Australia's largest owner & operator of serviced apartments, The Medina Group, has continued to expand by striking an agreement to take over the management of the 4.5 star James Court Apartment Hotel at 74 Northbourne Avenue in Canberra.

The appointment as manager of the property, to be called Medina Executive James Court, becomes effective on June 30, 2003 and takes Medina's properties in Canberra to two, with the existing Medina Classic Canberra located in Kingston.

Medina Executive James Court is an Apartment Hotel located in a prime location of Canberra City, featuring 150 apartments (50 one and 100 two bedroom apartments), with an outdoor heated pool, spa, gym, caf�, onsite bottle shop, restaurant and bar, as well as a car rental office. The spacious apartments feature formal lounge and dining areas, bathrooms for each bedroom with spa baths in main bathroom, private balconies and laundries.

The addition of the four and a half star apartment complex brings the Medina chain to 20 properties around Australia, including two new four and five star serviced apartment complexes in Perth to open in 2004.The majority of the properties are owned by the Toga Group, a well-known development company based in Sydney which has re-developed the landmark Parcel Post Office at Sydney Central (now called Medina Executive Sydney Central); Medina Grand Adelaide Treasury (formerly the State Government's historic Treasury Building) and Jones Bay Wharf commercial office complex, in Sydney.

Managing Director of Medina, Mr Allan Vidor, said, �The addition of the second Canberra property follows our success with Medina Classic Canberra, which has been running at record occupancy levels as it is also located in a strong position in the city near Parliament House and offers great service to business and leisure travellers�.

"Serviced apartments now represent significant competition to hotels as travellers are looking to enjoy greater privacy, space and style in our apartments. Medina is currently achieving record occupancy levels above 80 per cent, despite the downturn in international travel which is adversely affecting the rest of Australia�s tourism industry�.

�Our successful formula which offers customers a spacious and well appointed alternative to the confines of a hotel room, continues to generate new business for us. Medina also maintains a very efficient and cost effective operation, which allows us to offer a superior product at very competitive rates, including 3 Star Classic properties, 4 � 4.5 Star Executive properties, and the prestigious 5 Star Medina Grand range", added Mr Vidor.

For Further Information Call: Michelle Fischl Medina Group Ph: (02) 9356 1024 Tim Allerton City PR Ph: (02) 9267 4511 John Lyneham JLPR Ph: (07) 3892 7733.