italy. Rome is a strategically important market with high demand for contemporary, affordable luxury – this is exactly where our Lean Luxury concept comes in. With the hotel, we are creating a place that combines modern design, historical substance and a central location. We would like to thank ECE for their partnership and look forward to welcoming our first guests in mid-October."
Sustainable focus
Sustainability was a constant focus during the realization of the hotel. According to calculations by CAALA, a software and consultant specializing in sustainability under construction and in the real estate industry, the conversion of an existing property and thus the preservation of the building's fabric enabled grey emissions to be reduced by almost 50 percent. To prepare the building for sustainable operation, a monitoring concept for recording resources was developed during the planning phase and attention was paid to energy-saving equipment elements under construction. The aim is for the building to be taxonomy-compliant and awarded the DGNB Gold certificate.
Other current hotel projects
With the Ruby Hotel Rome, ECE is expanding its portfolio of successful hotel developments, which already includes over 3,500 rooms in Germany and Austria. ECE Work & Live is also currently realizing the conversion of an office property into a hotel in Copenhagen for the Ruby Group.
Other current hotel projects of the ECE Group include the repositioning of a historic hotel building in the old town of Venice into a 5-star lifestyle hotel and the development of a Stayery brand hotel on the roof of the Gesundbrunnen Center in Berlin by the Group company ECE Real Estate Partners.
