The Hotel Métropole in Monte-Carlo has invited designer Karl Lagerfeld to make over its exterior premises including the pool, terrace, gardens and a new Joel Robuchon restaurant. The first instalment of the project will be unveiled in July, but in the meantime, Lagerfeld has composed some frescos to create a feel of the hotel’s new look. And guess who has a starring role? None other than Baptiste Giabiconi, Karl’s French male model muse. Lagerfeld had an earlier turn on styling hotels, his first was the Schlosshotel im Grünewald in Berlin.

ABaC Restaurant, part of the boutique 15-room ABaC Hotel in Barcelona (or should we say the other way around?) was awarded Best Restaurant of the Year 2011 by the Catalan Academy of Gastronomy. It is an award to cookers, restaurants, professionals, groups and institutions related to the Catalan gastronomy world that had stand out during 2011 in Catalonia. Chef Jordi Cruz has only headed the restaurant since April 2010, and which also became a two star rating in the Michelin guide. Set in the very heart of Barcelona, surrounded by gardens and greenery, the hotel is a fusion of 2 architectural styles. The new crystal pavilion is joined with the centennial building, recently refurbished to protect its historical and architectural value. All rooms enjoy a vanguardist design, are completely soundproofed and are fitted with state of the art technical features to ensure maximum comfort. The restaurant can seat up to 60 diners and is decorated in natural tones. The kitchen of 200 m2, has been designed by Joaquim Casademont and may be visited by the guests of the hotel. Other dining facilities include a breakfast room, where private dinner or lunch can be served, or the “Lounge Bar”, which opens until 2.00 p.m. and where the music, light and color of the room subtly change. There is also an extensive cellar, offering near 1000 references, and from which you can select your perfect wine. Meeting rooms and a complete Spa leaded by the luxury British spa and skincare brand Elemis offers a wide range of treatments, and completes the services of ABaC.

Starwood Hotels announced that it will open a second W Hotel in Dubai on The Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Through the W brand’s unique and distinctive programming, W Dubai – The Palm will provide a contemporary lifestyle experience with a complete service offer. The hotel will feature 283 stylish guest rooms, including 102 suites, five WOW suites and two Extreme WOW suites (W’s interpretation of a Presidential Suite). W Dubai – The Palm will also offer W exclusives including the brand’s signature W Lounge experience (W’s transformation of the traditional lobby), a glamorous WET pool, SWEAT (W’s state-of-the-art fitness centre) and an AWAY Spa. The W Dubai on The Palm Jumeirah is expected to open in 2016. A W Hotel was originally announced for The Palm Jumeirah in 2006 but was put on hold. Another W Hotel was announced for Dubai Festival City, but has also been delayed. Just two weeks ago, the 384-room W Hotel  on Dubai’s Sheikh Zayed Road, slated to open in 2017 alongside a Westin and St. Regis Hotel was announced. Things seem to be picking up once again in Dubai.

Kimpton Hotels will be opening a new Palomar Hotel in the downtown of Phoenix, Arizona on June 5, marking the completion of the highly-anticipated development project, CityScape Phoenix.  The hotel, just steps from major sports arenas, entertainment venues and cultural attractions, will add 242 spacious and contemporary guest rooms and suites and more than 10,000 square feet of stylish, flexible meeting space to the city’s lineup and will bring even more energy to the downtown Phoenix area. The destination’s interior design scheme – from the public and event spaces to the guest rooms and suites – embodies a relaxed sophistication that is modern while reflecting Arizona’s casual approach. While the overall feel is stylish and laid-back, the hotel’s desert-infused color palette features a nod to the energetic undercurrent of its CityScape and downtown Phoenix surroundings with its pops of orange, its signature accent color. Design and décor elements that use bright spots of color, lines that create a sense of movement and light-hearted artistic touches also help to bring the hotel’s ‘Art in Motion’ theme to life.

The 130-room property, formerly a Comfort Inn & Suites that has undergone a US$3 million renovation ahead of the opening, is located just off the Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago. The property is owned by Neighborhood Development Corp., which also developed Dana Hotel and Spa in the city.

The lifestyle Acme Hotel will feature a hip “cheap-chic” look that emphasizes edgy design. “The city of Chicago is known for its creativity, free-thinking artists and vibrant neighborhoods, with the Acme Hotel designed to reflect all of those qualities unlike any other Chicago hotel,” said Gene Kornota, Neighborhood Development co-owner. “The hotel’s tagline ‘Do Your Thing’ means just that; we celebrate the individual needs and desires of our guests and how they experience the city in their own way.”

