Four Seasons enters South Africa
FOUR Seasons continues to expand its presence in Africa, signing a long term management agreement with the owners of The Westcliff hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa. The property, set on a cliff-side garden estate in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg, will reopen as Four Seasons Hotel Westcliff Johannesburg in the second quarter of 2014. Four Seasons Hotel Westcliff Johannesburg marks the latest expansion for Four Seasons into sub-Saharan Africa. In 2012 the company opened Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti, Tanzania, a resort in the Serengeti National Park featuring 77 guest rooms, including 12 suites with plunge pools and five free-standing villas with private swimming pools.
Hilton bags 33 certificates
HILTON Worldwide has announced that it has received a record 33 TripAdvisor Certificates of Excellence for more than 50 per cent of its properties across the Middle East and Africa.
Globally, the Hilton Worldwide hotel estate received 2870 Certificate of Excellence recognitions, making Hilton Worldwide the most awarded company in 2013 by the influential travel website. Winners of the award range from one-room bed and breakfasts to 6,000-room hotels, from bakeries to Michelin star restaurants and hidden attractions to world-renowned parks and museums.
Demand rises for conferences, banqueting
AL BUSTAN Centre and Residence in Dubai, UAE, has recorded a 15 per cent increase in revenue from its conference and banqueting facilities in the first quarter of 2013 in comparison with the same last year. The property’s Al Nahda Banquet Halls 1 and 2 and seven meeting rooms which cater to various corporate and social events has recently added 600 sq m of meetings space to accommodate the increase in demand for corporate conferences and seminars. The property’s meeting rooms and banquet halls are well-equipped with a variety of multi-purpose facilities such as projectors, screens, sound system and wi-fi services.
Marriott Executive Apartments honoured
THE Marriott Executive Apartments Manama, Bahrain has been honoured by TripAdvisor for its excellence in hospitality. The hotel was recently awarded the 2013 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, an accolade which recognises hospitality excellence and is awarded annually to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews through the prominent online travel site.
The hotel features spacious accommodations including the option for one-, two- or three-bedroom apartments ideal for family travel or extended stays. Located just 10 minutes from Bahrain International Airport, the apartments are convenient to popular tourist attractions and business destinations.
 |
Win for Armed Forces Officers Club & Hotel
OUTSTANDING guest review scores have won the Armed Forces Officers Club & Hotel in Abu Dhabi, UAE, an award from the Booking.com website, with the hotel achieving a score of 8.9 (out of a possible 10) for facilities and service standards in 2012.
The Armed Forces Officers Club & Hotel features 600 guests rooms and luxurious suites, a wide range of state-of-the-art recreation facilities including a fully-equipped gym, Olympic indoor swimming pool with an adjacent Jacuzzi, steam bath complete with spa, sauna, cold-water pool and temperature-controlled shower. Other attractions include two Olympic standard shooting galleries, two squash courts, a bowling centre and facilities to enjoy table tennis, and paintball as well as indoor and outdoor football courts, indoor volleyball and tennis courts, indoor basketball courts and a track and field course.
 |
Cambodia welcomes first Hyatt
HYATT HOTELS Corporation has announced the official opening of Park Hyatt Siem Reap, the 14th Hyatt property in the Southeast Asia region and the first Hyatt hotel in Cambodia. Formerly known as Hotel De La Paix, one of Cambodia’s top-rated hotels, the property is reopening under the Park Hyatt brand following a 14-month top-to-bottom renovation by award-winning interior designer Bill Bensley.
Home to the renowned 12th century ruins of Angkor Wat, Siem Reap has quickly emerged as one of Asia’s top new destinations for culture and leisure.
Two hotels by Wyndham in Turkey
WYNDHAM Hotel Group has announced the addition of two new Wyndham Hotels and Resorts properties in Turkey through franchise agreements with Özdilek Otel Turizm İşletmeciliği Ve Ticaret Limited Şirketi, a company belonging to the Özdilek Holding group.
The five-star, 219-room Wyndham Izmir Özdilek is the first Wyndham hotel in the country to open outside of Istanbul. The 20-storey hotel overlooks the Izmir Bay, within close proximity to the airport. Simultaneously, Özdilek Otel Turizm İşletmeciliği Ve Ticaret Limited Şirketi signed an agreement for the Wyndham Istanbul Levent, which is already under construction. It will become the country’s fourth Wyndham when it opens its doors in 2014. Both hotels will join the Wyndham Istanbul Kalamis Marina which opened last December and Wyndham Istanbul Petek which opened earlier this summer.
Myanmar gets first Best Western
BEST Western International has signed its first ever hotel in Myanmar’s capital, Nay Pyi Taw. The 205-room hotel will become one of the first internationally-branded hotels in the central city.
Sheraton Dubai Creek under renovation
SHERATON Dubai Creek Hotel in the UAE has announced that it is undergoing a full refurbishment of all of its 262 guest rooms and suites, the Vivaldi restaurant and other facilities in the hotel. The hotel is expected to reopen in the spring of 2014.
New Starwood properties
STARWOOD Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc has announced that the King George hotel in Athens joins The Luxury Collection portfolio following a three-month renovation. With this opening, Starwood expands its footprint in Greece where it now operates 11 hotels and resorts, including eight under The Luxury Collection brand. The group has also opened the Sheraton Bursa Hotel and Aloft Bursa Hotel, adding to nine hotels across Turkey.