Hotel Designs

Northern Ireland’s premier 5-star hotel, the Culloden Estate and Spa, has unveiled its recent refurbishment which was in excess of £1,000,000. Various parts of the hotel have been included in the investment programme which boasts a new-look Mitre restaurant and refurbished bedrooms including the four original tower suites. This month, as part of the investment a refurbishment programme of the spa will begin.

Adrian McNally, General Manager of the Culloden Estate & Spa said: “We are delighted to unveil the results of our latest refurbishment which was an investment by Hastings Hotels in excess of £1,000,000. The refurbishment is part of the ongoing investment programme that we at Hastings Hotels pride ourselves on to ensure we make the most of our properties and our people as we continue to offer our guests a first class service every time.”

Hipping Hall, an idyllic country retreat perched on the fringes of the Forest of Bowland, the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District has recently been the subject of a significant programme of investment. Work got under way at Hipping Hall this summer, to transform a former stable block in the grounds of the award winning restaurant with rooms into five luxurious suites, a standalone chef’s kitchen and a private dining room, an investment of some £250,000, by the property’s owner Andrew Wildsmith.

The work, which has now been completed will enable the Grade II listed property to cater for larger functions and weddings, as well as allowing groups of guests to indulge in a range of exclusive dining experiences, produced by Hipping’s innovative Head Chef, Oli Martin.

The designs for the five new luxurious suites were conceived by Harrison Pitt Architects working closely with hotel owner Andrew Wildsmith, contractor Pinington’s then interpreted those plans and renowned interior designer James Mackie finished the project with a flourish, producing a series of beautiful interior schemes, utilising luxurious fixtures, furnishings and finishes to produce five rooms that simply wow!

Interior designer James, has previously worked on interior schemes at Hipping Hall, for Andrew including the stunning Tatham Suite. Throughout the design process Andrew worked closely with James to create a unique look and feel for each of the new suites. The bathrooms feature natural stone, chrome fixtures and fittings and several contain decadently unique resin baths. Each bedroom features a muted colour pallet, offset with sumptuous furnishings and fabrics combing to add both colour and bold touches, designed to ensure guests will be wowed by the result and want to return time and time again.

The gardens surrounding the Old Stables have also been the subject of a full makeover. Acclaimed Landscape Architect Frances Truscott, has devised a soft landscaping scheme maximising the natural glades, meandering stream and ponds found in the grounds to lead the eye and add depth and texture. In addition the former walled garden will also be brought back into use to create a chef’s garden, from which head chef Oli will be able to select fresh seasonal produce for inclusion in his dishes.

James Mackie, Interior Designer, said: “Hipping Hall is a special place for me. The Old Stables continue our theme of restrained luxury and is complimentary to the main house whilst having its own identity. It’s crucial to have nice rooms when you visit a hotel of this quality but the Hipping Hall experience is more than that – stunning position, amazing food, great cellar and faultless service comes as standard. I hope we’ve echoed that in our designs.”

Andrew Wildsmith, owner of the Hipping Hall, said: “Hipping is the embodiment of what a wonderfully luxurious country house hotel should be. The significant investment we are making in the new suites located in the Old Stables is part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing the product we offer our guests.

“The addition of a chef’s kitchen and private dining room will also enable us to cater for a range of different functions and offer exclusive dining experiences in the coming months, further enhancing the foodie reputation we are building for the hotel.”

JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa, the newest five-star luxury beachfront resort in Mexico, designed by Jim Olson from Olson Kundig in collaboration with IDEA Asociados, opened its doors to the public earlier this month.It boasts 299-guestrooms and suites, all with unobstructed ocean views, and features modern architecture inspired by local Mexican traditions and the spirit of the desert.

“Jim Olson and his team have created an idyllic environment featuring awe-inspiring modern design that highlights the tranquility of Los Cabos,” said Mitzi Gaskins, Vice President, Luxury Brand Management & Guest Experience at Marriott International. “Upon arrival, guests will immediately be taken by the destination’s natural beauty. JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa perfectly complements its surroundings while providing guests with an unparalleled enriching resort experience.”

Situated in the upscale Puerto Los Cabos community, JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa is located within the dunes of the pristine coast of the Baja peninsula, where the desert meets the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez. Inspired by the local traditions and spirit of the desert, Olson’s design seamlessly blends architecture, art and nature.

“As you move through the space, there are always moments where your eye can focus on the outdoors,” Olson notes. “The architecture is designed to frame nature.”

Upon entering the open-air lobby, guests are greeted by the sea and the resort’s expansive infinity pools, creatingthe effect of the ocean merging with the property itself. The resort also offers the ultra-exclusive Griffin Club, a 45-room boutique hotel within the resort that includes a private beach and pool, butler and chef services, private spa areas, a movie theater, food and beverage offerings, access to the chef’s private table at Café des Artistes and more.

JW Marriott Los Cabos’ multi-million dollar art collection is featured throughout the resort and includes works from internationally acclaimed artists such as Jaume Plensa, Ursula von Rydingsvard, Angel Otero, Sam Falls Tobias Pils, Jorge Yazpik, Carlos García de la Nuez, Jan Hendrix, Héctor Zamora and more. Guests also have access to Puerto Los Cabos’ private marina and golf courses designed by Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus.

JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa offers over 37,000 square feet of event space for weddings and corporate meetings including the 7,950 square foot Mila Ballroom, the 5,425-square-foot beachfront Amet Patio, and several private and semi-private terraces and gardens. Additionally, the Kepe gazebo, which has a view of the Sea of Cortez, is perfect for wedding ceremonies.

The resort also offers performing art events and special celebrations under the stars in the 7,104 square foot Sum-San amphitheater, which is inspired by ancient Greek forums.

DoubleTree by Hilton Doha – Old Town has opened in the rapidly expanding business district of Qatar’s capital.The hotel features 187 guestrooms and suites – each of which boast floor to ceiling windows with panoramic city views. Additionally, the hotel offers business and fitness centers, a sauna, steam room, and rooftop pool.

As the cultural and commercial capital of Qatar, Doha attracts both leisure and business travelers. This contemporary hotel is in close proximity to key business and government administration offices, including the financial district and port, as well as Doha’s famous waterfront promenade, the Corniche, and the Museum of Islamic Art.

Doha has recently seen a huge expansion of its transportation network, including the recently opened Hamad International Airport, the home of Qatar Airways, and a new metro rail system.

The DoubleTree by Hilton Doha – Old Town is the seventh DoubleTree branded hotel in the Middle East, and the second Hilton Worldwide property in Qatar, joining Hilton Doha.

Earlier this month, the Mayor of Ryde, Councillor Roi Milburn and the Chief Executive of the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce, David Thornton joined Travelodge’s Regional Director South, Muhammad Manan to officially open Ryde’s first branded budget hotel – Ryde Travelodge.The purpose built, 41-room property, located in the heart of the town centre represents an investment of £2.2 million and has created ten new jobs. The hotel has been designed in the company’s new contemporary brand design. This includes a new room concept which has been created by Travelodge customers.

This new opening has boosted Travelodge’s UK portfolio to 504 hotels and has also doubled the company’s presence on the Isle of Wight to two hotels.

Muhammed Manan, Travelodge Regional Director South said: “We are thrilled to be opening Ryde’s first branded budget hotel. We have been looking for another site on the Isle of Wight for some time and are delighted to have built a hotel in such a prominent position, minutes away from the beach. Our new hotel will help to attract new visitors, which is great news for the local economy, as our research shows annually Travelodge customers will spend nearly £1 million with local businesses during their stay.”

James Gadsby, Ryde Travelodge Hotel Manager said: “I am delighted to be managing Ryde’s first branded budget hotel. We have got off to a flying start and business is booming. We are already booked out for Christmas.”

Rotana Hotels and Resorts, one of the leading hospitality management groups in the MEA, south Asian and eastern European markets, is set to continue its ambitious expansion with the opening of 15 properties across the remainder of this year and 2016.With flourishing development being made in its growth strategy, Rotana is further strengthening its presence in Turkey and Bahrain, whilst 2016 will also see the opening of the group’s first property in the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo marking Rotana’s increasing footprint in Africa.

The hotels add 3,769 rooms to Rotana’s existing 13,875–strong room count across its global property portfolio.

Omer Kaddouri, President & CEO of Rotana comments: “Rotana has a very robust development pipeline for 2016. By extending the Rotana brand into new cities while also reinforcing our market leadership in the Middle East, we have come closer to realising our ambitious vision of operating 100 hotels by 2020. With a carefully considered international development strategy in place, we are constantly looking for growth opportunities and all of these markets presented opportunities for Rotana to extend our award-winning hospitality offering.
“In particular, a breakthrough into Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is a significant landmark for Rotana as this is a new territory for us in which we will be addressing the needs of a rapidly developing market. We are confident that the hotel will offer world class standards in hospitality and we look forward to expanding our offering for travellers across Africa,” he added.

Mercure Aberdeen Ardoe House Hotel & Spa, a country retreat set in 30 acres of peaceful Aberdeenshire countryside, has been beautifully transformed into a Mercure flagship property following an extensive refurbishment of its bedrooms to accompany the grand public areas and spa facilities.Built in 1887 in the Scottish Baronial style and fashioned on Balmoral Castle, just 50 miles away, Ardoe House Hotel’s bedrooms have been lovingly redesigned, bringing Aberdeenshire’s past and present to life. A locally inspired brand, Mercure worked with interior designer Frances Blackham at Trevellion Interiors. The refurbishment has seen new furnishings, textures and patterns incorporated into the property, capturing the cosmopolitan feel of Aberdeen, just five miles away.

All of the refurbished classic doubles and privilege rooms offer modern luxuries and a home-from-home experience, along with a dash of Scottish charm. Emblematic of the Highlands but with a modern twist, a plaid fabric in a shade of terracotta now adorns the bedroom chairs, while a montage of black and white architectural photography features on the headboards, showcasing 100 years of Ardoe House history.

The bedroom walls include a new array of monochromatic images, featuring the property itself. Graceful, neutral, stone coloured tones flow throughout the rooms and coordinate with beautiful walnut furniture. Each bedroom is equipped with a TV with international satellite channels, 24-hour room service and free Wi-Fi access, which is available throughout the hotel.

During their stay guests will experience the juxtaposition of both new and old styles. The property’s original features were completed by local craftsmanship and include striking stonework and beautifully crafted wood paneling, elaborate plinths, stained glass windows and paneled doors with intricate metalwork. In reception sits an exquisite mosaic floor and extraordinary latticed ceiling. All compliment the modern design additions that have been made to the bedrooms

Baulmann Leuchten once again displayed their latest product developments at this year’s Sleep Event, which took place this week.Of particular focus this year was the official launch of revisited classics from their ‘64-65’ collection, first displayed during those years almost 50 years ago.

The company is able to bring these designs back to life because they still hold the key tooling and design elements for all their historic collections.

Due to tremendous demand from interior designers worldwide, Baulmann can offer these as they were originally offered in their original state. These will be brought back with all the exacting safety And energy efficiency demands of the 21st century.

Chelsom were at the annual Sleep Event, which took place at the Business Design Centre in London earlier this week.Sleep is Europe’s leading trade event for interior hospitality products providing an annual meeting for those at the forefront of hotel design, development and architecture.

This was Chelsom’s 9th consecutive year exhibiting at the event and this year they showed off pieces from their new off-shoot collection, Autumn Update, which launched this September and harnesses and refines the latest trends in finishes and materials to give a whole new look to some of their most popular existing designs. Satin Copper, White & Gold and a palette of bold retro Colours give strong design directions whilst natural Stone offers a timeless organic look. In addition Chelsom also provided an exclusive preview of brand new pieces from the upcoming collection, Edition 25, as designed entirely in-house by Robert and Will Chelsom and which will be available from May 2016 onwards.

Company Director, Will Chelsom said: “Sleep is the number one UK show in terms of interior design for the hospitality market and we are very pleased to be back again. Being able to see what the wider market is up to is really inspirational and it’s a great environment for companies to showcase their latest product designs and innovations. Sleep has become a key date in the diaries of many leading hospitality professionals so it’s exciting for us to be promoting our new off-shoot collection and promoting a selection of new pieces from what is undoubtedly our most eclectic collection to date.”

A historic Northumberland hotel is being transformed into a French-inspired chateau, complete with a stunning Mediterranean garden, as part of a plan to transform it into one of the country’s most original and exciting wedding venues.The 27 bedroom Percy Arms Hotel at Otterburn closed in 2012 but was bought earlier this year by leisure entrepreneur, Duncan Fisher and his award-winning Northumberland leisure company, Newton Hall Northumberland Ltd.

And work will soon be underway to transform the hotel into Le Petit Chateau, a stylish and quirky venue which the owners promise will combine the look and feel of a French country manor house with a range of unusual features.

The plans include the creation of a spectacular Mediterranean garden with its own wedding terrace which will emulate those typically found in the grandest chateaux in the south of France, complete with palm trees, an antique fountain and lavender field.

