"This year is about learning": Bucharest Unirii Square GM Kinan Sarieddine on the Romanian hotel market’s potential and ongoing projects
<p><strong>Kinan Sarieddine, general manager of the new </strong><a href="https://www.romania-insider.com/handwritten-collection-bucharest-unirii-opening-april-2025"><strong>Bucharest Unirii Square – Handwritten Collection</strong></a><strong> hotel, sat down with Romania Insider to talk about the local hospitality industry, the realities of running a major hotel, and plans for the future.</strong></p>
<p>Romania’s hospitality industry was among the hardest hit by the sharp decrease in tourism and traveling over the pandemic, but it has also seen a skyrocketing recovery. The Romanian tourism sector, in turn, saw an increase in arrivals in 2024, with a total of 14.26 million people registered in accommodation structures, including apartments and rental rooms.&nbsp;</p>
<p>While most of the arrivals (83%) are domestic tourists, foreign visitors also arrive from Germany, Italy, and Israel. Many travelers pass through Bucharest, which saw <a href="https://www.romania-insider.com/romania-tourist-arrivals-2024">2 million arrivals in 2024</a>. To hotel entrepreneurs like the Sarieddine family, the trend justified investments in the central Bucharest Unirii Square hotel.</p>
<p>The hotel's latest transformation saw it becoming part of the Handwritten Collection, a portfolio of over 20 hotels globally. The chain is part of Accor, a hospitality group counting over 5,600 properties throughout more than 110 countries. The collection is currently expanding worldwide, and Kinan Sarieddine, a member of the entrepreneurial Sarieddine family, says the hotel industry in Romania has room to grow.</p>
<p><strong>The Bucharest Unirii Square – Handwritten Collection hotel marks the entry of the Handwritten brand into the region. How was Romania chosen?</strong></p>
<p>Travel picked up again after the pandemic, and we’re seeing momentum slowly return. But in the specific case of this hotel and the Handwritten Collection, it was part of an agreement between us and Accor. We’ve learned a lot through our previous partnership and now, after nearly 20 years in the market, the time felt right to put our own stamp on the hotel. The Handwritten brand has already launched in Poland, but it is still new and they were looking to expand.</p>
<p>We wanted to bring something new to the Romanian market, and the Handwritten Collection stood out, as they support hotel owners' original concepts. They want to launch something fresh, and we want to introduce our own concept, one that brings a touch of our Lebanese culture. There's also the investment efficiency factor. More standardized brands follow a template, especially when it comes to design. Collection brands, which all major hotel chains are now investing in, allow the personality of the hotel to shine through.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The context was also appropriate. Romania, as a hotel market, has strong demand compared to the current supply, especially during major events. Two recent examples are the Ed Sheeran and Coldplay concerts. Before and during the concerts, the need for more hotel rooms in the city became obvious. Additionally, ongoing economic development continues to support the hospitality sector. We see more and more companies showing interest in Romania, starting partnerships in the market. Naturally, they also need places to stay.</p>
<p><strong>You mentioned in a previous interview that you're focusing on the quality of interactions. What does that mean?</strong></p>
<p>We’re seeing a gap in human interactions today due to digitalization. I grew up around the people in this hotel, and that’s what drew me to continue working here. When I was 15 or 16, I would be arguing with my dad, saying I’d never work with him. What kept me here were the people: Mr. Florin from HR, who’s been with us for 15 years; the ladies from accounting, all with over 20 years of experience. Cristiana, I think, worked with my dad back when he opened the Sony Center 27 years ago—before I was even born. Stela from housekeeping has known me since I was 5 or 6, when the hotel opened.</p>
<p>These people made this place feel like a second home, and I wanted to give back. During the pandemic, when the industry was in chaos, they stayed with us. They were always present, always reliable. That kind of emotion, especially the welcoming feeling, is hard to fake. In our culture, in our village, every door is open. If we maintain this community spirit within the team, we can pass it on to our guests. That’s the kind of hospitality we want to create here, one where everyone feels welcome. But it starts with the team feeling that way themselves.</p>
<p><strong>Is there a difference between operating in Romania versus other countries?</strong></p>
