Hotel Designs

Marriott International continues to expand in Eastern Europe with the opening of its first hotel in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the 75-suite Residence Inn Sarajevo. The hotel, operated by an affiliate of U.S.-based Interstate Hotels & Resorts, is the first internationally-branded hotel in the country and fills a gap in the extended stay market with spacious suites and studios that enable guests to thrive on long stays.Ideal for stays of five nights or more, the Residence Inn Sarajevo comprises 62 studios and 13 suites, each with a fully-equipped kitchen and separate areas for eating, working and relaxing. The well-designed rooms promote productivity with large, well-lit work desks, ergonomic chairs and complimentary high-speed Internet. A welcoming and restorative feel is created throughout with warm, earthy colours and light wood fixtures and fittings. Natural light floods the rooms through floor to ceiling windows and each suite has its own private terrace.

Designed to meet the needs of extended-stay guests, the inviting public spaces feature flexible seating for working or relaxing and a 24-hour Market selling drinks, snacks and meals. Additional facilities at the Residence Inn Sarajevo include free grocery delivery, airport pick up and drop off (at additional charge) and a fitness centre with sauna.

Ideally located just twenty minutes from the airport and near the old city, the Residence Inn Sarajevo provides convenient access to the city’s historical and cultural attractions as well as restaurants, cafes and shops. An attractive year-round destination, Sarajevo is known for its variety of summer festivals and skiing throughout the winter months.

Luxury fabric specialist, Kobe, has been chosen to showcase its products at the prestigious Paris Déco Off event, taking place in the city for the sixth consecutive year in January.The exclusive five-day event, open to professionals and the general public, is one of the most esteemed in Europe, hosting the crème de la crème of textile houses – selected by invitation only.

David Harris, managing director of Kobe UK, said: “We were delighted to be chosen to take part in this internationally renowned event. It’s an opportunity to reinforce our brand with over 21,000 professionals from all over the world who visit Paris to inspire and update themselves on the latest in the world of interiors.”

During the show, the company will be launching its newest introductions for 2015, City Chic and Brissac.

Inspired by the Hollywood’s Golden Age, known for its lavish glitz and glamour, City Chic brings together a rich array of interior fabrics, providing endless creative opportunities. From opulent velvets to fluid satins, plains in trendy colours, patterns ranging from traditional pied de poulé to fantasy animal skin and natural fabrics incorporating metallic yarns, its vivacious style lends itself to those who dare to set trends.

Brissac pays homage to the French Napoleonic Empire style period, featuring sumptuous printed metallic velvets in a range of intricate patterns including toile de jouy florals, medallions and Greek and Roman inspired ornaments. The colour palette is also reminiscent of the Empire period, ranging from ecru and beige to pastel tints and shades of gold and brown.

The two new collections complement Kobe’s existing portfolio of luxurious fabrics and follow the recent launch of Aurora – a range of high satins, sumptuous velvets and intricately patterned jacquards, capturing the essence of Nordic light tones.

Kobe UK is part of the Dutch-based Kobefab International company which supplies more than 8,000 interior design and soft furnishing customers in over 60 countries with more than 7,000 products from its headquarters in Valkenswaard, Holland. More than 90% of its products are developed in-house and 95% of all sourcing is done in Europe. Kobe’s Contract Sales hold a gold membership with Trevira CS and has a wide range of 100% Trevira CS fabrics – which are Oekoteks 100 certified and are regarded as the highest quality in FR inherent fabrics. Kobe’s vinyl wall coverings are also FR inherent, durable and demand minimal maintenance. They contain recycled materials and are printed using water based inks making them environmentally sound. Kobe wallcoverings can also contribute to a building achieving LEED credits.

The UK operation is based in Crowthorne, Berkshire.

With the introduction of Perspex® Naturals, a new collection of acrylics replicating the earthy tones found in natural stone, the design team at Signbox has been busy revamping our exclusive range of pictograms.The Matt Design range is available in 8 standard colours and sized at 150mm x 150mm x 5mm. Graphics are digitally screenprinted to the surface, using the on-trend, no-frills FF Netto typeface by Daniel Utz.

Pictograms are based upon the most popular symbols used for wayfinding with 15 options available from stock. If a particular design is required, please contact our sales team for advice.

From hospitality to workplace, education to healthcare, the Perspex® Naturals Matt Design range will suit both traditional or contemporary interiors. Its double sided matt surface meets the desire for simple, natural looking materials that perform to high standards in demanding environments.

The Matt Design collection is manufactured from the new Perspex Naturals range of material and you can find more information on our eshop, here.

The second stage of refurbishment at the Holiday Inn Darlington North is now under way with work focusing on the remaining 56 guest rooms, public areas and décor at the Holiday Inn Darlington North due. A project set to complete mid-December 2014.Both existing and new hotel guests will be able to experience a completely revitalised and energetic ambiance, the 56 rooms will be undergoing an extensive aesthetic overhaul with new flooring, carpets, painted feature wall and upgraded amenities giving the bedroom a fresh and modern feel, one that echoes the ever popular open lobby hotel space below.

To ensure total brand and product reinforcement, the team have focussed on every area that the guests experiences. This transformation will include uplift of the corridor carpets, walls, ceilings, hallways and stairwells leading to the guest rooms to ensure the consistency of quality throughout the hotel.

“We are delighted to announce the refurbishment works have begun at our hotel and we are very excited to welcome guests to experience the soon be completely refurbished hotels new look. The renovation symbolises another milestone for our hotels history, with this makeover set to ensure that the hotel maintains its rightful position in the local, national and international market” Says Patricia MacInnes General Manager of Holiday Inn Darlington North.

Seltex has recently revamped their website, www.seltex.co.uk, and invite you to take a moment to explore the new areas.A direct link to their interactive app in the App Store (iTunes) means it’s even easier to visualise beautiful wallcoverings in your project.

The newly designed site features a digital/ bespoke area where you can search over 40 million photo and vector images to create stunning wallcoverings, perfect for creating feature walls.

We hope you enjoy the new site – if there’s anything you’d like to ask us, just get in touch!

Marriott International, Inc. has recently announced the opening of the AC Hotel New Orleans Bourbon, celebrating the official entrée of AC Hotels by Marriott into North America. Originally founded in 1998 by renowned Spanish hotelier Antonio Catalan, AC Hotels is one of the most well-known hotel brands in Spain. Following its success in Europe, a joint venture was formed with Marriott International in 2011 establishing AC Hotels by Marriott as a lifestyle brand within the company’s global portfolio.Opened in November, the new AC Hotel New Orleans Bourbon rests on Carondelet Street on the cusp of the French Quarter in the city’s historic cotton exchange building. The iconic building is a National Historic Landmark which first opened in 1871 as a centralized forum for the trade of cotton. Gracious and chic, many of the 220 hotel rooms offer stunning views of the city. The hotel will operate under a franchise agreement with NewcrestImage, a Texas-based hotel development, construction and management company.

AC Hotels by Marriott is the antidote to this modern age of multi-tasking and over-stimulation with its purposeful European design, which edits away the superfluous in order to create moments of pause for travellers.

Each new AC Hotels location will feature signature amenities and culinary elements including the AC Lounge experience, the AC Library and the AC Kitchen.

The AC Lounge experience is inspired by the idea of “draft and craft,” a place within the hotel where guests can work during the day and relax after hours with a perfectly made cocktail and thoughtfully curated menu of small bites ordered right from the bartender. The AC Lounge will also offer wines on tap and craft beers unique to the area. The AC Library provides a quiet space to linger and be inspired.

Open uniquely for breakfast, the AC Kitchen is grounded in the idea of a European home, welcoming guests with buttery croissants and breakfast delights including an artisan slicer allows for guests to experience a taste of Europe each morning with Iberico inspired artisanal Prosciutto Americain. The kitchen will also feature AC Hotels by Marriott signature Iced Coffee.

When I started my own practice in 1982, one of the first companies we specified was Chelsom. Whilst other big names in the lighting industry have struggled to develop, or even ceased trading, Robert Chelsom and his son Will have led the development of the family business steadily, taking it to its current position as one of the stalwarts of the interior design supply industry that HotelDesigns is proud to represent to the world.
Regular readers of our Industry columns will have seen many articles on hotels supplied by the company as they continue to expand their range and reach. I first visited the company in their offices in Lancashire some dozen years ago, and they continue to work from the now much busier location, but have built a strong custom manufacturing service in Lancashire whilst developing their high quality manufacturing plant in China.

Whilst other companies complain about quality and bring manufacturing back into Britain, Robert is passionate in defending the quality of their Chinese manufacturing plant. The company has invested heavily in building relationship and quality control systems and now their product quality is unmatched (and, says Robert, cannot be matched in the UK) whilst the Chinese plant has enabled the company to extend its supply into the enormously growing S.E. Asia market with minimal transport costs.

The design and prototyping work is carried out and refined in the UK prior to manufacturing, most of it carried out in Lancashire by the father and son team. Robert talked about the criteria for manufacturing for Hospitality in a recent well received article on Hotel Designs (see Designing Hotel Lighting)

Accor is proud to announce two new hotels in Scotland, bringing its total in the country to 20. These new hotels demonstrate Accor’s commitment to growing its business in Scotland, where it currently employs nearly 1,000 people. In Glasgow Accor has signed a franchise agreement with MCTH Trading Limited to open an ibis Styles on Miller Street in the current Telfer House, which is undergoing extensive refurbishment. This is the city’s first ibis Styles, which will be managed and operated by the Glasgow based hotel management company, Redefine|BDL Hotels.

ibis Styles hotels provide guests with a comfortable stay in a stylishly designed environment at a budget all inclusive price-point, and the peace of mind that comes from staying with Europe’s largest hotel brand. The ibis family of brands is already proving successful in Scotland, with three opening in Edinburgh this year alone.

Like all ibis Styles, the new Glasgow hotel will have its own individual personality, drawing inspiration from local surroundings and culture, providing guests with a unique experience wherever they stay. Management company, Redefine|BDL Hotels, will take on a new team to operate the 101 room, eight storey hotel, creating 25 jobs ahead of the scheduled opening in autumn 2015.

In Edinburgh, Accor has signed a deal to open a stylish, brand new Mercure hotel at 38 Gardner’s Crescent in central Edinburgh. The 110 room, midscale hotel will be opened with a franchise partner; Edinburgh City Hotels Limited, in Spring 2015. All bedrooms boast Apple TV’s and there will be high speed internet throughout the hotel.

Mercure prides itself on being the only 4-star hotel brand that combines the strength of an international network, with a strong quality commitment and individualised local touches.

Thomas Dubaere, Managing Director, Accor UK & Ireland said: “These new hotels will help us to expand the Accor brands in Scotland, where our business is already enjoying great success. We’re especially pleased to be working with franchise partners for these economy and midscale hotels, as these are segments where we see a lot of growth potential. Scotland is an important region for us, with its enviable tourism industry and flourishing business ecosystem, so we continue to seek new opportunities to grow and participate in the local economy.”

With the opening of the Miami Beach EDITION, a spectacular next-generation urban resort by Ian Schrager in partnership with Marriott International, the city not only gains a unique oceanfront complex designed for 21st century recreation, socializing, networking, and business, but also takes its next great leap into the future.In many ways, the new EDITION represents the most important step forward for the city since the moment when Schrager’s last Miami hotel, the Delano, opened in 1992—and changed everything. “Up till then there hadn’t been a new hotel built in Miami Beach in almost forty years,” Schrager recalls. For decades, the great mid-20th century resort city and its hotels had slipped into stasis and decline, as the jet age allowed vacationing Americans to flock to Europe and the Caribbean in place of their old Florida standby. But in the early 1990s, Schrager sensed that something exciting and fresh was emerging in the historic Art Deco blocks of South Beach: a new population, and new kind of cultural energy. Building on that realization, he created the Delano—and suddenly Miami Beach was on the map again, the hotel’s cutting-edge design and stylish atmosphere drawing sophisticated travelers back to the city for the first time in a generation. “The fundamentals were always there: the ocean, the beach, the weather, the frequent flights,” Schrager notes. “All one had to do, it seemed to me, was create something special and comfortable; it was an example of ‘build it and people will come.’”

Two decades later, the Miami Beach EDITION represents the next great seminal event in the life of the city. Like its predecessor, it is built upon a realization about the profound shifts and changes that have transformed Miami in the years since the Delano opened. No longer merely a getaway spot for people seeking a break from winter, or the place, as Lenny Bruce put it, “where neon goes to die,” Miami has emerged in the last two decades as world-class capital, a 24-hour gateway city whose cultural scenes— in art, architecture, music, fashion, cuisine, design—now rival any of the world’s urban centers, and attract people from every corner of the globe. The explosive growth of Art Basel Miami has made the city a focal

point of the international art world, while the rise of lively new areas such as the Biscayne Boulevard corridor, Wynwood, the Design District—along with downtown Miami itself—have given it the kind of resurgent, bustling, creative districts that cities like New York, Los Angeles, Paris and London have long enjoyed.

Above all, a tectonic shift is placing Miami at the fulcrum of 21st century culture, as the longtime cultural primacy of East and West Coasts, built in part on their ties with, respectively, Europe and Asia, is now being supplemented by the emergence of a third great “coast,” looking south, and energized by its links to the vibrant energies of Latin America—in music, fashion, art, design, food, entertainment—energies which are being funneled through Miami as nowhere else, and turning it into a new kind of global capital. “The old ‘bicoastal’ cultural model,” Schrager notes, “is really now more ‘tricoastal’: a kind of golden triangle of New York, L.A., and Miami.” The arrival of the new EDITION, like the Delano two decades ago, will at once ratify the city’s new stature—and propel its evolution even further.

Continued on page two…

The 162-room Courtyard by Marriott Recife has officially opened its doors in the beautiful city of Recife in the north-eastern state of Pernambuco, Brazil. The hotel is only a short walk to the beach and has convenient access to the city’s best restaurants, shopping and cultural attractions.“The Courtyard brand is expanding across the world at a rapid pace and we’re thrilled to introduce this innovative brand to Brazil,” said Craig S. Smith, president of the Caribbean and Latin America at Marriott International. “With the opening of the Courtyard by Marriott in Recife, the brand now has a portfolio of 24 hotels in 11 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America, and we look forward to receiving more and more Brazilian guests as we expand our footprint in the country in the next few years.”

The Courtyard by Marriott Recife offers complimentary high-speed Internet in guest rooms and public areas, so guests can stay connected while travelling, as well as large work desks in each room for a more peaceful work environment.

One of the key elements of the Courtyard “refreshing business” lobby is the GoBoard®, which presents local information such as maps, weather, and news on a 55-inch LCD touch screen. Guests can utilize the screen for instant access to flight information, local airports, entertainment and local event information, as well as walking directions and have it all sent to their smart phones.

The Courtyard by Marriott Recife will feature the brand’s signature “Bistro” that offers healthy food choices and a variety of International options. As part of the Bistro, the hotel will also have an evening bar with speciality beverages. The hotel will also feature a complete fitness centre, a 24 hour Market and four spacious meeting rooms totalling over 3.000 square feet of meeting space.

The Photon SpaceTM provides a new hospitality and well-being experience combining the latest in all-glass technology with sophisticated design; to let the benefits of natural light in.

Launched on Crowdcube (UK, 27th November), this revolutionary architectural structure is the first of its kind to address every day issues such as stress, low energy, jet-lag and broader health problems by allowing natural daylight into the space to balance essential body rhythms. This exciting project combines years of research, glass innovation, engineering and architecture to provide a new way to restore, relax and rejuvenate.

In our modern lives we spend too much time indoors, despite the fact that scientific research shows that daylight has profound benefits for our health, mood and productivity. We have ignored the fact that we still require exposure to natural light for psychological and physiological reasons to stay in tune with our biological clocks and to keep us healthy and happy.

Engineered with the latest advances in nano-technology, The Photon SpaceTM is a luxury daylight suite constructed entirely from intelligent glass to allow the maximum amount of natural light into a comfortable living environment. Within a 45m2 footprint, this all-glass structure provides 360 degree views, which contribute to the acute sense of space and greater connectivity with the natural surrounding environment.

The suite is designed as a compact living solution, incorporating a furnished sitting room and double bedroom with a modular integrated kitchen and bathroom.

The Photon SpaceTM design is supported by long-term studies from Oxford University led by Professor Russell Foster into the non-visual photoreceptor (our built-in mechanism that adjusts to external cues) and circadian rhythms dedicated to setting our natural 24 hour body clock. He has confirmed that natural light provides the critical input for synchronising our body clocks in accordance with environmental time

“After five years of research and technological advances in the glass systems we work with, we are very excited to be able to manufacture this revolutionary suite. As a group of experts in the glass and architecture industry, we are very passionate about bringing its’ benefits to the market,” explains Charlie Sharman, Managing Director, The Photon Project.

