Orient-Express Hotels president steps down and other international hotel news

Orient-Express owns, part owns or manages 49 luxury hotel, restaurant, tourist train and river cruise properties in 25 countries. A successor will be announced in due course.

Hilton’s Scandic to be bought by Swedes
The Scandic hotel chain is close to being bought for an estimated £510m by one of Europe’s wealthiest families. Stockholm-based private equity house EQT, which is controlled by the billionaire Wallenberg family, has emerged as the favourite to agree a deal with Hilton Hotels Corporation for the chain. It appears EQT has fought off competition from rival Scandinavian investment firm Nordic Capital and Terra Firma. An announcement of a deal is expected from Hilton within the next fortnight. Scandic runs 130 hotels mainly in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark.

Rezidor announces Middle Eastern growth plans
Rezidor Hotel Group has announced plans to double the size of its portfolio within the next three years. The group plans to expand the Radisson brand into Abu Dhabi in the UAE, Doha in Qatar, and Cairo and Alexandria in Egypt and the mid-market Park Inn brand into the region for the first time in Riyadh and Al Khobor in Saudi Arabia and Muscat in Oman. Sales and marketing director Craig Senior said: “We see the middle East as a very fast-moving and fast-developing area.”

Ukranian contract for InterContinental Hotel Group
InterContinental Hotel Group has signed a contact for its first property in the Ukranian capital, Kiev. The new-build InterContinental hotel, which is due to open in early 2008, will comprise 280 bedrooms overlooking one of the city’s main squares. The hotel will feature two bars and restaurants, meeting rooms, fitness area, swimming pool and treatment rooms. Local real estate developer Yaroslaviv Val will own the property.

Hilton creates two new roles
Hilton Hotels Corporation has promoted Kenneth Smith to the role of executive vice-president – Americas Operations, sales and revenue management and Ernest Wooden to the role of executive vice-president of brand management. Smith, 38, will oversee the alignment between hotel operations, sales and revenue management in the USA, Canada, Caribbean, central and south America. Wooden will continue to develop and expand Hilton’s brand offerings worldwide.