News & Stories
Orlando. Hard Rock International Inc. is to build new Hard Rock Hotels in holiday complexes of US segment leader Intrawest Corporation. The agreement was reached through Lifestar Hotels LLC, a 50:50 joint venture between Hard Rock International and Sol Meliá Hotels.
New York. After three years of flat growth, depressed room rates and few major construction projects, the lodging industry - in the US - is hot again, says a Merrill Lynch analyst.
Pegnitz. In the run-up to the famous Wagner festival 2005 in Bayreuth, hotelier Andreas Pflaum from Pegnitz converted a conference room into a suite. The project is a tremendous success. The room is used to 95 percent of its capacity and not only by curious colleagues.
Beijing. Peninsula Hotels have invested 1.3 million Euros in the new design of the 660 sq m luxury suite in Peking's Peninsula Palace.
Wolfsburg. The corruption scandal at Volkswagen in Wolfsburg is as fishy as it gets, as now the press department of Autostadt refuses to give any more information about the new pool at the nearby Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
Pragelato. In the Italian town of Pragelato near Turin a new holiday village now nears completion. Final construction works are to be carried out in November 2005, well in time for the Winter Games 2006. The building contract for 87 apartment houses with a total of 205 separate living units at a cost of 25 million Euros was awarded to a German firm.
Paris. No real breakfast, but flatscreens in the rooms. Accor is even equipping its Red Roof Inn and Ibis hotels with LCD flatscreens. 260,000 televisions have been purchased - nearly twice as many as were sold in the whole of France last year.
Munich. The exchange service for condominium owners RCI, a subsidiary of the US giant Cendant, has managed to hook an important client: the Vacation Club of the Spanish hotel company Sol Meliá.
Frankfurt/M. If a castle is for sale, it is almost certain to be converted into a hotel. Private investors let themselves be easily enthused by the idea of owning such a historic property. If there is no yield, they normally do not care about it. Only the heirs look for a financially satisfying solution. A consultancy has now analysed the economic perspectives of castle hotels.
St. Goar. Gerd Ripp, owner of Hotel & Villa Schloss Rheinfels, St. Goar, advanced from the Managing Director to the owner of the hotel two years ago. The old walls next to the Rhine bring in good money. An interview.