International hotel chain Warwick Hotels has outlined its international expansion plans to ABTN. The Paris-based chain has embarked on a complete overhaul of its worldwide properties.
Properties that have undergone renovation include the four-star Warwick Hotel in Geneva and the Royal Windsor Hotel Grand Palace in Brussels. The latter property”s highlight is its links with designers. One floor contains ten rooms”named Fashion Rooms”which have each been designed by ten Belgian fashion designers.
Le Grand Hotel in Cannes, which director of sales Nicholas Granger told ABTN ”was in dire need of a refurbishment,” has undergone a transformation. The previously 1970s-style hotel has been renovated to reflect ”the 1970s with a modern twist.” (Pictured both top and bottom).
The hotel chain has opened four hotels this year in Le Lavandou, Zurich, Venice and Malaga. Areas of focus for the chain include Berlin and Eastern Europe. The company revealed it was also eyeing up management contracts in Indonesia.
Director of sales and marketing Europe Thibault Ruffat told ABTN: ”Our acquisition strategy is such that we bring in those hotels that fit with us. They have to have a good level of customer service, be independent and have the best location in town. We have two hotels in Paris because good locations are hard to find so we”ve made sure we”ve got the best here.”
In the next few weeks the company is unveiling its new spa in association with skincare brand Decleor. It is also building a spa at its property in Fiji and in coming months is rolling out accommodation villas on the same site.
The hotel chain has 38 hotels worldwide but not all are branded Warwick in their title. ”We don”t believe too heavily in branding,” Business development manager UK and Ireland Andy Jackson told ABTN. ”This is because we want each hotel to reflect its own personality and local characteristics.” However, Jackson did admit that four locations in the US use the Warwick branding heavily.
The hotel relies on expansion through affiliates. Ruffat said: ”We”ve brought along 30 hotels in 20 years. But it”s not enough. The affiliate scheme works very well because the hotels want to stay independent but want to be part of a collection.”
Warwick also has an international hospitality alliance with Mirvac Hotels in Australia and New Zealand, and Gloria International Hotels in China.
Images source: Grand Hotel in Cannes, Warwick Hotels