The Colombian experience

Hotel Spiwak Chipichape Cali opened its doors in 2010 and has since been redefining the concept of luxury accommodation in Cali, and all of Colombia. Designed, engineered, and constructed to exude spaciousness, its 226 sumptuous suites start at 48 square metres and only get bigger. Special accommodations include 52 VIP suites with private balconies, eight deluxe Jacuzzi suites, five armoured rooms for unparalleled security, and a palatial presidential suite located on the 10th floor.

The hotel’s semi-circular design and lush open air atrium is such that the hallways are continually bathed in fresh mountain air and natural light. As guests walk to their rooms, they feel the cool ocean breeze rolling in from the hills behind, while catching staggering views of the Cauca Valley and the green mountains that outline it.

Ideal location
The Spiwak Chipichape Cali Hotel is centrally located in the heart of the city’s financial district. It is the nearest luxury business accommodation to the Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport, the Valle del Pacífico Convention Centre, and Yumbo, the industrial hub of the city.

Embedded within the new extension of the exclusive Chipichape Mall, the Spiwak Chipichape Cali Hotel offers guests the opportunity to safely stroll past hundreds of designer shops and boutiques, banks, restaurants, supermarkets, movie theatres, and entertainment areas – all just a few steps away from the rooms. Such safety and convenience is an intrinsic asset, and is particularly important in a country like Colombia.

Guests looking for something outside the mall, however, don’t have to stray too far.

Menga, an area known for its exuberant nightlife, and Granada, a neighbourhood celebrated for its creative gastronomy, are less than 3km away. No other hotel in the city offers such a strategic location for the perfect mix of business and leisure.

Leisure facilities
Hotel facilities include a heated outdoor pool and a recently developed fitness centre, featuring cutting-edge cardio and balance equipment along with a range of weight training options. VIP guests enjoy upgraded complimentary access to the vast three-story BodyTech Gym. With an army of personalised trainers, a boxing ring, and daily group workout sessions, the BodyTech Gym is a health buff’s ultimate fitness dream.

Savour local and Mediterranean flavours at La Zarzuela restaurant, accompanied by the perfect glass of wine from the exclusive wine cellar. Take a peek into the grand open kitchen and enjoy live local music on the weekends, or dine al fresco on the elevated pool decks, which provide the most intimate dining experience possible with nothing but the stars and the moon as company.

When it’s time to unwind, guests can visit the new H2O Relaxation and Wellness Spa, opened during August 2012. Nationally renowned plastic surgeon and aesthetician, Alan Gonzalez, pampers clients with first-class beauty treatments, indulgent relaxation sessions, and a sauna and steam room. Whether you’re looking for peace and quiet, deep-tissue pain relief, or a softer and brighter complexion, this is the only spa you need. Tropical treatments with a local flair abound. Get ready to be bathed in melted chocolate, slathered with warm mud, and massaged into bliss.

Arts and amenities
With a private bedroom and separate living room, guests have plenty of extra space for family or work. Noise-isolating walls and windows guarantee a good night’s sleep, and gorgeous panoramic views of the city and nearby mountains are a feature of every room.

Amenities include a work desk, individually controlled air conditioning, wet bar, mini-refrigerator, microwave, coffeemaker, in-room safe and HD flat screen TV with DIRECTV cable. Free unlimited high-speed wireless internet service is available throughout the hotel and the adjacent mall, so guests can keep in touch and work remotely wherever they go.

A splendid breakfast buffet served on the verdant poolside terrace is included in every stay. To start the day, guests can choose from a wide variety of hot and cold items including cooked-to-order eggs, cold cuts, and cheeses. For something lighter, there are exotic local fruits like carambolo, guayaba, and guanabana, and local breads like arepa, pandebono, buñuelo, and almojábana – in addition to pastries, cereals, and hot and cold beverages.

The minimalist yet traditional décor features lavish dark wood, stainless steel, glass, and rusted iron accents. The photographic art that dots the walls, meanwhile, is from photographer extraordinaire Monika Herrán, who handed out hundreds of disposable cameras to school children and residents so they could record their daily lives. What resulted was an extraordinary pictorial tribute to the Valle del Cauca’s ebullient everyday life. As homage to the local landscape, the hotel’s lobby floor mosaic was designed by renowned artist Pedro Alcántara to resemble the sugarcane plantations that famously surround Cali.

Eco-friendly ethos
Luxury with a conscience is the philosophy behind the Spiwak Chipichape Cali Hotel’s green initiatives. The hotel challenges itself daily to make Cali a cleaner city by decreasing its carbon footprint. A range of initiatives have been applied to make the hotel more environmentally friendly while ensuring that guests continue to have a luxury experience reflected by the extra space, impeccable service, an exceptional spa, and creative cuisine.

The Spiwak Chipichape Cali Hotel constantly monitors the maintenance of energy efficiency, water management, and air quality across the hotel. It pays particular attention to the air conditioning system, which, in warm weather, is usually the largest consumer of energy through the premises.

To reduce energy use and water waste within the air-cooling system, for example, the hotel installed a unique hot water network that recycles and then re-distributes the warm water that is discarded by the air conditioner’s chiller. Additionally, to better retain the cold air once within the suites, soundproof windows were mounted on specially designed fittings throughout the hotel.

The laminated glass used for the windows, meanwhile, was outfitted with polyvinyl film and UV protection to keep the sun’s warm rays at bay. Finally, to avoid the use of thousands of plastic bottles each year, the hotel installed faucets with highly purified ozonated water in every room. Not only does the potable water filtration system reduce plastic bottle waste, it also saves the hotel’s guests thousands of dollars a year in unnecessary mini-bar purchases.

The slogan at Spiwak Chipichape Hotel in Cali is ‘Todo es Sí,’ which translates as ‘Everything is Yes.’ It means that every employee always tries their hardest to enthusiastically fulfil his or her guests’ every request – small as they may be – in order to provide outstanding service and establish a connection. With the guidance and assistance of Preferred Hotel Group, the Spiwak Chipichape Cali Hotel has raised its levels of customer service and hospitality to demanding international standards.

Harbourside hospitality

Harbour Grand Hong Kong, the latest deluxe property managed by Harbour Plaza Hotels and Resorts, is situated on the waterfront in the heart of Hong Kong Island and within walking distance of the city’s convenient metro system. This glamorous hotel has received over 18 awards since opening, including the Overall 2012 World Luxury Hotel Awards, and Business Destinations’ Best Luxury Hotel in China, 2012.

All 828 contemporarily-designed guestrooms – including 86 luxurious suites and 202 executive Harbour Club rooms – feature stunning views of the world-renowned Victoria Harbour. Selected rooms even have private patios with heated Jacuzzis. The five restaurants offer an exquisite dining experience and the hotel boasts an abundance of function space. Guests will be enticed by the spacious Grand Ballroom and the dazzling sea views in the salon rooms. Harbour Grand Hong Kong is one of the most prestigious five-star hotels in Hong Kong.

“We are delighted to provide a luxurious harbourside experience for our distinguished guests. Whether they are in their hotel rooms, our wining and dining venues, or other hotel facilities, they will always be accompanied by the world-renowned Victoria Harbour,” says Benedict Chow, the hotel’s General Manager. “In addition to unsurpassed hospitality, it is the different perspectives of the harbour view that make our hotel unique.”

Making an entrance
A gigantic Swarovski chandelier, one of the largest in Hong Kong’s hotels, welcomes guests as they step into the oval-shaped Art Nouveau lobby. Under the glittering 37ft-high ceiling, beautiful melodies from the hotel’s harpist captivate guests and alleviate the stress of the business traveller. “If you have any special requests, our Service Ambassadors will always be there to assist,” says Chow.

