The councillors of Aberdeen City have established plans for a future four-star hotel next to Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre in order to boost the city’s image. It will help attract investment high-profile events. The core idea is to create profit not just for this hotel, but for other hotels in the city, its restaurants and taxi services, which under the current plans the attraction of the new hotel will help increase. The initial financial scheme discussed at the Full Council meeting with AECC produced too much risk for the council due to the instability of the present economic climate. Therefore alternative financial schemes were considered, with the end result being that the City Councillors agreed a grant of £568,000 towards the with the AECC themselves contributing £2.3 million for architectural, legal and further professional fees for the scheme.
The internal auditors of the city’s council will continue their involvement in the hotel development plan in order to review and ensure that the venue continues to deliver maximum value for the public money invested in it. Not only could the creation of a new hotel benefit their image and city popularity, but also Offshore Europe. This can be done by expanding the AECC’s facilities in creating new parking space with distinctive foundations for temporary exhibition structures, which could be easily installed and disassembled when not in use. To fund this aspect of the development plan, Scottish Enterprise grant funding will be explored.
The professional advice suggested that by building an hotel that provides four-star accommodation, some of their economic losses could be reversed and boost the AECC’s business. The venue alone supplies approximately £80 million towards Aberdeen City and Shire, which is less than the investment of public funds. The figures show a good return on public money and create confidence in relation to the investing and building of the new hotel.
I have a fascination with railway hotels. In Britain, they were part of the revolution in travel and hotel use in the mid-nineteenth century. Before the railways, mass travel was inconceivable and hotels were coaching inns, primarily places where horses for the carriages or stagecoaches could be changed. Such travel was slow and expensive but the railways brought mass travel into reality.
In the industrial towns and cities of the north, working pattern changes and the industrial workers in the mills became part of a well paid elite, at least initially, as wages were set at levels to tempt self employed artisans and field workers from the countryside into the towns. Factories began to have shutdowns to allow the whole workforce to take a holiday; the famous Wakes Weeks in Lancashire an example, where one writer recorded that in Bolton Wakes Week the only thing that moved in Bolton were the ‘hands on the town hall clock’.
More than just holidays however, the railways transformed the transportation of goods and people. Ports like Hull became major players in a world in which by the late nineteenth century, had exports from Britain totalling more than exports from all the other industrial countries of the world put together. Writing at a time when the UK has just announced a record negative trade balance this casts a sad light on the performance of British management, political and industrial, since then.
The demand from business as well as other travellers was clear to the entrepreneurs who built railways the world over which started a hotel building boom that was to last many years. The Royal in Hull is a part of a magnificent railway development, a terminal that has survived, in this the most blitzed city in the UK outside London, with many pre-war buildings destroyed or damaged. It stands comparison with later buildings we have featured (Andaz in London, Mohonk in upstate New York and the Queens in Leeds) as a testament to the imagination and willingness to invest of our Victorian forebears.
Indeed Victoria and Albert with their children stayed in this hotel in a visit to Hull in 1854 (the hotel dating from 1851). From the date of HM’s visit the Station Hotel became the Royal Station Hotel, now just the Royal Hotel.
The hotel is the subject of a continuing refurbishment programme from a new operator. Such hotels are a challenge for both operator and designers. Budgets inevitably are tight and much existing has to be refurbished whilst the whole establishment is lifted to remain competitive. For the operator it may mean retraining staff, or injecting a new esprit de corps. For the designer the key is spending the money in a targeted way to gain maximum ‘bang per buck’.
The refurbishment strikes its first confident note with a positive and stylish reworking of the reception and bar lobby. This room, which reaches right through the hotel, has been given a dramatic lighting centrepiece, a large assemblage of lights creating a focus in the centre of the room. As well as being dramatic, the fitting also reduces the vault feel by lowering the centre ceiling. It also stops the eye following the room through to the exit onto the platform through the opposite entrance on the station side of the hotel.
The addition of strong arcs of light around the bar area also draws the eye, again helping to stop what might otherwise have been a passageway effect. Further interruption is gained from the large central seating area. Strong pattern on wall and carpet are counterbalanced by simple paint treatment, but the visual key is the light fittings and the dramatic areas of light they create.
The most disappointing area is the section in front of the reception desk. Here, a small piece of the original mosaic floor is preserved but the floor generally is simple functional tiling, out of place with the mahogany and rich pattern and colour elsewhere.
Whilst the reception desk is generously sized, its back fittings and the lift cars have been left alone and fail to match the quality of the newly refurbished area. It is as if a line was drawn at the columns inside the front doors, with instructions to the designers that nothing needed to be done beyond that point, as the immediate front area around the entrance doors seems to hark back to another era. Given the way in which smokers colonise areas outside the doors, this is perhaps a wise decision.
The whole debate about smoking in hotels, won in principal, is still a battle not over. Here, as in other hotels visited, smokers express the desire for non-smoking rooms, as they prefer the clean atmosphere, which of course they are then unable to resist polluting. In this hotel there also seems to be a mix of smoking and non-smoking rooms on same bedroom floors which just doesn’t work, as smokers leaning out of windows doesn’t remove the smell of smoke they trail around on their clothes and other belongings. Entering a hotel through a posse of smokers is a very unpleasant experience too. To be in a non-smoking room next to smoking rooms reminds me of when a Parisian restaurant seated me between two tables of smokers. When I asked for the non-smoking area, the waiter said I was sitting at it.
On this occasion in talking to the smokers, several said their preference would be for the whole hotel to be non-smoking. Certainly, it seems that when a hotel is newly refurbished it is an opportunity to revisit standards throughout and the time to impose a full smoking ban. The ground floor has a substantial function room area, including a private dining room (adjacent to the main dining room) which appears to be used primarily for storage. As the restaurant itself seems under pressure when feeding a coach party, maybe this should be brought into play to relieve it.
The function room is a well-appointed space in a side wing extension to the original buildings. These extensions have been added symmetrically, maintaining the overall grace of the original exterior, enhanced by the operator with planting at first floor. The creative confidence of the ground floor with the sharp lighting and sense of pattern is not repeated on the bedroom floors. Whilst the bedrooms themselves are competently handled, the corridors lack panache. This may be a result of a decision to focus the budget on the areas that are most guest facing, a sensible decision if the budget is tight.
In the bedrooms, the reuse of existing furniture has been intelligent and the addition of a strong colour on one wall goes some way to recreating some of the drama achieved in the public areas.
Bedroom size varies widely and the dramatic lighting that is the strength of the public areas is missing, noticeably so in the larger rooms. The bedroom lighting is adequate but task lights are over the mirror at the desk and bedhead lights echo those of the 1980’s, despite the reading light additions. Bathrooms have been refurbished well, but again, reusing the existing layouts has not enabled the best results to be achieved, all of which is disappointing after the public areas on the ground floor.
Leaving aside service this is a hotel that is capable, with a little push, of lifting itself up into a four star bracket. It may be that the market in Hull does not support that. Although the station has been beautifully restored there is a lack of civic pride evident in the overflowing litterbins at its entrance (it’s all about attention to detail isn’t it?). The hotel building is representative of the many surviving fine buildings in Hull which is still a busy town with major manufacturing and importing businesses. There is plenty of potential here to develop an already strong tourist industry. The town is where William Wilberforce was born and lived, home to aviation pioneer Amy Johnson, and although it now admittedly has John Prescott to cope with, the Ferens Art Gallery is a gem, and the aquarium called the Deep is a brilliant addition to the busy dock area.
The refurbishment of the Royal and the railway station hints at what could be. Parts of the refurbishment justify the label ’boutique’ for an hotel that sees itself still as a three star. A little push operationally could take this to new levels where a rethink of the bedrooms could achieve a standard that would stand alongside the Queens in Leeds and London’s Andaz in the pantheon of well-restored railway hotels in the UK.
Benchmark Hospitality International has announced a comprehensive $20 million renovation program for Cheyenne Mountain Resort, the Four Diamond property located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This will be the first property-wide renovation for the award-winning resort, and will touch nearly all areas of the property. Ricca + Newmark Design, with headquarters in Denver, has been engaged to create the resort’s new interiors. Benchmark Hospitality opened Cheyenne Mountain Resort nearly 25 years ago. Completion is scheduled for spring 2011. Laura Neumann, Benchmark’s vice president and general manager at the resort, made the announcement.Ricca + Newmark Design has created interiors for Cheyenne Mountain Resort that are refreshing and crisp, and intended to carry the breathtaking views of Colorado’s Cheyenne Mountain — the resort’s namesake — from the outside in, engaging the guest in total immersion experience. Dramatic nature-inspired artwork, plush textiles, and a rich color palette will add visual interest and leave a lasting impression within the renovated spaces. Unique furniture design, fabricated with hand-finished precision, will create a refined and luxurious feeling to each room.
The renovation has already begun in the resort’s Mountain View Restaurant Terrace, in which a 15-foot fire pit has been installed for group and social gatherings. The Terrace, which features striking views of Cheyenne Mountain, has also received luxurious new teak lounge furnishings to enhance the guest experience and comfort. Included in this phase of the renovation are additional public areas of the resort: Pool, Sundance Terrace, Grand Rivers Terrace, Cheyenne Kids Club facilities, the Will Rogers Lounge and the resort’s Pineview Restaurant. Special care is being taken to ensure the renovation program is unobtrusive to guests of the resort.
Cheyenne’s conference center spaces will also be refurbished with new floor and wall treatments, in addition to specialized furnishings. Updated meeting support technology will be installed throughout the center.
Each of the property’s 316 guestrooms and suites will receive new interiors inspired by the vivid Colorado landscape surrounding Cheyenne Mountain Resort. Guestroom design is a fusion of warmth, texture, luxury, and rich color drawn from the natural Colorado landscape. Designers have purposely created elegant and functional spaces where guests feel a sense of tranquility and comfort … of being at home.
Upon completion, each guestroom will feature new drapery panels, accentuated with rich decorative trim intermixed with delicate nature inspired sheers, which will serve to frame the balcony and introduce it as another entity to the room. Scrolled iron lamps with fabric shades and decorative trim will add a simple elegance to the space reminiscent of the Colorado scenery. Each guestroom will receive new luxury furnishings and linens, as well as upgraded baths, and be equipped with state-of-the-art electronics, including flat screen televisions and iHome Mp3 clock radios.
Also included in the renovation will be new landscape architecture at Cheyenne Mountain Resort’s main entrance, highlighted by a refreshing water feature, as well as additional landscape enhancements and a waterfall feature at the entrance to the resort’s Dove Building.
Upon completion, the newly renovated Cheyenne Mountain Resort will engage guests in a total immersion of the Colorado Springs destination experience. The property will evoke an upscale mountain lodge with a casual, residential feel. Whether visiting the resort for a corporate or social gathering, a family vacation, a romantic weekend getaway or an exceptional dining experience, the newly renovated Cheyenne Mountain Resort will provide an environment to escape, relax and renew.
Park Plaza County Hall has switched the layout of 33 of its suites so the bedroom, rather than the lounge, can reap the benefit of the hotel’s fantastic views.The £90,000 project means that guests can now wake up to one of the best views in London, where the London Eye looks close enough to reach out and touch.
“Our views are one of the main reasons guests stay with us and why they come back time and again. After hearing feedback that most guests would like the view to be the last thing they saw at night and the first thing they saw in the morning, it made sense to switch the layout and make the most of the hotel’s aspect,” comments Simon Mahon, General Manager of Park Plaza County Hall.
The hotel has also recently opened The Urban Garden, a 2nd floor terrace where guests and non-residents can come for a drink and soak up the view.
Hotel Sezz Saint-Tropez, a 37-room resort located on the glamorous Côte d`Azur, is now open. The resort’s complex of low buildings is grouped around a spacious central pool area at the heart of Hotel Sezz Saint-Tropez. Architect Jean Jacques Ory and designer Christophe Pillet created a hotel with contemporary architecture and design throughout the rooms, the villas and the common areas. With its restaurant headed by Pierre Gagnaire, the Dom Pérignon champagne bar and the Spa Sezz by Payot, the hotel is set to bring new life to the regional tradition of luxury resorts.Hotel Sezz Saint-Tropez is one of a kind. Owner Shahé Kalaidjian envisions the hotel as “a place full of grace and tranquillity where space and service are incomparable. A hideaway full of light, air and wind.” The property takes inspiration from the area’s most authentic riches: calm breezes, the quality of the Mediterranean light, the deep blue sea, lush green grass and fields of fragrant lavender.
Upon arrival guests immediately feel immersed in a relaxed haven. Instead of entering a standard lobby with a formal reception desk, guests are indulged in a spacious room full of light where a personal assistant welcomes them. The assistant will acquaint them with the hotel’s features and will also be on hand throughout their stay. A spacious open-air area with a large pool is the hub of the resort and is surrounded by lounge furniture and a poolside bar. While relaxing on Christophe Pillet’s specially designed lounge chairs, guests can choose from a range of cocktails and sink into holiday mode. For more indulgence guests can head to Spa Sezz which was created in an exclusive partnership with the French cosmetic brand Payot.
The architect has incorporated traditional and Mediterranean materials with a modern hotel that is in perfect harmony with the landscape of the Côte d`Azur. Light and air are omnipresent: huge walls made out of glass and oversized windows balance out the heavy material of the stone walls and roof tiles.
The resort offers five bungalows of 30m², 30 cocoons of 40m² and two villas of 90m² which come with a private pool. Each guestroom provides direct access to the terrace and the garden. The designer created the rooms to be open and spacious. The rooms are light and airy and let the indoor and outdoor merge into one. Interiors reflect the 1950s colour code with a mix of white, light grey, dark brown, light blue and saffron. All furniture and objects have been designed by the interior designer for various Italian and American furniture brands.
With the restaurant Colette, named after the famous French writer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, the Michelin-star chef Pierre Gagnaire goes back to his roots. The menu focuses on Mediterranean dishes with regional ingredients ranging from freshly caught fish to grilled steaks and barbecues. During the day Colette is quite casual, but at night it transforms into a glamorous restaurant. A glass of champagne at the Dom Pérignon bar is the perfect start to a sophisticated evening.
Hotel Sezz Saint-Tropez is a member of Design Hotels™ and bookings can be made through www.designhotels.com. All images copyright design hotels™
Cube’s name is expressive. The building is a glass cube, unashamedly modernist amongst the traditional Tyrolean valley chalet style architecture. The ‘shock of the new’ is added to by the building being floodlit after dark, and the floodlighting changing colour every couple of minutes.
The floodlighting is computer controlled and can be used for sponsor messages for events, corporate logos etc.That this is acceptable in a remote country community may seem, to English eyes at least, totally unexpected. To a rural community that relies to a large extent on year round tourism then the development is a welcome sign of jobs and prosperity.
The Cube fosters that all year round tourism, driven through the winter months by the snow sports and the rest of the year by the enormous fan base for mountain biking. The hotel has clearly been defined to meet the needs of these sporting communities, with unique provision for their needs. It also offers hang-gliding, walking, child-centred trail experiences using large wheeled scooters and trikes all as a ‘base to stay’ in the mountains.
The third of the Cube hotels to be developed, the Biberwier-Lermoos site meets the location mantra of Mr Hilton perfectly.It is located in a beautifully scenic valley, located at the centre of 100 different cycle tours covering 4,330 kilometres of the Tyrol, and located within 200 metres of the ski-lift system. Location, location, location.
In the summer the ski-lift will even take cyclists to the top of the mountains for the intrepid to use their mountain bikes on the ski trails, downhill only of course.There is also a concrete summer bobsleigh (run on rollers) run of over 1,300 metres, the longest in the Tyrol and enjoyable for children of all ages, even those over 60!
The company has looked hard at the requirements of the tourist in this area, and young or old, rambler, cyclist or skier, they have planned the hotel around those needs.
Inside the difference in design that comes from functionally making provision for bikes and skis etc becomes immediately apparent, as the centre of the Cube is a hollow atrium dominated by ramps. Ramps allow cycles and other sports equipment to be taken to rooms. With mountain bikes costing thousands of pounds for the fanatic, the security of having the bike inside the room is an essential.
Here each of the rooms have a glass fronted ante-chamber,a secure area known as the ‘showroom’ – after all if your bike did cost thousands why hide it? As they say, if you’ve got it, flaunt it and that is what the showroom allows. It gives security and is equipped with rails for storing bikes, skis, snowboards etc, as well as facilities to dry boots or lycra outfits.
There are bike washing facilities and a bike rescue centre at the hotel with an underground repair shop often manned by specialist cycle companies who sponsor challenge rides.
In the winter there is an après-ski nightclub too, with log fires then being a focus of the ground floor, and the hotel is right at the bottom of a major set of ski lifts.
Not only does the bedroom’s ‘showroom’ offer facilities for secure storage of sporting equipment along with specialised drying facilities for shoes, boots, outdoor gear etc., it allows the hotel to guarantee to guests that their gear will be dry in 24 hours. All taking account of the current needs of MAMILs who take to the mountains – MAMILs being Middle Aged Men In Lycra….
The rooms themselves cater for two in the usual German system of two single beds side by side, either separable as singles or zip linked to make a king sized double, always with the separate single duvets. Some rooms come with a double bunk system allowing three or four to share, or catering for families.
Bedroom facilities match most three and four star hotels, with storage boxes, lockable areas, flat-screen TV’s and all the usual offerings of an hotel but in a unique interpretation that allows for real social interaction between enthusiasts.
Food is done with extended service hours in a cafeteria style operation, offering plenty of variety of salads, fruit as well as more traditional meals. Room price includes food, use of the spa and gym and are set at Travelodge levels — extraordinary given the 24 hour bar and snack service offered. There is a small a la carte dining area which has to be booked in advance for a more sophisticated meal offering.
The two bars are popular and well patronised and staff move easily between positions, the whole hotel being run by a staff of 25 – 30 people. Rooms are unfussy and straightforward. Flooring is either rubber tiles in the ‘showroom’ or using floor carpet tiles in the bedroom. The toilet is a separate facility to the rest of the shower-room, with the whb in between the two. Whilst the whole is simple this does not mean it is not stylish.
Lighting is good, with good reading lights throwing a generous pool of light, and a line of lockable units double as desks and secure storage, each being equipped with power points. The bedside table doubles as a stool, and the copious provision of sockets is great for all those chargers, GPS navigation systems, smart phones, M3 music systems and all the other electronic paraphernalia the under thirties are unable to move without.
Wardrobes could have been sourced from IKEA, and there is no chair in the room. Instead the wide corridors have rows of seating encouraging a communal sharing of experience. When full the atrium echoed with the cries of the cyclists as they exchanged experiences across the space. The showroom with its second door ensured good sound insulation from this ‘street’ activity for the bedroom area.
With the emphasis on sport the atmosphere is redolent of tyres and oil in the summer, and I would imagine full of the equivalent ski scents (embrocation and liniment?) in the winter. Whilst the target audience is the fitness enthusiast, there are plenty of 50 plus guests and families in evidence, and many walkers obviously find the hotel attractive — on my visit in the summer it boasted near 100% occupancy.
That cycling is a popular sport driving occupancy can be seen by the presence of cycle companies in the forecourt, Shimano and Fox both having marquees and staff in attendance. The cycling clubs and their sponsors also enjoy the use of meeting rooms on the top floor, and there is massage and spa facilities available, although for some strange reason cyclists seem to prefer to relax by working out in the gym!
I understand that for both the sauna/solarium and massage services are much in demand after a day on the piste (or bike). There is also a games room with electronic and table games as well as a climbing wall, so off mountain activities are also well catered for.
What is noticeably absent is any room provision for those with disabilities, although there is a disabled toilet provision on the ground floor. In most bedrooms the shower is a wet area which has no step and could be just about wide enough for those with disabilities. Given the success of sporting endeavours in sports allied to the Paralympics, it seems surprising not more effort was made. Of course the cycle ramps provide obvious ease of access for wheels of all variety.
There are suites and family rooms and the Hotel offers itself for business functions with an obvious target market in those companies supplying the growing leisure market. Like the brave planning permission granted for this bold building, it seems that the nature of the audience and location have given a pragmatic edge to the operation which has transmogrified into a new interpretation of a leisure hotel.
The lesson in thinking through the guest profile and requirements prior to design and construction is writ large in the end result. It is one of the boldest, most successful hotel design solutions I have seen yet.
The Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel has earned the AAA Four Diamond Rating for 2011, North America’s premier hotel rating system. This distinction, awarded to less than four percent of the 32,000 properties evaluated by AAA annually, recognizes the property’s stylish accommodations, extensive amenities and a high degree of hospitality, service and attention to detail. AAA awards the Four Diamond Rating level to hotels that consistently demonstrate high standards in the following areas: • Cleanliness and Condition of Property • Management and Staff • Exterior, Grounds, and Public Areas • Guestroom Décor, Ambiance and Amenities • Bathrooms • Guest Services
AAA diamond ratings represent a combination of the overall quality, the range of facilities, and the level of hospitality offered by a property. These widely recognized and trusted symbols help AAA members choose lodgings that will meet their needs and expectations. AAA inspectors are responsible for determining a property’s Diamond Rating based on established standards that are developed with input from our trained professionals, AAA members, and various lodging industry professionals.
