Sleeper 46 - January/February 2013

HOTEL DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT & ARCHITECTURE

www.sleepermagazine.com

ISSUE 46 JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2013

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2013 THE WYTHE / HOTEL MARIA CRISTINA / ETT HEM

THE WYTHE

ON THE WATERFRONT IN WILLIAMSBURG 46

MARIA CRISTINA

THE GRANDE DAME OF SAN SEBASTIAN RETURNS

ETT HEM

STOCKHOLM STYLE FROM ILSE CRAWFORD

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL – GUANGZHOU • MARTI – ISTANBUL • JEAN-PHILIPPE NUEL • NOMAD – NYC

Showering becomes a two sided pleasure…

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RECEPTION

Contents Features 024 032 040 046 052 060 066 073 080 090 096 101 104 118 122 124

Guestbook

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The Wythe – Brooklyn

ZEYNEP FADILLIOGLU

Jean Philippe Nuel

Turkish designer and architect Fadillioglu received widespread acclaim for her 2009 interiors at the Şakirin Mosque in Istanbul, becoming possibly the first female to design a mosque. She recently completed the Marti Hotel in Istanbul, whose owners Marti Group are currently developing four projects across Turkey.

Ett Hem – Stockholm Maria Cristina – San Sebastian Marti – Istanbul NoMad – NYC Four Seasons Hotel – Guangzhou Hilton London Wembley – London Park Plaza Histria Pula Deloitte EHIC HI Design Asia

Widely regarded as one of the key figures in 20th century modernist architecture, Oscar Niemeyer passed away aged 104 on 5 December 2012. He was best known for his civic designs for the new Brazilian capital Brasilia but we take a closer look at some of his lesser known hotel projects.

OW Hospitality Music Concierge Floorcoverings

Check-In Drawing Board

Born into a family of architects, Nuel’s first hotel design for a boutique property in Paris led to a string of commissions from major hotel groups including Sofitel, Le Meridien, Hilton and Marriott. We caught up with him at the inauguration of his most recent project – the Radisson Blu in Nantes.

OSCAR NIEMEYER

Sleep 2012 – London

Welcome

JEAN PHILIPPE NUEL

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BDNY – New York

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Departments 009 010 012

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JACQUES GARCIA

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Event Diary The Specifier Check Out

Garcia’s designs for Hotel Costes in Paris and La Mamounia in Marrakech have established him as a much sought-after designer in the hotel world. Sydell Group took inspiration from the Paris residences of his youth for the conversion of a turn-of-the-century Beaux Arts building in New York to the NoMad hotel.

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A PASSION FOR LIGHTING SINCE 1947

Chelsom Limited, Heritage House, Clifton Road, Blackpool, FY4 4QA, UK Tel: +44(0) 1253 831400 Fax: +44(0) 1253 698098 Email: sales@chelsom.co.uk www.chelsom.co.uk

Project: Wind Star Designer: McVitty Interior Consultants Contractor: Trimline Interiors

BESPOKE DESIGN

Luca Soft By_JEAN-PHILIPPE NUEL For_RADISSON BLU HOTEL Nantes_FRANCE

ligne-roset-contracts.com

RECEPTION

Welcome The beginning of a NewYear is traditionally a time to look forward and see what might emerge over the next twelve months, so here goes with a few thoughts on trends that will shape the hotel sector in 2013...

COVER STORY: The lobby area at The Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn, NYC features Hans Wegner Papa Bear chairs, and bespoke designed furniture by Peter Oyler. The artwork is entitled ‘This Tree Which Men Cut Down’, by local artist Duke Riley.

Design of luxury hotels, whether minimalist or richly textured, will increasingly be defined by the provenance of the materials used. Just looking expensive will no longer be enough. Guests will expect to know where limestone was quarried, where trees were felled for the woods used, and that furnishings are authentic and ethically sourced, not reproduced using cheap Asian labour.

In lighting design, the current fad for old fashioned filament light bulbs seems a difficult one to sustain given environmental regulations. But in boutique hotels, dimly lit, atmospheric public spaces will continue to be popular – making life easier for the housekeeping departments of these hotels. Brighter prospects are emerging from technologies such as OLED, that will see light incorporated into design and architecture in new and intriguing ways.

In food and beverage, tastebuds will be tickled at opposite ends of the health spectrum. At the not-so-healthy-end, the ‘dirty food’ popularised in transient food trucks and pop-up restaurants in 2012 will begin to go mainstream. Think Deep South barbecue, burgers in artisan baked brioche buns, and deep fried delights galore. At the healthier end of the spectrum, lighter food will be influenced by the cuisines of Central America and South East Asia. At a recent visit to the Smorgasburg foodstall fest in Brooklyn, interesting fusions of Mexican and Japanese were on offer. Ramen noodles and Peruvian flavours are two prevalent food trends in London right now.

The bricks vs brains debate that has framed hotel investment for the past decade is becoming redundant now that most of the major hotel groups are now pursuing variations on asset light / franchise models. However these groups will dip into their war chests to inject finance and kickstart projects stalled due to the recession – particularly where the firing up of new brand or the reinvigoration of an old one is at stake.

Front Desk Editor Matt Turner m.turner@mondiale.co.uk Deputy Editor Catherine Martin c.martin@mondiale.co.uk Editorial Assistant Shanna McGoldrick s.mcgoldrick@mondiale.co.uk International Advertising Sales Stephen Quiligotti s.quiligotti@mondiale.co.uk Advertising Sales Becky Thomas r.thomas@mondiale.co.uk Rob Hart r.hart@mondiale.co.uk Design Dave Bell d.bell@mondiale.co.uk Advertising Production Dan Seaton d.seaton@mondiale.co.uk Finance Director Amanda Giles a.giles@mondiale.co.uk Accounts Donna Barlow d.barlow@mondiale.co.uk Faye Riley f.riley@mondiale.co.uk Marketing & Subscriptions Laura McLaughlin l.mclaughlin@mondiale.co.uk Chairman Damian Walsh d.walsh@mondiale.co.uk Publishers Sleeper Magazine Ltd Waterloo Place, Watson Square Stockport, SK1 3AZ, UK Tel: +44 (0)161 476 8390 Fax: +44 (0)161 429 7214 www.sleepermagazine.com Retail Cover Price (where sold): £7.95 Annual Subscription Rates: (6 issues) UK: £63.00 Europe: £78.80 RoW: £105 [$168] Two year rates available on request Back Issues: (subject to availability) UK: £10.00 Europe: £12.50 RoW: £17.00 To subscribe visit: www.sleepermagazine.com or call +44 (0)161 476 8395 Sleeper (ISSN 1476 4075) is published bi-monthly

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Names: Andrea DeRosa (left) and Ashley Manhan (right) Position/Company: Owners of Avenue Interior Design Notable hotel projects: The Redbury & Cleo; Sayers Club; SLS South Beach (collaboration with Philippe Starck) Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa (various areas of the property) www.avenuelosangeles.com 010

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RECEPTION

Check-In Andrea DeRosa and Ashley Manhan previously worked for some of the world’s top design firms before forming LA-based Avenue Interior Design in 2010.Their ideal hotel stay brings a touch of old Hollywood glamour to the beaches of Madagascar.

Where are we? On a tiny island off the coast of Madagascar, lounging on the beach.

How did you get here? Ideally, in first class on British Airways direct to Madagascar.

From there, George Clooney would man the wheel of a classic speedboat taking us to our island de jour.

Who are you sharing your room with?

Of course we’d be shacking up together – two wardrobes are always better than one. Hopefully Rachel Zoe would also be occupying our suite. She and her entourage would have us laughing all day long and looking our best (we wouldn’t mind sharing her suitcase too).

Is there anything you would like waiting for you in your room on arrival?

A masseuse, champagne, fresh flowers, new swimsuits by Mara Hoffman or Zimmermann.

Who’s at the concierge desk?

Sam Nazarian.

And the owner / manager?

Ian Schrager.

Describe the hotel building, your room and the view...

The hotel would be a charming bungalow, something reminiscent of Chateau Marmont, very relaxed, with a bit of old Hollywood and

lots of lush vegetation to conceal everyone’s coming and goings. The room should have as much outdoor space as indoor space including a great balcony with the best oceanfront view.

Who designed it?

Tony Duquette and Karl Lagerfeld.

What’s the restaurant / bar like?

The restaurant would be mostly outdoor, very casual and comfortable with the best food on the island. The all white interior would be moody and illuminated by candlelight (think Pa Cri on St. Barts).

Who are you dining with this evening?

1. Lady Gaga 2. Journalist and author Anderson Cooper 3. Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen 4. TV host Andy Cohen 5. Jeff Koons Who’s manning the stoves? Nancy Silverton And what’s on the menu?

Starter: A classic cheese plate of nuts, figs, honey and prosciutto toscano with a freshly baked baguette Main: Homemade pasta (anything or preferably, everything) to start followed by short rib braised in red wine with leeks served over a bed of Parmesan polenta.

Dessert: Butterscotch budino with sea salt (à

la Mozza) and cappuccino ice cream (à la Dan Tana’s).

Would you like something to drink with that? Ice cold sparkling water, red wine and limoncello to round out the evening.

What music is on the iPod on your inroom docking station?

The Rolling Stones, Janet Jackson and Jay-Z. What’s on the movie channel?

1. Pretty Woman 2. Vicky Christina Barcelona 3. Any of Wes Anderson’s films 4. Casino 5. Something’s Gotta Give And a book at bedtime? We prefer a magazine, Vogue or Vanity Fair.

What’s in the mini-bar for a night cap?

Something sweet or salty in a tiny package!

Would you like a newspaper or magazine in the morning? Get us to the beach!

That’s where we’ll be scouring this month’s magazines.

What toiletries would you like to freshen up with? Anything by Bliss or Kate Somerville for Andrea, Skinceuticals for Ashley.

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THE DRAWING BOARD

THE DRAWING BOARD MUMBAI // CHICAGO // LONDON // GUANGZHOU // BANGKOK

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BEKO MASTERPLAN BELGRADE Zaha Hadid Architects has unveiled plans for a 94,000m2 development on the site of a former textile factory in the Serbian capital of Belgrade. The mixed-use masterplan includes residential, retail and commercial space along with a convention facility and five-star boutique hotel.

Located close to the city’s cultural district and historic Kalemegdan Castle, the derelict Beko factory was bought in 2007 by Greek company

Lamda Development. Total investment is expected to exceed EUR 200 million.

The masterplan moves away from traditional modernist notions of urban zoning and functionalist separation, enhancing the relationships between the spaces and creating a living fusion between public and private urbanism.

Designed to Hadid’s signature parametric style, individual buildings appear to morph into

one another through a series of lines that carve the landscape and act as continuities where outdoor spaces, topographical undulations, balconies, roof edges and bridges all flow into one another.

London-based EPR Architects has been appointed as hotel consultant.

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THE DRAWING BOARD

THE AAYU MUMBAI GHM (General Hotel Management Ltd) has unveiled plans for a new luxury hotel to be housed in the top five floors of Mumbai’s tallest commercial building.

The tower has been designed by Sandeep Shikre & Associates (SSA Architects) and GKK Works and will feature interiors by Jaya Ibrahim.

Spread over a 5-acre parcel of land and towering 203 metres above the Dadar area of Mumbai, Kohinoor Square Central Tower is a 50-storey mixed-use development of office, commercial, retail and residential space.

The all-suite hotel overlooks historic Shivaji 014

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Park and offers views of the Arabian Sea to the west, and the island mainland to the east.

Interior designer Jaya Ibrahim, who previously partnered with GHM on The Legian Bali, The Chedi Muscat and The Nam Hai, will lend his award-winning aesthetic to The Aayu’s spaces, including its 42 suites ranging in size from 65m2 to 155m2.

The hotel will also be the setting for India’s first restaurants by the world’s most decorated chef Joël Robuchon, and culinary star Hide Yamamoto. Robuchon, the only chef to be awarded 28 Michelin stars, will open his 8th L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon at The Aayu, while Yamamoto will mastermind a

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second restaurant showcasing new generation Japanese cuisine from its charcoal Robata grill, homemade ramen noodle bar and sushi and sake counter.

Other facilities include a library lounge and bar, cigar and cognac lounge, exclusive malt bar and capacious boardroom on the 49th floor. The hotel’s spa will be unmoored from a fixed location, with all treatments conducted in the haven of a guest’s room. The Aayu’s 50th-floor rooftop terrace will be home to Mumbai’s highest bar, complemented by a swimming pool and deck with ocean views, as well as a landscaped courtyard. The property is scheduled to open in December 2013.

THE DRAWING BOARD

THE GODFREY HOTEL CHICAGO Oxford Capital Group, with financial backing from Cube Capital, has unveiled plans for a 221-room hotel in downtown Chicago, designed by Valerio Dewalt Train and Gettys.

Situated at 127 West Huron Street in Chicago’s trendy River North neighbourhood, the 16-storey upper upscale lifestyle hotel is adjacent to the Hotel Felix Chicago, another successful project led by Oxford. The new ownership acquired title to the partially complete property through an amicable deed in lieu of foreclosure from the prior developer earlier this year.

