Rezidor announces the Radisson Blu Hotel, Nantes, France

The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing hotel companies worldwide, announces the Radisson Blu Hotel, Nantes in France: The famous Palais de Justice in Nantes, capital of the Pays de la Loire region, will be converted into a magnificent 142-rooms property which will welcome the first guests in 2013. "We are delighted to announce one of the most high-profile hotel projects in Western France and to further strengthen our young and stylish Radisson Blu portfolio in the country", says Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of Rezidor. This new development with a strong real estate component corresponds well to AXA Real Estate's hotel investment strategy. On behalf of its clients, AXA Real Estate is currently managing 80 hotels and 12 000 rooms in Europe representing a total investment of around € 1,4 billion.

Rezidor now features 26 hotels with a total of 4,300 rooms in operation and under development in France, and is present in major cities such a Paris, Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice and Lyon.

The 19th century Palais de Justice is a local landmark and its elegant, classical façade overlooks bustling Aristide Briand Square in the city centre of Nantes. The building served as a courthouse until 2000 and the local government recently authorised its transformation into an upscale hotel and cultural centre.

The interior by the French designer Jean-Philippe Nuel (Agence Nuel) will be sophisticated and contemporary, but reflective of the local culture and the historical aspects of the building. In addition to 142 guestrooms - including 20 spectacular suites - there will be an all-day-dining restaurant in the former courtroom, a bar, 320 m2 of meeting space, an exclusive spa, and a cultural centre which will also be used for events.

With a city centre location, the hotel is proximate to Nantes' main high street and well-known shopping areas. The city's main tourist attractions, such as Le Château des Ducs de Bretagne (a castle housing the Nantes History Museum) and La Galerie des Machines (a Jules Verne inspired attraction) are within walking distance. The train station is 1.5 km away and links the city by high speed TGV lines to Paris, Lille, Lyon, Marseille and Strasbourg. Nantes is also the gateway to many of the resort areas along the Atlantic Coast of France.

About the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group - born in early 2012 - is one of the world's largest and most dynamic hotel groups. The portfolio of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group includes more than 1,300 hotels, a global footprint spanning 80 countries, a powerful set of global brands (Radisson Blu, Radisson®, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson^SM, Park Inn by Radisson, Hotel Missoni and Park Plaza®). In most of the group's hotels, guests can benefit from the loyalty program Club Carlson, one of the most rewarding loyalty programs in the world. The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group and its brands employ more than 80,000 people. The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., and Brussels, Belgium.