India
W Goa opened on Vagator Beach. The hotel has 160 guest rooms, including villas, chalets and the brand’s Marvelous Suite and Extreme WOW Villa. The entrance of the hotel features large unframed doors with art by Goan artist Subodh Kerkar, representing the lunar phases with a nod to Goa’s full moon party culture, and behind the receptions pods is a street art mural by Indian artist M. Narayan. The property offers a Spa by Clarins; a FIT gym and an outdoor WET pool deck; a Spice Traders restaurant serving Pan Asian cuisine; The Kitchen Table, an all-day restaurant; and WOOBAR, a gathering space by day and lounge by night. The property will unveil 50,000 square feet of meeting and function space at the end of the year. The space will include a 4,160-square-foot Great Room. Already opened is Horizon, a 4,500-square-foot oceanfront area, and Backyard, a 5,800-square-foot outdoor venue.
Israel
Carlton Tel Aviv completed renovations, including four new event spaces: the Carmine Hall, Azure Hall, Indigo Hall and the Foyer. The project included the installation of new air conditioning systems, LED screens throughout the halls and foyer, an eco-friendly electrical system and new light fixtures. Each hall features various types of wall materials and are stylized by unique carpentry techniques. The spaces also have new chairs, tables, buffets, flooring and carpets. Renovations to the lobby and the entrance level of the hotel, during which the floor, the ceiling and some of the furniture was replaced was completed last year.
Italy
Hotel Eden, part of the Dorchester Collection, reopened in April following an 18-month restoration. The hotel, located in Rome, reduced its room count from 121 to 98 guest rooms to create larger guest accommodations. The hotel’s fine-dining restaurant, La Terrazza, is located on the top floor with views of the city and serves a Mediterranean menu with seasonal produce, whereas all-day dining Il Giardino Ristorante & Bar offers lighter, healthy choices and sharing platters for groups. The three fully refurbished meetings rooms total nearly 1,700 square feet and can accommodate up to 110 guests.
Turkey
Mandarin Oriental Bodrum reopened in April after completing renovations and enhancements. The property features new fitness and wellness facilities, a butler service for every room category and specially curated room packages. The resort is surrounded by ancient olive groves and pine trees and overlooks Paradise Bay and the Aegean Sea. There are 129 guest rooms, two private beaches, eight restaurants and bars and a full-service spa. The property features nearly 6,700 square feet of meeting and event space, including two ballrooms and two boardrooms. New wellness services include conditioning coaching, nail services by celebrity pedicurist Bastien Gonzalez, and tai chi expert Master Hu will offer a holistic retreat with a Zen tea ceremony during the summer months.
United Arab Emirates
MGM International announced that an MGM Hotel, MGM Residences and a Bellagio Hotel will debut at a 26-acre beachfront development in Dubai. Scheduled for a 2021 launch, the 2 million-square-foot project will include a theater, a mix of culinary venues ranging from gourmet to casual dining, specialty retail shops, traditional and interactive museums, a beach club and adventure zones for both adults and children. The new property will include 1,000 guest rooms and feature 10 villas, occupying the longest stretch of waterfront developed in Dubai.
Vietnam
JW Marriott Phu Quoc, Emerald Bay debuted on Vietnam’s largest island. The hotel offers 244 guest rooms, suites and villas, five restaurants and bars, the brand’s Spa by JW and nearly 12,000 square feet of meeting space. The food and beverage options include Tempus Fugit, which translates to “time flies,” offering Vietnamese cuisine, contemporary Japanese fare and classic French dishes; French & Co, featuring pastries and desserts; Department of Chemistry, serving drinks with views of Emerald Bay; and Pink Pearl, a beachfront restaurant scheduled to open this spring. The property’s function space includes six meeting rooms and a 7,700-square-foot ballroom.