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Oleg Pavlov, Managing Partner and Head of Real Assets at Cube Capital, commented: “We are very pleased that our investment capital has made it possible to complete construction of this unique building after it has been stalled for over four years. We hope it will become a prominent feature of Chicago’s exciting cityscape.”

The hotel is a modern structure designed

by Chicago-based Valerio Dewalt Train.

Principal architect David Jennerjahn explained: “We conceived the hotel’s design as a taut wrapping of cubist forms that shift inward and outward to reveal the building’s expressive structural frame.”

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Interiors designed by Gettys reflect the architecture with a unique interplay of strong geometric forms and the impactful use of colour. On opening, guests will be welcomed into a marble-clad, elliptical lobby punctuated by sculptural seating groups and floor-toceiling windows.

The independent, full-service hotel will offer 221 guestrooms including 194 studio suites and 27 one-bedroom suites with views of the city skyline from all directions.

Amenities will also include a spa, a 24-hour fitness centre, a chef-driven restaurant, lobby bar, and 12,000ft2 indoor/outdoor rooftop lounge with water elements and fire pits.

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THE DRAWING BOARD

POCKET HOTEL SHOREDITCH, LONDON SB2 Property Ventures has unveiled plans for a new brand of pod hotels that will offer compact luxury accommodation at a compelling price. Designed by The Manser Practice, the flagship is expected to open in Shoreditch, London, in 2014.

Located on Paul Street, the hotel has been developed with the style-conscious traveller in mind and will feature over 200 well-appointed en suite rooms where the emphasis is firmly on design.

“Pocket Hotels’ proposition is all about delivering truly compact luxury for our guests,” explains Tim Struth, co-founder of 018

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Pocket Hotels. “Our three core principles – an excellent bed, powerful shower and memorable experience – are supplemented by the latest technology, simplified check-in and our relaxing café / reception as well as pocketlounges on the floors.”

The front-of-house and restaurant areas will feature handmade furniture, understated design pieces and reclaimed industrial items that capture the ever-changing atmosphere of the area. Meanwhile, the ground-floor café with street frontage will act as a natural hub for the hotel’s guests as well as provide a vibrant connection with locals.

The luxuriously appointed compact rooms,

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available with or without windows, will offer a bespoke wooden storage wall, which along with providing space to store a suit or two, will house a flatscreen television. Train carriagestyle bag storage racks and rich textured horsehair padded headboards with additional hung lumbar cushions will add to the highquality feel.

With development funds in place for the first Pocket Hotel, as well as others across London as sites are secured, SB2 Property Ventures believe there is considerable scope to roll-out the concept both nationally and internationally.

THE DRAWING BOARD

W HOTEL GUANGZHOU W Hotels Worldwide has unveiled the design concept for W Guangzhou Hotel & Residences, its first property in mainland China. Owned and developed by KWG Property Holdings, the 320-key hotel is slated to open in early 2013.

In partnership with KWG Property Holdings, W Guangzhou has assembled a team of cutting-edge regional and international designers to develop the hotel’s design narrative, which brings to life Guangzhou’s ancient culture and promising future. The striking asymmetric exterior by renowned architect Rocco Yim features a sleek sheath of black glass punctuated by architectural cutouts and bright glass highlights.

The hotel’s major interior spaces each feature unique design concepts that work together to create a rich medley of experiences that capture Guangzhou’s position as an ancient city in the midst of a modern evolution. New York’s Yabu Pushelberg is responsible for designing the 320 contemporary guestrooms and suites, while Glyph of Toronto, Hong Kong’s AFSO, and Kuala Lumpur’s DesignWilkes will each design various public spaces.

Tokyo-based A.N.D. is to create a fourstorey lit glass loft suspended from the side of the hotel with optical fiber strings of light cascading down the inside of the glass, creating a pulsating effect of light and energy that can seen from both inside and out.

The hotel is situated in the burgeoning Pearl River New Town district, a rapidly evolving centre of entertainment, commerce and design that is home to the Guangzhou West Tower and the Canton Tower, China’s tallest building.

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‘Embed’ rug by Esti Barnes

THE DRAWING BOARD

HYATT REGENCY BANGKOK SUKHUMVIT Hyatt has entered into a management agreement with Grande Asset Hotels and Property Public Company Limited, a Bangkok-based real estate development company, for Hyatt Regency Bangkok, Sukhumvit. Expected to open in 2017, the hotel will be the first Hyatt Regencybranded hotel in the city.

Located in the heart of the rapidly expanding commercial city centre, the hotel will be part of a mixed-use development that includes a boutique shopping experience and an upscale residential tower.

“Bangkok is a key gateway city in Asia and we are delighted at the opportunity to have a Hyatt Regency in this market. The hotel perfectly complements the currently operating Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok and the underconstruction Park Hyatt Bangkok and will offer Hyatt guests a choice of high quality hotels,” comments Ratnesh Verma, Senior Vice President, Real Estate and Development, Asia Pacific, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts.

“The addition of the hotel reflects Hyatt’s commitment to the region and to expanding its distribution in markets where guests are increasingly travelling,” he adds.

Hyatt Regency Bangkok, Sukhumvit will feature 300 guestrooms, including 26 suites.

Designed by renowned Thai architecture firm Bangkok Architects, the hotel will offer a multi-cuisine restaurant, a specialty restaurant, spa, fitness centre, swimming pool, club lounge, and more than 10,700ft2 of meeting space including a ballroom.

The plans represent an integral step towards the brand’s distribution in one of Asia’s key markets. As Sleeper went to press, Hyatt announced that it would also be bringing a 220-room Hyatt Place to the same district of Bangkok, scheduled to open in 2017.

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Discover beautifully engineered TeleMatrix telephones for your beautiful places.

“We were attracted to the sleek new design of the TeleMatrix 9600 Series.”

“The 9600 Series fit well with the décor of our properties, and is backed by the leader in analog and VoIP guest room telephones. It was a clear choice.”

Julia Harnischfeger-Hotel Manager Aloft London ExCeL

Aloft London Excel chooses TeleMatrix 9600IP-MWD DECT SIP cordless telephones TeleMatrix 9600MWD cordless telephones with matching standard orange handset colour inserts have been installed by FourteenIP at the beautiful new 252-room Aloft London ExCeL hotel, directly connected to the ExCeL International Convention Centre.

As the global leader in analogue and VoIP guest room telephony and the brand standard telephone of choice for Aloft hotels

by Starwood, TeleMatrix was awarded the Aloft London ExCeL project by merits of product design, functionality, quality, and support services.

Contact your TeleMatrix representative for product and pricing details for your upcoming property build or renovation.

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Aloft London ExCeL The new twist in travel is now in London. Aloft London Excel is the only hotel in ExCeL London directly connected to the ExCeL International Convention Centre, and is just minutes away from London City Airport and Canary Wharf.

TeleMatrix 9600 Series Beautifully engineered TeleMatrix 9600IP-MWD single-line DECT SIP cordless telephones complement the décor of each Aloft London ExCeL guestroom, whilst delivering VoIP features and performance to Aloft guests.

Fourteen IP TeleMatrix partner Fourteen IP brings decades of combined experience of working with both voice and data solutions, delivering complicated projects to hospitality industry right across the UK and Europe.

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11/27/12 3:13 PM

HOTEL REVIEW

The Wythe Brooklyn Words: Matt Turner Photography: © Matthew Williams / Adrian Gaut

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A converted warehouse on the Williamsburg waterfront is home to a new hotel created by restaurateur Andrew Tarlow, hotelier Peter Lawrence, and developer Jed Walentas.

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HOTEL REVIEW

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rooklyn may not have the international reputation or visitor numbers of Manhattan, which, for many people, is synonymous with New York. Yet it is the most populous of the five boroughs, and if it were separated from the rest of New York City, Brooklyn would still be the fourth largest metropolis in the US. And Brooklyn’s recent status as the heartland of NYC’s hipster scene has seen it rise in terms of international influence, particularly in the world of hospitality, where Brooklyn-born trends in food and drink have since spread worldwide. Whilst Brooklyn’s bar, restaurant and club scene has exploded in recent years, it’s hotel market has lagged behind, and remains tiny in comparison to that of Manhattan.

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This is beginning to change with a new influx of design-driven properties joining the existing mom n’pop joints, and mainstream brands already operating hotels in the borough. Duffield Street in downtown Brooklyn has seen the arrival of Sheraton, Aloft and Indigo hotels in the past three years.

King & Grove took over the management of the Hotel Williamsburg as it neared completion in May 2012. Hotel BPM offers a music-inspired hospitality experience in the Prospect Park district. But perhaps the most significant Brooklyn hotel launch of recent years has been The Wythe – an eight-storey hotel on the Williamsburg waterfront.

Built in 1901, the hotel was originally a cooperage for the making of barrels and casks. In its conversion to a 72-guestroom

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PREVIOUS SPREAD: Artist Tom Fruin created the fifty foot tall sign formed from salvaged New York street signs, framing red neon tubing which spells the word ‘hotel’ down the exterior of the building THIS PAGE: The lobby design includes Hans Wegner Papa Bear Chairs, benches and stools by Peter Oyler and art entitled ‘This Tree Which Men Cut Down’, by Duke Riley

See you in Valencia at Hi Design EMEA, 9-11 MAY 2013

HOTEL REVIEW

hotel, the building’s industrial character has been beautifully preserved. Its concave corner entrance accommodates a sign by Tom Fruin, created from salvaged pieces of signage, and neon, hand riveted to spell out the word ‘hotel’ down the exterior of the building.

Inside, original pine beams, masonry, arched windows and cast-iron columns combine with vintage mid-century furnishings by the likes of Hans Wegner and Thonet. The mix of authentical industrial heritage and hip modernity that defines much of Brooklyn’s contemporary culture is reflected in the building. Atop the original five-storey redbrick structure is a new three-storey glass and aluminum addition that references the hotel’s existing factory windows while dramatically pulling the building into the present. The views from the sixth floor bar and river facing 028

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rooms are incredible – an uninterrupted 180degree panorama of the iconic Manhattan skyline, that any hotel located in Manhattan itself would struggle to beat.

The Wythe has been created by a team including Australian hotelier Peter Lawrence, local restaurateur Andrew Tarlow, and property developer Jed Walentas, whose father’s firm Two Trees Management transformed Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighbourhood with a series of warehouse conversions. This trio collaborated with Morris Adjmi Architects and design firm Workstead on the interiors.

The hotel’s 72 guestrooms feature 13foot high original timber ceilings, oversized windows, heated concrete floors, and works by local artists. Beds were custom made from reclaimed ceiling timbers by Dave Hollier

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ABOVE: Desks and beds in the guestrooms were created by Dave Hollier Woodwork & Design. Wallcoverings are an original design by Dan Funderburgh, Printing by Flavor Paper. Thonet chairs were sourced from Chair Factory and DWR. Bedside lights are Bestlite and the bedside table is by SAW Furniture

T3 Technology integrates two independent systems with different light reflective pigmentations offering the user their choice of a cool bright daytime look or a warm night time reflection.

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HOTEL REVIEW

ABOVE: An outdoor fireplace adds warmth to the cobbled courtyard, which also features a planted wall by Jardins de Babylone ABOVE LEFT: Illuminated architectural models are housed in glass boxes in the breakfast room LEFT: 13 of the guestrooms are oval cocoons created from LG Hi-Macs to maximise the use of space

Woodwork and Design. Most of the walls are exposed brick, others are adorned with bespoke wallpaper by Dan Funderburgh and Flavor Paper. Amenities include REVO Heritage internet radio players, and carefully curated minibars with locally sourced drinks and snacks.

Andrew Tarlow is already a well-known figure on the Brooklyn dining scene, having introduced farm-to-table style eateries such as Marlow & Sons, Diner, and Roman’s to the borough. Here he has created Reynard – a ground floor restaurant and bar with wood-fired oven and grill, courtyard seating, and a daily menu featuring market-driven American fare and seasonal cocktails. The design includes Thonet chairs, retro-style tiles from Stone Source and vintage light fixtures

by Works MFG. On the sixth floor, Ides bar and terrace has straightforward decor that doesn’t attempt 030

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to compete with the stunning Manhattan and Brooklyn views. Elsewhere in the hotel, various event spaces include a main event hall, a private dining room, large guest lofts and 60-seat screening room and bar.

Despite its continuing gentrification, Williamsburg continues to attract the hipsters and Wythe Avenue is one of its main draws.

The Brooklyn Bowl entertainment complex is opposite the hotel. Across the street is the Kinfolk Studios art-gallery and bar.

The weekly Smorgasburg food truck festival takes place a couple of blocks away. The Wythe is a sure sign that the area is evolving into one which attracts not just a cool, local crowd, but tourists as well – whether they be Manhattanites crossing the water, or, increasingly, visitors from overseas. It is a hotel that will continue to be relevant long after the hipsters have moved onto the next up-and-coming neighbourhood.

