Customers can now view the exterior-interior range at Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan via the company’s Flickr account.With 310 photographs, the account, available from here, enables visitors to the exterior-interior website to preview the company’s new ranges.
Salone Internazionale del Mobile is the International Furniture Fair of Milan, the largest decoration trade fair in the world.
Stylematters has added a new range called Tiffany to their collection.The range features chairs and sofas that all have a good balance between price and quality.
The range pushes the boundaries of design and its sofa and chairs take on a unique form.
Carlson Hotels has announced that it has signed a landmark agreement to develop the first Radisson Blu hotel in the United States. This US$125m development in Chicago is scheduled to open in the autumn of 2011. It marks the company’s most important investment so far as part of Carlson Hotels’ Ambition 2015 growth strategy.
Carlson, president and chief executive officer, Hubert Joly said: “Our ambition is to establish flagship hotels in major cities in the U.S., and the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel is a major step towards realizing that goal.”
Ambition 2015 is fueled by an investment program of up to US$1.5bn focused on positioning Radisson in North America as a powerful, globally consistent first-class brand. Recognized for its contemporary design, Radisson Blu delivers upper-upscale hospitality.
A joint venture between Carlson Hotels and Aqua at Lakeshore East LLC owner and developer, Magellan Development Group, Chicago’s Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel will be located on 18 floors of the 81-story tower. The mixed-use residential property received the 2009 Skyscraper of the Year Award for its shape, the appearance of which changes dramatically depending on the perspective.
Carlson Hotels, The Americas, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Thorsten Kirschke said: “This venture is part of the moves we are making to align our U.S. brand with our global standards.”
AMS Group has been awarded the contract to manufacture and install 127 bedrooms for the new build Hampton by Hilton at Wales 1, Newport, UK for the Charnwood Property Group. The development, which will be the first hotel for the commercial property group, is situated in the prime location just off junction 23A of the M4.
AMS will provide bedroom case goods for the project offered in two of the four suggested colour schemes and a natural American Black Walnut veneered finish, in line with the new Hampton by Hilton design.
AMS is an established bedroom furniture manufacturers and supply some of the most recognised names in the leisure industry, including IHG, Rezidor, Whitbread, DeVere, Village, Bourne Leisure and Firoka to name a few.
Also working with designers, architects, cost consultants and contractors the company is extremely flexible and understands budget and time constraints.
The new Hampton by Hilton development will be open in September just in time for the Ryder Cup which will be held at the Celtic Manor Resort.
ODonnell Furniture Makers is proud to have been chosen as the casegoods supplier in the City Inn Tower hotel in London which is to open at the end of the year.City Inn, CEO, David Orr, opened the hotel at a traditional topping out ceremony at the 583 bedroomed property that overlooks the River Thames and some of London’s most iconic landmarks.
In a speech to gathered contractors, guests and dignitaries, Orr acknowledged the thousands of people that are involved in a project of this scale and the vision of the planning authority and banks in backing the company through difficult economic times.
He expressed his hope that the special relationship between City Inn and Laing O’Rourke would continue into the future.
The Dolce Munich Unterschleissheim, a modern conference centre and hotel that weaves contemporary style with Bavarian culture has opened in Munich, Germany.As the Munich property is the first to be built from-the-ground-up with Dolce’s new design standards, JOI-Design helped to design brand’s ideology when creating the interiors.
The design of the new Dolce Munich draws on both the masculine and feminine symbols of Bavarian culture.
Upon entering the hotel lobby, guests are greeted by a life-sized sculpture of a cow.
Natural materials such as the honey coloured oak of the reception desks, the hammered copper of cowbells hung above and the speckled terrazzo floor help create the ambience.
Bridging the reception lobby with the conference area, high-sided sofas offer a degree of privacy during one-to-one breakout sessions. In front of the windows, a series of fabric panels screened with a meandering floral trellis allows sunlight to filter through.
The opposite side of the reception lobby leads to the hotel’s lounge and bar, a contrast of rough and smooth textures in a colour palette derived from Bavaria’s natural environment.
Various diameters of timber logs are assembled like a jigsaw puzzle inset within bronze panels, while a mosaic of tumbled stones forms a simple rectangular housing for the fireplace.
Extending from one end of the bar area to the other is a communal table and stools carved from rough hewn oak.
Adjacent to the bar is the gourmet restaurant Redox with white tablecloths, antler chandeliers and rich tones of light and dark stained oak, as well as a backlit ‘wine wall’.
As the city’s main conference hotel, the Dolce Munich also features a large, all-day dining restaurant that seats up to 220 people.
In the 255 guestrooms and suites, a neutral, earth-toned palette serves as a canvas for the spaces’ design accents. Stone cladding is used for the bathtubs and showers as well as for the saunas which are exclusive to the suites, while stone floor tiles are used in all room types.
The world’s largest exhibition for lighting and building-services, the Light & Building in Frankfurt, closed its doors on April 16. More than 180,000 visitors took the chance to visit the show, which is an increase of almost 8 per cent compared with 2008.
Baulmann Leuchten from Sundern unveiled its latest product-developments on the show. Besides from several new product lines equipped with energy-saving LED-lamps, the main attraction of the show was a new family of stunning pendant big lights.
This new range comes in standard diametres of 1.5m and two metres with various colours to choose from. The colour of the fabric shades can be chosen for both the outer shade and the inner shade of the luminaire.
Equipped with dimmable electronic ballasts for energy saving TC-L lamps, this range provides new state of the art possibilities.
Yesterday HotelDesigns reported on new environmental designs within hotel bathrooms and today it has been revealed that Starwood Hotels are planning to join with Conservation International(CI) in a bid to become more ‘green’.The hotel group said that the collaboration is an attempt to focus on setting and achieving environmental performance goals and creating awareness around environmental issues. As well as joining CI, Starwood’s CEO, Frits van Paasschen has also joined the CI’s executive council in order to create solutions that improve business performance whilst at the same time sustaining healthy ecosystems.
Since becoming CEO in 2007, van Paasschen has championed Starwood’s environmental sustainability efforts and has worked with the company’s senior leadership to form a Global Citizenship team which is committed to delivering tangible improvements to the company’s environmental, social and business performance.
Starwood said that across its entire portfolio it is rolling out initiatives that aim to conserve energy and water, reduce waste and enhance indoor environmental quality for Starwood guests and associates alike. Starwood’s boutique Element Hotels was the first major hotel brand to achieve a LEED rating.
Van Paasschen said: “As a multinational company with 1,000 hotels in almost 100 countries, Starwood has the size, the scope and the spirit to positively effect environmental change. Along with supporting Conservation International’s incredible work, it’s exciting to share CI’s mission with our guests and partners around the world.”
The new Meliá Coral and Meliá Istrian Villas are two company properties that have reopened on the Umag coast in Croatia.Sol Meliá has shown its commitment to improving the quality of its hotel portfolio in Croatia with the reopening of two resort hotels in Umag: the Meliá Coral and the Meliá Istrian Villas, both previously operated under the Sol Hotels brand.
The changes have required the adaptation of the hotels to the Meliá Hotels brand standards and its focus on customer service.
The new Meliá Coral provides 244 rooms, six luxury suites, a range of different options for corporate events, and a choice of additional facilities including a spa, swimming pool, solarium, tapas bar and Mediterranean tavern.
Its multi-purpose outdoor areas are also used for social events along with the creation of two new leisure areas for fun and relaxation: the Club Elite Automat and the Beach Club.
The Meliá Istrian Villas is an oasis of apartments alongside the sea yet only two kilometres from the centre of Umag, which combines traditional architecture with modern design and superior comfort. This year the hotel also inaugurates a new restaurant named O Grill.
Starwood Hotels, Inland American Lodging Corporation and Alliance Hospitality Management LLC have opened the Aloft Chapel Hill. The 40th Aloft hotel worldwide, this brand new destination is close to the Research Triangle Park and features 130 spacious, loft-like rooms and 487sqm of meeting space.
Inland American Lodging Corporation, Craig Lambert said: “We are really excited to be opening our second Aloft hotel within the Inland American Lodging Corporation’s portfolio. In addition to its ideal proximity to the University of North Carolina, the hotel is perfectly situated in Chapel Hill and will appeal both to people working in or visiting the greater tri-city market.”
Aloft Chapel Hill, general manager, Rob Cote said: “Aloft Hotels introduces a compelling blend of urban style and social interplay to Chapel Hill. Bold and stylish, Aloft Chapel Hill targets both sophisticated travelers and area professionals with its eclectic and electric experience, lively remix lounge and a w xyz bar.”
Located at 1001 South Hamilton Road, the property is located adjacent to the UNC campus with a Chapel Hill transit stop directly at the hotel and part of the new East 54 Village, a new urban community of luxury condos, shops and dining.
Hyatt Hotels has opened Hyatt Miami at The Blue, US.The 17-acre hotel property in Doral, Florida is adjacent to golf courses and close to Miami International Airport.
The tropically landscaped hotel includes 15-three story villas, each with 16 hotel suites comprised of studios with more than 200sqm, one bedroom units with over 300sqm and two-story, three bedroom units with more than 600sqm of space.
All suites have a terrace and a golf fairway view, and feature fully equipped kitchens with stainless steel appliances, marble bathrooms with rain showers and separate bathtubs, large LCD flat-screen televisions, DVD players and iPod docking stations.
At Hyatt Miami at The Blue, guests can enjoy a fitness centre, Spa Azul, a full-service spa, and a heated swimming pool with private cabanas, overlooking the golf course.
Dining options include 5300 Chop House, the hotel’s signature restaurant and business lunch destination, as well as a poolside café and bar.
For business and social events, the Clubhouse at Hyatt Miami at The Blue offers more than 500sqm of flexible meeting space along with a boardroom providing a setting for small gatherings and executive retreats.
The hotel is owned by ING Clarion Development Ventures II (CDV II), a fund advised by ING Clarion Partners. Davidson Hotel Company is the hotel’s operator. The hotel is Davidson’s first with ING Clarion and its third hotel managed under the Hyatt flag.
The Best Western Honest Lawyer hotel in Durham, UK has just re-opened its doors after a multi-million pound refurbishment programme following last years floods.All the 52 bedrooms have been restored using a contemporary style and modern facilities.
A palette of warm red, brown and purple has been chosen and the rooms now also have 40 inch televisions and six have four poster beds.
The 175 cover restaurant has been reopened and offers a selection of traditional and modern cuisine. The head chef, Harry Bailie who trained at The Ritz in London, aims to make the restaurant a destination in its own right and offers his twist on British classics such as Black Sheep Battered Fish and Chips.
The lounge areas have been opened up to create an open plan area downstairs that is separated into smaller seating areas featuring open fires and traditional furniture.
Externally, two terraces have been created in the fully landscaped gardens.
The hotel is located just two miles south of Durham. Best Western Honest Lawyer Hotel, general manager, Chris Bowron said: “The hotel has had a major cosmetic facelift, but this is not just style over substance. Our restaurant will become a destination in its own right and we aim to offer the very best customer service in the North. We will be a unique hotel as it has a stylish boutique style but also very family friendly offering personal service.”
A new meeting room has also been added to the first floor, the Bridge Suite, which accommodates up to 50 delegates theatre style.
Sani Resort in Halkidiki, Greece, has just opened its third spa, which is situated in the five-star family hotel.The new Club Spa offers an all natural, contemporary spa experience which complements the resort’s existing two spas.
With the opening of its third spa, Sani Resort now offers a health and wellbeing experience.
Constructed using local sandstone and incorporating the whites, blues and muted greys used in the hotel’s guest rooms, the new Club Spa is cutting edge in design and features six treatment rooms and a cabin dedicated to Thai and Asian treatments.
A Couple’s Suite has been designed to offer the utmost privacy and features a double seated Steam Room heated to 45 degrees to warm and prepare the body before a treatment, and two treatment beds enabling couples to enjoy therapies at the same time.
The Club Spa’s extensive treatment menu draws upon therapies from around the world designed to give guests an opportunity to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of ancient and modern remedies from all corners of the globe.
Therapies include Thai Massage, Indian Shirodhara, Oriental Reflex-Therapy, Mediterranean Salt Exfoliation and an array of modern European therapies from the Parisian skin experts Anne Semonin, including facials, scrubs, wraps and massages.
Carlson Hotels has opened its 13th Park Inn property in North America and the first of two hotels joining the brand this month in Texas. The opening of the Park Inn Houston North Hotel & Conference Center and a second hotel in Dallas, are part of Carlson’s Ambition 2015 growth strategy.
The non-smoking hotel features two outdoor heated pools, a fitness center, complimentary breakfast, free Wi-Fi access and American and Tex-Mex dining at Sam Houston’s Grill. The 220-room hotel has 5,180sqm of meeting space, audio-visual equipment, catering, and a professional meetings and events team.
Park Inn, executive vice president, Steve Mogck said: “Park Inn, a leading, award-winning mid-scale brand in Europe and the Middle East, has great potential in North America. The strong visual identity and contemporary design of the brand provide a fresh approach to the mid-scale segment.”
Internationally the brand has achieved major milestone recognition. In 2009, J.D. Power and Associates rated Park Inn number one in Europe for guest satisfaction in the mid-scale segment. The group has 107 hotels in operation globally and 59 hotels currently in development.
