[3] Ji Qi (Chinese: 季琦; pinyin: Jì Qí),[4] the founder, stated that he got the idea to start the chain by reading a book discussing Accor.
[7] In December 2014, signed a long-term strategic alliance agreement with Accor in France,[8] which was finalized in January 2016.
[16] In September 2020, the company achieved a secondary listing on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol 1179.HK.
[22] Under franchise agreements with Accor, 300 economy and middle-scale hotels have opened in China, mainly under the Ibis, Novotel, and Mercure brands.
[23][better source needed] China Lodging Holding Singapore, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Huazhu Hotels Group, also acquired 100% equity interest in Deutsche Hospitality,[24] which has since been rebranded to H World International and operates brands such as Steigenberger and IntercityHotel.