Dieter Müller, CEO of the design-led, budget hotel brand Motel One has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 19th International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) in Berlin this week.
Dieter Müller trained as a trade clerk at BMW before joining Novotel Germany in 1975. By 1980 he was CFO for the German, Austrian and Swiss markets at Novotel and then CEO of Accor Gastronomie AG in Dusseldorf. Following his role with Accor, he set up Astron hotels growing an initial portfolio of three properties to 54 hotels. Astron Hotels was bought by NH Hotels in 2002.
Müller, as founder and CEO, started all over again and created with his experienced team the concept of “budget design hotels” with Motel One. His current challenge is the continued European expansion of one of the largest brands in the budget sector in Germany. The current objectives for the group include an aim to reach 75 hotels from the current 53 by 2018.
Commenting on receiving the award, Müller said: “I am truly thrilled to have received this award from the IHIF. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the highly motivated and supportive team at Motel One. We will continue building the Motel One brand across Europe whilst maintaining the same philosophy of delivering high quality design in excellent locations at attractive prices.”
Tess Pearson, Event Director, Questex Media Group, hosts of IHIF commented: “Selecting the recipient of the IHIF Lifetime Achievement Award is a difficult but ultimately highly enjoyable process. We felt the growth, quality and success of Motel Once in such a relatively short timeframe, under Dieter Müller‘s leadership, deserved to be recognised by the international hotel community”.
Following two recent hotel openings in Newcastle and Munich the budget design hotel brand has a busy year ahead with a further three city centre hotels opening in Basel, Stuttgart and Freiburg. Business and leisure guests alike will benefit from central locations, unique design and great quality. Each new opening will follow their trusted motto “Great design for little money”.