New Room Designs for Sheraton and Westin Hotels

Starwood is to debut new guestroom designs at its Westin and Sheraton hotels.

The new room schemes, from furniture to textiles, were custom-created by Starwood's in-house Brand Design team led by Erin Hoover, Vice President of Design. With a background in fashion, fine art and industrial design, the team applied key learning's from extensive in-room behavior research which indicated a desire for a greater level of stylish functionality - resulting in design specifically targeted to address some of traveler's biggest pet peeves. The new room designs will be featured in new hotels and renovation projects globally across both brands.

Key highlights include:

- Custom Westin-designed accent table that folds out to fit a room-service tray or laptop, and folds closed to occupy a smaller space. With a quick flip the multi-use table can serve as a working area for an impromptu laptop session or transform into an intimate table for in-room dining.

- Custom Sheraton-designed bedside tables with built-in outlets that face beds, facilitating easy computer and electronics charging use.

- Expanded Westin closet includes shelves and the mini bar, freeing valuable room space and reducing clutter.

- Westin upholstered bench that can double as a luggage rack and is easily stored under the television console and oversized signature Sheraton armchairs with ottomans stored beneath seats, creating additional living area space.

- Sheraton rooms feature an LED nightlight, allowing guests to find their way in an unfamiliar space without turning on the lights and the new Westin rooms incorporate strategically-placed, adjustable LED reading lights in the headboard.

Westin's two new room designs - Westin Classic and Westin Modern - represent a 60% growth in sustainability, utilizing eco-friendly materials such as energy-conserving LED and CFL lights, water conserving low flow plumbing and recycle-able carpet pads, low VOC finishes for casegoods and GreenGuard certified solar shades.

With new builds comprising 95% of the hotels in Westin's pipeline, the new room designs will play a pivotal role in reinforcing the brand's identity and wellness strategy.

For the Sheraton brand's two new designs - Sheraton Revival and Sheraton Heritage - also feature eco-friendly materials including CFL lighting features and low-flow plumbing. Gallery-framed artwork is thoughtfully arranged in vignettes to convey a residential feel.

The first Westin hotels to showcase the new room designs will be the Westin Phoenix, which is scheduled to open February 2011; and the Westin Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego, which will complete a full renovation including rooms in early 2011.

The first Sheraton hotels to feature the new room design are the Sheraton Red Deer in Alberta Canada and the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel & Conference Center which are scheduled to be renovated in early 2011.

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Carlson Signs Two Hotels in India; Plans for 100+ by 2015

Carlson has plans to have more than 100 hotels in operation in India by 2015.

The company, which opened three hotels in India in the first half of the year, is scheduled to open another five hotels by the year end and is planning to add at least 15 more hotels in 2011.

Carlson, which is now one of India?s largest international hotel companies, has also just signed two new hotel agreements in west and south India for the 275-room Radisson Blu Hotel Mumbai Malad and the 110-room Park Plaza Coimbatore.

Radisson Blu Hotel Mumbai Malad

Owned by American Spring and Pressing Works Private Limited, construction of this US$ 52 million upper-upscale hotel will begin immediately, with the hotel expected to open in 2014.

The 275-room property is located on Chunilal Girdharilal Marg off SV Road, one of the main roads connecting Mumbai city to the western suburbs, and near the city?s Central Business District area of Andheri East.

 It will feature contemporary rooms and include an all-day dining restaurant, two specialty food outlets, a tea lounge and a sprawling 10,000 square feet banquet and meeting facility.

Park Plaza Coimbatore

Owned by Sabari Inn Private Limited, the US$ 15 million hotel is scheduled to open next year.

Only four kilometres from the Coimbatore International Airport, it will feature four suites, 14 deluxe and 92 executive rooms.

Food and beverage options will include a restaurant, coffee shop, rooftop restaurant and bar. There will also be two banquet halls that can accommodate up to 500 guests each, as well as two board rooms seating up to 40 people.

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Preferred's Tokyo Hotels launch Haneda Promotions

With the highly anticipated opening of Haneda Airport's new international terminal in late October, Preferred Hotel Group's seven hotels in Tokyo are commemorating the occasion by offering special deals.

The convenience of the new terminal will significantly reduce travel time to most parts of Tokyo, and six of the Preferred Hotel Group properties will be reachable in less than 30 minutes by car. Furthermore, all hotels are conveniently serviced by the airport limousine from Haneda Airport.

Within walking distance to four subway stations for easy access to key commercial areas, Hotel New Otani is 17 km from Haneda Airport. The hotel is offering 10% off the best available rate, including early check-in and late check-out. Valid from 2 October 2010 through 31 March 2011.

