Hotel Designs

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., Trinity Investments, LLC and Terra Investments S.R.L.C.V. has recently announced the debut of the first Le Méridien Hotel in Mexico City with the opening of Le Méridien Mexico City. Situated at Paseo de la Reforma 69 in the heart of the city’s vibrant financial and cultural district, Le Méridien Mexico City combines timeless chic design and a love of the arts and cuisine, offering travellers a distinctive and compelling experience.Le Méridien Mexico City features the newly-developed Le Méridien HubTM experience which re-interprets the traditional lobby into a social gathering place for creative people to converse, debate, and exchange. Le Méridien Hub offers both guests and locals a creative atmosphere where contemporary, curated artwork sets the environment. Le Méridien Hub further builds on the brand’s award-winning arrival experience and coffee culture, curated by Le Méridien brand’s Cultural Curator Jérôme Sans. Le Méridien arrival consists of four elements: large-scale artwork in high impact areas to reset the mind and stimulate dialogue and curiosity; the sensory experience, illustrated through Le Méridien signature scent, sound and use of light, creating a unique and distinctive atmosphere; UNLOCK ARTTM programme, featuring LM100 TM artist designed key card collections that not only offer access to the guestroom but also to Le Méridien affiliated contemporary cultural centres in the city; and a 24-hour soundtrack curated by Sans.

The reason for this visit to the Holiday Inn Farnborough was to review the Spirit Health Club that is connected to the hotel, but I couldn’t stay in a hotel without taking a few photos of the hotel too to share with our readers… turn to page two and beyond for those.The Spirit Health Club is available to residents of the Holiday Inn and to non-residents by way of a club membership. It has recently had a £50,000 investment which has bought new equipment for the gym and a steam room and sauna for the pool area. The staff are friendly and you cannot fault the Health Club in terms of value for money, equipment or accessibility. As far as the interior design of the gym goes, it’s cream walls, blue carpet and inoffensive. The gym is located in the basement area so the ceilings are quite low and due to supporting walls, there are a variety of areas for the different equipment they have which means you do get a degree of privacy. It’s a shame that more hasn’t been done to decorate the walls as many are just left bare and uninspiring. Some areas do have televisions to entertain, but with the lack of natural light, it just needs brightening up – it would no doubt have a positive impact on the gym-goers.

The pool area has a Jacuzzi, brand new sauna and steam room which are great to sit and unwind after a day of meetings in the hotel. Whilst there are windows in the pool area, it’s not flooded with daylight and you’re not completely visible from the car park. I noted how one disused Jacuzzi area was filled with gravel which could have easily contained some artificial plants to liven up the area and provide a more impressive and luxurious environment.

Overall it’s a fantastic little Health Club that deserves a visit but will possibly need a little more investment in its interior design in the future to keep it competitive with other local gyms.

For a three star hotel, you can’t say you don’t get value for money with the free use of the Health Club. Even the hotel offering is excellent with free WiFi, large rooms and additional toiletries to those expected as ‘standard’. Join our debate on what constitutes luxury by reading our article, “Luxury Hotels: Myth or Reality?”

Copy and images (c) Lorraine Hakes/HotelDesigns Date of visit: 23/10/12.

www.hifarnboroughhotel.co.uk

Images of the hotel on page two and three…

Meliá Hotels International has attended the Africa Hotel Investment Forum in Nairobi, looking at opportunities to grow its business and brands in the area, which has become one of the company’s key destinations for development.The company is now facing a period with the aim of consolidating its management strengths and developing exponentially in emerging destinations, with a growing interest in Africa. At this moment, the hotel chain’s presence within the continent is focused in Egypt (4 hotels: Meliá Sharm, Meliá Sinai, Sol Cyrene and Sol Sharm), Cape Verde (1 hotel: Meliá Tortuga), Tanzania (1 hotel: Meliá Zanzibar), and other several projects in the pipeline due to open in next years.

The Spanish company came to Nairobi looking for new projects to develop in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to Gabriel Escarrer, CEO of Meliá Hotels International, “we are very keen to study opportunities under management agreements in countries such as Kenya, Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritius, Maldives, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia, where we are confident to engage hotel owners and investors with our strong brand portfolio and know how, both in urban and resort destinations”. The Northern Africa is also of interest for the hotel group, especially Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt, while other important destination in the continent is South Africa.

Founded in 1956 in Mallorca (Spain), Meliá Hotels International is one of the largest hotel companies worldwide as well as the absolute leader within the Spanish market, which has developed an impressive portfolio of hotel brand concepts and a sophisticated infrastructure of management services. The company’s international growth strategy has allowed Meliá Hotels International, with more than 350 hotels in 35 countries, to target the most dynamic markets, being the first Spanish hotel company with presence in destinations such as China, the Arabian Gulf or the U.S., as well as maintaining its leadership in traditional markets such as Europe, Latin America or the Caribbean.

Meliá Hotels International’s global growth strategy is based on a consistent internationalization plan, via low capital intensive formulas, through its range of midscale, upscale and premium brands. The hotel chain operates seven brands to target different guest profiles. Gran Meliá, ME by Meliá and Paradisus Resorts form the premium portfolio, with stunning facilities in preferred business and leisure destinations. Meliá Hotels & Resorts is the most well-known brand of the portfolio, with over 100 properties worldwide. Innside by Meliá is a modern business brand with a very strong reputation. Both of them form the upscale portfolio, while TRYP by Wyndham (in alliance with Wyndham Hotel Group) and Sol Hotels are the midscale brands.

During the Africa Hotel Investment Forum, held in Nairobi, Accor will reaffirm its ambitious expansion plan in Africa, with nearly 5,000 new rooms/ 30 hotels to be opened by 2016.

Since the opening of its first hotel in Congo in 1975, Accor has strongly developed its network in Africa to become market leader with 114 hotels – over 17,000 rooms – in 18 countries. The Group is present on all segments, from luxury to budget, with its Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Mercure, ibis, ibis budget and Formula 1 brands.In the first semester of 2012 alone, Accor opened more than 1,000 rooms – 9 hotels – on the continent. Openings included an ibis in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, and 2 hotels, ibis and Novotel, in Constantine in Algeria, a market where the Accor network is experiencing a quick growth. Accor reentered in Tunisia with the opening of an ibis and a Novotel in Tunis. The Group also consolidated its market leadership in Morocco with the opening of Sofitel Agadir Thalassa Sea & Spa and Sofitel Casablanca Tour Blanche as well as the launch of its ibis budget brand.

In addition, an ibis has just opened in Dakar and a second one will soon open in Lagos, Nigeria. The Group has recently signed a management contract to take over under the Sofitel flag, the Hotel Ivoire in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. All together, almost 2,000 rooms will have opened through the year.

With its dynamic expansion plan, the Group will reach a network of more than 22,000 rooms by 2016. Key markets for the Group expansion include Morocco, Algeria, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Angola, and Kenya.

“Our network in Africa is facing a dynamic expansion, with 5,000 rooms to open in the next few years”, declares Jean-Jacques Dessors, Chief Operating Officer Africa & Middle East. “Indeed, our strong historic presence along with the economic growth experienced on the continent, offers many opportunities of expansion for all our brands with a special emphasis on ibis to meet growing domestic and regional demand”.

On a social standpoint, the Group is reinforcing local recruitment and in-house training process. Accor Africa has 12,000 employees, with less than 2% of expats. With the Group expansion, Accor will create over 3,000 jobs by 2016, 99% of which will be local contracts.

Accor hotels in Africa have been committed to promote social and environmental responsibility for many years. Hotels are for instance working with local suppliers for construction and refurbishment, using low-consumption light bulbs and water-flow regulators, and promoting fair trade. Since 2003, Accor Africa has been engaged in combating HIV/AIDS through programs to train employees, raise awareness among guests and actively involve the tourist industry.

At a global level, Accor has recently launched a new ambitious sustainable development program that involves customers, partners and employees in order to improve Accor’s sustainability performance. With PLANET 21, the Group is making 21 commitments and the same number of quantified goals for the year 2015. Today the Group is rolling-out this program worldwide and countries in Africa are currently defining their local objectives and action plans for each year until 2015.

For the first time in its 33 year history, the nation’s Thrill Capital THORPE PARK, is set to open its very own accommodation, The Crash Pad, the world’s first fully serviced portable hotel to operate at a major leisure attraction. And with some of Europe’s most extreme rides in its back garden, The Crash Pad will catapult guests from dream to scream in less than 60 seconds when it opens in March 2013. With 58 climate controlled rooms sleeping up to 4 guests in one double bed and 2 bunks, The Crash Pad is the ultimate overnight stay for groups of thrill-seeking mates or adrenaline-loving families looking to spend a couple of days trying out some of Europe’s most extreme rides such as the world’s most terrifying rollercoaster, SAW – The Ride, and the Unholy Trinity of Stealth, Colossus and Nemesis Inferno. All rooms will include an en-suite shower room and toilet, flat screen TV and a safe, and a dedicated reception and on-site housekeeping team will ensure guests are looked after and ready to take on a second day of stomach-churning rollercoasters.

