EasyHotel CEO Lays Out Growth Plans After Private Equity Buyout

It's scaling back a plan to double its hotel count and it's not focused on profits. But expect a lot of growth in Spain and more franchising.

EasyHotel plans to accelerate its growth across Western Europe following its acquisition this week by private equity firm Tristan Capital Partners.

“There’s a lot of appetite in the market for budget hotels,” EasyHotel CEO Karim Malak told Skift. “From a customer angle, the segment is growing in Western Europe and elsewhere. From an investor angle, it’s an excellent asset class.”

The deal, finalized on June 5, had a transaction value exceeding €400 million (about $455 million).

Tristan now owns 100% of the budget hotel chain, which includes 48 properties and roughly 4,700 rooms across 11 countries.

“They’re acquiring hotels, but they’re also acquiring a platform to grow more hotels in Western Europe in the next couple of years. It only makes sense for them if there's growth,” he added.

As part of the tran