Latest news with #MotelOne
Forbes
30-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
This New Luxury Hotel Is Worth A Detour From Salzburg Or Munich
The new boutique hotel Chiemgauhof now welcomes guests near Salzburg and Munich to Bavaria's Lake Chiemsee. Elias Hassosw Elias Hassos 'W e fell in love with this spot many years ago,' says Ursula Schelle-Müller, standing on a long wooden pier that juts out into the clear waters of Bavaria's Lake Chiemsee (pronounced 'kheem-say'). Behind Schelle-Müller rises the broad new timber façade of Chiemgauhof, the new luxury hotel that she and her husband, Dieter Müller, just opened. When the couple decided to build this boutique lakeside property, they didn't really need another hotel. But to understand what makes it so special, it helps to know their place in the industry. The Müllers redefined European hospitality with Motel One, the design-forward budget hotel chain Dieter founded 25 years ago. Local larch wood and handmade regional fabrics play a big role in this new luxury retreat near Munich. Elias Hassos Today, Motel One operates 100 properties across 13 countries, hosting some 10 million guests and generating over $1 billion in revenue each year. The recent acquisition of 80% of its operating business by one of Europe's oldest and most prestigious private equity firms, PAI Partners, values the brand at $3.6 billion. As CMO of the group, Schelle-Müller was instrumental in shaping the success of Motel One. She introduced design elements that ran through every property for a consistent look and feel: Arne Jacobsen Egg Chairs in bright turquoise and a hybrid lobby concept that merged bar, lounge and workspace—long before it became standard in lifestyle hotels across Europe. But Motel One's true edge wasn't just great design or prime locations—it was the fact that each hotel captured the spirit of its surroundings, even within the limits of a budget concept. Details matter: The tiles on the fireplace were handmade in a local pottery studio from the 17th century. Eliass Hassos 'We always tried to make each property feel like it belonged to the city it was in,' she explains. 'We used local architects, materials and artists for the designs. And we always sourced food regionally wherever possible. Munich's Motel One, for example, serves Weißwurst and pretzels for breakfast.' A budget hotel chain needs to cut down on amenities, room size and services to keep expenses in check, but Schelle-Müller focused on delivering what she could at the highest possible level. 'Our motto at Motel One has always been: less, but done well,' she says. Her design philosophy extends all the way to how small choices affect the guest experience—even something as basic as a towel. Chiemgauhof sits on the shores of Lake Chiemsee, Bavaria's largest lake. @Elias Hassos, 2023 'I've spent countless hours choosing the right ones,' she says with a laugh. 'Think about it: When you step out of a warm shower and bury your face in a towel, it's either this beautiful moment of comfort—or a harsh reminder that you're in a budget hotel. And we certainly didn't want the latter.' A New Luxury Hotel On The Shores Of Chiemsee With Chiemgauhof, Schelle-Müller doubles down on what made the brand resonate—only this time, she brings her approach into the luxury space, with no expense spared. The result is an owner-led passion project, far from your typical luxury hotel. Such passion projects have become a rising force in luxury travel, especially because their USP is nearly impossible to replicate. 'There is no one better to deliver the sense of a place than someone who is personally invested in showcasing it,' says Mikael Audebert, founder and CEO of Art In Voyage, a boutique luxury travel agency that curates personalized vacations worldwide. 'Today's travelers seek this authenticity over uniformity.' Chiemgauhof isn't the couple's first luxury property. The Müllers already own Das Achental, a nearby golf and gourmet retreat, and Kitzhof, a sleek design hotel in the celebrity-favorite Austrian ski resort Kitzbühel. 'But Chiemgauhof is very different, because it was by far the most personal for us,' says Schelle-Müller. 'We were able to build it from the ground up and ask ourselves at every step: 'If we were to vacation here, what would we enjoy?'' One of Germany's most famous couples: Ursula Schelle-Müller and Dieter Müller. picture alliance via Getty Images She commissioned Matteo Thun, the Italian star architect who rose to fame for his timeless, sustainable buildings that blend seamlessly into the landscape. 'It's been a lifelong dream of mine to work with him,' she says. 'He understands how to build in harmony with nature.' The result is a timber-clad retreat by the shores of the lake, built from local larch and designed to age gracefully and become part of the surrounding alpine landscape. Inside, the floor-to-ceiling windows present Lake Chiemsee like an oversized and ever-changing oil painting. 28 Suites With A Sense of Place Public areas flow together, from a boathouse-turned-yoga-studio to a cozy lounge with a fireplace tiled by a ceramic studio on the nearby Fraueninsel island, which has been firing ovens since the 17th century. The hotel only has 28 suites, each of them understated luxury, spacious, with warm oak floors, a soft, natural color palette and custom-made furniture. The focal point in many rooms? Freestanding soaking tubs made from local larch wood, positioned to face the lake for long, scenic baths. The two restaurants onsite continue to tell a highly regional story. Pike-perch, eel, and other fresh catches are delivered straight from the lake to the hotel's dock by fishermen whose families have worked the waters for generations. A local Kräuterhexe —a traditional herbalist—delivers rare alpine herbs she forages from the surrounding mountains. The local beekeeper stops by regularly to drop off honey. Swans and ducks swim on the Chiemsee while the sun sets behind the Alps. Getty Images Everything in this hotel has meaning: The material in the colorful carpets comes from a local studio that upcycles wool, silk and cashmere. Most of the art on the walls stems from the Müllers' private collection, including pieces by Arnold Balwé, Georg Baselitz and Julius Exter, a pioneer of expressionism. Exter helped shape the expressionist movement in Germany and taught students in a boathouse just up the shore. This New Luxury Hotel Is For The Heart, Not ROI 'Owner-operated properties like Chiemgauhof were built from the heart, not for ROI. That's what travelers want right now, because guests can see, feel and experience this authentic appreciation in every aspect,' says Matthew Upchurch, CEO of Virtuoso, the world's largest luxury travel advisory network. And despite the obvious financial investment, nothing about Chiemgauhof feels showy. It's a place to unwind, soak in the nature and enjoy the calm. In the early evening, as guests gather on the dock for a sunset aperitif and the lake shifts from light blue to pale pink, bright orange and deep red, Schelle-Müller watches with a contented smile—her eyes reflecting the calm around her. 'The best thing about this place,' she says with her new luxury hotel in sight, 'is that we didn't have to manufacture authenticity. Everything was already here.' 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Bloomberg
08-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Traders Pounce on Risk as Junk Bonds Flood Back to Market
Just weeks after coming to a halt because of Donald Trump's tariff bombshell, the junk-debt market is starting to crank back into gear again. From Italian sneaker brand Golden Goose to German chain Motel One, even some of the raciest types of corporate lending are suddenly back in vogue. A spate of high-yield bond deals kicked off the action at the end of April — and now loan issuers are joining the party.
Bloomberg
08-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Bankers Are Bouncing Back to Life as Hunger for Junk Debt Soars
Just weeks after coming to a halt because of Donald Trump's tariff bombshell, the junk-debt market is starting to crank back into gear again. From Italian sneaker brand Golden Goose to German chain Motel One, even some of the raciest types of corporate lending are suddenly back in vogue. A spate of high-yield bond deals kicked off the action at the end of April — and now loan issuers are joining the party.
