26.02.2008
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Hilton Kuala Lumpur
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Hilton Boston Back Bay
DUBAI, UAE: Hilton Dubai Jumeirah & Hilton Dubai Creek
Hilton Hotels Corporation Continues Expansion in Italy with Agreement to Open Hilton Garden Inn Bologna/San Lazzaro
Welcoming the announcement, Wolfgang Neumann, president of Hilton Hotels - Europe, said, 'With 11 existing Hilton Family properties located in key Italian destinations and regional centers as well as agreements in place to open six more, the addition of this new Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Bologna reaffirms our commitment to providing our world-class portfolio of quality hotels across Italy and throughout Europe.'
'Travelers looking for a new kind of lodging option has provided Hilton Garden Inn with a wonderful opportunity to introduce our mid-priced brand to new markets like Bologna,' said Adrian Kurre, senior vice president - brand management, Hilton Garden Inn. 'Our hotels offer an ideal combination of quality and affordability for both corporate and leisure guests.'
Located in northern Italy, Bologna is famed for its Renaissance architecture and perhaps best known as the home of Ducati and Lamborghini. The city is well served by air, rail and road transport links and is host to numerous international and national exhibitions and trade fairs. The newly built Hilton Garden Inn Bologna/San Lazzaro will be situated in the San Lazzaro area, a short drive from the city center and will offer guests a fitness area, as well as a restaurant, bar and spacious meeting facilities.
The Hilton Garden Inn Bologna/San Lazzaro announcement reflects the Hilton Garden Inn brand's fast moving expansion across the region, with plans to introduce new properties in four more European countries in the next 24 months, including Rzeszow, Poland, Frankfurt, Germany, Diyarbakir, Turkey, as well as Perm, Russia.
Hilton Hotels Corporation currently operates 11 hotels in Italy with locations in Rome, Sicily, Venice, Milan, Florence and Matera. In addition to the Hilton Garden Inn Bologna/San Lazzaro, the company is expecting to open five more Hilton Family hotels by 2009 that includes the opening of Europe's first Doubletree by Hilton property, which is set to open in Milan in Fall 2008.
8.02.2008
Hotel Moskva
History
Hotel Moskva was built in 1906 in secessionist style, quite daring for the time, giving Belgrade a modern face during the transformation it was undergoing around the turn of the century. Located right in front of the hotel is Terazije fountain built in 1860 during the reign of Duke Miloš. That very point is the centre point of the Balkans and the distance of point in the city is measured from the fountain. Various business buildings, as well as Hotel Balkan are located near by.
Famous Hotel
Hotel Moskva is notable for many reasons. It addition to quickly becoming a city landmark, it was, for many years, the gathering point of many famous writers, politicians and musicians who have either stayed there or frequented its cafe and restaurant. The hotel has won numerous awards. In past one hundred years 36 million guests visited hotel including many famous like Alfred Hitchcock, Ivo Andrić, King Peter I of Serbia, Fieldmarshal Živojin Mišić, Orson Welles, Yves Montand, Robert de Niro, Jean-Paul Sartre, Rajiv Gandhi, Yasser Arafat, Ray Charles, Richard Nixon and many others.[1]
The Hotel
Rooms
As mentioned, Hotel Moskva houses 132 rooms and 6 resident apartments. There are 40 duplex rooms on the first and second floors - a rarity today's hotel industry. All rooms are equipped with a television set, mini bar, wireless Internet and are adjusted for the needs of businessmen.
Restaurants and cafes
Hotel Moskva is very famous for its cafes and restaurants. There are 2 restaurants (one with international while the other with national cuisine). There is also a snack bar, a famous old fashioned café and a summer garden which is very popular with guests.
Future
The new owner of hotel Moskva, Swiss company Netwest Finance, plans to expand that hotel if it obtains necessary permits and, in that way the hotel will get another star giving it the status of a 5 star hotel. The manager of hotel Moskva, Sava Janićević, said that, following the resolving of ownership relations with the old owners and obtaining of necessary permits, the garage, congress hall and shopping centre would be built, which would bring the 5th star to the hotel. According to his words, since the new owner arrived in Summer 2005, there have not been any changes in the management. The stocks of hotel Moskva have been rated on the Belgrade Stock Exchange since September 2005.
Hotel Jugoslavija
Hotel Jugoslavija (Serbian: Хотел Југославија / Hotel Jugoslavija) translated in English to Hotel Yugoslavia in Belgrade is one of the oldest luxurious Serbian hotels located in the Novi Beograd municipality.
It was opened in 1969 as one of the biggest hotels in the region. It was used as an accommodation for celebrities and high officials visiting Belgrade. Some of the famous people that stayed in hotel Jugoslavija include Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter , U Thant, Queen Elizabeth II, Willy Brandt, Tina Turner, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, etc. During the years the hotel decayed and has fallen from 5 star hotel to a 3 star one.[1]
In 2006 it was bought by Alpe-Adria Hotels and extensive renovation is expected. On February 21st, 2007 Casinos Austria said it was going to invest 100 million euros into the hotel and transform it into a luxury casino. Hotel will get new 33 storey twin towers. [1]
On the 2nd of July 2007, the Casino Beograd opened its doors, which is located in the hotel. This is the first part of the hotel which reopened its doors. It is to be expected that the casino is going to be still enlarged, so it will become the biggest casino on the Balkans.
