Worldwide briefing

Three-star Accor

Accor has launched a three-star hotel chain named Suitehotel. Its first Suitehotel, in Paris, is the 166-suite Paris-Porte de Montreuil. Rooms cost g80 (£50) a night and Accor plans to open 50 Suitehotels across Europe in the next four years.

NZ earns more

Room yield in New Zealand's hotels increased by 8.5% to NZ$82.25 (£23.51), according to a survey from consultant Arthur Andersen. Occupancy was up by 15.9% to 74%.

Island reopens

The 84-bedroom Hotel Cipriani on the lagoon island of Guidecca in Venice has reopened after an extensive refurbishment programme during the winter.

Leading Le Meridien

Three Le Méridien hotels have become members of the Leading Hotels of the World consortium. They are in Sydney (415 bedrooms), Budapest (218 bedrooms) and Chicago (311 bedrooms). The consortium now has 20 Le Méridien members.

Bass in Polish plan

Bass Hotels & Resorts is to invest g110m (£68.6m) in a joint venture to develop a new hotel in Poland. The 44-floor Hotel Inter-Continental Warsaw will have 328 bedrooms. It is set to open in autumn 2003.