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Briefs: Thomas Cook rescue? | Two (more) Raffles

New brand for Brøchner: Denmark-based hostel chain Brøchner Hotels will open a design-based hostel in Aarhus in 2020: Book1 will be housed in a 1934-era library building with bars, food court and events. The name is a reference to the building’s former use but also “refers to booking one bed, an entire dorm or perhaps one of the rooms or suites,” according to the company’s CEO, Nickolas Krabbe Bjerg. The 452 beds include private bunkbeds pods, private double rooms or a suite. An app includes key card, bill payment, and mobile check-in and -out. The company plans to develop additional hostels in Denmark, but none is in the pipeline yet.

Thomas Cook in talks with Fosun: Struggling package vacation company Thomas Cook is in talks with Chinese conglomerate Fosun about a possible £750 million (US$939.8 million) rescue deal. Fosun, which also owns Club Med in addition to a current 18% stake in Thomas Cook, would get a majority share in the business.

Read more in the Guardian

Naumi acquires in NZ: Singapore-based owner and operator Naumi Hotels acquired a second hotel in Queenstown, New Zealand, the Central Ridge Boutique Hotel, after its recent purchase of The Dairy Private Hotel. The guest rooms and facilities will undergo a phased renovation, scheduled to complete in 2020. Naumi now owns or manages manage seven hotels in Singapore, New Zealand and Australia.

Swiss company aims at local market: Geneva-based property business Valotel Holding (Suisse) SA has restructured to focus on development, asset management and hotel management in the fragmented Swiss market and has launched an investment strategy with 100 million francs (US$101.2 million) in assets. The company is targeting a return of more than 10% through transactions and management of budget to mid-scale hotel assets in urban and suburban locations attracting primarily business guests.

Raffles adds two: Accor added two new Raffles brands to its burgeoning pipeline – the Raffles Bali, set to open in 2020, and Raffles Sentosa Resort & Spa Singapore, planned for 2022. Raffles Bali will be in Jimbaran Bay, with 32 private villas, each with its own pool. It is owned by PT Jimbaran Greenhill. The Raffles Sentosa will join the original Raffles in Singapore as an all-villa hotel, each with their own pool and terrace.

Sonder investment round: San Francisco-based serviced apartment provider Sonder raised US$225 million in its latest round of financing, the company said, with investors including Valor Equity and Nicolas Pritzker. It has more than 8,500 spaces in 20 cities in the U.S. and elsewhere, and says it expects to show US$400 million revenue by year-end, quadrupling year-over-year growth.

Read more at Tech Crunch

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