Office-to-hotel specialist gears up for UK deals

Bastardo Hostel, a Madrid-based hospitality brand, has set up a joint venture to bring its business to the UK. The company aims to turn vacant offices into hotels targeting millennial and gen-Z travellers. It will target London for initial deals before moving on to regional cities and then elsewhere in Europe. It has teamed up with Curate Ventures, an investment platform launched in March. Juan Ceña, founder of Bastardo Hostel, said: “Millennial and gen-Zs are the most represented group in international travel, contributing hugely to the global economy, and yet there are very few hospitality brands that meet their needs. These travellers are looking for somewhere that has the inbuilt trust of a hotel stay at the accessible price point of self-catered accommodation. “London is the natural destination to expand Bastardo outside Spain. Like Madrid, the city has a variety of exciting and individual neighbourhoods and communities that we want our guests to discover and experience.” Curate Ventures founder Rebeca Guzman Vidal added: “Alternative uses for office buildings is a challenge all cities face, including London. Affordable travel has proven highly resilient, and the opportunity to scale a successful brand in the UK and meet the unmet needs of a large global market is hugely compelling for investors.”