We kept for you the essential facts to remember for luxury travel, hotels & resorts since spring 2005 to jan. 2006 :
Paris : Maison & Objet fair attracts luxury industry buyers from all over the world
With 65,000 trade buyers and international visitors rushing at MAISON & OBJET fair, it looks as The place to go by this end of January. It is a unique opportunity for exhibitors to contact new customers outside their original markets. We visited outstanding booths like the fabrics “editeurs” Sahco and Italian Venezia-based Rubelli ones, and there were so many buyers that we could not even find time to interview the managers ! The furniture offer is also a key strategic merger with all the other departments of this fair and very logically completes decoration. There are few exhibitions in the world capable of bringing together the complete home market and Maison & Objet is obviously a major one, not only to buy but also to get new ideas for interior design directly in contact with producers. The fair runs twice a year in Januray and in September.
LeisureTracker.com / Jan 27, 2006
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Grand Hotel Villa Feltrinelli on Italy’s Lake Garda snaps up most 2005 Anglo-Saxon Awards
Re-opened in 2001 on italian Lake Garda and described by the writer D.H. Lawrence as “one of the most beautiful places on earth”, the exclusive and idyllic Grand Hotel Villa Feltrinelli continued to be honoured with the hospitality world’s top awards and accolades in 2005. It was ranked among the world’s ‘Top 20 International Resort Hideaways’ in the Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report’s; voted ‘Best Rooms’ among Conde Nast Traveller UK’s ‘Best Hotels in the World’; and named among ‘Top 20 Favourite HIP Hotels’ in The Sunday Times. It was also praised by some of the world's most influential lifestyle and travel magazines. Londons’ Luxury Briefing magazine named Villa Feltrinelli best in the world for customer service. Fashion designer Josie Natori wrote in Town & Country (USA): "Without a doubt, the most romantic hotel room in the world…like a fantasy home away from home.” Travel & Leisure (USA) ranked it alongside Villa d'Este on Lake Como and Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles among 'Hotels We Love'.
LeisureTracker.com / Jan 24, 2006
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Dubai hotels reach world's N°1 occupancy rate and revpar
Deloitte and Smith Travel Research have put Dubai on top with a 85.9 per cent hotel occupancy rate followed by New York with 82.7 per cent and Singapore at 80 per cent. Dubai hotels and hotel apartments have also been ranked the first in the world in terms of generating the highest revenue per available room (RevPar) between January and September 2005, followed by New York and Paris, according to Global Lodging Review, a publication of the Deloitte and Smith Travel Research. The premium travel research publication highlighted that Dubai hotels' RevPAR (which provides a measure of the revenue generated by each available hotel room during the year) is the highest at US $ 175.47 while New York comes second with US $ 163.32 and Paris third with US $ 169.53. There has been a significant 42.3 per cent increase from the RevPar generated by Dubai's hotels in 2004 (year-to-date statistics).
LeisureTracker.com / Dec 29, 2005
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Canada : 31 hotels and 30 restaurants receive CAA-AAA Four Diamond Award
The Canadian and American Automobile Associations (CAA-AAA) have awarded Four Diamond status to 31 hotels and 30 restaurants in Quebec for 2006, CAA-Quebec announced last Dec.14. Quebec's Four Diamond establishments are part of a select group. Only 3.4 percent of the more than 32,000 hotels and 3 percent of the nearly 25,000 restaurants inspected and rated by CAA-AAA in Canada, the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean received a Four Diamond rating for 2006. The Four Diamond symbol will be prominently featured in each property's and restaurant's listing in the 2006 Quebec TourBook(R) guide.
A pioneer in promoting Quebec as a tourist destination, CAA-Quebec (www.caaquebec.com) provides a wide range of automotive, travel, residential and financial services to its 840,000 members. Copyright 2005 Canada NewsWire Ltd.
LeisureTracker.com / Dec 16, 2005
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Paris palaces fined for "collusion"
As per French magazine “L’Express” , six of Paris's famous palace hotels have been fined by the French competition authorities for collusion and specially tacit and illegal arrangements in their pricing policies. The fines come after a four-year investigation by the Competition Council. The Crillon, the Four Seasons George V, the Meurice, the Plaza Athenee, The Bristol, and the Ritz were found to have exchanged confidential commercial information through meetings and messages, on a weekly and monthly basis. The six palaces are ordered to pay between 55,000euros and E248,000 each . The heaviest fine is on the Crillon, which has hosted everyone from Madonna to Emperor Hirohito in nearly a century of use as a hotel. It has just been bought to the Taittinger Group by Starwood Capital, the US based investment group. The Meurice was fined E 55,000, while the Plaza Athenee, the haunt of Vanderbilts and Rockefellers, was fined E106,000. Both hotels are part of the Dorchester Group. The Ritz, owned by Mohamed Fayed, the proprietor of Harrods, was fined E104,000. The George V, operated by the Four Seasons group, was fined E115,000. The Bristol was told to pay E81,000.
LeisureTracker.com / Dec 8, 2005
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Space Adventures gets its 4th $20 million client, Daisuke Enomoto
Space Adventures announced that Hong Kong resident and Japanese entrepreneur Daisuke Enomoto (Dice-K) will be the next private space explorer candidate. The company which organized the spaceflights to the International Space Station for the world's first private explorers Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth and Greg Olsen, disclosed that Dice-K's expedition is currently planned for October 2006. Dice-K is a 34 year-old, Japanese national that has been living and working in the Pacific Rim for the last 15 years. During his tenure with Livedoor, the company experienced exponential growth with the market capitalization growing from $150 million (USD), when Dice-K joined to approximately $1.5 billion (USD). The current market capitalization of Livedoor is approximately $5 billion (USD). Space Adventures, the only company to have successfully launched private explorers to space, is headquartered in Arlington, Va. with offices in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Moscow and Tokyo.
