Maribor, 08 May (STA) - Hotel operator Eurotas has given its Hotel Arena in Maribor, located under the Pohorje hill, a significant facelift following its takeover in 2022. The initial phase of investment, costing nearly EUR 2 million, involved a complete refurbishment of the property, boosting room numbers from 55 to 74.
The revamp, partly funded by over EUR 760,000 from recovery and resilience funds, has also added an extension with four-star rooms and what is now Maribor's largest multi-functional hall, capable of holding up to 400 guests.
The Hotel Arena is situated at the foot of the Pohorje hill slope that used to host the Golden Fox women's alpine skiing World Cup races for many decades.
A year after acquiring Arena, Eurotas, a Slovenian company, also took over Hotel Piramida, located in Maribor's city centre and currently operating on a seasonal basis.
So far, Eurotas has ploughed almost EUR 4.5 million of its own funds into the Arena project, excluding the purchase price. Meanwhile, around EUR 450,000 has been invested in energy efficiency upgrades for Piramida, with further investment decisions for this hotel pending after the current summer season.
Eurotas is a notable player in Slovenian hospitality, managing seven hotels across five destinations in the country. Besides its two Maribor properties, the company also operates Hotel Evropa in Celje, Hotel Piran and Barbara Piran Beach Hotel in Piran, Boutique Hotel Portorož in Portorož, and Hotel Kranjska Gora in Kranjska Gora.
Both Hotel Arena and Hotel Piramida were previously key assets of Terme Maribor. This company, a significant player in Maribor's tourism sector, went bankrupt about a decade after being taken over by Russian capital, leading to the sale of its hotels and other facilities.
Looking ahead, Eurotas aims to capture a 10-15% market share in Maribor. They are targeting around 23,000 overnight stays at Hotel Arena this year and hope to reach 20,000 at Hotel Piramida, eventually aiming for a combined total of about 50,000 annually in the city.
The guest profile differs between the two Maribor hotels. Hotel Piramida primarily attracts business and transit guests, along with some sports groups. Hotel Arena, on the other hand, sees many individual skiers from Hungary, Croatia, and Serbia in winter. During summer, it's popular with transit guests from countries like Poland and Slovakia, as well as sports teams using the Pohorje facilities for training camps.
