Hotel News In Brief

May 26, 05 | 7:46 am

Hilton buys more Waikoloa property  Hilton Hotels Corp. says it has completed a transaction to acquire 112 acres of undeveloped land from Waikoloa Development Co. for $65 million.  "Development plans are still being determined and will be announced at a later date," Hilton (NYSE: HLT) said Wednesday. Earlier this month, Hilton completed the purchase of land beneath its Hilton Waikoloa Village resort which it had been leasing from Lanpar/HTL Associates. That purchase of 65 acres was a $115 million deal. Hilton has singled out its Waikoloa holdings for mention in quarterly earnings reports as a bright spot in its profits picture, and the company is known to be interested in developing more vacation rental properties. Waikoloa is on the Kona side of the Big Island, a short drive north from the Kona airport. It has proven popular with Californians who want to invest in summer and retirement homes.

Steigenberger Hotel De Saxe Opens in Historic Dresden Square The Frankfurt-based Steigenberger Hotel Group has opened the Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe in the very heart of Dresden. A unique gem of a hotel has gone up in the centre of Dresden. The original Hotel de Saxe was one of the best hotels in the Saxony capital from 1786 to 1888; now, 117 years later, the Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe has been built on the same site and modelled on its historic predecessor.The modern business hotel provides 185 rooms, of which seven are suites, seven conference rooms for up to 160 people, a restaurant with outdoor terrace on Neumarkt square (120 seats in total), a bar and a fitness centre with a fitness room, two saunas and a steam room. The investment of around 36 million Euros for the hotel project is currently borne by Baywobau Bauträger AG. With the handover of the hotel, which has a number of high-class shops and a restaurant on its ground floor, TLG-Immobilien Berlin will become the majority shareholder of the property. Steigenberger Hotels AG will manage the hotel on a long-term lease contract. The Dresden-based architectural practice IPRO was responsible for the architectural design. They took on the complex task of designing the five-storey hotel in keeping with the historic original while incorporating modern architectural forms. The interior design was masterminded by the Steigenberger subsidiary *H*E*A*D*, who developed and applied elegant, modern lines using high-quality materials and warm colours. ABB-Gebäudetechnik AG constructed the building.

Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy Moscow is counting down towards opening day on 1 July 2005. To celebrate the recent installation of the hotel signage, the hotel organised an open-air reception with Swiss Alphorn players making the party the talk of the town! The event was co-organised by Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts, Swiss International Air Lines and Switzerland Tourism. At 34 storeys, Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy Moscow will open as one of the tallest buildings in Moscow. This towering landmark features well-appointed rooms and suites with spectacular views through floor-to-ceiling windows. All banquet rooms offer state-of-the-art equipment and those on the 29th floor will leave you breathless with a panorama of downtown Moscow like no other.

New General Manager at Swissôtel Amsterdam Mr. Julian Van Den Bogaerde has been appointed General Manager for Swissôtel Amsterdam. Julian began his career in the hospitality industry more than 20 years ago working in various F&B positions in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Singapore and Thailand. He joined Raffles International Hotels & Resorts in 1999 as Vice President, Food & Beverage and prior to his new appointment, Julian was the Executive Assistant Manager, F&B at Swissôtel Nai Lert Park Bangkok.

Park Inn Hyde Park, London to become second Park Inn in UK. Rezidor SAS Hospitality , one of the world’s fastest growing hospitality companies, has announced the signing of an agreement to manage the Park Inn Hyde Park, London. The landmark building located centrally in London’s Lancaster Gate will become the UK’s second Park Inn hotel on June 1st 2005.Kurt Ritter, President and CEO, Rezidor SAS Hospitality, comments: “London is a key destination for Rezidor SAS and it is no secret that we have been looking for the right opportunity to expand Park Inn, our fastest growing brand, into central London. With our aim to have 700 hotels by 2012, the Park Inn brand is key to Rezidor’s growth and we hope to have 150 hotels in operation and under construction by the end of 2006, with London being a significant success in targeting strategic destinations across Rezidor’s area of operation.” Patrick Coyle, CEO, Gresham Hotel Group (Owner of the property), comments: “We are delighted to have joined forces with Rezidor SAS with the creation of Park Inn Hyde Park, London. This represents an important strategic step for us in aligning our properties with major brands, which will deliver penetration in the international market place. We look forward to working with such a dynamic, fresh and energetic brand.”

