The kind of comfort and convenience offered by luxury hotel room control systems could soon become a much more mainstream feature of the sector thanks to the launch of Jung’s 2-Wire Bus Push Button Modules, available from The Wandsworth Group, Jung’s exclusive UK distributor.The units are simple to install as part of any hotel build or refurbishment and are suitable for both standardised rooms and boutique hotel settings.
While full building control systems often mean that lighting, temperature and blind controls are fully integrated and capable of providing a bespoke environment for each individual guest room in the world’s best hotels, the expense and complexity of these systems means that they are rarely found in sub-five star destinations. But now Jung has combined its intelligent technology expertise and chic, contemporary styling to develop the new modules, which enable hotels to offer their guests centralised switching/dimming of lights, curtains/blind controls and do not disturb indicators in a single wall-mounted unit, without the cost or disruption of installing a full control system.
The discreet module units are designed to allow insertion of a digital image of the room behind the transparent switch panel cover. This allows the hotel guest to identify the corresponding light fitting or control quickly and easily at a glance.
Explains Wandsworth’s managing director Gary Stevens: “Guests at the world’s top hotels expect an outstanding level of specification but the new Jung 2-Wire Bus Push Button Modules mean that middle market hotel operators can now deliver that wow factor for guests in a much simpler, more cost-effective way. And, as you’d expect from Jung, the modules are available in a range of design options to co-ordinate with other style-conscious Jung switches and sockets and complement the hotel’s interior.”
The Push Button Modules are connected to the relay station via a Jung 2-wire bus providing control of up to eight switching, dimming and blind control functions. Extension modules mean that the installation can be tailored to meet the requirements of individual rooms and units can be ‘cloned’ to allow multiple units with the same assigned controls within the room, enabling identical units to be placed by the door and by the bed, for example.
Interior design firm Bilkey Llinas Design (BLD) and hotelier, noted Chinese author Mr Lui, also known as Hai Yan, are pleased to announce the successful opening to critical acclaim for design and atmosphere of the Yan Club in the Kunlun Hotel, situated at 2 Xinyuan Nanlu, Beijing.The designers, having recently renovated the Kunlun Hotel to a contemporary 5-star international standard for Hai Yan, designed the Yan Club in the former backyard garden of the property. The eponymous club is also a play on words, evoking not just the owner’s name but also the connection with the stonework used throughout the club (having the same Chinese character as Yan’s name) and formed part of the design foundation for the designers’ sensitive and inspiring design.
Entering The Yan Club conjures the impression of venturing into a luxurious enchanted garden. This eclectic fantasy world blends rough surfaces with glitz, nature with fantasy, East and West, traditional and modern. The design is further amplified with dramatic and often colorful lighting to create an adventure full of surprises.
The more than 20 separate spaces form an enchanting maze of gorgeous VIP rooms and intimate lounge areas. These range from intimate private lounges and semi private booths, to al fresco garden terraces and the open bar areas where bands play live music. Large windows face onto the gardens and many of the spaces open with glass French doors. It’s a series of different experiences all pulled together with the indoor-outdoor magical garden theme.
The Venice Designer Collection from Lano provides seven beautiful designs and performance enough for hospitality and leisure environments and is distributed exclusively in the UK by the Headlam Group.With a 1,000,000 points finish, the Venice Designer Collection has beautiful pattern reproduction ensuring the contemporary and traditional designs within the range are created with pinpoint definition. Woven from 100% Lanoset polypropylene fibre on Lano’s advanced Wilton looms, all carpets within the collection are fade resistant, bleach cleanable and anti-static making them ideal in areas open to intensive cleaning or prolonged exposure to sunlight.
“Patterned carpet is popular in hospitality and leisure environments because it does much to disguise the appearance of dirt and soil,” explains Birger Karlsson, UK and Ireland Sales Manager. “Yet often these carpets are made from wool which requires a more sensitive approach to maintenance and can fade in extreme situations. However, using our Lanoset polypropylene fibre allows the Venice Designer Collection to be used in areas such as restaurants, bars, conservatories and orangeries, in fact anywhere where intensive cleaning and fade resistance is required.”
Featuring Persian and Turkish influenced designs, as well as a Damask, tartan and geometric patterns inspired by Lano’s Axminster collection, the Venice Designer Collection achieves Class 32 Commercial General suitability rating in accordance with EN 1307 or a Contract suitability rating in accordance with BS 7131, supported by a Low Radius flammability rating in accordance with BS 4790. With 16 options in total available in a four-metre width, colourways have been designed to meet broad needs.
For further information on all Lano carpet ranges, freephone 00800 5266 5266 or visit www.lano.com
Generally it is thought that chandeliers do not yield to the yacht market. People think they are fragile, not seaworthy and will not withstand salty environments and vibrations. Since the structure of chandeliers is completely different and difficult to ordinary pendant lighting, they require sophisticated engineering in order to protect the fragile crystal parts. However, with some modifications they can be converted to suit the yacht market and create an impressive design statement.Crystal Caviar are specialised in custom lighting within moving objects such as yachts, aircrafts and trains. Developed over a number of years, Crystal Caviar‘s specialist knowledge has been applied to fittings used in hotels in earthquake zones and sea coast areas with high corrosive environment. Crystal Caviar‘s know-how comes from centuries of proven technology and tradition of Bohemian crystal production.
How do you design and build a chandelier for yachts?
The owner or designer usually has a certain concept of lighting. They know roughly the size and the style of the chandelier required, whether that is classical, art deco, flower theme, Mother Nature theme, contemporary or ultramodern. The chandelier usually complements the style of the whole space, the colours and textures on other surfaces and the atmosphere.
The next step is the size, glass and glass technology specification. Here Crystal Caviar can suggest and develop the designer´s ideas, creating a feasible concept with appropriate materials. After the design is approved, the testing period starts. Every part of the chandelier is tested in weathering chambers. Parts are exposed to salty environment in special chambers. Parts and an assembled chandelier are tested on vibration platforms to check for latent faults and tension in the glass to avoid rattling. Sometimes unexpected rattling occurs on the platform. It is then rectified through a system of vibration dumpers, silentblocks, silicone beads or gluing the rattling parts. As the director of Crystal Caviar says, “Firstly, the chandelier has to be safe – then it can be beautiful”.
An extremely important part of the process is the onboard installation. Even a beautifully designed and well-produced chandelier, if not installed properly, can result in disaster if the final aesthetic and durability is wrong. On yachts, there are very experienced outfitters constructing the luxury interior spaces, so agreeing the interface and fixings is usually solved easily. Crystal Caviar provides the requirements for power supplies and the interface between the chandelier and ship structure. The chandelier can be installed by the outfitter, or when required, by a skilled in-house team from Crystal Caviar. The building and installation of a chandelier can be, with proper planning, a trouble-free turnkey project.
Amongst those designers who have made a bold decision and experienced the additional impact a chandelier can have on their design include: Andrew Winch Designs, H2 yacht design, Reymond Langton yacht design, Guido de Groot, A Massari yacht design and Evan K Marshal, to name just a few. Some of these designers have successfully used chandeliers as big as ten metres long in their interior designs. They have created a unique chandelier concept for their projects and by doing so have enhanced the beauty of their yacht interiors. Crystal Caviar is proud to work for many designers on a variety of projects on and off the sea.
London’s oldest railway hotel, The Grosvenor, has come to the end of an extensive interior and exterior refurbishment project, as the world’s eyes turn to the capital for 2012.
The iconic Grade II-listed property, which originally opened its doors in 1862 and was the first hotel in the capital to have fully functioning lifts, has been restored to its full Victorian splendour by Guoman Hotels.Managing Director of Guoman and Thistle Hotels, Heiko Figge, says: “The reputation and history of The Grosvenor makes it a valuable addition to the Guoman Hotels portfolio and allows us to build on our London presence for 2012. We have invested a great deal into blending the hotel’s original charm with modern day comforts to reinstate The Grosvenor as one of the grandest and most well-loved hotels in London.”
During the course of the 18-month project Guoman has worked hand-in-hand with experts from English Heritage to lovingly preserve and revitalise the building’s original architectural features. This included the reinstatement of the original gold leaf finish, hand painted onto all the columns in the grand lobby as well as the uncovering of original white marble on the iconic pillars – discovered as the works progressed.
The end of the project will also see the hotel officially become the fifth member within the luxury Guoman Hotels portfolio. Presented at an impressive four-star deluxe standard, all of The Grosvenor’s 346 bedrooms have been transformed to a high specification. There is a new residents’ gym, offering the latest fitness equipment, as well as a fully-enhanced meeting and conference space where all of the rooms are named after iconic trains – a direct homage to the hotel’s heritage as a central railway hotel.
Meanwhile, the sweeping marble staircase at the heart of the building now leads to a new destination bar, Réunion, underlining the hotel’s reputation as the ideal central spot for meetings and champagne gatherings in the hub of Victoria.
Other points of the full refurbishment include: • Restoration of the light and airy lounge area, perfect for an informal meeting or a delicious, traditional afternoon tea • The creation of Grand Imperial, a stunning Cantonese fine dining restaurant which includes a private dining room for 20 • Creation of nine new meeting rooms on the first floor, with accommodation for groups of up to 110 • A new manned business centre • Creation of three new executive Suites including a separate lounge area, heated bathroom floors, a roll top bath and rainfall shower, a Nespresso coffee machine, a complimentary mini bar and flowers, fruit and Champagne on arrival
Students in University of Warwick halls of residence are studying their way to a bright future upon tufted wool carpet from Wilton Carpets Commercial.
Recognising the superb appearance retention qualities and value of wool-rich carpets, the Estates Office of University of Warwick selected tufted graphics carpets from Wilton Carpets for its Claycroft, Bluebell Views, Lakeside and Tocil student accommodation. With an excellent array of semi-bespoke FastTrack collections in a choice of contemporary colourways, Wilton Carpets Commercial is ideally positioned to meet the needs of the education sector. In this instance, the University selected a mixture of FastTrack and bespoke designs for each premises, with a total of over 21,000 square metres installed over the course of a year.
“Making the students feel they are in a comfortable and relaxing environment is vital in ensuring their wellbeing throughout their stay with the University,” comments theEstates Office, University of Warwick. “Yet we also have to consider the punishment the carpets undergo throughout their life and so we selected wool-rich tufted carpets for their excellent value and long-term appearance retention and durability.”
The installation at Lakeside has now endured the studious lifestyle of students for a year and has proven its ability to retain its appearance, as the Estates Office continues:
“16,500 students and 5,168 members of staff attend the University every day during term time and we currently receive about eight applications per place at the university, so demand is high. However, maintaining that demand is down to more than just the academic departments. The standard of accommodation for undergraduates is part of the whole package that the University of Warwick offers and the halls of residence need to be just as well regarded as the faculties. Part of this is making sure our student accommodation is second to none and Wilton Carpets has helped us achieve this.”
All tufted carpets in the numerous corridors and bedrooms of the four residential Lakeside buildings use a performance blend of 80% wool and 20% nylon for a combination of durability, appearance retention and value. Combined with a vast library of designs and colour palettes to enhance interior environments, Wilton Carpets FastTrack tufted carpets provide education environments with a stylish floorcovering solution that will deliver upon expectations.
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort’s $45 million makeover of the iconic Rainbow Tower is complete. The transformation of all 800 rooms began in April with each room receiving a total makeover, including all furnishings, carpet, wall covering, bathrooms, baths, fixtures, drapery and artwork. Architect and designer Ann Matsunami of Pacific Asia Design Group used the colours of Hawaii as the basis of developing themes for the new rooms: the warm and vibrant colours of the sun, the glow of a day at the beach represented by orange and golds. The look and feel is contemporary and welcoming, with tropical textures on clean shapes. The corridors on all guest-room floors, three through to 31, have been upgraded with new light fixtures, wall coverings, carpet and artwork. Lifts lobbies also received new lift door faces and frames, new flooring, lighting and wall treatment.
The tower’s signature suites, the Duke Kahanamoku Suite and the Niumalu Suite on the 31st and 30th floors, respectively, were completed with a total price tag of $1 million in upgrades. The Duke and Niumalu Presidential Suites now feature contemporary and sophisticated interiors with subtle touches of Hawaiian influence. Jewel tones of sapphire blues and golds recall the shimmering ocean in calm, soothing backgrounds of textured neutrals. A large living area and adjacent dining area and pantry with separate sitting area allow for the perfect layout for hospitality and elegant receptions.
The resort features more than 90 shops and 16 restaurants, lounges and bars; and every Friday evening, it sets the stage for a celebration of Hawaiian culture and entertainment ending in a spectacular fireworks show.
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announces the opening of the new Holiday Inn North Phoenix, which recently underwent a conversion from a Ramada Plaza hotel. The extensive $4.5 million renovation includes a complete remodelling of the hotel. The first hotel in Phoenix to install a solar water-heating system to provide hot water to the entire property, the new Holiday Inn North Phoenix was developed to be more efficient to build, operate and maintain. The 91,000 square foot hotel at 12027 N. 28th Drive – at the intersection of I-17 and Cactus Road – has 174 rooms, including eight suites. The exterior of the hotel, as well as the lobby, restaurant and lounge, feature a modern fresh design unique to the Holiday Inn brand.
The hotel design has a residential atmosphere that is warm, trend forward and comfortable. The hotel features a natural, fresh colour palette punctuated by pops of energetic colours. Guest beds are made using crisp, white bedding with pillows that come in two comfort levels: “soft” and “firm.” While the bathrooms include a specially designed showerhead that offers superior pressure, as well as a signature shower curtain with curved rod and new amenities.
The residential design includes business-focused necessities such as an ergonomic workstation, data ports, complimentary newspapers, complimentary high-speed Internet access in guest rooms and WiFi capabilities. In addition, each room features the standard Holiday Inn guestroom accommodations – comfortable double, queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair, a 32-inch flat-screen TV, hairdryer, micro fridge, coffee maker, iron and ironing board.
Conveniently located just 15 minutes from Sky Harbour International Airport and downtown Phoenix, the new hotel offers 2,750 square feet of meeting space, a fitness centre and an outdoor pool with a whirlpool.
The full service hotel includes the Tandoori Times 3 restaurant, which offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. menu, with signature items such as Rainforest AllianceâAn authentic Indian bistro, Tandoori Times 3 provides guests with a relaxed casual atmosphere that includes a lounge and patio bar. Known for its exotic dishes from the northern regions of India, the restaurant also offers American fare, including the standard Holiday Inn Best-4-Breakfast™ Certified coffee, Cinnamon Supreme French Toast™ and Skillet Inspirations™. Kids 12 and younger eat free at Holiday Inn when ordering from the kids’ menu in the hotel restaurant and accompanied by a dining adult. Room Service Right…On Time™, also a standard at all Holiday Inn hotels, ensures that guests’ room service orders are accurate and delivered on time, every time.
The Holiday Inn North Phoenix is owned by Bel Aire, LLC and managed by Advance Management & Investment, LLC, under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group.
Bespoke Hotels has recently announced that it has taken over the management of Cotswold House Hotel and Noel Arms in Chipping Campden.
The fast-growing hotel group, which counts a number of Cotswold properties among its 50-plus portfolio, has acquired the two hotels and is promising to restore both hotels to their place in the centre of this vibrant community.Bespoke Hotels chief executive, Haydn Fentum, who grew up in the Cotswolds and whose family have run a number of hotels in the area, said: “We’re very much looking forward to re-establishing both the Cotswold House and Noel Arms. These are difficult times for the hospitality, and many other industries. But both of these hotels have so much going for them, that we feel very optimistic that we can develop trade amongst both locals and visitors.”
“Our first task is to build relations with all of the local people. We really want to play our part in the local business community and help bring more trade and visitors to the area.”
Ptt Design are happy to announce the appointment of Shelley Wilcock as the new Sales Manager for the north of England and Scotland.Angelo Moscatelli, Sales Director of Ptt Design, is convinced that Shelley’s extensive experience in the hotel and leisure industry, coupled with a methodical approach and clear understanding of Customers requirements, will be an added value to the organisation and will establish a stronger presence of Ptt Design in the designated regions.
Leading UK shower designer and manufacturer, Roman Limited, will be undertaking a project throughout 2012 to document a year in the life of the Company through photographs. Officially titled Project 252, due to their being 252 working days throughout 2012, they will publish a photo of every working day throughout the year.The photos are set to showcase all aspects of the business, from shower enclosure manufacture on the shop floor, through to Export meetings all around the World, and from production in their Solid Surface and Tray Manufacturing facility, to their Sales Force and Technical Representatives out in the field.
The whole company will be getting involved and posting photos to truly document a year in the life of a shower manufacturer.
David Osborne, Managing Director at Roman, commented: “We are really excited about Project 252 – everybody in the company is keen to get involved and have their own department highlighted. We are also keen for customers and friends of Roman to be involved and will be asking our customers to send in their own pictures for inclusion on the website. These can be anything from their own Roman displays in showrooms, through to completed hotel bathrooms, from our fitters at work on projects and installing displays, through to business meetings with key clients and Factory visits to our North East head office. We’d really like customers and retail partners to get in touch with their suggested photos.”
White sandy beaches, pristine clear waters and lush tropical rainforests are what make Hainan Island a true paradise and perfect holiday destination. Hainan Island is the smallest of the Chinese provinces and located in the South China Sea. As of Jan 8th, 2012, Kempinski is proud to open the Kempinski Hotel Haitang Bay, only 25 minutes from Sanya Phoenix International Airport. The property is set to become a stunning Chinese hideaway alive with European flair.The five-star hotel is made up of four interlinking parts – the hotel complex, private villas, a conference centre with several meeting rooms and a leisure part, which offers a golf course and a luxurious spa. A 1,200 meter long sea water river connects the different parts of the premises and taking the gondola between the guest rooms and restaurants is a romantic and not to missed experience.
The conference centre offers eleven meeting rooms for any conferences and meeting needs. The Grand Ballroom can host large events up to 1,200 guests. The spacious outdoor venue – a beautiful lawn, leading to a pristine sandy beach – is the ideal setting for beautiful weddings, birthday parties, gala dinners, anniversaries, celebrations and exhibitions.
Executive Chef Nikolaos Lekkas and his team will present delicious culinary creations in six outlets, with Café Berlin offering international buffets, the elegant Yuen Court Chinese Restaurant in modern design with the river floating through the restaurant will serve Cantonese cuisine and Hainan specialties. The El Faro Beach Bar invites guests to linger and relax, snacking and enjoying cocktails whilst taking in spectacular sunsets. At the world-renowned Paulaner Bräuhaus, guests can enjoy freshly home-brewed beer and hearty Bavarian dishes, being entertained by the live band! The Rotunda Café is located at the heart of the hotel complex. A la carte lunch and dinner feature the best of Chinese, Asian and Western cuisines. Crunchy snacks and soft sponge cakes are displayed alongside fine desserts, tempting guests to linger for an afternoon tea served by a tea specialist at the Rendez-vous Lobby Lounge.
The Art Centre, spectacularly located, surrounded by the river and golf has been built brick by brick from an old Shanghai-style house previously owned by Mr. Du Yue Sheng (20th century Chinese celebrity). The 9-hole practice golf course includes a children’s putting green, and blends perfectly into the picturesque garden. The Spa Centre will pamper you, relax and make you feel rejuvenated. Exclusive shopping, two well-lit tennis courts, outdoor swimming pools, fitness centre, games room and many other recreational facilities complete the menu offering.
Room Key, a new venture owned by six of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced that it has launched Roomkey.com, an innovative new online hotel search engine that will provide the simplicity, transparency and breadth of choice consumers expect from a search engine, while delivering the flexibility, accuracy and assurance consumers expect from the hospitality industry. Founded by Choice Hotels International, Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott International, Inc. and Wyndham Hotel Group, part of the Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, or their respective affiliates, and led by a highly regarded management team, Roomkey.com provides travellers a search and book experience tailored for ease of hotel shopping through an uncluttered and trustworthy site. It will give consumers confidence that they have made the right choice by providing accurate hotel information straight from the source. From searching through to booking directly with the hotel, Roomkey.com enables consumers to search, book and relax.
This unique offering will quickly evolve to offer independent reviews, and the ability to compare, plan and share with friends and family. Room Key will initially focus on serving U.S. travellers, followed shortly after launch by the expansion of the site to English-speaking regions outside the U.S.
John F. Davis III, a highly experienced hospitality industry visionary with a history of entrepreneurial successes, is Chief Executive Officer of Room Key. He leads a veteran executive team with deeply relevant and complementary experience and accomplishments, including Chief Marketing Officer Stephany Verstraete and Chief Technology Officer J. Kurt Zimmer.
The Company acquired its technology platform from hotelicopter in an asset deal that closed last year. This innovative and flexible hotel search and direct connect platform allows Room Key to evolve and enrich the user experience quickly. Additionally, hotelicopter’s affiliate platform will provide destination marketing organizations with a hotel marketing platform that helps drive more direct bookings to their local hotels, now under the Room Key Solutions brand.
Mr. Davis said, “Finding the right hotel is complex and, unlike booking a flight or reserving a car, it is a personal decision process – one which no one understands better than hoteliers. We believe Roomkey.com will provide consumers with an innovative resource that will give them unprecedented confidence in their booking decisions by fulfilling their hotel search needs with comprehensive and trusted content, and over time, through additional features such as the ability to connect and share their plans with family and friends – all provided through a simple and flexible site experience.”
