Company History

Worldhotels is the longest established Europe-based hotel group for independent hotels and regional brands worldwide. The company’s portfolio consists of almost 500 affiliate properties in over 250 destinations in 65 countries worldwide. The brand Worldhotels was established in 2005, yet the roots of the company can be traced back to 1970.

In 1970, the Frankfurt-based Steigenberger Hotel Group launched a reservation system to help keep Europe’s independent hotels competitive in an increasingly aggressive global market. By the end of the decade, Steigenberger Reservation Service, later known as SRS Hotels, was firmly established as a global player in the hospitality industry.

The 1980s was a decade of great technological advancement for SRS Hotels. As a pioneer in hotel reservations technology, it developed its own reservations system, named Trust.

SRS stepped into the 1990s with a rapidly increasing portfolio. The reservations system Trust was eventually connected to the world’s airlines’ Global Distribution Systems (GDS). In 1998, the company changed its name to SRS-Worldhotels.

The new millennium brought about substantial progress for the company. In January 2005, the organisation was rebranded and it became Worldhotels. At the end of 2007, KP Capital became the majority shareholder in Worldhotels AG.  This step further enhanced and streamlined Worldhotels service offerings which include the reservation system, Trust, the training company, IFH, and the sales management company, Nexus. Together, these companies operate today under the same umbrella company IHS founded by KP Capital. 

Ever since the company’s foundation nearly 40 years ago, it has continued to embrace progress. And throughout this time, Worldhotels’ fundamental mission has not changed. Its aim is to provide unique hotels for unique people.