Hong Kong's Langham Place hotel opens spa… and other International hotel news

Chaun Spa open in Hong Kong's Langham Place
The Langham Place hotel in Hong Kong has just opened its Chaun Residences and Spa on its 40th floor. Rooms include the Nirvana Studio and the Infinity Suite, with Hong Kong's first Infinity bath and chromatherapy kaleidoscope designed to promote enlightenment. Guests will continue to have full use of the hotel's facilities.

Central Hotels gain Thai property
The 316-bedroom Islandia Phuket has been taken over by Central Plaza Hotel and Central Hotels & Resorts Thailand (CHR) and will be renamed the Central Karon Beach Resort, Phuket. The 50% joint venture, which cost CHR 1,050 million Baht (£15.7m), was agreed on 1 April. CHR will invest 150 million Baht (£2.2m) to renovate the property.

Intercontinental in joint project with heart clinic
In a joint project with a healthcare clinic specialising in heart disease, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has confirmed the development of its first hotel in Austria. The resort will provide a tranquil environment for recovering patients as well as their visitors and families. The hotel group has also just opened its latest hotel between the Sinai desert and the Red Sea. The Intercontinental Resort Taba Heights is the twelfth IHG property in Egypt and is on the northern-most tip of the Gulf of Aqaba. It will have 503 rooms including one presidential, seven executive and 27 junior suites.

Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong renovation nearly ready
This autumn is scheduled to see the completion of the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong's $140m (£80m) renovation. Each of the hotel's 502 guestrooms and suites will be overhauled and will feature the latest guest-orientated technology including iPod docking stations. The company has also confirmed it will manage a new-build 144-bedroom hotel currently under construction in Barcelona. Reig Capital Group, a private Andorran investment company with projects in the tourism sector is developing the site. Once open, the hotel will offer al fresco dining on a 1,400sq m terrace.

Hampton set to break opening records in US
US hotel brand Hampton is on course to open between 90 and 100 hotels this year and possibly set a record of more than 127 openings in 2007. The group plans to open its landmark 1,400th hotel during the fourth quarter of 2006. Most of the new development is based in the Western USA, focussing on California, Texas, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico. Hampton also hopes to concentrate on urban centre projects in early 2007.

Thistle Hotels planning Indian expansion
Thistle Hotels are set to enter the Indian market with their premium international brand Guoman hotels. The decision should be made by the end of this year according to area general manager Sanjay Nijhawan. The company plans to open hotels in three or four cities at the same time and is looking at both greenfield projects and acquisitions.

Dutch hotel bought by Golden Tulip
The Golden Tulip Winterswijk has been sold by its owner-manager Roel Hilbank to Golden Tulip Hospitality. The 66-bedroom hotel had been a franchise of the Golden Tulip group since 1999 and is now the ninth addition to its management portfolio. The real estate has been purchased by Westermeijer Group.

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