Hotel Designs

    NEWS AND ANALYSIS FOR HOTELIERS, DESIGNERS AND INDUSTRY SUPPLIERS

    Lights back on at the inn

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    Optimism amongst leading Australian hoteliers is on the rise again after two years of declining demand, falling revenues and stagnant investor demand. Under a theme of “Back on Track” delegates at the annual Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Hotel Industry Conference (ANZPHIC) held in Sydney this week heard speakers from various parts of the industry deliver generally positive news about recent market trends and encouraging forecasts for the near and longer term future for the industry here. ANZPHIC conference chair and Horwath HTL Managing Director Mr. John Smith described the messages presented to delegates as a “rare triple play of positive news and market sentiment”.

    “What we heard was improving occupancies in 2010 for leading markets such as Sydney and Brisbane, supported by improving demand from key inbound visitor markets such as the USA and improving hotel investment demand from overseas investment markets such Singapore” he said. “It’s a combination of trends that will help to finally rebuild confidence as the industry continues the climb back from the challenges and disruptions of the past two years” he added. Leading industry data providers STR Global reported a strong rise in hotel room demand across the Asia Pacific region with year to date revenue per available room rising 24%, after a 19% decline for the comparable period in 2009. Amongst the best performing markets in the region, Sydney during the year to date led the field in terms of occupancy, reaching a near historical high of 86%, although room rate growth remains modest. Reflecting its rapidly improving market performance, leading hotel CEO’s at ANZPHIC rated the prospects for the Sydney market highly, with an expected average revenue uplift of 8 to 10% over the year ahead.

    Similar growth expectations were nominated for Brisbane, however a more cautious outlook exists for Melbourne as it continues to absorb the impact of recent new hotel room supply. The surprise market performance was the Gold Coast that after several years of falling demand, occupancy and room rates finally saw a sharp uplift in trading conditions in the year to date.

    Tourism Australia Managing Director, Andrew McEvoy reported positive market reaction overseas to Tourism Australia’s latest “There’s Nothing Like Australia” advert and in a poll conducted of ANZPHIC audience delegates (comprising 400 senior hotel industry executives) the advert rated a score of 7.5 out of 10. Asked what the Tourism Australia’s budget should be for 2012, the audience nominated $218m – an 80% increase on the 2011 budget of $122m but a spend level per head of population that would still be less than New Zealand.
    Reflecting the improving state of the hotel investment markets in Australia, Jones Lang LaSalle reported on five major sales achieved in recent months that amounted to over $600m of deals, all of which were made to overseas buyers. One of the buyers, Singapore magnate Mr. Michael Kum was awarded the “Hotel Deal of the Year” for his astute $185m acquisition of the Four Points Darling Harbour from GPT.

    Meanwhile former head of both Accor in Australia and Hilton in Asia Pacific, Mr Koos Klein was named as the inaugural inductee in the “Hotel Legends Hall of Fame” and property developer Lend Lease gave an update on its landmark and controversial development, Barangaroo South.

    New Website for The Natural Stone Studio

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    The Natural Stone Studio has recently launched a new website demonstrating the range of natural stone flooring and wall tiles available at highly competitive prices and rapid delivery times.Now with showrooms in Pocklington (York) and Braintree (Essex), it is easy to view our beautiful collection of natural stone in person to see the quality in person.

    The Natural Stone Studio can supply any stone product including tiles in limestone, marble, travertine, slate, basalt and granite, vanity tops, kitchen worktops and mosaics.

    Our trained consultants give helpful, accurate advice about suitability based on over 25 years of experience of supplying and installing natural stones from around the world. We also supply solid stone baths, sinks and shower trays suitable for luxury bathrooms, shower rooms and wet rooms, each piece can be delivered nationwide. We can also offer a bespoke Masonry Service for granite kitchen worktops, marble vanity tops and Bath surrounds. Talk to The Natural Stone Studio the experts in natural stone.

    We pride ourselves on the fantastic service and value for money we are able to offer our customers. As a long standing supplier of natural stone we decided years ago that we would not sell stone products of anything other than top quality limestone. Travertine, marble, Jerusalem stone, slate and granite. Full pallet discounts are available on many of our most popular stones.

    The Natural Stone Studios experienced personnel can advise you on which stones will meet you requirements as well as the best products for fitting and maintaining stone products.

    Hospitality Redefined as The Romanos Opens on the Shores of South West Greece

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    The Romanos, a Luxury Collection hotel designed by MKV Design, has opened to widespread acclaim. The hotel, together with the adjacent village, conference centre, golf and spa is the first completion in an audacious 20-year long vision to create Costa Navarino, a series of four resorts on nearly 2,500 acres of virgin land that wraps around the Ionian Sea in the Messinia region of the Peloponnese. The development that includes The Romanos is Navarino Dunes, named after the untouched dunes that fringe the long sunset-facing beach in this part of Navarino Bay.Lobby Entrance
    For the designers, the initial canvas was rich. Messinia is one of the oldest parts of Greece, the land where legend and history merge and the sacred art of hospitality is enshrined in the stories of the region. The location was also very beautiful and, from the beginning, the owner was determined to preserve, celebrate and, indeed, enhance the natural environment.

    The result is an intertwining of the provenance of the region with timeless architectural design and contemporary furniture and fittings not just in The Romanos but across all the buildings in the resort, creating layers of interlocking experiences that enfold the guest. At the same time, each building has been meticulously planned to ensure maximum delight and comfort for guests and a harmonious relationship with the exterior environment.

    Lobby Interior
    The entrance lobby of The Romanos is monumental – a modern interpretation of an ancient Greek temple that plays with scale and materials to frame the view towards the Ionian Sea for guests as they arrive as well as to act as an orientation device as they go on to explore the site. Its direct references come from the nearby Palace of Nestor, the king who embodied the spirit of true hospitality in the Odyssey, but its role in the resort is that of a transitional space. Having driven through carefully reinstated olive groves, now juxtaposed with the manicured greens of Greece’s first signature golf course, guests arrive in the “private mansion” of The Romanos where they can stop and discover the experience about to begin. The lobby is furnished with luxurious high-backed chairs and chaise-longue, the exquisite flooring replicates the mosaics of Nestor’s Palace and the neutral envelope of stone and traditionally exposed timber roof achieves a classic and dramatic structure. On each side, double-height bronze fretwork gates give onto the two wings of the low-rise hotel that curves around the coastline below. The interior forms of the corridors are almost monastic, reflecting the architecture of local villages and allowing the view to do the work.

    Glazed Colonnade, Lounge Bar
    The lounge bar extends from one side of the Lobby. Here, sculptural, classical Greek lines are combined with chic furniture pieces and graceful free-standing lamps, and natural local materials, such as timber, leather, bronze and stone, reiterate the commitment to sustainability. The Interior Designers carefully planned this large space as a sequence of experiences, allowing guests variety as well as protection from and exposure to the weather and location. On the sea-facing side, the Lounge Bar begins outside with a sunken terrace surrounded by one of the many small canals that traverse the site. A glazed colonnade flows alongside where a remarkable collection of 18th Century engravings tells the story of the great sea battle in Navarino Bay.

    Sunken Terrace, Lounge Bar
    The main space is situated behind this – an area of striking volume where the stone structure soars up to an exposed timber roof with an intimate “library” area at one end around an open fire and a turquoise glass mosaic bar at the other. During the day, beams of sunlight from small windows at the top of this structure criss-cross the room; at night, the bar shimmers in the lighting. A raised area with a lowered ceiling creates the next set with tables for board games and billiards, and finally another terrace affords views over the cluster of stone and timber buildings that form the village centre.

    Fairmont Peace Hotel Opens

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    China’s most iconic hotel will once again welcome guests at the Fairmont Peace Hotel. In one of this year’s most eagerly anticipated openings, Jin Jiang Hotels International and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts unveil the culmination of a comprehensive restoration program following the legendary property’s closure in 2007.The hotel, which officially opened on August 1, 1929, was widely known as the “Number One mansion in the Far East “, due to its prime location along the Bund and for its luxury, including the distinctive copper-sheathed roof 77 meters above ground, white Italian marble floors, and priceless Lalique glass artwork. The internationally acclaimed design firm Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) worked closely with a team of leading designers, architects and historians to recreate the grandeur and majesty of the landmark property and embody the spirit of its glamorous art-deco heritage.

    The newly revitalized Fairmont Peace Hotel offers 270 deluxe guestrooms and suites with a selection of six restaurants and lounges. Included among these is the much-loved Jazz Bar, a Shanghai institution since the 1930s, Signature Chinese restaurant Dragon Phoenix and The Cathay Room, offering stunning views of the Bund from its terrace on the 9th floor. The 8th floor will host the famed Peace Hall, where the property’s iconic sprung-wooden dance floor still evokes memories of old Shanghai cabarets and gala parties.

    Guestrooms feature 1930s period flourishes along with contemporary comforts and cutting-edge technology. Starting at a spacious 45 square metres, the guestrooms feature a soft colour palette and tailored art deco motifs and furnishings. State-of-the-art in-room technology includes a 37-inch plasma stereo TV, a bath-side LCD screen, Blu-ray DVD player and wireless and broadband Internet with ‘plug-and-play’ connectivity. Additional room amenities include Illy espresso machines, 400-thread-count Egyptian cotton bed linens and exclusive Miller Harris Cologne Series 1888 bath products.

    A new extension to the building will house a sky-lit swimming pool and a Willow Stream Spa. The famous ‘Nine Nations Suites’ will remain a feature while a new presidential suite will occupy the 10th floor penthouse where the hotel’s flamboyant creator and former owner, Sir Victor Sassoon, once lived.

    An Anglo-Jewish business tycoon, Sir Victor Sassoon was a driving force in Shanghai’s development, pioneering construction on the marshy Bund by installing 1,600 redwood and concrete pilings as the foundation of the 11-storey hotel, the first high-rise in the city. The original hotel boasted a number of firsts in its day – a private plumbing system with water channeled in from a spring outside the city and Shanghai’s first electric elevator, an art deco cage. Guests and visitors will be able to learn about the unique historical and cultural heritage of Shanghai’s most famous building through the Peace Gallery.

    The Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok in Thailand soft opening

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    The 303 luxury room, cabana and suite property in the absolute centre of the Thai capital is Kempinski’s 64th iconic property worldwide. Kempinski, headquartered in Geneva, was established in 1897 in Berlin and is today Europe’s oldest luxury hotel brand.“Kempinski is delighted to open such a magnificent property in the heart of what many people consider to be Asia’s most vibrant and colourful city,” said Kempinski President and CEO, Mr. Reto Wittwer, who is in Bangkok for the hotel’s soft opening reception.

    “Kempinski’s commitment to excellence means that we choose our hotel developments very carefully,” he said. “I’m optimistic that the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok with its strategic location and beautifully appointed facilities will become one of Kempinski’s more sought after and acclaimed properties.”

    The Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, which is adjacent to the Siam Paragon lifestyle mall, is unique due to the hundreds of Thai art works commissioned and visible throughout the property. All rooms look onto large tropical landscaped gardens with extensive water features and three saltwater swimming pools.

    The hotel’s European heritage is evident in the signature Brasserie Europa fine dining restaurant, the T Lounge and the 1897 whisky bar and cigar court. The Sra Bua modern Thai dining restaurant and Kempinski The Spa will open in a few weeks’ time.

    Modern Thai aesthetics dominate the dramatic 14-metre tall marble lobby which features two spiral stair cases and a lotus fountain.

    “The Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok is proud to stand for individualistic luxury, affinity with Thailand, refinement and efficiency,” said Mr Philippe Caretti, the property’s Interim General Manager. “We believe business travellers, holiday makers, companies holding meetings, couples on honeymoon, Thai residents and expats committed to the finer things in life will all be delighted by what we have created here,” he said.

    Spirits not dampened at Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center continues to make excellent progress on the restoration of the property – and remain on track to meet their November 15, 2010 re-opening date.More than a thousand people are at work inside the hotel every day — representing 38 separate contracting companies including architectural, interior design, procurement, engineering, and construction.

    During the clean up and remediation phase, now complete, the hotel removed every porous surface that was touched by water, along with all furniture, flooring and other materials that were damaged by the flood. During this process they removed 1,200 dumpsters full of debris. They also replaced affected air ducts to ensure a clean, comfortable environment for future guests. Industrial hygienists have inspected the hotel from top to bottom and have given the hotel a clean bill of health!

    The hotel has unveiled the first preliminary renderings of several of the Gaylord Opryland’s redesigned spaces, including the Cascades Lobby, Cascades Bar and Magnolia guest rooms. The Cascades Lobby will be entirely new, open and modern. The new front desk and ticketing station will be accompanied by the addition of a VIP area just off the lobby. The entire Cascades atrium is being redesigned – including a new bar, restaurant and enhanced water features. Guests will also find new Italian and Mexican restaurant concepts in the Garden Conservatory. Plus, the Magnolia lobby is undergoing a complete redesign, as are the Magnolia guest rooms and five Presidential suites.

    EDITION: The Next Generation Lifestyle Hotel

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    EDITION Hotels marks the next chapter in the lifestyle hotel story. The new Brand was conceived by Ian Schrager in a partnership with Marriott International. It will combine the personal, intimate, individualized and unique lodging experience that Ian Schrager is known for, with the global reach, operational expertise and scale of Marriott. This delicate balancing act will encompass, for the very first time, not only great design and true innovation, but also great personal, friendly, modern service as well as outstanding, one-of-a-kind food, beverage and entertainment offerings…”all under one roof”. Each highly stylised hotel will function as a “home away from home” for leisure and business travellers. In addition, each hotel will cater to the modern day business traveller by offering functional, technologically sophisticated working environments that provide the comfort and ease of actually conducting business in an “office away from the office”.

    The heightened experience, authenticity and originality that Ian Schrager brings to this new Brand coupled with the global reach of Marriott will result in a truly distinct product that sets itself apart from anything else currently in the marketplace. It is nothing less than an attempt to push the boundaries, break new ground and take the hotel industry to a whole new level. EDITION will be completely new, different and original offering an experience never before seen in the industry. It will be the first truly global branded lifestyle hotel on a large scale, setting the standard for decades to come.

    EDITION will debut in Waikiki Beach October 2010 and will also open a property in Istanbul later this year. Planned openings are also scheduled in 24-hour international gateway cities such as Mexico City, Barcelona, Bangkok, and several other cities in various stages of development.

    EDITION responds to new emerging cultural and social imperatives. The new Brand will reflect these changing lifestyles and cater to a vast underserved market of guests expecting and in turn demanding a unique experience, not merely a place to sleep. It is an evolutionary response to the desire for a sophisticated hotel experience. This reinvented and rethought experience will now, for the first time ever, be widely accessible and available in key lodging destinations across the globe and to everybody around the world who wants it.

    EDITION is an unexpected, refreshing collection of individualised, customised, one-of-a-kind hotels that is the antithesis of an institutional “hotel chain” and a true paradigm shift in the industry. Each hotel with its rare individuality, authenticity, originality and unique ethos will reflect the best of the cultural and social milieu of its location and of the time. Although all of the hotels will look completely different from each other, the Brand’s unifying aesthetic will be in its approach and attitude to the modern lifestyle rather than its appearance. As a result, design and architecture is derived from the scale, location and feel of the individual properties rather than from contrived decorative cliches or unnecessary gestures. The Brand will be about an attitude and the way it makes you feel rather than the way it looks. Sophisticated public spaces, finishes, design and details will serve the experience, not drive it.

    Travelodge Summer Recruitment Drive Boosted After 140 Jobs Created From Acquisition of 52 New Hotels

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    Travelodge, the UK’s fastest growing budget hotel chain, today announced the imminent recruitment of 140 staff across the country due to its recent acquisition of 52 Innkeeper’s Lodges (the 52 locations are listed in a table below). This acquisition is the UK hotel sector’s largest transaction since 2008 and Travelodge is now recruiting for the below positions nationwide:

    • 40 hotel managers
    • 100 entry level staff (receptionists, guest room cleaners and night porters)

    All successful candidates will undertake a comprehensive four-week training programme and be trained on sleep matters so that they are fully equipped to ensure Travelodge customers get a good night’s sleep. All of Travelodge’s employees have undergone a ‘Sleep Tight’ customer training programme in line with the budget chains internal Sleep Manifesto. This includes staff training on sleep matters, new noise abatement policies and re-organised delivery times at hotels to ensure minimum sleep interruption for all customers.

    For ambitious individuals who are keen to climb the careers ladder, Travelodge offers plenty of opportunities to succeed within the hotel industry. Listed below are two initiatives Travelodge has launched to help its staff progress within the company.

    The Fast Track to Management Programme – This is a 12-week programme that effectively fast tracks staff to hotel management. The programme is available to all employees regardless of current position or length of service and to date over 230 staff have been promoted to a management position via this method. Travelodge also offers a six-month version of the Fast Track Programme to ensure it provides equal opportunity for staff that require more flexibility working due to young children or personal commitments.

    Travelodge Foundation Degree in Hospitality Budget Hotel and Retail Management
    This is UK’s first foundation degree in Hospitality, Budget Hotel and Retail Management – created to service the needs of the budget hotel sector as it trebles in size over the next two decades. Launched in partnership with Westminster Kingsway College, the two year course focuses on teaching the theory and practice behind low cost and retail business models that aim to deliver profit through operating effectively and efficiently.

    Debbie Husband, Travelodge’s Regional Operations Director, said: “Travelodge is the UK’s fastest growing hotel chain and we are looking for enthusiastic, motivated and committed individuals to join our team. Our latest acquisition of 52 hotels offers a fantastic opportunity for individuals who are looking for a career in hospitality. At Travelodge we believe in developing our people and offer a variety of in-house training and career advancement programmes.”

    Travelodge recruits all of 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. Interested applicants can apply for a Travelodge position by contacting their local Jobcentre or by sending their CV to recruitment@travelodge.co.uk. Interested applicants can also visit www.travelodge.co.uk/careers for more information on working for Travelodge.

    Hotel Duval Joins the Autograph Collection

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    Hotel Duval has announced their official affiliation with the Autograph Collection, a portfolio of upper-upscale and luxury independent hotels and resorts, each with distinctive personalities. As only the 11th hotel worldwide invited to join the exclusive cluster of luxury boutique properties, Hotel Duval is owned and managed by Duval Partners, LLC. As one of Tallahassee’s richest landmarks, opened originally in 1951, the revitalized luxury boutique property re-opened in 2009 under the local ownership of Chad Kittrell, Frank Whitley and J.T. Burnette. Boasting 117 guestrooms with a color palate option on each floor tailored to customer mood preference, each of the sophisticatedly-designed accommodations provide views of downtown Tallahassee.

    Image © Marriott International, Inc

    The Langham, Hong Kong Re-Opens The Langham Club

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    The Langham brings back a touch of European elegance to Hong Kong with The Langham Club. Designed by the award winning interior team, Three Wise Monkeys, The Langham Club has re-opened as a stunning wonderland, to enchant even the most frequent travellers.The design journey of The Langham Club has been meticulously thought out. Every corner of this space has an air of fashionable elegance, from the hand-embroidered wall panels created by a lingerie designer, to the original rent table; a splendid mahogany table which was originally used by English landlords in the 18th century to file receipts of payment. The Langham Club has been smartly divided into a total of seven separate rooms, each with its own distinct character and design.

    The Ante Room is the private check-in area and has been designed to welcome guests in a most stylish manner. Handmade chairs, sourced from a London based fashion designer, stand smartly in the entrance of this room. Upholstered in Chanel-inspired tweed, they boast exquisite pleating and button details. The sweeping floor length curtains, made from Savile Row suit fabric, are the final indulgent touch to this stylish room.

