Sdcsdcsdc

Under pressure

MAY 2016 £3.95

How dehydration affects your flight

Watch special The year’s top new timepieces

Easy rider Taxi apps to try on your travels

Time out Dusseldorf, Johannesburg, New York

High design Asia’s finest new hotels

MAY 2016

8 I UPFRONT Airline and hotel news worldwide 14 I INBOX Your letters and online posts 18 I TRIED & TESTED Swiss B777-300ER business class; Malaysia Airlines A380 first class 22 I THE AIR WE BREATHE Why flying in a premium cabin means dryer air, and the effects of exposure to low humidity ON THE COVER: 28 I THE BIG 4-0 From Taipei to Chengdu, we round up 40 new hotels in Asia

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36 I HAIL THE REVOLUTION How on-demand taxi apps are changing the way we get around 42 I LOYALTY Reward and redemption news 44 I BOOM TOWN The rise of Gurgaon, India’s Millennium City 50 I A SMALL WORLD Can capsule hotels meet the needs of travellers in transit?

44

74 54 I NEWS 58 I WATCHES 64 I DUSSELDORF 68 I NEW YORK

58

70 I JO’BURG 74 I FLORIDA 79 I BUY AND FLY 82 I SNAPSHOT

businesstraveller.com

MAY 2016

4 I Check-in

A

s we were going to press, the news of another drone incident was making headlines. Following the“near misses” that we have reported with regularity on businesstraveller.com, it seems a drone – operated presumably by an enthusiast close to the airport – hit an inbound British Airways A320 landing from Geneva on a Sunday lunchtime.

Luckily, no one was injured, and the aircraft landed without significant damage being discovered.

Having written last month about the government’s lack of transport or infrastructure strategy, I don’t want to return to the same theme of the inadequacy of our regulatory authorities.

Let’s just say that, considering the security necessary to get on a flight these days, it seems strange that a terrorist could stand in a car park just outside the perimeter fence and fly a drone straight into the engine of a jet without having to go to the trouble of strapping on a suicide vest.

More likely is that someone with a drone simply wants to get some great footage with the attached camera and upload it toYouTube.

Doubtless when they cause the first fatalities and are caught, we’ll hear that they meant no harm. It won’t be much comfort to the relatives.

UK Civil Aviation Authority rules say that drones should not be flown higher than 400 feet – this strike occurred somewhere between 2,000 and 8,000 feet. Ones with cameras must not be flown within 160 feet of people, vehicles, buildings or crowds. So much for those rules.

If drones are going to continue to be legal, then action must be taken, starting with compulsory registration for owners. I have friends who belong to shooting clubs, but they had to accept the rules on gun ownership were changed for ever after the 1996 Dunblane massacre. Likewise, the government needs to act before there is a tragedy at one of our airports.

Tom Otley Editorial director

MAY 2016

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6 I Contributors

ANDREW EAMES is a journalist based in London, where he contributes to various national print media, as well as writes his own books. He started his career in South East Asia but these days has a particular watching brief for all things German, having married one.

In this issue he explores Dusseldorf’s flourishing art and cultural scene (page 64).

AKANKSHA MAKER is assistant editor of Business Traveller India. Her research on the country’s established and emerging business destinations took her this month to Gurgaon, southwest of Delhi. Not long ago a sparsely populated backwater, the “Millennium City” is now home to half of India’s Fortune 500 companies (page 44).

Johannesburg-based freelance writer CAROLINE HURRY enjoys the way her home city constantly reinvents itself.

Now host to an impressive art scene, great architecture, upmarket shopping and superb dining, as well as vast green spaces, diverse cultures and historical treasures, she reveals why it’s a fascinating place to spend a weekend (page 70).

SUBSCRIPTIONS tel +44 (0)844 477 0943 email jhalling@businesstraveller.com Annual subscriptions: Editorial director Tom Otley Save 5% on a two-year Managing editor Michelle Harbi subscription; 10% on a threeConsumer editor Alex McWhirter year subscription.

Features editor Jenny Southan High design United Kingdom and Art director Annie Harris Republic of Ireland: Contributors Timothy Barber, Mark One year, £42.95; two years, £81.60; Caswell, Rose Dykins, Andrew Eames, three years, £115.90.

Kate Gilchrist, Valerian Ho, Caroline Hurry, Continental Europe: Katie Krater, Akanksha Maker One year, £65.65; two years, £124.70; three years, £177.20.

Publisher Rania Apthorpe Middle East/Rest of World: Head of business development Jeremy Halley One year, £78.75; two years, £149.65; Head of travel Sarah Chu three years, £212.65.

Sales executive Jamie Smith Marketing executive Kirsty Clark Circulation manager Jamie Halling Perry Publications Managing director Julian Gregory 5th Floor, Warwick House Events manager Emma Gordon 25-27 Buckingham Palace Road London SW1W 0PP CONTACT tel +44 (0)20 7821 2700 Editorial tel +44 (0)20 7821 2700 businesstraveller.com Email editorial@businesstraveller.com twitter.com/btuk facebook.com/businesstraveller Advertising tel +44 (0)20 7821 2734 Email advertising@businesstraveller.com Under pressure

MAY 2016 £3.95

How dehydration a fects your flight

Watch special

The year’s op new timepieces

Easy rider

Taxi apps to ry on your travels

Time out

Dusseldorf Johannesburg New York

Asia’s finest new hotels

MAY 2016

TIMOTHY BARBER is

editor of QP, the UK’s leading magazine dedicated to the world of fine watchmaking. A regular writer for the Financial Times, Telegraph Magazine and Wired, among others, he has compiled this issue’s watch special, covering everything from retro timepieces to covetable collector’s items (page 58).

Business Traveller ® is published ten times a year at our address (below left). Business Traveller, the first title of its kind to be published in the UK, has the largest net sale of any magazine in its field in the UK and Europe. Audited average circulation, per issue, JanuaryDecember 2015: 66,260 copies. The magazine is entirely independent of all commercial interests within the travel industry. Unsolicited manuscripts will not be accepted for publication. The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers, who cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions.

Member Audit Bureau of Circulations In the US, Business Traveler is published at 11 Ryerson Place, 201 Pompton Plains, New Jersey 07444, tel 1 973 839 6200, fax 1 973 839 4390. In Germany, Business Traveller is published at Schulstrasse 34, 80634 Munich, tel 49 891 3014 3215, fax 49 891 3014 3211. In Poland, Business Traveller is published at 36 Swietokrzyska Str, 00 116 Warsaw, tel 48 22 455 3807, fax 48 22 455 3813. In Denmark, Business Traveller is published at Hjertingvej 8, DK 2720 Vanlose, Copenhagen, tel 45 3311 4413, fax 45 3311 4414. In Hungary, Business Traveller is published at 1074 Budapest, Munkas utca 9, tel 36 1266 5853. In Hong Kong, Business Traveller Asia-Pacific and China are published at Suite 405 4/F Chinachem Exchange Square, 1 Hoi Wan Street, Quarry Bay, tel 852 2594 9300, fax 852 2519 6846. In the Middle East, Business Traveller Middle East is published jointly by Motivate Publishing, PO Box 2331, Dubai UAE, tel 9714 282 4060, and Perry Publications. In Africa, Business Traveller Africa is published by Future Publishing (Pty) Ltd, PO Box 3355, Rivonia 2128, South Africa, tel 27 11 803 2040. In Russia, Business Traveller is published at Ul. M. Raskovoy, 34-14, 127005 Moscow, tel 7 495 662 44 39. In India, Business Traveller is published at 20 Vaswani Mansion, 120 Dinshaw Vachna Road, Churchgate, Mumbai 400020, tel 91 22 2281 5538. © 2016 Perry Publications Ltd – a subsidiary of Panacea Publishing International Ltd, United Kingdom, ISSN 0309-9334

businesstraveller.com

8 I Upfront

Mark Caswell compiles the latest news from businesstraveller.com

Airbus unveils its Airspace cabin AIRBUS’S NEW Airspace cabin is to debut on TAP Portugal’s A330neo aircraft in late 2017.

The cabin has been created around four themes – comfort, ambience, services and design. It will be“relaxing, inspiring, beautiful and functional”and offer a“flexible canvas as a backdrop to enhance the airlines’ own brands”, the manufacturer says.

There will be larger overhead bins, unobstructed under-seat space and LED ambient lighting. Washrooms will have“antibacterial surfaces, touchless flushing and taps, discreet aroma dispensers and soothing sounds”. airspace.airbus.com

Starwood to open three Cuban hotels

POLL

For more surveys visit businesstraveller.com/polls

Have the recent Paris and Brussels attacks made you less likely to visit on business?

YES MAY 2016

35%

NO

65%

ROBERT HARDING

STARWOOD HOTELS AND RESORTS has announced plans for three hotels in Havana, making it the first US hospitality company to operate in Cuba in almost 60 years.

Hotel Inglaterra will join its Luxury Collection, while Hotel Quinta will become the Four Points by Sheraton Quinta Avenida, both following refurbishment this year.

One of the oldest hotels in Cuba, the 83-room Hotel Inglaterra has a rooftop terrace overlooking Central Park. Hotel Quinta is in the Miramar district and will have 186 rooms.

The group also intends to take over the 27-room Hotel Santa Isabel on Plaza de Armas. Pending US Treasury approval, it will operate the property under the Luxury Collection. starwoodhotels.com

Virgin unveils Azuma trains VIRGIN TRAINS HAS REVEALED its forthcoming Azuma trains, which will launch on the East Coast line from 2018.

Japanese for “east”, the Azuma trains will increase capacity into King’s Cross by up to 28 per cent, with 65 trains providing an extra 12,200 seats.

The trains can accelerate more quickly than existing stock – about one minute faster to get to 125mph, the current top speed allowed on the line. Virgin East Coast says this will reduce London-Edinburgh journey times by “up to 22 minutes”.

The carriages will feature free, faster wifi, power sockets for every seat, more overhead luggage space and “some of the best legroom on the rail network”. virgintrains eastcoast.com businesstraveller.com

10 I Upfront

BRITISH AIRWAYS WILL LAUNCH a thriceweekly winter route from Gatwick to Cape Town on November 24. It will complement BA’s doubledaily Heathrow flights to the South African city.

The three-class B777 service will depart Gatwick on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 1800, arriving at 0750 the next day. The return leg will leave Cape Town on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 1910, landing at 0505 the next day.

In other news, BA is reducing its business class checked luggage allowance. Customers in Club World and Biz Bed (business class on its Openskies service) can currently check in three pieces each weighing up to 32kg. For flights booked from May 10 onwards this will be reduced to two pieces. The existing allowance will be honoured for bookings made before that date.

A third bag will cost £120 if pre-paid online, or up to £140 at the airport. ba.com

Dublin to build new runway DUBLIN AIRPORT HAS CONFIRMED it will build a second runway by 2020, resurrecting plans shelved nearly a decade ago.

It received planning permission in 2007, but the project was put on hold when Ireland’s financial crisis saw passenger numbers fall.

The recovery has seen the airport deliver its busiest year ever in 2015, with double-digit growth recorded in the first two months. Longhaul connectivity has grown by 65 per cent since Terminal 2 opened in 2010.

Construction will start next year on the 3.1km runway (strictly the airport’s third – it has a spare one that is not used for daily operations). It is expected to cost €320 million. dublinairport.com MAY 2016

NH Collection arrives in Amsterdam NH HOTEL GROUP HAS LAUNCHED its NH Collection brand in the Netherlands, with the refurbishment of three Amsterdam hotels.

The revamped five-star properties have been renamed NH Collection Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, Doelen and Barbizon Palace.

The 451-room Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky is located on Dam Square. The 80-room Doelen (pictured bottom) is housed in a 15th-century building on the banks of the Amstel River, while Barbizon Palace (pictured top) is opposite Amsterdam Central station and has 274 rooms.

NH Collection properties are “in iconic buildings in strategic locations”, and rooms have rainshowers and free wifi. The group has also refurbished the NH City Centre Amsterdam and NH Schiphol Airport; construction begins this year on the 650-room Nhow Amsterdam RAI. nh-hotels.com businesstraveller.com

ROBERT HARDING

BA adds GatwickCape Town route

Upfront I 11

AIRLINE NEWS

Pullman launches in Liverpool ACCOR HOTELS HAS OPENED its second UK Pullman property. The newbuild 216-room Pullman Liverpool is situated on the King’s Dock, next to the Echo Arena and Convention Centre.

Standard rooms have 40-inch TVs with free wifi and movies, while Deluxe and Executive rooms also have Nespresso machines and Bose docks.

The Executive floor has a lounge for 35 guests and direct access to the recently opened 8,100-sqm Exhibition Centre Liverpool, attached to the hotel.

The property also has two meeting rooms, a brasserie and a gym. pullmanhotels.com businesstraveller.com

QATAR AIRWAYS has started a second daily flight to New York’s JFK, on an A350. The airline’s existing service leaves from Terminal 8 but the new morning service uses Terminal 7, home to Oneworld’s BA, Cathay Pacific, Iberia and Qantas.

TIANJIN AIRLINES is to launch its first flights to the UK on June 25, with a twice-weekly A330 service. The airline will fly the Tianjin-ChongqingGatwick route, with flights departing China on Wednesday and Saturday at 0905, landing in London at 2025. The return leg will leave Gatwick at 2225, arriving in Tianjin at 2235 the next day.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC is to fly from Manchester to San Francisco and Boston next summer. The seasonal Californian route will run three times a week, with Boston twice-weekly, both with A330s.

FLYBE will launch a route from Cardiff to Berlin Tegel for winter. The twice-weekly service will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with flights departing Cardiff at 1020, arriving at 1320, and leaving Berlin at 1355, landing at 1505.

AIR EUROPA has received its first B787-8 Dreamliner, under an agreement with SMBC Aviation Capital. It has 274 economy seats in a 3-3-3 layout, with a pitch of 79cm, and 22 business class seats configured 2-2-2, 56cm wide and with a bed length of 203cm.

AIR CANADA is launching wifi connectivity on its international services. The carrier will fit Gogo 2Ku satellite technology on its wide-body fleet from autumn, starting with its B777s. Wifi is already on the airline’s narrow-body fleet in North America.

EMIRATES has placed a new order for two A380s. The two-class aircraft will arrive in the fourth quarter of 2017. This takes the carrier’s total orders for the superjumbo to 142. It currently has 75 superjumbos, with 65 still to be delivered.

VIETNAM AIRLINES is to offer a daily HeathrowVietnam service from June 23 with a Thursday service to Hanoi. The extra frequency means the Skyteam carrier will have three flights per week to Ho Chi Minh City and four to Hanoi.

BRITISH AIRWAYS’ app now allows multiple boarding passes to be viewed for one flight.

A single passenger can “hold” passes for up to eight people under the same booking. It is currently available for departures from Aberdeen, Amsterdam, Basel, Belfast, Dublin, Dusseldorf, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Geneva, Glasgow, Heathrow, Jersey, Leeds, London City, Manchester, Vienna and Zurich, with more to come.

AUSTRIAN AIRLINES is dropping its ViennaTokyo route from September 4.

MAY 2016

12 I Upfront

Emirates to add its tenth daily London service FROM OCTOBER 1, EMIRATES will fly ten times a day between Dubai and London.

The new B777-300ER flight to Gatwick will be the fourth daily service to the Sussex airport and the tenth in total to the capital. EK023 will depart Dubai at 0950, landing at 1430, while EK024 will leave Gatwick at 1650, arriving at 0240 the following day.

Emirates recently launched its sixth daily frequency to Heathrow using a B777300ER, which it plans to upgrade to an A380 next month. emirates.com

Alaska Air to merge with Virgin America ALASKA AIR – parent company of Alaska Airlines – has confirmed its intention to buy Virgin America. The merged company will be headquartered at Alaska Air’s Seattle base.

It’s not yet clear what will happen to the Virgin America brand. Alaska Air said it would “explore with the Virgin Group how the Virgin America brand could continue to serve a role in driving customer acquisition and loyalty”. The carriers’loyalty schemes will combine, with Virgin America Elevate members being welcomed into Alaska Air’s Mileage Plan.

