Issue nº1 | MGM Annual Magazine | January 2014
Forte Do Vale Our new acquisition
What is Infiniti ? Let’s find out all about it
Love is in The Air Weddings at Clube Praia da Oura
Tradition & Pride Giving back to charity
Turn to page 19 to learn how to cook a Beef & Shrimp Wok
Letter from your Editor
Greetings and a warm welcome to our very first issue of Atom Magazine sent to you with lots of love from the sunny Algarve! We couldn’t be more excited to have made it to this point. We would like to wish you an incredibly beautiful new year ahead! When we initially decided to roll out this magazine, I racked my brain to come up with an energizing name something uncommon and irresistible, useful and extravagant and wound up driving myself nuts. After a night of pondering, I came up with “Atom”, a name that is energizing, vibrant, luminous and strong. So, although this all seems like a pretty simple business decision, it’s still really tough because Atom, in one form or another, has always been an important part of the MGM Group. We’ve put a tremendous amount of sweat, late nights, and heavy lifting into Atom over time, but I’m so very proud of what we have accomplished for our readers, and even more so of the people that produced it. When we set about creating newsletters and the new website for our sophisticated, world-travelling guests, and other like-minded nomads, we knew what we didn’t want to do: make it simply all about how great our hotels are-in short, a self-promotion engine. (We think they speak for themselves.) But what we did want to do is to provide information, visuals, new happenings, little finds, distinct voices, creative newcomers and rebellious classics–all of which were about the things, people, places, vacation, holidays, and well, stuff, that inspires us, and reflect interests that are in fact subtly imagined and integrated into the vision behind MGM group. I’ll be forever grateful to all the talented writers who shared so many wonderful techniques and ideas, and to all the designers who worked on the magazine, as well as those whose work was featured in its pages. I want to thank all our advertisers, who are the lifeblood of any magazine, and a special heartfelt thanks to the Vice Chairman MGM Maran who provided unconditional support and to my Social Media co-ordinator Lauren Carter without whom it would have been a nightmare to pull this together and my creative designer Mr. Nuno Gonçalves for working hard to turn this 28 page magazine to be a smashing success in reaching out to you, our consumers. Thank you dear customers for your continued love and support, we hope you can continue to shower us with the same for 2014 and beyond. We wish you a prosperous and happy 2014! With love from the sunny Algarve, Media Communications Director Monicca Maran
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Contents BE INCLUDED PagePage. 24-25
27 Wish You Were Here 20 The Poets Page
FEATURES 2 Letter from your Editor 4 A Message from the Chairman Page 5
5 A Message from the Vice Chairman 6 Giving Back 7 Winter Warmer Special 8 Forte Do Vale Acquisition 9 Forte Do Vale Gym
Page 8
10 Lay Back & Relax 11 Our Happy Clients 12-13 What is Infiniti? 14 Travel In Style 15 Renovations 16-17 Wine and Dine on Site
Page 12-13
18 Foodie Facts 19 Chef’s Special 21 MGM Travel Lda 22-23 Entertainment 24-25 Love is in The Air 26 Facts About Spain
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A Message from the Chairman You our customer are our greatest strength, due to your continuous support and unconditional loyalty we have been able to provide you with the highest standard of service, therefore I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and hope that you will continue to shower us with the same. I hope to bring to you the new happenings in our hotels through the first issue of this magazine to connect, bond and share our visions for the future. As always, we look forward to welcoming you in 2014 with lots of love and wish to bring to you the best of the best. Yours Sincerely, Chairman MG Muthu.
My 5 Golden Rules to Success Truth, Hardwork, Integrity, Character, Hope
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The 1st golden visa from Portugal was given to our Vice Chairman, Mr. Maran.
