Accor Hotels cornering the Indonesia market

It's tough times for the hospitality industry, but you wouldn't know it by how Accor Hotels chain is expanding its footprint in Indonesia. My friend Cynthia Dammerer sent an update of what's happening on the ground:

"Accor will open its 7th hotel in Bali in May '09, a five-star Pullman-branded hotel - the first internationally branded complex for the Legian region, that is growing steadily in popularity with tourists. Complete with restaurants, bars and boutique shops, the hotel sits opposite the famed Kuta beach, at the quiet Legian end, and offers five-star luxury in guest rooms and suites; Pullman "welcomer service"; and edgy new standards that is setting the brand apart worldwide.

"General Manager Philippe Battle believes that the Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana will appeal to upscale tourists, wanting to be close to, but not in the heart of the action. For more info check out www.pullmanhotels.com.

"There are also the new pool villas at Novotel Lombok - the original and best resort still in south Lombok. The visionary who selected the Kuta Beach location for the Novotel Lombok could not have forseen just how popular the region would become once it was discovered by the general tourist public, other than surfers and those wanting to truly drop out for a few weeks. Emaar, the Dubai-based conglomerate, has recently invested US$600 million in a 1200-hectare parcel of land on the beachfront behind the Novotel, and plans to open an Armani and Ritz Carlton Hotel there, after the new international airport is built there in 09/10.

Novotel has just built beautiful private pool villas that are proving very popular with honeymooners, coupled with luxury beach candlelit dinners. Once the new development starts and international flights increase, expect huge traffic to the palm-fringed azure sea and white sands. It's Indonesia's best-kept secret."

Sounds fab. Of course if these hotels explode in popularity, they won't be such a secret anymore. So let's keep this to ourselves. :)

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