The Signbox e-shop has added the Alumino display stand range. Supremely stylish, this contemporary looking silver anodised aluminium floor stand is designed to present A4 and A3 notices in portrait or landscape format.Easy to assemble, the stands are sturdy in construction but light enough to move around a building. Ideal for the modern office reception area, hotels, bars, cafes, restaurants, retail outlets, public spaces or any location where instant information needs to be displayed at a moment’s notice.
The Signbox e-shop continues to go from strength-to-strength assisting more businesses and facilities managers with their corporate and workplace signage requirements. As one of the UK’s foremost sign manufacturers and winner of the coveted ‘Best Sign Company of the Year’ award for 2011, Signbox took the view from the outset that workplace signs don’t have to be utilitarian and purely functional – the ever present “visual clutter of DTP notices”. Their customer research revealed that what many companies wanted were high quality, aesthetically pleasing workplace signs that are in keeping with the quality of their own working environment – yet at affordable prices.
The Signbox e-shop range are all stock items so delivery is quick with most types of signs needed in and around the workplace available including display, health & safety, desk and door, fire escape, paper insert and wayfinding – with the most sought after being fire escape signs.
Bellstar Hotels & Resorts is thrilled to announce the opening of One Wellness & Spa at Solara Resort & Spa. The new wellness facility elevates Bellstar’s flagship luxury Canmore property to the leading wellness destination resort in the Canadian Rockies. Owned and operated by local resident and physiotherapist Hugh Simpson, One Wellness & Spa was founded after Simpson witnessed the destructive effects of extreme stress and pressure on the lives of two close friends. With a revolutionary concept striving to change the traditional ‘passive’ spa experience into an integrated exploration of personal wellness, dedicated to long-term transitions. Programs, packages and services are layered, focusing on the needs, preferences and objectives of the guest.
The Pathways to Engagement process is One Wellness and Spa’s signature experience menu. Guests choose a Pathway that best represents a current need – Sleep, Release, Clearing, Transition or Joy – and then they are led through a process of needs assessment, massage, specialized aromatherapy, custom breath work and guided imagery that best reflects his or her chosen Pathway. The aim is to support and inspire guests to continue along their pathway to wellness and health beyond the treatment room. More traditional spa services are also offered by a team of talented technicians, using the best possible products and ingredients: a Skin Fitness facial or Moisture Drench facial will leave skin nourished, glowing and radiant, while a stimulating Lemongrass Mimosa body scrub will help restore skin’s health and elasticity. Other services offered by the spa include personal training, fitness, Pilates, life strategy coaching sessions, nutrition related services and physiotherapy.
One Wellness & Spa is located at Solara Resort & Spa, Canmore’s most elegant destination resort. This deluxe property features fully furnished suites complete with gourmet kitchens, fireplace and living room. Fresh mountain air and breathtaking views of the majestic Rocky Mountains can be viewed from every window, inspiring guests to renew and escape from the routine of every day life. On site amenities include hot pools, fitness centre and an expansive conference and meeting space with a 96-seat theatre perfect for corporate events and weddings.
Perched on the edge of in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Canmore is nurturing its reputation as Canada’s leading health and wellness destination. With a unique mountain-culture, growing culinary offerings and artisan stores, as well as its proximity to pristine wilderness and world-class selection of exciting mountain sports, Canmore’s appeal continues to build.
Focus SB is showcasing its entire diverse range of lighting accessory plates at INTERIORS UK, building on the success of its stand at last year’s exhibition.(INTERIORS UK: Birmingham NEC, 22nd – 25th January 2012: Hall 3, stand C8)INTERIORS UK is the UK’s largest interiors trade exhibition, the source for furniture, lighting, flooring, fabrics, soft furnishings and accessories for retail and contract markets from leading manufacturers and suppliers. Roger Kemp, Managing Director, Focus SB, says: “The Prism and Prism II range are the ideal plate for interior designers; why have a plate that is going to cover up the detailed wallpaper when you can have a clear plastic plate and with no screws!
“Primed white is another of the designer’s best friends,” he continues. “Once the colour scheme has been decided, the plate can be installed and simply painted over for the exact matching finish. All of our finishes can also be bespoked to any specification with any AV socket required.”
With their second sister branch opening in Newcastle in a months’ time, Sleeperz are slowly building up a brand with an exciting and fresh initiative. Their concept is simple – working around existing plots of land close to mainline stations in order to create something desirable, but without the hefty price tag. In this current economic climate, this is something that is unsurprisingly popular. Being flexible with the exterior of the building has resulted in Sleeperz using up every last square metre of space to accommodate as many guests as possible – there are a total of 74 rooms in the Cardiff property. The rooms are therefore compact, yet in no means do you go without. The bespoke furniture slots in every available angle. This does not mean a lack of design or creativity though – the hotel strives to succeed in all three important factors they target – location, value and above all, style.
A sophisticated vibrancy would be the best way to describe the overall style of the hotel. The reception/bar area invites a colourful combination of red and orange washes, while black seating and bespoke white tables balance out the tones of the room. The seating arrangement is well laid out, ensuring that the amount of seating in one space can by no means be mistaken for overcrowding. A 1920’s art décor ambience certainly lingers. Black light shades hang from the ceiling, giving the room character and edge. Natural light is as inclusive as the furniture as a result of the many windows on either side of the room. Although the rest of the hotel has been exclusively designed by Jamie Buchanen, this room was recently re vamped by boutique hotel owner Janine Powell, currently helping with the design for the Newcastle property.
A corridor leads guests to the breakfast room. The aim was simple – to create the best breakfast room they could have. The result certainly succeeded this desire. Refreshing is the first word that springs to mind. The cool and airy openness results in the same uplifting feeling as a breath of fresh air, or that cup of coffee first thing in the morning – something that is certainly on offer here. Spotlights create sophistication, a far cry away from the conventional budget establishment. Vertical window panels give the room dimension. A breakfast bar runs around the outer circumference, joined by a scatter of modern tables. The room is certainly spectacular and has unsurprisingly been booked for numerous private functions, including Sleeperz’ very own birthday party.
Refurbishment was by Janine Powell of Hamptons Design Studios
RHA introduce a selection of charming retro seating that you should consider including in your design projects over the next few months.If you’re looking for something to add a bit of character to your current design projects, why not consider including a chair, sofa or wing-back recently added to the RHA Furniture website.
The new Maxima chair has straight wooden legs, a round seat and interestingly shaped backrest. Specify a retro patterned fabric to really get the look right.
The Majestic sofa and armchair would be interesting items to feature in a hotel lounge or spa project you might be working on at the moment.
View details & more images by visiting RHA Furniture’s online product directory rhafurniture.com
The Rezidor Hotel Group announces two new hotels in Oslo: The Radisson Blu Hotel, Oslo Alna with 135 rooms and the Park Inn by Radisson Oslo Alna with 208 rooms will be located in adjacent towers, with shared facilities and management. Their opening is scheduled for Q3 2013. Both properties are owned by Norwegian-based Wenaasgruppen, which is one of Rezidor’s most important development partners.
The new hotels are located in a highly visible location along the E6, which is the main road connecting Oslo with the airport. The site is 10km east of downtown and 40km from the airport, making it a convenient destination for corporate travellers and meetings & events. Radisson Blu is Rezidor’s core upper upscale brand and the most preferred brand for business travellers in the Nordics. Park Inn by Radisson is a young and dynamic mid market brand offering great value for money. Besides 123 respectively 202 modern rooms, the new hotels will offer shared facilities such as a restaurant and bar, 1,200m2 of conference space, a fitness centre and parking.
Rezidor is the premier and most important hotel operator in Norway: The group’s portfolio in the country now totals 29 hotels and 7,000 rooms in operation or under development and extends the full length of Norway from the Radisson Blu Polar Hotel, Spitsbergen in the north (near the North Pole and considered the world’s most northern full service hotel) to the Radisson Blu Caledonien Hotel in Kristiansand in the south.
Wright’s Fine Furniture of Shrewsbury are proud to be the furniture suppliers to Verdi’s. In his TV “Great Britain” series (still available on 4oD), Jamie visited the famous Verdi’s ice cream parlour on the Gower Peninsula on the beautiful South Wales coast. Verdi’s is owned and run by The Maruzzi family, who have been making ice cream for generations and are famous for their wonderful variety of flavours. The recipes are a closely guarded secret, (not even available to Jamie Oliver). You can enjoy these fantastic ice creams on the terrace overlooking the sea, sitting on Wright’s chairs of course.
Wright’s Fine Furniture also specialise in canteen furniture and American Diners. Why not check out their website www.wrightsfinefurniture.com
When I started this series at the end of October it was not intended to be in the News columns of HotelDesigns. The first written as an Editorial piece in one of our emails (if you want to receive these then sign up for the Directory and choose which emails you want). However the responses were strong. The third article came out at the beginning of December and again prompted responses, but I have held back from this 4th article until the holiday period was over, as I didn’t want the thread lost in the decorations.
The Editorial was simply an attempt to place in context for designers the reasons behind creating the Company Profiles for them, to increase their understanding of the importance of the processes they are designing for when they seek to produce bespoke units. I said in that first article:
“In many ways the skills of designers such as Katerina Zacharides at Morgan Furniture, artisans such as Frank Triggs at Woodforms who carved the magnificent dragons at the Celtic Manor, or Adam Aaronson at Aaronson Noon are the true inheritors of the William Morris arts and crafts movement. Their involvement in the process from inception to completion is part of a great English tradition” I have consistently warned that exporting manufacturing abroad would lead to loss of design as that followed the manufacturing. As a result there are less local UK manufacturers for Universities to link to, with the result that design for manufacturing becomes more theoretical and doesn’t become enriched through projects being subject to the scrutiny of the potential manufacturer. The process should be symbiotic – the vision of the designer pushing technical developments in an industry, and the technical developments expanding the horizons for designers.
At a recent exhibition there were shining examples of products benefitting from close collaboration, including some quite magical fabrics from companies like Skopos showing how digital production methods change the nature of the end product, and how important the designers vision is in this process. I know many famous and not so famous designers have made their contribution to the design of products as a part of their interiors work – indeed I have trodden this path myself. However if the manufacturer is not there to collaborate with then the ability to innovate is lessened as the understanding of process disappears.
This view was reinforced for my by one of our new Directory companies, Heritage Silverware. Heritage has manufactured Tableware, Cutlery, Holloware and Bone china for the opening of London’s Corinthia Hotel, Coworth Park and the last Cunard luxury Liner Queen Elizabeth amongst many others in last 12 months. Owner Martin McDonagh has spent “40 years in silverware and tableware building a factory and business here in Birmingham” and went on to say:
“Both my children who graduated in design 6 years ago have come into the business which was a shock as I tried in vain to put them off, but they have embraced and loved the world of manufacturing from the very first day.
This was simply because they were able to step on to the shop floor and see their designs being made within hours of drawing and then learn from our craftsmen that the design would struggle to be made competitively without changes to the way it needed to be made.
Instantly they then grasped what was needed and how they should proceed with future ideas and that no Good Design can be done if conceived or planned in a “vacuum”.
Our Universities churn out every year Graduates into the world as though they have been taught and accredited to instantly work in industry without any practical knowledge or skill as to how to make design work.
That’s what has been missing from British Tableware of late as our factories close these kids don’t have the opportunity or the ability to go and see and experience the actual manufacturing process and understand the limitations of product manufacture and how to go about getting around this and coming up with different and even better solutions”
Rodney McMahon at Morgan Furniture has spent time building relationships with local schools in his area of Hampshire, and trains his own work force offering apprenticeships. His comments about the difficulties created by our civil servants (I think we should call them uncivil servants) and ignorant politicians has been echoed by Gemma Stockberger of Versatil who says
“We are a British manufacturer and have been for 44 years now. We would be only too happy to take on apprentices and trainees, but find that legislation makes it difficult.
Due to the machinery we use, legally employees have to be over 21, which then makes them more expensive to employ. The unemployment rate for young people is at record levels which is an absolute crime when there is so much potential out there.
We also have to monitor them at all times when using the machinery, which makes it doubly time consuming and labour intensive. A real catch 22 situation!”
There is much talk now about rebalancing the economy. Desperately overdue, the rebalancing may come too late to save aviation (we no longer produce complete aeroplanes in the UK), large chunks of shipbuilding (Cunard’s Queens were all built in Italy or France), our railway companies (this in the nation that invented railways). Many in the supply chain to the hotel industry have tried to remain small and nimble in an effort to survive the vicissitudes of the British economy. The reluctance to grow and compete globally must be overcome. Companies like PF Collections have successfully serviced the industry in many countries abroad, but we need more of the industry to compete with our German, Italian etc. competitors.
Rodney McMahon has staff who have given his company a lifetime of service. I have a decorated scroll on my office wall salvaged from the London office of Wall Paper Manufacturers Ltd. recording 4 employees who devoted a total of 195 years service to the company.
For manufacturing to survive and prosper over the fifty years ahead we need commitments from all political parties on stable levels of taxation. We need a national industrial strategy that is not going to change every three or four years. We need tax and NI systems simplified, and confidence given to manufacturers so that they take on employees for the long term. Most of all we need to get the monkey that is the national bureaucratic administration system off manufacturers backs.
You can add your views in the comments area under this article – all are checked before publication – be aware that adverts will be deleted!
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announces the opening of the new Holiday Inn Express & Suites Phoenix Tempe University, which recently underwent a conversion from a Comfort Inn. The $1.5 million renovation includes a new exterior colour scheme and a new interior urban design in all 72 guest rooms. Conveniently located at 1031 E. Apache Boulevard, the three-story, 35,000-square-foot hotel is one block east of Arizona State University and just a half mile from the Mill Street District, which features a mix of outstanding restaurants and shops. The hotel also offers easy access to Interstate 10 and Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport.
With easy access to downtown Phoenix as well as the neighbouring communities of Mesa, Scottsdale, Glendale, Chandler and Gilbert, the hotel features amenities such as free high-speed wireless Internet connections in guest rooms and the lobby as well as in the hotel’s 24-hour business centre. There is also a fitness centre and outdoor pool.
The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Phoenix/Tempe/University is owned by Tempe Hotel Partners LLC and managed by B&T Hospitality Management, under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group.
Hilton Hotels & Resorts have recently announced the brand’s return to Albany, N.Y., with the reflagging of Crowne Plaza Albany – City Center as Hotel Albany, an affiliate of Hilton.The hotel will undergo extensive renovations to the guest rooms, lobby, common areas, administrative offices and parking garage in early 2012, and upon completion will bear the new name of Hilton Albany. Hotel Albany is the first Hilton property in the Capital District region and joins The Saratoga Hilton as the second hotel in Upstate New York.
The hotel features 386 guest rooms, including suites with a separate living room area and executive rooms outfitted with a spacious and well-lit work space. Guests will enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi access, an indoor pool and two dining outlets, Webster’s Corner and Kelsey’s Restaurant. The hotel offers complimentary shuttle service to-and-from the Albany Airport and Rensselaer Amtrak Station that provide direct access to Manhattan.
Business travellers will find 25,200 square feet of flexible meeting space, including the largest ballroom in the Capital District; 15 meeting rooms; and a modern business centre. Two executive floors feature private access and a club lounge that serves breakfast, afternoon hors d’ oeuvres and cocktails.
Hotel Albany offers a prime location within walking distance of the Capitol Building, Empire State Plaza and Times Union Center. Guests will enjoy the convenience of being located at the centre of the downtown entertainment and dining district, blocks away from the Capital Repertory Theatre, Palace Theatre, New York State Museum and the Albany Institute of History & Art.
Morgans Hotel Group has recently announced that it has entered into a hotel management agreement for an approximately 360-room Mondrian-branded hotel to be located at Sea Containers building on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. This hotel is expected to be the sixth Mondrian hotel in the expansion of the Company’s iconic brand and the first Mondrian hotel in Europe. Upon completion and opening of the hotel, Morgans will operate the hotel pursuant to a 25-year management agreement, with two 10-year extension options. The hotel is scheduled to open in early 2014.
“We are very excited to announce our first Mondrian hotel in Europe,” said Michael Gross, Chief Executive Officer of Morgans Hotel Group. “Sea Containers is an exceptional property in a key gateway city that will allow us to serve our guests for business and leisure throughout the year. Morgans was specifically selected by the property’s owner to develop and manage Mondrian London, which is a testament to the appeal of our lifestyle management and the strength of the Mondrian brand. This is the third new management agreement for a Mondrian-branded hotel that we have announced this year. We believe the Mondrian brand has unique appeal and significant potential for global expansion.”
Jonathan Ofer, Managing Director of the Deerbrook Group, the adviser to the owner said, “We conducted a thorough operator selection process and believe Morgans under the Mondrian brand will create a special destination at Sea Containers.”
Sea Containers is an approximately 412,000 square foot office building centrally located on the South Bank of the River Thames, close to many cultural attractions as well as business hubs. The owner of Sea Containers intends to renovate the building into a mixed-use development to include a 360-room Mondrian hotel and 280,000 square feet of prime office space. The hotel will have an innovative restaurant and both a ground floor bar and rooftop bar, specially conceived by The Light Group, one of the world’s leading food and beverage operators. Morgans intends to invest approximately 9 million pounds, or approximately $15 million, of key money into the project.
Earlier in the year, the Company announced it has entered into hotel management agreements for Mondrian-branded hotels in Doha.
Editors Note: The new owners of the Sanderson and St. Martins Hotels, Cedar Capital Partners, are embarking on refurbishment programmes at the hotels which will continue to be managed by Morgans
The Latest addition to the Heritage Silverware collection is their “Afternoon Tea service” range which has recently enjoyed tremendous success with Hotel Du Vin, featuring in 14 Hotels during their afternoon tea launch in September 2011. This classically designed rustic metal two-tier tea stand with cut crystal glass plates is perfect for showcasing fine pastries and delicacies, a perfect accompanyment to the fine bone China teaset, featuring a delicate decoration of blue flowers and butterflies.
The tea stand is also available as a three-tier serving and all items can be purchased individually.
This set also proved popular with the public over Christmas as many bought the set to give as a gift to family and friends.
Bellagio has completed the remodel of all 2,568 rooms in its main tower offering guests a fresh, elegant collection of newly redesigned deluxe accommodations.
Each of the three distinct color palettes now available at Bellagio further enhances the AAA Five Diamond guest experience at one of the world’s most iconic resorts. Created by MGM Resorts International Design Group, the new rooms reflect an updated, elegant feel pairing modern conveniences with the warmth of home. Three unique designs elicit a distinct sensibility based on the colours and patterns utilized throughout each concept. The Resort King Rooms feature either an indigo and silver combination or a green tea and plum palette while the Resort Queen Rooms welcome guests with an amber and butterscotch motif. All three designs also are offered with the popular Lakeview option, overlooking the breathtaking and majestic Fountains of Bellagio.
The three colour schemes incorporate the essence of Bellagio through botanical macro-photographic images displayed in the rooms and guest hallways, many of which were created exclusively for the hotel.
Providing a streamlined and contemporary focal point within each room, the dresser and connecting mirrored wardrobe are made of a deep, rich eucalyptus topped with a marshmallow smoke stone. Within this centrepiece, guests will find eight spacious drawers, a fully stocked mini-bar, a tray of snacks and novelties and a media connectivity hub.
The new room design creates enhanced functionality with the addition of benches at the end of each bed, brighter lighting in the bedroom and bathroom and a full-length mirror in the foyer. Guests also will enjoy the comfort of an ergonomically designed desk space and chair as well as two plush armchairs for those moments of relaxation.
Convenient amenities can be found at every turn including a 40” mounted flat-screen television; a bedside iHome docking station; a centralised media hub designed to accommodate a variety of digital devices; electrical connections on the bedside lamps; and a laptop safe in one of the nightstands.
In keeping with Bellagio’s commitment to sustainability, the newly remodelled rooms incorporate environmentally responsible elements including: LED lighting in corridors and guest rooms providing 60 percent greater energy efficiency; organic carpeting primarily made from wool and furniture made from eucalyptus, both renewable resources; a new double towel bar in the bathroom for increased ability to dry and reuse towels; and a 180 percent improvement in air circulation from the previous room.
The remodel, totaling approximately $70 million, began in June 2011 and took six months to complete.
Electrical wiring accessories, lighting and audio control manufacturer Hamilton Litestat will be showcasing its comprehensive range of products at Interiors (Hall 3 E28). One of the newest collections is Hartland CFX Colours – new glossy plastic switch plates and sockets that replicate every detail of the best-selling metal Hartland CFX collection, even down to Hamilton’s patented concealed fixings system, which gives a smooth look to the slim, contemporary plates. Also on display will be Hamilton’s popular Perception CFX range of crystal clear plates, which allow the wall covering to show through for a subtle look.
