Holiday Inn Leicester has been significantly transformed with a contemporary new look thanks to a £500,000 investment.The hotel – the first ever Holiday Inn to open in the UK has been completely repainted and remodelled, ahead of its 40th anniversary next year.
General Manager at the hotel, Michael Lyons, said: “Following our refresh the hotel now boasts a glistening exterior and the island we’re located on has been beautifully landscaped to reflect the hotel’s modern and welcoming positioning.”
“I hope our investment will benefit the local community and encourage locals to come and visit us. We have a fantastic Vermont restaurant and Spirit Health Club which includes an impressive swimming pool.”
Earlier this year the hotel underwent an extensive rebrand with a fresh new look. Most visible is the new contemporary logo which can be seen outside the hotel. Inside stylish new design touches, crisp white linen and a menu where guests can choose from a selection of soft and firm bedroom pillows has been added.
Every little touch has been designed to ensure guests feel welcome and enjoy their stay. Other changes include new music and even a signature scent in the lobby.
The whole team at the hotel has also been through a bespoke training programme called Stay Real, ensuring they are fully in tune with guests’ needs.
The rebrand also included new staff uniforms and enhancements to the main function room.
Marriott International, Inc. has reached an important milestone in the creation of a platform for multi-unit hotel growth in Brazil with the announcement of a preferred partnership with PDG Realty for the development of 50 Fairfield by Marriott hotels throughout Brazil.The hotels in this partnership will be constructed with environmentally friendly design for greater energy efficiency. Additionally, Marriott and PDG Realty have agreed to make financial contributions for each hotel constructed to support Amazon rain forest preservation through the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation (FAS).
The companies have identified the potential to develop 50 Fairfield hotels in Brazil. Each new hotel will be built with a focus on saving energy and minimizing its impact on the environment. Fairfield is Marriott’s leading brand in the moderately priced lodging segment and the eighth brand in the company’s lodging portfolio to be developed outside the U.S.
In addition to hosting two major sports events over the next six years, Brazil represents the Americas’ largest growth market, fueled by the rising domestic traveler. This transaction reflects Marriott’s continued commitment to sustainable global growth with a local focus.
PDG Realty merged with Agre in May of this year, resulting in a combined publicly traded company with a market value of approximately R$ 12 billion Reals ($USD 7B), and now the largest real estate development company in Brazil. PDG’s headquarters is located in Rio de Janeiro and Agre’s is in São Paulo and, combined, they have the broadest national footprint with 2,000 employees in 18 offices throughout Brazil. Their land banks have a potential to generate a total sales of R$ 31 billion in real estate value.
With the addition of these new Fairfield hotels, Marriott’s global portfolio will range from luxury to moderate segment. Already, the company’s worldwide pipeline of hotels under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development totals nearly 95,000 rooms.
One of the largest listed hotel companies in Hong Kong and newly listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, Kosmopolito Hotels International Limited (KHI) have announced the launch of Yue @ Century Park, Shanghai. The design-led hotel is the first in the Boutique Series by Kosmopolito in China. Other hotels in the Boutique Series include award-winning Lan Kwai Fong @ KauU Fong, Central Park, and Cosmo Hong Kong. Hotels under the Boutique Series by Kosmopolito are experiential with design elements weaved into creative features to enchant guests.KHI owns, develops and operates 22 hotels with close to 7,000 rooms across Asia. Of these, 15 are operating hotels and seven are under development. It currently has two hotels in Shanghai and Wuhan and two more are to open in Zhongshan and Chengdu. Among the hotels that KHI owns, manages and operates is the Cosmopolitan Hotel, which was formerly the landmark building that housed Xin Hua News Agency in Hong Kong. Apart from Boutique Series by Kosmopolito, KHI owns and manages three more hotel brands — upscale Hotel Kosmopolito, mid-scale business hotel Dorsett Regency and good value hotel Silka. The Group aims to launch them in China, targeting gateway and second-tier cities.
Yue @ Century Park has 264 well-appointed and spacious guestrooms and suites, ranging from 35 to 188 square metres, with breathtaking cityscape and surrounding views of Century Park. These rooms are ultra-contemporary in design with clean lines and soft hues, accentuated with glass decors in vivid colours, complemented with stylish and elegant furnishings and luxurious amenities. Rooms will also have high-speed and wireless internet access and iPod dock.
The main feature in its Park View rooms is the floral-etched mirror, beautifully and delicately designed adding to the chic and charm of the room. Backlit embossed colour glass accents add splashes of cheer to the white interiors and these vary from green, red, blue, orange or purple, depending on the floor that the room is located. Linear patterned carpets further provide a delightful contrast to the room’s decor. Guests staying in these rooms have bay windows and balconies looking out towards the panoramic view of Century Park’s greenery and vast lake.
The Loft Suite is designed in a contemporary style with an emphasis on the play of accent colours of the furnishings in pleasing neutrals of white, cream and beige. Floor to ceiling windows ensure that the room is filled with natural light. The classy stairs lead up from the living area to the bedroom on the mezzanine level. A modern rendition of a traditional Chinese mask adorns the feature wall, from the ground to the mezzanine level of the suite, creating a striking note to the suite’s modern decor. Guests staying in Loft Suites can enjoy Club Floor benefits such as the use of the Club Lounge, free internet access and whole-day refreshments at the Lounge.
For culinary delights, guests can indulge in dining pleasures at Gusto on the Green Restaurant that offers east and west-influenced delicacies, renowned Xin Guang Restaurant that serves its famous Shanghainese hairy crabs, enjoy refreshments at Breeze Cafe and the cosy Lobby Lounge, or unwind at the oriental-styled Feng Shui Bar after a hectic day. To stay fit, guests can keep in shape using the state-of-the-art exercise equipment at the hotel’s Health Club. The hotel has a Business Centre and two function rooms — the Magnolia Room and the Bauhinia Room — to cater to corporate or social events.
Conveniently located in the heart of Pudong in Shanghai, the hotel is situated in front of Century Park, Shanghai’s largest city park, and within easy access to the city’s Lujiazui Financial & Trade Zone via the metro station located next to it. It is a 7-minute ride on the Maglev high-speed train to reach Pudong International Airport from the nearby Maglev station.
The Rezidor Hotel Group has taken over the management of the existing Hotel Rezydent in Sopot, Poland on 1st December 2010. The property featuring 64 rooms is under common ownership with the nearby Radisson Blu Hotel, Gdansk, and will keep its former name. “We are delighted to welcome Hotel Rezydent to our family. The property which originally opened in 2001 is in a very good condition – a further renovation will even improve its services and performance”, said Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of Rezidor.
Besides 64 guest rooms, Hotel Rezydent offers an all-day-dining restaurant, 1 meeting room and a small spa. It is located within walking distance of the beach: Sopot is a popular seaside resort destination and features a nice selection of Art-Nouveau buildings, many of which were built during the pre-war era when Sopot was a fashionable German resort. Today, in addition to beaches, the city includes a lovely boardwalk, numerous museums, and Europe’s longest wooden pier which stretches over 500 meters into the Baltic Sea.
Poland is one of Rezidor’s key development markets in Eastern Europe, where both of the company’s core brands Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson enjoy an excellent reputation. The group’s portfolio across the country currently comprises 8 hotels with a total of 1,594 rooms in operation and under development.
AVE’s Hotel Domina lighting controls (available through FW Lighting) were chosen for the extensive remodeling of a former US military naval base in Sardinia. The 96 bedroom “La Maddalenda Hotel and Yacht club” underwent extensive remodeling and has been transformed into a fabulous 5*hotel in the beautiful Costa Smeralda.As a leader in automation, AVE’s creative design team continues to bring new and innovative ideas to the hotel and home automation sector. For over 100 years AVE have been manufacturing lighting controls, and it has always been their guiding principle to incorporate the latest advancements in technology and materials into their products.
With its advances in design and flexibility, Domina Hotel marks itself out as one of the most important developments in hotel industry standards this century. Using cutting-edge solutions, AVE has created a hotel management system that fully meets the needs of small independents to large multinational hotel chains.
A complete hotel management system, Domina Hotel provides everything from the consumer unit to lighting control, data and power sockets and, temperature control. Their door entry system incorporates future proof 125Khz Mifare security technology for optimum protection.
Fully networked, Domina provides an interface to the reception desk using PC Server, LAN, and the Web allowing total control from one point. AVE can also monitor and apply the latest software updates directly from their production facility in Italy to any hotel in the World, ensuring your system is updated with the latest software updates and safety protocols.
The Domina Hotel system can be used with Life 44 and Touch ranges of crystal glass and Zamak front plate, and surrounds.
Touch and Life 44 crystal are fully customisable, enforcing brand awareness on a subconscious level by allowing the personalisation of front plates with corporate branding or pictograms. Front plates can also be supplied in corporate colours, so further enforcing the values associated with your chosen hotel brand.
For more information on AVE Domina Hotel please click on the PDF, or for more products from FW Lighting please visit our website: www.fw-lighting.com.
On Thursday 25th November the North West Society of Chartered Accountants Annual Business Awards were held at Stanley House Hotel in Blackburn. Porter Mathews and Marsden nominated Panaz in the Innovation Award category for the NWSCA Accountancy & Business Awards 2010, sponsored by Uclan.
After completion of our formal application, Carmel Satterwaite, Head of Healthcare Sector Sales made a presentation of new technical healthcare product to a panel of judges referring to specific judging criteria.
The Award recognises a business or organisation that has really pushed the boundaries of how they operate, either through developing new products or services, finding ways of delivering existing products or services, or identifying new ways of operation.
Finalists were:
C-MAC Partnership Limited Line Mark UK Limited Panaz Limited SHP Limited
Situated on the prestigious Königsallee – the “Kö“ – the InterContinental Düsseldorf offers five- star-superior-standard. André Behncke, whose signature work includes the interior of renowned addresses such as the InterContinental Resort Berchtesgaden and the Schlosshotel Elmau, has referred to the generous boulevard lined with sycamores both thematically and in colour. Thus André Behncke mirrors the colour red in the restaurant.The two oval, wine-red ceiling lamps by Baulmann support the staged atmosphere significantly. The highlight of the lavish lobby is the four metre high lamp, which André Behncke designed specifically for the hotel and Baulmann was able to realise. In the form of an oversized mobile this light sculpture with eight luminaires in the hotel lobby is an impressive eye catcher, defining the 15 metre high lobby from the bottom up, whilst providing perfect lighting at the same time. This light creation was inspired by the mobiles of the US-American sculptor Alexander Calder (1898-1976), who is famous for being the primary representative of mobiles.
W® Hotels Worldwide celebrates the opening of W Austin and The Residences at W Austin, the brands 38th hotel globally. Owned and developed by Stratus Properties and the Canyon-Johnson Urban Fund II, W Austin is located in the heart of Austin’s 2nd Street District, connected to a 3,000 person capacity music and performance venue ACL Live at The Moody Theater that will also serve as the new home of the iconic Austin City Limits television show. In this casually cosmopolitan city where the unconventional is enthusiastically embraced, evidenced by the city’s unofficial slogan ‘Keep Austin Weird’, Austin is a perfect fit for the W brand. Locals, guests and residents will find a new beat at W Austin through its innovative design concept, Remix, developed by Andersson-Wise Architects and emerging designer Heather Plimmer of Stratus Properties.
Design Remixed
Indoor luxury meets outdoor inspiration in W Austins vibrant, cutting-edge design, courtesy of Arthur Andersson and Heather Plimmer, whose partnership led to a playful juxtaposition of masculine and feminine throughout the space. Dark metallic tones are met with pops of vibrant reds, blues and layered fabrics, and the influence of Austin artists are prominent and prevalent. Surprises abound, from a guitar strap design around each bathroom mirror, to lacquer in the AWAY® Spa that feels more lounge than leisure.
The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club introduces its 10th Club location in one of the country’s most sought-after ski destinations, Vail, Colo. The Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton Club, Vail are now welcoming Members to the newest club property at the base of Vail Mountain in LionsHead Village and neighboring the banks of Gore Creek. Featuring Vail’s traditional Bavarian-style architecture hailing from ski resorts in Europe, The Ritz-Carlton Club, Vail offers beautifully appointed two-, three- and four-bedroom Club residences.Co-located with The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Vail, this spectacular property will afford Members all the comforts of a vacation home coupled with the legendary, personalized services and amenities of The Ritz-Carlton. Such luxuries include the following: a dedicated concierge staff, including a ski valet and ski nanny; a fitness facility with a movement studio; Ritz-Carlton spa services and treatment rooms; Ritz Kids program; a great room with a fireplace and bar; a library; an outdoor heated pool and whirlpool spa; a fire pit and a heated underground garage with valet parking.
With an annual average of 350 inches of powder, more than 5,200 skiable acres, expansive back bowls and 15 miles of recreation paths, Vail has something for every member of the family including tubing, ski biking and ice skating. The new Ritz-Carlton Club, Vail is located within walking distance to the world famous shopping and dining of LionsHead including the Arrabelle at Vail Square, and will eventually become part of the proposed pedestrian village named Ever Vail, the largest green and LEED-certified, multi-use resort project in the country.
The Ritz-Carlton Club, Vail residences will incorporate spacious floor plans ranging from approximately 1,300 to 2,874 square feet. Club residences provide magnificent views of Vail Mountain, fully-equipped kitchens with the finest appliances and marble-slab counters, beautifully-appointed room finishes inspired by a contemporary interpretation of Alpine-style architecture, fireplaces, coffered ceilings, hardwood flooring in living areas, high-speed Internet and twice-daily housekeeping.
Club Members benefit from an exceptional level of service as they are paired with their very own member experience manager who serves as their primary travel liaison. The member experience concierge coordinates everything from airport pick-up and pre-arrival provisioning of the residence, to unpacking and pressing pre-sent garments and arranging a complete vacation itinerary.
As HotelDesigns enters its tenth year online it continues to build its archives and useful information for designers. In the last ten years there have been visits to over 200 hotels with still and video cameras in hand, to show the influence of the specialist hotel design profession on hospitality.We add breaking news to the area that is not available in the public area of the site including development news from hotels chains.New starts, hotels planned etc. are all feathured here In the process we have gathered to gether a host of things of interest to specialist hotel designers.All are in our fully searchable archives, and much is being distilled in images and a series set up as a Guide to Hotel Design.
The DesignClub not only has a growing searchable collection of interior photographs of hotels (some 17,000 interior photographs) but also 1,500 images of the town and cities they are in, including (for example) over 200 images of New York in 1976, Bicentennial Year.
Membership allows access to the Gallery of these images where all can be downloaded full size for personal use. Images cover brands such as Hilton, Kimpton, Intercontinental, Rezidor, Starwood, Accor, Louvre Group, Rocco Forte Hotels, Vienna International, Seymours, Shire Hotels, One&Only, Red Carnation, McGraw Collection and many more from 27 countries on 4 continents,
The Downloads area carries useful information such as guides for Fabric specification, the branding guides from some of the chain hotel groups,a guide to copyright,lighting specs and so on.
There is an Ask the Experts area where suppliers and other DesignClub members will try to answer your questions and problems solve with you.
With profiles of companies and designers, this is an area that is slowly but steadily growing into one of the webs important resources for designers. Many items of news are archived and only available to DesignClub members and exclusive access is possible to the Guide To Hotel Design, a ‘part work’ building week by week into a comprehensive look at what is involved in the interior design of hotels.
A full year membership costs about $50/£35 and makes the perfect last minute gift for a Designer or Client
Adina Apartment Hotels has announced the launch of its latest property to open in Germany, the Adina Apartment Hotel Michel, Hamburg, which opened on 1st December with 128 apartments.Named after its close proximity to Hamburg’s landmark St Michaelis (‘Michel’) Church, and offering wonderful views over Hamburg’s harbour and downtown – also the city’s commercial hub – this latest addition to the Adina portfolio offers apartment living with hotel service, including a wellness area and pool, conference rooms and a bar/restaurant.
The Adina Apartment Hotel Michel, Hamburg embraces the homely comforts synonymous with the Adina brand, such as separate lounge and sleeping areas and fully equipped kitchens and laundries (in the one and two bedroom apartments) as well as stylish and contemporary décor.
Adina has a further property under construction in Germany; the Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin Hackschermarkt, which is due to open in February 2011 with 145 apartments. This will bring the number of Adina hotels in Germany to five, with further hotels in Copenhagen and Budapest.
Adina’s Director for Europe, Andrew Hunter, said: “Adina is becoming known as the leading upmarket apartment hotel brand in Germany. Our Frankfurt hotel opened just one year ago and has given us excellent exposure to many national corporate clients who until now have been unfamiliar with the product. Hamburg is a wonderful travel destination and we’ve seen an immediate success within both the corporate and leisure travel sectors.”
With a committed investment in excess of €180m in Europe, Adina plans to continue investment into Germany as well as entering the UK and other core European markets such as France and Spain in the future. For investors, Adina believes its attraction lies in its proven ability to maximise performance through efficiency and operate with lower volatility compared to traditional hotels – smoothing out income fluctuation through seasonal and economic cycles.
Hunter concludes: “After just one year the Adina Apartment Hotel Frankfurt is reporting higher RevPAR than the five star hotel market average. By the time we open our next apartment hotel at Hackschermarkt in Berlin, we will have more than 650 rooms in Germany and will be the biggest upmarket apartment hotel operator in the country. ”
Adina is part of the Toga Group, a privately owned company based in Australia. Adina has been operating in Europe for almost 10 years, starting with the launch of the Adina Apartment Hotel Budapest in Hungary. Adina is the vision of Toga’s Managing Director, Mr Allan Vidor, who saw the opportunity to become the first pan-European, professionally managed, corporate quality apartment hotel brand.
Just released onto the UK market by Signbox is Enlighten, at the forefront of smart poster systems; it represents a revolution in affordable illuminated displays.Enlighten’s sleek, supremely stylish, frameless design is back-lit and perfect for the modern, contemporary hotel environment. What makes Enlighten unique is that it incorporates Near Field Communication (NFC) technology that interacts with the next generation of mobile phones. All the hotel guest or visitor has to do is place their phone over the NFC logo in the corner of the poster for information to be instantly transferred to the user’s mobile phone – this could be important guest information, vouchers or other promotional offers or cross promotions with other organisations. Enlighten can also be equipped with coded graphics that switch the sign on when a customer enters an area – ideal for corridor locations.
Enlighten is available in standard A-series paper sizes, from A4 to A1, with a black or white frameless ‘mount’ as standard, and with branded or custom colours available to order. The ultra-bright LED illumination is low voltage and extremely energy efficient, giving a warranted life of 50,000 hours. At just 10mm thick, Enlighten sits flush and has no visible frame or fixings. Enlighten is adaptable for all interior hotel environments, in single or double-sided formats for wall or suspended options.
Mark Bartlett, Managing Director of Signbox Ltd, comments, “Enlighten is the perfect example of ‘next generation’ smart posters. Highly energy efficient, Enlighten features ultra-contemporary looks but most importantly now delivers interaction with anyone approaching or standing in front of the poster.
“By using their NFC enabled mobile phone or device they can instantly obtain a range of valuable information – such as a voucher code to encourage them to use any of the hotel’s facilities.
“We have invested a significant sum on R & D to bring Enlighten to the market because we really believe it’s the way forward for illuminated poster displays”.
For further information on Enlighten or to view the full range of Signbox’s products, visit their website at www.signbox.co.uk
The iconic London hotel, the Savoy re-opened recently following a record breaking three year refurbishment with an investment of £220M. The interior design, by Pierre-Yves Rochon, is very much in the spirit of the hotel’s original Edwardian and Art Deco influences. Already, following extensive media coverage, the hotel has exceeded visitors’ expectations and reclaimed its position as one of the world’s great hotels.Amongst the many extravagant features in the public areas that have caught the eye, none has captured the imagination of visitors more so than the magnificent new winter garden gazebo. This stands below a stunning stained glass cupola in the Thames Foyer, a large informal dining space at the centre of the hotel, popular for afternoon teas. Both of these structures were supplied by specialist contractor Andy Thornton.
Andy Thornton was commissioned by main contractor Chorus Group to manufacture the elaborate 5.5 metre diameter, 4.0 metre high cast metal gazebo, replicating the original concept designs by Pierre-Yves Rochon. The gazebo features decorative columns and intricate arched filigree panels with an open roof, around a grand piano.
Before casting the ornate panels and egg and dart mouldings Andy Thornton’s skilled wood carver hand-carved the patterns from which the moulds were created. The complete structure was finished in a nickel metallic paint with antique over-wash, to contrast the surroundings. Andy Thornton assembled the gazebo in their West Yorkshire workshops before assembling on site.
