Enjoy Your Vacation Part II

Anantara Mina Al Arab, Ras Al Khaimah

Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas has revealed details of a new 300- key, Wilson Associates-designed property in Ras Al Khaimah. Set to open in 2020, the resort will create a scenic waterfront community that showcases Ras Al Khaimah’s natural beauty and cultural heritage. Situated in a secluded beach-facing plot, the 300- key project features speciality Asian and seafood restaurants, beach and pool bars, a health club and spa. A private beach will overlook a mango-lined eco reserve, with the surroundings remaining unspoilt and eventually featuring a discovery and eco-learning centre. Wilson Associates’ design scheme sees the guestrooms, suites and Maldives-inspired overwater villas appointed with light, neutral tones and high-end material finishes, whilst large open-air spaces and expansive windows connect guests to the surrounding landscape. The resort’s health club will invite travellers to stay in shape with energetic gym sessions and racket sports, whilst visits to the onsite Anantara Spa will incorporate indigenous wellness traditions. Younger guests will also be catered for at the resort’s Kid’s Club facility, and event spaces comprise a 1,200m2 ballroom alongside a series of spaces suitable for conference and meeting purposes. RAK Properties is set to operate the resort following the signing of a management agreement in 2015. Expected to grow by over 4,000 guestrooms in the next three years, the northernmost section of the United Arab Emirates has become a prime target for developers and hotel groups, with a second Ritz-Carlton property confirmed for a Q4 opening following the launch of Hilton Garden Inn Ras Al Khaimah earlier this year. Minor Hotels has also announced an Avani branded property for the nearby Al Marjan archipelago.

Roomzzz, Edinburgh

Aparthotel brand Roomzzz is set to expand into Scotland with a property in the £1 billion Edinburgh’s St. James development. Scheduled to open in 2021, Roomzzz Edinburgh will occupy a prime position within the 1.7 million ft2 mixed-use project, and will ultimately comprise 73 serviced apartments, from small studios to luxury penthouse suites, each individually designed to create a comfortable living area and intimate home-from-home guest experience. Additional amenities include a rooftop terrace and balconies on the exterior of every apartment. Catering for everyday living, Roomzzz’s apartments all feature fitted kitchens, widescreen TVs, complimentary Wi-Fi, free UK nationwide calls, 24-hour concierge, around the clock fresh coffee and a grab-and-go breakfast menu. “Set to become the city’s hottest new retail destination, the Edinburgh St. James development is the perfect location for the Roomzzz brand to launch its first aparthotel in Scotland,” explains Naveen Ahmed, CEO, Roomzzz. ”Our expansion into the Scottish capital is a significant milestone for Roomzzz as we look to grow our successful portfolio of luxurious aparthotels across the UK.” Primed to land as the beating heart of Edinburgh’s retail offering, the St. James development will feature 86 new shops over four floors, 20 restaurants and a flagship Everyman Cinema, with guests of Roomzzz Edinburgh benefiting from this wealth of local amenities. The announcement follows the launch of other city centre Roomzzz locations including Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Chester, with future sites planned for Liverpool, Manchester Corn Exchange and York.

Four Points by Sheraton Hurlingham, Nairobi

Marriott International’s Four Points by Sheraton brand has announced a new hotel in Nairobi’s bustling Hurlingham district. Designed by Areen Design’s hospitality division, the project will see a former Best Western Premier converted into a Four Points by Sheraton hotel comprising two upgraded F&B venues, and an entirely new lobby. The project required a design approach that preserved the previous hotel’s successful elements, but which brought the design in-line with Marriott’s expectations. “Areen Design’s concepts have dramatically improved the hotel space with a dynamic new addition to our food and beverage offering,” comments Vivek Mathur, General Manager, Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi Hurlingham. “The new lobby feels so much more spacious with a sit down check-in facility for our SPG guests. “An upgrade of the all-day dining restaurant Pablo’s is also currently under way,” he continues. ”Whilst the delivery programme was undoubtedly demanding, by working closely with the Areen Design team, our deadlines were all met.” Four Points by Sheraton has also announced a second property in Nairobi: a 172-key hotel within the city’s international airport. Scheduled to open later this year, it features a reception with double-height feature wall, a lobby café with alternating display and swimming pool with views out towards Nairobi National Park. Andrew Linwood, Head of Hospitality Design, Areen Design, concludes: “With innovation being a key part of the Four Points by Sheraton offer, we want guests in both hotel projects in Nairobi to appreciate the quality and creativity of our interiors, whilst also respecting the culture and heritage of the locality.”

Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo

Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts has unveiled plans for a new business and leisure hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Set to open in late 2017, Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo, boasts a prime location in the city’s thriving business district, and forms part of the new One Galle Face development that will see the construction of two residential towers, office space and a high-end shopping centre over the next three years. Singapore based architecture firm Chao Tse Ann & Partners will oversee the hotel tower’s design, comprising 500 guestrooms and 41 serviced apartments. LTW Designworks, meanwhile, has created the guestrooms, public areas, meeting venues and spa in a contemporary style that incorporates Shangri-La’s signature Oriental detailing. In keeping with its guiding theme of nature, the hotel has commissioned Chinese artist Man Fung-Yi to create an elephant sculpture to grace the hotel’s lobby and provide guests with a sense of place. Chao Tse Ann has a long-standing relationship with Shangri-La, most recently designing the brand’s Hambantota Resort & Spa, which opened in June 2016 on Sri Lanka’s southern coast. Whilst LTW Designworks has previously worked with the group on China’s Shangri-La Diqing and Shangri-La Lhasa as well as the flagship Villingili Resort in the Maldives. Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo, will feature the largest and most extensive hotel conference and events facility in the region, with a 1,500-capacity ballroom showcasing artwork by Bea Valdes. With this facility at its disposal, the property is expected to become a magnet for conferences and events, enabling Sri Lanka to compete globally with MICE hotspots such as Bangkok and Singapore.

sources: Sleeper, 09-10, 2017

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