The multi-layered, high-performance glass walls are bonded to curved glass beams and allow for total transparency and temperate climate control to create a safe, relaxing and harmonious environment. The Photon SpaceTM can be set to reduce stress levels and regulate sleep patterns by accessing more of the blue light spectrum and allowing daylight to flood into the suite. This is done with the latest in nanotechnology, as the space can be darkened for privacy to provide a perfect night-time setting to regulate sleep when you need it most – even during the day.

The Photon SpaceTM is a modular construction so it can be erected and finished quickly in around 4 weeks. It has an integrated steel sub-frame so it can be built in virtually all locations – it “touches the earth lightly” and can therefore be removed with minor local impact on the surroundings. The suites are especially relevant for hospitality destinations like spas, health retreats, hotels and resorts, high-rise roof–tops, medical centres and safari lodges.

Visit www.crowdcube.com to see our full pitch, video and Business Plan- for even more details about the science, the technology and the people involved go to www.thephotonproject.org

“We believe that bringing the Newmor brand to our UK customers will ultimately deliver unrivalled service and cost savings for the project,” says Toby Morris, Managing Director of Newmor Wallcoverings.Formally known in the UK as Dixon Tuner, Newmor has grown to become one of the largest independent contract wallcovering manufacturers in the UK. Since its conception in 1967 by john Morris, the company is proud to be able to hold the same business ethos with his Grandsons running the company today.

Currently operating in over 60 countries worldwide, the company offers global support from its well established distribution network and regional sales offices based in Poland, Germany, Dubai, Singapore & Hong Kong.

Newmor’s International growth can in many ways be attributed to its flexibility. Utilizing the skills of our in-house design team clients have the opportunity to work with our Studio to develop a unique wallcovering that fits perfectly with the needs of the project both aesthetically and commercially.

Newmor Studio not only offers a bespoke/custom design service to clients but also works tirelessly to create new product ideas for Newmor Group.

Significant investment has been made in our CAD systems and digital printing hardware within the studio giving the flexibility to produce large samples for customer approval, as well as trial room quantities and test hangs.

The Studio is integrated into the company manufacturing plant allowing the designers and colourists to work closely with the production printing team. This gives a great sense of continuity to any design, from initial design concepts right through to bulk production.

Coupled with our design developments, Newmor strives to ensure all of its products are made to the highest quality standards. All of Newmor wallcoverings comply with International fire ratings and quality standards for commercial installations, are produced with an active bio stabilizer to prevent the growth of bacteria, and are available for next day shipping.

Above all else Newmor produce’s and develops products around the needs of its clients. We offer unparalleled support through our experienced Customer Service team, in-house Design Studio and flexible manufacturing plant. Over the course of the last 50 years the Newmor has been able to stand the test of time by delivering time and time again to most of the largest hospitality and corporate organizations around the world.

For further information, visit www.newmor.com

Marriott International has announced plans to open a 130 room Fairfield by Marriott in El Salvador. Located adjacent to the upscale La Gran Via shopping mall and in close proximity to large corporations such as Xerox, Citibank, the World Bank, Bayers and Siemens, the hotel will serve as an excellent lodging option for the frequent business travellers. The property will be developed by Dueñas Hermanos Ltda. (d.b.a. Urbanica Desarrollos Inmobiliarios), Caribe Hospitality and Terranum Hotels, the same the companies that own the existing Courtyard by Marriott San Salvador. The hotel will be managed by Marriott International under a long term agreement.“As Central America continues to develop, the region’s middle class continues to grow and travel more and more, requiring reliable, high quality accommodations to cater to their lodging needs,” said Craig S. Smith, President of the Caribbean and Latin America at Marriott International. “This new property reaffirms the company’s commitment to Central America and marks the continuation of our aggressive growth plans in the region.”

“We are fortunate to have such excellent regional partners in Latin America with a progressive mindset, with whom we look forward to continue to grow many successful hotels within the region” says Laurent de Kousemaeker, chief development officer for Marriott International, Inc. in the Caribbean & Latin America “El Salvador is among the top Central American markets we are targeting for our select service brands.”

The 130-room Fairfield by Marriott hotel in San Salvador, scheduled to open in 2016, will feature a modern design, a casual dining restaurant, meeting space and a state of the art fitness center.

The new InterContinental® London – The O2 is scheduled to open in late 2015, providing extensive facilities for leisure and business travellers visiting the capital.The luxury 453-bedroom 18-storey hotel and conference centre currently in construction as part of a 7.6 acre development scheme on the Greenwich Peninsula, a destination enjoying a huge surge in visitors following the 2012 Olympic regeneration project.

Designed to the highest sustainability standards and located immediately adjacent to The O2, the InterContinental London – The O2 will feature a dedicated conference centre complete with 20 multi-functional meeting rooms and an impressive 3000sqm pillar-free ballroom, one of the largest single event spaces in any European hotel. Accommodating as many as 3000 delegates, the hotel’s ballroom will rival many of its current London counterparts, attracting a range of events from congresses, exhibitions to banquets and award ceremonies as part of its full service offering.

With its enviable position on the banks of the River Thames, visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the water and neighbouring Canary Wharf. The hotel’s location also benefits from easy riverboat access into Greenwich Pier and is only 400m from North Greenwich tube station where guests can reach London’s West End within 15 minutes. London City Airport, carrying more than 3 million visitors each year and serving the many business travellers into Canary Wharf and the City of London, is within six miles of the hotel.

Facilities at the InterContinental London – The O2 include a luxury spa, hotel bar, two restaurants – comprising a fine dining and all-day dining experience – as well as a 18th floor Sky Bar boasting an uninterrupted, panoramic view across the water to Canary Wharf and beyond.

Raj Shah, Arora Group’s Commercial Director, commented: “We are excited to be opening the largest and most luxurious hotel in Greenwich with the largest single pillar free ballroom within a London hotel. With the Olympics, this area of London has undergone a dramatic transformation and we are delighted to be part of that ongoing regeneration that renders this area one of the most visited destinations in the city. This hotel will bring a new dimension of leisure and business facilities to Greenwich and Canary Wharf and we believe a welcome new option for meeting planners looking to place large events in the capital with a globally recognised hotel brand.”

InterContinental London – The O2 is managed and operated by The Arora Group under a franchise agreement with the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®).

Located in heart of Bogota’s financial district and walking distance to the city’s best shopping and dining, the newly built 64-room Artisan DC Hotel is thrilled to announce its official affiliation with the Autograph Collection. The Artisan DC Hotel is the first to become a part of Marriott International’s Autograph Collection in Colombia, and the second in Latin America after the Hotel & Spa do Vinho located in the southern wine country of Brazil. The beautifully designed Artisan DC Hotel is the ultimate urban boutique hotel, offering a unique, tailored experience for every guest that walks through the door. The hotel is comprised of two buildings, each one with a distinctive style; one designed with warm and vibrant colours and the other designed with a more serene and calming palette. The entire hotel is rich in textures and eclectic details including exposed brick walls throughout the property.

Under the careful watch of the talented Chef Adam Bustos, the hotel’s featured restaurant, OSAKI, offers a modern Asian inspired menu served up in an impressive “internal” patio dining space.

“We are very excited about The Artisan DC Hotel’s affiliation with the Autograph Collection,” said Juan Carlos Galindo, President of OXO Hotels, operator of the Artisan DC Hotel. “We take pride in providing our guests with the authentic, cultural and unique Bogota experience. Through our partnership with the Autograph Collection, we can offer our guests even more –– including Marriott Rewards points for stays and an affiliation with other similar independent hotels throughout the world.”

“The Artisan DC Hotel a truly unique experience in the heart of Bogota,” said Craig S. Smith, President, and Caribbean & Latin America at Marriott International. “We are excited to welcome the hotel to the Autograph Collection, which delivers the power of our world-class sales engines while maintaining the property’s unique identity in the centre of one of Latin America’s most important cities.”

Centara Hotels & Resorts has announced that it will further expand its presence in Krabi by the addition of a Centra value brand hotel in the province – Centra Phu Pano Resort, Krabi. Centara, Thailand’s largest operator of hotels will thereafter feature three of its brands in Krabi, extending its reach across a range of tourism market segments.

The management contract was signed at the Centara head office in Bangkok on October 29th 2014 with owning company Chok Dee Suk who beside their hotel interest are the family who own the Vogue Department Store which has been operating more than 20 years. Centra Phu Pano Resort is expected to open in mid 2016.

“With its location in Ao Nang close to shops and entertainment spaces this resort sits in a unique location for our guests” says Thirayuth Chirathivat, Chief Executive Officer of Centara Hotels & Resorts.

“The area of Ao Nang is very popular with visitors, and we are delighted to be opening another hotel here.

“Since we opened our 5 star resort in Krabi in 2006 we have built an excellent reputation and have a strong customer base allowing us to so to expand and add more resorts including Pelican Bay earlier this year. I’m very proud that Centara Hotels & Resorts is trusted by investors and we believe this newest property will also be very successful.”

Chris Bailey, Senior Vice President for Sales and Marketing at Centara Hotels & Resorts, says that “Centara has a strategic expansion plan for the south of Thailand, with currently three different brands across the region to cater for specific market segments”

“Opening a new resort in Krabi gives us extra strength in the Southern Thailand market, and extends our range in the value sector.”

Centra Phu Pano Resort will have 158 rooms featuring a series of Family Rooms and connecting rooms especially designed and suitable for the Family market – all day restaurant with bar – a Meeting Room of 150m2 – a Fitness Centre and Swimming pool with separate children’s pool. The resort is conveniently located in Ao Nang and is just a short drive from the beach, shops and restaurants and is where many boats are available to take guests to the Islands.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the opening of the Holiday Inn® Staten Island hotel. With over 50 IHG-branded hotels open in the New York metropolitan area and nearly 15 additional hotels in the pipeline, this five-story, 105-room property is expected to generate nearly 20 jobs on Staten Island. The Holiday Inn brand was conceived as a way to bring the joy of travel to families in a fun, affordable and comfortable way. The brand’s innovative approach changed the way millions of people travel and ended up bringing the whole world together. Now, over 62 years later, the brand continues to evolve to meet the demands of today’s traveller. That’s why IHG invested in the $1 billion Holiday Inn global brand relaunch, the largest in hospitality history. The relaunch continues to drive increased quality and consistency across the global portfolio, and new hotels feature a contemporary image with emphasis on arrival and welcome services, guest room and guest bath comfort and a redesigned logo and signage.

The hotel’s restaurant – Lillies – serves breakfast and dinner and also offers the Holiday Inn Best-4-Breakfastâ menu, with signature items such as Rainforest Alliance™ Certified coffee, Cinnamon Supreme French Toast™ and Skillet Inspirations™. Kids 12 and younger eat free at Holiday Inn hotels when ordering from the kids’ menu in the hotel restaurant and accompanied by a dining adult. Room Service Right … On Time™, also a standard at all Holiday Inn hotels, ensures that guests’ room service orders are accurate and delivered on time, every time. The hotel includes flexible event space that can accommodate up to 30 people.

The hotel design creates a familiar atmosphere that is warm and comfortable. Guest beds are made using crisp, white bedding with pillows that come in two comfort levels: “soft” and “firm.” The bathrooms include a multifunctional showerhead as well as a signature shower curtain with curved rod and Bath & Body Works® amenities. Guest rooms feature comfortable double, queen or king-sized beds and modern décor. In addition, each room has a sitting area with a lounge chair, hairdryer, micro fridge, coffee maker, iron and ironing board. The guest rooms include business-focused necessities such as an ergonomic workstation, free high-speed wireless Internet and complimentary USA TODAY® newspapers.

ISG has reached a key construction milestone at its £66+ million Exhibition Centre Liverpool and Pullman hotel development. A ceremonial event held at the prominent ACC Liverpool waterfront site, which is already home to BT Convention Centre and Echo Arena, saw the signing and installation of a specially commissioned steel beam at the highest point on the striking building – acknowledging the key roles of the major project stakeholders. ISG has reached a key construction milestone at its £66+ million Exhibition Centre Liverpool and Pullman hotel development. A ceremonial event held at the prominent ACC Liverpool waterfront site, which is already home to BT Convention Centre and Echo Arena, saw the signing and installation of a specially commissioned steel beam at the highest point on the striking building – acknowledging the key roles of the major project stakeholders.

To mark this important project milestone, the Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson was joined by David McDonnell, chairman of ACC Liverpool, along with representatives from contractor ISG, hotel operator Branded Hotel Management and Pullman. The steel beam, signed by the VIP guests, also features individual plaques representing Liverpool City Council, ACC Liverpool, ISG and Pullman Hotel and Resorts, and as part of the ceremony was lifted into place by the site’s 70m tower crane.

Scheduled to open in September 2015, Exhibition Centre Liverpool will more than double the existing 7,125 sq m capacity at ACC Liverpool to 15,225 sq m of flexible exhibition space. It will link to the existing arena and convention centre, making the building the only purpose-built arena, convention and exhibition centre in Europe. The centre, designed by architects Denton Corker Marshall, features a glazed atrium which offers stunning vistas looking out across the River Mersey and the city’s UNESCO World Heritage site. The integrated 216 room four star upscale hotel features an off-set, rectangular ‘tube’ design, which includes extensive glazing and a spacious double height atrium at its lower levels.

Frank Joyce, ISG’s project director, commented: “Reaching this milestone on one of Liverpool’s largest construction projects is a key moment to celebrate and reflect on the long-term legacy of this important development. The economic benefit derived from our focus on using regional supply chain partners, allied to the creation of our Social Investment Group has resulted in a project that will create and support job opportunities and growth in the region for years to come.”

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said: “The new exhibition centre will help secure Liverpool’s place as one of the top visitor destinations in the UK. This great new facility will become the jewel in Liverpool’s expo crown and will further enhance the city’s global events and conference reputation. It will bring a huge economic boost to our city and create jobs. It’s a great example of how we are investing to earn to grow demand for the benefit of the people of Liverpool and the businesses which depend on the visitor economy.”

David McDonnell, chairman of ACC Liverpool, said: “Exhibition Centre Liverpool marks the continued progression of ACC Liverpool and topping out represents the next major milestone in our development. We are now less than a year from opening and are pleased with how the project, which is on time and on budget, is gathering pace. Our teams are working hard to ensure that we have a busy calendar of exhibitions, conferences and entertainment events for visitors.”

Jonathan Sheard, SVP operations, luxury, upscale and midscale brands, Accor UK and Ireland, commented: “Today marks another step to us achieving our goal – to open a brand new vibrant and cosmopolitan Pullman hotel which will welcome many guests in Liverpool.”

Marriott International Inc. continues to expand its AC Hotels by Marriott brand, with three new properties in Valencia, Spain; Istanbul, Turkey; and Tel Aviv, Israel, bringing the total to 80 opened or signed hotels in Europe. The new additions exemplify the brand’s urban aesthetic with modern interiors and clean, crisp lines.AC Hotel Colón Valencia, Spain
The 91-room AC Hotel Colón Valencia, Spain, has opened as the brand’s second property in the city and sixtieth in Spain. Run under a management contract with AC Hotel La Carolina SL, the hotel is located in the commercial and financial district, surrounded by bars and restaurants, and a short distance from the bullring, medieval centre and the Carmen quarter, a lively tourist area.

The hotel boasts an AC Lounge & Bistro restaurant, three meeting rooms, Fitness Centre, business centre and a terrace. There are excellent public transport links to the airport, industrial suburbs and port, and the hotel is within walking distance of North Valencia rail station and just ten minutes by car from the Palacio de Congressos and fifteen minutes from the beach.

AC Hotel Istanbul Maçka, Turkey
AC Hotels by Marriott made its debut in Turkey with the opening of the 98-room AC Hotel Istanbul Maçka, operated under a franchise agreement with Tans Turizm ve Otelcilik A.S. In the upmarket Akaretler residential neighbourhood, one kilometre from Taksim Square, the property is located on the European side of the city, close to Maçka Park and the Istanbul Congress Centre, making it well placed for both leisure and corporate guests.

Facilities include an AC Lounge & Bistro restaurant, three meeting rooms, Fitness Centre, sauna and two treatment rooms; and The Market, which is open 24/7 and sells drinks, snacks and sundries such as toothpaste.

AC Hotel Herzliya, Israel
Still under construction and projected to open in January 2016, the AC Hotel Herzliya is in the central business district of Herzliya, a short drive from Tel Aviv, and adjacent to the Herzliya Business Park, which is home to multinational organisations such as Siemens and Microsoft. The property is also just metres away from Herzliya Marina and the beach.