Opening on 22 October 2010, The Capitol Hotel Tokyu is located in the downtown Tokyo district of Akasaka and is just 15 km from Haneda Airport. The hotel is offering rates starting at JPY 35,000 / US$428 per night, including late check-out until 4 p.m. Valid from 1 November 2010 through 28 February 2011.

Overlooking Tokyo Bay on Daiba Island, Grand Pacific Le Daiba is 7 km from Haneda Airport. Rates start at JPY 16,000 / US$195, including breakfast and late check-out until 9 p.m., for a minimum three-night stay. Valid from 21 October 2010 through 28 February 2011.

Located in the vibrant Shinjuku shopping and entertainment district, Keio Plaza Hotel is 35 km from Haneda Airport. The hotel is offering 25% off the best available rate, including breakfast and shopping coupons, with a minimum four-night stay. Valid from 1 November 2010 through 13 March 2011.

Located near Marunouchi and Otemachi business districts, Royal Park Hotel is 19 km from Haneda Airport. Rates start at JPY 23,000 / US$281, including Internet access, for a minimum three-night stay. Valid from 1 November 2010 through 30 April 2011.

Overlooking Yokohama Bay Bridge and Mount Fuji, Yokohama Royal Park is located 18 km from Haneda Airport. Rates start at JPY 14,400 / US$176, including service charges and taxes, with a minimum three-night stay. Valid from 31 October 2010 through 31 March 2011.

Located in the Shiodome business district, Royal Park Shiodome is 16 km from Haneda Airport. The hotel is offering a complimentary breakfast voucher when you book at the best available rate and present an international boarding pass for Haneda Airport upon check-in. Valid from 1 November 2010 through 31 January 2011.

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New Hotel Managers @ Unique Hotels in Thailand

The Unique Collection of Hotels & Resorts has appointed the following new Hotel Managers:

Mr. Peter Dietze has been appointed as Resort Manager of Absolute Sanctuary (Koh Samui). Peter starts his new challenge at Absolute Sanctuary (Koh Samui) today - 20 October, 2010.

Peter has over 17 years experience in the hospitality industry and his previous posts include General Manager & Island Chief of Mirihi Island Resort (Maldives), Regional General Manager of Precise Hotel Collection (Berlin), Resident EAM/Director of F & B of Centara Grand (Krabi) and General Manager of LH2 (Austria). With a strong passion for wellness Peter has also been opening GM for Wellness Resorts under the Falkensteiner Hotels & Resorts group.

Originally from Germany, Peter?s career has brought him from Munich to Salzburg to Krabi, the Maldives and now to Koh Samui.

Mr. Stefan Schmidt has been appointed as Hotel Manager of Ban Sabai Sunset Beach Samui. Stefan started his new challenge at Ban Sabai Sunset Beach Samui on 18 October 2010.

Stefan has extensive experiences in hotel hospitality both International and Thailand. Prior to joining Ban Sabai, Stefan?s previous posts included being International Sales Manager at Emerald, Bangkok, Managing Director of JST Hotel Management Corp, Bangkok, Resident Manager at Atlantis Resort & Spa, Koh Samui and Executive Assistant Manager of Novotel Sheremetyevo Airport, Moscow, Russia.

Originally from Sweden, Stefan is fluent in German, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian and has a basic knowledge in French and Spanish.

Mr. Christoph Behrend has been appointed as Hotel Manager of Samui Palm Beach Resort. Christoph started his new challenge at Samui Palm Beach Resort on 1 October 2010.

He has over 13 years experience in hotel hospitality. Prior to joining, Christoph?s previous posts included being a General Manager at The Dewa Koh Chang, Koh Chang, a Resident Manager at Thavorn Palm Beach Resort, Phuket, a General Manager of Panviman Resort, Koh Chang and a Resident Manager/Room Division Manager of Park Hotel Boppard, Germany.

Christoph is originally from Germany, and is fluent in English and Thai.

Khun Montri Bhamornbutr has been appointed as Hotel Manager of Ranyatavi Resort Phang Nga. Khun Montri started his new challenge at Ranyatavi Resort Phang Nga on 15 October 2010.

Khun Montri has over 25 years experience in hotel hospitality. Prior to joining the Ranyatavi Resort, Khun Montri?s previous posts included being a Resident Manager at 5Veronica Residence, Food & Beverage Manager at Bangkok Palace Hotel, Manager at Sea Pearl Residence and General Manager at Royal Park Hotel Ltd., Nigeria. He is fluent in Thai and English.

