Great Britain: Sofitel at London Heathrow's Terminal 5
Finland: Hilton Helsinki-Vantaa Airport Opens
Czech Republic: Hilton Prague Renovates, Updates
Belgium: Brussels Congress Center Opens 2009
Egypt: Maritim Royal Peninsula Hotel and Resort & ICC, Sharm El Sheikh
Mozambique: Quilalea Reopen in December
Poland: Polonia Palace Hotel Warsaw
The I&MI On-Line Seminars are a new feature designed to help planners get a more in-depth overview of featured destinations and suppliers in an interactive format. Click the logo of the destination you wish to view and enjoy the trip!
http://www.i-mi.com
Incentives & Meetings International is introducing a new service to showcase select international destinations to qualified buyers of MICE programs.
http://www.i-mi.com
The InterContinental Hotels Group is embarking on one of the largest projects in the company's history, opening three properties in conjunction with the Al-Futtaim Group this November in Dubai. The hotels are the InterContinental Dubai Festival City, Crown Plaza Dubai Festival City and the long-stay InterContinental Residence Suites. Both the InterContinental Dubai Festival City and the Crown Plaza Dubai will each have a 3,800 sqm/40,903 sqft Event Center. The project is all the more significant for IHG because the opening of the 500-room InterContinental Dubai Festival City marks a milestone - it is the 150th InterContinenal hotel.
EIBTM, which takes place 27-29 November at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, is adding an additional eight destinations to its Hosted Buyer post event tour program. Hosted Buyers will have the opportunity to visit Alicante, Toledo, Oviedo, San Sebastian, Salamanca, Madrid, Valencia or Venice this year in addition to last year's post tours to Amsterdam, London, Bilbao, Costa Daurada and Sitges, which will also be part of the tour program. For information and pre-registration for the EIBTM Hosted Buyer program go to http://www.eibtm.com.
Two new important airport hotels are making their debut. The recently opened Hilton Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and the Sofitel London Heathrow, which opens this spring, are really special properties. Please read about them in this edition.
Until next time
Best
The Sofitel London Heathrow, scheduled to open next spring in conjunction with the opening of the airport's new Terminal 5, is the largest new build hotel planned for London before the 2012 Olympics. The 5-Star, 607-room property connects directly to Terminal 5 via a link bridge into one of its 5 atriums. At a cost of £180 million, the Sofitel will be one of the most luxurious and one of the largest MICE hotels in Europe. John Donaldson, executive director of Sofitel London Heathrow, said, "The Sofitel London Heathrow will be a MICE hotel like no other... we wanted to get the design and functionality correct from the very beginning – we started by talking to the most important people of all, namely the event organizers. Using their input we have been able to create a MICE destination that will have every possible convenience ensuring that the experience for delegates and organizers is faultless."
The property will have 41 meeting rooms, of various sizes with the largest seating 1,700 delegates, three boardrooms with private dining facilities and a theater with rake seating for 117. The theater is equipped with interactive voting, seating microphones; laptop connectivity and translations services can be arranged. There are also three dedicated event organizers' offices. Wireless Internet access is available in all public areas and high-speed Internet in guest bedrooms.
Additional hotel facilities will include several restaurants and bars, a Health Spa with pool, gymnasium, aerobics studio and beauty treatments.
Email: rajshah@arorainternational.com for Raj Shah, Director of Sales & Marketing
SevenCenters of Germany – Five Years of Success
Since Germany’s seven largest congress centers with directly adjoining extensive exhibition areas joined to establish SevenCenters of Germany five years ago, their common aim has been to promote Germany and make it the world’s foremost destination for major conventions. The promotional work has reaped results - Germany is now the top destination in Europe and has been second internationally three times in a row in the rankings of the International Congress & Convention Association ICCA in Amsterdam. Based on advanced bookings for events, Germany will retain its position until 2017.Visit us at the German Pavilion J 100/K 100 at EIBTM from
27 to 29 November 2007 in Barcelona to learn more about the boundless possibilities at the SevenCenters of Germany.
The award winning Hilton Prague is renovating, modernizing and expanding. Guest room renovation, already 75% complete, is expected to be finished in March 08 and five new meeting rooms with a total of 120 sqm/1,292 sqft opened last month. With the addition of the new meeting rooms, the hotel has a total of 38 event rooms including the Congress Hall and the Hilton Grand Ballroom. The entrance area is being remodeled. New landscaping will add more greenery and trees.
Last month, construction began on the Sky Bar located on the rooftop of the hotel. Sky Bar, scheduled for completion in May 2008, will have an open terrace giving guests great views over the city. A 1,500 sm/16,146 sqft Conference Center with ballroom and adjacent breakout rooms accommodating conferences of up to 4,400 delegates will also be built. Completion of the Conference Center is expected to be during 2009.
Eamil: marketa.sebkova@hilton.com, Marketing and PR
Web site: http://www.prague.hilton.com
The Winter Meeting Special at Hilton Frankfurt
The very modern Hilton Frankfurt is located in the heart of the city next to the banking district, the old opera house, the famous shopping mile and a lovely park, which is beautiful to walk and relax in. The property offers an indoor half-Olympic-sized swimming pool (25 x 15m/80 x 50 feet).
Welcome To Budapest
Le Méridien Budapest is located in the heart of the city, close to the main business districts, the shopping areas and within walking distance to Budapest’s main sights and the river Danube. The hotel is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, and was the first hotel in Hungary to have received the 5* Diamond Award. 192 rooms and 26 suites provide perfect comfort and state-of-the-art amenities (WIFI and high-speed Internet, fully interactive LCD TV sets) and 24-hour room service. The 8th floor health club features a natural daylight pool and Jacuzzi, sauna, steam bath, massage and a fully equipped exercise room. 2 restaurants and the Adria Palace Bar cater to your dining and entertainment experiences.