A £56m mixed-use development creating 250 jobs in Liverpool city centre has secured planning permission in the UK. The scheme, which comprises two hotels and post-graduate studio accommodation on Oldham Street, has been put together by Northern Ireland-based property company Tara House Ltd.
It represents an investment in the Liverpool economy and will help improve the city’s tourism offer with the addition of an extra 270 hotel bedrooms.
The developers have secured a major international hotel operator for both hotels and expect to be able to announce the identity of the operator later this month.
The key components of the scheme, which has been designed by Liverpool architects Falconer Chester Hall, will be a 140 bedroom three-star hotel and a 130 bedroom budget hotel, 113 post-graduate studio units and a basement car park of 247 spaces available on either a long or short stay basis.
Tara House Ltd, managing director, Murray Twinn said: ““We are very excited about our scheme which should help to promote further regeneration in this important and strategic city centre location. The mixed uses will bring vibrancy and life to the Oldham Street area whilst creating jobs and giving a boost to the local economy.”
Falconer Chester Hall, Mark Doohan said: “We are delighted to be part of this significant regeneration project. The design unifies the broad mix of uses and creates a family of buildings and a dynamic city, street and roof scape. A two tone mix of high quality cladding materials subtly subdivides the facades and gives the building a unique appearance which is striking in this context.”
Work is expected to start on site in the third quarter of 2010 with the first phase expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2011, and the rest of the development early in 2012.
In a bold and exciting move JAB ANSTOETZ has relocated to a more than 1,300sqm showroom in Imperial Wharf, London becoming the German fabric house’s European flagship store.Launched on March 18 2010, the showroom is the first JAB ANSTOETZ street level showroom in the UK, serving both UK and international clients.
JAB ANSTOETZ has made this investment as the next step in the evolution of the company within the UK market. For the last 15 years JAB ANSTOETZ has been located within the Design Centre Chelsea Harbour and before that on Wigmore Street in London. The larger showroom and offices in the Imperial Wharf development have been chosen as the perfect location for the new ‘destination’ showroom designed to attract designers and the public.
JAB ANSTOETZ worked with interior designers James Geekie and Simon Cavelle on the spectacular showroom, which features 4.5m high ceilings, meeting spaces for designers and their clients, light boxes for testing and viewing fabrics, Wi-Fi connectivity and beautiful design features to showcase JAB ANSTOETZ’s vast range of fabrics. Interior fit out was completed by specialists Cameron Black. Other appealing features for visitors are the customer parking facilities and the new rail transport links at Imperial Wharf.
JAB International Furnishings Limited, managing director, Michael Constable said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to relocate to our new flagship showroom at Imperial Wharf. The quality of the development linked with the new rail station persuaded us to move from Chelsea Harbour. The building is perfect for our design led products and displays.”
JAB ANSTOETZ is one of the world’s leading furnishing fabric houses, established in 1946 in Bielefeld, Germany and is still 100 per cent family owned. JAB ANSTOETZ’s core beliefs are to offer its clients a high stock level, with millions of metres of fabric in stock at any one time, and a huge choice
Morgan Furniture, the design-led British manufacturer of contract furniture, will exhibit at Clerkenwell Design Week, 25-27th May 2010 in London.Set within the elegant Victorian warehouses of the Farmiloe Building on St. John’s Street, the three day event will encompass seminars, entertainment and exhibits that celebrate the very best of international design and architecture.
In the area known as The Shed within the Farmiloe Building, Morgan will showcase a hand-picked selection of its latest Miami, City and Hampton sofa and chair designs which are suitable for many commercial environments and especially striking for reception spaces.
Contemporary vintage style characterises the Miami collection, created by Morgan Design Director Katerina Zachariades. The three seat sofa with its elegant slim profile and buttoned back detailing is accompanied by a matching lounge chair on a black swivel base and footstool. The entire Miami collection has received the highest acclaim with the award of the coveted Design Guild Mark for 2010 for its excellence in design, use of materials, manufacture and function.
The City Collection from the Morgan Design Studio will be on display with its sharp-lined lounge chair and two models of armchair. Designed as a creative response to the current economic climate, City is contemporary and stylish so delivers when itcomes to city-chic looks, but is also quick to make and offers outstanding value.
This is made possible thanks to investment in high-tech CNC machinery and Morgan’s industry leading standards when it comes to ecological and lean production methods. The entire range is made in birch plywood while the upholstered components are easily fitted and removed again for re-upholstery. The City lounge chair has also been honoured with the 2010 Design Guild Mark.
Designed by Katerina Zachariades, the Hampton Collection was launched in late 2009 and exclusively for Clerkenwell a new sofa model will be unveiled. With its classic profile and contemporary detailing, Hampton offers dining, lounge and reception seating with elegant upholstery and clean minimal timber structure.
The new sofa features full height arms which continue round from the back of the sofa and tilt outwards at a gentle angle. An additional cushion provides comfortable support and creates an inviting corner to sit back and relax.
Morgan design and develop all their products in a low energy consuming factory, using materials from sustainable sources. The company is accredited by FISP (Furniture Industry Sustainability Programme) and was among the first in the industry to be awarded ISO14001. Morgan also forms part of a lean and environmental improvement ‘think tank’ with other British manufacturers.
Designed by Spain’s Carlos Tiscar, a well known industrial designer for chairs, Girsberger has released its new OTTO range.The lounge and reception chairs are striking yet extremely lightweight in their appearance.
The idea behind this unique design is to allow the user to set up a system of benches that measure 122cms wide with comfortable form which gives then the chance to set the chairs up in various configurations in a reception or breakout area environment.
From the photographs you can immedaitely start to picture how easliy this range can work and bring a fresh new look for visitors, staff and general waiting areas.
The seat and backrest are fully holstered in either fabric or leather and the frame is steel chromed with low profile glides. Options available include two side tables – square or triangular – in black or white coated, which helps to link the chairs together if required and create the perfect waiting area solution.
It is inevitable. Green design is the way of the future and more customers are demanding that their purchases have a lesser impact on the environment than ever before. Not only this, but regulations are being put in place to make sure that hotels are built and operated sustainably.Recently in the revised UK building guidelines new rules were added to insure dwellings have minimum water efficiency requirements. According to Grohe, a manufacturer in bathroom equipment, the bathroom is responsible for 63 per cent of total household water usage and certainly much of hotel’s water usage comes through guest bathrooms.
Bathroom design companies are quickly catching on to the change in attitudes and have begun to release more energy and water efficient products. Grohe said that not only do customers want to buy less products less often but they also want more reliable purchases. Grohe, sales director, Garry Smith said: “There has been a shift in purchasing priorities – with a move towards quality and sustainability. Developers are also focusing on return on investment – so longer product lifecycles play a vital part in sustainability with a ‘buy less, buy better’ attitude.”
Villeroy and Boch, a bathroom manufacturer, agreed that improved environmental products can be combined with smart design to make sure they last a long time and are effective. Villeroy and Boch, UK and Ireland director, Michael Swan said: “By incorporating the latest technology, we have successfully reduced wastewater pollution, CO2 emissions during the manufacturing process and of course water consumption by improving our tap fittings and WC performance.”
Swan continued: “Our customers express genuine enthusiasm for any products in the range with an ecological advantage as we are seeing more and more people seek this out.”
Bathroom companies are not the only businesses to consider smart water-saving design. Hotel groups are more and more likely to put environmental design at the forefront of their minds when creating new hotels.
Rezidor is one of such hotel groups as it ensures showers deliver water at a rate no greater than 12 litres a minute and six litres a minute from basin taps. It also tries to install dual flush toilet cisterns with a five or seven litre capacity where possible.
Radisson Blu Portman, chief engineer, Simon Pearson said: “These activities, amongst others, produced a water reduction of 10K cubic metres in 2009 compared with 2008 at Radisson Blu Portman Hotel, which is one of the criteria that helped us achieve Gold status with the Green Tourism Business Scheme.”
Rezidor, technical development team member, Agnes Logan also said that reponsible business construction and renovation guidelines advise developers on how to build water-efficient bathrooms. He added: “Energy consumption can also be controlled by a building management system and front office staff, according to occupancy in a hotel.”
Sahl Hasheesh International Resort is to become the biggest resort in Egypt when it is completed within the next 18 months, at a size of 10,000 acres.The resort is to feature 5,800 hotel rooms, as well as a gold course, convenience stalls, restaurants and apartment buildings. The location is situated 18 kilometres from Hurghada International Airport, adjacent to the Red Sea.
Hotels within the resort that have already opened include Pyramisa Hotel, Palm Beach, Premier Le Reve and Old Palace, which is currently being renovated and changed into a Marriott branded hotel. Hotels under development include Lana Hills, Little Buddha, Ocean Breeze and lots more.
Infrastructure and civil works in the resort are expected to cost EGP 220m. The development will be so large that it will even feature a university.
Land within Sahl Hasheesh is being developed by Egyptian Resorts Company, with each plot of a different size and configuration being offered to third party sub-developers. Numerous sub-developers are involved in the project, including El Sharkia for Hotels, Prime Estates International and Carols Bridge.
Grohe has won an astounding seven accolades at this years iF Product Design Awards. Established in 1954, the iF jury consists of noted international designers and is globally regarded as the quality seal of design – indeed it has become an internationally recognised trademark, serving as a buyer guidance tool in global markets.
With a total of 2,486 products submitted by 1,016 companies from 39 different nations, Grohe came up against stiff competition and scooped a total of seven awards for a number of its newly launched products and best selling lines, including:
• GROHE Blue® • Europlus • Grohtherm 1000 Cosmopolitan • Euphoria System • Veris • Sena System • Sanitary Collection (Skate, Nova and Cosmo flush plates)
Since it was first established in 1936 by Friedrich Grohe, there have been seven decades during which Grohe has continuously built its reputation for unrivalled quality, superior design and impressive technology.
With a history of technological advancement and a renowned in house design team, Grohe remains at the forefront of the market, which has been evident at this year’s iF Product Design Awards.
CS Contract Furniture has entered into a partnership with Hesse Lignal to introduce the next generation of surface finishes especially for the UK hospitality and leisure market.These finishes include anti-slip surfaces, scratch resistant surfaces and anti-bacterial surfaces.
As well as launching innovative surface solutions the production process is environmentally friendly and provides a variety of additional benefits to hotels, restaurants, cruise liners (IMO approved) and many other customers.
A great deal of interest has been generated for these specialist finishes & Advantage West Midlands has featured the developments at CS as a model case study for technological innovations in the region.
HotelDesigns has recently written a series of articles focussing on environmental design and now it has come to light that a resort will be taking green initiatves one step further – with the installation of wind turbines.Peter Island Resort and Spa has become the first hotel in the Virgin Island territory to install the turbines, which are being used to generate power for the resort, decreasing its fuel consumption by 25 per cent.
The installation has reduced the hotel’s overall carbon footprint by 75 per cent, making it a worthwhile environmentally-friendly change to its operations.
The two wind turbines to be installed are WES30 types, a two-blade, high-performance midsize 250kW wind turbine. The new sources of power will be able to withstand high-force winds and the twin blades are also a reduced hazard to local wildlife compared to other blades.
Peter Island Resort, CEO, Van Andel said it was important to keep the island beautiful when installing new projects: “We’ve studied the idea for years as a method to better manage our energy needs while maintaining the beautiful, undisturbed landscapes that Peter Island is known for. These new state-of-the-art turbines are not only environmentally friendly but also energy efficient, which makes them an ideal option for this geographic location.”
Indeed the visual effect the turbines were to have on the resort was greatly considered before the installation. The operations team and project architects were careful to select a location that would not impair the panoramic views Peter Island is known for. What’s more, the location is the optimum site for wind absorption and is conveniently located by the resort’s power station.
Andel added that the company is leading the way in environmental initiatives: “Many people talk about what should be done, but we decided to do it. We are proud to lead by example in terms of the benefits derived for the environment and the resort cost structure. This is something we hope others will follow in as well as the region could greatly benefit from this technology.”
Sol Meliá hotel group is to add a new hotel in Lisbon, Portugal to its portfolio under a franchise agreement with the Tryp brand, and a second hotel in Frankfurt, Germany to be added to the Innside brand portfolio under a lease agreement. Both hotels will be newly built and will open in 2013 with a total of 330 rooms.
The four star Tryp Lisbon Airport Hotel will begin construction this year and will be located next to the arrivals terminal at the airport in the Portuguese capital.
The hotel will be perfectly adapted to the design standards of the Tryp city hotel brand and will provide 168 rooms, six flexible meeting rooms for events for up to 700 people, a gym, a restaurant and a cafeteria.
The four star Innside Frankfurt Hotel will be located opposite the future new headquarters of the Central European Bank, and will provide 162 rooms, 350sqm of meeting space, a restaurant, cafeteria, gym, spa and gardens.
This new hotel reaffirms the Sol Meliá commitment to Germany, the country with the second largest number of hotels in the company portfolio, now with 21 hotels.
There are currently nine Innside hotels in the most important German cities; the latest being the Innside Dresden Hotel, which opened in January.
Besselink & Jones is pleased to announce the launch of the new Dorset Hedgerow Collection, bringing a touch of spring to Besselink’s popular range of hand-painted tea caddies. Besselink & Jones, company director, Ben Simpson said: “Thinking of long walks on sunny days, our new collection conjures memories of the sights and sounds of England’s most beautiful country-side.”