It will include a wild meadow leading to a riverside setting where ceremonies can take place, along with a ballroom which will have floor to ceiling glass doors opening on to the garden. When completed, the venue will be able to accommodate up to 160 guests for dinner and up to 200 for an evening reception, with 30 bedrooms also being created, some of which will have secret roof gardens and hot tubs.

Mr Fisher said the plans for the hotel would create “a venue that has never been seen anywhere else in the country.”

“This is a massively ambitious development which is totally unique,” he said. “It is an incredible challenge to create a French chateau with breathtaking gardens in the middle of Northumberland but that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

Mr Fisher is investing a “substantial amount” in developing Le Petit Chateau and promises that it will have the same high standards that have led to multi-award winning Newton Hall, its sister hotel, being voted one of the top five wedding venues in the country.

When completed, around 60 new jobs should be created, with the aim of recruiting entirely from the surrounding area to help boost the local economy. The hope is that work on the site will begin towards the end of the year, with the first weddings taking place from April 2016.

Clarke & Clarke has several new collections which were on show for the first time at this year’s Sleep event earlier this week. You can see them below… Anatolia
A collection of three striking patterns, combined with a soft, distressed semi-plain chenille in a wide variety of modern shades. Intricately woven and reminiscent of ancient kilim rugs from Turkey.

Artbook by Kim Parker (Wallcoverings)
Award winning lifestyle designer, Kim Parker is famous for her bold, exuberant floral style in contemporary colour.

From an early age, Kim has dreamt of creating fabrics and wallpapers that transform rooms into lush, exuberant interiors gardens. Influenced by beautiful wallpapers of the Arts & Crafts and Bloomsbury movements and rich hues often inspired by the textiles of India and Mexico.

Thirteen pieces of original art have been carefully translated into beautiful printed linen and velvet fabrics and also digital wallpapers.

Latour
Rich and luxurious, Latour is a collection of three small scale chenille weaves and a stunning digital print on the same dual purpose quality.

The style pays homage to the glamorous French Golden Age, where gem and dark colours such as magenta, deep blue and peacock mix with opulent metallics.

Navajo
Originally Navajo Indian hand woven blankets, reproduced as hefty upholstery weaves made from linen and cotton. Wonderful, rich shades that include earth, carmine and mineral.

Palladio
Detailed, ornate weave structures combine with ombre grounds in a classical Italian style. Four coordinating patterns in a variely of scales are complimented by a soft, slub weave chenille and are available in colours ranging from classic neutrals through to fashionable shades of shades of aqua, orchid and olive green.

Courtyard by Marriott Shin-Osaka Station has joined the growing portfolio of more 1,000 Courtyard by Marriott hotels in more than 40 countries worldwide.Located adjacent to the Shin-Osaka Bullet Train Station, the hub of west-Japan for both business and leisure, Courtyard by Marriott Shin-Osaka Station is the third property for the brand in Japan.

For travellers who seek a distinctive experience, Courtyard by Marriott Shin-Osaka Station offers thoughtfully designed room types ranging in sizes from 30 to 90 square-metres. A fitness room with state-of-the-art facilities is also available around the clock. Three conference rooms sized between 56 sqm and 131 sqm cater to events of various sizes. Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel along with the latest mobile check-in enable all guests to make the most of their time in the dynamic city, whether working or relaxing.

More than 13 million overseas tourists visited Japan in 2014 and the number of visitors is already well over 14 million for the first three quarters in 2015, putting 2015 on pace to set a new record. As a central hub for Asian travellers to Japan, Osaka is benefitting from this increase. The Courtyard by Marriott Shin-Osaka Station provides accommodations that will help meet this demand while at the same time meet the expectations of guests.

Hyatt Hotels has revealed that Park Hyatt Mallorca, the newest Park Hyatt branded resort property, is expected to debut in Spring 2016 along the quiet and undeveloped east coast of the island. This hotel will mark the company’s entry into the Spanish island of Mallorca.Overlooking the picturesque Canyamel valley, Park Hyatt Mallorca will feature the style of a traditional Mallorquin hilltop village, complete with a convivial village square, world-class dining and superb wellness, leisure and spa facilities. Part of Grupo Cap Vermell, hotel guests will benefit from access to a nearby Beach Club and Country Club with additional recreational and sporting facilities.

Park Hyatt Mallorca will feature 142 luxurious guest rooms and 16 exquisitely designed suites, seamlessly blending sophistication and elegance with timeless regional accents. The spacious rooms and suites will range in size from 50sqm to 150sqm and will feature private terraces with gorgeous views of the verdant valley or Balearic Sea, along with generously sized bathrooms with a separate bath tub and rain shower.

Park Hyatt Mallorca sits within the exclusive 49-acre Cap Vermell Estate in the bucolic Canyamel valley. Hotel guests will have access to the superb facilities at Cap Vermell, including a Beach Club that is just a 10 minute stroll from the hotel, as well as a Country Club boasting an all-purpose sports field, two tennis courts, an indoor heated swimming pool and outdoor pool. Cap Vermell also houses 12 ultra-luxurious, privately owned villas, eight of which are currently available for purchase.

DoubleTree by Hilton recently opened its London Ontario hotel, the city’s largest convention centre, conveniently located in the heart of downtown London, Ontario and connected to the London Convention Centre. This 323-room property opens following a $10 million (£4.9 million) property-wide renovation of the Hilton London Ontario, including renovated guest rooms and new, vibrant décor throughout.

“DoubleTree by Hilton London Ontario has been beautifully updated, complete with a heated skywalk to the London Convention Center, and is the perfect addition to our growing portfolio in Canada and around the world,” said John Greenleaf, global head, DoubleTree by Hilton.

DoubleTree by Hilton London Ontario, a 22-story high rise, features spacious rooms with a contemporary design. Three special key access floors offer rooms with spectacular views of the city from any direction. Additionally, the hotel offers a private parking garage, complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel’s public areas and guest rooms, a 24-hour business centre, 24-hour fitness centre featuring Precor equipment and heated indoor pool and hot tub.

Featuring 18 meeting rooms, including the largest ballroom in the city which boasts a capacity of up to 1,200 people, DoubleTree by Hilton London Ontario offers guests more than 30,000 square feet of flexible meeting space.

Panaz is delighted to be holding its 6th Premier View at the Hilton Hotel, Islington on the 24th and 25th November.This has been a successful format for Panaz, allowing the team to greet valued clients to launch new products, review classic favourites, partake in refreshments and generally discuss business in a relaxed, reviving environment.

This year, among others, Panaz will feature Atmosphere. If you are curious to know what Atmosphere is, do come and see it at and us at The Hilton Hotel, 53 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1 0QH on:

Tuesday 24 November 10am – 7pm
Wednesday 25 November 10am – 4pm

We look forward to seeing you there!

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has revealed the conversion of the 196-room Crowne Plaza Annapolis hotel in Maryland, located a short distance from the United States Naval Academy and the Maryland State House.With more than 10,000 square feet of meeting space across 10 meeting rooms, the hotel is ideal for hosting a wide range of events including casual meetings, large-scale conferences and gala-style social events.

Guests at this Annapolis hotel will experience the Crowne Plaza brand’s new “Always On” enhancements that are focused on connectivity, wellness and productivity.

Gina LaBarre, Vice President, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, IHG said: “The
Crowne Plaza brand is all about making business travel work and we know our guests are looking for a hotel brand that caters to their business needs. We are confident the Crowne Plaza Annapolis hotel will provide our guests with the balance they are looking for to not only stay productive but also feel inspired and restored while travelling for business.”

The hotel features the Crowne Plaza Sleep Advantage program, which encompasses the entire sleep experience, from training staff on how to create and maintain a restful environment to providing innovative products and services such as signature bedding, designated quiet zone floor and aromatherapy.

InterContinental Hotels Group has announced the signing of Holiday Inn Warsaw – City Centre. The hotel will operate under a management agreement with UBM, who own a number of IHG hotels including InterContinental Warsaw.

Due to open in early 2018, the 254-room hotel is just 500 metres from the Palace of Culture and Science and Zlote Tarasy – a commercial, office and entertainment complex. It is less than a ten minute walk away from the city’s main train station and a 20 minute drive from Warsaw Chopin International Airport, making it very accessible to the city centre.

Holiday Inn Warsaw — City Centre will be the first Holiday Inn hotel in Poland to feature the brand’s signature Open Lobby with a 24hr restaurant and bar. The Holiday Inn Open Lobby has transformed the traditional hotel lobby format by combining the front desk, restaurant, bar, lounge area and business centre into one open, cohesive space, while refreshing the design to give it a more contemporary feel.

There are currently six IHG hotels in Poland including InterContinental Warsaw, Holiday Inn Bydgoszcz, Holiday Inn Krakow City Centre, Holiday Inn Warsaw — Jozefow, Holiday Inn Lodz and Holiday Inn Express Warsaw Airport.

Following an agreement between Meliá Hotels International and the Thai conglomerate TCC Land Asset World, three new hotels have been signed in the region.In the first three years of the new contract, the two companies will develop, in total, three hotels under the ME by Meliá, Paradisus Resorts and Sol Beach House brands.

The agreement with TCC Land Asset World marks a new phase in MHI’s Asia Pacific expansion strategy, a major focus for the Company, launching the first ME by Meliá and Paradisus Resorts hotels in Asia and first Sol Beach House in Thailand.

ME by Meliá
The opening of ME Bangkok will introduce the Asian and Thai market to ME by Meliá, a personality-led, lifestyle brand that seeks to fuse innovative style with local art, design, music and fashion. The brand’s flagship property, ME London, encapsulates the philosophy of ME by Meliá by offering a personal guest experience, combined with striking architecture and interiors.

Paradisus Resorts
A luxury, all-inclusive Paradisus Resorts will open in one of the top holiday destinations in Thailand, with location to be announced. The resort will be the first Paradisus property to open in Asia, offering families and couples unrivalled indulgence through the brand’s Royal Service and Family Concierge amenities.

Sol Beach House
Sol Beach House Koh Samui will open within the next two years, following a renovation of the existing Imperial Boat House Koh Samui Hotel. The relaxed adult only resort will have 209 rooms, as well as 33 boat suites or rice barges converted into 91m₂ of chic accommodation.

Carlson Rezidor has revealed the Radisson Blu Olympiysky Hotel, Moscow, an upscale property featuring 379 rooms, will welcome the first guests in Q1 of 2017.

The hotel is owned by B&N Group. It will be Carlson Rezidor’s eighth hotel in Moscow — the company now operates and develops more than 2,000 rooms in the Russian capital.

In Russia, CIS and the Baltics, Carlson Rezidor currently operates 59 hotels with 15,200 rooms and has 18 hotels with 3,250 rooms under development. The group’s operating room count is twice as high as its nearest competitor.

The Radisson Blu Olympiyski Hotel, Moscow is located just north of the city centre — adjacent to the Olympic sports arenas built for the 1980 games. The hotel is part of a 75,000sqm multifunctional development which will rise 125m into the Muscovite skyline.

Besides 379 guest rooms with Radisson Blu signature services, the property will comprise of a restaurant, a bar on the ground floor and a panorama floor. Business travellers benefit from 1,750sqm of meeting & event facilities including a ballroom. The hotel also has a unique spa & leisure facility with a total surface of 1,050sqm.

Hotel specialist Richmond has designed The Strand Suite, The Regent Suite and The Park Lane Suite for Los Angeles’ iconic London West Hollywood Hotel, as well as the 10th floor Penthouse inspired by Vivienne Westwood.Drawing inspiration from London’s finest, architecturally striking streets, and paying homage to the British capital’s rich history and influence on style, fashion and design worldwide, the three suites in The London West Hollywood Hotel are spacious and bright, with a relaxed, residential feel.

This has been achieved by Richmond through the use of lighting coffers, timbers floors,
bespoke furniture pieces and built-in cabinets. An elegant palette with muted colours sets the scene in the suites’ two complementary Salons — the smaller one with large, comfortable corner sofas and TV walls – and is carried through to the bedrooms, where large walk-in wardrobes, and marble lined bathrooms with free standing bath-tubs add to the sense of luxury.

In the bedroom, the lighting coffer enhances the sense of space, and built-in headboards introduce an extra layer of detail to the rich mix of fabrics and textures used throughout. Each suite also features curated artworks, referencing London’s thoroughfares and carriageways after which the rooms are named, creating a welcoming and unique sense of comfort.

The Penthouse inspired by Vivienne Westwood, which at 11,000 sq ft is billed as the
largest suite in Los Angeles, has been designed to feel grand and spacious, without losing its intimate and personal touch. Richmond has worked with the iconic British fashion designer, introducing Vivienne Westwood fabrics, wallcoverings, cushions and artworks throughout.

Stepping out of the elevator, the corridor leading to the entry sets the tone, with its tailored wallcovering panels, and framed Vivienne Westwood scarves as artwork; its timber floor immediately differentiates the space from the rest of the hotel — a feeling further enhanced by the double entry doors, set back from the corridor, which open into a large foyer and main Salon. Here, polished stone floors, bespoke cabinetry, and large corner sofas are complemented by feature furniture pieces, upholstered in rich Vivienne Westwood fabrics.

