Hotel Designs

Joint venture partners Cathedral Group PLC and Development Securities PLC have completed a deal with Travelodge for the pre-let of a 104-bed hotel at The Movement, Greenwich and have also completed forward funding to an American private investor for £8.6m, representing an investment yield of 6.4%. The hotel is a key element at the new vibrant mixed-use development located in the heart of Greenwich.The investor will also provide construction funding.

Construction of the hotel will commence in October 2013 and contractor, Anglo Holt (who has built over 50 hotels for Travelodge) has been appointed to carry out the build. The hotel is due to open in September 2014 and will sit in a prime position within the development, which is adjacent to Greenwich Docklands Light Railway and mainline station. The hotel will bring additional revenue to the local economy and is likely to create over 20 new jobs for the local community.

The Movement, which was granted planning permission in 2011 and is currently under construction, is a 2.2 acre site that will also offer 181 residential apartments (being built by Willmott Dixon), 358-student apartments to be occupied by the University of Greenwich (by McLaren and L&G), a health and fitness club, convenience food store, nursery, bicycle café and 7,000 sq ft of business ‘start-up’ units. A new public, pedestrian-friendly street will run through the development connecting the DLR with Norman Road. The first residents will be moving into their new accommodation by Christmas 2013.

As part of the section 106 agreement, the development will also feature an extension to the existing West Greenwich Community Centre, which will be completed in September. This will provide the facility at no cost to the Royal Borough of Greenwich, with an extra 2,000 sq ft of floor space and increase the venue’s capacity by 250 people. Over the next ten years it is anticipated that the whole scheme will generate £275 million for the local economy.

Andrew Storey, Development Director at Cathedral Group said:
“This deal completes the principle elements of development at the Movement, Greenwich and underlines Cathedral’s ability to create value from complex mixed-use sites for the community and investment partners while living up to our aspiration to create great places”.

Tony O’Brien, UK Development Director for Travelodge Hotels, said:
“We are delighted that funding for this scheme has been secured. It is a fantastic location and a great development to be part of. We have two other hotels in the Borough, opposite the Deptford Bridge DLR Station and in the centre of Woolwich, and both trade really well. This new hotel is fantastically located for the National Maritime Museum and the Cutty Sark and, being next to the DLR and Mainline station, is also great for getting into central London.”

Philip Chatterton of Sladen Capital Partners represented Cathedral Group and Development Securities PLC, Alan Hill of AEH represented Travelodge in the exchange of contracts and Colliers International Property Advisers UK LLP advised the private investor.

LUCHFORD APM has been appointed to manage the international public relations for a new Montenegrin development. The development will be a collaboration between Kerzner International and Azmont DOO investments to create Europe’s first One&Only resort and a luxury development project in Kotor Bay, Montenegro.Strategically located at the most narrow part of the entrance to Tivat Bay, the 60 acre site will be the setting for a One&Only resort with 120 guest rooms, suites and villas. The site will include a 3,000 sq m One&Only Health Spa, world-class marina catering to mega yachts (with tax reliefs on fuel of up to 40% for all nationalities), beach club, tennis academy and the largest conferencing and banqueting facilities in the region – offering an outstanding year-round destination.

The site is only 40 minutes’ drive from both Dubrovnik and Tivat airports and is located on the narrowest part of the entrance to Kotor Bay. It will command an enviable position between mountain and sea, overlooking 1.2 km of pristine coastline of the Adriatic Sea.

The beauty of the area has always been a strong draw for the rich and famous, with Princess Margaret, Sofia Loren, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor all known for holidaying in this corner of the Adriatic. Azmont DOO is looking to cement Montenegro’s reputation as one of the ‘go-to’ destinations in Europe and their commitment to the area is demonstrated through an investment of €500 million to engage a vigorous delivery programme to complete the project by early 2016. Waterfront shops, cafes, restaurants, botanical gardens, eco-park, fish market and an organic food market are all part of the vision for the area.

From mid-January to the end of March 2013, the Acquapura SPA & MED at Falkensteiner Schlosshotel Velden underwent extensive extension and rebuilding in line with the vision of the South Tyrolean tourism group. On 29 August 2013, these improvements were presented at an official opening ceremony for the public.Three million euros were invested in the 3,600m² luxury spa, with its private beach club sitting directly by the lake. New highlights include a panoramic garden pool, Finnish outdoor sauna with panoramic windows overlooking the lake, relaxation room with suspended swings, SPA cinema and Medical Spa Centre.

In addition to the extensive Spa facilities, guests staying at the luxury resort at Falkensteiner Schlosshotel Velden will also be able to use the Medical Spa in the future.

The MED SPA specialists to be introduced are Univ. Med. Dr. Christine Hoffmann (aesthetic dermatology), Univ. Med. Dr. Peter Durnig (aesthetic medicine, cosmetic surgery), Univ. Med. Dr. Christian Thuile (prevention concepts and regeneration), as well as Univ. Med. Dr. Elke and Thomas Friessnegger (prevention and regeneration).

The south Tyrolean Bea Mitterhofer from beainteriors is responsible for the interior design of the redesigned Acquapura SPA & MED area.

Dormy House, above the picturesque Cotswold village of Broadway, has officially opened its doors following a multi-million refurbishment and brilliant transformation. Keeping all that is best about the Cotswolds – oak panelled beams, flagstone flooring, Cotswold stone and open log fires – the hotel has been imbued with a new spirit and stunning “Farmhouse Chic” interiors. Since the early 17th century, the original farmhouse has stood; first as a family home and for the past 36 years as a much-loved family-owned hotel. It has re-emerged with stunning interiors by London-based Todhunter Earle, following a dramatic redesign which has opened up the heart of the hotel and seen the creation of two new restaurants.

A stylish, open-plan reception leads onto The Potting Shed – the natural hub of the hotel: by day a rustic, informal but buzzy place to meet and by night a destination bar and restaurant. The new Garden Room restaurant complements this all-day eatery, serving dishes created with passion by Head Chef Paul Napper. Large glass windows cleverly bring the outside in and overlook a landscaped garden by Chris Beardshaw – the Chelsea RHS Gold-winning garden designer and TV presenter. The transformation completes with the opening of House Spa in early 2014 – a brand new spa by award-wining spa designers Sparcstudio and Howard Spa Consulting.

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Hilton Worldwide has recently announced the opening of Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok in Bangkok, Thailand. Located in the heart of prestigious Sukhumvit, one of Bangkok’s most central business and entertainment districts, Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok is the ninth Hilton Worldwide hotel in the country. The stylish Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok offers a range of 280 spacious deluxe and executive rooms and suites, providing guests a place to unwind or catch up on work. The hotel’s modernistic restaurants include fresh culinary concepts reflected in its two specialty restaurants, Scalini and Mondo. Scalini, the hotel’s main dining area, serves 1920s-inspired, fine Italian-American food. The restaurant features a live interactive kitchen and pizza oven as well as a centrally-located wine cellar. Mondo takes its inspiration from the Mediterranean and serves tapas and antipasto style dishes in a casual setting. Diners can feast on delights from the charcuterie meat and cheese tower, while fresh coffee from the barista bar keeps diners refreshed.

Business travelers can choose to host interactive meetings at the Summit, which offers three meeting rooms styled after a New York penthouse and are equipped with a Bofi kitchen and state-of-the-art audiovisual technology.

Recreational options include Lapse, the hotel’s rooftop infinity pool with sweeping views of Bangkok’s skylines. Guests can lounge at a pool bar or maintain their fitness regimes at the fully-equipped, 24-hour Precor gym.

Situated 300 meters from Phrom Phong skytrain station on Sukhumvit Soi 24, Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok offers guests easy access to premium shopping and dining centers such as Emporium, Terminal 21 and Siam Paragon. Travelers can also connect to Bangkok’s major landmarks, including the Grand Palace and the Chao Phraya River.

A 63-bedroom Premier Inn hotel and restaurant in Dudley is now open following a 28 week, £3.8m construction on the Castlegate Business Park on behalf of Birmingham developer, Stoford. The funding for the project was provided by Custodian Capital in return for Premier Inn committing to a 20-year lease. The hotel occupies the corner plot at the entrance of the business park and is set to create around 25 new jobs and provide a major boost to the local economy.

John Bates, head of acquisitions UK and Ireland for Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants, said the three-storey hotel, built on land originally owned by the Homes and Communities Agency, would complement other hotels the company was developing across the West Midlands and the Black Country.

“We currently have more than 52,000 Premier Inn bedrooms in the UK and are on track to achieve our target of 75,000 bedrooms by 2018,” he added.
The new hotel is Stoford’s second scheme at Castlegate Business Park where it has now started building a 10,000 sq ft development for the Staffordshire and West Midlands Probation Trust.

Hilton Worldwide has recently announced the signing of a management agreement with Lanzhou Friendship Hotel to build a hotel consisting of approximately 389 guest rooms in Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province. Scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2017, the 389-room Hilton Lanzhou will reside in the city’s central commercial district and provides Hilton Worldwide with greater access to China’s rapidly developing northwest China.Situated in the city’s central business district on East Xijin Road in Qilihe District, Hilton Lanzhou will be the first international hotel brand in the city. Hilton Lanzhou is strategically located to provide guests with easy access to the city’s railway, air and road transport hubs, the Lanzhou State High-Tech Development Zone, and the wealth of cultural landmarks and natural beauty the former Silk Road stop has to offer.

Hilton Lanzhou’s top 32 floors will provide guests with an unblocked view of the Yellow River and the surrounding landscape. In addition to state-of-the-art guest rooms, the hotel will include three restaurants, a lobby lounge and bar, three function rooms, 16 meeting rooms, a ballroom, and a health club with a spa and indoor swimming pool. The hotel is 50km away from the airport, 2km from the West Railway Station and 4.5km from city and provincial government offices. The hotel is also walking distance to the city’s foremost shopping district, the Gansu Provincial Museum, other government bureaus and corporate offices, including stated owned enterprises and bank branches of Qilihe.

Elegant Hotels Group’s west coast Barbados resort Colony Club will unveil its new look on 1 October this year. Already cherished as one of the platinum coast’s finest traditional properties, the planned renovations taking place throughout September will further enhance the tasteful look and feel of the colonial style resort with modern updates throughout. The new concept will focus on relaxation, restoring mind and body, healthy eating, togetherness and minimising impact on the local environment. Muted decor, soft lighting, natural wood and earthy tones will convey the relaxed old-world feel of the property which will be accentuated by splashes of vivid colour for a truly Barbadian vibe.

One of five resorts in the Elegant Hotels Group collection, Colony Club will boast 96 bedrooms and suites all in a contemporary yet sophisticated style which will be in keeping with the natural setting overlooking the sea. There will be new additions to the resort including an organic garden, redesigned Laguna restaurant serving local cuisine and new family offerings.

Laguna Restaurant & Bar
With a vision to create more space for socialising and relaxing, the Laguna Restaurant will become a focal point of the hotel and will be an al fresco environment in which to enjoy the vistas over the landscaped gardens and pool to the turquoise sea. Guests will be able to enjoy the new modern design that continues the original plantation home feel and the centre of the restaurant will be home to the Laguna Bar, which will serve organic teas and freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices by day and traditional rum punches and house speciality cocktails by night.

