Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"World's Oddest Hotel Complex"

Source              :    dailymail.co.uk
Category         :    Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :    DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

An underground Hobbit motel inspired by JRR Tolkien is just one of the unique places to stay at the world's most unusual hotel complex. But if subterranean sleeping doesn't sound appealing, guests can rest their head in a train, plane or boat at the themed Woodlyn Park estate in Waitomo, New Zealand. The 3.5 hectare estate is home to a variety of unusual lodging experiences for visitors, including a range of historic transport units which have been decked out and turned into self-catering accommodation.

The World's first hobbit motel, with its circular windows and doors, was built two years after the final Lord of the Rings film was released and attracts score of visitors. The self-contained rooms come with kitchens, shower and toilet facilities and can accommodate between two to 10 people. Woodlyn Park also offers visitors the chance to stay in a 1950's train and Bristol Freighter plane, which was one of the last allied planes out of Vietnam, and a WWII patrol boat.

Source:dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2474826/Woodlyn-Park-Waitomo-hotel-complex-stay-plane-ship-Hobbit-hole.html

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"Dalata Plans Hotel Expansion After Sales Boost"

Source              :    irishtimes.com
Category         :    Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :    Mark Paul
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

The largest chain in the country, the Dalata hotel group which operates 34 properties, is planning further expansion following strong sales growth in 2012, as the recovery in the country’s hotel market gathers pace. Dalata, founded in 2007 by the former Jurys Doyle chief executive Pat McCann, saw its revenues climb last year by 55 per cent to €54.1 million, according to accounts obtained by The Irish Times. It added five new properties in 2012. Dalata’s operating profit more than doubled to €3.2 million but it still made a loss of €2 million after charging interest and tax. About €4.1 million of the interest charges, however, were paid out on loan notes held by the company’s shareholders, including McCann. Dalata owns the 12-strong Maldron chain of three and four-star hotels, which includes one property in Cardiff. It also operates a further 22 unbranded hotels in Ireland under management contracts, mostly on behalf of banks and receivers. It is backed by TVC Holdings and private clients of Davy stockbrokers.

“Trading conditions in the sector improved in 2012 with increased demand growth in Dublin. As the year progressed there was evidence of stabilization in the rest of the country,” Dalata’s directors said, before adding it is continuing to look for expansion opportunities. The five-star segment of the market is leading a rebound of hotels in the capital, according to a recent study by Crowe Horwath consultants, which also found that Dublin properties had occupancy of 74 per cent last year while rates at luxury hotels climbed 10 per cent. The Dalata directors continued: “The outlook for 2013 is positive with further growth expected in earnings, driven by gathering and conferences and events, particularly in Dublin.” The capital’s conference market is expected to receive a 15 per cent boost next year following the launch of Google’s Foundry research centre, which will bring an extra 15,000 overseas delegates to the city each year. Dalata highlighted the special 9 per cent VAT rate for tourism related services, and said it has boosted its trade. “The rate has ensured the group remains competitive in a difficult marketplace and has increased employment,” it said. Michael Noonan, the Minister for Finance, has hinted he is likely to increase the rate in next month’s budget, however, as it was only ever a “temporary measure” that costs taxpayers €360 million annually.

Dalata is examining further expansion opportunities in the UK, and is believed to have held talks with institutions about obtaining finance for any expansion. The group has bank debts of just €8 million, but owes its shareholders about €31.5 million in loan notes, which pay out interest of 9 per cent each year. The accounts state, however, that the loan notes must only be paid back if Dalata is sold, lists on the stock exchange, or sells some of its assets. The shareholders have shared almost €19 million in interest payments since 2007. McCann invested €1 million of his own cash in the notes, according to the accounts. The financial statements show that Dalata employed about 645 staff directly last year, up from 413 in 2011. Overall, however, about 2,500 people are employed by the hotels Dalata operates, including staff employed at the hotels it runs for other owners under management contracts. Its most high-profile properties are the Clyde Court and Ballsbridge hotels in Dublin, which formerly operated as Jurys and the Berkeley Court. They are now owned by a consortium of banks that seized them from the developer Sean Dunne, who bought them during the boom for €380 million. Dalata also last month bought out a loan attached to its Limerick Maldron hotel from Bank of Scotland (Ireland) at a discount of 78 per cent. It is expected to assume ownership of the property at the end of the year.

Source:irishtimes.com/business/sectors/transport-and-tourism/dalata-plans-hotel-expansion-after-sales-boost-1.1538919

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"Is This A Hospital Or A Hotel?"

Source              :    nytimes.com
Category         :    Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :    ELISABETH ROSENTHAL
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

As the new St. Joseph’s Hospital in Highland, Ill., prepared to open in August, its chief executive exulted, “You feel like you could be at the Marriott.” In the $63 million community hospital, patients all enjoy private rooms, with couches, flat-screen TVs and views of nature. Its lobby features stone fireplaces and a waterfall. Some hospitals in the United States, like Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, have long been associated with deluxe accommodations, and others have always had suites for V.I.P.’s. But today even many smaller hospitals often offer general amenities, like room service and nail salons, more often associated with hotels than health care.In the current boom of hospital construction, private rooms have become the norm. And some health economists worry that the luxury surroundings are adding unneeded costs to the nation’s $2.7 trillion health care bill. There are some medical arguments for the trend — private rooms, for example, could lower infection rates and allow patients more rest as they heal. But the main reason for the largess is marketing. In a highly competitive field, patients — sometimes now referred to as “guests” — appreciate amenities. The tactic works. “We found that patient demand correlates much better to amenities than quality of care,” said Dr. John Romley, a research professor at the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics of the University of Southern California, who has studied the trend. That means that hospitals can improve their bottom line and their reputation by focusing more on hospitality than health care — offering organic food by a celebrity chef rather than lowering medication errors, for example.

As a result, American hospitals are looking less and less like their more utilitarian counterparts in Europe, where the average hospital charges per day are often less than a quarter of those in the United States, according to the International Federation of Health Plans. The Henry Ford health system in Michigan caused a stir after it hired a hotel industry executive, Gerard van Grinsven of the Ritz-Carlton Group, in 2006 to run its new hospital, Henry Ford West Bloomfield. He had opened 20 hotels and his “focus on people and service excellence” has helped the hospital thrive in a competitive market, said Nancy M. Schlichting, Henry Ford’s chief executive, who decided to hire him. The idea was to take care of patients’ needs, she said, clinical and otherwise. While no one is getting nostalgic for traditional hospital food, open wards or revealing gowns, some worry that hospitals are going too far with the creature comforts. They are particularly concerned since most hospitals are nonprofit, so construction — directly or indirectly — is subsidized with public money. With the prospect on the horizon of the Affordable Care Act’s lowering reimbursement, and interest rates rising, the hospital construction boom appears to be slowing. And, in choosing a hospital, patients should probably think beyond room service anyway. Many years ago, when I was a doctor-in-training, I was assigned to work on a hospital floor with V.I.P. rooms. Though the views were spectacular, the cardiac arrest team could not get there as quickly as it could to the regular wards. 

