Big Fat Hotel Wrap
Start getting excited: it’s almost Friday! Well, kind of. At least we’re halfway through. In the meantime, have a peruse through this very informative wrap.
AVANI signs second Hotel in Malaysia
AVANI Hotels and Resorts (www.avanihotels.com) continues to expand the brand presence in Asia with an agreement with KTI Property Sdn. Bhd. to manage an AVANI hotel in Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, Malaysia.
Kota Kinabalu, better known as “KK” among locals, is the vibrant capital of Malaysia’s Sabah state, blending old world charm with a cosmopolitan multi-ethnicity. This unique mix of cultures resonates in KK’s sights, sounds, and, of course, flavours. KK boasts beautiful landscapes such as the highest peak in Southeast Asia – Mount Kinabalu, a UNESCO World Heritage site, as well as Kinabalu National Park that shelters such diverse native flora and fauna as the orangutan and sun bear. The coastal city is also a popular destination for some of the world’s best island-hopping with nearby Manukan Island, Mamutik Island, Gaya Island, Sulug Island, and Sapi Island.
Scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter of 2021, the newly built AVANI Kota Kinabalu Hotel will be just a 20-minute drive from Kota Kinabalu International Airport, one of the busiest airports in Malaysia with international flights from Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, as well as China. As part of a mixed use development with retail, office, and condominium complex, guests will find a wide range of dining and entertainment options just steps away in the heart of Sabah’s capital on Jalan Lintas.
AVANI Kota Kinabalu will open with 378 new keys ready to welcome business and leisure travellers with trademark AVANI sleep satisfaction, contemporary living spaces, and Honest Food. The hotel will feature an all-day dining restaurant and a rooftop pool & bar, as well as 855 square metres of meeting space, perfect for conferences or social functions.
Preferred Hotels & Resorts welcomes 22 new member hotels
Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest independent hotel brand, is pleased to welcome 22 new member hotels, resorts, and residences to its curated collection of more than 700 distinctive properties around the world. From a 35-acre private island luxury resort in the Maldives and a new opening in Paris to the brand’s first-ever hotels in Quebec City (Canada), Apulia (Italy), and Malaga (Spain), each of these new member properties, which joined between April and June 2018, cater to discerning travelers who seek extraordinary service and singular luxury travel experiences.
Highlights of the new additions include:
- JA Manafaru (Manafaru, Maldives) – Located on a 35-acre private island on the northern Haa Alif atoll of the Maldives, this luxury resort is the epitome of bucket list travel with its unparalleled accommodations ranging from beachfront bungalows to over-water villas with infinity pools.
- Borneo Eagle Resort (Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia) – Nestled on the pristine island of Pulau Tiga, off the west coast of Sabah, Malaysia is a luxury boutique resort flanked by clear azure waters, a stretch of white sandy beach, and magnificent coral reefs.
- The One Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain) – Set in one of Barcelona’s most exclusive neighborhoods just steps from Paseo de Gracia, newly opened The One Barcelona offers an invigorating hospitality experience that exudes comfort, bespoke service, and personality in every space.
- 9Hotel Confidentiel (Paris, France) – Positioned in the trendy Marais district and featuring a design by visionary architect Philippe Starck, the ultra-modern 9Hotel Confidentiel is slated to open in October 2018.
- Hotel 71 (Quebec City, Canada) – Located in a 19th-century stone building in the center of Quebec’s historical Old Port district, Hotel 71 seamlessly blends modern convenience with European-style boutique charm.
The Spa at Grand Park Kodhipparu, Maldives wins three awards at the World Luxury Spa Awards 2018
Grand Park Kodhipparu, Maldives has performed a hat-trick scoring three awards at the World Luxury Spa Awards 2018. The luxury resort which is a part of Park Hotel Group was awarded ‘Luxury Destination Spa’, ‘Luxury Spa Retreat’, and ‘Luxury Resort Spa’.
