All articles by Amit Thadani
Amit Thadani
The growth mentality
Managing director and CEO at Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), Puneet Chhatwal, has embarked on a journey of profitable growth for the hotel group that promises to expand and strengthen its presence and portfolio. He speaks to Phoebe Galbraith about his experience in the industry, the groups’ expansion strategy and his priorities for sustainability and inclusivity.
Search for the silver lining
The past few years are surely ones that hoteliers would like to forget – and they’re not the only ones. For if the front end of hospitality has suffered greatly in the wake of the pandemic, investors have too. Andrea Valentino talks to Russell Kett, chairman at consultancy HVS, to understand how Covid has impacted sales and acquisitions of properties, how changing customer habits could alter what investors are looking for, and how ESG and new interest in resorts could shift the typical profile of transactions.
Working hard or hardly working?
As more of the public move to remote working or hybrid, this has led to an increase of bleisure travellers as well as those seeking alternative spaces to work. Ben Walker speaks to David Orr, CEO at Resident Hotels, and Marc Dardenne, Accor’s chief operating officer luxury Brands Europe, to find out how they have adapted to these travel trends.
Hospitality under one roof
Ahead of the annual HOSPACE conference in November, Jane Pendlebury, CEO of HOSPA, tells Hotel Management International what guests can expect.
Hidden in the woodentops
Before the pandemic, hotel designers were increasingly focused on bringing the outdoors in, but with Covid-19 lockdowns turbo-charging travellers’ desire to connect with nature, it now plays an even more important role in the design process. Elly Earls speaks to Hakan Ozkasikci, SVP design and technical services at Kerzner, which operates the One&Only Mandarina, Mexico, to find out how embracing nature has influenced hotel design and what this does for the hotel experience.
Lisbon hotels see strong performance post-pandemic as city’s popularity grows
With nearly 2,500 new hotel rooms due to open over the next 18 months the Portuguese capital of Lisbon will continue to attract keen interest from investors as the popularity of the city grows, according to a new report from HVS.
ADA Cosmetics presents sustainable Cosmetic Innovations at the EquipHotel
Paris (6 – 10 Nov), STAND PAV. 7.3 – F20
Under the motto “Surprising. Sustainable. Safe.”, ADA Cosmetics will present exciting new cosmetic brands and dispenser innovations at the upcoming EquipHotel in Paris Porte de Versailles.
Borealis Hotel Group joins forces with Bierwirth & Kluth
Borealis Hotel Group (“Borealis”, “BHG” or “the company”), a leading hospitality group headquartered in the Netherlands, is pleased to announce that Bierwirth & Kluth Hotel Management GmbH (“B&K”), a hotel operator in the DACH region, has joined the company. Parallel to the acquisition, BHG is proud that Atlantic Park Strategic Capital Fund (“AP” or “Atlantic Park”), a joint venture between General Atlantic and Iron Park Capital Partners, has joined the shareholder structure, alongside existing investor Three Hills Capital Partners (“THCP”) and the founders. In connection with this transaction, Matthew Bonanno, Managing Director at Atlantic Park, and Varun Bahri, Managing Director at Iron Park Capital Partners, have joined BHG’s Board of Directors.
Radisson Hotel Group achieves record growth year in Greece
Radisson Hotel Group announces a record year of growth for Greece with four signings and three openings to date, leading international development activity in the country. 2022 marks an impressive year for the Group as it continues to build on its growing trust from strategic investors and partners. With the signing of two hotels in Athens and two resorts in Mykonos and Skiathos, both of which also opened earlier this year, the Group’s portfolio now stands at seven hotels and resorts with more than 800 rooms in operation and under development.
Sani/Ikos Group enters new strategic partnership agreement with GIC valuing the business at €2.3bn
Thessaloniki – Sani/Ikos Group (SIG), the leading luxury beach resort group in the Mediterranean, and GIC, global institutional investor, have entered into a strategic partnership under which GIC will become the leading shareholder alongside SIG’s management team. The transaction values the Sani/Ikos Group at ?2.3 billion. The transaction is expected to close in the 4th quarter of 2022, subject to customary regulatory approval.