The tea caddies, hand painted in muted pastel colours, are all on show at the Besselink & Jones showroom at Chelsea Harbour Design Centre.
The designs also work well applied to one of Besselink’s hand-made shades.
The Rezidor Hotel Group is to open the Radisson Resort Rosa Khutor (180 rooms) and the Park Inn Resort Rosa Khutor (200 rooms) in Russia. Both properties are scheduled to welcome their first guests in Q4 2012. The Rosa Khutor development is within Russia’s most famous ski region of Krasnaya Polyana and 50 km east of the city of Sochi, where the XXII Olympic Winter Games will be held in 2014.
The two hotels will be located within the 537 hectare Rosa Khutor Alpine Ski Resort Development, which is nearing the completion of Phase One. Upon completion, the US$1.4b development will include 40 ski runs, 14 ski lifts and a capacity for 10,500 people.
Other facilities will include a ski school, multiple restaurants, a child care centre and retail outlets.
The development is in accordance with the Russian government’s grand scheme to make Sochi a world class winter and summer resort.
Besides 180 rooms, the Radisson Rosa Khutor will feature multiple restaurants, a spa and fitness centre and meeting space. Just 200m away, the Park Inn Rosa Khutor will offer 200 guest rooms and a restaurant. Guests will have access to the leisure and meeting facilities of the nearby Radisson.
Rezidor, president and CEO, Kurt Ritter said: “These hotels further underline our commitment to Russia where we now have 36 hotels in operation and under development with a total of over 9,000 rooms and which is one of our most important emerging markets for future business development. At the same time, these signings bring our portfolio of young and stylish resorts in operation and under development to almost 50 properties with more than 10,000 rooms across Europe, Middle East and Africa.”
Morgan Furniture , the design-led British manufacturer of contract furniture, has been awarded the coveted Design Guild Mark for 2010 by the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers for its Miami collection and City lounge chair. The Miami has been designed by Katerina Zachariades, Design Director of Morgan, and the City has been the first product to come out of the in house Morgan Studio team. Both collections were recognised by the twelve judges for their excellence in design, use of materials, manufacture and function. Other factors considered were whether the materials are from sustainable sources and whether each piece represents good value.
First introduced in November 2008, the Miami Collection provides a striking contemporary version of a vintage style, referencing 1950s and Danish design. The collection comprises a single-seat, plus a two and three seat sofa – all elegantly slim with solid beech turned legs, and fitted upholstery with optional back buttoning.
The judges’ comment on the single-seater chair was: “Notably as elegant from the back as the front.”
A matching bench seat and bar stool are also available with metal swivel bases.
The more recent City lounge chair meets every possible need for a contract furniture product and was a creative response to the current economic climate. The collection is contemporary and stylish so delivers when it comes to city-chic looks, but is also quick to make and offers outstanding value.
This is made possible thanks to investment in high-tech CNC machinery and Morgan’s industry leading standards when it comes to ecological and lean production methods. The entire range is made in birch plywood while the upholstered components are easily fitted and removed again for re-upholstery.
Morgan design and develop all their products in a low energy consuming factory, using materials from sustainable sources. The company is accredited by FISP (Furniture Industry Sustainability Programme) and was among the first in the industry to be awarded ISO14001.
Morgan also forms part of a lean and environmental improvement ‘think tank’ with other British manufacturers.
RHA was very impressed by Mobilidea’s new collection at Milan Furniture Fair 2010. RHA, managing director, Richard Hunt describes the collection as: “Quality transitional design for residence and high level commercial interiors. Rich wood and metals and exquisite finishing will position these in the most luxurious of interiors.”
All items in the collection are very elegant and beautifully made. The company’s favourites include the Margo sofa, Brera Capitonè chair and Bellissima desk.
RHA is awaiting full product details and specifications on the new range, but have already started adding these items to its website.
Visit the RHA website to view these items along with thousands of others for you to browse through.
RHA newsletter on Milan Fair Visit the newsletter section of the RHA website to view their recent newsletter covering four other collections at Milan Fair this year.
The Trump Tower in Toronto, Canada, is making progress on its construction, with the hotel floors of the building nearing completion.The construction crews are currently working on level 27 and the granite and glass curtain wall is being installed. Work is also focusing on placing the exterior panels on the twelfth floor and installation is gathering pace. In addition, the interior dry walling of the eighth, ninth and tenth floors is now under way.
The hotel is set to be completed next year and is aiming to be the most luxurious residential building in Canada. The tower is to feature 118 luxury residences as well as 261 hotel guest rooms and suites. The hotel’s rooms will be situated on the lower floors of the building, on levels 11-29 and there will be more than 60 floors in total.
Deluxe studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites, ranging from approximately 160sqm to over 600sqm, will offer guests the largest accommodations in the city. The top floor of the hotel, level 29, will offer five exclusive suites with additional services and amenities.
The commercial areas of the building will serve both hotel guests and residents. A sushi and martini bar will welcome guests as they enter the first floor lobby. An exclusive dining establishment on the 30th floor will offer patrons gourmet food and wine, as well as views of Lake Ontario and the CN Tower. A private dining room will also be available.
Construction work will soon be focused on completion of the hotel floors and starting the development of the mechanical floors on levels 30, 31 and 32.
It has been a pleasure in the first part of 2010 to have seen a succession of beautifully designed hotels – the Arch, the Wit and now Andel’s hotel in Łódź, Poland. Whilst Chicago’s Wit is a new build, with all the benefits that it brings, the Arch and Andel’s are both reconstructions of 19th Century properties. I use the term reconstruction deliberately because to say refurbishment would in both cases underplay the rôle that the teamwork of owner, designer and architect aligned with exceptional contractors has brought to the project. In all three cases it is evident that strong owners have kept a clear sight of the end product they wanted and have made sure the money is spent on the finishes to achieve the required standard, and the required style statement.
Some think that the quality of fine hotels, like those of Anouska Hempel that started the whole boutique craze, is down to the decorative elements. Certainly Hempel’s use in Blakes of sharp down lighting on contrasting table cloths with accent flowers was stunning in the early 1980’s, but that detail was not the key element of why Blakes worked so well for so long. The decorative was but one piece of the puzzle – the main strengths were down to careful space planning of the interiors, careful attention to detail and an eye for where spectacle and theatre can be created in the interiors.
Andels, Lodz in Poland
In an hotel such as Łódź (and the Arch) the interior could have failed but didn’t thanks to clever planning and design. By taking risks, the team has created a stunning re-use of a building that may otherwise have fallen prey to the demolition crew and are reaping many awards for having done so. The philosophy has been about not only creating a successful hotel but also about respect for the past, for the history of the building. Throughout the historic structure, cast iron columns, brick jack arches and other features have been retained and enhanced by pieces of machinery salvaged from the dereliction that was here before.
Old structures pose particular problems for interior designers,and here it was the modular of the columns, which with bays three metres wide was quite a bit smaller that current trends, never mind the historic bedroom width of 3.66m (12 feet if you are an imperialist).
Incidentally did you know that the 3.66m/12foot width was the original width of Axminster carpet looms? Bedroom width was set so as not to create any waste on carpet installation and became a standard until the turn of the century.
The span of the bays is obviously just one of the problems in planning that an old building like this creates. Its length, the width and the lack of daylight at the heart of the building were also major headaches. Like many truly creative teams the designers here produced a dramatic design solution that produced a major part of the drama of the interiors, by simply punching through the floors of the building to create internal light wells. The difficulties of providing fire protection were resolved by automatic flame proofing barriers that drop down around the holes to ensure smoke and flame is not transmitted to the bedroom areas in event of fire. The holes’ edges are lit with colour changing LED lighting and projected images and become the dominant visual element in first(and second and third)impressions.
The designers have played with the spaces and materials, using organic forms to offset the severity of the original construction, using colour playfully too. On occasion the furniture viewed from floors above through the ‘light wells’ has the appearance of liquorice allsorts, whilst ground floor carpets echo the holes in the ceiling. Curve against straight line angle works to produce visually engaging areas that delight the eye. The amount of space for guests provides a true feeling of luxury.
Using the lift core and restaurant areas also help to break up the length of the building. The need for corridor connection between the conference areas and main lobby on the ground floor is used to break up the large restaurant spaces to create smaller, more intimate dining areas.
The length of the building also allows a second entrance for the conference and meeting room area, with its own reception desk. Security for guestrooms is reinforced by the use of key card operation for the lifts. Guestrooms are contained between the pool and spa on the top floor and the reception, dining and bar areas on the ground floor.
Despite the problems caused by the nature of the jack arches, the bedroom uses the space well, with added length compensating for decreased width – in fact allowing spaces to work better, giving larger bathrooms that are long enough for a soaking tub and a separate walk-in shower adjacent to the separate toilet. The extra length also allows for the creation of an area away from the bed for the desk, as well as for a large armchair and seating area.
The bedroom desk is large enough to work on comfortably, suiting the orientation of the hotel which, as a large conference hotel, is targeted mainly on the business market. The separate entrance and own reception desk for the conference area however, keeps the hotel functions separate.
The design of the restaurant, which is divided into half a dozen areas of varying size supports this separation, allowing for conference delegates to eat separately from small family gatherings or individual guests. In addition, the bar end of the capacious public areas has a separate bistro type zone for those who want to meet and snack.
Bedroom floors have of course, the drama of the light wells punching through allowing views down to the floors below or up to the skylights above. The circular wall surrounding the openings can also have video imagery projected onto them. Preventing areas opening onto bedroom corridors from forming a fire chimney is difficult. Here the resolution is shutters that come down from the ceiling closing the light wells off from the means of escape. The constantly changing LED lights, set under the rim of the wall, cap around the light wells and create a continuous drama of light and colour, particularly at night.
Lighting design throughout is very well done. Bedrooms have their own drama with light thrown up into their brick arched ceilings whilst the use of large anglepois style bedhead lights mean that it is possible to read comfortably in bed whilst also moving the light if need be. Good task lighting at the desk and sockets that are in the right place also help make for an efficient work environment if one is needed. Romance is not forgotten however, with the use of historic fabric patterns from the archive of products produced by the mill on cushions and bedhead linking to the past.
In the generously sized bathrooms, which have separate walk-in showers as well as soaking tubs and separate toilet areas, a touch of romance is also brought in by the use of an under sink light. I first saw this device of a coloured light under the sink beautifully used in the Meridien Vienna where it was eau de nil in colour. Here it is a rich plum panel, preventing the design becoming too clinical.
Overall the feel of the bedroom is of spaciousness despite their narrow width. With their deeply recessed opening windows flooding them with daylight and skilful lighting at night they are exceptional for Łódź’s first four star hotel and set a standard which many supposed five stars fail to attain.
“This is, truly, a stunning hotel conversion – Blackburn, Preston why did you pull your mills down?”
The drama of the design, architectural and interior, continues on the top floor with spa and 1,300 m² fully glass-enclosed ballroom/function rooms. The interior mix of reclaimed and exposed industrial surface along with sophisticated contemporary finishes continues in the spa and treatment room. In an architectural tour de force, the old factory emergency water tank has been refurbished (hardly seems to do the process justice) and turned into a spectacular roof top swimming pool, the end of which projects many feet over the edge of the building line. With windows in the floor as well as all surrounding glass, the pool offers spectacular views over the new shopping centre, housed in other restored buildings from the life of this, one of the largest mills in Poland.
The team of client, architect and interior designer along with very capable builders have transformed the building. Adjacent, the palace of the owner (seems hardly appropriate to call it his house) has also been transformed, restored to a Museum of high Victorian mid-European taste (for an example of an hotel in the similar style have a look at Noma).
With duplex suites, 3,100 m² of conference and function spaces, spectacular pool, spa, restaurants and 278 bedrooms the hotel brings a new dimension to hospitality in central Poland. The stunning architecture and theatrical interiors are already bringing awards from ceremonies in New York and London, as well as in Continental Europe.
Location is excellent, on the edge of the city centre adjacent to the ‘Manufactura’ shopping centre. This is, truly, a stunning hotel conversion – Blackburn, Preston why did you pull your mills down?
Yesterday HotelDesigns reported that Les Suites Orient had opened in Shanghai and now we can report that another luxury hotel has opened in the same city – The Guoman Shanghai hotel.The five star hotel is the first of two new properties to launch under the Guoman brand in Asia, the second venture being a hotel in Beijing.
Following a substantial investment, the launch of the 442 room property sees the Guoman group spreading its wings overseas, transferring the group’s ethos within the Asian market.
Positioned within the business-hub of the Putuo district, Guoman Shanghai is close to the city’s major commercial districts.
Headed up by Michael Parker, formerly the general manager of one of the group’s London properties, Guoman Shanghai is inspired by London’s style and elegance blended with a contemporary Asian twist.
Two floors of the hotel will be dedicated to Eastern-inspired restaurants and bars, with the touches of British indulgence seen in the fleet of luxurious Guoman-operated black cabs on hand to transport guests round the city; complete with DVD players, minibar fridges and upgraded soft, hand-stitched leather seats, as well as traditional English food and beverage menu options.
From its inception in 2004, the Guoman brand has grown to a portfolio of four unique properties.
Speaking of the group’s first international development, Guoman Hotels, chief international operating officer, Sanjay Nijhawan, said: “The opening of Guoman Shanghai is the crucial first phase in our ongoing strategic growth across Asia in the coming years. We’re very confident in the strength of the group and its focus on a stylish, unique guest experience – we’re positive that the Asian market will respond extremely well to the Guoman offering.”
