Fusion & Acquisition

🏦 Rosewood Amsterdam opens reservations for stays starting June 1, 2025, located in Amsterdam's canal district, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The hotel features 134 rooms and suites, including five signature suites, three restaurants, an internal distillery, Asaya® spa, fitness center, and indoor pool. Studio Piet Boon designed the hotel, blending historical elements with a contemporary touch. It offers a 223-square-meter event space, canal views, and a private Salon Boat. Rosewood Hotels to expand in Europe with upcoming openings in Greece, Italy, and the UK by 2026.

💰 Schulte Hospitality Group, managing over 200 units, partners with Las Vegas-based 34th Floor Hospitality, founded by Frenchman Olivier Zardoni, making it a 100% subsidiary and a significant hospitality management player. The partnership aims to enhance dining offerings by leveraging the expertise of 34th Floor associates, Olivier Zardoni and Alex Taylor, for creating successful restaurants and memorable culinary experiences. Darryl Schulte, CEO of Schulte Hospitality Group, anticipates this will transform hotel restaurants into must-visit destinations.

🍻 In January 2024, French restaurant alcohol sales dropped 22% compared to other months due to "Dry January", with cocktails suffering a 28% decrease, beers 26%, and liqueurs 22%. Lightspeed Commerce Inc. analyzed over 1,700 of its client locations in France, tallying more than 2,238 alcohol beverage sales. The study indicates a trend of reduced alcohol consumption for improved sleep, saving money, or health.

🏦 HBX Group, a Spanish travel technology firm owning brands like Hotelbeds, plans an IPO worth approximately €1 billion ($1.04 billion) in the coming weeks, as per sources. Shareholders, including private equity firms Cinven and EQT, along with Canadian pension fund CPP Investments, consider listing on the Madrid Stock Exchange. Following a preparation period exceeding a year, HBX may file for the IPO as soon as next week. This IPO would be Europe's first in 2025 after a modest recovery in issuances the previous year. In 2024, European companies raised $19.3 billion in IPOs, up 18% from 2023, despite fewer issuances, according to LSEG data.

🏨 Maison Barbillon, acquired in 2019 with 2 stars, underwent a full transformation for repositioning as a 3-star boutique hotel. Renovations occurred in 2020, close to Grenoble's TGV station. Opened in January 2021, the 48-room hotel has seen continuous revenue growth, with EXTENDAM achieving a 15% Equity IRR from the sale. In July 2021, EXTENDAM invested in a 98-room hotel, now boasting the "By Georgette" concept with revamped common areas and a new restaurant in 2022. Located amid 120+ companies and 8,000 employees, the hotel aligns with local market demand and anticipates development, promising EXTENDAM a 14% IRR. Previously, in 2018, EXTENDAM partnered with DG Invest to construct a 68-room ibis Budget.

🏖️ Elux Groupe, a luxury custom travel company, acquires La Route des Voyages, enhancing its customer experience and expanding offerings to meet the demands of discerning travelers. With 30+ years in travel, La Route des Voyages brings 5 new agencies across France (Bordeaux, Lyon, Toulouse, Annecy, Angers), a Swiss subsidiary (Geneva), and valuable expertise. Both brands will maintain their identities, aiming to create more exclusive travel packages together.

📈 In 2024, the author of Hospitality Insiders experienced professional success with a 50% revenue growth and got married in September. Despite high activity, they took 41 vacation days and maintained regular sports activities. However, they aim to reduce their travel days (83 in total) in 2025, targeting a maximum of 5 travel days per month, with a focus on clients in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Delegation to experts proved successful, and the author plans to continue this and possibly get coaching. Emphasis will be on developing online training and customized offers for a limited clientele, prioritizing effective time management for work-life balance.

📍 Mark S. Hoplamazian, CEO of Hyatt, discusses strategic alternatives with Playa, a prominent all-inclusive resort operator in the Caribbean and Mexico. Hyatt, owning 9.99% of Playa's outstanding shares, filed an amendment to its Schedule 13D with the US SEC to disclose these talks. No assurance of transaction completion or terms. Hyatt remains committed to its low-cost business model during the process.

🏠 PAREF Group partnered with Parkway Life REIT, a major healthcare REIT in Asia, to advise on the acquisition of an 11-EHPAD portfolio in France in a sale and leaseback deal from DomusVi Group. A full real estate service management mandate was also signed as part of the strategic investment in Europe.

🛈 En Espagne, la Semaine Sainte a vu des performances mitigées dans l'hôtellerie, affectées par la tempête Nelson. Des annulations de réservations et une baisse des réservations de dernière minute ont été constatées, à cause des conditions météorologiques défavorables. Des baisses de fréquentation par rapport à l'année précédente ont été enregistrées, bien que certaines destinations aient maintenu leurs prévisions. La pluie a notamment provoqué l'annulation des processions du Vendredi Saint à Séville.