A tranquil sanctuary from the bustling city, each room has been specially designed to surround guests in the comfort and sophistication of modern ergonomic design. Featuring all the hi-tech conveniences of home, some rooms and suites present a pleasant juxtaposition of modern and classic Oriental design, while others welcome guests with a calming grey-blue theme.

After a busy day, guests can refresh in the luxurious bathrooms, equipped with rainforest showers and circular bathtubs, before snuggling under a cosy duvet with a pillow of their choice for the perfect night’s sleep. In most suites, the two-metre long workstation is set next to the sparkling harbour view. Most suites are equipped with pantries to cater for those occupants on longer stays.

To meet the increasingly demanding requirements of business travellers, guestrooms on the executive Harbour Club floor come equipped with multi-purpose printers, allowing faxing, copying and scanning. Bathrooms also come with TV monitors to keep busy executives up-to-date with the latest news.

High dining
From Western favourites to expertly prepared Cantonese and Japanese specialities, the hotel’s dining venues offer guests luscious cuisine against the panoramic backdrop of Hong Kong’s harbour. Surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides, Le 188° Restaurant and Lounge offers a 188° view from the very top of the hotel. The signature restaurant is the hotel’s crown jewel, with the Oyster Bar serving modern European cuisine and seafood delights in a romantic and intimate environment.

Kwan Cheuk Heen provides traditional Cantonese cuisine in an exquisite setting that tastefully combines modern and traditional Chinese designs in both the main restaurant and the private dining room.

Harbour Grand Café offers casual all-day à la carte and buffet dining, while Lobby Lounge is a place to sit back and relax, sip tea, or enjoy an evening cocktail in a contemporary setting. Nagomi – a feast for the eyes as well as the palate – tantalises guests’ taste buds with expertly prepared Japanese sushi and sashimi in a secluded Zen garden setting.

Space for business
Boasting 12,685 square feet of meeting and function facilities, the hotel prides itself on the pillar-less Grand Ballroom, which accommodates up to 600 guests in a theatre setting or 280 guests in a classroom-style setting. Located on the first floor, the Grand Ballroom provides the perfect ambience for weddings and other special functions with special effect lighting generating 256 colours.

The Salon Rooms on the fifth floor embrace seven versatile function rooms, ranging from 450 to 1,023 square feet, which can be swiftly configured to meet the needs of each specific event. All Salon Rooms feature adjustable partitions and can be opened up completely into a function space of 6,000 square feet, accommodating banquet seating for over 270 guests. With the spectacular harbour view as a backdrop, these rooms are the ideal venues for events of any scale.

After a long day of meetings, guests are invited to relax and unwind at Harbour Grand Hong Kong’s state-of-the-art Fitness Centre. For complete stress relief, therapeutic massages are available in the tranquillity of the spa.

With a new perspective on Victoria Harbour and a commitment to personalised guest services, Harbour Grand Hong Kong offers waterside opulence and redefines standards of luxury hospitality.

Further information: email: hghk@harbourgrand.com; Tel: (852) 2121 2688;
www.harbourgrand.com/hongkong

The height of sophistication

The Torch has proudly announced its entrance onto the luxury hotels market, as the flagship project situated at the heart of Doha’s Sport City. At 300m high and with 360 degree panoramic views across the whole of Doha, the hotel is a haven for the discerning traveller, be they sports enthusiasts, business leaders or health and wellness seekers.

Located in the middle of Aspire Zone – Doha’s Sports City – The Torch is the premier venue for those who are searching for state-of-the-art sporting, leisure and rehabilitation facilities. The tower is the result of comprehensive architectural, engineering and technical design, and is shaped to represent a colossal torch; namely, the torch of the 15th Asian Games in 2006, which was held atop the hotel during the competition; the highest-positioned Olympic flame to date.

The beginning of 2012 marked the visit of world-class football teams Schalke ’04, Paris Saint Germain and the national Australian football team. The teams took advantage of the excellent conditions available during their training camps in Doha, from the weather to the practice and hotel facilities.

The unique structure of The Torch Doha features 17 floors of five-star hotel accommodation. This includes 163 rooms and suites, three signature restaurants, a breathtaking revolving restaurant at 240m above ground, four health club levels – with cantilevered swimming pool 80m above ground, fitness facilities with state-of-the-art equipment, a business centre, as well as walkway access to Doha’s largest shopping mall, Villaggio.

World-class cuisine
With a mission to provide an exquisite dining experience, The Torch Doha prides itself on the calibre of its cuisine. The talented chefs offer a sophisticated experience drawing on the very best of international flavours.

Flying Carpet is the all-day dining restaurant, which combines international cuisine with a modern approach. Just like the legendary story, this restaurant gains its reputation from the fact that chefs were flown in from all over the world with their talent and secret recipes, creating a cosmopolitan buzz. The restaurant also showcases live cooking stations, which allow a unique interaction between service, chefs and guests.

A must-see on every Doha travel itinerary, Three Sixty offers a panoramic view of Doha that simply takes the breath away. Located on the 47th floor, Three Sixty is the only revolving restaurant in Doha. Higher up on the 50th floor you can find Panorama, another breathtaking restaurant which will open its doors at the end of 2012.

Excellence through innovation
Along with Aspire Katara Investment, and in collaboration with Aspire Zone Foundation, The Torch Doha embraces new technology and recently introduced the iPad based ‘In-Room Solution’ for the first time in the Middle East.

Sherif Sabry, Hotel Manager at The Torch Doha, said: “We have redefined the idea of luxury service in Middle Eastern hospitality. Introducing the iPad system in all rooms and suites shows that our vision focuses on guest convenience, control and speed of service. Guests can now enjoy a new found autonomy while we streamline our operation.”

The In-Room iPad Solution is custom-built to allow guests to place do-not-disturb and make-up requests for the room, control the mood light system and the curtains, listen to music, watch TV and access online newspapers and books. The Torch has downloaded a Qibla locator app on all iPads which shows the multi-faceted functionality of the bi-lingual system (featuring Arabic and English).

“There is no greater satisfaction for us, as a newly opened property, than achieving this performance on our first year of operation. We are glad to be able to enhance customer experience and pioneer customer engagement technology in Qatar. Ultimately, we trust that guests will enjoy our interactive services and spread the word for us,” says Sabry.

Nominated for the first time in the Business Destinations awards in the Best Luxury Hotel category, The Torch Doha was the proud winner of the Business Destinations’ Best Luxury Hotel in Qatar 2012 award. Recently, The Torch Doha has also been nominated in the MENA Awards as Qatar’s Leading New Hotel.

Other important awards enhancing the hotel’s record are the Gold Medal awarded to one of the Torch chef’s in the Italian-themed competition at Doha’s Taste and Fun Food Festival 2012; and two medals, one silver and the other bronze, obtained at Diyafa 2011 Salon Culinaire Exhibition. “All the recognition received proves that we are serious about what we do,” said General Manager Gerhard Foltin.

The Torch, a member of the ‘Leading Hotels of the World’, also offers opportunities to university students. Through the newly implemented internship programme, the hotel aims to increase global understanding and competence. The internships allow students to gain practical experience working alongside professionals. The programme covers a wide range of subjects including culinary, lodging, housekeeping, food and beverage, accounting, human resources and marketing, and sets an example in quality hospitality education with its high standards.

“The hotel is proud to offer internships to Qatari students and enables them to practice theory while giving them the opportunity to develop themselves into future hospitality managers,” said Foltin.