Guoman Shanghai will also feature a glass walkway, a ballroom with seating capacity for 500 delegates, 11 conference rooms, a spa and fitness centre with sun terrace.
The accommodation offering includes 125 suites each with a minimum size of 60sqm and one Presidential Suite.
The Rezidor Hotel Group has opened the Radisson Blu Majestic Resort, Calzignano Terme in Italy.The first 97 rooms of the existing hotel will be rebranded in the second quarter of this year.
An additional 120 rooms in a separate building will be rebranded upon completion of the full renovation which is expected to finish in the first quarter of next year.
The Radisson Blu Majestic Resort, Calzignano Terme is located in the Colli Euganei – 15km south of the city of Padua, 50km from Venice and 40km from the Adriatic Sea.
The hotel’s spa features indoor and outdoor pools which are naturally heated by thermal water that comes out of the ground at 80 degrees Celsius. The thermal waters and mud are said to have excellent therapeutic properties.
Further services of the resort comprise a restaurant and a bar, a 300sqm ballroom and four meeting rooms.
Venice’s Marco Polo Airport is located 60km away. Travellers can also take a boat, via canal, to Venice in about 90 minutes.
Rezidor, president and CEO, Kurt Ritter said: “This resort is a perfect addition to our existing portfolio in Italy – the Radisson Blu es. Hotel in Rome and the Radisson Blu Hotel Milan which we opened just a few days ago. It also makes our young and stylish resort portfolio grow further. We now have 47 resorts in operation and under development across Europe, Middle East and Africa with a total or more than 10,000 rooms.”
The Rezidor Hotel Group has opened the Radisson Blu Fürst Leopold Hotel, Dessau in Germany. The former Steigenberger property with 204 rooms is already operating as a Radisson Blu hotel. The Radisson Blu Fürst Leopold Hotel, Dessau is located in the city centre, within walking distance to the theatre and the train station.
Besides 204 guest rooms, the property features the Restaurant Fürst Leopold where international and regional cuisine is prepared in an open show-kitchen, the JU Bar, nearly 600sqm of conference and meeting space, and an in-house spa. The hotel originally opened in 1994 and was renovated from 2004 to 2006.
The historical city of Dessau is in Eastern Germany, 100km southwest of Berlin and 50 km north of Leipzig.
The Bauhaus-influence is also evident in the hotel’s architecture, with its clear lines and bold design. HotelDesigns has written about Bauhaus in the past. The style of design is popular in Dessau.
Rezidor, president and CEO, Kurt Ritter talked about Rezidor’s development in Germany. He said: “This project brings our portfolio of hotels in operation and under development in Germany to 51 properties and proves the importance this home market has for us. At the same time, it strengthens our good relationship to our franchise partner Grand City Hotels which already operates 5 of our hotels in the country.”
Les Suites Orient, a member of Epoque Hotels, is set to soft-opening this month in China. The hotel will offer its guests new luxury accommodation in Shanghai.Centrally located on the Bund, Les Suites Orient offers a view of the Huangpu River, Pudong and the Yu Garden.
At twenty-three stories, the Les Suites Orient is situated within an original Bund Heritage building, blending art deco design with Oriental flair.
The hotel is close to the Yu Garden and 10 minutes from the city center and Pudong Lujiazhui Finance District and 15 minutes from the Shanghai World Expo Center.
The hotel offers 168 guest rooms, including 43 suites and rooms for disabled guests, all decorated in a neat and elegant tone reflecting the signature Les Suites luxury.
There are a host of customized amenities available, including Les Suites Mobile Life, a 24-hour multilingual Concierge service and complimentary breakfast.
Les Suites also offers unlimited wireless internet connection throughout the entire hotel.
A fitness center with a Zen platform, business center, and multifunctional meeting rooms are just some of the additional facilities guests can enjoy.
Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek has debuted a dramatically redesigned property in celebration of its 30th anniversairy.The hotel’s 143 newly appointed rooms and suites and restyled lobby have been unveiled this month and feature a collaborative effort of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts and San Francisco-based design firm BAMO.
Rosewood Mansion, managing director, Duncan Graham said: “As the only Five Star, Five Diamond hotel in Texas, it’s important for Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek to be the most timeless, refined property in the industry. Maintaining our tradition of awards and recognition is critical, and this stunning redesign sets the tone for the next three decades.”
The new design begins with the lobby, as guests are greeted with custom, limed oak reception and concierge desks.
Expanding on a concept cantered on soft tones and cool colours, BAMO designer Michael Booth was careful to keep the space refined, not too casual, and never trendy.
The lobby furnishings and textiles are a juxtaposition of shapes, materials and colour, and a layering of detail and styles reinforces the residential quality.
The lobby is anchored by a pair of neutral-coloured Michael Taylor sofas and the look is punctuated by highly detailed chairs by John Boone of New York, and four elegant, art-modern club chairs with coral and white Fortuny fabric are the work of William Switzer. Also by Switzer, two exaggerated wing chairs in embossed yellow leather frame the original fireplace.
Paying homage to The Mansion’s history, antique, stone-topped consoles original to the hotel were artfully restored and they take centre stage in the new lobby design.
The new colour scheme is a soothing and warm palate that mixes buttery off-whites with light greys and sand colours, then adds The Mansion’s iconic peach colour and coral, red, brown and black for furnishings and accents. Additional ranges of colour are in the artwork, which contrast everything else in the spaces.
The guest rooms are an extension of the lobby and dining spaces in both style and mood. Paint colours provide subtle continuity from the original home to the hotel rooms, and the look is pulled together with accessories, art and attention to detail.
The hotel redesign comes on the heels of the restoration of the historic Mansion Restaurant. In 2008, Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek introduced the renovated Mansion Restaurant, which featured a mix of historic architectural details and modern art and lighting.
The Thistle Hotel in Bloomsbury, London recently got the Curtis Interiors’ touch when the company fitted out around 80 rooms. The hotel’s refurbishment included the installation of mirrored robes, headboards with upholstery, desks, feature bedside tables and more.
The Thistle Bloomsbury is located in Covent Garden in the heart of London and features 95 bedrooms. The hotel is designed in Edwardian style and was built over a hundred years ago.
The three star accommodation offers free wi-fi throughout the hotel and has two bars – the Bloomsbury Bar and The Cellar Bar, as well as a restaurant – The Bloomsbury Kitchen.
The Thistle also hosts meetings and events and has function rooms to cater for up to 100 people.
Andrew Moor Associates specialises in glass art and has recently completed a glass waterfall.The company offers a specialist glass consulting service, giving detailed technical advice on how best to use glass to integrate art and architecture and create art commissions that are integrated into the fabric of a building.
The new waterfall design was a commission for Churchill Hospital in Oxfordshire, UK.
The Park Hyatt in Milan, which overlooks the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, has opened a new spa designed for guests to relax and rejuvenate.A space with two treatment rooms, the spa has clean lines and subdued lighting and is decorated with travertine marble and a pastel Venetian stucco.
The spa’s two treatment rooms each have private shower facilities, where guests can enjoy a massage, facial and body treatments, as well as all the services found in a beauty salon.
There are also men’s and women’s steam rooms, aromatherapy showers, a relaxation area and a whirlpool adorned with gold mosaic tiles.
Created using Italian artistry, the whirlpool has been decorated with 250,000 tiny pieces of hand-cut mosaic, each with 24 carat gold leaf, creating a dazzling effect when illuminated by underwater spotlights. Surrounded by smoky glass to guarantee total privacy, the whirlpool can accommodate up to four people.
The Spa’s holistic treatments are unique to the hotel, and will all be created specifically for each individual guest, using Dr Murad and Dermo28 products.
The private spa room was created for those who want to experience spa treatments in total privacy. The private spa room offers a steam room and two treatment beds for massages, as well as a variety of beauty and holistic treatments.
The government will not exempt universities, hotels, libraries and small businesses providing open Wi-Fi services from its Digital Economy Bill copyright crackdown, according to official advice released earlier this month.This would leave many organisations open to the same penalties for copyright infringement as individual subscribers, potentially including disconnection from the internet, leading legal experts to say it will become impossible for businesses and the like to offer Wi-Fi access.
Whilst opponents liken this to penalising Ford if the bank robbers make their getaway in a Mondeo – the bill was rushed through Parliament before its dissolution prior to the Election campaign starting on 12th April.
Together with European Directive 2006/24 (regarding the retention of telephony & internet data), hoteliers will not only have to log all calls and internet traffic but also police the destination of said traffic.
However, these plans could take up to two years to be implemented. Firstly, the elecommunication regulator, Ofcom will draw up an industry code for consumers, internet service providers and copyright holders on how to handle illegal file-sharing.
It is expected that this code will take up to a year to be drawn up. Once it has, then anyone suspected of internet piracy will receive a notification asking them to stop.
The Government is then expected to review the market and implementation of the code. From there a decision will be made on how to enforce it.
SBL will keep you updated with developments as they occur and try to interpret them as to their impact on the hospitality industry.
Last month HotelDesigns provided information on the new CRC Scheme and took a closer look at green hotels. Since then we have asked some of the big hotel groups what they think of the new CRC Scheme and how it will affect their business and the way they operate.Both Hilton and Starwood said that they are happy to work with the government on the new scheme in order to improve their carbon footprints. Hilton is the first hospitality company to achieve the Carbon Trust certification, a stamp given to businesses that are working towards a low carbon economy.
Carbon Trust Standard, general manager, Harry Morrison said: “Hilton reducing its carbon emissions will ultimately make the business more efficient while the Carbon Trust Standard is a credible mark of excellence that lets customers and other businesses know about the good work that Hilton is doing to reduce its environmental impact.”
Hilton said that over the past three years the company had already focused on energy management, saving more than 45,000 tonnes of CO2 and £2m a year.
Vaughan has introduced a new range of desk lamps. The elegant yet practical Faringdon desk lamps are supplied with a GX53 low energy nine watt circular light bulb (equivalent to 40 watts).
They are available in brass, bronze or nickel finish and comply with current anti-tilt standards.
The desk lamps sit well with the new Pisa range of table and floor lamps.
These knuckle jointed lamps are also available in brass, bronze or nickel. The Pisa table lamps are stocked in a small (49cm high), medium (57cm high) or large (70cm high) whilst the corresponding Pisa floor lamp is available in one size (131cm high).
Choose from an array of lampshades to compliment the chosen scheme.
Stylematters completed full fixed seating and supplied all furniture for City Centre Liverpool’s Noble House. Noble House selected a mix of veneer dining tables and stained walnut chairs and matching bar stools with an upholstered skai carmin saristano faux leather seat covers.
The fixed seating specification used straight banquet seating with back to back booths upholstered in matching skai carmin saristano faux leather.
Signbox has recently completed the sign package for the new purpose-built Richmond retirement village at Letcombe Regis in Oxfordshire, UK.Signbox was selected, following a competitive tender process, for the installation of internal and external signs that will help residents and visitors to find their way around the prestigious facilities.
The village, based in rural Oxfordshire, comprises a new concept in retirement, with a wide range of apartments for independent or care assisted living.
All Richmond Villages offer a wealth of social activities and unsurpassed facilities – at Letcombe Regis these include a wellness spa, a bowling green, library, lakeside restaurant and hairdressers.
Signbox, managing director, Mark Bartlett said: “The design of the new Letcombe Regis development respects the traditional architecture of its surroundings within a caring and stimulating environment – it was therefore essential that all the signs we supplied were in keeping with the magnificent surroundings, with clear and concise information.
“Working to a very tight time schedule we were able to supply two existing Signbox products – Signblock for the interior and Stealth for the exterior signage.”
Formed from a single-piece aluminium extrusion, Stealth is an extremely durable product that can be powder coated or stove enamelled to any BS or RAL colour finish.
The elegantly sleek curves of the Stealth profile make an individual architectural statement that blended harmoniously with the parkland environment of Letcombe Regis.
With the emphasis on creating a life enhancing residential community, Richmond Village specified that the interior signage consisted of neutral materials and was ‘understated’ in design.
The Signblock product met this brief perfectly – an antiqued bronze fixing supports toughened glass and directory information with the corners of the glass radiused to make it completely safe for residents.
Starwood Hotels has opened the doors of their newest hotel, Le Méridien Philadelphia in the US. The hotel is in a former YMCA building that was originally designed by American architect Horace Trumbauer, who also designed Philadelphia’s Union League and Museum of Art. The historic adaptive reuse property was developed for HEI Hotels & Resorts, who will be the owner and operator of the hotel.
Le Méridien Philadelphia joins Le Méridien Chambers Minneapolis, which recently was added to the brand’s portfolio in February.
The new Méridien features 202 guestrooms and suites; a signature restaurant,a French brasserie Amuse; a lobby bar; and 1,500m of flexible meeting space, including a 200-seat Ballroom and the Abele Library, a 400sqm reception space overlooking City Hall.
The hotel is adjacent to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and one block from the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
Le Méridien and W Hotels Worldwide, global brand leader, Eva Ziegler said: “We are excited about our debut in Philadelphia, a city that shares Le Méridien’s passion for art, culture and creativity. With its vibrant arts scene, rich history and modern sophistication, Philadelphia is an ideal fit for Le Méridien as we continue to strategically open new hotels in primary, urban markets, cultural capitals and resort destinations across North America and globally.”
