A former Howard Johnson, The JHouse Greenwich made its debut in Greenwich, Connecticut.

The lobby is reminiscent of a gallery, with artwork and a projected video installation by Daniel Canogar. Seating areas surround the lobby; the library has a glassed-in fireplace and contemporary furnishings.

The property’s 86 guestrooms feature televisions in the bathroom mirrors, mirrored televisions in the bedrooms, and a personal iPad.

The hotel’s fine dining restaurant, eleven14 Kitchen, offers seasonal American cuisine under Executive Chef François Kwaku-Dongo. The space has an exposed wood-fired oven, display pantry and pâtisserie. Guests can dine indoors or in an outdoor space with subterranean heating and trellises.

The Chocolate Lab, located inside the lobby, serves house made chocolates (using fair trade chocolate from Ghana), gelato, sorbet, ice cream, and fair trade coffee from Africa and Latin America. The wine vault offers tastings as well as wine by the bottle or by the glass.

Additional amenities include a fitness center, 3,400 sq ft (316 sq m) of event space, and an outdoor heated pool with five cabanas, each of which is equipped with a television.

W Hotels Worldwide has opened its first hotel in Singapore: W Singapore — Sentosa Cove and The Residences at W Singapore — Sentosa Cove.

W Singapore offers 228 branded residences and 240 guestrooms and suites.

The London-based architecture firm WATG and design firm Rockwell Group designed the property, which is owned and developed by an affiliate of City Developments Limited.

Sentosa’s lush landscape serves as the inspiration, and Singapore’s national flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid, appears throughout the property.

A waterfall with vibrant graphical projections greets guests. An outdoor terrace has glowing grass lights, rock-shaped daybeds, and an over-scaled rock garden. The W Lounge continues the rock theme, with a carved stone DJ console serving as the centerpiece.

Skirt, the brand’s first contemporary grill restaurant, features a bar and meat aging cabinets. The menu includes seafood, soups, and desserts, as well. All-day dining at The Kitchen Table features live food stations.

The Woobar nightclub offers cocktails and music from the property’s resident DJ. The Wet pool and bar is also available, with 24 underwater speakers in the pool.

Away Spa has a rainforest-inspired décor and offers nine guestrooms and suites of its own, each featuring a private plunge pool.

W Singapore also has more than 16,145 sq ft (1,500 sq m) of meeting and event space, including seven meeting rooms, an outdoor space, and a 7,879-sq-ft (732-sq-m) Great Room accessible directly from the hotel’s private berthing stations along the shore.

By Barbara Delollis, USA Today. A new mid-priced, edgy hotel with a rooftop pool has opened in Dallas south of Interstate 30 – and it’s the first to open in the area since the Belmont Hotel opened in 1946. The NYLO Dallas South Side hotel occupies a red brick historic building and features guest rooms with 10-foot-high ceilings, large windows and polished concrete floors.

A quick check on the hotel’s website for Sunday, Sept. 9, revealed rates that start at $159 – a prepaid rate that can’ t be canceled or refunded. Flexible rates start at $169. The Dallas Morning News visited the hotel last month - as the hotel’s rooftop pool was being finished. The NYLO also has a full-service restaurant and bar. If you like art, look around your room and the lobby. The hotel has selected art from local artists to give the space an authentic flare – something that more hotels are trying to do these days.

The hotel’s press materials highlight its location between South Side on Lamar and Gilley’s Dallas Live – an area that the developer — Matthews Southwest — has been working on transforming into a lively area with plenty of nightlife and restaurant options. The area is separated from downtown by the freeway.

Earlier this year, developer Jack Matthews told the Dallas Morning News: ”People have not focused on what’s south of I-30 [Interstate] in the past 50 years. The psychological divide is larger than the physical one. People have been taught since they were little, don’t go south of the 30. We’re trying to open up people’s thinking right now.”

