Author: Ben Debski

Accra advances

Posted on by Ben Debski

Situated only 1km from Kotoka International Airport, and only 7km from the city centre, Holiday Inn Accra Airport is widely acknowledged as Accra’s premium hotel. In 2009, Holiday Inn Accra Airport even played host to the US first family during their trip to Ghana – President Obama’s first visit to sub-Saharan Africa since he came to office. The hotel has also welcomed a number of other high profile personalities, from business executives to royalty and some famous names from the film and music industries.

Well managed
This year Holiday Inn Accra Airport increases its prestige as the hotel’s General Manager Bruce Potter is named Business Destinations’ General Manager of the Year, Africa, 2013. Bruce Potter has been with the hotel for five years and has taken the property from its opening in 2008, through rebranding in 2010, to its successful everyday activities today, firmly establishing the Holiday Inn brand in West Africa along the way.

“Running the hotel here in Ghana is very exciting and challenging, we have a fast developing country with a new developing hotel sector that is now flourishing,” says Potter. “This creates a fusion of local tradition with international expectation on product and service. The hotel continues to be successful with its location, and hard work and commitment from the whole team – every member focuses everyday on customer care, creating a home away from home experience.”

Ghana is an impressively developing country; oil is now flowing, attracting revenue, and Accra is one of the top ten fastest-growing cities in the world. Potter is committed to continuing to ensure that his hotel provides the service and products demanded by international travellers.

“Over my time running the hotel I have been involved with developing Tourism Legislation and I am continuing to support the country with my Executive Role in the Ghana Tourism Federation (GATOF). This is the Private Sector Arm that works directly alongside the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.”

Well rested
The seven-storey hotel has 98 standard rooms, 48 executive rooms, 14 deluxe rooms, six executive suites and two presidential suites – including Room 509, the suite that welcomed the Obama family. All are luxuriously appointed and equipped with wireless high-speed internet access.

Guests are treated to traditional entertainment on Sundays

Holiday Inn Accra Airport offers some of the best cuisine to be found in Accra. The main Wiase Restaurant, which has a terrace overlooking the swimming pool, offers guests the choice of a delectable buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant also has an à la carte menu available for both lunch and dinner. Take the chance to sample local specialties such as the delicious okra crab stew.

For guests seeking a laid-back experience, La Cabana Pool Bar and Restaurant provides a varied menu in a relaxed environment. You can sit by the pool in the sunshine, or enjoy dinner beneath the stars in the evening. At the weekends a live band plays through the night and guests are treated to traditional entertainment on Sundays.

Modern business
As a conference venue, the Holiday Inn Accra Airport is unsurpassed. Its exceptional conference facilities are matched by the skills of the dedicated conferencing and banqueting manager, whose members can orchestrate a reception for up to 450 people. The hotel also caters for private meetings or dinners, which can be hosted in one of three striking boardrooms.

The Holiday Inn Accra Airport has a wide range of services created to fulfil the needs of modern business travellers. The hotel’s business centre is open all day and is equipped to assist with any secretarial requirements. Guests can also maximise every minute of their stay, as the hotel is located only five minutes away from the airport. A courtesy bus picks up guests as soon as they land, and drops them back at an exclusive airport arrival lounge when it is time to depart.

With all of these amenities and, most importantly, the hotel’s warm Ghanaian hospitality, Bruce Potter and all of the staff are sure you will return again soon.

Further information:
holidayinn.com

From flight to forest

Posted on by Ben Debski

Amsterdam has so much to offer. It’s the Dutch capital; a world-renowned city; setting of the Rijksmuseum and its famous Nachtwacht painting; and home to the Amsterdam Forest, making it one of the greenest cities in the world. The Amsterdam Forest is six times the size of the most famous park in the world, New York’s Central Park. The Forest boasts lush grasslands, a wide biodiversity of mammals, insects and birds, close-covered forest areas and the Bosbaan – the oldest artificial rowing course in the world. The Amsterdam Forest stretches from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol into the centre of the city.

Here, on the borders of the airport and the forest lies the four-star deluxe Steigenberger Airport Hotel Amsterdam. Rooms at the front of the hotel overlook the airport – from which planes depart every three minutes – while rooms at the back overlook the Amsterdam Forest. The hotel is located in a non-flying zone and equipped with triple glazing soundproof windows, meaning guests can enjoy the tranquility of the airport and the forest at the same time. It’s also easy to discover the forest by bike or on foot, and the hotel even rents out bikes to its guests.

Fully equipped
The contemporary hotel boasts 440 well-appointed rooms as well as four restaurants and bars. These include the Italian restaurant Nadar and the typically Amsterdam-styled Sports & Mediabar, a private terrace, and the impressively equipped Lifestyle Club & Active Spa.

As you step into the Steigenberger Airport Hotel Amsterdam an enormous, open lobby greets you. Floor-to-ceiling windows bring natural light and the verdant greens of the Amsterdam Forest into the hotel. You know you’re at the airport, but that’s not how it feels.

You get the same feeling as you enter the hotel rooms; they are spacious, open, light and contain everything you might need – as a business traveller or leisure guest. All the rooms are equipped with air-conditioning, soundproof windows that can be opened, free wi-fi, black-out curtains, free coffee and tea facilities, safe and a separate working desk.

It’s easy being green
The Steigenberger Airport Hotel Amsterdam is one of the most sustainable hotels in the world. Almost every light has been replaced by LED, it offers 50 percent discount on parking fees for hybrid cars, and electric cars even park for free, while making use of charging points in the parking garage. The hotel also boasts 40 ‘Green & Fair Trade’ rooms, equipped with sustainable linen and recyclable materials, which result in a CO2 footprint of zero.

