Aareal Bank and Henderson Park strengthen partnership with £275m financing of hotel portfolio in Edinburgh and Dublin

Aareal Bank and Henderson Park strengthen partnership with £275m financing of hotel portfolio in Edinburgh and Dublin

Wiesbaden, October 24, 2024 – Henderson Park and Aareal Bank are pleased to announce that they have acquired a c. A £275 million financing loan has been secured by three hotels: the Curio Collection Caledonian Edinburgh, the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton and the Hilton Garden Inn Dublin City Centre. The hotels are owned by funds managed by Henderson Park and managed by hotel operating platform Klarent Hospitality. Aareal Bank acted as arranger, sole lender and facility and security agent for this transaction.

With a rich history spanning over a century, The Caledonian Edinburgh is one of the most prominent hotels in the city. Affectionately known to locals as ‘the Caley’ and overlooking historic Edinburgh Castle, the former Victorian railway hotel has become the hotel of choice for many high-profile figures over the years, having been visited by the likes of Judy Garland and Barack Obama.

The Hilton Edinburgh Carlton, another historic hotel in a prime location on the corner of the famous Royal Mile, is minutes away from Edinburgh Castle and the famous shops of Princes Street, while the Hilton Garden Inn Dublin City Center is a riverside hotel is close to the lively Temple Bar district. and within walking distance of many of Dublin’s main attractions.

The two Edinburgh hotels will undergo extensive renovations, including significant room extensions, to further enhance the guest experience.

This ground-breaking deal marks another milestone in the long-term partnership between Aareal Bank and Henderson Park, a leading international private equity real estate firm focused primarily on major capitals and fast-growing cities. The company has invested more than $14 billion in ten countries and specializes in unlocking value through sharp asset management and handling complex situations.

“We are pleased to continue our long-standing partnership with Henderson Park on this remarkable transaction,” said Michelle Weiss, Head of Hotel Properties at Aareal Bank. “This deal demonstrates our expertise in providing tailor-made solutions for high-quality catering facilities in prime locations.”

Christophe Kuhbier, Head of Investments, Europe at Henderson Park, added: “This financing is an important milestone in our investment strategy for this portfolio and a testament to the quality of the hotels securing the loan and their future potential that can be unlocked through the financing of Klarent Hospitality. active asset management Aareal Bank is an experienced and knowledgeable hotel lender who has been a trusted partner of ours for many years and we are pleased to be working with the team there again.”

Key advisors on this transaction include DLA Piper and Paul Hastings, who are acting as legal advisors to Aareal Bank and Henderson Park respectively. CBRE acted as external valuation advisor to Aareal Bank.

Media contacts:

For Aareal Bank
Thomas Rutzki.
Phone: +49 611 348 2947
(email protected)

In front of Henderson Park
FTI advice
Richard Sunderland, Andrew Davis, Ellie Sweeney
+44 (0)20 3727 1000
(email protected)

About Aareal Bank Group

Aareal Bank Group, headquartered in Wiesbaden, is a leading international real estate specialist. The Bank uses its expertise to identify and exploit trends, challenges and opportunities at an early stage for the benefit of its stakeholders. Aareal Bank Group provides financing, banking and payment solutions for the real estate and related industries, with a presence on three continents: Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region. Aareal Bank Group’s business strategy is focused on sustainable business success, with environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects forming an integral part of this strategy.

Aareal Bank AG includes the business segments Structured Property Financing and Banking & Digital Solutions. The Structured Property Financing segment includes all real estate financing and financing activities of the Aareal Bank Group. Here the Bank supports its customers with large-scale investments in commercial real estate. The investment properties mainly consist of office buildings, hotels, shopping centers, logistics and residential real estate, as well as student apartments. In the Banking & Digital Solutions segment, Aareal Bank Group supports companies from the housing construction, property management and energy sectors as a digitalization partner, combining comprehensive advisory services and product solutions with traditional business banking services and deposit taking.

About Henderson Park

Henderson Park is a leading international private equity real estate fund manager. Since its founding in 2016, the company has invested over $14 billion in building a portfolio of leading real estate assets, with a presence in major cities and capitals in the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Poland , Portugal and Spain. Henderson Park seeks high-quality assets in prime locations where the potential can be identified to unlock or create value through asset management and sustainability improvements, or through hiring and working in complex situations. The company’s current portfolio is diversified across several sectors, such as multi-family, hospitality, student housing, logistics, offices and retail, including several real estate development projects. Henderson Park strives to work with the best local partners and build long-term strategic relationships.

Henderson Park is a signatory of the UN PRI.

Visit www.hendersonpark.com for more information.