The hotel will boast a 100MB Wi-Fi system, guestrooms that feature hardwood flooring and open closets, a bar and lounge featuring two-story walls framed in industrial-style lighting and meeting space with capacity for 40 people.

Neighborhood Development has not said whether it plans to establish Acme as a brand that will expand beyond one location.

Commercial Real Estate Developer, The Castlewood Group Singapore, announced they are expanding their renowned lifestyle brand, Nikki Beach, in Asia, commencing with a Hotel, Spa and Beach Club in Phuket in 2013.The Nikki Beach Club plus The Nikki Beach Hotel and Spa in Bang Tao, Phuket will be our first offering to the market and will comprise a 5 star hotel with 151 luxurious suites and a mix of 23 sky villas and exclusive villas all with private pools and gardens. In addition there is a 45 m free form swimming pool, roof top infinity pool with bar and lounge overlooking an external yoga area.

Nearly 30 years after the opening of the first Hyatt hotel in Mexico, Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced that a Hyatt affiliate intends to acquire the 756-room Hotel Nikko Mexico for approximately US$190 million from Japan-Mexico Hotel Investment Co., Ltd. The transaction is scheduled to close in May and, upon closing, the hotel will be rebranded as Hyatt Regency Mexico City. Hyatt will invest approximately US$40 million in a three-year renovation. Hyatt Regency Mexico City’s excellent location will position it as one of Mexico City’s most visible hotels. The hotel is situated in the heart of the upscale Polanco district on Campos Eliseos, where the headquarters of international corporations are located. Hyatt Regency Mexico City will have 734 rooms after combining some of the existing rooms into suites. The hotel’s amenities will include approximately 30,000 square feet of meeting and event space, two signature Japanese restaurants, a three-meal restaurant and lobby bar, a business center, a fitness center, tennis courts, and a pool. This summer the hotel will complete an extensive six-year renovation program that includes the complete refurbishment of all the guestrooms as well as the two Japanese restaurants.

Meliá Hotels International has signed a lease agreement for its second Innside by Meliá property and its fifth hotel overall in Düsseldorf, Germany. The new 134-room Innside Hotel Düsseldorf Hafen is to be developed in the city’s iconic, 17-storey multicoloured Colorium building, which also houses office and retail space. The hotel is expected to open in mid 2013. The landmark building at Speditionstrasse with its 17 levels and 62 metres in height was designed by the British star architect William Allen Alsop for a private investor, and is one of the symbols of the new en vogue quarter, not only because of its extraordinary shape. A façade, comprising more than 2,000 colourful glass panels, was hung in front of it displaying a mixture of full-colour spaces and differentiated four-colour elements. The most spectacular feature is the signal-red technology level on the top floor protruding above the port basin and which is illuminated at night. A trendy Innside Skybar & Lounge has been planned which will not only spoil hotel guests with culinary treats, but also provide fantastic views of the port and the city centre that is only a few minutes away on foot. A total of 134 extremely stylish rooms and suites as well as two state-of-the-art conference rooms spread across floors 5 to 14 and the ground floor. The Colorium’s floors that are not occupied by the hotel contain office rooms as well as the innovation showrooms of a major mobile phone provider or a fashion label and the Dusseldorf branch of a media academy.

Los Angeles-based Viceroy Hotel Group  is to make its debut in Europe with a hotel in the city of Istanbul, Turkey. The group has been chosen to operate a five-star urban resort in the city’s Nef Bebeköy Development in an area across ten separate buildings and over 16 acres of land, offering 58 guest accommodations, Viceroy Istanbul will boast spectacular panoramic views of the Bosphorus, the strait that forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia, and direct access to a tranquil outdoor garden and forest area. The property will offer guests and residence luxury services including a casual and signature restaurant, banquet and meeting facilities, an outdoor art gallery, and a state-of-the-art full service fitness center and spa. We’re guessing that Viceroy’s head designer, Kely Wearstler, will be doing the interiors but this isn’t confirmed. Viceroy already has one other hotel under development in Turkey, the Viceroy Bodrum, which is scheduled to open in 2014.