    The Library has a wonderfully eccentric feel; from the entrance, a striking red leather door, to the wall-to-wall bookcases artfully displaying a selection of books on fashion, travel and historical Hong Kong. It is however the stylish positioning of eight uniquely designed chairs, each one covered in a different fabric and texture, which gives The Library its charming, whimsical feel.

    The Lounge is the master room within The Langham Club and is the most opulent of all the rooms. From the hand painted leather wallpaper in hues of gold and deep purple, to the Tiffany blue sofas and vibrant turquoise pouffes. The Lounge is a truly enchanting wonderland for guests to escape to after a busy day in Hong Kong.

    The four remaining rooms are The Bureau, Butlers Pantry, The Salon and The Dining Room. No corner of these rooms has been overlooked and guests can expect to find extravagant design touches in each of these; ranging from marble tables with mother of pearl inlay to bright purple handmade chairs with corset details.

    New LED table- and wall-lamps from Baulmann Leuchten

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    A new series of circular LED luminaires is now being introduced by Baulmann Leuchten.

    Being integrated in a slim metall-profile, a flexible LED-strip provides interesting lighting effects and reduces visible technical components to a maximum.In the standard version, the luminaire is available as a table-lamp with a diameter of approx. 500 mm and as a wall-/ or ceiling-mounted luminaire with a diameter of approx. 700 mm. The finish of the housing can be either nickel polished or dark-bronzed.

    As usual, Baulmann Leuchten is capable to provide also special-made versions in various diameters and finishes.

    All photos are copyright Baulmann Leuchten

    Kempinski Nile hotel opens

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    Egypt, land of the Pharaohs and Pyramids, is now home to the new Kempinski boutique hotel; marking the start of more exciting times to visit Cairo. Set in the heart of the ancient capital, in the elite district of Garden City overlooking the banks of the river Nile, Kempinski Nile Hotel opens its doors to guests today amidst the presence of high profile visitors, country officials and various dignitaries. The boutique property boasts 137 rooms and 54 suites with private balconies and sparkling views over the mighty Nile.

    Designed by French architect Pierre Yves Rochon, the hotel represents a masterpiece of contemporary design with attributes that specifically pay homage to Egypt’s ancient history.

    Kempinski Nile Hotel offers state of the art technology within an engaging environment, combining high end spa facilities with exceptional culinary experiences at all of the four restaurants within the hotel. Great attention to detail is given to the service aspect and nothing is ever too much to ask especially in The Blue Restaurant and Grill, where there is no pre defined menu, instead, all dishes are made to order. The hotels’ signature restaurant Floor 10 shall inspire guests with its French cuisine allowing them to sample artistic creations, style and flavours from one of the world’s favourite food destinations.

    Additionally, four beautiful bars broaden the offer from the Chocolate Lounge to the Rooftop and Shishawy, one of the finest shisha bars around.

    Stay at the latest hotspot in Cairo during the opening phase, and try the Madina or the Nile room at 200 Euros per room per night including breakfast for single or double occupancy. While the exclusive Madina or Nile Suites are offered for 470 Euros per suite per night including breakfast for single or double occupancy. This opening offer is valid until the end of September 2010.

    Special Projects Division: Stylematters

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    To meet the construction and fit out needs of our wide client base, Stylematters have created a Special Projects Division that will fulfil a key role in supporting the diversity of projects that we get involved in.And through this Special Projects Division, headed up by the experienced industry stalwart; Mick Jagger, we can now provide full interior fit out services across the Hotel, Hospitality, Bar and Coffee Shop sectors; in fact any type of leisure environment.

    Whether the needs are for a new build, a sparkle or a refurbishment, our Special Projects Division recognise the inherent needs of each type of project – such as working within existing trading environments where downtime is not an option, completing projects within seemingly impossible time frames, or matching new work to existing finishes and materials etc.

    The division brings both a wealth of experience, and a strong appreciation of delivering exceptional customer service, always striving to complete projects on time and within budget. Furthermore, the synergistic fit with our Furniture Division, further positions Stylematters as a strong One-Stop-Shop for any fit out and furniture need.

    Contact Mick Jagger through our page in the Directory here.

    San Francisco’s Urban Suites Collection Joins Marriott ExecuStay

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    Marriott ExecuStay®, a leader in furnished apartments, temporary housing, and corporate apartments, announced that five exclusive apartment properties in San Francisco had joined the Marriott ExecuStay family of 700 apartment locations in the U.S. The Urban Suites Collection’s five properties, all located in San Francisco, include Clay Park Tower, Corinthian Suites, Nob Hill Chateau, Nob Hill Suites and View Tower. Built in the 1920s and 1930s, each of the Urban Suites Collection properties offers guests the grandeur of early 20th century architecture with the stylish comfort of contemporary features. Clay Park Towers is set atop the hills in the Pacific Heights neighbourhood and features studio, one and two-bedroom apartment homes with beautiful views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Clay Park offers guests an upscale urban suite with the convenience of suburban living.

    Corinthian Suites features newly-remodelled studio and one-bedroom apartment homes in a magnificently-restored apartment building. Conveniently located in the heart of San Francisco’s Civic Centre, Corinthian Suites provides residents easy access to public transportation and many adjacent neighbourhoods such as the Financial District and nearby Fisherman’s Wharf.

    Nob Hill Chateau, located in the famed Nob Hill neighbourhood, has beautifully-appointed studio and one-bedroom suites. A boutique market is located in the building for the convenience of Nob Hill Chateau guests. The property is within walking distance of the Financial District, Union Square, and is surrounded by critically-acclaimed restaurants, theatres and museums.

    With its Spanish mosaic tile, individually-painted doors and golden-tiled ceiling, Nob Hill Suites offers the charm and style of the Beaux Arts period. This property has studio and one-bedroom suites, is adjacent to the famous Powell and California cable car lines, features a boutique market on-site and is only a short walk from Union Square, the Financial District and Chinatown.

    Constructed in 1928, View Towers feature exquisite architectural detailing in one of San Francisco’s most elegant buildings. A San Francisco landmark, View Towers offers residents studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites along with some of the most dramatic views of the city. The property is surrounded by the charm of Russian Hill’s neighbourhood restaurants, shops and parks.

    Managed by Laramar Properties, the Urban Suites Collection offers guests amenities like granite countertops, hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, free high speed wireless internet and digital cable. They are situated in some of San Francisco’s most upscale neighbourhoods with proximity to popular destinations including Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.

    THE BOLD LOOK OF KOHLER® Launched in new showroom

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    Kohler’s Creative Director, British brand architect, Tristan Butterfield, commissioned one of the hottest architects in London, Harvey Langston-Jones to collaborate on this new space. “London is a key Global specification hub for architecture and, as part of a world showroom roll-out that started in New York, this is a very special collaboration with West One Bathrooms. Capsule bath collections are mixed with Kohler’s artisan pieces, all wrapped up in an exceptionally tailored and dialed-in architectural space.”The showroom has been designed to present the product range in displays that will appeal to the architectural and design clientele of Clerkenwell. The Kohler range includes bathroom suites with complementary cabinetry, stand-alone furniture pieces, a collection of handcrafted decorated basins, bathing and wellness products, brassware and coordinating accessories.

    The leading bathroom and kitchen manufacturer, Kohler, has been selected by West One Bathrooms as the exclusive partner for its new London showroom. Opening in Summer 2010, the showroom, named ‘THE BOLD LOOK OF KOHLER at West One Bathrooms’ will be located in Clerkenwell, the heart of London’s architectural and design district. The new outlet will display Kohler bathroom and kitchen ranges together with other brands from the Kohler stable including Daryl and Kallista.

    Designed on Site: Four Seasons Resort Seychelles

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    With its remote location, steep terrains, and copious amounts of boulders, the site for Four Seasons Resort Seychelles provides the ultimate challenge even for the most seasoned architects. But with a little dream and imagination, Cheong Yew Kuan, the principal architect of Singapore-based Area Design, transformed it into a world-class paradise.Kuan designed the Resort on-site after spending many hours surveying the land. A combination of steep, rocky terrain, building codes, sensitivity to the guest experience and concern for the environment led him to the tree-house concept. By lifting the villas off the ground, the habitat of the ground animals is left intact, and the rain water flows as it always has, allowing the foliage to grow.

    Due to the demands of the terrain and the location of the trees that Kuan chose not to cut, every villa is different in its exact configuration and the way it is located on site. Each of the 67 tree-house villas and suites comes with a private plunge pool, outdoor rain shower and pavilion with a daybed, perfected by stunning views of the azure waters of Petite Anse bay and the Indian Ocean.

    On this pristine site, the challenge was to insert many square meters of new construction into a fragile and sensitive eco-system. Destruction of the ecology was kept to a minimum and trees that were unfortunately cleared were recycled in the timber flooring of Kannel restaurant.

    Boulders that were removed were reused as granite cladding for walls throughout the Resort. A cradle of biological diversity, the wetland located behind Kannel restaurant was left untouched so that numerous animals and plants can continue to thrive. It also prevents flooding by serving as a barrier for coastal erosion during high tides.

    The design of the Resort is intended to blend with the island architecture. The villas are folksy but sophisticated, reflecting a Creole influence. Whitewashed timber walls contrast the surrounding natural palette, and French antiques are offset by rustic driftwood pieces.

    Reflecting the life of the early settlers in Seychelles, the main buildings in the Resort – such as the lobby, library and restaurant – follow the colonial French and European styles. The Recreation Club area is inspired by old plantation buildings such as the smokehouses where coconuts were once cured. One such building is the Foumba (“old house” in Creole) that stands solidly behind Kannel restaurant. The rustic and natural charm of the ruins presents it as the perfect venue for events under the stars, accompanied by a soothing symphony of the ocean waves.

    In the 2010 HD Awards, presented by Hospitality Design magazine, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles emerged the winner in two categories: Best Overall Resort Design and Best Luxury Guestroom/ Suite Design.

    A breath of life for the original ‘design hotel’

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    If Copenhagen is (more than probably) the best city in the world for its quality of life and status as a cutting-edge design centre, then Arne Jacobsen’s Radisson SAS Royal Hotel is one of its defining design statements. The ground and first floor public areas are currently benefitting from a comprehensive ‘refreshment’ under the direction of the interior team from designers Graven Images.The Danish capital was recently awarded top spot of the list of the world’s best cities in which to live by lifestyle magazine Monocle, and the SAS Royal which celebrates its 50th Anniversary this month, set the ball rolling when it opened as not only Europe’s but the world’s first design hotel. The pieces created by Jacobsen specifically for the hotel, such as the Swan and Egg chairs, are still specified worldwide to this day.

    The building itself has an incredible history and pushed boundaries as soon as it was constructed; it was the largest hotel in Denmark when it was completed in 1960 as the SAS Royal Hotel and was the first skyscraper in Copenhagen, with interiors which epitomised the 60s – think Don and Betty Draper of TV’s Mad Men, or the young Britt Ekland.

    Although it has remained a style icon during the ensuing decades, time has taken its toll on the SAS Royal with inevitable wear and tear resulting in the loss of some of its original elegance. In addition some of the public areas have been subjected to some unsympathetic interventions, such as the clumsy conversion of a smart and sexy concession boutique area into a restaurant.

    Graven Images was commissioned in 2008 by Radisson as interior designers to restore the integrity of what is arguably the most important project undertaken by Arne Jacobsen, and certainly the best showcase for his trademark functionalist approach.

    The interior designer’s mission was to bring the public areas of the SAS Royal up-to-date, restoring their design integrity and thereby making them accessible to a wider audience without compromising any of the unique features. The focus has been on streamlining and ‘cleaning up’ the original spaces, rationalising the layout and providing a more appropriate back-drop to showcase the original Jacobsen features.

    Design Director Jim Hamilton said, “It’s been an honour to work on such an important and interesting project, which is close to the hearts not only of the design community but of hotel aficionados worldwide. The new hotel will share many qualities with the old – it will be glamorous, stylish, contemporary and with outstanding comfort to attract a wide variety of clientele from Copenhagen’s own design and style conscious population, as well as visitors to the Danish capital many of whom come because of its reputation as one of Europe’s most important design destinations.”

    Guidelines for Hotel Designers

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    Design guidelines have been added to the Downloads area of the DesignClub.The first of these is the Ingress Protection (IP Ratings)standards governing bathrooms in hotels, kidly contributed by lighting designer Andy Taylor. These standards are designed to prevent the electrocution of your guest by ‘zoning’ the bathroom to show what kind of fitting it is safe to fit in what area.

    Our second guide is from the US Association for Contract Textiles. It defines abrasion resistance, the various test formats and lays down some guidelines for specification.

    My own experience involvement in designing over 400 hotel projects led my practice to settle on a standard of 18,000 rubs for a bedroom chair fabric: 40,000 rubs for a chair in an hotel public area; but higher maybe up to 80,000 rubs, for a fabric in a bar.

    Coommon sense needs to be used as a tapestry type of fabric will fail after less than 8,000 rubs but will outlast a cotton sateen which will score high in a Martindale test because of its smoothness. We have all seen tapestries in country houses that have lasted hundereds of years yet sat in bars where the cotton sateen used on the stool has split almost immediately.

    Rub tests are only a guideline and are not a substitute for intelligent specification by a designer who knows what they are doing!

    Beach Club bar reopens after renovation

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    The Datai Langkawi is pleased to announce the reopening of The Beach Club Bar after undergoing a one month renovation project. Situated by the resort’s private beachfront and adjacent to The Beach Club restaurant, the new Beach Club Bar offers guests larger seating capacity and a more contemporary décor, a perfect location for sundowners and pre-dinner drinks. With stunning views of the shimmering Andaman sea, The Beach Club Bar is one of the six food and beverage venues available at The Datai. With its sleek couple sun-loungers and built-in benches alongside the bar area, this is a peaceful haven for guests to relax and enjoy views of the sunset. “The new design of the Beach Club Bar now offers a more spacious facility with breathtaking views, especially at sunset. With this expanded space we will now be able to offer different options for lunchtime dining and evening snacks,” expressed Ms. Eleanor Hardy, General Manager of The Datai Langkawi.

    Founded by Belgian architect Thierry HP Janssens in 2003, THPJ and Partners are behind the redesign of the new Beach Club Bar. In line with The Datai’s concept of blending with nature, The Beach Club Bar retains its original structure with traditional attap style roof and wooden structure amongst the matured greenery that surrounds it. The bar has been beautified with dark slate counter tops and state-of-the-art equipment, and fully equipped with elegant hand-woven rattan-like furniture. Those who wish to relax by the sea and pool with a book while having cocktails and snacks during the day can enjoy the comfortably padded benches that surround the bar area.

    Images © GHM Hotels

    IDEAL Marble at the Chester Grosvenor and Spa Hotel

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    IDEAL Marble and Granite celebrate 10 years working at the 5 star Chester Grosvenor and Spa Hotel.

    IDEAL are currently half way through the final phase of a 10 year programme to provide new marble flooring to the bathrooms and lobbies of one the finest Hotels in the UK. Their roll out of 70 rooms is on schedule and due for completion January 2011.IDEAL have been supplying and installing marble to the main Suite rooms when the hotel is in its quieter periods in January and February. They have also carried out projects in the new Michelin Star Simon Radley Restaurant, the Spa area and Eaton and Venetian Suite within the Hotel.

    Managing Director, Derek Burt says ‘The standards of workmanship required at The Chester Grosvenor are very high, but we do set ourselves very high standards so that’s why the relationship works well. We are carrying out the work to the current phase with no other trades involved apart from the Hotels own maintenance staff so the cost for the hotel is as low as possible and the results are excellent. The main challenge here is that the building is very old and timber framed with timber floors. This can cause movement in solid floor finishes and we have to use all of our many years of experience to deal with the situation properly.’

    Rezidor announces the Radisson Blu Hotel & Conference Centre, Salzburg / Austria

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    The Rezidor Hotel Group has announced the re-branding of the Radisson Blu Hotel & Conference Centre Salzburg, Austria. The former Renaissance Salzburg Congress Center featuring 257 rooms will be re-branded in Q3 2010 and complement Rezidor’s 62-room Radisson Blu Hotel Altstadt, Salzburg. Salzburg is the fourth largest city in Austria, one of central Europe’s most enchanting tourist destinations and the birthplace of the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Today, his birthplace and family residence are must-see tourist attractions. The baroque old town is a wonderfully preserved UNESCO site and within walking distance from the hotel.

    Besides 257 guest rooms (including 11 spacious suites) the Radisson Blu Hotel & Conference Centre, Salzburg will offer 2 restaurants and 1 bar, and 1,750m2 of conference & meeting space – including a sub-dividable ballroom and a variety of meeting rooms to suit every need. For those wanting to relax after a hectic day of meetings or site seeing, the hotel will comprise an indoor pool, health club, sauna and hair salon.

    Rezidor has nine properties in operation or under development in Austria, including four Radisson Blu hotels.

    All images © The Rezidor Hotel Group

    Kauai Marriott Resort emerges anew after successful $50 million makeover

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    Following a nine month, $50 million renovation that touched all hotel areas, the new Kauai Marriott Resort on Kalapaki Beach was reintroduced on the 19th July 2010 with a special ceremony including a traditional Hawaiian blessing, hula dancers and musicians.The 356-room Kauai Marriott Resort on Kalapaki Beach is located on one of the island’s most picturesque beachfronts, conveniently situated within minutes from Lihue Airport. The resort hotel now features the following highlights:
    • Completely transformed guest rooms and Presidential Suite with timeless island elegance, stylish and modern residential furnishings and lanai (balconies) to take advantage of sweeping ocean, mountain and garden views.
    • Refurbished open-air Kukui’s on Kalapaki Beach restaurant for casual dining, featuring a permanent buffet and the new Toro-Tei sushi restaurant.
    • Refreshed Aupaka Terrace lobby lounge, offering breakfast items and morning coffee in a relaxed atmosphere overlooking the stunning swimming pool.
    • Newly built children’s pool featuring a slide and water spout features, a perfect complement to the hotel’s signature 26,000 square-foot outdoor swimming pool with five soothing whirlpools.
    • Conference and social event space comprised of 19,702 square feet of indoor meeting space and nearly 60,000 square feet of outdoor event space in ocean, garden and pool settings. The enhanced Kauai Ballroom is the largest on Kauai, divisible into three sections and accommodates up to 1,750 guests for receptions and 1,000 for banquets. On-site, state-of-the-art AV support and Wi-Fi Internet connection are offered.
    • New guest arrival experience with an expanded porte cochere and an improved main lobby and registration desk.

    Photo credit: Kauai Marriott Resort on Kalapaki Beach

    Mixology Awards 2010: Environmental Design Award

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    A new award was introduced this year at the industry Mixology Awards 2010 recognising the sustainable efforts in commercial Interior Design projects.

    The Environmental Design Award was awarded to Max Bentheim for their achievements in design thinking, on-site implementation and impact on operations for their project The Scarlet Hotel, Cornwall.Stephan Oberwegner, Managing Director at Max Bentheim said ‘We are very proud of this accolade as we can now fully assist and support all our clients with their corporate social and environmental responsibilities.’

    The brief was specific; to create a unique and sustainable building that blends with and enhances the local environment, utilising the spectacular cliff-top location and views to construct a feeling of space and light.

    The Scarlet team had a very clear idea of the ‘wow’ factor they wanted to create with the new hotel and chose the architect team at the Harrison Sutton Partnership and the building team Bauwerk to help them realise this dream.

    The design works around clever use of levels, revealing function and glimpses of views, with a central ‘wall’ to physically anchor the building to the cliff side.

    Bedrooms are broken down into smaller clusters, giving the advantage of dissolving the traditional boring hotel plan of long corridors to form shorter connecting spaces, some curved in plan. All focused around the view, but with varying spaces such as intimate gardens, shell-like viewing pods and wrap around terraces.