Natural light floods into the Thames Foyer thanks to a magnificent new 7.5 metre glass concave dome again supplied by Andy Thornton, the design of which has been copied from a drawing of an original dome found in the hotel’s archives.
Andy Thornton was recognised for its special contribution when two employees from the Architectural Metalwork Department were amongst the few carefully selected representatives from the 1000 artisans, artists, craftsmen and women that had worked on the project, to be presented to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, during the official re-opening on 2nd November.
Great Hotels of the World are pleased to announce the opening of a brand new hotel – Dom Pedro Laguna Beach Villas, Golf & Spa Resort on December 17 2010 following two years of development at a cost of €20 million.The newly-built resort which is a member of Great Hotels of the World Luxury Collection is the first five star hotel of the “Aquiraz Riviera” and is 40km from Fortaleza International Airport in the state of Ceará, Brazil. Situated between a beach and a golf course, the resort boasts luxury accommodation integrated into a beautiful lagoon with transfers between villas by boat. The resort’s accommodation comprises 102 rooms including deluxe rooms, water villas, presidential water villas and royal villas, all impeccably decorated and some with private swimming pool.
The hotel currently has a 9-hole Ocean Golf Course which is shortly to be expanded to 18 holes, a luxury spa and fitness room with a wide variety of treatments on offer, various sports facilities including beach volleyball, kite surfing, surfing and beach football and a good selection of restaurants and bars.
Dom Pedro Laguna is also ideal for meetings and incentives with three meeting rooms with capacity for up to 130 delegates and a wide variety of group incentive activities.
C7 Hotel Furniture from RHA is a great new collection with a range of styles & finishes to meet any interior design scheme.The collection features some really nice items, including the stylish Maralba coffee table; JB side unit with a pullout section designed to hold glasses & bottles; Tango, Neo, Hoxton & Lluna side tables, which are just a few of the many table designs featured in this new collection.
Request the C7 2011 hotel collection now Get in touch with RHA to request a copy of the C7 2011 hotel furniture collection in PDF format. You can also visit RHA’s online directory to browse thousands of items from a wide range of collections.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Extell Development Corporation have announced that they will introduce the legendary Park Hyatt luxury brand to New York with a newly-constructed hotel designed by world-renowned, Pritzker Prize-winning architect Christian de Portzamparc.A Hyatt subsidiary and Extell have formed a joint venture that will acquire the hotel upon its completion, subject to the completion of certain contractual milestones.
Park Hyatt New York will be located at 157 West 57th Street between Avenue of the Americas and Seventh Avenue, across from Carnegie Hall. Slated for completion in 2012, the 210-room hotel will be part of a 90-story mixed-use tower that will also feature 135 Thomas Juul-Hansen-designed luxury condominiums with breathtaking views of Central Park and the New York skyline.
In addition to a distinctive bar and restaurant and 5,000 square feet of retail space, the property will include a premier meeting facility with a grand ballroom and distinctive event space, as well as a lavish spa, fitness centre, and indoor swimming pool in a three-story aerie at the top of the hotel. The world-class hotel will reflect Park Hyatt’s intimate and understated elegance with interiors designed by the design firm Yabu Pushelberg.
Currently, discerning global travellers look to Park Hyatt for luxurious, elegant accommodation and personalised, attentive service in 25 destinations, including many of the world’s premier locations, such as Beijing, Buenos Aires, Carlsbad, Chicago, Dubai, Goa, Hamburg, Istanbul, Jeddah, Melbourne, Mendoza, Milan, Moscow, Paris, Saigon, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Washington, D.C., and Zurich. Twelve previously announced Park Hyatt hotels are under development, which, when completed, will increase the number of Park Hyatt properties worldwide to 38 over the next five years.
Ramparts Interior Contracts are delighted to welcome back Andrew Townsend as Senior Project Manager.Andrew worked with Ramparts from 2002 and was responsible for the delivery of some of the companies’ most prestigious projects, including the £7million refurbishment of the Queens Hotel Leeds as well as numerous others for Hand Picked Hotels, Holiday Inn, Jarvis, Prima and BDL Select.
Ramparts MD Gary Crosbie, who always has something to say, comments … “The appointment of Andrew is great news for Ramparts; he has a complete understanding of the business, being well respected by customers and suppliers alike. He has hit the deck running – carrying out pre start work on a D&B project and has already started to build a team of site staff.”
The Hugo Collection by Franklite is a range of 10 beautiful crystal table lamps and one standard lamp with individual shades. These substantial lamps are designed to suit any décor, whether modern or traditional and are supplied with neutral shades in styles to perfectly match the lamp. Alternative shades can be supplied to order thereby ensuring these stunning pieces become an integral part of any quality room setting or public area.
Further details are available from Franklite and stocks are expected in early January. The full collection can be viewed at Franklite’s showroom in Milton Keynes by appointment.
$10 million “Next-Generation” Holiday Inn to feature new sign and brand standards as part of the worldwide brand re-launch
Dora Hospitality, LLC has announced plans for a 100-room, Holiday Inn hotel in Bismarck, North Dakota. The Holiday Inn – Bismarck is expected to open in 2012. The hotel plans to hire approximately 40 employees ranging from guest service representatives and housekeepers to restaurant servers and cooks.
The 90,000 sq.-ft. Holiday Inn Bismarck was developed to provide the features and amenities that guests want. It will feature a contemporary, innovative design that provides accessible comfort such as, friendly service and a great night’s sleep, and will set new standards for business travelers and families alike.
“We are proud to welcome the Bismarck, ND property to the Dora Hospitality family of fine hotels,” said Robert Dora, president of Dora Hospitality. “The hotel adds to our inventory of great North Dakota hotels, and Bismarck is a market where we believe this new Holiday Inn will thrive.” Dora already operates extended stay hotels in Bismarck and Minot and has another under construction in Minot, in partnership with Real Builders, Inc. and Dan Schmaltz of Bismarck.
The full-service hotel will include a Sports Grill restaurant; the design includes touches like hardwood-style flooring, solid wood tables and unique circular booth seating. The division between the bar and seated dining area will make the restaurant an equally suitable option for social events or a business dinner. Bold photographs taken from the rich history of North Dakota sports will pay tribute to North Dakota athletes and sports figures as well as some of the greatest moments in sports history, while high-definition televisions broadcast current games and events.
The hotel design debuts a bold change in room décor for Holiday Inn and will create a residential atmosphere that is warm, trend-forward and comfortable. The hotel will feature a natural, fresh color palette punctuated by pops of energetic colors. Guest beds will be made using crisp, white bedding with pillows that come in two comfort levels: “soft” and “firm.” And the bathrooms will 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 like an ergonomic work station, data ports, complimentary high speed Internet access in the guest rooms, with high speed access that is available both wired and wireless. In addition, each room will have upgraded Holiday Inn guestroom accommodations – comfortable double, queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair, and flat panel high – definition televisions with cable access, hairdryer, coffee maker, iron and ironing board.
The Holiday Inn-Bismarck will also offer a variety of other amenities such as a fitness center, washers and dryers, a sweet shop, indoor pool, and business center.
The Holiday Inn Bismarck is owned by Bismarck Ridgeline, LLC and managed by Dora Hospitality, LLC under a license agreement. Dora Hospitality is located at 9904 North by Northeast Blvd Fishers, IN 46037. Dora Hospitality also operates the Candlewood Suites in Bismarck and Minot.
The Rezidor Hotel Group announces two new Park Inn by Radisson properties in Sweden which are scheduled to open in 2013: Park Inn Lund (190 rooms) and Park Inn Helsingborg (215 rooms). Both hotels are owned by Midroc, and will be operated by the Winn Group under a franchise agreement with Rezidor.With a prime location, within walking distance of the city’s main railway station, the Park Inn Helsingborg will be highly visible and offer great access to the city centre. The Park Inn Lund will also benefit from good accessibility and visibility, located just outside the city centre, next to the ring-road.
Lund is situated in the South of Sweden, just under 20 km Northeast of Malmö. The city has a population of around 110,000. Lund is a regional centre for the high-tech industry with Sony Ericsson, Ericsson Mobile Platforms and other telecommunication companies present. The Ideon Science Park is also a well-known hub for high-tech business. Other companies with corporate headquarters present in Lund include Tetra Pak (paper packaging) and Astra Zeneca (pharmaceuticals). Two of Sweden’s most prominent universities can also be found in Lund: Lund University and the Lund Institute of Technology.
Helsingborg is situated approximately 50 km Northwest of Malmö, on the West coast of Sweden, opposite the Northeastern tip of Denmark. Its population of approximately 128,000 makes the city the 8th largest urban area in Sweden. In addition to the global headquarters of IKEA, other companies with either headquarters or large offices in Helsingborg include Nicorette chewing gum (manufacturing plant) and Ramlösa mineral water. As a coastal city, Helsingborg also boasts a large port area.
Lano Flooring Solutions has announced the expansion of its contract sales force with the addition of David Welch to the team.Formerly of Natural Elements, David will now work closely alongside Kevin Beasant and Ronnie Wilkie covering Wales, the North (not including Scotland), Midlands and South West. Kevin Beasant will continue to remain Contract Sales Manager for London and the Home Counties, surrounding areas and East Anglia, while Ronnie Wilkie will continue to serve Scotland as well as help David and Kevin in designing bespoke carpets for the hospitality sector.
David’s former role within Natural Elements means that he is already familiar with the Lano Flooring Solutions portfolio having introduced the company’s diverse portfolio of commercial carpet solutions to a wide audience within the specification arena. As a result, David is perfectly placed to immediately provide comprehensive product knowledge and support to designers, contractors and retailers interested in developing their work in the contract sector.
“I am delighted to be joining Lano Flooring Solutions at such an exciting time,” commented David Welch on his new role. “Our broad spectrum of carpet, covering the floors of corporate offices and hotels to public buildings and schools, means that we are capable of delivering a solution tailored to the exact requirements of the project; whether its impervious-backed broadloom, a bespoke axminster or high performance nylon carpet tile.”
David also worked as Corporate Account Manager at Modulus Flooring for 12 years, before moving to Natural Elements where he was instrumental in the successful developed of Lano Carpet’s Walk of Fame range which has resulted in Lano delivering carpeting solutions to an impressive client list, including Holiday Inn, Claridges, the Millenium Copthorne, Q Hotels and Barcelo.
The expansion of the contract sales force marks a commitment to the sector from Lano Flooring Solutions as it looks to develop new relationships with designers, contractors and end users, as well as reinforce and strengthen those with existing clients.
For further information on all Lano carpet ranges, freephone 00800 5266 5266 or visit www.lano.com
Jane Clayton & Company Ltd has recently increased its sales team with the recruitment of Ian Jupp. In his role as a Business Development Manager, Ian will focus on developing relationships with show home and hotel clients around the UK.Ian brings with him a wealth of interior design experience, having previously established a consultancy supplying interior design products to serviced apartments and hotels. Ian has already enjoyed a very successful career in hospitality, joining the company from his previous role as General Manager at von Essen’s award-winning Ston Easton Park hotel.
Commenting on the appointment, Jane Clayton & Company Managing Director, Richard Clayton said, “Getting a thorough understanding of our customers and their needs is a key objective for us. For this, Ian’s background and experience will be invaluable.”
Contact: Richard Clayton, Managing Director, Jane Clayton & Company, telephone: +44 (0) 1761 412255
Panaz Hospitality would like to thank everyone who visited the ‘private view’ at the Hilton Hotel, Islington on the 24th/25th November, 2010.With a little help from some Champagne and Canapés, the event proved a great success.
Panaz launched 3 new collections: Highgrove, (a wide width weave drape collection); Riviera (prime colour print collection) and Stingray (a soft vinyl with a modern colour range). All inherently flame retardant and Crib 5 standard for the Stingray. Books and samples are now available.
An update from Tony Attard, CEO of Panaz on his race across the Atlantic…
Tony Attard, CEO of Panaz, is taking part in a sailing race across the Atlantic. Tony’s chosen charity is FIT (Furnishing Industry Trust). A number of clients did ask for an update.
Out of 186 boats, he is in 79th position expected to arrive in the Caribbean on 22nd December.
The 5-star 201-room Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra has now opened its doors as the city’s first new debut in a decade.
Located in an upscale residential quarter just downstream of Phnom Penh’s Royal Palace, and close to both the Australian and Russian embassies, the hotel’s debut introduces eight new restaurants and bars to the city, Southeast Asia’s first, Sofitel-branded So SPA and So FIT, as well as the top floor executive lounge, Club Millésime, and an 1,800-squaremeter grand ballroom anchoring one of the most ambitious new meetings venues in the region.The December launch immediately redefines the city’s upscale appeal, positioning the Sofitel as the most sophisticated new hospitality opportunity not only in Phnom Penh but in the region at large. The hotel’s emergence here, in one of Asia’s most compelling new destinations, is evidence of rising enthusiasm for Phnom Penh.
More than 6,000 candidates applied for work at the new hotel, buoyed by the brand’s reputation and the bold strokes of a USD 50 million investment by a consortium of Cambodian, Thai and French investors.
“For many people, Phnom Penh is one of Asia’s great new destinations, generating an enthusiasm that we’ve seen in the past for places like Vietnam and the Maldives,” said Didier Lamoot, General Manager of the hotel. “The Sofitel is opening as a grand manifestation of all that enthusiasm.”
Despite the recent economic slump worldwide, visitors to Cambodia have continued to increase, albeit by a small margin. In 2008, the country’s tourist authorities reported 2.12 million in-bound arrivals. In 2009, that number inched up to 2.16 million. Last month, the country’s Ministry of Tourism reported that in-bound arrivals were up 14% over last year, a pace that’s likely to accelerate with the development of the nation’s infrastructure.
The 12-storey hotel occupies four hectares in a prime, riverside location, near the British International School and amidst a burgeoning neighborhood of upscale villas. The airport is 15 kilometers away. Within five years, the city’s evolving centre is expected to be fixed right around the Sofitel.
Its fitness complex, the Phokeethra Sports Club, features tennis courts and squash courts, as well an outdoor swimming pool, a kid’s club and fitness equipment. Sofitel So SPA enjoys expansive quarters on the hotel’s third floor, overlooking the pool and the river.
Its five state-of-the-art meeting rooms, the magnificent grand ballroom and a 1,200-squaremeter pre-function space are set to tap a growing interest in Phnom Penh as a land of entrepreneurial opportunity. The Sofitel will deploy its InspiredMeetings programme in the new facility, setting the stage for events that coordinate dedicated personnel and technology and that deliver one-of-a-kind affairs, from intimate parties to large scale conferences.
Axminster Carpets has been announced as a Runner Up in the ‘Cleaner Water’ category at the inaugural Environment Agency Awards. The ‘Cleaner Water’ award recognises companies that have achieved outstanding results in preventing pollution or improving water quality in rivers, seas or lakes. The awards were judged by a panel of environmental professionals led by the Environment Agency’s Director of Environment and Business Ed Mitchell. Among the judges were Nicci Russell, Policy Director at Waterwise, Dax Lovegrove, Head of Business & Industry Relations at WWF and David Acres, Policy & Environment Manager at EDF.
In late 2009, Axminster Carpets officially unveiled a revolutionary Water Recycling Plant after an investment of some £2 million. The plant converts waste water back to a level where it can be completely reused: 95% of Axminster Carpets’ waste water, over 2 million litres per week, is piped back into the plant processes without entering the eco-system after having all the contaminants removed. The residual waste is being converted to bio-fuel with the long-term plan to use this to power the company’s lorry fleet and the manufacturing plant.
“The commissioning of our water recycling plant was an ongoing part of our strategy to minimise the environmental impact of our yarn spinning and carpet manufacturing processes,” comments Josh Dutfield, Group Managing Director. “It has helped us to radically reduce our output of water with contaminants and has allowed our water use to become much more efficient, as recognised by our position as Runner Up in the Cleaner Water category.”
The awards were presented at the Environment Agency’s annual conference, Environment10, where Energy Secretary Chris Huhne MP, praised the calibre of entries: “I’m thrilled to be able to present these awards to such worthy winners who are tackling climate change and improving the environment on the front line. All the finalists have shown real innovation in cutting carbon and improving sustainability.”
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has officially opened the doors of their newest hotel, Le Méridien Taipei. Located in the most cosmopolitan district of Taipei – Xinyi District – and steps away from local cultural offerings, Le Méridien’s first hotel in Taiwan ushers in a new dimension of timeless chic and will be the gathering place for the creative guests, with an emphasis on the arts, an inspiring atmosphere, and innovative cuisine. Chic and minimalistic, the 160-room Le Méridien Taipei goes beyond the traditional five-star hotel experience and invites guests and local community to discover more than just a new destination – to experience a new perspective with a focus on contemporary art and cuisine. Le Méridien Taipei introduces the signature arrival experience programme for Le Méridien brand in Taiwan, a comprehensive contemporary art program “light and shadow; two inspiring new restaurant concepts : “Humble House” and “Latest Recipe”, an innovative coffee and chocolate café “ChocoArt”, the chic lobby lounge bar “Latitude 25” and destination Bar “Quube”.
In addition, Le Meridien Taipei offers 1,700 square meters of contemporary meeting and function space which makes it a perfect destination for creative workshops or board meetings.
The Arrival Experience at Le Meridien Taipei
In conjunction with its opening today, Le Méridien Taipei has unveiled a signature arrival experience for its guests. The hotel unveiled “Inner Waves 01”, an artwork created for Le Meridien by artist Hisham Bharoocha. The artwork on the entrance is a signature element of Le Méridien brand’s arrival experience, designed to reset the guest’s mind upon arrival, leaving the outside world behind and open its mind for the world of Le Méridien.
Once through the hotel doors, guests will be enveloped by Le Méridien brand’s signature scent, sound and use of light. Eddie Roshi + Fabrice Penot, LM 100 members and founder of Le Labo, the innovative perfume house with stores in New York, Paris, Los Angeles and Tokyo, have created a signature scent for Le Méridien hotels. The exclusive custom scent, called LM01, has been designed based on a construction inspired by Meridian lines and shall evoke memories with the guests and create a sense of home.
TAKU from Fischer Mobel was featured on the LEISURE PLAN stand at the recent SLEEP Event, where its elegant but simple styling combined with the practicality of flip-top tables and stacking chairs attracted a lot of attention. This collection is being expanded for 2011 and details of this and other exciting new introductions to the Fischer Mobel collections will all be in the new catalogue, which will be available from LEISURE PLAN early in the New Year.The Taku range currently comprises dining tables and sunloungers as well as the square and round flip-top bistro tables shown. The stackable Taku armchair is available with Black, White, Silver Black or Natural Orange sling seating on a stainless steel frame. This model has already been awarded the ‘Best of the Best’ Red Dot Design Award as well as the Designpreis Deutschland 2010.
Fischer Mobel are a long established German furniture manufacturing company who have built a worldwide reputation for quality of materials and manufacturing integrity. They use only the highest quality stainless steel, aluminium and wood to ensure that all their furniture has maximum weather resistance and durability. Fischer Mobel will not compromise on quality and work with renowned German designers to develop their growing collection of beautiful and functional pieces of leisure furniture, which are available in the U.K. exclusively through LEISURE PLAN.
Taku can be seen at Leisure Plan’s extensive showroom at Stansted in Essex (35 minutes by train from Liverpool Street or 10 minutes from Jct. 8 on the M11), where visitors have the opportunity to see and try examples of all the ranges offered by the three leading European manufacturers represented in the U.K. by Leisure Plan : Fischer Mobel, Dedon and Ego. Visitors to the showroom can also discuss project requirements with the Leisure Plan sales team, see and feel fabric options and compare different colours and finishes so that they have 100% confidence when specifying or purchasing.
Leisure Plan are specialist cushion manufacturers to the leisure industry and manufacture all the U.K. cushions for their three furniture suppliers as well as having the facility to make bespoke cushions in custom sizes. As the cushion production operation is wholly owned and run by Leisure Plan, they can offer a wide selection of fabrics or make up in COM, enabling designers to perpetuate a colour scheme throughout a project.
For further information, to arrange a showroom visit or to request a copy of the 2011 catalogue, please contact LEISURE PLAN
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and the Washington Convention and Sports Authority (WCSA) have broken ground on the much-anticipated Washington Marriott Marquis. Joining them for this momentous occasion were Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), city officials, representatives from WCSA’s Board of Directors, Quadrangle Development, Capstone Development, Marriott International, Inc. and Destination DC. The ceremony took place on the construction site at Ninth Street and Massachusetts Avenue, directly adjacent to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The hotel is scheduled to open in spring 2014.“This is a monumental day for the District,” said Mayor Adrian M. Fenty. “For some time, we have worked diligently to bring a world-class hotel to the Convention Center, and that will spur development and offer new jobs for District residents. Today’s groundbreaking for the new state-of-the-art Marriott Marquis brings approximately 1,600 construction jobs, and when the hotel opens, offers more than 1,000 jobs for District residents in the hospitality industry.”