Recently The Torch Doha also welcomed a delegation from Qatar’s municipality, on a photo shoot aimed at establishing and promoting best hygiene practices across Qatar’s hospitality industry.

The highest standards
Municipality officials took photos of all related hygiene standards used at The Torch Doha. Several aspects, such as food preparation, storage measures, temperature control and standard operation procedures, were examined during the visit and received positive remarks.

The municipality delegation took pictures of best practice examples that should take place in any kitchen and also put together techniques that can be used to avoid cross-contamination of foods. Also examined was the cleanliness of the facility and hygiene equipment such as knife steriliser cabinets and cutting board racks. Storage equipment and storage facilities were also inspected in order to ensure that clean equipment is kept hygienic. All images taken at The Torch Doha will be used for future reference in municipality brochures and best-practice guides.

“It is an honour to receive great feedback from the municipality in terms of hygiene practice,” says Foltin.

“We are glad to invite students from universities and proud to teach sustained best hygiene practices from scratch. Within the first months of  our operation we received particular recognition for our food and beverage department. It is definitely rewarding to see, and that sort of confidence enables us to continually develop our services.”

Further information: www.thetorchdoha.com

A new focus

Over the past 12 months, most industry associations and networking clubs have been guests at the Bel Air Hotel, The Hague. General Manager Stephan van der Meulen has been taking every opportunity to show off the fact that his hotel does more than just overnight accommodation. The conference facilities in particular, he believes, have not been getting enough exposure.

Bel Air Hotel, next to the World Forum Convention Centre, is the largest hotel in The Hague, with more than 300 guest rooms and suites. Jazz fans and musicians from all over the world reside here during the North Sea Jazz Festival. Many of the performing artists make the Bel Air Hotel their home and spend nights at the Embassy Jazz Bar performing spontaneous jam sessions.

“Most people have only experienced our hotel through jazz or as a tourist,” says van der Meulen. Having been appointed General Manager in April 2010, his task was to expand the experience, establishing the hotel as a premium business destination.

Until 2009, the Bel Air Hotel operated under the Golden Tulip flag. When the brand hit rock bottom financially, Bel Air became part of Worldhotels. “With Golden Tulip, the chain defined the strategy and organisation and took care of all the marketing material. Worldhotels is soft branding; we work together organisationally and benefit from their expertise, but the sales and marketing is up to us.”

During his introduction period he was pleasantly surprised by the hospitality and service of the current staff, but with the sales and marketing of the hotel there was still a long way to go.

Hidden spaces
Crucially, van der Meulen noted a lack of promotional materials for the A1 Conference and Event Hall. Where the in-house pool was previously situated, a beautifully appointed congress hall had been constructed.

“We can hold up to 325 people in theatre style, and all 325 people can also stay with us,” says van der Meulen.

The general manager launched a separate website to promote the meeting space and a host of new events. “There was only one picture of the A1 Conference Hall available,” he says, but he had also spotted more missed opportunities. “We regularly have embassy lunches, which were held in other spaces. I couldn’t understand why we didn’t use the most beautiful meeting space in the hotel to show them what’s available and what we are capable of doing.”

Peace palace
Over the last two years, the Bel Air Hotel has demonstrated its multi-functionality. This September, the A1 hosted its third ‘Museum Night’, during which the meeting space was transformed into an exhibition space. On another occasion, the hotel facilitated a press conference and car launch in the hall. The room has large side windows that provide plenty of natural daylight, but electrically operated screens can easily black out the space too.

Rooms on the ninth floor of the hotel have been temporarily designed as offices for law firms, including judges and witness rooms. “We’ll take anything the Peace Palace can’t handle,” laughs Van der Meulen. “The high speed data lines we put in place are still there, so when in need it’s easy for us to put offices back on the top floor.

“It shows our flexibility. Sometimes I’ll walk into my office and to my surprise it’s converted into a boardroom. My staff rented it out for the day – guess I’m working from the lobby!”

Private gardens, penthouse meetings
The hotel and the A1 hall enclose private gardens. This proved its value during the hotel’s 40th anniversary celebrations. During a sunny evening, 250 guests were invited to enjoy the reception, experience the terrific acoustics of the conference hall and indulge in refreshments and food in the private garden.

Aside from the A1 Congress Hall, the Bel Air Hotel has about 1,200 square metres of meeting space (which can be divided into six smaller conference rooms), eight boardrooms and the Penthouse Boardroom on the ninth floor, overlooking the city.

Endless possibilities
In recent months, van der Meulen has clearly demonstrated his intentions. His focus on the meetings market and business travel has meant that in a short span of time the hotel has hosted a variety of industry and business meetings. The general manager’s strategy is simple: the more meetings there are, the more business travellers under his roof.

“I started here after 30 years’ experience in the hotel industry: 15 years in operations and 15 years in sales and marketing, with chains such as InterContinental Hotels Group, Accor and Amrâth. Of course, it’s easiest to start within your own network – that’s how we started working together with Shell on their meetings.

“I’m always looking for opportunities. When something is happening around you, you need to jump on it immediately. There are endless possibilities. You just need to pick the right apple from the right tree.”

The Hague: international city
Van der Meulen also has an ambition to put Bel Air on the map internationally as a convention hotel. This starts by raising the profile of The Hague as an interesting destination for international meetings; hence his seat on the workgroup SIC (Cooperation International Congresses) from The Hague Marketing.

He is confident in the potential of new business: “We choose markets where others have less of a focus. The Hague has so much to offer – from the presence of the embassies, the Peace Palace and The Spanish Court, to many interesting museums.”

Moving fast
“When I hear that a company or association is coming to the Netherlands for a site inspection, I do everything to get in front of them. We want to showcase our hotel. They are looking at Amsterdam? We will pick them up and drive them back.”

This strategy and direction is paying off, says van der Meulen. “The seeds we have planted are starting to grow and we are harvesting the results sooner than expected. We currently have 20 percent more conferences on the books in 2013 and 2014 compared to previous years. Our hotel has become a favourite for the business traveller.”

Further information: Conference and events: conference@belairhotel.nl; Reservations: reservations@belairhotel.nl; Tel: +31 70 3525354; www.belairhotel.nl

Meeting aspirations

Conference and event organisers are constantly on the lookout for unique and multidimensional destinations in which to host their functions. Qatar’s Aspire Zone provides one of the most fascinating examples of such facilities, with its impressive features earning it the title of Business Destinations’ Best Meetings and Conference Centre, Middle East, 2012. It’s not hard to see why this spectacular location makes such a huge impact on those that attend its many, varied events.

A sporting host
Located in Doha, the capital of Qatar, Aspire Zone is an international sports and entertainment destination with a vision to be recognised as a global leader in sports excellence. It offers world-class infrastructure, boasts international-standard services and hosts wide-ranging sports events.

Yet Aspire Zone is not only a hub for international sports; it has also proved attractive to a spectrum of other conference and event organisers. Cirque Du Soleil made use of the Aspire Dome to perform its signature show Saltimbanco to a sold-out audience, the International Centre for Safety and Security held its inaugural conference there, while the United Nations Office for Sport and Development for Peace puts on an annual event at Aspire Zone to develop future leaders.

The Aspire Dome, which sits at the heart of the precinct, is an incredible multi-purpose facility that can simultaneously accommodate up to 13 separate or integrated activities. Its flexibility was demonstrated when it hosted the Middle East’s leading sports business congress – the third ASPIRE4SPORT Congress and Exhibition – in November 2012.

