Jonas Schuermann appointed as new General Manager of Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has announced the appointment of Jonas Schuermann as General Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong effective 1 September 2009. Mr Schuermann is a veteran hotelier with over 25 years of hospitality industry experience worldwide. His career includes more than 15 years in senior management positions in Mandarin Oriental properties. Read more

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok : Excellence and Style

There are hotels that have nothing left but their mythical name. And there are those which improve, year after year, like a good wine, and which continue to perpetuate a tradition of exceptional hospitality while adapting to a younger clientele. The Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok is clearly one of them. Read more

Hotel das Cataratas, one of Brazil’s most distinctive hotels, joins Orient Express

1st October 2009 will herald the re-launch of Hotel das Cataratas, following renovations by Orient-Express which has raised the hotel to international standards of style, design and service.  The eagerly awaited hotel will offer an unbeatable retreat next to Iguaçu Falls, which lie on the border of Brazil and Argentina. Read more

Pierre Gagnaire’s first restaurant in the United States

Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas, prominently situated at the entrance of CityCenter, the extraordinary new urban resort destination, will introduce the award-winning cuisine of three-star Michelin Chef Pierre Gagnaire at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Twist by Pierre Gagnaire. Read more

Hotel Bel-Air major refurbishment

Tim Lee, General Manager of one of the world’s most celebrated and famous hotels, the iconic Hotel Bel-Air announced that they will be embarking upon a major refurbishment of the property beginning October 2009.

This extensive project will include the renovation of all 91 rooms and suites, the famous Champagne Bar and the hotel’s restaurant and private dining rooms.  A significant part of the investment will be in technology to modernize bedrooms and the public spaces. Read more

The Connaught Presents The Prince’s Lodge

For more than a century, The Connaught in London has stood as an emblem of discreet and authentic elegance in the charming Mayfair village. The legendary hotel has recently completed a £70 million restoration, ushering the landmark into the 21st century while preserving with great care its distinctive personality and intuitive style of service. In July 2009, The Connaught is opening its most recent addition to their gleamingly-restored guest rooms and suites – The Prince’s Lodge.

Renowned designer Guy Oliver, in collaboration with The Turquoise Mountain Foundation in Afghanistan, has created The Prince’s Lodge at The Connaught in a style inspired by the 19th century Peacock Palace in the old city of Kabul. Read more

The Augustine Prague now open !

The Rocco Forte Collection is delighted to confirm that its twelfth property, The Augustine, opened the 14th of May 2009 in Prague. The 101-bedroom hotel has been created from a set of seven buildings, many of which have historical significance, including the 13th century Augustinian St Thomas’s Monastery, after which the hotel is named.  Several practicing monks still live in a separate part of the monastery, adjacent to the hotel grounds. Read more

The St Regis Kanai Resort & Residences, Unrivaled Dimension of Luxury

The St. Regis brand makes the next stop on its global expedition with the deal signing of the St. Regis Kanai Resort and Residences in Mexico

Opening in 2011, The St. Regis Kanai Resort & Residences will offer an unrivaled dimension of luxury, sophistication and unparalleled service in one of the world’s exclusive beach enclaves

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) today announced plans to open a new St. Regis resort in Kanai, Mexico, an exclusive beachfront community surrounded by the natural beauty of the Mayan Rivera’s lush lagoons and pristine mangroves. Part of the Yucatan Peninsula’s celebrated ecological wonders, The St. Regis Kanai, Resort & Residences will open in 2011 and will feature 124 exquisitely appointed guest rooms and suites, 32 exclusive villas, four restaurants, a signature Remède Spa, oceanfront swimming pools, and two 18-hole signature golf courses designed by award-winning professional golf players Jose Maria Olazabal and Nick Faldo. Owned by ALHEL and GIM Desarrollos, The St. Regis Kanai will offer an unrivaled dimension of luxury, bespoke service and refined elegance at one of the best addresses in the world. Read more

Kurt Wachtveitl To Retire

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has announced that Kurt Wachtveitl will retire after 41 years as General Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok effective 31 May 2009.

During his long and illustrious career, Mr Wachtveitl has been instrumental in positioning Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok as one of the world’s best luxury hotels, which has regularly attracted accolades and awards from respected travel associations and publications worldwide. Mr Wachtveitl has also received recognition as one of the world’s best General Managers, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual Hotel Investment Conference (HICAP) in 2006 and more recently, the 2008 Independent Hotelier of the World award from Hotels Magazine, USA. Read more