Alaska Air says the deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, will enable it to expand its California presence, and“strengthen the company as a competitor to the four largest US airlines”. alaskaair.com, virginamerica.com

COMPETITION

Win

HONG KONG HOTEL STAY This month we’re giving away three stays at the Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong, including a top prize of a four-night stay in a Duplex suite with daily massage treatments. For more information, and to enter, visit businesstraveller.com/competitions

MAY 2016

HOTEL NEWS RITZ-CARLTON has made its Budapest debut.

The 200-room hotel is housed in a building dating back to 1914, located on Elizabeth Square overlooking St Stephen’s Basilica. It has a restaurant offering Hungarian-inspired dishes, a ballroom and a spa and fitness centre with an indoor pool.

HILTON WORLDWIDE has opened its first Indian Conrad property in Pune. Situated close to Pune’s commercial hub in Koregaon Park, the 310-room property has six dining outlets and a spa. A Conrad hotel has also been announced for Doha, to arrive in 2019.

In addition, the group has launched the new 173-room Hilton Garden Inn Vienna South, which is located near Business Park Vienna, to the south-west of the Austrian capital.

RADISSON BLU has launched a property in Abidjan, the economic capital of Ivory Coast.

The 261-room hotel is next to Port Bouet airport and has an all-day restaurant, a lobby café and a lounge bar and terrace.

STARWOOD has completed an US$11 million guestroom renovation at the Liberty, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Boston. Suites now feature herringbone wall coverings, hardwood floors, and separate showers and baths.

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL has revealed the latest property under its Moxy lifestyle brand.

The Moxy Munich Airport is five minutes from the airport by bus and has 252 rooms with “floor-to-ceiling art” and power showers.

INDIA’S ITC HOTELS has renewed its partnership with Starwood. The agreement covers 12 existing hotels (including one Sheraton property) and three forthcoming ITC Luxury Collection hotels – the ITC Kohinoor in Hyderabad, ITC Narmada in Ahmedabad and ITC Royal Bengal in Kolkata – to be built in the next four years.

HYATT has announced plans for a 300-room Andaz property in Vienna, to begin operating in 2019. The Andaz Am Belvedere Vienna will be next to the Belvedere Palace and have a spa and a 16th-floor rooftop bar. The group is also opening a new Hyatt Place property close to Frankfurt airport in 2018.

ACCORHOTELS has acquired London-based luxury serviced homes provider Onefinestay for £117 million, with a further commitment of £50 million to “help the company scale internationally”. Onefinestay has a portfolio of 2,600 properties in locations including London, New York, Paris, LA and Rome. businesstraveller.com

www.koreanair.com

Where dreams are made Korean Air A380 Everything you’ve ever wanted in an airline and more.

Our entertainment, delicious cuisine and attentive service will impress the most discerning passenger. Making your experience perfect is our commitment to you. *Disclaimer Korean Air reserves the right to substitute aircraft, product variant does not form part of any contract.

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14 I Inbox

Tell us about your travels at talktous@businesstraveller.com

Star letter MOVED TO ANGER

BRITISH AIRWAYS REPLIES:

One of the benefits of having a British Airways gold card is the supposed ability to pre-book seats on the plane ahead of check-in. I travelled with the airline from Geneva to London on March 4 and later on March 18. I booked the emergency exit, seat 10A, on both journeys – well in advance – and when I turned up at the airport, I was still booked in this seat.

On the first flight, when it was time to board, I was asked to stand to one side while they issued a new boarding pass – it turned out I was moved to seat 16A, which was not by an emergency exit. When I asked, I was told it was “London who has moved you”. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the reason why I was moved was so that an off-duty captain could sit in that seat.

A similar issue happened where I was moved to seat 16F two weeks later – a couple sat in my pre-booked seat (and the one next to it). This time, I was told it was due to a different aircraft configuration, which was not true since the plane was the same as the one I had booked my seat on.

I wonder what BA is playing at and why it treats customers in this way? The seats were booked using Avios and I have a feeling BA treats these bookings as inferior and, therefore, moves people to less desirable seats.

This, for me, is another reason to stop travelling BA following the host of changes to lounge catering, use of Avios, lack of long-haul Avios seats, etc, which means travelling BA is now a rather unpleasant experience. Phil Berry, Geneva

We fulfil advance seat requests from many thousands of Executive Club members every day and we recognise how much the service is valued. We always do our best to provide customers with the seats they selected and are sorry that we were not able to do so for this customer.

This month’s Star Letter winner will receive a pass for ten visits of up to three hours at Plaza Premium Lounge in elected locations. For your chance to win the Star Letter, email us at talktous@businesstraveller.com and include your ull postal address and daytime telephone number. We reserve the right to edit letters.

SHORT-CHANGED On February 10, I arrived at the Park Plaza Sukhumvit hotel in Bangkok at 9.40pm, having previously informed the hotel I would be checking in between 9pm and 10pm.

However, the front desk managers met me with a string of excuses as to why I couldn’t check in. They told me the air conditioning and water supply in my room was not working and could not be fixed that evening, so they would have to transfer me to another hotel – the Galleria 10. Another couple from Beijing, who had a sick child with them, were told the same.

The attitude of the staff was rude, with a“take-it-or-leave-it”mentality. I said I wanted to see the room before agreeing to the transfer, but they said it was messy and suggested I go for a complimentary meal in the hotel while they got it ready.

After the meal (around midnight), we were very tired and simply decided to go to the other hotel. However the alternative room was not on a par with the one we had booked and paid for. I received no apology from the hotel.

I have since written a review on Tripadvisor and the general manager replied saying that their hotel was overbooked. Normally I wouldn’t be asking for compensation; however, I feel I am the loser in this situation because I wasted three hours, paid the original full amount for a two-night booking and got a lousy room in a cheaper hotel.

I don’t believe the Park Plaza Sukhumvit should bump people for monetary gain and I think it should always honour a booking contract. Tan Teck Eng, Singapore MAY 2016

PARK PLAZA SUKHUMVIT REPLIES: We apologise for the inconvenience and we are sorry for the frustration felt

by Mr Tan. We have reached out to Mr Tan and offered him a complimentary stay at our hotel. He has accepted and we look forward to welcoming him back to the Park Plaza Sukhumvit.

businesstraveller.com

Inbox I 15

THE EXTRA MILE With so many opportunities for business travel to go wrong and complaints to arise, sometimes we ought to shout from the rooftops when we receive stunning service. Travelling back to London from a conference in Dubai, I was with a friend who was returning to Dublin. We both had access to lounges but could not enter the same one. With a couple of hours to burn, the pub seemed the best option but it was very smoky. I suggested that I grab a couple of beers from the British Airways lounge to enjoy in the public concourse.

We walked the entire length of the concourse and back, yet managed to overlook the BA lounge. Eventually, I asked an employee. It was a long walk away and my disappointment was written all over my face. However, the employee immediately offered us both a lift in his vehicle, took us to the lounge, waited as I popped in and out, and then drove us back to our gates.

All of this with a smile on his face. I don’t recall ever receiving service like this before. Well done to Dubai for the most incredible staff.

Stephen Ornadel, London

CATHAY PACIFIC REPLIES:

On January 24, my wife and I flew with Cathay Pacific from Jakarta to Hong Kong, then from Hong Kong to Beijing. The first sector was good, with a smooth check-in and friendly staff.

On the second leg, the flight was delayed. When we asked how long the delay was, Cathay staff were was uncertain. At first we were told two hours, then three hours. In the end, our flight, which should have departed at 1700, ended up leaving the gate at 2115, causing us to miss our arrival pick-up, dinner appointment and rest time in Beijing.

For this inconvenience, Cathay gave us a voucher for HK$75 (£8.50), which wasn’t even enough for a proper dinner at Hong Kong International airport.

We weren’t given the option to reschedule, either.

I know that during our time waiting at the airport there were other flights to Beijing, but the airline staff wouldn’t let us change our flight. I hope that Cathay Pacific improves its customer service, especially in Hong Kong, and takes proper care of customers affected by operational problems.

Andre Tjongoro, Indonesia

We would like to thank Mr Tjongoro for taking the time to share his feedback with us. Due to operational reasons, the departure of CX312 from Hong Kong on January 24 was delayed. Unfortunately our ground staff could not rebook Mr Tjongoro on another flight because it was full.

We are sorry to learn about his unhappy experience. It is our general procedure to offer meal vouchers to delayed passengers under such circumstances. We have been in touch with him to follow up directly and, once again, offer our sincere apologies.

businesstraveller.com

V

LEFT HUNGRY

MAY 2016

16 I Inbox

Posts from our online forum businesstraveller.com/discussion

POST rferguson DATE April 8, 16:12

BA WANTS CHINA ALLIANCE

MarcusGB April 8, 22:24

I think Skyteam has more than five Chinese airline partners already [editor’s note: it has four]. It also has a large customer base and a great reputation, which BA will find hard to match.

It seems BA is making progress in its aim to get a better presence in China. It seems set to announce an alliance with China Southern or China Eastern, with talks now at a formal stage. Given both airlines are already in a competing mega-alliance [Skyteam], it’s hard to say how far working together would go.

But cross-alliance joint-service agreements are becoming more common – for example, Star Alliance’s Air New Zealand with Oneworld’s Cathay Pacific, and Oneworld’s Qantas with China Eastern.

CXDiamond April 9, 09:24

I know how fickle the Chinese market is; to win, BA will have to pull rabbits out of hats and accept that it has come to the table late. Any deal will be far more favourable to the Chinese than BA, so I wouldn’t expect anything too great in the foreseeable future.

stevescoots April 11, 07:49

Chinese travellers can get a Schengen visa, fly KLM into Amsterdam then start to travel on foot. Why would they fly via Heathrow for the same or a more expensive price? The key to BA’s success in Asia will be whether Chinese passport holders can get visas as easily as they can get a Schengen visa.

sparkyflyer April 11, 08:30

amc1234 April 11, 09:54

POST MrDarwin DATE April 5, 20:20

MAY 2016

I suspect BA will try to codeshare with China Eastern – the cynic in me is saying this is because it would remove some competition on the Shanghai route. China Eastern has a massive intra-China network, and big hubs, including one at Chengdu.

AllOverTheGaff April 5, 21:22

JohnGlover7 April 6, 01:47

The Sheraton Resort and Hotel has its own private beach and overlooks Ipanema. It has a shuttle that connects with the beaches and the town centre and is very convenient.

Alexthegreat April 6, 07:56

I have to disagree about the Sheraton, it’s too far. There is one other hotel that has direct access to the beach and that’s the Arpoador Inn – nothing too fancy (three-star) but in a great location, with direct access to Arpoador Beach and easy access to Copacabana and Ipanema. If you stay here, take an Ocean View room.

POST Uranium235 DATE April 1, 08:44

SEATBELT SIGN… AGAIN

Alex_Fly April 1, 09:26

I couldn’t agree with you more. I was on a BA flight, taxiing to the gate at T5, but then came to a halt to wait for another aircraft to leave. Without exaggeration, 70 per cent of passengers stood and opened the bins as the captain explained what was happening.

The crew told everyone to sit, which was universally ignored. We started to move towards the gate and people continued to collect their things.

ZKSmith April 1, 11:31

I once had an incident at Los Angeles where the aircraft stopped and engines shut down.

We were then towed to the gate. The tug driver seemed to floor it, and we moved off quite abruptly. There was an odd satisfaction in watching a passenger who’d been a nuisance for much of the flight fall over as he’d stood up before the signs were switched off.

I am always a little perplexed when people criticise an airline like BA on its China strategy, comparing it with KLM, which has a big footprint in China because it has a sixrunway hub with plenty of capacity. BA has a slot-constrained airport and focuses on routes that can maximise profit.

RIO TRAVEL ADVICE I have a trip coming up soon that will be a first for me – Rio de Janeiro. I was wondering whether anyone regularly travels to Rio and could offer some advice? Any recommendations on where to stay?

Hotel Miramar is excellent – the rooftop pool is one of my favourite places in the world. The Copacabana Palace is very nice too, but a little more stuffy and not really what Rio is all about (in my opinion). Sugar Loaf mountain at sunset is spectacular. Don’t believe the “danger” stuff, I haven‘t seen any drama at all, just be sensible – no flash watches or jewellery, don’t take a wallet out with you, just one card and a smattering of cash. Don’t eat in Copacabana unless you have to – the restaurants aren’t good. Caipirinhas – drink many of them.

My recent arrival home reminded me once again of the most annoying trait of fellow passengers: getting up as soon as the plane comes to a stop. I think the worst aspects are that they clearly disobey the crew’s request to wait for the seatbelt sign to turn off and it penalises the other passengers who do the right thing because we can’t get up without dodging the overhead bins.

businesstraveller.com

COME FOR THE MEETING.

STAY FOR EVERYTHING ELSE. Always get the lowest price only when you book direct.

For bookings, please email sales@hiltonbankside.co.uk or call 0203 667 5600.

HILTON LONDON BANKSIDE 2-8 Great Suffolk Street London, SE1 0UG t: +44 (0) 203 667 5600 w: londonbankside.hilton.com e: sales@hiltonbankside.co.uk

18 I Tried & Tested Flight

Swiss B777-300ER business class Zurich-Hong Kong

BACKGROUND This is one of nine new B777300ERs joining the Swiss fleet; at the time of writing, two had arrived, with the rest due by 2018. Each has 340 seats – eight first class, 62 business and 270 economy. As they are introduced, Swiss will withdraw its A340s. Hong Kong, Bangkok, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sao Paulo and Tel Aviv will receive B777 services, although the aircraft are currently on rotation, and my return from Hong Kong was on an A340.

BOARDING I was transferring from a Heathrow flight, which was delayed by 35 minutes, and since my total transfer time was about one hour and 20 minutes, I was concerned it might be tight for either me or my luggage to make the connection. I needn’t have worried. The flight arrived at Zurich airport’s Dock D, from which the onward flight to Hong Kong (LX138, departing at 2245) was also leaving, so I simply walked across the concourse and joined the queue to board. (Normally it departs from Dock E.)

MAY 2016

THE SEAT Business class is across two cabins – with two rows in one cabin and a larger section running from row six (only two seats in this row, in the centre) to 17, omitting row 13. Seats are in a fiveacross configuration and are staggered so that they are alternately either on the aisle or set back from it behind the side table. This is so they can recline flat; your feet then disappear into a compartment in the side table area of the seat in front. In effect, it is either 1-2-2 or 2-2-1 – so from row seven, the configuration is A, D-G, J-K, then A-B, D-G, K, and so on.

The controls are at the side, with various presets; lift a flap and you will find further buttons for the lumbar cushion and massage function, as well as the handheld IFE controller, which has a screen allowing you to watch a different programme from the main monitor. The seat reclines into a twometre-long, fully-flat bed with a touch of one of the pre-sets, although I found that these buttons could be accidentally activated if you put your elbow down a little forward of the armrest.

The tray table comes out from the perforated wooden divide between the two seats. It’s one solution to the problem of where to put it, but both ejecting it and stowing it is a noisy operation. There are a few storage places, although most of these can’t be used during take-off or landing. There is a small compartment beneath the screen, good for glasses, or a phone, although there’s no charging capability.

There’s also a small foot locker in the side. The main area is between the seats (if you have one of the middle ones) or the side area, where there are two compartments for stowing items – I kept my phone charging on USB here while I worked on my laptop.

The tray table was suitably firm for doing so.

A D G K

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4 5

ABC DEFG HJK 22

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Tried & Tested Flight I 19

At the seat was an amenity bag with the usual essentials. There is a 16-inch touchscreen for the Panasonic IFE, and noise-cancelling headphones.

There is also onboard wifi. I chose a 50MB package (Sfr19/£14), which I used up in about 30 minutes.

WHICH SEAT TO CHOOSE? I’d avoid row six, with its two seats in the centre, and row seven, since they are close to the galley in front, where the service comes from. Personally I’d also avoid the seats that are close to the aisles. For window seats, you have a choice of being in a pair or a single. I was in one of the centre seats (14D), but because I was set back from the aisle, did not feel it was a problem. Row 11 does not have a window next to it.

