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A new class of international spa resorts has emerged with high-design decor and luxe amenities. Here are our picks, perfect for a spa holiday.

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1. Verdura Golf & Spa Resort Sciacca, Italy

2. Vinothérapie SPA Caudalie Marqués de Riscal Elciego, Spain

3. The Spa at the Viceroy Miami Hotel Miami, Fla

4. Espace Vitalité Chenot Erbusco, Italy

5. Armani/SPA, Armani Hotel Milano Milan, Italy

6. Green T. House Living Bath House Residence Beijing

7. The Dolder Grand Spa Zurich, Switzerland

8. Spa Fasano at Hotel Fasano Punta del Este Punta del Este, Uruguay

9. The Spa at Monastero Santa Rosa Conca dei Marini

10. Mamounia Spa at La Mamounia Marrakech, Morocco

For more information visit, World's Most Beautiful Designed Spa

Realty developer Royal Palms India is considering selling four of its hotels in the city and is hoping to rise up to Rs 2,500 Cr for further expansion and diversification into the agriculture sector. In the same development, the company had already purchased around 300 acres in Pune. There are plans to cultivate high-paying crops, from grains to fruits organically. Around 30 per cent of the funds raised from the sale will be employed for the expansion plans to the business.

The Amir Group-company is also looking to acquire nearly 1,500 acres in Kolhapur. In the five-star category, the company has three hotels, including Hotel Imperial Palace, Palms Hotel Tower & Convention Centre, as well as Palms Villas Hotel, besides another hotel under construction, with over 400 rooms. The company hopes to rise over Rs 2,500 Cr and has appointed consultancy firm Knight Frank for the execution of the deal.

For more information visit, Royal Palms India

Linde wins contract to build LNG plant in Malaysia

The Linde Group, a Germany-based gases and engineering company, has secured a contract from Malaysia LNG Sdn. Bhd., a subsidiary of Malaysia's national oil and gas company, Petronas, to build a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Malaysia.

Pursuant to the contract Linde will develop a new boil-off gas re-liquefaction facility, which will be located in the Bintulu LNG complex in Sarawak, East Malaysia.

The new facility will have a maximum design capacity of 1,840 tons of LNG per day. The detailed engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of the plant will be undertaken by Linde's Engineering Division. The plant is scheduled to come online by the end of 2014.

The company will utilize its proprietary LNG process and core cryogenic heat exchanger for the plant, which will be used to re-liquefy boil-off gases from LNG storage and ship-loading and to accommodate large variations in nitrogen content, flow rate and temperature. The customized process of Linde will also enable Malaysia LNG to minimize flaring.

Read More: Linde Wins Contract to Build LNG Plant in Malaysia

BSB to build world’s tallest skyscraper in 90 days in China

Broad Sustainable Building Company Limited (BSB), a wholly owned subsidiary of Broad Group, plans to build world's tallest skyscraper, called Sky City, in Hunan Province of China within 90 days.


Poised to be 838m tall, the Sky City will be 220-storey skyscraper that will accommodate residential units, alongside a hotel, a hospital, several schools, and offices. The project will be developed in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province.

The building will have a construction area of about a million square meters. The construction of the building will require 200,000 tons of steel and will be constructed at the rate of five-stories per day. The entire building will have more than 100 elevators.


The company will collaborate with the architects and engineers of the Burj Khalifa for the Sky City project and will use BSB's modular technology, a construction method that features 95% factory prefabrication units.

The building will be designed to withstand an earthquake of magnitude of 9.0 on rector scale. The project is due to start at the end of 2012 and is set to be completed by the end of March 2013

Read More:  BSB to Build World’s Tallest Skyscraper in 90 Days in China

New Hyatt Hotels in Manila, Philippines

Hyatt Hotels has entered into an agreement with Bonifacio Landmark Realty and Development to build a Grand Hyatt hotel and Grand Hyatt branded residences in Manila, Philippines.

Expected to open in 2015, Grand Hyatt Manila and Residences will be part of a two-tower upscale mixed use project in the residential, entertainment and business district of Fort Bonifacio Global City in Metro Manila.Grand Hyatt Manila will be located on the top 14 floors of the 66-story office and hotel tower, and will offer 438 guestrooms.

Additional hotel amenities will include a dramatic and energetic lobby, multiple food and beverage offerings, a spa, fitness center and pool, and comprehensive business and meeting facilities with state of the art technology.The residences will be located in the second tower, and will offer 220 luxury units with private access to the hotel’s amenities, including the spa, fitness centre and pool and restaurants.

