New European Properties

Mama Shelter, described as a “modern kibbutz” or a “laic monastery” opened in October in the Saint Blaise quartier of Paris. It was created by the Trigano family (who developed Club Med in its heyday), along with Cyril Aouizerate, and designed with the collaboration of Philippe Starck. With a postmodern and funky vibe, the hotel hosts concerts, cabarets, forums and lectures with scholars, politicians and poets, offering a side of Paris few visitors get to see. The hotel features 172 rooms on seven floors, ranging from 49 square feet to 114 square feet, and from $120 per night to $460 per night. On the top floor, the largest suite has a terrace with views of the city.

Mama Shelter hotel in Paris

Mama Shelter offers a unique perspective of Paris

Each of the hotel’s rooms is equipped with Apple iMacs, TV, CD/DVD players, Skype, iChat and free wireless-Internet access. French cuisine is served all day in the 160-seat restaurant (which also features a 30-seat terrace), cocktails are available at the 40-seat Island Bar from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., and an eat-in/take-out bakery with a 30-seat-long table is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, e-mail [email protected].

Radisson SAS Durham

The bar at the Radisson SAS Durham Hotel

In the UK, The Radisson SAS Durham, which opened in November, is the Brussels-based Rezidor Hotel Group’s first hotel in the northeast of England, and 12th property in the country overall. On the River Wear, just south of Newcastle Upon Tyne, The Radisson SAS Durham features 207 guest rooms, including Business-Class rooms, suites and a Presidential Suite. Many accommodations offer views overlooking the river and Durham’s historic Norman Cathedral.

With its location close to the city center, the hotel is ideal for business travelers. It offers more than 3,600 square feet of meeting space, including eight meeting rooms and three additional facilities for larger events, conferences or exhibitions. Hotel guests have free access to the PACE Health Club with an indoor swimming pool, steam room, solarium, sauna, Jacuzzi, gymnasium and five treatment rooms. For meals, guests can dine at the signature Filini Bar & Restaurant, which offers innovative Italian cuisine and views of the city. The restaurant also has a breakfast buffet with food options from Scandinavia, North America and the Continent—as well as a traditional English breakfast for purists. For more information, visit the hotel’s website or e-mail info@[email protected] or [email protected].

For those looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life and just relax by a beach, the Relais Paradiso Hotel is scheduled to open on Italy’s Amalfi Coast in March. Offering a more intimate experience than the city hotels, the Relais Paradiso features only 23 guest rooms and suites, with panoramic terraces overlooking the Bay of Salerno and the landscape of the Amalfi Coast. In-room amenities include a personal laptop computer, complimentary Wi-Fi connectivity, iPod and docking stations, fresh local flowers and complimentary items from the in-room minibar (which is refilled daily). The hotel also provides complimentary daily yoga and Pilates sessions; access to Relais Paradiso’s Executive Lounge, which features complimentary food and drinks; complimentary use of Relais Paradiso’s sunbeds and umbrellas at the nearby beach; and one 30-minute, in-room spa treatment per person during each three-night stay. The 2009 rates for individual rooms start at $413 per night, based on double occupancy. For family reunions and other large gatherings, the entire hotel can be booked starting at $15,131 per night. For more information, e-mail [email protected].

Down the Line…

With Eastern Europe continuing to become a more popular travel destination, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has announced it will manage a new luxury hotel in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. This hotel will be the company’s first in the region. Opening in late 2010, the Fairmont Grand Hotel Kyiv will feature 257 rooms, including 35 suites, as well as Royal and Presidential suites. The hotel will include a Willow Stream Spa, offering six treatment rooms, including two deluxe rooms, a relaxation room, separate women’s and men’s areas with sauna, steam and Swiss shower, and a full beauty salon.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide has announced plans to open a new Sheraton hotel in the Russian Federation. Sheraton Sochi Hotel will open in 2011 in Sochi, a popular Russian vacation spot that will host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. Starwood has signed a long-term agreement with the Russian Megapolis Group to manage the 212-room hotel (188 guest rooms; 24 suites), which will be the brand’s second property in the Russian Federation. The hotel will feature five restaurants and four bars, including a rooftop bar overlooking the Black Sea.