Hotels
Toronto Abuzz With Shangri-La’s New Custom Bee Wall
Honeybees are checking in on the third floor Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto's Garden Terrace. The hotel has a new Bee Wall installation in partnership with Birks and Alvéole, a Montreal-based organization that promotes and assists with beehive installation, maintenance and honey extraction. Since the late 1990s, concerns about colony collapse disorder in North American beehives have been growing. The Bee Wall installation addition to the third floor Garden Terrace will not only aid the community by providing plenty of bees to pollinate downtown area gardens and parks, but the honey...
Sandals Foundation Coming to Aid of Dominica
The Sandals Foundation has launched a month-long fundraising program to aid the recovery effort in Dominica after the Caribbean nation was recently devastated by Tropical Storm Erika. The campaign will include fundraising efforts involving guests staying at Sandals and Beaches Resorts, as well as online donations through the Sandals Foundation web page. Additionally, the company will be reaching out to their trade partners, travel agents and suppliers. “Thankfully, the nine islands in which we operate our resorts were unscathed by Tropical Storm Erika, but tragically the same was...
Canadians Paying More to Stay Over
It's costing more to stay in a hotel, and for the first time hotel prices paid in three regions of the world have overtaken their pre-financial crisis levels of 2008-2009, with North America, the Caribbean and Latin America setting new records. The overall global rise is up just 1% in the first half of 2015, however, compared to the same period in 2014, according to the latest Hotel Price Index (HPI) from Hotels.com. According to officials, more travellers, higher consumer spending in key areas and strong currency fluctuations have all contributed to this result. Canadian hotels...
Starwood Expands Tribute Portfolio
Starwood Hotels & Resorts is expanding globally with the addition of the historic Great Northern Hotel to its Tribute Portfolio brand in London. Launched in April as Starwood’s 10th brand, Tribute Portfolio is “a collection of outstanding independent hotels and resorts” promising owners, Starwood Preferred Guest members and guests alike the ability to “Stay Independent.” The signing of the Great Northern Hotel – a historic King’s Cross London landmark – is a significant step in the global roll-out of Tribute Portfolio, reflecting the growing global trend for...
AlSol Picks VoX
AlSol Hotels & Resorts has picked VoX International as its new representative in Canada. In its new role, VoX will work to increase awareness of the hotel group with travel agents, airlines, tour operators, meeting and incentive planners and wedding specialists here in Canada. Carlos Del Pino, managing director of AlSol Hotels & Resorts, said: “With the rapidly expanding growth of our luxury portfolio in vacation destinations, it's important for us to partner with VoX International's talented team of tourism professionals. Together, we will develop fruitful relationships to...
Warwick Resort Added to ACV’s Cuba Program
Air Canada Vacations added the five-star, all-inclusive Warwick Cayo Santa Maria Resort to its Santa Clara product line in Cuba. Located off of Cuba's north central coast in the Jardines del Rey archipelago, the resort spreads over 26 hectares and includes 800 rooms with three different room categories (Deluxe Gardenview, Deluxe Seaview and Warwick Suite Seaview). With a soft opening, the resort will have the following services and facilities open: Breakfast buffet, snack pool bar open 24 hours, serving lunch with a small buffet, dinner buffet, one specialty restaurant, Tea Corner...
Universal’s Cabana Bay Set For Major Expansion
Universal Orlando's Cabana Bay Beach Resort is getting set for major expansion with the news that 400 new rooms will be added to the retro-themed hotel. Opening in 2017, the expansion will consist of two additional towers that will be located at the south end of the property, adjacent to the Continental and Americana guest towers. Select rooms in the new towers will offer views of Universal’s Volcano Bay – the resort’s third immersive park set to open in 2017. Amenities at Cabana Bay include two zero-entry pools, a waterslide, a lazy river, a 10-lane bowling alley and...
Sunwing Adds Viva Wyndham V Heavens to Adults Collection
Sunwing has added the Dominican Republic's Viva Wyndham V Heavens resort to its Adults Collection of properties handpicked for their relaxed evening entertainment, extensive spa facilities and à la carte dining. Now available exclusively through the tour operator, the all-inclusive, adults only resort is located on its own beachfront on Playa Dorada, near Puerto Plata, on the Dominican Republic’s northern coastline. The resort offers dining choices across five restaurants and three bars, ranging from Italian classics at Rosmarino to Mexican dishes at Puebla 222. Other amenities...