Visitors to the stand will be able to explore Hamilton’s new Mercury Multi-room Audio System – a music system that allows complete control over how, when and where music is played throughout the home. They will also be able to talk to the Hamilton team about their bespoke product design service, which offers unique electrical wiring accessory solutions to meet specific requirements; whether it’s a particular finish, specific energy-saving remit, special shape, combination of functions or any other request.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., has announced plans to continue its global expansion with the brand’s first hotel in the capital city of Vienna. The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna is owned by an investor represented by Verny Capital. Earlier in 2011, they also completed the acquisition of The Ritz-Carlton, Moscow.The 202-room hotel is located on Schubertring, the historic and famous site of numerous monumental buildings built during 1860 to 1890. Home of the Vienna State Opera and the Museum of Fine Arts, Vienna is well known for its essential role as a leading European Classical Music Centre.
The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna is located in two 19th century palaces which are listed as culturally protected properties in Austria. The location is among the most desirable locations in the city for a luxury hotel.
“We are honoured to have been selected by Verny Capital to assume management of this incredible hotel,” said Herve Humler, president and chief operating officer, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. “We have viewed many sites in Vienna over the years and believe this location will offer our sophisticated travellers an exciting new place to explore and enjoy. The Ringstrasse, as it is known, encircles the old city of Vienna. Constructed in the late 19th century this prime location, combined with the exemplary service for which The Ritz-Carlton is known, will produce memorable stays for all our guests when it opens in the second quarter of 2012.”
“We are delighted that The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company will be entering the Austrian market in association with us” said Timur Issatayev of Verny Capital. “Our selection of The Ritz-Carlton is based on a very strict assessment of the company’s renowned stature in the hospitality industry and our existing relationship with them.”
Asked about additional growth in the region for Ritz-Carlton, Humler added, “We continue to explore other opportunities and destinations in Europe. With the region’s strong travel and tourism industry, we see expansion in Europe, with the right hotels in the right locations, to be an essential part of our future strategy.”
Geberit is the most innovative brand in the plumbing industry, with several of its sanitary systems solutions being given the seal of approval as Best Product of the Year at the prestigious Plus X Awards in Germany.Picking up a trio of awards for the Geberit AquaClean, Monolith and DuoFresh products, Geberit also received the much-coveted Most Innovative Brand Award in the sanitary product group at the awards ceremony.
The Plus X Award is one of the world’s largest innovation awards for technology, sports and lifestyle products, recognising those products and brands that offer innovative technologies, extraordinary designs and sleek, intelligent operating concepts. The Most Innovative Brand is the highest award of the Plus X Award and honours the brands with the most seals of approval within a product group.
Criteria for the Best Product of the Year included quality, functionality, ergonomics and design; all factors that were more than met by the three Geberit innovations recognised at this year’s awards.
Geberit AquaClean combines the most natural form of washing with complete comfort and an elegant design, offering the perfect model for every requirement, from the compact enhancement solution to the complete integrated WC system.
Ideal for converting a freestanding WC to a wall-hung version, Geberit’s Monolith is a slimline sanitary module with integrated cistern that can be connected to existing plumbing work just as easily as a close-coupled toilet, with no chiselling or re-tiling required. With its slim profile the Monolith doesn’t impinge on space, while its clear, simple lines and high-quality materials make it an attractive alternative to conventional visible cisterns.
To be launched in the UK in April 2012, Geberit DuoFresh is a WC system that brings a whole new feeling of freshness to the bathroom. With the secret concealed behind the wall, a switch on the actuator plate activates odour extraction, cleaning the air with active carbon filters and resupplying it to the room.
Marketing and Communications Manager at Geberit, Sara Johnston, said: “The Plus X seal of approval stands as a visible symbol of the innovation of these products, giving retailers a powerful way of helping customers in their purchasing decision. The awards are highly regarded within the industry and being recognised with the title of Most Innovative Brand award is a well-deserved honour.”
I don’t ski. I have this image of gliding out onto the slope and slowly sinking into the snow as my weight proves too heavy for the skis (heavy bones you see). So the Alps and their frequent deep snowfalls are not really my scene.
However, the Alps in the summer were something else. The week before I was in Davos they had a foot of snow, but in the unseasonably hot autumn when I drove up the mountain, it was gone. The Alps were green and the skies blue with patches of white lingering where the sun didn’t reach. The roads twisted and turned up the slopes, each bend opening another vista of beauty – grassy slopes unmarked by hedges or fences and behind grim rocky peaks reaching upwards into the crystal clear air.
Small towns and villages are linked by the roads, although new dual carriageways are being carved, drilled and constructed to bypass them. These roads attract motorcyclists and driving teams such as that led by Jeremy Clarkson (BBC TV programme, Top Gear), who like the thrill of driving around hairpin bends. The Swiss of course enjoy their famous efficient rail system which seems to manage to run whatever the weather throws onto the line.
Although Davos straggles along the valley, the Grischa is in prime position right across the road from the railway station linking it to Klosters, a short ride down the hill. Convenient though the rail head is, the hotel was chosen for Top Gear HQ because one of the attributes of the hotel is its garage parking. As much as Davos can be said to have a centre, the Grischa is it. Just along from the Town Hall, opposite the rail station and across the road from the new police station, none of these will prove its prime attraction. No, the prime attraction is its position at the bottom of the main ski lift up the mountains.
This entire area is littered with ski lifts, but the ones opposite the Grischa operate all year round. In summer they are used by walkers and paragliders who take the lifts to the top of the mountain to hurl themselves off into the void. Repeatedly. Me? I feel the same way about paragliding as skiing – put me on one and it will fold up and plummet to the ground…
Grischa is not a refurbishment. This is a major reconstruction with a new building added to increase the restaurant, bar and bedroom provision and the rebuild of the existing hotel. The building uses local materials – Swiss stone, timber and finishes generally. From the stone and timber in the reception to the polished stone panels that are so attractive in the bathrooms, this creates a harmony throughout the building, reinforced by good lighting design.
The finishes are well thought through from a practical standpoint not just aesthetically. The stone floors in the the entrance lobby work in snow whilst in the bedrooms there are not only coat hooks for outerwear but plastic mats for snow boots to be placed on, allowing thaw water to be kept away from carpets. Psychological warmth is also created with open fires in public areas with stacks of logs next to them to emphasise the visual warmth created, whilst dark corridors also reinforce the womb-warmth of the hotel interiors.
In the bedrooms the fabric walls with their striking bold patterns and small decorative gimps enhance the feeling that the bedroom embraces the guest. Rooms are large with a high proportion of one and two bedroom suites. This is a luxury hotel aware of the two or three weeks guaranteed occupancy as the world’s great and good (maybe terms that need revision in view of the number of bankers involved) come to the annual Davos Economic Forum. Meeting the standards demanded by the politicos and others may be a driver, but Switzerland also hosts some of the world’s wealthiest skiers (the British Royals use Klosters just down the valley) so standards are appropriately high.
The 55 rooms and 38 suites vary from generously sized single rooms through to the 1300 sq foot ‘presidential suite’. Whilst fabric walls feature in some rooms others have a digitally produced timber wallpaper and in the larger suites the open fires of the reception lobby are reiterated. Swiss production is expensive as the currency is considered a ‘safe haven’ from the Euro and other currencies (I’m told Friday evenings banks stay open late as the Italians etc. come over the borders to deposit their weeks takings into Swiss francs rather than keep them in riskier Euros). The Swiss will buy Swiss rather than go for a cheaper option (like the British), so toiletries and casegoods alike are manufactured in Switzerland with the traditional solid Swiss quality. It is not just the stone that has been chosen because it is Swiss.
Open fires and clever lighting – almost under lighting – are reinforced by fur throws and fur cushions on the beds. Gold liners are used on the lampshades to ensure a warm light is thrown too, adding to the perceived warmth in the room. Curtains are heavy and blackout lined but the windows, despite the air conditioning, open and many rooms have balconies too.
Bathrooms generally have both a shower and a bathtub. Again they are quite dark. White ceramic is used for the sanitary ware but the stone is a local granite, very attractive in its finish. The smooth slabs are used in large pieces and there is underfloor heating to continue the sybaritic feel. There are heated towel rails too and the high quality soaps and unguents are all Swiss made (and expensive, the manager added!)…
Despite its central location the hotel is quiet and the restaurants and bars are all on the front of the hotel with terraces that face the mountains across the road and rail lines. Here are the places to see and be seen. I would say places for Friday night millionaires, which they would be if this was Lancashire, but here in fashionable Davos, it is more likely to be MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday-night millionaires…
Among the hotel restaurants is a quality Chinese restaurant, beautifully designed in black with gold lanterns; a bistro; bars as well as the main restaurant. Again the use of sophisticated, slight under-lighting allied to candle light creates atmosphere and superb dining environments. The sophistication of the design ensures there is a harmony of design throughout the hotel so the restaurants are not a sudden change in ambience, but a reiteration of the results achieved elsewhere in guest areas.
Switzerland is a country made up of cantons with three languages spoken widely (German, Italian and French) and where decisions made by politicians only become law if voted in by a majority in a referendum. This has apparently led to the rejection of a statutory Disabilities Discrimination Act. It is up to the hotel to decide on its DDA policy, but the designers have made sure that all of the Grischa is accessible and there is DDA provision in the bedroom and bathroom provision.
Grischa is a beautifully designed hotel. Finishes such as the stone and timber in both the public and guest areas could have created a harshness in the interiors, but which actually creates a harmonious and comfortable atmosphere. There are strong similarities in quality, signage and finishes between the Hotel Gricha and InterContinental’s Berchtesgaden property. Much as that property succeeded in creating for me a sense of excitement at the quality of the design, so Grischa achieves the same. This a beautifully tailored hotel that, although unfinished at my visit, promises to become one of the top hotels in my list of places to go back to. After over ten years of writing about hotels, and before that 25 years designing them, it takes a lot to impress my somewhat jaded palette. Grischa (and Davos too) has achieved that.
I can see why our political economic masters like to meet bankers and industsrialists annually in Davos with hotels such as the quality of Grischa to stay in, the beauty of the surounding landscape and skiing whilst they are here too. The only thing the hotel lacks is a guillotine for chopping off their bonuses.
As going ‘green’ remains more prominent than ever, introduce tiles that are luxuriously stylish and eco-friendly with Siminetti’s natural collection of Mother-Of-Pearl mosaics. Utilising sustainable sources, each iridescent mosaic is produced from nature’s finest farmed shells grown in Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Asia. Boasting environmental benefits, the discarded shells are a bi-product of the food they are farmed for which are cut into individual tesserea and resin bonded to produce separate, exceptionally strong mosaics.
Naturally handmade with minimum impact to the environment, dye is added to create a stunning range of breathtaking colour choices from Emerald Gold to Blush and Summers Day hues. Unaffected by direct sunlight or natural weathering, prepare for summer months by creating a striking surface outdoors with Siminetti’s Natural and Midnight coloured mosaics.
Available in a pearlescent palette of 16 striking colour tones, customers are spoilt for choice with 4 different shapes including hexagons, squares and circles in a variety of sizes.
Suitable for all surfaces, combine a mixture of colours and styles for a unique design statement that’s eye-catching and individual. Siminetti’s full-bespoke service provides customers with the opportunity to create designs that suit all personal preferences.
Siminetti are available for expert comment, tips and advice whilst product can be supplied on loan for shoots and can often be provided in grouted boards or simple sample sheets.
With a legacy of pioneering the airport hotel concept in 1959 in San Francisco through the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand, parent company Hilton Worldwide recently introduces two dynamic, modern airport hotels that represent the evolving wave of airport properties – Hilton Garden Inn Frankfurt Airport and Hilton Frankfurt Airport. Each hotel pairs a sophisticated guest experience including resort-style amenities and wellness options with skywalk access to Frankfurt Airport’s Terminal 1.The hotels stand adjacent in a futuristic “horizontal skyscraper” called THE SQUAIRE, and this marks the first time two hospitality brands under parent company Hilton Worldwide are opening in the same building in Europe. The hotels also overlook a lush urban forest. Internationally-renowned interior designer, JOI-Design (Hamburg, Germany), created the modern and sophisticated interior design of both hotels.
Hilton Garden Inn Frankfurt Airport
• Contemporary Guest Rooms – 334 guest rooms feature complimentary wireless Internet, a king-size Garden Sleep System™ bed, spacious work area with ergonomic Mirra® chairs designed by Herman Miller, LCD TVs, and sound-proof windows • Restaurant with Show Kitchen & Beautiful View – The Restaurant pairs a buffet and grill specialties with stunning views over the Taunus mountain range • Hilton Garden Inn Pavilion Pantry® – Provides healthy snacks, beverages and travel essentials 24 hours a day in the lobby • Wellness Offerings – Sauna, steam room, and a 24-Hour Fitness Center • Business Guest Savvy – 24-Hour business center and three contemporary meeting rooms with natural lighting
Already laying claim to the most distinctive collection of landmark and iconic hotels in the world, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts plans to open a number of new and celebrated properties in 2012. Headlining Fairmont’s robust schedule of 2012 openings, which will see the brand debut in several new global markets, are Fairmont Jaipur in India, Fairmont Grand Hotel Kyiv in Ukraine, and Fairmont Baku in Azerbaijan. In total, the luxury brand has five hotel projects, representing more than 1,300 guestrooms, slated to open next year. Noteworthy openings include:
Fairmont Jaipur
Located in the heart of the “Pink City”, a name honouring the distinctive rose-colored architecture of Rajasthan’s capital, the hotel marks Fairmont’s first foray into India. Offering 199 spacious and luxurious guestrooms, nine 1- and 2-bedroom villas as well as a Presidential Suite, the hotel’s atmosphere will reflect the unique character of the region, while also capturing the air of a modern day palace. Guestrooms will include over-sized bathrooms with soaker tubs, state-of-the-art Bose sound systems and 40″ flat panel televisions. The brand’s exclusive Fairmont Gold product, a hotel within a hotel concept with 38 luxuriously appointed guestrooms and private lounge facilities, will make its debut in the market as well. Also tempting hotel guests will be a broad range of culinary options including a full service restaurant featuring regional specialties. Other offerings include a lobby lounge, cigar room, and rooftop bar. Helping guests relax and recharge will be a Willow Stream Spa featuring over 14,000 square feet of space, as well as a 5,000 square foot health club. To accommodate the area’s growing meetings market, the hotel will also boast more than 45,000 square feet of conference space. (Opening March 2012)
Fairmont Grand Hotel Kyiv While the Ukraine has European football fans buzzing about next summer’s UEFA Euro 2012 tournament, the city of Kyiv is also eagerly anticipating the arrival of its first true luxury hotel, Fairmont Grand Hotel Kyiv. Expected to open in early 2012, well in advance of football enthusiasts flocking to the city, the hotel will feature 257 rooms, including 35 suites, Fairmont Gold and a Royal and Presidential Suite, and will be centrally located on the Dnipro River in the heart of Kyiv’s historic Podil district. As one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe and a destination with numerous architectural landmarks, the hotel is poised to be a vibrant feature in the locale, boasting a classic, old-world design reminiscent of a stately palace or grand manor home. And while the design aesthetics of the building will undoubtedly be classic and elegant, the atmosphere within the hotel is expected to be cosmopolitan and trendy making it an urban hotspot for the “it” crowd. Other features of the hotel include a range of dining options, including a stylish Champagne bar and chic cigar lounge, 13,000 square feet of meeting and function space, counting a 5,000 square foot ballroom, and a Fairmont Spa with six treatment rooms and a full beauty salon. (Opening March 2012)
Fairmont Baku Upon opening, Fairmont Baku will be one of the tallest and most impressive buildings in the capital city of Azerbaijan. The hotel will be part of the awe-inspiring Flame Towers, a three-turreted, multi-use building paying tribute to the country’s name, which means ‘The Land of the Fire’ when translated in modern Persian. The hotel will boast 318 guestrooms and suites in addition to a prime location on the Absheron Peninsula next to the Azerbaijan parliament buildings and overlooking the Caspian Sea. Guestrooms will be modern and sophisticated with decor reflecting the rich culture and heritage of the city. The hotel will also feature Fairmont Gold and over 25,000 square feet of meeting space including a 24-hour business centre complete with IT butler service and secretarial support. Dining options will be plentiful with several restaurants, bars and lounges including an authentic French patisserie and a specialty steak-house. Popular with business travellers and executives in oil and gas production, Azerbaijan’s blossoming tourism industry is also quickly becoming a top draw for leisure travelers visiting the region. The destination was the 2011 winner of the popular Eurovision Song Contest and will host the 2012 event in May, offers numerous sightseeing attractions including Baku’s old Inner City, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, and was recently singled out by Lonely Planet as a top ten global hotspot for urban nightlife.
Additional Fairmont hotels expected to open later in 2012 include the 300-room Fairmont Makati, Philippines, which will be conveniently located near the Philippine Stock Exchange, and the 372-room Fairmont Palm Jumeirah on Dubai’s The Palm, Jumeirah. Looking beyond 2012, Fairmont is also working on a number of exciting hotel development projects in markets like Saudi Arabia, Russia, Fujairah, and China and remains focused on international expansion with brand growth targeted for key markets in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
The New Year 2012 is going to be an exciting year with several international exhibitions for Baulmann Leuchten from Germany. In February (11th to the 15th) the season of exhibitions will start with the INTERGASTRA in Stuttgart, the meeting point for the Horeca industry in the south of Germany.
Only one month later, from March 9th to 14th the INTERNORGA in Hamburg will open its doors for the 86th show with more than 1000 national and international exhibitors.
In April (15th to 20th) the world’s largest exhibition for lighting and building-services, the “Light & Building” in Frankfurt is expecting once again more than 180,000 visitors, offering the chance to see all major lighting companies with their latest developments and trends.
Baulmann Leuchten from Sundern is going to unveil its latest product-developments on these shows and is looking forward to inspire their clients with products made in Germany.
An extensive renovation and upgrading programme for Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas HuaHin has been completed prior to the official adoption of the hotel’s new name on 1st January 2012.The renovated facilities include 100 rooms and suites in the Colonial Wing, the installation of a new fully equipped Health Club, and also of a new Kids Club.
The Railway Restaurant, which evokes the era of the 1920s when the hotel was originally built, has also undergone renovation to the decor and has a fresh new menu to complement the restaurant’s stylish new appearance.
The renovation and upgrading has been undertaken as part of the rebranding operation for the hotel’s change of name from Sofitel Centara Grand Resort & Villas HuaHin to Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas HuaHin which will take effect on 1st January 2012.
Guest rooms have been completely refreshed and offer new furniture, including comfortable queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair and an in-room coffee machine. All rooms include granite countertops and an urban design scheme with a mix of red, green and java-coloured furnishings. IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announces the opening of the new Holiday Inn Express Atlanta I-85 Clairmont after a $1.4 million conversion from a Wingate by Wyndham hotel. The hotel underwent updates to the exterior, public areas and all guestrooms.
Guests will experience a comfortable and smart environment with innovative, preferred-guest upgrades to ensure a productive stay while travelling for business or leisure. The hotel’s complimentary Express Start® breakfast bar will feature a full range of breakfast items including a rotation of egg and meat selections, biscuits, yogurt, fruit and the brand’s proprietary cinnamon roll and Smart Roast® coffee.
The SimplySmart™ shower incorporates a proprietary Stay Smart™ Kohler showerhead, signature shower curtain with curved rod, upgraded 100 percent cotton terry towels and a custom line of cinnamon-scented bath products. Guests will enjoy the SimplySmart™ bedding collection where they will find new crisp fresh bedding, which features an attractive decorative throw, a medium-weight duvet blanket and soft 200 thread-count sheets.
The Holiday Inn Express Atlanta I-85 Clairmont features amenities such as free high-speed wireless Internet connections in guest rooms and the lobby as well as in the hotel’s 24-hour business centre. It also has a fitness centre and flexible meeting space.
The 80-room Holiday Inn Express Atlanta I-85 Clairmont is located northeast of downtown Atlanta at 2920 Clairmont Road, is just four miles from the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport and offers a shuttle service to the airport as well as other locations in the surrounding area. The hotel also features 1,600 square-feet of meeting space with seating for up to 100 people.
The hotel, located directly off of the I-85 Clairmont exit, is within a half mile of the Century Center corporate complex and a short distance from several higher education institutions, including Emory University, Mercer University, the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and Oglethorpe University. It is also close to the Georgia Department of Labour, the U.S. Department of Revenue regional office, local offices of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the FBI.
The Holiday Inn Express Atlanta I-85 Clairmont is owned by BKNS and managed by Horizon Hospitality under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group.
Manchester’s Holiday Inn Express on Oxford Road, which opened its doors for business in September 2010, has won an award for its unique design and received praise for making a positive contribution to the city. Situated on the doorstep of Manchester’s thriving city centre, on the busy Oxford Road corridor,the wedge shaped building has won the Brick Development Association’s award for Best Commercial Building.
The 147-bed hotel, built by Russells Construction, was nominated by Michelmersh Brick Holdings, manufacturer of the Blockleys Smooth Black brick which gives the 12-storey building its characteristic appearance.
Built on a triangular site, the exterior of the contemporary building has been designed to complement the industrial aesthetic of nearby structures, particularly the nearby railway arches of Oxford Road train station.
Jonathan Smith, general manager at Holiday Inn Express Oxford Road, said: “We are so proud that the hotel has received this high recognition for its statement design and hopefully it will become an iconic building in Manchester.
“Staff and partners have worked hard to create a contemporary setting for our guests, offering not only a perfect location, but also a comfortable, relaxed setting for both business and leisure.”
