Sophie Chavignat, Human Resources Director. She graduated in business administration and joined the hotel sector in 2000 at the Four Seasons Hotel George V as Human Resources Director, a position she held successively at the Ritz Paris and at the Bristol Paris. She joined the Hotel de Crillon in 2012.
Sébastien Legrand, Sales & Marketing Director. He received an MBA from the International School of Savignac and has more than 17 years of experience in the hotel industry. Appointed Commercial Director of the Hotel de Crillon in 2007, he has also held this position in renowned hotels such as Le Royal Monceau and the Hotel Plaza Athénée. In 2014, he moved to London and joined the teams of the Bulgari Hotel as Sales and Marketing Director before returning in 2016 to his first love: the Hôtel de Crillon.
Marc Raffray, General Manager. After a first experience in Paris and then across the Atlantic, he returned to France in 2003 and joined Four Seasons George V where he acted as Director of Operations for 10 years. Between 2014 and 2016, he became General Manager at the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues in Geneva, before leading the teams at the Hôtel de Crillon in October 2016.
Each year, the ESSEC Hospitality Management programs (MSc in Hospitality Management & ESSEC Global MBA) invites six industry leaders onto the ESSEC campus to meet with students and share their experience. It is the perfect opportunity for students to interact with senior industry leaders and to ask them in a casual setting – their own classroom – questions about both their careers to date and the sector in general.
The Executive Board of IH&RA, gathered around its President Dr Ghassan AIDI and the different Board members China, Argentina, Switzerland, Spain, Croatia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, USA , the Mediterranean Association of Hotels and Restaurants (MH&RA) was held in UMIH's offices. The Executive Board has given a large part of its debates to the global phenomenon of the pseudo- collaborative economy, which has negative effects on the hospitality industry but also on the neighborhood and cities.The IHRA President remind everybody that the first meeting of IHRA after the 2nd world war was in this room of UMIH head office in 1947
Whether tourists or pilgrims, more than 51 million people visit religious sites every year in France according to Atout France. Formerly practiced by pilgrims alone, spiritual tourism today attracts an increasingly large and international audience.
Spiritual tourism in France is unceasingly bringing new visitors to the country. Each year, more than 15 million visitors come to explore one of the seventeen shrine cities in France and the trend is on the rise.
Louvre Hotels Group (LHG), one of the largest hospitality groups in the world, has announced the re-launch of its Golden Tulip brand, as part of an initiative to roll out new-age hotels that are more lifestyle-oriented and better suited to meet the needs of today's travelers. To support the re-launch of the four-star brand, Louvre Hotels investing in the renovation and rebranding of Golden Tulip hotels – including those in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
As part of its sustainable development program Planet 21, which makes buildings a key priority, AccorHotels announced, at the second BBCA exhibition, the construction of the first Low Carbon Building labelled hotel, the JO&JOE Paris.
Following the acquisition of Fastbooking in 2015, AccorHotels is pleased to announce the acquisition of Availpro. Created in 2001, Availpro is the leader in France and one of the leading European software providers to hoteliers with more than 6,500 clients.The consolidation of these two major players will create the leading European digital services provider for independent hotels, ranked the third largest global player in its sector.
NH Hotel Group announced that starting May 1, 2017 the Company will begin managing the Palm Beach Hotel in Marseille under its nhow brand; set to open in the second quarter of 2018. The property, which was formerly operated by SHPB (Société Hôtelière du Palm Beach), will be closed as of October 2017 to begin a complete refurbishment project.
To stand out hotels must have more than a pretty face. Yet creating a great concept is not an easy task. Here are a few insights on the challenges and pitfalls of hotel concept development.
Paris has reached the top of Colliers International's inaugural Hotel Investment Attractiveness Index, an analysis of the investment climate of 20 European cities, despite predictions that investors and tourists would lose faith in the city due to political uncertainty and the perceived threat following various national security breaches.
A report delivered to the government pointed out that France's cultural heritage was often “too distant from important tourist routes” and calls on all players in the French tourism sector to work together for the common good.
