Medway Travel eNewsletter November 2009

Hotel news

Peninsula Hotels unveils its ninth property

Peninsula Hotels recently unveiled its ninth property, with the opening of the 235-room Peninsula Shanghai.

The hotel is located on the city’s historic Bund, with views of Huangpu river, the modern Pudong district, and the gardens of the British Consulate.

Of the 235 rooms, 55 are suites, including the Palace Suite with a 1,000sqm wrap around terrace. Decor incorporates traditional materials used in Shanghai during the 1920s, such as mahogany and ebony.
There are a total of five restaurants and bars including Yi Long Court Chinese restaurant, and Sir Elly’s Rooftop Restaurant Bar and Terrace, and the Peninsula Spa by ESPA features seven treatment rooms and a 25m swimming pool.

As is customary with Peninsula properties, guest can opt for transfers by luxury vintage cars, in this case a restored 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom (one of only three in the world).

To celebrate the opening of the hotel, Peninsula is offering a preview rate from RMB 2,009 (£185) for stays up until February 28, 2010. The offer includes complimentary American breakfast and airport transfers to and from Honggiao or Pudong International airports.

The opening brings the number of Peninsula hotels in Asia to six, with three properties in the US. The first European Peninsula is due to open in Paris in 2012.
  

London's Hotel Rafayel set to open in December

London will welcome a luxury eco-hotel this winter, when the 65-room Hotel Rafayel opens in an area dubbed the capital’s new Left Bank.

Located in Battersea close to The London Heliport and with views of The Thames, the property will be the first in the UK to use only LED lights instead of traditional light bulbs and flourescent lights. The hotel says this will save 400,000kg of carbon emissions oper year, or 17kg per room per day.

Features include specially commissioned art and sculpture throughout the hotel, and business travel-friendly rooms with free wifi internet access, in-room video conferencing, and a “MediaHub panel”, allowing guest to connect mp3 players, laptops and digital cameras to the TV and audio system.

There will also be a conference room with floor-to-ceiling windows, a WellWorld Spa, a 17th floor roof terrace with 360 degree views of the capital, and a riverside Champagne bar and restaurant with its own roof terrace for alfresco dining. Traditional Afternoon Tea will also be provided by the in-house Mychelle’s Baketique.

Due to open in December, the hotel will provide a shuttle service to Victoria, Green Park and Knightsbridge every 20 minutes. Hotal Rafayel is located on the South Bank of the River Thames, close to the forthcoming Hotel Verta (a Von Essen property situated next to The London Heliport) and within walking distance of several residential developments including Oyster Wharf and Falcon Wharf.

Intercontinental Hotels opens two properties in Abu Dhabi

Intercontinental Hotels Group has opened Staybridge and Crowne Plaza properties on Yas Island, home of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Staybridge Suites Abu Dhabi is the first property by the extended-stay brand in the Gulf region, and is located in the centre of the island, within walking distance of the new F1 Yas Marina Circuit. The hotel features 164 studios, one, and two-bedroom suites, all with kitchens.

Meanwhile the Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi is the second property by the brand in the city, and is situated on the banks of Yas Creek, again within walking distance of the F1 circuit and the Championship Links Golf Course. The hotel has a total of six restaurants, a 25m swimming pool, steam rooms, a sauna and a squash court.

As well as the Formula circuit, the Yas Island development will eventually feature a Warner Bros movie theme park, a Ferrari motor sports theme park, three exclusive marinas, and extensive retail, entertainment and hospitality projects. The 499-room Yas Hotel also recently opened on the island, overlooking the Yas Marina Circuit.

The Address Dubai Marina now open

Dubai-based luxury hotel group the Address Hotels and Resorts has this month opened a property at Dubai Marina.

The Address Dubai Marina has 200 rooms and suites and 442 serviced apartments. It features a spa, free wifi and a 24-hour stay policy, whereby guests are charged in 24-hour blocks from when they check in.

Other facilities include 15 meeting spaces, the largest of which can accommodate 1,000 guests, and five restaurants and bars. These include French brasserie Rive Gauche; Mazina, which offers a wide range of cuisines and live cooking stations; and poolside eatery Shades.

It’s been a busy few weeks for the group – last month it opened its Dubai Mall property  and also took over management of the Montgomerie Dubai golf club and 21-room boutique hotel.

 --------------------------------------------

To book your next hotel, wherever in the world you are travelling, just contact us.

 

 

< Back to list