News & Stories

Lucerne/Geneva. Luxury is not the same luxury. Insiders have known this for a long time, but CEOs rarely speak of it. In recent times, Reto Wittwer has done so several times in the media and reaped headlines. Indeed, he means it seriously: Kempinski Hotels & Resorts will no longer count more properties than the group is old. In 2013, the luxury hotel group counts just 76 properties. There is still potential. However, he wishes to know nothing of mega pipelines à la Marriott, Hilton, Jumeirah or Mandarin Oriental. This self-limitation is a luxury protection, for Kempinski as well as for the guests. Since Reto Wittwer is absolutely convinced: "At some point, there'll be a Ritz-Carlton too much." A conversation about luxury on Lake Lucerne, in the heart of luxury-spoilt Switzerland, on the outskirts of the "World Tourism Forum" in Lucerne.

Berlin. Gay and lesbian hotel guests spend an average 57 per cent more on their travels than their heterosexual counterparts. Hotels and destinations benefit from it. A study among US travelers.

Vienna. The initial hype around social networks has fallen back to earth with a bang, even in the hotel industry. Meanwhile, even the smallest hotelier in the most remote valley knows that "likes" on Facebook don't translate directly into earnings and that Twitter isn't a revenue management tool. Nevertheless, dealings with social media are still very awkward. The problems are, in part, home-made - for many reasons. Those who know how to use these channels give each guest the "celebrity treatment". Today, not only celebrity preferences are researched before arrival, but rather each guest is checked out. Good and bad experiences with these media balance out, and even expert opinion is divided. A look at the hotel industry and social media and the "all-singing, all-dancing" tool to satisfy the hotelier's ego.

Berlin. "A whole lot of capital for little money" is the motto of many renters of holiday apartments in Berlin. Nevertheless, what the tourists love, because it is inexpensive, many politicians and local residents have increasingly less taste for. In the meantime, it is not only the Berlin centre that is rallying to the fight against many privately rented holiday apartments, but other Berlin districts also want to follow. Hamburg has also already moved forward sharply against this trend. Many hoteliers are more than justified in their right. It would particularly benefit hotel-surfeited Berlin. Indeed, there are also other voices.

.

Bonn. The colourful hotel group LH&E with its Kameha brand and CEO Carsten Rath at the helm again made the headlines in Germany last week. The articles describe an apparently spectacular move involving owner and operator. Joerg Haas, investor in the Kameha Grand Bonn, and Carsten Rath give their accounts.

Wiesbaden. The luxury hotel sector is already getting a taste of the changing wanderlust and spending behaviour of wealthy international guests. This was confirmed by nameable luxury hoteliers and luxury hotel representatives towards hospitalityInside.com. The change, however, comes slowly and is still strongly influenced by culture. There is no such thing as a consistent image of a demanding cosmopolitan yet. An excursion through hotels with an inter-cultural mix.

Hamburg/Bremen. German hotels have long since not been as popular an investment as they are now. Shortly after supermarket mogul Kurt Dohle acquired the Fairmont Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg, logistics billionaire Klaus-Michael Kuehne bought the former InterContinental in Hamburg. Prospective buyers are also said to abound for Bremen's Parkhotel, despite its not being up for sale.

Cologne. A new analysis of HRS reveals: Free of charge Wi-Fi is offered in two thirds of the European hotels Hotels. Turkey and Sweden are leading in this service, Southern Europe and luxury hotels lag behind.

Duesseldorf. High-quality spa hotels are still able to find a clientele willing to pay; however, not everybody is able to make a quick decision to join the consortium of the Wellness Hotels & Resorts. There are many reasons for this and the highly specialised marketing association has to face many new challenges. Especially one thing has become obvious: the industry is sounding out the situation in the background, despite the nice façade on the surface. Spa hotels have to cope with competition and target groups too. This has resulted in Michael Altewischer, Managing Director at Wellness Hotels & Resorts, now looking for direct distribution channels for the member hotels when it comes to corporate health.

London/Abu Dhabi. On the 19th of March, Rocco Forte exited the management contract for its hotel in Abu Dhabi. The hotel group in London confirmed this to hospitalityInside.com. At the same time it became public that also German Oetker Collection withdraws from the Le Bristol project in Abu Dhabi.