Wyndham to build 15 Ramada Encore hotels in Ukraine and other international hotel news

Wyndham to build 15 Ramada Encore hotels in Ukraine
Wyndham Hotel Group plans to build 15 Ramada Encore hotels throughout the Eastern European country of Ukraine over the next 10 years. Ukrainian Hotels LLC will franchise and manage the properties and initial development targets include the capital, Kiev, and cities with populations of more than 200,000. Wyndham said it seeks to make Ramada Encore hotels the mid-scale lodging leader in Ukraine's key secondary cities within the next five to seven years.

Starwood signs its fifth property in QatarStarwood has signed a deal to develop its fifth property in Qatar with the launch of Le Meridien Doha. Construction works of Le Meridien Doha, which is located in the upscale West Bay of Doha, will start in early 2008 and are planned to be completed by 2010. Le Meridien Doha will feature 250 guestrooms and 100 serviced apartments, all-day dining, two specialty restaurants, fully equipped spa and gym and approximately 2,000sq m of meeting and conference space.

Marriott to launch new boutique hotel chainMarriott and upscale hotelier Ian Schrager are to launch a new chain of boutique hotels which will be called Edition. Marriott and Schrager plan to open the first Edition brand hotels around 2010 in nine cities including Paris, Madrid, Miami, Chicago, Washington and two in Los Angeles. More than 100 of the "lifestyle" hotels could eventually be built worldwide.

IHG to develop Holiday Inn brand in Saudi ArabiaInterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed a franchise development agreement to develop the Holiday Inn Express brand in Saudi Arabia. The company plans to launch a total of 12 new properties within the next five years. IHG is currently opening an average of two Holiday Inn Express hotels every week around the world.

By Kerstin Kühn

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