THE FLIGHT My jacket was hung on a hanger waiting at the seat, and champagne (Duval Leroy Brut) was offered. Hot towels and menus were then passed around. We took off on time and seatbelts signs were switched off promptly – then about 45 minutes in, the captain came on the tannoy, which was extremely loud, to tell us about the flight. It was a bit of a shock to the passengers on either side of me, who had already reclined their seats to go to sleep for the night.

This was the inaugural flight to Hong Kong and while the service was very friendly, the attendants were still getting used to the aircraft, so it was slow.

One dining option was“Dine and recline”, which was a starter, soup, salad, cheese and dessert served together,“promptly after take-off allowing you more to time to sleep, work or simply relax and enjoy your flight”, but I could see some passengers were waiting nearly an hour for this. As luck would have

it, I had the same crew coming back a few days later on an A340-300, which they were familiar with, and they were much quicker.

The food was delicious and an excellent example of how the airline has stayed close to its roots despite being part of the Lufthansa Group. Some 70 per cent of the onboard products are Swiss, including Quollfrisch beer, Ramseier juices, cheeses, chocolate and selected wines. The cuisine is changed every quarter and this time was from Basel-Landschaft region, with some courses designed by the owners of the Michelin-starred Restaurant Schlussel in Oberwil. I had the smoked trout and chard, and the beef tenderloin with morel jus, saffron mashed potato and sugar snap peas. Other main courses were grilled John Dory with tomato cream sauce and Mediterranean vegetable tartlet with feta. Wines included Melacce 2014, Castello Collemassari, Montecucco, Tuscany; and Château Les Trois Manoirs 2011, Cru Bourgeois, Medoc, Bordeaux.

After working for a while, I reclined the seat and went to sleep. The bed is comfortable, although your legs are in quite a tight space when it is fully reclined and you can’t bend them without lying on your side.

There is just about enough room at the shoulders but it can feel a little tight, partly because the walls of the seat and the armrests have no cushioning.

About 90 minutes before landing, the lights came back on and we were offered a good range of breakfast options, mostly continental, plus the Chinese hot offering of congee.

The food was delicious and an excellent example of how the airline has stayed close to its roots despite being part of the Lufthansa Group

ARRIVAL We arrived early and were greeted by the fire brigade spraying water over the aircraft, which is a tradition for new planes. Tom Otley

VERDICT This is an excellent business class seat on a brand new aircraft, and will be hotly anticipated by Swiss flyers. Anyone using Zurich as a hub with access to the lounges is also in for a treat.

Once the crew have grown used to the aircraft, I’m sure it will be up there among the best business classes.

DEPARTURE TIME

BED LENGTH

2245

79in/201cm

JOURNEY TIME

PRICE Internet rates

11hrs 30mins

1-2-2/2-2-1

for a return business class flight from London to Hong Kong via Zurich in June ranged between £5,063 and £6,963, depending on flexibility.

SEAT WIDTH

CONTACT

20.5in/52.1cm

swiss.com

AIRCRAFT TYPE B777-300ER

CONFIGURATION

SEAT RECLINE 180 degrees businesstraveller.com

MAY 2016

20 I Tried & Tested Flight

Malaysia Airlines A380 first class London-Kuala Lumpur CHECK-IN I arrived at Heathrow T4 at 0845 for my 1050 departure. Malaysia Airlines does not offer a chauffeur-drive service at Heathrow for first class passengers. I completed check-in quickly at the dedicated desk and used fast-track security.

THE LOUNGE The airline’s lounge was not far from Gate 6, where the flight was departing, and I accessed it via a lift. The business and first class sections were separated by a glass door. The first class lounge looked opulent, with its white and gold colour theme, and there was a good range of European and Asian dishes on offer, although I thought it could have had more staff to make it a truly luxurious experience.

BOARDING I headed to the gate at 1025. First and business class passengers had their own airbridge.

I was on board quickly, greeted by friendly staff and offered juice but not champagne, since I was told the bar only opened once the aircraft was airborne.

THE SEAT First class is located at the front of the main deck (see seatplan, right) and comprises eight seats in a 1-2-1 layout. I was in window seat 1A, which faces a companion seat, with a 23-inch TV screen above it. There is storage space beneath, although this must be left clear for take-off and landing. At the side was a small wardrobe with hangers and an amenity bag with Bulgari toiletries,

pyjamas, socks and an eye mask. There was a menu under the central tray table. Upholstered in maroon fabric with a red and grey surround, the seat was wide and comfortable and, while not fully enclosed, felt private and spacious. A power socket and entertainment controls were under a shelf to the left, which were hard to use as I couldn’t see them. There were three pre-set seat positions and a footrest.

MAIN DECK

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WHICH SEAT TO CHOOSE? I preferred the window seats as they give you more privacy.

THE FLIGHT We pushed back on time and took off at 1105. Noise-cancelling headphones were given out and a drinks service began – the champagne was Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2005. I ordered caviar and smoked salmon with blinis and melba toast. The main meal could be served at a time of my choice, and breakfast was ordered in advance (this was to be served two and a half hours before landing unless one doesn’t want to be disturbed). From the main menu, I had the Malaysian chicken satay, and for breakfast the nasi lemak (a Malay rice dish), possibly the best I’ve had on a flight.

After watching a film, I reclined fully-flat, opened my blanket and slept. I am five-foot five so there was lots of room, but even someone taller would have found the seat spacious enough for a good night’s rest. The bed cover was very comfortable and there were silk pillowcases. I only woke because of turbulence. Crew were quiet during the night.

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MAY 2016

VERDICT Malaysian Airlines

DEPARTURE TIME

SEAT RECLINE

is working hard to offer a goodquality product, as expected from an Asian airline. I found the flight extremely pleasant. The food was excellent and the crew were attentive and polite. The in-flight entertainment could do with a wider selection of new films but the experience was comfortable and tranquil. Going straight to a presentation, I was pleased to feel fresh and alert on arrival.

1050

180 degrees

JOURNEY TIME

BED LENGTH

13hrs 30mins

87in/221cm

AIRCRAFT TYPE

PRICE Internet rates for a return first class flight from London to Kuala Lumpur in June ranged between £3,862 and £9,232.

CONFIGURATION 1-2-1

SEAT WIDTH 26.1in/66cm; 40in/ 102cm when reclined

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ARRIVAL We landed at 0735 local time and disembarked quickly. There was a five-minute walk to a shuttle transfer, which took me to immigration and baggage reclaim. Immigration was fast and it did not take long to retrieve my case. Rania Apthorpe

A380

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CONTACT malaysiaairlines.com

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22 I Cabin air

Cabin air I 23

The air we breathe We’ve all felt the effects of dry conditions on board – but can anything can be done about it? Tom Otley reports

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Low humidity may cause skin dryness and discomfort to the eyes, mouth and nose but presents no risk to health.”

The organisation adds: “The available evidence has not shown low humidity to cause internal dehydration and there is no need to drink more than usual.”

It advises that we should use skin moisturising lotion, a saline nasal spray and spectacles rather than contact lenses to reduce discomfort.

Cabin air is greatly lacking in H2O, although this does not mean that you become internally dehydrated It is this sense of dryness in our nose and throat – or, to be more accurate, the mucous membranes of the nose and respiratory tract – that makes us think that we are dehydrated even if we are not. Since those membranes are one of the body’s first defences against airborne bacteria, many of us believe we are more likely to become ill after long-haul flights, particularly if the passenger next to us is coughing and sneezing.

Professor John Oxford is a leading virologist and chairman of the Hygiene Council. While he does not believe that low humidity makes it more likely for us to catch a virus, he does point out that one of the principal ways of avoiding what the person next to you has is “social distancing”. In other words, give yourself some room. Good luck with arguing that as a reason for upgrading your travel policy with the expenses department.

FIRST IS WORST Although dry air might not cause harm, it does contribute to discomfort. As you’d expect, the humidity levels on an aircraft differ from cabin to cabin and depend on the duration of the flight. On long-haul flights, I have measured humidity levels and found them to be 10 per cent on average. Variations occur because of the number of people exhaling, so the more people there are, the more moisture there is in the air.

It follows that where passengers are most densely packed – otherwise known as economy – levels might be as high as 20 per cent, which is still lower than on the ground, but manageable. In first class, however, it can be as little as 5 per cent, even if the cabin is full.

MAY 2016

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s a frequent flyer, you know that the air on an aircraft is dryer than on the ground. Depending on where in the world you live, the humidity level is likely to be somewhere between 40 and 50 per cent – on an aircraft, it might be as low as 5 or 10 per cent.

The advent of air conditioning means we can live comfortably in places we previously wouldn’t have considered, using a humidifier alongside it if the climate is dry as well as hot. But when we’re travelling, it’s more complicated.

Most modern aircraft take in air from outside via the engines and, although this is filtered, warmed and purified before being piped in, it is still extremely dry, since air at high altitude has a low moisture content. The result is that the cabin air is greatly lacking in H2O. Contrary to popular belief, this does not mean that you become internally dehydrated in the same way as you would if exercising in a hot climate, through perspiration and expiration – although you may feel that you are, meaning you will have a dry mouth and dry skin. The World Health Organisation says: “The humidity in aircraft cabins is low, usually less than 20 per cent (in the home it’s normally over 30 per cent).

24 I Cabin air

The same applies to business class, although it depends on the cabin’s size and configuration and how many seats are full. As business seats have moved towards being fully flat, cabins have become more lightly populated, making the problem worse. In addition, flight duration has increased with aircraft able to perform longer sectors. So while premium flyers may be reducing their chances of getting deep-vein thrombosis because they have more room to move around, they may be suffering from the effects of drier air.

Where passengers are densely packed, humidity might be 20 per cent; in first class it can be 5 per cent

ISTOCK

GENERATION GAP Do new-generation aircraft solve the problem? It’s true that the likes of Boeing’s B787 and Airbus’s A350 offer slightly higher levels of air moisture. Having flown long-haul on both, including a Dreamliner delivery flight from Seattle to Doha with only 50 people on board, I’d say that they do leave you feeling less exhausted, although this may be as much to do with mood lighting, reduced noise levels and increased pressurisation. (See page 26 for more on Boeing’s innovations.)

It remains the case that most aircraft are not next-generation, and while the new planes have improved the situation, they have not solved the problem. Still, one company says it has a product that can: Swedish environmental equipment supplier CTT Systems and its Cair humidification system. There’s a complication, however. Before you can humidify the air, you also have to be able to control the humidity and condensation in the cabin, and for that you need “zonal-drying”equipment. On the face of it, this may seem strange – to increase the moisture levels, you first have to dry the atmosphere out – but aircraft are extremely controlled environments, and every action causes a reaction.

Luckily, eliminating unwanted condensation has other benefits, and not MAY 2016

Easyjet has run a long-term trial with CTT’s zonal drying equipment to measure how much weight is saved using the system, and how much fuel can be saved as a consequence. It has found that as well as reducing weight and fuel costs, it also cuts maintenance spend owing to fewer moisture-related faults and corrosion, and less frequent replacement of insulation blankets. Of course, whether it is fitted by an airline in part depends on the price of fuel (since that is a factor in recovering the cost of installing the system, and flying its extra weight around).

For long-haul, the Cair system has been installed in cockpits and crew rest areas, as well as on business and private jets, but for commercial scheduled aircraft only Lufthansa has fitted it, in its A380 first class. In part, this is because it is a feature that is difficult for a passenger to identify as a noticeable benefit. Put a vintage champagne on the menu or offer a chauffeur-driven car to the aircraft, and it’s clear that money has been spent, but a system that humidifies the air is unlikely to register with many travellers.

GOOD TASTE

just for long-haul aircraft. Any system that acts to reduce the condensation forming above cabin ceilings and in walls – water that is then absorbed by the noise- and thermal-insulation bags in the fuselage – will also reduce the aircraft’s weight. And as airlines try to fit more passengers in, the potential problem of condensation becomes greater – particularly if operating through the winter where the plane gets cold when doors are open, and then warms up during the flight.

Ironically, the humidifier system may help travellers to appreciate that glass of vintage champagne in a way they couldn’t previously hope to. Lufthansa says that the system raises the humidity in first class from 5 per cent to about 15-25 per cent, and that“food tastes better, passengers sleep better and there is a greater sense of well-being”.

The fact that the taste of food is enhanced may well be something we notice, although it could be argued that in the rest of the aircraft the less responsive you are to the taste of airline food, the more edible it is likely to be.

Still, since airlines recognise that a key differentiator of their products is the quality of the food and wine served, as businesstraveller.com

Cabin air I 25

witnessed by the success of Business Traveller’s Cellars in the Sky wine awards (visit businesstraveller.com/cellars-2015 for the winners), the dryness of the air poses a notable challenge.

In 2011, British Airways created a flavour-boosting umami-rich“height cuisine”menu to try to overcome it.Yet if the cabin had normal humidity, we’d be able to appreciate the dining properly.

It should also be pointed out that research in this area is still being conducted. Boeing says that a study it carried out with the Technical University of Denmark in 2005 showed that humidity was not the only factor driving the symptoms associated with dryness, including throat and eye irritation, headaches and occasional dizziness.

In fact, the most effective technology in minimising such symptoms was found to be the air filtration systems, and modern aircraft have very effective ones, much better than in offices, for instance.

In other words, you are more likely to catch a cold from a fellow worker than a neighbouring passenger.

CABIN FEVER

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Still, can dry air on board affect our natural defences? The Hygiene Council’s John Oxford points out that in humid countries around the equator the flu virus is always present, yet there’s no evidence that people who live there are better at fighting flu just because of the moisture in the air. Likewise, although it is true that the flu virus moves between the northern and southern hemispheres in winter, we catch it not because of humidity but because we spend more time indoors so are closer to infected people.“You are far more likely to catch something in the taxi to the airport, which has no effective air purification in place,”he says.

He adds that a prime reason for people to fall ill after a flight may not be

26 I Cabin air

anything in the air, but the “faecal-oral route”. This is people who don’t wash their hands after leaving the toilet, then leave traces of their faeces on the door handle and everywhere else they touch.

In such circumstances, if you then touch the handle on your way out (having washed your hands) but then eat a bread roll, you are more likely to fall ill.

The quality of air will be irrelevant.

Still, if sitting in a dry atmosphere is not good for us, what can we do about it? Well, the WHO advice is probably worth looking at – a mixture of moisturiser for our skin, a spray for our noses – although note that some research says regular use of the latter can cause problems, and certainly Oxford THE NEW-GENERATION GAME When Boeing launched the B787, it called it the Dreamliner. While this was partly marketing, it was also a reflection of what it hoped the aircraft would represent for flyers based on the research it had conducted over many years.

As was explained to me at the manufacturer’s factory in Seattle in 2009, Boeing knew that regular flyers preferred some aircraft to others for lots of reasons – namely comfort, on-board technology and perceived safety. So the trick was to find out the sort of things that flyers valued, and then design an aircraft that could supply them.

The humidifier syystem may help travelleers to appreciate a glasss of vintage champaggne in a way they couuldn’t previously hope to t sees no reason for nasal sprays and doesn’t use them himself.

This is probably advicee worth bearing in mind, coming from someone who, as well as being so senior in h his fi field, hasn’t ld h ’ had flu for 30 years. Instead, wash your hands, take hand gel with you when you travel and if you see someone coughing and sneezing, try to keep your distance as much as possible. Q MAY 2016

Kent Craver, regional director of passenger satisfaction and revenue marketing at Boeing at the time, told me: “The irony was that when we held focus groups of passengers, we found out that most people did not look forward to the flying experience. As a company, that was an acute challenge – imagine making something that your customers did not enjoy using.”

From that came a desire to help passengers rediscover their love of flying, so windows were made 30 per cent bigger than those on the

B777 – allowing people to see much more, which begins the process of reconnecting them to the physical act of flying, as well as enabling those in the centre of the aircraft to see the horizon.

There was also a reduction in cabin ca altitude. On all commercial aircraft, a ga balance is struck between offering g breathable atmosphere (something that most travellers would say is quite important), and not over-pressurising h is the plane (lowering altitude), which ge. expensive and stresses the fuselag de For decades, the average altitud as on board ha been kept at 8,000 feet. ch at After researc ate Oklahoma Sta ng University, Boein e lowfound that most of the kness, level effects of altitude sick such as headaches, nausea and fatigue, ce, the dissipated below 6,000 feet. Henc aircraft is now pressured to 6,000 feet, ucture something that the composite stru allows. When combined with the slightly s higher humidity it also allows for, Boeing B thinks travellers will see the benefitts.

