URBANAUTS

What URBANAUTS does

URBANAUTS Hospitality GmbH is a Vienna-based boutique hospitality operator founded in 2011 by architecture students Theresia Kohlmayr, Jonathan Lutter, and Christian Knapp. The company pioneered the "horizontal hotel" concept, transforming vacant or abandoned commercial premises (ground-floor shops, stores, historic buildings) into distinctive hotel rooms distributed across city neighborhoods rather than concentrated in a single property. It operates 12 locations with 209 units across Austria, Italy, and France, organized under three sub-brands: URBANAUTS STAY (urban hotels and studios in city centers), grätzlhotel (boutique lofts in former neighborhood commercial premises), and hideauts (countryside accommodations in historic buildings). URBANAUTS FLATS in Linz extends the portfolio with apartment-style 1950s-themed longer-stay units.

The business runs on a digital-first operational model: keyless entry with access codes delivered by email, self-serve booking across three dedicated brand websites, and Stripe-based voucher payments. The "Fellows" network — local restaurants, cafes, shops, and wellness providers — replaces traditional hotel amenities like bars, restaurants, and spas, positioning the neighborhood itself as the hotel's lobby. On the B2B side, URBANAUTS monetizes its operational expertise through hospitality management (full-service operations for property owners), consulting (technical service assistance and marketing strategy), and investor partnerships (joint development of small-scale, under-60-unit historic properties), with JP Hospitality Investors as a notable partner for acquisitions such as Casa Minelli in Trieste.

The company employs 13 people across a lean leadership structure (Managing Directors, Operations Manager Austria, Marketing & Sales) and is privately held, with shareholders including URBANAUTS GmbH, Grätzl Betriebs GmbH, GEP Beteiligungs Invest GmbH, and Solutions Holding GmbH. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Marketing relies on organic social (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn), a stories blog, cultural event partnerships (Wiener Festwochen, Vienna Art Week), and substantial earned media coverage from European and international publications.

Name

URBANAUTS

Legal name

URBANAUTS Hospitality GmbH

Website

https://urbanauts.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

URBANAUTS is a Vienna-based boutique hospitality operator that converts vacant historic commercial premises into neighborhood-distributed hotels across three sub-brands (URBANAUTS STAY, grätzlhotel, hideauts), serving travelers seeking authentic local experiences in Austria, Italy, and France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boutique Hospitality Services

NAICS

Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Other Traveler Accommodation (72119), Accommodation (721)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Boutique Inns (THAGAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Serviced Extended-Stay Apartments & Aparthotels (THAMAFAC)

Keywords

• Boutique hospitality services
• Hotel management solutions
• Urban boutique hotels
• Historic building revitalization
• Hospitality consulting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Accommodation Revenue: Direct revenue from nightly stays at URBANAUTS hotels, studios, grätzlhotel boutique lofts, and hideauts countryside properties. Operating 12 locations with 209 units across Austria, Italy, and France.
2. Hospitality Management Fees: URBANAUTS takes over complete business management for property owners including marketing, reservations, booking channel coordination, guest communication, and cleaning services. Revenue generated through management fees.
3. Hospitality Consulting: Advisory services for new developments and ongoing hospitality projects including Technical Service Assistance, logistical planning, and marketing strategy optimization.
4. Investor Partnership Revenue: Joint hospitality projects with investors to develop and operate small-scale properties (under 60 units). Revenue share or partnership arrangements.
5. Gift Vouchers: Sale of gift vouchers for stays at URBANAUTS locations, delivered digitally via email.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

URBANAUTS operates a portfolio of boutique hospitality brands (URBANAUTS STAY urban studios, grätzlhotel neighborhood boutique lofts, hideauts countryside properties, and URBANAUTS FLATS longer-stay apartments) and provides B2B hospitality services including full hospitality management, consulting, and investor partnerships for small-scale historic properties (under 60 units).

Product overview

URBANAUTS is a hospitality company operating a portfolio of three distinct accommodation brands: URBANAUTS STAY (central urban hotels and studios in historic buildings), grätzlhotel (boutique lofts in former ground-floor business premises in Viennese neighborhoods), and hideauts stay (relaxed countryside hotels in historic properties). The company also operates URBANAUTS FLATS in Linz for longer stays. On the B2B side, URBANAUTS offers investor partnerships, hospitality management, and consulting services to property owners. The company specializes in revitalizing historic buildings with fewer than 60 units, preserving neighborhood character while creating authentic urban hospitality experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• grätzlhotel: Boutique lofts located in former business premises on the ground floor in Vienna neighborhoods, offering authentic city experiences with local gastronomy and culture.
• hideauts
• URBANAUTS STUDIOS
• URBANAUTS FLATS

