Park Plaza opens Art’otel Cologne

Today (March 15) sees the launch of the Art’otel Cologne, Park Plaza Hotels’ seventh European property to bear the “lifestyle” brand. The 218-room new build features large-scale artwork from Korean-born artist “SEO”, the largest of which is 12m wide. Park Plaza said the hotel’s art was its “main attraction”, as well as its location on the banks of the River Rhine and proximity to Cologne city centre. All guestrooms and suites feature free wifi internet, flat-screen televisions and ensuite bath and showers. Other Hotel facilities include a top-floor sauna, six meeting rooms with space for 100 delegates, plus a river boat which is available for hire. Boris Ivesha, Park Plaza Hotels’ president and CEO, said Cologne was the first of several new Art’otel openings over the next three years. Art’otels in Marrakech, Amsterdam and London Hoxton are slated to open in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively. Art’otel Cologne was originally due to open last year, as was the Marrakech property as previously reported on Business Traveller (see online news September 5). But those dates appear to have slipped slightly with Cologne only just open and Marrakech now down to launch some time this year. Art’otel’s European portfolio now includes hotels in Dresden, Potsdam, Budapest and Berlin (three properties), as well as Cologne. For more information visit artotels.com, parkplaza.com. Report by Andrew Gough