M&C buys another property in New Zealand and other international hotel news

M&C buys another property in New Zealand
Millennium & Copthorne New Zealand has settled an agreement with AMP NZ Property Commercial and Perpetual Trust to purchase the freehold and leasehold interests for the Copthorne Hotel Auckland Harbourcity. The company is using its own cash and a new loan facility from its bankers to fund the purchase of the 187-room property. Millennium & Copthorne now has three properties in Auckland and recently entered into a short-term management agreement for the Metropolis Hotel Auckland.

Four tour operators suspend Lake Garda hotel
Four tour operators have temporarily stopped sending clients to the hotel in Italy where a man died and another 30 were hospitalised as a result of food poisoning last month. Geoffrey Appleyard from Evesham, Worcestershire died on 22 June after falling ill at the Grand Hotel Gardone in Lake Garda, after eating there hours earlier. Other guests were taken to hospital. Kuoni, Inghams, Prestige Holidays and TUI Travel (Thomson), which all had clients staying at the property, have made a joint decision to pull out of the hotel until 10 July. Law firm Irwin Mitchell revealed it has been approached by more than 20 people about taking legal action against the operators.

Rezidor Group opens another property in Middle East
The Rezidor Hotel group has announced the opening of the 370-room luxury Radisson Yau Island hotel in Abu Dhabi. It is the company's second property in the region after the Regent Emirates Pearl, which is planned for launch in 2010. Rezidor has a portfolio of over 330 hotels in operation and under development. The group also announced that it has opened its first set of luxury apartments in Dubai Marina. The 20-storey property features 152 luxury apartments including 22 studios, separate gyms, and male and female rooftop swimming pools.

IHG wins management contract in Egypt
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has been awarded the management contract for the Port Ghalib Resort in Marsa Alam, Egypt. Port Ghalib is a fully integrated resort along the Red Sea coast. IHG has commenced operations of the four primary properties in Port Ghalib; a five-star InterContinental Hotel, two five-star Crowne Plaza Hotels and a state-of-the-art international convention centre. The resort is owned by Sovereign Hospitality Holdings, an independent hospitality, tourism and real estate investment company based in Geneva, Switzerland.

By Gemma Sharkey

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