The $520 million, four-star hotel, will be one of only four Marriott Marquis properties in the country. Plans for the hotel include incorporating the historic Samuel Gompers AFL-CIO headquarters, known as the “Plumbers Building,” into the property with its own boutique feel.
The 1,175-room, 46-suite Washington Marriott Marquis is designed to reflect its surroundings and compliment the Convention Center. With more than 100,000 square feet of meeting and assembly space, a grand lobby and five separate retail and restaurant outlets on the ground floor, the hotel is also set to be the next great social hub in the city. Meeting space will include a 30,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, two 10,800-square-foot junior ballrooms, more than 53,000 square feet of Meeting Rooms, an 18,800-square-foot indoor Event Terrace and a 5,200-square-foot Rooftop Terrace.
The Washington Marriott Marquis was designed to earn LEED ® Silver (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, registered by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The hotel will be one of the largest hotels in the country to earn Silver certification, verifying that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.
The hotel will be developed by Quadrangle Development Corporation and Capstone Development and will be operated by Marriott International. Of the $520 development cost, the District and the Authority are contributing $206 million. The Authority and the District will be paid for the use of their land through a 99-year ground lease.
Designed by Cooper Carry Architects, Atlanta, and TVS Architects, Atlanta, in a joint-venture collaboration, the building features an innovative top-down construction method, with 14 stories above ground and 94 feet below – nearly as deep as the hotel will be tall – with most meeting space below grade. To minimize traffic, bus arrival and taxi queuing is planned for the L Street entrance. The loading dock and the truck service are located below grade and off the street.
In September I reported on the building of the latest Premier Inn in Burgess Hill in Sussex, and indicated some of the savings being made that are enhancing the profitability of the growing hotels group. On the 24th November I attended the official ‘opening’ of the hotel and learned more both about the application of new technologies to the hotel but how changes were being made across all the Whitbread brands as they seek to minimise their environmental impact.
To a guest many of the actions being taken by the group will be invisible. Certainly the busy restaurant and high occupancy level at Burgess Hill speak volumes to the popularity of the group’s offering. Premier Inn is the UK’s largest hotel chain with over 42,000 rooms and a continuing expansion programme, now extending to properties in Dubai and India. With all the hotels having bar and restaurant offering a good three star standard at very competitive rates the popularity looks set to continue. The embracing of efforts to reduce the carbon footprint should not be seen as a large corporate looking to gain a good public image, but should rather be seen as a hardnosed effort to increase corporate profitability. With profit up 6.6% in year ended March 2010 we are perhaps seeing early benefits of the new policies coming through. Certainly most of the diners in the restaurant on the opening day will not have been conscious of how much is being saved on energy use in the preparation of the food they enjoyed.
Some changes are simple to make, although the groups has had to do much arm twisting to influence the slow to innovate supply chain and much training to convert staff to make effective changes to working practices. A simple example will show this – kitchen refrigeration. Switching from doors to drawers on the refrigerators made great energy saving as cold air remains contained in a drawer whereas it spills out when a door is opened. Conceptually simple but encouraging manufacturers to change the way they make fridge’s to produce the equipment at competitive prices was a major task. The staff had then to be trained in turn to use then efficiently.
On top of the new kitchen block sits a new assemblage that blankets the kitchen extract system. Reducing noise and smells may be a side product but the main function is to extract the waste heat from the kitchen vents and use it to preheat water entering the hotel system. This water then enters the hot water system at a temperature that means the system only has to raise its temperature by 10 – 15 degrees, reducing energy consumption considerably.
Under the car park are 17 bore holes for the ground source heating that also raises water temperature entering the hotel systems from the extraction of natural heat. As a giant heat exchanger it can also be used in summer for cooling. This and a number of other innovations are being incorporated into the estate, as detailed in my previous article.
This visit however was a chance to see the finished rooms, and I have also had the opportunity to experience some of the measures being brought in by this and other groups. Premier have been very focussed on making sure that they embrace the necessary technologies to more to a carbon zero build within the standard coast envelope. The first of the hotels to embrace the new sustainability philosophy was the property in Tamworth which cost 30% more to build. This 60 bedroom property in Burgess hill has advanced the learning curve and has a build cost only 10% higher than previous hotels.
Going green (expressed by the slogan ‘Good Together’ in Whitbread’s programme) will only work if we adopt an approach that does not punish lifestyles in making the essential changes. The delight of Burgess Hill is that most of the changes are technical and are cosmetically invisible to most guests.
Growth Plans Span Seven Hotel Brands from Ritz-Carlton to Moderate-Tier Fairfield by Marriott
Marriott International has announced that it expects to exponentially expand its portfolio from the current 11 to 100 hotels in India within the next five years across seven leading brands. In addition to the introduction of its Ritz-Carlton brand, Marriott growth plans will include the debut of its moderate-tier Fairfield by Marriott brand.Announced today were recently signed management agreements for seven new hotels that will nearly quadruple Marriott’s presence in India in the next three years. When all signed hotels are opened and added to the company’s portfolio of 11 operating properties and 23 previously announced hotels now under construction, the Marriott portfolio in India will total 41 hotels by 2013. Through this expansion, the company also plans to create more than 8,000 new jobs in India over the next three years, ranging from entry-level to managerial.
The seven agreements announced today are for five moderate-priced Courtyard properties, an upscale Marriott hotel and a life-style Renaissance property: • 107-room Courtyard by Marriott Kochi/Cochin International Airport. It is owned by Lulu Flight Kitchen Private Ltd. and is planned to open in 2012. • 101-room Courtyard by Marriott Bhopal. It is owned by DB Malls Private Ltd. and is planned to open in second quarter 2011. • 160-room Courtyard by Marriott Chembur. It is owned by Acron Hotels Private Ltd. The hotel’s first phase is scheduled to open in 2013 with an additional 76 rooms expected to be added later. • 150-room Courtyard by Marriott Nashik. Owned by Wasan Hotels Private Ltd.; the hotel is expected to open in 2013. • 200-room Courtyard by Marriott Hyderabad Hitec City. It is owned by Future InfraIndia Private Ltd. and is scheduled to open in 2013. • 365-room Jaipur Marriott Hotel. It is owned by Serveall Land Developers Private Ltd. and is expected to open in 2011. • 150-room Renaissance Raipur Hotel, opening in 2013. It is owned by Krish Hotels Private Ltd.
Marriott International has operated in India since 1999 with the opening of the Goa Marriott. Today the company is represented in the country by its JW Marriott, Marriott, Renaissance, Courtyard by Marriott and Marriott Executive Apartments brands. Another 23 of its hotels are currently under construction and expected to open now through 2013.
Just weeks after the grand opening of the first EDITION hotel in Hawaii, Marriott International has announced the acquisition of the historic Berners Hotel in London that will be renovated over the next 18 – 24 months to become The London EDITION. The new boutique EDITION brand was conceived by Ian Schrager in partnership with Marriott International. It combines the personal, intimate, individualized and unique lodging experience that Ian Schrager is known for, with the global reach, operational expertise and scale of Marriott.Marriott acquired the hotel from the previous owner (in administration). Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels marketed the hotel on instruction of the property’s administrators. The hotel has been closed since 2006 and was placed in administration in August 2010. In partnership with Mr. Schrager, Marriott plans to completely redesign and redevelop the property before its grand opening as a new EDITION hotel.
“We are delighted to acquire Berners. It is a perfect property for an EDITION hotel in London. With its great location, beautiful façade, the building is a perfect canvass for creating a true work of art,” said Arne Sorenson, president and chief operating officer, Marriott International.
Bringing his original vision, passion and commitment to create something truly special in collaboration with Marriott, Ian Schrager added “I am thrilled to be returning to London for an incredibly special and historical building like Berners Hotel. I am excited and passionate about creating an authentic and original experience for this special EDITION hotel in this gateway city”.
Earlier this year, Marriott also acquired the Seville Hotel in Miami Beach to redesign and redevelop into an EDITION hotel. As part of Marriott’s longstanding business strategy, the company expects to manage the hotels under long-term agreements after selling them over time to third-party owners. Marriott expects to open the brand’s second property, The Istanbul EDITION, in the first half of 2011.
The historic Berners Hotel dates back to 1835. The property originally was comprised of five residential houses and was ultimately converted into a hotel. The layout includes a basement, ground and seven upper floors, and incorporates original architectural features, such as ornate ceilings and a marble-clad reception area.
The new London EDITION Hotel will be located on Berners Street, in the city’s Fitzrovia neighborhood. This historically bohemian area was once home to writers, including Virginia Woolf, George Bernard Shaw and Arthur Rimbaud. Today, it is London’s media and advertising hub. The heart of Fitzrovia is Charlotte Street with its numerous excellent restaurants, boutiques and galleries that will be just minutes from the hotel. Also within walking distance will be the British Museum, Theatreland and Soho.
Jumeirah Group, the Dubai-based luxury hospitality company and member of Dubai Holding, has revealed the new brand name of its first resort currently under way in the Maldives: Jumeirah Dhevanafushi (formerly Jumeirah Meradhoo).Jumeirah Dhevanafushi is an exclusive all suite resort scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2011. Situated in the Gaafu Alifu Atoll, 400 km south of the capital city of Malé, the resort is located in an area of extraordinary beauty surrounded by unspoiled coral reefs.
The intimate resort comprises 22 island villas, offering a distinctively residential feel, as well as an exclusive water village – The Hermitage Collection, including 16 ocean villas, which are separated from the main island. The Hermitage Collection at Jumeirah Dhevanafushi is ideal for discerning travellers wanting to experience a truly unique level of remote luxury. The villas, named Revives and Sanctuaries, range from 200m² to 600m² in size and offer expansive sea views, direct access to the beach and 24 hour butler service. The design of the bedrooms is inspired by traditional Maldivian architecture.
The resort features three restaurants and a bar with a variety of culinary options, as well as a Talise Spa with imaginatively designed over water treatment rooms and extensive sports and leisure facilities.
The second property under way in the Maldives is Jumeirah Vittaveli. The five star deluxe family resort is located in the South Malé Atoll and is scheduled to open in March 2011.
The much anticipated W Retreat & Spa Bali-Seminyak marks its debut in Indonesia this early 2011, representing another milestone in W’s global expansion into the world’s most exciting and vibrant destinations. Located in Seminyak, the trendy enclave of Bali, W Retreat & Spa Bali-Seminyak is the latest playground on the island which will emanate the destination’s exuberance, where designer boutiques, eclectic galleries, concept restaurants, and chic cocktail bars and clubs predominate.Showcasing innovative architecture by SCDA Architects and interior design by Poole Associates Private Limited and ABConcept, W Retreat & Spa Bali-Seminyak reflects the rich natural beauty and historical and cultural heritage of the destination, with a playful twist of bold designs and textures that stimulate guests’ senses throughout the Retreat. With a contemporary take on traditional Balinese design, each space will be identifiable with playful touches and surprises.
Guests may choose from one of 158 Wonderful and Spectacular retreats and suites, offering a sensational swirl of high-energy interiors, vivid design, cutting-edge technology and uniquely modern amenities to fulfill every wish. The retreats are one of the largest on the island with the majority of them offering views of the Indian ocean. Villa retreats are available at W Retreat & Spa Bali-Seminyak, which includes 79 villa retreats with a private entrance. They comprise of Fantastic one-bedroom villa retreats, Marvelous two-bedroom villa retreats, and Wow three-bedroom villa retreats, with access to features and W Happenings in the Retreat. With 360° of sensory multiplex experience, W Retreat & Spa Bali-Seminyak will bring a new dimension of cutting-edge design, presenting the art of living that balances style and soul for travelers to Bali.
W Retreat & Spa Bali-Seminyak is more than just a holiday destination – it is poised to become a playground with definitive entertainment, fashion, culinary and nightlife destination on Seminyak for the guests and the community in Bali. Guests can sip cocktails at the ultra-cool W Lounge, party all night in WooBar and enjoy unforgettable dining experiences at W’s signature restaurants, Fire and Starfish Bloo – headed up by acclaimed Chef de Cuisine Jack Yoss.
Exclusive experiences and services at W Retreat & Spa Bali-Seminyak include 24-hour Whatever/Whenever® concierge service that pushes the limits in making the dreams of guests come true, whether it’s a rainforest birthday party, private Balinese percussion classes, chocolate in a bathtub or an imaginative wedding proposal to someone special. Guests can also be whisked away at the WET® pool, Sweat Fitness® center, and AWAY® Spa, an urban escape for the senses. A wellness escape open 24/7/365, AWAY® Spa offers guests, including weary travelers arriving in the wee hours after a long flight, and in-the-know locals around-the-clock signature treatments including massages, facial and body treatments, manicures and pedicures, as well as a range of treatments incorporating Asian influences – whether it be ingredients, massage techniques or design details – in a cool and playful way.
Digital Glass® is a patented new design product bringing manifestation graphics to life. Architects, designers and specifiers now have the opportunity to see glazed partitions, walls and windows converted into inspirational designs to enhance any setting. Using bespoke, digital manufacturing technology, our eye-catching designs will transform any type of leisure or retail environment and represents a cost-effective medium to promote products, services and branding. These high quality bespoke image and environmental solutions are both, flexible and sustainable.
All Digital Glass® products have the added benefit of rendering glass shatter resistant and blocking 99% of all UV rays. Printed onto an optically clear substrate any design can be readily installed in-situ.
“You will be the wind beneath the guests’ wings. I am extremely passionate about what I do…I want to make this the best hotel, I’m going to say in the world, because I think we will.” ~ Sean Davoren, Head Butler, The Savoy, to his new team of butlers ahead of the hotel’s reopening. The Savoy was Britain’s first luxury hotel and for over 100 years it has been synonymous with extravagance, glitz and glamour. Now, for the first time, cameras have been allowed into this exclusive and elegant establishment to witness the closure and re-opening of the hotel after a staggering £220m, two year refurbishment.
ITV1’s The Savoy has been allowed unprecedented access at key points from the moment 650 staff were told the shocking news that the hotel was to close, to the moment the swivel doors started turning again more than three years later.
The cameras were there to capture all the crucial stages of the restoration, which took twice as long and cost twice as much as it was originally expected to. And we see how the hotel and its staff fare in the first weeks following its grand reopening.
From the builders and the butlers to the boss, key staff members talk to the programme about their part in reclaiming the glamour and glory of the iconic hotel, providing a revealing insight during one of the most pivotal moments in its illustrious existence and the people striving to meet the challenge of restoring its stature as a global leader in elegance, luxury and service Project manager, John Ferrari, is seen ruthlessly enforcing the strict health and safety codes to the hordes of workers and expressing his grim determination to ensure what he describes as the biggest hotel refurbishment ever carried out in Europe meets its deadline for completion. As the pressure mounts in the race to get the hotel finished in time to receive its first guest, he leads cameras through the hotel’s labyrinth of unfinished corridors and even into the £10,000 a night Royal Suite.
Head butler, Sean Davoren, who has been a butler for 30 years and served every European royal family, leads a rigorous recruitment drive to select and train a team of world class butlers, for the hotel’s reinstated butler service – the first time the hotel has offered this service in 50 years.
And general manager, Kiaran MacDonald is followed at close quarters as he sees the refurbishment project through from start to finish, patiently waiting for the moment when the hotel will finally reopen.
The first film sees the day the hotel closed its doors to its last customer before the restoration process began.
Chelsom is thrilled to have been awarded first prize in the hotel design ‘Product Innovation Awards’ at The Sleep Event 2010 show. The winning entry, the SLIM desk lamp, was up against stiff competition from over twenty international product design companies including Dyson and Grohe.The main comment from the judging panel, which included Rachel Dunthorne, Director of FF&E for Hilton Worldwide; Su Pecha of ESP Business Development; Paul Flowers, Product Designer and Catherine Martin, Assistant Editor of Sleeper Magazine was “As more hotels gear towards the business traveller, the judges felt this lamp is elegant, stable, energy efficient, and distributes light in all the right places.”
A growing favourite with hospitality lighting specifiers worldwide, the iconic desk lamp, designed by Robert Chelsom, combines elegant aesthetics with specific design for laptop use. A rotating canopy with an internal reflector houses an energy-saving 8W fluorescent lamp which produces optimum light levels, while the heavy base gives stability and houses the rocker switch. Two finish options are available and the lamp can be wired for export markets. There is a matching table, floor and wall light plus LED reading light within the competitively priced Slim hotel lighting range.
On accepting the award on behalf of the company, Director Will Chelsom commented, “Everyone at Chelsom was delighted to hear that we had won the Product Innovation Award, particularly those involved with the in-house design of the Slim Desk Lamp. A great deal of effort went into designing the lamp and we are very proud of our achievement. The design process started with the aim of lighting a laptop computer on a hotel desk and after numerous technical drawings and prototypes we came up with the perfect solution. We are confident that this desk lamp will continue to be very popular within the hospitality sector and are so happy that its innovative design has been recognised by The Sleep Awards”.
Hilton Newcastle Gateshead has launched an exclusive selection of newly refurbished bedrooms following an extensive £500k revamp, which demonstrates the hotel’s commitment to the region’s £4 billion tourism economy. According to recent figures from One North East, spend on accommodation has increased by seven percent over the past year, while the number of overnight visitors to the region has increased by nine percent since 2003. Furthermore, the number of nights actually spent in the North East increased by 15 percent.
In response to this rising demand, Hilton Newcastle Gateshead has created a more contemporary and comfortable environment for its guests; which range from families, celebrities, business travellers, culture vultures and those in search of Newcastle’s famous nightlife.
The refurbishment took place over eight months, with Hilton Newcastle Gateshead discreetly closing off sections of the hotel to ensure guests would not face any disruption. The 71 new look bedrooms were transformed by creating a luxurious feel with soothing vinyl wallpaper and cooling colours throughout the rooms. A further touch of style was added with amethyst feature walls.
The décor was complemented with a natural colour scheme, a full carpet refit, new curtains and lavish textiles. Each of the revamped rooms also comes complete with a new mattress and comfortable desk chair.
Alongside the refurbishment, all bedrooms in the hotel now feature 37 inch flat LCD screen televisions, with 42 inch flat screens in all of the remaining hotel’s Executive bedrooms. Each bedroom in the hotel now offers over 30 television channels as well as a high selection of pay per view movies and music channels, catering to the needs of the cross-section of guests.
Further to the bedrooms, the hotel’s Boardroom has been fully refurbished with new equipment, including a sizeable table, furniture and fittings. The Boardroom is also host to artwork by renowned local artist John Coatsworth, best known for his distinctive ‘wobbly’ view paintings of North East landmarks.
Further renovation of the remaining rooms at Hilton Newcastle Gateshead is planned over 2011-2012.
Based on the banks of the River Tyne and overlooking the Tyne Bridge, the stylish Hilton Newcastle Gat eshead is one of the region’s flagship hotels and as such, en-suite bedrooms, all elegantly furnished and many of which with enviable views over the River Tyne, Hilton Newcastle Gateshead is ideally situated for all guests.
On top of this, the hotel offers diners the opportunity to sample its modern and locally sourced cuisine in its Windows on the Tyne Restaurant as well as a state-of-the-art Health Club. The hotel also offers a range of banqueting rooms to suit any occasion.
Ramparts Interior Contracts has now relocated its old Macclesfield Head Office and Birmingham Offices into modern facilities adjacent to Manchester Airport. Ramparts can now be found at: 3000 Aviator Way Manchester Business Park Manchester M22 5TG T: +44 (0) 161 266 1049
Conveniently placed for plane, train and motorway links, the office has given the business a clear advantage in cutting down journey times to sites and our impact on the environment. Normal office hours are 8am to 6pm.
Ramparts MD Gary Crosbie says, “Our new base being a purpose-built facility gives us great improvements in our working conditions, as well as a huge cost saving. Clients and suppliers are more than welcome to visit and enjoy our facilities which include an onsite café and Business lounge which has the latest Apple Macs.”
Carlson has announced the signing of an iconic, upper-upscale resort in Hua Hin, Thailand. Owned by Retreat Hua Hin Company Limited, construction of the USD 23 million, 118-room Radisson Blu Resort Hua Hin will begin immediately. The resort is expected to open by the third quarter of 2012. Earlier, Carlson announced plans to increase the number of Radisson hotels in Asia Pacific to over 100 hotels by 2015. The Radisson portfolio in Asia Pacific includes eight resorts, in India (Alibaug, Goa and Mamallapuram), China (Huizhou and Sanya), Australia (Gold Coast), the South Pacific (Fiji and Tahiti), and the three new properties in Thailand. The resort development is also part of Carlson’s Asia Pacific launch of Radisson Blu, the upper-upscale tier of the Radisson brand.
