Place Value

What Place Value does

Place Value GmbH is a privately held German hotel asset management and consulting firm founded in 2016 by Martin, Sebastian, and Thomas Kemmer, with hotel industry activities tracing back to a 2010 bankruptcy acquisition of five hotels. The company delivers an integrated four-pillar service portfolio covering Location Strategy, Asset Development, Asset Revitalization, and Hotel Modernization for hotel developers, investors, financial institutions, municipalities, family offices, and private equity investors in the German economy-segment hotel market. Its operating model combines advisory services with an owner-operator position, running seven self-owned hotel properties under the Hey Lou HOTELS brand (launched 2024) and three parking garages with over 1,000 spaces, supported by an in-house Hotel Platform Solution, Building Information Modeling (BIM) for project development, smart-room technology, automated check-in/check-out systems, and stated AI applications in hospitality.

The firm generates revenue through project-based professional services engagements with enterprise clients (consulting, repositioning, rebranding, facility management, and procurement advisory) plus managed-services revenue from operating its own hotel portfolio under Hey Lou HOTELS. Pricing is quote-based and customized per engagement, with all client relationships initiated through direct B2B enterprise field sales via [email protected] and industry association networks (Arbeitskreis Hotelimmobilien, Die Familienunternehmer). The company is headquartered in Grünwald, Germany, with an operational base in Monheim am Rhein, maintains a 100% paperless operation since 2017, and employs 101-250 staff across functions including tax, legal, facility management, and project development.

Name

Place Value

Legal name

Place Value GmbH

Website

https://placevalue.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Place Value GmbH is a German hotel asset management and consulting firm that advises hotel developers, investors, financial institutions, and family offices on location strategy, development, revitalization, and modernization, while operating seven own hotel properties under the Hey Lou HOTELS brand in Germany's economy segment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hotel Real Estate Asset Management and Consulting

NAICS

Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312)

SIC

Hotels & Motels (7011), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Hospitality (Hotels & Resorts) Asset Management (BPAJAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hospitality (Hotel) Property Management (BPAJAGAG)

Keywords

• Hotel asset management
• Real estate development
• Hotel modernization
• Hospitality consulting
• Asset revitalization

Headquarters

HQ city

Grünwald

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Asset Management and Consulting Services: Professional services revenue from asset management, consulting, and advisory services for hotel properties. Services include location strategy, real estate development, asset revitalization, and hotel modernization delivered through project-based engagements with hotel developers, investors, and financial institutions.
2. Hotel Operations (Own Properties): Revenue from operating 7 self-owned hotel properties under the Hey Lou HOTELS brand, including third-tier locations

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Place Value provides a holistic portfolio of hotel real estate services spanning Location Strategy, Asset Development, Asset Revitalization, and Hotel Modernization for hotel developers, investors, financial institutions, family offices and municipalities. The firm combines professional consulting and asset management services with the operation of its own seven hotels under the Hey Lou HOTELS brand, leveraging BIM, smart room technology, automated check-in/out and applied AI to transform underperforming hotel assets into profitable, exit-ready investments.

Product overview

Place Value offers a holistic hotel asset management and development ecosystem. The core offering consists of four integrated service pillars: Location Strategy, Asset Development, Asset Revitalization, and Hotel Modernization. These services are supported by proprietary assets including the Hey Lou HOTELS sub-brand (launched 2024) and an in-house developed Hotel Platform Solution. The company operates from a unique owner-and-operator position, allowing integrated development and successful operation of hotel properties. The portfolio includes 7 own hotel locations across Germany, and the services are designed for hotel developers, investors, financial institutions, municipalities, family offices, and private equity investors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hey Lou HOTELS: Hotel brand launched in 2024, positioned as the company's hotel portfolio brand.

Products and services

• Location Strategy Comprehensive location analysis for hotel real estate investments including micro and macro location assessment, market research, competitor analysis, future-oriented location valuation and adaptation to digital transformation and new target audiences. Targeted at hotel project developers and investors seeking sustainable hotel investments.
• Asset Development Development and positioning of new and existing hotel assets in the economy sector, incorporating sustainable construction methods, Building Information Modeling (BIM) for digital project development, and innovative financing models to deliver high return on investment. Targeted at hotel project developers seeking new hotel properties or optimization of existing assets.
• Asset Revitalization Valuation, planning and implementation of existing hotel asset potential through detailed analysis, strategic planning, sustainable refurbishment solutions, and ESG-compliant renovation for value optimization. Includes cost control and time management. Targeted at investors and owners of underperforming or restructuring hotel assets.
• Hotel Modernization Modernization concepts including efficient design solutions, technological upgrades such as smart rooms and automated check-in/check-out systems, sustainable renovation with energy-efficient systems and environmentally compatible materials, and guest comfort and experience optimization. Targeted at hotel operators and investors seeking to modernize existing properties.
• Hey Lou HOTELS Own hotel brand launched in 2024 representing the company's repositioned and re-conceptualized hotel portfolio in the economy segment, including third-tier locations. The brand unifies Place Value's seven self-owned hotel locations under a single guest-facing identity.

Quantifiable outcome

• Projects others write off as unprofitable are transformed into profitable assets
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Arbeitskreis HotelimmobilienminorOthersProfessional association membership for hotel real estate professionals. Membership underscores commitment to excellent solutions, ongoing exchange, and practical innovation in hotel development.
• Die FamilienunternehmerminorOthersAssociation for family businesses in Germany. Membership demonstrates commitment to family business values and entrepreneurial excellence in the hotel real estate sector.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group: Global real estate services firm with a dedicated hotels and hospitality advisory practice offering investment sales, asset management, and consulting. Directly competes with Place Value for hotel investor and operator mandates, but at global scale with capital markets capabilities Place Value cannot match.
• B&B Hotels: European budget hotel chain operating hundreds of economy hotels across Germany, France, and other European markets. Comparable to Place Value's economy-segment hotel positioning and serves as a benchmark for what scaled economy hospitality looks like in Europe.
• CBRE Hotels: Global hospitality real estate advisory within CBRE, providing investment sales, valuation, and consulting across hotel assets. Competes for the same PE investor and institutional client mandates as Place Value, with deeper benchmarking data and international reach.

Direct peers

• Meininger Hotels: European economy/budget hotel operator with a multi-property portfolio across Germany and neighboring countries. Comparable to Place Value's Hey Lou HOTELS brand in target segment (economy) and operational footprint.
• HVS: Global hotel valuation and consulting firm specializing in feasibility studies, appraisals, and asset management advisory. Closely comparable to Place Value's advisory service portfolio, particularly for investors and lenders seeking hotel-specific expertise.
• HR Group: German-headquartered hotel operator and asset manager running a portfolio of owned, leased, and managed hotels. Comparable to Place Value's owner-operator model and German economy/midscale market focus.
• Horwath HTL: International hotel, tourism, and leisure consultancy providing feasibility, asset management, and operator search services. Comparable to Place Value in its hotel-focused advisory offering and operator/investor client base.
• Drees & Sommer: German real estate and hotel consulting firm providing development, project management, and asset advisory services across Europe. Comparable to Place Value in its integrated real estate consulting approach and German market focus, though operating at significantly larger scale.

Regional players

• GBI AG: German hotel real estate developer and investor active in the economy and midscale segments. Comparable to Place Value in its German hotel development focus and target investor client base.
• arcona Hotels & Resorts: German hotel operator and asset manager with a portfolio of owned and managed properties. Comparable to Place Value's owner-operator positioning within the German hospitality market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/place-value-hotelmanagement-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Place Value