Lux hospitality awards supplement by AI Global Media

DINING IN COMFORT AND STYLE UHS Group is a leading specialist in supplying furniture to the hospitality industry. We spoke to Dan Gillmore to gain an overview of the company.

CONSULTING FOR SUCCESS

Radford Chancellor shares his expertise of catering consulting with us and outlines how his firm has become so successful.

Best in Hospitality Marketing - USA

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Welcome to the 2016 Hospitality Awards! The hospitality industry is traditionally highly competitive and dynamic, with firms facing a saturated market and demanding clients with high standards. As such companies within this industry have had to work increasingly hard to meet clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs and create a reputation for excellence. The 2016 Hospitality Awards have been created to reward and recognise the firms and the individuals behind them that have worked tirelessly over the past 12 months to achieve industry leading success, client satisfaction and market growth.

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Contents

4 Most Highly Renowned Luxury Bed Company - Hypnos 6 Best Caribbean Restaurant - USA - Jamaican Grill

8 Most Exclusive Safari Hospitality Company - Namibia - Namibia Exclusive 10 Most Innovative Hospitality Consultancy Group - California - The Next Idea 12 Most Creative Hotel Architect - Czech Republic - Archina Design Ltd 13 Best Indian Restaurant & Takeaway - Glasgow - Assams 14 Most Distinguished Purveyors of Artisanal Tea - The Blue House Tea 15 Most Atmospheric Indian Restaurant - Glasgow - Bombay Dreams 16 Best Food Service Design Agency - USA

& LUX Excellence Award for Client Services 2016 - New York - Corsi Associates LLC

17 Best International Wine Travel Specialist - Food & Wine Trails 18 Most Appetising Italian Bistro - Edinburgh - Frizzante 19 Most Luxurious Hotel & Spa - Yorkshire

& LUX Award for Wedding & Conference Facilities - Yorkshire - The Grand Hotel & Spa

Best Swiss Hospitality School 2016 & Recognised Leader in Career Guidance & Support - Switzerland - IMI International Management Institute

21 Most Vibrant Bar & Entertainment Venue - Akron - Jillyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Music Room

22 Most Vibrant Waterfront Dining Experience - Hollywood Beach - Jimbos Sand Bar 23 Best Hospitality Communications Company - UK - KK Communications 24 Most Authentic Indian Restaurant - Nottinghamshire - Koinonia Restaurant 25 Best Gourmet Steak Restaurant - Edinburgh - Kyloe Restaurant & Grill 26 Best Seafood Restaurant 2016 - Birmingham - Le Monde Fish Bar and Grill 27 Best Indian Restaurant - London - Lotus London 28 Best Cultural City Tour - Los Angeles - Melting Pot Food Tours

29 Best Fine Dining Restaurant - Bath & LUX Culinary Arts Award 2016 - Bath - Menu Gordon Jones 30 Most Luxurious Water Camp Experience - Botswana & LUX Wildlife Conservation Award 2016 - Botswana - Mopiri Camp

31 Best for Luxury Residential Developments - East Africa - Mukima House 32 Foodservice Consultant of the Year - UK - Radford Chancellor LTD

33 Most Acclaimed Global Tour Operator & LUX Recommended for Private Estates - Red Savannah 34 Best Hotel Entertainment & Wi-Fi Solutions Company - RoomNetTV 35 Best Local Farmshop & CafĂŠ - North Yorkshire - Roots 36 Best Luxury Safari Lodge 2016 - South Africa - The Royal Madikwe 37 Most Luxury Boutique Hotel 2016 - New York - The Sanctuary Hotel 38 Best Traditional British Restaurant Central - London - Strand Palace Hotel - Carvery & Grill 39 Best Japanese Teppanyaki Restaurant - London - Sen Nin 40 Best for Hospitality Marketing & PR - USA - Sonata Venture Solutions 41 Most Prestigious Hotel 2016 - New York & LUX Bespoke Care Award for Concierge & Butler Services - New York - The St. Regis New York 42 Best for Health & Fitness Hospitality Solutions - Technogym 43 Most Trusted International Travel Agency - Los Angeles - TravelStore 44 Best Luxury Executive Serviced Apartments - Singapore - Treetops 45 Best New Bar & Restaurant 2016 - Sheffield & LUX Customer Service Award - Sheffield - Trippets Lounge Bar

46 Best Hospitality Industry Furniture Suppliers - UHS Group 47 Best New Hotel for the Modern Traveller - New York

& LUX Eco Award for Green Hospitality Initiatives - New York - Wyndham Garden Brooklyn Sunset Park

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Most Highly Renowned Luxury Bed Company

Hypnos Company: Hypnos Limited Name: Chris Ward Email: sleep@hypnosbeds.com Web: www.hypnosbeds.com Address: Longwick Road, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire. HP27 9RS. England Phone: +44 (0)1844 348200

Hypnos Limited is a luxury bed firm specialising in the creation of sumptuous handmade beds. We profile this dedicated and exceptional company and explore how it infuses passion into everything it does. Having manufactured luxury handmade beds for more than 100 years, Hypnos is internationally renowned as the expert in creating handcrafted pocket spring mattresses and divans for some of the finest homes and hotels around the world.

For the hospitality sector, Hypnos has a specialist sales and customer service team, in-house installation teams and a dedicated contract factory in Castle Donington, which uses modern production techniques to make over 50,000 hotel beds a year.

With this rich British heritage, Hypnos is a proud holder of a Royal Warrant first granted to the Keen family, by King George V in 1929 and renewed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Alongside this, the firm is dedicated to supporting all clients and ensuring that they receive a product of the highest quality which perfectly fits their requirements. No matter who Hypnos’ customer is, it recognises the importance of a good night’s sleep. Whether for a hotelier refurbishing its rooms, or a consumer looking to put a new bed in a guest room for when a family member stays. Furthermore, Hypnos is constantly updating its product offering by adapting products to become even more hardwearing, stylish and comfortable. This includes practical and functional hidden extra storage options, allowing customers to get the most out of their rooms.

As a company dedicated to its craft, each bed Hypnos makes combines traditional skills with constant innovation and is uniquely designed to provide unparalleled support, resilience, comfort and luxury. Every mattress is generously stuffed with layers of fillings to complement the intelligent pocket spring technology. These springs actively minimise pressure points on the body, helping to increase blood circulation and alleviate tension, which in turn allows the muscles to relax. The springs mould to the sleeper’s body, leading to a natural alignment of the spine, meaning hoteliers can offer their guests a truly restful night’s sleep. It is this unique combination of pocket springs and mattress fillings, which work together to evenly distribute the sleeper’s weight for total body support, maximising pressure relief and comfort for guests. Within the bed manufacturing market, customers have come to expect a more rounded and personal service. For its consumer customers, Hypnos offers a truly bespoke service which allows them to choose every aspect of their bed – from fabric and headboard to storage and mattress comfort level. This level of care and consideration is extended to the hospitality sector on a global scale, where not only are customers offered comfortable and durable beds, but also a management and removal solution. This has resulted in the development of the Hypnos Full Service plan, which is a hassle-free service that enables hoteliers to seamlessly replace even the largest of properties. This full service project management solution, designed specifically with hoteliers in mind, ensures that the bed creation process is as uncomplicated as possible. As part of this, a Hypnos customer receives an initial consultation, careful project planning and detailed design specifications.

In recent years Hypnos has experienced exceptional growth and expansion across the UK and international hospitality markets, which has contributed towards the Hypnos brand as a whole becoming more and more recognised around the world. This expansion has resulted in the opening of a new contract factory in Castle Donington which has received an investment of over £750,000. The state-of-the-art premises solely produces beds and mattresses for the hospitality market, including some of the world’s leading hotel chains, such as the Marriott, Corinthia, InterContinental Hotels Group and Premier Inn. It also caters to the independent boutique hotel market, making a range of products which meet the diverse and bespoke needs of this sector. The firm also has a dedicated site in Princes Risborough, where the company handcrafts the most luxurious beds for homes around the world. In the future the firm anticipates further growth, as the need for beautifully designed products which offer versatile space saving solutions will never go out of fashion. With increasing demand for furniture that is tailored to their individual requirements clients will continue to demand bespoke designs suited to their needs, and therefore Hypnos will continue to thrive.

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lux Company: Jamaican Grill Restaurants Name: Frank Kenney Email: frank@jamaicangrill.com Web: www.jamaicangrill.com Address: Suite 800 Airport Industrial Center 165 Skyline Drive Tamuning, Guam (USA) 96913 Phone: 1-671-647-1934/5

Best Caribbean Restaurant - USA

Jamaican Grill is a chain of restaurants specialising in offering flavourful, Jamaican cuisine and excellence client service. We caught up with Executive Frank Kenney to find out more. Here at Jamaican Grill Restaurants is a totally unique BBQ concept that fuses the flavours of Jamaica, Guam and the Philippines. We started with just two employees (the owners) operating out of a 200 sq. ft. space, and have grown in 22 years to 105 employees. Our restaurants sales are split 50% - 50% for both full table service and take-out business. Our mission statement is to Wow every single guest we serve with Ya Mon, Serious Food and Serious Service and we believe that these guests drive the success of our business. We have also invested in detailed operations manuals that are the backbone behind aggressive training programs for each and every one of our staff. Our restaurants are known on Guam to provide outstanding customer service at each and every level of guest interaction. Our menu can also be described as “island style comfort food”, and we aim to ensure that it is of the highest possible quality thus our company motto of “Ya Mon, Serious Food”. Our restaurants are also very vibrant and colourful with Reggae music played in the background resulting in a whole lot of Fun! Moving forward we have a number of exciting growth strategies which will provide us with opportunities to expand the business. We are trying to franchise Jamaican Grill into the Philippines and other countries within our region, as well as looking at locations for a 4th branch restaurant and a corporate base here on Guam. In addition, we are developing our Jamaican Jerk Seasoning retail product line into local supermarkets and convenience stores in order to serve a new market.

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lux Company: Namibia Exclusive Email: info@namibia-exclusive.com Web: www.namibia-exclusive.com

Most Exclusive Safari Hospitality Company - Namibia

Namibia Exclusive is a lodge operator targeting the top end of the safari market to Namibia. Piers L’Estrange talks us through the firm and its plans to open another three establishments across the north of the country. At Namibia Exclusive our lodges are all characterised by being relatively small, with a maximum of only nine rooms at each of our current and future establishments. Currently the lodge market is relatively untapped in our region, therefore we are defining the market and setting the standard for excellence. We hope that in time more companies will follow our lead and invest in this sector of the market, which is heavily underrepresented in Namibia. As an example in the same survey mentioned previously, over 2000 people with a net worth in excess of U$ 10 million visited our eastern neighbour Botswana whilst 11 000 visited our Southern neighbour South Africa. Tellingly Namibia wasn’t mentioned. We aim to go some way towards changing that. To achieve this, we aim to offer the very highest quality service. When guests arrive at the lodge  they are always greeted and met by a member  of our dedicated staff. Our staff are a major focal point for Namibia Exclusive. At each of our lodges, both operational and future developments we have agreements and contracts in place with the local communities in the area via their conservancies, which manage on their behalf. A cornerstone of which is that we have undertaken to employ and train staff for our camps from the communities.

