News: Hines has acquired Atitlan and Covadonga Sanz head of asset management at Rockfield Real Estate.

The Flexible Accommodation sector in Spain is experiencing significant activity, as evidenced by two recent news items.

On the one hand, real estate firm Hines has acquired a flex living complex with a hotel licence in Valencia from Atitlan. through its fund Hines European Real Estate Partners III (Herep III). The 650-bed project aims to cater to a diverse audience that includes both students and professionals.. ATDI, the real estate investment and asset management platform of the Atitlan Group, will be the main developer of the project, which will be delivered on a turnkey basis. ATDI adds more than 1,500 flex living units to its portfolio with this operation..

This complex in Valencia, located close to the Campus of the Polytechnic University of Valencia and the University of Valencia, will offer flexible accommodation for different lengths of stay. It will have more than 19,000 square metres of constructed area and a variety of services and amenities such as study areas, gymnasium, coworking spaces, cafeteria, meeting rooms, cinema, laundry facilities, parking spaces and an outdoor swimming pool.. The accommodation on offer will be diverse, including single, double, triple and apartment-type rooms. The project is expected to obtain the Breeam Excellent and Well Gold certifications. Upon completion of the project in 2027, the student accommodation platform aparto, a subsidiary of Hines, will be in charge of managing. This investment strengthens Hines' portfolio of assets in Spain and expands its presence in the sector. living beyond Madrid and Barcelona.

On the other hand, Rockfield Real Estate has strengthened its European team with the appointment of Covadonga Sanz Llaca as head of asset management.with a focus on the residential segment and, in particular, on student residences. Sanz, who will be based in Rockfield's Spanish office, has previous experience at Greystar, where he managed more than 10,000 beds in student residences and 3,500 flexible flats, and previously at Hines.

Amsterdam-based Rockfield manages and operates more than 2 billion in assets in Europe and beyond, together with Ardian, has created a European student housing platform with an initial investment capital of 500 million committed by CBRE IM.. This strategy complements Rockfield's portfolio of affordable assets for young professionals and students, which includes 5,000 beds in the Netherlands. According to Rockfield CEO Wouter van den Eijnden, the addition of Sanz will support the company's pan-European expansion ambitions in student residences.

Both news items reflect a current trends in the flexible accommodation sector in Spainwith significant investments in new developments for both students and professionals, as in the case of Hines in Valencia, and a commitment to expansion and specialised management in the student residence sectoras evidenced by the strategic signing of Rockfield.

The next edition Vitur Summit 2026 will take place in Malaga on Thursdays 13 and 14 May and will once again be the meeting point for operators, investors and companies in the sector to boost their business, establish strategic alliances with the different agents involved and gain access to all the latest news, trends and opportunities in the sector from leading speakers and companies.

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