Organic Garden
Green fingered enthusiasts will delight in the new feature at Colony Club; the Organic Garden. The natural space will host a variety of fresh produce including herbs, fruits, vegetables and flowers, all of which will be used on the menus and floral displays in the Laguna Restaurant.

Starting in late November, the intimate garden venue will serve as the location for complimentary tours by Colony Club chefs who will harvest seasonal produce for a cookery demonstration for guests in the new Laguna Restaurant enabling aspiring chefs to return home with a new appreciation for the techniques and flavours of Barbadian cuisine armed with tips on how to recreate Colony Club masterpieces.

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Travelodge, the UK’s leading budget hotel chain, has recently celebrated a major milestone in the implementation of its £57 million refurbishment programme – with the completion of its 10,000th room. The nationwide renovation scheme was launched in March 2013 and is the first refurbishment programme to reach this key milestone in such a short period of time across the retail and hotel industry. A 150-strong Travelodge refurbishment team is working around the clock to refurbish 50 rooms every day across the UK, and the company today refurbished its 10,000th room at its Leeds Colton Travelodge hotel.

The scale of the programme means that more than 100 hotels have been refurbished in less than five months with a brand new room design and a luxury bed called the Travelodge Dreamer – which is deemed in the industry as the Rolls Royce of beds.

Grant Hearn, Travelodge CEO said: “The magnitude of our refurbishment programme is quite extraordinary and to have refurbished 10,000 rooms in such a short amount of time is groundbreaking. This is a significant milestone for us, as it demonstrates our determination to grow our business, strengthen our product offering and to make Travelodge the best value hotel chain in the UK.

“Feedback on our new room design has been outstanding which is no real surprise as our customers designed the whole room concept. We are seeing customer satisfaction levels soar, through Trip Advisor as well as on our own feedback channels. There is no doubt that the hero of our new room is the Travelodge Dreamer bed.

“We are on schedule to refurbish half of our estate by the end of this year.”

To date, 65,000 man hours have been invested into delivering the Travelodge refurbishment programme. Ten thousand bespoke Travelodge Dreamer beds, produced by royal warrant holders Sleepeezee Ltd, have been manufactured and delivered, and 40,000 luxurious pillows have been put into hotels – which when stacked up would reach the summit of Mount Everest at 8,848 metres.

The Travelodge Dreamer bed features a unique benefit of housing two space saving comfortable truckle beds within its base. When the beds are in use the base can be used for storing luggage, providing extra space in the room. The truckle beds have been designed to replace the traditional sofa bed, and provide an enhanced service for families staying in the room.

The room also features a sleep inducing colour palette in a tranquil blue, as well as stylish swoosh stripes on the curtains.

Hilton Hotels & Resorts has recently announced the opening of Hilton Capital Grand Abu Dhabi following a refurbishment and rebranding programme. Hilton Capital Grand Abu Dhabi is a visually stunning, curved glass property ideally located close to Abu Dhabi International Airport as well as the city’s National Exhibition Centre and in the heart of Abu Dhabi’s new Capital District. With an abundance of corporate facilities including a 700-capacity grand ballroom and separate 500-capacity function room, five large meeting rooms, two boardrooms and a complimentary business centre, the hotel is well placed to maximise on the city’s flourishing MICE market.

Leisure visitors are also very well catered for and will welcome the luxurious and spacious spa, complete with 15 treatment rooms, sauna and whirlpool, a 24-hour fitness centre and an indoor and outdoor pool. A mouth-watering choice of seven different bars and restaurants, all serving a wide range of international cuisine and offering panoramic views of the city, will appeal to discerning foodies and diners.

Described as an ‘architectural masterpiece’, the all-glass curved wave design of Hilton Capital Grand Abu Dhabi defines the exterior of the property giving the hotel high visibility and iconic landmark status. Walking through the entrance, the interior does not disappoint with impressive, light-filled public spaces and comfortable guest accommodation ranging from classic and deluxe rooms to spacious junior and presidential suites – all finished with signature design pieces of marble bathrooms and featuring floor-to-ceiling windows.

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Hilton Worldwide today announced the signing of a management agreement with Dijaya Land Development Sdn Bhd to manage Hilton Okinawa Kin in Kin, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, Japan. Scheduled to open in 2016, the 190-room Hilton Okinawa Kin will be part of an integrated resort development located on the eastern side of Okinawa’s main island facing Kin Bay and the Pacific Ocean.”Having operated in Japan for half a century, Hilton Worldwide today operates ten properties located in key leisure and business locations across the country, from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south, with one more to open next year in Chatan, Okinawa,” said Guy Phillips, vice president, development, Asia Pacific, Hilton Worldwide. “Hilton Okinawa Kin will be our 12th property in Japan, and presents an opportunity to fly another Hilton flag in a key destination for our iconic, flagship brand. Backed by a strong partner like Dijaya Land Development Sdn Bhd, we are confident that this hotel will perform well and continue to deliver quality hospitality experiences synonymous with the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand.”

Rob Palleschi, global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts said, “Our story in Japan began in 1963 with the opening of the Tokyo Hilton in Akasaka as one of the first truly global hotel brands to commence trading in the country. This remarkable journey continues to this day as we continue to expand into key destinations in Japan, and Hilton Okinawa Kin will continue our legacy in world-class hospitality alongside its sister properties located in key cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka as well as the Hilton Okinawa Chatan, which will open next year.”

The 12-story Hilton Okinawa Kin is approximately 48 kilometers away from Naha International Airport and benefits from excellent access to the Kin Okinawa Expressway as well as direct access to Naha City. Kin also offers access to a variety of sightseeing spots including Churaumi Aquarium, Okinawa National Ocean Park, Kokusai Street, Shuri Castle, Statue of Himeyuri and the northern resort areas.

The hotel will offer an all-day-dining restaurant, one specialty restaurant and a bar. It will also have a business lounge, meeting rooms, boardrooms and a ballroom, plus recreational facilities such as a fitness club, a spa, a carpark and swimming pool.

“Okinawa is one of the most sought after destinations for domestic travelers in Japan, and is growing in popularity among tourists from Korea, Taiwan and China. Our partnership with Hilton Worldwide is a significant milestone for us as it combines the expertise of a truly global, award-winning hospitality company with our strong track record in residential and commercial developments,” said Dato’ Dickson Tan, Group Managing Director, Dijaya Land Development Sdn Bhd. “The Hilton Okinawa Kin will be part of the first integrated resort development of its kind in Okinawa and we are confident that it will be well placed to meet the demands of both domestic and international travelers looking for world-class accommodation in Okinawa.”

Contributing close to USD5 billion annually, tourism is Okinawa’s largest industry and the prefecture welcomes nearly 5.9 million visitors a year. Kin is a destination offering traditional Okinawan culture where visitors can enjoy nature and numerous outdoor as well as eco-tourism activities such as kayaking and bird watching. Famous for its rich water resources, Kin also offers a number of spring water wells including the “Ukkagah” spring, a cultural landmark in Kin, which is also known as “The Fountain of Longevity” and has the largest supply of spring water in Okinawa. The Kin Municipal government has also earmarked a redevelopment plan to introduce sports, medical and other healthcare facilities to Kin.

The transformation of a former textile factory into a prestigious £6.4 million Hampton by Hilton hotel in Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter has been completed, Anglo Holt Construction has announced.The West Bromwich-based company was awarded the design and build contract by Mere Park to build a 109-bedroom hotel at Constitution Hill, Hockley.

Part of the listed façade of the existing building has been retained while the remainder of the existing factory has been demolished. The site’s boundaries include the Metrotram line to two elevations, a main road to the front, and a Grade II listed pub.

The development has been hailed as another vital element in the on-going regeneration of Birmingham.

Andy Elwell, managing director at Anglo Holt, said: “We are very pleased to announce that the new Hampton by Hilton hotel development in Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter has been completed. It is another piece in the jigsaw of the regeneration of one of the most important parts of the city centre. Once again it demonstrates that clients value highly the experience and expertise Anglo Holt has gained in the hotel sector over many years.”

Luke Crane, Jewellery Quarter BID manager, said: “The extensive investment in the new Hampton by Hilton hotel is a very visible demonstration of business confidence in the Jewellery Quarter. Its close proximity to Snow Hill train station will provide an added incentive to visitors to spend a night or extended stay in the Quarter.”

Lodging Econometrics’ (LE’s) forecast predicts New Hotel Openings of 739 Projects/ 82,587 Rooms for 2015, representing a growth rate for new supply of 1.6%. This is a slow, moderate but steady uptrend improvement over 2011’s cyclical bottom of 346 Projects/ 37,193 Rooms. Despite these increases, the industry is still far way from the peak for New Openings of 1,341 Projects/ 154,258 Rooms set in 2008, a feat that will not likely be repeated until late this decade, if at all.DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT HERE

Colliers International has been instructed to sell The Old Brewery House Hotel, one of the town’s best known establishments in Reepham, Norfolk. The hotel, which was operated by Oxford Hotels and Inns has closed this week and Colliers International is now seeking offers in excess of £800,000 for the Grade II listed property, which includes a 23 bedrooms, bar, restaurant, and leisure complex a gym, swimming pool and squash courts. Ashley Clark, Director at Colliers International, said: “We are confident that we will be able to find a new owner to invest in the hotel and realise the great potential of this property. Over the last few years during the difficult economic climate, we have handled many similar cases of hotels which have ceased trading but we have still been able to reach a positive outcome for the previous owners and the local community.”

Colliers has recently handled the sale of the Restover Lodge in Peterborough which went into administration and the Elizabeth Hotels portfolio. In the local Norfolk area, Colliers was also responsible for the sale of two trading hotels, The George in Norwich and George in Swaffham, both of which sold very quickly to the hotel market.

The Old Brewery is a listed Georgian building was built in 1729 and originally named the Dial House because of a large sundial over the front door. In 1972, it was converted into a commercial hotel and renamed The Old Brewery House Hotel in recognition of its previous role as residence of the Bircham family that had run a brewery in Reepham for several generations, and because one of the hotel’s principal rooms used to be the brewery.

Earls Court 18-21 September 2013
The Gateway – Feature S30

100% Design is collaborating with The Furniture Makers Company to promote British design excellence through the Design Guild Mark.The Design Guild Mark, introduced by The Furniture Makers Company in 2008, recognises and rewards excellence in the British design of furniture in volume production.

William Knight, show director of 100% Design comments:
“Celebrating and promoting the very best of British production furniture is a central part of what defines 100% Design. Providing a platform for the Design Guild Mark is a great privilege for us, working with an amazing array of talent in both the chosen products and illustrious selection panel. This year’s selection promises to be a key highlight of The Gateway; a new feature celebrating UK design excellence at the heart of the show.”