Northampton Group Inc., an integrated Canadian hotelier, with its development partner Silver Hotel Group, today announced the opening of their newest aloft™ hotel in Vaughan Mills, a retail and commercial development just north of Toronto. The $16 million project was completed in just over one year. Northampton also developed the world’s first ever aloft in Montreal and like this and many other alofts offers the usual re:mix™ lobby, the w xyz™ bar, re:fuel™, and a 24/7 pantry for tasty tidbits. Guest rooms feature every amenity from loft-inspired nine-foot ceilings, platform beds, picture windows, huge bathrooms complete with oversized showers and, and the luxurious Bliss® spa products, and plug-and-play connectivity.

After acquiring Las Vegas’ landmark Sahara Hotel & Casino and then shuttering the property in May 2011, SBE Entertainment Group has with the help of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC pulled together the funding to redevelop the property into what will be called the SLS Las Vegas when it reopens in 2014. The owners obtained US$300 million to redevelop the 1,600-room hotel and will bring in Gensler architects and interior designer Philippe Starck to deliver a product that is approachable and affordable, according to Sam Nazarian, founder and chairman of SBE, which owns the property with Stockbridge Real Estate Funds of San Francisco. Nazarian told Bloomberg that new restaurants and nightclubs, as well as 40,000 square feet of convention space are planned.

A 310-room oceanfront Hard Rock Hotel and Casino will be the latest addition to Aruba’s growing portfolio of luxury accommodation. Scheduled to open in 2014, the 75-million pound hotel will be located right outside Oranjestad, Aruba’s capital, and is set to dramatically change the beach landscape of the island. The brand new property will be built on the ruins of the abandoned Bushiri Hotel, which has not been operating for nearly a decade and whose demolition will be completed by the end of the year. The Aruba Hard Rock Hotel and Casino will cover a total area of 28,619 square metres and will have a maximum height of seven floors.

The 293-guestroom hotel is currently being developed as part of the IJDock, which will also house the city of Amsterdam’s justice offices and courts and a marina. It overlooks the IJ estuary, Amsterdam’s former seafront and is just a couple of minutes walk from the city’s central railway and busstation. The ferry across the water from the station will take travellers to the north side of the city, home of the spectacular new EYE film museum.

Designed by Dutch architect Jan Bakers, the all-glass new hotel is scheduled to finish by the end of the year. Then Spanish designer Tomas Alia will oversee the interior decoration of the Room Mate Hotel to be finished in spring 2013. Alia already designed several hotels for Room Mate, which properties are being famous for being centered around a fictional personality or friend who knows the city’s ins and outs. Room Mate operates mainly in Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Oviedo, Granada, Salamanca) but also has hotels in New York, Miami Beach, Mexico City and Buenos Aires. Other than the Amsterdam opening, Room Mate Hotels will also open in Italy, England and Colombia plus more hotels for Madrid and Barcelona.

Room Mate Amsterdam, which has no personal name yet (I would suggest Room-Mate “Chiel”) will also feature a large restaurant overlooking the marina, part of the complex, plus a gym and spa.

Back in 1985 the Kemp’s acquired their first hotel, the Dorset Square Hotel, which was going to be the start of their succesful Firmdale chain, which now has seven hotels in London and one ‘across the pond’ in New York City. All are members of marketing consortium Design Hotels™  In 2002 the Kemp’s sold the Dorset Square Hotel only to acquire it back again last year.

“Always in their heart” the hotel since then has gotten an overhaul by Kit, famous for her signature style which includes bold, contrasting, colours and textures and being filled with bespoke and one-off pieces and

original art collected from around the globe. The property itself is a beautiful Regency townhouse with 38 bedrooms, many of which look onto the leafy private garden square which was originally the site of Thomas Lord’s first cricket ground. Each bedroom is being individually designed to feature WiFi, flat widescreen TVs and iPod docks while bathrooms are of marble and oak, have freestanding showers and luxurious Miller Harris bath products. There will also feature a sumptuous guest drawing room with a fireplace and a fun all-day bar and restaurant.

The Dorset Square Hotel is situated in the north of Marylebone, just doorsteps away from the Regent’s Park and Marylebone Station. Marylebone is an affluent inner-city area of central London. The neighborhood has recently become one of London’s most urbane and exciting residential areas, with fashionable shops, cafés and restaurants lined up as well as world-class galleries, all within easy reach of London’s theatre-land and financial district.

Dubai-based Jumeirah Group has opened its first resort property in Europe: the Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel & Spa. Comprising 11 low-rise buildings connected by garden walks and internal passageways, the 120-unit resort is in the bay of Soller on the northwest coast of the Spanish island of Majorca. The hotel also features two swimming pools, a handful of unique vantage points and large spa facilities, offering 10 treatment rooms, as well as its own outdoor heated Hydropool overlooking the valley (pictured).

