Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts is celebrating its 30th anniversary marking its growth from a handful of properties to an international chain with deluxe hotels in 17 countries across five continents.
The company’s eventful history began in 1980 with its founding by Swissair and Nestlé. Its assembled its initial portfolio of hotels by acquiring Hotel Le Président in Geneva and signing management contracts for Hotel Drake in New York, Bellevue Palace in Berne and Hotel International in Zurich.
In 1990, the group became a fully-owned subsidiary of SAirRelations/SAir Group and in 1996 its head office was relocated from Zurich to New York.
In 2001, Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts was sold to Raffles Holdings Limited in Singapore and 2005 saw the Los Angeles – based firm Colony Capital, a global private investment group specialising in the management of real estate assets and companies, buying Raffles International, which at the time owned the Swissôtel and Raffles brands.
Then in May 2006, Colony Capital together with Kingdom Hotels International also acquired the Canadian hotel group Fairmont and founded the new hotel chain Fairmont Raffles Hotels International (FRHI) with its head office in Toronto, Canada. The group now comprises nearly 100 hotels in more than 25 countries, operating under three strong brand names: Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts.
Under the new umbrella brand, the corporate office of Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts moved back to Zurich and, since 2003, German-born Meinhard Huck has been president of the company.
After a rich and varied 30-year history, Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts continues to meet the exacting demands of business travellers and holidaymakers alike. The deluxe hotels are known for their modern design combined with characteristically Swiss touches and exceptional levels of Swiss hospitality. Many of Swissôtel’s establishments have won international awards.
“Back in 1980 the Swissôtel name covered a number of separate hotels, each with its own individual identity. Today, though, it represents an outstanding international hotel chain whose corporate identity and brand name have become a symbol of superior quality in the hotel business,” said Huck.
“We are delighted to have the chance to officially celebrate our company’s anniversary in 2010 with our guests.”