Source : nytimes.com/2013/09/22/sunday-review/is-this-a-hospital-or-a-hotel.html?_r=0#h[]

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"Versace Mansion To Become Hotel"

Source              :    3news.co.nz
Category         :    Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :    Jennifer Kay
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

The new owners of the South Beach mansion where Gianni Versace lived and died said Tuesday that they hope to use the Italian fashion designer's name and legacy in rebranding the property as a hotel. VM South Beach LLC bid US$41.5 million for the oceanfront property on Miami Beach's touristy Ocean Drive. The company's principals include the Nakash family of New York, which controls Jordache Enterprises. Joe Nakash, chairman of Jordache Enterprises, said he expects to retain all the vestiges of Versace's time in South Beach in the 1990s - the snake-haired Medusa heads, a swimming pool inlaid with 24-karat gold tiles, gold-plated bathroom fixtures, custom-made mosaic floorings and frescos and the throngs of tourists who still routinely stop to have their picture taken on the front steps where the designer was slain. "We're going to keep it the way it is," Nakash said.

Jordache Enterprises owns five hotels in Miami Beach, including the Hotel Victor next door to the mansion.

"We'd like the public to use it, so we're going to create a hotel that will be consolidated with the Victor," Nakash said. "We're going to use the name Versace after we receive OK from the family." Efforts to reach representatives for the Versace family were unsuccessful Tuesday. Though the Versace family hasn't owned the oceanfront mansion since 2000, auctioneers hoped the designer's legacy would attract potential buyers. Celebrities and investors worldwide expressed interest, but in the end, only three bidders emerged, said Lamar Fisher, president and CEO of Fisher Auction Company, which was appointed by a bankruptcy court.

Bidding started at US$25.5 million and rose in US$500,000 increments under a tent next to the mansion's 16m swimming pool, Fisher said. VM South Beach outbid Donald Trump, whose other South Florida real estate holdings include the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach and Trump National Doral. It also outbid Wellington developer Glenn Straub, who owns the Palm Beach Polo and Country Club. Trump's son Eric left the mansion without speaking to reporters. Fisher said Trump's highest bid was US$41 million, and he could get the property if the deal with VM South Beach falls through.

"It's a cash transaction. There are no contingencies on the property," Fisher said. A bankruptcy judge is expected to approve the deal Wednesday. The mansion has been officially named Casa Casuarina for more than a decade, operating first as a private club and then as a boutique hotel until earlier this year. But locals still refer to it as "the Versace mansion." It was initially listed for sale at US$125 million last year. The asking price dropped to US$75 million by June, and Nakash said he had been prepared to offer that much for the property. "Have you ever been inside? You will understand how beautiful it is. The art, the pool, everything," Nakash said. Even if the Versace family declines to license their name, Nakash said he planned to honor the designer with a plaque marking where he died. Dan Golinsky, who works in real estate in Miami, still has his Casa Casuarina membership card in his wallet. Standing outside the mansion, he said the bidders knew the property came with a cache they could extend to their wealthy clientele.

"The whole thing has its own persona that obviously still speaks well for what Versace did in renovating it and bringing that prominence to Miami Beach," Golinsky said. Versace and an entourage of celebrity friends that included Madonna, Cher and Elton John helped change South Beach from a retirement community known as "God's waiting room" to the party-centric, international tourist destination it is today. The designer bought a neglected three-story, Mediterranean-style home, originally built in 1930 by Standard Oil heir Alden Freeman, and a dilapidated hotel next door in 1992 and spent US$33 million on renovations. The 23,000-square-foot mansion has 10 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms and an open-air courtyard. Versace was fatally shot in 1997 by serial killer Andrew Cunanan, who later shot himself as a police search closed in on him.

Source:3news.co.nz/Versace-mansion-to-become-hotel/tabid/417/articleID/313824/Default.aspx

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"Mobile Chargers, Hair Dryers To Be Made Mandatory At Star Hotels"

Source              :    thehindubusinessline.com
Category         :    Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :    Tourism Ministry
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

Ever had to search for a multi-purpose socket in a star hotel to charge your mobile phone? Ever had to search for more hooks in the bathroom to hang your clothes? For iron board and iron to press your clothes? The Union Ministry of Tourism has come out with a new set of guidelines for the hotel industry, making all these and more mandatory at star hotels.The Ministry has listed a 16-point classification guideline to be followed by star hotels to make them more visitor-friendly. Union Tourism Minister K. Chiranjeevi consulted the tourism and hospitality industry before formulating the guidelines, according to a release.

Under the new rules, all star hotels should provide water sprays, bidets, washlets or other modern water-based hygiene facilities. All 4-star, 5-star and 5-star-deluxe hotels should provide a telephone or mobile internal phone within arm’s reach of the toilet seat. The bathrooms should have hooks for at least three garments. The hotel rooms should also have a safe, a tea/coffee making facility, iron and ironing board and hair dryer on complimentary basis. The iron and iron board and hair dryer can be made available on request at 1- to 3-star hotels on a complimentary basis. All star hotels should provide at least two multi-purpose sockets capable of handling US, European and Japanese plugs at or just above the table level.

These conditions shall be applicable to all hotels that will start operating from April 1, 2016. For existing hotels, the conditions will come into effect from April 1, 2022. However, in the case of multi-purpose sockets, till such time as this facility is provided on a permanent basis, it will be mandatory for all star hotels to provide multi-socket adapter plugs on request. It will also be mandatory for hotels to display their star rating prominently outside the hotel and at the reception from April 1, 2014. All hotels above the 4-star category shall have the facility of a mini fridge and mini bar with effect from April 2014. They shall install blackout curtains and provide luggage racks, portable or fixed, for two large suitcases by April 1, 2015.

Source : thehindubusinessline.com/economy/mobile-chargers-hair-dryers-to-be-made-mandatory-at-star-hotels/article5107513.ece

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"Area Hotels Prepare To Accommodate New Government Per-Diem Rates"

Source              :    washingtonpost.com
Category         :    Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :    Abha Bhattarai
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

The federal government adjusted its allowances for employee travel and conferences last week, sending area hotels scrambling to make adjustments before the new per diems take effect Oct. 1. The most marked change, hotel managers say, is the elimination of a clause that currently allows employees to spend an extra 25 percent for conferences.Beginning next month, government employees will be allowed to spend up to $219 per night at District hotels in October. That is down from the year before, when nightly rates were capped at $226 for general travel and $282.50 for conferences.