Starwood Hotels and Resorts has signed an agreement with Dubai-based Al Habtoor Group that will see it open three new hotels in Dubai and mark the debut of its St. Regis and W brands in the emirate. The 241-room St. Regis Dubai, the 384-room W Dubai – Sheikh Zayed Road and the 1,050-room Westin Dubai – Sheikh Zayed Road will be part of the US$1.4 billion, 1 million ft² Habtoor Palace complex. The three hotels are expected to open within months of each other in 2017.

Following the co-operation between Marriot International and Madrid based AC Hoteles, the former AC Diplomatic Hotel in Barcelona has been refurbished and rebranded as the Renaissance Barcelona Hotel. The hotel, which has 211 rooms and 500 m² of meeting space, aims to upgrade to five stars in the future.

Groupe Germain,  a family-run, luxury boutique hotel company based in Montreal, is expanding its sister hotel brand ALT Hotels to Winnipeg, Toronto and Halifax. Groupe Germain opened their first ALT Hotels in Québec City and Montréal. Their concept is simple and follows a worldwide trend: maximize modern design and minimize unnecessary amenities while also aiming to be green hotels. Groupe Germain Hospitality owns five hotels under its luxury moniker, Le Germain Hotels, like ALT Hotels all featured on stylehotelsweb.

Last week we brought you the news about the first of the Baccarat hotel chain opening in New York City across from the MOMA. Now we hear that the chain, which “marries Louis XV with the modern era” will open a hotel in the Moroccan capital of Rabat in 2014 just before the Manhattan property opens. Baccarat will be particularly looking for more locations in Asia and Dubai where the Baccarat design and heritage really will appeal well.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts is spending more than $6 billion revamping its iconic Sheraton brand. What the new look has in stall for can be seen at the completely renovated Sheraton Grand Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland. The hotel reopened this week after being closed two years for renovations. The hotel now offers 269 fully refurbished guest rooms (with frosted glass-walled bathrooms), newly renovated meeting

and event spaces and a new restaurant. The new interiors feature a neutral color palette, modern materials and clean lines throughout, which are accented with elegant Scottish finishes.

A survey by Hotels.com indicates that 38% of travelers base their booking decisions on free Wi-Fi availability, beating all other amenities. Additionally, 31% say they want Wi-Fi services to become a standard hotel amenity this year. “Given the explosion of mobile use in the past few years, it is no surprise that travelers are requiring free and fast Wi-Fi,” said Taylor L. Cole of Hotels.com. Free breakfast is rated by 25% of travelers and free parking by 18%. Unless you are over 60, where 34% value free breakfast over free wi-fi (27%).

In December 2011, Design Hotels™ launched its first project on a pristine beach in Tulum, Mexico as a temporary retreat for like-minded, creative individuals to unwind and connect with self and nature. Inspiring feedback received to the project has encouraged further creative and off-radar luxury forms so we’re now steering the adventure to the Mediterranean this time for the summer season. Welcome to SAN GIORGIO MYKONOS, A DESIGN HOTELS™ PROJECT in association with Paradise Club.

Melding the carefree finesse of the ’60s bohemian life with a down-to-earth “gypset” approach, at San Giorgio, everything is about ease and enjoyment. Leisure is writ large and guests are encouraged to store or spend energy as they please. At San Giorgio, it’s like visiting the summer home of your coolest friend, who whips together a feast for the eyes and palate with as much ease and grace as he throws the island’s most talked-about fête. And you’re along for the ride.

The hotel started its humble beginnings in the ’90s thanks to a successful local fisherman who laid claim to a piece of Paradise Beach. Step into 2012 and the 34-room property has changed hands to the neighboring Paradise Club. Long-time friends of Design Hotels™, proprietors Thomas Heyne and Mario Hertel together with Markos Daktilidis, owner of Paradise Beach, approached the brand to design a new hospitality experience. Located just 300 meters from the club, San Giorgio is situated on one of the most scenic areas of the island between Paradise and Paranga beaches. Not only is Mykonos famed for its nightlife, of which Paradise Club is ranked amongst the top five in Europe, the picturesque white houses, dazzling blue waters and quaint alleys are the picture of a Grecian paradise.

The San Giorgio project is designed for those who seek simple pleasures like waking up to views of the sea, sharing good food prepared with love and care, and feeling the euphoric energy of a crowd dancing under a starry sky.

