News & Stories

Vienna. Everything is changing except for the agreements? Experts will shed light on this subject in a panel discussion at this year's hotel conference at Expo Real. Martin Schaffer, Managing Partner at the consultancy MRP Hotels in Vienna, explains the topic of distribution costs, franchise fees and performance control in this guest contribution.

London/Beijing. The rumours about the InterContinental Hotels Group pitching for FRHI continue to persist. But Moevenpick denies being in the IHG focus. And Chinese Jin Jiang Group allegedly eying Starwood Hotels gave priority to other acquisition first: Last week it officially finalized the merger with Chinese Plateno Hotels, this week it bought the key stock of Chinese budget hotel chain 7Days.

Washington. After a six-month investigation period, the US Department of Justice finally gave its blessing to the merger of Expedia with its rival Orbitz yesterday.

New York/London. "Technology changes brands," Mike Tiedy says, Senior Vice President Global Brand Design & Innovation, Starwood Hotels & resorts, "and so communication changes in the brands. It's because of this that we're on our way to real global brands." Starwood is considered one of the bravest and most creative brand inventors of all hotel chains: The success story of W proves it. But others too - such as IHG - also realised the potential of lifestyle concepts quite early on. With 62 Indigo Hotels in operation and a further 64 in the pipeline, IHG is one of the "first movers" in the lifestyle boutique hotel scene. What makes these lifestyle hotels different and how do you create that "concept that has that little something different"? Mike Tiedy, his Starwood colleage Brian McGuinness and Dina Soliman, Brand Director Europe for InterContinental Hotels Group give their answers.

Verbier. Anyone staying in the W Verbier in summer must be prepared for surprises. In summer, it's much clearer that artistic-creative design is much more important to the hotel's owners than its functionality. On this Friday in June, guests were few and far between. To be alone in the W Verbier opens one's eyes for very different details to the ones that brand managers would like guests to see. Baerbel Schwertfeger reports.

Moena. The Alps are the most preferred playground for European bike tourists, as revealed by a study. However, the bike scene has become very colourful with high demands. The bike riders are looking for nature and culture. The e-bike boom will continue.

Moena. AlpNet, the alpine-covering platform for the better marketing of the Alps, once again achieved a little more reach at their latest meeting called "theAlps" and even had visitors from the Far East. AlpNet President Josef Margreiter sees the consortium slowly coming into calmer waters.

Munich/Vienna. Austrian hotelier Harald Ultsch has now ventured a step into the increasingly competitive hotel market in Munich with his chain Harry's Home. He sees better prospects there, not only because Munich applies a lower rate of VAT to Austria. His concept fits well into the current line of smart and low-budget lifestyle hotels of which there are more and more springing up in Bavaria's booming regional capital.

Munich. "Live Life Aloft". There could be no peppier name for the concept than these three words; consequently, Munich's aloft lobby should be filled with cheeping and beeping, roaring and drumming, mumbling and toasting from now on. The scene of lifestyle travellers is to establish itself in one large and limitless room, around a billiard table, bar and soft chairs. Starwood Hotels & Resorts hopes the same from aloft Stuttgart, which opened at the same time. Starwood is fabulous at branding and marketing; however, whether the American way of life can be transferred to Germany remains to be seen.

Vienna. Insolvencies in Austria aren't slowing: Now, the Adeo Hotel Group has filed for insolvency. Alpin Hotels are allegedly unaffected.