AAA’s Diamond Rating Guidelines indicate what is typically found at each rating level. However, the size, age, and overall appeal of an establishment are also considered, as well as regional architectural style and design. Diamonds are assigned based on the average of all property characteristics, with a focus on overall guest impression rather than on individual elements. Therefore, not meeting a guideline (in one area) may not necessarily affect the overall Diamond Rating.
The AAA Four Diamond Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel features 471 guestrooms and 21 suites, a sleek, marine-inspired interior design, as well as full health club facilities and a sparkling lap pool. The hotel is within walking distance to many major attractions, including Faneuil Hall, the New England Aquarium, the Institute of Contemporary Art and the new Liberty Wharf center, opening in 2011. It is conveniently located near downtown Boston and Logan International Airport. Executive chef Gregory Griffie, together with the creative direction of acclaimed chef and restaurateur Michael Schlow, directs 606 Congress, which features modern, American food with regional influences.
Travelodge has taken another big step in cementing its place as the biggest hotel brand in Edinburgh with the opening of its 11th hotel in the capital.
The 96-bed hotel has opened its doors for the first time ready to serve the raft of customers attending the Edinburgh Festival, with the hotel on track to be fully booked on its opening weekend. The £7.9m hotel is located on Waterloo Place, Edinburgh.In the past 15 months Travelodge has opened five hotels in the Scottish capital, taking the total room stock to more than 1,000 rooms across 11 hotels. The budget hotel company has more than doubled its room stock in the past decade, adding seven city centre locations to its operation since 2000.
Edinburgh continues to be a key target location for Travelodge due to its strong tourism economy, with the Edinburgh Festival being the biggest revenue driver for the hotels every year. In addition, Edinburgh is already Travelodge’s busiest city throughout the whole of the UK for this year’s New Year celebrations.
The budget chain aims to grow its operation in the city by a further 75% by 2012 and smashed the thousand-room barrier with the opening of its Edinburgh Waterloo Place Travelodge this week. And the company says that it is determined to find even more sites in the coming months and years.
Travelodge’s Chief Executive Officer, Guy Parsons said: “Growth in Edinburgh has been one of our priorities as it is such an important tourism economy. We have committed around £50 million to new hotels in the city over the past three years, acquiring existing hotels that had fallen below the standards that the modern day consumer expects. We are very pleased to have secured this fantastic city centre location and are looking forward to adding more hotels in the city over the coming months and years.”
Visit Scotland’s Chairman Mike Cantlay said: “It is great to hear that big players like Travelodge are looking to grow further, adding more quality, low priced accommodation to the city. With some travellers’ budgets restricted due to the current economic situation, it is vital that we offer quality accommodation to suit a range of budgets in Edinburgh.”
In a new Edinburgh Hotel Supply report, released by Melvin Gold in 2009 it was stated that the Scottish capital’s budget hotel share was still someway behind some of Britain’s key tourism cities such as Glasgow (31.4%), Liverpool (36.5%) and Birmingham (28.9%). The report claimed that budget supply is still relatively low, allowing plenty of potential for growth.
Melvin Gold from Melvin Gold Consulting Ltd said: “The budget sector has been the key growth sector in the hotel industry over the last decade and it still has a considerable way to go. Despite the significant increase in budget accommodation in Edinburgh over the last decade, there is still plenty of opportunity for growth in the city.”
The 2010 European Hotel Design Awards have been announced and include categories such as Architecture of the Year, Interior Design of the Year, Sustainability Award, Hotel Brand of the Year Award, European Hotel Design of the Year Award and the Outstanding Contribution Award. A detailed list can be downloaded here.All the winning projects will be displayed at The Sleep Event Exhibition, 24-25 November, Business Design Centre London. For further details of the shortlisted entries and images of the projects visit our website through our page in the Directory. Click here to book your table now and network with those at the very forefront of the industry.
NEW for 2010, the Sleep Event Conference (which runs alongside the exhibition) will focus on specific hotel projects, each representing different sectors of the hotel industry including luxury, budget and boutique.
These project panels will have representation from a range of disciplines which may include the project designer, architect, developer, investor, owner or operator, an invaluable opportunity to hear from all those at the centre of the global hotel industry.
Projects panel sessions include: Reinstating and reinventing an icon – The Savoy, London Resort Couture– Vidago Palace, Portugal Sustainable Luxury Redefined – Costa Navarino, Greece Designing to a different tune – Tune Hotels London Squairing the design circle – The Squaire / Hilton & Hilton Beyond Boutique – Swire Properties new boutique brand Breaking with convention – the new breed of conference hotel – Radisson Blu Waterfront Stockholm
Correct as of the 04/08/2010.
All this, as well as keynote presentations and the returning Rapid Eye Movement, you can’t afford to miss Europe’s leading conference.
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announces the opening of Hotel Indigo East End in Riverhead, New York. Conveniently situated near the Hamptons and vineyards of Eastern Long Island, the 100-room conversion property is located on eight private acres and is close to dining, entertainment and shopping venues.Owned and operated by Jaral East End Hotel Corp, the two-story property preserves the architecture of the original 1970s building. Morris Nathanson Design created a sophisticated, residential feel with contemporary accents and oversized furnishings for comfort and lushness. The overall colour palette is neutralized with pops of warm oranges, sea powder and indigo blues, greens and gold. Oversized graphics highlighting Wine Country and the beach bring the surroundings inside. The finishes, materials and fabrics have an organic, natural texture, and the wood is inspired by beach driftwood.
The hotel includes Bistro 72 that features locally grown, organic ingredients and regional wines, along with a fitness centre, business centre and two meeting rooms totalling 8,000 square feet. The property also features signature Hotel Indigo standards including inviting guestrooms with oversized beds and hard-surface flooring for a fresh, residential feel, spa-inspired showers with Aveda products, and free wired or wireless high-speed internet access.
“Hotel Indigo is committed to creating and delivering a refreshing and inviting guest experience that is truly reflective of the local neighbourhood,” said Mary Dogan, Director, Brand Delivery, Hotel Indigo, the Americas, IHG. “Large photographic murals of the nearby shoreline and wine caskets from the vineyards are featured in public spaces and guestrooms as a way to bring the local neighbourhood to life within the hotel.”
Each Hotel Indigo property is uniquely designed to reflect the culture, character and history of the surrounding neighbourhood. No two hotels are the same. Brand standards don’t dictate the number or size or rooms, making it ideally suited to conversion properties or independent boutique hotels. Conversions are attractive to developers because they require less financing than new builds and can be up and running in a shorter period of time.
Best Western will be celebrating with a ‘wee dram’ this month as its latest Scottish hotel is welcomed into the group.
The Balgeddie House on the outskirts of Fife is the latest hotel with personality to join the UK’s largest group of independently owned hotels. The grade C listed, three star hotel is bursting with charm like the rest of its Best Western peers. Boasting 18 quaint bedrooms, with a stylish mix of modern facilities and traditional hospitality, the hotel offers the warmest of welcomes, two lounge bars and a relaxing atmosphere within its own landscaped gardens.
This family run hotel also offers a large conference and banqueting suite, a perfect choice for corporate occasions. In 2011, the hotel will be expanding and to accommodate 10 extra bedrooms plus its very own leisure centre and swimming pool.
Located within the hotel grounds, the Brasserie Restaurant and Spencer’s Bar offer delicious local fare, ideal for all occasions.
Alan Solley, General Manager of the Best Western Balgeddie House Hotel says, “We are very pleased to be part of the Best Western group. We have the best of both worlds as we maintain full ownership and management of the hotel but are helped with the additional benefits a global brand brings for our guests and staff.”
Best Western is the largest group of independently owned and managed hotels, with over 270 across Great Britain. Members are required to meet strict criteria and are regularly inspected to ensure consistent quality and service.
Keith Pope, Director of Best Western added: “The Balgeddie House Hotel is a fantastic addition to our portfolio. The hotel is in a brilliant location and will appeal to a wide range of guests so we expect this to be a very popular destination.”
“Please come in, let Magic, Pleasure and Dreams greet you. The SEVEN HOTEL welcomes you to a totally innovative concept where emotions and delight will turn your nights with us into a fabulous story to tell…”
The Seven Hotel (or Hotel Le Seven) in Paris (now open) is something straight from the imagination, a dream-like mixture of fantasy and the theatrical which will undoubtedly become a must-see attraction. The hotel entrance boasts a large video screen with 3D images of bubbles and lobby with a versatile bar changing setting, atmosphere and sound throughout the day. The lounge offers a comfortable breakfast/ dining area which has been designed with flexibility in mind to alter the furniture layout to reflect a more cozy atmosphere in the evening. There are 28 Levitation rooms, named so due to the raised bed and bathtub within, and seven individually designed suites which include: Nature, Cuddles and Nurture (designed by Virginie Cauet) Suite Sublime and Suite 007 (designed by Agence Bastie) Suite Marie-Antoinette and Suite Black Diamond (designed by Sylvia Corrette) And Suite Alice and Suite ON/OFF (designed by Les Ailes Du Design).
All rooms are equipped with a Nespresso machine, iPod dock, large flat TV screen (complete with four different channels diffusing the perfume of your choice at the touch of a button), high quality bedding, extra large illuminated shower, separate toilet, air-conditioning, comfortable desk, electronic safe and bath robes at hand.
Nature, Cuddles and Nurture This suite offers a true welcome-back to nature: an earthly setting made of rocks, slate, wood, fur and leather. Complete with a large, round bed, cozy fireplace, two wide TV screens, comfortable living room, double bathrooms (one with a very wide shower, one with a cow-skin tub) and a garden terrace with a private Jacuzzi.
Suite Sublime Designed around the theme of a white fluffy cloud, this room contains a large round bed with a ceiling decorated in crystals and twinkling lighting and a huge love-seat intended for couples ‘snuggling up on cloud nine’. The bathroom is complete with a futuristic cocoon-shaped bathtub.
Suite 007 Labelled the most ‘masculine’ of their suites, the design is a mixture of retro and futurism, harmonizing the quintessential ‘gentlemanliness’ and gadgetry which has become so synonymous with Bond. A key luxury feature of the bathroom is the Turkish steam shower and of course, no 007 Suite would be complete without the availability of James’s movies on a huge flat screen.
The Rezidor Hotel Group has announced the signing and opening of Park Inn Veliky Novgorod. The former Beresta Palace Hotel featuring 225 rooms has been re-branded and is operating as a Park Inn with immediate effect. “The property brings our portfolio of Park Inns in Russia/CIS to 25 hotels in operation and under development – a clear sign for our commitment to this emerging region”, comments Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of Rezidor. Besides 225 rooms, the Park Inn Veliky Novgorod offers an all day restaurant and bar, 3 meeting rooms and a wellness area including a swimming pool, saunas and a gym. It was originally built in 1991 as one of the first international-standard hotels which opened after the fall of the Soviet Union and renovated in 2006.
Veliky Novgorod, which in Russia means “The Great New City” or “The Big New City” is recognized as a major tourism destination both domestically and, increasingly, internationally. The city is strategically located along the main highway linking Moscow and St. Petersburg, making it a popular escape for residents of both cities. It is also a key stopover for tour groups visiting the “Golden Ring” cities which encircle Moscow.
Few Russian cities can compete with Veliky Novgorod in the variety and age of its medieval monuments. The foremost among these is the St Sophia Cathedral in the Kremlin, built between 1045 and 1050. It is the best preserved 11th century church and the first one to represent original features of Russian architecture. Among many historical sights, the Kremlin contains the Hall of Facets, which was built in the thirties of 15th century and served as a hall for ceremonies; and Chasozvonya (1673) – one of the oldest Russian clock towers.
Besides being a regional tourism hub, Veliky Novgorod attracts corporate visitors due to its status as a centre of education (home of Yaroslav the Wise University), an administrative centre for the Novgorod Region and its large industrial base focused around the chemical industry.
Following the introduction of a new range of BIG LIGHTS pendant luminaires with shades in various designs, Baulmann Leuchten is now introducing matching floorlamps and tablelamps for this new product family. With a standard diameter of almost 1 metre the pendant luminaires offer different shades to choose from; plaine, conical shades made from Chintz fabrics, plaine, conical shade with backlit structure, semi-pleated shades as well as elegant black-and-gold pleated shades. The floor- and tablelamps are produced with a solid metal-base and are using shades in the same designs as the pendant luminaires.
As usual, Baulmann Leuchten is capable to offer the complete range with different colours and fabrics. Furthermore, also the size of all the shades can be customized.
Outrigger Enterprises Group, Hawaii’s largest locally owned hotel operator, and IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) has announced the signing of a license agreement to rebrand the OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber hotel as the Holiday Inn Waikiki Beachcomber Resort. The agreement is a testament to the strength of the $1 billion Holiday Inn® relaunch, which was established to create a more contemporary brand image, improving quality and driving consistency across the global portfolio. Outrigger will continue to own and manage the rebranded resort, bringing its unparalleled reputation for delivering a high-quality guest experience coupled with distinctive “Hawaiian” hospitality to the power and global appeal of the Holiday Inn brand. All employees will keep their jobs and will remain employees of Outrigger Hotels Hawaii. The rebranding is expected to be complete in November 2010.
This agreement implements Outrigger’s “many brands, one `ohana (family)” strategy that leverages the company’s ability to manage multiple brands, while maintaining the acclaimed Outrigger collection of upscale, luxury leisure hotels and resort condominiums located in some of the most desirable destinations throughout Hawaii and the Pacific.
Close to all the action, this resort is located in the fast-paced heart of Waikiki. The property offers guests comfortable accommodations designed to reflect the unique environment and culture of the area, with modern, revitalized guest rooms, as well as a newly revamped pool, lobby, fitness room, and port cochere. It is home to Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber, a fun, family-friendly lifestyle restaurant and bar that features the new Honolulu Surfing Museum, showcasing collectibles and memorabilia. On the resort’s lobby level, Illusionist John Hirokawa presents the dazzling Magic of Polynesia show in a 700-seat theater specifically designed for his electrifying displays.
The resort’s convenient location is just steps from the beach and surrounded by shopping, dining and entertainment. Nearby attractions include Royal Hawaiian Center, International Market Place, DFS (Duty Free Shop), Macy’s, Duke’s and Waikiki Beach Walk®. Guests staying at the resort also have complimentary access to the Waikiki Trolley’s Pink Line, which provides transportation throughout Waikiki, including Waikiki Beach Walk® and Ala Moana Center.
The five star Hilton Cardiff is to undergo a £750,000 refurbishment programme to position the hotel as Cardiff’s premier meeting venue and attract new visitors to the city.
Currently in its 11th year of trading, the hotel’s investment will include a new lounge bar and lobby area with ground floor toilets and establish Hilton Cardiff as the place to meet at any time of day. The wall between the lobby and the existing Piano Bar will be removed to create an open plan lounge area with feature chairs, bespoke chandeliers, slate flooring and a hardwood panelled ceiling above a corner bar. Banquette seating will overlook both the lounge area and reception, while the existing concierge desk will be moved to make way for new ground floor toilets. White ceramic flooring will be laid in the reception area and there will also be a new exterior door. The reception desk will be refreshed with new material cladding, with other decorative features in the lounge including designer rugs, curtains, throw cushions, mood lighting and a projected television for sports events.
The refurbishment has now begun and will be complete in September before the start of the Ryder Cup. The Hilton Cardiff is also replacing all of the hotel’s beds and transforming 20 of its 197 rooms into family bedrooms with two double Serenity Beds.
The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing hotel companies worldwide, announces the Park Inn Lagos, Ikeja in Nigeria. The 135-rooms property is scheduled to open in 2013. “We are establishing a true Park Inn network in Nigeria – after contracts in Lagos, Abuja and Abeokuta this agreement is our third one and further underlines the importance of Nigeria as a high potential emerging market for Rezidor”, says Kurt Ritter, President & CEO. Besides 135 modern guest rooms, the Park Inn Lagos, Ikeja will feature 4 food and beverage outlets (including a rooftop restaurant and bar) and 240 square meters of meeting space. A swimming pool, gym, sauna and a Zen Garden will complete the service offer.
Ikeja is an outer suburb of Lagos, known for its upscale residential neighbourhoods, government buildings, shopping malls and Murtala Muhammed International Airport, the busiest in Nigeria. The hotel is located only 6 km away from the airport. Due to this proximity, Ikeja has a high concentration of aviation-related businesses, including several of Nigeria’s domestic airline companies.
Lagos is one of the most dynamic hotel markets on the African continent where Rezidor is one of the leading international hotel operators and currently has 36 hotels in operation or under development, accounting for over 8,200 rooms. An independent study in 2010 proclaimed Rezidor’s pipeline to be the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Launched at the Milan fair, the Mellow modular sofa system from Italian manufacturer Paola Lenti is a vibrant and fun solution for exterior seating that goes into production in September. Supported by a cataphoresis treated steel frame the soft moulded cushions are water repellent with removable covers in elegant textured fabrics in vibrant greens and subtle greys.
The sofa components can be easily separated and moved enabling you to vary the configuration to suit your needs.
ACID (Anti Copying in Design) members Luminati Waycon trade under the name of Luminati, a recognised brand in the supply of engineered display solutions, supplying a vast range of display products. Like most companies in the 21st century, their website is one of their key means of marketing, being the main showcase of their products. Recently they have found many competitors copying the distinct look and text of their website which has proved to be an important selling tool. One of the key product ranges marketed through Luminati’s website is its acrylic photo frames. The company had found that the website advertising of this product had been highly successful. Luminati recently discovered that one of their competitors had copied the literary text and layout of the webpage advertising the company’s acrylic photo frames. A letter before action was sent by ACID Accredited law firm McDaniel & Co. alleging copyright infringement. Following receipt of this letter the company concerned spoke with Luminati and agreed to remedy the infringement and pay Luminati’s legal costs.
Dids Macdonald, ACID’s CEO said, “Increasingly ACID members are finding that sending a strong letter before action can achieve the right results. Taking legal action does not mean going all the way to Court and in this instance Luminati is sending a clear message not only to the sector but to this particular competitor that they are not going to tolerate any IP infringement now or in the future.”
Luminati’s Managing Director, Steve Senior said, “In this particular sector most of the key players know one another and there is no room for those who seek the fast track to market by producing look alike web pages appearing to trade off our brand identity. The way in which this was discovered was a fantastic new free service called Copyscape. By entering our own web text a result came back which confirmed that the majority of the text had been slavishly copied. Luminati’s case was further compounded by a time stamped snapshot taken of their website by hosting company ICO3 who keep permanent incremental backups of their clients websites over several years. Our brand protection policy takes priority and we will always be assertive in pursuing any intellectual property infringement.” www.copyscape.com
Marriott International, Inc. celebrated the opening of the 403-room Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway earlier this month, a newly constructed hotel adjacent to the Georgia International Convention Center and connected to Atlanta’s Hartsfield -Jackson International Airport. Contemporary in feel and filled with natural light and vibrant colors, the hotel’s facilities for business and relaxation represent the latest design and innovation of Marriott Hotels & Resorts. The Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway is on track to earn LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification silver from the U.S. Green Building Council. The hotel will be operated under a management agreement with Grove Street Partners. (PHOTO: R to L – Erika Alexander, Area VP Marriott; Robert Woolridge, GM Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway; James M. Stormont, Jr., Partner, Grove Street Partners, LLC)Just two minutes from the airport via the ATL SkyTrain and part of the vibrant Atlanta Gateway complex, this eco and tech savvy meeting destination features more than 21,000 square feet of flexible meeting space which includes the 12,000 square ft Gateway Ballroom, the largest hotel ballroom in the Airport area. The hotel is connected by a covered walkway to the adjacent Georgia International Convention Center. Together, both venues provide 321,000 square feet of meeting space.
The stylish hotel lobby is a social hub showcasing a Media Zone with complimentary Wi-Fi to work alone, catch up with clients, friends or co-workers. Relaxing spaces provide the ideal place to dine or to enjoy the day-to-night bar which transitions from coffee and pastries in the morning to cocktails and appetizers in the evening.
Following are some of the hotel’s outstanding amenities: • 403-sound proof guest rooms including 18 suites are designed for relaxing work and restful sleep, all equipped with high definition LCD televisions, Plug-In panel, wired and wireless DS3 fast internet, swivel desks, iHome docking station, refrigerators, laptop safes, individual reading lights on the headboards and Marriott’s signature bedding. • Champions Restaurant – offers free Wi Fi and numerous high definition televisions. • Concierge level and concierge lounge located on the top floor overlooking the beautifully landscaped Gateway complex and the ATL SkyTrain is designed for optimum relaxation and work. • 24-hour spacious fitness center overlooking the SkyTrain and adjacent indoor swimming pool offers an abundance of natural light and features more than 20 state-of-the-art Life Fitness strength and cardio equipment. • The self–service Business center open 24 hours a day is equipped with work stations, copier and fax.
Hilton Worldwide has recently announced the opening of its first Hilton Garden Inn (HGI) hotel in Scotland, which will be the second HGI to open in the UK. This opening follows the signing of a management agreement with the St. Andrew Street Hotel Company. The hotel is the third Hilton Worldwide hotel in Aberdeen, joining the Doubletree by Hilton Aberdeen City Centre and Hilton Aberdeen Treetops. The new build Hilton Garden Inn Aberdeen City Centre offers 100 stylish bedrooms, all featuring the brand’s signature Garden Sleep System bed, as well as the ergonomic Mirra chair by Herman Miller. HGI Aberdeen City Centre features a contemporary designed lobby, restaurant and bar, 24-hour business centre, complimentary Wi-Fi internet access throughout the hotel, as well as the Hilton Garden Inn 24-hour Pavilion Pantry which provides a selection of food and beverage options.