The elegant Pure modular sofa system from The Modern Garden Company has been given an ecological makeover.Traditionally Pure has been made in plantation Teak but with the diminishing supplies of teak it is a material that is losing favour in the exterior design world, so manufacturers Tribu have risen to the challenge to produce a lacquered timber version.
Using Indonesian plantation mahogany, the wood is protected by an ecologically friendly water-soluble solvent free lacquer in a delicate off-white hue.
Applied in several layers to give full protection and create a natural patina that can be easily maintained to keep the furniture looking fresh and vibrant.
Occa Design has released some tips on how to create a comfortable dining, cooking and relaxing area. The company said that furniture is an important choice in an alfresco design particularly in a small garden. If dining and cooking are the principal activities then proportionally more space should be given over to this.
If space allows then an additional lounging area will really lift your scheme into the hotel chic atmosphere. A comfy alfresco style would typically be made up of organic shapes with natural materials and tones taken from nature. Most ranges are available in a range of weave and cushion colours; selecting unusual colour cushions as in the Bikeezy Flow instantly creates the hotel chic feel.
Occa Design said to dress your sofa with cushions & throws that you would typically use indoors using a variety of sizes and colour ways. Use linen and cotton based fabrics of various textures and similar design style.
Select accessories like storm lanterns & candles creating a warmth and glow to take you into the evening ahead. Illuminated planters add another dimension to the scheme when the sun goes down.
Occa Design said funky is cool and contemporary. Bold and fresh acid accent cushions on a bright white backdrop with iconic design pieces ooze that funky hotel chic style. Marry with cool storm lanterns, tea lights and relaxing lounge music. Illuminated planters and outdoor lights such as occa-home’s fluid, outdoor Chemist Lamp are an easy way to ‘boutique’ your outdoor furniture.
After numerous renovation projects, the Doubletree hotel in Chester, UK is anticipating a double in its turnover this year.Last May saw the massive overhaul, rebranding and reopening of the former Hoole Hall hotel to the Doubletree, which is owned by Hilton. Over the past year the hotel has constructed a luxury club and spa facility in the Victorian walled garden, as well as opened a new restaurant.
The Doubletree has also recently opened a new alfresco lounge bar and has plans to extend the fitness gym with new services.
There are other plans for the hotel’s development, but they have not yet been released.
Doubletree Chester, manager, Tony Wright said: “The luxury Club and Spa at Hoole Hall, which opened in November 2009, has been an excellent addition to the hotel and has really brought something new and exciting to Chester. Our most recent addition is The MPW Steakhouse, Bar & Grill at Doubletree Chester which opened last month and is already proving to be very popular with locals and guests.”
Birmingham, UK is to feature the country’s biggest tower outside of London, after a new development was approved by the council last week. The building will feature a hotel, serviced apartments and street level shops.The tower is anticipated to be built over three years and will be 56 storeys high. The Regal Tower will be 192 metres tall, taller than Birmingham’s current tallest building, the BT Tower. The new tower will be situated at the corner of Broad Street and Sheepcote Street.
The project is expected to cost £125m and will be developed by the Regal Property Group, with the architecture undertaken by Aedas architect Steve Hayward.
The building will feature 289 hotel rooms, 256 serviced apartments including three floors of penthouses at the top of the tower, as well as basement parking and shops along the bottom floor. There will also be a spa, fitness centre and a double height sky bar on the 30th floor.
It is not the only tower in the city to be given council approval recently, a 51-storey V Building is to be constructed further along Broad Street at the Arena Central site.
Grohe has introduced a new fresh and stylish collection with unbeatable entry level pricing – Eurosmart Cosmo offers a complete range from basin mixer to bath or shower mixer shower sets and a coordinating kitchen mixer will also be introduced this month. Every detail of the new Eurosmart Cosmo has been carefully considered to be in keeping with the highest modern design standards, bringing aesthetics to the bathroom.
Consisting of a traditional single-lever mixer, high spout option as well as the two-hole and three-hole wash basin mixers, each item shares the same cutting edge design.
Additional features ensure showering with ease – combining the shower mixer with a convenient and practical shower gel tray and matching the hand shower for the bath completes the perfect Eurosmart Cosmopolitan bathroom.
Crafted using the finest chrome finish, Grohe StarLight, the collection incorporates a combination of award winning technologies unique to all Grohe products. In particular, Grohe’s SilkMove technology using NASA-approved ceramic cartridges and special Teflon lubricant, ensures water temperature and flow has the ultimate precision.
Frank Hudson is celebrating their new showroom refurbishment and opening by holding a special open day with a cocktail reception and soiree especially for designers, architects and hoteliers. An ideal opportunity to meet and network with design and hospitality professionals whilst enjoying the historic surroundings.Frank Hudson Ltd is a treasure of the furniture industry which was established in 1947 and has been producing beautiful, high quality furniture and accessories ever since. The purpose built, turn of the 19th century, furniture factory which has been the home of Frank Hudson since the 1960s, has been redesigned and re fitted to create a destination for designers and contract professionals. Wonderfully sumptuous room sets and selections of the latest Frank Hudson designed and created furniture collections will be on display.
Wednesday 19 May 2010, 9am-late
To reserve your place please email info@frankhudson.com or call +44 (0) 1494 522011. We look forward to welcoming you.
Crowne Plaza Cleveland South, Independence, US has opened following an US$4m renovation that included adding a new fitness center, new board room and upgrades throughout the hotel. Located at 5300 Rockside Road, at the Intersection of I-480 and I-77, the hotel and meeting center is 15 minutes from Hopkins International Airport and seven miles south of downtown Cleveland.
It is close to the renovated Cleveland Clinic and attractions, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Zoo and the Football Hall of Fame.
The hotel has more than 3,000sqm of flexible, upscale meeting space.
The Crowne Plaza Cleveland South has 179 guestrooms, each with LCD flat screen televisions and upgraded bathroom facilities.
Guests have access to a variety of amenities including complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the property, a renovated indoor pool area, new fitness center, business center and in-room dining services.
The hotel includes a three-meal restaurant, the Aura Bistro, as well as the Aura Lounge. There is also complimentary valet parking, concierge and bellman service, and a club level with upgraded amenities including a continental breakfast Monday through Friday.
The property is owned by Rockside Hospitality, LLC., and managed by American Resort Management LLC., under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group.
InterContinental Hotels Group has opened a 167 room Holiday Inn in Richmond, Virginia, US.The re-launch of the hotel was part of the Holiday Inn brand makeover and saw an upgrade of the lobby areas and new bedding, lighting, landscaping and signage.
The Holiday Inn South – Bells Road offers a variety of amenities such over 1,000sqm of banquet and catering space, onsite business center, free wired and wireless Internet, onsite fitness center, outdoor swimming pool, onsite guest laundry, and gift shop.
The full-service hotel includes a Sporting News Grill restaurant, featuring breakfast, lunch and dinner menus that reflect the tastes of sports fans, with specialty burgers.
The restaurant’s design includes touches like hardwood-style flooring, solid wood tables and unique circular booth seating. The division between the bar and seated dining area make the restaurant an equally suitable option for social events or a business dinner. Unique ‘plasma trees’ constructed using plasma screen televisions are surrounded by a perimeter of tables and chairs, providing guests with an unobstructed view.
The Nolitan hotel, boutique accommodation in New York City, is scheduled to open its doors sometime during the middle of this year, after a delay of a few months.The hotel is to feature 55 luxury rooms, as well as a restaurant that will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The Nolitan will also have a rooftop lounge, private terraces and decks and a sidewalk restaurant service. Inside the rooms there will be 37-inch flatscreen televisions and complimentary WiFi access.
The Nolitan was designed by the architectural team Grzywinski+Pons, a LEED accredited firm that has made sure sustainability was a key aspect to the design.
The Nolitan interiors are the work of interior design firm Meyer Davis, a New York company that has previously designed well-known restaurants and retail outlets.
On May 12, the Majestic Barrière hotel in Cannes, France will reopen after an extensive renovation.HotelDesigns recently wrote about the work being carried out in the hotel and now we can reveal a few sneak peak photos of the changes.
After two years of renovation and embellishment, this palatial hotel is now ready to reveal its new wing, with additional premises of 10,000sqm, 44 new suites incuding two duplexes of 450sqm, a spa of 450sqm and 1,500sqm of luxury boutiques.
The atmosphere of the Cannes Film Festival will provide the backcloth for the inauguration of the new Majestic which, on this occasion, will host the opening dinner of the 63rd International Film Festival.
A show will mark this moment and at the end of the screening of the inaugural film, the evening will begin with an outdoor show revealing all the beauty of the Majestic Barrière.
Live performances projected onto a wall completely wrapped in a veil of silk is to include 3D technolody.
A staff member is missing and a body has been found following a fire that broke out in the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate, UK earlier this week. Emergency services were called to the scene early on Wednesday morning to put out the blaze and 130 guests and 25 staff were evacuated from the building.
As of yet it is unknown what sparked the fire but it is believed to have begun in an upstairs bedroom. The body was found on the fifth floor.
The Victorian building is operated by Barceló Hotels UK and features 170 bedrooms. An investigation is underway.
Curtis Interiors recently made and installed furniture at the Rockliffe Hall hotel, which is situated in Darlington, UK.The decor for the newly refurbished rooms included a palette of green and cream in some rooms and purple and brown in others.
The hotel was first built in 1820s and was previously an estate. The building became Rockliffe Hall in 1851 and features a golf course and spa.
The hotel features numerous double bedrooms and suites and also has meeting and business facilities.
Kettal debuted in New York City by organizing a grand event alongside Richard Schultz.The introduction event, which featured a large number of professionals, designers and press, was held on April 22, in the Richard Schultz Manhattan showroom.
The event was hosted with certain Spanish flair, where attendees were served with traditional Spanish products, such as wines from the Catalan Torres Cellars.
With the opening of this new exhibition, Grupo Kettal, within its strategy to enhance knowledge of their product between the end-user and extend its distribution in the world, offers a space dedicated to luxury garden furniture.
The InterContinental Chicago has completed some major renovations at the Michigan Avenue-based property including a refresh of all of its guest rooms and main corridor areas in its Historic Tower this month.The multi-million dollar refurbishment includes 328 guest rooms and suites, along with the corridors on floors 9-41 inside the Historic Tower of the hotel.
For the guest rooms, new carpeting, curtains, valances and shades were added to freshen up the space and bring a more contemporary feel to the rooms. In addition, new lamps, office chairs, armoires, arm chairs and a patterned throw pillow and blanket were added.
The corridors also received a facelift with new maroon colored carpeting, floral patterned textured wallpaper and new contemporary lighting fixtures and wall sconces, all intended to brighten up the overall public spaces.
The InterContinental Chicago is the only hotel with a front entrance on the prestigious Magnificent Mile. The building was originally built in 1929 as the Medinah Athletic Club, an exclusive luxury men’s club.
The hotel features 792 guest rooms, including 73 lavishly decorated suites. The hotel’s historic, junior Olympic size pool is recognized as one of the best indoor pools in the U.S. and is included in Chicago’s major architectural tours.
Dining and entertainment options in the hotel include Zest, a contemporary, American fare restaurant with Mediterranean influences; the Lobby Bar featuring classic cocktails and ENO, an upscale wine lounge that features cheese and chocolate pairings.
InterContinental Chicago, general manager, Edward Andrews said: “We wanted to ensure that we properly melded a contemporary aesthetic, including modern amenities, with the historical significance and grandeur that epitomizes the InterContinental Chicago. It was important to us that we maintained the historic and architectural significance of the property which takes extra thought and attention to detail when considering any new refurbishment.”
For Monbel, the new collection from Hillswood Furniture, research and innovation becomes a strategic factor.The very latest collections Cammeo and Charme are reinterpreting traditional styles with fresh design.
These two new stunning additions to Hillswood’s Montbel collection were launched at the Milan International Furniture Fair and have already attracted keen interest from some of industry’s top designers and hoteliers.
An iconic Southend building, formerly called The Palace Hotel whose history extends back to 1904 and was used as a hospital during the First World War, has been converted to the new Park Inn Palace Hotel.Overlooking the mouth of the River Thames in the heart of the city’s tourist area, this hotel provides excellent modern amenities and welcomes both leisure and business travellers.
Park Inn Southend is part of the Rezidor Group of Luxury Hotels that also incorporates the Radisson BLU and Missoni brands.SBL supports the telephone systems at all Rezidor properties in the UK and has installed the vast majority of new systems over the past 3 years.
SBL has designed and implemented a unique single network at Southend Park Inn that supports all voice and data communication applications including telephony (fixed and mobile); IP-TV; WiFi and wired Internet access; and all administration requirements securely separated from guest traffic.
This approach led to a capital expenditure saving of over 25 per cent on the traditional (separate networks per application) approach and is anticipated to generate significant operational savings and a reduced management overhead.
Steve Jameson, principal engineer said: “ The network at Southend is based upon a cabling infrastructure that has been designed to accommodate the requirements of today and makes provision for the future. The network is highly resilient and offers maximum performance per application to each guest room—e.g. for streaming video. By utilising VLANs we are able to offer equivalent security to separate physical networks.”