New Grand Hyatt Hotel to Open at DFW International Airport Hotel Offers Direct Access to Airport's New International Terminal and Skylink  Grand Hyatt DFW, the only Grand Hyatt located at an airport and one of the most upscale hotels at any airport in the world, will open July 1, 2005. The new hotel adjoins the new International Terminal D at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and marks the first Grand Hyatt to be built in Texas. "Our new Grand Hyatt hotel will offer international and domestic travelers a new luxurious alternative for overnight stays, conferences and other events," said George Vizer, general manager for the Grand Hyatt DFW. "Our access directly into the International Terminal D and Skylink will be a great benefit to guests." Grand Hyatt DFW guests also will be able to go straight to their gates at all airport terminals via the new Skylink Automated People Mover System, the world's largest high-speed airport train. The 298-room hotel features a ballroom/banquet/meeting space, restaurants, lounge, fitness center, rooftop heated swimming pool and fully equipped fitness center with spa treatment rooms. The 303,675-square-foot hotel has 12 levels, eight of which have guest rooms. All guest rooms offer a full range of amenities, such as pillow-top Grand Beds, state-of-the-art 32-inch flat screen televisions with digital video-on-demand and premium cable service, over-sized bathrooms outfitted with a freestanding shower and soaking tub, a spacious granite-top work desk, high-speed wired and wireless Internet access and two in-room telephones.

Hospes Amérigo Celebrates its Grand Opening   design hotels(TM) is proud to announce the Grand Opening of the Hospes Amérigo hotel, which will be welcoming its inaugural guests on June 9th.Hospes Amérigo has been through a series of previous lives before becoming the exceptional property it is today. Formerly a Dominican convent, then a complex of commercial offices and lastly an apartment block, the buildings were preserved and ingenuously refurbished. The latest design trends complement the authenticity and sobriety of the original architecture to create a uniquely elegant environment. The Hospes Design Team has reaffirmed the construction's unitary character, and determined an intimate, personal series of spaces in the middle of Alicante's vibrant historical centre.Mirroring its surroundings, Hospes Amérigo offers one delightful surprise after another: the highly original Passage - what was once an alleyway between the two buildings now serves as the main entrance as well as a patio; an art collection commissioned specifically for the hotel; Senzone: a gourmet restaurant and tapas bar where authentic regional dishes are a feast for both the eyes and the palate, and a rooftop terrace with a swimming pool and fantastic views of Alicante's imposing Santa Bárbara castle.

Cornelia Day Resort Named “Best Of The Best” By Robb Report - Cornelia Day Resort, the recently opened luxury spa and day resort in New York City, has been recognized as “The Best of the Best” by Robb Report in its annual report, which hits newsstands May 24th. Since its opening in February 2005, Cornelia Day Resort has achieved unprecedented global acclaim and is the only spa in the United States to be included in Robb Report’s “Finest Spa” Category. Cornelia Day Resort joins such illustrious luxury brands as Aston Martin, Ermenegildo Zegna, Patek Phillipe, Net Jets, and the Four Seasons, each of which received the “Best of the Best” ranking in its respective classes in the issue.Citing Cornelia as “a sophisticated midtown haven eight stories above Fifth Avenue”, the review highlights Cornelia Day Resort’s numerous unique amenities, including New York’s first Watsu Pool for underwater warm water massage treatments, private spa suites, salon, barbershop, a rooftop café and tented cabanas for treatments in the rooftop garden. The “Best of the Best” issue acknowledges founder Cornelia Zicu’s obsession with detail and personal tenacity, recognizing her unprecedented rise from an immigrant who arrived in the United States with only $300.00 in her pocket to become an internationally recognized beauty guru. Robb Report also notes that Cornelia’s Zicu’s vision is deeply entrenched in her Romanian roots, as she uses a unique mud extract from Lake Amara, an ancient lake near her hometown, to create specialized, innovative treatments at the spa. Ms. Zicu has also negotiated the exclusive worldwide rights to this mineral rich extract and is incorporating it into her line of skincare products.

Wyndham Reflags Los Angeles Airport Hotel     Wyndham International, Inc. today announced plans to reflag the LAX Plaza Hotel in Culver City, Calif. to a Wyndham Hotel. Opening July 2005, the new Wyndham Los Angeles Airport is located just two and a half miles from the Los Angeles International Airport, one of the country's busiest travel hubs with more than 50 million visitors annually. "The upcoming conversion of the Wyndham Los Angeles Airport underscores the company's focus on expanding the Wyndham portfolio in airport locations which enjoy significant leisure and business travel. Additionally, we recently opened the Wyndham Chicago O'Hare Airport and announced a future hotel at Louisville International Airport in Kentucky," stated Fred J. Kleisner, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Wyndham International. "As our expansion continues, we are aggressively pursuing opportunities to offer Wyndham properties at additional hubs in major metropolitan areas in the northeast and Pacific northwest." Along with 260 recently renovated guest rooms, the Wyndham Los Angeles Airport's amenities will include a heated outdoor swimming pool; fitness center; full-service restaurant and lounge; and more than 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. As part of a total property renovation, the hotel will be equipped with Wyndham's brand standards and brand-defining programs, including Wyndham ByRequest(R), an innovative guest recognition program that empowers guests to achieve a more customized hotel experience.