    The front of the building is the organic façade with sea thrift roof and reclaimed groynes. The front edge of the building relating to the cliffs was seen as providing a more organic façade, where the building envelope stops and the coastal landscape of scrub and cliff takes over. Here, the design team saw the character of the cliff top wrapping up against and over the lower bedrooms, using a green roof to link the natural fronting ground level to the roof beyond.
    From the very outset sustainability of the new hotel was of paramount importance. With the focus on high levels of insulation, air tightness, utilisation of solar orientation and natural cooling, the hotel build provided a sound base for the managerial handling of green issues. The team considered all major options for sustainable energy creation before settling upon a combination of different energy sources.

    From the very outset sustainability of the new hotel was of paramount importance. With the focus on high levels of insulation, air tightness, utilisation of solar orientation and natural cooling, the hotel build provided a sound base for the managerial handling of green issues. The team considered all major options for sustainable energy creation before settling upon a combination of different energy sources.

    The Fullerton Bay Hotel – Singapore’s newest luxury waterfront hotel

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    Seated in a prime waterfront location in Marina Bay (Singapore’s CBD and historical Arts and Cultural precinct), the Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore (opened 8th July 2010) offers impeccable service and hospitality. Comprising 100 rooms, five individually-themed suites and a luxurious Presidential Suite, with magnificent bay views, sundecks and balconies, the hotel appeals to discerning jetsetters and travellers from across the globe. With three signature dining destinations designed by Asia’s highly sought-after design wunderkind Andre Fu, the hotel is set to elevate the waterfront dining experience. LCL Architects, the group behind the hotel’s inspiring glass facade, is also responsible for the creation of the luxuriously-appointed hotel rooms. Guests will enter the hotel through a 17-metre wide lobby at the historic Clifford Pier, an important heritage site which saw the arrival of many of Singapore’s early settlers. The hotel’s interior designs are richly steeped in Singapore’s vibrant history with Fu using vintage nautical maps and contemporary art that reflect both the heritage and modernity of the Lion City.

    Utilising materials and designs such as polished rosewood and latticed screens, as well as leather and chrome, LCL Architects has created an elegant and refined atmosphere in the bedrooms with a predominantly natural palette throughout. This classical look is combined with state-of-the-art in-room technology to ensure that the hotel’s modern travellers are always kept in touch.

    Each of the hotel’s six suites, including the Presidential Suite, are individually themed to reflect the wealth of cultures in Singapore’s cosmopolitan population, including Chinese, Malay, Indian, Peranakan and Colonial and are situated on the upper three storeys of the hotel, in prime-angled positions facing the Marina Bay waterfront. Named after the former Governors of the Straits Settlement (Sir Hugh Clifford, Sir Shenton Thomas, Sir William Cleaver Francis Robinson, Sir John Anderson and Major General Sir William Orfeur Cavenagh), each will be adorned with bespoke artwork and antiques alongside contemporary pieces that embody the spirit unique to the suite’s theme.

    The hotel’s trio of culinary experiences include The Landing Point, Lantern and Clifford. Lantern is a stylish rooftop bar, surrounding the hotel’s 25-metre rooftop swimming pool, where guests can relish gourmet snacks and grilled meats, accompanied with fine champagnes and signature cocktails whilst watching the world go by across Singapore’s famous skyline. This urban oasis is the perfect spot for an afternoon’s respite or a cocktail with friends conjured up by the bar’s mixologist.

    Set amidst the resplendent skyline of the Marina Bay waterfront, the modern brasserie Clifford, is illuminated by splendid 10-metre floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the waters of the bay. Guests are greeted by an opulent 800-bottle fine wine library meticulously handpicked from all over the world. The main dining section seats up to 76 and is cleverly designed with vintage furnishings in warm grey, burnt orange and dark aubergine set against the towering ivory French panelling and masculine herringbone oak floors. The restaurant also offers al fresco dining on the terrace as well as a private dining room.

    Elegantly positioned alongside an impressive indoor promenade paved in bespoke marble mosaics, The Landing Point is the gourmand’s lounge du jour. With a majestic 13-metre long bar and spacious outdoor terrace, The Landing Point is designed to captivate the sophisticated audience of its guests.

    Lighting from Andy Thornton

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    Andy Thornton have launched their first stand-alone lighting catalogue which features a comprehensive range of decorative contract lighting for the hospitality market. They have taken the opportunity to introduce fresh new collections of bar and restaurant lighting to complement the existing range. You will also discover a complete new range of hotel lighting, including guest room, bathroom and public area lighting. The new and exclusive La Parra features in Lighting from Andy Thornton. It includes this three tier hand-forged iron chandelier which will make a stunning feature in any large venue. It is an impressive 1200mm in diameter and comes finished in an antique bronze patina and is supplied complete with hand-crafted scavo shades.

    The complete La Parra collection also includes a two tier chandelier, a compact three arm pendant for smaller rooms and a matching wall light.

    To see the full range of lighting from Andy Thornton please download the NEW 170 page lighting catalogue here.

    Celebrating innovation at The Sleep Event 2010

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    The Product Innovation Awards will be launched at this year’s Sleep Event exhibition. Ensuring the exhibition continues as a platform for brand new and original product design, a designated display will feature a selection of the very best innovative products from across the industry. Any product launched since 4th November 2009 can be entered for a minimal fee which will include the opportunity to display the product at the show and be judged by a high-level panel including Paul Flowers, Senior Vice President of Design at Grohe, industry PR Su Pecha and deputy editor of Sleeper, Catherine Martin. The judges will assess each product during the show and a winner will be announced and awarded on the final day.

    To enter the awards or to find out more information, please contact Suzie Ager through our Directory page. The awards are not limited to exhibitors but are open to any company or individual from within the hotel design industry.

    The Sleep Event is Europe’s only event dedicated to hotel design, development and architecture which will return to the Business Design Centre, London from 24-25 November. As in previous years, the event also incorporates a top level two day conference and the highly prestigious European Hotel Design Awards.

    The New Phase of Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa Revealed

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    The Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa has completed their highly anticipated evolution with the addition of 20 new Ocean Villas located on the eastern side of the idyllic island paradise.

    The new 20 Ocean Villas, designed by P49 from Thailand, round off the resort’s inventory for a total of 176 rooms. Their private, contemporary design is highlighted by uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean, spacious outdoor living space, including plunge pool, dining area, hammock, outdoor shower and a large garden seating area. Interiors include the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper bed, a large bathroom with stand alone tub, walk-in closet and more!In addition to the 20 new Ocean Villas, Sheraton Maldives has introduced the following new features to the island in the last 6 months:

    156 Newly Renovated Rooms – Sheraton has completed a £8M renovation on all room categories. All upgrades, also designed by P49, include a total soft refurbishment, enhanced lighting and fixtures, re-worked floors and bathroom enhancements.

    Feast – The new Sheraton branded interactive buffet with live cooking stations.

    Sea Salt – Is Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa’s signature restaurant. Adjacent to the lagoon, guest enjoy al fresco dining while watching our chefs barbeque the finest meats and seafood to perfection in the modern open kitchen setting.

    Sand Coast – The revitalized beachside setting features a casual atmosphere with a new a la carte menu and wide range of light meals influenced from neighbouring regions.

    Sheraton Adventure Club – The all new complimentary kids club.

    Anchorage Bar – It now boasts comfortable day beds and lounges overlooking the Sheraton Maldives’ lagoon.

    Shine Spa for Sheraton – Located on its own private island, Sheraton Maldives was proud to debut the world’s first Shine Spa for Sheraton. Shine Spa houses 6 treatment rooms with views of the Indian Ocean, Relaxation Pools and a post-treatment Relaxation Room. Signature treatments are inspired from local influences surrounding the Sheraton Maldives (ocean, beach, flora) while also highlighting modalities from locations along the Silk Route; the Orient, Thailand, India, the Middle East and Mediterranean regions.

    Images copyright: Starwood Hotels

    Style Seating’s SPO range now suitable for severe contract use

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    Style Seating’s best selling mid range aluminium stacking chair (SPO-200 and SPO-100) has recently been independently tested by SATRA to BS EN 15373:2007 (test Level 3 – Severe Use) making the SPO model chair a class leader.Specifications:
    Aluminium frame
    Chair width 45cm (no arms)
    Chair width 54cm (with arms)
    Chair depth 56cm
    Chair height 90cm
    Seat height 46cm
    Seat size 40x40cm
    Weight 5.5KG (no arms)
    Weight 6.5KG (arm chair)
    Stacks 10 high (no arms)
    Stacks 8 high (arm chair)
    COMFORT seat (Optional)
    WEBBED seat (Optional)
    LUMBAR support (Optional)
    Concealed fixings

    New Hampton Inn Hotel Opens in Anderson, South Carolina

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    Hampton® Hotels has announced the official opening of its newest property, the 79-room Hampton Inn Anderson – Alliance Business Park, located at 411 Alliance Parkway, Interstate 85 at exit 27 and Highway 81 North. The hotel is owned and operated by Paragon Hotel Company.Hampton Inn Anderson – Alliance Business Park® hotel is located just minutes from Lake Hartwell, Upstate Golf Trail, Anderson University, Alliance Business Park, Robert Bosch LLC, AFCO, Walgreens, New Spring Church and AnMed Health Campus. Hotel amenities include On-the-house Breakfast Buffet®, free wired and wireless internet access, on-site business center with state-of-the computer system, on-site fitness center and outdoor swimming pool. Guestrooms are equipped with microwave, refrigerator, speaker phone with digital voice messaging, 32″ HDTV with premium channels, Hampton Inn’s signature Cloud Nine® bedding, ergonomic chair, curved shower curtain and spa shower head.

    “Hampton Hotels combine quality, service, comfort and plenty of value-added extras, making Hampton the brand of choice in the marketplace today,” said Ryan Tilden, General Manager for the Hampton Inn Anderson – Alliance Business Park. “Providing high quality accommodations and amenities combined with the friendly service of our team members, all backed by the 100% Hampton Satisfaction Guarantee, is why we will be highly competitive in our local market.”

    Picturesque hotel sold in the Lake District

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    The Sawrey Hotel, in Far Sawrey, Cumbria has been sold through Knight Frank’s hotels team from a guide price of £1.3 million.

    The Sawrey Hotel, dating back to 1700, has 19 en suite bedrooms, a 45 cover dining room, and a 50 cover bar with many original features still in tact such as exposed beams and an open log fire. The property also has parking space for 24 cars. The Sawrey Hotel, located 36 miles from Lancaster, is situated within walking distance of many popular rambling and climbing routes and also close to Beatrix Potter’s former home, Hill Top, which attracts a high number of leisure visitors throughout the year.

    Mark Bailey, associate, Knight Frank hotels – Leeds commented: “Having been in the same family for over 40 years the sale of The Sawrey Hotel, Far Sawrey, represents a rare opportunity to acquire a strategically located Lakeland Inn, being situated between the Hawkeshead Ferry, HillTop and Hawkeshead beyond.

    “The hotel was purchased by local hotelier Jonathan Denby amidst interest from many other would be buyers. Mr Denby intends to implement a refurbishment programme to improve the letting accommodation and in the public areas to drive food & beverage sales, from the significant amount of passing trade the hotel enjoys.”

    Latest new collection from Hillswood Furniture

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    The all new ALISA collection from Hillswood Furniture encompasses not only dining side and arm chairs but also tub chairs suitable for dining together with lounge chairs, easy chairs sofas and settees. Included in this range is a tub chair available on four legs or on a stainless steel swivel base which would match a stainless steel table base producing a truly modern and contemporary style and feel for lounge or dining.As with all Hillswood’s furniture, this collection is made with solid beech frames, which can then be polished to choice and upholstered which a choice of either your own fabric or a selection from our extensive range of soft fabrics or leathers.

    To view more images from the collection, please click here: Latest new collections from Hillswood

    Images copyright Hillswood Furniture Group

    Kimpton's Burnham, Chicago

    Kimpton’s Hotel Burnham, Chicago (Patrick Goff)

    1000 666 Daniel Fountain

    We tend to think of the USA as a new country filled with new buildings. However the preservation of old buildings is as much an issue on their side of the Pond as it is on the European side. Chicago recently scandalised many in the American architectural profession by pulling down a series of Gropius buildings in Chicago, a city he settled in when finally forced to flee from Nazi tyranny in Dessau.

    Despite the reputation of the Bauhaus, this was not the leading movement for which Chicago was known then or now. Whilst the name of Frank Lloyd Wright resonates, some of the names of architectural heroes in the city will be a little less familiar to Europeans. Despite the furore over the Gropius buildings the City of Chicago has shown remarkable determination to conserve its historic buildings and this determination led to Kimpton taking on the reputedly first steel framed glass walled skyscraper built for conversion into a boutique hotel.

    Kimpton's Burnham, Chicago
    The Reliance Building, to give it its formal appellation, was started in 1890 by the architectural practice Burnham and Root. Daniel Burnham played a large part in the replanning of Chicago, a city that became famous for innovative architecture after the disastrous fire of 1871 that destroyed four square miles of the city. The fire (reputedly started when Mrs O’Leary’s cow kicked over a lantern) burned through a city largely made of wood, only stopping when it reached the shores of the Lake Michigan. The basement and ground floor of the Reliance Building were constructed in 1890 while the upper three stories of the building previously on the site remained suspended above on jackscrews. The addition of the remaining floors in 1894–1895 completed the building.

    The building was significant because of the area of glass in the walls, made possible by the use of a steel cage construction. The original owner made lifts (elevators), given pride of place in the entrance, and it was also the first office building to boast a telephone in every office. Its glass and terracotta exterior and lightness because of the steel frame set the tone for the beginning of the skyscraper revolution. Bought and preserved by the city in 1993 the building was developed as a hotel in 1999 at a cost of $27.5 million, with Kimpton as its operator.

    As a conservation project it is marked both by the work done by the city to preserve the structure and external features but also the work undertaken to replicate and restore the original interiors. Much had been destroyed but authentic elements remained on the upper floors. Terrazzo floors and marble walls and ceilings were cleaned and honed. Plaster, mahogany and glass were all restored whist the cast iron work of the lift shafts was replicated and restored to modern standards.

    Kimpton's Burnham, Chicago
    Externally the delicacy and grace of its exterior is equally as delightful today as it was stunning on its original completion. It had much the same impact on Chicagoans as the construction of Arne Jacobsen’s Royal, had on the citizens of Copenhagen in the 1950’s, when it was Scandinavia’s first skyscraper. The Burnham’s signature ‘Chicago’ windows fill the interior with natural light and give spectacular views down State and Washington streets. Not far from the contemporary verson, theWit and inside the Loop, the hotel is very popular and brings the Kimpton style to the city.

    The hotel has a small footprint which limits the size of its popular restaurant and guests have to book for their tables to be available, especially on Sunday when it fills with local residents. With its free drinks hour for guests the public areas are busy, although clever design has fitted in a bar, an effective reception area and guest lounge as well as the restaurant. The space never feels cramped, helped by the huge picture windows to the street.

    Stylish use of colour and good accent lighting lighten the spaces which feel almost Parisian in their bustle. Where theWit up the street also has a very successful bar restaurant combination, its feel is very American whilst the Kimpton succeeds in feeling closer to Continental European café culture, more cosmopolitan with its mix of dark wood, white table cloths and yellow lighting. Many floors have the original door and corridor features of the original office fit-out, carefully re-used, but space has been found for a small gym and a meeting room.

    Kimpton's Burnham, Chicago
    Rooms are stylish and comfortable as one would expect from Kimpton (see also Monaco). With 122 rooms including 19 suites this is not a small hotel by European standards, although the days when hoteliers would pretend they had 99 rooms rather than over a hundred so guest felt more at home, are long gone.

    Bedrooms follow the normal layout, with the bathroom providing an acoustic barrier to the corridor areas. Carpet has replaced terrazzo on the floor although patterns are in keeping with the period of the property. Bedrooms all benefit from the large windows, perfect for watching Boston street life, or the views through to Lake Michigan and the Gehry auditorium defacing the park. Rooms blackout effectively and are provided with sheers for privacy.

    As a European visitor I was somewhat taken aback by the unselfconscious way in which apartment dwellers in the city undressed oblivious (?) to the fact that they were in full view of neighbouring blocks. There is an intimacy in this city which is a little surprising! Either that or Chicagoans are closet exhibitionists set on making voyeurs out of maybe not so innocent tourists…

    IMG_6704
    With the restoration concentrated on floor 7-14, where authentic part remained such as intact plaster ceilings, plate glass, interior store fronts, varnished mahogany doors and trim, one would expect considerable variation over the building. In fact the whole is in harmony and this historically important building has been treated with respect both by its designers, the builders and the operator alike.

    Despite their mistake with the Gropius buildings full credit must go to the policies of the City of Chicago. Without their foresight in purchasing the building and ensuring that the major external features were restored and repaired prior to its purchase for commercial use an important corner of Chicago would have been that much poorer.

    Kimpton's Burnham, Chicago
    We think of ourselves in Europe as being sensitive to the preservation of the past. Chicago remains the inspiration it was to Vladimir Mayakovsky, Tatlin and other artists and poets of the Russian revolution who may well have had in mind the Reliance Building when they wrote of Chicago as a ‘shining city’. This is indeed a shining example of conservation as well as being a resounding advert for Kimpton as operator.

    In this exciting cityscape it stands proud as forebear of all glass walled skyscrapers. It also stands as a quality building with a long life ahead of it.

    Words and Images are © Patrick Goff

    RFID Hotel Card Lock from TLJ Security Systems

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    TLJ Security Systems have a range of standalone intelligent locks which leads the way in electronic locking systems technology. This is suitable for the Hotel, Guest House and Halls of Residence market.The locks themselves are ‘standalone’ and battery operated, with each lock requiring only 4xAA standard alkaline batteries. Users gain access by simply presenting a proximity smartcard to their designated locks.

    Explore the features and benefits of proven RFID applications that can enhance your bottom line and provide unmatched safety, security and convenience to your guests.

    Features
    Suitable for Hotels, Guest Houses & Halls of Residence
    Allows guest access out of hours
    Audit trail of who went where and when – records last 500 entries
    Battery powered – no mains power required
    External version available
    Smart card – links to restaurant/ bar facilities
    Reports feature
    Password protection
    Low battery indicator
    Emergency over-ride key
    Clear visual and audible indications
    Card programming software systems
    No Keys – used only for emergency mechanical override
    Deadbolt – for occupant’s privacy/ security
    Master card – grants general access to all doors
    Emergency card – grants emergency access to all doors (included dead bolted doors)

    The Yas Hotel: anything but formulaic in the world of Formula 1

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    Launched in October 2009 as the first hotel to span a Formula 1 racetrack, the Yas Hotel has since stood as a landmark icon in Middle Eastern architectural design. An incredible lattice structure, comprising 219 metres of sweeping steel and 5,096 diamond shaped LED panels, provides a ‘veil’ that drapes over the hotel’s two towers, which are linked by a bridge that crosses the Grand Prix circuit. The optical effect is mesmerising: thousands of different shades and colours and shapes, including animations, shine from the hotel and illuminate the surrounding desert, sea and sky. The largest colour LED display in the world, this vast and vibrant shroud of lights mirrors the dynamic, ground-breaking qualities of the Grand Prix itself.Within the streamlined edifice, the space-age aesthetics continue. Designers Jestico + Whiles and Richardson Sadeki have worked closely with New York architects Asymptote Architecture, to create an interior in which spaces flow together, bespoke items of furniture give each room originality and the filtered lights from the Gridshell provide subtle illumination. The Deluxe and Executive Suites allow the Middle Eastern sunshine to pour in through floor to ceiling glass panels which change from scarlet to indigo to create definition between the entrance and the bedroom. The bathrooms sit encased in frameless glass boxes, mounted with fine silk sheer panels, whilst exclusive furnishings decorate the lofted, double height spaces of the Presidential suites.

