The South China Morning Post painted a picture in Hong Kong of hotels slashing rates to fill rooms now that quarantine stays are gone. SCMP said hotels are trying to get guests away from serviced apartments and the leasing market. Despite some positive steps, most believe the only way for the hotels to do well will be to reopen the border with the mainland and a 0+0 policy. So far serviced apartments and residential operators are taking this in stride, realizing that hotels are empty now that the need for quarantine hotels is gone. While the changes have been made, the article said very few business travelers and tourists have returned.
Accor announced the signing of a management agreement for a new dual-branded hotel in Thailand’s capital. Mercure & ibis Bangkok Siam Ratchathewi is slated to open in 2025. The dual-branded hotel will be part of a vertical mixed-use development including offices and retail spaces. Strategically located at the Ratchathewi intersection, the hotel is in an area near the city’s most loved shopping complexes and the Airport Rail Link to Suvarnabhumi International Airport. This will be Accor’s third dual-branded hotel concept in Thailand. The Mercure hotel will comprise 200 rooms while the ibis hotel will have 154 rooms. An array of shared public areas includes a restaurant, lobby bar and lounge, pool bar, swimming pool, gym, Kid’s club and two meeting rooms. Accor currently has 83 hotels operating in Thailand under 11 brands. The group has a pipeline of 18 hotels currently under development in the country. In Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea, Accor currently operates 372 hotels.
A new $35 million hotel on Kaikoura’s waterfront has launched. The four-story, 120-room hotel in the New Zealand town has a restaurant and art gallery open to the public, located on the town’s esplanade. Kaikoura Boutique Hotel is owned by Jen Barnes and operated by Hing Management’s Sudima Hotels. It is expected that 70,000 additional visitors will come to the coastal North Canterbury town annually. The expansive art gallery-style atrium links through the hotel’s restaurant and bar Hiku, the Maori word for ‘whale tail’ that pays homage to Kaikoura’s iconic attraction, and offers local seafood and farmed produce.
Hotel Okura Co. Ltd. announced Okura Resort & Spa Phu Quoc will open in 2027 at the premier resort of Long Beach on Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam. The company has contracted with Trading Construction Works Organization to manage the new property. The new hotel will feature 200 guest rooms, each with a standard area of 50 square meters. It will have five dining facilities and lounges, including a restaurant offering Japanese cuisine, as well as a fitness center, outdoor swimming pool, spa and other facilities. There will also be three banquet and meeting rooms. The property will also contain around 65 villas affording unique enjoyment of its beachfront location.
Sonamarg in Kashmir now has the Radisson Sonamarg following the grand opening of the hotel on Sunday. The property is managed by the Mushtaq Chaya Group of Hotels in Kashmir.
Duetto announced a series of senior appointments in Asia Pacific as it grows its customer base and regional network. Jenna Xue has joined the team as regional marketing manager, APAC, based in Singapore. Jenna comes to Duetto following 13 years of marketing and events experience in the APAC region. Jeong Pyon has joined Duetto as regional director of hospitality solutions, based in Seoul, South Korea. Jeong was said to have had past experience working at Marriott, Relais and Chateaux, Four Seasons and IHG in various destinations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Duetto said the appointments follow rapid growth for them in the region with notable signings for the cloud-based SaaS revenue solutions provider include Dusit International, Baillie Lodges and Oakwood.
Holiday Inn & Suites Dubai Science Park will be opening soon. IHG Hotels & Resorts said the sustainable hotel operates on no single-use plastic, has an onsite water bottling plan and features digital amenities in all its guest rooms, suites & apartments. IHG said the hotel is set to open in the final quarter of 2022. The hotel is located at the Dubai Science Park and will have 324 guestrooms, suites and one-bedroom apartments. The high-end one-bedroom apartments will include a built-in kitchenette, cookware and flatware, washer and dryer. The hotel will offer seven ultra-modern collapsible events and conference space and an extensive upper mid-scale ballroom which can accommodate over 440 guests. The hotel will have a fully equipped fitness center, an outdoor pool and a sizeable activity space. For food & beverage, the hotel will have a sleek pool bar, Kitchen25, a restaurant serving international cuisine, and Café Verde, a café that will feature smart, communal working spaces. The hotel will also be home to Irish pub McGettigan’s.
The Ciel in Dubai, expected to be the tallest hotel in the world when it opens in the emirate’s Marina District, will be delayed. Gulf News reported the opening will be delayed by a year to the beginning of 2024. First Group and the China Railway Construction Corp are the development partners who announced the delay. The hotel will be more than 80 stories high, will have more than 1,000 rooms when it opens and will become the tallest hotel, beating out The Gevora which is also in Dubai’s Marina District.
Marriott’s St. Regis Hotels & Resorts announced the opening of The St. Regis Marsa Arabia Island, The Pearl – Qatar. The property is in the heart of Porto Arabia, a Mediterranean-styled island that is located just a short drive from Hamad International Airport. The hotel was developed by Alfardan Group, opening just before the World Cup comes to the area. The hotel, one of many to open or be opening in time for the event, is based on its own island and includes 193 suites. The room choices include one, two and three bedrooms as well as private townhouses, each featuring large balconies overlooking the Arabian Gulf. The suites feature large bathrooms, walk-in wardrobes, spacious living areas and fully equipped kitchens. Works of art adorn every corner with a herd of bronze Arabian horses welcoming guests at the majestic entrance. A spectacular hanging chandelier flows from the Lobby. The hotel includes more than 10 F&B outlets including lounges and restaurants. The Longevity Hub by Clinique La Prairie is their aesthetics spa. A state of the art gym is just one of the range of dedicated sporting activities and facilities available to guests. The hotel also features swimming pools, jacuzzi, children’s pool and eight private cabanas. At the entrance to the island is a Grand Ballroom, part of the array of meeting and event space.
