News & Stories

Bethesda/Madrid. The Spanish hotel group AC Hotels and Marriott International will form a joint venture that will manage and franchise a new lodging co-brand across Europe and Latin America - "AC by Marriott." Both parties have reached a preliminary agreement.

Munich. The jury’s heart beats for creative and “green” hotels. Accordingly, two hotels and an extraordinary hospitality company received their awards at the annual “hotelforum” gala at the end of Expo Real last week.

Frankfurt. Revenues of German NH Hoteles rose in the first half-year of 2010 to 119 million EUR, EBITDA stood at 5 million EUR. As Germany Chief Maarten Markus announced last week in Frankfurt, the group is currently in the process of renegotiating numerous lease agreements soon due to expire.

Berlin. Berlin is overflowing with beds – and has therefore come up with a special campaign to entice its own inhabitants away from home to spend a night in a hotel. The city invites its occupants to take a short break in Berlin.

Paris. The Carlyle Group announced the acquisition of the B&B Hotel Group last Wednesday. The chain of 217 budget hotels across France, Germany and Italy, is bought from French investment firm Eurazeo for an enterprise value of around 480 million Euro.

Paris/Duesseldorf. In August last year, the takeover of the insolvent Golden Tulip Hotels by Starwood Capital was completed. Barry Sternlicht's investment company took over 720 franchise businesses - by means of its French subsidiary Group du Louvre. It took one year to consolidate the portfolio and to decide on new strategies: Golden Tulip will no longer exist as purely a franchise label but will also grow by means of management. Even ownership of businesses is part of the strategy. The consolidation is now being followed by expansion. Expansion will be intense, in Europe as well.

Frankfurt. Worldhotels extends its brand model: In future, private hotels will be able to better combine use of the Worldhotels brand with their own brand without having to sacrifice their own special character.

Munich. A total of three books on hotel development, investment and evaluation will be issued between Expo Real 2010 and the end of the year – all in German. A fourth book is in the works.

Munich. Israeli business man David Fattal began buying hotel real estate in 2005. His brand, Leonardo Hotels, first appeared in Germany two years later. Since 2007, the group has collected 23 hotels in Germany, Switzerland and Belgium, most of which are under ownership. The 3 and 4-star hotels have attracted relatively little attention on the market to date, though as CEO David Roger explains, are posting good results. Now, Leonardo Hotels is making greater waves with the opening of the larger "Royal" hotels and smaller boutique products. In contrast to many 'global players' which are bound to strict compliance with their expansion targets in order to avoid disappointing shareholders, the Leonardo Group is more relaxed. Though one thing it certainly does want: growth. A background interview on the state of play at Leonardo Hotels.

Chevy Chase. For the first time in their history, the luxury hotel chain The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company will offer a frequent guest stay program – "The Ritz-Carlton Rewards". Originally, the program was said to start next year but now it was brought forward to September.