We apologise in advance for the record-breaking length of this week’s hotel wrap. Travel Weekly‘s reporter would’ve made it even longer had we not locked him in the office storeroom.

Raffles Hotel Singapore unveils revitalised Raffles Arcade

Raffles Hotel Singapore has announced the reopening of Raffles Arcade.

Primed to elevate the retail scene within the heart of the civic district, the refreshed space (pictured above) offers a shopping, dining and lifestyle experience set amidst the unrivalled elegance of the Raffles Hotel Singapore’s glamourous colonial grandeur.

The Raffles Arcade showcases a myriad of tenants and boasts an elegant mix of new-to-market, and world-renowned international brands to create a retail experience that goes beyond traditional brick and mortar shopping.

Tourism Accommodation Australia welcomes growth in overnight visitor expenditure 

Tourism Accommodation Australia has welcomed news the Tourism 2020 goal to grow total overnight visitor expenditure to $115 billion has been met ahead of schedule.

Figures released today reveal that together, international and national total overnight visitor expenditure is now at a record $118.9b – more than three billion over target.

“The combined efforts of the tourism and accommodation sectors allied with the federal government have seen us more than surpass the Tourism 2020 goals of increasing total overnight visitor expenditure from $70 billion to $115 billion,” TAA national CEO Michael Johnson said today.

Waldorf Apartments rebrands as Nesuto, aims to triple Australasia footprint in the next five years

Daiwa Living Waldorf will rebrand its Waldorf Apartments portfolio to Nesuto this week as a reflection of the new direction for the group.

Daiwa Living Management (DLM) and Cosmos Initia Co. completed a 100 per cent share acquisition of Daiwa Living Waldorf in November 2018. DLM and Cosmos Initia are subsidiaries of one of Japan’s largest house building companies, Daiwa House Industry Co..

The rebrand comes as the company’s new shareholders begin an aggressive push to more than triple the brand’s Australia and New Zealand footprint of 1,500 rooms to 5,000 rooms by 2024.

The Nesuto brand will be rolled out across 12 out of the group’s 23 properties including key apartment hotels in Woolloomooloo NSW, Mounts Bay WA and Auckland Stadium. A strong development pipeline will also be branded as Nesuto.

Pro-Invest to develop Sunshine Coast’s first new internationally-branded hotel in three decades

Australian hotel investment and development company Pro-Invest has purchased a prime site in the new Maroochydore CBD and lodged a development application (DA) with Economic Development Queensland for a new select-service upper midscale hotel.

The 167 room hotel will be located in the heart of the new Maroochydore CBD, which will become the commercial and administrative hub of the rapidly growing Sunshine Coast region.

Pro-Invest has a Master Development Agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) to develop and operate the Holiday Inn Express brand in Australia and New Zealand under franchise, and when finalised, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Sunshine Coast would be the 12th hotel developed by Pro-Invest in the region.

It will be the company’s second hotel development in Queensland after opening the Holiday Inn Express Brisbane Central in 2017.

Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts celebrates 25th anniversary, World Environment Day with global greening initiatives

In celebration of its 25th Anniversary and the recent World Environment Day, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts has introduced a slew of group-wide sustainability initiatives to raise awareness and make a positive impact on the environment and surrounding communities.

Supporting World Environment Day 2019’s theme of air pollution, the group aims to plant more than 25,000 trees by year-end around participating resorts worldwide under its Stay for Good Greening Communities programme.

The initiatives are driven by Banyan Tree Global Foundation, the non-profit arm and integral part of Banyan Tree’s management framework, which focuses on directing social and environmental responsibility across the group.

Designed for travellers who champion sustainable development, Banyan Tree’s 25th anniversary ‘Exceptional Experiences’ celebratory offer includes the choice of a complimentary ‘Exceptional Experience’ to celebrate the community with a sustainable activity.

It comes with 25 per cent savings on room rates (best available rate), food and beverage, spa and gallery retail and the group’s signature 25th anniversary cocktail – The Botanical.

New 4.5 star Melbourne hotel to open next month

Brady Hotels Jones Lane, opening 1 August, is excited about ‘doing things differently’ to provide a more personalised guest experience and helping visitors discover the best of Melbourne’s theatre, shopping and laneway culture on its doorstep.

The hotel is tucked down Little Lonsdale Street on the corner of Jones Lane (between Exhibition and Russell Street), in the heart of the city’s theatre district.

Ideal for business and leisure travellers, the 4.5 star boutique hotel spans 21 storeys and encompasses 153 rooms (125 king, 10 twin, 14 business and four studio apartments). Ninety-six of the rooms have balconies.

All rooms contain king beds and openable windows. The styling takes on a sophisticated dark palette, complimented by chic brass pendant lighting and leather lounges adding a cheerful pop of bright orange.

Reef House Hotel and Spa awarded best Luxury Historical Spa

Reef House Hotel and Spa, Palm Cove has been awarded the best Luxury Historical Hotel Spa and best Luxury Romantic Destination Spa, Australia/Oceania in the 2019 World Luxury Spa Awards.