An urban oasis, worlds away from the hustle and bustle of South Beach, the Mayfair Hotel & Spa creates a tropical air of romanticism just steps from the “Grove,” as it’s known among those who favour and frequent it. As Miami’s tucked-away treasure, the Grove is known for funky art galleries, sidewalk cafes and sunset sailing on Biscayne Bay; one of the world’s most beautiful sailing bays.In 1985, the Grove’s masterful collaboration of the arts, architecture and society enticed architect Ken Treister to build the Mayfair Hotel & Spa, in which he combined the best features from the finest hotel in the world – from Claridges in London to Raffles in Singapore – in one sensuous, sophisticated place. The result is an extraordinary, cosmopolitan sharing of architectural influences and interior furnishings worldwide, most notably that of Antoni Gaudi. Round walls, blue-painted copper, bas-relief concrete sculptures and orchid-filled atriums embellish the art-infused hotel. Each guest suite is uniquely styled, featuring hand-carved mahogany doors and Japanese-style hot tubs on private patios.
Guests enter the Mayfair Hotel & Spa through a single door of richly carved mahogany wood from Honduras, setting the intimate tone inside. Rooms are organized on three floors around two open-to-the-sky atria landscaped with greenery and a Persian water garden of cascades and fountains. Each of the 179 suites is an artistic haven in itself, named for tropical birds and flowers from Viburnum and Jasmine to Ibis and Starling. Hand-carved mahogany doors reflect the suite’s theme as it ushers guests within. Odd-shaped walls surround bedrooms with elaborately carved headboards and separate sitting areas. Modelled after the private gardens in Japanese inns; soaking tubs overlooking trellises of ironwood from the Amazon grace every suite terrace behind the hotel’s bougainvillea-draped façade.
The hotel’s artful ambiance also resonates through its restaurant and lounge. Situated on the rooftop of the legendary Mayfair Hotel & Spa, the Rooftop Pool & Cabana Lounge is the vision of New York public relations guru Ron Berkowitz and New York restaurateur Josh Lebowitz. Enticing guests with panoramic views of Biscayne Bay partnered with Gaudi-inspired design and an unpretentious ambiance, the Rooftop is a chic, tropical escape from the hustle and bustle of South Beach. Among the 7,000 square feet of space, a floating cabana roof, teak & bubinga wood comprise the bar area while a serpentine bench built into the parapet winds around a fire feature and billowing white curtains enclose eight private cabanas with L-shaped sofas and flat screen TVs.
With 10,000 square feet of uncommonly creative function space – featuring waves of windows and sky-lit ballrooms – the hotel is ideal for small to large meetings, grand receptions and catered social events. The Crystal Ballroom welcomes up to 350 guests with floor-to-ceiling windows and spectacular views of the orchid garden while the Palm Terrace boasts an intimate setting surrounded by chaise lounges and lush greenery.
There was a myth amongst hoteliers and hotel groups for years that no hotel would work south of the River Thames in London. Daft really, when all the views are best looking northwards. Hotels like the Savoy sit on the site of royal palaces – and had views of the swamps, slums and dereliction that for many years formed the South Bank. Even Shakespeare is reputed to have stayed on the north bank and been rowed south across the river to his Globe theatre when needed.Not only was the South Bank originally swampland but it also housed the bear pits, brothels etc., and some say still does. In WW2 it was in the miss zone for the London Docks and suffered higher levels of bomb damage than North London. The County Hall escaped bomb damage but had the indignity of the County Architects Department building themselves a new brutalist office block extension in 1973 that was voted by Londoners the ugliest building in the capital. Fortunately this has been swept away, replaced by the new Park Plaza, one of the growing number of hotels now populating the South bank, following a lead created by Skandik and Novotel, because yes, it took foreign operators to show the potential that existed here.
The County Hall complex now houses an aquarium, the London Eye, the London Museum of Film, and a Premier Inn, but the star is the Marriott County Hall, which not only enjoys the best views across the river, amongst the best in London to my mind, but offers seven balcony suites with the most stunning views of all. The 200 bedrooms include 5 suites as well as the 7 balcony suites and most have views across the River (although not quite all – do check on booking).
Obviously the interiors are listed, and where new doorways have been created they faithfully follow the form of the 1920’s originals. The result is that guests enjoy some of the more beautiful 1920’s interiors which combine with some of the best views of London to create a special property.
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announces the opening of the new Holiday Inn Express San Diego Sea World – Beach Area, which recently underwent a conversion from a Comfort Inn. The extensive $1.5 million renovation includes an expanded breakfast area, enhancements to the lobby and fitness centre and upgrades to the hotel’s 113 guest rooms.Guest rooms have been completely refreshed and offer new furniture including comfortable queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair and an in-room coffee machine. Business travellers will find large desks with ergonomic chairs, free local and toll free phones with private voicemail and complimentary newspapers.
Guests can also access free high-speed wireless Internet connections in their rooms and the lobby as well as in the hotel’s 24-hour business centre. There is also a fitness centre and outdoor pool.
Located at 4540 Mission Bay Drive, with convenient access to Interstate 5 and Interstate 8, the Holiday Inn Express San Diego Sea World – Beach Area is just seven miles from San Diego International Airport and three miles from Sea World. The hotel is also nearby San Diego’s Old Town, the San Diego Zoo and just a few miles from several businesses, including Raytheon and General Atomics.
The Holiday Inn Express San Diego Sea World – Beach Area is owned by Pinnacle Buena Park and managed by Excel Hotel Group, under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group.
Hilton Heathrow is saving money and helping the environment by turning waste into water. Waste collection and disposal costs are increasing at an alarming 20 percent per year and the Government’s landfill escalator is set to penalise waste generators even further in the coming years.As part of plans to achieve a ZERO waste to landfill objective, Hilton Heathrow has introduced an innovative solution for dealing with food waste by installing a Waste2Water digester.
When food is added to the chamber it turns the waste into grey water, which can be recycled rather than go to landfill. Micro-organisms digest the food and break down fats and oils before churning water out.
The introduction of the Waste2Water system has been led by facilities manager, Mark Hill, and senior purchasing manager, Andrew Earley, from the global purchasing team. Mark Hill said, “We are committed to both reducing unnecessary costs and reducing our carbon footprint. We are very excited that with the new Waste2Water system we are able to take the steps towards sending zero waste to landfill.”
The new system is expected to save in excess of £30,000 per annum in waste management costs. In addition to Hilton Heathrow’s Waste2Water initiative, the hotel also plans to change Halogen lighting to LED and install sensors in staff changing rooms and offices ensuring lights are turned off when areas are not in use.
In total Hilton Heathrow is expected to save 21 percent in consumption of heat, light and power in 2011 against 2010.
On the 19th December, the Government announced its first assessment of the need for reform of the design intellectual property framework. In May 2011, in his report to the Prime Minister, Professor Hargreaves concluded that design had a “very important contribution to make to growth” to the tune of £33 billion to be precise (and still a growth area!) and yet he was critical of the policy makers whose role in supporting IP in this significant branch of the economy had been neglected. So, the good news for designers is there has been a flurry of activity and ACID welcomed the opportunity to paint the picture of SME reality by providing solid evidence from a diverse set of case studies. These highlighted the often grim problems that design led companies face. This, we were told, has provided a valuable and credible foundation for future policy in this first IPO assessment. Government plans to publish a formal consultation on how to proceed in late spring 2012. http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/hargreaves.htmACID’s CEO Dids Macdonald said, “I welcome this assessment for design reform. However, it is important that any further research makes clear the relationship between (registered) design rights and innovation in the context of product design. The majority of the UK’s 232,000 designers (in 55 different design disciplines) rely on unregistered (copyright, design and trade marks) and informal rights. In this initial assessment, it is clear that UKIPO has listened and understands the problems facing many SME’s within design. Now the challenge will be to address them sensibly, practically and proactively with more action and less words”.
ACID also urges the Government to fully consider supporting the UK’s designers with the introduction of criminal sanctions for unregistered design right infringement, retaining UK unregistered rights protection and ensuring that in reforming the small claims access to justice system, they fully consider the relative effectiveness of remedies available and costs v outcome.
Nick Kounoupias, ACID’s Chief Legal Counsel and an IP specialist at DMH Stallard said, “I am delighted to see that the possibility of introducing criminal sanctions for unregistered design right infringement is finally on the Government’s political agenda. It has been for too long anomalous that copyright and trade mark infringement can in appropriate cases be punished with a criminal sentence whilst unregistered design right infringement cannot. The harm caused to small and medium sized businesses by the flagrant and systematic copying of their designs is horrendous and to the layman in tantamount to theft. Accordingly it should be dealt with in the same way.”
This announcement by Government is timely because in 2012 ACID will re-launch its “Commission it, Don’t Copy It” positive campaign aimed at retail buying departments which is “win win” all around. The designer is paid a commission and a royalty, The Retailer may use their purchasing power to produce the products more cost effectively and also has the opportunity to create a UK design signature range, thus, actively supporting UK Design and respect for IP in CSR. The consumer still gets an excellent deal but in the full knowledge that they are buying an original design and supporting British design. We are looking to Government to actively support our Call to Action.
The Generation Companies, LLC (Generation), an extraordinary real estate developer, owner, receiver, asset manager and operator of extended-stay hotels, recently celebrated the opening and sale of its Home2 Suites by Hilton Charleston Airport/Convention Center in North Charleston, South Carolina. Generation was the developer for the project, handling the site identification and acquisition, design, entitlements, construction, purchasing and opening of the hotel, which was then sold to one of the industry’s top institutional owners. The Home2 Suites by Hilton Charleston Airport/Convention Center is an upper mid-tier, 122-room extended-stay hotel with a “hip and humble” design and decor. “The hotel has incredibly good access to I-26 and I-526, the Charleston International Airport and Air Force Base, the Charleston Convention Center, Coliseum and Performing Arts Center, the Tanger Outlet Mall and the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner plant,” Jeff Castleberry, Generation’s Director of Acquisitions, pointed out. “Generation conducted research to identify high performance markets during the downturn and discovered the Charleston market was doing well with a stable economy due to military and corporate support. The decision by Boeing to open the Dreamliner plant at that location was a great bonus, and further strengthened an already strong market.”
Marriott International has recently opened the 171-room Courtyard by Marriott Moscow Paveletskaya. Centrally located in the heart of Moscow’s business district and within a five-minute walk of Paveletskaya railway station, the hotel offers easy access to Domodedovo International airport. The Courtyard by Marriott Moscow Paveletskaya is Marriott International’s sixth Courtyard in Russia.
Designed to help business travellers maximize their stay, the 171 spacious guest rooms are stylish and comfortable. Large well-lit work desks and ergonomic chairs allow guests to maintain productivity while on the road. Health conscious guests can also take advantage of the on-site fitness centre.
The lobby of the Courtyard Moscow Paveletskaya evokes a modern, contemporary feel and gives guests the space and functionality to both work and socialize.
For meetings and events, the hotel offers two meeting rooms with a total of 191 square meters of conference space.
Courtyard by Marriott hotels feature a refreshing environment that helps guests stay connected and productive. Intuitive services and design accommodate guests’ desire for choice and control and allow them to use the public space and guest rooms to meet all of their needs while on the road. With more than 910 locations in 36 countries, Courtyard is Marriott’s largest brand; 200 additional Courtyard by Marriott hotels will open around the world over the next three years.
Marriott International introduced its Residence Inn by Marriott lodging brand for extended stay travellers in Bahrain, under a long term management agreement with International Trading and Investment Co. The 80-unit Residence Inn by Marriott Manama Juffair, located in suburban Manama, welcomed its first guests on December 10th 2011. It is the first Residence Inn-branded property in the Middle East. The property features a total of 80 units, including 26 studios, 17 one-bedroom suites, 35 two-bedroom suites and two three-bedroom suites.
The Residence Inn by Marriott Juffair offers a mix of spacious, stylish and residential-feel studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom suites. A purposeful layout with designated zones allows guests to relax, work, eat, and sleep in their suites, while maintaining their routines at their own pace while travelling. Every suite features kitchens that come complete with full-sized refrigerators and stainless steel appliances that make living on the road easier for business travellers on long stays and families on leisure travel. With, expansive workspace and ample easily accessible outlets, and 42 inches flat screen TV, guests are fully equipped with and state-of-the-art technology. All the suites and lobby will have access to free High Speed Internet Access. Rates vary with length of stay.
Like its suites, the hotel’s public space is comfortable and multi-functional. The Cafe-Lounge serves a daily complimentary hot breakfast buffet while a “Grab and Go” kiosk/market offers snacks for purchase 24 hours a day. The new hotel also has a business centre that includes a 20-square meter meeting room for business or social gatherings.
Among the recreational amenities are an outdoor swimming pool and an 140-square meter health and leisure club with men’s/women’s lockers with separate sauna and whirlpool, the perfect place to relax and unwind.
The Residence Inn by Marriott Juffair is located adjacent to the Marriott Executive Apartments in an attractive suburban neighbourhood of Manama that is popular with international visitors and upwardly mobile Bahrainis. Juffair is the site of Bahrain’s largest mosque, the huge domed Al Fateh Mosque, as well as the adjacent new National Library.
The 18th and largest hotel from Marriott International in Shanghai has opened its doors in the heart of the city centre. The 720 guest room Shanghai Marriott Hotel City Centre stands out as a flagship hotel for the Marriott Hotels & Resorts brand in China. Offering unmatched hospitality, an unbeatable location and state-of-the-art contemporary amenities, the 39-story hotel features five unique dining destinations and more than 2,000 square meters of dedicated event space. Ideally located on Xizang Middle Road and overlooking People’s Square – the official geographic centre of the city – Shanghai Marriott Hotel City Centre provides effortless access to the city’s finest cultural, entertainment and shopping attractions. Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, the Bund, and People’s Square (including Metro Lines 1, 2 and 8) are all within close walking distance.
Shanghai Marriott Hotel City Centre’s 720 well-appointed guest rooms feature 42-inch LCD televisions with plug-and-play MP3 and laptop connectivity, iPod docking stations, high-speed wireless and wired Internet, ergonomic work space, luxury bedding and magnificent marble bathrooms. The expansive 37th-floor Executive Lounge, one of the largest in the city, provides an exclusive access for guests, with complimentary breakfast, all-day refreshments and evening cocktails, plus made to order business amenities and premium personalized services.
York Tap, at York Railway Station, is proving an instant hit since opening its newly installed antique revolving doorway, following a major refurbishment and restoration project carried out by design and build interior fit-out contractor Andy Thornton Ltd. The ‘Craft Beer House’, which boasts an impressive selection of 32 draft beers and 20 cask ales, breathes new life into, what had become, a dilapidated Grade ll listed building by the station entrance.The eagerly anticipated opening of the new traditional pub on the site of the former Edwardian tearoom presented the perfect opportunity for Andy Thornton to combine quality new bar fixtures and fittings with the existing original architectural features. This was helped by the discovery of old photographs showing how the tearoom originally looked.
Pivovar Ltd, owners of York Tap, commissioned Andy Thornton to bring the building back to life, restoring original features when possible and replicating them when not. This project follows successful interior refurbishments the company has undertaken for the clients at their other venues Sheffield Tap and Euston Tap, the former winning many accolades and awards for its restoration of another Edwardian railway building.
The building’s key internal features including cast iron columns, iron fretwork, fireplace surrounds, a stained glass dome and windows were all sympathetically restored. A superb original terrazzo floor, hidden for years under a later floor covering, was unearthed and restored to its former glory.
Andy Thornton supplemented these by manufacturing a new stained glass ceiling dome and windows to match the existing ones and adding doors with arched pediments to compliment the building’s architectural features. Even the pub’s entrance, featuring an old revolving doorway sourced and then adapted by Andy Thornton to meet strict fire regulations, was selected due to its similarity to the buildings original entrance.
We also designed, manufactured and installed a period-style island bar counter and back-fitting after the client specified the position to create two separate but connected areas.
This posed a challenge as the building has four existing structural columns that we had to install the counter around. The counter comprises of a panelled front with fluted columns, a solid bar top, brass foot rail and customised post lights. The back fitting includes an arched pediment with two clocks, turned columns with glass shelving and a partition wall clad in panelling to house the beer pythons.
Andy Thornton also manufactured and installed bespoke banquette seating booths with button-back upholstery in the window bays and supplied bentwood chairs and bar stools, tables and the brasserie-style brass pendants.
The finishing touch is the old photographs that now hang proudly in the bar – a reminder of the buildings heritage and the success of its restoration.
Fairfield Inn Los Cabos opened its doors and welcomed guests on the 8th December in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, offering a moderately priced lodging option in the heart of the popular resort destination.The 128-room hotel is Marriott International’s first property in Los Cabos and is located on the principal avenue of town, Lazaro Cardenas, an easy walk to the popular Médano beach and major tourist attractions such as El Arco, Lover’s Beach, the Puerto Paraíso Mall and Cabo Dolphins.
Located two minutes away from the Cabo San Lucas Marina, the Fairfield Inn Cabo San Lucas features innovative design and great service at a moderate price. From the hotel, guests can walk to the international tourist destination’s main beaches, historic areas and shopping.
The modern, five-story hotel has a comfortable, contemporary feel, with a spacious and inviting lobby, fitness centre, pool and a business centre open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The bright, airy guest rooms are equipped with LCD screen televisions, mini bar, and an in-room safe.
The Fairfield Inn Los Cabos is operated under a franchise agreement with Pulso Hotelero a subsidiary of Pulso Inmobiliario and management contract with Óptima Hoteles de México.
DoubleTree by Hilton has announced its latest UK location with the opening of the DoubleTree by Hilton Newcastle International Airport. Located just steps from the terminals and the express car park at Newcastle International Airport, the newly built, 179-room hotel is situated just 15 minutes from the North East’s most vibrant city centre. This tenth hotel opening in the UK and 25th European hotel opening for the upscale, full-service brand is part of a strong hotel development pipeline that is expected to lead to more than 25 additional DoubleTree by Hilton hotels and resorts opening in key city centre and leisure destinations across Europe during the next several months.DoubleTree by Hilton Newcastle International Airport guests will benefit from the characteristic qualities found at more than 270 DoubleTree by Hilton hotels and resorts in 22 countries around the world, including the warm welcome of the brand’s legendary chocolate chip cookie presented to every guest upon 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.
The DoubleTree by Hilton Newcastle Airport is operated by Cairn Hotel Group under a franchise license agreement with a subsidiary of Hilton Worldwide.
The hotel’s contemporary guest rooms feature complimentary wired or wireless high-speed internet access; soundproof windows; 37-inch, flat-panel televisions; spacious work desks; MP3-compatible clock radios; refreshing Crabtree & Evelyn Citron® bath and body products; and in-room tea and coffee making service. Guests will also enjoy an array of hotel services, including a well-equipped fitness centre, inviting coffee lounge, valet service, laundry service and gift shop.
In addition to modern amenities and a convenient location, the DoubleTree by Hilton Newcastle International Airport has more than 2,200 square feet of flexible meeting room space and an attractive ballroom space for events, meetings and functions of up to 100 guests. Support services include catering and banquet facilities, state-of-the-art audiovisual and connectivity solutions and a 24-hour business centre.
Guests to the DoubleTree by Hilton Newcastle International Airport will be tempted by Fratellos restaurant, which serves Italian cuisine and freshly prepared local favourites for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, a wide selection of beverages at the Colombus Bar and 24-hour room service dining.
Leading UK shower designer and manufacturer, Roman Limited, have completely overhauled and re-launched their website to include a totally redesigned look and to incorporate new content, as well as to make it as user-friendly as possible.The redesigned website features a refreshing new look to perfectly complement their brochures. It has been designed to be consistent with Roman’s sister company, Roman at Home’s website, incorporating the Roman Brand’s designer motif pattern. It is also much more image led to highlight Roman’s product range. It offers two sides to the website, one for trade customers and one for general consumers.
The trade side of the Roman site incorporates elements such as line drawings and instruction manuals which are available for download. From this side of the website Roman’s retail customers can request stock of brochures via a simple form, along with other marketing material such as POS. Trade customers can also request a call out from their regional manager.
Within the trade side of the website, customers can access the Roman image bank, where they can quickly and easily download high resolution images for their own marketing material. This also sits within the press area, so journalist can access the images for any showering features they may be working.
The website has been designed with a better search function, which can handle miss-spellings, so visitors can easily find the product they need. To ensure consumers can search for their nearest displaying retailer, the Roman site still includes a showroom locator, but this has now been designed to offer more functionality – visitors can search by both town and postcode, to make it easier to use.
Roman’s new website includes much more detailed information about the company, including their background, along with a section dedicated to how Roman is working to be environmental conscious. This sits alongside much more in-depth, detailed information about Roman’s product range.
David Osborne, Managing Director of Roman, commented: “We are really pleased with the look and feel of the new Roman website. A lot of the site development has been done in house, which gives us much greater flexibility in terms of being able to update and change the website. The internet has become such an important tool for both trade customers and consumers when it comes to researching what products they would like. Therefore it is essential we have a website that can be easily updated and changed so it always contains our most up to date products, information, displaying showrooms and marketing material. With the new Roman website, we have total control and can ensure our customers can always log on to find out the latest products and company news.”
