Historically, Minor Hotels operated under asset-heavy models, through ownership or lease agreements, and is now evolving towards an asset-light model, focused on franchise and management agreements, enabling agile and scalable growth. With this shift, Minor Hotels offers investors and independent hotel owners the opportunity to join an ecosystem supported by global distribution systems, strong brands and loyalty programme, while preserving the local identity and cultural heritage of each asset.
Backed by nearly five decades of operating expertise, with a particularly strong footprint in Europe and strong brand recognition, the company applies a “glocal” approach, aligning its global strategy with a strong local execution, acting as a reliable partner across markets.
Debut in Croatia and Slovenia
As part of this strategy, Minor Hotels recently announced a management agreement with MK Group to operate its first two properties in Croatia and Slovenia. The group’s entry into Slovenia will come through Hotel Palace Portorož, a 183-room resort known for its heritage in wellness and gastronomy. In Croatia, the company will debut with Adriatic Istria Resort in Savudrija, a 186-room complex with direct beach access and the region’s first golf course.
Both properties, whose operations were assumed by the group in February 2026, will undergo extensive refurbishment ahead of their relaunch in early 2027 under the luxury brands Minor Reserve Collection and Anantara, respectively. These additions represent Minor Hotels’ entry into two new strategic markets and mark an important milestone in its growth across the Adriatic region.
The Balkans and the CIS: strategic regions for Minor Hotels’ growth
The Balkans region is becoming a priority for Minor Hotels’ European expansion thanks to its growing appeal for cultural, nature and wellness tourism. The company is currently exploring development opportunities in major cities as well as mountain, lake and coastal destinations, with the aim of tailoring its offering to the specific characteristics of each market and the cultural legacy of each destination.
To support this new phase of development and strengthen its execution capabilities in the region, Minor Hotels has appointed Mikhail Kolesnik as Regional Director of Development for the Inland Balkans and the CIS. In this role, he will lead the identification and origination of new business opportunities in markets including Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia and the CIS region.
Kolesnik brings more than 15 years of experience in hotel investment, business planning and asset management. A graduate of the prestigious SKEMA Business School, he has held key roles in Marriott’s development team for Eastern Europe and, more recently, in the management of luxury portfolios in the Black Sea region and the planning of large-scale projects in the Middle East. His appointment strengthens Minor Hotels’ development structure in a key region for its future growth.
Reporting to the development leadership of Minor Hotels Europe & Americas, Mikhail Kolesnik will spearhead efforts to secure new projects, with a focus on franchise and management agreements.
Learn more about Minor Hotels here.
