Hotels News | "4 Hotels and 850 Rooms to Open in 500 Metres Before Olympics"

By: Press Release
Source: http://www.london-se1.co.uk
Category: Hotels News

The four new hotels are due to open their doors to guests this summer and are no more than 500 metres apart.

The first of the four to open is likely to be the clumsily named Premier Inn London Southwark (Tate Modern) at the corner of Great Suffolk Street and Lavington Street. This week the scaffolding has been removed from the building and Premier Inn signage has been installed. Its 180 rooms are now available for booking from 4 June.

The existing Premier Inn London Southwark at The Anchor Bankside has had "(Borough Market)" appended to its name to avoid confusion with the new venue.

At the opposite end of Lavington Street the new 191-room CitizenM hotel – made of a series of prefabricated pods – has also recently been cleared of scaffolding. The Dutch chain is hoping to open its first London hotel by the end of July.

Southwark councillors recently approved a scheme to improve Lavington Street for pedestrians which will be funded by cash from the two hotel developments.

Meanwhile on Blackfriars Road the last panels of cladding are being added to the new building which will house two hotels in the Accor Group: the 182-bedroom Novotel London Blackfriars and the lower-cost 297-room Ibis London Blackfriars.

Plans for a fifth hotel – an upmarket 280-room Hilton – to be built between Bear Lane and Great Suffolk Street are thought to be back on track after an ownership dispute was resolved.

The owners of the Holiday Inn Express London Southwark recently submitted an application to extend the hotel into the adjacent Dominion House office building adding an additional 48 rooms.

source: http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/5939

Hilton Hotel News | "DoubleTree by Hilton Introduces Newest Hotel Destination in Gurgaon"

By: Press Release
Source: http://www.breakingtravelnews.com
Categoy: Hilton Hotel News


Hilton Worldwide announced the opening of a new DoubleTree by Hilton in India. Located in Gurgaon, Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), the DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon-New Delhi NCR offers a sophisticated, modern combination of guest services, amenities and technology in a refreshingly spirited and welcoming ambiance.
Conveniently located on the Golf Course Road, the hotel is within easy access of the business and commercial establishments in the dynamic business centre of Gurgaon and 18 km from Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL).  The 184-room hotel is only 7 km from the HUDA City Centre and IFFCO Chowk Metro stations, which can whisk travellers to many of New Delhi’s heritage attractions and Indian monuments such as Qutab Minar, Lord Mahavira’s statue at Ahinsa Sthal and the Bahai (Lotus temple).
Martin Rinck, president, Asia Pacific, Hilton Worldwide, said, “With the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon-New Delhi NCR, Hilton Worldwide now operates six hotels in the Delhi National Capital Region.  We are expanding rapidly in India and anticipate increasing our presence to 14 hotels by the end of this year, following on from a great year of growth in 2011, when we opened six hotels”.
Guests at DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon-New Delhi NCR will experience the characteristic qualities found at more than 280 DoubleTree by Hilton hotels around the world, including the warm welcome of the brand’s legendary chocolate chip cookie presented to every guest at check-in; the rewards of the Hilton HHonors guest loyalty programme and a unique and caring team member commitment to guests, colleagues and the local community.
Rob Palleschi, global head, DoubleTree by Hilton, said, “The opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon-New Delhi NCR is another significant step in our brand’s growth strategy in India and strategic city centre locations around the world.  The hotel is an outstanding representation of the DoubleTree by Hilton brand, which is built on the vision of creating a rewarding travel experience by understanding and thoughtfully addressing the individual needs of today’s business and leisure travellers”.
Owned by the JMD Group and managed by Hilton Worldwide, DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon-New Delhi NCR features 45 Executive Rooms, 11 Junior Suites and two Terrace Suites.  All guestrooms and suites are equipped with wired and wireless internet access, remote printing, LCD satellite television, electronic safe, refrigerated private bar, in-room tea and coffee making service, a radio alarm clock with MP3 player connection and a refreshing collection of bath and body products.  Additional amenities include 24-hour in-room dining, laundry, concierge and travel desk services.
Guests in residence and visitors can enjoy an extensive selection of cuisines at the hotel’s four restaurants and bars. The Food Store, an all-day café and deli, serves freshly brewed coffee and tea, healthy juices, homemade breads and pastries and a wide selection of snacks and wholesome meals.  Asia Alive, the South East Asian specialty restaurant, takes diners on a theatrical culinary journey encompassing Malay, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian and Indian cuisines paired with wine from an extensive list.  At Spiritual, the gastro bar and lounge, guests can enjoy classic cocktails, and a fine selection of spirits and wines accompanied by Tapas platters and a range of pizzas straight from the wood-fired oven.  When Casablanca, the first Moroccan specialty restaurant in the city, opens in the second quarter of the year it will introduce guests to the diversity of Moroccan cuisine with Berber-Moorish, European and Mediterranean influences.
Appreciating the needs of today’s business travellers, the hotel features a 24-hour business centre that provides a range of essential services, and meeting rooms equipped with the latest audio-visual and communications technology.  The 9,500 sq. ft. (900 m2) of expansive conference and banqueting facilities at the hotel accommodates up to 300 persons in a variety of flexible settings ideal for business meetings, training seminars, banquets and social gatherings.  Recreational options at the hotel include an outdoor pool, a Fitness Centre by Precor and AristoRejuv, a foot spa.
Sunil Bedi, managing director, JMD Group, said, “We are delighted to be associated with the DoubleTree by Hilton brand in India, and we are confident this hotel will become the first choice of travellers in the region”.
Along with the DoubleTree by Hilton Gurgaon-New Delhi NCR, Hilton Worldwide currently operates the following hotels in India: Hilton New Delhi/Janakpuri, Hilton Mumbai International Airport, Hilton Chennai, Hilton New Delhi-Noida-Mayur Vihar, DoubleTree by Hilton New Delhi-Noida-Mayur Vihar, Hilton Garden Inn New Delhi/Saket, Eros Hotel-Managed by Hilton New Delhi/Nehru Place and Hampton by Hilton Vadodara-Alkapuri.

