Hotel News Professional and Inclusive Hospitality Group

Official news agency of Iran Hotel Industry

Search result...

Blue Sky Hospitality Acquires Two Marriott Hotels

U.S. hotel owner/operator Blue Sky Hospitality (BSHS) has acquired the 220-room New Orleans Marriott Metairie at Lakeway, La., and the 615-room Long Island Marriott in Uniondale, N.Y. The New Orleans Marriott Metairie at Lakeway is situated in the hub of Metairie’s central business district and a few miles from Audubon Aquarium of America, New Orleans Botanical Gardens–City Park, and the French Quarter. A complete renovation program is scheduled to take place over the next three years. The Long Island Marriott is a recently renovated Nassau County hotel in Uniondale near the LIRR and within a short distance of Hofstra University, Cradle of Aviation Museum, and Jones Beach State Park. “The hotel cycle is maturing, which creates growth opportunities for experienced operators and investors with a contrarian approach to the industry,” said David Fincannon, COO, BSHS. “We have accumulated a substantial portfolio of managed and owned properties in just six months, and we have a substantial appetite to do more. We currently own and operate all 52 properties in our portfolio and now have the infrastructure, operating systems, and structure to take on third-party management contracts. As we grow, we will pivot to focus predominantly on operations on behalf of other ownership groups.”

Create: Aug 10, 2019 Edit: Aug 21, 2019 International News

Accor to open first Raffles in Bahrain

Accor has announced plans to debut its luxury Raffles brand in the Kingdom of Bahrain. It will see the conversion of the luxury Al Areen Palace and Spa, pictured above, though a timeline has not been given. Accor and hotel operators GFH Financial Group said that property alterations would include the refurbishment of 56 one-bedroom Desert Pool Villas and 22 two-bedroom Royal Pool Villas. Two more dining options will be added to the current four and the 10,000 sqm spa will be renovated. Nearby venues include the Bahrain International F1 Circuit and the new Bahrain Exhibition and Convention Centre. Raffles currently has two properties in the Middle East, in Dubai and Mecca. Another is set to open in 2021, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Its other hotels are in the Cambodian cities of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap; the Chinese cities of Hainan and Shenzen; the Indonesian capital Jakarta; the Philippine capital Manila; Praslin in the Seychelles; Meradhoo Island in the Maldives; and Paris, Warsaw and Istanbul in Europe. The original Raffles hotel in Singapore, which opened in 1887, is set to reopen on August 1 following a two-year renovation. Eight new destinations are scheduled to join the brand’s portfolio in the coming years, including Udaipur in India and Boston in the US. “We are delighted to partner with GFH Financial Group, one of the leading investment houses in the Gulf region, to debut the Raffles brand in Bahrain, a destination which has emerged as a sophisticated option for discerning travellers from the Gulf and all over the world,” said Mark Willis, Accor’s CEO for the Middle East and Africa. “This continued growth signals a remarkable new chapter in the success story of Raffles, a revered global luxury brand with an illustrious history and a reputation for extraordinary properties in the world’s best cities and most sought after resort locales; the Kingdom is a natural fit for the exclusive Arabia-meets-Asia palatial retreat experience that we have planned.”

Create: Jul 21, 2019 Edit: Aug 2, 2019 International News

Yotel to debut in Australia

Yotel has announced plans for its first property in Australia, located within walking distance of Melbourne’s central business district. The 244-room Yotel Melbourne is scheduled to open in 2022, on City Road in the city’s Southbank district. Facilities will include the group’s signature Komyuniti public space for co-working, informal meetings and relaxing, as well as an outdoor terrace, gym, and viewing deck with restaurant and bar. Commenting on the news Hubert Viriot, CEO of Yotel said: “Over the past two years, we have been actively searching for the right locations and partners to roll out our brands in Australia, a key market for our global expansion and a key feeder market for our hotels in the US, Singapore and the UK. “With solid market fundamentals and global appeal, Melbourne is the perfect gateway to launch our first property in the country. Moreover, we are delighted to enter the market with (owner and developer) Cornerstone Partners Group, an international leader in hospitality and real estate investments.” “Australia is a very sophisticated hotel market with strong stakeholders; however, we believe the affordable luxury segment has been underserved and that’s what Yotel intends to solve. “Yotel Melbourne will serve as a launching pad for our brand across the country, following a similar strategy as what we did in the USA, where we first opened a property in New York in 2011 and now have ten hotels under management with extensive operational synergies and strong distribution channels. “We are already exploring development opportunities in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth and we are confident we will soon have a robust hotel pipeline in place, targeting both our international customer base as well as the domestic market.” The Yotel brand launched in 2007 at Gatwick airport, and there are currently 30 properties either operating or under development, with plans to increase this to 60 by 2023. The group’s first Yotelpad is set to open in Switzerland next year, and Yotelair properties recently opened at Istanbul and Singapore Changi’s airports.

