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 40th 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.
Miramar Group’s hotel development project on 388 Jaffe Road in Wanchai will be named Mira Moon, the second hotel within the expanding Mira portfolio after the opening of 
Incorporating his signature Dutch influences into this classic Chinese legend, renowned designer Marcel Wanders and Yoo Design Studio cleverly bring the fairytale to life by romantically expressing the characters through Chinese antique furniture, fabrics, and prints. Showcasing distinctive design characteristics that stand in bold contrast to the more standardised hotels, Mira Moon is a member of Design HotelsTM and will appeal to those guests craving a unique experience.