Hotel Designs

May’s Highlights
• TrevPar Gains Drive Profit Growth for London’s Hoteliers
• Positive Performance in the Provinces and Contrary Weather in Scotland

Poised on the doorstep of one of the world’s most breathtaking archaeological heritage sites, Myanmar’s newest boutique resort Bagan Lodge has targeted Aug. 1 for its soft debut in the ancient Buddhist capital.With stylized tenting and furnishings that evoke the Golden Age of Travel, Bagan Lodge’s 85 rooms and suites skirt the boundary of the shrine-studded plains of the Bagan Archaeological Zone. More than two thousand historic temples and ruins rise from the landscape east of the resort, many dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries at the height of the Kingdom of Bagan.

Conceptualized by noted French designer Brigitte Dumont de Chassart, the interiors and grounds of Bagan Lodge are a melding of traditional Burmese design, colonial-era trappings and contemporary decor. Three classes of accommodation range in size from 50-square-metre deluxe rooms to the 196-square-metre Queen Victoria Suite, which includes four bedrooms, a living room and private garden.

As part of its soft opening, Bagan Lodge will also be cutting the ribbon on its open-air restaurant, Tiffin Box, as well as a spa with eight private treatment rooms, and a 20 x 9-metre swimming pool.

A full-service travel desk will cater to modern-day explorers staying at the resort. Private temple dinners, pagoda tours and fishing excursions on the Irrawaddy are among the activities on offer.

“Of all of the country’s many cultural attractions, Bagan stands out as the ultimate Myanmar experience,” said Shane McKirdy, the resort’s general manager. “This was and is a place so fantastic, it exudes an almost mythical appeal.”

Of more than 10,000 tiered brick temples originally constructed, about 2,200 remain standing within the 46-square-kilometre Bagan Archaeological Zone – the largest and densest concentration of Buddhist monuments anywhere in the world.

Situated 300 kilometres southwest of Mandalay, Bagan Lodge is operated by Apple Tree Asia, a hospitality group that owns and manages a collection of boutique properties in some of Southeast Asia’s most intriguing destinations. Earlier this year Apple Tree appointed Australian-native Shane McKirdy as the Lodge’s first general manager.

A grand opening of the four-star resort is scheduled for later in the year.

One of the world’s coolest hotel pools* just got cooler as guests “Slide into Summer” with the highly anticipated completion of the multifaceted overhaul to the iconic Falls Pool Oasis at Orlando World Center Marriott. Sparing no expense to both thrill and chill, guests plunge into an entirely new experience with enticing enrichments inclusive of a new Icon Slide Tower featuring two, 200-foot winding waterslides and one, 90-foot speed waterslide — among the tallest and fastest resort slides in Florida — in addition to a Splash Zone offering kids a zero entry pool and playground, as well as a Kid’s Activity Zone and Poolside Bar and Grill.Splash ZoneOrlando World Center Marriott will officially celebrate the multi-million dollar renovation completion July 18-21, inviting summer travelers to come make a splash among sun-seekers. With a wide array of on property events and activities, including everything from live poolside music and entertainment, to a luau, golf clinics and yoga on the lawn, as well as culinary events like “Taste of Our World,” cooking classes and an exclusive Wine dinner – there is something to suit every lifestyle and interest.

Towering above more than 200 prime, Central Florida acres, the Four-Diamond Orlando World Center offers everything a guest could possibly want. Having recently undergone an extensive multi-million dollar transformation, the resort now features everything on-premise from the iconic Falls Pool to a championship golf course, Bill Madonna Golf Academy at Hawk’s Landing Golf Club, a full service spa and fitness center, as well as 10 taste-tempting restaurants and lounges, including a food court for guests on-the-go. In this magnificent locale with year ‘round average temperatures sitting at 78º, the 2000-room resort is located only 1.5 miles from Walt Disney World® and just minutes from SeaWorld® Orlando, Discovery Cove®, Aquatica™ and Universal Studios® Orlando.

RPW Design has completed the re-design of the A Bar, a chic new cocktail bar in the InterContinental Amstel, Amsterdam.

It may seem as though Amsterdam is constantly adding to its collection of luxury and designer hotels, yet the InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam remains the city’s Grande Dame, enjoying high status and a degree of respect among her peers.Now the grand old lady can boast a new destination bar to attract a younger crowd without alienating the very loyal following that only the best of the best hotels enjoy.

The A Bar opened last month and has set the standard for an on-going programme of works intended to bring the InterContinental Amstel bang up-to-date, so that it can reclaim its position as one of the foremost destinations in Amsterdam.

As well as walking the tightrope between appealing to a younger audience whilst retaining its traditional customer base, Jan Wilson of RPW Design acknowledges that one of her biggest challenges was the A Bar’s limited back-of-house space, and its connections to the rest of the building.

“The bar opens onto a hotel corridor and is located to the rear of the hotel, next to the terrace” she explains. “It also has an extremely high ceiling for a relatively narrow room.”

Part of her strategy to overcome these challenges was the introduction of a striking light installation, comprising eight individual light fittings created from hand-blown glass. After tendering, these were manufactured to Jan’s specification by a supplier based in Austria. The fittings turned out to be one of the most challenging areas of the design. As Jan explains:

“The Dutch are particularly prescriptive about the use of low energy lighting. The result was a lot of prototypes to make sure that the fittings not only looked good as a sculptural element, but also worked to provide some light to conform to the statutory requirements.”

The smoky blue of the light fittings is reflected in the colour of the leather used for the bespoke chairs, adding to the ‘contemporary lux’ feel of the A Bar. Quality craftsmanship and materials are used throughout, from the bronze chain mail curtains and solid timber broad plank floors, to the polished gold finish back bar and feature shelving units.

RPW always makes considerable efforts to commission and procure artwork that gives each of its design projects a special signature, unique to its location. The A Bar in the InterContinental Amstel features a key image over the back bar by the world renown photographer Hendrik Kerstens as well as other artworks that reflect the local contemporary art scene.

Beyond its emphasis on comfort and luxury, the interiors of the A Bar bear little resemblance to its hotel ‘host’. “This was meant to be a new direction for the Amstel. Therefore we retained the values of the existing interiors but took the design in a completely new direction”, says Jan.

Maisons & Hotels Sibuet, one of France’s most innovative hotel groups, opens Domaine de la Baume on Friday 5th July 2013, in Tourtour, Provence – a 12th Century hilltop village, recognised as one of the most beautiful in France. The Domaine will be the ninth opening for Maisons & Hotels Sibuet, and follows the successful launch of the ‘ski palace’ Altapura in Val Thorens in December 2011.Set in 99 acres, the Domaine is the former residence of French Expressionist painter,Bernard Buffet. Providing a tremendous source of inspiration for his later works, the Domaine includes 10 individually designed rooms and suites, each named after his most famous artworks, from Tournesol et Melon created in 1955, to L’Abeille in 1967. The signature Annabel Suite has been created in honour of Buffet’s wife and includes a private terrace, with views over Provence.

Beautiful French grounds surround the property, and include picturesque rivers and waterfalls, an orangery, vegetable garden with beehives, and an olive grove where Provencal-infused house oil is produced. The terrace restaurant and bar will serve the finest seasonal French cuisine; while the vaulted wine cellar will stock a wide variety of French wines, including those produced at Sibuet’s vineyard, Domaine de Marie in nearby Menerbes. A private chapel is also available for exclusive weddings, and a heliport is located within the grounds.

Design throughout the Domaine is bright yet warm, with a colourful reinterpretation of 18th century style. The ochre façade blends with sky blue shutters, while inside, warm colours range from emerald green and deep blue, to pale orange and dusky pink. Cabriolet and Bergère armchairs are interspersed with delicate antique furniture, all personally selected by the Sibuet family.

Tourtour – the picturesque village in which Bernard Buffet spent the last 20 years of his life – is set between the Verdon Gorges and the French Riviera, and is just over an hour from both Marseille and Nice, or 40 minutes from Avignon. The vibrant and charming village sits at 635 metres, with dramatic views over the surrounding Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. The medieval castle, old watermill and eight fountains remain the focal points of the village, which has managed to preserve its traditional, rural lifestyle. The village also includes two bronze sculptures by Bernard Buffet, donated by his wife after his death in 1999.

As a starting point for my Review of the Hotel Indigo in Liverpool I took the brand statements made by InterContinental when they launched this, their ‘boutique’ brand. Now their brand statement says ” an exciting option for hotel development, with its fresh vision and flexible design that fit many project types. No two Hotel Indigo properties are exactly alike. What remains consistent among properties is the design principle and innovative program that provides a basis for all design idea”

Each hotel is designed as a boutique. The process of briefing the designers to produce interiors with flair and colour is obviously tight, and thematic is the use of digital artwork to link the properties to their locales along with strong use of near primary colour.

Although this hotel is sold as London Kensington it is about 150 yards from Earls Court Tube station in Barkstone Gardens. This is an area known as ‘Kangaroo Valley’ because of the large number of Australian ex-pats populating the area. Kensington has more snob value than Earls Court though, and Intercontinental have bought one of those odd ‘Lord of the Manor’ titles that can be purchased and made the manager ‘Lord’ Vincent Garrington Hope and the Director of sales ‘Lady’ Laura Swan (no doubt impresses the ex-colonials). This pretension is reinforced by clichéd touches such as making the lampshades over the bar out of bowler hats.

Named after Apollon, the ancient God of light and the sun, The Royal Apollonia in Limassol, Cyprus has opened its doors after a complete and truly majestic renovation that led to the rebirth of Limassol’s very first 5-star hotel.Located in the heart of Limassol’s buzzing tourist area and with its very own secluded sandy beach, The Royal Apollonia is Limassol’s most centrally located five-star hotel offering an oasis of relaxation and a truly divine hospitality for unforgettable holidays. It now features totally revamped, bright and welcoming public areas with chic fixtures, earthy colours and unobstructed views to the Mediterranean’s endless blue.

All its 204 rooms have been rebuilt and redesigned to offer luxury, comfort and all the amenities expected from Limassol’s most recently renovated five-star property. Specially designed deluxe rooms now feature an extended balcony with a Jacuzzi for the ultimate experience in relaxation al fresco and with breathtaking views. Its junior suites and suites provide for a spacious and luxurious hospitality with an elegant touch. “Cos’ Altro” which translates to something else and unique, is the name of the brand new Italian restaurant which along with the refurbished Akakiko Japanese and Asian restaurant, the totally refreshed main restaurant and the much loved “Thalassaki” al fresco buffet, raise the number of restaurants at The Royal Apollonia to four. The pool’s design resembles the infinity sign, quite fitting really for its 523 square meters and now features a bar for cooling drinks while in the water. A totally new children’s pool with small water slides and fun in the water elevates The Royal Apollonia to an ideal five-star hotel for families as well. The addition of a high level Spa Centre, an impeccable service and a sumptuous cuisine complete the unique experience that The Royal Apollonia provides, thus justifying its ancient and divine name and the renowned Cypriot “Filoxenia” which translates to befriending ones’ guests!

Marriott International, Inc. has recently announced that the 298-room Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel has joined its portfolio of more than 3,800 properties worldwide as of 1st July 2013 under a franchise agreement with WB AMBASSADOR SAS. Located in the heart of the city, the historic property will become the most recent addition to Marriott International’s signature global brand, Marriott Hotels, and represents the company’s 12th property in Paris.Located on the right bank of the River Seine in the 9th Arrondissement and Opera Quarter, the Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel is a few minutes’ walk from the city’s major attractions including the Opera House, Montmartre, Sacre Coeur, Le Louvre, Place Vendome, Jardins des Tuileries and Galleries Lafayette with world class shopping and boutiques. Also in close proximity to the business district, Paris Stock Exchange and numerous shops and restaurants, the hotel is the perfect base for business and leisure travellers.

Originally built in 1927, the hotel was the vision of the influential architect Baron Haussmann who was commissioned to reshape Paris’ streets and architecture. The property has an illustrious past as host to royalty, politicians and visiting heads of state along with important historical figures such as Charles Lindbergh and Gustave Eiffel. The hotel famously hosted Charles Lindbergh’s celebrations as he historically completed the first solo flight across the Atlantic and named the hotel bar in his honour.

Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel 2The Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel’s 298 guestrooms are stylish and thoughtfully designed with clean lines and a soothing colour palette. Guests will be able to enjoy the chic Bar Lindbergh and gourmet restaurant, 16 Haussmann, serving exquisite French cuisine. Leisure facilities include a fitness centre and executive lounge with city views. The hotel’s 9 meeting rooms and 630 square metres of meeting space will accommodate all manner of meetings and events. In 2014, the lobby will be remodeled to seamlessly accommodate work and play, reflecting the changing behaviour of the next generation traveller.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has said the company will open 20 new hotels in China in 2013. Having doubled its footprint here in the last three years, Starwood has 120 hotels open and more than 100 in the pipeline, making China the company’s second largest hotel market behind only the United States, and its fastest growing. Starwood President and CEO Frits van Paasschen who is in China this week participating in the Fortune Global Forum in Chengdu said the company will open one new hotel every 20 days here and that 70 percent of its pipeline of new hotels under construction and in development are in second and third tier cities. “We continue to view China as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our business,” said van Paasschen. “Whether it’s growing our hotel footprint as part of the country’s massive infrastructure development, or aggressively building our loyalty program in the world’s fastest growing domestic and outbound travel market, we are focused on taking every advantage of our important first-mover position in China.”