Create: Jul 21, 2019 Edit: Aug 2, 2019 International News

Hakkasan Group has added two executive chefs to its corporate roster

Hakkasan Group has added two executive chefs to its corporate roster:Andrew Yeo, corporate executive chef; and Chen-Wei Chan, executive chef special projects, U.S. Yeo, with more than 20 years of experience and training, will oversee the Cantonese brands in the group’s Asian Luxury collection, including Hakkasan, Yauatcha and Ling Ling. Chan, who has more than 15 years of experience, will support the execution of the company’s U.S. restaurants: Hakkasan New York, Hakkasan San Francisco, Hakkasan Miami, Hakkasan Las Vegas and Yauatcha Houston.

Create: Jul 2, 2019 Edit: Jul 3, 2019 International News

Higueron Hotel Malaga, Curio Collection, opens doors in Spain

Hilton has unveiled its latest Spanish property, Higueron Hotel Malaga, Curio Collection. From the city that gave the world Picasso, the new hotel boasts 177 guest rooms, Malaga’s only sustainable Michelin-starred restaurant and jaw-dropping views of the Mediterranean Sea. Nestled behind the breath-taking Montes de Malaga, the hotel is conveniently located near Malaga’s vibrant city centre. Famously known as the heart of the Costa del Sol, the city offers something for guests of all ages, with its unique art districts, pristine sandy beaches and lively nightlife. “Malaga is one of Europe’s most popular destinations, with 12.5 million tourists flocking to its sunny shores last year,” said Simon Vincent, president, EMEA, Hilton. “With €1 in every €7 generated from travel and tourism in Spain, we are excited to expand our portfolio by 50 per cent in the next three to five years.” Each of the hotel’s elegant guest rooms feature unique Spanish touches, such as original lithography made with local materials. The hotel is set to add an additional 113 premium suites in 2020, bringing the total number of rooms available up to 290. With six different restaurants and bars, guests can savour fantastic farm-to-table produce and local dining. The Michelin-starred Sollo by Diego Gallegos serves innovative dishes based on river fish and caviar, all cultivated onsite at the hotel’s own hydroponic farm. “Higueron Hotel Malaga is the latest hotspot in the beautiful Costa del Sol, offering a truly unique experience to wind down and explore everything this remarkable location has to offer,” said Mark Nogal, global head, Curio Collection by Hilton.

Create: Jul 2, 2019 Edit: Jul 3, 2019 International News

Alaedin Travel Online Reservation

The brand of Alaedin Travel portrays the will power of Iranian youth and was formed based on knowledge and experience gained by Amir Hassan Jafari, CEO of Alaedin Travel, during 17 years. The ideals are totally in contact with knowledge based programs and expertise available in tourism industry. We are keen on proposing unique recommendations and our priority is to show Iran to avid tourists worldwide. We plan to build up a traveling dynamics to analyze and control a wide range of domestic and international tours. Our magic lamp surely fulfills every command of yours. CONTACT AlaedinTravel AlaedinTravel AlaedinTravel AlaedinTravel Alaedin.Travel Info@Alaedin.Travel +982174495 +9821 262 53 991 Artemis Farmanieh Complex,North Pasdaran Ave.

Create: Jun 19, 2019 Edit: Jun 9, 2020 Regional Online Reservations

What is Coffee?

Everyone recognizes a roasted coffee bean, but you might not recognize an actual coffee plant. White flowers on coffee tree Coffee trees are pruned short to conserve their energy and aid in harvesting, but can grow to more than 30 feet (9 meters) high. Each tree is covered with green, waxy leaves growing opposite each other in pairs. Coffee cherries grow along the branches. Because it grows in a continuous cycle, it’s not unusual to see flowers, green fruit and ripe fruit simultaneously on a single tree. It takes nearly a year for a cherry to mature after first flowering, and about 5 years of growth to reach full fruit production. While coffee plants can live up to 100 years, they are generally the most productive between the ages of 7 and 20. Proper care can maintain and even increase their output over the years, depending on the variety. The average coffee tree produces 10 pounds of coffee cherry per year, or 2 pounds of green beans.

