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Lennox Hotels to opens its first US property this summer

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A new modern hotel, combining contemporary design with original Art Deco design, is on the horizon in South Florida hotspot, Miami Beach. Lennox Hotel Miami Beach will be a bold luxury boutique property offering stylish accommodation and an authentic Miami experience.

Located in what was once the Peter Miller Hotel, the property is a protected building in heart of the area’s Historic District. Lennox Hotels has undertaken a complete transformation of the building, maintaining its legacy by retaining its original Art Deco and Mediterranean Revival architectural style exterior and transforming it into a living landmark.

The hotel – located on Miami’s iconic Collins Avenue – will offer 119 contemporary guestrooms, each unique in keeping with the original form of the building. The rooms are enhanced by natural elements, handcrafted furnishings, and eco-friendly and upcycled materials meticulously curated by acclaimed Argentinian interior designer Juan Ciavarella. Soft neutral tones and unique textiles combine in rooms that will range in categories from Terrace Poolside with direct pool access, to Balcony King with private balcony overlooking the colourful streets of Miami Beach.

At the centre of the property’s four interconnected buildings, a Mediterranean-style courtyard features an intimate swimming pool and poolside bar offering al fresco dining and serving innovative cocktails.

Lennox Hotels is an Argentinian hotel group with properties in Buenos Aires and Ushuaia. CEO of Lennox Hotels, Diego Agnelli, said:

“We are thrilled to be expanding the Lennox Hotel brand to the U.S. with the opening of Lennox Hotel Miami Beach. Our reasons for choosing this area were as much because of the area’s vibrancy and liveliness as it was because of the welcoming spirit of its people and the friendliness they express toward travellers. Our vision for Lennox Hotel Miami Beach is to provide a sophisticated and inviting setting for travellers to live an authentic Miami experience, one that not only provides a place to mingle with the locals, but also allows them to feel like locals and enjoy the area, its culture and vivacity through the lens of a local.”

Transforming a historical landmark

The historic structure was designed by architect Russell Pancoast in 1934. Pancoast is known for much of Miami Beach’s most celebrated buildings, including the Surf Club, the Church by the Sea and the Miami Beach Auditorium.
The property has the notable distinction of being among the 300 Miami Beach buildings that were leased by the U.S. Army for the Air Forces Technical Training Command during World War II. The buildings returned to civilian use in 1943 and remained a military property until 1944. The structure is now part of the Historic District.
The transformation of the hotel’s original structure into Lennox Hotel Miami Beach is the work of veteran Miami architect Beilison Gomez.

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New Cancun resort: Vacation like a Hollywood star

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Guests can get close to authentic Hollywood Memorabilia in a beachfront setting and dine at any of 16 world-class restaurants including Guy Fieri’s Burger Joint when the highly-anticipated Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Cancun rolls out the red carpet in late 2019 on the vibrant beaches of Mexico’s Costa Mujeres.

Following the successful opening of Planet Hollywood Costa Rica in late 2018, this new Planet Hollywood resort invites guests to vacation like a star. Located just north of Cancun’s Hotel Zone, Planet Hollywood Cancun brings a Vacation Like a Star™ experience to travelers of all ages looking to rewrite the script on all-inclusive vacations. ​

With no detail overlooked, Planet Hollywood Cancun brings curated entertainment experiences with refreshing pools, luxurious rooms, nine bars, four swimming pools, a lazy river, trampoline park, kids/teens club, and a mini-golf course, making it the ideal destination for work, family, romance and play.

Planet Hollywood Cancun’s professionally designed wellness program, PHIT, brings active vacationers the top-trending fitness regimes straight from Hollywood. Wellness enthusiasts can refuel at the Fix Juice Bar with refreshments such as freshly-prepared Watermelon Cucumber Juice on the menu. The Planet Hollywood wellness story continues at the PH Spa & Beauty Bar, featuring celebrity favorite and award-winning Eminence Organics Skin Care products.

Planet Hollywood Hotels & Resorts is now offering an introductory 50% off web-exclusive offer, making it even easier to Vacation Like A Star™.

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What is so different at W Bali when it opens in Ubud?

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W Hotels Worldwide,  what is part of Marriott International, today announced the signing of W Bali – Ubud, the brand’s newest W Escape.