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EXPRESS CHECKOUT The Wythe 80 Wythe Avenue at N. 11th Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY 11249, USA Tel: +1 718 460 8000 www.wythehotel.com

„ 72 guestrooms and suites ‰ Reynard  Ides + Event hall, private dining room, 60-seat screening room and bar Owners / Developers / Operators: Peter Lawrence, Andrew Tarlow, Jed Walentas Architect: Morris Adjmi Architects Interior Design: Peter Lawrence, Andrew Tarlow, Jed Walentas, Workstead

The right first impression...

www.polyflor.com

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MEETING…JEAN PHILIPPE NUEL

JEAN-PHILIPPE NUEL WORDS: Natasha Edwards PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPH: Chrtistophe Brachet

I meet Jean-Philippe Nuel over a coffee in the TGV on the way to the Radisson Blu Nantes, where the 19th-century law courts are about to be unveiled as a four-star hotel.

It’s the first of a series of spectacular hotels he has designed in historic buildings, as the French state sells off its jewels. In addition to the Palais de Justice in Nantes, there are historic hospitals in Marseille and Lyon, and a prison in Avignon, not to mention an abandoned Art Deco swimming pool and an electricity substation in Paris, and Nuel has become France’s de facto expert in building conversions. “I’ve a style that is mostly contemporary, so it’s quite amusing to find myself in all these historic places, but I adore doing this mix, because I adore making places that resemble us, not just us French but us Europeans. It is to say that we have a heritage, a history and a culture, but to be contemporary in these places is to continue to write their history. To have a history and live in the 21st century is not antinomic.”

Now at the head of a 30-strong design team, Nuel originally trained as an architect at

the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, becoming a specialist in hotels, as he puts it, “almost by accident” when he renovated Le Clos Médicis, a small Paris hotel in an 18th century building near St-Germain-des-Prés: “I was there as architect for the rehabilitation and I immediately asked the owner if I could do both the architecture and the interior decoration. As the result of that project, I was immediately proposed another hotel and then another.” From Hotel Le Lavoisier, Hôtel Duo and Le Général, among others, in Paris, he has gone on to work for Hilton, Club Med, Sofitel and most of the leading international hotel groups. “More and more chains are interested in developing specific identities,” says Nuel “As an interior designer, one has to know if one’s personal style will gel with that identity or not. If I were asked to do a hyper-classic hotel with period-style furniture, I couldn’t do it because it’s

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MEETING…JEAN PHILIPPE NUEL

too far from my style, but it amuses me to try to decrypt the brand identity of each chain, which inspires me to go in a particular direction. At the same time, it must also correspond with my own sensibility.”

“To know how to be modern while incorporating our roots, a culture, is the axis of my work,” says Nuel, who delves into the atmosphere of the city, nosing out a specific history for each building, in places that often have an extremely strong relationship with their location. For the Palais de Justice in Nantes, he worked with architect Jacques Cholet and the architects from the Bâtiments de France (the French historic buildings commission) to open the building up to the city, both through the facilities (art gallery, bar, restaurant) and architecturally, by a glass wall behind the colonnade and allegorical sculpture of Justice on the façade “It was my idea to open up the lobby in transparency towards the town, previously the tribunal was introverted, now it is extrovert,” he says.

“In Nantes, there was a difficulty – or opportunity – in that the building’s heritage is very present even inside, because you go straight into the ‘salle des pas perdus’ or central hall of the law courts. I kept the criminal courtroom as the restaurant, 034

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L’Assises, to play with this history, to preserve the heritage but at the same time write a new history for the site. It’s a sort of balancing act between history, assuming the place’s new purpose and staying in contact with the city.”

The judge’s bench has been replaced by a stack of wine bottles, the panelling is now a more welcoming white, and touches of bright colours characteristic of Radisson appear in pink and red restaurant seating, spots on corridor carpets, the bright red bar inserted into a corner of the lobby and the occasional glossy lacquered glass door.

More than just colour or materials, Nuel likes to conceive his hotels as a sort of route, with an approach to volumes that undoubtedly comes from his architectural background. “I am also inspired by literature and cinema. I like the building to be perceived like the opening sequences in a film as the person enters the place. I am always fascinated by those films where through the music and opening shots you are immediately plunged into an atmosphere. Even if my vocabulary is quite minimalist, the idea is to work as much through atmosphere as by purely formal style.

To work on the atmosphere is to confer a life, whereas if one just works on the formal aspects it is too fossilised: the moment you move a chair, your decoration is broken. I try to keep as a reference how the client

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ABOVE: At the Radisson Blu Nantes, Nuel has transformed the central hall of the law courts into a lobby, with pink and red accents to the seating and the insertion of a bright, lacquer bar in a corner of the lobby

“I like buildings to be perceived like the opening sequences in a film.

I am fascinated by the way music and opening shots immediately plunge you into an atmosphere.”

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MEETING…JEAN PHILIPPE NUEL

OPPOSITE PAGE: Current projects on Agence Nuel’s drawing boards include the conversion of the Piscine Molitor Art Deco swimming pool in Paris to an M Gallery hotel complex (TOP) and a new Taj hotel in Pondicherry, India’s former French trading post (BOTTOM)

will perceive things. It is a sort of route, of discovery and surprises, perhaps something happens in a corridor that is more sombre, when one enters the bedroom, it will follow the same guiding thread as the rest of the hotel but there must also be an element of surprise,” he says.

Nuel frequently makes use of photography and video. As with the Hôtel des Grands Balcons in Toulouse, where photographs of clouds are a dreamlike allusion to Toulouse’s links with the aviation industry and the pilot and writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry who often stayed at the hotel, in Nantes he worked with photographer Christian Zachariasen.

“In five years since I won the competition, I had time to get to know the city well. There is a special iconography in the bedrooms, with photos taken of Nantes architecture or details of paintings that one finds in Nantes over the bed. A painting by Georges de la Tour in the Musée des Beaux-Arts sets the tone for a similar chiaroscuro light play in the photos, to make the ambience of Nantes emerge. In the restaurant a video about Jules Verne is projected on the wall, because he was born in Nantes, so it’s also about the idea of Nantes as a port, a departure point, like an incitation to travel and a way of locating it in the town.”

“What interests me is to express the place, its relationship to the architecture of the building itself and of the town, to bring out the specificity of each town,” says Nuel, as in Marseille, where he has designed the InterContinental Marseille Hôtel Dieu, due to open in spring 2013 in the grandiose listed 18th century former Hôtel Dieu, an historic hospital originally founded in the 12th century, with a magnificent arcaded 036

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façade overlooking the Vieux Port: “I am working with a very specific chromatic palette that I justify in its relationship to the town itself. The city of Marseille is very mineral, the light is very raw, the sky is very bright, the shadows are very strong and in addition the emblematic building, Notre Dame de la Garde, the church that dominates the whole city is black and white, so the town inspired the chromatic range of the project with stone colours and very deep greys. In the lobby, there are horizontal stripes like at Notre Dame de la Garde, there is a lot of stone on the walls and floor, a bit like in the Calanques. I also worked with a master glassmaker for sculpted glass windows, which have a scintillating effect that give the impression of a window opening onto the sea.”

Not that his approach is overly reverent.

At the Piscine Molitor in Paris, a legendary Art Deco swimming pool that, despite listed status, has been gradually disintegrating since it closed in 1989, which is to be reborn as a hotel, restaurant, pool and spa complex under the M Gallery brand, guests will dine under the original ceiling surrounded by vast blown-up photos taken by Nuel of the graffiti covering the abandoned swimming pool: “The idea is that the swimming pool’s entire history serves to build the new history created for this hotel.”

Outside France, current projects include the Baccarat Hotel in Dubai and the Taj Pondicherry, a rare project where he is both architect and interior designer for a resort hotel that will marry French and Indian touches. “In India, they sought me out because the hotel is in Pondicherry, a former French trading post, and they wanted to reflect this aspect while being very modern, which is exactly my approach. I did the

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architectural project in its conceptual stage, it was then developed by the Indians and I return for the decoration. In addition, it’s very interesting because in India there are often no real limits between interior and exterior, except when a room is air conditioned, there are lots of intermediary spaces, that are perhaps covered but are both inside and outside, so it was quite logical for me to do both.”

Nuel feeds hotel projects with private architecture – a recent house near Paris, a converted shepherd’s croft in the Corbières, and design scenographies for the Maison & Objet and Equip’hotel trade fairs. “I like to touch on all the conceptual fields from architecture to design via interiors. It provides breathing space from time to time to do a project that is quicker and work directly with a client, it adds a little spice to the profession to touch on all these different fields.” He has just designed a small cruise liner for Les Croisières de Ponant, which attempts to get away from mass people-carriers and rediscover the spirit of a yacht, and continues to design furniture, notably in collaboration with Ligne Roset. This began with the Luca line of small armchairs, used for the Hôtel Duo in Paris and Jiva Hill near Geneva, developed when he was looking for a chair for restaurants, where one could sit lower and that could be easily moved – which, he adds proudly, was the first time a product from the contracts division went on to be manufactured for the public market – recently extended with the more curvaceous ‘Luca Soft’ created for the Radisson Blu Nantes, as well as the recent Aroun (Thai for ‘dawn’), a sculptural polyhedric lamp intended to be posed on the floor.

Nuel continues to combine prestige

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“One of the strengths of intervening in historic buildings is that it is an architectural opportunity.We need to give that architectural liberty back to new hotels.”

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projects with small hotels for private clients, with more room to experiment: “It’s not so much a question of budget as of scale, as a client with 30 rooms can take a conceptual gamble because he knows he will find his clientele, whereas if you have a thousand rooms to fill you are less inclined to take risks.” Among current projects, he is converting a 1930s former electricity substation in the smart 7th arrondissement of Paris into a 70-room hotel, where he is making the most of five-metre ceiling heights to create duplexes and rooms that feel like mini apartments: “the idea is to do a Paris hotel that doesn’t resemble a hotel.”

For Nuel, the future of hotel design has to lie in breaking codes, investigating destructured spaces or nomadic aspects, in a domain where he recognises that despite different brand identities, the need to provide the same standard services in a limited space

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means that most hotel rooms end up looking very similar. Paradoxically, the challenge of historic buildings with interesting volumes is a stimulus to finding new solutions: “Today hoteliers have understood that decoration is important but they have rather forgotten the architecture, which is often very flat.

One of the strengths of intervening in historic buildings is that it is an architectural opportunity. Here in Nantes, we have a double-height lobby. In the Portman era, there were big atrium hotels, but they were too expensive and are no longer done, here, suddenly we were obliged to do something like that. Some of the bedrooms have steps, so it feels like entering a private space.

Paradoxically the constraints mean that the place is more creative. We need to give that architectural liberty back to new hotels, because decoration is not enough. If the volumes are richer architecturally, then you can really break the codes.”

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HOTEL REVIEW

Ett Hem Stockholm Words: Guy Dittrich Photography: ©Magnus Mårding

Designer Ilse Crawford has curated a guesthouse filled with antiques, art and classic Scandinavian furnishings, in a 1910 building in Stockholm’s Östermalm district.

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esigned by Ilse Crawford of Londonbased Studioilse, Ett Hem is a 12-room guesthouse in the refined embassy quarter of Östermalm in Stockholm. The name translates as ‘A Home’ and the curation of homely items from owner Jeanette Mix’s personal life, including artwork and books, is just part of the enduring ambiance of the house. Without question, the ratio of 14 staff to 12 rooms helps develop that ambience and it is interesting to note that everyone refers to the hotel as the ‘house’.

Instinctively this just feels right; it doesn’t feel like a hotel. Guests are visitors in a friend’s house – a friend with great taste who has thought of everything.

Even before she bought the house in 2006, Mix called on the services of Landström Arkitekter to ensure that the property could indeed function as a working hotel. “The key issues were to secure escape routes and a new lift,” explains Magnus Stenmark, project architect. Planning alone took over three years – a particular sticking point being the insertion of the glasshouse in the small courtyard garden.

Within the building, constructed in 1910, is Landström’s other most obvious architectural intervention – the addition of a new staircase accessing the five guestrooms in the attic space.

These rooms together with the new conservatory

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ABOVE: The reception room features an original stone fireplace alongside Pierre Paulin’s Chair F444, Nomad floor lamps by Niclas Hoflin and a vintage flat weave rug sourced by Studioilse, as was the antique cabinet to the right OPPOSITE PAGE: Bathrooms are clad in locally sourced Gotland limestone and have polished brassware fixtures

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created an additional 20% of space.

And what a space it is. In developing her ideas around the interiors Mix felt that the minimalist, slightly masculine and Scandinavian bias of many local design practices would not be right for Ett Hem. It was whilst having dinner in the Mathias Dahlgren restaurant at Stockholm’s Grand Hotel – with which Ett Hem competes in price, if not size or style – that Mix saw what she wanted: the mélange of Scandinavian and international style by Ilse Crawford of Studioilse in London.

Initially hesitant about contacting a designer with such a reputation, Mix finally called and a trusting relationship developed.

