Rosewood Hotels and Resorts (RHR) has announced the launch of its eighth Sense-branded spa at the newly-unveiled Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver, Canada. Located on the fourth floor of the 155-room hotel, the spa boasts separate facilities for both men and women with sauna and steamrooms and offers a full range of treatments. Five treatment rooms; a manicure/pedicure lounge; and a wet treatment room with Vichy shower are also on

ITC Mughal in Agra, India, has announced the launch of its first in-suite spa rooms as part of the property's newly-opened 42-room Khwab Mahal - the Palace of Dreams wing. Five new Presidential Suites have been created in the new wing, which comprise two Royal Spa Presidential Suites named after Mughal Queens NurJehan and Mumtaz Mahal. The Royal Spa Presidential Suites are the hotel's first to incorporate a treatment room

Marriott Hotels and Resorts' flagship property on Broadway in New York, US, has relaunched after undergoing a major multi-million dollar renovation programme. Working with owner Host Hotels and Resorts, the New York Marriott Marquis has received around US$39m (£25.2m, EUR29m) worth of improvements throughout the property. Washington DC-based interior architecture and design group ForrestPerkins worked on the scheme, which included an overhaul of nearly 2,000 guest rooms. New additions to

ITC Hotels has announced that a new 600-room flagship property in Chennai, India, which features a design inspired by the Chola dynasty, will be added to its portfolio in early 2012. Among the facilities to be offered at the ITC Grand Chola will be a 23,000sq ft (2,137sq m) Kaya Kalp Spa, which will comprise a total of 12 suites for treatments. One suite is being earmarked for couples and

International hotel and resort architects ReardonSmith have joined forces with South Africa-based design firm Savile Row to work on a major new resort planned for Mozambique. A standalone spa is set to form part of the 800-hectare (1,977-acre) development, which is to be located on a peninsula overlooking the Indian Ocean and borders an elephant reserve. Further details are yet to be confirmed, although it is believed that the new

Croatian hotel group Maistra has opened its latest property - the 248-bedroom Lone Hotel in the city of Rovinj. Designed by architects 3LHD and Silvijo Novak, the HRK335m (US$61m, 44m euro, £39m) hotel's facilities include a 1,700sq m spa and wellness centre, restaurants and conferencing space. It is the first Croatian hotel to join the Design Hotels scheme - a membership scheme for design-led hotels. The spa, designed by The

Switzerland-based hospitality group Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts has made its first move into India with the launch of a new 182-room property in the heart of Bangalore. Facilities at the Mövenpick Hotel and Spa Bangalore includes the Sohum Spa, which boasts eight treatment rooms offering a range of Ayurveda-inspired therapies. Oriental and European healing techniques will also be on offer at the spa, which comprises a design inspired by the

Hotel and resort operator Four Seasons will open its newest property in Baltimore, US next month. The 256-bedroom hotel boasts a 10,00sq ft (950sq m) spa with eleven treatment rooms including several suites with private soaking tubs – and separate men's and women's relaxation areas, sauna and steamrooms. Featuring products and treatments by ESPA, the spa also has a large relaxation zone with two pools – including a year-round heated

Hilton Worldwide has announced the launch of its new Conrad Koh Samui Resort and Spa on Thailand's Aow Thai Beach, a west-facing property overlooking the Gulf of Thailand. The 80-villa resort joins its sister hotel Conrad Bangkok in Thailand and includes a spa that offers "innovative therapies and holistic treatments" to benefit mind, body and soul. Dr Buathon - one of Thailand's leading authorities on holistic healing - has been

Rezidor Hotel Group (RHG) has announced the opening of its second property in Georgia - the Michele De Lucchi-designed 168-bedroom Radisson Blu Hotel Batumi. Facilities include a 19,000sq ft (1,765sq m) wellness facility with Anne Semonin Spa and a fitness centre. The spa boasts five treatment rooms; a couples' suite; and an indoor pool. An outdoor pool with sun deck; a kids' pool; a Finnish sauna; an aroma steam bath;

A soccer school in Soweto, South Africa, and a tree hotel in Sweden are among some of the schemes to be shortlisted for the World Architecture Festival (WAF) Awards 2011. The fourth annual awards attracted a record number of entries, with more than 700 from 59 countries across the world seeking to be crowned World Building of the Year 2011. UK projects shortlisted include Holburne Museum of Art, Bath (Eric

International hospitality design group Hirsch Bednar Associates (HBA) has worked on the design of The Residence Zanzibar - an 80-acre (32 hectare) resort opened earlier this year. The 66-villa resort incorporates a colonial-themed design inspired by Swahili; Omani; UK; and Indian cultures present on the island, with each villa boasting a pool and private terrace. A wellness centre and spa amid 5 acres (2 hectares) of tropical gardens is among

Marriott International and Granite Broadway Development have signed a franchise deal for a new 68-storey property in New York, US, which will be the city's tallest hotel building. Two different hotels will be housed in the building - a 378-bedroom Courtyard by Marriott hotel and a 261-bedroom Residence Inn hotel - at 1717 Broadway. Nobutaka Ashihara Architect designed the property, which will be more than 752ft (229m) tall. Interstate Hotels

