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  • Le Méridien plans $200m investment in MEA

    Le Méridien and its ownership groups are planning to speculate greater than $200m within the renovations of 13 hotels and resorts inside the MEA region over the subsequent 3 years.

    The French-born brand has had an important presence in emerging Middle Eastern and African markets for greater than 30 years, and as this region continues to conform as a world business and leisure travel hub, Le Méridien has developed a focused strategy to ensuring its global portfolio continues to fulfill high brand standards.

    “Since acquiring Le Méridien in 2005, Starwood and its hotel ownership groups have made a giant effort to reinforce and create a consistent portfolio worldwide,” said Brian Povinelli, Global Brand Leader, Le Méridien and Westin.

    “Le Méridien now boasts the proper performance measures in brand history, and our focused efforts at the Middle East and Africa hotels will only help ensure Le Méridien maintains its best portfolio ever.”

    Le Méridien recently announced 10 new hotel openings over the subsequent year, an unprecedented number for the logo, and because the European-rooted brand continues to grow globally, the consistency of its portfolio remains a key priority.

    Additionally, Le Méridien will this year add a brand new hotel in Egypt, where the emblem currently operates four properties. Le Méridien Cairo Airport will open in September 2013. Located at Terminal 3, it will likely be the one hotel with direct access to Cairo International Airport terminals.

    Le Méridien Cairo Airport will feature 350 guestrooms, a 24-hour restaurant, specialty restaurant, coffee bar, lobby bar, lounge, health club, and swimming pool. The hotel could have approximately 750 square meters of meeting space, including a business center, ballroom, and 6 meeting rooms, for a whole lot of business functions.

    Many of those renovated hotels in conjunction with Le Méridien Cairo Airport will integrate the Le Méridien Hub experience into existing public spaces, re-interpreting the conventional lobby right into a celebration place for curious and artistic minded travelers to converse, debate, and exchange.

    Le Méridien Hub offers both guests and locals an inspiring atmosphere where contemporary, curated artwork sets our surroundings and a complicated café experience sets the scene.

    Le Méridien Hub further builds at the brand’s award-winning arrival experience along with four elements: large-scale artwork in high impact areas to reset the mind and stimulate dialogue and curiosity; the sensory experience, illustrated through Le Méridien signature scent, sound and use of sunshine, making a unique and distinctive atmosphere; UNLOCK ART programme, featuring LM100 artist designed key card collections that not just offer access to the guestroom but additionally to Le Méridien affiliated contemporary cultural centers within the city; and a 24-hour soundtrack.

  • News: GIBTM: Emirates Palace showcases offering in Abu Dhabi

    Emirates Palace Hotel has confirmed it’s going to participate on the Gulf Incentive, Business Travel & Meetings Exhibition 2013, which kicks off today.

    The three-day event, which may be hosted by Abu Dhabi on the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, will display the most recent hotel services offered by the business tourism sector, conferences and incentives.

    General Manger of Emirates Palace Bugra Berberoglu stressed at the importance of the property’s participation on the exhibition, noting the development is a chance to satisfy with partners and travel agents from around the world.

    The exhibition, organised by Reed Exhibitions, is regarded as the leading event in its field.

  • Ferrari World Abu Dhabi expands operations

    Ferrari World Abu Dhabi returned to ATM for the third year running announcing plans to maneuver to a seven-day operational model later this year.

    The world’s largest indoor and only Ferrari-branded themed park arrived all revved as much as showcase to the regional and global travel industry the original leisure offering it adds to the UAE’s premiere leisure hotspot, Yas Island.

    “There’s been a growing demand for a continuing entertainment offering and the appeal of Yas Island as a leisure destination is now even higher,” said Andy Keeling, park manager, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.

    “With its combination of 2 mega theme parks, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, a variety of excellent hotels, a global-class golf course, a racing circuit and a concert arena hosting world class musical events, Yas Island has really upped its entertainment portfolio,” Keeling added.

    “To meet this growing demand, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi – which normally closes on Mondays – could be open daily starting within the fourth quarter of 2013, making us a 365-day-a-year operation.

    “We are sure that visitors, in addition to representatives from the travel industry, will find this a fair better proposition that takes our proven success story further,” Keeling said.

    He added, “The Park has established itself as a must-visit attraction within the UAE because it began operations in 2010.

    “Over the process 2012, the Park enhanced its entertainment offering even further with several new rides and attractions drawing in additional crowds.”

    Ferrari World Abu Dhabi offers greater than 20 Ferrari-inspired rides and attractions designed to inspire guests of every age to search out their drive, test their threshold for thrills and emerge winners.

  • News: Rezidor starts 2013 with solid RevPAR development

    Rezidor started the year with a good RevPAR development: The group’s Like-for-Like RevPAR increased by 9.8% in January and eight.1% in February. “The key driver for the lift in RevPAR was a rise renowned in most our markets across Europe, the center East and Africa. The amount driven improvement came from various commercial initiatives, and brought about an additional gain of market share”, commented Wolfgang M. Neumann, President & CEO of Rezidor on the group’s Annual Business Conference 2013 in Riga, Latvija.

    “The financial system continues to be fragile and unsure. The underlining trend has continued into March, however the month would be negatively impacted by the timing of Easter. We’ll continue to scrupulously monitor the event in the course of the rest of the year. Our initial results reflect the effective execution of our turnaround programme Route 2015”, continued Neumann.

