Hotel Wrap: OYO seeks $1.5bn, Ceylon deals, Radisson to debut in NZ + MORE!

Hotel Wrap: OYO seeks $1.5bn, Ceylon deals, Radisson to debut in NZ + MORE!

Are you at a loss for accommodation inspiration? Don’t fret: Travel Weekly’s Hotel Wrap has you covered.

OYO Hotels & Homes seeks $1.5 billion in latest round of financing

OYO Hotels & Homes has announced its raising $1.5 billion, as part of the Series F funding round.

RA Hospitality Holdings’ will infuse around $700 million as primary capital in the company, with the balance of $800 million supplemented by other existing investors. A significant part of the funds will be diverted towards continued growth in the United States and in strengthening the company’s vacation rentals business in Europe.

Earlier this year, RA Hospitality Holdings’ received CCI approval to invest $2 billion in OYO. In order to facilitate this transaction, Lightspeed Venture Partners and Sequoia, are selling part of their shareholding in OYO to help the Founder increase his stake while remaining invested and committed to the company’s long-term mission.

Prior to this, OYO raised more than $1 billion in its last financing round, announced on September 2018. It was led by SoftBank through SoftBank Vision Fund, with participation from existing investors Lightspeed Venture, Sequoia and Greenoaks Capital; it was also supported by new strategic partners like Airbnb.

Resplendent Ceylon: Stay five nights, pay for four

Cape Weligama

Enjoy a complimentary fifth night when you book a five-night stay at any of Resplendent Ceylon’s properties: Ceylon Tea Trails, Wild Coast Tented Lodge or Cape Weligama.

Resplendent Ceylon is the award-winning luxury trail of boutique resorts across Sri Lanka, founded by Malik Fernando alongside his father Merrill Fernando of the Dilmah tea family.

This exclusive offer is available now until December 2020 and is eligible for stays in the following date ranges: 1 October to 19 December 2019; 19 April to 31 July 2020; 1 September to 19 December 2020.

Radisson Collection to debut in New Zealand with Queenstown CBD property

Radisson Collection Hotel Queenstown - Rendering of hotel exterior(2)

Radisson Hotel Group has announced the introduction of stylish and sophisticated hospitality to New Zealand, with the signing of the country’s inaugural Radisson Collection hotel in Queenstown.

The launch of Radisson Collection forms part of a strategic expansion of Radisson Hotel Group’s brands in New Zealand; the Group recently announced plans to open its first Radisson Blu, Radisson RED and Park Inn by Radisson hotels in the country, giving guests a fresh choice of world-class accommodation.

Scheduled to open in Q1 2022, Radisson Collection Hotel, Queenstown will be a beautiful new boutique hotel commanding a prime location on the corner of Brecon Street and Man Street, in the buzzing epicentre of the city.

Just a short stroll from a vibrant mix of shops, restaurants and cafes, and close to the famous Skyline Queenstown gondola, the hotel will provide guests an inside track on Queenstown’s lively urban scene.

Vanuatu’s first agro-tourism resort

Palm House Vanuatu

Recently opened in June 2019, The Palm House (TPH) is Vanuatu’s newest luxury boutique resort. Privately owned for the past 15 years, the property has undergone extensive upgrading, now offering Vanuatu’s first agro-tourism resort, with 3,800 hectares of organic farmland.

The resort itself, The Palm House Vanuatu, is situated on the pristine north-west coastline of Efate Island where guests are free to explore over 12 kilometres of private beaches and reef. The property’s appointed villas boast private verandas with unrestricted views across the Pacific Ocean.

The Palm House’s collection of menu options ensure guests share in a fine dining experience with their personal, in-house chef utilising much of the local produce sourced directly from their ranch – embracing a paddock to plate philosophy.

As well as being one of the largest cattle producers in Vanuatu, TPH also proudly own and operate Vate Prawns (Vanuatu’s only prawn operations) and a coconut oil operation (with their organic-certified premium brand coconut oil).

InterContinental Koh Samui Resort celebrates family appeal

IC Samui Baan Taling Ngam-Family 800 x 600

InterContinental Koh Samui Resort is celebrating its 2019 Reader’s Choice award for Top Ten Family Resort with a promotion that recognises its appeal to families and children.

To celebrate, the Resort is offering guests a special promotion that includes three nights in either the Club Two-Bedroom Residence Villa or Club Napa Reserve Three-Bedroom Residence Villa; a 60-minute therapeutic body massage for two adults at the Beach Sala (once per stay); and a Junior Master Chef Cooking Class for the children (once per stay), among other features.

Available for stays from now until 31 March 2020, packages include:

  • Three nights in Club Two-Bedroom Residence Villa – from AUD$ 4,080
  • Three nights in Club Napa Reserve Three-Bedroom Villa – from AUD$ 7,000.

Oaks Hotels, Resorts & Suites offers holidays savings with summer deals

Oaks Broome

Oaks has launched a range of Tropical Summer Deals, exploring rainforest, reef, coast and country across three regions: Broome, Darwin, and Port Douglas.