Encompass has released its newest range – Solo garden dining tables.The outdoor tables are available in a variety of heights and lengths of 3.8m, 2.4m, 1.9m and 0.9m, to match accompanying Solo modern garden benches which fit underneath the table when not in use.
The new range of designed by Wim Segers for Viteo and is a modern take on an altogether more traditional and rural era.
Solo is characterised by gentle lines and an invitingly comfortable look and feel.
Made in highly durable iroko in natural oiled or white lazur finishes, Solo is designed for year-round outdoor use.
The Solo collection includes lounge chairs, dining chairs, carver chairs, modular sofa chairs, modular sofa stools, dining tables and benches in different sizes and heights.
Generously deep garden cushions are also available in a wide range of acrylic fabrics.
Modern garden furniture and contemporary outdoor accessories supplied by Encompass are supplied to private homes in the UK, hotels, spas, cruise ships and yachts.
Last week Moscow’s Mayor Yury Luzhkov officially opened the Radisson Royal Hotel, Moscow. Formerly known as Hotel Ukraina, the impressive building with a height of 206m and a total surface of more than 100,000sqm is one of Stalin’s legendary skyscrapers Seven Sisters, and reopened its doors after an extensive three year renovation. The hotel now features 506 guest rooms and suites as well as 38 apartments.
A team of architects, designers and technicians restored the hotel’s exterior and interiors. The 505 rooms and suites (25-370sqm) as well as 38 serviced apartments (70-120sqm) with kitchenettes were all re-done.
The hotel was fitted with furniture and accessories from Villeroy & Boch, as well as other well-known brands.
On the first floor, the hotel features the Royal Wellness Club – an exclusive health- and fitness center on 3,500sqm and including a 50m heated indoor pool, a perfectly equipped gym, a beauty parlor and spa area, thermal baths and massage rooms.
Business guests can use the meeting rooms and two conferencing and banqueting halls with 420sqm which can host 350 people for a cocktail reception and 150 people for a gala dinner.
The rooms and public spaces are decorated with a collection of paintings, which comprise more than 1,200 original master works by Russian artists created in the first half of last century. On the ground floor, the Diorama Moscow – the capital of the USSR is a true highlight
The main restaurant Veranda serves contemporary Mediterranean cuisine and classic international dishes, and the Tatler Club serves fusion cuisine by Russian Chef Arkady Novikov. At Bono guests enjoy Italian specialties, Farsi invites to taste exotic Iranian menus, the Takasa on the 31st floor serves sophisticated Japanese delicacies – and the best spot for a drink and a song after dinner is the hotel’s Trubadur Karaoke Bar with views over the city.
The Radisson Royal Hotel, Moscow is located in the city centre – on a bow of the Moskva River at the conjunction of Kutuzovsky Prospect and Novy Arbat.
Rezidor, president and CEO, Kurt Ritter said: “This hotel is a milestone in Rezidor’s history. It combines Moscow’s rich historical and cultural heritage with the international first class standards Radisson Blu is known for.”
Besselink & Jones is proud to announce the launch of the gun metal finish to add to their portfolio of stunning finishes. Gun metal is a deep graphite coloured bronze finish which would suit the most traditional or contemporary of settings.
Besselink & Jones, company director, Ben Simpson said: “This works particularly well with desk lamps. We have had a number of customers asking for a gun metal finish over the past few months, and we are pleased to be able to offer this strong new finish as part of our range.”
The new finish can be applied to Besselink’s whole range of floor, table, wall, and hanging lamps, and set off perfectly with one of their silk, or hand painted shades.
The range of finishes now includes: gun metal, distressed brass, polished brass, nickel, brushed nickel, chrome, brushed chrome, coin bronze, matt black bronze, verdigris, zinc and powder coating.
Prima is a new spot light from energy saving experts Megaman that provides complete flexibility, featuring an adjustable lamp head and base to ensure precise illumination.Prima incorporates Megaman’s AR111 11w lamp, the first CFL with narrow beam optics that provide accurate optical control.
The AR111 lamp incorporates a stylish anti-glare shield and glittering facetted mirror to provide the same appearance of halogen without the heat output, plus the potential for up to 80 per cent savings in energy.
The 11W 40 degree beam yields a spectacular 400 candelas – almost double the intensity of a 20W conventional CFL reflector
With its 330 degree rotational head, Prima is available in a matt silver finish with black lamp ring.
A European track adaptor is also available and the fitting can be used in a variety of applications including restaurants, hotels, offices and retail situations.
Quite a few hotels have changed hands in recent weeks as hotels are put up for sale.A notable hotel was the Sheraton Universal Hotel which is now officially on the market after facing financial troubles. The 20-floor Californian hotel tower was bought by real-estate developer and landlord Lowe Enterprises in 2007 for US$122m. A further US$25m was then spent on the hotel in order to renovate the guest rooms and public spaces.
Unfortunately the recession meant that the hotel’s price fell and in February Sheraton Universal Hotel was only worth an estimated US$75m. Not only this, but the falling occupancy inflated the hotel’s costs further.
Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, who is marketing the property declined to reveal how much the 41-year-old hotel is on the market for, but it is estimated that it’s to be sold for around US$90m if a buyer can be found.
The Sheraton Universal Hotel is not the only hotel on the market. The Hampton Inn and Suites in Miami West has been sold to Apple Real Estate Investment Trust for an undisclosed sum. The property was previously owned by GFII DVI Cardel Doral and is a hotel that featured 121 rooms as well as an outdoor pool, fitness room and business centre.
Another hotel to sell for an undisclosed sum was the Limelight lodge in Aspen, Canada, which sold to Aspen Skiing Company.
Carmen Allan
Editor’s Note
A number of so-called ‘vulture funds’ are hovering around the industry seeking to buy properties at a discount to the market price. Many hotels are not solvent but are being kept in business by banks that are reluctant to increase the bad debts they have on their books.
However, as banks become profitable this reluctance will start to disappear and even though we are entering the recovery phase, expect to see increasing numbers of properties offered on the market. This is not just an US phenomenon, and is particularly marked in Ireland where there are estimated to be 40 per cent of hotels that cannot trade profitably.
Sandiway Golf Club, set in the heart of Cheshire, has just completed an exciting and challenging refurbishment of its bar, lounge and reception facilities. Initially the project was slow to get off the ground due to the nervousness of the members to commit the club to significant borrowing during the recession. The committe came up with alternative schemes that practical, affordable and deliverable from within existing club funds and could be completed within in a relatively short window of opportunity between January–March 2010.
The best way forward in the current climate was to split the project into two phases, downstairs bar and lounges and upstairs kitchen and dining areas. The first phase was to concentrate on the ground floor area to get things moving.
From January the project picked up at a frantic pace with final tender specifications being completed. The club were fortunate in finding a design architect, principal contractor and interior design and refurbishment specialist locally. The contract start date was agreed for 1st February with implementation scheduled before Easter – just eight weeks from start to finish.
The project team, appointed from within the club, worked extremely hard with all the contractors and suppliers used in the delivery of the planned scheme to ensure that the project was completed on time and reopened to members on 1st April as intended.
The interior furnishings and fitting were commissioned and supplied by a local firm Stylematters Ltd whose chief executive Jim Barton provided valuable input in helping to get the project off the ground.
Barton said: “I was delighted to be involved and of assistance to the club in upgrading the clubhouse facilities to complement and match the wonderful golf course enjoyed at Sandiway. This project will now move the club on leaps and bounds in retaining its prestigious status in the region and justify a true golfing experience for all those golfers who enjoy a quality day out”.
The project was completed on time and within budget and the club chairman, Graham Sayers said: “It has been a hectic and challenging journey to get the project delivered in such a short timescale. We are proud of what has been achieved and the initial reaction from members has been extremely positive. They are thrilled at the outcomes we have delivered and appreciate the new design and decor. The committee are very grateful to all who have been involved and the club will now be looking forward to enjoying the benefits of the new clubhouse facilities before considering phase 2, to upgrade the kitchen and dining areas”.
With the increasing popularity of creating living rooms in the garden, manufacturers Manutti along with The Modern Garden Company has risen to the challenge by introducing ‘Flow’, a fully upholstered lounge concept for outdoors. The compact proportions of ‘Flow’ make it an ideal solution for any garden spaces, utilising a modular system of corner, end and middle seat to make a sofa configuration to fit any space.
The sophisticated colour palette of earthy taupes, stone greys and luxurious white fabrics are fully water resistant so that the furniture can remain outdoors in any weather.
With the addition of a winter cover set, to protect the furniture in harsher climates, this comprehensive collection will look fabulous from one season to the next.
This elegant new collection of fine dining chairs from CS Contract Furniture , has been finished with luxurious velvet fabrics, evoking a sense of timeless design and splendour.These stylish chairs can be upholstered in any fabric, suitable for traditional and contemporary environments.
The chairs have been crafted from beech and are manufactured to contract furniture standards.
Louis, Versailles, Georgian, Marie and Gerard collections all feature webbed seats and are available in a wide range of stain or paint finishes.
The Classical Collection would be appropriate for a range of environments from country houses to boutique restaurants.
The five star hotel, The Savoy in London, has delayed its reopening yet again, after falling more than 11 months behind schedule.It was scheduled to open after its extensive renovations in June last year but that date has now been pushed to either late August or early September. Not only has the opening date been postponed, but costs have apparently soared higher than expected on the project.
The Savoy’s renovation was reportedly to cost £100m when it shut its doors in December 2007. Now, however, costs are expected to be as high as £200m, making the renovation the most expensive in London’s hotel history.
If you look at the costs closely, including the purchase price the hotel was sold at to Prince Alwaleed’s Kingdom Holding Company and HBOS back in 2005, it amounts to £1.6m per room – one of the world’s most expensive hotels.
The delays and soaring costs are reportedly due to the damage that needed repairing in the 121-year-old hotel. The building has had poor refurbishments in the past, tainting the building’s structure. The amount of damage to the hotel was only discovered after work began.
Once the hotel reopens it will only have five more rooms than before, bringing the number to a total of 268, including 62 suites. Prices will start at £350 a night, rising to £7,500 for the Royal Suite.
The interior design of the hotel will stay as an Art Deco and Edwardian style but will be mixed with contemporary luxury tastes. Pierre-Yves Rochon was in charge of the interior design. He is well known for projects including the George V in Paris and the Four Seasons in Florence.
HotelDesigns recently wrote a piece on fashion hotels and since it was published an Armani hotel in Dubai has opened, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg has been employed to design a London hotel and a New York hotel has adapted its own interpretation to the fashion designer idea.The Armani hotel in Dubai, housed in the tallest building in the world, opened its doors today. The hotel is situated in the Burj Khalifa tower and was meant to open in March but was hit with delays. The hotel is situated between the concourse and the eighth floor, as well as levels 38 and 39 of the tower.
The hotel features 160 guest rooms and suites and 144 residences and is not to be the first hotel to be designed by the fashion house Giorgio Armani. The brand has signed with Emaar Properties to build and operate at least another six luxury hotels and three vacation resorts under the Armani name over the next ten years.
It will be interesting to see how guests staying at this new hotel in Dubai will find the accommodation. As it is Armani’s debut, the feedback will perhaps determine whether the other planned developments will go ahead. Another hotel is planned for Milan, with resorts in Marrakech, Morocco and Marassi, Egypt in the pipeline.
Indigo Art has launched their new website – www.indigoart.co.uk. The new site showcases The Indigo Collection – a rapidly expanding and exclusive range of contemporary prints. All images within this collection can be supplied to any size, as canvases, framed prints or digital wallpaper.
The new site enables the user to view much larger and sharper images than before – which really brings the artwork to life.
Users can create galleries of their favourite works which they can turn into PDFs or e-mail to clients.
The new website also showcases some of Indigo Art’s latest projects to give users a real flavour of what they are all about.
The website will be updated on a daily basis with new artworks, projects and industry news.
Premier Inn has signed a deal with international property company Grosvenor to build a new 186-room hotel in Liverpool, UK.The hotel will be situated in the new Liverpool One Hanover Street development and will cost £12m to complete. The total size of the site will measure more than 30,000sqm and is expected to take 15 months to build with an opening in autumn 2012.
Whitbread Hotels & Restaurants, Head of Acquisitions, John Bates 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 locations – Liverpool is one of these. By adding a new hotel at Liverpool One, we can be part of this exciting regeneration story and ensure that, as well as having hotels in the business centre (Vernon Street) and entertainment centre (Albert Dock), we will now also have one in the heart of the city’s retail centre.”
In addition to its city centre trio of hotels, Premier Inn also has hotels at John Lennon Airport and at city fringe locations including Liverpool North (Bootle), Rainhill, Roby, Tarbock and West Derby.
Recently HotelDesigns has reported the openings of two RockResorts – Balcones del Atlantico and Tempo Miami – and now it seems there are plans for a third hotel to open.One Ski Hill Place hotel is scheduled to open in late spring in Colarado and is to feature 282 units across six buildings.
There will be five different types of rooms to choose from – a studio, one bedroom, two bedroom, three bedroom and four bedroom.
Architecturally, the buildings are to be designed as a mountain lodge, with sheltering roof forms, shaded windows and natural wood and stone materials.
The colour schemes are to be made up of gold and ivory and there will be wood floors in the entrance area and kitchens of each unit, with carpet in the other areas, except for the bathrooms, which will feature Italian tiles.
