Architect Andre Fu and his design studio AFSO is working on a number of high profile projects due to unveil this year. Amongst the list of key commissions is the most highly anticipated Villa La Coste, nestled within the poetic Chateau La Coste in Aix en Provence, France.
Set against the Luberon mountains, Château La Coste is an organic winery where visitors can also explore an exceptional art and architecture trail with works by such renowned artists and architects as Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers, Richard Serra, Frank Gehry, Louise Bourgeois and Tadao Ando.
Villa La Coste is a brand new purpose-built luxury hotel inside the vineyard that comprises 28 villas and public spaces. Inspired by the true artisanal spirit of the vineyard as well as the breathtaking artistic vision of the chateau, Fu was commissioned to create key destinations within the Hotel, including the Salon, the Bar, the Library and the destination Pavilion Louise Restaurant opening this spring. Fu seeks to instill a ‘contemporary Provençal’ design experience into the project, whilst overlaying his own signature language of ‘relaxed luxury’.
The Library, Salon, Cave Cellar and Bar Located at the garden level of Villa La Coste, Fu’s vision was to craft a sequence of discreetly elegant spaces that would allow guests to lounge and discover. Beginning in the Library with its adjoining Cellar, Salon and Bar, the experience is designed to mirror the sense of being in a private collector’s maison.
Fu has used beautiful solid aged timber wood and brushed Botticino Crema marble to create the sense that while the spaces are contemporary, they are also timeless, a defining feature of so much of Fu’s work. Lighting is soft and subtle, with guests immersed in a candlelight environment in the evening to convey a sensuous sensibility.
The Pavilion Restaurant February 2017 sees the opening of the Pavilion Louise Restaurant by renowned chef Gerald Passedet. Passedet’s restaurant in Marseille, Le Petit Nice has three Michelin stars.
Pavilion Louise, located in a modernist free-standing glass pavilion which appears to float above an extensive water pond, is designed by Fu to celebrate the union of architecture and gastronomy. The centerpiece of the dining room is a prominent sculpture, The Couple, by Louise Bourgeois, is suspended from the ceiling in the centre of the room.
“Chateau La Coste has a very special atmosphere and this has been a remarkable project for me, to work so closely with its owner Paddy McKillen. I saw my role as creating a sense of intimacy, of relaxed luxury, designing these spaces for people rather than as spectacles in themselves.” says Fu of his involvement in the vision for Villa La Coste.
Time for new interpretations: concrete is a natural product that is currently experiencing a renaissance and achieving cult status in both architecture and interior design.
It is now difficult to imagine the design of interior areas and even furniture without the material: concrete cupboards, worktops, consoles and accessories can be used in a variety of ways and is an alternative to traditional materials, such as wood.
Bare concrete walls have become the expression of a new style that concentrates on the essentials – both inside and outside. Particularly the bathroom, concrete is especially effective when combined with white ceramic and Duravit design.
The perfect design platform Concrete is a purely natural product – as is ceramic. Cement made of limestone and clay is mixed with sand or grit and water. Other materials, such as steel, are also added. The properties of the material – heavy or light, fine or rough – can be controlled by adjusting the mixing ratio.
A fine grained concrete wall appears warm with the elegance of sandstone. In this quality, the material is understated – it does not take centre stage and offers the perfect platform for modern bathroom design.
A fitting platform for the ME by Starck series by Duravit: the collection offers pure aesthetics and individual design possibilities. A slender rim that is also found on the washbasin, toilets and urinals serves as a visual design signature. Thanks to its delicate edge, the new, 1300 mm wide double washbasin appears almost rimless and lightweight.
The combination with fine-grained concrete highlights the clear lines and forms of the series.
Fibre-glass elements that allow daylight to shine through are inserted into modern translucent concrete, making the room seem lighter and softer. This light material creates a sense of space in small bathrooms with the ME by Starck handrinse basin.
Aged with structure The coarser the ingredients, the rougher the concrete product. Smaller air inlets also give concrete walls an expressive structure that, when combined with other stone-like materials, such as the Stonetto shower tray by Duravit, create a time worn feeling in the bathroom. The model created by design trio EOOS has a matt finish resembling natural stone.
This is possible thanks to the use of the mineral material DuraSolid Q. Stonetto comes in the typical colours of stone: white, sand and anthracite. Tiny speckles in the finish enhance the natural appearance.
Concrete displays its industrial charm in bathroom interiors with lots of glass and steel. In this clear, architectural surrounding, the Paiova Monolith by Duravit and EOOS brings out the main features. In this version, the typical trapezoid form of the Paiova bath is made from a rectangular monoblock. This makes the acrylic bath an impressive eyecatcher in the bathroom. The bath itself offers plenty of room for two people to bathe side by side and so to relax together in style: with concrete in the bathroom.
The Custom Orion pendant is one of eleven unique and creative designs that form the Chelsom custom lighting range which launched in 2016 as part of the Edition 25 collection.
A true statement centrepiece, Custom Orion features shallow circular LED light sources with Opal acrylic diffusers sandwiched between top and bottom discs supported by randomly positioned arms to give an asymmetric effect.
Clients can specify dimensions and shapes as well as finish. The pendant can be created with a long drop suitable for stairwells and atriums and there is a matching wall light.
Meliá Hotels International has launched its first luxury hotel from the Gran Meliá brand in Brazil with the official opening of Gran Meliá Nacional Rio in March 2017.
Located in Rio de Janeiro’s most exclusive area, São Conrado, Gran Meliá Nacional Rio is one of the most anticipated hotel openings in South America.
Originally built in 1972 by the world renowned architect, Oscar Niemeyer, the famous ‘Hotel Nacional’ has reopened after more than a decade of being left abandoned, as the Gran Meliá brand’s flagship property. Following extensive renovations, the property has been restored to its former glory, maintaining the hotel’s original features, with the modern Spanish flare of the Gran Meliá brand.
Recognised as a national heritage site, Gran Meliá Nacional Rio houses some of Brazil’s most treasured modern art. The entrance of the hotel features the incredible “Painel de Carybé” created by Hector Bernabó (aka Carybé), a painter, sculptor, historian and journalist. The artwork includes 270 individually sculpted concrete slabs depicting classic carioca characters. Burle Marx’s gardens are also a stunning legacy belonging to the hotel and feature 46 species of native Brazilian plants and classic paving stones, known as “calçado”, which have been imported from Portugal.
Roberto Burle Marx was a Brazilian landscape architect whose designs of parks and gardens made him world famous. He is accredited with having introduced modernist landscape architecture to Brazil.Renowned Brazilian interior designer, Débora Aguiar has also designed all of the communal areas of the hotel, including the VIP floor and the rooftop.
Located in the South Zone of the city, Gran Meliá Nacional Rio boasts 413 rooms, from 33 to 300m², including one presidential suites and 66 executive suites. The circular design and glass façade of the property means that guests can enjoy panoramic floor to ceiling views of Rio de Janeiro from both their room or suite and the communal areas.
Led by RPW Design, one of the world’s leading hospitality interior design practices, the London Marriott Hotel County Hall recently re-opened following a multi-million pound transformation of its accommodation and public spaces. The redesigned interiors perfectly combine contemporary hotel design and luxurious functionality. As well as drawing upon the heritage of the building, and the decorative architectural components designed by the building’s original architect, Ralph Knott.
When the County Hall first opened as the headquarters of the local government in 1922, The Noes Lobby was used as the place of adjournment for Council Chamber members voting against a government proposal, whilst those who voted yes would adjourn in the Ayes Lobby. This system is still in use and reflects the voting procedures that take place in Westminster today.
Inspired by this history, the RPW Design team especially designed the oval-shaped bar and arranged the surrounding plush furnishings to ensure the lobby would remain a vibrant hub for social meetings and gatherings. Two statement fireplaces of black Belgian marble stand on both sides, and pannelled walls in polished Indian laurel wood preserve the historical feel of the Council Chamber of County Hall. In order to create a connection between the past and present, modern fabrics and furnishings, including a ribbed glass, metal and faux leather finish of the central bar were used to stylishly update the interior whilst complementing history.
The intimate space of the lobby seamlessly showcases the meticulous redesign by RPW Design, and provides the perfect combination between preserved heritage and a warm ambience through up-lighting and the restored Grade II listed chandeliers. The multifaceted bar serves tea, coffee and pastries in the morning, and champagne and signature cocktails from the afternoon into the late evening.
The London Marriott Hotel County Hall is situated just minutes away from Westminster Bridge in the heart of London, with the Noes Lobby leading off the entrance to the hotel. The hotel’s exceptional design means it now offers guests some of the most spacious rooms in London with incredible riverside views overlooking Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.
Redefine|BDL Hotels (RBH) announced this month that Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre has joined its extensive portfolio of hotels.
The Georgian style property, which boasts excellent facilities and an ideal location within the heart of Edinburgh, will bring the number of open hotels managed by the company to 43.
RBH – the UK’s leading independent hotel management company – which already has a further three properties within its portfolio in Edinburgh including the recently refurbished Princes Street Suites, the Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh and DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh, will take over operation of the established hotel with immediate effect.
Marking further expansion into Edinburgh, Holiday Inn Express Edinburgh City Centre has 161 rooms within the UK’s most popular visitor destination outside of London.
With tourists attracted to the city for a wide range of world renowned festivals and a popular conference destination, both leisure and business travelers will continue to enjoy a relaxing stay in a prime Edinburgh location.
John Stuart, RBH’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “This is an exciting addition for RBH and another fantastic addition to our portfolio. Edinburgh continues to be a key market that we know well, and the hotel will join our other three city based properties in providing guests with great service and access to all of the fantastic attractions that Edinburgh has to offer.”
RBH’s portfolio includes private label and branded properties, including IHG, Hilton, Accor, Marriott, Best Western and Wyndham hotels.
Blending intelligent modern technology with timeless design, Bathroom Brands’ new Digital Range is the latest innovation from the leaders in the bathroom industry.
Bathroom Brands Digital showering is the latest innovation using precise temperature technology and beautiful high quality design.
With a selection of premium showering products you are able to create a showering experience individual to you and your home. The precise temperature control means that the water temperature stays exactly the same throughout your shower.
For safety there is an Automatic shut off which means if there is a problem with your water supply the shower will shut off immediately.
The colour changing controls not only look good but indicate when your shower is heating up or cooling down and will glow white when the desired temperature has been reached.
Optional contemporary or classic trims enable the Bathroom Brands digital shower to fit perfectly into any bathroom suite with its elegant premium quality designs blending discreetly into any bathroom.
YTL Hotels is delighted to announce two Autograph Collection Hotels in Kuala Lumpur, an ensemble of exclusive independent hotels by Marriott International. 1 January 2017 markED the brand’s entry into Malaysia, creating a new chapter for The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur as the first Autograph Collection Hotel.
The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur (above) is now established as part of Autograph Collection of iconic historic hotels where the allure of a city’s distinctive past meet all of today’s modern luxuries and stylish innovations.
The second Autograph Collection Hotel will be Hotel Stripes Kuala Lumpur which will make its debut in February 2017. The chic and stylish Hotel Stripes Kuala Lumpur draws inspiration from the history and heartbeat of its local neighbourhood.
YTL – Hotel Stripes Kuala Lumpur
As a member of Autograph Collection, it features a distinctive vibe and character with a different perspective on the local scene mixed with edge and adventure.
Dato’ Mark Yeoh, Executive Director of YTL Hotels said, “Our long-term partnership with Marriott International continues to grow steadily with our two Autograph Collection Hotels in Kuala Lumpur and across the continents that encompasses eight properties across Asia-Pacific and Europe”.
YTL Hotels has enjoyed almost two decades of a very successful long term relationship with Marriott International since 1995 through the ownership management and future development of eight properties: Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel, Brisbane Marriott Hotel, Melbourne Marriott Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur, JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur, The Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui – Thailand and the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Niseko Village – Japan. In 2016, YTL Hotels acquired The Glasshouse Hotel, Autograph Collection in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, an award-winning 77-room luxury boutique hotel with a secret rooftop garden and was once Lady Glenorchy Church built in the mid-19th century.
Thames Valley Park, Reading is home to some of the world’s highest profile companies, including IT giant, Microsoft’s UK headquarters campus.
In the summer of 2016, Signbox was appointed to undertake a full signage audit across this 200 acre business park. Engaged initially by commercial property consultants CBRE, Signbox was tasked with redesigning more than two hundred signs with a brand refresh issued by Microsoft’s corporate communication team in the USA.
The brief included external high-level signage, numerous wayfinding totems, internal reception branding, and an LED illuminated 8 x 2 metre monument sign. All had to meet intelligent detailing that demanded vibrancy with functionality, and precise on-brand consistency. To keep disruption on this busy campus to an absolute minimum, all work was carried out over evenings and weekends over a three month period.
“Working for a global brand as well-known and widely respected as Microsoft, we had to ensure a high level of attention to detail prior to manufacture, accurately reflecting the company’s brand identity,” says Signbox Director Matthew Wilkins. “In order to achieve this, we worked closely with Microsoft’s global HQ, alongside business consultants CBRE. This was a substantial project and given the global prominence of the brand, as well the relative significance of this particular Microsoft location – it was vital that we got it right.”
Says Clodagh Cashman (CBRE): “We have worked with Signbox before, and have found them to be an excellent and reliable partner. We knew we could depend on them to manage this whole project from start to finish, with no inconvenience to us, or to Microsoft. Their professionalism and their attention to detail gave us this confidence, and it proved to be well-founded as they ultimately delivered a finished product that met all of the client’s expectations.”
www.signbox.co.uk Unit 3 Egham Business Village Crabtree Road, Egham Surrey TW20 8RB UK T: +44 (0) 1784 438688
The Manor Property Group is planning on building a 125-bed luxury hotel and floating restaurant overlooking Bristol’s St Augustine’s Reach as part of a £24m development of the Bordeaux Quay area.
The developer said it was “in discussions” with the Intercontinental Hotel Group-owned Hotel Indigo to launch a boutique hotel as part of a tourist attraction that would also include a “Bristol Eye” and a covered area for market stalls and events. Hotel management would be provided by Interstate Europe Hotels & Resorts.
The site, owned by Bristol City Council has been earmarked for leisure use with the development of a “statement building”. While the planned restaurant space would be literally floating – accessed from a pontoon in St Augustine’s Reach – the hotel would appear to be floating in mid-air, as it would be built on stilts.
The plans, which are the culmination of 18 months work, according to Manor Property Group development director Mark Bailey, have been circulated to city councillors and local interest groups for discussion.
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants has announced its second property in the Caribbean with the new Kimpton Kawana Bay Grenada Resort, scheduled to open in early 2019.
A hillside retreat tucked away between tropical rainforest cliffs and the world-renowned Grand Anse Beach, the international luxury resort will offer picturesque views and instant access to the southeastern Caribbean Sea and surrounding mountains.
Owned and developed by True Blue Development Limited, a division of the Tau Capital Group of Companies, Kimpton Kawana Bay Resort will be developed as a partial adaptive reuse with new build expansion.
The 146-key resort will comprise of 101 luxury studio rooms and 45 suites, and 12 additional penthouse apartments will also be available for sale to private owners.
A number of Kawana Bay’s suites will include private pools overlooking Grand Anse Beach, largely considered to be one of the world’s best beaches, and all rooms will feature spectacular ocean views. Additional amenities will include an infinity pool, chef-driven restaurant, lounge and beach bars, fitness centre, spa and water sports facilities.
Sekers announces the launch of YUMA, their new Trevira CS drapery collection. Inspired by the haunting, time worn textures found in abandoned mining towns throughout the Rocky Mountains, Yuma is a versatile collection of four elegant designs with a co-ordinating sheer suitable for contract curtains, cushions and bedding.
Yuma is available in a palette of refined shades ranging from cool metallic tones and sophisticated neutrals to rich rust and luminous yellow. With a refined drape and subtle metallic shimmer, Yuma is a handsome addition to any interior and is an ideal choice for the designer specifying for the hospitality, leisure and marine markets.
Woven in 100% Trevira CS, an inherently fire retardant fibre, the YUMA collection is suitable for all aspects of the contract market from hotels to cruise ships. Meeting all relevant UK & IMO standards for curtains, accessories and bedding as well as German, French and U.S. standards, this washable collections is the perfect selection for any contract application.
UAE developer Nakheel and leading Thai hotel group Centara Hotels and Resorts has signed a joined venture agreement to create a 550-room, beachfront resort with waterpark at Deira Islands in Dubai.
Under the agreement, cemented in Bangkok, the two companies will deliver an upscale resort on a prime stretch of beach on Deira Islands – Nakheel’s new, 15.3 sq-km, tourism, leisure, retail and entertainment hub that will contribute significantly to the Government of Dubai’s tourism vision.
Nakheel’s joint venture with Centara is the latest development in the company’s aggressive expansion into Dubai’s hospitality sector and its second international joint venture for Deira Islands. The first, an 800-room, AED900 million (£203 million) all-inclusive resort and waterpark with Spain’s RIU Hotels & Resorts, was confirmed in February last year.
As the first Centara establishment in the UAE, the new resort will cover an area of 295,900 sq-ft. Features include a waterpark, dining facilities, business centre, kids’ club, spa and fitness centre. The resort is anticipated to have soft opening in 2019 and grand opening in 2020.
Centara Hotels & Resorts is part of Central Group, one of Thailand’s most prominent family-owned conglomerate holding companies that is involved in merchandising, real estate, retailing, hospitality and restaurants. Centara’ s portfolio currently includes around 14,000 room keys across 65 hotels and resorts under six distinctive brands in Asia, Indian Ocean, and the Middle East.
Nakheel currently has over 5,300 rooms across 16 hotels, resorts and serviced apartments in operation or under development, with the first two – at Dragon Mart and Ibn Battuta Mall – delivered in 2016.
Deira Islands, where Nakheel has already invested more than AED3 billion (£677 million) in infrastructure work, coastal works and design services for a range of new projects, will add 40km, including 21km of beach, to Dubai’s coastline. Nakheel recently completed an AED150 million (£33.8 million) access bridge to the islands, and has just released a tender for the construction of six marinas. The development is expected to have around 250,000, create more than 80,000 new jobs, and offer hundreds of new hotels, serviced apartments and mixed-use buildings, and extensive retail and leisure attractions. Nakheel itself is building 16 residential towers, five hotels, two serviced apartment complexes, Deira Mall, Deira Islands Night Souk and several marinas at the islands.
The Crown Group, the award-winning developer of distinctive residential and commercial properties across Australia, is putting the finishing touches on its new hotel brand, Skye Hotel Suites in Parramatta.
Set to open in early 2017, Skye Hotel Suites offers 72 luxury suites overlooking Sydney within the new V by Crown Group, a 28-storey luxury residential and commercial development known as Parramatta’s “Vertical Village.”
“We can’t wait to welcome our first guests to the new Skye Hotel Suites,” said Iwan Sunito, co-founder and CEO of Crown Group. “As we did with our innovative residential offerings, we are creating a distinctive hotel experience, delivering a new style of urban luxury that meaningfully connects world travelers with personalised, memorable experiences.”
Offering unrivaled urban luxury for discerning guests, Skye Hotel Suites brings together the best elements of hospitality: the warmth and personalised service of a boutique hotel; the grandeur and amenities of a luxury hotel; the spaciousness and familiarity of a local apartment; and the relaxing escape of a resort. The hotel is located within V by Crown Group, a distinctive new Sydney landmark designed by Allen Jack + Cottier and Koichi Takada Architects. The tower houses a diverse mix of 590 residence apartments and hotel suites along with an outdoor, 25m swimming pool, fitness centre, entertainment rooms and outdoor spaces.
Skye Hotel Suites features just 72 luxury studio, one-and-two-bedroom suites overlooking Sydney. Guests will enjoy access to V by Crown Group’s resort-style pool and sauna, state-of-the-art fitness centre, business centre and conference room facilities, along with an alfresco dining and retail piazza. The stylish bar on level 26 is Parramatta’s highest bar, offering a spacious open-air terrace and spectacular 270-degree views of Sydney’s skyline, the Harbour Bridge and the Blue Mountains. In addition, famed chef Neil Perry is opening one of his popular Burger Project restaurants in the tower.
Parramatta, in Western Sydney, is enjoying rapid growth fueled by private and government investment. Skye Hotel Suites, located in the heart of Parramatta, is ideally suited for business travelers. The tower is conveniently situated at the corner of Macquarie and Marsden streets, less than 300m from Parramatta Square and a short walk from the train station, Westfield Parramatta and the Heritage Parklands.
Since its launch at the end of 2015, this highly water repellent finish has really captured the imagination of Viero’s client base.
Hydro is a Marmorino plaster based on lime putty which is suitable for both internal and external environments. This highly durable product presents excellent characteristics of colour stability, meaning it will not yellow over time, boasts a high water vapour permeability, excellent fire resistance and offers a natural organic appearance, typical of traditional lime based plasters.
Unsurprisingly, Hydro is a popular finish in areas experiencing direct water. This product is perfect for luxury wet rooms, swimming pool areas as well as external elevations.
A professional review Hydro has received some fantastic feedback from not only leading architects and interior designers but also highly skilled craftsmen are using this material on their very own projects. We thought we’d share a review from Faux Creation principle Jason Ebers…
What excites you about this product? Marmorin Hydro is exciting because it has been created expressly for where water flows. It has the same visual impact of other plasters but has a hydrophobic (water repellent) and washable texture that makes it perfect for contemporary wet-rooms and swimming pool areas.
So, we can say goodbye to waterlogged damaged surfaces and moldy corners? Exactly! This plaster has water repellent properties and a sealer that is integral to the finish. It’s not topical and sitting on the surface. It’s an exciting innovation from Viero’s laboratories.
Why is it better than other products on the market? Because it’s lime based and hydrophobic, its look and durability are distinct from other specialist products on the market. Hydro is a slaked lime-based Marmorino plaster containing oxide powder pigments, fine grained marble powders, hydrophobic additives and adhesion promoters. The surfaces can be compacted and polished with a stainless steel trowel to create smooth organic movement or a more open pitted effect depending on design requirements.
It’s a product designed for wet areas but have you used it elsewhere? Yes, we’re using it in all areas of high-end luxury developments from public spaces to exteriors, because of its durability and exterior capabilities there are no areas that we wouldn’t consider using this plaster.
What is the lifetime of this product? Being lime-based, technically it is timeless although additional sealer coats are recommended every 3 to 5 years in wet room areas. We always recommend our Clients book us for maintenance work as we can then ensure that the finish stays looking as good for years to come, and we can control the outcome.
You really put products through their paces in the studio here at Faux Creation, constantly testing and pushing the products to see what can be achieved. Why do you like working with Viero products so much? Viero has a very high quality product range that offers controlled and consistent outcomes and versatility when creating more bespoke artisanal finishes. That’s absolutely critical to Faux Creation.
Roca is encouraging UK students and professionals of architecture, design and engineering to enter an international competition that could win them up to €10,000.
‘Jumpthegap’ was launched in 2004 by bathroom brand Roca in collaboration with BCD Barcelona Design Centre. The competition returns in 2017 and is open to creative professionals and students under the age of 35, to create innovative and sustainable concepts for the bathroom space.
This year’s competition coincides with Roca’s 100th anniversary and offers entrants the opportunity to win two awards of €10,000 in each of the professional and student categories as well as a special sustainability award of €6,000 from Roca’s ‘We Are Water Foundation’ (WAWF).
Shortlisted projects will be selected by an esteemed group of global architecture and design professionals. Patrik Schumacher, Principal of Zaha Hadid Architects(above) will serve as President of the Jury along with Ma Yansong, Founding Principal of MAD Architects, and Royal College of Art design graduate Valentin Vodev. Sophie Thomas, Director of Thomas.Matthews agency in London and practitioner of sustainable design will help select the WAWF award.
Sophie Thomas – Ma Yansong
Registration is open until 15 March 2017 at jumpthegap.net, with the final design submission deadline on 19 April 2017. Winners will be selected in the summer and an award ceremony will take place in the autumn. Specific dates to be announced in due course.
