A new bathing experience called Basin Glacial Waters will open at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada, on 15 September. Basin Glacial Waters takes its name from its setting: Lake Louise is a natural basin fed by a direct glacial water source, the Victoria Glacier. The 539-key hotel, owned by Oxford properties and a capital partner, is set within more than 6,500sq km of protected pine forest in the

A new social wellness concept curated by three industry veterans will open soon in Amsterdam before being rolled out to key cities. 432 – a name which comes from 432 hertz, the earth’s natural frequency – has been created by wellness consultant, Jamie Waring, Jonathan Fisher, CEO of Holmes Place and Tribute Brands and Emlyn Brown, who is currently vice president of wellbeing at Accor. Speaking in this month’s HCM,

Accor has released a comprehensive white paper designed to deepen understanding of wellness design and its capacity to enhance guest experiences, boost loyalty and drive revenue. Spanning 16 chapters, Making Waves: Rethinking Spa and Wellness Design for a Modern Era explores key aspects of the wellness design process, exploring best practices, challenges and innovations in spa and fitness design. The white paper outlines Accor’s evolving approach to wellness across its

Work is underway to realise a new Rixos resort in Dubai following a partnership between UAE-based real estate developer Nakheel and Excelsior Real Estate. Set back in a secluded cove with direct access to a 700-metre beach, Rixos Dubai Islands, Hotel & Residences will be home to a range of beachfront accommodation and residences as well as a signature Rixos spa and fitness centre, infinity pools and communal residential lounges.

Two Asian-inspired wellness sanctuaries crafted by Banyan Tree will open on luxury private islands off the coast of Mozambique in Q4 2022. The first, a signature Banyan Tree spa, will open at Banyan Tree Ilha Caldeira – a new private island getaway. The resort will be joined by a sister island named Banyan Tree Veya Ilha Nejovo, dedicated to wellness and wellbeing. This adults-only 20-villa wellness destination will be located

The iconic Orient Express luxury train is set to return to Italy following a hiatus of 46 years. The new Orient Express La Dolce Vita service will welcome passengers from 2023, with six trains embarking through itineraries across 14 regions – including three international journeys from Rome to Paris, Istanbul and Split (Croatia). Orient Express – which is owned by French hotel giant Accor Group – will work in partnership

Ennismore, the hotel company behind brands such as ​​The Hoxton, Delano and Mondrian has announced plans to roll out its Tribe lifestyle hotel brand across Southeast Asia, targeting countries such as Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines. Launched in 2019, Tribe is marketed as an "alternative lifestyle brand" and features properties which have been designed to focus on common areas to create multifunctional spaces that encourage connection between guests.

Sofitel Villa Borghese Rome is on track to launch this summer, following an extensive renovation by French architect and designer Jean Philippe Nuel. Situated near the city centre, amidst the Trevi Fountain, Villa Medici, and the Spanish Steps, the refurbished 19th-century building features 78 rooms and suites with Hermès amenities, a rooftop restaurant, and a fitness centre. Renderings of the project show that some guest quarters will feature quadratura ceilings

The architects behind a brand new tower in Boston, USA, which will house a hotel from AccorHotels's high-end Raffles Hotel & Resorts brand, have exclusively told CLADglobal that its curved edge facades and unparallelled vista vantages set it apart from neighbouring towers in the city. Michael Liu, partner at Boston-based practice The Architectural Team (TAT), said: “The building is a 33-storey tower, however, it’s not a traditional rectilinear form. We’ve

Architects and designers breathe a sigh of relief... design officially has a quantifiable impact on human experience. That, at least, is the verdict of global architecture and planning firm Gensler, who have published a new index they claim proves, once and for all, that design is a critical factor in determining how we feel about the spaces we occupy. The Gensler Experience Index is the result of a multi-year, mixed-methods

Hospitality group AccorHotels has announced Dubai as the first Middle East location for its Mama Shelter hotel brand. French designer Philippe Starck will craft the interiors of the hotel, following the brand’s “trendy, boutique” image. It is set to open before 2020. AccorHotels announced Mama Shelter’s regional arrival during a panel at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference at the Madinat Jumeirah centre last month. “The idea is to create something

A new spa has opened at the historic Grand Hotel la Cloche in Dijon, France. Housed in a Haussman-style building dating from 1884, the 88-bedroom hotel is part of Accor’s M Gallery by Sofitel brand, and has recently been renovated by interior architect Frederic Grosjean. “The unique point of this spa begins with the historical location in Dijon, combined with its intimate atmosphere,” Lindsay Madden-Naddeau, director of well-being for Raffles,

Paris-based AccorHotels will buy FRHI – the owner of Raffles, Fairmont and Swissotel – for approximately US$2.9bn (€2.6bn, £1.9bn) in cash and shares. Accor operates Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel and ibis brands, among others, and has around 3,800 properties – nearly 500 of which are luxury and upscale. “This is an outstanding opportunity to add three prestigious brands – Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel – to our portfolio, and a great step