source: http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/doubletree-by-hilton-introduces-newest-hotel-destination-in-gurgaon/

Hotel News | "Government’s push to promote tourism will help improve tourist arrivals and receipts"

By: ANGIE NG
Source: http://biz.thestar.com.my
Category: Hotel News

The local hospitality sector can look forward to a steady growth this year, given the number of initiatives to promote the tourism industry, property consultants said.Knight Frank in its Second-Half 2011 Real Estate Highlights report said the local hospitality sector remained optimistic that performance levels would show steady growth.It said this was despite analysts predicting moderating economic expansion ahead as a result of slowing external demand and continued uncertainties in the Middle East, Europe and the United States.“Moving forward, the Government will seek to enhance various sector-specific initiatives that focus on high-yield visitors, in particular business and medical tourism. The Budget 2012 announcement will keep the 4-star and 5-star hotel category at the forefront of development opportunities with the provided benefits in the form of tax exemption or allowances.“With concerted efforts from all parties, Malaysia will remain well positioned to retain its ranking among the global top 10 tourist arrivals and top 15 tourist receipts,” the report added.

Knight Frank said tourism contribution to gross national income was expected to almost triple the 2010 figure of RM34bil to RM94bil by 2020 (ranked the fifth-largest contributor to national economy in 2010).

The growth-centred Budget 2012, announced in October last year, is generally well received by the wider hospitality sector.

In the Budget, the Government has pledged to assist the private sector in developing more international standard accommodation to attract a higher number of tourists through a “pioneer status” income tax exemption of 70% or an investment tax allowance of 60% for five years for new 4-star and 5-star hotels in Peninsular Malaysia.

CB Richard Ellis Research, in its fourth quarter 2011 report on Kuala Lumpur's hospitality sector, said it hoped the various initiatives under the Economic Transformation Programme would be successful in stimulating demand, especially in raising tourist arrivals and average spending.

It also hopes that growing tourist arrivals from China, India and the Middle East would compensate for the likely continued decline from struggling Western economies.

“Tourism Malaysia is maintaining its target of 36 million annual visitors by 2020 with an estimated revenue of RM168bil, up from 24.6 million tourists with revenue totalling RM56.4bil in 2010,” the report added.

It said the hospitality market performed better in the last quarter of 2011 compared with the same period in 2010, led by improvements in overall occupancy rates for 3-star to 5-star hotels.

Although Kuala Lumpur had some of the lowest room rates for luxury hotels in the region, the announced redevelopments in the city centre would add to the growing quality of the city's hospitality market, it added.

The Knight Frank report said industry leaders had now fully recognised the importance of the MICE (meetings, incentive, convention and exhibition) industry as a major contributor to the economy.

The Tourism Ministry, which established MyCEB (Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau), plans to further strengthen the nation's tourism brand and grow the total number of conventions and exhibitions held on home soil.