“As the political, economic, social, and cultural centre of the Philippines, Manila is attracting entrepreneurs and business owners that have an appetite for luxury brands and residences,” said Ratnesh Verma, senior vice president of real estate and development, Asia Pacific, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts - Check it out - Manila, Philippines.

Bonifacio Landmark Realty is a joint-venture company between property developer Federal Land Inc. and Japanese financial services group ORIX Corporation.

Read More: New Hyatt Hotels in Manila, Philippines

Sheraton Hotels invests $230m to renovate four iconic Hawaiian Properties

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced that its largest brand, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, and its owners invested more than $230 million to refurbish its four iconic Hawaiian properties. The large-scale, multi-year project was completed with the recent unveiling of the Sheraton Kona Resort and meets the increased demand for high-quality accommodations as business and leisure travel to the Hawaiian Islands continues to grow. The revitalization projects include the $188 million renewal of the Sheraton Waikiki, the $6.5 million renovation of the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, a $16 million upgrade to the Sheraton Kauai Resort, and a $20 million refresh of the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay.

Starwood has spent the last few years renovating and rebuilding one of the hotel industry’s most iconic brands and the Sheraton brand now stands taller than ever with the strongest portfolio in its history. The brand is gaining market share, RevPAR continues to rise, guest satisfaction scores are the highest in the brand’s history and likelihood to return, likelihood to recommend and meeting planner and associate engagement scores are also at all-time highs – signaling that guests are taking notice and rediscovering the new Sheraton. 

The Sheraton has reaffirmed its place as the leader in its class among Hawaii hotels with the completion of its nearly $188 million renovation of 1,636 rooms with a theme of “contemporary Hawaiian sophistication.” The renewal starts at beach level and reaches to the top of the 31-floor structure, offering new guest rooms and suites, redesigned public areas with new landscaping and pools, renewed convention facilities, new and exhilarating restaurants and bars, and new back-of-house equipment to increase service efficiency.

Multi-Million Dollars Renews Maui Resort

Sheraton Upgrades Resort Located on Hawaii’s Famous Poipu Beach

The Big Island’s Landmark Hotel Completes Extensive Floor-to-Ceiling Renovation

View It Now - Singapore Hotel Booking..

Read More: Sheraton Hotels invests $230m to renovate four iconic Hawaiian Properties

Best Western launches online resource for travel agents

Best Western's new Travel Agent Advantage website offers a one-stop-shop for travel agents to learn more about the hotel chain and its offerings for travelers. In addition, agents can take interactive courses online to learn more about Best Western.

Best Western International announced the launch of Travel Agent Advantage (SM), the hotel chain's new online education and resource center for travel agents.

Best Western's new Travel Agent Advantage website offers a one-stop-shop for travel agents to learn more about the hotel chain and its offerings for travelers. Through the online resource center, agents can easily access information about Best Western's 4,000+ hotels and destinations in around Asia, the brand's three types of hotels and other key initiatives and programs. In addition, agents can take interactive courses online to learn more about Best Western – from international properties to Best Western Rewards.

"As Best Western evolves to engage partners such as travel agents in new and meaningful ways, Travel Agent Advantage is a major initiative for the brand as we further engage and help educate the travel agent community," said Dorothy Dowling, senior vice president, marketing and sales for Best Western International. "By providing a portal designed exclusively to meet agent needs, Travel Agent Advantage provides the resources, information and brand education that is so valuable to the success of agents worldwide."

Key features of Travel Agent Advantage include:

- Our Hotels – An overview of the history of Best Western and key differentiators of the brand's tiered descriptors program that includes BEST WESTERN, BEST WESTERN PLUS and BEST WESTERN PREMIER

- Education – A five-chapter interactive online educational course for agents to learn more about the Best Western brand, and be registered to win sweepstakes and prizes upon course completion

- Agent Programs – From incentives to quarterly sweepstakes and prizes, the latest program offerings for agents

- Sales Center – Resources to help agents sell Best Western, including leisure programs, mobile offerings and more

Read more..

Visual storytelling the future of online hotel marketing

For hotel marketers, leveraging web marketing best practices - namely, engaging travelers with feature-rich content, high-quality images and videos, and detailed, up-to-date property and local information - will be the key to staying in front of the competitive curve, according to a new VFM Leonardo report.