A Message from the Vice Chairman Welcome to the first issue of Atom, the MGM Muthu Hotels magazine for you, our members. By the time that you read this, the snow and ice so many of you experienced over the past few months will have become a distant memory and all that you are looking forward to is your well deserved sunshine holiday of 2014. It is a new year and as always, you our customer are king. It is our goal to make sure that every time you holiday with us you are made to feel welcome and that you have a happy and memorable experience. As king you are our priority and we are here to serve you. This year will see the start of many new adventures for the company. With the growing demand for holidays in the Algarve we are continuing to look for different hotels to add to our ever growing portfolio. So watch this space for any new additions. In this issue you can read about the renovations that we are making to all of our services and facilities (Turn to page 15 and see what you think) also take a look at page 8 and read about the latest hotel to join our family, the Forte do Vale Hotel. It really is exquisite. I would like to wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year and very much look forward to welcoming you to our resorts soon. I hope you enjoy your magazine. Best wishes MGM Maran
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Giving Back Making more tomorrows, through faith, love & hope For decades the Petchey Leisure Group has contributed to charities, in many different ways and the M.G Muthu Group is carrying on that tradition with great passion and pride. On September 13th 2013 Mr. Maran continued his support by holding a fundraising party at the Sunset Ocean Bar of the Clube Praia da Oura for Santa Casa da Misericordia, with one goal in mind, raising funds and awareness for the local children’s homes. Mr. Maran is the Vice Chairman of the group and before the event he told us that he and his parents do a lot of charity work back in his home country, India. They give to different charities, schools and much more. He wants to continue his charity work here and hopefully make an impact on the lives of those who are less fortunate than himself.
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Forte Do Vale Our New Acquisition
Forte do Vale offers apartments with a fully furnished kitchen and a private balcony, just 500 meters from Forte Beach in Albufeira.
The bars & restaurants are open for healthy buffet breakfasts, delicious lunches, special diet menu´s, local and international cuisine. Piccadilly Circus Pub
New Acquisition We recently acquired the luxurious Forte do Vale Hotel which was built in 2008, it has an astonishing range of rooms, including studios, 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom apartments, all of which have modern designs and elegant decor. The hotel is also fully equipped with a state of the art gym and spa.
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Flavors Restaurant
Forte Do Vale Our Elite Gym
Get Fit and Have Fun Having a new hotel in our portfolio has many advantages for our clients and one of those is the state of the art gym. It is the largest and one of the most sophisticated gyms in the Algarve, featuring a spinning room, weight lifting room, indoor pool, sauna and several more amazing amenities. Our gym equipments are the latest on the market and are of top notch quality. The gym boasts of a huge range of equipment starting with the simple dumbbells for a little light lifting all the way up to the more challenging of weights. With running machines, bikes and rowing machines you are spoilt for choice. You can also take part in the many fitness classes that are held there. Over time we will be adding so much more for you to do. New equipment and new classes are just the start of things to come. Not to forget the spa which is an absolute treat for the soul, set in a perfect ambience to unwind, relax and enjoy. Turn over the page to find out more.
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Serendipity at our Spa Escape the world and relax
Take some time out for yourself in one of our 2 amazing spas. Relax your muscles and let the stress evaporate as you soak, float and breathe in the beautiful surroundings. Whether you´re unwinding from a hard session in the gym or simply looking to de-stress, our spas are the perfect place to refresh.
In the sanctuary of the Oura View Beach Club and of our newest hotel the Forte do Vale a team of specialized masseurs are waiting to take away any of your stress and worries, with a touch of their fingertips. With the contemporary design and relaxing atmosphere, an unforgettable experience will be had by all. Open 6 days a week, these indulgent spas offer a selection of different treatments to pamper you from head to toe. Book in with us and travel even further than you could imagine. Page 10 | MGM Annual Magazine No. 1
Our Happy Clients
We arrived late evening and took our cases to our room and decided to go to the restaurant for dinner. The restaurant had unfortunately just closed. However, a very kind waiter asked the chef if he would turn the ovens on for us and he did! We were extremely grateful and were served an excellent meal. The chef exceeded our expectations. The staff were all friendly and informative. We came here to the Clube Praia da Oura on recommendation of a friend who visits regularly. I have since returned to England and have recommended you to my friends. I will definitely be returning. Louise Matcham
I have just returned from Albufeira and had a really relaxing one week break free of charge because we signed up for the holiday points system which I am surprised to say is nothing like a timeshare, it was not a hard sell and can use the points over the next two years at any of their resorts. Also at the end of our meeting with the rep we received two bottles of wine. We found the staff very helpful and the dining area provided a very good selection of food and drinks, we also ordered a very nice bottle of wine with advice from the waiter. Thank you. Karen A Rochester, England, United Kingdom MGM Annual Magazine No. 1 | Page 11
Many clients ask what are points? The best explanation is to think of them as a currency. You spend the amount of points necessary to request the ideal holiday. For example a studio apartment sleeping two would not cost as many points as a one bedroom, or a two bedroom unit.
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The same applies to season the amount of points required for high season weeks is more than that of low season. Then you take in the length of stay and that’s how you spend your points. In order to help members choose there are points charts available for all resort destinations and these charts easily determine the values required.