Create: May 15, 2019 Edit: May 28, 2019 Coffee Shop

New DACH-focused conglomerate makes maiden hotel purchase in Hamburg

In a bid to create solid long-term investments, the Bayerische Versorgungskammer (BVK) has partnered with GBI AG, a German project development company, to invest in and manage hotel properties in Europe’s Germany (D), Austria (A), and Switzerland (CH) — or DACH — region via a fund created by Frankfurt-based Universal-Investment. The new fund’s strategy is to build a high-value, long-term portfolio. An initial investment of €500 million ($560 million) will go towards this goal. With about €77 billion ($98 billion) of managed funds, the BVK is one of Germany’s most important institutional investors. BUILDING A NEW PORTFOLIO The collaboration between GBI and BVK officially began in early 2019 when the purchase of the fund’s first hotel property, the Lindner Hotel Am Michel in Hamburg, was decided. “Set in a perfect downtown location in one of Germany’s most dynamic hospitality markets, this 4-star hotel is a fitting first step for the fund,” says Simon Behr, Director of Fund Management & Transaction at GBI AG. Opened in 2008, the 4-star hotel set in Neanderstreet has 259 modern rooms and comes with a large events and conference space with seven meeting rooms. After being run by Lloyd Fonds AG for over 10 years, it has now been sold to BVK’s new fund.

Create: May 12, 2019 Edit: May 14, 2019 International News

AB Hotels reclaims Crowne Plaza Colchester Hotel back as independent

AB Hotels, headed up the Bejerano family, has moved its Essex hotel back to independent status after seven years operating under the Crowne Plaza brand. The four-star Crowne Plaza Colchester Five Lakes hotel, which was acquired by AB Hotels in 1994, has also reclaimed its original name and will now be known as Five Lakes Resort. AB Hotels director, Rafi Bejerano said that the decision was made to ‘move away from the corporate approach of a branded hotel’ and restore the ‘personal touch and family feel’ associated with AB Hotels. “Being independent again gives us the opportunity to be more flexible, dynamic and respond quickly to the needs of the market,” he said. “The response has been tremendous so far and we are looking forward to re-establishing direct personal relationships with our agents, suppliers and loyal customers.” The news comes just a few months after the family decided to sell their London property, The Arch, to StayWell Holdings, a hotel and leisure company in Japan. AB Hotels also owns Sopwell House in St Albans, Hertfordshire.

Create: May 11, 2019 Edit: May 14, 2019 International News

Vienna House buys 17 city hotels from arcona

In addition to eight arcona Living and four arcona Hotels, the purchase also concerns the five Steigenberger operations of franchisor Deutsche Hospitality as well as two projects in Greifswald and Mannheim. "The arcona city hotels fit perfectly into the portfolio of Vienna House. Here two partners have found each other who are focusing on their brand positioning, who want to grow meaningfully from it and who also get along splendidly," said Rupert Simoner, CEO of Vienna House. All employees of the affected arcona city hotels will be taken over by Vienna House. The hotels will be managed as lease operations under the umbrella brand Vienna House. Vinenna House, the largest Austrian hotel group, currently operates and is developing more than 40 hotels in Europe with a focus on city hotels under the brands Vienna House, Vienna House Easy and Vienna House R.evo. In contrast, arcona managing director Alexander Winter is looking to the holiday hotel sector. Remaining in the arcona portfolio are six hotels in destinations such as Sylt, Kitzbühel and Rügen as well as the Hotel Elephant in Weimar and the Romantik Hotel at Wartburg Castle in Eisenach. An important growth driver in the future will be Barefoot Hotels, as arcona recently signed a long-term agreement with Barefoot founder Til Schweiger for the worldwide implementation of the concept as a licensee. "With the remaining houses and the Barefoot concept, we will now be concentrating fully on the growing holiday hotel market and successfully embarking on the future together with our employees," said arcona founder Alexander Winter. A total of 20 Barefoot hotels are to be opened over the next ten years.