With an undertaking that ultimately all of our staff at our lodges will originate from them so that we can make a meaningful contribution towards uplifting rural Namibians whilst at the same enabling them to stay close to their ancestral homes. When one considers that in most cases due to the remote rural locations of our lodges the jobs that we create are often the first jobs that some our employees have ever had; training them to deliver 5-star service to our guests has been a massive challenge both for the staff and us. It has been humbling to see how they embraced the challenge and have exceeded our expectations. Cuisine is also a vital factor in our market, as this is an area often overlooked in the safari industry. We strive to provide innovative menus that would not look out of place in the top restaurants around the world. Looking to the future we have a number of exciting developments which will help us to grow as a company and offer our visitors a more rounded experience. We are in the process of opening another three luxury lodges spread across the North of Namibia. Xaudum Lodge, which is situated inside the Khaudum National Park in the extreme North East of the country. Sheya Shuushona Lodge, which adjoins the Northern border of Etosha National Park adjacent to our private concession area inside the park. And Omatendeka Lodge, which is situated at the headwaters of the Hoanib River below the Grootberg Mountain in the North West of the country. In addition, we are also planning on introducing a helicopter circuit to link up our lodges once they are all opened and allow guests easier access to all of our facilities. Ultimately what defines Namibia Exclusive is fine dining, incredible wilderness experiences and a genuine desire to improve the lives of those who work for us and the communities that they come from.

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The Next Idea Team

The Next Idea Restaurant Consultants

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Most Innovative Hospitality Consultancy Group - California

Company: The Next Idea CEO Name: Robert Ancill Email: info@thenextidea.net Web: www.thenextidea.net www.tniinternational.com Phone: +1 818 887 7714

The Next Idea is an international restaurant and hospitality concept development and management agency. We invited Robert Ancill to provide us with a fascinating insight into the firm and the creative services it provides.

The Next Idea are based in Los Angeles, with offices in India, and representation in Africa and Europe. We work across the world, specializing in concept creation, franchise development and management everything from research, strategy, brand and product development, franchising, through to design, execution, systems and operations, and communication. Currently we are working on concept development, franchise and management projects around the world including the USA, Middle East and Asia, utilising our highly specialised expertise in hotels, food service operations, restaurants, cafes, leisure and entertainment. The TNI team has consulted with some of the world¹s most eminent Chefs, and upscale restaurant groups, in addition to working with clients across the hospitality market including entertainment, casual dining, fast casual dining, resorts, theme parks and travel. In each project we have been involved in all areas of the business, and have delivered programs and plans that have targeted the elevation of concept positioning, product and menu, operating standards, infrastructure, and overall quality. We have worked with a wide range of brands, including Royal Caribbean, Steak N Shake (US), Gustoso (In), Al Saud Family (KSA), Marias Italian Kitchen (USA) and Pizzaro (UAE) alongside a very broad range of smaller yet very dynamic restaurant and hotel groups. Working within such a competitive industry, it is vital that we stand out so that clients know we are truly the best option for all of their hospitality consultancy needs. We differentiate ourselves from our competitors by always beginning with the end user the customer

experience, the employee training experience, and the brand experience are given the upmost priority when we approach a project. We have opened and managed over 750 restaurants across the US, Middle East, Asia and Europe, and developed 84 concepts. Our clients look for creativity, unique solutions to their ideas, and credible best practice operational systems and training. Internally we execute continuous training and research, and naturally always ask clients for feedback when executing a project to ensure that we meet these needs. When a client visits our office, the environment is creative yet professional, and we treat each client as the individuals they are and respect them throughout the project. In order to ensure that they are able to meet these standards, our employees and consultants are highly professional and generally experts in restaurants and food and beverage. We operate a flat hierarchy, and have an open dialogue philosophy. Questions and ideas are always encouraged, as we believe that ideas often branded as ‘crazy’ could potentially be exciting new innovations. Within our industry a key trend we are noticing currently is the integration of technology into projects and without this ability our competitors will struggle. In order to adapt to this change in our market we have made it our focus to understanding technology trends and the availability of technology in all areas of the food and beverage sectors. We use up to date software and project management systems, as well as deploying specialist systems as required by each client to ensure that our technological offering is always at the forefront of industry developments. Looking ahead, we will continue to expand our representative network in the future by setting up offices in as many countries as possible.

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Company: Archina Design Ltd Website: www.archina.eu

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Most Creative Hotel Architect - Czech Republic

Archina Design Ltd is an architectural practice specialising in creating beautiful establishments for the hospitality industry. We profile the firm to find out more.

Established in 1992 Archina Design offers complete designs for all type of the buildings and interiors, specifically hospitality, office, multiuse, commercial and residential buildings. In addition, the firm also creates designs for various elements of the project, including 3D hand and computer renderings and models, all of which are developed through close collaboration with artists so that each piece is both stunning and unique. Working throughout Europe, the firm has two offices, in Prague and Bratislava, allowing it to reach its clientele which spans the entire continent, from Moscow through to Paris and beyond. Recent projects undertaken by the firm include the Chopin Hotel and the Crown Plaza Hotel. Moving forward the company is keen to undertake more projects and work with a greater variety of clients in order to expand its knowledge.

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Best Indian Restaurant & Takeaway - Glasgow

Company: Assams / Lounge 57 Name: Asam Rashid / Nicola Pitticas Email: info@assams.co.uk Web: www.assams.co.uk www.lou57nge.co.uk Address: 57 West Regent Street Telephone: 01413311980

Best Indian Restaurant & Takeaway - Glasgow

Assams is a restaurant and takeaway offering an authentic taste of traditional Indian cuisine. We invited Asam Rashid to tell us more. Established in 2011 Assams provides healthy freshly prepared home cooked Indian food. Our clientele is very diverse, ranging from young to old.

Ultimately, Indian cooking is not just about chillies or colour, but about flavours, taste and freshness.

We work hard to ensure every visitor receives a truly exceptional meal and has a great experience.

We have recently added a new cocktail bar to the premises where we provide burgers and pizzas, all freshly cooked with a twist of Indian spices. Providing fresh, vibrant and delicious food which is great value for money is our overall mission. To that end, our chefs work tirelessly to provide quality and our waiting staff that are talented singers, making every visit to our premises truly unforgettable. Our staff are the most important aspect of our business, and have made Assams the success it is today.

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Most Distinguished Purveyors of Artisanal Tea

Company: The Blue House Tea Name: Badeeh Abla Email: badeeh@theblue.house Web: www.bluehousetea.com

Most Distinguished Purveyors of Artisanal Tea

The Blue House Tea is a new concept in the world of tea, focusing on rare and organic teas that are uncommercial and of the highest grade. We invited Badeeh Abla to provide us with a unique overview of the firm and its unique selection of teas. Here at the Blue House Tea, it is our mission to provide highly prized tea grades and the most unique tea blends in the world fresh from the farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fields to your cup. Our team constitutes of international master blenders, along with senior food critiques that work with gastronomic food awards across the globe. Alongside our dedication to quality we always produce tea the fair trade way, operating our own tea fields that are exclusive for our tea blends and we have our unique tea-aging process in China and Japan. We respect tea traditions and work to revive them and to take the tea world in the right direction. Gone are the days where people drank artificially

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scented teas. We believe a good tea should be cherished and treated with care to make the best experience. These beautiful, flavourful teas are provided to clients across the globe who are connoisseurs of food, art and culture that appreciates a noble range of teas that are prepared with intricate delicacy. Overall our aim is to make our customers happy. We like nothing more than to hear that clients have enjoyed our teas, and we always endeavour to be generous and offer the very best products.

Looking to the future, we are keen to create a new online shop which will be one of a kind. After conducting rigorous research into our competitors online tea shops we have created a concept that answers people needs and tea experiences. Ultimately we are looking to become the equivalent to Net-A-Porter, offering both an excellent product and a customer friendly platform on which to purchase it.

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Company: Bombay Dreams Name: Abrar Ali Email: enquiries@ bombay-dreams.co.uk Web: www.bombay-dreams.co.uk Address: 35 South Carbrain Road, South Carbrain, Cumbernauld, Glasgow, G67 2PL Telephone: 01236 451010

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Most Atmospheric Indian Restaurant - Glasgow

Bombay Dreams is an Indian restaurant and takeaway based in Cumbernauld which specialises in providing the finest cuisine and a relaxing atmosphere. We invited Abrar Ali to talk us through the establishment and the techniques it employs to ensure every guest has a memorable experience. Bombay Dreams was established over 12 years ago, and during this time have built up a loyal customer base thanks to the wide range of Indian cuisine including starters, mains and deserts we offer, all of which are cooked onsite by our award winning chefs using the freshest ingredients to a very high standard. A takeaway service is also provided, as we understand that customers have busy lives and may prefer to enjoy their meal at home. Alongside our delicious, fresh food, friendly service is also a key aspect of our offering, and we pride ourselves on ensuring that our team makes sure that everyone who comes into the restaurant enjoys a fist class dining experience. Many of our staff have worked with the restaurant for a long time and staff turnover is very low, as such we have staff that really get to know our customers and can start to form a bond with them, which helps us to offer a better quality service. Overall our objective is quite simple; get the food right, provide the right atmosphere for people to enjoy their food and ensure that we have great customer service across all aspects of our business. Over the past 12 years we have worked hard to build a solid reputation in the Cumbernauld area using these principals as a guide, and therefore looking to the future we are keen to continue this approach and build upon our current success.

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Best Food Service Design Agency – USA & LUX Excellence Award for Client Services 2016 - New York

Company: Corsi Associates LLC Name: Adam Corsi Email: adam.corsi@ corsiassociates.com Web: www.corsiassociates.com Address: 1489 Baltimore Pike Bldg 109 Springfield, PA 19064 USA Phone: +01 610 541 0822

Incorporated in 1983, Corsi Associates LLC has reported steady growth as one of the nation’s largest food service design agencies. We invited Adam Corsi to provide us with an insight into the firm and how its dedication to quality has helped it to achieve this enviable success. For over 30 years Corsi Associates have been a trusted partner to Architects, Builders, Chefs and Entrepreneurs throughout North America, designing a wide variety of Foodservice operations. Our commitment begins with the first meeting and extends into planning, flow analysis, drawings, permits, equipment lists, specs, and bidding through installation, and we continue to provide quality service throughout the project and beyond. With offices in Philadelphia and in New Jersey, Corsi is central to the Mid-Atlantic region and has grown to work with clients from coast to coast and overseas. The main areas of our business include Senior Living, Healthcare, K-12 and Higher Education, Corporate and Retail/Food Court segments, and we also work with a diverse client list outside of these mainstream segments. We draw on our vast past experience, which includes working with commercial and institutional food service clients of all types: hospitals and healthcare; corporate and in-plant feeding; government and military facilities; colleges and universities; schools; hotels and casinos and many more. Ultimately our firm provides a versatile service and a focus on quality to ensure that every client receives the best possible service. From the smallest coffee bar or church kitchen to the renovation of 500 bed hospital tray service, casino rebranding or university food court development, Corsi Associates brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to evaluate our clients’ foodservice needs and transform them into reality. We offer the most efficient and cost effective ways to achieve their goals without sacrificing quality. For over 30 years, a Corsi designed kitchen has been a clear mark of quality in the foodservice world.

