Hotel Le Bristol in Paris, France, has celebrated the completion of a EUR100m (US$139m, £87m) renovation programme with the opening of a new spa in conjunction with La Prairie. Spa Le Bristol by La Prairie, along with two new signature suites and a new-look three-star Michelin restaurant Epicure, formerly Gastronomique, marked the final phase of the project. The spa boasts eight beauty treatment cabins; a Russian Wet Room with one

Hyatt Hotels Corporation (HHC) has launched its new Andaz Shanghai property in China, which is located in the Xintiandi entertainment area of downtown Shanghai. The 307-bedroom hotel occupies a 28-storey building and includes the Andaz Lounge, Hai Pai and Éclair dining experiences; a translucent indoor pool; and a 24-hour fitness suite. Meanwhile, the new 2,200sq m (23,681sq ft) Optime Spa is to open during Q1 2012 and is to comprise

Great Hotels of the World has announced the opening of the US$1.8m (EUR1.3m, £1.1m) Syna Tiger Resort in Bandhavgarh, India, after four years in development. The resort covers 437sq km (169sq miles) of land on the edge of the Bandhavgarh National Park and includes the Wildwood Spa, which comprises two elements. A 400sq ft (37.2sq m) structure with two treatment rooms forms the first element of the new spa, while

The 129-bedroom Sofitel Quiberon Thalassa Sea and Spa has been relaunched in north-west France, following a major revamp led by Paris-based hospitality architects Studio MHNA. The complex specialises in slimming breaks focused on healthy eating and the thalassotherapy institute – a flagship 5,000sq m (53,280sq ft) facility that has been completely redesigned. A stand-out feature is a 25m heated (29˚c) seawater pool that is encased in glass and has ocean

The opening of the new EUR35.5m (£31m, US$49m) Rácz Hotel and Thermal Spa in Budapest, Hungary, has been pushed back "towards the beginning of 2012". Initially due to open during the third quarter of 2010, the 67-bedroom hotel is to feature an 8,000sq m (86,111sq ft) Thermal Spa. The spa will include refurbished parts of the historic Rácz Thermal Bath – a UNESCO World Heritage site – that was once

The University of Arkansas, US, has revealed a major new long-term sports facilities vision in a bid to enhance its offer and to maintain the competitiveness of the Razorback Athletics. A number of projects have been put forward as part of the Athletic Facilities Master Plan to cover sports such as American Football, basketball, baseball and swimming. It is estimated that the total vision will cost up to US$328m (£207m,

The University of Arkansas, US, has revealed a major new long-term sports facilities vision in a bid to enhance its offer and to maintain the competitiveness of the Razerback Athletics. A number of projects have been put forward as part of the Athletic Facilities Master Plan to cover sports such as American Football, basketball, baseball and swimming. It is estimated that the total vision will cost up to US$328m (£207m,

London's 'newest West End theatre' in more than 10 years is to be created as part of plans for the redevelopment of the Tottenham Court Road area unveiled by Crossrail. Three planning applications have now been lodged with Westminster City Council, covering four sites on the corner of Oxford Street and Charing Cross Road. AHMM are behind designs for the first two sites, which features a new theatre on the

Sebastian Coe and double Olympic medallist Rebecca Romero will help open a new £8.25m sports centre at St Mary's University College in Twickenham, London, on 27 October. Former 10,000m world record holder Dave Bedford and representatives from Sport England will also attend the unveiling of the facility, along with Olympians including Tim Brabants. The scheme aims to support and enhance the number of sport and health-related currently on offer at

The Military History Museum in Dresden, Germany, has been reopened to the public after an extensive redesign led by US-based architect Daniel Libeskind. Initially founded in 1897, the attraction is now the official central museum for the country's armed forces and has more than 10,500 exhibits on display dating back to the 14th century. The museum is one of the largest across Germany, with around 20,000sq m (215,278sq ft) of

Sedgemoor District Council (SDC) and Somerset County Council (SCC) have revealed that a contract for the construction of Bridgwater's new £6.3m swimming pool has been signed. The agreement with BAM PPP, which was finalised on 13 October, now paves the way for a new venue at Trinity Sports and Leisure that will offer community swimming facilities. A 25m, six-lane pool; a training pool; changing rooms; spectator seating; and an "increased"

A special groundbreaking ceremony has taken place in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, to mark the start of construction work on the town's new £20m performance venue. Vinci Construction has been appointed to build the 4,625sq m (49,783sq ft) building, which will be situated at the heart of a new Civic and Cultural Quarter development. Muse Developments is working with Doncaster Council on the project, with the new facility to include a

The Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) has said that it has submitted plans that will "shape the future of East London" as part of the Legacy Communities Scheme (LCS). Five new neighbourhoods are set to be developed over a 20-year period across 64 hectares (158 acres) of the Olympic Park site, which have been detailed in a 5,000-page application. Chobham Manor; East Wick; Sweetwater; Marshgate Wharf; and Pudding Mill Lane

