Hotel Lido in Bucharest, closed in 2010 after being taken over by the heirs of the builder, a former prime minister in the 1940s, will be reopened this August by its new administrator, Mohammad Murad.
It was initially stated that the unit would reopen in December 2017, but Murad is facing difficulties in securing parking spaces for the hotel. He claims that officials from the Bucharest City Hall advised him to follow the example of businessman George Copos. To obtain parking spaces for the Hilton Hotel, Copos sued the municipality and won based on a government decision stipulating that local administrations are obliged to rent, through direct attribution, parking spaces for hotels, hospitals, public institutions, etc., if they exist and are within 50 meters of the respective building.
The hotel will be classified as 4 stars plus and will feature 97 rooms and 17 suites.
Murad says that, unfortunately, despite investing several million euros in modernizing the hotel and returning it to the tourism circuit, he is unable to resolve the parking issue.
The hotel does not have its own parking, and the Ministry of Tourism includes the possession of parking spaces among its criteria for classifying an accommodation unit.
The businessman points out that there are several parking lots in the area, one even adjacent to the hotel, and he requested the Bucharest City Hall to rent 40 spaces for the hotel, plus one bus spot. The municipality hesitated to issue an official response, which is why Murad’s lawyers took the City Hall to court on the grounds that it was not complying with Government Decision 955/2004, Article 24, Paragraph 11, regarding parking spaces, and won in the first instance.
This decision, Murad points out, contradicts a Local Council decision stating that the City Hall is not allowed to rent parking spaces. The respective article from HG 955/2004 establishes that parking spaces located at a distance of less than 50 m from hotel units, commercial complexes, performance halls, and sports facilities shall be assigned to them through rental.
Recently, the court ordered the Street Administration to directly assign 35 parking spaces located within 50 meters of the Lido Hotel to the hotel managed by Murad. The decision is subject to appeal.
Source: Profit
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Mohammad Murad suing the Bucharest City Hall?
The businessman has taken legal action to secure parking spaces through direct attribution, which are required for the Lido Hotel’s official classification.
What is the legal basis for the parking space lawsuit?
The lawsuit is based on Government Decision 955/2004, which mandates local administrations to rent parking spaces to hotels located within 50 meters.
When is the Lido Hotel in Bucharest scheduled to reopen?
The Lido Hotel, currently undergoing modernization, is set to be reintroduced into the tourism circuit in August of this year.