Looking back to the early days of holiday ownership one of the primary reasons clients chose to purchase would be the fact that the family could use it. Those same clients are now often overheard saying their children don’t want it, they did come a few times in the first year we owned it but now they don’t like being tied to the fixed dates and fixed location! I guess it would be fair to say that the younger generation just have different ideas! With so much technology we notice a totally new way of communication hours of quick moving fingers to text and twitter, handwritten letters is a thing of the past and email is the normal way to correspond and the World Wide Web allows this generation to look up everything and compare everything, and this generation aim for exciting and vibrant holiday time, they want to be flexible, they want truly unique and adventurous holidays to share with their dynamic friends over their face book page! Its not that they don’t want what their Mum and Dad have they just want to experience other places! The introduction of Infiniti Points has allowed our existing fixed week members to modernize their memberships to include what is right for them coming back to the resort they call home from home perhaps, yet allowing their children to experience the type of holiday that fits in with a busy 2013 lifestyle. nfiniti reaches out to both generations with its contemporary designs and excellent facilities, it maximizes time and destination and this gives the holiday dynamic the best of both worlds!
So think again if you think your children don’t want it, what they don’t want is old fashioned timeshare, they want to holiday when they want, where they want and for how long they want and that is what Infiniti is all about! P.S. They still love to share in the perfect holiday with their family from time to time! After all your home resorts do have everything to enjoy!
INFINITI MEMBERS Members using Infiniti resorts get an extra 15% discount from their points when choosing an Infiniti Platinum resort and if they can make a late booking they can get as much as 65% off their points total! That means value for money as you only spend what you need! Any leftover points you can either save and roll over to the following year or maybe use and take another holiday. Some members may be planning an extra special holiday one year and then they can borrow points from the following year if they don’t have sufficient points available. The total points of the contracted membership are allocated on the 1st of January each year and members receive regular statements of their points balance so planning holidays couldn’t be easier! MGM Annual Magazine No. 1 | Page 13
Travel In Style Have you ever wanted to travel from one of our resorts to the other but due to you being in that very relaxed holiday mode that you just stayed where you were? Well, now we have the most convenient and perfect way for you to travel in style. For the exclusive use of our guests in Portugal, we now have available to you the MGM Muthu Hotels Open Top Double Decker Bus. It is available 7 days a week to take you to each of our resorts. So now, you may make use of all of our wonderful facilities. You can see below that many of our guests are already taking full advantage of this fantastic bus and are even catching a few extra sunshine rays in the process. To find out more information on the time schedule of the bus please ask at reception.
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Renovations Update Our goal is to be the best of the best and to tempt new and existing members to have excellent holidays offering them quality, flexibility and choice. As always, keeping high standards has been our highest priority which has kept the clients returning to our resorts. Renovations started in December and will progress in stages at our properties in Portugal and Spain respectively which will infuse stylish design details that reflect the culture and motto of M.G.Muthu Group.
Experience the finest choice at our properties. These apartments to be renovated are designed to provide leisure guests with a restful and accommodating stay.
Our concept for design is to enhance elegance, comfort and convenience, with a vast improvement in quality of the apartments.
These refurbishments will invite one to step up to true indulgence in our new apartments, where every detail is devoted to comfort. An unforgettable stay begins here, with us. So join us, sit back and enjoy.
Disclaimer: the contents of this brochure are to demonstrate to you the changes that we, as a company intend to make. The photos in this brochure are not exact and are subject to change. Complaints or liabilities will not be accepted and the management will not be held responsible.
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Wine & Dine on Site Built in the traditional country farm house of Andalucia, Restaurant la Hacienda is open for dinner service from mid October to mid May from 18:30 to 22:30. This cosy spot offers both regional and international cuisine and offers a variety of night time entertainment. Open for breakfast and lunch services all year round and for dinners during the good weather months ( Mid May through mid October). Las Palmeras offers a variety of menus and specialities, excellent meats grilled in our charcoal BBQ or fresh fish brought from the Mediterranean sea. Night entertainment 5 days a week and excellent service, a perfect spot for a quick snack or a romantic dinner. Feast on our gourmet inspired gastro-pub cuisine while enjoying World-Wide Live Sports and Entertainment from around the globe on our multiple flat-screen TVs. A large selection of local and international draft beers are served along with a full bar of your favorite spirits. Our signature Gastro-Pub Burger is not to be missed along with our menu of Pub Classics. Enjoy our full breakfast buffet where you will find something for everyone. Fresh baked pastries, seasonal fruits and more. Eggs, omelets and pancakes are made to order by our Chefs at the Sunrise Action Station. At night, Flavors offers a rotating themed buffet menu for you to indulge in.