The first customer for the B787 was aft has ANA in 2011. Since then, the aircra odels, been commercially flown in two mo the B787-8 and -9. It was joined in 2013 by the A350 XWB, Airbus’ answer to the Dreamliner, which employs a new airconditioning system that splits the cabin into multiple zones, providing fresher air and better temperature control. businesstraveller.com

JAPAN’S ONLY 5-STAR AIRLINE

ANA is Japan’s largest airline and one of only seven airlines to have been awarded a 5-star rating from Skytrax.

ANA flies daily from London Heathrow’s new Terminal 2 to Haneda, Tokyo’s most central airport.

From Haneda, a hub for 42 of ANA’s domestic routes and 18 of its international routes, ANA also connects you to Sydney with a daily non-stop flight.

www.ana.co.uk

JAPAN’S ONLY 5-STAR AIRLINE

28 I Hotels Asia

The big Valerian Ho rounds up 40 new properties to check out in Asia

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MOVENPICK SUKHUMVIT 15 BANGKOK Opened: May 2015

A great location on the popular Sukhumvit Road is coupled with 297 high-tech rooms and a host of modern amenities in this stylish hotel. Dark-wood fittings and furnishings contrast with clean white walls and bedding, while huge TVs and walk-in rainshowers are also provided. The hotel’s free 24-hour tuk-tuk shuttle is a useful service, while the 20-metre rooftop pool is a peaceful place to relax away from the noise of the city below. Lelawadee restaurant offers Thai and European dishes. movenpick.com

MAY 2016

2

THE REVERIE SAIGON, HO CHI MINH CITY

Opened: September 2015

The Reverie’s Italian-style décor creates classical splendour, blended with Asian opulence. Floor-to-ceiling windows in all 286 rooms and suites reveal views of the skyline and Saigon River. Rooms are furnished by some of Italy’s finest design houses, including Colombostile and Provasi.

It’s located in the CBD. thereveriesaigon.com businesstraveller.com

Hotels Asia I 29

3

AVANI RIVERSIDE BANGKOK Opened: April 2016

The first new-build property for Minor Hotel Group’s fast-expanding four-star brand, the 248-room Avani is located next to the Anantara Riverside (also part of the group). Rooms and suites offer river views, while the four food and drink venues include rooftop bar Attitude. The property has large meeting and conferencing facilities, with 4,500 sqm of space including a ballroom capable of hosting 800 people for a banquet. avanihotels.com

4

NOVOTEL BANGKOK SUKHUMVIT 20

Opening: this month

The 244-room hotel will have a rooftop bar on the 26th floor, and a pool and bar on level nine. novotel.com

5

ST REGIS KUALA LUMPUR

Opening: this month Starwood’s new luxury property is located in the Sentral Precinct. It has 208 rooms and almost 3,000 sqm of function space. starwoodhotels.com/stregis

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OASIA SUITES KUALA LUMPUR

Opened: April 2016 The brand’s first foray outside Singapore, this 247-room hotel is next to Bukit Nanas, Kuala Lumpur’s only surviving primary rainforest and nature reserve. stayfareast.com

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THE SOUTH BEACH, SINGAPORE

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Opened: October 2015 Lovers of small artistic establishments should visit Hotel Vagabond, a boutique art hotel that is the first in Asia to feature interiors by celebrated French designer Jacques Garcia. A Small Luxury Hotels of the World member, it has an elegant art deco façade and bright-red shutters, while all artworks were sourced and commissioned by owner Satinder Garcha. The solid-brass rhino reception desk took craftsmen from 15 villages in Rajasthan eight months to create. Other exotic features include striking gold banyan trees in the foyer, handcrafted sculptures by French artisans, and photographs by the owner in the 42 rooms. slh.com MAY 2016

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Opened: September 2015 This hotel is part of the South Beach mega mixed-use development which also comprises offices, residences, retail space and a private club. A roster of leading lights in the design world have collaborated on this project, including architecture by Foster and Partners and global design firm Aedas, interiors by Philippe Starck and installations by artists Lee Lee Nam and Soh Ee Shaun. The hotel features 654 rooms and suites, an all-day restaurant, three bars, two sky gardens and two infinity pools. There is also a ballroom in one of the original early 20th-century buildings. thesouthbeach.com.sg

HOTEL VAGABOND, SINGAPORE

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9

FAIRMONT JAKARTA

Opened: January 2015 The 380-room Fairmont has one of the largest hotel lobbies in the city, with three separate entrances. It also features 3,500 sqm of meeting space, including a 1,200-sqm ballroom. The 22ndfloor K22 bar offers panoramic views, and there are Indonesian, Chinese and Japanese restaurants. Located in the Senayan district, the hotel is close to the Jakarta Convention Centre and the Indonesian Stock Exchange, and linked to the Plaza Senayan shopping and office complex. fairmont.com

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SOFITEL SINGAPORE CITY CENTRE

Opening: late 2016

This 223-room property is part of the Tanjong Pagar Centre, which will include the city-state’s tallest building, at 290 metres, and an “urban park”with a capacity of 2,000 delegates. sofitel.com

11

CONRAD MANILA

Opening: September 2016 Overlooking Manila Bay, the Conrad will have 347 rooms and suites, a spa and an infinity pool.

13

HOTEL PROVERBS TAIPEI

Opened: September 2015 Hotel Proverbs Taipei was designed by renowned Taiwanese architect Ray Chen, whose high-profile projects also include the cabin interior of China Airlines’B777-300ER and Hotel Quote Taipei. Chen has used copper, rich wood and leather elements, as well as exquisite textiles, to great effect in the public areas. Each of the 42 rooms blends classic European style with contemporary design; the effect is cosy and luxurious. Starting from 33 sqm, rooms offer free wifi, movies and Nespresso machines. The property is located in the city’s Eastern district. hotel-proverbs.com

conradhotels3.hilton.com

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SHANGRI-LA AT THE FORT, MANILA

Opened: March 2016

The 576-room hotel is housed in a mixed-use complex that includes Kerry Sports Manila, offering more than 8,000 sqm of fitness facilities across two floors. shangri-la.com MAY 2016

14

TAIPEI MARRIOTT

Opened: November 2015 The city’s largest integrated destination complex, the Taipei Marriott consists of 320 guestrooms, a convention centre, a high-end shopping mall and luxury apartments. It also boasts a heated rooftop pool. marriott.com businesstraveller.com

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15

FOUR SEASONS SEOUL

Opened: October 2015

This Four Seasons property is set in the central business district and has 317 luxurious rooms and suites. Its seven restaurants and bars include Shanghai-inspiredYuYuan, with a Peking duck oven, Italian restaurant Boccalino, and Charles H, a“Prohibitionera NewYork speakeasy with a twist of Korean energy and style”. The three-storey spa and fitness complex has a Korean sauna, and an indoor driving range. fourseasons.com

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HILTON TOKYO ODAIBA Opened: October 2015

This property is located in Odaiba, a popular waterfront district built on an artificial island facing central Tokyo. Its 453 guestrooms include 17 suites with private balconies, most offering views of Tokyo Bay and Rainbow Bridge. The Royal Garden Room features a jet bath, grand piano, bar and private garden.

There’s also a ballroom and spa. hilton.com

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COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT SHIN-OSAKA STATION

Opened: November 2015 This 332-room hotel is in a superb location, only a minute’s walk from the Shin-Osaka bullet train station. courtyard.marriott.com

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FOUR SEASONS KYOTO

Opening: late 2016

The outdoor spaces at this 124room, 57-residence property will include an 800-year-old Japanese water garden, a glass bridge and a traditional matcha tea house. fourseasons.com

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THE PRINCE GALLERY TOKYO KIOICHO, A LUXURY COLLECTION HOTEL

Opening: July 2016

The 35th-floor bar of this 250-room property will offer panoramic views from doubleheight, floor-to-ceiling windows. luxurycollection.com

20

NUO HOTEL BEIJING

Opened: June 2015

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The first hotel from a Chinese state-run group aiming to go global, the interiors of this 438-room luxury property are inspired by the golden age of the Ming dynasty, with works by established and emerging artists used throughout to glorious effect.

The enormous lobby features two pieces by Zeng Fanzhi, one of China’s most acclaimed artists – a silver and bronze sculpture called Le Shan, and an oil-on-canvas piece called Landscape 2014. These are flanked by gigantic blue-andwhite porcelain vases, while five huge“moon”gates complete the larger-than-life effect. The hotel has seven food and drink venues, including Chinese cuisine at Jia, and Japanese at Nuo’ki, as well as a spa, pool and gym. nuohotel.com

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21

WANDA REIGN ON THE BUND, SHANGHAI

Opening: June 2016

Wanda Reign is Chinese group Wanda Hotels and Resorts’ premium brand. Facing the Bund, the 193-room property will feature a top-floor French restaurant and club led by two-starred Michelin chef Marc Meneau offering panoramic views of Pudong and the Huangpu River.

The property is a member of Preferred Hotels and Resorts’ Legend Collection. wandahotels.com

22

SOFITEL KUNMING

Opened: December 2015 Located in the central business district of Kunming in China, the Sofitel’s interiors are inspired by both Yunnan province’s local cultures and French haute design. In the lobby, red glass-fronted balconies and crystal-encrusted drapes evoke European theatres. Also featured is a multimedia water wall projection. Panoramic views of the city or Dianchi Lake can be enjoyed from each of the hotel’s 397 rooms, three restaurants, and the Parisian-style bar on the 50th floor. sofitel.com

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INTERCONTINENTAL BEIJING SANLITUN Opening: summer 2016 The food and drink offering at the 303-room property will include Chinese, Japanese and tapas restaurants, plus a bar specialising in whisky and beer. The Sanlitun district itself is full of dining and drinking venues. ihg.com

24

MELIA SHANGHAI HONGQIAO

Opening: by end of 2016

Positioned to welcome meeting MAY 2016

and event delegates, this 190room hotel is close to the huge new 1.5 million sqm National Convention and Exhibition Centre. melia.com

25

PARK HYATT GUANGZHOU

Opened: December 2015

Located in Zhujiang New Town, next to the Pearl River, this 208-room hotel has a 25-metre pool and spa. The 70th-floor bar – the highest in the city – offers classic cocktails, vintage wines and champagnes along with live entertainment. park.hyatt.com businesstraveller.com

Hotels Asia I 33

26

GRAND HYATT CHENGDU Opened: February 2016

Inspired by the great French mansions of the past, situated on the tenth to 39th floors of the Chicony Square building, the Grand Hyatt Chengdu features a floral theme throughout, most notably in its several tranquil gardens, which reflect the four seasons through carefully selected plants with colours depicting spring, summer, autumn and winter. An open garden, Putao, on the 15th floor is a lovely place to relax, while the Maze Garden on the terrace is a romantic location surrounded by tall, verdant plants. grand.hyatt.com

27

DOUBLETREE

BY HILTON GUANGZHOU SCIENCE CITY

Opened: August 2015

The extensive event space at the 301-room Doubletree includes a 1,000 sqm grand ballroom and a 2,500 sqm rooftop garden. doubletree3.hilton.com

28

WANDA REIGN CHENGDU

Opened: December 2015 Designed with a“New Chinese Art Deco”theme, this 240-room hotel in the Jinjang district combines local Shu themes – from Chinese hibiscus to Sichuan-style trellis patterns, tassels and lanterns – with classic art deco motifs. wandahotels.com

29

THE GRAND MANSION, A LUXURY COLLECTION HOTEL, NANJING

Opened: July 2015 An impressive collection of fine art, chinaware and handcrafted textiles is on display throughout this 158-room

property, which also features one of China’s largest hotel libraries. starwoodhotels.com/luxury

30

REGAL FINANCIAL CENTRE HOTEL, FOSHAN Opened: October 2015

Regal’s latest Chinese opening has 230 rooms and great sport facilities, including a golf simulator, table tennis, pool table and chess room.

The metro station below the hotel offers access to downtown Foshan in ten minutes and Guangzhou in 25 minutes regalhotel.com

31

HILTON SHENZHEN FUTIAN

Opened: October 2015 This centrally located 320-room hotel has 17 function spaces totalling 2,400 sqm, including a 600-sqm ballroom. hilton.com

32

KEMPINSKI HOTEL FUZHOU

Opening: this month The 1,500 sqm ballroom and 700 sqm outdoor garden can host up to 1,200 guests, at this 327-room hotel. kempinski.com

33

HOTEL PRAVO, HONG KONG

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Opened: June 2015 A small, stylish property set in the middle of Tsim Sha Tsui, Pravo’s 92 rooms range from compact to deluxe suites, each featuring one of five design themes, from“rock-and-roll black”to“mysterious purple” and“classy gold”. Some rooms deliver city views from private balconies. Every room comes with a Handy 3G smartphone, which guests can take out around town and use to make free local and international calls to ten countries. The property also has a gym and rooftop patio, which can be hired out for private parties. citadines.com

34 I Hotels Asia

34

RITZ-CARLTON MACAU

Opened: May 2015

This luxury all-suite hotel is part of the Galaxy Macau development, an integrated resort offering premium shopping, fine dining, a 3D cinema complex, casino, spa, swimming pools and meeting spaces. The property’s 239 suites are located on the top floors of the resort. The design incorporates Azulejo tiles, a form of Iberian ceramic synonymous with the décor found in Macau’s heritage buildings. Hotel facilities include two restaurants and two bars, an outdoor pool, an ESPA health club, as well as a 750 sqm ballroom and meeting spaces. ritzcarlton.com

35

DOUBLETREE

BY HILTON XIAMEN WUYUAN BAY Opened: August 2015

Situated in the Chinese city’s new CBD, this 270-room hotel has 1,400 sqm of function space. doubletree3.hilton.com

36

MADERA HOLLYWOOD, HONG KONG

39

SHANGRI-LA BENGALURU Opened: September 2015

Situated between the CBD and residential suburbs, this luxury property offers 397 rooms, including 30 suites swathed in shades of gold, plum and green. Its meeting and function spaces are spread over two levels, and the 739 sqm grand ballroom is one of the largest in the city.

A hotel representative meets guests at the airport to help ensure a smooth arrival. There are also eight dining options and a rooftop bar.

shangri-la.com

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ZONE BY THE PARK CHENNAI

Opened: November 2015

Zone by the Park is Indian group the Park Hotels’mid-market brand.

Located in the Chennai ORR (outer ring road) area, the 40-room hotel has an open-plan lobby with a restaurant, free wifi and work pods. Rooms have flatscreen TVs and desks, and there’s a rooftop pool. zonebythepark.com Q

Opened: March 2016

This all-suite, 38-room boutique property in the city’s SoHo district has Hollywood-themed rooms. maderagroup.com

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NOVOTEL NEW DELHI AEROCITY

Opened: November 2015

Well-located for Indira Gandhi International airport, the 250room Novotel has a health club and outdoor pool. novotel.com

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ST REGIS MUMBAI

Opened: November 2015 The country’s tallest hotel tower, at 39 storeys, this 395-room property offers superb views over the city and Arabian Sea. starwoodhotels.com/stregis MAY 2016

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ADVERTISING FEATURE I 35

Time to

relax

Make the most of your downtime with the fantastic facilities at Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong

f you are looking for a luxurious hotel for your next business trip to Hong Kong – or simply want to enjoy some leisure time in the city or relax between flights – then Regal Airport Hotel should be at the top of your list.

A city resort hotel that just happens to be located at the airport, it is the only property connected to Hong Kong International by an enclosed link bridge.

A convenient 24-minute journey from Central via the Airport Express Line, it is well located for popular tourist attractions such as Hong Kong Disneyland, Ngong Ping 360 and Big Buddha, all of which can be easily reached by hotel shuttle or public transport.

In addition, if you want to enjoy the city’s excellent shopping, there is a 20-minute shuttle service to Tung Chung Citygate outlet.

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For events, the property is only a one-minute train ride to the Asia World-Expo exhibition venue.