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During 2015, we moved our Pennsylvania headquarters to a larger space and continued to grow our design and drafting staff. These moves forward help to ensure that in 2016 and beyond, every client continues to receive the attention to detail and complete design experience that has become synonymous with the Corsi name.

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Best International Wine Travel Specialist

Company: Food & Wine Trails Name: Greg Nacco Email: gnacco@ foodandwinetrails.com Web: www. foodandwinetrails.com Address: 707-A Fourth Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95404 Phone: 800-367-5348

Best International Wine Travel Specialist

Food & Wine Trails is an award-winning tour company with more than 31 years of experience. We invited Greg Nacco, Vice President of Business Development, to talk us through the firm and the techniques it employs to ensure every tour is a truly unforgettable experience. Food & Wine Trails curate exclusive culinary travel experiences through partnerships with wineries, winemakers, chefs and leading luxury cruise and tour companies worldwide. Greg explains the factors which differentiate the firm from its competitors. “There has been tremendous growth in both the travel and wine industries in recent years, and both wineries and cruise lines are implementing direct to consumer initiatives. Cruise lines are building new ships and capacity will increase dramatically in the next three years. “As such, our industry is becoming increasingly competitive as new players enter the market. What makes Food & Wine Trails unique is the quality. We personally visit our destinations, employ sommeliers,

winemakers and guides who are experts in their fields and provide exclusive, one-of-a-kind experiences which align perfectly to the guests’ expectations. “Additionally, we are innovative in that we meet the needs of both cruise ships and wineries. For wineries, F&WT strengthens branding and bonds customers through exclusive access to wine and winemaker experiences. These interactions result in adding and extending wine club memberships. For cruise lines, F&WT programs not only bring passengers, but many of these are new to cruising customers, which is a critical component to the industry as a whole.”

“Moving forward, we are growing our brand through the development of additional programming and the expansion of partnerships both nationally and globally. “Discerning guests are continually looking for unique, exclusive, personal experiences with the winemakers and winery owners. Through years of operation, we have cultivated and partnered with sommeliers and culinary experts around the world who personally guide our groups in tandem with the winemakers and winery owners, and in the future we are keen to continue this progression and build upon our current success.”

Looking ahead, Greg explains that Food & Wine Trails has increased its marketing and sales resources in order to meet increasing demand for its services.

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Most Appetising Italian Bistro - Edinburgh

Company: Frizzante Address: 95 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH3 9AW Phone: 0131 229 7788 Website: http://frizzanterestaurant.uk/

Most Appetising Italian Bistro - Edinburgh

Frizzante is a family run Italian restaurant based in Edinburgh. Owner Jonathan Chierchia outlines how the establishmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inviting, friendly atmosphere and fresh, vibrant food is the key to its success. Frizzante is a traditional Italian restaurant based in the heart of the Scottish capital, serving traditional Italian cuisine to a variety of guests, including theatregoers, business people and tourists. The restaurant is a particular favourite of visiting Italians, who appreciate the authentic, homely atmosphere and delicious food. As a small premises we focus on the food and the service, making sure every guest has an experience they will always remember. As soon as they walk through the door diners are greeted by the smell of fresh food, whether it be luscious homemade pasta or the mouth-watering sauces we serve to accompany it.

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Italian cooking runs in our family, and my father has over 30 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience in the industry, for which he has received a knighthood. As such I am honoured to be continuing the family tradition, and have myself obtained a great deal of experience in the trade. Frizzante is my second business, and I am lucky enough to have a great team of staff supporting me, which has really helped to make the restaurant the success it is today. In recent yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guests expectations have risen, as they look for Italian restaurants which offer both traditional service and quality, but also innovative, exciting new options for them to indulge in. The challenge therefore is to retain our high standards whilst also providing something a little bit different so that guests feel they are getting a new experience every time.

Therefore in order to meet this need we are undertaking a full refurbishment later this year, when we will be scaling down the menu in order to focus on quality: we are keen to serve exclusively fresh, homemade pasta, as well as offering a variety of delicious specials and a selection of the finest prosecco. By offering a lower quantity of dishes we will be able to put a real focus on quality and ensure that we change the menu regularly, allowing guests to experience new and unique Italian flavours each time they visit.

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Company: The Grand Hotel & Spa, York Web: www.thegrandyork.co.uk

Most Luxurious Hotel & Spa – Yorkshire & LUX Award for Wedding & Conference Facilities - Yorkshire

The Grand Hotel & Spa is York’s first five-star hotel and the only AA five-star rated hotel in Yorkshire. We profile the establishment and explore how it has come to achieve such eminence.

The Grand Hotel & Spa is a stunning £25m hotel, which opened in May 2010 following the extensive refurbishment of the former North Eastern Railway headquarters – one of York’s most iconic Edwardian buildings. The building was originally constructed in 1906 as a ‘Palace of Business’ for what was then one of the most powerful public companies in the country. Today it is the region’s leading luxury hotel and has established a global reputation for its firstclass service, stylish bedrooms and unique historic atmosphere. Edwardian buildings were not constructed using a template, so each of The Grand’s 107 bedrooms really is unique, each of them retaining original features and a sense of history. In the hotel’s 2 AA Rosette rated restaurant, Hudson’s, Head Chef Craig Atchinson presents Modern British cuisine with high quality and a sense of innovative flair assured. Set within the building’s former vaults, Spa at The Grand offers an array of therapeutic treatments. Thick stone walls and cast iron vault doors create a tranquil and wonderfully relaxing environment. A building is nothing without the people within it and the team at the Grand are committed to providing the very best in service and delivering it at the highest of standards. As a five-star hotel, the Grand maintains high standards, all of which put the guest at the centre. As a Yorkshire hotel, they offer something a little different – the warmth of a genuine Yorkshire welcome. Moving forward, the hotel has made plans for an impressive £15 million, two-year redevelopment, which were approved last year with initial work having now commenced which will see The Grand double its number of guest rooms and allow it to compete at an international level. As part of the new look hotel, a new restaurant space on what is currently an outside terrace area is being created. This new dining space will offer space for 140 guests in an exciting, exquisitely styled environment and, like the current restaurant it will be replacing, will be open to both residents and nonresidents alike. The redevelopment plans extend to the current hotel rooms which will be upgraded and re-styled to enhance the already sumptuous hotel, bringing it up to a standard that will see it compete with the very best hotels within the UK. The restaurant is due to open first with the new rooms being available a short time afterwards.

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Best Swiss Hospitality School 2016 & Recognised Leader in Career Guidance & Support - Switzerland

Company: IMI International Management Institute Switzerland Email: info@imi-luzern.com Web: www.imi-luzern.com Address: Seeacherweg 1, Kastanienbaum-6047, Luzern, Switzerland Phone: +41 41 349 64 00

Best Swiss Hospitality School 2016 & Recognised Leader in Career Guidance & Support - Switzerland IMI International Management Institute in Switzerland is a unique, private, hospitality school founded in 1991. We invited Greta Musu, Director of International Business Development, to talk us through some of the school’s strengths and how it strives to ensure its pupils achieve excellence in everything they do. IMI is on a mission to nurture students from all over the world to become accomplished and successful hospitality and business executives within this growing global market. Greta outlines the school’s services and how it offers a personalised atmosphere to all visitors. “At IMI we welcome students from all around the globe to our picturesque campus in Luzern, right in the heart of Switzerland. With around 40 different nationalities on campus at any one time, we work hard to ensure that all our students feel at home here as quickly as possible. “Being one of the smaller Swiss hospitality schools enables us to offer a much more personal service to our students. We know all our students by name and the open-door policy employed by lecturers and support staff on campus means students always have someone to speak to should any worries or queries arise. “Added to this, from the very first week (where we organise a special induction welcome) onwards there are regular activities and events taking place on campus which allow students to work together, socialise and get a better understanding of each other’s cultures and backgrounds – this, for us, is just as important as the teaching that takes place in the classroom. “Our programmes are validated by leading UK universities and our personalised Careers and Internships service offers our students the best paid internship placements during their studies, which increase their opportunities on graduation. We have deliberately remained small, with around 180 students per semester. This way our students can

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be assured of a highly personalised and individual approach to their learning.” The hospitality industry is changing, and, as Greta points out, this is having an effect on the skills which IMI’s students need to acquire. As the former Head of Internships, Careers and Alumni at IMI, Greta states that at IMI, we provide high quality academic programmes, as well as focusing on the development of the student personally and professionally. In fact, IMI is proud to have been the first hotel school in Switzerland to embed Personal and Professional Development as a specific unit in the academic curriculum, which from our experience, the industry greatly appreciates, resulting in more employable graduates. We are proud that this leads to a greater number and range of placement and job opportunities for our students upon graduation. “One of the interesting trends within the hospitality education sector is how graduates from this field are entering increasingly diverse market sectors. A hospitality degree in no way limits you to only working in a hotel. We are seeing our graduates enter other fields including finance, technology, tourism and events among many others. “Alongside this, younger generations are clearly becoming more and more tech-savvy; as a company working predominantly with young adults, it is important that we keep up with the rapid changes and utilise new technology to improve the services we offer. “At IMI, we are moving more and more of our course material and content online through a dedicated student web-portal. This has the dual benefit of

increasing ease of access and efficiency for students while also reducing wastage and benefiting the environment by cutting down on paper materials. In terms of student experience, we interact and share content with our students and followers through a range of social media and are constantly seeking to expand the diversity of content available here.” “Additionally, in the last two years we have undergone a complete campus room refurbishment project, upgraded the Wi-Fi coverage across campus and grown and enhanced the range and scope of excursions and activities we offer to our students. All this means that, as well as receiving a top-class education, IMI graduates can also be assured of memories and experiences that will stay with them for life. As a final comment, Greta outlines her pride as the school reaches a milestone anniversary, and looks forward to producing many more successful graduates in the years to come. “This year is our 25th birthday and we are very proud of having provided our students with excellence in hospitality education for the last quarter-century. To celebrate this milestone, we will be holding a special alumni reunion this September where we are looking forward to welcoming former students from around the world back to IMI. “The anniversary event will be in appreciation of our achievements to date, but we are conscious never to become complacent and will continue to focus on how to bring the standard of service we offer and the student experience at IMI to an even higher level over the forthcoming years.”

