Hard Rock International continues growing its European hotel portfolio, announcing the development of Hard Rock Hotel Barcelona. The brand is set to bring its signature musical flair to the shores of Barcelona in a €200 million new hotel to be developed on the last available seaside plot in metropolitan Barcelona. Construction of the 504-room hotel will begin in late 2019, set to open on the shores of Barcelona in early 2022.
Europe's hotel industry reported mostly positive results in the three key performance metrics during Q1 2019, according to data from STR.Euro constant currency, Q1 2019 vs. Q1 2018Europe
The countdown begins for the 5th World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism to be held on 2 and 3 May in Donostia-San Sebastián, organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Basque Culinary Center (BCC). International experts will analyse and discuss the influence and capacity of gastronomy tourism to create employment and promote entrepreneurship and how to increase its potential in the future. Registration to attend the forum is still open here.
Minor Hotels and NH Hotel Group are pleased to announce the signing of an agreement to operate the Villa Padierna Palace, a hotel located in Marbella in the south of Spain. The property is owned by the Villa Padierna group and will be managed with immediate effect under a variable lease agreement. Following Minor Hotels' acquisition of NH Hotel Group in October 2018, this agreement will see the first integration of the two companies' portfolio of brands, with Villa Padierna to be rebranded to Minor Hotels' core luxury brand Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas in the coming months.
In advance of the highly anticipated opening of the first Four Seasons hotel in Spain, Christoph Schmidinger has been appointed opening General Manager to oversee the new luxury hotel set to open in late 2019. Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Madrid will be located in the heart of the historical city centre, converting several spectacular heritage buildings into a 200-room hotel and 22 Private Residences.
El Llorenç Parc de la Mar is set in the heart of La Calatrava, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Palma, Mallorca. Scheduled to open this summer, the hotel offers 33 exclusive guest rooms, an infinity pool on the multi-terraced rooftop and a cocktail bar. Whether relaxing in Balinese style sunbeds, or stopping by for drinks, guests will enjoy sweeping views of Palma Bay, the Cathedral and charming rooftops of the old town. Wellness facilities will feature spa treatments from the luxury Spanish brand Natura Bissé and an indoor poo l. Dining options include DINS Santi Taura, a new destination restaurant from one of the island's most respected chefs, and restaurant TANNUR which will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner in a modern-day bistro setting.
InterContinental® Hotels Group (IHG®), one of the world's leading hotel companies, has announced plans to open a new Hotel Indigo in the Spanish capital. The Hotel Indigo® Madrid - Princesa will be one of seven IHG boutique hotels opening in key cities across Southern Europe in the next three to five years.
This summer, Málaga's hotel sector will experience a revolution with the launch of the new Higuerón Hotel Málaga, Curio Collection by Hilton. Following a €22 million investment which will see the hotel undergo a full renovation, the hotel will re-open under the Curio Collection by Hilton brand later this year following a conversion from DoubleTree by Hilton.
Meliá Hotels International, one of the most influential Spanish hotel companies in social media, has announced the launch of a new marketing strategy based on User-Generated Content (UGC) to provide more authentic messages in its digital contacts with consumers. The company is a world leader in resort hotels and has chosen Flowics as its technology partner for the worldwide, multi-brand implementation of the project.
As Meliá Hotels International explained in its most recent Integrated Annual Report, the company's management model aims to achieve both greater financial viability and the integration of responsibility criteria in its business processes. Today's announcement further enhances its positioning at the forefront of responsible tourism, making its environmental, social and Corporate Governance commitments an integral part of the financing of the business.
In a further demonstration of the interest the British Government has always shown in British tourism in Spain, and particularly in the Balearic Islands, yesterday the senior British diplomat in Spain visited the headquarters of Meliá Hotels International, one of the largest Spanish travel companies with a longstanding presence in popular destinations for British tourists such as Palmanova or Magaluf.
Meliá is seventeenth in the ranking of Spanish companies in all industries for Corporate Governance and Responsibility commitments and performance, a key area in company strategy.