France's cultural heritage, its museums and monuments, is still often too far away from the main tourist routes. With more than 14 000 monuments classified as historic and 42 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, France has at its disposal treasures which arouse great interest, but which often “suffer from a lack of notoriety”, was the summary given by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Marc Ayrault.
Morpheus London, the leading design house behind some of the world's most exceptional properties, unveils the interiors of 21 apartments at Six Senses Residences Courchevel. This follows the successful completion of a show penthouse last year, as well as a number of private commissions at the development since its launch.
Unveiled in September 2016, AccorHotels' new brand took everyone by surprise by preparing to open its first address in Hossegor on May 29. Paris and Bordeaux will follow in 2018. For this first Open House, JO&JOE teamed up with Quiksilver and Roxy, the iconic surfwear brands. The aim is to propose a new and authentic experience, a place where tripsters* and townsters** get together and chill out.
Unveiled in September 2016, AccorHotels' new brand took everyone by surprise by preparing to open its first address in Hossegor on May 29. Paris and Bordeaux will follow in 2018. For this first Open House, JO&JOE teamed up with Quiksilver and Roxy, the iconic surfwear brands. The aim is to propose a new and authentic experience, a place where tripsters* and townsters** get together and chill out.
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) (www.Hilton.com) has announced that its flagship Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand will add a second property in central Paris, Hilton Paris Eiffel Tower. The plans were unveiled at MIPIM today in conjunction with owner Compagnie de Phalsbourg with whom Hilton has signed a management agreement to operate the 118 guest room property. The renowned French visionary designer Philippe Starck will be in charge of the Interior Design of the property.Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, development, Hilton said: "Since marking the return of our core brand to central Paris in 2015, expanding its presence in the city has been high on our agenda. As the leading name in global hospitality, this brand demands standout locations and ambitious partners willing to work with us to create dynamic hospitality experiences that will add to Paris' global appeal. This hotel and our partnership with Compagnie de Phalsbourg is a statement of this intent as we continue our focus on galvanising our growth in France."Hilton Paris Eiffel Tower will be located in the 7th arrondissement, renowned as the district of choice for Parisian and the home to France's National Assembly, a range of museums, the Invalides and the Eiffel Tower itself. The site on Avenue de Saxe, sits next to Place de Breteuil and leads towards the Champ de Mars.Philippe Journo, President of Compagnie de Phalsbourg said: "This is a site we acquired in 2014 with the intention of turning it from commercial space to an upscale hotel. Our decision to partner with a world class international operator such as Hilton stems from our intention to maximise the international tourism potential offered by such an enviable location and potential we see in working alongside them at other sites we are developing in well know destinations such as the Riviera."Construction is due to begin shortly on adaptation of two adjacent buildings from the 1900s and 1970s. Additional features to be found within the property include a fitness centre, executive lounge. Philippe Starck will be in charge of the Interior Design of the property to bring French elegance and flair into the historical building while Atelier Cos, who specialise in luxury and upscale hotels, develops the architectural concept for the property.Andreas Lackner, regional head, full service brand management, Hilton added: "Paris remains one of the most enviable cities in the world for any traveller. Our existing Hilton Paris Opera is one of the brand's most popular properties amongst our global network of loyal customers and we cannot wait to begin welcoming guests to this new property within such proximity to so many Parisian landmarks."Hilton Paris Eiffel Tower will be located at 55 Avenue de Saxe, 7eme arrondissement, Paris, France. For more information about Hilton Hotels & Resorts, visit www.Hilton.com. To view more news and access images, visit http://News.Hilton.com.
