US hotel chain Hilton has unveiled a new lobby design intended for its global hotels and resorts.
The new lobby, which is being premiered in the chain’s hotel at McLean Tysons Corner, Virginia, is designed with distinct “zones” for guests and visitors and radically overhauls the brand’s current reception areas.
Instead of a desk-oriented approach, the new, modern design focuses on interaction and collaboration, with the centerpiece an 18-hour bar which evolves from coffee shop to cafe to cocktail bar as the day progresses.
Hotel brand Accor opened a new property in the Western Chinese city of Lijiang this month, as travelers seek to widen their experience of the once-unknown country.
Accor said that it was opening the Pullman Lijiang Resort & Spa in Yunnan province as China’s “wild west” becomes increasingly popular with experienced Australian travelers, who are now looking for lesser-known spots.
The resort offers a mixture of rooms and villas, with a 2000 square meter spa, lakeside bars and two restaurants serving international and Chinese cuisine.
Hotel group Accor has announced that it will implement a range of services designed to cater to the needs of inbound travellers from China and India.
The company, which operates hotel brands such as Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel, ibis and Motel 6, will begin rolling out its new Optimum Service Standards this year in its Australian hotels.
The new scheme will mean that parts of the hotel stay will be specifically tailored to the nationality in question, with particular foods being added to the hotels’ breakfast buffet, for instance.
If you’re looking for an ethical bed for the night, Marriott or Wyndham might be the easiest options, according to a recently-released survey.
The hotel giants were selected among the four most ethical hotel chains in the world, along with two smaller competitors — luxury chain Kimpton and German group Rezidor Hotels (operators of Radisson Blu and Park Inn).
All four were chosen as the leading travel providers among the world’s most ethical companies by Ethisphere, an international think tank.
InterContinental has become the latest hotel chain to connect its customers to its staff via videoconferencing.
They have introduced a new chat feature which allows guests and future guests to connect with its concierges via Apple’s FaceTime videoconferencing service.
Nine InterContinental hotels around the world have equipped their staff with the new video-capable iPad 2 tablet, allowing them to answer questions and give advice to travelers via video calls before the guests arrive.
Marriott‘s new Autograph brand is to appear in Europe for the first time within months, the firm said March 7.
Autograph, an upscale brand which brings together independent hotels and resorts under the Marriott name, will appear first in Spain, where the company plans to add four properties currently owned by AC Hotels into the exclusive group.
The hotels include the historic AC Santo Mauro and AC Palacio del Retiro buildings in Madrid, which have been converted from houses into five-star properties.