ASPIRE4SPORT concurrently holds a range of sport clinics for children in multi-purpose halls, and networking seminars in the vast array of meeting rooms. Due to the versatility of the dome, all of this can happen under one roof.

Technological innovation
Aspire Zone is at the forefront of technology in order to enhance the event experience.
Combining all facets of the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions industries, Aspire Zone has developed its own venue and event management system that seamlessly integrates a catalogue of functional areas including facility bookings, accreditation, volunteer management, security and catering.

The technological developments made by Aspire Zone have improved the experience of both the event organiser itself and its customers, and are now being marketed to other international venues.

Events within Aspire Zone are managed through Aspire Logistics, a member-organisation of Aspire Zone Foundation. Aspire Logistics has become well known for its optimal venue operations and services. These include event planning and venue management – giving clients detailed insight into the layout and facilities of a venue, as well as the services and logistics best suited to their specific event.

Aspire Logistics’ catering and hospitality facility provides guests with the highest service deliverables at events, ranging from the provision of concession stands and kiosks, to royal banquets for more than 1,000 attendees.

The logistics and equipment services include high-quality event furniture, crowd control apparatus and a large fleet of club cars, while its landscape department can provide stunning, international-standard playing fields. Aspire Logistics’ efforts were recognised in 2010 when the company received three international certificates in facilities management.

Hotels galore
Adding to the appeal of Aspire Zone as an international business and event destination, the precinct is home to two hotels – the Torch Doha Hotel and the Grand Heritage Doha
Hotel and Spa.

The iconic Torch Hotel is the tallest building in Qatar and boasts five-star luxury views and facilities. Standing at 300 metres, and with 360 degree panoramic views across Doha, the structure was designed to embody the spirit of the torch used to light the cauldron of the 2006 Asian Games. It features 167 rooms and suites, three signature restaurants, a breathtaking revolving restaurant 240 metres above ground, four levels of health club, each with a cantilevered swimming pool, fitness facilities with state-of-the-art equipment, a business centre, as well as walkway access to Doha’s largest shopping mall, Villaggio.

A short walk from the shopping mall, the Grand Heritage Doha Hotel and Spa displays a magnificent Victorian façade, providing a taster of the opulence running through the building’s interior. Charming tearooms and a multitude of wellness facilities ensure a stay there will always be a pleasure.

Facilities and amenities
Aspire Zone offers guests a range of features including:
– Indoor football pitch with 5,500 seats
– Indoor athletics track
– 1,200 seat amphitheatre with LED screens and audio, translation and broadcast facilities
– Offices, function rooms, VIP corporate suites, club cars
– Adjacent hotels, including the five-star Torch Doha Hotel and Grand Heritage Doha Hotel and Spa
– Catering service offering banquets for thousands of guests
– Extensive IT and media electronics services
– Integrated security, protocol and parking
– Medical support from Aspetar hospital

Further information: www.aspirezone.qa

On track

If you are travelling for business, with CrossCountry you can arrive fresh, relaxed and ready to start your day. Whether you are gearing up for a big meeting or winding down after one, you will find everything you need on board a CrossCountry train.

Covering the length and breadth of Britain, CrossCountry travels to more business destinations than any other train company –  its services connect many major cities including Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, Nottingham, Bristol, Southampton, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Birmingham. CrossCountry trains serve most parts of the country and if there’s not a direct train you can get to many places by making just one change. Even if you need to travel abroad, there are direct trains to three major UK airports at Birmingham, Southampton and Stansted. For the business traveller time is very important; travelling by train allows passengers to leave the car at home, avoid traffic and work on the move.

First Class can make a CrossCountry journey even more enjoyable – travelling in First Class gives passengers wider, more comfortable seats with extra leg room and more table space, power points for laptops and mobiles, and complimentary WiFi when travelling on Voyager and High Speed Trains. If you prefer to switch off, simply sit back, relax and watch the world go by. On the majority of long-distance services, you can enjoy a range of complimentary drinks and light snacks, served at your seat by First Class hosts.

In Standard, an at-seat catering service is available on the majority of trains, with a great variety of hot drinks (including Twinings tea and Starbucks coffee), chilled soft drinks, sweet treats and confectionery, sandwiches, savoury snacks, beer, cider and wine. With money-saving offers, there’s always a great deal on board. WiFi access is also offered on all Voyager and High Speed Train services, with a number of different pricing options enabling passengers to select the best deal for their journey.

CrossCountry believes customers should be able to find the right train, at the right time and at the right price, that’s why they offer a range of fares to choose from in both Standard and First Class. Anytime fares give you complete flexibility, travel on any train at any time. Off-peak fares allow travel on a choice of services within a specific time period, and for the cheapest fares, take advantage of CrossCountry’s Advance tickets if you can travel on a specific date and time.CrossCountry’s free Train Tickets app is not only a fantastic booking tool, but a one-stop-shop to look up train times and check real-time running information for any specific service – a great asset for any business traveller who needs to be able to check details while on the move. If you are travelling on a CrossCountry service, it is even possible to have tickets sent direct to your mobile as an m-ticket, saving you valuable time at the station. The CrossCountry website is a great place to go for all the information you need, whether it’s a seat plan, product information, or the latest news and updates. The recently enhanced mobile site also means you can keep up to date while on the move.

To download the app simply text TRAVEL to 87080 or visit the website for more details
www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/business

World-class wings

The glamour of flying is far from gone. With Air Canada Jetz, VIP air travel is being redefined. The award-winning private jet service goes above and beyond the quality of everyday executive travel to offer exclusive, tailored details that add a real touch of panache. In flight since 2001, Air Canada Jetz has hosted a long guest list of high-profile clients, such as all seven Canadian National Hockey League (NHL) teams, as well as five American NHL teams, including last year’s Stanley Cup winners, the Los Angeles Kings. In true rock star style, the airline has also provided charter services for legendary rock bands, and many corporate clients.

It’s all in the details
There is a reason professional sports teams, celebrities and corporate elites count on
Air Canada Jetz: it is an experience unlike any other. From the moment the flight is
booked to the moment of your arrival, a dedicated team manages and tends to every detail of each journey, whether near or far.

Each discreet travel experience with Jetz can begin with a private terminal followed by glide through check-in and boarding with the help of an exclusive Concierge Agent. Once on board, each flight features unparalleled luxurious amenities. The special plane configuration consists of spacious Executive Class seats to stretch out and relax in, two large tables that are ideal as a workspace, and a vast selection of in-flight entertainment.

While the seats are cosy, there is added comfort in knowing that on board each jet is a specially selected crew from Air Canada.

In Flight Services and a mechanic from Air Canada Technical Services. Having a dedicated team available 24/7 helps passengers reach their destinations with peace of mind.

Flights for foodies
In-flight cuisine on a Jetz aircraft is first rate. Clients may choose from a personalised menu based on their individual tastes or make specific culinary requests from a restaurant wish list. Each appetite is catered to and served in style. Complementing each gourmet meal is an impressive choice of wines, spirits and beverages to suit even the most selective of palates.

After more than a decade of providing this premium service, Air Canada has been honoured with the Best Business Charter Airline Company in North America, 2012 award in the annual Business Destinations Travel Awards. The awards highlight those companies whose products and services represent the absolute best in the business travel industry.

With its current fleet of five A320 and one A319 aircrafts, Jetz continues to offer a superior VIP, personalised Executive Class service that raises the bar in elite business travel. The
Air Canada Jetz private jet service is an experience unlike any other, tailored to the individual way you like to travel.

