Hotel Wrap: IHG partners with OzHarvest, M. Group launches fourth Bali residence + MORE!

Hotel Wrap: IHG partners with OzHarvest, M. Group launches fourth Bali residence + MORE!

Another week, and a few more outstanding properties open around the world. Get acquainted with them all right here (minus the bathrobes and slippers, of course).

M. Group launches fourth residence in spectacular Bali location

Outdoor dining area at Mandala.The Bay Nusa Lembongan, Bali, by M. Group

M. Group has announced the launch of its fourth property, Mandala.The Bay, a five-bedroom villa on the island of Nusa Lembongan in Bali.

The new residence is only a 30-minute boat ride from busy Bali but feels a world away, and is surrounded by crystal clear waters perfect for diving, surfing and snorkelling. The island can also be hiked in two hours and is dotted with pristine white sandy beaches, many of which are untouched.

Mandala.The Bay’s design blends traditional Balinese architecture with modernist interiors, finishes and artworks, boasting five individually-designed king bedrooms spread over 1,200 square metres.

This follows M. Group’s launch of the Clubhouse at Ulu, in September.

IHG teams up with OzHarvest to help Australians in need   

OzHarvest and IHG

OzHarvest CEO and founder Ronni Kahn AO, and IHG managing director Australia and Japan Leanne Harwood.

IHG has announced a national partnership with OzHarvest, Australia’s leading food rescue charity, in a bid to propel the company forward in its war on waste in bigger, bolder ways.

The ‘Awesome Partnership’ kicked off at the start of September to coincide with IHG’s annual Giving for Good Month and will see the two organisations team up over the next two years to tackle waste minimisation and hospitality skills training, helping those in need.

By supporting OzHarvest’s Food Rescue program, IHG will prevent good food from hotels going to waste and using it to feed hungry Australians through a network of charities across Australia. The initiative aims to minimise food waste and “provides high quality, nutritious meals to those in need”, and dramatically reduces the negative impact on the environment by lightening the load on landfill, IHG said.

Additionally, IHG will sponsor at least ten at-risk 16 to 25-year-olds to earn a Certificate II or III in Hospitality through the OzHarvest Nourish Program.

In addition to the Partnership commitment and global Giving for Good contribution, IHG’s Australian hotels rallied together and raised $25,000 in September by holding barbeques, raffles, challenges and Dollar Diners.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has also announced its first foray into Micronesia, following the signing of an agreement with owner APHI Guam to take on management of Fiesta Resort Guam.

From now on, the hotel will join the IHG system, rebranding as Crowne Resort Guam in early 2021, following an extensive, multi-million-dollar refurbishment.

The 318-room hotel is located in the centre of Tumon Bay, with direct beach access and a short walk from high-end shopping areas.

Wildlife Retreat at Taronga Zoo opens

Taronga Wildlife Retreat

Taronga Conservation Society Australia has opened the Wildlife Retreat at Taronga, a new overnight eco-retreat on Cammeraigal country, nestled within Taronga Zoo on the edge of Sydney Harbour.

Owned and operated by Taronga Conservation Society Australia, the Wildlife Retreat at Taronga features 62 rooms in five environmentally sensitive and sustainably designed lodges and ‘The Sanctuary’, created especially for guests of the Retreat.

‘The Sanctuary’ is home to an array of native wildlife including Wallabies, Bettongs, Short-beaked Echidnas and Koalas, and can be enjoyed either on a guided tour or viewed from the comfort of guests’ rooms.

Rates start at $790 per night for two adults and includes two-course dinner, buffet breakfast, immersive and exclusive Australian animal experiences and complimentary general admission to Taronga Zoo.

Taveuni Palms, Fiji voted best luxury resort in Oceania and Australia

Taveuni Palms, Fiji voted best luxury resort in Oceania and Australia

Taveuni Palms Resort, Fiji has won prestigious awards at the recent 2019 World Luxury Hotel Awards and at the 2019 Seven Stars Luxury Hospitality and Lifestyle Awards.

The boutique resort won the ‘2019 Luxury Private Pool Villa Continent Winner, Australia and Oceania’ at the World Luxury Hotel Awards. It also won the exclusive, “Signum Virtutis”, the Seal of Excellence, at the 2019 Seven Stars Luxury Hospitality and Lifestyle Awards in the Hotels and Resorts sector, for the fourth consecutive year.

Both awards are voted for by consumers and identify the exceptional from the very best. They reward luxury hotels worldwide, their world class facilities and excellence in guest service.

YTL Hotels announces transformation of The Starhill Gallery, Kuala Lumpur

YTL Hotels has announced the transformation of the Starhill Gallery shopping mall located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s shopping belt Bukit Bintang.

