Carry on: Accor's latest hotel, Faull's empire expands, Hollywood luxury and more

Accor brings Novotel to New Plymouth
Business travellers to New Plymouth will have the choice of a four-star hotel from next year. Accor says its $22 million Novotel development will open early in 2015. It is located on the corner of Leach and Hobson Sts, a short walk from the commercial centre and close to all major tourist attractions. It will feature a mix of executive and studio rooms, one-bedroom apartments and a penthouse suite, three food and beverage outlets, two meeting rooms, a swimming pool, gymnasium and day spa.

Garth Simmons, vice president operations for Accor New Zealand, Fiji and Japan, says it will stimulate business and leisure travel to the region. “We are proud to add our eighth Novotel to our growing network of hotels,” he adds.

Faull's hotel empire expands
New Zealander Gavin Faull’s Swiss-Belhotel International hospitality management business has started work on a four-star, 124-room property at Pangkalpinang, Bangka, Indonesia. It is located in the central business district and has a contemporary design juxtaposed against a local heritage building in its precinct.

It is scheduled to open in 2015 and will include a restaurant, bars, function and meeting space as well as a swimming pool, gym and spa.
Within two years Swiss-Belhotel International will operate 97 hotels and resort in Indonesia. SwissBelhof has also announced it will open two hotels in the Middle East this year – the Seef in Bahrain, Ghubrah Muscat in Oman.

Luxury Suite 100 relives 1990s glamour
The Peninsula Beverly Hills is celebrating the City of Beverly Hills’ 2014 centennial with the launch of Suite 100, which pays homage to the birth of modern luxury in the 1990s. The 150sq m space is inspired by the glamour and excitement of the Hollywood awards season, when the hotel plays host to VIPs and celebrities. The walls are clad in photographic murals of the red carpet and the effect is heightened by expansive mirrors.

A ring of sparkling Swarovski crystal floats over the dining table and the bedroom features creamy carpeting and mirrored walls accented with warm, silvery finishes. Overnight rates for the Suite 100 package start at $US7000 a night. This comes with a private pool cabana for the day, lunch for two; a Scrub & Spray Tan treatment for two; evening plans curated by chief concierge James Little; luxury house car transportation within Beverly Hills and Century City; and a selection of beauty products.

Emirates adds Brussels as destination 147
Emirates will launch a new daily service from Dubai to Brussels from September 5 this year. The Belgian capital and headquarter for the European Union will be Emirates’ 147th destination, closely following the launch of Oslo on September 2.

The non-stop service will be operated by a Boeing 777 in a three-class configuration and will provide a direct connection at Dubai with all four daily Emirates services from New Zealand.