All guest rooms will feature a sleek, superior and contemporary design. Twenty four rooms will have direct pool and beachfront access, while another 94 rooms will have private Jacuzzi or plunge pools. Embracing cutting-edge architecture, the resort will become an icon of style and sophistication in Thailand.
Guests will enjoy a variety of dining options including a specialty restaurant, an all-day dining restaurant, a lobby lounge, and a beachfront restaurant and bar. Additional resort facilities will include a gym, spa and wellness centre, meeting and function rooms, and up to three swimming pools.
Set on the west coast of the Gulf of Thailand and surrounded by pearly white sand beaches, Hua Hin is also one of the world’s top golf destinations. The Radisson Blu Resort Hua Hin will be close to the domestic airport and the main highway connecting Hua Hin to Bangkok city.
This is an intended series guiding the layman through what a hotel designer is, the different sorts of designers, and how to manage the design process. It will include sections on the different areas of the hotel and suggest criteria for their design. Articles will appear every Monday and will be illustrated with the author’s photographs and video.Part 1: Are you Sitting Comfortably?
The complete range of interior lighting from Andy Thornton is now available to purchase online. This exciting new development follows the recent launch of our first dedicated contract lighting catalogue which introduces many new collections of lighting for the hospitality market, with many totally exclusive to Andy Thornton. Andy Thornton is well known for providing an extensive range of high-end, innovative lighting for bars, pubs and restaurants and we have taken this opportunity to introduce fresh new collections to our product portfolio. Discover a complete new range of hotel lighting, including guest room, bathroom and public area lighting.
We offer a comprehensive range of lighting for every type of venue, covering all design styles. And if you can’t find exactly what you require, we would be delighted to manufacture bespoke fittings to your specification.
Much of the Andy Thornton lighting range is in stock now ready for speedy delivery, or is available on short lead times to suit your project opening. We offer competitive delivery charges and secure online payment. All fittings are manufactured to the highest specification, are CE marked and meet all UK safety regulations.
Nowadays you don’t need an aristocratic title to get a royal treatment in Rome. Just enter the doors of the newly opened “Prince” SPA, more than 21,550 square feet, to be pampered and spoiled. It is located in Rome, about one mile from Via Veneto, on the premises of the exclusive Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel & Spa surrounded by the gardens of Villa Borghese. “Prince” can offer the most professional and up to date treatments in Rome.Chromotherapy and aromatherapy are only two of the numerous variations on the wellness theme. Twelve rooms are dedicated to individual multisensory treatments. The massage environment is a melting pot of techniques, with Thai, Shiatsu, Swedish, Ayurvedic and more besides. The wet zone offers a Turkish bath, bio sauna and Finnish sauna, as well as a cold area with emotional showers, ice cascade, tropical rainshowers and cold misting. Completely natural materials have been used for the interiors: bamboo for the parquet floors, rosewood for the walls, and stone and marble.
Couples can enjoy their treatments and relax in exceptional private suites which incorporate various different areas. Gold dominates in the “Prince Suite”, while in the Golden Suite, mother of pearl and gold melt together to offer an equally striking environment, with candles, champagne, music, scents and light-play, all making it an unforgettable experience.
During a pause in the relaxation room, you can sip a herbal tea followed by a dip in the 25-metre pool for a swim, an aquafit lesson or a Watsu treatment. Or you could opt for the two-person hydromassage tub and try out 35 different types of hydromassage. A beautiful virtual starry sky completes the picture. Then there is the gym of about 500 square metres, with the latest generation equipment, the “IFood” bar with special menus ranging from vegetarian to lactose-free, gluten-free, vitamin-based and so on, and the “Hairlosophy” hairstylist.
The products used are all top of the range in the cosmetic panorama. The main product line is MARIA GALLAND PARIS, the best there is in the luxury product range for professional cosmetology, used in top spas such as at the Burj al Arab (the famous sail-shaped hotel in Dubai) and the Paris Ritz. The HÖBE PERGH range of hay treatments on the other hand, come directly from the Asiago plateau. Then there are the FISIOSPHERE products based on marine seaweed, mud and sea salts and the GERMAINE DE CAPUCCINI range for the milk, chocolate and red grape treatments. Various latest generation technologies are available to beautify the body and face, with anti-ageing effects.
The “Rubino Prince” package offered by the Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel & Spa includes: one night accommodation in a double room, American buffet breakfast, free use of the Prince’s wet zone, a 30-minute exfoliating body treatment with oriental salts and 1-hour deluxe massage.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has recently announced the opening of Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotel, the city’s largest airport hospitality property and the second Sheraton hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Managed by Prism Hotels & Resorts, the 15-story, 276-room property formerly known as Albuquerque Grand Airport Hotel recently completed a seven-month, $14 million renovation in preparation for its re-flagging as a Sheraton.Boasting dramatic views of the Sandia Mountains and the Albuquerque skyline, Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotel is located adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. Just five minutes from historic Old Town, the hotel offers convenient access to the University of New Mexico, Kirtland Air Force Base, several premium golf courses, and the offices of Northrup Grumman and Sandia National Labs – Lockheed Martin.
Decorated in a color palette of warm browns and oranges evocative of the desert southwest, the reconfigured lobby features intimate seating groups and shared work areas.
The hotel’s 276 upgraded guest rooms feature all-new furnishings, modern lighting, flat screen television, oversized work desk and the all-white Sheraton Sweet Sleeper(R) bed. Sheraton Club members will enjoy a complimentary breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres in the Club Lounge, as well as upgraded amenities. Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotel offers a refreshing outdoor pool and fully equipped fitness facility.
The hotel’s full-service restaurant and lounge, Rojo Grill Restaurant features an eclectic menu with several southwestern specialties. A Chef’s Inspiration – the daily special inspired by regionally farmed and seasonally harvested products – joins the Sheraton brand’s healthy Core Performance dishes.
Perfect for meetings of all sizes, Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotel offers 12,000 square feet of renovated meeting and banquet space designed to accommodate groups as small as eight and as large as 640. All meeting rooms offer state-of-the-art audiovisual technologies and high-speed Internet.
Located at North End Road, Hampstead Heath (London), The Refreshment House recently underwent a complete refurbishment involving Directory Company Wrights Fine Furniture.Wrights supplied and installed chairs, fixed seating and bespoke tables to the restaurant having first visited the restaurant to discuss their requirements. The tables were specifically created to maximise the available space and the upholstery was selected from Wrights extensive range of faux leathers.
Hotel Indigo, IHG’s (InterContinental Hotels Group) upscale boutique brand, hosted a grand event in Shanghai, China on the 2nd December 2010 to celebrate its brand launch in Asia Pacific. To mark the brand launch, an innovative 3-D film about the hotel’s historic neighborhood was specially created for this occasion by one of China’s up and coming film directors. Against the enchanting night backdrop of the iconic Bund in Shanghai, China’s largest outdoor screening of a 3-D film on the 23 meter wide and 69.9 meter high façade of Hotel Indigo was visible from even across the Huangpu River. “I am thrilled that we are launching Hotel Indigo brand in Asia Pacific today,” said Keith Barr, managing director of IHG Greater China. “The decision to introduce Hotel Indigo into China as our first market entry in Asia Pacific demonstrates our commitment to China’s booming hotel industry. IHG is fully confident in the Chinese market, and aim to take our leadership position to the next level by expanding our brands and hotels in the market.”
Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund, the first Hotel Indigo in the region is expected to open by end of 2010. Centrally located at the southern end of the Bund, sitting directly on the Huangpu River front, Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund offers a unique space that manifests, participates and adds to the local neighborhood and culture in a creative, sustainable fashion. This 184-room property on waterfront features spectacular views of, and is near, the historic Bund, Yu Gardens and the ultra modern Pudong new area, all top-notch dining, entertainment and shopping destinations.
As the industry’s first global branded boutique hotel, Hotel Indigo offers guests an unique hotel experience by providing the design and intimate service associated with boutique hotels along with the reliability and peace of mind that comes from staying with the world’s largest hotel group.
Since the introduction of the brand to Asia Pacific in 2008, five hotels have been signed with cutting-edge owners in the region. Apart from the Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund, Hotel Indigo will be open in Xiamen, Taipei, Hong Kong and Bangkok in the next 3 years.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced the signing of a management agreement with “Grupo Hotelera Aguas Verdes S.A.” to manage the Villarrica Park Lake Hotel & Spa under The Luxury Collection brand. The property will undergo renovations to its rooms and spacious suites and will become a part of The Luxury Collection’s exclusive portfolio in December of 2010.Villarrica Park Lake Hotel & Spa is ideally situated in the Araucanía region 435 miles south of Santiago, surrounded by lakes, volcanoes and mountains. Guests can easily arrive by car, or by plane at the Temuco Airport. The Villarrica and nearby Pucón areas are renowned for their unique natural environment, characterized by snow capped volcanoes, crystal clear lakes and rivers, thermal baths, ski centers and vast national parks. Additionally, the area features the archeological remains of the Spanish colonial period blended with the influence of the “Mapuche” Indigenous culture, Chile’s first inhabitants.
Built in 2002, Villarrica Park Lake Hotel & Spa is surrounded by stunning landscapes and vegetation and has spectacular panoramic views from every one of its 70 rooms and suites. The hotel offers spacious meeting rooms for events, conventions or incentive groups, with state of the art technology and access to its 24-hour business center. The hotel was recently named “Best South America Resort–2010” by World Travel Awards.
Dining at any of the 3 restaurants featured at the Villarrica Park Lake Hotel & Spa indulges the senses with diverse menus ranging from modern interpretations of authentic Chilean cuisine to exceptional international dishes. The gourmet restaurant, “Aguas Verdes”, which offers it’s up to 120 guests a spectacular view of Lake Villarrica, serves both local and international cuisine delights.
The hotel’s bar lounge, and both swimming pools also directly look out onto the lake, inviting guests to further relax amidst breathtaking sunsets. Guests are invited to unwind at the hotel’s luxurious spa, featuring a variety of indigenous treatments, fully equipped sauna and steam room, as well as a fitness center and indoor/outdoor pools.
A hundred and fifty of the new jobs will be created with the opening of six new Travelodge hotels in Maidenhead, Chichester, London Whetstone, Horsham, Paignton and Lancaster. Positions that need to be fulfilled immediately include: Hotel Manager, Assistant Hotel Manager, Receptionist, Housekeeper, Guest Room Cleaner and Bar Café Staff roles.The six new Travelodge openings will boost the company’s portfolio to 460 hotels and 31,171 rooms.
The remaining 50 jobs are for management positions for Travelodge hotels across the UK and for the company’s head office in Thame, Oxfordshire.
Shakila Ahmed, Travelodge Spokeswomen said; “These 200 new jobs are not just for Christmas, we are looking for enthusiastic, motivated and committed individuals who want a long term career in hospitality. Travelodge is the UK’s fastest growing hotel chain and we offer a comprehensive in-house training and career advancement programme so that individuals can develop in line with the growth of the company.”
Travelodge recruits its entry level staff for new hotels in partnership with the Job Centre Plus scheme – a programme that focuses on getting the local long-term unemployed back in to work. All successful candidates undertake a comprehensive four-week training programme which includes a sleep seminar – so that they are fully equipped to ensure Travelodge customers get a good night’s sleep.
For ambitious individuals who are keen to climb the careers ladder, Travelodge offers a 12-week fast track management programme (MDP) – where individuals are taught the skills of becoming a good hotel manager. (To date over 300 members of Travelodge staff has completed the MDP programme).
In addition to the MDP programme, Travelodge has created the UK’s first foundation degree in Hospitality, Budget Hotel and Retail Management in partnership with Westminster Kingsway College. The two year course focuses on teaching the theory and practice behind low cost and retail business models which aim to deliver profit through operating effectively and efficiently.
Interested applicants can apply for a Travelodge position via contacting their local Jobcentre or sending their CV to recruitment@travelodge.co.uk. Further information on careers at Travelodge visit: www.travelodge.co.uk/careers
Vaughan had a successful event for Sleep 2010. Displaying many new products, and some existing favourites, the stand was ‘elegant and eye catching’. So many visitors were ‘wowed’ by The Verbier Chandelier which, weighing 62 kilos, was quite a feat to display at an exhibition!
The team had a busy couple of days meeting and greeting. It was a pleasure to see so many existing clients on the stand and good to meet an array of new clients, whom we look forward to the working with during 2011/12.
A report on “Intellectual Property Enforcement in Smaller Firms” (originally commissioned by the now disbanded Strategic Advisory Board for Intellectual Property) has been published by the UK Intellectual Property Office. The report, executed by the Intellectual Property Institute (IPI), considered enforcement issues for SME’s and cost implications within the current IP framework and made certain recommendations. Although just under 2000 SME’s were targeted, only 170 responded. Despite the fact that only a quarter of those questioned had IP insurance, IP rights are considered to be important by smaller firms and 25% of those involved in the research had been involved in IP disputes – and not necessarily against big business. Mediated settlements accounted for 40% of the dispute resolution with approximately 50% decided in a Court hearing. It comes as no surprise to those at the ‘coal face’ that a significant stumbling block for SME’s, whose IP rights are infringed, are the cost and time constraints to legally pursue. The impact on R & D costs were considered a significant factor by those whose rights had been infringed. Pursuing IP infringement overseas is out of reach for most SME’s because it is cost prohibitive. Those who do take legal action, either in the UK or overseas, have to ensure the availability of funds to sustain the battle.
Those who took part in the case studies confirmed that there is no level playing field for IP enforcement. Enforcement of IP rights rarely reaches criminal courts and the majority seek redress before civil courts. Generally, specialist IP advice comes at an enormous cost to SME’s but, in the case of patents, the UKIPO can be approached for opinion. Alternative dispute resolution means are to be encouraged and this has been reinforced in the recent Jackson Review of Civil Litigation. In terms of the economic and business implications of IP enforcement it would appear that the report’s recommendations are to find cheaper enforcement procedures that would be attractive to smaller firms. “Advice and information to smaller firms on how to view their IP strategically, so that it becomes a better means of extracting value from their inventions, rather than just a means of protecting them from infringement” is a key recommendation.
Dids Macdonald, CEO of ACID (Anti Copying in Design), an IP organisation representing over 1,000 SME’s, said of the report, “It’s high time the ‘consultation culture’ was streamlined and action taken to get on with providing real solutions to the IP issues that SME’s face. I am delighted that the UKIPO has published these recommendations. However, this costly report (£65,000) only confirms ACID’s (and other similar organisations) dialogue with the UKIPO over many years. The report states the obvious. Access to a cost and time effective framework for dispute resolution should be a priority for Government to its grass roots work force. This, together with providing the right tax incentives for creating and exploiting IP in the UK as a real champion for innovation would be a sound basis for IP policy for SME’s! The creative industries contribute significantly to the UK’s GDP (120 billion) and are a quantifiable provider of employment.”
Marriott International has announced it has signed franchise agreements that will add three more hotels to its lodging portfolio in Europe. The hotels include: • 87-room Renaissance Lucerne Hotel, Switzerland (2011) • 139-room Renaissance Aix-en-Provence Hotel, France (2012) • 113-room Renaissance Paris Saint-Cloud Hotel, France (2013)
Earlier this year, Marriott announced its plans to double its presence in Europe by 2015. These three additions to the development pipeline in Europe bring the total number of hotels currently in development throughout Europe to 27.
Renaissance Lucerne Hotel
The 87-room Renaissance Lucerne Hotel will open in 2011 under a franchise agreement with Hotel Schiller Betriebe AG. The hotel, formerly the Hotel Schiller, dates back to 1909 and is located along the Pilatusstrasse in one of the most desirable shopping areas of Lucerne. Boasting high style and contemporary design, the hotel will be Marriott’s first in the picturesque city of Lucerne. Lucerne, located less than one hour from Zurich Airport, sits on the shore of Lake Lucerne with stunning views of Mount Pilatus and Rigi in the Swiss Alps.
Renaissance Aix-en-Provence Hotel
Opening in 2012, the 139-room Renaissance Aix-en-Provence Hotel will be located in this small classically provencal city in southern France known for its wrought iron bell towers, beautiful paved plazas and average 300 annual days of sunshine. The new hotel will operate under a franchise agreement with ARTHOTEL Aix-en-Provence SAS. Located 30 km north of Marseille, Aix-en-Provence is often referred to as the city of a thousand fountains, among the most notable the 17th century Fontaine des Quatre Dauphins (Fountain of the Four Dolphins.) The newly built property will be located in the heart of the city center, a stone’s throw from the Grand Theatre de Provence. The hotel will boast two restaurants, a destination bar, and outdoor pool.
Renaissance Paris Saint-Cloud Hotel
When opened, the boutique 113-room Renaissance Paris Saint-Cloud Hotel will be the fifth Renaissance property in Paris. Opening in 2013 under a franchise agreement with Paris Country Club SA in Saint-Cloud, France, the hotel will be located adjacent to the elegant Paris Country Club, offering guests a unique opportunity to experience the many amenities of the club, including its golf course and tennis courts.
Located just 15 minutes from Paris Porte Maillot (Congress Center), the newly built hotel will boast the same design as the Paris Country Club with its country manor style and half-timbered façade. The hotel will offer two restaurants, a bar, 743 square meters of meeting space, and a luxurious outdoor pool and spa.
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) has recently announced the opening of the Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West, which features an award-winning conference center at a convenient location just 15 minutes from downtown Minneapolis and 20 minutes from the Mall of the Americas. The property is a conversion from a Radisson Hotel that includes $3.5 million renovations throughout the 243-room property. Truly “The Place to Meet” in the Twin Cities area, the Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West is located at 3131 Campus Drive in Plymouth, at the intersection of Interstate 494 and Minnesota State Highway 55. The six-story hotel sits on 25 acres of natural woods that provide a resort environment, and is close to offices of several major international corporations, including General Mills, Cargill, Honeywell and Verizon. Also nearby are offices of major insurance providers such as United Healthcare, Allianz Life, Prudential and Hartford Life.
The Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West features 40 flexible meeting rooms in 38,000 square feet of space and can accommodate meetings of up to 300 people. The hotel also features a 24-hour business center and complimentary wireless Internet service throughout the facility.
Currently in the midst of a $3.5 million two-year renovation, the hotel features a broad range of amenities such as an indoor swimming pool, a fitness center that includes weights and aerobic equipment, spa facilities with a sauna, whirlpool and massage treatments, racquet ball and basketball courts and a game room. The hotel also offers concierge services, a complimentary area shuttle service and free parking. All guest rooms feature 42-inch LCD and plasma televisions and refrigerators.
As part of the renovation, the hotel now has a new courtyard entrance and recently completed Life Safety improvements and upgrades in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Within the next two years all of the hotel’s guest rooms – including five-two room suites and one 1,029-square-foot presidential suite – will undergo renovations. The hotel’s Europa Dining Room, known for its Sunday Brunch, will also be renovated as will the Scandinavian Ballroom and the adjoining Plymouth Creek Athletic Club. The Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West also includes the Creekside Café & Lounge, which offers casual dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Room service is also available.
It is all about South Africa for The Rezidor Hotel Group this week: Following yesterday’s announcement of a new Park Inn hotel for Cape Town, Rezidor today announces the upper upscale Radisson Blu Safari Resort Kruger Park: The new built property featuring 120 rooms is scheduled to welcome the first guests in Q2 2013. The Radisson Blu Safari Resort Kruger Park will be located within the southern border of the Kruger National Park – along the famous Crocodile River 10 kilometres from the Malelane Gate. Besides 104 rooms and 16 suites with private terraces, the resort will offer an all day dining restaurant, a typical “Boma” (an outdoor dining and entertainment area), a cigar bar and a pool bar and terrace. For guests combining business and leisure, the Radisson Blu will have 5 conference rooms – leisure facilities will include 2 swimming pools, a spa- and wellness centre on 350 square meters, a gym, game viewing Crocodile River decks, a kids club and an environmental awareness centre.
Guests of the Radisson Blu Kruger Park Safari Resort will also be able to enjoy game viewing: Safaris will depart daily from the hotel to the main game viewing areas of the park. Kruger National Park is one of the 19 South African National Parks. It covers an area of almost 20,000 square kilometres and includes three different eco-zones (savannah, thornveld and woodland). It has more than 1,900 species of plants and 147 animal species – among them all the Big Five game animals: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino.
