Dieter Müller founded one of the most well-known hotel chains in Germany: Motel One. Why none of his hotels have stars, when hotels are cheapest and why the crisis is far from over.
Interviewed by
Caspar Busse and Lea Hampel
Wearing a dark turquoise corduroy suit, Dieter Müller invites us to a meeting in the Munich branch in Giesing. The path leads past turquoise Egg Chairs, which have long been a trademark of his Motel One hotels. Müller founded the chain 23 years ago. The concept of cheap, chic accommodation was new at the time, but today it is impossible to imagine German city centers without it. In the meantime, son Daniel runs the company with another managing director. Dieter Müller is only very rarely at the head office, but he likes to keep thinking about his chain, also in the run-up to the International Tourism Exchange (ITB), which is taking place in Berlin this week.