Dubai-born Leva Hotels makes European debut in Austria

Dubai-born hospitality brand Leva Hotels has made its European debut with the takeover of the Best Western Hotel Strasser in Graz, Austria.

 

The long-standing property, which first opened its doors in 1900, has been rebranded as EKONO By Leva Hotel Strasser.

 

Leva’s push into Europe follows the launch of its luxury brand, Zen by Leva, in October 2024, with its first five-star hotel slated to open in Saudi Arabia. 

 

Founded in 2019 with the launch of Leva Mazaya Centre Dubai, the UAE-born hospitality brand has grown to four properties across the Middle East and Africa, including Saudi, with a further five opening across Africa in the coming months. 

 

EKONO By Leva Hotel Strasser is a 75-room property housed within the city’s second-oldest hotel and is situated in the heart of Graz, just a 10-minute walk from the Unesco-listed Old Town. 

 

The hotel is set to introduce a number of upgrades including an enhanced dining concept and a renewed guest engagement philosophy.

 

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Austria’s second-largest city, Graz is the country’s culinary capital, known for its medieval plazas, truffle-rich forests and vineyards that dot the surrounding Styrian hills.

 

Austria is a popular destination with travellers from the GCC, with data from B2B travel booking platform RateHawk recently revealing Austria among the top 10 outbound markets for GCC residents, with the average stay at five nights and average transaction value for accommodation bookings at US$1,551.

 

"EKONO by Leva Hotel Strasser offers a fresh, contemporary hotel experience that blends comfort with efficiency, tailored to both business travellers and leisure guests,” said JS Anand, founder and CEO of Leva Hotels, who was named among Forbes Middle East’s Top travel and tourism leaders in 2023. 

 

“It reflects our vision of offering quality hospitality in emerging markets across Europe, with a focus on comfort, thoughtful service and modern efficiency."

 

As part of Leva’s global expansion plan, this marks the first of a number of European properties expected to open in 2025.

 

Beyond 2025, Leva will open its first property under the five-star Zen by Leva banner in Saudi, with a focus on thoughtfully curated and “meaningful experiences” tailored to both Umrah travellers and visitors looking to explore the region’s rich culture. 

 

“Zen represents our belief that the true luxury of tomorrow lies in enriching the soul and engaging the senses. This brand is designed to offer elevated experiences that inspire both internal reflection and external exploration."

 

For more information, visit stayleva.com