INTERNATIONAL REPORT—Hotel Business is tracking a number of new hotels set to open around the globe, including a highly interactive capsule hotel in Tokyo; the first Virgin Hotels property in Europe; and the first Six Senses hotel in the South Pacific.
The Millennials
The Millennials, a capsule hotel operated by Global Agents is set to open in Tokyo in March.
With a new concept based on “living in the future,” the hotel reimagines the capsule hotel concept through high-tech facilities and technology and social spaces to bring a formerly utilitarian concept into the realm of semi-luxury, according to operators.
With more than 120 multifunctional Smart-Pod units spread throughout five floors, the hotel provides guests with full control of their personal unit through the integrated iPod touch provided at check-in. These controls correspond to several unique functions, including an alarm system based on bed movement and optional projectors that make use of each unit’s built-in privacy screens.
Additionally, the third and fourth floor lobbies double as a spacious coworking space for local entrepreneurs, with full office amenities, banquet and event space, as well as a lively Happy Hour with unlimited free beer. The fourth floor lobby of the complex doubles as a lounge specially designed for guests to interact with each other, and a common kitchen to cook simple meals during their stay.
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh
Virgin Hotels plans to open its first European property in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2020.
The hotel, located in the landmark India Buildings, will have 225 Chambers and Grand Chamber Suites; multiple dining and drinking outlets, including the brand’s flagship space, Commons Club, as well as numerous meeting spaces. In re-envisioning the building, the design team will work to preserve its notable elements while adding a sense of style and sophistication.
The hotel will be completed in partnership with owner Flemyn and developer Jansons Property, and will be managed by Virgin Hotels, and asset managed by Siggis Capital.
Six Senses Fiji
Six Senses Fiji, scheduled to open in April, will mark the brand’s first property in the South Pacific.
The hotel will have 24 one- and two-bedroom pool villas, all with private pools, decks and outdoor showers. The property will offer a range of culinary and beverage options, including two restaurants and a café, plus an outdoor pizzeria and grill and two bar options. A range of water sports from snorkeling to surfing on the nearby reef breaks, as well as a kids’ club called Grow With Six Senses, tennis courts and a weekly activity guide full of cultural and wellness experiences will be available. The Wellness Village at Six Senses Fiji will include a Six Senses Spa, a gym, a wet area with hot and cold whirlpools, an alchemy bar and an elevated treetop yoga pavilion.
Ten private residences of two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom configuration (with another 50 scheduled to be built during phase two of the development) make up the accommodation offering, all with private pools, barbecues, fully equipped kitchens and the choice of either beachfront, ocean or marina panoramic views. All residences and villas come with a guest experience maker (GEM) and residence guests have the option of a complimentary nanny.
Sustainability will be reflected throughout the resort, which will be 100% solar powered by the largest microgrid in Fiji using Tesla batteries.
Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman Hotel & Residences
A 351-room Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman Hotel & Residences is expected to open in 2020. The hotel will be managed by an affiliate of Aimbridge Hospitality.
The hotel will be located on a 7.1-acre site on Seven Mile Beach, and will offer 351 guestrooms, studio suites, and, one-, two-, and three-bedroom layouts along a seafront eco-walk that will celebrate the diverse ecology of Grand Cayman. Additional amenities will include six food and beverage venues, a 9,000-sq.-ft. destination spa and fitness center, three swimming pools, retail shops, kids club and a screening room. The resort will have 25,000 sq. ft. of indoor meeting and event space, which will make it the largest function space in the Cayman Islands, according to the developers.
M Social Auckland
The May 2018 opening of M Social Auckland in New Zealand marks the expansion of Millennium Hotels and Resorts’ M Social brand to two properties, following the launch of the Philippe Starck-designed M Social Singapore in summer 2016.
Centered around the design experience, the property will offer contemporary form and function in a casual setting, including spaces that are designed to be accessible and flexible to guests’ needs, according to the company.
The 190-room hotel will be home to five guestroom categories comprising the Social Room, Social View Room, Social Club Room, Social Tribe Room and Social Tribe View Room. There will also be two suite categories: the Harbour Suite and Ocean Suite. Leading to the rooms, each floor at M Social Auckland will have a defining theme, featuring elements of local culture such as the fauna, marine life and literature.
Zabeel House by Jumeirah – The Greens
The Zabeel House by Jumeirah – The Greens in Dubai is set to open in the fourth quarter of 2018 and will offer 210 guestrooms, two restaurants, terrace dining around the pool area, conference and business facilities, as well as a gym and spa treatment rooms.
The property is part of a completed mixed-use development called The Onyx, which consists of residential, commercial and retail units.