At the International Spa Association annual conference and expo, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced it plans to expand its portfolio of hotel spas by more than 50 percent in the coming year. More than 150 new spas are planned or are in development at Starwood, which currently features more than 300 hotel spas across iconic hospitality brands, including W, St. Regis, Le Meridien, Westin, and Sheraton.As the largest operator of upper-upscale and luxury brands in the world, Starwood continues to be committed to bringing branded, lifestyle experiences – including spas – to market.
“We’re answering the demand for spa with a portfolio of five in-house spa brands and strategic partnerships that continue to enhance the guest experience at our hotels,” said Mia Kyricos, Director of Global Spa Brands and Programming for Starwood. “Our growing spa pipeline is good for guests, as they increasingly expect us to help them stay well while traveling. And it’s good for Starwood and our development partners, since we know spa gives us the opportunity to positively impact rate, occupancy and average spend per guest.”
Starwood will ramp up its branded spa concepts dramatically this year with Sheraton, St. Regis, and Le Meridien to debut their own exclusive in-house spa brands, each inspired by the individual hotel brands to provide an integrated lifestyle experience.
“Approximately 75 percent of the properties in Starwood’s growth pipeline include spas in their plans,” said Jeremy McCarthy, Starwood’s Director of Global Spa Development and Operations. “And about 45 percent of our existing portfolio of more than 1,000 hotels offers spas and related services.”
Moving forward, Starwood’s spa brands will include:
• Shine Spa for Sheraton, Starwood’s fastest growing spa brand, designed to help guests “find their glow,” made its debut at the Sheraton Full Moon Resort & Spa in the Maldives in 2009, followed by The Sheraton Bratislava in Slovakia and The Sheraton Nha Trang in Vietnam earlier this year. More than 15 Shine Spas for Sheraton are expected to be open by the end of 2011.
• Iridium Spa, Starwood’s newest spa brand designed exclusively for St. Regis, will debut at The St. Regis Lhasa Resort in Tibet in December as “the world’s highest luxury resort spa” with others to follow in 2011. The Iridium name has a history originating in the 1930s at The St. Regis New York, and today represents one of the world’s rarest and most precious elements.
• Explore Spa by Le Meridien, which intends to introduce a new perspective on spa at Le Meridien hotels, will debut early next year at Le Meridien Oran in Algeria and Le Meridien Pyramids in Egypt, with other conversions and new builds in development.
• Heavenly Spa by Westin, where guests can enjoy an uplifting, sensory experience inspired by the success of the Heavenly Bed and Bath brands, plans to double its 20 existing locations around the world to 40 in the next two years.
• Away Spa by W Hotels, where W guests can detox from a long, playful night out and refuel for whatever comes next, will grow from five to 15 spas in the next few years.
Additionally, Starwood continues its strategic partnership with Steiner Leisure which now owns the famed Bliss and Remede Spa brands and amenity lines that remain exclusive to Starwood’s W and St. Regis hotel brands respectively. The relationship also continues to grow with 17 Bliss Spas and 10 Remede spas already operating at Starwood hotels, and several more in development.
“Like pools in the 1980s and fitness centers in the 1990s, the increased presence of spas at hotels has been fueled by both demand and the perceived quality of hotels with spa facilities,” Kyricos said. “Spas are no longer considered an amenity; guests expect them. And they’re no longer viewed as an indulgence, but an essential part of the balance and wellness guests seek while on the road.”
Horwath HTL hosted a plenary session on the 2014 Winter Olympics being held at Sochi in Russia. The Panel, called “2014 Winter Olympics – Profiting long term from large scale events” was part of the fourth Russia and CIS Hotel Investment Conference last week, held at the Renaissance Moscow Monarch Centre Hotel. Marius Gomola, Managing Director of Horwath HTL Hungary and Russia and a leading industry expert in the region, led the session and was joined by Evgeny Makarov Head of Real Estate of Rosa Khutor, Evgeny Kaplun Deputy General Manager of NBB Development, Dmitry Kanunov, Director of the Olympic Accommodation Directorate of SC Olympstroy, and Alexander Kldiashvili, Deputy of the Investor Involvement Department of SC Olympstroy.The session focused on two primary issues, whether the current plans to improve the infrastructure were on schedule and how the organizers of games could guarantee that the Sochi resort would be a viable resort destination after the games had finished. Marius asked the panel what the long term plans were for the region after the games had finished to make sure that oversupply did not contribute to a depressed hotel market and that there was a strategy to build long term demand to the resort destination, considered unique internationally because of its close proximity to both the mountains and the coast. The panel was bullish about the project, pointing out that the implementation of the 30 Billion US Dollar investment in the regional infrastructure is ahead of schedule, which combined with practically free of charge land for development in the coastal zone of the multiple Olympic sites created a very attractive proposition to investors and International Hotel Brands.
Marius Gomola said, “We know from many years experience that the effect of a large number of rooms can have positive and negative implications on the long term viability of any market, so it was encouraging to hear the panel addressing those issues and outlining the long term strategy to create a sustainable destination. The crucial question is the return on investment and the use of the capacities during the post games years, the key focus of the attention of the two largest private-sector developers voicing their conviction on success based on simple statistics and the lack of similar destination for the Russian-speaking market of 250 million. Sochi, a widely recognized tourist destination brand has a huge advantage for a resort area, due to the close proximity to the coast, which essentially means that Sochi has two peak seasons. The summer and the winter months both create peak demands reducing off season periods significantly due to the coastal Mediterranean climate, and the Alpine climate in the mountains, a mere 30 minutes from the seaside. If the government can come up with additional post games initiatives beyond the infrastructure investment, it will give investors comfort about the long term viability of their projects.”
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has announced the opening of Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok, Sukhumvit 15. The 268-room hotel’s opening marks the debut of the Four Points by Sheraton brand in Thailand and will delight business and leisure travelers alike with excellent service, comfortable and stylish guest rooms and everything guests need to travel the way they like for a great price. Located in the prime entertainment and commercial district of Sukhumvit in Bangkok, Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok, Sukhumvit 15 welcomes guests to experience the best in relaxation, convenience and stylish comfort while surrounding themselves with some of Bangkok’s most exciting shopping, dining, and nightlife. The hotel offers one of the largest guestrooms among midscale hotels in Bangkok, a unique BeerVault featuring its in-house BeerKeeper and a great range of international and local beers; as well as one of the coolest rooftop wine bars in Bangkok.
The hotel features 249 guest rooms, eight junior suites and 11 executive suites, all designed with clean architectural lines and warm contemporary furnishings. Each room includes the Four Points by Sheraton Four Comfort™ bed with feather-down pillows and a cozy duvet. Additionally, high-speed wireless Internet and complimentary bottled water will be provided.
Dining options for guests at Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok, Sukhumvit 15 are easy, casual and approachable. The Eatery, an all-day dining restaurant, offers an enjoyable buffet as well as a menu that includes an array of home-style favorites for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Wrapped, a café-deli, serves fresh coffee, daily handmade gourmet Paninis and desserts that include exclusive Feel Good Treats from Four Points by Sheraton. Additionally, The BeerVault – headed by the recently announced Beerkeeper, Chris Foo – provides guests with local and international hand-crafted brews from Four Points by Sheraton’s Best Brews® program. Guests may also choose to sip specialty cocktails while enjoying the sunset from the hotel’s rooftop bar, Ambar.
Productivity is easy for guests at Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok, Sukhumvit 15, allowing them to mix a bit of pleasure into their meeting agendas through interesting and creative elements that will be introduced to all meetings. The 350 square meters of event space serves as an ideal venue for business gatherings, creative meetings and private events. The space can be divided into two rooms, each accommodating up to 130 people, and is fully equipped with the latest in meeting technology. Other facilities include an outdoor rooftop swimming pool and a state-of-the-art fitness center.
Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok is located at Sukhumvit Soi 15, 10110, Bangkok, Thailand in the trendy Sukhumvit area, a popular destination for some of Bangkok’s greatest shopping, nightlife and dining. Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok, Sukhumvit 15 is also just a five-minute walk from the Asok sky train station and near the business districts of Silom and Sathorn roads.
Adding to its existing range and reinforcing its position as a single point resource for any type of signage solution, Signbox has been appointed sole UK distributor for Cedo and Podo, a Braille and tactile floor based full access architectural sign product, designed to be installed in internal and external walkways.Podo provides stairway, queue control solutions in high quality anodized aluminium, brushed stainless steel or polished brass. Cedo is an integrated floor panel pathway system in anodized aluminium, brushed stainless steel along with coloured polypropylene and plastic options. Contrasting with other floor finishes it enables people with a visual disability to follow safe routes within the built environment. This unique product has been pioneered by Marcal Sign Systems of France, renowned as Europe’s foremost developer of innovative sign solutions.
Visually impaired visitors to unfamiliar environments rely on appropriate signage to find their way to a specific location or destination and indicate emergency escape routes. Both Cedo and Podo complement Marcal’s award-winning Pasamano handrail range in delivering effective solutions to help the visually impaired find their way around hotels easily and safely.
For more information and to see the full range of Signbox signage solutions visit: www.signbox.co.uk
Baulmann Leuchten, the lighting-specialist for hospitality projects, has launched the new general catalogue 2011/2012.In a complete new design the well-know ranges “Interior Project”, “Big Lights”, “Bathroom” and “Business” are collected in a general catalogue of 177 pages. Besides all the novelties displayed at the “Light&Building 2010” Baulmann is now introducing numerous new products in all the above mentioned categories.
Special attention has been paid to the development of innovative products using the latest LED technology. As usual, all these products can be customized to fit the requirements of different projects.
The electronic version of the catalogue can be downloaded by clicking the image below (the file is 17.87 MB). For the printed version please contact the headquarter in Germany.
Carlson has announced plans for a new 120-room Radisson hotel to be built two miles from Calgary International Airport. Construction on the USD 19 million Radisson Hotel & Conference Center Calgary Airport East will begin in March 2011 with an expected opening date of March 2012. “This hotel development illustrates the continued momentum in our Ambition 2015 growth strategy,” said Thorsten Kirschke, president of Carlson Hotels, Americas. “Adding another airport location to our growing portfolio is aligned with plans to expand Radisson as a vibrant, contemporary and engaging brand in key city, resort and airport locations globally.”
Carlson announced its Ambition 2015 growth strategy earlier this year. The strategy is fueled by an investment program of up to USD 1.5 billion focused on positioning Radisson as a powerful, globally consistent first-class brand.
“We are thrilled to be joining Radisson during this exciting turning point in the brand’s history,” said Raj Uppal, partner of the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center Calgary Airport East.
The Radisson Calgary Airport East will feature a day spa, indoor pool and fitness center. The bar and restaurant will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Meeting facilities will include five banquet rooms totaling 13,500 square feet that can accommodate up to 600 people.
EGO’s 2011 catalogue is a work of art in its own right! Beautiful location shots have been used to showcase the stunning collections of modern designer furniture for which EGOParis is becoming renowned throughout the world… Eye catching new designs and variations on existing favourites make the new catalogue a must-have for anyone looking for modern functional furniture with individuality and style. New lacquer and mesh colours, new cushion fabrics and custom size Tandem tables all ensure that every EGO installation can be uniquely suited to its location. EGOParis is a young and vibrant French company located in the Beaujolais region of France and represented exclusively in the U.K. and Ireland by LEISURE PLAN, who are based near Stansted Airport in Essex. Because of its individuality, EGO furniture is made to order and streamlined manufacturing processes ensure that leadtimes are kept to within 4 weeks. Cushions are manufactured in the U.K. by LEISURE PLAN so that they conform to U.K. Fire Regulations and because the cushion production operation is wholly owned and run by LEISURE PLAN they are able to ensure that delivery promises are kept to without compromising on quality of workmanship.
LEISURE PLAN pride themselves on maintaining the exclusivity of their three ranges of outdoor furniture (EGOParis, Dedon and Fischer Mobel) by not distributing through mainstream high street retailers. A hand-picked group of companies with exclusive furniture showrooms has been established around the U.K. and each features a display of selected models from the three ranges.
LEISURE PLAN have specialised in bringing highest quality, design-led leisure furniture to the UK market since the company was established some 25 years ago. Their company HQ at Stansted is the base for an experienced sales team who are able to offer product and market knowledge combined with friendly and personal service. There is also a large showroom dedicated to the three ranges of leisure furniture, where a comprehensive selection of furniture is available for potential buyers or specifiers to see the style and quality as well as experiencing the comfort afforded by good design.
To find showroom locations and to ensure that you receive the new catalogues and prices as soon as they become available, please contact LEISURE PLAN via their website www.leisureplan.co.uk.
Make a date with Rendezvous, the first carbon neutral carpet range designed specifically for the hospitality sector and brought to you by Axminster Carpets’ Commercial Division. Featuring both traditional and contemporary styles, Rendezvous presents 12 exciting designs, each narrow woven on Axminster’s super eight pitch looms for unrivalled quality and clarity of design. All 12 options are available from stock, providing the ideal solution when timing is critical.
Named after the most evocative meeting places in the world, Rendezvous is manufactured entirely in the UK using Axminster’s renowned British Home Spun 80% wool 20% nylon yarn. Through the low impact of this localised production and the offsetting of carbon emissions from manufacturing, sales and distribution processes, Rendezvous is certified carbon neutral by carbon management service provider, Carbon FootprintTM Ltd.
What’s more, each of the 12 designs from Rendezvous can also be re-coloured using the 32 colours available as part of the new Ready to Weave concept, allowing specifiers and designers to find the perfect balance to interior schemes.
Rated for Heavy Contract use, all carpets within the Rendezvous collection are available 0.91m wide, helping to accommodate the complex layouts of many hospitality and leisure venues with minimum wastage:
“We have introduced Rendezvous to provide a stock range that meets the specific needs of hospitality venues such as restaurants and bars,” says Steve Upperton, Sales Director. “Few manufacturers offer such a dedicated solution to the very unique requirements of these locations and we believe that Rendezvous is one of the first narrow loom Axminster carpets for such venues to be considered carbon neutral.”
Kohler Co. continues to raise its profile in the hospitality sector as an exhibitor at The Sleep Event Exhibition, which ran from the 24-25th November 2010 at the Business Design Centre, London.At The Sleep Event, Kohler exhibited Feature Basins including: Katagami Wading Pool bronze basin, a shallow vessel with an elliptical design that echoes the Far East; Kamala Vessels cast bronze basin, inspired by ancient tribal rain drum symbols and covered with a low relief pattern; Serpentine Bronze design on Conical Bell basin, inspired by a Chinese design with turtles, fish and intertwining serpents on a matt and glossy raised enamel finish.
New to the ceramic range are the Botanical Study design on Conical Bell Vessel basin featuring a 16th century Turkish design and the Empress Bouquet on Conical Bell Vessel basin, whose pattern is a modern interpretation of an 18th century Chinese print work.
Abu Dhabi Airports Company, the company managing and operating all 5 airports in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, and Premier Inn, the pioneering value for money hotel operator, has announced the signing of an agreement to build a Premier Inn at Abu Dhabi International Airport.The Abu Dhabi International Airport Premier Inn project will lead to the development of a 300 room hotel, which will represent an investment of over AED 120 million, set to open in 2012, particularly servicing travellers using Abu Dhabi as a travel hub.
The hotel will be located opposite Terminal 3, and conveniently linked to Terminals 1 and 3 by a retail corridor, containing several stores and lounges to ensure that passengers have easy access to any of their shopping needs. The hotel will feature an all-day restaurant and bar, a coffee outlet and several meeting rooms.
Huraiz Al Mur Bin Huraiz, Chief Commercial Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports Company said, “The comfort of the passengers travelling through Abu Dhabi International Airport is one of ADAC’s top priorities. We are excited about our partnership with Premier Inn, as this project will enhance the facilities available to all our travellers around the airport. The hotel is designed to offer comfortable rooms, unrivalled customer service and reasonable pricing, even during periods of high demand.”
Marking Premier Inn’s fifth hotel in the region, Darroch Crawford, Managing Director of Premier Inn in the Middle East said, “We are delighted to be opening the first major hotel at Abu Dhabi International Airport and drive further growth for and in collaboration with, ADAC. Premier Inn’s successful formula, offering a hotel service in prominent locations at value for money prices, will ensure that our customer base, which includes both business and leisure travellers, will continue to increase dramatically in the region”.
Mr Smith World Photography, London based fine art photographers feature a captivating collection of images developed over many years of world travel. This portfolio is themed “London’s Bridges”, from the London Collection. Prints are available from the online gallery or as bespoke artwork from Mr Smith’s extensive catalogue.
The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing hotel companies worldwide, announces the Radisson Blu 1835 Hotel & Thalasso, Cannes in France. The 134-rooms property, formerly known as 1835 White Palm Hotel, will be re-branded in December 2010 and join Radisson Blu’s design conscious and contemporary portfolio.“We are delighted to open a further high quality hotel in the South of France which will clearly strengthen our presence along the Côte d’Azur”, said Kurt Ritter, Rezidor’s President & CEO. Rezidor already operates city hotels in Nice and Marseille – and brings its total portfolio of hotels in operation and under development in France to now 28 properties.
The Radisson Blu 1835 Hotel & Thalasso, Cannes enjoys a prominent prime location on the edge of the picturesque old quarter Le Suquet, overlooking the harbour and just across the street from the beach. It is within walking distance of La Croisette, Cannes’ famous main avenue renowned for its luxurious boutiques, trendy bars and restaurants, and palm-fringed sidewalks with sea views. The legendary Palais des Festivals et Congres is 800 meters from the hotel and hosts all major events of Cannes including the annual Film Festival on 35,000 square metres of congress space. And for those born under the lucky stars, Cannes’ three casinos are easily accessible from the hotel.
The hotel, a masterpiece by the French interior designers Marc Hertrich & Nicolas Adnet, was renovated in 2009. Besides 134 stylish and bright guest rooms it features 6 meeting rooms and 3 restaurants: “Le 360” is situated on a roof terrace offering, as the name implies, 360 degree views of Cannes, the sea and the harbour. The adjacent roof top bar is well-known in the city and a preferred venue for exclusive parties and events. “Le Bio” is located within the spa, specializes in healthy dishes and offers a unique “Bento Box” concept. “30° Celsius” serves light meals on the ground floor.
A further highlight of the hotel is the Thalasso spa, Les Thermes Marins de Cannes, which pampers body and soul with the power of sea salt and alga has already set new standards as one of the finest spas in the region. The 2,700 square meters facility with an outstanding ultra-modern design offers 46 treatment rooms, a fitness centre, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, hammam (Turkish bath), sauna, caldarium (Roman bath), and whirlpools.
The Rezidor Hotel Group continues its dominant roll-out on the African continent with the announcement that the 120-room Park Inn Cape Town Foreshore is scheduled to open in the last quarter of 2011. Park Inn by Radisson is Rezidor’s young and dynamic mid market brand – “and we are excited to bring it to Cape Town now on the back of the Sandton property which opened in Johannesburg earlier this year,” said Andrew McLachlan, Rezidor’s South African based vice-president for Business Development for Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.
The new hotel – the conversion of an existing office building – will be situated on Heerengracht Street in the Foreshore precinct of Cape Town’s central business district, with excellent accessibility to key locations such as South Africa’s number one tourist drawcard, the Victoria & Albert Waterfront, and the Cape Town International Convention Centre which is less 250 meters from the hotel. Cape Town’s international airport can be reached conveniently in 20 minutes.
With 120 modern and colourful rooms, the Park Inn Cape Town Foreshore will feature the signature grill restaurant “RBG Restaurant & Bar”, a gym, a business centre, two rooftop conference rooms, four small breakaway rooms, an impressive rooftop terrace, bar and swimming pool providing spectacular views from Table Mountain across the Helderberg Mountain Range to Cape Town Harbour.
The hotel will carry the fresh and energetic branding of Park Inn by Radisson, which prides itself on mastering the essentials better than the competition and on offering a comfortable, hassle free stay with excellent value for money. McLachlan sees continued growth in the South African market for Park Inn by Radisson. “We create an affordable hotel experience that’s warm and casual, easy to use, safe and fun.”
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) has announced the Dec. 1 opening of the Crowne Plaza Fort Worth South, following a conversion from a Radisson Hotel that included an initial $1 million renovation with upgrades throughout the six-story conference hotel. The Crowne Plaza Fort Worth South has 247 guest rooms including six suites with king bedrooms, separate parlor areas and Jacuzzi bathtubs. Guests can take advantage of a variety of amenities including a heated indoor pool, Jacuzzi and fitness center. They can also enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner at the Aryana Restaurant or head to The Lobby Bar for weekday drink specials, food or snacks. Room service is also available. Other amenities include onsite complimentary parking, daily newspapers, front-desk safety deposit boxes and valet laundry services.