W Bali – Ubud will redefine modern luxury in the destination, taking inspiration from social, historical and physical insights and embedding elements of each into the rooms and public spaces. Upon entering the hotel, guests will be immersed in modern interpretations of traditional Balinese art styles with works from local artists, that lead to breathtaking lounges perfect for soaking in spectacular jungle sunsets as sounds of cool beats drift through the air.

The hotel will offer 100 inspired guestrooms, including 10 villas with private swimming pools and an EWOW suite (the brand’s take on the traditional Presidential Suite). W Bali – Ubud will weave the Balinese festival culture and aesthetic into the design of the hotel alongside carved stone and Pura (terra cotta) finishes throughout. When it comes to experiencing the destination through the W lens, W Bali – Ubud will embody the brand’s signature work hard, play hard philosophy, with FUEL-focused activities (fitness and wellness programming) including weekly workouts, poolside DJ performances, healthy and delicious cuisine and amazing adventures powered by the W brand mantra of DETOX. RETOX. REPEAT.

Guests will be able to soak up the sun at two pools – a WET Deck (pool deck) featuring terraced pools inspired by the rice paddles historically used in the region, and another a designated quiet pool for peaceful relaxation and downtime. The poolside Sunset Bar will serve up of the most breath-taking views on the island set beside reinterpreted Batik and Ikat (textiles) motifs. At W Bali – Ubud, the signature AWAY® Spa by W Hotels with a large open social deck will allow guests to hit pause, treat themselves and recharge with a selection of locally-infused treatments.

As the brand’s newest W Escape, W Bali – Ubud will bring a bold new take on international cuisine with a Balinese twist to multiple on-site bars and restaurants. Traditional Asian flavors intertwine with international influences at the stylish all-day dining restaurant Morinda, which will tempt guests with an in-house bakery, fresh-pressed juices, a strong vegan focus and a third-wave approach to coffee culture. Synn, a specialty restaurant featuring the finest of Balinese and world cuisines will be an underground sensation, literally. This new restaurant is partially underground, opening towards a jungle cliff and featuring cuisine as innovative as the locale including a progressive cocktail lab and digital artwork on display. Encouraging guests to detox and retox in true W style, the FIT (gym) bar will feature a pressed juice lab by day and a high-energy bar by night complete with UV-responsive, painted displays. Guests can indulge their wanderlust at Wanderbar, the hotel’s panoramic cocktail bar nestled on one of the hotel’s highest hills, offering 360-degree views from sunrise to sunset and inspired concoctions to match.

W Bali – Ubud will take meetings, weddings and other events to the next level with a 176-square-meter (577-square-foot) meeting room featuring bright natural lighting and outdoor lawn spaces. Both the outdoor and indoor event spaces utilize bamboo, shaping the landscape with live planting and indoor material used to accent the spaces with a natural touch.

Bali’s Denpasar International Airport is only an hour’s drive away from the new hotel, providing easy access for jetsetters. Nearby activities and attractions like Bali Swing Adventure Park, white water rafting along mountain rivers, the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, Bali’s famed rice terraces and temples, as well a thriving bohemian café culture and restaurants on par with the best of Asia are all within walking distance of W Bali – Ubud, offering guests endless possibilities for adrenaline-fueled play.

W Bali – Ubud is slated to join the brand’s robust portfolio of more than 50 hotels around the globe, including the recently opened W Dubai – The Palm (February 2019), as well as the soon-to-open W Aspen, W Ibiza and W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island.

For more information visit w-hotels.marriott.com.

 

 

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Marriott Hotels brings TED Fellows Salon to Cape Town

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Marriott Hotels in partnership with TED, hosted its first TED Fellows Salon in Cape Town, South Africa, sparking conversations around Africa’s beauty, rich heritage and innovative spirit. Held at the Cape Town Marriott Hotel Crystal Towers, renowned TED Fellows, Kenyan musician Bill Sellanga and South African conservation biologist Steve Boyes, led the innovative and thought-provoking discussion providing guests the opportunity to engage and be inspired.

“At Marriott Hotels, everything we do is guided by our belief that travel expands the mind and triggers new and creative ways of thinking,” said Sandra Schulze-Potgieter, Vice President Premium & Select Brands, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. “Our partnership with TED brings together creative energy and distinct aesthetic. In recent years, Cape Town has shifted its focus to making the city more sustainable, encouraging citizens to innovate while maintaining its rich heritage. Hosting our first TED Fellows Salon at Cape Town Marriott Hotel Crystal Towers is an opportunity for us to spark intellectual conversations and inspire new perspectives for our guests.”

