A year after taking over the Balladins brand, the new management team, made up of two former executives, Fabrice Beyer and David Morel, is aiming to rebuild a destabilised network. Founded in 1985, the budget hotel chain has experienced ups and downsThis was particularly true since its acquisition in 2007 by Dynamique Hotels Management (DHM), a DHM group whose ambition was to develop the brand through numerous acquisitions. However, the 2008 crisis led to financial difficulties, resulting in the resale of assets that had often been bought at a high price and a limited focus on renovations, before the brand was sold in June 2018.
"Our first job was to explain our project to the hoteliers, what we wanted to do with the brand and what we wanted to achieve.explains Fabrice Beyer, Balladins Sales and Marketing Director. This means implementing a strategy based on a solid network and on hoteliers who represent the future of the chain as we see it."In this context, the new management team has set out to address a number of issues: a lack of clarity in the offering with a single brand encompassing both two- and three-star hotels, city-centre and out-of-town hotels, with or without a restaurant. "For our customers, it was difficult to find their way around this product."says the new director.
As a result, the current range of some forty establishments has been subdivided into four shades These are Initial by Balladins, which groups together budget establishments based on the original concept; Authentic by Balladins, with charming regional hotel-restaurants; Urban by Balladins, for hotels located near railway stations and business centres; and Inspiration by Balladins, with mid-range boutique hotels. There is also the My Home range for long stays. "These names speak for themselves, in both French and English, so that we can exploit these same brands on international markets, our medium-term objective."explains Fabrice Beyer.
"We met quite a few hoteliers whose products didn't match what we were offering and who didn't see any added value in joining us.he says. With the Urban, Inspiration and Authentic shades, we can go beyond the classic Balladins offer."To support its expansion, the chain is now offering a brand licence to help independent hotels meet the challenges of online distribution and new technologies. "Balladins' strength lies in its ability to develop small hotels with fewer than 40 rooms and to franchise larger establishments."says Fabrice Beyer.
If the 100 hotels by 2023 is the stated ambition, the channel is not setting it in stone. "We prefer to move at a slower pace, but with quality establishments that are like us.says Fabrice Beyer. In the past, Balladins has suffered too much from all-out growth with small and large hotels, two and three stars."Initially, barring opportunities abroad, the chain will concentrate its development on France, particularly in areas where the brand still has little presence, such as Brittany and the Eastern France region, as well as the inner suburbs of Paris.