Room packages at The Crash Pad will start from £64 per person per night and will include 2 day Park tickets, selected evening entertainment and breakfast.* Annual Pass holders will be eligible for special rates.

Mike Vallis, Divisional Director of THORPE PARK, said: ‘THORPE PARK is constantly evolving and pushing the boundaries with the addition of new rides but we are now excited at the next stage of the Park’s development – our transformation into a short break tourist destination. We look forward to welcoming our first overnight guests when we open The Crash Pad in March next year.’

THORPE PARK have teamed up with innovators in transportable, temporary accommodation, Snoozebox Ltd. The Weybridge based company launched in 2011 at the British Grand Prix and have become an increasingly popular feature and service at major festivals and sporting events in the UK and Europe. The portable hotel can be loaded, stacked and transported with ease and can be fully operational and ready to welcome guests within 48 hours of arriving at a site.

Robert Breare, Snoozebox Chief Executive, said: ‘Our partnership with THORPE PARK is a real first and we’re looking forward to the ride ahead! We’re delighted to share the same passion for innovation and service with THORPE PARK. Snoozebox’s unique and innovative design is a perfect match for one of the country’s most extreme theme parks.’

*Based on 4 people sharing

Nestled in the heart of Bavaria within the vibrant Englischer Garten, the Hilton Munich Park has recently been renovated by JOI-Design to have a style that draws upon its idyllic setting along the banks of the Eisbach Creek. Previously disjointed and lacklustre spaces have been transformed into ones with a cohesive and sophisticated design that is woven into the lush greenery and rippling streams of the surroundings to provide a calming retreat for both business and leisure guests.In the lobby, a cosier “human” scale with options for socialising and degrees of privacy was introduced. Prior to the renovation, the area’s scattered furniture and open-plan, double-height volume resulted in a vast yet cluttered feeling. The designers have eliminated this through the creation of “zoned” layouts.

Anodized metal balustrades in varying heights separate the seating from the traffic flow to turn the atmosphere into a cosy “living room”. In the lounge’s centre, a sinuous “S-shaped” sofa further breaks up the area into more intimate groupings, while barstools at café tables near the pastry counter are suitable for a quick coffee. The existing reception desk was split into two halves to disperse guests within the space; overhead, a smoked oak panel inset with horizontal light strips creates a focal point, closing off the once exposed conference level and lowering the volume of the space below to make it more inviting. In addition, the designers worked with a lighting designer to form a central light sculpture made from assorted lengths of glowing fibre optic flower petals that hang from the coved ceiling.

Eye-catching accents have been added to spark guests’ imaginations. On the staircase landing, flower petals coated in champagne coloured anodized aluminium are enclosed in a rectangular timber frame backlit by LEDs to form an intriguing art installation. Throughout the lobby, glass and mirrored panels etched with three overlapping patterns of gilded tree branches disperse layered shadows of twigs. This motif is echoed in the metal screens that encircle the lobby, dressing-up shop windows to give them a warmer appeal and framing the entry into People’s Bar in a way that draws guests into the space.

Inspired by garden hedges, these trellises allow travellers resting in the bar to “see and be seen” while also providing a sense of shelter from the large lobby.

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The Beverly Hills Hotel has been named the first Historic Landmark for the city of Beverly Hills, as recently announced by the Southern California City’s Cultural Heritage Commission. Celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, The Beverly Hills Hotel opened in 1912 prior to the founding of Beverly Hills itself which was built around the glamorous hotel. To this day, the iconic property remains at the heart of the star-studded Beverly Hills community and is devoting all of 2012 to the 100th anniversary celebration of its heritage, not only as a newly-announced landmark and second home to Hollywood royalty but also as a hospitality standard-bearer for future generations.

In recognition of this, a “Landmark Offer” has been introduced for hotel stays throughout the fall. Guests will receive a third or fourth night complimentary when reserving rooms from September 7 to December 30, 2012. Rates starting at £312 a night.

“We are truly grateful to the city of Beverly Hills for this Historic Landmark honour,” said Christopher Cowdray, chief executive officer of Dorchester Collection. “We have always been inspired by the magic and beauty of our Beverly Hills location, and it has helped provide The Beverly Hills Hotel with an iconic backdrop. As we celebrate our 100th anniversary this year, we look forward to highlighting this new Historic Landmark designation with great pride and joy.”

The hotel’s award as the city’s first Historic Landmark will be celebrated on September 12, 2012 in a special gathering for the Beverly Hills community. The event will include the opening of a historic time capsule, placed at the property’s front red-carpet entrance in 1993 when the hotel closed for a two and a half year refurbishment. The capsule’s location is marked by a gold plaque which indicates it is to be opened during the hotel’s centennial year. While its contents are reportedly ‘unknown’, artefacts including a cigar from frequent guest Milton Berle and hand-drawings from a frequent celebrity guest are rumoured to be inside. A new time capsule will also be planted and the city mayor’s office will issue a proclamation declaring the ceremonious day the official “Beverly Hills Hotel Day.” Other Centennial activities for The Beverly Hills Hotel include ongoing dining, spa and anniversary package offerings. An added highlight of the year-long anniversary celebration is the book launch of The Beverly Hills Hotel – The First 100 Years, by Beverly Hills resident Robert Anderson, great-grandson of the property’s original owner and official historian for the hotel.

“Our new Historic Landmark status inspires us to continue to raise the bar when it comes to service and hospitality leadership,” said Edward A. Mady, regional director, West Coast, USA and general manager. “The Beverly Hills Hotel philosophy of ‘We Care’ is designed to provide not only a historically outstanding travel experience for our guests, but also to present a wonderful work environment for our employees and a welcoming local haven for our neighbours. We will ever be proud to call Beverly Hills home, and we thank the Cultural Heritage Commission for this wonderful recognition.”

Vivanta by Taj – Hotels & Resorts is pleased to announce the opening of Vivanta by Taj – Madikeri, Coorg on 1st November 2012. Adding to the rapidly expanding Vivanta portfolio, this hotel will be the 25th property to open since the brand was launched in 2010. Situated at an altitude of 3,800 ft. within 180 acres of subtropical rainforest, the hotel is set to be the ultimate retreat for nature lovers and sybarites. Located seven kilometres from the charming hill-station of Madikeri in South-Western India, the hotel offers panoramic vistas of the Western Ghats and the imposing mountains that Coorg is famous for. Thanks to its secluded location within dense canopies and verdant valleys, the hotel brings organic luxury to Karnataka’s scenic and rugged landscape.

Vivanta by Taj – Madikeri, Coorg’s luxurious 63 rooms and villas have been built within an eco-conscious context to ensure that the property is unobtrusive and respectful to the natural beauty of its location. Bricks and paints were hand-made on site using displaced soil and natural river stones. Recycled and restored wood feature extensively in the property’s construction and only CFL and LED lighting is used, to ensure that the hotel stays true to its eco-sensitive narrative.

Luxury abounds, with spacious villas offering exquisite design, impressive views and memorable touches such as fireplaces in each room. The Luxury Bliss villas are spread over 3,300 sq. ft. each and come with a built-in indoor pool and a retractable sun-roof. Premium Temptation villas encompass 3,300 sq. ft. and have private swimming pools overlooking the valley, whilst the 9,000 sq. ft. Presidential Nirvana Suite offers three bedrooms, a swimming pool, private pavilion, its own courtyard and facilities for in-house dining.

The hotel will house a 30,000 sq. ft. Jiva Grande Spa with an unusual design. Located in the main lobby block, the spa delves down three levels of the rainforest. It offers stunning views of the landscape, lending a mystical aura to every treatment room. The expansive spa and wellness space has private treatment suites with their own steam and showers as well as a relaxation deck, a wellness café and the signature Jiva experience – the wood fired ‘Gudda bath’ that draws from the local ethos of Coorg and is found in traditional households in the region.

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Following a £400,000 refurbishment programme which has transformed the hotel, Barony Castle will open in late October as the four star Mercure Eddleston Barony Castle Hotel and Spa.Located only 17 miles south of Edinburgh, in 25 acres of gardens and mature woodland, the 78-bed hotel, which features an original 16th century stone altar, is an outstanding venue steeped in history.

The hotel will be managed by Prestige Hotel Management, who invested £400,000 in the hotel earlier this year, adding new bedroom suites and additional leisure facilities. The hotel boasts an indoor swimming pool, mini-gym, spa, sauna, 5-a-side football pitch and rope course.

It is the perfect venue for weddings, including ample room for marquees, has conference facilities and is surrounded by outdoor activities for the more adventure minded – archery, quad biking, laser pigeon shooting, and mountain biking in the beautiful Scottish landscape.

John Shevlin, Operations Director Prestige Hotel Management at Barony Castle, explains: “We have worked hard to refurbish the hotel, keeping its traditional Scottish Baronial features but incorporating a modern, contemporary design and additional facilities. We are really excited about the new look for the hotel. I have previously managed a Mercure hotel in Aberdeen so I know the brand extremely well and we are looking forward to being part of the Mercure network.”

