Dear Insider,
It was the adhoc announcement of a bank that revealed the Interhotel Group was set to sell its 14 hotels and operating companies. The company is "healthy" now. Yet the ink is still not dry: The German Federal Cartel Office has also taken an interest. Top news at the end of the week.
And we remain right at the forefront of the action: This afternoon we'll report directly from Frankfurt on the news from the ArabellaSheraton/Starwood press conference. After one full year in office, Arabella Holding's Managing Director Carsten Rath reveals details of his long expected first "deal". For the first time, the 40 year old manager will be measured against his promises. And the industry will be paying attention.
Our Swiss colleague, Silvia Pfenniger, interviewed a fellow Swiss national this week: Kurt Ritter. He was as always - positive and personal.
A very personal thanks came from the owner of Tschuggen Hotels, Ursula Bechtolsheimer, last weekend as her staff at the Tschuggen Grand Hotel Arose saw through the monumental opening of its spa. Visibly relieved that the mega investment of 22 million Euros had finally been implemented, she was much too rash in pushing the start button. The example is a clear one: There are still owners who are business orientated and who take their staff - above all management with their visions - very seriously. With their targeted investments the Tschuggen Hotel Group is rapidly catching up on the market.
Our articles today also provide matter for philosophical discussion under the motto "capital is good, but alone it's not enough..." Creativity and the feeling for the market and people are essential ingredients of success.
In addition there's also news from the Adlon Berlin, from the Leading Residences, from Sabre and Worldspan, from Germany and Singapore.
A pleasant week! Christmas is just around the corner - hospitalityInside.com will appear as usual next week, will however then take a two week break.
Yours, Maria Puetz-Willems
Editor-in-Chief
Questions? maria@hospitalityInside.com