Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas has made four new general manager appointments at resorts in Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Qatar and the UAE.
Erik Billgren is now the general manager at Anantara Mui Ne Resort in Vietnam. The Swedish national brings with him over a decade of hospitality experience and property management of luxury hotels, resorts and residences in Vietnam.
He began his career in 2005 as International management trainee – assistant F&B manager for Life Heritage Resort, and Swiss-Belhotel Golden Sands Resort in Hoi An, Vietnam. Between 2006 and 2010, he was promoted to F&B manager, then assistant resort manager, and ultimately general manager for Life Heritage Resort, Hoi An, which is now known as Anantara Hoi An Resort.
Staying in Vietnam, in 2012 he joined The Ocean Resort, VinaCapital, Da Nang, as general manager/property manager. Between 2010 and 2020, he was also the owner/director of Waterfront Restaurant & Bar in Da Nang. Prior to joining Anantara, Billgren worked as hotel manager, New World Hoiana Hotel & Residences, Hoi An.
Over in Sri Lanka, João Corte-Real joins as cluster general manager overseeing Anantara Kalutara Resort and its neighbouring and sister property Avani Kalutara Resort.
The seasoned hotelier started his career in hospitality in 1996 with ENATUR – Pousadas de Portugal, a government enterprise for small luxury, traditional or historical hotels, and has since held senior management positions with Lisboa Regency Chiado Hotel and Tróia Resort in Portugal, as well as Hotel Timor in Dili, the capital of East Timor.
Corte-Real then joined Anantara in 2015 as general manager at Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort in Thailand. Prior to that, he was based in his native Portugal working with sister brand Tivoli Hotels & Resorts, where he was cluster general manager at Tivoli Palácio de Seteais and Tivoli Sintra Hotel. In May 2018, he moved to Brazil as general manager, Tivoli Mofarrej São Paulo Hotel.
Over in the Middle East, Gauderic Harang rejoins Anantara – from Six Senses Zighy Bay Oman – to oversee the three Anantara Sir Bani Yas Resorts in the UAE as the new general manager.
Harang’s career began in France at Plaza Athénée Paris, followed by several other positions in his native France. In 2013 he relocated to Thailand to join Swissôtel Resort Phuket, before moving to Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu in Canada, both positions as director of operations.
In 2016, he joined Anantara taking the position of resident manager for Anantara Dhigu, Anantara Veli and Naladhu Private Island in the Maldives, stepping up as acting general manager before moving back to Thailand as resort manager at Anantara Golden Triangle.
Lastly, Mohammed Wazir has been appointed as General Manager at Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara. Bringing over 17 years of hospitality experience to the role, Mohammed moves to Qatar from his most recent position as general manager at Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara in Oman.
His hospitality experience began in the UK with Millennium Hotels before he moved to Malta with Corinthia Hotels. With Corinthia Hotels, Wazir spent time working in properties in Russia, North Africa, the UK and Eastern Europe.
Wazir’s journey with Anantara began in 2015 at this same island property in Doha where he held the position of hotel manager. He then moved to Thailand as Hotel Manager at Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel.
Hotel Kith Darling Harbour, Australia
MetroResidences, a Singapore-headquartered hospitality management company, has launched Hotel Kith Darling Harbour in Sydney, marking the debut of the group’s expansion in Australia. The 60-room boutique hotel offers an experience that sets itself apart from the cookie-cutter formula. Guests are provided the option to customise their stay – from selecting a preferred check-in method (online or in-person) and submitting special room or amenities requests, to receiving a personalised Sydney itinerary recommendation prior to arrival. In addition, the property offers a contactless mobile check-in. Guests will receive a secure digital key through their email, enabling them to access their room with their mobile devices.
Four Points By Sheraton Desaru, Malaysia
Located in the heart of Desaru town, the 311-key Four Points by Sheraton Desaru is about a 50-minute drive from the Senai International Airport in Johor Bahru. All guestrooms offer complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, ergonomic workspaces, and private balconies; while the Family Room also showcases a play tent and personalised welcome amenities for kids.
The property features the brand’s new signature dining concept, The Mesh, an all-day dining space that enables guests to dine, work and socialise. The Mesh Restaurant features Malaysian flavours fused with classic and modern international favourites. There is also a lounge and bar area where guests can enjoy an artisan coffee or a coffee-based cocktail. For beer lovers, the hotel offers Best Brews, which is part of Four Points’ signature craft beer programme that offers local craft beer on tap.
Other facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre and children’s playground. For meetings and social gatherings, the hotel offers 12,000m² of flexible indoor meeting space. The pillarless Wave Grand Ballroom can accommodate up to 400 guests, while the Breeze Junior Ballroom can seat up to 300 guests. For more intimate events, the poolside venue can host up to 150 guests, ideal for weddings.
Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne on Spencer, Australia
Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne on Spencer marks Accor’s second Mövenpick Hotel in Australia. The 172-room property forms the six-level podium of the 78-storey Premier Tower development at the meeting point of Melbourne’s Spencer and Bourke Streets in the CBD. Each guestroom and suite features premium linens and blackout curtains, as well as modern bathrooms with a rain shower. The hotel is home to two gastronomic venues – Miss Mi restaurant and bar brings diners on an exotic taste journey through Asia, while a dedicated Mövenpick Café serves the brand’s signature ice cream alongside barista-made coffee and local artisan chocolates. A dedicated recreation floor features a 25m swimming pool, hot tub, sauna and gym.
akyra Manor Chiang Mai, Thailand
Singapore-based developer Manor Group and Akaryn Hotel Group have completed an expansion of akyra Manor Chiang Mai, the urban retreat nestled in the Nimmanhaemin quarter of the cultural city. Unveiled this month, the new Manor North & South wing will more than double the room count at akyra Manor Chiang Mai, as 32 new Deluxe Rooms complement the existing 23 Premier Suites and seven Manor Suites. The wing comprises two low-rise, four-storey buildings, which are defined by an open-plan layout and plenty of natural light. Each Deluxe Room features 30m² of living space, bathroom with rain shower, and premium amenities.