Testimonials
“Chapman Freeborn Airchartering has used Air Canada Jetz on a number of occasions in recent years to fly, in particular, some very high profile music touring acts on their North American tours. Air Canada Jetz on each occasion delivered fantastic bespoke service, highly experienced and professional crews and immaculate aircraft.”
Julie Black, Manager VIP and Executive Charters (O.K., Europe), Chapman Freeborn Airchartering

“Our relationship with Air Canada Jetz has been tremendous. They consistently exude class and professionalism, and their dedication is unparalleled. The Kings are very pleased to utilise this world-class provider.”
Peter Mazur, Vice President, Finance, Los Angeles Kings Hockey Club

“The cooperation, customisation and execution of our goals and objectives have always been exceeded by the Jetz team. The crew is a valuable extension of our team and therefore a vital part of our overall client travel experience. We are always challenging the limits of what we can accomplish on your aircraft and we are extremely grateful at the sensitivity and professionalism that is displayed in providing us with the service we require.”
Angelo Kioussis, President at The Traveller Inc

Further information: email: john.hodder@aircanada.ca; Tel: 416 471 0725; www.aircanada.com/jetz

Walking on air

Luxembourg is known as an important centre for business thanks to the presence of numerous financial institutions, which require Luxair Luxembourg Airlines (Luxair) to play a key role in Luxembourg’s economy by connecting the country to many European cities and major business centres. As the main player at Luxembourg Airport, Luxair has become the natural choice for business travellers from the Greater Region who need fast access to other European locations.

Luxair, as the official Luxembourgish flag carrier, operates flights from the homeland to Barcelona, Berlin, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hamburg, London City, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Nice, Paris, Porto, Rome, Saarbrücken, Vienna and a multitude of other summer season destinations, as well as flights from Saarbrücken airport to Berlin and Hamburg.

With the intention of improving connectivity for its business travellers, Luxair has extended its services to 34 new destinations within Europe, thanks to various code-share agreements signed with different airline partners. Luxair has performed in-depth market reasearch in order to secure a sound knowledge of its customer base, and inspired by this data, Luxair has revised its fare structure to brand it differently from its competitors, with dedicated ‘fare families’ corresponding to business and leisure customers.

In addition, Luxair is also taking care of those who are first-time flyers or are afraid of flying by offering a ‘fly without fear’ programme to aid customers in overcoming their aeroplane anxiety. As a result of these enhancements to the customer experience, Luxair transported approximately 808,450 passengers in 2011, in a modern and comfortable fleet of twin-engined aircrafts comprised of Boeing 737s, Embraer Regional Jets and the Bombardier Q400s.

Pre-flight amenities
Passengers can also enjoy a smooth journey through the airport with the very latest in e-services, including web check-in, mobile check-in, seat selection, iPhone and Andriod apps, mobile boarding passes, kiosk check-in, myLuxair, and SMS services – making travel from one destination just that little bit easier and a whole lot quicker.

Luxair’s self-checking terminals, checking and ticketing counters and passenger assistance staff are there to handle travellers quickly and efficiently on the way to their destinations. Before customers board their flights, the ‘Buy Bye Luxembourg’ airport shop offers them a wide choice of name brand gifts, including perfume, designer fashion labels, alcohol, tobacco and electronics, all of which are available at attractive prices.

Business class travellers have access to the Luxair Lounge where they can work as efficiently as if they were in the office, take a break from the stresses of corporate life, or enjoy snacks, refreshments, and the most up-to-date communication facilities.

In-flight and post-flight care
Luxair is regularly awarded for its punctuality. Once in the air, passengers are pampered with a homemade catering service designed to please even the most demanding business traveller. Menus have been expertly crafted, with an emphasis on the quality and freshness of the ingredients and an attention to presentation not matched by other airlines.

Depending on the length of the journey, the in-flight catering offers passengers breakfast, lunch and dinner, or a refreshing snack, all with the same high-quality service. Business travellers also get a free range of newspapers in various languages, different thematic magazines, as well as Flydoscope, the Luxair on-board magazine.

Its passengers are also offered after-flight services such as a baggage assistance desk at Luxembourg Airport and a dedicated Luxair team at London City and Saarbrücken airports. A call centre service and a customer relations service with multilingual Luxair staff (Luxembourgish, German, French, English, Italian, Portuguese and more) also devote themselves to satisfying Luxair customers, responding to any concerns.

Flexible business travel
Luxair adapts its fare structure to the market’s constraints, and to the changing needs of the business traveller. As a result, the airline has recently introduced new business class promo fares. By choosing this fare, and subject to some advance purchase or minimum stay constraints, business travellers can fly in the business cabin with up to 30 percent off the full business class fare. They can experience an outstanding business class service for a completely relaxing continental journey.

Luxair decided also to introduce a new ‘Luxair Flex’ fare for business passengers flying in economy class. ‘Luxair Flex’ has been created to cater for the new travel policies of corporates who want their collaborators to fly in economy classes – in particular to short-haul destinations. Business travellers in economy class with a Luxair Flex ticket are also offered the possiblity of managing their journey freely by adapting their bookings according to their priorities and changing agenda. For example, rebooking is possible up to one hour before departure without additional charges.

Loyalty rewarded
Luxair is a fully integrated partner of Miles&More, allowing the airline to offer advantages to the most frequent travellers. Luxair has been a partner of Miles & More for many years and has increased its commitment to this loyalty programme step by step, becoming a fully integrated partner between 2008 and 2009.

Luxair passengers can benefit from the multiple advantages of Miles & More, Europe’s leading frequent flyer programme, with more than 22 million members worldwide. Miles & More members can earn both award and status miles with Luxair, Star Alliance carriers and other airline partners. Depending on the number of status miles, Miles & More members can enjoy many exclusive privileges in the air and on the ground as a ‘frequent traveller’, ‘senator’ or even ‘HON circle member’.

Luxair offers the possibility of earning up to 2,000 award and status miles per flight segment by travelling in business class. Members can also redeem their miles for Luxair flight awards or upgrade awards. It is easy for passengers to earn the miles for the award they want – whether they fly, rent a car, stay in a hotel or go shopping – they will earn valuable miles.

For businesses, the Mastercard Business Miles & More Luxair BCEE combines the advantages of a globally recognised credit card with the exclusive services offered by Europe’s largest frequent flyer programme. Every time that business customers use the new card, they will earn 1.5 award miles for each euro spent. Additional key features include a welcome bonus of 10,000 award miles, highly attractive preferential services on Luxair flights and travel, suspension of mileage expiration and exclusive insurance services.

The high life
Luxair offers a high level of security, service and comfort, and is thus continuously pushing for the highest standards in sustainability, to become a benchmark company and employer. In line with its company values – passion, care and responsibility – LuxairGroup has continued its efforts to integrate the challenges of sustainable development into its daily management, paying particular attention to the environment.

Luxair did not wait until it was told to commit to reducing its CO2 emissions. Measures aimed at improving energy efficiency were re- evaluated and refined in 2011. These concern flight procedures and parameters, as well as ever-more sophisticated techniques in fleet maintenance. Efforts towards protecting the environment have been undertaken continuously. Globally, these measures have resulted in the voluntary adhesion to ‘myenergy’ and the objective to improve energy efficiency by the end of 2016 by the more systematic use of green energy.

Further information: www.luxair.lu or www.luxair.co.uk

Handing over to Rio

The ‘See you in Rio’ facebook app enables you to insert a photo of your face behind figures standing in front of a range of Brazilian backdrops: beaches, mountain panoramas, football stadiums. The government has begun a determined campaign to persuade the world that they will be fully prepared for the games in four years’ time.