The large central rug uses the iconic Westwood ‘squiggle’ pattern to great effect and
anchors the furniture and lighting. In the dining space, a stone top table, seating up to 12 people, takes centre stage under a feature chandelier, which creates a stunning contrast with the dark timber slatted ceiling. Two large atriums on both sides of the Salon frame the space, and draw light in. Built-in bookcases backed with verre eglomisé mirror panels enliven the long back wall, with a sparkle that adds depth to the atmospheric space.

Fiona Thompson, Principal at Richmond, comments: ‘Vivienne Westwood is such an iconic figure; her sense of individuality, and her uncompromised approach to design have made history. It was a very exciting journey to work with the brand’s classic design signature pieces, and weave her idiosyncratic style in this project — which has resulted in the creation of what we think is a truly unique, unforgettable space’.

Meliá Hotels International is continuing with its expansion in Indonesia after announcing the addition of its thirteenth hotel, under the INNSIDE by Meliá brand, in the city of Bandung. The hotel will form part of The MAJ Collections Hotel & Residences developed by The MAJ, a property arm of Ancora Group. Construction is expected to be completed by 2017.INNSIDE Bandung combines leisure and business facilities, and will occupy one of two spectacular twin towers connected by a roof terrace in the thriving area of Dago in the north of Bandung. It will provide 233 guestrooms, children’s play areas, a gym, swimming pool, restaurant and gardens. The second tower will house residential apartments, alongside an annex building with a car park, ballroom, meeting rooms, heliport and a stunning infinity pool on the roof terrace.

Indonesia is home to the majority of the company’s hotels in the region, with four hotels already open and nine hotels scheduled to open in 2016 and 2017. The company, led by Gabriel Escarrer, started its international expansion in Indonesia with the opening of Meliá Bali in 1986. After 30 years in the region, Meliá is well positioned to help lead the growth of Indonesia as a key player in world tourism.

The addition of the new INNSIDE Bandung further reinforces the company’s presence and recognition in major cities in Indonesia. Meliá already has properties in cities such as Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Surabaya, in addition to its resort hotel portfolio in Bali and Bintan.

Asia will continue to be a strategic focus for growth in the coming years. The company now has almost 30 hotels open or scheduled to launch, under management agreements.

Luxury fabric specialist, Kobe UK, will be showcasing a number of contemporary, premium fabric collections at the Sleep Show in November. Kobe’s Elements collection, which has recently been awarded ‘Top Product’ by Design Insider at the Independent Hotel Show in London, is a range of 100% flame retardant fabrics for both domestic and contract window décor and soft furnishings.

A palette of rich and neutral tones complements the sophisticated collection of luxurious easy-to-care-for, washable fabrics. Their cool linen, soft satin and subtle metallic look is a perfect match for the geometric, herringbone and medallion designs.

The Aurora and Motion ranges are both 100% Trevira CS approved and feature a selection of prints, fabrics and textures within an opulent colour palette — ideal for luxurious hotel interiors.

Inspired by urban Nordic lifestyles, the Aurora collection mixes high satins, sumptuous velvets and intricately cut fabrics, while Motion features earthy fresh tones, geometric prints and organically patterned jacquards and herringbone.

The Kobe UK sales office and studio are based in Crowthorne, Berkshire. For further information, visit the website.

Trump Turnberry, part of The Luxury Collection, has officially closed the doors of its hotel building and Ailsa course as The Trump Organisation commences its £200m renovation of the resort.The highly anticipated upgrade of the historic 1906 hotel includes a complete renovation, restoration and remodelling of all guestrooms, suites, corridors, restaurants and public spaces. Additionally, Trump Turnberry will soon boast a 500 person grand ballroom.

“My father and I have assembled a world-class team consisting of the best architects, contractors and restoration specialists. When completed, Trump Turnberry will be the most luxurious hotel anywhere in the UK and beyond,” stated Eric Trump, Executive Vice President of Development and Acquisitions for The Trump Organisation.

“Having already completed vast renovations to the magnificent golf clubhouse and select public areas, we are thrilled to move into the second phase of our major renovation.”

Trump Turnberry is working with Fife-based project management company, Hardies and has appointed ISG PLC, one of the most prestigious contractors in the UK, to carry out the renovation. ISG has an impressive track record and was carefully selected by the organisation from a record number of bidders.

The Turnberry Lighthouse will also undergo dramatic and exciting changes with the creation of the highly anticipated Presidential Suite, which will provide unprecedented views of Ailsa Craig and the Firth of Clyde. Throughout the nine month renovation, the brand new world-class club house, unveiled in June 2015, is open for business along with The Trump Villas and The Spa at Turnberry.

Trump Turnberry will re-open in June 2016.

One of the fastest growing extended-stay hotel companies in the United States, WoodSpring Suites, has announced an agreement to build the next WoodSpring Suites hotel in West Monroe, Louisiana.The 124-unit hotel will be first WoodSpring Suites located in the state and is expected to start construction in the first quarter of 2016.

Once completed, the hotel will feature guest amenities most associated with the long-stay setup – free high-speed internet, guest laundry facilities, in-room kitchens in each guestroom. These are all part of the brand’s “It’s Simple. Done Better” brand promise.

WoodSpring Hotels, which experienced record growth in 2014, is focused on strategic expansion across the US through corporate and franchise-owned development. The company expects to break ground on more than 30 additional properties over the next six months. Expansion plans scheduled for 2017 include the addition of corporate and franchised properties in major metropolitan markets such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle, Miami, Portland and Minneapolis.

The landmark five-star Lowry Hotel has completed a £4 million refurbishment which General Manager Adrian Ellis has hailed as the culmination of a remarkable ‘transformational year’.A comprehensive makeover of the 165-room hotel has been taking place since September 2014, when it changed hands in a multimillion-pound deal. And guests now enjoy an enhanced resident experience through the introduction of new SMART TVs and Wi-Fi, alongside new curtains, carpets, fabrics and colour schemes throughout the bedrooms and public areas.

Healthy financial results in 2015 have provided the foundations for the refurbishment, says Mr Ellis, which will be followed by a programme in 2016 to refurbish the spa and the banqueting suites. The experienced GM, who has managed prestige hotels worldwide in a 25-year career, says that the hotel’s new look includes the purchase and commission of some original art.

Manchester’s rock history is a key part of the changes, as seen in the purchase of iconic rock images by legendary Salfordian photographer Kevin Cummins, including four large format images which greet guests in the lobby.

The refurbishment is also marked with ten new large-scale photographs on each floor by published and exhibited photographer Allan Grainger, from the Isle of Man, of familiar Manchester locations. This new commission of, in Grainger’s words, “tableaux that capture the rhythms and atmosphere of the city, and its historical past,” are displayed in the corridor and lift areas of the guest floors.

A changing art gallery in the bar every six weeks by Comme Ca Art complements existing work in the hotel including a striking hanging installation by David Begbie and works by contemporary Northern landscape painter Liam Spencer.

Mike Godfrey, head designer, JRP interior designers, says: “We thought it fitting that The Lowry Hotel, based in what was once the heartland of manufacturing and industry, should be able to contribute to the local manufacturing economy. We managed to do this without compromising on quality and have been able to select beautiful products that look as though they have been sourced from the far corners of the globe.”

Cliq Designs, of Manchester, supplied the guest room soft furnishings, with RHA Furniture producing most of the upholstery and re-upholstery work in their Nottingham factory. Contra Curtains of west Yorkshire provided all window treatments, while Northern Lights of Chesterfield also supplied beautiful lighting features for some guestrooms.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has opened the new-build Staybridge Suites® Puebla in Mexico.The eight–story extended stay hotel includes 129 suites and opens following an investment of more than $12 million (£7.8 million) by Hotel Royal Plaza, SA de CV.

The Staybridge Suites brand has seen strong growth in Mexico with recent openings in Monterrey, Chihuahua, Guadalajara and Queretaro. This hotel marks IHG’s sixth property in Puebla and the first Staybridge Suites hotel in the city.

The new property offers spacious suites, which will include a mix of studio and one-and two-bedroom/two-bathroom suites, along with more than 700 square feet of meeting space. The city of Puebla is the fourth-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Boutique hotel operator Eden Hotel Collection has announced that work has begun on a luxury spa in the grounds of the award-winning Mallory Court Hotel in Royal Leamington Spa.This is the first full-scale spa development that the group has undertaken, working in partnership with Spa Creators and NH Interiors on the build, which is projected to be £6 million worth of investment.

Eden Hotel Collection, which currently runs Elan Spas at three of its eight properties, is setting its sights high and aiming to create the leading destination spa for Warwickshire, bringing visitors from across the UK to the area as well as offering facilities and membership to the local community.

Elan Spa at Mallory Court, due to open at the end of 2016, will use the latest energy-efficient techniques and state-of-the-art design to create a spa in keeping with this listed building, and with the designs and extension that have been undertaken by Eden Hotel Collection over the years.

The spa itself will include all the high-end facilities guests can expect from an aspirational spa of this calibre, including some exciting features and luxury facilities that the group will disclose in the coming months.

Swinton Park in Yorkshire will be opening a new spa, which is set to welcomes guests in the autumn of 2016.The £5.5m Swinton Park Country Club and Spa on the 20,000-acre country estate will include a swimming pool, gym and studio, alongside a full spa with pre-treatment consultation zone, six therapy rooms, a private therapy suite and several treatment rooms as well as heat experiences.

The complex will also house a 40-cover restaurant, coffee shop and Swinton Estate shop, while the wider Country Club will offer access to activities such as cycling, fishing and clay pigeon shooting.

Emma Franklin will take charge of the spa, having gained 20 years experience in the industry after working in Japan at the Park Hyatt Tokyo as well as the Grand Hyatt Dubai.

DoubleTree by Hilton recently announced the opening its hotel at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, home of Coventry City and Aviva Premiership side Wasps. The hotel is situated in the heart of the UK.The hotel offers 121 guestrooms, including 50 queen rooms with stadium views, 18 deluxe rooms and two king suites. Business guests seeking a practical working environment will be delighted with the sleek workspaces and Wi-Fi connectivity included in every guestroom.

The hotel holds a prominent position within the wider Ricoh Arena complex, which boasts 80 versatile meeting rooms that can accommodate seven to 7,000 delegates, including a 6,000 sqm conference and exhibition hall. The arena benefits from exceptional transport links, with three train stations within eight miles and Birmingham Airport just 20 km away by car, making it is a destination venue for business and leisure events.

Richard Marsh, general manager, DoubleTree by Hilton at the Ricoh Arena – Coventry said: “The Ricoh Arena attracts a huge number of people to its wide range of events – sport, business and entertainment – and the DoubleTree by Hilton here will be perfectly suited to serve the needs of that growing audience.”

Sheffield’s leading 4* hotel, the Mercure Sheffield St Paul’s Hotel and Spa, has undergone an extensive refurbishment to reflect the city’s unique cultural landscape with locally inspired artwork and design. Mercure, a “locally inspired” brand has re-designed the bedrooms and public spaces to reflect the predominantly green city, taking inspiration from the Winter Garden, Peace Gardens and nearby Peak District National Park. The meticulous refurbishment also pays tribute to the city’s iconic ‘steel’ heritage with innovative design-led metal features and accents throughout the hotel’s new interior.

On arrival, guests will be greeted by Mercure’s feature wall, a signature statement in Mercure’s flagship hotels, as well as stunning glass panels featuring a back-lit leaf vein motif at reception and throughout the public areas. The warm and inviting lighting makes guests feel instantly at home with the addition of Chelsom’s Steel Teardrop light whilst they relax amongst the contemporary and stylish furniture.

Keeping in line with the local nature theme, the new signature table will take center stage in reception displaying a wooden leaf skeleton frame, glass top and a rich walnut finish. The newly designed lounge and bar area will continue to bring the outside indoors with floral metalwork details, petrified moss and a stunning corteen steel sculpture. The new upholstery features earthy tones and textures inspired by local plants found in the Winter Gardens.

The Mercure Sheffield St Paul’s Hotel and Spa offers a range of accommodation including 122 Classic rooms, 32 Privilege rooms, 7 Junior suites and 2 Executive suites, all of which have been fitted with top of the range beds to provide the ultimate sleep and relaxation experience. Every bedroom has been re-designed to incorporate a bright and zesty colour scheme, in line with the natural garden theme, including a stylish headboard displaying local artwork.

Ultratravel Collection, a joint venture between Global Hotel Alliance (’GHA’), Travel Leaders Group and multi-media brand Ultratravel, has announced its latest addition to its collection of properties — the NUO Hotel Beijing.

NUO Hotel Beijing is being positioned as a contemporary lifestyle destination in ‘modern Ming’ design. It features 438 luxurious rooms and suites, a traditional tea house, six restaurants and bars, NUO Spa, the impressive 1,600 square metre Yongle Grand Ballroom; and a dedicated art gallery displaying a stunning series of carefully-curated pieces by the country’s most critically acclaimed artists, from newly emerging to world-renowned, and a showcase of original works from iconic Chinese artist Zeng Fanzhi.

As well as China, Ultratravel Collection is expanding in other key markets around the world, with recent additions to its portfolio including Viceroy New York, Corinthia Hotel London and Palais Namskar in Marrakech.

