Dolce Hotels and Resorts today announced management of Dolce CampoReal Lisbon, a meetings destination and golf resort within close proximity to the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, and only 20 minutes from the Atlantic beaches along the country's west coast. With a portfolio of 26 upscale hotels, resorts and conference centers across North American and Europe, the new address marks Dolce's seventh in Europe.
Following a succession of recent brand introductions in the Iberian Peninsula, Hilton Worldwide has announced that its DoubleTree by Hilton brand is set to arrive in Portugal. The signing of a management agreement with Turismadeira SA will see Lisbon's Fontana Park Hotel convert to DoubleTree by Hilton Lisbon - Fontana Park in summer 2013, as Hilton's first hotel in the Portuguese capital.
It goes without saying that the travel industry contributes to a significant amount of waste and pollution. While many travellers do care about the environment, few are willing to curtail their holidays completely, because the proposed experience is too compelling or the alternatives are too difficult and/or expensive. Yet, even the most cynical of luxury travellers are aware of the need to go green.
Portuguese hotel revenues fell 2 percent in the first nine months of this year despite a rise in foreign tourism as room rates dipped and Portuguese travelled less due to the economic recession. More than 6.2 million foreign visitors stayed in Portuguese hotels through September, the last month of the summer tourism season, the National Statistics Institute said on Thursday. That was 3 percent more than a year ago.
Hamburg, 20th July 2012 - The success story began 40 years ago: a Portuguese family opened the first Pestana Hotel with 300 rooms on the flower island of Madeira back in 1972. Four decades later the same hotel group now operates 89 properties around the world with more than 9,700 rooms under the brands Pestana Hotels & Resorts and Pousados de Portugal. During this year's Pestana anniversary we will see the inauguration of six new hotels. According to TOPHOTELPROJECTS (www.tophotelprojects.com), the leading research service and online database tool for global hotel construction projects, a further six hotel projects are in their pipeline.
European organisations in contention include Lufthansa, Air Berlin, Kuoni, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Bulgari Hotels & Resorts and Europcar. All will now go head to head at WTA's Europe Ceremony, which is set to take place at the new Conrad Algarve, Portugal on 6 October 2012.
The InterContinental Porto-Palacio das Cardosas opens today. It's the first international luxury hotel in the historical city centre in Porto and the first InterContinental in Portugal.
Inspira Hotels, the urban and lifestyle retreat based on ecological sustainability, has chosen Swisscom as its IPTV solution provider. The hotel group, whose Santa Marta property is set to open in central Lisbon at the end of March, uses Swisscom's interactive IPTV solution not only to impress guests but also to reduce operational overhead, paperwork and ultimately, improve its environmental foot print.
Three hundred and thirty of the world’s top professional concierges from top hotels and resorts in 40 countries gathered in Lisbon, Portugal last week to focus on exceptional service, leadership and guest experience management at the 57th International Congress of Union Internationale des Concierges d’Hotels( UICH).
Cristina Romero-Peri, a consummate hospitality sales and marketing executive with experience with leading hotels and resorts in Mexico and the U.S., has been named Vila Vita's Director of Sales for the Americas. Ms. Romero-Peri is also responsible for the resort's country wine estate, Herdade Dos Grous, which boasts award-winning wines. Ms. Romero-Peri joins a new team at Vila Vita under CEO Luís Fernandes, who she worked with previously both when he was Executive VP of Kor Hotel Group and when he was Managing Director of Las Ventanas al ParaÃso, the Five Diamond Rosewood resort in Los Cabos, Mexico. Mr. Fernandes is spearheading the repositioning of Vila Vita as an international, ultra-luxury resort, and appointing Ms. Romero-Peri to build business in the U.S. and throughout the Americas is a key component. Prior to joining Vila Vita, she was Regional Director of Sales & Marketing, Mexico for Capella Hotels & Resorts. Previous positions include Area Director of Sales & Marketing, Mexico for Kor Hotel Group; Director of Sales & Marketing for Las Ventanas and One & Only Palmilla, also in Los Cabos; and Senior Sales Manager, Lâ Ermitage Beverly Hills.
Hilton Hotels today announced the signing of a management agreement between Hilton Worldwide and HN Group to open a full service Hilton resort in the seaside destination of Alvor, in the Western half of the Algarve in Portugal. The new Hilton Alvor, which will boast some of the finest local sea view scenery, is scheduled to open in 2012.
The Crowne Plaza Vilamoura, set to open in January 2010, will be the first Crowne Plaza hotel in Portugal. The historic deal is the first franchise agreement between IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) and the Grupo Marope, a Portuguese property and hotel owning company. The hotel will create more than 200 jobs when it opens.
His top priority in taking the reins of VILA VITA Portugal is to spearhead the repositioning of VILA VITA Parc as an international, ultra-luxury resort. Among the other components of VILA VITA Portugal – both part of the diverse guest experience at VILA VITA Parc – are Herdade des Grous, a country estate recognized for its award-winning wines, and Arte Naútica, one of Portugal’s best seafood restaurants located at a nearby beach club. Mr. Fernandes comes to VILA VITA with two decades of worldwide experience in operating top luxury properties. Most recently, he was executive vice president of hotel operations for Kor Hotel Group, where he oversaw the launch of the Tides and Viceroy brands. Previously, he was the managing director of Las Ventanas al Paraíso, A Rosewood Resort, located in Los Cabos, Mexico, where he oversaw innovative guest services and amenities that made Five Diamond Las Ventanas one of the world’s most heralded resorts.
Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. (NYSE: OEH) (http://www.orient-express.com), owners or part-owners and managers of 51 luxury hotels, restaurants, tourist trains and river cruise properties operating in 25 countries, today confirmed that it has sold its Lisbon hotel, Lapa Palace, to a private Portuguese investor for EUR29.4 million, ($41.8 million).
Melia Palacio da Lousa Boutique Hotel, is Portugal's first boutique hotel of the hotel chain Sol Melia, uses GuestCentric Systems innovative service to optimize their online presence and increase their direct online bookings. GuestCentric's integrated service provides high-end tools for online marketing and distribution at affordable prices to independent hotels.