The hotel’s three blocks away from the Dallas Convention Center, one block from the DART Cedars Rail station, and minutes from the Dallas Central Business District and the Dallas Arts District. To boost its green credibility, the hotel’s trying to get environment-friendly LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The small NYLO brand operates two other hotels in the Dallas-Forth Worth area: in Plano and Las Colinas, and one in Rhode Island: Warwick.

A Meliá Hotels International property in Seville, Spain, is the first hotel in the city to become a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. The 189-room Gran Meliá Colón underwent an intense auditing procedure to ensure it complied with strict quality criteria in order to join the group, the largest luxury hospitality organisation in the world. “Being a member of The Leading Hotels of the World means having a passion for service and at the same time being proud of our hotel’s unique character,” said the hotel’s general manager, José Antonio Rubio.

The former Hotel Indigo on West End Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee, has reopened under Starwood’s Aloft brand. The hotel, which was previously operated under IHG’s lifestyle brand Hotel Indigo, was sold through foreclosure in July for US$18 million and has been the subject of a legal dispute between Nashville hotel developer Mark Lineberry and business partners at Wesley Hotels. Now named The Aloft Nashville Music Row, the property is the brand’s first conversion of an existing boutique hotel, and the first non-Starwood-owned Aloft hotel.

Ovolo has opened its first Australian hotel, a 43-room boutique property in Melbourne’s Central Business District. Guestrooms range from studio apartments to luxury penthouses with terraces, pinball machines and boxing punchbags. Rooms include chalkboard walls, shaving mirrors in the showers, and amenities from NYC Malin + Goetz. Personalised 24-hour reception service, free WIFI, complimentary daily mini-bar, unrestricted local calls and breakfast services are all part of the price. The company is planning a series of further openings in major Australian cities.

Hyatt’s lifestyle brand has opened its first property in Northern California. The 141-room Andaz Napa, which previously previously operated under the name Avia Napa, opened its doors earlier this week after a refurbishment. It is one of 24 hotels purchased in 2011 by Hyatt from Kansas-based LodgeWorks LP in an $800 million deal. The Andaz Napa is the seventh Andaz property, joining hotels in New York City (two), San Diego, West Hollywood, London and Shanghai. Planned destinations include Savannah, Georgia; Maui, Hawaii; China; Costa Rica; India; Mexico; the Netherlands; and Turks and Caicos.

Today is the opening of Scandic Paasi, Finlands new flagship hotel, situated close to the recently restored and expanded Helsinki Congress Paasitorni building. Accommodation, conferences and restaurants together create a full-service concept in a historical environment.

Scandic Paasi, located in the Siltasaari district in Helsinki opens its doors today. Scandic Hotels have taken advantage of the interesting history of the building. The interior of the hotel tells stories about the colourful history of the building aswell as about interesting personalities that lived in the area through the years.

Scandic Paasis 170 rooms communicate different local stories in three buildings from different eras. The interior design of Spectacular is inspired by the 1920s, Leisure by the 1950s and Concious of the 2010s. The storytelling design is created by architect company Stylt Trampoli, based in Gothenburg who brought designs such as the Klaus K  (Helsinki), Scandic Vulkan (Oslo), Radisson Sonya (St Petersburg), Lydmar (Stockholm) and The Trafalgar (London) to the pages of stylehotelsweb.

Scandic Paasi is a characteristic hotel for guests who want to experience something unique. The stories about colourful personalities that influenced life in Siltasaari during 150 years are being retold in our hotel. The interior in different styles also offers a new hotel experience, says Aki Käyhkö, Country Vice President, Scandic Finland.

The walls are decorated with wallpaper that replicates the styles Georg Rieks started to produce in the 1830s in Siltasaari. The hotel has its own wallpaper design, in which the guests are presented the work of historical personalities.

Of course the guests will find Scandic concepts such as shop, gym and playroom for children in the hotel. Scandic Paasi has also a high standard of security and accessibility. In conjunction with the opening, Scandic Paasi will also be granted the Finnish Swan ecolabel. With this Helsinki property Scandic is now present with a design hotel in each Nordic capital: Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm.