London mayor Boris Johnson has confirmed a new ten-year sponsorship deal worth £36m for a new cable car link across the River Thames between Greenwich and the Royal Docks. Due to open ahead of the 2012 Games, the Emirates Air Line will accommodate up to 2,500 passengers per hour each way and is expected to carry 2 million visitors in its first year. The sponsorship deal enables the mayor and

The £72m Museum of Liverpool, which opened in July, has revealed that it will open its new ground floor Great Port area and a first floor boasting three more galleries on 2 December. Denmark-based 3xN were behind the design of the attraction, which already incorporates the Atrium and the Global City, Little Liverpool, Wondrous Place and Skylight galleries. The Great Port on the ground floor will explore Liverpool's history on

Sir Richard Branson has dedicated the new 'Virgin Galactic Gateway to Space', which is set to become the home of the world's first commercial space tourism venture. State governor Susana Martinez also attended the opening of the 'Virgin Galactic Gateway to Space' at the Foster + Partners-designed combined terminal and hanger facility. URS Corporation and New Mexico-based SMPC also helped to design the new 120,000sq ft (11,148sq m) venue, which

The Maritime Experiential Museum and Aquarium (MEMA), the first ever maritime-themed attraction for Singapore, has been unveiled at the Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) waterfront. An iconic steel and glass hull-shaped building, which was designed by Ralph Appelbaum of Ralph Appelbaum Associates, provides a home for the new attraction. Exploring the maritime history of Asia and the Middle East, MEMA will offer special talks; children's workshops; and the exploration of life-sized

London mayor Boris Johnson has helped mark the official start of work on a £5.1m scheme that aims to deliver a major transformation of the South Bank's Jubilee Gardens. Last month, Frosts Landscape Construction was selected as contractor for the project, which will lead to the creation of a new green landscape with 70 new trees and flowerbeds. West8 are behind the design of the multi-million pound renovation, which has

North Lincolnshire Council has welcomed the news that The Pods, a £21m leisure complex in Scunthorpe, has been named on the shortlist for the World Architecture Festival Awards. Andrew Wright in association with S&P Architects was behind the design of the new venue, which opened earlier this year and comprises five timber and glazed geodesic domes. The facility, which is shortlisted in the sport category, was recently named 'most sustainable

Australian designer Joost Bakker will launch his first overseas Greenhouse restaurant in London, UK next year. The sustainable restaurant concept first opened in Perth in 2009 and has gathered momentum following a pop-up restaurant that operated for six weeks at Sydney's harbourside in March 2011. As well as the UK launch, permanent sites are currently being planned for Sydney and Melbourne. The London restaurant is scheduled to open by mid-2012.

The London 2012 velodrome, which will be used for Olympic and Paralympic track cycling at next summer's Games, has secured the Prime Minister's Better Public Building Award. Designed by London-based architects Hopkins, the 6,000-seat complex will be used by elite athletes and members of the local community following the 2012 Games. The Prime Minister's Better Public Building Award is designed to recognise new buildings and spaces that seek to improve

A new boutique facility called Akatsuki has opened on a secluded beach on the island of Koh Samui Designed by Tokyo-based architect Riccardo Tossani, the private luxury resort is built entirely from recycled wood and uses natural ventilation and shade for guest comfort. Catering for small groups or business events, the resort has a dining pavilion with large beach-side deck, a more relaxed living pavilion and a pavilion with conference

Giraffe has unveiled a new cafe concept, with an interior designed to appeal to the cosmopolitan, adult all-day market. The style of the neighbourhood cafes are a departure from the bright orange and graphic-led art of the original brand. Giraffe founder Russel Joffe worked with designer Claire Nelson to introduce a colour palette of copper and yellows, with natural elements such as timber. Hampstead was the first to open, and

Exhibition designer Real Studios has created an introductory gallery for the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich to coincide with the opening of the new Sammy Ofer wing. The permanent Voyagers exhibition uses AV installations, text, objects and personal narrative to evoke the historic and contemporary relevance of the sea and maritime heritage. Images are projected over a central wave structure and follow themes such as navigation, exploration, leisure and conflict.

Hotel operator Yotel has launched in New York - the first city centre location for the brand. The new hotel offers 699 stylish cabin-style rooms, including three VIP cabin suites with private terraces and jacuzzis offering views of the Manhattan skyline. Designed by the Rockwell Group in collaboration with Softroom, the hotel also offers a lounge and bar with DJ booth, restaurant, gym, studio space for events and a 7,000sq

Thailand-based hotel and resort operator Onyx Hospitality Group will launch two new spa brands early next year to support its four existing hotel brands. Breeze will be a four-star spa offering that will, according to Onyx's corporate director of spa Kirsty MacCormick, be marketed as a "fun" brand which will aim to make the spa journey more approachable - especially to those who have never been to a spa. The

John Wright, a founding member and former president of the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), has passed away. John Wright guided TEA for four years, growing its membership and shaping it's future. He remained an active member of the TEA to the end, helping to define the projects honoured at the annual THEA awards. He was also the driving force behind exhibition design company Lexington, helping to establish the company in