Facilities include an AC Lounge with a sea view, Bistro restaurant, separate bar, lobby with library wall and 23m ceilings, outdoor pool and pool bar overlooking the beach, plus two meeting rooms (largest room, 250 people cabaret style).

The unique design concept created by Dana Oberson architects draws inspiration from the hotel’s location in Herzliya – a city that combines an urban business centre with marina and beach life. A combination of beige and blue, terrazzo and concrete flooring, iron, brass and wood elements create an urban marina atmosphere in the public spaces that continues through to the guest rooms. Interesting, hand-picked ornaments and furniture enrich the design and create a warm and eclectic feel throughout the hotel.

The Mercure Inverness Hotel, set on the banks of the River Ness in the heart of the city, has recently undergone an extensive refurbishment to transform its biggest event room, providing the ideal location to cater for all occasions.The hotel’s recent renovation also includes the creation of twelve brand new Privilege Bedrooms, which feature everything guests could wish for to relax and unwind in style from plush dressing gowns to Nespresso coffee machines.

Interior designer Helen Hooper of HH Interiors, who has previously worked with Jupiter Hotels on renovation projects across the UK, comments on the project: “The design in the new bedrooms is fresh and modern. We used bold splashes of colour against an elegant and stylish grey palate. In each room, there is a highland influenced painting positioned on the ceiling over the bed, to add a locally inspired touch to the design. Each room has a bespoke wardrobe and the bathrooms include large walk-in showers. The Inverness Suite has a unique Scottish thistle carpet design, with contemporary tartan wallpaper and deep purples and greys, to give a perfect setting for a wedding.”

The Inverness Suite caters for those looking for an ideal wedding or event venue. The suite accommodates up to 180 guests and with its own private bar, also provides the perfect space for Christmas parties. This year the festive theme is Mistletoe Masquerade, where guests will experience a night of mystery, charm and intrigue. For those looking for a venue to host an intimate sit down meal for the family, there are also additional rooms to accommodate for a smaller function.

Commenting on the refurbishment, hotel General Manager Fraser Peterkin said: “We are delighted with the transformation of the Inverness Suite, which has been completed in perfect time for those looking for a venue for their Christmas party. Our hotel is situated in an ideal central location, with fantastic transport links all within walking distance.”

Located with the dramatic Highland backdrop, the hotel also creates the perfect romantic setting for a wedding. From an intimate gathering to an extraordinary affair, the hotel has experts on hand to create bespoke packages to suit every guest. Plus, there is an array of colour schemes to choose from and tailored menu choices.

Shane Harris, CEO Jupiter Hotels, added: “The investment demonstrates our continued commitment to the growth and transformation of our portfolio in the UK. It’s an exciting time for the midscale hotel market and with the right investment, hotels like the Mercure Inverness Hotel can be given a new lease of life.”

The Inverness Suite can also host up to 200 conference delegates and offers complimentary high speed WiFi.

Local attractions include Loch Ness, the Eden Court theatre, plus a selection of Championship Golf courses. The airport is approximately 20 minutes away.

Motel One is now open in the UK’s capital with the opening of Motel One London-Tower Hill. The 291 room hotel on Minories Road, between Aldgate and Tower Hill tube station is within walking distance of many of the city’s main tourist attractions. With every Motel One boasting their own individual style unique to their location, Motel One London-Tower Hill is no different with their own royal flair throughout the new hotel. Images of the Crown Jewels, glamorous Swarowski crystals and contemporary candelabra brings a regal feel to the hotel’s sparkling One Lounge. Leather armchairs, Chesterfield Sofas, tweed and velvet covered armchairs and a fireplace all radiate traditional English charm for every occasion, be it for a cup of English tea or if you prefer something stronger the hotel has a good range of Gin on offer.

For business or for pleasure Motel One London-Tower Hill guarantees sweet dreams with 100% Egyptian cotton bed linen. The bathrooms are all elegantly fitted with granite and glass Dornbracht washbasin fittings, as well as a monsoon rain shower. Complemented with exclusive Artemide Tolomeo lighting and LOEWE flat screen TV, each room provides a peaceful escape from the city outside. Clever functional design ensures there is plenty of storage space for luggage and hanging space for those all important party or business dresses and suits.

With free WiFi access throughout the hotel and I-pads available from the One Lounge, Motel One London-Tower Hill is ideally situated for business travellers in the city and those looking to stay well connected on their travels.

Chelsom bolster their Head Office team with the appointment of Andrew Fitton as Business Development Manager as they consolidate their position as a leading suppliers of decorative lighting to the international contract marketplace.Marking the end of what has been a successful year, Chelsom have recently appointed an experienced Business Development Manager as a critical part of the Sales team to enhance the continued expansion of the brand both in the UK and further afield. The new appointment accompanies a series of high profile projects and a corresponding increase in sales across the international hotel, cruise and leisure sectors.

With a strong background in sales spanning more than 20 years, Andrew Fitton has significant industry experience having spent the last 10 years working in the contract interior market. An experienced Business Development Manager, his career to date has provided him with a thorough understanding of the demands of the position within the context of the interior contract market specifically coupled with a thorough understanding of the specification process. Andrew brings with him an extensive knowledge of the key industry players along with an impressive track record of identifying, securing and developing emerging new business opportunities and sectors.

Sales Director, Philip Macaulay says: “We have been very diligent in our search for the right person to join the Chelsom team. Andrew not only has a wealth of valuable experience in the contract industry but he understands the Chelsom ethos and all that we are looking to achieve from both a business and brand perspective. He is certainly coming on board at a very exciting time ready to tackle the opportunities ahead in 2015 and I am confident that he will be an invaluable resource to both the Sales team and company alike, enabling Chelsom to grow further still.”

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with Fu Wah New Zealand for a Park Hyatt hotel in Auckland, New Zealand. Expected to open in 2017, Park Hyatt Auckland will mark Hyatt’s return to New Zealand, and the first Park Hyatt-branded hotel to open in Auckland.Park Hyatt Auckland will feature 190 luxurious guestrooms, three restaurants and bars, event spaces, a spa, a 25-meter pool, and a fitness center. Park Hyatt Auckland will be nestled in a prime waterfront location on Auckland Harbour, which is expected to undergo a major revitalization to turn the area into a world-class leisure, entertainment, culture, and dining destination.

“This has been an exciting year for the Park Hyatt brand, and we are honored to collaborate with Fu Wah New Zealand on this landmark luxury development,” said Ratnesh Verma, senior vice president, real estate and development, Asia Pacific, Hyatt. “Fu Wah New Zealand believes in the Park Hyatt brand, having recently purchased Park Hyatt Melbourne, and we are confident Park Hyatt Auckland will provide guests with the luxurious accommodations, culinary expertise and high-quality service for which the Park Hyatt brand is known. We remain committed to growing the brand in culturally rich cities like Auckland.”

Elite bathroom furniture from Bauhaus is one of those magic ranges that will lift a bathroom from functional to fabulous. Now available in a smart wood grain textured Anthracite finish, the geometric Elite basin unit is wall hung and available in 50, 70 and 100 cm sizes, all complete with a pre-drilled one tap hole high gloss white cast mineral resin basin. The finishing touch is added by the Elite back lit mirror which is also available in a choice of 400 or 500 x 800 mm or 700 x 1000 mm sizes. Where a WC is required, there is a matching furniture unit to conceal the cistern and frame. For additional elegant storage, Bauhaus has included a choice of wall hung half-tower and full-tower units both providing hidden push-to-open mechanisms and adjustable internal shelving.

“Elite is the perfect choice for either new or refurbishment installations,” commented Marten Baker, Marketing Manager for Bauhaus, Crosswater and Simpsons. “The styling is smart and uncluttered, installation is simple as units come assembled and the basin comes with a pre-drilled tap hole. Perfect for a makeover miracle in a day or a complete bathroom redesign. The range is fully supported for a full ten years so we are seeing early take up from landlords, B&Bs and bespoke hotels looking for business peace of mind.”

Hilton Hotels & Resorts has opened its newest hotel, Hilton Brussels Grand Place. The landmark building in the city centre of Brussels is now welcoming guests, signalling the start of an exciting era of transformation for the hotel, with significant refurbishments commencing in the coming months.”We’re excited to bring the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand to this increasingly popular – and important – part of Brussels,” said Rob Palleschi, global head, full service brands, Hilton Worldwide. “Hilton Brussels Grand Palace is an exciting addition to a country with continuing growth that is not only host to millions of tourists and the European Parliament, but also several diverse multinational and governmental institutions.”

The hotel will offer 123 guest rooms, two accessible guest rooms, 34 deluxe rooms, nine family rooms, 29 executive rooms, 20 junior suites, six one bedroom suites and one presidential suite, conference facilities to host up to 200 attendees, an executive lounge, fitness centre, restaurant, bar and private dining rooms. The hotel is centrally located, in close proximity to the Grand Place and the Square Brussels Meeting Centre, and well connected with the metro and bus networks, airports and international rail services, which is ideal for both business and leisure guests.

“I am delighted to welcome our first guests to Hilton Brussels Grand Place today. I look forward to the hotel’s journey of rejuvenation, transforming the hotel to become a pre-eminent and vibrant venue, not only for our guests but also our neighbours and the community,” said Egbert Buursink, general manager, Hilton Brussels Grand Place.

Kuala Lumpur/Geneva, November 18, 2014- Kempinski Hotels and KSK Group Berhad (KSK Group), via its property development arm KSK Land Sdn Bhd (KSK Land) announce the signing of a management agreement for the high profile, large-scale luxury development, 8 Conlay, in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle. The approximately 260-key Kempinski hotel and the branded Kempinski Residences with 403 units will anchor the development in the hotel tower, together with up to 1,092 units of 8 Conlay Residences serviced by Kempinski in two adjoining towers, all linked via a central retail podium. KSK Land has selected the design collective YOO for the interior design of the first residential tower and RSP Architects to master plan the development. Kempinski will operate and service all three components of the project. The ground breaking is scheduled to take place early next year and the striking project is expected to be completed in 2020. Residences comprising the first residential tower are scheduled to become available for sale from March 2015 onward. Show units will be available for viewing at the exclusive sales gallery located on the site.Located on 8 Jalan Conlay in the heart of the Golden Triangle, between the city centre and a few minutes’ walk from Bukit Bintang shopping district and the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur mall, the development is only a five minute drive from the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX). Kuala Lumpur International airport is easily accessible by car within 50 minutes. The central four-storey retail podium will offer high end boutiques and fine dining restaurants and will complement the current offering in the Bukit Bintang area.

8 Conlay’s architecture by award-winning architect Hud Bakar, Principal of RSP Architects, emphasises livable architecture – with a focus on local context and the human aspects of buildings. The iconic design takes a visual cue from the Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang whereby opposing forces serve to complement one another. Showcased as modified fragments of the Yin and Yang emblem, the three towers also give poetic form to the Chinese symbol for the number “eight,” paying tribute to the development’s illustrious address while simultaneously asserting its place as an alluring platform for premium city living.

The hotel and residences will benefit from facilities such as a Kempinski The Spa, a wellness concept which offers herbal treatments inspired by the seasons, a gym, swimming pool and a variety of restaurants and bars inside the hotel complementing the offering of the central podium.

The Residences (tower A & B) can expect to be equipped with a range of facilities accompanied with standard and a-la-carte services by the Kempinski Hotel such as concierge, butler and maid services, 24-hour room service and a private chef, housekeeping and laundry, limousine service, arrival preparation service, and residence unit maintenance packages so that residents at 8 Conlay can enjoy services similar to a guest of the hotel, every day of the year. The breadth of five-star luxury facilities and services on offer befit the grandeur of the development at 8 Conlay, enabling guests and residents to entirely customise their stay and ‘write their own story’ captured in the tagline ‘Your Place, Your Story’.

The modern four-star, 319-bedroom Hyatt Regency Birmingham has recently undergone a major £6 million refurbishment. All the bedrooms and public areas of the hotel have been overhauled during the refurbishment, including eight meeting and conference rooms, the Symphony ballroom and reception, alongside the creation of a new tavern-style bistro pub, the Gentleman & Scholar. Located adjacent to Centenary Square with a bridge link to the city’s International Convention Centre, the 24-storey, glass-fronted hotel is close to Birmingham’s Symphony Hall, the National Indoor Arena and the Mailbox and Bull Ring shopping centres. The hotel also hosts the major political parties for their annual conferences.

Brintons was commissioned by Hyatt to supply 13,000 sqm2 of custom carpets and rugs for the refurbishment programme. Contemporary geometric designs were created in tonal greys with accent red hues and warm neutral tones.

Situated in the heart of Tel Aviv, The Norman will bring unprecedented sophistication and boutique character to the historic Mediterranean city. Opening its doors on the 2nd December, The Norman Tel Aviv will redefine the art of hospitality, capturing the timeless elegance of the 1920s matched with the comforts of a world class luxury hotel. The Norman is located close to popular Rothschild Boulevard, Tel Aviv’s first boulevard. By day, Rothschild is a commercial hub with key financial institutions lining the street, whilst at night it buzzes with diners and party-goers and is a place to see and be seen in.

Converted from two historic buildings in the heart of the ‘White City’, Tel Aviv’s UNESCO heritage site, the elegant Norman will comprise of 30 bedrooms and 20 suites, including two penthouse suites.

As commented by Managing Director, Olivier Heuchenne: “The Norman is a fusion of 1920s grandeur and contemporary elegance, comprised of two iconic buildings superbly restored to their former glory. International travelers will experience personal attention to the finest details alongside world-class services and facilities. It is truly an exciting project for all involved and an unprecedented international opening“.

The architecture has been conceived by visionary Yoav Messer and will preserve the original building while remaining true to the area’s Bauhaus character, with interior design by David d’Almada of SAGRADA. Original Israeli artwork will feature throughout its public areas, guest rooms and suites ranging from classic oil paintings, unique sculptures and one-of-a-kind prints that David defines as “bringing the essence of Israel and its unique culture to life through multiple mediums”.

A resident curator will also be on hand to offer insights into the artwork displayed throughout the building. In addition, the hotel will offer bespoke tours of local galleries and artists’ studios, incorporating regular art showings and events taking place around Tel Aviv.

The Norman will feature two dining outlets, The Norman Restaurant, a brasserie style restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine throughout the day – and Dinings, the Japanese tapas restaurant currently ranked the third best restaurant in Zagat’s London guide, featuring outdoor dining as well as private dining for up to 20 diners. As part of the design, Dinings will also feature a live sushi counter and partially open kitchen, adding to the interactive experience for guests. In addition, The Library Bar will recreate a quintessentially English lounge and serve cocktails into the early hours.

A 24-hour concierge team will be on hand to share their unique knowledge advising on tailored experiences such as hot air balloon and vineyard tours, private art gallery visits and experiential dining. This will allow guests to experience the true sense of Israel and provide an insight into this unique destination.

The rooftop at the Norman will provide an oasis of calm away from the hustle and bustle of the busy city. Guests can enjoy the charm and beauty of Tel Aviv whilst relaxing in the infinity pool or indulge in a relaxing massage at the third floor Spa. Guests of the hotels Suites will also have the option of in-room treatments to create their very own haven of relaxation.

Photo Credit: Sivan Aksayo

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.® has announced its rapidly expanding Aloft brand will soon debut in Columbia, South Carolina. Aloft Columbia Downtown is scheduled to open in January 2016 in The Vista, the city’s recently revitalized epicenter for the arts, entertainment, shopping and dining. Owned by Lady Vista, LLC, and managed by Lexington Hospitality, the new Aloft hotel will feature 108 spacious, loft-like rooms, forward-thinking technology and a lively, social atmosphere. Located at the corner of Lady and Lincoln Streets, Aloft Columbia Downtown will be part of a new mixed-use development in The Vista that will include 4,000 square feet of ground floor retail space. Once a bustling cotton warehouse district and commercial railroad terminal, The Vista has been redeveloped into the city’s premier arts and entertainment district, with more than 60 restaurants and bars, live entertainment including jazz and blues, numerous art galleries and specialty shops. Walking distance from the University of South Carolina, the new Aloft will also be close to Colonial Center Arena, the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, Publix Market and Columbia Museum of Art.

Hotel amenities at Aloft Columbia Downtown will include an outdoor pool, 24-hour fitness center and 800 square feet of flexible meeting space, ideal for both business meetings and social gatherings. Guests and area residents will also enjoy live music performances featuring emerging local artists at the hotel’s W XYZ bar.