Amsterdam city centre is only 15 minutes away from the Airport via public transport. In the Netherlands public transportation is one of the most convenient ways to travel: it’s frequent, cheap and widely available. Even in the country’s smallest towns there is a departure at least once or twice an hour. From the Steigenberger Airport Hotel Amsterdam there is a shuttle twice per hour to the airport and back. Every hotel guest can make use of this shuttle service, free of charge. In just eight minutes one can travel from the hotel to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, hop on a train and arrive only 15 minutes later in the heart of Amsterdam. Where else in the world is that possible?

Further information:
steigenberger.com/Amsterdam_Airport

Part 4: “It’s real hard to be free when you are bought and sold in the marketplace”

Posted on by Ben Debski

The central plot of Easy Rider is our two anti-heroes Wyatt and Billy (named after Wyatt Earp and Billy the Kid) riding their Harley Davidson’s from LA to New Orleans in order to spend the money they got from a drug deal at the infamous Mardi Gras festival.  Perhaps it’s because the festival is just a couple of days away and they are still in New Mexico that our riders don’t stop or appear to drive through Texas at all, but instead go from NM to Morganza, LA, in just a couple of minutes, riding to the tune of If you want to be a bird by the Holy Modal Rounders.

Or maybe the plot skip was because the state of Texas denied the production filming permission and threatened the crew with arrest if they were caught shooting there.  So instead, Wyatt, Billy and George, the square alcoholic lawyer they picked up in Las Vegas, NM, ride on through the state without a rest.  Though George is only in a couple of scenes, some of the best dialogue in the movie is between him and Billy, who tries to explain his alternative lifestyle to his square friend.  The role also catapulted Jack Nicholson to superstardom, earned him an Oscar nomination and it was only his first big role.

Perhaps the defining moment in the film is when the three riders walk into a café in Morganza, Louisiana for some food. Billy and Wyatt stand out like a sore thumb in their biker clothes, and George, once so respectable in his beige suite and tie, is looking distinctively rumpled. The girls in the café proceed to swoon over the strangers and their ‘dangerous’ appearances, whereas the men speculate whether or not they are homosexuals because of their long hair. As the girls get gigglier, the men get more aggressive, muttering threats of violence; “You name it and I’ll throw rocks at it, Sherriff.”

Ghosts of South
The scene was shot in situ, in a café in Morganza, and the locals are play themselves. It is said that the scenes with the men are unscripted and instead Dennis Hopper got the crew to tell the locals that Peter Fonda and Nicholson had raped a woman outside of town. The locals readily believed that those eccentric looking outsiders were capable of barbarity and the vitriol came easily. Hopper is said to have wondered later if they pushed it too far with the café scene, and to have genuinely feared for the crew’s safety; there were rumours at the time of ‘long-hairs’ getting lynched in Texas and Louisiana, the deeply conservative south.

As of 2000, the town boasted a population of 659 residents and the café is no longer there, but the locals have put up a plaque commemorating the film and the locals who were involved in the shoot. But Morganza is largely a empty these days, like so many small rural communities in the south. Over 22 percent of the population live below the poverty line, an unusually high figure for the US. There is no industry in the town, and a lot of the population moved to Baton Rouge or New Orleans looking for a better life.  There really is nothing here apart from a collection of houses and empty streets. Morganza is a ghost town.

Some of the sequences in Morganza were actually shot in Franklin, 112miles south, almost on the shore of West Cote Blanche Bay. It’s a beautiful drive through the Louisiana countryside, and in terms of scenery, not a lot has changed since 1969. What has changed is the life of Louisiana people, who are no longer a rural society and have faced enduring hardship over the decades.

In Franklin a lot of the quaint old buildings have now been torn town or are boarded up. But the town is the epitome of the Deep South; it was the site of a Civil War battle and is in the national district of Historic Places with big houses and tree lined streets; Miss Daisy lived here with her black chauffeur.  However, today a quarter of the population lives under the poverty line.  Louisiana has also been hit by a number of storms and natural disasters, which have hampered the economic development of the region. Rural-urban migration has been a problem since the old plantations collapsed and the region failed to find another viable farming model. Unemployment claims in the state are on the rise, and the population has suffered a lot with the economic downturn.

“It’s gonna scare ‘em”
After Billy, Wyatt and George rush out of the café fearing for their safety, they camp outside the town. George and Billy discuss the nature or freedom, and in a way the human agency: “It’s really hard to be free when you are bought and sold in a market place. Of course, don’t ever tell anybody that they are not free, because they will get real busy killing and maiming to prove to you that they are. Oh yeah, they’re gonna talk to you and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom. But if they see a real free individual, it’s gonna scare them.” George is lynched and killed by the angry locals later that night, in a perfect metaphor of the death of a somewhat broken American Dream.

Next week: New Orleans

Black forest break

Posted on by Ben Debski

In the most southerly part of the Black Forest, where gentle hills rise out of the Rhine Valley into the enormous mountains, a region full of scenic contrasts and cultural diversity awaits. This is the Black Forest at its best, situated near two very popular towns: Freiburg in Germany and Basel in Switzerland.

Naturally professional
In Todtmoos, work, pleasure and peace come together harmoniously. The modern meeting and seminar facilities in the Wehrtalhalle conference venue, situated in the middle of the spa gardens, prove time and again to be the perfect setting for international congresses, conferences and workshops. The individually tailored programme turns every event into a professional, as well as personal, experience for everyone involved.

Todtmoos is made up of 13 small, separate parts, all lying in a valley in the southern Black Forest, with wonderful farmhouses, pasture land, meadows, narrow gorges and mountain streams. It is a mosaic of forests, fields, waterfalls, hamlets and meadows and more than 100km of hiking paths. Cut deep into the rock of the Black Forest mountains, the river Wehra flows 27km from Todtmoos to Wehr. There are two popular ways of discovering the Wehra valley: on the Wehra Valley nature trail, or along the famous ‘Schluchtensteig’ (Gorges Trail), one of the most beautiful hiking paths in Germany.