In Frederick County, that per-diem rate will fall to $100 from $118.75 for conferences; and in Loudoun County, to $105 from $135. “We’ve already suffered pretty severely from the cutbacks in government travel,” said Katie Doherty, general manager of the National Conference Center in Leesburg. “This is one more hit.” As a result, the conference center is reworking its budget and adjusting government-friendly packages to reflect the new prices. “We’ll look at each piece of business individually and see if it fits our budget,” Doherty said. “The big thing is that we want to do whatever it takes to get the government to begin holding conferences and training [sessions] again.”

Hotel managers throughout the region said they were parsing the new numbers and trying to figure out exactly how their bottom line would be affected. “Right now, it’s hard to tell how it will affect us,” said Sheldon Johnson, general manager of the Sheraton Silver Spring Hotel. “We don’t know just yet — not until we look at our budget more closely.” The adjusted rates — which are 5 percent lower than the average daily rates in any given market — are expected to save $10 million for the federal government.

“From a travel industry perspective, we want to provide the federal government the best value they can get,” said Erik Hansen of the U.S. Travel Association. “But in some cases, the new per diems make it more difficult [for hotels].” Some hotel managers in downtown Washington said it is becoming cost-prohibitive to keep lowering prices to meet GSA caps. Instead, they are focusing on trade shows, private sector conferences and tourists to make up for lost government business. “I’m not necessarily going to say I’m going to give up on [government business],” said John Rish, general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Washington. “But there is enough demand in downtown D.C. that we don’t necessarily have to chase after government per-diem business.”

Source:washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/area-hotels-prepare-to-accommodate-new-government-per-diem-rates/2013/09/06/aeb525be-14c8-11e3-b182-1b3bb2eb474c_story.html

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"Making the Hotel Lobby A Place To See & Be Seen"

Source              :    abcnews.go.com
Category         :    Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :     SCOTT MAYEROWITZ
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

Large, traditional hotels are spending billions in renovations to try to mimic the style and financial success of luxury and boutique hotels, which have always drawn free-spending crowds to their lobbies. Walls are being torn down to make lobbies feel less confined. Communal tables are popping up. Wine lists are being upgraded. And quiet nooks are being carved out that give business travelers space to work but still be near the action. Companies like Marriott, Hyatt and Starwood are betting that more vibrant lobbies will leave guests — especially younger ones — with a better feeling about their stay, even if their room is bland. Hotel owners say the investments are beginning to pay off, not just in alcohol sales, but in their ability to charge higher room rates.

"People want to go where people are," says Michael Slosser, managing director of operations for Destination Hotels and Resorts, a group of 40 hotels in the U.S. "They want to go to be seen, to relax and to people watch." The changes are meant to attract travelers like Michael Coscetta, a 31-year-old consultant from Wantagh, N.Y., who spends about 90 nights a year on the road. "Working in a hotel room feels claustrophobic," says Coscetta, who instead takes his laptop and heads to the lobby or a nearby coffee shop. Steve Carvell, associate dean for academic affairs at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, says younger guests "very much want that sense of not feeling alone, even though they are."

U.S. hotels are forecast to spend $5.6 billion on capital improvements this year, up 10 percent from 2012 and more than double the $2.7 billion spent in 2010, according to a study by Bjorn Hanson, dean of New York University's hospitality school. The bulk of that money pays for new beds, showers and other room improvements. But Hanson says a "proportionally record amount" of money is going to reconfiguring lobbies.

Marriott International, Inc. is freshening up lobbies in its namesake brand with "Great Rooms" that feature free Wi-Fi, comfortable seats and menus stocked with small dishes and local craft beers. The concept was first tested in 2007 and is expected to be in 70 percent of the 550 Marriott hotels worldwide by the end of the year.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. — the company behind trendy W Hotels — launched a $4 billion lobby revitalization of its Sheraton brand in 2009. Nearly half of the 427 Sheratons worldwide now have lobbies with communal areas, modern rugs, improved lighting and flat-screen TVs at the bar. Additionally, Sheraton has tried to inject a bit of pizazz to all its lobbies by adding upscale wine lists, each rated by Wine Spectator magazine. Having better wines gives waitresses "something more to talk about than 'Can I take your drink and where are you from?'" says Rick Ueno, general manager of the Sheraton Chicago. It also gives the hotel more revenue. In the first six months of this year, the hotel bar sold 18,000 glasses of wine. That's 24 percent more than the same period last year. At $14 a glass, that adds up to $50,000 more in revenue.

Source : abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/making-hotel-lobby-place-20158304

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"Filthiest Hotel Not Defamed"

Source              :    abcnews.go.com

Category         :    Courtyard Virginia Hotels

By                   :     ALAN FARNHAM

Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

Calling the Grand Resort Hotel & Convention Center of Pigeon Forge, Tenn., "The Dirtiest Hotel in the U.S." turns out not to be defamation, an appeals court has found. Travel site TripAdvisor every year lists what it deems to be the 'Top 10 Dirtiest Hotels in the U.S.," based on user reviews. "For the sixth consecutive year," wrote TripAdvisor's director of communications in 2011, "TripAdvisor is shining a light on those U.S. hotels which have made a mark on their guests for all the wrong reasons. We believe that candid reviews—good, bad and ugly—empower travelers to see it all so they can plan and experience the best possible trips." 

"If you're looking for a hotel with chewing tobacco spit oozing down the halls …carpeting so greasy and dirty you wouldn't want to sit your luggage down—let alone walk around barefoot…by all means, stay at the Grand Resort." The owner/operator Kenneth Seaton took offense, and sued TripAdvisor for $10 million for defamation in October 2011, according to court documents. His complaint alleged that TripAdvisor's intent had to been to discourage the public from doing business with the Grand, to cause injury and damage, and to destroy the Grand's reputation by false and misleading means.

Seaton's complaint was dismissed, and he appealed. An appeals court has affirmed the dismissal, with Judge Karen Moore finding that TripAdvisor's putting the Grand on its "dirtiest" list did not constitute defamation, since it was opinion rather than an assertion of fact. The Judge wrote that the reviewer comments constituted protected, nonactionable opinion. Likewise, TripAdvisor's methodology had been "inherently subjective," making it, too, protected. "First, TripAdvisor's use of 'dirtiest' amounts to rhetorical hyperbole," Moore wrote. "Second, the general tenor of the '2011 Dirtiest Hotels' list undermines any impression that TripAdvisor was seriously maintaining that Grand Resort is, in fact, the dirtiest hotel in America."The hotel shut down in late 2012 and was sold to a holding company. Attempts to reach the former owner were unsuccessful.

