Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen to open in January

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels will be opening its second hotel in China in January, 2008, the Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen.

The 352-room Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen, formerly Crowne Plaza Harbourview Hotel Xiamen, took on its new name following a franchise agreement with M&C.

Standing 22 stories high, the hotel's strategic location juxtaposes a wonderful sea view with the convenience of a city location. Rooms also face Gulangyu Island, a favourite leisure destination famous for its architecture as a former residential district for Westerners and home to China's largest piano museum. Rooms are designed for maximum comfort and convenience for seamless work flow, in-room high-speed internet access, other corporate and leisure amenities and easy living conditions, for that home-away-from-home environment for travellers.

A corporate oasis, the hotel sits in the heart of Xiamen near the commercial city centre with easy access to the airport, a convenience welcomed by the business traveller.

Mr Michael Sengol, Chief Operating Officer, M&C said, "We are pleased to establish this franchise relationship with the hotel in Xiamen. It is in line with the group's growth strategy for Asia. We opened our doors for business in November, with our Grand Millennium properties in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. A Millennium hotel in Phuket followed suit recently. We also aim to grow our presence in China as well."

Mr Sengol added, "Operating in Shanghai is the Millennium Hongqiao Hotel. Beijing is the next gateway city where MCIL will establish its presence. We are in line to open there in time for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. We are also targeting secondary cities in China with good business / industrial hinterland. Besides Xiamen, Chengdu and Wuxi will see the presence of Millennium properties. A Copthorne hotel, the first in China is likely to open in Qingdao."

There are four major brands in the M&C portfolio - the Grand Millennium, Millennium, Copthorne and Kingsgate. Located in major gateways and key cities, the Grand Millennium is the most prestigious and luxurious of the brands.

Mr Simon Jim, General Manager, Millennium Harbourview Hotel Xiamen, said, "Xiamen sitting at the cross-strait of Taiwan, is one of China's Special Economic Zones and an important maritime trade port. This offers the hotel a rich base of corporate guests to tap into, which will form our core business segment."

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