The number of MICE visitors is expected to reach 1.3 million for 2011 with RM10.8bil in receipts (2010: 1.28 million visitors and RM10.6bil receipts).

It said the Government's concerted efforts to attract more arrivals from the BRIC economies (Brazil, Russia, India and China) through various measures, including a simplified and shortened visa application process, had shown excellent results with recently released figures showing the number of Chinese tourist arrivals increased by 57% between January and July 2011.

As at November 2011, there was a total stock figure of 17,862 hotel rooms in Kuala Lumpur. The supply figure of 4-star and 5-star hotel rooms in the city currently stands at 7,667 and 10,195 respectively.

During the review period, average occupancy rates for 4-star and 5-star hotels in the city registered increases to 72% (first half 2011: 69%) and 71% (first half 2011: 68%) respectively.

Both occupancy and average room rates (ARR) for 4-star and 5-star hotels have shown an improvement over the second half of 2011 review period to November.

The ARR for 4-star hotels was recorded at RM214 (first half 2011: RM209), reflecting a 2.39% increase, while the 5-star category saw a 1.18% increase to RM343 (first half 2011: RM339).

Knight Frank said that during the second half of 2011, Kuala Lumpur's hotel market maintained a reasonable performance with steady improvements in the tourism industry.

source: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/16/business/11096929&sec=business

Patent News | Europe Opens Patent Investigations Into Motorola Mobility

By: James Kanter

source: http://www.nytimes.com

category: Patent News

The European Union’s competition office on Tuesday opened two antitrust cases against Motorola Mobility for possibly abusing its patents following complaints by two rivals, Microsoft and Apple.

The cases are the latest stage in what has become a full-blown battle over the ownership of essential technologies that help power mobile and gaming devices, a fight that has engulfed Google and virtually all the other major players in the industry.The European Commission opened two cases to look at separate allegations by Microsoft, which is concerned about access to video and wireless patents for its products including the Xbox, and by Apple, which is concerned about access to other wireless patents for the iPhone and iPad.Microsoft and Apple complained to the commission that they were victims of unfair licensing conditions and abusive litigation by Motorola Mobility.The investigation will look at whether “Motorola has failed to honor its irrevocable commitments made to standard-setting organizations” to license its technologies to other companies on fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms, the commission said.Motorola Mobility said in a statement it was “confident that a thorough investigation” would show it had honored its “obligations and complied with antitrust laws.” It said it would “continue to work closely with the European Commission to resolve this matter as soon as practicable.”The cases could also have consequences for Google, which is seeking final regulatory approvals for its purchase of Motorola Mobility to compete directly with its archrival, Apple. Google’s deal, worth about $12.5 billion, cleared its biggest hurdles by winning regulatory approval in the United States and Europe in February.In a warning in February, Joaquín Almunia, the E.U. competition commissioner, said his decision to clear Google’s deal for Motorola Mobility would not exonerate any wrongdoing concerning patents “by Motorola in the past or all future action by Google.”News of the investigations came a day after Microsoft said it was moving its software distribution operations to the Netherlands from Germany because of concerns that an adverse decision in a patent dispute with Motorola Mobility could hamper crossborder shipments.Motorola filed a lawsuit against Microsoft in July last year asking for a royalty of 2.25 percent on the price of each product using video software on which Motorola holds some patents.Microsoft refused to pay, saying the demand by Motorola could lead other patent holders to make similar demands and make the costs of licensing technology unaffordable.Motorola then sued to stop sales and shipments in Germany of any product that uses Microsoft software with the video software.A ruling against Microsoft on April 17 by the Mannheim regional court could block the software giant from distributing Windows software and the Xbox gaming system in Germany.On Tuesday, Microsoft said there had been no previously existing royalty agreements concerning the video software before the dispute.Microsoft had a “great relationship” with its current distributor but “Motorola’s refusal to live up to its patent promises has left us no choice,” said Thomas Baumgärtner, a spokesman for Microsoft in Germany. “Unfortunately the risk of disruption from Motorola’s patent litigation is simply too high.”The commission can fine companies as much as 10 percent of their worldwide annual income if it finds them guilty of antitrust violations. But the way any such fines would be calculated would depend on which company owned Motorola Mobility at the time of the offenses. Determining which company would pay any such fines can often depend on the fine print of merger agreements. Motorola Mobility was split off from Motorola in January 2011.

The commission also has the power to require companies to change the way they do business. That, too, could have consequences for Google and its deal for Motorola Mobility.