There are many historical references within this heritage building. Antique chandeliers, lit by real candles, were

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sourced by Studioilse. Ceramic ovens were added to those guestrooms that did not have one already. “These elements are part of the subtle reinterpretation of the historic listed architectural ‘frame’. What is in front, the furniture and art, can then be contemporary and will continue to evolve,” explains Crawford of Studioilse’s on-going involvement in the project. “Even Christmas decorations fall into our remit.

These can completely change the character if they are not considered. A good interior is never finished; it lives with those that live in it. That is why the overarching concept needs to be strong, yet flexible.”

Studioilse has also created a 100-page housekeeping book detailing everything from how the bathroom is laid out to the room-service trays. “Design is about the

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total picture,” explains Crawford, “How it is operated in detail. We don’t just do the interior, we design the experience.”

The detail of those interiors is set against a palette of gentle greys and includes an impressive edit of mid-century Scandinavian furniture alongside classic international gems such as the Eames walnut stool and the Vitsoe 606 Universal Shelving System

by Dieter Rams in the library. Many furnishings were custom made for Ett Hem by Studioilse. Equally, Crawford’s designs in production for George Jensen (oval boxes and candle stick holders in brass), Wastberg (w084t2 desk lamp) and De La Espada (444 Bench) also feature.

Comfortable living spaces come from the array of tactile materials – sheepskin, leather, 044

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brass, glass, cane and felt furnishings. Much of it was locally sourced, including the broad Swedish oak floorboards and the Gotland limestone used in bathrooms. “Honest with quality,” is Mix’s summary. The quality of craftsmanship is exemplary. The wood paneled pitched roof and walling of the duplex guestroom is sheer class. The suite’s bathtub carved from a single piece of Carrara marble is extraordinary; the lounge chair next to it offers the chance for a conversation between a couple. Says Crawford: “I believe bathing is a life enhancing experience.”

Ett Hem is a beautiful home brought to life by the successful collaboration between a courageous owner, pragmatic architect and talented interior designer. The result is a gem of hospitality that makes the heart soar.

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EXPRESS CHECKOUT Ett Hem Sköldungagatan 2 114 27 Stockholm Sweden Tel: +46 8 20 05 90 www.etthemstockholm.se

„ 12 guestrooms and suites ‰ Lunch and dinner served  Bar [ Spa with gym + Garden, Relaxation Room, Library Developer / Owner: Jeanette Mix Interior Design: Studioilse Project Architect: Landström Arkitekter

OPPOSITE PAGE: Furniture in the living room includes green Utrecht armchairs

by Gerrit Rietveld and Hans J. Wegner’s Bamsestolen / Papa Bear armchairs as well as Atollo Gold table lamps RIGHT: This guestroom scheme includes Lamp Pascal 345 floor lights

by Vico Magistretti, and a custom-made desk and headboard designed by Studioilse. The art on the wall above the desk is a piece called ‘Next door Nebula’ by Jonas Nobel, one of many of the clients own artworks displayed throughout Ett Hem

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Starwood Hotels & Resorts has completed a $25m restoration of its luxury hotel in the Basque capital, where The Gallery at HBA London’s new designs evoke the spirit of La Belle Époque, and celebrate famous female figures from the hotel’s history.

Hotel Maria Cristina – A Luxury Collection Hotel San Sebastian Words: Matt Turner Photography: © Will Pryce

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he relaunch of San Sebastian’s Hotel Maria Cristina in October 2012 was a glittering affair, befitting a hotel whose history has been defined by glamour and celebrity.

Guests included local dignitaries, and senior executives from Starwood Hotels & Resorts, who have operated the hotel since acquiring its previous owners CIGA in 1994. An eight course menu of classic retro dishes such as Lobster Thermidore, Beef Wellington and Peach Melba was served. Between the tables, a procession of models strutted along a catwalk showing off couture outfits from each of the decades that have passed since the hotel opened in 1912.

The peacock-like postures of the fashionistas were a reminder of the feminine grace at the heart of the new design scheme, which has resulted from an extensive $25 million, nine-month restoration of the hotel, led by Idom Engineering & Architecture.

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Interior designers The Gallery at HBA London took the élan and striking presence of female celebrity guests as their inspiration – not least Spain’s revered Queen Consort Maria Cristina who officially cut the ribbon on the hotel, which still bears her name, in July 1912. This was the tailend of ‘La Belle Époque’ – the era of artistic and cultural refinement which gave birth to female liberation, haute couture fashion, and La Folies Bergere, before coming to a brutal end with the onset of World War One. This historical period – and the fluid Art Nouveau detailing of the building’s original architect Charles Mewès – has formed the backdrop to the designers’ vision, in which refined touches have been added within the hotel’s existing framework to create a sense of luxury. Says Inge Moore, Principal, HBA London and The Gallery: “For Hotel Maria Cristina, named after the Spanish Queen Consort and located in a city with

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THIS PAGE (LEFT): For the guestroom corridors, the designers commissioned a photographer to capture images of San Sebastian’s landscape and Basque architecture (BELOW) Guestrooms are decorated in hues of lavender or pale blue OPPOSITE PAGE: The Dry Bar has a colour palette of soft powder blue and bronze offset by cool white trim, and a lacy rosette patterned carpet

the stunning Art Nouveau architecture, creating a design narrative around powerful women felt right from the start, from the queen consort herself to the female stars of stage and screen who had stayed and played there. So we designed to reinvent the particular glamour, opulence and celebrity that has characterised this hotel. The femininity of Hotel Maria Cristina is now seductive and elegant as well as confident and forceful.”

Soaring ceilings, intricate mouldings, marble pillars and a polished grey and white marble floor greet guests arriving in the reception area. The designers softened the lobby’s hard surfaces with a sophisticated champagne and platinum palette providing an understated background for the mocha and copper touches found in the velvet upholstery and hand-tufted wool rugs. Silk curtains frame the passageways. Behind the reception desk, an oversized painting of Queen Maria Cristina gazes impassively over the proceedings.

The adjacent lobby corridors have intimate seating areas nestled next to immense arched doorways. Pale coffee-toned velvets, the softest ecru leather lounge chairs, and cerise accents in the abstract damask carpet add warmth beneath the lofty ceiling and its procession of crystal chandeliers. A second entrance area at the rear of the hotel (useful for the discreet passage of famous guests) now has the intimate feel of a residential library; with handsome mahogany bookshelves and paintings of traditional seascapes and Belle Époque personas alongside more contemporary artworks.

In Dry San Sebastian bar – a joint collaboration between Hotel Maria Cristina and Dry Martini Group – the masculine oak panelling of old has made way for a colour scheme of soft powder blue and bronze, offset by cool white trim, and a lacy rosette patterned carpet.

The 107 guestrooms and 29 suites are 048

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LEFT: The suites occupy the turrets at the corners of the building, and have elegant Art Nouveau decor. Each suite celebrates inspiring women from different decades in the hotel’s history

dressed in a pastel palette inspired by the fresh spring tints of mouchous macaron patisseries, whose name translates as ‘kiss’ in Basque. Hues of lavender adorn some of the rooms, others are styled in shades of sky blue, chocolate tones enrich the suites. Plush tufted headboards are framed in mouldings which trace a curvaceous outline. Hung on the wall above are contemporary paintings whose intense strokes could be construed as a floral abstraction or hazy reflections on the water.

Velvet-covered chaise longues perch upon deep wool carpets inspired by Art Nouveau detailing. The five-fixture bathrooms don a classical black and white style; elegantly striped curtains enveloping the tub, a teardrop pendant light forged from black iron leaves, and nested glass-top tables together create a residential feel. In the separate WC, the original, exquisitely veined marble has been retained and coordinates perfectly with the new marbles of the tub surround and vanity counter.

The suites are placed in the hotel’s most desirable spaces – the turrets on each corner of the building. Each floor celebrates inspiring women from different decades, starting with the 1910s on the first level and rising to the 1950s on the fifth storey. The entry hall of each suite comprises a “walk of fame” with photos and quotes honouring 050

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the illustrious stars who visited the hotel during the respective era. The images in this suite celebrate the shared qualities of the Belle Époque and the 1950s, when feminine glamour was explored and cherished as the West moved from austerity to prosperity. Its walls are hung with large format black and white photographs of models synonymous with leading European couturiers who had their images splashed across the pages of 1950s Vogue magazines. Curved walls and an antique marble fireplace provide a refined backdrop for the elegant Art Nouveau décor in each suite’s living room. A large photograph of a fashionable woman from the period becomes the muse of the space, while design elements such as a dazzling crystal chandelier, oak parquet flooring, an asymmetrically slung leather sofa, and button-tufted poufs set a debonair scene.

San Sebastian is becoming an increasingly popular destination thanks to its worldfamous gastronomic scene, and imminent status as European Capital of Culture in 2016 (an honour it will share with Wroclaw in Poland). And the annual San Sebastian Film Festival, which has drawn guests such as Elizabeth Taylor, Bette Davis and Sophia Loren to its doors in the past, will ensure Maria Cristina continues to be associated with feminine grace and glamour.

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EXPRESS CHECKOUT Hotel Maria Cristina – A Luxury Collection Hotel Paseo Republica Argentina, 4 – 20004 San Sebastian, Spain Tel: +34 943 437 600 www.hotel-mariacristina.com

„ 136 guestrooms (inc. 29 suites) ‰ Easo, Tse Yang San Sebastian  Dry Bar + 3 Meeting/Celebration Rooms: Ibaia (280 m2), Elcano (205 m2), Zubia & Aia (109 m2) Developer / Owner / Operator: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Architect: IDOM Interior Designer: The Gallery at HBA London General Contractor: Amenabar Purchasing Agents: DPI

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HOTEL REVIEW

I

Marti Istanbul Words: Eileen Keribar Photography: Courtesy of Marti Hotels

A contemporary, Ottoman-infused eclecticism inspires Marti’s city hotel debut in Istanbul, with designs

by Zeynep Fadillioglu.

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stanbul is a city often characterised as a crossroads. At the intersection of cultures and religions, and modernising at an alarming pace, it embraces and proudly defines itself by many faces that on the surface appear incompatible. Yet it is precisely that eclecticism which has defined Istanbul since the Ottomans premised their empire on the desire to combine different and often seemingly contradictory religious and political beliefs.

After a period of dogged imitation of the West, the design world in Istanbul has recently pulled in the reins and created its own crossroads – one where contemporary design is melded with historical design techniques, motifs and ornamentation – and the new Marti Istanbul Hotel

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is a celebration of this movement.

The hotel is the latest addition to the Marti Group, a family-owned hospitality organisation. Founded in 1967, Marti Group operates five hotel and resort properties along the Mediterranean Coast.

Centrally located just off Taksim Square, Marti’s city hotel debut is set squarely in one of Istanbul’s busiest hubs.

“We’re excited to launch the company’s first urban address here in the heart of Istanbul,” comments General Manager Sedat Nemli. “Marti Istanbul Hotel offers guests the finest elements of Turkish hospitality, along with striking design.”

Designed by the acclaimed architect Zeynep Fadillioglu, the sophisticated 11-storey, 270-room hotel makes great strides in contemporising Ottoman

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BELOW: The Quad Restaurant & Bar has seating areas brought to human scale by a modern interpretation of an imperial tent, modelled on tents used by Ottoman sultans during military excurstions. In the main dining area, Ottoman patterns combine with simple modern lines

motifs and incorporating them into modern architecture. When combined with striking artwork and personal touches, the hotel is reflective of both Istanbul’s heritage as well as its present.

Far from thematically Orientalist, the execution of Fadillioglu’s vision plays out in a restrained form that is perfectly suitable to Istanbul’s character. With a focus on telling a story through colour, textiles and textures, Fadillioglu’s spaces endeavour to stir the senses by combining a universal appeal with local flavour.

“I always strive to capture the emotions of Istanbul’s culture in my projects,” says Fadillioglu. “A particular fascination of mine is the Bosphorus, and my work reflects its energy and East to West flow.

I focus on layering Ottoman, Selçuk and Byzantine textures, blending colours and forms that reflect the natural mélange of Istanbul in contemporary way, always fresh and relevant.”

Known for bringing her exquisite taste to the design of private residences and hospitality projects such as the successful Ulus 29 restaurant and Les Ottomans hotel, one significant standout in Fadillioglu’s portfolio is her experience as designer of the Sakirin Mosque on the Anatolian side of Istanbul. As the only known female designer of a mosque in the world, she has a unique perspective on incorporating historical and religious motifs into modern architecture.

Upon entering Marti Istanbul, guests are greeted by a contemporary doubleheight, light-filled lobby. Geometric and crisp, a major feature is a water-themed projection installation by Kutlug� Ataman, a Turkish Carnegie prize-winner. Soaring 054

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[e] info@protocoluk.com [w] www.protocoluk.com [t] (+44)020 8591 6770 [f] (+44)020 8591 7913

HOTEL REVIEW

columns inset with linear light fixtures flank the neatly articulated seating areas that feature custom furnishings designed with a mind towards timelessness.

