News & Stories
Beverly Hills/New York. The news that finance investor Blackstone was to buy Hilton Hotels Corporation sent waves of shock and surprise through the international hotel industry. The takeover of Hilton Hotels by Blackstone represents the biggest transaction the international hotel industry has ever seen. Yet experts already predict that this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Katschberg. With two residence towers next to the Falkensteiner Hotel Cristallo on Katschberg Mountain in Carinthia, Austria, regional politicians are doing their bit for posterity, while Falkensteiner Michaeler Tourism Group erects a showpiece for further projects with a similar financing approach. Last week, the hotel group introduced this project as well as eleven other hotel projects that are planned to be realised in Eastern Europe by late 2009. Internally, the group from Southern Tyrol that has been headquartered in Vienna since April restructured itself and significantly built up its management level with new executives. Given its strong expansion, it also considers founding its own hotel academy.
Zurich. With the now privatised Moevenpick Holding, administrative board and hotel management are looking forward to greater flexibility and higher potential for turnover increases. hospitalityInside correspondent Silvia Pfenniger spoke with the Chairman of the Administrative Board Guido Egli and President and CEO of Moevenpick Hotels & Resorts Jean-Gabriel Pérès on the current mood in the continually expanding company.
Munich. With the line "Guest in the Palace", the Ringhotels consortium in Munich presents an additional offer for luxury guests. Hotels in manor houses, palaces and castles. The brand - up until now itself a consortium - will be fully integrated into Ringhotels.
Beverly Hills/New York. Blackstone acquires Hilton: Hilton Hotels Corporation and The Blackstone Group announced last night that Hilton and Blackstone's real estate and corporate private equity funds have entered into an all-cash transaction valued approximately 26 billion USD. Under the terms of the definitive merger agreement, Blackstone will acquire all the outstanding common stock of Hilton for 47.50 USD per share. The price represents a premium of 40% over yesterday's closing stock price.
Dubai. Hotels change a region's infrastructure, but seldom with an environmentally friendly approach: The Arabian Emirates Hotels and Resorts are investing 253 million US dollars in their new 473-room Cap Ternay Resort & Spa that will be created on the main island of the Seychelles in 2010. It is the group's most extensive international investment and one of the largest on the Seychelles ever. With two resorts in one, the "biggest swimming pool in the world" and 700 employees, the hotel group enables lifestyle guests used to luxury as well as price-conscious families to go on holiday. Emirates made sure to get the backing of the Seychelles' government, as it did already with the Wolgan Valley Resort in Australia and the Al Maha Desert Resort in Dubai. Within the scope of its expansion strategy, the hotel group counts on a balance between these "sanctuary resorts" and the "city destinations".
Washington. Marriott International is partnering with Ian Schrager, who invented the concept of the boutique hotel 23 years ago, to create a new brand of as many as 100 hotels, the first to open in 2009. At the same time Marriott and Nickelodeon announced to co-develop a new lodging resort brand and concept for travelers seeking fun and adventure, "Nickelodeon Resorts by Marriott", with 20 potential hotels expected to be under construction by 2020.