News & Stories

Brussels. With all the things happening across the globe, the question is legitimate whether the world is actually safe enough to travel. Travel is undoubtedly exciting, but can also be challenging sometimes. To better understand how hotels, often direct targets of terrorism or natural disasters are responding to the threats, we asked Paul Moxness, Vice President, Corporate Safety and Security at Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, to share with us his expertise and views. He is very well connected internationally and also collaborates with industry colleagues of competing chains in a special security council. Even Airbnb is part of this group. He calls for safety & security to be fully integrated in hotel operations and the hotels to be in permanent touch with the local environment. "If people don't think you are safe then it doesn't matter if you have free wifi, people will simply not come", Paul Moxness says in this long interview.

Munich. Ironically, it was the sleep which troubled Ola Ivarsson, COO at Moevenpick Hotels & Resorts in Europe, over the past couple of days: He promoted the new "individualized” sleeping concept of the group in Europe. From now on, each guest can adjust the degree of firmness of the mattress him- or herself. In addition, three more hotels in Europe are planned.

Wiesbaden. There is some movement on the German brand market. New brands are flooding the country, never before has the choice been larger. This is one of the reasons why franchising is on the rise. But there is a counter movement: in the age of growing direct selling, hoteliers are questioning whether their agreements with major chains still make sense to them. Some individual hoteliers are leaving global brands, some consider them very useful, and others are using franchise brands very selectively. Franchising is currently changing its character.

Berlin. "We are late with our asset light strategy," said Sébastien Bazin, CEO at AccorHotels, at the International Hotel Investment Forum in Berlin last week. "But now, everything is available that AccorHotels needs." During his speaking time he explained the hotel group's transformation into a travel corporation to his investment colleagues. Some of this information is already known to our readers – however, they do not know that Bazin admitted operative weaknesses in a one-on-one interview with hospitalityInside.com.

Berlin. The new Motel One Upper West in Berlin will welcome its first guests on April 14, 2017. The budget design group is about to open its signature tower: a slim high-rise with 582 rooms, located next to the Memorial Church in Berlin. Those relaxing in the new "One Lounge" on the 10th floor will be viewing the Waldorf-Astoria directly opposite, and will realise: budget design starts scratching at luxury doors.

Amsterdam. In desperate need for an extra source of untapped income, hoteliers are coming to terms with online startups selling rooms during the day for a few hours at a time. French Dayuse.com, Belgian between9and5.com, American hotelsbyday.com, Spanish byhours … all are competing for a share of an estimated 20-billion-dollar market. 70 percent of hotel rooms are empty during the day. David Lebée, CEO and Co-Founder of Dayuse.com talks about the opportunities and challenges of this niche market, which seems to have the investors' full attention already.

Wiesbaden. Classic budget hotels upgrade their hardware, room sizes partially change and even the gastronomic offer is topped up. In turn, the 4-star hotel industry downsizes due to continuously rising property prices. Will there soon only be uniformity left in the middle? Motel One's most recent announcement, that is to equip their new budget hotels with granite flooring, with exclusive designer furniture, tissues and safes, started a sensitive discussion on the German market.

London/Athens. London's mayor is favorable towards a 5% tax on hotel nights. Hoteliers are clearly against it and call it "an absolute folly". The parliament needs to pass new legislation before any tax can be implemented.

Berlin. The next generation Motel One experiences a clear upgrade in hardware, which will not only be restricted to public areas. There is also movement behind the scenes: In the course of the international expansion, the group moves its workplaces into the cloud.

Berne. Since the beginning of the year, a special category for "Schneesporthotel" has been integrated into the Swiss hotel classification. The category rounds off the topic area of "sport & activity". Moreover, it is intended to help mountain hotels, just as the recent recommendation of the Council of States, to allow unprofitable hotels to convert 100 percent of their area into secondary homes.