Having only opened in mid-2017, it’s an impressive achievement for the young resort in the Indian Ocean continent.
Situated on its own private jetty just metres from the villa accommodation, The Spa features seven spacious treatment rooms overlooking crystal clear waters.
A subdivision of the long-established World Luxury Hotel Awards, World Luxury Spa Awards are considered the pinnacle of achievement for high-end spas across the globe, setting the standard for quality, innovation and service. The accolades are the result of a month-long voting process, all carried out by guests with this year’s edition seeing more than 100,000 votes cast for the 1000 qualifying spas.
Emotional Well-Being at Chiva-Som
Leading health and wellness resort, Chiva Som presents the holistic Emotional Well-Being retreat guiding guests through a personalised regime focusing on mind and body therapy, healthy eating, regular physical activity and establishment of a stable sleeping pattern.
This rejuvenating regime encompasses emotional and mental balance, stress management, recovery and rehabilitation, and general health improvement each day during 10 and 14-night stays at the acclaimed Thailand resort and can be further tailored according to the guests’ needs and goals.
A Naturopathic Consultation with Chiva-Som’s experts is complemented by Yoga, Acupuncture, Pranayama and Re-functional Exercise sessions. In addition, on each day of the retreat, guests can select a treatment of choice from an extensive daily menu.
The 10-night Emotional Well-Being retreat is priced from AUD14,445 per person twin share commencing when Chiva-Som re-opens 1 November following renovation through to 9 December 2018.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts to debut in Palau with stunning over-water Villa Resort
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchisor with nearly 9,000 hotels and 20 powerhouse brands, unveiled a luxurious new resort with over-water villas in Palau, the pristine western Pacific island paradise, under its namesake Wyndham brand at a recent ground breaking ceremony.
Wyndham Palau is being developed by the Sea Sky International Development Group, a subsidiary of Global International Development Group. The resort is located in the unspoiled region of Aimeliik, which is home to spectacular natural landscapes, ancient villages and crystal clear seas teeming with colourful marine life.
Upon completion, this 593-key resort will offer a choice of beautifully-appointed accommodations, including 132 hotel guestrooms and over 400 villas, with some perched on stilts over the warm, shallow seas. These exotic rooms will be accompanied by other luxury villas nestled in the hillside and on the edge of the mangroves.
Wyndham Palau welcomes guests with a VIP lounge and offers an Executive Lounge – a private sanctuary featuring an array of additional amenities – for VIPs and Wyndham Rewards members. Guests can access two free-form pools surrounded by a large sun deck and shady cabanas, a children’s pool, a kid’s club and a serene wellness centre. The resort also includes a purpose-built conference centre with a wide variety of options for event planners, including a ballroom seating up to 140 guests and four meeting rooms for up to 60 people.
Mandarin Oriental to manage luxury resort on Lake Como, Italy
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has announced today that it has taken over management of CastaDiva Resort & Spa, an existing resort on Lake Como, Italy. The property will be rebranded as Mandarin Oriental, Lake Como in spring 2019 following a refurbishment of facilities. This will be Mandarin Oriental’s first resort in western Europe and will complement the Group’s Milan hotel.
Located on the shores of Lake Como, and surrounded by lush botanic parkland, the resort is a landmark of historic importance, comprising 76 spacious rooms and suites housed in nine villas, dating from the 19th Century. Two of the villas will be bookable in their entirety giving guests their own private retreat. Almost all accommodation has lake views that can be enjoyed from either a balcony or terrace.
The resort features four restaurants and bars, including a lakeside terrace for al fresco dining, a large spa with an indoor swimming pool and an outdoor floating pool on the lake. There is also a variety of social and meeting facilities in the resort’s grounds.
Lake Como has been a popular travel destination for centuries, and is regarded as one of the most beautiful resort areas in northern Italy. The lake is surrounded by villas, gardens and villages and offers visitors a wealth of scenic views, hiking trails, boating and other water activities. It is easily accessed from Milan Malpensa airport.
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