News & Stories

Augsburg. Further international hotel chains are moving into Arabia: Shangri-La opens a 680-room complex in Oman, Radisson SAS a 251-room hotel in Dubai and Moevenpick a residence in Doha.

Dubai. The luxury group Jumeirah International from Dubai is reducing its company name to "Jumeirah" with immediate effect. The top-notch hotels will change their name by the end of 2005, aiming at creating a strong brand presence for expansion on a regional as well as international level.

Dubai. Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, will invest 142 million Dhs to build a luxury conservation resort in Australia`s Blue Mountains - its first such hospitality development outside of  the U.A.E. 

Moscow/St. Petersburg. The next international chain is flying its flag in Moscow: On July 18, Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy opens in Moscow – the first hotel of the Raffles subsidiary in Russia and Eastern Europe. Apart from that, Corinthia from Malta announced the expansion of Nevskij Palace in St. Petersburg to a 5-star hotel.

Kiel. The Austrian Hotel Development Company Rogner International plans the construction of its first German hotel complex in Westensee Nature Park, Schleswig-Holstein.

Toronto. Canadian Four Seasons Hotels Inc. has confirmed that the shareholders of 795 Fifth Avenue Corporation, the owner of The Pierre, have approved a new operator.

New York. The contract remains to be sealed either today or at the end of this week: The Four Seasons Hotel The Pierre in New York will then become a Taj hotel. In Chicago Four Seasons will cease management for The Ritz-Carlton.

Moscow. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company will open its first property in Russia mid-year 2006, a 332-room hotel in Moscow. The 11-story hotel replaces the old Intourist hotel which was demolished in 2002.

Berlin. The number of new hotels opening in Berlin seems endless: The day before yesterday Marriott celebrated the opening of its 267 room Courtyard and Accor yesterday swiftly followed with its 274 room Dorint Sofitel. Accor announced, however, the Dorint Sofitel would be the last of the new hotels to be opened in Germany for 2005.

Innsbruck. Innsbruck in Tyrol, Austria, shows how difficult it is even for a two-time Olympic city to attract international hotel brands. Four new hotels with 500 rooms are planned and under construction, respectively, but only two of them have already found an operator.