Of course, with hotel facilities as extensive as those on offer at Regal Airport Hotel, you may not want to go out at all. The property has more than 1,000 spacious and stylish guestrooms with all the amenities you need for a comfortable stay. Some rooms offer superb views of the runway. You can also choose from a wide variety of international restaurants and bars.

The hotel’s leisure offering is particularly impressive, with a 24-hour fitness centre, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and a tranquil spa offering a tempting selection of indulgent treatments – the ideal pick-me-up after a long flight, or a treat before your next one.

Q Regal Airport Hotel, 9 Cheong Tat Road, Hong Kong International airport, Chek Lap Kok. Tel +852 2286 8888; email info@airport.regalhotel.com; www.regalhotel.com

36 I Taxi apps

Hail the revolution Need a ride? Jenny Southan investigates how on-demand taxi apps are changing the way we travel

Taxi apps I 37

38 I Taxi apps

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ne of my favourite Uber drivers was Bernhard in Miami, a part-time actor.

“I do the voiceover for the McDonald’s adverts in the South American market,”he told me, launching into sped-up Spanish before singing the jingle at the end.

In Munich, Gerald supplied me with free mineral water and wifi, and then there was Bradley in New York, who, within minutes of me getting into his Toyota Camry, started telling me about the book he was working on: Disclaim and Disclose, an account of his high-profile fall from grace as a commodities trader.

MAY 2016

First launched in San Francisco in 2010, on-demand taxi app Uber now operates in more than 400 cities globally. I have been using it since the London launch in 2012.

I remember it feeling extravagant, with drivers often providing chocolate, gum, iPads and phone chargers, and yet it was cheaper than regular black taxis.

It was no surprise, then, when the Department for Transport announced last year that the number of private hire vehicles on the capital’s roads had risen by more than a quarter since 2013 – from 49,854 to 62,754. The number of black cabs, meanwhile, has remained steady, at around 22,000 since 2005.

Uber expects the number of London drivers it works with to surge from 15,000 in 2015 to 42,000 by the end of the year.

Worldwide, there are more than five million Uber trips per day.

Its rapid rise has been controversial, though, with competing taxi drivers up in arms. There have been violent demonstrations in Paris and Jakarta, marches in Rome and Sao Paulo, protests in Melbourne and Brussels, and strikes in London that saw Hackney Carriages clog the roads in a river of black.

Despite numerous ongoing court cases from drivers, taxi companies and governments in which existing legislation has

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Taxi apps I 39

been challenged (as a “logistical intermediary” the firm doesn’t own cars and drivers are contractors rather than employees), the company was most recently valued at US$62.5 billion. It’s no wonder, then, that other companies have been following its lead – in China, Uber rival Didi Kuaidi just raised US$1 billion in funding, based on a US$20 billion valuation.

Even the drivers of conventional taxis have been banding together to release apps. Hailo was founded by three London cabbies and three

businesstraveller.com

How it works Most of us have entered the age of the “e-hail” but if you still haven’t tried it, here’s how it works.

After downloading an app (see overleaf for ten of the best) and inputting your card details, you use geolocation to pinpoint where you are and find out the estimated wait time. Once your car is booked, you will see a photo of your driver, their name, ranking and licence plate number – you also have the option of messaging or calling them. When your journey is complete, you leave a rating.

In general, transactions are cashless (in some countries, such as India, you can pay in cash, as the foreign transaction fee can be more than the fare). You will then be emailed a receipt with a map showing the way you went.

If you have any problems – maybe your driver didn’t turn up or took an overly long route – you can lodge a complaint with Uber (and others) and the company will quickly respond with a refund or discount on your next ride.

Safety remains a hot topic.

Uber conducts background checks on its drivers, and rides are insured. Remo Gerber, taxi app Gett’s chief executive for the UK and Western Europe, says: “We have a lot of corporate clients and what matters to them is that their duty of care continues when their employees are using our services.

This is why we are working only with licensed taxi drivers that are properly vetted and trained by the councils.”

In reality, whatever kind of taxi you get into there is a small risk that you will be exposed to unsavoury people – but this kind MAY 2016

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internet entrepreneurs in 2011.

UK general manager Andy Jones says: “We challenge any other application to match the quantity and quality of supply we have available in London, with over 16,500 registered cabs in our fleet.”

Does this mean the end of flagging taxis on the street? Jones says: “The typical wait time for a Hailo cab is just three minutes in London, and that gives you certainty that a taxi is coming and knows where to find you,

even if you don’t know where you are. But seeing the yellow light on in the street is part of the city’s landscape. Our technology is rapidly evolving but we think customers will continue to want both options.”

40 I Taxi apps

of technology provides added layers of security and built-in abilities for recourse.

With Uber, you can send someone your journey status so they can see your route, ETA and driver; the drivers’ contact details are stored in your account; and you don’t have to hang around on the street to find a taxi – you can order it from your office or restaurant. In India, there is also an SOS button that sends a message to the police.

At the same time, the tech is helping to keep drivers safe, too.

In East London, Ali told me that when he was working as a minicab driver, he was held hostage at knifepoint, beaten and robbed. He said he felt safer with Uber because he knew who he was picking up and if anything happened he could go to the authorities with their details. Not carrying cash also eliminated the incentive for people to steal from him.

ability to forward-plan, or by adding extra services. Justin Peters, chief executive of Kabbee, says: “Unlike Uber, advance booking allows business travellers to book a journey up to three months ahead and a fixed fare guarantees the price, even in London traffic.”

Gett’s Gerber adds: “We have just launched a courier service through the app – and if you are in the right zone in London we will deliver you an icecold bottle of Veuve Clicquot and two glasses in ten minutes for £39.” I’ll drink to that. Q

Good for business For corporate travellers, apps such as Uber, Gett, Hailo and Addison Lee offer the added benefit of being able to create accounts linked to a corporate credit card, and filing expenses is made easier thanks to virtual billing.

Jones says: “The Hailo app is used by over 90 per cent of FTSE 100 companies. Those with a Hailo for Business account also benefit from features such as online booking, expense and travel policy management. Information such as flight numbers can be added, making it easier for passengers and drivers to manage the complications and delays that are often linked to air travel.

You can also collect Avios with every qualifying journey through partnerships with British Airways Executive Club and Iberia Plus.”

Some are differentiating themselves from Uber’s ondemand model by providing the MAY 2016

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Taxi apps I 41

TEN APPS TO TRY UBER Uber’s extensive global network now covers everywhere from London and New York to Lima and New Delhi. Fares with UberX are 40 per cent cheaper than a normal taxi, although beware of “surge” pricing that sees them go up during peak times. You can request more expensive UberXL (SUVs), Exec and Lux vehicles, as well as black cabs (a recent addition). Business travellers can create an account attached to their corporate credit card (company policies can also be integrated). Receipts with journey maps, driver details, times and prices are emailed to all customers. uber.com/business

KABBEE This app provides access to 10,000 drivers from more than 70 London minicab companies, with average prices up to 65 per cent cheaper than black taxis. You can book rides for within five minutes or three months, and pay by account, card or cash. Airport transfers have fixed rates. Kabbee says it will soon offer rides in the capital’s Hackney carriages, and will be rolling out across other cities in the UK. Kabbee Treats is the reward scheme that offers points on rides that can be used for upgrades, as well as free food, drink and hotel stays with partner companies. kabbee.com

GETT Gett operates in 57 cities in the UK, US, Israel and Russia. It differs from Uber in that it only books licensed cabs (black taxis in London), which you can request in advance. Gett for Business has more than 4,000 clients. Fares are metered, with fixed prices available on pre-booked journeys over 10km. Gett Clicquot champagne delivery is available in the City, Shoreditch, Clerkenwell, Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Belgravia and Kensington (4pm-10pm). gett.com

ADDISON LEE In operation since 1975, this private hire company has moved with the times by launching an app for realtime pick-ups. Addison Lee’s 4,800 central London cars all come with free wifi and phone chargers, and are available in four types including eco-friendly hybrids and Mercedes E Class. There is no surge pricing.

Airport trips can be booked in advance with the “pick me up later” function. You can also pay with cash and set up a business account. Loyal users can sign up to ClubLee for points and rewards. addisonlee.com

HAILO Founded five years ago by three London black taxi drivers, Hailo can now be used in more than 20 cities, including Madrid, Singapore and Tokyo. It links 800,000 registered users with more than 16,600 drivers in London.

Hailo for Business syncs with corporate cards and offers real-time accounting and pre-booking hours or days ahead. In London, the advantage of getting a black cab versus a private vehicle is they can use bus lanes and will seat five. hailoapp.com businesstraveller.com

CABFIND Designed for business people, taxi management company Cabfind connects users with a network of 120,000 drivers across the UK. It is best suited for those with a corporate account but there is also a “book now” option if you want to input your credit card details. You can preprogramme regular journeys, add “via” addresses for any route and choose your preferred vehicle. cabfind.com

LYFT This US-based “ridesharing” company provides a slightly different model, whereby you can request a lift from people in their own cars. (Extensive background checks are made to ensure safety.)

Available in dozens of locations – from Chicago to Las Vegas – drivers can make up to US$35 an hour, while passengers pay less than the alternatives. Prime Time surge pricing applies. Lyft for Work partners with Concur on expensing. lyft.com EASY TAXI Launched in 2012, this Brazilian company has cornered the Latin America market, with 20 million users and 420 global cities covered (from Rio to Bangkok, but none in Europe). It offers similar features and functions to Uber.

Easy Taxi Corporate is used by more than 3,000 business clients. easytaxi.com CURB Available in 63 US cities, Curb connects users with 90 cab companies, providing 35,000 cars driven by professional taxi or for-hire drivers. Payment is generally via the app but in some places cash is accepted. The company was taken over by electronic payments provider Verifone last autumn. gocurb.com GRAB This South East Asia app can be used in cities such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Manila and has 200,000 drivers.

All rides are legal and insured, and passengers can pay through the app or with cash. There is the option of “standard” and “limo” taxis. grab.com MAY 2016

42 I Loyalty

Mark Caswell rounds up airline and hotel scheme news and promotions Earn 75,000 Hyatt bonus points

Aer Lingus to launch new scheme in July

Hyatt Gold Passport is offering the chance to earn up to 75,000 bonus points. The “Stay More Play More” promotion sees members earn bonus points for every five-night stay at Hyatt properties (including the Park Hyatt Sydney, pictured) until June 30 – with a total of 75,000 available. After five nights, members will earn 5,000 added bonus points, after ten nights 15,000, 15 nights will earn 30,000, 20 nights 50,000, and 25 nights 75,000. hyatt.com

Aer Lingus’s Gold Circle scheme will end on June 30, with the roll-out of its new Aer Club starting in July. It first announced the scheme – which will use Avios as its currency – in November. Gold Circle was initially to close on March 31, but the Aer Club webpage now says it will launch in July.

It’s not clear how Avios flight redemptions will work in Aer Club, with the airline saying that members can “use Avios to get a discount on the cost of Aer Lingus flights”. But it has confirmed: “In response to guest feedback, there will be an increase in Aer Lingus flights available to our members for purchase and upgrade.” It adds: “The move away from our traditional air miles model means you will be able to earn points with every flight you buy.” aerlingus.com

SPG offers free nights with Design Hotels stays

JAL revamps Sakura lounge at Narita

The Starwood Preferred Guest programme is giving members free hotel nights to promote its tie-up with Design Hotels. The collection of boutique and independent properties effectively became Starwood’s 11th brand last year, when selected properties became bookable through the Starwood system.

SPG is offering a free night on stays of three nights at Design Hotels properties until May 31. The free night – which can be used against any Starwood hotel in categories one to five – will be awarded once the member has stayed a total of three nights (which do not need to be consecutive or at the same property) and must be used by September 30. Only two free nights can be earned.

Participating Design Hotels properties include the new 11 Howard in New York (pictured), which opened last month. starwoodhotels.com, designhotels.com

Japan Airlines has opened its refurbished Sakura International lounge in Tokyo Narita’s Terminal 2. It features updated furnishings, extra power outlets and a new layout in the second-floor main lounge and thirdfloor dining area, bringing it in line with its revamped facility in Tokyo Haneda’s International Terminal. jal.co.jp

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Loyalty I 43

Double miles on Austrian’s Shanghai service To celebrate Austrian Airlines’ new daily service between Vienna and Shanghai, Miles and More is offering double miles on the route.

The promotion is valid in all mileagequalifying booking classes, for flights completed by June 30.

Pre-register for the offer at miles-and-more.com

Oman Air expands Sixt partnership Oman Air has extended its agreement with car rental company Sixt, adding new benefits for Sindbad scheme members and premium passengers.

These include free Sixt limousine transfers for business and first class passengers travelling to or from Germany, Singapore, Switzerland or Thailand; 500 bonus miles with Sixt rentals, or 1,000 when booking Sixt’s limousine service; a best-price guarantee when booking a vehicle via Oman Air; and up to 15 per cent off rentals or a free upgrade, depending on tier status.

Oman Air recently added a second daily service to its Heathrow-Muscat route. omanair.com

Double Avios on Cathay Hong Kong-Madrid Iberia Plus members can earn double Avios on fellow Oneworld carrier Cathay Pacific’s flights between Madrid and Hong Kong.

Cathay will launch its four-times weekly service on June 2, and Iberia members will get double miles in all eligible booking classes (Y, B, H, K, M, L, V, W, R, E, J, C, D and I) for flights by July 31. Pre-register by June 30 at iberia.com/gb/iberiaplus

Shangri-La boosts Golden Circle benefits Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has added five Golden Circle benefits to celebrate the scheme’s fifth anniversary. These include the chance to earn points on up to three rooms when travelling with friends or family; to buy up to 6,000 points a year to top up your own or another member’s balance; and to earn status points on reward nights. Jade and Diamond members can roll over surplus stays into the next year once they have completed the required stays for status renewal or upgrade. Points can be used at restaurants at Shangri-La, Kerry, Hotel Jen and Traders hotels. Until June 30, double points will be given on weekdays at participating restaurants, such as Ting at London’s Shangri-La at the Shard, above. shangri-la.com businesstraveller.com

MAY 2016

44 I Business in‌ Gurgaon

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Business in… Gurgaon I 45

Boom town Akanksha Maker charts the rapid rise of India’s Millennium City from a cluster of villages to a thriving metropolis

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an impressive per capita annual income of Rs 446,000 (£4,700), compared with the national average of Rs 88,533 (£930).

Although commonly associated with Delhi, Gurgaon also has borders with the states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, making its location highly strategic for business. From Indira Gandhi International airport, a 40-minute drive along National Highway 8 brings you to the centre of the city.

Its proximity to the capital – and the country’s policy-makers – proved to be very appealing to the visionaries and investors who saw the area’s immense potential.

As you drive along, you’ll notice a large“DLF”stamped on most of the high-rise buildings.

More than any other person, it is Kushal Pal Singh, chairman and chief executive of DLF – India’s largest commercial real-estate developer – who is behind the city’s building boom.

“When the idea first took hold of me that a world-class city could be built on the vast tracts of desolate land at the foot of the Aravallis in Haryana, nobody took me seriously. Reactions ranged from open ridicule to concern for my sanity,” wrote Singh in MAY 2016

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CORBIS

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ndia’s National Capital Region, the huge metropolitan area that encompasses the city of New Delhi, stretches spoke-like into the surrounding states as a bevy of satellite cities. One of the most important of these is situated in the state of Haryana. Once no more than a barren stretch of villages, today Gurgaon is home to more than 250 of India’s Fortune 500 companies, 26 luxury malls boasting outlets for the likes of Chanel and Louis Vuitton, lush golf courses, premium car showrooms and upmarket recreation venues.

Gurgaon has been nicknamed India’s“Millennium City”, reflecting the development the country aspires to. However, in an attempt to bring the citizens of Gurgaon closer to their heritage, the state government accepted a request in April for its name to be changed to Gurugram (“guru” translates as“teacher”and “gram” to“village”).

Before India gained independence in 1947, only a few hundred people lived in Gurgaon’s founding communities. By 1971 the population reached 57,000.

