JOI-Design has recently completed a redesign of the guestrooms of the Sheraton Pelikan in Hanover, Germany, with a style that underlines the unique heritage of its location in the former production factory of Pelikan, a brand known to this day for its ink and artists’ paint.
The elegant red brick building built in 1906 was revolutionary in its time because of the reinforced concrete building structure which provided large bright spaces and ideal working conditions for employees. White pelican motifs running below the gable and plastered window surrounds provide a striking contrast to the simple red stone façade. The building was converted into a hotel by Sheraton in 1993 and has 147 guestrooms; those which are located in the former production areas have up to 4.25m high ceilings with large windows. In referencing the heritage of this fine German brand, the designers achieved a harmonious balance that blends industrial authenticity with contemporary style and comfort. The concept for the guestrooms draws upon the art of writing through individual elements that refer to the building’s previous life. The carpet design is suggestive of stylised ink splashes floating on a background of hand-sketched lines and the curtains have a subtle pattern of cascading ink spots. Above the desk, three glass pendant lights from a are reminiscent of the shape of a glass ink bottle, while the bedroom side tables have softly serrated edges inspired by the bottle’s lid.
Each room has its own unique piece of art, an illuminated glass panel set into the headboard and back painted with a handwritten quote. Famous quips have been penned in the script of team members from both the hotel and the designers, providing a delightful commentary on the individuality of the handwritten script in an age of impersonal emails and text messages.
Overall the design language brings an individual touch to the rooms, imparting guests with the feeling of being in their own loft apartment. High vaulted ceilings add to the loft-like character of the rooms and large windows allow natural sunlight to flood the space, creating an airy feel. The colour palette of natural tones is themed around the traditional writing set of parchment paper and inks. Contrasting accents, such as the saffron yellow leather desk chair with stitching detail, add a vibrant splash to the deep espresso base colours of the guestroom furniture.
In keeping with the building’s architecture, the interior detailing is unfussy and minimal. Careful space planning was required to create a luxury hotel room within a relatively small space, down to the angle of the bed and exact positioning of the TV.
Hand-drawn lines also feature in the guestroom corridor carpet design, running out asymmetrically from one side of the corridor as in a left or right justified paragraph. The pattern of lines is punctuated with large stylized elliptical “ink blobs” demarking the guestroom entrances.
• Dubai hotels hit a high again this Eid while Kuwait see hotel revenues and profits surge; • Egypt hotels achieve peak performance while Jeddah makes the best of the Eid and Hajj seasons.
The Rezidor Hotel Group, member of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, confirms the Azure Property Group as the new owners of the Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow. The purchase by the Azure Property group further cements the 5-star hotel’s position as one of the city’s leading and most established hotels.“We are delighted to be extending a long-standing working relationship between Rezidor and Azure and I’m confident that under this new ownership, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow will go from strength to strength” says Philip Mahoney, Area Vice President Radisson Blu and Hotel Missoni, UK & Ireland
The recipient of numerous architectural awards, the stunning Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow sits close to world-class shopping and the city’s financial and business district. Under the new ownership, Azure will build on the investment that went into a full room refurbishment undertaken at the hotel in 2011, including the transformation of all 250 guest rooms, complete with new decor, furniture and furnishings.
“We are very pleased and excited to be the new owners of the landmark Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow, our second hotel in the last 12 months under the flagship of Radisson Blu in the UK, following the opening of the Radisson Blu Hotel, East Midlands Airport in October 2011. We continue to look at further expanding our relationship with Rezidor in the UK” says John Nielsen, Director of Hotel Operations of the Azure Group.
The stylish hotel offers luxury guest rooms and suites with upscale amenities, and Free high-speed Internet access. The hotel also features fine dining at Collage Restaurant, two relaxing bars and a ground-floor conference area that includes the Megalithic event venue able to seat 800 guests. Services at the hotel include 24 hour room service and access to the LA Fitness swimming pool and fully equipped gym.
Located just across the road from Glasgow’s Central Station, with direct links from the M8 motorway and 12km from Glasgow International Airport, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow is ideally located for any business or leisure traveller.
In a UK first, Travelodge has launched a hotel room which will allow customers to sleep under the stars in the comfort of their bed.
A secret technique has been used to create the stunning ‘Night Sky’ at a dozen Travelodge hotels across the country. Each bespoke cosmic panorama has been created by artist Carl Marshall.
Carl and a colleague have artistically transformed a standard white ceiling into a cosmic sky by hand painting individual shooting stars, milky ways and constellations of twinkling stars. On average it took them three hours to complete one ceiling.
During the day, the ceilings look plain white but in darkness the stars appear to twinkle and the dust clouds seem to move mysteriously. Whilst the three dimensional effect of the ceiling also appears to fall towards the bed by around three feet, creating a sense of immersion.
Carl Marshall created the ceiling by working in the dark wearing a UV headlight. He covered the ceiling with a base layer of special light-activated paint then used glow-in-the-dark paint that glows blue, green and aqua to add dust clouds, stars and their tails. The paintworks soaks up light during the daylight hours and glows in darkness.
Carl Marshall from Euxton, Lancashire said: “The exact technique I use is a closely guarded trade secret because it is so effective. It is a painstaking process as you have to position the colours perfectly to achieve a three-dimensional effect but the results are definitely worth it.
“The stars twinkle and the dust clouds appear to move as you lie in bed looking at it.
“Everybody is blown away by it when they see it and my children think it is amazing.”
Travelodge has created the UK’s first night sky panorama hotel rooms in response to findings from its latest sleep study. The hotel chain surveyed 2,000 adults in order to investigate the nation’s most desirable sleeping locations.
Key findings from the study revealed the most desired kipping location for Britons is under a blanket of twinkling stars. Forty two per cent of adults choose a starry night sky backdrop as their most desired sleeping location in contrast to a tropical beach, rainforest and jungle.
Sleeping by the sea was the second most popular desired kipping spot for Britons followed by a sandy beach in third place. .
Delving a little deeper into the nation’s fascination with stars the study also found that that over a half of Britons (52%) think there is something very magical about a starry night.
A third of Britons reported they regularly enjoy looking up to a night sky at bedtime and find counting stars very tranquil and a good sleep aid.
Whilst four out of ten adults reported gazing up at a starry sky puts them in a romantic mood.
Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge spokesperson said: “As part of our commitment in helping to ensure our customers attain a good night’s sleep, we are constantly looking at innovative sleep aids. Therefore in response to our latest sleep study, which highlighted Britons most desirable place to nod off is under a blanket of stars, we took the challenge and created the ultimate outdoor sleeping experience indoors. Now our customers can gaze into a cosmic night sky of shooting stars, milky ways and constellations of twinkling stars from the comfort of their warm cosy bed.”
Neil Shah, Founder of The Stress Management Society said: “The Travelodge night sky room is a great concept to help you de-stress after a long day. Focusing on something, such as a sky full of stars, which the brain is unable to consciously analyse or tune into, encourages our minds to switch off and drift into a stress free deep sleep.”
Chris Idzikowski, Director of Edinburgh Sleep Centre, said: “This new innovation can help towards attaining a good night’s sleep. The way it works supports our natural sleep / wake cycle. In darkness our brain’s (pineal gland) releases melatonin, the hormone of darkness which supports sleep. Whilst dawn light is very important for keeping the biological clock ticking to the right time.
“The Travelodge night sky room replicates the natural environment which our ancestors would have experienced in the savannah grasslands during the evolution of human sleep patterns.”
Further findings from the sleep study revealed that 28% of British adults would love to sleep under the stars every night because it would help them to nod off easily.
One in ten Britons would love to transform their bedroom ceiling to a starry night sky so that they can achieve a good night’s sleep.
The new generation of Grohe’s most successful thermostat boasts improved technologies for greater safety, efficiency and showering comfort, a new ergonomic design as well as functional storage. Grohtherm 2000 New is a modern and practical solution for the shower and bath tub. Its elegant look can blend into any bathroom decor. Combining all advantages of a thermostat, Grohtherm 2000 New is well thought-out and intuitive to deliver the perfect water experience. A relaxing and sustainable shower
The main advantages of a thermostat should be increased safety and additional comfort. The Grohtherm 2000 New features GROHE CoolTouch® to rule out the risk of scalding on hot chrome surfaces due to its solid metal housing. Another feature is the new GROHE Aquadimmer Eco which automatically helps save water when switching from the bath filler to the hand shower. GROHE TurboStat® is at the heart of the new thermostat as it ensures that the desired water temperature is reached 2 times faster (within 0.3 seconds) than ever before and kept constant throughout the shower.
Thermostat design reinvented
For the most practical and stylish design ever, the product combines clear, aesthetic looks with improved ergonomics. Innovative Aqua Paddles ensure a reliable and anti-slip operation for maximum comfort. Thanks to their special shape, the user can easily see and feel at which point the water temperature exceeds the 38 °C safety limit, even with soapy hands.
Complete design
The XL waterfall for the bath tub is an inspiring eye-catcher. The extra large spout emerges seamlessly from the bath tub mixer and delivers a large, wide water flow. A powerful design inspired by the idea of living in harmony with nature.
The thermostat can also be fitted with the GROHE EasyReach™ shower tray which can be placed onto the wall rosettes to close the gap between the thermostat and the wall. The even surface conceals the connections, transforming the thermostat’s design into one complete surface. This aesthetic and convenient tray offers additional space to store shower gel, shampoo and other bathroom utensils in an easily accessible location.
The right choice for every taste
Grohtherm 2000 New is available in numerous variants for exposed and concealed installation.
Combining fresh and confident design with high-quality engineering, Grohtherm 2000 New is the best thermostat ever made by GROHE.
W has unveiled a full scale property renovation that melds the enigmatic charms and sultry soul of New Orleans into one vibrant destination. Located in the heart of the Big Easy’s most renowned neighbourhood, W New Orleans – French Quarter has transformed all 97 guestrooms, its Living Room (the W brand’s take on the traditional hotel lobby), Studio meeting spaces, all corridors and the outdoor Courtyard. W New Orleans – French Quarter has also expanded its offerings, adding SWEAT, state-of-the-art fitness centre, as well as SoBou, a contemporary Creole cuisine restaurant, recently named one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America.W New Orleans – French Quarter Unveils New Rhythm
New York City based interior design and architecture firm Nemaworkshop redesigned the guest rooms of W to reflect the artistic energy and the intrigue of jazz and tarot in the Crescent City. Each room boasts a palate of clean lines and modern blacks and whites mixed with vibrant gold tones and rich primary colours relevant to the room design motif. Inspired by the liveliness of Big Easy music, the jazz design features vibrant golden yellow walls and an oversized floor-to-ceiling brass image modelled after the bell of a horn. The property’s tarot designed rooms channel the mystic spirit of the city with décor inspired by New Orleans’ voodoo queen Marie Laveau. The walls feature a deep blue colour as well as an oversized mural representing a woman reading tarot cards.
“The new design definitely has a little fun with the city’s spiritual side,” states Anurag Nema, principal at nemaworkshop. “You may see Marie’s eyes following you on the guest room number placard, or you may recognize her headdress on a directional sign. If you look up while you’re standing in the lift landing, you’ll notice tiny, pin-like lights, playing off voodoo pins.”
In addition to the décor, in-room technology has also been enhanced with new 40″ Plasma TVs and the addition of a “jackpack,” offering the ability to stream movies, photos, presentations, etc. from portable devices directly onto the TVs. The brand new, state-of-the-art SWEAT fitness facility offers cardiovascular fitness and personal training programs using free and machine weights from Technogym.
The Four Seasons Hotel, Baku, Azerbaijan is the latest European hotel to open as part of the Four Seasons group and boasts an interior design to the highest quality by London based company, Richmond.Boasting the most spacious guest rooms in Baku, the hotel is positioned prominently on the Caspian waterfront promenade and its striking nine storey classical architecture makes it an unrivalled destination in this dramatically changing city.
The Four Seasons Hotel, Baku takes it inspiration from the Grand Classical Hotels on the French Riviera and this inspiration continues into the interior design of the building. Richmond have created a setting that merges the French Beaux-Arts style with contemporary twists resulting in a environment finished to the highest quality.
The grand public areas are perfectly proportioned, being spacious without becoming intimidating. Richmond’s choice of a neutral colour palette combined with accents of fresh greens, charcoal and ebony makes for a calming and sophisticated ambience. Undulating curves on the furnishings combined with spectacular sculptural bespoke lighting add a touch of drama to the rooms, perfectly suited to this vibrant city.
The Four Seasons Hotel, Baku is host to four dining areas with the décor reflecting the differing environments of each. Zafferano is the hotel’s signature all-day restaurant, named after the Italian word for “saffron,” the spice that grows abundantly in Azerbaijan. Here Richmond continue the drama of the high vaulted ceiling through lavish Italian mosaic flooring decorated with flowers which is echoed by the hand painted panels on the windows. Ornate Murano glass chandeliers hang from gold domed alcoves. The rooftop speciality restaurant, Kaspia is markedly different being themed on ‘fire and ice’ and contemporary in style with a more moody clubby ambiance. Bentley’s Whiskey Bar is very much designed in a refined Gentleman’s Club style. Richmond have selected sumptuous dark furnishings, geometric patterns, a dramatic mirrored bar and stunning bespoke lighting to create a relaxing, intimate feel to the room.
The large spa with a striking indoor pool within a glass-roofed atrium is designed in a more contemporary classic style with relaxing neutral colours and clean simple lines. The facilities including male and female Hammams, speciality treatment rooms and large beauty areas and throughout, as in the rest of the hotel, the choice of lighting design is key to the overall design.
The spacious guestrooms follow the classical French theme but are kept current through the additional of contemporary furniture and fabrics. Again Richmond uses a light colour scheme using subtle textures and patterns to add a sense of refined luxury. Of the 171 guest rooms, including 29 luxury suites and two presidential suites, almost all open to a balcony with views of the Caspian Sea or the Old City and are filled with natural light.
The Four Seasons Hotel, Baku perfectly illustrates the commitment Richmond gives to the sourcing and detailing of interior design projects such as this. By seamlessly blending the classical with the contemporary, Richmond has created a hotel interior that instantly welcomes and relaxes its visitors while crafting the sensation that they are within the highest quality environment.
The Wandsworth Group has appointed Charlie Salter as the company’s new non-executive chairman with a remit to ensure that the company capitalises on its market-leading technology and long heritage to spearhead growth.The longest established wiring accessories manufacturer in the UK and a specialist at the cutting edge of nursecall and healthcare technology, The Wandsworth Group will continue as a family-run business, with the Salter family maintaining majority share ownership. The company’s previous non-executive chairman, Richard Salter, has stepped down and his son Charlie is a fourth generation link to the 108-year-old company’s founder. He takes on the role of non-executive chairman as his first hands-on involvement with The Wandsworth Group, following a successful business career that has seen him launch, set up and internationalise a series of B2B businesses.
Comments Charlie Salter: “The Wandsworth Group is a well-established and respected business with a technically advanced product range, a talented management team and an admirable reputation in the marketplace, both at home and abroad.
“I have a very strong personal connection with the business already but I also have the advantage of a fresh pair of eyes and a strong commercial background so I am well-placed to help the company play to its strengths and identify new opportunities, ensuring that we build on Wandsworth’s past and have a clear path mapped out for the future.
“I am also clearly focused on the need to feed growth with investment and will be putting in place an investment programme that will help us maximise our potential going forward.”
The Alpina Gstaad has recently opened its doors to guests for the first time. A 300 million Swiss Francs luxury development, this new addition to the picturesque region of Saanenland in the Bernese Alps has been four years in the making, and is the first newly built luxury hotel in Gstaad in 100 years. Set in a prestigious hilltop location in Oberbort, just five minutes from the centre of the exclusive village of Gstaad, the hotel includes a Six Senses Spa and the first Western European outpost of celebrated Japanese restaurant MEGU. The Alpina Gstaad features 56 spacious rooms and suites, impeccably decorated with a combination of modern design and traditional Swiss elements, designed by the London office of “Hirsch Bedner Associates”. The exterior takes its inspiration from typical Swiss architecture, with its four towers, dormers and wooden balconies.
In addition to the Six Senses Spa and MEGU restaurant, the hotel also features a wine tasting room, cigar room, private cinema and two further restaurants offering traditional Swiss or modern European menus. The Six Senses Spa boasts both indoor and outdoor pools, a fitness centre, various treatment rooms for both individuals and couples, and a range of holistic treatments and rejuvenation programmes.
Leading UK shower manufacturer, Roman Limited, have once again been called upon by home rescue show, Cowboy Builders, to help out two families in need, and renovate their bathrooms. Roman was first called upon to help a family based in Milton Keynes, who had nowhere to wash themselves. The family had hired and paid a builder to renovate their home and create a downstairs bathroom with disabled access, which would be accessible for the mum – who suffers with a degenerative form of spinal arthritis. Part way through the project the builder walked off with the family’s money and left the home in an unfinished mess.
Roman offers a range of products which allow for easy access, but that aren’t traditional ‘disabled’ products in their design. They are styled for the modern home, but with every user in mind. The company were quick to step in and provided the Cowboy Builders team with their Sculptures Wetroom Corner Panel, their Roman Shield Complete Wetroom Tanking Kit, one of their Thermostatic Multimode Shower Heads and some accessories including a Shower Basket and a Shower Blade.
The products were supplied into Roman retailer, PHS, who is based in Milton Keynes. The Cowboy Builders crew, along with presenter Melinda Messenger paid a visit to the retailer to collect the products and PHS kindly supplied some other bathroom items to complete the project.
Roman also helped out another Cowboy Builders family in Croydon, supplying them with their Orbital Bi-fold Door. This show is due to be aired in January 2013. Roman have worked on a number of bathroom projects with Cowboy Builders, and the designers are very much familiar with the quality of the manufacturers’ products, which keeps them coming back time and again.
Roman are regularly called upon by different home make-over shows and so far this year they have supplied; BBC’s, DIY SOS; Channel 5’s, Half Built House and Channel 4’s, You Deserve this House, as well as Cowboy Builders.
David Osborne, Managing Director at Roman, commented: “We are always very keen to support shows such as Cowboy Builders. They do a fantastic job in restoring peoples’ homes after being left in often unliveable conditions after cowboy builders have destroyed them. We have now become a regular supplier for the show, having worked with them now over many years. Because we manufacture all our products in the UK, we are able to work within their tight deadlines and deliver products within a matter of days. No matter what their brief, our diverse product range means we have a showering solution that will work in the space.”
Paragon Hotels, owners of 10 hotels throughout the UK, eight of which are operated under the Classic Lodges brand, is taking back the direct management of the iconic Edinburgh hotel, The Roxburghe. It will rebrand as Crowne Plaza Edinburgh – The Roxburghe following a new franchise agreement with IHG.Set in the heart of the city in Charlotte Square, the hotel has undergone significant investment since 2008, with £7 million being invested in updating all 199 bedrooms, the reception and lounge. The hotel, currently managed by Macdonalds, has been owned by Paragon for 15 years.
The franchise agreement will see further investment in the bar and restaurant’s food and beverage offering, and the refurbishment of both the meeting areas and club bedrooms. A new lounge will be created, and the website completely revamped and rebranded.
Marcello Ventisei, General Manager at the Roxburghe, believes the Crowne Plaza brand will give the hotel a new standing in the market: “The Roxburghe is perfectly placed in the centre of the city for visiting businessman and international leisure guests,” he says. “With the added stature of now being a four-star Crowne Plaza property, I believe this will elevate the hotel further.”
Richard Grime, Managing Director of Paragon Hotels, agrees and is pleased to see the historic hotel continue its evolution: “As part of the hotel’s future development we are particularly pleased to have agreed with IHG that the Roxburghe will become a Crowne Plaza which allows it greater access to an international client base travelling to the capital of Scotland.”
IHG’s Chief Development Officer for Europe, Robert Shepherd, said: “We are pleased to bring the Crowne Plaza brand to the heart ofEdinburgh. Crowne Plaza is one of the fastest growing upscale brands in the world and has the most hotels in the development pipeline of any upscale brand globally – we are opening 120 hotels over the next few years. Business and leisure travellers alike know that they can expect simplified elegance, comfort and a 24-hour business service from a Crowne Plaza hotel. Significant investment is being made to ensure that Crowne Plaza Edinburgh can help guests be at their best.”
De Vere Venues, the UK’s number one for meetings, training and conference space has celebrated the official launch of the £20million Orchard Hotel, adjacent to the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham. This 202 bedroom hotel underpins De Vere Venues’ growth strategy, while the combined options of the EMCC and Orchard Hotel will now provide a totally integrated solution for both UK and international meetings and events including training, team building activities, product launches and conferences. The Orchard Hotel opened its doors on 16th November 2012 and is a state-of-the-art eco-hotel designed by RHWL Architects and Interior Designers, Graven Images. Stylish and contemporary, the Orchard Hotel is sited within the University of Nottingham’s 300 acres of stunning landscaped parkland and is ideal for business and leisure travel alike.