Continental Hotel Belgrade
Continental Hotel Belgrade
Continental Hotel Belgrade (Serbian : Континентал Хотел Београд / Kontinental Hotel Beograd) is a five-star hotel located in the New Belgrade area of the City of Belgrade, Serbia. The hotel was formerly part of the InterContinental hotel chain but recently it was removed as the owners of the hotel in Belgrade refused to renew the InterContinental name licence.
History
The hotel was opened 1979. It symbolised a hotel chain entering the market of Yugoslavia that was experiencing ever growing tourism from the west. After the break up of Yugoslavia, the sanctions were imposed onto Serbia as well as total economic and international isolation. The hotel (as every other one in Serbia) became empty. Financial growth plumited to lowest levels however InterContinental opposed the closure of the hotel and continued upgrading facilities in the hotel . The restaurant in the hotel became popular with the Serbian population as it was an oasis within the country. Even though the prices were high it was still popular.
During the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 the hotel was the place where political parties led their meetings and foreign diplomats stayed.
Željko Ražnatović, a mobster and prominent paramilitary leader during the Yugoslav Wars was shot and killed in the lobby of the hotel in 2000. This news was broadcast across the world.
After sanctions were dropped against Serbia, democratic power was restored, tourism started to recover and the hotel started making profits. The luxurious Hyatt Regency Belgrade across the road from the hotel has taken a lot of InterContinental (as it was called) business.
On July 6, 2006 the hotel lost its InterContinental license. In 2007 it was renamed to Hotel International CG and then again to Continental Hotel Belgrade.
Future
If the hotel is not successfully privatised it will go under reconstruction. Government will then seek a 200 million Euro (EUR) credit from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Re categorisation
After leaving the Intercontinental hotel chain, it will be re categorised on behalf of the City of Belgrade. The hotel will be re categorised and is expected to be downgraded from its luxurious 5 star status. Another categorisation will occur after the hotel is privatised.
Hotel information
Continental Hotel Belgrade has 415 rooms, including 30 apartments. The hotel also contains Executive and Club floors. The hotel contains eight banquet and conference rooms are on the mezzanine and represent an ideal place for organizing conventions, congresses, receptions, ceremonies, banquets and fashion shows.
Continental Hotel Belgrade also has a sports and recreation centre which includes tennis courts, squash courts, gym, solariums, sauna, massage, indoor swimming pool and strip-bar.
The Hotel also offers the services of the Business Center, as well as restaurant services.
Aleksandar Palas Hotel
Aleksandar Palas Hotel (Serbian: Aлександар Палас Хотел / Aleksandar Palas Hotel) is a hotel located in Belgrade, Serbia.
History
The Aleksandar Palas Hotel opened its doors in 2002. The hotel in Belgrade is named after the Serbian King, Aleksandar Obrenović. The location of the hotel is between two historical Belgrade streets: Kralja Petra I - the Karadjordjevic Dynasty, and Cara Lazara - the Nemanjic Dynasty, imposed the idea that a third dynasty, Obrenovic Dynasty should also have its place in the hotel name.
The building in which the hotel is located was built in 1887, the hotel is located in a architectural complex. This central zone has been declared a pedestrian zone. The Aleksandar Palas Hotel has been declared to be a five star hotel by the Serbian Ministry of Tourism, Commerce and Services.
Location
The Aleksandar Palas hotel is located in the very heart of Belgrade, at the corner of the streets Kralja Petra I and Cara Lazara. Situated near the hotel is the Kalemegdan Fortress with an extensive park and the city symbol, the statue of the Victor. The main street, Knez Mihailova, is about 80 meters from the hotel as well as the "Saborna" church and the Patriarchate of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Many banks, such as the National bank of Serbia are right across the hotel. The access to the freeway is quick, thus communication with the Belgrade Nikola Tesla airport is very simple. Nearby, approximately 1000 meters, are both the Central bus and train stations.
Swissôtel Amsterdam
Swissôtel Amsterdam is a four star hotel in the city centre of Amsterdam. It is part of the Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts hotel group based in Zurich, Switzerland. The hotel entrance is at Damrak, the city’s ‘red carpet’ which runs from Amsterdam Centraal railway station to Dam Square, Amsterdam’s central town square. The hotel is overlooking De Bijenkorf Department Store across Damrak. The 6-storey hotel was built in 1986 and comprises 109 rooms of which 13 are suites. The middle part of the hotel was newly built in a style resembling early 20th century urban office architecture. It is flanked by two buildings from the 1930’s which have been completely stripped to house hotel rooms whilst keeping the historic Amsterdam School facades intact. The last renovation took place in 2004.
Because of its central location near the Royal Palace at Dam Square, the Nieuwe Kerk and Madame Tussauds, Swissôtel Amsterdam is particularly popular among tourists.
The building was damaged by a fire on January 15, 2008. Dutch news is reporting that it is possibly a coverup for a possible murder that occurred on the 3rd floor. The hotel sustained minimal damage and is open and guests only had to miss one night's stay and that was only on the 3rd floor which is actually room 200-260 and no guest rooms are on the ground level.