Today, the city is home to more than 1.8 million people and has

46 I Business in‌ Gurgaon

MAY 2016

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Business in… Gurgaon I 47

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mushroomed here, and it’s no wonder the place was made India’s first Millennium City – said to rival Bengaluru and also Chennai for its contribution to the country’s software exports. A number of corporations now have thriving offshore centres here, while outsourced solution centres for the IT and software industries have also been set up.

International players that have picked the city for their Indian headquarters include Pepsi, IBM, American Express, Coca-Cola, Microsoft and Bank of America.

Such rapid industrialisation has created job opportunities for both Indians and expats, and many corporations have developed company townships that allow employees to find accommodation close to their place of work.

These integrated communities have flourished, housing cinemas, gyms, grocery stores, social centres, playing fields and schools.

Thukral says:“Multinationals that set up bases in Gurgaon invited millennials from Delhi and the rest of India to join their workforce.

A huge migrant population now calls Gurgaon home.”

As part of Haryana state, the responsibility for planning Gurgaon’s infrastructure was handed over to the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA). Given that the land was previously lacking in facilities, HUDA started from scratch, setting up schools, colleges, hospitals, police and fire stations, bus shelters, nursing homes and community buildings, as well as sewage systems to manage waste and maintain hygiene standards.

A vital part of the infrastructure was to build and maintain the road system, creating new motorways and wider, welllit avenues as the population grew.

The agency has also built a 70km water channel from Sonepat (in Haryana) to Gurgaon that supplies 100 million gallons a day to up to 1.6 million people.

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Far left: Gateway Tower

his autobiography, Whatever the Odds: The Incredible Story Behind DLF. Yet today, the company owns about 1,200 hectares of this industrial region.

While car manufacturer Maruti Udyog (now Maruti Suzuki) was the first company to lay its foundations here when it opened in 1982, it wasn’t until DLF’s acquisition of land at the end of the 20th century that investors developed confidence in the area’s potential.

The roots of Singh’s vision can be traced back to a chance meeting in 1980 with the then soon-to-be prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi. Bumping into each other in an isolated part of Haryana,

Gandhi heard Singh explain his vision for Gurgaon. In his book, Singh recalled:“He became interested and pressed me on the issue. ‘What is holding it up and why don’t you do it?’ This one incident was to transform Gurgaon from a rural wilderness into an international city.”

Gandhi urged Singh to present his idea to Arun Singh, the union minister at the time and, as a result, the area was developed under a private-sector model, with DLF paving the way.

The process of land acquisition led to the inception of a unique business model. The farmers sold their land to DLF, but then became business partners by reinvesting the money back into the company. Singh’s rural and defence background, and DLF’s unsullied reputation, encouraged farmers to trust him.

Soon after, Singh invited Jack Welch of General Electric in the US to visit India and explore the idea of setting up Genpact – a business unit within GE. Latika Thukral, founder of Iamgurgaon, a charitable organisation that works to raise quality of life in the area, says:“From there on, the city has seen a meteoric rise in terms of investment, with several multinational companies setting up base.”

She adds:“In the past 25 years, Gurgaon has developed rapidly and, at present, more than half of the Fortune 500 companies have their offices here, along with the manufacturing units of automobile giants such as Hero Motocorp, and most telecom companies, including Bharti Airtel,Vodafone, Sony, Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung. DLF has contributed to the real-estate boom in the city, which now boasts some of the country’s premium condominiums and luxury apartments.”

Add to this quality educational institutions and seven-star hospitals such as Medanta Medicity, which have

CORBIS

More than half of India’s Fortune 500 have offices here

48 I Business in… Gurgaon

Right: Gurgaon Central shopping mall

WHERE TO STAY Hyatt Regency Gurgaon A 30-minute drive from Indira Gandhi airport and 15 minutes from the city centre, the Hyatt Regency (top) has 451 rooms and suites, a club floor, a pool and spa. It also has more than 3,700 sqm of meeting space and four restaurants and bars. regency.hyatt.com Dusit Devarana New Delhi Located on National Highway 8, ten minutes from Indira Gandhi airport and a 25-minute drive from the city centre, Dusit Devarana (middle) has 50 guestrooms. Each offers pool or garden views and is equipped with free wifi, LED TVs and minibars. There is also a business centre, a lounge for casual meetings, and a Chinese restaurant. devarana.in Lemon Tree Premier, Leisure Valley Situated in Gurgaon’s city centre, the 81-room Lemon Tree (bottom) is close to the Leisure Valley Park, Unitech Business Park and Cyber City. Rooms come with free wifi, DVD players and safes, while other facilities include a bar, restaurants, conference room, spa and pool. lemontreehotels.com MAY 2016

As the economic driver for Haryana state, which has a mostly rural population that exists incongruously near to the city’s gleaming skyscrapers and Mercedes cars, the city bears some responsibility for the broader development of the area. This is helped by the boosting of state coffers from foreign direct investment. However, in the midst of the multinationals, a Gurgaonbased company called Oxigen is aiming to bring economic empowerment to rural India.

The company’s footprint now stretches across 192 towns and is the brainchild of founder Pramod Saxena. Oxigen seeks to bridge the gap between India’s villages and financial services of all kinds. This is done via its vast network of more than 200,000 retail touchpoints offering mobile phone top ups, bill payments, money transfers, banking and travel services.

“Currently, banks cannot penetrate the remote areas of Haryana because of high operational costs,”Saxena says.

“However, Oxigen has [developed] its presence in these rural locations by tying up with retailers who provide money transfer services to people who previously didn’t have access to banks.”

The firm’s business model aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a“digital India”, which made headlines late last year following his visit to California’s Silicon Valley.

The company has developed a rural engagement programme to connect with a large potential customer base living in inaccessible places, and support people in access to health, education and employment.

Saxena says:“We also routinely conduct financial literacy camps in these villages, where we distribute leaflets and show videos to educate [people] on

Gurgaon sets a high standard for nascent satellite conurbations across the country financial services and money transfer facilities.”

In a place where more than half the population doesn’t have a bank account, and only 23 per cent have a usable credit history, Oxigen’s efforts are commendable, and underscore the region’s contribution to India’s growth.

Gurgaon’s journey from a backwater to a premier model city sets a high standard for nascent satellite conurbations across the country. It’s also an example of what can be achieved when a bright vision is backed up by harmonised planning and development. From burgeoning multinationals to home-grown companies that foster the development of Haryana, and of India as a whole, this city’s success is a milestone in the chronology of a forward-thinking India. Q businesstraveller.com

Business in‌ Gurgaon I 49

business stays

/StErminsHotel @sterminshotel

St. Ermin’s Hotel, 2 Caxton Street, London SW1H OQW

www.sterminshotel.co.uk

50 I Editor’s lunch Airport hotels

Editor’s lunch

A small world Can capsule hotels capture the transit traveller?

Tom Otley reports from our recent reader debate

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here’s always something new coming along in the hotel sector, whether that’s an emphasis on“locality” or collections of individual properties that somehow promise a consistent experience while differing in almost every way possible. Business Traveller readers gathered at London’s Royal Automobile Club to discuss the pros and cons of another growing trend – capsule and compact hotels.

The lunch was sponsored by Hong Kong’s Regal Airport Hotel. Named the world’s best airport hotel at the Business Traveller Awards for the past eight years, it has had to stay abreast of innovations, and is a five-star property at the opposite end of the spectrum from limited-service offerings. Nevertheless, as John Girard, Regal Hotels’area general manager for Hong Kong, was quick to admit, with the average length of stay being 1.25 nights, many travellers won’t have time to enjoy all the facilities and restaurants it has to offer.

Far left: Business Traveller’s Tom Otley (centre) with Regal Airport Hotel’s Annie Wong and John Girard Above: Bloc Gatwick Facing page, top: Yotel Gatwick MAY 2016

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Editor’s lunch Airport hotels I 51

Personalised service might be less important to a traveller simply wanting to get their head down for a few hours

Capsule and limited-service hotels are certainly gaining in popularity at airports. Yotel is already at London Gatwick, Heathrow and Amsterdam Schiphol and is opening the first in-terminal hotel at Paris Charles de Gaulle 2E (airside) on July 1. Bookable for a minimum four hours, the 80-room property will allow travellers to have a quick shower or sleep during a layover but, as far as public areas are concerned, there’s only a vending wall with food and a communal lounge for working and relaxing. Introductory prices will start from about €50 for four hours, and the brand is planning to open at Singapore Changi airport in 2018.

Still, lunch attendees seemed clear about what they wanted not just from an airport hotel, but any hotel, and the list businesstraveller.com

was long. At the top were the essentials: blackout curtains for complete darkness, even during the day, and a comfortable bed and pillows.

The tools to work, such as high-speed wifi and a good-sized desk, were also crucial. As one attendee put it:“If I know a hotel does not have a desk in the room, I won’t go there.”Another pointed out the importance of plenty of plug sockets – during a recent stay, he had been bored and counted a total of 32 in his room.

Although that might be overkill, everyone thought a swift laundry service – say, within three hours – was crucial, and without the extra expense of having to pay for an express laundry service. The need for speed was also emphasised for check-in, and also room service – a club sandwich should take no longer than 20 minutes to arrive, a participant said.

One thing the new capsule hotels do offer is a flexible check-in time. Regal Airport Hotel does this too, so whatever time you arrive is the time you can check out the next day. What it, and other fullservice properties, can offer is a warm welcome. One person said that they would go back to a hotel if they got a friendly smile and were greeted by name.

Personalised service might be less important to a traveller simply wanting to get their head down for a few hours – something the capsule hotels are built for. Still, one reader wondered how much rest people managed to get in one.

“By the time you get to the hotel you are too hyper to sleep,”he said.“At least in a [larger] hotel you can relax, sit up in bed and read without cracking your head.”

Another said:“After getting off a plane, I want the little comforts that give you pleasure. A stay at an airport hotel should provide a decent meal, decent bar and the comfort to catch an onward flight in a reasonable frame of mind.”

Ultimately, one reader believed, airport hotels were “a good alternative for those that do not want to stay in city-centre hotels because of noise, especially in some places that have become party cities, such as Prague and Amsterdam”.

If there is a transport service that can get you in and out of town in 20 minutes or less for business, shopping and sightseeing, so much the better.

Q To attend a future editor’s lunch, email Emma Gordon at egordon@ panaceapublishing.com, stating your name, job title, company and topics of interest.

MAY 2016

Lifestyle Contents I 53

54 I NEWS Your global downtime hotlist

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58 I THE LUXURY OF TIME The year’s finest new watches 64 I SITTING PRETTY Why Dusseldorf is not just a city for business, but downtime too

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68 I 4 HOURS IN NEW YORK A walking tour of transformed Lower Manhattan 70 I CITY OF CONTRASTS Exploring hip hangouts and gritty history in Johannesburg ANANTARA DHIGU MALDIVES – PAGE 54

74 I GREAT OCEAN ROAD A scenic South Florida drive from Miami to Key West

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79 I BUY AND FLY Tax-free airport shopping 82 I SNAPSHOT The 1997 birth of Star Alliance MAY 2016

54 I Lifestyle News

Michelle Harbi and Katie Krater compile your essential downtime hotlist DRIVE

Tesla unveils Model 3 TESLA’S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED Model 3 electric car is now available for pre-order. The most affordable vehicle the company has ever made, the mid-size sedan starts at US$35,000. It can go from zero to 60mph in less than six seconds and has a minimum range of 215 miles per charge. The first deliveries are expected next year. More than a quarter of a million cars had been pre-ordered within two days of the launch, said the California-based firm’s chief executive, Elon Musk. teslamotors.com

Anantara revamps Maldives over-water suites ESCAPE

FRAGRANCE

THE ANANTARA DHIGU MALDIVES has redesigned its 40 over-water suites. The three categories – Sunset, Sunrise and Pool – have been renovated to offer more light and space. They have freestanding tubs, outdoor showers, private terraces and glass panels in the bathroom floor for watching marine life. Pool suites also have 15 sqm infinity pools. There are 110 villas and suites in total, located in the South Male Atoll, a 35-minute boat ride from Malé International airport. dhigu-maldives.anantara.com

Introducing Mr Burberry BURBERRY HAS LAUNCHED what it calls its “most significant men’s fragrance to date”.

Mr Burberry is a herbal, woody eau de toilette designed to evoke “modern and masculine sensuality”, according to perfumer Francis Kurkdjian. It features top notes of grapefruit, tarragon and cardamom, with birch leaf, nutmeg oil and cedar at the heart of the fragrance and vetiver, guaiac wood and sandalwood at its base.

The line also includes body wash, moisturiser, deodorant, beard oil and aftershave splash. 50ml £48, 100ml £65, 150ml £80; uk.burberry.com

MAY 2016

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Lifestyle News I 55

DINE

Salvation Burger opens in New York

HOTEL

APRIL BLOOMFIELD – the Michelin-starred British chef behind New York’s Spotted Pig and the Breslin Bar and Dining Room – has launched her latest Manhattan venue with business partner Ken Friedman. Located at the Pod 51 hotel on East 51st Street, Salvation Burger is a 75-cover restaurant serving beef patties ground by the on-site butcher with house-made potato buns. Fish and veggie burgers are also on the menu, along with hot dogs, boozy milkshakes and Holy Cow Kolsch beer, which is brewed for the restaurant. salvationburger.com

Grand Hyatt arrives in Rio HYATT HAS OPENED ITS FIRST Rio de Janeiro property in time for this year’s Olympics. The 436-room Grand Hyatt Rio de Janeiro is located on the beachfront in the Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood. Rooms come with ocean, pool, courtyard or lagoon views, amenities from Brazil’s oldest pharmacy, Granado, and flip-flops. There’s also a spa, a club lounge and Italian and Japanese restaurants, while design features include mosaic floors, 17 vertical gardens and local artwork. grandhyatt.com

STYLE

Sargent makes history on Savile Row KATHRYN SARGENT HAS BECOME the first female master tailor to open her own shop on London’s Savile Row. Sargent started working on the capital’s historic tailoring street two decades ago and, in 2009, became the street’s first female head cutter, when she was at Gieves and Hawkes. Her new store, at 37 Savile Row, is a sister to her Brook Street shop and tailors for both men and women, with bespoke two-piece suits starting from £4,200 and made-to-measure from £1,500. kathrynsargent.com

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56 I Lifestyle News

Feel the burn in the Scottish Highlands

FITNESS

FANCY PUTTING YOUR BODY TO THE TEST? Wildfitness is launching week-long Scottish breaks this month. Aimed at helping you to improve your fitness and get back to nature, the retreats are held at the Alladale Wilderness Reserve north of Inverness and include hiking, combat sessions, Highland games and the“animal circuit”, for unleashing your inner beast.

The first dates are May 21-28 and May 28-June 4; from £2,400 full-board. The company also operates in Zanzibar, Crete and London. The launch coincides with the start of BA’s Heathrow-Inverness route this month. wildfitness.com, alladale.com

Humble Grape launches Fleet Street bar and shop

WINE

WINE COMPANY HUMBLE GRAPE has opened its second London venue. Located in the vaults of St Bride’s Church on Fleet Street, the venue comprises a 200-seat wine bar, shop, private dining room and cellar. Humble Grape imports its wines from small, independent vineyards around the world, with about 30 available by glass or carafe and more than 200 by the bottle. An accompanying menu of “humble plates” is also served.

James Dawson opened the first Humble Grape last year in Battersea. humblegrape.co.uk

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art reopens THE SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART relaunches this month following a major expansion. A ten-storey, 21,800 sqm addition to the building has almost tripled the exhibition space. It includes the Pritzker Centre for Photography, the largest space of its kind in any US art museum. Inaugural shows will include 260 works from the Doris and Donald Fisher Collection of post-war and contemporary art, with pieces

by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Open 10am-5pm (9pm Thurs); US$25. sfmoma.org MAY 2016

ART

Pictured: Aaron Siskind’s Pleasures and Terrors of Levitation

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58 I Watches

The luxury of Timothy Barber rounds up the year’s most covetable new watches, from o weekend options to collector’s items

STAR WATCH Vacheron Constantin’s legendary Overseas The clue, of course, is in the name: Vacheron Constantin’s Overseas is a watch that is designed to travel well. It doesn’t offer you extra time zones, and it will serve you just fine if you never set foot in foreign parts, but for Switzerland’s oldest watchmaker it has the look of relaxation and escape – or at the very least, of loosening one’s tie and switching off.