A self-professed collector, Fadillioglu’s personal attention to bringing together eclectic objects, motifs, furnishings and art brings an immense depth and a tactile nature to the hotel that attracts the eye and diverts ones attention to its details, engaging its guests. Her masterful blending of strong geometric forms with bold decorative patterns and modern art adds dimension and a playful diversity.

Marti Istanbul Hotel plays host to two restaurants and several bars serving culinary concepts by Executive Chef Frédéric Médigue. Adjacent to the ground floor lobby is the newly-opened Brass Restaurant.

A clean and contemporary brasserie, it showcases a classic mix of lounge-like seating ranging from studded leather armchairs to worn banquettes, all of which bring warmth 056

to the conventionally tidy tiled floors.

Up a marble staircase from the main entrance is Quad Restaurant, the hotel’s all-day-dining venue which features a tea lounge and bar. Located within the building’s soaring interior atrium, the lounge’s seating area is brought to a more human scale by a stylishly modern interpretation of an imperial tent, one modeled after tents used

by Ottoman sultans on military campaigns and country excursions. The tent’s richly decorative painted ceiling is balanced by modern shades furled with wide leather bands. The happy coexistence of antique Ottoman patterns and simple modern lines; the space is quintessentially Fadillioglu.

On the top floor, the hotel features a spa with traditional hammams and saunas, a spacious glass-enclosed gym, as well as Lounge 11, an executive lounge exclusive to suite guests. The hotel is also well-suited for meetings and events with an elegant ground floor ballroom and

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HOTEL REVIEW

THIS PAGE: Guestrooms feature wood panelled headboards with Ottoman Cintemani and traditional floral patterns in cool hues to match the contemporary blue and grey colour scheme.

Woven wallcoverings add a warm touch

four well-appointed boardrooms.

Marti’s 270 guestrooms range from 35m2 to 45m2, and include over thirty at 52m2. In the rooms, Fadillioglu’s domestic touches are extremely well articulated and hint to her personal passion rather than a more corporate scheme, undoubtedly a remnant of her experience designing the homes of some of Istanbul’s elite.

Rooms feature details such as wood panelled headboards with Ottoman Çintemani and traditional floral patterns in cool hues to match the contemporary greys, beiges and tranquil blues of the room. Woven wallcoverings bring warmth to the rooms and traditional hand-painted ceiling details are carefully crafted.

Marble bathrooms with classic fixtures keep things crisp and smart and balance the room’s softness. Suites boast their own private mini hammam, complete with heated marble, a delight to guests.

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results in a contemporary room with true local heritage and character, all without tipping towards the thematic.

While the carefully balanced resurgence of Turkey’s decorative roots is a continued trend in contemporary national design, the appeal of Turkish-inspired motifs has recently gained momentum in the fashion industry as well, broadening its reach to a global audience. Ottoman influence features heavily in Elie Saab’s fall/winter 2013 collection with his flowing gowns showcasing ‘Imperial couture’ and Michael Kors’ entire 2013 resort collection is based on a recent trip to Istanbul, where he noticed that locals dressed with a certain lavishness mixed with a raw wearability.

So it seems that this season, whether in fashion or hotel design, it’s clearly all about opulence combined with minimalism.

In the face of bland internationalism in the world of hospitality, we can only hope it’s a trend that’s here to stay.

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EXPRESS CHECKOUT Marti Istanbul Abdülhak Hamit Cd. No: 25 Taksim Istanbul, Turkey Tel: +90 212 987 400 www.martiistanbulhotel.com

„ 270 guestrooms and suites ‰ Marti’s Brasserie Quad Restaurant & Bar Spa (inc 4 hammam, sauna & steam units + Istanbul Ballroom (200 guests) and Atrium Meeting Rooms; Executive Lounge Owner / Operator: Marti Resorts & Marinas Design: Zeynep Fadillioglu Lighting Designer: GIA Equations Main Contractor: Plus Architecture Consultants: Interpartner; GB Consulting

ASPIRATIONAL DESIGN AND ACCESSIBILITY IS WRITTEN INTO EVERYTHING WE DO Discover more at: www.akw-ltd.co.uk Enquiries: 0800 0787 188 Email: marketing@akw-ltd.co.uk Use QR reader

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NoMad NewYork Words: Jaclyn Sienna India / Matt Turner Photography: Courtesy of NoMad Hotel

Jacques Garcia has created interiors with a bohemian, residential feel throughout The Sydell Group’s latest NewYork hotel.

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ndrew Zobler’s name may not yet be as familiar as that of Andre Balazs or Barry Sternlicht, but the CEO of The Sydell Group worked with both these legendary hoteliers prior to founding his own company, and clearly knows the recipe for hotel success. The New York-based company is the quiet, if not quite silent, partner in some of the most successful hotel projects of the past few years. Founded in 2006, to date it owns two Ace Hotels, in NYC and Palm Springs, the Saguaro Hotels in Palm Springs and Scottsdale, and Freehand Miami, launched in December 2012. It also has two hotels under development in Washington DC and Los Angeles with another rumoured in London.

The NoMad Hotel is located on the corner of 28th and Broadway, its name referring

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to the district North of Madison Square Park. In the late 19th century, this corner of Manhattan was the playground of the Gilded Age elite, but it deteriorated throughout the 20th century, and by the 1990s it was overrun with purveyors of cheap luggage, perfume and jewellery. The neighbourhood’s transformation was kickstarted in 2001 with a massive restoration project which rejuvenated Madison Square Park, and stimulated the surrounding Flatiron district.

But the real catalyst was the opening of The Ace Hotel in 2009. Zobler, whose office is also in the district, clearly believes in the potential of this rapidly changing area.

NoMad finally opened May 2012 with 168 guestrooms, a rooftop dining area, a restaurant by Daniel Humm and Will Guidara of New York’s acclaimed Eleven Madison Park and the first

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Maison Kitsune store in the US. In many ways NoMad is a counterpoint to The Ace – a grown-up sister hotel, if you will. Where The Ace features industrial furnishings, record players in the rooms and boxing robes in place of bathrobes, NoMad has Cote Bastide-Argan bath amenities, Heriz handmade rugs, Bespoken staff uniforms, Be-poles + Portraits de Villes supplied art, and Want les Essentials de la Vie leather furniture. Thatcher Wine curated the incredible collection of books in the library, Eric Rhein created the hummingbird drawings and Jono Pandolifi the tabletops. The hotel also showcases De Rolles French taxidermy.

These richly detailed interiors are the work of Jacques Garcia, whose previous hotel projects include Hôtel Costes in Paris, and La Mamounia in Marrakech. The design draws from Garcia’s private residences and is inspired by his time in Paris as a young man.

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Architects for the project were Stonehill & Taylor, specialists in historical preservation and hotel conversion, already known for their work on The Crosby Hotel, The Plaza, The Surrey and The Ace. The 12-storey NoMad hotel is housed in a turn-of-the-century Beaux-Arts limestone and brick building now fully restored to its original grandeur.

“The NoMad is one of the only examples of a building of this scale and architectural quality being transformed from an office building to a hotel,” says Michael Suomi, Principal at Stonehill & Taylor. “The result is a building that uniquely combines turnof-the-century elegance and glamour with modern technologies and materials.”

“We took care to preserve every existing tile, plasterwork, or other detail, and used these remnants of the old building as an inspiration for the rest of the design,” adds Stonehill & Taylor President Paul Taylor.

One of the most notable characteristics

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ABOVE: The public areas at NoMad are richly luxurious spaces created by interior designer Jacques Garcia. Celebrated restaurateurs Daniel Humm and Will Guidara of Eleven Madison Park have established the NoMad restaurant as one of the hottest dining spots in New York

HOTEL REVIEW

BELOW: The design of NoMad was inspired by the Parisian flat of Jacques Garcia’s youth. The 168 rooms are residential in feel and decorated in his classic, timeless style. Each room is appointed with hand-selected, richly textured custom-designed furnishings and original artwork

of the hotel was the creation of a rooftop space where diners and guests could admire the architectural detail of the hotel and other New York buildings. The penthouse level now features a stunning restored cupola and rooftop garden which can be used for private events.

Elsewhere, the 132,000ft2 property includes 168 oversized guestrooms and suites, each with an open, loft-like feel that includes reclaimed wide plank industrial wood floors and high ceilings. Extra-large guestroom windows provide an abundance of natural light for each room, many of which have views of the Empire State Building.

The hotel also offers a destination fine dining restaurant and bar on the ground floor, with a skylight-covered inner atrium court. The various dining rooms include the Fireplace, Atrium or Parlour and soaring ceilings of the lobby spaces are all dripping with glamour and theatricality. The hotel has a bohemian feel – a modern, downtown Manhattan take on 17th and 18th century French elegance which marries elements of the classic grand hotels of Europe with a distinct New York sensibility.

EXPRESS CHECKOUT The Nomad Hotel 1170 Broadway, New York City NY 10001, USA Tel: +1 212 796 1500 www.thenomadhotel.com

„ 168 guestrooms and suites ‰ÂThe Atrium, The Fireplace, The Bar, The Parlour, The Rooftop & The Library + 4,000ft2 indoor and outdoor meeting, and event space inc. The Johnston Room Developer & Owner: Sydell Group Interior Design: Jacques Garcia Architecture: Stonehill & Taylor

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HOTEL REVIEW

Capping the 103-storey International Finance Center, Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou makes a contemporary design statement in which HBA/ Hirsch Bedner Associates has fused an edgy originality with the brand’s traditional take on luxury.

Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou Words: Rebecca Lo Photography: © Will Pryce

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our Seasons Hotels & Resorts prides itself on being where its guests want to go. For the past decade, that has increasingly meant China. In 2002, the Torontobased operator embarked on an aggressive expansion strategy in the People’s Republic, opening first in Shanghai, followed by Hong Kong, Macau and Hangzhou. In 2012, the group upped its pace, opening three properties in quick succession and building a presence in China’s most important cultural and economic gateway cities – Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing.

Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou resides on the upper floors of the Guangzhou International Finance Center (IFC), one of the tallest skyscrapers in the city designed by London-based architect Wilkinson Eyre. It is the first time the group has offered a sky lobby and the interior design is also a radical departure from the conservative image for which the group is known.

The Singapore office of HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, headed up

by CEO Ian Carr, was awarded the project as part of a Four Seasons design competition. The challenge was to fuse avant-garde with the brand’s traditional take on luxury. “Historically, Four Seasons has a reputation for being refined and subtle,” explains Carr. “But this was to be a pioneering project. Four Seasons has become a design066

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BELOW: The top third of the Guangzhou International Finance Center is shaped like a triangular doughnut RIGHT: The hotel lobby combines classic elegance with refined luxury PREVIOUS PAGE: The atrium is dominated by a three-metre red sculpture

by Australian artist Matthew Harding FOLLOWING PAGE: Kumoi Japanese restaurant and bar features modern bespoke lighting and contemporary artwork

led hotelier with a younger market of guests in their thirties and forties. That informed many parts of the design.”

The 103-storey mixed-use skyscraper features a strong architectural statement, articulated through a series of crisscrossing angled columns that run all the way up the tower. “These tapering 1.2-metre columns were a challenge on every floor,” says Carr.

“What to do with them became a labour of love. We reconciled and arranged elements around them, giving them a lacquer finish so that they could fade into the background.”

As the columns were up against the full-height glazing, furniture and fixtures were positioned away from the perimeter and oriented towards the view in guestrooms. Many items, such as the flatscreen television and sofa, became 068

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freestanding floating sculptural items.

In keeping with its running theme of ‘dragon and cloud’, HBA used a cream and grey carpet with ethereal wisps that contrasted with the Italian lacquered furniture. Dragon motifs, meanwhile, are present in door handles and cabinets. Guest bathrooms include white fixtures against a background of burgundy marble that feature dramatic veins to instill a sense of movement. Starting from the premier room category, bathrooms also include a sculptural egg-shaped bathtub that becomes the focal point of each space.

The interior of IFC’s top third is shaped like a triangular doughnut. Express lifts take guests from the ground floor lobby to the 70th floor sky reception where the space is dominated by a three-metre red steel sculpture

by Australian artist Matthew Harding. Above

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its curving form, the lobby opens to reveal a 33-storey atrium, tapering gently at the top to a skylight with a helicopter pad on one side.

HBA played up the architectural elements by highlighting the balustrades, transforming the space into a giant gem. “We felt a need to trace the lines of the atrium with synthetic lighting,” says Carr. “A lot of time was spent working out the geometry, every piece of glass was hand measured on the balustrade. It was completely bespoke.” At the very top is the hotel’s signature restaurant Catch, designed

by Hong Kong’s Steve Leung Designers.

Here, a cantilevered vertigo-inducing staircase in the shape of a sharp elbow connects it to the floor below. “It’s a great talking point,” admits Carr. “The staircase underscores the sense of thrill and risk; it was designed to disturb and challenge.”

HOTEL REVIEW

HBA allowed the panoramic views of the city’s Tianhe district to provide natural lighting wherever possible, with discreet motorised blinds mounted in public spaces to cut down on glare. In spaces like the allday-dining Caffe Mondo, the bright and airy openness is reinforced with white Carrara marble and wooden screens. In Tian Bar, HBA specified an eight-metre natural agate gemstone near the entrance and in front of the glazing, reiterating the floating jewel concept.