Ahead of this year's MIPIM conference in Cannes, Hilton (NYSE: HLT) (http://HiltonWorldwide.com) has announced new projects in France, following a franchise agreement with NAOS to introduce three hotels under three distinct brands. Following an active year of development in 2016, Hilton now has a total pipeline of nine projects across France, which are expected add more than 1,000 rooms to its portfolio in coming years. The confirmation of these three properties being developed with NAOS are expected to be the first of several announcements in coming months and are indicative of a multi-layered growth strategy across mid- market, upscale and collection brands that extends from the capital city of Paris out to key regional locations.Together Hilton and NAOS will launch Hilton's midscale Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton brands in France, at locations in Bordeaux and Clichy respectively. Central Paris will see a second hotel join Curio – A Collection by Hilton, a collection of upper upscale hotels, each with its own unique character and identity.Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, development, Hilton said: "Growing our portfolio in France is a strategic focus for Hilton. With a dedicated French development team based in Paris and Nice we are focused on extending our portfolio beyond the flagship Hilton brand, we're bringing new brands to Paris and key regional cities. This agreement signals our commitment to work with key partners such as NAOS who can identify further opportunities for expansion."The three hotels will each be managed by NAOS, which already operates a portfolio of several properties across France. NAOS's expertise lies within focused service projects and in carrying out creative adaptations of existing buildings to boutique hotels.Pascal Lemarchand, CEO, NAOS said: "We are pleased to be able to confirm these three projects ahead of MIPIM. In Hilton we feel we have a strategic partner whose wide ranging portfolio enables us to fit the best brands to the sites and projects we specialise in developing. It is particularly exciting for us that we are launching two brands in France both of which have global footprints of thousands of properties, which underlines the potential for further growth."Niepce Paris, Curio Collection by HiltonA €23.5m project will convert a row of 19th century three storey townhouses in Paris' 14th arrondissement into the city's second hotel in the Curio Collection. The site, 300m from Montparnasse station, will consist of a 52 guestroom hotel and a destination restaurant, both with separate entrances. Further facilities will include a hotel lounge bar, fitness room and a breakfast dining area. It is located on Rue Niepce, named after Joseph Nicephore Niepce, a French inventor born in 1765 who was a pioneer in the field of photography and widely credited with creating the world's first photograph. The hotel's décor will consist of an homage to Niepce featuring photographic references and a colour palate reminiscent of his pioneering 'heliography' process. Construction of the project began towards the end of last year with the property expected to welcomeits first guests this year.4 Rue Niepce, 14eme arrondissement, Paris.Hilton Garden Inn Bordeaux Centre GareThis 164 guestroom hotel will become France's first under the Hilton Garden Inn brand and the first Hilton property in the historic city of Bordeaux. It will be located within the first of a series of futuristic high-rise buildings within the city's new 'Creation Neighbourhood' and near to its centrepiece, the architecturally impressive MECA (House of Creative Economy & Culture of Aquitaine) building. The site is just 200m from Bordeaux's principal rail station, Gare St Jean, which will soon connect travellers to Paris by high-speed rail in two hours. The property will be developed by Eiffage Immobilier, one of France's largest real estate developers.La Halle Debat-Ponsan, Quai de Paludate, 33800 Bordeaux, France.Hampton by Hilton Paris ClichyAlso becoming the first hotel for the Hampton by Hilton brand in the country, the hotel will join more than 2,000 mid-market hotels across the world. It will form part of a multimillion euro mixed use tower block development on the border between the Parisian suburb of Clichy and the city's 17th arrondissement. Consisting of 156 guestrooms, the property will sit opposite Porte Pouchet, a centre of urban regeneration, which city authorities aim to become an economic driver in continuing to attract commercial enterprises to the district. The hotel will be developed by the renowned and leading French developer, Nexity.Rue Auboin, 92110 Clichy.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with Hospitality Management Chantilly for a Hyatt Regency hotel in Chantilly, France. The 210-room hotel will mark the eighth Hyatt-branded hotel and the fourth Hyatt Regency hotel in France. Hyatt Regency Chantilly is expected to open in 2018.
Aparthotels Adagio, the European market leader in aparthotels, has appointed Anja Müller Director of European Operations. Anja brings will her over 20 years experience in the hotel industry, with hospitality experience including hotel management, sales and operations at groups including IHG.