The hotel is being gutted and converted into a new 400-room facility with a convention area, according to the Mountain Press. Alison Croyle, a spokeswoman for TripAdvisor, applauded the court's decision "as it continues to protect the opinions of consumers online," the Associated Press reported. TripAdvisor guest reviews of the Grand Resort ranged from not that bad to "Dirty room, unsafe pool" and "Absolute dump – Do Not Stay Here." One writer complained of many faults, starting with "unprofessional staff" at the front desk. While he was waiting to be served, he says, "An angry man and his wife came down and said that the front desk had given them a room currently occupied by another couple. Apparently, couple #1 walked in on couple #2." He went on to fault the Grand for stained carpet, stained walls (something brown) and a bathroom that had holes in the walls. Wrote he: "The countertops and surfaces…were sticky, but nothing was as sticky as the TV remote."

Source : abcnews.go.com/Business/tripadvisor-calling-hotel-dirtiest-defamation-judge-rules/story?id=20155418

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"IHG Ties Up With Omaxe For 150 Rooms Hotel In New Chandigarh"

Source              :    economictimes.indiatimes.com
Category         :    Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :     PTI
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

Global hospitality major InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) today said it has entered into an agreement with real estate firm OmaxeBSE -0.21 % to open a 150-room hotel under its brand Holiday Inn in New Chandigarh. The hotel would be located in the 1,000-acre township developed by Omaxe in Sector 4B of the New Chandigarh, which is near Chandigarh. "It is an ideal location for Holiday Inn in New Chandigarh, and we are very much looking forward to our partnership with Omaxe in bringing our much-loved brand to life there," said Douglas Martell, IHG Vice President, Operations, South West Asia. 

Omaxe CEO Mohit Goel said: "The hotel will offer international standard of accommodation and service to both business and leisure guests in New Chandigarh." The new hotel will be a part of a mixed-use development that includes commercial, retail and residential establishments. In February this year, IHG had said it planned to open 47 new hotels in India by the end of 2017 and take its room strength to over 12,000 in the country. IHG currently operates 13 hotels in nine cities across India, including Benguluru, Mumbai, Pune, Kochi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Delhi with a total of 2,334 rooms. IHG is also operating 1,217 Holiday Inn hotels and resorts around the world. 

Source:economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/services/hotels-/-restaurants/ihg-ties-up-with-omaxe-for-150-room-hotel-in-new-chandigarh/articleshow/22225891.cms

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"China's Skyscrapers To Offer Luxury Hotels"

Source              :    canoe.ca
Category         :    Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :    Relaxnews
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

When it comes to real estate, China's developers are reaching for the skies. The People's Republic has recently seen an exponential increase in towers of over 500 metres, all designed to house apartments, offices, shopping malls and luxury hotels. Standing at 632 metres, the Shanghai Tower, the main structure of which attained its highest point in early August, is now the tallest skyscraper in Asia. Set to be finished in 2015, a luxury hotel is scheduled to open in the tower that year. Skyscrapers are all the rage in China, where the tallest habitable building in Asia, at 632 metres, has just been erected in Shanghai after years of construction. The Shanghai Tower is slated to open to the public in 2015, offering not only office space, but also a shopping mall and a high-end hotel.

The 258 rooms of Jin Jiang group's Shanghai Tower J-Hotel will occupy the 84th to 110th floors of this skyscraper, set to feature 125 storeys. Though taller than any other skyscraper in Asia, the Shanghai Tower has not unseated the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which remains the world's tallest structure. Dubai's star tower also offers luxury accommodations among the clouds, with the world's first Armani Hotel, characterized by no-holds-barred extravagance. Guests in its 160 rooms and suites can take advantage of the hotel's eight restaurants, an Armani boutique with exclusive items, and a spa with 1,000 square meters of space.In addition to Shanghai, the city of Wuhan is making a name for itself with the Greenland Center, whose 119 floors stretch 606 metres skyward. Construction began in 2012, and the tower is expected to open to the public in 2017, offering 186 apartments and a 4,200 square metre five-star hotel with an impressive 292 rooms.

In Tianjin, the Goldin Finance 117 is scheduled to open in 2016. At 597 metres, this skyscraper in the city's business district will also include a five-star hotel, whose 350 luxury rooms and suites will accommodate well-heeled guests. The 530 meter CTF Tianjin Tower, also known as the Chow Tai Fook Binhai Center, will also open its doors in the city in 2016 and include a prestigious hotel. Finally, in Guangzhou, the Chow Tai Fook Centre, with its 111 storeys and height of 530 metres, will also be home to a high-end hotel. China isn't the only country reaching for the clouds. From 2015, Seoul will witness the opening of the Lotte World Tower. At 555 metres, the skyscraper will be home to offices as well as a 260-room luxury hotel on its 80th to 100th floors. The 120th and 123rd floors will be open to the general public, allowing visitors to enjoy a unique view over the city. 

Source : canoe.ca/Travel/Activities/Hotels/2013/08/26/21080106-relaxnews.html

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"Hotel Loses Lawsuit"

Source              :    perthnow.com.au
Category         :    Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :    BRETT BARROUQUERE
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

The US 6th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a bid by the former owner of the Grand Resort Hotel and Convention Center in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., to reinstate a defamation lawsuit against the site TripAdvisor. Judge Karen Nelson Moore concluded for the court that the hotel's inclusion on the '2011 Dirtiest Hotels' list doesn't rise to the level of defamation because it is obvious the list simply communicates the opinions of TripAdvisor users. "First, TripAdvisor's use of 'dirtiest' amounts to rhetorical hyperbole," Moore wrote. "Second, the general tenor of the '2011 Dirtiest Hotels' list undermines any impression that TripAdvisor was seriously maintaining that Grand Resort is, in fact, the dirtiest hotel in America." Then-hotel owner Kenneth M. Seaton sued Newton, Mass-based TripAdvisor in 2011. He accused the website of defamation and portraying his business in a way that would keep customers away.