Tony Dangerfield, CEO of De Vere Venues comments, “The Orchard Hotel is fantastic new addition to our portfolio representing a significant investment by the University in the city of Nottingham. At De Vere Venues we are committed to extensively increasing our already impressive venue portfolio, and this new beautiful hotel will make the East Midlands Conference Centre a complete, one stop venue to fulfil and exceed all our guests’ expectations.”
Built to the highest environmental standards, the Orchard Hotel features state-of-the-art technology to reduce carbon emissions. The project’s commitment to the surrounding environment is further reflected in its high level of sustainability. The hotel will aim to achieve an ‘Excellent’ rating under the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), which recognises low-impact buildings that incorporate the best environmental practice. The hotel will incorporate sustainable features including a green roof system, photovoltaic panels, smart building management systems and energy efficient lighting, glazing and ventilation systems.
Pro-Vice Chancellor for Environment and Infrastructure, Professor Karen Cox, comments, “The University is proud to open The Orchard as a unique and environmentally-driven addition to our conferencing facilities. It is a beautifully designed complex, funded entirely by the University, and will be available for use by conference delegates, university visitors, local businesses and the general public.”
Features and benefits
• The Orchard Hotel offers 202 bedrooms, including 55 are executive suites and 5 accessible bedrooms • The Orchard Hotel features Bramley’s, a 160 seat brasserie-style restaurant as well as a bar area • Four meeting and training rooms offer space for up to 20 delegates • The venue features accessible roof-top gardens, a glass atrium reception and lobby which is flooded with natural daylight, floor-to-ceiling windows, bespoke furniture and unique decor throughout • An executive lounge, leading to an exclusive roof-top garden is reserved for those staying in executive accommodation • Mezzanine level provides a stunning area for private hire in the evening for up to 100 • On site gym facilities • The East Midlands Conference Centre offers flexible meeting space accommodating between 10 and 850 delegates, with 21 flexible meeting rooms, state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, free WiFi throughout
Interiors are by Graven Images, Architects were RHWL.
The Rezidor Hotel Group has opened the 127-room Park Inn by Radisson Lille Grand Stade in France. The chic and colourful mid-market property is located in the city of Villeneuve D’Ascq (nicknamed “green technopole” thanks to the implantation of many researchers) and adjacent to one of Europe’s most high tech football venues, the Grand Stade Lille Métropole that will host the LOSC Lille Metropole football club, major events & conferences, and the 2016 UEFA European Football Championship. The Park Inn by Radisson hotel offers guests unrivalled access to football & rugby matches, concerts and events in the Grand Stade. Nearby companies include Auchan, Bayer, Decathlon, France Telecom, Leroy Merlin, and Petrovox – so the area also hosts major business meetings & conferences. As part of the Grand Stade Lille Métropole complex, the hotel scores with excellent transportation links and great connectivity. Train stations serving Thalys and eurostar are easily accessible, and the airport is less than 10 kilometres away.
The hotel comprises 127 guest rooms with contemporary design featuring bold colours, and with unrivalled views over the 50,000-seat Grand Stade Lille Métropole. The Standard and Business Class rooms offer modern amenities including free high-speed internet access, room service, walk-in shower, air-conditioning, hair dryer, satellite TV, tea and coffee provisions and a writing desk.
The hotel restaurant has a fresh and versatile menu, offering both snacks and full meals. International favourites like wraps, salads and pastas sit alongside regional specialities, while the lounge-bar offers an extensive choice of drinks. A special children’s menu makes life easy for travelling families.
For business groups, the stadium offers conference rooms ranging from 150 to 700 sqm in size, along with a 230-seat auditorium. The Park Inn by Radisson adds two smaller, flexible meeting rooms (25 sqm) with individual climate control and business services.
Luxurious blue carpet from Lano Flooring Solutions now graces the grand staircase at the Royal College of Surgeons of England in London, providing a visually striking look and exceptional quality that befits the building’s historic interior and exterior architecture.Chosen from Lano Flooring Solution’s extensive Walk of Fame collection, which offers the ultimate in design flexibility, the new carpet is a hardwearing and supremely soft11-row axminster.Woven on state-of-the-art Max 63 Van De Wiele looms, the carpet’s 80% wool 20% nylon three ply construction is the best possible quality available that is suitable for commercial, hospitality and leisure use.
Providing fantastic levels of underfoot comfortfor a lavish feel as well as offering superb resilience, the carpet’s construction also allows for brilliant colour clarity to ensure lasting good looks. Chosen in a deep blue colourway with contrasting gold diamonds, the carpet provides an instant feeling of grandeur and offers the necessary robustness required by this busy stairway location.
“This grand staircase is in almost constant use, as it is the main access point for our popular Hunterian Museum, which houses an extensive collection of medical specimens and instruments,” explains John O’Riordan, maintenance manager, The Royal College of Surgeons of England. “The previous carpet had become threadbare in places, and it was therefore imperative that the new carpet offered superiorlevels of resilience as well as a luxury feel. Lano Flooring Solutions was my first choice for this project, as its carpets are renowned for not only being exceptionally hardwearing, but also available in classical designs that suit our listed building status. The traditional but eye-catching design and the quality of the end product mean that we now have an easy to clean and luxurious floorcovering that is able to cope with the heavy footfall from our visitors.”
Fitted by Joe Bergamini of Cottage Flooring Ltd, London, the new carpet is crucially very easy to maintain and can withstand rigorous cleaning without losing the vibrancy of its colour. The Walk of Fame collection by Lano Flooring Solutions offers contractors, designers and specifiers stunning carpet styles combined with outstanding performance qualities in a range of 320 in-stock shades.
For further information on all Lano carpet ranges, freephone 00800 5266 5266 or visit www.lano.com
Hilton Worldwide has announced the opening of a DoubleTree by Hilton in Merida – the largest city and capital of Mexico’s state of Yucatan. Built around an early 20th century mansion, the four-story DoubleTree by Hilton Merida welcomes guests to an experience inspired by the area’s history.Located in the city’s business district, DoubleTree by Hilton Merida is just 10 minutes from the international airport and five minutes from Merida’s most well-known avenue “Paseo de Montejo”. The 100-room hotel is ideal for both business and leisure travellers. The hotel’s surrounding area is home to many businesses and institutions, while the convention centre is just 15 minutes away. Guests can visit Paseo de Montejo, a 19th century boulevard inspired by the Champs Elyseés lined with lush trees and elegant mansions. Ideal for a stroll back in time, the area offers dining, museums and colonial period architecture.
DoubleTree by Hilton Merida is the perfect starting point to experience the city’s culture and history. Constructed within an elegant mansion built over 50 years ago, the hotel’s eclectic design, highlighted by a façade carved in marble and granite, reflects the thriving economy of the Yucatan peninsula’s late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The new DoubleTree by Hilton Merida’s well-appointed guest rooms and suites feature the Sweet Dreams® by DoubleTree Sleep Experience, refreshing Crabtree & Evelyn Citron® bath and body products, 42-inch HDTV flat screen television, in-room tea and coffee making service by Wolfgang Puck, spacious work desks with data ports, MP3-compatible clock radios, and wireless high-speed internet access. Visitors will also have access to 3,000 square feet of function space, business centre, fitness centre and outdoor swimming pool.
Dining options feature the signature restaurant La Casona Colón, open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and boasting a blend of local specialties and Caribbean cuisine prepared using French culinary techniques. La Raspa bar provides exclusive cocktails and beverages in a hip and eclectic atmosphere.
Guests will also benefit from the characteristic qualities found at more than 310 DoubleTree by Hilton locations in 23 countries, including the signature welcome with the legendary warm chocolate chip cookie presented to every guest at check-in, an array of upscale amenities and guest services, the rewards of the Hilton HHonors guest loyalty programme, and a unique and caring team member commitment to the local community.
Stylematters are one of the UK’s leading designers and installers of Fixed Seating. We have extensive experience in manufacturing and installing any kind of bespoke seating, to best meet the aesthetic, comfort and layout demands of your business.
We are confident in providing you with exactly what you require, in any style, in any layout, and in any fabric – all to your specification and budget. Manufactured in our own factory and installed by our experienced Operations team, we can create a Fixed Seating arrangement that is only limited by your imagination. Dare to dream and we’ll turn it into reality…
If you are interested in our fixed seating and have a project in mind give us a call on 0844 880 6620, speak to one of our sales team about your needs and we will provide a competitive quotation by return.
It was all systems go for Accor last week with an opening party for their newly built 4 star Novotel Blackfriars going on next door to the one for the updated Ibis. This 182 room hotel with sleek modern public spaces including an open theatre kitchen and beautiful guest rooms is amongst the most technologically advanced hotels in London.
Guests will find self check in desks in the lobby area where there is a video wall featuring digital art and once again Monscierge provides a virtual interactive system to help you plan your day.
The latest Microsoft Surface table and I Macs are also there for guest use with I-Pads and TV Dining tables in the restaurant . Floor to ceiling windows flood the hotel with natural light and a bold monochrome bar divides the lobby lounge from the 84 seat Element restaurant serving British and European cuisine.
Access to guest rooms is with an electronic touch key system. Of particular interest is the touch screen privacy screen in the bathroom where the transparent glass partition becomes opaque at the touch of a switch. Bedrooms come in two colour ways and feel relaxing and light. Executive rooms have balconies with great views of the city especially at night.
I pod docking stations, Free wifi access and a media hub mean the hotel will appeal to business and leisure guests alike. After a day in town they can relax in the pool, sauna and steam room or de-stress in the state of the art ‘ In Balance’ fitness centre. This is spacious enough not to make guests feel crowded so the work out is more enjoyable.
Seven meeting rooms are available for up to 90 delegates and they include Interactive whiteboard technology. There is a large breakout area to enjoy coffee and snacks.
From a first impression I can only agree with Accor’s Thomas Dubaere ” This is our finest Novotel to date and represents the next generation …in the UK. The quality style and class of this hotel is evident from top to bottom and is a hotel to be seen and enjoyed.”
For a French group however it is somewhat suprising that there are only UK sockets in the bedrooms, no continental or US variations to be seen…
This years Sleep Event in London has been a great success for Baulmann Leuchten and its new agent in the UK, FW Lighting from Bristol. During the 2 days of the show a lot of interesting contacts have been made and the new products exhibit on the show received a great interest. Especially the new series of LED luminaires with flexarms attracted lots of clients onto the exhibition booth. These new LED luminaires are available as tablelamps, floorlamps and wall mounted luminaires. An essential element of the new design is a black fabric tube which increases the stability of the flexarm and prevents damages due to inappropriate handling.
As an option, Baulmann Leuchten does also offer this new range of luminaires with a velvet-finish; the standard colours available in this finish are green, orange and purple.
The new round-shaped base of the tablelamp and floorlamp provides a delicate design with a kind of floating appearance. By means of new high-quality glass lenses the light-distribution of the LED has been improved impressively.
All pictures are copyright by “Baulmann Leuchten”.
GHM moved into new territory this month after signing on to develop the Chedi Tomakomai, a 60-room luxury hotel and expansive wellness complex set within 1,057 hectares of lush forest on the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan.Following the agreement between GHM Holdings and Nordenwald Company Ltd., construction on the project will begin in November 2012 with a projected opening date in 2015.
Designed by iconic Japanese architect Tadao Ando, the Chedi Tomakomai will stand as an environment-friendly design on 47 hectares of land, preserving 96% of the surrounding forest.
“The prospect of working with Tadao Ando on this, our first property in Japan, is as compelling as the natural splendor of the site itself,” said GHM President Hans R. Jenni. “With Tadao Ando, we’re after the utmost in elegance from the utmost in simplicity.”
Known as one of Japan’s major breadbaskets and home to six undisturbed national parks, Hokkaido’s natural assets will be reflected in The Chedi’s open-air hot springs, 30-table gourmet restaurant, and health facilities.
Each 60-70 square-metre room in the hotel will have built-in fireplaces and cliff-facing views. A six-room spa, health club, indoor and outdoor pools, library, lounge and wine cellar are all in the blueprints. GHM will also develop 40 private villas for long-term lease.
“Urban dwellers will be enchanted by the serenity and bountiful natural beauty of this property,” said Clement Koh, GHM’s vice president of sales and marketing. “Our vision is a comfortable and exclusive retreat where the recharging takes place in a truly stunning wilderness.”
Designers for The Chedi Tomakomai plan to map three excursion courses for eco-tours and forest therapy. The property will be only minutes from the new Chitose International Airport, Tomakomai Port, and 16 premier golf courses.
Renowned for his minimalist modern aesthetic, active natural elements and expressive use of space and light, Tadao Ando’s involvement with The Chedi Tomakomai is part of GHM’s commitment to partnerships with front-running designers. The group has most recently called on designers such as Kerry Hill, Jaya Ibrahim, Jean-Michel Gathy and Reda Amalou to conceptualise its resorts.
Ando’s Church of the Light, Water Temple and Benesse House Museum / Naoshima (Contemporary Art Museum) in Japan have established him as one of the country’s most renowned architects. Ando is also at work on a GHM property in Kona, Hawaii.
The Chedi Tomakomai is one of several Chedi properties that GHM plans to launch in the next three years. The Chedi Club Suzhou (China) and The Chedi Andermatt (Switzerland) are expected to open in 2013. The other properties scheduled to open by 2015 include The Chedi Nusa Penida (Bali), The Chedi Tamouda Bay (Morocco), and The Chedi Khorfakkan in Sharjah (UAE).
One of Newcastle’s most prestigious hotels has been added to the hotel panel of corporate travel services specialist, The Co-operative Travel Management (CTM), strengthening its relationship with several Co-operative businesses. Sandman Signature Hotel is enjoying the benefits of trading across The Co-operative’s family of businesses. Having been a client of The Co-operative Bank, it also recently took out a commercial insurance package with The Co-operative Insurance.
The hotel will now be considered for the more than 2,000 rooms which are booked by CTM in Newcastle every year.
The comprehensive insurance package it has taken with The Co-operative covers the hotel premises as well as employers and public liability.
Dave Matkin, Head of Business Development, at The Co-operative said: “Sandman Hotels illustrates how cross trading with The Co-operative brings additional benefits for businesses.
“Through an existing strong relationship with the company which spans insurance and banking, we are now helping to get more visitors to the hotel through our corporate travel management business.
“We are uniquely positioned to offer businesses a wide range of expertise spanning many sectors, and a diverse range of products and services covering legal and financial services to travel management and uniforms.”
Mitch Gaglardi, Director at Sandman Signature Hotels, added: “Dealing with one company for several services is certainly easier but when it’s an organisation with a trusted brand such as The Co-operative, that’s even better.
“The relationship has enabled us to ensure we can fill more rooms more of the time whilst also providing us with competitive banking and insurance packages.”
The 170-room Sandman Signature Hotel sits in the city centre of Newcastle, opposite the iconic Newcastle United Football Club Stadium. It employs around 200 people and includes the famous Shark Club Gastro Bar.
Innovative Asian hotelier Alila Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of its first Indian heritage property. Alila Fort Bishangarh will launch in late 2013 following the restoration of the beautiful 230 year-old Rajasthan Fort into a luxury 59-suite boutique resort.Positioned on a granite hill in the Aravalli Mountain range, with spectacular 360-degree views, the site is owned by the ruling Maharaja, Rao Rajendra Singh, and has been in his family since the 14th century. The fort is thought to be the only one of its kind to be converted into a heritage resort and is a unique example of the Jaipur Gharana architecture influenced by both the Mughals and the British.
The ecological restoration project will focus on lovingly preserving the grandeur of the original fort with its two metre thick walls and original battlements and turrets, whilst sensitively developing new residential areas to recreate the courtly flavour of Shahpura’s royalty.
A completely new structure is being created above and outside the old fort to house five different styles of royal suites and lavish public areas. As befitting its royal heritage, Alila Fort Bishangarh has its own landholdings, which include the charming Bishangarh village and its havelis (mansions).
The all-suite resort will feature 59 stately suites with stunning views. Each spacious suite will be elegantly furnished with large bay windows, day beds and expansive bathrooms with footed bathtubs, with each suite comfortably accommodating a family of four.
Leisure facilities within the fort will include an outpost of the acclaimed Spa Alila, two speciality restaurants, an all-day coffee lounge, a bar and cigar room, wine cellar and Library. Down the hill, the public areas will include a pool, pool terrace and juice bar, Fitness Centre and a ‘play soldiers club’ for children.
Alila Fort Bishangarh will also provide a majestic setting for grand weddings and celebratory events including MICE facilities, with a royal banquet hall, banquet dining room, conference and meeting rooms, an open-air terrace and large banquet lawns.
The Alila experience will offer guests the chance to explore the charm and beauty of Jaipur, Bishangarh and rural Rajasthan with a host of tailor-made rural activities and adventure. Located at Bishangarh Village in the Jaipur District, Alila Fort Bishangarh is easily accessible from both Delhi and Jaipur, just 180 km (3 hours) from Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi and only 55 km (1 hour) from Jaipur Airport. Amber Fort at Jaipur is only 45 minutes away and Bishangarh is a good base to explore Jaipur’s innumerable tourist attractions.
Alila Fort Bishangarh will become the third Alila property in India, joining the contemporary Alila Diwa Goa and Alila Bangalore to further strengthen the group’s Indian portfolio.
The Surface Design Awards recognise examples of progressive design and the use of innovative surfaces in projects both in the UK and internationally. The Awards mirror the goals of the show by shining a spotlight upon the wealth of creativity and innovation in the industry.The Awards, organised by Montgomery Exhibitions, were launched this year to mark the 10th anniversary of Surface Design Show, the only event in the UK focused exclusively on interior and exterior surface solutions.
The show’s director, Christopher Newton, said, “We were delighted with the response we received to the Awards. The first Surface Design Awards are truly international and reflect the creativity and innovation in our industry.” Judge Scott Lawrie, Director, All Design said “The array of submissions was staggering in its depth of interesting surfaces and applications.”
The finalists were chosen by an impressive judging panel comprising; Scott Lawrie, Director at All Design, Heinz Richardson, Director at Jestico + Whiles, Sam Stacey, Head of Innovation at Skanska and David Steeples of Philip Watts Design. The panel was co-chaired by Vanessa Brady, President of the Society of British Interior Design and Felix Mara, Technical Editor of the Architect’s Journal.
The Judges were looking for innovation and design quality and after spending a day deliberating on the wide range of projects entered for the Awards. Co-chair Vanessa Brady, President, SBID said “The inaugural Surface Design Show Awards have set an impressive benchmark and will, I hope, stimulate ever more creativity, boundary-pushing, WOW-generating surface design.”
“Some great examples of creativity in the use of materials, light and surface; we saw strong submissions in many categories in terms of quality, style, and originality” – Sam Stacey, Head of Innovation, Skanska.
The winners will be announced on Thursday 7 February 2013, the last day of Surface Design Show at the Business Design Centre, London.
The shortlisted projects are:
Commercial Category sponsored by Burlington Stone Exterior Surface Finalists: • 50 Great Sutton Street, London by Archer Architects • Siemens Renewable Energy Engineering Centre, Manchester by Pringle Brandon Perkins + Will Interior Surface Finalists: • Clerkenwell Archway, London by Giles Miller Studio • Tusk Bar, Manchester by Sharon Jane Design Studio • Velvet Underground Nightclub, Singapore by Phillips Connor
Housing Category sponsored by Trend GB Exterior Surface Finalists: • Feering Bury Farm Barn, Essex by Hudson Architects • In-fill House, London by Patel Taylor • Northampton Park Extension by Alison Brook Architects • Tortoise Enclosure, Northern Ireland by Paul McAneary Architects Interior Surface Finalists: • Mill House by Matthew Chamberlain and Oliver Wood • Reflective of Nature by Hannah Gage • White House Cinema, East Sussex by Louise Lambert
Public Building Category sponsored by James Latham Exterior Surface Finalists: • Deptford Lounge & Tidemill Academy, London by Pollard Thomas Edwards Architects • Maidstone Museum East Wing by Hugh Broughton Architects • Southend Pier Culture Centre by White Arkitekter & Sprunt Interior Surface Finalists: • Alan Gilbert Learning Commons – Engraved Oak Walls, University of Manchester by Steve McCabe and Sheppard Robson • Korean Film Archive, London by Jai Hyuk Lee and Jee Yeon Ha • National Maritime Museum, London by Softroom • UCD Student Centre, Dublin by Andrew Howley and Aidan Kavanagh
Retail Category sponsored by Porcelanosa Exterior Surface Finalists: • Princes Square, Glasgow by Alistair McAuley • Stratford City, London by Simon Cochrane Interior Surface: • Salvaged Victorian Oak, London by Daniel Heath • Selfridges Designer Gallery Floor, London by Jamie Fobert • Stratford City, London by Simon Cochrane
Temporary Structure Category sponsored by de magazine: • KREOD Pavilion, London by Chun Qing Li • Techno Naturology: The Velcro Chain, Toronto by Elaine Ng Yan Ling • The Giraffe Pavilion by John Harding & Harri Lewis
The winner of the supreme award sponsored by Interface will be selected from the impressive list of finalists and will be announced on the 7th February.
