Apple Leisure Group and NH Hotel Group announce strategic alliance to jointly operate beachfront resorts in Europe

Apple Leisure Group (ALG) and NH Hotel Group (NH) announced that the companies have formed a strategic alliance to bring AMResorts’ award-winning brands to Europe.

An ALG company, AMResorts will debut in Spain with its Secrets Resorts & Spas adults-only brand, and Dreams Resorts & Spas family-friendly brand, as well as introduce Amigo Hotels & Resorts, a new three-star brand offering a concept completely different to the collection’s existing offerings. AMResorts will oversee brand management and sales while NH will maintain operational management of the resorts. The first four hotels in AMResorts’ European portfolio are slated to open in Spain in 2019.

“Spain has an abundance of beach and leisure destinations as well as one of the strongest all-inclusive resort markets outside of the Caribbean,” said Alex Zozaya, CEO of Apple Leisure Group. “NH Hotel Group’s expertise in Europe made them the right partner to introduce AMResorts’ brands into the continent’s Mediterranean countries, with Spain as starting point of this strategic project.”

Ramon Aragonés, CEO of NH Hotel Group, added, “This alliance is the result of a long-standing relationship between both companies, and will combine the recognized brands and dynamic sales and marketing experience of the North American-based AMResorts, with NH’s extensive experience as a leading hotel operator in Europe and Latin America. The result is an attractive hotel partnership model, which has already proven successful in the Caribbean, and we will leverage each company’s strengths to surpass travelers’ expectations in Europe’s top destinations.”    

A Strong Partnership

The expansion into Europe marks the next phase of a long-standing partnership between AMResorts’ and NH, which began in 2011 when the companies established a similar model to open three resorts in the Dominican Republic.

Each company is widely recognized as a leader in their respective markets. NH operates nearly 400 hotels in 30 countries across its three brands: NH Collection, NH Hotels and nhow, and is a globally-recognized leader in the urban hotel segment. NH’s vast portfolio across many of Europe’s premier destinations includes 318 hotels representing nearly 50,000 rooms. The company is also the leading urban hotel operator in Spain, with more than 130 hotels in the country.

AMResorts is one of the fastest-growing luxury leisure travel companies in North America, with a pipeline of 52 open resorts and an additional 20 planned throughout Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. The company provides sales, marketing and brand management services for Zoëtry® Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets®, Breathless®, Dreams®, Now® and Sunscape® Resorts & Spas. It is one of six companies that comprise ALG, North America’s only vertically integrated hospitality company.

Growing Footprint

Through the alliance, the companies will evaluate both additional conversion opportunities as well as new builds to expand AMResorts’ footprint in Europe. AMResorts’ first four European properties will debut in 2019 in the destinations of Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Mallorca. The resorts will be conversions of existing hotels, which will undergo complete renovations to meet the standards of AMResorts’ brands.

“Spain is the gateway to the leisure segment in the Mediterranean Europe. As the second most visited country in the world in 2017, the time was right to expand our footprint across the Atlantic Ocean and into Europe, beginning in Spain. Through this partnership, NH Hotel Group is helping us enter the most competitive and popular destinations in this country, as well as in the rest of the Mediterranean markets, such as Italy where NH has a strong presence,” said Javier Coll, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Apple Leisure Group. “Strategic alliances allow us to utilize our expertise of the all-inclusive sector, while partnering with a local expert, like NH, to create more value, new brands and development opportunities for our owners.”

Catering to the European Market

In addition to introducing Secrets and Dreams Resorts & Spas in the market, AMResorts’ will introduce Amigo Hotels & Resorts, a three-star, all-inclusive resort brand. Catering to families and couples, the resort will emphasize a high caliber of service and quality-driven gastronomy program, while providing strong value for guests.

“Travelers visiting Spain’s premier beach and leisure destinations are seeking the perfect combination of service, amenities and a cost-conscious price point – this is the sweet spot of the Amigo brand,” said Gonzalo del Peon, AMResorts President. “With the brand mix we are introducing, we will cater to a wide variety of guests, whether traveling for a romantic weekend or energetic escape.”   

To learn more about the alliance between ALG and NH, as well as hotel development opportunities in the luxury all-inclusive space, please visit www.algdevelopment.com.

About Apple Leisure Group

Apple Leisure Group® is a leading hospitality company holding a unique niche in the U.S. travel industry. Its vertically integrated business model and robust infrastructure leverages the expertise of its innovative companies to deliver exceptional value to savvy travelers and strong resort performance to owners. ALG’s award-winning companies include: Apple Vacations®, the world’s largest tour operator to Mexico and the Dominican Republic; Travel Impressions®, a prominent  U.S. wholesaler possessing an extensive global portfolio; CheapCaribbean.com®, a popular online travel agency specializing in luxury vacation packages and resort accommodations in Mexico and the Caribbean; AMResorts®, provider of marketing and brand management services to six luxury resort brands; Amstar DMC®, a destination management company offering premium airport transfers, tours and excursions; Unlimited Vacation Club®, AMResorts’ popular guest loyalty program for discerning travelers who expect the very best in a vacation experience; and Trisept Solutions, a modern technology operating suite that connects over 88,000 agents with leading travel suppliers. For more information on Apple Leisure Group, visit www.algdevelopment.com.

About AMResorts

Apple Leisure Group® is a leading hospitality company in the North American travel industry. Its vertically integrated business model and robust infrastructure leverages the expertise of six innovative subsidiaries to deliver exceptional value to savvy travelers and strong resort performance to owners. ALG’s award-winning companies include: AMResorts®, provider of hotel brand management services under six luxury resort brands; Apple Vacations®, a tour operator primarily for destinations in Mexico and the Dominican Republic; Travel Impressions®, a prominent U.S. wholesaler possessing an extensive global portfolio; CheapCaribbean.com®, a popular online travel agency specializing in luxury vacation packages and resort accommodations in Mexico and the Caribbean; Amstar DMC, a destination management company offering premium airport transfers, tours and excursions; and Unlimited Vacation Club®, AMResorts’ popular guest loyalty program for discerning travelers who expect the very best in a vacation experience. For more information on Apple Leisure Group®, visit www.appleleisuregroup.com.

About NH Hotel Group

NH Hotel Group is a world-leading urban hotel operator and a consolidated multinational player. It operates close to 400 hotels and almost 60,000 rooms in 30 markets across Europe, America and Africa, including top city destinations such as Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Bogota, Brussels, Buenos Aires, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, Munich, New York, Rome and Vienna. As a responsible company and benchmark in the hospitality industry, NH Hotel Group offers hotel services that anticipate to the needs of all its stakeholders: employees, customers, suppliers, shareholders, society and the environment, caring for every detail and providing efficient and sustainable solutions.