Best Holiday Lettings

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  • News: Laurus Corporation completes $2.7m hotel renovation and rebranding

    Laurus Corporation, a U.S.-based private real estate investment and development firm, announced that it has completed the $2.7 million renovation of the Ramada Suites Hotel at New Orleans Airport and branded the power as a vacation Inn Express.  The renovation included a whole overhaul of the guestrooms, public areas, exterior facade and landscaping. Additionally, a brand new management agreement was signed with a neighborhood management company to enhance overall guest satisfaction and function.

    Laurus Corporation acquired the 130-room lodging establishment in March 2012. Situated on the entrance of James Business Park, an upscale, 200-acre business park offering greater than two million square feet of business space, the hotel is straight away adjacent to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, which serves approximately 9.7 million passengers per year, the majority of them non-connecting travelers.

    “In 2012, the choice of visitors statewide was projected to succeed in 24.8 million individuals with total visitor spending estimated at $9.1 billion,” said Philip Cyburt, Chief Executive Officer of Laurus Corporation. “The hotel’s proximity to a bustling airport and its location in a vigorously recovering market will make it a major destination for visitors.”

    “The extensive renovation program will enhance the hotel’s brand in a well-performing marketplace in addition to increase the asset’s performing value,” said Austin Khan, Chief Investment Officer of Laurus Corporation.

    Exterior renovations include a brand new pool deck, courtyard deck and fountain, landscaping surrounding the valuables and a brand new paint job.  The lobby, breakfast area and conference rooms feature new flooring, lighting fixtures, window treatments, furniture and televisions. Guestrooms will showcase new flooring, furniture, lighting and window treatments, and upgraded fixtures within the guest bathrooms.

    The hotel features 3,000 square feet of meeting space, two on-site restaurants, a 189-car parking zone, and the most efficient valuable fitness and business centers among its competitors.

  • News: ATA announces new dates for 38th Annual World Congress in Cameroon

    The Africa Travel Association (ATA) announced today that new dates has been set for the 38th annual ATA World Congress in Cameroon. The development shall be held from Wednesday, October 16, to Monday, October 21, 2013.

    After discussions between the Cameroonian Minister of Tourism and Leisure, the Local Organising Congress Committee and ATA’s International Board of Directors, it was agreed to switch the dates of the congress.

    “The key stakeholders decided that it might allow further time for the host country [Cameroon] to deal with the logistics of the sizable event,” said Edward Bergman, ATA’s Executive Director. “Shifting the once a year congress faraway from its historical date in May to October would even be a easier time at the travel industry calendar to host such an incredible industry event.”

    Arik Air would be the official U.S. congress carrier and should offer discounted rates to Douala for delegates attending the 2013 ATA Congress in Cameroon.

  • Germany scores – with excellent value for money

    Whether you’re a tender couple, a family or just a passionate traveller – price always matters. But if it involves accommodation visitors to Germany can’t only depend on excellent value for money, they will even be assured of excellent facilities and repair.

    Comparing accommodation within Europe, German hotel prices score well below the common, in line with the German Hotel Association (IHA). This may increasingly account for the truth that overnight stays in Germany have risen again in 2012 and 3 years in succession. Germany’s Federal Statistical Office reports 68.8 million overnight stays in 2012 – an extra increase of 8.1% in comparison to the former year.

    “Due to the commonly prevailing economic troubles, price sensibility amongst travellers has increased in just about all European countries,” states Petra Hedorfer, Chief Executive Officer of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB). “Attractive competitive prices make a difference when choosing a travel destination – it is where Germany will always score highly.”

    Room rates within Europe have risen in 2012 by 4.7% to 104 Euro, whereas in Germany they’ve got only risen by 3.4% and a standard rate of 94 Euro. Especially in Germany’s popular cities hotel rates are far below other European destinations.

    Overall, visitor satisfaction can also be high – within the result of GNTO/ERV’s quality monitor 2011/2012 Germany’s value for money ratio was given excellent scores by holiday makers and business travellers alike.

  • News: Seabourn introduces new elegant penthouse spa suites

    Seabourn is enhancing its spacious, all-suite accommodations with the introduction of Penthouse Spa Suites on its award-winning new trio of intimate ships. Seabourn Quest will emerge from a scheduled drydock in May, 2013 boasting four new elegant Penthouse Spa Suites located directly above the industry leading Spa at Seabourn facility. Guests will access the suites by the use of a spiral staircase within the lobby of the spa, and revel in unlimited access to the spa’s Serene Area, in addition to spa amenities within the suite itself and the services of a spa concierge through the voyage. The brand new suites may also be added to Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Sojourn during their next scheduled drydocks.

    “A growing collection of our guests choose Seabourn’s new ships specifically due to our beautiful onboard Spa at Seabourn facilities,” said Seabourn President Richard Meadows . “Some of those guests have expressed a want to incorporate a more complete spa vacation experience into their cruises, and our Penthouse Spa Suites are designed to satisfy that wish.”

