Norton Rose Fulbright advises Leonardo Hotels on the acquisition of the former Radisson Blu Hotel in Erfurt

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised the Leonardo Hotel Group on the acquisition of the former Radisson Blu Hotel in Erfurt, Germany, on July 1, 2025. The hotel is located in one of the tallest buildings in the city. In future, the hotel will operate under the name NYX Hotel Erfurt by Leonardo Hotels and will be refurbished to NYX Hotel standards during ongoing operations.

With its central location in the heart of Erfurt's historic old town, the hotel with 284 rooms, including 31 suites, is perfect for business travellers as well as leisure guests and event visitors. Facilities include a restaurant, a bar and a wellness area with sauna and fitness studio - all on the 17th floor with spectacular panoramic views over the Thuringian capital. A real highlight is the modern conference area at a height of 60 metres, which offers ideal conditions for business events, meetings and conferences with five function rooms. Further conference rooms are located on the ground floor and first floor, making a total of 13 meeting rooms available. With a capacity of up to 400 people, the NYX Hotel Erfurt is one of the top addresses for events in the region.

Leonardo Hotels Central Europe, based in Berlin, is responsible for a portfolio of 119 hotels with over 19,000 rooms in 51 destinations and ten countries: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Spain, Italy and France. Since the opening of its first hotel in 2006, Leonardo Hotels has been one of the fastest growing hotel chains in Europe. The brand family includes Leonardo Hotels, Leonardo Royal Hotels, Leonardo Boutique Hotels, NYX Hotels by Leonardo Hotels and Leonardo Limited Edition. Leonardo Hotels Central Europe is part of the Fattal Hotel Group. The Israeli hotel group currently has more than 300 hotels in 21 countries and is listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

The Leonardo Hotel Group is regularly advised by Norton Rose Fulbright on hotel transactions, most recently on the acquisition of two existing hotels from Essendi in Hannover Medical Park.

Tamar Cohen, Group General Counsel at Leonardo Hotels, said: “Expanding in cities like Erfurt, which combine a growing business hub with cultural and leisure tourism, is a key part of our growth strategy. The NYX Hotel Erfurt allows us to offer a high-quality guest experience in cities with significant business potential and strengthens our presence in Germany and across Europe. We are also continuing to develop the City Life NYX brand in additional European cities, creating a network of contemporary hotels in business and tourist destinations.”

Norton Rose Fulbright’s team lead Patrick Narr commented: "We have been advising Leonardo Hotels on multiple transactions before, and we are delighted to continue this trusted relationship with the acquisition of such a landmark property in Erfurt. This deal highlights our ability to combine cross-disciplinary legal expertise with deep sector knowledge to deliver seamless advice in complex hotel acquisitions. The NYX Hotel Erfurt is not only an exciting addition to the city’s hospitality landscape but also a great enhancement to our clients' portfolio of high-quality hotels, and we are proud to have contributed to bringing this project to life."

Norton Rose Fulbright advised Leonardo Hotels comprehensively on the transaction negotiations and the rebranding. The team was led by Hamburg partner Patrick Narr and counsel Dr Karsten Alex (both Hamburg, Corporate/M&A/Real Estate).

The team also consisted of senior associate Malte Meyer and associate Sebastian Sievers (both corporate, Hamburg), partner Simon Weppner (tax law, Düsseldorf), senior associates Sarah Heufelder (tax law, Munich) and Julia Gallinger (tax law, Frankfurt/Hamburg), legal consultant Martin Hoffmann (real estate, Hamburg), partner Dr Frank Weberndörfer (employment law, Frankfurt) and associate Max Mahlmann (employment law, Hamburg).

The Leonardo Hotels Group in-house team was led by Tamar Cohen (Group Legal Counsel) and Jana Schlimgen (Senior Legal Counsel).