Last month, the hotel was awarded B-listed status by Historic Scotland, a project set up with the charity Mapa Scotland, to restore the great 3D Polish map of Scotland which is a dimensional outdoor 1:10,000 scale model of Scotland, complete with mountains, landscape, flowing rivers, estuaries, coasts and seas. £70,000 is being used to update and bring the map to its former glory.

Jonathan Sheard, Managing Director of Operations, MGallery and Mercure Hotels UK and Ireland, said: “We believe that Mercure Eddleston Barony Castle Hotel and Spa has the quality and ethos to thrive as part of the Mercure brand. All the people involved are passionate about the hotel and the local area. The castle has kept its traditional feel whilst the refurbishment brings it up to date with all the modern facilities guests need. We are very pleased to add this hotel to our fast growing network of midscale hotels.”

RTP’s The Generation Companies, LLC (Generation), a real estate developer, owner, receiver, asset manager and operator of extended-stay and select-service hotels, recently topped out their Augusta, Georgia Home2 Suites by Hilton. The top-out ceremony, celebrating the completion of all external construction of the hotel, was Wednesday, September 5 at the property, located at Walton Way Extension and Exchange Lane. The celebration opened with a welcome by William Smith, Managing Director, Real Estate & Construction, The Generation Companies, and included remarks by Generation President H. Mark Daley III and Hilton Vice-President and Managing Director of Franchise Development Steve Crabill. Also in attendance were area business representatives; city dignitaries; Phil Brigham, Client Manager, Savannah River Banking Company; Neil Luton, President, Tri Construction Associates, Inc.; Brian Smith, Vice President, Tri Construction Associates, Inc.; Gary Finnell–Senior Director, Franchise Development, Hilton Worldwide; Jeff Castleberry, Director Acquisitions, The Generation Companies; Philip R. Wahl II, Augusta Market President, Savannah River Banking Company; Paul S. Simon, Chairman, Savannah River Banking Company; Tom Ritter, President, Ritter Architecture; Steve Collins , Blanchard & Calhoun Commercial; David J. Hogg, Director of Business Development, Savannah River Banking Company; David Rivers, Blanchard & Calhoun Commercial; David D. Banks, Engineer, Southern Partners, Inc. and Jeff P. Spears, President, Savannah River Banking Company. The next step in the building process is the interior construction. The property is slated to open in March, 2013.

“All of us at The Generation Companies are excited to be bringing the most progressive product concept in extended-stay lodging to the greater Augusta area,” said Generation President, H. Mark Daley, III. “Add to that our award-winning hotel operations team and the product-service combination is going to make a lot of visitors to the Augusta market, whether leisure or corporate, quite pleased. And having this hotel open in time for the 2013 Masters is going to be great.”

“After receiving our building permit on June 22, we completed the topping out in just 54 days, despite extensive rain,” said William Smith, Managing Director, Real Estate & Construction at Generation. “At this pace, the building should be completed and receive the certificate of occupancy in slightly over seven months. It takes an extensive amount of planning and coordination to develop and construct this quickly and still deliver a superior product that will meet or exceed all building codes and Hilton standards. The hotel is at the intersection of I-520 and I-20 on a hill overlooking the Augusta Exchange, an 87-acre regional power center with extensive shopping and restaurant facilities. The Augusta mall is one-quarter of a mile away and the Augusta National Golf Course is just three miles away.”

The 123-suite, four-story, upper mid-tier hotel brand brings a hip and humble design to its target audience: the savvy and sophisticated yet value-conscious extended-stay guest. Generation is the developer for the project, handling the site identification and acquisition, design, entitlements, construction, purchasing and opening of the hotel. With 10 open, 10 under construction and 51 more planned, Home2 is the fastest growing brand in Hilton Worldwide history. The hotel is owned by Generation Suites of Augusta, LLC and will be managed by The Generation Companies.

Guests of the new property will enjoy attractive suites outfitted with 42” flat screen televisions, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher and comfortable, flexible living space that can be customized for eating, working or relaxing. Guest amenities will include the Home2 Market for grab-and-go convenience foods and products, a combined laundry and fitness area, a 24-hour business center with complimentary wireless printing, exterior pool and grilling area and expansive outdoor community spaces including a putting green. The hotel will utilize environmentally-friendly products and practices, including recycling bins throughout the property and bulk-purchased guest room supplies.

Menzies Hotels, one of the UK’s independent hotel groups has unveiled the latest project in its extensive £7 million redevelopment programme – the four star Menzies London Chigwell Prince Regent Hotel. Set in extensive grounds, the impressive converted Georgian Chapel is undergoing a £1million renovation process to restore it to its former glory.

To date, 28 of the bedrooms have been restyled. They feature sleek and stylish bespoke furniture, top of the range Sealey beds, totally refitted bathrooms and environmentally friendly LED lighting, in support of Menzies Hotels’ Green Tourism initiative.

The modern interior still allows for all the home comforts guests have come to expect from Menzies Hotels.

The restaurant and bar has also undergone a complete transformation creating an open-plan area, flooded with natural light. This versatile space has been extended to include further seating in the new, sleek zinc bar area where guests can relax and unwind with a drink from the extensive wine list, whilst enjoying views of the stunning gardens surrounding the property.

To officially launch the new restaurant, the hotel has created a brand new menu featuring freshly sourced local produce as well as the appointment of new head chef, Adrian Codreanu.

Niall Geoghegan, Chairman Menzies Hotels commented; “The significant investment we’ve made in the hotel cements our on-going commitment to being one of the leading hotels for leisure and business travellers in the greater London area. The introduction of our new bedrooms and public areas will ensure guests enjoy a comfortable and relaxing stay”

The andel’s Hotel Prague and Vienna International Hotels & Resorts (VI) are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the 4-star hotel as well as the birth of the andel’s design hotel brand. Even today, the hotel continues to represent a new dimension in terms of design that has been popular from the beginning with locals, business guests, design enthusiasts and individual tourists from all over the world. Since the opening of the first andel’s hotel in 2002, VI has opened three further hotels of this brand.Ten years ago, in 2002, the first andel’s Hotel opened in the modern and lively commercial district of Anděl in the centre of Prague. The neighbourhood gave its name to a brand that would soon be exported to Poland (Cracow and Łódź) and Germany (Berlin). The successful design concept, bearing the mark of British architects and interior designers Jestico+Whiles and managed by Vienna International Hotels & Resorts, looks back: nearly 1,300 andel’s rooms and 2,600 andel’s beds are transporting the Prague-based success story out into the world.

James Dilley, Associate Director of Jestico + Whiles, is proud to have been part of the design team that helped to create the andel’s hotel brand 10 years ago: “Sense of place is important, and our contemporary design makes use of subtle references to the tradition of Bohemian glass manufacture, with a modern emphasis on style and comfort, so we used it in glowing, jewel-like boxes carved into roughly split locally quarried limestone. We designed the reception desk as a floating block of honed stone, the staircase as a flying ramp and the rooms as extremely comfortable, warm and reviving. Now, 10 years later, we are delighted that the concept for a new way of living is still fresh, optimistic and refreshing.”

It did not take long for the successful concept to receive several awards: the andel’s Hotel Prague won the FX International Design Award 2002 shortly after its grand opening, it was chosen into the TOP 100 Luxury Hotels in the World for the Travellers’ Choice Award in 2006 and 2007, and it received the TripAdvisor® Travellers’ Choice™ Award 2008. Many more awards followed for the other three andel’s as well, such as the European Hotel Award and the Design Hotel Award for the andel’s in Łódź and the honour of being selected Poland’s Trendiest Hotel for the andel’s Cracow.

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Mercure Hotels appointed Clare Devlin, Associate designLSM to transform a former police training centre located in central Greenwich into a contemporary 4-star boutique hotel. Work started on the art deco building in September 2011 with the client requesting a classic and timeless design. Inspiration was sought from visiting iconic London restaurants with grand European interiors. This modern hotel will offer affordable luxury over ten floors with 145 spacious bedrooms, a stylish basement restaurant and ground floor bar.

Original Terrazzo floors have been carefully restored, timber panelling has been incorporated and elegant chandeliers installed. The colour palette is a simple black, grey, white and cream affair with fabric wall panels. Many of the bedrooms contain a large aerial photograph taken by London based artist Adam Ellis – these represent celebrated areas within the City. Additional reference to Greenwich is made with a glazed screen containing local, historic facts.

A commissioned, spiral staircase has been installed on the ground floor to lead down into the basement providing natural light and design feature within the lounge and restaurant. Other structural changes to the building were made by Assael Architecture who added two top floors made from glass. These additional levels will accommodate luxury bedrooms and the penthouse suite – providing stunning panoramic views across London.

Centara Hotels & Resorts has made its first move into Mauritius with the soft opening of Centara Poste Lafayette Resort & Spa Mauritius set for December 2012.“This is a very significant move for Centara, as it marks a strategic step into a tourism market that we feel has very exciting potential,” says Thirayuth Chirathivat, Chief Executive Officer of Centara Hotels & Resorts.

“We are very proud of the fact that the Centara brand name will appear on the beautiful island of Mauritius, and with such an outstanding resort property.”

