Category Archives: Hotels

IHG has announced opening of Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace in partnership with Dur Hospitality. The 304-room hotel adds to the growing portfolio of IHG hotels in Saudi Arabia. Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace is strategically located in the Ministries Quarter, a popular business district that is close to major Saudi financial institutions and government offices. The hotel is located 15 minutes from King Fahd Stadium and the King Fahd Cultural Centre, and is less than 30 minutes’ drive from King Khalid International Airport, making it easily accessible for visitors to the city. Productivity and rejuvenation go hand in hand at the Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace, which is redefining the business travel experience and offering a comprehensive range of facilities to meet the needs of corporate and MICE travelers. For those in town on business, the hotel features five meeting rooms spanning 1,400 sqm and a dedicated team to execute seamless events. With free Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel, the guests can stay connected to their business or home. Additionally, the 24-hour business center is fully equipped with the latest technology and amenities, providing a great working space to the hotel guests. During downtime, guests can enjoy the hotel’s outdoor pool, Club Lounge or rejuvenate and relax at the spa. The guests staying at the hotel can keep their workouts on track at the well-equipped fitness centre.

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has invited its guests around the globe to join its efforts to mark World Environment Day on June 5. From beach clean ups and tree planting to fun recycling projects and organic gardening, the hospitality firm’s hotel teams across the globe are embracing the United Nations initiative with a raft of events. Selected properties across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East have planned a vast range of activities in support of the UN initiative, which encourages worldwide awareness and action for the protection of the environment. This year’s theme is ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’– a call to action to combat one of today’s greatest environmental challenges, with plastic pollution posing a significant threat to natural places, wildlife and human health. Mövenpick – the world’s most Green Globe certified hotel company – aims to raise awareness of this and other major environmental issues by staging a variety of educational and practical activities at several properties worldwide on June 5, with guests of all ages invited to join its hotel teams to take part.

Minor International (MINT) announced that it has acquired 30,000,000 shares in NH Hotel Group in a transaction valued at EUR 192 million, which together with its existing shareholding will increase MINT’s stake in NH Hotel Group to 8.6% on a fully diluted basis. NH Hotel Group is on a strong growth trajectory as it has successfully enhanced operational efficiencies across its group in recent years and is also now benefitting from the improving European macroeconomic outlook, both of which have been reflected in its strengthening financial results and rising ADRs. In particular, its four main clusters, Spain, Benelux, Central Europe and Italy, have been, and will continue to be, the drivers for solid growth going forward. The investment in NH Hotel Group also marks a strategic progression given MINT’s current presence in Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Europe. The investment in NH Hotel Group is a further move into Europe by MINT following its earlier expansion into Portugal and Brazil through the acquisition of Tivoli Hotels & Resorts in 2016, and one that is complementary to the geographical footprint of MINT’s pre-investment portfolio. NH Hotel Group has a portfolio of 382 hotels and resorts with 59,350 keys spanning across 30 countries in Europe, the Americas and Africa. The NH and NH Collection brands have gained fast-growing recognition, particularly in Europe, with the strong potential to expand its footprint and enhance its reputation even further globally.

The Ascott Limited (Ascott) has secured a second property under the Citadines brand in Turkey: Citadines Maslak Istanbul, scheduled to open in Q2 2019. The newly built serviced residence is in Maslak 1453, one of Europe’s largest lifestyle developments and one of Istanbul’s main business and leisure districts. This is the same development as Somerset Maslak Istanbul – Ascott’s first property that opened in Turkey, last year. The property is ideally located in the city’s major commercial hub, which is home to many multinational corporations, such as Ericsson, Cisco and Ford, as well as educational institutions including Nisantasi University and Istanbul Technical University. Popular leisure destinations close to the the property include the mall Istinye Park, which offers 291 retail stores and food bazaar, sports stadium Türk Telecom Arena that houses football club Galatasaray SK; and the Istanbul Sapphire, an integrated development comprising retail and residential components. “Istanbul is a thriving city, for both business and leisure,” says Vincent Miccolis, Ascott’s Regional General Manager for the Middle East, Africa and Turkey. “It has increasingly become an attractive destination for investors and multinational corporations as a regional hub, and the number of tourists visiting is on the rise. Our research shows that occupancy levels have been gradually recovering since 2017. This, when coupled with the current deficiency in quality serviced apartments in the region, gives us confidence that Citadines Maslak Istanbul can meet the demands of the mid-market hospitality sector.”

Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi’s new luxurious beachfront resort, will open on November 11, 2018. Surrounded by natural beauty, the  beachfront resort is just 10 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and 20 minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport. Located on a stunning island, overlooking turquoise waters and protected sand dunes, the 293 room hotel values sustainable tourism and will be plastic bottle and plastic straw free. In partnership with Trust Your Water, the hotel will provide solutions to eliminate the need for single use plastic water bottles. Proposed measures include complimentary, reusable plastic bottles for all guests who will be encouraged to refill at water stations throughout the hotel. In addition, local filtered water will be served in glass bottles throughout the resort. The modern and light rooms feature expansive sea views and six panoramic suites offer floor-to-ceiling glass walls which can open up to take advantage of the sea breeze. The eight food and beverage outlets include the chic all-day dining venue White for buffets and live cooking stations; Mare Mare for fresh and authentic Italian summer food; Levantine inspired TEAN for mezzes and grills next to the beach and Al Majilis for a cup of rich roasted coffee and patisseries.

