- New Park Inn by Radisson property plans for the 'best possible experience at an affordable price' for upper-midscale offer at Vilnius Airport
- New BeyondTV MyRemote takes the contactless convenience for guestroom entertainment to another level
- The Unbound Collection by Hyatt debuts the Grand Wuji Hotel in Nanjing, China with a 'stay - nourish - heal' mantra
- Data metrics - latest performance insights from STR
- News briefs - bitesize updates of latest industry news and developments
New Park Inn by Radisson property plans for the 'best possible experience at an affordable price' for upper-midscale offer at Vilnius Airport
Radisson Hotel Group has deepened its commitment to the Baltic market with the opening of a Park Inn by Radisson hotel at Vilnius Airport in Lithuania. With 120 guest rooms, four meeting rooms totalling 400 square metres, an Italian style Bocca Buona restaurant and bar, a modern gym and parking, the new upper-midscale hotel aims to deliver "the best possible experience at an affordable price," according to Tom Flanagan Karttunen, area senior vice president, Northern & Western Europe for the hotel group. The hotel's contemporary guest rooms were designed featuring a modern, neutral palette of grey and cream colours, and each room is decorated with photographs of Lithuania taken by the well-known photographer Marius Jovaiša. Its business centre can accommodate guests and groups of up to 300 people, the largest meeting room accommodating up to half the total.
New BeyondTV MyRemote takes the contactless convenience for guestroom entertainment to another level
With a touchless offer top of the list among guests as hygiene becomes a key driver in accommodation selection, Hotel Internet Services (HIS), a full-service provider of internet services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has unveiled the latest in its guestroom entertainment and contactless convenience offer with the launch of BeyondTV MyRemote. Designed to be instantly accessible by a wide range of personal devices without the need to download software, MyRemote is simultaneously able to cater to growing demands for instant, personalised service while ensuring that new guest expectations for contactless and social distancing compatible amenities can be fully met. Compatible with all smart devices, it can be made available by properties via QR code or manual registration and does not even require a Wi-Fi connection in order to function. Replacing the prior need to handle physical in-room items such as TV remotes that may pose a germ exposure risk, MyRemote certainly offers more convenient access to a wide range of traditional guestroom functionalities and services. Plus, with the ability to integrate with Amazon's Alexa or Google Home, the touchless experience can also be extended to in-room amenities, including thermostats, lighting and curtains.
The Unbound Collection by Hyatt debuts the Grand Wuji Hotel in Nanjing, China with a 'stay - nourish - heal' mantra
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has confirmed the opening of the wellbeing-focused Grand Wuji Hotel in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province, which marks the fourth property in China for The Unbound Collection by Hyatt as the brand expands its footprint globally. Previously known as The Yovoy Hotel, Grand Wuji Hotel's name references the concept of five seasons in Mandarin - spring, summer, long summer, autumn, winter, known as "Wuji" - and which forms the foundation for the guest experience, which is inspired by a deep sense of personal wellbeing and traditional Chinese medicinal culture. The accommodation of 272 guestrooms, including 56 suites, is enriched with Chinese design elements with most rooms featuring a 'health corner' with a Chinese-style daybed for tea and peaceful meditation. Each suite is also equipped with a smart mirror that automatically synchronises with a scale to offer guests personalised health data, while the music playing through the property's audio system in guestrooms is adjusted according to the five seasons. The property also encompasses 3,000 square metres of event space, all accessed via a private entrance, dominated by 1,200 square metre 'Five Season Banquet Hall' which can accommodate up to 1,200 people.
Data metrics - latest performance insights from STR
- In Mainland China the occupancy and RevPAR levels in Aug-2020 were the highest for any month in China since Nov-2019, while the ADR level was the highest since Jan-2020. In comparison with the same month last year, occupancy was down -11.9% to 64.2%, ADR declined -15.2% to CNY422.05 and RevPAR fell -25.4% to CNY271.11.
- In Netherlands ADR in Aug-2020 came in lower than Jul-2020, but occupancy and RevPAR were the highest for any month in the country since Feb-2020. In comparison with the same month last year, occupancy was down -47.0% to 43.7%, ADR fell -22.1% to EUR87.01 and RevPAR declined -58.7% to EUR38.00.
