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🏡 The 5-star Relais & Châteaux, at the foot of Mane's citadel, after a 3-year renovation, unveiled last summer its serene and elegant new look. The Swiss agency De Planta & Associés Architectes, with Anthony Micoud and archaeologists, adapted Provence's colors and ambiances, creating 34 rooms in former monks' cells, two restaurants (one gastronomic), a 25-meter pool surrounded by scented gardens, and a new 2,500 square meters L'Occitane spa extension with a green roof, shared with 15 new rooms. Key features include a bar in the cloister and a previously unused chapel turned into the hotel lobby, boasting 15-meter-high restored stained-glass windows, Burgundy stone floors, and sculpted arches. The hotel was featured in Hôtel & Lodge's issue 134, dedicated to the Hôtel & Lodge Awards 2024.

🏖️ July 2024: Côte d’Azur's hotel occupancy reaches 86%, a 2.5-point increase from 2023. Nice surpasses this with 88%, particularly full during the first weekend of July and the Tour de France (19-21/07). Coastal hotel revenue per available room (RevPAR) jumps by 15%. Cannes achieves 86% occupancy, Antibes 84% (up 7 and 6 points versus 2023). Overall, Alpes-Maritimes department records 83% occupancy, a slight rise from 2023, with a 3% increase in overnight stays. Hotel offer expansion contributes to these trends. In tourism residences, July occupancy holds steady at 80%, expecting to exceed 85% in August. Early August sees coastal hotel occupancy at 87%.

🏨 Since November 2021, the "A Place To" hotel in Esbjerg, designed by BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group), has been a distinctive symbol in the cityscape, known for its North Sea views and modern interior. Due to high demand, owner Heimstaden plans to convert 97 apartments into hotel rooms. Danish hotel operator Core Hospitality will take over the lease and operations, marking a significant development for both Heimstaden and Esbjerg's community.

🏨 Marriott International partners with Sonder Holdings to expand its long-stay segment, adding over 10,500 rooms under "Sonder by Marriott Bonvoy" collection, mainly in urban markets. By end of 2024, 9,000+ existing Sonder rooms will join Marriott's system, with an additional 1,500 rooms expected. Approximately 200 Sonder properties will allow Marriott Bonvoy members to earn/use points with full digital platform integration by 2025. The deal is set to contribute to Marriott's projected 6-6.5% net room growth for 2024.

🎉 Inaugurated on July 24th by Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron, Maison Élysée, located at 88, Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris, offers a glimpse into presidential desserts. The 600 m2 venue features a café with 40 seats, where pastries by chef Fabrice Desvignes and pastry chef Lun-Yi Hsing are enjoyed dine-in only, priced €9-€12 each, €3.50 for espresso, and €6 for tea. The ground floor houses a shop and a museum with presidential items, open Tuesday to Saturday, 11 am to 6:30 pm, free until mid-September, then by reservation only.

🍝 Antoine Lecocq, after a strategic consulting career, created Kuti, an African street food delivery service, in 2020 due to the pandemic. By 2023, he opened a takeaway kiosk in Montreuil with a terrace for warmer weather, and in 2024, he launched a restaurant inspired by Ghanaian "chop bars" at 6 rue des Petites Ecuries, Paris. Kuti offers masa dishes like Masa Fried Chicken (€11) and Masa Yassa (€13), and a dessert, Masa Choco and Peanut Butter (€6), plus various innovative dishes starting at €13. Open Monday to Saturday, 12 PM to 2:30 PM and 7 PM to 10:30 PM.

📈 A February 2024 OpinionWay study for the Lyf app reveals that 50% of French consumers know and use digital ordering and payment at the table, with the same percentage considering future use. Digitalization in the restaurant industry emphasizes customer interaction, offering solutions like Zenchef's 6-language menu, Tasty Cloud's one-click updates, and AirKitchen's server remote. Mistakes in orders account for almost 10% of food waste. All-in-one terminals like Zenchef's simplify order and payment processes, while ZenchefPay adds tipping options to payment terminals. Samsung's Hospitality TVs now support AirPlay and come with Lynk Cloud and SmartThings Pro for hotel management, enhancing guest experience.

🍔 French content creators diversify into the fast food industry, capitalizing on their social media following. In 2023, fast food accounted for 55% of France's restaurant revenue. Ibrahim Tsetchoev (IbraTV) and Djam pioneered with Black & White Burger in 2018, now boasting 37 locations and expecting 30 more within two years, with quarterly growth of 15%. Influencers' eateries, like Michou's Mealy and Amixem's Star Smash, show a 20% higher patronage rate in their first year compared to traditional restaurants. Various business models include physical restaurants, virtual establishments with dark kitchens, and collaborations with existing venues.

🏖️ On August 15, at the Fête de la Mer, Mayor Tibault Grollemund announced Belle-Île's citadel will remain French as ownership changes. Keys Asset Management, owner since 2020, intended to convert it into a luxury hotel but halted renovations due to the massive scale. The citadel returned to the market in June 2023 for €13 million. Ouest France reports that Groupe Accor may finalize the acquisition by autumn.

🏠 Jean-Pierre Bansard, businessman and senator for French citizens abroad, passed away at 84 on August 16. He led the Consistoire central israélite de France (1992-1994) and founded ASFE in 2009. Bansard established Groupe Cible in 1962, owning the 5-star InterContinental Champs-Élysées, 4-star Hôtel Camille Paris Gare de Lyon, 4-star Hôtel Le Marcel, 3-star La Tour de Nesle, and Hôtel Le Relais de Poste in Arles.