Early Foothold in China Continues to Pay Off; Starwood Poised to Double Luxury Portfolio
Starwood’s presence in China dates back to 1985 when the Sheraton Great Wall Beijing debuted as the first international hotel in the People’s Republic of China. Today Starwood is the largest high-end hotel operator in China with more hotels here than competitors Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt combined. In 2012 Starwood opened 25 hotels and signed 36 new hotel deals – a record number of openings and deals.

With over 170 cities with population over 1 million, the runway to grow in China continues to be long. Adding to Starwood’s long established presence in China’s major cities, the company is focused on expansion in second and third tier cities. Starwood’s upper upscale Sheraton, Westin and Le Meridien brands continue to be sought after for new central business districts and government administrative centers in second tier cities. Starwood’s Four Points by Sheraton and Aloft brands fit well in newly developed high-tech, industry and university parks as well as near high speed railway stations and cities in early stages of urbanization, in addition to ongoing expansion in established markets.

Demand for luxury hotels throughout China
continues to grow and over the next few years Starwood will double its luxury footprint here. W Hotels, which just opened the W Guangzhou earlier this year, will open new flagships in Beijing and Shanghai as well as hotels in, Suzhou, Changsha and Chengdu. St. Regis, Starwood’s ultra-luxury brand, will build on its well established presence in China in markets including Beijing, Shenzhen and Sanya with new hotels in Changsha, Chengdu, Lijiang, Qingshui Bay, Zhuhai and Nanjing while Starwood’s Luxury Collection will expand in Dalian, Hangzhou, Nanning, Xiamen, Nanjing and Suzhou.

China is Starwood’s Second Largest and Fastest Growing Traveler Market
According to the UN World Travel Organization (UNWTO), China is now the world’s number one tourism source market in terms of spending, surpassing Germany and the United States. In 2012, China’s expenditure on travel abroad reached US$102 billion. China is now Starwood’s second largest source of travelers behind only North America and in 2012 outbound Chinese travel to its hotels grew by 20%. Already the largest feeder market to Starwood hotels in Asia, China is by far the company’s fastest growing travel market. According to van Paasschen, accelerated Chinese outbound travel is impacting business around the globe, and last year 95% of Starwood’s hotels across nearly 100 countries welcomed guests from Greater China.

Just as important as opening new hotels, Starwood is focused on cultivating loyalty among China’s new mega travelers. Since 2010, the company has doubled its base of active travelers in Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), the company’s loyalty program. Growth in SPG’s base of travelers continues to grow at a rapid pace, and today, SPG enrolls a new member every 20 seconds in China, and elite gold and platinum members who stay 25+ nights a year are up 53% over last year. Globally, 50% of Starwood’s guests are SPG members, and in China, 55% of rooms are filled through SPG.

Starwood Opening New Resorts in China to Cater to Affluent Local Market
Chinese domestic travel also continues to rise. Starwood’s hotels in China are no longer just outposts for Western travelers, and today 50% of guests at hotels here are Chinese. More and more, Starwood and its owner partners are developing hotels in China with the domestic traveler in mind, including new resort product to meet the demands of an increasingly affluent local market with the means and desire to travel. Starwood will soon have more resorts in Hainan Islands (often referred to as China’s Hawaii,) than it does in Hawaii. Likewise the company has opened new ski resorts in China such as the Westin and Sheraton resorts in Changbaishan and also urban retreats including the Sheraton Huzhou and the nearly 4,000-room Sheraton Macao, Starwood’s largest hotel anywhere in the world.

New Hotels Driving Demand for Talent — Starwood To Fill 10,000 New Positions a Year in China
Over the next five years Starwood will more than double its number of associates in China with 10,000 new hires each year. Starwood’s long presence in China and proven career track coupled with sophisticated recruiting efforts are helping the company attract top talent. Because of its long tenure and well established teams in China, Starwood boasts a deep bench here, and Starwood’s two most senior leaders in Asia Pacific, Stephen Ho, President of Asia Pacific and Qian Jin, President of China, both joined the company in the 1980s and rose through the ranks to their current positions. Within Starwood’s hotels in China, one third of its General Managers and 79% of its hotel senior Executive Committee leaders are Chinese.

The Harry, Fortuny and Vanity (shown in the image to the right) are elegant occasional tables by Gino Carollo, available in two sizes and made of painted steel.Other tables are available from The Contract Chair Company, some of which are included on this page.

We also supply a wide choice of furniture for all areas of a hotel, particularly lounges, dining rooms, bars, bedrooms and reception areas.

Yuu-tluth-aht First Nation proudly announces the WyaPoint Resort, currently offering luxurious lodge accommodation, rustic eco yurts and a family-friendly campground in the lush coastal rainforest of Vancouver Island’s west coast. The resort is the culmination of a long-time dream of the community, providing employment and a way to share their pride in their culture with the world.Wya Point Resort is an impressive and beautiful addition to Ucluelet, the ancestral home of the Yuu-tluth-aht people and a world-class destination on the edge of an island rich with ancient history and vibrant energy. The internationally renowned region attracts visitors year-round with its storm watching, surfing, kayaking, hiking and fishing, as well as the captivating wildlife (whales, eagles, bears and rainforest creatures) that call the area home. Just steps from Ucluelet’s resorts and B&Bs are spectacular beaches and clifftop trails, which meander through the rainforest and feature panoramic views of Barkley Sound and the Broken Group Islands.

With its broad range of accommodation and amenities—including the Wya Welcome Centre, Surf Shop, Wya Point Campground, Yurts and the Lodges at Wya Point—Wya Point Resort draws every type of traveler. Nestled in the coastal forest, a few kilometres outside Ucluelet and within minutes of world-famous Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Wya Point Campground is an ideal retreat for families and individuals who want a relaxing break by the sea. With direct access to the private beaches within the Ucluth Eco Resort, the Wya Point Yurts have full amenities including summer kitchens, barbecues, fireplaces, wrap-around cedar decks, oceanfront beach access and cedar lounge chairs. For those looking for a more luxurious experience, the Lodges at Wya Point offer deluxe accommodation in self contained, architect-designed lodges complete with fireplaces, modern kitchens, spectacular ocean views and walk-on beach access at Ucluth Beach.

With secluded sandy coves, clear water and hidden rock pools, the beaches at Wya Point provide endless recreational fun. Ideal for a romantic retreat or family getaway, Wya Point Resort offers a peaceful sanctuary for all travelers. Developed by the Yuu-tluth-aht First Nation, Wya Point Resort is located on an old village site, tucked into the trees on an exclusive beach. Future plans for the resort include a 70-room boutique hotel, a restaurant, spa and 800-seat convention centre within the 600 acre property.

“Being the first to sign the Maa-nulth Treaty has helped the Ucluth First Nations invest in new business enterprises and partnerships which will not only ensure independence, economic stability and growth for generations to come, but will also help us reach out and share our cultural heritage to the many visitors arriving here from around the world,” says Tyson Touchie, Ucluelet First Nation’s Manager of Economic Development. “We are thrilled to showcase what has been our summer home for thousands of years as the new Wya Point Resort, and to celebrate our new emerging history.”

The Yuu-tluth-aht cultural connection to the land means that sustainability is the guiding principle for all aspects of the Wya Point development. Architect Scott Kemp has designed all the buildings to LEED Platinum standards, incorporating local materials and resources, including locally harvested FSC certified wood. Rainwater collection and domestic water are provided from the nearby lake and the resort will use the marsh’s natural cleansing properties to treat grey water.

Along with quiet, simple luxurious beach front accommodation, Wya Point Resort offers the following services available by request: in-room massage, catered meals, gift baskets, romance and elopement packages, extensive natural trail network into the National Park, stand up paddle board rentals and lessons, individual and or group surf lessons and rentals.

Integrated property services and project delivery specialist Styles&Wood has completed a £2.6 million (AED 14.8 million) refurbishment contract at Dubai’s newest hotel development, on behalf of JA Resorts and Hotels. The 35,000 sq. ft. project included a comprehensive programme of works to convert a former residential tower into the four-star Ocean View Hotel. The scheme was delivered by the Altrincham-headquartered company’s JV with Dutco Transport Company, DutcoStyles&Wood (DS&W).

The scope of the contract included demolition, strip-out and alteration work, mechanical, electrical and power service installation and a comprehensive refurbishment across six floors, featuring a an external terrace, gyms, conference suites and bars, shops and management offices.

The 338-room Ocean View Hotel is the latest addition to the city’s Jumeirah Beach Residence, a 1.7km beach-front development featuring 40 high-rise towers. The scheme is the only four-star beachfront hotel in Dubai, and overlooks the Arabian Gulf and The Palm Jumeirah.

Warren Gemlik, General Manager, from DutcoStyles&Wood, said: “This was a prestigious project delivered to the very high specification demanded by one the world’s most exclusive tourist destinations.

“In order to meet the client’s tight schedule and ensure smooth delivery, we devised a robust schedule of works which included the coordination of more than 150 operatives working 24 hours a day.”

GuocoLeisure Limited, a Singapore-listed company with a secondary listing on the New Zealand Exchange, has recently announced the launch of a major global hotel company, glh.The launch of glh. is driven by CEO Mike DeNoma, who since joining the business 12 months ago, has developed with his management team a new strategic direction for the company using his considerable experience of transforming international businesses in several industries. The launch of glh. signals serious intent and long term ambition to lead the transformation of the company.

glh. has carried out extensive market research into what affects decision-making for owners & guests which underpins our new approach. The new business model will provide an alternative to the current hotel industry business model by giving autonomy to our individual hotels:

• A new deal for property owners and developers: glh. is offering more flexible terms and conditions to property owners and developers which challenge the status quo and redress the risk/reward balance within the industry.

• An entrepreneurial approach to general management: While the industry rushes to take even more decision making out of the hotels, glh. is moving to put even more back in – giving autonomy to our individual hotels and unlocking the great potential of our General Management team.

• Increasing need to respond to the data driven incursions of the online players: glh. will set out to transform the current model by using big data to differentiate the guest experience.

• Launch of three new hotel brands over the next 12 months: In addition to developing a new operating model glh. will be announcing the launch of three new hotel brands over the coming 12 months, the first of which will be a luxury brand in July 2013.

The glh. global owner-operator strategy focuses on the 100 major global cities with the ten year ambition to deliver the best guest centred experience in the industry. The company is underpinning this with the use of advanced customer facing technology, infrastructure and decision science.

Commenting on today’s launch Mike DeNoma, said:

“We’re delighted to launch glh. a new hotel company that signifies our intent and ambition to unlock human potential and give property owners and developers a new deal. We want to be the first port of call for developers, owners and investors who want a new deal from a hotel management company.”

Mike added: “If you want to change the world, be profit accountable in an autonomous and decisive general management role, give us a call.”

Note: glh. refers to GLH Hotels Management (UK) Limited, the new name of Guoman Hotel Management (UK) Limited, a subsidiary of GuocoLeisure Limited.

Mercure’s Manchester Piccadilly and Kidderminster hotels, both managed by Jupiter Hotels, have been awarded four stars by the AA’s recognised rating scheme for hotels.Shane Harris, CEO at Jupiter Hotels said: “We are incredibly proud that the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly and the Mercure Kidderminster Hotel have been awarded four star ratings – each accomplishment is testament to the commitment shown by the teams at both hotels.”

The Mercure Manchester Piccadilly hotel, a short walk from Manchester Piccadilly railway station, benefits from views overlooking Manchester’s vivacious city centre.Overlooking Piccadilly Gardens, this 280-bedroom hotel is located in the heart of Manchester city centre.

The property’s International Suite, currently undergoing a redesign, will reopen in September accommodating 800 conference delegates or 400 exhibition guests, making it one of the largest hotel conference spaces in the North West.

David Daly, General Manager of Mercure Manchester Piccadilly commented: “Achieving Four Star AA rating reflects the excellent standard of service provided by our team as well as the superb facilities available at our hotel.”

Also awarded four-star status by the AA, the Mercure Kidderminster Hotel combines 19th-century heritage and picturesque country surrounds. The hotel is set in 20 acres of Worcestershire countryside and is close to West Midland Safari Park. Part of the hotel, the ‘original house’ features refurbished Victorian rooms – guests also have the option of modern-style classic rooms. All 44 bedrooms benefit from complimentary standard Wi-Fi and satellite television.

JohnMacaskill, Hotel Manager of Mercure Kidderminster Hotel commented: “We’re incredibly proud to have achieved a four star rating from the AA. The award exemplifies our commitment to providing guests with an exceptional hotel experience in the glorious Worcestershire countryside.”

The AA is one of the UK’s most recognised and trusted brands, recommending and acknowledging hotels for over a century. In 2008, the AA celebrated 100 years in the hospitality industry.