Britain was represented by a contingent of nationally significant figures at the close of the Athens 2008 ceremony: Boris Johnson, Princess Anne, David Beckham, Lord Seb Coe and Hugh Robertson, (the then MP for Culture, Media and Sport). The group stood by with counterparts from the Greek government, as the torch was lit in preparation for its journey to Land’s End.

The volunteers who auditioned for the Flag Handover Ceremony had just a week to rehearse Brazil’s big cultural advertisement. Organisers recruited professional performers from all over Europe: samba dancers and their star performers the ‘passistas’, drummers and percussionists, and samba de gafieira dancers who perform as couples. The costumes were kept secret from the performers until just before the ceremony, when the gold lamé flared bodysuits were revealed. Each one had been signed by the designer Jum Nakao.

The consortium responsible for all Rio’s Olympics ceremonies is a joint venture, between Italian events and entertainment company Film Master Group, and major Brazilian events producer SRCOM. The producers also had to undergo a rigorous selection process, to gain their position as overseers of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as the Flag Handover Ceremonies, for the Rio 2016 Games. They have exclusive production rights to all the major events.

Since the flag was handed to Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes by IOC President Jacques Rogge at the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, the flag has been flown across the Atlantic and has visited the Complexo do Alemão favela, and the Christ the Redeemer statue. An interfaith ceremony occurred in close succession to a political reception. At the Palácio do Planalto, it was presented to the President of Brazil, Dilma Rouseff, accompanied by two of Brazil’s Olympic medallists, boxing brothers Esquiva and Yamaguchi Falcão, who won silver and bronze medals in London respectively. The flag is now on display to the public at the Palácio da Cidade.

In Brazil the campaign has started for a slightly cuter, more environmentally friendly symbol to advertise the Olympics. London 2012’s one-eyed, light-up mascots, Wenlock and Mandeville were reportedly symbolic of a giant camera lens. The contenders for Rio are alternately the pink dolphin and the spider monkey. Brazilian super model and UNEP ambassador Gisele Bundchen interviewed activist Vera M. F. da Silva on her blog. Da Silva, the president of the Ethics Committee for Animal Use in Research INPA – CEUA, said:

“The pink dolphin is part of the culture and folklore of the Amazon, and we can’t let the commercial fisheries drive this charismatic, one-of-a-kind species towards extinction. We can’t let the pink dolphin turn into a legend.”

The previous favourite to become the animated face of the games was the muriqui (spider) monkey. The group Muriqui Rio 2016 has already started its campaign for a line of merchandise based on this critter. Soap stars Carolina Dieckmann and Leticia Sabatella are the celebrities backing the environmental group Eco-Atântica’s promotion, launched last year.

The brochure for the Rio 2016 Pre-Games Training Camps was distributed at a meeting in August at Somerset House, to the officers of the Olympic and Paralympic Committees of European and African countries. The Olympic Committees of Asia, Oceania and Americas received the material at an earlier meeting. Before major competitions, athletes arrive to train in advance to assimilate themselves to the conditions. Besides the difference in temperature, those visiting almost any rural area in Brazil are advised to get vaccinated against yellow fever ten days prior to travel. The National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) advises yellow fever vaccinations for those visiting 21 regions, around half the area of the country. São Paulo and Goãnia are two of the training camp locations where vaccinations are strongly recommended. Fortunately facilities have been selected for their proximity to good health infrastructure, and athletes will be well taken care of.

Footballers will not be competing in Rio, but in various other cities across the country – São Paulo, Brasília, Belo Horizonte and Salvador. Many of the facilities are already in place, such as the Maria Lenk Aquatic Centre, the Olympic Velodrome where the indoor cycling events take place, and the Olympic Arena Construction which stages the athletics. Around these pre-existing venues, construction has begun on the Olympic Park which will be the jostling heart of the 2016 Games. It will be the centre for basketball, judo, taekwondo, wrestling, handball, hockey, tennis, cycling, aquatics and gymnastics. The Main Press Centre (MPC) and the International Broadcasting Centre (IBC) will also be built on the site.

Director of Transport and City Operation Regina Oliveira was enthusiastic about the opportunity to develop Rio’s infrastructure. She said in an interview: “In Transport, especially regarding our fleet, we have the opportunity of making the Games as “green” as possible, considering the Brazilian matrix of clean energy, using biodiesel and alcohol.” The bid commitment includes ensuring the buses are adapted to disabled people and clean fuel usage. New transport infrastructure is likely to be enduringly popular: 70 percent of people in Rio use public transportation. As of 2010, according to the census, the city of Rio de Janeiro had more than 6.3 million inhabitants. Although the transport plan is currently “still in the conceptual phase,” the estimated workforce to manage and direct the crowds during the games is 15,000 people, volunteers and paid employees.

The government has engendered some controversy for its proposal to demolish 30 000 homes before 2016, to make way for new infrastructure. Human rights group Amnesty has accused it of using the event as an opportunity to remove the shantytowns which detract from the prosperous image the city is trying to portray. Yet it is also engaging in a construction project in the small town of Campo Grande. An hour and a half’s drive from the city centre, 800 houses have been built for people whose homes were condemned to make room for new roads.

Legendary luxury

Johannes Baur was always ahead of his time. The fabled hotel entrepreneur was already at pains to combine superlative style and consummate comfort with cutting-edge technology 170 years ago. Today, extensive renovation and modernisation of all rooms, suites and public spaces upholds the time-honoured tradition of progress at the Savoy Baur en Ville.

When Johannes Baur opened his hotel Baur in 1838, he was in effect heralding the transition from traditional inns and guesthouses to the modern hotel industry. Travellers in the past had not been too fussy about the accommodation that awaited them. That, however, all changed with the triumph of the railroad. Modern travellers were far more demanding than their predecessors, who had customarily arrived in horse-drawn carriages. All of a sudden, only the newest and best was good enough. Over the years, the tradition of hostelry thus sprouted a new branch, referred to as hoteliery that grew to become one of the most important lines of business in the Swiss economy.

Since 1985, Manfred and Christina Hörger have suffused the Savoy Baur en Ville with their own very personal style. Thanks to their efforts, the Savoy has carved out a regular slot among the ranks of Switzerland‘s leading luxury hotels. Investments in the millions have been channelled into renovating the Restaurant Baur and the Savoy Bar en Ville – the place to meet in the heart of the city. The magnificent ballroom has been given a fresh face, the lobby completely redesigned. And, by mid-2012, the exhaustive modernisation of all rooms and suites was sucessfully completed.

The luxurious five-star Hotel Savoy Baur en Ville commands a privileged central location right on the Paradeplatz, home to Switzerland‘s leading banks and flanked by the world‘s most exclusive jewellers, boutiques and confectioners all along the famous Bahnhofstrasse.

Restaurant Baur Im Savoy
A privileged location right in the heart of Zurich’s financial district: Superb cuisine, courteous service and subtle elegance have won the Restaurant Baur the esteem of Zurich‘s high society. A distinguished venue for business lunches and dinners, overlooking the famous Bahnhofstrasse, here you can experience lunchtime in the special flair of the Swiss financial centre experienced first-hand.

Furthermore, the quality of the cuisine is unrivalled in the city, with the expert chefs taking every care to preserve the aromas of the fine seasonal ingredients used. The menu is based on modern interpretations of French cuisine and Swiss specialities, while the Zurich Gschnetzelte is always a favourite with locals and foreign visitors alike.

Inside the restaurant, guests are greeted with the soothing harmony of luxurious materials laid out in tasteful colour schemes. Dutifully watched over by patrons Manfred and Christina Hoerger, no detail has been neglected in providing guests with the very finest carpets, curtains and valuable chandeliers.

