NEOM ANNOUNCES NEW TOURISM DESTINATION: NEOM, the sustainable regional development in northwest Saudi Arabia, has announced Leyja, its latest tourism destination, to boost the Kingdom’s ecotourism offering. Situated in NEOM, Leyja begins from the Gulf of Aqaba coast, winding inland to form a natural valley between the mountains. Aligned with NEOM’s plan of designating most of its lands as a nature reserve, 95% of Leyja will be preserved for nature. There will be three hotels in this new destination, offering a total of 120 boutique rooms and suites. The first hotel will be designed for adventure seekers and located within the cliff top and valley sides. The second hotel will be located within the wadi’s biggest oasis and be a gateway to explore the valley. The third property will be a wellness retreat with a high-tech façade reflecting the valley walls. All three hotels will have rooftop infinity pools. Leyja will also offer fine dining options and wellness facilities. The announcement of Leyja follows the NEOM’s other projects — luxury island Sindalah, linear city The Line, year-round mountain destination Trojena and reimagined industrial city Oxagon.
HILTON SIGNS IN POLAND: Hilton has signed a franchise agreement with TFG Hotels to develop Canopy by Hilton Warsaw. Slated to open in 2025, the newly-built hotel will be Hilton’s first lifestyle hotel in Poland, following the recent Canopy by Hilton openings in Madrid, Cannes, Paris and London. TFG Hotels will manage the 170-room hotel. Canopy by Hilton Warsaw will be located close to the Palace of Culture and Science and Warsaw Central Station. The hotel will have a roof terrace with views of the city. Canopy Central, the hotel’s multi-functional space, can be used by guests for work or as spaces to socialize. The hotel will also have space for meetings and events.
SALT LAKE MARRIOTT DOWNTOWN COMPLETES FIRST PHASE OF RENOVATION: Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek has completed the first phase of a multi-million-dollar renovation, which will upgrade and transform the hotel to almost-new status. The first phase of the top-to-bottom project mainly focused on reimagining the rooms, bathrooms and hallways. New vinyl tile flooring and wallpaper were installed in the guestrooms, furniture and bedding. Bathroom doorways were expanded with the addition of new barn-style doors and vanities with granite countertops and tile flooring. Corridors saw the addition of flooring and wall coverings. The next phase will focus on enhancing the lobby, restaurant, bar and meeting spaces and is expected to be completed by fall 2024. Owned by DiamondRock Hospitality Co., Salt Lake Marriott Downtown is operated by HEI Hotel & Resorts. The 515-room hotel features a restaurant, fitness center, full-service Starbucks, concierge lounge and almost 24,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
CHOICE HOTELS EMEA UNVEILS BRAND REFRESH: Choice Hotels EMEA, the 100% franchise-focused company, has announced its first hotel to have undergone a transformation as part of the group’s regional brand refresh. Featuring a pop art theme, Comfort Hotel Prague City East aligns with Choice’s new Comfort brand experience. The hotel is the first in the EMEA region to feature the brand’s signature Comfort Hub, a multi-purpose space. Located near Prague’s city center, the hotel has a ‘Roaming Comfort Crew’ that guides guests in ensuring a personalized stay. As part of the We Love Local! Program, the hotel has four bee hives installed on the roof terrace, which will harvest 50 kilograms of honey, with plans to add more hives in 2024. The honey will be served on guests’ breakfast tables and used as gifts for corporate partners. With support from Choice Hotels, all Comfort hotels in the EMEA will be reimagined, with properties expected to transform into new brand identities in the next few years.
TOWNEPLACE SUITES OPENS IN MAINE: New Gen Hospitality has announced the opening of TownePlace Suites by Marriott in South Portland, Maine. The all-suite hotel will operate as a Marriott franchise and is owned by South Portland-based New Gen Operations. The new, four-story hotel offers studio and one-bedroom suites with fully equipped kitchens and separate living/working and sleeping areas. Amenities include a fitness center, an outdoor patio with a fire pit and grills, guest laundry, a full-service bar and EV charging stations.