<p>Operationally, a lot of elements are the same across countries. When I travel and stay at other hotels, and talk to their teams, I realize the challenges are pretty similar. The difference lies in what each market needs, especially for 4-star business-oriented hotels like ours, and around 60% of those coming to Bucharest do so for business.&nbsp;If you have a hotel in The Hague, your focus is more governmental. In London, it’s mostly private business. Every city has its own advantages and audience.</p>
<p>The real difference I see is in the luxury segment. Bucharest does not yet have a fully developed ultra-luxury hotel market. Hyatt is a good example of a brand that caters to that level, and we’re starting to see developments, like the <a href="https://www.romania-insider.com/swissotel-poiana-brasov-offers-quiet-luxury-experience-and-signals-brand-direction-romania-and">Swissotel</a> project in Brașov. But in Bucharest, we’re getting there slowly. It all aligns more with economic growth than anything else.</p>
<p><strong>Business tourism usually means short stays, no?</strong></p>
<p>Two or three nights, typically. On the leisure side, we get different types of visitors. We had a group from the US which arrived on a Friday, stayed with us through Monday, then spent the rest of the week traveling to places like Brașov and Cluj. They returned to Bucharest on Friday or Saturday and flew out Sunday. So we also see this type of “transit leisure” traveler, using Bucharest as a hub.</p>
<p>We’re currently about 25% behind our commercial target when it comes to occupancy rate, which is normal. It takes about two years to shift customer habits from one hotel to another. We are now entering our second year, and we are beginning to see that engagement. For the last summer months, our goal is around 80% occupancy. That’s our target, but we know this year is still about learning. The market changed after the pandemic, and we can’t rely on historical data, since the brand is different, the identity is different, the people are different. This year is about learning and adapting, until we find the right rhythm.</p>
<p><strong>How is the Lebanese heritage reflected in the hotel?</strong></p>
<p>Through the ambiance, the music, and some design elements. We want it to feel like a beautiful postcard for the guest. We are also working on a mural above the reception as an artistic focal point. In the restaurant, we’re still fine-tuning the business direction. But hospitality is probably the most important Lebanese element. The public space is open and you can come in and hang out. At Ted’s Coffee, we have students who stop by regularly. We like that element of life in the hotel, like in our village, where people are always coming and going. Everyone is welcome, depending on their needs. It doesn’t feel like a hotel all of the time. There are quieter, cozy spots, but there’s always some energy. It’s a balance.</p>
<p><strong>What could Bucharest do to support the industry better?</strong></p>
<p>There are some regulations that slow down certain processes. Our accounting and HR teams tell me they need to do some tasks two or three times. Bureaucracy is a challenge. There are training courses that are required—it’s good these exist because they align with quality standards in hospitality—but some of the regulations are outdated, and the courses are hard to find. It causes delays. Fortunately, there is an international hotel federation that’s starting to streamline and improve these things. In a developing country, it’s normal to have these growing pains. It’s actually a good sign, it means the economy is growing.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>What plans do you have for the future of the hotel?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>We still have some investment to make. We have finished renovating the midscale part of the hotel, namely the standard single, twin, and queen rooms. By the end of the year, our goal is to complete the renovation of the premium and luxury segment, meaning the 21 suites, on top of the standard ones. They haven’t been fully redone yet. We also want to renovate the ninth floor, which is another project for this year. It has a more open view, higher ceilings, and will host 5-star rooms. The room size and ceiling height will bring them into that category.</p>
<p>We are also exploring bringing a major global chocolate praline brand to Romania. The first location would be inside the hotel, and we’ll see how it develops. As a franchise, it would be a first in Southeast Europe, just like the Handwritten Collection. We’ll see how far that business can grow.</p>
<p><em><a href="mailto:radu@romania-insider.com">radu@romania-insider.com</a></em></p>
<p><em>(Photo source: Accor press release)</em></p>