Ristorante Orsini
One of the city‘s best Italians, locals and international visitors are unanimously agreed in their positive verdict on the Ristorante Orsini. Here guests can experience a world of culinary marvels amid an authentic Tuscan ambiance – an odyssey your taste buds will never forget.

The historic house between Orsini and Münstercuisine is considered one of the top names in Zurich. This has time and time again been proven from the testimony of international guests who have in time become regulars at this fine restaurant, situated in the centre of prestigious Savoy Baur en Ville.

The restaurant interior is sheer cool elegance and has recently undergone a light refurbishment to keep it looking at the height of sophistication. These include the addition of a new woven carpet, which takes design inspiration from a trio of poppy colours. This décor allows guests to immerse themselves in the illusion of the Tuscan countryside, where all the authentic sights, sounds and smells are there to behold. Additionally, a well-stocked and expertly chosen wine cellar featuring the very best Italian wines will surely not fail to impress even the most discerning connoisseur.

Further information: www.savoy-baurenville.ch

West African wonder

Set on 16 acres of landscaped gardens, the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra is ideally located for both business and leisure travellers. The hotel is also located close to government ministries, the National Theatre and the Accra International Conference Centre. After a busy day, guests can relax in an urban-style resort with the largest swimming pool in Ghana. Whether you are a guest at one of Mövenpick’s fine holiday resorts or a business traveller on a flying visit to a city or airport hotels, the dedicated staff will satisfy your every wish, gladly and promptly,  just as you would expect of a reliable and attentive host.

Meetings and events
Mövenpick Meetings & Events offers professional event management encapsulating the highest quality standards, creative cuisine and qualified service. At any of our hotels around the globe, the ideal conditions for your meeting, banquet or wedding will be created and implemented with individual solutions tailored to your requirements.

Whatever the purpose of your meeting or event, hotel staff are available to cater to your needs and to deliver the services that Mövenpick promises to fulfil with the utmost care.

You will never be told what you need – instead, staff will listen and adapt individual solutions to meet all your requirements.

Excellent cuisine
Sankofa, the all-day dining restaurant, offers multi-ethnic cuisine serving sumptuous flavours of the world with a variety of mouth-watering live cooking stations. There’s also “One2one”, a chic cocktail bar where you can escape, socialise, and launch your evening in style to the sound of African lounge music or a live performance.

A casual haven in the middle of the city, the Pool Bar & BBQ is the ideal place to revitalise yourself while indulging in light summer recipes and the best ‘beef ‘n’ reef’ delicacies fresh from the grill. Unwind and chill out while watching your waiter glide around the swimming pool on rollerblades while he brings you a fruity smoothie, crispy salad or your favourite pizza.

Destined to be the meeting point of Accra during the day or after dark, the Lobby Lounge is a refreshing and cosy escape offering light refreshments, exquisite pastries and a “grab and go” menu. In-room dining offers an extensive menu to please all palates in the privacy and comfort of your room. Spoil yourself in the unrivalled Executive Club Lounge experience: breathtaking views over the heart of Accra, around the clock pampering with culinary delights and every comfort available to ensure that you enjoy your stay to the full.

In-room dining offers an extensive menu to please all palates so you may enjoy your meal in the privacy and comfort of your own room. Looking for a small bite or an elaborate dinner, but don’t want to miss an important soccer game or that just-released movie? Make yourself at home and explore the culinary treasures found in our in-room dining menu.

Culture on your doorstep
The National Theatre of Ghana, located just opposite the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra, houses three resident groups: the National Symphony Orchestra, the National Dance Company and the National Drama Company. Regular cultural events take place within this building of unmistakable architecture. The Arts Centre (Centre for National Culture), located next to the National Museum, is a place for amazing finds among the numerous items on display: bags, baskets, beads, carvings, cloths, rugs, sandals, sculptures and stools, to name but a few.

Eco ethos
Sustainability is a constantly evolving process and Mövenpick are committed to continuously looking for new ways to improve. With sustainability being at the heart of the company and with the vast majority of its portfolio  being Green Globe certified, the Mövenpick Meetings & Events product is always evolving and adapting in order to encompass as many sustainable features as possible.

Part of the fabric and values of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has always been to conduct its business in a responsible and caring way; encouraging a personal touch in its relationships with all its stakeholders. The values of quality, reliability and care are fundamental in guiding the company towards sustainable business practices. For Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts sustainability is about meeting current needs while at the same time preserving and contributing to the future for generations to come. Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is convinced that the combination of its values and global approach to sustainability will help the company to be recognised as one of the world’s most trusted hotel management companies. The success of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts’ sustainability efforts lies in its integration into the company’s business strategy, operating processes and quality standards. Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts believes that people want to be part of the solution and want to contribute to a positive future.

About Mövenpick
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, an international upscale hotel management company with over 16,000 staff members, is represented in 24 countries with 72 hotels and resorts currently in operation. A further 36 properties are planned or already under construction, including this year’s openings in Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh and Abu Soma (Egypt), Ankara (Turkey), Chiang Mai and Koh Samui (Thailand), Palawan (Philippines), Dubai (UAE) and Paris (France).

Focusing on expansion in its core markets of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts specialises in business and conference hotels, as well as holiday resorts, all reflecting a sense of place and respect for their local communities. Of Swiss heritage and headquartered in Zurich, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is passionate about delivering premium service, culinary enjoyment and sustainable environments – all with a personal touch. The hotel company is owned by Mövenpick Holding (66.7 percent) and the Kingdom Group (33.3 percent).

For more information please visit www.moevenpick-hotels.com

Gaining ground

This is the era of high-speed trains and more and more harassed businesspeople are consulting rail timetables rather than flight schedules. There’s almost certainly a high-speed train leaving within the hour from a railway station conveniently located near the central business district. And, depending on the distance you intend to travel, it will likely get you to the meeting significantly faster than would a flight. For good measure it will certainly land you there in a better frame of mind.

Take business travel aboard one of Rail France’s 320kph (200mph) TGV trains, flagship of its fleet. On a premium TGV Pro ticket, business people ride on a cushion of service and comfort. They can park near the station in a dedicated space a short walk from the platform. If there’s not been time to look up departure and other details, an assistant meets the car and guides ticket-holders to the train.

Hungry and harassed? Once aboard, you can repair to the bar and/or arrange for a meal – breakfast, lunch or dinner – to be brought to your seat while you work. Need a taxi at the other end? The train manager will book it ahead so that, engine ticking over, it’s waiting in a special rank outside the station.  Arriving at rush hour in any one of Europe’s highly-congested cities? Your helpful train manager will arrange for a motorbike to meet you, complete with spare helmet, gloves and windproof jacket. Thus you ride pillion as the biker negotiates the heavy traffic through streets unfamiliar to you. If nothing else, it will make a talking point when you arrive at the meeting on a wind-blown high.

Too late for the train? Unlike low-cost flights, TGV Pro means your company is not out of pocket because the rail network will exchange free of charge the ticket for another one for a later departure. And it will do so at any time before the train leaves. Or too early? At eleven stations in France there’s a lounge with Wi-Fi and other services, rather like airline club lounges. These are  instead called Salons des Grands Voyageurs, and are dedicated to first-class and Pro rail-goers.

All over Europe rail operators are falling over themselves to offer what businesspeople want. In rough order of importance that’s punctuality, Wi-Fi, plush chairs that are roughly the equivalent in size and comfort of business class on airlines, space to spread yourself around, table service for food, power sockets and private meeting rooms that can be booked in advance.

