Middle East
Conrad enters Dubai
Conrad Hotels, part of the Hilton Hotels Corporation, has signed a 15-year management agreement to operate a new-build hotel in Dubai. The hotel, which is owned by Abu Dhabi-based Private Property Management, will be the first Conrad hotel in the Middle East. The 350-bedroom hotel is scheduled to open in 2007 and will feature 12 meeting rooms, a business centre, a ballroom with space for up to 1,100 people, a variety of restaurants and bars, a nightclub, and a spa and health club with outdoor pool.
Far East
Ibis kicks off in Bali
French hotel group Accor is to open an Ibis budget hotel in Bali next year. The 109-bedroom Ibis Legian Bali hotel will open between Kuta and Seminyak after a $32m (£17.5m) revamp. Accor manages four hotels in Bali: the Sofitel Seminyak, Novotel Benoa Bali, Mecure Kuta and Mecure Resort Sanur.
North America
Fairmont sells resort
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is selling the Fairmont Kea Laui Maui resort in Hawaii to property company Host Marriott for $355m (£194m) or $789,000 (£431,218) a room. Fairmont will continue to manage the resort, which will retain its name. It bought the property in February 2001 for $250m (£137m) and will realise a pre-tax gain of about $110m (£60m) on the sale.
Europe
NH opens Geneva hotel
Spanish hotel group NH Hoteles has opened a 189-bedroom hotel at Geneva airport. The hotel was bought by NH in July 2000 from Dutch hotel group Krasnapolsky and has undergone a g3.5m (£2.3m) renovation. The NH Geneva Airport also features four conference rooms and a 120-seat restaurant and cocktail bar. NH Hoteles has three other hotels in Switzerland.