LeisureTracker.com / Nov.24, 2005
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Inter-Continental Belgrade: re-opening in Dec. 2006
InterContinental Hotels Group Plc (IHG) announces the hotel brand will return to Belgrade in 2006 with a 393-room, five-star hotel . Current owner, ICG, has committed approximately 26 million USD to renovate the property to meet InterContinental standards. ICG developed the property which the company plans to privatize by the end of 2006. The hotel originally opened in 1979 as an InterContinental until the Balkan war in the 1990s. Capitalizing on Belgrade’s resurgence as the commercial hub of the Balkans and Serbia’s economic growth, the hotel aims to attract both business and leisure travelers. It is located in the heart of the city’s business district, next to the Sava Center, the largest convention facility in Eastern Europe. It will offer guests all the facilities and luxuries expected of an InterContinental hotel including a spa and wellness center, exceptional meeting space and innovative dining.
LeisureTracker.com / Nov.21, 2005
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Angelini Design : the design agency focuses also on top luxury hotels
Based in Rome, Paris, Milan and Turin, the agency Angelini Design , already internationally renown and selected by major industrial and finance groups (Peugeot, Pfizer, Suez, Sony Playstation, Indosuez Private Banking, Unilever etc…) has recently decided to focus, with a dedicated team, on luxury hotels and travel operators. Carlo Angelini founder and Managing Director of Angelini Design declares : “this is an exciting sector for our creative teams full of new ideas and design concepts, many famous and luxurious hotels are so poorly presented , that new generations of customers find it hard to be convinced by their presentations. There’s a lot to do in this sector and Angelini will prove it shortly !”Few days ago Angelini won the budget of several hotels including the fashionable "155 Via Veneto" boutique hotel in Roma and immediately Angelini launched a pre-site at www.155viaveneto.com.
LeisureTracker.com / Nov.15, 2005
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The Morgans Hotel Group to Go Public
As per Hotels, “the” hotel industry B2B magazine newsletter dated last Friday Oct. 28 Morgans Hotel Group Co. will hold an initial public offering to sell up to US$300 million in common stock, according to a Form S-1 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission last Oct. 27. Details about the number of shares to be offered or an estimated price per share were not disclosed. Morgans Group LLC intends to use the net proceeds to repay debt and for other general corporate purposes, according to statements in the filing. Morgans Hotel Group is a fully integrated hospitality company that operates, owns, acquires and redevelops boutique hotels in gateway cities and select resort markets in the United States and Europe. The company currently owns or partially owns and manage a portfolio of nine luxury hotel properties ( 2500 rooms ) in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco and London with famous St Martins Lane(picture) designed by Philippe Starck.
LeisureTracker.com / Oct. 31, 2005
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Villegiature Awards 2005 : Northern Europe strikes hard
As mentioned in many european newspapers and magazines, the Villegiature Awards 2005 edition was “an extremely elegant ceremony” held at the Hotel Bristol in Paris. Recorded “live”by RAI TV, the whole ceremony gathered most european major publishers, medias and prestigious hotels Managers anxious to know who the winners were. The 2005 trends show that Northern Europe strikes hard with 8 awards out of 12. U.K gets for the first time the “Best Floral decoration of a hotel in Europe” with London Sofitel St James. The Netherlands are rewarded through brand new College Hotel in Amsterdam for its Interior design by Glintmeijer and Finnegan ( FG Stijl). In Germany, Taschen Publishings «Spa» renew their last year success and the Brenner’s Park Hotel & Spa in Baden Baden gets « Best Spa in a hotel in Europe ». France, gets 5 awards, 3 of which go to the ever stately Four Seasons Hotel George V de Paris (« Best service in a Hotel in Europe », « Best Restaurant in a hotel in Europe » for « Le Cinq » (Chef Philippe Legendre), and the most prestigious award « Best Hotel in Europe »). The « Best Hotel Graphic Design concept» goes to Hotel Bristol de Paris and French Tour Operator « Jet Tours », gets the award of the “Best Tour operator Brochure in Europe” with its « Secrets » one. Italy represents well Southern Europe with 3 awards : « Best Hotel Architecture in Europe» : the historic Castello di Spaltenna (Gaiole in Chianti) , « Best Bar in a Hotel in Europe» : « La Terrazza dell'Eden », Hotel Eden in Rome (for the 2nd year in a row) and « Best Resort Hotel in Europe» : Palazzo Sasso in Ravello.
All details on www.prix-villegiature.com
LeisureTracker.com / Oct. 24, 2005
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Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts Doubles its Portfolio Recently.
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts took over a luxurious resort on Mauritius and now announces a total of five new projects in Dubai (UAE) as well as on the tropical island of Zanzibar (Tanzania), putting the Swiss international hotel chain well on course towards achieving its expansion objectives. The hotel group has been steadily expanding over the past five years, and very soon it will have more than doubled its capacity compared with 1999 (35 hotels and 7’400 rooms): indeed by the end of 2007 the portfolio will comprise a total of 73 hotels and more than 19’000 rooms. At present Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts comprises 53 hotels and over 12’000 rooms in 19 countries, with no fewer than 20 signed projects currently either at the planning phase or under construction.