Recently dubbed “Europe’s Energy Capital,” Aberdeen is well known for its North Sea oil and gas companies and is a thriving business centre. The area has been a favourite Royal destination for over 150 years, with stunning scenery and a vibrant mix of wildlife – it is billed as “Scotland’s Larder.” A wealth of golf courses and areas of natural beauty, combined with a lively social scene of restaurants, shopping malls and boutique shops in the city centre, make this the ideal destination for a short break or extended vacation.
Hilton Worldwide has selected the UK as one of its key European growth markets for establishing its portfolio of hotel brands. The company currently manages and franchises 89 hotels in the UK, across the Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Hotels, Doubletree by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton brands.
Contra Curtains Ltd have recently completed the supply of soft furnishings to 106 bedrooms at the latest Base2stay property in Liverpool. The 1850’s industrial building in the Ropewalks area in the centre of Liverpool, with a wide variety of window sizes, floor heights and room types, provided many challenges.Contra supplied lined & interlined Wave curtains to the majority of the hotel bedrooms, in a linen union fabric selected by interior decorator Clarissa Nadler. Other rooms received Roman Blinds & privacy blinds where required. On the ground floor 9 Gallery Studio rooms received Pinch Pleat Lined curtains operating on Silent Gliss electric track systems. These stunning rooms have ceiling heights of approximately 4.6 metres and incorporate an upper gallery sleeping and dressing area. In addition, rooms within the historic roof beams required a purpose built solution for blackout blinds to the large roof-light windows.
Working in conjunction with project coordinator Dorian Dreyfus of DC Place and the base2stay management team Contra provided expertise and advice from an early stage in the project.
Having ascertained our client’s requirements Contra project manager Chris Wicks liaised with the project team and ensured that the client’s vision was delivered on time and within budget. The hotel opened ahead of program at the end of July.
Robert Nadler, CEO of base2stay, commented “ Contra were happy to provide advice at early stages, which assisted with the design process, and despite the changes and challenges that always occur when renovating a historic property, always showed flexibility and imagination. They were a pleasure to work with and we are really very happy with the result”.
AVE began manufacturing lighting control systems in Italy over 100 years ago, and still does to this day. Widely respected across Europe, AVE creates innovative and contemporary designs using cutting-edge solutions to create a hotel management system that fully meets the needs of small independents to large multinational hotel chains. After many years of research and development, AVE has launched the Domina Hotel management system. With its advances in design and flexibility, Domina Hotel marks itself out as one of the most important developments in hotel industry standards this century. A complete hotel management system, Domina Hotel provides everything from the consumer unit, to light and power, internet and temperature, and door entry control.
The Domina Hotel system can be used with Life 44 and Touch ranges of crystal glass and Zamak front plate, and surrounds. Domina Hotel incorporates future proof 125Khz Mifare security technology for optimum security protection and is fully networked to provide an interface to the reception desk using PC Server, LAN, and the Web. AVE can monitor and apply the latest software updates directly from their production facility in Italy.
Modular in design and conception, Hotel Domina works independently or room to room, giving the user optimum control over every area within the hotel.
Touch and Life 44 crystal are fully customisable, enforcing brand awareness on a subconscious level by personalising front plates with hotel or corporate branding or pictograms. We can also offer a corporate colour to the back plate or surround to complete the experience and values, associated with your chosen brand.
For more information on AVE Domina Hotel please click here.
Whitbread PLC is set to invest approximately £4.5 million to develop a new Premier Inn and Table Table restaurant at Towers Business Park, Rugeley. A deal was completed earlier this year and construction is now set to start in mid-July.The investment will see a 50-bedroom hotel built side by side with the Table Table restaurant. Together, the scheme is set to create approximately 65 jobs and is scheduled to open in early 2011.
The deal involved significant support from Advantage West Midlands (AWM) and Cannock Chase District Council who had cleaned and prepared the site for redevelopment, prior to securing the deal with Premier Inn.
The new Premier Inn in Rugeley will add to the hotel brand’s already strong presence across Staffordshire and is part of the firm’s ambition to provide customers with more choice and more locations nationwide. Premier Inn, which currently has 593 UK hotels and 42,500 rooms, is pursuing a strategy to grow to 55,000 rooms by 2014.
John Bates, Head of Acquisitions for Whitbread Hotels & Restaurants, said: “Premier Inn is the most successful budget hotel operator in the UK today and we want to ensure that ongoing success by investing in key network gap locations – Rugeley is one of these. This deal enables us to bring Premier Inn to Towers Business Park which is a great opportunity for us and a superb scheme to be involved in. The support from Advantage West Midlands has been invaluable and we have been delighted by the partnership approach on this project. Now, we’re looking forward to getting started on construction within the next few weeks, recruiting for new roles and opening for our customers in early 2011.”
Steve Holland, AWM Head of Asset Management, said: “This is one of the last pieces of the jigsaw slotting into place. We have worked with partners to invest more than £10 million on making this former colliery site ready for high quality office, industrial and warehouse space. The site is substantially occupied and those businesses and others in the region will now have quality hotel and restaurant facilities close at hand.”
The new Rugeley hotel will bolster Premier Inn’s presence in the region, adding to existing hotels in Stafford (three locations), Cannock (two sites), Uttoxeter, Burton-on-Trent and Lichfield. Premier Inn’s first ‘green hotel’ is also close by at Tamworth.
Towers Business Park is a 40.5 hectare (100 acre) former colliery site on the outskirts of Rugeley being developed by Advantage West Midlands, Cannock Chase Council and Gazeley to create high-quality office, industrial and warehouse space.
Continent Hotels & Resorts ® Brand Management and Franchise Systems – World Wide and AVRORA Hospitality Group, Inc., Russian Management Company, have signed a Master License Agreement for the development of Continent Hotels, Resorts and Inns across Russia. The Continent brand and franchise membership system is owned and operated by Continent Hotels and Resorts (Continent Otelcilik ve Turizm Ltd.), a Turkish hospitality services company based in Istanbul, Turkey. This agreement establishes a development program for the conversion of existing hotels as well as the building of new hotels across Russia.
Dmitry Ivanov, Chairman of the Board of Directors at AVRORA Hospitality Group, said, “We have found an excellent fit with our Continent Hotels partnership, a mid and upper scale market limited and full service chain that fits the strategic needs of Russia.”
“All Continent brands, Hotel, Resort and Inns, concentration on guest service, suitable market locations, comfortable room size and the value for the guest’s demands, form the cornerstone for our development initiative. These are important ingredients for our franchise success. The personal support given from the Continent’s corporate staff combined with the implementation of AVRORA’s experience is a winning formula for growth and success.”
Ethem Zagikyan, Managing Director of Continent said, “We are excited about our partnership with AVRORA Hospitality Group and look forward to the growth of our brands within Russian markets. Our further expansion into Russia will open new markets and strengthen the marketing reach of all existing Continent franchisees.”
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announces the opening of a new 87-room Holiday Inn Express in Houston, Texas. The Holiday Inn Express-Houston NW Beltway 8 – West Road offers multiple access routes and proximity to a host of conference centers as well as corporate offices and leisure activities. The property will showcase the brand’s new sign, which is the seal of approval that this hotel exemplifies the standards of the $1 billion Holiday Inn brand relaunch program.
Guests at the Holiday Inn Express Houston NW Beltway 8 – West Road will experience a comfortable and smart environment with innovative preferred guest upgrades to ensure a productive stay while traveling for business or leisure.
The new 34,000 square foot property offers a variety of amenities such as state-of-the-art fitness center, outdoor pool, outdoor Jacuzzi and 24-hour business center. Business travelers will find large desks with ergonomic chairs, free high-speed internet access and free local phone and toll free (U.S. and Canada only), phones with private voicemail and complimentary USA TODAY® newspapers.
The property is just minutes from Sam Houston Race Park and Traders Village. Willowbrook Mall, Aerodrome Ice Skating Complex, Hewlett Packard, Chevron Gas, Women’s Hospital of Texas, Methodist Willowbrook Hospital, and University of Texas Houston campus are also a short drive from the hotel.
Image: All rights reserved by IHG Americas New Hotels.
The iconic Park Hyatt Sydney has announced its plans for a dramatic transformation, which is expected to be the largest renovation in the hotel’s 20 year history. The revitalization of the hotel is expected to include the addition of three luxury rooftop suites and significant changes to all areas of the hotel – refreshing the property while maintaining the contemporary luxury for which Park Hyatt Sydney is known. Positioned between the world-famous Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, Park Hyatt Sydney offers guests an intimate, residential-style hotel with architecture, design and art that reflects the Australian landscape.
The broad scope of the multi-million dollar project will involve a complete redesign of the hotel’s guest rooms, including architectural fixtures and finishes, custom designed contemporary lighting, new furniture and unique artwork by renowned Australian artists. The hotel’s new interiors will offer a natural feel with rich layers of chocolate, cream and beige hues. Designed to celebrate the indoor-outdoor experience, all guest rooms will feature floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open onto spacious private balconies that honour Park Hyatt Sydney’s exclusive harbourfront location.
In addition to the complete makeover of accommodation, the hotel’s restaurants and bars, private dining rooms, day spa and recreational facilities will also be enhanced to reinforce Park Hyatt Sydney’s position as one of Australia’s premier hotels.
The proposed renovation programme will present Park Hyatt Sydney with the opportunity to extend its environmental initiatives. Energy-efficient lighting and water-saving devices are expected to be added throughout the hotel.
Park Hyatt Sydney’s proposed renovation plan is subject to government approval and has been scheduled to coincide with the hotel’s winter period to minimise disruption to guests. The new design will be spearheaded by leading interior designers BARstudio.
The Courtyard Charleston/Summerville in South Carolina will be the first hotel built using Marriott International’s green hotel prototype, in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council. This will dramatically accelerate the company’s goal to have 300 LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) hotels by 2015. Marriott is the first in the hospitality industry to launch a green hotel prototype that has been pre-approved by USGBC as part of its LEED Volume program, meaning that any Marriott hotel that follows these plans will earn basic LEED certification, or possibly higher, upon USGBC final approval. The new Courtyard hotel will open in early 2012 as a part of a joint venture between Blanchard & Calhoun Commercial of Augusta, Ga., and MeadWestvaco of Summerville, S.C. The hotel will introduce the first phase of The Parks of Berkley, a community consisting of 5,000 acres and one of the largest planned developments in the Southeastern United States.
Last fall, Marriott announced plans to develop a green hotel prototype for its Courtyard brand that will save roughly $100,000, six months in design time, and up to 25 percent energy and water savings for its owners. To develop the green hotel prototype, Marriott was guided by the Courtyard Pittsburgh Settlers Ridge in Pennsylvania, which will open this fall and is registered for LEED certification. The company partnered with the USGBC and Marriott suppliers — Kohler Company and Philips Lighting – to test fixtures that save energy and water and measure results.
Based on the results of the Courtyard brand, Marriott has plans to create similar green hotel prototypes for Residence Inn by Marriott, TownePlace Suites by Marriott, SpringHill Suites by Marriott and Fairfield Inn by Marriott.
Additionally, Marriott International, Inc. headquarters in Bethesda, Md., achieved LEED for Existing Buildings Gold certification earlier this year.
USGBC’s LEED rating system is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.
One lucky individual has, this week, packed their case ready to embark on a business trip with a difference, as they head off around the globe in their new role as the ebookers.com Hotel Inspector. Farrah Chaudhry from Birmingham was selected out of over 100 applicants, after successfully completing a three stage interview process which included a written application, a short telephone interview and a face-to-face interview which tested her written and presentation skills. She has been tasked with travelling around the world on a three week 35,000 mile business trip, taking in four continents, 11 countries and a variety of hotels to review different lodgings in her quest to find the World’s best hotel.
When many Brits will be setting off for a week-long holiday in the sun, twenty nine year old Farrah, a Trainer with a passion for writing, will be departing the UK on the 16th August for her three week assignment on behalf of one of Europe’s leading online travel agents, ebookers.com.
Last month, hundreds of people cast their votes on the ebookers.com website to determine which worldwide destinations had the best hotels and would make it onto Farrah’s review itinerary.
On her trip, Farrah will be rating beach huts in Penang, luxury lodgings in Dubai and business bases in Paris. Working with Fiona Duncan of HotelGuru.com to ensure each hotel is reviewed fairly and correctly, Farrah will be meticulously investigating each and every element of the hotels that she visits, rating them on:
• Overall experience e.g. location, cleanliness, value for money • Service e.g. friendliness of staff, languages spoken, swiftness of service • Room e.g. crispness of sheets, ventilation, comfort of bed • Bathroom e.g. fluffiness of travels, effectiveness of hairdryer, quality of toilet paper • Restaurant/bar/room service e.g. comfort of seating, use of organic ingredients, decor
Along the way, Farrah will be blogging and tweeting about her experiences, providing photography, hotel reviews and video footage to include interviews with hotel staff and customers. The public will be able to follow her business trip via the Hotel Inspector blog http://www.ebookers.com/travel-blog/.
Comments Steven Rice, Head off Offline Marketing for ebookers UK, France and Ireland: “Choosing the right hotel, be it for business or pleasure, can be a difficult and stressful job. So with this in mind we wanted to employ someone to determine objectively and frankly which one truly is the World’s ultimate hotel, based on a strict set of criteria. It’s a tough job but somebody has to do it and unfortunately we can’t all go so we’ll have to let Farrah do it for us. We’re all looking forward to reading her reviews along the way and uncovering the quirks and qualities of different hotels around the globe.”
Farrah Chaudhry, the ebookers.com Hotel Inspector comments: “When I saw the job advertised I just knew that I had to apply as it really is a dream position for me. I have a real passion for both hotels and writing and to combine them both in a professional role is really exciting for me.”
“I know that it is going to be a testing few weeks as I am visiting a number of hotels and countries in a relatively short period of time, but I can’t wait to start reviewing the hotels. It doesn’t matter whether it is a three star or a five star accommodation, I will be weighing up the pros and cons and going the extra mile to give ebookers customers an unbiased and informed review of each and every lodging. Be sure to follow me on the blog and of course, if you have any suggestions for where I can visit on the trip, send me a tweet!”
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed a franchise agreement to open a Hotel Indigo in Madrid – the first Hotel Indigo signing in Continental Europe.
Hotel Indigo Madrid is set to open in spring 2012. The 89-bedroom hotel, owned by Orion, will be situated in the centre of Madrid, close to the Opera House, the Almudena Cathedral and the main museums in the area. It also has easy access to the main conference centres and train stations, making it ideal for both business and leisure guests.Hotel Indigo is IHG’s newest hotel brand and offers guests boutique hotel design as well as the peace of mind they get from staying with a large hotel group. There are currently 34 hotels open and a further 52 are in the global pipeline. The brand began its global roll out in January 2009 in the UK with the opening of Hotel Indigo London Paddington.
The Hotel Indigo brand standards don’t dictate the number or size of rooms in a property, making it ideally suited to conversion properties. In the current economic environment, conversions are attractive to developers because they require less financing than new builds and can be up and running in a shorter period of time.
There are 30 IHG-branded hotels in Spain with three InterContinental hotels, one Crowne Plaza, four Holiday Inn and 22 Holiday Inn Express hotels. The Spanish capital of Madrid has 11 IHG-branded hotels. The introduction of Hotel Indigo Madrid and Crowne Plaza Madrid Airport will mean five of IHG’s brands are represented there.
IHG plans to open its first Hotel Indigo in Asia later this year. Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund is expected to open to guests in autumn. IHG has also signed the first Hotel Indigo in Southeast Asia. Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road is expected to open by the end of 2012.
Great Hotels of the World and Special Hotels of the World are pleased to welcome a number of impressive new members into their hotel alliances.THE FOLLOWING HOTELS JOIN GREAT HOTELS OF THE WORLD AS NEW MEMBERS
Vogue Hotel Avantgarde, Antalya, Turkey One of Antalya’s newest and most elegant resorts, Vogue Hotel Avantgarde is situated in the Kemer region, 30 km from Antalya city centre and 45 km from Antalya Airport. The five star deluxe property boasts 366 rooms ranging from suites to penthouses and 40 luxury villas as well as a spa centre including a snow room, steam room, sauna, Jacuzzi and Turkish bath.
Vale d’Oliveiras Quinta Resort & Spa, Lagao, Portugal Located near Carvoeiro and 45 minutes from Faro International Airport, Vale d’Oliveiras Quinta Resort & Spa is a 5-star resort set in nine acres of beautiful and tranquil gardens offering contemporary accommodation, a restaurant, two bars, tennis courts and a fully equipped spa and health club and spa. The hotel’s spacious accommodation consists of 80 luxurious one and two bedroom family suites, two suites and 22 hotel rooms, all equipped to the highest standards of luxury.
Royal Olympic Hotel, Athens, Greece This family-run five star property is ideally located in the centre of Athens, situated just in front of the Temple of Zeus and the National Gardens and close to the Acropolis. The 264 rooms include executive rooms, Athenia panorama rooms and suites and all are spacious and elegantly decorated and all with beautiful views.
Sandton Sun, Johannesburg, South Africa Situated in Sandton, the heart of Johannesburg’s new central business district, the 334-room Sandton Sun offers superior service, world-class facilities and central location for business travellers and meeting and incentive groups. One of only two 5* hotels in the city, Sandton Sun is recognised as Africa’s leading business hotel and South Africa’s leading business hotel at the World Travel Awards 2009 and in addition to having direct access to one of the largest convention centres in the country, the hotel also boasts 11 on-site meeting and events facilities catering for over 1000 delegates.
THE FOLLOWING HOTELS JOIN SPECIAL HOTELS OF THE WORLD AS NEW MEMBERS
Hotel Calipolis, Sitges, Spain Situated on the seafront of Sitges on the Catalan coast and just 38km from Barcelona, the Hotel Calipolis enjoys a truly exceptional coastal location. The hotel offers a range of 170 spacious rooms and suites and two restaurants both with stunning sea views. Sea view rooms offer a private terrace with spectacular views of the Mediterranean sea while suites offer the best panoramic view in Sitges.
Austria Trend Hotel Savoyen Vienna, Austria The design of the Hotel Savoyen is reflected in an impressive blend of tradition and modernity. Housed in the former building of the Austrian State Print, the hotel represents an architectural bridge from the past to the future. The hotel’s atrium, with its lounge and bar, is the focal point of the hotel. From this point, guests access the hotel’s 309 comfortably appointed rooms and suites, as well as the Fitness & Vitality Area.
Continental Hotel Zara ****Superior, Budapest, Hungary This brand new four star superior design hotel is located in central Budapest and offers 272 rooms inspired by art deco design. Ideal for business travellers and meeting and incentive groups, the hotel features five well equipped conference rooms and high-end business services all featuring state-of-the-art facilities.
After two years of renovation, the Novotel Amsterdam City officially opened on May 27th. The hotel, the largest in the capital of the Netherlands, has 600 rooms and more than 1,300 m² of space in its Conference Centre.Numerous areas for relaxation are available to guests, offering a warm, colourful, modern touch in two completely refurbished restaurants, the coffee corner and the bar. Visitors can choose from snacks served at the bar, Asian dishes prepared in the open kitchen of the “Shoyu” or world cuisine at the brand new Restaurant @ Novotel concept.
The hotel also features meeting facilities with an unusually large capacity. The Conference Centre, which extends over 1,385 m², can be adapted to suit every requirement: it can be used as a large conference hall or several smaller rooms, for a total capacity of 1,000 people. The first floor also contains ten small meeting rooms.
Situated in the heart of Amsterdam’s business district, not far from the RAI and WTC convention centres, the hotel is equipped with all the latest Novotel facilities including the “Web Corner on a Mac”and free Internet access as well as a new “In Balance Fitness by Novotel” centre.
PROOF Consultancy are proud to have recently completed the Novotel Amsterdam City Hotel with the Accor Netherlands team and Boparai architects. PROOF, who have worked with Accor since 2004, liaised closely with Accor HQ Paris when developing this new look for Novotel. Recent Novotel’s in Rotterdam and Eindhoven saw PROOF trial some of these ideas before implementation on a much larger scale at Amsterdam City.
The resulting interiors now embody the continued thrust by Accor to reaffirm Novotel’s position as an innovative and modern offer and an ‘early adopter’ of new technologies.
Preliminary master-planning took place throughout 2006, with Concept Design commencing 2007. As the plan was well resolved operationally it allowed the Concept to stay largely intact throughout.
The scope covered 4000+ sq metres of public space including an all new conferencing wing, 2 receptions, cafe, 16 metre long bar, Asian grill, 2 restaurants, Wellness facility, crew lounge, and meeting suites.
PROOF Consultancy are currently working on the phased upgrade of all public spaces at Accor’s UK Novotel flagship – London West.
