Hotel

Australian Open players to go into isolation after hotel coronavirus case

Thursday's play at the six warm-up events at Melbourne Park has been cancelled as a result.

But Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said: "At this stage there is no impact on the tournament proper."

Players will be free to return to competition after a negative test.

"We will work with everyone involved to facilitate testing as quickly as possible," said Australian Open organisers.

The Grand Slam tournament, which was pushed back by three weeks to enable players to quarantine, starts on Monday.

Aggie Grey's family sells famed hotel to Chinese investors

Aggie Grey's in Apia, Samoa has been sold by Aggie Grey's grandchildren and other family shareholders for $50 million.

Grey, born Agnes Swann, was a half English-half Samoan woman who opened the hotel in 1933. She hosted many notable actors, including Marlon Brando, and was friends with American writer James Michener. 

Her hotel is now managed by Sheraton, a 175-room establishment which was completely rebuilt after a devastating cyclone in 2012. The sale includes the hotel's Black Sands casino.

NZ-Samoan consortium to build Tahitian hotel

The French Polynesian government has chosen its bid for the construction of part of the Tahitian Village resort complex which is a scaled backed version of the original Mahana Beach project.

The consortium Kaitiaki Tagaloa includes Kaitiaki Property, Iwi International and Samoa's Grey Investment Group, which already owns and runs several high-end hotels in Tahiti, Mooera and Bora Bora.

The announcement comes a week before the election of a new territorial assembly, and the president Edouard Fritch said contracts would be signed by the government after the polls.

Digicel Samoa branching into hotel industry

The Chairman of Digicel's board Pepe Christian Fruean said the ground would be broken next month for a hotel to be built on government land in Sogi.

He said the hotel would be a $40 million investment and would cater to business travellers.

RNZI reports Digicel Samoa is soliciting bids for the design work.

     

Samoa investors fail to purchase French Polynesia resort

Radio1 reports the Manava Beach Resort and Spa was said to be bought by Frederick Grey but that the deal was ultimately sealed with China's HNA group.

HNA already owns two big resorts on Moorea and Bora Bora.

Samoa's Grey Investment Group also owns several large upmarket resorts in French Polynesia.