Ancient customs
Join in the fun at the local festivals, where couples in traditional costume dance as the brass band plays. At Carnival, watch local groups conjure up festive spirit with Guggenmusik. At the ‘red-hot shingles’ celebration, large fires blaze on the grassy slopes. Young and old meet, set the shingles aglow and send them off, soaring into the air then down into the valley, accompanied by good wishes. For more information about customs and old traditions, the local museum welcomes visitors with documents on over 750 years of regional history, costumes, tools from the home and fields, and craft workshops led by woodcarvers and shoemakers.

At Carnival, watch local groups conjure up festive spirit with Guggenmusik

The region’s traditional culinary offerings are diverse. Try Black Forest trout, sausage salad, roast potatoes and beef broth with strips of pancake, all accompanied by a freshly drawn glass of beer or a Baden wine. A particularly special Todtmoos dish is the gingerbread – finely spiced, slightly sweetened and long-lasting. Since the eighteenth century, it has kept pilgrims going on their journeys. Do you want to bake a true Black Forest gateau or find out how to make a perfect Black Forest ham? Seminars show guests the secrets.

Sports for all
The hiking in Todtmoos is excellent, but there are numerous alternatives. Have a go at climbing in the high wire garden, cross-country riding, mountain-biking or Nordic walking. For cyclists, the hilly landscape around Todtmoos is a real challenge. However, with an E-bike, even someone with little training can manage the climbs to the tops of the hills. One of the most spectacular sport events takes place here every year, on the last weekend in January. Over 800 sled dogs with their mushers race along snowy trails. And Todtmoos is very well prepared to meet the needs of parents and children, which is why it is frequently recognised as a family-friendly resort.

There’s an easy way to take full advantage of the region’s offerings. “Our all-inclusive guest card offers your family or your congress-participants free entrance to lots of the leisure activities in the local area,” said Carina Matt, Head of Tourist Information in Todtmoos. “We want you to enjoy yourself and fully relax.”

Further information:

Todtmoos

A hidden gem

Posted on by Ben Debski

With its imposing, imperial facade and vast interior of over 23,000sq m, Swiss Diamond Hotel Prishtina epitomises sophisticated beauty and elegance. No detail is neglected at this fine hotel; it has certainly earned the title of Business Destinations‘ Best Business Hotel, Kosovo, 2013.

Enjoying an outstanding location right in the heart of the city, within walking distance of the main business district, government offices and the National Theatre, Swiss Diamond Hotel Prishtina invites you into a refined environment and promises a home away from home. Expect luxurious and comfortable accommodation; fine dining in the hotel’s Iliria restaurant; late cocktails in The Piano Lounge Bar; advanced beauty treatments in the Venus health centre and spa; and a complimentary business centre with state-of-the-art facilities for events of all sizes.

Staff attend to every guest to ensure they get the most out of their stay. Rich handmade furniture, Venetian crystal chandeliers, and gilt-framed paintings consolidate the superior experience.

Swiss Diamond Hotel’s location in the city centre makes it an ideal place for any event. Experienced staff will help you make your event smooth and successful. Meeting and conference facilities include a spectrum of conference rooms equipped with sound systems, simultaneous translation equipment and video conferencing capabilities. Dyar, a hall the size of a grand ballroom, boasts natural light, high ceilings and crystal chandeliers. This exceptionally flexible space can seat up to 250 guests and can be configured to perfectly serve any genre of function or event.

Sparkling entertainment
The Swiss Diamond Hotel offers a diverse dining experience. Its five-star Iliria restaurant serves a range of superb Mediterranean cuisine. The hotel’s master chefs have carefully designed the menu to fulfil the restaurant’s five-star promise. Guests can even dine out on the summer terrace.

The lounge and cocktail bar has a cosy yet elegant atmosphere, decorated in a modern imperial style. Take a chair by the fireplace and sample the rare collection of wines, cognacs and cocktails. Its the place to be seen in Prishtina.

The cigar club offers fine Cuban cigars – from Cohiba’s to Montecito’s – stored in a temperature-controlled humidor and matched with delicate single malts, cognacs, fine wines and Armagnac brandy. It’s a great place for an intimate meeting.

Tombolini boutique showcases handmade clothing lines from Tombolini and Regent, offering versatile suits for modern men. Others products from brands like Tom Ford, Roberto Cavalli, Mont-Blanc, Swarovski and Annamaria Cammilli are available exclusively for guests.

Deluxe accommodation
The Swiss Diamond has 140 elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites that offer magnificent city views and impeccable five-star services. Luxurious and comfortable, spacious and modern, the rooms have been designed to offer maximum comfort and convenience.

Take a chair by the fireplace and sample the rare collection of wines, cognacs and cocktails

Guest amenities include complimentary high-speed wireless internet access, a work desk, three telephones with voicemail, safe deposit box, an intelligent air-conditioning system, HD TV and a minibar with a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The exquisite bedding includes down comforters, feather beds and duvet covers, as well as feather and non-allergic pillows. Suites are designed in a contemporary imperial style with refined handmade furniture, crystal chandeliers, a private dining area and separate living room, flat-screen HD televisions, walk-in dressing closets, private saunas, and marble bathrooms.

The Diamond Club executive floor gives majestic views over the city of Prishtina. You can experience life’s little luxuries with an even higher standard of accommodation, personalised service and special privileges and amenities at the Diamond Business Club. Located on the first floor this includes private concierge services, meeting room, dining area, and a buffet with exquisite hors d’oeuvres, created especially by the hotel’s executive chef.Diamond Club guests receive private check-in and check-out on the special executive floor.