    A taste for the contemporary extends to the hotel’s excellent range of restaurants, whose designs also still incorporate discreet references to the culture from which their cuisines originate. Angar, the Tandoori restaurant takes the colours of traditional saris and incorporates the panels of fabric into the table tops, whilst Amici, the Italian restaurant is focussed around a heavy, family sized olive wood refectory table. Noodle Box, the noodle restaurant uses volcanic basalt tiles and Nautilus, the speciality seafood restaurant, benefits from a marine setting at water level, amplified by subtle aqua colours.

    As the racers flash past, spectators can enjoy their cocktails at Rush bar, located in the bridge that stretches over the racetrack. Operated by George V Restauration, who also run the international Buddha Bars, the design includes a back-lit resin bar with a chrome orb back bar and a DJ booth. For sun-seekers, Skylite, a poolside bar on the roof of the hotel, offers a great relaxation space during the day, as well as becoming a vibrant shisha and cabana lounge bar in the evening, providing some of the best views across Abu Dhabi.

    When designing Espa, the hotel’s luxurious spa, Richardson Sadeki drew inspiration from the traditional hamam, reinterpreting the restorative spaces of Islamic architecture. The warmth of the hamam is complemented by a cooler space at the northern tip of the spa houses, where stone furnishings, refrigerated floors and an illuminated nightscape ceiling serve to create the perfect respite from the Abu Dhabi heat.

    For those in search of a dynamic setting for an event, the ballroom of the Yas Hotel provides an impressive and adaptable venue. With 509m2 of event space, the ballroom upholds the advanced contemporary style of the hotel. Crystal LED lights of changeable colour trace the path of the speed line design which runs through the flooring, whilst the luminescent walls, clad in floor-to-ceiling white panelling, can be left as a neutral backdrop or lit up dramatically by the matrix of glowing ceiling lights – creating an effect of one seamless chandelier.

    Settled in the 3rd millennium BC as a nomadic herding and fishing village, Abu Dhabi now defines innovation and modernity. The Yas Hotel, through its breathtaking architectural design, raises this creative bar and reinvents originality.

    New BIG LIGHTS pendant luminaires from Baulmann Leuchten

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    Baulmann Leuchten, supplying the hospitality industry since 1941, is now introducing a new family of BIG LIGHTS pendant luminaires. With a standard diameter of almost 1 metre these pendant luminaires offer different shades to choose from; plaine-conical shades made from Chintz fabrics, plaine-conical shades with backlit structure, semi-pleated shades as well as elegant black-and-gold pleated shades.

    As usual, Baulmann Leuchten is capable to offer besides the standard range other colours and fabrics. Furthermore, also the size of the shades can be customized.

    Matching floor-lamps and table-lamps will be introduced soon.

    Image credit: Baulmann Leuchten

    The Outdoor Collection from Stylematters

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    The Stylematters Outdoor Collection… Providing a stylish and comfortable setting, that gently entices your customers into staying longer at your venue. And in staying longer, they will undoubtedly be spending more, enjoying more and connecting deeper with your brands and Hospitality proposition. The Stylematters Outdoor Collection features a broad range of stylish furniture pieces, enabling you to differentiate your visit experience from that of your competitors. From chairs to sofas, parasols to tables, plus much, much more, the Stylematters Outdoor Collection will help to position your business as a stylish destination, one that customers return to time and time again.

    Öschberghof has Golf, wellness and sybaritic pleasure

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    Öschberghof in Donaueschingen is one of Germany’s top destinations for golfers, short breaks, conference and leisure guests. Not only have the rooms and meeting rooms, lobby and restaurant been modernized, but step by step the Wellness Centre has been reorganized and expanded by Cornelia Markus-Diedenhofen, whose office specializes in interior design for hotels. The designer has reshaped the Öschberghof with quality materials, soft natural tones and new lighting. In November 2008 the hotel inaugurated a further extension housing a third restaurant. The hotel has now not only the new restaurant with – depending on the seating – 100 to 150 seats, but also has a fireplace lounge, a private Spa in the basement, new modern fitness rooms and an expanded cafeteria space. All rooms of the new building have full length windows overlooking the terrace, garden and golf course.

    The designers used colour and lighting to create visual excitement for the guests. This includes the new buffet, which serves both breakfast and lunch as well as having cooking classes available. A walk-in wine cabinet makes the selection of wine an experience. The fireplace-lounge with low chairs made from high quality leather and a three meter wide open gas fireplace gives guests a cosy space in bad weather and makes for long evenings of conversation. The walk-in humidor in walnut-burl and black glass is an exquisite piece of jewellery now redundant in many hotels, although in Germany there is as yet no universal ban on smoking in hotels.

    RHA’s high quality furniture for top-level hotels & restaurants

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    RHA presents Vittorio’s new collection of refined contract furniture, designed especially for use in the hospitality industry.This collection of refined & high quality furniture includes chairs, armchairs, sofas & tables suitable for top-level hotels & restaurants.

    A “timeless” collection developed & produced, with close attention to detail, by skilled technicians.

    Contact RHA to request the Vittorio V601 Catalogue for full details & specifications.

    Suite Dreams at 51 Buckingham Gate, Taj Suites & Residences

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    51 Buckingham Gate is delighted to announce the launch of five newly-renovated suites at their luxury residences in London’s St James. The £1.2 million investment was overseen by London-based designer Sue Freeman and reflects the hotel’s continued dedication in extending a veritable ‘home away from home’ experience for guests.The inspiration behind the renovation was to extend a feeling of tranquillity, evoked by 51’s unique setting, positioned around a secluded courtyard garden – a rarity in Central London.

    Two of the suites offer a generous 1,800 square feet of space and come fully-equipped with three spacious bedrooms and bathrooms, in addition to separate kitchen, living and dining room spaces, overlooking 51’s private courtyard. A further three suites consist of one, 2 bedroom and two, 1 bedroom accommodations, again with separate living and dining spaces. The pièce de résisdence is the ability to convert two full floors into a private space, offering nine bedrooms and extensive living areas, connected via an internal staircase – arguably one of the largest suites in the Capital.

    Freeman states: “51 Buckingham Gate’s clientele is, by definition, international and both long and short stay. It felt important to create a relaxed and very comfortable interior with an eclectic mix of furniture and artwork to give a truly residential feeling.”

    Tasteful remodelling has resulted in carefully-selected interior pieces along with modern conveniences of LCD flat screens and iPod docking stations. The original proportions of the interiors have been reinstated to promote warmth and light, including decorative fixtures alongside luxurious, tactile materials such as velvets, linens and hand-embroidered silks – a gesture to the hotel’s Indian roots. Lighting is provided by table, wall and standard lamps to help create a warm, intimate environment throughout.

    Freeman has employed a balanced palate of neutral tones with strong, individual colour accents to each suite, adding individual flair. Dark wood and polished stainless steel furniture strike a harmony between classic and contemporary design, whilst bespoke, art deco-inspired pieces add individuality. Natural flooring has been employed throughout – a mix of dark chocolate marble, neutral wood and woolen carpet, depending upon room space requirements.

    JAB introduces revolutionary new panel system, Hemisphere

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    JAB introduces its revolutionary new panel system Hemisphere. This unique collection consisting of attractive panel fabrics and two versatile rail systems offers a stylish and ultra-modern alternative to the usual voiles or curtain fabrics. With 44 different panel designs on offer this debut Hemisphere collection offers a design for every taste – from minimalist sheers and plain black-out options to bold floral motifs. Over 160 different colour options are also available.

    Highlights of the collection are four designs created using high-quality shoji paper with delicate Japanese motifs. The Japanese selection includes Dream, a plain white design with an ethereal look, Jasira, which depicts a large tendril for a natural effect and Fortuna which display a smaller blossom and grass print in subtle shades such as light greys and soft greens.

    Alongside the 44 fabric panels in this collection, JAB also offers several innovative technical solutions for fitting. The Pure fitting system offers a selection of two to five rail solutions and three different panel carriage variations for maximum variation. This incredible design provides slick fittings that can be completely hidden for a modern, seamless look.

    Microbiologist calls on Hospitality Industry to do more following outbreak of Norovirus

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    A leading microbiologist is calling on the hospitality and leisure industry to take more drastic action to minimise the risk of customers and staff being infected with potentially harmful microorganisms following a food poisoning outbreak at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow.Dr Richard Hastings, a microbiologist for BioCote, says that by adopting antimicrobial silver ion technology into areas where hygiene is critical, like a hotel’s kitchen and restaurant, or public areas where there is high footfall, it can help lower levels of contaminating bacteria by up to 99.99%. This dramatically reduces the possibility of cross contamination and the risk of people getting infected.

    “Even with strictest hygiene practices in place, well trained staff and the most effective disinfectants on the market, it is impossible to clean surfaces every minute of the day. Once cleaning stops, bacteria can rapidly multiply to former levels, increasing the risk of cross contamination, infection and illness,” says Dr Hastings.

    The Glasgow outbreak is suspected to have been caused by Norovirus but there is a host of harmful bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria and Campylobacter that the hospitality industry needs to be aware of as they can spread quickly and cause serious disease. Contaminated food, hand-to-hand contact and bacteria living on surfaces like door handles, kitchen worktops, light switches and stairway rails present serious hazards where cross contamination can occur.

    “Ultimately, the impact an outbreak has on a hotel’s reputation could be devastating. Norovirus, for example, can be particularly dangerous for the elderly or very young, especially if customers have underlying health problems. Then there’s Campylobacter – the most common form of food poisoning – which is estimated to cost the UK economy £500m a year.”

    To combat this, Dr Hastings believes manufacturers of products for the hospitality industry should think seriously about adopting silver ion technology into their products at the manufacturing stage. He also believes that those with the purchasing power for hotels and restaurants should insist the products they buy feature this type of technology.

    “It is proven through independent laboratory testing that silver ion technology is highly effective against a wide range of disease causing bacteria. At BioCote, we work with manufacturers to incorporate our technology at the production stage, providing built-in antimicrobial protection for the lifetime of the product.”

    BioCote already work with a number of manufacturers that produce products for the hospitality industry. These include producers of paint, wallpaper, shelving systems, hand dyers, light switches, door handles and many more.

    What are your views? Do you think it should be compulsory to involve silver ion technology? Post your comments below, or email lorraine.cunliffe@hoteldesigns.net

    W Retreat & Spa – Maldives wins leading spa resort at the World Travel Awards

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    W Retreat and Spa – Maldives, has been awarded the Maldives’ Leading Spa resort at the prestigious World Travel Awards Gala Ceremony held in Johannesburg on July 7, 2010.

    See this article from October 2006 for more information on the W Retreat & Spa MaldivesCompeting against 14 other nominations in a hotly contested category, the picturesque surroundings, environment, and bespoke service of the W Retreat & Spa won them Leading Spa Resort. Striding ahead of other Spa resorts across the globe, W Retreat & Spa – Maldives is the perfect haven to indulge a fabulously chic & contemporary lifestyle.

    With the award winning “Whatever/Whenever” philosophy as its mantra, the W Retreat & Spa Maldives takes the service culture one step further by offering guests exclusive access ”Wherever”. This mindset helps to ensure that guests get what their hearts desire – as long as it’s legal! Whether its couture hot off the catwalks in Milan, Champagne straight from the French vineyards or even just your favourite shoes you left at home, W Retreat & Spa – Maldives will grant your wish.

    The W Retreat & Spa Maldives also features its renowned AWAY Spa. With its indoor and outdoor treatment areas and over 125 treatments on the menu, it’s the perfect place to escape whilst on the island. Highlights include private yoga lessons, creative expression and champagne facials.

    Rosemarie Domdom, Complex Director of Marketing at W Retreat & Spa – Maldives comments; “We are thrilled to have won this prestigious award. It is a great testament to all the hard work the W Talent team has put into running and building up its fantastic reputation.”

    The awards were attended by 1,200 of the region’s most senior industry leaders including CEOs, directors of leading travel companies, government ministers, heads of tourism departments and destinations, industry association leaders, and celebrities.

    Graham E. Cooke, founder and president of World Travel Awards, comments “Because of their global reach and reputation, World Travel Awards are unique and regularly referred to as the ‘Oscars’ of travel and tourism. This means that consumers are increasingly using our portfolio of winners as a reliable and independent guide when booking their vacation.”

    W Retreat & Spa – Maldives will now go on to compete in World Travel Awards 2010 final in London, immediately before World Travel Market on Sunday, November 7, 2010.

    Barclays Corporate urges UK hotels to refurbish

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    Mike Saul, Head of Hotel and Leisure at Barclays Corporate warns that operators in the UK hospitality sector must invest in their facilities if they are to retain their domestic customers.Mr Saul says”“Although still substantially down on the previous year, the number of Britons travelling abroad began to recover in May, moving beyond the effects of ash clouds and strike disruption in April towards a more typical early summer season.

    “However, there are still many UK travellers that continue to shun flying, whether to simply keep perceived costs down in the face of an anaemic recovery or to ensure they retain control of their travel plans in the wake of these disruptions.

    “This is good news for the UK travel and tourism industry, as holiday parks, coastal resort towns and hotels in the largest centres are reporting increased domestic demand. Hotel numbers in London and Edinburgh in particular have also benefited from ongoing sterling weakness, creating a slight improvement in international visitor numbers, although overall the market is still down.

    “It is vital that if UK hotel and leisure operators want to turn recent domestic demand into something sustainable, real investment must not be put off for too long. Consumers today expect modern facilities as part of a unique offering, and will quickly vote with their feet if their holiday experience isn’t up to standard.”

    In the three months to May 2010, overseas residents’ visits to the UK decreased by 4 per cent to 7.1 million. In the same period compared to the previous year there was a 5 per cent decrease.

    In the three months to May 2010, UK residents’ visits abroad increased by 2 per cent to 13.5 million. In the same period compared to the previous year there was a 10 per cent decrease.

    The Savoy to reopen 10/10/10

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    The Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, will reopen its doors on Sunday, October 10, 2010. One of this year’s most eagerly anticipated openings, The Savoy has been undergoing the most ambitious restoration in British history. The hotel closed in December 2007 for a restoration that encompasses the entire building from the iconic entrance and the American Bar to Savoy Grill and the 268 guestrooms and suites.”We are very excited to reopen The Savoy”, comments Kiaran MacDonald, General Manager. “It is fair to say that this project has not been without its challenges, but we are looking forward to unveiling the results of nearly three years of hard work and dedication. We are very aware of the place that The Savoy holds in many people’s affections and we firmly believe that the hotel will exceed people’s expectations and reclaim its position as one of the world’s great hotels.”

    The new interiors have been designed by world-renowned designer, Pierre Yves Rochon who has won acclaim for his work on other landmark hotels. His plans have been realised by the general contractors, Chorus Group and architects, Reardon Smith. Chorus have overseen a team of over 1000 craftsmen and women, artists and artisans who have worked tirelessly to create interiors that are in the spirit of the hotel’s two main design aesthetics, Edwardian and Art Deco.

    Green Hotels: The Gray d’Albion Hotel in Cannes awarded ISO 14001 certification

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    As part of an initiative by Cannes in the South of France, the Gray d’Albion Hotel set itself the target of winning certification to ISO 9001 and 14001 standards. ISO 14001 is the standard showing commitment to the Environment. It defines the environmental management system which enables an enterprise to limit its impact on the environment by pursuing an on-going improvement process. It involves carrying out an environmental diagnosis and developing an action and evaluation plan based on performance indicators.The plan adopted by the hotel was far-reaching, in fact very far-reaching. Over 250 different actions were implemented. Some of them formalise and perpetuate traditions that are deeply rooted in the hotel’s culture, such as annual cleaning of the marine depths off its private beach on the Croisette, entrusted to professional divers. However, the vast majority of these ecological initiatives led the Gray d’Albion Hotel to modify its working methods radically while maintaining top-quality service and close attention to client needs.

    Among first steps was a strict sorting policy for recycling waste allied to reduced consumption of water, paper and electricity (especially thanks to LED lighting). The hotel manages most of its Iso system via an Intranet, a site which is richer and more effective than ever. Thanks to this computerized base, all members of the staff can follow the full array of improvement actions undertaken by the hotel, identify the person(s) responsible for their success, visualise their state of progress. It is a way of sharing information that combines performance, responsiveness and savings in the use of paper!

    With a similar concern for economising, this time in the area of natural resources, this 4-star hotel in Cannes is planning to cover the hotel windows over the coming weeks with a filtering and reflecting film. This innovative insulation technique significantly reduces the heating effect of sunlight, lowering the temperature in the guest-rooms and hence the amount of energy consumed by air conditioning.
    Guests will be able to choose a hybrid vehicle for travelling around during their stays, or ask for their sheets not to be changed every day. All guests opting to travel to Cannes by train, one of the most economical means of transport in terms of CO2, will benefit from a discount granted by the hotel.

    The philosophy carries through to sourcing local and organic produce, and the chefs also have their own herb garden to grow fresh herbs on site

    Scheduled to Open in 2012: the Westin Hamburg

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    Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has recently announced that it will introduce its wellness brand, Westin Hotels & Resorts, to Hamburg. The new Westin Hamburg Hotel will open in 2012 under an agreement between Starwood and its joint venture partner, Arabella Hospitality Group. The hotel is designed by world-renowned Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron as part of the highly anticipated Elbe Philharmonic complex, Europe’s most ambitious development projects. Expected to become a cultural and architectural landmark, this urban development will also include luxury residences and a multitude of culinary, cultural and nightlife options all set in the heart of upscale HafenCity.Tailored to business and leisure travellers, the ultra-modern 10-storey Westin Hamburg Hotel will feature 244 guest rooms including 39 suites, all with the iconic Westin Heavenly Bed, a restaurant, a cafe, destination bar, lounge and a spa including a Westin WorkOut fitness centre and an indoor swimming pool. The hotel will comprise close to 9,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting and event space equipped with cutting-edge technology, including eight meeting rooms and a ballroom.

    SOURCE: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

    IHG announces sale of InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta

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    InterContinental Hotels Group PLC announces the sale of the 422 room InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta to Maryland based Pebblebrook Hotel Trust for US$105 million in cash. IHG will continue to manage the hotel under a long term management contract. IHG opened the hotel in November 2004 as the first newly built luxury hotel to enter the Buckhead market for over a decade (see this article published in November 2004). The hotel generated revenues of US$30.6m, EBITDA of $9.4m and EBIT of $6.7m in 2009 and had a net book value of US$82.7m at 31 March 2010. Pebblebrook will invest approximately $7m in capital improvements.

    The sale is a continuation of IHG’s strategy of growing its management and franchise businesses and reducing capital intensity. Since 2003 IHG has disposed of 185 hotels globally with a combined net book value of $5.3bn and with proceeds in excess of net book value.

    Richard Solomons, Chief Financial Officer and Head of Commercial Development, said: “The sale of the InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta is a great example of our asset strategy in action. We built the hotel using our own capital in 2004 to create a showcase for the brand in order to drive growth across the Americas. Since then we have signed 21 InterContinental hotels in the region. We are now able to recycle the capital we have invested in the building whilst maintaining a long term management contract with a great partner, reinforcing the strength of the brand.”

    “We are extremely pleased to acquire one of Buckhead’s leading hotels in one of the nation’s fastest growing metropolitan areas,” said Jon Bortz, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust. “IHG has a superb track record in lodging and boasts a premier brand with InterContinental. We are very excited to be developing a long-term strategic relationship with IHG and look forward to working with them on this high quality hotel, as well as future opportunities.”

    Image credit: VisMedia

    Disco Gloss from Andy Thornton

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    Disco Gloss is an exciting new lighting collection from Andy Thornton, which features in the company’s eagerly anticipated Lighting Catalogue, which has just been launched. The collection is perfect for modern hotel interiors and style-conscious bars and indeed would suit most contemporary commercial applications.The double pendant shown features stunning modern drum shades in acrylic gold finish, hanging from an adjustable telescopic rod, in a combination of polished chrome and painted black finish. The Disco Gloss collection also includes a single pendant, semi-flush pendant, wall light and matching table lamp.

