WiZiU: a look back at year 1

Could you tell us about the origins of WiZiU?

Sébastien de Courtivron: Covivio’s first steps in hotel operations management date back to 2016 with the acquisition of the SLIH portfolio (Société Lilloise d’Investissement Hôtelier – 10 hotels, mainly in France). Over the years, we have strengthened our position in the hotel segment, particularly at the operational level, by acquiring a number of businesses from our portfolio. This growth was accompanied by a reflection on the relevance of establishing a true operational platform: an approach that would enable us to welcome new establishments, be a source of proposals for our partners, and a driving force for our employees in terms of employer branding. It was to meet this threefold ambition that we launched WiZiU in September 2024.

What identity did you want to give WiZiU?

Sébastien de Courtivron: We gave it the objective of “gather those who drive the hotel industry forward.” For us, it is an employer brand rather than a commercial brand: a rallying point for our employees, investors, partners, and customers. It allows us to convey strong values and a consistent message across establishments that retain their uniqueness. It is a continuation of Covivio, while also having its own identity.

One year after its launch, where is WiZiU now?

Estelle Seguin: Still under construction, which is perfectly normal! We have grown from 10 hotels and 500 employees to 24 establishments and 1,000 employees in just a few months, which, in addition to building the brand, involves a lot of groundwork in terms of integration and change management. We have designed a framework in which everyone can find their place, created a common ground while retaining strong identities and different ways of doing things. All this cannot be decreed: we must support, listen, adjust, learn from each other, and give everyone a real period of adaptation.

What were the major structural projects undertaken in this first year?

Estelle Seguin: First, the integration of the hotels, which meant getting to know the establishments, but above all the teams that are their lifeblood, because we are fortunate to have employees who have grown up with these hotels. Some have been with us for 10, 20, 30, even 40 years, which is incredible! We have also undertaken a major effort to harmonize IT tools for schedule management, data reporting for accounting purposes, and day-to-day operational management. Last but not least, we are carrying out renovation projects with the support of Covivio, which incorporate the Group’s key sustainable development objectives.

How do you establish a new brand in contexts that already have a strong identity?

Estelle Seguin: WiZiU is first and foremost an employer brand. We therefore use all the levers at our disposal to create a collective that transcends the commercial brands of our hotels. This involves major communication and IT projects, but also everyday details such as celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, organizing social events, and having a very present executive committee on site. Last June, for example, we launched a “With Me” day, a kind of “live my life” event during which support staff came to meet their colleagues in the establishments. Our HR Director, for example, spent the day in the breakfast service of a hotel in Lille. I myself shadowed our housekeeper at a Novotel. We will organize a return visit at the end of the year. These are small things that help to “build team spirit” by promoting exchange, empathy, and understanding.

Conversely, how do you maintain the identity of each establishment while establishing this common foundation?

Estelle Seguin: Our teams are extremely attached to their hotels, which is a strength to be valued rather than diluted. We have no desire to change what makes each establishment unique. On the contrary, we are here to build a framework that allows these identities to express themselves with pride and inspire others. We don’t want the same breakfast in Lille and Bruges. To each their own waffles! The commonalities must remain invisible: they are the matrix that supports the smooth running of a hotel, the reflexes and best practices that are shared from one establishment to another, the principles of decarbonization and the circular economy that inform all renovations, etc.

Sébastien de Courtivron: WiZiU is not a hotel brand but a structure that exists to bring people together, to give everyone the feeling of being part of a group that extends beyond the doors of their hotel. This allows us to consider new career paths and new avenues for professional development, thereby improving employee loyalty within a coherent ecosystem. WiZiU’s DNA is people, and the scope that this portfolio of hotels opens up for us really allows us to deploy an employer branding strategy that has an impact.

What has already changed in terms of customer experience?

Estelle Seguin: Our strength in this first year has really been to develop specific projects for each hotel, aligned with their needs and the levels of “maturity” of the teams and the product. In essence, for example, we set up the bar team on the magnificent rooftop terrace of the Grand Hôtel Bellevue, with a cocktail and private hire offering that perfectly matches the demand of the Lille public. In Nice, the catering offer on the rooftop terrace of Le Méridien has been revamped with a new menu, new decor, and new uniforms. In Bruges, we completed renovations at the Novotel and Ibis, providing the teams with a brand-new working environment with a tailor-made style. And this is just the beginning! We have just started renovating our Holiday Inn in Le Touquet, with a reopening planned for summer 2026 and an extension to follow in a second phase. This project is also absolutely magnificent. We have several other renovations in the pipeline: from the breakfast room at the Novotel Grand Place in Brussels to the complete renovations of the Mercure in Nice and the Novotel in Ghent. And then, of course, there’s the new lease of life for the Couvent des Minimes in Lille.

And in terms of employee experience?

Estelle Seguin: We will continue our training and social events. We will also set up meetings between department heads by profession: I want our technicians to be able to talk to each other, and our chefs to be able to talk to each other. I think this is essential for sharing best practices and developing our processes in the right direction. We will also roll out a system of preferential rates so that our employees can stay in our hotels, fostering a sense of belonging. And perhaps encouraging mobility, who knows!

Have all these changes already had a measurable impact?

Sébastien de Courtivron: In terms of employer branding, it’s still a little too early to quantify the impact accurately, but we’re already seeing a sharp increase in the number of applications for our vacancies, and the WiZiU brand is already well established among our peers. On the commercial side, the renovations at the Novotel in Bruges have enabled us to increase the average price, and the hotel is proving very attractive. This project was not only a repositioning of the brand and its product, but also a pilot project in terms of sustainable development, as we have reduced our CO₂ emissions by 50% compared to before the work. For the recently relaunched Ibis Style, the public response has also been very positive: occupancy rates are in line with our expectations and the market. This confirms the relevance of these operations.

What do you see as the priority issues to be addressed today?

Estelle Seguin: For me, it’s about ensuring that the hotel renovations undertaken by the group meet customer expectations, but also the operational needs. We listen carefully to our employees before launching a renovation project: we engage in frequent discussions with them about their needs, expectations, and daily lives, because they have detailed knowledge of their establishments and must be involved in shaping their future. A successful renovation is a project that has succeeded in uniting employees, partners, and customers around a desirable future.

Sébastien de Courtivron: Yes, it’s really essential for us. This combination of expectations ensures that we meet the needs expressed, while enhancing the uniqueness of the customer experience and giving ourselves the means to progress towards achieving our environmental objectives.