“Troyes has everything it needs to become a weekend destination”: Okko Hôtels bets on Aube with a new four-star hotel

There is no coincidence. A young, ambitious group aiming to open forty establishments in France and Europe within a few years, Okko Hôtels has sensed the new wind blowing through the station district and the dynamics that have been driving Troyes (Aube) and its surrounding area for some time. At the beginning of June, the group's fifteenth hotel opened its doors just a few meters from the station .

The four-star establishment has 106 rooms spread over seven floors. It completes a previously limited selection of high-end hotels in the metropolitan area. The previous hotel, opened in May 2023 on the banks of the Seine, was the five-star Hôtel La Licorne.

The new establishment brings the finishing touch to the transformation of the station district that began several years ago. "The station is the first thing people see of the city when they come from outside. The restaurants had collapsed and the hotels were not maintained. The area was a bit run down," admits Mayor François Baroin, looking back.

The elected official is confident in the success of the establishment, which primarily targets business customers, but also tourists: "Troyes is experiencing good tourism momentum. Every year, there are 4.5 million tourists and a million overnight stays in the metropolitan area. Investing in a hotel in Troyes these days is relevant. Here, near the train station, it's even more so."

The Okko Hôtels Troyes Centre thus complements a range of luxury establishments that was lacking in the metropolitan area. "There's something for everyone," the mayor continues. "We have a lot of tourists arriving from abroad. We now have quite a few Americans, English, Germans, Belgians... But also people from Japan, China, and Australia. The city is interesting because it is intertwined with the history of our country and it is attractive. There can't only be five-star hotels, just as there can't only be two-star hotels, because this is a population with purchasing power. A four-star hotel, as this new hotel is positioned, will be very useful for the attractiveness of the city of Troyes."

Open since June 9, 2025, the Okko Hôtels Troyes Centre has, according to Solenne Ojéa-Devys, the hotel group's general manager, gotten off to a better start than the average establishment of its kind. In addition to reservations, between 10 and 20 rooms are rented at the last minute each day by transient customers.

Germans, Luxembourgers, and Danes were among the first foreign guests to walk through the hotel's doors in June, before the summer holiday rush. "The city is extremely dynamic from a tourism perspective, but also from a business perspective," emphasizes the director. "We found the ideal location, close to the train station. Okko Hotels is a mission-driven company. We are very committed to environmental issues. It was essential to be in close proximity to green transportation."

After creating a buzz with its fifty-square-meter panoramic terrace, a first for a hotel in Troyes, Okko Hôtel Centre Troyes intends to promote the city as a tourist destination. "Among our 15 establishments in France, we have business clients, but also city trip clients, that is, people delighted to explore a French city for the weekend. Troyes has everything it needs to become a weekend destination accessible by train," continues Solenne Ojéa-Devys.

Long-awaited, the electrification of the Paris-Troyes line will finally be a reality in the summer of 2028, placing the Aube prefecture an hour from the capital. However, during July and August 2025, due to roadworks, it will be necessary to travel part of the journey by bus, or find an alternative. "We are very patient people and we think long-term," the hotel group's general manager says with a smile.