In this, the fifth year of the Design Guild Mark awards there were a very high number of applications. The design of most entries reflected exceptional quality, and sixteen products, all of which demonstrated the standard of British design expected by the esteemed judges were awarded a Design Guild Mark.

Ten of these twenty one highly regarded products will be exhibited at 100% Design this year:

• Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby – The Sofa Collection for Knoll International DGM 76
• Samuel Chan – Finnieston Bookcase for Channels DGM 78
• Ali Edwards – Navajo for John Lewis DGM 81
• Mark Gabbertas – Diabolo for Chorus Furniture DGM 82
• Mark Gabbertas – Metro for Lyndon Design DGM 83
• Mark Gabbertas – Mir for Chorus Furniture DGM 84
• Terry Hunt – UniteSE ‘Spacestation’ for KI DGM 87
• James Irvine – Juno for Arper DGM 88
• Je-Uk Kim – Credenza O for JiB design studio DGM 89
• Wales & Wales – Marylebone Chairs for Benchmark DGM 94

Graham Jones, Chairman of the Design Guild Mark commented:
“The Design Guild Mark aim has always been to elevate the awareness of the work of British designers. 100% Design now plays a major part in this ambition”

The Furniture Makers Company introduced the Design Guild Mark to reward the finest furniture designers working in volume production in Britain and the best of British furniture designers working abroad.

Design Guild Mark “Call for Entries 2014” will also be launched at the exhibition. To find out further information about the submission procedure and view some of the awarded products please visit stand S30.

Economy hotel group ibis opens its first Brighton hotel. The ibis Brighton City Centre hotel is close to Brighton train station and just minutes from the city’s seafront.All 140 of the newly-built hotel’s bedrooms feature free, high quality Wi-Fi as well as the ergonomically-engineered Sweet Bed by ibis ™ designed to deliver the ultimate happy sleep. Thirty-six of the bedrooms are tailor-made for family and group travellers; featuring twin beds and interconnecting shared spaces.

The hotel’s communal areas are based on the ‘Avanzi’ principle, creating an inviting living space where guests can relax, socialise and work. The hotel benefits from display wall featuring artwork created by local Brighton artists, capturing the essence of the seaside city. Local photographer Emma Boyns has also created a 29 metre bespoke photo gallery installation featuring Polaroid style images capturing all aspects of Brighton.

The new-concept restaurant, Fogg’s, inspired by the story of Phileas Fogg, serves dishes from around the world; and offers an as-much-as-you-can-eat hot and cold continental breakfast buffet from 6am to 10am (12pm on weekends). The bar also features selected beers from celebrated local brewer Dark Star.

Commenting on the opening of the ibis Brighton City Centre hotel, Thomas Dubaere, Senior Vice President Ibis Brands Northern Europe, said : “We are very excited to open an ibis in such a great city. We have created a fantastic hotel where guests, whether they are in Brighton for holiday or business, can stay at great value for money. The hotel is minutes walk from the beach and we have included local touches throughout so that guests can experience the unique vibe of the city even inside the hotel.”

Hilton Grand Vacations (“HGV”) officially opened the new Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Craigendarroch Suites (previously Hilton Craigendarroch) on the 6 August following a £4.1 million investment in the property. In the first move of its kind for the company, the previous 45 bedroom Hilton hotel has become part of Hilton Grand Vacations and been converted into 32 vacation club suites. The venue’s restaurants, lounge and leisure facilities have also seen significant investment and it is hoped that the new facilities will attract an additional 5000 tourists a year to the resort and significantly boost spend in the area.

The Craigendarroch Suites fully complement the 99 lodges already available at the resort which have operated under the timeshare model since 1985. In addition to being available to buy under a timeshare programme the Craigendarroch Suites will, during the period they are being sold, continue to accept traditional hotel room night bookings.

The investment in the Craigendarroch Suites forms part of a European expansion plan for Hilton Grand Vacations with also sees a new resort of 31 apartments open at Borgo alle Vigne in Tuscany later this year.

Richard McIntosh, Managing Director, Hilton Grand Vacations Europe, Middle East & Africa, said: “The commitment from Hilton Grand Vacations to adding new resorts in Europe, and in particular the investment to reposition Craigendarroch, is encouraging for our membership as we add new destinations that as a club member they will be able to visit and enjoy.

Hilton Grand Vacations has worked with Crerar architects and Cunningham Mclean interior designers to create the 32 luxury vacation club suites which range from sleeping two to six people. Each suite is unique in design, but includes bedroom and lounge complete with small kitchen area.

The Craigendarroch Suites will also feature the Keiller Brasserie and Keiller Lounge; named in honour of the Keiller family (Keiller’s Marmalade) who originally built the house in 1891 as a family home.

The Brasserie will offer a full menu of local produce including steak and salmon, and will continue to offer family friendly dishes for all age groups while the lounge provides a relaxing environment to unwind after enjoying the activities both the resort and surrounding area have to offer.

Facilities at Craigendarroch include swimming pools, spa, sauna, gym, snooker, tennis, squash, bar, beauty treatments and hairdresser, all combining to enhance the guest’s stay whether they wish have action packed days, or simply to relax.

Hotels has experienced a 28 per cent uplift in UK hotel transactional activity in the 12 month period to July 2013 when compared to the same period of the previous year. Julian Troup, Head of Colliers International Hotels Agency says: “We have seen an uplift in the level of demand from private and corporate buyers looking to invest in UK hotels.”“There are reasons for real optimism in terms of the transactional activity taking place in the UK hotel market – contrary to the belief of some – we, at Colliers International, are remaining busy and productive, in the 12 months to July 2013 we have sold or acquired 91 hotels and hospitality businesses with a combined value of in excess of £150,000,000.”

In terms of corporate interest there is a clear movement from institutional, investors and Private Equity backed buyers keener to consider the more attractive pricing of larger provincial hotels when compared with full prices that continue to be obtained for hotels in and around London.

Troup continues: “We are currently marketing the sale of Oakley Court Hotel, Windsor where we have been inundated with domestic and international interest and it is clear from this and from other instructions that quality continues to drive the market and there remains a significant demand for quality assets and locations.

“There is also more evidence of private buyers being able to sell their house releasing them to look more seriously at buying a hotel or guest house – we are experiencing strong demand from buyers looking in the Hot Spots of the Lake District, the Cotswolds, the North Yorkshire Dales and Moors, New Forest and other National Parks throughout the UK.”

In recent years, Colliers has witnessed more and more hoteliers concentrating on generating more ‘profitable’ business; coupled with improved cost control. As a consequence even those hotels that are ‘flat lining’ in terms of revenue are now showing an increase in profit margins, which is helping to underpin values and prices that are currently being achieved.

“Additionally in recent months, the staycation trend and the hot summer has improved investor confidence as we’ve seen an increasing the level of enquiries for leisure based UK hotels,” Troup concludes.

Whitbread’s Premier Inn brand has claimed the accolade of best known hotel brand in Britain, knocking Hilton off the top perch.The most recent quarterly update on the British Hotel Guest Survey, just published by BDRC Continental, shows Premier Inn on 58% unaided awareness amongst business travellers, and so ahead of Hilton for the first time ever in this market segment, albeit just by a single percentage point. Hilton previously had been the No.1 brand for top of mind awareness in the business market since 1996, when it eclipsed Forte.

Amongst leisure market travellers Premier Inn reached the top spot for unaided hotel brand awareness for the first occasion in the comparable quarter in 2012 and in the most recent report has stretched its lead in this segment, with a score of 66%, to six points over nearest rival Travelodge, with Hilton now in third place.

For actual hotel brand usage Premier Inn and Travelodge are now the top two players in both the business and the leisure travel segments; this is the first time this has been recorded.

Tim Sander, Head of Hotel Brand Monitoring Services at BDRC Continental, commented: ‘While it has taken some time for the sheer distribution of the leading budget hotel brands to be reflected in consumer perceptions, now that Premier Inn and Travelodge are at the top of the pole they will take some shifting and the course of the market appears set for some time to come.’

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) and Inmobiliaria GEEMAJI, S.A. de C.V., has recently announced the opening of the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Cuernavaca. The ribbon cutting was by Mr. Graco Ramírez, Constitutional Governor of the State of Morelos and the opening was attended by guests spanning the political and tourism sectors such as Lic. Jaime Álvarez, Ministry of Tourism of the State of Morelos; Dr. Jorge Morales Barut, Mayor of Cuernavaca; and media representatives.Located in one of the main avenues of the city in Av. Morelos Sur 133 and near the CIVAC Industrial Park, the hotel is just a few minutes from downtown and main city attractions, and just 2 km from the Mexico-Acapulco highway. The project was overseen by Grupo y Constructora Prisma-Ximetria and has generated over 400 direct and indirect jobs.

The Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Cuernavaca is 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 new hotel features a contemporary image with emphasis on arrival and welcome services, guestroom and guest bath comfort and a redesigned logo and signage.

All 124 rooms including the 20 junior suites have panoramic city views and all are equipped with complimentary wireless internet access, ironing kit (iron and ironing board), coffee maker, safety deposit box, 40” flat screen TV, radio-alarm clock with support for audio and a desk with an ergonomic chair. Other amenities include a fully equipped fitness center, a meeting room, a heated swimming pool, covered and open parking, and a boutique shop onsite.

Guests experience a comfortable and smart environment with innovative preferred guest upgrades to ensure a pleasurable experience. The complimentary Express Start® breakfast bar features a full range of breakfast items, including a rotation of egg and meat selections, biscuits, yogurt, fruit, pancakes, the brand’s proprietary cinnamon roll, and Smart Roast® coffee. The SimplySmart™ shower incorporates a proprietary Stay Smart™ Kohler showerhead, signature shower curtain with curved rod. Upgraded 100 percent cotton terry towels and Bath & Body Works White Citrus bath products are also included. Guests will enjoy the SimplySmart™ bedding collection, where they will find crisp fresh bedding that features an attractive decorative throw, a medium-weight duvet blanket and soft, 200 thread-count sheets.

The Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Cuernavaca, owned and managed by Inmobiliaria GEEMAJI, S.A. de C.V., is franchised by an affiliate of IHG.

Anglo Holt has started work on a £4 million Premier Inn hotel in Hackney, London. They were awarded the design and build contract by clients Davies Street Dalston Limited.The 90-bedroom hotel on Dalston Lane, which is being built on a former brownfield site, will provide accommodation over six floors.

The new hotel is within walking distance of Hackney Central tube station, providing good links to central London.

The 39-week hotel project is due to be completed by March 2014.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., the leader in luxury hospitality, has confirmed their first hotel in Israel will officially open its doors in late 2013. The Ritz-Carlton, Herzliya is located in the exclusive residential seafront town north of Tel Aviv, and will be the first global luxury branded hotel in the country.Located on the Marina overlooking the Mediterranean, the hotel and was designed by a collection of internationally recognized architects and designers. Rani Ziss Architects Ltd. designed the 12-storey property and New York-based interior design firm Studio Gaia created the interiors with Israeli studio Gad Halperin producing the lobby and restaurant concepts. The 197 room property includes 82 suites all with stunning sea views and balconies. As the first urban resort in Israel, the property offers a unique beach front experience with leisure amenities including a roof-top swimming pool with sweeping panoramic views of the beach. The Ritz-Carlton Spa and Fitness Centre both have Mediterranean views and outdoor relaxation terraces, while sailing, surfing and other water sports are within a short stroll of the property.

