On Saturday 16th April at noon, bang on time as promised, Hilton Malta re-opened its doors after having been closed for a period of 10 weeks following an intensive programme of refurbishment with an investment of 15 million euro. The project included the overhaul of 293 bedrooms, new food and beverage outlets, extended executive lounge facilities, new elevators, as well as new engineering technology to provide a more energy efficient operation. The hotel have received excellent feedback from clients to date with regards to the fresh, sexy, cool, new look and continued high levels of service.
Dubai is set to hit the 100,000 rooms milestone across its expanding hotel and hotel apartment inventory as the City aims to firmly position itself as a top 10 global destination in terms of available hotel supply.
Over the next three years, Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) expects occupied room nights in hotels and hotel apartments to reach 36.9 million representing an 11-12% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to 2018 end. As such, the overall room supply is expected to reflect similar growth, reaching 138,000 rooms by the end of 2018.
The increase in rooms will feature a number of new concepts in the 3 and 4 star property segment such as the Hilton Garden Inn, Rove Hotels and Hyatt Place, which will continue Dubai’s drive in diversifying the industry to include both mid-market and luxury hotels. The luxury segment will count 25 new properties, including the Viceroy Dubai Palm Jumeirah, Waldorf Astoria and the Shangri-La Palm Tower in addition to the extension of Madinat Jumeirah, which will include a new hotel – Jumeirah Al Naseem – upon completion by the end of the year.
Great to have Radisson Blu Hotel Berlin visit us this week, below are five key facts from them;
The Aquadome – world’s largest cylindrical aquarium with one million litres of seawater
427 guestrooms and suites in contemporary design, including Wi-Fi
2 separate meeting areas with a total size of 2740 sqm, a special venue is the DomLounge (1400 sqm) on the two top floors, providing Apple Airplay technology and stunning views of the Berlin skyline
Meeting facilities match the pharmaceutical compliance code
After the International Congress Convention Association (ICCA) declared Vienna the fourth most popular destination for international congresses worldwide in 2015, the Union of International Associations (UIA) followed suit by also awarding fourth spot to the Austrian capital.
Of the international congresses hosted in Vienna, 279 complied with the criteria for inclusion in the UIA ranking. This was enough to merit fourth spot for Vienna in a list led by Brussels (657). Second and third place went to Singapore (643) and Seoul (467), respectively. Vienna finished ahead of Paris (276) in fifth place, followed by Bangkok (229), Tokyo (215), Berlin (185), Geneva (171) and Barcelona (156). This latest international success reflects the growth achieved by Vienna’s meetings industry in 2015. At EUR 1,068 million, Vienna’s contribution to nationwide induced economic impact passed the one billion euro mark for the first time in 2015. Meetings and congresses in Vienna also set a new all-time record for overnight stays, at 1.7 million bed-nights for the year.
Broken down by country, Austria claimed 11th place with 338 events. This particular category was led by the USA (880), followed by Korea (780), Belgium (726), Singapore (643), France (489), Germany (437), Japan (431), Spain (411), Italy (383) and the United Kingdom (344). Vienna accounted for 82.5% of the Austrian total.
Conrad Manila: Conrad Hotels & Resorts’ (Hilton) new five-star venue. It is their first hotel in the Philippines. The design is inspired by the sleek boats on the bay it overlooks. Offering a peaceful respite from the City of Makati but easily accessed from airports, with close proximity to dining, shopping and attractions, Conrad Manila has the best of both worlds. Inside are 6 meeting rooms, including a ballroom, and a large veranda able to hold 1000 for a recepion. With built-in AV equipment and an onsite pool, fitness centre and restaurant, it is a comprehensive option for meetings and events.
Hawker House, London, is no longer the abandoned derelict space it used to be. Street Feast, now owned by parent company London Union, have been transforming spaces such as these into markets. The response has been immense, and Hawker House has been likened as a mini town of independent street food traders, rooftop bars and music festival vibes. It is situated in Canada street. Henry Dimbleby and Jonathan Downey, the bosses of London union, have made this venue available for corporate hire. In addition to 5 separate rooms, there is now an outdoor summer space. Titled ‘Land of Bamboo’, the venue features sand pits, trampolines and tiki huts. It brings the capacity of the venue up to 3500. Undoubtedly one of the more quirky venues, London Union suggests that it is perfectly suited to team building and large-scale conferences.
