Hotel News in Brief

Oct 24, 07 | 7:46 am

Grand Hotel Group's (GHG) four star Marque Hotel portfolio has sold for a combined value of $72 million.  Mr Mark Durran, Executive Vice President, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels negotiated the sale of the three freehold investment hotels to two separate buyers on behalf of GHGs new owners Morgan Stanley and Tuan Sing. Primespace Property Investment purchased The Marque Hotel Canberra, whilst a private investor purchased both The Marque Hotel Brisbane and The Marque Hotel Sydney properties.  Strategically located along Australia's eastern seaboard under lease agreements to Rendezvous Hotels Group, the three properties are currently undergoing a major $7.5 million refurbishment.  "All three hotels will enjoy a contemporary new look and rating of four stars," said Mr Durran.

The 310-room Corinthia Aquincum Hotel in Budapest, Hungary, has joined the Ramada International lodging system and was renamed Ramada Plaza Budapest at a re-flagging ceremony held on Monday, 15th October 2007. The hotel, owned by the Malta-based Corinthia Group and operated by Corinthia Hotels International, has recently upgraded its facilities in line with the exacting standards required by the upscale Ramada Plaza Brand. Located on the Buda side of the city, facing Margaret Island and five kilometres from the city-centre, the Ramada Plaza Budapest will continue to be operated by Corinthia Hotels International in line with its joint venture agreement with the US based Wyndham Hotel Group. The Hotel will be Ramada International's second property in Budapest and Hungary. The Ramada brand has nearly 900 hotels in 33 countries around the globe.

Mazili Hotel Group closes the Holiday Inn Express Bradenton, Florida. Mazili Hotel Group, a Hotel Brokerage Investment Company, advised OHM Teerth Hotels, INC. in the sale of the Holiday Inn Express located in Bradenton, Florida to Sroka Hospitality, INC. from St. Augustine, Florida. The asset was sold at 12% CAP and Price/Room of $120,000. Julian Mazili and Francesco Bouanani represented the seller and the buyer in this transaction. Mazili Hotel Group provides a range of services including brokerage, advisory, consultation, budget analysis and pre-construction project assessment in the commercial real estate industry.

Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels bolsters Victorian office. Reinforcing its position as Australia's market leader in hotel and pub investment and advisory services, as well as part of its strong growth throughout Victoria, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels is pleased to announce two appointments in its Melbourne office. Mr Cameron McKay will be joining the Advisory team as Vice President whilst Mr Mathew George recently joined the successful pub sales team as Manager. Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels' Melbourne office was recently expanded subsequent to ongoing feedback received from national clients seeking quality hotel and pub investment advice in the Victorian market.  "Providing innovative forward thinking advice to our clients on a number of hotel and pub property related matters is our main objective and the appointments are aligned with the growth we are experiencing," said Mr David Gibson, CEO Asia Pacific, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels.

Swiss-Belhotel International, the manager of hotels, resorts and serviced Residences in Asia, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Philip Norman as the Regional Director of Operations of Swiss-Belhotel International The Middle East.  He will be based at the group's Regional Office in Dubai, U.A.E. "The appointment of Mr. Norman is a further reinforcement of the expansion that Swiss-Belhotel International is developed in The Middle East." stated Gavin M. Faull, President of Swiss-Belhotel International. "Swiss-Belhotel International will be operating at least 10 hotels in The Middle East by early 2009 hence the expansion of our executive team in Dubai." Faull added.

Turkish based hotel company Continent Hotels and Resorts, today announced the appointment of the Master Franchisee for India, the UK and Ireland. Franchise Director for the group Patrick Mauser comments. We have been inundated with enquiries. Our strategic move to offer our strong brand under franchise, offering Master Franchisees a clearly identifiable 4 star hotel brand has set the path for global expansion explains Patrick. We are now firmly set to franchise the USA, EU and Eastern Europe confirms Patrick. Our extremely user-friendly, industry leading franchise offering, backed by an array of prototype hotels has been received exceptionally well by the international hotel community. The company is clearly on target to offer Master Franchisees and Property franchisees a unique business proposition. The franchise is particularly suitable to 4 star hotels/hotel companies under private ownership. The company will expand it's global presence through joint ventures, acquisitions and management contracts offered by Master Franchisees. For more information or a franchise prospectus, please contact pmauser@continenthotels.com

Jason Burnett, the current General Manager of Holiday Inn on Flinders has been appointed General Manager for the beachfront Crowne Plaza Torquay, the latest addition to the IHG family in Australia and New Zealand.  Jason's appointment is effective from October 22, 2007, in readiness for the hotel's scheduled opening in December 2007. Jason has enjoyed a long and successful career with IHG for over 20 years, recently winning the AHA national award for Best Environmental Initiative and receiving Greenglobe accreditation for the hotel. Prior to his role at Holiday Inn on Flinders, Jason was general manager at Holiday Inn properties in Guam and Thailand. He has also held senior operations roles in Fiji, New Zealand and throughout Australia, "This is an exciting and adventurous time and I look forward to working closely with local businesses to ensure Crowne Plaza Torquay becomes an important member of the local community", says Jason. David Travers, Regional General Manager for Vic, SA and WA, says that Crowne Plaza Torquay is the latest jewel in the IHG crown. "As a premium conference and event hotel, and in such a stunning location.

The Rezidor Hotel Group has announced its 100th Park Inn Hotel: The centrally located Park Inn Aberdeen, Scotland with 184 rooms, restaurant and bar, eight meeting rooms and fitness centre will welcome the first guests in summer 2009 - between 2007 and 2009 Rezidor will open 20,000 new rooms in total. With this property Rezidor underlines its goal for Park Inn to become the strongest mid-market brand in Scotland; the portfolio in the country already features projects under development such as the Park Inns Springfield Quay, Glasgow and Edinburgh Airport. "Park Inn is our fastest growing brand", says Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of The Rezidor Hotel Group. "We signed the first contract in late 2002 - a growth from 1 to 100 within five years in Europe, the Middle East and Africa is impressive."  "Park Inn is a symbol for young, fresh and innovative mid market properties. Thanks to its colorful corporate design in red, blue, green and yellow, the brand is highly visible and stands for creative marketing activities such as the branded Park Inn Airbus which recently celebrated its first take off. Park Inn is present in leading European cities such as London, Paris and Berlin; "but at the same time we also focus  our strategic development of new built and converted hotels in secondary and tertiary cities with a high demand for mid-market hotels and a great potential for franchise agreements", underlines Kurt Ritter.

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