LeisureTracker.com / Oct. 21, 2005
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Starwood Hotels Completes Sale of Chicago's Westin O'Hare
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and its joint venture partner announces that it completed the sale of the 525-room Westin O'Hare for $106 million to JER Partners yesterday, Wednesday, October 18th. Starwood's ownership interest in the joint venture was 48.6%. Westin will continue to manage the hotel. The Westin O'Hare is the only four-star, four-diamond hotel that is just five minutes from O'Hare International Airport. Since 2003, Starwood has sold more than $1.1 billion worth of assets. The proceeds from this hotel combined with other recent asset sales are part of the $500 million the Company targeted to sell by the end of 2005 and with this sale has now exceeded that goal. The Company expects to use proceeds for share repurchase and for general corporate purposes.
LeisureTracker.com / Oct. 19, 2005
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Accor: Gilles Pelisson appointed CEO. Serge Weinberg heads the supervisory board.
It is now official: Accor has appointed Gilles Pelisson, head of Bouygues Telecom, as its new C.E.O ending a long recruitment process that had created doubts around Europe's biggest hotel group with brands like Sofitel, Novotel, Dorint, Motel 6, Club Med etc.... . Accor also said Gerard Pelisson, Gilles' uncle and co-founder of the leisure group, would resign from its supervisory board. Gerard Pelisson would be replaced by Serge Weinberg, former head of French retailer PPR (Pinault Printemps Redoute).
Gilles Pelisson, who worked for 12 years at Accor, managing the Novotel brand in the 1980s and early 1990s, is widely credited with having helped build up Bouygues Telecom into France's third largest mobile operator with a 17 percent market share. He will take over from Jean-Marc Espalioux as chief executive of Accor on Jan. 16, 2006. Weinberg will start as non-executive chairman on Jan. 3, 2006.
Oct. 10, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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A first Westin hotel in central Paris.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide keeps moving forward in its acquisitions and announces a new Westin Hotel in central Paris. Starwood has entered into a long-term management agreement with an affiliate of GIC Real Estate Pte Ltd to operate the historic landmark hotel which was formerly “the” Intercontinental Paris Hotel rue de Castiglionne between rue de Rivoli, Faubourg St Honoré and Place Vendome. The Hotel, which was first opened in 1878, will convert to The Westin Paris on October 10, 2005 and is expected to feature all Westin brands standards by the end of the year. The newly converted Westin Paris will feature 438 rooms, including 76 Suites. The hotel underwent a Euro 46 million refurbishment in 1998 and the owners will invest an additional Euro 12 million to convert this property to Westin Brand standards.
Sept. 12, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Unique trips : Curl your mustache on the “Antartic Dream” and pass the Cap Horn !
The Antartic Dream is an extraordinary boat formerly own by the chile army and just completely renovated after a 12 millions US$ investment. The journey covers 15 days/14nights and includes the most exciting sights of Patagonia, Cape Horn, South Shetland Islands, and the Antarctic Peninsula. The program majors on wildlife viewing, possible visits to scientific bases, and the breathtaking scenery of narrow waterways, glaciers, iceberg and rugged mountains. The Captain and the expedition leader assess conditions daily and take full advantage of every opportunity to make landings with zodiacs, making use of the nearly continuous daylight to maximize time ashore. An helicopter is always available for the guests. It includes two over flights at Cape Horn, the last geographic point of Chile's mainland and the South American Continent. Price : as of 5500 US$.
Next journey starts Nov.11, 2005.
Sept. 7, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Free Internet broadband access in hotels? Already done with Radisson
All guests staying at Radisson SAS hotels throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa can now get free broadband as part of the Radisson SAS E@syConnect service concept. Check-in to a Radisson SAS hotel and logon to your corporate network, access email, download music, shop, do whatever customers like to do online, and do it for free. Most Radisson SAS hotels have Wireless Internet Access (WiFi), which means customers can get online from anywhere in the hotel. Free Broadband will be available in most Radisson SAS hotels by 1 September 2005, however, a few hotels might not be able to offer it until the end of the year. This service does not include dial-up Internet access.
Sept. 5, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and Disney's Hollywood Hotel in their starting blocks
It is today confirmed that the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and Disney's Hollywood Hotel will open next September 12. Through the power of its Disney brand, coupled with its marketing know-how and worldwide reach, Disney announces it is almost guaranteed a year-round occupancy. And the price is non-negotiable. There will be no discounted room rates, no special deals, no low-season "giveaways" - the rates published on its website are set in “cyber-concrete”. It's every hotelier's dream, and one that Hong Kong Disneyland VP of sales and marketing Roy Tan Hardy says will have a powerful knock-on effect for other hotels in Hong Kong… An optimism from Disney headquarters that all the investors in Disneyland Paris still have in mind...