Voted one of the 2013 top ten holiday destinations in the world by the Rough Guide, Margate is on its way to regaining the glory of its heyday, but this time, with its feet firmly planted in the 21st century.

Its revival has brought a thriving, vibrant arts scene to the town, led by the opening of the stunning world-class Turner Contemporary gallery. Add to this the wide, sandy bay, a cobbled Old Town with quirky shops, galleries and great places to eat, open-air live music bringing big name Jazz musicians to the area, the promise of Dreamland, and there’s never been a better time to visit the great British seaside.Now the attractions of the original seaside town have been boosted by the opening of the boutique Sands Hotel on Margate’s sea front. The Victorian building, which was most recently a sweet shop, was snapped up by Nick Conington in an auction in 2011. Inspired by Margate’s renaissance, Nick has invested in the town’s bright future:

“I fell in love with Margate the instant I came to view the building pre-auction in September 2011. I was stunned by the glorious views across the Sands, the vibrancy of the nearby Old Town, and the magnificent new Turner gallery just along the bay. I’d originally planned to convert the building into luxury flats but discovered that it had been a hotel in Victorian times and was excited by the possibility of recreating a hotel and trying to capture some of the building’s original splendour. I brought Conrad Bigham, my co-director, into the picture to conduct feasibility study and we moved forward from there.

“I was encouraged by the enthusiastic response of everyone in the town, and it’s been supremely satisfying to contribute in some small way to the town’s undoubted renaissance.”

The hotel also features a restaurant – Bay @ Sands, serving imaginative modern British cuisine in a sublime setting. Nick, with business partner Conrad Bigham and head chef, Ryan Tasker, have devised a menu that shows off the region and reflects the restaurant’s seaside location, with dishes inspired by the fresh, seasonal produce of the Garden of England.

Set on the first floor, the restaurant is beautifully designed, with an airy, bright, warm atmosphere, high ceilings and a stunning fireplace. Full-length glass doors lead to an outdoor terrace, commanding breathtaking views of the sea and Margate’s golden bay.

Nick and his wife Karen worked with Margate-born designer Dawn Pirie, who interpreted their vision for the look and feel of the hotel and restaurant, incorporating her own ideas to balance the building’s original Victorian features, such as columns and cornices, with a contemporary interior.

An hotel lobby is prime real estate and a multi-functional space. At various times it can be full of guests arriving or departing with their luggage (a coach party of Italian opera fans has to be seen to believe how much disruption can be caused). It can be busy with ‘meetettes’ as the space and its free wifi are used by itinerant business travellers and their colleagues. Later in the evening perhaps elegant tuxedo clad men and their fashion icon wives will wait there for a cab to take them to an event. It can be an arena in which children pushed out of rooms by exasperated parents can create chaos. It can be a waiting zone, a parking zone or become the playing field.Marriott tried to make it an inhabited zone 24/7 at the Courtyard but failed to carry the vision through – corporate inertia perhaps or just the caution that management of large companies show, always looking up over their shoulder. Smaller, Citizen M trumpet their Canteen with staff as ‘ambassadors’ and other more nimble companies than Marriott play their version of the lobby games. Accor’s French competitor Louvre group implemented it in the new model Campanile, and now Accor are trumpeting their new model Mercure, which the groups says “breaks the traditional codes of midscale hotels”. I wonder if Accor have read Mein Erster Blog Auf Deutsch and pondered whether the model they are adopting is right for the conservative segment Mercure has traditionally occupied?

Mercure say their new model vision answers new guest expectations in this sector. The GM of the Mercure London Bridge more sensibly says it puts the hosting of the guest back at the centre of hospitality. It certainly in design terms helps make a smallish space look larger, and by zoning through furniture and design creates more flexibility for management and guest alike.

Mercure is opening an hotel a week at the moment and has a target of 1,000 hotels in 5 years, currently operating 732 in 50 countries. The company added over 15,000 new room in 2011/12, and accounted for 21% of new rooms opened by Accor in 2012, 75% through franchise and management agreements.

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Miami Beach and Saint-Tropez actually have much in common as sexy, beachside destinations. Now they share even more: Sister properties, Hôtel de Paris, Saint-Tropez and National Hotel Miami Beach, announce the rebirth of newly renovated luxury hotels. These iconic properties were built in the 1930’s at a time when each destination was being recognized as a place for the perfect escape. The Hôtel de Paris on the Cote d’Azur in France reveals a new audacious and contemporary interior design while the National Hotel in Florida pays homage to its pure Art Deco roots. St. Tropez and South Beach are recognized by connoisseurs for many of the same things: yachts, beach, beautiful people and wildlife (in nature and otherwise – simply use your imagination). These celebrated hotels deliver an unbeatable combination of relaxation, authenticity, luxury and tradition sitting in prime locations within their destinations. The Hôtel de Paris St. Tropez was closed for 21 years and now reveals an entirely new hotel of 90 rooms comprised of 52 rooms and 38 suites all decorated in a colorful ambience. Upon check-in, you’ll notice light filtering through to the lobby only to look up at the dramatic glass bottom pool suspended 15 meters overhead where you’ll spy bathers doing their daily laps. The soon to be revealed Clarins Spa will offer a variety of beauty rituals to promote pure relaxation. Set within the heart of the village, windows and balconies will peek out over picturesque lanes and terracotta rooftops.

The National Hotel Miami Beach offers 153 elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites. The hotel lobby honors the Art Deco era with original lighting fixtures and furnishings. Although it features its own beach club, the hotel boasts the longest pool in South Beach stretching 205 feet offering guests an alternative to the sand and surf. A variety of pampering spa treatments provided in a poolside cabana are a newly added amenity. Set in the heart of South Beach, guests are in close proximity to shopping, culture, and the city’s inimitable nightlife.

Skelwith Leisure, owners of the Raithwaite Estate near Whitby, has announced the opening of The Keep at Raithwaite, the latest addition to the Estate’s accommodation options.Set within 100 acres of beautiful countryside on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, the 28 bedroom Keep offers guests the same luxury and splendour as the main Hall in some of the country’s most awe inspiring surroundings.

The Keep includes the Hunters Bar and Restaurant, meeting rooms, outside patio areas and panoramic views of the woodland on the Estate.

Commenting Paul Ellis, Managing Director of Skelwith Leisure, said:

“Everyone is delighted that The Keep is now open, not only is it a fantastic addition to the Estate, but further signals our commitment to the local area.

“We have invested heavily in the estate to date and will continue to do so. We’ve started work on our new eco-lodges and, along with The Keep, these complement the original Hall and spa.

“The Estate now encompasses a wide range of accommodation options, attracting visitors from across the country and beyond, providing a significant boost to the local economy. The Estate is a significant employer within Whitby and The Keep will allow us to provide further employment and training opportunities.”

As well as being an excellent accommodation option The Keep is also a great location for any business or corporate event, boasting its own conferencing facilities, state of the art IT system and access to fantastic outside spaces, ideal for team building.

Work on the remaining cottages will begin later this year, along with a new access road to access part of the site.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.® and Promotora TIIM has announced that Starwood’s Aloft® brand made its debut in Cancun, Mexico. Aloft Cancun is ideally located in the Hotel Zone, adjacent to Cancun Center, the city’s convention and exhibition center, and walking distance from dining, shopping and nightlife. Aloft Cancun features the atmospheric public spaces that have made Aloft a worldwide hit. Guests will be able to mix and mingle, read the paper, work on laptops, play a game of pool or grab a drink with friends at the re:mixSM communal lobby area or at the w xyzSM bar. The hotel will also have a rooftop pool and re:fuel café as well as a re:chargeSM gym. It will have approximately 6,500 square feet of banquet and meeting space.

“Since its launch, Aloft has emerged as a popular choice among savvy business travelers. We are thrilled to launch the Aloft brand in Cancun, a renowned tourist destination as well as a prime business travel destination that is seeing increased demand in the meetings and conventions segment,” said Osvaldo Librizzi, Co-President the Americas. “This opening is also an important step for Starwood as it marks our 25th hotel in Mexico and the entrance of our eighth brand in the country. Furthermore, it allows us to continue to build on the momentum of the Aloft brand in Latin America.”

Currently, there are eight Aloft branded hotels in operation or in development in the region, including the Aloft Panama, which will open in June. Aloft Merida and Aloft Guadalajara are slated to open in 2014, and Aloft Asuncion and Aloft Montevideo will open their doors in 2015.

“We’re delighted that Cancun will be the launching platform for the Aloft brand in Mexico, and we are excited to partner with Starwood in this project,” said Mauricio Hamui Hilwani, owner and Director of Promotora TIIM. “Cancun continues to establish itself as an important convention and tourism hub, as demand increases from leisure and business travelers. As a result, it is the ideal location for Aloft – a brand that caters to both segments.”
Aloft Cancun is located along the main avenue of Cancun, Boulevard Kukulcan, only 25 minutes away from the International Airport, 15 minutes from downtown and walking distance to several key entertainment places, including the city’s famous white-sand beaches.

Located in Narvik, one of the northermost parts of Norway, RICA Hotels opened their lastet new build hotel end of 2012.The architectural form that towers over 18 floors gives this hotel a wonderful view of the city, the fjord “Ofotfjorden”, the Mountain “Dronningen” and the other surrounding mountains. Rica Hotel Narvik has a stylish interior that takes up the exciting exterior of the 148 luxurious and spacious guest rooms, all-day restaurant and a sky bar with panoramic terrace on the top floor.

The hotel arranges for business travelers with eight functional meeting rooms, where the largest room has a capacity for up to 175 people.

According to the designs given by the Interiors Architects AS Scenario Interiørarkitekter MNIL from Oslo, all guest rooms and public areas have been equipped with special made luminaires from Baulmann Leuchten.

All pictures are copyright by “Gatis Rozenfelds, SIA `F64 Photo Agency´, Riga”.

Mentored by Sydney Toldano, CEO of Christian Dior, Simoëns is the new darling of French fashion editors – LVMH have just taken a stake in his brand, and he has already been compared to a young Yves Saint Laurent. Simoëns was briefed by Les Sources des Caudalie to use the suite, set in a summerhouse on stilts over a lake, as a creative workshop. The result is characterised by contrast: black against white, matt against gloss, plain against print – all united by greens and blues throughout. Furnishings include a Pietro Arosio lounger, Charles Eames armchair and UV wall lighting in a chicken’s foot pattern – a nod to Simoëns’ latest catwalk collection. Panelled mirrors, lampshades and cupboard doors reference the trademark symbol of the bar-code, giving a clean graphic modernity to the suite. Elegance, attention to detail and deep comfort combine with quality in a suite that is at once fun and relaxed, in keeping with the atmosphere of Les Sources de Caudalie.

Les Sources de Caudalie is set in the heart of the family owned Château Smith Haut Lafitte Grand Crus vineyard near Bordeaux, home to a Michelin starred restaurant and the original Caudalie Vinothérapie spa. The hotel is inspired by the concept of the ‘French Paradox’, whereby the diet and lifestyle of Southwest France is seen as conducive to good health, with statistics proving the positive effects of wine consumption.

Owned and operated by The Cairn Hotel Group under license from InterContinental Hotels Group, Hotel Indigo London Kensington – Earl’s Court is a four star boutique hotel, situated in the heart of the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. The hotel first opened its doors to the public on 12th December 2012 and has quickly established a reputation as one of London’s top hotels for both tourists and business travellers.England cricket legend and former Strictly Come Dancing Champion, Darren Gough led the celebrations for the launch party of Hotel Indigo London Kensington – Earl’s Court on Thursday 26th June, at a glittering Victorian-themed extravaganza.

Since its launch six months ago the hotel has already won a Tripadvisor Award for Outstanding Customer Service and is experiencing exceptional trading levels, some 25% ahead of expectations.
Originally built in 1886, the building recently underwent a £7 million refurbishment scheme to transform the building into a Hotel Indigo site. The hotel now boasts 100 bedrooms including 22 executive rooms and 11 junior suites, each individually styled.

While the overall theme is sharp modern chic, the hotel retains unique design touches, which reflect its surroundings and history of the building. This is most clearly seen in the bar, known as The Mansion Bar & Parlour which has been themed as an 1890’s private members club.

The bar, which is rapidly becoming one of West London’s must visit cocktail venues, specialises in carbonated and molecular cocktails while also providing a mouth watering menu of dishes all made from regionally sourced seasonal ingredients. While the food complimented cocktails take centre stage in the evenings when it comes to Sunday it’s all about lazy brunches with delicious pancakes and waffles while listening to live jazz from some of the capital’s top musicians.

Emphasising the theme of decadence and reflecting the importance of customer service, the hotels employment package gives all staff an official title, meaning visitors are looked after by ‘real life’ Lords and Ladies. Commenting on the newly transformed hotel, Hotel Indigo London Kensington – Earl’s Court General Manager, ‘Lord’ Vincent Garrington, said, “We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved with the hotel. From the lavish décor that greets visitors when they enter the reception, to the warm and friendly service, to the stunning cocktails and food on offer in the bar, we feel we’ve created a unique offering that provides our customers with a slice of history, but in modern luxury and comfort.

