janwillem

Question from someone who enjoys luxury hotels but who does not have much knowledge about the hotel business. I am just curious: What is involved in reflagging a hotel and how difficult is it? Often on this board I see statements that hotels are being reflagged to another brand as it is something straightforward. How does it work? Is it 'just' refurbishing and training staff regarding new procedures? Is that enough to get that MO, FS, PH etc 'feeling'? I can imagine that certain reflagging combinations are particulalry easy/challenging, is that the case?

scented

One could probably write a book about this topic. Usually management contracts are long-term contracts, not rare to see 20-30 years. Relatively difficult to get out, there are a few ways, for example when the owner is unwilling to invest or when the property is sold. A sale is one of the top reasons for a reflag, as invariably many owners have a different vision for their hotel and often revenue expectations.

Not difficult to reflag, can be as simple as a soft refurbishment (think a few pillows plus branded items), but often involves major investment. A reflag is often just a symptom of a major change of direction for a certain hotel.

There are a few interesting examples posted here, for example former MO Las Vegas, former FS Tokyo, former FS Canary Wharf, former Aman Hacienda de San Antonio, former Azerai Luang Prabang, former St Regis Dubai ...

Kage would be the expert for some interesting data points here.

offerendum

Totally depends. For excample Regent Berlin was a FS before. They still use the FS linens etc. I once had a stay at PH Aviara a few days after reflag from FS and it seemed they only changed the signs, they even honored the FSPP rate. Sometimes reflag is connected with major renovations, for excample FS Athens (Westen and Luxury Collection before) seems to be nearly a new hotel.

kevinwijatno

Unfortunately, as offerendum said, it totally depends. The hard products can be reflagged in phases. If the brand is changing from that of a similar category, the beddings, linens, bath products, tend to be of the same standard; and subsequently can be changed in the next capital cycle. If it's an upgrade, then new products must be ordered and in place immediately. In addition, infrastructure must be redesigned and then built often involving closure of the hotel.

The soft product, i.e. staff/service, often needs a longer lead time and more difficult to adjust. I must point out though that often the IT integration is tricky; even if the property is using Opera PMS, more often than not they are of a different "shell" and hence needing a migration and interfacing during a night audit process.

#source : yours truly who's in the hotel line with the experience of doing a number of deflag, reflag, opening, and closing.