Recently acquired by Michel Reybier, the iconic Schweizerhof Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn in the heart of The Alps, re-opened on 21st December, transformed, ready for the 2019 ski season. The new style is warm and bold, with alpine charm, including soft rugs and wood which are present throughout. Some of the in-room technology includes Chromecast devices for screen mirroring, Netflix and Spotify account access, smart lighting control and RFID room keys. A client app also enables guests to book their table and pay their bill, book spa treatments, open their room, speak with the in-house teams, reserve ski equipment and check the slope conditions. The Spa by Schweizerhof offers an exclusive list of spa treatments created with cosmeceutical products from Nescens, the Swiss anti-ageing science. Guests will also be kept entertained with an indoor swimming pool, three saunas open 24/7, a Turkish bath and a fitness centre, while yoga masterclass and private fitness coach are also available. The Valais region is honoured in each dish at the Cheese Factory: a table with a decidedly Swiss “stübli” feel, where raclette and fondue can be shared in an atmosphere roused by the Alpen horn and Swiss folk music. Try one of the unashamedly rich desserts on the menu including the meringue with red berries served with Gruyère double cream.
Create: Mar 13, 2019 Edit: Mar 17, 2019 International NewsJapan’s fabulous country is full of strange hotels, but the new ice-skating hotel built in Shimukapu is perhaps the most exclusive. The Hoshino Hotel is frozen in the Tomamu Ice Age, located in Japan’s second largest island of Hokkaido, from zero to one hundred. Except for sleeping bags that are used at bedtime, everything in the hotel is made of ice, from rooms and washbasins to public halls and hotel bar. But this hotel only works in a limited time in the winter, so the rooms that are made like the Eskimo Houses are filled up very soon. We will continue to make interesting pictures of this hotel and take a look at this beautiful and dreamy residence. The Ice Cream Hotel in Chuiko, made in Hokkaido, is a completely frozen and frozen hotel. This hotel is part of a pumped village called Tomamu that offers a variety of facilities for visitors, including ice skating, a variety of food and beverages, and a warm water bath (hot tub in the open air). There is also a full icy cafe with shelves full of books. Cafe chairs and even fireplaces are made of ice. The Tomamu Cafe is a place for relaxation and relaxation, in addition to a variety of drinks, Fondo’s meals are served with frozen vegetables.
Create: Mar 12, 2019 Edit: Mar 17, 2019 International NewsI m mersed in the surf culture of Santa Teresa on the Nicoya Peninsula, Hotel Nantipa is set to make waves in this picturesque part of Costa Rica with every design element inspired by the ocean and the sky – right down to its name, which means ‘blue’ in the native Nicoya tribal language. The cloud-nine boutique retreat offers beach-edge suites and bungalows with hammocks and garden, pool or ocean views ensuring guests have the sand between their toes and the soothing sound of the sea in their ears from dusk til dawn. Beautifully positioned right on the beach, Nantipa’s restaurant serves creative Costa Rican cuisine with a side of sunset views. The zingy ceviche assortments and the grilled seafood are staples on the authentic menu that also features favourites like tacos, gallos, casados among other local delicacies. With the wildlife-rich jungle behind and the ocean in front, there is plenty to do in the area from surf lessons and beach horseback riding to visiting the mighty Montezuma Waterfall or taking a boat to the talcum powder sands of Tortuga Island. SLH Insider Tip: The beach in front of Nantipa has scenic rocks with small tide pools perfect for children to dip in before enjoying a swim in the 270 square meters pool at the center of the property.