Open during the evenings this is the right place for a pit stop for an evening drink or cocktail. All main sports events are shown on our TV screens.
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Wine & Dine on Site Located adjacent to reception and serving throughout the day; fresh brewed espressos and cappuccinos, signature martinis, top shelf liquors, cold draft beer and regional wines. End your night at the Piano Bar and relax to the smooth sounds of live piano and sax while enjoying your favorite cocktail. A delicious way to start your day is awaiting you in Trevi. A full selection of breakfast specialties is served until 10:30am every morning. Lunch is served al-fresco, in the dining room, or poolside at your lounge chair. Cosmopolitan-Chic and extra special as Trevi transforms at night into Algarve´s best Italian restaurant with regional cuisine created by our Master Chef from Italy. Local and ripe Italian wines pair perfectly with the cuisine and don´t forget to save room for our signature Tiramisu dessert. Join us throughout the day and into the night at Café Latte. Chef created signature Panini sandwiches are grilled to order, featured coffees and espressos are fresh brewed and a selection of fresh baked desserts and pastries are served. And, of course, our Ice Cream Bar is here for you to finish with a Sweet Ending. Relax poolside and join us for daily featured Barbeque and a-la-carte selections for lunch. Dine on the patio, at our restaurant, or while soaking in the sun at your lounge chair. Sunset at Aqua has one of the most beautiful ocean views, overlooking Oura Beach and our multi-leveled pool. Seasonal dinner menus offer the finest local Portuguese cuisine throughout the summer, and the best of the best that the UK has to offer in the fall and winter months. As the sun goes down, M&M Bar heats up. Along with our full bar, our Entertainment Team, in-house DJ and local performers are featured nightly. See the Weekly Entertainment Guide for performance schedules
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Foodie Facts Feed you Brain
Carrots Used to be Purple The modern day orange carrot was not cultivated until Dutch growers in the late 16th century took mutant strains of the purple, yellow AND white carrots, and gradually developed them into the sweet, plum, orange variety we have today. Before this, pretty much all carrots were purple with the occasionally odd mutated yellow or white carrot popping up, among others! These however, were rarely used due to typically being very thin and not very good tasting.
The Color Orange Was Named After The Fruit The word Orange was introduced to the English through the Spanish word “naranja”, which literally means “orange tree”. It was around the early 16th century that the word orange gradually started being used not only for referring to the fruit, but also what we now know as the color orange. Before “orange”, the English referred to the orange color as “geoluhead”, which translates to “yellow-red”.
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Why Rice Krispies Snap, Crackle and Pop! Rice Krispies, also known as “Rice Bubbles” in some countries, are created by preparing rice in such a way that it will “pop” like popcorn during the cooking process, but a lot less dramatically. The popping puffs up the kernels. When the rice is finished cooking, most of the Rice Krispies will have thin, solid walls with hollow, sealed areas inside where air pockets are formed. When cold milk is added, the sudden temperature shift causes the wall of the Rice Krispies to break suddenly, making a Snap, Crackle and Pop type noise.
Why Garlic Gives You Bad Breath. Most of the bad breath resulting from eating garlic comes directly from the sulfuric compounds introduced into your mouth. Not only that, but garlic actually promotes the growth of the microbes in your mouth that already cause bad breath. However, the problem will continue even after cleaning your mouth, due to the fact that some of these sulfuric compounds get metabolized eventually making their way into your blood stream. Eventually the compounds will come through your pores and will be passed into the air that fills your lungs. Ewwww!
Chefs Special Beef & Shrimp Wok Recipe for 2-3 people. Ingredients: 2 Fillets of beef. 10 clean, peeled prawns. ½ onion ½ red pepper. Soy Sauce. Olive Oil. Modena Vinegar. Sesame Seeds. Salt to taste. Prepare your ingredients by cutting the onion into strips (like “half moon”) and peppers into “sticks” Heat the ingredients using a tablespoon of olive oil. Add all the chopped vegetables and fry over a high heat for about 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt then add the meat and shrimp, cook for 2-3 minutes over a high heat. After that add some soy sauce (about ¼ cup) and cook for another 2 minutes. Finally, place on a dish, sprinkle a handful of sesame seeds and pour some Modena vinegar. Ready to eat. Enjoy! MGM Annual Magazine No. 1 | Page 19
The Poets Page As we walked along the beach, crashing waves thundered in our ears and a light, salted mist dampened our lips. The sun began to set and the voice of the beach, travelled across the ocean waves.