Spread over the entire seventh floor are the Swiss Diamond’s deluxe rooms,  premium rooms and penthouse suites. This is accommodation for the most discerning traveller.

Beauty and beyond
It’s clear that the Swiss Diamond Hotel believes in offering guest experiences that go beyond the expected. The first of its calibre in Kosovo, and decorated in ancient Roman style, the Venus wellness, health and spa centre is an oasis of tranquility, offering a unique and luxurious ambience to relax your body and mind. The centre’s holistic approach provides seamless, professional beauty care thanks to the international experience of the spa’s therapists, hairstylists, dermatologists, cardiologists and dietary consultants.

Spa facilities are available for relaxation after a tiring shopping day, or complete a fitness workout after a long day at work. Guests have complementary access to the wellness centre, which consists of an indoor thermal swimming pool, jacuzzi, gym, and five different types of sauna – including steam bath, ice cave and Turkish bath.

At the fitness centre and health club, fitness meets medical know-how. Here, certified staff, using state-of-the-art equipment, strive to help members become fit and stay healthy for a lifetime. Promoting exercise as medicine, staff teach early detection and prevention methods along with ways to reduce health risk factors by maintaining an active lifestyle.

Venus offers an extensive menu of rejuvenating and restoring body and skin treatments including massage, facials, manicures, pedicures, hydrotherapy, fangotherapy, body scrubs, wraps, soaks and hot stone treatments. Smooth, healthy skin is a common desire, so each treatment is completed by specialised dermatologists. Using compounds placed under the skin’s surface, they achieve impressive results. These special beauty treatments are also available for those not staying at the hotel. Mesolift, anti-cellulite mesotherapy, hair loss mesotherapy, microdermabrasion, Botox and other fillers are just a few of the options available.

The Swiss Diamond’s beauty salon offers an exclusive abode for hair care, make-up, and nail services. Whether you are coming into the salon for a trim or a makeover, you will leave looking and feeling beautiful. With the Venus centre the hotel has created the perfect spot for relaxation.

Further information:
info@sdhprishtina.com
sdhprishtina.com

A profitable pattern

Posted on by Ben Debski

When Cath Kidston opened her first retail space in London, no one predicted that in just 20 years her modest accessories and furniture business would have evolved into a £100m empire. The small shop in Holland Park, West London sold vintage fabrics, wallpaper and old furniture painted in bright colours. Fast-forward to today and the brand has announced its largest expansion to date: it is moving into a 7,000sq ft property in London’s Piccadilly – one of the most desirable addresses in the city. It still sells wallpaper and quirky furniture, but it is Kidston’s bags and accessories that have driven the brand from small start-up to stratospheric success.

A retro success
Though the Cath Kidston corporation is a model business, the designer has, more than anything, capitalised on a feeling. Kidston’s retro-feel prints, all with a mid-century flair, appeal to many generations: quaint florals and polka dots, all in pastels and bright colours, are modernised with varnishes and contemporary cuts. The same distinctive prints emboss teapots, umbrellas and furniture. Everything is saccharine and cutesy, but the nostalgic undertones are a dream of picturesque British country life, and are appealing for that very reason.

The Cath Kidston brand now has annual sales of over £105m, but Kidston herself insists the growth of her chintzy empire has been organic. She says that at the start of her solo operation in 1992 the first collection of girly aprons was a complete accident. She says: “I was planning to make wallpaper and furnishing fabrics with a side-line vintage shop. I ordered a lot of fabric from Eastern Europe. It was meant to come by the yard, but as they also had a bed linen factory, I asked the company if they would make some of the fabric into kid’s duvets. There was a misunderstanding and when it arrived, the fabric was all children’s duvets and pillowcases. To salvage the stock I started making aprons and tea towels.”

But it took time for Kidston to develop her unique brand identity. She says that, initially, her designs wouldn’t sell. “Our prints were neither old English floral, nor completely modern. It took some time for vintage patterns to become fashionable.”

Kidston herself has been behind the brand’s growth and development, even after the buyout by TA Associates. She admits that it has not always been smooth sailing. Kidston says being diagnosed with cancer in her mid-30s was the push she needed to develop the
business. After she was done with treatment and fully recovered, she abandoned her interior design ambitions to focus exclusively on her retail operations. “I had a lot of treatment and of course it was a very difficult time,” she said in an interview in 2006. “When I recovered, I realised that life is too short not to do something you really want to do. I felt absolutely that I could take a risk. I mean, it was a huge risk to stop doing the interiors work and concentrate on the shop. If it crashed and burned I would have been left with nothing, but I felt I had survived death, really, and it gave me this energy and confidence to go off and start Cath Kidston.”

Bacon&Eggs4

Booming growth
Today, Cath Kidston has 61 retail outlets in Britain, and a further 58 franchised outposts, mostly in Asia. In 2010, the brand was bought by US private equity group TA Associates in a deal thought to have been worth £100m. Kidston has held on to a 30 percent stake, which she insists she has no plans to sell. The timing of this deal is nothing short of remarkable given the global economic outlook in 2010. Cath Kidston did during the downturn what many retailers can only dream of: she became a major global brand. “We sell very well in Japan,” explains Kidston. “We’ve even got a store in Kuwait. But the UK is still our biggest market. These are the people that fell in love with the brand first.”

By 2012, 20 years after the Holland Park launch, Cath Kidston had reported sales of £69m.  It was a steady rise to super-stardom, though: in 2006, the brand already boasted sales of £12m, but the real boom came in 2009, when Cath Kidston products exploded in popularity. Profits jumped 60 percent that year, from £2.9m to £4.6m, with sales hitting £31.3m.

