Dear Insiders, TUI last week celebrated the birth of its "Sensimar" brand with the opening of a new resort in Turkey. The hotel is attractive and shows healthy booking figures. How TUI expects to implement its quality standards across the brand, however, I don't fully understand. Thomas Althoff has negotiated well through the crisis - and sticks to gourmet and luxury, despite any crisis. In Bonn he will also operate the convention flagship in town - a challenge. In Austria, a fine private hotel has difficulties in shedding its image as a "Russian hotel". And in Munich, the commercial real estate trade fair Expo Real will begin on 5 October with the hotel conference "Hospitality Industry Dialogue". 28 experts will discuss current trends in the industry's investment and finance sector. Read more….

Dear Insiders, Bombs destroy hotels, but investors and hotel operators still shy away from making the safety investments that they should. Instead, the first prototype of a "security hotel" is currently under construction in Germany. In Greece, the hotel market is opening new doors for the luxury segment. Women have had much influence holidays for a long time, but travel managers still think far too "masculine". The International Hotel Conference will soon take place in Venice. Starwood Capital and JJW argue, three Marriott hotels announce insolvency, Sol Meliá has a new Germany boss. Please read more.

Dear Insiders, The subjects of this edition of hospitalityInside.com take us to the water: Star architect Mario Botta commences two new projects in Switzerland, a thermal bath and a wellness project. In the Tschuggen Grand Hotel in Arosa water causes a two months' closure of the hotel. The waves of the economic crisis have obviously hit the high-sea cruise business less hard than the riverboat cruise segment. A market report. And an entrepreneur in Berlin operates a paw-hotel - a special story on the subject of target groups. At the end of October, the second "ITB Asia" will take place in Singapore; hospitalityInside is once again media partner to this up and coming trade fair event with the integrated conference "Web in Travel". This as keywords, more at your fingertips…

Dear Insiders, After the "summer break", we welcome you with a newly designed website that will be further extended during the next weeks. All new additions are explained on our homepage hospitalityInside.com.Today's issue will contain the following main topics: Steigenberger - What will happen next? Hyatt - Does the IPO make sense in the crisis? Spain's first low budget chain has arrived. Rocco Forte's mini commitments. Media in the crisis - The quality crash. And more.

Dear Insiders,

The market of senior residences is adjusting itself and introducing new developers. There is an enormous potential for this special form of real estate that can be combined with hotels as well. Arkona Hotels are repositioning themselves: they will bear the name of arcona in future and will expand with boarding houses, among other things. Communities often discuss hotel establishments in an emotional way - a recent study brings some sobriety into their views. Luxury hotels at a tertiary location are mostly solutions for the ego instead of economically sensible ones.

In the second part of our series on conference hotels, you will read about creative international chains with respect to acquiring meeting and conference customers. In doing so, rates are not the be-all and end-all!

The one-day hotel conference at Expo Real, the biggest European commercial real estate fair in Munich, will again be included in the entry fee. This means a lot of know-how without any extra costs! The editor in chief of hospitalityInside.com will be responsible for the content of the "Hospitality Industry Dialogue" for the second time. The six top panels will bring 28 notable representatives from the hotel, real estate and financial industries together for discussion! Read for yourself.

This week, Design Hotels, Orient-Express and Switzerland have presented their half-year and quarterly results, respectively. And Starwood Capital has finally concluded the deal with Golden Tulip as expected. Golden Tulip's partner, Top International, however, is now facing downsized collaboration.

The hospitalityInside team wishes you a great time in August and happy holidays should you go on vacation! We will be back after our summer break on Friday, August 28.

Yours, Maria Puetz-Willems
Editor in Chief

Questions? maria@hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,

The crisis has given the budget hotels an additional push: According to the findings of a new survey, 71% of investors wish to invest in 2-star hotels in future.

Just how great the success in this sector can be is demonstrated in our article on Meininger Hotels, a swish concept which has long since lost its initial hostel image and is now firmly established in the low-budget hotel sector, not only in Germany.

Less is more - this was convincingly explained to us two weeks ago by London trend researchers. Now, the Swiss research institute GDI goes one step further and describes in its "trend radar" just how "elastic" many sectors have adjusted to the current economic situation. Enjoy witty examples of how one can master the switch from "savoir-vivre" to "savoir survivre"!

Gaining less business generally makes more creative: This is the vein of our two-part series on survival strategies in the conference hotel industry. Today's article looks at the current situation in detail - and here too one can see that there are hotels which haven't lost seminar and conference business. General moaning is misplaced even in the MICE sector.

Open real estate funds have now been hit hard by the crisis. Morgan Stanley has shocked the branch with the announcement that it will revalue its entire portfolio. Will investors now withdraw their capital?

Some lose, others gain in the crisis: David Fattal from Tel Aviv has concluded a deal for 12 properties and massively extends his lead with the Leonardo hotel group in Israel. For central Germany, a 720 bed resort it planned. And InterContentinental hotels are currently thinking about whether to give new life to a somewhat aged brand with a new resort concept.

This and much more - enjoy reading!

Yours, Maria Puetz-Willems
Editor in Chief

Questions? maria@hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,

The crisis has brought the old topic of 'lease' back into focus for banks, investors and operators. Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels in Munich shares its view on a new crisis-determined focus in the arrangement of contract terms and gives an example of profit from fixed-lease, turnover lease and management contract. Read for yourself!

