The construction of Hyatt hotel in Jermuk, Armenia, will be completed in fall 2014. The hotel will include 80 rooms, spa-center, water treatment facilities, restaurants, swimming pools, gyms. In line with preliminary estimates, US$ 15 million are expected to be invested for the construction which began in 2009. The author of this project is current head of the State Committee for Architecture at Government Narek Sargsyan. Jermuk City Municipality building is planned to be built next to new hotel.

Eero Saarinen's famous JFK terminal at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York is a masterpiece of contemporary architecture, but as a flight terminal, the building has fallen a bit behind the times. Largely unoccupied since 2001, the iconic building has left many wondering what would become of it. Recently, hotelier Andre Balazs announced that he would be turning the 1960s terminal into a hotel and changing the name from the TWA Flight Center to the Standard, Flight Center. The new hotel would include a conference center, meeting facilities, retail space, a spa and a flight museum to honor the building's heritage and will become a part of the Standard Hotel family. Balazs is still waiting for final approval from Port Authority, who contacted him about the opportunity, and there is no timeline in place as of right now. "The Port Authority is committed to preserving the essence of (Saarinen's) iconic design and to continuing to work with (Balazs Properties) on a plan to transform the historic TWA Flight Center into a one-of-a-kind hotel and conference center in the heart of JFK's central terminal area," said Pat Foye. It will be exciting to see what becomes of the historic space.

One of America's landmark homes, the Miami Beach mansion that once belonged to Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace, was sold at an auction for US$ 41.5 million to a business group that includes the owners of the Jordache jeans brand, reported Reuters news agency. The 1930s-era Mediterranean-style estate, which has 10 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms and a pool inlaid with 24-karat gold, was auctioned off as part of a bankruptcy proceeding by its current owner, telecom magnate Peter Loftin. Bidding opened at US$ 25.5 million and the winning offer was made by the current mortgage holders of the property, VM South Beach, a company affiliated with New York's Nakash family, which controls Jordache Enterprises. The Nakash family jointly owns a hotel next door to the mansion with the Gindi family, who founded the Century 21 department store chain. They plan to consolidate the properties to create a hotel that will possibly carry Versace's name. Joe Nakash told reporters he planned to ask Versace's family for permission to name the new property the Versace Hotel Villa. The 2,137 square meter mansion, replete with hand-painted frescoes, Italian marble and a gold-and-marble toilet, has been the subject of a long legal battle. In 1997, Versace was gunned down at the mansion's entrance gate by serial killer Andrew Cunanan. Three years later, Versace's family sold the property to Loftin, who is now facing bankruptcy and who had been trying to sell the house for more than a year. Versace bought the property in 1992 for US$ 2.9 million. He then purchased a hotel next door and spent US$ 33 million on renovations to add another wing. Inside, he decorated with an over-the-top style that included paintings of Grecian, nymph-like characters playing lyres under palm trees. The snake-haired Medusa head, Versace's logo, can be seen throughout the house.

Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka Trump unveiled plans to spend US$ 200 million turning the historic Old Post Office Pavilion in the nation's capital into a luxury hotel with 270 rooms and presidential suites with bulletproof windows. Trump International Hotel, Washington D.C. will take up a prime location on Pennsylvania Avenue in between the U.S. Capitol and the White House. Construction will begin in the spring of 2014 and is expected to be completed in late 2015. D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray told the audience at the Pavilion that the neighborhood in downtown D.C. has a shortage of hotels despite having plenty of museums, historic landmarks, federal buildings and offices to draw business and leisure travelers. He said the Trump hotel will help "us to define what the hotel industry, what the hospitality industry will be on this side of Pennsylvania Avenue." The Post Office, built in 1899, has been the source of much consternation among local politicians and activists. There have been multiple attempts to demolish it. Right now, it houses a few nondescript shops and fast food eateries. "They have put to rest the saga of the Old Post Office Pavilion," said Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), who added that she has spent 15 years trying to get the property redeveloped. Trump is leasing the property from the Federal Government for 60 years with the possibility of two 20-year extensions at a monthly rent of US$ 250 thousand. The hotel's 270 rooms will average about 56 square meters. The color palette will feature Federal blues, creams and ivories with soft gold and silver accents and some deep reds. Two presidential suites will be located in the former offices of the Postmaster General. Each will be at least 279 square meters and have three bedrooms. The now-closed 11th Street pedestrian entrance on Pennsylvania Avenue will be reinstated as the driveway to the hotel's canopied grand entrance. Inside, guests will walk into The Cortile, a nine-story atrium with a grand lobby and lounge. Sunlight will filter through a canopy of trees. Furnishings will be in rich jewel tones such as deep red, emerald and sapphire with gold accents. There will be a water sculpture and brass and glass chandeliers. The ground level will also have high-end restaurants and retailers.

The unusual 321-room Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort, located on the Taihu Lake between Nanjing and Shanghai, is set to open its doors. The oval-shaped building was designed by MAD Architects, as a part of the Starwood chain which is currently undergoing a drastic international expansion project. The US$ 1.5 billion resort measures over 100 meters high and 116 meters wide. The 27-storey Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort rises proudly in the Yangtze River Delta, the water covering the lowest two stories so that the form appears as a horseshoe shape rather than a complete ring as is really the case. As darkness falls, the form is illuminated with bands of LED lighting in different hues which reflect off the lake below in ripples of vivid color. In total the 2,200 square meter hotel has 321 guest rooms with 44 suites and 39 villas, all of which benefit from private balconies. The marble bathrooms include sunken bathtubs which look out over the waterfront and walk-in rainforest showers for a touch of luxury.