- In Peru each of the three key performance metrics in Aug-2020 were the lowest for any August, while the occupancy and RevPAR levels were slightly lower than Jul-2020. In comparison with the same month last year, occupancy declined -32.6% to 45.1%, ADR was down -55.6% to PEN187.35 and RevPAR fell -70.1% to PEN84.44.
- In Aug-2020 Qatar saw its first year-over-year RevPAR increase since Jan-2020, while the ADR level was the highest for any month in the country since Jul-17. In comparison with the same month last year, occupancy slipped -6.1% to 53.6%, ADR rose +19.2% to QAR444.29, while RevPAR was up +11.9% to QAR238.16.
News briefs
- Pleasant Holidays and its luxury brand, Journese, have added Evans Hotels in San Diego to their USA portfolios. The expansion also includes The Lodge at Torrey Pines, a resort overlooking the world-renowned Torrey Pines Golf Course, site of the 2021 US Open championship; and Bahia Resort Hotel and Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa, which are set on Mission Bay, California.
- Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Mexican real estate development company Paralelo 19 Desarrollos are collaborating to deliver a new luxury resort located in Tamarindo, Mexico. Debuting in 2021 as Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo, México, the project will be located on a private peninsula along the Pacific Ocean in the state of Jalisco, between the towns of La Manzanilla and Barra de Navidad. The area, known as "Costa Alegre" or "Joy Coast" is acclaimed for its picturesque beaches, lush landscape and unique topography.
- The Hilton Garden Inn Jackson Downtown, formerly known as the King Edward Hotel and a property recognised as a symbol of Jackson's downtown renaissance, concluded a renovation project this summer that extended to its more than 7,300 square feet of meeting and event space, 186 guest rooms, full-service restaurant and bar, lobby and fitness centre. The changes have been "designed to retain the hotel's historical elegance," it says.
- Jurny, a hospitality tech company offering SaaS-based management solutions, has reached agreement with I-Swift to operate a new apartment hotel in the centre of Israel's cultural and commercial capital, Tel Aviv. Jurny will integrate its proprietary technology and management services to deliver a contactless guest experience. Located in the historic Tel Aviv district, the apartment hotel will combine Jurny's advanced technology and management solution with I-Swift's unique wellness offerings including a herbal garden, yoga lessons and other health and wellness-inspired services to develop a retreat-like accommodation experience.
- Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, the boutique luxury brand from InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has opened the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in the northern UK city of Manchester. The fourth property for the brand in the UK after locations in London, Edinburgh and Glasgow, the property delivers the brand's cosmopolitan style and irreverent culture into a terracotta Grade II listed building with a history dating back to 1890. All 270 loft-style bedrooms, including 11 suites, have been designed to make the most of double and triple-height ceilings, while other original period features including glazed brick, tile, faience, stained glass and carved wooden staircases, are combined with contemporary fittings and interiors.
- Outrigger Hospitality Group, the beachfront brand, has further upgraded Outrigger Expert Advisor (OEA), a rewards programme and comprehensive platform to provide travel advisors with engaging education modules, special member benefits and tools to create memorable experiences for guests. As part of the programme, advisors can now earn unlimited reward points for use toward their next booking in select Outrigger Resorts and Hotels in Mauritius, Fiji and Hawaii.
- River House at Odette's, a new luxury lifestyle hotel in New Hope, Pennsylvania, opened along the Delaware River on 28-Sep-2020. The new hotel is inspired by its previous life as actress and musician Odette Myrtil Logan's boisterous cabaret, Chez Odette, which for over two decades was the social hub of New Hope's lively artistic community. The boutique hotel features 36 guestrooms and suites offering what it described as "classic elegance coupled with luxurious, contemporary flair".
- Paramount Lodging Advisors has confirmed a change in the ownership of the Spanish Garden Inn, a luxury boutique hotel located within walking distance to many of Santa Barbara's renowned cultural centres and restaurants. The hotel's 24 luxuriously-appointed guestrooms and suites are spread throughout four buildings surrounding a central courtyard with fountain and lush gardens.
- Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts is to debut in Dana Point, California, following the conversion of the current Monarch Beach Resort. The luxury Hilton brand will transform the distinctive 400-room property into the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club. With its picturesque setting just 60 miles south of Los Angeles, the resort is nestled hillside along the coast of Dana Point and offers panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, with its "sophisticated, approachable and intimate" offer to guests.