Conrad hotels open in Shanghai and other international hotel news

Conrad hotels open in Shanghai
The Conrad hotel chain is to open a hotel in Shanghai later this year with a design inspired by the prosperous Han Dynasty period in China’s history. The 24-storey hotel, to be designed by US architecture firm Kohn Pederson Fox Associates, of New York, will include window wall patterns using Chinese granite, based on traditional Chinese latticework from the Han Dynasty. Paul Katz, principal at Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates said: "Our aim for the Conrad Shanghai was to design a property which advanced the city's new role as a global hub of commerce and culture, while echoing the vibrancy and prosperity of the Han Dynasty".

Sheraton goes live
Guests at some Sheraton hotels in the USA will be able to browse the Web for local tourist tips and other information on new Microsoft’s “surface computers”. The 30-inch computers, which can be used by several guests at once, will be available in hotel lobbies at some Sheraton hotels in Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Seattle.

Centara to open Maldives resort
Thai hotel group Centara Hotels & Resorts is set to  open a new hotel and resort in The Maldives, the company’s first property outside Thailand. The four-star Centara Grand Island Resort and Spa in South Ari Atoll, due to open in May 2009, will offer a “house reef” with sunken ship wreck for divers, seven types of beach front and “over-water” accommodation,  sports facilities and a spa.

IHG sells Jamaica Holiday Inn
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has sold its Jamaica Holiday Inn Sunspree Hotel to Octagon Hotels Group for $30m (£16.4m). The 524-room property in Montego Bay St. James, has been sold with a 10-year Holiday Inn franchise agreement. Since 2003 IHG has disposed of 182 hotels globally with a net asset value of over £2.9bn. Richard Solomons, finance director and interim President, Americas, InterContinental Hotels Group, said: 'There is still an appetite in the market for high quality hotels with a strong brand which offer a solid return on investment for property owners.”

By Nick Huber

E-mail your comments to Nick Huber here.