The mall will be fully revealed as The Starhill – Home of the Tastemakers in 2021, aiming to redefine Kuala Lumpur’s shopping scene in a new concept that infuses hospitality into the retail experience. Patrons will shop and stay in a refined home-like environment replete with tasteful, thoughtful touches.

The Starhill will be distinguished by four floors of retail space and three more floors of hotel rooms creatively converted from former retail spaces in the upper levels of the mall.

The adjoining hotel JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur will also be adding 162 rooms to its current inventory on the upper floors of The Starhill to cater to the increasing demand for hotel rooms in the capital.

Second AC Hotels by Marriott property signed in Australia

Marriott International is pleased to announce the signing of AC Hotel by Marriott Melbourne, Ringwood, a 200-room new build hotel that will be developed by Melbourne-based Sunstone Projects.

Slated to open in 2024, it marks the second signed AC Hotels by Marriott hotel in Australia, following the signing of AC Hotel by Marriott Melbourne, Southbank in 2018.

Marriott Bonvoy has also launched its final global promotion of 2019 – “Unlock More”.

By registering for the promotion, members will be rewarded with 2,000 bonus points after two stays at any of the 7,000 participating Marriott Bonvoy properties located in 132 countries and territories.

Once a member completes two qualifying stays during the promotion earning period, they will unlock a personalised offer to earn even more bonus points on stays.

All stays need to be completed by 14 January 2020. Points can then be redeemed for free nights, flights, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and more. Members have until 31 December 2019 to register for this promotion.

The Peninsula Paris launches ‘Art in Resonance’

Saya Woolfalk Installation at Seattle Art Museum in the Disguise Exhibit, 2015/photo by Nathaniel Willson

The Peninsula Hotels has officially launched the next chapter of its global contemporary art programme ‘Art in Resonance’.

The occasion was marked by a celebration held at The Peninsula Paris on Thursday, 26 September attended by art and fashion world notables Kerby Jean-Raymond, Selby Drummond and Olivia Palermo.

Highlights of the exhibition include:

  • A dazzling, immersive projection by artist Saya Woolfalk, which investigates an expanded definition of cultural diversity
  • A three-dimensional structure designed by local French artist Elise Morin which references the landscape and nature while focusing on the ‘life-cycle’ of man-made objects and their material burden on this planet; and
  • ‘HOME’, the neon sculpture by Ivan Navarro, which uses space and light to encourage its audience to reimagine the concept of home, among others.

Six Senses Bhutan welcomes Gangtey

Following the successful launch of three lodges in Paro, Thimphu and Punakha earlier this year, Six Senses Bhutan is opening its fourth lodge, Six Senses Gangtey.

According to Six Senses, the lodge is called the “Traditional Bird Watching Bridge” due to its cantilevered bridge-like building and floor-to-ceiling windows.

This “prime perch” sits at an elevation of 9,843 feet (3,000 meters) and offers unobstructed, 180-degree views of the valley below.

The design is inspired by Bhutanese farmhouse architecture and incorporates local stone and hand-hewn timber. It uses traditional building techniques to blend with its natural setting. Dining areas along with a library and games room have been seamlessly incorporated.

All in all, there are eight suites, each with a valley-facing, panoramic and private outdoor balcony equipped with daybeds as well as binoculars for bird watching. There is also a two-bedroom villa with its own private spa treatment facilities designed to pamper and relax.

Interiors are subtle with uncluttered lines and a natural palette of earth tones and warm fabrics. Weathered timber floors and textured walls set the backdrop, while comfy leather armchairs and footstools invite guests to unwind after days spent trekking and exploring. Bukhari stoves and locally-woven throws add extra warmth to the star-filled nights.

ONYX Hospitality Group to open its first hotel in Japan with Amari Niseko

ONYX Hospitality Group is set to welcome its first hotel in Japan with Amari Niseko, following a management agreement signed with Metropoly Holdings Limited, a Hong Kong-based Asian real estate development, investment and asset management firm.

Scheduled to open in 2024, Amari Niseko will be a central feature of the much-awaited Aruku-zaka Street mixed-use development designed to complement the Hirafu area’s unique character and setting.

Created as a village hub for both visitors and the local community, Aruku-zaka Street will be made up of a series of low-rise buildings framing central plazas and a vibrant pedestrian walkway.

Aruku-zaka Street will be home to a carefully-curated selection of lifestyle, retail and food and beverage offerings, complemented by residential apartments and the all-new Amari resort.

Featured image: Outdoor kitchen at Mandala.The Bay Nusa Lembongan, Bali by M. Group

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