“We haven’t finalized our acquisition of Motorola Mobility, but will work with the European Commission to answer any questions they might have,” said Al Verney, a spokesman for Google in Brussels. “We have longstanding concerns about patent abuses, including lawsuits and royalty demands targeting the Android ecosystem,” Mr. Verney added, referring to Google’s operating system for mobile devices.

But a prominent commentator on the issue, Florian Mueller, who also advises companies including Microsoft on patent issues, said in a blog entry that the decision Tuesday by Mr. Almunia to start a formal investigation into Motorola Mobility was a bad sign for Google.

“If and when Google closes the deal, it will effectively buy itself into two more E.U. antitrust investigations,” Mr. Mueller wrote.

“It’s time for some people in Mountain View to realize that a multi-front war against competition authorities, on three continents in parallel, is a war that they won’t be able to win,” he added, referring to Google’s headquarters in California.

The commission is already investigating Samsung for the way it used standard, essential patents and for the way it sought injunctions against its competitors in national courts.

Samsung, a South Korean company that relies on Android for many of its products, has been pursuing legal battles worldwide over the levels and fairness of fees it imposes on others for using patented technologies.

Travel sites vs. Google

TripAdvisor filed an antitrust complaint against Google with E.U. regulators Tuesday, adding a second case against the search-engine operator by online travel companies, Bloomberg News reported from Brussels.

TripAdvisor said the complaint addressed “anti-competitive and unfair practices by Google that harm the marketplace and consumer welfare.”

Expedia last week added its complaint to an E.U. investigation of claims that Google discriminated against other services in its search results and stopped some Web sites from accepting rival ads. Joaquín Almunia, the E.U.’s competition commissioner, has said he could decide this month whether to proceed with a case against Google.

source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/04/business/global/europe-opens-patent-investigations-into-motorola-mobility.html

Hotel | "Titanic's wealthiest passenger built NYC hotel"

By: MEGHAN BARR
source: http://www.fosters.com
Category:  Hotel

A century after the Titanic sank, the legacy of the ship's wealthiest and most famous passenger lives on quietly at the luxury hotel he built in New York City.John Jacob Astor IV, who was one of the richest men in America, went down with the ship in 1912 after helping his pregnant wife escape into the last lifeboat. But at the St. Regis, one of Manhattan's oldest luxury hotels, the aristocratic sensibilities of the Gilded Age remain intact. Butlers in white ties and black tailcoats still roam the hallways. The lobby, with its frescoed ceiling and elaborate marble staircase, has not been altered since Astor died. And the thousands of leather-bound books that he collected have been preserved on the same bookshelves for 100 years.This year, in tribute to Astor's memory, the hotel worked with a publisher to add a new book to those shelves. "A Survivor's Tale," which was released this month, is the first-person account of a passenger who survived the disaster by jumping overboard as the ship disappeared into the water.
This was his jewel," said Astor's granddaughter, Jackie Drexel, as she gazed around the hotel one recent morning. "My grandfather used to come and walk the stairs frequently first thing in the morning to make sure everything was running perfectly. He conceived of it with great pride."The copper moldings on the roof have turned green with age, but inside, the antique furniture and silk wall coverings hearken back to a more refined era. And the guests wandering its hallways are still the wealthiest of the wealthy: the hotel is a favorite among royal families and celebrities hoping to keep a low-profile and avoid the paparazzi.
The key element to everything in the hotel is the discretion," said Paul Nash, the general manager. "We have heads of state, royal families, entertainers, politicians."When Astor built the St. Regis in 1904, it overlooked Fifth Avenue's row of mansions and, at just 18 stories high, was one of the tallest skyscrapers in the city. It was modeled after the extravagant hotels of Europe that had not yet become ubiquitous in the U.S.At that time, it was common for the very rich to live in luxurious hotels like the St. Regis for long stretches of time. According to Nash, that hasn't changed, either: The hotel's presidential suite, which costs a cool $21,000 per night, is routinely occupied by the same guests for three months straight.
They can walk around the hotel like it's their home, and nobody will disturb them," explained 25-year-old Jennifer Giacche, one of the hotel's butlers.While the uniform looks like it was plucked from the set of a period drama, the St. Regis butlers' job responsibilities have evolved over the years to meet the needs of 21st-century jetsetters. They still pour coffee and fluff pillows, but the butlers of today — a rarity at modern hotels — are really more like highly educated personal assistants who speak several languages, not the stuffy servants portrayed on TV's "Downton Abbey."Our guests may travel by private jet, but they're also probably wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt," Nash said.Using "e-butler," the hotel's personalized smartphone app, guests can start issuing instructions to their butler before they even check in, whether it's ordering a limousine or a bottle of champagne. Visitors preparing for an extended stay often want the furniture in their rooms completely rearranged. One of the most memorable requests came from a guest who wanted her bathtub filled with chlorinated pool water (which the butlers obliged without asking why).Like his guests, Astor enjoyed a pampered existence as a member of one of New York's most powerful families. But he was also a keen inventor — creating an early form of air conditioning by blowing cold air over the hotel's wall vents — and an avid bibliophile. With the help of Thornwillow Press, a small publisher of limited-edition books, the hotel is in the process of restoring and cataloguing the nearly 3,000 books that Astor left behind."If John Jacob Astor were to walk through the rooms, it would be entirely familiar to him," said Luke Ives Pontifell, Thornwillow's founder. "He would recognize the books on the shelves. It's a time capsule."On April 4, the St. Regis held a small dinner in the hotel library to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking. The guests, who included some of Astor's descendants, were dressed in fur and feathers as they perused his books and dined on food inspired by the last meal served aboard the ship. They also received copies of "A Survivor's Tale," which was written by Jack Thayer and is being published publicly for the first time with the permission of his family.Thayer, who was 17 years old then, recounted how his mother escaped in a lifeboat, but his father perished along with most of the men on board. Thayer survived by clinging to a lifeboat for hours in the freezing sea, listening to the wailing of the passengers who froze to death.
It sounded like locusts on a midsummer night, in the woods in Pennsylvania," he wrote.Astor was last spotted smoking a cigar on the deck. His body was later pulled out of the sea. His wife gave birth to a son weeks later."I think he stayed to the very end, putting people in lifeboats," said Drexel, his granddaughter. "He never tried to escape himself."Drexel believes he would have been pleased with the way his legacy has been preserved at the St. Regis. If he had survived the sinking, she believes he would have built many more hotels in his lifetime."It makes me proud to speak of him," she said. "I wish I'd known him. I wish my dad had known him. I think that's the saddest — that dad never had a chance to meet him."

