News & Stories

Berlin. The International Hotel Investment Forum in Berlin includes a series of breakout sessions such as "mergers & acquisitions" or "ownership strategies" - useful but difficult to always get excited about. So it was no surprise that a new session looking at the future leaders of the industry was well attended. The inaugural "Student Challenge" required teams of Masters students to develop an innovative and feasible hotel concept that would appeal to the 21-35 year old traveller. Eight teams from two schools were pitted against each other to be whittled down to a short list of two from each school. 

Bern. Bern's minority shareholders clearly expressed their lack of confidence in members of the administrative board at Schweizerhof's extraordinary shareholders' meeting recently. The members criticised held office under the previous owner Rosebud. The new owners from Qatar are now in the majority.

Frankfurt/M. "25hours Hotel Frankfurt tailored by Levi's" - the name says what it is, a "tailor-made hotel". In a side street off the Frankfurt railway district, between the Greek fur-cap stores, a red light district and the banking district, a new hotel opened last week which - from the cellar to the roof - literally lives jeans history. Materials, colours, lights - everything points to Levi's. The American cult jeans brand combined with a German hotel: lifestyle and lifestyle. But how do you make the jump from fashion label to hotel? Michael Strehler, Director of Levi Strauss Germany Ltd, explains how the world's first Levi's hotel came into being.

Kufstein. Arab businessman Sheikh Mohammed Bin Issa Al Jaber, currently resident in London, will assume 60 percent of the Austrian ski producer firm Kneissl. The Sheikh now intends to use the name to establish a line of sport resorts. Al Jaber is already represented in the Viennese hotel industry.

Bern. The Rosebud Hotel Holding sold the Hotel Schweizerhof in Bern, the Savoy Royal and the hotel village located on the Buergenstock near Lucerne to the quoted real estate company Barwa Malta Limited. This is a hundred-percent subsidiary of the Barwa Real Estate Company located in Doha. 45% of the new owner`s shares belong to the State of Qatar. The run-down luxury hotel Schweizerhof in Bern should shine in new splendour and a hotel village is planned on the legendary Buergenstock.

Berlin. The Sinn Hotels Group will be managing its hotels under the brand "Precise Hotel Collection" from now on. The new name and the new image support the group's growth plans, mainly for the international market.

London. Westin meanwhile add subtle aroma to its hotels, so too does Moevenpick, Swissôtel and the new Holiday Inn... Little by little, the hotel industry is discovering the art of temptation through the nose, often combined with appropriate music. The famous London department store Harrods, a shopping heaven par excellence, went one step further this spring and transformed its sales halls and elevators to a world of five senses.