Reserve @Opus One is the latest drinking den to hit Manchester. Located in the historic Colonnade of the iconic FreeTrade Hall, Reserve @Opus One is the new stand-alone Champagne bar at the multi-award winning Radisson Blu Edwardian, Free Trade Hall Manchester hotel. This haute hangout, which is set to become a favourite destination of the Manchester social set, offers an extensive selection of impressive Champagnes. The menu will comprise a selection of small taster plates, which have each been designed to complement the collection of Champagnes available.
Reminiscent of the grand entrance that once welcomed legendary figures, the Reserve @Opus One Colonnade features dramatic vaulted ceilings, exposed brickwork and luxurious furnishings.
Reserve @Opus One is the latest of inspiring initiatives to launch at the hotel. General Manager Stephen Miles, commented, “The Free Trade Hall is a heritage spot in the city; it’s only fitting that we created a space, where guests can experience this history and simply indulge and enjoy our collection of premium and vintage Champagnes.”
Powering ahead in key international markets, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has recently announced it has returned to the Dominican Republic with the landmark debut of its Four Points by Sheraton brand in Punta Cana. Four Points by Sheraton Puntacana Village opens in a prime location, just steps from Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ). It is the first of two hotels Starwood will open this year in the Dominican Republic with its partner Grupo PUNTACANA, and will be followed by The Westin Puntacana Resort in late 2013.
The newly constructed hotel features 124 stylish and comfortable guest rooms, an outdoor pool and access to five miles of private beach. Four Points by Sheraton Puntacana Village also provides 1,614 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting facilities, a 24-hour business centre, a fully equipped fitness facility and full-service dining. Guests can stroll to the shops, restaurants and salons of Galerias PUNTACANA within the Village, and hop on the hotel’s complimentary shuttle to visit Six Senses Spa, the PUNTACANA Ecological Reserve and a choice of world-class golf courses located at PUNTACANA Resort & Club.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has recently announced that its largest brand, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, and its owners invested more than $230 million to refurbish its four iconic Hawaiian properties. The large-scale, multi-year project was completed with the recent unveiling of the Sheraton Kona Resort and meets the increased demand for high-quality accommodations as business and leisure travel to the Hawaiian Islands continues to grow. The revitalization projects include the $188 million renewal of the Sheraton Waikiki, the $6.5 million renovation of the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, a $16 million upgrade to the Sheraton Kauai Resort, and a $20 million refresh of the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay.Leading Hotel in Oahu Celebrates Comprehensive Renovation
The Sheraton has reaffirmed its place as the leader in its class among Hawaii hotels with the completion of its nearly $188 million renovation of 1,636 rooms with a theme of “contemporary Hawaiian sophistication.” The renewal starts at beach level and reaches to the top of the 31-floor structure, offering new guest rooms and suites, redesigned public areas with new landscaping and pools, renewed convention facilities, new and exhilarating restaurants and bars, and new back-of-house equipment to increase service efficiency.
The resort introduced to Waikiki the first infinity-edge pool and the only oceanfront adult-only pool complete with a swim-up bar. Guests can enjoy family fun at the Helumoa Playground, which offers a 70-foot-long waterslide, two large whirlpools, and chaise water sunning benches spread around a 12,500-square-foot area. With the recent grand opening of the million-dollar Leahi Club, Sheraton Waikiki is home to Hawaii’s only Sheraton Club Lounge. It offers guests breathtaking panoramic views of Diamond Head and the Pacific, first-class service, and culinary creations with matchless local flair.
Multi-Million Dollars Renews Maui Resort
In December 2011, the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, anchored by the legendary Pu’u Keka’a (Black Rock), introduced a new sense of Hawaiian luxury to the Ka’anapali Resort with the redesign and renovation of its guest rooms. The $6.5 million renewal introduced warm Hawaiian colours, textiles and prints to the legendary location of the 508-room resort. Incorporating traditional Hawaiian artwork, light hues, plush carpeting and drapery, and new tropical furnishings the resort has created a comfortable setting for guests. With wireless Internet now in every guest room, the resort now offers an elevated in-room experience that enables guests to remain connected with what matters most. The Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa has also taken several steps toward sustainability with the installation of electric vehicle charging stations in the parking structure.
Sheraton Upgrades Resort Located on Hawaii’s Famous Poipu Beach
Sheraton Kauai Resort, nestled into 20 acres along Kauai’s world-renowned Poipu Beach, completed a $16 million revitalization in April. Upon arriving at the 394-room resort – Poipu’s newest playground – guests are greeted by a refurbished and modern porte-cochere and the beautifully upgraded Ocean Lobby. The lobby opens into a new, open-air Ocean Courtyard that is elegantly landscaped and adorned with tiki torches. It features six intimate seating areas, three of which have fire pits. An added breezeway provides direct access to the resort’s newly expanded and tiered Ocean Pool, lined with eight private, vibrant bungalows sitting just above the pristine shore. The hotel’s Rum Fire restaurant is the island’s newest hotspot and offers 180-degree ocean views from its 240-seat restaurant and lounge. For those seeking the consummate venue for meetings, banquets or special celebrations, the new Luana Kai room overlooks Poipu Beach and is the only oceanfront indoor function space on Kauai.
The Big Island’s Landmark Hotel Completes Extensive Floor-to-Ceiling Renovation
The newly renamed Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa (formerly Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa) completed a $20 million resort renewal in September 2012. The Kona Coast’s most iconic resort is well on its way to re-establishing itself as the crown jewel of the community. Considerable resources have been invested not only in physical revitalization but also into efforts to better connect guests with Keauhou’s rich history by offering more meaningful, culturally authentic experiences.
Significant enhancements to guestrooms, public areas and meeting spaces include culturally inspired designs by Hawaii designer Sig Zane. A new lobby arrival experience and Flying Fish activity outfitters complement and add to the fun, excitement and ultimate experience that many already enjoy. New oceanfront dining concepts include Rays on the Bay, touted as the only restaurant in the world with manta ray viewing. With panoramic oceanfront sunset dinners, Rays on the Bay highlights dishes embodying the best farm-and-ocean-to-table tradition.
Swiss bathroom manufacturer Laufen enjoyed its second visit to Sleep London in November, where its solutions for hotel bathrooms and washrooms attracted much attention from the show’s global audience.Taking centre stage for Laufen was its new Palomba freestanding bathtub, which made its first appearance on British soil. The tub is a company first for Laufen, being the only solid surface bath in its collection. Visitors to Laufen’s stand at Sleep London were encouraged to step in the tub, lay back and experience its comfort for themselves, while the team were on hand to explain the numerous benefits of solid surface for hotel bathrooms.
Solid surface is an insulated material that is warm to the touch and ensures the bath water retains its heat for longer. On another practical note, the Palomba bath is far less slippery than acrylic, ceramic or steel baths and has a much lower sound transmission, meaning guests in neighbouring rooms won’t be disturbed by the sound of the bath filling with water.
The tub’s ergonomically sloped high back is broader than many slipper style baths to allow extra shoulder room, whilst its natural lines are moulded to the contours of the body to ensure complete relaxation when guests are away from home.
Much attention was also given to Laufen’s new Palomba washbasin collection, now available in a wide range of sizes to suit any application. The new Palomba bowls make a style statement on the washtop in the contemporary bathroom, providing an easy to wipe clean flat surface for convenient storage of toothbrushes and toiletries. The range also includes a number of smaller bowls for when space is at a premium. The original Palomba washbasin was also at Sleep, making its presence felt on the Hansgrohe stand and also as a focal point in the Nous Design Room.
Throughout the event, Laufen’s Global Projects Team assisted visitors to the stand, answering queries, introducing them to the new products and promoting the brand to a worldwide audience.
lker Hussein, Manager Global Projects at Laufen, comments: “Sleep London was a fantastic event, with the quality of visitors very high throughout. Our latest products certainly made an impression and it was brilliant to be able to show the potential of our range to influential hotel designers and architects from across the globe. We made significant contacts from all over the world, which will undoubtedly be incredibly beneficial for growing the Laufen brand globally.”
Rezidor has opened their latest flagship in Russia – the 508-room Radisson Blu Resort & Congress Centre, Sochi. Enjoying a prime waterfront location in Sochi, the stunning property is all set to become a major landmark.The First Class hotel is conveniently located in the Adler district, directly bordering on Sochi’s 2014 Winter Games facilities and the Black Sea coast, adjacent to the promenade. Guests enjoy easy access to a variety of nearby transport options including the airport, train station and bus station. Besides 508 comfortable rooms with Radisson Blu signature services like free high speed internet access and Anne Sémonin bath products, the hotel features great dining and drinking experiences. Choices include the Grenadine Restaurant, which offers the Super Breakfast Buffet, plus a variety of international and local dishes served throughout the day – enhanced by breathtaking views of the Black Sea. The Mikado Sushi Bar serves fresh sushi and sashimi in a designer setting with lounge music creating an on-trend ambience. The Anatolian Kebab and Grill offers Mediterranean and Middle East delights, while the destination Lobby Bar & Lounge is an ideal spot to meet friends or colleagues for a beer or cocktail.
Special features of the resort include an on-site fitness centre, tennis court, billiards room and children’s recreational facilities. Guests can keep up their training while travelling at Pace – a premier health and wellness centre that comprises state-of-the-art equipment, an indoor pool and two outdoor pools. The spa centre offers beauty treatments, massages, manicures and a hairdressing studio. Finnish and Russian saunas, a hammam with relaxation area and a Jacuzzi are also available.
The resort’s Congress Centre certainly wins gold for meeting facilities, setting a whole new standard for the region. The 11 function- and meeting rooms including a Premier Hall of 1500 sqm are totally versatile and equipped with modern multimedia equipment and free high-speed internet access.
The historic building, situated on Vladimirskaya Street, one of Kiev’s main thoroughfares, has lain vacant for a number of years and the refurbishment, along with the new design scheme will create a new destination within central Kiev. When complete the hotel will comprise 173 guestrooms, restaurant, destination bar, function room and meeting rooms and will operate under the Marriott brand, RenaissanceRichard Morton of interior designers Alexander James International, says: “This is a very exciting project with many interesting opportunities; we’ve been able to create a bespoke scheme that delivers an eclectic mix of contemporary and traditional styling which complements the existing fabric of this fabulous building. It really is a great privilege to bring such a beautiful, historic building back to life.”
The proposed design scheme delivers a sense of history; the lobby and lounge will feature stone floors and dark timber panelling to provide a dramatic backdrop, while bronze detailing will give a contemporary edge. The lobby reflects the tree-lined Vladimirskaya Street, with styled references including feature walls behind reception pods and a striking feature light which reflects leafy shadows onto the floor.
Guest bedrooms will benefit from high ceilings with plasterwork detailing will echo the era of the building. Loose furniture pieces and material selections reflect the Renaissance brand, whilst relating to the colours and textures of the historic city. The simplistic design will be populated with artwork, including a television panel with an illuminated niche incorporating locally inspired artwork.
Dawnvale Hospitality Interiors have successfully supplied and installed the complete furniture and soft furnishings package for The New Inn in Cerne Abbas, Dorset.This beautiful iconic 16th Century building located in one of the prettiest villages in England has been transformed during the £1.3M refurbishment. The accommodation now includes ten standard bedrooms and three individually designed suites. The restaurant has also been completely transformed to create a relaxed environment serving the highest quality menu.
Dawnvale supplied solid oak bedroom furniture including beds, wardrobes, bedside cabinets, dressing tables and chest of drawers for all the standard bedrooms with bespoke manufactured oak headboards, leather sofa beds, armchairs and brass beds to ensure each room was slightly different. All three suites included individual king size beds and matching bedroom furniture. All the bedrooms included a black out blind, beautiful lined curtains with decorative fabrics on oak or brass poles, elegant scatter cushions and a range of crushed velvet bed throws.
In the restaurant and bar Dawnvale supplied a range of bespoke tables and chairs to suit the theme of the venue and refurbished some of the existing furniture to ensure the original character remained. The use of quality leathers and decorative fabrics combined well as did the new dress curtains installed throughout the public area.
British bed manufacturer, Hypnos has been designing and making bespoke beds for more than 100 years, combining traditional skills with modern production techniques. As part of the company’s evolving hotel collections, Hypnos has launched a new pocket spring mattress, Lansdowne Royale (right) which took centre stage at The Sleep Event 2012. This new innovative design targets specifically luxury boutique hotels, serviced apartments and high-end guest houses, who want to offer guests the very best comfort and a memorable night’s sleep. Hypnos’ specialist Contract Division prides itself on its complete project management solution, with a full design, installation, old bed disposal and recycling service.Offering head-to-toe zonal support, Hypnos’ Lansdowne Royale mattress features a three zoned ReActive™ pocket spring system. Each spring has ten active turns, independently sensing body shape and weight distribution to provide total spinal and body support. Moreover, to help regulate body temperature, Lansdowne Royale is upholstered with naturally soft and breathable layers of British wool, cashmere, hand teased hair, Talalay latex* and eOlus™, a sustainable fibre made from recycled plastic. In addition, the mattress is lined with a luxury silver-infused Belgian damask, offering a fresh and hygienic sleeping surface, making it the perfect choice for hospitality providers.
The Lansdowne Royale mattress was combined with a super storage divan base, with a boutique-style winged back, deep-buttoned Vienna headboard – all covered in Zoffany’s Town and County fabrics. With a five-year guarantee, the Lansdowne Royale mattresses and divans are fully compliant with BS 7177 medium hazard CRIB 5 fire retardancy standards for hotel usage.
Two new sofa beds which are set to be launched in 2013 were also on display – the Winchester and Lichfield – both with pocket spring mattress, covered with Hypnos’ revolutionary ‘Vital Protection’ anti-bed bug fabric. The fabric impregnation treatment is designed to provide long lasting protection against bed bugs for hotel guests. What’s more, it has been independently scientifically proven to effectively repel and instantly kill bed bugs, as well as dust mites and other bacteria.
The treatment can be added to any of Hypnos’ new mattresses ensuring protection before they arrive at the hotel. However, for those hotel owners not wishing to buys new beds, Vital Protection™ can also be used on existing beds, by applying a zipped mattress renovator which encases the whole of the mattress. Vital Protection™ cannot be washed off and is completely invisible and odourless, having no negative impact on the fabric’s fire retardancy properties.
As the first carbon neutral bed maker, using only natural, sustainable and FSC materials, Hypnos also offers a bed disposal and recycling service for old beds – guaranteeing 100% landfill avoidance. The company’s reputation for service excellence and the best of British quality is further reinforced by a Royal Warrant from HM Queen Elizabeth II.
Grant Hearn, Travelodge Chief Executive commented on yesterday’s announcement to improve the visa system for Chinese visitors.This is great news. We have been working very hard alongside the BHA for a change to the visa process, especially for the Chinese market. We have a real opportunity within our grasp which can play a significant part in helping our economy to recover, but we need to act now otherwise Britain will lose out.
Since 2007 the number of outbound visitors from China has nearly doubled from 34.5million to 60million, but of these new tourists only 30,500 a year came to Britain. Meanwhile, France received eight times more Chinese visitors than the UK and Germany six times our amount. Every wealthy Chinese tourist lost to our European neighbours is a missed opportunity to create jobs and boost the UK economy.
We need the Government to act with a sense of urgency. Any lack of immediate action will cost jobs, growth and investment. This initiative means new employment opportunities in the UK, which is too good a thing to be missed.”
Like many Brits, my images of America are part Hollywood, part romance,part television all tempered with the reality of numerous visits over the years. The big cars with their fins and chrome may be in the past, but Skamania showed me how much of my imaginings are still to be discovered, including that mournful train wail that features in so many ‘westerns’.
Standing in the Cascade Mountains (and while it is officially a Washington State lodge, you need to go into Oregon to get here) it may not be surrounded by the giant redwoods, but on the slopes of Mount Hood the hotel is in the midst of the National Scenic area of the Columbia River Gorge and surrounded by acres of beautiful pine forest.
The Columbia River Gorge is the main route through the Cascades here, and along it runs the railway as well as the freeway, Interstate 84. The drive to the hotel from Portland is all along the Oregon side of the Columbia River, crossing the ‘Bridge of the Gods’ to Stevenson. Romantic and fully in tune with my images of America, to give me what one of my childhood heroes, Mr Pastry, would have said were the ‘deep joys’.
A sister lodge to the lodge that is the Alderbrook Resort and Spa in the Olympic National Park, Skamania is being refurbished by Dawson Designs’ Seattle office, the same designers that worked on Alderbrook, now winning awards as one of the best hotels in the Pacific North West of the USA. I was privileged to be one of the first design writers to see the early results of the makeover given to the main public areas, and it was a chance to experience the hotel and the Cascades.
The cultural differences between the US and Europe are deep, and yet one is rooted in t’other. This similarity with dissonance is reflected in US interiors. Although the internationalism of design is growing along with increasing blandness, there are fortunately still enough differences of colour and texture to make trips like this worthwhile. The nature of interiors is such that unlike many other forms of design, they can truly reflect location , indeed in most interiors I would argue should reflect location. This was true at Alderbrook and certainly it looks as if it will be true here at Skamania too.
It can be a difficult balance to strike a local note without falling over a line into kitsch, but this is a line that Dawson tread very carefully and successfully. I suppose that I see Skamania, Alderbrook and Mohonk Mountain House as a kind of Yankee equivalent to the English Country House hotel, but without the snobbery. Deeply rooted in American traditions these are very relaxed establishments, child-friendly if not family centred. All have a tradition of providing conference and meeting facilities and award winning spas (in the case of Alderbrook and the Mohonk). Skamania, although only 20 years old, is upgrading its Spa and public areas as a first stage in reworking its offering perhaps with a view to winning awards and becoming a destination Spa as Mohonk and Alderbrook have done. It also has an 18 hole mountain golf course.
Like Alderbrook Resort and Spa , the reception lobby decants the guest into a superb triple height lounge with extensive use of timber in both structure and paneling. Dominated by the stone fireplace, this comfortable area with rocking chairs in front of the log fire has huge picture windows looking out to the lake behind the Bonneville dam. Currently the coffee stand that spoils the peace of the space will be replaced by a coffee shop using an adjoining space and providing an alternative route into the grounds in front, which no good American citizen seems able to enter without clutching a life-saving giant cardboard cup of coffee. The use of one side of the lounge as a corridor to outside breaks the contemplative tranquillity that would otherwise be the delight of this haven from the industrial world.
Whilst Skamania does not have the naturalist on the staff that Mohonk Mountain House does, it maybe goes one better by having a Forest Ranger office in the lobby, marked by an 8 foot high sculpture of a grizzly bear, still occasionally found in the surrounding forests I understand. Adjacent to the concierge desk the helpful Rangers supplement the information and services the concierge provides. On the opposite side of the entrance lobby is the tourist shop providing that source of postcards, local artefacts etc. that is otherwise not easily accessible without resorting to the car.
Huge car parking spaces, one adjacent to the golf course, make access easy as does having a separate conference entrance and reception area. The hotel offers twenty-three meeting rooms and over 22,000 square feet of meeting, exhibition and banquet space. In addition, Skamania Lodge offers over 40,000 square feet of seasonal outdoor venue space tucked within the forests.
Once in the hotel everything you might need is here. All the public areas open up onto the terrace with views across the Columbia river valley, including the fire pit, an idea spoiled for me by many of these installations using gas to fire them rather than burning real logs. Here real wood may be the fuel, and it is in the huge lounge fire, unlike the silly ceramic gas log used at Alderbrook. The two dining rooms offer plenty of menu variety and choice with the main restaurant, styled in a vaguely deco timber-work finish. The deco feel comes from the use of pale timber joinery plus the spacing and styling of the square lanterns throughout.
The main restaurant offering includes a menu based around the use of a wood fired oven. It also offers a choice of seating styles from booth to open table, with a large servery area in the centre. The space is flexible with one end being loose furniture, enabling parties to dine together whilst small groups can gain some privacy using the more private booth style seating area.
The bar and bistro, subject of the recent refurbishment, majors on locational keys, with again a huge stonework fireplace with the head of an unfortunate moose dominating. Antler and horn are used by the designer throughout, and tables offer varying seating locations, numbers, heights etc. making for an interesting space that divides itself into zones neatly and easily.
The bar has witty references to other areas – there is a small grizzly supporting shelves for example, echoing the entrance area sculpture, and the area behind the bar has a painting representing the surrounding woodland. Funky details abound – a hollow log, stools made from sections of tree trunk, a pair of moose antlers (seems as if the moose population in this part of the States is a favourite prey of the hunters) and patterning when used is indicative of native Americans traditions. The overall effect is very comfortable visually and physically, enhanced by fireplaces and typical high quality service. Both the refurbished bar and the new lounge area are proving very popular with guests.