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Wyndham Signs Three New Hotels in Boao, Hainan

Following the recent opening of two luxury hotels in the cities of Shanghai and Chengdu, Wyndham Hotel Group, one of the world?s largest hotel companies with nearly 7,200 hotels and 13 brands, has signed management agreements for three new Wyndham Hotels and Resorts properties in Boao, located in south China?s Hainan Island province.

The properties include the 300-room Wyndham Grand Boao Resort and Spa, to be part of the brand?s prestigious Wyndham Grand Collection; the 106-room Wyndham Boao Resort; and the 350-room Wyndham Boao Resort and Conference Center.

The three hotels are owned by Hainan Baolian City (Boao) Company Limited, led by Chairman Weijie Zhu, who also is developing the 337-room, luxury Wyndham Grand Baolian Hotel Shanghai, scheduled to open in late 2011.

?We are especially proud to work with Chairman Weijie Zhu and look forward to welcoming these magnificent properties to the Wyndham family as part of this major development project in Boao,? said Eric Danziger, Wyndham Hotel Group president and chief executive officer. ?These resorts set new expectations for luxury hospitality in China and demonstrate our commitment to developing hotels of similar high caliber throughout Asia.?

The new Wyndham properties in Boao will join the 1,000 room Ramada Hotel & Suites Boao, also developed by Zhu. The Ramada Hotel & Suites Boao currently has 400 rooms open and available to guests, with the remaining 600 rooms expected to open by the end of 2010. The hotel complex is part of a larger plan by the developer to transform more than two square kilometers of the city?s ocean front real-estate into an upscale resort destination that will feature multiple retail and entertainment spaces.

?These spectacular projects will result in world-class service and accommodations in exceptional surroundings for the growing business and leisure market in Boao,? said Zhu. ?By partnering with a growing multinational company like Wyndham, we hope to introduce our resorts to an even greater number of Chinese guests and international visitors.?

The 300-room Wyndham Grand Boao Resort and Spa, ideal for a luxury retreat, will feature an indoor swimming pool, extensive spa and fitness facilities, two restaurants, bar and 2,500 square-meters of meeting space. The property is due to open in 2017.

The 106-room Wyndham Boao Resort, offering ocean views, will be situated on a private beach with three outdoor swimming pools, fitness center, spa, two restaurants, lobby lounge and over 2,000 square meters of state-of-the-art conference space. Currently under construction, the luxury resort is due to open in 2013.

The 350-room Wyndham Boao Resort and Conference Center will specialize in meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions with over 3,600 square meters of meeting and event space. Hotel facilities will include three restaurants, bar, indoor swimming pool, fitness center and spa. Currently under construction the hotel is due to open in 2019.

All Wyndham Hotels and Resorts guests can take advantage of Wyndham ByRequest, the brand?s free to join guest recognition program offering complimentary benefits including high-speed Internet access and choice of favorite welcome snack and beverage.

Wyndham ByRequest members also earn Wyndham Rewards points, which can be redeemed for complimentary hotel stays, airline tickets, name-brand merchandise and dining and shopping gift cards, among other options. In lieu of points, members may elect to earn airline or rail miles with a variety of carriers.

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Vina Properties Acquires Dalat Palace Golf Club and Hotels

Saigon-based Vina Properties has acquired the Dalat Palace Golf Club, long an iconic presence on the Southeast Asian golf scene. Dalat Palace GC was voted the country?s top course in the most recent rankings from both Vietnam Golf magazine and Golf Digest U.S..

Vina Properties? acquisition also includes two hotels, the Dalat Palace Hotel and the Dalat du Parc. Vina?s diversified background in tourism-related development ? which includes hotels, transportation, travel agencies, and other disciplines ? should prove pivotal in the project?s future success. The firm?s other hospitality holding include the four-star Ramana Saigon Hotel, in HCMC, and the Royal Hotel, in Vung Tau.

?Operating a national treasure like Dalat Palace presents special challenges, as well as special opportunities,? said Lan Duong, the golf club?s new general manager. ?Our goal is to bring the proper mix of creativity and sensitivity to the task, to update the golf facilities while never compromising the qualities that make it a classic.

?There are several new courses poised to open here in the southern highlands. We welcome this development and see Dalat Palace Golf Club as the anchor to a superb new golfing destination ? one that offers what other Southeast Asian destinations cannot: cool highland temperatures and classic golf, all of it accented by French colonial elegance.?

While Vietnam has a sizeable and growing number of first-rate golf courses, Dalat Palace stands alone in its combination of history, terrain, climate and charm. Founded in the late 19th century, Dalat was a preferred cool-weather retreat of French colonials and Vietnamese royals; the last emperor of Vietnam, Bao Dai, built his summer retreat there. The golf club?s exact provenance remains tantalizingly uncertain, but design and construction began in the 1920s ? at the behest of Bao Dai, an avid golfer ? and the first eight holes were opened for play in the early 1930s.

