Rödl & Partner advises GS Star on its expansion to Switzerland

Eschborn/Nuremberg/Zurich, 6 November 2019: Rödl & Partner advised GS Star GmbH (GS Star) on financial, legal and tax matters in the acquisition of two hotels from Turicum Hotel Management Group. GS Star is operated by the holding company Gorgeous Smiling Hotels Holding GmbH, the joint venture of AUCTUS Capital Partners AG and G&E Hotelbeteiligungs GmbH.

A specialised M&A team led by partner Jochen Reis advised GS Star on all financial, legal and tax transaction issues. The financial due diligence was led out by Felix Markowsky, the legal advice by Alex Barbier and the tax advice by Florian Kaiser.

Strategic potential

The acquisition of the two hotels from Turicum Hotel Management Group is part of the continuous and successful cooperation between GS Star and its franchise partner Intercontinental Hotels Group. The operation also opens a new market for GS Star: The hotels are located in Berne and Zurich with a capacity of 144 and 164 rooms, respectively.

Transaction parties

Turicum Hotel Management Group was founded in 1993. After the operation, it will continue to operate the 4-star B2-Boutique Hotel + Spa in Zurich.

The management company of GS Star, Gorgeous Smiling Hotels GmbH, is an international multi-brand hotel operator, that acts as a franchisee in the European market for such global brands as Intercontinental Hotel Group, Hilton or Wyndham Hotel & Resorts. The group also focuses on the development of its private labels such as Rilano Hotel & Resorts and Arthotel ANA. The Group has won awards from the Financial Times and Focus Business and is among the top thousand fastest growing companies in Europe.The strong expansion of Gorgeous Smiling Hotels GmbH in the German-speaking countries, the Netherlands and, in the future, Great Britain led to a portfolio of more than 100 properties operating in a wide range of segments.

AUCTUS Capital Partners AG is an independent investment company founded by entrepreneurs. Since its launch in 2001, AUCTUS has already made more than 200 investments. More than 25 platform investments combine a total of more than 50 legal entities, representing total sales of approx. €1bn and total net income of >€50m.

GS Star's advisors:

Rödl & Partner

Jochen Reis, Partner (Head of Transaction Services), Eschborn, Project Coordination – Finance

Felix Markowsky, Senior Associate (Transaction Services), Eschborn – Financial

Inga Heßdörfer, Associate (Transaction Services), Eschborn – Financial

Johannes Bock, Associate (Transaction Services), Eschborn – Financial

Alex Barbier, Partner (Corporate/M&A), Barbier Habegger Rödl, Winterthur – Legal

Joel Bürgisser, Associate (Corporate/M&A), Barbier Habegger Rödl, Winterthur – Legal

Lynn Grob, Associate (Corporate/M&A), Barbier Habegger Rödl, Winterthur – Legal

Florian Kaiser, Partner (Tax Law), Nuremberg – Tax

Remigius Häring, Associate Partner (Tax Law), Zurich – Tax

Fanny Zermatten, Senior Associate (Tax Law), Zurich – Tax.