Lodging Econometrics (LE) has released its Q2 2026 Hotel Construction Pipeline Trend Report for Europe. According to LE analysts, the region’s total pipeline stands at 1,736 projects/255,976 rooms at the close of the second quarter, representing a 3% increase in both projects and rooms year-over-year (YOY).
As of the second quarter’s close, 45% of the hotel projects in Europe’s total pipeline are in the under construction stage, standing at 773 projects/116,172 rooms, up 4% by projects and 3% by rooms YOY. Another 332 projects/50,332 rooms are scheduled to start construction in the next 12 months, accounting for 19% of projects and 20% of rooms in the total pipeline. Projects in the early planning stage reached a record-high 631 projects/89,472 rooms, up 11% by projects and 13% by rooms YOY, now accounting for 36% of projects and 35% of rooms in the region’s total pipeline.
At Q2, the luxury chain scale reached a record-high 187 projects/21,930 rooms, up 9% by projects YOY. The upper upscale chain scale also reached a record-high 304 projects/50,181 rooms, up 11% by projects and 13% by rooms YOY. The upscale chain scale leads all segments with 400 projects/61,639 rooms, up 8% by both projects and rooms YOY. The upper midscale chain scale stands at 306 projects/43,622 rooms, and the midscale chain scale stands at 181 projects/25,633 rooms. Combined, the top two chain scales by project count, upscale and upper midscale, account for 706 projects/105,261 rooms, representing 41% of the projects and 41% of the rooms in Europe’s total construction pipeline, up 4% by projects and 3% by rooms YOY.
Further, 66 new construction projects/7,835 rooms broke ground during the second quarter, while new project announcements (NPAs) total 101 projects/12,169 rooms in Q2. Combined, hotel renovations and brand conversions total 640 projects/82,841 rooms.
Countries in Europe with the greatest number of projects in the pipeline at Q2 are led by the United Kingdom with 263 projects/39,011 rooms. Following are Turkey with 156 projects/21,266 rooms, up 13% by projects and 6% by rooms YOY, Germany with 146 projects/24,821 rooms, France with 117 projects/11,938 rooms, up 6% by rooms YOY, and Portugal with 115 projects/13,915 rooms, up 4% by projects YOY. These five countries combined account for 46% of the projects and 43% of the rooms in the region’s total pipeline.
The cities with the largest pipelines in Europe at Q2 are London with 70 projects/12,912 rooms, Istanbul with 44 projects/6,857 rooms, up 8% by projects and 2% by rooms YOY, Lisbon with 40 projects/4,476 rooms, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, with 29 projects/4,631 rooms, up 4% by projects YOY, and Hamburg with 25 projects/4,789 rooms, up 4% by projects and 6% by rooms YOY.
In the first half of 2026, 112 new hotels/13,914 rooms have opened across Europe, with an additional 195 projects/25,884 rooms forecasted to open in the third and fourth quarters. For the year, LE forecasts 307 new hotels/39,798 rooms to open across Europe. Looking further ahead, LE forecasts 303 new hotel openings/42,729 rooms for 2027. For the first time, LE is now forecasting 2028 new hotel openings for Europe, projecting 304 new hotels/43,099 rooms to open that year.