GLOBAL UPDATE : THE GOSTELOW REPORT
Argentina is being pushed by Buenos Aires-based destination specialists Pablo Singerman and Camilo Makon , working as Singer & Makon . In Buenos Aires they have the 139-room Hotel Regent , in Plaza San Martin , for sale . They also are establishing Rutas Argentinas Hotels in seven tourist regions of Argentina , including the Patagonia Seven Lakes area , where they have gained planning permission for a 135-key development and another with 40 keys , both in Neuquen . Similarly , they are working on a 39-key eco-hotel and spa in the delta of the Tigre River , near Buenos Aires .
Many companies relish the idea of operating a traditional French chateau hotel — especially if it is within a short drive of the home of fine wines , Bordeaux . Alistair Brooks of Leisure Property Services in London is selling an historic property with 10 bedrooms , an 80-seat restaurant and over 3 acres ( 1.2 hectares ) of land within the A630 ring road around Bordeaux .
In the Moroccan capital , Rabat , Katara Hospitality , Doha , is converting the home of Haj Omar Tazi , the Grand Vizier , into what will be a 120-room hotel . No management contract has yet been signed .
Armani Hotels and Resorts , managed by Emaar Properties , Dubai , has two hotels , the launch property in Dubai and Hotel Armani Milano . Is it true the next developments will be in New York City and Shanghai ? Emaar Properties ’ hospitality group manages The Address hotels and two golf courses with rooms , Arabian Ranches Dubai and Montgomerie Golf Course Dubai , and just announced The Address Marassi Golf Resort & Spa in Egypt .
Jan Van der Putten , Hilton Worldwide ’ s recently appointed vice president of operations , Africa and the Indian Ocean , sees big opportunities in Angola , Chad , Mozambique , Sierra Leone and Zambia . The company already has presence in six African countries and
MARY GOSTELOW
a pipeline of over 1,300 rooms . Van der Putten ’ s goal is have at least one hotel in the Hilton family in every key African city .
The 2012 Arabian Hotel Investment Conference was held at Madinat Jumeirah April 30 to May 1 . Orascom Hotels and Development Chairman Samih Sawiris was one of many speakers who berated the media for spreading the picture that entire countries are in turmoil . Sawiris , based in Cairo , said honestly stabilized chaos in Egypt is better than not knowing what is coming next .
Sawiris has always been a bit of a dark horse in the hotel industry . When competitors were rushing to Dubai , he headed instead for another Emirate , Ras al Khaimah , where his investment has been
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
� W Los Angeles has appointed James Gancos general manager .
� Cape Grace in Cape Town , South Africa , has appointed Sandy Pollard general manager .
� Paul Giovanini has been named general manager of the Phoenix Park Hotel in Washington , D . C .
� Bonnie Strome has been appointed general manager of the Hyatt Regency Toronto on King Street .
� Klaus Kabelitz has been named general manager of Le Richemond in Geneva .
� Kimpton ’ s FireSky Resort & Spa in Scottsdale , Arizona , has named Cheryl Martin general manager .
� RGH Hospitality in Wilton , New Hampshire has named Martin LeGay operations manager .
� Wyndham Hotel Group has appointed Kevin Kobishop vice president of operations for the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts brand .
� Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has appointed Thomas Monahan
“ very , very satisfactory .” The first hotel of his massive Andermatt development in Switzerland , The Chedi Andermatt , will open in 2013 .
For all Sawiris ’ wisdom , Dubai remains hot . Jumeirah ’ s year-to-date occupancy is running at 86.6 %, with no sign of letting up .
Many pundits at AHIC said in plenary sessions that they would still invest there . The main opportunity , however , is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , followed by the Kurdistan Autonomous Region in the north of Iraq .
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is among those who have signed Erbil , Iraq . Roeland Vos , president of Europe , Africa and the Middle East for Starwood , has signed with Ran Co . and Helar Co .’ s CEO Faxir Maraan , based in Erbil , for a Four Points by Sheraton and a Sheraton Erbil , both scheduled for opening in 2015 .
executive vice president , development , Asia Pacific .
� The Peninsula Hotels , Hong Kong , has named Simon Yip vice president of sales .
� Raffles Hotel Singapore has named Andrea Greybanks director of sales and marketing .
� Hyatt North Houston has appointed Will Hardy executive chef .
� Andaz Liverpool Street Hotel in London has appointed Sascha Lenz director of food and beverage .
� Lake Lawn Resort in Delavan , Wisconsin , has appointed Gerard Prendergast food and beverage director .
Gancos
Martin
Hardy
22 HOTELS June 2012 www . hotelsmag . com