Hotel Industry News In Brief

Aug 31, 12 | 12:09 am

Some current conversation starters…

Atlantis, The Palm named among best-reviewed hotels

Expedia Insiders’ Select list is an annual ranking of best-reviewed hotels as determined by the world’s leading full-service online travel agency. Atlantis, The Palm is proud to be part of the exclusive 2012 list, which designates only 650 hotels as Insiders’ Select, from among the more than 150,000 properties available on Expedia-branded sites worldwide. The Insiders’ Select 2012 list largely reflects the feedback from more than 500,000 verified Expedia customer reviews received during 2011, combined with a value rating and the local market expertise of more than 650 Expedia employees in local markets worldwide. “We are focused on pushing the boundaries and consistently making improvements to provide each guest with the greatest experience they’ll ever have. It is rewarding to see that this commitment has placed us on Expedia’s 2012 Insiders Select List,” said Serge Zaalof, Managing Director of Atlantis, The Palm. By Theodore Koumelis.

Aedas Interiors has been appointed to undertake the interior design of the prestigious Hard Rock Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

The brand’s first hotel in the Middle East region is a development by Aabar Properties, a subsidiary of Aabar Investments PJS. Construction of this luxury 5 star hotel will commence soon and is expected to complete by fourth quarter 2015, prior to receiving its first guests. The 46-storey, luxury hotel will be located on Abu Dhabi’s Al Meena Road, a rapidly emerging shopping, entertainment and leisure destination. Plans for the hotel include a two-tier lobby with the top floor incorporating lounges, function rooms and a grand ballroom. In addition to 378 guestrooms, the hotel will also offer an assortment of signature restaurants including its internationally famed Hard Rock Cafe, along with meeting facilities, spa amenities, and entertainment. Greg Farrell, Executive Director of Aedas Interiors based in Hong Kong, said, “We are delighted to be working on such a prime site on the Abu Dhabi Corniche with Aabar Properties and Hard Rock International. Along with our own architects, we are thrilled to be entrusted as one of the consultants for the brand’s strategic expansion into the Middle East.” The project will be designed and managed out of the Aedas Interiors office in Dubai lead by Interior Design Director, Fergus Duncan, along with knowledge input from Aedas’ international interiors teams as required. Prior to the appointment as interior designer, Aedas has also been working as design architect and lead consultant on the project for the past two years.

Key Appointments in the Industry

Congratulations to these new appointments…

Le Grande, Pecatu, Bali, has appointed Mr. Taufik Junianto as Director of Sales and Marketing. Mr. Junianto, a 15 year veteran of the hospitality trade, has a wealth of experience as an organizer in the MICE field in Indonesia having worked for numerous international and local 5-star properties with his last position being Owner Representative of Pt. Melali, a private company dedicated to the organization of MICE events. Mr. Didier Gourmaud, Le Grande’s General Manager, said, “It is a genuine pleasure to welcome Taufik as a member of Le Grande’s team. With his professional experience and proven track record he is a definite asset to our operation and I feel extremely confident that he can deliver a superlative level of service to our customers.”

Scott Crowley named General Manager of Courtyard by Marriott in Merrillville, Indiana. White Lodging Services is pleased to announce Scott Crowley has been named as the General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott in Merrillville, Indiana. Crowley joins White Lodging from the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida, a Five Star, Five Diamond Golf Resort where he served as the Meetings and Special Events Manager since 2010. He has held a variety of other positions at the Ritz-Carlton property as well, including Destination Services Sales Manager, Front of the House Manager, Overnight Hotel Manager/Guest Relations Manager, and Front Office Agent/Front Office Supervisor. Having thirteen years of experience with Ritz-Carlton, Crowley is ready to maximize the success of White Lodging and exceed the expectations of clients, employees, and stakeholders.

