Hotels & Resorts
RIU Enters Senegal
RIU Hotels & Resorts has purchased a 25-hectare site in the Pointe Sarène area on Senegal’s west coast, a “paradise destination in the midst of the tourist development process.” With it, the chain strengthens its commitment to Africa, where it already owns six hotels (five in Cape Verde and one in Tanzania) and runs a further five hotels in Morocco. The planned investment amounts to 150 million euros, which includes the purchase of the site and the development of future hotels in the destination. The size of the site will allow two properties to be built, and it is being...
School is in Session With Sandals
The month of June usually represents the end of the school year, but Sandals Resorts is inviting agents to sharpen their pencils and sign up for their Certified Sandals Specialist workshops taking place this month across Canada. During the fast-paced, concise sessions, agents will receive key product updates, key selling strategies, key tips and more key information they need to lock in more Sandals and Beaches bookings than ever before. The workshops also fulfill the educational requirement towards becoming a Certified Sandals Specialist, as well as the maintenance requirement for...
Tapestry Collection Expanding to the Caribbean
Hilton has announced the signing of ROK Hotel, Kingston, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, representing the brand’s debut in Jamaica and the Caribbean. Slated to open in 2020, the 168-room property, owned by PanJam Investment Limited, sits in a multi-purpose complex on the Kingston Waterfront and will include retail, on-site entertainment and commercial office spaces. Under redevelopment to further revitalize the Kingston Waterfront, the 12-storey building originally opened in 1977 as the Oceana Hotel. Now, it is being transformed into ROK, Kingston, a contemporary hotel offering...
Margaritaville Island Reserve by Karisma Set For Debut
Margaritaville and Karisma Hotels & Resorts are inviting travellers to “escape to paradise” with the debut of Margaritaville Island Reserve by Karisma, a new inclusive resort experience. Reflecting a landmark partnership, Margaritaville Island Reserve by Karisma will comprise upscale, relaxed resorts built in beachfront destinations throughout Mexico and the Caribbean. Encompassing upscale coastal design, exceptional service, and top-quality food and beverage with a twist in tropical destinations, officials say Karisma and Margaritaville will deliver a vibrant, world-class...
Kimpton Raptor Challenge Is On
With the Toronto Raptors making the NBA Championship finals for the first time in franchise history against the Golden State Warriors, Toronto's Kimpton Saint George Hotel (the only Kimpton in Canada) has challenged their Kimpton family in San Francisco (where the company originates) to a friendly wager. Bertrand Mangeot, Saint George's general manager, has challenged the director of hotel operations David von Winckler and his team at Sir Francis Drake, general manager Emily Glick and her team at Hotel Tomo, and Nick Gregory, senior VP of operations at Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants,...
New Dual-Branded Hilton Opens in Chicago
Hilton has announced the opening of its newest hotel, the dual-branded Hilton Garden Inn Chicago Downtown South Loop and Homewood Suites by Hilton Chicago Downtown South Loop. The new property brings a total of 342 new rooms and suites (many featuring scenic lakeshore views) to downtown Chicago’s bustling South Loop neighbourhood. The dual-brand hotel adds even more versatile options for guests visiting the Windy City, which attracted a record number of nearly 58 million tourists in 2018. “The popularity of Chicago and its flourishing South Loop neighbourhood is undeniable, and...
Hotel Belmont Now Open in Vancouver
Vancouver is now home to its first-ever Ascend Collection Hotel. Hotel Belmont, a boutique hotel in a landmark Vancouver building, is open for bookings. The modern and trendy hotel is a newly renovated, 82-room boutique property that has stood at the corner of Granville and Nelson for more than a century. “This hotel offers a unique product in downtown Vancouver, satisfying a gap in the hotel market. It has been designed with the millennial traveller in mind, providing a modern, fun and vibrant hotel experience,” says Juan Duran, director of franchise development at Choice...
Canopy by Hilton Set to Debut in Africa
Hilton has announced the signing of a management agreement with Growthpoint Properties, South Africa’s largest REIT, to open a hotel under its lifestyle Canopy by Hilton brand. The 150-room Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof is expected to begin welcoming guests in 2021 and will be the brand’s debut property in Africa. Canopy by Hilton launched in 2014 to appeal to travellers seeking locally inspired stays and wishing to immerse themselves in the culture and history of local neighbourhoods. It currently operates in nine destinations around the world with more than 35...