The Company
Focused on responsibility
Almost 30 years of entrepreneurial experience
in the hotel industry
SIERRA was founded in 1999 by Ellen and Uwe Aschke after international careers together in the hotel industry. Both had previously held senior positions with renowned international hotel companies and gained extensive operational and entrepreneurial experience in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Over the years, the early development of and consulting on individual hotel projects grew into an independent German hospitality platform. First projects and a Mercure franchise were followed from 2010 by a phase of dynamic expansion. With ibis, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and ibis Styles, the portfolio was consistently extended by further internationally established hotel brands. The long-standing cooperation with Accor and IHG shapes SIERRA to this day.
Through different market phases and economic cycles – including the challenging pandemic years – SIERRA has developed, opened and operated hotel projects for the long term. The expertise gained along the way ranges from hotel development and pre-opening through operational management to the stabilisation and sustainable development of existing hotels.
Long-term responsibility for hotel and property
When owners entrust SIERRA with the long-term operation of their hotels, they also entrust us with considerable property values. We see this trust as an obligation to help secure and develop these values sustainably through professional management, economic stability and long-term thinking.
Today SIERRA concentrates on the long-term operation and development of its existing portfolio and its hospitality platform. The organisation is deliberately lean and efficient. Since 2016 the head office has been in Karlsruhe. Short decision paths, close operational involvement and economic discipline characterise the management.
International experience as a foundation
Ellen and Uwe Aschke are the founders and managing partners of SIERRA. Their international management experience across different segments and functions of the hotel industry has been an essential part of the company's operational DNA since it was founded.
Their careers took both of them to internationally renowned hotel companies such as Sheraton, Kempinski, Southern Sun, Marco Polo, Metropolitan and Le Méridien, and to major hotel markets in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. This international experience, combined with almost three decades of entrepreneurial responsibility, still shapes SIERRA's long-term and at the same time hands-on operational approach.
Award-winning
commitment
For many years SIERRA has been strongly committed to training and developing qualified professionals in the hotel industry. Over the decades, numerous apprentices have been successfully supported and mentored – among them several award-winning young talents and "Apprentices of the Year".
In 2024 SIERRA was named "Best Training Company". The company has also received an award from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) for more than 25 years of entrepreneurial activity and continuous commitment.
These awards stand for long-term continuity, entrepreneurial responsibility and a lasting commitment to quality.