Jury members – Professional and Student Awards: Patrik Schumacher (Jury President) – Principal of Zaha Hadid Architects Benedetta Tagliabue, Architect and Director of EMBT Miralles Tagliabue, Italy Ma Yansong, Architect and Founding Principal of MAD Architects, China Vladimir Pirojkov, Designer and President of the Industrial Design and Innovation Centre ASTRAROSSA, Russia Anjali Srinivasan, Director of the ChoChoMa studios and winner of the Swarovski Designer of the Future Award 2016, India Valentin Vodev, graduated from London’s Royal College of Art and Founder of Vodev Studio, Bulgaria Josep Congost, Roca Design and Innovation Director, Spain Isabel Roig, Managing Director of BCD Barcelona Design Centre and former President of Bureau of European Design Associations, Spain
Jury members – We Are Water Foundation Award: Xavier Torras (Jury President), Director, We Are Water Foundation, Spain Sophie Thomas, Designer and Founding Director of Thomas.Matthews Agency, UK Henk Ovink, Special Envoy for International Water Affairs, The Netherlands
Sparking creativity to create beautiful floor layouts, Catalyst is the latest versatile and inspirational tufted carpet collection from Wilton Carpets.
Wilton has carefully selected over 40 striking and adaptable designs to provide the inspiration for layouts that bring the beauty and individuality of bespoke carpet. Catalyst patterns can be combined, changed, amended and re-coloured bringing limitless design potential.
“With Catalyst we are bringing complete flexibility to projects wanting to capitalise on the value of tufted carpets,” explains Damian Roscoe, head of creative. “Creativity such as this has traditionally been the reserve of woven styles, but our new collection brings incredible design potential, introducing the power of custom carpet to locations that that may previously have felt it was a stretch too far.”
Crafted from an 80/20 wool-rich blend and available in different weight qualities starting at 30oz and rising to 50oz, as well as with the ability to vary pile height and stitch density, the collection can be used in guestrooms through to corridors and light-use public areas.
Each custom Catalyst carpet is ready in just six-weeks from order, underlining Wilton’s commitment to both high-quality and exceptional service. Manufactured in the UK and pushing the boundaries of tufted carpet, Catalyst is available in a four-metre width.
Curio – A Collection by Hilton announced recently the opening of AlRayyan Hotel Doha, Curio Collection by Hilton, the brand’s first property in the Middle East to join the global portfolio of more than 30 distinctive hotels.
Curio – A Collection by Hilton hotels and resorts cater to travellers seeking local discovery and authentic experiences and AlRayyan Hotel Doha joins two other Hilton properties in the city.
The AlRayyan Hotel Doha, Curio Collection by Hilton offers a choice of 201 elegant guest rooms and suites featuring timeless decor along with floor-to-ceiling windows, oversized bathrooms and walk-in rain showers. The stylish and spacious Presidential Suite boasts two bedrooms, large living and dining areas, walk-in closet and a full-sized hammam in the marble bathroom.
The hotel also caters to small meetings and alluring, large-scale weddings and events alike, with five state-of-the-art meetings rooms and a 300 square-metre ballroom with private entrance.
“For travellers desiring elegance and style during their hotel stay, AlRayyan Hotel Doha, Curio Collection by Hilton offers the perfect blend between authentic experiences, sophisticated accommodations and renowned Middle Eastern hospitality,” said Luca Crocco, general manager. “We look forward to welcoming residents, travellers and all guests seeking to discover something distinct at our one-of-a-kind property in Doha.”
Award-winning design practice Areen Hospitality is working on the interiors of a new 5 star hotel under the JW Marriott brand, to be built alongside the renowned Marina Smir in Tetouan, Morocco. The 22,500sqm development comprises 194 guestrooms including VIP suites, a spa and three restaurants.
Just 10 miles from the straits of Gibraltar, Marina Smir is Morocco’s first yacht harbour and rapidly becoming the port of choice for those travelling along the waters of the Southern Mediterranean. Tetouan itself, as a UNESCO World Heritage site, is an established tourist attraction with significant cultural and heritage significance.
Andrew Linwood, Head of Design, Areen Hospitality, comments: ”As always we search for a balance between providing durable and functional spaces, whilst still offering an interior which surprises and embraces its guests. Traditional Moroccan hospitality is renowned the world over and we wanted to capture this essence within the new JW Marriott Tetouan. Creatively this is always a challenge but one which we feel we have successfully met on this project.”
Soft colours and fabrics are used throughout the scheme, hand tufted rugs in the public areas alongside richly detailed screens. Locally-sourced marble and timber are used extensively, complimented by Arabic geometric patterns incorporated within floor and wall finishes.
Eugenia Rolando, Associate, Areen Hospitality adds: “Inspiration for the design of the interiors is drawn from traditional Moroccan patterns, materials and heritage. Alongside respecting these values, we wanted to provide an elegant and sophisticated interior offering a warm welcome to all hotel guests.”
It was confirmed last month that The Principal York (designed by Goddard Littlefair and one of the launch hotels for PRINCIPAL, a collection of landmark hotels in UK city centres) has won the Gold Award for Hospitality Interior Design at the London Design Awards 2016, to be presented at a ceremony in March of this year.
The new award is in addition to the hotel’s double success at the Visit York Tourism Awards, where it won both Conference Venue of the Year and the overall Hotel of the Year crown. The Principal York was also shortlisted twice over for the refurbishment of its public spaces at the EHDAs (European Hotel Design Awards) at the end of 2016.
The magnificent, Grade-II-listed hotel, boasting beautiful gardens and views over York Minster, was originally one of Britain’s greatest Victorian railway hotels, housed in a purpose-built building in yellow Scarborough brick by architect William Peachey and first opening its doors in 1878. After the hotel was acquired by Starwood Capital, Goddard Littlefair was commissioned to redesign its public spaces, including the lobby, reception, Garden Room, entrances and corridor spaces, as well as all 159 bedrooms and suites. The full design team on the project also included Michaelis Boyd (who redesigned the bar and restaurant at the hotel), whilst architects 3D Reid oversaw the structural works on the project.
“Our overall ambition was to breathe life back into every artery of the hotel’s interior,” Goddard Littlefair Director and Co-Founder Jo Littlefair explained. “Giving a nod to tradition and heritage, but also creating a tremendously warm, light and welcoming contemporary environment for guests. We were briefed to reinstate the hotel’s essential character and to pay respect to its original architecture, whilst at the same time ensuring a feeling of comfort, restfulness, so that The Principal York was once again a true destination hotel.”
Space-planning and Structure The hotel originally had two entrances, with the first on the garden side of the hotel for guests arriving by coach or car and a rather secondary entrance on the other side for guests arriving by rail. One of the first key elements of Goddard Littlefair’s new plan was to ensure both entrances were of equal importance so that all guests had a real sense of arrival, with both routes quickly joining one of two main public space circulation axes – the Promenade or the Colonnade. The ‘business’ of arrival is now contained within a relocated reception area, located off the Promenade, so the overall public space feels less transient and suitcases can disappear quickly into this dedicated and spacious contained room.
Opening up views throughout was key and two brand new entrances were cut into the Garden Room, alongside three more into the relocated reception area, so that the ground floor is flooded with light and there are tempting glimpses of spaces beyond, whichever way guests traverse the building. The new public and lounge spaces are bright and generously-proportioned and offer food and beverages throughout the day, from teas and coffees to afternoon tea or an evening menu, maximising revenue possibilities from the fabulously light and welcoming space.
Interior Design Concept The central design concept was to create a modern and softer interpretation of a country house, featuring over-scaled furniture, such as large wing chairs, to ensure an instant feeling of welcome, combined with a light and soothing colour palette, featuring a gentle and fairly neutral base with softer highlights in shades such as eau de nil and lavender. Similarly, the furniture is in colours such as tan, buff and charcoal, with small amounts of texture and pattern for added interest.
Interesting and unique art and antiques give the interiors a sense of heritage and character, whilst traditional, high-quality materials, including linen, leather, wool and linen velvet express both comfort and authenticity. A sense of place is incorporated through, for example, artworks referencing York Races or images from historic society gatherings in York, particularly involving the Duke and Duchess of York. The design team also integrated architectural drawings of Castle Howard and other local stately homes, as well as antique maps.
The whole scheme features a series of antique objects, hand-picked by Goddard Littlefair from antique markets around the country, including old trunks, for example, and beautiful stone dogs. The furniture throughout is also bespoke. This ensures a unique environment and is part of the Goddard Littlefair design approach, looking to create as many bespoke items as possible, so that they are always designed with the exact location, function and end-user in mind – and also embody a certain location-specific exclusivity.
Interiors Walk-through The Colonnade, which proceeds from a glass-roofed original hexagonal arrival space, now gives a real sense of arrival for guests arriving via the railway station, stretching out towards the main public spaces beyond. Ten custom-made mirrors, some full-height and some sitting above doors, line the space and give it a rhythm, whilst glass and brass pendant lanterns add yet more light and warmth via a specialist, subtly-sparkling antiqued finish. The mirrors feature antiqued glass set within carved, frames with a moon gold finish and are a great way of indulging visitors’ desires for subtle people-watching, as well as increasing a sense of space. Because of their immense proportions, the glass had to be manufactured in separate pieces and then assembled on site. Curtains hang alongside the mirrors in a soft brown colour with a darker trim near the bottom.
The Colonnade has also been made warmer through the addition of bespoke, comfortable, high-backed wing chairs in mink brown leather along with tables with lamps. Cushions are in a green silk velvet with an oyster silk band, echoing the band on the curtains. The carpet is a bespoke design for the project, by Goddard Littlefair in conjunction with Hotel Design partners Brintons – as with the carpets throughout the project. A discreet concierge station awaits guests at the top of the Colonnade, so that guests arriving this way can be accompanied to the reception room.
The Promenade, which meets the Colonnade at a T-junction at its top end, runs the full width of the ground floor area and is punctured along its length by entrances. At its centre, it becomes a seamless part of the Lobby Lounge. The design treatment for the Promenade features the same pendant lights as the Colonnade, artworks that are top-lit by a brass light fitting and a grey carpet from Brintons with a darker border.
The new reception is located next to the garden entrance and is a spacious and light and dressed with furniture that has a pronounced residential flavour, including two large desks designed to ressemble giant trunks; two tall bookcases behind the reception and a central display of framed vintage keys, as well as large and small-scale artwork (selected with art consultants Visto) and a separate seating area, with wingback chairs arranged around a newly-installed fireplace. Lighting is in the form of two French chandeliers suspended on heavy-duty dark metal chains, with desk lamps on the reception and in the seating area.
The heart of the new scheme is made up of two wonderful, large and light-filled open spaces, punctuated by handsome original columns with ornate capitals, all of which have been refurbished. These are the Lobby Lounge, which contains the hotel’s wonderful, dramatic staircase and the Garden Room beyond, which looks out, as its name suggests, onto the hotel’s extensive gardens. There are clear views through from one to the other, to ensure they interact, via the existing central and the two new entrances. Both spaces – as well as the reception room – feature oiled oak flooring from Havwoods with a special ‘sawn’ surface and laid in a herringbone pattern. The timber was deliberately chosen for its informal, not overly-polished look. Inset rugs are by Brintons.
Beautiful, bespoke chandeliers, made up of faceted, cut crystal baguettes set within in bronze frames, which Goddard Littlefair developed together with Heathfield, punctuate the two spaces. There are three chandeliers in the Garden Room and three more in the Lobby Lounge, one of which, which hangs down through the stairwell, is triple-tiered.
At the left-hand side of the Lobby Lounge is the staircase, which has been refurbished and re-carpeted with a bordered goose eye patterned carpet. New wall mouldings and panels have been added as guests go up the stair, acting as a background to the stair’s dramatic new decorative feature – a five-storey-high eclectic collection of mirrors with picture lights above, all in different shapes, sizes and frames, which allow views down, through and across the hotel and which also maximise light and reflectiveness.
For the furniture within the Lobby Lounge and Garden Rooms, every aspect was carefully considered, so that the heights of the seats correspond perfectly with the table heights, for example, ensuring guests can eat and drink in the public and lounge spaces with ease. The Garden Room is a particular highlight of the final design and is a beautiful, long, light and elegant space, complete with Chesterfield sofas, wing chairs and marble-topped tables, making it the perfect location to relax and enjoy afternoon tea – and more. The sofas here are upholstered in an Evitavonni fabric with bespoke, highly-detailed cushions featuring trimmings by Samuel & Sons and fabrics including Primavera by Rubelli and Plaza by Casamance. Tall plan chests around the edges of the room conceal waiter stations, as well as refrigerated drawers and storage space for point-of-sale materials.
Set dressing here includes an array of antique objects, hand-picked by Goddard Littlefair from antique markets around the country for this project, such as antique books, old trunks and beautiful stone dogs. These suggest heritage and reflect the hotel’s long-standing and established reputation and also ensure that the environment is unique and not filled with things guests might see in other places. The hotel’s own archives were thoroughly investigated too in the search for treasure from the past, revealing such gems as a collection of old thank-you letters from the 1930s through to the 1950s, which have been used for display in the corridor approaching the restaurant.
Upstairs, the suites boast great proportions, plenty of natural light and have a natural, high-ceilinged elegance. Each one is comprised of a sitting area with sofa, bedroom and bathroom. The design accent here was on relaxation, answering a brief to be residential in feel and scale, so that guests feel at ease the moment their suitcases are out of their hands. A dado rail and wooden panelling add layers of interest, with added warmth from the wood. Fabric headboards add softness with an unusual concertina design adding interest and creating a sense of movement. Picture lights and room art create added visual interest via country-inspired imagery of wild flowers, horses, dogs and period cartography.
For the suites and bedrooms, all bed divans and mattresses are by Moonraker, whilst the throws, in a beautiful soft wool, were bespoke-designed for the project and supplied by Bute Fabrics. The sofas are bespoke, as is all the furniture throughout. The wood panelling in the rooms is carried on through to the bathrooms, which feature a roll-top standalone bath, marble flooring and bespoke washstand and mirror in pre-aged timber.
Jo Littlefair concluded on the overall scheme: “This project has been a great experience for us. It has been incredibly rewarding and we feel privileged to have been involved. We love restoration projects and challenges – particularly, as here, when we can address the whole space, be creative and successfully breathe new life into a property.”
Photos: Gareth Gardner, PRINCIPAL and Daniel Fountain Hotel Designs also visited The Principal York in September 2016
The highly anticipated SEVERIN*S – The Alpine Retreat is stepping into 2017 in style, following its official opening on 22 December.
Bringing a new level of luxury to Lech, SEVERIN*S – The Alpine Retreat is delighted to have begun welcoming guests to enjoy this extraordinary luxury chalet hotel, which offers nine sumptuous suites, a fine dining restaurant and Alpine inspired bar, wine cellar, swimming pool, spa, state of the art gym, as well as a four-bedroom private residence with a home cinema, office and hot-tub.
Clad in reclaimed Tyrolian wood with a stone facade and featuring an eye-catching copper roof, SEVERIN*S – The Alpine Retreat blends effortlessly into Lech’s beautiful landscape, with special care placed on the use of traditional building materials.
Inside, exceptional interiors await where Alpine charm has been combined with contemporary touches to provide every modern comfort in stylish surrounds. Guests can expect furnishings by Italian studio Minotti, cosy fireplaces at every turn, walls adorned with modern works of art curated by Vienna’s Contemporary Art Advisors and state of the art technology.
SEVERIN*S – The Alpine Retreat’s nine stylish suites provide spacious bedrooms and separate living areas with private terraces boasting sweeping views over the mountains. Three of the nine suites can be adapted to accommodate families but those looking for added space and privacy those can enjoy the delights of the four-bedroom private residence spanning two floors and complete with home cinema, free-standing bath tub in the master suite, private kitchen and bar, outdoor hot-tub and office.
In November 2016, the Gustav Zech Foundation signed the contract to take over what was then called the Blumen Haus hotel development, through the acquisition of shares in the Blumenberg Anstalt.
The Tivoli Oriente hotel, in Lisbon’s thriving Parque das Nações business and leisure neighbourhood, presents ten floors of newly refurbished rooms as well as its Family Rooms to cater for the growing leisure guest market. The 11-meeting room Conference Centre has also been totally completely renovated.
The hotel opened its doors in 2001 and quickly established itself as the area’s landmark hotel. With its 279 bedrooms and 12 meeting rooms, sleek façade of smoked glass soars above the busy thoroughfare and tree-lined pavements below.
A highly popular and sought after hotel, it has now invested in ten floors of totally refurbished rooms and bathrooms. The hotel’s Conference Centre was also completely renovated and now offers a total area of 1,200m², equipped with the most recent audio-visual technology and lighting. With 11 venues, the hotel can hold up successful meetings and events for up to 550 people. Most recently, the hotel was the official hotel for the 2016 Web Summit which attracted over 30,000 entrepreneurs and investors to Lisbon.
With its strong and high demand from business and meetings with clients, who together represent some 70% of the hotel’s occupancy – the Tivoli Oriente boasts a perfect location in Parque das Nações, home of the major technological companies; walking distance from the Lisbon’s Exhibition Centre and many local attractions like the multipurpose MEO Arena, as well as the Santiago Calatrava designed Gare do Oriente trains and bus transport hub. Lisbon airport is only 10 minutes’ drive from the hotel.
For summer 2017, the hotel will be opening its own Sky Bar Oriente on the 16th floor with a show-stopping 360º view over Lisbon, the Tagus River and the Vasco da Gama Bridge. Perfect for events, parties and sundowners, it is set to be the area’s hot spot for the season, with gourmet snacks and salads, signature cocktails and cool sounds from our DJ set.
Superior and Family Rooms Together with interior decorator Maria Ilharco, and spanning ten floors, the new rooms make the most of a palette of cool turquoise and restful charcoal grey – two colours that mirror the variety of vistas, over the River Tagus and the urban lines of the city itself. In line with Tivoli’s More Future sustainable development strategy, the focus is on local craftsmen and suppliers.
The rooms all offer such distinctive touches as a 32” screen and Nespresso coffee-machines, whereas the bathrooms boast spacious walk-in showers, rain shower type heads and ample glass-topped vanity area. “We’re very pleased with these rooms and our guests’ reactions to them have been highly enthusiastic – we now have all 279 rooms in the hotel fitted out to the same Tivoli standard which our clients expect from us. The revamped Conference Centre has also been a resounding success with our regular clients”, declares General Manager Vitor Matias.
As a response to the growing family clientele, the Tivoli Oriente now presents its own, very practical version of Family Rooms – they comfortably accommodate three people with an innovative and comfortable cushion-packed bed, permanently in place – far superior to the rollaway beds most hotels offer.
The renowned T/Bed is the highlight of any Tivoli bedroom and the new rooms at the Tivoli Oriente are no exception: the down featherbed and lighter-than-air duvets are crowned by four generous pillows, encased in the finest hallmark Tivoli bed linen, ensuring that all-important result: a really good night’s sleep.
Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara has opened its doors in the Sultanate of Oman bringing the luxury hospitality brand Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas to the stunning coastal location of Salalah in the southern province of Dhofar on the Arabian Sea.
Striking and authentic architecture is surrounded by lush tropical gardens, with walkways framed by 750 coconut palms and eye-catching water features to create an air of tranquillity and serenity.
The resort comprises 136 guest rooms and villas offering views of the ocean, lagoon or picturesque gardens. The 40 premier and deluxe rooms offer luxurious handcrafted furnishings and rich textures, whilst the eight one-bedroom villas and 88 one-and-two-bedroom pool villas entice with personalised villa host services and separate living areas. The pool villas invite with private temperature-controlled swimming pools, the first of their kind in Salalah.
Rooted in Thai philosophy with influences from Arabia, the world-acclaimed Anantara Spa takes guests on a holistic journey, offering the only hammam in Salalah alongside rejuvenating treatments using indigenous ingredients such as pomegranate, coconut and frankincense. The resort also offers wellness programmes that are customised for each individual’s lifestyle with options including weight management, revitalisation, relaxation and de-stressing, detox, general wellbeing and rejuvenation that run over three, five or seven days.
Guests also benefit from a state-of-the-art fitness centre, water sports centre, tennis court, beach volleyball court and stunning infinity pool. A separate kids and teens club offers fun-filled activities, whilst the Safar Boardroom and Al Hosn Ballroom host business meetings, conferences and intimate weddings for up to 120 guests. During their stay, guests can enjoy an array of authentic experiences, from hiking up rocky cliffs to catching fish for dinner, saluting the sunset during a yoga session or simply slipping out of their beachfront villa into the ocean.
Situated in the heart of the 6,000 year-old frankincense trail, there is plenty for those with a passion for culture and history to discover such as visiting ancient ruins and heritage sites or sauntering around a souk. Meanwhile an array of thrilling experiences allow guests to explore the fort-dotted mountains, rugged wadis and pristine beaches, with active travellers well served by diving, trekking, kite surfing and fishing.
Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara was developed by Musstir, the hospitality and property development company of MB Group in Oman, and its 50% local joint venture partner, Omran, the Sultanate’s master developer for tourism destinations and urban communities.
DoubleTree by Hilton has announced the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Kingston upon Thames, located in the centre of the town. The upscale hotel joins 72 DoubleTree by Hilton properties open across Europe and is the first Hilton-branded property in the Kingston market.
Boasting 146 modern guest rooms and suites, the stylish property, managed by Interstate Europe Hotels & Resorts and asset managed by EQ Hotels Ltd, offers close proximity to a number of top attractions, with central London only a short train ride away.
As the newest dining option to the neighbourhood, Hawkers Bar and Brasserie pays homage to Kingston’s extensive contribution to the history of aviation. With its modern design as well as its lively indoor and outdoor atmosphere, Hawkers Bar and Brasserie boasts a trend-setting menu with a selection of contemporary dishes to complement its vast choice of local craft beers, spirits and wine, as well as a signature Afternoon Tea.
In addition to the hotel’s inviting dining options, DoubleTree by Hilton Kingston upon Thames offers world-class conference facilities outside of the hustle and bustle of London city. Three flexible function rooms are available to host casual business meetings, training sessions or personal events. The largest of the spaces can accommodate up to 260 people, along with offering a pre-conference and events area. Guests also have access to the 24/7 fitness centre which features state-of-the-art Precor equipment.
Hilton has signed a management agreement with Group Sadiki to open its first hotel in Casablanca. The news follows the conclusion of a landmark year for Hilton in Morocco which saw it re-establish a presence in the country in March 2016, with the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Tanger City Center.
The mid-scale Hilton Garden Inn brand will now be soon represented in Morocco’s largest city, with construction set to begin this year.
Hilton Garden Inn Casablanca Sidi Maarouf will consist of an initial 118 guest rooms with space available on site for further expansion. The hotel forms part of a mixed use development with a 550sqm ballroom and Moroccan-oriental restaurant also to be built in the vicinity. The Hilton Garden Inn will contain three dining options on property, in addition to another 300sqm of event space to the complex. It is forecast that the hotel may welcome its first guests in 2021.
JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts has debuted JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Florida.
Following an extensive $320 million (£260 million) renovation facilitated by ownership group Mass Mutual, the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort, Golf Club & Spa has converted to a JW Marriott luxury property. The 726-room JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort offers engaging and enriching on-property experiences that can be artfully tailored to each guest.
“This brand conversion brings to fruition years of planning, dedication and hard work, and I could not be more pleased,” said Rick Medwedeff, General Manager, JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort. “As we move forward into the next chapter of our resort’s story, we are embracing our celebrated past and welcoming a new level of luxury by joining JW Marriott’s global portfolio of exceptional properties.”
“JW Marriott Marco Island is an optimal addition to our brand’s global portfolio,” said Mitzi Gaskins, Vice President, Luxury Brand Management, Marriott International “We look forward to offering guests a distinctive and enriching luxury experience set on three miles of pristine white sand beach on the Gulf of Mexico.”
JW Marriott Marco Island features Spa by JW, the JW Marriott brand’s exclusive global spa concept, created to demystify and reimagine the spa experience with treatments based on four core benefit states: calm, indulge, renew and invigorate. Guests can customize their spa experience, choosing from a variety of menu options from full-service treatments to express spa services that start at a 12-minute entry point and are bookable without an appointment. Additional spa programming includes daily beach yoga and weekly spa events.
The property will also feature a 94-room, adults-only tower, scheduled to open in the autumn of 2017 –offering a rooftop pool, restaurant with an award-winning chef at the helm, and 12,000 square foot, state-of-the-art indoor entertainment center. Designed by Florida based design and architecture firm, Edge of Architecture, Inc., the new tower will boast unmatched views of the Gulf of Mexico, establishing a relationship between the building and the environment – an experiential symbiosis of interior and exterior spaces. Once completed, the resort will boast a total of 100,000 square feet of flexible event space — equipped with up-to-the-moment technology — and 810 finely appointed guestrooms and suites.
In 2015, the resort began phase one of a three-phase makeover and brand conversion project, including expanded pool decks, a refurbished lobby, a new porte-cochere and a grand front entrance. The second phase, which concluded on December 31, 2016, welcomed a complete transformation of guestrooms and resort culinary offerings, including the addition of two new signature restaurants, Ario and Maia, as well as an all-new beachfront tiki bar, Kane.
