"Designed for extended stay travellers, Marriott Executive Apartments offers the convenience of a five-star, full-service hotel with the space, ambience and privacy of residential living," said Loren Nalewanski, vice president of brand management for Marriott Executive Apartments. "We are pleased that this will be our first Marriott Executive Apartments hotel in Central America."
The beachfront resort features 294 guest rooms and suites with views of the Pacific Ocean and lush mountainside surroundings. Prior to the opening, the property underwent a multi-million dollar renovation to meet Sheraton brand standards and will feature all the brand's signature offerings including the Sweet Sleeper® Bed designed with the AAA Five Diamond Award® criteria, Club Lounge, Link@Sheraton® experienced with Microsoft® and Sheraton Fitness™ programmed by Core Performance. The Sheraton Bijao Beach Resort will be operated by GHL Hoteles Ltd and represents the eighth hotel operated by GHL under the Starwood portfolio.
Silva brings more than thirty years of experience in the hospitality industry to The Westin Playa Bonita Panamá. Silva comes full circle in his career since first entering the field of hotel management as Executive Assistant Manager of The Holiday Inn Panamá. Most recently, Silva held the title of General Manager of the Marriott Tijuana. Over the course of his career, Silva has held various managerial positions at diverse properties such as Posadas de Mexico, Westin Camino Real, Hilton Hotels, AMResorts and Marriott Hotels.
On hand to celebrate the announcement of the hotel were (from left) Fernando Duque Maldonado, president of Casamar Development, S.A. and Corporación Turística del Pacífico, S.A; Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Berrocal, President of Panama; Dave Grissen, president of the Americas for Marriott International; and Alberto Vallarino Clement, Panama's Finance Minister.
The 198-guest room, 12-story Holiday Inn Express Panama City, scheduled to open in July 2012, is the fourth of seven IHG-flagged properties either open or under construction through a long-term strategic agreement between IHG and Grupo AGRISAL's Hotel Division. The three properties currently opened under this agreement include the Holiday Inn San Jose Escazu in Costa Rica and two properties in El Salvador, the Holiday Inn San Salvador and the Crowne Plaza San Salvador.
Located on Balboa Avenue, and connected by bridgeway to the cross-street Multicentro Mall and the Megapolis Convention Center, currently under construction, Hard Rock Hotel Panama Megapolis is situated on more than three-quarters of an acre, with lush landscaping and an oversized, free-form infinity pool with private cabanas. The hotel will have 1,499 rooms, including 796 suites, ranging in size from 462 square feet to 2,659-sq. ft. Rock Star Suites, a signature of the Hard Rock brand.
Located less than two miles off the Bridge of the Americas and next to the entrance to the popular Amador Causeway, the 122-room Staybridge Suites Panama City will be in close proximity to the Figali Convention Center, the Smithsonian Institute of Tropical Research and other popular tourist destinations, fine dining restaurants and beautiful scenery.
VingCard Elsafe, the global leader in hospitality security and part of the ASSA ABLOY Group, has completed installation of its Signature RFID contactless electronic door locks with NFC cell phone compatibility and Xtra II by Elsafe in-room safes at the Holiday Inn City of Knowledge at Panama City, Panama.
Hilton Worldwide announced the appointment of Lee Chipman as managing director of the 351-room Hilton Panama and 220-room The Panamera, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, scheduled to open in late 2011 as the first Hilton hotel in Panama since the 1980s and first Waldorf Astoria Hotel ever in Latin America. Lee Chipman will report to Tom Potter, area vice president, South America for Hilton Worldwide, and will oversee operations for these new-build full-service Hilton Worldwide properties in Panama City, Panama. Chipman most recently served as general manager, Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort, where he led a multi-million dollar renovation project.
The Resort Collection of Panama City Beach includes the Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort, Majestic Beach Resort, Long Beach Resort, En Soleil, Emerald Beach & Golf Resort, Grand Panama Beach Resort, and the Hombre Golf Club. Together they comprise over 1000 condominium units and 90,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space.
Extending its reach in Latin America, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announced the debut of its fast-growing Aloft brand in Panama City, Panama set to open in December 2012. Located in the capital city of Panama, the newly constructed hotel is being developed by Nuevos Hoteles de Panama S.A. which will also operate the hotel under a franchise agreement with Starwood. Nuevos Hoteles de Panama, S.A. also owns the Sheraton Panama Hotel & Convention Center.
Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, LLC, a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN), today announced its expansion in Central America with the opening of the Wyndham Garden Hotel Panama City, a new construction hotel in Panama's capital city.
Extending its reach in Latin America, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announced it will debut its Westin brand in Panama with two new properties slated to open in the next two years. The Westin Playa Bonita Panama will open in 2011, just 20 minutes from downtown, followed by the opening of The Westin Panama Hotel in 2012 in the heart of Panama City's Costa del Este business district.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) and Immobiliare Real Estate Development, a Panamanian real estate company, announced today that a Hyatt subsidiary and Immobiliare have signed an agreement to develop the first Hyatt-branded hotel in Panama and the first Hyatt Place hotel in Latin America. Slated to open in early 2012, the 167-room Hyatt Place Panama City will be located in the heart of Panama City’s financial district on Aquilino de la Guardia Avenue between 50th Street and Via Espana.
Jumeirah Group, the Dubai-based luxury hospitality company and a member of Dubai Holding, has been appointed by Grupo Mall, developer of residential and mixed-use projects throughout Spain and Mexico, to manage a luxury hotel in Panama City.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced the opening of Le Méridien Panama, the European rooted hotel brand’s first property in Central America. Set in the heart of Panama’s cosmopolitan capital city, Le Méridien Panama, owned by developers Bern Hotels & Resorts Panama, is a modern, contemporary building located on the edge of the Bay of Panama, boasting spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and the Panama City skyline. Surrounded by the intimate cafes and chic galleries of Panama City’s vibrant Uruguay Street, Le Méridien Panama is within the city’s financial district and a short distance from Panama City’s major tourism attractions, such as the Panama Canal, considered one of the “Eight Wonders of the Modern World.”
Hilton Hotels Corporation announces its return to Panama with the signing of four multi-year agreements in Panama City, Panama: two management agreements for a brand-new Hilton and new build Embassy Suites by Hilton hotel, one franchise agreement for a Doubletree by Hilton™ conversion and one franchise agreement for a newly built Hilton Garden Inn. Each hotel will represent the first in the country for each brand.