The brand capitalises on British kitsch. Today, it is described as a ‘global lifestyle brand’ as Kidston’s products range from homeware to clothing and accessories, but still retain that vintage feel. “We work hard to ensure that our products are pretty, practical and affordable,” says Kidston. “We also try to make the shopping experience fun and light-hearted, which we hope will give our customers a reason to be cheerful regardless of the economic climate.”

Evocative products
At first glance, Kidston’s products might appear out of place in a modern home; a toile de jouy oilcloth or a floral pastel ironing board cover may not seem like vital products, but as the British economy refusing to perk up, light floral tea-cosies may be just the trick. Steve Sharp, Marketing Director of Marks & Spencer, says: “Nostalgia always becomes more important when times are tough.” Indeed, Cath Kidston sales have bucked pretty much every retail trend on the high street; since 2008, homeware retailers have been some of the hardest hit British businesses as people stop moving home or renovating. According to accountancy firm BDO Stoy Hayward, homeware sales suffered steep decline before reverting to slow growth in 2012.

Cath Kidston’s distinctive aesthetic has led to a number of successful retail partnerships: in 2005, the company teamed up with Millets to launch a range of tents for the festival season; in the same year, a Cath Kidston Nokia mobile range went on sale in Carphone Warehouse. Most recently, there have been partnerships with Sky for a Cath Kidston flowery cable TV box and Roberts – the two vintage-inspired brands got together to produce a radio that would be quite at home in the bedroom of a seven-year-old girl in 1953.

Kidston’s rise to success has been compared to erstwhile floral queen Laura Ashley, whose prints were ubiquitous in the 1970s. Lorna Hall, retail editor of fashion trends website WGSN, says: “The brand keys into the same aesthetic, with its dreamlike nostalgia. For many women, it is a way to nest without all the hard work involved in nesting. Cath Kidston is the new Laura Ashley.” Though Laura Ashley fell out of favour with the public as the 1990s drew nearer, Cath Kidston is showing no signs of slowing.

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Ahead of heritage
Cath Kidston was a precursor of the vintage movement that defines the British fashion market today. Since Cath Kidston’s products have flooded the high street, British brands from Marks & Spencer to Sainsbury’s have launched what they call ‘heritage’ campaigns, evoking nostalgic images of Britain. The trend exploded over the summer of 2012 when the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee festivities and the London Olympic Games bought into the aesthetic and further whet consumers’ appetite for anything claiming to be quintessentially British.

Some market analysts have suggested the boom in Cath Kidston’s popularity in the last five years is unsustainable, despite heavy investment in extra stores and new product lines. Retail Week Knowledge Bank has already noticed fast expansion can lead to brand fatigue and market saturation, because products lose the “element of exclusivity”. Indeed, it is true counterfeit Cath Kidston products – particularly copies of the distinctive bags – have already appeared on market stalls across Asia and Europe. But the opening of the new flagship Piccadilly store proves the brand has no plans to scale back.

Cath Kidston is a British success story. It has come to embody hope for the retail sector in a country still reeling from recession. Its sugary aesthetic might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but its booming sales and distinctive style suggest the advent of a new British (retail) empire.

Desert island desks

Posted on by Ben Debski

Peacefully remote yet readily accessible, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Abu Dhabi Yas Island attracts business travellers as well as those looking for a spot of winter sun or an escape, away from it all. It is a mere 10-minute drive from the international airport and a short distance to the UAE’s cultural capital, Abu Dhabi.

Located on Yas Island, one of Abu Dhabi’s largest natural islands, the hotel, along with its sister property the Park Inn Abu Dhabi Yas Island, hugs the edge of an 18-hole golf course and lies adjacent to a pristine sandy beach and the crystal clear waters of the Persian Gulf.

The island is home to a world-class Formula One track as well as the adrenaline-fuelled Yas Waterworld and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. Numerous renowned restaurants, spas and the Yas Links golf course confirm the island’s status as a prime destination for leisure and business travellers.

Making life easy
Radisson Blu is one of the few hotel groups to offer free high-speed internet and a speciality ‘super breakfast’ – an extensive buffet featuring the best of continental, north European and American cuisine. The hotel also offers the more flexible ‘grab and run’ breakfast, for guests who do not have the time to sit and enjoy a leisurely morning meal. This includes takeaway tea and coffee, along with fresh fruits and energy bars.

Making life easier for guests is the hotel’s key aim. The ‘one touch service’ comprehensively takes care of guests’ needs – whether that is room service, a question for the concierge or a special request – at the touch of a button.

With numerous meeting and event rooms, state-of-the-art business facilities, themed restaurants serving exceptional food, refreshing outdoor pools, health and fitness installations, and a genuinely warm service with a consistently positive attitude, the Radisson Hotel, Abu Dhabi Yas Island is the perfect place to stay while visiting the UAE’s vibrant capital.

Each of the spacious rooms and suites offers a balcony with spectacular views of the Arabian Gulf

Elegant and stylish, each of the 397 spacious rooms and 30 suites offers a balcony with spectacular views of the Arabian Gulf, Yas Links and Yas Marina Circuit. They are designed for comfort and equipped with the latest amenities, such as individually controlled air conditioning, high-speed wireless internet, flat-screen TVs, premium tea and coffee facilities, and kingsize beds.

Dine and de-stress
Filini is a contemporary Italian bar and restaurant serving simply cooked Italian food, based on carefully chosen ingredients. The setting is smart and modern and the service is friendly, fast and unpretentious.

The restaurant’s seasonally changing menu is imaginative, but with an emphasis on classic presentation and cooking that is never overcomplicated. With a fantastic view of the golf course and the sea, the restaurant’s ambience is stylish, contemporary and uncluttered. Dramatically lit spaces and a lively show kitchen, coupled with the opportunity for al fresco dining, make this an exciting culinary option.