Horizon Properties Group, LLC, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Horizon Hospitality, LLC and Choice Hotels International, Inc. has recently celebrated the “topping off” milestone of the new Cambria Suites Pittsburgh hotel. The 142-suite hotel is located on Centre Avenue adjacent to the new Consol Energy Center and is expected to open in December of this year. “Now that we’re nearing completion, we can feel the rising excitement and interest in the area,” said Rodney Piatt, CEO of Horizon Properties Group. “This Cambria Suites hotel has become a catalyst for revitalizing the Uptown section of Pittsburgh.”
The Cambria Suites hotel brings the latest in hotel innovation to the Pittsburgh area. Each room is larger than most standard hotel rooms, with separate work and living areas with ergonomic chairs, movable desks, luxury linens, and Bath & Body Works(R) products. In addition, the property will feature an 1800 square foot, three bedroom and three bathroom presidential suites with one of a kind skyline views of downtown Pittsburgh – a first for the brand. A 7th floor concierge lounge will offer a wet bar, flat screen LCD televisions and lounge space for guests to use and enjoy. The hotel will also have an exclusive 143 space onsite parking garage with access to the Consol Energy Center for event patrons staying at the property.
“This hotel represents the growing momentum of the Cambria Suites brand,” said Kevin J. Lewis, president, Cambria Suites. “We’re particularly excited about this amazing downtown property and the opportunity to work with such well-respected local businesses.”
Like all Cambria Suites hotels, the Pittsburgh property will feature: Reflect, a contemporary bistro-style restaurant that features a full barista coffee bar and serves breakfast and dinner; Refresh, a state-of-the-art fitness center with an indoor pool and spa; and Refill, a 24-hour sundry shop that stocks freshly prepared “grab ‘n’ go” gourmet salads and sandwiches, as well as typical convenience items and healthy and organic foods.
Armour Home’s Systemline brand has once more been chosen as the system of choice as part of a magnificent prestige residential development in Guernsey.
The Royal Terrace, a Long Port Group development, comprising 48 luxury apartments and 8 penthouses with panoramic views over St Peter Port’s picturesque marinas and across the sea to Guernsey’s sister isles, is a truly outstanding example of luxury and style coalescing with the highest quality technical and environmental know-how. An E-LIFE project, each new property on the Royal Terrace is built to an excellent specification with the very best in fittings and finishes and is equipped with the latest in home technology, giving the owner total control over the environment and comfort in their home than ever thought possible. Each apartment is pre-wired for a range of E-LIFE audio visual packages which can be tailored to the owner’s requirements. Multi-room music, home cinema options, bathroom TVs, high definition TV and high speed internet access means Royal Terrace is fully equipped with the latest technology.
Armour Home’s Systemline HomeNet enclosures are installed as standard with provision for broadband and phone lines fed throughout each Royal Terrace property. All apartments are also pre-cabled for Systemline Modular with option packages from basic audio distribution and control, through to full touch screen automation including the heating and lighting controls.
The Systemline HomeNet enclosures provide the central hub from which all incoming services are distributed via Cat5e and coaxial cables throughout the home. The central enclosures provide maximum flexibility – integrating home automation with the ability to house the market leading multi-room audio and video hubs from Systemline Modular. Once installed in the home, the Systemline HomeNet system provides a future proof infrastructure linking multiple computers, telephones, audio and video equipment.
Systemline Modular offers the ideal multi room system, with the ability to listen or watch whatever you want to, in any room of your home. The solution is a non-intrusive, discreet system – literally built-in to the fabric of your home in much the same way as central heating, lighting or plumbing. All that you would typically see are very discreet flush mounted ceiling speakers and elegant in-wall keypads rather than a mishmash of boxes intruding into your living space. Systemline Modular Home Entertainment systems comply with all required building regulations and are installed to the highest possible standards. In just 5 years, Systemline Modular has chalked up an impressive 10,000 installations in new-home developments throughout the UK and Éire.
‘Somnus’, the Roman God of sleep, Lord Mayor of Chester, Cllr Neil Ritchie and MP for Chester, Stephen Mosley officially opened Travelodge’s fourth hotel in Chester on the 11th August. The 160-room hotel, located on Delamere Street, Chester; represents an £8.1m investment for the city and has created 20 new jobs.To celebrate the opening of its fourth Travelodge hotel in Chester, the retailer of sleep invited Chester’s Roman God of Sleep, Somnus and his colleague the Roman Goddess of Night, Nyx to host a traditional Latin ‘Sleep Blessing Ceremony’ – to ensure all customers get a good night’s sleep whilst staying at the hotel. The ceremony service included a bespoke sleep poem, tips on how to get a good night’s sleep and sleep inducing music was provided by the God’s Horn Player. (The God’s soldiers also attended the event).
To meet the high demand for budget accommodation from Chester’s strong tourist and business economy, Travelodge has doubled its sites within the city in less than 12 months. As well as the opening of Chester Central Delamere Street, the hotel chain has acquired the Innkeeper’s Lodge on Warrington Road, Chester which will be transformed into a Travelodge hotel in the next couple of months.
Chester’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Neil Ritchie commented: “I’m delighted to formally open the fourth Travelodge in Chester and I am pleased to see that despite the current economic difficulties we face, businesses are still willing to invest within the city. The hotel will also provide much needed employment opportunities in the local area as well as attracting more visitors to Chester.”
Sara Evans, Chester Central Delamere Street’s Hotel Manager, commented: “I am really excited about opening our fourth hotel in Chester. We have seen a high demand for low cost accommodation within the area, which is why we have doubled our hotel sites in less than 12 months. We offer rooms from £19 which make is more affordable for business and leisure travellers visiting the city.”
Travelodge, the UK’s fastest growing budget hotel chain, today announced the biggest transaction in the hotel sector since 2008, by acquiring the leases of 52 Innkeeper’s Lodges (1,994 rooms) from restaurant and pub operator Mitchells & Butlers. This deal will boost Travelodge’s estate to 452 hotels and increase its room stock to 30,504 across the UK, Ireland and Spain. The 52 UK hotels, which include a number of grade ll listed buildings, range from 21 to 85 rooms and are adjacent to a Mitchells & Butlers restaurant and pub.
Travelodge will seek to retain all 430 staff from Mitchells & Butlers and will look to recruit a further 115 positions, which include 25 hotel manager roles and 90 hotel staff.
Travelodge has signed a 25 year lease on the properties and will embark on a £10 million investment programme to convert the hotels to bring them in line with the Travelodge brand. This investment will include: building new reception areas, replacing all the beds and decorating the hotels.
It is anticipated that the hotels will be fully operational under the Travelodge brand within four months and rooms will be available from £19 in line with Travelodge’s pricing policy.
Travelodge’s Executive Chairman, Grant Hearn said: “This innovative deal represents the whole of last year’s growth in one move and highlights Travelodge’s excellent position coming out of the recession. I believe this deal also signifies a great move for Mitchells & Butlers as they refocus on value and growth from their core pub brands. We are very excited to be part of such a ground breaking deal.”
“We have an aggressive growth plan in place and with this acquisition we are on track to more than double the size of Travelodge hotels over the next ten years. We hope to explore further opportunities like this deal with other similar businesses.”
“All 52 properties are great additions to the Travelodge brand and each location will draw on both the business and leisure markets. We look forward to working alongside Mitchells & Butlers in driving new customers to our hotels and their restaurants and pubs.”
The list below illustrates the locations of the 52 Innkeeper’s Lodges Travelodge is acquiring.
Carlson has recently announced the further expansion of its India portfolio with the opening of its 30th hotel, the 201-room Radisson Hotel Indore. Situated in the business hub of Indore, the hotel is a 20-minute drive from the Devi Ahilyabai airport and 25 kilometres from the industrial centres of Dewas and Pithampur, one of Asia’s largest industrial areas.“The Radisson brand is famous for its vibrant, contemporary and engaging hospitality characterised by the Yes I Can! service philosophy. This hotel opening marks Carlson’s accelerated growth in India as part of our Ambition 2015 global growth strategy to expand our portfolio by at least 50 percent by 2015 to more than 1,500 hotels in operation,” said K.B. Kachru, executive vice president, Carlson, Hotels, South Asia.
Owned by strategic partner Bestech Hospitalities Private Limited in India, the Radisson Hotel Indore is one of four projects Carlson is partnering on with the group in the country. Carlson currently manages the Radisson Suites Gurgaon and Park Plaza Noida, and will also manage the Radisson Hotel Nagpur scheduled to open in the first half of 2011.
“We are very proud of our strategic alliance with Carlson. With its exceptional hospitality experience, the Radisson Hotel Indore will bring value to the overall development of Indore and add a new dimension to the already established hospitality culture of the city,” said Dharmendra Bhandari, managing director, Bestech Hospitalities Private Limited.
“The hotel has been designed by Singapore headquartered design firm DBTA International Pte Ltd and will be the pride and benchmark of true hospitality in Indore,” said Sunil Satija, managing director, The Bestech Group.
Featuring 18 suites and 183 stylish and spacious rooms, the Radisson Hotel Indore offers a contemporary setting for the modern day business or leisure traveller. The hotel features several distinctive dining options, including The Creative Kitchen, an all-day restaurant serving global cuisine; The Great Kabab Factory, an Indian specialty restaurant offering a unique dining experience; The Lobby Bar, an ideal venue to unwind, offering an array of international spirits and wines; and The Cakewalk, presenting the finest cakes and pastries.
The Radisson Hotel Indore features a 38,000 square feet area for conferences, meetings and social gatherings, and can accommodate up to 1,000 people. Another key highlight is the extensive wellness facilities located on the hotel’s landscaped roof top, offering a breathtaking view of the city and comprising a swimming pool, gym with yoga room and a world class spa offering a range of therapies.
Award-winning tourist attraction, Drayton Manor Theme Park, near Tamworth, Staffordshire, has launched a live photo stream, to keep interested parties updated with the step-by-step construction of its multi-million pound hotel development. The photo updates can be viewed at www.draytonmanor60th.co.uk/hotel.php The photos enable website visitors to see the hotel throughout all stages of its development, quickly and with ease.
Halesowen-based, A & H Construction & Development, were appointed by the park to build the new 150-bedroom hotel, which is scheduled to open summer 2011.
The hotel will be managed by Chardon Management and will feature themed bedrooms, based on the hugely popular children’s brand Thomas & Friends™, which will compliment the park’s Thomas Land™ attraction. It will also include conferencing and hospitality facilities, two restaurants, a coffee shop and a crèche, which will see the hotel in use all year round.
Colin Bryan, Managing Director, Drayton Manor Theme Park, comments: “The photo stream is a great way for interested parties to see the hotel development take place. Starting from the large steelworks being erected to when the hotel gets its finishing touches, all stages of the development programme will be there for the public to see.”
CS Contract Furniture has been manufacturing bespoke benches designed by Wales & Wales for many years. A specialist partnership has now been formed between the two established companies to design, manufacture and market a design-led collection of benches.The benches are suitable for outdoor and indoor spaces, enhancing the local environment. Already featured in prominent developments such as Canary Wharf, the Eden Project and Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art, Rod and Alison Wales are looking forward to forming a closer relationship with specifiers by working alongside the CS Sales team.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is growing its boutique hotel portfolio, opening a new Hotel Indigo in London situated moments from the city’s iconic Tower Bridge. Located on Minories in the City of London, between Aldgate and the Tower of London, Hotel Indigo London Tower Hill has 44 bedrooms and two suites. The converted office building will offer guests easy access to the city’s most famous sights, with excellent transport links to London’s airports and train stations. Owned by the Thai Square Group, the hotel has eight floors with a bar, two restaurants and views over Tower Bridge from the top floors.
Hotel Indigo is IHG’s newest hotel brand and offers guests boutique hotel design with the peace of mind they get from staying with a large hotel group. There are 34 hotels open worldwide and 53 more planned including four new hotels in the UK. The brand began its global roll out last year with the opening of Hotel Indigo London Paddington in January 2009.
All Hotel Indigo properties have a unique character. Brand standards don’t dictate the number or size of rooms, making it ideally suited to conversion properties. Conversions are attractive to developers because they require less financing than new builds and can be up and running in a shorter period of time.
In October last year, IHG signed two new Hotel Indigo properties in Glasgow and Liverpool. Hotel Indigo Glasgow with 96 bedrooms and the 151-room Hotel Indigo Liverpool are both scheduled to open in spring 2011.
Hotel Indigo first launched in Atlanta in 2004. IHG plans to open its first Hotel Indigo in Asia later this year. Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund is expected to open to guests in autumn. IHG has also signed the first Hotel Indigo in Southeast Asia. Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road is expected to open by the end of 2012.
ScotHot 2011 has announced the launch of the first ever IDA Young Commercial Designer of the Year Competition in association with the British Contract Furnishing Association (BCFA) and the Interior Design Association (IDA). The winner will not only be awarded the prestigious title but will also have their design built in the BCFA Interiors and Design Pavilion @ ScotHot 2011 giving them the opportunity to showcase their work in front of more than 8,000 hospitality professionals and buyers, as well as the panel of judges, comprising a team of industry experts. Also up for grabs is a £1,000 cash prize.
The challenge for entrants is to design a 6m x 4m bedroom, including en-suite bathroom, for a four or five star refurbished boutique hotel. Maximum budget for the design is £25,000 and with sustainability a key focus for ScotHot 2011, designers must take in to account origin and air miles of their materials but keep full product lifecycle sustainability the most important factor. Points will be awarded to those who use UK suppliers and no products are to be sourced from outside Europe.
Entrants must be under 30 years old and detail all aspects of the room design including technology, surfaces, fabrics, and furniture, with specific emphasis on how the room design enhances the guest’s overall enjoyment of their stay and how they meet the sustainability criteria.
The panel of judges features some of the country’s top designers including Colin Watson of the Interior Design Association, Kate Mooney of Occa Design, Stephan Oberwegner of Max Bentheim, Jim Hamilton of Graven Images and Ronnie Burns of Burns Interior Design along with industry experts such as Kiki Max of Wyndham Hotels. Two highly commended candidates will also have the opportunity to mount their designs in the BCFA Interiors and Design Pavilion @ ScotHot 2011.
ScotHot is Scotland’s only hospitality interiors, tourism and catering event and attracts over 8,000 trade only professionals at the SECC in Glasgow ranging from hotels, restaurants, clubs, bars, schools, colleges and universities. With over 175,000 people employed in hotels and restaurants and 16m tourists a year, hospitality is one of Scotland’s key industries. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of leading professionals representing this very vibrant and dynamic sector.
The closing date for entries is 22nd October 2010
For further information on how to enter please see: www.scothot.co.uk
Langham Hotels International has recently announced plans to open The Langham, Xintiandi, Shanghai, in October, marking the debut of its second property in the city.Located in the elegant and lively Xintiandi district, with its glamorous designer boutiques, art galleries, eclectic restaurants and bars, The Langham will occupy an outstanding new landmark building with interiors by leading hospitality designer, Peter Remedios. The property features panoramic views over the renowned Shikumen storefronts of Old Shanghai that are literally across the road. The 24-storey luxury hotel pays tribute to the city’s heritage and traditions while embracing the best in today’s luxury comforts and attractions.
The Langham’s 357 elegant rooms including 23 suites will feature charming yet practical luxurious touches that have been a hallmark of The Langham since it was founded in 1865.
Three new restaurants and bars designed to indulge every desire for the finer things in life will also open. These include a lifestyle bar – XTD Elevated – set on a terrace overlooking Xintiandi complete with cabanas and day beds for lounging and Ming Court – serving a gourmet’s choice of Cantonese and Shanghainese specialities. Meanwhile, Cachet – an innovative concept introducing five stylish experiences in one distinctive space will touch the senses from dawn until the early hours. These include a lounge for the perfect signature Langham afternoon tea, a Café for international culinary dining, a Juice Bar for a refreshing pick-me-up, a Martini Bar for an evening tonic and Alfresco – an outdoor terrace to see and be seen.
To relax, guests can also experience pampering treatments in Chuan Spa – the world’s only global luxury spa operation based on the healing philosophies of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Alternatively, guests can work out in the modern gym that’s open conveniently 24 hours or dip in the 25-metre indoor pool.
The Langham, Xintiandi features one of the most modern high-ceiling grand ballrooms in the city and an additional 8 large meeting spaces which can be tailored to ensure every event captivates the senses. At the heart of this enchanting facility lies the interactive event centre and sales suite which sees every event custom-made with elegant precision and stylishly served by our meeting concierges.
This new flagship will be the 21st property in the rapidly expanding Langham Hotels International global portfolio. Brett Butcher, Chief Executive Officer for Langham Hotels International said: “We’re delighted to be expanding The Langham brand in China with an iconic new property marking the start of a journey that will see the group become recognised as a leader in luxury hospitality in China.”
JAB Anstoetz introduces Coco, its new high pile carpet and rug collection. With varying pile lengths and textures and a range of colours this collection instantly adds sophistication to any scheme. For an extra contemporary twist, the rugs can be decorated with varying amounts of stainless steel squares, positioned as per an existing design or as the customer requires.
Opening in August 2010, on West 44th Street in the heart of New York City’s theatre district, The Chatwal salutes the New York City “baby grand” hotels of a bygone era, with unparalleled accommodations and a fresh perspective. The landmark Stanford White-designed building was home to the famous Lambs Club, America’s first professional theatre club.Beautifully restored and modernized by Master Architect and Designer Thierry Despont, The Chatwal’s guest rooms have custom-designed contemporary luxuries and ultra-modern technology while meticulously recreating 1930’s Deco design. This is the first ever hotel in New York to be designed from top-to-bottom by Despont.
Everything about The Chatwal evokes the glamour of early 20th century travel and New York Empire Art Deco. Original features have been brilliantly incorporated into the new design; from the restored façade and striking floor-to-ceiling fireplace located in the restaurant, to the use of chrome metal details, original oak panelled walls and beams; to leather detailing inspired by the craftsmanship of 20th century malletier travel trunk designers, suede walls and exquisitely furnished private outdoor terraces accessed by Fench doors, with radiant heat and private awnings for ultimate privacy.
The first member of the prestigious Leading Hotels of the World in Manhattan’s theatre district, the opening of The Chatwal New York also marks the launch of Sant Chatwal’s new luxury hotel brand, The Chatwal – with plans in the works for additional luxury properties in the UK and India.
“A hotel and its general manager have been ordered to pay out more than £40,000 in fines and costs after a blaze led to the discovery of numerous fire safety failures at the premises. Park Hotel Limited and its manager, Ashwin Ratan, pleaded guilty to ten offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, in a prosecution mounted by Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service.The court heard that the problems at The Park Hotel – a bed and breakfast housed in a Victorian-styled building in Leicester city centre – came to light following a fire in August 2009. It was found that no one employed by the hotel initiated a formal evacuation procedure when the fire alarm sounded, but rather residents had to evacuate themselves informally. Given the extensive smoke logging, this could have been extremely serious and resulted in serious injury or death to a number of residents.
In addition, the fire alarm could not be heard in the basement area of the premises, where the on-site staff lived.
They were unaware of the fire until one of the residents went down to the basement to warn them. It was also established that, on the evening of the fire, the general manager had decided it was not necessary to have a night porter on duty between the hours of midnight and 7am – a decision that was taken in order to cut costs.
A post-fire inspection of the premises revealed other failures, including: the fire risk assessment was inadequate; none of the fire doors in the building were fitted with intumescent strips or cold smoke seals, and some were wedged open; and a number of the wooden steps to the rear fire escape were either loose or partially rotten in places.
Park Hotel Limited was fined £29,715 with £8,000 costs, while Mr Ratan was fined £2,985 with £380 costs.”
(Article credit: Fire Protection Association. For independent advice and guidance on managing fire safety in your workplace please visit www.thefpa.co.uk)
Hotel owners should be aware that there this case is part of a recent increase in activity by Fire Brigades seeking prosecutions under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
One of the largest fines to date went to The Co-operative Group for what a judge described as ‘a lamentable approach to Fire Safety’ at its Hampshire stores. The fine including costs totalled £210,000 for a total of six breaches of fire safety law, including locked Fire Exit doors.
Elsewhere a Chinese Restaurant in Tadworth was fined £26,000 plus £13,000, whilst Chalk Lane Hotel in Surrey was fined £20,000 including costs. In both cases inadequate fire risk assessment were listed as common failures.
Legal note
From 6 April 2010 all employers have a statutory duty to consider the capability of worker(s) who carry out tasks or assignments related to fire safety under the Fire Safety (Employees’ Capabilities) (England) Regulations 2010.
This is in addition to employers’ general duties to carry out health and safety risk assessments and fire safety risk assessments, and to review them regularly. An assessment of capability should already be an implicit part of those risk assessments, so the new regulations only serve to make it explicit in relation to fire safety.
Employers need to be aware that using their own trained but unqualified staff may be adequate for very basic premises; more complex premises should be assessed by qualified Fire Engineers. Many Risk Assessments are carried out by retired Fire Service personal and employers assume that these individuals are suitably qualified. However, it is often the case that they have only ever worked as operational fire-fighters and are not qualified in Fire Safety Engineering, nor are they up to date with Current Building Regulations.
In order to comply we would recommend that anyone you employ is suitably qualified in both surveying and fire safety measures.
Noel Cowards ‘Brief Encounter’ was set on a railway platform in which a couple waiting for different trains fall for one another. Returning to Bratislava after a six year absence rekindles affections in another brief encounter. We left Kitzbühel to drive the 300 miles to Bratislava on a morning with glorious sunshine, in sharp contrast to the Austrian monsoon we had been enjoying. The first half of the journey was through the valleys along minor roads, before switching to motorways for some fast cruising; all relatively trouble free until we arrived in Bratislava.
