Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is to unveil a new property in August in the centre of Qufu in southwestern China. Shangri-La Hotel, Qufu will pay homage to philosopher Confucius and will be within walking distance of the Temple of Confucius, the Mansion of Confucius and the Cemetery of Confucius, all three are UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Sites. Located in Shandong Province, the resort will feature 211 guestrooms with

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts has been appointed by Jakarta-based Ciputra Group to manage Rosewood Tanah Lot Bali and Rosewood Jakarta, both scheduled to open 2017. The two new properties support Rosewood’s strategic Asia expansion plans, joining Rosewood Beijing opening Autumn 2013 and Rosewood Phuket opening end-2014. Rosewood Tanah Lot Bali will be located on 30 acres (12 hectares), near the world famous Tanah Lot temple on Bali’s west coast. The

Following its announcement earlier this year that it will create 50 Hollywood-themed hotels over the next few years, Paramount Hotels has teamed up with consultancy GOCO to create a new wellness brand to be featured at each property. Paramount Hotels & Resorts CEO Thomas van Vliet said: "We'll have our own wellness and fitness concepts and our own food and beverage concepts, which will be a mix between our Paramount-themed

Engineering and design company Atkins has drawn up plans for a new mixed-use resort project in Vietnam, which will include both residential and hotel properties. Situated in the east of of the country, in Vung Ro, the plans for development include a marina, hotel resort and luxury villas. Three areas have been identified for construction: The Marina for direct ocean views, the Village occupying the valley plain and the Bai

The newly opened PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore's development that's based on a 'hotel-in-a-garden concept', has unveiled its spa and wellness facilities. The eco-inspired, 16-storey hotel, which will be operated by Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG), has an entire 44,000 sq ft (4,085sq m) floor dedicated to wellness. A large proportion of the floor has been set aside for green outdoor space and features a two-storey descent waterfall, a 300m garden

Real estate company Silverstein Properties has secured financing to construct an 82-storey tower in Manhattan, New York, US that will include a Four Seasons hotel and private residences. At 926ft (282m) the property will be one of the tallest residential towers in Downtown Manhattan offering visitors panoramic views of the Midtown skyline and New York Harbor. Located at Park Place and Church Street in Tribeca, Four Seasons Hotel and Private

Istanbul has welcomed the opening of the new Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul featuring Europe's first CHI, The Spa. Inspired by traditional Asian healing philosophies, all treatments are based upon the principles of restoring balance and harmony to mind and body. The spa contains eight large private spa suites offering Asian and Turkish treatments, customized massages and organic products. The extensive hammam facilities cater to both private groups and individuals. Both the

Broken Sound Club, a luxury Platinum Club in Boca Raton, Florida, US has unveiled a US$7m (5.4m euro,£4.5m)free-standing spa and fitness centre. The 13,100sq ft (1,217sq m) Moonstone, The Spa at Broken Sound will be managed by American Leisure who are also responsible for the treatment concepts and protocols, product selection, and overseeing operations. The spa, designed in warm natural tones, features six treatment rooms, plus a "Moonstone Suite" couples

Centara Hotels & Resorts has announced it will open its five-star Grand-branded hotel in Bangkok, Thailand, in August, with a spa to open at the property in December. Centara Grand Phraramnak Resort Pattaya will be the third Centara Grand in upmarket Pattaya and will include 165 rooms and suites over eight storeys. Designed by Model 1to1 and Gooodlux Design Consultants, the hotel features marble and granite public areas and Fendi

A new development featuring Europe's tallest hotel is underway on a man-made island that will be connected through a glideway and overseas walkway with the city of Barcelona, Spain. The Barcelona Island project has entered the next phase following an agreement between investment company Apogee Investors and Mobilona LLC to manage the financing. With the initial investment projected at €1.5bn (US$2bn, £1.3bn), Mobilona plans to construct the first of its

Construction has started on the new Mirbeau Inn & Spa at The Pinehills in Plymouth, Massachusetts, US. Designed by Boston architectural-firm Arrowstreet in the style of a French manor house, the 50-room getaway includes the 14,000sq ft (1,301sq m) Spa Mirbeau, which will offer massages, body wraps, scrubs, facials, manicures, pedicures, and couple treatments. It will also feature yoga and fitness studios, aerobic exercise equipment, eucalyptus-infused steamrooms and an outdoor

Vivanta by Taj has reopened its Bentota resort in Sri Lanka following an US$12.5m (9.5m euro, £8m) redevelopment of the property. The resort's new look, by Malaysia-based interior designer Nic Proud, has been described as a "blend of contemporary style with colonial charm". The centrepiece of the redesigned resort is the 7,500sq ft (700sq m) Jiva Spa, which houses six treatment rooms. Located adjacent to the main resort, the free-standing,

Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa will open in Kuwait on 7 May - the first Jumeirah hotel in the Gulf region outside the United Arab Emirates. Designed by New York's Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, the luxury beachfront development includes 316 rooms and suites, 80 residential suites and 12 villas with views of the hotel gardens. The 3,500sq m (37,674sq ft) Talise Spa includes 17 treatment rooms and two private