ASG, which targets special investment opportunities in German and Spanish real estate, has checked Hampton by Hilton in to a new 242-room hotel that will be built in Barcelona. It is the third investment to date in Spain's dynamic hotel sector by ASG funds.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) has announced today that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into franchise agreements with an affiliate of Hesperia Hotels & Resorts to open Hyatt Regency Hesperia Madrid and Hyatt Regency Barcelona Fira. The hotels mark the entry of the Hyatt Regency brand into Spain and signify Hyatt's continued growth in the country.
Cushman & Wakefield's EMEA Hospitality team continues its strategic expansion across Europe by entering the Spanish market with the recruitment of the entire senior team of Magma Hospitality Consulting, a leading independent advisor to the hotel sector in Spain.
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Basque Culinary Center (BCC) are co-organizing the 5th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism, on 2-3 May 2019 in San Sebastián, Spain. The Forum is supported by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism of Spain, the Basque Government, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa and the City Council of San Sebastián, a city that has hosted the Forum every other year since its first edition, in 2015.
The Ritz-Carlton, Abama has announced the appointment of Gregory de Clerck as its new General Manager, effective 18th February 2019. De Clerck will oversee strategic direction and daily operations across the 459-key resort, whilst strengthening reputation across its exceptional leisure facilities, from the property's Michelin stable, world-renowned sports academies, award-winning spa and market-wide revered family facilities.Gregory de Clerck is a passionate global hotelier with over 20 years of luxury hospitality experience and eight property launches in his portfolio. He brings progressive methods in leadership and a pragmatic approach to client relationships with strong and proven results operating international luxury resorts across Europe, Indian Ocean and UAE. The new appointment brings Gregory de Clerck back to Tenerife where in 2006 he launched Sheraton La Caleta in his tenure as GM.De Clerck joins The Ritz-Carlton, Abama from Al Manara Hotel, Marriott International's first Luxury Collection property in Jordan, where as Complex General Manager, he led impactful operations from December 2016 through pre-launch, and an exceptional launch transition to the current day. Establishing impressive results for the 207-key property, De Clerck managed all pre-opening activities in addition to the development and execution of distinctive initiatives to ensure the hotel's unique positioning. During this time De Clerck also managed the "The Westin Saraya Aqaba" hotel's 300 keys, leading, developing and executing distinctive programs, establishing sales and marketing strategies, F&B concepts, architectural and design activities, branding and guest satisfaction.De Clerck's portfolio of experience includes six years in Mauritius where for four years he held the position of Area Manager and Complex General Manger for Marriott International's Le Meridien Ile Maurice, The Grand Mauritius Resort and Spa and the sought-after and highly acclaimed St. Regis Mauritius, and two years as the Corporate General Manager and Director of Operations and Innovation for Sun Resorts Ltd in Mauritius and Maldives. Having earned a Bachelors in Hotel Management from Erasmus Hogeschool in Belgium, de Clerck's early years took him to Astir Palace Beach Resort in Athens and Sheraton Grand Park Lane Hotel in the UK. A Belgian national, de Clerck is fluent in English, French, Spa nish, Creol, Dutch with conversational German. He is currently a certified Six Sigma Black Belt holder, a Blue Ocean specialist and a certified liquor and innkeeper license holder.
Hilton signed a franchise agreement with Center Coruña Hoteles S.L. to bring DoubleTree by Hilton to the Galicia region of Spain. The 59-guest-room property, including a number of suites, is set to open next year in the historical city centre of La Coruña, and will feature design-led interiors.
Comfort yourself in nature within the 40-hectares (100 acre) estate of Finca Serena. Here, nature of the Mediterranean grows uninhibited: ancient olive groves and lemon trees, cypresses and pines share the land with fields of lavender, several varieties of fruit trees and 10-hectares of newly planted indigenous grapes. The estate is home to 25 luxurious rooms and suites nestled into the countryside and scattered throughout the property. Many are formerly outbuildings of the original farm, which are now entirely refurbished to suit the modern-day traveler. The beautiful landscape includes 834 olive trees and three vegetable gardens for the kitchen of Restaurant Jacaranda.