News & Stories
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has absorbed charges totalling approximately $160 million following the insolvency of the Revo Hospitality Group. Despite the setback, Dimitris Manikis, Wyndham's President EMEA, is already rebuilding the lost franchise business, with a sharp and renewed focus on Germany.
The traditional German Grand Hotel, Hessischer Hof in Frankfurt, retains its character, but the multicultural Taj brand adds a cosy flair. The luxury brand of Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) draws guests with Indian haute cuisine and an exclusive club.
Five days after the European Commission proposed rules to restrict short-term rentals, Airbnb opened a multi-billion-dollar housing fund. The short-term rental (STR) platform calls it an answer to the housing crisis, but the timing suggests another reason.
Whilst former Kempinski employees and consultants are discussing the luxury hotel group’s current predicament on LinkedIn, the Board of Directors has now appointed a new CFO, following the appointment of a new developer. It is unclear whether CEO Barbara Muckermann is still in post.
Kempinski Hotels is currently like a ship on the high seas. A helmsman with experience and intuition is lacking though. The rumour mill is in full swing; the signs point to change following too many changes in recent months. Tough times for a highly respected luxury group.
For Adagio, Europe's largest aparthotel chain, there is currently only one path to growth: Quality. The prime locations in the city centre have been identified, as have the in-house services. With every conversion and refurbishment, CEO Xavier Desaulles enhances the value of the lobby and the apartments. The aim: to increase revenue.
The more chains franchise their luxury brands, the more hotel corporations expand their services and partnerships. This was evident after my conversation with Chief Developer Philipp Weghmann of Preferred Hotels. With 625 individual hotels, the group has already overtaken Leading Hotels because it has been proactive across many channels, from the sales team to AI. An update.
The Indian technology platform PRISM is determined not to let this latest attempt at a stock market listing fall through. Their portfolio of physical hotels continues to grow rapidly. In Germany, it now has a solid foothold following Revo's insolvency with 24 properties. There remains a contrast: Tech generates revenue at the touch of a button, whilst European hotel standards require the operation to be delivered in person – on site, 24/7.
This time, Charlie MacGregor, the Social Hub founder, argued for "purpose" – it only counts if it appears on the balance sheet, not just in the mission statement. He walked through the company's journey from student housing to a 21-hub social model, backed by hard numbers on revenue, NOI and community value. Then he asked a harder question: will any of it survive him?
Every spring, Karin Leeb and Martin Klein invest millions in their 116-room wellness hotel on the little-known Lake Turracher in Carinthia. The hotelier couple are disruptors and innovators in their own right - from the arena-style event sauna to AI, in online sales, on social media, and in their relationships with their 130 staff members.