2012 was a year of rapid evolution in online hotel marketing. Thanks to a quickly growing online travel agency presence, an expanding mobile space, social media and corporate channels, travelers have more options for researching and booking travel than ever before. They’re consuming high-quality images and videos while doing their travel shopping on different devices, through different platforms, and from multiple locations.

These evolving trends mean it’s more important than ever for hotel marketers to be prepared, adaptable and to engage travelers in new ways. The good news is, as the internet generation becomes more mature and the web more ingrained in our lives, there are statistics and research available to help us predict travelers’ behavior.

A new VFM Leonardo report takes a closer look at five key areas that the company believes hotel marketers need to focus on in 2013:

1. Making the most of visual merchandising on third party travel websites
2. The high-growth of mobile
3. Surging social media
4. Capturing corporate travel opportunities
5. Content-rich web marketing

Read more: Visual storytelling the future of online hotel marketing

Capella Hotels are now in Washington, D.C

Capella Hotels and Resorts is all set to open the first Capella-branded hotel in the U.S with 49-rooms. The design of this royal hotel would be made by Breidenbacher Hof, a Capella Hotel in Dusseldorf, Germany.

The hotel by Castleton Hotel Partners I, LLC has stretched the location that would provide ease to the business and leisure guests to access the National Mall and Smithsonian museums, the U.S. Capitol and White House, The World Bank and other international organizations, federal government agencies and financial and business districts. The customers would be able to book hotel online as well.

“Capella Washington, D.C. will give guests the opportunity to really get to know D.C. and we will provide exclusive access and programming so that they can go behind-the-scenes of some of the capital’s top attractions,” said Capella Washington, D.C. General Manager Alex Obertop. Hotels and Resorts - Malaysia

“The design by Peter and his team is intended to evoke the feeling of being in the comfort of one’s home, complemented by a rich palette of the finest materials, furnishings, and art collections.”

The guests at the hotel would be able to avail the facilities of refreshment center, a complimentary laundry pressing service of up to five pieces, complimentary Wi-Fi, and programming deigned to fully immerse guests in D.C. culture and way of life.

As per the plan, the hotel would have a restaurant and lounge, executive boardroom and a guests-only rooftop pool and bar. Some special guests would also be able to avail the special services that would include private after-hours shopping in the city’s most exclusive stores, and guided tours to Washington’s newest and hottest attractions, including the Washington Ballet with backstage access.

Read More: Capella Hotels are now in Washington, D.C

PHUKET- Hilton Worldwide announced the opening of its first Double-tree by Hilton property in Phuket, Thailand. The 250-room Double-tree Resort by Hilton – Surin Beach is located on the west coast of the island on Surin Beach, which is approximately 24 kilometers from Phuket International Airport. Formerly the Courtyard by Marriott, the re-branded, four-story Double-tree Resort by Hilton, Phuket – Surin Beach sits strategically between Phuket International Airport and Patong, the island’s popular tourist center. The resort offers over 80 suites and has three food and beverage outlets which include Asia Alive, an all-day dining restaurant, The Boardwalk, a pool bar serving snacks, and a food and beverage retail outlet, The Food Store. There will also be four meetings rooms as well as a business center, fitness club, outdoor lagoon-style pools, water slides and a kids club.

The Doubletree Resort by Hilton Phuket – Surin Beach will have all the qualities currently found at the brand’s more than 310 Doubletree by Hilton locations in 23 countries around the world, including the warm welcome of the brand’s legendary chocolate chip cookie presented to every guest at check-in; an array of upscale amenities and guest services; the rewards of the Hilton Honors guest loyalty program; and a unique and caring team commitment to giving back to the local community. Phuket is one of Asia’s leading leisure destinations and is famous for its white sandy beaches, pristine waters, inland mountains and renowned Thai hospitality. The island has been a well established destination for over 30 years and continues to grow at a strong rate. Surin is situated on the west coast of Phuket and is one of the most sought-after destinations in Phuket due to its fine white sandy beaches and turquoise water. Surin Beach is popular with both tourists and Thais for its large selection of beach restaurants ranging from the popular Catch Beach Club to local beachside restaurants.

Hilton Worldwide currently manages six properties in Thailand including Conrad Bangkok, Millennium Hilton Bangkok, Hilton Pattaya, Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa, Hilton Hua Hin Resort and Spa and Conrad Koh Samui, and will open Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok and Doubletree by Hilton, Sukhumvit Bangkok in 2013.

