Press Release
April 18, 2001
MIAMI, FL -- Bass Hotels & Resorts (LSE:BAS) (NYSE:BAS; ADR), the world's most global hotel company, and Coral
Hotels & Resorts, the leading resort company in the Dominican Republic, today announced the opening of two
new Crowne Plaza hotels in that country, one in the capital city of Santo Domingo and a second in Santiago, announced
Alvaro Diago, Area President, Bass Hotels & Resorts Latin America, and Daisy Perello de Roca, Chair of the
Board of Directors of Coral Hotels.
These ground-up construction projects are slated for completion by mid-2003. The $14 million Crowne Plaza Hotel
in Santiago, in the island's rich Cibao valley, will break ground this spring. The 200-room property designed by
renowned architect Alan Lapidus of New York, is located on Autopista Duarte and Avenida Rafael Vidal in the city's
commercial district. It will include 1,000 square meters, state of the art meeting facility, two restaurants, and
dedicated parking, as well as a casino.
The Crowne Plaza in Santo Domingo will be a 22-story tower located on Santo Domingo's famed seaside boulevard (El
Malecon), and will anchor a mixed-use complex that includes the hotel, a retail shopping mall, commercial office
space and residential condominiums. The $16 million property will also count on 208 guest rooms and suites, and
a casino.
Both properties will provide the latest technology, a business center, and fitness center.
The operator of both developments is Coral Hotels & Resorts, which owns and operates four other resort properties
in the Dominican Republic. Coral Hotels is widely regarded as the Dominican Republic's leading hotel company. Their
focus on guest satisfaction is reflected in one of the region's highest percentage scores in guest satisfaction
surveys, 94%.
``The two Crowne Plazas are excellent additions to the fast-growing, global Crowne Plaza portfolio,'' said Mr.
Diago. ``By combining the global branding efforts of Crowne Plaza, with the unique local expertise of Coral Hotels,
we anticipate the projects to be among the most successful in the Caribbean.''
Mrs. Perello remarked that with these properties Coral enters the market of business hotels, and the Crowne Plaza
brand provides the necessary element to assure success.
Note to Editors:
Bass Hotels & Resorts® (LSE:BAS, NYSE:BAS (ADR)), the hotel business of Bass PLC of the United Kingdom,
operates or franchises more than 3,000 hotels and 490,000 guest rooms in 100 countries and territories.
The following are some of the service marks owned by Bass Hotels & Resorts, Inc., its subsidiaries or affiliates:
Holiday Inn®, Crowne Plaza®, Holiday Inn Express®, Holiday Inn Select®, Holiday Inn Garden Court(SM),
Holiday Inn SunSpree® Resorts, Staybridge Suites® by Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Family Suites(SM) Resort,
Holidex®, Priority Club® Worldwide, Inter-Continental®, Forum®, and Six Continents Club®. Centra®
in Canada and Mexico; Centra(SM) in the U.S.; Parkroyal® in the U.S. and Canada; Parkroyal® in Mexico.
Bass Hotels & Resorts, Inc. offers information and reservations capability on the Internet - www.basshotels.com,
www.interconti.com for Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts, www.crowneplaza.com
for Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, www.holiday-inn.com for Holiday Inn
hotels, www.hiexpress.com for Holiday Inn Express hotels, www.staybridge.com
for Staybridge Suites by Holiday Inn, and www.priorityclub.com.
For the latest news from Bass Hotels & Resorts, visit our new online Press Office at http://www.pressoffice.basshotels.com.
Coral Hotels & Resorts® operates a total of 1,900 guest rooms in the Dominican Republic. Their hotels are
the Coral Hamaca® in Boca Chica, the Coral Costa Caribe® in Juan Dolio, the Coral Canoa® y Bayahibe,
La Romana and the Rumba® Heavens in Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata. Aside from the Crowne Plaza hotels, it has
under development a 456-room hotel in Costa Dorada, Puerto Plata and the Guavaberry Golf Club residential development
in Juan Dolio. Further information can be obtained from www.coralhotels.com
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Contact:
Kreps/DeMaria/Treister, Coral Gables, Fla.
Israel Kreps, 305/663-3543
ikreps@krepspr.com