Carlson adds 15 new properties… and other International hotel news

Carlson adds 15 new properties
Carlson Hotels Worldwide has added 15 new locations to its portfolio over the past three months taking its total to 933 hotels in 71 countries. The properties include two Radisson resort properties in New York and New Jersey, two Radisson SAS hotels in Tunisia and Switzerland, eight Country Inns and Suites throughout the USA and one in Canada, one Park Plaza hotel in New Mexico and one Park Inn by Rezidor SAS in Europe.

Taj to open Qatar's first golf resort
Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces has teamed up with Qatar Sports Investment Company to develop the country's first five-star golf and spa hotel in Doha. The QR22m (£3.23m) project will take three years to develop and is due to launch in 2009. The low-rise luxury boutique hotel will have 150 bedrooms and suites, as well as restaurants, a bar and meeting and conference facilities. The property will be managed by Taj Hotels.

Premier Travel Inn announces first hotel in Dubai
UK budget hotel chain Premier Travel Inn (PTI) has entered a joint venture with Emirates Group to develop the first PTI hotel in Dubai. The 300-bedroom hotel will be built in Dubai Investments Park. Work is scheduled to start later this year with completion expected in late 2007. Patrick Dempsey PTI managing director said the move was a reflection of confidence in the Dubai market.

Hyatt to operate Bonaventure resort and spa
Hyatt Hotels is to take over the management of the 501-room Bonaventure Resort and Spa, after the property struggled as an independent property. Tom Ireland, owner of the Weston resort signed a 20-year management agreement with Hyatt which will see the resort renamed the Hyatt Regency Bonaventure Conference Center and Spa. The resort's staff is due to grow from 200 to between 300-350.

South African Hospitality needs to shape up
Service in South Africa needs to improve drastically to meet visitor expectations, warned Cape Town's International Hotel School managing director, Don King, this week. He said the country needed to improve in time for 2010, when it is due to host the Soccer World Cup. King made the comments during the opening of the hotel school's R15m (£1.1m) new Sable Square campus. "What separates a good hotel from a great one is exceptional service. It's all in the detail," said King.

Shangri-La Opens in Japan
Luxury hotel group, Shangri-La has signed a lease for its first property in Japan. The group reached an agreement with Mori Trust Co to fit out and manage the hotel in Tokyo's Marunouchi district, which is schedule to open by March 2009. The 204-bedroom hotel will occupy the top 11 floors of the 37-storey Marunouchi Trust Tower Main Building. The hotel will also feature a signature Spa at Shangri-La.

InterContinental opens fifth Indigo
InterContinental Hotels Group

By Emily Manson

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