The layout of the building plan separates off the conference area from the main areas, placing the potential for noise from gatherings at the opposite end in what is a very large building from the space occupied by the spa and pool. The pool hall itself is a handsome space, open into the roof timbers, and the skylight providing reflection in the water. Its glass doors open onto outside terraces, one of which is occupied by the outside area of the very cramped spa. The treatment rooms for the spa are conversions of bedrooms I suspect, and as such they lack panic buttons, soundproofing or any of the real luxury trappings expected in a European spa. As such they will need considerable lift if the spa is to operate in a way that will draw spa aficionados in from areas around, as happens at Mohonk, where the 1990’s spa addition has proved very successful.
Whilst effective as treatment rooms, there are only two spaces, alongside the small gym and the pool areas. The outside pool for the spa is a successful and slightly romantic piece of design, using large rocks to create an illusion of a river section for the whirlpool area. However again the outside relaxation area is quite small and the whole spa seems out of scale for such a large hotel.
The conference areas themselves have their own terraces and breakout zones, easily serviced from the hotel kitchens. With their own reception desk and lobby area, they offer clients the opportunity to create an event that can run quite separately from the hotel, with its own entrance etc., allowing conferences a feeling of some exclusivity. They are also placed at the same end of the hotel as the golf course allowing an easy interaction between the two.
The outdoor spaces also include an amphitheatre down the slope from the hotel, whilst the lawns in front lead onto forest walks and the wild beauty of the Columbia Gorge. Bedrooms are large and well laid out generally although the suites are a lot less convincing. The bedrooms take advantage of their width to have large desk areas, and all have spaces that are almost big enough for walk-in wardrobes. The arc of the building gives most views of the river gorge.
The suites often have open fireplaces in them – although unlike Mohonk where the guests are trusted to light their own log fires, here the fires are gas effect. Safer perhaps but certainly less romantic than going to sleep to the flickering light of burning logs. I find it curious that where the suite has a lounge with settees etc. the log fire is nonetheless placed in the bedroom, so the opportunity to have that romantic evening sitting in front of the fire is lost, but maybe that is just an English concept of cosiness.
Skamania, like Alderbrook, reaches into the heart of America – the heart that embraces wilderness and the natural world (not the one that then goes out and slaughters it with automatic weapons). With easy access for skiiing in the winter, walks and wild life in the summer, water sports on the Columbia and a large slice of the history of development and exploration that led to statehood for Oregon in 1859 and Washington State some 30 years later the hotel is well placed to provide a luxury escape for the urban populations from surrounding states.
Did you know that Naturalmat manufactured all the mattresses for the new Magdalen Chapter Hotel in Exeter? They were made by hand only a few miles away from the hotel at our nearby factory in Topsham, Devon.Chapter Hotels focus on providing guests with a luxurious, inviting and restful experience in thoughtfully designed spaces with high quality furnishings; they saw the mattresses as an important part of that offering and turned to us to supply them with locally sourced handmade organic bedding.
We are pioneers in natural fibre technology and have developed innovative new raw materials such as organic wool, (sourced from West Country farms) cashmere, organic coconut fibre, recycled denim and horsetail hair, all from environmentally conscious sources and all biodegradable.
Magdalen Chapter General Manager Fiona Moores said; “Not only is the product from Naturalmat a truly green product made by a local company but more importantly it is anti-dust mite, anti-bedbug and anti-moth, through a natural treatment of essential oil extracts of lemon, eucalyptus and lavender. They are also incredibly comfortable; the sustainable material greatly enhances the ventilation and spring of the mattress.”
In case you didn’t know Naturalmat was founded in 2000 in Topsham in Devon, by Mark Tremlett and Peter Tindall, who as keen sailors both became frustrated with the poor quality of synthetic mattresses found on boats. They looked for an alternative and found natural fibres to be a more superior substitute for boating and quickly developed a business making mattresses. They then developed a natural offering for babies, then adults and in 2011 began exporting internationally to some of the world’s best hotels.
“Sustainability is a buzz word in this market at the moment and those products and businesses that can prove their eco credentials and have a genuinely sustainable business model are in high demand’, said Director of Naturalmat, Peter Tindall. “A fully green and eco mattress made entirely from sustainable raw materials is a necessary item for the hotel industry and we are delighted that The Magdalen Chapter has come to us. Superb comfort that is long lasting and consistently good must be a given in any good quality mattress, but it is the attention to extra detail that set a Naturalmat mattress apart and will give guests at this leading Devon hotel one of their best night’s sleep.”
Centara Poste Lafayette Resort & Spa Mauritius will open on 10 December 2012, five days ahead of its original 15 December scheduled date.Centara Hotels & Resorts, to confirm the opening date of its first venture on the island of Mauritius, held a presentation to the Mauritius travel industry on Friday 16 November.
“We are ready to welcome our first guests on 10 December, slightly ahead of the scheduled date, and in good time for the high season,” says the resort’s General Manager, Mr John Bendtsen.
“The response we have had from the travel industry professionals here has been a very positive one.”
London’s Alexandra Palace was the venue for the final event of the Geberit Challenge 2012 in November, with participants going head to head in a series of gruelling tasks in order to find the fastest fitters in the land. The London event, held in front of a live audience on Friday, 23 November was the last of three regional Geberit Challenge heats, with previous events having taken place in Manchester and Glasgow. With an all-expenses-paid trip to Dubai waiting for the overall winners of this year’s Challenge, the atmosphere inside the venue was electric, with the audience all getting behind their favourite teams as they were really put through the paces.
Participants were faced with a number of tasks designed to not only put their plumbing skills to the test but also to demonstrate their competence and speed at their chosen trade. With the clock ticking, contestants worked in teams of two to construct a pipe man using Geberit Mepla, change tyres on an off-road vehicle, overcome tricky installation problems and pit their wits in a question of knowledge round.
As with all the regional heats in the competition points meant prizes, with the team with the highest score from all three of the Geberit Challenge events being declared the best of the best 2012. Team Solidworks Monkey, otherwise known as Neil Thompson and Jason Low from Nature Delivered not only outstripped the competition in the London heat, they also picked up the most points overall and were duly crowned winners of the Geberit Challenge 2012.
Neil Thompson, from the winning team, commented: “The competition was tough, but the crowd really got behind us and the atmosphere was great. We’re used to working under pressure and to resolving issues as a team, and these skills were certainly challenged on the night – the event definitely lived up to its name!
“We can’t wait to head off to Dubai to enjoy a little bit of luxury with our families and we’ll definitely be back next year to defend our title, it’s a great event to be involved with.”
Simon Spridgeon, Geberit’s Product and Technical Manager (piping systems), commented: “The competition has once again demonstrated that its participants are masters of their craft. It also shows what it is possible to achieve with a combination of teamwork and high-quality products. We’d like to congratulate Neil and Jason and also thank all the participants in all three heats of the Challenge for making it the best yet.”
Leading UK Shower Manufacturer, Roman Limited, has been praised by their Waste Management Company, for their successful and continual improvement which has seen the amount of waste recycled by the company, reach a staggering 93%.Roman, who holds ISO14001 accreditation, has been striving to reduce their impact on the environment, in line with the standard. In terms of waste management the company monitors all the waste generated in the business, such as; cardboard, packaging, glass, steel, brass, plastic and aluminium. This amounts to a total of 250 tonne per year.
This year, of that 250 tonnes, Roman recycled 233 tonnes of this waste, sending only 7% to landfill…smashing all targets and expectations.
Chris Trotter, Commercial Manager of International Waste Metals, Roman’s Waste Management provider, commented: “We are very impressed with Roman’s efforts to continually improve and reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill. Their stats are a shining example of what can be achieved when a proactive approach is taken to how a company manages its waste. We are confident that as new recycling technology comes in to the industry, and with the on-going efforts of Roman, they can only further improve the current recycling figures.”
John Wright, Roman’s Operations Director, comments: “We were delighted to see how much our waste management has improved. As a company we are very conscious of our impact on the environment, and are always working hard to improve this where possible. We manufacture all our products in the UK, so there can be a significant amount of waste generated from the operations within the business. Recycling and managing this waste is very important to us. Congratulations to Ian Simpson, who coordinates our environmental activities, ably supported by International Waste Management, and of course to the rest of the ISO team at Roman.”
Taskonaklar Rocky Palace in Cappadocia, member of Great Hotels of the World, has just opened its first Royal Suite. The suite boasts exceptional features, including a private terrace with outdoor jacuzzi, where guests can take in the magnificent landscape over the Pigeon Valley. The Royal Suite is extremely spacious, spanning 80m² with its own living room and fireplace, ideal for cosying up in the winter months. Guests will be able to use the jacuzzi in the snow, providing an experience unique to the property. Special services are also available for those guests residing in the Royal Suite, including private dinners prepared within the suite, extra beds and exclusive bathroom amenities.
Taskonaklar is located right on top of the picturesque Pigeon Valley of Cappadocia with its world famous canyon, hills and unusual rock formations, eroded by the rain and wind over thousands of years. The property is family-run and handcrafted, built in respect with the nature, history and local traditions of Cappadocia. It has used local raw materials to transform the property into an immersive experience since every stone, every arch, every old chimney was preserved as it came to life. That is why not one room is similar to another and each of the 20 bedrooms has its own unique character. Guests can choose to stay in special cave rooms or specially carved stone rooms combining subterranean spaces with its rough-hewn walls and stone archways with terraces and balconies. The property is also eco-friendly, using solar panels and water purification to minimise the impact on the environment.
In addition to hotel projects this year, RHA Furniture has custom made and installed task furniture in motorway and train stations across the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands. The project is an extension of RHA Furniture’s ongoing work for Regus. RHA have already custom made and installed task furniture in over 35 countries and in over 150 UK and international Regus business centres. This year RHA have been part of Regus’ new initiative to create drop-in business lounge facilities at motorway services and train stations.
The BusinessStationsTM, ThinkPodsTM and mobile consoles are all made in the UK at RHA Furniture’s factory in Leamington Spa. The items display very modern design – curved structures and stylish white lacquered finish. Every item of task furniture is made to a high standard of quality and is set up on site by RHA Furniture’s installation team.
A UK based company, RHA Furniture have been producing furniture for Regus since 2009. As well as producing bespoke task furniture RHA offer a range of high quality conference and meeting room furniture and executive desking.
Visit www.rhafurniture.com to browse and specify furniture for your next project.
Premier Inn has recently celebrated a double milestone with the announcement of their 50,000th room at the opening of their largest ever Premier Inn at Gatwick Airport.The new 630 bedroom hotel, which has created 77 new jobs for people in the local area, was officially opened on the 29th November by Whitbread Managing Director Patrick Dempsey, and Employment Minister, Mark Hoban MP.
Premier Inn London Gatwick Airport, which sees over £60 million investment into the local economy, follows the recent opening of the high profile Premier Inn site on Leicester Square, and is one of nine hotels to be opened in Greater London by the end of 2013 as part of a major expansion drive for the chain.
Patrick Dempsey, Managing Director at Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants said: “Reaching 50,000 rooms across the portfolio is a great achievement that we are very pleased with. Our growth across Greater London is particularly exciting as it means we can offer even more people a great night’s sleep in the best locations and we look forward to opening many more over the next few years.”
Mark Hoban, Minister for Employment, said: “Tackling youth unemployment is a priority for the Government, and that’s why we launched the Youth Contract offering nearly 500,000 opportunities for young people to pick up the skills and experience they need to find work. “It is great to see companies like Premier Inn continuing to expand and being passionate about getting young people and the long-term unemployment back into jobs.”
Jon Walters, General Manager at Premier Inn London Gatwick Airport, said: ‘”We are delighted to be opening our biggest Premier Inn hotel allowing people who are travelling to and from Gatwick Airport to have a great night’s sleep.”
Classic Lodges, the nationwide group of carefully selected high-end properties, has added another associate hotel to its growing portfolio of hotels, bringing the group’s number up to 15.The Georgian Abbey Hotel is just a stroll away from the famous Pump Rooms, Roman Baths and Thermae Spa, and the historic Abbey. The hotel has 60 bedrooms and suites to suit all manner of guests and occasions, each with contemporary décor, as well as a beautifully-designed contemporary lounge and bar.
The new Allium Brasserie is developing a reputation in the city for its dinner menu under acclaimed chef Chris Staines, andalso boasts a carefully selected wine list, with the paved Terrace a great place to enjoy the cuisine al fresco. Open all day serving light lunches and snacks,it is regarded as one of the best places to eat in Bath. The Terrace Cafe is a fantastic place to simply watch the world go by while enjoying a tea or coffee.
The Classic Lodges Associate Hotels programme offers independent hotels of a similar size the opportunity to share the Classic Lodges brand and to benefit from sales and marketing support provided by the Classic Lodges headquarters in Chorley, as Richard Smith, Director of Marketing and Associates at Classic Lodges, explains:
“The Abbey Hotel dovetails perfectly into the Classic Lodges group; with its brilliant location at the centre of this beautiful World Heritage Site City, its architecture and general feel are the ideal accompaniment to our expanding portfolio of hotels.
“The growing reputation of the restaurant is also a major draw for us, as all of our properties have a focus on great food and drink offerings and this is certainly the case with the Allium Brasserie.”
Great Hotels of the World member, Hotel Brunelleschi in Florence has now opened its unique Tower Suite which occupies the top floor of the stunning Medieval Pagliazza Tower. The tower is one of the special ancient features of the property which has been beautifully preserved despite the restoration works. The tower is one the oldest buildings in Florence, built by the Byzantines between 541 and 544AD to defend the city from the Goths. Guests will now have the unique opportunity to sleep within the Byzantine brick walls in this wonderful suite, with its antique oak parquet flooring, 18th century mirrors and gilded iron and crystal chandeliers. From the suite, guests can enjoy breathtaking views of Florence with Giotto’s clock tower, the Duomo of Florence and Palazzo Vecchio all within view. Hotel Brunelleschi has used contemporary and innovative design to blend in within this ancient setting to create an exceptional experience for its guests.
The stunning 66sqm two-storey suite is fitted with luxury furnishings by Italian architect and designer Benelli. On the ground floor, guests will find a spacious living room with comfortable sofa, 42” LED TV and a grand bathroom with jacuzzi bathtub and original features. On the first floor, the bedroom boasts an elegant 94” diameter round bed with a set of feather and anti allergy pillows, a 3D 55” LED TV and bathroom with shower. Both bathrooms display original lacquered and decorated glass designed by a specialised glass craftsman.
Upon arrival to their Tower Suite, guests will receive one bottle of Tuscan red wine, fresh fruit basket and a selection of sweets. The guest services include private airport or railway transfers, early check-in (9am) and late check-out (5pm), luggage unpacking and packing services, garment pressing upon arrival and Ambassador Service, where the hotel manager on duty provides a range of services for the duration of the stay. The Tower Suite has been purpose-built to provide the most exclusive experience for guests and is the perfect addition to this beautiful property.
Hotel Brunelleschi is located in the historic centre of Florence in a charming little square, just a few steps from the Duomo, Palazzo della Signoria and the Uffizi Gallery. The property boasts outstanding architectural features such as the 6th century semicircular Byzantine tower, where the Tower Suite is located. Recent restoration works have preserved the original appearance and a precious collection of the tower findings are on display in the hotel’s private museum. The property also features an exclusive gourmet restaurant ‘Sant’Elisabetta’, providing an intimate fine dining experience for guests as it is located on the first floor of the hotel Byzantine tower with just seven tables. The hotel also features ‘Osteria della Pagliazza’ restaurant, offering a casual yet stylish dining approach with local Tuscan dishes.
HotelDesigns was delighted to be invited to the Opening of Accor’s flagship hotel for the rebranding of Ibis and the double opening with the Novotel London Blackfriars.
The hotels are well situated just yards from Southwark station and the Jubilee Line is fast and frequent. The Tate Modern and London Eye are close by and just across the river is St Pauls. The Shard is visible from the Novotel Executive room balconies.Commenting on progress in the UK , Thomas Dubaere MD of Accor UK and Ireland says “We are delighted with the progress we have made in our ambitious brand revitalisation project in the UK…we are creating a new standard in the economy sector, designed to not only exceed our clients’ expectations ,but to deliver the best emotional and practical experience in the UK market. …this is evident in the new flagship Ibis Blackfriars”.
Lobbies, reception areas and bars at 50 Ibis Hotels worldwide have been revamped into contemporary living areas ‘brimming with designer class’. In the UK the first of these designs will be visible at the London hotels next year.
If this hotel is anything to go by they will achieve their intention. The public areas were extremely welcoming with the warm red on the chairs and subtle lighting creates an intimate atmosphere in this cosy corner.
The bar is in the centre of the foyer and provides a central meeting area and place to have a coffee should you not want a complete breakfast. Good as well for that drink after a long day on business or exploring London.
Fogg’s restaurant offers food from around the world and will double as the breakfast area with choice of seating for an all you can eat Buffet breakfast and light meals available around the clock.
The new ‘Sweetbed’ was proudly on display in the foyer although this will become a seating area in a relaxed library style space.
Bedrooms are functional and bright and I especially like the seating area by the telephone and shelf to put the kit you are charging with no danger of knocking it off the bedside table in the night. They are sound proof, air-conditioned and free WIFI is available.
I look forward to trying this out when we come do a full review next year.
The InterContinental Westminster opens its doors this month in the heart of London’s political Village, hoping to attract politicians, business people and influencers to restored former government buildings, Queen Anne’s Chambers. In the often febrile world within earshot of Big Ben, appearances count for a great deal. In the run-up to the hotel’s opening, Forbes Group was called in to supply key equipment for the 575 sqm of conference and meeting rooms of the new hotel. Easels with covers, wood lecterns, and sueded drop covers for tables, all bearing the InterContinental logo were required.
Tables will also be presented in stylish and contemporary black Silcra stretch covers, besides the pleated skirting for which Forbes is perhaps best known.
But it won’t be all work and no play in the lower ground floor meeting rooms of Westminster. Reputations beware – a stylish black and white acrylic dance floor was also ordered from Forbes Group.
Forbes’ London representative Damian White described the Westminster hotel as “an extraordinarily elegant project. It was a pleasure to advise the InterContinental on possible combinations to suit their new interiors. I wish them every success.”
Twelve at Hengshan, A Luxury Collection Hotel, opening on 29 November 2012, collaborated with some of the world’s leading architects and designers to create this landmark property at the heart of Shanghai’s most romantic neighbourhood.The whimsical design draws inspiration from the area’s rich history and traditional Chinese hospitality, updated with romantic flourishes and contemporary amenities. The goal was to create an exclusive garden oasis of urban chic in the heart of China’s most cosmopolitan city.
Twelve at Hengshan is the only five-star luxury hotel within Shanghai’s history-filled Hengshan Road neighbourhood of chic avenues lined with plane trees imported from France in the early 1900s.
Iconic Architecture Italian architect Mario Botta created the residential-style retreat designed in modern-Chinoiserie style. Botta’s impressive portfolio of iconic structures includes the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Samsung Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea.
The hotel’s striking contemporary architecture provides a contrast with the atmospheric neighbourhood lanes, preserved art deco buildings, and charming restaurants, boutiques and galleries in the surrounding area.
Madison Events, a company specialised in events for the hotel industry, was responsible for presenting the results of the fifth edition of Hospec’12. From 6-9 November, hotel executives, architects and interior designers came together at Mazagan Beach Resort in Casablanca, along with equipment manufacturers and vendors, to conduct business directly, without intermediaries. The event was “extremely positive due to the added value it brings to the participants”, commented Juan Prados, Managing Director of Madison Events.Over two intense days, nearly 150 participants from a great diversity of origins – Spain, the United States, Portugal, Italy, Great Britain, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates, Africa, the Middle East, Ireland, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands and Norway – had the opportunity to arrange short, yet highly productive, personal meetings to gain firsthand knowledge of the respective offer and demand of specifiers and suppliers. Once again, the Hospec format was applauded by all at the close of this year’s edition.
The presence of professionals such as architects, designers and interior designers, was one of the focal points that attracted the interest of participants, in addition to the level of hotel companies participating and the quality of their projects. The chance to also gain firsthand knowledge of the latest, most suitable, FF&E products and materials should not be forgotten.
“The majority of manufacturers and suppliers attending benefited from the generous specifier/supplier ratio achieved this year, and were able to arrange more than 15 meetings, and up to 25 in some cases”, explained Juan Prados, who added: “”in the current economic climate, we understand that we offer added value which differentiates us”.
At Hospec’12, in addition to professional meetings as the main event, there was also a conference day with the participation of Bruno Viterbo, Development Director at Champalimaud Design. He spoke of the importance of design when structuring any hotel project and taking different factors into account. Ramón Cortes, Director of Interior Design at G56, spoke of artistic works as fundamental to decorate hotel spaces, and Daniel Frey, Chief Executive at Green Growth, focused on the most sustainable solutions for any project.
The programme was enhanced by different networking activities and leisure time for the attendees to enjoy the facilities at the Mazagan Beach Resort. Similarly, on the last night, the participants at Hospec’12 delighted in a Moroccan-style atmospheric farewell dinner with gastronomy and local performances.
The presence at Hospec’12 of the most important specialised media in the contract sector and hotel industry should be highlighted, as well as the collaboration of InfinityInner, the largest exclusive community of professionals in interior design, architecture, design and Contract.
