Relais & Châteaux: "Strong demand for more intimate hotels"

More dependent than other hoteliers from foreign customers, the Relais & Châteaux establishments hope to be able to count on French reservations this summer. Since the government's announcements on May 28, restoring free movement throughout the territory and authorizing the reopening of restaurants, sales of gift boxes have soared and the demand for private villas has been felt.

In light of the government's announcements last Thursday, what is your state of mind?

Philippe Gombert (President of Relais & Châteaux): For the first time in three months, we are seeing a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. We know that everything depends on the health development of the country, but we see that the situation is improving. The opening of restaurants and the lifting of traffic restrictions made to the French will help revive the hotel business. Imagining that Parisians could be deprived of vacation was very worrying, even though we have to deal with the absence of foreigners. The good news is that Parisians and residents of large cities, who are our primary source of vacationers, can regain complete freedom of movement. The only thing missing is the opening of Parisian restaurants.

Can the absence of foreign customers, at least outside European countries, penalize Relais & Châteaux more than other players in the hotel industry?

Foreign customers represent on average 50% of our activity over a year. For establishments on the Côte d'Azur, this probably weighs a little heavier. We have a lot of English, Americans, but also Belgians, Germans or Swiss. In any case, foreign customers are essential in the long term. Our little hope is to see Europeans coming by car this summer. Whatever happens, the year 2020 will be a catastrophic year, even assuming that we have a short season in July, August and September. We will not be able to make up for eight months of activity in three months. However, difficulties than other players in the hotel industry. Today, it is not the money that is lacking, it is the freedom to come and go. After three months of dead calm, we even feel a boom in activity on gift boxes for two weeks. To date, 83,000 boxes are ready to be spent in our network.

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The Baumanière site (Les Baux de Provence) L. Parrault

Where are the reservations at Relais & Châteaux establishments? Have you noticed any changes in the stays people are booking this year?

For the moment, the level of reservations is still far below what we usually know, about half as much. But the establishments that have reopened feel an air rush. The desire is there. It was enough that the uncertainties linked to the movement of people in France were lifted. Those who book allow us to perceive two trends: on the one hand less roaming, since the stays booked are longer - from four to six days, against two nights usually - and on the other hand a strong demand for a form of hotel more intimate and private, especially for villas with hotel services.