MADE BY ORIGINALS THEO GERLACH In 2010, hospitality pioneer Theo Gerlach received the title of Hijo Adoptivo (Adopted Son) from the island of Gran Canaria. His status as an honorary citizen has been forty years in the making. Gerlach's continuous efforts to promote sustainable tourism on the Canary Islands started in 1970 when the German native traveled there for the first time. He was so impressed by the beauty of Gran Canaria – not to mention its climate: nearly 365 sunny days per year – that he opened the first hotel on the island four years later. Today his company Seaside Hotels comprises eleven properties, four on the Canary Islands, which he runs himself, one in Valencia (Spain), and six in Germany. An avid golfer, Gerlach is supported as both a player and sponsor at selected golf tournaments on the islands of Gran Canaria and Lanzarote.
ABOUT DESIGN HOTELS Design Hotels represents and markets a curated selection of over 290 independent hotels in more than 50 countries across the globe. More than a collection of hotels, the company is a collection of stories. Each property reflects the ideas of a visionary hotelier, an "Original," someone with a passion for genuine hospitality, cultural authenticity, thought-provoking design and architecture. Each "Original" stands for the individual, aesthetic and servicedriven experience that his or her hotel provides.
Founded by Claus Sendlinger in 1993, Design Hotels offers its members insightful travel industry knowledge, from market trend consultancy to international sales representation. The company has its headquarters in Berlin and branches in London, Barcelona, New York and Singapore.
In 2015, Design Hotels joined forces with Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), enabling its member hotels to have both a greater and more selective reach while offering its Community the benefit of the industry’s leading loyalty program. In every participating member hotels, SPG members can earn and redeem Starpoints on every stay.