stays hotels

What stays hotels does

stays hotels operates as a corporate entity associated with the Welcome Hotels chain, a German hotel group comprising 14 properties across the country including the flagship Welcome Hotel Gelsenkirchen. The Gelsenkirchen property, formerly the Courtyard by Marriott Gelsenkirchen, was rebranded and relaunched in May 2025 following a comprehensive renovation, repositioning it as a four-star-superior hotel with 194 rooms, 4 suites, a wellness area (sauna, steam bath, fitness), and 9 conference rooms accommodating up to 300 attendees. Its defining feature is direct adjacency to the VELTINS-Arena (60,000+ seats), making it the only on-site hotel for FC Schalke 04 home matches, concerts, and major events such as Biathlon Auf Schalke.

The business operates four primary revenue streams: room accommodation (per-stay pricing with a 5% direct-booking discount versus OTAs), food and beverage through the on-site Staysbyfriends restaurant (stone-oven pizza, regional Ruhr specialties, breakfast buffet, lobby bar), meeting and event hosting (venue rental, catering, presentation technology), and ancillary services (€15/day parking, €15/night pet accommodation, laundry, luggage storage). Distribution is weighted toward the chain's own website and direct phone/email channels, with OTAs used but deprioritized via the discount incentive. The target customer mix spans stadium and event attendees, business travelers and corporate meeting clients (including named accounts Sparkasse Gelsenkirchen, Gelsenwasser AG, Stölting Service Group, and BP Gelsenkirchen), leisure families visiting Ruhr-area attractions (Movie Park Germany, ZOOM Erlebniswelt, Zeche Zollverein), and private event celebrants.

Operating technology is conventional hospitality infrastructure — standard property management and booking systems, free WiFi, air-conditioned rooms, modern presentation equipment — with no disclosed proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, or data flywheel. The property holds GreenSign sustainability certification covering environmental, social, and economic standards. Leadership is anchored by Hotel Director Knuth Kiefer, and the parent operates from Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, with the Gelsenkirchen property as the largest single asset by key count within the chain's German footprint.

Name

stays hotels

Legal name

Welcome Hotel Gelsenkirchen

Website

https://stays-hotels.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

stays hotels operates as a corporate entity linked to the Welcome Hotels German chain of 14 properties, with the flagship Welcome Hotel Gelsenkirchen serving stadium visitors, corporate clients, and leisure travelers via 198 keys, dining, and conference facilities adjacent to VELTINS-Arena.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hotel Accommodation

NAICS

Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (721110)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Hotels & Motels (7011)

akta.pro primary industry

Resort Convention Hotels (THAGALAC)

Keywords

• Hotel accommodation
• Conference meeting venues
• Wellness spa services
• Hotel restaurant dining
• Event hosting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Gelsenkirchen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Hotel Accommodation: Overnight stays in 194 standard rooms and 4 suites. Revenue generated through room bookings with check-in from 15:00 and check-out until 11:00. Direct booking offers 5% discount vs. third-party portals.
2. Food & Beverage: Restaurant serving breakfast buffet, stone-oven pizza, homemade pasta, and regional specialties (Ruhr area currywurst). Terrace dining in warmer months. Lobby bar for aperitifs and evening drinks.
3. Meeting & Events: Conference and event hosting with 9 flexible meeting rooms accommodating up to 300 persons. Revenue from venue rental, catering, and technical equipment services for corporate meetings, seminars, workshops, and private celebrations.
4. Ancillary Services: Parking (€15 per 24 hours), pet accommodation (€15 per animal/night), room service, luggage storage, and laundry services generate additional revenue streams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

stays hotels is a 4-star superior hotel located in Gelsenkirchen directly adjacent to the VELTINS-Arena, offering 194 rooms and 4 suites, an on-site restaurant, conference and meeting facilities, and a wellness area with sauna, steam bath and fitness. The property was formerly Courtyard by Marriott Gelsenkirchen and was rebranded to Welcome Hotel Gelsenkirchen / stays hotels in May 2025.

Product overview

Welcome Hotels operates a collection of hotels across Germany, including the flagship Welcome Hotel Gelsenkirchen. The property offers a unified hospitality product featuring accommodation (194 rooms and 4 suites), dining (Staysbyfriends restaurant with stone oven cuisine), conference and event facilities (9 rooms for up to 300 persons), and wellness amenities. The brand emphasizes direct booking advantages and is positioned as a 4-star superior hotel chain focused on the German market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hotel Rooms and Suites Accommodation Nightly accommodation in 194 rooms and 4 suites at a 4-star superior hotel with amenities including air conditioning, flat-screen TV, WiFi and modern furnishings; aimed at leisure travellers, sports-event visitors, families and business travellers.
• On-site Restaurant (Staysbyfriends) In-hotel restaurant providing food and beverage service for hotel guests and outside visitors during operating hours.
• Conference and Meeting Facilities Dedicated meeting and conference rooms with modern presentation technology for corporate meetings, training sessions, conferences and private events; bookings handled through a dedicated inside-sales contact.
• Wellness Area Wellness and fitness amenity featuring a sauna, steam bath and fitness area available to hotel guests during stay.
• Event Hosting and Private Functions Hospitality and venue services for hosting private celebrations and events, leveraging the hotel's event spaces, restaurant and accommodation capacity.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Biathlon Auf SchalkecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWelcome Hotels is an official partner of the Biathlon Auf Schalke event, one of Germany's premier biathlon events held at the VELTINS-Arena. The partnership provides marketing visibility, brand association with major sporting events, and accommodation package opportunities for event attendees.
• GreenSignminorOthersHotel certified under GreenSign sustainability certification program, which evaluates environmental standards, social responsibility, and economic sustainability practices in hotel operations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stayshotels

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 stays hotels