The planned dates for next year’s edition of Hospec are 1-4 October 2013
HOSPEC OPERATIONS 2013 – 19-22 February 2013 The Hospec organisation is now preparing Hospec Operations to be held on 19, 20, 21 and 22 February 2013 in the emblematic hotel Meliá Villaitana Wellness Resort, in Benidorm (Alicante). The same Hospec working format will be used but, given the operational nature of the event, in addition to hotel procurement directors, the event will be attended by procurement directors from large catering groups, facility services and purchasing groups in the hospitality industry.
It is the first time that Hospec has been split into two independent events, due to interest in distinguishing between the different types of equipment and procurement from the very beginning of any hotel project.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has recently announced its Four Points® by Sheraton brand will open its first hotel in Edmundston, New Brunswick. Four Points by Sheraton Edmundston will open in July 2013 in an ideal location at the centre of downtown Edmundston. The former Clarion hotel will undergo an extensive $2.5 million renovation prior to flying the Four Points flag. With 160 hotels open worldwide and the second largest pipeline among all Starwood brands, Four Points offers a “best for business” proposition for travellers seeking great hotels at great rates.Four Points by Sheraton Edmundston will offer 102 fully renovated guest rooms, 671 square feet of meeting space, a heated indoor pool, a 24-hour fitness centre and full-service dining. The hotel is attached to the Edmundston Convention Centre with 14,000 square feet available for meetings and special events and to the Carrefour Assomption facility that includes commercial space, shopping centre and offices. Walking distance to numerous shops and restaurants, Four Points by Sheraton Edmundston is convenient to the University of Moncton – Edmundston campus, Centre Brunswick Mall, Regional Sports Complex and Saint Basile Arena.
DoubleTree by Hilton, Hilton Worldwide’s fastest growing full-service brand, and the New Tropicana Las Vegas today announced a strategic franchise agreement that marks the return of Hilton Worldwide to the Las Vegas Strip after an almost 14-year absence. Under the terms of the franchise agreement, Tropicana Las Vegas will continue to own and operate all 1,600 guest rooms in the 35-acre resort, which recently completed a US$200 million comprehensive transformation.When the hotel becomes the Tropicana Las Vegas – a DoubleTree by Hilton in January 2013, guests will be able to earn and redeem Hilton HHonors points and airline miles at the award-winning Strip resort, which features four restaurants, a spa, a nightclub and beach club, an entertainment complex, and a state-of-the-art conference centre and exhibition hall.
“We are thrilled to be affiliated with such a first-class organisation that shares our customer-centric values, and we are honored that DoubleTree by Hilton selected us to represent their marquee brand on the Las Vegas Strip,” said Tropicana Las Vegas CEO Alex Yemenidjian.
“After careful consideration, we selected the Tropicana Las Vegas to represent the DoubleTree by Hilton brand on the Las Vegas Strip, not only because of the beautiful transformation of the resort, but also because of its unparalleled commitment to guest service,” said Rob Palleschi, global head of DoubleTree by Hilton. “We are proud that, with the addition of Tropicana Las Vegas to our portfolio, Hilton Worldwide will continue to build upon its rich history in Las Vegas, and Hilton HHonors members will have a new home on the Strip.”
DoubleTree by Hilton is renowned for its award-winning CARE culture and for its unique chocolate chip cookie welcome.
The Rezidor Hotel Group today announced an agreement to exit from seven lease agreements in France by the end of the year.
The hotels comprise a total of nearly 700 rooms and are mainly operated under the Park Inn by Radisson brand. They are located in secondary locations and have proven consistently unprofitable for Rezidor. To exit from the leases, Rezidor agreed to a payment to the owner, Hibernia France, of MEUR 11.5 in 2012. The exits will positively affect Rezidor’s EBITDA by approximately MEUR 2 annually. In addition, Rezidor will hand over responsibility for future capital expenditures.
The seven hotels will remain under their existing brands and will be operated by Rezidor for the next few years under management agreements. Should Hibernia France sell the properties, the management agreements will be terminated thereafter. The decision to exit these hotels was made after determining that the hotels’ financial situations were unlikely to turnaround and their positioning and locations are not commensurate with the future direction of the brands.
Rezidor remains committed to the French market and continues to operate two other Park Inn properties in France (in Paris and Nice), have a third hotel opening in Lille in Q4 2012, and will add other strategic locations in the coming years. The company’s other core brand, Radisson Blu with 16 hotels, is the largest upscale brand in France in terms of number of hotels.
“This very important asset management deal is in line with our Route 2015 goal to lift Rezidor’s EBITDA margin by 6-8 percentage points by 2015. It is of fundamental importance to the group to further optimise our portfolio of leased hotels, secure more profitable income streams in the years ahead, and reduce the leverage of the company”, says Knut Kleiven, Deputy President and CFO at Rezidor.
The affected hotels are: Park Inn by Radisson Arcachon Park Inn by Radisson Macon Park Inn by Radisson Orange Park Inn by Radisson Nancy Park Inn by Radisson Lyon Ouest Radisson Blu Hotel, Aix-Les-Bain Les Loges du Park (unbranded)
The information here is that which Rezidor Hotel Group AB has willingly chosen to make public or that which it is obliged to make public according to the Swedish Securities Market Act and/or the Financial Instruments Trading Act.
Just 70 days before the grand opening of the second angelo hotel in Munich, Vienna International Hotels & Resorts celebrated the occasion on 25 October 2012 with more than 200 guests and offered a look behind the scenes of the future design hotel. When it opens, the 4-star angelo Hotel Munich Westpark will create 60 new jobs. The success story goes on: In addition to the existing angelo Hotel on Leuchtenbergring, work is proceeding at full throttle to complete the second angelo Hotel Munich at Westpark. Some 200 curious guests celebrated the construction of the second angelo in the hotel’s future conference area. The stage was truly unique, with the conference area converted into a party location which could not have been more contrasting: raw concrete walls and floors met coherent lighting concepts, and the construction site was temporarily draped in a designer dress. Jazz music, a flying buffet and delicious delicacies from the grill, along with speeches by Vienna International board member Martin H. Lachout and General Manager Marcel Koburger, made the guests even more curious and excited about the coming grand opening. Showrooms, tours and projections gave the visitors a foretaste of what the hotel will look like 70 days from now.
“We have prepared ourselves for many guests in the future, from city tourists to business travellers, companies and event agencies, and we are looking forward to opening another hotel in Munich,” says Dr. Andreas Karsten, CEO of Vienna International Hotelmanagement AG. “Until then, we will create another 60 jobs in addition to the existing team of dedicated employees.”
“We are especially pleased that the entire real estate development on the property was so positively received by the market,” says Münchner Grund board member Thomas Maier. All 26 flats for owner occupation were sold before the completion of construction and tenants have already been found for most of the office space. “We are also extremely confident that the angelo Hotel Munich Westpark will cover the urgent need for high-quality accommodation and conference space in the south of Munich.”
The doors of London’s Café Royal will reopen as a contemporary, luxury hotel on 5 December 2012, marking the first phase of its long-awaited return to the capital. The revival of this legendary institution will be the culmination of a four-year transformation under the direction of David Chipperfield Architects and will see Café Royal join The Conservatorium as the second hotel of The Set.Featuring 159 rooms and suites (including six historic suites), an array of dining venues, a private members club, high-tech meeting rooms and a Holistic Wellbeing Centre, Café Royal bears every trait of a 21st century luxury hotel. However, the sensitive restoration of the rooms by Donald Insall Associates, seamlessly weaving together original 1865 details with contemporary design, also pays homage to the architectural heritage of the building. It is in this meticulous fusion of the traditional and the modern – an inherent characteristic of The Set Hotels – where Café Royal finds its niche.
The first phase of Café Royal’s opening will include rooms and suites, the Ten Room, the exquisitely restored Grill and Domino Rooms, The Bar and a contemporary café – all under the direction of Executive Chef, Andrew Turner. Quick to follow by March 2013, will be the rest of the building, welcoming the Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre, and the remaining suites of historical significance.
Working alongside award winning interior design firm, Design LSM, Hill Cross Furniture are proud to have supplied for Tortilla Mexican Grill, London. Tortilla is the largest fast-casual Mexican restaurant group in the UK. Their brand new venue joins eight other locations around London which offer authentic Californian-Mexican burritos and tacos.
The CO2 range was used throughout the spacious ground floor which features industrial style exposed brick work. The solid beech CO2 Bar Stool and Side Chair were finished in a black lacquer, these were contrasted with a selection of the CO2 Side Chairs finished in a striking Teal colour.
Square, character oak table tops were used throughout the ground and first floor of the venue. A small selection of which were fixed to a ground floor wall, with a scaffold style leg and a secure wall bracket. The loose square table tops were coupled with the Lexis Square D1 Table Base in a black finish, wonderfully contrasting the light oak.
Alongside the tables to the first floor, the Nature Side Chair was supplied. These contemporary side chairs featured a wood finish with sprayed legs in a variety of vibrant red and orange, with a selection featuring a fitted skid base.
Continuing the industrial theme, four bespoke tables were designed for the first floor. The table bases featured a tapered A-frame with scaffold style legs and irregular stretchers. The bases were distressed to create an industrial look and were completed with thick table tops in a white finish. The Exmoor picnic table was also supplied for the first floor, the table featured a bright yellow frame with a porcelain laminate seat and top.
Hill Cross also supplied a range of outdoor furniture for the venue. White Werzalit Round Table Tops were coupled with the Clara 4 Leg D1 table Base, finished in aluminium. The ultra modern 3D Colour Side Chair accompanied the tables, featuring a white inner shell. The outer shell, legs and edging were then finished in either red or a funky lime green colour.
Brintons Carpets is donating a rug for auction at this evening’s BT British Olympic Ball with all proceeds being donated to Team GB.Woven by Brintons on their revolutionary high definition loom in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, the rug captures the excitement and celebration of the 2012 opening ceremony. 32 different colours have been woven simultaneously to create a one-off piece of art that presents a moment in history.
About Brintons Brintons is one of the largest users of British wool, and dye and process all their yarn in Telford, Shropshire. The yarn blend used was pioneered by Brintons in the 1950s to provide ultimate comfort and durability.
As well as making carpet for homes, Brintons carpets commercial businesses around the world. From palaces to public buildings, hotels, restaurants and airports, Brintons carpets have helped make the worlds’ most beautiful interiors.
Jestico + Whiles’ latest luxury hotel scheme has opened its doors. The practice was responsible for the architecture and interior design of the 24-key Adria Hotel in London, working alongside Urban Velvet on behalf of a private client.Situated in Queen’s Gate in the heart of South Kensington, the Adria is housed in a Grade II listed Victorian townhouse. Originally built in 1870s as two individual houses, the building – which was merged into a single building in the 1940s but which had fallen into disrepair – has been completely restored and brought back to its original beauty. The fabric of the building has been carefully considered with remnants of the original retained and others recreated.
The interior design is inspired by the elegance of the mid-1950s, when fine tailoring and service were the epitome of luxury. The designers researched the quality of fabrics, materials and furniture of this period extensively to inform the choice of fixtures and fittings at the hotel. The 24 bedrooms and suites, as well as the public areas, feature a number of handmade, bespoke elements made either to the designers’ design, such as the screen printed wallpaper and fabrics, or in close collaboration with them, as with a number of custom made chandeliers and light fittings.
DoubleTree by Hilton has announced the opening of its first hotel in Croatia, located in a prime position in the business district of the historic capital city, Zagreb. The upscale and contemporary hotel welcomes guests with a full-service guest offering and legendary warm chocolate chip cookie on arrival, as well as featuring new destination restaurant OXBO Urban Bar & Grill led by renowned Croatian chef, Tomislav Niksic.
Guests will be greeted with a welcoming and modern lobby, and benefit from characteristic qualities found at every DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, including a delicious warm chocolate chip cookie presented to every guest at check-in, an array of upscale amenities and guest services, the rewards of the Hilton HHonorsâ guest loyalty programme, and a unique and caring team member commitment to the local community.
OXBO Urban Bar and Grill opens at DoubleTree by Hilton Zagreb under the culinary leadership of renowned Croatian chef, Tomislav Niksic. The destination restaurant offers a contemporary menu with popular international dishes and strong emphasis on local Croatian cuisine. Interiors feature high and low seating, countertop dining and an open theatre kitchen with fire grill which uses the freshest, natural ingredients and features a showcase market table displaying seasonal produce and herbs.
Featuring 152 guest rooms and suites all with floor to ceiling glass windows, DoubleTree by Hilton Zagreb has a variety of accommodation that meet the needs of every kind of traveller. Bedrooms offer guests a comfortable and modern retreat complete with a sitting area; complimentary high-speed internet access; flat-screen, satellite TV; ironing board; mini-bar; refreshing Crabtree & Evelyn Citron® bath and body products; and in-room tea and coffee making service.
For meetings, conferences and events, DoubleTree by Hilton Zagreb offers more than 4,140 square feet of flexible meeting space, featuring the Mimosa Ballroom, which seats up to 250 delegates theatre style, a boardroom and a further three meeting rooms with capacity for up to 300 guests. Business travellers and conference guests benefit from a complimentary, 24-7 business centre, concierge services, state-of-the-art technology and a location in the heart of the business district.
International hotel design was celebrated in London on the 22nd November, when nine of Europe’s notable hotels claimed top honours at the prestigious European Hotel Design Awards.This international celebration acknowledges the passion and vision of the architects, designers and developers of Europe’s most recently completed and outstanding hotel projects.
BBC World News’ presenter, Mishal Husain hosted the ceremony which took place at the Park Plaza, Westminster Bridge London. Winning hotels included The Corinthia Hotel, The Mirror Hotel and Hotel Valentinerhof, with Superbude St Pauli in Hamburg stealing the show with three acclaimed awards.
The high-level judging panel included Chair of the judges Simon Ford of InterContinental Hotels Group, Jeremy Blake of Purcell Miller Tritton, Christoph Hoffman of 25Hours Hotel Group and Celia Geyer of Hilton Worldwide.
Categories included Newbuild; Bedrooms & Bathrooms; Café, Bar, Nightclub & Lounge; Conversion of an Existing Building to Hotel Use and Spa, Health & Leisure Facilities. The shortlisted entries hailed from all over Europe including Italy, Spain, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and Croatia.
THE WINNERS…
Conversion And/Or Extension Of An Existing Hotel Building: Sponsored by Ardmore Construction Winner: Hotel Valentinerhof, St Valentin, Italy – entered by noa Valentinerhof is a substantial extension to an existing traditional hotel in the South Tyrol alpine region of Italy. This building combines a respect for place and local materials with a true desire to bring a sense of joy and celebration of the rural setting whilst delivering everything that is expected of a contemporary hotel experience. The space planning, use of glass and authentic materials that echo the surrounding farm buildings make this a special place to stay and relax. The simple but beautifully executed design particularly impressed the judges.
Conversion Of An Existing Non-Hotel Building To Hotel Use: Sponsored by McAleer & Rushe Winner: The Mirror Hotel, Barcelona, Spain – entered by GCA Architects Whilst the overall look and feel of this conversion of an old office block in Barcelona is very accomplished it was the spatial planning of such a narrow space that stood out for the judges. The clever room plans that gave all the front rooms a street view, the dramatic use of the central lift shaft to provide an intriguing vertical link through the whole building, the thoughtful approach to lighting, decoration and artwork and the witty and literal references to mirrors and reflections made this a clear winner in this category.
Newbuild Winner: Hotel Lone, Rovinj, Croatia – entered by Maistra Hotel Lone is a stunning piece of architecture on the Istrian coastline in Croatia that not only makes the most of its location but enhances it also. The judges felt this was a bold statement that worked well with the landscape, created many interesting and thoughtful spaces and played with the numerous interactions of plane, light and volume notably in the public areas. For a relatively young team of designers and architects inexperienced in hospitality design this was a stand-out winner for the judging panel.
Lobby & Public Areas: Sponsored by Mivan Winner: Superbude St Pauli, Hamburg, Germany – entered by Dreimeta Superbude 2 develops its hostel theme in the public areas with the provocative use of commonplace materials to provide a multi-functional space that caters for eating, meeting, socialising and celebrating. The design is well thought through and has strong appeal to its target market who are the future generation of travellers. More seasoned hotel guests can also find something different and more relaxed, in a place that challenges the preconceptions of what a hotel space can be.
Cafe, Bar Or All Day Dining: Winner: Beau-Rivage Palace, BaR, Lausanne, Switzerland – entered by Wilsdon Design Associates An elegant and sensitive design that instantly blends in to its grand setting of the original hotel lobby. This significant remodelling of a well known and loved hotel has not only shown respect for the institution that is the Beau Rivage but has enhanced its reputation with exceptional attention to detail reflecting the atmosphere and history of the building and location. The integration of antique tapestries with modern design and furnishings combine effectively to create a memorable space.
Restaurant: Winner: Sur Mesure Par Thierry Marx , Mandarin Oriental, Paris, France – entered by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group A truly beautiful space that challenges the food itself for the attention of the guest. The décor evokes the haute couture district of Paris with the same level detail and use of fabrics applied in the very best fashion houses. The whole experience has been thought through – the overall space, the finishes, the place settings and furnishings. The restaurant exudes a sense of calm exclusivity whilst being innovative and elegant.
Bedrooms & Bathrooms: Sponsored by Twyford Bathrooms Winner: Superbude St Pauli, Hamburg, Germany – entered by Dreimeta Superbude 2 bedrooms impressed the judges with its innovative attention to detail both in the concept and in the execution. The rooms have a real sense of fun and excitement whilst retaining all the basic features expected of a hotel experience. Embracing a hostel style the rooms challenge our preconceptions of what a guestroom should be and bring a smile to the face with an eclectic mix or reused materials and objects.
Suite: Sponsored by Laufen Winner: The Whitehall Penthouse Suite, Corinthia Hotel, London, England – entered by GA Design International Amongst a number of shortlisted suites from this hotel completed last year, the Whitehall suite emerged the winner in a closely fought category. The judges felt this one exemplified the best use of quality finishes with a design that reflected an old English charm with a contemporary interpretation. It has the feel of an exclusive private space in Central London with a dynamic double height space, delicate balcony detail and breathtaking terrace.
Spa, Health & Leisure Facilities: Winner: The Spa, Mandarin Oriental, Paris, France – entered by SM Design and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group An understated design of exceptional quality. This spa uses very simple materials and combines them with a number of unique features such as the poolside butterfly animation to great effect. The treatment rooms are spacious and have all the latest technology and equipment. The guest journey from arrival through to treatment and relaxation afterwards has been fully considered and planned for.
Sustainable Design Award: Winner: Starhotels E.c.h.o, Milan, Italy – entered by Andrea Auletta Interior Design Whilst all this year’s entries were technically competent, the Starhotel E.C.ho had the judges vote for being the most holistic solution, not only delivering a sustainable performance but also making this a sustainable guest experience. The energy saving figures were impressive, as were the ways the guest experience was influenced by a desire to reuse materials, source locally and bring nature into the public areas. Sustainability is clearly a part of the whole guest experience and not just kept to the back of house.
The European Hotel Design Of The Year Award: Best Of The Best: Sponsored by Grohe Winner: Superbude St Pauli, Hamburg, Germany The Superbude 2 hotel has built on the previous success of hotels like CitizenM and developed its own personality and design language. Delivered as a complete package, Superbude 2 exudes clever use of materials – old and new, and spaces that appeal to the next generation of travellers, all delivered on a relatively tight budget. The standard of design, use and re-use of everyday materials and creativity that is to be found throughout the hotel made this the winner for 2012. During the animated discussion when voting for this award the general feeling was that this hotel will prove to be influential for hotel design in this category in the future
The Outstanding Contribution Award: Sponsored by Arup Winner: Claus Sendlinger, Founder & CEO, design Hotels In the two decades since he founded his company, Sendlinger has championed the cause for original and contemporary design in hotels and worked tirelessly for the industry as an incubator for new ideas. Following a degree in public relations, Sendlinger embarked on a career in event planning and PR for hotels and clubs. This opened doors to the lifestyle market and at the age of 23 he founded Co0ordinates GmbH, an incentives and events agency. In 1991 Sendlinger laid the foundation for Design Hotels with Travel Trends, a label providing high-end lifestyle vacations. In 1993, he co-founded Design Hotels Inc. in Sausilito, California, which began as a marketing agency for hotels and later incorporated a reservations system. The company continued to expand, tapping into new markets across the globe as lifestyle tourism picked up momentum. The creative network and services generated through Design Hotels then formed the basis for the foundation of Lebensart Global Networks AG, which was renamed Design Hotels Ag in 20004. Sendlinger recently relocated to Mexico to work on his latest project, Papaya Playa, a pop-up resort located on Tulum’s Caribbean resort.
