Hotel News in Brief

Sep 13, 07 | 7:46 am

Raffles Hotels & Resorts continues its pace of expansion with a new luxury resort in Bali, Indonesia. In an agreement signed with PT Asia Pasifik Property, a subsidiary of the Rekso Group, Raffles Hotels & Resorts will manage Raffles Amartha, which will be located along the scenic Jimbaran coast.  Raffles Amartha is scheduled to open in 2010 and features a resort comprising approximately 90 luxurious villas, and 25 Raffles Residences for private ownership.  Occupying a sprawling 27 acres, Raffles Amartha is built to resemble a Water Palace, with inspiration drawn from classical Javanese-Hindu architecture and style, characterized by open spaces, water features and walled courtyards on rising terraces.  

Rocco Forte's Hotel Astoria has named Alexander Pichel as General Manager.  Alexander joins The Rocco Forte Collection after many years with Hyatt International, most recently holding the position of General Manager at the Hyatt Regency Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan; he has also worked in Hyatt hotels in Dubai, Germany, Argentina, London and France.  Alexander will start at Rocco Forte's Hotel Astoria on 23 October. With immediate effect, Mirco Zanini has been named General Manager of the Angleterre Hotel, the four-star sister property that is located next door to Rocco Forte's Hotel Astoria.  Mirco joined The Rocco Forte Collection in 1998 as Restaurant Manager of Hotel Astoria, going on to fulfill several roles before taking over as Director of Operations for Rocco Forte's Hotel Astoria and the Angleterre Hotel, from where he has been promoted to his new role. Commenting on the change of General Manager at Rocco Forte's Hotel Astoria, Richard Power, Managing Director of The Rocco Forte Collection, said, "It is with great regret that Michael Walsh has left his job at Hotel Astoria and Angleterre Hotel.  Michael had serious heart surgery last year and bravely returned to work after a short break. However, his doctor has now told him to rest for a year or so in order to achieve a full recovery and Michael has, therefore, returned to London."

Mauritius based Beachcomber Hotels, one of the leading hotel groups in the Indian Ocean, has announced plans to extend its portfolio into North Africa with the opening of a new €40 million luxury resort in Marrakech, Morocco. Work will begin later this year on the Royal Palm Marrakech, a luxury 150 suite and villa hotel with an international 18-hole golf course designed by Cabell Robinson, and a separate development of 290 residential villas and a Country Club.  Located midway between the centre of Marrakech and the airport with stunning views of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains, Royal Palm Marrakech has been designed by Mauritian architect, Jean-Francoise Adam in collaboration with Maurice Giraud, who created the original design concept for Beachcomber's flagship property in Mauritius, the exclusive Royal Palm in Grand Baie. The design throughout the hotel, villas, surrounding gardens and courtyards will incorporate the evocative local colours, textures and traditional design elements synonymous with culture of Southern Morocco. According to Robert de Spéville, Beachcomber Hotels' commercial manager:  "This is Beachcomber's first new development outside the Indian Ocean, and we are delighted to be working closely with the Moroccan government and the Domaine I'aim Marrakech consortium on this project, which is part of Morocco's "Vision 2010" programme to promote the growth of tourism."

French hotel group Accor completes sale of US chain. The French hotel group Accor said Monday it had completed the sale of its US hotel chain Red Roof Inn to an investment consortium for US$1.313 billion (954 million euros). Red Roof, which comprises 341 hotels, was acquired by Global Special Situations Group and the Westbridge fund. Accor said in a statement it now planned to concentrate on its Motel 6 group, a low-cost motel chain in the United States with 928 separate establishments. Accor general director Gilles Pelisson said the group would open more than 200 new Motel 6 units in the United States and Canada by 2010.  Source: Channel NewsAsia/AFP

Banyan Tree Holdings is pleased to announce its latest management agreement deal: As part of the Group's continued expansion strategy in the Middle East, Banyan Tree Holdings has announced today that it has signed a management contract for the inaugural Angsana Resort & Spa by the Dead Sea, Jordan. This is the Group's ninth property in the region, and also the sixth for Angsana properties that are currently being developed in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Fujairah and Oman. Developed by British-led Belavista Overseas Investment Corporation, the resort is located on one of the last remaining beachfront sites with a breathtaking view of the Dead Sea in Jordan. Slated for completion in 2011, guests can choose to stay in hotel rooms/ suites, while one- to three-bedroom residential apartments will also be offered for sale. Available services at the resort include the award-winning Angsana Spa, multi F&B outlets, and conference facilities with over 800 seats.

China's 7 Days Inn gets $95 mln from three foreign investors. Chinese budget hotel operator 7 Days Inn Group said Wednesday Merrill Lynch & Co. Deutsche Bank AG and U.S. private equity firm Warburg Pincus LLC have invested a total of $95 million in the company. The company will use the additional capital from the investors to fund the expansion of its hotel operations, said Chief Executive Zheng Nanyan in a statement. The statement didn't give a breakdown of the amounts invested by Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank and Warburg Pincus. Last year, Warburg Pincus invested $10 million in 7 Days Inn. The Chinese hotel chain, set up in 2005, has over 100 hotels in the country. It plans to increase its hotels to 150 by the end of this year and to 500 by 2010, it said. Source: MarketWatch

Cushman & Wakefield Hotels is pleased to announce the appointment of Conrad Bigham, who joins as a director of hotels. Conrad is one of the industry's leading experts in hospitality investment and has a career history in acquisitions, investment advisory and finance for the hotel industry. Whilst his primary geographic focus has been Europe, one early career highlight consisted of financing the acquisition and development of the Westbury Hotels in London and New York for Chelsfield PLC.

The Three Cities Group recently acquired four new additions to its portfolio.  These additions are located across the country and enhance the group's diverse range of properties.  Phakalane Golf Estate Hotel Resort situated in Botswana is a regal establishment that encompasses a resort featuring a golf course of international standards, accommodation in magnificent villa's or chalets and elegant cuisine in their fine dining restaurant. Shishangeni Private Game Lodge on the other hand is a private lodge situated on the Mpanamana concession area of the Kruger National Park. It encompasses three entirely unique camps: Shishangeni, Camp Shawu and Camp Shonga.  Luxurious accommodation combined with excellent game viewing provides guests with an out of the ordinary game experience.  The Royal Palm hotel located in Umhlanga is a truly sophisticated hotel set amid the energetic buzz of the Gateway Theatre of Shopping. The last addition, Velmore Hotel, Banquet and Conference Estate offers breathtaking views of its surroundings.  Situated on the banks of the Hennops River near Pretoria and built reminiscent of Sir Herbert Baker and the "turn of the century" style. 

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