Judge Thomas W. Phillips in Knoxville rejected the claims in August 2012. Attempts to locate Seaton were unsuccessful Wednesday. The hotel shut down in late 2012 and was sold to a holding company. Alison Croyle, a spokeswoman for TripAdvisor, applauded the court's decision "as it continues to protect the opinions of consumers online". TripAdvisor, which bills itself as the world's largest travel site, aids people in gathering travel information, posting reviews and opinions of travel-related content and engaging in interactive travel forums. The site compiles best and worst lists and includes customer comments about featured places. Such lists are common online - including compilations of the most trusted, most handsome and dumbest people - and a reasonable reader understands that placement on such a list is not a statement of fact, Moore wrote. For the '2011 Dirtiest Hotels' list, the Grand Resort was listed first among 10 entries. The accompanying comment from an unnamed guest said: "If you are looking for a hotel with chewing tobacco spit oozing down the halls and corridors; spiders actively making webs in every corner of your room; carpeting so greasy and dirty you wouldn't want to sit your luggage down - let alone walk around barefoot...... by all means, stay at The Grand Resort." Moore cited that comment and others on the list as proof that TripAdvisor wasn't using a scientific method to determine which hotels were actually the dirtiest in the country. "The quotations regarding other hotels on the '2011 Dirtiest Hotels' list confirm that the list cannot be reasonably understood as asserting that the hotels on the list are, in fact, the 10 dirtiest in America," Moore wrote.

Source:perthnow.com.au/travel/travel-news/playing-dirty-hotel-loses-lawsuit/story-fnho5w8j-1226707299176

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"Shangri-La Hotels, Phoenix Mills Call Off Management"

Source              :    articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com
Category         :    Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :    ET Bureau 
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

Hong Kong-based hotel operator Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts and Mumbai-based Phoenix Mills have 'mutually' agreed to terminate the management contract of the latter's five-star hotel in Mumbai, just nine months after the hotel became operational. "Shangri-La International Hotel Management and Pallazzio Hotels and Leisure have mutually decided to end their relationship and Shangri-La will withdraw from the management of the Shangri-La Hotel, Mumbai," a spokesperson for Shangri-La said in response to an email query by ET. Pallazzio Hotels is a subsidiary of Phoenix Mills, which owns the 40-storeyed luxury hotel in the Phoenix Mills compound in Lower Parel, Mumbai. Shangri-La will withdraw from the management of the hotel on September 6. "The hotel will be handed over to the owning company on September 6 and will no longer be part of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts," the spokesperson said. Shishir Shrivastava, joint managing director and group chief executive officer of Phoenix Mills, confirmed the development.

Both Pallazzio and Shangri-La, however, declined to comment on the reason behind the termination of the 20-year contract within nine months. The mutual decision, however, means there will be no penalties involved. "Reasons are confidential and as of now, officially, both the parties have mutually agreed to terminate the contract," Shrivastava said. Pallazzio has now finalised a new operator to manage the 390-room hotel. "We have narrowed down on the new operator we want to work with and as soon as we finalise, we will announce it," he said. At present, 223 of the hotel's 390 rooms are operational. The remaining will be made operational in phases. The company has invested over Rs 1,000 crore on the hotel project. "The property will continue to operate as an uber-luxury hotel with several enhancements, new banquet facilities and further the signature restaurant Mekong and Libai Bar will launch as planned by mid-September," Shrivastava said. Phoenix Mills had faced several issues while obtaining environmental clearance for the project, as the construction work of the hotel had commenced before obtaining the mandatory clearances from the State Environment Impact Assessment authority, the three-member committee set up by the Ministry of Environment and Forests to scrutinise and grant clearance to all major construction projects.

Source:articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-08-28/news/41539003_1_phoenix-mills-shangri-la-hotels-hotel-project

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"Hotels Quietly Adding Lots Of Extra Fees"

Source              :   newsday.com
Category         :   Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :   SARA CLEMENCE
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

If anyone is an educated hotel guest, it's Bjorn Hanson, dean of New York University's Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management. But even Hanson got confused during a business trip when a hotel bill included $18 in charges for gratuities. One fee was for a bellman he didn't use, and the other was for housekeeping service, even though he had already left a tip. It took some discussion with the manager to get the fees dropped. While travelers were complaining about airline fees -- additional charges for putting luggage on planes, reserving seats and other services -- the hotel business quietly experimented with fee after fee. The result is that your bill at checkout can be confounding. Hotels are tacking on lots of extra charges in addition to sales tax and the city and state tariffs that apply only to the hospitality industry. Common fees include resort usage, airport pickup, parking and gym visits along with charges for room service.

Some of the more surprising charges include a fee for moving items around in the minibar (not actually consuming any), a bellman (whether you use one or not), the room safe (even if you don't stash valuables in it), checking out early, checking in early and upgraded amenities (such as shampoo). And here's a new fee: parking in an open, unattended lot. These charges are most common at higher-end hotels, resorts and properties in urban centers. A parking fee at suburban hotels is still relatively rare. Most hotels in the middle of the price spectrum -- the most popular segment in the United States -- continue to avoid most fees in favor of offering free Internet, free breakfast and free parking. Fees collected by the hotel industry this year will hit a record $2.1 billion, according to a projection released this month by NYU's Hanson, who tracks hotel fee trends annually. That's double what consumers paid a decade ago. Among luxury properties, 99 percent charge for a late cancellation, compared with 29 percent among so-called midscale properties, a 2012 study by the American Hotel and Lodging Association found.

The biggest problem with fees, Hanson says, is not disclosing those that are mandatory. Last fall the Federal Trade Commission sent warning letters to 22 hotel booking companies for leaving details out of the price projection when consumers shopped for hotels. It is now common to find a section on fees on hotel booking sites as well as a disclosure when a "resort fee" applies. Nearly a quarter of hotels now charge for in-room Internet access, according to a 2012 survey commissioned by lodging association. Wi-Fi charges are most common in luxury hotels -- with the fee assessed at more than three-quarters of all properties in that category. Business travelers to big cities, in particular, are targeted for the Wi-Fi charge -- which can be as high as $15 a day. "If you're headed to downtown -- anywhere, there's a good chance you'll see a Wi-Fi fee on your bill," says Jeremy Murphy, chief executive of TheSuitest.com, a travel website that analyzes hotel rooms and prices. NYU's Hanson says it can be tough for consumers to understand what might end up on their bills. "Fees and surcharges are not even uniform across brands," he says. If you can, find out in advance what the extra charges are, and pay close attention to your bill when you're checking out. Tom Waithe, director of operations for Kimpton Hotels in the Pacific Northwest, encourages hotel guests to challenge charges they disagree with."The desk has, in many cases, the full ability to reverse a charge or reduce it, but be fair -- the charges are often posted in advance," Waithe says.