Hotel Indigo London Kensington – Earl’s Court is the 10th Hotel Indigo to open in Europe and the 50th site to open around the world.

© Pictures Patrick Goff

’hub by Premier Inn’

PREMIER INN today announces the launch of a new hotel concept that boasts the UK’s most space-efficient and digitally savvy rooms. ‘hub by Premier Inn’ will have ingenious storage solutions in every nook and cranny and state of the art digital technology – for “guests who value location, price and design over space”.

Each ‘hub by Premier Inn’ room is kitted out with an en suite bathroom with power shower, wardrobe, desk, Hypnos pocket-sprung bed, free Wi-Fi and a 40” inch smart screen TV – all neatly fitted into just 11.4 metres squared.

It will also be the UK’s first hotel where the rooms can be remote controlled using a smart phone app. Guests will be able to check in online and control the room’s lighting, temperature and even what will be on the TV or radio when they arrive.

Each hotel will have its own deli-style restaurant serving local produce and guests will be able to pre-order breakfast using the ‘hub’ app.

Patrick Dempsey, Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants Managing Director, said: “hub is all about giving customers more choice. It will provide great quality, contemporary room design in the heart of a major city at an outstanding price. With space at a premium, each aspect of the design has been aimed at optimising every single centimeter of space from the desk that folds up and disappears into the bed to a convenient under the bed space for luggage.”

The new brand will target major UK city centres and the first hub will open in London’s West End next summer. Rooms will be, on average, up to 30% cheaper than a comparable Premier Inn in Central London, at under £100 a night mid-week, whilst starting and off peak prices will be less.

’hub by Premier Inn’ has been trialled since last June at the Premier Inn Kings Cross after five prototype rooms were created with 1,825 guests staying in them to date.

Mr. Dempsey added: “Premier Inn has played a leading role in shaping the budget hotel market and we believe ‘hub’ will do the same for a new generation of compact city centre hotels. It will appeal to customers who value price, location and design over space.”

Whitbread has plans for five ‘hub by Premier Inn’ hotels (c.1,000 rooms) to open in the next three years and is targeting to have around 40 ‘hub by Premier Inn’ hotels (c. 6,000 rooms) opened or in the pipeline by 2018.

Andy Harrison, CEO, Whitbread PLC said, “Premier Inn is the UK’s fastest growing hotel chain and this year we will open 40 Premier Inn hotels, creating over 1,000 jobs. ‘hub by Premier Inn’ gives us another exciting new growth platform and we are confident it will deliver good returns for our shareholders and prove a hit with customers.”

Following an exit from Four Seasons management at the end of 2012 Terre Blanche has re-launched with new, unique services and facilities for its guests. The 750-acre luxury resort on an outstanding estate in the south of France is the gateway to Provence and the Riviera. As the only property of its kind in the region, it is embracing its independence and unparalleled five-star offering with refined hospitality rooted in authenticity and nature.Terre Blanche’s unrivalled location enables guests to experience the charm and character of Provence as well as the chic of the Côte d’Azur. 45 Minutes from Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport, it is the ideal destination from which to explore the south of France.

The all-suite and villa resort, which has become a member of ‘The Leading Hotels of the World’, has 115 spacious suites and villas ranging in size from 646 square feet to 3,229 square feet (with private pool and jacuzzi). Guests will experience personalised service in luxurious comfort, with stunning natural surroundings and views of mountains and medieval villages. New in-room amenities have been created exclusively by “Fragonard”. The products takes guests on a personal voyage of discovery and concentrate the mind on the scents of the region; mandarin and mint combined with orange blossom and cardamom, woodland green tea, cedar and musk.

Terre Blanche prides itself on its gastronomic variety, with four restaurants overseen by Executive Chef Franck Ferigutti. The resort’s fine-dining restaurant, Le Faventia, offers contemporary French gastronomy, followed by Le Gaudina which has been enlarged and refreshed and offers a new menu of Provençal cuisine. Thirdly, Les Caroubiers at The Clubhouse has an array of Italian specialties, and lastly The Tousco Restaurant offers alfresco dining beside the infinity pool.

Commanding panoramic views over the surrounding landscape the large infinity pool at Terre Blanche is a spectacle in itself. After considerable investment the area now boasts 31 beautifully appointed private Poolside Cabanas with sun loungers. A new buffet style dining concept has been introduced with a menu including fresh fish and local produce. As well as a Jacuzzi and a cocktail bar there is an additional Pool Cabana where guests can indulge in a poolside massage.

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Travelodge recently opened its 60th hotel in the Capital with the launch of the Travelodge Vauxhall, London on the 20th June 2013.To celebrate the opening, and Travelodge’s recent refresh of its bedroom design, a worl record attempt was set for the fastest bed making by an individual. Travelodge Hotel Manager, Andrea Warner, set this record making a king size bed in 74 seconds (after a few attempts) and was a nice change (pardon the pun) to celebrate a hotel opening.

As for the interior design… it’s a Travelodge. I counted two canvases on the wall of the same image (red leaves in varying tones) within the public areas. For anyone visiting this Travelodge, it could have been anywhere and doesn’t inspire you to discover more about Vauxhall which was disappointing. However, it’s very clean, new and inoffensive and will provide a comfortable night’s sleep for any weary traveller.

More images on page two…

Lorraine Hakes
Visit: 20th June 2013
Images (C) Lorraine Hakes/ HotelDesigns

Sunderland City Council can confirm that the world-famous Hilton Hotels group is bringing forward plans for a hotel development on the city’s Stadium Park. Consultation will be carried out with the public in the coming weeks, followed by the submission of a planning application. The build is scheduled to begin from early 2014 and the hotel will open in summer 2015.

Councillor Paul Watson, Leader of Sunderland City Council, commented: “This is a very exciting development for Sunderland and a statement of confidence in our city and its future, by arguably the most famous hotel chain in the world.”

“Having such a quality hotel on Stadium Park will have a tangible economic impact on our city, and particularly its city centre. Stadium Park, through the Stadium of Light and the Aquatic Centre, welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, through football matches, concerts and other major events and this extra hotel provision will unlock further growth and development in the city through leisure and business tourism.”

In addition to the positive impact on the economy when the hotel opens, the construction will create up to 150 jobs, plus additional work within the supply chain and once completed, the hotel will create 100 full and part-time jobs.

The City Council has recently acquired the land for the development and a newly-formed company, Sunderland FC Developments, which is affiliated to Sunderland AFC, will bring the development forward.

I am blessed with a job that allows me to travel looking at hotels, photographing and writing about their design. Perhaps I should blog too about the experiences I enjoy, but there are only so many minutes in a day, aren’t there? To look at an hotel properly takes two nights. The first you enjoy the impressions, the second you look beyond them and at the functionality of the design as well as how it works with the operation.On my first autumn visit to Bushmans Kloof I fell in love with the mix of the local vernacular with very European concepts of luxury. Condé Nast shared my enthusiasm and the next year they made it their favourite hotel in the world. Since then I have been back in the winter to look at the new spa developments, and really enjoyed the visit. In the depths of the South African winter temperatures in the Cederberg get very low, and there is snow on the mountain tops, so the 19 rooms of Bushmans Kloof as they are in the heart of the Cederberg Wilderness are not exactly high on South Africans mid week break listing.

What a good decision it was to end weeks of work by looking again at BK. We had the choice of rooms and were treated like royalty! As the only people on the bush drives our guide Zenobia (Zettie from here on in) was ours to command. The winter is not a good time to see game because there is so much water available in the bush that they don’t all trek to the waterhole as they do in late summer. However the bush blooms with wild flowers and blossoms and there is plenty of bird life, and Zettie was expert at finding the elusive bucks. We were delighted to be getting the best of both worlds, then. A beautifully designed room, great service in a beautiful location.

Bushmans Kloof was set up to help save the Cape Zebra from extinction That now well on the way to being achieved, supported by funds from the Tollman family (owners of Red Carnation hotels), the reserve is now helping with the research into the sustainability of the Cape Leopard population. The reserves 16,000 hectares are surrounded by active farms, not noted for tolerance of predators, so it is an uphill task. Guests are encouraged to join the game drives at the times best suited to seeing (and photographing) game, which is early morning and early evening. That first evening we were promised something special.

But as page two will show, we had far more than we expected.

Michael Mina’s PUB 1842 at MGM Grand introduces a casual tavern-style eatery that playfully blends unexpected flavors and textures into classic American pub favorites. The restaurant, which opened on June 18, boasts an extensive selection of beers and cocktails for guests to enjoy while they play favorites such as darts and ping pang pong in the energetic bar area. A lively soundtrack complements the restaurant atmosphere, which encourages socializing and spirited fun. The restaurant is open daily for lunch, dinner and late night. Chef Mina said, “I enjoy working in the realm of fine dining, of course, but I wanted to explore a dining option that focuses on great memories in addition to high-quality food and service. I want PUB 1842 to be a place where guests want to linger long after they have finished their meal to enjoy a few beers, play some games and maybe make new friends.”

Named for the year modern Pilsner beer was invented, PUB 1842 offers a vast beer list featuring a wide range of American and international brews by the can, bottle or pulled from one of 24 taps. Guests interested in sampling a variety of the more than 60 ales, pilsners, stouts and lagers will enjoy the ability to order beer flights. The vibrant restaurant offers new takes on classic cocktails with a focus on “Fizzy Lifting Drinks” (individually bottled & carbonated cocktails), Housemade Infusions and Seasonal Punches. The Soda Popinski, a fizzy lifting drink, is the PUB’s twist on the standard Moscow Mule while the Chubacabra, a pineapple and Serrano chili-infused tequila based cocktail, is a signature sip. Guests also can expect a grown-up version of “Jungle Juice.”

Whimsical starters include culinary offerings such as “Crab Louis” Deviled Eggs; Lobster Corn Dogs; and Heritage Pork Green Chili with grilled tortilla and housemade crema. No pub would be complete without a lengthy burger list, and Chef Mina has it covered. The Peanut Butter Crunch Burger with bacon jam, potato chips and pimento cheese and the Vegetarian Falafel Burger, which highlights Mina’s mother’s exclusive falafel recipe, are must-have selections. Wood-fired steaks, farm to table salads, sandwiches and hearty entrees round out the extensive menu.

The inviting space features an expansive, high-energy bar and an open façade overlooking The District at MGM Grand. The pub theme, complete with elevated dining booths, wooden bar stools and a keg room, is maintained throughout. Stone mosaic floors, vintage print wallpapers, plaid upholstery and butcher block tables enhance the authentic space and exude a warm and welcoming environment.

Embassy Suites Hotels welcomes the arrival of the upscale hotel brand’s third property in the state of Maryland, the Embassy Suites Baltimore-Downtown. After undergoing extensive renovation, the newly converted property now includes an array of exciting new and re-concepted amenities for business and leisure travelers alike in the thriving downtown Baltimore area. Embassy Suites Baltimore-Downtown, formerly Tremont Suites Hotel, was developed as a joint venture between Garrison Investment Group and Chartres Lodging Group, and is managed by Kokua Hospitality, LLC. The 37-story hotel features 300 remodeled guestrooms with modernized bathrooms and wet bars, newly designed lobby and guest public areas, an outdoor pool, and a new food and beverage outlet, B’more Bistro and Lounge.

GUEST AMENITIES
On top of a more contemporary look and feel at the Embassy Suites Baltimore-Downtown, guests can indulge in the comfort and convenience of the signature amenities available at every Embassy Suites hotel. These include complimentary hot, cooked-to-order breakfast each morning, nightly Complimentary Evening Reception and spacious guestrooms with wet bar, microwave, mini-fridge, and coffee maker. Guestrooms will also be equipped with flat-screen high-definition televisions. The property offers a complimentary fitness center, business center, and seasonal outdoor pool.

For the always-connected traveler, the addition of an e-lounge to the property allows guests to relax, while still staying “wired” as needed. Within the lounge, complimentary Wi-Fi and computer work stations are available for guests’ use. Visitors may also enjoy a bite or cocktail in the cozy communal table setting.

MEETINGS AND EVENTS
The hotel property includes Baltimore’s most opulent event center, the Grand Historic Venue, featuring 45,000 square feet of meeting space and pre-function space with 19 banquet rooms across five floors. Situated adjacent to the Embassy Suites Baltimore-Downtown, the venue offers a distinct setting for meetings and conventions, weddings, and social functions. The Grand Historic Venue has been recognized as a top wedding venue in the Mid-Atlantic, receiving five stars from The Knot and Wedding Wire, as well as a Brides Maryland 2011 editor’s choice for Best Reception Site. The luxurious women’s bathroom and lounge—showcasing nine types of marble, large columns and light fixtures, and hand-carved woodwork—has even been recognized as one of America’s Best Bathrooms by Cintas.

