Hotel Development for Kazakhstan: The Ritz-Carlton, Astana

150 150 Daniel Fountain
  • 0

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. and Verny Capital, a leading Kazakhstan private investment group, have signed an agreement for the development of The Ritz-Carlton, Astana. The luxury hotel is due to open in 2017 as the portfolio’s second hotel in Kazakhstan, with The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty previously opening its doors in 2013. The Ritz-Carlton, Astana will be the first international luxury property among hotels in the Kazakh capital, bringing its unique benchmark service culture, with luxurious accommodations and experiences to the city. Located in the mixed use Talan Towers project, the hotel will occupy 20 floors of the 27 storey development designed by SOM architects from New York. With 157 lavish guest rooms and suites, the hotel will also offer Ritz-Carlton Club Level accommodation with exclusive access to a Club Lounge. Restaurants and bars at the property will include a Sky Bar with panoramic city views as well as a restaurant, Cigar Bar and private fine dining areas. Business and meeting facilities at the hotel comprise of a 990 square metre Ballroom, designed for social events as well as conferences, smaller breakout rooms and board rooms. A Spa and Fitness Centre are planned including an indoor swimming pool.

The Talan Towers project, strategically located in the heart of the Left Bank also encompasses retail space, offices and luxury apartments.

Astana, located at the heart of Kazakhstan, became the Republic’s capital in 1997, after the capital city was moved from Almaty, the site of the first Ritz-Carlton hotel in Kazakhstan. Astana is a developing city with many spectacular urban design projects underway within an ambitious master plan. Included are public buildings, educational establishments, sports and tourism projects as well as a state-of-the-art transportation system. The city will host Expo 2017 and construction has begun for the exhibition site for this international event which will attract participants from over 100 countries.

Daniel Fountain / 09.07.2014

Editor, Hotel Designs

Share

  • 0

Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

Fun fact: I’m a keen cyclist and will happily bore people with copious amounts of cycling chat. My top cycling experience (so far) would have to be riding in the spectacular mountains of Crete.

Work highlights: Charles joined Forum Events in 2022. With a background in publishing, editorial media and events, Charles brings a wealth of experience to his role as Senior Production Manager. Having being involved with SPACE from the outset, he is excited to see the brand grow and develop.

Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

Together these platforms offer a comprehensive 360-degree service encompassing digital media, print publishing, and live events – providing unparalleled value to advertisers, partners, and readers alike.