Grand Vista Introduces First Timeshare In Tunica

By Staff -- HOTELS Magazine, 6/1/1999

TUNICA, MISSISSIPPI Grandvista Resorts, LLC, Branson, Missouri, announced the construction of the 306-room Grandvista Suites At Tunica. The first phase, consisting of 32 units, the Club House and pool, is scheduled for completion in late 1999. "Grandvista is excited about being the first timeshare presence in Tunica," said Rick Huffman, director of Grandvista Resorts. "We approach every project that we undertake with a keen understanding of quality and value. We plan to bring that to Tunica," added Huffman.

The Grandvista Suites will be a southern style timeshare resort with each unit having a fully-equipped kitchen with all appliances, southern style décor and marble floors. All Grandvista resorts are RCI Gold Crown Resorts assuring quality of lifestyle, quality of vacation choices and quality of vacation accommodations and service.

Hilton Opens New Airport Hotel In Rome

ROME, ITALY Hilton International has signed a management agreement to operate a new airport hotel based at Rome's international airport.

The eight-story, 519-room hotel is the only hotel directly linked to the airport's international and national terminals. Facilities within the property will include restaurants, a coffee shop, lobby lounge, cocktail bar, ballroom for 370 guests and 12 meeting rooms. Leisure facilities will include a fitness center with indoor pool and tennis courts.

The Hilton Rome Airport hotel is scheduled to open in late 1999 and will be managed by Hilton on behalf of Icarus S.p.A, who has the concession to the site. "We are delighted that our new management contract gives us the opportunity to work closely with a strong company in the Italian market," said David Jarvis, chief executive of Hilton International. "There is also great potential for this hotel, as passenger growth at Leonardo da Vinci Airport is expected to increase 4% each year," added Jarvis.

A US$11 Million Renovation At Inter-Continental New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA A full-scale renovation of the 482-room Hotel Inter-Continental will begin in August 1999 and is scheduled for completion by mid-2000.

A local design firm, Montgomery Roth Architecture and Interior Design were chosen for the project after presenting several unique design schemes that were inspired by Louisiana's architecture, landscape and culture.

Like the region, the hotel will have a European flavor with exceptional amenities. The design team has commissioned original New Orleans oil paintings that will be produced for each room with residential quality, gold-finished, wood-carved frames. Other new features include a replicated antique coffee bar, marble floors in the entry foyer, vanity and bath, and business desk.

A Refurbished Regent Welcomes The Millennium

SYDNEY The Regent Sydney is readying itself to welcome the millennium and the Olympic Games with a US$32 million renovation. The hotel will be closed between May 1 and August 1, 1999, during the total refurbishment and modernization of the hotel according to Stephen Lewis, the general manager of the Regent Sydney. The hotel's renovation is scheduled for completion by December.

A significant budget of more than US$32 million will be spent by architects Woodhead International, Sydney, who, together with interior designer Wilson & Associates of Singapore, will completely design all guestrooms and suites in a classic contemporary style.

A new feature of the hotel will be the Regent Club on Level 32, an exclusive area comprising lounge and dining facilities, and an eggs-to-order breakfast buffet. The hotel will also be converting two rooms on the corners of each floor into one large premier room. (This conversion will reduce the total rooms to 531.) These rooms will boast state-of-the-art information technology capabilities, providing easy access for personal computers and facsimiles.

The 17-year-old Regent Sydney is owned by Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Toronto, Canada, and Walton Street Capital.

ASIA

Raffles Resort Bintan, Bintan Island, Thailand; 300 guestrooms to open in 2000; Contact and management: Raffles International Hotels.

Inter-Continental Hotel, Taichung City, Taiwan; 242 rooms to open in late 2000; Contact Bass Hotels & Resorts.

Grand Hyatt Tokyo, Japan; 430 rooms open 2001; Architect is Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, and interior designer is Chhada Siembieda & Partners Ltd.; Management and contact: Hyatt International Hotels.

Four Seasons, Shanghai; 440 rooms open mid-2000; Owners: Shanghai Industrial Investment Company and Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts; Management and contact: Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.

CARIBBEAN

Sol Melia Hotel, Rio Grande (Coco Beach) Puerto Rico, 1,000 rooms (2 hotels) open in mid-2000; Contact and management: Sol Melia Hotels.

Tryp Village Cay Coco Hotel, Cayo Coco (Ciego de Avila) Cuba; 250 rooms open early 2000; Contact Tryp Hotels.

EUROPE

Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace, Budapest, Hungary; 155-room (previously the historic Gresham Palace) to open 2001; Joint venture between Four Seasons and Gresco Investments Limited; Contact Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.

Swissötel, Goec, Turkey; 400 rooms (a 5-star, 250 room hotel; and a holiday village with 150 suites) to open in 2000; Contact Swissötel Ltd.

Stephen's Green Hotel, Dublin, Ireland; 75 rooms open late 1999 at a cost of US$24million (Lb.$15 million) Management and contact: O'Callaghan Hotels, Dublin, Ireland.

MIDDLE EAST

Marriott Hotel, Beirut, Lebanon; 160 rooms to open in early 2000; Management and contact: Marriott International.

Holiday Inn, Bur Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 240 rooms open early 2001; Contact Bass Hotels & Resorts.

Holiday Inn, Hafir Al Baten, Saudi Arabia; 150 rooms; Renovation completed early 2000; Contact Bass Hotels & Resorts.

Hyatt Regency,Soma Bay, Egypt; 300 rooms open late 2000; Contact Hyatt International Hotels.

NORTH AMERICA

Hilton Madison at Monona Terrace, Madison, Wisconsin; 236 rooms open early 2001 at a cost of US$30.5 million; Architect is Kahler Slater, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the interior designer is Knauer Inc., Highland Park, Illinois; Construction: J.H. Findorff & Sons Inc., Madison, Wisconsin; Owner, developer, management and contact: Marcus Hotels & Resorts.

Westin Resort, Tremblant, Quebec, Canada; 126 suite luxury condominium hotel to open in June 2000 at a cost of US$32 million; Contact Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach, Carlsbad, California; 162 rooms to open in early 2000 at a cost of US$6.7 million; Contractor: MBK Construction Ltd., Irvine, California; WaveCrest Resorts LLC will own the property and MeriStar Management LLC will manage the hotel; Contact Hilton HotelsCorp.

Westin Bellevue at Lincoln Square, Bellevue, Washington; 304-rooms to open in 2001 at a cost of US$60 million; A joint venture between Lincoln Square LLC and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.; Contact: Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

Holiday Inn O'Hare International Airport, Rosemont (near Chicago) Illinois; 507-rooms; Renovation to be completed early 2000; Interior designer: Morrison Seifer Murphy, Dallas, Texas; Owner, management and contact: MeriStar Hotels & Resorts.

Staybridge Suites by Holiday Inn, Myrtle Beach, Florida; 121 suites to open by late 1999; Contact Bass Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

Iberostar (all inclusive) Cozumel, Mexico; 300 rooms: 100 rooms open late 1999; 200 rooms open in 2000; Contact Iberostar, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Jack Tar Village (all inclusive) Cozumel, Mexico; 240 rooms open 2000; Contact Allegro Resorts.

El Cozumeleno Beach Resort (all inclusive) Cozumel, Mexico; 100 rooms (adding 154 rooms); Renovation completed late 1999 at a cost of US$10 million; Contact El Cozumeleno Beach Resort, Cozumel.