The art throughout the hotel was sourced and commissioned by Canvas Art Consultants, a global art affiliate within the HBA family. “It’s a powerful collection that was good value for money,” says Carr. “We sourced and commissioned locally. There is a progression from spring on the lower levels to winter at the top, to be in harmony 070

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with the architecture. The art also helped to humanise a big, daring and bold building.”

Carr admits one of the biggest challenges his team faced was using the lifts during construction, as the building’s lower floors were already occupied. The net usable area per floor was also relatively low due to the atrium. “It was difficult to divorce the location from our design,” he says. “The building’s shape meant that there were all sorts of unusual spaces. It’s always about balancing the owners’ needs with the space available.”

Despite a busy 2012, this is just the beginning according to Four Seasons as they look ahead to a new opening in Shenzhen in 2013, and continue with the development of half a dozen further properties in China, including two resorts.

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EXPRESS CHECKOUT Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou 5 Zhujiang West Road, Pearl River City Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510623 People’s Republic of China Tel: +86 20 8883 3888 www.fourseasons.com

„ 344 guestrooms and suites ‰ Catch, Yu Yue Heen, Kumoi, Caffe Modo [ Hua Spa, Fitness Centre, Indoor Pool + Ballrooms, meeting facilities Developer/Owner: Guangzhou YueXiu City Construction International Finance Center Operator: Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Architect: Wilkinson Eyre Designers: HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, Steve Leung Designers (Catch)

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F LO S .C OM

TATO U

BY PAT R I C I A U R Q U I O L A

2012

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HOTEL REVIEW

Hilton London Wembley London Words: Catherine Martin Photography: © Hufton + Crow (unless otherwise stated)

The Manser Practice has completed a 361key newbuild Hilton hotel on a prime site adjacent to the country’s largest sporting and entertainment venues as part of Quintain’s Wembley City development.

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embley has played host to some of the most memorable events in British history. The London Olympics were held here in 1948, as was the controversial boxing match between Henry Cooper and Cassius Clay, who went on to become the greatest heavyweight of all time. It was the setting for daredevil Evil Knievel’s most dangerous motorcycle stunt ever, and as the home of English football, it gained iconic status when Bobby Moore led eleven men to victory in the 1966 World Cup. The venue has also hosted the musical talents of Queen, Michael Jackson, the Rolling Stones, and Bob Geldof ’s fundraising epic Live Aid. The events that tell the story of this once-dilapidated area of London have now re-emerged in Hilton’s newest property, a 361-key newbuild wedged between Wembley Arena and the new Wembley Stadium, opened in 2007 and designed by Foster + Partners and HOK Sport (since renamed Populous).

The hotel forms part of a scheme by Quintain Estates & Development to

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Pic: Courtesy of Hilton

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transform 85 acres of former exhibition land into commercial, leisure, retail and residential facilities in a bid to attract business and growth to Wembley.

Up till now, the area was dominated by three-star, limited-service lodgings, with little in the way of upscale hotels. Enter Hilton.

The group first announced the project back in 2002, appointing The Manser Practice as architect and interior designer. But with a change of site and a recession to contend with, the development took longer than expected, opening ten years to the day after initial meetings between operator and designer.

Situated at the end of Wembley Way – a tourist attraction in its own right – the black granite façade of Hilton London Wembley contrasts with the surrounding buildings, its highly polished finish reflecting the iconic arch 074

of Wembley Stadium and angled fins of the adjacent arena.

The triangular site, partly given over to student accommodation, proved something of a challenge for The Manser Practice, headed up by Managing Director Jonathan Manser working with the firm’s Directors Barry Mullin on architecture and Jane Johnson on interiors. The positioning of the entrance at the far corner of the site resulted in an awkward-shaped lobby, detracted from by a triple-height that helps to guide the eye upwards. Here, a Rothschild & Bickers chandelier formed from handblown glass bubble lights takes centre stage.

Honed and polished Marron Jupiter marble flooring, supplied by Strata Tiles, warms the voluminous space from beneath, while a cosy seating area atop a hand-tufted Union Jack

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TOP: Locally inspired design features continue in The Association Restaurant through an English rose carpet and art installation displaying hand-painted porcelain plates that follow the course of the River Thames ABOVE LEFT: Lining the route up to the first floor, a three-dimensional feature wall designed by London-based artist Adam Simpson depicts events that have taken place in Wembley over the decades

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HOTEL REVIEW

Pic: Courtesy of Hilton

rug designed by Brintons kicks off the ‘best of British’ theme.

Lining the route up to the first floor, a three-dimensional feature wall designed by London-based artist Adam Simpson is, on closer inspection, a meticulously drawn hall of fame depicting the events that have taken place in Wembley over the decades.

Locally inspired design features continue in The Association Restaurant where a custommade art installation displaying a sequence of hand-painted porcelain plates follows the course of the River Thames, highlighting well-known landmarks along its banks. Even the carpet exudes a patriotic flair with a bold English rose design.

Serving modern British cuisine, the restaurant can seat up to 285 at any one time, maximising its potential to cater to 076

large corporate groups. Clever planning and the use of banquette seating and perforated screens allow the space to be divided into smaller, more intimate dining areas. The buffet – playfully decorated with motifs from British brands such as Colman’s Mustard, HP Sauce, Marmite and Heinz Beans – can also be hidden from view during a la carte service.

The quintessentially British design narrative continues in Icons Bar with leather stools, Chesterfield sofas, and deep red wingback chairs. Memorabilia and framed photographs honour the Wembley greats while soft furnishings fly the flags of the UK and England. The bar also features a London rarity – outdoor space – from which to soak up the atmosphere on event days.

The crowning glory however is the top-floor Executive Lounge, adjacent Sky Bar 9, and

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ABOVE: The top-floor Executive Lounge and Sky Bar 9 are furnished with British-designed pieces such as Copper Shade pendants from Tom Dixon, sofas, chairs and bar stools from Morgan Furniture, and custom-made ottomans, glass-topped coffee tables and fumed oak poseur tables from RHA Furniture

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HOTEL REVIEW

Pic: Courtesy of Hilton

outdoor terrace. Available for private hire, the space exudes a more exclusive ambiance, furnished with British-designed pieces such as Copper Shade pendants from Tom Dixon, sofas, chairs and bar stools from Morgan Furniture, and custom-made ottomans, glasstopped coffee tables, and fumed oak poseur tables from RHA Furniture.

Meanwhile, the 361 well-appointed guestrooms adhere to an earthy colour palette, punctuated by citrus accents in the walls, upholstery and artwork. Wardrobes are thoughtfully built into the wall, giving the impression of extra space. Leather headboards, PTT casegoods, and lighting

by Heathfield & Co and Chelsom complete the look. A sense of Britishness is introduced through the artwork, curious pieces that depict the elevation of UK towns and cities, neatly annotated in pencil by Rachael Clewlow.

Pre-fabricated bathroom pods, constructed 078

by Bathsystem, offer both a bath and shower with sanitaryware and ceramic from a number of suppliers including Grohe, Bossini, and Villeroy & Boch.

Additional facilities include a 660-capacity ballroom, ten state-of-the-art meeting rooms, business centre, boardroom and a fullyequipped Living Well Health Club, complete with 12-metre pool, sauna, steam room, whirlpool and 24-hour gym.

While Hilton London Wembley’s scale, location, and commemorative references will primarily attract tourists, event-goers and corporate groups, this is far from a themed hotel. The history of the area is embraced through every facet of the design and subtly woven into the narrative. And, with Wembley’s regular high profile events attracting crowds of up to 90,000, plus further development in the form of a 280,000ft2 retail destination set to open in 2013, demand is unlikely to wane any time soon.

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2013 WWW.SLEEPERMAGAZINE.COM

EXPRESS CHECKOUT Hilton London Wembley Lakeside Way Wembley HA9 OBU London, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 8150 8090 www.hilton.com

„ 361 guestrooms ‰ The Association Restaurant  Icons Bar, Sky Bar 9 [ Living Well Health Club + Ballroom, meeting rooms, business centre Developer / Owner: Quintain Estates & Development Operator: Hilton Hotels Architecture: The Manser Practice Interior Design: The Manser Practice Main Contractor: John Sisk and Son

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HOTEL REVIEW

Park Plaza Histria Pula Croatia Words: Jane Foster Photography: ©Matija Sculac

Scott Brownrigg has completed its first project in Croatia, the renovation and interior design of the Park Plaza Histria Pula resort hotel, on the Adriatic Coast in Istria.

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ommanding fine sea views at Punta Verudela, 4km outside the historic city of Pula in Istria, the Park Plaza Histria Pula dates from 1987. Typical of the large resort hotels built in former-Yugoslavia at that time, its attributes included light and airy guestrooms, spacious communal areas and excellent sports facilities.

In November 2011, the hotel interior was gutted, and a speedy intervention saw it brought into the 21st century with panache, reopening in May 2012. The project was lead by Una Barac of Scott Brownrigg. Born in Sarajevo, she has first-hand knowledge and understanding of the region, and this, coupled with her time spent working with Scott Brownrigg, made her the obvious choice as Director of the company’s new Zagreb office.

The concept for the hotel’s new look developed from several big canvasses, chosen by the client from ArtLink, now on display in the lobby. ArtLink promotes the work of young visual artists from around the world, and has previously supplied pictures for Park Plaza hotels in

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London and New York. The pieces selected for the Pula hotel are nature-themed – trees and plants portrayed in minimalist style in muted shades of green and blue. Design details borrow from these colours, and while not trying to copy nature, subtly suggest it.

The building’s original 1980s façade has been retained, as have many existing materials, elements and even pieces of furniture, at times paying homage to the ex-Yugoslav hotel aesthetic, rather than hiding it.

The most impressive feature has to be the vast lobby, with floor-to-ceiling windows (both front and rear façades) affording a free flow of space between the interior and the exterior, as well as amazing sea views reminding the visitor exactly why they have come here.

Originally, the lobby would have been divided into several smaller public spaces – with a 082

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communal television area, for example – in the days before individual guestrooms each had their own TV. Now it is a free-form public space, with a no-fuss reception and small groups of mismatched armchairs and sofas in subtle tones – olive green, plum, beige and fuchsia. Suspended above the elliptical stairwell, Artemide Mercury lights designed

by Ross Lovegrove feature large metallic biomorphic pebbles floating below an aluminium disk, while the free-standing white Moonlight globe lights next to the piano emit a gentle romantic glow after dark. The big white cylindrical lampshades, used throughout the public spaces, were designed by the architects themselves. Opposite the Lobby bar, one of the ArtLink canvasses depicts trees and a bird, and the same tree motif is etched in the front of the backlit glass bar. Another discreet

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ABOVE: Tree motifs, taken from artworks supplied by ArtLink, are etched into the backlit glass bar above which hang cylindrical lampshades custom-designed by Scott Brownrigg

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abode hotel manchester

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the bell tanworth in arden

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pullman hotel st pancras

> a selection of completed projects from 2012, contact us to see how we can help with yours in 2013 . . .

> > >

new website new projects www.hbgroup.co.uk

british / designers / manufacturers /

HOTEL REVIEW

reference to nature, a leaf-motif, has also been used on the floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors to prevent people from walking into them.

The lobby opens onto an ample terrace, with a new wooden deck, and three seating areas for eating, drinking and sunbathing.

Parasols, wooden sun-beds with white canvas cushions, and olive trees in elegant white Ming Family pots designed by Rodolfo Dordoni for Serralunga provide understated refinement. The sea breeze carries wafts of lavender and rosemary – below the terrace, pebble borders laid out with geometric precision define flower beds planted with fragrant herbs, the work of Zagreb-based Dionaea landscape architects. Below the gardens, nature becomes less tamed, with footpaths winding through clusters of indigenous holm oaks, down to an indented rocky coast interspersed with concrete and stone bathing platforms affording easy access into the sea. Here, built right up to the 084

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water’s edge, a small pavilion houses the Yacht Restaurant and Lounge Bar. Many guests’ favourite dining venue, it’s all about sea and sky, with outdoor seating as well as more sun-beds and parasols on a wooden deck, and thick white ropes instead of railings giving the impression of being on a ship.

The 242 spacious, light and airy whitewashed guestrooms are all 26m2, with floor-to-ceiling windows opening onto balconies. Beds have tall olive green headboards, with further splashes of colour, either emerald or mauve, added by a fold-up sofa bed (ideal for children) and scatter cushions. Built-in wardrobes, with a floor-to-ceiling sliding door doubling as a full-length mirror, provide ample storage space. A reference to the city of Pula comes in the form of a black-and-white framed print depicting a well-known monument or landmark – perhaps the Roman Arena (amphitheatre) or the Temple of Augustus.

The architects purchased the rights to

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HOTEL REVIEW

ABOVE: Guestrooms are light and spacious, with a colour scheme of pale greens mixed with mauve and purple accents in the upholstery

early-20th-century monochrome postcards from Pula City Museum, and expanded them to use as artwork and remind guests of the hotel’s cultural context – adding a sense of place, history and local identity. The en-suite bathrooms come in slick minimalist white, with glass shower cubicles by Hansgrohe.