A Grade-II listed former Baptist church in the London district of Holborn is set to be transformed into a five-star luxury boutique hotel after planning permission for the project was granted.The refurbishment will include the construction of four additional storeys and accommodation within the historic rooms. Jacques Garcia will lead the project and will create the first Lifestyle Hotel L’Oscar in the space, which is due to open in 2016.

The hotel will consist of 67 bedrooms, with bars, a restaurant, spa facilities, gym and conference facilities. The site is owned by Triangle, who acquired the property in 2012, and will mark the company’s first move in the Holborn area.

As more and more new-build hotels go up in this country and around the world, it can be easy to forget the joy of staying in a hotel whose building has a storied and historic past. And I’ve had the pleasure of staying in some marvellous examples of the latter. Here I select my favourite ‘historical conversion’ properties at home and abroad — chosen for the romance of their history but also their cutting-edge design and interiors…

Park Bosphorus Hotel, Istanbul
Dating back to 1890, this building started life as a mansion built by Italian ambassador Baron Blanc as his home while he oversaw great political change in the Ottoman Empire. The stunning views of the river from which it takes its name are something to behold and the hotel has been the place to be seen by the great and the powerful of yesteryear — including a visit from King Edward VIII.

Its recently renovated architecture and design maintain the historical, cultural and political significance of the district of Istanbul in which it resides and has some of the most beautifully appointed rooms in the city.

The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore
Once a post office during British rule of the port city, this spectacular building oozes colonial character with its neo-classical architecture and design. Commissioned in 1919 for the colony’s centennial celebrations and built in 1928, the building is named after Robert Fullerton – the first Governor of the Straits Settlements (1826–1829).

The interior keeps the colonial theme running, with its high ceilings, Doric columns and verandas. But despite the rich colours and traditionalist décor, the Fullerton still incorporates modern luxury to make this my favourite hotel in one of the best cities in the world.

The Conservatorium, Amsterdam
The building was originally designed by the famous Dutch architect Daniel Knuttel as the Rijkspostspaarbank and sparked the regeneration of the previously derelict Museum Quarter at the end of the 19th century. It was abandoned in 1978, became a conservatory which housed 3 musical institutions until 2008 and was then lovingly restored onwards.

With stunning interiors from Italian designer Piero Lissoni, the conversion of this building into a hotel has been a remarkable success and brings a touch of elegance and luxury to this most cosmopolitan of destinations.

Mandarin Oriental, Prague
No other hotel does blending contemporary design with period features quite like this Mandarin Oriental property in the Czech capital. Sitting on the site of a 14th century monastery, this is one of the finest hotels in the city — from the room’s vaulted ceilings offering a glimpse into the building’s past to the ultra-modern spa facilities.

Although part of a chain, there’s something uniquely special about this hotel which offers the perfect combination of both worlds old and new.

No Man’s Fort, Portsmouth
The original sleeping arrangements of these remarkable structures out in the Solent required gunners to swing from hammocks hooked into the ceiling. Thankfully, the modern incarnation of these former military protective forts is all about luxury and excellent service.

Each room is fitted out with chic furniture, all with a depth of design, quintessential British style and teeming with quirky historical touches — plus you won’t get many places with better sea views…

Tuddenham Mill, Newmarket
I have a strong personal affiliation with East Anglia, and this beautiful reworking of a traditional watermill mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 on the Suffolk-Cambridgeshire border is one of its best spots for me personally.

Obvious history but also clean, subtle interiors define this hotel-cum-event space. Highlights include the original exposed beams, the glorious double-ended baths and the countryside surrounding this gem of a property. Definitely recommended if venturing onto the flats of eastern England…

Plans for a £6 million refurbishment of the AA four-star Down Hall Hotel in Hertfordshire have been revealed, with a completion date set for the middle of 2016.While the first stage of refurbishment is well on the way to being completed, which has seen half of the hotel’s rooms brought back to their former architectural glory, the next phase of the refurb will take place in stages. Rooms will be completed floor-by-floor so the hotel can remain operational.

Suites and rooms are set to be high-ceilinged, finished with elegant window pelmets and wall features and delicately patterned wallpapers in a look that the management team are calling ‘classic country house-meets-contemporary chic’.

The new Eden Spa, which has just been completed, offers a new hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam room, power shower and four new treatment rooms filled with ESPA natural skin and spa products.

The kitchen has also been completely refitted, which will allow head chef Matthew Hill to continue delivering award-winning food and service in the hotels’ Grill Room restaurant.

Andrew Oxley, general manager of Down Hall told the media: “Huge investment is being made to develop both our leisure and corporate facilities to reinforce our position as a four star superior hotel. The combination of experienced staff, premium products and therapeutic treatments will ensure guests are provided with a first rate leisure experience.”

Down Hall dates back to 1322 and is set on 110 acres of woodland near the Hertfordshire-Essex border.

W Hotels Worldwide debuted in the Netherlands two weeks ago with the highly anticipated opening of W Amsterdam.Located in the epicentre of Amsterdam’s vibrant social scene, the 238-room hotel spans two iconic buildings, one of which used to house the former Telephone Exchange (‘Exchange’) and the other was previously home to KAS Bank (‘Bank’).

W Amsterdam was designed by Office WINHOV and Baranowitz Kronenberg Architects, who collaborated with local designers to refresh the historic buildings with contemporary features inspired by their storied past.

The Exchange building features 172 stylish guest rooms, while the 66 rooms in the Bank will open early next year. The hotel will have a total of 21 suites, three WOW suites and two lavish Extreme WOW suites – the W brand’s take on the Presidential suite.

Boasting an impressive 183 square metres of innovative design, an open plan bathroom complete with a hot tub, walk-in wardrobe and large round bed with extraordinary views of the Royal Palace, the Extreme WOW Suite is the city’s most glamourous crash pad. W Amsterdam features SPG Keyless, the hospitality industry’s first keyless entry system enabling guests to use their smartphone or wearable device as a room key.

Working in collaboration with New York based design studio Clodagh Design and The Parker Company, Chelsom created a stunning lighting scheme for the guestrooms of Europe’s first Six Senses Resort and Spa located in Portugal’s Douro Valley.The luxurious Six Senses Douro Valley looks out to vine covered rolling hills and the River Douro below and is set in a beautifully renovated 19th-century manor house with 41 guest bedrooms, 9 suites and 7 villas.

As created by Clodagh Design, the resort features a contemporary décor wedded to the Six Senses natural style balanced with a nod to a past era that is true to the heritage of the Douro region.

Designed to enhance the exquisite interior scheme, all fittings created by Chelsom for the guestrooms were specified from the latest collection and modified to meet the exacting requirements of the design brief.

Taking inspiration from the simplicity of Japanese design, the Box table lamp featuring a cylindrical shade encased in a linear steel frame provides a distinctive addition to the desk space.

Swing reading lights with swivel arms and rotating cylindrical heads offer stylish and functional lighting for the bedside whilst the sleek and highly contemporary LED Crane floor lamp provides additional lighting, fusing clean and stylish design with the latest technology.

All pieces have been specified in a striking Black Bronze finish in keeping with the overall contemporary interior scheme, impeccably designed to exude a modern yet cozy atmosphere that remains sympathetic to its breathtaking surroundings.

Starwood’s Aloft brand will soon make its debut in Allen, Texas. Located within the Watters Creek at Montgomery Farm mixed-used development, Aloft Allen is set to open in March 2018. Owned by Watters Creek Hospitality, LLC, and managed by Aimbridge Hospitality, the newly constructed Aloft hotel will feature 136 spacious, loft-like rooms, tech-forward innovation and an energetic atmosphere. “We look forward to adding Allen to the Aloft brand’s rapidly growing list of destinations in Texas,” said Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President, Specialty Select Brands for Starwood. “Aloft recently opened its 100th hotel worldwide, propelled by the success of its leading-edge design, tech-forward mindset and buzzing social scene.”

Facilities at Aloft Allen will include an outdoor Splash pool, a 24-hour gym, the brand’s signature W XYZ bar and re:fuel at Aloft, a one-stop gourmet grab-and-go food and beverage area. In addition, the hotel will offer 2,000 square feet of flexible meeting space for business meetings and social gatherings.

The Aloft brand’s innovative initiatives set it apart from the competition. With the launch of SPG Keyless–an evolution of Aloft’s Smart Check-In and the hospitality industry’s first mobile, keyless entry system–guests have the ability to use their smart phone as a key. The revolutionary technology is currently available at all Aloft, Element and W Hotels Worldwide globally. Additionally, every Aloft hotel around the world offers live, free access to local emerging artists and some of the hottest bands with Live At Aloft Hotels programming at the W XYZ bars.

Aloft is Starwood’s fastest growing brand with 100 hotels in 16 countries now open, and the company’s second largest pipeline in hotels. Fueled by accelerating demand in dynamic markets worldwide, Aloft continues to enter new markets–including recent openings in Munich and Stuttgart, Germany–and is on track to triple its footprint in Mexico in less than two years.

Wyndham Hotel Group, the world’s largest hotel company, has announced plans for further global expansion with the development of a 450-room resort in Barbados.Sam Lord’s Castle Barbados, A Wyndham Grand Resort, will be located in the eastern parish of St. Philip on the former site of Sam Lord’s Castle — a spot renowned for pirates in the 19th century and one that carries great historical significance in the Caribbean today.

The 58-acre beachfront property is being developed with the Barbados Tourism Investment (BTI) and will be managed by Wyndham Hotel Group. It will be the first Wyndham branded resort in Barbados. The resort will feature three on-site restaurants, 20,000 square-feet of state-of-the-art meeting space as well as an expansive luxury spa and fitness centre.

BTI chairman Everton Walters said the development will offer guests the beauty of the island’s beaches and access to its distinctive history, merged with the luxurious experience that the Wyndham Grand brand offers.

Sam Lord’s Castle Barbados was once a beautiful Georgian mansion built in 1820 by Samuel Hall Lord, a notorious buccaneer who, it is said, used to hang lanterns on palm trees to attract merchant ships whose captains mistakenly thought the place was a safe harbour.

It was later developed into a luxury resort, but after accumulating massive debt, it was auctioned off. A planned redevelopment never occurred and the once palatial structure was gutted by fire in October 2010.

The Chinese government is funding the new project. When it opens in 2018, the new resort will be Wyndham Hotel Group’s 13th property in the Caribbean.

One of the signature fittings from Chelsom’s custom range, the Custom Rods is a true statement piece that is sure to create impact in any interior space.

The tops of the rods are individually threaded to ensure they screw in to the framework securely making them ideal for marine use.

Available in two standard configurations, the size and shape can also be adapted dependent on client specifications enabling creative freedom to suit any project be it a rectangular pendant in a coffered ceiling or a statement structure to descend three decks in a ship’s atrium.

The Aviator Hotel in Hampshire opened in 2008 as one of the most striking design hotels in recent times.Innately stylish, Aviator blends the timeless glamour of aviation with seductive interiors and ultimate comfort. A perfect setting to use Forbes Group’s cameo chairs, as pictured below, to create a stylish event area with chairs that make a statement.

Utilised with an upholstered leather seat and back with a chrome frame, the Cameo chair is a contemporary choice for seminar chairs. Cameo Chairs add to the Aviator’s stunning visual appearance whilst providing a comfortable environment for delegates.

Like our Cameo chairs, Forbes Group offers a variety of statement chairs from our stackable banqueting chairs, through to our elegantly designed meeting room chair range. Forbes Group chairs are repeatedly awarded at prestigious furniture contests – we would like you to discover the world of chairs from Forbes Group, where work becomes a true pleasure.

To see the full chair range, as well as other Furniture, Fabrics and Equipment, please visit Forbes’ website.

You can also contact them on 01568 616638 or by email at info@forbesgroup.eu

Marriott International has continued apace with its expansion around the globe with the announcement of its Residence Inn Marriott Al Jaddaf, a signing that marks a significant entry in the lead up to 2020 as it will be the hotel group’s first property from the Residence Inn brand portfolio in the UAE. Due to be completed in 2019, the Residence Inn by Marriott Al Jaddaf will be comprised of a total of 135 units.The signing of the property comes shortly after the recent GCC sales mission where Marriott International reaffirmed their plans to add a further 79 properties and 16,415 rooms within the region by 2020, an expansion which includes an increase of the UAE footprint to 25 properties.

The company’s amplified development plans have been defined in line with regional and global market trends. According to the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) a total of 13.2 million tourists visited Dubai in 2014, representing year-on-year growth of 8.2 percent and almost double the global average of 4.7 percent. In particular the extended market segment has seen a healthily increasing demand as occupancy hit record levels last year globally.

The Residence Inn by Marriott brand has almost 700 properties globally and prides itself in offering a contemporary residence with all the essential amenities as well as the elements of a modern home.

The brand is undergoing a substantial expansion in the Middle East and Africa in line with Marriott International’s regional development plans over the next five years, with a total of five signings already confirmed to date.