For all-day dining with impressive views of the golf course and sea, Assymetri serves exquisite buffets with flavours borrowed from around the world. Live cooking stations offer fresh preparations in elegant surroundings and diners are invited to enjoy a leisurely breakfast or dine on the open-air terrace of the restaurant.

For a more casual dining experience, Sham’s Pool Bar is a sought-after spot in which to enjoy snacks and drinks throughout the day. At the end of the day, kick back with a signature cocktail and enjoy a stunning Abu Dhabi sunset.

The stylish Fast Track Lobby Bar is a popular stop for busy guests between their comings and goings, and makes a great location for business meetings. Serving coffee throughout the day and cocktails in the evenings, the Fast Track Lobby Bar is comfortable, convenient and central.

Tucked away on the first floor, The Spa is the perfect oasis for head-to-toe pampering. The Spa prides itself on its professional services and personal attention in a secluded and peaceful environment. Hotel guests and local residents are welcomed warmly with a comprehensive range of treatments. The Spa has teamed up with Aromatherapy Associates, a global leader in the real application of aromatherapy, to provide therapies that soothe, relax and de-stress.

Staying fit and well while travelling is made easy with the hotel’s fully equipped gym, tennis courts and leisure pools. The Health Club is open daily, from 6am to 10pm.

Events essentials
Relaxation is always possible, but it is the hotel’s corporate amenities that have ensured it is our Best Business Hotel, Abu Dhabi, 2013. With meeting facilities capable of hosting gatherings from 10 to 500 persons, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Abu Dhabi Yas Island’s resort atmosphere is complemented by a dedicated team of professionals – on hand to ensure every event is a success.

The 445sq m Galaxy Ballroom is regularly in demand for large events and seven additional meeting spaces – Cetus, Indus, Andromeda, Corvus, Fomax, Hercules and Lyra – can each be customised to suit guests’ needs. These meeting spaces can accommodate up to 445 people.

Meeting and event bookers can also take advantage of the Radisson Blu’s ‘Experience Meetings’. This concept harmonises the meeting essentials – breakout rooms, food and connectivity – with the intangibles – service, satisfaction and sustainability – to aid efficiency and stimulate creativity.

Broadway boutique

Posted on by Ben Debski

The Premier Hotel is a 125-room, four-star boutique in the heart of Times Square, providing a quiet oasis just steps away from major attractions like Broadway theatres and Fifth Avenue shopping, as well as a wealth of entertainment and dining choices.

Luxurious touches
The professional concierge staff delivers highly personalised service, available 24 hours a day. Whether you need dinner reservations, clear directions or a cocktail sent to your room, the concierge – or any member of the staff – is there to help.

Guest rooms are spacious and feature an oversized bathroom, equipped with European soaking tub, separate walk-in shower and sumptuous bath products. Furnishings are designed for comfort and style with an illuminated vanity table and a plush, king-sized bed with goose-down pillows and high-end linens. Nightly turndown service is an added convenience.

The Premier lounge, a private hideaway, is always open for the exclusive use of Premier guests. They can enjoy complimentary breakfast, evening receptions featuring hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine, as well as tea and coffee service throughout the day. Wi-fi is complimentary too. Guests of The Premier also have access to a comprehensive fitness centre, equipped with treadmills, free weights and Stairmasters.

Stage a meeting
The hotel’s Millennium Conference Centre is ideal for corporate events and is the only New York City hotel  conference centre facility approved by the International Association of Conference Centres (IACC). Centrally located near Jacob K. Javits Centre, it offers an impressive 110,000sq ft of meeting space in 43 versatile function areas, over seven floors, and can be customised for individual needs.

Superior connectivity includes wi-fi in all public areas and meeting spaces. High performance features such as multi-zone lighting, non-glare tables and ergonomic chairs ensure productivity and efficiency. The conference centre also provides beautifully displayed, continuously available refreshments tailored to your meeting.

The historic Hudson Theatre, retaining many features from its 1903 opening night, makes a memorable location for new product introductions and other high-profile events. The only Broadway theatre in New York City to regularly open for meetings, conferences and events, this unique venue has retained every bit of its original beauty and authenticity. Yet renovations have enabled the theatre to handle exacting technical requirements, so you can be sure every event is perfectly executed. From flexible seating to Broadway-quality lighting and sound, the Hudson Theatre guarantees a dramatic success.

For an intimate hospitality experience at the crossroads of the world, The Premier is the only choice.

One for all

Posted on by Ben Debski

ONE UN New York offers corporate travellers a prime location, spectacular city views and a singular luxury experience in the hotel’s West Tower. Recently rebranded (formerly the Millennium UN Plaza Hotel), ONE UN has long been the preferred address for world leaders thanks to its proximity to the UN and the appeal of its desirable historic neighbourhood. It is also steps from Grand Central Terminal, and close to the theatre district and world-class shopping streets.

Towering above
Located on East 44th Street between First and Second Avenues, ONE UN’s 439 guest rooms are housed in a distinctive New York landmark. At the newly transformed West Tower, 129 deluxe guest rooms and 25 beautifully appointed suites boast plush interiors and breathtaking skyline vistas.

With rooms starting on the 29th floor of the 40-storey building, every guest can enjoy views all the way from the Chrysler building to the skyscrapers of Lower Manhattan. The setting is not only ideal for completing business in midtown Manhattan, but is the most convenient city-centre destination for travellers flying into and out of JFK and LaGuardia airports.

The spacious West Tower rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows and stylish, warm interiors that combine understated luxury with modern amenities, creating a seamless work environment with all the comforts of home. Guests enjoy state-of-the-art technology like touch-screen environmental controls, iPod docking stations, Nespresso machines and complimentary high-speed wi-fi.