ME London, the flagship project of Meliá Hotels International in the British capital, to open in September. Designed by Foster + Partners, it is the fifth hotel for the luxury lifestyle ME by Meliá hotel brand, joining the hotels in Madrid, Barcelona, Cancun and Cabo San Lucas.

The ME London Hotel, the latest jewel on the urban hotel scene in London, is preparing the final details for its opening in September in central London. This is the fifth hotel for the ME by Meliá brand, the most avant-garde of the hotel brands operated by Meliá Hotels International, and boasts a spectacular design by the world renowned architectural firm Foster + Partners.

Housed in the former headquarters of BBC Radio (Marconi House), the historic building near Covent Garden has now been fully renovated to include contemporary elements in which a sense of light and space plays a key role in highlighting the magnificent facilities and brand attributes. The hotel offers a collection of 157 rooms, including 16 suites and a spectacular two-storey ME Suite with direct access to the rooftop bar.

A large elliptical tower tops the building on the corner of Aldwych and The Strand, crowned by a glass dome. The interior is dominated by an elegant pyramidal atrium, following the triangular floor pattern of the hotel, around which are distributed the guestrooms. While updating the 1904 building to retain its noble character, the design has been conceived with a contrast of light and dark shades such as black marble in the hallways and white leather walls in the rooms.

ME by Meliá offers a true brand experience, reflected in the success of its existing four hotels, including the renowned ME Madrid Hotel in the central Plaza de Santa Ana in Madrid and the ME Barcelona Hotel, designed by Dominique Perrault. To ensure a first-class hotel experience, the brand employs an “Aura Experience Manager”, responsible for ensuring every guest enjoys their stay, an expert in the city who meets each guest personally to offer a customised service, one of the most attractive of the many attributes which make the new ME London Hotel so different.

The opening of the hotel also sees the European launch of the STK restaurant, a popular American steakhouse concept especially designed for a female audience which has been a great success in the US in the hands of the New York restaurant group The ONE Group. Thanks to the partnership with the ME London Hotel, the American firm will also run the hotel’s “Asellina” Italian restaurant. The ME London Hotel also provides the “Marconi Bar” in the lobby, an ideal setting to end the day after work, while the hotel rooftop terrace is home to the spectacular “Radio” bar, the only terrace bar with panoramic views of Aldwych and the Strand (the heart of social and theatre life in London) which will be open from breakfast until dawn.

Finally, the ME London Hotel has 700 square meters of flexible space to host events and meetings, offering superior quality service for groups up to 300 guests.

According to the Vice Chairman and CEO of Meliá Hotels International, Gabriel Escarrer, “thanks to its location and outstanding product and service quality, the opening of this hotel after the Olympics will represent a fundamental step forward in our globalisation process and also make a major contribution to the London luxury hotel scene.”

Chapter Hotels has opened its second property, The Magdalen Chapter, in Exeter, England.

The hotel occupies a 19th-century building that was previously the West England Eye Hospital. Architects Feilden Clegg Bradley restored the building into a contemporary, 59-key hotel.

The design blends original Victorian features with modern art and furniture and lighting by Russell Pinch to create bright public spaces.

Guestroom designs feature pale oak flooring and wall coverings in cool tones for a modern feel.

The Lounge occupies a new addition to the building with floor-to-ceiling glass and an external terrace with topiary lights, sculptural chairs, and a modern floral mural by Hugo Dalton. The Bar, in the heart of the building, features an open fire and an installation by glass artist Kate Maestri. The Library has finishes in tones of silver and grey illuminated by large south-facing windows; the room also features a piece by artist Phil Shaw.

The Restaurant has a high, circus-top ceiling and a terrace. The potting shed, which is the oldest structure on the hotel’s grounds, has been made into a space for meetings and private dinners.

The Magdalen Chapter has a new indoor-outdoor pool with an open fire to warm the indoor space.