Products and services

• URBANAUTS STAY Central hotels and studios, modernly and cosily furnished in historic locations in the heart of the city, offering urban hospitality experiences for business travelers, city-weekend visitors, and longer-stay guests.
• grätzlhotel Boutique lofts located in former ground-floor business premises within Viennese neighborhoods, offering the most authentic city experience with local restaurants, cafés, and bars in the immediate vicinity.
• hideauts stay Relaxed stays in historic houses in picturesque countryside surroundings, offering state-of-the-art hotels for urban travelers seeking authentic local experiences outside the city.
• URBANAUTS FLATS Linz Apartments in Linz decorated in 1950s style, offering colorful and spacious accommodations for up to six people with well-equipped kitchenettes and long-stay pricing incentives.
• Hospitality Management Full outsourced operational management of hospitality properties, including marketing, reservations, booking-channel coordination, guest communication, and cleaning, for property owners who prefer not to run operations themselves.
• Hospitality Consulting Advisory services covering technical service assistance, logistical planning, operational assessments, and marketing modernization for new and ongoing hospitality projects.
• Investor Partnerships Partnership services for investors looking to develop hospitality projects in properties with fewer than 60 units, revitalizing historic buildings into operating hospitality businesses under revenue-share or partnership arrangements.
• Voucher Program Gift vouchers for stays at any URBANAUTS location, delivered digitally by email after order completion and printable by the recipient.

Quantifiable outcome

• 33% turnover increase at revitalized properties (e.g., Casa Minelli)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and minor.

• Vienna Art WeekstrategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 October 2024Cultural partnership for the 20th anniversary of Vienna Art Week (Nov 8-15, 2024). URBANAUTS provides VIP packages including hotel nights at newly opened URBANAUTS STUDIOS Sylvette and access to the VIP opening event. Joint social media campaigns and giveaways.
• Wiener FestwochenstrategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 May 2024Cultural partnership for Vienna's major international arts festival. Artists and performers of the festival reside at URBANAUTS STUDIOS Fillgrader. URBANAUTS offers exclusive festival ticket packages and raffles to guests. The festival runs May 17 to June 23, 2024.
• HausWirtschaft (Die HausPension)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarketing and sales management partnership with the young HausWirtschaft cooperative. URBANAUTS handles all marketing and sales activities while employees at the location manage daily operations. Nine-room pension in a building combining living, working, leisure, and culture.
• Rooms by WolfenssoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFull hospitality management partnership for eight luxury flats in an art nouveau building in central Vienna. URBANAUTS handles entire daily business including operations, marketing & sales, and room cleaning.
• Le Vignacce (Tuscany)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospitality consulting project in Tuscany. Sorted and rearranged antiques in the house, modernized marketing with contemporary photos matching the character of the property.
• brand unit GmbHminorOthersBrand strategy and corporate design partner responsible for URBANAUTS brand identity and visual communications.
• weitweit WebentwicklungminorOthersWebsite programming partner responsible for technical development of URBANAUTS digital platforms.
• Local Fellows NetworkcoreOthersNetwork of neighboring restaurants, cafes, shops, and local businesses that serve as extensions of URBANAUTS properties, replacing traditional hotel amenities (breakfast venues, wellness facilities, bars).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• 25hours Hotels: European boutique hotel brand operating design-led, neighborhood-immersive properties in multiple cities. Directly comparable to URBANAUTS in concept, scale, and target audience of experience-seeking urban travelers.
• CitizenM: Compact, tech-enabled urban hotel brand operating in major European cities with keyless entry and self-service model. Comparable in digital-first operations, small-unit footprint, and urban traveler segment to URBANAUTS STUDIOS.
• Ruby Hotels: Lean-luxury urban boutique hotel brand with small-format city-center properties in Europe. Comparable in compact-room, design-forward urban hospitality model targeting similar business and leisure travelers.
• The Hoxton: Neighborhood-rooted boutique hotel brand with public spaces and local programming across European and US cities. Comparable in lifestyle positioning, neighborhood-as-lobby philosophy, and design-led urban hospitality.
• Mama Shelter: Accor-affiliated boutique hotel brand offering playful, locally-rooted urban hotels across Europe. Closely comparable lifestyle positioning and mid-sized urban property footprint to URBANAUTS STAY.

Emerging players

• Generator Hostels: Design-led hostel/budget boutique hybrid operating across European cities with social spaces and local partnerships. Partially comparable as alternative affordable urban accommodation with neighborhood positioning, though targeting a different price tier.

Regional players

• Magdas Hotel (Caritas): Vienna-based social boutique hotel combining refugee employment with design-driven hospitality. Comparable as a Vienna boutique operator with a strong social/local-impact narrative similar to URBANAUTS's neighborhood ethos.

Others

• Hotel & Hospitality Consulting Firms (e.g., Studio Aisslinger): Adjacent consultancy/hospitality design firms that operate boutique properties or advise on hotel concept development. Comparable as ecosystem peers in the niche small-scale hospitality development space.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/URBANAUTS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urbanauts-hospitality
• Instagraminstagram.com/urbanauts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 URBANAUTS