2008CLARION OPENS SPLENDID NEW HOTEL - IN THE HEART OF STOCKHOLM

CLARION OPENS SPLENDID NEW HOTEL - IN THE HEART OF STOCKHOLM

On 5 February, Clarion Hotel Sign will open its doors to reveal 558 rooms featuring the very best in Scandinavian design, the much talked about Aquavit restaurant and the award-winning SelmaSpa+.

Stockholm's biggest hotel - Clarion Hotel Sign - is operated by Choice Hotels Scandinavia, and is situated on the Norra Bantorget square in Stockholm's city centre. The hotel was built by Skanska, with Arthur Buchardt as contractor.

- The new Clarion Hotel Sign in Stockholm's city centre is a vibrant, first-class meeting place that further cements the Choice Group's leading position in the Scandinavian hotel market, says Katalin Paldeak, managing director of Clarion Hotels Norden.

Clarion Hotel Sign is distinguished by innovative architecture that is full of energy, creative ideas and well-being. The hotel houses ten floors of art, design, architecture and culinary delights. Guests are embraced by spectacular interiors, boasting the best Scandinavia has to offer in furniture art and design. Entire floors have been devoted to design legends such as Alvar Aalto, Bruno Mathsson and Erik Jörgensen, and Norway Says and Gunilla Allard are also represented here. All of four floors are dedicated to Arne Jacobsen's internationally renowned works Egg, Swan and Seven.

- We've created a unique experience in a first-class hotel featuring the world's best design and architecture. Our goal was to create a relaxed, timeless, open atmosphere that was naturally also enhanced by the Choice Group's phenomenal service, says Tobias Ekman, managing director of Clarion Hotel Sign.

Right from the start, the Clarion Hotel Sign was planned as an environmentally aware project. Many of the materials used in building the hotel were delivered by rail, and this practice is expected to continue.

- It was obvious to us that we needed to take a proactive approach to environmental protection. Some of the things we looked at from an environment perspective were bathroom products, where we considered a solution that used washers made from maize. And as part of the Choice Group, we're also aiming for ISO certification by 2010, mr Ekman explains.

With its central location and first-class service, Clarion Hotel Sign is perfect for conferences, business trips, or even just a delightfully relaxing hotel stay and visit to Selma CitySpa+ and gourmet restaurant, Aquavit Grill & Raw Bar.

Exterior

Stockholm's new top hotel was created by the architects at Wingårdh Arkitektkontor AB. It's a spectacular building that has transformed Stockholm's urban landscape. The building is made primarily of glass and black granite, and stands as a landmark in the city centre. To ensure maximum soundproofing, the side of the building that faces the railway is completely closed, with no windows and only granite. The other side of the building - which faces Norra Bantorget, where the city is installing a new park - is completely open.

- Like a huge sculpture. That's how I see the new hotel on Norra Bantorget, says Gert Wingårdh. Heavy facing the heavy railway, sharp facing the bright sunlight, narrow where the two scissor blades meet, and rhythmic facing the city A once dilapidated area now has a solid wall that reflects not only the gravity of a major hotel, but also the grand square.

The black granite façade features three different surface appearances thanks to different types of treatment. The stones form horizontal bands along the façade, where the side facing the square has a glossier appearance the higher up the building, while it grows more matte on the side facing the railway. Depending on how the light falls, the shiny polished stones appear either jet black or completely light. The rough stones are light when they're dry, but turn black in the rain. This keeps the building's stripes changing over the course of the day and the different seasons.

The rooms

Clarion Hotel Sign offers double rooms and suites only. All 558 rooms are exquisitely furnished with classic works by a selection of Scandinavia's most prominent designers. The rooms feature light tones with lighting by FLOS, which has been specially tailored to harmonise with the furniture and other décor. The bathrooms are designed for maximum light and are beautifully furnished with glass sinks and carefully selected materials. The rooms are also furnished with comfortable DUX beds, thoughtfully designed work surfaces, a mini bar and a flat screen television. The hotel is equipped with WI-FI network for fast, convenient internet access. Finally, there are eight junior suites of varying sizes depending on which floor they're on.

Aquavit Grill & Raw Bar

On the ground floor, you'll find the New York favourite Aquavit restaurant - the first ever outside the USA. The restaurant serves modern Scandinavian cuisine with an American touch in elegant settings. The high standards of both Aquavit and Clarion Hotel Sign come together splendidly in this delightful gourmet restaurant.

Conference centre

Clarion Hotel Sign offers more capacity for meetings with overnight accommodation than any other conference site in Stockholm, with conference facilities and hotel rooms for 1,116 people. The banquet hall features an incredible 6.8-metre ceiling and can hold 700 people seated cinema-style. In addition to the banquet all, Clarion Hotel Sign offers eight dedicated conference rooms that accommodate anywhere from 20 to 240 people. All conference rooms are naturally equipped with the very latest audiovisual tools.

Selma CitySpa+

At the very top of Clarion Hotel Sign, you'll find a lovely oasis in the middle of Stockholm. Selma CitySpa+ offers a wonderful relaxation facility and a range of special treatments in a tranquil environment. And crowning the entire experience is the hotel's marvellous year-round heated outdoor pool, offering a magnificent view over Stockholm's rooftops and the Stockholm Town Hall.

For additional information, please contact:

Tobias Ekman, MD, Clarion Hotel Sign, +46 (0)709 39 35 45, tobias.ekman@choice.se

Dennis Jacobsson, Micael Bindefeld AB, +46 (0)707 39 59 00, dennis@bindefeldab.se

Choice Hotels Scandinavia ASA is the Nordic region's largest hotel chain, with over 155 hotels. The chain markets five brands: Comfort Hotel, Quality Hotel, Quality Resort, Clarion Collection and Clarion Hotel. The company strives to be seen as the obvious choice of hotel for business and leisure travellers and conference organisers. Choice Hotels Scandinavia is part of Choice Hotels International, with over 5,000 hotels in 42 countries.

For more information on Clarion Hotel Sign, visit www.clarionsign.com

For more information on Choice Hotels Scandinavia, visit www.choicehotels.se