VON ESSEN GROUP GOES INTO ADMINISTRATION - On The Road

Hospitality news ...continued from page 7
Berlin
Hamilton - a Hilton brand very much in
the mid-priced hotel segment, has opened
its first property in Berlin, also its first in
Continental Europe.
Located in the heart of western Berlin, the
214-guestroom hotel is just a ten-minute
walk from a range of attractions such as the
Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the Berlin
Zoo and Aquarium. There are four meeting
rooms, as well as a fitness area and free onsite
parking. Also provided is complimentary wi-fi.
Additional guest amenities include free
‘On the House’ hot breakfast, a 24-hour
snack area featuring light entrees and
sandwiches and a bar area with evening
dining options to help guests connect after
meetings. www.hamptonbyhilton.com
Vienna
• The new five-star superior hotel Sofitel
Vienna Stephansdom opened at the end
of 2010. This centrally located glass
and steel tower on the Danube Canal
offers 182 rooms and suites and the
panoramic glass-fronted public restaurant
on the eighteenth floor gives great
views of the city. www.sofitel.com
• Luxury Asian hotel chain Shangri-La has
launched into the Viennese market, when
a new 400-bed five-star hotel opened in an
adapted historic building complex on the
Ringstrasse boulevard. The indoor swimming
pool, is the largest of any luxury hotel in
Milan
Sheraton has opened a new hotel adjoining
T1 at Milan’s Malpensa international airport.
On the road to the Italian lakes it is about 20
miles or 30 minutes driving north east of the
city and is also connected by rail.
The Sheraton Milan Malpensa features
433 rooms, 19 Suites, 58 Club Rooms and
a 200sq m dedicated Club Lounge for all
Sheraton Club Guests. The hotel has over
2,000sq ft of ultra-modern meeting and
event space including a multi-functional
room suitable for up to 1,000 people, as
well as 22 meeting rooms. Complimentary
wireless broadband and computer terminals
are available in two locations in the
property. Also provided is a spa and fitness
centre complete with indoor swimming
pool. www.sheraton.com/malpensa
chesterfield
The £20 million four star Casa hotel in
Derbyshire’s Chesterfield has opened. Casa
is the town’s only 4-star hotel. ‘Casa’ the
Spanish word for ‘home’. The Spanish theme
runs throughout the decor and interiors.
The 94 deluxe bedrooms come complete
with rain-showers, 32” flatscreen televisions,
Wi Fi, Super King size beds and floor to
ceiling windows.
Guests can also enjoy a wide range of
facilities: a 100-cover restaurant, Cocina,
which serves top-class traditional Spanish
tapas, the latest leisure facilities in the Gym,
open terraces and landscaped gardens. And,
with the picturesque Peak
District National Park on
the doorstep, guests can
easily access a host of
attractions, including
Chatsworth House,
Bolsover Castle and the
neighbouring towns of
Matlock Bath, Buxton
and Bakewell.
Casa Hotel -
Cosina Restaurant
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hospitality corporate News
Von essen ...continued from page1
Tim Smith, Director of hotel consultancy HVS
London, said the group had acquired a large
number of hotels in a short space of time and
that hotels across the UK were still struggling
to reach pre-recession levels of occupancy.
He said: “It further proves that the provincial UK
hotel market is still very tough and price sensitive
and whilst there remains demand for such
properties, perhaps not to the level to cover the
substantial costs of running such high quality
hotels and the upkeep of such historic buildings.”
He added that a single buyer for the chain was
unlikely. He said: “The more likely scenario is that
the group will be split with interest and demand
for the core assets as a smaller portfolio with
others sold individually.
“The failure of any hotel company inevitably
reflects badly on the sector, raising questions
concerning liquidity gearing, performance
and profitability, even in respect of those hotels
which are performing well.”
Source: Maryam Omida - Dow Jones.
Marriott and ac hotels
The Spanish hotel group AC Hotels and
Marriott International have reached a preliminary
agreement to form a joint venture that
will manage and franchise a new hotel co
brand across Europe and Latin America – “AC
by Marriott”. (There are 90 existing AC hotels
in Spain, Italy and Portugal)
The new co-brand will combine the concept
and business model of AC Hotels’ urban-style
four-star hotel product, with Marriott
International’s global
Portsmouth
The Spinnaker Tower, at Portsmouth Harbour
has launched a brand new sky high café.
Café in the Clouds - a new coffee shop, is
situated 105 metres high on View Deck Two.
Visitors can sit down for a quality coffee or
glass of bubbly whilst enjoying the 350°
panoramic views of then seascape. Opening
hours: 10am to 6pm daily. call 02392 857520
www.spinnakertower.co.uk
leeds
The now opened New Ellington in Leeds
UK is a boutique, 35 room property featuring
The Gin Bar- the only one of its kind in Leeds,
stocking 16 different kinds - and a destination
restaurant, The Restaurant at The Ellington.
www.bespokehotels.com/ellingtonleeds
systems, distribution, and sales platforms,
particularly Marriott Rewards, one of
the world’s largest hospitality loyalty
programs with 33 million members.
travelodge
Has opened four new properties; Coventry
Binley, Eastbourne Willingdon Drove, Hull York
Road, Oldham Chadderton and Plymouth
Roborough. At Plymouth the former Innkeepers
Lodge is situated opposite the airport.
Travelodge, which claims to be the UK’s fastest
growing budget hotel chain, recentlyannounced
the largest transaction in the hotel
sector since 2008, by acquiring the leases of
52 Innkeeper’s Lodges from restaurant and
pub operator Mitchells & Butlers.
The deal boosted Travelodge’s estate to 452
properties. The 52 hotels, which include a
number of grade ll listed buildings, are all
adjacent to Mitchells & Butlers hostelries.
A £10m investment programme will see the
branded rollout of all the properties over the
coming months. www.travelodge.com
Ihg
Hotel Indigo, the upmarket boutique brand
of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), has
announced another 13 new hotels in key cities
around the world over the next few years.
The new properties are in Asia, Europe and
the Americas, starting in Europe with two
hotels opening in the spring of 2011 in
Glasgow and Liverpool.
In 2012 hotels in Madrid and Newcastle will
open. Hotel Indigo now has 36 hotels with a
further 57 being planned in the future.
www.hotelindigo.com
clisson, Pays
De la loire
The Villa St. Antoine hotel in Clisson is a new
and chic contemporary 43 bedroom hotel
which enjoys breathtaking views of Clisson’s
medieval castle and a charming restaurant,
bar and terrace that overlooks the waterfront
of this pretty French town.
The hotel is part of the French collection of
Best Western Hotels. There is also a heated
outdoor pool and full Hammam spa and
health club.
Clisson stands at the junction of the Loire-
Atlantique, Vendée and Anjou and is just 30
minutes from Nantes.
Regular cruises in the Valley of the Loreley
Rüdesheim – Bingen – St.Goarshausen
Dept.Rüd.: 9.15am,11.00am and 2.00pm
Dept.St. Goar: 11.00am,2.10pm and 4.10pm
Full restaurant service and snacks available
Commentary in English – Multi-lingual staff – Group rates
Tel. Bingen +49 6721 14140
E- info@bingen-ruedesheimer.de www.bingen-ruedesheimer.de
on the road issue 195 Page 8