Located at Poste Lafayette on the northeast coast of the island, the low-rise resort is flanked by a beach with its own lagoon and reef to one side and a mountain to the other. The accommodation consists of 100 rooms, with a choice of superior and deluxe with garden or ocean views. The resort is family-friendly and the larger rooms, in addition to the king or twin bed options, are also equipped with a sofa bed.

Restaurant facilities include an all-day restaurant named Café Nautilus that serves international cuisines, an a la carte restaurant named Phi, which specialises in Asian and Indian Ocean cuisines, and a beach restaurant and bar named Aqua 1800 that serves cocktails and comfort foods. Leisure attractions include a Spa Cenvaree, a free-form swimming pool and children’s pool, fitness centre, a kids’ club with separate zones for the very young and the teens, and beach activities such as volleyball and beach badminton. The calm waters of the lagoon are suitable for snorkelling.

Accommodation at the resort will be offered as a choice of Half Board Plus, with buffet breakfast and a choice of either lunch or dinner together with a complimentary open bar concept for the meal service period, or an All Inclusive option, which includes all meals and an full open bar served from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Exporting the British design style overseas to Hong Kong, Blacksheep have designed Boujis members club, bringing a modern interpretation of traditional British style and heritage to the eastern metropolis.Opened in October 2012, the distinguished Boujis members club is set within the Soho district and encapsulates the British design aesthetic, implementing Georgian inspired decoration and traditional furniture.

The wooden library style club reception area is encased with decorative timber wall panels, which are complemented by soft lighting. The designers have designed a bespoke wall covering made from wooden cut out graphic lettering of different sizes fused together, creating a mix of alphabet symbols.

Stained deep blue timber panelling on the walls and ceiling lead into the lounge and bar area, creating a deeply relaxing environment for early afternoons and stylish setting for late evenings. The Georgian pattern featured ceiling further implements the British heritage into the club, modernized with LED lighting inserted in the panelling, which disperses a light neon glow.

The graphic design of a union jack subtly glows out from a gold smoked mirror set within the bar, paying homage to the club’s country of origin. The glowing backdrop of the bar also displays a variety of indulgent ingredients used to create Boujis’ famous cocktails.

Deep luxurious turquoise banquette seating lines the edges of the room, adding to the glamorous and sophisticated interior.

The club, leading off the lounge, is a spacious area that mixes high tech AV and large bespoke, state of the art HD video screens on the ceiling and walls enabling a different experience for members every evening. A VIP area is set off the end of the bar, away from the crowd, with intimate curved seating and an additional lounge space.

Blacksheep’s CEO, Tim Mutton comments, “The mix of local tradition, philosophy, manufacture, and luxury has always fascinated me and the bright lights of Hong Kong and the energy that it emulates is aspirational for any designer in hospitality.

Exporting the famous Boujis nightclub from London to Hong Kong has been an exciting project with various challenges and a key part was complementing its new location whilst injecting the British aesthetic and charm”

As of the 10th October 2012, the renowned Quay Grand Suites Sydney rebranded to Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour, signalling a dramatic expansion of Accor’s 5-star Pullman brand in Australia.Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour joins two other Pullmans in Sydney – Pullman Sydney Olympic Park and Pullman Sydney Hyde Park (currently completing a massive upgrading programme following its re-branding from Sydney Marriott in May 2012). It also joins Pullman Reef Casino in Cairns and the recently rebadged Pullman Resort Bunker Bay in Western Australia’s Margaret River region.

The Sebel Cairns, The Sebel King George Square Brisbane and The Sebel Albert Park Melbourne are all primed to take on Pullman branding within the next six months, which puts Pullman on track to becoming Australia’s largest 5-star network, with the brand expected to grow to up to 15 hotels by the end of 2013.

Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour is an outstanding addition to the network. Set majestically on the eastern shore of Circular Quay and overlooking Sydney Harbour, the Pullman is only steps away from the central business district and the city’s key attractions including the Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, Botanical Gardens and all the bustle of Circular Quay.

The hotel boasts 67 contemporary one and two-bedroom suites, all of which come with balconies, separate lounge and dining rooms, gourmet kitchens and deluxe bathrooms, and offer spectacular views either of Sydney Harbour or the Botanical Gardens. Work desks and wireless internet are available in all suites, making the hotel a popular choice for business guests.

The hotel offers fine dining in Quadrant Restaurant, while the glass-encased ECQ Bar was re-launched in 2011 and is one of Sydney’s most popular venues for sunset drinks and pre-show dinners.

Pullman hotels are synonymous with providing quality meeting facilities, and Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour proves this to be the case, with three unique function rooms, some with spectacular harbour views. The function space can cater for up to 140 guests.

DoubleTree by Hilton has announced the opening of the seventh London property to join one of the UK’s fastest-growing, upscale, full-service hotel brands. DoubleTree by Hilton London – Marble Arch, which was officially unveiled today by Ufi Ibrahim, chief executive of the British Hospitality Association, is superbly located in the heart of London, close to Marble Arch station, Oxford Street, Edgware Road, Selfridges, Bond Street and Hyde Park. The hotel offers easy access to fantastic shopping and all the main attractions and business districts of London.The distinguished building was originally a private residence for Lady Black, Lady in Waiting to King George, and is renowned for its magnificent ornate ceilings, crafted by John Adams in 1800. Formerly known as the Best Western Premier Mostyn Hotel, the interiors of the 121-bedroom hotel underwent a full renovation in 2011, and the hotel now welcomes guests to stylish and carefully designed guestrooms, public areas and restaurants.

DoubleTree by Hilton London – Marble Arch has a variety of contemporary guestrooms and suites that meet the needs of every kind of traveller. Each accommodation offers guests a comfortable retreat, complete with flat-screen satellite TV; high-speed Wi-Fi; mini fridge; laptop safe; in-room tea and coffee making services; marble bathrooms, rain showers; and refreshing Crabtree & Evelyn Citron® bath and body products. Two suites, named ‘Hanover’ and ‘Cavendish’, feature duplex bedrooms and spacious lounge areas.

DoubleTree by Hilton London – Marble Arch is home to AA3 Rosette winner & Michelin Starred ‘Texture’, a modern European restaurant and Champagne bar with Scandinavian influences. Texture was created in 2007 by Agnar Sverrisson and Xavier Rousset, who met whilst working at Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons as Head Chef and Head Sommelier respectively. Originally from Iceland, Sverrisson has trained at a number of well-known Michelin starred restaurants, but remains loyal to his heritage, combining Icelandic and Scandinavian ingredients with locally sourced British produce. Rousset became the youngest Master Sommelier in the world when he passed the exam aged 23 shortly after winning the Ruinart Sommelier of the Year competition in 2002. Rousset is responsible for the eclectic and substantial wine list in the restaurant and bar.

Other dining options at the hotel include ‘Fire & Spice Bar & Kitchen’, which features an eclectic range of grills, platters, international cuisine and sizzling house specialties; and Indigo Bar & Lounge, a sophisticated drinking and eating area. Room service also is available to guests 24 hours a day. A fitness suite is onsite for guests looking to exercise while on their travels.

For meetings, conferences and events, DoubleTree by Hilton London – Marble Arch presents three meeting rooms and boardrooms, accommodating between ten and 130 delegates, plus five additional syndicate rooms, each hosting up to eight delegates. Business travellers and conference guests benefit from a complimentary, 24-7 business centre, concierge services, state-of-the-art technology and a convenient, central London location.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has recently marked a new milestone with the opening of Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central – the largest hotel to open worldwide in 2012. At nearly 4,000 rooms, it is the largest hotel in Starwood’s global portfolio and the biggest hotel to open in Macau. Consisting of two sleek towers overlooking the dazzling Cotai Strip®development, the hotel is home to the world’s largest Sheraton Club Lounge, a main ballroom the size of more than 11 basketball courts, more than 160,000 square feet of meeting space, three signature restaurants, and three outdoor pools with poolside cafes. The opening coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Sheraton brand and widens Starwood’s lead in Asia Pacific, where it is the largest operator of four and five star hotels and on track to reach more than 320 hotels by 2014.Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central is part of Sands Cotai Central, Macau’s newest, fully integrated resort and a premier shopping, dining and entertainment destination on the Cotai Strip. Easily accessible by air, land and sea, Macau was visited by 13 million tourists in the first half of 2012, with the majority coming from mainland China. Macau has surpassed Las Vegas as the world’s biggest casino market since 2006 and is the only place in China where casino resorts are legal.

Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central Opens First of Two Towers

Opening in two phases, Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central today opened Sheraton Sky Tower, featuring 1,829 rooms, the 13,000-square-foot Sheraton Club Lounge, the Kashgar Grand Ballroom and additional meeting space. Other highlights include Palms Lounge, the brand’s signature Link@SheratonTM communications hub in the lobby, the luxurious Sala Pool on level four, Shine Spa and Sheraton Core Performance fitness facility, featuring the Sheraton brand’s revolutionary new health and fitness program, Sheraton Fitness programmed by Core PerformanceTM, designed exclusively for Sheraton guests through its partner Core Performance. The hotel’s second tower (Sheraton Earth Tower) opens early next year, and will offer an additional 2,067 rooms, as well as two more outdoor pools, one offering spectacular views of the Cotai Strip.

