Hilton International has today opened a new hotel in the city of Barcelona. The Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona will be Hilton International´s second establishment in Barcelona and two more properties are scheduled to open in Spain over the next two years in Valencia and Madrid.
The 21-story Hilton is next to the Barcelona International Convention Center (CCIB) and joins the Architectonic Complex, a visual icon of Barcelona from the 21st century.
The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. announced the launch of The Leading Residences of the World (LRW), a luxury destination club that offers a new level of elite vacation experiences in luxurious residences located around the world.
Members have access to this prestigious collection of fully serviced accommodations in world-class locations at a fraction of the cost of purchasing and maintaining a single resort home. Residences will be located in upper-tier beach, golf, and ski destinations, as well as the world´s great cities, including New York, London and Paris.
Marriott International, Inc. has posted revenues worth US$2.7 billion in the second quarter of 2005, an 11 percent increase from 2004, with J.W. Marriott, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of the company attributing the performance to a strong economy and surging U.S. travel demand driving occupancy and room rates higher in most markets.
However, the second-quarter earnings fell 14 percent from last year, due to charges related to a recent acquisition and new bedding incentive program.
Conrad Hotels, the luxury brand of the Hilton Family, has signed a management agreement with the Bahamas-based RAV Bahamas Limited, a subsidiary of The Capo Group, to operate and manage Conrad´s first hotel in the Caribbean, a luxurious 250-room hotel, spa and casino resort, located on the island of Bimini.
"We are honored to have been selected for this exclusive project in one of the most prestigious locations in the Bahamas. This will be an extraordinary property and it will fit our plan to expand in the Americas, as well as in other strategic parts of the world," Clem Barter, President of Conrad Hotels, said.
Kimpton Hotels added another Hotel Palomar to its portfolio with the acquisition of the 335-room Radisson Barceló Hotel in Washington for an undisclosed sum.
Kimpton said it plans to invest $35 million to transform the property into the luxury Hotel Palomar in the U.S. capital.
Richard Whitfield, managing director of the 400-acre Half Moon resort in Rose Hall, Montego Bay, Jamaica, reported earlier this week that the resort suffered no ill effects during the passage of Hurricane Dennis last July 7.
The resort had over 300 guests in residence as Hurricane Dennis slowly churned toward the island. They were able to wait out the storm in the comfort of their rooms and enjoyed much of the resort´s facilities that remained open.