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has recently announced the debut of The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa. Owned by the Tourism Development & Investment Company, the Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa marks the launch of the Westin brand in the emirate. The hotel features 172 premium guest rooms, several restaurants and lounges, a Heavenly Spa® by Westin and state-of-the-art meeting facilities.The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa boasts a prime location along the fairways of the championship Abu Dhabi Golf Course, which underwent extensive upgrades in January 2011 and is managed by Troon Golf, the world-renowned luxury golf course management company. Additionally, the Westin is the only hotel in Abu Dhabi to offer sweeping views of the putting green from all guest rooms. Close to the heart of down town, the newly constructed hotel is just a ten-minute drive from the exhibition centre and 20 minutes from the Corniche.
The sensory-rich environment at Westin offers sets a welcoming tone. Upon entering the lobby, guests will begin to breathe more easily as they are greeted with soothing elements like relaxed lighting, natural botanical beauty and stimulating music. The hotel décor features neutral tones, water features and a mix of stone and wood elements. The Westin Heavenly Spa consists of six treatment rooms and an outdoor relaxation area in a tranquil garden setting. Guests can experience a range of Heavenly packages and specially-developed treatments targeted at golfers such as the Golfers Recovery.
Guestrooms, which include executive suites and a presidential suite, are all outfitted with the world-renowned Westin Heavenly Bed® featuring 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 brands Heavenly Shower® Heavenly® Robe and exclusive White Tea Aloe bath amenities. In-room, high-speed Internet access and an ergonomic work space will offer travellers convenience and productivity in a tranquil setting.
Other signature Westin amenities include the brands SuperfoodsRX menu designed to treat guests to exceptional food combinations rich in nutrients and antioxidants. Guests can also choose from 10 varieties of JING tea with recommendations from a tea sommelier at The Lounge, where they can enjoy sweeping views of the golf course. Other dining options include an all-day dining restaurant Fairways, a Moroccan restaurant Agadir, as well as an English-style bar, poolside restaurant and bar and cocktail lounge. The hotel also offers extensive meeting facilities comprised of three ballrooms, a conference centre, board rooms, and a business centre, as well as and catering for up to 400 people.
After six months and a 48 million dollar renovation, Marriott Hotels & Resorts iconic property, Frenchman’s Reef Marriott Resort, has officially re-opened its doors. Long considered one of the finest resorts in the U.S. Virgin Islands, visitors have been waiting in anticipation for the property’s grand re-opening, which was marked with a celebration on November 10, 2011, attended by island officials, Marriott executives and VIP guests and community members.The $48 million renovation completely transformed the property inside and out. In addition to giving the exterior of the resort’s main tower a new, fresh look, the resort underwent a full redesign of all guest rooms, the addition of a new state-of-the art spa and spa pool, larger fitness centre, a full service salon complete with hair and manicure/pedicure stations, new restaurants and menu concepts, expanded lounge areas, a completely redesigned infinity pool with kids zone and the addition of an adults only pool.
Among the most notable of the hotel’s new amenities is the newly designed Lazule Sea Spa. The spa features 4,000 square feet of luxury facilities including seven treatment rooms, couples room, massage cabanas, and the exclusive spa pool and couples relaxation room.
Sitting in a premiere location, the resort’s 302 newly renovated guest rooms offer magnificent views of Charlotte Amalie Harbour and easy access to Morning Star Beach. The re-designed Aqua Terra Oceanfront Grill and Aqua Terra Lounge, just two of the resort’s nine restaurant and lounge offerings, also offer spectacular vistas of Charlotte Amalie Harbour through its impressive floor to ceiling windows.
“The Reef’s” renovation also introduces guests to new, contemporary design in all guest rooms, which boasts Caribbean elegant décor, rain style shower heads, ergonomic workspaces, LCD high-definition televisions and Marriott’s signature bedding, which includes 300 thread count sheets, down comforters, thicker mattresses with plush toppers and fluffier pillows.
Infused with the DNA of W Hotels, the 296-room Aloft Bangkok-Sukhumvit 11 caters to the modern traveller seeking an eclectic, unique experience. With urban-inspired design, Aloft guestrooms feature loft-like decor with soaring nine-foot ceilings, Aloft’s signature platform beds, oversized showerheads and BlissÓ Spa products. And, to maximize both work and play, each room offers free Wi-Fi and a plug n’ play connectivity station for charging all electronics and syncing with the 42” LCD HDTV. Incorporating industrial design elements throughout the hotel, Aloft features a buzzing bar scene in the open lounge, a grab-and-go café, a full-service fitness center, and an outdoor swimming pool. For Aloft, the goal is to re-imagine the hotel model by creating a concept that encourages guests to spend more time in public areas, using innovative and surprising materials to focus on smart design solutions. The free flowing energy throughout the hotel, modern design and mood lighting set the tone for a diverse and stylish destination, day and night. This being the first Aloft opened in Thailand, local architecture firm Hassel added customized touches to the space so it would blend with the local culture and market. As the hotel accommodates a plethora of business travellers, the hotel’s meeting space is a welcome feature. An additional exclusive amenity to this Aloft location is access to an all-day, full-service dining restaurant on site featuring fresh local seafood. Aloft Bangkok-Sukhumvit 11 will bring a refreshing change to the hotel scene in Bangkok.
Also available for guests at Aloft is Crave – an all day restaurant conducive to a lively atmosphere featuring delicious lunch and dinner buffets offering local seafood and international favourites. The restaurant stocks over 3,000 bottles of wine from more than 250 labels in its wine cellar – available to order via digital menu tablets.
For business guests who want to enjoy a fun and productive experience, the hotel offers over 265 square meters of meeting space and pre-function area. Finally, Aloft’s guest can access to Bangkok’s trendiest clubs – Bed Supperclub and QBar for a-free entry.
Set to be Shenzhen’s most prestigious address and the new social and business center for Shenzhen, The St. Regis Shenzhen is geared up for its opening on 18th December. In conjunction with its opening, The St. Regis Shenzhen will be introducing the new Yan Mary signature cocktail, a uniquely Shenzhen take on the classic St. Regis Bloody Mary in the tallest bar in Shenzhen. The St. Regis Shenzhen is located on the top 28 floors of the Kingkey 100, a stunning 100-story tower of steel and glass that is the tallest building in Shenzhen and the eighth tallest in the world. With its prestigious landmark address, iconic setting, bespoke services, and destination restaurants and lounges, the St. Regis Shenzhen is destined to become the new social and business center for Shenzhen.
The St. Regis Shenzhen seamlessly blends Old World elegance with modern convenience and luxury. Towering from the 73rd to the 100th floor, the hotel features 257 guest rooms and 40 suites, sumptuously appointed with thoroughly modern amenities and spectacular views, providing travelers with a unique luxurious sanctuary amidst the hectic urban setting. The top floors of the tower offer a diverse selection of signature restaurants and unique lounges, as well as the five-star Iridium Spa on the 75th floor featuring an indoor swimming pool with stunning, birds-eye views of the city below.
Hilton Hotels & Resorts has recently announced the opening of Hilton Jumeirah Hotel Apartment in Dubai, UAE, Hilton Worldwide’s third property in the city. Located on Jumeirah Beach and The Walk, the popular beachfront avenue of boutiques, al fresco restaurants and modern day Arabic culture, Hilton Jumeirah Hotel Apartment is linked via footbridge to Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Resort, with both properties sharing a wide range of facilities and services.
Hilton Jumeirah Hotel Apartment is perfect for short and long-term stays for leisure and corporate guests alike. The property’s 364 contemporary studios, chic open plan duplex lofts and stylish two, three or four bedroom apartments are each appointed with a fully equipped kitchen, washing machine, lounge area and wireless internet.
The apartments also offer an all day market-style restaurant, relaxed café and stunning roof top terrace as well as outdoor pool and gym. In addition the Resort’s private beach, pool, spa and nine restaurants and bars are easily accessible to guests. For business travellers, the property shares the Resort’s large ballroom, four meeting rooms and executive lounge whilst a separate business centre is available for the exclusive use of the apartments. Guests can also make use of the shared gardens, water sports centre, kids club, playground, shaded kids pool and babysitting services.
Dernier & Hamlyn recently manufactured a chandelier that forms the central feature at the entrance of Aromatherapy Associates’ new Knightsbridge Boutique & Treatment Rooms. Working to a Martin Hulbert design that incorporated playful use of the company’s products, Dernier & Hamlyn manufactured 1600mm diameter metal rings that were finished in satin brass to complement the boutique’s furniture. Some 160 glass bottles containing different coloured aromatherapy oils were fixed to these rings and LED’s were then fitted behind the bottles both to shine through them and to spread the multi-coloured light.Dernier & Hamlyn was also responsible for producing large bottles that emulate aromatherapy oil bottles some of which are used as decorative items and some of which have been converted into table lamps.
Martin Hulbert comments: “This project is the beginning of a new identity for the Aromatherapy Associates’ brand. Creating the right ambience for its clients is clearly essential and the lighting is absolutely fundamental to achieving this. I have worked with Dernier & Hamlyn on many projects before and knew that they would rise to the challenge of producing this unique light fitting.”
Over five years in the making, The Grand Heritage Doha Hotel & Spa, is now a reality and has already become a style setter as the super luxury hotel property in Doha, Qatar where the pace of new hotel openings reflects the city’s emergence as a world-class travel destination. This new Chateau-inspired, 137-room, five-star hotel’s arrival in the marketplace is spot on and in time to play a pivotal role as Doha completes its transformation – from commercial and shipping centre to a world-class destination for tony travellers and a sophisticated social centre with its own unique brand.
The developer, Sheikh Hamad Al-Thani, wanted the property to be a defining landmark for world travellers and well-heeled sophisticates – an iconic property that stands out on the ever changing skyline, distinguishing Doha from neighbouring Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
By all measure Sheikh Hamad has succeeded. Since the recent opening, The Grand Heritage’s occupancy rate has become the envy of Doha’s hoteliers. Moreover, Sheikhs and leading socialites living in the area have fully embraced the property making it their own informal “private” club. This iconic property was created by J/Brice Design International.
The Grand Heritage was created in the architectural style of a fine European country home while respecting regional aesthetics by incorporating distinctively Arabian themes into the design. In terms of setting, The Grand Heritage excites all the senses; sight – touch – taste, within the property and the interior environment has a distinct charm which is reinforced by the well-balanced dimensioning of the spaces and fluidity of the plan.
Sheikh Hamad recognized the need to create a dramatic setting or sense of place for the Grand Heritage, and has committed generous funding for exterior landscaping and gardens reminiscent of Versailles to enhance the arrival experience.
As a practical matter, every guest room is accessorized with 40-inch flat screen TVs, complimentary wireless Internet access, Nespresso coffee and tea machines, and laptop compatible safety deposit box.
Lighting up row M at November’s Sleep Event, Axminster Carpet Commercial revealed a stunning new stand and revelled in the response to its latest commercial collections. Using the power of light to deliver key messages about its proud British heritage, low impact and inspirational creativity, Axminster Carpets Commercial also previewed Revelry, its latest woven axminster range due for launch in early 2012.
With 20 designs each available in four colourways, Revelry features a total of 80 different carpets with patternscatering for traditional and contemporary hospitality environments. Manufactured from 80% British wool and 20% nylon, a combination renowned for durability and appearance retention, Revelry will be available from stock for fast delivery. Visitors to the event also caught a glimpse of Dunmore, a brand new tufted stripe range especially for guest rooms in an 80% British wool 20% nylon mix, available four metreswide, in eight colourways and again will be a stock range.
“The Sleep Event was again a great success for us, cementing our position as one the premier hospitality carpet manufacturers in the country,” commented Richard Lawrence, head of marketing, Axminster Carpets. “The new stand not only reflects our heritage and expertise, but it also shows our intent to build upon this in the future and those visiting us at the event came to understand the advantages of both product and service that comes with the Axminster Carpets name.”
Baulmann Leuchten, a specialist lighting company from Sundern, has recently completed work for Atlantic Hotels in Bremen, Essen, Kiel and Lübeck. The typical design for Atlantic Hotels offers guests a clear layout, generous public areas with furniture chosen to complement the colour scheme. In the public areas, large volume ceiling luminaires were specified to perfectly integrate into this concept, using corresponding colours for the shades.
The functional lighting in the guestrooms follows the same design guidelines to create a comfortable atmosphere for guests.
Marking twenty one years of hospitality in Sydney’s most sought after waterfront location, Park Hyatt Sydney will soon reveal a spectacular rebuilt residence, pairing an unrivalled location with an unrivalled hotel. In the most dramatic transformation of Sydney’s harbour frontage, Park Hyatt Sydney has closed its rooms, spa, restaurant and bars for most of 2011 to undergo a complete rebuild.When Park Hyatt Sydney re-opens its doors it will feature three rooftop suites built on a new fourth level. This new level boasts, just shy of 360-degree, views spanning Sydney’s iconic Sydney Harbour, the Opera House and Harbour Bridge and includes the city’s largest Sydney Suite at 350 square meters, offering the most discerning guest, Sydney’s absolute finest.
Importantly Park Hyatt Sydney honours its’ heritage by ensuring original Sydney Sandstone and local woods are incorporated in the rebuild. The hotel has commissioned a number of Australian artists including sculptors, painters and photographers for artworks designed especially for the new hotel. The twenty one years that Park Hyatt Sydney have called their Circular Quay pier home, is respected and celebrated throughout the hotels’ redesign.
Australian hotel design firm, BARstudio are creating a new intimate and stylish interior, featuring an art gallery of interior pieces, including artefacts, books and artworks on the bedroom shelves and walls in all 155 bedrooms, and unique items throughout the hotel. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors open onto spacious private balconies for most guestrooms, which no other accommodation in Sydney can provide. Custom-designed lighting and new natural tone furnishings and fixtures enhance the indoor-outdoor lifestyle that Park Hyatt Sydney observe.
The multi-million dollar renovation includes a total reconfiguration of the low rise serpentine designed building, introducing a new and larger day spa, restaurant, bars, private dining rooms, enhanced and larger conference facilities, gymnasium and recreational spaces in addition to amongst Sydney’s largest guest rooms.
Frank Lissauer, managing director of Franklite Ltd. has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lighting Association. Peter Hunt, CEO of the Lighting Association said “Frank Lissauer was a popular choice for this award, not only for his long service in the industry, but for his unwavering support for the decorative lighting industry as a whole”.
Frank set up Franklite in January 1973 and today the company has a well deserved reputation for quality of product and service. After nearly 40 years in the industry, Frank is the longest serving director on the Lighting Association Council of Management.
This award was given following a vote by fellow members of the Association which makes it particularly special to Frank as his work within the industry, and with the Lighting Association, is done out of a passion for lighting. This token of recognition was a total surprise to him and one of which he is justly proud.
With a stunning stand conceived around the theme ‘a passion for design’, Wilton Carpets Commercial garnered widespread praise among visitors to November’s Sleep Event, dispelling the myth that the British manufacturer is just about wilton carpet and traditional designs.
With a passionflower design carpet that transcended from floor to wall, Wilton Carpets showed to specifiers within the hotel and leisure sector that it is pushing forward the boundaries of contemporary flooring while delivering high performance carpets for a broad range of hospitality environments.
Visitors discovered more about the manufacturer’s Flexiweave semi-bespoke concept that allows specifiers to re-colour hundreds of designs for a carpet unique to their environment and how they can take advantage of a wide range of stock carpets to be found in the FastTrack service. A catalogue of completed projects also proved that Wilton Carpets is ready to take on the most avant-garde of bespoke designs, including large-scale repeats for public areas with co-ordinated designs that can be used elsewhere to a more subtle effect.
Over two days at the Building Design Centre, London, Wilton Carpets proved itself ideal for specifiers looking for a complete carpet solution for hospitality and leisure environments and hailed the Sleep Event a success:
“The exhibition provided us with an excellent chance to engage with a community at the heart of our product,” said sales director, Alan Whittle. “Those that attended were the people that specify our products and so it was vital that we used the opportunity not only to tell them of our ability to meet all design briefs, but to discover exactly what they needed from a modern carpet manufacturer. We were delighted with the responses we received to our commercial collections and look forward to progressing with the many new relationships we made at the event.”
For further information contact Wilton Carpets Commercial on 01722 746000 or sales@wiltoncarpets.com
The Crystal City Marriott, one of Crystal City’s first hotels, has recently completed an award-winning redesign that adds sleek polish and modern updates to its lobby, including the launch of a new American tavern, BELL20. The extensive renovation marks the first stage of the hotel’s multi-million dollar plan to revitalize its public and meeting space, an investment by the hotel’s owners, Vornado Realty. The renovation includes the new design for Marriott Hotels & Resorts lobbies that offer guests spaces for working, dining and socializing.
“This renovation is the beginning of exciting things to come,” says Scott McClinton, general manager of the Crystal City Marriott. “We know our guests want comfort and style, we have delivered that and more. We look forward to welcoming our longtime and new guests alike to discover our transformed space.”
Cauhaus Design, in Frederick, Md., replaced the old world style lobby with a new look that blends nature with modern technology. To create a sophisticated yet relaxing atmosphere, Cauhaus Design used visually stimulating elements such as textured walls, warm earth tones, marble floors, leather chairs, and natural materials including stone and reclaimed wood on the walls and plank top communal tables. Other recycled materials such as natural tile accents, recycled 55 gallon drums, and hammered metals are used as artwork throughout the transformed space.
The welcoming reception desk has been redesigned to make it easier for guests and hotel staff to interact at check-in. Three new pods made of dark wood and stone have been added to allow business and leisure travelers to check in and check out with ease. With free WiFi and electrical outlets throughout the lobby, guests can plug-in and work on their laptops or kick back and relax in front of HDTVs at the lobby bar. In addition, semi-private seating nooks full of plush pillows, allow guests to socialize or work in an intimate environment.
The new bar and restaurant, BELL20, offers straight forward comfort food and pub classics. The menu offers daily soups, unique burgers, sandwich standards, salads, and a variety entrées. Ideal for socializing with work colleagues by day and impromptu gatherings at night, the energetic BELL20 bar offers a refreshing cocktail menu, over 30 bottled beers, wines by the glass and a number of hand-crafted micro-brews from Alexandria’s own Port City Brewing Company.
Vaughan had a successful stand on the mezzanine level at The Sleep Event and very much enjoyed seeing long standing clients and meeting new ones.The new products were greeted with excitement, including the Savona Floor and Desk Lamp, the Valere Glass Chandelier and the Catania Fern Vase.
If you didn’t manage to visit the show and would like details on any of the new products, please do contact us at contract-sales@vaughandesigns.com
Simply put, the Five-Leaf System is a way of measuring the eco-friendly nature of hotels.
When people go on holiday or on a business trip, they normally take into account the quality of the hotel in terms of the five-star system. The Five-Leaf System allows them also to judge the quality of the hotel from an environmental point of view. The aim is to create a system that enables hotels to go up quickly and gain more leaves if adequate measures are taken: no hotel need stop for ever at level 1, 2 or 3, for instance. There are many things that hotels and similar establishments can do to achieve a good rating without incurring a lot of extra cost. The aim is to get people in the industry to see expenditure on pro-environment matters as an investment for the future. The system provides the recognition that this is being done, and registration is absolutely free. A straightforward questionnaire must be completed, and a rating is issued.
Advancements in technology and changes in consumer attitudes towards the bathroom will dramatically influence product design, development and installation
An independent report into the future of the bathroom by the Future Laboratory has revealed the paradox our bathroom is set to become in ten years time. Commissioned by Europe’s leading bathroom provider, Ideal Standard International, the report looks into the features, products, and services the industry can expect to see in the next decade and the diverse ways in which the bathroom will change going forward.The report has been based on research conducted by The Future Laboratory, which surveyed 1,500 homeowners on their current attitudes and future demands for bathroom solutions as well as the type of technology being developed in response. The research found that consumer attitudes towards shared and private space are changing and that the bathroom of the future will adapt to suit people’s moods and lifestyles.
Ten million people in the UK people say that their work/life balance has suffered as a result of the financial crisis[1]. Four in 10 (41%) UK consumers use the bathroom as a place to relax. The bathroom has become a refuge from the pressures of modern life, ‘a sanctuary and a place to escape’, comments Ideal Standard’s Non-Executive Design Director, Robin Levien.
The Future Laboratory research shows that consumers spend 13 days a year in the bathroom – however, it is the last room in the house to respond to social changes. The advancement of digital technologies is set to affect beauty and grooming rituals, and the way in which consumers manage both our health and the environment around them – and product design and installation will have to adapt to these advancements.
Installation methods, which are common place today, will be a thing of the past as we see bathroom solutions becoming more intelligent, combining storage with products. For example, walls with ‘memories’ and membrane-like materials that allow 3D shapes to be summoned from flat surfaces creating storage and space.
The new Pieff Icons collection which is manufactured in Long Eaton Derbyshire by upholstery specialists P F collections Ltd is now supported by its own website, www.pieff-furniture.com.The reaction to this fabulous 50’s collection has been spectacular with many design practices, procurement managers, owners requesting information and even placing orders for schemes which they were already working on.
The website is open to all and as yet does not require a log in or password. This will come later as stock, price lists etc are loaded in to the back office. In the meantime if you want access to photos for presentation and quotations please e mail contract sales manager tom.campbell@pfcollections.co.uk or call 0115 9461282 and he will e mail what you require.
