German hotel group Motel One has prepared itself for further, faster expansion after enjoying a record year of performance in 2023. The company has now split its operational and property businesses, and bought out 35% stakeholder Proprium Capital Partners, as the owners prepare for a stock market listing. The move will not only allow stakeholders up to this point the option of taking profits, but will also give Motel One the opportunity of tapping public markets to fund further international growth. Record results Motel One reported strong results for 2023, making it the most successful year i ..read more

The reimagination of these properties responds to the evolving preferences of today’s traveller. The properties will unveil their new design mid-2024, with new brand experiences to follow. Brand transformation Through its brand redesign, Amara Hotels & Resorts aims to provide guests with meaningful connections and memorable experiences in tailored spaces. “We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter for Amara Singapore and Amara Sanctuary Sentosa,” said Dawn Teo, Senior Vice President of Amara Hotels & Resorts. “This transformative journey marks a pivotal milestone for Amara Hotels ..read more

Zuchwil and Stockholm, 11.04.24 – The smartwatch on our wrist makes our lives easier in many areas today. Together with the Swedish wearable tech company Turnpike, Schaerer is now offering retailers an exceptional smartwatch integration solution for Schaerer coffee machines. This proactively informs employees about upcoming service tasks, thereby increasing both staff efficiency and machine availability. The basis for this is the digital solution Schaerer Coffee Link. Its interface (API) enables the seamless networking of Schaerer machines on the Internet of Things (IoT) and thus integration i ..read more

Upcoming additions to the Vignette Collection include a hotel opening in the world’s biggest alpine-themed indoor ski park and a property positioned between desert dunes and the Arabian Gulf. A growing collection The coming year will see significant growth for IHG’s Vignette Collection as the portfolio of hand-picked properties welcomes 12 new additions. Tom Rowntree, Vice President of Luxury & Lifestyle Brands at IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “Vignette Collection is a unique portfolio of individual hotels and resorts, each with their own story to tell. This year, we are making significa ..read more

Northern Ireland’s hotel sector is expected to see around GBP300m of investment in development and refurbishment, over the next five years. Already, nine hotel projects are under way, according to an update from the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation, a trade body that is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024. Those nine are the leading developments out of a total of 70 that the organisation has noted, which are at various stages of progression. Ready for the Open Those nine live projects will add approximately 560 rooms to the existing hotel stock, which across Northern Ireland adds up to ..read more

Marriott International has launched its Fairfield brand in Europe, with the opening of a Fairfield branded hotel in Copenhagen’s Nordhavn harbour district. The Danish property is the first of several now in the pipeline as the brand expands internationally. Despite never previously being seen across Europe, Fairfield is Marriott’s second largest brand, with over 1,290 hotels already open and in operation. A strong US presence has been complemented in recent years by growth of the brand in Asia Pacific, where there are now more than 125 hotels, and in Latin America. Looking ahead, it has a pipe ..read more

Hotels need occupancy-based energy management On average, more than 30% of hotel rooms in the U.S. are unrented at any given time.[i] And even when rented, guestrooms are often left unoccupied throughout much of the day, leaving hotel rooms unoccupied almost as often as they are occupied.[i] An occupancy-based, standalone EMS is designed to provide the insights needed to manage and control guestroom HVAC energy use. Scalable energy management system The Honeywell INNCOM guestroom management system is modular and expandable so you can step up your capabilities as you need them. For instance, a ..read more

According to consultants HVS, transaction volumes were down 19% overall on the previous year, and at EUR10.7bn, were the second lowest level recorded in the last decade. The average price per room sold was also down 16%, at EUR197,000., they reported in the annual European Hotel Transaction Report. Evidence of the growing impact of higher finance costs came from a quarter by quarter analysis. The first quarter of 2023 saw deal volume ahead of the previous year, while the second quarter volume was 50% below that of the previous year; Q3 and Q4 volumes remained below 2022 comparables. Mainland f ..read more

The rulers of Abu Dhabi have approved a new tourism strategy to drive growth in visitors to the emirate, over the next few years to the 2030 milestone.  In common with other parts of the region, the focus is on broadening the area’s appeal to international tourists, aiming to grow the visitor economy to become a more significant contributor to Abu Dhabi’s economic future. In 2023, the emirate welcomed close to 24m daily and overnight visitors, and the aim is to grow this number to 39.3m by 2030. The economic impact of such a growth in visitor numbers will, it is estimated, grow travel and ..read more

Joining the recently signed Waldorf Astoria in Jaipur, Conrad Jaipur will become the second luxury Hilton hotel in the ‘Pink City’. The new luxury Conrad hotel is expected to open in 2027. Growth across India The 246-key Conrad Jaipur is to be developed in partnership with SunnyRaj Properties Pvt Ltd before its expected 2027 debut. This news follows the 2023 signing of India’s first Waldorf Astoria, which is also coming to Jaipur. Alan Watts, President, Asia Pacific, Hilton, said: “India is an emerging force of travel demand and a priority growth market for Hilton. Rajasthan in particular boas ..read more