Next month, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts will open its first property in the UK in 36 years–The InterContinental London Westminster. Then across the pond, InterContinental Marseille opens after two years of renovations to the former Hotel Dieu, which now has a dedicated Cultural Space filled with artifacts uncovered during the excavation of the 18th century hotel.

Earlier this month, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts opened its new flagship property—the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. The hotel will have a two-story spa, international dining by Chef Nobu and 259 guest rooms that include 42 suites, which are tailored to the business traveler with interactive tablets, lightning-speed WiFi, and marble bathrooms with discreetly hidden televisions inside mirrors.

AKA, the luxury service residents, is expanding with two new additions set to open in 2013. The AKA Beverly Hills will be the brands first West Coast property. Then in London, the AKA West End will be the first international property.

Renovations and Upgrades:

In Saint Lucia, the Jalousie Plantation finished a three year, over $100 million renovation that culminated in the property being renamed into Sugar Beach: A Viceroy Resort. The Viceroy group has managed the property since 2008 and on November 30 it will be officially branded under the Viceroy Hotels and Resorts portfolio. The renovation created 59 luxury villas, 8 beachfront bungalows, a spa, several new restaurants, a new lobby, a new pool and much more.

In San Juan, Puerto Rico, the renovations are just starting at the historic Condado Vanderbilt Hotel, which has been shuttered for two decades. The first phase of the renovation is completed tomorrow with the opening of the dining facilities and the oceanfront 1919 restaurant, which will be run by Michelin-starred Chef, Juan Jose Cuevas. Phase two be the complete renovation of 323 guest rooms, which will open in 2013.

At the Peninsula Hong Kong, the hotel has completed a $450 million (HK) project that revamped all the guests rooms with new design and technology. Of note is the new digital bedside that gives guests full control of all room functions, hotel services and entertainment on several in room tablet computers. It’s not just cosmetic changes, the new technology had the hotel upgrade to powerful complimentary high-speed wired and wireless internet access in all guest rooms. Expect the upgraded rooms to roll out across Peninsula properties in the years to come.

In Tampa, you’ll see improvements at all 442 guest rooms in the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, which has just finished a year-long $16 million renovation. The upgrade also included a remodel to the restaurant terrace, upgrade for business travelers and more.

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