Renowned Chef Yonathon Roshfeld will create his first kosher dining experience at the Herbet Samuel restaurant within The Ritz-Carlton by using local, seasonal local produce complemented by kosher lsraeli and international wines. A panoramic rooftop bar will offer sweeping views overlooking of the coastline.

Facilities for business travellers at the property include 4,500 square feet of meeting space with views of the Marina for both business and social events and a Business Centre.

The City of Miami Beach has announced that South Beach ACE – a team including OMA, Tishman Realty and UIA Management – is the winner of the Miami Beach Convention Center redevelopment competition. OMA’s design will transform Miami Beach’s convention center into a 21st century facility, adding an 800-room hotel, new ballroom and meeting facilities and a large public park, while reducing the overall footprint of the site and creating new connections with the urban fabric of Miami Beach.While the convention center is a valuable cultural and economic asset for Miami Beach – it is the venue of Art Basel Miami Beach, the Miami International Boat Show, and other major events – it has become in recent decades a physical and social barrier within the city, with huge parking lots, closed facades and under-utilized urban space. To undo this situation, South Beach ACE engaged with local communities from the onset of the seven month design competition.

The design conceptually rotates the convention center, enabling strong east-west neighborhood connections through the site, running from the beach to the city. With loading consolidated to the north, and the new concourse and main entry located on the south, the building has a clear face to Lincoln Road, while maintaining access on the east side for visitors walking from the nearby beach hotels. The center will be set back from Washington Avenue, reducing the building’s footprint on the ground, and allowing a porous façade so that events inside the center can move outside.

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Hotel Bulletin: Q2 2013, which gives an update on the performance of UK hotels, was recently published by global hotel consultancy HVS, Zolfo Cooper and AM:PM.

It was good news for hotels as Q2 shows consistent improvement in RevPAR and cost control resulting in hotels in the regions increasing profitability year-on-year for the first time since the downturn. New supply levels are low but there are strong levels of hotels in the pipeline, while a number of single asset sales suggest that the gap in valuation expectation is continuing to narrow.

The debt market for hotels has widened to include alternative providers such as debt funds, credit investors and family offices.

Said HVS director Tim Smith: “The performance improvement comes as a welcome relief for hotels in the regions. We need this to continue for a few months to have an impact on both the top and bottom lines, and more importantly increase confidence for both operators and investors. Only then will the recovery be truly underway.

“The lack of new openings is the calm following the storm of openings in 2012. There are plenty of hotels in the pipeline, so this is a blip rather than a trend.

“The budget brands continue to dominate the new build pipelines as they are occupied under leases so have been able to secure funding in the recent past. This is likely to continue until development funding is widely available, which will only happen when confidence returns, which in turn is dependent on a sustained improvement in trading.

“Debt funders are slowly returning to the market and widening the number and type of hotels they will consider funding; there is still a long way to go. Other debt providers, such as insurance companies are slowly entering the real estate market, but are yet to show any interest in hotels,” added Smith.

The latest Hotel Bulletin can be downloaded below, and includes a City focus on Liverpool, whose recent performance is impressive given that the city’s room supply has doubled in the past decade.

Santa Monica’s City Staff has announced their recommendation of OMA’s competition proposal for a mixed use development that encompasses civic plaza, cultural venue, retail, residences, offices and a boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Santa Monica.The building integrates a ground level plaza and elevated terraces that provide an additional 56,500 sf of programmable open space compared to the original site. These public spaces are capable of hosting a wide range of outdoor programming, including a market galleria and the existing public ice rink. A cultural venue is embedded at the heart of the building, with street level access and a dedicated park.

The site will be anchored by office spaces designed to create a hub for the growing tech industry within the greater Los Angeles area. The office complex will be supported by a boutique hotel offering 225 rooms with unobstructed views of the city, beach and mountains. The project will also provide pedestrian improvements such as wide sidewalks, bike lanes, landscaping, street furniture and additional public parking.

The recommendation will be reviewed by Santa Monica’s City Council on August 27th before the project formally proceeds in 2014.

Hilton Hotels & Resorts announced today that the 571-room hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, formerly known as Conrad San Juan Condado Plaza, has been renamed and rebranded as The Condado Plaza Hilton. Joining more than 550 Hilton hotels and resorts in 79 countries across six continents, The Condado Plaza Hilton now represents the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand’s fourth hotel on the island.Designed by renowned architect Morris Lapidus, the Condado Plaza – the hotel’s original name – was inaugurated in 1963. Since then, the San Juan hotel has shared a wealth of names, including its own historic connection to Hilton, having once operated as the San Geronimo Hilton. In 2008, the property was revamped and redesigned by noted designer Leo Daly, and in 2009, branded as part of Hilton Worldwide’s Conrad Hotels & Resorts portfolio.

The new name, which places the hotel’s original name at the forefront – The Condado Plaza Hilton – represents the significant value placed on the hotel’s heritage on the island, as well as Hilton’s history in Puerto Rico.

“Puerto Rico holds special significance to Hilton Hotels & Resorts, as Hilton International was launched with the opening of the Caribe Hilton, San Juan in 1949, and then enjoyed having the San Geronimo Hilton in its portfolio for several years. We are proud to reconnect this hotel with its roots, both as The Condado Plaza and as a member of Hilton Hotels & Resorts,” said Danny Hughes, senior vice president, Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America, Hilton Worldwide.

While embracing the hotel’s historic roots, the rebranded The Condado Plaza Hilton will maintain its distinct DNA as the only city retreat in San Juan overlooking both the Atlantic Ocean and Condado Lagoon, and now welcome guests to the Hilton Hotels & Resorts’brand promise of providing refreshing hospitality while ensuring that every guest feels cared for, valued and respected.

“This is an exciting time for us as we once again form part of the Hilton Hotels & Resorts portfolio – a powerful and respected brand on the island,” said Raúl Bustamante, managing director, The Condado Plaza Hilton. “The Condado Plaza Hilton will continue to offer our guests the high level of quality service they have come to enjoy, with the same management and team committed to delivering a warm and friendly welcome.”

The Condado Plaza Hilton is the fourth Hilton Hotels & Resorts property in Puerto Rico, joining Caribe Hilton, San Juan; El San Juan Resort & Casino, A Hilton Hotel; and Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort.

One of London’s oldest hotels has been given a new lease of life following a multi—million pound refurbishment.The Barkston Gardens Hotel, Earl’s Court, which dates back to 1886, has been re-launched as the Hotel Indigo London Kensington – Earl’s Court by its owner the Cairn Hotel Group.

The Newcastle-based leisure firm, which has owned the site for more than 20 years, has invested £7m to transform it into a modern, boutique hotel and bring it in line with Hotel Indigo’s exacting brand standards.

As a result of this multi-million pound makeover the property now boasts 100 individually-decorated bedrooms, including 22 executive rooms and 11 junior suites, each with a complimentary mini-bar and free WiFi.

It also houses a new bar, themed around an 1890s private members club, which specialises in carbonated and molecular cocktails, as well as serving a range of dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and afternoon tea.

Vincent Garrington, General Manager at the Hotel Indigo London Kensington – Earl’s Court, said, “A lot of money has been spent transforming this landmark property into a modern, boutique hotel befitting of the Hotel Indigo brand.

The Cairn Hotel Group, which owns and operates 22 hotels across the UK, already works with a number of high profile brands including Doubletree by Hilton, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn.

The Hotel Indigo London Kensington – Earl’s Court is the firm’s first site to open under the Intercontinental Hotels Group’s Hotel Indigo brand, with the Hotel Indigo Edinburgh set to follow in 2014.

Since the refurbishment of Hotel Indigo London Kensington – Earl’s Court was completed in December the hotel has been awarded a Trip Advisor Award for Outstanding Customer Service and enjoyed trade levels 25 per cent higher than originally predicted.

This success was recently marked with a special Victorian-themed celebration, where ex-England cricketer Darren Gough, declared the Hotel Indigo London Kensington – Earl’s Court officially open.

Vincent said: “From the chic décor to the high standards of customer service and the unique cocktails on offer in the Mansion Bar and Parlour, no detail has been overlooked and everyone at the Cairn Hotel Group is proud of what has already been achieved.”

The Vodaphone headquarter in Düsseldorf, completed after 28 months of construction works, is the new working place for 5,000 Vodaphone employees. This investment of €300 Million follows a new concept of a working environment which includes restaurants, medical centre, gym and a daycare facility for children, allowing their parents to bring forward both their career and their family.In the main restaurant with about 1,200 seats Baulmann Leuchten supplied the luminaires, developed and produced according to the lighting concept of Kardorff Engineers Berlin.

All pictures are copyright by “Vodafone/Jens Howorka”

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has recently announced plans to expand its hotel portfolio in Mexico by 30 percent, emphasizing the important role the country plays in Starwood’s Americas growth strategy and its prominence in the global travel market. Starwood continues to lengthen its lead as the largest operator in the upper-upscale hotel segment in Mexico with eight new hotels in its development pipeline that will add nearly 1,100 rooms. Mexico is Starwood’s largest market in Latin America with 24 hotels and a total of 4,800 rooms, representing eight of the company’s nine brands including the recently launched Aloft brand, which made it s debut in Cancun. Leading Luxury Footprint
Starwood currently has eight luxury hotels in Mexico, more than in any other Latin American market between its St. Regis, W and The Luxury Collection brands, and the company will expand its luxury portfolio in the country by 50 percent over the next three years to meet increasing demand. Hotels under development include:
• W Santa Fe located in the desirable Santa Fe business district with spectacular views of the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl volcanoes.
• W Retreat Kanai Riviera Maya nestled on the eastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula; the first W resort in the region.
• The St. Regis Kanai Riviera Maya, which will bring the brand’s bespoke style of luxury to the resort area and represent the brand’s third hotel in Latin America, joining St. Regis Mexico City and St. Regis Punta Mita.
• Frida Kahlo® Guadalajara, A Luxury Collection hotel in Guadalajara, marking the brand’s entry into this growing city.
Growth Across Portfolio

“Starwood is ideally positioned to take advantage of positive trends given our robust and growing footprint in Mexico where we have been present for more than 40 years,” said Osvaldo Librizzi, Co-President Starwood Hotels & Resorts Americas. “Mexico will continue to be a focal point of our expansion strategy in Latin America where we are on track to have 100 hotels in operation and development by the end of 2013.”

In the next three years, Starwood will open four specialty-select brand hotels, including two new Aloft hotels in Merida, Guadalajara and two Four Points by Sheraton hotels in Queretaro and Cancun.