Oaks Broome Hotel – From now until 31 March 2020

  • Stay two nights for $109 per night in a Studio Apartment
  • Stay two nights for $189 per night in a two-bedroom apartment.

Oaks Elan Darwin Hotel – From now until 30 April 2020

  • Stay 2 nights for just $99 per night in a Hotel Harbour View room and receive a complimentary car park
  • Stay two nights for $109 per night in a Hotel Harbour View room and receive a complimentary breakfast for one and car park
  • Stay two nights for $199 per night in a two-bedroom Harbour View room and receive a complimentary car park.

Oaks Port Douglas Resort – From now until 31 March 2020

  • Stay 2 nights or more for $149 per night in a Garden View hotel room and receive daily breakfast for two and 12:00pm late checkout.

Plantation Island Resort’s bright future and exciting new development

Ocean View Hotel Room 11

Plantation Island Resort is pleased to announce it opened its FJ$16 million development on time on 1 September 2019.

The development features a new arrivals bure, restaurant, pool, bar and 40 new ocean view hotel rooms.

Australia’s first high altitude villa open for business in Bright

BOX ALTITUDE - IPAD CONNECTED

No longer restricted to elite athletes, medical clinics, peaks, or alpine ridges, the high-altitude experience can now be enjoyed by everyday travellers with the launch of Big Sky Retreat’s Altitude I villa – Australia’s first commercial property with simulated altitude sleep technology.

Centrally located in the scenic town of Bright, Victoria, Big Sky’s Altitude I villa is the latest luxury base camp without the summit.

Using Box Altitude technology in the two-bedroom villa, guests are treated to a simulated high-altitude sleeping environment that fills the room with filtered hypoxic air or a lower concentration of oxygen. Controlled by smart sensors by a smart phone app or iPad, Big Sky claims the technology is one of the fastest and easiest ways to give you “increased fitness, energy levels and cognitive threshold”, all while you sleep.

Aerotol has landed at Heathrow and Beijing Daxing International Airport

Family Room at Aerotel Beijing

Aerotel has expanded into two strategic locations – Heathrow, London, and the new airport in China’s capital, Beijing Daxing International Airport.

To celebrate the launch, guests can experience the new Aerotels with special opening offers:

  • Aerotel Beijing – guests enjoy 20 per cent discount for bookings made seven days or more in advance
  • Aerotel London – guests enjoy 30 per cent discount from 7 October until 31 December 2019.

Wyndham Destinations and Bond University partner on Employability Lab project

Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific has teamed up with Bond University’s Employability Lab to deliver an innovative work experience project for students.

Over the next seven weeks, undergraduates from across several disciplines will design and implement marketing campaigns for the Lifestyle by Wyndham benefit program; the program offers members exclusive deals with partners, including Bupa, Harvey Norman, Event Cinemas and Woolworths, as well as discounted eGift cards from a range of top brands.

The Bond University Employability Lab and Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific partnership began Wednesday, 25 September following a briefing with students, who will work in teams to analyse the current product offering, propose improvements and develop marketing campaigns based on their findings.

Karma Resorts to debut ‘game-changing’ green project

Karma Group major green project

Karma Group has revealed it will soon be as eco-friendly as it is luxurious. The travel and lifestyle brand has announced the launch of a major green project, with a plan to roll out a strengthened focus on sustainability across its resorts.

With a goal to have zero waste from plastic bottles, the new approach will see plastic water bottles banned from villas, with all bottles replaced by an Electrolux water gallon dispenser.

Plastic, single-use toiletries will be replaced with recycled plastic bottles; bamboo combs, earbuds, and toothbrushes will also be introduced. One hundred per cent organic and recyclable bags will also be introduced for Karma Group to decrease the use of plastic bags by “355.40 per cent”.

Banyan Tree raises US$53,000 for children in Phuket

Banyan Tree Football_IMG_8097

Through a series of sports and food fundraising activities at the inaugural Children First Charity Event (CFCE), Banyan Tree has raised more than USD 53,200 for underprivileged children.

The company marked its 25th anniversary on 26 September with the event, which will remain on Banyan Tree Phuket’s event calendar to promote a healthy lifestyle and to help children annually.

Banyan Tree claims the funds will be directed to Children First Fund (CFF), in support of seven orphanages across Phuket, housing more than 400 underprivileged children.

One of the features of the event was a friendly “Children First Charity Football Match”, held at Bangtao Stadium, Baan Bangtao School. It featured footballers from Laguna Phuket, Banyan Tree and Kao Kon La Kao Foundation – a charity established by Thai rock star Artiwara “Toon” Kongmalai that fundraises for hospitals in need of medical equipment.

After the final whistle, “P. Toon” also donated his signed football boots to an impromptu live auction, raising US$4,572 towards CFF.

Featured image: ‘Cocoon’ at Wild Coast Tented Lodge/Élysée Collective

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