A new luxury resort is now in the pre-opening phase on the idyllic Caribbean island of St. Kitts. Located in the aptly titled Banana Bay on the island’s South East Peninsula, the Park Hyatt group will open Park Hyatt St. Kitts in Summer 2017.
St. Kitts is known for its numerous universities, its incredible volcanic landscape and, of course, cricket. The island is somewhat underdeveloped in tourism terms compared to other Caribbean islands in the region, but tourism has been increasing over the last few years, owing in part to the large port town of Basseterre, which receives cruise ships regularly.
This new West Indian development is the latest in a profusion of international opening for Park Hyatt, which now has 679 properties in 58 countries worldwide, with brands including Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency and Hyatt Centric. Currently in the planning and pre-opening stages are hotels and resorts in Kyoto, Marrakech, Iguazu Falls in Brazil and Msheireb, Qatar.
The St. Kitts resort will have 126 rooms and over 7,000 square feet of event space. It will be designed by experienced Spanish firm Arcadia Design Architects, who have a proven track record in hospitality design, having completed other projects in Sharm El Sheik and Hyatt Regency hotel in Jordan.
For the interior design, trusted collaborators G.A. Design from London have been chosen for the project. With over 30 years’ experience in hospitality interior design, the British firm have also designed the interiors of the Hilton Istanbul and the Mandarin Oriental in London.
Many current hotels and serviced apartments cater for Joe Average. It’s all about focusing on the key touch points and doing them well, says Cathy Mocke, Design Director at Select Property Group…
When you’re travelling for work and staying in a hotel or serviced apartment, what are things that most help you to feel settled and relaxed?
For me, it’s important that wherever you stay feels comfortable and relaxed, but still has an element of ‘specialness’ to it. I guess ‘home-from-home’ is the obvious tagline that you’d use. It’s also imperative that everything works really well, from both an operational and design perspective. Easy arrival, easy check-in, comfortable bed, good shower, good lighting. If you’re travelling for business you’re not in your room for very long, so everything needs to be easy, intuitive and comfortable.
In my experience, too many current hotel and serviced apartment options cater for ‘Joe Average’. Brands can tend to be too prescriptive at the expense of the end user experience. Many brand standards dictate “we need to have this, this and this”, but in actuality the customer doesn’t need all of these things. Often, because these places have so much ‘brand standard’ stuff in the rooms and in the building as a whole, they don’t have any one thing that’s done well. Instead they have a lot of things done in an average sort of way.
So when it comes to designing a new product for the business traveller, as we have been doing at Select Property Group with CitySuites, it’s about focusing on key touch points and doing them really well.
Calming rooms and light spaces With CitySuites, what we’re trying to do is offer something that gives you that extra level of luxury, but still retains the comforts of home, something that very few established brands can claim to offer.
When designing the rooms, we really thought about how the customer will actually use that space and what they need. From the kitchen, to the shower, to the lounge space, what do you need to put into it that makes it usable, whether you’re staying for a week or a month? It’s about creating bright, light spaces. That goes to the choice of materials and maximising light, space and outlook. The studios are also very generously proportioned so that you don’t feel like you’re sleeping in your living room. There’s plenty of space to move around. The bathrooms are very well appointed and generously designed.
The first impression upon entry into the apartment is extremely important. You don’t want to walk through corridors and lobbies. You want to walk into the main space, and straight into somewhere that immediately permeates an element of quality and space and home.
Design led by the location With every CitySuites building, the interior design and selection of the furniture and finishes will be informed by the location of the building itself.
In addition to the living experience, creating that sense of place is important and adds another dimension to the design and avoids a formulaic approach to the interiors. That’s what CitySuites is all about – connecting to each city, highlighting its idiosyncrasies and character specific to the setting and location of each building.
So for the brand’s first development in Manchester, located on the site of an old railway station, we brought relevant materials like wrought steel into the design of the furniture. The furniture has all been bespoke designed for that particular project, so that it fits comfortably into the spaces that we have but also has a strong reference to the location’s industrial past, but with a refined edge.
Then we brought in some luxury elements like marble and glass to create that luxurious eclectic feel. The artwork has also been specifically designed to reflect the location and its proximity to the river.
The end result is that you can walk into any CitySuites and, while there’s the consistency in terms of the service and quality that you’d expect from every accommodation brand, you will see a level of design that connects you to the location you happen to be in at that moment.
Doing the simple things well raises the benchmark of quality If everything has a simple ease to it, from the service to the features you need the most, it naturally creates a positive memory that will make you want to stay again. By focusing on the touch points that really matter and making them really good, it makes your stay really easy and comfortable.
But that positive experience should start from the moment you walk through the main doors. CitySuites Manchester, for example, is quite a striking building, and we want that ‘wow’ impression to be carried on when you enter the building itself.
So with the design of the reception space, we do this with the dark timber, copper and natural materials and some unexpected features that greet you immediately. This experience might be a little more theatrical than within the apartments because you’re trying to create an impression, but it’s still understated and elegant. Again it’s about people feeling special about the building and thinking “someone has taken care in the design of this space.”
Of course, you can design it all to the nth degree, but if you haven’t got the operational team to give that amazing user experience, it’s all for nothing. Design and operation needs to work together. But if you can marry these together effortlessly, you’ll have a product that sets itself apart from anything else a business traveller has available to them.
Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa is set for a brand-new look in 2017 with a major refurbishment and new build. English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues are set to establish a world-class resort in the Lake District, the idyllic lakeside destination closes its doors this week as work begins on the £16 million transformation, which will be unveiled from April when the hotel reopens its doors.
The multi-million pound project will see the existing historic property completely renovated, with a full upgrade and refurbishment of all existing rooms, new outdoor leisure facilities, along with a stunning Atrium, world class spa, and an additional new restaurant concept, “Blue Smoke”. Later in the summer a new building will open with a further 32 suites and studio rooms including its own club lounge and roof garden.
The hotel, which enjoys a fantastic waterfront setting looking out onto Windermere, will reopen in April 2017, once the first phase of the renovation is complete.
Simon Berry, Chairman and MD of English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues said: “It is a really exciting new chapter for us here at Low Wood Bay. This stunning building has been here for over 300 years and this will be the biggest change it has gone through in its history.
“The Lake District is a uniquely beautiful holiday destination and we’re creating an exceptional, stand-out resort from which to enjoy it. We want to make something truly special, bringing modern, top quality facilities to the area but without compromising the integrity or charm of this historic building; we really feel we have achieved that with these plans. We can’t wait to welcome our guests, both old and new, to see their reactions’.
English Lakes Hotel Resorts & Venues, which owns the property, has worked closely with the Lake District National Park Authority to progress the plans and create a ‘world class destination’ whilst remaining in keeping with the area and using local connections and expertise.
The whole new experience will start with the enhanced sense of arrival of the brand-new entrance which sweeps around and up to the existing car park. Bespoke art work will significantly improve the arrival experience for guests as they make their way to one of their 133 luxurious, upgraded and new build bedrooms and suites.
Set to open in summer, one of the most significant investments is in the luxurious Spa, complete with an outdoor heated infinity pool, sauna, steam room and Canadian hot tubs with views over the lake and mountains. The extensive fitness suite will also feature state of the art equipment and an express salon. The introduction of the innovative ‘Blue Smoke’ dining concept will provide British produce within a South American wood fired grill – the first of its kind in the area.
Opening later in the year, the addition of a luxury accommodation block, complete with its own private bar, club lounge and roof terrace will finally transform the hotel into the Lake District’s first world class luxury resort.
Modern travellers seeking an authentic Costa Rican experience filled with immersive culture, adventure and romance will love the new Casa Chameleon Las Catalinas hotel opening February 2017.
The resort is the first hotel for the up and coming coastal town of Las Catalinas on the Guanacaste coastline and the second Costa Rica property for NP International, the name behind TripAdvisor favorite, Casa Chameleon Hotel Mal Pais. The new hotel will continue the privacy, romance and service that the Casa Chameleon brand is known for.
“It was important to us that we find the right location for the second in our Casa Chameleon concept where romance environment and culture combine” says Brent Reynolds, President & Managing Partner NP International.
Guests will bed down in one of 21 private villas with the most spectacular ocean views on the Guanacaste coast and personal salt water infinity plunge pools. The resort has been designed with romantic intention to ensure every villa gets an unobstructed front row seat of the ocean.
Casa Chameleon Las Catalinas will also boast a magnificent 365 degree zero edge swimming pool perched on the top of the cliff with poolside bar lounge for soaking up the most dramatic sunsets all year long overlooking the Catalinas islands, and an open-air kitchen restaurant utilizing local and organic produce from a sustainable supply chain. Fresh fish is provided by local artisan fishermen in keeping with the eco philosophy of the resort.
Those seeking adventure can take full advantage of the local geography with kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, mountain biking and hiking or take a guided canopy tour with local experts. Add an open-air yoga pavilion with private yoga instructor, in villa spa therapy treatments and those soothing plunge pools and relaxation is guaranteed. Guests at Casa Chameleon come first, by name not room number, and are encouraged to become one with the local people, pastimes and places.
The spectacular local flora and fauna for which the region is known, is treated with respect by the hotel with non-toxic cleaning products, a recycle program, energy efficient lighting, water conservation practices, adjustable room temperature, eco-friendly bath products, a monthly beach cleanup for staff and guests and the opportunity for guests to give back to the local school.
Since the UK’s famous Eden Project opened in 2001, more than 18 million people have visited the Cornwall’s most visited attraction: a pair of striking biomes, housing an indoor rainforest as well as 1,000 varieties of Mediterranean plant.
In 2015, the Eden Project, unveiled plans to construct a new 115 room hotel at its Cornwall location. The hotel was intended to “expand the site’s offering”, according to Eden Executive Director David Harland, and planning permission was granted for the proposal in June 2015. However, revised plans for the project were recently submitted following local concern about the scale and visual impact of the hotel on the surrounding landscape.
If the revised plans are approved, the new proposal will cost £8.5 million and have 109 rooms. The massing of the hotel will now be split into two blocks, providing a visual separation and decreasing the bulkiness in scale of the previous proposal. Materially it will echo natural colours and textures, using wooden poles and stone cladding to reflect the materiality of the immediate rural environment. The hotel itself will sit in a landscaped meadow and orchard, and new educational facilities will be built to accommodate the apprenticeship and degree courses that take place at the site.
Once approval has been received, the construction will be slated to start in 2017 with a view to opening in April of 2018. The complex will be sustainable and energy efficient, mirroring the agenda of the complex itself. Eden already has accommodation on site in the form of a 58 room youth hostel, which opened in 2014 to accommodate school groups on trips to the site.
This and more news can be found on the website of TOPHOTELPROJECTS, the specialised service provider in the exchange of cutting-edge information in the international hotel industry.
Technology innovation is changing faster than ever with emerging capabilities like robotics, artificial intelligence and augmented reality on the brink of permeating nearly every aspect of daily life, and travel technology leader Sabre has identified the top trends for the coming year in its 2017 Emerging Technology in Travel Report.
From humanoid robots checking-in guests at hotels to virtual immersive vacations to AI-powered chatbot assistants with unique personality traits, the Sabre Labs Emerging Technology Report explores how new technologies are evolving to shape travel and other industries in the years to come. The travel sector is often an early adopter of new tech, and Sabre has fostered innovation for industry and consumers alike. The Report evaluates the three major technology trends likely to have the greatest impact on the travel industry for 2017 as well as the key technologies anchoring each trend. Identified trends include:
1. Conversational Interfaces – Voice, messaging and the shift to new forms of communication 2. Digital Realities – How virtual and augmented realities are changing the travel landscape 3. Connected Intelligence – The role of bots, robots and location beacons in travel
“Sabre is constantly exploring new technologies to determine how they can best be applied to the travel industry to improve the travel experience,” said Mark McSpadden, director – Sabre Labs. “We continue to discover new ways these technologies can fit into our portfolio and drive innovation for our customers and their travelers.”
The Emerging Technology Report distills Sabre’s ongoing research and exploration to help travel businesses make strategic decisions for 2017 and beyond, and offers more than 40 specific takeaways for agencies, airlines, hoteliers, and travelers.
Sabre Labs is the travel and technology innovation lab of Sabre Corp. and explores the evolving technologies that will impact travel over the next decade. Through research, prototypes and communication, Sabre Labs converts futuristic technology into marketplace innovation for its businesses and customers.
DoubleTree by Hilton has opened two new properties, one in Swindon, England and another in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh.
Edinburgh Airport has opened just seven miles from the heart of the vibrant city centre. The hotel boasts many features, including newly refurbished guestrooms, an onsite LivingWell Leisure Club, restaurant serving Scottish dishes and meeting areas, all conveniently located for airport travellers.
Following the £2.5 million investment, the property boasts 150 newly refurbished guestrooms, as well as The Space Restaurant which offers an all-day dining menu serving traditional Scottish dishes. The hotel also features 22 meeting rooms all with natural daylight and modern décor. The onsite LivingWell Leisure Club has also benefited from considerable investment as part of the rebrand.
DoubleTree by Hilton Swindon is located on the edge of the town centre, offering visitors and business travellers perfect access to the city.
The hotel boasts 171 spacious guestrooms with a selection of room types, from deluxe rooms to king one bedroom suites. The new onsite restaurant, 14Twelve Brasserie, offers breakfast and dinner daily, serving a range of modern British cuisine. Able to seat 120 people, 14Twelve Brasserie is ideal for large parties and hosting special events.
For those looking to stay active on the road, the newly renovated fitness centre, open 24 hours a day, offers upgraded Precor equipment. Guests can also enjoy the cycling and jogging paths around the hotel.
Since launching in the UK in 2008 the DoubleTree by Hilton portfolio includes 32 properties operating, with recent additions being DoubleTree by Hilton Strathclyde, DoubleTree by Hilton Bristol North, DoubleTree by Hilton Dartford Bridge, and DoubleTree by Hilton Southampton. Furthermore, more than 90 DoubleTree properties will be operating across Europe, Middle East and Africa by the end of 2016.
GROHE is delighted to announce that it has been shortlisted for the kbbreview 2017 Retail & Design Awards. Once again, GROHE is up for a key industry accolade, and this time, it is for its range of FootControl kitchen taps.
GROHE is competing for the Kitchen Product Innovation of the Year Award. The FootControl kitchen tap showcases innovative tap technology, which allows for greater flexibility in the kitchen. A gentle tap on the base unit with your foot will activate the tap, so no hands are needed. The hands-free operation promotes a more hygienic kitchen tap, with the additional benefit of preventing cross contamination between different types of food. The product also incorporates EasyTouch technology, allowing the user to pre-set the water temperature, for added comfort and convenience.
The kbbreview Awards are one of the most prestigious and longest-running awards in the industry and with a record number of entries this year, the judging process is a rigorous one with finalists having to present their shortlisted designs to the judging panel at an event in February. The ceremony is scheduled to be held on 27th March at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole.
Courtyard by Marriott continues to expand across Europe with the opening of Courtyard Brussels EU. Ideally located in the heart of the European Quarter near the vibrant city centre, the hotel offers convenient access to the Grand Place, Magritte Museum, European Commission and Brussels International Airport.
Inviting the modern traveller to work and play, the hotel features the latest Courtyard by Marriott design to ensure a refreshing and productive hotel experience.
180 guestrooms and suites are thoughtfully designed with comfort and convenience in mind. Elsewhere in the hotel, guests can sample Scandinavian cuisine in the Bistro GåRD – Nordic Kitchen, and enjoy the use of a 24-hour market providing refreshments and travel accessories. Other facilities include a fully-equipped fitness centre, and a business centre with three meeting rooms, including a flexible 72m2 venue. Complimentary high-speed WIFI is available throughout the hotel.
Courtyard Brussels EU’s stylish and spacious lobby welcomes leisure and business travellers to meet, socialise, work or relax. Courtyard by Marriott’s unique GoBoard concept offers touchscreen technology to allow users to view the latest airport information and research popular tourist attractions.
This new opening marks the arrival of Courtyard by Marriott’s second hotel in the city, and increases Marriott International’s presence in Belgium to six properties.
As 2017 dawns, Claire Fox, director at Style Matters predicts the trends set to take over the world of interior design for the year ahead.
Retro Over the next few months, we’re anticipating the popularity of 60s and 70s-inspired furniture to rise significantly. We have already started to see a handful of our clients explore a new take on this traditional look, by featuring retro-inspired furniture in otherwise contemporary spaces. The two trends perfectly complement each other to provide a unique and modern finish with a vintage twist.
One way to achieve this look is by styling marble accessories with focal pieces of slate grey wooden furniture. Alternatively, if it’s for a more relaxed area such as a hotel lounge, large cushioned sofas in soft pastel shades, accompanied by abstract pieces of art look great together. This new take on an old classic, will be on trend for years to come and here at Style Matters, we have lots of retro-inspired furniture to ensure you’re showcasing this trend in all its glory. Our Farmhouse collection in particular, features a range of classic yet quirky dining chairs. Each piece has been constructed in a solid beech wooden frame, and has been inspired by those found in a traditional British kitchen/dining room during the swinging sixties.
Available in variety of colours, from classic brown to bright blue, the chairs have the potential to transform a bland and boring space into a fashionable haven that’s the talk of the town.
Neutral tones Neutral tones are taking over the world of fashion right now, and we’re expecting this trend to become a firm favourite amongst interior designers in 2017. Inspired by the great outdoors, palettes reflective of organic materials such as wood, clay, marble and copper are set to be popular, especially when it comes to key pieces of furniture throughout the hospitality sector.
Tweed, leather, and velvet sofas and chairs will be prominent in earthy tones. While reclaimed wooden tables will remain key for rustic restaurants and country pubs.
Metallics Metallic tones, particularly brass, are extremely prominent in the world of interiors right now. Metallic pieces are traditionally evocative of the Victorian era through to the 1920s, however since the recent rise of mill conversions into bars, hotels, and restaurants, we’ve seen a surge in clients looking to incorporate this trend into their venues.
Contemporary establishments such as the recently-launched MNKY HSE, in Mayfair, and Olive Tree, focussed on this key trend with accessories, lighting and detailing within the furniture. It’s very easy to go overboard when it comes to metallic, so we tend to incorporate the look in to the finer, more subtle touches such as chair/table legs, studs, stitching, and fixtures.
Rustic Traditional rustic furniture has long been a favourite amongst our clients, and we’re expecting this to continue for the foreseeable future. Taking inspiration from nature and the countryside, rustic finishes look particularly at home in traditional pubs, as well as cosy boutique hotels. With deep browns, reds, and burnt oranges all being prominent, the trend is perfect for those looking to create a warm, welcoming and comfortable atmosphere within their interiors.
Rustic pieces have always been incredibly popular, but in recent months we’ve seen a significant rise in clients opting for this look. Our work on The Farmers Club, in London, and Chester-based, Olive Tree was focussed primarily on this theme, to provide a stylish and pleasant environment for guests visiting the venues.
Monochrome Monochrome is a classic finish, that will never go out of fashion. Whether it be for a modern hotel or a traditional bar, monochrome is extremely versatile and one we anticipate will always be popular within the hospitality sector.
The juxtaposition of white on black, provides the perfect contrast, and results in a smart yet show-stopping finish. Designers have been opting for monochrome flooring tiles for years, but in recent months we have seen a rise in our clients asking for their black and white furniture to take centre stage when it comes to their projects. While monochrome isn’t exactly new, it’s a trend that we’ll definitely be seeing more of throughout next year.
Vintage florals Vintage florals have been a favourite amongst pub designers and specifiers for some time, but we’re increasingly seeing this trend grow within the hotel sector too. Traditionally, designers would implement florals through their wallpaper and flooring, however we’ve started to see a shift away from this, with furniture providing the perfect platform to showcase this stunning look.
Floral furniture is a great way to make a statement in just about any environment, and as such we’re expecting its popularity to continue to grow well in to 2017.
Splashes of colour To develop your monochrome space, add splashes of colour for an eccentric finish which will be sure to create some drama. Whether it be small pops of colour with accessories or statement pieces of bright furniture on a black and white base, this cool and charismatic look is ideal for just about environment.
The recent work we did with Hotel Gotham, in Manchester, really showcased this trend in all its glory. Almost everything from the beds, walls, and floors, were black, white and grey, with the odd splashes of colour being implemented through bespoke pieces of furniture such as chairs and accessories. The overall finish of the project was fantastic, so it’s easy to see why it generated a lot of interest amongst the industry.
For further information about Style Matters, please visit www.stylematters.co.uk or contact the team on 01565 740342
For luxury hotels, standing out from the crowd makes the difference between a place to stay and a destination. This is why attention to detail in the specification is not just about the facilities on offer but also about the aesthetics of the environment, the ambience and the sense of quality in every detail.
That is why when London’s ME for Melia Hotel required hotel light switches and plug sockets that perfectly co-ordinated with the beautifully designed interiors, they specified inconspicuous screwless flat plates from Wandsworth’s Infinity collection.
Hotel light switches to match a stunning interior
The ME for Melia Hotel, located in Covent Garden, was designed by world renowned architects, Norman Foster + Partners. The luxury five-star hotel boasts 157 individually designed rooms with floor to ceiling windows, including 16 suites, a fitness centre, meeting and conferencing facilities, two restaurants, a lounge and a rooftop bar.
The design vision of creating a hotel that exemplifies the ‘capital of cool’ is evident throughout, and the lighting installation, designed by M&E consultants BDSP and Spanish lighting specialist, Estel Engineering and Works Ltd, is no exception.
Designed to reflect the architectural style of the building and deliver the monochromatic interior design concept by playing with light and shade in different areas of the hotel, the lighting design is central to ME for Melia’s look and feel both inside and out. This attention to detail has been carried though to every aspect of the installation, including the wiring accessories.
The emphasis for the light switches at ME for Melia was on colour and shape. Wandsworth worked closely with both the design team and BDSP to deliver the requirement for plug sockets and switches that would be as inconspicuous as possible.
Co-ordinating light switches and sockets deliver the ultimate in style
All the plates used were from Wandsworth’s grid-mounted Infinity range; screwless fittings that fit flush to the wall and blend effortlessly into the background without any unsightly screws. As the walls are completely plain with such an unforgiving black and white colour scheme, the use of screwless fittings was essential to achieving the required understated look.
Superior switches combine with the efficiency of LED
In a five star hotel design by Norman Foster + Partners you would expect all elements of the specification to uphold the very highest standards of quality and aesthetics, but combining Wandsworth’s light switches with LED luminaires from Italian lighting specialist, iGuzinni in a single installation at the ME for Melia Hotel does much more than that. Here, aesthetics and design statements are balanced with energy efficiency thanks to the level of LED lighting used and the flexibility of a lighting control system that incorporates centralised BMS controls.
The ME for Melia Hotel’s splendour is evidence of an uncompromising desire for style throughout an interior, and Wandsworth were proud to deliver for such an inspiring hotel design. Furthermore, this project indicates the exceptional effort Wandsworth commit to ensuring light switches, plug sockets, or other wiring devices are perfect for the interior required.
Carefully chosen and placed accessories can add the perfect finishing touch to interiors.
Gallery Direct have recently added a range of new products to their catalogue to offer customers more choice. The new accessories offer a wide and assorted selection to suit different tastes and styles.
The Flora and Fauna collection features an extension of Gallery’s popular faux floral range along with exciting and unique animal life accessories. From the fun Polly Wall Ornaments to the more traditional style Raynard Bookends, there is a varied assortment.
A selection based around a natural, earthy theme with impeccable finishes including ceramics and marble effect, offers a fantastic variety, including ornaments, vases and bookends.
The Annecy bedstead from Gallery Direct’s Frank Hudson collection is a contemporary design, crafted with hand-woven cane.
Featuring simple, elegant details, the Annecy is available in two finishes to suit a range of interiors. The beautiful soft grey is manufactured from the finest quality mahogany, whilst the weathered version is constructed from Mindy ash.
The bedsteads are complemented by bedside cabinets and 5-drawer chests, featuring hand-cast handles, for a co-ordinated look.
Gallery are continually looking at ways to help their customers.
They have recently built a huge extension to their state of the art warehouse, so that they can hold even more stock here in the UK, ready for quick delivery. The new facility has doubled the amount of storage space from 60,000sq ft to 120,000sq ft, including purpose built furniture storage, with a further 10,000sq ft of showroom and office space.