The speakers at this Marriott Hotels TED Salon represent some of the brightest thinkers of their generation who are working towards making positive, meaningful and lasting change in their communities. Steve Boyes explores, protects and restores some of the most remote wildernesses in Africa, including the threatened Okavango Delta, one of our last remaining fresh watersheds. Working with the Angolan government, Boyes recently established two of the largest protected areas in Sub-Saharan Africa amounting to twice the size of England. A trained ornithologist, he is the Executive Director of the Wild Bird Trust and a Fellow at the National Geographic Society.

Sharing the spotlight with Boyes was TED fellow Bill “Blinky” Sellanga. A prolific Kenyan producer and musician, Sellanga is the frontman of musical collective Just A Band, which mixes genres like hip-hop, electronica and funk to make music for popular radio and to give voice to the Kenyan youth. He recently released his first solo album, Everyone’s Just Winging It and Other Fly Tales, weaving African rhythms together with electronic cuts, hip-hop and funk for a unique-brand of “African cool.”

Held at the Cape Town Marriott Hotel Crystal Towers, the event was attended by thought leaders, innovators, members of the recently launched travel platform, Marriott Bonvoy and media. Overlooking the Grand Canal in Century City, Cape Town Marriott Hotel Crystal Towers formed the perfect backdrop for the Cape Town edition of the TED Fellows Salon. Whether you admire the view of Table Mountain from the exquisite outdoor swimming pool or settle down after a busy day in a guest room with sleek furnishings and ultra-soft, plush bedding, a stay at the Cape Town Marriott Hotel Crystal Towers promises to be a journey that inspires brilliance.

The ongoing global partnership between Marriott Hotels and TED is now in its third year, following its launch in 2016, and has been expanded to include more exciting and innovative programming at Marriott Hotels in key destinations worldwide. Marriott Hotels is a brand that’s geared towards a new generation of travelers, who continuously seek fresh inspirations and creative ideas during their own life-changing journeys around the world.

The Cape Town edition is the third TED Fellows Salon to be held within Middle East and Africa with two previous ones being held at Cairo and Abu Dhabi. TED Salons have been hosted in several Marriott Hotels globally, including Bengaluru, Bangkok, London, and Athens. Marriott Hotels also has an Instagram story series which offers viewers original, inspiring content and an inside look at their favorite idea engine.

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Hilton University of Florida Conference Center at Gainesville joins Benchmark Resorts & Hotels portfolio

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Benchmark has added the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center at Gainesville to the company’s Benchmark Resorts & Hotels brand portfolio. The recently renovated, 248-guest room property is located on the University of Florida campus, close to Gainesville’s Central Business District. The property serves a growing market of visiting alumni, parents and students, academics, and guests affiliated with the university. Its IACC-approved conference center, with 25,000 square feet of meeting space, attracts a significant number of meetings and events. The Hilton University of Florida Conference Center at Gainesville is Benchmark’s tenth property in Florida, and the third hotel located on a major college campus within the United States.

“We are honored to be chosen by Hilton Hotels & Resorts to manage this exceptional property,” says Benchmark CEO Alex Cabañas. “We are also delighted to again expand our presence in Florida, where both our Gemstone Collection and Benchmark Resorts & Hotels brands are represented throughout the Sunshine State,” he said. Benchmark recently added two hotels in St. Pete Beach to its portfolio, expanding its presence to Southwest Florida.

Mr. Cabañas also noted the growing importance of conference center hotels to a university. “These hotels serve as a campus ‘guest house’, providing an authentic, on-campus experience while sharing ideas and resources,” he said.

The non-smoking, pet-friendly hotel includes 248 guest rooms and suites featuring HDTV, desks for work/study-related activities, and complimentary WiFi. Guests can enjoy the property’s outdoor pool and whirlpool and a 24-hour fitness center.

The University of Florida is a prominent research university, set on 2,000 acres in Gainesville, in North Central Florida. It offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs in law, medicine, business and engineering.

The University of Florida campus offers an array of services and attractions, including an art museum, concerts, lectures, theater, libraries and sports events. Guests can enjoy collegiate football at the nearby Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, home of the Florida Gators. Other local attractions include the Butterfly Rainforest, the Florida Museum of Natural History and the Gainesville Raceway. The surrounding region offers opportunities for biking, canoeing, paddle boarding, swimming and wildlife viewing at one of seven nearby Florida State parks.

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