Source : newsday.com/business/hotels-quietly-adding-lots-of-extra-fees-1.5940804

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"The World's Most Luxurious Hotel Suites"

Source              :   online.wsj.com
Category         :   Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :   SARA CLEMENCE
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

IN THE QUARTERS at the top of a Victorian-era building overlooking London's Thames River, no detail has been overlooked. The two-bedroom, duplex space has bathrooms clad in honey-colored onyx and Skyros marble, with shelves lined in leather. There is a semicircular living room, a walk-in wine cellar and a spa suite. If stairs are not your thing, an elevator will gently lift you to the upper level. High-end hotels are unveiling fresh or refurbished super-suites that are huge, decadent and can cost tens of thousands of dollars a night. Sara Clemence and Cornell School of Hotel Administration Associate Dean Steven Carvell discuss. Photo: Mandarin Oriental. It's not a billionaire's pied-a-terre—at least, not for keeps. The Corinthia Hotel London's Royal Penthouse suite (not to be confused with the Whitehall Penthouse or the five other slightly less luxurious penthouse complexes) goes for around $28,000 a night.

Over the past few years, the world's fanciest hotels have been introducing a new generation of incredibly posh suites. These signatures spaces have eye-widening views and couture furnishings, and they are immense—in many instances, bigger than the average American home, which is about 2,200 square feet, according to the U.S. Census. In tourist magnets like New York, Paris, London and Dubai, the suites can be priced at tens of thousands of dollars a night. As part of a roughly $100 million makeover, the Connaught created the top-floor Apartment. The 3,000-square-foot space has marble baths and two landscaped terraces. The space features a chandelier custom-designed by French sculptor Philippe Anthonioz and a bespoke lacquer-and-brass table topped with antique glass. "These are for people who don't pay their own bills," said Steven Carvell, associate dean for academic affairs at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. "They have people who pay their bills for them."

Some of these super-suites are the crowning glories of new, haute hotels hoping to make a splash; others are being carved out of existing space by properties seeking to raise their profiles in the luxury market. And plenty are remakes of older suites that had faded and grown dated over the years. In the first category are the suites at the Corinthia, which opened its doors in 2011. That same year, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group unveiled its first outpost in Paris, which included a 1930s-inspired duplex Royale Mandarin Suite with a double-height living room and a private terrace. This March, the Waldorf Astoria Berlin made its debut, complete with a Presidential Suite that takes up its entire 31st floor. Bonus: A gilded wall that reflects light into the bedroom.

Source : online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324747104579024671168518290.html

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"Is It Ever OK To Steal Items From Your Hotel Room? "

Source              :   theage.com.au
Category         :   Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :   Fairfax Media
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

I am not a thief. But when I find myself in the comfort of a hotel room swollen with tiny shampoo bottles and different-size pieces of soap, kleptomania stuffs me straight into her bag and runs away with me. It can happen to the most upstanding among us. We've paid for the room, so we wrongly feel entitled to its contents. Only morality and the size of our bag stand in our way. David Elton, partner of the small UK Homegrown Hotels chain, said: "People will steal just about anything they can. Bathrobes, coat hangers, bed linen, mattress covers, towels, pillows, toilet-seat covers - pretty much everything in a room. "With a small independent hotel there's maybe more of a pang of conscience, but in bigger chain hotels people are less scrupulous." I spoke to a number of hotel groups on the subject and the consensus seemed to be that toiletries are fair game. The principle is: if it cannot be reused then it can be taken. Likewise, small items with hotel logos, such as stationery, won't be greatly missed; you can assume you are providing a nice bit of publicity when you flash your stolen pencil on the bus.

If it's the free toiletries you want, then go wild, said Jacob Tomsky, author of the bestselling Heads in Beds, a memoir of 10 years spent in the hotel industry. "Hotels have plenty of items, all cute and travel-sized, waiting in store rooms. And checking out from the hotel isn't like going through airport security. No respectable hotelier is going to want to prise open your luggage and search for shampoo." Indeed, he even advises taking your swag bag farther afield: "Consider the unmanned housekeeper's trolley a smash-and-grab situation. Take three of everything and get the hell out of the hallway. If you do get caught, just say you were out of shampoo, or, even better, toilet paper, and thought you'd save them the trouble by grabbing it for yourself."

Towels are the items that straddle the do-I-don't-I boundary, but from the hotels we spoke to, it is clear that they are certainly not yours to take. Despite a reported 68 per cent of British travellers confessing to towel theft, items that can and will be reused are out of bounds. I spoke to the UK's Metropolitan Police about the law on towel-lifting. "It is a crime," its spokesman said. "If we were to receive allegations, we would follow them up." In practice, it appears most hotels would simply blacklist a guest over a petty theft and charge the items to their card. In Japan, however, one hotel reportedly had a young couple arrested for running off with bathrobes and an ashtray, and a woman in Nigeria was sentenced to three months in prison for stealing two towels from the Transcorp Hilton Abuja Hotel. Previous research in London's Telegraph has compiled a list of the most frequently stolen items, which includes light bulbs, batteries and kettles. I once met someone who claimed to systematically strip his hotel room of batteries as a matter of principle. Such is the sense of entitlement a little chocolate on the pillow instils in some customers.

When it comes to independent hotels, such as The Pig in Hampshire, I'm told "people like to walk off with the quirky things". While a foyer ornament makes for a memorable keepsake, some light-fingered guests at other hotels have shown a preference for more unusual mementos, including a grand piano, wheeled out of reception, and an owner's pet dog. One person in the United States turned up at the hotel with a removal van and took everything. So how do hotels practise damage limitation without risking angering or embarrassing their guests? Many encourage you to buy the objects that take your fancy by selling them in the gift shop or online. "If the guest enjoys something enough to want to take it home with them," said Robert Thrailkill, general manager of the Conrad Miami, "they are welcome to do so, but at a charge." In the US a couple of years ago, a few chains invested in electronic tags for their various luxury linens, in order to monitor the whereabouts of bed sheets and bathrobes. If it's tagged and you take it, you risk a naming and shaming when the alarm goes off. And when it comes to toiletries, impracticality becomes the hotelier's ally. "The trend in luxury hotels is to go bigger and bigger with toiletry containers, so most guests don't or indeed can't take them, leaving them to be refilled," Elton said. Ultimately, it seems you should use your better judgment, or, if your better judgment isn't up to much, ask the hotel, even if that means losing the little frisson of excitement you get as you wrap the hairdryer up in your pyjamas. But given the eternal allure of the freebie, I feel hotels are probably fighting a losing battle.

