Shiny new hotels in: London, Munich, Taipei, India +

In overseas hotel news, Hilton adds another property in London; Starwood debuts a pair of Alofts in Germany; there’s a new Marriott in Taipei; Marriott and Shangri-La have openings in India; China gets a new Marriott; and Bogota adds a new property from Four Seasons.

The newest Hilton property in London is the 292-room Hilton London Bankside, in the Bankside district near the Tate Modern gallery. it offers executive-level rooms with access to an Executive Lounge; a restaurant called OXBO Bankside, and a bar called The Distillery, as well as a pool and fitness center. Rates range from $228 to $527.

Starwood’s fast-growing Aloft brand, aimed at younger, tech-savvy business travelers, has added a pair of locations in Germany. The new 184-room Aloft Munich is across the street from the city’s central train station, not far from the Pinakothek Museum and the Oktoberfest grounds. In Stuttgart, the new 165-room Aloft is located in the Milaneo mixed-use project, within walking distance of the main train station and the Schlossgarten park. Both properties offer SPG Keyless mobile room access, free Wi-Fi and the usual Aloft signature features, like a WXYZ Bar, Re:fuel grab-and-go market, and a 24-hour fitness center. Rates at both hotels start around $180 a night.

Marriott International has cut the ribbon on the 320-room Taipei Marriott in Taiwan, in the city’s new Dazhi commercial area. It’s about  10 minutes from Songshan Airport and five minutes by car from the Neihu Technology Park. Guestroom sizes start at a generous 430 square feet, and function rooms include the largest ballroom in Taipei. The hotel has five restaurants and a lobby lounge with free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour fitness center, and a spa. Rates start at $213.

The newest hotel in India’s tech mecca of Bengaluru (Bangalore) is the 397-room Shangri-La. The 19-story property is located in between the business center and the city’s upscale suburbs, with views of Bangalore Palace. The Shangri-La offers six food and beverage outlets, along with a lobby lounge, an outdoor pool, a health club and spa facilities, and a ballroom that can accommodate up to 900 persons. Introductory rates start at $150.

In the northern Indian city of Lucknow, Marriott has opened a new Renaissance hotel — only the second Renaissance in India. Located in the city center, the 112-room Renaissance has 26,000 square feet of meeting rooms, a rooftop infinity pool with poolside bar, a fitness center, Jacuzzi, and even a yoga studio, as well as two restaurants and a pastry shop. Rates begin at $131.

In the heart of Chongqing, China — near the Nanping business district — is the newly opened Chongqing Marriott, occupying the 30th to the 48th floors of the city’s landmark Guorui Centre. The 341-room Marriott offers three restaurants, considerable meeting and ballroom space, a heated indoor pool and 24-hour gym, and guest rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and panoramic views, as well as a 47th-floor Executive Lounge with concierge services. Rates start around $110.

In Colombia, an October 15 opening is set for the Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina Bogota. It’s a restoration of a 1940s-era building with modern technology installed throughout its 62 rooms and suites. The hotel has a Spanish-cuisine restaurant, a 24-hour fitness area and a full-service spa, along with meeting space for up to 200 persons. Rates begin at $399.

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