The kitchen counter tops and bathroom vanity tops will be made from granite.
The resort is to feature an apres-ski bar and lounge, two theatre rooms, a lobby with a fireplace, a cafe, a food court restaurant, two swimming pools and an indoor hot tub, a bowling alley, conference space, a fitness room, two massage rooms, a sauna, a steam room and heated underground parking.
In each unit there will also be wireless internet, stone fireplaces and a five-piece masterbath.
The hotel is aiming to be as green as possible, by using thermal insulation, maximising daylight use through large windows, minimising the damage to the surrounding environment and using energy-efficient equipment.
The Rezidor Hotel Group has opened the Radisson Blu Hotel, Milan in Italy.Formerly known as the Chedi Milan, this contemporary and stylish hotel is situated in Milan’s Bovisa district and has been designed by Jaya Ibrahim who has created a blend of Italian sophistication and Indonesian elegance.
Understated elegance characterises the hotel’s 250 guest rooms and suites with a spacious average size of 37sqm.
The rooms feature subtle earth tones and strong white accents, offset by wood, bronze, stone, mosaic and textured ceramic, along with limestone bathrooms. Each guest room boasts hi-tech amenities such as satellite TV with LCD screen, individual climate control and Radisson’s signature free high-speed internet access.
The hotel is also home to Rezidor’s Italian restaurant, Filini. At Filini, contemporary design, lightening and music create an Italian atmosphere. Filini opens out onto a garden courtyard for al fresco dining.
The hotel also offers a lounge bar which is situated between the restaurant, main lobby and meeting rooms, and features a marble spiral staircase.
The hotel also features meeting rooms, a health and fitness club and an indoor swimming pool.
The Radisson Blu Hotel, Milan is located 6.5 km northeast from the historic city centre and a 30 minutes drive from the airport Milan Malpensa.
The Chamberlian hotel in West Hollywood has reopened following an extensive renovation.Interior designer Leslie Barrett was in charge of the hotel’s spring 2010 renovation, its first since it opened its doors in 2005.
The improvements included an extensive remodel of all the guestrooms, suites, bathrooms and the roof-top outdoor pool deck, which now offers view of the Hollywood Hills and the Pacific Ocean.
According to the hotel, the new aesthetic is a modern-day interpretation of 1970s and 1980s-era contemporary glamour, inspired by urban capitals like Milan and New York – unique and eclectic, yet comfortable and soothing. The decor incorporates a palette of cool hues including periwinkle and cream, with rich accents of gold, dark chocolate and bronze.
Cream and espresso gridlined carpeting anchors rich stone veneer, brassy metal and chrome detailing, and layers of graphic patterns inspired by the pivotal decades, such as grids, checkerboards and chevrons.
The hotel features 114 guest suites that have contemporary amenities and were designed to evoke the feeling of a home. Guest rooms feature a loft-like, open-concept layout, some with vaulted ceilings, and use an Asian-inspired screen to separate the living quarters from the bedrooms.
All-new bathrooms have a blend of Negro Marquina, St. Laurent and Carerra marble throughout, as well as curbless showers, frameless glass shower doors, and custom-designed chrome frame vanities with marble tops.
The hotel features a lounge and bistro that serves European and Californian cuisines. The dining room is coloured in watery blues and teals and looks out through a 20-foot wall of floor-to-ceiling windows onto a garden patio of tropical palms and native foliage. An exotic lattice-pattern of turquoise and green tile lines the floor, highlighting the turquoise strié wallpaper, while lantern-shaped pendant lights in white gold illume above.
The new 193-room Novotel Christchurch Cathedral Square has opened, offering guests a combination of heritage, contemporary design and local art. The Novotel is located in the centre of the city on Cathedral Square and has incorporated the heritage-listed Warner’s Hotel, originally built in 1863, into the complex.
As part of the development, the Warner’s Hotel was fully restored to its former grandeur, with specialist tradesmen using tools over 100 years old to repair the building’s architraves and re-lay tiles in the foyer.
A new building has been constructed behind the existing hotel, adding 170 rooms to the existing 23 heritage rooms and suites.
General Manager of the Novotel, Zayne Boon, said guests could choose between rooms that had their origins almost 150 years apart.
Boon said that the challenge posed to Christchurch-based architect Richard Dalman, of Dalman Architecture Limited, was to offer a first-rate modern hotel while protecting and celebrating the historical value of the iconic Warner’s Hotel.
Dalman said: “The design features incorporated in the new Novotel Christchurch Cathedral Square have been chosen to ensure the contrasts between old and new seem natural, yet appreciated. Modern décor has been mixed with some historic features to provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere while ensuring the functional requirements of a modern central city hotel are met.”
Rather than theme the design to any specific historic period, Richard Dalman says they chose to create a stylish interior that focused on the location – on the edge of Cathedral Square in the Garden City.
Dalan said: “Polished porcelain floor tiles, complemented by timber veneer walls, textured wallpaper and a feature wall, instantly create the feeling of luxury. Behind the reception area is a wall of curving stainless steel over carved flowing panels depicting the Avon River and the braided rivers of the Canterbury Plains.”
A feature of the interior design is the use of local artists to ensure the hotel lives up to its identity as a Canterbury icon.
A grand sweeping staircase leads up to the first floor bar and restaurant, where the area has been divided into a number of spaces by golden sheer drapes, a curving wine display wall, and pivoting timber fin screens. The restaurant has views overlooking Cathedral Square.
The Square restaurant debuts ‘personal dining pods’, which provide solo diners with a discretely designed television screen as well as internet access.
Conferences will be a key focus of the Novotel, with five meeting rooms and a capacity for up to 200 delegates. Recreation facilities include a gym.
A new Premier Inn hotel has opened in York, UK. The hotel is located on Blossom Street in the city centre and has a restaurant which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.York is a great place to visit for a weekend away, and Premier Inn already has a few hotels in the town, including the York City Blossom Street North, York North, York North West and York South West.
The new York City Blossom Street South hotel is close to York Minster, which had its first building erected in 627. The hotel is also near the historic city walls, which will take the better part of a morning to stroll around. However, this is thoroughly recommended as the walk gives a good vantage point over the city.
Whilst in York it is also vital to stop by The Shambles, voted the more picturesque street by Google, and take a look at the old shoppes. The street is very charming and is one of the most famous in the UK.
A hotel in Cambridgeshire, UK, was demolished this week following a fire.The Phoenix hotel in North Brink, Wisbech, a historic part of Cambridgeshire town, caught fire during the early hours of Thursday morning. After the fire was put out it was decided to demolish the remaining building as it was deemed structurally unsafe.
The building had not been used since last August but previously featured 16 en-suite bedrooms. Neighbouring residents were evacuated during the blaze as 56 fire fighters were called to the scene to put out the flames.
One person suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to hospital and no one else was harmed.
The building was built in the 17th century and was well-known for its Chinese restaurant when it was in operation.
It is not yet known what caused the fire but an investigation is being carried out.
Signbox Stealth monolith signs have been specified for the beautiful landscaped surroundings of the new purpose-built retirement village at Letcombe Regis in the heart of rural Oxfordshire, UK.Signbox has supplied both external & internal signs to wayfind residents and visitors around the luxurious facilities available, including The Wellness Spa, a state-of-the-art complex complete with gymnasium and pool, the Bowling Green, Lakeside gardens and a nature trail.
The elegantly sleek curves of the Stealth profile make an individual architectural statement that blends harmoniously within this parkland environment.
Formed from a single-piece aluminium extrusion, Stealth is an extremely durable product that can be powder coated or stove enamelled to any BS or RAL colour finish.
Accor is planning on doubling the number of rooms under management in Vietnam by 2012. This plan includes additional hotels within the Novotel, Mercure hotel brand, as well as the launching of the ibis brand and MGallery label.
Accor considers Vietnam as an appropriate location for hotel expansion. With signs of both economic recovery and a re-strengthening of tourism arrivals, the group is thus confident to expand its presence throughout the country.
Accor plans to expand the number of brands on offer in Vietnam to include upscale products through to more economical hotel brands.
In late 2010, Accor anticipates the opening of the first Pullman hotel in Vietnam – Pullman Vung Tao and the second hotel of the MGallery collection for Vietnam in the country’s capital – Hotel De L’Opera Hanoi.
Beyond this additional developments include three Novotels – Novotel Imperial Hoi An, Novotel Resort Phu Quoc and Novotel Saigon Centre. Mercure Hanoi Hado with its central location in the city will be the third Mercure for Vietnam.
The first two ibis hotels for the country are also announced for Ho Chi Minh City – ibis Saigon and ibis Saigon South. These hotels represent the first two international economy hotels for Vietnam.
The hotel group currently has 13 hotels and 2,147 rooms in operation throughout Vietnam and more than 2,000 additional rooms committed through the above mentioned developments.
The launch of Mercure hotel brand has already begun in Vietnam with Mercure Hanoi La Gare opening in mid 2009, the introduction of Mercure Dalat Hotel Du Parc to the network, and the recent opening of Mercure Hue Gerbera.
Accor has also opened Le Belhamy Hoi An Resort and Spa, a 131-room resort hotel located on Ha My Beach and near the Unesco World Heritage site.
After HotelDesigns recently reported the sale of the Regent chain by Rezidor, it has been revealed that the Rezidor group has now bought the biggest hotel chain in the Baltics. Rezidor bought ten Reval Hotels in Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Russia in an agreement with the Norwegian real estate developer Linstow. Rezidor has plans to turn six of the hotels into a Radisson Blu brand and four of them into a Park Inn.
After the recent sale of the Regent brand, Rezidor, CEO, Kurt Ritter was quoted as saying: “In addition to the positive impact on annual cash flow and net profit, this deal will also free up resources to improve our operations and accelerate the expansion of Rezidor\’s core brands.\”
The sale of the Regent chain was a joint sale with Carlson Hotels to Formosa International Hotels Corporation. The transaction included the brand and all the hotel management and lease contracts. Although the price of the sale was not announced, it was thought that Rezidor’s share amounted to about €9.5m.
Some of these funds were perhaps put towards the purchase of the Reval hotel chain. The sale of the Baltic brand is expected to be complete on June 1 and is expected to increase the number of rooms owned by Rezidor by 2,367.
Ritter said the purchase of the Reval hotel chain will give Rezidor a strong presence in the Baltic area: “This portfolio agreement gives Rezidor, which is the number one among the international hotel operators in Russia, a strong market position in the Baltics, too. We will be able to substantially strengthen our position in the key markets of Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius, where we already are present with our upper upscale brand Radisson Blu and a total of 760 rooms.”
Simpsons Mirrors & Furniture has recently taken a showroom on the first floor of the middle dome at The Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, London SW10. Founded in 1976, Simpsons Mirrors has become the foremost design -led mirror manufacturer in the UK. Over the years the collection has evolved to include beautifully designed and crafted ranges of console tables, coffee and side tables, plinths, trunks, lamps and accessories. With the expansion of its collection they have recently changed its name to Simpsons Mirrors & Furniture.
Simpsons Mirrors and Furniture is renowned for the extensive finishes they offer. To mention just a few; both semi and genuine exotic leathers – Eel, Ostrich, Lizard Shagreen and Python. Hair on Hide and suede, wood finishes include Yew, Walnut, Wenge, Ebony, Oak and Antique Silver Leaf finish. Also they have a remarkable range of mirrored finishes including smoked and antique glass.
Simpsons Mirrors & Furniture is a truly English company, with every piece designed and hand-made in house, in its own workshops in England. It pride itself on its unique service of working to very short lead times (3-4 weeks).
Besides its standard collections it is also able to work with designers to offer a bespoke service. Please see the website to view some previous commissions undertaken.
Opening in Spring 2010, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge is situated in London’s South Bank, within walking distance of the city’s most iconic attractions, including Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and the London Aquarium. The contemporary, design-led hotel in London features 1,021 spacious guest rooms, including 54 suites and penthouses, as well as six distinctive dining and entertainment experiences.
SBL is the telephony systems partner for Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts and we have installed and support several other PBX solutions at their other properties throughout the UK.
Steve Shute, principal engineer said: “The sheer scale of this project presented unique obstacles that needed to be managed carefully – there are 1,700 guest bedroom handsets, 270 administration handsets and 135 base stations for DECT coverage throughout the building.
“We faced challenges with the design of the public areas – no false ceilings, a solid plasterboard covering to the limited roof space that meant limited sized access holes had been cut to allow fitting of base stations. Other issues included the labelling of several thousand cables for WiFi, Telephony, Mini-Bar, Data, DECT etc. Overall a huge logistical exercise that required close co-operation between all contractors on-site.”
After a vast renovation, the Sofitel Rabat Jardin des Roses has reopened. The hotel was renovated by the designer Didier Gomez for all the interior decoration and the architect Karim Chakor for the façade and exterior. This Sofitel becomes the sixth Sofitel hotel in Morocco Rabat and is situated in the middle of an eight hectare (20-acre) Andalusian park, a rose garden and a eucalyptus forest, close to the Oudaïas, Rabat’s little known Kasbah.
Located in the heart of the Moroccan capital, one quarter hour from the airport and just a few minutes from the Royal Palace, the Sofitel Rabat Jardin des Roses offers 229 rooms, including 37 suites, several of which have more than305sqm of floor space. There is also a spa measuring nearly 4,000sqm in size.
