Ouvertures d’hôtels

🏠 Relais & Châteaux announced in mid-November the inclusion of 6 new members, making a total of 31 for the year. New members include The Modern (New York, USA); Botanique Hotel Experience (Brazil); CasaMolle (Chile); Vetera Matera (Italy); Hotel Diepeschrathermühle (Germany); Storfjord (Norway). Celebrating its 70th anniversary, Relais & Châteaux held its annual international Congress in Paris with a gala dinner at Versailles and a festive evening at Pavillon d’Armenonville.

🏦 St. Regis Hotels & Resorts launched its first Serbian property, St. Regis Belgrade. Located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, the hotel offers easy access to Belgrade's historical sites, business districts, and diplomatic areas. Part of a major urban development project by Eagle Hills and designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the 42-story glass tower blends modern and historical architecture. The hotel features 119 rooms, including 17 suites and a 192-square-meter presidential suite with panoramic city views. Guests can enjoy the Caroline Astor suite with luxury sleepwear by Serbian designer Aleksandar Zabunović and a marble platter by local artist Marko Desivojević.

🏨 The NH Collection Gent, formerly NH Hôtel Gent Belfort, reopened after a complete renovation, joining other NH properties in Antwerp and Brussels. Boasting 174 rooms across four floors with textile heritage-inspired decor, the hotel features Junior Suites named after the Van Artevelde family. Amenities include the Spinners breakfast buffet, Grand Café Van Artevelde serving local specialties and Belgian beers, and a relaxation courtyard. For business and events, there are 10 meeting rooms accommodating up to 400 guests, plus a fully-equipped gym and sauna.

🏠 NH Collection Gand opened on November 4, 2024, in Ghent, Belgium. Situated partly in a restored building from the 1913 world fair, it's managed by Koen De Rijcke. The hotel, with its 174 rooms, includes a medieval crypt from the 13th century, and offers views of historical landmarks like Saint Bavo's Cathedral and the Count's Castle. It's part of Minor Hotels Europe & Americas, expanding NH Collection Hotels & Resorts in Belgium.

🏖 Jumeirah Beach Hotel unveils renovated Al Bahar Villas in Dubai, offering discreet charm and exceptional comfort. The 19 private villas, with one to three bedrooms, feature generous living spaces and elegant, modern interiors with Arabesque finishes by Sahar Al Yaseer of La Bottega UAE. René Egle, the hotel’s general manager, highlights the luxury and exclusivity by the sea these villas encapsulate.

💿 Opening a guesthouse requires choosing a prime location based on target clientele: families, couples, or international travelers. Ensure comfort, charm, communal spaces, and accessibility. Declare the opening using Cerfa form n°13566*03 and adhere to safety and hygiene standards. Consider obtaining labels like "Gîtes de France" or "Clévacances" for credibility. Legal structures to consider are auto-entrepreneur, limited to 188,700 € turnover for lodging in 2024, enterprise, or corporation. Fiscal regimes include micro-BIC with a 71% revenue abatement if under 188,700 € or the real regime for higher earners. Marketing through an attractive website, reservation platforms, and social media is essential.

🏠 Groupe Barrière set to open Maison Barrière Vendôme, a 5-star hotel with 26 rooms, suites, and apartments between Place Vendôme and the Tuileries Gardens, in January 2025. Located in Paris's fashion and jewelry district, the hotel offers bespoke luxury services. It is a tribute to femininity and French craftsmanship, conceived by Corinne Evens and realized by Groupe Barrière. The hotel features rooms inspired by prominent women, including the Suite Georges Sand and Suite Sarah Bernhardt with 18th-century textiles and Maison Pierre Frey velvets respectively.

🏢 Chartres, located just 1 hour from Paris, boasts rich offerings for eco-responsible professional events, with adaptable infrastructure for businesses of all sizes, renowned gastronomy, and accommodation options. C’Chartres Tourisme provides access to modern facilities such as charming hotels, well-equipped conference rooms, unique venues like castles, and green spaces. The city caters to small study days for intimate groups and large-scale events, featuring a new administrative hub with the latest technology, within a 10-minute walk from the train station.

🏨 Covivio and Accor unveiled the upgraded Novotel Bruges Centrum in Bruges, Belgium, now a 4-star hotel with a 52% carbon emission reduction post-renovation, exiting fossil fuels. The repositioning is part of Covivio's strategy, boasting over 300 hotels in 12 countries valued at €6.4 billion as of end of June 2024. Covivio, a unique investor, asset manager, and operator, acquired this hotel in 2005 during a 128-hotel portfolio purchase from Accor and bought the business in 2022.

🏡 Ennismore to open Mama Shelter Lake Como in mid-2026, second in Italy after Rome. Central location in Como city, 2 minutes from Como San Giovanni station and 35 minutes from Milan Malpensa Airport. The hotel will feature 150 rooms including 21 suites, designed by A+B2 architettura with interiors reflecting local landscapes. Mama Shelter's welcoming philosophy aims to create a home-like, vibrant atmosphere for guests.