Source: theage.com.au/travel/is-it-ever-ok-to-steal-items-from-your-hotel-room-20130819-2s6lp.html

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"Hotel Prices Latest Concern For Brazil In World Cup Preparations"

Source              :    foxnews.com
Category         :   Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :    Fox News Latino
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

It appears the distrust between Brazil and FIFA is mutual. As FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke begins his inspection visit Monday amid a series of concerns about the country's readiness for the 2014 World Cup, the Brazilian government is doing an inspection of their own. Brazil is reportedly considering investigating the FIFA-appointed agency in charge of hotel accommodations for the tournament after concern was raised that some hotels listed on FIFA's website are planning steep price hikes. The Brazilian tourism board has notified the justice ministry after its research showed that rates will be up to 500 percent more expensive during the World Cup in some hotels offered by the agency MATCH Services on FIFA's website. "It's probable that MATCH is exercising intermediation fees that are a lot higher than usually exercised in the tourism market," the board said in a document obtained by The Associated Press, "harming the rights of potential consumers."

MATCH denied any wrongdoing on Saturday, saying it "provides a totally transparent price structure."

"With a small number of exceptions where MATCH Services has had to accept higher than normal rates, all other participating hotels have accepted and agreed to embrace FIFA's and MATCH's policy to provide reasonably acceptable rates," it said in a statement. The Swiss-based company is primarily responsible for contracting and delivering accommodation for the FIFA community, including its officials, delegates, guests and staff. It also sells rooms to FIFA's commercial affiliates, the media and customers of the official hospitality program. Rooms are offered to the general public through the FIFA website operated and maintained by MATCH. The study by the tourism board, known as Embratur, compared prices in several dozen hotels in the 12 host cities. It was conducted through researching prices announced on booking websites, the hotels' sites and FIFA's official web page. Embratur did not say exactly how many hotels were compared, but of the 65 hotels listed in the study's results 22 increased prices more than 200 percent, with six offering rates at least 300 percent higher. The biggest increase was by a hotel in the northeastern city of Salvador, which will charge $509 per night during the World Cup, a 583 percent increase compared to the $75 it charged this July. The host cities with the smallest increase in rates are Recife and Sao Paulo, with hikes of about 100 percent on average. The capital of Brasilia had the most expensive hotel in the study, with certain rooms costing $639 per night, a 376 percent increase compared to the current price.

The study showed that the average cost for a room in Rio de Janeiro during the World Cup will be $461, more than double the rate in Johannesburg for the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa. Embratur said it wants to negotiate better prices in part because it's afraid that excessive rates during the World Cup may hurt Brazil's tourism in the long run. "Raises without limits may satisfy the profit expectations of some, but they are bad for the sustainability of the business," Embratur president Flavio Dino said in a statement sent to the AP. "We are hosting these mega events in Brazil to help increase the flux of tourists in the country in the long run. The government will do everything possible to protect the image of the country and of the industry itself." Pricey hotel rooms became a hot topic last year during the Rio+20 U.N. conference, when the hotel sector took advantage of the spike in demand to charge exorbitant rates. The average cost of a room in Rio during the conference rose to nearly $800 a night, prompting a barrage of criticism from conference delegates. The European Parliament canceled its entire 11-person delegation due to the costs. President Dilma Rousseff's office got involved at the time and negotiated with the hotel sector to reduce some of the prices. In its letter to the justice ministry, which is responsible for handling consumer rights issues, Embratur also criticized MATCH for imposing minimum stays of at least two nights at the World Cup hotels. The document dated June 17 was obtained by the AP on Friday. MATCH may also reportedly be targeted by Brazil's antitrust agency for potential violation of free competition rules. The Valor Economico newspaper has said that prosecutors have already asked the agency to investigate the company's operations.

MATCH has vehemently defended itself, saying that "it is incorrect to suggest" that the hotels it signed a contract with in Brazil are overcharging. "The rates secured by MATCH Services from its partner hotels and those it offers to its customers are in the vast majority of cases reasonable and compare well to rates available outside of the FIFA World Cup," it said in a statement. "(Hotels are) acting in a fair and reasonable manner taking into account the market forces and the investment made by them." It added that higher prices were already expected in Brazil during a major event like the World Cup. "These prices are dictated by the prices MATCH Services have been able to secure from the hotels," it said. "They are not the product of an abuse of a dominant position held by MATCH Services, but rather the fact that the Brazilian hotel industry by tradition over many decades has enjoyed high yields per room night during major events, whether it is a major conference, Carnival, New Year or Formula 1 racing." The president of the Brazilian Association of the Hotel Industry downplayed the Embratur study, calling it opportunistic because nearly all of the rates had already been set a long time ago. Enrico Fermi said the prices were established when MATCH signed agreements with more than 800 hotels right after Brazil was picked as World Cup host in 2007. "FIFA told us that the prices here are acceptable and compatible with the international market," Fermi told the AP in a telephone interview. The average price of a room in Johannesburg for the 2010 final was $200, while in Berlin in 2006 it was $300, according to Embratur. "To compare room rates in Sao Paulo and Rio for the 2014 FIFA World Cup to those that MATCH Services provided in Johannesburg for the 2010 FIFA World Cup does not make sense," MATCH said in its statement. "All it would prove is that the difference is in line with the difference at any given time between the cost of accommodation in Rio or Sao Paulo and Johannesburg."

Source:latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2013/08/18/hotel-prices-latest-concern-for-brazil-in-world-cup-preparations/?test=latestnews

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"Good year For City Lodge Hotels"

Source              :   bdlive.co.za
Category         :   Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :    NICK HEDLEY
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

JSE-listed City Lodge Hotels on Wednesday reported the results of "a good year" to the end of June, with improving occupancy rates contributing to a 31% rise in diluted normalised headline earnings per share to 578.3c. CEO Clifford Ross said while occupancies were still below their long-term average, "it is encouraging that occupancies are going in the upward direction, albeit rather slowly". "We have come through a fairly tough time as an industry, with a lack of demand on the one side and overcapacity on the other," Mr Ross said. City Lodge, which is "refreshing" its branding to better differentiate its four brands, increased its average occupancies by 3 percentage points to 62% in the year ended June.

The improved occupancies, together with the first-time contribution from City Lodge’s joint venture in two Kenyan hotels, translated into an 11% revenue increase to R975.9m. While operating costs, excluding depreciation, rose 11.7%, the increase in the group’s operating costs per room sold was limited to 5.8%.

In line with its African-expansion intentions, the group opened the 104-room Town Lodge Gaborone in mid-May, adding to its interests in the two Kenyan hotels. Financial director Andrew Widegger said City Lodge had encountered difficulties in securing the site for its planned hotel in Pietermaritzburg, but was "still hopeful that we will achieve that by the end of this calendar year". City Lodge is also "very close to finalising agreements for the leasing and development of a City Lodge Hotel in Waterfall City" near Midrand, Mr Widegger said.