Create: Mar 7, 2019 Edit: Mar 17, 2019 International NewsBringing barefoot luxury to the remote northern Raa Atoll, Faarufushi Maldives will welcome guests from March 2019 with 80 spacious villas that offer a striking realisation of contemporary design amidst a naturally stunning seascape. Hidden among palm trees are 10 Beach Bungalows and 27 Beach Retreats, whilst 39 sleek Ocean Retreats with Pool are positioned over the island’s sparkling azure lagoon. For the ultimate indulgence, the Island Residence comes complete with an individual expansive infinity pool overlooking at its very own stretch of the Indian Ocean. The hotel’s Nika Spa blends into the lush vegetation of the island with six treatment rooms and a garden compound with a hydro pool surrounded by outdoor lounges and relaxation pavilions. The Faarufushi house reef boasts magnificent coral overhangs and swim throughs, allowing guests to discover the abundant marine life that lies beneath the waves. This spectacular reef will be the ideal experience for divers and snorkelers alike. At the reef’s edge, the overwater bar with alfresco seating provides the perfect sunset view as well as a great location to enjoy floral and tea-inspired cocktails.
Create: Mar 6, 2019 Edit: Mar 17, 2019 International NewsHotel News - Have a look at some of Radisson’s new hotel openings around the world from Ecuador to Georgia RADISSON QUITO REOPENS AFTER $4.5M REFURBISHMENT Radisson’s Park Inn property in the Ecuadorian capital of Quito has reopened to the public after extensive renovations to almost the entirety of the hotel. An incredible $4.5m was pumped into the renovation, which involved not only upgrades to the rooms and common areas, but also gave the hotel a brand new look and feel. The hotel benefits from an amazing location close to the city’s trendy Zona Rosa area, which is also close to the business, financial and shopping districts. The hotel boasts 55 guest rooms and suites, with guests also being able to access the state of the art fitness and wellness centre. Business travelers will also be able to avail of on-site conference and meeting facilities, which have been designed in line with current informal work trends. Frances Gonzalez, vice president of Operations for Radisson Hotel Group in Latin America, says, “We are thrilled to re-introduce one of our excellent brands in the great city of Quito, while exemplifying our growth strategy for Latin America. This fantastic hotel embraces what the Park Inn by Radisson brand is all about with its vibrant colors, unique design and amenities, along with the dedicated staff that provides our ‘Happiness Guarantee.’” RADISSON COLLECTION OPENS IN GEORGIA’S WINE REGION Radisson has unveiled the newest addition to its premium lifestyle collection in the prestigious wine region of Georgia, Tsinandali. The hotel is a stunning 141-key property set within its very own vineyard, which boasts a historic winery, a rooftop spa and outdoor swimming pool. The design of the hotel has been executed with elegance and sophistication, and blends vernacular elements of Georgian style with contemporary flourishes to result in a truly unique offering, which fits with the Radisson Collection properties. Michel Stalport, Area Senior Vice President Russia and Eastern Europe, says, “Georgia is recognized as one of the most beautiful countries in the world, known to be the birthplace of wine, and a place where travelers are welcomed with hospitality like nowhere else. The estate combines magnificent architecture and historical authenticity with the finest new design details to provide guests with truly exceptional and memorable stays.” Wine lovers will rejoice in the experiences available at the hotel, which range from wine tasting and tours to learning about the bottles housed in Prince Alexander Chavchavadze’s personal wine cellar collection.
Create: Mar 2, 2019 Edit: Mar 5, 2019 International NewsInterContinental Hotel Group and Bougary Holding sign 1,200-room Crowne Plaza, scheduled to open in Makkah, Saudi Arabia in 2019. InterContinental Hotel Group and Bougary Holding have signed the world’s largest Crowne Plaza, which totals 1,200 rooms, which an opening scheduled for 2019 in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Located in close proximity to the Holy Mosque, the hotel will join the existing InterContinental and Holiday Inn in the city, totalling three properties there. Crowne Plaza Makkah Beban will also offer two restaurants and a coffee shop, a business center, and three meeting rooms (3,323 sqm in total) that can be used as an event space. A WELCOME VENTURE Involved stakeholders were excited about the new agreement. IHG Managing Director India, Middle East & Africa Pascal Gauvin said in a statement: “Saudi Arabia offers great opportunities both in terms of domestic and inbound tourism and is central to our expansion strategy in the Middle East.” He added: “This is a milestone signing for us in the Middle East and is testament to our commitment to the market.” Bougary Holding Co. CEO Loay Bougary said: “We are proud to partner with a strong global player such as IHG on this milestone development. IHG is a trusted brand with in-depth knowledge of the Kingdom and Crowne Plaza Makkah Beban will bring a full range of amenities to pilgrims and other travellers looking for a high-quality hospitality experience.” PRECEDENT FOR LARGE-SCALE DEVELOPMENT This is not the first hotel in the area to have billed itself as the world’s largest. In fact, this new property follows other operators that also have “world’s largest” properties in Makkah – with Marriott opening the world’s largest Sheraton at 1,136 rooms and Radisson Hospitality signing the world’s largest Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson.
