Hotel market in Lublin

According to the data published by the Central List of Hotel Facilities (CWOH), there are currently 37 hotels in Lublin, including one five-star hotel, seven four-star hotels, twenty-five three-star hotels, two two-star hotels, and two one-star hotels, which together provide 3,214 beds, in 1,802 rooms. The largest hotel in terms of the number of places is a three-star facility Hampton by Hilton Lublin, which offers 242 beds. This hotel belongs to an international hotel chain, just like many other facilities in Lublin, incl. Huzar, Mercure Lublin Centrum or IBB Grand Hotel Lublinianka.

                                                              Facilities that are part of hotel chains in Lublin

Even though Lublin offers rooms of every type, there is a noticeable dominance in three-star facilities that account for as much as 67% of all hotels. This situation is caused by the fact that in Poland, such resorts attract the attention of a majority of the guests as the standard of offered services in relation to the price is very satisfying, compared for example to Western Europe, which is confirmed by surveys among users of booking websites. On the other side, people who look for luxurious accommodation conditions more often choose four-star hotels because their standards are very similar to those of five. Hence, more and more such places have begun to appear in Lublin, only over the last 5 years, their number has increased from 2 to 7.

Even though Lublin offers rooms of every type, there is a noticeable dominance in three-star facilities that account for as much as 67% of all hotels. This situation is caused by the fact that in Poland, such resorts attract the attention of a majority of the guests as the standard of offered services in relation to the price is very satisfying, compared for example to Western Europe, which is confirmed by surveys among users of booking websites. On the other side, people who look for luxurious accommodation conditions more often choose four-star hotels because their standards are very similar to those of five. Hence, more and more such places have begun to appear in Lublin, only over the last 5 years, their number has increased from 2 to 7.

One of the key factors that undoubtedly contributed to the growth of the hotel industry is the development of enterprises and their economic activity, which in turn results in a greater demand for this type of facilities reported by business customers. With such clients in mind, most of the Lublin hotels have adapted their offer, enabling the organization of training courses, conferences, workshops, banquets, and all kinds of business meetings.

The most important investments/ events influencing the development of the hotel market in Lublin 

Tourists traveling for business and leisure purposes, above all want to stay in an interesting and safe setting. Many people decide to extend the trip or stay in a given place due to local attractions and cultural events.
Undoubtedly Lublin can boast of a rich cultural and recreational offer. Cyclically held festivals such as Carnaval Sztukmistrzów, European Festival of Taste, Different Sounds – Art’n’Music Festival, or the Night of Culture are very popular among both residents of Lublin and tourists from various parts of Poland and the world. According to the data published by the city of Lublin, tourists participating in Lublin festivals spend an average of 75 million. PLN, and the turnover of enterprises increases by more than 60 percent during this time.

The city has also invested in several sports and recreation facilities, such as Aqua Lublin spa and swimming centre or a new Athletics Stadium. Lublin authorities are also striving to build a new speedway stadium, as this sport is the most popular in the city. It is worth mentioning that the Arena Lublin Stadium, completed in 2014, was one of the venues of UEFA U21 Euro 2017. Three matches were played in Lublin and approximately 15 thousand spectators watched them, among which there were nearly 5 thousand Swedes and about 2 thousand Slovaks. The success of the event partially contributed to the fact that Lublin again became the host of an important sports competition – FIFA U-20 World Cup, as a consequence, tourists from Poland but also team supporters among others from Honduras, South Korea and Norway visited our city, significantly contributing to its budget.

Considering people traveling for business purposes, it’s important to emphasize the significance of conferences, fairs, or training. The visits of foreigners also result from the fact that Lublin is an academic city. There are 9 universities in Lublin, which are strongly involved in cooperation with various business entities, majority of them have at least one well equipped conference room where university authorities and students regularly organize scientific symposia attracting guests from all over the world.

As a response to the growing demand for venues enabling the organization of events on a large scale, modern centres such as Lublin Conference Centre, Centre for the Meeting of Cultures, or Targi Lublin SA were created.

The hospitality industry moves into post-pandemic recovery mode

The hotel market in Lublin has been growing in strength for several years. The economy was developing, and the number of tourists and business travelers, as well as investors’ interest in the sector systematically has been increasing. The year 2020, and with it, the outbreak of the pandemic, despite initially promising forecasts, forced entrepreneurs from many industries to adapt to the prevailing changes. The tourism industry, including hotels, restaurants, and airlines, was one of the branches of the global economy most affected by the pandemic and the restrictions, which consequently led to a dramatic decline in demand for hotel services. According to the data published by the city of Lublin, compiled in cooperation with Selectivv company, in 2020 the city was visited by nearly 450 thousand guests, which meant the tourist traffic in Lublin decreased by 32% compared to 2019, both in the group of tourists i.e. people who spend at least one night in Lublin (from 502,000 to 340,000) and in the group of visitors who visit Lublin without using accommodation facilities (from 159,000 to 107,000 people). These declines occurred in months when traveling was basically impossible or significantly hindered by the restrictions. However, the holiday season has shown that people still express their willingness to travel, both for tourism and business purposes, often even more than before. In the summer months, when hotels were able to welcome guests again, and restaurants and tourist attractions remained open, the number of tourists and visitors for 2019 and 2020 was at a similar level: 60,000 in July and 70,000 in August and September.

The charm of Lublin is also appreciated by tourists from foreign countries who come here to learn about the rich history of the city, take part in numerous cultural and sports events, taste local cuisine, but also by those who think about locating their businesses here.

Therefore, the growing number of visitors results in further investments. Soon, the Lublin hotel base will be enriched with new venues in the city centre as the B&B chain is opening a new facility at 3 Maja Street in Lublin. The hotel is to be categorized as two-star. Guests will have 130 comfortably equipped rooms at their disposal, which will provide a friendly space for work and rest. The hotel will be able to accommodate 284 guests. Like other facilities belonging to the chain, it will be fully air-conditioned, perfectly soundproofed, and will provide guests with free access to high-speed Internet. The offer will be complemented by a breakfast room and a conference room equipped with modern audiovisual equipment, useful during the organization of business meetings.

Undoubtedly Lublin plays a significant role as the metropolitan center of the Lubelskie Voivodeship – a city that attracts people traveling for tourist purposes, but also those who choose this destination due to business matters thanks to various types of conferences, fairs, training sessions, or other events organized in the city. One of Lublin’s strengths is diverse accommodation options that meet the needs of diverse customers and their budget resources. New developments in Lublin are positive proof of the city’s growth in terms of both business and culture.