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Parliament spent nearly $600,000 on luxury hotel rooms it never used

Parliament spent nearly $600,000 on luxury hotel rooms it didn’t use when nearly half of the listed delegates for a conference of European parliamentarians it hosted either didn’t show up or chose less expensive hotels.

Parliament expected 700 delegates to attend the annual meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly, which took place in Vancouver from June 30 to July 4. The conference is usually held in Europe, where most of its members are based .

Only 365 delegates ended up attending, and not all of them stayed at the government selected hotels. That left taxpayers on the hook for 1,400 overnight stays worth $596,000 in total — an average of $425 a night.

Audio-visual costs for the conference were also higher than expected, contributing to the event going $649,000 over the original budget of $1.8 million.

Sen. Elizabeth Marshall, former auditor general for Newfoundland and Labrador, questioned why the conference cost so much.

WATCH: Looking back at the OSCE PA conference

What did the OSCE AP delegates talk about?

Liberal MP Hedy Fry, head of the Canadian delegation to the OSCE AP conference last summer, describes what was accomplished during the conference.

“It is

Melia Hotels International Announces Ambitious Global Expansion for Its Luxury Portfolio, With One in Three New Openings a Luxury Hotel

Meliá Hotels International, Spain’s leading hotel group and the third largest in Europe, has announced the ambitious global expansion of its luxury brands, with one in three of its pipeline openings within its luxury portfolio. From Europe and Africa to Central America, Meliá brings its signature Spanish hospitality to some of the world’s most captivating locations, with each development offering luxury experiences responsibly.

In 2023, Meliá added to its portfolio of hotels in Tanzania with the opening of Ngorongoro Lodge Meliá Collection – a design-led lodge in one of the most biodiverse places on the planet – and celebrated the Paradisus by Meliá brand landing in Europe with openings in Lanzarote and Gran Canaria. Continuing the commitment to global expansion and growth of its luxury portfolio, Meliá is preparing to open the doors to some of its most ambitious and luxurious hotels yet: Palazzo Cordusio Gran Meliá in Milan, ME by Meliá properties in Lisbon and Malta, and ZEL, a new lifestyle brand and joint venture with tennis legend, Rafael Nadal.

GRAN MELIÁ GROWS INTERNATIONALLY

The global growth of Gran Meliá Hotels & Resorts is key in reinforcing Meliá’s positioning in the luxury sector. Dedicated to creating cultural enrichment, Gran

The Palomar by Crossway Luxury, a boutique hotel, opens in ECR Chennai, ET HospitalityWorld



<p/>The Palomar by Crossway Luxury, a boutique hotel, opens in ECR Chennai.
<p>“/<figcaption class=The Palomar by Crossway Luxury, a boutique hotel, opens in ECR Chennai.

The Palomar by Crossway, managed by Crossway Hotels and Resorts, has opened in East Coast Road, Chennai. This boutique hotel developed by Chennai based Librans group is strategically located at the East Coast Road with easy access to the Rajiv Gandhi Salai also known as OMR.

The hotel features 23 well-designed rooms, a global cuisine restaurant, a pub, and other attractions. The hotel will also host a roof top restaurant with scintillating views of the beach and the Buckingham Canal along with the skyline of OMR. The hotel also has access to the Akkarai beach other entertainment spots like VGP Amusement Park, Marine kingdom and Mahabalipuram.

Private meeting spaces, a meeting room lounge, swimming pool and lawns are the other usable facilities offered by the property as well.

Yangya Prakash Chandran, Founder and CEO of Crossway Hotels and Resorts said, “We are extremely delighted to be opening The Palomar by Crossway, a luxury boutique hotel which will bring a fresh slice of life to the hospitality scene in Chennai. Crossway Hotels which is known for

Italian restaurant opens at Cameron House hotel in Scotland

Diners can expect a menu “packed with authentic regional dishes” courtesy of Italian chef Pasquale Calvanese and Pizzaiolo Ivano Erme who focus on traditional recipes executed with modern flair.