    Please click here to download your copy of the Andy Thornton Lighting brochure

    Modern conference seating range from Style Seating

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    Style Seating has recently launched a modern conference seating range for high-end venues.Available with polished or brushed stainless steel legs/ fittings, fabric seat in your choice of colour and customisable chair colour, Style Seating lives up to its name with this stylish range of conference seating.

    Vaughan launch new Chandelier

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    The Lymington Chandelier from Vaughan is a sophisticated new ceiling light that has recently been added to their range. It is available as 2-tier with 4 lights (50.5cm high, 46.5cm wide), or as a single tier with 1 light (36cm high, 27.5cm wide).

    For more information on this product please contact Vaughan through our page in the Directory.

    Best Western Boss goes Undercover for Channel 4

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    David Clarke, CEO of Best Western, swapped his day job in York for that of a housekeeper for a new programme to be shown on Channel 4 this week called Undercover Boss.

    On Thursday night (15th July) at 9pm the nation will see exactly what the boss of Britain’s largest group of independently owned and managed hotels got up to when he left the comfort of his office to find the hidden gems working inside Best Western hotels.Joined by a small camera crew David went undercover for ten straight days as ‘Andy Green’ an unemployed man looking for work in three different Best Western hotels. At each hotel he rolled up his sleeves in a variety of jobs including housekeeper, maintenance man, chef, waiter and green keeper to experience what life is really like working in their hotels.

    David worked in the Best Western Castle Green Hotel in Kendal, Best Western Ullesthorpe Hotel in Lutterworth and the Best Western White House in Watford. Only the owners of the three properties knew the real reason why David was at the hotel.

    After his ten days working in the hotels he chose four ‘hidden gems’ who were invited to the York office when David not only revealed his true identity but also rewarded them for their hard work and dedication.

    Talking about his role David said: “I was nervous about going into the hotels under disguise as I did not know what to expect or whether someone would recognise me. I had no idea where the camera crew were taking me and what I would be doing whilst there. As a boss I am used to being in charge, so to let someone else take the reins was tough, but I soon got used to it.”

    “Whilst filming I spent time with some amazing people whose hard work and dedication filled me with pride and admiration. These people are the real stars of not only the programme but the whole Best Western success story. One thing is for sure I certainly do not miss the 5am starts or the beard I had to grow for the programme so as to disguise my true identity!”

    The programme also gave David the opportunity to see firsthand how the company’s recent TV campaign ‘hotels with personality’ was going down in the hotels and how independent hotels are faring in the current economic climate.
    Tim Wade, Head of Marketing said; “The Undercover Boss programme was filmed at the same time as we launched ‘Hotels with personality’ and allowed us to see the personalities meeting our customers every day. We already knew that our hotels had the great customer service that only an independent hotel group can provide, but what David has found just proves that what we have launched is true to form.”

    The ‘Hotels with personality’ launch activity included Best Westerns first ever TV advert debut in Coronation Street and a nationwide hunt for the best of British talent with a Britain’s got personality roadshow. For more information go to www.hotelswithpersonality.com

    Celebrity Eclipse cruise liner

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    The new $750 million Solstice class cruise ship Celebrity Eclipse came into service at the port of Southampton with a colourful naming ceremony accompanied by a full Scottish pipe band on Saturday 24th April 2010. It wasn’t all play and celebration though as the ship had to make a mercy dash on the 22nd April to Bilbao, to rescue 2,000 stranded holidaymakers with flights grounded due to the ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland. The new 122,000 ton Celebrity Eclipse is the sister ship of Celebrity Solstice (launched in summer 2008), Celebrity Equinox (July 2009), and Celebrity Silhouette, due to enter service in late 2011. She is the third Solstice-class cruise ship to enter the Celebrity fleet and is able to carry 2,852 passengers in double occupancy with a crew of 1,271. She will operate from the Southampton terminal during the summer of 2010 offering cruises to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. HotelDesigns was at the naming ceremony and was able to look around the public areas and a range of the state rooms.

    The Eclipse and its sister the Equinox are almost identical in their basic layout, with marked similarities to each other structurally. There are a number of differences in the styling of the facilities and public areas – the new ship is a little less beige and has a bit more colour. The entrance to the ship was via the Entertainment Deck (deck five) and into the centre of the ship dominated by the atrium with its floating tree and golden ball centrepiece.

    First Hotel Indigo signed in Southeast Asia

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    IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) signed a management agreement with Piyasombat Property Co. Ltd. for the first Hotel Indigo in Southeast Asia. This marks another strategic step to expand the presence of this upscale boutique brand in the Asia Pacific. The hotel is expected to be completed by end of 2012.Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road takes its name from one of Bangkok’s premier and prominent districts. A new development, the hotel is to be located along Wireless Road, home to the diplomatic district as well as high-end residences, retail and office spaces, restaurants and entertainment outlets.

    The 188-room hotel will have a specialty restaurant and bar, a business centre, meeting facilities, swimming pool, a gym and health club, as well as a spa. HBA, a firm specialising in hospitality design, will lead the design work in collaboration with local architecture firm A49. The restaurant and bar will be designed by Diffusion, a joint-venture between HBA and Avroko, a design and concept firm.

    The first Hotel Indigo to open in Asia Pacific is Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund, which is scheduled to welcome guests in September this year (2010). Six Hotel Indigo properties have already been signed in Asia providing a solid platform for the growth of the brand in the region.

    Save over 70% – the ultimate dining promotion from Stylematters

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    Stylematters would like to entice you with their divine dining discounts from Italy. Framed and polished to your colour as part of the cost, the price also includes your own choice of material for the upholstery to full customise the look.Stylematters have secured the whole consignment, so purchases are on a strictly first come – first served basis.

    S283 Superb dining chair with oval shaped back detail. Reinforced stretcher rails for heavy duty usage. Choice of polish finishes.
    Ultimate promotion price £99.00
    • Only 190 pieces available
    • All orders have to be paid in full at the time of order.

    S284 Superb dining arm chair with feature oval shaped back detail. Reinforced stretcher rails for heavy duty usage. Choice of polish finishes.
    Ultimate promotion price £115.00
    • Only 250 pieces available
    • All orders have to be paid in full at the time of order.

    S69 Stylish dining chair with sculpted seat design matching model S71. Choice of polish finishes.
    Ultimate promotion price £99.00
    • Only 140 pieces available
    • All orders have to be paid in full at the time of order.

    S71 Stylish bar stool with sculpted seat design matching model S69. Choice of polish finishes.
    Ultimate promotion price £115.00
    • Only 140 pieces available
    • All orders have to be paid in full at the time of order.

    S285 Butterfly styled bar stool with chrome foot rail. Reinforced stretcher rails for heavy duty usage. Choice of polish finishes.
    Ultimate promotion price £115.00
    • Only 170 pieces available
    • All orders have to be paid in full at the time of order.

    Prices correct at time of publication: 30th June 2010. Please contact Stylematters for current prices and promotions.

    Four Seasons Hotel Denver set to open in autumn 2010

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    Forty-five floors above the historic buildings of 14th Street is a new beacon of light that invites one to stay, dine and play – or even live – the new Four Seasons Hotel Denver. Opening this autumn, the 239-room Hotel is located where Denver’s theatre and business districts meet at the edge of the Lower Downtown “LoDo” neighbourhood. It offers the city’s most desirable location for meetings and events, its newest dining and social hotspot, sleek and contemporary accommodation, and a resort-style rooftop pool and spa oasis, all with sweeping views of the bright city and majestic mountains beyond.

    Destination: Denver

    Known as the Mile High city due to its elevation above sea level, Denver stands at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, positioning it as both a central destination and a gateway to the state’s mountain resorts. With 200 city parks and 300 days of sunshine each year, it’s a city that beckons one outdoors. With its lively performing arts scene, 10 professional sports teams, the famed Denver Zoo, trendy boutiques and shopping, a variety of al fresco dining, and the nearby Colorado Convention Center, Denver is a premier destination and Four Seasons Hotel Denver is the ideal choice for travellers and locals alike to experience the region.

    Denver’s Newest Culinary Destination

    With its prime location on Arapahoe Street, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and an outdoor patio, the Restaurant and bar at Four Seasons Hotel Denver will be the city’s newest see-and-be-seen social destination. Executive Chef Simon Purvis and his team are spending the summer hunting down local sources of seasonal ingredients and preparing for the steakhouse restaurant’s opening. Menus will be complemented by selections of local microbrews and interesting bottles from Colorado’s local wineries, with many wines offered by the glass.

    An Oasis of Wellness, Relaxation and Fitness

    The Four Seasons Hotel Denver will help travellers stay in shape on the road at the 2,500-square-foot (232-square-metre) Fitness Centre, which showcases views of the outdoor pool terrace through floor-to-ceiling windows. A separate movement studio offering yoga and other fitness classes will also be available to guests.

    Travellers and locals alike will also have access to a full-service, destination spa. The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Denver will offer more than 9,000 square feet (836 square metres) dedicated to healing and rejuvenation therapies in 10 gemstone-themed treatment rooms.

    The third-floor Fitness Centre and Spa open up to an urban rooftop playground, with an inviting pool and whirlpool, plush deckchairs and Four Seasons attendants offering snacks and cocktails.

    The Place Where Denver Will Come Together

    Conveniently located on a single floor of the Hotel, meetings and event spaces are now available for booking at Four Seasons Hotel Denver, and can be used for business functions, parties and social events, such as weddings and charity galas.

    For something completely different, Four Seasons invites event attendees to step outside onto the Hotel’s third-floor landscaped pool deck for an open-air reception. Those who desire a more private space may book the third-floor Executive Boardroom, discreetly removed from the main function spaces and public areas of the Hotel.

    All images © Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

    RHA: Ideal seating collection for hotels

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    The Elpis seating collection from RHA is stylish & extremely practical. The collection includes a range of chairs, sofas & a matching pouff.Designed with hotels in mind, the chairs are as light as possible & include handles that help them to be moved around more easily. A show wood frame reduces wear on the fabric.

    Get the look you want by selecting a custom fabric/leather & wood finish.

    Jumeirah gives a royal welcome with London’s latest luxury

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    Jumeirah Group, the Dubai-based luxury international hospitality company and member of Dubai Holding, has added a new dimension to the London scene. The brand new Royal Suite at luxury Knightsbridge hotel Jumeirah Carlton Tower offers an aspirational living space in one of London’s most prestigious addresses. The 155m² suite has views over Knightsbridge, Westminster and Cadogan Gardens and features private access and a private butler. Khuan Chew, the interior designer from KCA responsible for the Group’s flagship hotel Burj Al Arab in Dubai, has incorporated rich textures and opulent finishings, including a stunning fibre-optic ‘star-lit’ ceiling, Swarovski crystal feature piece and silk pile carpets.

    The Royal Suite showcases innovations from around the world including a Japanese designed high-tech TOTO toilet, a COCO-MAT mattress filled with fibres from coconut shells, fossil marble and granite floors and French and Italian designed furniture. The bathroom – the suite’s pièce de résistance – features a Wet Room with deep Jacuzzi bath, walk-in rain shower and flooring inlaid with jasper and marble.

    The expansive lounge and dining area feature a fully equipped galley kitchen, freestanding bar, a full length hand-carved walnut dining table that seats ten, and state-of-the-art Bang & Olufsen audio visual technology.

    Royal Suite guests also have exclusive access to Cadogan Gardens, the hotel’s Peak Health Club & Spa and GILT Champagne Lounge.

    Introducing Manhattan’s Newest Star: The InterContinental New York Times Square

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    IHG yesterday began checking guests into the 607-room InterContinental New York Times Square. Rising 36 stories above the iconic New York skyline, the property is the largest new-build hotel to open in Manhattan since 2002 and will be the largest hotel in New York to achieve LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, providing guests with a full-service, luxury hotel experience that is also environmentally responsible. The hotel’s Grand Opening Ceremonies will be held on July 29. Located on 44th Street just west of Times Square, the hotel is in the heart of the Broadway Theatre district, a short stroll from Fifth Avenue shopping and world-class museums, making it an ideal location from which to explore the city. Featuring panoramic views of Manhattan from virtually every guestroom, the new InterContinental New York Times Square delivers an insider’s view of the city by providing a contemporary and vibrant yet intimate experience.

    Wrapped with floor-to-ceiling windows, the InterContinental New York Times Square’s guestrooms average 350 square feet in size and include an oversized, spa-inspired bathroom complete with walk-in rain showers. The hotel boasts 25 Panoramic Avenue Suites with stunning views of the city that allow guests to sightsee without moving their feet. Additionally, the hotel’s three-bedroom, 2,700-square foot bi-level Penthouse Suite showcases dramatic panoramic views of Times Square, Broadway, the New York City skyline and the Hudson River.

    With architecture by the global design and planning firm of Gensler, the hotel’s contextual exterior draws from two distinctly New York neighborhoods, the Theater District and historic Clinton. The hotel’s interiors were designed by Jeffery Beers International (JBI) and combine classic New York Art Deco heritage with contemporary and natural inspiration, providing a refreshing sanctuary from the bustling streets of Manhattan.

    As one of the closest hotels to Javits Convention Center, the property boasts 10 meeting rooms totaling 10,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space, inclusive of a 4,000-square foot ballroom. Additionally, there are 25 flexible suites available that can be utilized as event space.
    The InterContinental New York Times Square will showcase Celebrity Chef Todd English’s newest restaurant concept, Ça Va. The French bistro-inspired restaurant opening later this month will serve traditional brasserie fare as well as playful, contemporary interpretations of the classics. Additional hotel amenities include a Concierge Lounge; 24-hour business and fitness centers; wired and wireless internet in guestrooms and public areas; 42-inch HDTV flat panel televisions and touch-screen computers in all guestrooms; and a courtyard viewing garden in the lobby complete with a reflecting pool and sculptures.

    The InterContinental New York Times Square was developed, and is owned by, a partnership led by affiliates of Tishman Hotel & Realty LP, and is managed by IHG Management (Maryland) LLC, a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group, on behalf of West 44th Street Hotel, LLC.

    Images © InterContinental Hotels Group

    Latest independent hotel projects from Monk Furniture

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    Recently completed at Monk Furniture are the latest two Independent Hotel orders won by the company – Shakespeare Hotel, London and Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth.Shakespeare Hotel is a bespoke American White Oak collection of furniture which provides individual pieces for specific rooms and full room sets. This is the second order from this client who is working with Monk on a phased refurbishment plan for his hotel.

    The 14 rooms at Marsham Court Hotel are again totally bespoke to the clients specification – Monk having created the full designs, technical drawings and manufacturing plans from meetings and discussions with the owner. Being manufactured in American White Ash Monk will also be carrying out the installation of all the furniture at this location with its own fully trained team.

    These latest projects continue to demonstrate the diversity of service and products provided by Monk Furniture UK Ltd all from their premises in Cheshire.

    Boss Design goes for growth and expands Senior Management Team

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    Boss Design is delighted to announce that it has experienced a successful start to the year with sales up by 35% in the first quarter. To achieve the company’s long-term goal Boss Design has in recent years significantly expanded its production capability, invested in new product development and increased its UK and global presence with an impressive 8,000 sq foot showroom in London and manufacturing capability which spans the globe. This has all been achieved despite global recession and economic uncertainty.To support his business strategy even further Brian Murray, Owner and Managing Director of Boss Design today announced the promotion of Andy Watson, Sales Director into the new role of International Sales Director and the promotion of Marc Le Peltier, Head of New Business Development to the position of UK Sales Director.

    Upon making the announcement Brian Murray said;
    ‘Our success in recent years has been exceptional and has been achieved through the implementation of a series of planned milestones particularly in the UK.’

    He continued;
    ‘To build on this success and ensure that we best service new and existing clients on a global scale we now need to implement the second phase of our growth plan. I am confident that the knowledge and experience going into these roles will keep us on track.’

    Andy Watson, who has twenty-five years industry experience and has been with Boss Design for fifteen years, has played a key role in the company’s success. He now plans to build on the company’s global presence in the US and Middle East and expand its representation and manufacturing capability to facilitate new and emerging market opportunities.

    In the meantime Marc Le Peltier who has over twenty years experience in the industry will be focusing on the UK sales operation with plans to implement an aggressive sales strategy that will see the further development of existing sectors and a targeted approach to expanding new home markets.

    First ANA Holiday Inn opens in Sendai

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    IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan, the joint venture between InterContinental Hotels Group and All Nippon Airways, yesterday announced the opening of ANA Holiday Inn Sendai. ANA Holiday Inn Sendai is the first co-branded hotel between Holiday Inn, one of the world’s most recognised hotel brands, and ANA Hotels, a strong brand within the Japanese hotel industry. This co-brand brings together the elements of the new Holiday Inn brand, which is currently undergoing the largest rebranding exercise in hospitality history, with the reputation for service excellence established by ANA Hotels.

    The 165-room ANA Holiday Inn Sendai is situated close to the east entrance of the Sendai train station. It is both a convenient location for business travellers as well as an ideal starting point for leisure seekers looking to visit cultural and historical sites in the city of Sendai, the gateway to the Tohoku region.
    Guests can expect the new look-and-feel, service standards and quality facilities reflective of the new Holiday Inn brand. The global relaunch of Holiday Inn focuses on the things research shows matter most to guests – a modern, contemporary hotel with efficient, friendly service and a great night’s sleep.

    In conjunction with ANA Holiday Inn Sendai’s opening, the ANA Holiday Inn Sendai’s all-day dining restaurant, Chef Table, has been also been refreshed. Additionally, the hotel employees have all received training that combines the best of the new Holiday Inn service standards as well as the detail-oriented service ANA hotels are known for.

    Rezidor announces the Radisson Blu Hotel, Nantes / France

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    In a recent conversation Kurt Ritter, President and CEO admitted to our Editor, Patrick Goff that he was “unlikely” to reach his espoused target of 700 Rezidor hotels by the end of 2012. Shock horror- only adding 50 hotels a year, goodness me! How many hotel groups would be delighted to expand at this rate – from 20 hotels in 2002 to over 410 today. As Jamie Oliver might say – here is another one I prepared earlier, the new Radisson Blu Nantes”We are delighted to announce one of the most high-profile hotel projects in Western France and to further strengthen our young and stylish Radisson Blu portfolio in the country”, says Kurt Ritter, announcing the conversion of the Palais de Justice in Nantes, capital of the Pays de la Loire region in France.

    Rezidor now features 26 hotels with a total of 4,300 rooms in operation and under development in France, and is present in major cities such a Paris, Bordeaux, Marseille, Nice and Lyon.

    The 19th century Palais de Justice is a local landmark and its elegant, classical façade overlooks bustling Aristide Briand Square in the city centre of Nantes. The building served as a courthouse until 2000 and the local government recently authorised its transformation into an upscale hotel and cultural centre.
    The interior by the French designer Jean-Philippe Nuel (Agence Nuel) will be sophisticated and contemporary, but reflective of the local culture and the historical aspects of the building. In addition to 142 guestrooms – including 20 spectacular suites – there will be an all-day-dining restaurant in the former courtroom, a bar, 320 m2 of meeting space, an exclusive spa, and a cultural centre which will also be used for events.

    Rezidor continue their twin pronged approach to expansion in which they try to pair up Radisson Blu hotels with their Park Inn by Radisson brand to create a presence at two levels of the market in most major European cities.