Active holiday specialist Neilson has announced the launch of its latest ski property located in Belle Plagne – one of the 10 villages which make up La Plagne in France. Opening on 7 February 2015, Neilson Hotel Turquoise is now taking bookings and is a new addition to the Neilson Mountain Collection – a portfolio of properties that are wholly managed and operated by the Neilson hospitality team. Prices start from just £649 per person, including flights, transfers and half board accommodation. Neilson Hotel Turquoise is located directly on the piste in Belle Plagne, giving guests ski-in-ski-out access as well as great views across the surrounding mountains from all 25 rooms. The hotel also boasts a bar and lounge area, perfect for après ski. Set at 2,050m and completely car-free, Belle Plagne is a popular choice with families and beginners – relaxed and with excellent facilities. For experienced skiers, it’s location at the heart of the immense Paradiski area offers unrivalled access to 425km of groomed runs, some spectacular off-piste opportunities and awe-inspiring views.

The nearest ski lifts are just 75m away from the hotel, which alongside sitting within the Paradiski area, also provide access to 50 miles of cross country slopes, good sized nursery slopes, six children’s snowy play areas and the Bellecote glacier.

Pete Tyler, managing director at Neilson commented: “The Neilson Hotel Turquoise was previously owned by TUI/Skibound but it is currently undergoing a major refurbishment to bring it up to Neilson Mountain Collection standards before its launch in February next year. We are delighted to add it to our portfolio of properties in Belle Plagne and look forward to welcoming guests in 2015 and beyond.”

FibraHotel (BMV:FIHO 12), the first real estate investment trust specialized in urban business-class hotels in Mexico, and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., has announced the sale of the Sheraton® Ambassador Monterrey hotel to FibraHotel, adding 229 rooms to FibraHotel’s portfolio. The transaction will represent a total investment of US$13.5 million by FibraHotel, including a comprehensive property renovation over the next two years. The hotel will be operated by Starwood through a long-term management agreement. FibraHotel and Starwood also announced that they will collaborate to expand the number of hotels they work on together in Mexico as FibraHotel looks to grow its hotel portfolio. FibraHotel recently signed an agreement with local developers for five business hotels in the country, and will work with Starwood to open those hotels under Starwood’s vibrant Aloft® brand with Starwood as the operator.

Sheraton Ambassador Hotel is ideally located at Ave. Hidalgo 310 Oriente in the heart of downtown Monterrey – one of Mexico’s largest cities and an important industrial and global business hub. The hotel currently features 229 guest rooms, over 13,000 square feet of meeting space, full-service dining at Los Vitrales Restaurant, a lobby bar, a health club, an outdoor pool and tennis court, and a Sheraton Club Lounge. The hotel is walking distance to the restaurants, shops and museums of historic downtown Monterrey and just 30 minutes from Monterrey International Airport (MTY).

With this acquisition, FibraHotel´s portfolio consists of 66 hotels and 9,098 rooms, of which 53 hotels are in operation (7,334 rooms), 12 in different stages of development, and a hotel under expansion and remodeling.

GROHE BestMatch™ matches taps with basins to guarantee a perfect, stylish combination in just a few clicks.

With thousands of combinations of taps and basin, picking the right tap for the right wash basin isn’t always easy. If the tap is placed too low, there is no room for your hands and water may splash out when it hits the basin. If it doesn’t extend over the basin for the correct distance, you can end up with water flowing down the outside. Or you can simply end up with a mismatching tap/ basin set which spoils the look of your bathroom. Now, with GROHE’s new app, you can find your BestMatch™ in terms of comfort, style and water delivery, in just a few clicks. Choosing the perfect basin and tap combination has never been so easy!

Raj Mistry, Marketing Director, comments “Only pairings which comply with GROHE’s high demands regarding water delivery, fit, comfort and design make it to the GROHE BestMatch™. BestMatch™ guarantees peace of mind that you’re making the right choices for your bathroom”.

Following a £1.3 million renovation, the London Marriott Hotel Kensington has relaunched meeting and events spaces that meet the needs of today’s bookers and travellers with inspiring and versatile facilities. Featuring modern design and the latest wireless technology, the hotel’s nine flexible and interchangeable rooms can host a total of 235 delegates over two floors, or up to 100 delegates in the largest meeting space.Marriott Hotels is revolutionising the guest experience throughout its properties, tailoring technology and design to the expectations of Gen X and Gen Y travellers. The renovation at the London Marriott Hotel Kensington – the group’s third European hotel to host Marriott Hotels’ next generation meeting spaces, after Amsterdam Marriott and Munich Marriott – brings secure internet connectivity, wireless enabled LED screens and projectors, and the BARCO Click Share system that allows multiple laptops and tablets to connect to screens wirelessly. In addition, a Meeting Services App called Red Coat Direct gives event planners immediate communication with the hotel team, prompting an instant response without the organiser having to leave the meeting room.

The space is designed to inspire social and collaborative meetings and delegates can enjoy interactive meeting room features such as the ability to write on walls and breakout tables to allow creative thinking. The adaptable rooms can be set up in conventional boardroom or theatre style, or delegates can take advantage of a mixture of high and low tables and chairs to create different layouts to reflect the meeting purpose. In brief, the new spaces can be moulded to needs of organisers and participants alike to ensure every meeting achieves its desired objectives and goals.

The non-traditional breakout areas are light and spacious with comfortable and versatile seating options to allow working and networking with equal ease, and a central food and beverage station where delegates can enjoy delicious and energising food and beverage experiences. The area includes intimate cabin seating with multiple electrical outlets to inspire collaboration both in and out of the meeting room and help bring meetings to life.

These new spaces reflect the larger transformation of Marriott Hotels that is informing how Marriott interacts with guests. Evidence of this is in the Greatroom lobby, an open space that can be put to social or business use, with free Wi-Fi connectivity, plus all-day menus that cater for all requirements from snacks to meals. This has been adopted in approximately half Marriott Hotels’ portfolio in Europe and is expected to take up residence in all properties by the end of 2015.

The transformation has also touched the arrival and departure experience with mobile check-in and check-out now available to Marriott Rewards members at all 500 Marriott Hotels globally and at 1,200 hotels in total within the company’s worldwide portfolio. By the end of the year, the service with be rolled out to all 4,000 properties, providing guests with added convenience and greater choice. Mobile service requests, such as additional towels and pillows and valet service, are also being tested in 15 hotels in the U.S., enabling guests to chat with the hotel’s hosts in real time.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced it has sold Sheraton® on the Park in Sydney, Australia to Sunshine Insurance Group Corporation (SIG) for AUS$463.0 million [US$399.0 million]. Starwood will continue to operate the hotel as a Sheraton under a long-term management contract. “We are pleased to advance our asset-light strategy with the sale of the iconic Sheraton on the Park hotel and look forward to working closely with SIG to ensure its continued success,” said Simon Turner, President of Global Development for Starwood. “The terms of this sale underscore the strength of the Sheraton brand and the success of this hotel, as well as the tremendous value of this property in a high barrier to entry market.”

Turner added: “We’re continuing to see strong investor interest around the world for our remaining assets, and remain committed to finding the right owners and partners while securing long-term management contracts in order to create value for our shareholders.”

Ideally located opposite Hyde Park, Sheraton on the Park has won numerous accolades including New South Wales Tourism’s Hall of Fame awards for Best Luxury Accommodation; Australia’s Leading Hotel awards from World Travel Awards; and HM Awards for Best Meetings & Conference Property. The hotel features 557 guest rooms, full-service dining, a Sheraton Club Lounge, rooftop health club, indoor heated pool, and spa with spectacular city views. At the heart of the lobby, the signature Link@Sheraton® offers a relaxed space with complimentary wireless broadband where guests can socialize and connect with friends.

“Sheraton on the Park will help diversify our holdings by giving us a trophy asset in Sydney – a leading travel destination and an important financial center in Asia Pacific,” said the executive director of SIG’s acquisition team. “As Starwood’s largest and most global brand, Sheraton has cultivated a loyal following by offering travelers a stylish, comfortable atmosphere and a social guest experience.”

Starwood continues to expand its portfolio in Australia and the Pacific through management and franchise agreements. The company currently operates 14 hotels in Australia, including the recently opened Four Points by Sheraton Brisbane and Sheraton Melbourne Hotel. Upcoming openings include Aloft Perth Rivervale, The Westin Perth and W Brisbane in 2017, marking the brand’s reentry into the Pacific region.

Including this sale and the recent sales of The St. Regis® Rome, the Sheraton® Ambassador Monterrey hotel, and The St. Regis® Bal Harbour, Starwood has completed over US $1.5 billion of hotel asset sales over the last three years.

The European Hotel Design Awards, which celebrate exceptional hotel design and architecture and honour the work of industry-leading architects, designers and hotel operators, has revealed its roll call of winners and commended projects. Announced on Wednesday night (26th November) at a dinner and ceremony attended by over 800 guests from across Europe, they are:Architecture – Adaptive Re-use
Fontevraud L’Hôtel, France – By Gabor Mester De Parajd

Architecture – Newbuild
Lanserhof Tegernsee, Marienstein, Germany – By Ingenhoven Architects

Architecture – Renovation
Ace Hotel London, UK – By EPR Architects

Interior Design – Lobby, Lounge & Public Areas
Generator Venice, Italy – By DesignAgency

Interior Design – Bar
Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London, UK – By Martin Brudnizki Design Studio

Interior Design – Café Bar or All Day Dining
The Rosebery at Mandarin Oriental London, UK – By GA Design International

Interior Design – Restaurant
Berners Tavern and Punch Room at The London EDITION, UK – By Yabu Pushelberg in collaboration with I.S.C
Design Studio

Interior Design – Bedrooms & Bathrooms
The Chedi Andermatt, Switzerland – By Denniston

Interior Design – Suite
The Suites at Aman Canal Grande, Venice, Italy – By Denniston

Interior Design – Spa & Wellness
Lanserhof Tegernsee Marienstein, Germany – By Ingenhoven Architects

The European Hotel Design of the Year Award
Lanserhof Tegernsee Marienstein, Germany – By Ingenhoven Architects

Outstanding Contribution Award
Posthumously awarded to Alex Calderwood, Co-founder of Ace Hotel

Tomorrow’s Hotel
The Edible Hotel – By Dexter Moren Associates

COMMENDED
Architecture – Adaptive Re-use
Waldorf Astoria, Amsterdam, The Netherlands – By OeverZaaijer Architecture & Urbanism

Interior Design – Lobby, Lounge & Public Areas
The London EDITION, UK – By Yabu Pushelberg in collaboration with I.S.C Design Studio

Interior Design – Bar
Monkey Bar at 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin, Germany – By Studio Aisslinger

Interior Design – Suite
The Barcelona Suite at The Mandarin Oriental Barcelona, Spain – By Patricia Urquiola

Members of this year’s judging panel included industry leaders such as: Javier Hortal, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group; Ellen van der Wal, Mecanoo Architecten; Eugene Staal, Rezidor; Caroline Cundall, GA Design; Caterina Molén-Runnäs, Nordic Property Management; Robbie Bargh, Gorgeous Group; Inge Moore, The Gallery HBA; Sören Jullberg, Story Hotels; Sarah Camilleri, European Spa Magazine; Matt Turner, Sleeper Magazine and Chair of the Judges, Celia Geyer from Hilton Worldwide.

Commenting on this year’s award, Matt Turner, Editor-in-chief of Sleeper Magazine, said: “Once again, the European Hotel Design Awards have recognised the incredible diversity of talent and the ingenuity of the hospitality sector today. Our overall winner, Lanserhof Tegernsee beat off intense competition from runners up such as EDITION London, Aman Canal Grande and the Chedi Andermatt. The panel agreed that the design had created a new paradigm in hospitality, combining hotel, wellness resort and healthcare facility. On a personal note, it was particularly gratifying to see Ace Hotel London triumph and that we were able to honour the memory of its creator, Alex Calderwood. This is another genuinely innovative project that has moved the industry forward, reinvented the hospitality experience and contributed to its local community.”

The 2014 European Hotel Design Awards dinner was held in London’s Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, hosted by BBC arts programme presenter, Katie Derham and Sleeper Magazine Editor-at-Large, Guy Dittrich.

The Headline Sponsor was GROHE and the Official Partner was Sleep.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has recently announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a franchise agreement with Songy HighRoads, a commercial real estate development firm based in Atlanta, Ga., to develop Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria. The hotel will be managed by Aimbridge Hospitality and is scheduled to open in fall 2015. Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria is being built near the Houston Galleria shopping mall at 2626 Sage Road, on the northwest corner of Sage Road and West Alabama Street. It is part of the 7.6-acre, mixed use development, Galleria Plaza, which includes a Whole Foods Market, multiple high-end retail and specialty stores, luxury apartments, and multiple recently completed office towers. The 325-room, 14-story hotel will feature more than 12,000 square feet of meeting and conference space as well as a large fitness center overlooking the pool deck.

“We began construction of Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria in December 2013, and are looking forward to a fall 2015 opening,” stated Todd Nocerini, Chief Operating Officer, Songy HighRoads. “The Galleria area is one of Houston’s most important commercial sub-markets, and we are delighted to be bringing the Hyatt Regency brand, in tandem with Aimbridge Hospitality as our hotel manager, to business and leisure travelers visiting the area,”

“The Galleria area of Houston offers an incredible opportunity to interface with the formidable office and retail population in the vicinity. We are pleased to add Hyatt Regency Houston Galleria to our portfolio, and look forward to working with the great team at Songy HighRoads,” stated Dave Johnson, president and Chief Executive Officer of Aimbridge Hospitality.

David Tarr, senior vice president, real estate and development for Hyatt, stated, “Finding a suitable opportunity to introduce the Hyatt Regency brand has been a high priority for the company, as we seek to thoughtfully expand our brand presence in the Houston metropolitan area. We are excited to be a part of this project with the very accomplished team of Songy Highroads and Aimbridge Hospitality, and look forward to giving our guests a terrific new lodging option at the Galleria.”

Planners have approved Swinton Park’s application for a major 2,700m2 extension to comprise a full-service Country Club and Spa.The only of its kind in the area, the £5.5 million project will create 25 new full-time jobs and will include an indoor swimming pool and full spa and fitness facilities. The spa and health club will be open to Swinton Park and Swinton Bivouac guests, treatment and spa day visitors and club members.

The development combines the sympathetic restoration of traditional workshops and garden buildings that are adjacent to the Grade 2 listed castle, along with the creation of a new, contemporary wing to be built within the walled garden. Carbon neutral wood chip boilers, using redundant timber from the estate, will generate heat and hot water for the whole site.

In addition, there will be a 40-seat conservatory restaurant, coffee shop and Swinton Estate shop, whose patrons can also enjoy the 200 acres of surrounding parkland, lakes and gardens. The Country Club will afford access to activities on the wider 20,000 acre Swinton Estate including cycling, walking, fishing, clay pigeon shooting, golf, falconry and riding.

Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, Proprietor of Swinton Park says, “We are thrilled to be able to move forward with this project, which will be a valuable asset to local businesses, communities and visitors alike. We hope it will enable Swinton Park to realise its full potential within the tourism industry.”

My grandparents on both sides of my family were farmers. It was drummed into me at an early age that money was earned and that the way to earn it was to work hard. It was also drummed into me that ‘the labourer is worthy of his hire’ and that you ‘don’t get owt for nowt’. In later years as I ordered millions of pounds worth of product for hotels on behalf of our clients I came to realise there is truth in clichés, and that indeed one does get what one pays for – in other words there is a relationship between price and product quality. It is indeed true that there is no such thing as a free lunch and those companies using ‘cheap manufacturing’ in China are finding it is not cheap as their wages and social costs rise and the transport costs leap. UK based companies such as Casegood manufactuirers may well become more competitive, but we and the USA have thrown away much of our manufacturing systems for a short term vision of getting something for next to nothing….So it is with design. A good designer will use their knowledge and experience to save the client money – often saving more than their fee. Certainly the cost of not using an experienced designer can be paid by the operator for years through increase maintenance and staff costs, and difficulty in selling their product. Good Design adds to the bottom line.

There are a number of patterns of payment for design fees, and I would outline these, with their advantages and disadvantages, below. I would caution all designers to get a written instruction before proceeding with any work, and caution all hotel groups to control line managers so that they do not dishonestly appoint designers to do work with when they don’t have authority to do so. Unfortunately at least two UK hotel groups ‘innocently’ allow junior or regional managers to do this in order to avoid paying for work. Designers should be aware that there are dishonest companies out there and should be formal in their relationships as Terry Addison points out in our ‘Ask the Experts’ columns in the DesignClubto avoid being defrauded.

