News & Stories
Milan. From a small company mainly depending on tour operators to a contemporary group distributing its product globally: Italian TH Resorts celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, boasting ambitious plans supported by several strategic partnerships. But many challenges are on the horizon, so finding the right route through today's labyrinthine market is the main mission of TH Resorts based in Padua with offices in Milan. Their recipe is to rely on strong and long-lasting relations – and to open up now to important partnerships, even border-crossing cooperation. With 17 properties accounting for 3,500 rooms in 3 segments, all located in Italy, the group is a medium-sized hospitality company by Italian standards, with an offer mainly focused on the national market today. Giorgio Palmucci, Executive Vice President of Hotelturist - TH Resorts explains.
Madrid. NH Hotels says "no, gracias" to Barceló's dream of becoming a European leader. The NH Board considers the offer unsatisfactory, undervalued and with no cash alternative. Talking to hospitalityInside.com, Barcleo-CEO Raúl Gonzalez said they will not modify their offer.
Dubai. The big ones are growing specifically, the small ones are desperately looking for cooperation. Based on these premises, one could write off the year 2017 as over and done. But instead, the Global Hotel Alliance wants to open up and accelerate now. The association – founded in Geneva and based in Dubai today – offers 35 branded chains from all over the world a common loyalty programme. Since this year, it counts more than ten million members and the synergies continue to grow. However, GHA does not admit miles programmes from airlines. CEO Chris Hartley explains the backdrop and the group's profile, which wants to be more active in Europe, starting in January 2018.
Geneva. Following the deflagging of the Bristol Berlin two weeks ago, Kempinski Hotels will now no longer renew contracts with three further hotels in Germany: the Atlantic Hotel Hamburg and the two hotels in Koenigstein near Frankfurt, the Falkenstein Grand Kempinski with the neighbouring Villa Rothschild. All three hotels are currently owned by the private clinic operator Bernard Gross Broermann; he has other plans. With this, Kempinski sets about its consistent and almost uncompromising adjustment of its portfolio under the new leadership of CEO Markus Semer and COO Bernold Schroeder; an adjustment which will initially hurt. From a strategic perspective, this is all intended to accelerate the quality process. Bernold Schroeder in an exclusive interview with Maria Puetz-Willems.
Frankfurt/M. At the beginning of December, Romantik Hotels & Restaurants launched the first Europe-wide restaurant consortium. At the beginning of November 2016, the association of private hotels concluded a strategic alliance with the French Châteaux & Hôtels Collection of star chef Alain Ducasse. With this, Thomas Edelkamp set a strategy in motion which he learned from the chain hotels: Expansion! At the turn of the year, it will make two years that Edelkamp, an experienced distribution, development and franchise expert from AccorHotels Germany, has stood at the helm of Romantik Hotels – a brand with a unique profile in Europe. Now, he wants to multiply the appeal of these historic hotels with charm and star chefs – and is confronting his conservative member hotels with change.
Berlin. The Swedish hotel real estate company Pandox AB acquires a hotel portfolio in the UK and Ireland with Fattal Hotels Group as its operating partner. The portfolio encompasses 37 businesses with 8,013 rooms. Scandic's Restel acquisition has been officially confirmed in the meantime, subject to the divestment of three hotels.
Berlin. Since last Tuesday, the flagship hotel of the German luxury hotel group Kempinski, the Bristol Berlin, no longer displays the Kempinski flag on its roof. But it remains a partner hotel of the group.
Hamburg/Hattigny. Who sometimes feels like taking time out from the digital world? 25hours Hotels have been focusing on analogue touches in their hotels and are now pushing this idea further. Even operators at Centre Parcs in Lorraine have noticed that analogue experiences are a hit in their new entertainment complex, ZE Place.
Milan. Thermal spas are part of Italy's important flagships. This segment is the only one, which recorded a decreasing occupancy rate in the boom year of 2016. Meanwhile, the visitors of thermal destinations are becoming younger. Are these the signs of a promising change? In the background, a discussion about the future marketing of thermal spas has begun. Some want to focus on medicine, others wish to emphasis relaxation. EU directives have been noticed but not implemented intensively. Italian experts are discussing what was answered north of the Alps a long time ago: there, thermal spas and destinations offer a light wellbeing version as well as the medicinal variant.
Barcelona. Only two months after Santander Bank was hired by Barceló to study a possible merger with NH Hotels, the latter confirmed it had received a letter of interest a few days ago. Barceló Hotels is officially eyeing a takeover of its competitor for an estimated amount of 2.480 billion euros. NH remains cautious and has three months to make up its mind.