Karl Kruger joins the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts family as the newly appointed General Manager of The Fairmont Newport Beach, bringing more than 25 years of hospitality experience to the Southern California property. Kruger most recently focused his time and talents on specializing in strategic repositioning, asset management and business development through proprietary consultancy firm, KK Hospitability. His client roster included Port Royal Resort in conjunction with Panetiere Marketing Advisors and non-profit PS Resorts. Prior to that, he worked for Noble House Hotels & Resorts as Vice-President and Managing Director at Riviera Palm Springs, and Managing Director at The Edgewater/Hotel Deca in Seattle where he was instrumental in earning the property’s first ever AAA Four Diamond status. Kruger began his career with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide - Sheraton Corporation; during his tenure with Sheraton he held positions included Catering Manager, Director of Food & Beverage, Hotel Manager and General Manager. Thomas Klein, Regional Vice- President and General Manager of The Fairmont San Francisco shares, Fairmont is extremely fortunate to be adding a hotelier of Karl’s caliber to our senior team. I am quite confident that Karl’s proven leadership abilities coupled with his impressive industry experience and proven track record on driving hotel performance will further elevate the hotel’s position in the Southern California luxury hotel market.”

The Latest in Hotel Openings

Marriott International (NYSE:MAR) today celebrated the opening of the 383-room Renaissance Shanghai Caohejing Hotel in Shanghai. The hotel is managed in partnership with Shanghai Caohejing Park Huagang Properties Ltd., and represents the sixth Renaissance-branded hotel to open the city. Renaissance Hotels is the signature lifestyle brand within the Marriott International global portfolio of 17 hotel brands. The hotel is centrally located in the Caohejing New Technology Development Zone in the Xuhui district, offering a retreat for business travellers in the heart of the neighborhood. Situated within five minutes of Shanghai Metro Line 9, the hotel boasts easy access to the nearby Hongqiao business district, and the shopping and dining hub of Xujiahui. The hotel is also conveniently located near the Hongqiao Transportation Hub and Shanghai International Airport. We are delighted to partner with Shanghai Caohejing Park Huagang Properties Ltd on this new Renaissance Hotel,” said Simon Cooper, president and managing director Marriott International, Asia. “The opening of the Renaissance Shanghai Caohejing cements our position as the dominant player in Shanghai, representing our 19th hotel in this vibrant city,” he said. “It also demonstrates our confidence in the strength of the Renaissance brand, which continues to grow in China.”

InterContinental Hotels Group has broken ground on the Holiday Inn Express Rio Branco in Brazil. The new-build hotel is scheduled to open in late 2013, just in time for the forthcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil. When the property opens, it will be IHG’s first hotel in Rio Branco. The 110-room Holiday Inn Express Rio Branco is owned by Inter Oceanica Hotelaria Ltda under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group. The hotel will be located in the center of Rio Branco’s downtown area within close distance to multiple tourist attractions. The nine-story hotel will feature four meeting rooms, an outdoor pool, bar, a fully-equipped business center and gym.

Swiss-Belhotel International Launches Expansion of 2-star Zest Hotels Brand in Indonesia. Swiss-Belhotel International Chairman and President, Mr. Gavin M. Faull has announced the Group’s expansion of the 2-star Zest Hotel brand in Indonesia. This new hotel brand will enhance the Group’s rapidly growing portfolio of 2-star to 5-star properties. Swiss-Belhotel International is targeting projects in a number of major cities in Indonesia such as Jakarta, Bogor, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Balikpapan, Cirebon, Manado, Makassar and the islands of Bali and Batam as the Group strives to develop more Zest Hotels in various regions of Indonesia. The development of Zest Hotels across Indonesia will provide customers with an Internationally managed but affordable accommodation option. “Swiss-Belhotel International proudly presents the new collection of hotels, resorts and serviced residences managed by the Group. As part of our Group's commitment to provide affordable and convenient accommodation, the Zest Hotel brand is being developed as “Value for Money” accommodation that offers a new benchmark of services and facilities for both business and leisure travellers,” commented Mr. Faull.