The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo, the iconic luxury hotel on the shores of the Nile, opened its doors to a new wave of global travellers to the historic city last week.The landmark property, which reopened under the stewardship of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, will offer leisure and business travellers to the city an opulent retreat in the heart of Cairo that is rich in history and intuitive in service.

Set in the heart of downtown, between the iconic Nile River and Tahrir Square, The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo is a modern luxury hotel with a storied past. The hotel hosted the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra, and today guests will experience the true sense of elegance by the stewardship of The Ritz-Carlton hotels.
For the modern luxury traveller experiencing the vibe of Cairo for the first time, The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo provides the ideal base from which to dive into the energy of the city as well as to withdraw from it to reflect and introspect.

Business and leisure travellers can get the best of both worlds in the historic 331-room hotel, with its ultramodern facilities including a spectacular Olympic-sized pool as well as meeting rooms, ballrooms and business facilities.

Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts recently announced the opening of Le Meridien Paro, Riverfront, the brand’s second hotel in the Kingdom of Bhutan following the successful opening of Le Méridien Thimphu late last year.In conjunction with the highly anticipated hotel opening, renowned American photographer Gray Malin has unveiled his newest series, “Bhutan, Land of Happiness,” which will contribute to Le Meridien brand’s Follow Me partnership – a multi-faceted global art collaboration with that brings compelling video art installations and still photography into Le Méridien hotels around the world.

Le Meridien Paro, Riverfront is situated on the edge of the Paro River, offering panoramic views of the Eastern Himalayas. The intimate hotel features 59 contemporary guestrooms and suites, all designed with a classic Bhutanese point of view. With an idyllic swimming pool, state-of-the-art fitness center and signature Explore Spa, the hotel is poised to become the creative hub in the destination. Located ten minutes from Paro International Airport, the only airport in Bhutan, Paro is home to several sacred fortresses and hidden monasteries, including Bhutan’s iconic Paro Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) as well as Ta Dzong, the National Museum and the hotel’s Unlock Art™ partner, allowing guests of Le Méridien Paro complimentary access.

Located in Bhutan’s capital city, Le Meridien Thimphu is a thirty minute drive from the breathtaking sights of Paro. With 78 thoughtfully-designed guestrooms and suites, the hotel is the largest in the country.

Both hotels are captured creatively in Malin’s latest photo series, “Bhutan, Land of Happiness”, which juxtaposes the iconic landscape and traditional architecture of Bhutan with his modern interpretation of joy and happiness.

To learn more the series please visit lemeridien.com/FollowMe. Work from Malin’s “Bhutan, Land of Happiness” collection is now available for purchase at GrayMalin.com.

Hilton Worldwide has announced the opening of Hampton Inn by Hilton Bainbridge, its newest property to join Hampton by Hilton. The 71-room hotel, located at 1522 Tallahassee Highway in Bainbridge, is managed by Legacy Hotel Management, LLC.

Hampton Inn by Hilton Bainbridge offers amenities, such as free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour business center with complimentary printing, an 851 square foot meeting space that can accommodate up to 75 people, fitness center and outdoor pool.

The new hotel features the Perfect Mix Lobby, designed as an extension of the guestroom with a variety of seating and lighting options for both leisure and business travelers. Additionally, it also features TREATS, a new food and beverage shop filled with snacks, toiletries, local merchandise and drinks for purchase.

Guestrooms are equipped with the brand’s signature Clean and fresh Hampton bed®, LCD flat-screen TV, fridge and coffeemaker.

AccorHotels has announced the purchase of a portfolio of 43 hotels (4,237 rooms) from Foncière des Régions, for a total of €281 million (£202 million). Located in France, the hotels have been operated under variable leases by AccorHotels since 2005 and 2007, under the ibis budget, ibis, Novotel, Mercure, Pullman and Sofitel brands. The deal is scheduled to be finalised in the first half of 2016 and is subject to the usual conditions for this type of transaction.

The agreement includes a substitution clause for the buyer, enabling HotelInvest to immediately integrate these hotels into its dynamic asset management program.

“This transaction represents an important new step in the process of optimising HotelInvest, Europe’s leading hotel investor in the economy and midscale segments. The agreement with Foncière des Murs, AccorHotels’ main lease partner, demonstrates once again the Group’s ability to implement innovative, win-win solutions,” commented Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AccorHotels.

Barnsley; the home of industry and South Yorkshire town of many trades finds itself welcoming another development in the shape of the new ibis Styles Barnsley hotel, which is now open for business right in the heart of the town.With a design scheme inspired by Barnsley’s mining heritage, guests will also discover the town’s claims to the lesser-known glass trade. Rustic metals sit alongside delicate rainbows of glasswork and are a nod to the creativity and craftsmanship which has been passed down through generations.

Ibis Styles is the growing boutique budget brand from the ibis family. Its focus on uniquely designed hotels, inspired by their locality, means guests can experience all the fun and quirks of a boutique property, with the quality assurances of a large and well-established hotel brand.

While ibis budget and ibis Hotel offer standardised features, fixtures and fittings, the ibis Styles brand enjoys greater flexibility, with each hotel incorporating its own distinct look and feel, with a great an ‘all-inclusive’ offer, all at a great price.

Inge Van Ooteghem, SVP Operations Economy and Budget Hotels, comments: “The new ibis Styles Barnsley is a hotel with heritage at its heart. The town has a fascinating history and its story can be discovered by guests during their stay, from the iron-worked furniture to the meticulously crafted glasswork.

“With ibis Styles, guests get the experience of staying in a boutique hotel – individual in its design and personality – without the price tag. We’re very much looking forward to seeing how the quirky property will be embraced by our leisure and business guests”.

Simple, stark metal structures provide the framework for the ibis Styles Barnsley hotel, featuring everywhere from the furnishings to the lighting rigged overhead. A rich colour scheme of oranges and yellows in the reception and lounge is accented by walls made up entirely of glass jars. Bold, monochrome murals provide a tribute to local workers of the past, and the theme continues in the bedrooms, with design features including glass jar lamps and bottle silhouettes.

Hilton Worldwide has reached an agreement with Royal International to open its first hotel under the Curio – A Collection by Hilton brand in the UAE. Due to begin welcoming guests in 2018, the grand two-tower Rosemont Hotel and Residences will consist of a 450-guestroom and 280-serviced apartment property, which will be developed on Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road.

Launched in June 2014, the Curio collection is a global set of upscale and luxury hotels hand-picked for their unique character and personality; each one a part of the city they call home. By partnering with Hilton, these one-of-a-kind hotels benefit from the proven track record and quality synonymous with Hilton without redefining the individualistic spirit of the hotel.

Curio has already welcomed guests at its first properties in the Americas including Las Vegas and Buenos Aires and in Europe with the recently opened iconic Reichshof Hamburg Hotel. The Rosemont Hotel and Residences adds to the brand’s growing global portfolio with entry into the Middle East, which will also see Curio – A Collection by Hilton Mall of Qatar open in 2016.

The hotel will also offer guests a number of stylish food and beverage outlets; which will include three restaurants, a lobby café and two bars. Guests will have access to a fully equipped gym, an outdoor pool and a spa, where they can indulge in luxurious treatments.

Dianna Vaughan, global head, Curio – A Collection by Hilton, said: “Since launching Curio in 2014, we have received an influx of interest from owners in the Middle East seeking to create a unique hotel experience underpinned by the reassurance of Hilton. The Rosemont Hotel & Residences is a perfect match for our collection, and we are delighted to count Dubai as a destination for our rapidly growing global set of distinctive hotels.”

The 271-room Holiday Inn New York-Times Square South, designed by Gene Kaufman Architect and part of the Intercontinental Hotel Group of hotel brands, will open in November at 585 Eighth Avenue between 38th and 39th Streets. Located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, the 35-storey, 103,100 sf hotel has been developed by IMDN Holdings LLC.Guests will enter the hotel through a 2,200-sf landscaped public plaza with a 33’-high greenwall and café-style seating complete with custom tables and lamps that evoke the area’s Garment Centre past. The 10,000-sf of bonus floor space created by the public plaza enabled IMDN Holdings to add 25 extra guest rooms to the hotel.

The hotel’s many amenities include striking city views of the city in the double and king-sized rooms; 24-hour business and fitness centres; a 350-sf bar/lounge; a function room that accommodates up to 30 people; complimentary high-speed Internet service; and a full-service, 2,400-sf location of Rattle n Hum Craft Beer Bar & Kitchen, known for its variety of craft beers, its specialty bottles, and its traditional cask pump.

The hotel’s interiors have been designed by Hotel Depot Services and the landscape design is by Eberlin & Eberlin.

Said Gene Kaufman, founder and principal of Gene Kaufman Architect, “This is our eighth hotel on this block and visually the most prominent, with major avenue frontage and an expansive public plaza facing directly on to it. The plaza will generate millions of dollars of extra value for IMDN and incalculable value for the residents and tourists who will be able to use it.”

Gene Kaufman Architect has designed multiple New York City locations for almost every Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) brand, including Holiday Inn; Holiday Inn Express; the long-stay, casual-feel Candlewood Suites; the wellness-focused EVEN Hotels; and the boutique Hotel Indigo.

The firm’s most noteworthy recent IHG projects may be the Holiday Inn at 99 Washington Street in New York City’s Financial District — the world’s tallest Holiday Inn, and the Crowne Plaza® JFK Airport New York. The latter opened after being completely reimagined by the architecture firm. In a striking example of using place to help define space, the firm designed a dark-blue glass façade to simulate sky conditions and incorporated design details in the public spaces that suggest the vapor stream of jets. The lobby’s vista was opened up to offer a direct view through to the airport, adding to the guest experience the visual drama of planes taking flight.

During the early noughties, Chicago’s iconic Motor Club building was facing a rather ignominious end to an illustrious story — having previously been home to the American Automobile Association’s headquarters — and looked set for demolition.

Hilton’s Hampton Inn subsidiary, with the help of the Gettys Group, changed all that and have finally completed a project to turn the building into an up-scale, downtown hotel in America’s third city.

Many of the historic elements of the building have been restored, including the silver-leafed plaster ornamentation of animals and floral motifs; and the centerpiece of the 33-foot-high lobby – John Warner Norton’s mural of popular road destinations.

A lot of the rooms have retained elements of the Art Deco history of the building, by featuring restored ceiling beams, leather doors, decorative plaster, maple panelling and herringbone maple floors.

All photos from hamptonsuiteschicago.com.

The London Borough of Bromley (LBB) has granted planning consent to Cathedral Hotels for a comprehensive refurbishment of the Old Town Hall to create an outstanding boutique hotel of 94 bedrooms.The scheme will see many of the original features of this Grade II listed building restored and become publicly accessible once again. The project will include a hotel restaurant, conference and events space, and a courtyard garden. Key to the development is an opportunity for two additional independently operated restaurants, making the Old Town Hall a vibrant social hub.

Bromley Town Hall served the community for over 100 years and thanks to a perceptive proposal from Cathedral Hotels, the building will return to public use. One of the abiding principals of Cathedral Hotels is to bring old buildings back to life and make them an integral part of the community.

Philippa King of Cathedral Hotels explains the ethos behind Cathedral Hotels “We will re-purpose Bromley Town Hall as a hotel of unique character and distinction. It will be at the heart of social and cultural relevance in Bromley.”

The investment required to deliver this vision will be in excess of £20 million. The equivalent of 120 full time jobs will be created in order to generate around £6m per year of additional spend for the Borough. Fifty-three new high quality apartments will also be developed on the adjacent site.

Jeremy Wall, Head of Hotels for Cathedral explains the company’s ambition: “There are many councils across London who are wondering just how to breathe life back into their civic buildings with someone who cares. Typically these listed building are expensive to restore and risky to develop. Add to this the huge enterprise needed to operate a quality product that restores pride to a town and most run a mile or simply create another budget hotel, which is a crying shame.

“We are expert developers and operators. We love historic building. We care about the contribution we can make to regeneration and we care about attracting a whole new generation of customers back into our High Streets.”

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company announced earlier this month its plans to open its first hotel in Mexico City in 2019. Upon completion, the 153-room Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City will operate under a long term management agreement with Thor Urbana Capital and Heldan Hotels & Resorts. The hotel marks a significant milestone for Ritz-Carlton development in the Caribbean and Latin America, representing its entrée into one of the region’s most prominent capital cities.

The hotel will be part of the Chapultepec Uno mixed use project, prominently located at the intersection of Avenida Reforma and Circuito Interior in the heart of the city’s financial center. Once completed, the stunning structure will include 58 floors and 1.1 million square feet of space, rendering it one of the tallest buildings in the city. KMD Architects and Taller GLOBAL are leading the design and architectural efforts for the project.

The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City will occupy floors 36-47 of the building, featuring unobstructed views of Chapultepec Park. The hotel will include signature Ritz-Carlton luxury services and amenities including a Club Lounge and spa.

Recently named by highly reputed London-based consultancy, Luxury Branding, as the world’s most popular luxury hotel brand, The Ritz-Carlton currently offers a collection of seven luxury hotels throughout the Caribbean and Latin America including The Ritz-Carton, Santiago, The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba, The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun, The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan, and Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve (Puerto Rico).