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Company: Jilly’s Music Room Address: 111 North Main Street ~ Akron, OH Web: jillysmusicroom.com

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Best Food Service Design Agency – USA & LUX Excellence Award for Client Services 2016 - New York

Most Vibrant Bar & Entertainment Venue - Akron

Jilly’s Music Room is a live music venue located in Downtown Akron, Ohio’s Northside District. We profile this vibrant venue and highlight the unique atmosphere it offers.

Jilly’s Music Room offers visitors a sophisticated atmosphere, an eclectic, American tapas menu, craft cocktails, more than 100 beers, lots of free parking, a state of the art sound system, and exceptional service, ensuring that every guest has an experience they will never forget. Special Events and Live music runs through the week, showcasing the best original bands (local/ regional/national) in a range of genres including Blues, R&B, Rock, Indie, Pop, Singer/Songwriter, Americana, and Alt-Country. The bar serves a range of invigorating and unique cocktails to suit any palate, including Jilly’s Bloody Mary, a spin on the classic consisting of Absolut Peppar Vodka, House made Bloody Mary Mix, Olives, Bacon Slice, Dill Pickle Spear. The menu is equally eclectic, comprising of innovative takes on traditional tapas designed to provide vivid flavours, including Freshly popped organic popcorn sprinkled with Applewood smoked bacon and lightly dusted with Pecorino Romano Cheese as well as Wasabi deviled eggs with bacon and sweet pickle garnish. Overall Jilly’s Music Room offers something for everyone, making it the perfect venue for an entertaining and exciting night out in Akron.

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Most Vibrant Waterfront Dining Experience - Hollywood Beach

Company: Jimbos Sand Bar Name: Anna Chiarappa GM email: Anna@ jimbossandbar.com Web: www.jimbossandbar.com Address: 6200 N Ocean Drive - Hollywood, Florida Phone: 954 927 9560

Most Vibrant Waterfront Dining Experience - Hollywood Beach

Jimbos Sand Bar is a family restaurant offering quality food and superb service. We invited General Manager Anna Chiarappa to tell us more.

Jimbos Sand Bar has been supporting the entertainment scene in Hollywood since 1999. Previously the establishment was a bar, however in 2012 it came under new ownership and became a dedicated family restaurant. With our waterfront setting, and breath taking view, we offer a truly memorable experience for all of our guests. We are even pet friendly, providing a more inclusive and homely atmosphere. A warm welcome greets every guest, and all of staff endeavour to make them feel at home from the moment they step over the threshold to the moment they leave.

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We specialise in offering delicious food. Many of our recipes stem from a 4050 years old Italian family tradition, which really makes it special. Looking to the future, the growing tourist market of Broward county, and particularly of Hollywood beach, will boost all local business, especially restaurants such as Jimbos that are investing so much in selection and quality.

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Best Hospitality Communications Company - UK

Company: KK Communications Name: Katrina Kutchinsky Email: Katrina@kkcom.co.uk Web: www.kkcom.co.uk Address: Blackburn House, Blackburn Road, London NW6 1RZ Phone: 0207 625 0935

Mac & Wild Restaurant, London

Best Hospitality Communications Company - UK

KK Communications are a leading, independent public relations agency specialising in lifestyle and hospitality. Katrina Kutchinsky talks us through the company and the strategies it employs to achieve success. Here at KK Communications, our proven creativity combined with our commitment to increasing revenue for all the brands that we represent, ensures that our clients connect directly with their desired audiences. Whether household names or emerging talents, we create tailored campaigns for every brand we work with, which encompass the entire media spectrum, including print, digital and social media. In order to ensure clients receive the best possible coverage, we always try to predict what our clients want or need even before they know it themselves. We ensure that all press coverage is sent to them as soon as it comes out.

What really differentiates our firm from our competitors is that, instead of just publicising what they give us to, we love brainstorming interesting, creative ideas that will generate them ongoing publicity and, ultimately, increased revenue. The restaurant and bar scene has never been so interesting and vibrant at the moment, and we are keen to capitalise on this and help our clients to achieve success. A key focus currently is on provenance of food and healthier options. The challenge is that people are constantly looking for the new trend, which can be a little faddish and also, we now communicate all these trends via many different medias, so keeping up with developing social media is obviously also a huge challenge.

To overcome this we have just launched a social media division which is very exciting and will provide us with great options for expansion moving forward. The department sends a monthly newsletter to all our clients, updating them on the latest news, and we are looking into utilising new platforms and technologies in the future. In addition, the firm is celebrating its fifth birthday this year, and we intend to through a large party to congratulate ourselves on our success, which we hope to build upon in the coming years.

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Company: CC Restaurants & Catering Ltd Name: Koinonia Email: info@ koinoniarestaurant.com Web: www.koinoniarestaurant.com Address: 19 St. Marks Lane, Newark, NG24 1XS Telephone: 01636706230

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Most Authentic Indian Restaurant - Nottinghamshire

Koinonia Restaurant is a South Indian Restaurant which serves authentic food from Kerala. We invited George Chummar to tell us more about the establishment and the food it serves.

Koinonia provides excellent quality authentic food from Southern India, with a focus on Kerala, which is a region famous for its rich history of preparing beautifully flavoured food. We host a wide variety of guests from many different age groups, all of whom enjoy our delicious food. The combination of experienced and dedicated staff, both those serving guests and preparing the food, ensures that everyone who visits Koinonia receives top quality, well prepared food that is served to them in a friendly manner. When greeting any guest, we open the door with a wide smile and aim to seat them as quickly as possible. Ultimately we aim to serve the most authentic food from Kerala as possible and our Head Chef takes great pride in the food he serves, which means it is always as flavourful and delicious as possible. Looking ahead, it is our aim to create brand awareness in our local community, as well as looking further afield to nearby big cities including Lincoln, Nottingham and Mansfield. This will enable more customers to experience and enjoy our quality homemade food and bask in the friendly and relaxed atmosphere we cultivate.

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Best Gourmet Steak Restaurant - Edinburgh

Company: Kyloe Restaurant & Grill Website: www.kyloerestaurant.com

Best Gourmet Steak Restaurant - Edinburgh

Kyloe Restaurant & Grill is a gourmet steak restaurant based in Edinburgh. We spoke to Louise MacLean, who gave a unique insight into the establishment and the atmosphere it cultivates. Kyloe Restaurant & Grill is a destination restaurant situated in a stunning listed building in the West end of Edinburgh, with views of Edinburgh Castle on one side and the iconic Princes Street on the other. The restaurant specialises in steak, and we offer a selection of dishes including beef wellington, steak tartar and ribeye. We also have guest dishes such as sumptuous wagu beef.

Service is also a key aspect of our work, and here at Kyloe we aim to cultivate a relaxed atmosphere based on quality service. We aim to offer a one-toone service, whereby each table is taken care of by a dedicated member of our waiting team who ensure that their every need is taken care of throughout their stay.

As a business we are never complacent, and therefore in the future we will continue to innovate and adapt, changing our menu and updating our décor regularly in order to ensure that we are always offering guests the very best experience. We closely follow services such as TripAdvisor and regularly ask guests for feedback so that we can ensure we are always meeting their needs and exceeding their expectations.

Despite being a renowned steak house, Kyloe caters to all tastes, and we also offer a range of vegetarian and fish dishes, as well as gorgeous local lamb. Our À la carte menu changes with the seasons, and we work closely with our suppliers to ensure that guests receive the very freshest season and local produce possible. Alongside our indulgent menu we also offer a fully stocked bar, which includes a wide range of whiskies and ales, as well as a vast array of wines specifically designed to complement our menu. Kyloe’s management takes wine very seriously, and we have an in-house sommelier. The wine menu features an Australian Torbreck ‘Kyloe’ Mataro, named after the restaurant after the owner’s enjoyable experience with us a few years’ ago.

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Company: Le Monde Fish Bar and Grill, Address: Brindleyplace, Birmingham Tel: 0121 271 0600 FB: Le Monde Birmingham Twitter: @LeMondeBP

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Best Seafood Restaurant 2016 - Birmingham

Le Monde Fish Bar and Grill Le Monde Fish Bar and Grill is a restaurant, bar and private dining rooms in Birmingham’s Brindleyplace. We invited Emma Carter to give us a history of the firm and the services it provides. Le Monde Fish Bar and Grill opened in Birmingham in August 2014 following 30 very successful years in Cardiff. Like its sister restaurant it has quickly established a great reputation for its range and quality of fish and shellfish, as well as its outstanding steaks. Our guests vary from visitors to the city, many of whom want to sample traditional fish and chips, concert and theatre goers and those enjoying a lunch or evening out. The restaurant market in Birmingham is highly competitive, with many different options available. What really sets us apart is the pride we take in our range of fish, shellfish and steaks, which are displayed in market style cabinets in the restaurant and guests are encouraged to take a look before ordering. Fish is delivered daily and often there can be some interesting surprises - from razor clams to shark and eel - as well as firm favourites such as king prawns, lobster, Dover sole and sea bass. These sumptuous delicacies are then crafted into delicious, memorable dishes including a sharing platter of Fruits de Mer, oysters by the half dozen or dozen and chateaubriand for two to share. We are finding currently that traditional fish dishes are hugely popular, such as our traditional fish and chips, as are our steaks. All food is prepared in our open and eye catching black and white kitchen, whilst a separate bar (No.10 at Le Monde) is a comfortable place for a drink before or after a meal, or for enjoying some of the many live bands which perform here - blues and jazz every Friday as well as many Thursday evenings. Alongside the main restaurant and bar, our two private dining rooms seat from 15 to 50 guests and are well used for celebrations and business events. There are a choice of canapés and table d’hôte menus to choose from. As a forward thinking and innovative establishment we are always looking for exciting ways to adapt and entice our customers. The months ahead will be a particularly exciting time for us as we create a range of delectable specials to coincide with the Brazil based Olympic games.

