Axel_Hotels
Axel Hotels
Spanish hotel chain
Axel Hotels is an international hotel chain, parented by the Axel Corporation aimed to the lgbtq+ community. It was founded in 2003 by Juan P. Julia Blanch and known as the first LGBT and hetero-friendly hotel chain.[1] Albert Olivé is currently the CEO of the hotel chain.[2]
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hotels, Hospitality |
| Founded | 2003; 21 years ago (2003) |
| Headquarters | Barcelona, Spain |
Key people | Juan P. Julia Blanch (Founder and president); Albert Olivé (CEO) |
| Website | www |
The idea to create a hotel was the desire to build a place where LGBT people could feel free and comfortable, where diversity is the main value. The first hotel of the chain was opened in 2003 by Barcelona, Spain. In 2007, the hotel was opened in Buenos Aires, Argentina and in 2009 in Berlin, Germany. According to Axel Hotels, about 75% of hotel guests are LGBT and 25% are guests with heterosexual orientation.[3]
In 2010, Axel Hotels was recognized as the leader in the field of gay tourism in the Best Hotel category.[4]
Axel Hotels currently has a total of 10 locations, with 6 in Spain and 4 in other countries.[5]
| Location | Opening date | Rooms | Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|---|
Barcelona,  Spain | June 2003 | 101 | Gaixample |
| Ibiza, Spain | May 2017 | 100 | Sant Antonio bay |
| Madrid, Spain | August 2017 | 88 | Atocha Street at Barrio de las Letras |
| San Sebastián, Spain | November 2019 | 100 | city center |
Berlin,  Germany | March 2009 | 87 | Schöneberg District |
Venice,  Italy | March 2019 | 43 | La Salute, Sestiere Dorsoduro |
Miami, Florida,  United States | January 2020 | 160 | Collins Avenue, South Beach, Miami |
AxelBeach Maspalomas is a summer resort with apartments:[5]
| Location | Opening date | Apartments | Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maspalomas, Canary Islands, Spain | May 2013 | 92 | Playa del Inglés |
Branches of Two Hotel by Axel are located in:[5]
| Location | Opening date | Rooms | Neighbourhood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona, Spain | July 2015 | 87 | Gaixample |
| Berlin, Germany | January 2017 | 86 | Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf |
Barcelona
Axel Hotel Barcelona is the first hotel of the chain. It was opened in July 2003 in Gaixample District, Barcelona and rated in the four-star category.[6] The hotel is located in a chic building of the XIX century and has 101 rooms.[7] In 2015, another hotel, called Two Hotel by Axel, was opened in the southern part of the Gaixample District in Barcelona.[8]
Berlin
The three-star Axel Hotel Berlin, located in the Berlin district of Schöneberg and built by the architect Iñigo Hernaádez Tobe. It was inaugurated by Berlin mayor Klaus Wowereit on March 17, 2009. The hotel has 86 rooms, as well as a large sports center with sauna, steam bath, and massage parlour. It is not the property of Axel Corp., but is leased and managed by the group.[9][10][11] In 2017, they opened another property, called Two Hotel by Axel, at Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Berlin.
Buenos Aires
Axel Hotel Buenos Aires was opened on October 31, 2007 in the historic centre of the Argentine capital, San Telmo. The hotel had 48 rooms and offers its clients a restaurant, cocktail bar, spa, garden with swimming pool and solarium.[12] "It was closed on 2013 due to the unsafe situation at the city.
Venezia
Axel Hotels started first “hetero-friendly” hotel in Italy, Axel Hotel Venezia (Venice) in 2019. The hotel has 43 rooms.[13][14][15]
Gran Canaria
AxelBeach Maspalomas is located on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria in the Playa del Inglés. It has 92 apartments.[16][17]
Ibiza
AxelBeach Ibiza is a beach property, located on the landscape in Cala de Bou, next to Sant Antonio bay in the Balearic Islands of Spain. The hotel has 96 rooms with pool deck and bar.[18][19][20]
San Sebastián
Alex Hotel San Sebastián was opened in November 2019. It is located in the city centre of San Sebastián, Spain and has 100 rooms.[5]
Miami
An Axel Hotel branch is on Collins Avenue, South Beach, Miami, United States.[5]
- "El armario de… Juan P.Juliá Blanch". SentidoG.com (in Spanish). 2012-01-23. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- "Entrevista a Albert Olivé, CEO de Axel Hotels". viahotel.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- "Первый отель для геев Axel откроется в Берлине". Travel.ru (in Russian). 14 February 2008. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- "Названы лидеры гей-туризма 2010 года". Travel.ru (in Russian). 21 February 2011. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- "Axel Hotels Is Offering Hotels for the LGBTIQ+ Community". The World Or Bust. December 18, 2019. Retrieved 2019-12-23.
- "Axel Hotel Madrid". The Telegraph. 2018-01-02. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- "Новости культуры". www.novovira.net. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- "Barcelona Gay Guide – Gay Hotels, Saunas, Bars & Local Parties". wolfyy. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
- "В Берлине построен дружелюбный к гетеросексулам гей-отель". www.gaynews.ru. Archived from the original on 2019-04-04. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- "Axel Hotels baut Gay-Hotel in Berlin - queer.de". www.queer.de (in German). Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- "Ein Hotel für Schwule". FOCUS Online (in German). Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- "Первый отель 5* для геев открылся в Буэнос-Айресе". Travel.ru (in Russian). November 2007. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- "Apre a Venezia Axel Hotel, il primo albergo gay friendly d'Italia". www.ilgazzettino.it. 20 February 2019. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- "Axel Hotels inaugura en marzo su primer hotel en Italia,el Axel Hotel Venezia". La Vanguardia. 2019-02-20. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- Vvox (2019-02-21). "Venezia, apre primo hotel per gay: "ma siamo "etero-friendly""". Vvox (in Italian). Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- "REVIEW: AxelBeach Maspalomas Apartments and Lounge Club, Gran Canaria". Gay Star News. 2015-03-24. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- Allen, Dan (2013-02-05). "Axel Set To Spin At Spain's Way Gay Gran Canaria". www.queerty.com. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- Nexotur. "La cadena Axel Hotels abre el Axel Beach Ibiza". Nexotur (in Spanish). Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- "LGBTQ-oriented Axel Hotels to open first US location in South Beach". The Real Deal Miami. 2018-07-12. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- Hosteltur. "Axel Hotels desembarca en Baleares con un hotel en Ibiza | Hoteles y Alojamientos". Hosteltur: Toda la información de turismo (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2019-04-04.