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has officially opened its new Shanghai resort in China. Located on the banks of Huangpu River, Mandarin Oriental Pudong is housed within Harbour City, a new 62-acre waterfront destination developed by Shanghai Rui Ming real estate company. The resort, which occupies 111,000sq m (1,195,000 sq ft), features 318 guestrooms and 44 suites along with 210 executive apartments, designed by architect Bernardo Fort-Brescia of Arquitectonica. Presidential suites

Hyatt has announced a Grand Hyatt hotel is planned for Changsha, Hunan Province in central China. The 324-room hotel will include a spa, as well as fitness facilities, pool, meeting and banquet facilities, and restaurants and bars. It will occupy the upper floors of a 268m-tall skyscraper, located in a mixed-use complex – The Central – and expected to become the new landmark of Changsha. The hotel is currently being

Restaurant group Nobu has officially opened the first Nobu Hotel at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, US. The 181-bedroom property – a collaboration between Caesars Palace, chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Nobu Hospitality primary shareholders, actor Robert De Niro and film producer Meir Teper – has been designed by New York-based David Rockwell, who has fused Japanese and Asian traditions with Western influences. Guests staying at the hotel can take advantage

Turkish design hotel Marti Istanbul has unveiled Marti Wellness by Spa Soul on the top floor of its property. With views over the city the spa offers five treatment rooms, steamrooms, sauna, two private marble hammam rooms and a Roman bath in an 850sq m (9,149sq ft) Ottoman-inspired space. In addition to traditional Turkish treatments, including the Turkish Hammam Bath, the spa menu includes algo-radiance facials and foot acupressure. Those

The Spa at Williams Island, Florida, has reopened following a US$5m (4m euro, £6m) refurbishment, as part of a US$10m (8m euro, £6m) revamp of the 84-acre community. The 27,000sq ft (2,508sq m) spa will offer therapeutic facial, massage and body treatments, a 60ft indoor lap pool, steamroom, sauna, whirlpool and cold plunge pool. Massage treatments include hot stone, reflexology and spine stretch Breuss massage. Spa product lines will include

COMO Hotels and Resorts is to open a secluded island retreat - Maalifushi by COMO - in the Maldives next October. The resort will be located on a 20-acre private island in south Thaa Atoll and will be the company's second resort in the Maldives. Designed by Japanese architect Koichiro Ikebuchi, the 66-room property will be the first luxury resort on the unspoilt Thaa Atoll and will offer a range

Sofitel Hotel Group has entered Uruguay with the opening of its latest resort - Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco and Spa - in Carrasco. Located on a national heritage site, the building is inspired by French 'art de vivre' and local culture and features 93 rooms and 23 suites. The company's signature So Spa will span 5,382 sq ft (500 sq m) and promises to provide a relaxing atmosphere for the

Luxury coastal spa Salcombe Harbour Hotel in Devon has announced it will reopen on 1 August, following an extensive refurbishment. The hotel will feature 50 new bedrooms - many with private balconies and panoramic sea views - and the Harbour Spa, which covers two levels and is excavated into the cliff. The spa will include five treatment rooms and a fitness suite on the first level, and a swimming pool,

W Hotels Worldwide has opened its first mainland hotel W Guangzhou - on the city's ancient Pearl River. The property features China's first AWAY Spa - open 24 hours a day for W guests and locals - with treatments that combine Eastern and Western elements. Designed by architect Rocco Lim the 317 room hotel has a black glass exterior and the centrepiece of its entrance is a 19m tall water

Starwood has unveiled the spa and wellness facilities at its first St Regis-branded resort in Africa. Located in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Le Morne, St. Regis Mauritius Resort houses the region’s first Iridium Spa featuring 12 treatment rooms including two couples’ rooms, all with views of the Indian ocean. Facilities at the 21,500 sq ft (2,000sq m) spa include a relaxation lounge, spa pools, a sauna, a spa

Details have been revealed for the US$350m (273m euro, £232m) Zalal Wellness Destination Spa - set to open in Qatar in 2016. The resort will include 70 rooms and 10,000sq m (107,639sq ft) of spa and wellness amenities, 40 private residences and a 125-room family hotel on the 1.5m sq m (16m sq ft) site. Its target market will include domestic visitors and visitors from regional countries such as Saudi

Design consultancy WATG has opened an office in Istanbul, as it prepares for development in Turkey and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Lisya Sullam, who has been with the firm since 2007, has been appointed director of the new office. She has been involved in high-profile projects in country including Olivion Golf Resort and Missoni Hotel in Antalya Belek and Bodrum Viceroy. Raised in Istanbul, Sullam's focus is to

Hilton Worldwide has announced the expansion of its Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts brand into Latin America with the opening of its latest luxury property featuring a 2,000sq ft (186sq m) branded spa. The Waldorf Astoria Panama is located in the heart of Panama City and features 248 guest rooms, suites and luxury residences. Designed by the Miami-based firm ba-haus/KNF, the new hotel unveils a combination of fresh tones and

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has unveiled plans for a new development that includes a luxury hotel, spa and branded residences in Istanbul, Turkey that will open in 2016. The 210-room hotel will be joined by branded residences and is part of the Quasar Istanbul complex, a new mixed-use development in the Sisli district. The Quasar Istanbul complex will comprise of two 41-storey towers that will sit above a four-storey office