I last was here some 6 years ago to review Rezidor’s Carlton in the centre of the old town, and again drove here. This time we chose an hotel in the suburbs not to Review, but just as a night stop on our way to the High Tatra mountains on the border between Slovakia and Poland. The changes apparent in Bratislava on arriving in the city, and on the road out eastwards, are stunning.
First of all there is a new motorway, not on my three year old satnav. Not only that but a new set of inner roads lined with car dealerships, stores etc. showing the increased affluence now evident in this, one of the newest European capitals. The area the hotel is in is primarily residential, with street cafes and bars speaking of the adoption of a relaxed European lifestyle that on my previous visit I thought would take 15 years to take root here after years of totalitarian rule. This small country has transformed itself in six.
Hilton Worldwide has signed a Management Agreement with Dead Sea Resorts PSC for the new-build Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa in Jordan, scheduled to open in Q4 2013, as well as the existing King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre.The 285-room new-build waterfront resort is located on the east coast of Jordan overlooking the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth. The property is adjacent and linked to the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre, a state-of-the-art meetings facility famed for hosting the 2009 World Economic Forum on the Middle East. Hilton Worldwide will start operating the convention centre soon.
The Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa is part of Emaar International Jordan’s Samarah Dead Sea Resort, an integrated community which, aside from the hotel, will house 1,000 residences, retail and leisure facilities. The hotel’s location within this development is the North Rift, adjacent to a Wadi (a valley) on the Dead Sea waterfront.
Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa will feature seven food and beverage outlets including three restaurants (all-day dining, and two specialty outlets) and four bars. Leisure facilities include a health club, spa, outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts and a kids club.
In tandem with the company’s renowned Hilton Meetings product, the hotel will house two meeting rooms of 100 sq.m each, a business centre and Hilton Executive Lounge. With almost 5,000 m2 of meeting space and 23,000 m2 of built-up area spread over three stories comprising 27 meeting rooms, the Convention Centre is one of the largest in the region.
Tourism is a vital sector of Jordan’s economy, with tourism related revenues representing approximately 14% of the country’s GDP. International arrivals have been growing steadily, to over seven million tourists in 2008.
Langham Place, Beijing Capital Airport opens on August 16, 2010 with a bold new mission: to revolutionize the way we see airport hotels.Featuring DJs in the lobby, loft-style apartments and a stimulating 24-hour high-tech environment for work and play, Langham Place, Beijing Capital Airport will be the first airport hotel in the world to make downtown guests green with envy.
“We are not just creating a convenient stopover hotel but one of the most fun places to be in the capital of the world’s largest nation.” said General Manager Mark Francis. “We aim to make staying at the airport in Beijing an exciting thing to do!”
Cutting edge design, state-of-the-art technology and heaps of attitude are the hallmarks of this up-to-the-minute five-star lifestyle hotel that is situated right next to Beijing Capital International Airport’s iconic Sir Norman Foster-designed Terminal 3, just 10 minutes to the New China International Exhibition Centre and a mere 15-minute ride to the city on the Airport Express Railway.
The hotel also embraces the culture of Beijing with an art gallery showcasing unique contemporary Chinese artwork and a LIFE! boutique selling a selection of quirky and cool local designer and Langham Place branded gifts.
All 372 stylish guest rooms and suites (45 sq m – 300 sq m) are luxuriously appointed with signature Dream Big Beds, marble bathrooms with oversized baths and separate walk-in rain showers and gadgets galore like internet protocol phones, iPod docs, large flat-panel TVs, DVD / CD players, and WiFi.
Club perks are taken to new heights with the massive and exclusive two-level Club L lounge open around the clock and serving complimentary breakfast, all-day snacks, afternoon tea and evening cocktails and canapés, and providing useful and entertaining extras such as a boardroom, internet pods, a pool table and game stations.
Bars and restaurants include the 24-hour bar and internet hub Portal – Work & Play which allows guest to blur the boundaries between business and pleasure by accessing WiFi on big screens in a relaxed and fun setting. A more elegant Chinese dining experience is on offer at Ming Court, while The Place serves favourites from around the world. Guests can also rock into the night at Fuel which features hot bands and DJs and big screens for sporting events. And there’s more to come next March when interactive Japanese Robatayaki & Bar, Tokoro, opens.
There’s no excuse for not keeping fit either with the jetlag and stress-busting 24-hour Cardio Studio, equipped with the latest in revival technology, the greatest personal trainers and the loveliest lakeside views.
The hotel is perfect for meetings and events with over 2,700 sq m of gorgeous natural-light-filled function space ranging from 40 sq m to 800 sq m for anything from high-powered corporate meetings to the most glamorous of weddings, gala dinners and cocktail receptions.
Travellers can take advantage of the complimentary airport shuttle bus service. Painted from top to bottom in the trademark Langham pink, even the hotel’s buses have attitude!
Will Chelsom has been appointed a Director of Chelsom Ltd as it strengthens its position as a world supplier of lighting to the contract marketplace.
After spearheading a move into the cruise ship industry, including appointing sales personnel in Miami, the world’s cruise capital, Will has taken a key role in developing the company’s position in this growing market. Over recent years, Will has also opened up the Russian market for Chelsom through Moscow by securing distributors for both the contract industry and high end retail sectors. To continue this major sales drive, Will is organising a large exhibition of Chelsom’s latest collections which will take place in Moscow later in the year.
Winning and managing large prestige contracts, such as the Four Seasons London, the Savoy Hotel London and the P&O Cruise ships Ventura and Azura has given Will a solid understanding of the industry as well as a high profile as Ambassador of Chelsom within the hospitality arena.
Managing Director Robert Chelsom comments, “I am absolutely delighted that Will has become part of the Board of Directors. Since joining the company, he has had involvement in every part of the business, which has equipped him with the knowledge he needs to undertake his new role.
“Will has been heavily involved with me in product design and development for the new Edition 22 collection and his input has given the whole project a new perspective. Will is looking forward to having more input into the company’s future strategy through his new role, and to having an even greater involvement with the 2012 range!”
exterior-interior are pleased to announce that they, with Extremis, will be taking part in the capital’s celebrations as part of The London Design Festival this September at Portobello Dock.As part of the Global Industry at the Dock event we will be displaying some familiar favourites from Extremis and will also be showcasing a selection of their new products never before seen in the UK including Kosmos, Abachus, Qrater, Alea and Romeo and Juliet.
For more information, please contact exterior-interior via their page in the Directory.
The Courtyard by Marriott Bremen has opened under a franchise agreement with Baum Hotelbetrieb Bremen GmbH. The 155-room hotel is centrally located steps from the Bremen Main Station the beautiful Bürgerpark, making it an ideal location to explore the sights of the Hanseatic city. The Courtyard Bremen was built within the renovated walls of the historic Lloyd Building, which dates back to 1913 and was formerly used as a railway building for emigrants beginning their journey to the United States. 70 guestrooms are located in the historical building and a newly constructed wing houses the additional 85 guestrooms and 380 square meters of meeting space boasting natural daylight. The hotel’s modern lobby extends to a glass enclosed “boulevard” connecting the historical and conference buildings. Opening rates at the Courtyard Bremen begin from 99 euro (USD $129) per night.
With more than 40 properties and over 7,000 rooms throughout Europe, the Courtyard by Marriott brand is positioned for major development as Marriott works towards its goal of doubling its presence in Europe by 2015. “We are excited to add the Courtyard Bremen to our growing portfolio in Germany and to be represented in this dynamic and historic city,” said Amy McPherson, president and managing director for Marriott International in Europe. The hotel’s stylish guestrooms feature plush bedding, large desks, ergonomic chairs, refrigerators, and flat-screen televisions. For dining, the Courtyard Bremen boasts Lloyd’s, a modern bar and restaurant serving up international cocktails and cuisine. In addition, the hotel’s 24/7 market is open around the clock and offers drinks, sandwiches and snacks. Additional on-site amenities include a fitness center and business center.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. introduces style at a steal by announcing the opening of Aloft Chennai OMR-IT Expressway, the first Aloft hotel to open in India and the 42nd Aloft hotel globally. A second Aloft hotel opened on 1st August 2010 in Bangalore. Urbanedge Hotels, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) of Auromatrix Hotels Private Limited, plans to set up several properties of Aloft hotels in the country over the next few years.Starwood has reinvented hotel design with the debut of its newest brand, Aloft Hotels. With more than 40 hotels open since its June 2008 debut, the Aloft brand became the talk of the hospitality industry by going global while in launch mode, opening China’s Aloft Beijing Haidian and Aloft Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates in the brand’s first 15 months. Featuring large guest rooms, a buzzing bar scene, an urban-inspired grab-and go café and industrial design elements throughout, Aloft delivers urban-influenced, modern and vibrant design and an energetic guest experience at an affordable price point.
Aloft is Starwood’s design-led, social-experience brand that has enjoyed the fastest ramp-up of any brand in hotel history. As a young, tech-driven society, India will become a key market for the Aloft brand’s development outside of the United States.
Aloft Chennai OMR-IT Expressway features 130 spacious, loft-like rooms, accessible technology and a vibrant, social atmosphere. The hotel is located on the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), the hub for IT development in Chennai. The hotel is also adjacent to over 5,000 square feet of meeting space and a restaurant.
Aloft Bengaluru Whitefield will include 170 rooms, and access to a large restaurant as well as more than 8,500 square feet of meeting space. The hotel will be located in Whitefield, Bangalore, one of the city’s two major clusters of IT industries, home to several IT parks and an export promotion zone.
Building on the recent success of Melbourne’s six star Green Star Convention and Exhibition Centre in Australia, Woods Bagot is poised to reach new heights in Convention Centre design by creating a dynamic and highly artistic solution for Shijiazhuang City’s new cultural landmark.The culturally-focused mixed use precinct will serve to showcase Shijiazhuang as a global destination for conference delegates and tourists by re-activating the City’s underdeveloped coastal region. Whilst convention precincts in surrounding cities remain under utilized, the design is expected to maximize the Chinese government’s generous investment with its emphasis on stimulating and revitalizing 190, 000m2 of the local urban fabric. Moreover, the architects will deliver a level of sustainability and design excellence in built form that will be fundamental to strengthening Shijiazhuang’s international profile.
Employing a filed pattern reminiscent of traditional Chinese ‘broken ice’ screens, the design language developed by Woods Bagot has been applied to the whole site – working across the grounds, moving outward to the tip’s river surrounds to create a randomly split, abstract appearance when viewed aerially.
Tied together by a fully enclosed and air-conditioned concourse spine, the precinct facilities will comprise 100,000m2 of premium grade international standard exhibition space, 60,000m2 of high quality convention facilities (including a state-of-the-art plenary), and 30,000m2 auxiliary spaces.
A landmark tower reaching upwards of 330m is conveniently located adjacent to the central Exhibition and Convention Centre on an independent 4ha of land. The tower will house a 5-star hotel, serviced apartments and premium grade office space.
ABode, the four star boutique hotel group member of Epoque Hotels opens its doors to Chester this Summer 2010 with a new site offering a selection of luxury rooms and suites along with choice of fine food venues, created by Michelin-starred chef, Michael Caines. The 85 room hotel, conveniently situated adjacent to Chester’s popular ‘Roodee’ racecourse offers a stylish and contemporary base for visitors to explore the city’s unique mix of Roman ruins, gothic grandeur of Chester Cathedral as well as fabulous boutiques nested amongst The Rows, the historic two-tier shopping galleries. Located in the centre of the city, ABode Chester also makes an ideal location for trips venturing into the Welsh countryside or nearby cities, Liverpool and Manchester.
ABode Chester is the sixth venue from the ABode stable which provides customers with a choice of accommodation suites from Comfortable through to Fabulous and dining options from Tavern through to Restaurant with price points to suit every budget. Featuring bespoke art collections created by celebrity photographer, Brian Aris, the venue captures modern style with an eclectic mixture of art pieces to make each room unique.
The multi million pound hotel development is located in Chester’s new HQ complex overlooking the River Dee and now offers visitors to Chester a first class eating and drinking establishment in the heart of the city. Featuring floor to ceiling windows, the fifth floor Michael Caines Champagne Bar and Restaurant at ABode Chester captures breath taking views from the city as far as the Welsh Hills. The 76 seat restaurant offers private dining facilities as well as the opportunity to dine an al fresco on the outside terrace. With a commitment to sourcing local produce guests can choose from à la carte, tasting and ‘grazing’ menus to sample Michael’s award winning British cuisine.
The hotel is ABode’s first new build yet fuses the unique heritage of the Chester site within a modern setting with original Roman remains dating back to 79AD which were discovered on site being showcased at the entrance to HQ. Three sixth floor Fabulous suites are spaciously fitted to offer exceptional comfort with state of the art hand-built beds and oversized baths along with private balconies to give views of the racecourse, piazza and Chester city.
Chef Michael Caines says, “We are delighted to open ABode’s doors to Chester. The city has something for everyone in terms of historical and cultural interest as well as a thriving business community. We hope that ABode’s offering of contemporary accommodation and fine food venues will give visitors luxury that every budget can afford without compromise on quality.”
Noel Coward’s ‘Brief Encounter’ was set on a railway platform in which a couple waiting for different trains fall for one another. Returning to Bratislava after a six year absence rekindles affections in another brief encounter. We left Kitzbühel to drive the 300 miles to Bratislava on a morning with glorious sunshine, in sharp contrast to the Austrian monsoon we had been enjoying. The first half of the journey was through the valleys along minor roads, before switching to motorways for some fast cruising; all relatively trouble free until we arrived in Bratislava.
I last was here some 6 years ago to review Rezidor’s Carlton in the centre of the old town, and again drove here. This time we chose an hotel in the suburbs not to Review, but just as a night stop on our way to the High Tatra mountains on the border between Slovakia and Poland. The changes apparent in Bratislava on arriving in the city, and on the road out eastwards, are stunning.
First of all there is a new motorway, not on my three year old satnav. Not only that but a new set of inner roads lined with car dealerships, stores etc. showing the increased affluence now evident in this, one of the newest European capitals. The area the hotel is in is primarily residential, with street cafes and bars speaking of the adoption of a relaxed European lifestyle that on my previous visit I thought would take 15 years to take root here after years of totalitarian rule. This small country has transformed itself in six.
Conversations with the staff here and staff in the Kempinski High Tatras confirmed not only that the impression gained driving through the country was accurate but that they were proud of it and pleased it was noticed. Not difficult to miss the new homes being built throughout the drive, the new roads, new businesses that are springing up everywhere and the number of luxury cars appearing on the roads. This is a country that sees there is only one way – up, and they are taking it. Apollo is itself a symbol of this change. Built originally in 1968 under a previous political regime the hotel has, like the country itself, been transformed and rebuilt. Star of the hotel was the restaurant, and this has been modernised, with some humour. The hunter is represented by a fox on its hind legs clutching a rifle, but the game sold is beautifully cooked and presented, and I am beginning to regard the tender wild boar they serve here as an East European specialty.
Reception still has echoes of the past, or perhaps indicators of cultural differences but has been smartly refurbished, and the staff are friendly and responsive. Parking is in the private square outside where cars again speak of affluence, and the neighbouring buildings are being developed to relieve Bratislava’s housing shortage, or occupied by banks, opticians and dentists. Bedroom corridors and lifts have been refurbished, posters for Sean Scully and fashion plates from the ballet dominating. Doors have proximity locks and the card needs to be used in the lift ensuring guest security. There is free wifi reliably available at a desk that is well designed to accommodate a laptop etc.. Lighting is good and the bathrooms, whilst small are no different to the average Holiday Inn, providing a good power shower, and plenty of hot water.
Whilst European investment has undoubtedly spurred the redevelopment, especially of infrastructure such as railways and motorways, the Slovakians, with a new female Prime Minister have seized the opportunities capitalism has presented. Slovakia now produces more cars per head than any other country in Europe. Large Porsches, for example, are manufactured here and sent to Germany to have the badges added that qualify them as made in Germany. BMW’s corporate HQ is a dominant feature of the Bratislava skyline, and the refurbishment of this hotel is part of a boom in the hospitality industry that is beginning to happen in this attractive country.
Apollo may not win awards for design, but is professionally done to a high standard. Workmanship and detailing show designer and contractors know their business. A burgeoning ski run and mountain bike trail system as well as the urban attractions of Bratislava, growing business traffic , the mainstay of the Apollo, all are driving the tourist economy forward. It is great to see evidence that the return of democracy is generating a rise in living standards for Slovakians.
My brief encounter may turn into a long time love affair with this beautiful country…
The Sleep Event exhibition will house the successful Sleepotel which was launched last year with great results. The Sleepotel creates a virtual live hotel experience where leading designers, architects, suppliers and operators from around the world collaborate to bring the very latest in design concepts to life. This year the area has developed to showcase a reception, bar, restrooms and a selection of imaginatively designed bedrooms. MKV Design will use their interior design experience in the international hospitality sector to design a room within the Sleepotel.
More room concepts will be added to the Sleepotel during the next few months, creating an original design-led hotel experience that will provide inspiration and industry insight for all visitors.
The Sleep Event 2010, Europe’s only event dedicated to hotel design, development and architecture returns to the Business Design Centre, London from 24-25 November. As in previous years, the event incorporates a top level two day conference and the highly prestigious European Hotel Design Awards.
The design of a 142 bed boutique hotel on a prominent corner site opposite the Old Vic Theatre and within the Lower Marsh Conservation area has proved an interesting design challenge. The new hotel has had to incorporate a Grade II former fire station and re-establish a coherent corner on Waterloo Road blighted by insensitive post war office development. The challenge has been to design a new building without pretension or self effacement that is sensitive to its context in scale and materials and respectful to the scale of the Old Fire Station.In addition, Lambeth Planners required the retention of Pear Place as a memory of a former historic street, which has effectively divided the hotel into two parts. This has necessitated the hotel being linked by glass bridges across Pear Place at upper levels. The Old Fire Station remains substantially unaltered at ground floor level with the retention of bar / restaurant uses, with the upper floors converted to bedrooms.
The new build part of the hotel incorporates the majority of the bedrooms with meeting rooms on the top floor to take advantage of the views across to the city. At ground floor is the new hotel entrance with a corner retail unit that ensures continuity of retail frontages linking Waterloo Road to the Lower Marsh shopping area. Pear Place, currently gated, will be re-landscaped and opened up for public use.
The new brick façade on Waterloo Road makes reference to the elevational subdivision of the Old Fire Station façade without the need for architectural pastiche. The façade composition risers in height to the Baylis Road corner to provide a strong termination to this section of buildings along Waterloo Road and surrounding vista’s such as from The Cut.
The project is seen as part of a much needed up-grade for the Waterloo area south of the station and there have been extensive community consultations over the proposals. The accommodation comprises; 142 Bedrooms; 6 Meeting rooms; Restaurant / bar; Basement and gym.
Designers: Project Orange, Suzy Hoodless and Adrian Kilby.
AURA, designers of occasional furniture, accessories and lighting are returning to Decorex on stand D143. In additional to our successful exquisite lacquer range we will be using Decorex to launch our new range of metallic finishes. Pseudo bone, horn and mother of pearl will also feature strongly in our furniture and lighting.
base2stay Liverpool is located in the city centre’s historic and bohemian RopeWalks design quarter, part of the UNESCO World Heritage site. With some of Liverpool’s best restaurants, bars and clubs on our doorstep and attractions such as the Albert Dock, Liverpool One, Tate Liverpool and The Beatles Story a short walk away, we’re in the heart of the city. Liverpool’s Lime Street Station, just two hours from London Euston, is less than 10 minutes stroll from our front door.Tipped to be the hottest hotel opening in the North West in 2010, base2stay Liverpool’s 106 air-conditioned rooms have been created out of an 1850s industrial building, retaining many original heritage features, which have been incorporated into the cool, contemporary interior design. From Super Singles to double height Gallery Studios and our fabulous Secret Garden Suite, we have something for everyone.
All the usual base2stay features (and a few new ones) are there – mini-kitchens, free Wi-Fi, HDTVs with free internet, music and games – so base2stay value doesn’t stop at our fantastic room rates. With 30 minutes of free local and national calls per day, accessing all those exclusive discounts at the many restaurants, cafes and bars in the city will be even easier, and our “base2stay on-screen directory” will point you in the way of a multitude of activities that the Liverpool city region has to offer. Come and visit us to see the fantastic Picasso exhibition at Tate Liverpool or to enjoy Beatles Week. With special opening room rates throughout August starting at only £49 inc. VAT, there’s never been a better time to view Liverpool’s renaissance and to see why the city centre has just been awarded Purple Flag Status as one of the safest and best value destinations in the UK.
