# Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts

Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, formerly Park Plaza International Hotels, Inns and Resorts and commonly known as just Park Plaza, is a hotel chain which runs several hotel groups as franchises. It was established in 1986 as a company and acquired by Olympus Real Estate in 1997. In year 2000, Carlson acquired the Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts as well as sister brand Park Inn. As of 2019, the brands were owned by Radisson Hotel Group (formerly Carlson Hotels).

## History
### Foundation and early years

Park Plaza International Hotels, Inns and Resorts was founded as a hotel management company and brand in 1986, by Jonathan R. Read. In 1994, Park Plaza International licensed the Park Plaza brand to "Park Plaza Hotels Limited" with rights to operate in Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom and Israel.
Park Plaza International was acquired by Olympus Hospitality Group, a division of Olympus Real Estate in October 1997. According to The Wall Street Journal, a new parent company of the Park Plaza hotel group, Park Hotels International LLC, was formed as part of the deal. Park Plaza International, at that time owned Park Plaza as well as Park Inn hotel chains. In June 1998, Park Plaza International,- -the press release did not specify it was Park Plaza International Hotels, Inns and Resorts or another legal entity Park Plaza International, LLC. - backed by Olympus Real Estate, acquired a controlling stake in Australia-listed company Kemayan Hotels and Leisure (KHL). KHL was renamed into Park Plaza Kemayan immediately - the name of the company also had changed many times over its history.
In July 1999, Park Plaza Worldwide, LLC [sic], acquired 50% rights of the brand art'otel from Dirk Gadeke. In mid-1999, it was reported that Park Plaza Worldwide formed another joint venture with J.E. Robert Companies (JER), with JER owned 80% stake of the JV. In addition, JER had an option to acquire up to 35% of Park Plaza Worldwide. In July 1999, Paris Park Plaza Worldwide also announced the opening of Park Plaza Orleans Palace. That hotel was acquired by the joint venture with JER, according to reports.

### Takeover by Carlson from 2000

In 2000, Carlson Companies, via Carlson Hotels (known as Radisson Hotel Group since 2018), acquired the Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts and sister brand Park Inn, by forming a joint venture: Park Hospitality, with Olympus Hospitality Group. Carlson and Olympus also formed a private equity fund Radisson–Olympus Capital Partners, to acquire hotels and convert them to use Carlson Hotels' Regent or Radisson brands. Also in 2000, Olympus Hospitality Group also acquired another hotel chain Chalet Susse, and converting them to Fairfield Inn by Marriott, operated by competitor of Carlson, Marriott International. In the same year, Park Plaza Worldwide, chaired by Read, gave "Park Plaza Hotels Limited" (subsequently renamed "Park Plaza Hotels Europe" and then PPHE Hotel Group) exclusive territorial rights for Park Plaza brand in Europe and the Middle East region. Park Plaza International LLC, [sic] also acquired another hotel brand Rockresorts in August 2000: however, it was sold in the next year.
Carlson acquired the remaining stake of Park Plaza and Park Inn brands, from Olympus Hospitality Group in 2003. The rights to use the brands in the Asia Pacific, was also bought back from Park Plaza Kemayan in the same year. Carlson's hospitality business was renamed Radisson Hotel Group in 2017. A new logo of Park Plaza was announced in 2019.

## Park Inn by Radisson

Park Inn by Radisson, formerly branded Park Inn and Park Inn International, is a midscale hotel chain and a sister brand to Park Plaza owned by the Radisson Hotel Group.

### History

The company was founded in 1986 in Arizona and was subsequently acquired by Carlson Companies along with sister company Park Plaza in 2000.
The Rezidor Hotel Group acquired the franchise rights of Park Inn brand for Europe, the Middle East and Africa from 2002. Since 2003, some of the Park Inn hotels were operated by franchisee Rezidor, an associate company of Carlson Companies, from 2006 to 2010, and a subsidiary of Carlson, via their wholly owned division Carlson Hotels, from 2010 to 2016.

### Locations

As of 2024, Park Inn by Radisson operates over 100 locations, mainly in Europe with additional properties in Asia and the Middle East. It had over 130 locations as of 2012.
Among its most notable properties is the Park Inn by Radisson at Alexanderplatz, one of the tallest and most notable buildings in Berlin.