The Making of the World’s Largest Sheraton

The construction of Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central helped boost the Macau economy and provided locals with a wide range of career opportunities. The hotel team hosted a number of job fairs that yielded more than 10,000 job applications, and travelled nearly 10,000 miles to interview 5,000 candidates. As part of the on-the-job training for its 1,500 associates, the hotel conducted a massive, two-week simulation where 10,000 guests arrived to check in and out of 5,000 rooms. The hotel’s uniquely international hotel staff includes speakers of 19 languages including Mandarin, Cantonese, English, German, French, Italian, Vietnamese, Thai, Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, Russian, Indonesian and various Chinese dialects.

An enormous amount of planning and preparation was required to create the world’s largest Sheraton. To light its 3,896 guest rooms, the Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central has purchased and installed 90,796 light bulbs – more than 4.5 times the total number of light bulbs to light the Eiffel Tower. Staff will fold and place 35,217 plush towels in the guest bathrooms, fluff 15,652 pillows, and fold 9,372 bed sheets with perfect hospital corners. The hotel will equip its nearly 4,000 guest rooms with 6,256 Sweet Sleeper beds.

Source: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Destined to raise the bar of luxury in Cartagena, Colombia, Casa San Agustín summons you to your next port of call. This luxury boutique hotel opened October 1, 2012, and offers an experience to takes you both aboard and ashore. With 3 nights’ accommodation in a luxurious suite, you’ll cruise on the Caribbean Sea for a day excursion on a private yacht to explore the beauty of Islas del Rosario, a ring of more than 30 islands and protected nature reserve with 1300 native species of plants and animals. You’ll take in the splendour of nature that surrounds you over champagne and lunch that includes Colombian specialties from arepas to fresh ceviche. Back on shore, enjoy a handcrafted cocktail before dinner in Casa San Agustín’s open-air courtyard lush with vegetation against the backdrop of the hotel’s historic aqueduct. Restaurant Alma provides a more refined dining experience within a candlelit setting, featuring a menu that showcases Coastal Colombian cuisine. Afterward, pop into Café Havana located in the lively Getsemaní quarter, and dance to hip-swinging beats of rumba with the locals well into morning.

Cartagena is a culturally rich destination and its proximity to the Caribbean Sea ranks it as one of the most attractive and safest destinations in all of South America. An alluring port city where historic charm meets contemporary Colombian life, the city’s well-preserved 11-kilometer wall encompassing the Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Casa San Agustín

Casa San Agustín is a luxury boutique hotel of 22 beautifully crafted rooms and 9 spacious suites located in the alluring port city of Cartagena de Indias, where historic charm meets contemporary Colombian life. Set within the heart of the Old Town and architecturally captivating, the hotel preserves the remnants of an aqueduct with 3 white-washed, colonial-era buildings. Upon stepping through the doorway, discover an authentic Cartagenian style that flows through to the interiors.

Alma restaurant provides a sophisticated bar and lounge for guests to mingle over cocktails and tapas. Casa San Agustín: Simply Elegant. Uniquely Authentic.

Budget and Mid Market Hotels represent a huge opportunity for growth in Africa as hotel brands look to expand, as almost all of the internationally flagged hotels in Africa are of a luxury standard. This was the key finding at the African Hotel Investment Conference being held on the 27th September in Nairobi, Kenya on a panel being hosted by Michele de Witt, Managing Director of Horwath HTL South Africa, part of Horwath HTL the world’s largest hospitality consulting network and Chairperson of the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa.Michele was joined on the panel by industry experts Derrek Anderson Vice president of development for central, eastern, and southern Africa at Hilton Worldwide, Ewan Cameron – Chief Executive Officer at Lonrho Hotels, Thorsten Purkus, Vice President Feasibility and Development Finance EMEA at Hyatt International and Rohan Patel – a Director of the Sankara Hotel Group Kenya Limited.

There were other compelling factors as to why the economy segment was a compelling choice for the region, with lower build costs, reduced staff and payroll expenditure and pre-existing global distribution networks already in place. Many well established brands also give a level of comfort to banks and other financial institutions when securing financing, making acquisition of debt easier.

Michele de Witt said, “This market segment represents a tremendous solution to many of the markets in Africa, primary, secondary and on occasion tertiary. Travel in Africa is largely business, NGO, Government/ Embassy related which places downward pressure on rate, which with high development costs make luxury properties a challenge in terms of yielding a return on investment. There is an emergence of a middle class in Africa that will stimulate domestic travel. In addition, many African countries are seeking growth in inbound tourism via regional travel as opposed to foreign [Europe and the Americas] for which a mid-market product would be well suited”.

The latest Jones Lang LaSalle Hotel Investment Highlights report shows hotel development constricting, with the supply of new bedrooms increasing by only 5.6% of existing stock between 2012-2014. Prior to the downturn and the steep supply of new bedrooms delivered between 2006 and 2008, the changing economic fundamentals following this period have meant activity in hotel investment in Europe has weakened slightly in the first 6 months of 2012 to €3.7 billion when compared to the same period in 2011, is a decrease of 12%.

So what is on store for UK Hotel Development? Chris Moore, National Director Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels commented: “Despite the odds facing the hotel market at the moment, development is still taking place, and more often in unexpected places. Very often, the justification for hotel investment lies in the marriage which occurs when a hotel proposition is blended with other activities and it is the diversity of those activities which are spawning new reasons for building hotel bedrooms.”

In the last year, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels advised on a number of proposed hotels designed to be run alongside major visitor attractions, such as St George’s Park at Burton, the new educational hub for English football which represents a ground-breaking development of this nature.

Moore said: “Evidence reveals that the ability of a key stakeholder to underwrite a minimum room night guarantee is an innovative route to secure stronger commitments from operators, funders and investors. Adopting those same principles, the University of Manchester and Bruntwood are developing a new 210 bedroom 4-star hotel as a part of the expanding Manchester Business School. Here, a long term room night guarantee has been created to enable the partners to deliver a better quality hotel which will add considerable value to the wider scheme.”

Moore concluded: “The relationship between hotels and the places we like to spend time is evolving and the association is such that partners working together are designing ever more effective and innovative ways of funding, sharing risk and preserving spend that might otherwise be lost outside the boundaries of their estate. When looking closely at the UK hotel development pipeline, improved technology will encourage closer co-operation between hotel owner and brand as cross-billing between different points of sale on diverse sites becomes smoother and more sophisticated. Successful partnerships will allow hotel concepts to be rolled out on both a domestic and global stage and as a result, by combining a hotel with key visitor attractions can bring to life to a facility and infrastructure, turning an attraction into a 24/7 venue.”

Worldhotels, one of the leading groups for independent hotels worldwide, is announcing a new addition to its growing portfolio of branded hotels: the Worldhotel Ripa Roma, a four-star design hotel located in the centre of Rome in the historical district of Trastevere.The Worldhotel Ripa Roma has been a Worldhotels affiliate since 2002. It features 197 rooms, a conference centre including seven meeting rooms, two restaurants and fitness and wellness facilities. The hotel’s minimalist design creates a modern atmosphere with its distinctive black, charcoal, and white colour scheme and splashes of orange.

“We are delighted to welcome the Worldhotel Ripa Roma to our portfolio of branded hotels”, says Ingo Guerges, Vice President Global Hotel Development. “From its unique design to its great location and commitment to excellent service, this hotel has everything we look for in a Worldhotel.”

Arianna Roscioli, General Manager of the hotel, states: “We have been working with Worldhotels for ten years now and are excited to take this next step with them as part of our continuous innovation efforts. We rely on Worldhotels to retain our competitive edge, while staying true to our identity and values.”

The new branding solution of Worldhotels was introduced in 2010 and is an ideal alternative to standard franchise contracts. For a competitive all-inclusive annual fee, four- and five-star hotels competing against hotels of global chains can now brand themselves as a Worldhotel and benefit from the impact, support and strong return on investment of a global brand, while still maintaining their unique identity.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has signed an agreement with Bari Gruppe GmbH & Co. KG to open a new-build Element hotel at Gateway Gardens, Frankfurt`s new city district near the airport. Scheduled to open in 2014, Element Frankfurt Airport marks the much-anticipated European debut of the trailblazing eco-wise brand. The hotel will be located in a newly developed business district at the doorstep of Europe’s third busiest air travel hub, near the global headquarters of companies such as Lufthansa, Condor and DB Schenker.Launched in 2008, Element has made history as the only major hotel brand to mandate that all properties pursue LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for high-performance buildings. More than just a “green” hotel brand, however, Element is designed to provide the balance that business and leisure travelers need to thrive on the road.

In keeping with the tenets of the Element brand, Element Frankfurt Airport’s 133 light-filled studios and one-bedroom suites will be stylish, sustainable and designed for comfort. Each will feature a fluid design of modular furniture, swiveling flat-screen televisions, large desks with open shelving and custom-designed closets. Bathrooms will be spa-inspired, with an invigorating rain shower and dual-flush toilet. Rooms will also feature fully equipped kitchens and the signature Heavenly® Bed.