Sept. 2, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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US funds rush on France hotels, specially ACCOR hotels…
Is Accor still a french company? Indeed five months after Los Angeles real estate investment group Colony Capital invested 1bn euros in Accor convertible bonds and that Colony founder Thomas Barrack and his European chief executive Sebastien Bazin joined the supervisory board, we learn today that another major US fund Capital Group Companies owns through its companies CGII and CRMC 14% of Accor capital. Capital Group is now by far the main shareholder of the company which headquarters are located in Evry - France. Jean-Marc Espalioux, the 53-year-old who has run the group since 1997 would be on the leave and some say that Gilles Pélisson, 48, presently Bouygues Telecom CEO could replace Espalioux shortly. Pelisson is the nephew of ACCOR founder Gérard Pélisson, he used to be a main director at ACCOR before leaving for Bouygues and Capital Group owns also a good chunk of…the Bouygues Group. After Starwood Capital operation on Louvre Hotels, it seems French luxury hotels attract intensively US investors and that French appreciate US dollars…France is still N°1 destination in the world for tourism and US funds bet on it.
Aug. 24, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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InterContinental : Jenifer Zeigler appointed Senior VP.
InterContinental Hotels Group has appointed Jenifer Zeigler to the position of senior vice president, global brand management for InterContinental Hotels & Resorts. Based at the company’s global headquarters in London, Zeigler will lead the development of brand strategy and marketing for the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand, including the brand’s worldwide advertising and promotion activities. Featured in Brandweek magazine as one of their “Top 10 Marketers of the Next Generation,” Zeigler brings significant brand management expertise to the InterContinental brand. Zeigler’s career has been focused principally on consumer brand management and strategic marketing. Before joining IHG, Zeigler was most recently director of marketing for The Coca-Cola Company’s USA Fountain division, where she was responsible for brand and portfolio strategy development as well as new product development . Zeigler will take up her new post in London on 1st September when she relocates to the United Kingdom with her family. She replaces Jennifer Fox who has assumed the position of chief operating officer for InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in Europe.
Aug. 22, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Mandarin Oriental Munich : A room and … a BMW !
The Mandarin Oriental in Munich proudly hosts many of its famous visitors. The hotel proposes its guests a special package starting 690 euros enabling the use during the stay and for free the newest BMW 7 series or the BMW X5 or the BMW 3 Cabriolet. Guests will be surrounded by a luxurious and elegant ambience within the guest rooms and suites, enjoy a welcome cocktail with a wonderful view over Munich from the famous roof terrace open from May to October.
Aug. 19, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Starwood Capital receives many offers for its newly acquired France based palaces
A Saudi prince and Dubai's royal family have set their sights on buying two of France's famous luxury palace hotels after the US investment fund Starwood Capital took over their owner the Taittinger group “société du Louvre”, the French newspaper Le Figaro reported last Aug. 13. Saudi Prince Waleed and Jumeirah International, owned by the Al Maktoum royal family in Dubai, are interested in buying the Hotel de Crillon, near Paris's Champs-Elysees, Le Figaro reported. Waleed already owns the George V, also off the Champs Elysees, while Jumeirah International owns a string of hotels in Dubai, including the sail-shaped, 321-metre Burj Al Arab, and The Carlton Tower in London.
Jumeirah International also had its eye on the Hotel Martinez in the French Riviera resort of Cannes, but could face competition from Dorchester Group, owners of Hotel Plaza Athenee and Hotel Meurice in Paris, the newspaper reported. "We are thinking about it. We are going to talk about it at our next administration council in September," Francois Delahaye, operations director of the Brunei-owned Dorchester Group, told Le Figaro.
Aug. 14, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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New « Le Méridien » from Kathmandu to Amsterdam
Global hotel group Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts continues its global expansion following the opening of its first resort hotel in Nepal; Le Meridien Kathmandu, Gokarna Forest Golf Resort & Spa strating with the promo rate of 37 euros/night. Located deep inside the temperate Gokarna Forest, traditionally the private hunting ground of the kings of Nepal, this unique resort is within the city limits of country's capital; Kathmandu. The hotel is also just 10 kilometers from Tribhuvan International Airport.
In Europe, The Hotel Des Indes first welcomed the great and the good of Europe in 1881. The ghosts of witnesses to that event will be at the shoulder of the crowd assembled in the Dutch city of The Hague on 12 September for the hotel’s official reopening under its modern identity as the Le Meridien Hotel Des Indes. Thrill as kings and presidents once did as you inspect the 92 guest rooms in a hotel restored to its former glory at a cost of €35 million.
Aug. 10, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Greg Dogan appointed V.P at Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts in Mainland China
Asia Pacific's leading luxury hotel group, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, has appointed Greg Dogan as vice president. Based in Shanghai, Mr. Dogan is responsible for nine of the group's 19 mainland China hotels, ensuring that these properties meet their financial performance targets and comply with corporate operational standards. In addition, he oversees four new hotel projects in Chengdu, Xian, Shenzhen and Ningbo in mainland China. He joined Shangri-La in 1997 as executive assistant manager of Mactan Island Resort, Cebu.Mr. Dogan, a graduate of Westminster Hotel Management Institute and Dover College in UK, has held senior managerial positions at luxury hotels in Spain, Dubai, and China before he joined Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.
Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific's leading luxury hotel group, currently manages 47 hotels under the five-star Shangri-La and four-star Traders Hotels brands, with a rooms inventory of over 21,000. The group has over 30 projects under development in Canada, mainland China, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
July 29, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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USA – NY : The Pierre becomes the City most luxurious flying carpet with Taj.