Create: May 7, 2019 Edit: May 14, 2019 International News

Ascott Limited Hotel

The Ascott Limited is a Singapore company that has grown to be one of the leading international lodging owner-operators. It has more than 58,000 operating units in key cities of the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as over 42,000 units which are under development, making a total of more than 100,000 units in over 660 properties. The company’s serviced residence and hotel brands include Ascott, Citadines, Somerset, Quest, The Crest Collection, lyf, HARRIS, FOX HARRIS, YELLO, POP!, Préférence and HARRIS Vertu. Its portfolio spans more than 170 cities across over 30 countries. Ascott’s properties can be found in cities including New York, London, Paris, Brussels, Berlin and Barcelona in Europe; Singapore, Bangkok, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong in Asia; Melbourne and Perth in Australia, Bangalore and Chennai in India; Dubai, Doha and Manama in the Middle East as well as Ghana in Africa. Ascott, a wholly owned subsidiary of CapitaLand Limited, pioneered Asia Pacific’s first international-class serviced residence with the opening of The Ascott Singapore in 1984. In 2006, it established the world’s first Pan-Asian serviced residence real estate investment trust, Ascott Residence Trust. Today, the company boasts over 30 years of industry track record and award-winning brands that enjoy recognition worldwide. Ascott’s achievements have been recognised internationally. Recent awards include DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards 2019 for ‘Best Serviced Residence Brand’; World Travel Awards 2018 for ‘Leading Serviced Apartment Brand’ in Asia, Europe and the Middle East; TTG China Travel Awards 2018 for ‘Best Serviced Residence Operator in China’; Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Awards 2018 for ‘Best Serviced Residence Brand’; Business Traveller UK Awards 2018 for ‘Best Serviced Apartment Company’ and Business Traveller China Awards 2018 for ‘Best Luxury Serviced Residence Brand’. For a full list of awards, please visit https://www.the-ascott.com/ascottlimited/awards.html. As an employer, The Ascott Limited is proud to be recognised by Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) as a Human Capital Partner (HCPartner), and commended for our efforts in investing in human capital development and adopting fair and progressive workplace practices. Ascott’s parent company, CapitaLand is one of Asia’s largest real estate companies. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, it is an owner and manager of a global portfolio worth over S$100 billion as at 31 December 2018, comprising integrated developments, shopping malls, lodging, offices, homes, real estate investment trusts (REITs) and funds. CapitaLand's market capitalisation is approximately S$13 billion as at 31 December 2018. Present across more than 180 cities in over 30 countries, the Group focuses on Singapore and China as core markets, while it continues to expand in markets such as Vietnam, Europe and the U.S. CapitaLand’s competitive advantage is its significant asset base and extensive market network. Coupled with extensive design, development and operational capabilities, the Group develops and manages high-quality real estate products and services. It also has one of the largest investment management businesses in Asia and a stable of five REITs listed in Singapore and Malaysia – CapitaLand Mall Trust, CapitaLand Commercial Trust, Ascott Residence Trust, CapitaLand Retail China Trust and CapitaLand Malaysia Mall Trust.loyalty program was known as Radisson Rewards. CONTACT FourSeasons FourSeasons Ascott.The.Residence The-Ascott.com

Create: May 7, 2019 Edit: Jan 12, 2020 International Hotel Chains

Croatian hotel and spa opens its doors

Described as "a new ultraluxe hospitality project created by renowned Croatian entrepreneur Pavo Zubak" the spa element has been created by international spa consultants Illyria Wellness. "Two thousand years ago, a water springs goddess named Ika was revered all along this coastline. Today, Ika's springs still rise up through the salty Adriatic in the place that bears her name," said Liz Ugrin, co-founder of Illyria Wellness. "The Amber Road of the ancients also passed through this place, so as I set out to define the spa concept and develop wellness rituals, the stories began pouring out from the abundance of antiquity - just like Ika's springs." Pavo Zubak, founder of Zubak Grupa, said: "The Opatija Riviera has long been a place of inspiration for musicians, intellectuals, and writers. But at Ikalia Spa, we are tapping into why so many artists - from Puccini to Isadora Duncan - felt called here for renewal. There is a mystery in Ika, just below the surface, that has attracted seekers not just for hundreds of years, but thousands." Ikalia Spa sources artisan natural ingredients for its treatments, such as pure Baltic Amber powder, local olive crush, organic distilled plant oils, and premium plant-based skin care featuring Croatian spring waters.

Create: May 6, 2019 Edit: May 6, 2019 International News