Raffles Wins Contract To Manage Luxury Resort

By Staff -- HOTELS Magazine, 10/1/2003

Raffles Wins Contract To Manage Luxury Resort
John Q. Hammons Plans Second Hotel In Alabama
Rezidor Expands Presence In Ireland

Raffles Wins Contract To Manage Luxury Resort
Canouan Island, The Grenadines Raffles International Limited, Singapore, has signed a management contract with Canouan Resort Development Ltd. to operate a luxury resort on Canouan Island in the heart of the Caribbean. This management contract is the fourth Raffles International has signed in five months.

The Raffles Resort at Canouan Island, The Grenadines, (formerly known as Carenage Bay Resort) is set on its own private 1,200 acres (486 ha) of land surrounded by green hills, secluded white beaches and the sea of southern Antilles. The resort was designed by Italian architect Luigi Vietti and offers 156 accommodations in one- and two-story villas with ocean views. The resort has closed for renovations and will re-open in mid-2004, when guests will have access to an 18-hole championship-grade golf course designed by Jim Fazio, a 10,000-sq. ft. (929-sq. m) luxury Raffles Amrita spa, private yacht mooring, a beachfront pool and Jacuzzi, and four restaurants and bars.

“Raffles Resort at Canouan Island is beyond a mere resort. It is truly a premier destination in itself, and we are proud to include it among our Raffles International portfolio of hotels,” says Jennie Chua, chairman and CEO of Raffles International. “This contract not only gives us an excellent opportunity to be in such a vibrant resort market as that of the Caribbean, but it is also in line with our strategic objectives of expanding our geographical footprint and pursuing asset light growth.”

John Q. Hammons Plans Second Hotel In Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama John Q. Hammons has announced he will develop a second hotel in Alabama, the 300-suite Embassy Suites Hotel, which will be located in downtown Huntsville’s cultural and entertainment district. The US$40 million property will be owned by John Q. Hammons and will be managed by John Q. Hammons Hotels, Springfield, Missouri.

Construction of the Embassy Suites Hotel is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2004 followed by a grand opening in the third quarter of 2005.

The Embassy Suites Hotel’s décor will emit a contemporary flair and will feature a variety of amenities for both business and leisure travelers. Every suite will have a private bedroom and a living room with a sofa sleeper. In addition, each of the hotel’s 300 suites will be equipped with two color televisions, high-speed Internet service, customizable voicemail, Nintendo 64 and WebTV.

Guest also will be able to enjoy a sports bar, restaurant and lounge, as well as full cooked-to-order breakfast during their stay. Other features include a cardio fitness center, 24-hour gift shop, complimentary business center, and an oversized pool and whirlpool.

Rezidor Expands Presence In Ireland
Ireland Rezidor is expanding its presence in Ireland and has signed agreements for the development of two new Radisson SAS hotels. The first agreement is with Earl’s Construction Company Ltd. to manage a hotel in Athlone, located on the banks of the Shannon River. The second project is an agreement with Ballincar House Partnership for the management of a hotel in Sligo, the largest town in northwest Ireland. Both hotels are scheduled to open in early 2004.

The 116-room Radisson Hotel in Athlone is centrally located at Silver Quay, an exclusive development on the banks of the Shannon, considered one of the most desirable areas in Atholone because of its riverside location and scenic views.

Facilities will include a restaurant, bar, a 1,600-sq. ft. (149 sq. m) main ballroom, which can be divided into three separate rooms and can accommodate up to 500 people, as well as six additional meeting rooms. Guests also will have access to an expansive, fully equipped health and fitness center with a swimming pool.

According to Vincent Earls, managing director of Earl’s Construction, the hotel project’s approximate cost will be US$41.5 million.

The Radisson SAS Hotel in Sligo will offer 132 guestrooms, a restaurant and a bar. Other facilities available to guests will include a state-of-the-art spa and health club with 20 treatment rooms and a large conference center, able to accommodate up to 900 people, as well as a ballroom, which will accommodate up to 600 people. The conference center will have a variety of boardrooms, meeting and breakout rooms.

The 420-room (including 18 junior suites) ClubHotel RIU Negril is an all-inclusive 5-star property scheduled to open in mid-2004. ClubHotel Negril will be located on Bloody Bay, near RIU Tropical Bay, the company’s first resort in Jamaica, which opened in 2001.

As an all-inclusive resort, guests will receive all meals and snacks, theme dinners served twice a week, access to an Italian theme restaurant, à la carte restaurant for dinner, pool restaurant, snack bar and grill steakhouse, as well as unlimited domestic and imported alcoholic beverages, tropical juice cocktails and soft drinks.

Other facilities and services offered are outdoor swimming pools with an integrated whirlpool, conference room, fitness center, spa, sauna and Jacuzzi. ClubHotel RIU also offers an entertainment program for children ages 4 to 12, a children’s mini club and playground and a children’s swimming pool. For adults interested in sports, the hotel will offer a variety of activities that include two lighted tennis courts, shuffleboard, snorkeling, kayaking, aerobics, windsurfing and body boarding.

The architect of ClubHotel RIU Negril is Luis Andino, and the interior designer is José Martín Fernández. The owner/developer and management company is RIU Hotels & Resorts, Playa de Palma, Mallorca, Spain.