It’s official, Taj takes over The Pierre. The famous New-York Fifth Avenue Palace (Fifth at 61st Street), was till now controlled by Four Seasons. Established in 1903, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is one of South Asia’s largest and finest group of hotels, comprising 57 hotels in 38 locations across India with an additional 13 international hotels in the Maldives, Mauritius, UK, Sri Lanka, Africa and the Middle East. From world-renowned landmarks to modern business hotels, idyllic beach resorts to authentic Rajput palaces, each Taj hotel offers an unrivalled fusion of warm Indian hospitality, world-class service and modern luxury. The Taj, a symbol of Indian hospitality, has recently completed the centenary of its flagship hotel, The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Mumbai. Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is part of the Tata Group, India’s premier business house.
June 20, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Spain : The historic La Perla Hotel in Pamplona soon to be a true 5 stars hotel
Mainly famous because writer Ernest Hemingway stayed many times in northern Spain at Pamplona hotel “La Perla” where he wrote his famous novel : The Sun Also Rises, the hotel starts a complete renovation and is closed since June 1st, 2005 for about 2 years in order to become an authentic 5 stars hotel.. Several VIPs used to stay at La perla like Kings Alphonso XII and XIII, Juan de Borbon as well as famous actors, musicians and artists etc…Hemingway always stayed in room N°217 which will be refurbished with perfection exactly as it used to be originally. Hemingway had set action in both bars and cafes of Paris and the bull rings of Pamplona during the Festival of San Fermin with the running of bulls in the 1920s. The story is about a group of young Americans and English expatriats in Paris trying to enjoy their lives after the First World War. As per current hotel owners the hotel which opened in 1881 is the oldest hotel of Spain after the Oriente located in Barcelona…
June 16, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Brand new concept for Starwood Hotels & Resorts : "project XYZ"
If Starwood Hotels & Resorts gets rid of some of its major assets ( like recently the Danieli in Venice) the group develops its strategy with a new hotel brand to provide - as it is announced : “style, design and energy at comfortable rates”. Code name is "Project XYZ", and the brand is being developed by the team that created W Hotels, widely regarded as the most successful new hotel brand in decades eventhough it is mostly known in USA. “Sharing some of the characteristics of what the industry refers to as select service, the group announces XYZ will create a new category leveraging its W lineage and delivering a unique lifestyle experience which has been historically absent at this end of the hotel spectrum. Starwood is unveiling an experiential room to introduce the new brand to select real estate developers attending this week's New York University International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference. W will feature urban inspired loft-like guest-rooms, landscaped outdoor space for socializing day and night, and an energetic lounge scene, providing a lifestyle alternative to brands like Courtyard by Marriott and Hilton Garden Inn.”
June 13, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Armani & Emaar : deal done !
At 2004 Cannes Mipim exhibition Armani Hotels and Resorts and U.A.E group’s Emaar Properties announced their intention to pair together for a new fashionable Hotels & resorts concept. Now this May 31, 2005 in Milan, they both came together to sign the contract that formally sets the project in motion. Giorgio Armani, the top designer who still totally controls its fashion group, has officially granted a licence to Emaar Hotels & Resorts LLC, a subsidiary newly set up by Emaar Properties, to operate the first of a series of luxury hotels that will be established in major international cities starting from Dubaï. The first of these, a 175-room ” Armani Hotel”, is expected to open by the first quarter of 2008 at Emaar’s huge Burj Dubai tower – the world's tallest tower and the centerpiece of the Gulf regions most prestigious urban development to date located in the emirate of Dubai. Armani and Emaar plan develop and operate together a collection of other branded, mix-used properties that are unsurpassed in quality, innovation and service.
June 6, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Portugal : The Bairro Alto is opening
G.L.A’s new boutique hotel in Portugal, the Bairro Alto is currently proceeding to its soft-opening. Located in the fashionable district from which it takes its name, the Bairro Alto opened its doors in mid-May 2005. A 18th century building has been entirely restructured and now houses 55 rooms and suites decorated by Grace Leo in a well-defined style reflecting spirited Portuguese colours such as raspberry, blue and straw yellow. Marble bathrooms give a touch of opulence whilst traditional azulejos tiles are interpreted with a drop of modern-day design. Specially designed furniture in dark wood and wicker throughout the hotel and tones of ochre, amber and red make for a warm atmosphere. A restaurant specialising in contemporary Portuguese cuisine, as well as the audacious bar spread out over 3 levels is sure to become a favourite place for the happy few. A confortable meeting room and the fitness centre are situated on the top floor enjoying a panoramic view over the rooftops of the city as well as the Tage river. Hard to leave such a place !
May 31, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Starwood ready to loose ownership of HOTEL DANIELI in Venice
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has announced this May 19 that it has signed an agreement to sell the legendary 233-room Hotel Danieli in Venezia to “The Statuto Group”, a prominent Italian real estate holding company, for 177 million Euros.
Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels and Deutsche Bank advised on the deal which will take four to six months to close. Starwood has entered a long-term agreement to manage the hotel keeping it a member of its prestigious Luxury Collection. The Statuto Group, which has been operating in the Italian real estate market for more than 50 years, plans a major renovation and restoration that will keep the history of this award-winning trophy hotel alive. The Hotel Danieli, a palace synonymous with the splendour and romance of Venice, is world-renowned for its luxurious elegance and is located just steps away from the Piazza San Marco and its Basilica. The main building of the Hotel Danieli is the original 14th century palace of Doge Dandolo's family, a lavishly appointed Venetian gothic landmark. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 750 properties in more than 80 countries and 120,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.