Commissioning of design seems to go in cycles with each of the following being favoured over the others at one time or another as each has advantages and disadvantages for the client. The three major ways in which design is commissioned in hotel sector are:-

1. Design and Build.
• In this it may well be that the Hotel operator nominates a designer to produce schemes, but chooses to pay them through the building contractor, so that there is only one set of bills. The designer is ‘novated’ to the contractor, which means the contractor is responsible for paying the designer and the designer’s contract is with the builder. Designers generally dislike this because their responsibility is to whom their contract is with, in this case the builder. Thus they may find that the materials they would like to use, or the layout of the space, may be changed for cheaper solutions that contribute to the builder’s bottom line.

In my experience the major drawback with this approach is that the Client loses a productive relationship with the designer, and has a relationship with the builder instead. The relative benefits depend very much on the qualities of the individuals concerned.

Advantages are that the process is transparent, professional and controllable by the Client, but only as effective as the Clients experience and management abilities. Weak management can lead to buildings that have operational problems built in, or create conflict between the aims of the designer in serving their paymaster or the Client.

2. Design and Supply
• Here the design will be provided by the company supplying the FF&E*, maybe on a ‘turnkey’ basis, i.e. the Client sets a budget and gets a hotel finished with all the FF&E in place so that it can be operated from the moment the keys are handed over and the Client turns them in the lock. Here the supplier provides a professional
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Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo, Japanese hospitality company Fujita Kanko’s iconic five-star flagship property, announced that it has begun a major renovation to upgrade and refurbish all 260 guest rooms. The renovation takes place in three phases: 66 rooms during August-November 2014, 99 rooms during January-March 2015, and 95 rooms during January-March 2016. The two key themes in the renovation are ‘home away from home’ and ‘Japonesque.’ The new interior design, timeless elegance, will emphasize Japanese elements and art pieces such as traditional Japanese color themes, Arita ceramics, Nishijin-ori throws, Ukiyo-e and Japanese woodblock prints.

To make guests feel truly at home, each room will offer a sofa to relax, a 50-inch TV, Japanese and Western tableware such as plates, chopsticks and tea pot, coffee machine and more. The mini-bar area will be more spacious and functional. The other upgraded amenities will include: Hansgrohe’s innovative shower heads that give invigorating massages; a full-set of skincare products; and a set of toiletries per guest, not per room.

Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo was re-flagged in 2013 after 20 years as Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Chinzan-so, offering 12 restaurants; 36 meeting and banquet rooms, Tokyo’s most extensive meeting/banquet facilities; and Yu, The Spa, Tokyo’s largest hotel spa. Fujita Kanko’s rebranding plans include investing over $80 million in renovations. New facilities have also been added, including a one-of-a-kind rooftop event space, Serenity Garden.

Formerly the residence of Prince Aritomo Yamagata, Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo is known for its historic heritage and its majestic Japanese botanical garden with numerous botanical species, birds and insects, a majestic green oasis in the middle of Tokyo. Its unique services include kimono rentals and fittings and traditional Japanese tea ceremony performed at the hotel’s authentic tea house.

The hotel is currently taking reservations for the renovated rooms that will be available on November 15th.

JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Pearl Hospitality, one of Texas’ leading hotel development and management companies, has officially opened the 328-room JW Marriott Houston Downtown. Located on 806 Main Street, the hotel is housed in the historic, 104-year-old Samuel F. Carter Building and is the JW Marriott brand’s first adaptive reuse project in Texas and its second property in Houston.Artfully designed by Gensler, the hotel is inspired by Houston’s rich heritage and modern attitude. It beautifully incorporates the building’s original design elements, including the hot-riveted steel beams, into sleek, welcoming spaces. The luxurious guest rooms, exquisitely crafted cuisine, the first Spa by JW worldwide, a curated art collection and its central location on Main Street, make JW Marriott Houston Downtown the new heart of downtown Houston’s hospitality.

Interior spaces, conceptualized by Wilson and Associates and MBCM Incorporated, are a dynamic fusion of old and new, past and present. Eighteen original works of art by Texan, national and international artists, including the iconic 13-foot griffin sculpture and the first augmented sculpture by URBANSCREEN in North America, are displayed throughout the hotel, paying homage to Houston’s thriving arts community.

JWMHD Guestroom2JW Marriott Houston Downtown offers 328 luxurious rooms including executive and presidential suites, long-term apartment suites and four wellness-inspired spa suites. Each guestroom has a 55-inch LCD TV, an iPod station, Nespresso coffee machine, wireless internet and touch screen room controls. Rooms are also equipped with iPads featuring the award-winning, multi-lingual iRiSÒ app, which will allow guests to access and book all facilities and services offered at JW Marriott Houston Downtown including dining, spa, room service, concierge and valet services, travel information and more.

JWMHD Main KitchenIn a city recognized for its thriving culinary scene, JW Marriott Houston Downtown’s Main Kitchen is set to become a new dining destination. The restaurant offers an uncomplicated yet elegant menu inspired by the unique melting pot of Houston’s culinary cultures. Award-winning chefs Erin Smith and Sharon Gofreed develop globally inspired, seasonal menus based on locally sourced ingredients. The 806 Bar & Lounge connects to Main Kitchen for a seamless dining experience. Guests can enjoy delectable small bites, classic and contemporary cocktails, craft beers and carefully selected domestic and South American wines.

JW Marriott Houston Downtown redefines the concept of a hotel event venue with its gallery-inspired meeting spaces. The eclectic curated art collection displayed throughout more than 16,000 square feet of event space features works by local and national artists, adding sophistication to any event. Flexibly designed and beautifully decorated spaces can be combined or separated depending on event needs to accommodate all types of gatherings, from society galas to business meetings, making every event personal and distinctively special.

JW Marriott Houston Downtown is proud to be the first hotel worldwide to feature Spa by JW, a new spa concept by the JW Marriott brand developed in collaboration with JW Marriott brand partner and spa industry leader Aromatherapy Associates. Created to re-imagine the spa experience, Spa by JW offers guests an intuitive experience that is luxurious yet purposeful with treatments and products designed to address four core benefit states: Calm, Indulge, Invigorate and Renew. Services vary from a selection of 12- to 25-minute express treatments for guests on the go to 60- to 90-minute full-service spa services.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®), one of the world’s largest hotel companies, has announced the opening of Holiday Inn® Ankara Çukurambar; the first Holiday Inn® hotel in Turkey to implement the brand’s trend setting Open Lobby. IHG unveiled its inaugural Open Lobby – at Holiday Inn® London – Brentford Lock in November 2012 and this innovative public space now features in a total of nine Holiday Inn hotels across Europe.

Operating under a franchise agreement with Aska Otomotiv ve Petrol Urunleri Tic A.S. the 140 – room Holiday Inn Ankara Çukurambar officially opened its doors on 4 November. Facilities include a 660m2 banquet room and multiple meeting rooms, a relaxing spa, gym, bar and restaurant. The hotel is perfectly positioned close to ministerial offices and government headquarters in Çukurambar; the business district of the Turkish capital Ankara.

This opening is the latest step forward for IHG in Turkey where, so far in 2014, IHG has signed two hotels and opened a further three*.
The Holiday Inn Open Lobby takes a unique approach to the in-hotel experience for guests, which has transformed the traditional hotel lobby format by combining the front desk, lobby, restaurant, bar, lounge area and business centre into one open, cohesive space, while refreshing the design to give it a more contemporary feel. The Open Lobby has been established by understanding how people use space at home in order to give guests the most flexibility, whether they’re looking to eat, relax, work, or have fun in one integrated space.

The Holiday Inn Open Lobby reflects the findings of the 2013 IHG Trends Report1, which revealed the emergence of a new breed of business travellers who are not constrained by traditional office working routines and don’t necessarily work the typical 9-5 hours. Dubbed the ‘laptop and latte’ workers, they prefer creative coffee-house-style environments where they can be inspired by meeting other travellers while they work on their own laptops and smart phones. The 24/7 To Go Café (proudly serving Lavazza coffee in Turkey) forms part of the Open Lobby, and has been designed to give guests the flexibility to eat in, eat out or enjoy take-away items in their rooms.

Historic Bristol mansion, Clevedon Hall in North Somerset, has opened today following an exciting three-year refurbishment.The 150-year-old mansion has had over £3 million spent on transforming and restoring the venue to its former glory, lining it up to become one of the top luxury hospitality venues in the UK. Over 200 guests are expected to attend the launch event where Dr.Liam Fox MP will be cutting the ribbon.

Foster and Wood, a local firm of Bristol Architects, who have previously designed other landmarks in the surrounding area including the Grammar School Hall, originally designed Clevedon Hall. Formally named Frankfurt Hall, the house was built for Conrad Finzel, who owned the UK’s largest sugar-refining business in the Counterslip Factory, Bristol.

The current owners, Peter and Sally McCarthy bought the hall 1991 from St Brandon’s girl school and created their business headquarters there. When an opportunity was created in 2010 to revitalise the build and estate with the idea of holding wonderful luxury events the McCarthys were keen to start immediately.

As well as maintaining the upper two floors and creating 25 bedrooms and suites, the owners were also set on restoring many of the original features including the windows and wood, the Victorian fireplaces, the extensive carved oak panelling and grand staircase.

John McCarthy, General Manager of Clevedon Hall, said: “We have restored as much of Clevedon Hall’s history as possible and have worked closely with English Heritage and the local conservation officer to ensure the designs are just right”.

Childs & Sulzmann Architects, John Perkins Construction and Jane Clayton & Company Ltd are the teams responsible for bringing the Clevedon Hall back to life, injecting modern comforts, whilst taking care to preserve the wealth of interesting period features already in place.

Restoration and redecoration were carried out in the Grand Library and adjoining orangery, as well as the Dame Rosa Burden room. Renovations began by removing all of the office furniture and carpets from the bottom floor. The ground floor then had the paint and wallpaper restored or replaced.

When looking at the fixtures and fittings, the current owners were keen to keep the charm of the building in place. The brand new bedrooms and suites are in keeping with the traditional values of the property and include many antique pieces in addition to high quality reproductions.

John added: “We told our teams that we wanted the bedrooms and suites to feel like a home away from home, with a traditional finish, whereby the bedrooms and suites all embody the same English country house theme throughout. The house has kept its historic character, however we have just added in a contemporary twist, which runs throughout the whole property.”

The exclusive venue offers it all, from Christenings to conferences based on creating a completely unique event for each client. Available to hire out on an exclusive basis, their concierge can help organise décor, music, food, drinks and much more.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Grupo Eco have recently announced the opening of Hyatt Place Ciudad del Carmen in Campeche, Mexico. Hyatt Place Ciudad del Carmen is the third Hyatt Place hotel to open in Mexico, and marks the continuation of Hyatt’s growth strategy in the country. Hyatt Place Ciudad del Carmen is an upscale, select service hotel designed for the multi-tasking traveller. The hotel is strategically situated next to Palmira Shopping Mall and a short distance from the Pemex offices, as well as other national and international petroleum and energy company headquarters. In addition, the hotel is conveniently located three miles from Ciudad del Carmen International Airport and four miles from Playa Norte, making this hotel a great place for business travel or leisure.

Hyatt Place Ciudad del Carmen offers guests:
• 140 roomy rooms, with higher floors offering views of the Gulf of Mexico or Terminos Lagoon
• All rooms feature a swivelling 42-inch TV, the plush Hyatt Grand Bed and a Cosy Corner sectional sofa with sectional sofa-sleeper
• Free Wi-Fi everywhere
• Complimentary hot breakfast for hotel guests
• 24/7 Gallery Menu serving made-to-order entrees and appetizers available around the clock
• A Coffee to Cocktails Bar, offering a wide range of speciality coffees, espresso, premium beer, and wines
• 1,420 square feet of flexible, meeting and function space
• A 24-hour business centre fully equipped with free wireless printers that can be used from anywhere in the hotel
• 24-hour Gym
• Outdoor pool

“We are delighted with the opening of the third Hyatt Place hotel in Mexico with Hyatt Place Ciudad del Carmen,” said Myles McGourty, senior vice president, Latin America and Caribbean for Hyatt. “The Hyatt Place brand has been well received in Mexico and in other parts of the region by travellers seeking its quality and unique offerings. Campeche is such a dynamic centre of business, and we believe the hotel will bring a new standard to the area, providing a perfect mix of style, service and amenities that will exceed guest expectations,”

The Hyatt Place brand is rapidly growing throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Hyatt Place is currently represented in San Jose, Costa Rica; Santiago, Chile; La Paz, Mexico; Panama City, Panama; and Bayamón and Manatí, Puerto Rico. Previously announced Hyatt Place hotels are under development in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia, and Brazil.

InterContinental® Paris Le Grande’s famous ballroom- the Salon Opera, has hosted thousands of suitably grand events in its time. The Grande Dame of Parisian ballrooms has recently undergone a huge restoration to return it to its former glory. A work of art and labour of love by some of the finest craftsmen helped restore this jewel in the capital’s crown.The restoration of InterContinental Paris – Le Grand’s Salon Opera had been years in the planning. A great deal of care was required to address the underlying causes behind the refurbishment: the metro vibrating underneath, the moisture in the atmosphere from hosting up to 800 guests at a time and the building’s great age. Admired since the Napoleonic palace style hotel opened in 1862, the team decided to close Salon Opera for six months and restore the fortunes of this World Heritage Site.

A meeting room of similar size and in much need of a make-over called Salon Berlioz; lay directly beneath the Salon Opera ballroom. In order to stem losses from the closure of the grand Salon Opera, Salon Berlioz was also renovated, challenging IHG’s design and engineering team with further budget and time constraints.

50 of the finest craftsmen from across Europe were enlisted to carry out the work which involved re-working paintings, sculptures and adorning the walls and features of the Salon Opera with 70 kilos worth of gold leaf. Historical décor artists worked meticulously alongside gilding specialists, woodworkers and a master glassworker to begin the historic renovation.

Upon its re- opening earlier this summer, Salon Opera immediately played host to some of the capital’s most prestigious and glamorous events, notably the Maison Balmain show at Paris Fashion Week in September. The superb renovation has ensured the legacy of this unique site, with its famous Café de la Paix and La Verriere Restaurant, will remain.

Fameed Khalique has been called upon to source and provide outstanding material solutions from his curated collection of inspiring surfaces for a number of notable commercial projects worldwide. Working with the world’s leading interior designers and architects, materials from Fameed’s collections can be found across the globe in the most exciting retail spaces, hotels, bars and restaurants including the debut Penhaligon’s flagship store in Hong Kong, By Appointment VIP Shopping Lounge at Harrods, The Four Seasons Baku, Azerbaijan, and two of London’s hippest hotels, The Hoxton Hotel and the Ace Hotel, both situated in vibrant Shoreditch.The Ace Hotel, Shoreditch London

The Brief, To source a vegetable tanned nude leather that is very difficult to find, to be used throughout the hotel and restaurant to enhance the modern minimalist design scheme masterminded by Universal Design Studio. The public spaces were envisioned as an interactive hub for hotel guests as well as a destination for creatives in the local area.

The Solution, Fameed Khalique sourced eye-catching petrol blue leather that met the budget constraints to create the headboards in addition to high-quality chestnut brown leather to enhance the simple chair design with a luxurious finish, in keeping with the edgy urban design of the hotel.

The Ace Hotel, Shoreditch London

The Brief, To source a vegetable tanned nude leather that is very difficult to find, to be used throughout the hotel and restaurant to enhance the modern minimalist design scheme masterminded by Universal Design Studio. The public spaces were envisioned as an interactive hub for hotel guests as well as a destination for creatives in the local area.

The Solution, Fameed Khalique worked closely to provide specialist leather in an array of colours and finishes for the public spaces at the Ace London. The leather banquettes in Hoi Polloi stand out against the natural stone surfaces and Iroko timber wall panels creating an edgy aesthetic in the contemporary British take on the traditional brasserie. Additionally, leather was sourced for a number of different items of furniture including tables and chairs in meetings rooms, sofas in public spaces, and bar stools to create practical design highlights to meet the brief. Fameed worked directly with contacts at the world’s best tanneries to develop the exact colouration and finish to create the raw, ‘undone’ look demanded by the brief. The hands-on, collaborative approach adopted by Fameed Khalique and team alleviated the pressure on the design team resulting in a seamless sourcing process and a successful result.

The Waldorf Astoria, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE

The Brief, To create the feature lighting installations in the hotel’s Mirage bar, and provide unique wall coverings in the hotel’s restaurant, the Lexington Grill, to create a bold statement in luxury design, highlighting the grandeur of the hotel.

The Solution, Fameed Khalique worked with Hirsch Bedner Associates to source the copper mesh panels installed in the Lexington Grill and sourced a custom glass ball chandelier along with the mirrored glass ball walls in the Mirage Bar to provide the appearance of effervescent champagne bubbles achieving the element of glamour requested in the brief.

