One hundred years old. The Centaurus Group, owner of the upmarket Maison Albar boutique hotels, is celebrating this venerable age with a show of its full vigour. Founded in 1923 by a family who came up from the Aveyron to open their first hotel in Paris - and now in its fourth generation at the helm with Céline Falco, née Albar - the group is taking its 1,600 employees on a sporting challenge. It's a race across France that will link all the Group's establishments in France, from Paris to Nice, the same city where, at the end of the year, it will launch its first hotel. the new flagship for the Maison Albar collectionLe Victoria, one of the city's finest hotels, with 132 rooms, a vast spa and a rooftop offering unrivalled views over the Greater Mediterranean.
Because this challenge, organised by SPART, a company specialising in sports and health, and sponsored by swimmer Camille Lacourt, is also looking to the future. Before arriving in Nice for this flagship opening, the runners will pass through Brussels, Colmar and ChamonixThese are all cities where the group will soon be opening new hotels. At the same time, the funds raised through this solidarity race will help to finance a hotel school in Côte d'Ivoire, where Centarus is preparing to open two hotels by 2025, one in the heart of Abidjan, in the Plateau business district, and the other, an ecolodge for leisure travellers.
The launch of the Tousen100ble challenge at the beginning of January was an opportunity for Céline Falco, Founding Managing Director of the Centaurus / Maison Albar Hotels group, to look back at the latest developments in her group, which now has around forty hotels. 2022 was a year of recovery after the pandemic, and the group's gastronomic ambitions were recognised when it was awarded a second Michelin star in Nîmes for the Duende restaurant at Maison Albar L'Imperator, supervised by Pierre Gagnaire, as well as a macaron at Maison Albar Le Monumental in Porto.
Major acquisitions in Rome and Brussels
On the hotel front, the year was marked by several major acquisitions, including those ofa legendary hotel in Brussels, the Métropoleand the century-old Hotel Giulio Cesare in Rome. " A destination close to our heartssaid Céline Falco. The hotel has just closed its doors for two years of renovation work" . Located just a few steps from Piazza del Popolo, it will reopen in 2024 and become part of the Maison Albar portfolio.
Launched seven years ago, this collection of luxury hotels comprises boutique hotels with around a hundred rooms, or even fewer since the future Maison Cassandre, which is due to open next September in the 17th arrondissemente Parisian district has only 37 keys. From then on, the 250-room Métropole was no longer part of this framework, but became part of the Kimpton luxury and lifestyle brand, of the IHG Groupafter a major renovation phase. The Centaurus group will be spending around €50 million to restore this legendary hotel overlooking the Place de Brouckère to its former glory. There will be elegant rooms, a restaurant and bar, and beautiful reception rooms. But no more omnibuses or gentlemen in gibus.