Hilton Worldwide has today signed an agreement with Inveravante Group to introduce two new premium hotels in the historic city of Tangier. The two new hotels will form part of Tanger City Center, a large upscale, mixed-use development promoted by Inveravante, and including the city’s largest shopping mall, quality residential accommodation as well as commercial office space. The 182-room Hilton Tanger City Center Hotel & Residences will include 19 suites with an additional 68 stylish hotel apartments which will be available for purchase ahead of the hotel’s scheduled Spring 2015 opening date.  Guests can enjoy on-site conveniences such as a fitness area and outdoor pool as well as a restaurant and two bars. Hilton Garden Inn Tanger City Center, will feature 323 rooms, including 10 family rooms, and a host of amenities including a fitness room, business centre, a restaurant and a bar.  The hotel, which is expected to open in December 2014, will feature Hilton Garden Inn’s signature brand attributes including the Garden Sleep System bed and a spacious work desk with ergonomic chair.

Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco, has unveiled newly renovated interiors in celebration of the hotels 25th anniversary. San Francisco-based interior designer Michael Booth of BAMO oversaw the project. The hotel now boasts a new Italian travertine marble lobby and the 151 refurbished guestrooms and suites have custom-designed furnishings such as plush couches and white ash burl desks in a style that combines French Deco and a homelike-atmosphere. In addition, the property’s seven suites have been individually redesigned with a cool blue and silver color palette. The suites have 800-sq-ft (74-sq-m) landscaped terraces and spacious bathrooms with freestanding, sculptural bathtubs. The suites will open in July. The new signature restaurant Brasserie S&P overseen by Adam Mali who designed the menu of San Francisco cuisine made with seasonal California ingredients. The 90-seat restaurant will also include a bar with cocktails and other spirits. In mid-July, the hotel will open more than 5,000 sq ft (465 sq m) of function rooms on the second level, with outdoor space on the 40^th floor. A new spa will follow in the fall.

Not long ago, The BLVD Hotel opened up in Studio City giving Valley visitors to Los Angeles a stylish, boutique place to stay. It looks like things have gone well enough as BLVD is now readying a new spot in Hollywood. Located on Highland and Franklin Avenues, not Hollywood Boulevard, in a former Comfort Inn, the BLVD Hollywood Hotel & Suites will have 62 rooms when completed, all done in a sleek and contemporary style. There is free WiFi on the property but only in the public spaces. Sorry, no pets are allowed and be prepared to spend $15 a night for parking. The hotel’s website says the hotel is still undergoing renovations and therefore not accepting reservations but we were able to check rates on Hotels.com and saw that they start  at $109 a night. Not bad for Hollywood!

The Marcel Wanders designed Andaz Amsterdam, on the site of the former public library on Amsterdam’s Prinsengracht canal will open late this summer. The design concept of Andaz Amsterdam and the stylish allure of the rooms reflect a modern view of Dutch history. The boutique hotel is developed according to the highest quality standards with a special focus on sustainability. Only on the outside is the original building recognisable, behind the façade lies a world-class hotel. Local residents and guests can relax and enjoy the social heart of the hotel and its surroundings at the Lounge, a destination bar and restaurant, for coffee or impromptu drinks in the evening with friends. The hotel also features a signature spa with sauna, steam and treatment rooms, complemented with a fully equipped fitness centre.

Chapter Hotels, which was set up by Hong Kong-based Swire Properties Hotel Holdings in order to create a collection of provincial UK hotels, opened its second property this week: the 59-room Magdalen Chapter, which is located near to the cathedral in the city of Exceter in Devon, southwest England. The hotel, previously owned by Alias Hotels, formerly operated as the Hotel Barcelona before Swire purchased it in 2006. Swire owns three other hotels in the UK: the 61-room Montpellier Chapter, in Cheltenham, which opened last year as the first of the Chapter brand; the 71-room Hotel Seattle in the south coast resort of Brighton; and the 75-room Avon Gorge Hotel in the city of Bristol, which is reportedly to become the group’s third Chapter hotel following the completion of a conversion.

