Kempinski Hotels has teamed up with 12.18. Group to create a new luxury lifestyle concept, 7Pines Kempinski, with plans for 20 new hotels and resorts by 2022.

Kempinski Hotels has 78 luxury hotels in 34 countries, while the 12.18. Group, set up by partners Kai Richter and Jörg Lindner, opened its flagship 7Pines Resort on the west coast of Ibiza last year.

Following the strategic partnership, 12.18 will invest 500 million Euros, in cooperation with institutional investors, to grow by 20 new 7Pines Kempinski Hotels & Resorts over the next two years.

12.18. is also expanding its portfolio outside Europe for the first time with the acquisition of the San Carlos Hotel in New York City. After thorough renovations, the San Carlos Hotel will operate as the 7Pines Kempinski Manhattan.

 To promote the expansion, 7Pines Hotel Management Gmbh has been founded and is based in Dusseldorf. In addition to Kai Richter, Markus Lück, General Manager of the 7Pines Resort Ibiza for many years, will act as Managing Director.

“The Kempinski brand has stood for tradition and excellent hospitality for more than 120 years. This represents an important step in our growth strategy,” said Smura. “Thanks to the cooperation with 12.18., we will be able to offer our guests a lifestyle concept of the highest standard in the future,” said Martin R. Smura, chief executive officer and chairman of the Board of Kempinski Hotels.

12.18’s Lindner added: “The acquisition of the first property in the US represents a milestone in our company’s history.”

The strategic alliance comes as Kempinski reveals plans to expand to more than 100 luxury properties by 2021. In the next 12 months alone, nine new hotels with a total of 1,961 rooms and suites will open their doors: three of them in the Caribbean and one hotel in Tel Aviv, Tbilisi, Bangkok, Guangzhou, Brazzaville and Almaty respectively. A further seven hotels with 2,404 rooms are currently under construction.

Kempinski and 7Pines were both partners for inVOYAGE 2019, which took place in Monaco last week (6-9 October).