Summer Holiday Jokes Q: What did the pig say at the beach on a hot summer’s day? A: I’m bacon!
The sparkled white grains of sand that blanket the beach have been a bed of comfort to many.
Q: What do you call six weeks of rain in Scotland? A: Summer!
Relax, whilst on Holiday upon the beach, and listen to the symphony of waves and the chorus of birds, singing their song, as they glide in the wind.
Q: How do you prevent a summer cold? A: Catch it in the winter!
Feel the power of every Holiday, as it seems to renew your inner being. You need not question the beach and its mystical powers. Millions before you have found the beach and its magical transference to one have existed, since the beginning of time. When you go from this Holiday... leave with the peace that you have found here.
Q: What do you call a french guy in sandals? A: Philipe Phloppe. Q: When do you go at red and stop at green? A: When you’re eating a watermelon. Q: How do men exercise at the beach? A: By sucking in their stomach everytime they see a bikini.
Send your holiday poem to atom@muthuhotels.com and maybe it will be published in the next edition! Page 20 | MGM Annual Magazine No. 1
Travel LDA
TRAVEL AGENCY MGM Travel LDA. is a travel agency that is dedicated to Transfers, Excursions and other tourism services in Portugal and Spain. You can find them located in the OuraPraia Hotel Building, on the Santa Eulalia road in Albufeira (Next to Rockline). With competitive prices you won’t want to miss out on the great deals that they have to offer you. Pop in and schedule your dream vacation.
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Entertainment At all of our resorts we have a full program of entertainment just for you. From live cabaret shows to water sports. On a daily basis a dedicated entertainment team is there to make sure that you enjoy your holiday to the maximum. With new activities being added all the time everyone is catered for through all of the seasons. Be sure to pick up your entertainment program from reception to see what is happening whilst you are on your holiday.
Portuguese Lessons Cabaret Shows Dance Classes Walking Tours Sports Competitions Water Aerobics And much, much more! Page 22 | MGM Annual Magazine No. 1
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Love is in The Air at the Clube Praia da Oura The wedding ceremony for Raquel and Liam Bright was celebrated on September 25th 2013 at the Clube Praia da Oura. The whole day was truly beautiful, filled with so much love, joy and laughter. The dedicated wedding team were on hand all day and night to make sure that Raquel and Liam had the day that they had always dreamed of. After the ceremony the wedding party headed over to Stardome at the Oura View Beach Club, for an intimate dinner. Attended by close family and friends they partied the evening away and celebrated this new and exciting chapter of their life. The Clube Praia da Oura is a spacious resort perfectly positioned right in front of the “Golden Beach” of Albufeira with direct access to the beach. Testimonial: “Thank you to all the team and all involved with making our dream wedding come true beyond our expectations. Being your first ever wedding at CPO gardens and reception at OVBC sunset restaurant dome, it was organized and carried out to a very high remarkable standard and we can’t thank you enough for all the hard work that was put in to making the day so special, so many people to thank especially Armenio Lourenço, Sana Chaaibi and Rui Marques for all their hard work, thank you again am & R aquel from Liam Raquel”
To download our Wedding e-brochure please visit our website: www.muthuhotels.com email: weddings@muthuhotels.com
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FACTS ABOUT SPAIN There are so many fun facts about Spain that it is hard to know where to start. Here is a selection of our favorite fun facts about Spain that the average person might not know. 1. Spain has the lowest population density in Western Europe (excluding Scandinavia) 2. The name Spain comes from the word Ispania, which means the land of rabbits.
Welcome to our Spain Resorts!
3. They have highest number of bars out of all the countries in the EU. 4. Spain is the only country in Europe that produces bananas. 5. Spain is a monarchy. The King of Spain is Juan Carlos I, who inherited the throne from General Franco, the dictator who ruled Spain from 1939 until 1975.
One of the Sunniest Islands in Europe
6. The Spaniards invented the mop. 7. In Barcelona, on St George’s Day (23 April) it was custom to exchange a book and a rose with the person they loved. 8. Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world, with 329 million native speakers worldwide.
An Oasis of Relaxation and Tranquility
9. In Ibiza, tourists spend about 143 million Euros each year. 10. One in every five citizens registered in Ibiza lives in an isolated house in the country. 11. Spain was one of the first European countries to ban smoking in workplaces and bars Page 26 | MGM Annual Magazine No. 1
Delicious and Refreshing
Facilities Offered For You:
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Issue nยบ1 | January 2014
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