Press release

Paris, July 4th 2014

MERCURE: A NEW LOOK COMBINING INNOVATION AND AUTHENTICITY

One year after announcing its position shift, midscale hotel world leader Mercure is pushing ahead with its modernization drive at a very steady pace:

More than 230 Mercure hotels in France, 80% revamped

Entirely redesigned living areas

A new choice of wines and new breakfasts featuring local specialties

The Quality Pact enhancing quality in 100% of the network

EasyWORK, a solution to work on the road, is rolling out

The Mercure network is shifting its revamp up a gear and growing at a very healthy pace

This brand has adjusted to its customers' new wants and needs, and placed innovation at the core of its concept. It has been building new home-away-from-home lobbies and food-service areas in every hotel it has refurbished over this past year.
A full 80% of the network's hotels have been modernized over the past 4 years, 13 Mercure hotels have been restyled in France this year, and another 15 or so will kick off their programs in 2015. To build on this success, Mercure is also planning to take in 25 new hotels in this country by the end of
2015 and is aiming to grow its French network by 30% in 3 years to reach the 300-hotel mark in 2017.

"We are seeing the benefits of modernizing the brand in a very real sense. In France, it has put us in a position to attract new franchise partners, showing that Mercure is enjoying buoyant growth. We will also be leveraging the brand's robust expansion on international markets to continue to draw foreign customers in the French market. That is a key component in our development strategy," explains HotelServices France CEO Christophe Alaux.

Mercure is aiming for a 1,000-hotel worldwide network in 4 years' time and is growing particularly fast, especially in Indonesia (13 hotels by 2017), Russia (11 hotels by 2017) and Germany (10 hotels by
2015).

Combining an authentic touch and innovation to enhance quality

This brand's 758 hotels worldwide treat guests to a friendly experience brimming with the local area's
features, with enthusiastic, genuine hoteliers.

"There is strong demand for brands with an authentic edge that provide consistent quality standards throughout at the same time," expounds Frédéric Josenhans, who runs Midscale operations in France.

100% of network hotels in France have adopted the Mercure Quality Pact, only a year after it was introduced. This pact covers 96 points throughout the customer's experience and ensures every brand hotel meets uncompromising quality standards.

More convenient reception with a human touch

The Mercure experience starts before customers reach the hotel, with the all-new digital hotel reception solution that Accor on-lined last April.
When guests arrive, their "host" - no longer a receptionist - welcomes them and the paperwork is
taken care of beforehand. The desks are gradually
vanishing and being replaced with dining tables or other sitting areas in the hotel. Le Club Accorhotels
cardholders are entitled to special advantages ranging
from fast-track check-in to guaranteed room availability
2 days before they arrive, depending on their status.

The Lobby at the Mercure Paris Montmartre Sacré Cœur

Local treats in the spotlight from breakfast to drinks before dinner! Breakfasts are one of the highlights in a guest's experience at a hotel and have been rearranged around two fundamental notions: uncompromising quality and local roots. In France, 80% of the network is now serving typically local dishes and a selection of organic produce and gluten-free food. This service will be available in every network hotel by the end of the year.


The choice of wines is also brimming with local specialties. Mercure's ties with the world of wine go back 30 years and hotels are now introducing two new central features:
- "Vins Gourmands", directly inspired by the well-known "café gourmand", i.e. including an assortment of sweet or savory treats
combining tastefully with the wine that guests choose.
- The new "Cave et Saveurs" wine list: these wines have been handpicked with Bettane & Dessauve, a wine guide publisher that
has become a trendsetter in France.
Mercure will be starting its "Tournée des Vignerons" this October. Hotels will be asking local winegrowers to come and meet customers to present their
wares during tasting experiences organized on a regular basis.

A Vin Gourmand: a glass of red wine and an

assortment of "grignotises"

The new food-services areas (Cuisine Lounge, Bar Lounge and Restaurant Lounge) are stretching across the network in sync with the renovation work. The Cuisine Lounge concept, for example, is available in 3 hotels (Lille, Nice and Toulouse Wilson) and will reach 7 others by the end of the year. Guests promptly embraced this open kitchen area serving a wide array of traditional local recipes, where everyone is welcome to help themselves, as they would to at "home away from home". The Bar and Restaurant Lounge are also open-plan and guests enjoy them for a "trendy" snack as much as more formal lunches or dinners.

The Cuisine Lounge at the Mercure Lille Centre Grand Place


EasyWORK: a big hit in pilot hotels and expanding to 30 others Mercure developed EasyWORK, a dedicated and modular working area with small meeting rooms and up-to-the-minute technology, for today's workers on the road. These areas are available in 4 hotels in and around Paris, and may be rented for half a day for €24 per person. An online booking platform will be up and running by the end of the year. EasyWORK will be available in 30 hotels near train stations, airports or large regional business centers 3 years from now.

The Lounge Bar at the Mercure Paris Montmartre Sacré Cœur

The Mercure Paris Montmartre Sacré Cœur, an example of Mercure's renewal in France


This 305-room hotel in an ideal spot at the foot of Montmartre underwent its revamp from April 2013 to May 2014, and now showcases all the concepts and hallmarks that Mercure developed for its new brand project.
The Bar Lounge - the 18.75 - opens out onto a splendid 190 sq. m rooftop terrace where guests can enjoy the sunny weather any time of day, for breakfast or for a drink after a long day strolling around. This spot nestled in greenery is high up and quiet - and a stone's throw from the bustling Montmartre quarter.
The food services encompass a buffet breakfast including a choice of organic food, room service from
6:30am to 11:00pm and a 24/7 "Boutique
Gourmande" offering a selection of savory and sweet treats any time of day or night.

#rediscoverMercure / @melaccorp About Mercure

A room at the Mercure Paris Montmartre Sacré Cœur

The terrace at the Mercure Paris Montmartre Sacré Cœur

Mercure is the midscale non-standardized brand of Accor, the world's leading hotel operator with over 3,600 hotels, 460,000 rooms and 170,000 employees in 92 countries. Mercure hotels share common quality standards and are driven by passionate hoteliers. Whether they are located in major city centers, by the seaside or in mountain resorts, each establish ment offers an authentic experience for both business and leisure travelers. The Mercure network spans 760 hotels in 51 countries around the globe, represents a real alternative to standardized or independent hotels, and combines the power of an international network with professional and digital expertise. For more information, visit http://www.mercure.com.

Press contacts:Emeline Guiraud: eguiraud@lepublicsysteme.fr+33 (0)1 70 94 65 53

Mélissa Lévine: melissa.levine@accor.com+33 (0)1 45 38 84 76

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