Hotel industry and travel news from around the Europe, Middle East & African region: Hyatt debuts in Bulgaria, Hilton to have 77 across Turkey, Protea gets the 'By Marriott' Endorsement, Minor International and more...
Hyatt to Make its Debut in Bulgaria
An affiliate of Hyatt Hotels Corporation has signed an agreement with Terra Tour Service EOOD for a hotel in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, which will become the first Hyatt-branded hotel in the country when it opens in 2018. The Hyatt Regency Sofia will be developed on Vasil Levski Square, at the heart of the city. The 190-room hotel will have three restaurants, a rooftop bar, 1,200 m² of meeting and event space and a fitness centre and spa. “We are confident that the globally recognized Hyatt Regency brand will resonate with the growing base of business and leisure travellers visiting the country," commented Peter Norman, senior vice president, acquisitions and development " Europe, Africa, and Middle East for Hyatt.
DAM Buys Motel One Development in Downtown Frankfurt
Deutsche Asset Management (DAM) has acquired a Motel One developemnt in Frankfurt, Germany, from developer OFB for an undisclosed sum. The 470-room hotel is being constructed as part of a mixed-use development also containing 8,900 m² of office space, residentail units and retail facilities. DAM has purchased the property, which is due to open at the end of 2018, on behalf of its Grundbesitz Europa open-ended fund. OFB is reportedly investing €120 million in the project.
Hilton Worldwide Will Have 77 Hotels Across Turkey
Hilton Worldwide will open three new hotels in Turkey later this year, bringing its portfolio in the country to 77 properties. The group signed a franchise agreement with Tahabey Otelcilik Otomotiv Inþaat Emlakçilik Sanayi Ticaret Ltd for its first hotel in the Eastern Anatolian city of Elazig " an existing 110-room hotel is to undergo a US$16 million refurbishment before reopening in the third quarter of 2016 as the DoubleTree by Hilton Elazig. The three-storey, 90-room DoubleTree by Hilton Izmir Airport, which is the result of a franchise agreement withKepi Group, is due to open mid-year near the city of Izmir on Turkey’s Aegean coast. The 149-room Hampton by Hilton Bolu will mark Hilton’s debut in the Bolu region, in northwest Turkey, when it opens by the end of the year. The hotel, owned by Carikci Trans, will be the first internationally branded hotel in the city of Bolu.
Rezidor Arrives in Armenia...
Carlson Rezidor has made its first appearance in Armenia with the opening of the Radisson Blu Hotel, Yerevan. The 142-room hotel, which overlooks Mount Ararat, is within walking distance of Yerevan's embassy district and is the first upper upscale international brand to open in the Armenian capital. The hotel has six meeting rooms, a fitness centre and spa and several food and beverage options.
...And Expands in Poland
Carlson Rezidor has signed agreements for two new hotels in Poland. In the second quarter of 2017, the Park Inn by Radisson Poznán will open in Poznán's Old Town, in west-central Poland. The 166-room hotel is owned by Hanan Mor Group. The Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Szklarska Poreba will be in southwestern Poland in Jelenia Gora County, 130 km from Warsaw; this ski and summer resort is scheduled to open in late 2018. The group now has 12 hotels in operation or under development across Poland. “The signings are in line with our strategy to grow our network of contemporary quality Radisson Blu resorts in regional and domestic leisure destinations, and to pursue the creation of Park Inn clusters to unlock additional value for our guests, owners and other stakeholders, ” said HVS alumnus Elie Younes, Rezidor's executive vice president and chief development officer.
Ennismore Reveals NoCo, its New Budget Brand
London-based hotel owner and developer Ennismore has announced plans to launch a new budget brand in the UK market, NoCo. The group, the owner of the expanding Hoxton chain and the 232-room Gleneagles hotel and golf resort in Scotland, aims to develop 25 NoCo properties of around 150 to 200 rooms each across key UK cities. The hotels will operate under leasehold agreements and the first NoCo is due to open in 2018. The brand is aimed at travellers who want a non-generic hotel experience at a good price; the hotels will be technology based, with booking and check-in carried out via an app. “We’ve created NoCo to challenge the status quo of today’s budget brands,” said Sharan Pasricha, the chief executive and founder of Ennismore. “Travelling habits and demands have changed; as has the way that people now use hotels. Our aim is to raise the bar for affordable hotels and provide business and leisure travellers with a stylish alternative to bland, cookie cutter hotels so often found in cities outside of London,” he added.
Marriott Rebrands Protea with the "By Marriott" Endorsement
Marriott International has rebranded its chain of Protea Hotels across Africa, which it acquired in 2014, adding the “by Marriott" endorsement and creating an updated and more modern logo. Protea is now officially Protea Hotels by Marriott. Commenting on the move, Alex Kyriakidis, president and managing director for Marriott in the Middle East and Africa, said, “Consumer research conducted in South Africa in 2015 confirms that the endorsement of Protea Hotels by a large, international brand company such as Marriott would elevate brand perception and preference.” Protea has more than 100 hotels throughout South Africa and seven other African countries.
Minor's Avani Brand Makes its First Move into Dubai
As of 1 July 2016, Thailand-based Minor International will take over the operation of the 216-room Mövenpick Hotel Deira in Dubai, which will be rebranded as the Avani Deira Dubai Hotel. The brand change is the result of a management agreement between the hotel’s parent company, Bin Sulayem Investments, and Minor. Andreas Mattmüller, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts’ chief operating officer for Middle East and South Asia, commented that the group’s agreement for the hotel had ended on amicable terms.
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