Villeroy & Boch have opened a number of pop up stores across the country to help drive sales during the festive period. Offering a stylish shopping experience, the pop ups will offer range of gifts for the home, friends and family. From whisky glassware for Grandad to cookware for mum, the stores will be packed full of festive inspiration. This is part of a major expansion for the brand who has well as opening the pop up stores, are also refitting and expanding their existing stores including their flagship outlet stores at Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth and Merton Rd, London.
The new pop up locations include Livingstone Park, Scotland, Hatfield’s Galleria, Clarks Village Outlet in Somerset, The Outlet Village in Banbridge, Northern Ireland, Lincolnshire’s Springfield Spalding and Gretna Green’s Gateway.
Architectural practice Webb Gray is returning to its Black Country roots after securing a hotel project in the area where it all started for the company nearly a century ago.
The practice, which was established in Dudley in 1919 but relocated to Birmingham in 2005, has been appointed by developers Stoford to design a 63-bedroom Premier Inn hotel on the Castle Gate Business Park, Dudley. The £3.5 million project is set to 25 create new jobs, support local businesses and boost tourism.Planning permission was granted by Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council earlier this year for the three-storey hotel, along with a café and 60 parking spaces on the land, which is owned by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). The 28-week project is due to be completed in May 2013.
John Bates, head of acquisitions for Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants in the UK and Ireland, said: “Premier Inn is expanding aggressively across the UK as we keep up with strong demand for our high-quality, affordable product and search out new exciting locations for our customers.
“Castlegate Business Park is an ideal location for a new Premier Inn hotel, with great road access and many restaurants and entertainment facilities nearby for our customers.”
Premier Inn is the UK and Ireland’s biggest and fastest growing hotel company. Owned by global hotel, coffee shop and restaurant company Whitbread PLC, Premier Inn has more than 49,000 Premier Inn bedrooms across 630 hotels nationwide and offers quality accommodation at affordable hotel prices.
After an intensive export expansion drive, Chelsom has achieved global sales coverage by vastly increasing its agent network in the USA, Middle East and Europe. The company also has a manned office in Hong Kong to accommodate clients requiring direct shipments from the Far East.The USA network now numbers 25 agents covering every state. Each agent is well established in the American design and hospitality marketplace and all have been fully trained in the Chelsom lighting collection. Chelsom has also appointed a head of marine sales in the USA sales to build on the success in the cruise marketplace.
Vanessa Soley Peters, who has almost 20 years experience with Chelsom, is now permanently based in Dubai to develop the Middle East market, supported by distributors across the region.
In Europe, project sales are increasing steadily after securing exclusive agents to cover Sweden, Denmark, Bulgaria, Finland and Spain. Plans are in place to widen the European sales network over the coming months.
Said Director Will Chelsom, “Looking ahead into 2013, I’m confident that all the foundations and hard work we have put in place during 2012 will continue to bear fruit. We now have excellent Chelsom coverage across the globe to offer our client base the best possible services.
“We have UL approval on all items in the collection which opens up new markets for us, and we are already getting specified on many American and Middle Eastern lighting schemes. It’s a very exciting time for Chelsom.”
Offering a fast, simple way of converting floorstanding sanitaryware to the high end look of wall-hung, Geberit’s Monolith module is now available in a new Umbra colourway. Perfect for adding a touch of warmth to any bathroom, the neutral, smokey brown hue of umbra ensures that the sanitary module will blend seamlessly into its environment.Ideal for creating a minimal finish in any sized bathroom, the Monolith sanitary module is available for washbasins, WCs and bidets and means that converting from freestanding to wall-hung sanitaryware can be carried out easily as a retro-fit project, rather than having to completely redesign the entire bathroom. Cleverly concealing all the fixtures and fittings behind the elegant, slimline umbra glass surface, the Monolith creates a streamlined, clutter-free look in any space.
The Monolith sanitary module for WCs has an integrated cistern that can be connected to existing plumbing work, with no chiselling or re-tiling needed, while the module for washbasins can be fitted with an optional double towel rail for convenient space-saving solutions.
Louvre Hotels Group, Europe’s second largest hotel group, has announced the signature of a partnership with the Ecole Internationale Supérieure de Savignac as part of its Corporate University, “U” (pronounced You), launched in September 2012. Ranked N°1 in Hospitality Management MBAs in France, 3rd in Europe after the famous Swiss colleges at Lausanne and Glion (Source: Capital, February 2011) and in the top 10 of the highly respected SMBG ranking, Savignac is one of the leading centres for initial training for the hotel, restaurant, tourism and event management industries, with a total of 356 students in 2012.
Under this unique partnership with Savignac, the Corporate University of Louvre Hotels Group, “U”, will offer the certified training course “Louvre Hotels Group Business & Service Management Certificate” to a dozen selected hotel managers from November 2012.
This extended course reflects Louvre Hotels Group’s ambition to turn to training so as to support its rapid development in France and around the world, whilst providing specific responses for each area of the profession. The “Louvre Hotels Group Business & Service Management Certificate” seeks to improve access to strategic positions for hotel managers in larger establishments, head office functions, group-wide projects and international postings. This certified training is also a means of encouraging internal promotion and developing the talent on which the Group will rely in the future.
The “Louvre Hotels Group Business & Service Management Certificate” will cover a number of targeted themes to help prepare high-potential hotel managers for greater responsibility, including financial management, commercial management, yield management, management of cultural diversity and performance through innovation, which is a key and inherent notion in the values of the Louvre Hotels Group and its Corporate University “U”.
The training will take the form of six seminars run by top speakers, many of them drawn from the Ecole de Savignac. It will last for 304 hours, or 38 days over the course of a year.
Pierre-Frédéric Roulot, Chairman of Louvre Hotels Group, said at a press conference: “We are delighted in this partnership with the prestigious Ecole de Savignac, which will provide our hotel managers with high-quality training so that they can take on greater responsibility and, in their turn, ensure the future development of the Group and all its staff.”
Gérard Landat, Head of the Council of Ecole de Savignac, added: “This agreement with Louvre Hotels Group is particularly important for the Ecole de Savignac, marking our first move into continuous professional development.”
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) has recently announced the signing of the first EVEN™ Hotels property which will be located in New York City, with ownership group CWC, Inc. The IHG managed hotel will be located at 219 E 44th Street in the heart of midtown Manhattan, and will be a flagship property for the brand. The hotel will be a new build scheduled to open in late 2014. The hotel will feature 23 guestroom floors and 230 guestrooms, dedicated meeting areas, and indoor and outdoor exercise and eating spaces for an impressive 87,000 square feet in total space. “This is another important first for IHG. By developing our portfolio of preferred brands in line with emerging consumer preferences, we are meeting the needs of a new type of guest who’s looking for hotels with an intrinsic focus on wellness in terms of food, work, exercise and rest,” said Richard Solomons, chief executive officer, IHG. “New York City is an ideal location, being one of the most health-minded cities in the U.S. – so it will provide the EVEN Hotels brand with the right exposure to its target guest, the healthier-minded traveler.”
With over 50.9 million visitors in 2011 alone, New York City is one of the strongest markets for the EVEN Hotels’ target guest, and perfectly complements the 4 priority areas of the EVEN Hotels experience – eat, work, exercise and rest. New York City was ranked one of the top 50 healthiest cities in the U.S. in 2012, and it’s no surprise with more than 1,700 parks, playgrounds, and recreation facilities across the five boroughs providing multiple opportunities for exercise. New York City has also led the charge on changes aimed at a healthier city experience including: banning the sale of sugary drinks over 16 oz., posting all calorie counts on menus and menu boards and banning the use of artificial trans-fats in foods.
“New York City is a key part of EVEN Hotels’ distribution strategy and provides strong market exposure to healthier minded people both living and traveling to New York City, looking for a holistic wellness hotel experience,” said Kirk Kinsell, president, the Americas, IHG. “We are excited about the start of this new owner relationship with CWC Inc. as it brings together IHG’s branding and management expertise with CWC Inc.’s strong presence in the New York City real estate market.”
EVEN Hotels meets the large and growing customer demand for a healthier travel experience and is another industry first for IHG. EVEN Hotels uniquely provides solutions for all aspects of travelers’ wellness needs in the areas of food, work, exercise and rest – no other brand can do this under one roof. Joining IHG’s existing seven hotel brands, EVEN Hotels will be a key pillar in IHG’s portfolio of preferred brands and in the long term, a key driver in market share growth in the U.S.
IHG expects to sign 100 EVEN Hotels in the U.S. in the next 5 years under managed and franchised agreements in key markets including New York, Washington D.C. and San Francisco. IHG plans to announce additional locations over the next few months and to open the first EVEN hotel later on in 2013.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts is pleased to announce the upcoming opening of the newest Luxury Collection Resort, Vana Belle, a Luxury Collection Resort, Koh Samui, in January 2013. Exquisitely nestled in a stunning cove overlooking the Gulf of Siam near Chaweng Beach, Vana Belle, Koh Samui is a private haven of luxury offering an enchanting getaway and memorable experiences. Escape into luxury Accommodations The first Luxury Collection property on Koh Samui, Vana Belle offers 80 magnificent accommodations, with a selection of stunning guest suites and villas, with sizes ranging from 86 square meters to 211 square meters. With architecture and detailing reflecting the indigenous rich local culture, all of the stylish guest suites and villas feature views of the tropical gardens or the cerulean waters.
Exceptional Locale Located 80 kilometers off of Thailand’s southern coast, Koh Samui is an unspoiled corner of the globe, known for its borderless ivory beaches and sparkling turquoise waters. Perched on a quiet, serene bay at the southern end of Chaweng Beach, and not far from Samui International Airport, Vana Belle, Koh Samui offers convenient access to the island’s remarkable recreation and cultural treasures.
Epicurean Excellence Thai cuisine and other flavors of the region are showcased at the resort’s 2 restaurants and lobby lounge. The resort’s signature restaurant, Kiree, is a contemporary indoor/outdoor venue with ocean views that serves breakfast and dinner daily. Enjoy an international breakfast buffet with live cooking stations or experience a new savory journey with epicurean influences of Southern Thai dishes exclusively created by the Executive Chef, Dario Congera.
Panali is Vana Belle’s poolside restaurant, serving Italian and international favorites for lunch and dinner. Guests can enjoy daily fresh picked seafood for barbeque, pizzas, paninis and many more.
The intimate Lobby Lounge is an open air bar overlooking a grove of palm trees, endless open sky parallel to the Gulf of Thailand. It’s the perfect setting to take in the views while sipping hand-made drinks and selections from an extensive whisky menu along with delectable nibbles from the kitchen.
Spa Indulgence Get away from the boiling sun and enter a realm of refined sanctuary of peaceful and subtle luxury. Vana Spa is designed to rejuvenate body and spirit with a menu of locally-inspired experiences and signature treatments selections.
Naturalmat, based in Devon are delighted to have won the contract to manufacturer all 303 organic mattresses for the first three Z Hotels. The first two hotels have already opened Soho and Victoria whilst a third hotel location in Liverpool is in the pipeline.The clever team behind Z Hotels Bev King, Rich Meeham and John Raymond came up with an inventive plan to turn unused office spaces into new small hotels containing about 100 rooms each. The rooms are very reasonably, starting at £85 per night, something very surprising considering the fantastic hotel locations.
The average Z Hotel room consists of a compact space but everything in it is made to a very high standard with top quality fixtures and furnishings. Hotel bookings and check in can be done online.
Z Hotels are very focused on making their projects as sustainable as possible using the most up to date technology to ensure that energy and water consumption is kept to a minimum. With a strong green emphasis, it was inevitable that Z Hotels would turn to organic mattress specialists Naturalmat to help them with their first three projects. The Devon based manufacturer are the official mattress supplier for all three hotels. In total this consists of 93 beds for Z Hotel Soho, 110 for Z Hotel Victoria and about 100 beds for their Liverpool hotel. Z Hotels have also looked to Naturalmat to provide them with organic bedding including Naturalmat’s fantastically designed mattress protectors.
It seems that the demand for a fully green and eco mattress made entirely from sustainable raw materials would be a necessary item for the hotel industry. Superb comfort that is long lasting and consistently good, must be a given in any good quality mattress, but it is the attention to extra details that set a Naturalmat mattress apart.
Naturalmat are pioneers in natural fibre technology and have developed innovative new raw materials such as organic lambswool that is certified by the Soil Association, which is anti-dust mite, anti mosquito and anti-moth through a natural treatment using extracts of lemon, eucalyptus and lavender; and all mattress covers are guaranteed anti bed bug though a treatment of natural geraniol. Another exciting ingredient is organic coir fibre, a derivative of the coconut husk. This sustainable material greatly enhances the ventilation and spring of the mattress and is another example of intelligent use of renewable natural resources. Other sumptuous materials found in a Naturalmat mattress are mohair, cashmere, horsetail hair and natural cottons from environmentally conscious sources and all biodegradable that combine to create a truly green products made by a great British company.
‘Sustainability is a buzz word in this market, at the moment and those products and businesses that can prove their eco credentials and have a genuinely sustainable business model are in high demand’, says Director of Naturalmat, Peter Tindall.
Stay tuned for the next part of the story when Z Hotel Liverpool opens in the near future.
Leading UK Shower Manufacturer, Roman Limited, has taken home the Gold Award for Marketing at this year’s annual Designer Kitchen and Bathroom Awards, for their new Project Specification Guide. The Project Specification Guide is a brand new idea within the showering market, where a specifier, architect or developer can pick and choose every part of their showering design to create a totally bespoke shower enclosure. The Project Specification Guide was launched by Roman earlier this year, in both a printed brochure format and as a dedicated website which can be found here.
The Project Specification guide gives the designer the opportunity to pick their own feature components, such as the glass, hinges or handle, along with the bracing style, so they can create an enclosure to work aesthetically within their bathroom design. They can also then tailor the footprint, door action, sealing system, profiles and dimensions to practically work in the space.
Roman designed the Guide in response to increasing demand from customers, both inside the UK, as well as their Export Partners around the World, who are more and more frequently looking for something which is totally bespoke for their project. It is specifically aimed at Housebuilders and Hotel, or Condominium Developers, who are working on larger scale projects.
The Marketing Award was a new category to this year’s Designer awards, and it was added in to recognise strong marketing ideas in the kitchen and bathroom industry.
The award comes within a week of the manufacturer being shortlisted for the House Beautiful Best Bathroom Product Award, for their Infinity Shower Trays, which offer stylish level access showering. They were also Highly Commended earlier in the same month by the Northern Design Awards, for their Roman Shield Complete Wetroom Tanking System, which makes installing a wetroom easy – notably this product has already won multiple Awards.
Commercial Director, Julian Pearson and Marketing Manager, Shelley McCormack, attended the glittering awards ceremony, which was held at the Tower of London. The event was hosted by designer, author and television presenter Oliver Heath, who is well known for his urban eco-conscious designs.
David Osborne, Roman’s Managing Director, commented: “We were delighted to receive the Gold Award for our Project Specification Guide at the Designer Kitchen and Bathroom Awards. We have in the past received awards for our Product design, but this year with the new category being introduced, we felt our Project Guide was a clear fit. There is nothing else like this out there in terms of the showering market, but our experience with specifiers has shown there is a real need for this type of service. Often an ‘off-the-shelf’ solution will simply not work in their space. We launched the Guide several months ago and so far it has been very well received. We are already quoting for projects both inside and outside of the UK from the Guide.”
Langham Hospitality Group (LHG) announces the signing of a Sales and Purchase Agreement between Great Eagle Group, parent company of LHG and 400 Fifth Realty LLC which is owned by Bi&Di Real Estate SpA – incorporated in Varese, Italy – to acquire The Setai Fifth Avenue hotel located at 400 Fifth Avenue in midtown Manhattan, New York. The hotel is scheduled to join the Langham portfolio in January 2013. To be rebranded as Langham Place, the hotel will epitomise luxury living in the 21st century in Manhattan, New York with its contemporary accommodation, stylish design and stimulating art. The hotel’s modern and elegant design is a perfect fit with the Langham Place brand and provides a great opportunity for the Group to introduce our sense of stimulating hospitality to New York.
This strategic purchase signals the Group’s plans for long-term expansion in key gateway cities in the United States. Currently, The Langham hotels are located in Boston, Pasadena Los Angeles, and Chicago (opening Third Quarter of 2013).
Twelve at Hengshan – A Luxury Collection Hotel, Shanghai – opening November 29 2012
Located in one of Shanghai’s most historic districts – China’s former French Concession, Twelve at Hengshan, a Luxury Collection Hotel opens 29 November 2012.With architecture by Mario Botta – famed for the iconic San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and interiors by cult hospitality design duo Yabu Pushelberg, this residential style 171-room retreat will be home to a ‘Secret Garden’ courtyard – a traditional Chinese garden oasis within the heart of the hotel.
Along with two signature restaurants, a luxury day spa and an indoor heated pool, Twlelve at Hengshan will offer a luxurious retreat from the hustle and bustle from the city dubbed as the Pearl of the Orient.
Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort offers an exclusive retreat, amidst spacious open-air terrace, outdoor rooftop pool and unrivalled panoramic views of the ocean. The resort will introduce 203 guest rooms and suites featuring a spacious private balcony of the ocean scenery, including a two-story oceanic view Presidential Suite with contemporary approach of Balinese interior, as well as the latest in-room technology and Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed.Travelers can enjoy Sheraton’s signature restaurant – Feast with its vibrant open-kitchen, located alongside Beachwalk, or indulge with Bene a light-hearted Italian trattoria with stunning ocean view. The Lounge offers inspired collection of eclectic offerings with the simplicity of tapas, or finely concocted drinks.
To keep travelers fit and energized, Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort introduces Sheraton Fitness by Core Performance with lifestyle designed training programs, Shine Spa for Sheraton that will rejuvenate guests with signature treatments blending from the East to the West with local Balinese touches and Color Your Plate a simple three colors approach to a healthy food program.
With a total of over 1,300 square meters, Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort offers 9 flexible event spaces, including one ballroom that is divisible. All event facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, broadband or wireless high-speed Internet Access and assisted by a team of professionals. Travelers can stay connected with the exclusive Link@Sheraton experienced with Microsoft that provides a connectivity hub, with complimentary WIFI and Personal Computer stations.
Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort is connected to Bali’s latest shopping destination – Beachwalk, a hub of retail, dining and entertainment that sits right in front of the Kuta’s beach, or better known as surfer’s paradise. Centrally located at the heart of Pantai Kuta and just 5 kilometers away from Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS), the resort’s elevated position from level 2 and above presents the best ocean and beach view.
Volga Linen, providers of pure linen to the hospitality industry, introduces their new range of sauna robes.These are open weave optical white pure linen unisex dressing gowns with hem stitch details on cuffs, loop on the back collar, two pockets and belt.
Volga Linen are offering a complimentary embroidered monogram (one initial only) with any paisley tablecloth, hem stitch napkin, small pillowcase, sauna towel, sauna robe and hand towel purchase. Ideal as a Christmas presents too.
This contemporary style sofa and matching armchair from Dawnvale would enhance any stylish interior scheme. This model is available as an armchair, 2-seater sofa, 3-seater sofa and matching ottoman in your choice of upholstery, including CHRM foam and timber feet in your required finish. All manufactured to the highest standards.For enquiries please contact the furniture division of Dawnvale Leisure Interiors on 0161 684 7879 or email sales@dawnvale.com
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and its destination sensation brand, Aloft Hotels, has recently announced the signing of Aloft St. Petersburg. The opening of Aloft St. Petersburg in 2015 will mark the debut of Starwood’s Aloft Hotels brand in Russia. Owned by Remstroyintour LLC and Ludmila Kudryavtseva, Aloft St. Petersburg will be located in an emerging business district within close proximity to galleries, restaurants and green spaces, and will offer an entirely new approach to hospitality in the city of St. Petersburg. This deal was announced earlier today at a press conference in Moscow with Starwood President & CEO Frits van Paasschen and Roeland Vos, President of the company’s Europe, Africa and Middle East (EAME) Division.
Situated in the northern part of the city overlooking the Neva River, Aloft St. Petersburg will offer atmospheric public spaces where guests can mix and mingle, read the paper, work on laptops, play a game of pool or grab a drink with friends at the re:mixSM lounge and w xyzSM bar.
All 200 loft-like guest rooms will feature the brand’s signature high ceilings, oversized windows and an ultra-comfortable platform bed as well as large walk-in showers with complimentary Bliss Spa® products. Guests will be able to re-energise in the re:chargeSM fitness centre and grab a bite to eat at re:fuel by AloftSM, a one-stop, 24-hour grab-and-go food and beverage area, offering sweet, savoury and healthy food, snacks and drinks. For work meetings, training courses and presentations, the hotel’s two board rooms will be equipped with the latest generation of audio-visual hardware.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has announced the opening of The Westin Snowmass Resort following an extensive, multi-million dollar renovation to reposition the prestigious, slope-side property as a Westin. Formerly known as the Silvertree Hotel & Conference Center, the resort fully refurbished all guest rooms and public areas in order to implement the full suite of Westin signature amenities, designed to rejuvenate and inspire wellbeing. Owned by a joint venture between Starwood Capital Group and Wasserman Real Estate, The Westin Snowmass Resort is ideally situated in the heart of Snowmass Village, adjacent to the slopes of Snowmass – one of Colorado’s most sought-after ski mountains.The Westin Snowmass Resort features 254 rooms including 18 suites, all with spectacular slope-side views. The resort’s brand-new restaurant – The Snowmass Kitchen – offers all-day dining with convenient ski-in/ski-out access. Guests will enjoy the world-class spa facility and brand-new WestinWORKOUT® fitness centre overlooking Snowmass Village, as well as the two new hot tubs at the resort’s pool. The newly landscaped outdoor space is ideal for outdoor events. The 20,000 square-foot conference centre was fully renovated and re-opened on June 1, 2012.
