East Europe’s Richest Woman Seeks Key Share of Prague Top Hotels
Renata Kellnerova, the richest woman in eastern Europe, is boosting her footprint in real estate by buying a second hotel in Prague, setting herself on a path to control the biggest chunk of the luxury hospitality segment.
Investment company PPF Group NV, owned by Kellnerova and her family, is seeking to take over the Four Seasons in the city’s Old Town, the Czech anti-trust office said on Monday. The facility, owned by Northwood Investors, offers 157 rooms, with some overlooking the iconic 14th century Charles Bridge.
The transaction comes just weeks after PPF bought Hilton Prague, the city’s biggest hotel and the past choice of stay of three US presidents. If the regulator approves the Four Seasons acquisition, PPF will own a combined 15% of five-star hotel beds in Prague, according to data from the Czech Statistics Office.
Since her husband and PPF founder Petr Kellner died in a 2021 helicopter crash, Kellnerova has reoriented the group to Western markets and away from China and Russia. She has also reduced the reliance on financial services and pushed instead into sectors such as telecommunications, media and real estate.
By Krystof Chamonikolas