Other brand signatures will include a state-of-the-art, 24-hour fitness center – and a meeting room with modular furnishings, a flexible layout and state-of-the-art technology that can be customized to meet any business or social needs. In addition, Element Frankfurt Airport will offer a signature restaurant and espresso bar.

Luxury hotel and vineyard, Steenberg, in South Africa’s Constantia region, has completed the final stage of a full-scale renovation and is ready to welcome UK holidaymakers in search of some winter sun.The renovation, which has taken place in stages over the past three years, includes the addition of a chic, modern, daytime restaurant, “Bistro Sixteen82”, and a hip new bar, “Gorgeous”.

Steenberg holds the distinction of being the oldest farm in the picturesque Constantia valley, with a history dating back to the first wine production in 1695. Steenberg’s winery has developed a worldwide reputation for producing excellent Cape wines. Wines were first produced on the farm in 1695 – which was then named Swaaneweide (the feeding place of swans). It was later renamed Steenberg in honour of the imposing mountain which towers over it. The cultivars on the farm at the moment are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo, Merlot, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.

In November 2009, Steenberg unveiled a stylish, new, daytime restaurant on its winery called Bistro Sixteen82, after the year in which Steenberg was first established. With its striking, modern design, glorious vineyard setting, charming reflection pools and sensory gardens, Bistro Sixteen82 has become a favourite daytime eatery for guests and locals alike. The bistro-style cellar door restaurant and wine tasting venue has a warm and inviting ambience that embodies opulent chic. With menus featuring tapas, bistro-style cuisine and sumptuous breakfasts, BistroSixteen82 is an ideal venue for lunch or a long, lazy brunch and it seamlessly complements Steenberg’s popular fine dining restaurant, Catharina’s.

In August 2011, Steenberg completed the refurbishment of its five Premier Rooms. The refined Premier Rooms are vibrant, open-plan spaces, incorporating the latest neutral décor trends and featuring the latest mod-cons, such as iPod docking stations, and PC data and power outlets. Soft furnishing modifications have been made and contemporary touches added to enhance the uncluttered, spacious atmosphere with clean lines and unfussy fabrics. Sofas have been recovered in rich fabrics reflecting tones of grey and soft blues. New carpeting and curtains have been introduced in neutral oatmeal and shades of white perfectly complementing the trendy new lighting fixtures, culminating in a well balanced, serene space that makes optimum use of the natural environment, with French doors that open up onto a private terrace.

The new look Premier Rooms, beautifully complement the other accommodation styles on offer at Steenberg, which range from the cutting edge interior design of its three Heritage Suites (KhoiKhoi, Cape Colonial and Dutch East India suites), to the historical Manor House wing that offers a traditional, yet elegant choice as the only hotel in the country to offer guests accommodation in a National Monument.

Finally, 2012 has seen the completion of the multi-phase renovation with the opening of “Gorgeous by Graham Beck” the first brand-exclusive bubbly bar in South Africa. The bar derived its name from the favoured term of endearment of the late Mr Graham Beck. A full selection of Graham Beck Wines’ award winning Méthode Cap Classique can be enjoyed with sumptuous canapés. Guests may also opt to try a specific range; the three-wine non-vintage Graham Beck sparkling wines, the three vintage cuvées, or the iconic Cap Classique flagship, Cuvée Clive.

The 24-room, boutique hotel, which is just twenty minutes from Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront and the city centre, also boasts a contemporary, fine dining restaurant, “Catharina’s” which offers spectacular views of False Bay & the Steenberg Mountains; a Ginkgo Spa; an 18-hole Championship golf course and, of course, the working winery.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. announced the grand opening of The Westin New York Grand Central on 12th October. The new hotel opens in the former New York Helmsley Hotel after the completion of a $75 million renovation. The brand’s second Manhattan hotel features a complete redesign of the hotel’s interior including 774 spacious guest rooms equipped with Westin’s signature amenities, more than 12,000 square feet of meeting space with the latest technology, a 3,000-square-foot WestinWORKOUT® fitness studio and the upcoming addition of THE LCL: Bar & Kitchen, NYC, the first bar and food concept from Gerber Group in a Westin property. Tonight, as part of the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) global music program On Tour with SPG: Hear the Music, See the World, Ben Folds Five will offer a private performance for SPG members. Eco-Friendly Guestrooms Give Heavenly Experience

Each of the 774, 300+ square-foot guestrooms, including 11 one-bedroom suites and one three-bedroom presidential suite, maintain the highest standards of environmental responsibility with the brand’s signature eco-friendly materials such as energy-conserving LED and CFL lights, water conserving low flow plumbing and recycle-able carpet pads, low VOC finishes for casegoods and GreenGuard certified solar shades. Each guestroom is also equipped with Westin’s luxurious amenities including the coveted Heavenly Bed. The revamped design scheme includes calming, tonal colours that create a soothing environment, allowing guests to leave feeling better than when they arrived.

Redefining the Traditional Hotel Lobby Bar and Hotel Restaurant

The renovation also extended the hotel’s lobby to 42nd street to include THE LCL: Bar & Kitchen, NYC, coming soon. Once open, THE LCL: Bar & Kitchen, NYC, will be the first bar and food concept in a Westin property from leading nightlife proprietor Gerber Group and will redefine the traditional hotel lobby bar and restaurant. Located on the ground floor of the hotel, THE LCL will offer an extensive selection of local small-batch spirits, regionally brewed craft beers, as well as, organic, sustainable and biodynamic wines. The signature and seasonal cocktail selections will feature house-made infusions and market fresh ingredients. THE LCL will also offer a kicked up comfort food menu from sunrise to well after sunset. The menu will feature locally sourced items such as Roasted Beets and Coach Farm Chevre Cheese Salad, LCL Flame Grilled LaFrieda Burger and Great New York Cheddar Cheese and Mac. In addition to locally sourced food, THE LCL will also serve Stumptown Coffee, Organic Avenue juices and fresh grab-and-go options in the morning for guests on the move.

State-of-the-Art Meeting Space

Conveniently located in the Midtown East neighbourhood, the hotel is positioned to become a business epicentre. With more than 12,000 square feet of renovated meeting and event space, including four new break-out rooms and an expanded 4,100 square-foot ballroom with sweeping city views, the hotel is an ideal host for everything from intimate business affairs to large-scale corporate meetings accommodating up to 450 guests. In addition, all rooms have new carpeting and lighting, while preserving some of the hotel’s historic elements including wood panelling and New York photography from the hotel’s original decoration.

As part of the overhaul, all event spaces are now equipped with teleconferencing capabilities, fibre optics and some of the highest bandwidth in Manhattan. The hotel’s history and close proximity to Grand Central is also reflected in the meeting room names, which include a space entitled “Track 61,” the name of the mysterious once-secret train platform located in Grand Central Terminal.

Source: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Holiday Inn has added a Pearly King to its ever growing number of hotels, with the launch of a new hotel in Whitechapel, in the East End of London. Holiday Inn London Commercial Road has been a significant investment for the hotel chain, with the £15m development boasting 133 standard and executive rooms for tourists and business travellers alike. Uniquely positioned between the hustle and bustle of London’s West End and the financial districts of Canary Wharf, the hotel provides visitors to London with a value for money option against the competition.Since its unveiling in July 2012, Holiday Inn London Commercial Road has opened its doors to the many guests visiting the capital for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games – bringing new jobs and revenue to what was once one of the more deprived areas of London. Now going through a massive regeneration programme, Whitechapel is fast seeing a change in pace and look for its busy streets.

James Doyle, General Manager Holiday Inn London Commercial Road, said: “This new hotel is an important move not only for Holiday Inn, but for the Whitechapel area. Given its perfect positioning within Zone 2, guests to the hotel can still enjoy the closeness of central London without paying West End prices. All of our rooms are modelled on Holiday Inn’s new concept style, giving guests a modern and luxurious stay, all with Holiday Inn’s trademark personal service, comfort and value. The windows are also triple glazed, which means that you can come back and shut the city out for a peaceful night’s sleep. We’ve had a great reaction from guests so far, and look forward to welcoming even more guests in the future.”

Business guests are able to take advantage of the Academy Conference & Training facilities on offer, including boardrooms and meeting spaces, plus the new ‘Simply Uplifting’ menus packed with energy boosting goodness to lift everyone’s sprits and make any meeting a success.

There’s free Wi-Fi for all guests, whether they’re staying for business, leisure or just enjoying a cup of coffee in the Traders Bar & Lounge, which serves Starbucks teas and coffees.

The new hotel also features a mini gym for guests to stay in tip top health whilst away from home. Or they can relax and enjoy dinner or drinks in the hotel’s contemporary bar or restaurant.

The Best of British menu is ever-changing and offers delicious seasonal dishes so even the most frequent of visitors will enjoy fresh dining options.