SOURCE: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
May 23, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
France : Paris palaces new websites
Hotel de Crillon just released its new Internet site with a great deal of large images instead of long texts. The web agency, E-magineurs based in Lyon in France, was selected by Crillon palace PR manager Sophie Montier-Leboucher. Typically and like most of French luxury goods companies , the Crillon voted for an intensive use of Flash technology and the site mostly shows beautiful photos and situations of certainly one of the most famous “Place de la Concorde” hotel.
Quite simultaneously other Paris Palace, the Bristol hotel launched this month, under direction of PR Manager Pascale Adoner, its new Internet website version with a flashy fashionable green colour background. A rejuvenating treatment mixed with a very elegant music that prove even old houses can very well use the best of internet technology. Both hotels were nominated at last year very exclusive Villegiature Awards which in 2005 present a new award category : Graphic Identity…
May 11, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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France : Toulouse gets its Casino with Groupe Barriere
As the world admired last week the successful launch of A380 mega jumbo jet by Airbus, the Municipal Council of the City of Toulouse selected officially Groupe Lucien Barrière to build and operate the future casino in Toulouse. The casino will have a total surface area of 14,000 square metres and will be built on the Ile du Ramier. It will include: A table games room for roulette, black-jack etc., with space for up to 20 tables and a slot machines room that can accommodate up to 600 slot machines, four restaurants including Fouquet's, a large-capacity concert hall.At the Municipal Council meeting, Dominique Desseigne, Chairman of Groupe Lucien Barrière SAS's Supervisory Board and Strategy Committee, stated: "Helping towns to develop and grow has always been one of the underlying strategies driving Groupe Lucien Barrière and our planned location in Toulouse is part of this strategy. We aim to contribute to the dynamic growth of this booming city.”
May 9, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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USA: Park Hyatt starts new “biz”: Art with prints and sculptures.
As per newspaper USA TODAY in its May 6 first edition, for its hotels located in USA, the Park Hyatt chain is going into the art business. As of May 26, guests can purchase reproductions of pieces by contemporary artists via an in-room TV channel and the soon-to-debut fineartbyhyatt.com website. Complimentary in-room coffee-table art books and DVDs also preview what's for sale. The five dozen initial offerings range from a $350 print from British artist Gary Benfield to a $16,800 bronze by Vietnamese sculptor Tuan. Art retailing -- which has churned up big bucks on the cruise scene -- is just part of a Park Hyatt initiative to offer products with appeal to upscale travelers, starting with the bedding and bath amenities it now sells. "This is not something we are looking to make money on," says Scott Mason, director of projects for Fine Art by Hyatt. The program is a partnership with Destiny Fine Art, a Sedona, Arizona based company set up to select and sell the Hyatt art, and "we get only a small cut" of sales, he says. If art is a hit with Park Hyatt guests, it could be offered at other Hyatt properties.
May 6, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Starck and F6 are planning to launch “ STARCK HOTELS & RESORTS “
After the end of its partnership with Ian Shraeger and the Morgans Hotel Group, famous designer Philippe Starck would be settling an agreement with F6 Group. Starck and F6 - the Geneva based conglomerate owned by HH Prince Faisal FAMA Al Saud, confirmed they intend to launch a brand new concept called “ STARCK HOTELS & RESORTS “with an ambitious program of 35 properties within the next 5 years. Starck and F6 are currently negociating an exclusive Master License Agreement to develop, market and operate the brand with Philippe Starck providing all design and conceptual support. Starck Hotels would be a subsidiary of F6. F6’s CEO said, “In today’s faceless world of high technology there should still be oasis of poetry and love with a touch of whimsy that allows people to enjoy true luxury—the necessary luxury of meaningful moments with friends and family. Last year it was fashion designer Giorgio Armani who made an agreement with U.A.E group Emaar Trading with similar agreement, maybe it gave ideas to Philippe…
May 3, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Sol Melia does everything to attract newlyweds in its american resorts
Sol Melia Hotels & Resorts introduces “Weddings by Sol Melia”, a destination weddings program that lets couples choose from a free wedding program, or add customized services especially designed to make their dream day special and unique. Available at some of Sol Melia's most romantic destinations throughout Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America, Weddings by Sol Melia offers two exceptional experiences at their four and five star rated hotels and resorts, the Melia and Paradisus. Each property's wedding specialist assists in coordinating every detail, from marriage documents, catering and decor, to a horse-drawn carriage ride and candlelit couple's massage. As stated by Ron Roy, Vice-President of Marketing, Sol Group Corporation. "Our program offers a myriad of discerning services and amenities amid the backdrop of exotic and dramatic beachside or mountainside panoramas." Besides the essentials, the free wedding program includes a welcome bottle of wine and fruit basket, private couples dinner under the moon and stars, French champagne, and breakfast in bed. For further information on Weddings by Sol Melia, please contact by email weddingsinparadise@sol-group.com.
May 2, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Heston Blumenthal : a new scientific phenomenon for Haute Cuisine
The 39 years old “techno-grand-chef” is getting awards and recognition from all over the world. He got its 3rd star from Michelin guide this year fo its FAT DUCK restaurant located 40 minutes west of London and is getting a press coverage that only stars like Alain Ducasse or Ferran Adria enjoy. With a full page in this week edition of legendary Time Magazine where he is gently nicknamed “Madman in the kitchen”, writer Josh Tyrangiel explains how Blumenthal uses science at the highest level to make for example the taste of caviar enhanced by a chocolate adjunction ! What an “accord” !