If anyone wants to see the furniture ‘in the flesh’ it is now on display in our Long Eaton showroom which is open to the trade from 10am until 4pm, Monday to Friday. Please ring for an appointment; we will be delighted to see you and also give you a guided tour of our production facility.
Hilton Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of its second hotel in Nanjing. Hilton Nanjing Riverside, the second Hilton property to open in Nanjing in less than a month, is located on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River – Asia’s longest river, and is seven kilometres from the Central Business District and 45 kilometres from the Nanjing Lukou International Airport.Martin Rinck, president, Asia Pacific, Hilton Worldwide, said, “The presence of Hilton Worldwide in Nanjing is growing with the opening of our second hotel in the city within a month. The emergence of Nanjing as an important transportation hub in Eastern China and the lower Yangtze River area is the reason behind our decision to operate a second property here.”
The hotel features a contemporary style with 411 spacious guest rooms and suites, many of which have a private balcony with superb Yangtze River views, spacious bathrooms and walk-in closets, along with generous work spaces and high-speed internet access.
Dave Horton, global head, Hilton Hotel & Resorts, said, “With panoramic views over the Yangtze River and extensively landscaped grounds, this city hotel also has a unique urban-resort feel to it, which adds another dimension to the signature Hilton hospitality that guests familiar with our brand have come to recognize and expect.”
Hilton Nanjing Riverside also boasts stunning conference and event facilities with 16 versatile meeting rooms and a unique oval-shaped 1,100-square meter pillar-less Grand Ballroom. There is also a business centre and the convenience of wireless internet access throughout the hotel. Recreational facilities include a health club, an indoor swimming pool and an on-site spa with six treatment rooms.
In addition, with four exciting new outlets, Hilton Nanjing Riverside is poised to claim a spot as a local dining destination. The River Café, an all-day dining restaurant, combines favourites from Western and Asian cuisines, while East-West Grill offers a delightful combination of Asian and Western grilled food with an open show-kitchen and expansive views of the Yangtze River. Ming Xuan is the beautiful Chinese restaurant located at the top floor of the hotel and named after the famous Ming Dynasty. It showcases the best of Cantonese and Huaiyang cuisines with 12 private dining rooms. Otherwise, cocktails can be enjoyed in the comfortable ambience of the Flow-Lobby Bar.
Westin Hotels & Resorts has announced that The Westin Xian will open December 1, 2011, marking the entry of the Westin brand into the Shaanxi province of China and one of the four major ancient civilizations in the world, along with Athens, Cairo and Rome. A haven of rest and relaxation, The Westin Xian will offer total renewal just steps away from the ancient city’s myriad cultural attractions, restaurants, and shops. The Westin Xian will also be the first Westin in the world and the first hotel in Xian to have its own museum, paying tribute to the ancient history of China with its exceptional collection of over 2,000 artifacts. With its opening, The Westin Xian will offer refined Chinese hospitality in a storied location, allowing guests to enjoy a refreshing and renewing travel experience.Located in the Qujiang Tourism district, the most upscale area of the city and once the site of the Royal Summer Garden of the Tang Dynasty, The Westin Xian sits directly opposite the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, built over 1,000 years ago. The eastern terminus of the Silk Road, Xian is home to an ancient walled inner city which protects the famed Bell and Drum Towers. A short 30 kilometers east of the city sits the renowned Terracotta Army vaults which date back more than 2,000 years and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The hotel is just minutes from the train station and 40km from the Xi’an Xianyang International Airport.
An urban retreat dedicated to a holistic experience that revives mind, body, and spirit, The Westin Xian will feature 329 rooms and 32 one- to two-bedroom apartments. Upon welcome, guests to The Westin Xian will immediately be invited to relax and renew with a sensory-rich experience that evokes tranquility and retreat after the rigors of travel. The spacious accommodations are tastefully designed with soothing tones, and each features a flat screen LCD television, rainforest shower, extra-large closets, personal refreshment center, and Westin’s signature Heavenly bed to ensure guests enjoy a good night’s sleep.
The Westin Xian will also offer a variety of epicurean dining experiences—Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Seasonal Tastes presents nourishing and imaginative menu creations using the freshest produce and ingredients; Five Sen5es specializes in innovative and traditional Cantonese dishes which are prepared and presented with passion and flair; at Mai, guests can immerse themselves in the culture and flavors of modern and contemporary Japanese cuisine; Daily Treats is ideal for a quick coffee and light bites such as a gourmet sandwich; and Lobby Lounge, the place to relax and elevate your senses either day or night with an end-of-day cocktail or organic squeezed juice. Demonstrating The Westin Xian’s dedication to wellness, a SuperFoods Rx menu will be offered throughout the day featuring enticing, healthy food options made from ingredients that are considered the best for fighting disease and enhancing health.
Guests will be invited to recharge in the WestinWORKOUT Gym, reenergize in the indoor swimming pool, and pamper themselves in the Heavenly Spa by Westin. The hotel will also be the first Westin in the world to feature its own museum with a remarkable collection of over 2,000 artifacts on display, including an exquisite grouping of over 80 Chinese mural paintings, the world’s only suit of armor crafted entirely from gold, and a rare stone Buddha head which measures nearly one meter high. With more than 3,300 square meters of meeting space and three banquet spaces, The Westin Xian will provide a new and exceptional destination for events. The hotel takes a holistic approach by offering wide array of thoughtful services, including Clutter-Free Meetings and relaxing in-room massages. A state-of-the-art business center and in-room wireless high speed internet access are also designed to meet the needs of today’s business traveler.
Situated at the base of the Sheffield University, Students’ Union Bar One is not one to miss. As one of the country’s largest student bars it now has an enviable reputation with everything you could possibly want from the perfect Students’ Union bar. Interior Fit Out and Bar Specialists Dawnvale were appointed as Main Contractor to provide a full design and build scheme to the University and Union Officers. With a very clear brief set out for the proposed scheme, our Projects team provided a full design and build scheme managing all aspects of planning and building regulations for the large glass extension and structural works incorporated.
After undergoing a major interior and exterior refurbishment programme to the various areas contained within the Bar, the Bar has successfully achieved the desired affect both from an operational requirement and interior finish.
The interior works and timescales were a test to all involved, as comprehensive Specialist Asbestos works were incorporated within the programme along with all the required notification and investigation. The 6 week programme incorporated substantial structural works to both front of house and back of house areas, the new menus required new additional CPU areas with a new commercial kitchen and extraction for the Bar One Cafe, the extensive Bar was also further extended to cope with the additional footfall with new fixed seating lounges and booths created around the stage and new glass extension.
Throughout the venue, a new lighting scheme with controlled dimmable zones created a perfect ambience to the separate dining, drinking, daytime and evening requirements. Working with the University Technical Team, an upgraded sound system and screens were fitted throughout to attract a wider audience, the internal and external signs and graphics provided the Bar with the newly created Brand Identity and interior scheme.
The Bar now features a large glass extension to the main Bar, from this a separate Cafe area with newly installed commercial kitchen and ventilation scheme, provides a open service for the new menu. The expansive areas provide a further Raynor lounge with an array of bespoke contract furniture and fixed seating throughout, all carefully finished with special RAL colours and bespoke fabrics to match the Brand identity.
The entire venue has undergone new floor and wall finishes, bespoke joinery detail throughout with bespoke glazing to all external elevations. A full M&E package was installed around the newly created room spaces and glass extension, the redundant fixtures, fittings and ventilation systems were removed to make way for the specialist works.
Contact Dawnvale for any of your project requirements or visit our dedicated showrooms and design centre in Manchester www.nwdesigncentre.com.
Recognized worldwide as the ultimate Las Vegas entertainment destination, MGM Grand MGM Grand has revealed designs for its new rooms and suites.
Now underway, the $160 million remodel includes all 3,570 guest rooms and 642 suites in the hotel’s main tower and is expected to conclude by September 2012. The initial set of redesigned rooms will be complete by the end of November 2011.Grand Guest Rooms Featuring warm, yet vibrant designs and colour palettes with contemporary furnishings, the new room and suite designs create comfortable and functional spaces within a sophisticated setting.
Created by the talented team at MGM Resorts International Design, the remodelled Grand King and Grand Queen guest rooms showcase a stylish combination of interior finishes and accents, creating a modern sensibility with an inviting ambiance.
Warm earth tones throughout each room set the stage for a relaxing environment, with splashes of vibrant colours carefully integrated into plush fabrics, striking artwork and playful carpet patterns. The Grand King rooms feature a tangerine and bronze palette while the Grand Queen rooms incorporate fuchsia, platinum and charcoal to create an inspired colour expression.
Floor-to-ceiling headboard walls, accented by patterned fabric blocks above each bed, are flanked by mirrors on both sides, creating a dramatic visual as soon as guests enter the room.
Providing a streamlined focal point within each room, the dresser features spacious storage as well as a fully stocked mini-bar and media connectivity hub. Located above this centrepiece is a flat-screen HD television, openly displayed and visible throughout the room.
For guests who come to play but also need to work, the new rooms feature a spacious desk with ergonomic seating and task lighting. For those moments of relaxation, either two plush armchairs or a sofa will be placed adjacent to the window, to welcome in natural light by day and view the bright city lights by night.
New energy-efficient lighting and lamps will be carefully positioned throughout creating a residential feel with convenient, functional details including an electrical outlet at each base for easy bedside and tableside recharging.
Does Second Life still exist? Was it just one of those websites that enjoyed a brief flurry of intense use before gently fading away? Why is it at all relevant to Aloft you may ask? Well whilst Intercontinental Hotels Group used focus groups and market research agencies to define Indigo, Starwood set up a virtual hotel in Second Life and invited virtual people to visit and give ‘guest feedback’ on the concept, before anything was created in the real world.
Not only did the web form a central part of the formalisation of the concept but it also formed a central plank in the marketing of the concept to developer partners. The splendid new Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company financed Jestico & Whiles designed building adjacent to the Excel exhibition centre is the second Aloft in Europe and at the date of this article one of 77 properties the brand is rolling out – impressive given that the first was only launched in June 2008. The new building has a prime location adjacent to a DLR station putting it in easy reach of the West End, but also onto a network connecting easily with the Olympic Park and almost on the touchdown end of the City Airport runway. Not only does its triple glazing help energy conservation but it also soundproofs it effectively. Plane spotters will enjoy seeing aircraft on the immediate flare-out prior to touch down at an airport that now boasts transatlantic flights as well as a growing network of links to European cities.
Externally the building can be approached at several levels from piazzas that act as the spill out areas from the exhibition centre. Clad in a light refracting metal sheeting it continues and develops the same architects ability to make the physical presence of the building add something special to the location, as they did with the new ‘W’ in Leicester Square. This is the third project of theirs that I have had the pleasure of writing about, the other being the majestic conversion of a cotton weaving mill in the city of Łódź, Poland. I mean pleasure too, because their handling of interiors is as assured and stylish as their handling of the exteriors. I can only speculate that Starwood used a different practise on the interiors of ‘W’ Leicester Square because they wanted someone experienced in creating the tiny rooms they have packed in to that supposedly 4 star hotel.
The Rezidor Hotel Group announces the Park Inn by Radisson Donestsk. It is the very first Park Inn by Radisson hotel in Ukraine and a common project with Esta Holding, the country’s largest investor in the real estate sector. The mid-market property is being developed on the basis of the “Kiev” hotel located on Pushkin Boulevard in the center of Donetsk.“The Park Inn Donetsk will be the first internationally managed 3-star hotel in Ukraine bringing the expertise and high standards of affordable accommodation to the hospitality market,” commented Dejan Djordjevic, Managing Director of the Hospitality Business, Esta Holding.
The Park Inn by Radisson Donetsk has a prime location in the city centre: Pushkin Boulevard is the city’s main pedestrian street and home to numerous cafes, restaurants, and monuments. Across the street is the recently re-designed Shcherbakov Park, which hosts events and festivals (including the “Fan Zone” during Euro 2012). The main square, Opera and Ballet theatre, large-scale shopping malls and numerous corporate offices are in the immediate area. The hotel is already under construction and will open in Q2 2012, with 175 guest rooms, an all-day dining restaurant, meeting rooms, gym and outdoor parking.
Donetsk has large mineral resources and is one of the most economically important cities in the Ukraine. Moreover, Donetsk’s new “Donbass Arena” will host five key matches during UEFA Euro 2012 (hosted jointly by Poland and Ukraine) including the semi-final.
Wiring accessories specialist, The Wandsworth Group, is to supply luxury switches and sockets along with a wide range of bespoke wiring accessories for one of the most prestigious new addresses in London: Park House in Mayfair.
The Land Securities development, designed by Robin Partington Architects, combines 15,140m2 of office space, 8,140m2 of retail accommodation and 5,380m2 of luxury residential apartments on the corner of Mayfair and Oxford Street. M&E consultants, Long & Partners have specified products from Wandsworth’s Series 2 range of flat plate wiring accessories in both antique bronze and yellow etched prime for use throughout the residential element of the scheme in a supply deal worth over £180,000.
The yellow etched prime accessories are supplied as ‘unfinished’ plates, allowing bespoke paint finishes to be added at fit out to match the interior design of each individual apartment. The bespoke nature of the wiring accessories does not end there: Wandsworth will be supplying a wide range of custom-manufactured ‘specials’ for the installation, including combined twin data/5amp/twin switched sockets, combined HDMI outlet/switched fused spur /twin data outlets and combined fused connection/cable outlet/HDMI/twin data outlets.
Explains James Webb from The Wandsworth Group: “Our wiring accessories expertise and the breadth of our range means that we are ideally suited to supplying a high calibre development like Park House, where quality of finish and a bespoke approach to providing luxury living are required. We’re delighted to be involved with such a prestigious development.”
Installation of the Wandsworth wiring accessories will be carried out by electrical contractor, Essex Services Group with first phase installation beginning on site in early 2012. The following phases will be aligned to the build programme which is due for completion in November 2012.
Sasi Natarajan from Long & Partners added: “We regularly specify Wandsworth wiring accessories because we know that we can be confident of choice and quality. In a scheme like this, every detail is important and, thanks to Wandsworth, the wiring accessories carry through that high standard with both traditional sockets and switches and new technology outlets.”
Galoupet is a new restaurant in London’s Beauchamp Place, Knightsbridge opened by renowned Provencale wine estate Chateau du Galoupet. Set in a chic minimalist interior, the venue features stylish modern restaurant furniture sourced from top UK contract furniture supplier Andy Thornton.The restaurant, with Chris Golding in the kitchen, offers light healthy Asian and Mediterranean inspired dishes, with a big focus on wine matching to every dish; the wine list changing continuously according to the menu.
The owners wanted to create an intimate restaurant & lounge for people to enjoy food and wine with family and friends. They commissioned London design agency Blacksheep with a brief to create a smart, sophisticated informal feel for the restaurant, private dining area and lounge spaces.
To help achieve the look of understated glamour and clean lines, Andy Thornton manufactured two 3.5 metre free-standing button-back sofas for the downstairs bar area, featuring ebonised frame and legs and upholstered in a high-performance, neutral faux suede. One sofa is matched with elegant side chairs in light grey diamond patterned chenille and beige painted legs, with white Pedrali tables with square solid marble tops.
Facing the adjacent sofa are more chairs and matching stools in faux suede around specially made sleek round coffee tables in patinated brass frames and top edgings with marble tops, which create a touch of glitz and glamour to the whole interior.
For the private dining room Andy Thornton manufactured two bespoke solid oak rectangular tables in a natural matt finish which features decorative inlaid solid brass strips. Andy Thornton is working closely with Blacksheep on a number of other interesting projects. To view our range and portfolio visit www.andythornton.com.
On the 12th October, Travelodge announced it has opened its 486th hotel, a stone’s throw from the Bank of England. The London Bank Travelodge, a 75-room grade ll listed property represents an investment of £7.5 million and has already proven to be one of the most successful new hotel opening’s in the Company’s 26 year history. In the first few days of trading, Travelodge has reported a record level of bookings at its latest opening. The majority of reservations have come from City Workers who have taken advantage of Travelodge’s low cost rooms and booked ahead in preparation of the Christmas party season.
The new London Bank Travelodge is also the start of a £223 million expansion programme for London’s biggest hotel chain – with the opening of 26 hotels scheduled over the next 24 months. This investment will create 710 new jobs across the capital.
Ten of these new hotels will be opened in the next ten months before the 2012 Games start. Many of these new properties will be located within walking distance of the venues where the Games will be taking place. This includes a 188-room Travelodge hotel in Stratford – which is just minutes away from the Olympic Park and a 131-room property at London Excel where the boxing, fencing, weightlifting and wrestling events will take place.
Listed below are details of the ten hotels Travelodge is opening before the start of the Olympic Games:
1. London Cricklewood 2. London Edmonton 3. London Stratford 4. London Twickenham 5. London Crystal Palace 6. London Teddington 7. London Greenwich West 8. London Balham 9. London Enfield 10. London Excel Centre
Super yachts are considered to be by some the 7* star sailing hotels of the sea. The possibility to sail away from the coast and still enjoy the luxury that comes from staying within a top hotel is hugely attractive to this lucrative market. Crystal Caviar´s Yacht division has, within the last year, finished an installation of chandeliers and staircase artwork onboard one of the super yachts, the TALISMAN C.
Generally it is thought that chandeliers do not yield to the yacht market. People think they are fragile, not seaworthy and will not withstand salty environments and vibrations. Since the structure of chandeliers is completely different and difficult to ordinary pendant lighting, they require sophisticated engineering in order to protect the fragile crystal parts. However, with some modifications they can be converted to suit the yacht market and create an impressive design statement.
Crystal Caviar are specialised in custom lighting within moving objects such as yachts, aircrafts and trains and they relished the opportunity to create a chandelier for the Talisman C. Developed over a number of years, Crystal Caviar‘s specialist knowledge has been applied to fittings used in hotels in earthquake zones and sea coast areas with high corrosive environment. Crystal Caviar‘s know-how comes from centuries of proven technology and tradition of Bohemian crystal production.
How do you design and build a chandelier for a yacht?
The owner or designer usually has a certain concept of lighting. They know roughly the size and the style of the chandelier required, whether that is classical, art deco, flower theme, Mother Nature theme, contemporary or ultramodern. The chandelier usually complements the style of the whole space, the colours and textures on other surfaces and the atmosphere.
The chandelier on board the Talisman C was done in corporation with H2 Yacht Design. It is a beautiful 8m glass sculpture installed in the stairwell. It consists of hundreds of crystal, amber and silver glass bubbles ‘floating’ in the air, resembling the bubbles rising from the seabed. The most difficult part was the sky window above the sculpture, so the whole sculpture had to be fixed in between floors without a central hanging point. We used fibre optics mixed with conventional lighting to produce this stunning result.
Leading UK shower manufacturer and designer, Roman Limited, have reported another successful show, following their 5th time exhibiting at the Sleep Event. The Roman stand attracted a really high calibre of visitors, who were all extremely impressed by the company’s display of luxurious bespoke options for the hotel bathroom. This year the manufacturer designed a stand which highlighted just how flexible they can be in terms of their design capabilities. The company showed visitors that they really can offer the complete package, not only supplying finished products but working with specifiers and hotel designers to create something totally individual to their project where required.
The talking point of the Roman stand was the joint toilet cubicle and shower cubicle, which are a popular specification being used in the Middle East within top end hotels. The toilet cubicle incorporates a two-way swing hinge which allows the door to open out into the room, as well as into the enclosure. It features a soft close mechanism which gently closes the door back into place if left open.
Alongside their bespoke shower enclosure options, Roman also highlighted some of their other core products, including their accessories, such as shower baskets, a truly unique champagne cooler for the bathroom and their luxurious bathrobes. Alongside these they also highlighted level access tray options, bath screens which cleverly fold into the bath, as well as back out into the room for easy cleaning and their water delivery options.
Another talking point of the stand was their designer solid surface basin and trays. These were displayed at the show to highlight their solid surface design capabilities. In Roman’s solid surface manufacturing plant you can create unique concepts and Roman’s team will work with you to develop these through to full manufacture.
David Osborne, Managing Director of Roman, commented: “We find Sleep a really worthwhile exhibition, as hotels have become a key sector for us, particularly with the growth of our Export division. We have found that with many of the projects we have worked on, the designers and specifiers need real flexibility in terms of design. With our onsite design team we can really work with them to create something to totally meet their brief and requirements.
“Alongside specialist design requirements, our core product range is vast with something for all sectors, from price entry through to luxury 10mm thick glass enclosures and wetroom panels. So whether a hotel is looking for something unique, or something more traditional, we can provide the complete solution.”
Mantra Group has defied the challenging tourism and leisure conditions in Queensland in 2011, achieving an increase in revenue per available room (RevPar) across the Queensland network in the past 12 months of 3.74% and an overall revenue increase of 9.06%. The positive results follow a successful spring school holiday period which saw a 3.8% increase in occupancy and a 4.7% increase in RevPar. The addition of Peppers Broadbeach to the network was a major contributor to the positive results proving to be a popular choice with families taking advantage of the quality and space provided by the superior apartment product.
The results reflect a 3.9% increase in accommodation bookings in Queensland in the past twelve months, indicating a resurgence in leisure travel in the Sunshine State.