The hotel features more than 14,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, which can accommodate more than 1,000 guests. The space can be configured into as many as 14 conference rooms to accommodate smaller meetings. Business travelers can take advantage of complimentary wireless Internet service throughout the hotel as well as a business center accessible 24 hours a day.
The only Crowne Plaza in the Fort Worth area, the hotel is located at the intersection of Interstate 35W and Altamesa East Boulevard and is 30 minutes from the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. It is also conveniently located within six miles of downtown Fort Worth and from Texas Christian University. Nearby businesses include Alcon Laboratories one block away, the Miller/Coors brewery just three blocks away, and a Halliburton training facility just a mile away.
In addition, the Crowne Plaza Fort Worth South – the only full-service high-rise hotel South and West of Fort Worth – is just 10 miles from a Lockheed Martin Corporation facility, 10 miles from the Fort Worth Naval Air Station and just three miles from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
The design-driven Hilton Frankfurt Airport hotel that is slated to open in March 2011 in Frankfurt, Germany, is the newest example of how Hilton Hotels & Resorts is upping the ante on the airport hotel model it invented in 1959.Hilton Frankfurt Airport will be a centerpiece of the futuristic THE SQUAIRE mixed-use complex that extends like a horizontal skyscraper above the ICE high-speed railway station at Germany’s Frankfurt International Airport. It will serve as the airport’s very own city “square.”
Hilton Frankfurt Airport represents – along with two other high-end Hilton airport hotels that opened in Chicago and Beijing in July 2010 – the brand’s bold new wave of sleeker, more relevant and leisure-oriented airport hotels.
As the lines between business and leisure travel continue to become increasingly blurred due to travelers seeking more “bang for their business travel buck,” below are ways Hilton Frankfurt Airport is throwing more leisure add-ons, chic style and inviting spaces into the mix without compromising its business offerings.
Hilton Frankfurt Airport Highlights:
• Dramatic, Light-Flooded Atrium Lobby • Stylish Hotel in the Airrail Center Frankfurt — this glass-enclosed, modern complex measures 660 meters in length and features landscaped atriums, impressive art installations, a lively array of boutiques, restaurants and a medical center • 248 Contemporary Guest Rooms and Suites — feature rich, warm color palettes; furnishings and artwork with modern flair; stylish desk space with U.S. and UK power sockets; flat-screen TVs with international channels; Wi-Fi Internet access; mini bar; spacious bathroom with separate bathtub and shower; and sound-proof windows • Two Executive Floors– come with access to the exclusive Executive Lounge • Exclusive Executive Lounge — pairs elegant, contemporary design with lounge services including private check-in and check-out, international newspapers & magazines, continental breakfast and delicious refreshments throughout the day • Rise Restaurant • 24-Hour Room Service • The Fifth, Lounge & Bar • Wellness Offerings Galore • Pool With a View • 24-Hour Fitness Center • State-of-the-Art Business Center • 8 Modern Function Rooms • Ballroom • Ideal Connectivity
The Savoy is an icon of luxury accommodation in London and in 2007, Lighting Design International were commissioned by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts to provide lighting designs for the complete restoration of the hotel.Their brief for the project was two fold; for the exterior of the building to provide a classical enhancement of the architecture and for the interior to provide a warm, luxurious and intimate feel within the main public areas.
LDI’s general philosophy for the project was to employ light fixtures that were either small, low glare and innocuous in appearance in order to play down the appearance of the light fixture itself and to play up their effect and ambience they generate.
Exterior Lighting: North Façade, Savoy Row and Savoy Court
The existing lighting was looking tired and was lacking in places. It was agreed that it would all be changed to give the hotel a new lease of life and to bring it into the 21st Century.
The main area where the lighting was lacking was in Savoy Court outside the main entrance which could hardly be seen from The Strand. Subsequently lighting was added to the pilasters adjacent to the entrance as a focal point, along with the lighting of a Lalique water feature. The existing back-lit acrylic lighting feature had to be retained and was completely renovated using warm white cold cathode tubing which enables it to be dimmed in the evening to create a more subdued ambience to the area and enable the features to stand out.
The façade lighting was changed from sodium and cool white metal halide to warm white CDM discharge. All lights are fitted with louvers to reduce glare and stray light. The flag poles and the statue of the count were also illuminated.
One aspect LDI influenced was the finish of the lay light ceiling in Savoy Court. This is irregular in its design and was white in colour making it quite unattractive and so in order that the eye is not drawn to it, we proposed that it was painted out black which puts greater emphasis on the façade and features within the space. It also enhances the view up through the lay light to the upper façade from Savoy Court at night.
The 25th November saw the CEO of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Andy Cosslett, return to his home town of Manchester to open the new Holiday Inn Manchester MediaCityUK. The 218 bedroom hotel, owned and operated by Peel Leisure, is in the heart of MediaCityUK in Salford Quays. The hotel has good transport links. It’s a twenty minute drive from Manchester Airport. The new waterside tram station and link road with the M602 also make it easy to reach.
The hotel has a gym and three meeting rooms which can accommodate up to 40 people. Guests can choose to dine in The Green Room Restaurant which serves British food, or the Hub Bar for a light meal.
MediaCityUK, a £650million Peel Media development, is a vibrant waterside community for workers, residents, students and visitors. The first phase of the development is 36 acres (roughly the size of 18 football pitches) and includes office space, a state-of-the art studio building, shops, restaurants, apartments, a five-acre public piazza, and the Holiday Inn.
From 2011, the BBC is relocating more than 2,300 staff to MediaCityUK. BBC Breakfast, Radio 5 Live, Children’s Sport, Learning, and Future Media and Technology will move from London to MediaCityUK in addition to all the BBC’s existing Manchester operations.
Announced earlier this month, industry leading, equity based, luxury destination clubs, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club and Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club, have forged a new exchange opportunity for the benefit of their Members. This strategic alliance presents Members of both Clubs an expanding universe of extraordinary destinations only these two renowned companies can provide. This affiliation marks a first for the destination club industry through The Lion & Crown Travel Co., LLC, the exclusive external exchange company for The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club.The collaboration allows Ritz-Carlton Destination Club Members access to 17 Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club residences in North America’s finest beach, mountain and golf destinations including Scottsdale, Ariz.; Lake Tahoe, Calif.; Snowmass-Aspen, Colo.; Kiawah Island, S.C.; Punta Cana; Sun Valley, Idaho; Jackson Hole, Wyo.; Hawaii’s Big Island; Turks & Caicos; and Los Cabos, Punta Mita and Puerto Aventuras, Mexico. In return, Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club Members are able to convert their nights for use at 10 Ritz-Carlton Destination Club locations in Aspen Highlands, Bachelor Gulch and Vail*, Colo.; St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.; Jupiter, Fla.; San Francisco and North Lake Tahoe, Calif.; Kapalua Bay in Maui and Kauai Lagoons, Hawaii; and Abaco, The Bahamas.
Both Ritz-Carlton Destination Club and Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club Members benefit from coordination of everything from airport pick-up and pre-arrival provisioning of the residence, to arranging a seamless vacation experience. Ritz-Carlton Destination Club Members may also escape with Abercrombie & Kent on a variety of luxury and adventure travel experiences, discovering inspiring destinations that include Antarctica, China, India and the Galápagos Islands, at their most intimate and authentic. The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club Members can participate in this program in a variety of ways, including preferred access to Abercrombie & Kent tours on all seven continents; opportunities to participate in three exclusive trips created especially for The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club Members in 2011; and the option to utilize Abercrombie & Kent Private Travel to personalize itineraries through their Member Experience Advisor.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. have announced the opening of Element New York Times Square West. The first Element hotel to open in New York City, Element New York Times Square West will be one of the city’s greenest properties and an eco haven located in the center of fast-paced Times Square. The opening of Element New York Times Square West further illustrates the brand’s steady strategic growth across the nation, as well as Starwood’s strong growth in the New York City market.Element, Starwood’s green trailblazer, continues to make history as the first major hotel brand to mandate that all its properties pursue Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Element’s energizing, eco-chic environment offers bright public spaces, smart design, and modern touches. Every Element property is also a high-performance building where sustainable practices reduce waste and conserve resources. Since the first Element hotel opened in 2008 in Lexington, Massachusetts, the brand has continued to trek across the country. Additional properties have opened in Las Vegas, Baltimore, Denver, Dallas, Houston, Omaha and Ewing, NJ.
“We are thrilled to bring the Element brand to Times Square, our first New York City property,” said Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President, Specialty Select Brands for Starwood. “Our guests will be able to recharge and be at their best during their stay in New York City, while enjoying easy access to the businesses and attractions in the heart of Manhattan.”
Element New York Times Square West will feature 411 guest rooms and seven suites, two meeting rooms, a lobby atrium and rooftop terrace with stunning views of The Empire State Building, Hudson River and Midtown Manhattan. The property will have a wealth of amenities to keep guests active, healthy and balanced when on the road including complimentary wellness programs and healthy food options. Rise, Element’s daily complimentary breakfast buffet, includes low-fat breakfast wraps and fruit smoothies, while Motion, the fully-equipped, state-of-the-art, 24-hour fitness center, allows guests to practice fitness on-the-go. And, from now through March 31, 2011, guests who book Element New York Times Square West will earn 50 Starwood Preferred Guest points for every plastic bottle brought in for recycling and a $20 credit to Element’s Restore gourmet food pantry.
Element hotels not only comply with the mandates of high-performance buildings, but ensure that even the smallest details are earth-friendly. Guest rooms and public spaces feature carpets, furniture and floors made from recycled content. Wall art is mounted on bases made from recycled tires. Low-VOC paints improve indoor air quality. Energy Star-rated appliances, and recycling bins in each room, make it easy for guests to incorporate green living into their daily routines. Even the ubiquitous “Do Not Disturb” sign has been replaced with Element’s now-famous environmentally-friendly magnet.
St. Regis Hotels & Resorts continues to underscore its reputation as the world’s leader in luxury hospitality as it debuts its twenty-first hotel with The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort in Puerto Rico. Coupled with the highly anticipated 2010 openings of The St. Regis Osaka and The St. Regis Lhasa Resort, the renowned brand will have doubled its global footprint in the past two years with this unveiling of its latest resort. St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, lauded for its dedication to refined elegance at the world’s best addresses, will celebrate the opening of its twenty-first hotel in November with a glittering evening at the flagship St. Regis New York, a glamorous Midnight Supper hosted by St. Regis Global Brand Leader, Paul James, a global Krug champagne sobering, and the launch of the Suite Luxury, Legacy Rates package. While this celebrated brand enjoys over 100 years of history, 2010 is a landmark year which will further St. Regis Hotels & Resorts reputation for timeless elegance and modern sophistication.
The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort in Puerto Rico will be the first St. Regis resort in the Caribbean and will introduce unmatched luxury and bespoke service to one of the world’s most beautiful destinations while preserving the areas pristine landscape.
The 21st celebration will also feature the unveiling of the St. Regis Collection by Alexis Bittar inspired by Caroline Astor. Caroline Astor, or The Mrs. Astor as she was known, was one of the most important social doyennes of her time and the creator of the Astor 400, the exclusive elite group which defined New York society during the Gilded Age, as well as the mother of St. Regis founder John Jacob Astor IV.
To finish off a spectacular evening on November 10th, Paul James will host a glamorous Midnight Supper at The St. Regis New York, harkening back to the early days of the legendary brand. Midnight Suppers served as one of Caroline Astors many social rituals at The St. Regis New York in the late nineteenth century, and the affair in November will surely rival these gatherings of New York society.
The brands celebration of their 21st hotel kicked off last month with Jazz at Lincoln Centers opening night concert performance for their 2010/ 2011 season, where St. Regis offered guests exclusive access to the event. Paying special tribute to unforgettable jazz performances that have been a foundation at The St. Regis New York since its opening, St. Regis also partnered with Jazz at Lincoln Center to produce Timeless is Modern, a limited edition jazz CD produced exclusively for St. Regis.
The County Club, a long established Private Member’s Club in Bridgwater, Somerset reopened its doors on Wednesday 3rd November 2010, following the first phase of a staged interior refurbishment.
The Club, originally known in the 1800’s as “The Bridgwater Club”, occupies the rooms of a former private house whose origins date from the 17th century. The building is in an area reputed to have been the grounds of the 11th century Bridgwater Castle. Today King Square is bordered on two sides by fine Regency terraces constructed from 1810 onwards. The Club has undergone a programme of building works and refurbishment in order to construct a new entrance porch and cloakroom. Entrance to the Club is now by way of a raised and fielded six panel door, finished in a sharp black gloss and framed by the reclaimed brickwork of the new porch.
Interior refurbishment has been carried out under the direction of interior designer Deborah Shelton. Following extensive research and consultation with the membership to formulate a brief, the lounge bar and dining areas were relocated and new contemporary accents combined with a simple yet enduring finish were introduced.
The designer advised the committee to ensure that only commercial grade furniture and upholstery fabrics should be introduced, in order to meet the statutory flammability requirements.
Now completed, the new lobby area leads into the dining room, where tables are set against a backdrop of cream wainscoting and walls accented with an appetite whetting Regency red, combined with the timeless elegance of Kentia Palms.
Pale cream walls provide a warm and sophisticated backdrop throughout. In the lounge bar the colour is partnered with a swathe of grey above the wainscot panelling.
Pleated black wall lamps emit a subtle wash of subdued lighting and complement the black armchairs and red Axminster carpet.
Contrasting red tones and charcoal grey elements have been introduced into the drapes, whose horizontal bands engage with the dado rails and small window panes, leading the eye from one area to the next.
The seat cushions of a small number of armchairs have been covered in a barcode of scarlet and grey stripe and the generous window seat in the bar area has been upholstered to match.
Previously, fluorescent strip lighting had been used within the bar both for task lighting and to illuminate the various spirits and wines. The lighting scheme has now been updated with red pendant shades whose white enamel undersides provide bright bar lighting. The upturned chrome domes of the lamp fittings mirror the adjacent glass domes of the existing ceiling lights. Additional spotlights have been fitted adding clever accents to the bar.
Members may now take time to meet and relax in the lounge enjoying the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, accompanied by the faint rustling of broadsheet newspapers or the background commentary of a cricket match.
Editors Note: From the grand £multi-million interiors of the Marriots, Kempinski’s and Intercontinentals of this world to a small incremental tight budget refurbishment in an English provincial town, interior designers work transforms not just interiors but peoples concepts of comfort and luxury. We like to show the whole gamut so please, send us your photographs and articles
Fashion legend Rosita Missoni has now officially opened the very first Hotel Missoni Spa in Edinburgh. Rosita, who is responsible for the design of the hotel, was first to sample some of the treatments offered by the expert team. Designed to give guests a true reflection of the Missoni lifestyle, Spa Missoni welcomes visitors with the same style and sophistication as the rest of the hotel, infusing bold colours with the iconic Missoni design. A luxurious experience from the outset, clients are welcomed into two vibrant treatment rooms adorned with the signature Missoni spectrum of colour. Yellow floors, teal walls and purple doors combine together to create a unique relaxing and tranquil setting. Guests to the spa are greeted with signature Missoni bathrobes and slippers on arrival, ready to be pampered in style. The indulgence of Spa Missoni also extends to a ‘Chill Zone’ where guests can enjoy healthy snacks and refreshments before and after treatments.Bringing the latest in cosmetic innovation to the Scottish capital, Spa Missoni has introduced Eve Lom and Natura Bissé treatments to the city. Firm favourites of beauty editors, make-up artists and A-List stars, these specialist brands are used across a range of face and body treatments, many of which have been unavailable in Edinburgh until now. With treatments starting from £40 for a 30-minute treatment, the spa offers a selection of luxurious body and beauty treatments, including the Diamond Lifting facial. This highly effective regenerative treatment restores elasticity to the eyes, face, neck, and décolleté leaving skin looking visibly firmer, brighter and revitalised.
Carina Svensen, General Manager at Hotel Missoni Edinburgh, said: “A spa is meant to be the ultimate in relaxation so we want to make sure guests are looked after from the moment they book an appointment. We offer bespoke, flexible packages, and our opening hours mean Spa Missoni is accessible all week – mornings, afternoons and evenings. Our spa fits perfectly with the rest of the hotel and offers an oasis of calm in the bustling city.”
Since opening in June 2009, Hotel Missoni has established itself as a favourite on the social scene in Edinburgh, and has also quickly become a destination of choice for the modern traveller. Spa Missoni reflects the 5-star standard experienced throughout the hotel as it creates a truly sophisticated environment to relax and unwind. The hotel was also just this week awarded Europe’s Leading New Hotel of the Year 2010 at the World Travel Awards.
Bambienti unveil a range of room service trays which are hand-carved entirely out of Bamboo. They are designed for those seeking style that does not cost the Earth.
Bambienti is a relatively new brand that is seeking to connect with those buyers who are looking to obtain ethically sourced, eco friendly products but are reluctant to pay a premium for such principles. These light weight trays are available to trade buyers in three colours, Dark Teak, Oak and White and are produced in two sizes, Medium (L 47cm x D 36cm x H 6cm) and Large (L 59cm x D 44cm x H6cm.)
The handles of the tray are hand carved with generously sized apertures to ensure it is easy to carry.
Bamboo has previously and wrongly been perceived as being too weak for serious interiors projects, however with a high bearing capacity and tensile strength comparable to steel this ancient material has impressive credentials as a viable and long-term alternative to diminishing sustainable hardwood resources. They include the following:
Bamboo offers support to a planet with increasing amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere. It releases more oxygen than the equivalent number of conventional trees, as much as 35% in some cases. It is also capable of removing as much as 12 tons of carbon dioxide from the air per hectare (10,000 m2).
Bamboo grows incredibly quickly, as much as a metre a day. To compare lifecycles, Rubberwood takes about 25 years to reach felling maturity, Oak takes up to 120 years. Yet Bamboo takes just 2-7 years.
Natural sustainability is one of the most significant advantages Bamboo offers over conventional timber. When a conventional tree is cut down it is gone forever, in contrast Bamboo requires no replanting after harvesting. This is because it has an extensive net-like root system that keeps sending up new shoots.
The underlying principle behind the Bambienti brand is that their efforts should not simply stop at the point of sourcing a green material. Rather that any effort to improve long-term sustainability for the planet is dependent upon the success brands have in enabling communities who continue to live off of their land access to sustainable materials and methods.
Those communities who have suffered land degradation due to uncontrolled or illegal timber logging have in Bamboo a material that can offer some much needed respite for two reasons.
Firstly Bamboo is a viable alternate that can limit our dependence upon already limited conventional timber resources.
Secondly, unlike with conventional trees the root structure of Bamboo can develop within the top soil of degraded land, the culms (Bamboo poles) tend to grow rapidly, cover land very quickly and prevent soil run-off and produce considerable biomass.
Bambienti’s choice of Bamboo is also based upon creative principles. As a material Bamboo is proving to be very adaptable and offers solutions to almost any design objective.
Accelerating growth in Latin America, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has recently announced its return to Costa Rica with the opening of The Westin Playa Conchal Resort & Spa in May 2011. Marking a milestone in Starwood’s history, The Westin Playa Conchal Resort & Spa will also be the first all-inclusive resort in Starwood’s global portfolio. Starwood and Desarrollos Hoteleros Guanagaste, a fully owned subsidiary of Reserva Conchal signed a management agreement to re-flag the Paradisus Playa Conchal Resort in Guanacaste as a Westin. The property will undergo extensive renovations to its 406 spacious suites and all public areas.The Westin Playa Conchal Resort & Spa is set on one of Costa Rica’s most breathtaking beaches, Playa Conchal in Cabo Velas, just 45 minutes from Guanacaste International Airport. Centered around an expansive lagoon-style pool, the resort features beautiful gardens, luxurious suites, thatch-roofed bungalows and breathtaking ocean and forest vistas. Inspiring wellness with its signature Westin Spa, the resort will also offer a variety of outdoor recreation and nightly entertainment. The resort is located adjacent to the championship Robert Trent Jones II golf facility, and features several restaurants serving both local and international cuisine.
The Westin Playa Conchal Resort & Spa will be the first Starwood property in Costa Rica in 20 years and the newest member of the Westin brand’s resorts portfolio, which offers 40 resorts in the world’s most sought-after vacation destinations. Westin currently has five hotels in Mexico and one in Guatemala, and will be opening five more in Latin America in the next four years including The Westin Playa Conchal Resort & Spa, Costa Rica; The Westin Libertador, Lima, Peru; The Westin Guadalajara, Mexico; and two in Panama: The Westin Panama and The Westin Playa Bonita.