Contemporary Swiss design paired with technological advancements is what characterises the stylish new lobby of Swissôtel Zurich. Guests of the tallest hotel in town can expect modern Swissness in the form of a compelling amalgamation of tradition and the modern: a successful combination of design items and the latest technology. In the wake of a complete renovation, the heart of Swissôtel Zurich has been transformed from a classic reception hall into a living room with a feel-good atmosphere. Torsten Pinter, General Manager of Swissôtel Zurich, proudly describes its individuality: “The new lobby offers us the opportunity to welcome our guests in a unique atmosphere. Modern design and newly created zones such as the library or working area for business travellers are an absolute added value for guests.”

For Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts, the lobby is more than just a general thoroughfare, it’s where the heart of the hotel truly beats, and it’s part of the hotel that makes the first and leaves the last impression on the guest. A comfortable, homelike atmosphere, but also the level of efficiency within the processes to make every single stay run smoothly are the key requirements here. And then there’s also the moment of pleasant surprise that makes a lasting impression on guests upon arrival. The fact that customer orientation was the clear focus of the project is reflected in every detail of the lobby and comes into play through the use of technological innovations. The iPad check-in allows front office staff to be even closer to guests and better meet their needs. This new flexibility makes it possible to serve guests directly in the seated oasis, thus saving lots of time – the lobby’s Emotions Managers, who are extremely engaged and highly valued by regular guests, are also on hand to accommodate individual requests. While the new, large tables are ideal for small meetings or a fun chat over a coffee, the new lounge and seating area offer a comfortable view of the lobby’s bustling activity.

The new lobby at Swissôtel Zurich is a prime example of the Swissôtel design philosophy, uniting contemporary Swiss design with local charm and the latest technology with traditional craftsmanship. The characteristic “Swiss Circles”, carved in Swiss pine behind the modern check-in cubes, are especially eye-catching. They consist of a combination of graphic elements and symbols that come from the traditional, 17th century art of Swiss paper cutting, building a bridge to time-honoured Swiss design in a playful, poetic way.

In addition to the progressive designer furniture made from natural raw materials, another special feature of the new lobby has to be the artistically inspired installation on the theme of snow, which covers the whole ceiling and consists of hanging chrome elements engraved with snowflakes. The video installation, which is projected onto the ceiling in the middle of the room, is also an exciting feature: “SNOW-emotion switzerland” was created by internationally active interior designer Karsten Schmidt and his IDA14 firm, who were responsible for the entire interior design of the lobby and also work with snow as a metaphor for Switzerland that is understood world-wide. “Swissôtel stands for Swissness and represents the values and image of Switzerland”, says Karsten Schmidt. “What’s very exciting for me is the way that Switzerland’s roots in both modernity and tradition are expressed here in the lobby through the state-of-the-art elements under the ceiling: a Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich start-up product from the architect Oskar Zieta in combination with the faint smell of Swiss pine that meets you on arrival.”

The renovation contractors included CS Asset Management, founded in 1938, and the construction project fully met their aims of creating lasting values with sustainability.

One of the signature fittings from Chelsom’s latest collection, the elegant Hub Cap desk lamp, is a timeless piece that would look at home in both traditional and contemporary interiors.Understated in terms of its design, the Art Deco inspired desk lamp features a beautifully curved shallow canopy complete with acrylic diffuser designed to project good diffused light whilst preventing any reflection in the base. The curve of the canopy is further emphasised by the sweeping arm shown in a contrasting finish to complement the co-ordinated push switch housed in the base.

Hub Cap is available in two standard colour finishes including Polished Chrome and Black Bronze with English Brass as pictured, one of the striking new additions to Chelsom’s range of finishes adding a contemporary twist to the piece.

Marriott International has announced plans to open the first Courtyard by Marriott brand hotel in the bustling Guatemala City. The hotel project was signed with Grupo Azur, a family owned company that invests in real estate, hospitality and restaurants. The 147-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel, scheduled to open in 2016, will be located in the middle of Guatemala City’s Zona 10, also known as Zona Viva, an area known for leisure and business travel.

The hotel will feature the brand’s refreshing business lobby, lobby bar, a casual dining restaurant, flexible meeting space and recreational facilities including a state of the art gym. Additionally, it will include the brand’s new modern guestroom design.

The Courtyard by Marriott brand features hotels with a refreshing environment that helps guests stay connected, productive and balanced while travelling. Intuitive services and design accommodate guests’ desire for choice and control and allow them to use the public space and guest rooms to meet all of their needs while on the road. With more than 900 locations in 37 countries, Courtyard has more locations than any other Marriott International brand.

Sekers launch their new three pass Taffeta Blackout curtain fabric available in both standard and wide width. FION comes in 15 scintillating colours ranging from Parchment through to Ruby and is flame retardant to British, German, French, US and I.M.O. standards.WYOMING LEATHER

Following hot on the heels of Montana leather, WYOMING offers the market all the aesthetics of luxurious Nu-Buck leather but with the benefit of a micro fibre top coat that adds a stain repellent treatment allowing the designer to specify in high traffic areas. Available in 15 colours from Ivory through to Midnight Navy with Hot Pink and Satsuma giving it a contemporary twist! WYOMING is available by the hide with an average of 3.5 sq.m per hide and is flame retardant to British, American and I.M.O. standards.

Sekers will also be at The Sleep Event on the 26th and 27th November on stand M7.

For all sampling and sales enquiries please contact us at sales@sekers.co.uk or visit our web site www.sekersfabrics.co.uk where the full range can be viewed and samples ordered.

Kempinski Hotels and The Stafford Hotel Ltd. has recently announced that they have mutually and amicably agreed to end the management agreement for The Stafford London by Kempinski. Reservations for the property can continue to be made via Kempinski’s sales channels until 10th September, 2014. Existing reservations will be honoured and staff, who are employed by The Stafford Hotel Ltd., will not be affected. This decision has been made in the best interests of all parties, who have ensured a smooth transition; the property was handed over by Kempinski to The Stafford Hotel Ltd. today, and the hotel is now branded as The Stafford London.The Stafford London is a London institution with the famous American Bar and The Stafford Wine Cellars, and was founded in 1912. The Hotel has achieved a slew of awards including, in 2013, Travel + Leisure Magazine’s ‘World’s Best Business Hotel Awards’ taking first place in London and fifth worldwide, as well as their ‘World’s Best Awards’ placing third in Europe and 33rd worldwide, Condé Nast Traveller US’s ‘Gold List Europe’, Andrew Harper’s ‘Reader’s Choice Awards’ ninth place in Top City Hotels, and Forbes Travel Guide ‘4 Stars Award, among the Top Hotels in London’.

The management and staff remain at the hotel without change, and look forward to welcoming all guests loyal and new, to the hotel.

Old Town Chambers, operated by Lateral City, is to add another 14 serviced apartments to its offering, making it the biggest collection of five-star serviced apartments in Edinburgh.
Comprising a mix of studios and one bedrooms, the luxury apartments will be completed in May 2015, less than two years since Old Town Chambers was launched.

The expansion, at a cost of £1.5 million by the award-winning Chris Stewart Group, will take the total number of luxury serviced apartments up to 50, which will sleep up to 200 guests at 100% occupancy.

The apartments, set in the capital’s historic Old Town, will contain double smoked French oak wooden flooring and Italian tiling, alongside the latest home entertainment system and a 24 hour concierge service, making it one of the most exclusive places to stay in Scotland.

Julie Grieve, CEO of Lateral City, said:

“We’re delighted to be expanding in such a short space of time. To have the largest five-star collection in Edinburgh in the space of two years is testament to the success of the brand.

“Our occupancy level remains consistently high throughout the year with it reaching 100% throughout key events, such as Hogmanay, rugby Internationals and Six Nations and the Edinburgh Marathon. The demand from our visitors has spurred us to expand.

“In addition, the location itself is second to none. Being right in the heart of the historic Old Town with views over Princes Street, coupled with state-of-the-art facilities, makes it a very special place to stay in the city.”

The Old Town Chambers currently contains 36 apartments comprising of studio, one, two and three bedrooms, as well as three stunning penthouses and a 15th century townhouse.

Unique features include original period wall paintings, exposed brick, through to bluetooth Bose sound systems, Smart TVs and a multi-zone heating system in every room. Entry is via a keypad for which every guest has a specific code.

Luxury fabric specialist, Kobe, mixes the timeless stripe with sumptuous jacquard woven velvet to create its latest collection – Gabra.Available in 21 colourways and suitable for window decoration and upholstery, the lustrous viscose pile sits on an elegant matt background to create a strong, clean design classic.

Offering exceptional durability, the fabric is suitable for severe contract usage, scoring 50,000 on the Martindale Rub Test.

Said David Harris, managing director of Kobe UK: “Gabra was previously available in three colours as part of the Nomad collection. Due to its success, we have significantly extended the range – offering a total of 21 shades – from vibrant statement tones to subtle, neutral hues.

“The stripe is one of the most versatile patterns in interior design, sitting well with both patterns and plains and Gabra can be complemented with many of Kobe’s luxurious velvets in the Aries, Beja and Inuk ranges.”

Kobe UK, is part of the Dutch-based Kobefab International company which supplies more than 8,000 Interior Design & Soft Furnishing customers in over 60 countries with more than 7,000 products from its headquarters in Valkenswaard , Holland. More than 90% of its products are developed in-house and 95% of all sourcing is done in Europe. Kobe’s Contract Sales hold a gold membership with Trevira CS and has a wide range of 100% Trevira CS fabrics – which are Oekoteks 100 certified and are regarded as the highest quality in FR inherent fabrics. Kobe’s vinyl wall coverings are also FR inherent, durable and demand minimal maintenance. They contain recycled materials and are printed using water based inks making them environmentally sound. Kobe wallcoverings can also contribute to a building achieving LEED credits.

Kobe will be introducing its Gabra Collection at:
Sleep 2014, Hotel Show, 26-27th November, Business Design Centre, London. Stand M32

For further information visit www.en.kobe.eu

Vaughan are exhibiting at Sleep – Islington Business Centre on 26th and 27th November on stand M23. The Vaughan stand is designed with a modern classic theme showing a hand-picked selection of lighting, furniture and textiles from the Vaughan collection.

The all-new 2014/15 Vaughan catalogues will also be available to view. The three new catalogues incorporate new products and stunning lifestyle photography in easy-to-read, bound books. Volume 1 contains the entire Wall Light collection, Volume 2 the Ceiling Light collection and Volume 3 the Floor & Table Lamp collection.

The Art Series hotels, originating in Melbourne, are a group of six hotels with an expansion programme underway. Each hotel showcases an individual contemporary Australian artist, and the presentation of the hotel is themed around the work of the artist. One of the first hotels of this group to be built outside of Melbourne is in the Victorian gold rush town of Bendigo (the second outside Melbourne is the newly opened Watson, using the art of the outstanding Aboriginal artist Yannima Pirkarli Tommy Watson). The artist featured in the Bendigo property is Melbourne artist Mark Schaller one of the founding members of Roar Studios, a studio and gallery space started in 1982 to help emerging young artists with a perceived bias against them in the Victorian art scene, particularly the minorities, i.e. women and Koories (Indigenous Australians of Victoria).

This hotel brings a more boutique feel than most hotels that I have encountered in Australia. The contemporary building itself is rather austere architecturally, aside from addition of colour at the balconies. Upon approach, you are greeted by one of Schaller’s large sculptures standing adjacent to the main entrance, like a kind of giant wooden doorman waiting to greet you. The presence of a smart car and colourful bicycles is also apparent, which are all hireable from the hotel.

Featuring beautiful surface-even styling for a seamless finish in the contemporary bathroom, Geberit has launched the Omega60 flush plate, for a beautiful finishing touch to wall-hung sanitaryware.Available in three on-trend glass colours of white, black or umber, or in a high quality brushed chrome finish if preferred, the Geberit Omega60 measures just 184mm x 114mm ensuring it will fit seamlessly into any bathroom design in more ways than one.

Opening up new design options, the compact nature of the Geberit Omega60 flush plate, coupled with its surface even format, gives designers and architects the opportunity to create luxurious, high-end bathroom spaces. Featuring an innovative installation technique, Omega60 also enables architects to include a surface even flush plate as part of a retrofit project for the very first time.

The flush plate is the perfect partner for Geberit’s newest concealed cistern, the Geberit Duofix Omega, which has a super slim profile of just 12cm, enabling it to fit neatly under a windowsill or a sloping roof. Depending on the construction situation, the flush plate can be attached to the top or front of the cistern for greater flexibility and with no special tools required to install the cistern or the flush plate, fitting time and disruption are kept to an absolute minimum on all projects.

The Geberit Omega range gives architects and designers exclusive access to a whole new world of creativity in the modern bathroom.

Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa has announced the re-opening of its newly renovated resort, after the completion of major renovations since its opening in 2001. The renovation work throughout the property includes upgrades of the resort guest rooms with creation of new Grand Deluxe rooms category, redesign of three restaurants and three bars concepts, laying new flooring in the main pool, redesign lobby area with new modern look with three dynamic desks and fresh appeal reflecting a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere for guests, the addition of central air conditioning system, enhancement of internet network for better Wi-Fi access and many other back of the house improvements.

The refurbishment project, which started in June 2014, focused mainly on the creation of the new room category, Grand Deluxe, which have been totally refurbished with new contemporary furniture, and modern fixtures. The new Grand Deluxe rooms have been carefully redesigned to elevate the guest experience, adding soft touches, such as warm inviting colours and furniture to ensure a sophisticated and comfortable stay. Also featuring redesigned bathrooms that include a separate bathtub and a separate shower area, where the guests can enjoy the magnificent sea view. Amenities in rooms include mini-bar, flat screen television, DVD player, TV cable, personal electronic safe, telephone in the bathroom, hair dryer, complimentary toiletries, tea and coffee maker and complimentary bottled water as well as Wi-Fi connection.

Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa offers an array of dining experiences, which has also undergone improvement. The resort now features three restaurants and three bars. La Pomme d’Amour restaurant now offers guests an added seating capacity by integrating the former Melanzane restaurant. The restaurant features daily sumptuous breakfast and daily international buffet dinner with a local Creole touch. Guests can also choose from Ginger Thai restaurant, serving typical Thai cuisine with an increasing seating capacity also following the extension of its terrace. Les Coquillages restaurant, located on the beach edge is ideal for enjoying a lunch feet in the sands or a dinner under the stars. Aqua Bar, also totally refurbished is situated between the swimming pool and the beach offering cool drinks and snacks in a relaxing lounge environment.

As experience is at the heart of Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa, the resort has also taken advantage of this renovation to give more than 11,500 hours of training to all its valued team members. These trainings are part of the resort’s vision “to be the first choice for guests and team members alike.” The flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide continues to build upon its legacy of innovation by developing products and services to meet the needs of tomorrow’s savvy global travellers while thousands of Team Members shape experiences in which every guest feels cared for, valued and respected.

Wilton Carpets Commercial will use the Sleep event to announce the launch of brand new Link and Heritage tufted ranges – from the Ready to Go collection; as well as the Classical Dimensions 3 brochure, featuring 40 FastTrack designs in three or more colourways. Link delivers a contemporary geometric in an 80% wool 20% nylon mix, tufted in a four-metre width. In seven colourways, including the tonal brown of Chain, graphite grey of Braid and the rich rust reds of Anchor, Link is ideal for hospitality environments looking for a modern design with a multitude of uses. Meanwhile, Heritage offers a more classical diamond geometric in the same four-metre wide tufted specification, using seven colourways suited to both classic and contemporary interiors with the tonal beige of Radford and naturals of Mowbray, as well as the grey and graphite of Castlebourne and Durlston.

Part of the Ready to Go collection, both Link and Heritage are available from stock and so ideal for hospitality environments demanding versatility and a Heavy Contract rating within short timescales. As tufted carpets, these new designs are also exceptional value.

The new Classical Dimensions 3 FastTrack collection provides a fresh look at classical design, with 40 woven axminster designs that draw inspiration from and reference classic architecture and period detail. With each design in three or more colourways, including Wilton’s popular Melrose tartan adapted to incorporate jewel-like tones, the brochure promises new design possibilities for hospitality environments. From a minimum order of just 100 square metres, FastTrack carpets are a cost-effective way to achieve a more individual look to the design of interiors.

This year’s stand showcases the creative possibilities of bespoke carpet from Wilton Carpets Commercial, with the Wiltshire-based manufacturer creating a stunning peacock feather design on the wall and floor of the stand. With feathers up to 210cm, the breath-taking design features a graduated colour scheme selected from the Optimum Flexiweave palette. Black, jade, cyclamen and dark ruby transition through to cyclamen, ruby and lime with orange foreground highlights in a creation that demonstrates the design capabilities of one of the UK’s best hospitality carpet manufacturers.

