Kempinski Hotels have signed an agreement with Sunny Travel EOOD to manage the first five star luxury hotel at the Golden Sands Resort, Varna in Bulgaria . Designed by Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo, the Kempinski Hotel Grand Hermitage will be the largest hotel in Kempinski's portfolio, with 730 rooms and suites, and will definitely be the resort's leading hotel.
Due to soft-open during summer 2005, the hotel will feature a two-level Presidential Suite on its top floors, conference facilities for up to 300 guests in the grand ballroom and break-out and board rooms. The in-house brewery, Asian restaurant and Italian lobby cafe will be complemented by two live-music bars, indoor and outdoor pool cafes as well as a casino.
Guests can make their selection from a variety of Ayurvedic treatments, southeast-Asian massages, facial and body treatments, which will be offered at the Nirvana Spa. Set on two levels, the spa will feature a Turkish Hammam and a Finnish sauna with outdoor gardens, as well as a unique WATSU (WATer ShiatSU) pond, which is the setting for deep relaxation through nurturing aquatic body work. An indoor pool, fitness centre, juice bar and Balinese pavilions complete the wellness offering.
With direct flights from all over Europe, Varna is an historic Thracian seaport set on the coast of the Black Sea, filled with beautiful Art Deco style buildings. The oldest gold in the world was recently discovered during the excavation of a Chalolithic period (4500 – 4000 B.C.) cemetery.
Varna is also a popular holiday destination, with the Golden Sands Resort situated just 17 km outside the city. Benefiting from the temperate climate and the Black Sea's low salt content, guests at the Kempinski Hotel Grand Hermitage enjoy direct access to the beach.
Says Reto Wittwer, President & CEO of Kempinski: "We were the first luxury hoteliers in Eastern Europe. We have built a strong presence in Russia, Hungary and Turkey, where the luxurious Ciraπan Palace Hotel Kempinski in Istanbul will be joined by the Kempinski Hotel The Dome in Belek and the Kempinski Barbaros Bay Resort & Spa in Bodrum, both due to open this summer.
In Bulgaria, we have a long presence in Sofia with the Kempinski Hotel Zografski and we will shortly open the Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena in the alpine resort of Bansko. With the addition of the Kempinski Hotel Grand Hermitage on the coast of the Black Sea, we have further strengthened our position and can offer the luxuries of a seaside resort in Bulgaria to our guests."
Kempinski's prestigious portfolio comprises luxurious properties in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South America and Asia. Each offers superior standards of service combined with a distinctive style reflecting the individuality of the property and its location.
By: N. Peter Kramer
