It’s been a busy day for luxury travel.
In Hawaii, rumor has it that Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group could be returning to the state with a new hotel project across from the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. While a Mandarin Oriental spokesperson Travel Agent spoke with says there’s no official announcement yet, if it goes forward the property would have 125 guest rooms, 107 luxury residences and an early 2020 opening date. It would also mark the first hotel for Mandarin Oriental in Hawaii since The Kahala Hotel & Resort rebranded as an independent property in 2006.
The news caps a busy run of luxury hotel news in Hawaii and beyond. Recently The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas on Maui announced that it will open ahead of schedule on April 15. The new resort will span 16 oceanfront acres of North Kaanapali Beach and offer guests a selection of one-, two- and three-bedroom villas, a lagoon-style swimming pool, a children's beach pool and play area, oceanfront cabanas and a WestinWORKOUT Fitness Studio.
China has also been a major hotspot for new luxury hotels recently. The Four Seasons Hotel Tianjin just opened its doors in the city’s Central Business District. 30 minutes from Beijing by high-speed train and with direct access to the city’s main shopping street, the hotel has five dining and drinking concepts, 259 accommodations (including 44 suites), a 24/7 fitness center and a sky-lit indoor swimming pool. On Hainan Island, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company just opened its first golf resort in China, The Ritz-Carlton, Haikou. Set within the 350-acre Blackstone Course that weaves its way around the Mission Hills Golf Club, the new luxury resort offers guests 175 rooms, 16 suites and a rooftop bar and patio, dubbed Flair Bar, that serves cocktails with local fruits like lychee. Guests can also check out the Tin Lung Heen Cantonese fine dining restaurant or the Terra restaurant, which serves a variety of cuisines from a rotating chef lineup. There is also a spa, indoor and outdoor event spaces, and a special Golfer’s Yoga on the lawn.
In luxury cruise news, Crystal just announced its second Northwest Passage voyage, following last year’s crossing. This year the company is partnering with Canadian Arctic expedition company Arctic Kingdom on a 32-day itinerary out of Anchorage/Seward, Alaska, onboard Crystal Serenity. The move follows the opening of bookings for Crystal’s 2019 season, including ocean, river and expedition yacht cruises. Regent Seven Seas Cruises also just announced its 2018 schedule, which will add 28 maiden ports to the line’s lineup.
Have a tip on major travel industry news, or an inspiring story you’d like to share? Reach out at aleposa@questex.com.
And keep visiting www.travelagentcentral.com for the latest travel industry news, trends and updates.