News & Stories
Berlin. In the 80th year of its company history, Marriott International shows itself to be as solid as a rock. At the traditional press talk at the ITB, the company's management was full of confidence and optimism. Last year's figures emphasised the role of the mega player. In addition to further expansion, it will invest millions in faded hotels as competition continues to be fierce.
Berlin. The definition always leads to confusion, for sure is only that designer hotels show a significant higher performance than brands of other sectors. The chains' ongoing passion for designer and lifestyle brands leads to a new "massclusivity". A discussion at the International Hotel Investment Forum, hold in Berlin two weeks ago.
Madrid. The hotel group Hesperia based in Barcelona once again puts the wind up its main competitor NH Hoteles. A takeover bid cannot be ruled out, Javier Illa, Hesperia Board Speaker said last week. With 23.6 percent, Hesperia is the largest NH shareholder - contrary to the express wish of NH boss Gabriele Burgio. Hesperia has already heavily criticised the acquisition of the Italian Jolly Hotels. NH now start 2007 with new capital and the region "Germany" is set to grab a large chunk of the benefit.
London. Hilton Hotels Corporation announced the exchange of contracts to sell its Scandic Hotel chain to the private Equity Group EQT for approximately 833 million Euro. Net proceeds after transaction costs and taxes are expected to be approximately 1.04 billion USD.
Munich. In future, robots will be no unfamiliar sight in the hotel industry, yet in terms of competition, it won't be the number crunchers leading decision making, but the more creative talents. The European Hotel Managers Association convened two weeks ago in Munich for their annual meeting. The motto of the meeting was "brain and soul" with 180 hoteliers coming together to discuss the topics they themselves consider the most important. Whilst the brain was busy with discussions and lectures on IT, controlling and benchmarking and the expectations of investors, there was Bavarian beer aplenty for the soul. Keynote speaker among colleagues was Sir Rocco Forte.
Vienna. Mountain hotel and industrial architecture in Vienna, monastic refuge in Styria: The Verkehrsbuero Group is expanding its Austrian hotel portfolio from 26 to 29 pieces with three spectacular hotels. Under criticism: a hotel with serviced apartments in Vienna.
Neuss. The restructuring of the German Dorint AG was formally approved on Wednesday. At an extraordinary general meeting in the Dorint Novotel in Neuss near Düsseldorf, 99% of the shareholders voted in favour of the separation of the AG into two different independent corporations retrospectively as from January 1, 2007. The new corporations are "New Gen Hotels AG" and the new "Dorint GmbH". This strategy prevented the insolvency of the German hotel group at the end of the year. Despite this, the EGM meant five hours of criticism and questions from the small shareholders, who felt snubbed with respect to the decision process and, above all, reproached the former founder of Dorint, Dr. Herbert Ebertz, for the double positions he holds. One of the shareholders called the EGM a "first-class funeral".