West Tower guests can also take advantage of exclusive access to the Skyline Club on the building’s 30th floor. This private club provides a relaxing space in which to enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast, all-day refreshments, evening cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

City exclusives
East Tower and West Tower guests alike have access to ONE UN’s unique facilities, including the refurbished lobby’s new café, featuring freshly brewed Illy coffee, a globally inspired menu and evening wine service.

Travellers seeking to stay fit while on the road will be pleasantly surprised by this hotel’s options. A swimming pool on the 27th floor has floor-to-ceiling windows for incredible panoramic views. The 24-hour fitness centre has river views and is outfitted with best-in-class strength training and cardiovascular equipment, as well as premium strength training options. Finally, ONE UN boasts the only indoor tennis court in a New York City hotel. On the 39th floor, it is available to hotel guests at reduced rates.

For those seeking to hold a meeting in a prime New York location, the hotel has a dedicated catering team, overseeing 7,500sq ft of flexible meeting and function space. Some meeting rooms are glass-walled, revealing the impressive cityscape. Equipped with high-speed wired and wi-fi internet, the hotel provides audio-visual and production support as well as customised food and beverage offerings.

With a staff that speaks over 30 languages, ONE UN hosts international guests with a welcoming hospitality. No matter the reason for a trip to New York, ONE UN is an ideal choice. Its unparalleled location, luxurious West Tower and attentive staff combine for a truly memorable experience.

Jakartan luxury

Posted on by Ben Debski

Hotel Gran Mahakam Jakarta opened its doors in 1998 and has quickly become known as one of the city’s most desirable and charming five-star hotels. Located in the prime residential area of South Jakarta, the boutique hotel is only few minutes away from the central business district and a 35-minute drive from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

Plush surroundings
The hotel is surrounded by a host of sumptuous facilities: trendy shopping centres containing boutiques from famous fashion designers; art shops offering the finest traditional Indonesian crafts; superb restaurants and entertainment spots.

Distinctly European architecture is the hallmark of Hotel Gran Mahakam. The unique ambience and attention to detail is a pleasure from arrival to departure. The baroque façade, with ornamentation in modern classic style, creates an impression of warmth, comfort and ease at the first glance.

The hotel’s lobby is immediately welcoming, with its elegant interior design making every guest feel at home. Customers are treated to Indonesian hospitality and efficient, personalised service when staying at Hotel Gran Mahakam. The 158 rooms and duplex suites are furnished in elegant and luxurious style: the rooms are decked out with the finest furniture and modern facilities that meet both five-star international standards and the criteria of the most demanding traveller.

Delicious dishes
Not to be missed is the famous Le Gran Café Restaurant. Its modern vibe makes a positive impression on customers. Touches of gold, precious onyx stones and a flawless blend of parquet and marble flooring are the main elements of the new Le Gran Café. Professional chefs prepare a wide selection of food: from the superb international buffet to time-honoured Indonesian cuisines, every taste is catered for. Nasi bali and nasi campur are two of Le Gran Café’s most delicious signature dishes.

The spa cabins, with their bronze mirrors, marble walls and touches of dark wood, are a stylish space from which to view the city

For lovers of Japanese food, AOKI Japanese Cuisine is quickly becoming the most stylish dining venue in the city. The decor is modern and offers diners privacy while they enjoy authentic Japanese delicacies. With a warm combination of earthy and natural tones, this refurbished restaurant boasts dark wooden walls with touches of flower-pattern wallpaper, comfortable white and green leather seating, spacious wooden tables, black marble flooring and warm lighting. Smoked glass screens, overlaid with a decorative ornamentation of cut glass, act as a panel to separate the public and private realms. Favoured dishes include the dry sukiyaki and shabu-shabu served in kaminabe paper.

Hotel Gran Mahakam is also recognised as the most fashionable hangout in south Jakarta. The Regal Bar and Lounge has contributed greatly to this reputation. The venue has been recently renovated with a warm combination of dark grey walls, wooden flooring, and stylish wingback sofas designed by Tom Dixon. Besides the cosy ambience, the bar offers customers a variety of light snacks, tempting cocktails or simply a soothing cup of tea. Guests are entertained by the harmonious melody of the piano – the perfect accompaniment to business meetings or intimate gatherings with friends.

Slick business
For exclusive events, business conferences or wedding receptions, Hotel Gran Mahakam has function rooms and a ballroom served by a professional and highly trained team. The versatile spaces can be skilfully adapted to suit any occasion. The excellent facilities have seen it voted Business Destinations’ Best Business Hotel, Indonesia, 2013.

The hotel also unveiled its new spa, SPA at Hotel Gran Mahakam, in January 2013. It’s a perfect getaway for business travellers and families, allowing guests to unwind after a day’s work or indulge in a pampering session over the weekend. The spa cabins, with their bronze mirrors, marble walls and touches of dark wood, are a stylish space from which to view the beautiful city. The spa has one double and one single treatment room, each equipped with personal steam rooms. Try one of the hotel’s unique spa treatments, such as the Mahakam signature massage, which integrates Swedish, deep tissue, sports massage and other techniques. The hotel’s therapist also provides customised massages. Benefits include improved circulation, relief of muscle tension, increased mobility, pain relief, and stress reduction.

Hotel Gran Mahakam could be the perfect one-stop destination, the romantic gateway, an escape from the bustle of business, or a relaxing break for you and your family.

A smarter journey

Posted on by Ben Debski

Since June 23 1998, Heathrow Express has offered a premium, fast, reliable service to its business travel customers. With 150 trains a day, departing every 15 minutes, and a journey time of just 15 minutes, this is the fastest route between Heathrow and central London. Heathrow Express transports over 16,000 passengers to and from the airport every day and in 15 years has clocked up a record 60 million passengers.