Among the 19 classical meeting rooms, all fully wired and updated for meetings, three ballrooms offer particularly memorable backdrops for any event. The Marble Room on the first floor presents a distinguished ballroom space featuring original stained-glass windows; the Roman Strada on the second floor takes inspiration from the grandeur of an Egyptian tomb and is decorated with murals depicting common Masonic themes; and the grand Corinthian Room, also on the second floor, combines extravagant chandeliers and gilded columns.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE
With the conversion of Tremont Suites Hotel to the Embassy Suites Baltimore-Downtown, the property also unveils the hotel’s new food and beverage outlet, B’more Bistro and Lounge. Diners can expect flavors of the Chesapeake Bay at the 4,000-square-foot, 200-seat restaurant located on the second floor. Signature menu items include Old Bay Bloody Mary’s, Chesapeake Crab Sliders, and Rockfish Risotto. In August 2013, guests will also be able to enjoy coffee beverages at the new onsite Starbucks.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has recently announced the latest addition to the growing global Holiday Inn Resort® brand portfolio with the opening of the Holiday Inn Resort® Grand Cayman hotel. The property has 117-rooms and a variety of beachfront amenities. “We are thrilled to bring a Holiday Inn Resort hotel to one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean,” said Gerardo Murray, vice president, Marketing Strategic Services for Mexico, Latin America and Caribbean, IHG. “Adding this property to our Holiday Inn Resort brand portfolio is in alignment with our strategy to bring the brand to easily-accessed leisure destinations.”

The Holiday Inn Resort Grand Cayman hotel is located just 15 minutes from Owen Roberts International Airport, on the North Sound, and is in a convenient location near many of Grand Cayman’s most tourist attractions including Stingray City and Rum Point. Visitors can also access nearby Camana Bay and George Town via the resort’s shuttle service which provides guests complimentary transportation to anywhere within 5 minutes of the hotel.

Guests staying at the beautiful Holiday Inn Resort Grand Cayman beachfront property can choose between one of the resort’s well-appointed spacious guest rooms, or a suite that features a variety of breathtaking views of the shimmering waters of the North Sound. The suites also offer extra living space and amenities, such as a fully stocked gourmet kitchen, a living room, dining room and an en-suite laundry. The resort is also ideal for meetings or special events which can be hosted at the poolside covered patio, by the airy sandy beach with pavilion or in a traditional meeting room.

Additional amenities available for guests include a fitness center, tennis court, swimming pool, beach volleyball court, golf course, business center, wireless Internet, onsite dive shop, and complementary children’s activities. The resort also offers an array of aquatic activities including onsite jet ski, kayak and snorkeling rentals. Guests can indulge at the Blue Iguana Grill and Lounge featuring classic Caymanian cuisine and refreshing cocktails and beverages.

The Holiday Inn Resort Grand Cayman, owned by The Grand Caymanian Ltd., and managed by Crestline Hotels and Resorts is franchised by an affiliate of IHG.

Whether guests feel welcome and comfortable in hotels depends largely upon the interior decoration. Hotel guests take in their surroundings from the moment they walk into the lobby. Everything must feel right, from the reception to the hotel room, from the breakfast room to the restaurant, from the conference and seminar rooms to the offices and day rooms.Seating is a key aspect of interior decoration, designed to add just the right touch to the hotel’s character and atmosphere. Should the interior exude a romantic, bucolic feeling or the charm of traditional elegance? Or should it feature a modern-style, urban décor or have a futuristic, design-oriented character – Kusch+Co, an internationally operating manufacturer of contract seating, can cater for all tastes with its extensive portfolio, comprising 27 seating and 18 table series, made of the heavy-duty materials plastic, wood, or metal. Their high quality seating is designed to meet the exacting demands of everyday use in hotel environments, and conceived to be extremely hard-wearing, ensuring a long-lasting life cycle.

On request, Kusch+Co happily provides a professional interior planning service, covering the entire spectrum from seating configurations to a comprehensive interior design concept, including colour and material schemes. The customer can rely on the expert know-how of Kusch+Co, founded on the long-time experience of having furnished numerous projects worldwide. Throughout Great-Britain, more and more hotels call in Kusch+Co as a competent partner to furnish their environments.

The reference list of noteworthy hotels furnished with Kusch+Co seating feature many other highlights. Also worth mentioning are the Business Hotel Copthorne Manor near the Gatwick Airport, or the impressive Hotel Bovey Castle with one of England’s best 18-hole golf courses, located near Dartmoor National Park.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has recently announced plans to debut Le Méridien in New Orleans amidst rising demand for the Paris-born brand in markets across North America. Le Méridien New Orleans, ideally situated within walking distance from the city’s world-famous French Quarter, is set to open in Fall 2014. The hotel, which currently operates under Starwood’s W brand, was recently sold by the company to Chesapeake Lodging Trust for $65 million this past April. Chesapeake will begin the comprehensive $29 million renovation and conversion in April 2014 and complete the project by the end of the fourth quarter. “We are proud to debut the Le Méridien brand in the culturally rich city of New Orleans,” said Brian Povinelli, Global Brand Leader, Le Méridien and Westin Hotels. “With a bullish pipeline and re-developed brand strategy, Le Méridien continues on a remarkable growth trajectory, connecting with guests through the arts, culture, and cuisine in key cities around the world.”

Le Méridien New Orleans will offer 410 fully renovated guestrooms and bathrooms as well as upgraded fitness center, rooftop pool and more than 10,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting facilities, ideal for weddings and business functions. The hotel’s restaurant and lounge, along with all other public areas, will also be transformed to implement Le Méridien brand elements and signature offerings.

“With strong brand appeal among cosmopolitan travelers worldwide, Le Méridien continues its aggressive deal signing momentum with Le Méridien New Orleans,” said Allison Reid, Senior Vice President of North America Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. “We have a great partner in Chesapeake Lodging, and look forward to working together to bring Le Méridien to the Crescent City.”

Le Méridien New Orleans will also feature the Le Méridien HubTM experience, which re-interprets the traditional lobby into a social gathering place for creative people to converse, debate, and exchange. Le Méridien Hub offers both guests and locals a creative atmosphere where contemporary, curated artwork sets the environment. Le Méridien Hub further builds on the brand’s award-winning curated arrival experience and coffee culture. Le Méridien arrival consists of four elements: large-scale artwork in high impact areas to reset the mind and stimulate dialogue and curiosity; the sensory experience, illustrated through Le Méridien signature scent, sound and use of light, creating a unique and distinctive atmosphere; UNLOCK ARTTM programme, featuring LM100TM artist designed key card collections that not only offer access to the guestroom but also to Le Méridien affiliated contemporary cultural centers in the city; and a 24-hour curated soundtrack.

Located at 333 Poydras Street, Le Méridien New Orleans will be conveniently located near the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and just a few blocks from the boutiques, art galleries and jazz clubs in the French Quarter as well as the Riverwalk Marketplace, Harrah’s Casino and the Warehouse District. The hotel is Chesapeake Lodging Trust’s fifth Starwood property, joining W New Orleans – French Quarter, W Chicago – City Center, W Chicago – Lakeshore and Le Méridien San Francisco.

Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel, one of Oxford’s most popular hotels, has added 22 new brilliantly designed bedrooms along with a multi-functional Conservatory following a comprehensive six month, £2 million refurbishment and expansion programme. The 22 new double bedrooms have increased the hotel’s capacity to 84 rooms and have been designed by award winning interior design practice DeSallesFlint with inspiration from the hotel’s close proximity to the River Thames and Oxford’s boating heritage. The concept and design incorporates traditional ‘College’ colours alongside very British influences such as sumptuous floral fabrics and traditional tweeds but with contemporary quirks and twists. There are two room designs –the blue-toned ‘River Rooms’ with river and boating related artistry and the green-toned ‘Garden Rooms’ with flower and garden related pictures adorning the walls. All feature air conditioning, iPod docking stations, complimentary drinks trays, 37” LCD digital televisions and complimentary Wi-Fi, while in the bathrooms guests can enjoy relaxing drench showers and toiletries from Clarins.

The new rooms are linked to the existing buildings and all have views over the hotel’s beautiful gardens. Ten of the rooms enjoy uninterrupted views over the hotel’s 30 acre grounds leading down to the River Thames, those on the ground floor having direct patio access on to the lawns and two first floor corner rooms featuring Juliette balconies. The remaining 12 rooms have uninterrupted tranquil views of Heyford Meadows and the hotel’s Walled Garden.

At the same time, the hotel has converted an existing courtyard area adjacent to its popular River Room Restaurant into a multi-functional Conservatory. Designed by architects John Hallam Associates with interiors by MatthewsMee, the Conservatory is bright and airy featuring muted decorative tones to create a relaxed environment. Accommodating up to 90 people, it is perfect for both hotel guests and local residents to enjoy Sunday lunch and afternoon tea as well as a full restaurant and bar/lounge menu. A comfortable sofa area provides the ideal place for a relaxed intimate coffee or informal business meeting – free Wi-Fi is available.

The Conservatory also complements the hotel’s public areas for private events both day and evening. When combined with the Little Barn, River Room Restaurant, Oxford Suite and Eights Bar it can support larger events and occasions of up to 350 people for private events. New car parking spaces have been added to support the new facilities.

Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel is a four star property housed partly within historic medieval buildings just three miles from the centre of historic Oxford. Set in 30 acres of parkland leading down to the River Thames, the hotel combines medieval charm and contemporary elegance. Its luxury facilities include The River Room Restaurant, Crusaders Medieval Bar and Lounge, Jerome’s Leisure Club with Roman-style swimming pool, gym, outdoor riverside tennis court, College Barge and nine conference and events rooms.

Accor, the largest international operator of hotels in Asia-Pacific and Indonesia, announces the opening of Amarterra Villas Bali Nusa Dua, the newest member of the MGallery Collection in Bali, Indonesia. This resort is a newly-built, all-villa property boasting one of the best locations in Bali – in the heart of the Bali Tourism Development Corporation (BTDC) complex in Nusa Dua, on the southern coast of the island. This exclusive villa resort combines lavish facilities and amenities, with traditional Balinese elements set among lush, landscaped gardens. “We are delighted to add Amarterra Villas Bali Nusa Dua to the MGallery Collection of memorable hotels,” says Gerard Guillouet, Senior Vice President of Accor Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. “Amarterra Villas Bali Nusa Dua is the perfect resort for upscale customers who enjoy a hotel with a unique story and distinguish concept. This resort combines its exceptional location with the excellence of its services and individual attention, making every stay a memorable experience.”

MGallery is a collection of unique upscale hotels selected through their individual personality and characteristics. MGallery hotels are categorized according to three themes – Signature, Heritage and Serenity. Due to its superb ambience blending perfectly with the outstanding architectural designs, Amarterra Villas Bali Nusa Dua is categorised under MGallery’s “Serenity” category. This resort will be the third hotel in the MGallery Collection in Indonesia and the second in Bali.

Pascal Bellon, Amarterra Villas Bali Nusa Dua’s General Manager says, “The opening of this memorable sanctuary of villas in heavenly Bali offers upscale guests unprecedented level of privacy, five-star hospitality and a sense of ‘Serenity’. Combining contemporary comforts with respect to the environment, the resort is inspired by the daily life of a traditional Balinese village.” Staying true to the values of tranquillity, serenity and memorable hospitality, Amarterra Villas Bali Nusa Dua is an oasis of exotic beauty with lush gardens and private pools while providing easy access to Bali’s main convention centre and just a stone’s throw away from the sublime white sand beaches of Nusa Dua.

Amarterra, which comes from the words “Amarta” which means water and “Terra” meaning earth, reflects how these two elements combine to allow sophisticated guests – from honeymooners to business and leisure travellers – to rest and relax amongst Bali’s renowned natural surroundings. The traditional architecture and designs are influenced by the 13th century Majapahit Kingdom when Javanese culture had a strong influence in Bali. Guests will experience this enchanted concept from the moment they arrive at the splendid Chandra Suriya Gate, a symbol of harmonious life, before entering through to the inspirational villas.

With just 39 villas – from one, two and three bedroom villas – each is designed to become a tranquil haven for full relaxation. Artfully crafted with richly-textured materials, the villas’ décor is accentuated by intricate furnishings and colourful finishes. The villas are equipped with state-of-the-art entertainment systems, open lounges, a dining area, and private swimming pool and gazebo, plus luxurious bathroom for guests to enjoy a delightful soak.

Styled as a tropical garden retreat, the resort’s Terra Terrace restaurant and bar offer guests all-day dining with fusion cuisine blending authentic Indonesian gastronomy with modern influences. The Amarterra Spa provides a spa experience using Dharma Bali therapy that will rejuvenate and refresh both the body and mind. The treatment menu is inspired from Bali’s heritage and traditions using natural products, mostly made from different parts of a coconut tree. Amarterra Spa’s signature treatments include Virgin Coconut Oil Body Scrub, Sirodhara and Balinese “Urut” Massage.

The resort also provides a variety of facilities including an outdoor swimming pool, a beach club, a gymnasium, boutique shop and gallery, and a meeting room.

Louvre Hotels Group is reinforcing its top-player position in Poland with the opening of three new-built hotels in June and July, in top Polish cities Bydgoszcz, Gdansk and Krakow.The opening of a Campanile hotel in Bydgoszcz, the 7th largest city of the country, is a milestone for the company: the 117-rooms hotel will be the 10th hotel of the brand in Poland. As a 3-stars hotel, it boasts an excellent location on the city’s main artery, Jagiellonska Avenue and modern infrastructures and services such as a restaurant, a lounge bar and two fully equipped meeting rooms.