In addition to The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City, future locations in the region include Panama City, Panama (2016) and Los Cabos, Mexico (2017). The Ritz-Carlton portfolio currently includes 90 hotels around the world, with expectations for the brand to reach 100 hotels by the end of 2016.

Hilton Worldwide and EQ Group announced this month an agreement to open a DoubleTree by Hilton London – in Kingston upon Thames.Acquired by EQ Group and affiliates, the hotel is set to open in the second half of 2016 following a multi-million pound fit-out. The hotel will be asset managed by EQ Hotels Limited under a franchise agreement with Hilton Worldwide and operated by Interstate Europe Hotels & Resorts’ UK division.

Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president, development, Europe & Africa, Hilton Worldwide said: “Our fastest growing full service brand has added Chelsea, Islington and Docklands to its roster of top locations in the capital in the last 12 months. DoubleTree by Hilton London – Kingston upon Thames joins nearly 30 hotels under the brand across the UK. The hotel will form a major component of a new mixed-use scheme, responding to the diverse needs of visitors to the borough.”

DoubleTree by Hilton London – Kingston upon Thames will offer 146 rooms and suites, a restaurant and bar, as well as conference and meeting rooms.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has signed an agreement with the Manz family in Switzerland which will add the Hotel de la Paix in Geneva as a partner hotel as of mid-December. The boutique property sits on the banks of Lake Geneva, (Lac Leman) in Switzerland.Following an extensive renovation planned by the Manz family, the hotel is scheduled for re-launch at the end of 2016 as The Ritz Carlton, Hotel de la Paix Geneva. The lakeside property will undergo a comprehensive renovation which includes reducing the number of hotel guestrooms to 75 stunning luxury accommodations featuring refreshed, modern and generously proportioned suites.

The Hotel De la Paix, built in the centre of Geneva in 1865, has been witness to a multitude of historical world events. In January 1872, the international arbitration tribunal for the Alabama Claims met at the Hotel De la Paix. Today, the Alabama Salon still serves as a reminder of this important event within the hotel. And as with all iconic treasures in Europe, many decorated and well-known personalities have been hosted, one of which was Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco, who whiled away the hours on the banks of Lake Geneva savouring the glorious views over Mont Blanc. The partnership commences in the year that sees the Hotel De la Paix celebrate its 150th anniversary.

Recently named as the world’s most popular luxury hotel brand by London-based consultancy, Luxury Branding, The Ritz-Carlton currently offers a collection of ten luxury hotels throughout Europe including The Ritz-Carton, Abama, The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty, The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin, The Ritz-Carlton, Herzliya, The Ritz-Carlton, Istanbul, The Ritz-Carlton, Moscow, The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna, The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg, Hotel Arts, Barcelona and Penha Longa Resort & Spa in Portugal.

Starwood Hotels has announced the opening of Sheraton® Jakarta Gandaria City Hotel, the second Sheraton to open in the Indonesian capital.The property is just one of many new initiatives currently underway for Sheraton 2020, the all-encompassing plan to make Sheraton the global hotel brand of choice, everywhere.

Sheraton Jakarta Gandaria City Hotel features 293 contemporary guestrooms and suites, outfitted with the Sheraton brand’s signature amenities and services, including its signature sleep experience. The hotel also features a state-of-the-art fitness center, outdoor pool and an ultra-modern Sheraton Club lounge where Club level guests can enjoy complimentary breakfast and all-day refreshments while taking in panoramic views of the urban skyscape.

The hotel offers a variety of dining options to delight any palate, including Anigre, the all-day dining restaurant serving international cuisine, as well as local delicacies; the lobby lounge where guests can enjoy Paired—the Sheraton brand’s reinvigorated food and beverage program —complete with expertly matched small plates, premium wines and local craft beers; and the pastry shop Cafe Grande.

“Indonesia continues to be a key growth market in Asia Pacific and is well-suited for the expansion of the iconic Sheraton brand,” said Charlie Dang, Regional Vice President, Southeast Asia, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Asia Pacific. “The opening of Sheraton Jakarta Gandaria City Hotel will help meet the rising demand for high-calibre lodging generated by the influx of business and leisure travellers to Jakarta, the gateway to Indonesia.”

The InterCityHotel Frankfurt Airport has undergone a comprehensive ‘maintenance’ programme similar in stringency to the “D Checks” carried out on the aircraft next door. A total of €5.2 million (£3.7 million) has been spent on updating the rooms and public areas.The modernisation of the hotel took place over several construction phases. During a period of 166 working days, 1,721 metres of copper piping were laid, 1,327.5 metres of electrical cables were installed and the project’s supervisor has undertaken a total journey of 3,984 kilometres through the hotel to check the works.

The final result has definitely been worth the effort. Modern rooms and a new interior offer a real feel-good factor. The restaurant and buffet area has undergone a general overhaul and now features a fresh new look. The newly designed lounge now leads directly into the cult “JU52” Fliers’ Bar.

The hotel’s public areas now offer an added attraction for flying enthusiasts in the form of a photo-art project. “Himmelskonstrukt” is a cooperative venture between the InterCityHotel GmbH and Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences which delivers a real “airport feeling”. The creative forces behind the exhibition, Janosch Boerckel and Tim Dechent, received valuable support from the airport operator Fraport in completing their work.

“We are an established presence at Frankfurt Airport and are now able to offer visitors even greater levels of comfort,” said Anton Wüstefeld, General Manager of the InterCityHotel Frankfurt Airport. “We are delighted to present our new design to guests and crews and wish everyone many happy landings. Our particular thanks are due to Hans-Peter Hermann, Director of Asset Management Hotels at Invesco Real Estate, who supported the renovation works in his capacity as authorised representative of the owner.”

The hotel’s own colony of bees, which like to spend the time between their own landings and take-offs on the hotel’s roof, will still be permitted to fly. They produce 40 kilos of honey per year during these stopovers, and the InterCityHotel Frankfurt Airport was the first hotel in Germany to have its own bees on the roof.

If you’re fortunate enough to have a generously proportioned bathroom, then it’s essential to utilise the space to its maximum. Investing in a premium shower enclosure and quality brassware not only adds value to the price of your house but will also create a dedicated relaxation zone that will transform everyday showering into an indulgent experience.

Showering expert Simpsons offers an extensive selection of premium enclosures and shower trays that cater for any bathroom size or shape. Available in a wide selection of designs, including pivot door, corner entry, quadrant and bi-fold screen, specifications such as frame style, glass finish and dimensions can also be tailored to ensure there’s a perfect showering solution to fit any brief.

To create the luxury look, opt for low-profile shower trays and frameless or semi-frameless enclosures, both of which give a seamless, high-end appearance. When choosing brassware to complement larger enclosures, don’t compromise on quality or style.

Rainfall showerheads offer an indulgent soak, and when teamed with dual outlet thermostatic valves, extras such as body jets and hand-held showerheads can be added for the ultimate luxury showering experience.

Combining superior quality and function with contemporary good looks, the Simpsons collection is the perfect choice for the larger bathroom. And with the promise of a lifetime guarantee on all Simpsons enclosures, it’s also the smart option for long-term durability and everyday use.

Karisma Hotels & Resorts, who opened their first resort on the island with the Sensatori Jamaica in Negril, has recently announced that construction is currently underway for a neighbouring hotel– Azul Seven.The hotel will have 149 rooms after an investment of $45 million. In a welcome boost to the local economy, Azul Seven will bring 328 direct and 197 indirect jobs to the area. The construction of Azul Seven builds upon the success of Sensatori Jamaica, which sold out out for the entire year less than a month after opening and the announcement of an expansion of an additional 149 suites at this spectacular property.

In addition to this, Karisma Hotels & Resorts have now announced the acquisition of Llandovery, an area on the north coast of the island encompassing 228 acres and has access to more than a mile of pristine beachfront.

* This 8 to 10-year project when completed will bring 4,000 additional rooms to the island and an investment that will surpass US $900 million
* Karisma intends to develop a total of nine hotels over the next decade
* This project will represent approximately 8,000 new job opportunities in direct employment and around 5,000 in indirect employment
* As a part of Llandovery, Karisma expects to bring new international brands to Jamaica and estimate the first hotel will open in 2017-2018

One of the big interior design trends we can expect in the coming 12 months is the resurgence of ‘statement chairs’.As a child moving around and growing up in Asia and Africa, I remember there was one piece of furniture that always made the numerous cross-continent journeys with my family — a beautiful wicker peacock chair from India.

It always took pride of place in the corner of our living rooms, and an image from my early youth of my mother on the telephone with the intricate detail of the weave-work behind her is etched in my memory. It was the ultimate in ‘statement chairs’.

Coming back into the present – in terms of completing the finishing touches to a room or space for 2016 – bold statement chairs will once again pack a considerable punch. It’s a design choice you definitely have a lot of room to play with, given the sheer range of different styles. Equally, expect the next 12 to 18 months to see a lot of tropical motifs, ‘ethnic’ prints and ‘metallic’ upholstery and soft furnishings to accompany statement chairs.

While aesthetics and how a chair fits in with the overall theme of a hotel’s rooms or public spaces are important, as always the practicality and comfort factor are just as vital. There is little point in filling a space with chairs that look great from a distance but are uncomfortable to sit in.

With that in mind, below are some of our favourite big, bold and beautiful chair designs from some of the companies featured in our Directory…

Renaissance Hotels has announced the reintroduction of the Renaissance Santo Domingo Jaragua Hotel & Casino in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.The property underwent a year-long $40 million renovation that began in 2014 to completely revamp the property’s interior and amenities, making the Renaissance Santo Domingo Jaragua Hotel & Casino the leading lifestyle hotel in Santo Domingo.

As the property plays a prominent role in the cultural history of Santo Domingo, much detail and effort went into the preservation of the hotel’s historic aspects and blending them with ultra-modern design elements.

Built in 1942, the hotel has played a role in Santo Domingo culture for more than 70 years. The property recaptures the spirit, culture, and design elements that made the Santo Domingo Jaragua hotel an icon. Located in the heart of the oldest city in the New World, the Renaissance Santo Domingo Jaragua Hotel & Casino features 300 guest rooms and suites, executive lounge, a sprawling outdoor pool, casino, tennis club and a state-of-the-art fitness center and spa.

The property includes ten meeting spaces equipped with the latest technology and boasts the La Fiesta theatre which hosts up to 1,200 guests. The Renaissance Santo Domingo Jaragua Hotel & Casino is the third hotel in Marriott International’s Dominican Republic portfolio following the 2014 opening of the JW Marriott Hotel Santo Domingo and the Courtyard Santo Domingo.

Tribute Portfolio has announced that Avenue of the Arts Hotel Costa Mesa, located in Orange County California, will debut as a Tribute Portfolio hotel in spring 2016. The 238-room hotel is poised in the hub of Orange County’s Corporate and Cultural Centre and the Performing Arts District, as well as steps away from South Coast Plaza, the renowned luxury shopping destination.

Owned by Wincome Group, an international real estate company based in Hong Kong, Avenue of the Arts Costa Mesais set to undergo a multi-million dollar upgrade, debuting completely renovated rooms by the time of opening.

Designed by renowned architecture and interior design firm Dianna Wong, the hotel’s lakeside location provides opportunities for guests to soak up the California sun while enjoying a myriad of modern amenities and activities, such as going for a run on the well-manicured jogging trails around the three-acre property or enjoying a lazy day by the pool in one of the private cabanas. Avenue of the Arts Hotel Costa Mesa also offers a fully equipped fitness centre, including whirlpool and sauna facilities.

After their renovation, each of the 238 guest rooms featuring 35 suites at this 4-diamond hotel will feature hardwood floors, majestic granite bathrooms with organic toiletries and inspiring design that draws upon the best of both Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements.

The Avenue of the Arts Hotel Costa Mesa also boasts seven flexible meeting rooms totalling 6,800 square feet of space, including an Executive Boardroom that seats 15 people and a more than 3,400 square foot Grand Ballroom that can accommodate up to 250 banquet guests.

“We are so proud of the attention-grabbing attributes that make Avenue of the Arts special—from our prime location to the amenities and personalised services we offer our guests,” said Paul Sanford, Asset Manager for Wincome Management and Development.

“As a Tribute Portfolio hotel, we look forward to bringing our guests the independent spirit of an upscale hotel while providing the trusted brand power of Starwood Hotels and Resorts.”

HotelDesigns is set for an exciting and promising next twelve months with everything we have planned for 2016, so we’re asking our readers to give us some feedback on the kind of content they’d like to see. As an added bonus, those who take our short survey will be in with a chance of receiving a month’s free editorial on the site.Our reader survey allows you to tell us the content you want to read more of and what you want to read less of, as well as suggesting other topics you would find the most useful. We have some big plans for the future of the brand, so it’s important to us that we listen to what our readers and clients want and need from the website.

To take part in the survey, simply click here. It’s very short and your answers will be fully considered as we continue to develop the HotelDesigns brand.

Plus, one participant will be given an opportunity to feature editorial for a month, offering a chance to reach the hotel design community with content that matters to you.

As always, we thank you for your continued support.

