Situated opposite the city's famous Chocolate Museum on Holzmarkt Strasse, the hotel will offer 210 guestrooms, restaurant and bar, outdoor terrace, meeting rooms, fitness centre and private car parking. Being positioned along the Rhine river, the hotel will afford picturesque views of the river and the architectural landscape that includes the countless museums and attractions of Colognes Old Town.

Micha Polak, Senior Vice President and Head of Development comments on the hotel's impressive location, "I am thrilled to have found such an ideal position for our forthcoming art'otel in Cologne. The views across the water and overlooking the city will provide guests with a tranquil setting in what's become a busy and developing metropolis. With its numerous attractions and striking architecture, Cologne has always been a prime target for an art'otel and I am delighted to bring this new hotel into our collection."

The unique setting on the waterfront has attracted prominent architects and designers to the area to such an extent that the City Council decided to hold a competition whereby several architects were invited to submit their designs for the new art'otel contract. 

As tradition with the art'otel concept - developed by brand custodian Mr Dirk Gaedeke - one artist's work will be featured throughout the hotel and a young Korean-born lady, known only as SEO, has already been selected. SEO is a master pupil of German artist Georg Baselitz - whose work is featured at the company's art'otel berlin mitte - and despite her young age, has already achieved international acclaim with inspiring, intensive combinations of European and Asian traditions.

art'otel cologne will be the sixth art'otel in Germany for Park Plaza Hotels Europe, joining those in Dresden, Berlin (3) and Potsdam and art'otel budapest in Hungary. The company have aggressive plans to expand their art'otel collection, with projects soon to be announced in Amsterdam, Vienna and London.

About Park Plaza Hotels Europe

Park Plaza Hotels Europe owns and operates 4 and 4 star deluxe hotels in the EMEA region under Carlson Hotels Worldwide Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts brand and proprietary brand art'otel. The art'otel brand was recently placed in the top 10 PWC lifestyle hotel brands. The art'otel concept is a 4 star-deluxe hotel featuring modern design and original artwork from a famous local artist.

Park Plaza Hotels Europe is a full-service hotel company providing management, franchise, sales, marketing, reservations, training, procurement, technical, licensing and design services, operating from regional offices in London, Amsterdam and Berlin. At the beginning of 2007, the company had 30 hotels and nearly 6,000 guestrooms open and under development in 7 countries throughout EMEA, with the vision to double its portfolio by 2009.