InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the appointment of Guzman Muela as General Manager InterContinental Resort Aqaba, Georg Weinlaender as General Manager InterContinental and Guy Bertaud as General Manager InterContinental Le Vendome Beirut, as part of plans to further strengthen its presence in the Near East.
Muela will be moving from his current role as Interim General Manager at the InterContinental Lusaka and Crowne Plaza Amman, and has been with the group for almost 16 years.
With over 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Weinlaender joins IHG from Croatia where he was Cluster General Manager and President of the Management Board for a luxury hotel brand.
Having previously worked as Deputy General Manager for a 5-star hotel in Paris, Bertaud brings 20 years of experience in operations management in luxury hotels.
Commenting on the new appointments, John Bamsey, Chief Operations Officer, IHG, Middle East and Africa said, "The near east has great growth potential and plays a key role in the development of inter-region travel. The new appointments are a move on the group's part to further strengthen operations in the area. They will play a vital role in the streamlining of hotel functions and processes and work closely with the regional office to implement strategies that will continue to strengthen the brands and maintain growth in the Near East."
UK'S SECOND STAYBRIDGE SUITES OPENS IN NEWCASTLE
Earlier this month, IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) opened Staybridge Suites Newcastle, the second extended-stay property in the UK.
Bridging the gap between conventional hotels and serviced apartments, Staybridge Suites is designed for people seeking a residential-style stay when they spend longer periods away from home.
Staybridge Suites Newcastle occupies a prime city centre site on Buxton Street, close to the Quayside and Newcastle's main business district. While many of its suites offer views across the River Tyne and Millennium Bridge, the hotel also sits on the line of Hadrian's Wall with elements of the wall preserved under the building.
Kirk Kinsell, IHG's President Europe, Middle East & Africa, said: "Having witnessed the popularity of Staybridge Suites amongst guests seeking a home-from-home experience in the US, it is great to see the continued success of the concept in this part of the world since opening our Liverpool and Cairo properties last year."
"With three Staybridge Suites hotels now open this side of the Atlantic we look forward to bringing a further two properties on board in Abu Dhabi and Russia by the end of the year."
Owned by Trinity Hotels, the 128-suite hotel will be managed by IHG under a 20-year management contract.
Staybridge Suites' tiered rate structure ensures prices are discounted the longer a guest stays, making it a more economical as well as comfortable option for business travellers.
There are currently 11 further Staybridge Suites hotels in progress across Europe, the Middle East and Africa which are expected to open by 2012. Globally IHG has 152 Staybridge Suites open, with 166 in the development pipeline.
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