Statistically excellent
Speed and reliability are at the heart of the Heathrow Express proposition. Flying to Heathrow or Paddington in only 15 minutes ensures business passengers will always get to their flights or meetings on time. An impressive 98 percent of customers rate the service as reliable, while 96 percent say they would recommend it to colleagues and friends.

A recent national survey of 60,000 UK train passengers (Passenger Focus Spring 2013) named Heathrow Express as the top train company for both punctuality and reliability. It also earned a top score of 95 percent for passengers’ satisfaction with the train itself.

The service beats taxis for price and pace. A black cab takes an average 60 minutes and costs around £60. Heathrow Express takes just 15 minutes and ticket prices start at £20. That’s 45 valuable minutes saved in a busy travel schedule.

Always improving
Since launch, Heathrow Express has improved its customer service with ongoing investment and variety of innovations. On-board wi-fi, continuous mobile phone network coverage – even in the tunnels – and the introduction of mobile ticket apps were all UK firsts introduced by the business class train service.

As London took centre stage to the world in Summer 2012, the business unveiled a £16m investment programme, including a complete refurbishment of the rolling stock. A full corporate rebrand and the first refurbished train were unveiled in May 2012 in London, ahead of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Extensive customer research was conducted ahead of the investment programme to ensure customer satisfaction was at the heart of all changes. The train refurbishment alone involved over 200 suppliers providing in excess of 1,300 new components for the upgraded fleet. With airline travel at the heart of the transformation, the interior was inspired by designs from the industry leaders responsible for British Airway’s first flat bed concept.

Suppliers were chosen carefully to reflect the premium nature of the trains. Internationally renowned British brands Axminster carpets, (who have been producing luxurious carpeting for 250 years) and Replin Fabrics (whose renowned tartans supply the Scottish regiments and have been produced in Britain since the Industrial Revolution) were selected for the makeover.

60,000 UK train passengers named Heathrow Express as the top train company for both punctuality and reliability

First-class features
In a UK first, the Heathrow Express first class carriage now has individual seating, providing customers with more privacy, more space and the option to keep their luggage right beside them. The First class tables now feature two integrated power sockets plus reading lights and cup holders. In Express class the configuration of seating was developed to include a mixture of bay and airline seating layouts. Research showed that customers felt full-size tables were not needed for such a short journey, therefore they have now been replaced by smaller ‘trinket tables’ with useful cup holders. At-seat power sockets have also been added throughout Express class.

Luggage security was a key customer concern so seats now face the luggage racks and these are not visible outside the train. In first class, overhead racks were removed to minimise the risk of leaving luggage behind. To enhance the ambience, coloured mood lighting has been introduced; to aid transition from train to platform, the lights intensify when the train arrives at its destination. New window positions have been added and new glazing has improved passenger visibility and encouraged natural light into the carriages.

From website to app and from airport to the stations, the Heathrow Express rebrand touched all areas of the business. New uniforms for staff completed the look in Spring 2013. In addition to achieving service, performance and financial goals, in 2012 Heathrow Express became more integrated with Heathrow Airport than ever before, supporting the airport in its aim to become Europe’s hub of choice.

With guaranteed speed and reliability, the business class rail service offers a seamless transition from plane to train to city centre. Heathrow Express is definitely the smarter way to travel.

further information:
heathrowexpress.com
@heathrowexpress 
facebook.com/heathrowexpress

Suite hospitality

Posted on by Ben Debski

Meeting the evolving needs of travellers, Frasers Hospitality Pte Ltd has cemented its place as a global leader in premier serviced apartments and hotel residences. Across Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East, it offers three distinct brands: gold standard Fraser serviced residences, Modena second-tier serviced residences and Capri by Fraser hotel residences.

Frasers has garnered international accolades including World’s Leading Serviced Apartment Brand by World Travel Awards and Corporate Housing Provider of the Year by Asian Expatriate Management and Mobility Awards. Its properties have also received numerous Travellers’ Choice Awards from TripAdvisor and we have further named Frasers Business Destinations‘ Best Serviced Apartment Provider, Singapore, 2013.

Frasers’ serviced residences provide the win-win situation of flexible leases, central locations, luxurious spaciousness and the convenience and comfort of business and leisure facilities. They are strategically located in each city to reduce unnecessary commuting and give easy access to local attractions such as shopping, dining and entertainment.

Inside the apartment
There is a choice of apartment sizes, each featuring fully furnished living, dining and bedroom areas. Business executives are given the space and privacy to balance work and leisure, allowing them to feel totally at home regardless of their stay’s length.

Social activities encourage residents to interact, enhancing the experience of living abroad

Catering to executives’ need to work beyond office hours and across different time zones, all Frasers residences are equipped with dedicated workspaces, ergonomic Herman Miller chairs and access to in-house business centre support. Kitchens are available in each apartment too, to give residents the choice to cook and entertain at home.Understanding that residents need to stay connected, unlimited high-speed internet access is complimentary at all of Frasers’ properties worldwide.

All the extras
In addition to state-of-the-art meeting and conference facilities, an extensive range of leisure and lifestyle amenities such as gymnasiums, steam and sauna rooms, swimming pools, restaurants, residents lounges and children’s playrooms are available to support residents’ work-life balance. Breakfast, housekeeping, room service and 24-hour concierge and security are also available.

Frasers goes the extra mile to help travellers integrate and settle into their new country. A variety of organised social activities encourage residents to interact, enhancing the experience of living abroad.

Frasers Hospitality Pte Ltd’s portfolio, including those currently in the pipeline, stands at 83 properties in 45 key cities and more than 14,000 apartments worldwide.

Further information: frasershospitality.com