Berlin Greens Demand Stricter Control as Thousands of New Hotel Beds Are Planned

The Green Party in Berlin is calling for stricter regulatory control over the hospitality sector after revealing plans for at least 116 new hotels, adding more than 8,100 beds to the capital. According to a Senate response to a parliamentary inquiry, these projects are in various planning stages, with Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg designated for over half of the new capacity, including a major hostel conversion by the A&O chain. The Greens argue that this expansion is unnecessary given the city's existing oversupply and declining tourism numbers, which saw a drop of 1.2 million overnight stays last year to 29.4 million. They highlight that average hotel occupancy rates hovered around 55 percent in 2025, significantly lower than in comparable European cities like Paris. In contrast, the Senate emphasizes an average room occupancy rate of 74 percent as a key industry metric. Julian Schwarze, the Greens' spokesman for urban development, urged the Senate to implement a development plan ensuring new hotels are compatible with their neighborhoods, noting that current district-level powers are insufficient to prevent such projects.