Here at Taylor’s Classics, we always try to find interesting and unusual furniture for our 40,000 square foot warehouse. Good examples of this include this early 20th century French bread rack and wine rack which forms part of the extensive collection available to browse online or at the warehouse by appointment.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of Sheraton Chuzhou Hotel, its first property in the Chinese city.The hotel features sweeping city views alongside luxurious accommodations and amenities, including a variety of gourmet dining options. Sheraton Chuzhou Hotel marks the brand’s 70th hotel in the region, reaching over 110 hotels in Asia Pacific.

Dave Marr, Global Brand Leader for Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, said: “China continues to be a vital market for Sheraton as it marches toward the brand goal of adding an additional 150 hotels globally by 2020.”

The hotel features 348 contemporary rooms and suites, featuring all of the brand’s signature amenities, as well as a wide range of on-property facilities, including a state-of-the-art fitness centre, an indoor heated pool and luxury spa. In addition, Club Room guests will enjoy complimentary breakfast, afternoon hors d’oeuvres and a variety of beverage options in the hotel’s signature Sheraton® Club Lounge.

To cater for meetings, conferences, and special events, Sheraton Chuzhou Hotel offers nearly 17,000 square feet of state-of-the-art conference space, including a deluxe grand ballroom that can accommodate up to 1,200 people.

AccorHotels has set a new milestone by opening its 100th hotel, Novotel Makassar Grand Shayla City Centre in Indonesia.Novotel Makassar Grand Shayla is the first international upper midscale hotel to open in the strategically important city of Makassar. The hotel features 330 spacious guestrooms which include nine executive suites and a presidential suite.

The hotel is a 30 minute drive Sultan Hasanuddin Airport and nearby to various tourist attraction sites such as Losari Beach, Fort Rotterdam Museum, Trans Studio Amusement Theme Park and Ratu Indah Mall.

Novotel Makassar Grand Shayla is home to The Square Restaurant, which serves a variety of local and international cuisines or simply unwind at the Lounge Bar, with a refreshing cocktail or a glass of wine.

Whether it’s a meeting, corportate event or a wedding, conference or party, the hotel boasts a ballroom that can accommodate up to 400 guests and eight meeting rooms that feature state-of-the-art latest audio visual system. For relaxation, guests can also enjoy a workout at the hotel’s In Balance Wellness Centre which includes a gym, spa and swimming pool.

Novotel is the world’s most recognised AccorHotels brand for business and leisure travellers, with hotels located in the heart of major international cities, business districts and tourist destinations. The hotel will join a global network of more than 400 Novotel hotels and resorts in 60 countries.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced that it will launch the iconic W Hotels brand in Egypt in 2020 with the opening of W Sharm El Sheikh and The Residences at W Sharm El Sheikh.Owned by Tower Prestige for Hotels SAE, the hotel will be ideally located at pristine Nabq Bay in the resort town of Sharm El Sheikh. Known to be one of the finest diving spots in the world, Sharm El Sheikh is amongst the most famous leisure spots in the Middle East.

Just a 20 minute drive from the Sharm El Sheikh International Airport, the hotel overlooks the Straits of Tiran at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba, providing guests with spectacular views. W Sharm El Sheikh will also feature 300 metres of sandy beachfront with direct access to the Red Sea.

“We are delighted to be working with Starwood Hotels & Resorts on this exciting and ground-breaking project,” said Mohamed Gamal Abdelwahab Omar, CEO, Tower Prestige for Hotels SAE. “We believe that W Hotels, with its outstanding international reputation as an innovative lifestyle brand, will reinforce the importance of Sharm El Sheikh as a world-class destination.”

W Sharm El Sheikh will ignite the local resort scene with its electrifying style and full calendar of exclusive W Happenings, showcasing the latest in fashion, music and design. The hotel will offer 350 stylish guest rooms and suites, including two Extreme WOW Suites (the W brand’s interpretation of the Presidential Suite). The Residences at W Sharm El Sheikh will feature50 branded residences with an exclusive lounge. Residents will enjoy access to the facilities and services that are available at the hotel.

Facilities at the hotel will include an all-day dining venue, two specialty restaurants, a destination bar and W Lounge (the W brand’s take on the traditional hotel lobby). Other amenities will include a spa, FITTM state-of-the-art fitness facility, a tennis court, WIRED 24-hour business centre, and a glamourous outdoor pool deck and bar.

Guests can also expect the W brand’s signature Whatever/Whenever® service, providing guests whatever they want, whenever they want it. An ideal venue, W Sharm El Sheikh will offer more than 1,880 square metres of ultra-modern meeting and event space, including a great room for larger celebrations and six Studios for smaller meetings.

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts has announced the expansion of its North America portfolio with the strategic conversion of a resort in Panama City Beach, Florida.Sheraton Bay Point Resort will undergo an extensive $30 million renovation and repositioning project before opening in mid-2016 under the continued management of Crescent Hotels & Resorts.

This new signing contributes to the brand’s goal of adding 150 new Sheraton properties worldwide by 2020, just one of several initiatives currently underway as part of Sheraton 2020, an all-encompassing plan designed to make Sheraton the global hotel brand of choice, everywhere.

Boasting a scenic location within a 1,100-acre wildlife preserve on St. Andrews Bay, Sheraton Bay Point Resort will feature a total of 319 guest rooms, including 200 in the main building and 120 golf villas. Renovations will result in a top-to-bottom transformation of all guestrooms and public areas, including the resort’s three restaurants and lounges and its 40,000 square feet of meeting facilities.

An ideal choice for events or golf tournament, Sheraton Bay Resort will offer a number of indoor and outdoor options for meetings, as well as a variety of recreation facilities, including a private beach, three outdoor pools, a variety of watersports, two golf courses, a golf and tennis clubhouse, and a full-service, luxury spa.

Sheraton Bay Point Resort is just minutes from the beaches on the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf World Marine Park, Captain Anderson’s Marina, and the shops, restaurants and bars in Panama City Beach. The resort is also within close proximity of Beaches International Airport (ECP) and Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS).

Minor Hotel Group, a hotel owner, operator and investor, currently with a portfolio of 135 hotels and resorts in 22 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, South America, Africa and the Indian Ocean, has announced additional details of its joint venture with a Malyasian partner to develop an Anantara resort in Desaru Coast in south-east Malaysia.Scheduled to open in 2018, the new-build Anantara Desaru Resort & Villas will be located in the heart of the new beachfront development in Desaru Coast and will have 123 keys comprising a 103-room resort with deluxe guest rooms and villas and 20 three- and four-bedroom Villas.

Facilities in the resort will include restaurants and bars, two swimming pools, a lounge and observation bar, kids and teens clubs, meeting rooms, a gym and an Anantara Spa. Watersports will also be available.

Desaru Coast is a resort area located at Malaysia’s south-eastern tip in Johor Bahru and spans over 3,900 acres along a pristine 17 kilometre beachfront facing the South China Sea. It is in close proximity to Iskandar Malaysia and is easily accessible, 45-minutes from Senai International Airport and a two-hour drive from Singapore. Additionally visitors from Singapore can travel to Desaru Coast by ferry followed by a short drive.

Attractions in the area will include two championship golf courses (27-hole Ernie Els and 18-hole Vijay Singh designed) managed by Troon Golf, a water adventure park, a waterfront retail village, a conference centre and additional world class hotels and resorts. The area is well-supported by existing and upcoming transportation and infrastructure.

Plans to transform the Low Wood Bay Resort Hotel and Marina in the Lake District into a luxury resort destination have been given the go-ahead.The English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues submitted the plans which would see the introduction of a range of new facilities, additional bedrooms and ‘improved infrastructure and renewable energy features’.

Now approved by the Lake District National Park Authority, the hotel is thought to become the first luxury resort hotel in the Lake District. The four-star hotel has been run by the Berry family for more than 60 years, and it is hoped the new development will secure its long term economic and environmental future.

The focus has been on making a greater contribution to sustainable tourism and boosting the tourism offering of the Lake District as a whole.

Simon Berry, managing director of English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues, says: “This is marvellous news. It’s the largest redevelopment of Low Wood Bay hotel since 1859, creating the Lake District’s first luxury destination resort.

“We’re thrilled that the Lake District National Park Authority recognises what we are trying to achieve. In setting its vision for the park to be ‘world class’, it is now clearly supporting business to deliver on that vision and is showing the faith to back us on this project.

The work at Low Wood Bay is scheduled to commence in the spring of 2016 and is estimated to take 18 months to complete.

DoubleTree by Hilton has celebrated the opening of its first hotel & spa in Liverpool, which is housed in the Municipal Annexe building, a unique, recently-restored Grade II listed building in the heart of the city. Steeped in history, the stylish property has been given a contemporary finish while retaining all the grandeur of the original construction which dates back to 1865. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Spa Liverpool offers 87 guestrooms and suites, against a backdrop of sweeping staircases, Italian mosaic floors and original Corinthian columns.

The hotel opening marks the arrival of the second eforea spa in the UK, with a menu of treatments designed to help guests ‘emerge brighter’ from their spa experience, feeling renewed, uplifted and refreshed. Spa facilities include six treatment rooms, plus a hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam room and 24-hour fitness suite.

In addition, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Spa Liverpool boasts Michelin-starred Jean- Christophe Novelli’s only UK restaurant. The 130-seater Jean-Christophe at Michelle Brasserie offers a French brasserie style menu, and will also serve the lounge, conference rooms and banqueting areas at the hotel.

All guest rooms offer the comfort of a king or queen size bed, fridge, secure safe and a 37 inch LCD television. Six suites offer a separate living area with an additional LCD television, pull-out sofa and complimentary mini-bar as well as a separate bathtub and walk-in rain shower. The Presidential Suite has the added benefits of a walk-in wardrobe and original 19th century architectural features, giving it the feel of a small boutique apartment. The bathroom also features an amazing wet room with double steam shower, heated seating, large roll-top bath and twin basins.

The Library Lounge is the perfect spot to enjoy afternoon tea or a glass of Champagne, while three conference and event suites can accommodate up to 250 delegates for weddings, banqueting and meetings.

As with all DoubleTree by Hilton properties, the hotel will participate in the Hilton HHonors guest loyalty programme, and members will be able to earn and redeem points with each stay. For the first three months of opening, the hotel will be giving members the opportunity to earn double points for their stay. Diamond members will also receive a complimentary upgrade.

The opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Spa Liverpool is the latest milestone in Doubletree’s impressive trajectory, alongside the recently-opened DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel London – Docklands Riverside and DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Nottingham — Gateway.

Autograph Collection Hotels, Marriott International’s distinctive portfolio of independent hotels is proud to welcome three more one-of-a-kind US properties to its portfolio.Autograph Collection Hotels’ global portfolio consists of 93 hotels worldwide, bringing the brand even closer to welcoming its 100th property. The recently opened hotels include:

• The Envoy – Boston, MA
• Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook – Birmingham, AL
• The Citizen – Sacramento, CA

Launched in 2010, Autograph Collection Hotels is a pioneer in the independent hotel space and has grown both aggressively and selectively from less than five hotels to over 90 in just five years – making it not only Marriott International’s fastest growing brand, but one of the fastest growing hotel brands in the industry.

The Envoy in Boston, MA – A newly constructed property located in the city’s Innovation District. The hotel’s 136 rooms are carefully designed with handcrafted, artisan-style décor and feature reclaimed wood throughout along with expansive, floor-to-ceiling windows framing unparalleled waterfront and city views.

Tech-forward amenities include a collaborative work area featuring a classic billiards table reimagined into six interactive computer touch-screens. The Envoy’s communal atmosphere extends to its 4,000 square-foot Lookout Rooftop Bar, which boasts spectacular waterfront views and seasonal cocktails and local beers, including a house brew created especially for the property by Boston’s Harpoon Brewery. The hotel’s restaurant Outlook Kitchen offers progressive seasonal fare under the leadership of Excecutive Chef David Verdo, a Boston native with prior experience at French brasserie Miel and Asana.

Located in the affluent Mountain Brook suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook is a 100-room boutique hotel with a touch of bohemian inspiration and artistic offerings. At the heart of the hotel is an on-site Grand Bohemian Art Gallery. Designed to inspire the collector in each guest, the hotel’s gallery showcases stunning works of art, exhibitions and art receptions by local, regional and internationally recognised artists including Georgian glass artist, Licha Ochoa, and French expressionist, Jean Claude Roy.

Other standout features include the signature Poseidon Spa and a vibrant rooftop restaurant and terrace with breathtaking views. The property’s 12,630 square feet of customisable event space provides unlimited options for special gatherings, meetings or events.

The Citizen occupies Sacramento, CA’s historic California Life Insurance Building, the city’s first skyscraper built in 1925. The property’s design and guest experience pay homage to the building’s rich history offering guests a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

No two guest rooms are alike and each offers a different view of downtown Sacramento. The hotel’s seasonal restaurant, Grange Restaurant and Bar incorporates fresh, local ingredients from nearby Central California farms such as Capay Organics, Del Rio Botanical and Full Belly Farms. With 9,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 3,000 square-foot tented roof deck with city views, the hotel is an ideal venue for meetings, wedding and special events.