Find Wilton Carpets Commercial on Stand G36.

For further information contact Wilton Carpets Commercial on 01722 746000 or sales@wiltoncarpets.com

Hyatt Hotels Corporation and SAMHI have announced the opening of Hyatt Place Gurgaon/Udyog Vihar in the state of Haryana, India. This is the first Hyatt Place hotel in the gateway city of Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) and the second Hyatt Place hotel in India, following the 2012 opening of Hyatt Place Hampi.Strategically located in Gurgaon, Hyatt Place Gurgaon/Udyog Vihar is a 20-minute drive from DLF Cyber City, MG Road, City Centre, and major commercial hubs in Gurgaon, including NH8. Situated on Old Delhi Gurgaon Road, next to Maruti Udyog Vihar, and the hotel is just 20 minutes from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.

The hotel offers convenient access to Gurgaon’s most famous sites and attractions, including Appu Ghar and Kingdom of Dreams, which is an ideal place to experience a perfect blend of India’s art, culture and heritage in the form of cinematic and theatrical musicals, all under one roof. The hotel is also nearby Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary and Sohna Lake.

Hyatt Place Gurgaon/Udyog Vihar offers:
• 176 roomy rooms, featuring a 42-inch HDTV, a plush Hyatt Grand Bed and a Cozy Corner sofa sleeper in select guestrooms
• Free Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel
• 2,720 square feet (253 square meters) of flexible, high-tech meeting and function space
• Complimentary Gallery Kitchen Breakfast, featuring freshly prepared breakfast sandwiches, a variety of fresh fruits, hot and cold cereal, yogurt, breads, premium coffee, and an assortment of juices
• A Gallery Kitchen (24/7 Gallery Café) featuring local and regional specialties, made-to-order entrées and appetizers around the clock
• A Coffee to Cocktails Bar featuring specialty coffees and premium role beers, as well as wines and cocktails
• A 24-hour StayFit Gym, offering advanced cardiovascular and strengthening equipment’s
• Relax and unwind at the outdoor swimming pool, while enjoying the pleasant weather and green surrounding
• Free public computers with internet access and remote printing

As winter approaches in Russia’s capital city, a warm respite beckons just a few steps from Red Square. Closed for many years, a grand set of doors has just been thrown open, revealing luxurious accommodations, five inviting dining and drinking establishments, and an unparalleled international standard of personalised service: welcome to the new Four Seasons Hotel Moscow.”After years of meticulous planning, the old Hotel Moskva is now reborn as Four Seasons Hotel Moscow with fashion forward style and modern comforts on Manezhnaya Square,” says General Manager Max Musto, who oversees a handpicked, highly trained staff. “It is our mission to write the next exciting chapter in the storied history of this building, and this city.”

Originally built in the 1930s, Hotel Moskva hosted many of the key figures in the Russian saga. As an unofficial home base for the Soviet Union’s political and cultural power players, the Hotel’s clientèle also included a star-studded cast of international guests. Now, with immense respect for architect Alexei Shchusev’s original vision, interior designers Richmond International have created a contemporary homage to history that is firmly positioned in the 21st century. The exterior façade has been replicated in meticulous detail, including the distinctive asymmetry between the two wings that surround a new glass-topped atrium. A birch motif is woven throughout the interior décor, and echoes of the past are seen in decorative details such as the column capitals and scalloped rosette surrounding the main ballroom’s chandelier, and the handcrafted mosaic tiles in the glass-enclosed pool area.

Moscow’s Finest Accommodations

Offering the city’s most spacious accommodations, the Hotel’s 180 rooms and suites are naturally lit through floor-to-ceiling windows, and many have step-out balconies. In addition to the new, fully customizable Four Seasons Bed, up-to-the-minute features include iHome docking stations, media hub with international socket options, high speed internet access, and an iPad in each room for easy access to in-room dining, Spa appointments and more. Marble bathrooms include separate showers, with complimentary custom amenities by Roberto Cavalli.

The Hotel’s top accommodations are the palatial 7th floor Pozharsky Royal Suite at 520 square metres (5,600 square feet), which opens on to an expansive terrace offering views of Manezhnaya Square and Alexandrovsky Garden. Equally impressive is the stately Minin Presidential Suite at 468 square metres (5,000 square feet).

For business travellers, in-room conveniences include ergonomic furnishings and large working desks, in-room Nespresso machines, and high definition televisions that swivel to show a mirror on the opposite side when not in use. The multi-lingual concierge team is ready to assist in maximizing one’s stay in Moscow, and along with the 24-hour business centre, guests also have access to the Hotel’s fleet of BMW 7 Series house cars, each equipped with complimentary wi-fi and iPad.

Continued on page two…

Marriott International, Inc. and affiliates of The Witkoff Group and New Valley have signed agreements for the development of an EDITION Hotel and residences in West Hollywood, Calif. Marriott will manage the hotel under a long-term contract.Expected to open in 2018, the West Hollywood EDITION will be a world-class, luxury lifestyle hotel and EDITION’s flagship location on the West Coast.

EDITION Hotels, launched by Marriott in partnership with Ian Schrager, combines the intimate, individualized and unique lodging experience for which Ian Schrager is known, with the global reach, operational expertise and scale of Marriott. Currently in Istanbul and London, and soon to open in Miami Beach, other EDITION hotels are planned for New York (the New York EDITION and Times Square EDITION); Abu Dhabi, UAE; Sanya and Wuhan, China; Gurgaon, India; and Bangkok, Thailand, with advanced ongoing discussions for other exciting locations.

Arne Sorenson, Marriott International’s president and chief executive officer, said, “An EDITION hotel in West Hollywood is a key element in our brand strategy. Our EDITION brand is growing momentum on a global scale, and we are delighted to work with The Witkoff Group as partners in bringing this fabulous new hotel to a fantastic destination.”

Steve Witkoff, CEO of The Witkoff Group, said, “This is an exciting milestone in our partnership with Marriott. As we finalize construction of the new EDITION Times Square hotel in New York, which we expect to open in 2017, it’s incredibly gratifying to embark on a new project that will bring an exceptional EDITION hotel and truly spectacular EDITION residences to the West Hollywood area of Los Angeles.”

Ian Schrager, CEO of Ian Schrager Company, said, “West Hollywood is a great city and I’m thrilled to be doing a spectacular new EDITION there with my good friends and partners Marriott and The Witkoff group.”

The Beaumont hotel, designed by ReardonSmith Architects, with interiors by Richmond International, has now opened. For this first hotel from esteemed restaurateurs Jeremy King and Chris Corbin, the design team have transformed an Art Deco era garage in London’s Mayfair into an intimate destination redolent with the style of a fine and very comfortable 1920s establishment. The architect’s collaboration with Jeremy King and Chris Corbin extends back over a number of years, initially, assisting the partners in their search for a suitable London property. Then in 2008, Grosvenor approached Corbin & King to participate in a limited competition for the development into a hotel of the then Avis Rent-A-Car garage, originally built in 1926, and the project was born. At this early stage, it was fundamental in the thinking of all parties concerned that public art should be an integral part of the building and this became a key principle of the scheme which won the competition. Following further discussions, Antony Gormley was commissioned to create an inhabitable sculpture which will be open to the public on certain designated days each year.

From the beginning, the architects worked closely with City of Westminster planners, English Heritage and local residents groups. The existing building needed to be extended to create a commercially viable hotel and the architects developed several options for review. The final scheme involved a sensitive extension to the existing north wing of the building, as well as two additional floors on the roof and two new basement levels. These interventions have achieved space for a total of 73 guestrooms and suites, the Colony Grill Room and American bar, a separate residents’ lounge, a small private dining room and a spa with hammam, hot stone platform, cold plunge pool and a gym. Key to the chosen scheme is that the roof extension is clearly a modern intervention which does not attempt to copy the existing façade yet is sympathetic to it. Internally, works have included the entire removal of the structure behind the retained façade, which was suspended and restrained by temporary steelwork towers during demolition and reconstruction.

All the fenestration is new with crittall-style windows custom-designed to match to look of the original windows while significantly improving their security, thermal and acoustic qualities. Four magnificent Art Deco style lamps on the front elevation are faithful replicas of the original lamps and the defining black iron balustrading to level four of the building – previously the top floor – has been restored. The façade was repaired and re-painted.

The ground floor plan is on a simple axis. On arrival, guests are able to see immediately the flow of spaces before them, from entrance hall to bar and through to the restaurant and, to one side, the concierge and reception, with the staircase behind sweeping down to the spa and private dining room below. The private residents’ lounge is at the other end of the lobby.

Guestrooms are discreetly glamorous and enriched by Art Deco features. Attention to detail was an absolute rule – from the design of the ceiling cornice in the bedrooms to the tone of the glass bathroom tiles and the traditional bronze light switches. In most of the rooms, a sliding timber-veneered door can be drawn across the bedroom area to provide complete privacy from the bathroom and the entrance lobby, where the wardrobes are located, thus converting this zone into a dressing room.

The one-bedroom Presidential Suite on the new fifth floor has been designed to open up to adjoining rooms and even extend across the entire floor to become a magnificent five-bedroom suite. From its large terrace looking towards the historic patchwork of Mayfair’s roofs and gardens, guests experience a very special connection with the city past and present.

The architects worked closely with Antony Gormley, his design team and his specialist engineer to realise the sculpture. Named ROOM, the monumental form “crouches” against the façade of the building and rises 10 metres from its second floor rooftop podium. Both work of art and an architectural extension to the hotel, inside ROOM is an extraordinary bedroom forming part of a suite. The welded metal sculpture weighs 34 tonnes and consideration had to be given to determining the best load-bearing structure which would allow for marginal movement over time. The architectural team also travelled to Germany’s Black Forest with Antony Gormley to select each oak plank for the internal cladding and was closely involved in the interior design detailing to help realise the artist’s ambition. In the course of the project, two mock-ups, one full-scale, were built to test the spatial arrangement and check for any possible light or noise encroachment into the sculpture.

“It has been an absolute joy to work with Corbin & King, our client Grosvenor who was the developer and Antony Gormley in what has been a very creative process for both the designers and the architects,” says Patrick Reardon, Executive Chairman of ReardonSmith Architects. “We all shared a single vision and brought our individual skills and experience to the task of realising this vision. I think the result is a unique and timeless hotel as well as a truly exciting new landmark in Mayfair.”

Before we start to look at the nitty gritty of what happens inside the building, lets for a moment consider how you are going to manage the process. After all you are neither building a retail shed, nor a domestic block of flats, but a destination to which you hope people will come back again and again. To achieve your goals in planning your hotel you need to be able to communicate and manage your development team – you do have a development team don’t you? Oh my god! Well then we’d better look at some objectives for it, and who that suggests should be in the team. The starting point is of course that you have done you market research as suggested in my first article. If you haven’t, stop reading this and do it now.

Let’s assume that you have progressed as outlined in part one. No doubt you have been impressed by some of the hotels you have seen, but equally you will be sure you can do better, so you are moving forward with confidence. You have the support of your bank*, your accountant is enthusiastic and you know what star rating and price range you want to operate in. Now you need to find a designer who knows what they are doing, and who should, if they are good, be able to save you their fee by knowing their way around the contract market (and no,definately not a purchasing agency).

I am not talking about the architect (good at the outside and at running a team, great on contracts and knowing everything (they say) but not an interiors specialist), nor the builder, nor contractor. Nor yet the structural engineer or the quantity surveyor, services engineer or kitchen specialist. I mean the person who understands the relationship of the internal parts of the hotel and how to make sure that they all contribute to the operational effectiveness and thereby the return to your bottom line, someone who is going to give your hotel a sense of style that will set it apart from the competition.

The obvious way to find a good hotel designer is to go back to the hotel you admired most and ask ‘who did this?’ You could use the Interior designers in our Directory– they are all checked out by us for their relevant experience, and list their previous clients and jobs.

Once you have a name, check their track record – not what they say on their CV but actually look at hotels they have done and talk to the operators – at the very least see if we have featured their work in our Review section or in a Miniview. Get a short list of two or three, and maybe get them to pitch ideas for your hotel – a paid pitch or they won’t give it real attention. Designers, like chefs, do not like giving the results of their efforts way for nowt, and you shouldn’t expect them to. Nor should you choose them because they have nice legs or a big lunch box – this is about finding a serious contributor to the success of your business, not a lucky charm.

What about qualifications?

If you are in the USA then your designer will almost certainly have to be licensed by the State you are in – this is a requirement in around 30 states that I am aware of. If in Europe the picture is different. In the UK there are formal qualifications but no requirement for them to be taken. The courses are mainly BA/MA courses, although there used to be some good HND programmes until the politicians – don’t get me started! These programmes often share part of their courses with architecture courses ensuring that the students are introduced to the main planks of building design.

Most professional designers are registered but again there is no requirement to be a member of a professional body – the one with the Royal Charter and obligation in representing designers is the Chartered Society of Designers, who are in our Directory, and who will also help you find a designer if you want. However the most successful designer in Britain since the 1950’s was Bob Lush (now alas dead). Not only did Bob run the largest interiors practice in Europe in Richmond International but he also had as his assistants good designers, many of whom now run their own successful interiors practices( for example Francesca Basu, or Jane Goff). Bob trained in the theatre, and was not a professionally trained interior designer, although one could argue that theatre is what hotels are all about (see Radisson Berlin if you don’t believe me!)

All this brings me back to the first point I made – look at the jobs that you like, ask who did them and talk to them. Make a short list and see who you then want to work with.
A good designer will then give you a fee proposal that should list:
• Their professional working methodology including allowance for design development
• The basis on which they will charge their fees and expenses
• The number and type of drawings they will produce
• Details of the production of Tender documents and processes for their area of responsibility
• The approach to running the job on site
• Their level of attendance on site, attendance at site meetings, site supervision etc.
• Fee stages i.e. what they charge and when so that you can see where your cash flow is going to be
• Ordering systems, control books and record of installation for you and your housekeeping staff to refer to. This should include a comprehensive list of all suppliers and their contact details for your maintenance crew.
• Clarification of copyright

Designers will normally charge a fee based on the cost of the interior fit-out, including lighting, joinery, soft furnishings FF&E and so on, although if they are involved in the planning of the layout of the hotel, as they should be, then they should be getting a fee for that too – deductable from the architects share of course. Obviously the elements in the interior package should not form a part of the total the architect is basing his fees on. Equally neither should the interior designer be paid a fee for the work of the kitchen designer. Included in the fees of all the professionals should be an amount for coordination work with the other professionals, but this is not the same as charging a fee on their share of the work.

Alternatives exist in the form of companies that will provide design services as part of a turn-key solution in which they also fit out your hotel. There is also the design and build route, where the designer is employed by the contractor, but I would personally advise against this route as the designers first responsibility is to the employer – in this case the builder who may not have the same overall goal as the client (his profit may come first for example)

You should also have on your developmenmt team the other key players in your team – chef perhaps, maybe your head housekeeper, or marketing manager, all those in fact who will know what operational criteria should feed through into the brief. They may not need to meet the designer but there may be advantages in some dialogue being constructed.

You need to manage a process that, on a typical new build, can run into tens of millions, and millions for a simple refurb. In managing remember the Golden Rule, – he who has the Gold Rules.

• Support of a bank – an archaic term from an earlier age when you had a relationship with your bank and did not just get ripped off by them

Patrick Goff

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®) announces the signing of two Holiday Inn® hotels under its eighth multiple development agreement (MDA) in Germany.The two hotels – Holiday Inn® Dresden – City South and Holiday Inn® Villingen-Schwenningen are the first to be signed with new owner partner FFF Group. The MDA will see five IHG branded hotels developed in total.

Holiday Inn Dresden – City South (formerly FFF City Hotel Leonardo), is due to open next year. The 93-room hotel will feature the brand’s signature Open Lobby, as well as an all-day dining restaurant and four conference rooms.

Dresden is regaining its cultural importance as a centre for art, architecture and music and is growing in popularity as a destination for business and leisure guests. This historical city is home to the Saxon State Opera, several museums and over 13,000 listed cultural monuments. The hotel occupies a great location nearby Dresden University of Technology on Bamberger Street.

Holiday Inn Dresden – City South will strengthen IHG’s presence in the area as it joins Holiday Inn Dresden and Holiday Inn Express® Dresden – City Centre. Holiday Inn Dresden – Am Zwinger is also due to open in the city in 2015.