Mantra Group is the largest accommodation provider in Queensland with over 50 Peppers, Mantra and BreakFree resorts and apartments throughout all major leisure destinations from the Gold Coast to Port Douglas.
Mantra Group CEO Bob East attributed a significant part of the recent success to a comprehensive marketing campaign headed by new Mantra Ambassador, tennis great, Pat Rafter.
“We’ve added two properties to our network – the brand new Peppers Broadbeach on the Gold Coast and BreakFree Rainbow Shores on the Sunshine Coast –and the increased inventory is being met with the demand we had anticipated,” Mr East said.
“Queensland – after all its challenges – has certainly returned to being a holiday destination of choice for Australians.
“We are continuing to investigate opportunities to grow our portfolio in Australia in both the leisure and corporate accommodation sphere.”
The Mantra Group portfolio offers the most comprehensive selection of hotels, apartments and resorts in Queensland and based on the results to date, Mr East said the Group is confident of a buoyant Christmas holiday period.
The Football Association, Hilton Worldwide and construction company Bowmer & Kirkland have recently celebrated the topping out of the Hilton and Hampton by Hilton hotels at St. George’s Park – the landmark new national football centre located near Burton Upon Trent. The event signals the conclusion of the exterior construction of St George’s Park which is expected to open in summer 2012. Senior executives from Hilton Worldwide, alongside representatives from The FA and the world of football, celebrated the topping out by placing a commemorative engraved stone on the roof of the new Hilton St. George’s Park which will operate alongside the Hampton by Hilton St. George’s Park.
St. George’s Park will feature a full-service and upscale Hilton hotel with 142 bedrooms, as well as an economy 86-bedroom Hampton by Hilton hotel. Hilton St.George’s Park will offer conference and banqueting space of more than 1,400 square feet and house a lecture theatre and flexible seminar rooms including a library.
Hilton and Hampton by Hilton St. George’s Park form part of a £100mllion investment led by The FA, across a 330-acre site in the heart of the National Forest. St. George’s Park builds on Hilton Worldwide’s presence at U.K. sporting grounds, with Doubletree by Hilton Milton Keynes housed in the MK Dons stadium and Hilton Wembley also due to open adjacent to Wembley Stadium next year.
The hotels will be available for use by leisure guests either using the park’s facilities or visiting the area’s local attractions; corporate guests visiting the hotels on business and for events; those recuperating from medical care in the Spire run medical facility; local residents utilising the hotel food and beverage options; and sporting related organisations using the sporting facilities including the England senior football teams.
Brentford based supplier & manufacturer, RHA Furniture, has recently taken on some exciting projects; two of these contracts will involve overseas export, raising the company’s export for the year to over 40 countries.RHA Furniture has been supplying furniture to the hospitality, corporate & luxury residential markets for over 20 years now; our latest projects include a luxury apartment development for a British celebrity, an exclusive members club in Hamburg & over 150 international locations for Regus.
The project for an exclusive members club, Aspria Uhlenhorst which is due to open early next year, sees RHA Furniture working alongside Putney based Interior Design practice, Sparcstudio, who specialize in the creation of hotels, spas and branded environments. The initial stage of this project focuses on the club’s 48 luxury bedrooms, which involves custom made case goods, bed frames & headboards made from fine American Walnut by craftsmen at RHA Furniture’s UK factory.
Another large project is for Regus, a well established provider of business solutions including office & meeting room facilities all around the world. Back in 2007, RHA Furniture worked for Regus alongside brand strategy specialists, Honour Branding, to produce custom work stations called ThinkPods; this innovative design was so successful it was put into large scale production & installed in over 200 international business centres. This was the start of an ongoing business relationship between RHA Furniture & Regus, involving the production & installation of a wide range of furniture for Regus’ business lounges & meeting rooms.
The new contract is a continuation of RHA Furniture’s previous work, only on an even larger scale; furniture made from their UK factory will be exported to Regus centres across Europe, the Middle East & Africa.
Information on the progress of these projects will be available on their company website www.rhafurniture.com.
Travelodge strengthens its presence in Spain by opening its fourth hotel in Valencia and starts building work on a new 250-room hotel in Barcelona Rambla Poble Nou. Both hotels represent a combined investment of £40 million and will create 66 new jobs. The new Valencia Travelodge is located at the airport – which is Spain’s eighth busiest airport and annually serves 6.5 million passengers. The 116-room hotel represents a £10 million investment in Spain’s third largest city and has created 16 new jobs. Rooms are available from 20 Euros.
The Barcelona Rambla Poble Nou Travelodge which is scheduled to open in spring 2013 is located in the heart of the business district (at @22 Barcelona). The ten storey hotel represents a £30 million investment and will create 50 new jobs.
These two properties have boosted Travelodge’s Spanish portfolio to five hotels and 602 rooms. The budget hotel chain already has an 83-room hotel in Barcelona Hospitalet and two hotels in Spain’s capital city Madrid – which include a 74-room property at Torrelaguna and a 79-room hotel in Las Rozas.
The Spanish tourism industry accounts for over 10.5% of the GDP and its growth has been more positive than the overall Spanish economy with a year on year growth of 1.4%
With over 2.5million visitors annually visiting Valencia, the new Travelodge hotel has got off to a flying start with a high level of bookings. Room rates start from 20 Euros. Each room has en-suite facilities, a luxury king Size bed, air conditioning / heating, a flat screen TV and Internet connection. The hotel also has a Bar Café which offers a 24-hour food and drink service.
With the opening of Valencia Airport Travelodge, has 485 hotels and 34,342 rooms (470 hotels UK, 11 Ireland and 4 Spain). The budget hotel chain plans to grow its estate to 1,100 hotels and 1000,000 rooms by 2025.
Cliq Designs showed just what they can do at The Sleep Event in November, and created an impact with their ski-chic themed boutique hotel set.
Working together with melin tregwynt, who weave the welsh woollen cloth at their family owned mill in Pembrokeshire, Cliq created a range of soft woollen quilted throws and cushions aimed at the boutique hotel market. With quilting ideas based on knitting, antlers, logs, snow, birch trees – it was all there for the first time – and the hotel world loved it.What makes Cliq and melin tregwynt so unique is that they are both small UK based family owned manufacturing companies, with increasingly global markets. For Adam and Liz Bolton and Eifion and Amanda Griffiths -the two husband and wife teams at the top of these two busy much more than ‘craft’ companies , it really is about getting out there and doing it yourself! And what makes them stand out is their passion for the new, for being able to work with and develop fresh ideas for the design world- and more importantly, being able to convert those ideas into real product with UK production, right here in our (not completely lost ) Land of Hope and Glory!
Cliq is based in the traditional textile heartlands of Lancashire, but the majority of its work is in the 4* and 5* hotels in London and Europe. “Everything is bespoke, no two days are alike, always something new to be made for an exciting project we’ve been brought into” says Adam Bolton, Managing Director. Working with some of the major hotel chains they have proved they can manage larger projects on a European wide scale, but it’s the attention to detail that keeps the customers coming back over the 26 years that Cliq has been operating from its Preston base. Recent projects include the Grosvenor House Apartments on Park Lane, Corinthia Hotel Spa and the whole of the Marriott Hotels estate in the UK.
“We can take a theme, any theme, and develop quilting patterns to suit the project, working with the structure of the fabric to find something unique for the client”, says Liz Bolton, Design Director.” I’m secretly quite pleased that ski-chic is having a bit of a moment in the world of fashion right now, as I’ve always had a thing for the simplicity of Scandinavian design- I lived in Sweden when I was younger. I really believe that quilting can express purity of design, through simple graphic images on tactile cloth. Beautiful fabrics treated well speak to people; it’s very satisfying to create something that gives people real pleasure – they just want to reach out and touch. And what better way to support the sustainability issues that face us all right now, than to promote British made goods from cloth produced on our own shores. We were thrilled to get such a positive response to our home-grown design input, (as we are usually on the receiving end of a designer’s ideas!) especially from a number of Scandinavian visitors to the stand.”
Talking of the stand, Liz commented: “Being able to do pretty much anything when it comes to soft furnishings can be tricky to communicate, so teaming up with set designers Rooms Service we were able to discipline ourselves to stick with one simple theme and show how that can be played out across a number of elements in a room: throw, cushions, bed valance, headboard, fabric wall panels as artwork – even quilted bedside tables! We are unique in that we offer a lot of skills under one roof including a range of both hand and machine guided quilting options, blanket stitched edges and mitred borders and embroidery. And of course we can respond quickly with samples to ensure a project can get accepted – it’s in our interests to be as helpful as we can!”
If you want further details on how Cliq can help your projects contact Adam Bolton at adam@cliqdesigns.co.uk, tel: 01772 628141
Ramparts Interior Contracts have recently handed back a selection of bedrooms at the Millstone at Mellor near Blackburn. The Hotel, a Thwaites Inn of Character comprises of twenty two quintessential country inspired bedrooms, run in conjunction with a very highly regarded Restaurant and Local Hostelry.Our work completed over a period of three weeks, and designed by the clients own in house team comprised of the decoration and carpeting of the bedrooms, replacement lighting and a soft refurbishment of the bathrooms. The existing furniture was restored and augmented by purpose made wardrobes within recesses to make the very best use of the space available.
Ramparts, founded in 1972 is entering its 40th year in business, specialising in the refurbishment of hotels and leisure properties.
For further details please contact: Gary Crosbie garyc@ramparts.co.uk 0161 266 1049
Marriott International, Inc. celebrated its new multiple-brand Doha City Centre complex with an exclusive event featuring an RLife LIVE performance by emerging artist Hamdan al Abri. The celebration welcomed the 257-room Renaissance Doha City Centre Hotel, 204-room Courtyard by Marriott Doha City Centre and 123-unit Marriott Executive Apartments Doha City Centre – the first of the three Marriott brands — to Qatar.All three properties are located within two 48-storey towers located in West Bay across from Qatar Financial Centre, adjacent to the Doha City Centre Mall, featuring more than 340 shops and attractions, and just 15 minutes from Doha International Airport. Each hotel has its own unique look and feel, while sharing many floors within the complex, including three expansive lobbies, nine restaurants and bars, 1200 square meters of meeting space, a world-class Vitality Zone health club and Marriott International’s signature Saray Spa, known for offering traditional Middle Eastern treatments.
Renaissance Doha City Centre Hotel
The 257-room Renaissance Doha City Centre Hotel stands out with its colourful fabrics, bold design and indigenous touch brought to life through artwork from Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani’s collection of cultural and historical art. The Renaissance Doha City Centre Hotel is equipped with the finest amenities and innovative technology, boasting 17 meeting rooms across 1,200 square meters (12,917 square feet). Embracing various local elements – from design to cuisine – the hotel provides visitors with a unique environment as well as comforts in forms of luxurious bedding, a Club Lounge, rooftop pool, Business Centre, high-speed internet and exclusive amenities. RLife LIVE, a signature program for Renaissance Hotels which launched in October 2010, is highly regarded as a leading entertainment hospitality program dedicated to providing guests and local patrons with the opportunity to engage with musical talent on-site at various hotels around the world.
The Hilton Olympia hotel was a large-scale project, made up of multiple phases. The brief was a complete refurbishment of the ground floor public reception areas, first floor bar and restaurant to create a flowing, relaxed space.The initial phase saw the removal of the escalator, which had been the only way to approach the first floor bar. By replacing the escalator with a modern, glass staircase a greater visual impact has been created and the first floor bar is now a destination venue. The bar, which is distinctly visible from Kensington High Street, has an organic feel to it – a deliberate contrast to the orthogonal lines of the building.
designLSM restyled the restaurant interior applying a fresh colour palette, revamped the lighting and introduced a bespoke, display screen. New, decorative lighting was fitted and a private dining room area created.
Simon Spiteri, Architectural Director comments; “Not all structural changes were made at ground level due to a limited budget and timescale constraints. However, the overall brief has been answered and the end result is a distinctive and timeless piece of interior design which flows throughout the reception, bar and lounge areas.”
P F collections Ltd, the specialist upholstery manufacturer has supplied all the sofas, chairs, special size corner sofas, bedroom chairs and banquette seating for five new chalets in Val D’Isere.The fit out required special sizes of sofas and corner units for specific areas as well as making sure that the furniture could actually be delivered up awkward stairs and through narrow openings. Certain pieces were redesigned to split in to sections to gain access and were then “bolted” together on site.
The chalets look absolutely stunning and the owner of the chalets is delighted with the result and that the contract was completed well in time for the forth coming winter season.
Interior designers requiring high quality bespoke sofas, chairs, corner units etc can contact P F Collections Ltd by e mailing tom.campbell@pfcollections.co.uk or calling 0115 9461282.
IDEAL Marble and Granite Ltd from York are delighted to introduce a new range in Split Faced Limestone. It has most recently been used as a feature in one of Antofagasta’s offices to complement the natural wood floors. The engraved logo makes a striking alternative for indoor signage.The slabs are available in 600 x 400mm (as shown) and 600 x 600mm.
Would this enhance your project?
Please call Derek for your free sample on +44 (0) 1759 306161.
This is one of those accidental Reviews. They happen when a stay en-route to a targeted hotel or for some other reason finds me staying in an interesting hotel (in this case an Inn) by random chance. Shibden Mill was local to my hosts, Andy Thornton, when I was writing their Company Profile for the DesignClub. Pub/hotels are an interesting phenomenon that I have written about before (notably recently the Alma, one of Wandsworth’s Youngs Brewery hotels). Often the food is overrated, and rooms fail to compete with standard hotels. However the independently owned Shibden Mill is one of a growing number of properties, like the Alma, which are exceptions to these generalisations.
If you didn’t know about Shibden Mill, you would never find it. Saying it’s just outside Halifax in West Yorkshire is not a lot of help. My navigator started to doubt the satnav as we plunged down narrower and narrower cobbled tracks – she has reason, as Volkswagen once told me I couldn’t expect detailed accuracy as the ‘UK is on the periphery of Europe’. However we have come to habitually drive with very little by way of back-up maps so on this occasion we had no option but to follow directions scrupulously down into the secret valley in which the Mill nestles.
It was a Mill once, in the 17th Century, about the time settlers were landing on the coast of the Americas. The mill and its attached barns have been subsumed into the adjacent hostelry, creating 11 en-suite bedrooms, a reception and small guest lounge quite separate from the pub. Tucked away in a fold of the Shibden valley it has been extended and converted by the owners, Simon and Caitlin Heaton, steadily over the years. In that statement lies the dichotomy of pubs as hotels.
Pubs like the Alma benefit from the investment power of major operators. Its £2.5million (at current rates about $4million) cost has produced a 26 bedroom hotel with a pub/restaurant attached. Professionally designed, executed and managed it was able to employ expertise in both design and operation denied to most owner occupiers. Shibden Mill Inn is a conversion of love by owners who have steadily over years put heart and soul into creating a property that reflects design in its more domestic form, but where the passion for comfort, service and food provides the guest with an experience that the major operators struggle to emulate.
So is it good design? Is it worth a Review, if it is domestic? Well it isn’t domestic – it just lacks the panache that maybe (and it is a maybe) a professional designer would have given it. Too often a professional designer would have been employed on professional fees only to produce a result that would not have matched what the owners have created here. So why does this work? What made me want to write about it? The simple answer is that the operational philosophy has driven the design. Shibden Mill Inn is an evolution – unlike the Alma which was a major reconstruction. The true comparative for this might be the Manor House in Dronfield, but the smaller public spaces there have not allowed the kind of old fashioned sinking into luxury feel that has been arrived at here. In part the space has allowed the luxury, indeed is the main luxury. In part it is a triumph for local sourcing – not just of beers, but of food and of furniture. Some of it came via a close embrace of the local vernacular.
The public areas have struck a fine balance between the food and hotel operation and the very local feel to the bars, with the pub quiz a live feature (note – pub quizzes are ferociously competitive. I once was part of a team of 2 PhD ‘s and 2 Masters graduates which came a notable last in a pub quiz). Yet there is little encroachment one on the other, and the relative sizes seem well balanced – the dining obviously attracts a wide clientele from the area. The spaces are fluid, making both formal and informal dining areas that merge in the evening with no apparent dividers, and which enables the space to be relaxed for the award winning breakfasts in the morning – this pub boast an award from Visit England in 2011 for serving the Best English Breakfast,a ‘full English’, an accolade which will appeal to many readers I know.
Some famous London dining rooms with a reputation for their breakfasts (in part because of the scribes that dine there) would give their eye teeth to serve the home made black pudding served in Shibden Mill. Not that I write about food of course.
The eclectic mix of period furniture works within the half-timbered space, the blackened oak and white plasterwork set off here and there with strong wall colour washes, and strong upholstery colour. There are no modernist surprises here, just the re-emphasis of the traditional pub atmosphere in a very popular fine-dining setting. The eclectic styling gives visual interest, an ocular background noise like an echoing conversation so that the interior provides visual as well as other sensory comfort. The eleven bedrooms (one of which could be described as a suite) too are given up to sensory comfort. Their design treatment aims to keep the feel of the antique, with exposed beams and stonework, and an eclectic mix of furniture. Their sizes vary enormously, depending on which of the converted buildings they are in. All connect via meandering corridors with the restaurant and bar, although there is no need for guests to come and go via the bar or restaurant as there is a separate hotel entrance.
All the touchstones are here – free Wi-Fi, flat screen TV’s, good sized desks, bath tubs with shower over, although occasionally room has been found for a separate shower. All are away from the bar so quiet, and although they overlook the car park this is rural Yorkshire, not boy racer land, so sound intrusion is minimal. The rooms have obviously been done at different times and as the owners have gained confidence the design treatment has improved. However whilst I would change nothing over the treatment of the restaurant and bar, which both work operationally and are redolent of local traditions, the bedrooms lack the panache that characterises those at the Alma. Character charm works for them however, and the latest room, a suite with its own balconied external area is handled more boldly.
There is a widespread fear that designers are expensive to use, but not every hotelier is able to put together interiors that work. A good designer should be able to save his fee on many budgets by their knowledge of the discount structure in the contract market. Yes if you go to a designer ‘shoppe’ you may well pay full retail, but no good hotel design studio will turn down the opportunity to work on ten rooms and will work on a professional fee basis. Our Directory contains a list of professionals who provide such services and can be trusted to be honest and straight forward in their dealings. If in doubt do consult the Editor who will be happy to assist with advice and recommendation on a suitable designer for your property.
The latest rooms show the growing confidence here. The planning is good, and the treatment of the interior harks back to medieval finishes with stone walling and the use of a four poster bed. Spaces in a building of this age can be very difficult to handle with beams and posts appearing in seemingly irrational positions relating to their previous use. One room has a very high window and a roof light – it used to be a hayloft and store so had not openings in the wall suitable for windows lower down. The solution adopted works and the room is light and airy.
The Inn does not set out to be a style statement but a new rendition of a traditional comfortable Inn. In the public areas it transcends this in part by its exceptional food and focus on local produce, but also by its sympathetic treatment of the restaurant which succeeds in being separate from but very much a part of the bar. The bedrooms also work well. Even if bedrooms feel a little dated conceptually the same focus on guest comfort given to the public areas makes them a very competitive offering for someone looking for a place to stay with a little more character as well as an exceptional food offering at a price considerably less than a four star hotel would normally cost.
All this in an attractive location, quiet, sylvan. If you can find it…
Designers and Owners: Simon and Caitlin Heaton. From a Visit in August 2011
The owner lives on the other side of the bay, looking on to his hotel, or at least the Victorian seaside hotel that was there. When he saw the proposed plans for its replacement, he didn’t like it. Refusing to spend his evenings looking at something unsightly, he bought the site and had Cliff House Hotel built. Wouldn’t we all do the same?
The result is a beautifully located stylish new five star hotel with architecture that spills down the hillside and cliffs, belying its seven floors with a roof line the same as the surrounding villas. Its location places the hotel in close contact with the sea. I was there in calm weather and I would imagine during a storm with high seas it must provide a wonderful experience. In calm weather it is possible to follow the path through the gardens to stand on the rocks and if the weather is warm enough, to even go swimming off them.
The link with the sea is followed through by the layout of the building which gives all the rooms sea views, some with seating areas in windows or on balconies overlooking the water. From across the bay, where the owner lives, the hotel is discrete. Interestingly, just a little further around the bay in which Ardmore is situated is a group of mobile homes, apparently places where rich Dubliners bring their families for the summer, giving the hotel large groups of ‘ladies that lunch’ to fill its bistro and Michelin starred restaurant.
During my trip to Ireland I saw many hotels that were in trouble – indeed NAMA, the Irish national ‘bad bank’ has nearly 100 of Irelands 900 odd hotels on its books (see articles). In the rotten economic climate Irelands bankers contributed to, it is all the more remarkable that the Cliff House became profitable in its third year and now in its fourth year it is becoming even more successful.
Part of the hotel’s success is its emphasis on service and the food offering, something enabled by the architecture which includes a greenhouse for the cook as well as a small garden area. Ireland is predominantly an agricultural nation and this hotel, unlike many, makes maximum use of local sourcing of both the produce from the land and the sea. It has a Michelin star for its restaurant but judging by difficulty in securing a table there, its bistro offering is enormously popular too.