Gallery’s core customer proposition of offering a ‘complete range of interior products’ creates a significant challenge to any warehousing solution as the product portfolio is so varied. With this investment, they have put in dedicated pick areas and teams which has improved their pick and pack efficiencies creating a faster turnaround time for customers.
Taking control of their deliveries is another area where Gallery are improving their customer service. Their deliveries are now on their own fleet; they no longer use 3rd party carriers. This in-house delivery has been brought in to give greater control and most importantly to offer a better customer experience.
It is the final link in the chain and very important to customers so a huge investment has been made in delivery teams, a brand new Mercedes fleet as well as IT infrastructure that will enable the customer service team to provide exact details on when products will be delivered.
Melia Hotels International, Calviá City Hall and the Balearic Government has begun construction of a new hotel and shopping mall in Magaluf, Mallorca, which marks the next phase in the repositioning of the destination.
Leading Spanish Hotel Group, MHI is supporting the venture by investing the largest private investment of €45 million (£37.8 million) and will oversee the creation of a new central social hub. It will further contribute towards the area’s international positioning and enhance the profitability and sustainability of Magaluf’s tourism industry.
Set for completion in 2018, the complex will include a modern hotel, underground parking space for 200 cars and more than 5,000m² of retail, food & beverage outlets and terraces, which will be located parallel to Magaluf’s beachfront. It will offer professionals and families holidaying in Magaluf and wider Mallorca, as well as residents, the opportunity to enjoy a variety of new quality international high-street retailers and F&B outlets to encourage visitors to spend longer in the destination.
Following a public-private sector cooperation agreement, the Calvia Beach regeneration project was launched in 2012. As part of the initiative, Melia Hotels International has renovated all hotels in the area, totalling more than 3,500 rooms, through the introduction of new brands and experiences. MHI’s achievements have received international recognition, as well as generating the best results for Magaluf in the Company’s history.
MHI’s new four-star hotel will be the only new-build property to be added to the Company’s Magaluf portfolio. Situated next to Magaluf’s promenade, the hotel will provide state-of-the-art facilities, more than 270 rooms, rooftop and upper terrace hanging pools with views over the Mediterranean, plus a restaurant at street level open to both guests, tourists and locals.
The Calvia Beach project is a strategic scheme for the Company as the conversion of its hotels have allowed MHI to improve business results, as well as having a positive impact on the image of the destination, the revival of visitor facilities and the creation of new jobs. The hotel launch is expected to create 200 jobs and will boost local consumption of existing or new leisure amenities.
Hilton’s Hampton by Hilton brand has announced the opening of its newest property, Hampton Inn by Hilton New Paltz. The 86-room hotel joins the family of Hampton by Hilton and Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton. Located at 4 South Putt Corners Road, the new hotel is managed by New Paltz Hospitality.
Hampton Inn by Hilton New Paltz offers amenities, such as free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour business centre with complimentary printing, a meeting space that can accommodate up to 100 people and an indoor heated saltwater pool. Each guestroom includes high-quality amenities, including the brand’s signature Clean and fresh Hampton bed®, mini-refrigerator, HDTV and coffeemaker.
Designed as an extension of the guestroom with a variety of seating and lighting options for both leisure and business travelers, the new hotel features the Perfect Mix Lobby. Within the lobby guests can find TREATS, a food and beverage shop filled with snacks, toiletries, local merchandise and drinks for purchase. Hampton by Hilton hotels are infused with local photography and artwork, highlighting each property’s connection and support to its own community.
Hampton Inn by Hilton Paltz participates in Hilton’s award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton HHonors. Hilton HHonors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to benefits including an exclusive member discount, free standard Wi-Fi, as well as digital amenities that are available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton HHonors app, where HHonors members can check-in, choose their room, and access their room using a Digital Key.
Hotel Designs had the pleasure of catching up with Modulex CEO Eric Kirwan at the recent Sleep 2016 event and chatted to him about what makes good wayfinding in hospitality…
Hotel Designs: Could you tell us a bit about yourself, your career in the industry to date and your involvement in Modulex? Eric Kirwan: I am Eric Kirwan, CEO and President of Modulex A/S, founded in Denmark in 1963 by the LEGO Group and have been providing wayfinding and signage to many of the world’s most iconic projects. Prior to that I was part of GROHE’s International Projects Team working with many of the leading hotel groups and their design teams.
In 2014 I rejoined Modulex as CEO and President of the Group at the headquarters in Billund, Denmark, responsible for global operations, leading the implementation of projects across market sectors including healthcare, education, corporate and hospitality. Recent hotel projects for Modulex include First Hotels, Park Regis, Melia projects in the USA and Caribbean and the Gainsborough Bath Spa (shortlisted European Hotel Design Award 2016).
ME Miami Interior and exterior signage from Modulex
HD: Modulex specialises in ‘wayfinding’ – how would you summarise what that means and just how important is it? EK: Wayfinding is simply spatial problem solving. In the same way that a designer considers the best use of a space with careful consideration of its potential users, the role of the wayfinding consultant is to take into account the area and the users, identifying circulation patterns, decision making or dither points and carefully directing users in the necessary direction or perhaps even disrupting them, when and where appropriate.
Sleep 2016 Working with the organisers of Sleep on their wayfinding strategy for visitors
HD: What makes good signage/wayfinding – especially in the hospitality industry? EK: Good wayfinding is intuitive, seamless, integrated with the architecture and interiors. To deliver it means understanding the users of the space – first time or frequent visitors; demographics; their needs and wants, their state of mind and their level of concentration or distraction. Next comes the physical understanding of the built environment. Primary and secondary routes need to be established, decision making or ‘dither’ points noted as this is where you may need to ‘wake people up’ so as not to miss an important turn or event. Are there any landmarks which can aid wayfinding? Has lighting been considered and reading distance and sightlines calculated? Only then can you begin to design. Selecting materials, colours, graphics and typefaces which ‘blend’ and where necessary contrast with the environment.
Gainsborough Bath Spa Shortlisted at European Hotel Design Awards 2016
HD: We recently read about ‘playfinding’ – wayfinding mixed with enjoyable experiences for people to interact with on their ‘journey’. Just how innovative is this sector? EK: This is a hugely exciting trend and an opportunity for hotel brands to further endorse the brand experience, particularly if they are targeting a particular demographic. At the recent Sleep event, where Modulex worked with the organisers on wayfinding, the Sleep Set rooms were designed for a specific “Tribe”. The winning room from Gensler designed for the Digital Avant-Garde Tribe would definitely be a group who would grab the opportunity for some “playfinding”.
Gainsborough Bath Spa Shortlisted at European Hotel Design Awards 2016
HD: What sort of technological trends are we seeing coming through in signage? EK: Digital signage is not a new innovation but we are seeing a significant increase in requests from operational managers in large hotels looking to simplify their conference and events systems. These same large hotels could also benefit from indoor navigation technology which enable visitors to navigate to their meeting room, for example, using their mobile phone. With the increase in self check-in within some hotel groups there will be more demand for digital solutions to wayfinding which can be quickly updated in real-time.
Park Regis Birmingham Interior digital signage from Modulex
HD: If you could tell architects and interior designers one thing about wayfinding, what would it be? EK: Keep it simple. The best wayfinding solutions use the least amount of signage to guide people from a to b; take advantage of the architecture and landmarks as part of the solution. Make sure to ask yourself four simple questions about the signage: Can they see it? Can they read it? Can they understand it? Can they trust the information? If you have positive answers to all the questions then you’re working with a good scheme. If not, contact us!
Park Regis Birmingham Interior digital signage from Modulex
Set jewel-like between two giants, Bhutan is an age-old culture where the population remains untainted by the outside world; a world with which they had no interaction until the 1950s and from where their first real international visitors arrived by invitation in 1974. This amazing Kingdom coined the phrase upon which the success of the country is measured – Gross National Happiness.
Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas has designed a project that is actually five individual satellite resorts in five separate locations, but all under the umbrella of one all-encompassing name: Six Senses Bhutan. It is five unique experiences crafted into one enchanted journey through the Kingdom. With a total of just 82 guest suites and villas distributed between five intimate lodges, guests will visit the heritage and hospitality of Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, Bumthang and Paro in the colourful Kingdom known as the Happiest Place on Earth.
Each of the five locations was identified with a specific and appropriate theme, so that as guests move between them they experience a journey through all their senses. Begin in the capital of Thimphu, where the design emphasis is on culture. As a juxtaposition to tradition, the interiors are modern with clean lines and an abundance of wood paneling, whitewashing and natural stone. Beautiful cultural items, handcrafted objects and intricate weavings are shown against this uncompromised backdrop. Old solid wood is repurposed into table and bench tops, while handcrafted rust-colored brick is used for structures.
Second stop on the circuit journey is Bumthang, where a forest within a forest has been created. Accommodations are set within verdant woodland, with expansive windows that welcome the outdoors to be a part of the guest interior experience. Recycled old wood is used for furnishings such as lamp bases and occasional tables while uncluttered interiors create a feast for the eyes with patterned timber walls and warm recycled wooden floors. An interior natural palette creates a delightful foil for the colorful woodland exterior.
Moving next to Punakha, the feeling of a traditional farmhouse in this rural region of fertile land and terraces has been created. Extra depth has been added to the clean lines espoused in the previous decors with the addition of mud brick features in the bathrooms, light fittings cleverly crafted from mason jars as the community would once have used, woven bamboo feature walls and the clever use of bamboo and rattan items of interest.
The fourth gem on the journey with Six Senses Bhutan is Gangtey. While maintaining the uncluttered lines and natural palate, beautifully weathered timber floors and accented walls have been introduced. Warm leather details into comfy armchairs and footstools, occasional tabletops and the hanging straps of nifty bottle lights have been incorporated. A feature of the Gangtey chalet is the unique bird-watching bridge. It is crafted from local stone and enclosed with expansive timer-framed windows to enable guests to get close to their feathered friends.
The fifth stop is Paro. It is the site of old stone ruins, the ambience of which has been playfully brought to the interiors, with hewn stone walls and working fireplaces contrasted with mid-tone vertical timbers sourced from renewable supplies. There are community-gathering spots in which to share tales of the journey with fellow travelers in the warmth of an open fire.
Six Senses Bhutan will open in the second half of 2017.
As Giorgio Armani so eloquently put it, “The difference between style and fashion is quality”. The Wandsworth Group couldn’t agree more. That’s why their range of superlatively designed, hand crafted electrical accessories, including luxury light switches and electrical sockets, are used by world-class interior designers and architects in prestigious building projects from Hong Kong to New York – even in the private residence of the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge at Kensington Palace.
Their reputation for providing stylishly designed, beautifully realised lighting and electrical wares means that Wandsworth products and expertise are sought out by a host of discerning design professionals – particularly in projects where the importance of elegance is on a par with peerless quality. This is evidenced by their involvement in a number of prominent hotel developments across the world but most recently with the newest addition to the famous Firmdale Hotel’s stable: The Ham Yard Hotel in central London.
Situated in the bustling centre of the capital’s famous Soho district the Ham Yard Hotel is owned by Tim and Kit Kemp, both internationally recognised interior designers famous for outstanding excellence in modern British design – Tim having previously won the coveted Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the Year award in 2008. Together they have made Firmdale’s 9 hotels and 7 bars & restaurants, located in both London and New York, beacons of service excellence and unique design. Kit in particular has been personally responsible for carrying out the complete interior design of all of the properties – no less so than when the Ham Yard Hotel building project was begun in 2012.
From the very beginning Wandsworth Group were actively involved in the establishment of this £60 million luxurious boutique hotel development. Consisting of 91 individually themed deluxe bedrooms and sumptuous suites, as well as airy bar and contemporary restaurant areas, the Ham Yard Hotel project included a lavish drawing room and library. In addition, this expansive new development featured a spa and gym, numerous private dining and meeting rooms, as well as an original 1950s era bowling alley and rooftop garden, complete with sweeping vistas of the Soho skyline and the city beyond.
Luxury hotel light switches and electrical sockets coordinate with modern British interiors As a new build project with such a relentless focus on individual style, modern design and matchless quality Wandsworth Group worked closely with the client’s project manager, the contractors and the architect to understand the requirements for all the electrical accessories needed from the outset. With over a century of expertise in providing high quality, luxury light and socket fittings, Wandsworth worked in close concert with all of the interior design parties to offer ideas and suggestions on the best solutions to complement the individual modern British style so prevalent throughout the hotel.
The Wandsworth Group’s diligent project team assisted the clients and the contractor’s site manager in producing a complete, full size mock up of the rooms required – enabling a much more holistic overview of the impact of all the interior design proposals. Following on from this Firmdale Hotels felt assured that the Wandsworth Group’s Classic Collection of electrical accessories was the perfect fit for the high levels of design quality, reliability and elegance inherent in the personalised room designs of Kit Kemp.
The Classic Collection was chosen due to its ergonomically attractive flush finish featuring a unique flat plate profile to compliment the contemporary modern British design. Whilst those selected for the Ham Yard Hotel were supplied in ultra-clean, Super Mirrored Stainless Steel, as a market leader who is able to boast of offering the largest variety of colours on the market, the Classic Collection is available in a dizzying array of finishes, including: – Polished Brass – Antique Bronze – Bright Nickel – Satin Nickel – Antique Brass – Light Bronze – Matt Black – Satin Silver – Satin Stainless Steel – White – Yellow Etched Prime
Needless to say, all of Wandsworth’s bespoke multi-service, AV plates and screw fixing plate attachments are individually manufactured from the highest grade solid brass, premium stainless steel or aluminium, as required. Wandsworth are shamelessly uncompromising when it comes to ensuring that the quality of product meets the high standards of style demanded by national and international customers.
Bespoke electrical sockets and data outlets installed throughout the Ham Yard Hotel As you would expect for the Ham Yard hotel the Wandsworth Group project managers were only too happy to provide standard and bespoke accessories (both Multi-service and AV plates) specifically tailored to Firmdale’s requirements. In the case of the Ham Yard boutique hotel project these included a data outlet and American style two pin socket as well as a standard 13 amp plug, which were installed throughout the building.
Wandsworth’s involvement was not simply limited to lighting and electrical sockets for this particular project. At the client’s invitation, Wandsworth were all also delighted to provide individually designed and constructed disabled toilet alarm systems (again, in the same style as the Classic Collection Super Mirrored Stainless Steel).
Ensuring excellence in electrical accessories from concept to delivery Right through the overall project lifecycle of just over two and a half years the Wandsworth Group’s staff kept in constant contact with all parties, from the clients own representatives to the M & E consultants, Mecserve, and the electrical contractors, LJJ of Stockton. By maintaining continual communication and making numerous site visits Wandsworth were able to react quickly and decisively to any changes in the original specifications, design alterations and other unexpected project developments. Wandsworth offer this kind of end to end service as standard, meaning their clients receive a consistently high level of customer service, as well as seeing deadlines met. This was particularly appreciated by LJJ, who were responsible for the installation of the high end, luxury electrical accessories supplied. As demonstrated throughout the Ham Yard project, the Wandsworth Group is consistently chosen to work with and deliver to large scale projects across the globe. Taking pride in their reputation as the ‘go-to’ firm for clients looking for high spec, hand finished products – something which is demonstrated by the fact that Wandsworth’s electrical accessories are used extensively in the construction, repair and renovation of countless landmark buildings across the world.
Hand-crafted hotel light switches and electrical sockets exceed the highest quality demands The premium electrical accessories which are handcrafted and tested beyond the highest industry standards by a British workforce are valued by top class interior designers and architects – all of whom recognise their brand as a market leading innovator and supplier of peerless quality.
The Ham Yard Hotel project was completed on 1st June 2014 and the hotel is already a popular place to stay for many visitors to the capital who have been entranced by its chic urban village feel and Kit Kemp’s stunning modern British interior styling. Located in the heart of the cosmopolitan Soho district the Ham Yard Hotel is also proving to be a big hit with savvy Londoners looking for a convenient place to rendezvous, relax, enjoy a drink or indulge in a fabulous dining experience, all within easy walking distance of the city of Westminster.
For the people who make up the Wandsworth Group – from the skilled designers and craftsmen to the individual project managers – it is a source of great pride that Firmdale Hotels, leading interior stylists and renowned architects around the world continue to choose them for electrical accessories that live up to their high standards of class, elegance, reliability and quality. If Giorgio Armani had been an interior designer it’s nice to think he would approve.
JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, the global luxury brand that is part of Marriott International’s luxury brands portfolio, is thrilled to debut the new JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach – the brand’s first hotel in Singapore.
Located in close proximity to the Marina Bay entertainment and business districts, the new 634-room luxury hotel is poised to become an iconic lifestyle destination in the heart of Singapore’s arts and culture district.
“We are thrilled to welcome discerning travellers to this design-led landmark in the hub of Singapore’s arts and culture district,” said Derek Flint, General Manager, JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach. “We look forward to enriching guests with a truly luxurious experience and showcasing the warm, intuitive service that is synonymous with the JW Marriott brand globally.”
The hotel consists of both historic and newly constructed buildings with interiors designed by renowned French designer Philippe Starck and architecture by award-winning British architects, Foster and Partners. Complemented by a multi-million dollar collection of more than 30 works and installations by regionally and internationally acclaimed artists, guests can expect enriching and multi-sensory cultural experiences throughout the hotel.
Upon arrival, guests are greeted by a 7-metre video wall installation by South Korean artist Lee Lee Nam. The wall brings art to life through movement and technology with the use of the LED monitors as a canvas to create an artistic symphony. Additional works include the Donna a Cavallo, a lobby sculpture by the acclaimed Fernando Botero, and the Gorilla, a reclaimed scrap metal sculpture at the hotel entrance by Turner Prize winner Iain Nutting. Guest elevators are also an artistic expression with custom RGB wallpaper, and graffiti artwork by Milan-based art and design duo Carnovsky.
Set to become one of Singapore’s most coveted culinary destinations, JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach will feature a total of nine dining options. Five outlets will open on 15 December 2016 including Akira Back, by celebrity chef Akira Back, which offers modern Japanese cuisine with Korean accents and culinary influences from around the world; Beach Road Kitchen, an all-day-dining restaurant, featuring global cuisine and to-go items; Court Martial Bar and Media Bar, offering cocktails in refined lounge and gastropub settings; and Tonic, serving gin-based cocktails in an intimate environment. The remaining four outlets will open second quarter 2017.
JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach offers hotel programming and amenities to appeal to and nurture guests’ passions. In the lobby, guests can feed their curiosity in the Concierge Library – a social space hosted by the hotel concierge – and at the Activity Table, which offers enriching cultural programming such as wine and cheese tastings, coffee experiences, chef-led culinary events and more. Additional curated experiences include a hotel heritage tour showcasing the property’s historical significance and architectural brilliance.
The property also features a variety of wellness offerings including Spa by JW (opening second quarter 2017), a brand spa concept created to demystify and reimagine the spa experience with treatments based on four benefit states. Spa by JW comprises 10 treatment rooms, including two private and two express treatment suites. JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach also boasts an outdoor infinity pool, sky garden and a 24-hour fitness centre at Flow18.
Each of the 634 guest rooms and suites are fitted with a full array of modern amenities and smart technology including an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) system, up to seven USB power sockets per room, and a Wi-Fi-enabled mobile phone that allows guests to receive calls anywhere within the property. The hotel also offers guest rooms with the female traveller in mind, which feature amenities such as a “boyfriend” shirt, facial steamer, hair straightener and more.
An ideal venue for any event, the property has 1,711 square metres of indoor and outdoor events and meeting space, including a 520 square metre Grand Ballroom housed in a 1930s historic Drill Hall, which features a dramatic 11,520-light Forest of Lights design by Philippe Starck. The hotel’s 15 meeting rooms are housed in Assembly, one of the property’s restored historic buildings.
CapitaLand’s wholly owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has expanded its global footprint to Ireland, one of the fastest growing economies in Europe.
It has acquired an operating hotel in Ireland’s capital city Dublin, the 136-unit Temple Bar Hotel, for €55.1 million (£46 million). Located within Temple Bar, the vibrant cultural heart of Dublin’s city centre, the property is close to museums, boutiques, restaurants, cafés, galleries and attractions such as the famous Dublin Castle, Guinness Storehouse and Jameson Distillery.
Mr Lee Chee Koon, Ascott’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Europe is a key market for Ascott’s global expansion. Ireland’s pro-business environment has attracted some of the world’s biggest companies such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft and LinkedIn to establish their European headquarters in Dublin. Ireland is also used as a launch pad to the European Union (EU) by many US companies and US is amongst Ascott’s top source markets globally. Ascott’s entry into Ireland will cater to this rising demand for accommodation by corporate and leisure travellers. The acquisition will boost Ascott’s €1.2 billion (£1 billion) portfolio in Europe and bring us closer to our target of 10,000 units in the region by 2020.”
Ireland is rated by The World Bank’s ‘Doing Business’ Report as amongst the easiest places in the EU to start a business. Post Brexit, Dublin has stepped up efforts to woo multinational companies to site their EU-based operations in Ireland.
The Dublin property sits on Fleet Street, minutes away from Dame Street, a main thoroughfare in the Irish capital where many financial institutions such as the Central Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish Bank and Ulster Bank are situated. It is also within walking distance to the International Financial Services Centre that houses more than 500 companies including global financial institutions, law firms, audit firms and taxation advisors. Its central location offers guests convenient access to Grafton Street and Henry Street, the two main shopping streets in Dublin. In addition, major event facilities such as the Convention Centre Dublin, the 3Arena and Aviva Stadium are nearby.
The property also benefits from key transport services that are within easy reach from its door step – the Dublin Area Rapid Transit and LUAS (Dublin’s light rail tram system) lines as well as extensive bus network provide guests with swift connection to the airport and the rest of the city.
Ascott achieved record growth this year with more than 10,000 apartment units added globally. It also launched LYF, a new brand designed for and managed by millennials, which will complement its other existing brands to accelerate Ascott’s growth to achieve its 80,000-unit target globally by 2020.
The Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the most dynamic hotel groups worldwide and a member of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, is proud to announce the signing of the first Radisson Red in Georgia.
The new build city-centre stand-alone hotel will be located in the heart of the city on Chavchavadze Street. The Radisson Red Chavchavadze, Tbilisi is expected to open its doors in mid-2019, and will feature around 100 rooms.
Elie Younes, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer of The Rezidor Hotel Group said: “Eastern Europe is a very promising market for travel and tourism, and Georgia has one of the fastest growing tourism rates in the region. We are delighted to further diversify our contemporary offer in Tbilisi and bring our award-winning lifestyle select brand Radisson Red to the city. Radisson Red appeals to the ageless millennial mindset, is inspired by art, music and fashion, and breaks the traditional hotel model. We strongly believe that the property will take the Georgian hospitality scene to a new level.”
“We are delighted and confident to partner with The Rezidor Hotel Group and to bring the first Radisson Red to Georgia. Rezidor is one of the strongest and most innovative hospitality leaders in EMEA. With the award-winning launch of Radisson Red in Brussels earlier this year, they have once again proven their capacity to operate successful brands and hotels internationally,” added George Gedevanishvili, Project Manager for LLC Commerce Group.
The hotel will cater for business and leisure travelers and will feature a restaurant with an outdoor terrace and rooftop bar. The hotel will be ideally located in the prime city center, on one of the main avenues named after the writer Ilia Chavchavadze.
The Radisson Red Chavchavadze, Tbilisi will be managed and operated by The Rezidor Hotel Group.
Preparations are under way for Cambodian-based Grand Lion Group to open the very first Marriott International branded hotel in Cambodia, a 233-room Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap Resort in April 2017.
The Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap Resort is strategically sited 15 minutes away from the UNESCO World Heritage site of Angkor Archaeological Park, one of the world’s renowned tourist sites which drew over two million global visitors in 2015. In June this year, the European Council on Tourism and Trade (ECTT) announced Cambodia as the ‘World’s Best Tourist Destination’ for 2016, out of 29 candidate countries. Simultaneously, Cambodia was also declared the ‘Favourite Cultural Destination’. The top three source markets to Cambodia are Asia, Europe and the Americas.
The Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap Resort will feature 233 stylishly-designed guestrooms with four-fixture bathrooms. In-room amenities will include Marriott’s famous plush bed and bath linen and amenities, high-definition flat-screen television, high-speed internet access, mini-bar and safe. Dining and entertainment options include a casual, all-day dining restaurant, a rooftop bar called The View with stunning views of Angkor Wat, a grand ballroom and a lobby lounge. Recreational facilities will include an outdoor swimming pool and a fitness centre as well as a full-service spa including a relaxation lounge and a foot reflexology area.