Rezidor has opened their very first hotel in Corsica – the Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Ajaccio Bay; owned by the group Ollandini. The 170 rooms-property is located near Porticcio; right at the glorious Agosta Beach. Guests enjoy a true paradise combining beautiful landscape, minimalist design, great food and wellness, and personalized services. All rooms and suites feature aquamarine colors and light wood, and offer private furnished terraces with view on the shoreline or the famous maquis of Corsica, a lush vegetation. The elegant rooms come with a size of 28 to 52 square meters (family rooms and rooms for disabled guests are available), and offer Radisson Blu signature services such as business class category with Nespresso coffee machine, and free high speed internet access.

Ovolo 286 Queens Road Central is now open in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong firm KplusK Associates designed the 60-room hotel. In-room technology includes Apple TVs and a wireless tablet that offers a full e-guest directory and connects guests to the reception team. The Lo Lounge, which is open 24 hours a day, serves as a place to work or relax. The lounge serves breakfast, snacks, and cocktails. The property also includes a gym.

The Ovolo Group owns and operates three hotels and two serviced apartment properties in Hong Kong Island and West Kowloon; forthcoming projects include its first hotel and serviced apartment property in Melbourne, Australia.

Eight months after announcing a revolutionary project designed to transform tourism in Magaluf in Majorca, today the Spanish hotel company will end in record time the first phase of the Calviá Beach Resort development by opening the Beach House Hotel which will join the recently renovated Sol Wave House Hotel to revive the Magaluf beachfront and become the first lifestyle destination on the island.

The Beach House Hotel is the result of the total transformation of the previous Majorca Beach Hotel. After four months of intense work, the hotel now presents a stunning and trendsetting new image, designed to offer a different and daring, adult-oriented experience, buzzing with energy and with great social life. This is all guaranteed by the partnership with Nikki Beach, an amazing beach club famous worldwide for the festivals and parties it hosts in Miami, Marbella or St. Tropez, and due to open in Mallorca on June 15.

The hotel and club lie alongside the sea, set in palm trees and pine trees, and its vast lobby is home to huge Balinese beds from which to listen to the hotel’s resident DJ and enjoy dinner or a drink. The interior areas are divided by huge panels that simulate white coral, designed by the architect Alvaro Sans, author of exclusive resorts such as the Gran Meliá Palacio de Isora (Tenerife) or Paradisus Playa del Carmen (Mexico). This season, the Beach House offers a hundred oversize rooms (52 m2) with an entertaining and groundbreaking interior design, including a bathtub under the window from which to view the sea. The furniture has all been acquired in Mallorca as part of a clear commitment of the hotel company to boost the local economy, and includes an XL-size minibar, 32 inch TV, full connectivity for all kinds of mobile devices and a private chill out corner on the terrace.

The Beach House has been designed not only for relaxing by the sea, but also for having fun, meeting people and enjoying every experience. The hotel is focused on adult guests, music and entertainment, and aims to raise the bar for tourism quality in the destination. It offers refreshing dining options, a gym with personal trainers, yoga and pilates, reflexology, and even a pet service. The Beach House is also plugged in to social networks, allowing guests to share their experiences immediately with their friends, including a Facebook Totem which allow guests to take pictures and share them on Facebook.

For Meliá Hotels International the hotel and resort are examples of a bold commitment to reposition a mature destination in southern Mallorca, something which the Vice Chairman and CEO, Gabriel Escarrer, says “has been made possible thanks to the extraordinary potential of the Magaluf area, with one of the most beautiful beaches in Mallorca, surrounded by marinas, golf courses and luxury residential areas, and also to the support of the Balearic Islands Government and the municipality of Calvia, which have been instrumental in creating legal guarantees and an environment to attract investment and prepare everything in time for the summer season.”