Is Prince Alwaleed sleeping on the floor? Images and video coming from the Ritz-Carlton Riyadh, where detained princes and ministers, including billionare hotel owner Prince Alwaleed, were taken as part of a corruption crackdown by crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, showed them sleeping on the floor of a ballroom. A message on the hotel’s website read: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the hotel’s internet and telephone lines are currently disconnected until further notice.” New reports also suggested up to 500 Saudis have now been detained. The country’s attorney general said on Monday that detainees had been subjected to detailed interrogations. Members of the royal family reportedly have been prohibited from leaving the country.
New look for Mövenpick. Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has signed a lease agreement with one of Germany’s main real estate asset managers, Deka Immobilien, to operate a landmark design-led property in The Hague. The 72-room Mövenpick Hotel The Hague, due to open in 2019, will be designed by Wilson Associates NYC and mark a new era for the Swiss hospitality firm as it looks to evolve its interior design strategy with concepts that reflect the lifestyle preferences. Deka Immobilien has also renewed its existing lease for the 408-room Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre for more than 30 years.
Dubai unabated. Dubai has maintained its strong performance through 2017, according to the latest data released by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism). A total of 11.58 million international overnight visitors arrived in Dubai during the first nine months of 2017, reflecting a 7.5% increase over the same period last year. India retained top spot on Dubai’s list of source markets for inbound tourism, with nearly 1.5 million Indian tourists arriving in the city between January and September, registering a 20% rise over the same period in 2016.
Historic sale in UK. The 32-suite Seckford Hall Hotel in Woodbridge, Suffolk, a 15th Century Grade II listed property where Queen Elizabeth I once held court, has been sold off a guide-price of £4.1million to entrepreneurs, Michael Chittenden and Tammy Madge, who plan to make a considerable investment to upgrade the property.
Dalata grows in Glasgow. Dalata Hotel Group has signed an agreement to lease a new Clayton Hotel to be built in Glasgow, with Artisan St. Enoch Quarter Ltd., a subsidiary of Artisan Real Estate Investors Limited. Scheduled to open in Q4 2020, the 300-room hotel will be a 4-star property located in the center of Glasgow on the River Clyde, close to Glasgow Central Station.
No drunkard’s dream. Full House Resorts, the company that owns Bronco Billy’s Casino & Hotel in Cripple Creek, Colorado, announced plans to build a US$60 million-plus, 150-room upscale hotel connected to the gaming hall. If approved by the city council, the hotel will open in two or three years.