Create: Feb 27, 2019 Edit: Mar 2, 2019 International NewsRegional project in Honduras, Integrated Central American Quality and Sustainability System, offers audits and advice to tourism companies requiring quality management. Companies passing the audit get a Quality Certification, signifying value and esteem in tourism market. These quality criteria encompass a range of requirements related to sustainability in order to enable tourism to act as a tool for sustainable development. SICCS benefits tourism companies with a long-term vision of sustainability as a criterion for action, promotes the voluntary commitment to sustainable devleopment criteria aqnd helps to maintain these standards through rigorous audits. The implementation of the project has increased the awareness of entrepreneurs of economic, environmental and social sustainability practices. Furthermore, it has improved their competitiveness. .
Create: Feb 19, 2019 Edit: Feb 20, 2019 International NewsHotel News - Best Western Hotels & Resorts announced today it has acquired global hotel brand WorldHotels representing a collection of approximately 300 unique and special hotels and resorts in premier destinations around the world. “There is tremendous synergy between Best Western and WorldHotels. By joining forces in this new partnership, we will create competitive advantages for both companies,” said David Kong, President and CEO of Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “I have the utmost respect for WorldHotels and believe in its vast potential.” The acquisition of WorldHotels was completed last week. The WorldHotels brand will play a critical role in enhancing Best Western’s portfolio of offerings to include the upper-upscale and luxury segments. WorldHotels will maintain its distinctive personality and individuality while benefiting from Best Western’s robust and scalable e-commerce platform, strong partnerships, sales and marketing support and powerful revenue engines. WorldHotels _Collection“Best Western is one of the largest, most respected and trusted hotel brands,” said Geoff Andrew, CEO, WorldHotels. “As we join forces, the combined power of our brands sets the stage for a bright future for both Best Western and WorldHotels. Through its established senior leadership team and regional presence in each market, Best Western brings a new level of expertise that will undoubtedly help grow both Best Western and WorldHotels in key markets.” Best Western has been on a journey of transformation over the past several years. In the last year alone, Best Western was named one of the world’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company, expanded its portfolio to 13 dynamic brands reaching new guests in new segments, and won a record number of industry awards and accolades. The acquisition is a testament to Best Western’s commitment to growth, modernization and continued progression, bolstering the company’s position as a trusted leader in the global hospitality industry. “In the coming months, our focus will be to unlock WorldHotels’ potential by improving revenue delivery to its hotels while protecting its independent identity. We truly believe our platform will build the WorldHotels brand and attract many more independence–minded, quality hotels to join. We are very pleased that Geoff Andrew will continue as CEO of WorldHotels for the foreseeable future.” concluded Kong.
Create: Feb 19, 2019 Edit: Feb 19, 2019 International NewsHotel News - The Hyatt Regency brand is coming to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. This is Hyatt’s seventh property on the African continent, but the first in Ethiopia, and is located in the city’s centre on Meskel Square near many of the capital’s main attractions. Guest can choose from 188 rooms, including 12 luxury regency suites, two executive suites, one presidential suite and one royal presidential suite. Guests can also enjoy some of the private members clubs available in the hotel, as well as six incredible dining options, including a cafe, cocktail bar and some casual dining offerings. 1,700 sqm of meeting and conference facilities will cater to business travelers, and the regency ballroom can be used for functions or events. A state-of-the-art gym and spa will allow guests to relax and rejuvenate, and for those wishing to explore the city, some of the biggest attractions are located close to the hotel, including the National Palace, the Holy Trinity Church and Africa’s biggest open air market in the Mercato district.
