News & Stories
London. The InterContinental Hotels Group forms a strategic alliance with The Family of Orange Lake Resorts to create a new timeshare brand, Holiday Inn Club Vacations.
Augsburg. Hotels caught in three-way contractual relationships between owner, lessee and franchisor are encountered increasingly often. Rapidly expending hotel groups concentrate all their efforts on their brand, leaving the day to day running of the hotel up to third parties. Grand City Hotels and Resorts is the biggest franchise partner of Accor Hotellerie Germany and Leonardo uses well known brands in order to build up its own brand network The parties involved have different motives for getting involved in such a ménage à trois.
Augsburg. Up until mid-July it was the Choice Hotel Kassel Melsungen, now it`s an Ibis. The 99 room retreat is operated as 2 star hotel, though not by Accor directly, but by Grand City Hotels and Resorts. Such constellations meanwhile turn up more and more often: three way relationships involving the owner the hotel operator and third party, often a less well known partner, that assumes the role of lessee. The reason for the growth of such arrangements is the unpopularity of the lease. "The trend is growing throughout the whole of Europe," PKF hotelexperts have observed in Vienna, "above all in the eastern European markets, such relationships play a significant role." All the same, this kind of ménage a trois is not without its problems.
Baar. Hapimag, one of Europs leading providers of holiday rights of
residence, continued its positive development of the previous year in the first
half of this year. In comparison to the same period last year, total sales
increased by 4 percent to 130 million CHF. In 2007 total sales was 124.3 million CHF. Hapimag has expanded its offer in Great Britain with the management takeover of Burnside Park.
Munich. Burj Al Arab at the Mosel? This is the absolute enemy image of Prof. Dr. Felizitas Romeiss-Stracke. The tourism scientist from Munich pleads for an architecture that fits in with the city`s characteristic look. Only then is architecture a plus for the tourism competition. In reality, travellers meet "depression architecture". Ultra-modern cultural centres or rough-edged towers break historical structures, bleak pedestrian zones suffocate any end-of-day mood, and the plastic winter garden at the most historic hotel in town finally spoils the good spirit. With her new book "TourismusArchitektur - Baukultur als Erfolgsfaktor" the editor wants to give architects, designers, developers and hoteliers a jolt. The Austrians can already prove that tourism and architecture stimulate one another.
Wiesbaden. The development of the hotel market into a real estate market means new requirements for operating companies. However, many investors have the strong desire to invest their money into a hotel, but do not know the requirements of modern and economically reasonable hotel equipment. In addition: today, more than ever, guests expect a universal individual design from a hotel brand that distinguishes the brand clearly from its competitors. Meanwhile, more and more hotel operating companies and chains are developing design suggestions for investors also presented online. This is not only for the traditionally stronger standardised budget hotel industry but also for hotels of the mid-class and luxury sector.
Berlin. The fifth annual "Future Forum" by Design Hotels, to take place in Berlin from 15-17 October will once again connect leading talent in the design, art and architecture communities with great minds from the hospitality industry. This time, hoteliers, developers, journalists, investors, architects, designers, restaurateurs and consultants will come together to broaden their perspective on "Human Design". Everybody will have access to the event and can buy tickets online.
Amsterdam. The challenge for the developers and architects was a number: 14 sqm. So large or small is the room of the first CitizenM, which opened at the Schiphol airport in Amsterdam last week. This container format requires sensitivity in the construction and furnishing as the investors still want to convey a touch of luxury in this space. This hotel is really build in a container-like manner - in an own factory. Guy Dittrich, our specialist for architecture, scrutinized every detail.