SPG Partnership with Aeromexico Club Premier
As part of its commitment to deliver benefits beyond the guestroom to SPG members, Starwood also announces a global partnership with Aeromexico Club Premier, the frequent flyer program associated with Aeromexico, the national airline of Mexico. The new program, which launches on July 15th, will allow Club Premier Members to transfer points from their SPG account to their Club Premier accounts in order to convert them into Premier Kilometers.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has recently announced that the iconic Palacio del Inka in Cusco has now joined The Luxury Collection portfolio following an extensive $15 million renovation. Owned by Libertador Hotels, Resorts & Spas, Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Cusco has been redesigned for a new generation of luxury travellers, offering discreet and personalized service in the in the iconic ancient capital of Peru. Situated at the heart of Cusco, the historic Palacio del Inka is located directly across from the preserved ruins of the Koricancha, or Temple of the Sun. With a striking Spanish Colonial façade, Palacio del Inka was originally part of the Incan civilization in the early 15th century and later designed and inhabited by Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century. The hotel is a true reflection of Cusco’s diverse and vibrant culture, architecture and design. The extensive two-year project was led by Latin America architectural and interior design firm Caparra Entelman & Asociados, in collaboration with local artisans, craftsmen and the community.

Guestrooms
Palacio del Inka features 203 luxuriously appointed guestrooms, including 17 Casa de los Cuatro Bustos Suites. The ancient walls are still part of the structure while the interior design, paintings, and furnishings evoke Peru’s colonial past. The suites boast 13-foot ceilings and exuberantly rich textiles, and all guestrooms feature custom-designed carved wooden doors, chests and writing desks which complement vintage paintings and mirrors: both celebrating the hotel’s distinct personality while preserving its authentic elegance and rich heritage of the building.

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Marriott International, Inc. has announced plans to open the 250-room Moscow Marriott Hotel Crocus City in Russia under a management agreement with CJSC Crocus International. The hotel is expected to open in 2016 and will be part of the company’s signature global brand, Marriott Hotels, and 10th property opened or signed in the Moscow area.The Moscow Marriott Hotel Crocus City will be ideally located within a new shopping and residential complex in Crocus City, a satellite city of Moscow and well-known business district. Russia’s biggest trade fair and exhibition venue, Crocus Expo, will be a few minutes’ walk from the hotel together with a luxury shopping mall, concert hall and multitude of restaurants and bars. Crocus City is very well connected with a private metro station, marina on the Moskva River and heliport.

Overlooking the river, the hotel will offer comfortable, contemporary accommodation across its 250 rooms. Public areas will boast free Wi-Fi, promoting productivity and connectivity, while the lobby will provide a space to work, relax and recharge by merging modern, stylish design, comfort and technology. The hotel’s two restaurants and bars will offer guests an array of dining options.

Leisure facilities will include a health and leisure club with an indoor pool, sauna, steam room and treatment room. Meetings will be expertly catered for across the hotel’s 1,550 square metres of meeting space, featuring a 650 square metre ballroom divisible by four, six flexible meeting rooms and two boardrooms.

Second quarter, 2013
 Like-for like (“L/L”) RevPAR was up by 6.0%.
 Revenue increased by 4.2% to MEUR 248.9 (238.9). On a L/L basis
Revenue increased by 7.0%.
 EBITDA amounted to MEUR 34.9 (22.7), and the EBITDA margin was 14.0%
(9.5).
 Profit after tax amounted to MEUR 17.4 (6.2).
 Basic and diluted Earnings Per Share was EUR 0.12 (0.04).
 Ca 1,800 new rooms were contracted and ca 800 new rooms opened. Half year, 2013
 L/L RevPAR was up by 5.9%.
 Revenue increased by 2.3% to MEUR 456.0 (445.8).
On a L/L basis Revenue increased by 3.9%.
 EBITDA amounted to MEUR 32.1 (17.7), and the EBITDA margin was 7.0%
(4.0).
 Profit after tax amounted to MEUR 6.2 (-7.9).
 Basic and diluted Earnings Per Share was EUR 0.04 (-0.05).
 Cash flow from operating activities amounted to MEUR 6.6 (-10.7).
 Ca 2,900 new rooms were contracted and ca 1,700 new rooms opened.

To read the full report, click the download link below

An old saying goes, “Beijing represents the last 1,000 years of Chinese history and Shanxi represents the last 3,000 years”. Located in the centre of the Dragon City, Kempinski Hotel Taiyuan is a contemporary hotel that blends European flair with Chinese tradition. The hotel is close to the city’s main shopping centres, such as Tianmei Plaza, Fashion Walk, Wangfujing, Parkson and Lufthansa Centre, as well as upscale office buildings. It is only three kilometres away from Shanxi International Exhibition Centre and guests will need only 20 minutes to reach the international airport by car. The hotel features 363 rooms and suites, all of which are contemporarily designed and range from 40 to 217 sqm in size. Each room is equipped with a coffee machine, wooden floors, rainforest showers and bathtubs. Located on the 30th floor and the 28th floor, respectively, the Executive Suites and Diplomatic Suites offer a separate living room and a sitting area, in addition to extra-large furnishings and bath amenities designed by French designer Blaise Mautin. Guests in Executive Rooms have access to the Executive Lounge, which offers views of Taiyuan and valuable privileges such as a complimentary breakfast, weekend brunch from 7:00 to 14:00, complimentary use of the lounge meeting room for two hours per day plus afternoon tea and evening cocktails daily. Kempinski Hotel Taiyuan introduces global cuisines and brand new dining concepts to the old city as well. A selection of German, Austrian and Chinese delicacies and creative, freshly-baked cakes is offered in the hotel’s seven restaurants and bars. With a complete set of miniature beer brewing equipment and a German brewmaster, Paulaner Bräuhaus is the best place for enjoying homebrewed Paulaner beer and real Bavarian traditions. Grill & Wine offers diners authentic Western grilled dishes and the finest meats from around the world, all of which have been perfected by the Australian Executive Head Chef. Elements restaurant, with views of the hotel lobby’s dangling crystal droplight, features imported seafood, tastes from around the world and Shanxi noodles that are freshly prepared in the show kitchen. Long Yuan is a high-end Chinese restaurant with a touch of Western tradition, designed by a chef from Hong Kong with more than 20 years of experience. Kempi Deli, the signature delicatessen shop, offers freshly-baked breads and cakes in addition to personalised homemade wedding cakes. Guest can dine in to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of the bakery with a cup of freshly-brewed coffee or take away a box of sweet treats to surprise family and friends.

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Set to open in the heart of Estonia’s historic capital, Hilton Tallinn becomes Hilton Worldwide’s first property to be announced in the Baltic States. The upscale hotel is expected to begin welcoming guests in 2016 and will be located just a few minutes’ walk from the historic old town and major commercial areas of the city, making it an ideal choice for both business and leisure guests.The announcement comes following the signing of a management agreement by Hilton Worldwide with project owner Fortuna Travel OÜ, part of the Olympic Entertainment Group that is publicly listed on the Tallinn and Warsaw Stock Exchange.

The new build hotel will offer 202 guest rooms and suites, as well as facilities including a business center, fitness center, spa with indoor swimming pool and an outdoor sun terrace. In addition, the project designs feature an all-day dining restaurant, with private dining room and lobby bar.

Courtyard by Marriott rolled out its innovative lobby and room design in the heart of Herald Square in midtown Manhattan at the grand opening celebration of the Courtyard New York Manhattan/Herald Square on July 30, 2013.This is the latest Courtyard in the area featuring the Refreshing Business lobby environment, where guests can enjoy an open and flexible space. Along with media pods, Wi-Fi and a variety of seating zones, the redefined space is ideal for everything from pop-up meetings to social gatherings.

The 16-story hotel is housed in the former Atlantic Bank of New York building that was built in 1928 and features an indoor/outdoor rooftop lounge, a fitness centre, guest laundry, and offers 500 square feet of meeting space.

The 167-room Courtyard New York Manhattan/Herald Square also offers a stylish room design that helps guests stay connected, productive and comfortable. Thoughtfully planned, each room features plush bedding, a functional work space, spacious bathrooms, a separate seating area and complimentary in-room high-speed Internet.

Located at 71 West 35th Street, the hotel is owned by Hidrock Realty and managed by Marriott International, Inc. The Courtyard New York Manhattan/Herald Square is directly across from Macy’s and within walking distance to the Empire State Building on Fifth Avenue, Times Square and Madison Square Garden. Its unique location is perfect for viewing the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The open, bright and contemporary Courtyard hotel lobby welcomes guests with vivid contrasting colours, including blue, green, orange and red. Flexible seating options range from a communal table in the middle of the action, to more private media booths with high-definition televisions, to a more intimate, semi-enclosed lounge area.

The Bistro at Courtyard offers casual, flexible seating; easy access to food and higher quality, healthier menu options for breakfast; and light evening fare, including snacks, cocktails, wine and beer so guests can unwind. Coffee lovers can also enjoy freshly brewed Starbucks coffee. The MarketTM, a 24/7 shop for snacks, beverages and sundries, is always open for late-night cravings or the toothpaste guests may have forgotten to pack.

A key component of the Courtyard lobby is the GoBoard® 4.0, which presents local information, maps, weather, and headline news on a 55-inch LCD touch screen. Designed with today’s busy traveller in mind, the award-winning GoBoard® features mobile integration, enabling guests to send directions from the GoBoard® directly to their smart phones. Guests can also touch the screen for immediate access to detailed flight information for local airports, popular entertainment and local event information, as well as walking directions.

Throughout the hotel, guests can connect to complimentary Wi-Fi, and there are ample electrical outlets in the lobby to power digital devices. The business library features several computer terminals, along with a printer and separate computer stations dedicated solely to printing airline boarding passes and checking flight status.

The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the most dynamic hotel companies worldwide and a member of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, has signed 11 hotels with almost 1,800 rooms in the second quarter of 2013. During the same period, Rezidor has also opened 3 hotels with 450 rooms and extended 3 hotels (350 rooms). At the end of June, Rezidor’s operating portfolio comprises 335 hotels with 74,000 rooms in 56 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.Rezidor’s openings in Q2 2013 were:
Park Inn by Radisson, Glasgow City Centre; UK – 91 rooms
Radisson Blu Hotel, Bremen; Germany – 235 rooms
Radisson Blu Hotel, Istanbul Pera; Turkey – 130 rooms

Room extensions in Q2 2013 were:
Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Bergen; Norway – 69 rooms
Radisson Blu Hotel Bamako; Mali – 117 rooms
Radisson Blu Resort Alushta; Ukraine – 150 rooms

TOTAL: 792 rooms

“Both our openings and signings continue to reflect our focus on profitable, asset-light growth in the Emerging Markets of Russia/CIS and Africa and in selected focus countries like Turkey”, commented Wolfgang M. Neumann, President & CEO of Rezidor. The most significant opening was the Radisson Blu Hotel, Istanbul Pera – a new First Class property featuring 130 rooms and being Rezidor’s 4th Radisson Blu hotel in Istanbul. A further Radisson Blu hotel in Istanbul is scheduled to open in late 2013 and will make Rezidor the largest international upper upscale hotel operator in town; offering 5 Radisson Blu hotels with a total of 1,000+ rooms. Rezidor also targets further key destinations across Turkey – an economically strong hub between Europe and Asia – for an ambitious development of the core brands Radisson Blu (upper upscale) and Park Inn by Radisson (mid-market).