The property will also feature approximately 600 sq m of function space and is expected to create over 200 employment opportunities.
The Grand Lion Group also plans to open a 250-room resort Marriott branded resort in Cambodia’s beachside playground of Sihanoukville adjacent to a 688-unit residence and a retail mall. Slated to break ground in the 4th quarter of 2017, the sleek USD160 million project designed by Blink Architects, is dramatically designed to change the skyline of Sihanoukville and inject real luxury into this region. Sited four hours by road from Phnom Penh in the south west of Cambodia, the Resort is scheduled to open in 2020.
Think of 3D printing, and you might well think of high-profile news stories a decade back involving airport security and ‘printed firearms’. Rest assured, the technology has moved on considerably since those burgeoning days. And one of the pioneering companies has been Stylo, the Hertfordshire-based print firm, which is now at the forefront of some incredibly exciting possibilities in three-dimensional printing.
Hotel Designs caught up with Stylo MD Simon Olley to find out a bit more about the company and the potential in this technology…
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Stylo has been in business for nigh on twenty years, starting out from humble beginnings – “…all from a spare room in my flat”, Simon tells me – to now being one of the leading UK names in the print industry and employing dozens of people.
“The original key markets for us were exhibitions and events. Also, we manufacture in-house – mainly so that we can control the quality and delivery of anything we do. The benefit of that has been developing the technology in line with the demands of the clients, mostly retail, that we’ve built up over 20 years of being in business, and have been with us since we started – like Café Nero who have been with us since the beginning.”
A lot of that work involved two-dimensional work for retail shopfitting and display, and Simon admits that two-dimensional is still a big part of Stylo’s remit. But over the last two decades, the firm has moved into various other areas.
“Since then, we’ve realised that a lot of the work now required from clients has been moving into three-dimensional. We found there is a strong niche in taking everything we do in 2D and giving some dimension to it,” Simon says. So, how did they go about achieving that?
Some examples of the breadth of work possible using the technology…
“About two years ago, we created a 3D design team and the logic behind that was we could take our 2D print work and add to it around fabrication and construction. We told our 3D team to monitor where the technology was going – and we didn’t think small-scale really had a place in our markets, so it’s all about large-scale. So, our team is self-taught, really, in taking a 2D image and turning it into a three-dimensional shape – which involves a lot of computer-generated-imagery – creating an image and then printing it in 3D,” he adds.
Realising the potential of the technology led Stylo to join forces in 2015 with Israeli company Massivit, who themselves had been carrying out research and development on large-scale printing solutions, which fit the bill for Stylo perfectly. “The key things for us in printing large are speed and being lightweight – especially if we were installing something like a sculpture in a hotel for example. If the item weighs half-a-tonne the logistics are just too difficult to manage. Being lightweight, it needs to be hollow, which is vital and something Massivit’s technology allows,” Simon states.
A Massivit 1800 3D printer unit…
Indeed, traditional 3D printing involves building layers upon layers, to create a solid unit, which would take far too long. Simon explains: “We needed something that allowed us to print 10 times faster but also using a tenth of the material, which is what this technology allows us to do – integrate our 3D design into a hollow structure. It also cuts down on costs when quoting for clients – for something that is eight-foot high; if we used traditional methods that would cost something like £25,000 which you and I both know is never going to get approved!”
With only a handful of machines being installed globally, being the first UK adopters of the new technology has allowed Stylo to carve a niche and gain a market edge. Something Simon takes pride in: “About 15 years ago, print industry took a turn towards direct printing. Before then, anything that was printed had to go onto a bit of paper, or vinyl or some sort of surface, which in itself would then be mounted to a rigid surface. So this method of direct printing changed the game – getting there ahead of everyone else means we’re challenging ourselves internally with how we can push technology, we’re never quite satisfied with just doing it the same way as everybody else. Even Buckingham Palace think we’re innovative as they awarded us the Queen’s Award for Innovation!”
—— How the technology works…
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So can this be applied to hospitality? Work in the hospitality sector has started to come in; Stylo recently worked on a 2,000-room project in the far-east providing 45,000-sq-metres of printed wallpaper – but there is so much potential in this sector according to Simon.
“I have to say that we are still really early in terms of applying this technology to hospitality. All the people who have bought these machines have either bought them for a specific purpose to complete a specific task or they’ve bought them in an entrepreneurial spirit – like ourselves. We bought this technology thinking ‘it’s really cool, it’s really exciting’. We’re saying now that if we could get into the early design stages of hotels, especially in boutique and independent hotels, where creating a personalised identity for every room is key – even if it’s only a 30 or 40 room hotel – it could be really cool to have an individual statue for each room for example.
“Or in the entrance to a hotel, having a really quirky feature that strikes visitors as soon as they enter. And even in the gardens – we could use our Buddha head, that we’ve been showing off at shows recently, around water features. It’s about creating that initial ‘wow factor’,” Simon says.
For this Buddha head, Stylo worked with Anarchy, one of the UK’s leading model making company’s based in Watford, who took Stylo 3D print and used it to create a fibre glass mould from which this Model was cast. This makes it externally durable and can be quickly and cost effectively re-produced re-using the mould time and time again…
Getting in with designers is now the priority for Stylo. Simon believes that once the technology is ‘out there’, it will be about convincing design professionals of the creative potential of its applications. “Having a discussion purely from the design perspective about doing things on an enormous scale, completely random things and off-the-wall things is what we want. So it’s about working with designers to come up with these ideas and then us showing them the capabilities of creating some really unique pieces,” he adds.
The production benefits are definitely there to be seen also. The ‘additive’ method of production – namely starting with nothing and building into something, rather than starting with something and taking away – means hardly any waste and its lightweight nature means transportation savings, which both tick environmental and sustainable boxes. Furthermore, Simon is proud of the fact that artisanal skills will still be maintained. Once a piece has been printed, the finished article still retains the look of the UV gel. Yet, each piece can be finished in countless styles to request – and having seen the giant Buddha head (above) at the recent 100% Design show, Hotel Designs can vouch for the quality of the finish. It also means each piece, even if identical in print, will have a slightly unique look.
Is Simon tempted to bring design in-house at Stylo and come up with and create the ideas themselves?
“It’s a fine line, because if we play the role of designers as well as producers, we run the risk of stepping on the toes of our clients. I personally love design myself, but one of the downsides of being a production-driven company, is that if we are designing as well – we are going to be designing in a ‘production-friendly’ way. So what we want is designers to not have to worry about how the items will be made – they should have free rein to do whatever they want. It’s our challenge to take their concept and then our 3D designers can turn that into something ‘producible’.”
The enthusiasm for the technology and the endless possibilities within the hospitality sector from Simon and his team is both audible and visible. And looking at some of the fantastic pieces they’ve created already, we have no doubts that it won’t be long before it becomes commonplace to see 3D-printed items in independents, boutiques and major chains – with Stylo continuing to be pioneers at the forefront of the field…
The ‘Best Hotel in the World’, according to voters in the Conde Nast Travellers’ Readers’ Choice Awards is Ballyfin Demesne in County Laois, Ireland.
The hotel opened in 2011 after 8 years of renovation and is located in the foothills Slieve Bloom. The Regency mansion, set in 614 acres, has 20 five-star rooms with every room within the magnificent building fitted out with Wandsworth Electricals’ light switches and sockets.
Fitted with Wandsworth’s Classic Collection, which is a signature collection that features a sleek, flat plate and provides a stylish design that can complement a wide range of styles, these elegant electrical accessories help provide the finishing touch to the hotels design.
Selecting a wide variety of finishes including polished brass, each carefully selected finish ensures the designer switches and sockets blend beautifully into the decor.
You can download Wandsworth’s brochures here to view their seven hand-crafted premium collections of electrical accessories that are perfect for every setting, from commercial to hotels to residential.
Luxury fabric specialist Kobe UK, is bringing its exciting new Kobe and Essente upholstery collections to the January Furniture Show in Birmingham.
New to the show will be Kobe’s Boutique collection of unique and timeless, 100% natural, curtain and upholstery fabrics, suitable for both domestic and contract use.
A collection where each fabric has an individual identity, this lavish mix of innovative textiles features sumptuous velvet, woven jacquard, cool cotton and soft satin appearance. A palette of rich deep and softly nostalgic tones complements the geometric, floral, paisley and botanical patterns.
From the Essente collection is Cocoon, a soft supple 100% polyester chenille fabric that can be used for both curtains and upholstery and comes in 36 shades. Cocoon is provided with FR domestic back-coat ‘ready to go’ and can be obtained from stock in three days. Further treatment will be available for contract use (Crib 5).
Essente features easy-to-care-for, washable fabrics in a cool linen, soft chenille and silk satin appearance. This natural palette of pastel and neutral tones complements the sophisticated barcode stripe, subtle polka dot, trellis and paisley designs.
Also being unveiled at the show will be Kobe’s Bufera collection, an exciting range specially designed with today’s upholstery in mind. Bufera is a plush chenille woven dobby with a soft luxurious texture. The mix of cotton and viscose yarns is complemented by rich deep shades and a natural palette of pastel and neutral tones.
The 100% natural fabric collection is suitable for both domestic and contract upholstery use, passing all required flame retardant standards. Bufera can be supplied with an Ace treatment which passes domestic and contract upholstery, curtain and bedspread standards. The treatment also offers soil and stain qualities- making this a multipurpose treatment.
Following on from its success at last year’s show will be Kobe’s library of sample books, bringing together timeless designs with an array of textiles. These feature a wide range of colours, textures and patterns, perfect for creating interiors that reflect the latest trends for today’s high-end domestic and contract markets.
The Essente collection benefits from the logistical expertise and quality of Kobe, while giving access to a wider customer base through its realistic price points. The range is suitable for both domestic and commercial installations. All Kobe’s upholstery fabrics offer exceptional durability, scoring highly on the Martindale Rub Test.
Kobe and Essente can be found in Hall 1 at the NEC, Birmingham. Kobe is on C3 and Essente on C4.
The recent signing of Meliá Bangkok marks Meliá Hotels International entry into the Bangkok hotel industry in 2022. Meliá Bangkok is the company’s second property in Thailand, following the signing of Sol Beach House Koh Samui in 2015, and will be Meliá Hotels & Resorts first city-centre hotel.
Meliá Bangkok will be managed under the Meliá Hotels & Resorts brand. The new-build, upscale ‘bleisure’ hotel will strengthen the brand’s portfolio of global urban resorts and will boast 315 luxurious guestrooms, exceptional F&B outlets, spa amenities, a fitness center and meeting facilities. The hotel’s site will also be home to retail and office space.
Meliá Hotels & Resorts, the most international brand of the MHI, has 126 properties worldwide and more than 30 years of presence in Asia. The announcement of Meliá Bangkok reaffirms of the group’s commitment to the region, which is highly valued by travellers worldwide and characterised by the personalised experiences provided through the Passion for Service culture.
In 2016, Meliá Hotels International celebrated its 60th Anniversary. MHI has outlined the Group’s vision to double the Asian hotel portfolio by 2020 and the signing of Meliá Bangkok brings MHI’s presence in the Asian market to 13 operating hotels with a further 22 properties in the pipeline.
Minor Hotels, a hotel owner, operator and investor, currently with a portfolio of 155 hotels and resorts in 23 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, South America, Africa and the Indian Ocean, has announced the debut of its luxury Anantara brand in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Scheduled to open in 2019, Anantara Jeddah Resort will be located on the waterfront in Obhur in the city’s upmarket northern district and will offer 226 guest rooms and 102 two to five bedroom villas. The property is owned by SAB Group and was previously a luxury residential compound which will undergo a renovation and transformation led by cutting edge international design architects.
Facilities will include a selection of dining options with both indoor and outdoor seating, fitness and swimming pool areas, a kid’s and teen’s club and a library. For business guests, there is a 500 square metre meeting room which is divisible by two, plus two further meeting rooms. The resort has two receptions and lobbies, one dedicated for VIP arrivals.
Spa and wellness will be a major focus of the resort, which will offer a female and male Anantara Spa and an impressive wellness centre. An extensive selection of wellness journeys will be available, as part of Anantara’s ‘Balance’ programme. These will include detox, de-stress, weight management, anti-aging and rejuvenation, along with therapies such as Ayurveda, hammam and reflexology. Guests will be able to enjoy wellness cuisine and healthy cooking classes, with activities including yoga, pilates and Tai Chi. In addition, the resort will offer a regular programme of wellness-focused educational workshops and special events.
The Obhur area is undergoing a significant transformation anchored by the development of the one kilometre high Kingdom Tower which will open in 2020 and will become Jeddah’s new city centre. The Anantara Jeddah will offer stunning views of the nearby Kingdom Tower.
Jeddah is one of the preferred destinations among domestic leisure tourists and religious pilgrims as it is the gateway to the holy cities. The area’s transport and airport infrastructure is currently being enhanced, including a new high speed rail access scheduled to open in 2018 which will connect Jeddah to the airport, Makkah and Medina.
Sheraton Hotels & Resorts has announced the debut of Sheraton Grand in Africa with opening of Sheraton Grand Conakry. The newly built hotel marks Marriott International’s entry into Guinea, West Africa and joins a portfolio of more than 35 Sheraton Grand properties worldwide, with destinations spanning Istanbul, Dubai, Bangalore, Beijing and beyond.
Within easy reach from the international airport, Sheraton Grand Conakry is conveniently situated in Conakry’s up-and-coming trendy Kipe district. With an enviable ocean-front location, the hotel introduces modern, elegant design, signature brand programing and an elevated guest experience for business and leisure travelers in the heart of West Africa.
All 269 well-appointed guestrooms boast breathtaking ocean views, offering unmatched comfort and the Sheraton Signature Sleep Experience. Contemporary design and local touches blend to create a distinct and vibrant aesthetic.
“We are proud to be the first Sheraton Grand in Africa and Indian Ocean, and to join the existing roster of esteemed hotels and resorts worldwide,” said Helga Deboeck, General Manager of Sheraton Grand Conakry. “We have worked diligently to ensure the hotel goes above and beyond to deliver a fresh, modern and memorable experience to our guests setting a new benchmark of service within West Africa.”
Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn have announced the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Hong Kong Mongkok in Hong Kong SAR, China.
Managed by Hilton and owned by Hong Kong China Development Holding, the 258-room Hilton Garden Inn Hong Kong Mongkok is the first Hilton Garden Inn hotel in the bustling city of Hong Kong. It is also the first Hilton hotel to open in the SAR since Conrad Hong Kong opened in 1990.
Hilton Garden Inn Hong Kong Mongkok occupies a prime location in Mongkok, one of the most popular shopping districts in Kowloon.
The hotel is surrounded by tourist attractions, including major shopping malls, colourful street bazaars and hip nightspots. Getting around the city is easy as Hilton Garden Inn Hong Kong Mongkok is just 1 kilometre from Mongkok MTR station, which also offers connections to Hong Kong International Airport, which is 31.2 kilometres from the hotel, and to Hong Kong Disneyland, which is 21 kilometres away.
The tastefully decorated rooms are designed to optimize comfort and convenience. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer garden views and comprehensive in-room amenities include work stations with ergonomic chairs, laptop-sized safes, as well as 40-inch flat-screen HD televisions with local and cable channels. Guests can also expect comfortable bedding with hypoallergenic pillows, in addition to coffee and tea-making facilities.
The hotel also offers flexible event space, including a 400 square metre pillar-less ballroom that can accommodate up to 300 people. Equipped with cutting-edge audiovisual technology, including LED TV walls, the hotel is an ideal venue for corporate events, social gatherings and weddings.
Hotel brand and management company Dream Hotel Group signed its first hotel in Vietnam with locally owned Beegreen Group to develop Dream Oceanami Villas & Spa in Long Hai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, the country’s top tourist destination.
Set to open in June 2017, Dream Oceanami Villas & Spa will be the first of four new resort hotels developed by Beegreen Group and managed by Dream Hotel Group in Vietnam over the next two years. Future locations include Vung Tau City, Hoi An, Ho Tram and Con Dao.
The 347-villa resort destination, featuring eight dining and nightlife venues, including its signature Dream Beach Club fronting the South China Sea on a one-kilometre stretch of pristine beach in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, is the first Vietnam development for the brand and a pivotal step in the group’s global expansion strategy. Joining Dream Phuket Hotel & Spa and Dream Bangkok in Thailand, Dream Oceanami Villas & Spa marks the third Asia-Pacific property for the group.
Dream Hotel Group plans to open more than 30 hotels and resorts in Asia over the next four years across all its hotel brands—Dream, Time, The Chatwal and Unscripted—continuing to solidify its burgeoning portfolio.
Earlier this year, Dream Hotel Group announced $1.5 billion in new hotel development for the Dream Hotels brand, including Doha in Qatar, the company’s first foray into the Middle East, and five other U.S. locations, all with independent hotel development partners. Future U.S. locations include Nashville, Dallas, Palm Springs, and two additional New York properties in Times Square and Long Island City.
The news follows that of the highly anticipated David Rockwell-designed Dream Hollywood opening at 6417 Selma Avenue in January 2017, and the first location of Dream Hotel Group’s new Unscripted brand, set to open in Durham, North Carolina in May 2017. Located in the heart of downtown Durham, the 74-room property will breathe new life into the old Jack Tar Motor Lodge, a mid-century design icon reimagined.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced this week the official opening of Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya. Joining internationally acclaimed eco-destination Mayakoba, the premium oceanfront property helps bring an exciting new experience to the locale, immersing guests in a hidden paradise with six miles of freshwater canals surrounded by exotic mangroves, lagoons, flora and fauna as well as tropical birds.
The setting transports guests into a lush natural environment where locally inspired experiences, cuisine and personalized service are brought to life. Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya marks the first Mexico property for the lifestyle brand.
“Today is an exciting day as we officially open the doors to the Andaz brand’s first property in Mexico in the incredible, sustainable destination of Mayakoba,” said General Manager Lin Schatz. “With lush landscape and a rich Mayan culture, the region ideally encapsulates the brand’s connection to its local surroundings. From the unique design and native cuisine to indigenous spa treatments, partnerships and experiences led by local insiders, guests will feel entirely immersed in the culture during their stay.”
In the spirit of providing guests with an authentic local experience, the guestrooms and suites designs draw heavily from traditional crafts and iconography to create an intriguing design meant to stimulate the senses in new and refreshing ways. At Andaz Mayakoba, 214 alluring, open layout guestrooms and suites overlook crystal clear lagoons, mangrove and resort gardens, the golf course or spectacular views of the Caribbean coastline.
The accommodations are naturally inspired with stylish amenities and a refined collection of artisan décor. Each offers a spacious balcony or terrace; 41 luxury suites also feature private plunge pools. The design of the rooms are grounded by an ‘area rug’ crafted from a collection of locally produced Mexican cement tiles as well as a signature Mayan décor item such as a traditional mask, a Mayan huipil or a colorful bird figure. The remainder of the room is minimalist in design with color tones inspired from natural terrain such as stone, sand and water.
Unique to this hotel’s design, the bathrooms span the entire length of the room, allowing natural light and views to filter into both the bathroom and sleeping areas.
Leading global hospitality company Dusit International has signed a management agreement with Myanmar V-Pile Group to operate the Dusit Thani Yangon.
Located just 15 minutes by car from Yangon International Airport, and approximately 20 minutes’ drive from the city’s main tourist attraction, the Shwedagon Pagoda, the new property sits at the heart of land earmarked by the Myanmar government to become the former capital’s new Central Business District.
Dusit Thani Yangon will be positioned as a five-star corporate and MICE city hotel within a pioneering mixed-use development incorporating a convention centre, offices, retail and residential units. The hotel will comprise 338 rooms and feature one all-day-dining restaurant, one specialty Thai restaurant, and one rooftop restaurant and bar. Meeting facilities will include a 400-seat ballroom with adjoining conference rooms. Guests will also have access to a swimming pool, spa and gym.
Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO of Dusit International, said: “Myanmar is a fast-emerging market and we are delighted to partner with Myanmar V-Pile Group for this very special project. Being one of the first five-star corporate and MICE city hotels within Yangon’s new Central Business District gives us a great opportunity to showcase our unique brand of gracious Thai hospitality in one of the ASEAN Economic Community’s largely untapped markets. This should set us up perfectly for further expansion within the country, including key destinations such as Bagan, Mandalay, and Inle Lake, as well as throughout Southeast Asia in general, where we already have over 20 properties in the pipeline.”
Dr Sone Han, Chairman of Myanmar V-Pile Group, said, “As Myanmar is the last frontier market in Asia, and the hotel and tourism industry is growing very fast, our group is very excited to commence our first phase of the Secondary Central Business District (Mindhama) project, which will include the five-star Dusit Thani Yangon together with the new, international standard Myanmar Convention Centre. We are delighted to partner with Dusit International, and we believe that Dusit Thani Yangon will very much work in synergy with our Second CBD project while delighting visitors with the gracious hospitality for which Dusit is renowned.”
With a brand portfolio that ranges from personalised luxury to cutting-edge cool, Dusit International operates 29 properties in key destinations around the globe. A further 40 projects are already confirmed to open internationally within the next three years. Alongside Dusit Thani, Dusit International also operates the dusitD2, Dusit Devarana, and DusitPrincess brands.
New Madrid property, Only YOU Hotel Atocha has officially opened its doors bringing an authentic slice of New York to the Spanish capital.
The launch of the new urban-style hotel welcomes a unique range of events, including a pop up gin bar (in collaboration with Seagram’s Gin) featuring the four most famous cocktail bars from the Big Apple, including highly acclaimed The Dead Rabbit. The four-month launch period also features an authentic jazz residency from renowned US jazz label Blue Note, a barber shop reminiscent of Frank’s Chop Shop, located in the lower east side of Manhattan, and gastronomy created by New York based Michelin star chef, Bryce Shuman.
Officially inaugurated on 1 December 2016 by Spanish actress Mónica Cruz, the new urban-style hotel faces Atocha railway station, one of the city’s major transportation hubs, overlooking the Paseo Infanta Isabel and Alfonso XII street, close to Madrid’s spectacular Retiro Park. At just a few metres from Madrid’s main station and within walking distance of the best city attractions, its strategic location is ideal for visitors who can explore the city on foot, including Madrid’s famous Golden Triangle of Art (including the Prado, Reina Sofia Museum and Thyssen – Bornemisza Museum), as well as many of the capital’s historic sites.
The décor of the hotel bears the hallmark of prestigious Barcelona-based interior designer Lázaro Rosa Violán, who has created a welcoming, warm and sophisticated space that blends industrial and Mediterranean styles and materials. The spectacular lobby area offers different spaces and concepts to enjoy during the day or at night featuring exhibitions and events and a bar and café designed to welcome visitors and locals alike.
The hotel includes 205 elegant rooms, spread across seven floors as well as a gym with a personal trainer service and running club, multi-purpose rooms for business guests and multiple dining options.
As well as typical New York cuisine and cocktails, Only YOU Hotel Atocha also offers a gastronomic journey through Latin America to Asia and back to Europe. ‘Trotamundos by Spoonik’ brings a menu developed by resident chef Javi Mora, in collaboration with Spoonik Club chefs Jon Giraldo and Jamie Lieberman, insignias of fusion cuisine. ‘The Bakery by Mama Framboise’ offers sweet temptations as well as savoury sandwiches and other baked delights in the style of a New York deli, whilst ‘YOUniverse’ is a terrace and restaurant located on the seventh floor, offering breakfast with a view and a modern terrace to enjoy wonderful views of the Spanish capital and good music with the resident DJ.
The Atocha addition to the Only You Hotels portfolio joins Only YOU Boutique Hotel Madrid in the Spanish capital, and represents Palladium Hotel Group’s strategy of increasing its urban portfolio in Europe’s main city destinations. The hotel’s central location and contemporary design will suit both leisure and business travellers.
GROHE’s VP of Design, Michael Seum, on Essence and its expanded range of colours that gives more creative freedom to designers and architects.
The Essence range of classically elegant mixers has always been a hallmark of pure and modern design. They were redesigned last year and recently they have been upgraded with a wider choice of deluxe colours and state-of-the-art finishes. The re-designed mixers offer a whole new set of options for the design community, giving them the chance to create their own individual look and feel. We spoke to Michael Seum, Vice President of Design at GROHE, about renewing a classic.
Q. What’s the enduring appeal of Essence? Michael Seum: First let me make it clear that we have remained absolutely faithful to the original product philosophy of minimalist shape and purity of design. For many years, the Essence range has given architects and interior designers a classic design with simple and understated geometry. It is these cherished ideals that enables Essence to complement almost any bathroom style – and therefore, makes it the architects’ first choice.