Hilton Worldwide announced the opening of the new-build 103-room Hilton Garden Inn Tucuman, the brand’s first hotel in Argentina. The company also announced the official appointment of Agustin Maddocks, former rooms division manager at Hilton Buenos Aires, as general manager of the upscale Hilton Garden Inn Tucuman in Northern Argentina.Known as The Garden of the Republic due to its vast natural beauty, Tucuman is less than a two hour flight from Argentina’s capital city of Buenos Aires and the Hilton Garden Inn Tucuman is approximately 25 minutes from the international airport.

The Hilton Garden Inn Tucuman features 103 guest rooms, all decorated with local culture and history in mind. Each room features unique decorative pots, specially designed by artisans from Calchaquies Valley, as well as original prints with themes depicting the different indigenous groups of the area. Rooms also offer calming and comfortable bedding, LCD high-definition Smart TV, easy-to-set alarm clock with MP3 connectivity, a spacious work desk, and a “hospitality centre” that features a mini refrigerator and coffee maker.

Before heading to their rooms, guests are welcomed to a lobby featuring a Green Wall made of expired Palo Santo trees, native to Northern Argentina. In an effort to protect the region’s natural resources, no live trees were used when creating the decorative wall that invites nature into the interior of this new Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Tucuman.

Dining options include a contemporary full service restaurant overlooking the pool and offering freshly prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner. The hotel also features a bar and the 24-hour Pavilion Pantry® shop with a selection of delicious readymade meals, beverages and snacks.

Recreational facilities boast an outdoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi, solarium, and a complimentary fitness centre and spa facilities featuring cardio and strength training equipment and large locker rooms, as well as a dry sauna and indoor Jacuzzi. Guests can also enjoy Central Tucumano, the restored complex featuring a convention centre, shopping, dining, cultural attractions, theatre and access to the historic Mercado de Abasto market.

Travellers to the Hilton Garden Inn Tucuman also have access to more than 8,500 square feet of meeting space, including a more than 4,000 square foot ballroom with capacity for 400, and signature Hilton Garden Inn brand attributes such as complimentary Wi-Fi and a 24-hour business centre.

The Luxury Collection, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has recently unveiled The Royal Begonia, A Luxury Collection Resort, celebrating the brand’s eagerly anticipated arrival in Sanya. Located on the southern tropical island of Hainan, The Royal Begonia joins the legendary Astor Hotel in Tianjin and The Hongta Hotel in Shanghai as the first Luxury Collection resort in China. With this opening, The Luxury Collection brand continues its growth momentum globally with the debut of ten hotels and resorts in Asia Pacific this year alone, including Shanghai, Jaipur and Chennai in India, the Blue Mountains, Australia as well as Koh Samui, Thailand and Jakarta, Indonesia.Occupying an idyllic 370-metre beachfront location on Haitang Bay, The Royal Begonia features 142 luxuriously appointed guest rooms and 18 private villas nestled on the sparkling ivory beaches of the south-eastern coast of Hainan Island. The resort overlooks the sapphire South China Sea with to the north, majestic mountains and verdant rainforests, setting an indelible scene. Guest rooms are a stylish blend of European elegance and local inspiration with natural and soft color palettes, custom-designed furniture, and sophisticated interiors to create a sense of relaxed opulence.

The hotel’s Abel TOUCH Spa is a serene oasis of relaxation that exudes refinement and local character, with 21 treatment rooms for pampering and well-being, using natural herbal beauty products, acupressure, and indigenous treatments made from tropical fruits. The Royal Begonia offers an incredible variety of culinary experiences including The Begonia, the signature restaurant offering all-day dining with creative Italian-Californian cuisine; the elegant Spanish-themed Buganvillas Lobby Bar which showcases an exquisite wine selection and creative cocktails; as well as Bayview Lounge, featuring the finest cognac, wines, and cigars with sweeping sea views.

Situated about 35 kilometers from the main international airport in Sanya, The Royal Begonia is conveniently located in one of Hainan’s two main cities. Hainan offers visitors white sand beaches, verdant mountains, and rugged coastlines framing the South China Sea. It has long been home to the Li and Miao minorities, who continue to live and thrive on the island.

The Royal Begonia is owned by Long-Island Travel Industry Co., Ltd, a subsidiary of China Sigma Co., Ltd.

Source: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

London tops this year’s European hotel investment league, as single asset transactions along with the sale of hotel development sites in the UK’s capital have boosted what is otherwise a depressed hotel investment market.Overall, however, the scarcity of debt and economic uncertainty will continue to dampen investment until at least the end of 2012, says hotel consultancy HVS.

The company’s latest hotel transaction figures, released to coincide with this week’s Hotel Investment Conference Europe in London, show that investment in both single assets and hotel portfolios during 2012 has been significantly down on 2011 levels as difficult trading and a severe lack of quality hotel stock has deterred investors.

“Trading has been difficult in recent months for many European markets, even Paris and London have experienced a slowdown,” said Tim Smith, Director, HVS London.

The first eight months of 2012 saw hotel investment activity in Europe total around €3.5 billion (£2.8 billion), a 16% decline on the same period in 2011.

Some 46 hotels (around 9,500 rooms) each more than €7.5 million (£6 million) were sold, 28% below the same period in 2011 when 59 qualifying transactions took place. Total single asset investment volume reached €2.1 billion (£1.68 billion) in the first eight months of 2012, a 10% decline on 2011. The average sale price per room was €215,000 (£172,000) compared with €251,000 (£208,000) in 2011.

As in 2011, the majority of investment has been based in the UK, where volume reached more than €1 billion (£800 million), 46% of overall single asset investment volume. In London some 12 hotels changed hands including the four-star Cavendish London for just under €200 million (£160 million).

A number of hotel development sites have also been sold in London, including the InterContinental Westminster and Hilton Bankside. In addition, the Odeon Site in Leicester Square has been acquired by the Edwardian Group.

Investment in Germany also remains strong, accounting for 15% of total transaction volume. Several hotels have changed hands including the Courtyard Düsseldorf Seestern for €15.5 million (€70,100 per room) and the Suite Novotel Hamburg City for €18 million (€96,800 per room).

France has also been fairly active, accounting for 11% of total single asset investment volume. Significant transactions include the sale of the 617-room Pullman Paris Rive Gauche for €77 million (€124,800 per room) and the sale of the 60-room Hotel Lancaster for €61 million (€1 million per room).

A total of nine portfolio transactions, involving 29 hotels, have taken place in the first eight months of 2012, reaching a volume of €1.5 billion (£1.2 billion). This represents a 22% decrease compared with the same period in 2011.

Transactions this year have included the acquisition of six hotels from investment vehicle aAim by Principal Hayley for €238.1 million (£200 million). This was £75 million less than Principal Hayley sold the portfolio to aAim for during the property boom in 2006. Principal Hayley went on to sell these properties for £90m in a sale and leaseback agreement with Pramerica. Following this, the whole Principal Hayley portfolio, consisting of 22 hotels (3,700 rooms), has been placed on the market for £500 million.

In addition, PPHE Hotel Group acquired the remaining 50% interests in four hotels in the Netherlands from a subsidiary of Elbit Imaging for €26.5 million.

Invesco Real Estate has been active in Germany acquiring two separate portfolios. In April 2012 it acquired two recently opened InterContinental Hotel Group properties in Berlin from Azure Property Group for €60 million (€151,900 per room) and more recently two MGallery Hotels from Accor for a reported €44 million (€123,900 per room).

“Until debt becomes more readily available and trading significantly improves, it is difficult to estimate when the hotel investment market will improve but we hope to see transaction figures rising during 2013,” added Tim Smith.

This was the first Hospitality Industry World Congress, growing out of trends within existing exhibitions held in the FIRA Grand Via exhibition halls in Barcelona. I am invited to many trade shows, and all want HotelDesigns to advertise them to our audience of over 100,000 designer/specifier visitors every month. I am reluctant, and usually say no (although we add the shows to our comprehensive events calendar), and did so here until the organisers asked me to participate and present one of the awards. Acceptance however was last minute, as I drove away to catch the ferry to travel around Germany looking at hotels – another story to come!It is the first time there have been design awards from the HIWC, joining the plethora of awards spreading like measles spots across the global design industry. I am honoured to be asked to be one of the initial presenters, and it also gave me the opportunity to present HotelDesigns to some of the great and the good within the hotel industry. Included on the judging panel, for example, were luminaries such as Didier Boidin from Intercontinental Hotels, Michael Levie one of the founders of Citizen M hotels, and old friend Barbara Delollis of USA Today. Others came from Hilton, Green Hotels, and the UNWTO.

British representation in the trade show was small. Given that Barcelona itself is adding 500 bedrooms a year to its hotel stock apparently, this is a surprising absence. The show was dominated by Spanish companies and the main sponsor of the awards was Roca, who’s upmarket arm Laufen are represented in our Directory. The awards ceremony was actually held in Roca’s large central Barcelona showroom, which whilst of impressive size, was not nearly as stylish as the Zaha Hadid designed London showroom.