Create: Feb 16, 2019 Edit: Feb 19, 2019 International NewsHYATT CONTINUES EXPANSION IN KUWAIT Hyatt Regency makes a comeback in Kuwait with the opening of the Hyatt Regency Al Kout Mall. The property will be emblematic of Hyatt´s Regency brand, which aims to offer guests the convenience and ease of having all of the amenities they require under one roof. The Al Kout Mall will boast 200 guestrooms, which includes 53 junior suites, 67 regency suites and 14 premium suites, as well as 2,400 sqm of meeting and conference space which includes a regency ballroom for events and functions. One of the highlights of the hotel is the rooftop fitness centre, Club Olympus, which offers guests panoramic views out over sea and city. Here, guests can relax in the pool or keep fit in the gym. The hotel is also conveniently located close to the international airport and to the border with Saudi Arabia. Some of the most exciting sights in Kuwait are right at the hotel’s doorstep, including the Al Kout Mall, Souq Al Kout, Al Kout Marina, Al Kout Fisherman’s Wharf and the Al Kout promenade. “We are excited to welcome the Hyatt Regency brand back to Kuwait,” said Mohammed Jassim Khalid Al Marzouq, chairman of Tamdeen Group, Hyatt’s partner in the opening of the Regency Al Kout Mall, as well as the planned Grand Hyatt Kuwait. “We are certain that the Hyatt Regency brand, known for its superior facilities and seamless service, will resonate with business and leisure travelers visiting Kuwait, and look forward to our continued collaboration and future openings in this dynamic city,” he added.
Create: Feb 16, 2019 Edit: Feb 19, 2019 International NewsHILTON EXPANDS IN MYANMAR Hilton is to add another property to its portfolio in Myanmar with a new signing of 308-room hotel in downtown Yangon. The Hilton Times City Yangon will form part of Hilton’s flagship Hotels and Resorts brand, and is easily accessible from both the airport and the city’s business district, and is part of a mixed-use complex. The new hotel will cater to Myanmar’s increasing tourism industry, with numbers of tourists visiting the country expected to reach 7.5 million by 2020. The hotel will cater to both business and leisure travelers, and offers 1250 sqm of meeting and conference space, as well as a business centre, fitness centre and spa, and five dining areas. This property will be Hilton’s fourth in Myanmar, and it is set to open in 2022.
Create: Feb 5, 2019 Edit: Feb 13, 2019 International NewsHotel News - The hotel is located in the outskirts of Xiangyang / Hubei and sits on a small hill within the largest Myrtle Flower Garden throughout Asia. The design of the hotel was primarily focused on providing a soothing harmony between architecture and its natural environment. Designed to blend into its surrounding typography, the hotel is partially inserted into the slope of the hill and offers a varying appearance depending on ones point of view. Where else the hotel is read from the north as low to the ground and has a continuity to its surrounding landscape, the complex opens up towards the South introducing the business area to a nearby already existing restaurant by the lake. A dropoff lane wind itself through and underneath the circular volumnes and offers a certain level of urbanity to the hotel’s natural surrounding. Being situated within Myrtle Tree Park, the layer of balkonies serves as a connecting element between the Interior of the Hotel and the vegetation of the park. Smaller Trees growing on and within the facade layer underline the relation between the articial balcony structure and its natural environment. Every room throughout the hotel is surrounded by the Myrtle Garden on one side and a courtyard on the other, which provides natural air ventilation when needed. Rainwater gets collected on the hotels roof and passed on to the 3 courtyards, where it is stored in tanks and can be used for flushing and irrigating plants.
Create: Feb 3, 2019 Edit: Feb 13, 2019 International News