Prague too is struggling hard in the wake of the economic downturn. Its currency is weak and the new luxury hotels on the market - all high value hotels - worsen the situation for everybody. Two articles on the hotel situation in Prague.

More transparency is promised by the hotel associations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, which will begin to introduce joint star classification criteria as of January 2010. Experts presented the new system in Vienna. The minimum criteria system used to now has been extended to form a mixed system.

After the summer break, the annual autumn trade fair events draw closer. The Messe Berlin is also working hard on preparing the second "ITB Asia" in Singapore. Reservations from exhibitors are going well. hospitalityInside will again accompany the event as media partner and keep you informed. Today, a little foretaste of the event whose premier last year was a resounding success.

Rezidor's, Marriott's and Starwood's results for the first-half of 2009 weren't good, NH intends to generate additional revenues by selling advertising space in the hotel, and InterCity will give a contemporary feel to its lobbies in new hotels. This and much more in this week's edition.

Until next week!
Yours, Maria Puetz-Willems
Editor in Chief

Questions? maria@hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,

These days, it is extremely vital to take the right steps for the future: in doing so, you'll be assisted by a research company in London, which published its first hospitality future report. The trend towards "less is more" is growing. Hotels realising this "issue" in an emotional way stand a chance. Designer chairs are no longer enough in order to inspire your guests.

More and more, small top-level groups from abroad are introducing themselves in Germany. Accordingly, Baglioni Hotels from Milan, a group of palazzos and resorts with a boutique character, which we have characterised today, remind me of the recently introduced Franklyn Hotels from Spain. Even the dolce vita experts are striving only for top locations entering the same destinations all over the world....

The hotel industry is actually not seeking expansion, but hosting guests. This is pointed out by Ljuba Manz-Lurje, President of Manz Privacy Hotels in Switzerland. The Russian-born manageress has been one of the most elusive characters in Zurich over the past few decades. The group has just turned 120 years old. "It pays off to lead a company through insecure times with persistence, ambition and dedication," says the grande dame. An appeal to hospitality and sustainability.

Libya is a country you hardly notice from the European perspective. However, insiders consider the destination a secret tip and the first international chains have now announced their arrival. We’ll provide a market overview.

In Austria, Hypo Alpe Adria is currently considering selling its entire hotel portfolio in Carinthia, while Falkensteiner is increasing its presence in Croatia, and at the Arabella Hospitality Group in Munich, CEO Wolfgang Neumann is setting initial strategic signals internally. After eight years, there is a new timeshare survey, Accor has announced its half-year results, and finally, there are some interesting staff issues. A colourful issue today - enjoy reading!

Yours, Maria Puetz-Willems
Editor in Chief

Questions? maria@hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,

The keyword "discrimination" is taken up again and again in this issue. A table with value added taxes in the EU shows the extent to which Germany is discriminated against in competition. Hoteliers in border regions are frustrated to a certain extent. Understandably! But the German Chancellor is still not listening.

We can also understand the investors of the fund for the Hotel Adlon in Berlin. Their spokesman, a lawyer, gives a detailed insight into the complicated facts behind the announcement of Anno August Jagdfeld, who is discontinuing the lease payments in parts of the Adlon. Kempinski, the operator, is not affected by this affair.

The two partners running gambino Hotels in Munich are resisting discrimination of traditional 2 and 3-star hotels. They are leasing such "wallflowers" and pepping them up again on behalf of the owners. Their commitment is not to be restricted to Munich.

Those TUI hotels that decided for the newly offered quality and performance check are well on the way to turning disadvantages into advantages. However, this method is still far away from an independent, external quality analysis.

Negotiations between Starwood Capital and Golden Tulip are close to the goal in the meantime; in Switzerland, there is a new state employment agreement and luxury hotels keen to invest. And in Germany, most Internet users still fear data theft.

I wish you a week full of benefits.

Yours, Maria Puetz-Willems
Editor in Chief

Questions? maria@hospitalityInside.com

Dear Insiders,

Luxury hotels aren't doing well! Is it true or not? After weeks of research, we can't say we agree with such a statement. And so, this week's edition revels in luxury: What do the trend reports say about the spending habits of the rich? How has the luxury guest changed in the wake of the crisis? What can hotel directors say about the current situation? The answers aren't quite so straightforward. On the upside though, there are many small ideas from your colleagues, especially from Germany. Austrian hoteliers were, however, keeping quiet. Our Austrian correspondent, Fred Fettner, had difficulties in coaxing out a statement or two from Austrian luxury hoteliers on the challenges facing their houses. The difference between highly competitive Germany and the fussy private hotel republic Austria seems to be nowhere quite as stark.

Accor Paris was also keeping stumm. The surprising departure of the German CEO last Friday gave me cause to put together a number of questions.

Part awe and part incomprehension is feeling inspired by the new million Euro state guarantee for the permanently loss-making Grand Hotel Heiligendamm, meanwhile no longer managed by Kempinski - we took a look. Less surprising is that negotiations between Starwood Capital and the insolvent Golden Tulip Group are taking longer. And again, this week wellknown executives of the industry changed positions.

Following our reports on the increased "challenges" facing Dorint Hotels last week, we received an e-Mail from a Dorint director: "We, the hotel team, will do everything to ensure that life for Dorint fans/friends/guests as well as owners is made as easy as possible. Others might stick their heads in the sand, but we won't." Well if that doesn't illustrate identification with the company… Congratulations to Dorint! Hang on in there!

Yours, Maria Puetz-Willems
Editor in Chief

Your comments? maria@hospitalityInside.com