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Company: Lotus Restaurant Address: 17,Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H0EP Email: bhaskar@lotus.london kitana@lotus.london Web: www.lotus.london Phone: 02078398797

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Best Indian Restaurant - London

Lotus London is a fine dining Indian restaurant focusing on offering quality, gourmet meals and an unforgettable experience. We invited Owner Kitana Sampath to tell us more. Lotus London is owned and run under the parent company; Sun Hotel UK Ltd, which owns hotels, residences, restaurants and satellite television channels around Europe. The luxury segment was one that the company had not yet ventured into when it came to restaurants, and we felt Lotus was the ideal first location with which to showcase our hidden talents in this area. The core philosophy of Lotus revolves around the Indian verse “Atithi Devo Bhava “which in Sanskrit means: ‘The guest is equivalent to God’. As such Lotus looks to its guests in order to progress, and this philosophy is greatly emphasized on during every briefing and training that is provided to our lotus buds, our affectionate term for our employees. Apart from contacting the guests directly in order to gain more information about their up-coming visit, we greatly rely on technology and new third party companies that can help enhance our business in light of our guest’s ever-changing trends and needs. Our buds are expected to ask for recommendations and comments at the end of guest’s meal, to which it is recorded and discussed during the following briefing. Each employee of Lotus was selected primarily focused on their customer service skills as this is one element we felt could not be trained. Learning and adapting to our guests is the essential tool that will ensure that every visit is memorable for all the right reasons. A key trend we have noticed in the fine dining industry is that whilst clients previously enjoyed savouring a luxury meal, they are now struggling to find the time. As such we are focused on ensuring that they receive the best possible service from us which will make them want to come back and invest their time again. Moving forward we are keen to expand the Lotus brand and operate more restaurants whilst retaining our focus on quality.

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Best Cultural City Tour - Los Angeles

Company: Melting Pot Tours LLC Name: Lisa and Diane Scalia Email: lisa@meltingpottours.com, diane@meltingpottours.com, info@meltingpottours.com Web: www.meltingpottours.com Phone: +01.424.247.9666

Best Cultural City Tour - Los Angeles Melting Pot Food Tours, established in 2008, is the premier food tour company in the greater Los Angeles area, co-founded by sisters Lisa and Diane Scalia. We invited Diane Scalia to talk us through the firm and the tours it offers.

Lisa and I are native Angelenos and lifelong residents of LA, and our entire team here at Melting Pot Food Tours is committed to acquainting both visiting and local tour guests with our great city through stories and tastings of the food that is served there. We host several walkingtasting tours on a regularly-scheduled, year-round basis, and also offer special dining events that celebrate diversity at the table. The firm came to life in 2007 when Lisa Scalia, Principal Partner, had the desire to marry her passions for food and travel. She learned that there was no Chef or tour operator offering walking-tasting food tours in our hometown of Los Angeles, and her bright idea was born. I joined her in the venture, as a Chef, food writer, and former food tour host, and together we combined our professional experience and complimentary business skills, which created a promising partnership,

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and brought Melting Pot Tours to life. Our customers are comprised of tour ticket buyers from local, domestic US, and international locations, including individual travelers, private groups, and business-to-business clients. We are the local food tour provider of choice for international tour operators and Destination Management Companies in our market, and that aspect of our business continues to grow and thrive. Providing tours to a diverse range of clients means we have to offer a variety of different themes to suit their needs, and we currently offer the Original Farmers Market Food and History Tour; Old Pasadena Walking Food Tour; East LA Latin Flavors Tour; Chef Jet Tila’s Flavors of Thai Town Tour; and VIP Tour and Paella Lunch at La Espanola Meats.

Looking ahead, in summer 2016 we will be adding additional tasting tours and special events to Melting Pot Tours’ menu of offerings, as our company proudly celebrates its 8th year in business. Longer term, we are currently working on a new concept/product, the “Culinary Concierge”, which will offer unique and exclusive access to food-related venues, with both myself and Lisa as hosts. This service, still in the early stages of development may include specially-created experiences at restaurants, manufacturing facilities, behind-the-scenes events, and audiences with Chefs and other food professionals. Our sincere intention is to offer guests extraordinary, one-of-a-kind, unforgettable culinary experiences in our city, enjoyed in a way that only we can share.

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Best Fine Dining Restaurant – Bath & LUX Culinary Arts Award 2016 - Bath

Company: Menu Gordon Jones Email: info@ menugordonjones.co.uk Web Address: www. menugordonjones.co.uk Address: 2 Wellsway, Bath BA2 3AQ Telephone: 01225 480871

Best Fine Dining Restaurant – Bath & LUX Culinary Arts Award 2016 - Bath Menu Gordon Jones is a fine dining restaurant in Bath offering a unique culinary experience. Armi Jones talks us through the firm’s dedication to visitor satisfaction. Menu Gordon Jones offers a unique approach to fine dining, surprising our guests with innovative tasting menu. This gives our customers a gastronomic insight to chef Gordon Jones’ personality. The food that we serve is fresh and seasonal and Chef also likes to use ingredients that some might shy away from, because the preparation and cooking of them is becoming a lost art, such as cooking Veal Heart, or because they are little known to the UK market, such as Goose neck barnacles.

on what we call “reading the guest”- being able to see what our guests want before they ask us. As firm believers in continuous improvement and learning we have an invigorating future ahead of us. Despite the multitude of accolades that we have won to date, we are not looking to rest on the current excellent reputation we have, but believe that there is always more we can achieve, which is a philosophy we pass over to our team. Currently we

are concentrating on our skills and chefs, our wine selections and the level of our service. We are always on the lookout for new ways to serve, new wineries and the best ingredients available. At the same time, Chef Gordon Jones has several new food business ambitions he will look to launch in the future, but at this time, we are solely focusing on Menu Gordon Jones and becoming the best that we can be. In four years we have gone from a small restaurant in Bath to one of the Top 100 in the UK.

Our guests range across all walks of life, nationality and food interest. One of our main focuses is to make sure that we are accessible, as we want to be a fine dining restaurant without pretention. Whether you can come having dined in some of the best restaurants in the world, or on your first date having never been to a fine dining restaurant in your life, everyone should be able to enjoy the experience at Menu Gordon Jones. Service is as an important aspect to Menu Gordon Jones’ success as the food is. We offer a relaxed environment so that the guests who are with us for two to three hours feel like they can sit and enjoy themselves for as long as they like without being rushed; we do not turn tables. Our team prides itself

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Company: Mopiri Camp Name: Anna Butterfield Email: anna@ visionmservices.com Web: www.mopiricamp.com Address: PO Box HA96 HAK, Maun, Botswana Phone: 00267 75130691

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Most Luxurious Water Camp Experience – Botswana & LUX Wildlife Conservation Award 2016 - Botswana

Mopiri operating under the umbrella firm Roots & Journeys, offers a true Okavango Delta water camp experience. We spoke with Anna Butterfield about the camp and the unique experience it offers. Mopiri Camp, alongside the firm’s parent company, aims to create a circuit of affordable and accessible camps in Botswana, whilst still offering a high level of service and accommodation. The Roots & Journeys team was formed through a joint love and passion for the African bush, from the owners meeting on a guide-training course, through to the guides and staff growing up in the area. Roots & Journeys strives to offer the highest level of service and accommodation at affordable rates. As such the Mopiri team are provided with constant training to ensure that the standard of service is maintained, and that people are growing in to new positions within the company. Guests arrive at Mopiri on board a double storey barge to the sounds and smiling faces of the Mopiri choir. A refreshing drink and cooling towel is on hand, before having a quick chat with one of the managers about all the activities on offer during the stay. Our key is flexibility. Guests can choose what activities they would like to do as and when, guided by the Managers and Guides expert knowledge of the area. Moving forward, we are keen to create the circuit of affordable and accessible lodges in Botswana. Mopiri will offer the water camp experience and the next two camps will offer game rich safaris, and the chance to explore the Kalahari, providing visitors with a chance to experience the very best that the region has to offer. These developments are designed to meet the changing needs of our clients. We have noticed that there is an increase in the self-drive market doing lodge-to-lodge itineraries, which is why we are creating an accessible circuit of lodges. All of our lodges will be accessible by road and by air.

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Best for Luxury Residential Developments - East Africa

Company: Mukima House Name: Leslie Duckworth Email: info@mukimakenya.com Web: www.mukimakenya.com Phone: +254726332399, +254203882755/3882763

Best for Luxury Residential Developments - East Africa

Deep in the heart of Laikipia, one of Kenyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most spectacular game viewing areas, stands the perfectly restored, colonial era Mukima House. We invited Leslie Duckworth to talk us through this stunning establishment. Established over 10 years ago, the team here at Mukima House are dedicated to providing excellent hospitality for our clients through comfortable stylish surroundings, good food and attentive discreet service. This exemplary hospitality begins from the moment a guest walks through the door. The entire staff meet and greet the guests with a welcome drink, carry in the luggage and ensure the house is full of locally grown roses so that guests always have a favourable first impression. All the house staff have been working with us for many years and as such they take pride in our hotel, and get huge pleasure from visitors who enjoy their visit and appreciate the house and surroundings.

As such we receive many comments from guests about how Mukima House and the service we provide exceeds their expectations. Moving forward, our plan is to expand and build on our reputation as a wedding venue, combining with Kizingoni Beach in Lamu as a pre-wedding or aprĂ¨s wedding destination.

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Foodservice Consultant of the Year - UK

Company: Radford Chancellor LTD Email: info@ radfordchancellor.co.uk Web Address: www. radfordchancellor.co.uk Address: 2nd Floor, Greenfield House, The Square, Storrington, RH20 1DJ Phone: 0844 500 8350

Foodservice Consultant of the Year - UK

Radford Chancellor LTD are experienced specialist catering consultants providing independent practical advice and support to the hospitality and catering Industry. Director Radford Chancellor shares his expertise with us and outlines how the firm has become so successful in this niche market. Here at Radford Chancellor LTD our catering consultants have a cross-sector of experience, which includes Michelin-starred restaurants, international hotels, hospitals, visitor and leisure attractions and contract caterers, and as such we have both varied knowledge and great experience within the catering sectors. Our consultation services are provided to all types of businesses from small start-up operations, local and national government agencies to large international organisations. As a business we aim to deliver the very best we can to our clients. To achieve this we constantly train our staff in customer service and client management, as well as engaging in ongoing monitoring, seeking client feedback and CPD via the FCSI to ensure our services always meet their needs.

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In addition, we always hire staff that have a proved track record in customer service and are motivated to providing excellent quality services to our clients. Every six months we appraise our staff to ensure that they are on the right track, and this helps both to motivate and support them as well as making sure that our clients have access to only the very best resources when working with our firm.

Currently we are re-fitting our offices in West Sussex, to improve our working environment for our team. We also working on a new piece of software that will allow clients to design their own commercial kitchen online, and then have it checked by a consultant for a much lower fee. These improvements will help us to provide a better service to our clients, and we aim to have the office improvements ready by the end of this year and the design service available in 2017.