With sophisticated and avant-garde interiors by MKV Design, the Radisson Blu Gautrain opened just in time to host Johannesburg’s visitors for the World Cup. Constructed in a contemporary building that overlooks the city’s new Gautrain railway station, this is a hotel for modern international business people. The hotel’s scheme includes subtle references to train design and a flow of public spaces that picks up on the movement of the station below. The primarily monochromatic colour palette of this property could not be more different from the design practice’s first Radisson Blu in Johannesburg, and blends modern classic furniture with an edgier, yet elegant, vibe that relates to the excitement of its urban locale.The interiors of the bold street-side lobby command attention with a faceted wall sculpture in a vibrant, cherry red lacquer. Dramatically stretching for five metres from floor-to-ceiling, the monolith houses a lift that whisks guests to the main reception and public areas on the fourth level. Complementing this vivid focal point, a polished steel concierge desk is accented by an artistically styled atlas of the world’s capitals. Laser-cut out of stainless steel, it is a reference to the international values of the brand and the hotel’s globe-trotting business travellers. As a counterpoint to the angular surfaces, warmth is added to the space through contemporary wingback chairs upholstered in supple scarlet leather and rosy-toned African teak cladding on the floor and walls.
The hotel’s location above a mixed-use development of retail boutiques rewards guests with panoramic views of the city from each of its 12 levels. All the public areas are located on the fourth floor and benefit from a terrace that wraps around the building, overlooking the station and city panorama beyond. The main reception, bar, restaurant, and terrace flow together to form fluid zones through which guests migrate.
Neutral colour blocks in white, black and grey create a fresh, airy palette that is punctuated by touches of persimmon. Behind the reception desk and the bar seating, the sculpted wall element reappears and brings drama and depth as it displays African artefacts under focused spotlights. Following the silhouette of the faceted structure is a soffit inset with LED strips that shift from amber to red depending on the time of day and desired mood. These lights also trace the bottom edge and black granite top of the double-sided bar, providing an ethereal glow that reflects off the polished steel façade and shines through the floor-to-ceiling windows to the station below.
As part of a global reorganization aimed at accelerating worldwide growth, Marriott International, Inc. plans to double its portfolio in Europe by 2015. Amy McPherson, president and managing director of Marriott International Europe, made the announcement today at the International Hotel Investment Forum.Celebrating 35 years in Europe this year, Marriott International is represented with 174 hotels in Europe, and envisions increasing its portfolio from 40,000 rooms to 80,000 rooms by 2015. Seven of Marriott’s 18 brands are represented currently in Europe: Ritz-Carlton, Bvlgari, JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels, Courtyard by Marriott and Marriott Executive Apartments. In addition, the first European Residence Inn, an extended-stay brand, will open in Munich in 2012.
The development pipeline in Europe includes nearly 30 projects including the Renaissance Moscow Monarch Center Hotel (2010), the Courtyard by Marriott Budapest (2010) and the JW Marriott Hotel Ankara (2010).
“We see strong opportunity throughout Europe to grow our portfolio,” said Arne Sorenson, president and chief operating officer of Marriott International. “Our new operating structure, comprised of four continental divisions including Europe, will help facilitate global growth and bring our teams closer to markets and to our customers. We have tremendous opportunities to grow, with over a third of our current pipeline and about half of our full-service openings this year located in markets outside North America.”
Said McPherson, “Europe is the largest lodging market in the world and holds enormous potential for Marriott. Our talented new team here is aggressively accelerating our focus on growth.”
“With a footing in most of Europe’s gateway cities, we are thrilled to see our expansion continue into secondary cities and emerging markets. We are confident we are well- positioned to achieve this ambitious expansion goal,” she said.
Named the head of Marriott’s European operating division in July 2009, McPherson is responsible for almost $3 billion in revenue across 24 countries and 23 languages and the performance and growth of this new division that combines the former United Kingdom & Ireland and Continental Europe regions. McPherson joined Marriott in 1986 and most recently served as Executive Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing.
Expansion plans for Europe also include two new brands: Edition, a boutique-lifestyle collaboration between Ian Schrager and Marriott; and the Autograph Collection, comprised of independent hotels and resorts from around the world representing upper-upscale and luxury properties with distinctive personalities.
Epoque Hotels and Genre Hotels have agreed on a strategic alliance in which member hotels of both collections will benefit from their mutual marketing efforts.Boutique, or “genre”, hotels are enjoying popularity among travellers because they often provide quirky details and smaller prices without sacrificing plush amenities and world-class service. Genre Hotels strive to meet these expectations with stellar design, green practices and affordability for both business and leisure travellers. The same drive fuels Epoque Hotels, thus the alliance emerged naturally.
“We are very happy to be collaborating with Kerry Flowers and the team of Genre Hotels,” says Juan Palmada Vice President of Epoque Hotels. “We love their work ethics and attitude and I am sure that both parties will benefit from this alliance.”
TeleAdapt, a global supplier of hotel guest connectivity products, is pleased to announce its MediaHub Extender™ connectivity panel is included as part of the “modern hotel room” set design for the new movie Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.In the film, you are taken on an intricate roller coaster ride through dream invasion and subconscious exploration. Some of the most memorable dreamscapes are scenes that take place in the “chic modern hotel” that defies gravity. When researching what features to include in their hotel room set, a set designer for Warner Bros. Pictures contacted TeleAdapt to provide a modern media connectivity panel to stand in as part of their “Room 528” hotel design.
“Not only were we excited to know that a Hollywood film set designer recognized our panel as one that fit in with their hotel room design, but also to provide MediaHub Extender as a hotel room amenity for a blockbuster film set is just confirmation for the hospitality industry that it’s a must-have product,” said TeleAdapt CEO Gordon Brown.
TeleAdapt helps hotel properties around the world bring their rooms to life with products that enhance the in-room entertainment experience for their guests. For more information on TeleAdapt’s full range of connectivity products for the hospitality industry, visit their page in the Directory.
Marriott International, Inc. has recently hosted grand openings for its first two hotels in Sweden – the Courtyard Stockholm Kungsholmen and the Renaissance Malmo. “This is a very exciting time for Marriott in Europe – we recently announced our goal to double our portfolio in Europe by 2015 and are thrilled to now be expanding into Sweden with our partners on these beautiful new hotels Scandinavian Hospitality Group (SHG) and Scandinavian Hospitality Management (SHM),” said Arne Sorenson, president and chief operations officer of Marriott International. “We expect this to result in the opening of many more hotels in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland.”
Amy McPherson, president and managing director of Marriott International in Europe added, “We see strong opportunity throughout Scandinavia to grow our portfolio. These first hotels in Sweden are spectacular examples of our Renaissance and Courtyard by Marriott brands and we hope to bring more of our portfolio of brands to this incredible region. Scandinavia has always been known for warm hospitality and cutting-edge design, and we are excited to be able to welcome guests to our new hotels here in Sweden.”
Marriott opened its first hotel in Scandinavia, the Copenhagen Marriott Hotel in 2001. A market leader in Denmark’s capital city, the Copenhagen Marriott recently completed a renovation of its lobby space to introduce Marriott Hotels & Resorts innovative “great room” concept that creates multiple zones for work and relaxation. The Copenhagen Marriott recently welcomed a new restaurant, Mid Town Grill, a New York style steakhouse and will complete a total renovation of its 401 guest rooms next year.
Located in Sweden’s stylish capital city, the 278-room Courtyard Stockholm Kungsholmen is the largest Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Europe. Guestrooms offer large, panoramic windows with views over the lake Mälaren and the Rålambshovs Park. The public space at the Courtyard Stockholm Kungsholmen evokes a contemporary feel and gives guests the space and functionality to both work and socialize with flexible seating options. For meetings and events, the hotel offers 12 meeting rooms with a total of 1,000 square meters of meeting space. The Courtyard Stockholm Kungsholmen features Bjork Bar & Grill, an urban, loft-style restaurant for dining and lounging. Taking its name for the Swedish word for “birch tree,” renowned designer Henry Chebaane designed the restaurant to represent a virtual forest filled with the colours and textures of the local trees, moss, lichen, granite and berries. Bjork Bar & Grill features both dishes and cocktails made with regional Swedish produce, including sparkling wine made of birch sap from the trees in the local forest.
The Renaissance Malmo Hotel brings together the best of the Renaissance brand experience as it blends history with ultra-modern design in the hotel’s three preserved historical buildings. The stunning hotel features the latest innovations in design and décor, technology and culinary art. The 128 contemporary guestrooms offer an expressive style with warm and vibrant colours. Amenities include luxurious bedding, 37-inch flat-screen televisions, and complimentary wireless high-speed internet.
The Renaissance Malmo’s Rosen Bar & Dining offers a new spin on local cuisine blending contemporary Swedish cuisine with Spanish flavours. The innovative restaurant design was created by renowned designer Henry Chebaane, mixing a sense of high style and relaxation within a chic colour palate.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has recently confirmed plans to double its presence in Greater China to over 250 hotels over the next five years. This follows the recent opening of two InterContinental hotels in Nanjing and Shanghai and the signing of a deal with HNA Hotels and Resorts last month for five hotels. InterContinental Hotels Group CEO, Andy Cosslett, said: “This year we are opening over 30 hotels in Greater China. This includes seven InterContinental, seven Crowne Plaza and the debut of Hotel Indigo in an outstanding location on the Bund in the centre of Shanghai, following our strategy to develop an upscale presence in key locations. Our upscale hotels in Greater China have an average room count of 350, significantly larger than our other markets, with the vast majority being managed by IHG. This gives us a highly profitable and significant business in China with annual gross hotel revenues in excess of US$1 billion.”
Greater China has rebounded quickly from the industry downturn. At its first quarter trading update in May, IHG reported RevPAR growth for Greater China of 22.2% and 27.1% in April.
A recent guideline issued by China’s State Council confirmed the Chinese Government has established tourism as a key economic pillar, with a total of 25 national and regional development plans in place with tourism as a strategic focus. The Government is also investing US$120 billion in its railway network, laying over 85,000 kilometres of freeway and constructing 97 new airports to upgrade the transport infrastructure across the country.
The World Expo 2010 Shanghai China has generated interest and opportunity for the tourism and hotel industry. The international event is estimated to attract a total of 70 million visitors in six months. Since the opening on 1 May this year, 20 million domestic and international visitors have contributed to the demand for hotels in the city. The new InterContinental Shanghai Expo is the only hotel on the Expo Park site.
2morrow, the latest innovative yet fun and modern bathroom range from Villeroy & Boch successfully merges classic with contemporary furnishings to offer creative and style led interiors. The new modular bathroom collection is comprised of a variety of design options and finishes, boasting sleek lines and contours with a big splash of colour.Colour trends have always been a strong influence on the home and this is extending into the bathroom as consumers make bolder decisions when it comes to colour. Not happy with just an accent wall, shoppers are looking to designers for statement colours on bathroom furniture.
The collection offers design flexibility with a diverse selection of eight melamine finishes on fronts, bodies and trims, with additional exciting and inspiring colour fronts in olive green and sunflower orange while high gloss versions available in white, ruby red and mocha will add a vibrant pop of colour to any bathroom. All furniture is available in a high gloss foil for a sleek shine. Mix and match design combinations with an assortment of handles such as a single ring or double bar handle while the minimalists out there will love the handle free version. Choose from sliding drawers or doors, with options to mount the furniture under or above the central washbasin or countertop.
While the 2morrow range sits beautifully with the classic Loop & Friends and the Memento washbasins, two exciting new designs are being introduced as perfect accompaniments to 2morrow. Both styles are new mineral composite washbasins which allow for successful fusion of hard edges with soft rounded shapes. The Look washbasin is designed as a flat bowl perfectly integrating with the countertop and vanity unit for a modern look draining surface while the Cubic basins allow the curve in the basin to sit in harmony with cubic exterior contour.
This increasingly popular concept of mixing and matching styles allows consumers to tailor their bathroom to individual taste and requirements, making it perfect for petit en-suites or large family bathrooms.
CS understands the specific requirements for retirement homes and has recently supplied furniture to a new build Extra Care development for Hanover Housing Association. Claude Hooper Interiors designed and installed the communal areas, including the Lounge, Restaurant, Reception, Hair Salon, Treatment Room and Activities room at Ash Lea Court in Bristol. The project delivered design-led, quality furniture products for a comfortable and relaxed ambience with the feeling of a quality hotel, rather than an institutional atmosphere. The furniture products incorporated a variety of different fabric colours and textures to create a warm and inviting environment. Practical considerations were also recognised by CS; products featured suitable seat heights, antibacterial and scratch resistant surfaces for long term durability.
Claude Hooper Interiors commented about the service they received from CS Contract Furniture: “Just to say a big thank you for your service in delivering the order to site yesterday. Our Managing Director, Jonathon Hooper and our Designer, Jeanette Rees were both on site and commented on the excellent standard of both the product and the delivery, our job was made easier with your help.”
Following the successful launch of the Cammeo Collection at the Salone Internazionale Del Mobile 2010, Milan by Italian manufacturer, Montbel, Hill Cross Furniture are pleased to announce the launch of it here in the UK.This stunning collection features a side chair, lounge armchair, bar stool and armchair with beautiful detailing and design:
• 3/4 curved shield shaped upholstered back • Exquisite outer wooden back panel • Tapered legs with slightly splay back legs • Solid beech wood frame is available in various stains • Can be upholstered in any fabric of customer’s choice
This collection is designed specifically for the hotel industry and would also suit any fine dining establishment.
Download the Cammeo brochure to view the collection.
Pivot/slide-in hardware systems are multi-functional wizards. They create space in front of the cabinet and provide unobstructed access to its entire content. Hafele UK are proud to present a new hardware system of this kind that will set new standards in the field of high-end furniture construction and interior design. HAWA-Concepta 25/30/50 for wood and glass doors was first presented to a broad international audience at the interzum in the spring of 2009 and will soon be available from Hafele UK HAWA-Concepta 25/30/50 gets things moving in front of the cabinet and in multi-functional room utilisation. It creates elegant storage space solutions in modern living and working environments and can move wood and glass doors weighing up to 50 kg. The innovative pivot/slide-in hardware perfectly combines the two movement forms of pivoting and sliding: it allows doors to be opened conventionally by 90 degrees with a slight pivoting motion and then pushed into a recess to save space; simple to implement, convenient for everyday use.Cabinets, kitchen units or the home office now open up fully to offer the user unrestricted access with no door protruding into the room. The HAWA-Concepta 25/30/50 is also suitable for creating efficient and simple room-high designs without a cabinet body, for instance in wall recesses or walk-in wardrobes. It is this versatility that makes the hardware the ideal solution for creating clever storage space options that make a very tidy impression in private living spaces, public buildings, offices and shops.
Room for design with wood and glass
HAWA-Concepta 25/30/50 is a future-oriented system for wood and glass doors that does without a bottom guide channel and enables ideal and flexible room utilisation. Cabinetmakers and interior designers use it to fulfil specific customer requirements as design options with this hardware system are virtually unlimited. It is also very flexible with regard to dimensions: it accommodates door heights of up to 2850 mm, widths from 300 to 900 mm, wood thicknesses from 19 to 50 mm and a glass thickness of 8 mm (toughened safety glass). The system also provides the greatest possible storage space inside the cabinet: a door with a thickness of 30 mm, for instance, needs a maximum recess width of just 55 mm.
The new, modular, all-glass system with form-fitting and therefore absolutely safe glass fastenings is further evidence of just how much room for design there is. Plain anodised aluminium decor disks for glass patch suspension, vertical cover plates and a frame profile with integrated door handles in three lengths add up to a total of four different design options. Hawa also offers front metal covers for every profile, revealing a particular passion for visual high-quality solutions characterised by a love of detail. Furniture manufacturers and designers can let their creativity run free as the HAWA-Concepta 25/30/50 is also suitable for serial production.
Originally furnished by RHA in 2004, we were delighted to be involved with the updating of the spa lounge at the award winning Calcot Manor, near Tetbury Gloucestershire.The RHA team worked closely with Designer Beverley Bayes of Sparc Studio to select an eclectic mix of Italian & custom made furniture, upholstered in a selection of luxurious fabrics. The overall effect is one of casual country chic, making this a dining and lounge area you won’t want to leave in a hurry.
Marriott International, Inc. has officially opened the company’s first JW Marriott luxury hotel in Bogota, Colombia. On-hand for the celebration were President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia, Rob Steigerwald, chief operations officer for the Southern region of the Americas for Marriott International and Ricardo Poma, president of Real Hotels & Resorts and Grupo Poma. The 264-room JW Marriott Bogota is operated under a franchise agreement with Real Hotels & Resorts of El Salvador. The JW Marriott Bogota is perfectly located in the financial district of the city, approximately 30 minutes from Bogota International Airport. For dining and entertainment the hotel offers distinct options including Monet Brasserie, and La Mina Steak & Lobster, which presents guests with a wide selection of prime cuts of beef and fresh seafood. The lobby lounge offers handcrafted cocktails and provides ambience where guests can relax while overlooking the hotel lobby area. Recreational amenities include a swimming pool and a state-of-the-art fitness center. For conferences and social events, the hotel offers 550 square meters of flexible function space.
Marriott International and Real Hotels & Resorts celebrated the opening of the first Marriott International-flagged hotel in the country last fall, the 239-room Bogota Marriott Hotel. Both hotels, along with over 3,000 Marriott-affiliated hotels worldwide, participate in Marriott Rewards, the guest reward program that allows members to earn their choice of points or airline miles for each dollar spent during each stay.
Travelodge has today referred Premier Inn to the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) over its misleading claim that it is the ‘largest hotel operator in London”.
In recent adverts featured in both Property Week and Estates Gazette, Premier Inn claimed to have 5,500 rooms in London, making it the largest operator in London. The company also asked developers and landowners to help them “…extend our lead, up to the 2012 Olympics and beyond…”.Travelodge believes that the stated room number of 5,500 significantly overstates the true status of Premier Inn in the capital, miss-leading developers and landowners into believing the company is bigger than it is.
Consequently, Travelodge has made three specific complaints to the ASA concerning the advert:
1. “Premier Inn already has around 5,500 rooms in London…”
Travelodge strongly believes that this claim is inaccurate.
Its research indicates that Premier Inn has 4,853 rooms within London, some way short of the 5,500 claim in the advert[1].
2. “…we’re the largest hotel operator in London.”
Given that Travelodge believes Premier Inn to have 4,763 rooms in the capital, this statement is again deliberately misleading. Travelodge has 5,092 rooms open at present in London and it is the company’s understanding that the Thistle brand presently has 5,422.
3. “…we need your help to identify even more site to help us extend our lead, up to the 2012 Olympics and beyond…”
Travelodge has legally exchanged contracts on a further 22 hotels set to open by the 2012 Olympics, giving it a total of 7,302 rooms. Given this, there appears no way that Premier Inn can meet their claim of being the largest hotel operator in London at the time of the Olympics.
Paul Harvey, Managing Director for Development at Travelodge, said:
“I was rather surprised when I saw the Premier Inn advert claiming that they are the biggest hotel operator in London when, simply put, they are not.
“This advert has misled developers into believing that Premier Inn is bigger than it actually is and has growth prospects which again, are not based in reality.
“Travelodge has exchanged on a further 22 properties in London that are set to open by the time of the Olympics, giving us 7,302 rooms.
“Unless Premier Inn can publicly prove otherwise, we trust they will now stop both running adverts and claiming in interviews that they are the biggest hotel operator in London, both now and in 2012.”
Hilton Worldwide has signed a management agreement with Jordan Maritime Complex for Real Estate Investments Co. for the Doubletree by Hilton, Aqaba, marking the brand’s entry into Jordan with a stylish, upscale, full-service hotel product in Q3 2010. The 181-room, new-build property will be located in the popular resort destination of Aqaba on Jordan’s southern coast. In the centre of the business district, and less than a kilometre from the beach and the city’s marina, the site for the new Doubletree by Hilton, Aqaba is ten kilometres from King Hussein International Airport.Doubletree by Hilton, Aqaba will feature five food and beverage outlets including an all-day dining outlet, poolside restaurant, coffee shop, wine bar and club. Leisure facilities include a health club and spa with sauna, steam room, gymnasium, two treatment rooms, as well as semi-outdoor swimming pools. The hotel will house one multi-purpose meeting room with pre-function area.
Tourism is a vital sector of Jordan’s economy, with tourism related revenues representing approximately 14% of the country’s GDP. International arrivals have been growing steadily, to over seven million tourists in 2008.
Doubletree by Hilton characteristic qualities include the warm worldwide welcome of the brand’s legendary chocolate chip cookie presented to every guest at check-in; comfortable, stylish accommodations and full-service amenities; along with a unique and caring commitment to the communities in which they operate. Doubletree by Hilton believes in a set of business values that make their hotels a desirable place for employees to work and a satisfying place for travelers to stay.
Optimism amongst leading Australian hoteliers is on the rise again after two years of declining demand, falling revenues and stagnant investor demand. Under a theme of “Back on Track” delegates at the annual Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Hotel Industry Conference (ANZPHIC) held in Sydney this week heard speakers from various parts of the industry deliver generally positive news about recent market trends and encouraging forecasts for the near and longer term future for the industry here. ANZPHIC conference chair and Horwath HTL Managing Director Mr. John Smith described the messages presented to delegates as a “rare triple play of positive news and market sentiment”.