Meanwhile Holiday Inn Villingen-Schwenningen will be a new-build property opening in 2016. The hotel will feature 178 rooms, a gym, an Open Lobby and extensive conference facilities with more than 500 square metres of conference space.

Located between the Villingen and Schwenningen municipalities, Holiday Inn Villingen-Schwenningen is the first IHG hotel to be developed in the area. It is conveniently located right next to one of the new and leading hospitals and research institutions on Schwenninger Street and is only four kilometres away from Villingen-Schwenningen train station. The district’s stunning surroundings – the Black Forest, the mouth of the River Danube and Lake Konstanz (Bodensee) – attract a steady flow of domestic and international travellers.

Our good friends at Z Hotels have certainly been busy this year. Z Piccadilly opened in London and now Z Glasgow is taking bookings.The Glasgow property is the first hotel from the Z group outside England and is centrally located near George Square, in a building that was formerly home to well known pub. It has 104 bedrooms and just like Z Victoria, Z Soho and Z Liverpool, these two new hotels feature incredibly comfortable Naturalmat mattresses.

Z Hotels aim for all hotel projects to be as sustainable and with a strong green emphasis, so it was inevitable that Z would turn to organic mattress specialists Naturalmat as their official mattress supplier and organic bedding, including our organic wool duvets.

Naturalmat are pioneers in natural fibre technology and have developed innovative raw materials such as organic lambswool and all mattress covers are guaranteed anti-bed bug, though a treatment of natural geraniol. Another exciting ingredient is organic coir fibre, a derivative of the coconut husk. This sustainable material greatly enhances the ventilation and spring of the mattress and is another example of intelligent use of renewable natural resources. Other sumptuous materials found within a Naturalmat mattress are environmentally conscious, green and biodegradable.

Naturalmat mattresses are available to buy from our London or Devon showroom or look online at www.naturalmathotel.co.uk to see Naturalmat’s range of hotel mattresses.

Alternatively, visit Naturalmat at The Sleep Event 2014 on Stand G4.

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.

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 complement the contemporary modern British design. Those selected for the Ham Yard Hotel were supplied in ultra-clean, Super Mirrored Stainless Steel.

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).

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.

Luxury Hampshire country house retreat, Tylney Hall Hotel & Gardens, is pleased to announce the refurbishment of their popular Chestnut Suite. The renovation, which took approximately three weeks, is part of the hotel’s ongoing refurbishment plan in which bedrooms and public rooms throughout the hotel will undergo lavish makeovers.

Delegates using the Chestnut Suite will now benefit from new furnishings, lighting, and state of the art sound system as well as complete redecoration and new cloakroom facilities.

The Chestnut Suite, which features stunning ceiling beams fashioned from the trees that fell during the great storm of 1987, is perfect for meetings and conferences to private celebrations with a capacity of up to 120 people. Situated a short distance from the Main House, the Chestnut Suite becomes its own venue at Tylney Hall, with separate reception, bar, cloakrooms, and catering facilities, along with a private terrace and access to gardens.

Since the suite was first built in 1989, it has played host to a number of fascinating events including a private dining function for the England Rugby World Cup squad in 1991 and the British Lions team in 1997.

Mark Robinson, General Manager at Tylney Hall Hotel & Gardens, commented:

“Our ongoing refurbishment plan will ensure our guests are receiving the highest standard of luxury. I am extremely pleased with the level of work that the Chestnut Suite has undergone and I am certain delegates will be delighted with it.”

Nat Coalson, celebrated American photographic artist, announced as the inaugural exhibit.

Nottingham’s leading independent hotel, The St James, has announced the official opening of its in-house art gallery. The Left Gallery is a dedicated space which will showcase breakthrough and established talent in a series of solo exhibitions. The gallery is yet further commitment from The St James to support and encourage artists, artisans, crafts and trades from the surrounding area.The first show which launches with an invite-only preview on November 13th will feature works from the established American Photographic Artist, Nat Coalson (Nat currently lives in Leicester). In the retrospective show, entitled ‘Anima Astratto: Journey Into Perception’ the series of abstracts displayed will portray the artist’s influences: from travel, international culture through to the Italian language. ‘Anima Astratto’ translates from the Italian, ‘Abstract Soul’.

When asked about his motivation behind the collection, Nat stated that ‘My wife, Ruth, and I share a passion for exploring the world. I’ve been photographing all kinds of places over many years, from wilderness to ancient and modern cities. I’ve always worked to make pictures that go far beyond the typical, scenic travel photos. I assembled this collection to represent some of my favourite examples of pure abstraction, all drawn from my experiences in some of the world’s most interesting, colourful locations.’ Coalson added that, ‘I’m thrilled and honoured to have been selected for the first art exhibition in the Left Gallery. I love working with hotels and the St James is among the best. It’s a beautiful property that oozes style and charm—a perfect setting for presenting my boldest abstract works.’

The boutique hotel which launched earlier this year has quickly gained a reputation as a benchmark in contemporary boutique hotels, and has gained much attention for its focus on service, style and value. Harjeet Johal, Director at The St James, states that, ‘art is an integral part of The St James identity. We are passionate about the promotion, discovery and nurturing of artists. The Left Gallery is our way to create a space in which artists can gain exposure and reach a wider audience. It demonstrates our commitment to the creative essence of Nottingham and the Midlands. We are immensely proud to have Nat Coalson as our inaugural artist. He is a phenomenal talent and this retrospective show is a perfect launch for our gallery.’

The St James Hotel is an 87 bedroom property located in the heart of the historic Castle Quarter. The unique style of the hotel, together with its well-appointed and comfortable guest rooms, function rooms and lounge bar – ‘Number Six’, have ensured a loyal – and growing – following.

The show opened to the public on November 14th and will run until January 4th. All pieces are available to purchase.

Continue to page two to read a statement from the artist

The Belsfield, which overlooks the waters of England’s largest lake – Windermere – in the Lake District, has recently opened its doors after a multi-million pound refurbishment. The grand Victorian hotel also celebrates its partnership with Laura Ashley, which saw the English design company completely renovate the building, making it only the second Laura Ashley branded hotel.

The company’s fabrics, furniture and fittings are brimming throughout the building and an architect-designed glass reception has created a magnificent arrival to the Grade II listed hotel.

Head designer Kay Cullen said: “The project has taken a year to complete and I have lived and breathed the hotel in that time, but it’s worth it when you see it celebrated by all these people [at the opening party].

“I was completely inspired by the building and fell in love with it from the beginning – the potential was just amazing.

“The décor has a modernity to it now but I always kept in mind the building’s origins. It’s an eclectic mix of classics and vintage while bringing it up-to-date.”

Luxury Sussex retreat, Ashdown Park Hotel & Country Club, is delighted to announce the recent refurbishment of their stunning Mary Towneley Lounge. Situated within Ashdown Park’s former chapel, the recently renovated lounge is the ideal place in which delegates can relax and unwind between meetings, brainstorm ideas as a breakout area or hosts a drinks reception prior to an event held in the beautiful Harry Clarke Suite.

The refurbishment has taken inspiration from its use in 1920, when Ashdown Park was a convent and the Mary Towneley Lounge was used by nuns as a place of deep contemplation.

The lounge, which overlooks the magnificent east wing courtyard, offers delegates a tranquil and private area with direct access out to a secluded and picturesque outdoor setting. Facilities include and LED Television screen, two tea and coffee service stations, with a variety of teas, speciality coffees and a chilled drinks cabinets.

What’s more, at the end of November a lift will be installed in the Mary Towneley Lounge, which will enable motorised wheelchair access to the first floor, where many meetings and weddings take place.

Ben Booker, General Manager at Ashdown Park Hotel & County Club, commented:
“Our former chapel is one of the most magnificent event rooms in Sussex. The fascinating history it holds is incredibly important to the hotel, which is why we took such care when refurbishing the Mary Towneley Lounge.”

Lyndon Design’s recent collaboration with leading British designer, Peter Emrys-Roberts of ERA, has resulted in an upholstered seating collection named Romba. Featuring a modern rectilinear design, this collection is accentuated by colourful upholstered blocks and provides a contemporary and striking seating solution.Exploiting a vocabulary of simple forms and materials, Romba provides the specifier with tremendous scope and choice. Featuring armchair and sofa options, the collection may be arranged into a variety of asymmetrical and symmetrical compositions to suit each particular scheme. To overcome the restrictions that designers face when looking to inject colour into a scheme, as loose cushions are not always an appropriate option, Romba facilitates the controlled addition of colour or accent fabrics to the ends of its bolsters, conveniently the same shape as cushions.

Whilst boasting Lyndon Design’s handcrafted and superior timber frame structure, the emphasis is on the interplay of upholstered blocks and as such, the legs are discretely positioned underneath so as not to detract from the overall design.

Equal attention is paid to the aesthetic of front, rear and sides of Romba’s design – an important feature for lobbies – and courtesy of the generous armrests that are as tall as the seat back, this striking design creates a constant site line within a space. For added versatility, Romba is available in a wide range and combination of fabrics and colours.

Commenting on his latest collaboration with Lyndon Design, designer Peter Emrys-Roberts says: “Romba is designed to offer specifiers a compact, versatile seating solution that brings visual impact and comfort to a variety of commercial interiors. The ability to include feature fabric squares in the ends of the bolsters brings a playful and relaxed feel to an otherwise formal and structured design.”

Lyndon Design’s Managing Director, Tim Armitt comments: “We are delighted to work with such an eminent British designer and to merge the unparalleled handcrafted manufacturing expertise for which Lyndon Design is renowned, with such an arresting and challenging design. Romba will sit well amongst Lyndon Design’s burgeoning collection of seating.”

Part of The Boss Design Group – the UK’s leading seating manufacturer – Lyndon Design specialises in the design and manufacture of handcrafted upholstery and furniture for commercial interiors.

Working in collaboration with Tom Dixon Design Research Studio, Chelsom created a dramatic custom lighting scheme for the guestrooms and lobby area of the first ever Mondrian branded boutique hotel outside the United States.Seductive and striking, Mondrian London at Sea Containers perfectly blends the style and sophistication of the famed boutique brand with Southbank’s eclectic vibe. Under the direction of renowned British designer Tom Dixon, DRS have succeeded in creating an interior scheme that captures the essence of the original building, exuding 1920s cruise ship glamour integrated with the contemporary twists and urbane design for which the Mondrian brand is known.

This unique interior concept is echoed throughout the 335 guestrooms and suites. Chelsom were challenged with creating a distinctive custom-designed lighting scheme with post-modernism references, fusing cutting-edge design, functionality and energy efficiency. Matt black fittings with brass features accentuate the bold colour palette. Fixed to the headboard, wall lights feature oversized brass rotary dimmer switches and multi-directional teardrop heads with retrofit LED light sources housed behind a frosted glass lens to offer both reading and mood lighting in a soft white ambient tone. The desk lamps feature an oversized tubular head and statement brass rotary dimmer switch while the conical spun metal shades of the floor lamps are finished in brass and lined in white to provide a bold contrast whilst optimising light reflection.

To the specification of DRS, Chelsom created a trio of triple tiered pendants in matt black and copper for the entrance lobby. At 3.5m each in diameter, these circular fittings are suspended from the ceiling by metal support rods to create the illusion that the sculptural pieces are floating in mid-air. As part of a wider sound reducing concept for the lobby area, these fittings are clad in acoustic foam and incorporate state of the art LED downlighters and uplighters for optimum light output and efficiency. Chelsom also refurbished a series of more than 30 original Cliff Tribe wall lights dating back to the 1950s including double lights and triple pendants. The original Sea Containers fittings were taken off site and refurbished by a team of restoration experts at Chelsom’s factory where they were cleaned, refinished and rewired to incorporate retrofit LED light sources making them compatible with the exacting energy requirements outlined in the brief.

Managing Director Robert Chelsom said, “To have been commissioned by Maison Objet’s Designer of the Year 2014, Tom Dixon, to be part of such a fantastic high profile project as the iconic Mondrian- possibly London’s ultimate destination hotel, is a real honour and testimony to Chelsom’s reputation within the industry. This was not just another order, it was a step into boutique design of the highest calibre and the way forward for modern hotel lighting and for Chelsom. Obviously a project of this scale and stature was not without its challenges but the opportunity to work with such a fantastic team on one of the best lighting schemes we have ever produced meant this was a real labour of love from start to finish and one we are all very proud to be part of.”

Autograph Collection, Marriott International’s exclusive portfolio of upscale, independent hotels, has added Fontecruz Sevilla to its growing European portfolio of hotels. Transformed from a XVI century palace into an upscale boutique hotel in the heart of Seville, Fontecruz Sevilla is a stunning property complete with outdoor pool, Hammam Spa and eye-catching, traditional Arabian design influences.The hotel boasts a classical Sevillian interior yard that leads to 40 quiet and beautifully designed suites and rooms set over three floors. Sumptuous guestrooms are tastefully designed in deep, jewel colours and boast an array of textures, with velvet sofas, leather, padded headboards and beautiful Middle Eastern inspired rugs in each guestroom.

Featuring a black slate outdoor swimming pool and solarium area that offers all-day refreshment to enjoy the long sunny days, Fontecruz Sevilla also features a trendy penthouse rooftop terrace overlooking the city skyline, with outstanding views of the Cathedral and La Gialda Tower. Perfect for corporate events, launch parties or celebrations, the terrace has fast become the hottest ticket in town to hire.

Fresh, local and delicious specialities can be enjoyed in the relaxed atmosphere of Morrison’s-Terraza Fontecruz, which offers delicious, contemporary andalusian cuisine. Pulling on its Arabian design concept, the hotel also showcases a luxurious Hammam spa, offering relaxing massages and treatments to guests to enjoy during their stay.

Kempinski announced that its much-anticipated flagship resort, Marsa Malaz Kempinski, The Pearl – Doha, is set to welcome its first guests on December 1, 2014. Marsa Malaz Kempinski will be the European luxury hotel company’s second hotel opening in Qatar and seventh in the Gulf, with two more hotels in the Middle East scheduled to open in the coming year. The city-resort is located on its own secluded island at the iconic The Pearl-Qatar and is the first ultra-luxury hotel in one of Doha’s most sought-after locations. It offers 281 luxurious rooms and suites, and meeting-conference facilities, including a Grand Ballroom, measuring 1,100 sq m (11,538 sq ft), ideal for VIP delegations or weddings. Marsa Malaz Kempinski also features an exclusive beach located in a private bay, along with outdoor swimming pools, water sports facilities, the 3,000 sq m (32291.7 sq ft) Spa by Clarins, a tennis court and yacht jetties.

As one of the most inspiring hotels in the region, Marsa Malaz Kempinski will offer multiple dining and entertainment options for all guests upon completion early next year. Visitors can select from six different types of restaurants, two cafés, al fresco beach-side dining, a sophisticated lounge and a unique rooftop lounge with large open-air terraces.

Located in the heart of Qatar’s capital Doha, Marsa Malaz Kempinski is only a ten-minute drive from West Bay, the central business district, and a 30-minute drive from the new Hamad International Airport. The new resort is also near to numerous entertainment and shopping options at the Porto Arabia and Medina Centrale districts of The Pearl-Qatar, as well as in close proximity to Katara Cultural Village, Doha Golf Club and Lagoona Mall.

Examples of urban living don’t come much greater than Markthal Rotterdam, an iconic new marketplace with apartments above, each of which are fitted with Laufen. The first of its kind in Europe, Markthal Rotterdam integrates living and shopping in a unique way; this hybrid between market hall and housing is designed in a distinctive horse shoe shaped arch, consisting of housing from the third to the eleventh floor.

Modern, elegant – a great boutique hotel – sympathetically brought right up to date; perfect for business or leisure. A perfect location, featuring Style Matters bespoke dining chairs, tailor made fixed seating, a range of made to measure lounge chairs and sofas.The Restaurant – an informal yet attentive space featuring bespoke banquette seating, solid oak dining chairs upholstered in antique leather with studding detail. Matched with weathered oak dining tables.

The Cellar – unique, atmospheric – featuring its own glass walled wine display, bespoke dining table with Prince and Anya dining chairs.

The Lounge – stylish and comfortable with a relaxed mix of deeply upholstered armchairs and sofas.

Detail – bespoke fixed seating in antique effect leather; added authenticity from the irregular fluted back design.

Intimate dining area in the vaulted cellar.

The entire hotel has undergone an extensive restoration program and is rapidly becoming one of the hottest properties in Gloucestershire for both accommodation and dining. The King’s Head offers you everything a great boutique hotel should.

Style Matters have worked alongside Calico Interiors to ensure that every space has been given its own personality.

Editors Note: The Kings Head is quite the best new hotel I have seen in a while. It forms our next Design Review. Calico Interiors can be found in our Directory along with Stylematters