Nakheel-Premier Inn tie up. Dubai-based master developer Nakheel said on Thursday it has signed a second management agreement with UK-based Premier Inn to run a new 250-room hotel at the Dragon City mixed-use project. Scheduled to open in 2018, the new hotel is part of a huge master plan from Nakheel that will transform the area into a giant retail, residential and recreational complex spanning more than 11 million square feet.
Leelaventure rumors. At least five top international private equity firms, family offices and endowment funds, including Blackstone Group and Brookfield Asset Management, are inquiring about buying Hotel Leelaventure’s luxury hotels in Goa and Chennai. Sources said the sale of the two properties is likely to be completed before Christmas, according to a report by Live Mint.
Plateno in Sri Lanka. China’s Plateno Hotels Group has signed its fourth hotel this year in Sri Lanka with Welcome Regency Private Ltd. The 102-room resort will be branded as Portofino Ming Gee Resort Passikuda. The resort opens in November 2015 and is the second luxury Portofino in Sri Lanka for Plateno.
Hotelier with heart. Petter Stordalen, owner of Norway’s Nordic Choice Hotels, has pledged 5,000 free nights in his hotels to refugees temporarily in need of a place to stay. In fact, he hosted 50 Syrian refugees on Sunday at the Quality Hotel Airport Gardermoen outside of Oslo, according to Aftenposten.The hotels are also coordinating with police to ensure guests are securely escorted back to immigration officials the next day.