Q. So what does Essence Colours bring that is new? MS: Our interactions with design-thought leaders across the world, showed us that there was a growing need for more individuality and personalisation in bathroom design. That’s why we have expanded our range to include 8 new options. With these new options we have created an incredibly rich toolbox for the creative mind allowing tremendous flexibility. This approach has had an immediate impact and has been extremely well received by the global design community. For example, our Hard Graphite in both polished and brushed finishes beautifully complement a huge range or interiors. From marble and pure white bathrooms, light wood tones as well as concrete and dark matte tiles, we find this finish is so versatile it will enable interior designers to create their dream bathroom whatever the style.
Q. What about the design itself? MS: The new Essence design that we launched has the same traditional delicate transitions and understated geometry of the classic Essence range but with a slightly softened and more humanised approach. This becomes especially apparent in the mixer lever: We have included a very slight taper on the handle, which gives the user a sensual experience of precision control. So there is now more choice in the Essence range but we made sure that we’re retaining the same instantly recognisable iconic look and feel of classic simplicity. There is a strong undercurrent of consistency!
Q. You mentioned the reaction of the design community. How was Essence received? MS: In one word: excitement. The last few months I’ve been globetrotting with samples of Essence and in all honesty I was very pleasantly shocked at the huge positivity and enthusiasm of designers across the world. In Europe, for example, one interior design team immediately embraced the idea of working with our new colours and finishes, giving them much more freedom to coordinate them with their overall vision. A recent conversation in Tokyo with a prominent designer evoked a similar response. It’s been exciting to see the powerful enthusiasm for Essence.
Q. You say that Essence was prompted by changing needs in design. What are these? MS: Before starting any new design – and certainly before we put pen to paper in the studio – we look at what’s going on around us. Not only in terms of trends, but also in the more fundamental, global changes that take place. We consult with leading analysts, social commentators and futurologists. And obviously, we use my own experiences and observations. On this occasion, everyone seemed to agree that for billions of people the digital revolution has dramatically changed how they live their lives. Everything is going at hyper speed. So sometimes, people want a moment of escape. Especially in the bathroom, the traditional oasis of individual serenity and relaxation. They crave an environment that is a break from the predictable uniformity of the digital age.
Q. How is the Essence a response to that? MS: For one, there are the slightly softened and humanised transitions and geometry of the Essence range. Another is the extensive choice of colours and finishes. People want the familiarity of iconic classic design, but they also want to be pampered with an individualistic look and feel. This level of personalisation really elevates the Essence line to a bespoke experience. It also gives interior designers and consumers the opportunity to bring new and luxurious emotional connections to bathroom designs. I believe that this act of establishing connections is the true role of product designers like us. Ultimately, as designers, we must make an emotional difference to people’s lives.
Q. And what are the main benefits for architects and interior designers? MS: There are three main benefits. Firstly, Essence gives designers more options than ever to express their creativity – and from what I’ve already seen the results are truly exciting. Secondly, this classic design will easily translate into almost any bathroom style – so architects and designers now have a short-cut to specification whatever project they are working on. The third benefit is cost-efficiency. The Essence series has always represented affordable classic design with a long durability, and Essence can still be part of proposals that require an element of cost-competitiveness.
Q. Finally, what else have you planned for this versatile series? MS: Well, we are interacting with and listening to designers more and more, and they are flooding us with ideas on how and where we can take Essence. And we will, of course, take action on this creative thinking. But for now, we just want to open the floodgates of the options we have developed. I am genuinely excited to be part of what will be a true celebration of creativity in the next few years. And would like to thank everyone in advance for their contribution.
About Michael Seum Industrial designer Michael Seum is GROHE’s Vice President of Design taking over from Paul Flowers in June 2015. Born in America, he is an award-winning designer with an international design career spanning large corporations, acclaimed design studios and entrepreneurial brands such as Procter and Gamble, Whirlpool (USA & Italy), PepsiCo Sports and Nutrition, Minimal and WiMo labs. At GROHE, Michael is responsible for delivering insight-driven, meaningful solutions that capture the spirit and imagination of GROHE consumers throughout the world.
Located on the outskirts of Norwich, Best Western Brook Hotel called upon Beacon Design Services to facilitate a refurbishment worth over £100,000 of some of the hotel’s bedrooms, as well as the bar and restaurant area. The refurbishment was part of a wider plan to improve footfall at the hotel with a more modern and practical design, ultimately improving profitability.
The brief was for an inexpensive way to refurbish 13 of the hotel’s bedrooms, giving Beacon Design Services a budget of approximately £3,000 per room. The task was to take one of the Beacon Room In A Box interior design schemes and create something bespoke for the business, ensuring the design worked with the existing items that needed to remain in the rooms.
The Room In A Box service allows businesses to choose from a range of interior design schemes, all of which have been created to meet the Best Western standards for aesthetics. A full refurbishment of the bar and restaurant area was also required, with a budget of £80,000, to not only improve the overall appearance but also the practical elements of the space such as seating specific to the coach tour groups that the hotel often hosts.
Chris Johnson, Design Services Manager at Beacon, commented: “We split the bedroom refurbishment into two phases of six and seven rooms so we could avoid any major drop in occupancy rates for the client and maintain a healthy cash flow. By using one of Beacon’s Room In A Box design schemes but with some slight alterations, for example removing the upholstered headboards and keeping the existing curtains, the hotel and I knew it would fit Best Western’s standards for aesthetics and could confidently go ahead with the design whilst still retaining the hotel’s individuality. We worked extremely closely with the client and contractor in order to make sure the design not only kept to budget, but also became an attractive space for guests.”
“For the bar and restaurant area, the main challenge was ensuring all of the elements worked within the space and this is something the entire team paid close attention to throughout the project. We started by drawing up two sets of plans to show the client how the space could look, which was followed by various site visits with the contractor to work out exactly how the plans would physically translate into the space. As often is the case, budgets were strict and we focused on finding premium-look items, for a lower cost, such as Panaz Enigma, a premium-feel faux leather fabric with a pattern that appears to be stitched into the surface.”
Gareth Stone, General Manager of The Brook Hotel, added: “The investment in our refurbishment has been a great success and we are already seeing an uplift in sales and footfall at the bar by 20%. The main challenge for us was creating a premium feel with a tight budget, but also ensuring we were making the best use of the space, and this is something that Beacon Design Services was very supportive of throughout.”
Beachside bliss, capital chic and heritage hospitality join together to offer independent leisure and business travelers a trilogy of exceptional stays in some of Southeast Asia’s most inspiring and dynamic destinations.
Right on cue for the high season in Thailand, AKARYN Hotel Group is building on the success of its ‘instagenic’ and increasingly popular portfolio of hotels and resorts to offer guests three distinctive new hospitality experiences.
akyra Beach Club Phuket and Aleenta Phuket Resort & Spa This December the akyra Beach Club Phuket has welcomed guests to a sophisticated new oceanside destination on spectacular Natai beach in Phang-Nga province, just 20 minutes from Phuket International Airport. Situated on Thailand’s sunset facing shore with inspirational Andaman seascape views, the resort is but a stroll along the beach from its well established elegant sister property, Aleenta Phuket Resort & Spa, and complements the barefoot luxury offerings next door. The hip, chilled-out experience is enhanced by a menu of top notch comfort cuisine and top shelf beverages, with live DJs, music and performances adding to the good vibrations.
Though each resort is distinctive in its own right, Aleenta Phuket and akyra Beach Club Phuket combine to offer guests an unrivalled leisure and dining destination while also retaining the charm of a secluded beachside enclave. The location feels a world away from the well-trodden beaches of Phuket and sits comfortably between multi-million dollar private homes and local fishing communities.
Custom designed to lift the spirit and calm the soul, The akyra Beach Club Phuket boasts 59 luxurious rooms and stylish stand-alone villas with generous living spaces, branded amenities and a profusion high-end inclusions. Leading edge resort facilities include a beach spa and fully equipped gym and the resort’s integrated beach club offers guests a choice of refined waterfront dining options as they recline in cushioned cabanas or laze on luxury loungers surrounding an enticing beachfront pool. The venue also hosts exceptional daytime and evening events, romantic weddings, regular theme parties and a sensational Sunday Brunch that’s set to set a new benchmark for foodies, mates escaping to paradise and beach believers.
“In many ways the atmosphere is akin to the coolest summer festival by the beach. It’s just a different kind of playground,” says AHG founder and managing director Anchalika Kijkanakorn. “The vision is less about unabashed hedonism, more about the epicurean lifestyle which features in all our resorts. Good food, good tunes, good vibes with extraordinary people enjoying the good things in life – and looking fabulous while doing it. That’s what we are all about.”
akyra Thonglor Bangkok Also launched December 2016, akyra Thonglor Bangkok in the vibrant city. The second urban property in the akyra brand offers a chic metropolitan retreat through a full refurbishment programme that will quietly start this month to transform the former hotel into a unique address in the heart of urban, edgy, contemporary Bangkok – the sought after Thonglor neighbourhood.
akyra Thonglor Bangkok boasts spacious rooms and suites that provide a true sense of “living in the city”, enhanced by a full line-up of top class facilities and services including a pool bar with sparkling city views, a plush executive lounge, a choice of bright, airy meeting and function spaces, an enticing restaurant and a fully equipped fitness centre that’s open 24/7. The hotel also offers seamless access to an inimitable collection of exclusive shops and boutiques, plus a choice of outstanding bars and restaurants that are unique to the area, much-coveted and must-try.
“Thonglor is my favourite part of Bangkok. I live in the neighbourhood and there is a good reason why those in the know choose to spend most of their leisure and business time there,” explains Ms. Kijkanakorn. “Thonglor is exciting, arty, cutting edge, full of design inspiration and art galleries. It’s also local in the sense that even though many expats live there, it’s the long term residents that choose Thonglor for the unique sense of belonging and diverse, always happening feel.”
President by AKARYN – Vientiane, Laos Last but by no means least, AKARYN Hotel Group’s first foray beyond Thai borders is also opening to host guests during the coming peak tourist season. Nestled in a gentle curve of the Mekong River in Vientiane Laos, President by AKARYN transports travelers into the heart of a timeless, gracious and often overlooked city. Formerly known as the ‘Walled City of Sandalwood’, Vientiane is as serene as its name suggests, where peace and quiet pervades, aromas of freshly- baked French bread and freshly-brewed coffee mingle with aromatic noodles, and echoes of the past whisper from colonial mansions on tree-lined avenues.
Rather than refer to the property as the group’s first hotel in Laos, the team at AKARYN prefer to describe it as Laos’ first hotel. An aura of timeless style and elegance pervades each of the 32 guest rooms and suites with an individual butler to be called upon whenever guests need assistance.
“The hotel’s location and the design are peerless with a prime position on the city’s first thoroughfare, Setthathirath Road, with Parliament House and Haw Phra Kaew, the temple of the Emerald Buddha, as neighbours. President by AKARYN will become the landmark of Vientiane. A place where diplomats come to meet and deals are done. A place where travellers, not tourists, travel back in time and experience the past and future of Laos’ Golden Age.”
The President by AKARYN has also been selected by the United Nations-led ASIA Geographical Indication (GI) programme as its main partner. In line with its sustainable approach to business growth and destination development, AKARYN Hotel Group will give back to local communities through sustainable sources of local income to promote sustainable living and tourism.
Ready to Weave axminster carpet from Wilton Carpets has been used to transform the auditorium of The Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton, bringing an elegance fitting of the Victorian interior.
Designed by eminent theatre architect, Charles J. Phillips, The Grand Theatre, Woverhampton has been a focal point of the city since the late 19th Century. As part of a refurbishment of the theatre, some 900m2 of axminster carpet made by Wilton Carpets has been specified and installed by contractor Multifloor (Walsall) Ltd.
Selecting an existing library design in Kingston Pindot and using the Ready to Weave: Our Design service to select a striking red and gold colourway in keeping with the auditorium’s impressive period features, Multifloor presented the design to the city council: “I had used Wilton Carpets in a previous installation at Warwick University and it seemed the natural choice for a project of this stature,” explains Matt Hunt, Multifloor (Walsall) Ltd. “Having worked with Wolverhampton City Council on the theatre before, we were trusted to put forward our specification, so had no hesitation in recommending Wilton Carpets. We presented the design and colour to theatre management, who agreed that it was the right fit for the auditorium.”
Multifloor specified the wool-rich axminster carpet in an eight-row quality to ensure that it could withstand the footfall throughout the theatre’s performances. Woven in Wiltshire using British wool, the carpet was made within the tight deadlines of the project: “Wilton Carpets proved faultless from the production of samples right through to the delivery of the carpet. Failing to meet delivery timescales could have had a huge knock-on effect and would have almost certainly held up the grand opening,” continues Matt Hunt. “We actually received the carpet earlier than promised and thanks to careful planning it was a simple process to fit, even in the complex layout of the auditorium, a huge ‘thumbs up’ to everyone involved.”
The carpet has been well received by all at The Grand Theatre and Multifloor has enjoyed praise for meeting the tight deadlines of the project with such a high quality end result. In fact, such was the success of the project that the contractor has already taken forward the same Kingston Pindot carpet to the main entrance at Wolverhampton Art Gallery.
For further information contact Wilton Carpets Commercial on 01722 746000 or sales@wiltoncarpets.com
Boutique hotel designers are the masters of lavish comfort. We’ve been exploring how a selection of premiere interior designers have used Atelier Textiles soft furnishings to promote a sense of cosiness in tandem with refined style.
THE ALPINA GSTAAD Swiss chalet (above, main) hotel is full of ruggedly chic textures, to warm you up after a long afternoon on the slopes. The designer chose the Susan design from our cushion archives, in snowy broken white jute with midnight blue susani inspired embroidery.
BLAKES HOTEL in South Kensington (below) is the home of several dreamy signature suites, many of which feature richly textured velvet drapes, cushions and bedding from our collections. The warming fabrics enhance the snug feel, while classically inspired patterns maintain the elegance of this famously fabulous hotel.
The bedrooms at private members’ club HOME HOUSE are lavishly decorated with richly textured bedspreads and accessories. Each room is like a velvet lined jewellery box, with precious warming shades of claret, khaki and gold draped over the beautiful beds. The designer chose classic bedspread and pillow designs from our Florence and Oscar collections, combining them with original 1820s Chinese silk wallpapers and antique artefacts, for a cosy and eclectic look that is quintessentially London.
THE PIG HOTELS (below), created around an aesthetic that is ‘comfy, interesting and homely… evolved rather than interior designed’ are a masterclass in setting a tone of relaxation for guests. Unpretentious luxury is woven into every design decision made in the Pig rooms, including the bathrooms, which feature bespoke sheers from our Tamara collection, which cast a subtly decorative veil over the room.
THE LANESBOROUGH CLUB AND SPA is an exclusive new health and fitness space within the renowned Lanesborough Hotel. Due to open in Spring 2017, the scheme was designed by masters of luxury, 1508 London, with ultimate comfort and indulgence in mind. Together with 1508 London, we developed a bespoke incarnation of our Josephine sheer fabric panels, embellished with intricate burnished metal beading. The embroidered sheers encircle each chair in the lounge with an opulent, shimmering backdrop, continuing the feeling of sumptuous relaxation from the main hotel into the spa.
The Luxury Collection, now part of Marriott International, has announced that Knightsbridge hotel The Wellesley will join its portfolio.
The Wellesley joins The Cristallo Resort & Spa in Italy and The Alexander in Yerevan, which will also become part of the collection in 2017. The additions to the portfolio will strengthen the brand’s strong presence in the UK and Europe, with 2017 on target to be another milestone year for The Luxury Collection, one of Marriott International’s eight contemporary luxury brands.
An intimate and refined hotel, converted from a luxurious 1920s townhouse, The Wellesley is ideally situated amidst the glamour of Knightsbridge, overlooking Hyde Park and steps away from London’s finest boutiques and acclaimed restaurants.
General Manager Stefano Lodi said: “With Marriott International’s recent acquisition of Starwood Hotels and Resorts, and the growth of The Luxury Collection, this is such an exciting time to be joining the brand. Marriott’s focus to regularly exceed guests’ expectations is perfectly matched with our own, and we are excited to see what this partnership has in store for the future.
“We will continue to offer our unrivalled personal service and exceptionally high-standard of accommodation, with the addition of The Luxury Collection’s worldwide experience, to create the perfect stay for our guests”.
Wellesley Hotel, London.
Wellesley Hotel, London.
Wellesley Hotel, London.
Famed for its exquisite 1920s Art Deco style and impeccable service, which includes the complimentary 24-hour butler and Rolls-Royce drop-off services, the property features 36 luxurious rooms and suites, including an impressive Penthouse Suite which occupies the top two floors of the hotel.
The Wellesley is also home to Oval Restaurant, serving fine Italian cuisine; The Jazz Lounge, offering afternoon tea and weekly jazz performances; Crystal Bar, which stocks an impressive collection of Cognac and whisky; and the Cigar Lounge, housing Europe’s largest hotel humidor and offering a refined selection of high-quality cigars. There are also two heated outdoor Cigar Terraces for cigar connoisseurs to enjoy.
The Wellesley will officially join The Luxury Collection’s portfolio in March 2017.
With its huge variety of new colours and finishes, GROHE’s re-designed mixer range takes personalised bathroom design to a new level…
• The global trend for personalised design is entering the bathroom, as the boundaries between living spaces in our homes are dissolving • The re-designed Essence range encourages creative design with its broad range of colours, finishes and matching products for every water outlet in the bathroom • Essence mixers now feature a new softened design, with a consistent shape across the range • Huge choice: a variety of deluxe colours and state-of-the-art finishes
GROHE’s new Essence range offers ultimate flexibility in design, with 10 possible combinations of deluxe colours and state-of-the-art finishes.
Inspired by the latest global trends, the finishes were carefully selected to complement all bathroom styles and décor, and include Cool Sunrise, Warm Sunset, Hard Graphite and Nickel.
Variety meets consistency The new choice of colours comes with an incredible consistency in design, with every spout and lever almost identical across all product types. The Essence design is based on concentric cylinders which have been slightly softened for the re-designed shape to add a touch of elegance to every bathroom. “We have included a very slight taper on the handle, giving the user a sensual experience of precision and control” says Michael Seum, Vice President of Design at GROHE. “People want the familiarity of iconic classic design, but they also want to be pampered with an individualistic look and feel”.
Michael Seum
Award winning design and technology The new Essence range features many of GROHE’s advanced technologies, such as Aqua Guide which positions the water flow to hit the basin in such a way to prevent splashing and GROHE SilkMove® allowing for a gradual, precise control of flow and temperature. Essence has already been awarded numerous prestigious international awards, including the Iconic Award Interior Innovation, the Good Design Award, and the iF Product Design Award.
Roca in collaboration with Boxbuild, have supplied a custom-made Solid Surface solution to create the ultimate durable and hygienic bathroom. BLOC’s new commission for their Standard and Apartment BLOC rooms in the heart of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, has allowed Roca to really test its tailored offering.
The partnership has created a complete wall, floor and shower tray solution, alongside a bespoke Solid Surface basin, designed and prototyped with Boxbuild, and prefabricated to fit the allocated space perfectly. Additionally, BLOC specified Roca brassware, accessories and sanitaryware for the bathrooms, including the stylish and ultra-hygienic The Gap rimless toilet.
BLOC’s Managing Director, Rob Morgan said: ‘BLOC are always excited by pushing the boundaries of normal construction and are committed to changing the way that we build hotels for the future. Working with Boxbuild and Roca to deliver this simple construction process allows us to offer a luxury product to our customers, unique to BLOC, but without the usual maintenance issues of a bespoke fit-out.’
Roca’s Solid Surface combines flexibility, aesthetics, hygiene, sustainability and resistance to chemicals and is the ideal bathroom material for a contemporary, quality finish to BLOC’s compact, but luxuriously finished rooms. BLOC’s ethos is smart accommodation at honest prices for the savvy traveller. This means working with the latest materials and construction techniques for everything, from the hotel shell to the interior finishes.
Collaborating with Boxbuild and Roca to create bespoke bathrooms was an ideal opportunity to enhance the hotel’s core offer. This is BLOC’s second project with Roca; the first being its 248-room hotel inside Gatwick’s South Terminal.
Roca products at BLOC Birmingham extension include: – T-1000 Bath Mixer – Raindream round showerhead – L90 basin mixer – Loft handset – The Gap wall hung WC & soft close seat – Duplo WC frame – Prisma LED mirror
A popular Aberdeen hotel has become the second city property to sign with the UK’s leading hotel management company in recent weeks.
The four star Aberdeen Altens Hotel joined Redefine|BDL Hotels’ (RBH) portfolio on 1st December 2016. The take-over follows the announcement that Hilton Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre – due to open its doors in 2019 – will also be operated by the hotel management experts.
The outfit’s 45-strong portfolio already includes private label and branded properties, including IHG, Hilton, Accor, Marriott, Best Western and Wyndham hotels.
Stewart Campbell, Managing Director of RBH – the UK’s leading hotel management company – said: “The Aberdeen market is a key area of interest for us at the moment, as we look to grow our presence in and around the city.
“A city landmark, Aberdeen Altens is much-loved by leisure and business travellers alike. It will sit well within our extensive portfolio, and we’re looking forward to getting down to business. What’s more our partnership with this, the largest trading hotel in Aberdeen, officially marks our entrance into the Aberdeen market.”
Just three miles from the city centre, the 216 bedroom Aberdeen Altens Hotel boasts a health and leisure club, indoor pool, spa pool, steam room and gym, as well as a Starbucks, free car parking and free WiFi.
Its 12 meeting rooms can accommodate up to 400 delegates and it is home to the popular Cairngorm bar and restaurant.
Le Meridien has announced the opening of Le Meridien Shanghai, Minhang in the Hongqiao Hub of Shanghai.
The hotel marks the third Le Meridien and the 34th property in the Marriott International’s fast growing portfolio in the city of Shanghai. Through the distinctive Le Meridien lens, which highlights cuisine, culture and art, Le Meridien Shanghai, Minhang presents unexpected and engaging experiences to curious-minded travelers.
Boasting a mid-century modern design approach and tranquil water views, Le Meridien Shanghai, Minhang features 240 luxurious guestrooms and suites. The hotel is anchored by the signature Le Meridien Hub, which reinterprets the traditional hotel lobby into a social gathering place built on the brand’s award-winning arrival experience and coffee culture.
With the capacity to host stimulating meetings and timeless functions, Le Meridien Shanghai, Minhang offers over 2,500 square meters of versatile event spaces, including the Powerlong Ballroom and the Fei Long Hall; the latter marks the highest ballroom in the Minhang District with unimpeded views of Qibao Old Town. The stylish Grab & Go Library on the lobby floor can also be used as casual business meeting areas.
The thoughtfully-designed hotel also offers facilities including a well-equipped fitness centre, indoor swimming pool and Explore Spa. For those on a family vacation.
Create a one-of-a-kind bathroom with a stunning shower tray, shower panels, vanity top and splashbacks that work in complete harmony together. Whether you want a modern, statement steam room or a luxurious, hotel-inspired sanctuary, Versital will help you achieve the bathroom of your dreams…
1. Versital shower trays are completely bespoke and hand-made to order… Whether you want to create a feature wet room or fill the smallest of spaces, Versital can create a one-of-a-kind shower tray. Every detail, right down to the type of finish, position of the waste disposal, and even the style of the trim, can be personalised.
2. Hundreds of colour and finish combinations to choose from… Versital shower trays, shower panels, vanity units and splash backs are available in 90 different colours – from the hottest reds and pinks, to eleven different shades of grey! These high quality stone resin surfaces are available in a variety of different finishes such as marble-look, granite, high gloss and even sparkle.
Andaz Hotel bathroom featuring Versital bespoke shower-tray
3. Never grout tiles again… Versital shower panels eliminate the chore of grouting forever more. Shower panels are easy to maintain with only a simple wipe-clean needed, making them the perfect, hygienic solution for a busy family bathroom.
4. Create a premium marble look in the bathroom – without the drawbacks of the natural material… Marble is a timeless decorative material synonymous with luxury and refined taste, but the real material is susceptible to staining and erosion. Versital’s unique faux marble formula is the ideal alternative as it 100% waterproof and stain resistant. For a harmonious and coordinated look, Versital can complete a marble-inspired bathroom with a bespoke matching vanity top and splashback – helping you achieve the 5* hotel look at home!