The Group will also open two Golden Tulip hotels in Gdansk and Krakow, less than two years after its launch in Poland:

The Golden Tulip Gdansk Residence will be situated
in a great location close to the sea. The
infrastructures and services will include a
restaurant, a bar, conference rooms, a swimming
pool, a Jacuzzi, a sauna and a wellness area. The
property is developed by Qualia, one of Louvre
Hotels Group’s key partners in Poland.

The Golden Tulip hotel in Krakow also enjoys a
central location, in the Old Town, a few meters
from the famous Market Square (a UNESCO World
Heritage listed site). It will offer 86 rooms, a
restaurant and a bar as well as a meeting room
dedicated to business customers.

These three new openings represent a growth of 30 % in Louvre Hotels Group’s portfolio in Poland. At the end of July, the Group will manage 16 hotels in Poland, representing 1,900 rooms.

These hotels will reinforce Louvre Hotels Group’s budget segment presence in the country and underline its ambition to become a top-tier Group in the midscale and upscale segments. By adding two new cities to its portfolio (Gdansk and Bydgoszcz), Louvre Hotels Group will be the first and unique international operator present in all top-10 Polish cities.

Matthieu Evrard, Chief Development Officer of Louvre Hotels Group said: “With these new openings, Louvre Hotels Group confirms its position as one of the most active and dynamic hotel chains in Poland. The Group is also developing in neighbouring countries and will open its first hotels in Donetsk, Ukraine, and in Vilnius, Lithuania, in the 4th quarter of 2013.”

Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts has signed a new management contract with Shaanxi Puyu Industrial Co., Ltd for a 350 room hotel in Xi’an. Scheduled for completion in 2016, Swissôtel Xi’an will be nestled in the core business area in the Xi’an National Civil Aerospace Industrial Base within proximity to two Metro lines. Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, boasts of a rich and colorful past. With a history of over 3,000 years, it is regarded as one of the four greatest cities of ancient civilizations, along with Athens, Cairo and Rome. As a result of the large number of historical sites, including the most famous Terracotta Army, tourism is a key component of the city’s economy and an efficient transport system is in place. The Xi’an Xianyang International Airport is the largest airport in Northwest China and a six-line Metro system is under construction.

Swissôtel Xi’an will be located in the heart of phase one of China’s second national civil aerospace industrial base. The base is under construction and will be completed by 2016, expecting to attract over 300,000 residences and over 30 medium to large scale enterprises. 5 km away, the Qujiang New District is an important cultural and residential hub, also housing the Xi’an Qujiang International Conference & Exhibition Centre. Swissôtel Xi’an will offer , four restaurants, function and banqueting space and recreational facilities including a Pürovel Spa. to 50m350 guest rooms and suites, varying in size of approximately 40m

Xi’an has the potential to develop into a top business and leisure hub. “We are pleased with this successful start to our partnership with Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts which has an excellent track record internationally. Working together with our experienced expertise will place us in a position to successfully capture the development opportunities in the new era,” said Mr. Song Zhong Ming, deputy GM of Shaanxi Puyu Industrial Co., Ltd.

“This is a welcome addition to our current portfolio in China, and will complement our upcoming projects in Chengdu, Changsha and Sanya. Xi’an is a strategic step in our plans and put us on track with our goals to expand in emerging markets. This partnership with Shaanxi Puyu Industrial Co., Ltd is timely and we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship,” said Meinhard Huck, President of Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts.

Recently, at the NYU International Hospitality Investment Conference in New York, Marriott International, Inc. announced it will import its popular design-focused AC Hotels by Marriott brand into the US and the rest of the Americas. The brand inspired by the runways and fashion houses of Milan, features simple, clean and crisp lines, marrying sophisticated European style with approachable design for a distinctly urban feel. Each hotel reflects the uniqueness and character of its location. AC Hotels by Marriott was launched in 2011 as a joint venture between Marriott International and Spanish group AC Hotels, which was founded in 1998 by Antonio Catalán. Today, AC Hotels by Marriott has a portfolio of 79 hotels in Spain, Italy, Portugal and France, encompassing nearly 9,000 rooms.

“By importing AC Hotels by Marriott into the US, we believe we can increase Marriott’s overall market share among younger business travelers who make three or more business trips a year, representing a total market size of $31 – $35 billion,” said Brian King, global brand officer, Marriott Endorsed Brands. “We have identified an industry void among consumers who are connected, communal and curious with an urban spirit and desire a design-focused hotel brand that is widely distributed.”

AC Hotels by Marriott has extremely high brand recognition in Spain and is among the 50 best valued brands within that market. There are currently five AC Hotels by Marriott in the company’s global development pipeline, and there is strong interest among owners in developing the brand in the North and South America.

“Marriott has a strong track record for developing and growing brands,” said Tony Capuano, executive vice president and chief development officer, Marriott Global Development. “Our experienced owners and franchisees are highly enthusiastic about the growth potential of this unique, design-focused brand for new construction, conversions and adaptive re-use opportunities.”

AC Hotels by Marriott, which will sit in the upper moderate lodging tier, will add to the company’s emerging supply of lifestyle brands that includes the recently announced moderately priced MOXY HOTELS in Europe. AC Hotels by Marriott feature lobbies containing a curated collection of inviting furnishings, modern patterns and textures that feel museum-like with a layered tone-on-tone color palette of warm greys and soft charcoal accents that carries through to the guest rooms. Within the lobby, guests can enjoy the AC Lounge, serving small plates, cocktails, and a wide selection of wines and craft beers. Guests can retreat to work or relax in the library with its wide tables that serves as the business center as well. The library also offers locally relevant reading and artifacts. WiFi throughout every AC Hotels by Marriott property will be free. Guests and non-guests will be able to book spaces to work in the lobbies using Marriott’s Workspace on Demand powered by Liquidspace. AC Hotels by Marriott will offer guests a full breakfast buffet.

Anglo Holt Construction has won a £5.5 million contract to build its first ibis budget hotel.The West Bromwich-based company was awarded the contract by Prime Property Edinburgh Ltd to build a 161-bedroom hotel at Edinburgh Business Park.

ibis budget, part of the Accor group, is a European leader in budget hotels with more than 500 hotels in 18 countries.

Minutes away from Edinburgh Airport, the business park has its own train station and is served by many buses. The hotel will be well appointed for the 9million people per year that use the airport. The greenfield site has undergone archaeological monitoring and will have a pre-cast concrete frame.

The 38-week project is due to start in August 2013 and be completed in May 2014.

A leading North East leisure firm is expanding its Scottish operations with the acquisition of a new hotel.

Newcastle-based Cairn Hotel Group, which owns 22 hotels across the UK, has purchased the freehold of the Queensferry Hotel, Fife, which was previously in administration. The firm, which already operates hotels in Aberdeen and Edinburgh, now plans to invest around £3m in refurbishing and re-branding the 77-bedroom property over the next 12 months.

Previous re-branding projects carried out by the Cairn Hotel Group have more than doubled the workforce at Hotel Indigo Kensington Earls Court, London, the Holiday Inn Newcastle Jesmond hotel, Newcastle, the Doubletree by Hilton Newcastle Airport hotel and the Holiday Inn Darlington A1 Scotch Corner hotel, County Durham.

The firm’s directors now hope that similar successes will be achieved at the three-star Queensferry hotel, as well as safeguarding 40 existing jobs.

The hotel was previously run by Delight Hotels, who were ousted by the former owners Mountain Capital earlier this year. The Cairn Hotel Group has now purchased the property outright and will operate it directly.

Aran Handa, Director at the Cairn Hotel Group, said: “The Cairn Hotel Group has a proven track record of rescuing and restoring struggling properties like the Queensferry hotel.

“We are now looking forward to not only returning the property to its former glory but introducing the high levels of customer service and staff satisfaction which operate in all our hotels across the UK.”

The Curious Pig in the Parlour, neatly tucked away in Copthorne, West Sussex has opened its doors, unveiling nine boutique-style bedrooms alongside a fully refurbished pub and dining area. The pub provides an ideal hideaway for locals and visitors to enjoy relaxed home-from-home surroundings, with eating, drinking and sleeping all nestled under one roof. LOCATION
Set in the quaint village of Copthorne, just seven miles from Gatwick Airport, The Curious Pig in the Parlour is the perfect place for a stop-over, adding a touch of luxury to a pre-flight hotel stay, and it’s a great base from which to explore the rolling countryside and historical attractions found in West Sussex.

THE BEDROOMS
The Curious Pig in the Parlour’s nine beautifully appointed en-suite bedrooms offer understated style and sophistication. Each has retained its own sense of charm and character, with textured fabrics, heavy timber furniture and brightly coloured prints adding to the pub’s already lively personality and homely surroundings.

Delivering all the amenities expected of a boutique hotel, all the bedrooms boast luxury cotton bed linen, flat screen TVs, complimentary Wi-Fi, spacious bathrooms with walk-in showers, fluffy bathrobes, luxury toiletries and a homemade welcome hamper packed with coffee, tea, bottled water and chef’s treats.

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InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has recently announced the signing of a new Holiday Inn hotel in Quito, Ecuador. This property brings three IHG®-branded hotels to Ecuador including the current Holiday Inn Express® Quito hotel, and the upcoming Holiday Inn® Guayaquil Airport hotel slated to open next month. “Ecuador has strong potential for hotel growth and is the perfect market for Holiday Inn hotels,” said Joel Eisemann, chief development officer, the Americas, IHG. “As well as being the country’s capital, Quito is also an important business and tourism center for the country and we look forward to bringing accommodations to fit the region’s needs.”

The hotel will be located approximately 22 miles from Quito’s city center and one mile from the new Mariscal Sucre International Airport, built to expand the capacity of the city’s former airport and estimated to serve five million travelers annually with room for future expansion. Surrounded by the Andes Mountains, Quito is the second most populous city in Ecuador and a UNESCO World Heritage site, having one of the best-preserved historic city centers in the Americas.

The new hotel will be designed in line with the Holiday Inn brand family’s $1 billion global brand relaunch, the largest project of its kind in hospitality history. The relaunch continues to drive increased quality and consistency across the global portfolio. The hotel will feature a contemporary image with emphasis on arrival and welcome services, guestroom and guest bath comfort and a redesigned logo and signage.

“We are so pleased with the signing of the new Holiday Inn Quito Airport,” said Gerardo Murray, vice president, Marketing Strategic Services for Mexico, Latin America and Caribbean at IHG. “The location is exciting and a very strategic fit for this brand as this hotel will be located near one of the busiest international airports in South America and of tremendous value to both business and leisure travelers visiting the region.”

Scheduled to debut in 2016, the four-story Holiday Inn Quito Airport will boast a modern facade and design featuring 130 guestrooms. The location is intended to cater to both corporate and leisure travelers, looking for accommodations close to the airport. The hotel will be equipped with maximum sound insulation, built to minimize airport noise to ensure a pleasurable and convenient stay for guests, and will also feature an array of on-site amenities, including an indoor swimming pool, restaurant, fitness center and 6,000 sq.-ft. of meeting space. Room Service Right … On Time™, at all Holiday Inn hotels, ensures that guests’ room service orders are accurate and delivered on time, every time.

Holiday Inn hotels feature a residential atmosphere that is warm, trend forward and comfortable. Guest beds are made using crisp, white bedding with pillows that come in two comfort levels: “soft” and “firm.” The residential design will include business-focused necessities such as an ergonomic workstation and data ports with the bathrooms including a multifunctional showerhead, as well as a signature shower curtain with curved rod, and amenities. Additionally, each room will have standard Holiday Inn guestroom accommodations – comfortable double, queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair, hairdryer, micro fridge, coffee maker, iron and ironing board.

The hotel is owned by BPO Asesores Empresariales S.A., which also owns the Holiday Inn Guayaquil Airport opening later this year and is franchised by an affiliate of IHG.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and PT Tiara Raya Bali International has recently announced the debut of Le Méridien Bali Jimbaran, the latest newly built Le Méridien resort to open during a year of substantial growth for the Paris-born brand. Le Méridien Bali Jimbaran, combines chic, modern design with a passion for the arts, culture and creative cuisine to offer travellers an enriching escape on Bali, Indonesia’s famed Island of the Gods. “Le Méridien is experiencing a year of significant growth,” said Brian Povinelli, Global Brand Leader, Le Méridien and Westin. “With a refined Le Méridien brand positioning focused on unlocking the destination and our best portfolio and performance levels ever, we are proud to return to Bali in such an ideal setting as the culturally-rich Jimbaran area.”

“We are excited about our partnership with Starwood Hotels & Resorts to officially launch Le Méridien Bali Jimbaran,” said Richard Wiriahardja, Owner of PT Tiara Raya Bali International. “We took Le Méridien brand’s vision of creativity to heart: arts in different mediums, designer furniture with stories to be told, and details in everyday objects that induce curiosity. We are pleased to welcome guests to explore our resort and the Jimbaran area.”

