Carlson Hotels Worldwide opens 19 New Hotels in April and May 2005

Carlson Hotels Worldwide added 19 new properties to its portfolio during the months of April and May 2005. The company has opened an average of nine new hotels per month since the start of 2005. These additions bring the company’s total number of properties to 895 in 68 countries. Carlson hotel brands include: Regent International Hotels, Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson and Park Inn.

Among the 19 new hotels, five new Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts properties opened, including the new Park Plaza Hotel Gurgaon in India; five new Radisson Hotels & Resorts within the United States with several in key airport and downtown locations; seven new Country Inns & Suites By Carlson opened, including two managed properties in key California markets; and Park Inn debuted its first hotel in Iceland, as well as a new hotel in Brunswick, Georgia, which unveiled the brand’s new interior design concept for North America.

“As a company, we are exceeding our development plans for the first half of 2005, opening hotels at a record pace in key business and leisure travel markets throughout the U.S. and around the world,” said Sam Winterbottom, executive vice president of development for Carlson Hotels Worldwide. “A good portion of this success is due in large part to one agreement which resulted in 12 new managed properties, expanding our managed hotel portfolio by 66 percent.”

Radisson Hotels & Resorts Opens Five New Hotels

For Radisson, adding new airport and downtown hotels in key markets was the focus the past two months, as the brand welcomed the Radisson Hotel New Orleans Airport in Louisiana, the Radisson Hotel & Suites Kansas City-City Center in Missouri, plus three new managed properties: Radisson Hotel Phoenix Airport North, Radisson Hotel Salt Lake City Downtown, and Radisson Hotel Gateway Seattle-Tacoma Airport. 

Nestled in a valley surrounded by the Wasatch Mountains, the Radisson Hotel Salt Lake City Downtown features the onsite High Rock Steakhouse and Lounge, a fitness center, indoor heated pool, whirlpool, and flexible convention space for up to 1,000 people. Guests who explore Salt Lake City will find everything they need in close proximity to the hotel, from upscale shopping and dining; to the Delta Center, home to the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Jazz and the WNBA’s Starzz; Gateway Open-Air Mall; Temple Square, Salt Lake's biggest attraction; and the Family History Library. Seven world-class ski resorts are also within an hour of the hotel. 

The new Radisson Hotel Gateway Seattle-Tacoma Airport is located directly across from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the hotel is only minutes from area business centers, Boeing Field, corporate offices, shopping, entertainment and key attractions of the Seattle metropolitan area.

Guestrooms feature a wealth of in-room amenities including an oversized desk, ergonomically correct Herman Miller® Aeron® chair, complimentary wired and wireless high-speed Internet access, hairdryer and coffeemaker. The hotel also offers meeting and event space for up to 180 people and complimentary high-speed Internet access in all public areas.

The Radisson Hotels & Suites Kansas City-City Center is located in the central business and theater districts, just one block from the convention center and in close proximity of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Truman Sports Complex and shopping. Kaufmann and Arrowhead Stadiums are a short drive away, as are several of the area’s finest golf courses, a tennis club and casinos. The hotel is located just 22 miles from Kansas City International Airport, and offers many in-room amenities such as complimentary high-speed Internet access, microwaves, refrigerators and sofa beds in certain room types. The hotel features an outdoor heated pool, a fitness center with whirlpool and sauna, and 13,000 square feet of meeting space and a roof-top ballroom with sweeping views of the Kansas City skyline. The full-service Bistro 1301 Café features regional cuisine in an old world European atmosphere and grilled specialties from the wood-burning oven.

Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts Opens Five New Properties; First Carlson-managed Hotels for the Brand

The five new Park Plaza hotels span the globe, offering travelers a unique experience at each location. On a global level, the new Park Plaza Hotel Gurgaon in India is within close proximity to the downtown area, and features guestrooms with wooden flooring and a contemporary look. All rooms are furnished with a tea/coffee maker, hair dryer, a welcome drink, as well as two complimentary bottles of mineral water. This hotel also features The Great Kabab Factory, a specialty Indian restaurant, and is within walking distance of nearby shopping malls offering the finest international brands of clothes, furniture, jewelry and restaurants.

