Source: HVS

Four Seasons In Dublin Sold

After being put on the market last September, the Four Seasons Hotel in Dublin has reportedly been sold for €15 million. According to The Times, the 197-room hotel, which cost €90 million to develop, has been bought by UK-based property company London & Regional.

All Seasons In The UK

Accor budget hotel brand, all seasons hotels, has entered the UK with the 84-room all seasons London Southwark Rose and the 139-room all seasons London Leyton. A splash of glamour was added to the launch of the hotels in the form of Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda Holden.

Dorchester Collection On Lake Geneva

London-based Dorchester Collection is to cover the management of the Geneva Le Richemond hotel, on the banks of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. The luxury hotel operator signed its first third-party management agreement for the 109-room hotel, which was previously run by Rocco Forte Hotels. The hotel, which will now undergo a refurbishment of its public areas to bring it in line with brand standards, will become Dorchester Collection's eighth hotel when the management contract starts on 1 August.

A Hilton And A Hyatt On The Market

The 299-room Waldorf Hilton London and the 319-room Hyatt Regency Birmingham have been put on the market after their holding companies, which are owned by entrepreneur Gulshan Bhatia, went into administration. Both hotels will continue to operate as normal and the management contracts will not be affected by the sale.

Rezidor's Russian Journey Continues

As part of its strategic agreement with Regional Hotel Chain (RHC), Rezidor Hotel Group has announced a new Park Inn for Russia: the Park Inn Novosibirsk, which is to be developed in Novosibirsk, Russia's third-largest city, in Siberia. The 150-room hotel is Rezidor's eighth contract with RHC, and it is expected to open in the first quarter of 2014.

Mandarin Oriental In The City Of Light

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group made its debut in Paris this week with the official opening of the Mandarin Oriental, Paris, on rue Saint Honoré. The eight-storey property has 99 rooms and 39 suites. Mandarin Oriental now has six properties across Europe and a further five in development in the EMEA region.

Sofitel Creates A Legend In Amsterdam

To become a Sofitel Legend is not an easy task for a hotel – it involves listed buildings and more than 100 years of history! However, one hotel in Amsterdam has made the grade and become Sofitel's first Legend hotel in Europe, and its second worldwide. After an extensive two-year renovation, the Sofitel Amsterdam The Grand was officially relaunched last week as the 177-room Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam. Sofitel's Legend is set to continue growing as several hotels are currently undergoing refurbishment and will be joining the brand in the near future.

A New Chief For Millennium

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels has a new chief executive officer. Wong Hong Ren has replaced Richard Hartman, who is to remain on Millennium's board as a non-executive director. Wong Hong Ren joined Millennium as a non-executive director after the group's flotation in 1996. He was then appointed chief financial officer and executive director in 2001. "His disciplined approach to operational management, his keen analytical skills and his outstanding contribution to enhancing the asset value of the group make him the ideal successor to Richard Hartman," said Kwek Leng Beng, Millennium's chairman.

Swissôtel Leaving London

The 189-room Swissôtel The Howard in London, near Covent Garden, is to close on 30 September 2011, as the hotel's owner, real estate investment trust Land Securities, has plans to redevelop the site as part of the Arundel Great Court project, which will include residential and commercial space and a new hotel. The hotel has been managed by Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts since 2001 and will continue to operate as normal until it closes; efforts will be made to transfer as many staff as possible to other Swissôtel properties worldwide, or to hotels under its sister brands, Fairmont and Raffles. It won't be goodbye forever to London though, as Swissôtel is reportedly looking for another site in the city.

Two New Stars To Shine In Medina

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has signed agreements with Saudi Brothers Arabia for two new hotels in Medina, Saudi Arabia. The 297-room Sheraton Medina will be Starwood's fourth Sheraton in Saudi Arabia, and the adjacent 178-room Four Points by Sheraton will be the first of its brand in the country. Both hotels are expected to open towards the end of 2012.

Claims To Fame Of The Centro Sharjah

When it opened earlier this week, the 306-room Centro Sharjah became Rotana's 28th hotel in the UAE. It is the group's third Centro-branded hotel in the country and its second hotel overall in the emirate of Sharjah. Rotana has plans to open a total of 25 hotels under its budget Centro brand in the Middle East by 2014.

Gladen's Tidings

The news from Spain by Esther Gladen, Business & Market Intelligence Analyst, HVS Madrid. New Carris Hotel opens in Santiago de Compostela: The three-star property is located in a seventeenth century building, just 50 m from the Cathedral. The 23-room property is the fourth hotel that new hotel chain Carris has opened this year. Three more openings, in Galicia and Portugal, are expected by the end of 2011. New ibis for Barcelona:The two-star ibis Santa Coloma de Gramenet is expected to open on 15 July. The hotel will offer 146 rooms.

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