Guadalajara’s reputation as one of Mexico’s hottest cultural destinations has been cemented by the opening of Grupo HABITA’s latest coup, Casa Fayette, in September.Located in the Lafayette neighbourhood, the property incoporates 37 rooms and suites, alongside a restaurant, bar, terrace, pool and rooftop spa. Hoteliers Carlos Couturier and Moisés Micha, the creative minds behind Grupo HABITA, joined forces with local architectural firm, Estudio5, to transform the 1940s mansion into Guadalajara’s first design-led hotel.

The original Art Deco structure plays host to a retro-inspired bar and restaurant, leading out to an alfresco patio with adjoining conference room and private terrace. On the second floor of the original house there is a pool, bar and terrace — signature trademarks of the Grupo HABITA hotels in Mexico and New York. An adjacent minimalist masterpiece was constructed to house Casa Fayette’s rooms and suites, which are divided into 6 categories.

Milanese architects DIMORESTUDIO were responsible for Casa Fayette’s aesthetics, which have been inspired by traditional Jaliscan design, underpinned with the studio’s signature European style. The interiors are cool and considered, defined by a colour palette of greens and blues, and accentuated with hand-blown glass lighting and locally-sourced textiles and ceramics. Chic marble flooring, highly polished wood and Mackintosh-inspired glass screens pay homage to the hotel’s Art Deco roots.

Casa Fayette is a Design Hotels member.

Thornton Hall Hotel & Spa has refurbished its three AA rosette fine dining restaurant The Lawns, according to a blog post from the hotel.The £100k refurbishment of the 45-cover restaurant was completed last week and includes new wall coverings, lights and bespoke soft furnishings including hand-made chairs and curtains. The Lawns’ original features, including a mother of pearl inlaid ceiling, decorative dark wooden panelling and a dramatic open fireplace, have been retained.

Geoff Dale, general manager at Thornton Hall Hotel & Spa said: “We’re absolutely committed to making sure we meet if not exceed our guests expectations and this is the latest in a long line of refurbishment projects to that end. We’ve chosen a very boutique and bold feel with some unusual monkey wallpaper and orange accents that you perhaps wouldn’t expect. The restaurant now truly reflects the quality and creativity of the food coming out of Matt’s kitchen.”

Executive Chef Matt Worswick, who recently won the North West heat of Great British Menu is excited about the changes: “We want to offer people a first rate fine dining experience – of course that’s about the food, but it also takes into the welcome as they arrive, the service and the environment. We’ve been working hard to bring everything to the same level and the new restaurant now looks fabulous.”

The £100k restaurant refurbishment follows an investment of more than £1.5m earlier this year when the hotel remodelled its reception, brasserie and hotel bedrooms and kitchen.

The Galgorm Resort and Spa in Northern Ireland recently unveiled its £11m expansion project, which has created 80 new jobs – according to a Belfast Telegraph report.The new development saw the introduction of a unique ‘Thermal Spa Village’ plus an additional 48 deluxe guestrooms and suites. The hotel will now have 122 rooms. Over the past decade, more than £35million has been invested in the resort.

The stunning new facility includes 75,000-square-feet of luxurious thermal spa experiences, which the hotel claims is the first of its kind in the UK and Ireland. Located on the banks of the River Maine, guests can enjoy hot tubs, indoor and outdoor heated pools, steam rooms and saunas in a tranquil setting.

The Ballymena-based resort first opened in 1998 and Terence Brannigan, chair of Tourism NI, said the expansion will enhance Northern Ireland’s reputation as a “must-visit destination”.

Tullymore House Group, which owns and operates Galgorm Resort and Spa, is also developing the Bedford Hotel in a £12.5 million project at the iconic Scottish Mutual Building in Belfast, and last year the Group opened Fratelli Restaurant in Great Victoria Street.

The Bermondsey Square Hotel, a 90-room property in south London, is thrilled to announce the addition of six, brand new Terrace Rooms.These first floor rooms boast private balconies overlooking the thriving Bermondsey Square and antique market. Reinforcing the community spirit, the winning design contributed by local architecture students has inspired the exterior gardens bordering the rooms.

The owners hope these new rooms will add to the hotel’s personality, individuality and soul – fusing an industrial aesthetic with London views and providing a contemporary hub for millennials.

Terrace Rooms
The first floor Terrace Rooms have been cleverly conceptualised by design firms Offset Architects and Fileturn. Meanwhile, the private balconies have been individually appointed by final-year architecture students from the University of East London, led by Alex Scott-Whitby of Scott Whitby Studio and mentored by the hotel’s neighbours, Purcell Architects. The students’ brief was to be sympathetic to the hotel’s local history whilst considering the environment, upcycling available materials and capturing the essence of the community.

Additional Accommodation
Each room at The Bermondsey Square Hotel has been carefully designed with personality, trendiness and style. Accommodation includes Superior Rooms, Club Rooms and Loft Suites which have been host to many star-studded guests, including bands such as Keane and Goldfrapp. Meanwhile, guests can feel at home with a contemporary British-inspired menu, a pantry area offering home-made cakes, pastries and beverages as well as a communal lounge, melding a sense of familiarity with authentic hospitality.

Location
Offering an alternative twist on the London city break, The Bermondsey Square Hotel is conveniently located amidst buzzing restaurants, design studios, boutique shops, an indie cinema and vibrant antiques market. A short distance away, guests can also enjoy London’s finest sights – Tower Bridge, Borough Market, The Shard and Tate Modern – whilst staying in a spirited neighbourhood.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the arrival of Staybridge Suites® brand’s Urban Guest Room Design created specifically for future hotel developments in urban markets.The new design addresses the owners’ need to maximise land use more efficiently in urban locations where the hotel footprint is generally smaller compared to suburban properties.

The Urban Guest Room Design was developed for both studios and one-bedroom suites. The new design delivers on the authentic Staybridge Suites brand experience offering guests comfortable and spacious apartment style accommodations, plenty of storage and fully equipped kitchens.

To maximise the space within the suites, all of the elements included in the new Urban Guest Room Design have multiple uses. In both room types, there is a separate work and dining area – something that is very important to the Staybridge Suites brand’s guests who often stay for weeks or months at a time.

The desk is mobile, so it can be moved throughout the suite based on guests’ preference. The standard desk hutch was removed in order to take full advantage of the space and replaced with a built-in cubby and shelves that is mounted to the wall making it easier for our guests to unpack and have the space to work and relax.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts will extend its strong presence in Mexico with the debut of W Punta de Mita, located in Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit.Scheduled to open in 2016, W Punta de Mita will be part of Los Veneros, an exclusive enclave located on Mexico’s magnificent Pacific Coast, renowned as one of the world’s most desirable vacation destinations.

W Punta de Mita is owned by Fideicomiso Los Veneros and will be operated by Starwood Hotels& Resorts.

For true indulgence, W Punta de Mita will feature a 4,000 square foot AWAY Spa with signature treatments and services as well as FIT, the ultimate workout facility.

Tim Sheldon, the president of Caribbean and Latin America operations at Marriott International, has announced an expected 75 percent increase in Marriott’s Caribbean and Latin American distribution between 2015 and 2018 including a tripling of the company’s presence in Brazil with the addition of 11 new hotels in that market. Marriott has 93 hotels open today and more than 60 hotels under development in the Caribbean and Latin America, including 11 new hotels across 6 cities in Brazil. Marriott has plans to invest approximately $100 million (£65 million) in Brazil to launch four of its modern essential brands: Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott and Fairfield Inn by Marriott and AC by Marriott.

Seven of these eleven planned hotels are already under construction, which will be owned by Marriott or Brazilian partners. Over time, Marriott expects to sell its owned hotel assets, retaining long term management agreements.
“Brazil’s economy, while it confronts structural and policy challenges, is still in the top 8 largest economies in the world and has excellent long term prospects,” said Sheldon, who was named President of Marriott’s Caribbean and Latin American region in May. “The lack of reliable domestic hotel product and services represents a large opportunity for our moderate-tier brands, which we have adapted to the tastes of the Brazilian travellers – providing them both value and options.”

To date this year, the company has opened eight hotels in the Caribbean and Latin America, with another nine expected by year end, showcasing the company’s broad portfolio of world renowned brands, including hotels like the Marriott Port-Au-Prince (Haiti), the Guyana Marriott Hotel, the re-launch of the iconic Renaissance Jaragua Santo Domingo hotel (Dominican Republic), the Sortis Hotel, Spa & Casino Autograph Collection hotel (Panama), the Courtyard by Marriott Santiago (Chile), the Courtyard by Marriott Lima Miraflores (Peru), the Courtyard by Marriott Bogota Airport (Colombia), the AC by Marriott Guadalajara (Mexico), the Fairfield Inn Queretaro (Mexico). The company is also scheduled to open its 100th hotel in the Caribbean and Latin America in November of this year, the JW Marriott Puerto Los Cabos in Mexico.

The ever-increasing number of Aloft hotels continued its steady rise with the recent news that the brand is moving into Durham, North Carolina.Owned by ATC East Development and managed by Davidson & Jones Hotel Corporation, Aloft Durham Downtown boasts a prime location within a new mixed-use complex in the recently revitalized American Tobacco Historic District. The newly constructed Aloft hotel features 134 spacious, loft-like rooms, tech forward innovation and a buzzing social atmosphere.

Located between the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) and the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, Aloft Durham Downtown is at the heart of the American Tobacco Historic District, which launched a massive redevelopment and restoration project in 2004 to transform the iconic American Tobacco Company’s campus into a unique, mixed-use development complex with local and national corporations, restaurants and event venues.

Just 14 miles from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), the hotel is also close to the Durham Convention Center, Duke University and Medical Center, and Research Triangle Park – one of the nation’s most prestigious high-tech and biotech hubs.

Aloft Durham Downtown features an outdoor Splash pool, a 24-hour gym, re:fuel at Aloft – a one-stop gourmet grab & go food and beverage area, and the brand’s signature W XYZ bar where guests can enjoy a refreshing cocktail and catch the latest up-and-coming music acts as part of the brand’s signature Live At Aloft Hotels music series. In addition, the hotel offers approximately 1,600 square feet of flexible meeting space for both business meetings and social gatherings.

Hilton Worldwide today announced that eight new hotels will join Canopy by Hilton’s portfolio of more than 20 neighbourhoods in various stages of development.Launched last October, Canopy by Hilton is Hilton’s newest hotel brand that redefines the lifestyle space. The Canopy by Hilton neighbourhood additions include:

* Canopy West Palm Beach
* Canopy Denver | Downtown
* Canopy Washington, D.C. | Southwest Waterfront
* Canopy New Orleans
* Canopy Dallas | Uptown
* Canopy Baltimore | Harbour Point
* Canopy Minneapolis | Mill District
* Canopy Chicago | The Loop

In addition to welcoming these new neighbourhoods, the brand is on track to open its first hotel, Canopy Reykjavik | City Centre, early in 2016. The 115-room property is now under construction on Hverfisgata St., a thriving neighbourhood in the centre of the city.

“Canopy by Hilton delivers a fresh approach to hospitality and the guest experience, and we are thrilled to partner with our loyal owners to bring the brand to life in these great neighborhoods,” said Gary Steffen, global head, Canopy by Hilton. “Canopy is designed to reach a broad base of guests by providing a surprisingly comfortable and thoughtfully local stay with more included value. We can’t wait to welcome our first guests in Reykjavik early next year.”

To enhance the local experience and strengthen connections within specific neighborhoods, Canopy recently unveiled #MeetTheNeighbors, a new social media series that spotlights locals’ points of view through interview sound bites to paint the landscape of each Canopy neighbourhood.

Starwood Hotels has announced the opening of Sheraton® Dubrovnik Riviera Hotel, a 251-room hotel owned by Hoteli Dubrovacka Rivijera.As part of the Sheraton brand’s goal to open 150 new hotels by 2020, Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera Hotel marks the inaugural entry of the brand into southern Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, and features a charming beach, full-service spa and luxurious outdoor pool.

Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera Hotel is set on the spectacular Adriatic coast along the Dubrovnik Riviera. The new-build property is a short distance from Old Town Dubrovnik, a UNESCO World Heritage site, as well as numerous cultural, historical and natural attractions, including museums and galleries.

Easily accessible from the Dubrovnik airport, the Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera Hotel boasts 240 spacious guest rooms, including 11 suites with terraces, and provides sweeping views of the secluded bay and mountainous backdrop.

With 1,400-square-metres of meeting and event space, including a 900-square-metre congress room, Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera Hotel offers the largest hotel conference facilities in the region making it an ideal choice for celebrations and business functions. The hotel also features a range of leisure facilities such as Shine Spa for Sheraton™, the well-equipped Sheraton® Fitness Centre, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts and a picturesque beach.

The hotel features several restaurants and bars, serving both international and local Croatian cuisines, and providing a stylish setting with floor-to-ceiling windows and impressive views. The lobby also serves as a relaxing social space where guests can indulge in Paired, Sheraton’s imaginative new lobby menu comprised of artisanal small plates and bar snacks paired with premium wines and craft beers.