5. It’s made in Britain by experts in the field… Versital has been manufacturing surfaces for more than 30 years. Its products are lovingly handmade in Britain by skilled craftsmen trained in the art of creating faux marble. A unique formula is mixed by hand to expertly imitate the nuances and patterns of real marble until you can’t tell the difference.
The UK’s fastest growing upscale brand has announced the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Southampton. Following a £4 million investment and renovation programme, overseen by Hilton, the hotel has converted to a DoubleTree by Hilton property.
Located in peaceful gardens close to Southampton city centre, the DoubleTree brand’s kind and welcoming service can be seen throughout the property and its 135 renovated guestrooms.
Following the investment, the property boasts a new onsite restaurant, Bracken Place Restaurant, Bar and Lounge which offers a variety of traditional and modern dishes. Along with this, the DoubleTree by Hilton Southampton has 14 renovated meeting rooms, all with air-conditioning, high-speed internet access and natural daylight. Ranging in size, the hotel can cater for all guest event needs, from a small Executive Boardroom for 4 people, to a wood-panelled ballroom that can seat up to 150 for a glamourous event or working conference.
The refurbishment has also seen a brand new reception and lobby area for guests to relax in, and for those wanting to keep fit, a new resident only Precor gym facility is available onsite too. Not only do the guestrooms now feature a modern and sleek design, but the renovation has seen the introduction of brand new bathroom suites and air conditioning units.
Richard Groome, General manager said, “We have a fantastic reputation in the city and Southampton is the natural gateway to the South Coast. We are extremely excited about welcoming guests to the DoubleTree by Hilton Southampton and bringing this Hilton brand and the famous DoubleTree cookie to Hampshire. The hotel’s new lobby has a very sumptuous and chic look which extends our friendly welcome.”
Since launching in the UK in 2008 the DoubleTree by Hilton portfolio includes 32 properties operating, with recent additions being DoubleTree by Hilton Strathclyde, DoubleTree by Hilton Bristol North, DoubleTree by Hilton Dartford Bridge, and DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh Airport. Furthermore, more than 90 DoubleTree properties will be operating across Europe, Middle East and Africa by the end of 2016.
For nearly a decade now, citizenM has been altering perceptions of what a hotel can and should be – with its ‘Living Room’ concept and modern take on what travellers need from a hotel. The Dutch chain has been blazing a trail in its native Netherlands and across Europe since 2008; blending ‘instantly-iconic’ interiors and furnishings with technology to create a unique guest experience for the ‘city-break, millennial’ types.
I had the pleasure of sampling this quirky approach during a recent stay at one of the latest additions to its UK offering at the Tower of London property. While the hotel’s entrance is inconspicuous in comparison to some of its more illustrious neighbours, the building’s exterior and interiors are anything but.
The rectangular-clad façade is a stark juxtaposition of modernity against the overtly historic Tower of London just a stone’s throw away. And as soon as I enter the reception-cum-lounge-cum-dining area, I’m met with a brilliant visual treat for the senses. It might sound like an odd mix to combine all three with no regard for distinct separation, but the free-flowing design of the spaces has been treated with the utmost respect; utilising clever chainmail curtains and highly effective wayfinding to create the impression of three distinct entities.
I’m a huge fan of the contemporaneous and wonderfully ‘kitsch Britannia’ feel of the space, and judging by the buzz of people using the space to work, network and relax, I’m not the only one. The walls lined with striking and lively photography and art, floor-to-ceiling shelves filled to the brim with more literature than a hipster could shake a stick at plus a mixture of delightful vintage pieces and Vitra furniture all go to create a fantastic space that demonstrates the citizenM brand ethos perfectly – and with a touch of style too. For those new to the concept, this communal area makes for a great first impression.
*As if to emphasise the brand concept, doing away with a traditional reception desk has allowed for the placement of self-service check-in pods. I always love to see technological innovation in hotels, especially when it actually enhances the guest experience; this does – an easy-to-use system and not technology for technology’s sake.*
The quirky and leftfield décor continues even in the lifts and corridors on the way up to the room. Each lift cubicle is fitted out in a different style and inspirational photography and quotes line the walls. And then there’s the rooms themselves…
I was offered an external-view room which, with views directly onto the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and the London cityscape beyond, I definitely recommend; watching the sunrise over the Thames makes for a dramatic start to any day.
While small, the 370 rooms are fantastically formed and include everything a guest would need. The space has been utilised to perfection. The wall-to-wall Sealy bed against the window makes for a unique layout, but doesn’t feel cramped especially as it includes space-saving luggage stores stowed underneath, which more than makes up for the shortage of hanging space. The self-contained bathroom and rain-shower unit is a wonderful example of economic design, with privacy being maintained with curved, frosted glass. Having seen images of the rooms beforehand, I feared this might be a little too ‘university dormitory-esque’ and with space at a premium I worried about noise pollution from adjacent rooms and the corridor, but my fears on both counts are allayed immediately on entering.
The biggest selling point for me has to be the iPad, from which central and mood lighting, the television, music and curtains can be controlled. An ingenious touch, and something that stands out long after checking-out. Another design choice I found myself giving a thumbs up for is the universal power sockets, as someone who often forgets adapters when travelling, this consideration from the designers is indicative of the ‘everything you need, nothing you don’t’ concept of citizenM. Make no mistake, this space isn’t designed for spending hours at a time in. This is a practical-but-fun base for exploring the city. And it fits the bill perfectly.
Once checked-in, I have time to take in a drink at the Cloud M cocktail bar, located on the top floor. The interior theme running throughout makes its way up here too, with Queen Elizabeth print wallcoverings, stunning bespoke brass light fittings and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves bringing a frisson of frivolity to the space. The attention to detail in the design here completes a top-to-bottom clean sweep for the hotel in terms of creating interesting, unique and stimulating interiors. The 180-degree panoramic views over London are definitely a bonus, too.
This was my first experience of a citizenM property close-up. I was intrigued by the concept and I wasn’t disappointed – it has been carried out exceptionally. The designers have carefully thought out the process of designing a hotel that caters to guests’ needs with utmost efficiency without bombarding them with frilly extras, whilst at the same time creating interiors of a quirky quality rarely seen this close to central London and at these prices. A near-perfect balance of practicality and aesthetics.
With more properties on the horizon, I can safely say this won’t be my last experience of a citizen property…
Based on a visit in November 2016 Photos: Daniel Fountain / citizenM
Hilton Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of Hilton Bali Resort, which joins 130 distinguished resort properties across the Hilton portfolio located in some of the world’s most sought-after destinations.
Designed for travelers seeking relaxation and rejuvenation, Hilton Bali Resort brings breathtaking views, extensive recreation facilities and magnificent event space to the Nusa Dua beach enclave on Bali’s southern Peninsula.
“Hilton Bali Resort is a significant addition to our flagship brand portfolio, bringing Hilton Hotels & Resorts’ renowned hospitality to one of the world’s premier island destinations,” said Sean Wooden, vice president, brand management, Asia Pacific, Hilton. “Hilton continues to deliver world-class service and product innovations that meet the changing needs of discerning travelers and Hilton Bali Resort is well positioned to deliver exceptional experiences to every guest, every time.”
Hilton Bali Resort is situated atop a 40-metre cliff in the prestigious Nusa Dua area of Bali’s southern Peninsula. While offering direct access to one of the most picturesque beaches on the island, Hilton Bali Resort is also within 1.3 kilometers of the 18-hole Bali National Golf Course and various watersports centres, and 3.7 kilometers from the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Centre.
Hilton Bali Resort is set within a lush 28-acre compound. Each of its 389 guest rooms and suites combine modern amenities with local Balinese charm and feature private balconies and terraces overlooking the Indian Ocean or hotel gardens. Guests may also choose to stay in one of 19 exclusive villas which feature a private plunge pool, gazebo, separate living area, round-the-clock butler service and access to the private Nusa Dua Villa Lounge, or an Executive Room, which has access to the Executive Lounge. Hilton Bali Resort’s extensive recreational facilities boast four interconnecting swimming pools including an adult-only pool, a sand lagoon, a 30-metre waterslide and a Jungle Kid’s Club with indoor and outdoor playgrounds, and a 360-degree observation deck. In addition, guests may enjoy a sun deck, sauna, hot tub and gym, as well as a Mandara Spa, three indoor tennis courts and a retail outlet.
“Hilton Bali Resort is a testament to the confidence we have in this stunning resort destination and our deep commitment to serving the burgeoning market of Indonesia. This opening marks our fifth property in Indonesia and third in Bali alongside Conrad Bali and Hilton Garden Inn Bali – Ngurah Rai Airport,” said William Costley, vice president, operations, South East Asia & India, Hilton. “The location makes the hotel a great base for travelers visiting Bali, and positions us well to capture opportunities from Bali’s rising inbound and domestic tourism.”
The hotel also offers 8,470 square meters of versatile indoor and outdoor event space, perfect for meetings, conferences, banquets and weddings. Hilton Bali Resort’s two conference centers each feature a flexible, pillar-less ballroom that can accommodate up to 1,500 guests, as well as nine break-out rooms and multiple pre-function areas with glass walls affording spectacular sea views. Hilton Bali Resort also has seven outdoor venues including an amphitheater and two cliff-top wedding chapels for intimate ceremonies and the renewal of vows.
Hotel Le Toiny is known for luxury, privacy and 5-star service. The goal of the refurbishment by Osborn Interiors was to bring a hint of glamour to the public spaces, without compromising on the comfort which is the focus of this hotel.
The new elegant reception includes a unique commissioned ceramic swirl artwork made on a Belgium linen canvas. Adjacent to this is a fabulous bespoke piece of furniture constructed out of aged teak with blue inlaid resin. The neutral colour palette leaves the attention on the extraordinary materials within the space and ensures a sense of calm. Sky high bookcases constructed of leather, echo the reception desk, upon which sit the totally unique sand filled lamps. These lamps are the only ones in the world, made especially for the hotel, and contain a blue sand stripe, mimicking the horizon.
An adjacent cosy, chic library space continues the neutral palette with the addition of mirror and chrome highlights, trunk tables and linen sofas, for a comfortable yet fun contemporary feel.
Moving into the restaurant a pop of the hotel’s signature blue links with the sea and sky beyond. Guests are surrounded by unique items such as centuries old fossilised giant clam shells, and materials including 18th century barn wood and natural limestone. The bespoke coffee table encases a champagne bucket for the very necessary glass on arrival. New cosy corners of seating give each table it’s own unique feel, relaxed and intimate.
Overlooking the pool the new bar is the high point of the glamorous transformation of the space. Natural oysters sunk into resin, with a marble top, make up the unique bar with mother of pearl joinery behind. Dramatic lighting ensures that the space sparkles night and day. Finished off with the bespoke pink bar stools, this is a fun, interesting space.
Moving down to the area surrounding the pool, the focus here is really on calm and comfort. New elegant bespoke oversized loungers, constructed of bleached teak and other furniture chosen to encourage guests to lounge long past sundown, next to the atmospheric firepit.
In the guest rooms a neutral colour palette, achieved with acres of Belgium linen, and a range of natural materials and textured accessories encourage relaxation. Attention to detail with unusual rope handles, and hand-made stools out of sandblasted wood and leather handles, sit next to petrified wood tables. A mix of modern and more traditional Gustavian furniture ensures the scheme honours the spirit of St Barth’s whilst being contemporary enough for the sophisticated clientele.
Bee Osborn is an internationally respected interior designer, who has a long association with the island of St Bartholemy.
The Chic Weathered Bedroom Collection from Gallery Direct’s Frank Hudson range offers an elegant look that would suit a range of interiors.
Handcrafted with exquisite attention to detail, it has taken a lot of skill to create the traditional stripped-back effect seen in the collection, resulting in furniture that portrays a luxurious French style.
The range includes two bed options, one featuring hand-woven cane, the other upholstered in linen cotton produced on a traditional loom. To accompany the bedsteads, there is a bedside cabinet, wardrobe, dressing table with accompanying mirror and stool, five drawer chest and a cheval mirror, to give a coordinated look to a room.
LED Dock Combination by Chelsom is a slender hotel guest room or ship cabin wall light ideal for the bedside with main room illumination from within the fabric shade.
A warm white LED reading light is housed within a cylindrical head that swivels 90 degrees and ‘docks’ into a semi recessed backplate. The innovative wall light also features a USB charging port which remains powered even when the lights are switched off.
LED Dock Combination is available in two standard finishes including Polished Chrome and an industrially inspired Black Bronze finish seen as pictured.
Sleep on ice surrounded by dancing clowns, dive into a surreal frozen underwater world, climb an ice staircase to your floating bed and fall asleep surrounded by typography, reindeers, chandeliers, or even an apartment inspired by the Victorian era. These are just a few of the unique designs awaiting those checking into the new ICEHOTEL 365, which has just opened to guests located in the village Jukkasjärvi, near Kiruna in Swedish Lapland.
ICEHOTEL 365 is the world’s first year round ice hotel and gives guests the chance to sleep on a bed made of ice at a cool -5°C 365 days of the year. During winter, the hotel will be covered in snow but during the summer it will be kept cool by solar power warmed from the midnight sun, covered with a turf roof and planted with Arctic flowers.
As well as featuring a champagne-themed ICEBAR and a unique frozen art gallery, the new hotel will feature 20 suites; eleven art suites and nine deluxe suites, giving guests the chance to combine the adventure of sleeping on ice with the added luxury of a heated en-suite bathroom, private sauna (deluxe only) and warm changing area adjacent to the ice bedroom.
Over forty artists, designers and architects from nine different countries have been selected to create art in the 365 hotel. Some are ICEHOTEL veterans, such as Norwegian-Italian Luca Roncoroni (who has created an elegant apartment inspired by the Victorian era) and Swedish duo Tjåsa Gusfors and Patrick Dallard (who invite guests to dance with ‘dancers in the dark’ in their suite) whilst some are visiting for the very first time.
One of the most dramatic suites in ICEHOTEL 365 has been designed and built by British architects Alex Haw and Aditya Bhatt from Atmos Studio in London (who has previously worked on designs for the Eden Project and Paddington Station). Their suite ‘Dreamscape’ features a daring staircase of pure ice that winds from its entrance towards a floating frozen bed, passing through an ‘explosion of snow tentacles’ that appear to be in motion, hoping to encapsulate the energy of a dream.
Founder of ICEHOTEL and ICEHOTEL 365 Yngve Bergqvist comments “the nature and environment surrounding the buildings are not only a huge source of inspiration for the ICEHOTEL, but are also necessary to create the hotel year on year. Previously we said goodbye to our guests in the Spring, but thanks to help from the Midnight Sun we can now invite them to stay year-round.”
So, during the Winter months there will now be a total of 55 rooms including 35 art suites for guests to sleep on ice. 20 suites in ICEHOTEL 365 (9 deluxe suites and 11 art suites) and in the seasonal hotel there will be a further 15 art suites and 20 ice rooms.
The construction of both hotels will see around 30,000 litres of water from Torne River transform into snow and several tons of ice harvested from the river. This is the equivalent of 700 million snowballs. The chandeliers alone feature over 1000 hand polished ice crystals.
At the 2016 Designer Kitchen & Bathroom Awards, the Hansgrohe brand received the Gold product award for the category of ‘Innovation in Functionality’.
Talis Select is the bathroom basin mixer range from Hansgrohe that perfectly blends form and function. Featuring intuitive push on/off technology, it is easy to operate by all ages and the two slender designs, Talis S and Talis E, are ideal for all modern bathroom schemes.
Integrated EcoSmart technology delivers a water-saving flow of just 5 litres per minute and the simple operation also encourages the user to switch off, making these mixers a sustainable choice.
Held at the Supernova in London on the banks of the Thames, on 9th November, the glittering Designer luncheon event is the only industry awards to recognise and celebrate achievements in the field of kitchen and bathroom design.
Presented by TV sport’s presenter and former international gymnast, Gabby Logan, the award was accepted by Hansgrohe UK Managing Director, Martin Mongan.
Hilton Worldwide is for the first time launching a series of podcasts that will act as audio guides to landmark hotels within its European portfolio.
With a focus on architecture and design, the podcasts tell the hidden story behind five hotels from a variety of Hilton brands to encourage guests to see the buildings as more than a place to lay their heads.
Hotels selected for the podcast project have been hand-picked by Hilton’s in-house architecture and design team. The collection includes iconic restoration projects in Paris and Hamburg, a refurbishment inspired by a little known corner of Dublin, a London conversion on the city’s artistic South Bank and a first of its kind, design focused concept in Reykjavik.
Over the past five years, Hilton has significantly expanded its dedicated team of experts focused on the architecture and design of each property. The team works collaboratively across the entirety of Hilton’s portfolio covering a diverse array of locations, brands and projects. The team’s philosophy is centred on creating a sense of place that reflects the destination – not just the city or country, but the hotel’s district, neighbourhood or even street.
By working with local designers and consultants, Hilton’s design and architecture team ensures that each hotel not only encapsulates an all-important sense of place and the DNA of its brand, but showcases the very best of each location. This can range from commissioned artwork to mark an important moment in time, the inclusion of furniture and soft furnishings from celebrated local workshops or the preservation of historical artefacts for the public to enjoy for decades to come.
Gordon Coles, Senior Vice President, Architecture, Design and Construction, EMEA, Hilton, said: “Whilst our hotel guests are excited to explore a city’s architecture or its design hotspots during their visit, the hotel itself can be overlooked – it is sometimes seen as just a place to lay your head or enjoy a nice meal after a long day of sightseeing or business meetings. We want to challenge this misconception by revealing the hidden stories of five very special European hotels. Each podcast tells a very different tale reflecting the diversity of our projects, but we hope listeners will be inspired to take a closer look at their hotel after learning a little bit more about its history and hearing one or two secrets.”
Chris Webb, Senior Director, Interior Design, EMEA, Hilton, said: “Every project is unique, so we approach each hotel with a blank canvas. Creating a sense of place is our core aim – it enhances our guest experience by making their stay more authentic, but it also makes people feel more at home. There is a risk that this could become pastiche, so we spend a lot of time getting under the skin of each location to identify lesser known or quirky flourishes that are still true to the building itself. Each of the five hotels featured in the podcast series are a testament to this approach, from preserving historical features for future generations in Paris and Hamburg to creating interiors that reflect and celebrate a particular neighbourhood in Dublin, London and Reykjavik.”
The five hotels profiled in the new audio guides are Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik City Centre (Iceland); Hilton London Bankside (United Kingdom); Conrad Dublin (Ireland); Hilton Paris Opera (France); and Reichshof Hamburg, Curio Collection by Hilton (Germany).
Highest precision and design versatility Bathroom ceramic is a material with outstanding properties proven for use in homes and public buildings alike. The smooth hygienic surface glaze is extremely robust, easy to clean, scratch and wear resistant. Bathroom ceramic is also non-allergenic, heat resistant and lightproof. For designs requiring extreme accuracy or thinner tiles, however, conventional materials run into problems.
Material of the future – DuraCeram Conventional bathroom ceramic material requires a thickness of 12-14mm to ensure the necessary strength after firing. For finer forms, Duravit has developed a new, innovative material called DuraCeram, which is thinner and notable for its extreme accuracy, high strength and elegant finish. In this way, a new dimension in design diversity is achieved: maximum elegance without any sacrifices in terms of quality, robustness and ease of cleaning.
Another advantage of DuraCeram is the saving in raw materials and associated reduction in energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions during production, as well as the lighter weight of the end products.
Precise form: Washbasins by Philippe Starck Delicate, gently curving forms, narrow radii and characteristically thin edges are distinctive features of Philippe Starck’s design for the Cape Cod washbasins. In the round and square versions, the taps are mounted on a ceramic platform integrated in the basin. The challenge of precision fitting of the tap is readily overcome with DuraCeram.
New c-bonded technology: exact and precision-fit The innovative material is also used with the elaborate c-bonded technology, by which the furniture washbasin is joined seamlessly with the vanity unit. Thanks to the accurate and precise fitting connecting technology, ceramic and furniture merge to form a single unit. This visual and tactile sensation is made possible by the quality of the new DuraCeram material, which is thin enough to overcome the problem of minimal washbasin measurement tolerances.
Altered Gravity is the eighth collaborative collection from Brintons and Stacy Garcia.
The collection, which includes 14 patterns, draws inspiration from diverse disciplines of the art universe; abstract expressionalism collides with contemporary graphic design, and digitally rendered textures melt between layers of mixed media paintings.
“Altered Gravity is about exploring the boundaries of experimental design techniques and mediums. We’re bringing it back to the basics of fine art and melding it with new technologies,” says Garcia.
“Like my design aesthetic, the art process is ever evolving. We’re constantly adapting, rearranging, adding and subtracting – creating layers that form into something beautiful,” she adds.
The precision-weaving process of Axminster carpet combined with Brintons’ ability to achieve unparalleled depth and texture with up to 32 colours, brings Altered Gravity to life. Altered Gravity falls comfortably into the intersection of contemporary expressionism and graphic influence. Visualise a Venn diagram with multiple areas of creative influence; abstract expressionism collides with contemporary graphic design, and digital texture melts between layers of experimental collage techniques.
Forged from the realm where these circles overlap, Altered Gravity emerges – a product of the art universe.
In one of the world’s most stunning settings, in a land renowned for its hospitality, a trendsetting new destination is set to debut next summer.
Set on a forested ridge 2,800 feet above spectacular Lake Lucerne with views of the Rigi and Pilatus Mountains, the car-free Burgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne is spread over 148 acres and will be open all year round. Katara Hospitality is investing 500 million Swiss francs (£392 million) in this holistic resort dedicated to healthy living and responsible tourism. Bruno Schöpfer, Managing Director of Katara Hospitality Switzerland Ltd. has shepherded the monumental project for the past several years.
The Burgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne encompasses 383 rooms in four hotels, 67 residences, 13 restaurants and bars, a 107,000 square-foot spa and wellness center, meeting space for 900 people – not to mention the highest outdoor elevator in Europe – and a funicular that deposits guests directly inside the hotel. A nine-hole golf course, three championship tennis courts, a curling rink, 43 miles of hiking and biking trails and a private lido on the lake for water sports will keep active guests busy and happy. Art and cultural events and the resort’s “museums” will appeal to culture lovers.
Facilities include: – New five-star Superior Burgenstock Hotel with 102 rooms and suites, restaurant, cigar lounge and meeting facilities will be a Leading Hotel of the World – Newly-transformed four-star Superior Palace Hotel (108 rooms and suites, restaurant, conference facilities) with its storied history – Five-star Waldhotel Healthy Living, designed by architect Matteo Thun, featuring 160 rooms, a restaurant serving healthy cuisine, spa services and facilities for medical check-ups, physical therapy, weight management, post-operative convalescence and wellness programs – Built in 1879, the recently renovated three-star Taverne has 12 cozy guest rooms and a restaurant serving traditional Swiss dishes – Thirteen restaurants, lounges and bars
The resort’s indoor/outdoor Burgenstock Alpine Spa will boast three pools including a heated outdoor infinity-edge pool with mountain and lake views; 18 treatment rooms; a 24- hour fitness area with state-of-the-art equipment, yoga studio, wet areas with hammam, sauna and whirlpools and hydrotherapy in a Kneipp bath.
The resort is CO2 neutral thanks to its unique energy system which uses lake water operated by 100 percent certified local hydroelectric power. One hundred percent of the resort’s cooling and 80 percent of its heating needs are derived from lake water. The resort’s 74 acres of forest and meadows also help to offset any carbon emissions.
It is a unique mix of classic Swiss hospitality and innovative planning to define the resort of the 21st century…
Designed and hand-painted in-house by Newmor’s design team, the Watercolours wallcoverings range is the latest addition to the Newmor Custom collection.
All of the designs can be recoloured, rescaled and printed onto any of Newmor’s vast range of commercial quality wallcoverings, including textures, metallics and window films.
This year at London Design Festival painterly effects took centre stage. Dyed marble tables, paint splattered upholstery, dripping ink fabrics, brushstroke ceramics and hand-painted wallpapers. Meanwhile Newmor’s design studio have been bust creating their new collection.
Watercolour Geometric (above) is a large scale fusion of geometrics and watercolours. Nebulous indigos and luminous opalescent shades combine with hazy, weathered surfaces which fade in a vertical ombre effect.
Tiled effects are versatile and offer endless options for customisation. Watercolour Tiles (above) can be rescaled, recoloured and printed onto any of Newmor’s base materials.
This hand-painted design has been digitally manipulated to create a delicate floral mural featuring inky, layered shades and brush strokes. Watercolour Botanical (above) can be recoloured to suit any scheme.