    In his key note speech to the five hundred conference delegates – General Managers and company/Area Management Teams – Neumann outlined his strategic focus where talent development and guest delight are the core drivers in pursuit of longer term sustainable profits. He further underlined Rezidor’s commitment to profitable asset-light growth with a focal point on Emerging Markets. All the group’s five signings (1,037 rooms) in January, February and March so far were located in Russia/CIS and Africa, Rezidor’s core markets for future business development. The latest key signing was the Radisson Blu Sheremetyevo Airport Hotel, Moscow (379 rooms, opening in Q2 2014). In early February Rezidor also opened an Emerging Market flagship property: the Radisson Blu Hotel, Maputo in Mozambique featuring 154 guest rooms.

    Route 2015 is Rezidor’s guiding light in pursuit of the group’s strategy. The excellent turnaround programme was launched in December 2011 with the purpose to extend the EBITDA margin by 6 to eight percent by the year 2015. The programme puts a powerful specialize in Revenue Generation including: global synergies and activities with Rezidor’s strategic partner Carlson, cost-saving initiatives, accelerated Asset Management and additional growth of the cost-based hotel portfolio especially in Emerging Markets.

    Prior to the yearly Business Conference Rezidor’s Leadership Team demonstrated the group’s strong commitment to social responsibility: The 22 executives team – supported by the conference sponsor LG – dedicated a day to support an area orphanage in Riga by painting a subsection of a children’s home.

    During the continuing conference Rezidor may also celebrate the farewell of Kurt Ritter, the group’s former President & CEO. Swiss-born hotelier Ritter has lead Rezidor from 1989 to the tip of 2012 and was most likely the longest serving Chief Executive Officer of the hospitality industry. Under his management Rezidor grew from a small Scandinavian company to an international player, and have become a member of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. “Kurt is a legendary leader who has built Rezidor from scratch and has given us our unique culture and image. We can build on his legacy and develop it further on our journey towards improved sustainable profitability”, said Wolfgang M. Neumann.

  • DoubleTree by Hilton opens Marina del Rey Hotel

    DoubleTree by Hilton, Hilton Worldwide’s fastest-growing full service brand, today announced the hole of the Hotel MdR Marina del Rey – a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel. The rebrand marks the beginning of a dramatic $7 million transformation, so as to be conducted between November 2013 and February 2014 to accomplish contemporary design upgrades around the property. Formerly the Courtyard L. a. Marina del Rey, the hotel was purchased by Channel West Group and Arris Investments LLC. Evolution Hospitality of San Clemente, CA is the operator and senior principals of Evolution have also made an equity investment within the hotel.

    “We stay up for bringing the DoubleTree by Hilton standard of guest service to much more travelers with the introduction of our Hotel MdR Marina del Rey”
    “Our hotel’s conversion to the DoubleTree by Hilton brand marks the start of an excessively exciting growth phase for our hotel,” says Karen Filson, director of sales and marketing – Hotel MdR Marina del Rey – a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel. “Joining the DoubleTree by Hilton family allows us to further enhance each guest’s experience with some of the best level of service synonymous with the emblem – starting with the nice and cozy chocolate chip cookie welcome guests receive the instant they step through our hotel doors.”

    Among the signature brand amenities that guests will now enjoy on the Hotel MdR Marina del Rey are a rejuvenating selection of CITRON body care products by Crabtree & Evelyn, Wolfgang Puck coffee and tea service and an elevated standard of service that’s end result of the the brand’s CARE (Create a Rewarding Experience for guests, team members and the community) culture, which all team members embrace.

    As a participant within the Hilton HHonors guest loyalty program, the hotel will offer all guests the facility to earn and redeem Hilton HHonors points, and all Gold and Diamond HHonors members will receive complimentary breakfast inside the hotel’s restaurant during weekday stays.

    Preliminary renovations began on the hotel in 2012, with updates to all 277 guestrooms and suites. When property renovations complete in early 2014, the hotel will unveil a fresh, modern design aesthetic implemented by Atlanta-based architecture firm, CMMI. Most of the enhancements would be the addition of six new guestrooms, bringing the whole collection of guestrooms to 283. Further upgrades will include the addition of a poolside seating area for the hotel’s new restaurant concept, in an effort to be announced in 2014, the debut of an outside fireplace and fire pit by the resort-style pool, the addition of a ping-pong room, new audio-visual equipment for the hotel’s 5,725 square feet of flexible meeting space, and a redesign of the lobby and front desk areas. Guests may even enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi within the property, and 24-hour fitness and business centers.

    “We look ahead to bringing the DoubleTree by Hilton standard of guest service to much more travelers with the introduction of our Hotel MdR Marina del Rey,” said John Greenleaf – global head, DoubleTree by Hilton. “The convenient location of this hotel to the area’s most well known tourist and business destinations make it a superb addition to the DoubleTree by Hilton portfolio.”

    Centrally located in Marina Del Rey, the hotel is surrounded by a number of the world’s most notable companies, including Google, YouTube, Sony, Teledyne, Tom’s Shoes, Belkin, LA Clippers and Electronic Arts. Hotel MdR may be located just four miles from La International Airport (LAX), four miles from Santa Monica Pier and only one mile from the realm-famous Venice Beach. Within one hour’s drive, guests can explore lots of California’s entertainment destinations equivalent to Universal Studios, Disneyland, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Magic Mountain and the J. Paul Getty Museum. Dodger’s Stadium, home of the los angeles Dodgers, also is located nearby.

    Guests staying on the Hotel MdR Marina del Rey will enjoy over 40 shops, dining establishments and entertainment options including the country’s first Dine-In AMC Movie Theatre within the adjacent Marina Marketplace. Also located nearby are the Abbot Kinney District, the quay Del Rey Yacht harbor offering water sports, 27 miles of motorcycle path, in addition to most of the area’s best restaurants.