Auberge Resorts Collection To Manage Grace Hotels As Result Of A Strategic Partnership With Libra Group

MILL VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Auberge Resorts LLC announced today that the company has entered into a strategic partnership with the Libra Group, owners of Grace Hotels. Auberge will welcome five award-winning Grace properties in Europe and the northeastern United States into the Auberge Resorts Collection portfolio. Expansion from additional properties currently under development will further enhance the portfolio over the next two years. The existing Grace properties and those in the pipeline will be branded under the Auberge Resorts Collection name and managed by the Auberge team.

The expanded Auberge portfolio will provide luxury travelers with exceptional resorts that capture the local character and environment of some of the world's most sought-after destinations. Among them, the iconic Grace Santorini, overlooking the Aegean and perennially voted among the best hotels in Europe; the historic Mayflower Inn & Spa, a luxurious retreat in the Connecticut countryside; and in 2020, an exquisite lakeside hotel in the heart of the world's most glamorous ski destination – St. Moritz. With the addition of the Grace properties, Auberge Resorts Collection further establishes itself as one of the top international portfolios of ultra-luxury hotels in the world.

In the next 90 days, the Grace properties in Mykonos and Santorini, Greece, along with the Mayflower Inn & Spa in Washington, Conn.; White Barn Inn & Spa in Kennebunk, Maine; and the Vanderbilt Hotel in Newport, R.I. will join Auberge Resorts Collection. Over the next few years, the collection will scale even further with the addition of other properties that are under development in Athens, Kalamata, Kea and a second resort in Santorini, Greece; Marrakech, Morocco; Buenos Aires, Argentina; as well as St. Moritz, Switzerland.

As part of the agreement, the Libra Group will have a strategic interest in Auberge Resorts Collection, establishing a relationship between two family-owned companies that share a passion for the highest quality experiences and advancing Auberge's vision for creating a collection of the best-loved luxury properties in the world.

"Our strategic partnership with the Libra Group will expand our portfolio of acclaimed properties and build on Auberge Resorts Collection's reputation as a premier hospitality brand," said Dan Friedkin, Chairman, Auberge Resorts Collection. "With the Logothetis family, we have found likeminded partners who share our desire to deliver exceptional quality and unparalleled guest experiences."   

"Auberge Resorts Collection's reputation for operational excellence, and our shared passion for creating intimate and elegant hotels made this a compelling opportunity for us," added George Logothetis, Chairman and CEO of the Libra Group. "The hotels are in extremely good hands with Auberge, whose existing and pipeline properties are highly complementary with our hotels. This is a testament to the shared thinking between our organizations. With our new strategic interest, we look forward to participating in the next chapter of Auberge Resorts Collection story." 

"Auberge is a brand that focuses on unique experiences of the highest quality," said Craig Reid, Chief Executive Officer, Auberge Resorts Collection. "Our dedication to crafted luxury strikes a chord with travelers who seek custom amenities and authentic experiences that are unique to each setting. We are thrilled to give guests the opportunity to experience the expanded Auberge Resorts Collection brand in more exceptional destinations around the globe."

Plans are underway to integrate the properties into the Auberge Resorts Collection and welcome the Grace employees into the Auberge family over the next three months. Following the transaction with Libra, Auberge Resorts Collection will include:

*Added to Auberge Resorts Collection as part of strategic partnership with Libra Group

United States
Operating Hotels
Auberge du Soleil, Napa Valley
Calistoga Ranch, Napa Valley
Element 52, Telluride, Colorado
Hotel Jerome, Aspen
Madeline Hotel, Telluride, Colorado
Mayflower Inn & Spa, Connecticut*
Solage, Napa Valley
Vanderbilt Hotel, Newport, Rhode Island*
White Barn Inn & Spa, Maine*

Properties Currently Under Development
Auberge Beach Residences, Fort Lauderdale (opening 2018)
Bishop's Lodge, Santa Fe (opening 2019)
Commodore Perry Estate, Austin (opening 2020)
Mauna Lani, Hawaii (opening 2019)
The Lodge at Blue Sky, Park City (opening 2019)

Mexico, Caribbean, Central & South America
Operating Hotels
Chileno Bay, Los Cabos, Mexico
Esperanza, Los Cabos, Mexico
Hacienda AltaGracia, Costa Rica
Malliouhana, Anguilla
Mukul, Nicaragua

Properties Currently Under Development
Buenos Aires, Argentina*
Susurros del Corazon, Punta de Mita, Mexico (opening 2020)

Europe & Africa
Operating Hotels
Mykonos, Greece*
Santorini, Greece*

Properties Currently Under Development
Athens, Greece*
Kalamata, Greece*
Kea, Greece*
Marrakech, Morocco*
2^nd Hotel in Santorini, Greece*
St. Moritz, Switzerland*

Asia Pacific
Operating Hotels
Nanuku, Fiji

Properties Currently Under Development
Koh Samui, Thailand*

About Auberge Resorts Collection
Auberge Resorts Collection is a portfolio of extraordinary hotels, resorts, residences and private clubs. While each Auberge property possesses a unique individuality, all share a crafted approach to luxury that is expressed through captivating design, exceptional cuisine and spas, and gracious yet unobtrusive service. Properties in the Auberge Resorts Collection include: Auberge du Soleil,  Calistoga Ranch and Solage, Napa Valley; Esperanza and Chileno Bay, Los Cabos, Mexico; Hotel Jerome, Aspen; Malliouhana, Anguilla; Nanuku, Fiji; Madeline Hotel and Element 52, Telluride, Colorado; Hacienda AltaGracia, Costa Rica; Mukul, Guacalito, Nicaragua; the Mayflower Inn & Spa, Washington, Conn.; White Barn Inn & Spa, Kennebunk, Maine; the Vanderbilt Hotel, Newport, R.I.; Grace Santorini and Mykonos, Greece; Auberge Beach Residences and Spa, Fort Lauderdale (opening Autumn 2018); The Lodge at Blue Sky, Park City, Utah (opening Spring 2019); Bishop's Lodge, Santa Fe, New Mexico (opening Summer 2019); Mauna Lani, Hawaii (opening late 2019); Commodore Perry Estate, Austin; and Susurros del Corazon, Punta de Mita, Mexico (opening 2020), with several others in development. For more information about Auberge Resorts Collection, please visit www.aubergeresorts.com. Follow Auberge Resorts Collection on Facebook at facebook.com/AubergeResorts and on Twitter and Instagram at @AubergeResorts. 

About The Friedkin Group
The Friedkin Group is comprised of a consortium of automotive, hospitality, entertainment, golf and adventure companies. These organizations include: Gulf States Toyota, GSFSGroup, GSM, US AutoLogistics, Ascent Automotive Group, Auberge Resorts Collection, Imperative Entertainment, 30WEST, NEON, Diamond Creek Golf Club, Congaree and Legendary Adventures. The Friedkin Group is led by Chairman and CEO Dan Friedkin. For more information, visit www.friedkin.com. 

The Libra Group and Grace Hotels
Libra Group (www.libra.com) is an international business group owned by the Logothetis family and active in 35 countries across six continents. It is focused on six core sectors: aviation, energy, hospitality, real estate, shipping, and diversified investments. In addition to Grace Hotels (www.gracehotels.com), the Libra Group's hospitality interests include Aria Hotels, a niche hotel and villas management company with properties in Greece and Spain; and Elandis, a global real estate ownership and development company with a diverse portfolio which includes hospitality assets.

SOURCE Auberge Resorts Collection