For a dramatic watercolour effect, Watercolour Stripe (above) features soft chalky tones alongside bold, dispersing pigment and sweeping brush strokes. The horizontal stripe adds a fresh, contemporary take on the trend.
Watercolours is the latest collection in Newmor’s bespoke range, which brings cutting edge trends to the commercial wallcoverings market. All of the Newmor Custom designs are printed onto wide-width contract quality fabric backed vinyl wallcoverings which are suitable for high traffic areas like corridors, lobbies and bed head walls.
The Mercer Hotel Sevilla is a new landmark hotel of 12 rooms and suites, which opened last week (25 November 2016).
Casa Palacio Castelar, has been chosen because of its prime location set in the heart of the historic centre of Sevilla at 26, Calle Castelar. Within minutes, guests can reach emblematic and historic points of interest, as Torre del Oro, La Giralda, the Cathedral, Real Alcazar and Real Fábrica de Tabacos.
Each Mercer Hotel has a uniquely distinctive look and feel that is based on the location and history of the building and destination. The new hotel in Sevilla is a perfect example of the philosophy in creating a hotel that offers a discreet and reassuring elegance that is imbued with timeless luxury.
“Our formula is to combine the cultural heritage of our hotels with service that is entirely focused on satisfying the needs of our guests. This creates a distinct personality in the historical buildings and the unique design within them,” says Mr. Pedro Molina, Proprietor of Mercer Hoteles.
Designed in an intimate bourgeois palace, Casa Palacio Castelar, dates from the mid 19th century, the noble staircase is, in some respects, a centerpiece and inspiration for the project. The same detail in the moldings is a subtle detail that has a huge visual impact and can be found throughout the 12 unique guest rooms and suites in the hotel.
“The soothing colour scheme that has been chosen for the accommodations ranges from a pale blue verging on grey, to the lightest sea foam green that is enhanced by deeper, richer teal accents. The overall effect is opulent yet entirely understated,” says Amanda Molina, Projects and Communication Manager at Mercer Hoteles. Rooms will feature some of the finest furniture collections from the Poltrona Frau, Flexform, and Cassina to name a few.
In the typical Andalusian style, a centre courtyard is the very heart of the hotel and in this instance the common spaces on the ground floor include the lobby, restaurant and cocktail bar. To create a space which could be utilised year round, the project started with a very strong architectural element – a modern vision of the classic chandelier, created by Cruz & Ortiz who were responsible for the rehabilitation of the hotel, while Amanda Molina is the interior designer of the hotel.
The colour schemes carried through the public areas are more dramatic than the guest rooms with deeper tones for the restaurant in shades of gold, moss greens and a neutral taupe. The cocktail lounge is more vibrant and reminiscent of the colors of Sevilla: mandarin orange and russet reds with gold accents. Although the spaces are intimate, they offer very high ceilings allowing the ability to create a very dramatic effect, while keeping the scale human.
The rooftop terrace features a plunge pool and lounge area perfect for sun bathing and enjoying refreshing cocktails. As the sun sets, a transformation takes place converting the rooftop into a starlit patio, making it the perfect place to enjoy an evening glass of sherry.
HiB Novum continues to innovate and inspire with the introduction of the new Duet range of bathroom furniture products.
Guaranteed to ensure broad appeal, Duet combines simple style with sharp, angular forms, making for an ultra-modern look. What really distinguishes Duet, however, is the option of an integrated LED trim, creating a brilliantly bold statement for any bathroom together with clever storage trays to keep your bathroom perfectly organised.
Duet sits alongside HiB’s biggest successes, Tranquil and Prima as another luxury, trendsetting bathroom collection. The new range boasts a selection of different bathroom features including newly designed cabinets and clever, brand new tall storage units. All units are available in HiB’s most popular colour, white, as well as anthracite and matt light grey.
Ash Chilver, the sales director at HiB has said that: “Our rebrand has left us determined to show that we are one of the leaders of the bathroom furniture industry.
“Already, our new Duet range is pulling in interest from retailers across the country with its modern, sleek aesthetic combined with practicality. Each cabinet and storage unit is both spacious and space saving offering fantastic organised storage.
“For retailers then, the recommendation is to stock Duet and let in take centre stage in their showroom.”
RPW Design, one of the world’s leading hospitality interior design practices, is thrilled to showcase its extensive refurbishment of the five-star resort, Fairmont St Andrews. The highly anticipated refurbishment was revealed in early September and included a complete re-design of the hotel’s Atrium, incorporating a bespoke 60m long ceiling sculpture by award winning artist George Singer, a new restaurant and the Kittock’s Den Bar.
Elizabeth Lane, Director of Projects, said: “It is a wonderful opportunity to be part of the revival of this hotel property which simply has a breath-taking location which we have made a focal point in the renovation. We are extremely happy to be working with Kennedy Wilson and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts on this project.”
RPW Design unveils latest project – Fairmont St Andrews
The creative process behind RPW Design’s renovation has been influenced by the history and landscapes of St Andrews, with upholstery and fabrics selected from revered Scottish companies such as Andrew Muirhead and Bute Fabrics. Bute, based on the Isle of Bute off west coast of Scotland provided a number of richly textured fabrics in the scheme influenced by the islands scenery. The company and the island share a unique family history as the 5th Marquess of Bute set up the company in 1947 to provide employment for returning servicemen and servicewomen.
Observing the scale of the atrium, which is roughly 60m long and 15m high, with full height windows on one side overlooking the North Sea coast, RPW knew this would be the most challenging area in the hotel to re-design. To transform this voluminous space into a more inviting and human-scaled space, a mixture of natural hued finishes was introduced to the surfaces, including bespoke carpet, timber floors of different patterns and a rich earthy green wall colour and bespoke printed velvet wall drapes. The introduction of eclectic furniture styles and arched decorative lamps, created a softer more inviting atmosphere.
Inspiration for the design concept was drawn from the rich and varied landscape surrounding the property. The surrounding fishing villages also created a great starting point for the textures, patterns and themes within the carpet designs and artworks.
Currently undergoing a multimillion pound renovation, St Andrews resort will benefit from a refreshed interior with a contemporary feel using materials that reflect the surrounding 520 acre area. The Atrium area features the magnificent lighting sculpture by renowned artist, George Singer, named Zephyr, which emulates shoals of fish in St Andrews Bay and the blowing reeds on the cliff tops. The resort also has a sumptuous spa complex which offers a range of treatments including locally-themed massages, facial and relaxation therapies and exclusive Ishga Skincare and Aromatherapy Associates treatments in 12 chic treatment rooms.
Two luxury heritage hotels in Pembrokeshire are celebrating being awarded the prestigious AA 5 Gold Star rating.
Roch Castle (pictured, above) and Penrhiw Hotel are two luxury hotels and exclusive stay properties on the St Davids peninsula, created by Welsh-born international architect and patron of contemporary art, Keith Griffiths.
Roch Castle, a meticulously restored 12th century Norman castle, and Penrhiw Hotel, a luxuriously appointed former vicarage, have each received a 5 Gold Star Award by the AA – the organisation’s ‘supreme accolade for guest accommodation.’
Penrhiw Hotel
According to the AA’s rating system, this accolade recognises the hotels’ ‘excellent levels of quality throughout and outstanding levels of hospitality and service’ and ‘luxurious accommodation.’ Both properties have also received AA Breakfast Awards for their emphasis on freshly prepared local ingredients and presentation quality. Breakfast at Roch Castle and Penrhiw Hotel is made using fresh local produce.
Meadow Suite Bedroom Penrhiw Hotel
Paula Ellis, Group General Manager and a recent finalist in the Boutique Hotelier Service Star awards said: “We are thrilled to receive such high acclaim from the AA for our hospitality. The wonderful comments made by the inspectors mirror our aim to provide guests with a warm Welsh welcome and the highest quality of service, comfort and cuisine.
“Personally, in almost twenty years of working in Wales’ leading hotels, I have not experienced so many marvellous accolades achieved by properties so soon after opening,” added Paula Ellis.
St. Davids, Wales. Roch Castle
Together with sister property Twr y Felin Hotel, also located on the St Davids peninsula, Roch Castle and Penrhiw Hotel form a trio of luxury hotels on the Pembrokeshire coast. Since October this year Twr y Felin Hotel and Roch Castle have been listed in the Sunday Times Ultimate 100 British Hotels list, Twr y Felin has been awarded Best Serviced Accommodation over 12 rooms at the Pembrokeshire Tourism Awards and has been shortlisted in the Civic Trust Awards. Roch Castle has also been shortlisted in the Welsh Hospitality Awards.
Newmor’s new collaboration brings Ptolemy Mann’s signature ikat prints and hand-woven designs to commercial interiors with a collection of fabric backed vinyl wallcoverings.
Ptolemy Mann has been running her own textile art and design studio since 1997. Her unique approach to hand dyeing and weaving wall-based artworks has become the basis for a modern-day Bauhaus philosophy of product and art making. Underpinned with intelligent colour theory, Ptolemy has developed a collection of wallcoverings exclusively for Newmor that can be rescaled, recoloured and printed onto any of their wallcoverings, including textures and metallics.
There are nine designs to choose from, each in a selection of carefully considered colourways. The whole range has been digitally created from hand dyed and woven rugs and fabrics, bridging the gap between craftsmanship and industrial production. Some are smooth and focus solely on the transitioning colours, and others faithfully reproduce the original tactile surfaces which can be enhanced by printing onto textured base materials.
Ptolemy said: “I’ve never applied my designs to a wallcovering before. This is brand new territory for me and it’s very exciting to see large scale repeats and different finishes. All of my work is directly taken from scans and photographs of pieces I have hand dyed and woven so I’m keen to keep the handmade reference within the designs. Different weave and textile textures are combined with colour and geometry. I really believe that new digital print technology can be used to bridge the gap between hand-crafted and industrial production. I’m interested in daring and dynamic colours but with a neutral component which makes the design easy to apply to hospitality interiors. I’m determined to bring more colour into our lives.
It’s been great working with Newmor – I love that everything they produce is made here in the UK – very special. The team have been very enthusiastic about my designs and it’s great when you get a good match between craft, art and industry: that’s when ideas flow and projects get creative.”
Ptolemy Mann is the third artist in the Newmor Designer range, which aims to bring cutting edge artisanal design and craftsmanship to the contract market. Available alongside their vast range of stocked wallcoverings and Newmor Custom, a collection of bespoke trend-led designs created by Newmor’s own studio. Visit www.newmor.com for more information.
The UK’s fastest growing upscale brand today announced the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Aberdeen Treetops. A renovation programme overseen by Hilton and Westmont Hospitality has seen the hotel convert to a DoubleTree by Hilton property.
Located in the west end of Aberdeen, the DoubleTree brand’s kind and welcoming service can be seen throughout the property and its 120 guestrooms. DoubleTree by Hilton Aberdeen Treetops is nearby to the Gordon Highlanders Museum, Hazlehead Park and on the door step of Royal Deeside, making it a great location to explore the local area.
Following the refurbishment, the property boasts Springfield’s Restaurant which offers local and international cuisine. Along with this guests can take advantage of the 12 meeting rooms onsite, including the largest hotel conference and banqueting space in the North East of Scotland. The largest meeting room has the capacity to hold up to 800 people, whilst the other 11 rooms can hold a further 150. The conversion has also seen improvements made to the bedrooms and Livingwell Health Club.
“We are really excited about changing to the DoubleTree by Hilton brand as it is growing to be more and more popular and is widely recognised” said Jozef Sivak, the hotel’s Deputy General Manager. “The hotel is looking fantastic and has plenty to offer both our corporate and leisure guests.”
Since launching in the UK in 2008 the DoubleTree by Hilton portfolio includes 32 properties operating, with recent additions being DoubleTree by Hilton Strathclyde, DoubleTree by Hilton Bristol North, DoubleTree by Hilton Dartford Bridge, DoubleTree by Hilton Southampton, and DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh Airport. Furthermore, more than 90 DoubleTree properties will be operating across Europe, Middle East and Africa by the end of 2016.
International architecture, design and planning firm Gensler has won the annual Sleep Set competition to design a new guest room concept for the future at Sleep 2016 – the annual hotel design event.
Designed to fulfil the demands of a new demographic of hotel guest – termed as the Digital Avant-Garde by research association Sinus-Institut, the vision explores how the space will be occupied, anticipating and exceeding the needs of its inhabitants, while shifting the focus away from the space and even its design.
The Digital Avant-Garde are demarcated by a set of shared values that have superseded traditional socio-demographic features and social class. As globalised, non-conformist travellers in constant search of new, enriching encounters, cultural engagement, knowledge and inspiration; the Digital Avant-Gardes are creative expeditionists.
As an experience-driven tribe, Gensler has designed a guest-room and communal areas for a community focused hotel, in a hypothetical south-east London location. Underpinned by the fundamental tenets of socialisation and an authentic immersion into the local culture that encourages creativity and craftsmanship, the concept is divided into five overlapping spaces.
The primary concept centres around a ‘social core’ – an ever-changing, dynamic space that reimagines shared areas such as hotel lobbies, lounges and bars. Inviting the vibrant cultural capital from outside the hotel in, the space reinvigorates the communal areas and signifies a departure from the isolation often perpetuated in hotels, acting as core infrastructure that fosters the socio-cultural exchange of ideas, skills and experiences between guests and locals.
Operating around a high bench, the social core has the capacity to transform into a sturdy, resilient work space for local creatives and artists; a workshop in which to learn new skills and share inspiration, and a communal kitchen through integrated induction heating within the tile top. The communal kitchen encourages guests to cook with local produce from nearby street markets, share a meal and recipes, as well as a flexibility that allows the space to become a lounge or bar depending on need. It is a space for exchange.
Within the guestroom, Gensler has continued the theme of flexibility. The bedroom space is adaptable; in one iteration, two single bed frames can be joined together to create a double bed for sleeping; as a second alternative, the two beds can be separated to create twin beds or one single bed; thirdly, the two frames can be stacked on top of each other to create a sofa for socialising or working. In all arrangements, guests can adjust the space to satisfy their living styles, reflecting a desire amongst guests to participate in their changing environment.
Crucially, Gensler has jettisoned the inclusion of a TV screen in the guest-room, instead installing sockets and charge points to ensure guests can access the personal technology that they carry with them.
Catering to the Digital Avant-Garde’s preference for ethically sourced produce and products, Gensler has incorporated Salvatori Lithoverde tiles in the bathroom – the world’s first recycled stone texture made from 99% of stone offcuts, as well as felt for the walls and ceiling of the bedroom, that is made from sliced BuzziSpace panels, upcycled to make a new material. Independent designers also feature throughout the specification to promote craftsmanship and entrepreneurship in London, evident in the moulded leather stools by Tortie Hoare, organic amplifiers by Camilla Lee, timber crafted side-tables by Dunia Tigris, glass-blown vessels by Pia Wustenberg and Surface Tiles & Condiment Set by Jennifer Gray.
Claire Richmond, senior associate at Gensler, comments: “As the preeminent hotel design competition, Sleep Set is a fantastic accolade for Gensler.
“Designing for the Digital Avant-Garde, or as we term it, the Expeditionist, provided the opportunity to consider how to ‘socialise’ the hotel experience. Our analysis indicated that our tribe is often averse to staying in luxury hotels because, while they have a level of disposable income, they aren’t able to impact their environment and engage with local cultures as successfully within a five-star, service-driven hotel.
“Our concept is a re-imagination of the traditional hotel lobby, lounge and bar. These spaces are transformed into a platform for the community itself; for local illustrators, weavers, potters, joiners, jewellers, makers, leather workers, writers, graphic designers and numerous other creatives. Therefore, it is essential that this is based in a creative part of a city. This is not a static environment. By sharing ideas, experimenting and working together, the hotel will develop with the community.
“Our tribe forages for compelling experiences and rich encounters, so we have created a setting that actively encourages the collision of guests, locals, skills, crafts and ideas. We want the guests, staff and community to feel encouraged and empowered so they can learn from each other, to learn from the cities they visit and live in; to absorb the energy they exude.”
Designed by Morgan Studio, the Valencia collection, on show at the recent Sleep event, combines a sharp and dramatic profile with plush upholstery detailing and comfort.
Presenting an exciting alternative to the conventional modular sofa system, the collection offers 3 modular units of the same width with the option of a full, 3/4 or 1/2 back allowing the sofas to be combined to create multi-directional seating grids.
The prestigious Chia Laguna resort, Sardinia is delighted to announce a number of new upgrades to Hotel Baia for the 2017 season. Two new restaurants, a new bar, a semi-Olympic pool and 80 new rooms will be unveiled at the start of the 2017 season on Saturday 20th May 2017.
The renovations are the next stage of Italian Hospitality Collection’s €70,000,000 investment plan for Chia Laguna that began in 2011, placing it amongst the most exclusive resorts in the Mediterranean. Hotel Baia’s 80 rooms will be fully renovated this winter. The light and airy rooms come in four categories. The Prestige Parco, Prestige Laguna and Prestige Mare rooms can all sleep up to three guests, a cot can also be provided. The majority of rooms are interconnecting making them a great choice for families.
The spacious new Junior Suites with sea views offer two rooms – bedroom and living room – and can sleep up to four guests plus a cot for babies.
A spacious new 140sqm, two-bedroom Suite Incanto with a wide living room and large garden is artfully positioned overlooking the picturesque bay below, with views of the flamingo adorned lagoon and the award-winning beach. The suite boasts two double-rooms with sitting areas and en-suite bathrooms. The rooms are connected by a spacious living room with a sofa-bed and separate bathroom, creating room for up to six guests.
Hotel Baia boasts access to one of Italy’s most beautiful beaches and offers guests complimentary beach service in a private area with umbrellas, sunbeds and towels. Chia Laguna is a collection of four hotels set amongst the turquoise waters and unspoilt countryside of Chia Bay in enchanting Southern Sardinia.
Towering above the elevated section of the M4 in Chiswick, Vantage London is a building seen by tens of thousands of motorists every day as they make their way between Heathrow airport and Central London.
Offering the largest office space in West London, the building occupies a prominent location facing Kew Gardens and sits a mere five minute walk from Chiswick Park tube station. The building has undergone a major refurbishment over this year, and key to re-launching this landmark building was a range of exterior signage that would powerfully reflect the outstandingly modern and vibrant interior.
Architectural signage specialist, Signbox’s proven ability to deliver quality high-elevation signage on this scale meant it was the natural partner for this complex and high profile job. The company was first approached by the contracted architects, Spratley Studios, in late 2014 to provide initial technical assistance to resolve issues relating to the location of large, high-level signs to both of the existing curtain-walled glazing and cladding systems. Signbox was then invited to competitively tender for the works in November 2015 and was awarded the external signage, which was then delivered between January and May of this year.
The first step in the project was to update the building’s existing gantry sign. All decorative tubular steel was removed and the entire gantry re-dressed with aluminium cladding over a new, bespoke structural steel framework with large illuminated lettering. Further external works required the designing of a specialist bracket system to attach a reinforced flex-faced box to a Schuco curtain wall at the 13th floor level, directly above the elevated section of the M4. Bespoke large fabricated letters, located flush to the cladding, were also designed and installed to ensure the fixings took all of the weight load back to the building structure.
A 16×6-metre mesh lettings banner, digitally printed in full colour, was located on engineered fixings that can be removed if required at a later date with recourse to remove the cladding panels. It also featured ‘bump stops’ to prevent the banner making contact with, and damaging the paint finish to refinished cladding.
The complexity and very high cost of re-accessing elevated signage meant that Signbox also designed and installed a complete secondary LED circuit with all control switchgear sited remotely within the building, ensuring that most future issues can be simply and immediately addressed without the need to access the exterior signage. In addition to the primary exterior signage, Signbox has also removed and replaced all car park wayfinding with stainless steel effect dibond, with printed detail as part of the project.
Workman LLP, the management company for the building are delighted with the quality of the work delivered by Signbox and have subsequently ordered additional internal signage – including directories, reception works, tenant signage and wall graphics – all of which have now been completed.
Signbox Senior Project Manager Andrew O’Hara concludes: “Signbox was delighted to have the opportunity to work on such a high profile and architecturally challenging project – the delivery of high-elevation signage that is seen by tens of thousands of London motorists on a daily basis. The project required strict adherence to deadlines and close cooperation with multiple contractors. We were ultimately able to deliver a high-quality finish befitting this landmark building, and the success of the job immediately led to further project work for this client.”
www.signbox.co.uk Unit 3 Egham Business Village Crabtree Road, Egham Surrey TW20 8RB UK T: +44 (0) 1784 438688
Gallery Direct already had an incredibly extensive range of diverse, individually designed mirrors; however, they have recently added over 40 new ones to their collection.
Providing a touch of individual boldness, these stunning new mirrors demonstrate attention to detail and beautiful craftsmanship combined with graceful design flair.
Their new mirrors feature antique brass, bronze and metallic finishes and an evolved industrial look to give a more sophisticated feel with a warmer colour palette and refined shapes, to offer aesthetically pleasing and on trend products that can suit a range of interiors. They have also introduced a selection of stunning accent and feature mirror frames using hand crafted mosaic and crackle glass; these bring a touch of elegant sophistication and stunning textures creating perfect design statements.
From burnished metallic or crackled glitz to simple or daring designs, there is a mirror to add personality to any interior. The eye-catching Rickman features bevelled mirror pieces creatively framing the main mirror, whereas the Claremont is a beautiful feature mirror.
Meliá Hotels International has announced that it will transform Meliá Cabo Real into Paradisus Los Cabos. Set to open 23 December 2016, this will be Mexico’s fourth Paradisus branded property.
Located only 25 minutes from San Jose del Cabo International Airport, on the largest swimmable beach in the Cabo corridor, Paradisus Los Cabos will be set on 14.5 acres surrounded by a private golf course (Cabo Real Golf Course) and picturesque mountains.
The resort will feature 350 guestrooms including 98 Royal Service Suites with butler service, 30 Family Concierge Suites, and 28 Ocean View Swim-up Suites. Amenities will include signature adult-only Royal Service, with a private butler service, a Family Concierge that offers a tailored experience for families, plus four swimming pools, three bars and six restaurants serving a variety of international cuisines.
“We are thrilled to bring Paradisus by Meliá to such a thriving travel destination in Mexico,” said Alvaro Tejeda, Regional VP The Americas, Meliá Hotels International. “The brand has enjoyed significant success in the Dominican Republic and Mexico, and we are confident that our new Cabo property will be well-received.”
Rounding up the impressive facilities and offerings, the resort will feature a signature wine cellar, 24-hour room service, and complimentary Wi-Fi access. Additionally, there will be Paradisus by Meliá signature YHI Spa with a comprehensive menu of treatments, relaxation areas, a ludic pool plus a fitness centre for personal training and wellness activities.
“We are delighted to add Cabo to our roster of Paradisus Resorts,” said Tony Cortizas, VP of Global Brand Strategy at Meliá Hotels International. “We are growing in Mexico and around the world and this is an exciting moment for the Paradisus brand and Meliá Hotels International overall.”
Paradisus by Meliá are elegantly designed with attention to every detail in mind. Spectacular architecture, world-class cuisine, and premium service achieve the goal of allowing guests to experience ultimate relaxation in a stress-free and upscale environment, with the luxury of never having to reach for a wallet. All properties reflect their surrounding environments and are set amid lush tropical gardens, chic restaurants, lavish suites, award-winning spas, pristine beaches and oversized, stylish swimming pools.
With shower toilets raising comfort levels in the hotel bathroom to spa-like proportions, Geberit showcased its very latest and market-leading technology at Sleep 2016. A highlight of the stand was the Geberit AquaClean Mera, which impressed not only with its aesthetic appeal, but also due to its array of intelligent comfort functions.
Characterised by high-quality materials, smooth lines and a seamless finish, this latest shower toilet from Geberit, designed by Christoph Behling, has the appearance of a standard WC on the outside, while a wealth of technological benefits are neatly concealed within.
The washing and drying functions are just part of the Geberit AquaClean Mera story, which also boasts functions including a proximity sensor to automatically raise the WC lid and warm the seat on the user’s approach, rimless WC pan for improved hygiene, a discreet orientation light for use at night, built-in odour extraction and a programmable remote control.
Visitors to Sleep 2016 also learned more about Geberit AquaClean Sela, available as either floor-standing or wall-hung it offers hotel guests a luxurious level of cleanliness, at the touch of a button.
Specifiers looking to upgrade hotel bathrooms retrospectively will find a neat solution with Geberit AquaClean enhancement seats, which can be added to an existing WC to wash the user clean with a gentle and airy water spray at body temperature.
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