Only with DesignHotels™:

YOUR DESIGN HOTELS™ BENEFITS:
• Complimentary airport transfer to and from the hotel
• VIP access to Paradise Club including:
Free no-wait entry to the club’s VIP area and
A complimentary VIP shuttle
(Club opens May 24)
• Local neighborhood benefits

ALSO ENJOY:
• Complimentary WiFi
• Healthy breakfast buffet

The hotel features 127 guestrooms between 15 sq m (161 sq ft) and 45 sq m (484 sq ft) in size spread over six floors with the option of five categories and colors schemes. Rates start at €69 (US$91).

While the guestroom look is similar to those at Mama Shelter Paris, at Mama Shelter Marseille the colors reflect Marseille’s location on the Mediterranean coast.

Each room comes with a 27″ (68 cm) iMac with TV, radio, Internet and free WiFi access.

The Mama Shelter hotel company was founded by the Trigano family, Cyril Aouizerate and designed by Philippe Starck.

South Beach Group Hotels has aquired the vacant Croydon Arms Hotel in Miami’s Mid Beach district, home to such hotels as the Fontainebleau and the Eden Roc. With the property’s close proximity to famed Millionaire’s Row, South Beach Group’s latest purchase will soon be the spot for people searching for more than just partying 24/7 in South Beach. The building at 3720 Collins Avenue was purchased for $6.75 million and a planned $15 million renovation of the property, which was built in 1937, is to follow. South Beach Group Hotels currently operates nine hotels and apartment complexes in Miami, including the Catalina Hotel & Beach Club, the Hotel Chelsea and the Whitelaw Hotel.

Not Kimpton Hotels, as we reported March 31, but Access Hotels & Resorts assumed management of the Hotel Sax Chicago from Thompson Hotels. Access and Sax owner, LaSalle Hotel Properties, could not be reached for comment reports The Chicago Tribune. Outgoing general manager Michael Carsh, a Thompson employee, attributed the split to a “philosophical difference.”

NYC’s historic Buckingham Hotel will reopen after its two year extensive renovation as The Quin. The Quin will be managed by Highgate Hotels which owns or manages several hotels around the city, including the Doubletree Metropolitan Hotel and the Paramount. Opened in 1929, the Buckingham was once a hub for opera singers and jazz musicians visiting the city to perform, largely because it is close to many of the city’s premiere theaters. The lobby once had numerous sculptures of famous musicians, complete with their old instruments. It’s unclear if the new management will maintain the hotel’s musical theme. Seven remaining elderly residents at the hotel in rent-stabilized apartments have complained about a nightmare full-building renovation that’s caused noise, flooding, broken pipes, hanging wires, and respiratory problems they blame on toxic dust.

The New York Post reported that Starwood Capital (not to be confused with Starwood Hotels) and Tribeca Associates are partnering to develop the fourth through 12^th floors of a 45-story tower in Manhattan across the street from the Museum of Modern Art. Luxury condominiums will take up the top floors while the bottom floors will be used by the New York Public Library. The development is set to open in 2014 and its total cost is US$400 million. Baccarat currently operates a residences property in Shanghai and is set to open a hotel and residences property in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2013.

Previously housing the Radisson Hotel and Stuart Street Playhouse, the now-independent property is owned by Northwood Hospitality (New York City) and has been renovated into a lifestyle hotel and multi-use property including two theaters for movies and live entertainment, 35,000 sq ft (3,250 sq m) of meeting space and the introduction of the Emerald Lounge entertainment concept.

BBGM Interiors, also of New York City, designed the hotel. “In such an iconic city, we cannot imagine a better opportunity than designing Revere,” said Amy Jakubowski, partner at BBGM. “This challenge granted us the ability to use our creative license in new ways to bring something refreshing and innovative to the Boston hospitality market.”

A subtle flair for the dramatics was woven into the design, a tribute to the property’s theatre district locale. The guestrooms feature a bed donned in fur with a faux suede headboard, a masculine black and white hounds tooth patterned chaise, and modern case goods made of sycamore and African teak.

Revere Hotel will unveil two new venues, “Theatre 1” and “Space 57” in the space formally inhabited by the Stuart St. Playhouse. “Upon recognizing the tremendous value and unfulfilled potential of the playhouse, we were inspired to produce a modern adaptation of the theatre, returning to its days of being a marquee Boston venue,” said Simon Mais, general manager of Revere Hotel.