Briefs

Lublinianka Hotel opens

The Von der Heyden Group's re-furbished 72-room Hotel Lublinianka has opened for business. The hotel, part of the Berlin-based international hotel chain SORAT Hotels, is housed in a listed historical building dating back to the 19th Century and is the only upper 4-star hotel in Lublin and its surrounding area. Sven Von der Heyden said, ,Due to enormous complexity in the implementation of this 'baby' - as an example we had to co-ordinate 91 different trades - we suffered a delay of approximately 4 months in the opening. However... the building is now completed, the furniture is put and we expect the first guests in the first week of May."

Qubus hotel in Legnica

Norwegian hotel operator Qubus Hotel Management has opened a 227-room hotel in Legnica after carrying out a PLN 20 million renovation on an existing hotel building. The renovation - performed by LBP Skanska - included the extension of the conference and restaurant facilities.
(Source: "Puls Biznesu")

Orbis to shed non-hotel interests

Orbis, Poland's largest hotel operator, plans to withdraw from its non-hotel interests by selling its shares in the Autostrada Wielkopolska consortium and Polcard.
The Autostrada Wielkopolska consortium was set up to construct and manage part of the A2 East-West highway. Orbis owns a 9.7% stake in the venture. Due to delays the company feels its plans to develop a chain of economy hotels along the route are receding. Orbis has a 10% stake in servicecard company Polcard.
Orbis has 5 major shareholders: French hotel operator Accor (25%), Deutsche Bank (12.4%), The Polish State (6.2%), Commercial Union (5.1%), and Polish businessman Michal Solowow (5%).

Wan plans

Warsaw based Wan, a company owned by WA Investment (c. 70%) and Echo Investment (19%) plans to build a network of hotel-retail-service schemes alongside major roads in Poland. According to business daily newspaper ,Puls Biznesu", the company is currently in the process of buying land, as well as looking for potential financial partners. Wan is also preparing to be launched on the Warsaw stock exchange and is considering raising funds from a public share issue.

Orbis to buy Hekon?

Accor Polska, the major shareholder in Polish hotel chain Orbis, is considering merging the company with Polish operator Hekon, which owns 9 hotels and in which Accor has a 12% stake. To do this Orbis will have to purchase the shares from Accor, which it will finance through a loan or by issuing shares or through a combination of both. (Source: ,Gazeta Wyborcza").

Colliers International sets up Central Europe Hotel Division

Marek Dabrowski, who once worked for Global Hotels Development Group in Poland, has been appointed by international property consultancy Colliers International to head its Hotel Division for Central Europe.
The new division will handle hotel sales and acquisitions and will offer hotel consultancy.

TON Agro goes 2-star

Investon, a hotel operator owned by TON Agro, is to build a chain of 2-star hotels near intersections of main transit routes, on the outskirts of cities and next to the country's borders. The hotels will go by the name of Transitel. The first two hotels are to be constructed in Swiebodzin (Lubuskie district) and in Pruszków near Warsaw. The company's plans anticipate Poland's improved motorway and infrastructure.