Regent Hotel To Open In Costa Rica

PAPAGAYO, COSTA RICA— Regent Hotels & Resorts is planning to expand into the Latin American market with a 150-room luxury resort that will be constructed in La Punta Papagayo, Costa Rica. The property is being developed by Minnesota-based Kirchert Pakonen Development, LLC and is expected to open in early 2009. Designed by architect Ronald Zürcher of Zürcher Arquitectos de Costa Rica, La Punta Papagayo Resort will include a five-star hotel, villas, estate homes and a retail village. It will be built on the Pacific coast of Guanacaste province in northwest Costa Rica approximately 20 minutes from Liberia International Airport. The resort will feature three restaurants, a spa and wellness center, white sand beaches and a helipad. Guestrooms will have plasma televisions, high thread-count linens, Egyptian cotton towels and private balconies with plunge pools. Over the next two years, the Regent brand plans to double its portfolio with the addition of seven new hotels. Regents existing portfolio encompasses six properties in the cities of Shanghai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, Berlin and Zagreb. In late 2006, the Regent South Beach and the Regent Beijing will open. Developments in North America will continue in 2007 with the addition of the Regent Palms, Turks Caicos; the opening of the Regent Bal Harbour in Florida; and the Regent Boston at Battery Wharf. Future Regent developments in Asia, Europe and the Middle East include properties in Bangkok, Thailand; Beijing and Ningbo, China; Dubrovnik, Croatia; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Regent is part of Carlson Hotels Worldwide.