Overlooking the slopes of Snowmass, The Westin Snowmass Resort is walking distance to the shops and restaurants of Snowmass Village and is convenient to three other ski areas – Aspen, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk. The Snowmass/Aspen area is also a leading destination for summer vacationers, offering a host of activities such as white-water rafting, championship golf courses, horseback riding, hot air balloon rides and hiking.
The sensory-rich environment at Westin offers a respite from the rigors of travel and sets a welcoming tone. Upon entering the lobby, guests begin to breathe more easily as they are greeted with soothing elements like relaxed lighting, natural botanicals and stimulating music. All guestrooms feature the world-renowned Westin Heavenly® Bed with lush sheets, down cushioning and a patented pillow-top mattress, which cradles and contours to the body for complete comfort. Another industry first, the Heavenly® Bath creates an invigorating spa-like experience, enhanced with the brand’s Heavenly® Shower, Heavenly® Robe and exclusive White Tea Aloe bath amenities. In-room, high-speed Internet access and an ergonomic work space offer travellers convenience and productivity in a tranquil setting.
Marriott International has announced plans to open a new 200-room Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Santiago in the fourth quarter of 2014, under an agreement with Falabella Group, the largest retailer in South America, with operations in Chile, Argentina, Peru and Colombia. Situated immediately adjacent to the existing 280-room Santiago Marriott in the Las Condes business district filled with restaurants, bars and shops, the Courtyard will offers easy access to all of Santiago and some of the best views of the Andes Mountains.
In addition to 200 guest rooms and suites, the hotel will feature the brand’s refreshing business lobby, a casual dining restaurant, 3,000 square feet of meeting space and recreational facilities include a swimming pool and a fitness centre.
Marriott International is currently represented in Chile by the 280-room Santiago Marriott Hotel and the 205-room The Ritz-Carlton, Santiago. Marriott will open the 181-room Renaissance Santiago Hotel in 2013.
The new Spa development, Y Spa, at Wyboston Lakes, opened its beautiful new doors on 3rd November 2012. Wyboston Lakes is the UK’s largest privately owned single site specialist conference, management training, hotel and leisure destination; located on a private 350 acre rural estate located between Cambridge and Milton Keynes.The project investment totalled just over £3 million; the Spa covers 8,000sq ft of internal space and a Spa Garden on the Wyboston Lakes Hotel site and took just over 7 months to build and complete.
Y Spa’s total philosophy is about health, wellness and rejuvenation with many of those things relying on pleasure. So, for example, the Y Spa Café serves sparkling wines, draught lager, cupcakes and brownies as well as seriously tasty low fat options, something to ignite the taste buds and allow you and your friends to feel totally indulged!
As part of Wyboston Lakes’ drive to expand their leisure facilities, Syntax, leading international design architects were brought in to create a dramatic new spa. Syntax has created world class spas around the globe such as Chiva-Som, Champneys, One Spa, Elemis and Molton Brown.
Syntax Project Designer, Russell King, gives us an insight into the design, “What is different about Y Spa, which guests will hopefully appreciate, is the acute attention to detail throughout the space. Small but thoughtful touches like personalised slipper units, luxurious comb-out units, and costume kit bags help to make guests feel special. The quality of the thermal area is unrivalled anywhere in the UK and is a real tribute to Wyboston Lakes’ ambition with this project which we were privileged to help them create”.
Stylematters, who are renowned for designing and manufacturing high quality contract furniture for many of the leading names in the UK hospitality and leisure sectors, have just completed a major project involving over £70,000 worth of bespoke items for the striking Hampton Manor Hotel.Hampton Manor is a 19th century manor house combining traditional charm and contemporary chic. This beautiful old manor house has been fully restored by James and Fjona Hill over the past 4 years – it is now firmly established as one of the leading boutique hotels in the Midlands. The hotel features a magnificent Michelin starred restaurant under the control of head chef Martyn Pearn with views of the stunning gardens
Stylematters have worked closely with the family to supply a range of tables, chairs, soft seating and bar stools that all accentuate the stunning stonework and high glass ceiling in the main dining area. Rich in history and yet sophisticatedly modern, the vibrant space paves the way for the food. The restaurant provides light and airy day time dining and a romantic candlelit ambiance by night.
Working closely with Creative Director Fjona Hill we selected the fabric and wall coverings from our extensive library to create a truly unique feel to the space. It was a pleasure to work with Fjona who has a real creative approach and passion for the hotel. The restaurant is now a beautiful and functional place to relax and sample the delights of Martyn Pearns locally sourced produce.
The surge in popularity for period dramas, such as Downton Abbey and The Paradise, has provided damask wallpaper and fabrics with a growing popularity. Although the ornate and decorative pattern lends itself to the opulence of a bygone era, we are seeing a resurgence of these designs.While some designers are creating contemporary fabrics and designs that will be out of fashion within the year it is heart-warming to see that many are looking at our heritage and reworking the classics. It seems in times of austerity what you know is always a better bet than taking a risk.
Byron wallpaper by Cole & Son is a perfect example, a damask design in soft metallic colours overlaid with an amazing peacock design. Similarly Tivoli Damask, which combines rich reds and burgundy overlaid with an almost hand drawn damask design in gold.
For those who want a totally different look, fabricsandpapers.com have Preston Damask, a hand printed wide width wallpaper that can be printed in a colour of your choice, from vibrant orange to the softest aqua. Osborne and Little’s stylised damask Fernery is a beautiful example of a contemporary take on this traditional style.
We have noticed a huge surge in the popularity of our gaufraged velvets, sumptuous silks, and damask curtain fabrics. In the old days these would have been used for furniture, curtains and walling – where wallpaper was not available, the walls of the grand houses would be upholstered with fabric – and now are used in our homes to add glamour and sophistication to formalise a more relaxed environment, or just to complement a beautiful inherited antique.
Most of the designs used in traditional damasks today are copies of those woven centuries ago in Italy, Spain and France. Though damask weaving was not an English art, the English decorators of the 18th century used large quantities of Italian damasks, both for furniture coverings and upholstered onto the walls. Damask wallpapers mimic the look (and sometimes the texture) of damask fabrics in which the pattern is intensified by the weave running opposite that of the background.
By exploring www.fabricsandpapers.com, the leading online retailer for curtain fabrics, upholstery fabrics and designer wallpaper, customers can create their own schemes and request wallpaper samples from over 6,000 carefully selected wallpapers and fabrics. A dedicated design team is on hand at the end of a telephone line (01273 495500) to discuss customers’ individual requirements and offer help and advice.
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is pleased to announce the opening of Fairmont Makati on December 3, marking the brand’s entry into the Philippines. Ideally situated in one of the 17 cities comprising Metro Manila – one of the major financial, commercial and economic hubs in Asia – Fairmont Makati joins a growing portfolio of Fairmont hotels in the Asia Pacific region, including the recently opened Fairmont Jaipur in India and Shanghai’s Fairmont Peace Hotel.Fairmont Makati offers 280 spacious deluxe rooms and suites, including Fairmont Gold, the hotel’s exclusive hotel within a hotel. Conceived by leading architects Arquitectonica and interior designers Bent Severin International, the modern architecture features sophisticated style alongside the rich, cultural characteristics of Filipino design. Making use of abundant local materials such as coco-twig white resin, crushed mahogany seeds (embedded in the walls) and abaca laminated glass, a warm, neutral palette boasts colourful accents and detail finishes like pearl in-lay handles on mahogany wood. A focal point of each guestroom is the floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the bustling city.
The tower housing Fairmont Makati also is home to Raffles Makati, a 32-room, all-suite hotel, and Raffles Residences, featuring 237 one- to four-bedroom residences for both short and long- term stays. Raffles is a sister brand under the parent company Fairmont Raffles Hotels International.
Four British hotels are set to open their doors as part of the Mercure portfolio within the next four months, further expanding the growing Mercure hotel collection and increasing the brand’s footprint to 75 hotels in the UK.Located in London, Scotland, Milton Keynes and Darlington, the latest franchise agreements will add 394 rooms to the Mercure network and will create over 120 jobs across the regions.
Commenting on the expansion, Jonathan Sheard, Managing Director of Operations, MGallery and Mercure Hotels UK and Ireland said: “We are delighted to welcome our new partner hotels to the Mercure network in the UK. Each hotel has its own unique story and represents an exciting new destination for business and leisure travellers alike.
“We’re committed to significantly growing our Mercure hotel portfolio by 2015 and this will largely be driven through our growing franchise development in the UK. We are delighted to welcome these four new hotel partners, all of which are a natural fit for the Mercure brand.
“By joining with our business, our franchise partners will be able to boost their hotels’ existing exposure through the use of our brand name and benefit from our existing expertise, powerful global distribution networks and committed sales force.”
First to open is the Mercure Darlington Kings Hotel, which launched last week, followed closely by the Mercure London Greenwich Hotel and the Mercure Eddleston Barony Castle Hotel and Spa in Scotland later this month (October). The Mercure Milton Keynes Abbey Hill will launch in January 2013.
Originally built as a coaching inn in the early 1600s and rebuilt in 1893, the King’s Head Hotel underwent a major £8 million refurbishment programme after a blaze caused severe damage to the hotel in 2008. Now complete, the refurbished hotel located in the heart of the historic market town features 83 bedrooms, conference and banqueting suites, à la carte restaurant – Carriages No. One – and cocktail bar, Carriages. The re-opening of the renowned hotel will create approximately 50 jobs in the region.
Following a major conversion of the 1930’s Maurice Drummond House in Greenwich, the Mercure London Greenwich hotel will offer 145 bedrooms over 10 storeys. The hotel conversion project has witnessed an additional two storeys added at roof level and complete internal refurbishment, along with minor landscaping. The original building won RIBA’s London Architectural Medal in 1946 and the independently owned hotel offers exceptional views of London. The opening of the hotel will create up to 70 jobs in the local area.
With a rich history, the 4* Barony Castle Hotel and Spa in Eddleston, 17 miles south of Edinburgh, is set to become the first castle within the Mercure portfolio. Featuring 78 bedrooms, the hotel has undergone a £400,000 refurbishment programme, transforming it from a three start to a four star Mercure hotel, since signing the Accor franchise agreement. The hotel was recently awarded The Great Polish Map of Scotland listed status by Historic Scotland. The Map represents an important part of Barony Castle’s history, which saw Barony Castle and grounds used by Polish military forces based in Scotland during the Second World War.
In addition, the Abbey Hill Hotel in Milton Keynes, which is one of the first purpose built hotels in Milton Keynes, is undergoing a full transformation prior to its re-launch in January 2013. Once complete, the city-centre hotel will boast 88 bedrooms, state-of-the-art meeting rooms and newly designed and furnished public spaces.
Dach & Sons is a cool new speakeasy style bar and 70-cover restaurant in Hampstead, the third venue to be opened by Fluid Movement, the team behind Purl and Worship Street Whistling Shop. This is their first venue to offer food, a selection of premium gourmet burgers, hot dogs and sliders, to complement their extensive selection of avant-garde cocktails, craft beers and whiskies. The design is New York-style with a clever combination of distressed timbers, white coursed-brick butcher’s shop tiles, bare bulb light fittings and a whole slug of vintage industrial furniture throughout the bar and restaurant areas, sourced from contract furniture supplier Andy Thornton.
The main dining area features heavy duty factory refectory tables, which feature steel bases legs and tops in a distressed painted finish, which each feature six bolt-on swing seats. Andy Thornton also supplied industrial-style pub tables, console tables, unique factory bar stools with worn tan leather seats and French cafe chairs in green.
Upstairs is a mini version of their hugely successful classic cocktail bar Purl in Marylebone. Here Andy Thornton supplied industrial-style bar stools, featuring steel frames in a satin pewter finish with polished timber seats. These perfectly complement the mock Tudor panelled bar front and embossed gold painted ceiling.
Forbes Group is a British supplier of textiles, furniture and equipment to the hospitality industry worldwide. Its customers include international hotel groups and conference centres, blue chip companies, and premium sports venues.Forbes Group is also the European distributor for Forbes Industries (no relation), whose products are internationally recognised in hospitality, particularly in the janitorial and housekeeping context, though its front of house Birdcage Luggage Cart is an industry icon.
Forbes Group has been delighted to help ME London select products for its cutting edge project on the Strand. It has supplied textured black luggage racks that will be in keeping with the sleek monochrome rooms at ME, as well as polished stainless steel posts and ebony velour ropes for public guidance with unobtrusive chic.
Forbes Industries’ trademark brass luggage cart would not have worked in the ME context. Instead, its more contemporary angular brushed steel deluxe cart precisely met the needs of this minimal setting.
Finally, Forbes’ capacious laundry carts will be working hard to support the housekeeping team behind the scenes. Also unseen, its platform luggage carts and hand trucks will be taking the strain off the staff. Should they appear unexpectedly though, either truck’s steel and black carpet finish will not look out of place in this exciting boutique development.
We wish ME the very best with its forthcoming launch.
Rivermeade, designers and manufacturers of signs for hotels throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa, have recently updated the look of their website which can be located here, www.rivermeade.com.It’s much easier to locate the information you require when you look at the site. When you navigate to ‘Architectural Signs’, it contains a section at the bottom where you can download all PDF brochures relating to that topic. Navigate to ‘Hotel Signs’ and it has the PDF brochures available to download there. Simple!
Please do visit the site and take a look around. If you would like to contact Rivermeade, please click on the link to their page in the Directory.
Recent projects include:
• St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London • Corinthia London • Waldorf Astoria Syon Park • Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort and Spa • Alfonso XIII Seville
Rivermeade also provides wayfinding and sign design consultancy services. Recent Projects include:
• Al Houara Resort complex Morocco • Hilton Cape Sierra – Sierra Leone • Kempinski Accra Ghana • Shadhag Resort Azerbaijan • Hilton Hotels
An ex BBC broadcasting centre, which has just undergone a huge £4 million restoration project under new ownership, will be officially re-opening at the end of the month as a new luxurious hotel.The Wood Norton, which is situated in the heart of Worcestershire, just a few miles from the Cotswolds, and Shakespeare’s Stratford-Upon-Avon, will be hosting an exclusive complimentary champagne reception. The event will mark the end of a magnificent refurbishment project, which has seen the building transform from an old BBC broadcasting centre into a stunning 50-room lavish hotel and restaurant.
Oliver Cooke, general manager of The Wood Norton, says: “We’re absolutely thrilled with the results. The building looks fantastic, and will make for a great place for holiday makers and business professionals to eat and stay.”
He continues: “The building is steeped in history, having been built originally as a hunting lodge for European Royalty in 1897. It’s since been the home of the BBC for over 60 years, and we’re now looking to create our own piece of history by turning it into a fantastic get-away.”
The BBC bought the site in 1939 to establish an emergency broadcasting centre away from London. It became one of the largest broadcasting centres in Europe with an average output of 1,300 programmes a week. When the war was over, Wood Norton became the BBC’s engineering training centre.
The official re-opening will be taking place on Thursday 29th November. Peter Luff Member of Parliament for Mid Worcestershire, along with the local Mayors (Mayor of Evesham, Cllr Robert W Raphael and the Mayor of Pershore, Cllr Charles Tucker) will be in attendance, along with members of the BBC, business professionals and local residents. On the night, Oliver and his team will be providing hotel tours. Whilst in the main dining room, guests will have the opportunity to sample tasters from the new menu.
Throughout the evening there will also be a live jazz band, plus head chef Gary Wheeler will be providing live demonstrations and talking through the hotel’s food offerings.
Oliver concludes: “We’ve got a fantastic, experienced, friendly team in place. And we’re looking forward to introducing ourselves to the world! Bring on the 29th – The Wood Norton doors will be officially open!”
2012 is a very special year for Chelsom as it reaches another business milestone – 65 years trading in the worldwide furnishings industry. From retail roots in the north of England, the company has developed into the leading UK supplier of decorative contract lighting to the world’s hotel and hospitality industry. Said Managing Director Robert Chelsom, “I am very proud of the business my parents started in 1947 and my son Will has now been in the business for the past five years.
“We moved from having one retail shop to supplying Harrods, Fortnum & Mason and other top name retailers. The Chelsom of today is completely contract-oriented, supplying lighting to the leading hotels and cruise ships of the world.
This milestone year has culminated in Chelsom attaining a sales presence across the globe with a strong network of agents in America, a permanent base in the Middle East, agents across Europe and a manned office in Hong Kong to deal with all Asian enquiries.”
Proving there is nothing more important than a trusted supplier, Hillswood Furniture has once again been chosen to furnish the La Capanna Restaurant in Cobham, Surrey.Having first furnished the restaurant when it opened over 35 years ago, this is the fifth time Hillswood have been awarded the contract. Speaking to the owner of La Capanna Restaurant, Nick Cowdry comments: “Hillswood Group offers a reliable service and a good price… they deliver on time too which is often hard to come by in other companies. These latest chairs were imported from Italy and we’re very pleased with the results.”
These chairs are constructed, as all Hillswood’s chairs are, from solid beech and were specially polished to match the existing scheme.
This Newport design chair is from our successful Montbel collection and is normally upholstered with two contrasting fabrics; one fabric on the seat and inside back, and the second fabric is then used for the outside back also the seat and back borders.
In this scheme the chairs are covered in two tone faux suede from our Warwick fabrics range. Although the chairs are contemporary in design they sit very well in this well established quality restaurant.
Newly launched to great acclaim at the Independent Hotel Show 2012, IDP Interior Design introduced Hotel Roomsets. All three Hotel-roomsets have been custom designed taking into account the major issues of practicality, maintenance and style that are so important in the hotel sector. Complete room packages start from £2950 for the Classic, £3950 for the Executive and £6950 for the Boutique range. All the prices shown include delivery to mainland UK.As well as Interior Design IDP also offer procurement services through IDP Procurement Limited which has a considerable wealth of experience in handling volume purchasing whilst being creative and design led. We decided to combine these two skills to respond to the needs of hotels that are searching for a custom look but for whom the design and development costs are too restrictive. The effect of volume purchasing allows Hotel-Roomsets to meet limited budgets whilst offering limited edition, custom interiors.
All three Hotel-Roomsets Include custom designed furniture and lighting, wallcovering, custom carpet, all soft furnishings including make-up and customised artwork. Back of house equipment and bathroom design and supply packages are available upon request. A design service is also available for corridors and public areas to compliment your Hotel-Roomsets. A limited portfolio of our public area design work can be found on IDP Interior Design’s website, www.idpdesign.com.
Hotel-Roomsets are appropriate for both new builds and renovations. There is a limited edition of 500 rooms per design and a minimum of 50 roomsets per order to attain the costs illustrated. The roomsets shown are based on a generic size of 30sqm for the Boutique and 28sqm for both the Executive and Classic ranges. We offer site evaluation if this service is required. Whatever your needs may be, IDP has the ability to assist the whole way through the process.
Hilton Worldwide has recently announced the opening of its first DoubleTree by Hilton property in Phuket, Thailand. The 250-room DoubleTree Resort by Hilton – Surin Beach is located on the west coast of the island on Surin Beach, which is approximately 24km from Phuket International Airport.Formerly the Courtyard by Marriott, the rebranded, four-story DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Phuket – Surin Beach sits strategically between Phuket International Airport and Patong, the island’s popular tourist centre. The resort offers over 80 suites and has three food and beverage outlets which include Asia Alive, an all-day dining restaurant, The Boardwalk, a pool bar serving snacks, and a food and beverage retail outlet, The Food Store. There will also be four meetings rooms as well as a business centre, fitness club, outdoor lagoon-style pools, water slides and a kids club.
DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Phuket – Surin Beach will have all the qualities currently found at the brand’s more than 310 DoubleTree by Hilton locations in 23 countries around the world, including the warm welcome of the brand’s legendary chocolate chip cookie presented to every guest at check-in; an array of upscale amenities and guest services; the rewards of the Hilton HHonors guest loyalty programme; and a unique and caring team commitment to giving back to the local community.
Phuket is one of Asia’s leading leisure destinations and is famous for its white sandy beaches, pristine waters, inland mountains and renowned Thai hospitality. The island has been a well established destination for over 30 years and continues to grow at a strong rate. Surin is situated on the west coast of Phuket and is one of the most sought-after destinations due to its fine white sandy beaches and turquoise water. Surin Beach is popular with both tourists and Thais for its large selection of beach restaurants ranging from the popular Catch Beach Club to local beachside restaurants.