Among Rezidor’s signings in Q2 2013 were 2 hotels in sub-Saharan Africa where the group already operates 15 hotels with 3,000 rooms and holds the largest pipeline of internationally branded rooms under development (22 hotels with 4,000 rooms): The Park Inn by Radisson, Kigali in Rwanda with 161 rooms is scheduled to open in early 2013; and the Park Inn by Radisson Hotel Abuja, Kaura in Nigeria with 150 rooms shall welcome the first guests in early 2015. “Sub-Saharan Africa’s politically stable capital cities and financial hubs offer high potential development options. We aim to establish Radisson Blu as the premier upper upscale brand in the region and to pursue a scaled growth of our mid-market offer Park Inn by Radisson”, said Elie Younes, Senior Vice President & Head of Group Development of Rezidor.

Among the signings in Rezidor’s European home markets was the Radisson Blu Hotel, Rouen in France: The 91 rooms-property in walking distance from Rouen’s railway station brings Rezidor’s French portfolio to 23 hotels in operation and under development, and further strengthens Radisson Blu as the largest upper upscale brand in the country. Rouen itself is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and driven by heavy industry – it is e.g. home to the head offices of Renault and Peugeot.

Marriott International has recently announced the opening of the 155-unit The OCT Harbour, Shenzhen Marriott Executive Apartments. This is Marriott International’s first extended stay property in South China, showing its continued growth and commitment to China.The OCT Harbour, Shenzhen – Marriott Executive Apartments cover a total area of over 27,000sqm. The property has accommodation of 155 units encompassing studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom suites. Each spacious apartment allows guests to feel the authentic experience of living in the city. With separated warm-coloured bedroom, contemporary living room and office area and a fully equipped, state-of-the-art kitchen – Marriott Executive Apartments are the perfect home-away-from-home with tranquil ambience and all the benefits of a hotel. Concierge desk, foreign exchange, limousine service, and even a grocery shopping service are only a phone call away. The Resident Lounge, 24-hour gym, outdoor pool, kids’ pool, children’s playroom, and valet dry cleaning are among the services on offer.

Located in the Central business district of Shenzhen Bay, the OCT Harbour is set to become one of China’s most fashionable and international entertainment destinations with its combination of varied concepts including culture, dining, ecology and entertainment in one exciting new venue. Together with the Marriott Executive Apartments, the Harbour boasts the country’s first international waterfront shopping complex, multi-media water show theatre, high-end cultural and commercial exhibition centre as well as Dream Aquarium, Myrules World and Shenzhen’s largest five-star flagship cinema.

Featuring a unique urban nature reserve, the OCT Harbour also links together the OCT Wetland Park and Coco Beach with the Binhai Seaside Promenade and Hongshulin Mangrove Forest conservation to form a larger-than-life ecological reserve. In addition to their ideal location, the apartments are also close to popular attractions such as The Window of the World, Splendid China, Happy Valley and Shenzhen Bay Park.

Cannizaro House holds the accolade as one of the oldest hotels in Wimbledon. Having played host to Lord Tennyson, Henry James, Oscar Wilde and even the Maharajah of the Punjab, its walls have born witness to some of history’s most colourful characters. Revived as a boutique hotel back in the 80’s, Cannizaro House has recently undergone a multi-million pound refurbishment to restore it to its former grandeur as one of the most glamorous hotels in South West London. The final stage in the £3million pound renovation is The Orangerie restaurant overlooking the stunning Cannizaro Park and Chelsom were commissioned to create a unique lighting feature for the project. The design team from STS Design created a beautiful contemporary interior scheme which complemented the original hotel building perfectly and Chelsom worked closely with them to ensure the lighting enhanced the overall design aesthetic.

The spectacular centrepiece chandelier is undoubtedly the focal point of The Orangerie, featuring a cascading sculpture of more than 200 clear glass balls offset with a single sphere of lime green mouth- blown glass designed to coordinate with the wider interior scheme. Randomly suspended on fine steel strainer wires around a 2m cartwheel frame, the hand-made ellipse glass balls are of varying sizes and have been designed to create an illusion of floating bubbles. The fitting creates striking impact in the heart of The Orangerie yet also offers ease of maintenance through the chrome ceiling plate which allows easy access to the transformers. Illuminated by 35 watt Britespot lamps built in to the metal framework, the fitting serves to complement the natural light of The Orangerie and has been designed to be as energy efficient as possible to provide a long life solution to reduce maintenance.

June’s Highlights
• Dubai Hotels record an impressive 86.0% occupancy during the first half of 2013, while demand for Abu Dhabi hotels grows 13.4%
• Jeddah’s hotels achieve a 13.4% increase in Average Rate during the first half of 2013, while profits rise 45.4% in Sharm El Sheikh

Latest analysis by STR Global, leading provider of data on the hotel industry, reveals that despite high levels of inflation and political uncertainty, Africa is proving that it is a growing tourist and business destination as hotels in a number of key markets are reporting performance increases for year-to-date (YTD) June 2013.However, a big barrier for Africa tourism is the lack of transportation infrastructure. Even though some low-cost air carriers have emerged over the last decade, only a small percentage of airfields are paved and airlift remains limited due to high operating costs. Africa’s railway infrastructure is not without its own set of challenges due to limited interconnected rail systems as most of the national rail systems operate independently. Non-standardised gauges, break systems and traction and obsolete equipment further compound the situation.

Egypt as an exception has continued to suffer from the ill effects of its revolution when occupancy rates dropped as low as 15 percent in February 2011 in Cairo. The capital has been experiencing ongoing unrest and the recent overthrow of President Morsi will determine a different story. Hotels in the Red Sea resorts are still trying to recover and although occupancy is up 24.7 percent YTD June 2013 to achieve occupancy levels of 45.2 percent which is on par with Cairo, it is still below the 61.7 percent achieved by hotels in the Red Sea Resort YTD June 2010.

Within sub-Saharan Africa, YTD June 2013 hotel performance data for South Africa shows a notable increase in occupancy (4.8 percent) but the decrease in both average daily rate (-7.7 percent) and RevPAR (-3.3 percent) are indicative of an ongoing recovery from inflated rates and the surge of new supply during the World Football Cup in 2010.

Botswana, Kenya, Mauritius and Tanzania rely heavily on international tourism, offering splendid beach destinations and/or safaris. According to the WTTC(1), total tourism contribution to GDP for Mauritius is 28 percent, which is above the world average (9 percent). Many of these markets remain dependent on leisure tourism. Whilst most African economies are more agrarian and based on mining of natural resources, one of the biggest challenges for opening a hotel on this continent is finding well educated staff and training them to deliver an international standard of service.

Nigeria shows the highest RevPAR growth YTD June 2013 (15.2 percent) and the highest average daily rate (ADR) among the African countries at US$273.80. The second highest ADR can be found in Mauritius (US$227.08), where in addition to the strong leisure demand for its resorts, this small economy hosted the FIFA(2) Congress 2013, welcoming around 1,300 guests.

The World Bank is currently financing 1,091 activities in 6,277 mapped locations in Africa worth US$49.3 billion. Despite high levels of inflation and political uncertainty, Africa has not deterred hotel developers from being interested in the continent and its popularity is likely to grow in the next 10 years with a wealth of resources and abundant untouched areas.

“Africa is a key growth market with plenty of exciting prospects ahead. The current undersupply of hotels, as a result of the continent’s natural resources boom and a growing middle class, means there are plenty of opportunities for internationally branded hotels,” said Mark Willis, Area Vice President Middle East and Sub-Sahara Africa The Rezidor Hotel Group. “Our development strategy is on track and over the next 24 months we will open more Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson properties in cities including Freetown, Nairobi, Kigali, Libreville, Marrakech and Hammamet.”

Further details on trends in the hotel markets across Africa will be presented at the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) in Nairobi on the 23-25 September where two speakers from STR Global will be on the formal agenda.

Travelodge has exchanged contracts with CHG Holdings for a new hotel on Lind Hill in the heart of the popular seaside resort of Ryde, the largest town on the Isle of Wight.The new 41-bed, £2.2m development will be Travelodge’s second hotel on the Island and will create 10 jobs when open, with all entry level roles being filled via Job Centre Plus. Travelodge estimates that its guests will spend £650,000 in the local economy throughout the year.

The hotel is set to open in Spring 2014 and is ideally located for guests to explore the town and gain access to the Hoverport and rail and ferry terminals. The Isle of Wight attracts over 2 million visitors every year, with more than half staying overnight at least once, spending over £350m in the local economy.

Tony O’Brien, UK Development Director for Travelodge Hotels, said:

“Our existing hotel in Newport opened in 2007 and trades very well, so we decided that another Travelodge was needed on the island. Ryde is the largest town, but has no branded budget accommodation, so we are delighted that Travelodge will be the first company to provide this.

“The new Travelodge will be within walking distance of the ferry terminals in Ryde, so will provide great value accommodation and we believe that our presence in this family-friendly town will encourage more visitors to come and stay overnight, which will serve as a great boost to local businesses and the economy of the area.”

Andrew Turner, the Isle of Wight’s MP, said:
“The decision to open a second hotel on the Island represents a vote of confidence in the future of our economy by CHG Holdings and Travelodge.

“As well as serving the tourism market Travelodge hotels are popular with business travellers, so I am sure that this new venture in Ryde will be just as successful as their existing hotel in Newport. It is a welcome investment.”

Les Pink, chief executive of CHG Holdings, added:

“As a resident of the Isle of Wight myself, I think the new hotel is a great addition to the island. With the local council are investing £5.2m to boost tourism in the area, this is an opportune time for Travelodge to have a property in Ryde to allow more people to stay and explore this fantastic location.

“We are pleased to be working with Travelodge once again, and are delighted that it is expanding its property portfolio along the South Coast.”

As well as investing in new properties, Travelodge is now four months into an extensive £57 million refurbishment programme, to refit large parts of the existing estate with brand new rooms. By the end of this year, more than 50% of its hotel rooms will have been refitted.

The refit of Travelodge’s Newport hotel was completed on July 12th , whilst the company’s Portsmouth hotel, close to the ferry terminal, was refurbished in May.

By the autumn of 2014, 85% of Travelodge’s estate will incorporate the new room design, meaning the makeover will see an average of more than 50 rooms refurbished every single day for the next 18 months.

Vienna International Hotelmanagement AG (VI) has taken over three further hotels in Germany. Effective 1 August 2013, the Austrian hotel operator doubles its presence on the German market. On 1 July 2013, Vienna International Hotelmanagement AG took over the Arcadia Hotel Amberg in the city of the same name (pop. 41,000). The next takeover will follow on 1 August 2013 in Wuppertal. In both cases, VI is assuming management of the hotel while in full operation. The three Arcadia Hotels (Coburg was taken over on 1 June 2013) will continue to be promoted in cooperation with the sales operations of the Arcadia Group as well as through VI’s channels.