    Patrick Goff
    Images courtesy Rezidor

    Travelodge and its 400th Property

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    Mock Beefeaters with wooden halberds. Boris on a Bike. Patriotic cakes. Red carpet – and all this in a part of town once described by the Evening Standard as ‘Indian Territory’, suggesting coming south of the river in a wagon train with protection. South Bank University on a rag? No – just another example of the demand for hotel beds aiding the rehabilitation of previously neglected areas of London. Boris Johnson, our esteemed mayor, must have been delighted that the company from his old constituency chose this hotel to celebrate as their 400th opening. From the original 1985 Travel Inns next to the A38 Burton-under-Needwood the chain has continued to grow quickly under Grant Hearns leadership (and don’t believe all that stuff about teamwork – teams only work well when given real leadership) to the 400 hotels and £45million profit of today.

    The idea grew under the ownership the Forte family, came close to being broken by the gamblers of Granada and is now owned by Dubai Capital, major investors in the London hotel market.

    Porto Montenegro opens for business

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    Porto Montenegro, the glamorous new marina destination designed by ReardonSmith Architects, will be welcoming its first residents and visitors in July. Described as a “transformational” development for Montenegro, the phase completing this summer includes waterfront apartments and luxury residences, restaurants, cafés and first class berthing and associated marina facilities for superyachts and smaller craft.ReardonSmith was appointed in 2007 to masterplan, design and realise not only a premier destination for superyachts in Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor, but a small town that would attract land-based holiday makers and local people. Equally, the town was to be a practical location for crews to make their home when not at sea. Since then, the Bay has been transformed from the site of a decommissioned naval base to the beginnings of a world-class destination on the Adriatic coast. “Porto Montenegro is undoubtedly one of the most ambitious and significant projects on which we have had the privilege to work,” says Patrick Reardon, executive chairman of ReardonSmith. “It has certainly provided a unique platform for us to demonstrate our abilities on a broad scale and it is hugely rewarding to see the early fruits of everyone’s hard work being hailed as ‘the new Monaco’.”

    The masterplan concept for Porto Montenegro combines the massing elements typical of historic towns in the region with the principles identified by the 20th Century urban planner, Kevin Lynch of “imagability”. Consequently, the design is respectful of location and architectural inheritance but is also entirely new; it contains familiar spatial relationships that will help visitors to instinctively navigate their way through the town and it holds intentional surprises to intensify the experience of discovery.

    Many of the apartments completing this month have already been sold off-plan. They range in size from studios to exclusive four-bedroom residences, most with large terraces facing the sea, some with their own pool and all with a large first-floor landscaped courtyard complete with a pool deck. These form private oases where residents can bask in the sunshine and enjoy stunning views towards the marina, yet remain connected to their immediate locale thanks to the sounds from the narrow streets below.

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    South London becomes Hotel Mecca?

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    For many years it was a myth amongst hoteliers. No hotel would work South of the Thames.Now? All change as new hotels keep opening.Strange that Waterloo should benefit from a French initiative – yes the French,because Accor’s Novotel brand was one of the first to fall for the delights of what the Londons Evening Standard once referred to as “Indian Territory” in the days of Western movies.

    This year has seen a slew of openings and there are still more to come. Three Travelodges have opened in or around Waterloo,(County Hall,Union Street and the other, the 400th, behind the Old Vic), whilst the new Park Plaza Westminster has joined three other Park Plazas in the same part of the South Bank together offering some 2,000 rooms.

    Latest spotted is Malaysian Group Tune Hotels, which has its first hotel under construction opposite Lambeth North Tube. This group offers budget hotel accomodation.Extras that can be added to the room price include air con, WiFi, a tea coffee tray,towel rental and an entertainment package (presumably a telly). The group plans 15 hotels in London by 2017.

    It seems every group that has a hotel wants to operate in London. With the Shard offering 5 star to Shangri-La at London Bridge ( again South of the River) and bedrooms in the new Park Plaza offering the soaking tub and the walk-in shower in every room so noticeably missing from the grand dames of London Hotels such as the Grosvenor House, maybe South London’s time has come?

    © Words and Images Patrick Goff

    Think beyond windows for incorporating glass into your project…

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    Andrew Moor Associates designs, manufactures and installs features in glass. This includes glass screens, lights, sculptures, bar-tops, bar-fronts, chandeliers, glass columns, public art for facades, balustrades, glass canopies – the list is almost endless. We also offer a specialist glass consulting service, giving detailed technical advice on how best to use glass to integrate art and architecture and create art commissions that are integrated into the fabric of a building.We have been in business for over twenty years and have created features all over the UK and in many other parts of the world. We work with many different artists and designers to create the image our clients are looking for, using a very wide range of techniques. We have a real depth of experience and are enormously versatile.

    The artworks created in glass are stunning and an unusual feature for your project. Recent commissions include: Wine bottles (FSA offices), Baker McKenze, Heddon St and Charing Cross Road.

    If you are looking for something a little bit different in your artwork, contact Andrew Moor Associates today through their page in the Directory.

    Baulmann Leuchten supplies two luxury hotels in Greece

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    Baulmann Leuchten has supplied around 4.000 bespoke luminaires for The Romanos Luxury Collection & The Westin Resort, Costa Navarino – Greece. Starting from the small LED reading light up to giant floor-lamp of almost 2.5 metres height, the products of Baulmann Leuchten can be found all over the resort.Located on the Peninsula of Peleponnes, in the bay of Navarino, The Romanos Luxury Collection & The Westin Resort, are going to set a new trend in tourism for Greece.

    The hotels, arranged in the middle of rank olive groves, are offering magnificent views of the Ionian Sea. With 766 rooms and suites, various restaurants, state-of-the-art gym and spa-area and a golf-course designed by US Masters Champion and Ryder Cup Captain Bernhard Langer, this new resort does not leave anything to be desired.

    Images © TEMES Athens, Greece

    A New Chapter Begins; Muse Hôtel de Luxe, Saint-Tropez

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    The first of YTL Hotel’s global expansion, the Muse Hôtel De Luxe is officially open in Saint-Tropez, France. Muse is the chic retreat minutes from Place de Lices by car, situated on the Ramatuelle ‘route de plages’ road and nestled within an ecological landscape of terraced gardens.Comprised of 15 suites, 10 with pools, most overlooking the terraced gardens created by Sophie Agata Ambroise, Muse is minutes from the most elegant epicentre in the world.

    Each suite is named after one of the muses the hotel has been dedicated to such as ‘Edith’, after Edith Piaf, ‘Catherine’, after Catherine Deneuve and ‘Lauren’ after Lauren Bacall. Each suite is entirely individual, all however sharing cool stone floors and mamorino wall finishes. A large number has its own spa services room and walk in closet, oversized showers and beautiful, neutral décor along with the latest technology in every suite including a 42” Loewe plasma screen with over 100 channels, a Playstation and an iPad and iPhone.

    The hotel includes a beautiful restaurant ‘M’, inspired by the Slow Food philosophy, where executive chef Nicolas Le Tourmelin – who comes hot from working with Pascal Proyart at One O One at the Sheraton, Knightsbridge, is at the helm along with consultant chef Clement Bruno of Chez Bruno presiding over an exclusive truffle menu.

    The unique and stylish bar at Muse has views over the beautiful out-door sunken pool and gardens.

    Swissôtel Kolkata/India now open

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    With a portfolio of 28 hotels in 25 exciting destinations around the world, Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts welcomes the latest member to the Swissôtel family: the Swissôtel Kolkata. The new deluxe hotel is the internationally renowned Swiss hospitality chain’s first foray into India, adding yet another key destination to its ever expanding global network. Strategically located in New Town, just a few minutes from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, the deluxe 5-star Swissôtel Kolkata will offer unrivalled convenience to guests. Charming both business and leisure travellers with the finest in Swiss hospitality, Swissôtel Kolkata will house 147 modern and elegant guest rooms and suites, four restaurants and bars and advanced business solutions in 1,561 square metres of meeting and banquet space. A rejuvenating Spa and Fitness Centre, unique rooftop swimming pool with unobstructed views of the skyline as well as 11 exclusive Executive Club rooms and suites, each boasting a private outdoor whirlpool, will offer ideal recreational distractions to relax and unwind. All this and more perfectly packaged and fully integrated with the award winning City Centre New Town mall that adjoins Swissôtel Kolkata.

    Introducing RothDock… wireless audio for iPod®/ iPhone®

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    There’s no question about it, the number of hotel guests arriving with their own music and video selections stored on their iPod®/iPhone® is huge and growing.

    Now, not only can your guests play their own music through the in-room TV or sound system, but they can do it without having to tether their device to the TV. No more getting up and down to change playlist, or a simple selection change.The RothDock features:

    Wireless Audio Streaming: Stream audio wirelessly via 2.4 GHz direct to the in-room TV or sound system
    Remote Control: mimics the iPod®/iPhone® controls so device can remain docked
    iPhone® Ring Control: If the docked iPhone® rings the music fades and guests hear the ring throughout the TV or sound system
    Auxiliary Input: 3.5 mm auxiliary input allows guest’s music-enabled mobile phone, MP3 player etc to be used
    Simple Installation: Plug dock at bedside. Plug wireless receiver into TV. No costly wire runs!
    MediaHub HD™: Can be integrated with the MediaHub HD™ to provide guests complete connectivity with audio-switching for the Roth-Dock
    Integrate Later: Can be integrated with a MediaHub HD™ at a later date
    • Charging: Built in charger charges iPod® or iPhone®

    For more details, download our 2010 brochure here.

    Image © Roth A.V.

    Launch of a new visual identity for Hill Cross Furniture

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    Hill Cross Furniture are pleased to announce the launch of their new website which has been redesigned and rebranded.

    To reinforce the Hill Cross message, ‘a North East contract furniture supplier offering high quality furniture products and remarkable customer experiences,’ the Hill Cross logo has also been redesigned.The implementation of subtle changes to refresh the look but which will still be recognised by its customers is a positive update combining former elements of the logo with a modernised look.

    The website has been re-designed with a fresh new look providing its customers with a more visually stimulating experience and to also better meet the needs of customers. Updated product pages displaying detailed information, all new content, significant layout updates, extensive venues section, enhanced high quality product images, image zoom-in function, a complete upgrade of the Hill Cross Table Top Builder, improved functionality along side powerful and intelligent search facilities are just some of the many improvements across the site making the whole site more user-friendly.

    As well as an enhanced user experience for end-user customers, the new Hill Cross Furniture website will also provide specifiers and interior designers with a fresh new perspective of products to specify within their design projects.

    Managing Director, Jake Bailey, said: “In order to move forward in the contract furniture market, intensive thought, focus, evaluation, planning and commitment have gone into our rebranding and redesign project. As an all round seasoned firm, Hill Cross Furniture are venturing out with a unique voice and vision – to be extremely customer-focused and to give each customer as much information as possible in order to make their decision-making easier.”

    Mr Bailey continued, “It represents our specialist approach to the contract furniture market and reflects our long-term strategic plan to become a superior contract furniture specialist. As well as aligning the design of the site with our fresh new branding, we wanted to update the content and functionality of the website to fulfil expectations from both customers and designers. We see this as the first of yet another step in our aim to harness the capability of the internet to transform the selection of contract furniture to the leisure sector.”

    And there’s more, keep up-to-date with all the latest news from Hill Cross by reading their blog or subscribing to their RSS feeds, you will also be able to follow them on other world renowned social media sites including Twitter and Facebook.

    In addition to this, Hill Cross have also undertaken major re-development to their back-end Content Management System. These changes now play a major part in streamlining the new and improved search facility which allows customers to find the information they’re after fast.

    “Daily product updates and information will uphold the fresh new branding and Hill Cross will continue to strive to give customers never-ending choice options.”

    Visit: www.hillcrossfurniture.co.uk to view their new look.

    UPDATE: W London Hotel Leicester Square – opening February 2011

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    Initially planned to open in summer 2010 and then autumn 2010, the W London Hotel, Leicester Square will now open its doors in February 2011.

    London’s lively West End will soon be home to the city’s newest insider escape. Hot in pursuit of the world’s most intriguing destinations, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is opening W London-Leicester Square and The Residences at W London-Leicester Square in February 2011. McAleer & Rushe Group and renowned London architects at Jestico + Whiles have created a new architectural icon for the city on the corner of Wardour Street and Leicester Square. The sleek new hotel, with a design ethos playing on the parallel personas of the English at work and at play, will feature 192 stylish guest rooms and 10 two-level, branded residences, a W The Store retail outlet, as well as a destination restaurant and a signature bar experience, where guests are invited to mix, mingle and flirt in a vibrant social atmosphere. Showcasing innovative interior design by Concrete, the award winning Dutch design agency, W London – Leicester Square has been designed for true ‘Londoners,’ offering a sophisticated urban sanctuary for global jetsetters and local London insiders. Guests will feel like insiders of the city rather than just visitors. The design concept takes the dual personality of the quintessential Englishman or woman and creates a hotel to service the needs and desires of work and play, formal and party, reserved and outrageous, day and night. The bedrooms and public areas are a contrast of themes, colours, textures and fun, so London as the destination is inside the hotel – not just outside.

    Further accelerating the W Hotels’ aggressive international expansion, W London-Leicester Square will be the newest hotel to join the W Hotels brand’s growing portfolio in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. By the opening of W London-Leicester Square in 2011, W Hotels will have doubled the size of its property portfolio globally.

    Leicester Square is host to numerous high-profile movie premiers and celebrity events throughout the year and W London-Leicester Square will provide an exciting new venue for such events, while serving as a sophisticated urban sanctuary for discerning travellers and local insiders. The hotel’s vibrant and highly desirable location gives guests access to the city’s finest theatres, restaurants, lounges and nightclubs and is within walking distance to Soho, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and Piccadilly Circus.

    W London – Leicester Square’s 192 rooms, which include nine suites, two WOW Suites and one Extreme WOW Suite, will all feature custom-made furnishings, with witty accents unique to London, W’s signature “munchie boxes” stocked with exclusive amenities, and the highly acclaimed W bed, a luxurious ensemble featuring a feather-top mattress, 350 thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets and goose-down comforter. Guest rooms will offer the latest in cutting-edge technology and the most advanced in-room entertainment systems in the industry.

    Purl Cocktail Bar, Marylebone, London

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    Stylematters have recently completed the design, manufacture and installation of fixed seating for Purl cocktail bar in Marylebone, London which was awarded five stars by Time Out London.Echoing the prohibition styling keys, Stylematters provided six booths with fitted corner table tops that make best use of the space available. Two booths were installed upstairs and were finished in a mossy green coloured fabric to match the low level lighting backdrop, whilst four booths in a putty coloured fabric were utilised downstairs. All fixed seating was complemented by Golden Oak plinths and feature diamond button back detail throughout.

    The style of seating was an ideal furniture partner for the brown leather Chesterfields, dark wood panelling, retro phone booth and the myriad of alcoves.

    And for the clientele, being served cocktails inspired by the golden age of late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century bartending, using handmade bitters and premium spirits, and being surrounded by sassy Speakeasy style, is a great way to relax and unwind from the hustle and bustle of the day.

    Conmoto Log Burning Stoves, Ethanol Fires & Fire Accessories 2010

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    Encompass contemporary and modern fires and fireside accessory collections include the finest modern stoves and woodburners, flueless bio ethanol fuel fires and fireside accessories and tools.

    Encompass is UK distributor for Conmoto, who supply the very best of modern German design products. Selections of these products are outlined below. To request more information on any of the ranges, please get in touch via our page in the Directory.GATE

    GATE log burning stove. Design by Carsten Gollnick for Conmoto. 10 KW heat output.

    Pure elegance, upstanding and light. GATE simply cannot be ignored within the context of interior design: a fireplace of decidedly elegant proportions. So where does this remarkable lightness stem from? The combustion chamber is suspended to float in the matt, anthracite-coated steel surround. Noticeably large vertical glass panes and the brightly gleaming accents of the handles and levers in matt brushed stainless steel provide a contrast in the drama played out between materials and colours.

    Of course, where to store the fuel for burning is part of the architectural living room concept for this fireplace. The sculptural idea is rounded off by the log holder with its identical proportions and design mirroring the outside of the stove. The spacious chamber provides a safe location for the logs either to the right or left of the fireplace.

    PLAZA WOOD

    PLAZA “WOOD” log burning stove by Michael Sieger for Conmoto. 5 KW heat output.

    Chimney flue connection either vertically through the top of the stove or from behind through rear wall. The clear glass door provides effective air circulation, resulting in minimum ash residue, further due to inbuilt tertiary air supply.

    Conmoto PLAZA WOOD is available in black/stainless steel and red/black finishes.

    ROLL

    ROLL flueless ethanol fire by Sieger Design for Conmoto. 1 KW heat output.

    Fiercely blazing, steady and yet quite free. Anyone who values variety and is looking for all-over warmth will simply love the independent heat it radiates. As it rolls, ROLL easily balances its stainless steel tank, mounted on its roller bearings. The two glass panes fitted at the sides render it completely transparent. As it is held in place by magnets, when the tank is being filled with bio-ethanol the glass is lifted off in no time at all.

    However, that’s not all ROLL can do: with its wall bracket (optionally available), wall mounting is a simple matter. Alternatively, the bracket can be used to secure the fire to the floor – for those who want to see their ROLL fire with rather less of a life of its own.

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    Mamilla Hotel launches Akasha Wellbeing Retreat in Jerusalem

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    Located in the heart of the beautiful city of Jerusalem, Akasha Wellbeing Retreat opens this summer in the region’s first design-led luxury lifestyle hotel, Mamilla Hotel. Open to hotel guests and a select number of local members, Akasha delivers a harmonious experience that is both vibrant and relaxed. The vision behind Akasha is that in order to secure health, success, happiness and fulfilment, one needs to balance the body, mind and spirit.In an extraordinary 1,000 square meter space designed by Mamilla Hotelʼs interior architect, Piero Lissoni, and located minutes from Jerusalemʼs Old City walls, Akasha provides a unique wellbeing experience that assists guests and members in promoting their health and human potential while improving personal balance.

    A Holistic Experience
    Akasha is named after the Sanskrit word referring to the eternal source of the four basic elements of nature enabling life: fire, water, air and earth. The name reflects a core vision to provide a wellbeing journey that brings together the four elements in harmony, enabling transformation and re-balancing. At Akasha, fire is represented by the Gym, water by the Spa, air by the Yoga, Pilates & Meditation Rooms and earth by the Organic Bar. Corresponding to Mamilla Hotel’s vision, Akasha offers – for the first time in the region – a true and comprehensive lifestyle experience that appeals to the emotional needs of a well-travelled and informed clientele. With this approach, Akasha aims to achieve its mission: to welcome guests to feel a “shining through” experience.

    Design & Facilities
    Piero Lissoniʼs design for Mamilla Hotel has already won acclaim across a substantial proportion of the worldʼs most prestigious design, interiors and travel publications. The Lissoni studio’s inspiring and outstanding designs for Akasha are no less captivating, incorporating Feng Shui principles, Colour Subconscious Theory and a combination of different sensory stimuli to create a particularly warm, joyful and relaxed atmosphere. In the music meditation room, for example, a mixture of ever-changing sounds, light and images, aligned with the four elements, will combine create a transformative effect.
    World-class facilities are incorporated throughout Akasha. The Spa is built on an infinity pool that gently spills over its edges to create a relaxed natural waterfall sound effect, and includes a Watsu pool for hydro-treatments as well as a private hammam treatment room.

    Mamilla Hotel
    Mamilla Hotel opened in June 2009 located in Jerusalem city centre, overlooking the walls of the Old City and the Jaffa Gate. The hotel features 194 guest rooms and suites, the Rooftop outdoor lounge & restaurant with 360 degree views of the Old City, a ʻMirror Barʼ which has quickly become the hottest nightspot in Jerusalem, an Espresso bar, Winery, dining room, Mamilla Café, extensive meeting spaces, Ballroom, Executive Lounge and (from Spring 2010) a 1,000 sq m Holistic Wellbeing Retreat. Mamilla Hotel is part of Alrov Luxury Hotels collection – the hotel and hospitality subsidiary of Tel-Aviv-based real estate company Alrov, founded in 1978 by Chairman Alfred Akirov and overseen by Managing Director Georgi Akirov. Alrov is a prominent market leader, with more than thirty years’ experience developing, operating and investing in unique high-profile landmark buildings, developments and projects.