For more information visit, Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Thailand

Essentially Prestige launched a new “Love Sicily” brochure this week. Whether you want to shop in Palermo, see the sights of Siracusa or take in opera in Taormina, bookings are now open for summer 2013, with short breaks and winter escapes for the off-season.

The southernmost town in Florida, Key West, is now easier to reach: it has joined the Southwest Airlines network with daily flights from Tampa.

Manston airport on the Isle of Thanet in east Kent makes another attempt to connect with the rest of the world from 2 April next year, when KLM launches two daily flights to and from its hub at Amsterdam Schiphol.

The Hotel Atmospheres has opened in St Germaine, near the Jardin du Luxembourg, with quirky rooms and more than 100 prints by French photographer Thierry des Ouches.

The Foreign Office softened its warning against travel to Kashmir this week, lifting the caution on the cities of Srinagar, Jammu and the road between them. Restrictions remain across the rest of the state.

Want to hang out in Williamsburg or hit the clubs in Kreuzberg? Airbnb has launched a “Neighborhoods” facility on its website that gives you the low-down on districts in cities from New York to Berlin, and then offers you a room or flat to rent.

Photographer and wildlife guide Paul Goldstein reveals his passion for the natural world of East Africa with a charity presentation at the Royal Institution in London on 26 Nov.

Singapore Airlines has a short-notice promotion to help fill departures during the remainder of November. Returns to the Vietnamese hubs of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are available at £605. And book your cheap luxury hotels in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam for a comfort stay.

For more information visit,Travel schedule summer in Sicily, Key best, Double Dutch, Parisian chic, Silver lining, Local hangout, Mara watch, 615

A company Wiflinz, has set up a rental service for travelers to New Zealand that eases the costs of data roaming. It’s simple, easy to use. You just book online your dates, and where you wish your pocket Wi-Fi to be delivered to, and it will be waiting for you at your hotel before you arrive. You can take it anywhere while travelling within New Zealand.? Simply post back in a prepaid envelope before you leave. Renting this pocket device allows you to use in meetings, catch up with your face book friends or simply talk, all at local prices. No need to get a sim that gives you a foreign number; it’s still your own number, so people can reach you while you are on our shores.

 

For more information Visit, Exciting news for travellers to New Zealand

New Zealand belongs to an international organization of countries that only members know be present. Along with Canada, Scotland, and a handful of others, it exists in the shade of its much bigger neighbor - quiet, unnoticed at times, but absolutely content, thank you very much. These are the top most luxury hotels in New Zealand. They are as follows,

For more information visit,Luxury Hotels in New Zealand

Top 10 hidden gems in St Petersburg

Most visitors to St Petersburg will include a trip to the Hermitage Museum or Mariinsky Theatre, but the city is full of less-celebrated gems. From contemporary art to jazz bars and an art hotel, we asked a local writer to recommend his top 10

Art Hotel Rachmaninov

The spirit of pre-Revolutionary Petersburg is kept alive at the Rachmaninov, a boutique hotel and childhood home of native son Sergei Rachmaninov, located in an old townhouse a few steps from Kazan Cathedral and the city's main thoroughfare Nevsky Prospekt. The walls of the hotel rooms and public spaces have been decorated by local artists, inspired by the great man's music, providing a unique and quirky contrast to the late-19th-century furnishings. A couple of gallery spaces present regular exhibitions of local artists, including photographers.

Pushka Inn

The Pushka Inn (a play on words – pushka means cannon, and the poet Pushkin used to live in the house next door) is a small and friendly boutique hotel on the Moika river, in one of the most picturesque areas of the city, just a few hundred metres from many of the most important museums and sites. The historic mansion exterior belies the contemporary feel of the rooms, that are luxurious but not fussy. The hotel booking also has a welcoming restaurant and offers additional services such as visa support and airport transfer. 

Letny Sad

A "summer garden" might seem a strange place to visit in the winter months, but not when it's the newly reopened Letny Sad, occupying a small 12-hectare island on the south bank of the Neva river. Plans for the city's oldest park date back to 1704, just a year after the founding of the city itself, as Peter the Great was keen to find a suitable location for his modest summer residence. Featured by Pushkin in Eugene Onegin, and the subject of an eponymous poem by Anna Akhmatova, the garden has long been a favorite retreat for city residents. Locals continue to discuss the merits of the recent restoration, but judge for yourself – walk among the 18th-century marble statues and tree-lined alleys before the fountains are turned off for the winter.

