Hi! Hotels International

Hi! Hotels International was a Spanish hotel management company founded in December 2006 by the British travel group My Travel. It managed a portfolio of leased 3- and 4-star beach hotels and apartment complexes in the Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza) and on the Costa del Sol, marketed under the 'Hi!' brand. The properties themselves were owned by the Spanish Grupo Optursa-Hoteles Globales, which had signed a 15-year lease with My Travel in 2000; after periods of third-party management by Hotetur and Optursa, My Travel took direct control in 2006 and created Hi! Hotels International as the operating vehicle. Following the 2007 merger of My Travel and Thomas Cook, Hi! Hotels International became part of Thomas Cook Group. At its peak around 2010 the brand covered roughly 26 establishments, including hotels such as Hi! Mimosa, Hi! Honolulu, Hi! Lancaster, Hi! Panoramic, Hi! Don Pedro, Hi! Bouganvilla, Hi! Cala'n Bosch, Hi! Marina Apartamentos, Hi! Cala Blanca, Hi! Los Delfines, Hi! Binimar Apartamentos and Hi! Gardenia Park. These were positioned as affordable, family-friendly holiday hotels, with the official website promoting 'Hoteles de Playa' (beach hotels), offers, children's facilities and group/incentive business. In 2015 Thomas Cook renovated nine of the Mallorca and Menorca properties — more than 1,500 rooms — and rebranded them under its own international concepts: Smartline (Cala'n Bosch, Lancaster, Marina), SunConnect (Los Delfines), Sunprime (Cala Blanca) and Sentido (Don Pedro, Cala Viñas). The 'Hi!' brand ceased to be used in the Balearics from that point. The company itself disappeared with the collapse of Thomas Cook Group, which entered liquidation on 23 September 2019. In January 2020 the property owner Hoteles Globales (Optursa Management S.L.) resumed operation of seven of the hotels — two in Mallorca and five in Menorca — leaving only the Panoramic hotel in Mallorca under third-party lease. The hihotels.net domain survives as a legacy booking and information site for the remaining associated properties.

The origins of Hi! Hotels International lie in a 15-year lease agreement signed in 2000 between the Spanish property group Optursa-Hoteles Globales and the British travel company My Travel. Under the arrangement, Optursa leased a portfolio of holiday hotels to My Travel. During the first two years the Spanish company itself operated the properties; between 2002 and 2004 management was handled by Hotetur, and in 2005 it returned to Grupo Optursa-Hoteles Globales. In 2006 My Travel decided to manage the leased establishments directly rather than through third parties, and in December of that year it created Hi! Hotels International as the operating company. The 'Hi!' brand was applied to the portfolio, which grew to around 26 establishments located in Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and the Costa del Sol. The hotels were generally 3- and 4-star beach properties and apartment complexes aimed at the package-holiday market. In 2007 My Travel merged with Thomas Cook, and Hi! Hotels International became part of the newly formed Thomas Cook Group. The brand continued to operate through the late 2000s and early 2010s, with the official website listing destinations in Mallorca, Menorca and the Costa del Sol and promoting offers, group and incentive business, and services for travel agents. A turning point came in 2015, when Thomas Cook carried out a major renovation of nine of the Mallorca and Menorca hotels, covering more than 1,500 rooms, and reorganised them under its own international brands: Smartline (Cala'n Bosch, Lancaster and Marina), SunConnect (Los Delfines), Sunprime (Cala Blanca) and Sentido (Don Pedro and Cala Viñas). As a result, the 'Hi!' brand ceased to be used in the Balearic Islands. The company's fate was sealed by the collapse of Thomas Cook Group, which entered liquidation on 23 September 2019 and ceased operations, directly affecting the hotels it operated in Spain. In January 2020 Hoteles Globales (Optursa Management S.L.), the owner of the buildings, took back the operation of seven of the hotels — two in Mallorca and five in Menorca — leaving only the Panoramic hotel in Mallorca leased to a third party. The hihotels.net website remains online as a legacy portal for the associated properties.

• 2020

  In January, Hoteles Globales (Optursa Management S.L.) resumes operation of seven hotels — two in Mallorca and five in Menorca.

• 2019

  Thomas Cook Group enters liquidation on 23 September, ending the company's operations.

• 2015

  Thomas Cook renovates nine Mallorca and Menorca hotels (over 1,500 rooms) and rebrands them under Smartline, SunConnect, Sunprime and Sentido; the 'Hi!' brand is retired in the Balearics.

• 2007

  My Travel merges with Thomas Cook; Hi! Hotels International becomes part of Thomas Cook Group.

• 2006

  My Travel creates Hi! Hotels International in December to manage the hotels directly.

• 2005

  Management returns to Grupo Optursa-Hoteles Globales.

• 2002

  Hotetur takes over management of the leased properties (until 2004).

• 2000

  Grupo Optursa-Hoteles Globales signs a 15-year lease with My Travel for a portfolio of Spanish holiday hotels.

Affordable, family-oriented beach holiday hotels and apartments in Spanish resort destinations, sold through tour operators and direct booking.

• Hi! Mimosa Park Hotel (Palmanova, Mallorca)

• Hi! Honolulu Hotel (Magalluf, Mallorca)

• Hi! Lancaster Hotel (Playa de Palma, Mallorca)

• Hi! Panoramic Hotel (Alcudia, Mallorca)

• Hi! Don Pedro Hotel (Cala San Vicente, Mallorca)

• Hi! Bouganvilla Hotel (Sa Coma, Mallorca)

• Hi! Cala'n Bosch Hotel (Ciudadela, Menorca)

• Hi! Marina Apartamentos (Cala'n Bosch, Menorca)

• Hi! Cala Blanca Hotel (Ciudadela, Menorca)

• Hi! Los Delfines Hotel and Apartamentos (Cala'n Blanes, Menorca)

• Hi! Binimar Apartamentos (Cala'n Blanes, Menorca)

• Hi! Gardenia Park Hotel (Fuengirola, Málaga)

1. 1Hoteles de Playa en Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza y Costa del Sol | Hi! Hotels Internationalhihotels.net
2. 2Vuela hasta nosotros | Hi! Hotelshihotels.net
3. 3Hi Hotels – Wikipedia (Spanish)es.wikipedia.org
4. 4Hihotels – Wikidatawikidata.org