European distressed hotel investment opportunities remain limited

Distressed opportunities to move into the hotel sector have been limited in Europe due to patient lenders and economic support provided by governments throughout the COVID-19 crisis.

Matthew Pohlman, a lawyer and partner in Goodwin's real estate industry group, says that distressed investment activity has been limited within the European hotel sector, despite significant and continued interest from investors in the sector. He has revealed that capital sources of various shapes and sizes have been looking for opportunities across Europe since the early days of the pandemic, with a particular focus on leisure destinations. However, with government policies bringing stability to hotel operators — through furlough schemes and rent holidays — and lenders showing flexibility over loan repayments, market activity has been limited. Where individual hotels or portfolios of hotels do come to market in locations expected to recover quickly from the pandemic, such as drive-to leis