Hard Rock Hotel Brand Moves Into Europe
MADRID, Spain, February 07, 2006. In the latest sign of the growing globalization of the hotel business, the Hard Rock Hotel brand, which has properties open or in development in Chicago, New York, and San Diego, will open a 192-room hotel in Madrid this summer.
The Madrid hotel, a conversion of a historic building, will be centrally located near Parliament, the Prado Museum, Retiro Park, and other business and cultural points of interest.
Hard Rock Hotels is a joint venture between Hard Rock Cafe International, which operates the brand's cafes and casinos, and Sol Melia, SA, a Spain-based international hotel company. The joint venture is called Lifestar Hotels, LLC.
In recent weeks, U.S.-based Hilton Hotels Corp. has acquired the Hilton International brand and U.S.-based Colony Capital and Riyadh-based Kingdom Hotels International have acquired Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and plan to combine it with Singapore-based Raffles Hotels & Resorts.
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