North of South Africa’s borders, City Lodge has "signed a couple of memorandum of understandings in Kenya and one in Ghana — but negotiations are tough and slow". Mr Widegger said these were nonbinding agreements. In addition, there are "at least another three that we are working on". The group is targeting further investments in South Africa and opportunities in Southern African Development Community (Sadc) countries. Electus investment analyst Warren Jervis said while he had expected "a slightly higher occupancy rate", City Lodge had reported a "great result". "Despite the benign environment", Mr Jervis said, City Lodge had achieved good numbers by managing well what it could control, "which says to me that they’re very good operators". Mr Jervis said it had taken time for the group to work through the excess supply that it had brought on ahead of the 2010 Fifa World Cup. "But if you look at their long-term average occupancies, it’s around 75%", although City Lodge had reached average occupancy levels of about 83% before. An improvement in economic conditions would accelerate City Lodge’s return to normal occupancies, which would "generate some really good numbers".

Source : bdlive.co.za/business/transport/2013/08/14/good-year-for-city-lodge-hotels

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"Best Luxury Hotels In Peru"

Source              :   huffingtonpost.com
Category         :   Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                   :   juliana 
Posted By      :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

As a tourist destination, Peru is a country that can offer visitors a wide variety of different attractions, ranging from its amazing cultural and historic heritage through to the natural wonders of the Amazon and its stunning beaches. It truly is a destination that has about anything you'd like to do and in my opinion, for something like a 7-day or 10-day itinerary, it is the best country to hit in South America. After long days exploring and walking, there is nothing better than a great hotel to rest and recharge in. Just half an hour away from the spectacular hilltop site of Machu Picchu, this beautiful hotel is made up of a selection of welcoming and luxurious cottages that are set in twelve acres of picturesque Andean hillside. The rustic Peruvian style of the surroundings doesn't disappoint, with comfortable spacious rooms that can be heated by a cozy fire when the temperature starts to drop. The spa here offers a wide variety of relaxing treatments, including the wonderful Andean Hot Stones, while the restaurant offers excellent food in a dining area with glass walls giving stunning views over the surrounding mountains, a highlight of your holiday in Peru. Just outside the town of Urubamba lies this charming hotel which is set in some of the most attractive surroundings on offer in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. It was the first time I had been to the Sacred Valley and I only had essentially half a day there, but I will be back. Beautiful.

The rooms offer superb spacious accommodation with excellent views of the valley and access to the stunning gardens of the hotel, on the banks of the Urubamba River. The hotel is a superb base for those who want to enjoy the many activities in the area which includes white water rafting, horseback riding and mountain biking, and after an exhilarating day it is great to be able to relax with a cocktail or a stunning meal in the hotel restaurant. I certainly took advantage of those opportunities myself.Located in an exquisite colonial property within the Barranco district of the city, Hotel B offers stunning accommodation in stylish surroundings with an excellent collection of Peruvian art decorating its walls. The attractive rooms have been tastefully furnished with luxurious beds and chairs, and they are a great retreat from the bustle of Lima itself, despite being close to the city center. The lovely dining area offers some of the best seafood and Peruvian dishes in the city, while art lovers will be delighted to take advantage of the direct link to the Lucia de la Puente Gallery, which offers exclusive private viewings to the guests in the hotel.Situated in a stunning historic building at the heart of Cuzco, this hotel is both very close to the city center and offers a tranquil escape from the busy and noisy streets of the charming city. The hotel itself is a beautifully decorated and tasteful luxury hotel, where the rooms not only enjoy the best Peruvian furnishings, but also make the most of the historic features of the building itself. The highlight of the hotel is the amazing outdoor heated swimming pool located in the courtyard, which is completely hidden from the outside world, and is a great location to relax and sample some of the stunning cocktails and food from the nearby hotel restaurant.

This might have been my single favorite hotel during my entire two-week trip. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take advantage of the morning yoga they offered, but I did love this photo of the instructor doing poses over the stream rising from the heated pool so much, I had to post it.Right within the Amazon basin itself, this remarkable hotel is located within the Tambopata Nature Reserve which is an amazing place to explore and to enjoy the natural beauty of this remote part of Peru. The rooms in the hotel are all located in their own private cabin area, which gives visitors, airy and spacious places to sleep, while the main building has a beautiful social area with an excellent restaurant and bar. Many visitors coming to the hotel will do so to take advantage of the superb natural excursions on offer, either into the jungle of the Amazon itself, or over the jungle on the Inkaterra Canopy walkway which gives people a view of the natural world that resides at the top of the trees in the forest.

Source : huffingtonpost.com/michael-hodson/best-luxury-hotels-in-peru_b_3717708.html

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"Alexandria, VA Hotel Hosts Technical Rescue Association Of Virginia Challenge"

Source            :   http://www.nigerianewsline.com.ng/
Category        :   Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By                 :   Marketwired
Posted By     :    Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Courtyard Virginia Hotels

Saving lives is not a responsibility to take lightly, and staying in top form is important so rescuers can respond quickly and efficiently. This past May, the Courtyard Alexandria Pentagon South, near Ronald Reagan Airport, had the honor of hosting the Technical Rescue Association of Virginia for their annual Rescue Challenge, helping area first responders master their life-saving skills. More than 150 first responders from Northern Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania spent 4 days at this hotel in Alexandria, Virginia, where they were given the taskof completing two rescue scenarios each day (a total of 8scenarios). In an allotted amount of time, the men and women were given challenges such as high-angle rope rescue, confined-space rescue, trench rescue, vehicle/heavy machinery rescue and light and heavy structural collapse rescue. In addition to being a physical challenge, the event is also an opportunity for members of the community to meet on an annual basis and exchange ideas. According to the Technical Rescue Association of Virginia, “Rescue Challenge is not a competition. Instead, it is an opportunity for highly trained teams to gain experience by participating in realistic scenarios that test their skills and knowledge.”

The staff at the Courtyard by Marriott Pentagon Southwere able to observe some of the scenarios, which gave them further appreciation for the work of first responders. “We were in awe and proud to have witnessed the skills and expertise of these men and women,” Angela Carrick, the Courtyard’s Director of Sales and Marketing, said. “It was a joy to have this group stay with us and we were all very humbled after listening to some of their stories and learning of what they have encountered. Most of all, we were and are very grateful to these men and women, knowing that they could potentially save our lives one day.”