SCANDIC GROWS GERMAN PORTFOLIO: Scandic has signed a long-term, revenue-based lease agreement with Pandox to take over a hotel in Nuremberg, Germany, in Q1 2024. Located in Nuremberg’s historic district and central station, the newly built hotel features 311 rooms and event spaces for up to 850 persons. The hotel opened earlier this year and includes a restaurant, bar, gym and wellness areas. Pandox recently carried out renovations of the property, which included technical and sustainability-related investment enhancements to the hotel. The hotel will operate under the Scandic brand. With this takeover, Scandic will have seven hotels across Germany totaling 2,461 rooms. The group currently has around 280 hotels, totaling 58,000 rooms in operation and under development at over 130 destinations globally.
LUXURY BOUTIQUE HOTEL OPENS IN VENICE: Collezione Em has announced the opening of Violino d’Oro, a luxury boutique hotel in Venice. Located along the canals and close to Piazza San Marco, the hotel is housed in a 17th-century building. The 32-room hotel is owned by Sara Maestrelli, who, along with Elena Maestrelli, also served as the property’s architect. The property’s design showcases craftsmanship in glasswork, fabrics and floors, including original Venetian seminato, handmade by one of the city’s oldest artisan families. The hotel includes a restaurant overlooking Campo Barozzi. The hotel is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World.
HOLIDAY INN LAUNCHES OPEN LOBBY CONCEPT IN U.A.E.: Holiday Inn Dubai Business Bay, the latest addition to IHG’s Holiday Inn brand, has launched the first Holiday Inn Innovative Open Lobby concept in the U.A.E. Located in Dubai’s business and recreation center, the hotel features 275 rooms and suites, with some of them offering views of the Burj Khalifa. The hotel has meeting and event suites for up to 120 persons, a gym, an outdoor pool, a spa, a yoga room and dining outlets. The Open Lobby is a new concept that converts the traditional lobby into a multi-functional hub, allowing guests to combine work, dining and social interactions.
GRAN MELIÁ OPENS IN ROME: Meliá Hotels International, the Spain-based hotel group, has opened Palazzo Cordusio Gran Meliá in Milan. The flagship hotel is located in Palazzo Venezia. The building which houses the hotel earlier functioned as the Assicurazioni Generali headquarters between 1897 and 1901. The renovation of the building was jointly managed by Generali Real Estate and Meliá, with Studio Marco Piva leading the design and artistic direction of the external facades, internal architecture and courtyard. The original Generali Assicurazioni emblems have been retained. The property is now part of Assicurazioni Generali’s European real estate portfolio. The hotel features 84 luxury rooms and suites, multiple dining venues, a gym, an indoor pool, a sauna, a Turkish bath and a relaxation lounge. This is the first Gran Meliá hotel in Milan and the second in Italy, following the opening of Villa Agrippina in Rome. The property is a milestone for Meliá’s portfolio of luxury properties in Italy, with a fifth hotel expected to open in Milan by 2024 under The Meliá Collection.
RENOVATIONS AT COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT LAKELAND: LBA Hospitality, the Dothan, Ala.-based hotel management company, has announced that the Courtyard by Marriott Lakeland hotel in Lakeland, Fla., has completed interior renovations. The hotel saw enhancements to the furniture and finishes in the rooms, public spaces and meeting rooms. The rooms were updated with new carpeting, artwork, furniture, draperies and wall coverings. The 78-room, three-story hotel is owned by Flynn Holdings and managed by LBA. The hotel includes an outdoor pool, a fitness center, two event rooms totaling 1,053 square feet of meeting space, a 24-hour market and a restaurant.