The soothing Westin Sensory Welcome will create an oasis of calm as guests enter the resort with its subtle White Tea by Westin fragrance, gentle music, botanicals and mood lighting. The brand’s world-renowned Heavenly BedTM is an oasis of lush sheets, down cushioning, and a patented pillow-top mattress. With ten layers of comfort, this custom bed is designed for a deep, undisturbed sleep that energizes body and brain. The Westin Heavenly Bath experience will transform guests shower or bath time into an intensely rejuvenating spa-like experience. In-room, high-speed Internet access and an ergonomic work space will offer travelers convenience and productivity in a tranquil setting.
An ideal venue for weddings, social galas and business functions, The Westin Playa Conchal Resort & Spa will feature 6,500 square feet of meeting and banquet facilities, as well as a WestinWORKOUT gym, enabling guests to maintain their exercise program and stay in the best possible shape, physically and mentally.
Premier Inn, the UK’s biggest budget hotel chain, has completed a deal with Soho Estates to bring a new 84-bedroom hotel to Leicester Square.
The acquisition will see the former Queen’s Hotel restored to its original use with an investment in the region of £6m. The Premier Inn is expected to create approximately 40 jobs and is scheduled to open in Spring 2012.The historic property, which was built in 1897, is of Portland stone and has an elaborately ornamented French Renaissance exterior. It is located on the north side of Leicester Square, on the corner of Leicester Place next to the Empire Cinema. The property is currently home to a number of operators, including a casino, restaurant and a nightclub, ‘Ruby Blue’, all of which will remain.
Derek Griffin, Head of Acquisitions for Whitbread – Greater London, said: “This is a truly outstanding location and to secure it for Premier Inn guests is fantastic news. This hotel will give budget-conscious visitors to the capital a chance to stay in London’s entertainment heart.”
Stephen Cropper, from Premier Inn’s retained agents Cropper & Co commented; “We are delighted to bring the Queen’s House project to Premier Inn. This represents the 15th hotel site we have recently secured for Premier Inn and I am absolutely delighted that it should be such a prestigious one”.
Paul Whalan, Head of Estates at Soho Estates said: “A great deal of effort has been put in by all parties to agree a conversion scheme for this historic building – in fact Steve Cropper and I have been working on the project for over three years so it’s wonderful to see it all finally come together. It will give me great pleasure to see Queen’s House restored to its original use as a hotel.”
The refurbishment will transform the interior of the property; each of the 84 bedrooms will be fitted-out to Premier Inn’s high-quality standard and will include air conditioning and WiFi. 24-hour automated check-in kiosks will offer guests a speedy check-in option. Guests will also be reassured by Premier Inn’s ‘good night guarantee’ of a good quality room, comfortable surroundings and friendly service.
Cropper & Co represented Premier Inn; Soho Estates used its internal property team led by Paul Whalan and directed by Managing Director, John James.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has recently signed four hotel contracts today in Hong Kong at the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP).
This signing covers contracts for its expansion in Taipei, Hong Kong and Xiamen, adding more than 700 rooms to its pipeline with four hotels which will open under Hotel Indigo, the industry’s first branded boutique hotel brand, and Holiday Inn Express, the newly refreshed mid-scale brand respectively. Already one of the largest international hotel groups in Taiwan, IHG’s new Hotel Indigo Taipei Xinyi and Holiday Inn Express Taipei Xinyi will tap into Taiwan’s most well-defined and growing market – Taipei city centre. While Hotel Indigo will address the growing consumer needs for more distinctive and unique lodging experiences, Holiday Inn Express will uniquely satisfy both business and leisure travelers with its competitive rates in Taipei.
Having five open hotels under InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brand, and another five in the pipeline including Hotel Indigo in Hong Kong, IHG has the largest pipeline in Hong Kong among international hotels operators. The new Holiday Inn Express Hong Kong Mongkok will add 300 rooms into the current pipeline, totaling 1,400 rooms.
Hotel Indigo is the very first lifestyle branded boutique hotel brand in Xiamen. The newly-signed Hotel Indigo Xiamen Harbour View sits on the “Gold Coast” and also the Central Business District (CBD) of Xiamen. The project also contains a retail street aiming to set a new trend of fashion and lifestyle in Xiamen, the nearest city to Taiwan.
Having great confidence in IHG’s strong brands and track-record of management experience and expertise, many owners have multiple properties under different brands. The four newly signed hotels are partnered with three owners, which include:
• Hotel Indigo Xiamen Harbour View: Owned by Xiamen SK Development Ltd., a well established Hong Kong company, the hotel has 127 rooms and will be open in 2011.
• Hotel Indigo Taipei Xinyi: Owned by Elements Innovation Co., Ltd., a Taiwan listed real estate company majoring in projects including residential and office development, the hotel offers 173 rooms and expected to open in 2011.
• Holiday Inn Express Taipei Xinyi: Also owned by Elements Innovation Co., Ltd., the 125-room hotel is expected to open in 2011.
• Holiday Inn Express Hong Kong Mongkok: Owned by Tai Hung Fai Enterprise Co. Ltd, a Hong Kong based real estate developer that owns over 100 properties across Hong Kong and Macau including Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island, the hotel offers 300 rooms and expected to open in 2014.
Having been established in the China market since 1984, IHG has become a trusted partner for local owners through its successful operations, strategic expansion and high return for owners. Growing its footprint in Chinese cities, IHG currently has 132 hotels open under four brands –InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels Resorts and Holiday Inn Express Hotels – with more than 140 hotels in the development pipeline. The soon-to-launch Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund marks the entry of IHG’s fifth brand in Asia Pacific.
The Dedon range is looking more exciting than ever for 2011 with the addition of outdoor carpets, lighting and vases as well as new designer furniture collections. New introductions and classic favourites have been photographed in stunning locations around the world and are all presented in the amazing ‘Tour du Monde’ consumer catalogue, which will be available for distribution very soon. LEISURE PLAN, Dedon’s exclusive marketing and distribution partner for the U.K. and Ireland, will be taking new models into stock next spring ready for another busy season. Large stocks of furniture are held in the U.K. and LEISURE PLAN manufacture highest quality cushions to Dedon’s exacting specifications. All cushions are made to order in the customer’s selected Dedon fabric. Because cushion production is wholly owned and run by LEISURE PLAN they are able to ensure that all cushions are produced within their stipulated manufacturing time of 3 weeks without compromising on quality of workmanship.
LEISURE PLAN pride themselves on maintaining the exclusivity of their three ranges of outdoor furniture (Dedon, EGOParis and Fischer Mobel) by not distributing through mainstream high street retailers. A hand-picked group of companies with exclusive furniture showrooms has been established around the U.K. and each features a display of selected models from the three ranges.
LEISURE PLAN have specialised in bringing highest quality, design-led leisure furniture to the UK market since the company was established some 25 years ago. Their company HQ at Stansted in Essex (10 mins. from Stansted Airport), is the base for an experienced sales team who are able to offer product and market knowledge combined with friendly and personal service. There is also a large showroom dedicated to the three ranges of leisure furniture, where a comprehensive selection of furniture is available for potential buyers or specifiers to see the style and quality as well as experiencing the comfort afforded by good design.
To find showroom locations and to ensure that you receive the new catalogues and prices as soon as they become available, please contact LEISURE PLAN, via their website www.leisureplan.co.uk.
Step back in time on Square 4 for a taste of the 50s as the brand new classic American-style ‘Happy Days Diner’ is in full swing at Colchester University. With vintage decor and a menu full of modern favourites and nostalgic flavours, you’ll have to go a long way to find a finer diner! The diner offers seating for 112 plus additional outdoor seating, SKY Television on two large screens and a classic Wurlitzer Juke Box with free play to guarantee a taste of the rock ‘n’ roll experience.
Wrights Fine Furniture supplied the Happy Days Diner with fixed booth seating, tables, chairs and bar stools, all upholstered in the same striking red faux leather to create a classic American diner setting.
Hillswood have recently completed work in the lounge area of a boutique hotel in London. A range of fabrics and leather were used to upholster the furniture which was selected from Hillswood’s extensive collection. In accordance to the client’s specification, the frames were finished in both gold and high gloss black lacquer to create a dramatic look.
Tables with turned legs were specified and completed by Hillswood and lacquered in the same finish to complement the style of the chairs.
Special upholstery was also carried out on a large ottoman for the corner of the lounge.
The dramatic collapse of a crane on a key Manchester city centre development site brought work on a multi-million pound hotel development crashing to a halt. Despite delays caused by the collapse, the city centre’s newest hotel has won the race against time to open on schedule.
Thursday October 28 sees the official launch of the Holiday Inn Express in Oxford Road.The venture has created the north of England’s first new-look Holiday Inn Express following a decision by the parent company to re-brand and upgrade the entire chain. Work was held up last year when an 80 tonne crane collapsed on the building site, partly plunging into the nearby River Medlock. Luckily nobody – including the crane operator – was injured.
The Holiday Inn franchise is owned by Intercontinental Group who decided in 2007 to undertake a radical re-branding process, creating a ‘New Generation’ chain of hotels. Hotels under the Holiday Inn flag will boast all modern and technologic facilities. It features hot breakfasts, super- fast internet access, LCD televisions, air conditioning and en-suite power showers, and a pillow choice in every room.
The striking building has already changed the streetscape in Oxford Road with most rooms enjoying floor to ceiling windows to maximise natural daylight. General Manager Jonathan Smith: “We are delighted with our location in the heart of the city. Oxford Road is one of Manchester’s most central streets, a stone’s throw from the city’s main attractions and close to Piccadilly and Oxford Street train stations. It means our hotel is ideal for the business community as well as visitors and tourists.
“The hotel is surrounded by thriving bars, cafes and restaurants, with Manchester’s Museum, St Peter’s Square, Manchester Library, and the University of Manchester buildings all a few minutes’ walk.
“The architecture of the hotel is also unique. The chosen contemporary and sober design of the building perfectly mingles with the varied architecture styles of Oxford Road, which hosts a variety of listed buildings and modern structures of the University of Manchester.
“It’s not often you can find a hotel that is in the nerve of cultural pulse of city like Manchester, surrounded by some of its landmark buildings which offers all the comforts expected by both business and leisure visitors.
“This has been a special project for Intercontinental Group for the attention we put into choosing a landmark design. We wanted our hotel to fully embrace the architecture of Oxford Street, stand out as an example of the best modern design and continue to provide the best modern facilities possible.”
Horwath HTL, the world’s largest hotel consulting network, hosted a plenary session on pipeline and development at the fourth Russia and CIS Hotel Investment Conference today, held at the Renaissance Moscow Monarch Centre Hotel. Michael O’Hare, Managing Director of Horwath HTL Russia and a leading industry expert in the region, led the session and was joined by senior developers from Hilton, Hyatt, IHG and Starwood Hotels and Resorts.The session addressed whether Russian hotel development had begun to move again after a difficult 2009, where financing was scarce and opportunities were limited. Michael O’Hare talked about the huge disparity in supply of International Hotel Brands compared to demand and how this would be the driving force for opportunities as the financial markets loosened and bank lending began again. The general feeling among the brands was that projects were beginning to move again, and that those hotels whose construction had been delayed due to a freeze on financing were now finding new sources of capital to enable completion.
Michael O’Hare said, “It was positive to hear that projects and demand for opportunities are beginning to grow again. Russia, in particular Moscow and St Petersburg, had a period of very strong growth in the middle of the decade until the financial crisis. Those brands will now need to take the opportunity of an upturn to gain critical mass and look outside of the two major centers to the vast majority of Russian cities that have no International presence at all. There are over 50 cities in the Region with over half a million inhabitants that could support new hotel supply and that is where we expect the focus to be in the coming years.”
Simpsons Mirrors and Furniture’s range of round mirrors will add something visually spectacular to any room or public area. Available in several designs, finishes and sizes you can now create stunning pieces of functional art to suit any design scheme.
Antique Tiffany: Distinctive heavy antique grey bevelled mirror tiles laid on a smoke grey mirrored base
Ebony Macassar: Beautifully laid ebony Macassar Veneer with a leather trim
Saxon with Chrome: Leather with chrome inner and outer ring. Available in a choice of over 100 leather finishes
Sunburst Mirror: tapered bevelled tiles finished with high gloss black inner and outer rings
Mr Smith World Photography, London based fine art photographers feature a captivating collection of images developed over many years of world travel. This portfolio is themed “The Temples of Asia”, from the Amazing Places Collection. Prints are available from the online gallery or as bespoke artwork from Mr Smith’s extensive catalogue.
Set in the Silesian coalfields, Katowice is a city of concrete. Dotted around the skyline of this grey city are sets of the pithead lifting gear. Along its roads march blocks housing the flats, hotels and shopping centres of a modern Polish city. Many are painted and there are new, more stylish blocks added by the banks and other institutions moving here from Western Europe (see Design Club Gallery Designers Sources for images of Katowice).
One of these new buildings is Vienna International’s new Hotel Angelo. This is another concrete block painted white with sharp painted graphics on the outside, a canopy and a garden area screening an external terrace. Set end on to the main road the hotel has its own underground parking and large coach parking area outside. The glazed canopy of the entrance doors and the sharp external graphics give a hint of the strong colour used throughout a striking interior.
The painted concrete areas are lifted by sitting on a glass walled lower two floors. The meeting rooms on the rear elevation break out of the block in both scale and colour. This is subtle architecture.
Like the previously reviewed hotel (the Radisson Blu Frankfurt) this too has concrete columns inside, but these have been placed rationally in relation to the interior. They are slim and painted white so don’t intrusively break up the views through the hotel, nor add industrial touches to the sophisticated interior design. Another similarity with Frankfurt is the staircase to a mezzanine floor off which opens the busy meeting and conference rooms, but its placement is used creatively to break up the space and create a private bar area.
On this large rectangular floor the public areas are defined using colour from lampshades as well as painted walls and backlit counters. Strong fabrics on the seating areas and lines of simple strongly coloured lampshades also help definition of the spaces. The reception desk, back lit in yellow faces the door, with the lifts immediately adjacent allowing simple security oversight, supplementing the use of the electonic room keys to activate the lift.
The positioning of the desk with the adjacent maitre d’ station at the entrance to the restaurant allows good management control across the whole of the public areas as well as enabling staff to provide an easy smiling service. In this hotel the relationship between design and operation has been worked harmoniously.
Food is served both in the main restaurant and bistro area adjacent to the bar, as well as within the bar area. Definition of the spaces is managed well through design, with lounge areas in the bar along with a cleanly designed bistro area, complete with its own direct access to the same kitchens as the main restaurant. The design of the bar in particular makes intelligent use of the fragmented spaces available to create different areas. Behind the bar is an area with a large TV screen where events could be followed, such as a football match. In front of the bar is another large screen but the area here is much more like a traditional lounge bar. Between the two is another lounge with the intimacy and style of a private lounge despite being an open space.
Tack on the space of the bistro and the design is stylish, intelligent, provoking a variety of uses by guests without appearing to demarcate. Even the placement of the public access net computers is intelligent, in a separate area under the staircase but overseen by the bar allowing service of food and drinks to be simply delivered.
The outside terrace works off the main restaurant, screened by bamboo planting and pots. With strong red umbrellas and the same red on the pots against the fresh green of the bamboo, even this area echoes the style of the interior. In the restaurant, the use of red lampshades on tracks means they can be kept directly over the tables, all at the same height; this provides a visual line of repetitive elements that is both attractive and hypnotically fascinating to the eye.
The two food and drink areas are separated by the reception lobby; definition and visual interest to this area is given again by the use of the lampshades, in this area looking like slightly blowsy upturned umbrellas. In a large concrete defined area like this, the ceiling could easily be a deadening blank canvas, but the interior designer has cleverly made it into an attractive, visually patterned area by both day and night. The use of strong splashes of colour in the shades as well as bold panels of colour on the wall adds to the visual delight as does strong art work.
The staff seem to take pleasure in their work place too making for a presentation of the hotel on entry, when emerging from the lifts, down the stairs or from the conference zone that is a delight. This whole area is as well designed a space as I have seen in a long time anywhere, and one which the staff obviously feel is enabling to them.
Taking the lift to the bedroom floors shows the same intelligent use of artwork and the spaces. On the executive floors, the large lift lobbies hold easy chairs, some strong artwork and another set of public internet stations. These act as business centres on each business floor. Adjacent to the workstations are placed coffee machines and cups so business guests have the opportunity to gossip at the coffee machine or to take fresh brewed coffee back to their rooms.
Corridors use the standard black yellow red colour scheme with the door reveals red colouring coupled with the carpet design showing clearly where room doors are an minimising the tunnel effect of lengthy corridors. Plenty of artwork, mainly imagery of Katowice itself adds visual interest to the corridors although the imagery in the lift lobby does more, imparting drama and cleverly sized to almost the same size as the window.
Bedrooms carry the colour scheme through with the white linens on the beds and the white in the bathrooms making the overall effect crisp and clean. There are plenty of pictures in the bedroom, including one that is only revealed when the curtains are drawn! Bedrooms are the standard hotel bedroom layout and are reasonably sized, but like the ground floor everything has been thought through and positioned properly. The sensibly sized desk has easily accessible sockets.
White wall behind the desk faces the black wall behind the red bedhead. Both are lit by lamps carrying red lightshades with a kind of transition between the two being made by the black and red curtains, which also provides effective blackout.
Bathrooms follow the current pattern of provision in hotels at this level in that some 65% of bedrooms have shower rooms rather than bathrooms. Bathrooms have the shower over the bath. Both are well sized and carry the colour scheme through, being predominantly white with a red mosaic border half way up the wall and black vanity units. With everything else white or chrome the whole has a sharpness and integrity that the writer found very aesthetically satisfying.
Coming into an hotel at this level so well thought out brings a sigh of relief and appreciation by comparison with the groping that can characterise so many, more ambitious, schemes in supposedly better hotels.
If all Angelo’s are going to be like this then Vienna International had better get on and build more – and in Western Europe as well as in the countries of Central Europe.
Opened just weeks ago, Les Deux Salons is the third restaurant from the critically acclaimed team of Will Smith and Anthony Demetre, who are also behind the Michelin-starred Arbutus and Wild Honey. Situated on William IV Street in the heart of cosmopolitan Covent Garden, Les Deux Salons offers visitors “delicious, simple food in comfortable surroundings.”Internationally acclaimed interior design practice Martin Brudnizki Design Studio created the elegant interior of Les Deux Salons, evoking the relaxed, informal style of a traditional French brasserie. The restaurant features furniture, interior lighting and bespoke metalwork specified from commercial interior specialist Andy Thornton.
Les Deux Salons features Andy Thornton’s slat back bentwood chairs, customized specifically for Les Deux Salons, together with custom-made tables throughout the dining area. Upholstered in leather, the classic chairs sit perfectly at home in the appealingly classic and cosmopolitan surroundings. The company also supplied leather upholstered bentwood bar stools, for customers to enjoy informal drinks at the bar.
Classical bentwood furniture was the perfect choice for this relaxed French brasserie, where exacting attention to detail achieved the perfect look. The bentwood chairs and oak topped tables were lightly distressed and waxed instead of lacquered, to continue the authentic French brasserie feel. With the timeless appeal of bentwood furniture, which is widely regarded as a design classic, Les Deux Salons is traditional, but also completely on trend.
Andy Thornton also supplied brass post lights with opal glass globes between the seating booths, together with brass hand and foot rails and period style door furniture.
Both clients and designers are delighted with the finished result at Les Deux Salons and feel they have created something different, which stands out from the restaurant chains that cater for the tourist trade in Covent Garden.
Occupying legendary Chicago architect Daniel Burnham’s historic Continental & Commercial National Bank Building in Chicago’s bustling financial district, the JW Marriott Chicago opened on November 11, 2010. The hotel represents the first JW Marriott branded hotel to open in Chicago. JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts is a luxury brand within the Marriott International global family of brands.Featuring exquisite neoclassical design, the new JW Marriott Chicago hotel offers travelers a one-of-a-kind authentic destination in Chicago’s downtown Loop district. Occupying the first 12 floors of the former Continental & Commercial National Bank Building at 151 W. Adams St., the hotel—part of a $396 million restoration spearheaded by architectural firm Lucien Lagrange & Associates—boasts 610 well-appointed guestrooms including 29 corner suites and more than 44,000-square-feet of meeting space; 36 meeting rooms, a beautiful 8,500-square-foot Grand Ballroom and the awe-inspiring 6,000-square-foot Burnham Ballroom featuring the building’s original domed ceiling.
“Make no little plans,” Burnham once said, and the hotel’s owners—which include The Prime Group, Inc., a Chicago-based development firm, and a German-based investment syndicate—took this to heart. In addition to spectacular meeting and function space, the property features a 20,000-square-foot world class spa and fitness center, VALEO; and two different dining options—The Florentine, an Italian Steakhouse created by the BLT Restaurant Group, and a lounge serving more casual plates and sushi.