Eurostar, originally launched as a predominantly tourist train between London and Paris, is typical of the trend. It now provides a work-friendly business premium class as well as restful lounges in London, Paris and Brussels. Similarly, some of the Thalys routes into Belgium and the Netherlands offer lounges, at-seat meals included in the fare and free Wi-Fi in first class on all trains. On Deutsche Bahn’s ICE trains, there’s all of the above, plus group booking in special compartments for strategy-planning sessions.

In its dedication to commerce, Deutsche Bahn also offers quiet zones for businesspeople who don’t want to be disturbed and is catching up with French Rail by opening a network of first-class lounges in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt and Cologne. Not to be outdone, Spain’s high-speed AVE (for Alta Velocidad Espana) network offers most of the above as well as leather seats in its Preferente class. And going one better than everybody, Italy’s privately-owned NTV even boasts a cinema in its end carriage.

And as the facilities are improving, so is the high-speed network expanding. French Rail’s TGV trains, for many years confined to their home country, are pushing beyond France’s borders. Its Lyria network into Switzerland runs on much-travelled business routes such as Paris-Zurich and Paris-Geneva, reducing travel time in the former to 4hrs 40m and to 3hrs 5m in the latter. TGV trains are also linking up with Italy, Germany and Belgium. Its shared Thalys network takes the trains into the Netherlands.

The high-speed network is growing within national borders too. Within France, the TGV runs north, south, east and west to the Mediterranean, Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Marseille and other provincial cities. Spain’s AVE now connects a host of cities on top of the main destinations of Madrid, Seville, Barcelona and Malaga. In Britain, Eurostar runs a schedule of up to 25 trains a day out of the magnificently refurbished St. Pancras station.

Competition is good for the business traveller in Italy too. The government-owned Trenitalia is opening high-speed runs through its heartland areas such as Milan-Florence-Rome-Naples while NTV (Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori), the first private operator allowed onto the Italian network, competes on the Naples-Milan run. The face of rail to come, NTV aims to offer routes to 12 Italian cities as well as to centres in Europe. NTV has also cut the travel time from Rome to Naples down to 68 minutes on a schedule of ten trips a day. It’s a move that must scare the living daylights out of Alitalia’s somnolent executives.

NTV also uses the latest, French-made Alstom AGV trains, which raises another point. High-speed trains such as the AGV (translating as automatic high speed) are the rail equivalent of supercars and jumping aboard one is both exciting and a privilege. With a maximum commercial speed of 360kph (220mph), this tilt-nosed monster holds the world record for high-speed rail. Made from aluminium and man-made carbon fibres, rather like F1 cars, it features among many other remarkable passenger-friendly technologies the ability to maintain the floor level almost constant, even between carriages. NTV has invested €650m in 25 of these sleek giants of the iron road and its passengers are the beneficiaries.

But will you make that appointment punctually? Almost certainly yes, because Europe’s high-speed network is accelerating because of technical improvements to the infrastructure. On the books are a series of high-speed links across the Pyrenees, joining up France and Spain, Helsinki and Berlin, Lyon and Budapest. From next year Austria’s Railjet network is slated to speed up to 230kph from the present 200kph. Although it’s still eight years away from opening day, a rail tunnel will link Klagenfurt and Graz with trains that, travelling at 250kph, will cut the journey from three hours to just one.

And in Britain, long the laggard in high-speed rail travel, upgrades to the much-used Great Western and East Coast main lines will push maximum velocities up to 225kph, not as fast as in Europe but technically classifiable as high speed. As they cut travel times, rail networks are rapidly turning into a serious threat to airlines. Indeed on some routes such as Paris-Brussels, London-Paris and Paris-Amsterdam infamous for red-eye, early-morning flights, many airlines have thrown in the towel.

“There’s never been a better time for business travellers to choose train not plane in terms of avoiding the hassle and time-wasting nature of modern flying,” explains Britain’s Mark Smith, founder of the website ‘The Man in Seat 61,’ a compulsory port of call for train enthusiasts and businesspeople alike. “Also, the high speed network is growing and the quality of the trains is improving.”

A widely accepted rule of thumb dictated that rail became a serious alternative to airlines only when the flight took less than three hours. Another guideline had it that rail was the better choice on all journeys of 650km (400m) or less. These assumptions are being rewritten because of security-dictated check-in delays at airports as well as the higher speeds of the rail network. About three and a half hours of every “flight” is now spent getting to the airport and lining up in queues. The issue of comfort aside, travel experts now believe rail travel could become viable when flights take five hours.

Courtesy of airguideonline, the aviation database, here’s a comparison of train and flying times between some major European centres, taking check-in and queuing times into account. However bear in mind that these are mere statistics and do not measure the quality of  time, a vital element for businesspeople. It’s also important to remember that flying times are not reducing while rail times are. Between Geneva and Paris, assuming the businessperson travels on the Lyria service, the times are pretty much exactly the same. Between Geneva and Milan, the plane is less than half an hour faster. Between Paris and Brussels, trains are nearly half an hour quicker. Meantime the time between London to Paris by Eurostar has fallen to two-and-a-quarter hours because of higher-speed infrastructure while even on longer routes such as London and Cologne, planes are only 1.5 hours faster.

But these statistics measure only chronological time. Assessed by the more meaningful yardstick of quality time, high-speed trains are runaway winners. According to airguideonline, on a typical three-hour journey from one city centre to another the rail-goer gets 2.5 hours of “undisturbed time” compared with just half an hour for the flyer.

Precise price comparisons between rail and air that take into account the equivalent level of comfort are impossible, given the vast range of offers. However it’s generally assumed that business-class flights cost a lot more than business-class rail. What’s certain is that, as rail companies get up to speed with online booking, prices are becoming more easily obtainable. Thus on an ICE train between London to Frankfurt, first-class with all the perks starts at €99. Lower prices are available by booking in advance, just as they are with low-cost airlines. For instance, an ICE trip between Hamburg and Landau, a distance of 380-mile journey, falls by over €40 to €79 if booked early.

Booking sites are becoming more user-friendly, such as Rail Europe. Tickets on sites of national networks are usually cheaper, but you have to know the language if they are not translated into your own, as is often the case. Several national networks such as Trenitalia and Spain’s Renfe have helpful sites, but most of them are only partly translated into English.

And, another drawback, if travelling across borders, passengers generally have to pick up the ticket they have booked within that country, generally from an electronic dispensing machine, once you’ve arrived from an outside point of departure. Some rail-goers are nervous of trying to prise their tickets from a machine with instructions in a foreign language.

As an historical aside, it’s a little-known fact that we’ve gone backwards in this area in the last 150 years. Between 1850 and 1990 – that is, before privatised rail became the fad, every national operator could sell tickets not only for itself, as you’d expect, but for every other national operator. They did so by using a simple, easily comparable kilometric tariff that gave a uniform price.

Often overlooked in the train versus plane debate is the overnight journey for people with business in different cities on succeeding days, although night trains are not of course high speed. Here the key point of comparison is the relative cost of a hotel room, which varies greatly from city to city. A simple bit of arithmetic helps though. Simply deduct the full cost of overnight rail including food and drink from the price of the air ticket and your hotel. Almost surreptitiously, the quality of cabins has improved greatly in recent years. For instance, Trenitalia’s ‘Notte’ single-berth overnighters are clean and comfortable, often with their own bathroom and shower.

If we look a few years ahead, high-speed rail will have an even brighter – and faster – future. Alstom, for example, is working on a train with a projected top speed of 400kph in both single and double-deck version. For some business travellers who aren’t in a tearing hurry to get to the next meeting, that may be too fast.