The routing of the original holes is attributed to Colt & Alison, the legendary British golf course architecture firm, after which the layout endured several cycles of disuse and rejuvenation. It was completely renovated, and expanded to 18 holes, in 1995, thanks to a collaboration between U.S.-based Danao International Holdings Limited, the previous owners, and Lam Dong Province.

Today, as then, Dalat Palace Golf Club is notable for its clever mix of holes weaving through rolling topography that is nonetheless eminently walkable; for its extraordinary landscaping featuring hydrangea, bougainvillea, red salvia, impatiens, and mimosa; and, thanks to the mile-high town?s cool climate; for its immaculate bentgrass greens, a rarity in Southeast Asia.

Plans to revitalize the course itself, according to GM Lan Duong, include bolstering drainage capacity, re-lining bunkers, regarding cart paths and upgrading the golf cart fleet. The Le Tourquet-style clubhouse ? first built as an estate villa during the 1920s, an era that saw construction of the opulent, hillside villas for which Dalat is famous ? is now undergoing a renovation that retains its distinctive design vocabulary while modernizing locker rooms, restaurant and pro shop. Ultimately, a new clubhouse will be built, said Lan Duong, but the existing clubhouse will remain, ?it is too rich an amenity to ever be excluded from the experience at Dalat Palace GC.?

Of similar distinguished heritage is the grand Dalat Palace Hotel, a short drive from the golf course around Xuan Huong Lake. Set within a private five-hectare park overlooking the lake, the French colonial structure was built in 1922 and features 38 guestrooms and five suites, as well as fine dining, a spa, and numerous other amenities.

After a top-to-bottom restoration in 1995, augmented by another meticulous historical refurbishment in 2009, The Palace retains the period?s elegant style, most notably in its vaulted ceilings, rich wood paneling, and oversized-villa feel. Even the five-star hotel?s restored vintage 1952 Citroen roadster evinces a particular sophistication and gentility ? and more upgrades (to meeting facilities and the pool) are planned.

?Fidelity to the the distinguished pedigree at the Palace is paramount in delivering the experience that guests want,? said Nguyen Viet Anh, the hotel?s general manager. ?So improvements to the operation will focus mainly on innovative packages, special offers, and, of course, an approach to personal service to match the glamour of the wonderful atmosphere here.?

The Palace?s sister hotel, the four-star Dalat du Parc, is a brief stroll away. Ideal for both the business and leisure traveler, it boasts 140 rooms, multiple dining options, and an ambience that melds small- hotel sensibilities with large-hotel efficiency and versatility.

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Sofitel Luxury Hotels Expanding Portfolio in Asia Pacific

Sofitel Luxury Hotels has unveiled plans to expand its network across Asia Pacific, with the addition of eight new hotels. The hotels which will open in 2010-2011, include:

? Sofitel Dongguan Humen Oriental (China - August 2010)
? Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra (Cambodia - December 2010)
? Sofitel Guangzhou Sunrich (China - Spring 2011)
? Sofitel Qingdao Garden (China - Spring 2011)
? Sofitel Mumbai BKC (India - Spring 2011)
? Sofitel Shanghai Jing?an (China - Spring 2011)
? Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit (Thailand - Fall 2011)
? Sofitel So Bangkok (Thailand - Fall 2011)

Commenting on the rapid expansion of Sofitel Luxury Hotels in South East Asia and India, Christophe Caron, Vice President of Sofitel Luxury Hotels South East Asia and India said, ?Sofitel Luxury Hotels has gained momentum and recognition in the region. With four new hotels between 2010-2011 in South East Asia and India, as well as two more under development in India in 2012 (namely Sofitel Mumbai Muland and Sofitel So Mumbai), Sofitel Luxury Hotels will further reinforce its strong positioning for both leisure and business travelers.?

Since the announcement three years ago of its move upscale, more than 80 hotels have left the Sofitel Luxury Hotels network from the original count of over 200 hotels. Together with the introduction of two sister brands, Sofitel Legend in 2009 and Sofitel So in 2010, Accor believes that Sofitel Luxury Hotels is now in a strong position to surpass expectations of those that are looking for the ultimate in luxury.

?The French origin is in our brand DNA,? explained Markland Blaiklock, Senior Vice President of Sofitel Luxury Hotels Asia Pacific. ?We enhance the experience with our know-how complimented by our French connections and the best of local culture. This is apparent in the importance we place on design, working with world renowned designers and integrating elements of the local culture.?

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