When we learn that the chef gets many of its ideas from its relation with the swiss group Firmenich – specialized in production of the best flavours and fragrances in the world ( i.e for famous houses like Calvin Klein or Chanel), everyone should be intrigued by this new style of “techno cuisine” that bring some kind of fresh air.
April 28, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Geneva symbol "Hotel des Bergues" half owned by a Malaysian conglomerate
The Geneva famous Palace “Hotel des Bergues” currently achieving complete renovation under design direction of French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon and management of Four Seasons conceded a 50% stake to WHI (Worldwide Hotel Investments Group ) a Malaysian investment company depending of the Usaha Group. Four Seasons currently manages 65 hotels and resorts in 28 countries.
The hotel gathers 122 rooms and is traditionally the favourite meeting point of the international finance gotha. In the heart of Geneva, the hotel has been a landmark on the Rhône river since 1834. Four Seasons announces “it will blend a revitalised sense of history with the essentials of today’s plasma-screen, broadband world – and warm, sophisticated, intuitive service.” It is planned to re-open next September 2005.
April 22, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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LUXURY TRAVEL: Rolls-Royce and Maybach need to sell more cars to be profitable
The last and first (hope it's not the first and last) Rolls-Royce car by BMW is so close to be…a failure that it might become a real shame for its proud and powerful owner. Most specialists agree that in order to be profitable sales should be at least at about a 1000 units per year while the group announces sales of nearly 800 units of its unique model, the Phantom. Rolls-Royce's rival Maybach, which is part of the Mercedes Car Group, reported even worse sales of only 500 units last year while Mercedes target also was 1,000 units… Times are really hard even though it’s impossible to miss these enormous cars lining up in front of Paris, Geneva or London palaces !
Recently interviewed by Automotive News Europe, Stefan Krause, BMW's board member in charge of finance, mentioned that he believes Rolls-Royce will become profitable in the long term, helped by two new models, a stretched Phantom and a convertible. "We calculate the margins over the entire model cycle. If we miss the target in one year, we have to exceed it in the future," Krause said at the company's financial results conference. "2004 was still a year for developing the brand and the dealer network.” Indeed for example till end of last year France still had no Rolls-Royce dealer…!
Rolls-Royce expects its new convertible, which probably will be called the Corniche, to account for 30% to 40% of the company's annual production. Sales are likely to start in the third quarter of 2006. The stretched Phantom was unveiled at the Geneva motor show last month and goes on sale shortly this year.
April 19, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Milan Design 2005 Fair : INTERNA lauches its COLLECTIONS with big names like Jacques Garcia, Isao Hosoe, Alfredo Haberli, Franco Poli, Uwe Fisher etc.
Last week during Salone Internazionale del Mobile, famous italian contractor INTERNA introduced its brand new "Interna Collection". The newly born INTERNA COLLECTION is an innovative furnishing concept for turn-key furnishing and design solutions for luxury hotels and resorts, SPAs etc. It gathers 200 design concepts divided in 3 different lines:
- Traditional, inspired by the 19th and earlier 20th Centuries;
- Transitional, the classical seen through modern eyes;
- Contemporary, which harnesses the creative talents of five top contemporary designers (Uwe Fischer, Alfredo Häberli, Isao Hosoe, Franco Poli e Hannes Wettstein).
JACQUES GARCIA : LES CLASSIQUES
Alongside with these three lines, INTERNA produces exclusive 'Designer Monograph' series. The first of these 'Monographs' is dedicated to the Parisian mega-star designer Jacques Garcia and the collection of its 60 typical Garcia units is... definitively impressive !
April 18, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Spanish Group NH HOTELES expands aggressively :
NH Hoteles Group expands actively this quarter. With an opening in April in London, where NH took over the prestigious Harrington Hall. NH Hoteles strenthen also its positions in Spain where two new hotels open in the suburb of Madrid
- a 62-rooms three-stars unit "NH Pacífico"
- a 102-room four-stars unit "NH Alcorcón".
Since last december the spanish Group is renovating the NH Almenara at the Sotogrande resort in southwest Spain which is plqnned to re-open end of this month.
April 16, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Mega spanish star : Chef, Ferran Adria (El Bulli) is faithful to NH Hoteles Group.
With its new high profile “fast-good” concept first installed at Madrid NH Hotel , Ferran Adria wants to expand this success all over the world.
Starting in South America with the NH Hotel of Stantiago del Chile, NH Hoteles is forecasting 5 other restaurants in Mexico, in Colombia, in Peru and in Argentina. The “Fast-Good” concept is of course available at a different price of the usual “fast-Food” restaurants, but Adria uses the best of the best fresh raw materials and mixes them with his unique talent in salads, burgers, desserts that you can appreciate….quickly !
April 15, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Venice : The Boscolo luxury hotel "Dei Bogi " launches the season
The 5 star luxury of Hotel Dei Dogi presents several very attractive offers at this "primavera" so pleasant period in Venice to discover the wonders of the city of lovers with a free excursion by private motorboat to Murano island, a free gondola trip and many other benefits: welcome gift, late checkout, entrance to Peggy Guggenheim Museum and more… The Dei Dogi is located in a 17 th -century palatial building that previously served as a French and Savoy embassy, just few minutes from the center of Venice, the Dei Dogi occupies an exclusive spot overlooking the Lagoon and close to the Rialto.