In addition two new managed properties in Arizona, the 159-room Park Plaza Hotel Phoenix/Chandler and the 166-room Park Plaza Hotel Phoenix North, and a new a managed hotel near the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota opened.

The Riverbank Park Plaza in London, England, is situated on the south side of the River Thames, opposite the Tate Britain art gallery, and provides stunning views of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and the London Eye. The contemporary-style hotel boasts 394 deluxe guestrooms and suites; the Chino Latino brasserie, bar and lounge; and some of the most spectacular conference and events facilities in the city. Later this year, the hotel will also offer transportation connections to river taxis, a shuttle bus service, private car parking, plus an onsite business center and fitness club.

Located in Bloomington's thriving corporate sector near the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, guests at the new Park Plaza Hotel Bloomington are surrounded by cultural and leisure activities and can relax in a beautifully appointed guest rooms with spectacular city views. Each guestroom is equipped with a cordless, two-line phone with voicemail, high-speed Internet, a remote 27-inch television, iron and ironing board, hairdryer and coffeemaker. For guests who like to explore, attractions such as the Mall of America, Mystic Lake Casino and the famous Minnesota Zoo are all within easy reach. The hotel is also a 12-minute drive from Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport.

Country Inns & Suites By Carlson Adds Seven New Hotels

Seven new Country Inns & Suites hotels opened across the U.S. during April and May. In the Eastern states, the brand added the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson-Youngstown West in Ohio, the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson-Indianapolis Airport South in Ind., the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson- Brunswick in Ga., the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson-Hickson in Tenn., and the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson-Hagerstown in Md.

On the West coast, Country Inns & Suites opened two managed hotels in key California markets which include the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson-San Diego North and the Country Inn & Suites By Carlson-Sunnyvale. 

The San Diego property is within close proximity to a multitude of high-tech and biotech headquarters, and only minutes from top sports and entertainment venues. The spacious suites and guestrooms offer details such as high-speed wired or wireless Internet access, an ergonomic chair, cordless phones and full-length mirrors.

In the heart of the Silicon Valley, Sunnyvale is a perfect location to combine business and pleasure as the hotel is close to corporate headquarters and military facilities, as well as Paramount's Great America theme park, the Great Mall and Valco Fashion Park, Triton Museum of Art and Bayland's Park Nature Preserve. The hotel offers wireless high-speed Internet access, pillow-top mattresses and voicemail.

Park Inn Debuts in Iceland; Unveils New Design Concept in Georgia

During the past two months Park Inn opened its first hotel in Iceland and the first U.S. hotel featuring the brand’s innovative new design concept for North America.

Located in southeastern part of Georgia, the design concept of the Park Inn Brunswick is described as contemporary and comfortable with a bold use of color. The look is the result of in-depth research and extensive brand positioning work, and serves as a platform for the chain to emerge as Carlson's newest growth brand.

The signature points of the new design concept are the bed and the bathroom/shower area. The bed includes an enhanced pillow-top inlay pad over a quality mattress dressed with 200-thread count sheets and pillows with a "touch of down," and the bathroom/shower area. The bath decor has bright and inviting accents, towels that are thicker and higher in quality than guest expectations in this category, a unique hookless vinyl shower curtain mounted on a crescent-shaped shower curtain rod, and a distinctive showerhead offering a refreshing shower experience.

In addition to the new design, this hotel also offers the brand’s free, Lite on-the-go breakfast, as well as an outdoor pool, lounge, and ample parking. It is in close proximity to most area attractions, including beaches, championship golf courses, tennis courts, historic sights and outlet malls, as well as the scenic beauty of Jekyll and St. Simons Islands.

On the other side of the globe is the new 119-room Park Inn Island in Reykjavik, Iceland. The hotel is located in the heart of the city’s new business district, and is within walking distance of the city center and sports area that features an outdoor geothermal swimming pool and jogging tracks. Other amenities include a conference facility with seating for up to 100 people, wireless Internet access throughout the hotel, and an onsite restaurant, Café Island.

See other recent news regarding: Carlson