News & Stories
Bad Neuenahr. At a special general meeting yesterday Dorint plc shareholders voted with 99.9 to authorise new capital. The first figures from the business year 2005 were also announced.
White Plains. Eight months after Barry Sternlicht abruptly resigned his executive chairman post at Starwood Hotels, he is launching an ultra luxury hotel brand that will compete head-to-head with his previous employer.
London. The acquisition, in December 2005, of three UK freehold properties by the UK-based Paramount Group of Hotels, has put the burgeoning hotel group in a new league. Within five years the parent company Dawnay Shore Hotels will either sell up, float the company on the Stock Exchange, or transfer its properties into a property investment fund. Before that time, however, its plan is to reach 50 hotels.
Munich. 20 hotels and boarding houses that have been operated by Deutsche Post Wohnen GmbH in Bonn changed hands at the beginning of 2006. Aurelius Investkapital AG in Munich plans to create a new brand with the less known hotels located in large German cities.
Bad Neuenahr. Apparently, the health destination Bad Neuenahr is to drive forward the recovery of Dorint AG, Duesseldorf. An extraordinary general meeting has been convened at the local Mercure Parkhotel next Thursday, where, once again, authorised capital needs to be decided on.
Augsburg. All big chains are selling their properties; Orient Express Hotels purchases two to three every year. Many are complaining about difficulties with banks, Orient-Express does not need a bank for its funding. The English group, listed on the stock exchange since August 2000, has constantly generated room revenue that is 40 to 50 percent higher than the next local competitor. This can only be achieved by thinking anticyclically. Simon M.C. Sherwood, President of the collection of 49 five-star hotels in 25 countries, explains their business strategy, which also includes residences in the future, among other things.
San Diego. Starwood will change its branding strategy. In future, everything is to be given a human touch, marketing is to become more emotional. Last week Starwood CEO Steve Heyer presented the new plans to over 2000 Starwood staff, managers and owners. Among them were for the first time all General Managers from Le Méridien as well as almost the entire management team from Starwood's German joint venture partners ArabellaSheraton Hotels in Munich. ArabellaSheraton's Managing Director Thomas Willms reports on the most important changes.
London. Today Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. owns or part-owns and manages, 49 businesses operating in 25 countries. 38 are hotels ranging across five continents, from the Hotel Cipriani in Venice to the Mount Nelson in Cape Town, the Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro to the Observatory in Sydney, and to Charleston Place in Charleston, S.C. Restaurants include `21' Club in New York, Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons in Oxfordshire, England and Harry's Bar in London. Six tourist trains include the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in Europe, The Eastern & Oriental Express in South East Asia and The Royal Scotsman.