From villas to campsites and city hotels to beach resorts, a whole range of new accommodation options will come online this year.
The large hotel chains have typically ambitious plans. The Starwood group will open seven W hotels this year, in Hollywood, New York, Koh Samui, Puerto Rico, London, St Petersburg and Bali, and two Luxury Collection properties in Cusco, Peru, and Pylos, in mainland Greece.
The company’s Aloft brand of value business hotels in urban locations is also expanding. Having opened its first Middle Eastern property in Abu Dhabi in November last year, the first European Aloft will open in September in Brussels, near the European parliament building.
Hilton opened two hotels in England at the end of last year – a Hilton on the Albert Dock in Liverpool, and a Doubletree by Hilton in Bristol. Next year will see a further nine European launches, including properties in Sicily and Sardinia, two in Poland, a Hilton in Split, Croatia, and a Waldorf Astoria Collection in Syon Park, which will be London’s only parkland hotel.
Fairmont will open seven hotels in 2010, including properties in Beijing, Vancouver, Pittsburgh and Shanghai, plus the Fairmont Zimbali Lodge in South Africa, and the iconic Savoy in London, set to reopen this summer.
Iberostar will open three hotels in Tunisia, and will reopen the Moroccan resort of Iberostar Saidia after major renovation. All Iberostar’s three-star Majorcan properties will be refurbished and upgraded to four or five stars.
Mark Warner introduces three beach resorts for summer 2010, including two four-star properties. The Sea Garden is an all-inclusive near Bodrum and the Hotel Garden Beach sits on Cala Sinzias Beach, 40 minutes out of Caligari airport in Sardinia. It also introduces the five-star Select Maris near Dacta, Turkey.
Keycamp is expanding into three new territories – Greece, Corsica and Denmark. Camping Areti offers air-conditioned, two-bed bungalows in Halkidiki, while Borgo and Belgodere-Palasca are apartment resorts in Corsica.
Lalandia Resort in Denmark is near Legoland and offers facilities including a tropical water park, indoor play area, bowling alley and indoor golf. Keycamp’s Tree Houses will be added at La Foret in the Southern Vendee and Le Val de Bonnal at Rougemont.
Here are some of the highlights to suggest to your clients this year.
The Savoy, London
One of the capital’s signature properties will reopen this summer after the most expensive hotel refurbishment in London’s history. The £100 million project encompasses the entire building and will retain elements of the building’s original Edwardian and art deco styles.
Guests will be able to drink in the famous American Bar or dine at the Gordon Ramsay-operated Savoy Grill. Room rates will start at £350.
Radisson Blu Hotel, Madrid Prado
This newly opened chic boutique is the perfect option for Spanish art lovers. Located across from the Prado and next to the Caixa-Forum cultural centre, the hotel couldn’t be more convenient for exploring these and other popular options, including the Reina Sofia Museum and the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum.
It is also near the Gran Via for shopping and nightlife. The traditional exterior hides 54 sleek, contemporary guest rooms, a spa, two restaurants and a bar. Rates start at €40 per room per night.
Palazzina Grassi, Venice
Design royalty Philippe Starck is behind this new small property, the door of which is marked only by a bull’s head. The 16th century historic building overlooks the Grand Canal and fuses traditional Venetian luxury and vintage objects with Starck’s signature cutting-edge look.
The 26 rooms are bright, white and modern, but the public spaces use Venetian bricks and coloured Murano glass in a trademark Starck avant-garde style.
The restaurant and bar feature seven metre-long tables of marble and mirrored glass, and the private-members G Club houses only the fourth Krug Room in the world, where guests can sample the entire range of Krug champagnes. Rates start at €300.
Select Maris Beach Resort, Datca Peninsula, Turkey
Jutting out into the Aegean off Marmaris, the Dacta Peninsula is home to one of Mark Warner’s new openings, the five-star Select Maris.
The resort makes the most of its beautiful location with five private beaches, with the family beach accessed by lift from the top of the cliff, and the others a short speed boat ride away.
There are four restaurants, five bars, water sports, tennis, spa, fitness centre, horse-riding and extensive children’s facilities. Seven nights’ full-board in May start from £679 per adult and £509 per child including flights, transfers, childcare and water sports.
Four Seasons Beirut, Lebanon
Beirut is hotly tipped as an up-and-coming destination, and the 25-storey glass and steel tower of the new Four Seasons reflects this vibrancy.
Located on the corniche with views of the Mediterranean and the mountains, the hotel has more than 230 terraces, with one for every room and suite.
The spa decor is marble and gold, and there are also two restaurants and three lounges. Club 26, the rooftop pool lounge, has 360-degree city views. Opening rates start from $375.
Hyatt Regency Oubaai Golf Resort and Spa, George, South Africa
Located among the beaches, forests and nature reserves of the Garden Route, the new 100-room property is backed by the Outeniqua Mountains and features an Ernie Els-designed championship golf course.
There are three restaurants and a spa, plus fitness facilities. Local attractions include dolphin and whale-watching trips and winery tours. Opening rates start at £167 for a king room.
Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Krabi, Thailand
The world’s first Ritz-Carlton Reserve property opened in December, offering 54 luxurious villas and a pavilion boutique hotel on the shores of the Andaman Sea.
The hotel pavilion sits on an island, and the infinity pool stretches out to the sea. There are six restaurants, including the resort’s signature Thai eatery, Sri Trang, an ESPA spa and a sunset lounge with day beds, oversize pillows and lanterns. Resort Pavilions start from £370.
Moksha Himalayan Spa Resort, Himachal Pradesh, India
The perfect place to get away from it all, this property opened at the end of December 2009. A 10-minute cable-car ride takes guests up to the resort, which sits among the pine trees high above the Shivalik Valley.
The 20,000sq metre resort has just 62 guest suites, each with its own private terrace. There is an outdoor heated infinity pool and two Jacuzzis, plus a spa and fitness centre. It costs from $590 per room per night full-board for a minimum three-night stay until April 15, including some spa and fitness activities and excursions.
Villas Valriche, Mauritius
For clients looking for an extra level of privacy, recommend this new collection of luxury villas, opening in April in the Bel Ombre region on the southwest of the island. All the two, three and four-bedroom properties offer panoramic ocean views, fully fitted kitchens and private infinity pools.
There is a 24-hour concierge, butler and chef on call, or guests can use the facilities of the nearby five-star hotels the Heritage Awali Golf and Spa Resort and the Heritage Le Telfair Golf and Spa Resort, which include seven restaurants, two spas, a boat house and activity programmes.
Prestbury Travel offers seven nights in a three-bedroom villa from £1,565 per person, based on four sharing and including return flights with Virgin Atlantic.
