Small Luxury Hotels of the World`s award-winning directory of hotels just got bigger for 2005 as the luxury brand added 53 new properties worldwide…
Small Luxury Hotels of the World`s award-winning directory of hotels just got bigger for 2005 as the luxury brand added 53 new properties worldwide to its portfolio. Not only did the exclusive collection grow in size but it has spread the globe farther reaching 7 new countries which include The Bahamas, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Dominican Republic, Panama, Slovakia and Vietnam.
As part of growing the brand and becoming stronger, SLH has created tougher standards of excellence for not only prospective new hotels looking to join, but for existing members as well. The crackdown on quality has resulted in the departure of nearly 30 existing members from the brand for having not maintained the level of quality and standards of excellence required to be part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
The exacting new SLH commitment to excellence has stimulated world-wide interest in the brand resulting in a record number of over 200 applications received for 2005 allowing SLH to select the best of the best. A further growth by an average of five additional members every month is anticipated throughout next year.
The SLH Directory for 2005 features 329 hotels which offer a total of 17,250 rooms, up from 16,500 in 2004, and a highest-ever figure for the brand. Small Luxury Hotels predicts the milestone of 400 total members will be passed by 2006/7 and that a figure of 500 can be reached by 2010. The most rapid growth is expected in China, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the USA.
For 2005, Small Luxury Hotels has grown its member hotels proportionately most strongly in France (up 10%), North America (up 18%), Greece (up 20%), Thailand (up 50%), and Spain (up 60%).
Of the total of 329 Small Luxury Hotels for 2005, 56% are located in Europe/Middle East/Africa; 23% in the Americas; and 21% in Asia/Australia/New Zealand. 67 are beach resort properties; 105 are located in city centers; 77 are country houses (castles/chateaux); 13 are designated as eco-reserves or game lodges; 27 are spa resorts; 11 are sited on waterfronts; 7 are private islands; 7 are ski resorts, 8 golf resorts, and 7 sports resorts.
The expansion in membership also coincides with a surge in global reservations revenue for 2004 which is likely to top $60 million for the first time and forecast to reach nearly $70 million in 2005. Around 80% of this total continues to be generated through the travel industry and 65% originates in the U.S.
Ed Donaldson, VP of Marketing, The Americas, commented, As luxury properties that fit our standards and niche marketplace emerge in different parts of the world, we will continue to aggressively make them available to our dedicated clientele. Conversely, as existing member hotels become lax in maintaining the highest level of comfort and quality, we will rigorously weed them out as to not diminish the excellence of the brand and fellow member properties.
New hotels for 2005:
The Americas
Brentwood Bay Lodge & Spa; Victoria, B.C.
Casa Colonial; Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic
Chateau Beauvallon; Mont Tremblant, Quebec
Columbia Eagle Resort; Fairmont Hot Springs, B.C.
Hotel Andra; Seattle, WA
Hotel Esencia; Quintana Roo, Mexico
Hotel Providence; Providence, RI
Hotel Teatro; Denver, CO
L`Auberge Carmel; Carmel by the Sea, CA
Manor on Golden Pond; Holderness, NH
NUMA Hotel & Spa; Monterrey, Mexico
Old Bahama Bay; Grand Bahama Island
Puentes del Mar; Bocas del Torro, Panama
Sorrel River Guest Ranch; Moab, UT
The Bentley Beach Hotel; Miami Beach, FL
The Lodge at Molokai Ranch; Maunaloa, HI
The Resort at Paws Up; Greenough, MT
The Rusty Parrot Lodge & Spa; Jackson Hole, WY
The Sandpiper; St. James, Barbados
Europe, Middle East & Africa
Art Deco Hotel Montana; Lucerne, Switzerland
Brooks Hotel; Dublin, Ireland
Cosmopolitan Suites; Santorini, Greece
Danai Chateau Repo; Halkidiki, Greece
Grand Hotel; St Jean de Luz, France
Hostellerie Le Marechal; Colmar, France
Hotel 3.14; Cannes, France
Hotel Gran Derby; Barcelona, Spain
Hotel Hoffmeister; Prague
Hotel Juana; Antibes Juan-les-pins, France
Hotel Jules Cesar; Arles, France
Hotel Marrol`s; Bratislava, Slovakia
Hotel RA Beach Thalasso Spa; El Vendrell, Spain
Monte Do Casal; Faro, Portugal
Mykonos Grand Hotel; Mykonos, Greece
Nafplia Palace; Nafplion, Greece
Pousada de D. Joao IV; Vila Vicosa, Portugal
Pousada de Rainha Santa Isabel; Estremoz, Portugal
Rafaelhoteles La Pleta Hotel and Spa; Baqueira, Spain
The G; Galway, Ireland
Yria Hotel; Paros, Greece
Asia Pacific
Anantara Hotel de la Paix; Siem Reap, Cambodia
Anantara Resort & Spa Golden Triangle; Thailand
Anantara Resort & Spa Khao Lak; Thailand
Anantara Resort & Spa Koh Samui; Thailand
Evason Hideaway at Ana Mandara Resort; Ninh Van Bay,Vietnam
Evason Hideaway at Hua Hin; Thailand
Huvafen Fushi; North Male Atoll, The Maldives
Longitude 131
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
