Riu gives priority to Amsterdam, Paris and London
REPORTUR Editorial Team | September 4, 2024
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RELATED TOPICS: Abel Matutes, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Cancun, Dubai, Spain, London, Luis Riu, Madrid, New York, Palladium, Paris, Riu, Thailand, Toronto, Zanzibar
Luis Riu, who has become the sole CEO of Riu after the retirement of his sister Carmen, revealed in an interview with ‘Development‘ who spent some time negotiating the purchase of two iconic hotels, the W in Barcelona and the former Melody Maker in Cancun (which was previously a ME by Meliá), and whose priorities for the future are Amsterdam, Paris and a second establishment in London.
In addition, the head of the chain with the most rooms in Cancun reported that they have already begun construction of the third Hotel in New York, just as they already have another Hotel underway in Zanzibar (the third in the African destination) and one in Thailand, along with a second establishment in Dubai.
«In Barcelona we looked a lot. We wanted something similar to the Hotel in Madrid, big, iconic, and in Barcelona we would like something similar. The most iconic Hotel in Barcelona is the W Hotel. A broker brought it to us, we looked at it, but in the end the owners did not want to sell. It was a project that excited us, but although it has failed we have left the seed for the future. The owners know that we are interested in buying it,» said Luis Riu to ‘Development‘ (Hotel-en-nueva-york-y-muy-pronto-el-de-tailandia/”>Luis Riu: «We have already started on the third Hotel in New York and very soon the one in Thailand»).
Speaking about Paris, he told the Hotel investor publication that “we would love to, just like in Amsterdam. It’s difficult to find a big Hotel in Paris. We don’t want a boutique Hotel with 30 or 40 rooms. We want a Hotel with more than 300 rooms, with a good location, and that’s very difficult.”Hotel-en-londres/”>Luis Riu: “I have a second Hotel in London in mind”).
«I also confess that we are thinking of giving the London Hotel a little brother. There is nothing, but I have in mind to have a second Hotel in London. We have looked at things, but London is not a city that I know very well either. And in the end I am the one who goes to the places to make a final decision on the new hotels. I trust my instinct a lot, I admit that», added Luis Riu.
Regarding America, the Spanish businessman explained that “we are currently building the Hotel in Toronto, and we have recently started work on another Hotel in Cancun, in the old El Pueblito. There will be 720 rooms in one of the last plots of land left in Cancun, as your media reported a few days ago,” referring to what was revealed by REPORTUR.mx (Cancun: Riu builds another Hotel on the ruins of El Pueblito
“El Pueblito is a Hotel that was left in ruins many years ago by a hurricane. There was a Palladium project and it was halted. We wanted to buy the Hotel that was right next to El Pueblito and I even spoke with Abel Matutes, but in the end we bought El Pueblito and we will build a Hotel in its ruins,” said the CEO of the most profitable holiday chain in the world.
Regarding Melody Maker, “which was the former Meliá Turquesa, we have been negotiating for two years, but the operation has not come to fruition. There are some creditors and it is difficult to close the operation,” explained Luis Riu.
Regarding New York, he reported that “work on the third Hotel on Broadway began with the demolition of the old building on the site and we have now begun excavation.”