Berlin – new hotels for 2016 with even more in 2017 and beyond
Berlin continues to expand its hotel offerings and there are currently more than 137,000 beds in 784 properoes to choose from. In 2016, more hotels will open with more than 1,200 bedrooms, particularly in Mitte and around Ostbahnhof in Friedrichshain areas.
Hotel Openings in 2016
The 4* Titanic Chaussee Berlin opened in February 2016. It has 389 rooms and suites, a Mediterranean à la carte restaurant, Health Club and swimming pool. There’s a large ballroom for 1,150 people in theatre style and 15 conference rooms equipped with the latest technology.
The Hotel Zoe at Hackescher Markt opened in February, too. The design is simple and elegant: Dark accessories, untreated concrete and warm light. The boutique hotel offers a roof terrace with views of the TV tower and a spacious breakfast area with a conservatory.
The bath house Oderberger Straße in Prenzlauer Berg, originally opened in 1902 and became Hotel Oderberger in March this year. After four years of renovation, it has been transformed to a 4* hotel with 72 rooms and two suites. There are 20 conference rooms. The swimming pool with sauna and wellness areas will reopen in October.
The Novum Winters Hotel Sophia opened in July 2016. This 3-star hotel has 133 rooms and suites overlooking an inner courtyard. The hotel features the “Intermezzo” bar with a wide range of cocktails and snacks, an à la carte restaurant, and a fitness room. The three conference rooms are fitted with the latest audiovisual equipment and can accommodate up to 45 people.
in September, 204 rooms on seven floors will open at the Moxy Berlin Ostbahnhof. From the site on the corner of Holzmarktstraße and Andreasstraße, the Oberbaumbrücke and the East Side Gallery are within walking distance, and Alexanderplatz is just two train stops away.
Outlook: Hotels Opening in 2017 and beyond
The Lindner hotel me and all will be a 4* urban-style boutique hotel with around 165 rooms. It is in the new Volt Berlin shopping and entertainment centre at the southern end of Alexanderplatz. The Volt also has a surfing wave and a wind tunnel. The hotel is scheduled to open at the end of 2017.
The Hampton by Hilton Alexanderplatz, which will be the chain’s biggest hotel worldwide, will open in the second half of 2017. On the corner of Otto-Braun-Straße and Mollstraße, it will offer 344 modern rooms on nine floors.
In the next few years, a new city complex will be built directly by the East Side Gallery, with the Music Box event hall, a cinema, a bowling alley, and restaurants and bars. The new Mercedes Platz will be home to the 119-room Indigo Berlin City – East Side boutique hotel and the Hampton by Hilton Berlin City East with 254 rooms. They are both scheduled to open in late 2017 or early 2018.
Barceló is coming to Berlin: The Spanish group’s second hotel in Germany will be built at Berlin’s main railway station until 2018. The four-star-hotel offers 272 rooms and suites and a conference centre to its customers.
The Hotel Estrel, currently offering 1,125 rooms, will be adding 814 more rooms as construction of the 45-storey Estrel Tower is completed. The tower will stand 175 m tall, about two and a half times higher than the current Estrel Hotel, and will thus become the tallest high-rise hotel in Germany. The construction will begin in 2017; the opening is scheduled for 2020/21.
If you are considering holding an event, meeting or conference in Berlin, please call us on 01780 484050 and we will be happy to help.
The Luxury Collection's Pine Cliffs Resort reopens
The Luxury Collection’s Pine Cliffs hotel (part of Starwood hotels and resorts) in the Algarve has re-opened after 18 months after its £41m renovation. Located in the cliff-tops of the Algarve, this venue is perfect for conferencing and incentive groups. The property consists of 217 guest rooms and suites, and the hotel has had an extension added which provides 76 new luxury suites, along with an Italian restaurant and health spa. The public areas have also undergone extensive renovations, however the hotel still retains some of its historic features whilst offering modern amenities. The hotel also offers underground parking facilities.
The Beekman Hotel, an exclusive 5-star hotel in central New York has recently opened, with an impressive nine-story atrium and pyramidal skylight. The hotel is a boutique property, and has 6 meeting rooms, the largest of which is the Temple Court which can seat up to 145 delegates in a theatre style, or 60 in cabaret style. The hotel offers two restaurants, one of which is Fowler & Wells, which serves American cuisine and New York classics, while the Augustine will be a brasserie with lighter dishes and French cuisine. The hotel is close to the Brooklyn Bridge and the World Trade Center.