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Most Acclaimed Global Tour Operator & LUX Recommended for Private Estates

Company: Red Savannah Ltd Name: Sarah-Leigh Shenton Web Address: www.redsavannah.com Address: Cheltenham House, Clarence Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 3JR Phone: 01242 787800

Most Acclaimed Global Tour Operator & LUX Recommended for Private Estates

Red Savannah is an award-winning travel company that combines breadth and depth of experience with impeccable connections to offer inspirational, life-changing holidays which are tailor made to meet client requirements. We spoke to Sarah-Leigh Shenton from the firm who provided us with a tantalising glimpse into the workings of the company. Red Savannah was established in 2011 by George Morgan-Grenville, a veteran of the luxury travel industry, to bring back a sense of craftsmanship in travel. The industry had become somewhat saturated with large companies seeking benefits of scale at the expense of individuality, and large travel listings sites offering no personal, tailored service. He assembled a team of professionals who share the same vision and Red Savannah was born. Our clients are sophisticated, intelligent travellers with enquiring minds but little time to research and plan their valuable holiday time, therefore requiring the advice and logistical support of a trusted provider. Red Savannah delivers a professional travel consultation service to create memorable itineraries as well as matching families with private villa rentals to suit their unique family requirements.

Developments within the travel industry in recent years, such as the emergence of owner-direct sites for villas, has provided more availability of rental product, though regulation and quality control is poor leading to dissatisfaction or even fraudulent scams. We provide a more personal model which allows us to interact with our clients to ensure they are booking a villa appropriate to their needs. Prior to arrival we support clients fully, providing photographs and full property details as well as offering the opportunity to liaise with a concierge to organise necessities such as groceries and amenities.

as well as practical considerations such as number of bedrooms, age of guests etc. Whilst listening carefully to their requirements we are prescriptive in our advice based on genuine empathy and knowledge of the destinations concerned. Fundamentally our focus is on supporting our clients and making their experience the best it can possibly be. Later this year we shall launch a new mobilefriendly web-site with additional user-friendly content, as well as introducing an exciting new product to our portfolio.

Meeting each clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exact needs means that consultation with them is paramount as early as possible in the holiday decision process. We always speak directly to our clients to ensure we know what their motivations are and what is important to them,

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Best Hotel Entertainment & Wi-Fi Solutions Company

Company: RoomNetTV Name: Darren King, CEO, RoomNetTV Email: darren@roomnettv.com Web: www.roomnettv.com Address: RoomNetTV Ltd, Suite 11, Alexander House, Wilbury Way, Hitchin, SG4 0AP Phone: +44 (0)1462 419181 Mobile: +44 (0) 7973 721218

Best Hotel Entertainment & Wi-Fi Solutions Company

RoomNetTV, the Apple expert in hospitality, is a leading provider of hotel guest room entertainment and WiFi solutions – created by combining Apple TV infrastructure with RoomNetTV’s own advanced cloud based technology solutions. Recognizing the ever-increasing demand for innovative in-room services, RoomNetTV provides a wireless and private environment for hotel guests to easily stream personal content to the guestroom TV in HD quality. Through RoomNetTV, guests can access their Apple DRM protected content, mirror their gaming apps, surf the internet, and more – directly to their guestroom TV, without the concern of content being available to other hotel guests. By using the ‘two touch’ Airplay functionality on iPhone, iPad and Android devices, guests can connect their own content and conveniently view it via the in-room TV, just as they would at home.

hotels to deliver and for guests to buy. There is also an explosion of internet services and we now have access to a plethora of online channels, apps and streaming services. “It won’t be long until conventional TV delivery vanishes for good, and hotels need to prepare to deliver the bandwidth and technology that guests will require in order to connect and use their own, often multiple, devices,” he asserts. Sophisticated hoteliers are already investing in such technology, reveals King, citing RoomNetTV’s recent partnership with trendy boutique hotel brand, CitizenM.

As RoomNetTV CEO Darren King explains, modern technology has changed the way people absorb media and savvy hotel guests expect to be able to “bring their own content” when travelling.

RoomNetTV’s Dynamic VLAN on demand service with Apple TV has been rolled out across all of CitizenM’s nine hotels in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Paris, Glasgow, London, New York and Paris.

“Our TV viewing style has changed dramatically and the traditional Video On Demand service in hotels has become obsolete; it’s too expensive for

“We are incredibly excited to be working with one of the most innovative and forward-thinking hotel companies in the industry,” says King. “CitizenM

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understands its customers exceptionally well and continually looks for new ways to enrich the guest experience. “With Apple TV and our cloud-based Dynamic VLAN service, guests can stream their own content safely in their guest room on a private area network, resulting in a highly personalised in-room entertainment experience,” he reveals. Other solutions from RoomNetTV which are also being adopted by CitizenM include RoomNetTV’s tailored Business Centre Kiosk software, which enables each guest to be greeted with hotel branded login screens and a user-focused design that keeps personal data safe and secure. Working collaboratively with hotel operators, RoomNetTV is able to design, implement and support the introduction of innovative network infrastructure, WiFi, Cloud based SMART TV and Apple TV technology – ensuring a state-of-the-art RoomNetTV solution that fully integrates with existing hotel systems.

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Company: Roots Farm Shop & Café Address: Home Farm, East Rounton, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL6 2LE Phone: 01609 882480 Email: info@rootsfarmshop.co.uk Website: www.rootsfarmshop.co.uk

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Best Local Farmshop & Café - North Yorkshire

Roots is a farm shop and café based on a working farm, offering fresh, seasonal and locally sourced meals and produce. We invited Owner Katherine Brown to tell us more.

Roots Farm Shop & Café, based in North Yorkshire, has been established for almost eight years, offering visitors the very best produce and great service. We have an onsite butcher, and all of our meat is sourced from either our own farm, in the case of our beef, or from neighbouring farms, which provide our lamb and pork. Visitors to the shop can also purchase cakes and pastries baked on site in our café (the steak and ale pie is a particular favourite among our regulars), as well as bread from a local bakery and fresh fruits and vegetables. In our café we serve a range of decedent treats, as well as a seasonal menu which showcases our luscious produce. Our staff are also a key attraction, and guests often visit specifically to see certain members of our team. We are very fortunate to have such a dedicated, friendly group of staff who make our guests feel welcome. Recently we have noticed that our café is increasingly popular, as visitors enjoy a fresh treat during the day rather than sitting down to a more expensive meal in the evening. Because all of our food is made fresh on the premises we are able to offer a range of foods to suit many dietary requirements such as visitors who cannot eat gluten, who are particularly fond of our homemade sausages. As a customer led business we are always looking for feedback from our visitors and enjoy adapting the business to suit their needs.

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Best Luxury Safari Lodge 2016 - South Africa

Company: The Royal Madikwe Luxury Safari Lodge Name: Cherie Whitfield / Bhavna Emery Jones Email: reservations@ royalmadikwe.com / bhavna@bhavnajones.com Web Address: www.royalmadikwe.com Address: Royal Madikwe, Wonderboom Gate, Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa Telephone SA: +27(0)82 568 8867 Telephone UK: +44(0)78 501 34855 (Bhavna Emery-Jones)

Best Luxury Safari Lodge 2016 - South Africa

The Royal Madikwe is an intimate Luxury Safari Lodge run by a close-knit, experienced team, some of whom have been at the lodge since the very beginning. There is a dynamic workplace culture based on participation and democratic decisionmaking. Manager, Cherie Whitfield talks us through the teams’ dedication to creating memories that last a lifetime. The Royal Madikwe was purchased by Dr Chai Patel and his family in May 2004 and was the realization of a long-standing personal dream. Ugandan by birth, Chai’s earliest memories are filled with fondness for his African home. It is with great joy that he is now in the position of returning to his roots, to create a new home that, not only, provides guests with unforgettable experiences, but also gives Chai the opportunity to reinvest in the continent of his birth. Our vision is to make a worthwhile difference in luxury eco-tourism, with an emphasis on health and education, where twenty percent of all profits generated are re-invested into local community projects, inviting our guests to make a worthwhile difference, by simply enjoying an extraordinary Safari holiday. The Royal Team is what makes the whole experience so special with sincere warm touches evident in everything. Wherever, or whenever we find an opportunity to make a moment even more special we grab it! Whether it be dining under the stars in the middle of the bush, testing your talents at an African Drumming lesson or experiencing the culture of Africa through the echoes of Traditional Tswana melodies ringing through the quiet of night - every moment is set to be awe inspiring to ensure our

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guests enjoy the truly magical experience that makes their African Safari so incredibly special. Once an Exclusive Use only lodge, The Royal is now available to individual groups or couples on a per person sharing basis. The five beautifully appointed suites accommodate up to 14 guests with a serene Clubhouse at the heart, boasting a number of intimate spaces and elevated decks designed around The Royal Waterhole where all of nature’s spectacular creatures come to enjoy a drink, monkey around and use the boundary of the lodge as their hunting grounds!

We look forward to welcoming many of our guests back to their Royal home in the coming years and aim to maintain strong relationships with our existing Agents, gain a better following in our social media and grow our online presence, as well as expand our reach into new market places so that everyone around the world can experience the magic of The Royal Madikwe. We are really excited for what the future has to offer and look forward to the adventure.

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Most Luxury Boutique Hotel 2016 - New York

Company: Sanctuary Hotel Name: Jeremy Poon Email: jeremy@ sanctuaryhotelnyc.com Web Address: www.sanctuaryhotelnyc.com Address: 132 W 47th Street New York, NY 10036 Phone: 212.234.7000

Most Luxury Boutique Hotel 2016 - New York

The Sanctuary Hotel is a luxury boutique hotel in the heart of the world famous Times Square in New York City. We invited General Manager Jeremy Poon to tell us more. We are thrilled to receive the honor of being recognized as one of the most luxurious boutique hotels in 2016. Here at the Sanctuary Hotel, we are dedicated to providing excellence in customer service, luxury, food and beverage, technology, and attention to detail so it is with great pride that we accept this award. The Sanctuary Hotel has become a leader in customer service by implementing our unique S.T.A.R.™ (Service Tailored to Any Request) Experience Program. The goal of S.T.A.R.™ is to craft a highly personalized experience to the specific needs of each guest. Some guests choose to stay with us because of our phenomenal location to world class theatre, and therefore we help them get the theatre tickets they want, the dinner reservations, and anything else to help them enjoy the most of what Broadway has to offer. Other guests choose the Sanctuary Hotel for

their business trips, and those guests need state of the art technology so they can stay connected to the office while they travel, and of course, others visit us for a romantic getaway, a birthday, or celebration and we want to make sure their stay is filled with action-packed activities, amazing food, and a fun atmosphere. The S.T.A.R.™ experience begins before guests arrive so that our team is aware of the purpose of their stay and can accommodate accordingly. From the moment a guest makes a reservation, our S.T.A.R. Managers (concierge) reach out to inquire about specific needs and the purpose of their trip. With the S.T.A.R.™ program, very effort is made to ensure that their stay is nothing less than a 5-star experience.

few hotels in New York that offer four unique venues for dining and nightlife, The Sanctuary hotel is a one stop shop for a fantastic evening in New York. Our well-known rooftop restaurant Haven Rooftop offers extraordinary city skylines, craft cocktails, and modern American cuisine. Tender Restaurant offers premium cut steaks and an exotic sushi menu that delivers fresh, fragrant Japanese delights, the Tender Lounge is a cool, laid back atmosphere to grab a bite or watch the big game, and we also offer exclusive dining in our stately Private Dining Room. As we look to the future, we will continue to evolve with the changing needs of our guests and we remain steadfast in our dedication to excellence in luxury and customer service.

