After years of careful reconstruction and refurbishment, Malaga can look forward to the opening of a fantastic Grand Hotel Miramar, Malaga. A new 5-star deluxe beachfront property near the heart of the city. Over its 100-year history the hotel has been a hospital and a courthouse, but now every detail of the original extravagant Art Nouveau architecture has been restored and the very latest technology installed to make this a highly sophisticated resort and spa.
There are 200 elegant bedrooms including 28 suites, most with seas views. There is a total of 17 meeting and breakout rooms, most with natural daylight with a maximum capacity of 700 people along with 9,000 m² of gardens in which to arrange special events.
Be one of the first to take advantage of the architectural jewel and discover the vibrant coastal city of Malaga which has been transformed in recent years to become one of Spain’s highlight cities.
To compensate for its not being on the beach, Seville has come up with an ideal solution in the form of an amazing urban pool club. It covers a massive 4,000 m² and boasts an 800 m² saltwater pool – the ideal oasis to escape to and make the most of the city’s hot summer temperatures. This elegant beautifully designed venue can be rented by area or for exclusive use making it ideal for any kind of celebration from a cocktail party through to a product launch.
Marriott International have opened a unique property next to Republique Square in Paris, the Renaissance Paris Republique Hotel.
The hotel proudly showcases design work of Didier Gomez featuring intelligent contemporary design, the 121 bedrooms are inspired by artist studios and art ranging from the 40’s to the 70’s, with rooms on the 6th to the 9th floor benefiting from exceptional views over the City of Lights. There are 4 meeting rooms with personalised space for groups of up to 60 people.
The venue also has the Origin Restaurant with a private terrace which embraces the French cuisine, the Martin Bar transforms from a cafe during the day to a trendy and vibrant cocktail bar at night featuring signature cocktails.
The onsite Spa is the perfect place to unwind before venturing out into the city, complete with 2 treatment rooms, Sauna, Hammam, Jacuzzi and gym.
I recently visited Lisbon to catch up with what’s new in the area. It was a very interesting and varied trip, organised by the Lisbon Convention Bureau and as well as visiting hotels and unusual venues they held a workshop so that the group could make contact with a variety of suppliers. The area offers great value for money and is easy to get around, with great access from international destinations and beach resorts within half an hour of the city centre.
Hotels
I looked at four hotels: firstly, Quinta da Marinha near Casais, which is a golf resort. The outstanding thing about this property is a building in the grounds, with a terrace overlooking the golf course which can be used for dinners and meetings. The Pousada Lisboa was opened a year ago in is right in the centre of the city and a great location for bars, restaurants and shops. Converted from an old police station this hotel has a central courtyard, beautiful ballroom and one additional meeting room. The Corinithia is a 5* hotel with lots of meeting rooms and outside space which can be privatised and is a great choice for large groups. Tivoli have several hotels in Lisbon and I went to the 5* one located on Avenida da Liberdade which is about to undergo refurbishment. As well as meeting rooms in the hotel, there is a converted palace in the grounds which has been converted into meeting space and they have a sky bar and restaurant with views of the castle and river.
Unusual venues
The Coach Museum (pictured) in the Belem district is a lovely venue for dinner, the gallery can be used for a drinks reception. The Pharmacy and Health Museum in Lisbon is really interested and as well as visiting the museum with a group they have an auditorium and adjoining restaurant with a private room and outside terrace. Torreao Nacsente, located on Commerce Square is a venue for drinks and dinners, the catering comes from the restaurant next door. It worked well for one-to-one meetings, but pillars make it difficult for a conference. The Alvalade stadium, home to Sporting Lisbon, has an auditorium, meeting rooms, boxes and lounges that can be used for meetings as well as hospitality. In the new area of Lisbon, Nations Park, has several hotels and also the Aquarium has an auditorium. A trip to the world heritage site of Sintra takes about 40 minutes from Lisbon and the Central Palace is a restaurant and events venue. As well as two traditional meeting rooms, it has a beautiful roof terrace which can be used privately for drinks, lunches, dinners etc
For more information about any of these venues, or holding your event in Lisbon, contact Katharine Jordan, Trinity’s Lisbon specialist.
Belarusian capital Minsk has unveiled its first five-star hotel with the 217-room Minsk Marriott Hotel by Marriott International. The luxury property includes 25 suites, as well as its own Mediterranean-inspired restaurant with a private dining area for ten people. The hotel has also brought an additional 940m² of meeting and event space to the city, which includes 8 breakout rooms and a grand ballroom capable of catering for a maximum of 600 delegates.
The Majestic group is opening a new 4-star property in the very heart of Barcelona. Midmost Hotel an exclusive boutique hotel is right in the heart of Barcelona, with a total of 56 modern and luxurious bedrooms, a roof top solarium, pool and cocktail bar and meeting space for up to 25. The hotel is perfect for a small incentive programme that requests attention to detail and quality of service.
The legendary Pulitzer Amsterdam, which overlooks two of Amsterdam’s most scenic canals is due to re-open on the 15th of August after an extensive refurbishment. The hotel is comprised of twenty-five 17th and 18th century restored historic townhouses and loft buildings, many of which include split level guest rooms. Interior designers Bentel and Bentel oversaw the re-design of the property which is set to reveal a further 145 bedrooms and suites which will bring its total up to 225. The lobby, the beautiful inner gardens and main entrance will also be unveiled in addition to the hotels elegant meeting and event space.
Room Mate Anna is the first of the three new hotels Room Mate have planned for Barcelona, in addition to their existing three. Being centrally located in Passeo de Gràcia, stunning city views are provided by the rooftop terrace with circular swimming pool. It also means it is just a step away from the best shops, bars and trendy restaurants in the heart of the city. The hotel has a décor inspired by Barcelona’s Catalonian and Mediterranean roots, by interior designer and antiques expert Lorenzo Castillo, who previously worked on Room Mate hotels in New York and Florence. It has 81 bedrooms, which bring up Room Mate’s total to approximately 1500, operated across 23 properties. 8 more openings are planned for this year and next in cities including Rotterdam, Florence, Rome, Paris and Madrid, which will increase their total to about 4000 rooms.
Corinthia Hotels are opening up a luxury beachfront resort in Dubai. The Corinthia at Meydan Beach, which includes a hotel and residences, will be up and running in 2019. Meeting spaces will be in a 55-storey tower with views of Palm Island and the Dubai Eye (currently under development) and delegates will have access to the beach via gardens, extensive indoor and outdoor leisure and dining facilities, a luxury Spa, a club and banqueting amenities.
Three Marriott brands opening in one building in Nashville
Come 2018, Nashville, US, will experience a first – Marriott are opening three of their hotel brands under one roof. Their aim is to provide three distinct services through Marriott’s AC Hotels by Marriott, Spring Hill Suites by Marriott and Residence Inn by Marriott. The building is in SoBro (South of Broadway), a dynamic district with many new and renovated buildings. This particular one has 21 floors and 470 rooms: 209, 125 and 136 respectively. The venture is estimated to cost $102 million.