SupVino Restaurant

Blink and you miss it, but this tiny restaurant on Kazanskaya ulitsa is that rare thing – warm and welcoming on a cold winter's day, cool and dark on a hot summer's day. With just 20 stools across five high tables and a bar, the large mirrors on either wall and window on to the street make it feel bigger than it is. Mercifully it's non-smoking, given the dimensions. As the name suggests, soup and wine are the specialities here, but you can also get other light dishes. Some interesting original recipes: mango and ice-cream soup, anyone?

Read More: Top 10 hidden gems in St Petersburg

A 2014 Opening is Planned for the 253-room Hotel Owned by Proprietas s.r.o

BERLIN--Nov. 7, 2012-- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) today announced plans to introduce its rapidly expanding Four Points by Sheraton brand to Berlin in 2014. Owned by Proprietas s.r.o., Four Points by Sheraton Berlin Airport will be the first Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Berlin and the third for the brand in Germany. Starwood’s Four Points by Sheraton brand’s ‘best for business’ approach provides travellers with everything that matters most with stylish design and an uncomplicated friendly approach to hospitality and service – all at a great value. This new-build hotel will be located adjacent to a new business park and just a few kilometres from Berlin Brandenburg International Airport, which is currently under construction in Germany’s capital city.

The signing of Four Points by Sheraton Berlin Airport is part of Starwood’s expansion strategy to open more than 25 hotels across Europe over the next four years.

About Four Points by Sheraton:

Great Hotels. Great Rates: With more than 170 Four Points by Sheraton hotels in nearly 30 countries, travellers can find the timeless style and comfort they’re looking for with genuine service and everything that matters most, all around the world. From Santiago to Shanghai and Milan to Milwaukee, Four Points by Sheraton hotels can be found in big urban centres, by the airport, near the beach, and in the suburbs. A recent $1 billion invested in renovations, conversions, and new-build hotels has made the brand stronger than ever.

Four Points by Sheraton, like all brands within Star wood portfolio, is proud to offer the Star wood Preferred Guest program, which offers a breakthrough policy of no blackout dates on Free Night Awards. To learn more, visit www.spg.com

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,128 properties in nearly 100 countries and 154,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis, 

 The Luxury Collection, W, Westing, Le Méridien, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft, and ElementSM. The Company boasts one of the industry’s leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com

Read More:
Four Points by Sheraton Berlin Airport to Open at the New Berlin Brandenburg International Airport

The Gamification of Hotel Booking Heats Up

To really predict or gauge the impact a new third-party booking channel will have on the hotel industry, it’s often best to take the simple approach: Put yourself in the shoes of a consumer and ask what the benefits are to you. If there’s no reason YOU would book through a third party, then typically there is no reason anybody else would either. And if no one books, the third-party company isn’t going to have much success, no matter how much media coverage or marketing dollars they throw behind it.

When Expedia executives first introduced the agency model on the company’s second-quarter earnings call three months ago, I began thinking what the ramifications would be. So now I can book a room on Expedia.com and pay later at the hotel. OK, cool. But what else does it allow me to do?

 

A Gamification experiment:

Armed with the ability to make a hotels reservation today, pay later and shop around in between, I decided to conduct an experiment using these new(er) third-party sites that promise me, as a consumer, a great deal. In the process, I learned a lot about how these sites operate and that, in fact, they really aren’t getting me a great deal at all.

First, I booked a hotel room for an upcoming stay on Tingo, the site that promises to monitor your reservation; if the rate at that hotel drops, Tingo will cancel the reservation and re-book for you, then refund you for the difference. The rate I booked on Tingo was the exact same as it was on brand.com for the same room on the same nights (in parity).

Then, I sent my reservation to Backbid, the site that promises to send you “bids” for your business from competing hotels in Philippines are the same category and geographical area.

The trip is still nearly three months away, but here are the results so far: Tingo continues to “constantly (obsessively) watch the rates for my reservation” but hasn’t saved me $1 yet. Every two weeks or so I get an email saying they’re still monitoring, but I have zero faith that the rate will actually drop at this hotel. In fact, the rate for a reservation similar to mine has increased (must have a smart revenue manager).

 

Click to know more:  The Gamification of Hotel Booking Heats Up