The Overseas was invented in 1977 as an answer to similarly dressed-down, modernist watches from the brand’s rivals – Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe. Simply designated the “222”, it was spruced up in the late 1990s and renamed to evoke the globe-hopping lifestyle of Vacheron Constantin’s haute monde clientele.

Its robust look – angular case, complex bracelet and a thickly notched bezel that draws its form MAY 2016

from the brand’s Maltese Cross logo – is a world away from the old-fashioned classicism of its other watches, although it’s no less a powerhouse of top-level watchmaking and finishing.

And it has become even more travel-friendly since, along with some aesthetic fine-tuning, Vacheron has this year introduced the idea of interchangeable strap options. Besides the normal bracelet, the Overseas now comes with both rubber and leather straps that can be easily snapped on and off, effectively giving you three styles in one. In other words, all the watch you need for any kind of journey, overseas or otherwise.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Date in steel with blue-lacquer dial; £15,600 vacheron-constantin.com businesstraveller.com

Watches I 59

SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND

Bell & Ross BR03-92 Desert Type The aviation-inspired French watch brand whips up a desert storm with its sandy-toned latest offering.

With a case made of scratch-resistant modern ceramic, it’ll see off the best of what the weekend has to throw at you. £2,800; bellross.com

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Raymond Weil Freelancer Raymond Weil has never previously produced a dive watch, but this simple affair is a bit of a winner. With a rotating bezel in scratch-proof black ceramic and a case in blackened steel, it’s a snug and practical sports watch that’s fit for a rough-and-tumble kind of weekend.

There’s also a variety of colour options for the luminescent markings. £1,695; raymondweil.com

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V Oris Divers Sixty-Five Today, Oris is known for its chunky, ultra-tough professional dive watches, but the Sixty-Five recreates the slimmer, more wearable look of a watch that first entered its collection half a century ago. Retro it may be, but on a lightweight textile strap, it’s the essence of breezy, modern summer living. £1,150; oris.ch

Working life usually dictates a more conservative look, but there are plenty of informal watches to keep your wrist on point when you’re off duty.

MAY 2016

60 I Watches

RETRO MOTORING The latest petrolhead watches take their inspiration not from the world of cutting-edge motor sports and supercars, but from the romantic vintage racing cars and bikes of old.

Chopard Mille Miglia 2016 XL Race Edition For more than 25 years now, Chopard has sponsored the Mille Miglia, the rally that sees the world’s finest vintage cars tearing up a thousand miles of Italian countryside every spring. This year’s commemorative watch recalls the glory days when it was still a death-defying race, and is surely one of the most handsome watches that Chopard has ever created. £7,120; chopard.com

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MAY 2016

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V Zenith Heritage Pilot Café Racer Although this sits within Zenith’s pilot’s watch collection, it’s a timepiece more enthused with the style of vintage motorbikes than planes, inspired as it is by the British“café racer”culture of the 1960s. The steel case, the strap and the dial have all been specially aged to increase that sense of lived-in, worn style, while inside it ticks Zenith’s El Primero movement – a legendary engine that was first made when the café racers were still riding. £5,600; zenith-watches.com

Tag Heuer Monza Calibre 17 Following Niki Lauda’s Formula 1 World Championship win in 1975 for Ferrari, Heuer – then a major sponsor of the Italian team – produced a zippy, cushioncased chronograph it named after Italy’s famous F1 track. Forty years on, Tag Heuer has recreated the original redon-black look, although in a modern, lightweight case of black titanium. £4,000; tagheuer.co.uk businesstraveller.com

Watches I 61

COLLECTOR SPECIALS entturries ie ag ago o, craft ftsm tsm smen suc uch h as s Ab br am br m-Lou Loui uis regu guett and Jean-Marc Vacheron made watches for European high society and royalty. Today, the top brands continue to produce collector pieces that are sought after by the most discerning clientele. Here are this year’s museum pieces of the future.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Gyrotourbillon Eight years ago, Jaeger-LeCoultre made the first Reverso containing the brand’s landmark gyroscopic tourbillon, a mesmerising device that rotates in three dimensions.

This year, it has revisited the concept but with a much more streamlined proposition – 30 per cent less mass than its whopping precursor. In design, it’s art deco on one side and elaborately skeletonised on the reverse when you flip it over. €270,000 excluding VAT; jaeger-lecoultre.com MAY 2016

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Montblanc Bi-Cylindrique 110 Years Anniversary The German luxury house is 110 years old this year, and is marking the anniversary with this quite sensational watch, of which only three have been created. Part of the Collection Villeret, all handmade at an ancient manufacture in the Swiss hills, it includes the collection’s signature tourbillon, with a double cylindrical balance spring.

POA (about €300,000); montblanc.com

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V Patek Philippe 5930 World Timer Chronograph Two styles of watch that Patek Philippe has turned into an artform are the chronograph and the world timer; however, in its entire history, it has only ever combined them in one single watch, made for a doctor in the 1940s and now in the brand’s museum. Finally, though, Patek Philippe has produced a world timer chronograph, and it’s a thing of rich beauty, with a gorgeously engraved blue central dial. £48,480; patek.com

62 I Watches

FOCUS ON… The perpetual calendar The perpetual calendar is one of the most subtly thrilling examples of high watchmaking there is: more than just a timekeeper with a date, it is a mechanical computer that can mysteriously calculate the untidy irregularities of the Gregorian calendar, and display the correct date, day of the week, month, moon phase and leap year for decades on end.

In fact, it only needs adjusting once a century, and it does it all through a complex system of handassembled gears, levers and cams that are constantly, microscopically in motion.

Since Patek Philippe produced the first perpetual calendar for the wrist in 1925, it has understandably remained one of the most exclusive types of watch there is. But this year, Frederique Constant has produced the MAY 2016

most affordable perpetual we’ve seen yet – in steel, it will set you back just £7,210, less than a tenth of what you might expect to pay from some players.

Powered by the brand’s latest in-house movement, it’s a crisp, classical beauty. It shows the month and position in the leap year cycle at 12 o’clock, with the date, moon phase and week day on other sub-dials going clockwise around the face. A system of inset buttons is used to set the date initially – all you need to do then is to keep the timepiece running; good reason, perhaps, to acquire an electronic watch-winder as well.

Frederique Constant Manufacture Perpetual Calendar; £7,210 in steel, £7,480 steel plated in rose gold; frederiqueconstant.com businesstraveller.com

64 I Spotlight on… Dusseldorf

DUSSELDORF MARKETING AND TOURISM

Sitting pretty A firm focus on art, architecture and dining means once-dull Dusseldorf is now ranking high for quality of life. Andrew Eames goes exploring

MAY 2016

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Spotlight on… Dusseldorf I 65

D

usseldorf’s new underground railway line caused a stir when it opened earlier this year. And it wasn’t just because the final cost of the project was €200 million over budget, at €843.6 million – it was the way in which contemporary art was built into each station.

At Graf Adolf Platz, would-be travellers follow what looks like a giant, hallucinogenic green rock strata down on to the platform. At Schadowstrasse, a mesmerising giant screen above the tunnel turns the figures exiting the station into streaks of light and spiky geometric dodgems.

When the line opened, media from across Europe came to admire the art as much as the engineering, and locals found themselves able to forget about the huge overspend. The city’s credibility had gone up a notch.

On first impression, it is not easy to praise the capital of Germany’s most populous state (NordrheinWestfalen), because Dusseldorf is not much of a looker. Its proximity to the industrialised region of the Ruhr, and the fact that it has long been those industries’ “writing desk”– ie, administrative headquarters – made it a top target during the Second World War. It’s not an obvious destination, therefore, for a business traveller looking to extend their stay, and yet it appears at number six in Mercer’s 2016 quality of living survey – two places behind the first German entry, Munich, which has quite a different vibe. So I have come to find out why.

The first raison d’etre is the River Rhine, which divides the urbanisation in two. Dusseldorf started as a fishing village in the 7th century but once the Industrial Revolution coalesced around the coalmines of the Ruhr, the river’s purpose changed. It became an

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MAY 2016

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Main picture: Medienhafen Left: Graf Adolf Platz station

essential transport artery, ideal for heavy goods, and still is – but these days the city is also a place for passenger boats to stop over, for families to picnic on green meadows by the water, and for festivals to take place, particularly since it diverted the riverside road traffic into a tunnel, bringing peace to the riverbank.

As a result, the Rhine-side promenade has become a place of recreation, while the city’s former port, now re-christened the Medienhafen, has gone the way of many a former docklands, becoming a haven for showrooms for local fashion designers, media companies and hotels. Its buildings are either conversions of former warehouses, or eyecatching new-builds such as Frank Gehry’s stunningly organic Neuer Zollhof, clad in gleaming stainless steel – a reference to the region’s continuing steel production.

The Ruhr’s powerhouse is still going strong, as I discover when I ascend the towering Rheinturm (€9; guennewig.de/ en/rheinturm-duesseldorf), a TV tower-cum-restaurant viewpoint that looms 172 metres above the former harbour. Smokestacks litter the horizon, but even closer is Dusseldorf’s newer economic engine, the Messe trade fair centre (messe-duesseldorf.com), next to the airport. The exhibitions and events that take place here are a huge pull for business travellers, and this year there will be a bumper crop, mostly prosaic affairs focused on the likes of printing, plastic and glass.

Downtown, the focus is more glamorous and ephemeral. I go Tussi-spotting on the city’s bestknown shopping boulevard, the “Ko”– Konigsallee – which looks like a slice of Amsterdam, running as it does down both sides of a leafy canal. A“Tussi”is a certain kind of woman of indeterminate age, immaculate coiffeur, skin unseasonably tanned, handbag to the fore, who totters along

ISTOCK/DUSSELDORF MARKETING AND TOURISM/ROBERT HARDING

66 I Spotlight on… Dusseldorf

MAY 2016

What the city lacks in antiquity it makes up for in energy and conviviality – the nightlife here is very multicultural

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Spotlight on… Dusseldorf I 67

Clockwise from top left: Medienhafen; K20 gallery; What Things Dream; Ko-Bogen; Konigsallee businesstraveller.com

the Ko, greeting her friends and dipping into one designer store after another. She’s a well-known Dusseldorf type, and I find examples easy to spot.

Also eye-catching are the city’s architectural statements, which are not limited to the Medienhafen. The most recent is Daniel Libeskind’s Ko-Bogen, a multipurpose building at the top of the Konigsallee that in 2014 was named the World’s Best Urban Regeneration Project by major Cannes property show MIPIM. Although it’s huge, its curves make it light on its feet, and Libeskind’s signature“cuts”in the façade sprout greenery, echoing the city’s Hofgarten on the other side of the water. When it opened,

(€24.50 including five tasters; altbier-safari.de), a tour which lets me sample beer that is much more like British bitter than typical German brews. With no artificial preservatives or food miles involved, it is lip-smackingly fresh.

Despite the name, there’s little that’s truly vintage in the old town’s nest of cobbled streets – only the tower remains from the city’s original castle, for example. Still, what it lacks in antiquity it makes up for in energy and conviviality. The nightlife here is very multicultural – the pull of industry means more than 16 per cent of Dusseldorfers are foreign-born, and the city is home to Germany’s largest Japanese community.

Consumerism aside, the final ingredient that makes Dusseldorf particularly liveable is its cuttingedge cultural life. The city has an encampment of galleries and concert halls, all in walking distance of the Ko and the river.

The likes of Joseph Beuys and Gerhard Richter were students at the art academy here, which is also the origin of that German saying: “Ist das Kunst oder kann das weg?”(“Is it art, or can I throw it away?”). This dates from a famous incident in 2004 where part of a work by Beuys was mistakenly removed by a cleaner.

I focused on the K20 gallery (€12; kunstsammlung.de) in Grabbeplatz, which features a roll call of 20th-century artists

it suffered an arson attack, but it has since been so successful that a Ko-Bogen Two is planned.

The other big form of recreation downtown is dining and nightlife, which is flourishing in the mostly pedestrianised old town between the Konigsallee and the river.

Streets such as Bolkerstrasse are nothing but restaurants and bars, and there are five old-town breweries, where the local Altbier is made on the premises.

To get the full experience, I sign up for an Altbier Safari

A telling by-product of this German-Japanese synthesis is the Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant Nagaya (tel +49 211 863 9636; nagaya.de) in the heart of“Little Tokyo”. The first Asian restaurant in the country to be awarded a Michelin star, it offers impeccable service in a minimalist setting, with dishes composed so artfully that it seems a shame to eat them. The menu blends Japanese and European cuisines, mixing asparagus with miso sauce, and beef with wasabi butter.

including Picasso, Kandinsky, Klee, Pollock and Chagall.

The room that transfixed me most was called What Things Dream, by Wiebke Siem. In it, visitors are invited to construct abstract figures by suspending an unlikely collection of interconnecting objects on a chain hanging from the ceiling. I did my best, but when I compared my effort with those of others, it seemed staid and unchallenging.

It certainly wasn’t art. Hopefully a cleaner has since cleared it away. Q MAY 2016

68 I 4 hours in...

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New York

Jenny Southan explores the highlights of regenerated Lower Manhattan

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BROOKFIELD PLACE Formerly the World Financial Centre, across the street is the shiny new Brookfield Place food and shopping pavilion, home to designer brands such as Gucci, Hermès, Burberry and J Crew, and a Davidoff of Geneva store for fine cigars. A 7,900 sqm Saks Fifth Avenue will open this summer.

If you’re hungry, the Hudson Eats food court is handy for a quick bite – there are more than a dozen classy fast-food outlets including Skinny Pizza, Black Seed Bagel, Umami Burger and Chop’t for salads, plus free wifi. Downstairs is Le District French marketplace for more refined dining.

Head through the arcade, beneath the glass atrium bedecked in hanging purple lights, and you will find yourself on a waterside promenade by the Hudson River.You will need to exit the way you came in, though, to get to your next stop, a few minutes away. Shops open 10am8pm (12pm-6pm Sun); Hudson Eats 10am-9pm (7pm Sun). 230 Vesey Street; brookfieldplaceny.com

WORLD TRADE CENTRE TRANSPORTATION HUB It’s been almost 15 years since the September 11 attacks but finally the debris and destruction of Ground Zero has given way to gleaming new towers, budding trees and a striking downtown station. Designed by Spanish-Swiss architect Santiago Calatrava, the World Trade Centre (WTC) Transportation Hub opened in March – it is easy to spot with its white, bone-like wings splaying out of the roof. The exterior may have been inspired by a dove taking flight, but the cavernous interior looks like the belly of a dinosaur, white steel ribs leading the eye up to a 48-metre-high glass atrium.

An Italian-marble mezzanine wraps around the Oculus precinct – not just for travellers passing through, when complete in August, the hub will double as a mall housing the likes of Apple, Tumi and Eataly. Although the station cost US$4 billion and has been completed seven years late, by 2020 it will serve 250,000 passengers daily via 11 subways and PATH trains.

MAY 2016

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ONE WORLD TRADE CENTRE OBSERVATORY From the WTC Transportation Hub, head past the two square waterfalls that plunge deep into the ground, marking the footprint of the Twin Towers. The new One World Trade Centre was completed in November 2014 but the Observatory, located on levels 100-102 of the 104-floor skyscraper, wasn’t unveiled until May last year.

A lift will whizz you up the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere in 60 seconds – the main viewing area is on floor 100, where guides give free talks throughout the day. Designed to be the strongest skyscraper on the planet, it took a decade to build, compared with 13 months for the Empire State. Look out for the pale, matchstick-like tower next to it in the distance – this is 432 Park Avenue, one of the tallest residential towers in the world. Open 9am-8pm (10pm in summer); US$32. 285 Fulton Street; oneworldobservatory.com

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BROOKLYN BATTERY TUNNEL

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9/11 MEMORIAL MUSEUM It goes without saying that this is a disturbing place to visit, but you may feel it important to do so. Be warned that some exhibits are pretty harrowing and the addition of a gift shop at the end seems in bad taste.

Opened in May 2014, the museum documents the attacks and the lives of every victim (as well as those who died at the Pentagon and in the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing).