Hilton Worldwide currently manages six properties in Thailand including Conrad Bangkok, Millennium Hilton Bangkok, Hilton Pattaya, Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa, Hilton Hua Hin Resort and Spa and Conrad Koh Samui, and will open Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok and DoubleTree by Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok in 2013.
Exuding a strong and bold personality with its solid construction and bevelled angles. Ava also retains a lightness and precision through the slim profile of it’s contoured upholstery which is further enhanced with a contemporary zig-zag stitch detail. Available in factory fabrics, customer’s own material or leather. The wood frame can be stained to match a customer’s sample and the colour of the stitching may also be specified.
For enquiries please contact the contract sales office on 01932 573600 or visit our website site at www.kesterport.com.
An array of eye-catching bespoke carpets from Lano Flooring Solutions now covers just under 800m2 of the prestigious Royal Berkshire hotel in Ascot, adding vibrant style to what was once the family home of relatives of Sir Winston Churchill.Devised by Monia Allegretti, Italian architect and interior designer for the Exclusive Hotels group, the new Walk of Fame axminster carpets showcase the diverse design capability of Lano Flooring Solutions and add distinct character to individual locations within the Royal Berkshire.
A damask design in a mix of mauve and yellow covers 200m2 of the main ground floor corridor and staircase, with a coordinating 12m2 rug specially made for the reception area. 230m2 of carpet in a rich shade of brown adorns the main bar and lounge, featuring a contemporary floral pattern with large petals and clusters of colour centred in the middle of each flower. This striking design places a modern spin on traditional flowery carpets. An abstract botanical vine leaf motif in shades of yellow and green covers 80m2 of the meeting room corridors, and 250m2 of carpet with a geometric circular design in different colours can be found in all five of the hotel’s meeting rooms, offering a coordinated yet individual look. A striking yellow and green carpet also bridges the area between the reception and the WC.
As Monia Allegretti explains, “our hotels are defined by bright, bold interior decoration contrasted with traditional, period exterior architecture. The Royal Berkshire is no exception; originally built for the Churchill family, my main focus when designing the carpets was to ensure that they reflected the hotel’s diverse heritage but also injected something fresh and new. Each carpet design also aims to bring the beauty of the hotel’s surrounding gardens inside the building.
“I approached the team at Lano Flooring Solutions because no matter how complex my ideas, they always deliver brilliant results. For this project, they offered the highest levels of service and design flexibility, and were extremely accommodating for both the larger quantities of carpet as well as the smaller areas. We are very pleased with the final look and have plans to work with Lano Flooring Solutions again to create carpet for further areas of the hotel.”
Lano Flooring Solutions offered an unprecedented service to the Royal Berkshire, meeting the demands for several different designs. In the meeting rooms, for example, each carpet is the same bespoke design but in different colourways to allow for ultimate design freedom.
10 row three-ply Axminster carpets in an 80% wool and 20% nylon construction were used in the public and corridor areas for durability, with a nine-row construction used for the meeting rooms.
For further information on all Lano carpet ranges, freephone 00800 5266 5266 or visit www.lano.com
Accor will take over the Radisson Resort Gold Coast from 18th December and re-brand the hotel to Mercure Gold Coast Resort. The hotel is Accor’s 200th in Australia, achieved just over 21 years after launching its first hotel in Australia.
Accor was appointed managers of the resort by GC Hotel Management.The resort boasts a prime location in the Gold Coast’s “Green Belt”, within easy driving distance of the Gold Coast’s legendary beaches, as well as the Springbrook – Mt Tamborine rainforest area. With the recent opening of a new extension of the freeway, the resort is just over 20 minutes to Gold Coast’s airport, less than an hour from Brisbane and within easy driving distance of Gold Coast’s theme parks, Metricon Stadium, Skilled Park and the Robina business centre.
The resort is affiliated with five championship golf courses, including the adjacent world-class Palm Meadows course, which has hosted a wide range of international tournaments over the last 25 years.
Guests have access to the hotel’s extensive resort facilities, including a day spa, driving range, two outdoor pools, four floodlit tennis courts, a fully equipped gymnasium, sauna and an outdoor spa.
The resort is particularly well designed for conferences, events, incentives, weddings and other functions, with a capacity for up to 700 delegates. Facilities include 10 versatile conference rooms and three outdoor venues.
Announcing the new contract, Accor Pacific Chief Operating Officer, Simon McGrath, said it was a fitting hotel to celebrate such a major milestone for the group.
“For Accor it is a very strategic new addition to the network, both because it represents a significant landmark for Accor’s expansion in Australia, and also because it adds to the group’s portfolio in the Gold Coast,” he said.
“The addition of the Mercure Resort will allow us to cater for growing demand in the mid-market, especially for conferences, events and groups.”
The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing hotel groups worldwide and a member of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, today opens the Radisson Blu Hotel, Nantes directed by General Manager Cyril Casabo. The company’s youngest French flagship is housed in the former Court of Justice (Palais de Justice) – an elegant building that was constructed in 1851 and served as the Nantes Law Court until 2000. The First Class hotel’s design maintains many former features, and combines them with a contemporary style. Guests can enjoy 142 modern rooms, dine in the former court room, use state-of-the-art conference facilities, and relax in the deluxe spa. The city of Nantes is one of the most attractive and dynamic places in the Western part of France, and a cultural haven of history and modern art. Nantes is located on the river Loire and in the historic province of Brittany, and is the birthplace of legendary writer Jules Verne. The Radisson Blu Hotel awaits its guests in the heart of the city centre – within walking distance of a variety of attractions including La Cité-Nantes Events Centre and the Château des Ducs de Bretagne. The train station is less than 2 kilometers away from the hotel, the airport 10 kilometers.
Architect Jacques Cholet (DTACC) and interior designer Jean-Philippe Nuel have created a true jewel. Behind the classic facade, the 142 modern guest rooms (among them 15 junior suites and 5 suites) feature brown tones and white furniture exclusively designed for the hotel, decorative art iconographies that remind of masterpieces shown in museums of Nantes, spacious bathrooms, and Radisson Blu signature services like free high speed internet access.
Leading global hotel operator Marriott International, Inc. is on track to double its portfolio in Europe from 40,000 rooms to 80,000 rooms by 2015. Marriott is fuelling much of its growth in Europe with a strong focus on new development in Russia & CIS and today announced it will grow its existing portfolio in the region by more than 50 percent to more than 30 hotels open by 2015.Amy McPherson, president and managing director for Marriott International in Europe, speaking from the Russia & CIS Hotel Investment Conference in Moscow today said, “Over the past 15 years we have developed a strong presence in Russia and CIS and are excited about the continued growth opportunities throughout the region for our expanding portfolio of brands.”
McPherson added, “Russia also represents a tremendous opportunity for the travel sector. One of the world’s fastest growing outbound travel markets, the country is now Marriott’s fourth largest source market for travel in Europe fuelled by a rising middle class with growing discretionary income. And with the robust growth here, we expect to see strong demand for travel in to Russia as well for both business and leisure travellers alike.”
Marriott International currently operates 19 hotels in Russia & CIS across six lodging brands and has committed to opening an additional 11 hotels over the next three years including the:
• The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty, Kazakhstan • Krasnodar Marriott Hotel, Russia • Tsaghkadzor Marriott Hotel, Armenia • Baku Marriott Amburan Beach Resort, Azerbaijan • Renaissance Kiev Hotel, Ukraine • Marriott Krasnaya Polyana Hotel, Russia • JW Marriott Sochi Golf Resort, Russia • Courtyard by Marriott Sochi Plaza Hotel, Russia • Krasnoyarsk Marriott Hotel, Russia • Voronezh Marriott Hotel, Russia • Moscow Marriott Novy Arbat Hotel, Russia
Highlighting Marriott International’s commitment to the Russia & CIS market, Carlton Ervin, chief development officer for Marriott in Europe said, “We are very focused on our development here and have augmented our development resources to enable us to meet our ambitious growth objectives for Russia and CIS. We see particular opportunity in the capital cities for our luxury and lifestyle brands including The Ritz-Carlton, EDITION and Autograph Collection, as well as great potential in the mid-tier segment for our Courtyard by Marriott brand in regional cities across Russia. ”
An array of three bespoke carpets from Axminster Carpets Commercial now grace the floors at Drayton Manor hotel, providing a stunning look for the Parklands Brasserie, Presidential Suites, Park View function room and concourse areas.Designed by John Pass Associates Ltd, the bespoke carpets total 1,271m2 and lend an air of contemporary elegance to this busy hotel. A colourful geometric circular design featuring bold swathes of orange, cream, grey and black covers the Parklands Brasserie, providing a vibrant atmosphere for this popular eating area and coordinating with areas of solid wood flooring and white ceramic tiles to create an intriguing zonal effect.
Drawing upon the same colour palette, the carpet in the Park View Suite also features flecks of purple to inject personality into this grand function room. As this area is regularly used for weddings, receptions, conferences and other events, the carpet is not only stylish but also resilient enough to withstand the heavy footfall.
Further customised carpet from Axminster Carpets Commercial’s exclusive Ready to Weave concept can be found in the Presidential Suites of the hotel. A striking leaf design in black upon a base of cream, the carpet fits in with the opulent and lavish furnishings of these exclusive rooms and offers sumptuous underfoot comfort.
Not only eye-catching, all three carpets offer exceptional durability, appearance retention and colour clarity. Crafted from 80% wool and 20% nylon, the carpets are hardwearing and will withstand the impact of guests’ feet for many years to come.
Fameed Khalique showcases bespoke surfaces at new Hill House Interiors showroom
Fameed Khalique is delighted to be commissioned by interior design consultancy Hill House Interiors to create dramatic bespoke finishes for the launch of their new showroom in Elystan Street, London SW3.Helen Bygraves, Hill House Interiors said: “We have been working with Fameed for many years now; he is always a great source of inspiration, opening our eyes to the most usual and innovative of new products. Stunning pieces in the showroom include beautiful metallic woven rain panels, not to mention the dramatic backlit quartz on our countertop.”
Innovative ‘fabric drapery’ Stone collection launched in UK
Fameed Khalique launches the Drappi di Pietra collection from pioneering Italian stone design company, Lithos Design in the UK.
The collection uses an innovative and eco-friendly technique to portray the texture and strong three-dimensional quality of fabric drapery in stone.
The organic solidity of stone opens up an unprecedented aesthetic of delicate silhouettes, light and shade and streamline dimensions.
New lines added to the semi-precious stone collection
Fameed Khalique has also added new lines to his coveted semi-precious stone collection creating a beautiful collection of pastel colourways including amethyst and rose quartz complemented and given depth by the tones of the hugely popular and versatile pyrite and rock crystal.
Fameed Khalique comments, “We are delighted to introduce new lines to our semi-precious stone collection, the subtle pastel shades of stones such as amethyst and rose quartz create an understated look for an opulent and resplendent material.
Pyrite is hugely popular and is effective in achieving the look of antiqued mirror, softening the look whilst creating a sumptuous finish.
The variety of choice can be a key asset of any brand, creating infinite design opportunities only limited by imagination but the success of design, whether in a hotel or a home, relies upon the importance of understanding the qualities of the materials it works with, on a practical as well as aesthetic level.For Laufen, this has never been more prevalent than now with wellness options available in solid surface, steel, acrylic and ceramic.
2012 saw the launch of Laufen’s first solid surface bathtub, as part of its new Palomba Collection. Solid surface has many advantages for the hotel bathroom, chief among them being the possibility to carry our repairs should any surface defects arise and its low sound transmission, so guests won’t disturb neighbouring rooms when it’s time to take a bath.
Ilker Hussein, Manager Global Projects at Laufen, comments: “Laufen is the only global manufacturer that is able to manufacture baths and shower trays from steel, solid surface and acrylic and ceramic – and there is a place for each of them, and a key benefit for each of them.“
However, it is not just wellness products – it is Laufen’s superior knowledge of crafting bathroom pieces from ceramic that has led to its huge success on a global level. The company is pioneering a new ceramic material, which results in ceramic pieces being up to 40 per cent lighter than fine fireclay, and with a brilliant white finish minus the normal yellowish tinge which is common with ceramic products. This new material allows much finer and sharper edges to be created and blurs the aesthetic lines between ceramic and solid surfaces.
However, the implications of this go well beyond aesthetic with a positive environmental impact due to lower weight of distribution alongside easier installation.
Ilker continues: “Washbasins are often the main focus of the hotel bathroom and by recently starting to offer solid surfacing for a seamless finish or ceramic basins that can be cut to fit in any space Laufen gives hotel designers total freedom of creativity.”
For hotel bathroom washbasins, however, ceramic still has the edge over solid surface in terms of practicality, in many instances, not least as it offers very high scratch, chemical and heat resistance. Ceramic can also be used to introduce individuality to the bathroom by adding colour, as it can be manufactured in various colour finishes including white, white matt, warm grey, black and matt black.
All in all, Laufen’s ability to craft fine bathroom pieces from a wide range of materials brings a whole new finesse to the hotel bathroom, at a time when contemporary design being pushed to its limits. Visit Laufen at London Sleep 2012, Stand G21 + G23, on 21-22 November 2012 to explore and discuss the material possibilities.
Enthusiastically received by Government and supported by the biggest names in the hospitality industry, Hotel Future, to open in Oldham in 2015, will be the first Luxury Hotel in the world to double as a recognised training centre. Students in the hotel, drawn from all over the UK, will seek a range of qualifications from apprenticeships and BTEC to University Degree and Business School Qualifications.Hotel Future Oldham, is the first of what it is hoped will become a chain of luxury hotels across the UK where ‘learning by doing’ in providing excellent hospitality is at the heart and core of the business.
The apprentices, management trainees, interns and managers, who will be the staff of the hotel as well as the ‘learners’ will enhance and develop their careers as the future generation of leaders of the industry. Top international universities are expected to badge degree and business school level qualifications.
Hotel Future will have 120 bedrooms and will operate as an upscale hotel. Guests will not be expected to make any compromises because of the hotel’s unique focus of bringing training and education into the ‘real world’ of a luxury commercial hotel.
Hospitality industry backers include Hilton, Marriott, Malmaison, Carlson Rezidor and the Radisson Blu Edwardian Group. The project will create thousands of jobs in construction, hospitality and education. When open, 100apprenticeships will commence each year with many also benefitting from scholarships. Other learners will be on block or day release alongside others following full time specially developed training and educational programmes. The learners will be working with, and learning from, professional permanent staff.
It is planned for four levels of learners in Hotel Future. The entry level, -apprenticeships; Team Leaders – those seeking to move up the industry career ladder; Middle Management on short management courses – and an Executive Management Leadership Programme. All of these routes will lead to appropriate vocational, professional or academic qualifications.
“Today we are launching a genuine World First initiative,” commented Stephen Miles from the Manchester Hoteliers Association. “Hotel Future will change lives. It will also be a catalyst for re-developing Oldham City Centre as it will link with the re-furbished Queen Elizabeth Hall to create a conference and meeting centre of national importance. It is often over-looked that hospitality, as David Cameron recently reminded us, is the country’s fourth largest industry. Hospitality employs 2 million people or 6% of the working population and generates over £60 billion for the UK economy.
“Hotel Future as a concept sprung from the Manchester Hoteliers Association’s desire to attract and retain talent in our industry and we believe this is a shining example of what the public and private sectors can do when they work towards a common goal.”
The Holiday Inn Express Wardaw Airport will be celebrating its official grand opening on the 21st November, but we have been sent some images of the interior to show ahead of this ceremony.Guest rooms are equipped with flat screen TV, fully air-conditioned and free wireless Internet.
Sometimes companies can start by accident. It was an accident of location (Odhams Wharf, Topsham outside Exeter) and history that birthed Naturalmat. Berthed next to the shipyard in his houseboat one of the directors was forced to mull over the nature of mattresses for boats. The company started making custom mattresses for yachts, and realised the quality had to be very high but the sizes were not only non standard but frequently the mattresses had to be shaped to fit the sleeping berths. The two directors, Peter Tindall and Mark Tremlett embarked on a programme of research to find the best materials to make mattresses from – mattresses that had to be pest proof, of any shape or size and fire retardant.At about the same time a personal quest started to find a hypoallergenic baby mattress. One without chemicals, plastics or other potentially damaging materials for a new child. The research was thorough – trips to the East to sort out the best type of coir, sourcing local wool and finding the right collaborators to manufacture locally- even research into wrapping materials to satisfy a personal passion the two had developed in their search to make sure everything in the process was organic. Consciously too they sourced as local as possible to enhance their growing list of green credentials.
The international hotel group Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts continues to expand its portfolio in China. The future deluxe hotel will be located in Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province and the transportation hub in south-central China. Swissôtel Changsha will be part of a mixed-use development featuring a Grade A office tower, and it is scheduled to open in 2014.Swissôtel Changsha will offer 400 rooms and suites with a minimum room size of 40m2, five restaurants and bars, over 2000m2 of meeting and banqueting space and recreational facilities including a Pürovel Spa. The Hotel is located in the Yuelu District of Changsha, approximately 30km from the international airport and 15km from the city centre. The district is well-known for its natural environment, and has become an important cultural spot and affluent residential area in Changsha. Situated on the west side of Xiang River, a branch of the Yangtze River, the Hotel is within walking distance to the Yuelu District Government and Changsha City Government. The future Swissôtel Changsha will be just steps away from a metro station, which will be operational in 2014, connecting the eastern and western parts of the city with its Line 2. In addition, a major high-speed railway going from Shanghai to Kunming is expected to complete in 2013, with a stop in Changsha.
“Changsha is one of the most important economic centres in the country, and as the ‘entertainment capital of China’ it is a year-round attraction for visitors,” says Meinhard Huck, President of Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts. “Swissôtel Changsha is another important step in our expansion in China, where we already manage several five-star hotels, and it is significant for the growth of our brand recognition in Asia.”
Mr. Lv Dong Sheng, the Chairman of Enough Group says: “Swissôtel Changsha is our first international Five-Star hotel project in Hunan. Our goal is not only to build a global flagship property, but also to incorporate the hotel with culture industry and green industry, and to establish a new standard for hotel industry in Hunan Province and in China.”
Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts’ partner for this project is Enough Sunshine Real Estate Investment, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Enough Group, which is a private high-tech enterprise focusing on commercial real estate, new and renewable energy, information technology and waste management. Enough Group is founded in 1991 and headquarters in Beijing.
Back by popular demand, Geberit will hold a further series of installer training days early next year. Running on consecutive days, the free training modules will cover sanitary systems and piping solutions, enabling installers to be brought bang up to speed on every aspect of fitting Geberit products.The piping solutions training module includes choosing the best drainage and supply systems, Mapress and Mepla installation and drainage design.
Installers wishing to learn the very latest techniques for fitting wall-hung sanitaryware are also encouraged to book for the second day of training, which will focus on sanitary systems. Now in its second year, this popular training module covers methods for fitting and maintaining wall-hung sanitaryware, empowering installers with the know-how to install such systems themselves and the opportunity to pass on this knowledge their customers
Held at the company’s purpose-built training academy in Warwick, the training modules enable installers to get hands-on experience of working with Geberit piping and sanitary products and to gain first-hand knowledge of just how easy these solutions are to install and maintain.
The ultimate aim of the Geberit training modules is to give everyone involved in the supply and fitting of plumbing, drainage and sanitary systems on projects big and small the confidence to take full advantage of the many benefits of specifying Geberit systems.
The training dates just announced for 2013 are:
Piping solutions – Tuesday, 15 January Tuesday, 29 January Tuesday, 12 February Wednesday, 20 February Wednesday,6 March Wednesday, 20 March
Sanitary systems – Wednesday, 16 January Wednesday, 30 January Wednesday, 13 February Thursday 21 February Thursday, 7 March Thursday, 21 March
All training is completely free of charge, with lunch and refreshments provided. Places for these popular training sessions are already filling up fast, so to book your place email ellie.broderick@geberit.com or call 01926 516835.
The Dorchester is situated in the heart of London’s Mayfair on Park Lane, with 250 rooms and suites designed in a classic English residential style. For more than eighty years the hotel has been at the heart of London’s most dazzling high profile events from state banquets, weddings, social and fashion events, to the infamous BCFA lunch.
For the first time in the hotel’s history, a film captures behind-the-scenes footage of preparations for one of these events.‘Fashion for The Brave 2012’ reveals the attention to detail and layers of preparations that contribute to such prominent events. Events operations manager Joe Flattery commented: “On average we run eight events in The Dorchester’s event rooms every day for 365 days of the year. Organisation, experience, timing, good relationships, stamina and creativity are all essential for intricate events and discerning guests.”
The charity event ‘Fashion for the Brave 2012’, which was held in the recently renovated ballroom, was attended by Jade Parfitt, Jasmine Guinness, Lady Victoria Hervey and raised funds of £270,000 for The Household Cavalry Operational Casualties fund and The British Forces Foundation.
The original architect behind the building of the Dorchester was also responsible for the Queens Hotel, Leeds
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