Exemple of package : the “Weekend Getaway” one which includes 2 nights from 530 € per room
April 14, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Amsterdam : Grand opening of The College Hotel****
Located on the border of Amsterdam 's main museum and stylish shopping area, The College Hotel is the last achievement of the Stein Group in Amsterdam. The Stein Group already controls the very unique " Dylan" formely known as the Blakes.
The College Hotel has just been totally refurbished by the Stein Group favorite designers Gerard Glintmeijer and Colin Finnegan (FJStijl ). With its private courtyard and 40 rooms and suites located in a former school building, this "boutique hotel" has already obtain major design award in Holland. A sense of history is mirrored in the tall ceilings, comforting fireplaces ad stretching staircases.
Service is provided by young professionals from the Amsterdam Hotelschool and the school for Tourism and Bakery. The elegant lounge hosts a bar committed to the creation of exquisitely mixed cocktails, and its gourmet restaurant located in the former gymnasium pays homage to the Golden Age of Dutch Cuisine.
The College Hotel perfectly blends Amsterdam 's aristocratic style of times gone by with the energy, design and glamour that marks this city as a youthful Mecca .
http://www.thecollegehotel.com
April 13, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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New Intinaries highlight STAR CLIPPERS’ summer med season :
MIAMI - This summer in Europe, travelers can journey to the hidden harbors, sun-kissed beaches and secret hideaways of the Mediterranean on board a true sailing ship.
Star Clippers is offering seven-, 10- and 11-night itineraries from May through October on flagship Royal Clipper, Star Clipper and Star Flyer to a variety of ports including some of today's hottest destinations. The 10- and 11-night itineraries aboard Star Clipper are new combinations that bring together the best of the Western Mediterranean. Offering an enticing menu of choices, the 170-passenger Star Clipper is sailing Western Mediterranean itineraries that combine the old and the new. The two different seven-night round-trip Cannes voyages include calls at Corsica, Italy, Monaco and France.
Star Clipper’s new 10- and 11-night round-trip Cannes adventures were put together to offer the finest ports throughout the Med. The 10-night voyages include calls at Calvi and Bonifacio, Corsica; Palermo, Sicily; Lipari, Aeolian Islands; Sorrento, Capri and Portoferraio, Italy; and St. Tropez, France. The 11- night voyages include calls at St. Florent and Bonifacio, Corsica; Palermo and Taormina, Sicily; Sorrento, Italy; Calvi, Corsica; and St. Tropez, France. For an itinerary with a Spanish flavor, Star Clipper sails a 10-night Lisbon to Cannes trip with calls at Portimao, Portugal; Cadiz, Motril, Ibiza and Majorca, Spain; Tangier, Morocco; and St. Tropez, France.
April 12, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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The Wine Women Awards will reward women's achievements in the wines' world.
The Wine Women Awards will celebrate in June 2005 a new vision of wine.
In a profession still largely dominated by men, women who select and serve wines are asserting themselves, sharing their knowledge, and proving their competence and originality. A world of pleasure and sensuality, curiosity and sharing, wine is taking pride in its feminine side. This competition seeks to reward women whose passion and professionalism might otherwise have gone without the recognition they deserve.
The Wine Women Awards is an initiative of the French restaurant guide Le Bottin Gourmand, in partnership with few prestigious sponsors including Moët & Chandon Champagne.
April 11, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Paris Grand Hotel Inter-Continental launches "le Cinq Cents Feuilles" pastry
Nearly 150 years after its Café de la Paix opening, the Inter-Continental Grand Hotel luxury brasserie which has just been fully renovated launches the "Cinq Cents Feuilles" : delicate range of pastries standing like the big Millefeuille little brothers. With 6 different flavours ( classique - like a mini Millefeuilles, Rose and Raspberries, Araguani Chocolate, Colombia coffee, Spicies, Prazer Açucrado) these creations from Chef Pâtissier Carl Marletti are the exact light sweets anyone will appreciate after a good lunch or dinner.
An innovation that might give ideas to other chefs regarding some quite "heavy" french pastries !
April 5, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Hilton starts brand-new operations in Portugal
Hilton International is starting its operations in Portugal with the Vilamoura resort on the Algarve. Hilton signed a 20-year contract with Imocom Turismo to manage the Hilton Vilamoura As Cascatas Resort & Spa. This mixed-use complex, which will include a 160-room, five-star hotel and 69 serviced apartments, is due to open at the start of 2007.
Portuguese real estate firm Imocom Group purchased the site two years ago and thought from the outset that a high-quality resort would be built there. The group's financial commitment will ultimately run to more than €75 million.
April 4, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com
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Appointment : Javier Benito, Chief Marketing Officer for Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) announced yesterday the appointment of former Coca Cola and Procter & Gamble executive Javier Benito to Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the global hotel giant. Mr. Benito, 42, will report to Steven J. Heyer, Starwood's Chief Executive Officer.
In his new role at Starwood, Mr. Benito will be responsible for all aspects of marketing worldwide. He will work closely with Mr. Heyer to redefine brand positioning for Westin, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, The Luxury Collection, St. Regis and W Hotels.
"I've had the great pleasure to work with Javier for several years and there is no one I'd rather have lead Starwood's marketing and branding activities during this seminal point in the company's young history," said Mr. Heyer. "Javier is a passionate executive who thoughtfully breaks old rules and creates new ones, which gels perfectly with our desire to move from functional to emotionally relevant branding that will transform Starwood's stable of well known trademarks to highly-valued brands."
March 30, 2005 / LeisureTracker.com