The subterranean exhibition halls are built into the very bedrock of the WTC site. You can see the remains of the “survivor stairs”, a mangled fire engine and a mausoleum filled with almost 3,000 photos of the victims. The inner rooms are more shocking – beginning with projections of the planes hitting the towers, moving on to voicemail recordings of passengers, pictures of people jumping from the buildings, and personal items such as shoes and phones. Open 9am-8pm (9pm FriSat); US$24. 180 Greenwich Street; 911memorial.org/museum businesstraveller.com

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DEAD RABBIT Forgive the name of this speakeasy, it really does serve good cocktails – and by this time, a stiff drink is needed to end the tour.

About ten to 15 minutes’ walk through the financial district, the Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog is housed in an old brownstone building full of character.

The ground-floor Taproom is a cosy pub selling craft beer, whiskey, bottled punch and pies, while upstairs is the more sophisticated Parlour. Here, the cocktail menu (presented as a graphic

novel) lists 72 drinks based on 19thcentury recipes. Try the potent High Roller (US$16) with Altos Reposado tequila, Martini Riserva Speciale Rubino, Ancho Chili, Aperol and hopped grapefruit bitters. Brunch, lunch and dinner is served (no reservations). If you’re wondering, the name of the bar comes from the Irish-American gang the Dead Rabbits, who wreaked havoc in New York in the 1850s. Open 11am4am, Parlour 5pm-2am (12am Sun).

30 Water Street; deadrabbitnyc.com Q nycgo.com/uk MAY 2016

70 I Weekend in‌ Johannesburg

Weekend in… Johannesburg I 71

City of contrasts From rich cultural heritage to hipster hangouts and verdant parkland – Johannesburg has it all, says local resident Caroline Hurry

J

ohannesburg is a large city covering 1,645 sq km, about the size of greater London. Linked by looping highways, it can be difficult for first-time visitors to get a handle on. Nevertheless, it’s a fascinating place, from its historic buildings to new galleries and the regeneration of various downtown areas.

In a weekend you want to make the most of your time, and since it’s not easy to use public transport to explore, you should ask your concierge to hire you a taxi for short trips, use a red city bus (see below), or the Gautrain (gautrain.co.za), which runs from the airport to the affluent suburbs of Sandton and Rosebank. The central business district is reasonably safe, although keep your wits about you. The area of Hillbrow, Berea and Joubert Park are best avoided.

A good place to get your bearings is from the 50th floor of the Carlton Centre, the continent’s tallest building, on downtown Commissioner Street (open 9am6pm, 9am-5pm Sat, 9am-2pm Sun; R15/£0.70). Known as the “Top of Africa”, its wraparound deck offers 360-degree views of the suburbs, which fan out from

museums. Among them is the Origin Centre in Braamfontein (daily 10am-5pm; R80/£3.80; origins.org.za), which brings the history of humankind to life.

Exhibits include Stone Age tools and 15 skull casts that depict man’s development over millions of years. Particularly captivating is the art and objects of the San, an ancient hunter-gatherer people whose practices included trance dancing and the shamanic use of hallucinogens.

The Wits Art Museum offers similarly intriguing exhibits (Wed-Sun 10am-4pm; free entry;

wits.ac.za/wam). An airy, glasswalled space about a five-minutes’ walk away on Jorissen Street, its permanent collection comprises more than 10,000 historical and contemporary African works.

One of the first things you’ll spot is an asen from Benin. The West African Fon people used these 19th- and early 20th-century metal sculptures to commemorate and connect a dead person with the living.

Other artefacts include Nelson Mandela’s notes on the Rivonia trial, a 1578 bible, and the fossil of a southern ape called Sediba.

Photographs and letters, including one from former Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd, bring to life the rich history of Constitution Hill, home of the court where cases concerning human rights are decided (Kotze Street; open daily; free entry; constitutionhill.org.za).

The magnificent architecture is movingly contrasted with the old dank, solitary confinement cells.

Prefer a pint? Then you’ll enjoy a guided tour of the SAB (South African Breweries) World of Beer in the revamped Newtown district (daily 10am-6pm; R160/£7.60; worldofbeer.co.za). Opened by Mandela in 1995 to mark its centenary, it explores the history of beer, from the brewing techniques MAY 2016

ISTOCK

Left, top: Constitution Hill Left, bottom: Delta Park Above: SAB World of Beer

the centre all the way to Pretoria.

It’s a far cry from Johannesburg’s early days as a 19th-century gold-mining settlement, when it was only grasslands and hopeful prospectors with rusty pans. Today, six million trees make it one of the world’s biggest urban forests.

Jumping on a red sightseeing bus (citysightseeing.co.za) allows you to take in a number of the

Centre left: Lethabo Estate

FOOD AND DRINK Q One of the finest places to head in the city, and not just for food, is the Orbit jazz venue in Braamfontein (Tues-Sun 5.30pm-1.30am; theorbit.co.za). Offering hearty fare ranging from Tandoori chicken wings to Karoo lamb rib, plus tempting puds, it plays host to world-class acts such as South African trumpeter Marcus Wyatt and salsa Afro-Cuban ensemble En Fuego.

Q Coobs in Parkhurst (Tues-Sat 12pm-9.30pm, Sun 12pm-4pm; coobs.co.za) sources most of its produce from an organic farm in Magaliesburg. Its meat – pork, lamb, beef, and wild boar – is free-range. Likewise, the Che Argentine Grill in Maboneng (Fox Street; Tues-Sun 11am11pm), run by two South Americans, uses free-range meat to make its amazing chorizo.

Q For something different, head out of town to the Lethabo Estate (lethaboestate.com), set in the wild surrounds of Rhenosterspruit Conservancy, close to the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage site (it’s a 45-minute drive from Sandton). It’s home to free-range horses, Nguni cows, and Delilah – the resident Nyala. Herbs and veggies are grown on the premises and eggs are sourced from the estate’s hens. Chef Kelly Laurence creates delicious meals while owner Lise Essberger teaches poi and horse whispering. Enjoy a picnic on the banks of the Crocodile River, eat on the deck overlooking the water and bush, or dine in a hammock under a tree.

MAY 2016

of the Sumerians in Mesopotamia more than 6,000 years ago, through its European and African heritage, to the present day.

Expect an Egyptian chamber, shebeen (illicit bar) and two free lagers. It’s busiest on Saturdays, so it’s best to book.

Also easily reached by bus is the Maboneng precinct (mabonengprecinct.com), the city’s hipster quarter, home to jazzy restaurants and clothing shops, an independent cinema (thebioscope.co.za), a theatre (popartcentre.co.za) and, on Sundays, a foodie market (see “Walk this way”, businesstraveller. com/archive/2013/september-2013, for a full tour of this district).

Heading north out of town, the business and residential suburbs of Sandton and Rosebank offer high-quality shops.You’ll find an ethnic vibe at Rosebank’s daily African Craft Market, browsing at Pankhurst’s Fourth Avenue (4thavenue.co.za) and crafts, curios and fresh produce at the Bryanston Organic Market (Thurs and Sat 9am-3pm; bryanstonorganicmarket.co.za).

There are also lots of options if you’re craving the great outdoors. Bounded by the suburbs of Parkhurst, Craighall Park, Blairgowrie, and Victory Park, Delta Park is one of the city’s biggest, at 104 hectares, with three dams and a bird sanctuary.

Melville Koppies Central nature reserve offers hikes and tours on Sundays (R50/£2.40; mk.org.za).

Only 6km from the CBD, you can canoe on Emmarentia Dam on the Braamfontein river, soak up the sun in the gardens, or visit the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens (sanbi.org/ gardens/walter-sisulu) and see if you can spot the nesting Verreaux’s black eagles in the cliffs by the Witpoortjie Waterfall. Q businesstraveller.com

74 I Escape to… Florida Keys

ROBERT HARDING/ISTOCK

A

fter an hour of swooping flyovers, the towers of Miami have disappeared behind us and we are cruising down the South Dixie Highway, through the Everglades.

A sign warns of crocodiles crossing, and I am sure I see a squashed anaconda glistening by the side of the road.

Soon we are entering Key Largo. It’s the first of the Florida Keys, a coral archipelago that stretches more than 100 miles like an unfastened necklace – flat little islands held together by a single strip of tarmac – all the way to Key West. United by turquoise, on one side is the Atlantic, on the other the Gulf of Mexico.

You can’t beat an American road trip, and if you’re in Miami for work, there is no better weekend escape than jumping in a car and cruising down to the most southerly point in the continental US. We pick up our wheels from the Hertz office on Alton Road in South Beach, two cups of strong black coffee sat between us as we pull out of the car park into the morning sun.

Last year, Florida saw a record 105 million international visitors, 1.7 million of them from

MAY 2016

the UK. I can see the appeal – it’s the Sunshine State, after all. And down in the Keys, it’s a kind of kitsch, palm-strewn paradise.

At 165 miles, the journey can be done in a few hours (the maximum speed limit is 55mph), but the fun comes from pit stops along the way. The 113-mile Overseas Highway takes us past the ramshackle Caribbean Club in Key Largo – the oldest bar in the Upper Keys, dating from the 1930s and popular for daiquiris by the shore – through Plantation Key and down to Robbie’s Marina in Islamorada.

Robbie’s marks the halfway point, about two hours out of Miami, so we slide off the highway into its dusty car park. There are stalls selling tikki mugs and handpainted surfboards, while down by the water is a wooden jetty lined with motorboats.

We buy a bucket of bait to feed the giant tarpon that congregate below the surface, and soon discover they aren’t the only ones after a snack – all around are bold, orange-beaked pelicans who waddle up to snap the fish straight from our fingers. Feeling peckish ourselves, we eat blackened mahi sandwiches with fries and slaw

Great ocean road From Miami to Key West, Jenny Southan drives the long highway linking the coral archipelago of the Florida Keys

Escape to… Florida Keys I 75

at the Hungry Tarpon restaurant, under the shade of a tree.

Back on the road, we pass through Long Key, Fat Deer Key and Marathon. We don’t have time to visit the Sunset Grille and Raw Bar but I’m told it offers great views of the Seven Mile Bridge, which we are soon speeding over.

It’s magnificent, with nothing but the ocean on either side.

The first sight of land is Little Duck Key, then Missouri and Ohio keys. At this point the highway cuts through Bahia Honda State Park, a square mile of protected coastland on Big Pine where you can swim and snorkel (US$8 per

Shoppe at 200 Elizabeth Street) and quirky souvenirs (buy the Donald Trump Presidential Hot Sauce from Peppers of Key West, 602 Greene Street).

The town may be small but there are numerous good hotels, including the Waldorf Astoria Casa Marina and Southernmost Beach resorts. We are staying at the Sunset Keys Cottages, part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection, on a nearby private island.

Check-in is at the Westin Key West Marina (245 Front Street), and the crossing takes about ten minutes by boat. From a distance, we see crowds gathering on the

vehicle). In 1935, the Florida Overseas Railroad was hit by a hurricane, and you can see the remains of the Bahia Honda Rail Bridge from the white-sand beach.

After passing through the likes of Cudjoe Key, Sugarloaf and Saddlebunch, the final stretch takes us into Key West for sundown. Only 90 miles from Cuba, the Conch Republic, as it is known, is an island of just five square miles in the Florida Straits. Cruise ships come into port here, bringing hoards of pleasure seekers disembarking in search of Key Lime pie (the best is found at Kermit’s Pie

harbourfront for the daily sunset celebration on Mallory Square.

Winding paths lead us past lush lawns, jasmine and frangipani, swimming pools and pastel-coloured weatherboard bungalows, down to the shore and our home for the night. The luxury resort has 40 one- to fourbedroom cottages, each with wraparound verandas and fresh beach-chic décor.

We sit outside with a cold glass of wine and watch the stars come out, before strolling to Latitudes restaurant for dinner – it’s a magical place with tables on the sand by the sea, and palm trees

MAY 2016

wound with lights. The AmericanCaribbean menu includes the likes of grilled jumbo shrimp, seared scallops and butter-poached Florida lobster tail – a well-earned feast after a long drive.

At night, Key West is relatively sleepy, apart from a few bars on Duval Street that draw partygoers with live music, rum and craft beer. The Porch occupies what looks like a haunted house in an overgrown garden, while across the road, lit in red neon, is Sloppy Joe’s saloon, which will host its 36th annual Ernest Hemingway lookalike contest in July. With their Classic Revival timber“Conch”

Below from left: Bahia Honda Rail Bridge; Robbie’s

V

JENNY SOUTHAN/ISTOCK

76 I Escape to… Florida Keys

businesstraveller.com businesstraveller com

Escape to‌ Florida Keys I 77

Sloppy Joe’s will host its 36th annual Ernest Hemingway lookalike contest in July

businesstraveller.com

MAY 2016

78 I Escape to… Florida Keys

houses, a style developed by 19thcentury Bahamian immigrants, the side streets are so pristine, they look like they are part of a film set.

Hemingway was one of Key West’s best-known residents; Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote are among the other writers to have been drawn to its tropical climate and bohemian lifestyle. Reviving ourselves in the morning with a caffe con leche from Cuban Coffee Queen (284 Margaret Street), we mosey down to Hemingway’s Spanish colonial villa at 907 Whitehead Street.

Now a museum (US$13; hemingwayhome.com), the rooms have been left as they were when he lived here in the MAY 2016

1930s – even his studio, complete with typewriter, where he wrote his best work.“He had a policy of writing 700 words or until lunch, whichever came first,”says the inimitable MJ Pierce, one of the guides who gives free tours.

In the gardens are more than 50 six- and seven-toed cats, descendants of Hemingway’s first polydactyl feline, Snow White.

“Here we have Cary Grant, Duke Ellington and Humphrey Bogart,” MJ says.“But Hemingway gave his funny names such as Dillinger, Friendless and Whorehouse.”

A short walk away, or a long swim from Havana, brings us to the concrete buoy that marks the Southernmost Point. In

2013, after 35 years of trying, endurance swimmer Diana Nyad conquered this section of the Florida Straits in just under 53 hours. With our own long journey to Miami ahead of us, we take a pedal-powered rickshaw back into town, scattering free-roaming chickens along the way. With any luck, there’ll be time to taste a portion of those famous conch fritters before leaving… Q

Clockwise from top left: Hemingway museum; spa suite and beach at Sunset Keys Cottages

GETTING THERE Q Hertz has 28 rental locations in Miami with prices from US$62 a day in June. hertz.co.uk Q Rates at Sunset Keys Cottages, a Luxury Collection Resort, start from US$695. sunsetkeyscottages.com Q For more information visit fla-keys.co.uk businesstraveller.com

Buy and fly I 79

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82 I Snapshot

The first airline alliance Valerian Ho looks back at the birth of Star Alliance

I MAY 2016

n the mid-1990s, a group of like-minded airline CEOs predicted that growing globalisation would require carriers to offer a worldwide network to cope with the new demand. They realised that a new form of co-operation had to be developed that would allow

carriers to offer customers global travel without having to serve every destination themselves.

The chief executives were from Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways and United – the founding members of Star Alliance, launched in 1997.

The partnership meant passengers could receive all boarding passes for their entire journey at the first point of check-in, while baggage would be checked through to the final destination and transfers between airlines made as convenient as possible. Loyalty programmes were also converged so that flyers could earn and burn miles throughout a single network.

Two years later, Oneworld became the second global airline alliance, with Skyteam following in 2000. Star Alliance remains the largest of the three, with 28 member carriers connecting 1,300 airports in 192 countries (98 per cent of the world’s countries) with 18,500 daily departures. Q businesstraveller.com

“THEY’VE MOVED THE MEETING” It happens. But with Flybe, it’s no problem.

Our flexible Get More ticket lets you change to an earlier or later flight that same day, at no extra cost.

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The 125mph fine dining restaurant.

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Created by celebrated chef, Mitch Tonks, our exquisite menu is teeming with the finest, freshest produce our region has to offer. All accompanied by the most tempting wine list on rails.

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offering to twelve daily services to and from London Paddington, Swansea and Plymouth. Giving First Class passengers the chance to dine in style, and food lovers everywhere a new culinary destination.

For Pullman menus and reservations, visit GWR.com/Pullman

THE RETURN OF GREAT W ESTERN RAILWAY