News & Stories

Hamburg. Breathing lifestyle into containers is a fine art. 25hours knows it: a big Hapag-Lloyd container can easily accommodate a nice sauna or an unconventional conference room. After all, the reception also consists of sea chests and guests have breakfast on stacks of oriental carpets... The 25hours Hotel HafenCity in Hamburg is an absolutely authentic hotel experience – no trace of kitsch. Breaking convention, connecting functionality and style – all that has become well-accepted even among nameable investors, and it results in a good company record. The next success stories seem to be pre-programmed – in Austria and Switzerland. Managing Director Christoph Hoffmann on the small lifestyle group`s fifth hotel and the company`s new developments in Vienna and Zurich.

Amsterdam. In June, the Mint Hotel Group crossed UK borders opening its first hotel overseas. The Mint Amsterdam is a 4-star property boasting 553 rooms and suites located next to the train station in the city centre. Founded in 1995 by David Orr, his father, Sandy Orr, and Donald MacDonald as City Inn and rebranded as Mint Hotel few months ago, the group has grown steadily since the launch of its first hotel in Bristol in 1999. Now, the next targets are other key European cities, such as Paris, Rome, Milan, Barcelona, Madrid and Munich. Mint Hotel Group is looking for new financial partners, and one of them could be Blackstone.

Frankfurt. Hyatt Hotels & Resorts signed in Vienna. The new Park Hyatt scheduled to open in 2013 will be erected in the 1st district of Vienna and has 143 rooms.

Frankfurt. Once again, Romantik Hotels & Restaurants had significant increases in turnover and occupancy in 2010; at the same time, the number of members increased as well. An analysis of the guests revealed that the hotels of the consortium are attracting an increasingly younger clientele.

Paris. The Relais & Châteaux consortium continues to grow significantly, increasing its generated turnover in the past fiscal year. The rate per reservation rose again while average duration of stay slightly dropped. The consortium’s presence in social media is becoming effective. Furthermore, R&C aims at further issuing unique offers to its guests. President Jaume Tàpies is satisfied.

Augsburg. The budget wave rolls on, but the next wave can be seen just as clearly: The mid-scale brands are coming. As is so often, the American chains are playing front runner once again. They initially export their US concepts to Great Britain where they can more easily find suitable partners. Then, the brands are further transported to Continental Europe and East Europe. However: Are these truly independent products or only trimmed-down "mother's luxury brands"? Their distinction from hotels in higher or low categories is difficult, which is why Georg Schlegel speaks of "hybrid models". The Senior Development Director EAME with Starwood Hotels & Resorts analyses the market and the prevailing circumstances of mid-scale brands.

Vienna. The problems of Cube Hotels are solved with the unbundling of the interest ranges between the majority shareholders of the Vienna International Hotelmanagement AG and Rudolf Tucek.

Paris. After Geneva, London, Munich, Prague, Barcelona and waiting for Milan to open next year, Mandarin Oriental Group just inaugurated its new hotel in Paris' rue Saint-Honoré, in the heart of the shopping and cultural district of the Opéra. Almost four years of construction work were needed to turn this thirties building into a luxurious hotel. Local and international press already consider the 5-star hotel as “the new temple of luxury” in Paris. Definetly “haute couture” to fit with jewelery shops of the famous Place Vendôme, the Mandarin Oriental Paris is killing the show when it comes to location, space, interior design, spa and food.

Geneva. The Senior Vice Presidents for Sales & Marketing and for Sales, Juerg Siegenthaler and Christian Renz, left Kempinski Hotels on 1 July. The reason is the restructuring of sales. There have also been staffing changes at the Kempinski Emirate Palace Abu Dhabi.

Vienna. After his involuntary departure as CEO of Vienna International Hotels, Rudolf Tucek has returned to the scene with new plans. He's previously had problems with VI as the task is to divide up 33 hotel management contract.