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🏨 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.

🍝 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.

🎉 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.

🏖️ 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.

🎫 On August 11, during the Paris Olympics closing ceremony, German company Volocopter's eVTOL flew over the gardens of Château de Versailles. The flight aimed to demonstrate the agility of the electric aircraft, which could serve emergency services by quickly reaching accident sites. The Volocity flying taxi, designed by Volocopter, can reach speeds of 80 km/h, is powered by 18 electric motors, and has 9 rechargeable batteries. A new experiment is planned with Paris' AP-HP to test medical use cases. Volocopter is working towards pre-certification flights to gain authorities' approval to transport passengers, with hopes to start commercial eVTOL flights by the year's end.

🍴 Cécilia Spurio and Eugenio Anfuso, a couple in both life and the kitchen, opened Amâlia in Paris, France, in 2024. Spurio, born in 1989 in Italy, pursued pastry after studying law, working with chefs like Enrico Bartolini and Guy Savoy before becoming Amâlia's co-owner and pastry chef in 2024. Anfuso, born in 1993, also Italian, trained in starred kitchens including L'Ambroisie with Bernard Pacaud, and became co-owner and chef of Amâlia in 2024. The couple aims to blend French and Italian culinary traditions, avoiding clichés for a modern and original cuisine, highlighted by their signature gnocchi dish.