In 2022, Hyatt announced a collaboration with Lindner Hotels, in order to increase the brand’s footprint in Europe, and in particular, in Germany. The family-run German hotel group maintained control of its properties, but were integrated into Hyatt booking channels, and participated in the World of Hyatt program.
This included both Lindner Hotels, as well as me and all hotels (yes, it’s lowercase), which is Lindner’s more modern, lifestyle hotel brand. There’s now an interesting update, as Hyatt has announced that it has acquired the me and all hotels brand, and will use it to grow in Europe.
Hyatt buys me and all hotels to grow in Europe
Hyatt has just purchased me and all hotels from Lindner Hotel Group. The deal has already closed, though terms aren’t public. Currently, the me and all hotels group consists of six properties in central locations across Germany. However, Hyatt has big growth plans for the brand:
- While me and all hotels properties are currently part of the JdV by Hyatt brand, this will become its own Hyatt brand, within the global lifestyle portfolio
- There are already several me and all hotels properties in the pipeline, including in Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig, and Stuttgart, plus several additional deals in various stages of negotiations
- Now Hyatt plans to position me and all hotels as a conversion-friendly lifestyle brand for growth across Europe and beyond
Here’s how Hyatt describes the concept behind me and all hotels:
The me and all hotels brand combines outstanding guest satisfaction with a conversion-friendly development model in the desirable upscale lifestyle space, positioning it for scale and accelerated expansion across Europe and beyond.
me and all hotels combine central locations, urban design, leading-edge technology and vibrant public spaces. With casual flair, they appeal especially to city and business travelers as well as urban locals by enabling both social interaction and productive co-working sessions. Local heroes from the areas of gastronomy, music, art and start-ups provide constantly new, individual experiences with pop-up kitchens, a wide variety of events and sustainable products.
My take on Hyatt acquiring me and all hotels
When discussing the business side of the hotel industry, it’s always important to remember that us guests aren’t the actual customers of the major hotel groups. Rather, the customers are the property developers, and we are the “product” that they sell to their customers.
We’re seeing the major hotel groups create all kinds of new hotel brands lately, and in particular, there’s a big emphasis on conversion brands. With interest rates as high as they are, new construction is expensive, so the major hotel groups are instead going after existing hotels that either want to join a major hotel group, or want to switch the hotel group they belong to.
As much as I’m not a fan of hotel brand inflation, this actually seems pretty sensible. me and all hotels is kind of along the lines of Marriott’s Moxy and Aloft brands, as I see it. It’s an area where Hyatt doesn’t really have a competitive brand, so acquiring me and all hotels makes sense:
- It’s an existing brand with a cool design, and it’s probably not that expensive to acquire, given that it’s still small
- It gives Hyatt a footprint for growing in Europe, which is a market where Hyatt doesn’t have many budget friendly properties with personalities
Now, I think the only catch is that with me and all hotels being positioned as a conversion brand, the properties probably won’t all be of the same quality.
Bottom line
Hyatt has acquired me and all hotels from Lindner Hotels. While these properties are already partnering with World of Hyatt, Hyatt is now taking full control of the brand. This means that me and all hotels will become its own Hyatt brand (rather than part of the JdV by Hyatt brand), and will be used a conversion brand for many existing hotels.
I can see Hyatt’s logic for this acquisition, as Hyatt doesn’t really have a popular limited service lifestyle brand in Europe, and this seems to check those boxes.
What do you make of Hyatt acquiring me and all hotels?
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