Belgium
Radisson RED Brussels debuted as the first Radisson RED hotel in the world, with 14 more under development. The new brand is inspired by art, music and fashion, designed for the millennial traveler with the goal to create experiences. There is no front desk and the RED App provides keyless entry and acts as a virtual concierge for check-in and check-out. OUIBar + KTCHN, the on-site restaurant and bar, adheres to the brand’s “no waste” policy and uses sustainable, local, organic ingredients. The hotel has 149 studio-style guest rooms and 1,200 square feet of meeting and event space. In keeping with the brand’s theme of games and playfulness, the three Event & Games studios designed for meetings and gatherings feature a pool table, table tennis table and a fitness room.
Japan
Okura Nikko Hotel Management announced it will acquire and rebrand Tokyo’s Grand Pacific Le Daiba hotel and will reopen it as the Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba in July 2016. The property is located on the artificial island of Odaiba in Tokyo Bay and is directly connected to the elevated transit system station. The 884-room hotel will offer 17 meeting rooms, nine restaurants and bars and two wedding chapels. There are plans for renovation to begin after the acquisition.
Malaysia
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts announced the debut of The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur. The hotel offers 208 guest rooms, including the 4,000-square-foot Royal Suite with private elevator access, an outdoor terrace, kitchen, massage room and gym. The property features over 100,000 square feet of event space, including 16 meeting rooms. The Grand Ballroom features an LED video wall projection system allowing for a virtual reality simulation. There are six restaurants and bars on-property, including Taka by Sushi Saito, the first restaurant to open outside Tokyo by three Michelin-starred chef Takashi Saito. A unique collection of art can be found throughout the hotel, like the nearly 12-foot horse sculpture and Grace Thunders, a specially commissioned diptych of two 16-foot hand-etched leather murals. www.starwoodhotels.com/stregis
Philippines
Best Western Hotels & Resorts unveiled a new property, Best Western Plus Ivy Wall in Puerto Princesa, the largest city on the island of Palawan. Scheduled to open in June 2016, the property is a new hotel located just a few minutes from Puerto Princesa International Airport. The 120 guest rooms and suites feature a contemporary Filipino design. The hotel offers a spa, outdoor pool, on-site restaurant and poolside bar. There are three meeting rooms, a 3,200-square-foot ballroom and a private dining room.
Turkey
Viceroy Hotel Group will open Viceroy Princes’ Islands Istanbul in July 2016 on the island of Buyukada. The resort will feature 77 guest rooms, suites, serviced residences and a traditional and restored Ottoman grand mansion and a seafront mansion. The restored mansion includes six suites, a private pool, multiple social spaces for private dining and entertaining, and a terrace with ocean views and Istanbul in the distance. The 14,000 square feet of meeting space can accommodate 1,000 people for a reception and includes a 5,000-square-foot ballroom that can seat 300 guests, an outdoor terrace, a rooftop terrace and gardens.