Marriott International, Inc has announced plans to open its tenth hotel in Turkey, the 110-room Renaissance Izmir Hotel, set to open in late 2012. Renaissance Hotels is the signature lifestyle brand within the Marriott International global portfolio. Recognized for its signature guest programmes including R Navigator and RLife LIVE, Renaissance Hotels currently has over 35 hotels throughout Europe.With a population of over three million, Izmir is the third largest city in Turkey after Istanbul and Ankara. Heralded as the “Pearl of the Aegean”, Izmir is located on Turkey’s west coast on the stunning Aegean sea. Izmir’s natural port is popular with not only tourists but also one of largest export-import hubs in Turkey.

Izmir’s fascinating 8,500-year history has earned the city international recognition as a site of historical and cultural importance. Izmir is home to the Temple of Artemis, one of the famed Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, as well as a myriad of Roman ruins, ancient churches, and lively bazaars located within the city and neighbouring towns.

The Renaissance Izmir Hotel will be located in the heart of downtown Izmir, just moments from the “Kordon”, the city’s famous sea front promenade lined with cafés and shops.

Housing the brand’s signature “R” Lounge, the hotel will bring the distinct look and feel of the Renaissance Hotels brand to the city while incorporating indigenous inspiration in every detail. The 110 sophisticated guestrooms will boast luxury bedding and the latest technologies, and an all-day dining restaurant boasting Mediterranean delights will be located on the rooftop offering sweeping views of Izmir Bay. Leisure facilities include a fitness centre, spa, and plunge pool while meeting and business needs are catered for with 2,130 square feet of meeting space set across three meeting rooms and a dedicated business centre.

One of the world’s most iconic literary locations hosted an official opening on Friday 28th September after a sensitive and spectacular refurbishment.

Browns Hotel, in Laugharne, Wales, is renowned as a favourite socializing haunt of poet Dylan Thomas.Now it has undergone more than a year of revamp work to become a jewel in the crown of Thomas tourism in his home country. It opened quietly on July 13 and has already attracted international guests from as far afield as America, Germany and Ireland.
The hotel has been busy too with guests from Wales and across the UK.

The grade II listed building has benefited from a £230,000 Welsh Government grant and a substantial investment by its West Wales-based owners. Heritage agency Cadw offered a grant of £62,500 towards structural repairs.

Browns Hotel general manager Charlie Dyer said: “The transformation has been astonishing. The décor and furnishings are a beautiful throwback to the late 1940s and early 1950s and guests are reacting really warmly to the whole package.

“Locals from Laugharne and the wider West Wales area enjoy popping in for a drink in the bar and for coffee in the Reading Room.

“Some tourists come specifically for our unbreakable link with Dylan Thomas; others come because they know we’re in a spectacular coastal area and seek a break from life’s hurly-burly.”

The official opening will feature appearances by local residents, businesses involved in the Browns revamp and ongoing success, local rugby region The Scarlets and Welsh whisky specialists Penderyn.

Having fallen into disrepair after 2006 when it last closed as a pub, Browns is now being modeled as a worthy focal point for West Wales tourism.

The refurbishment reflects the region’s colourful heritage, outlook and range of creativity. It’s now a boutique hotel with the bar as Dylan would recognize it. Each guest room is unique and there are areas for drinks, snacks and business meetings.

Charlie Dyer said: “Happily, the reopening comes in time for the national celebration of Dylan Thomas’s birth centenary – he was born in October 2014.”

Browns Hotel has lain empty and dilapidated for six years.
Built in the mid-1700s, it was a favourite location of Thomas in the late 1940s and early 1950s. He lived a short walk away with wife Caitlin and their three young children in their famous Boathouse but Swansea-born Thomas died in 1953.

Browns was last used as a hotel in 1959 and closed as a pub in 2006.

It forms part of the Dylan Thomas tourism trail in Laugharne as his mother’s family had run farms nearby and he had settled in the township with wife Caitlin in the late 1940s. Their shared grave is in a local churchyard.

Marriott International, Inc. expands its reach in the Middle East as it marks the grand opening of Residence Inn by Marriott Manama Juffair, Marriott’s largest extended stay brand within the Marriott International portfolio.Residence Inn by Marriott Manama Juffair in Bahrain is the first Residence Inn property in the Middle East. It is an 80-unit property located in suburban Manama, and is owned by International Trading and Investment Co. Marriott International has two other properties that are currently under construction in the region: an 83-unit Residence Inn by Marriott Jizan in Saudi Arabia and a 143-unit Residence Inn by Marriott Kuwait, scheduled to open in 2013 and 2015 respectively.

Commenting on the opening, Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director of Marriott International Middle East and Africa said, “Marriott International opened its first hotel in the Middle East and Africa 32 years ago and we have continued to invest in the region and build on its rich heritage to become one of the biggest hotel operators. Today we have 41 existing properties in 12 countries across seven lodging brands and a further 44 hotels under development which will more than double the number of hotels in the Middle East and Africa over the next five years. These figures are a measure of our commitment to the growth and development of the region’s tourism sector and its position as a leading global business hub.”

The Residence Inn by Marriott offers a mix of spacious, stylish and residential-feel studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom suites. A purposeful layout with designated zones allows guests to relax, work, eat, and sleep in their suites, while maintaining their routines at their own pace while travelling. Every suite features kitchens that come complete with full-sized refrigerators and stainless steel appliances that make living on the road easier for business travellers on long stays and families on leisure travel.

Worldhotels, one of the leading groups for independent hotels worldwide, welcomed a truly unique hotel to its portfolio on 1 October 2012 – the iconic ss Rotterdam, located in Rotterdam, Netherlands.Inaugurated in 1958 in Rotterdam with its maiden voyage taking place the following year, ss Rotterdam was the flagship of the Holland America Line fleet. Granted a prime permanent berth at Katendrecht in the heart of the city 50 years later, the fully-restored liner welcomed its first guests as a hotel in February 2010.

The ship now features 254 modern hotel rooms, designed to reflect its 1950s origins. Rooms accommodate up to four people with working desks, flat-screen TVs, internet access and air conditioning. Each room features a distinctive shape and colour scheme.

Diners can choose between the lively, all-day restaurant Lido and the elegant, stylish Club Room, while the Ocean Bar and the Terrace provide vibrant, social meeting spots. Fourteen different authentic banqueting rooms and 16 meeting rooms provide first-class facilities for events.

“Worldhotels offers 500 of the world’s most special independent hotels, and the ss Rotterdam is another fantastic first for us,” says Robert van der Beek, Worldhotels’ newly appointed Senior Director Hotel Development. “The ship holds an iconic position in the maritime tradition of the Netherlands, and in the last two years it has become an insider’s tip for travellers visiting Rotterdam for business or pleasure. This new hotel perfectly complements our existing hotels in the city, The Manhattan Hotel Rotterdam and the Bilderberg Parkhotel Rotterdam.”

“Worldhotels increases the visibility of our hotel and Rotterdam for the international business industry. Besides, Worldhotels is a company which perfectly fits our current mission and vision: we are telling a unique story, we offer a unique product and keep our own identity,” says Michaël ten Brink, Director of Hotel Operations, ss Rotterdam.

Menzies Hotels, one of the UK’s leading independent hotel groups has completed the final phase of the £2.2 million redevelopment project at the Menzies Welcombe Hotel, Spa and Golf Club in Stratford upon Avon.

From the contemporary standard garden wing bedrooms with power showers and room controlled air conditioning to the traditionally styled rooms in the main house rooms, including suites and four post bedrooms furnished with antiques, all 78 bedrooms have been redesigned to create a retreat from the outside world. The mod cons you would expect in a luxury hotel are also available; Apple iMac TV screens with SKY TV, Skype and internet access, as well as free Wi-Fi. The hotel’s feature suite, the Countess Suite offers views of the beautifully kept gardens, a spacious bedroom, luxurious bathroom with hand-painted murals on the walls with separate shower room and large lounge area.

The 2 AA rosette Trevelyan Restaurant, lounge and bar have all had a new look. From the roaring fireplaces in the lounge and bar, to the grand windows in the dining room over-looking the stunning Italian gardens.

Each of the eleven function suites have been updated, are fully air-conditioned and equipped with the latest audio visual equipment, providing an ideal venue for events of all sizes, from weddings to corporate training or team building events.

The Welcombe Suite, the largest of the function rooms can hold up to 200 guests or delegates with state of the art AV technology. The intimate Oak Room, ideal for private dining or business conferences has been traditionally decorated with luxurious furnishings, giving the space an air of grandeur and elegance. With extensive onsite parking and situated just five minutes from the M40, the hotel is easily accessible from both Birmingham and London making this an ideal venue for both leisure and business events.

Throughout 2012, Menzies Hotels will also be investing around £7 million into its portfolio with a variety of additional redevelopment projects.

Positioned at the northern tip of The Cotswolds, the Menzies Welcombe Hotel Spa & Golf Club in Stratford-upon-Avon stands in 157 acres of unspoilt grounds. Originally built in 1866, the Jacobean-style house is considered one of the finest country house hotels in the heart of England. Additional facilities include a championship 18-hole golf course; luxurious spa equipped an impressive indoor swimming pool, and treatment rooms; seven Spa apartments; tennis court and helipad.