“What we heard was improving occupancies in 2010 for leading markets such as Sydney and Brisbane, supported by improving demand from key inbound visitor markets such as the USA and improving hotel investment demand from overseas investment markets such Singapore” he said. “It’s a combination of trends that will help to finally rebuild confidence as the industry continues the climb back from the challenges and disruptions of the past two years” he added. Leading industry data providers STR Global reported a strong rise in hotel room demand across the Asia Pacific region with year to date revenue per available room rising 24%, after a 19% decline for the comparable period in 2009. Amongst the best performing markets in the region, Sydney during the year to date led the field in terms of occupancy, reaching a near historical high of 86%, although room rate growth remains modest. Reflecting its rapidly improving market performance, leading hotel CEO’s at ANZPHIC rated the prospects for the Sydney market highly, with an expected average revenue uplift of 8 to 10% over the year ahead.
Similar growth expectations were nominated for Brisbane, however a more cautious outlook exists for Melbourne as it continues to absorb the impact of recent new hotel room supply. The surprise market performance was the Gold Coast that after several years of falling demand, occupancy and room rates finally saw a sharp uplift in trading conditions in the year to date.
Tourism Australia Managing Director, Andrew McEvoy reported positive market reaction overseas to Tourism Australia’s latest “There’s Nothing Like Australia” advert and in a poll conducted of ANZPHIC audience delegates (comprising 400 senior hotel industry executives) the advert rated a score of 7.5 out of 10. Asked what the Tourism Australia’s budget should be for 2012, the audience nominated $218m – an 80% increase on the 2011 budget of $122m but a spend level per head of population that would still be less than New Zealand. Reflecting the improving state of the hotel investment markets in Australia, Jones Lang LaSalle reported on five major sales achieved in recent months that amounted to over $600m of deals, all of which were made to overseas buyers. One of the buyers, Singapore magnate Mr. Michael Kum was awarded the “Hotel Deal of the Year” for his astute $185m acquisition of the Four Points Darling Harbour from GPT.
Meanwhile former head of both Accor in Australia and Hilton in Asia Pacific, Mr Koos Klein was named as the inaugural inductee in the “Hotel Legends Hall of Fame” and property developer Lend Lease gave an update on its landmark and controversial development, Barangaroo South.
The Natural Stone Studio has recently launched a new website demonstrating the range of natural stone flooring and wall tiles available at highly competitive prices and rapid delivery times.Now with showrooms in Pocklington (York) and Braintree (Essex), it is easy to view our beautiful collection of natural stone in person to see the quality in person.
The Natural Stone Studio can supply any stone product including tiles in limestone, marble, travertine, slate, basalt and granite, vanity tops, kitchen worktops and mosaics.
Our trained consultants give helpful, accurate advice about suitability based on over 25 years of experience of supplying and installing natural stones from around the world. We also supply solid stone baths, sinks and shower trays suitable for luxury bathrooms, shower rooms and wet rooms, each piece can be delivered nationwide. We can also offer a bespoke Masonry Service for granite kitchen worktops, marble vanity tops and Bath surrounds. Talk to The Natural Stone Studio the experts in natural stone.
We pride ourselves on the fantastic service and value for money we are able to offer our customers. As a long standing supplier of natural stone we decided years ago that we would not sell stone products of anything other than top quality limestone. Travertine, marble, Jerusalem stone, slate and granite. Full pallet discounts are available on many of our most popular stones.
The Natural Stone Studios experienced personnel can advise you on which stones will meet you requirements as well as the best products for fitting and maintaining stone products.
The Romanos, a Luxury Collection hotel designed by MKV Design, has opened to widespread acclaim. The hotel, together with the adjacent village, conference centre, golf and spa is the first completion in an audacious 20-year long vision to create Costa Navarino, a series of four resorts on nearly 2,500 acres of virgin land that wraps around the Ionian Sea in the Messinia region of the Peloponnese. The development that includes The Romanos is Navarino Dunes, named after the untouched dunes that fringe the long sunset-facing beach in this part of Navarino Bay.Lobby Entrance For the designers, the initial canvas was rich. Messinia is one of the oldest parts of Greece, the land where legend and history merge and the sacred art of hospitality is enshrined in the stories of the region. The location was also very beautiful and, from the beginning, the owner was determined to preserve, celebrate and, indeed, enhance the natural environment.
The result is an intertwining of the provenance of the region with timeless architectural design and contemporary furniture and fittings not just in The Romanos but across all the buildings in the resort, creating layers of interlocking experiences that enfold the guest. At the same time, each building has been meticulously planned to ensure maximum delight and comfort for guests and a harmonious relationship with the exterior environment.
Lobby Interior The entrance lobby of The Romanos is monumental – a modern interpretation of an ancient Greek temple that plays with scale and materials to frame the view towards the Ionian Sea for guests as they arrive as well as to act as an orientation device as they go on to explore the site. Its direct references come from the nearby Palace of Nestor, the king who embodied the spirit of true hospitality in the Odyssey, but its role in the resort is that of a transitional space. Having driven through carefully reinstated olive groves, now juxtaposed with the manicured greens of Greece’s first signature golf course, guests arrive in the “private mansion” of The Romanos where they can stop and discover the experience about to begin. The lobby is furnished with luxurious high-backed chairs and chaise-longue, the exquisite flooring replicates the mosaics of Nestor’s Palace and the neutral envelope of stone and traditionally exposed timber roof achieves a classic and dramatic structure. On each side, double-height bronze fretwork gates give onto the two wings of the low-rise hotel that curves around the coastline below. The interior forms of the corridors are almost monastic, reflecting the architecture of local villages and allowing the view to do the work.
Glazed Colonnade, Lounge Bar The lounge bar extends from one side of the Lobby. Here, sculptural, classical Greek lines are combined with chic furniture pieces and graceful free-standing lamps, and natural local materials, such as timber, leather, bronze and stone, reiterate the commitment to sustainability. The Interior Designers carefully planned this large space as a sequence of experiences, allowing guests variety as well as protection from and exposure to the weather and location. On the sea-facing side, the Lounge Bar begins outside with a sunken terrace surrounded by one of the many small canals that traverse the site. A glazed colonnade flows alongside where a remarkable collection of 18th Century engravings tells the story of the great sea battle in Navarino Bay.
Sunken Terrace, Lounge Bar The main space is situated behind this – an area of striking volume where the stone structure soars up to an exposed timber roof with an intimate “library” area at one end around an open fire and a turquoise glass mosaic bar at the other. During the day, beams of sunlight from small windows at the top of this structure criss-cross the room; at night, the bar shimmers in the lighting. A raised area with a lowered ceiling creates the next set with tables for board games and billiards, and finally another terrace affords views over the cluster of stone and timber buildings that form the village centre.
China’s most iconic hotel will once again welcome guests at the Fairmont Peace Hotel. In one of this year’s most eagerly anticipated openings, Jin Jiang Hotels International and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts unveil the culmination of a comprehensive restoration program following the legendary property’s closure in 2007.The hotel, which officially opened on August 1, 1929, was widely known as the “Number One mansion in the Far East “, due to its prime location along the Bund and for its luxury, including the distinctive copper-sheathed roof 77 meters above ground, white Italian marble floors, and priceless Lalique glass artwork. The internationally acclaimed design firm Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) worked closely with a team of leading designers, architects and historians to recreate the grandeur and majesty of the landmark property and embody the spirit of its glamorous art-deco heritage.
The newly revitalized Fairmont Peace Hotel offers 270 deluxe guestrooms and suites with a selection of six restaurants and lounges. Included among these is the much-loved Jazz Bar, a Shanghai institution since the 1930s, Signature Chinese restaurant Dragon Phoenix and The Cathay Room, offering stunning views of the Bund from its terrace on the 9th floor. The 8th floor will host the famed Peace Hall, where the property’s iconic sprung-wooden dance floor still evokes memories of old Shanghai cabarets and gala parties.
Guestrooms feature 1930s period flourishes along with contemporary comforts and cutting-edge technology. Starting at a spacious 45 square metres, the guestrooms feature a soft colour palette and tailored art deco motifs and furnishings. State-of-the-art in-room technology includes a 37-inch plasma stereo TV, a bath-side LCD screen, Blu-ray DVD player and wireless and broadband Internet with ‘plug-and-play’ connectivity. Additional room amenities include Illy espresso machines, 400-thread-count Egyptian cotton bed linens and exclusive Miller Harris Cologne Series 1888 bath products.
A new extension to the building will house a sky-lit swimming pool and a Willow Stream Spa. The famous ‘Nine Nations Suites’ will remain a feature while a new presidential suite will occupy the 10th floor penthouse where the hotel’s flamboyant creator and former owner, Sir Victor Sassoon, once lived.
An Anglo-Jewish business tycoon, Sir Victor Sassoon was a driving force in Shanghai’s development, pioneering construction on the marshy Bund by installing 1,600 redwood and concrete pilings as the foundation of the 11-storey hotel, the first high-rise in the city. The original hotel boasted a number of firsts in its day – a private plumbing system with water channeled in from a spring outside the city and Shanghai’s first electric elevator, an art deco cage. Guests and visitors will be able to learn about the unique historical and cultural heritage of Shanghai’s most famous building through the Peace Gallery.
The 303 luxury room, cabana and suite property in the absolute centre of the Thai capital is Kempinski’s 64th iconic property worldwide. Kempinski, headquartered in Geneva, was established in 1897 in Berlin and is today Europe’s oldest luxury hotel brand.“Kempinski is delighted to open such a magnificent property in the heart of what many people consider to be Asia’s most vibrant and colourful city,” said Kempinski President and CEO, Mr. Reto Wittwer, who is in Bangkok for the hotel’s soft opening reception.
“Kempinski’s commitment to excellence means that we choose our hotel developments very carefully,” he said. “I’m optimistic that the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok with its strategic location and beautifully appointed facilities will become one of Kempinski’s more sought after and acclaimed properties.”
The Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, which is adjacent to the Siam Paragon lifestyle mall, is unique due to the hundreds of Thai art works commissioned and visible throughout the property. All rooms look onto large tropical landscaped gardens with extensive water features and three saltwater swimming pools.
The hotel’s European heritage is evident in the signature Brasserie Europa fine dining restaurant, the T Lounge and the 1897 whisky bar and cigar court. The Sra Bua modern Thai dining restaurant and Kempinski The Spa will open in a few weeks’ time.
Modern Thai aesthetics dominate the dramatic 14-metre tall marble lobby which features two spiral stair cases and a lotus fountain.
“The Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok is proud to stand for individualistic luxury, affinity with Thailand, refinement and efficiency,” said Mr Philippe Caretti, the property’s Interim General Manager. “We believe business travellers, holiday makers, companies holding meetings, couples on honeymoon, Thai residents and expats committed to the finer things in life will all be delighted by what we have created here,” he said.
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center continues to make excellent progress on the restoration of the property – and remain on track to meet their November 15, 2010 re-opening date.More than a thousand people are at work inside the hotel every day — representing 38 separate contracting companies including architectural, interior design, procurement, engineering, and construction.
During the clean up and remediation phase, now complete, the hotel removed every porous surface that was touched by water, along with all furniture, flooring and other materials that were damaged by the flood. During this process they removed 1,200 dumpsters full of debris. They also replaced affected air ducts to ensure a clean, comfortable environment for future guests. Industrial hygienists have inspected the hotel from top to bottom and have given the hotel a clean bill of health!
The hotel has unveiled the first preliminary renderings of several of the Gaylord Opryland’s redesigned spaces, including the Cascades Lobby, Cascades Bar and Magnolia guest rooms. The Cascades Lobby will be entirely new, open and modern. The new front desk and ticketing station will be accompanied by the addition of a VIP area just off the lobby. The entire Cascades atrium is being redesigned – including a new bar, restaurant and enhanced water features. Guests will also find new Italian and Mexican restaurant concepts in the Garden Conservatory. Plus, the Magnolia lobby is undergoing a complete redesign, as are the Magnolia guest rooms and five Presidential suites.
EDITION Hotels marks the next chapter in the lifestyle hotel story. The new Brand was conceived by Ian Schrager in a partnership with Marriott International. It will combine the personal, intimate, individualized and unique lodging experience that Ian Schrager is known for, with the global reach, operational expertise and scale of Marriott. This delicate balancing act will encompass, for the very first time, not only great design and true innovation, but also great personal, friendly, modern service as well as outstanding, one-of-a-kind food, beverage and entertainment offerings…”all under one roof”. Each highly stylised hotel will function as a “home away from home” for leisure and business travellers. In addition, each hotel will cater to the modern day business traveller by offering functional, technologically sophisticated working environments that provide the comfort and ease of actually conducting business in an “office away from the office”.
The heightened experience, authenticity and originality that Ian Schrager brings to this new Brand coupled with the global reach of Marriott will result in a truly distinct product that sets itself apart from anything else currently in the marketplace. It is nothing less than an attempt to push the boundaries, break new ground and take the hotel industry to a whole new level. EDITION will be completely new, different and original offering an experience never before seen in the industry. It will be the first truly global branded lifestyle hotel on a large scale, setting the standard for decades to come.
EDITION will debut in Waikiki Beach October 2010 and will also open a property in Istanbul later this year. Planned openings are also scheduled in 24-hour international gateway cities such as Mexico City, Barcelona, Bangkok, and several other cities in various stages of development.
EDITION responds to new emerging cultural and social imperatives. The new Brand will reflect these changing lifestyles and cater to a vast underserved market of guests expecting and in turn demanding a unique experience, not merely a place to sleep. It is an evolutionary response to the desire for a sophisticated hotel experience. This reinvented and rethought experience will now, for the first time ever, be widely accessible and available in key lodging destinations across the globe and to everybody around the world who wants it.
EDITION is an unexpected, refreshing collection of individualised, customised, one-of-a-kind hotels that is the antithesis of an institutional “hotel chain” and a true paradigm shift in the industry. Each hotel with its rare individuality, authenticity, originality and unique ethos will reflect the best of the cultural and social milieu of its location and of the time. Although all of the hotels will look completely different from each other, the Brand’s unifying aesthetic will be in its approach and attitude to the modern lifestyle rather than its appearance. As a result, design and architecture is derived from the scale, location and feel of the individual properties rather than from contrived decorative cliches or unnecessary gestures. The Brand will be about an attitude and the way it makes you feel rather than the way it looks. Sophisticated public spaces, finishes, design and details will serve the experience, not drive it.
Travelodge, the UK’s fastest growing budget hotel chain, today announced the imminent recruitment of 140 staff across the country due to its recent acquisition of 52 Innkeeper’s Lodges (the 52 locations are listed in a table below). This acquisition is the UK hotel sector’s largest transaction since 2008 and Travelodge is now recruiting for the below positions nationwide:
• 40 hotel managers • 100 entry level staff (receptionists, guest room cleaners and night porters)
All successful candidates will undertake a comprehensive four-week training programme and be trained on sleep matters so that they are fully equipped to ensure Travelodge customers get a good night’s sleep. All of Travelodge’s employees have undergone a ‘Sleep Tight’ customer training programme in line with the budget chains internal Sleep Manifesto. This includes staff training on sleep matters, new noise abatement policies and re-organised delivery times at hotels to ensure minimum sleep interruption for all customers.
For ambitious individuals who are keen to climb the careers ladder, Travelodge offers plenty of opportunities to succeed within the hotel industry. Listed below are two initiatives Travelodge has launched to help its staff progress within the company.
The Fast Track to Management Programme – This is a 12-week programme that effectively fast tracks staff to hotel management. The programme is available to all employees regardless of current position or length of service and to date over 230 staff have been promoted to a management position via this method. Travelodge also offers a six-month version of the Fast Track Programme to ensure it provides equal opportunity for staff that require more flexibility working due to young children or personal commitments.
Travelodge Foundation Degree in Hospitality Budget Hotel and Retail Management This is UK’s first foundation degree in Hospitality, Budget Hotel and Retail Management – created to service the needs of the budget hotel sector as it trebles in size over the next two decades. Launched in partnership with Westminster Kingsway College, the two year course focuses on teaching the theory and practice behind low cost and retail business models that aim to deliver profit through operating effectively and efficiently.
Debbie Husband, Travelodge’s Regional Operations Director, said: “Travelodge is the UK’s fastest growing hotel chain and we are looking for enthusiastic, motivated and committed individuals to join our team. Our latest acquisition of 52 hotels offers a fantastic opportunity for individuals who are looking for a career in hospitality. At Travelodge we believe in developing our people and offer a variety of in-house training and career advancement programmes.”
Travelodge recruits all of its entry-level staff for new hotels in partnership with the Job Centre Plus scheme – a programme that focuses on getting the local long-term unemployed back in to work. Interested applicants can apply for a Travelodge position by contacting their local Jobcentre or by sending their CV to re*********@tr********.uk
. Interested applicants can also visit www.travelodge.co.uk/careers for more information on working for Travelodge.
Hotel Duval has announced their official affiliation with the Autograph Collection, a portfolio of upper-upscale and luxury independent hotels and resorts, each with distinctive personalities. As only the 11th hotel worldwide invited to join the exclusive cluster of luxury boutique properties, Hotel Duval is owned and managed by Duval Partners, LLC. As one of Tallahassee’s richest landmarks, opened originally in 1951, the revitalized luxury boutique property re-opened in 2009 under the local ownership of Chad Kittrell, Frank Whitley and J.T. Burnette. Boasting 117 guestrooms with a color palate option on each floor tailored to customer mood preference, each of the sophisticatedly-designed accommodations provide views of downtown Tallahassee.
The Langham brings back a touch of European elegance to Hong Kong with The Langham Club. Designed by the award winning interior team, Three Wise Monkeys, The Langham Club has re-opened as a stunning wonderland, to enchant even the most frequent travellers.The design journey of The Langham Club has been meticulously thought out. Every corner of this space has an air of fashionable elegance, from the hand-embroidered wall panels created by a lingerie designer, to the original rent table; a splendid mahogany table which was originally used by English landlords in the 18th century to file receipts of payment. The Langham Club has been smartly divided into a total of seven separate rooms, each with its own distinct character and design.
The Ante Room is the private check-in area and has been designed to welcome guests in a most stylish manner. Handmade chairs, sourced from a London based fashion designer, stand smartly in the entrance of this room. Upholstered in Chanel-inspired tweed, they boast exquisite pleating and button details. The sweeping floor length curtains, made from Savile Row suit fabric, are the final indulgent touch to this stylish room.
The Library has a wonderfully eccentric feel; from the entrance, a striking red leather door, to the wall-to-wall bookcases artfully displaying a selection of books on fashion, travel and historical Hong Kong. It is however the stylish positioning of eight uniquely designed chairs, each one covered in a different fabric and texture, which gives The Library its charming, whimsical feel.
The Lounge is the master room within The Langham Club and is the most opulent of all the rooms. From the hand painted leather wallpaper in hues of gold and deep purple, to the Tiffany blue sofas and vibrant turquoise pouffes. The Lounge is a truly enchanting wonderland for guests to escape to after a busy day in Hong Kong.
The four remaining rooms are The Bureau, Butlers Pantry, The Salon and The Dining Room. No corner of these rooms has been overlooked and guests can expect to find extravagant design touches in each of these; ranging from marble tables with mother of pearl inlay to bright purple handmade chairs with corset details.
A new series of circular LED luminaires is now being introduced by Baulmann Leuchten.
Being integrated in a slim metall-profile, a flexible LED-strip provides interesting lighting effects and reduces visible technical components to a maximum.In the standard version, the luminaire is available as a table-lamp with a diameter of approx. 500 mm and as a wall-/ or ceiling-mounted luminaire with a diameter of approx. 700 mm. The finish of the housing can be either nickel polished or dark-bronzed.
As usual, Baulmann Leuchten is capable to provide also special-made versions in various diameters and finishes.
Egypt, land of the Pharaohs and Pyramids, is now home to the new Kempinski boutique hotel; marking the start of more exciting times to visit Cairo. Set in the heart of the ancient capital, in the elite district of Garden City overlooking the banks of the river Nile, Kempinski Nile Hotel opens its doors to guests today amidst the presence of high profile visitors, country officials and various dignitaries. The boutique property boasts 137 rooms and 54 suites with private balconies and sparkling views over the mighty Nile.
Designed by French architect Pierre Yves Rochon, the hotel represents a masterpiece of contemporary design with attributes that specifically pay homage to Egypt’s ancient history.
Kempinski Nile Hotel offers state of the art technology within an engaging environment, combining high end spa facilities with exceptional culinary experiences at all of the four restaurants within the hotel. Great attention to detail is given to the service aspect and nothing is ever too much to ask especially in The Blue Restaurant and Grill, where there is no pre defined menu, instead, all dishes are made to order. The hotels’ signature restaurant Floor 10 shall inspire guests with its French cuisine allowing them to sample artistic creations, style and flavours from one of the world’s favourite food destinations.
Additionally, four beautiful bars broaden the offer from the Chocolate Lounge to the Rooftop and Shishawy, one of the finest shisha bars around.
Stay at the latest hotspot in Cairo during the opening phase, and try the Madina or the Nile room at 200 Euros per room per night including breakfast for single or double occupancy. While the exclusive Madina or Nile Suites are offered for 470 Euros per suite per night including breakfast for single or double occupancy. This opening offer is valid until the end of September 2010.
To meet the construction and fit out needs of our wide client base, Stylematters have created a Special Projects Division that will fulfil a key role in supporting the diversity of projects that we get involved in.And through this Special Projects Division, headed up by the experienced industry stalwart; Mick Jagger, we can now provide full interior fit out services across the Hotel, Hospitality, Bar and Coffee Shop sectors; in fact any type of leisure environment.