Standout plates are said to include ‘Nduja steamed mussels in a Calabrian sauce with homemade focaccia, carpaccio of beef with mushrooms, and burrata with smoked aubergine to start.

Next up are mains of swordfish with artichoke tapenade or chicken Milanese with Spaghetti Napolitana and pizzas that are cooked to order in a wood-fired Valoriani oven

Completing the menu is a selection of handmade pasta with the likes of carbonara and beef cheek and short rib barolo ragu available alongside a special of the day.

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The restaurant’s ‘aperitivo hour’ introduces a dedicated negroni menu, offering eight variations of the classic cocktail, from the original to coffee, ginger and banana twists alongside Venetian style spritz and signature dishes.

On the wine list, you’ll find an Italian selection sourced from Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily available by the bottle and glass.

The Herald: Pictured: La Vista is open for breakfast through to aperitivo hour and dinner. Pictured: La Vista is open for breakfast through to aperitivo hour and dinner. (Image: Supplied)

Elsewhere,

Marriott International Redefines the Luxury Hospitality Landscape With a Strong Pipeline of One-of-a-kind Hotels & Resorts Set to Debut in 2024

From International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Cannes, Marriott International, Inc. announces its milestone 500th luxury hotel opening, bolstering its position as a leader in luxury. Featuring an unrivaled portfolio of luxury hotel brands, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, W Hotels, The Luxury Collection, EDITION, JW Marriott and Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, Marriott confidently pushes the boundaries of experiential travel reimagining the future of luxury and offering the limitless and transformational power of cultural discovery.

Marriott’s 500 markingsth luxury property with The St. Regis Riyadh, the company’s formidable portfolio now spans 69 countries and territories with five new hotels slated to open in the final weeks of 2023 in coveted and emerging destinations around the globe. Over 200 luxury hotels and resorts across Marriott’s luxury portfolio are in the global development pipeline, including 24 properties expected to open in 2024.

The debut of The St. Regis Riyadh as our 500th luxury hotel stands as a momentous milestone for Marriott International, underscoring our mission to bring unparalleled access to the most exclusive destinations and farthest reaches of the world. Our luxury portfolio is complemented by truly exceptional guest experiences, allowing us to set the standard for the future

Hilton partners with luxury boutique hotel company

Hilton Worldwide has partnered with Small Luxury Hotels of the World, which will give Hilton guests the ability to book rooms and earn loyalty points for stays at SLH’s roughly 560 boutique hotel members.


Hilton Worldwide has partnered with Small Luxury Hotels of the World, which will give Hilton guests the ability to book rooms and earn loyalty points for stays at SLH’s boutique member hotels. (Photo by William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)(Getty Images/William Thomas Cain)

McLean, Virginia-based Hilton Worldwide has partnered with Small Luxury Hotels of the World, which will give Hilton guests the ability to book rooms and earn loyalty points for stays at SLH’s roughly 560 boutique hotel members.

Financial terms of the partnership weren’t disclosed. The deal raises mainstream exposure for SLH’s members, all of which are independently-owned luxury properties that collectively market their hotels as unique guest experiences.

SLH member hotels can be found in 90 countries.

“Hilton guests are among the most sophisticated travelers

Luxury hotel trends to watch in 2024

It’s harder than ever to open a new luxury hotel. Interest rates and construction costs are high, so even the projects that do move ahead take longer than expected to finish.

On one hand, that means fewer new hotels entering the space, so nightly rates are going even higher. But on the other hand, it puts major pressure on hotel owners to renovate and refresh existing hotels to provide something new to longtime guests. This often means new restaurants, outside-the-box experiences and revitalized guest rooms and suites.

The recent International Luxury Travel Market conference in Cannes, France, showed some of the leading trends in luxury hotels heading into 2024. Here are some of our takeaways.