Complementing its idyllic location, Le Méridien Bali Jimbaran juxtaposes rich elements of traditional Jimbaran heritage with sleek contemporary elements, inspiring art, and a relaxed, understated style. The resort features the newly developed Le Méridien Hub experience, which re-interprets the traditional lobby into a social gathering place for creative people to converse, debate and exchange views.

Le Méridien Bali Jimbaran offers four distinct dining venues in a three-story complex, including the signature restaurant Bamboo Chic, featuring Pan-Asian flavours fused with an authentic Balinese palate and made with organic ingredients sourced from the local Bedugul Mountain area; Smoqee Lounge & Sky Bar with hand-crafted cocktails, unparalleled sunset views, and soothing tunes from resident DJs; Latitude 8, offering coffee by day and wines and tapas by night in the hotel’s Hub; and WALA, an casual spot for handcrafted gelato and perfect cups of coffee.

Surrounded by serene and refreshing water features, the hotel’s 118 guest rooms and suites feature modern batik motifs and striking liquid art imagery by German artist Markus Reugels. Ground floor guest rooms open directly onto a uniquely designed 1,300 square meter organic form saltwater lagoon pool.

A modern conference center provides 600 square meters of multi-purpose space, state-of-the-art audio-visual technology, a business center, and creative event staff.

Other amenities include Serenity, a rejuvenation spa with six ‘Experience’ treatment rooms and a lounge; a well-equipped fitness center with a variety of health programs; and J Kids Club that keeps young guests engaged with an array of activities, discovery programs, and a dedicated outdoor children’s pool.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced that it will increase its operating hotel footprint in Latin America by 50 percent during the next five years, opening an average of seven new hotels per year in the region. Emphasizing Latin American’s growth potential as one of the world’s fastest growing hotel and travel markets, Starwood’s CEO Frits van Paasschen and members of the company’s senior executive team visited Latin America last week, traveling to key growth markets, including Brazil and Colombia. “Macro-economic trends continue to reshape the Latin American travel and business landscape, creating strong growth in lodging demand and many opportunities for Starwood to expand in the region,” said Frits van Paasschen, President and CEO, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “At the same time, Latin America’s middle class grew by 50 percent in the last decade and this increase in wealth means that there are more and more people with the means to travel and an increasing appetite for global, luxury brands like ours.”

As the first international hotel company in Latin America dating back to the opening of the Sheraton Maria Isabel in Mexico City in 1963, Starwood today is the largest high end hotel operator in the region with 72 hotels in 13 countries and a total of 15,600 rooms. Since 2007, the company has grown by 36% in Latin America.

In the last two years the company opened 13 hotels, including its debut in Costa Rica with Westin Playa Conchal, Starwood’s first all-inclusive hotel in the world, the recent opening of Sheraton da Bahia Hotel in Salvador, Brazil, and the opening of new flagships including W Santiago, The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center, St. Regis Mexico City and Sheraton Bijao in Panama- the first Sheraton branded all-inclusive hotel in the world. Additional recent openings include The Westin Playa Bonita Resort & Spa Panama, The Westin Panama, The Westin Guadalajara and The Westin Santa Fe in Mexico; Aloft Bogota Airport and Aloft San Jose Hotel; Villarrica Park Lake Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel; Le Méridien Mexico City; and Four Points by Sheraton Mexico City, Colonia Roma.

Starwood has a pipeline of 19 hotels with a total of 3,200 new rooms in development. In the remainder of 2013, Starwood expects to open six more hotels with a total of 1,100 rooms, covering four brands across four countries.

“Latin America is emblematic of the growth we are seeing in regions around the world and key to our development plans,” said Simon Turner, President of Global Development & Acquisition, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “There is strong affinity for all of our brands in the region across the luxury, upper upscale and mid-market segments, and we’re looking to build on this interest with new world-class hotels in the right places, with the right partners.”

“We are optimistic about the future of our company in Latin America because we have various competitive advantages, including a long-established presence for more than 40 years, local know-how and strong relationships driven by our in-market teams,” said Osvaldo Librizzi, co-president of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Americas. “Combined with our world-renowned lifestyle brands, we are well-positioned to grow and maintain our lead in the market.”

Brazil
With more than 80% of the world’s economic growth coming from fast-growing markets over the next few years, Brazil is a key focus for the company. Underscoring the importance of the country, van Paasschen and members of Starwood’s senior executive team met with hotel owners, customers and investors in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Recife, and Salvador to evaluate new projects. They also visited the iconic Sheraton Rio Hotel & Resort in Rio de Janeiro, one of Starwood’s most valuable owned-assets in the region. In 2012, the hotel began a multi-million dollar renovation project that is part of Sheraton Hotels & Resorts’ ongoing commitment to enhance its global portfolio and reflects Starwood’s unwavering commitment to Brazil. Renovations are expected to be complete by the second quarter of next year.

“There is significant opportunity for hotel development in Brazil due to its sheer size, natural beauty, and relative under penetration, particularly at the high end. We want to bring our skills and expertise at operating high-quality branded hotels to this dynamic market, and believe rising rates and occupancies, and clear pent up demand for travel, make this a promising time to pursue growth opportunities,” added van Paasschen.

Starwood currently has eight hotels in some of the most important cities in the country, including Sheraton Rio Hotel & Resort and Sheraton Barra Hotel & Suites in Rio de Janeiro; Sheraton Vitoria Hotel; Sheraton São Paulo WTC, Sheraton Porto Alegre Hotel, Four Points by Sheraton Curitiba, Four Points by Sheraton Macaé and the Sheraton da Bahia Hotel in Salvador, which is celebrating its recent inauguration today. Sheraton Reserva do Paiva Hotel & Convention Center near Recife is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2014.

Colombia
Starwood executives also spent time in Colombia meeting with owners and partners and visiting the site of the future W Bogota, which will mark the brand’s entry into the country. In the past years, Colombia has made important steps in enhancing its economy and hotel infrastructure, becoming an attractive destination for foreign investment and international hotel brands. Starwood has been present in Colombia for almost 20 years, and today, the company has several exciting projects in the pipeline, including Four Points by Sheraton Bogota, Sheraton Cartagena Hotel, and W Bogota- all slated to open in 2014.

“We believe that Colombia is a country ripe with opportunities for growth and we plan to expand our brands in the major cities and secondary markets in the years to come with development partners who have a proven track record of success and are looking for a new and exciting growth vehicle,” van Paasschen concluded.

Source: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Hilton Hotels & Resorts has recently announced the opening of its latest resort property with the reflagging of Ravella at Lake Las Vegas as Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa. Located within the 3,600-acre Lake Las Vegas master-planned resort community, Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa is a Mediterranean-inspired resort just 20 miles from the Las Vegas strip.”The opening of this hotel provides an ideal retreat for guests who are looking for both the excitement and proximity to the Las Vegas strip and a tranquil place they can escape to and relax,” said Rob Palleschi, global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts.

An oasis in the desert, Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa features upscale accommodations including 349 guest rooms and suites with views that capture the lake, mountains, Florentine Garden and pool. Guests can take advantage of the full range of leisure amenities including a 30,000 square foot full-service spa with 24 treatment rooms, a full-service salon, sauna, steam room and fitness centre. The resort experience continues outdoors with a resort-sized pool featuring fully stocked cabanas, poolside dining at Lagoon Bar & Grill and access to a Jack Nicklaus golf course. For dining, the Medici Café and Terrace offers casual elegance in a garden-side setting and the Firenze Bar & Lounge is located in the lobby for tapas and cocktails.

With its Mediterranean flare and lakeside location, Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa provides an array of indoor and outdoor event spaces for weddings, private events, executive meetings and corporate retreats. The resort features 92,459 square feet of combined meeting and function space including an 11,813-square-foot ballroom, state-of-the-art audio visual technology, lofted ceilings, soundproof air walls and high-speed internet access. The on-property wedding chapel, “Capella Di Amore” is Las Vegas’ only over-water wedding chapel.

Louvre Hotels Group, a major hotel industry player in France and abroad, is announcing the opening of the Golden Tulip Hotel in Aix-les-Bains, the brand’s 10th hotel in France and 230th worldwide. Previously operated under the Radisson Blu brand, the hotel was purchased by Mr Alfonsi, a new investor in the Group, and will now be franchised under the Golden Tulip brand.

The hotel is certified Green Key (the world’s leading certification in accommodation) and will be undergoing a vast renovation of all guest rooms and public areas over the coming year, all the while remaining open for business.

Located on Avenue Charles de Gaulle in the city centre, close to the TGV station and to the casino, the hotel has 102 rooms (each room featuring high-speed WiFi).

In order to provide its guests with authentic relaxation, the Golden Tulip Hotel in Aix-les-Bains features a 600-m² relaxation centre complete with solarium and a Spa offering an indoor pool, a sauna, a steam bath, a Jacuzzi and a fitness centre.

The hotel’s “Brasserie du Park” restaurant serves traditional regional cuisine. The hotel also has a 500-m² area for private functions, lit by natural light.

“Being established in over 40 countries with 230 hotels, the Golden Tulip brand enjoys an international profile, an upscale positioning and a solid reputation. In addition to that, Louvre Hotels Group provides us with a highly efficient distribution system and a powerful marketing and sales force,” says Mr Alfonsi.

“With this new hotel joining the Golden Tulip brand, Louvre Hotels Group is proving once again that there is room in France for a non-standardised 4-star brand. Golden Tulip offers its guests the best in international standards while retaining local characteristics at every one of its hotels,” explains Golden Tulip France Director Emmanuel Ollier.

The opening of the Golden Tulip Hotel in Aix-les-Bains will further strengthen the national development strategy announced by the Golden Tulip brand several months ago: the Group’s ambition is to be operating 50 hotels in France by 2015.

Construction of the first Travelodge hotel in the London Borough of Hackney – part of a £20 million mixed-use development – is now underway, Anglo Holt Construction has announced.The West Bromwich-based company was awarded the contract by developer LPC Living Ltd, owned by the Pervaiz Naviede Family Trust, to build new basement and ground floor retail units 80-bedroom Travelodge hotel and 50-apartment building above.

The former brownfield site, near Hackney Central Railway Station, has undergone archaeological monitoring. The building will have a reinforced concrete basement, structural steel on the ground and lower floors, a lightweight frame on the upper floors, and a green roof. It will also include a large vehicle turntable. The project is due to be completed in March 2014.

Andy Elwell, managing director at Anglo Holt Construction, said: “This mixed-use development, comprising retail, residential and leisure, will be a real boost for Hackney. We are proud to continue our successful 13-year partnership with Travelodge by building its first hotel in the area.”

Simon Ashdown, director at LPC Living, said: “We’re delighted that construction has now commenced on this strategically important site. We believe the mix of retail, leisure and residential accommodation will be welcomed by residents and visitors to Hackney.”

Based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands, Anglo Holt has an annual turnover in excess of £50 million and employs around 100 people. Its objective is to guarantee to deliver quality, reliability and added value throughout the total process of design, construction, project management and cost management.

On Wednesday 12th June, a new DoubleTree by Hilton joined the London scene with the opening of the London Ealing property. The hotel was officially opened by Councillor Kamaljit Dhindsa.£10m has been spent on this property to bring it in line with the brand’s identity and it looks like it means business. With the redesign and refurbishment, the group decided to move the main entrance towards the rear of the property and in doing so, have created exclusivity for its guests; it’s no longer a hotel, it’s a secret club.

From the entrance you can see reception ahead and the bar to your left. The W5 Grill & Bar’s design features earthy tones with dark wood furniture and features and there is a terrace for al fresco dining should London ever see sunshine again.

Opposite reception is the business area with three or four workdesks and computers for guests use. Beyond this is the lift lobby and bathrooms, a large breakout area which services the Ballroom and two smaller business rooms, and a small bar.

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The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., the leader in luxury hospitality, has announced the brand’s latest property in its growing North Africa portfolio. The Ritz-Carlton Marrakech is owned by Jnan Amar Company, a subsidiary of Al Amal Investment Company (SIAMA) part of Azmi Abdelhadi Group of Saudi Arabia.The resort will be developed around the Jenan Amar Polo Fields, which is part of an upscale community on the Takerkoust Road, 20 kilometres from the city centre of Marrakech and 12 kilometres from the Lalla Takerkoust lake and nature reserve. The stunning fortress style resort will feature 60 hotel suites and 20 hotel villas of two, three and five bedrooms, bars and restaurants, a luxury spa and related leisure facilities. Jnan Amar Polo Resort development is envisaged as a powerful growth driver for tourism in the Marrakech region of Morocco, and the varied luxury components of the project coupled with its world-class polo fields will create a new lifestyle dynamic to the region.

Godwin Austen Johnson is the lead architect and interior designer, with the project already at the detailed design stage. The master development of the community has been completed including the roads, and the main polo field. Construction of the property is due to commence in the fourth quarter of 2013, with completion of the hotel projected for the third quarter of 2016.

“We are honored to have been selected by Jenan Amar, SARL to manage this unique property,” said Herve Humler, President and Chief Operating Officer, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. “We believe that the unique location of the resort, with stunning views on the High Atlas Mountains, within such an upscale community of Marrakech, coupled with the diverse culture and rich heritage of the wonderful city itself, will offer our discerning guests an incredibly attractive and aspirational destination to explore.”