In the on-site restaurants, both the buffet dining room and the a la carte Istrian Taverna, the hotel’s old tables and chairs have been recycled in the interest of sustainability and the reduction of the project’s carbon footprint.

In the former, chairs have been reupholstered and painted lime green, fuchsia, electric blue and grey, while in the more formal a la carte, “banquet” chair covers (tied at the back with a bow) give a dressy look. And it works.

The Comfort Zone Spa centres on a preexisting 25m indoor sea-view saltwater pool, with new facilities including sauna, treatment rooms and a gym. The overall image is slick and minimalist, with Domus glass tiles and 086

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Gregg pendant lights by Foscarini, the only ornamentation being ‘Woods’ wallpaper by Cole & Sons, with black-and-white silver birch trees providing another reference to the omnipresent powers of nature.

Unusual for hotels on the Croatian coast, the Park Plaza Histria Pula will stay open year-round, thanks to its excellent conference facilities enabling it to host business conventions through winter.

There’s a Congress Hall seating 700, and three spacious meeting rooms with sliding partitions adding flexibility. Once again, the hotel’s old chairs and tables have been revamped and given a second lease of life.

Scott Brownrigg is now redesigning the neighbouring former Hotel Palma, which will reopen in April 2013 as a family-orientated annex to the Park Plaza Histria Pula, increasing its total capacity from 242 to 370 guestrooms.

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EXPRESS CHECKOUT Park Plaza Histria Pula Verudella 17 HR - 52100 Pula Croatia Tel: +385 52 590 000 www.parkplaza.com/histria

„ 241 guestrooms ‰ Taverna, all day dining restaurant  Yacht Restaurant & Lounge Bar, pool bar, Crystal Bar

+ Congress Centre for up to 700 delegates, Three Executive Boardrooms, sport and recreation centre

Architecture & Interior Design: Scott Brownrigg

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20 - 23 May 2013

Dubai World Trade Centre

www.indexexhibition.com

For more information about exhibiting as part of the Furnishings, Furniture or Couture sections of the INDEX International Design Exhibition 2013, contact Samantha Kane-MacDonald, Senior Project Manager: Tel: +971 (0)4 438 0355 Fax: +971 (0)4 438 0357 Email: furnishings@indexexhibition.com

Other sectors include:

EVENT DIARY

Event Diary 2013 JANUARY

JANUARY cont.

MARCH

Heimtextil

Maison & Objet

Frankfurt

Paris

International Furniture Fair Singapore

9-12 January

18-22 January

Singapore

heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com

www.maison-objet.com

9-12 March www.iffs.com.sg

Domotex

Interiors UK

Hannover

Birmingham

12-15 January

20-23 January

www.domotex.de

www.interiorsbirmingham.com

APRIL

MAY 6-7 May www.chrisconference.com

HOLA – Hotel Opps.

Latin America Miami 7-9 May www.holaconference.com

Salone Internazionale del Mobile

HI Design EMEA

Milan

Valencia

9-14 April

9-11 May

http://cosmit.it

www.hidesign-emea.com

14-15 January

Hospitality Technology Expo

www.hifi-india.com

London

Sleepover Amsterdam

HD Expo

5-6 February

Amsterdam

www.hostechexpo.com

21-22 April

Las Vegas 15-17 May

www.sleepoveramsterdam.com

www.hdexpo.com

May Design Series

4-6 March

CHRIS – Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit

www.berlinconference.com

Miami

www.maydesignseries.com

FEBRUARY

HIFI – Hotel Investment Forum India Delhi

IMM Cologne

IHIC – International Hotel Investment Conference

14-20 January www.imm-cologne.com

Berlin

Event Focus: Hospitality Technology Expo What?

Hospitality Technology Expo (HTE) is a new event designed to provide hospitality IT buyers with the knowledge, contacts, and latest in-room technologies to enhance the guest experience, drive multichannel revenues and improve business efficiency and performance.

Who? The event is expected to attract upwards of 1,500 professionals from across the technology and hospitality sectors. Visitors will be able to meet with over 100 specialist providers of hospitality technology products and services who will be exhibiting.

When?

5-6 February 2013 at Earls Court, London.

Special features?

• Conference: Featuring more than 35 thought-provoking keynote speeches, industry panel debates, practical

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case studies, buyer-only masterclasses and interactive events, the conference programme has been created to provide high quality, practical and inspirational content for Europe’s leading hospitality technology professionals.

• Networking: A series of Round Tables and an after-show party provide an opportunity to network.

More info? www.hostechexpo.com

London 19-21 May

In sp irational

Interiors

Check out the D es i gn Ins pi ra t io n Stage

T h e l a test

Technology

The pl ace to d o busi ne ss

Salon Culinaire Enjoy the ver y best

Food & Drink

Wk O N o.u

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EVENTS

24th European Hotel Investment Conference Brighter Skies Ahead?

14 November 2012 – The Dorchester, London Words: Catherine Martin Photography: Courtesy of Deloitte

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s rays of daylight broke through the clouds on a brisk winter’s morning in November, executives from the hotel investment world met at The Dorchester, London, for Deloitte’s 24th European Hotel Investment Conference.

The conditions outside could easily have been mimicking the theme for the day, illustrated by bright sunshine emerging from behind the clouds that have hung over Europe’s economy for the past five years.

Setting the scene, Nick van Marken, Global Head of Hospitality at Deloitte, revealed that after a synchronised global slowdown in 2012, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts a return to growth for 2013.

So does this mean brighter skies ahead?

Is there calm after the storm? van Marken’s weather report showed that current trading conditions are extremely mixed across Europe.

“RevPAR performance in Europe is up by 5% for the year-to-September but still behind its peak,” he explained. “Looking at Europe as a whole, there is a clear north south divide: Northern cities such as London, Paris, Berlin and Frankfurt are all showing RevPAR growth for the year-to-date, while those in the South are showing RevPAR declines of up to 21%.”

In terms of investment, European transaction volumes continue to be clouded by the absence of portfolio deals. “Total M&A (mergers and acquisitions) year-to-date is roughly $1.5tn so there are deals going on,”

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explained van Marken, adding that global hotel transactions account for c.$20bn of this.

“However if you look at that versus a peak of $100bn, you can see how far we’ve fallen.”

Of course there are more positive signs of growth, assuming you’re prepared to move East. Looking to travel and aviation as a key indicator, van Marken quoted Airbus’ Global Market Forecast for 2012-2031, which predicts orders for new aircraft will reach 28,000 over the next twenty years. “A huge part of this growth is going to be driven

by China’s domestic market,” he explained, adding that China will overtake the USA as the largest domestic market over the next ten years. Singapore and Hong Kong are also expected to overtake London and New York in the Global Financial Centres Index.

Continuing to look East, Roger Bootle, Managing Director, Capital Economics, showed that emerging Asia’s GDP had expanded by an impressive 30% since Q1 2008, while Latin America and Emerging Europe rose by 10% and 5% respectively.

But “never knowingly optimistic”, Bootle – as van Marken had introduced him – warned there were challenges ahead for the People’s Republic. “Overall, China’s GDP has seen a significant slowdown and this will continue. There’s no doubt in my mind that it faces a huge problem of adjustment going forward,” he predicted. “China needs to move away from a reliance on exports towards an

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economy more based on consumption. The extent to which that happens is going to be one of the leading factors bringing recovery to the West.”

And if all that wasn’t gloomy enough for the 500-strong audience, the UK’s performance and future prospects looked significantly worse. A graph charting GDP in the established industrial countries showed that the USA, Germany, France and Japan had recovered, or were close to recovering, loss of output since 2008, while the UK’s performance was “absolutely shockingly dreadful”.

The economist remained extremely gloomy about the Eurozone too, stating that there was little sign of growth in the near term. Talk of astronomical debt ratios, volatile commodity prices, and German under-spending left little to be thankful for. Not to mention the PIIGS, and in particular Greece’s disastrous GDP record, which Bootle predicted will lead to its exit from the Euro.

There were brighter skies in some parts of the world thanks to minimal government borrowing. “I remain confident about the emerging markets continuing to grow strongly.

Of course they will be adversely affected by a slowdown in the West but they’ve got the capacity to bounce back,” he concluded.

As for the West, Bootle believes that the USA, Eurozone and UK will “continue with austerity and face a long slog back to

ABOVE: Nick van Marken, Global Head of Hospitality at Deloitte set the scene and asked are there “Brighter Skies Ahead?”

TOP LEFT: Roger Bootle, Managing Director at Capital Economics called the UK’s GDP performance “absolutely shockingly dreadful”

prosperity... but even I suspect that we will actually see the beginnings of a UK recovery later next year.”

More encouraging words came from the hotel executives who took to the stage to report on performance and pipeline. Denis Hennequin, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Accor, was cautiously optimistic, stating that Europe is a zone of consolidation with the UK, France and Germany proving resilient. Sharing this optimism, Christopher J. Nassetta, President & Chief Executive Officer, Hilton Worldwide, revealed that Hilton’s European properties had maintained positive growth, albeit at a lower rate than in other parts of the world.

Once again, the emerging markets were commended for boosting global performance and development. “If I look at our pipeline of 110,000 rooms in the next three years, more than 50% is in Asia Pacific,” explained Hennequin, believing that China alone would not be the answer to the group’s success, but the smaller Asian countries such as Indonesia,

Thailand and Vietnam. “The other part of the world we’re actively interested in is Latin America,” he added, citing a target of 300 hotels in the region by 2015. Upcoming events such as the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games are largely responsible for the surge, yet Hennequin is quick to defend his plans stating: “Of course we’re not building hotels just for events, but the reality is that those events change the traffic patterns and infrastructure of the country and help overall the attraction of those geographies.”

Nasetta’s focus since joining Hilton has been to develop the luxury side of the business. In five years he has more than doubled the presence of Waldorf Astoria and Conrad to a total of 45 hotels with another 20-30 in the pipeline. A list of recent openings including Waldorf Astorias in Berlin and Jerusalem proved there is no lack of appetite from owners and investors. In the midmarket/ upscale space, Hampton by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn and Doubletree were said to be

building a strong presence accounting for 80% of Hilton’s European pipeline.

Looking to the future, both Hennequin and Nasetta spoke of pursuing an asset-light strategy, investing their own capital in only a few select cases. “The profile of Accor in 2016 will be quite different from the one that we have today,” concluded Hennequin. “It will be 80% asset light with 50% of our revenues coming from Latin America, Brazil and the Middle East, and 50% from Europe. In 2008 only 3% of our revenue was coming from outside Europe... so we’re changing fast.”

A series of quickfire panel sessions featuring a stellar line-up of lenders, private equity executives and CEOs kicked off with a look at results from the pre-conference delegate survey carried out by Deloitte in conjunction with TNS Research International. The finding that the easiest type of project to obtain financing for was luxury or upscale acquisitions in gateway cities, was confirmed by the bankers who between them had been responsible for the re-financing of

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EVENTS

ABOVE: Encouraging words from Accor’s Denis Hennequin and Hilton’s Christopher J. Nassetta BELOW: Private equity executives from (L-R) Blackstone, Groupe B&B Hotels, and Patron Capital Partners have their say BOTTOM: Singing In The Rain – the lenders say it’s business as usual

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Orient Express Hotels’ Sicilian portfolio, St. Pancras Renaissance London, and Firmdale’s Dorset Square refurbishment.

Neal Ledger, Managing Director UK Property & Hotel Finance at Crédit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank, deemed the first part of 2012 to be constrained but is seeing green shoots, while Tim Helliwell, Head of Hotel Finance at Barclays, was confident about 2013 stating that it was “business as usual” for the group.

Private equity lenders shared similar views with Marty Kandrac, Managing Director, Real Estate, Blackstone, stating that the volume of transactions coming through was lower, but of better quality, while Georges Sampeur, Chief Executive Officer, Groupe B&B Hotels highlighted the huge opportunity for private equity firms to invest in the growth of budget brands in Europe.

In the final panel of the morning session, Sir David Michels invited two owners and two operators to the stage to talk brands and scale. Wolfgang M. Neumann, the incoming President & Chief Executive Officer of Rezidor, described a brand as a promise to the customer and said Rezidor would continue to grow its room inventory in order to reach more guests. Conversely, Duncan O’Rourke, Chief Operating Officer, Kempinski Hotels, was very much against growth, despite being on target for a record year. “We are the oldest luxury European company and we understand that luxury is limited and so size is not something we strive for. In fact we will cap our growth at 120 properties,” he commented.

In a change to the usual format, the afternoon sessions – entitled The UK Summit – focused on London and the UK, hearing from leading hoteliers and investors as to how the industry has performed in the year of the London Olympic Games, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and the Royal Wedding.

Marvin Rust, UK Hospitality Tax Leader at Deloitte, introduced his panel with an overview of the year’s performance stating: “London’s growth weakened in the run-up to the Games, with July being particularly weak.

