German hotel group Deutsche Hospitality is uniting its flagship Steigenberger properties under a new umbrella brand, Steigenberger Icons.

A new luxury hotel brand has been unveiled by one of Europe’s biggest hospitality groups.

A brand to support future growth

Deutsche Hospitality has announced the introduction of Steigenberger Icons, a brand that’ll help improve the positioning of exceptionally luxurious properties from its Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts portfolio that stand out thanks to their elevated aspirations, locations and historic backgrounds.

Steigenberger Grandhotel & Spa Petersberg, Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof, Steigenberger Parkhotel Düsseldorf, Steigenberger Grandhotel Belvédère Davos, Steigenberger Wiltcher’s in Brussels and Steigenberger Grandhotel Handelshof Leipzig are the first hotels to join this new collection.

“Every Steigenberger Icon has its own inimitable story to tell,” said Marcus Bernhardt, CEO of Deutsche Hospitality. “Arthur Conan Doyle worked on some of his Sherlock Holmes stories whilst staying at the legendary Grandhotel Belvédère in Davos, where the World Economic Forum was also founded. Today, the hotel is the hub of a young and modern Switzerland.

“There is the Frankfurter Hof, where the Rolling Stones once played football in the corridors and which now provides a venue where famous authors can meet up-and-coming artists. The Steigenberger Grandhotel Petersberg is a peerless location, which combines a sense of world political history with a modern spa and wellness.

“Then we have the Parkhotel at Königsallee 1a in Düsseldorf, the Handelshof in Leipzig and Steigenberger Wiltcher’s, the centrepiece of social life in Brussels. Each of these hotels has its own unique architecture, service and history. In the best sense of the term, they are all the living rooms of the cities they inhabit. They have local roots and an international alignment and thus fulfil all the criteria necessary to be an ‘Icon’.”

The brand will enable Deutsche Hospitality to pursue growth opportunities in Asia; the company’s shareholder Huazhu Group plans to employ Steigenberger Icons as a vehicle that will allow it to move into the luxury hotel category within Asian markets.

Leadership of Deutsche Hospitality’s luxury segment

Deutsche Hospitality’s new luxury segment, of which Steigenberger Icons forms a part, will be led by Spiridon Sarantopoulos. In the newly created position of vice president luxury hotels at Deutsche Hospitality, he’ll oversee all the general managers of Steigenberger Icons properties, while also continuing in his role as general manager of Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof.

“Spiridon Sarantopoulos and Steigenberger Icons will embody the expertise Deutsche Hospitality is able to deliver in the luxury sector as he goes on to expand the brand further,” said CEO Marcus Bernhardt. “Mr Sarantopoulos is able to look back on many years of executive experience in the high-end hotel business. His role as general manager of two of the new Steigenberger Icons also means that he is already completely familiar with the brand and the luxury segment.”

Sarantopoulos first joined Deutsche Hospitality in 2008 as general manager of Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof. He became general manager of Steigenberger Grandhotel & Spa Petersberg in 2011 and from 2012 also led Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin in Stuttgart. In 2013, he became central region area general manager for Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts and in 2017 added leadership of Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof to this role. Before joining Deutsche Hospitality, Sarantopoulos undertook several roles with Accor and Sofitel.

“I am very much looking forward to the challenge of setting new benchmarks in the luxury hotel segment via the Steigenberger Icons brand,” said Sarantopoulos. “This is a significant step along the pathway to becoming one of Europe’s top three hotel companies.”

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