Morgans Hotel Group (MHG) has secured a management and licensing agreement to run a new 310-room lifestyle hotel as part of the Baha Mar Resort development in the Bahamas. The Mondrian-branded property is scheduled to open in late 2014 and is expected to feature 188 hotel rooms; 122 Mondrian-branded residential units; an ocean-view lobby; and a spa. A fitness centre; multiple swimming pools and cabanas; and meeting space are also

Switzerland Development Group (SDG) has unveiled plans for its new luxury development in Leukerbad, with construction work scheduled to commence in spring 2012. 51º Spa Residences has been designed by a team including Michael Graves and Associates; Marc Michaels Interior Design; and WET and will be undertaken in phases. Two buildings of residential apartments are included as part of the development, with a total of 30 to boast in-home thermal

Mark Sargeant, the former head chef of Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's hotel in London, has unveiled a new destination seafood restaurant and bar in Folkestone, Kent - Rocksalt. The new-build property was designed by Guy Holloway Architects after winning a national design contest and forms as part of Sir Terry Farrell's masterplan for the town's harbour. Completed in June, the new 86-cover restaurant also features a private dining room for

Belfast's 21 Social bar and restaurant - located in the heart of the city's Cathedral quarter - has picked up a National Association of Shopfitters (NAS) Design Partnership Award. Soon Interiors and Marcon Fitout worked on the creation of the Hill Street property, which aims to provide guests with "the place to eat, drink, listen and love" across three floors. 21 Social was confirmed as the winner of the leisure

Soneva Kiri by Six Senses has collaborated with the 2011 Earth Awards to set up a prototype of a Six Senses Eco Villa at a Start event currently being held at Clarence House in London which will run until 31 July. Set up by the HRH Prince of Wales, Start is a scheme that aims to help people across the UK lead more sustainable lives and to show what a

The shortlist has been announced for this year’s European Hotel Design Awards. The list includes a number of properties in London, lead by the newly renovated St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel and newly launched W Hotel. European hotels on the list include The Dylan in Amsterdam, Palacio de Tepa, Madrid and Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom, Austria. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Tuesday 22 November at the Park Plaza

Hertfordshire-based construction group Willmott Dixon has been appointed to build a new £10m hotel at London Southend Airport, which is due to open ahead of the 2012 Games. The Leach Rhodes Walker-designed five-storey property will comprise 129 bedrooms and will feature a restaurant and a private dining room on the top floor. Stobart Group, the logistics and transport provider, operates London Southend Airport and aims to provide facilities for passengers,

Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, a conservation-based resort in New South Wales, Australia, has secured a carbon neutral status with a carboNZero certification. The resort is the first hotel in the world to achieve carboNZero certification by an internationally accredited greenhouse gas certification scheme. Wolgan Valley was given the accolade after a full year of operation. The carbon neutral status for Wolgan Valley was made possible through a combination of

BAM Construction has been chosen by the University of Nottingham (UoN) to build a new £20m eco-friendly hotel adjacent to the East Midlands Conference Centre. Funded entirely by the institution, the property has been designed by RHWL Architects and will incorporate the latest technology in a bid to reduce carbon emissions. The hotel is due to open by the end of 2012 and will boast a gym; a restaurant; and

Spa management and skincare company ESPA revealed ESPA Life, its brand new spa concept, at the five-star, 294-bedroom Corinthia Hotel London, UK, yesterday (4 July 2011). ESPA Life is billed as 'a leading voice in the next generation of spa' and will offer a fully integrated wellness approach alongside a luxury spa experience. The wellness menu includes lifestyle programmes that focus on detox, sleep, weight-loss, pregnancy and general vitality. It

The Four Seasons Marrakech resort in Morocco has opened. The resort has 141 rooms and suites and facilities include three restaurants and a luxury spa. Blu Spas has been working with architect Didier Lefort of DL2A Paris and the UK-based GA Design on the interior of the property. The US$15m (11m euro, £9m) spa boasts 17 treatment rooms with the main pavilion offering 15 treatment rooms. There is also a

London Golf Club in Ash, Kent, has unveiled plans for the development of a new hotel and spa as part of its ambition to establish a 'world-class' golf resort in south east England. The club - host venue of the 2008 and 2009 European Open events - has received planning consent from Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council for the £35m scheme. Designed by MacKenzie Wheeler, the new development will include

TUI Resorts & Hotels, a subsidiary of travel giant TUI Group, has begun construction work on the first phase of the Castelfalfi Resort in Tuscany. The 250m euro (£221m, US$362m) project will integrate a number of eco-friendly solutions and comprises a 32-bedroom boutique hotel, country houses, restaurants and a golf course. Two further hotels are to be built in phase two and plans also include the creation of a large

Spa management and skincare company ESPA is set to unveil its first ESPA Life wellness concept spa at the 294-bedroom Corinthia Hotel London, UK. Spread over four floors and covering 3,300sq m (35,500sq ft), the spa is hailed by the company as "a leading voice in the next generation of spa". It will boast a fully integrated wellness approach - including revolutionary lifestyle programmes delivered by holistic health professionals and