The bar bistro shares a large terrace with the restaurant running along the sea front of the hotel, which more than doubles the available seating in summer and looks across the bay. Below the restaurant terrace are the gardens which provide intimate little ‘secret’ seating areas, but also hold part of the Spa which is on the floor below, with both the whirlpool bath and the seaweed treatment baths sitting out on their own terraces. Internally the bistro mixes formality and informality well. There is a comfortable seating area in front of an open fire and bar stools to the bar as well as more formal dining. Dining tables look out through the windows that fill one wall floor to ceiling maximising the view again.
The planning ensures that the kitchen and wine cellar service both the main restaurant and the bistro. The placing of all the service areas, delivery points and other non-guest areas on the rear, inland, side of the hotel ensures that guests enjoy continuous uninterrupted views of the sea from virtually everywhere they go in the hotel. It also preserves the striking architectural area that follows the cliff face down to the sea entirely for guests. The site planning has been meticulous and has served both hotelier and guest well.
Entering the hotel the guest is presented with a view to the sea immediately, looking right through the reception area. The reception area is part of a large atrium space which reaches from the top of the hotel to the restaurant floor, over three floors. On the top floor it forms a guest library lounge giving access to bedroom corridor. Here the lounges of suites are on the rear of the hotel but the suites all are over two floors with balconies off the bedrooms providing space for loungers and private dining as well as spectacular views.
The hotel interiors were done largely by the owners and they have amassed the largest collection of colonial campaign furniture in Ireland which are used as feature pieces throughout the hotel. However, it is the architecture and layout that are the strengths of the interiors. Colour is used cleverly throughout and reinforces the sense of movement through space, such as in the changing hues on the stair carpets, but always it is the views, changing light and sense of contact with the ocean that dominates. The duplex suites are a clever use of the space at the rear of the reception floor, making the guestroom lounges quiet to the rear and keeping the bedrooms with the views, adding deep terraces where dining and sun lounging in privacy are enabled.
The beds are positioned so that the view is seen easily through the large balcony access windows and the bathroom puts the shower in the window too, whilst bathrooms throughout deliver both shower and soaking tubs. The resulting glass walls flood the bathroom with light. This is the case with the glass wall in the bedroom too, but the blackout is effective at night. Rooms in the duplex are large and have their own dining and lounge areas. The campaign furniture works well in these, and specially commissioned artwork graces their internal staircases.
Interestingly the hotel has gone back to brass keys on large key fobs as they found the €8 cost of replacing the smart cards used in the electronic proximity locking system prohibitive as many guests still erroneously believe the cards encode personal details and take them away with them. The weight and presence of the brass keys leads to them being returned rather than remaining secreted in purses or wallets.
In the standard bedrooms there is variety of room layout and colour and all deliver a good sized desk (with free Wi-Fi of course), bay window with window seat or a fireplace, where on rainy days (and there are many in Ireland) guests can enjoy the views or relax without the temptations of the superb gourmet food experience the hotel offers. With all the bedrooms on the seaward side of the hotel, all guests are guaranteed a sea view. I was there in the summer, but a part of me wanted to stay during an Atlantic winter storm as the position of the hotel on the cliff edge must make this a spectacular experience for a guest – with the reassurance and comfort of Michelin food and wines and open fires in the public areas! The appeal of this hotel must, in part, be down to the ability to be on the large terraces in the sunshine and fresh air, but to retreat into comfortable internal spaces with all the cosseting by staff and service within seconds. This warm, encompassing, physical comfort is also a hallmark of the spa and leisure areas.
The entrance to the Spa and its reception are at the bottom of the spiral staircase that runs throughout the atrium. Here the space is internal, creating the initial calm controlled environment that every spa wants to exude on entry. From there it leads to the leisure and spa treatment areas. The design of these areas then maximises the views of the ocean. Treadmills look out through picture windows to the sea. Similarly the pool has one end of glass to give clear views of the ocean. Treatment rooms, which need no daylight, are positioned to leave corridors with the views and the relaxation zone gives the couches different heights to view the ocean. Only here are there problems, with changing floor levels creating trip points marked out by hi-vis tape, a jarring note in an otherwise harmonious set of interiors.
As with the restaurants and bedrooms, the spa and leisure areas spill out onto the terraces with the spa pool and some treatment areas being places on sun-trap terraces. Despite their locations below most of the hotel it is surprising how private many of these areas are. Running below them all is the path through the gardens, again with secretive little areas for taking in the sun and views.
The hotel makes magnificent use of its location. The architectural layout has maximised the relationship with the sea. Location is more than just a seaside hotel in this instance, as Ardmore is a place of pilgrimage, being closely linked with the history of Christianity in Ireland. Within a few hundred metres are some of the earliest Christian sites, making the hotel visibility in the village a critical factor in how the architecture has been treated. Whilst visible from the water, the a fact that most of the site tumbles down the cliff means it has a low profile visually and a low roof line that all relate to the village cottages.
Communities are sensitive to large scale hotel developments which can sometime despoil a community. Here the 39 bedroom hotel has brought employment to the village and enhanced it as a destination, without being destructive visually. Maybe more hotels would benefit from the owner living with it in the vista from their houses…
Business leaders, golfers, hospitality experts and media from across Southeast Asia converged on the coastal retreat of Lang Co from September 22-23, to mark Angsana Properties Lang Co’s official unveiling of the property sales launch at Laguna Lang Co.
Developed and managed by the Banyan Tree Group, Laguna Lang Co will, upon completion, be the first fully and legitimately integrated resort in Vietnam. It will also be the largest, with 2000 hotel keys under the management of seven international branded hotel and resort operators, award-winning spas, a championship golf course, resort residences, convention facilities and a town center replete with retail and recreational facilities.
September’s event featured and spotlighted two specific components of the Laguna Lang Co formula:
• Launch of Angsana Properties beachfront resort investment property; and • Design of the much anticipated resort golf course, whose architect, Sir Nick Faldo, personally delivered a progress report along with thoughts on golf development in Vietnam and across Southeast Asia.
“The gathering in September and, indeed, the entire development here at Laguna Lang Co, is centered around the concept of convergence,” said Michael Ayling, Managing Director, Laguna Resorts & Hotels.
“Laguna Lang Co itself is a convergence of components that together, in a single place, comprise a fully integrated resort: five-star hotels, luxury villas for purchase, retail galleries and recreational amenities like golf, the marina and this beautiful stretch of beach. This is the formula that proved so successful at our flagship development, Laguna Phuket.
“At Lang Co, however, we see the convergence of additional harmonious factors. This location on the East Sea is stunning, and this part of Vietnam is so culturally rich — a former seaside retreat for kings of the Nguyen Dynasty, with UNESCO world heritage sites to the north and south… We are so remote here, hemmed in by the sea on one side and coastal mountains on the other, yet we are just an hour from airports in Hue and Danang. Finally, all across the resort — in its décor and architecture — we have facilitated the convergence of Angsana-style contemporary chic with Vietnamese aesthetic sensibilities that stretch back centuries.
“We are certain that all these factors will, upon completion, combine to make Laguna Lang Co quite irresistible, as a destination and an investment opportunity.”
Designed by Architrave Design & Planning — the award-winning and celebrated design arm of the Banyan Tree Group that is responsible for the architecture and design of all properties under the Group, including Angsana Properties — the villas at Laguna Lang Co embody what you’d expect from the region’s most canny developers of resort properties: an architectural blending of east and west, a convergence of the modern and time-honored that provides luxury and comfort in the here and now — and equity value down the road.
Ayling explained that villa buyers at Laguna Lang Co are entitled to membership in the Angsana Properties Owners Club, wherein members can book stays at other Angsana Properties locations around the world. They can choose to receive a 6% fixed return for six years or opt for a share of the actual room revenue. When owners are offsite, Ayling added, purchased properties can be included in the hotel inventory, where Angsana management takes care of the investment.
While property sales were launched during the September 22-23 event, the resort hotel and golf course are scheduled for grand openings in 2012. Faldo, for his part, made his September visit primarily a working one. He spent most of his time in the field, making sure his design is being built precisely according to plan. With six major championships and numerous award-winning course designs in his portfolio, he appreciates what is taking shape in Lang Co.
“We have been given this unique setting, replete with natural dramatic features,” said Faldo. “It is a gift to have such diversity in trees, sand dunes, rice-paddies, rock formations and a stunning coastline as a framework for a strategic golf course layout.”
“We have always believed that Vietnam holds the greatest potential of replicating the success of our flagship Laguna Phuket destination resort within Asia,” said Banyan Tree’s Executive Chairman, Ho Kwon Ping.
“Central Vietnam, with its unique blend of history and heritage, is a destination like no other in the region. We are confident it has the potential to flourish as an international luxury-tourist destination. This first foray into the Indochina region is a significant milestone for Banyan Tree, and we are delighted to share this momentous occasion with our valuable partners who have helped to make Laguna Lang Co a reality.”
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts is pleased to announce the grand opening of The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort, the eagerly anticipated crown jewel along Yalong Bay, China’s premiere resort destination on Hainan Island. As South China’s first St. Regis Resort, The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort will define a new standard of exceptional luxury, contemporary sophistication and bespoke services for visitors to Hainan.
Located on one of the most coveted and beautiful stretches of coastline on Yalong Bay, The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort offers 373 exquisitely designed guest rooms and suites, and 28 oversized and sumptuously appointed beachside villas. The resort’s contemporary architecture is inspired by the concept of two intertwined dragons, reflected as undulating waves which are incorporated in all of the resort’s structural elements. The St. Regis offers three signature epicurean experiences and a sophisticated lounge which are certain to become island destinations of their own. In addition, The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort is introducing the South China region’s first Iridium Spa, a lavish five-star sanctuary of wellbeing.
Exceptional Accommodations The guestrooms and villas at the St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay are designed as “guest quarters by the sea,” – sophisticated, relaxing, and sumptuously appointed with deluxe amenities, including high thread-count linens, plush bath towels and St. Regis signature bath accessories. In addition, each room is equipped with state-of-the-art modern conveniences, such as HD plasma cable televisions, computer and iPod charging stations, and WiFi access.
A New Culinary Scene for Hainan The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort offers a world of epicurean experiences, with three distinct restaurants that are certain to become the elite culinary destinations on Hainan. Social offers all-day dining with a wide selection of international cuisine that offers something for every palate. Located on the beach, Driftwood serves up freshly-caught local seafood accompanied by unrivalled views of Yalong Bay. Ming Xuan features sophisticated, modern Cantonese and Sichuanese dishes amidst a spacious, glamorous setting. Before or after dinner, Decanter offers fine wines from the world’s most celebrated vineyards and private rooms for tastings or dinners. Finally, the Drawing Room Lounge and Bar is a rare haven of refined luxury in which guests are welcome to enjoy the enduring St. Regis tradition of Afternoon Tea or the new signature Sanya Mary cocktail.
South China Region’s First Iridium Spa In addition, the St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort will introduce the South China region’s first Iridium Spa, which will become a destination of its own for visitors to Sanya. Born from the DNA of the prestigious St. Regis brand, Iridium Spa, with three locations around the world, is setting a new five-star standard for spa luxury. Building on a legacy that dates back to the original Iridium Room at the St. Regis New York, the resort’s Iridium Spa articulates the same distinctive elegance, delivering customized experiences that combine signature St. Regis five-star pampering with traditional Chinese treatments and ingredients.
The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort has recently also been honored with the Annual Hotel Award for Most Anticipated New Opening by the respected 2011 Asia Hotel Forum (AHF) Awards. The AHF Awards represent the hotel industry’s international awards of excellence across various categories, all carefully and justly chosen by a jury of esteemed hospitality professionals. The outstanding enterprises selected are thus recognized as recipients of the International Hotel Investment Awards.
Drayton Manor Theme Park’s new hotel has now been confirmed as a 4-star hotel by Visit England, the UK’s national tourist board.The Drayton Manor Hotel successfully achieved the rating after a thorough inspection by an independent professional assessor.
Martin Wright, General Manager of the hotel, said: “This is terrific news. Having this star rating means that guests will know the quality and services they can expect when they book a stay with us.
“Visit England’s star ratings are determined by the type of services and facilities a hotel provides, as well as things like cleanliness, hospitality, standard of bedroomsand bathrooms, and the quality of the food.”
The Drayton Manor Hotel has 150 rooms, all of which have Wi-Fi access, air-conditioning, an en-suite bathroom and LCD TVs as standard. Each room has a stylish, contemporary interior, complete with a unique framed photograph of one of the theme park’s rides. Guests can choose from a range of rooms, including standard, family, interconnecting, executive and deluxe rooms, as well as three presidential rooms
But the hotel’s unique appeal is its 11 Thomas & Friends™ themed family rooms. Each room has a hand-painted scene on the wall and ceiling, depicting a different character from the Thomas & Friends series. There are also themed bunk beds and train track patterned carpets in the corridors leading to each room.
In addition, the hotel features two restaurants, Parklands Brasserie and Parklands Restaurant, and two bars, Parklands Bar and the Carousel Bar.
The Drayton Manor Hotel, which opened in August, was inspected by independent professional assessors on Monday 21st November.
To accompany the press release that the Drayton Manor Hotel has recently been accredited with a 4-star rating, Hillswood Furniture announce that they supplied all the bedroom tub chairs and tables which can also be seen on the Hotel’s website picture gallery. The GT300 chair was specified by John Pass Associates for all the Drayton Bedrooms and the tables were created with polished aluminium bases for its light properties as they would be moved around according to the bedroom layout. Steel or chrome table bases would have been too heavy for this project but the aluminium complements the style of the room and still provides a durable piece of furniture.
Choice Hotels International, Inc. has announced the first Cambria Suites hotel planned for Washington, D.C. and Houston, Texas. The D.C. project is a joint venture between Choice Hotels, Concord Hospitality and Roadside Development. The 182-room Cambria Suites hotel will be part of CityMarket at O, a $300 million mixed-use development, located by the D.C. Convention Center in downtown Washington, D.C. near Gallery Place, the hub of the city’s entertainment district. CityMarket at O is a one million-square foot urban infill project being developed by Roadside Development. Major construction on the over 87,000 square feet of retail, 629 residential units, 500 parking spaces and Cambria Suites hotel is set to commence in the fall of 2011.
This Cambria Suites hotel will offer all-suite guestrooms, an expanded food and beverage area and a rooftop featuring a pool, fitness center and an outdoor patio with views of the U.S. Capitol and the National Monuments. Designed as a lifestyle hotel brand, Cambria Suites offers more than just a place to sleep at night. It features a larger lobby to give guests a more social atmosphere, all-suite rooms that are larger than standard hotel rooms and include separate living, working and sleeping space, providing business and leisure travelers a haven to relax, socialize and network. There are currently 19 properties open across the country.
Like all Cambria Suites hotels, the D.C. property will feature: Reflect, a casual dining and gathering area serving a dinner menu, liquor, wine, beer, freshly prepared grab-and-go gourmet salads and sandwiches, a barista bar featuring Wolfgang Puck® coffee, Cheesecake Factory® desserts and a hot breakfast buffet; Refresh, a state-of-the-art fitness center with an elegant pool and hot tub/spa area; and Refill, a 24-7 convenience store that offers energy drinks, snacks and sundries.
The Wandsworth Group has launched a complete, co-ordinated hotel sector offer from KNX and wiring accessories specialist Jung.Jung’s exclusive UK distributor, The Wandsworth Group can now offer an integrated suite of KNX building control systems tailored specifically for the hotel market to provide seamless lighting, temperature, audio-visual and blind controls. The result is a hotel environment that offers both wow factor and enhanced comfort for the guest, while reducing energy consumption and costs for the hotel operator. Individual room control panels can be clearly labelled with international symbols and lit with LEDs, with centralised control of integrated services in simple to operate two- or four-gang units. KNX room controllers can be installed to control and display individual elements such as room temperature, blinds and music, allowing guests to customise their room environment to suit their own tastes.
While each guest can control the settings for the KNX system in their own room, the user-friendly hotel systems have also been designed to allow the hotel management team control, monitoring and visualisation of all integrated controls for all hotel rooms, public areas and back of house. Jung Facility Pilot software enables all of this functionality on a single PC or touch screen unit allowing the front of house team to set the ideal temperature for a room before guests arrive, for example, or switch off all lighting and air conditioning to save energy after guests have checked out.
The functionality of the range’s KNX control systems is matched by the stylish design of its wiring accessories range, which includes a variety of switches and sockets for all international socket systems to enable hotel groups to adopt a unified look across their entire portfolio. The range includes both recessed and surface mounted designs and sockets and switches can be co-ordinated with ISDN and DSL units, Schuko hinged lidded sockets for safe use in bathrooms, a wall mounted FM radio and temperature controls also compliment the range.
The Wandsworth Group can also supply a range of safety and security products to co-ordinate with the range including card-key units, an over-sized rocker door access switch, control units for automatic door systems and do not disturb indicator panels.
Comments Gordon Fry, KNX technical specialist, at The Wandsworth Group, “Controllability of the hotel environment is important both to the guests and the hotel operators and our new KNX systems offer this in a very simple to operate format that enhances guest comfort and provides the hotel operator with management and energy efficiency benefits. A coherent interior design style that can be co-ordinated across the hotel and rolled out around the world is also an important trend and this range offers six different design options and a host of colours and finishes to ensure a quality finish for any style-conscious hotel.”
Raoul’s Hammersmith is the latest restaurant & deli to be opened by owner and founder Geraldine Leventis. This is the third restaurant in the group following on from the original Raoul’s in Maida Vale and a second in Notting Hill. It is testament to the hard work and commitment of Geraldine, Executive Chef Ziad Jaber and a dedicated and enthusiastic team of individuals vital to the ever thriving Raoul’s.The interior design was by Project Orange, their latest collaboration with the client. The deli is a glamorous room with striking Herringbone marble floors, black-mirrored walls juxtaposed with natural oak and marble surfaces.
The room is illuminated by six Disco Gloss double pendants supplied by Andy Thornton. These adjustable light fittings are suspended from versatile telescopic rods and combine black and chrome metalwork with acrylic gold drum shades.
The complete Disco Gloss collection comprises of the double pendant, plus a single pendant, semi-flush pendant, wall light and table lamp.
You can view the full range of Andy Thornton lighting at www.andythornton.com/products/lighting or talk to a member of their sales team on 01422 376000.
The innovative Devon based mattress maker Naturalmat, joined forces with like-minded businesses including Craster, Another Country, Studiotex, All Square and Axminster Carpets to launch their luxury hotel mattress range in the Naturalmat Green Room. The Naturalmat Green Room exhibited at this year’s Sleep Event, which took place on 23 and 24 November at the London Business Design Centre. The Naturalmat Green Room demonstrated why Naturalmat and its partners are the best producers of the fully sustainable hotel bedroom. The room was manufactured from natural and sustainable materials and provoked the visitor to understand how an eco, healthy and luxurious sleeping environment can be created.
Naturalmat understand that today more and more hoteliers are concerned about their environmental impact, reducing carbon emissions and the amount of waste they send to landfills. Naturalmat have caught the eye of several big names in the hotel industry that have clear green objectives in mind, including Marriott who were ranked number nine in the Sunday Times Best Green Companies in Britain List 2011. The contents of the Naturalmat Green Room showed how an environmentally friendly yet lavish hotel room can be created and is sure to grab the attention of further eco conscious hoteliers at the Sleep Event 2011.
The Naturalmat Green Room contained FSC certified bedroom furniture from Craster and Another Country, lighting from LED specialists All Square and carbon neutral carpet from Axminster Carpets, it also showcased an exciting new EchoPanel wall covering from Studiotex that was made entirely from recycled plastic bottles, demonstrating how quality textiles can remain committed to high levels of environmental performance.
Naturalmat Hotel is taking the hotel industry by storm and offers a more sustainable and environmentally responsible alternative to poor quality synthetic mattresses. Naturalmat are pioneers in natural fibre technology and have developed the perfect natural sleeping environment from creative new raw materials such as Soil Association organic lambswool, which is anti-dust mite, anti-mosquito and anti-moth through a natural treatment using extracts of lemon, eucalyptus and lavender; and unbleached cotton mattress covers which are guaranteed anti-bed bug through 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 Hotel mattress are mohair, cashmere, horsetail hair and bamboo from environmentally conscious sources and all biodegradable that combine to create a truly green products made by a great British company.
Naturalmat mattresses provide superb comfort that is long lasting, hence why numerous hoteliers have called upon them recently. This year Naturalmat successfully won the contract to manufacture all 686 mattresses for Yotel New York City, all mattresses for the recent opening of Z Hotel Soho and Naturalmat have worked with other high profile clients in the past including The Connaught, Claridges and several boutique hotels.
’The single most important thing in any hotel room is the bed, and what makes a great bed is a great mattress. The perfect mattress is one that is extremely comfortable, sumptuously supportive, long lasting and consistently good. It is the mattress that will give the hotel guest the definitive ‘wow’ factor. A well made mattress will have high quality natural fillings, be robustly made by hand and offer excellent support, breathability, ventilation and insulation, and ideally offer hypo allergenic benefits as well. The very best mattresses will be all this, manufactured from fully sustainable raw materials, organically sourced where possible and produced by environmentally conscious companies,’ says Peter Tindall, Naturalmat Company Director.
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