source: http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120412/GJLIFESTYLES/120419933/-1/FOSLIFESTYLES

Hilton Garden Inn Addison Chicago

By: Mr.Madhu
Source: http://www.venere.com
Catagory: Hilton Garden Inn Addison Chicago

                       If you are looking for a business-friendly Addison hotel that's located in the suburbs, check out Hilton Garden Inn Addison offering complimentary wireless Internet access to all its guests. Bloomingdale Golf Club and Adventist GlenOaks Hospital are both close by, while Wheaton College is one of the local attractions. Other attractions in the region include Woodfield Mall and Schaumburg Medieval Times.

          This 3.0-star Addison hotel offers shopping on site, an indoor pool and gift shops/newsstands. There is also a bar/lounge where guests can enjoy drinks after a long day. You can find a fitness facility on site so you will be able to take some time out to de-stress. Multilingual staff are available at the front desk 24 hours-a-day and can provide tour/ticket assistance, express check-in and express check-out.

                            A concierge desk is available so you can make the most out of your stay and ensure you see the best sights. You will also find a safe deposit box at the front desk and a TV. You will also have access to a business center at this hotel. Onsite parking is available, subject to charges. Other amenities include laundry facilities, dry cleaning/laundry services, air conditioning in public areas, ATM/banking services and an elevator (lift).

Facilities at Hilton Garden Inn

   Air conditioning

    Gift shop

    Laundry room

    Laundry service

    Lift/elevator

    Mini market

    Shops in the hotel

    City tour

    Concierge

    Front desk - 24 hour

    Front desk - safety deposit box

    Luggage room

    Multilingual staff

    Personal newspapers

    Business Center

    Conference room

    Meeting Room

    Gym

    Indoor swimming pool

    Free parking

    Private parking

    Internet/Email services

    TV Lounge

    Bar

    Restaurant/Dining

Source:  http://www.venere.com

Bed and Breakfast | "California B&Bs Offer Romantic Escapes for Elopements and Small Weddings"

By: Press Releases
Source: http://www.sfgate.com/
Catagory : Bed and Breakfast

Few things are more romantic than exchanging wedding vows in an intimate garden surrounded by beautiful blooms or in the glow of a majestic fireplace. As purveyors of romance, most California bed and breakfast inns are ideal destinations for elopements and small weddings. There are more than 100 members of the California Association of Bed and Breakfast Inns that offer wedding services. Many inns also offer elopement packages to save couples the time, money and stress of planning a wedding.

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/02/21/prweb9205765.DTL