“With the latest management takeovers, we were able to double our market presence in addition to the previous hotels in Munich and Berlin,” says Dr. Andreas Karsten, CEO Vienna International Hotelmanagement AG. “Germany is one of our most important core markets with enormous economic potential.”

The new hotels in Germany were acquired by VI Asset GmbH, a subsidiary of Vienna International Hotelmanagement AG. Vendor is the Arcadia hotel group. Both parties have agreed to keep the price confidential.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has recently signed an agreement with Suzhou Science and Technology Town Kexin Cultural Tourism Development Co., Ltd. to open a new-build Element® hotel in Suzhou Science and Technology Town (SSTT), an eco-city adjacent to the commercial and administrative center of the city’s high tech industrial development zone. Slated for completion in mid-2015, the hotel, Element Suzhou Science and Technology Town (Element Suzhou), marks the Element brand’s entry to Asia Pacific, as well as the presence of all of Starwood’s nine differentiated lifestyle brands in the region.

Located at the intersection of Jialingjiang and Wuyishan Roads, Element Suzhou will be situated in SSTT, an eco-city adjacent to the commercial and administrative center of the High-Tech District. Since 2003, over 150 state-level research institutes, R&D organizations, tech-based innovative companies, training organizations, and outsourcing and design companies have settled in SSTT.

In keeping with the tenets of the Element brand, Element Suzhou’s 190 stylish and sustainable guestrooms will feature the signature Heavenly® Bed, a fluid design of modular furniture, swiveling flat-screen televisions, large desks, and custom-designed closets. Bathrooms will be spa-inspired, with an invigorating rain shower and dual-flush toilet.

In addition, the hotel will offer approximately 10,764 square feet of versatile meeting space, a well-equipped business center, a 24-hour fitness center, and an indoor heated swimming pool. Other brand signatures will include Element’s healthy breakfast and relaxing evening reception with hot and cold appetizers as well as beer, wine, and soft drinks. All day dining will be available with three to four private dining rooms, and a grab-and-go pantry for quick healthy meals.

Starwood currently manages Four Points by Sheraton Suzhou and is on track to open six hotels by 2018.

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the largest and most dynamic hotel companies worldwide, announces the Radisson Blu Conference & Spa Hotel, Istanbul Tuzla: The property featuring 249 rooms is already under construction and scheduled to welcome the first guests in Q4 2013. It is Carlson Rezidor’s 7th hotel in Istanbul and further strengthens the group’s leading position within the upper upscale segment in Istanbul. All across Turkey, Carlson Rezidor now operates and develops 11 hotels. The new Radisson Blu hotel is located in the Tuzla district of Anatolian Istanbul and 35km southeast of the main city center. Besides 249 rooms and suites with contemporary design and Radisson Blu signature services such as free high speed internet access, the hotel will also offer 2 restaurants with terrace, 3 bars, and 3,300m² of meeting facilities – comprising a 580m² ballroom and a 580m² conference room, as well as 8 meeting rooms from 30 to 260m². Moreover, the first class & full service property will have an indoor and outdoor pool, a wellness area total of 4,000m² including sauna and Hammam, massage facilities, a tennis court, a large garden, and parking facilities.

Tuzla is home to Istanbul’s Formula 1 race track, the Turkish Naval Academy and several universities. The area is also popular amongst wealthy residents to have a second home outside the busy city centre of Istanbul. The surroundings of the hotel are characterized by smaller business parks and high class retail outlets. Adjacent to the property, several luxury villas for residential use are being built.

The hotel is 3km from the Sabiha Gokçen International Airport, Istanbul’s second international airport. In 2012, the airport handled 9.5 million domestic travelers and 5 million international visitors and the passenger traffic is estimated to continue its exponential growth for the forthcoming years.

Carlson Rezidor announces the Park Inn by Radisson Rustaveli Tbilisi in Georgia. The mid-market property featuring 200 rooms is scheduled to open in Q3 2015. Designed to be hip and cool and targeting the growing clientele of Gen X and Y, Park Inn by Radisson Rustaveli Tbilisi is part of the conversion of the existing post office building. The complex is located right next to the Radisson Blu Iveria Hotel and on the most commercial street of Tbilisi, Rustaveli Avenue.

Besides 200 modern and functional guest rooms, the hotel will comprise all-day-dining restaurants, a lobby bar and surface car parking. The ultra-relaxing features include a wellness area with fitness centre and sauna. Tbilisi is becoming a meeting hotspot, and the hotel will certainly be popular with its 250m2 of well-equipped meeting space and a business lounge and 200m2 ballroom.

Marriott International announced the opening of the 140-room Courtyard by Marriott Leon at the Poliforum, expanding the brand’s roster of Mexico properties to nine and solidifying the country’s position as the most important Latin American market for Marriott’s leading mid-tier hotel brand. The stunning hotel is located conveniently near the Poliforum Leon Convention and Exhibition Center, Leon Airport, Leon Stadium, Explora Science Center, Centro Max Shopping Center and the city’s main industrial parks. Recreational amenities at the hotel include an outdoor pool. “From the refreshing, open business lobbies to our modern and spacious guest rooms, both the Courtyard by Marriott Leon at the Poliforum and the Courtyard by Marriott Toluca Tollocan offer business and leisure guests excellent space and flexibility to optimize their stay,” said Lita Aguirre, General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott Leon.

Like all new Courtyard by Marriott properties, the Leon properties are entirely smoke-free and feature the brand’s signature refreshing business lobby, providing travelers with free Wi-Fi and spaces to work or relax with a variety of flexible seating options. The hotel offers modern, comfortable rooms, including rooms for guests with disabilities, with contemporary workspaces, safe deposit boxes, LCD televisions and deluxe bedding. Centro Bistro, the brand’s premiere restaurant, offers a flavorful menu with local and international cuisine and is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktails. Room service is available 24 hours a day, as is The Market for quick, on-the-go meals. Complimentary high-speed Internet is provided in all guest rooms, meeting rooms and business centers, and the property’s state-of-the-art fitness centers.

“Mexico’s growing middle class and booming economy have generated tremendous demand for mid-priced hotel properties,” said Craig Smith, President of the Caribbean & Latin America at Marriott International. “The steady expansion of the Courtyard by Marriott brand in Mexico validates the recognition of the brand’s top-notch style, service and comfort at an affordable price.”

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Courtyard is Marriott International’s largest brand in terms of hotels and also has the greatest portfolio presence in Mexico within the company. In total, Courtyard by Marriott operates 21 hotels with 3,270 rooms in 12 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean and has another 10 hotels in the pipeline and scheduled to open in the next three years.

The development pipeline for Courtyard by Marriott properties in Mexico includes the 130-room Courtyard by Marriott Hermosillo, slated to open its doors in 2014; the 120-room Courtyard by Marriott Queretaro in 2015; and the 130-room Courtyard by Marriott Los Cabos in 2015.

Other Mexican Courtyard by Marriott properties include the 153-room Courtyard by Marriott Toluca Airport, 200-room Courtyard by Marriott Cancun Airport, 292-room Courtyard by Marriott Mexico City Airport, 129-room Courtyard by Marriott Monterrey, 175-room Courtyard by Marriott Monterrey San Jeronimo, 154-room Courtyard by Marriott Puebla and 155-room Courtyard by Marriott San Luis Potosi.

International hotel group Tune Hotels has widened its presence in the Philippines with the opening of its first hotel in the southern island of Mindanao at Cagayan de Oro City.Welcoming its first guests on Friday July 19th 2013, the 159-room Tune Hotel Cagayan de Oro is Tune Hotels’ fifth property in the Philippines, after Angeles City, Ermita and Makati in Manila, and Cebu City. The hotel will have five family rooms, along with doubles, twins and accessible rooms.

Tune Hotels Group CEO Mark Lankester said: “Tune Hotels is really proud to be in CDO, our fifth footprint in the Philippines. Thanks to the booming Philippine economy and its very healthy tourist arrivals, we are very pleased with our performance here since we opened our very first Philippine hotel at Angeles City, Pampanga more than two years ago. At least five more Tune Hotels are scheduled for opening in the Philippines over the next 18 months, including in Davao City in Mindanao and Quezon City in Manila later this year.”

“The Philippines is a priority market for Tune Hotels. With the rise of budget travel packages from airlines and increase in business travel, there’s a high demand for value hotels that provide affordable, safe, clean, convenient and comfortable accommodations and that’s precisely what Tune Hotels is all about,” added Mark.

Conveniently located on C. M. Recto Avenue along the highway to Iligan and Butuan, Tune Hotel CDO is in the heart of the Lapasan Central Business District and within walking distance of the Limketkai Center and Centrio Mall. The Mindanao University of Science and Technology campus is nearby, along with a number of food and shopping establishments.

Cagayan de Oro is the 10th largest city in the Philippines and is the capital city of the province of Misamis Oriental in Mindanao. It is particularly famous for its whitewater rafting and kayaking adventures and also offers a host of other extreme water sport activities such as water tubing and river trekking. Historical tours and shopping are also part of the must-do list when in the city.

Tune Hotel Cagayan de Oro is the 30th property to open in the Tune Hotels chain, with the 31st hotel set to open in Melbourne, Australia on the 1st November 2013.

WorldMark® by Wyndham, one of Wyndham Vacation Ownership’s four primary consumer brands, has recently announced it has opened its newest resort, WorldMark Chelan – Lake House. Located in Lake Chelan, Washington, just three hours outside of Seattle, the resort is comprised of 30 quartershare and vacation ownership units and was acquired by WorldMark by Wyndham earlier this year. WorldMark by Wyndham anticipates sales to begin in July and will assume property management of all units by the fall of 2013.

“We’re very excited to open WorldMark Chelan – Lake House, as it’s an upscale resort in a highly-desired location,” said Geoff Richards, chief operations officer, Wyndham Vacation Ownership. “We began booking reservations in May, and within 48 hours of opening occupancy the resort was booked for the summer. This immediate demand is a strong demonstration of the desire by our owners to vacation in this pristine area along Lake Chelan.”

The resort offers one- and three-bedroom condominium-style units with full kitchens featuring stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. Each unit is also equipped with flat screen televisions, electric fireplaces and oversized decks for entertaining. In addition to its in-room amenities, the resort features a heated pool and hot tub, a children’s splash pad and a 4,000 square foot pool house.

June’s Highlights
• Dublin enjoys a touch of the green while Brussels sprouts, but downwards
• Warsaw experienced the year-on-year effects of last year’s European Football Championship

Louvre Hotels Group, a major hotel group, continues its development in France and abroad. The Group opened 39 new hotels worldwide during the first half of 2013, representing a total of 5,367 rooms. Today, the Group has a total portfolio of 1,116 hotels, accounting for 90,812 rooms.These figures reflect the Group’s success in designing and implementing its strategy of controlled expansion, which relies on:
– international development in fast-growing countries in which business and leisure travel play a major role;
– trusted partners with genuine knowledge of the Group’s target markets;
– constant modernisation of its hotel portfolio and focus on innovative concepts to win the loyalty of the Group’s customers.