Beefed-up experiences

Luxury hotel brands, in general, don’t add waves of new hotels in the best of business climates. But financing trends nowadays make it harder than ever to expand into new markets. When a brand can’t add a slew of new properties, suddenly the existing hotels in its portfolio must shine brighter than ever before. This means providing returning guests with new experiences alongside lofty room and suite buildouts they haven’t seen before.

The Peninsula New York, first opened in 1905, is undergoing a

Kempinski Hotels elevates luxury hospitality standards prioritizing guest experience amid industry recovery

BARCELONA, Spain — Shiji, the global hospitality technology innovator, analyzed thousands of guest reviews and found that Kempinski Hotels moved to first place in the Brand Competition analysis in 2023. Despite the challenges posed by the hospitality recovery period, Kempinski Hotels, the world’s oldest luxury hotel group with 832 properties worldwide, has demonstrated unwavering dedication to elevating guest experiences. Kempinski Hotels invested significant effort into leveraging Shiji ReviewPro’s Brand Competition feature to analyze guest feedback data and make data-driven guest experience decisions.

Kempinski Hotels’ commitment to innovation and guest-centricity is remarkable. Leveraging analytics and data, Kempinski has not only elevated its guest experience but also set a new benchmark for excellence in luxury hospitality,” said Kevin King, CEO at Shiji International.

Kempinski Hotels motivates its teams to uphold high standards. Leveraging Brand Competition data and the analysis of regional rankings as well as comparing semantic trends with competitors has contributed to identifying their strengths and weaknesses. It enabled targeted improvements in regions where competitors lag. By monitoring their Global Review Index (GRI) against competing brands around the globe, and agilely executing on improvement opportunities, the luxurious hotel group observed consistent quality growth, rising from 5th to 1st place

Kolkata: Man Posing As Army Major Stays At Luxury Hotel, Takes BMW Ride Before Landing In Cop Net | Kolkata News

Arrest

Kolkata: An individual posing as a high-ranking army officer attempted to enter Fort William, the Eastern Command headquarters of the Indian Army in Kolkata. However, his russe was quickly discovered when he struggled to provide his details in the officer’s entry register.

The imposter arrived at Fort William in a black BMW, driven by a chauffeur, claiming to be an Army Major named MS Chauhan from the 5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) unit. When asked to register his details, he repeatedly referred to his mobile number, arousing suspicion among the on-duty military personnel.

Upon investigation, it was found that the imposter hailed from Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, and had a history of fraudulent activities. He has been confined to a juvenile home in Odisha from September 2023 to February 2024.

Following his release, the imposter stayed at Hotel Pride in Cuttack on February 13, where he defrauded the establishment of ₹6,393 before leaving. He then traveled without a ticket to Howrah Railway Station on March 14, eventually making his way to the airport. En route, he contacted the JW Marriott Hotel, requesting a cab to pick him up upon arrival, and stayed there. He later hired a BMW cab from

Mallorca set to expand its luxury hotels in 2024 « Euro Weekly News

In an exciting development for Mallorca’s hospitality industry, the Mallorca Hotel Federation has announced a significant expansion in the island’s luxury hotel segment.

With 65 existing five-star hotels, the addition of globally esteemed brands such as Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental marks a new era of upscale tourism in Mallorca.

The upcoming summer season will see the grand opening of the Four Seasons Resort at Formentor, poised to become a landmark destination.

Later in the year, the eagerly anticipated Mandarin Oriental Punta Negra Resort is set to open its doors, further elevating the island’s luxury accommodation offerings.

A noteworthy addition to this year’s openings is the Hotel Valldemossa, currently on schedule to welcome guests from February 29.

The IT Unique Spaces Group, renowned for their exclusive five-star boutique hotels in Palma and Pollensa, has meticulously refurbished this 19th-century gem.

Once part of the Royal Charterhouse Palace of Valldemossa, the hotel is nestled in a stunning location with unparalleled views over the charming town and the majestic Sierra Tramuntana, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

This combination of historical elegance and modern luxury promises an unforgettable experience for discerning travelers.

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