Deutsche Hospitality is uniting its flagship hotels under a new umbrella brand. The name "Steigenberger Icons" will be used in the future to position Steigenberger luxury hotels and resorts.

The first hotels to be designated as Steigenberger Icons are the Steigenberger Grandhotel & Spa Petersberg, Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof, Steigenberger Parkhotel Düsseldorf, Steigenberger Grandhotel Belvedere Davos, Steigenberger Wiltcher's in Brussels and Steigenberger Grandhotel Handelshof Leipzig.

The introduction of Steigenberger Icons will allow Deutsche Hospitality to set new benchmarks in the upscale hotel sector and continue to grow in Asia with its shareholder Huazhu. Huazhu plans to use Steigenberger Icons as a strategic vehicle to enter the luxury hotel segment in the Asian market.

Each Steigenberger Icon has its own inimitable story to tell. Arthur Conan Doyle worked on some of his 'Sherlock Holmes' stories while staying at the legendary Grandhotel Belvedere in Davos, where the World Economic Forum was also founded. Today, the hotel is the center of a young and modern Switzerland. There is the Frankfurter Hof, where the Rolling Stones once played soccer in the hallways and which today is a place where famous authors can meet up-and-coming artists.

Marcus Bernhardt, CEO of Deutsche Hospitality

The Steigenberger Grandhotel Petersberg is an incomparable place that combines a sense of world political history with a modern spa and wellness center. Then we have the Parkhotel on Königsallee 1a in Düsseldorf, the Handelshof in Leipzig and Steigenberger Wiltcher's, the center of social life in Brussels. Each of these hotels has its own architecture, service and history. In the best sense of the word, they are all living rooms of the cities they inhabit. They have local roots and international alignment and therefore meet all the criteria necessary to be an 'Icon'.

Spiridon Sarantopoulos will be responsible for the entire new luxury segment of the group, which includes the Steigenberger Icons brand. He will hold the newly created position of Vice President Luxury Hotels at Deutsche Hospitality, while continuing to be responsible for Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof as General Manager. His position as vice president of luxury hotels means that the general managers of the Steigenberger Icons will all report to him. Spiridon Sarantopoulos will report directly to Marcus Bernhardt.

Spiridon Sarantopoulos and the Steigenberger Icons will embody the expertise that Deutsche Hospitality is able to offer in the luxury sector as it continues to expand the brand.

Marcus Bernhardt, CEO of Deutsche Hospitality

Mr. Sarantopoulos can draw on many years of executive experience in the high-end hotel industry. His role as general manager of two of the new Steigenberger Icons also means that he already knows the brand and the luxury segment inside out.

Spiridon Sarantopoulos began his career at Deutsche Hospitality in 2008, when he was appointed general manager of the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof. He took over as general manager of the Steigenberger Grandhotel & Spa Petersberg in 2011 and also led the Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin in Stuttgart from 2012. From 2013, he acted as general manager of the central region of Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts. In 2017, he took over the reins of the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof alongside his role as area general manager. Prior to joining Deutsche Hospitality, Mr. Sarantopoulos worked as general manager in various hotels for Accor and was most recently employed by Sofitel.

I am very much looking forward to the challenge of setting new benchmarks in the luxury hotel segment through the Steigenberger Icons brand.

Spiridon Sarantopoulos, Vice President Luxury Hotels, Deutsche Hospitality