Marriott to open two hotels in Phuket
Marriott has signed management contracts for two Courtyard by Marriott hotels in Phuket, Thailand. Both hotels are scheduled to open in early 2008 and will be conversions of existing properties. The existing hotels comprise the 399-room Grand Tropicana hotel Phuket, which will convert to the Courtyard by Marriott Phuket at Patong Beach; and the 256-room Surin Beach resort, which will be re-branded as the Courtyard by Marriott Phuket at Surin Beach. Renovations of both properties will include all guestrooms, restaurants, lobby and public areas.

Starwood to launch Méridien brand in South Africa
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is to launch its Méridien brand in South Africa with the opening of Le Méridien Kruger Park golf resort and spa in November 2009. The 180-room property will be located Hazyview in Mpumalanga province next to the Sabie River and within 10km of the Kruger National Park. It will feature a selection of themed dining outlets and 9350sqm meeting and business facilities. The hotel will also include a spa as well as heated indoor and outdoor pools and a gymnasium. There will also be craft market shops, a cultural centre with amphitheatre for outdoor shows, helipad, a kids club, library and games room, a wild animal conservation enclosure, an equestrian centre, mountain biking track and an 18-hole championship golf course.

IHG to operate three hotels in eastern China
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed a management contract to operate three hotels in Changzhou, in Eastern China. Comprising one Crowne Plaza and two Holiday Inn Express hotels, the properties will be part of the Landmark International Commercial Center, located in the centre of Changzhou. The integrated complex will have over 580,000sq m of retail outlets, offices, exhibition space, entertainment facilities, residences and hotels. The hotels to be managed by IHG are the 208-room Holiday Inn Express City Center Changzhou, which is scheduled to open by end of 2008; the 288-room Crowne Plaza Changzhou, set to open in 2011; and the 308-room Holiday Inn Express Landmark Changzhou also set to open in 2011.

Aramark wins three contracts in Germany
Caterer Aramark has won three new contracts in Germany through its Business & Industry division. The contracts include Autoliv BV in Dachau in southern Germany, where the company will provide breakfast, lunch and snacks for a workforce of about 1,000 people; as well as breakfast and lunches for approximately 240 people working for DaimlerChrysler’s sales agency in Freiburg, also southern Germany. Finally Aramark has, since the middle of April, provided 600 workers at Trumpf Laser with breakfast and three different lunchtime choices.

Sodexho lands healthcare contract in Canada
Contract caterer Sodexho is to partner with York Central Hospital in Canada to provide the medical firm with a facilities management solution. The contract will see Sodexho supply environmental services; patient and retail food facilities; plant operations and maintenance; patient and materials transfer; and security. Part of the service will see Sodexho supply a catering offer called ‘At Your Request – Room Service Dining’, which will allow patients to order meals. The company said it will be investing heavily in the project, a step that will see it change the hospital’s food and cafe facilities, to make them more appealing to patients and visitors.

By Kerstin Kühn

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