    Seabourn commissioned the Norwegian architecture and design firm of Yran & Storbraaten—who designed Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Sojourn and Seabourn Quest—to provide you with a plan to make use of the element of Deck 10 directly above the spa for the brand new accommodations.  The result’s four spacious suites with 516 to 538 sq. ft. (48 – 50 sq. m.) of inside space, with expansive private verandas of 172 sq. ft. (16 sq. m.) with views over the ship’s stern and the ocean.  The suites’ decor is coordinated with that of the Spa at Seabourn, and all feature a living and a dining area with seating for four, a separate bedroom, walk-in closet, glass door and floor-to-ceiling windows onto the veranda, a toilet with a bathtub and special spa shower, and two flat-screen TVs. 

    The new suites will offer guests a number of healthy amenities and spa specialties. Together with the guests’ personal beverage preferences, a second in-suite bar may also be fully stocked with flavored water and fruit juices, and a variety of mixed nuts, dried fruits and healthy snacks. Guests can choose a chilled fragrance from a ramification of 4 by L’Occitane, to be diffused inside the suite in the course of the evening turndown. Relaxing, soothing spa music can also be available as a background soundtrack within the suite. The bathrooms will feature a brand new menu of Molton Brown specialty spa products, including exfoliating body wash and varnish and thermal salts body soak, as well as the company’s high end line of tub products which are currently available in every suite.  Upon arrival, guests shall be invited to choose between a menu of luxurious bath sponges, in addition to designer soaps by Hermes, L’Occitane, Baudelaire and Salvatore Ferragamo .

    A Spa Concierge will assist guests booked within the Penthouse Spa Suites with reservations for his or her personalized treatment regimes throughout their stay on board. Guests may have daily access to the spa’s Serene Area, which features heated lounges, an aroma steam bath with salt inhalation, and a herbal bath. Within the Serene Area aboard Seabourn Odyssey is a big hydro-pool, while Seabourn Quest and Seabourn Sojourn contains a Kneipp Walk Pool , which gives holistic, water therapy treatment and healing remedies designed to improve circulation.

    The Spa at Seabourn offers various unique, healthy spa experiences and splendid pampering services and coverings, including Chinese reflexology, aromatherapy, and Thai massages. The gym includes a range of high-tech exercise, cardio and strength equipment; a motion studio with the Kinesis System; and a lot of fitness classes, including yoga, Pilates and tai chi. Personal trainers also are available to develop customized exercises for guests.

  • Frontel for Hospitality to bring Saudi Arabia to Arabian Travel Market

    Saudi Arabia’s Frontel for Hospitality will mark its Arabian Travel Market debut next week because the group looks to take its growing portfolio of properties beyond the Kingdom’s borders, with a strategic development plan for the center East.

    Owner-operator of the recently renovated five-star Western Alharithia Hotel in Madina, the corporate is raring to become the “operator of choice” for hotel owners and developers around the region, in line with Rushdi Sherwani, director brand development, Frontel for Hospitality.

    “With three new group hotels set to open inside the Kingdom within the next two years, we’re also accelerating our development agenda for the region, and also are seeing growing interest from established markets akin to the UAE, in addition to from Iran and Yemen – either one of which can be in search of professional operators to return in and help grow their hospitality base.

    Frontel for Hospitality can be near to signing for 3 properties in Pakistan because the branded operator or on a franchise basis, having spread out negotiations for 2 of most vital hospitality landmarks.

    The first is Karachi’s tallest tower, which currently combines a hotel with a shopping center.

    The second is Karachi’s largest hotel with regards to room inventory and the third property is within the industrial city Sialkot Pakistan.

    “Showcasing our portfolio of properties at Arabian Travel Market presents us with a possibility to fulfill existing partners in addition new potential partners.

    “ATM can even provide a platform for us to create awareness of the Frontel brand and our concentrate on quality.

    “Moving forward, our strategy is to become a primary hospitality player not just inside the Kingdom but within the region,” said Sherwani.

    Frontel for Hospitality Inc. is already actively growing brand presence on its home turf, where it is going to launch its first Frontel property, the 1,350-key Frontel Village Hotel, Madina, in 2014.

    Located only one kilometre from the city’s key religious sites, and offering a decision of 5-star accommodation and facilities housed in five individual seven-storey towers, this may be followed in 2015 by the debut of a second Madina property.

    The luxurious 650-room Frontel Hotel Al Baiya may be situated within the heart of town, and comprises two 10-storey towers, with a footprint of 6,500 square metres, but affording 65,000 square metres of hotel space.

    Expansion into the burgeoning mid-market hotel sector may be section of the company’s development vision, and it’ll launch its first three-star property in Jeddah in 2016, with the hole of the Frontel Business Hotel under the branding of ‘Frontel Eco’.

    “Infrastructure growth in the Kingdom has created a wave of interest and investment into new tourism and business travel facilities, and through the ATM week we’ll be meeting with Hajj and Umrah travel companies and other tour operators from the UAE, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, to sow the seeds for future partnerships to support forecasted demand,” added Sherwani.

    Sherwani noted that some 381,000 new hotels rooms are expected to be added to Saudi Arabia’s existing inventory by 2015, representing a 63 per cent increase on 2010 figures.

    Inbound visitor arrivals also are forecast to grow from 13 million in 2010 to fifteen.8 million by 2014, with the dominion focusing its efforts on providing the required travel infrastructure to spice up domestic, Hajj and Umrah, and the fledgling inbound tourism sector, because it allocates US$500 million to airport expansion and US$7 billion investment into the hot Jeddah airport.