Guests will be impressed from the moment they step in from the bustling streets of downtown Chicago into the timeless, classical elegance of the hotel’s lobby. The soothing color palette and abundance of marble and other natural materials blend to create a timeless design, making the space a welcoming haven of comfort and productivity.
The Makkah Clock Royal Tower, A Fairmont Hotel, which has just opened as the focal point of the Abraj Al Bait complex in Saudi Arabia, is situated a few steps away from the Masjid al Haram and the Kaaba, the most sacred site in the Islamic faith and the heart of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Specialist hotel interior designer company, Richmond International, was responsible for creating the interiors for this landmark project, which includes 858 bedrooms and suites, extensive conference and banqueting facilities, dedicated prayer halls and ten food and beverage outlets. “While the sheer volume of the interior architecture creates vast spaces to accommodate the large number of expected guests, the interiors reflect and respect the spiritualism and serenity of what is the holiest city in Islam,” says Terry McGillicuddy, associate, Richmond International.
Richmond has used simple Arabic style as a basis for the decorative detail and embellishment throughout. For example, contemporary screens and etched glass panels inspired by traditional Arabic mashrabiya fret-work have been incorporated to diffuse the large spaces and make them more comfortable and personal.
Creating a sense of contemporary sophistication, the interior design utilises high quality natural materials. Different types of marble, bronze metalwork and rich timber finishes were specified to produce an overall subtle, warm and light ambience. Individually designed hand-made rugs, furnishings, artwork and large-scale chandeliers using contemporary Arabic influences have been produced by manufacturers and craftsmen to European and international standards.
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has announced plans for three new properties in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui during the next three years, signalling a solid period of strategic Asian expansion for the Swiss-based operator.Building on the success of the Mövenpick Resort and Spa Karon Beach Phuket, its first Thai hotel which opened in 2006, the company has signed a management agreement to operate the Mövenpick Suriwongse Hotel Chiang Mai, the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Mae Nam Beach Koh Samui and the Mövenpick Hotel & Residences Bangkok.
Kicking off the expansion will be the renovation of an existing hotel in downtown Chiang Mai, which will be rebranded the Mövenpick Suriwongse Hotel Chiang Mai. The 286-room hotel is perfectly located on the corner of Loikoh and Changklan Road, right at the heart of Chiang Mai’s landmark the “Night Bazaar”. The hotel is a short distance from Chiang Mai International Airport, the railway and bus station. It is due to open by mid of 2011.
The hotel will feature innovative dining experiences, such as a Thai-Italian Restaurant, an all-day dining venue and wine bar. Shops and a wide range of wellness options, including a spa, pool and fitness centre will be available.
The Mövenpick Resort & Spa Mae Nam Beach Koh Samui coming up on the beautiful northern shore of the island will feature 81 exclusive villas with private pools offering stunning views across the Gulf of Thailand and to Koh Pha-Ngan. The resort will appeal to high-end leisure travellers.
Contemporary dining outlets, an extensive organic garden with a Thai restaurant and a signature spa will entice guests from around the world. The resort is slated to be operational by the end of 2011.
The Mövenpick Hotel & Residences Bangkok located in Phayathai near the Victory Monument area, will feature 266 modern, spaciously appointed rooms and suites, in addition to 100 residences. A convenient feature includes an unparalleled collection of loft-style guest rooms. Due to open by 2014, it will offer a privileged location for business and leisure travellers alike with easy access to the nearby sky train and the Airport Express link. The hotel will be located close to the major downtown shopping areas.
Existing projects in the country include the upcoming Mövenpick White Sand Beach Resort, located in Jomtien, close to Pattaya, an hour and a half drive from Bangkok.
Scheduled to open by 2013, the resort will offer a convenient get-away to enjoy the outdoors with a magnificent lagoon pool, entertainment for the family and a variety of tempting dining choices. The hotel will attract domestic, intra-regional and international leisure travellers. Extensive banqueting facilities and meeting rooms will be available to host incentive groups and world-class conferences.
Furthermore, the Mövenpick Residence Karon Beach Phuket has recently introduced a new resort style residential development. The project comprises of five low-rise buildings, each housing six contemporary 130-square metre two bedroom apartments. The butler-serviced apartments offer a rich lifestyle and hassle-free beach home ownership with attractive investment potential and management rent-out programmes.
Following ACID’s (Anti Copying in Design) petition to introduce criminal sanctions for design right infringement The Government has responded by saying the current civil-based provisions provide a suitable IPR framework despite the fact that copyright infringement (which requires no substantive examination) attracts criminal sanctions. This gives rise to anomalies and inequality of treatment which are very damaging to hundreds of small businesses and designers across the UK and restricts the level of legal protection and support they can expect to receive.Dids Macdonald, commenting on the Governments’ response and, in particular, the statement that unlike trade mark and copyright disputes, design right can often be inadvertent said, “In my 20 years personal experience as a designer and latterly as CEO of a 1000+ member organisation (the majority of whom have joined because of design infringement threats), copying is generally deliberate and blatant rather than inadvertent. I would be interested to learn more about the Government’s evidence to support their statement. However, I am encouraged to continue the debate via the recently announced review of the UK’s IP and by the Government’s commitment to explore any (and all) suggestions for improving the designs framework for the benefit of the UK design industry.”
Nick Kounoupias, ACID LOBBY’s legal counsel and an expert in IP infringement said, “We are only suggesting that design rights should be criminalised where there is actual knowledge like copyright. There is no obvious reason for the disparity of protection. This may have been overlooked during the frenzied last minute lobbying and amendments made to the CDPA in 1988 as it was passing through Parliament. Design right protection was a relatively late innovation in 1988 and at the time it was probably felt that it was a step too far to extend to design right the new improved protection introduced for copyright in 1988. Certainly no rational basis for the inequality has been advanced by Government.”
The simple legal solution would be to introduce into the CDPA two new Sections to mirror S.107(1) and 110 (Copyright Patents and Designs Act (CDPA). The wording would be almost identical to Sections 107(1) and 110 and would be designed to criminalise the infringement of the design right subsisting in 3D designs. This can be done very simply by replacing the word “copyright” every time it appears in Sections 107(1) and 110 with the words “design right” and the words “copyright work” with the word “design.” It would then be necessary to make consequential amendments to mirror Sections 107 (4), 107 (5) 107A, 108 and 109 CDPA. As with copyright infringement this would criminalise blatant and deliberate copying but not copying inadvertently.
The Alliance Against IP Theft representing 20 organisations (of which ACID is a member) has recognised the need to ensure legal parity across IP rights as a key campaigning principle with a need to address the inconsistency in protection for design rights agreed as a specific objective. “ This is why the Alliance Against IP Theft is delighted to be working with ACID to address these anomalies and ensure that designers and creators have the same level of legal protection and support enjoyed by holders of other forms of intellectual property.” said Lavinia Carey, Chair of the Alliance.
In 2008 there were only 2798 designs registered in the UK and in 2009 2111. Most of the UK’s 250,000 designers would appear to rely on unregistered rights. This is contrary to the Government statement that IP, including design rights should serve to stimulate an environment in which new design ideas can flourish, whilst also providing a robust means of protection for existing design rights. ACID receives approximately 30,000 designs per year to its Design Data Bank for unregistered designs.
Craftwood Interiors would like to introduce their new and improved website at www.craftwood-uk.com. Working together with a marketing and website design team Craftwood Interiors have re-developed their website into an informative resource for clients, furniture enthusiasts – in fact anybody who wants to learn more about Craftwood Interiors and the world of banquette seating!Our extensive portfolio has been updated to allow you to view a range of projects from large to small. The new easy to use portfolio viewer will allow you to see that Craftwood Interiors can produce a wide range of styles and have the potential to make any of your designs a reality.
Whether you’re a new or existing client, take a look at our new website. We’re confident that you will find the information you require. If you would like further information or would like to discuss a potential project, please do not hesitate to contact us on +44 (0)1202 485115.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., has announced that it is applying its industry leading, design-driven approach to its two largest brands with the debut of new guestroom designs for Westin and Sheraton hotels. The new room schemes, from furniture to textiles, were custom-created by Starwood’s in-house Brand Design team led by Erin Hoover, Vice President of Design. With a background in fashion, fine art and industrial design, the team applied key learning’s from extensive in-room behavior research which indicated a desire for a greater level of stylish functionality – resulting in design specifically targeted to address some of traveler’s biggest pet peeves. The new room designs will be featured in new hotels and renovation projects globally across both brands.The new Westin and Sheraton guestrooms are highly functional, globally relevant and designed to reflect each brand’s distinct personality. Inspired by natural elements and featuring neutral color palettes, natural woods and stone the new Westin rooms bring to life the brand’s philosophy of preserving wellness on the road in three dimensions and evoke a sense of balance. The design team used Sheraton’s storied history as a global industry icon to serve as inspiration for the brand’s new guestrooms, which portray a sense of occasion and heritage by utilizing rich color palettes with pops of accent colors and modern interpretations of classic herringbone, basket-weave and geometric patterns.
Finally! Somewhere to Put the Room Service Tray…
Both new room schemes blend great design with intuitive functionality to provide a welcome solution for many of traveler’s top pet peeves. No more crawling on hands and knees to find a free outlet, gone are the luggage racks of yesteryear and finally, somewhere to put the room service tray. Key highlights include:
• Custom Westin-designed accent table that folds out to fit a room-service tray or laptop, and folds closed to occupy a smaller space. With a quick flip the multi-use table can serve as a working area for an impromptu laptop session or transform into an intimate table for in-room dining.
• Custom Sheraton-designed bedside tables with built-in outlets that face beds, facilitating easy computer and electronics charging use.
• Expanded Westin closet includes shelves and the mini bar, freeing valuable room space and reducing clutter.
• Westin upholstered bench that can double as a luggage rack and is easily stored under the television console and oversized signature Sheraton armchairs with ottomans stored beneath seats, creating additional living area space.
• Sheraton rooms feature an LED nightlight, allowing guests to find their way in an unfamiliar space without turning on the lights and the new Westin rooms incorporate strategically-placed, adjustable LED reading lights in the headboard.
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), continued its growth in Latin America’s largest nation with the opening of its first hotel in the city of Cuiabá, the Holiday Inn Express Cuiabá. The hotel is the13th IHG property in Brazil and the 39th Holiday Inn-branded hotel in Latin America, with nine additional Holiday Inns currently under construction.The 128-room Holiday Inn Express Cuiabá is developed and owned by Diamante Azul Hotelaria and is located in the Jardim Leblon neighborhood within 20 minutes of the Marechal Rondon Airport in Cuiabá. The new hotel features a fitness and business center as well as 12 meetings rooms of premium event space with capacity for 500 people.
Cuiabá is the capital of the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, which is located in the center of Brazil. Cuiabá itself is renowned for its location in the exact geographic center of Latin America.
“Cuiabá is an ideal example of the type of location in which we look to further the Holiday Inn brand throughout Brazil,” said Jim Anhut, Chief Development Officer, Americas. “It is a city of a half-million people, with a well-balanced economy that focuses on tourism, agro-business and trade. There are literally dozens of cities in Brazil that we have targeted as potential sites to further the growth of the Holiday Inn brand.”
IHG’s 12 existing properties in Brazil are located in: Belem, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Luis do Maranhao and Sao Paulo.
“Brazil continues to position itself as a global economic powerhouse, and we welcome the property and its owner Diamante Azul Hotelaria to the IHG family,” said Alvaro Diago, COO, IHG, Latin America and Caribbean. “With the World Cup in 2014 and Olympics in 2016, all eyes are on this country, and one of the key areas is hotel expansion. With 64 years of continuous experience in Latin America, and Brazil the location of our birth, we believe that IHG’s value proposition to owners is unlike any other international hotel companies.”
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has announced that it will open the first Le Méridien hotel in the sophisticated and vibrant European “Capital of Culture.” Scheduled to open in the autumn of 2011, the new 260-room Le Méridien Istanbul Etiler marks the brand’s debut in Turkey. Owned by Makyol Construction Industry Tourism and Trading Co. Inc., the hotel overlooks the crystal blue waters of the Bosphorus offering panoramic views over two continents and is anticipated to become a landmark in Turkey’s rapidly developing cultural, economic and financial centre.Ideally located in the prestigious area of Etiler, just one kilometre from the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge connecting Europe and Asia, Le Méridien Istanbul Etiler will be tailored to both business and leisure travellers. The 32-story hotel will provide a fully integrated contemporary lifestyle experience featuring 206 guest rooms, 26 suites and 28 serviced apartments, a Creative Hub (Le Méridien’s new lobby concept), destination bar, signature restaurant and rooftop lounge with stunning views of the city. Le Méridien Istanbul Etiler will also offer 1,700 square metres of hi-tech meeting and event space, a spacious wellness area including a gym, spa and both indoor and outdoor pools.
Designed by Turkish architect Emre Arolat, the unique, modern structure rises high above the buildings in the local area. Arolat placed great importance on finding the right source of inspiration for the structure. In his design, he refers to the pre-existing neighbourhood buildings as building blocks arranged on top of one another to create a skyscraper that blends in harmoniously with its environment. Between these three blocks, patches of natural greenery were added to further enhance this balance between structure and surroundings. Each single block gradually becomes transparent as we move up the levels of the buildings so as to allow the guests to fully immerse themselves in the sky and atmosphere of the Bosphorus.
Interiors have been designed by Istanbul-based Metex in conjunction with Le Méridien brand design management. The hotel design will create a unique experience for international creative minds and locals alike.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts currently operates six hotels throughout Turkey, including three in Istanbul – W Istanbul, Sheraton Istanbul Maslak Hotel and Sheraton Istanbul Atakoy Hotel, Sheraton Ankara Hotel & Convention Centre, Sheraton Voyager Antalya Hotel and Sheraton Cesme Hotel Resort and Spa. In addition to Le Méridien Istanbul Etiler, Starwood will also open a Luxury Collection Hotel in Ankara next year.
For the fifth year running, Chelsom will be participating at The Sleep Event, which this year takes place at the Business Design Centre, London on 24-25th November.As well as giving us the opportunity to showcase some of the latest products from the Chelsom Edition 22 lighting collection, this year’s event holds even more excitement for the company…
The Product Innovation Awards
The SLIM desk lamp, first used on the Hilton The Hague project, has been shortlisted for the product innovation awards, which highlights new and inspired products for the hospitality market. The fitting is unique and has already become a firm favourite with designers and specifiers of hotel lighting. Click here for more information.
The European Design Awards
We are delighted that a bespoke lighting scheme, designed by ICA, and manufactured by Chelsom forms part of a nomination or the European Hotel Design Awards, within the ‘Hotel Brand of the Year Award’ category. The generic interior scheme for Holiday Inn Express, which was created by ICA, has already been used within 14 UK and European hotels. Click here for more information.
We are really looking forward to welcoming you onto the Chelsom stand (M4), to introduce you to the new collection. If you can’t make this year’s show, please take a look at our new website www.chelsom.co.uk to see some of the latest products and most recent installations.
If you would like any further information on any of the services we offer, please contact the marketing department on 01253 831406.
The World Travel Market never ceases to fascinate me. National costumes in abundance, people dressed as penguins, kangaroos and of course ‘the suits’, male and female, throng the busy aisles. With Excel bursting to capacity and some exhibitors bemoaning the lack of space they have, their inability to expand their presence, this is obviously a very popular annual show. Over 50,000 trade visitors predominantly come from the travel industry. Although hotel groups populate it in part, for a designer it has limited value except by way of increasing the understanding to be gained of the competitive environment for hotels, and of what is popular now.Some of the prognostications that emerge should be taken with a large pinch of salt – such as the prediction that Iraq will be the next growth area for tourism (want a holiday that goes with a bang?).
Occasionally one does stumble across indicators as to changes in the market. For me it was the arrival of Suites in A380 and Boeing 747 aircraft from operators like Etihad. Making an interesting companion with nite nite or Yotel, the luxury flat bed accommodation being put in first class cabins shows how compact the design of a bedroom can be.
The Etihad seat is manufactured in a burr walnut veneer and has a large flat screen TV at one end, a good size work area with task lamp and the ability for close it off totally for privacy. There is even a wardrobe and a minibar to complement the fine leather and veneers. Whilst the layout does not vary enormously from airline to airline, the luxury notes struck here make an interesting comparison with BA’s more austere business class cabin, and put Virgin’s upper class in the shade.
The Kessler Collection, a portfolio of boutique four and five-diamond quality properties located in Florida, Georgia, Colorado and New Mexico, and IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announced the transition of The Castle Hotel to a Holiday Inn Resort as of Nov. 1, 2010. Located in the heart of Orlando, on the famed International Drive, the rebranded Holiday Inn Resort Orlando – The Castle provides guests with a magical experience, full of enchantment, starting with the hotel’s storied history. Built as the first Kessler Collection property in 1995, The Castle Hotel fulfilled the childhood wish of Mr. Kessler’s daughter, Laura, to have her very own princess castle.
Holiday Inn Resort Orlando – The Castle also offers business travelers brand new “Smart Rooms” a concept developed by IHG. Smart Rooms are available for a $20 upgrade and feature Brother Five-In-One machines with printer, scanner, copier and fax plus use of Roomlinx, featuring business tools that allow sophisticated travelers the chance to leave their personal laptops at home.
“The Kessler Collection’s commitment to providing guests with the highest level of service and attention to detail blends well with our relaunch of Holiday Inn hotels across the country,” said Gina LaBarre, vice president, Brand Delivery, The Americas, IHG. “This is a wonderful property that has become a favorite of both leisure and business travelers since it opened in 1995.”
The agreement between IHG and The Kessler Collection is a testament to the strength of the $1 billion Holiday Inn relaunch. First announced in 2007, the relaunch program creates a more contemporary brand image as part of the drive to increase quality and consistency across the global portfolio. The program focuses on arrival and welcome services, as well as guestroom and guest bath comfort. The global estate of more than 3,400 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express properties are expected to relaunch by the end of 2010, and nearly 2,800 hotels have already been relaunched to date.
Featuring 216 guest rooms and suites just steps from world-class dining, shopping and entertainment Holiday Inn Resort Orlando – The Castle combines artistic flare and playful luxury within its medieval-inspired walls. From the rare doll collection and castle creatures to the medieval architecture and authentic Austrian castle detailing, the hotel creates an atmosphere guests of all ages are sure to love. The hotel also features newly renovated guest suites of regal décor, a heated outdoor pool with a fountain and stunning rooftop terraces fit for a princess to await her prince. Guests enjoy a menu fit for a king at Castle Café, serving fantastic cuisine from the daily continental breakfast with made-to-order omelets to in-room dining options for those who wish to stay within their chamber. Additionally, Jester’s Poolside Lounge offers plenty of food and beverage choices for guests to enjoy under the sun.
In 2008, Paola Lenti developed the proto-type Afra chair. It was 100% Italian and, as with most Italian design, was a superb piece which realised the product as aesthetically pleasing, functional and very comfortable. It ticked just about all the boxes; it fulfilled the company’s clear intent of using the highest technology fabrics combined with traditional crafts to produce exquisite yet functional items for the home. But it lacked a vital intangible contribution to the product’s success. With Paola’s commitment to tradition and vernacular, her journey has led her to rediscover ancient techniques for high-quality textiles. Key words that she uses when describing what she aims for in her designs are “authenticity” and “soul”. If an African weave is used for a chair, such as that in the Afra Chair, it cannot be woven in Italy and given the description of “African” or even “African-style”, because it would be neither authentic nor credible. With the assistance of South African branch of The Modern Garden Company in Cape Town, they set out to find an ethical and empowered rural crafts facility that was sufficiently skilled and business focused to be able to produce to a staggeringly high international standard plus being deal with all the ancillary issues of secure clean storage, international freighting and timings. They found it in a Craft Art Village in the province of Limpopo, operated by a Foundation created with the sole aim of promoting and redeveloping the traditional craft art and skills of people living in the rural villages of the area.
The encounter between Paola Lenti and the Limpopo weavers represents a confluence of two cultures: Paola Lenti, well known in the international market for a unique style based on textile innovation and use of traditional working techniques, combined with an entrepreneurial know-how in marketing and distribution on one hand; and on the other, Limpopo women with centuries of traditional skills in crafts such as weaving, embroidery and bead work passed down from generation to generation.
The meeting of such different skills and styles have given rise to production of a limited series of objects, the most significant of which is still the Afra Chair. This item has provided a sustainable source of income for a number of the Village women over the past twelve months and other items such as baskets, embroidered linen and special edition beaded animals are introduced as special editions for exhibitions and displays around the world for Paola Lenti.
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