News & Stories

Brussels/Bremen. The Rezidor Hotel Group acquires a 49% stake of prizeotel for a price of €14.7m, as hospitalityInside already reported in its "Breaking News" this Monday. The announcement at IHIF Berlin this week is Rezidor's entry to the economy segment. The deal means a win win situation for both parties: top-class budget for the chain, European growth for the small player.

Shanghai/Paris. Chinese giant hotel operator Jin Jiang is taking every opportunity to grow fast and steadily. Last week, Jin Jiang bought its minority stake in Plateno Hotel Group from market investor Actis. Last Monday, Jin Jiang also increased its stake in AccorHotels to 11.7 % - within a few weeks. AccorHotels is not amused.

Singapore. Turmoil in the Asian hotel chain Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts: nearly two weeks ago, a sudden change took place at the top. CEO Abid Butt as well as his VP Operations, Andrew Langston, and VP Sales and Marketing, David Spooner, left the business surprisingly. This was accompanied by bad news: the business wants to dismiss 12% of its staff members – a total of 1,400 people. Dus Pugson, the former VP China Operations, has taken over leadership now. Apparently, he wants to re-staff 18 other leading positions. However, it is still unclear, what the new team wants.

Frankfurt/M. The new peppy brand Jaz is intended to dust off Steigenberger's image. And large investments will also give the older core-brand hotels a makeover. Yet with InterCity Hotels, the group's cash cow, Steigenberger CEO doesn't want to push so quickly into other European countries - but rather into China. Maria Puetz-Willems met Steigenberger CEO Puneet Chhatwal for an update.

Amsterdam. Following the trend for hotel chains to own a lifestyle brand speaking to "Millennials", Steigenberger Hotel Group has recently launched "Jaz in the City". The first property under this flag opened last November in Amsterdam. It's quite special as our correspondent in Amsterdam, Sarah Douag, checked out. She also met with Joost van Beek, the General Manager, who calls himself "the band leader" because at the Jaz Amsterdam, it's all about music.

Berlin. Three weeks after the start of the industry's award for start-ups in Germany, the German Hotel Association gets support from other industry investors.

Berlin. On the internet, quality appears to be growing in importance: For the first time ever among German internet users, more people are willing to pay for services than expect them for free. There are more buyers than non-buyers. The tide is turning for Paid Content.

Rockville. More gifts, more flexibility, more points, more time to spend them… Choice Hotels has revamped its loyalty program for the guests' personal benefits. On the other hand, Hilton is spending on advertising like never before.

Paris. AccorHotels is buying into two start-ups again, in order to advance from a hotel group to a travel group. Currently, the hotel group is participating in a service provider in Argentina as well as in a digital platform for upscale private properties in resort destinations.

Vienna. With a signature on January 30, 2016, the Falkensteiner Michaeler Tourism Group brought a difficult chapter to an end: The debt-ridden resort Punta Skala in Croatia has a new and renowned majority shareholder, Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing. More is to come of this partnership, the joint statement with FMTG CEO Dr Otmar Michaeler declared. At the same time COO Jan Hein Simons is working on the hotel group's image. In future, it would like to position itself more as resort hotel group in the premium segment. To achieve this, the COO is also clearing up behind the scenes.