Miramar Abdelhadi, Chief Executive Officer of the Jenan Amar SARL, said“We are delighted to partner with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company to manage the resort. The long and storied legacy of The Ritz-Carlton is a natural fit with Morocco’s own historical heritage, and the prestige of the brand is akin to the exclusivity of the community in which the resort will be located.”

Asked about additional growth in the North African region for The Ritz-Carlton, Humler added, “The Ritz-Carlton, Marrakech will be our fourth property in North Africa, each one offering a different proposition, indigenous to the style and location of the hotel or resort. Expansion in this region is unquestionably an essential part of our future growth strategy.”

Further properties currently under construction in North Africa are The Ritz-Carlton, Rabat, a 120-room hotel situated within the prestigious Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, The Ritz-Carlton, Tunis, a resort featuring 129-suites, situated close to the world heritage site of Carthage and Tamouda Bay, and Morocco a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Morocco a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Tamuda Bay, an exclusive upscale resort nestled along the unspoiled waters of the Mediterranean, approximately 60 kilometers east of the city of Tangiers, featuring a 98-luxury room hotel with 35 pool villa suites, a beach club and an 18-hole Nicklaus design golf course.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has confirmed The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto will officially open its doors on February 7, 2014, and unveiled the first images of the luxury urban resort that pays homage to the region’s cultural heritage. It also officially announced the appointment of Mr. Yuji Tanaka as the General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto.The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto enjoys an excellent strategic location as an urban resort on the Kamogawa River, Nijho Ohashi, close to Kyoto’s popular downtown areas including Gion and Kawaramachi-dori, the city’s retail and entertainment district. The hotel’s guestrooms will offer views of the river and the Higashiyama Mountains.

While in keeping with the traditions and cultural sensitivity of Kyoto, The Ritz-Carlton will be a subtle and inspired juxtaposition of modernity and respect for Japanese tradition, incorporating the work of internationally famous Japanese design houses such as Spin Studio. The architects and designers have gone to great lengths to preserve the traditional Meiji house and courtyard into the architectural structure of the building.

Featuring 136 guest rooms with an average size of 50 square meters for standard rooms, The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto will have some of the largest in the city. It will also feature four dining options, banquet and meeting rooms, as well as a spa and other recreational facilities.

World-class luxury hotel brand, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, has announced during the Caribbean Hotel and Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS) its plans to open a new 380-room JW Marriott Hotel and Casino which will include 16 residential condos located on the island of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. The property will be operated by Marriott International (NYSE: MAR) under a long-term agreement with DesarrollosHotelco Turks and Caicos Ltd., a group made up of prominent regional investors.The nine-story hotel, scheduled to open in early 2016, will be built on a11-acre site and is located on the world-famous Grace Bay beach along the north coast of Providenciales, 15 minutes from the Providenciales International Airport.

“We are thrilled to bring the JW Marriott brand of luxury to Turks and Caicos,” said Walter Stipa, majority investor of Desarrollos Hotelco Turks and Caicos Ltd. “And with its prime location on stunning Grace Bay Beach, we know that it will be very successful.”

Mr. Walter Stipa is also the majority shareholder of the 269-room JW Marriott Hotel Caracas, the 207-room Venezuela Marriott Hotel Playa Grande and the 212-room Renaissance La Castellana Caracas. Additionally, Mr. Stipa owns the 320-room Ritz-Carlton Aruba, which is currently under construction and expected to open at the end of 2013.

In addition to 380 guest rooms and suites, the hotel will feature a gourmet specialty restaurant, a three-meal-a-day restaurant, a lobby bar and lounge and a pool bar & grill. It will have 1,300 square meters of meeting space, including a ballroom; as well as a 962 square meter spa and fitness center, a kids/teen club, three swimming pools and a 901 square meter casino.

“We are proud to announce our second world class JW Marriott luxury brand hotel project in the Caribbean and our first in Turks and Caicos. This beautiful hotel will offer the highest levels of accommodations and service to our guests and will be a great addition to the brand’s growing global portfolio,” said Craig S. Smith, President of the Caribbean and Latin America.

“We are fortunate to have partners like Mr. Stipa and his team, who have an amazing eye for great sites and destinations with potential in the region” says Laurent de Kousemaeker, chief development officer for Marriott International, Inc. in the Caribbean & Latin America “Turks & Caicos is a fabulous luxury Caribbean destination that currently has no supply of internationally renowned luxury brand hotels that offer the range of resort amenities which leisure and incentive guests are looking for.”

The primary architect for the project is Robert M. Coleman & Partners, whose also designed the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans, the Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club timeshare resort, the recently-opened Renaissance Curaçao Resort & Casino and the Ritz-Carlton Aruba, currently under construction.

JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts’ global portfolio consists of 60 properties in 24 countries, offering a new standard of luxury to travelers around the world. By 2015, the brand plans to operate 80 hotels in 28 countries. In addition to JW Marriott in Turks and Caicos, the brand expects rapid growth in the Caribbean and Latin America region in the coming years. Properties in the pipeline include the 300-room JW Marriott Cabo San Lucas Resort, Mexico (2015), the 131-room JW Marriott Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (2014), and the 225-room JW Marriott Hotel San Jose, Costa Rica (2015). Always reflecting their locale, JW Marriott hotels provide quietly luxurious, though purposeful and meaningful, services that help travelers achieve their personal goals and advance their ambitions without distraction or disruption, resulting in a rare harmony of beautifully delivered experiences where the primary purpose is the guests’ over-all well-being.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., the leader in luxury hospitality, has unveiled plans to open its first property in Rabat, the prestigious capital city of the Kingdom of Morocco, bringing the number of hotels currently under development in the brand’s growing North Africa portfolio to three.The owner of the urban resort is Sienna Investment Group, an investment vehicle established in Morocco. The architectural and design team of the luxury property consists of Scape Design Associates as the Landscape Designers, and Architects, WATG. Construction is underway, and The Ritz-Carlton expects the resort to open in December 2014.

The urban resort will be situated approximately 10 minutes’ drive from the city center, within the grounds of the most highly esteemed golf course in the Kingdom, The Royal Golf of Dar Es Salam, designed by Robert Trent Jones over 40 years ago. The golf estate which comprises three courses, frequented by Rabat and Morocco’s high society, is set within a stunning 440 hectare oak forest, surrounded by an array of flora and breathtaking lakes, and will provide the scenic backdrop to The Ritz-Carlton, Rabat, located near the 10th tee of the main course.

The resort will benefit from 120 guest rooms, 15 one-bedroom and five, two-bedroom villas, expected to appeal to dignitaries and government delegations from around the world.

Further properties currently under construction in North Africa include The Ritz-Carlton, Tunis, Carthage, a resort featuring 129-suites, situated close to the world heritage site of Carthage and Morocco a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Tamuda Bay, an exclusive upscale resort nestled along the unspoiled waters of the Mediterranean, approximately 60 kilometers east of the city of Tangiers, featuring a 98-luxury room hotel with 35 pool villa suites, a beach club and an 18-hole Nicklaus design golf course.

As if anyone needed another reason to visit the legendary Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc…

Champagne and the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc have been intimate friends throughout the hotel’s history. For years, the great and the good have plotted love lives and world politics as they have sipped a chilled glass of France’s finest sitting on the deck of the Eden-Roc overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the hotel’s iconic swimming pool.Following a €50 million restoration project completed in April 2011, the legendary Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc will now be introducing a glamorous new experience for it’s devoted clientele in 2013 – the ‘Eden-Roc Champagne Lounge’.

Set to become the iconic new place to take a drink on the Riviera, the ‘Eden-Roc Champagne Lounge’ will be located on the open-air upper panoramic terrace of the legendary Eden-Roc. With stunning views of the Mediterranean, the property’s pine forest and of course the hotel’s iconic swimming pool built into the rock, this will be the one of the most beautiful places to sit back and watch the world sail by. With a relaxed ambiance and design and lounge music, it will accommodate up to 40 guests.

The ‘Eden-Roc Champagne Lounge’ will exclusively offer Champagne cocktails from the finest champagne houses in France. It will be working exclusively with 13 different champagne houses selected for their different profiles by Head Sommelier Xavier Dinet. There will be six Cuvées de Champagne served by the glass including Blanc de Blancs, Blanc Millésimé, Rosé, Prestige Blanc and Prestige Rosé. There will also be exclusive vintages on offer such as Jéroboams of Louis Roederer “Cristal Or” 2002, of which only 200 were created worldwide. The unique bottle is covered with a gold coin hand-made by a goldsmith.

The ‘Eden-Roc Champagne Lounge’ is now open until the 1st September 2013 from 6pm to 12.30am.

April’s Highlights
• Abu Dhabi’s hotel market witness green shoots, while Dubai maintains continued growth over 2012
• Cairo hotels suffer as violence ensues, however performance surges in Sharm El Sheikh

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announces the opening of the Holiday Inn® Baltimore – BWI Airport Area, located just minutes from Baltimore Washington Thurgood International Airport (BWI). Close to major businesses and attractions, the 137-room hotel at 815 Elkridge Landing Road is completely renovated and offers a fresh and welcoming environment.“We are proud to welcome the Holiday Inn Baltimore – BWI Airport Area hotel to the Holiday Inn brand family,” said Heather Balsley, senior vice president, Americas Holiday Inn Brand Family IHG. “This hotel is among the over 1,200 properties worldwide which represent the new face of a brand that is redefining innovative guest comfort and convenience in cities across America. The Baltimore/Washington area is a key market where we believe this Holiday Inn hotel will thrive.”

“We are delighted to be joining the Holiday Inn brand family,” said Stacey Schuhardt, general manager, Holiday Inn Baltimore – BWI Airport. “We look forward to welcoming both business and leisure guests to all that the Baltimore and Washington D.C. areas have to offer, and providing them with the best service in the area.“

Located just a short distance from Interstate 95, and the Baltimore Washington Parkway, the new Holiday Inn hotel is close to major business destinations, Fort Meade and the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Nearby leisure attractions include Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, Maryland Zoo and baseball’s Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

The hotel also includes a new lobby and restaurant – serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant offers the Holiday Inn Best-4-Breakfastâ menu, with signature items such as Rainforest Alliance™ Certified coffee, Cinnamon Supreme French Toast™ and Skillet Inspirations™.

The Holiday Inn Baltimore – BWI Airport hotel is franchised by an affiliate of IHG.

In addition to Swissôtel’s recently announced hotel projects in a growing number of dynamic markets such as China, India and Russia, Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts is expanding the portfolio with its first hotel in Bangladesh. The Swissôtel Dhaka is located in the new Business District of Gulshan and is scheduled to open in 2018.The Swissôtel Dhaka ballroom, as well as a Pürovel spa with a swimming pool and other recreational amenities. The future hotel is easily of event space including a 500m, six restaurants and bars, 950mwill feature 375 guest rooms and suites with a minimum room size of 38m accessible for business travelers, 12km from the airport and across from the new financial leisure district of Motijheel which is a fresh water lake recently converted into a leisure and recreation area. Numerous multinational companies, office complexes, embassies and high-end residences are located near the Swissôtel Dhaka in the adjacent Gulshan business district. The proposed underground train connection, as well as an 8km stretch of elevated highway, which is presently undergoing construction will provide easy access to the various manufacturing and economic centers of Dhaka.

With its population of 20 million, Dhaka is one of the largest cities in South Asia and is both the capital city and major industrial center of Bangladesh strategically located between India and Myanmar. The close proximity to China and Thailand enhances the strategic importance of Bangladesh as a country with a rapidly growing economy supported primarily by manufacturing and textile production.

According to Meinhard Huck, President Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts, “Dhaka is experiencing sustainable growth, particularly in the financial and textile manufacturing sectors, but also in telecommunications and service industries which has resulted in strong demand for high quality hotel accommodation.”

The Swissôtel Dhaka is developed by the Bengal Group, founded in 1969 by the Chairman Morshed Alam. The Bengal Group has diversified interests in many business sectors including plastic products, textiles, renewable energy, food, media, financial sector and real estate. Bengal Plastic is the world’s largest manufacturer of coat hangers, producing more than two million hangers daily, whilst its clothing division supplies mainly denim to major clients such as Walmart, Sainsbury, The Children Place, VP Corp and others.

Are you looking for a change or new idea?

Fabric walling gives spaces a unique focal point. It is an important decorative element and gives character to a space and elegance to the room. It is the most artistic way that you can use to decorate your space.Fabric walling is a traditional art form, an exquisite example of craftsmanship which exudes grace and class since ancient times. Initially fabric walling was used to adorn castles and churches as it kept moisture at bay, as well as provide aesthetic appeal, but it soon became a symbol of aristocracy and prestige. Today, fabric walling is also appreciated for its beauty and exclusivity.

Another advantage of fabric walling is it helps to insulate the room from noise. It is therefore excellent for use in offices, conference rooms, cinema rooms, TV rooms, etc.

Mille Couleurs Showroom is certainly worth a visit if you are looking for a something different.

Regent Studios, 1 Thane Villas
Studio 101, Islington
N7 7PH; UK
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