We are excited to continue innovating our boutique hotel as well as our food and beverage venues. The Sanctuary Hotel guests enjoy more than a luxurious hotel when they choose to stay with us. As one of the

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Company: Strand Palace Hotel - Carvery & Grill Website: www.strandpalacehotel.co.uk

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Best Traditional British Restaurant - Central London

Best Traditional British Restaurant - Central London The Carvery & Grill at the Strand Palace Hotel is the perfect restaurant for a relaxing and enjoyable dining experience in the heart of London. We invited General Manager David MacRae to provide us with an insight into the fascinating history of this glorious eatery. The Carvery & Grill at the Strand Palace Hotel has been serving delicious carvery since 1920. Having decades of experience we appreciate that our diners like to have a varied choice. All of our Chefs are well-trained and consistently produce delicious food which caters to the ever evolving tastes of our diners. Being in the heart of London’s most visited area, we know that our guests look for something authentically British and appreciate quality. It is our paramount priority to ensure that we source top quality produce and cook and serve it impeccably. We cater for couples and business people, local residents and theatre-goers. Located so close to most of London’s best theatres we see a lot of guests coming to the Carvery & Grill for a meal before they go see the show. Offering a friendly yet professional atmosphere helps to ensure guests always enjoy their visit and have a pleasant dining experience. We encourage our greeting staff to engage with our guests when they first enter the Carvery. Alongside this, we also place a great deal of emphasis on providing quality ingredients and a high standard of cooking. At the heart of a restaurant such as ours is of course the meat. We take great care in choosing and working with all of our suppliers to ensure the highest quality. We use tender Surrey Farm Premium Beef, Blythburgh Free Range Pork, and Grove Smith “English Rose” Turkey. In addition we are dedicated to catering for the ever changing tastes of our guests. We have excellent vegetarian dishes on the menu so vegetarians, who now make up 12% of the population, can enjoy them if dining out with a party of meat-lovers. In general, we have noticed that guests are also a lot more experimental these days and happy to try something new. Moving forward, whilst we are always keen to improve our standards and meet our diners’ needs, our key focus in the future will be to maintain our high quality service and continue to offer our guests the best possible dining experience. We refurbished our restaurant last year to create a very warm and comfortable ambiance and introduced grill options and daily specials to provide greater choice for our visitors, and in the future we will continue to monitor our market and assess what changes need to be made to ensure visitors to our Carvery & Grill always have a great experience.

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Company: Sen Nin Japanese Teppanyaki Restaurants Name: Naresh Kapoor Email: naresh@sen-nin.com or events@sen-nin.com Web: www.sen-nin.com Address: 206 Upper St, Islington. London N1 1RQ or St Martins Tavern, 35 Pratt St, Camden NW1 0BG Telephone: 07976 741 071 or 0207 704 1890

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Best Japanese Teppanyaki Restaurant - London

Sen Nin is a Japanese Teppanyaki restaurant where the Chef cooks in front of guests and entertains whilst cooking on a hot plate. We spoke to Owner Naresh Kapoor to find out more about this innovative establishment. Celebrating its 10th year, Sen Nin has become a leader in Teppanyaki cooking in London over this time, with everyone from celebrities to locals visiting the restaurant. Traditional Teppanyaki restaurants are predominately found in hotels around the world and in major Cities. When I founded Sen Nin ten years ago I wanted to provide the same unique dining experience which appealed to a wide range of clients. Many London Japanese restaurants are very expensive but our prices can appeal to many. The result is a great family restaurant, run by staff who are passionate and enjoy the unique experience that is being offered. In recent years we have been fortunate, as Japanese food has become very fashionable, with the emerging taste and demand of sushi and other Japanese favourites. Keeping up with Gluten free and vegetarian alternatives has also become a growing trend within the sector recently, and as such we are always looking to innovate and enhance our menu. Since we opened, customers are more demanding now, more information is required on where the meat/seafood is sourced, allergen information, ingredients, etc. To keep up with this demand we are continuously adapting our recipes and introducing the latest products which are currently on trend. Moving forward, we are keen to expand as a business and become a chain, and are currently looking for a third premises to help us achieve this. Additionally, we will be continuing with our charitable work supporting the local community, feeding the homeless once a month and assisting the local schools at their summer fairs.

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Company: Sonata Venture Solutions Name: Laura Meck Email: LMeck@ SonataVenture.com Web: www.SonataVenture.com Address: 39 E. Main Street / Westminster, MD 21157 Phone: +1 443.293.7092

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Best for Hospitality Marketing & PR - USA

Best for Hospitality Marketing & PR - USA Sonata Venture Solutions provides strategic marketing, branding and public relations for hospitality technology clients. We spoke to Founder and CEO Laura Meck to learn more about this innovative and growing company. Sonata Venture Solutions is a boutique firm that is committed to the success for all of its clients. Laura explains the firm’s history and how she has built the business on a foundation of client service and support. “Over the last eight years we have built our business on helping company’s launch, introduce new products into the market and share exciting happenings on their behalf. “Since inception we have established a strong reputation for quality, and as such many of our clients have been with us for several years. Working with each one individually, we pull from our decades of hospitality / technical experience to help them envision a growth strategy. Employing our resources, we are able to assist our clients with identifying the right KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) and work with them to build a roadmap for their success. Clients join our firm for our unique approach, strategic focus and commitment to their success.” This approach begins from the very first time the firm meets a client, as Laura explains, which is why the firm has such a high rate of client retention. “When we initially meet with a new client we make sure their goals and objectives are well documented, assign the proper resources for their account and work on identifying ways to execute – not only to meet their KPI’s but to ensure they take their business where they want to.” “Our team has decades of experience in both hospitality and technology and strive to maintain a current composure within the industry through attending industry leading events, conferences and participation in associations.” Looking to the future, Laura provides us with an insight into the latest exhilarating development which will provide the firm with many opportunities for growth. “The future is looking bright for Sonata Venture Solutions. We have recently added The Predictive Index to our portfolio of tools to aid in executive leadership and management coaching. This is a 60-year-old tool that has been helping leaders identify the right person for the right role using job assessments, behaviour, and cognitive assessments ensuring you have the right people in the right roles. As a certified partner, Sonata Venture Solutions will not only offer this solution to our existing client base, but it will allow us to expand into other markets.”

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Most Prestigious Hotel 2016 - New York & LUX Bespoke Care Award for Concierge & Butler Services - New York

Company: The St. Regis New York Web: www.stregisnewyork.com Address: 2 East 55th Street at Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10022 Phone: 212.753.4500

Most Prestigious Hotel 2016 - New York & LUX Bespoke Care Award for Concierge & Butler Services - New York The St. Regis New York is a prestigious landmark hotel located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan offering guests a residential elegance, epicurean delights and bespoke amenities making it truly a glamourous home away from home for all guests. We profile this luxury hotel and explore the reasons behind its enviable success.

The St. Regis New York is the only hotel in Manhattan to offer 24-hour butler service to every guest. St. Regis’ butlers are constantly on-hand to provide personal attention and to assist guests with any and every request. They begin by welcoming and escorting guests on arrival and then explain the features of the hotel and of the guest room. They will also deliver coffee or tea to the room upon arrival and each morning with the wake-up call. More traditional butler services include unpacking and organization of personal items, taking care of all laundry, dry cleaning, and pressing, as well as shoe-shine service.

back time, be it an extra hour in Central Park while the butler packs your bags or a salvaged morning to work on a presentation while the butler packs and ships materials to your next destination. Time, after all, is the ultimate luxury. Looking to the future, there are always exciting initiatives and introductions on the horizon. The St. Regis New York is especially excited to be able to

offer guests access to the Astor Digital Library, a digitized version of The St. Regis New York founder John Jacob Astor IV’s original collection which is housed on the hotel’s second floor. Guests are able to reserve a Kindle device during their stay to read iconic titles from Astor’s archives. The Astor Digital Library is a great representation of how the hotel simultaneously embraces its past and the present.

When guests are leaving the hotel, the butler assists with packing, facilitates removal of luggage from the room, and coordinates with the Bellman and the Doorman for transportation. Ultimately, The St. Regis offers client service that is second to none, ensuring that guests always enjoy their stay. From a perfectly pressed suit ready for an impromptu meeting to a coveted box of cronuts to appease a late night sweet tooth, no request is too small or too unattainable, no matter the hour of the day. Building upon more than 100 years of legendary service, today’s St. Regis Butler acts as a trusted personal assistant who anticipates and attends to any and every guest need; poised and ready to give you

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Best for Health & Fitness Hospitality Solutions

Company: Technogym Email: informazioni@ technogym.com Web: www.technogym.com Address: TECHNOGYM S.p.A, Via Calcinaro, 2861, 47521 Cesena (FC), Italy Phone: For UK: 0800 316 2496 ; International: 800 70 70 70

Best for Health & Fitness Hospitality Solutions

Technogym is dedicated to promoting wellness in every aspect of its service offering. We profile the firm and explore its unique product and service offering. Technogym is the only company able to provide a total wellness solution made of not only equipment but also apps, devices and contents, interior design services, training and education programmes, marketing support for the clients, a strong after sales service. Research and innovation have always represented the key values behind the development of products and services for the firm, and Technogym always focuses on the needs of the end-user. Every single detail is important in offering the best experience, which is why the firm has a team of more than 200 people made of industrial designers, engineers, physiotherapists and doctors that work every day in creating the wellness product of the future. Through this approach Technogym have become the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading company in the development of

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wellness solutions for fitness clubs, private homes, luxury hotels and spas, sport facilities, medical centres and companies. The firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vast service offering includes a wide range of different product lines and services that makes possible to offer a tailor made solution for each client. Around 35 million people train with Technogym every day. Currently within the health and fitness sector there is an ever-increasing understanding about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and regular physical activity. Therefore looking ahead, people will be placing an increasing importance on training and will be doing so at home, in the office, outdoors and on holiday. The gym will become a sort of hub where people can go to get qualified fitness consultancy on their workouts and to be guided on their physical activity and training inside and outside the gym.

In this landscape, technology will begin to play an increasingly strategic role and this is why Technogym developed the first cloud computing technology in the field. The MyWellness Cloud, Technogymâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest innovation, is a complete virtual ecosystem made of equipment, devices, mobile and web apps that allow users to always be connected and have the contents and information about their wellness program available anytime, anywhere. This will ensure that the firm continues to meet the needs of modern gym users in the ever evolving market.