Reef House is the only Day Spa in Queensland to offer phytomer treatments (marine biotechnology) and is home to organic, Australian made range, Waterlily which uses the purest aromaceuticals and phytonutrients to create a performance driven sensory journey.

Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir surprise guests at Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour with impromptu performance

To celebrate Naidoc Week, guests of Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour were treated to a few impromptu performances by the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir, which surprised and delighted guests enjoying breakfast in the hotel’s signature restaurant, Atelier by Sofitel.

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour are the hospitality partner of Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir, a celebrated group of young Indigenous performers who were in Sydney for a series of gala performances at the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Check-in with one of Mantra Hotels’ biggest sales of the year

Mantra Hotels is set to launch one of its biggest sales of the year with massive savings across Art Series, Peppers, Mantra and BreakFree properties in Australia, New Zealand, Bali and Hawaii.

Your clients can discover the magic of Port Douglas with a stay at Mantra on the Inlet situated just metres from the marina precinct, with pricing from $99* per night in a hotel room (Two-night minimum of $198). Valid for travel from 1 November 2019 until 30 June 2020.

Or they can check out Ala Moana Hotel by Mantra, Honolulu’s landmark hotel and the perfect destination for your next Hawaiian getaway. Located just 20-minutes from Honolulu International Airport, the hotel’s central Honolulu location is an ideal starting point to explore the beautiful island of Oahu. Guests can stay from US$165* per night in a Kona Tower City View room. This offer includes a $10 Starbucks card, WiFi and no additional resort fees. Valid for travel from 29 July 2019 until 19 June 2020.

Situated in the heart of New Zealand’s most modern city, BreakFree on Cashel offers innovated design and bold décor in the heart of Christchurch. Your clients can tay from NZ$85 per night in a City Urban Double. This offer includes 2GB of WiFi. Valid for travel until 30 June 2020.

The Mantra Hotels Global Sale commences on Monday 22 July and ends midnight (AEST) on Sunday 28 July 2019.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts to launch first TRYP by Wyndham Hotel in Adelaide

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has announced its first TRYP by Wyndham hotel in South Australia with the signing of TRYP by Wyndham Pulteney Street Adelaide.

The 124-room hotel is developed by Ginos Group and will feature a mix of contemporary hotel rooms and suites along with an elevated lounge area, two restaurants, two bars and meeting rooms.

The development will also house commercial office space, which will be accessed via a separate entrance.

Site works on the $35 million development are expected to begin in October this year, and the hotel is slated to open in the first quarter of 2021.

Six Senses Maxwell launches wellness sanctuary in Singapore CBD

Six Senses Maxwell has introduced five spa pods and two relaxation rooms to deliver a myriad of holistic experiences and boost wellbeing.

Designed to be an urban sanctuary amid Singapore’s hustle and bustle, locals, hotel residents and travellers passing through the city are invited to take a break and enjoy the sound of silence.

Located on the fourth floor of Six Senses Maxwell, the spa pods and relaxation rooms are decorated and furnished in line with the property’s signature 19th century aesthetics and a stylish, modern twist.

Guests can look forward to both traditional and innovative wellness experiences from Six Senses Signature Massages to locally-inspired rituals, targeted therapies and functional fitness.

Singita honoured in Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2019

Singita has taken top honours in this year’s Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2019, scooping both 3rd and 8th places among The Top 100 Hotels in the World. Singita Sabi Sand also secured the winning spot in The Top 10 Safari Lodges in Africa category.

Rated against the finest hotels around the globe, flagship Singita Sabi Sand in South Africa – home to its founding lodges Singita Ebony and Singita Boulders, as well as the exclusive-use Singita Castleton – was ranked as the number one Safari Lodge in Africa and number three in the Top 100 Hotels in the World.

Singita Grumeti, in Tanzania, followed closely at number eight on the coveted list of The Top 100 Hotels in the World, as well as nabbing the number three spot in The Top 10 Safari Lodges in Africa category.

Shangri-La launches global #MyShangriLa photography contest

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has announced the global launch of the #MyShangriLa Photography Contest

From 15 July 2019 to 10 January 2020, participants are invited to share their images on Instagram with #MyShangriLa and @shangrilahotels or upload them on www.shangri-la.com/myshangrila.

Photos must be taken at one of Shangri-La’s hotels, resorts or destinations where our properties are situated.

Shangri-La will be giving away the ultimate grand prize to one winner: a two-night getaway with flights to one of 10 Shangri-La destinations of their choice, including Kota Kinabalu, Muscat and Istanbul.

MAGNT announces Mantra Hotels as official accommodation partner

From L to R: MAGNT Director Marcus Scutenko, Mantra Hotels area manager Northern Territory David Pearson.

The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) has announced Mantra Hotels as its official accommodation partner.

MAGNT’s collections, exhibitions and programs span Aboriginal art and culture, natural sciences, history and art focussing on Northern and Central Australia, as well as Australia’s South East Asian neighbours.