Whether the needs are for a new build, a sparkle or a refurbishment, our Special Projects Division recognise the inherent needs of each type of project – such as working within existing trading environments where downtime is not an option, completing projects within seemingly impossible time frames, or matching new work to existing finishes and materials etc.
The division brings both a wealth of experience, and a strong appreciation of delivering exceptional customer service, always striving to complete projects on time and within budget. Furthermore, the synergistic fit with our Furniture Division, further positions Stylematters as a strong One-Stop-Shop for any fit out and furniture need.
Contact Mick Jagger through our page in the Directory here.
Marriott ExecuStay®, a leader in furnished apartments, temporary housing, and corporate apartments, announced that five exclusive apartment properties in San Francisco had joined the Marriott ExecuStay family of 700 apartment locations in the U.S. The Urban Suites Collection’s five properties, all located in San Francisco, include Clay Park Tower, Corinthian Suites, Nob Hill Chateau, Nob Hill Suites and View Tower. Built in the 1920s and 1930s, each of the Urban Suites Collection properties offers guests the grandeur of early 20th century architecture with the stylish comfort of contemporary features. Clay Park Towers is set atop the hills in the Pacific Heights neighbourhood and features studio, one and two-bedroom apartment homes with beautiful views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Clay Park offers guests an upscale urban suite with the convenience of suburban living.
Corinthian Suites features newly-remodelled studio and one-bedroom apartment homes in a magnificently-restored apartment building. Conveniently located in the heart of San Francisco’s Civic Centre, Corinthian Suites provides residents easy access to public transportation and many adjacent neighbourhoods such as the Financial District and nearby Fisherman’s Wharf.
Nob Hill Chateau, located in the famed Nob Hill neighbourhood, has beautifully-appointed studio and one-bedroom suites. A boutique market is located in the building for the convenience of Nob Hill Chateau guests. The property is within walking distance of the Financial District, Union Square, and is surrounded by critically-acclaimed restaurants, theatres and museums.
With its Spanish mosaic tile, individually-painted doors and golden-tiled ceiling, Nob Hill Suites offers the charm and style of the Beaux Arts period. This property has studio and one-bedroom suites, is adjacent to the famous Powell and California cable car lines, features a boutique market on-site and is only a short walk from Union Square, the Financial District and Chinatown.
Constructed in 1928, View Towers feature exquisite architectural detailing in one of San Francisco’s most elegant buildings. A San Francisco landmark, View Towers offers residents studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites along with some of the most dramatic views of the city. The property is surrounded by the charm of Russian Hill’s neighbourhood restaurants, shops and parks.
Managed by Laramar Properties, the Urban Suites Collection offers guests amenities like granite countertops, hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, free high speed wireless internet and digital cable. They are situated in some of San Francisco’s most upscale neighbourhoods with proximity to popular destinations including Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Kohler’s Creative Director, British brand architect, Tristan Butterfield, commissioned one of the hottest architects in London, Harvey Langston-Jones to collaborate on this new space. “London is a key Global specification hub for architecture and, as part of a world showroom roll-out that started in New York, this is a very special collaboration with West One Bathrooms. Capsule bath collections are mixed with Kohler’s artisan pieces, all wrapped up in an exceptionally tailored and dialed-in architectural space.”The showroom has been designed to present the product range in displays that will appeal to the architectural and design clientele of Clerkenwell. The Kohler range includes bathroom suites with complementary cabinetry, stand-alone furniture pieces, a collection of handcrafted decorated basins, bathing and wellness products, brassware and coordinating accessories.
The leading bathroom and kitchen manufacturer, Kohler, has been selected by West One Bathrooms as the exclusive partner for its new London showroom. Opening in Summer 2010, the showroom, named ‘THE BOLD LOOK OF KOHLER at West One Bathrooms’ will be located in Clerkenwell, the heart of London’s architectural and design district. The new outlet will display Kohler bathroom and kitchen ranges together with other brands from the Kohler stable including Daryl and Kallista.
With its remote location, steep terrains, and copious amounts of boulders, the site for Four Seasons Resort Seychelles provides the ultimate challenge even for the most seasoned architects. But with a little dream and imagination, Cheong Yew Kuan, the principal architect of Singapore-based Area Design, transformed it into a world-class paradise.Kuan designed the Resort on-site after spending many hours surveying the land. A combination of steep, rocky terrain, building codes, sensitivity to the guest experience and concern for the environment led him to the tree-house concept. By lifting the villas off the ground, the habitat of the ground animals is left intact, and the rain water flows as it always has, allowing the foliage to grow.
Due to the demands of the terrain and the location of the trees that Kuan chose not to cut, every villa is different in its exact configuration and the way it is located on site. Each of the 67 tree-house villas and suites comes with a private plunge pool, outdoor rain shower and pavilion with a daybed, perfected by stunning views of the azure waters of Petite Anse bay and the Indian Ocean.
On this pristine site, the challenge was to insert many square meters of new construction into a fragile and sensitive eco-system. Destruction of the ecology was kept to a minimum and trees that were unfortunately cleared were recycled in the timber flooring of Kannel restaurant.
Boulders that were removed were reused as granite cladding for walls throughout the Resort. A cradle of biological diversity, the wetland located behind Kannel restaurant was left untouched so that numerous animals and plants can continue to thrive. It also prevents flooding by serving as a barrier for coastal erosion during high tides.
The design of the Resort is intended to blend with the island architecture. The villas are folksy but sophisticated, reflecting a Creole influence. Whitewashed timber walls contrast the surrounding natural palette, and French antiques are offset by rustic driftwood pieces.
Reflecting the life of the early settlers in Seychelles, the main buildings in the Resort – such as the lobby, library and restaurant – follow the colonial French and European styles. The Recreation Club area is inspired by old plantation buildings such as the smokehouses where coconuts were once cured. One such building is the Foumba (“old house” in Creole) that stands solidly behind Kannel restaurant. The rustic and natural charm of the ruins presents it as the perfect venue for events under the stars, accompanied by a soothing symphony of the ocean waves.
In the 2010 HD Awards, presented by Hospitality Design magazine, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles emerged the winner in two categories: Best Overall Resort Design and Best Luxury Guestroom/ Suite Design.
If Copenhagen is (more than probably) the best city in the world for its quality of life and status as a cutting-edge design centre, then Arne Jacobsen’s Radisson SAS Royal Hotel is one of its defining design statements. The ground and first floor public areas are currently benefitting from a comprehensive ‘refreshment’ under the direction of the interior team from designers Graven Images.The Danish capital was recently awarded top spot of the list of the world’s best cities in which to live by lifestyle magazine Monocle, and the SAS Royal which celebrates its 50th Anniversary this month, set the ball rolling when it opened as not only Europe’s but the world’s first design hotel. The pieces created by Jacobsen specifically for the hotel, such as the Swan and Egg chairs, are still specified worldwide to this day.
The building itself has an incredible history and pushed boundaries as soon as it was constructed; it was the largest hotel in Denmark when it was completed in 1960 as the SAS Royal Hotel and was the first skyscraper in Copenhagen, with interiors which epitomised the 60s – think Don and Betty Draper of TV’s Mad Men, or the young Britt Ekland.
Although it has remained a style icon during the ensuing decades, time has taken its toll on the SAS Royal with inevitable wear and tear resulting in the loss of some of its original elegance. In addition some of the public areas have been subjected to some unsympathetic interventions, such as the clumsy conversion of a smart and sexy concession boutique area into a restaurant.
Graven Images was commissioned in 2008 by Radisson as interior designers to restore the integrity of what is arguably the most important project undertaken by Arne Jacobsen, and certainly the best showcase for his trademark functionalist approach.
The interior designer’s mission was to bring the public areas of the SAS Royal up-to-date, restoring their design integrity and thereby making them accessible to a wider audience without compromising any of the unique features. The focus has been on streamlining and ‘cleaning up’ the original spaces, rationalising the layout and providing a more appropriate back-drop to showcase the original Jacobsen features.
Design Director Jim Hamilton said, “It’s been an honour to work on such an important and interesting project, which is close to the hearts not only of the design community but of hotel aficionados worldwide. The new hotel will share many qualities with the old – it will be glamorous, stylish, contemporary and with outstanding comfort to attract a wide variety of clientele from Copenhagen’s own design and style conscious population, as well as visitors to the Danish capital many of whom come because of its reputation as one of Europe’s most important design destinations.”
Design guidelines have been added to the Downloads area of the DesignClub.The first of these is the Ingress Protection (IP Ratings)standards governing bathrooms in hotels, kidly contributed by lighting designer Andy Taylor. These standards are designed to prevent the electrocution of your guest by ‘zoning’ the bathroom to show what kind of fitting it is safe to fit in what area.
Our second guide is from the US Association for Contract Textiles. It defines abrasion resistance, the various test formats and lays down some guidelines for specification.
My own experience involvement in designing over 400 hotel projects led my practice to settle on a standard of 18,000 rubs for a bedroom chair fabric: 40,000 rubs for a chair in an hotel public area; but higher maybe up to 80,000 rubs, for a fabric in a bar.
Coommon sense needs to be used as a tapestry type of fabric will fail after less than 8,000 rubs but will outlast a cotton sateen which will score high in a Martindale test because of its smoothness. We have all seen tapestries in country houses that have lasted hundereds of years yet sat in bars where the cotton sateen used on the stool has split almost immediately.
Rub tests are only a guideline and are not a substitute for intelligent specification by a designer who knows what they are doing!
The Datai Langkawi is pleased to announce the reopening of The Beach Club Bar after undergoing a one month renovation project. Situated by the resort’s private beachfront and adjacent to The Beach Club restaurant, the new Beach Club Bar offers guests larger seating capacity and a more contemporary décor, a perfect location for sundowners and pre-dinner drinks. With stunning views of the shimmering Andaman sea, The Beach Club Bar is one of the six food and beverage venues available at The Datai. With its sleek couple sun-loungers and built-in benches alongside the bar area, this is a peaceful haven for guests to relax and enjoy views of the sunset. “The new design of the Beach Club Bar now offers a more spacious facility with breathtaking views, especially at sunset. With this expanded space we will now be able to offer different options for lunchtime dining and evening snacks,” expressed Ms. Eleanor Hardy, General Manager of The Datai Langkawi.
Founded by Belgian architect Thierry HP Janssens in 2003, THPJ and Partners are behind the redesign of the new Beach Club Bar. In line with The Datai’s concept of blending with nature, The Beach Club Bar retains its original structure with traditional attap style roof and wooden structure amongst the matured greenery that surrounds it. The bar has been beautified with dark slate counter tops and state-of-the-art equipment, and fully equipped with elegant hand-woven rattan-like furniture. Those who wish to relax by the sea and pool with a book while having cocktails and snacks during the day can enjoy the comfortably padded benches that surround the bar area.
IDEAL Marble and Granite celebrate 10 years working at the 5 star Chester Grosvenor and Spa Hotel.
IDEAL are currently half way through the final phase of a 10 year programme to provide new marble flooring to the bathrooms and lobbies of one the finest Hotels in the UK. Their roll out of 70 rooms is on schedule and due for completion January 2011.IDEAL have been supplying and installing marble to the main Suite rooms when the hotel is in its quieter periods in January and February. They have also carried out projects in the new Michelin Star Simon Radley Restaurant, the Spa area and Eaton and Venetian Suite within the Hotel.
Managing Director, Derek Burt says ‘The standards of workmanship required at The Chester Grosvenor are very high, but we do set ourselves very high standards so that’s why the relationship works well. We are carrying out the work to the current phase with no other trades involved apart from the Hotels own maintenance staff so the cost for the hotel is as low as possible and the results are excellent. The main challenge here is that the building is very old and timber framed with timber floors. This can cause movement in solid floor finishes and we have to use all of our many years of experience to deal with the situation properly.’
The Rezidor Hotel Group has announced the re-branding of the Radisson Blu Hotel & Conference Centre Salzburg, Austria. The former Renaissance Salzburg Congress Center featuring 257 rooms will be re-branded in Q3 2010 and complement Rezidor’s 62-room Radisson Blu Hotel Altstadt, Salzburg. Salzburg is the fourth largest city in Austria, one of central Europe’s most enchanting tourist destinations and the birthplace of the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Today, his birthplace and family residence are must-see tourist attractions. The baroque old town is a wonderfully preserved UNESCO site and within walking distance from the hotel.
Besides 257 guest rooms (including 11 spacious suites) the Radisson Blu Hotel & Conference Centre, Salzburg will offer 2 restaurants and 1 bar, and 1,750m2 of conference & meeting space – including a sub-dividable ballroom and a variety of meeting rooms to suit every need. For those wanting to relax after a hectic day of meetings or site seeing, the hotel will comprise an indoor pool, health club, sauna and hair salon.
Rezidor has nine properties in operation or under development in Austria, including four Radisson Blu hotels.
Following a nine month, $50 million renovation that touched all hotel areas, the new Kauai Marriott Resort on Kalapaki Beach was reintroduced on the 19th July 2010 with a special ceremony including a traditional Hawaiian blessing, hula dancers and musicians.The 356-room Kauai Marriott Resort on Kalapaki Beach is located on one of the island’s most picturesque beachfronts, conveniently situated within minutes from Lihue Airport. The resort hotel now features the following highlights: • Completely transformed guest rooms and Presidential Suite with timeless island elegance, stylish and modern residential furnishings and lanai (balconies) to take advantage of sweeping ocean, mountain and garden views. • Refurbished open-air Kukui’s on Kalapaki Beach restaurant for casual dining, featuring a permanent buffet and the new Toro-Tei sushi restaurant. • Refreshed Aupaka Terrace lobby lounge, offering breakfast items and morning coffee in a relaxed atmosphere overlooking the stunning swimming pool. • Newly built children’s pool featuring a slide and water spout features, a perfect complement to the hotel’s signature 26,000 square-foot outdoor swimming pool with five soothing whirlpools. • Conference and social event space comprised of 19,702 square feet of indoor meeting space and nearly 60,000 square feet of outdoor event space in ocean, garden and pool settings. The enhanced Kauai Ballroom is the largest on Kauai, divisible into three sections and accommodates up to 1,750 guests for receptions and 1,000 for banquets. On-site, state-of-the-art AV support and Wi-Fi Internet connection are offered. • New guest arrival experience with an expanded porte cochere and an improved main lobby and registration desk.
Photo credit: Kauai Marriott Resort on Kalapaki Beach
A new award was introduced this year at the industry Mixology Awards 2010 recognising the sustainable efforts in commercial Interior Design projects.
The Environmental Design Award was awarded to Max Bentheim for their achievements in design thinking, on-site implementation and impact on operations for their project The Scarlet Hotel, Cornwall.Stephan Oberwegner, Managing Director at Max Bentheim said ‘We are very proud of this accolade as we can now fully assist and support all our clients with their corporate social and environmental responsibilities.’
The brief was specific; to create a unique and sustainable building that blends with and enhances the local environment, utilising the spectacular cliff-top location and views to construct a feeling of space and light.
The Scarlet team had a very clear idea of the ‘wow’ factor they wanted to create with the new hotel and chose the architect team at the Harrison Sutton Partnership and the building team Bauwerk to help them realise this dream.
The design works around clever use of levels, revealing function and glimpses of views, with a central ‘wall’ to physically anchor the building to the cliff side.
Bedrooms are broken down into smaller clusters, giving the advantage of dissolving the traditional boring hotel plan of long corridors to form shorter connecting spaces, some curved in plan. All focused around the view, but with varying spaces such as intimate gardens, shell-like viewing pods and wrap around terraces.
The front of the building is the organic façade with sea thrift roof and reclaimed groynes. The front edge of the building relating to the cliffs was seen as providing a more organic façade, where the building envelope stops and the coastal landscape of scrub and cliff takes over. Here, the design team saw the character of the cliff top wrapping up against and over the lower bedrooms, using a green roof to link the natural fronting ground level to the roof beyond. From the very outset sustainability of the new hotel was of paramount importance. With the focus on high levels of insulation, air tightness, utilisation of solar orientation and natural cooling, the hotel build provided a sound base for the managerial handling of green issues. The team considered all major options for sustainable energy creation before settling upon a combination of different energy sources.
From the very outset sustainability of the new hotel was of paramount importance. With the focus on high levels of insulation, air tightness, utilisation of solar orientation and natural cooling, the hotel build provided a sound base for the managerial handling of green issues. The team considered all major options for sustainable energy creation before settling upon a combination of different energy sources.
Seated in a prime waterfront location in Marina Bay (Singapore’s CBD and historical Arts and Cultural precinct), the Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore (opened 8th July 2010) offers impeccable service and hospitality. Comprising 100 rooms, five individually-themed suites and a luxurious Presidential Suite, with magnificent bay views, sundecks and balconies, the hotel appeals to discerning jetsetters and travellers from across the globe. With three signature dining destinations designed by Asia’s highly sought-after design wunderkind Andre Fu, the hotel is set to elevate the waterfront dining experience. LCL Architects, the group behind the hotel’s inspiring glass facade, is also responsible for the creation of the luxuriously-appointed hotel rooms. Guests will enter the hotel through a 17-metre wide lobby at the historic Clifford Pier, an important heritage site which saw the arrival of many of Singapore’s early settlers. The hotel’s interior designs are richly steeped in Singapore’s vibrant history with Fu using vintage nautical maps and contemporary art that reflect both the heritage and modernity of the Lion City.
Utilising materials and designs such as polished rosewood and latticed screens, as well as leather and chrome, LCL Architects has created an elegant and refined atmosphere in the bedrooms with a predominantly natural palette throughout. This classical look is combined with state-of-the-art in-room technology to ensure that the hotel’s modern travellers are always kept in touch.
Each of the hotel’s six suites, including the Presidential Suite, are individually themed to reflect the wealth of cultures in Singapore’s cosmopolitan population, including Chinese, Malay, Indian, Peranakan and Colonial and are situated on the upper three storeys of the hotel, in prime-angled positions facing the Marina Bay waterfront. Named after the former Governors of the Straits Settlement (Sir Hugh Clifford, Sir Shenton Thomas, Sir William Cleaver Francis Robinson, Sir John Anderson and Major General Sir William Orfeur Cavenagh), each will be adorned with bespoke artwork and antiques alongside contemporary pieces that embody the spirit unique to the suite’s theme.
The hotel’s trio of culinary experiences include The Landing Point, Lantern and Clifford. Lantern is a stylish rooftop bar, surrounding the hotel’s 25-metre rooftop swimming pool, where guests can relish gourmet snacks and grilled meats, accompanied with fine champagnes and signature cocktails whilst watching the world go by across Singapore’s famous skyline. This urban oasis is the perfect spot for an afternoon’s respite or a cocktail with friends conjured up by the bar’s mixologist.
Set amidst the resplendent skyline of the Marina Bay waterfront, the modern brasserie Clifford, is illuminated by splendid 10-metre floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the waters of the bay. Guests are greeted by an opulent 800-bottle fine wine library meticulously handpicked from all over the world. The main dining section seats up to 76 and is cleverly designed with vintage furnishings in warm grey, burnt orange and dark aubergine set against the towering ivory French panelling and masculine herringbone oak floors. The restaurant also offers al fresco dining on the terrace as well as a private dining room.
Elegantly positioned alongside an impressive indoor promenade paved in bespoke marble mosaics, The Landing Point is the gourmand’s lounge du jour. With a majestic 13-metre long bar and spacious outdoor terrace, The Landing Point is designed to captivate the sophisticated audience of its guests.
Andy Thornton have launched their first stand-alone lighting catalogue which features a comprehensive range of decorative contract lighting for the hospitality market. They have taken the opportunity to introduce fresh new collections of bar and restaurant lighting to complement the existing range. You will also discover a complete new range of hotel lighting, including guest room, bathroom and public area lighting. The new and exclusive La Parra features in Lighting from Andy Thornton. It includes this three tier hand-forged iron chandelier which will make a stunning feature in any large venue. It is an impressive 1200mm in diameter and comes finished in an antique bronze patina and is supplied complete with hand-crafted scavo shades.
The complete La Parra collection also includes a two tier chandelier, a compact three arm pendant for smaller rooms and a matching wall light.
To see the full range of lighting from Andy Thornton please download the NEW 170 page lighting catalogue here.
The Product Innovation Awards will be launched at this year’s Sleep Event exhibition. Ensuring the exhibition continues as a platform for brand new and original product design, a designated display will feature a selection of the very best innovative products from across the industry. Any product launched since 4th November 2009 can be entered for a minimal fee which will include the opportunity to display the product at the show and be judged by a high-level panel including Paul Flowers, Senior Vice President of Design at Grohe, industry PR Su Pecha and deputy editor of Sleeper, Catherine Martin. The judges will assess each product during the show and a winner will be announced and awarded on the final day.
To enter the awards or to find out more information, please contact Suzie Ager through our Directory page. The awards are not limited to exhibitors but are open to any company or individual from within the hotel design industry.
The Sleep Event is Europe’s only event dedicated to hotel design, development and architecture which will return to the Business Design Centre, London from 24-25 November. As in previous years, the event also incorporates a top level two day conference and the highly prestigious European Hotel Design Awards.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
To keep up to date with all the latest news and features, sign up to receive our weekly newsletter and bi-monthly HD Edit.