    Get in the ‘Mood’ with the Modern Garden Company

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    Stylish retro design makes the Mood chair by Manutti (from The Modern Garden Company) an ideal solution for a contemporary or traditional garden setting. The generous proportions provide comfort for relaxed al fresco dining and the lightweight structure makes it easy to move to a secluded spot for some quiet reading time. The durability of the synthetic wicker seat contrasts with the elegant frame in electro-polished stainless, making this chair suitable for marine and spa environments. The ‘Mood chair’ is also available as a barstool or as a smaller child size version.

    Upcoming opening: Sheraton Orlando Downtown

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    Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and Turnberry Associates announce the upcoming opening of Sheraton Orlando Downtown Hotel on June 8th. Formerly a Marriott, the hotel will remain open through the reflagging and the ensuing renovations. Sheraton Orlando Downtown will offer 290 rooms, exceptional meeting facilities and easy access to numerous businesses and attractions.The hotel is the sixth Sheraton to open in greater Orlando as part of the brand’s strategic expansion that will add approximately 50 new hotels and more than 20,000 rooms to the Sheraton portfolio over the next three years. Sheraton Orlando Downtown is also illustrative of the brand’s $6 billion revitalization campaign, a multi-year investment of more than $2 billion in new hotels, $1.3 in renovations and $400 million in signature brand initiatives.

    The hotel will be decorated in warm, welcoming tones with guest rooms featuring renovated bathrooms, an LCD flat-panel television, MP3 docking station, oversized work desk and comfortable seating.

    Guests are invited start the day with an American-style breakfast at Livingston Café, and wind down with friends and colleagues at Spectators Bar and Grill. The hotel also offers a Club Lounge with complimentary breakfast, evening hors d’oeuvres, beverages and a 42″ Plasma HDTV.

    Sheraton Orlando Downtown Hotel is ideal for business meetings and social functions of all sizes, offering 15,000 square feet of flexible, high-tech meeting space. The hotel also offers the Sheraton brand’s revolutionary new health and fitness program, Sheraton Fitness, Programmed by Core Performance.

    SOURCE: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

    International Tourism: recovery confirmed, but growth remains uneven

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    International tourist arrivals grew by 7% in the first four months of 2010 according to the latest issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. This growth confirms the recovery trend beginning in the last quarter of 2009 and comes despite the challenging conditions of recent months. While April’s results were affected by the week-long closure of European airspace, globally the pace of recovery is faster than initially expected, driven largely by emerging markets. For the full year 2010, UNWTO forecasts international tourist arrivals to grow by 3% to 4%.

    2010 – January-April resultsInternational tourist arrivals increased by 7% in the first four months of 2010. The 3% increase registered in April marks the seventh month of growth in international tourist arrivals after 14 consecutive months of negative results. Still, growth slowed down slightly in April as a consequence of the closure of European airspace for a week due to the ash-cloud following the eruption of a volcano in Iceland. Although only around 30 countries have reported May data, the vast majority is positive, clearly pointing to a continuation of the current pace of growth.

    Growth however varied between world regions in the first four months of this year. The Middle East is at +33%, although compared to the very depressed same months of 2009. Asia and the Pacific (+12%) also shows strong growth for the period, continuing the rebound that began in the second half of 2009. Africa (+7%) is at the global trend and the Americas (+6%) just below, while Europe (+0.3%) reports the poorest result. Northern Europe, the only subregion in the world still far from recovery, was additionally affected by the closure of European airspace last April.

    The overall positive trend during the first four months of 2010 is reflected in the rise of the UNWTO Tourism Confidence Index. 50% of the Experts participating in the UNWTO Panel of Tourism evaluate the period January-April as “better” or “much better”. This compares to 34% for the period September-December 2009 and is the best rating since January-April 2008 – before the onset of the global economic crisis.

    Other industry indicators such as air transport, which grew 6% in the first four months of 2010 according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), confirm the resilience of the tourism sector and the fact that recovery is underway. Data from the accommodation sector also reflects improved performance, with occupancy and average room rates on the rise again.

    International tourist arrivals from January to April 2010 totalled over 258 million. This clear improvement has to be compared with the negative results of 2009, the worst period of the crisis, totalling 242 million arrivals. The current volume is still 2% short of the record year 2008, with 264 million arrivals in the same four months.

    2010 results will continue to benefit from the gradually improving economic situation, as well as from a number of high profile events including the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the FIFA Football World Cup in South Africa, the World Exposition in Shanghai and the Commonwealth Games in India. Unfortunately, tourism has also suffered the effects of a series of natural disasters, including earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, Southern California and Guatemala and severe flooding in a number of destinations including Machu Picchu (Peru) and parts of Europe.

    Positive outlook for the remainder of the year, but challenges remain

    UNWTO maintains its January forecast for international tourist arrivals in 2010 at +3% to +4%. Current growth rates suggest that end-year results are likely to be closer to 4%, and may even exceed it. Much depends on the results of the upcoming summer high season in the northern hemisphere, particularly in Europe.

    As the peak tourism season for the world’s leading regions in the northern hemisphere starts, short-term prospects are promising. The UNWTO Confidence Index for May-August 2010 is even higher than the one for January-April 2010.

    Nevertheless challenges remain and the sector still has a long way to go to make up lost ground. Increasing unemployment continues to be a major cause of concern and, as anticipated by UNWTO, it is now clear that public deficits represent a clear challenge. This is particularly relevant for advanced economies and could affect leading outbound markets. The phasing-out of stimulus measures, combined with austerity measures and the rise in taxation introduced by many governments, have become main factors to be considered. The tourism sector itself may be confronted with increased taxes given the expected rise in UK departure tax (November 2010) and Germany’s intention to introduce a new air tax as part of its budget-cutting plans. UNWTO cautions against the potential adverse effects of one-sided decisions on taxation which might harm the tourism sector.

    “These factors constitute an important downside risk to a recovering industry”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “This is the time to support the tourism sector. At a time when many countries are witnessing public deficit constraints and low domestic consumption levels, tourism can provide much needed jobs, as well as export and tax revenues. UNWTO welcomes examples of countries like China, which has identified tourism as a strategic pillar of its economy going forward” he added.

    On the consumer side, trends such as late booking, increasing use of the internet to look and book, travelling closer and for shorter periods of time and demanding value for money, seem to have been accentuated during and post crisis. This evolving marketplace will inevitably require changes in the business models of the industry and the tourism supply. “It’s illusionary to assume that we can go back to ‘business as usual’”, said Taleb Rifai. “We need to know consumers better, master technology and integrate it more and more into the management of destinations and companies. We also need to invest more in product innovation and human resources, particularly training for green jobs and make a clear commitment to sustainability”, he concluded.

    New chair collection from Hartnell Interiors

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    Making headline news is the new “Margot” chair from Hartnell Interiors. A truly stunning chair, perfect for any hotel dining room now is twice as attractive with a 10% discount on any order placed in July. Hartnell Interiors can polish in any colour and upholster in customer’s own fabrics.

    To view the complete seating, furniture or lighting collections please visit their page in the Directory.

    Client satisfaction is all important at Hartnell Interiors. Their dedicated team works closely to meet project deadlines, and can provide a complete sourcing service if a specific product is not featured in their collection. Please call to discover how they can help.

    Simple Ways to ‘green’ your Hotel

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    Or Could interlined curtains save the world?

    The architectural press is full of lengthy articles on making buildings more environmentally friendly. US LEED certification or the UK’s BREEAM standards – both acronyms for the evaluation of your hotels standing environmentally – is the standard for new buildings. How though can you reduce your carbon footprint and at the same time add money to your bottom line by reducing your energy and other bills?

    There are incentives/penalties from government for you too – see our articles at CRC Scheme and Hotel groups reactions. In essence the scheme (as I understand it) takes your groups energy consumption in 2008 as a baseline and taxes you on consumption over that level or rewards you for saving over that level.

    So how can you save money by saving the planet? Here are some suggestions that you may find surprising in their simplicity:
    Firstly bring back curtains .Sometimes, something you have always known, is brought back to your attention by an unexpected event, and this was brought to my attention as a result of an incident in the Curtain Girls factory. It showed just how effective interlined curtains are in reducing heat loss through glass; be it single glazed (listed buildings), secondary glazing or the latest sealed glazing unit.

    It was brought home with a bang when the large forced air blower in the Curtain Girls workroom had its annual service in the autumn. A new company did the service and despite 14 years of problem free use it was found that the gas supply was not man enough for the heater. A new meter was recommended and the gas supply company contacted. The Flanders & Swann song ‘The gas man cometh’ was written just for this – Curtain Girls waited from the end of October until 6th January, through one of the coldest spells of weather for many years.

    The workroom is an amalgamation of two buildings with an opening of nearly 15 meters wide, so the first action was to concentrate the workspace into an area that could be heated with a secondary system of portable heaters. To contain the heat staff made an enormous curtain to run across the opening. Coloured FR lining was used for the face, an interlining made using left over’s from various hotel projects and, in an extravagant gesture, it was all lined by using a synthetic dim-out imported from Germany.

    The resulting temperature difference was truly amazing with 22ºC on the workroom side and 5ºC on the ‘mothballed’ side. One visitor had to keep going from side to side just to check the ‘fridge’ effect. Jane Fiddian also had a lot of fun with a laser thermometer; checking the surface temperature of the glass outside the building before and after drawing back the curtains, regularly finding differences of 10ºC or more.

    Energy consultants asked for proven figures for lining & interlining ( R values or U values) may come up with figures but this pragmatic test shows in startling fashion how we have missed a trick in the schemes to insulate our hotels. When consultants talk of insulation it is of loft and wall insulation but repeatedly infra-red images show most heat loss is through windows. Old fashion lined and interlined curtains obviously make a very effective thermal barrier.

    Hotel opening: Tambo del Inka

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    Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. in a franchise agreement with Libertador Hotels, Resorts & Spas, announced the opening of Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection resort in the sacred valley of Urubamba as part of its long term growth strategy in South America. With rising hotel demand and secular trends driving hotel development, The Luxury Collection will also open its third hotel in Peru in 2011 with the debut of Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Cusco, the capital of the ancient Incan Empire. Each spectacular property will seamlessly integrate local customs, culture and natural influences to offer global travellers unique and exceptional experiences in one of Latin America’s most culturally diverse destinations. The new Tambo del Inka resort is the newest addition to The Luxury Collection portfolio, complimenting the recently opened Paracas hotel on Peru’s pristine southern Pacific coast. The resort will be the first of its kind in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, offering a quiet, luxurious retreat and an array of modern amenities while fully embracing the region’s natural surroundings. In addition to its 128 luxuriously appointed guestrooms and suites, each with mesmerizing views of the Andes and the Vilcanota River, Tambo del Inka will feature a full-service spa, two heated swimming pools and a private train station to facilitate trips to the iconic hilltop city of Machu Picchu. Miami-based Arquitectonica spearheaded the resort’s architectural concept to create an overall design that blends seamlessly with the hotel’s location.

    All accommodations feature grand floor-to-ceiling windows that open up to breathtaking natural vistas as well as 400-thread linens, 32″ LCD televisions, dedicated work space, complimentary Wi-Fi and high speed Internet connectivity and individually controlled air-conditioning.

    Tambo del Inka’s 5,905 square foot spa, The Spa at Valle Sagrado, will be the largest facility of its kind in the area featuring 12 treatment rooms each surrounded by panoramic views of the Andes. Facilities also include two heated swimming pools, a sauna, steam bath and fully-equipped gym.

    SOURCE: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

    New Swissôtel under construction in Kyiv, Ukraine

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    The Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts portfolio continues to grow; a new deluxe hotel is currently under construction in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and is scheduled to open in mid 2012. A management agreement was recently signed between Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts and the KDD Group, one of the leading property and investment companies in the Ukraine.The future Swissôtel Kyiv will form part of the “Sky Towers”, a mixed use development comprised of twin towers of 34 and 47 storeys. Sky Towers is located in Peremogy Avenue, centrally positioned close to Kyiv city centre and the main train station and is comprised of hotel facilities, serviced residences and grade A offices. The Swissôtel Kyiv is anticipated to welcome guests for the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship and features of conference space, 513 guestrooms and suites, 14 serviced residences, 4000m spa. Business travelers and independent tourists as well as a 3000m alike will enjoy a selection of dining experiences ranging in selection from the fine dining restaurant to the all-day restaurant Café Swiss, as well the lobby lounge and a contemporary bar.

    “Following on from our successful Russian hotel in Moscow, Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy, Swissôtel Kyiv will be another significant step for us in our expansion into Eastern Europe,” according to Meinhard Huck, President of Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts. “Kyiv is home to governmental ministries and authorities, but also to the mechanical engineering, aircraft industries, light and agricultural industries, as well as the state chemical industry. The Ukrainian metropolis is also one of the most important transport nodal points/centres of communication in Eastern Europe – an environment in which superior quality international hotel chains are still in short supply.”

    Alexander Levin, Chairman of KDD Group, commented: “The board of KDD Group believes that the Kyiv hotel market has significant potential for such high quality projects as Sky Towers and we are very proud to have such a strong and renowned international partner as Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts.”

    Greening your Hotel:Water Consumption Cuts

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    The new Contact from Rada – the worldwide experts in commercial showering, washroom controls, fittings and systems – is a stylish touch-activated tap with a smart minimalist design, intended for commercial premises such as hotels and leisure centres. Apart from delivering a high contemporary aesthetic, it is also easy to clean and its simple operation requires no pressure to activate; making it ideal for children and the elderly to use.The Contact tap assists in reducing water consumption through delivering flow for pre-programmed periods. It is supplied with a factory set flow of eight seconds, but it can be programmed for flows of up to a minute. Minimum flow rate – with flow regulator fitted – is 6 litres/min at 3 bar. The robust, brass-bodied valve also operates at a wide range of supply pressures from 0.5 to 8 bar, although optimum performance is achieved at 1 bar and above.

    It also incorporates a factory-set hygiene flush which is executed every 72 hours without use. Hygiene flushing is an important tool in helping reduce the possibility of legionella colonization. Automatically operating the valve after a set period of inactivity aids the prevention of the build-up of bacteria in ‘dead legs’ of water in pipework. Valve operation is powered by an externally mounted IP67 battery pack, comprising six 1.5V AA alkaline cells.

    The Contact tap can be either deck or basin mounted and can be installed with either cold or pre-mixed supply, when ideally the tap should be installed in conjunction with a thermostatic under basin mixing valve – limiting hot water supply to between 38 and 43°C – for enhanced user safety. Contact is WRAS Approved and is designed, manufactured and supported in accordance with accredited BS EN ISO9001:2000 and BS EN ISO14001:2004.

    Simpler specification with Rada’s selector

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    Rada, through Directory company Mira Showers has just published its Product Selector, a guide to the UK’s widest range of showering, washroom controls, fittings and systems designed for commercial applications. This intuitive guide is grouped by application and colour-coded for ease of use, presenting each product complete with key features and benefits, best practice applications, approvals and, where relevant, plumbing schematics.In a handy, pocket-size four-colour format; the 148-page selector includes sector icons for the different products as a guide to their application suitability – healthcare, education, sports/leisure, defence, prison, washroom and industrial.

    The product pages also use icons that show product characteristics and approvals, such as WRAS approval or features to aid legionella management or reduce water consumption. They also provide web links where further information may be downloaded.

    Highlights in the edition include Rada’s digital washroom controls which sport advanced features such as non-touch activation and temperature adjustment. The range also enables thermal disinfection and automatic duty flushing, both of which aid the control of Legionella bacteria and the maintenance of high standards of hygiene.

    Plans for new Landmark Building in Mayfair

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    An application for planning permission for the development, by Grosvenor with Corbin & King Hotels, of 8 Balderton Street in Mayfair into a luxury, bespoke hotel, has been approved by Westminster Planning Committee. Grosvenor is to undertake the development of the grade II listed building. It is intended that CKHL will manage the hotel.The Art Deco style building is currently occupied by Avis Rent-A-Car. Originally built as a garage, the building was designed by Wimperis & Simpson in 1926 and overlooks Brown Hart Gardens and King’s Weighhouse Chapel beyond. The planning application proposes 75 bedrooms & suites; public areas including a restaurant, and lobby bar/salon; a small private dining/meeting room and a spa. The plans adapt the existing fabric of the building, including the principal elevations. A comprehensive consultation process was undertaken with local residents, Westminster City Council, English Heritage and other stakeholder groups.

    Sarah-Jane Curtis, Retail Investment Director at Grosvenor stated:“We are delighted to have secured planning consent for this landmark building, and we are in detailed discussions with Chris Corbin and Jeremy King as partners for the investment in this project.”

    Jeremy King, Director Corbin & King Hotels added:
    “We look forward to working with Grosvenor on this exciting project. As restaurateurs and hoteliers our entire philosophy revolves around the quality of the visitor experience. Our vision for 8 Balderton Street is determined by the desire to provide excellence in service, value for money and quality of accommodation.”

    Once construction starts, the development will take 18-20 months with the aim being to open early in 2013. Artist Antony Gormley has been approached to develop public art which is integral to the scheme in the form of an inhabitable sculpture to be used as a guestroom.

    King continued:
    “We believe that the art element will be symbiotic with the scheme rather than purely a decorative addition. This work by Antony Gormley is an exciting integration of a sculpture within the functions of the hotel, while providing a new landmark. The design has been developed so a unique guestroom can be accommodated within it. We have worked closely with ReardonSmith, the UK’s leading specialist Hotel Architect, in the search for an appropriate hotel site, while top planning consultants Gerald Eve have been instrumental in securing planning permission”

    Andaz 5th Avenue to open July 5th across from the New York public library

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    Hyatt Hotels & Resorts has announced that Andaz 5th Avenue, the second Andaz property in New York and the fifth in the collection, plans to open July 5, 2010. The Andaz philosophy is that guests should feel free to express their personal style in an atmosphere that fully embraces its locale. Andaz 5th Avenue takes its design cues from its midtown Manhattan neighbourhood. Striking yet timeless interiors are designed by Tony Chi to be both loft-like and evocative of the city’s century-old apartment residences. A sophisticated bar, a shop carrying artisanal products made by local purveyors, and peaceful guestrooms all reflect the Andaz credo of facilitating – not forcing – the guest experience.Design
    As the first full New York City hotel designed by Tony Chi, the muted palette and exposed pipe ceilings channel industrial New York; open spaces, open kitchens and residential style furniture add a home-like feeling to the space; and factory sash windows pay homage to New York City’s pre-war apartments and factories and provide unrestricted views of area icons, such as the Empire State Building and The New York Public Library directly across the street. Natural materials such as black- and white-washed poplar and rich grey basalt provide a counterpoint to the sheen of white lacquer finishes and marquis lighting. Both the Fifth Avenue and 41st Street sides have floor-to-ceiling windows with peek-a-boo shutters, allowing natural light to flood the interiors during the day while peacefully enclosing the space at night.

    Accommodations
    Of the 184 rooms, 36 are suites, six of which have terraces overlooking the grand façade of the New York Public Library. Starting at 322 square feet, the guestrooms have 12-foot ceilings and double glazed windows, making them blissfully quiet. Black-washed poplar shutters enclose the oversized bathrooms that are lined in polished travertine marble with rainfall shower heads, dual sinks, and amenities. Each room has a black porcelain footbath in the shower area with a spout dedicated to filling it – perfect for relaxing feet that have spent hours pounding the pavement of one of the world’s best walking cities.