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Company: TravelStore CEO: Wido Schaefer, CTC CFO/EVP: Osvaldo Ramos COO: Brian Crawford SVP, Leisure & Marketing: Dan Ilves, CTC, MCC SVP, Corporate Sales: Jim Wright Email: info@travelstore.com Web: www.travelstore.com Multiple California Locations Telephone: 310-575-5540

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Most Trusted International Travel Agency - Los Angeles

Founded in 1975, TravelStore is an award winning, employeeowned retail travel agency based in California, with eight branch locations as well as corporate on-site locations, focusing on leisure and corporate travel. CEO Wido Schaefer talks us through the firm and the value it adds to its services. TravelStore excels in providing personalized service, added value and excellent customer experiences to our clients, both corporate and leisure. Our company vision is: “We aspire to be the most sought after Travel Management Company, one traveler at a time.” Being an employee-owned company, each employee is invested in the success of our company; each is motivated to do their best for every client. We also understand “it takes a village” to provide superior service to our clients, so we operate as a team and support each other. Our business very much relies upon our professional relationships -- what we do for each other internally and what our preferred supplier partners do for us and our clients. We invest in building strong relationships with our preferred supplier partners and focus our business with them so that our clients receive the best service possible. In spite of world issues, TravelStore’s business continues to grow each year and we are optimistic about our future. We know that travel agencies will always have a positive role to fill if we continue to focus on building relationships with clients, provide excellent customer experiences and are able to keep up with technological changes. Today’s and tomorrow’s travellers are largely time starved and on information overload, making them unsure as to which sources are trustworthy. By saving our clients time, consulting with them to help them understand their choices coupled with our personal connections, leverage, buying power and added amenities, we are able to provide them with terrific value and in that way secure our future growth. Overall we are particularly proud of receiving an award from LUX Hospitality that names us as “Most Trusted International Travel Agency - Los Angeles,” because trust is a most important and relevant ingredient in our success.

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Company: Treetops Executive Residences Name: Mr Tay Hock Soon (General Manager) Web: www.treetops.com.sg Address: 7 Orange Grove Road Singapore 258355 Phone: +65 6887 0088

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Best Luxury Executive Serviced Apartments - Singapore

Launched in September 2000, Treetops Executive Residences is a 220-unit eco-luxury serviced apartment in the heart of Singapore. We invited General Manager Tay Hock Soon to talk us through this unique experience.

A luxurious sanctuary nestled amidst lush tropical foliage at Orange Grove Road, which is just minutes away from Orchard Road, Singapore’s retail and entertainment hub, Treetops is the ideal retreat for the city dweller who wishes to escape the hustle and bustle of the city without giving up its conveniences. For a holistic living experience, Treetops Executive Residences is the first serviced residences in Singapore to create an ingenious style of enhanced living environment that aims at including ‘green’ features in the premises and inculcate healthy living practices. These ‘green’ touches are part of our aim to incorporate the concept of eco-living into modern urban living in Singapore, where our guests can be close to nature as much as possible with more than 60% of the estate landscaped with greenery despite situating in the heart of the city. There are also numerous green retrofits and green initiatives implemented at Treetops such as the tri-gen system to reduce its overall energy consumption by 50%, installation of high efficiency air filters in all apartments for better air quality, provision of organic bathroom amenities, and opting for only non-toxic cleaning materials for the establishment. The “Go Green” project allows the operation of Treetops to be much more sustainable and reduced our impact on the environment to a large extent, while ensuring that the comfort and convenience of the guest is not compromised. The green touches are expertly combined with the impecable personalised services that we offer, to create an eco-luxurious experience that takes care of a guest’s body, mind and soul, all of which attribute to culminate into a unique and wholesome Treetops experience. These efforts also enables Treetops to be uniquely positioned as a “greener serviced apartment”, attracting corporate clients and individual travellers who prefer to support properties with environmentally friendly initiatives. Moving forward, Treetops will continue to look at additional green retrofits for greater sustainability, such as the installation of solar panels for the estate. Ultimately, with increasing global emphasis on sustainable living, more people are embracing the idea of eco-living into their lifestyle, including their choice of accommodation when they are away from home. Treetops is the exact unique green enclave amidst the urban landscape, and the perfect choice for those seeking an establishment which offers quality service, excellent amenities as well as an ecofriendly approach within the hospitality industry.

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Best New Bar & Restaurant 2016 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sheffield & LUX Customer Service Award - Sheffield

Company: Trippets Lounge Bar Address: 89 Trippet Ln, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S1 4EL Phone: 0114 276 2930 Email: ginandjazz@outlook.com Website: www.trippetsloungebar.co.uk

Best New Bar & Restaurant 2016 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sheffield & LUX Customer Service Award - Sheffield Trippets Lounge Bar is an independent bar and restaurant situated in Sheffield city centre, offering a unique combination of sumptuous food, quality gins and scintillating live jazz bands. We invited Debbie Shaw to talk us through the unique approach and informal atmosphere that make this establishment truly special. Trippets is a family run bar, offering an inviting and relaxed atmosphere which caters for a wide variety of visitors. Predominantly our clientele are in their 40s and over, but recently we have seen an increasing number of younger guests visiting the bar, enjoying our informal dining approach, which involves serving smaller plates of delicious food, providing a less regimented and more sociable experience. Combined with the resurging popularity of our signature spirit, gin, it is no wonder young people are choosing to visit us for dancing instead of clubs. Gin is integrated throughout the Trippets expereince, and we pair many of dishes with our spirits. For example, we stock a local Sheffield gin, two of its botanicals are juniper and pink grapefruit so we offer shots of this gin with a salmon dish cured with those flavours. Live bands play on Friday and Saturday nights, offering the full spectrum of jazz music, from lounge to funk. We have a resident troupe who play on Friday nights, consisting of a renowned local keyboard player and a variety of his musically

talented friends, who often join unannounced, making each night a truly special event. The bar is an exciting new departure for my family, as myself and my husband are former publicans and ran a two gold starred establishment in Derbyshire for 15 years, before deciding to take on the bar as a new challenge. We are joined by our daughter, who manages the front of house staff, as well as a number of talented employees with strong backgrounds in hospitality, and we all work hard to ensure every guest feels invited and has a great time. Trippets has been open for less than a year, but so far the bar has been a success and moving forward we are keen to expand on our achievements and continue to innovate, providing clients with new opportunities to experience and enjoy. For example we are keen to expand on the gin tuition we offer to clients, providing new tasting sessions so that they can learn about the tipples we offer. These sessions often have an inventive twist to them, such as our upcoming session where we will be pairing wine from local suppliers with gluten free dishes, offering a new clientele the chance to enjoy the delicious flavour combinations.

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Company: UHS Group Address: 177 Brook Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, OX14 4SD Phone: 0330 1222 400 Email: info@uhs-group.com Web: www.uhs-group.com

Best Hospitality Industry Furniture Suppliers

UHS Group is a leading specialist in supplying furniture to the hospitality industry. We spoke to Dan Gillmore Marketing Director to gain an overview of the company and an exclusive insight into its future plans.

The Perfectionist Cafe by Heston Blumenthal

UHS Group is a creative company supplying furniture to a range of firms within the hospitality industry, including hotels, cafes and restaurants. Whilst we do work with a number of renowned chains including Nandos and Weatherspoonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, many of our clients are at the higher end of the market because they value our dedication to client service and quality products. In order to ensure our clients choose products which exactly meet their needs we work closely with their marketing teams and designers to understand their brand and suggest products accordingly. A current trend we are seeing is for furniture which looks distressed or second hand, and many clients often buy products from vintage stores or online sites in order to achieve this atmosphere in their establishment. This causes problems as often these products are of poor quality, therefore we provide clients with furniture which appears used or older, but is in fact of the highest possible quality, so that they can be assured of the safety of their clients at all times. Looking ahead, we have a number of plans which will provide us with exciting opportunities in the future. Currently we are creating a new look catalogue and website, both of which will provide our clients with additional features to assist them when choosing from our wide range of products. For example, our catalogue will now be priced to enable designers to better select products to fit their budget, and our website will offer state of the art technology ensuring clients can easily see what the products would look like in their establishment.

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In the longer term we are keen to expand into new markets, such as the corporate space, which we believe is becoming increasingly fashion led. The hospitality industry has always been strongly influenced by trends in the fashion industry, which is why our market has always been buoyant, as hotels and restaurants have to refresh very regularly to avoid often appearing dated and unfashionable. As we see these trends moving into the corporate landscape we see the opportunity to supply clients in this area with furniture, and are creating new stock lines to support this growth. Overall the future will be an invigorating time for our firm and we look forward to capitalising on these opportunities.

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Best New Hotel for the Modern Traveller - New York & LUX Eco Award for Green Hospitality Initiatives - New York

Company: Wyndham Garden Brooklyn Sunset Park Name: Omar Bouchaar Email: concierge@ wyndhambrooklyn.com Web Address: WyndhamBrooklyn.com Address: 457 39th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232 Phone: 718-972-0900

Best New Hotel for the Modern Traveller - New York & LUX Eco Award for Green Hospitality Initiatives - New York

The Wyndham Garden Brooklyn Sunset Park attracts both local and international guests traveling both for leisure and business. We spoke to General Manager Omar Bouchaar about the hotel and its dedication to client satisfaction. Opened in 2015, the Wyndham Garden Brooklyn Sunset Park is an eco-friendly hotel, having also earned the Silver Level for TripAdvisor’s GreenLeaders program. We do not compromise aesthetic with being green. The hotel exterior façade is dramatically lit at night with concealed LED lighting encapsulating each of the round window penetrations. We also encourage guests to be eco-conscious as well by setting up a linen/towel changing system that will allow the guest to inform Housekeeping to request new linens and towels only when necessary. Unlike many hotels in the area, the Wyndham Garden Brooklyn is a full-service hotel, offering many amenities and features that other hotels lack. We have a restaurant within the hotel, serving breakfast, dinner, and room service, along with a bar. Guests are also free to use our Business Center for work, printing, and online access. These amenities, among others including an off-site gym, complimentary Wi-Fi, and turndown service on request, aiming to attract and

accommodate the modern traveller that are coming to stay in the up-and-coming Sunset Park neighbourhood. Even before they arrive at the hotel, guests can see from the outside how unique the hotel is. Seven-foot diameter tinted glass windows pierce the metal clad fenestration from the ground level to the top seventh floor. The exterior of the building is also made up of chameleon color changing metal cladding that makes the building change colors throughout the day.

In addition, due to multiple guest requests we are also creating a suite for weddings and special stays. We believe it is only through listening to our customers’ needs and constantly looking for improvements can we set ourselves apart from the competition and continue to succeed.

Despite being entirely unique and innovative already, everyone here at the Wyndham Garden Brooklyn is always looking for ways to set us apart from our competition while offering a unique experience for guests during their stay. Right now we are in the middle of rolling out the next step of our eco-friendly mission. We will be placing recycling bins throughout the hotel to encourage guests to recycle plastics, metal, and paper, which will provide us with exciting future opportunities to expand our suitability program.

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