 | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality |
| Founded | 1960; 65 years ago (1960) |
| Headquarters | |
Number of locations | 324 (2022) |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Wolfgang M. Neumann (President &CEO) |
| Owner | |
| Website | www |
Radisson Blu is an international hotel brand managed and operated byRadisson Hotels, and owned byChoice Hotels,Jinjiang International and theRadisson Hotel Group. Founded as the SAS Hotels in 1960, the Radisson Blu brand name came into existence in 2006 with a rebranding of Radisson SAS. It operates in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region with 324 operating worldwide as of 2022[update].[6]
SAS Hotels has roots dating to the opening of the then namedSAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1960. ArchitectArne Jacobsen designed every aspect of the hotel for theSAS Group, from the building, to the now-iconic furniture (including theEgg chair), to the tableware.[7]: 378–379 The hotel was initially operated by the catering division of the group, but merged with the hospitality division to become SAS Catering and Hotels.[7]: 379 In 1982, the hotels were spun off as a separate division, operating under the name SAS International Hotels.[8][7]: 379 [8]
In 1994, Radisson SAS Hotels was created, as a partnership between Radisson Hotels International and SAS International Hotels, for operations inEurope, the Middle East and Africa.[8] By the year 2000, the brand was operating 100 hotels.[9]
In 2009, the partnership with SAS ended and the Radisson SAS properties were rebranded as Radisson Blu.[10] The name ‘Blu’ was chosen as part of a research project to find a new visual identity as the company sought to replace the familiar SAS blue box.[9]
Radisson Blu entered the United States market with the opening of its first hotel inChicago, Illinois in 2011. The hotel occupies part of theAqua skyscraper developed byStudio Gang Architects.[11] In 2013, it opened its second location. It was connected to theMall of America inBloomington, Minnesota.[12] In 2010, Radisson Blu was named the largest upper upscale hotel chain in Europe.[13]
Radisson Blu hotels are mainly located in major cities, key airport gateways and leisure destinations. It is described as an "upper upscale" hotel brand.[14]
Media related toRadisson Blu at Wikimedia Commons
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