Generator has agreed to acquire Novotel London Greenwich and signed a hotel management agreement with Covivio to convert a Paris office building, anchoring an explicit plan to double the company's global portfolio by 2031 under new chief executive Xavier Mufraggi.

What does the London acquisition add?

The four-star Novotel London Greenwich will rebrand as Generator London Greenwich from 1 January 2027, becoming the operator's second London site. A phased renovation begins in spring 2027.

The property sits near UNESCO-listed Maritime Greenwich, the Cutty Sark, the Royal Observatory and The O2, with ExCeL London and central London within easy reach.

What is the Paris project?

Generator Paris Place d'Italie will rise from a Covivio-owned office building in the capital's 13th arrondissement, following a competitive tender launched in early 2025. The conversion delivers the operator's hybrid accommodation model: private and shared rooms, a flagship restaurant-bar, and more than 300 sq m of social spaces linked to an external courtyard and landscaped patio.

Why the 13th arrondissement?

The site sits within walking distance of Place d'Italie, Tolbiac and Maison Blanche metro stations on Lines 7 and 14. It is close to the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris and several higher-education institutions, and within reach of The Paris Catacombs, The Panthéon, Notre Dame and the National Museum of Natural History — a district gaining appeal as a tourist destination.

What does the 2031 target mean for investors?

Founded in 1995, Generator was acquired by Queensgate Investments in March 2017. The brand currently operates in 14 cities: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Copenhagen, Dublin, Hamburg, London, Madrid, Miami Beach, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, Venice and Washington D.C.

Doubling that footprint within six years implies a steady pipeline of acquisitions, management agreements and adaptive reuse projects, with European urban cores the obvious hunting ground.

Why did Covivio select Generator?

The French REIT cited Generator's record of unlocking value in complex urban assets and outperforming traditional hotel models as the deciding factors in the tender. The brand's hybrid accommodation mix and design-led F&B concepts have driven returns in dense European markets.

What did the CEO say?

"The announcement of our second properties in London and Paris marks the start of an ambitious new phase of growth for Generator," Mufraggi said. "Both cities are some of the world's most visited and influential destinations, allowing us the opportunity to strengthen our presence in these key global markets while bringing the Generator experience to a new part of the capitals."

He added: "Our ambition is to double Generator's portfolio by 2031 through a flexible mix of acquisitions and management agreements, alongside hotel conversions and the adaptive reuse of existing buildings. Generator London Greenwich and Generator Paris Place d'Italie are the first step in delivering that ambition, with further growth already firmly on the agenda."

What happens next?

Generator London Greenwich opens under the new flag on 1 January 2027, with phased renovation works from spring 2027. The Paris conversion is set to follow once building works complete, while Mufraggi has flagged additional management agreements and acquisitions already in the pipeline, signalling sustained deal activity through 2026 as Generator chases its 2031 footprint target.