The development of the Group has been fuelled mostly by international expansion, with 25 new hotels and 4,279 rooms opened since January 2013. During the remainder of the year, Louvre Hotels Group will continue its expansion and move into four new countries: Lithuania, Ukraine, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia.

Since January, the Group has strengthened its positions in Africa and the Middle East, opening 15 hotels, while continuing to build up its presence in the BRICs, opening six new hotels (four in Brazil, one in Russia and another in India).

The Group opened four new hotels in Europe and plans to increase the pace of its new openings in Eastern Europe. After tripling in size in five years, Louvre Hotels Group is now set to rank second in the Polish hotel market within the next few months.

In France, the Group continued its repositioning, opening 14 new hotels and establishing Campanile hotels in city-centre locations and Golden Tulip hotels in the country’s leading urban centres, such as Marseille, Lyon and Aix-les-Bains. Its attractive offer has continued to interest new partners, leading to switchovers by hotels that were previously independent or operated under other banners.

Matthieu Evrard, Chief Development Officer of Louvre Hotels Group, commented: “Given the stability and strength of Louvre Hotels Group’s business model, we are able to reinforce our development targets for 2013. In addition, the Group still boasts a major expansion pipeline of 20,000 rooms, underpinning our momentum in the medium term.”

In 2003, ISO 7010 was introduced, a new international standard for safety signs using pictograms that could be easily understood by everyone, regardless of their language, culture or ability. In the years that followed, this standard was simply regarded as a ‘best practice recommendation’ and was largely ignored in the UK as most British companies adhered to our own BS5499 standard.From January 2013 that all changed as ISO 7010 became European Norm (EN7010), officially replacing the BS5499 standard, and has been adopted by member states throughout Europe.

This has led to a great deal of confusion and misinformation, with some safety sign suppliers implying that it’s now law and that safety signs must change to comply with the new Standard.

Mark Bartlett, Managing Director of Signbox, comments, “It’s a common misconception that British Standards and the more Europe-wide European Standards (EN) are law but they are not – they are Codes of Practice. In some circumstances Standards can be given a type of legal status when they are referred to within legislation or government-issued guidance and Approved Codes of Practice. In the case of safety signs the relevant legislation is the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations of 1996, also known as the Safety Signs Regulations. These regulations implemented EC Directive 92/58/EEC. However they have not been updated and there is no indication at present that they will be changed to incorporate EN7010.

“Some companies are now saying that all workplace safety signs (including fire escape signs) must be replaced – but that isn’t strictly true. Having said that, whilst there is no legal requirement to replace existing safety signs, Health and Safety guidance recommends that the two different types of signage, BS5499 and EN7010, should not be mixed in the workplace.

“If your signs are being erected or installed in a building extension or refurbishment it makes sense to ensure they are all in the new style, complying with EN7010. If it’s a new build then clearly use signs that comply with the new Standard.”

In addition to its ‘corporate’ website Signbox now operates www.signboxshop.co.uk, an online store for “off the shelf” signage. This features a comprehensive range of ready-made workplace signs including safety signs that all comply with EN7010.

 Gross revenue1 up 6.7% to €5.6 billion, thanks to management and franchise expansion.
 First-half revenue up 1.8% increase like-for-like, including 3.3% in the second quarter due
to favorable prior-year comparatives.
 Robust 15.9% growth in first-half revenue from management and franchise fees
 Solid revenue growth across all segments, led by good resilience in Europe and boosted by
emerging markets.
 9,940 new rooms opened during the first-half, 80% of which under asset-light structures

Hilton Worldwide is offering visitors to the city of Lodz a unique voyage through Poland’s cinematic history thanks to today’s opening of the country’s first DoubleTree by Hilton, part of Hilton Worldwide’s upscale brand which features more than 350 hotels globally.Opening at the site of the Lodz Film Studio, the newly built DoubleTree by Hilton Lodz pays homage to the golden age of Polish cinema. Its towering 8,000 square meter glass façade depicts a scene from one of the many Polish film masterpieces to have emanated from Lodz’s famous ‘Dream Factory’ studios. Once inside, guests continue their journey through cinematic history with guest rooms featuring film motifs, whilst its swimming pool forms a visual tribute to the works of Oscar winning director, Roman Polanski.

The hotel enjoys a central location with views overlooking the green expanses of Poniatowski Park. Guests are within easy reach of the city’s main leisure and commercial attractions as well as the central business district. Ease of access is assured with W Reymont International Airport just six kilometers away from the hotel.

Each of the 200 guest rooms reflect DoubleTree by Hilton’s upscale offering; and the 105 square meter presidential suite boasts office space, a separate kitchen and views across the park. Additional facilities available on site include a 4,500 square meter concert and congress hall which is complemented by six additional state-of-the-art meeting rooms.

An indoor swimming pool and spa with four treatment rooms inhabits the top floor of the complex, whilst befitting of its heritage, a contemporary cinema room is set to become an attraction for guests and locals alike. The 200 seat Four Colors restaurant offers international dining with Polish influences, whilst the Golden Bar provides an ideal spot to unwind with a range of cocktails, single malt whiskies and wines available.

Hilton Worldwide has had a presence in Poland since 2007 with the opening of Hilton Warsaw Hotel & Convention Center and this latest opening increases the portfolio to six. Its development pipeline of 11 hotels in the country includes the recently announced DoubleTree by Hilton Kraków Hotel & Convention Centre and Hampton by Hilton Kraków, set to become Poland’s first Hilton Worldwide dual branded property.

June’s Highlights
• June is Busting Out All Over for London’s Hotels
• Positive second quarter thanks to a third consecutive month of profit growth for the Provinces

The new European-inspired design of the Courtyard by Marriott brand has been revealed with the opening of the 194-room hotel at Aberdeen Airport. The Courtyard Aberdeen Airport Hotel is the first hotel according to the new design and shall be followed by several other top locations throughout Europe within a short period.

Together with the designers from ICA Interiors and the Marriott headquarters, Baulmann Leuchten developed and supplied the custom-made luminaires for the guestrooms and the public areas.

All pictures are copyright by “Marriott Courtyard Aberdeen Airport”.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Selfi Grupo Operador de Estacionamientos, S.A. de C.V., recently celebrated the ground break on April 22nd of the Holiday Inn Express® Hotel Xalapa. Prominent personalities who attended the ground-breaking ceremony included José Antonio Mansur Beltrán, Federal Delegate of the Economy Ministry, (SE), Carlos Canales Freeman, Chairman State of the Association of Industrial of the State of Veracruz A.C. (Aievac), members of Congress of State and executives, and members of the construction company GILCA among others. Slated to open summer 2014, the construction of this hotel is expected to generate at least 150 direct and 300 indirect jobs. This addition further strengthens the IHG portfolio presence in Veracruz, which currently includes seven hotels comprising two Crowne Plaza® hotels, three Holiday Inn® hotels, one Holiday Inn Express hotel, and a Hotel Indigo® hotel. The Holiday Inn Express Hotel Xalapa will be in the heart of the city on Zaragoza 8, Col. Centro. The five-story, 114-room hotel is being developed by GILCA, with an investment of over $6 million. The 13-story building will have multiple levels of underground parking, two stories devoted to business use and a multi-purpose hall capable of seating up to 400 people.

“This new-build hotel is scheduled to open in summer of 2014, just in time for the forthcoming XXII Central American and The Caribbean Games in Veracruz”, said Pablo Delgado Rannauro, president and CEO, Selfi, Grupo Operador de Estacionamientos.

The Holiday Inn Express Hotel Xalapa, owned and managed by Selfi, Grupo Operador de Estacionamientos, S.A. de C.V., is franchised by an affiliate of IHG.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announces the opening of the highly anticipated Sheraton Tucuman Hotel in Argentina. The spectacular new property offers a vibrant, open atmosphere and all of Sheraton brand’s signature amenities and services, including Sheraton Club Lounge, Link@Sheraton experienced with Microsoft®, and Sheraton Fitness programmed by Core® Performance. It also features extensive state-of-the-art meeting facilities, making it the ideal venue for events. The hotel is located in Tucuman, the capital of the province, facing the beautiful 9 de Julio Park, and blocks away from the city’s Historic and Civic Center. The property is owned by Argentine company Sol del NOA S.A. and is operated by Starwood. Sheraton Tucuman is the ninth Sheraton branded hotel in the country, and the tenth hotel under a Starwood brand in the country. The hotel offers 124 spacious rooms, including six Executive Suites and a Presidential Suite. The Sheraton Club Lounge is located on the top floor, and has a panoramic view of the park and the mountain landscape.

With more than 28,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting space, Sheraton Tucuman will feature one of the largest convention centers in the region. Meeting areas include five ballrooms with the largest measuring more than 10,800 square feet and a poolside terrace that spans more than 9,500 square feet and provides sweeping views of the mountains. The extraordinary landscape is a beautiful backdrop for events and receptions.

The hotel features Mora Bistro Argentino, a gourmet restaurant that will have an international menu strongly influenced by the region’s gastronomy, along with a Lobby Bar and a Snack bar located on the pool deck.

Sheraton Tucuman’s expansive Spa, covering more than 8,600 square feet, is the first of its kind in the region and will provide a full range of regional therapies. The hotel also offers Sheraton Fitness by Programmed Core Performance, the brand’s revolutionary health and fitness program, which offers guests the possibility of working out and eating healthy even while traveling.

Due to open on 1st November 2013, Tune Hotel Melbourne will feature 225 rooms, along with an indoor courtyard, recreational lounge, restaurant, café/ convenience store, luggage storage, self-service launderette and computer kiosks. It is also equipped with a basement car park, something unusual for city centre hotels in Australia.The hotel is just two streets away from Lygon Street, famously known as Little Italy. The central business district, Melbourne Central Train Station and QV Melbourne; one of Melbourne’s finest retail, dining and entertainment precincts, is only two tram stops away.

The basic room rate at Tune Hotel Melbourne is inclusive of air-conditioning and heating. For an additional A$10 (approx £6), guests will receive a pair of towels and toiletry kits, along with high-speed wireless broadband and Foxtel TV entertainment.

Tune Hotel Melbourne is offering an attractive room rate from just A$49* (approx £30) per night, available exclusively online at www.tunehotels.com. Bookings can be made between the 18th and 28th June 2013 for stays between 1st November 2013 and 31st March 2014, subject to availability. A total of 1,000 rooms will be made available at this price.

The announcement was made in Kuala Lumpur by Mark Lankester, the Group CEO of Tune Hotels in the presence of the visiting Premier of Victoria, Honourable Dr Denis Napthine. Also present was Co-Founder of Tune Group and Group CEO of AirAsia, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes CBE.

The Honourable Dr Denis Napthine said: “Melbourne’s new Tune Hotel will open its doors in the city’s central business district this November to coincide with Victoria’s world-famous Spring Racing Carnival.”

Dr Napthine also welcomed the decision by Tune Hotels to set up its Australia and New Zealand Operational Headquarters in Melbourne, which is expected to create up to 100 jobs.