The interior décor draws its inspiration from three recurrent elements in the hotel – water, roses and amber. At the entrance, the Sofitel Rabat Jardin des Roses opens onto a lobby where water is omnipresent in pools of black marble.
The furniture is quite eclectic, imparting a sense of life and modernity: black for the occidental sobriety and notion of luxury, golden for the Moroccan splendour.
On the floor, a moucharabieh (decorative lattice pattern) detail is outlined in the marble. In addition to the hotel’s boutiques, the lobby is home to the Le Café Lenôtre tearoom as well as the Fish restaurant located close to the pool, which enjoys direct access for the local Rabat clientele.
From the monochrome lobby, the colourful living spaces stand out in contrast. Red and black dominate in the El Patio restaurant, which opens onto the park like a winter garden. The play of mirrors accentuates the restaurant’s luminosity and openness. On the floor, the Agadir marble offsets a red and black Moroccan carpet designed by Didier Gomez.
In this geometric setting inspired by the 1930-40s, one of the walls is decorated with a traditional design reproducing a work of the customs officer Rousseau: a simple outline drawn on a sheet that the Moroccan craft workers only took a day to sculpt the plaster on an entire wall.
The Moroccan restaurant Al Warda asserts warm colours in a highly matted ambience, with reinterpreted Moroccan type lights and ceilings made according to Fassi art. The 1960s style furniture gives it a chick and contemporary look.
The Amber Bar displays magnificent alabaster walls, gold painted moucharabiehs and a copper ceiling in tribute to Moroccan copper work.
The rooms’ decoration continues the project’s theme of moucharabiehs, which are still presented as panels – black this time – that slide so you can see the gardens and the city from your bathroom.
The new 2010 Andy Thornton Outdoor Furniture Brochure includes Salerno, the company’s most popular outdoor furniture collection, which this year has been expanded to include new designs for every application. Included are two new eye-catching designs of armchair plus bar stools, a table and a striking two-seater sofa, all perfect for bars, cafes, restaurants and hotels. Most items are stackable, for ease of storage at night and out of season.
Attractive, durable and versatile, Salerno are manufactured in a smooth, hard-wearing dark brown woven plastic, both pleasingly tactile and practical for contract applications.
Warren Troye has been appointed as the new Midlands Area Sales Manager for CS Contract Furniture. Warren has experience in the leisure furniture market and has completed projects both within the UK and overseas.
Warren’s territory will include Wales, the Midlands stretching down to Bristol and Bath.
Warren is looking forward to his new challenge and will be meeting customers from early April onwards, although he will be taking a short break for his wedding and honeymoon.
PF Furniture will be opening its showroom in Nottingham to launch its new collections throughout Long Eaton Week 2010.The showroom will be open for four days in May, from the 10th to the 13th, enabling visitors to view the new designs.
On show will be the company’s recently launched ‘Eleganza’ and ‘Patchwork’ Collections. Eleganza is a fantastic collection of timeless, classic designs in an exclusive range of patterned and coordinating plain velvets.
In addition to these beautiful fabrics PF Furniture will also be extending the range by launching an exclusive leather collection during Long Eaton Week.
Patchwork was launched earlier this year and consists of ten models and is fully supported with a directory containing laminated photographs and a unique designers sketchbook.
There is also an exclusive PF range of coordinating fabrics for you to create your own unique patchwork designs. Naturally, you also have the option of supplying your own fabrics.
To help PF Furniture with catering arrangements and to ensure that each interested customer has the time to view and discuss each new collection in detail with a member of the company’s sales staff, please call 0115 9461 282, or email designsupport@pfcollections.co.uk with an indication of which day you will be attending and whether you will be joining them for lunch.
There will be a buffet lunch provided and the showroom will be open from 9am to 5pm each day.
Italian designers Paola Lenti and The Modern Garden Company are at the forefront of fashion and merge current trends into the design and styling of their furniture and rug collections.The new colour palette has been incorporated into the range of materials from the exterior Rope and Aquatech weaves to the felt rugs and includes vibrant aqua blues, rich sea greens and luxurious graphite greys.
Alongside the existing colours, these additions make an extensive spectrum of sophisticated colours from which to specify.
Uniquely, the four-star Castle Hotel Waldeck, recently modernized at great cost with the help of Baulmann Leuchten, rises majestically and untouchably 200m above the north shore of Lake Edersee, in Germany. Built as a knight’s castle in the 11th century Schloss Waldeck first became a hotel in 1906.
The luminaire manufacturer Baulmann Leuchten from Sundern, Germany, sets decorative accents in almost all rooms, with a customized luminaire especially developed by the company and based on the ‘Waldeck Star’.
A wall-mounted luminaire made from solid brass and equipped with energy saving lamps provide a glare-free indirect illumination in almost every area of the castle.
Baulmann Leuchten also fitted out the guestrooms with bespoke luminaires.
The wall-mounted bedside lamps include an additional LED reading-light; the integrated switches allow a separate use of either or both the main lamp and the reading lamp. Matching table-lamps and floor-lamps complete the lighting of the guestrooms.
Panaz CEO Tony Attard received an Order of the British Empire (OBE) from the Queen at Buckingham Palace last month, in recognition of his services to the UK textile industry and international trade.Attard founded the Lancashire-based Panaz Limited in 1986, where he has spearheaded the design and technical advancement of flame retardant fabrics for the worldwide hospitality, leisure, cruise ship and healthcare sectors.
Speaking to Attard, 51, about his recent OBE, he comes across as modest. He said: “To be honest it was a massive surprise. I was incredibly shocked. It was a wonderful accolade, not only for me but also for the whole team.”
The company currently exports to 46 countries, operating through a global network of agents and subsidiary companies. Although his company is a significant size already, Attard said he has more development plans up his sleeve. “We would love to expand more over in the USA. Obviously it has been hard with the recession and the USA was one of the worst places hit. Hospitality just died there. It’s starting to recover now though.”
Not only the US, but other countries are on Panaz’s agenda. Attard said: “Panaz has a strong global presence and we’re investing in places like Russia and working with the Far East. We also distribute to Australia.”
Life Resort Da Nang has opened in Vietnam this month after numerous delays due to the global recession.The resort features 187 rooms and is situated on Bac My An Beach.
The opening marks a resurgence of development momentum on this storied stretch of coast between Da Nang and Hoi An.
Life Resort Danang‘s 187 rooms will include nine categories of accommodation, from 67 superior rooms and 91 deluxe rooms to suites and villas and one grand presidential suite.
The resort will also feature the 420sqm Nang Spa, with 10 treatment rooms, a fitness center, tennis courts, a resort pool, conference facilities, and several food and beverage outlets, including the 300-seat Senses restaurant.
Life Resorts, general director, Chris Duffy said: “Although we‘re opening a resort on the beach, this region‘s appeal extends far beyond the strand to the new golf courses, to the Marble Mountains just a few kilometers up the road, to the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Sites at Hoi An, Hue and My Son.”
Allgood PLC, one of the world’s leading architectural ironmongery companies, has launched its new Hotel and Residences solution.Allgood offers three brands of door furniture to suit any aesthetic requirements:
Signature collection: – Created with the very best of Allgood’s core ranges, providing varied aesthetic options based around a uniform design.
Classic collection: – Classic designs in traditional brass finishes.
Modern collection: – Various contemporary designs to suit modern interiors.
In addition, Allgood offers bathroom products, accessories and mechanical hardware, giving you the confidence to specify a fully compatible solution.
As manufacturers of bespoke furniture who work on the philosophy that our limit is your imagination, RgcA get called upon to come up with solutions to challenging design problems time and time again.Take a recent example: When manufacturing a range of furniture and room dividers for several sites for a leading hotel group, the project faced a serious, and costly, setback when a local authority insisted on a half hour fire wall being where a room was being divided. So the project could proceed as intended, RgcA simply incorporated the fire wall into the room divider without altering its original design.
Cour du Corbeau, one of Europe’s oldest hotels, situated in France, has joined the MGallery collection.Fully renovated by architects Benoït Peaucelle from Levy-Peaucelle et Associes, the establishment in Strasbourg was originally built in 1528.
Cour du Corbeau – the crow’s courtyard in French – is an important part of Strasbourg’s cultural heritage. Located down the street from Notre-Dame Cathedral, the half-timbered structure is considered to be an example of Renaissance architecture.
Illustrious guests who are known to have sojourned there include Frederick II, King of Prussia; Joseph II, Emperor of Austria; Voltaire; and Alexandre Dumas père.
Comprised of ten buildings organized around pathways, recesses and staircases, Cour du Corbeau has several ornamental features, including an enigmatic coat of arms, an angel on one of the façades and a crow on a turret.
In 2009, the hotel was completely renovated leaving the traditional style intact. Every detail of the building has been restored – the coat of arms, the rafters, the balustrades, the stained glass windows and even the frescoes.
The interior has also been thoroughly redesigned. Along with a new line of neo-baroque furniture, a wide range of materials comprising Vosges sandstone, cobblestone, terra cotta tiles, ceramic tiles, copper, glass, slate, granite and pebbles have been deployed to create a contemporary atmosphere.
Alternating beige and brownish-gray tones with splashes of aubergine, raspberry and violet adds warmth and ambience. Sculpted crystals in the wall lights and multifaceted lamps create dramatic lighting and private spaces.
Each of the 57 rooms has a distinctive style thanks to its specific architecture, decoration or history. Some feature large bay windows, mansard roofs or private yards but all provide exceptional comfort and space.
The hotel features 19 suites and all the rooms offer restyled Louis XV furniture, refined oak parquet floors and LCD flat screen TVs and Wi-Fi.
The hotel’s anemities include a bar, a tea room, a laundry and a porter.
RockResort is to open a hotel, Tempo Miami, next month on the corner of Biscayne Boulevard and 11th Street.The luxury building is being designed by renowned architectural firm Arquitectonica and will be located at The Marquis Residences, a 67-story luxury resort and residential development that combines elegant design with comfort.
A signature design element will be the soaring structure’s blue tinted glass through which guests can take in views of Biscayne Bay and city lights.
The resort will also feature a 2,500sqm RockResorts Spa and fitness center, as well as a cocktail bar on the 14th floor sky pool deck.
Tempo Miami will offer 56 resort guest rooms, including seven junior suites and seven full suites, a three-meal restaurant and a third floor lounge overlooking Biscayne Bay.
Guest will also have services including personal concierge, shopping assistants, butlers and personal administrative assistants.
Hyatt has opened its first hotel in Madison, Wisconsin, US, featuring 151 guestrooms.All the rooms feature a 42 inch HDTV and an eight foot sectional sofa-sleeper.
Complimentary wi-fi is offered throughout the hotel, along with a continental breakfast each morning.
The hotel is situated in the Madison downtown area and has 760sqm of meeting space. Hyatt Madison also features a fitness centre and a coffee and wine bar.
Madison is home to one of the country’s largest universities and Hyatt Hotels, global head, Gary Dollens said the company took this into consideration when building the hotel: “The Hyatt Place brand is a perfect fit for a campus environment because it was designed for people living a multitasking lifestyle, not just a business traveler or a leisure traveler.”
The Siegel Hotel Group has plans to open a boutique chain of Las Vegas hotels, starting with the Rumour Hotel which is to debut in June.
The 150-suite Rumour Hotel is to open on the former site of the St Tropez, across the road from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on Harmon Avenue in Las Vegas.
The hotel will feature a pool that will have private cabanas, landscaped grounds and hammocks, as well as a DJ mixing decks in the evenings.
The Siegel Group said it wants its new brand of hotels to be intimate and especially tailored to the customers’ touch.
CEO, Stephen Siegel said: “Las Vegas is not thought of as a boutique hotel city like New York, Miami or San Francisco. For years, the only idea is Las Vegas was to build bigger, but The Siegel Group philosophy is to offer something entirely innovative: something smaller with the personal customer touch.
“We want to create an experience that feel exclusive, comfortable, relaxed and has great value. Each of our five boutique hotels provides a reprieve from the grind and grandiose normally associated with Las Vegas.”
The other hotels Siegel has planned for the new boutique chain includes The Artisan, Gold Spike Hotel and Casino, Oasis at Gold Spike and The Resort on Mount Charleston. The design for the chain is expected to be contemporary and stylish with the ‘culturally creative in mind’.
Steve Wynn has unveiled Encore this week, which is his all-suite boutique hotel, adjacent to sister resort Wynn Macau.According to the company, the resort hotel will feature ‘approximately’ 410 luxury suites and four villas.
Encore will also include two new restaurants and a spa which will boast eight private therapy suites, each with its own steam room, sauna and aroma-hydrotherapy bath and shower.
The resort will also house three signature stores; Cartier, Chanel and Piaget.
The InterContinental Hotels Group has opened its first new build Holiday Inn branded hotel in Mumbai, India. The hotel features 225 rooms and is situated at the Saki Naka junction in Andheri at the Mumbai airport.The hotel features an all-day dining restaurant, a lobby bar and a deli. There is also a spa and a roof-top infinity pool for guests to enjoy.
The business centre within the Holiday Inn has both conference and banquet facilities and is one of the new-look hotels that the brand has planned.
Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport, general manager, Harry Thaliwal said: “Holiday Inn Mumbai International Airport is the first new-built Holiday Inn in India, which is an important milestone for IHG. We are offering a business class product and a variety of services to our customers.”
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