The company takes stock of the growth registered since it began in 2011 and presents its most immediate plans at FITUR 2017
-The chain closed the 2016 financial year showing an increase of 56% since 2011 and now has 43 hotels in 22 destinations and 22,711 beds under its management
–Remodelling the Hotel Miguel Angel by BlueBay in Madrid is among the projects the company has planned for 2017
–BlueBay Hotels plans to increase the chain’s number of hotels by 50% and double the number of beds under its management to more than 50,000 by 2020
–BlueBay Hotels has launched the InnoBBacción concept to make the company an innovation model to follow in the hotel sector
BlueBay Hotels, the eighth Spanish hotel company by international presence and the 11th largest hotel group regarding hotel rooms, has closed the 2016 financial year with 43 hotels in 22 different destinations in Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico, and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It has added four 5-star hotels in Tunisia (Le Royal Hammamet Hotel by BlueBay*****), Lebanon (Le Royal Beirut Hotel by BlueBay*****), Jordan (Le Royal Amman Hotel by BlueBay*****) and Luxembourg (Le Royal Luxembourg Hotel by BlueBay*****), and four 4-star hotels, one in Italy (BlueBay Perugia****) and three in France under the Residéal brand (Residéal Antibes by BlueBay****, Residéal Premium Cannes by BlueBay**** and Residéal La Grande Motte by BlueBay****). In addition to this, the hotels in Lebanon and Luxembourg are part of the prestigious international network of The Leading Hotels of the World.
The group led by Jamal Satli Iglesias now has a total of 22,711 beds and aims to have more than 60 hotels in 30 destinations, with 50,000 beds, by the end of 2020. This will include hotels owned by the group and also others under its management when the company’s 2017-2020 strategic plan is completed to promote the group on an international spectrum.
“Since BlueBay Hotels began operating in 2011, it has increased the number of the group’s hotels by almost 80%. We started with 24, and now we’ve closed the financial year for 2016 with 43” says Ramón Hernández, CEO of BlueBay Hotels, who has taken stock of the company’s evolution since it began in 2011 at a meeting held before the media at the Bluebay Hotels stand at FITUR 2017. “The registered increase in the number of beds has exceeded 56%, from 14,522 in 2011 to 22,711 at the end of last year. And if we look at the number of destinations where we’re present, the numbers in have jumped by 145% in the same period, going from 9 destinations when we started to 22 today,” added Hernández.
MENA, Latin America and the Caribbean will be the focus of the group’s future international expansion
BlueBay Hotels’ CEO has also outlined the 2017-2020 strategic plan to promote the groups’ internationalisation process. At the end of this period, the group aims to have more than 60 hotels in 30 destinations, which will mean operating, 50,000 beds, either at property owned by the group or under its management. BlueBay Hotels plans to centre its expansion plan in countries in the MENA region, Latin America and the Caribbean. The United Arab Emirates will also host some of the openings, with important locations such as the Blue Diamond Fujairah*****GL, in the Fujairah Emirate, the Armada BlueBay Sharjah****, in the centre of the Sharjah Emirate and a new hotel in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Turkey and Egypt will also see new openings, including two 5-star hotels. While two 4-star hotels in the Sultanate of Oman and Algeria will complete the BlueBay Hotels offering in the MENA region.
Two new hotels will also be opened in Mexico, and the group will enter the Brazilian and Colombian market, showing a clear commitment by BlueBay Hotels to Latin America and the Caribbean, which are two strategic tourism destinations for the Spanish hotel chain’s international expansion.
Projects planned for Spain in 2017
2017 will also be a year for new Bluebay Hotels’ projects in Spain. The group plans to carry out major refurbishments to the emblematic Hotel Miguel Ángel by BlueBay***** in Madrid and has earmarked €35m for the project. The renovation work will include increasing the number of rooms, renovating the 1000m2 garden, installing a roof with a sky-bar, extending the lounges, reception and spa, which will have a 2000m2 gym and a natural pool. The renovation work will also be complemented by opting for a new gastronomy concept that is more in line with the culinary needs of a city like Madrid.
“Innobbacción”, innovation in the group’s corporate DNA
BlueBay Hotels launched a roadmap in 2016 to promote innovation within the company, using its own methodology to transform BlueBay Hotels into a reference point in the sector and making it more competitive and closer to its customers.
The “InnoBBacción” strategy developed by BlueBay Hotels involves a strong commitment to having a leadership attitude and constantly improving. The strategy is already in place in the different customer focused departments and the hotels’ operations and management. In doing so, they have designed specific customer-oriented services, and are continuously assessing the customers’ present and future needs, and investing strongly in new technology and innovation to make their customers’ stay a truly unique experience.
