Resorts
Sunwing Partners With Planet Hollywood
Sunwing Travel Group has signed a deal with iconic lifestyle brand Planet Hollywood in a partnership designed to increase the footprint of Planet Hollywood’s hotel operations globally. Initially, Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Costa Rica will open this fall and Planet Hollywood Resort Cancun will open in spring 2019, marking Planet Hollywood’s first foray into the luxury all-inclusive category. “The Planet Hollywood brand has always been about delivering unique and memorable experiences that translate into lifelong memories for our guests,” said Robert Earl, Planet...
X Marks The Spot in Toronto
The latest addition to Toronto's hotel scene will live up to its phonetic name. Hotel X Toronto is slated to open in March, with the luxury property having begun taking reservations for March 18 and Adele Gutman, vice-president of sales marketing and revenue for the Library Hotel Collection, which Hotel X Toronto is a member of, says its name is a suitable one, given that it's found on the grounds of Exhibition Place, commonly referred to as the Ex by Torontonians. Exhibition Place – near Toronto's downtown core – is among other things home to the lengthy Canadian National...
Club Med’s Turkoise Now A ‘4 Trident’ Resort
Club Med reports the transition of its fan-favourite Club Med Turkoise resort from a “3 Trident” resort to a “4 Trident” resort, starting May 1. By earning its fourth Trident – the company’s star rating system – Club Med Turkoise celebrates the enhancement of its guest experience to provide an even more upscale, all-inclusive vacation for adults in Grace Bay Beach, consistently ranked one of the top three beaches in the world by TripAdvisor. The transition from a three-star rating to a four-star rating is a result of the resort’s recently unveiled renovations to the...
Lively Lisbon
In the wise words of our local guide Bruno Jorge, the best way to experience Alfama — one of the only neighbourhoods in Lisbon to withstand the earthquake, fire and tsunami of 1755 — is to get lost strolling through its picturesque streets, reports assistant editor, Ann Ruppenstein in this week's Travel Courier cover story. After taking random lefts and rights, meandering through narrow alleyways, up steep stairways and along cobblestone streets, we came to a pause as we heard someone call out to us from a second floor window. Through some interpretation we learned the voice...
Dominica Poised To Get 120 New Luxury Rooms
Principals of the Anichi Resort and Spa recently hosted Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and members of his Cabinet in a ground breaking ceremony for a new 120-room property being built in the northern town of Portsmouth. The boutique property will be operated by Trust Hospitality under the Autograph Collection Hotels brand of Marriott and is expected to open in late 2019. According to Alick Lawrence, CEO of Anichi Development, “This ground breaking ceremony is particularly relevant post Hurricane Maria, as it shows the resiliency of our people while instilling trust in...
GHA By The Numbers
Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) reports that overall room-revenue produced by its DISCOVERY loyalty program members increased 9% to US$1.51 billion, of which cross-brand revenue (i. e. revenue produced by members who enrolled at one brand and then stayed at another) grew 21% to exceed US$100 million for the first time. In the best performing hotels, the DISCOVERY program is now producing more than half of total room-nights sold and adding up to 7% in incremental occupancy from cross-brand customers. Over half a million cross-brand room-nights were generated in total. The rise in...
Hard Rock Moving Into The Big Easy
Hard Rock International is expanding its hotel portfolio into the historic French Quarter and New Orleans Theater District with plans to open Hard Rock Hotel New Orleans and the Residences at the Hard Rock Hotel New Orleans. The 18-storey building is scheduled to open in the spring of 2019. Located on a landmark corner in the heart of New Orleans, the property will sit adjacent to two-street car lines, allowing guests easy access to all parts of the city. The new development melds together New Orleans’ rich history of music and culture. Accommodating both business and leisure...
Bellstar Introduces Social Sustainability Program
Bellstar has enhanced its corporate social sustainability practices under its new “Stay | Green” program, launched Jan. 1 across its portfolio of Western Canadian resorts. The program helps support a variety of environmental initiatives within Bellstar’s local communities, including the BC communities of Parksville and Golden, as well as the Alberta communities of Calgary and Canmore. An optional nightly Stay | Green fee of $2 is now applied with more than half the proceeds funding environmental grants through an online application process. “We’re very excited,” said Ian...