Travellers can now expedite the check-in process at any AVANI Hotels & Resorts property around the world as the hotel group has just launched its latest online check-in available prior to arrival. With each completed booking at www.avanihotels.com, guests will receive an option to complete a pre-arrival online check-in. The online check-in process is swift and secure – guests will arrive at the property to find their room and key card ready for immediate occupancy. At select AVANI properties, a dedicated lane will be available for those who completed the online process for an even faster check-in. Some properties have special welcomes for guests who complete their check-in online, at AVANI+ Luang Prabang, there will be special welcome cocktails, served by the pool, under a hundred-year-old Banyan tree; at AVANI Riverside Bangkok, guests can relax with a welcome drink at the comfy living space by reception before going to their room where they will find special room amenities. Guests can also take make additional requests during their online check-in to ensure the perfect stay. Whether it is extra down pillows, airport transfers, or exploration tips, AVANI can ensure a seamless arrival experience. AVANI Hotels & Resorts currently operates 23 properties in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, most recently debuting in Australia, New Zealand, and Laos. The brand has a strong pipeline of new properties under development including in new destinations such as South Korea, Tunisia, the Maldives, Mauritius, and Oman.

Campbell Gray Hotels is set to open The Merchant House in Manama, Bahrain in September 2018. The Merchant House will be an all-suite boutique hotel with 47 suites in total, each featuring an open plan kitchen and dining area, as well as open plan sitting rooms which have been designed to be ideal for both business and leisure. As with all Campbell Gray Hotels, artwork will be a prominent feature of the interior design and Gordon Campbell Gray has, over the past year, been putting together an exciting art collection comprising of well-established Bahraini artists as well as new and upcoming young talent from both Bahrain and the region. The design is, as with all Campbell Gray Hotels, completely original and has been created specifically for The Merchant House and working within the framework of this unusual building. The design is very much of a garden – very unexpected and very green – and the feel is of a little magic kingdom on the roof; very easy and relaxed, as is the food. There is also a rooftop pool and a gym, as well as a small boardroom for meetings and private events. Every aspect of the hotel has been planned and designed to be fun and relaxed and perfect for the location, being near the Old Customs House and the financial district.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has announced that it will manage a new resort and branded residences in Muscat, which is expected to open in 2021. Mandarin Oriental, Muscat will feature 150 guestrooms and suites, five restaurants and bars, a Spa at Mandarin Oriental and an outdoor swimming pool. A variety of banqueting and meeting spaces will accommodate social and business events. The group will also manage 155 Residences at Mandarin Oriental, which will feature some of the most select private apartments in the capital ranging from 75 to 260 square metres. The property will be located on the beach in a prime city location and the low-rise architectural design will take full advantage of the views over the Arabian sea. The developer is Eagle Hills Muscat, a private real estate investment and development company. “Muscat is an entrancing destination with character, charm and an abundance of visitor attractions. We are delighted to have the opportunity to expand our brand presence on the Arabian Peninsula with this exciting project in partnership with Eagle Hills,” said James Riley, Group Chief Executive, Mandarin Oriental. “We look forward to bringing Mandarin Oriental’s legendary service standards to Muscat,” he added. “We are proud to be entering the Omani market, with our first project in the country. As we take this step, we are pleased to be working in partnership with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, one of the most prestigious names in hospitality,” said Low Ping, CEO, Eagle Hills.

The AA Al Moosa pavilion welcomed the visit of His Highness Sheikh Humaid Bin Ammar Al Nuaimi of Ajman who was received by Abdullah Ahmed Al Moosa, founder and owner of AA Al Moosa Enterprises, and expressed his fascination by the portfolio and history of the company, and the iconis three upcoming hotels in the Palm. The pavilion drew a large number of visitors and served as a key platform for networking and meetings between government officials, key chain hotels executives, major tour operators, partners and representatives of leading travel and tourism companies. The highlight of the group’s participation was the unveiling of three iconic hotel projects that will be opening on the Palm namely Hilton The Palm, TAJ Exotica Resort & Spa and Marriott The Palm. The hotels with a target opening of 2019 will bring an additional 1,500 rooms and suites to the current inventory of hotel rooms in Dubai and will increase the company’s portfolio to a total of 4730 rooms. In addition to Hilton The Palm, TAJ Exotica Resort & Spa and Marriott The Palm, other hotel properties that the Group currently owned were represented at the show such as Hilton Jumeirah Beach, Hilton Salalah, Hilton Creek, Four Points by Sheraton Sheikh Zayed Road, Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai, Ramada Plaza JBR, Ramada Hotel & Suites Sharjah and Crowne Plaza Muscat.

Mövenpick Holding has announced that it has agreed with its partner Kingdom Holding, to sell Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts to AccorHotels. Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has expanded its international presence and today manages more than 20,000 rooms in 84 hotels across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. With 42 additional hotels under development and to open by 2021, the group will further expand its footprint across these continents. With the integration into AccorHotels, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts will continue its long history of success and accelerate its further growth. Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts will have access to a world-renowned customer loyalty programme, benefit from new sales channels and will be able to increase the operational performance of its managed properties. AccorHotels is to pay CHF 560 million for Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals. It should be completed in the second half of 2018. Mövenpick Holding will continue on its strong growth path with Mövenpick Fine Foods, Mövenpick Wein and Marche International.