    The Andaz XL Two-Bedroom Terrace Suite is 1,779 square feet (166 square meters), with an expansive landscaped terrace and views of both the Hudson River and the East River. Splash Suites feature a deep egg-shaped, free-standing bathtub, positioned in the centre of the oversized bathroom for the best views of the New York Public Library and the Empire State Building.

    Seasonal, Local Culinary Culture
    A 38-seat restaurant on the ground floor offers guests a menu in which ingredients are sourced from New York State farms and local purveyors. The restaurant at Andaz 5th Avenue is open all day and into the evening.

    The bar in the cellar serves small-batch liquors and a carefully curated selection of wines by the glass, along with small and medium plates to share. Two oversized, 14-foot Claro Walnut wood slabs serve as the bars helmed by expert bartenders. In addition to the convivial space located near the bar and kitchen, guests can find plenty of nooks for quiet conversation in banquette seating or near the corner cheese room. An open ceiling exposes beams and fixtures reminiscent of industrial New York. A warm brick wall from a 1790 rural Connecticut farmhouse lines the entrance and basement walls of the bar.

    Meetings and Events with a New York Apartment-like Feel
    The second floor holds Andaz 5th Avenue’s meeting and event space, which has been aptly named Apartment 2E due to its residential, home-like layout. Once guests exit the elevators to the second floor, the expansive open kitchen is the first thing that comes into sight. Designed as “the heartbeat” of the 6,500 square-feet (593 square-meter) meeting and events space, everyone is invited to be a part of the action – sampling delicious, fresh cuisine and chatting with Andaz chefs – just like being in a friend’s home. Many of the studios have 14-foot factory sash windows that overlook the New York Public Library, while other studios have private access to the hotel’s open-air courtyard, an unexpectedly quiet oasis. Guests can use just one of the studios, which can accommodate groups of 16 to 100, or collapse the space into one large house party venue where up to 400 guests can mill about the studios, kitchen, bar, and courtyard.

    All images Courtesy of Andaz 5th Avenue

    Hotel Opening: New luxury on the West Coast

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    Hyatt Hotels & Resorts is delighted to announce the opening of Park Hyatt Aviara Resort in Carlsbad, California, just north of San Diego. Park Hyatt now has 25 properties worldwide. A true California retreat, designed in the Spanish colonial style, Park Hyatt Aviara is set off by palm trees, expansive gardens, rolling hills, and views of the Pacific Coast. First opened in 1997, the resort spans 205 acres set on the northern shore of the Batiquitos Lagoon, which is one of California’s most precious, untouched wetlands with more than 130 species of birds and 24 varieties of flowering plants.

    Four restaurants, ranging from a poolside café, an airy bistro, a contemporary steakhouse, and an elegant dining room serving a regional Italian menu offer guests exceptional cuisine. All guestrooms are beautifully appointed and feature a marble bathroom with a commodious bathtub. Of the 329 rooms, 44 are suites and all rooms have a private balcony or a landscaped terrace.

    The resort is perfectly situated for active and leisurely retreats, as well as social mingling. A signature spa spans 15,000 square feet and includes 20 treatment rooms and fitness centre. A year-round destination for golf and tennis, the resort boasts an 18-hole championship golf course ranked as one of the top courses on the West Coast. The course, designed by Arnold Palmer, features exceptional practice facilities and a two-storey Spanish colonial clubhouse. Club-fitting and instruction are offered at the acclaimed Kip Puterbaugh Aviara Golf Academy and TaylorMade Performance Lab. The six tennis courts, managed by Peter Burwash International, include two clay courts and four hard courts. There are 78,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space.

    Aruba to add adult-only property

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    The Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba will be adding an adult-only property at the end of the year, catering exclusively for couples looking for an upscale quiet retreat: starting 23rd December 2010, all guests at Bucuti Beach Resort must be at least 18 years old.Already popular with couples from the UK and recognised by TripAdvisor as one of the top 10 most romantic resorts in the world, Bucuti is perfectly located on 14 acres of pristine powder fine sand of the island’s famed Eagle Beach, one of the Caribbean’s top ten beaches as published by ‘Dream Beaches of the World’.

    Refined, sophisticated and designed with romance in mind, Bucuti’s peaceful atmosphere and location set it apart from Aruba’s larger resorts, which are more family orientated.

    The sought-after beachfront Tara Suites, featuring large oceanfront balconies or terraces and king-sized beds, are an oasis from the crowds. Couples can relax on the beach, under their own private palapa, or simply lounge around the infinity pool in a comfy chair for two.

    Bucuti offers a selection of packages tailored specifically for couples and its expert concierge team can coordinate a selection of excursions and activities.

    Currently Renaissance Marina Aruba is the only property on the island with an adults-only policy.

    Jestico + Whiles start work on the Aloft London ExCeL Hotel

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    Work has started on site of the Aloft London ExCeL, a sleek new hotel at ExCeL in London’s Docklands. Designed by architects Jestico + Whiles,resposible for the interors of Andels Lodz the hotel is scheduled to open at the end of 2011, in readiness for the London Olympics. The project is being developed by ExCeL London’s parent company, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) in partnership with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. Created to shake up the staid, traditional select service segment of the hotel industry, Aloft delivers urban-influenced, open and vibrant design and a social guest experience at an affordable price. Aloft London ExCeL will mark the brand’s UK debut and will be the second Aloft property in Europe following the Aloft Brussels Schuman, scheduled to open this Autumn.
    Jestico + Whiles’ innovative design provides 252 guest bedrooms of different sizes, front of house areas including triple height entrance hall, bar, lounge, meeting rooms and fitness suite, back of house areas with offices, and a separate bar and restaurant which will spill out onto a new pedestrian piazza. The scheme is targeting a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating and employs highly insulated façades, CHP and ground source heat pump technology.

    Unfortunately the practice was unable to supply any images of the interiors so we can only show you the usual exterior rendering which tell us little about any of the qualities this may have as an hotel.

    The building is formed of three elements: a central ‘spine’ contains bedrooms and vertical circulation and is flanked by two crescents which house further bedrooms and gently curving corridors. The ‘serpentine’ form of the building helps to define external spaces and is also driven by a number of restrictions on construction allied to the clients’ requirements in terms of guestroom types and mix. The primary constraints include a strategic services corridor running across the site and the flight operation demands of the nearby London City Airport.

    The hotel will be clad in several thousand coloured, textured stainless-steel shingles. The glazed façades will feature a large-scale screen-printed pattern, inspired by the illusion of depth seen in some of Bridget Riley’s paintings. The material will reflect the sunshine, adding warmth and liveliness to the building’s exterior spaces.

    The building’s form has generated varying facades, some concave, others convex. The elevational design represents a response against the ubiquitous ‘punched window’ aesthetic of the generic hotel façade. Flush windows on the convex central spine therefore disappear into the homogenous ‘wallpaper’ of the screen printed glazed façade. Windows in the stainless steel clad concave crescent wings are united into a series of vertical slots. This gives the building a rhythm which differentiates the elements and enhances the experience of passers by.

    John Whiles, Director of Jestico + Whiles said: “The start on site of Aloft London ExCeL is an exciting moment for the practice. The Aloft hotel will enhance the visual identity of the area and importantly bring much needed additional visitor accommodation to Docklands.

    “We are now working on two Starwood Hotels & Resorts branded properties in the capital, with the W London-Leicester Square also nearing completion.”

    Located at ExCeL’s Eastern entrance at the Royal Victoria Dock the hotel will have a direct access to Prince Regent Station on the Docklands Light Railway and London’s first International Convention Centre.

    A New Jewel of the Mexican Caribbean

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    El Taj Oceanfront, the five star luxury condo hotel that opened its doors this spring in Playa del Carmen, right on the stunning Mexican Caribbean coast, is known for its smooth, soft curves and natural materials. A month later, the hotel welcomed a new chic Indigo Beach Club and Restaurant that repeated the tradition of white curves and Bali-inspired details, and now competes with the Playa’s long time favorite, Mamita’s Beach Club. A well-known Mexican architect and a famous Italian restaurateur are behind the project.Sergio Segura (architect) designed the whole El Taj Oceanfront condo hotel, including the Beach Club and Andrea Bastogi (restaurateur) opened Indigo Beach Club and Restaurant. Renowned experts in their fields, the two men were able to create a visually pleasing, elegant Beach Club that blends with the style of the hotel and also with the natural beach setting, by utilizing tropical, Bali-inspired, light-colored décor that is playfully embellished with different-colored glasses and pillows.

    While working on the project, Segura used an architectural style based on soft curves that give a feeling of smoothness and comfort. White curves of El Taj Oceanfront elegantly match with thatched natural rooftops, water fountains and lush vegetation. Bali-inspired exterior and interior elements add to the sense of a lush, comforting tropical paradise. His objective was to create a building that blends in with the pace, façade, culture and flavors of the Riviera Maya where it’s located by using local materials, such as wood, stone, palm tree roofs, and a lot of wild vegetation, by adjusting to the warm Caribbean climate and its beachfront location, and by taking into consideration the construction style that was always traditionally used in this town before it developed into a lively international beach community that sometimes is not shy to comply with the dictatorship of the international architectural fashion.

    Bastogi, the Italian restaurateur, has a passion to be constantly on the move, creating innovative projects and watching Playa del Carmen develop into a fashionable, sophisticated destination, while still preserving its natural charm of a fishing village.

    British Airways will start operating direct flights to Cancun staring on November 3, 2010, enabling easy access to this part of Mexico and Playa del Carmen, where the hotel is located, is 45 minutes down the Caribbean coast from Cancun.

    Image credit: Condo Hotels Playa del Carmen

    New bathroom mirrors based on LED from Baulmann Leuchten

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    Baulmann Leuchten, a market leader for bathroom lighting products, is now introducing the first illuminated bathroom mirror based only on LED-technology. The frame of this new mirror is made completely from polished stainless steel. As a standard in the Baulmann bathroom range, the product has a protection rating of IP44, which makes it suitable for the use in bathrooms and wet locations. The warm-white LED is integrated behind the opal diffusor to provide an all-over glare free illumination.

    Besides the standard size of 840 x 1200 mm (with a height of only 30 mm!) this mirror can be produced to almost every individual size thanks to the flexibility of the integrated LED.

    Contra Curtains installs furnishings in Le Meridien

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    Contra Curtains Ltd successfully completed the manufacture and installation of soft furnishings to 172 guest bedrooms at Le Meridien Piccadilly Hotel, London.Contra supplied curtains, sheers, upholstered pelmets and cushions to all refurbished bedrooms.

    The refurbishment began in January 2010 and involved highly intensive phases completed over a short timescale.

    Liaising with project contractors GCM Ltd, project manager Chris Wicks ensured that Contra delivered a high quality product throughout the hotel.

    Interior designer, Anita Rosato said: “Contra were highly organised in scheduling and delivering curtains for 172 rooms all of varying sizes and on a fast track rolling programme. They were keen to assist in every way possible to complete the job on time in budget and to a level of quality expected for a prestige hotel such as this. Thanks Chris for helping to make the job run smoothly!”

    Choice Hotels announces first-ever Comfort Suites Hotel in Downtown Atlanta

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    Choice Hotels International, Inc. has formally announced its plans for a future Comfort Suites hotel in downtown Atlanta with franchisee Atlanta Underground, LLC. — the first-ever Choice brand hotel for the city. The future hotel will be co-owned by management company Excel Hotel Group and restoration and renovation company S&A Industries. To be located at 54 Peachtree Street, the current building planned for the future home of the 156-suite hotel boasts an historic first five floors, having originally been constructed over 100 years ago, with an additional 11 floors added prior to the city’s 1996 Summer games, most recently serving as student housing facilities for nearby Georgia State University. Unique renovation plans for the property would also make the hotel the first-ever adaptive re-use project for the Comfort Suites brand.

    The property is scheduled to begin its restoration and renovations process later this month and is tentatively scheduled to re-open as a Comfort Suites hotel in December 2010. The location’s multi-million dollar renovation process mainly calls for complete furniture, fixtures and equipment replacements, adding a more urban new design aesthetic throughout.

    Current plans call for the addition of a lounge area, meeting facilities, business centre, fitness centre and guest laundry facilities as well as specific VIP floors with added amenities. The hotel also plans to provide complimentary shuttle service for its guests to local attractions and points of interest, such as the city’s convention centre, aquarium and nearby restaurants.

    © 2010 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved.

    The Sanctuary Spa, Covent Garden refurbished

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    The much loved day spa exclusively for women, The Sanctuary, Covent Garden, has been treated to a sumptuous makeover by Charles Leon Associates. The interior design company has transformed the previously dated schemes by re-interpreting the extravagantly styled interiors for which The Sanctuary is famed in a series of concepts encompassing the spa’s reception, lounge and dressing room. The á la carte Restaurant and iconic Koi Carp Lounge have also been refreshed The design moves The Sanctuary away from its underlying oriental theme towards a more English and eclectic vernacular. In reception, beyond the street level retail area, visitors are now greeted by a joyful confection of boudoir-style elements, such as three extraordinary cabinets, upholstered in deeply buttoned mushroom satin vinyl with mirrored doors and crystal doorknobs. These act as gentle crowd control, filtering guests towards a long, open and rather surreal reception desk, constructed with heavy gilt Baroque framed mirrors that seem to float above a layer of filmy sheer. The oversized Baroque pattern behind the reception desk is a design feature that reappears throughout the spa in varying scales and treatments – from wallpapers and fabrics to tiling and fretwork screens – as do delicately feminine crystal lights.

    It was key that the Lounge, located just above reception and adjacent to the internal retail area, remained clearly visible and welcoming to all visitors; however, it was also to serve a variety of needs from socialising to private relaxation and even sleeping. It has therefore been subtly ‘zoned’ into three areas, with screens and sheers building up gentle layers of privacy. While each area is distinct, they flow naturally into one another, creating a procession of subtle shifts in mood that become increasingly hushed and peaceful.

    The first area, furnished with comfortable armchairs and coffee tables, offers something of a café experience. Two playful fretwork screens on each side of this space mark entry into the Lounge and the beginning of the second area, which is more subdued and sumptuous than the first, softened with walls of bronze sheers and low lighting, a deep pile carpet and velvet upholstery fabrics. A partition of bronze shear marks entry to the third space lined with deep day-bed sofas where guests can recline and sleep. Food and drinks is served throughout the Lounge.

    Shady solutions from the Modern Garden Company

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    The Cocon parasol is a new parasol design from Belgian manufacturer Sywawa and new to The Modern Garden Company. The asymmetric shape, designed to create shade and privacy for individual users, is the ideal choice for poolside loungers or on a beach. Available in a wide range of colours from neutral browns and grey to vibrant reds.The Cocon can be used with a variety of unique bases. Sywawa has used its extensive experience in this field to create bases that are stylish as well as functional. The unique design of Coupe – winner of the public design award at 100% Design in Rotterdam 2008 – incorporates a polyethylene bowl that can function as a planter, water feature or even as an ice bucket! The stylish Cube is filled with water to provide the weight and works as a practical side table when used with a parasol or doubles as a stool when not in use.

    Swanky products from FW Lighting

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    FW Lighting brings a new range of architectural and commercial lighting products to UK designers from its Polish manufacturing partner, Organic.

    The first, Swanky, is one of 25 new creations to be launched for 2010 here in the UK. Designed initially for the hotel sector, Swanky is now finding new avenues of use in the restaurant, leisure and retail markets. These pictures are from the 121 roomed Monopol Hotel in Wroclaw, Poland. Swanky is a suspended light fixture manufactured from Fibreglass, Orgilex and Dibond and is available in red, blue or white finishes with personalised colour options available on request.

    Organic are pioneers in the use of existing and new materials such as Orgilex. Conceptualized and put into production by Organic, Orgilex is first chemically treated and then hand finished creating this new and flexible light diffusing medium.

    Swanky is a versatile suspended light fixture capable of accommodating 50w halogen AR111 lamps or CDM R111 metal halide lamps. Further illumination effects (as seen through the stylish Dibond supporting structure) are created by the introduction of six single coloured PowerLEDs available in red, green, blue, amber, warm white or neutral white.

    Should you have a project that has “own design” light sources then Organic can realize these ideas and construct to your specification on time and on budget. So please, call or email us today.

    Miniview: The Grange St Paul’s London

    150 150 Daniel Fountain

    The St Paul’s Grange Hotel is perfectly located in the heart of London, in the heart of the City and its businesses. The location seems to have been central to the idea behind the hotel, which is targeted at the corporate market whilst situated adjacent to St Paul’s cathedral.On entering the hotel guests are greeted with a large spiral screen that descends from the top floor. This visual element attracts the eye and shows that the hotel is equipped with the latest technology. For conferences in the hotel the screen can adapt any coporate logo or visuals that businesses working within the hotel would like during their conference.

    There is a corporate feel to styling carried on throughout the reception area, where colours of brown and red are subtle yet sophisticated without being overly extravagant. The reception area has a large desk which allows a large number of staff members to check guests in and out at the same time.

    Leading off the reception is the atrium, which has a ceiling that is the height of the entire hotel, some seven floors or so. The roof is made out of glass and the far wall is also glass panelling, allowing as much sunlight as possible to pour in through the windows, creating a light and airy dining and socialising area.

    Hotel Opening: The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong

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    The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong, opened on June 21, is the luxury hotel brand’s second property in the city and its seventh in China. Located in Shanghai ifc, the prime real estate in Lujiazui financial trade zone, the hotel and development is the work of architect Cesar Pelli. The 285-room Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong is Shanghai’s ultimate destination for luxury and style, and occupies the top 18 floors of the Shanghai ifc South Tower. Opened in June during the World Expo, the design and style of the hotel is contemporary, with hints of new interpretations of 1930’s Shanghai Art Deco. This gives a great sense of place to the hotel as guest rooms and restaurants embrace magnificent sweeping views over The Bund – the most intact collection of Art Deco architecture anywhere in the world.

    With interior designs by Richard Farnell, The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong guest rooms and suites range in size from 50 square meters (500 square feet) to 400 square meters (4,000 square feet), for the palatial Ritz-Carlton Suite and Chairman Suite. There are three floors of Club accommodation, and each club room enjoys access to the hotel’s stunning Club Lounge on the 49th level, which will be open 24 hours a day.

    This new hotel will offer a host of exquisite luxury restaurants and a bar with unrivalled views over The Bund and the Shanghai skyline. Restaurants include Aura Lounge and Jazz Bar, Jin Xuan, the fine dining Chinese Restaurant designed by Steve Leung; Scena Italian Restaurant and Flair Rooftop Restaurant and Bar, both designed by the world famous Super Potato. Flair is Shanghai’s highest al fresco dining and wining venue and is destined to be the unique new social centre of Pudong and the city. Featuring more than 2,500 square meters (25,000 square feet) of meeting and conference space on the third level, including a 1,135-square-metre (11,350 square feet) Grand Ballroom, the second largest ballroom among the city’s luxury hotels, The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong can accommodate large and small meetings and gatherings in sumptuous environment with world-class technology and facilities underscored by The Ritz-Carlton legendary service. All meeting space offers floor-to-ceiling windows and natural daylight.

    Located on the hotel’s 55th floor, and occupying an area of more than 1,500 square meters (15,000 square feet), The Ritz-Carlton Spa by ESPA features 10 treatment rooms, including nine multi-function treatment rooms and a Harmony Suite where two guests may relax and enjoy treatments together.

    A diamond-like façade glittering with the vibrancy of the city, Shanghai ifc mall also boasts opulent interiors framing the most stylish shopping environment and housing hundreds of world-renowned international branded retails.

    Knight Frank’s luxury hotels report 2010

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    Interesting attempt by Frank Knight to define luxury hotels. The necessity of them doing it (and they are the guys who sell these properties) shows how out of line the star rating systme has become with the realities of proper 5 star luxury service.

    Too many hotels are currently being awarded 5 star status that they deserve neither on facilities offered nor on the quality of service given.