Hotel Openings, New Ground Transportation Options & More Meetings News
Openings, Reopenings, Re-Brandings:
Sol Meliá Inaugurates Meliá Sharm Hotel
Sol Meliá has opened a new five star resort in Egypt, the hotel Meliá Sharm, located on the coast of the Red Sea in Sharm El Sheikh on the Sinai peninsula, considered one of the finest scuba diving locations in the world thanks to its spectacular coral reefs and marine biodiversity. Sharm El Sheikh is already home to three Sol Meliá hotels operated by the Spanish hotel company.
The hotel is built in Arabian style and provides 468 rooms including two Presidential Suites. There are four lagoon-style swimming pools with fountains, a gym, tennis court, multi-purpose sports court, and a business center with state-of-the-art facilities for conferences, meetings and special events in over 8,000 square feet of event space.(www.solmelia.com)
W New York-Downtown Opens
W Hotels Worldwide has unveiled the 58-story W New York – Downtown and The Residences at W New York – Downtown, located in New York City’s Financial District on the corner of Washington and Albany Streets. The property features 217 guest rooms and 223 W-branded residences, offering sweeping city views of the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Hudson River and Battery Park. In addition, W New York – Downtown boasts more than 4,000 square feet of meeting, banquet and event space and a full service business center, open 24 hours a day. (www.whotels.com)
Chicago Marriott Oak Brook Renovates Meeting Space
The Chicago Marriott Oak Brook has renovated its meeting space. Its 11,040 square foot conference center splits into eight rooms for breakout sessions and now features innovative audio-visual equipment, state-of-the-art sound systems, LCD, overhead and rear screen projectors, portable breakout stages for elevated presentations and performances, flat-panel televisions, digital video cameras and high-tech two-way radios as well as a 24-hour business center and wireless internet access in all meeting rooms. (www.marriott.com/chiob)
Shangri-La Debuts China World Summit Wing, Beijing
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts’ China World Summit Wing Hotel, Beijing, located on the top floors of the capital’s latest landmark, the China World Tower, provides direct access to the regional headquarters of multinational and Chinese corporations and an exhibition hall, all within the multi-use complex. Three sister properties, China World Hotel, Beijing, Traders Hotel, Beijing and Kerry Centre Hotel, Beijing connect via indoor walkways and footbridges. The new property features 278 guestrooms including 29 suites as well as 59,202 square feet of conference and banqueting space. The 25,000 sq. ft. Summit Ballroom, the largest pillar-free ballroom in a deluxe hotel in Beijing, can accommodate up to 2,000 theatre style;1,400 for banquets. Additional facilities include a rooftop Pine Garden, a 95-seat auditorium and 12 function rooms, all with natural daylight and ranging in size from 473 to 2,895 square feet. The complex has its own underground subway station, Guomao, which connects it to the rest of the Beijing metropolis. Beijing Capital International Airport can be reached in approximately 45 minutes via the airport expressway; Beijing Railway Station is only a short 15-minute drive from the hotel. (www.shangri-la.com)
Omaha Holiday Inn Convention Center Rebrands
Denver-based Sage Hospitality has announced that the 383-room Omaha Holiday Inn Convention Center will operate under the banner of the CoCo Key Water Resort-Hotel & Convention Center, Omaha effective Aug. 20. Omaha will be the brand’s third flag, following the CoCo Key Cherry Valley Hotel in Columbus, Ohio and the CoCo Key Hotel and Water Resort-Orlando, which opened in mid-April. The resort’s executive leadership team remains intact and there will be no staffing changes. (www.sagehospitality.com)
Riu Hotels & Resorts Opening the 645-room Riu Panama Plaza
RIU Hotels and Resorts will open its first city hotel in Panama City, the Riu Panama Plaza, on September 13th 2010. The five-star, 35-story hotel, located in the heart of the financial district, will feature 645 rooms with high-speed wireless Internet throughout. The hotel will dedicate 53,184 square feet for meetings and events, including 21 conference rooms with capacity for 1,300 people, plus a grand terrace for cocktails and celebrations. (www.riuplaza.com)
Ground Transportation:
Carmel Links with Frequent Flyer Plans
Carmel Car and Limousine Service has announced they have made strategic agreements with six major airlines—Delta Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways, and Alaska Airlines — allowing Carmel passengers the opportunity to earn airline miles for every dollar spent utilizing Carmel’s ground transportation limousine services. (www.CarmelLimo.com)
Carey International Unveils Value-Priced Chauffeured Services
Carey International, Inc., a chauffeured transportation company, has launched a new subsidiary company, Embarque. Carey is marketing Embarque as a an affordable option for safe, reliable and environmentally responsible chauffeured transportation, featuring a 100% carbon balanced fleet of US EPA SmartWay-certified vehicles, a dedicated team of certified professional drivers, and affordable, transparent pricing. Embarque service is currently available in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Orange County, San Francisco, Stamford, and Washington DC, with more cities to be added throughout 2011. (www.carey.com)