September though, came back strong and we’re expecting October to show further growth in RevPAR. As an investment proposition, London stands tall and proud with only 2009 showing a 6% decline in RevPAR.” So will the Games have a long-term positive impact?

According to Oxford Economics, the Olympic legacy will deliver an additional 1.1 million visitors to the UK each year through the post games period of 2013-2017.

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The right projects are out there

EVENTS

ABOVE: European CEOs from (L-R) Pandox, Rezidor, Kempinski, and Host Hotels & Resorts talk brands and scale in the Weather Report TOP RIGHT: Deloitte’s Marvin Rust hosts The UK Summit RIGHT: CEOs from (L-R) De Vere Hotels, Jurys Inn, Whitbread Hotels & Restaurants, and InterContinental Hotels Group

Post-games, London is already looking more robust than previous Olympic host cities thanks to demand outperforming supply over the past six years. The city is currently 16% ahead of its previous RevPAR peak.

Performance throughout the rest of the UK was not so encouraging. Results from the pre-conference survey of almost 100 senior hospitality figures revealed 41% expect regional UK hotel top-line performance to take up to five more years to return to its previous peak. Almost one in five (19%) believe it will take longer, whilst a third (35%) anticipate it will take up to three years.

The UK CEOs were more optimistic, unveiling plans to drive room rate, invest in refurbishments, and roll out new concepts.

Robert Cook, Chief Executive Officer, De Vere Hotels & De Vere Village Urban Resorts confirmed that the UpperDeck concept would be available in all of its properties by the end of January 2013. The premium product is already paying dividends bringing a 9.4% increase in weekend room rates. Cook 094

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also hinted at another new room concept to be launched in 2013, expected to drive the business forward. A key focus for Jurys Inn Chief Executive John Brennan was also in delivering upgrade plans in an anticipated move from a budget to a mid-market brand, while Patrick Dempsey OBE, Managing Director, Whitbread Hotels & Restaurants lay claim to adding a hotel a week to its UK portfolio over the next 18 months.

The final session of the day examined the potential for smaller hotel groups currently developing in London. Michael Levie, Founder & Chief Operating Officer, CitizenM Hotels, revealed that the group’s recent entry into the city had been extremely well received with room rate exceeding expectations. Levie confirmed that construction was under way on three further properties in Tower Hill, Holborn Viaduct and Shoreditch.

Malcolm Soden, Finance Director, Firmdale Hotels, also reported strong performance for its London portfolio, which includes the recently refurbished Dorset

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Square. Experiencing demand in excess of its own supply, Soden revealed that the group has increased room rate every year throughout the 2000s, leading to the development of its eighth property, Ham Yard, opening in 2013.

London will see another landmark opening in 2014 from restauranteur Jeremy King, Chief Executive Officer, Rex Restaurant Associates, working with Grosvenor Estate.

King, and business partner Chris Corbin, will operate the 73-room hotel, The Beaumont, in which F&B will play a central role. Its success will be down to the pair’s ability to apply their experience in the restaurant world to hotels.

“I firmly believe that no hotel or restaurant actually gets into trouble because of the market. I don’t believe they get into trouble because of location. I believe they get into trouble because they’re not good enough.”

King’s words concluded a day which highlighted the mixed conditions throughout Europe, the UK and London but one in which the general consensus was that there are indeed brighter skies ahead.

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If you know where to look

hidesign-emea.com

hidesign: emea

13

HOTEL LAS ARENAS, VALENCIA, SPAIN, 9 –11 MAY 2013

EVENTS

HI Design Asia 7-9 November 2012 – Grand Hyatt Bali, Indonesia A record number of delegates flocked to the Indonesian island of Bali for two days of business meetings, product sampling and networking.

Words: Catherine Martin Photography: Richard Pereira

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ecently described as a hotel development hotspot, Indonesia was the location for the fourth annual HI Design Asia, the business-to-business forum for the region’s hotel design industry.

Attracting over 250 delegates, the sellout event took place at the Grand Hyatt Bali, a sprawling resort set amongst lakes, lagoons and lush tropical gardens. Early arrivals took the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the pristine beaches for which Bali is known, while the more adventurous headed to the Telaga Waja River for a day of white water rafting.

The island has long been a haven for holidaymakers, but the tourism industry was hampered when a series of bombings rocked the popular resort of Kuta in 2002. A decade on, Bali has made a strong comeback, surpassing previous tourist arrivals. An influx of money and a surge in the number of five-star hotels under development has reinforced Indonesia’s importance in Asia’s development pipeline, data confirmed in HI Design’s opening seminar.

Rolf Schmidt, Managing Director of the research enterprise Top Hotel Projects,

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presented statistics on Asia Pacific’s pipeline collected from its online database. Of the 5,430 projects ‘in progress’ globally, 1,473 were shown to be in Asia Pacific. A further 106 hotels totalling 27,540 rooms were in ‘early planning’ stages. As anticipated, China and India topped the chart as having the most projects under construction, with 567 and 329 respectively. More surprisingly, Indonesia ranked third with 131 projects, followed by Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Schmidt revealed that he expects over 500 hotels to open per year for the next five years across Asia Pacific, with Starwood, Marriott, InterContinental and Hilton leading the way. Representatives from the major international groups were on hand to discuss their new projects with suppliers, in addition to a host of regional operators including Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Onyx Hospitality Group, Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, and Hyatt International Asia Pacific.

Getting down to business, the meetings programme – meticulously planned to the make the best use of delegates’ time away from the office – was an opportunity to discuss product launches and projects, and forge new partnerships. Amongst the 81 participating

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suppliers were furniture designers Arper and Verpan, leather manufacturer Ehrlich Leder, flooring companies Porcelanosa and Bolon, and sanitaryware makers Laufen, Kohler and Hansgrohe. On the buyer side, leading interior design firms and purchasing companies were present, including Benjamin West, Aedas Interiors, GA Design International, Bilkey Llinas Design, Broadway Malyan, HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, and Wimberly Interiors.

The following 90-minute showcase allowed time for suppliers to present their products to potential clients through displays, portfolios and live demonstrations. Grohe unveiled a prototype of its new Power&Soul shower featuring the one-click spray selector, Vietnam-based fit out company AA Corporation showed examples of its work at InterContinental Da Nang Sun Peninsula Resort, while Vescom launched its innovative transparent acoustic curtains.

Hosted by hotel consultant and journalist Guy Dittrich, the afternoon panel session examined responsible resort design. Home to some of the world’s most luxurious resorts, Asia Pacific also has a growing number of eco-friendly properties. As Michael

TOP LEFT: Rolf Schmidt, Managing Director of the research enterprise Top Hotel Projects, presented statistics on Asia Pacific’s pipeline MIDDLE LEFT: Michael Duggan, General Manager, Sustainability, EC3 Global and Guy Heywood, Chief Operating Officer, Alila Hotels & Resorts discuss responsible resort design BOTTOM RIGHT: Michael Kwee, Coordinating Director, Banyan Tree Global Foundation and Karlyn Cerdena, Director, Ara Design Asia

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TOP LEFT: Keynote speaker Clint Nagata, founder and Creative Director of Blink Design Group ABOVE RIGHT: Bobby Mukherji, Prachi Suchi, Carl Almeida and Kingsley Amose discuss the challenges and opportunities of India

Kwee, Coordinating Director at Banyan Tree Global Foundation explained, the definition of luxury is changing, it is no longer about the most expensive marble or sumptuous carpets: customers are paying a lot of money for a more rustic experience.

As is customary in discussing sustainability, there was disagreement amongst the panel as to who is responsible for building a hotel that is sustainable: the owner, designer or guest? Alila Hotels & Resorts is one of the hotel groups leading this field through sustainable practices, responsible operations and supporting local relief projects. Chief Operating Officer, Guy Heywood, was the first to back up his argument, stating that all Alila hotels are EarthCheck certified and the group will not enter into a relationship without the accreditation. Established by environmental management consultants EC3 Global, the programme intends to cut operational costs by reducing energy and water consumption, as explained fellow panelist Michael Duggan, General Manager of Sustainability at EC3 Global.

The following morning, proceedings began with an engaging presentation and Q&A with keynote speaker Clint Nagata, founder and Creative Director of Blink Design Group.

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Previously a Design Director at WATG before setting up Blink in 2006, Nagata highlighted a number of hotel design trends prevalent in Asia, including the creation of luxurious spa-like guest bathrooms, statement restaurants, and a break away from traditional hotel lobbies. The designer went on to show Blink’s recently completed projects including the award-winning Conrad Sanya Haitang Bay Resort, and Regent Phuket Cape Panwa, which follows a traditionallyinspired Thai design with Asian touches.

Having been acquired by Space Matrix in 2011, the company now has studios in Bangkok, Singapore and New Delhi and sets its sights on becoming a major global player, working to Nagata’s philosophy: “We don’t have a particular style,” he explained, “the only thing we consistently deliver to each project is experience.”

Second only to China in the new hotel supply pipeline, India proved an interesting topic for a panel discussion with advice from those working in the region. While the country’s potential is clear to see, India is not without its challenges. Prachi Suchi, Head of Interiors at Delhi-based Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, explained that low quality products and workmanship were part of the

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problem, along with little sense of urgency to get projects completed on time. Bobby Mukherji, founder and Principal Architect at Bobby Mukherji & Associates, agreed that a significant lack of education in construction management that was affecting development.

Currently designing projects in Mumbai and Gurgaon Carl Almeida, Partner at P49 Deesign, urged designers and developers in the audience to take a long-term view to working in the region, while Kingsley Amose, Senior Vice President Construction – Design & Technical Services at Accor Asia Pacific, stressed the need for joint ventures with local partners. The panel also encouraged suppliers to forge partnerships with those on the ground to ensure products are available at a local level.

A final evening of networking at the restaurant of Balinese furniture manufacturer Warisan brought the event to an end.

In closing, Jonathan Needs, Director of organisers Atticus Events, commended the delegates – who conducted almost 1,600 business meetings between them – on making another successful HI Design Asia.

The next HI Design Asia will take place in Cebu, Philippines, from 6-8 November 2013.

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BDNY SHOW REPORT

Boutique Design New York

11-12 November 2012 – Jacob K. Javits Center, NYC

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ven Hurricane Sandy couldn’t derail the annual BDNY show, now in its third year at New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Centre, and establishing itself as a key date in the US exhibition calendar. Despite the city still recovering from the tropical storm that devastated parts of the Eastern seaboard in late October, show organisers succeded in delivering an exhibition with 25% more stand space than last year. Over 4,600 designers, hotel and restaurant owners and operators, and purchasing executives visited to see the latest products and trends in hospitality design.

“BDNY 2012 was a combination of great

new products by notable brands, thoughtprovoking education, and incredible displays that added to the wow factor,” said Michael Schneider, publisher of Hospitality Media Group. “While BDNY took place on the heels of Hurricane Sandy, the industry was not deterred from supporting an event that has established itself as the most anticipated hospitality design gathering of the year.”

Co-located with the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show®, the sold-out exhibit hall featured 244 interior product manufacturers of furniture, lighting, wall coverings, fabric, seating, accessories, artwork, carpet and flooring, materials, bath and spa. In addition, special exhibits by BBG-

BBGM and King & Grove Hotels served as networking spaces on and off the show floor.

The expanded floor space was partly enabled by moving the seminar sessions into a downstairs room, where the tidemark left by the storm surge from Hurricane Sandy could still be seen on the walls.

Sessions included ‘Wave the Flag: Design’s Role in Re-Creating and Repositioning Top Hotel Brands,’ in which panellists Ted Jacobs, VP brand design, Starwood Hotels & Resorts; Andrew Katz, Partner, Prospects Advisors – The Blackstone Group; and Therese Virserius, owner, Therese Virserius Design, examined what leading hotel chains are looking for when they hire designers, and how inventive

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studios are responding with fresh ideas.

Stacey Garcia, CEO of Stacy Garcia Inc., hosted a session on colour trends, featuring Alexandra Champalimaud of Champalimaud Design, Doty Horn of Colorvoyant and Donna Schroeder, Color + Design Manager for Pratt & Lambert Paints. The following day panelists Michael Linczyc of Wilson Associates, Kirk Nix of KNA Design and Robert Polacek of Puccini Group examined how to mix the latest technologies and an ever-expanding array of materials to create venues that will stick in guests’ minds in a session on ‘High-Tech/High-Touch Design.’

The final seminar comprised the first ISHP/BD Owner’s Grill, presented in an open-format ‘living room’ style space at the entrance to BDNY. Featuring notable industry leaders including Stacey Greene of Inland American Lodging Advisors, Thomas Prins of Gemstone Resorts International, Bill Reynolds of Marcus Corporation, Jayson Seidman of Sandstone Development, Jay Litt of JLITT, Inc, and Joseph McInerney of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the panel addressed their views and opinions regarding the state of industry, design, and current hot topics.

Feedback from exhibitors was positive. “We all knew the hospitality market demand would 102

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return,” said Warren Pearl, president of Lefroy Brooks. “The trick is being in the right place at the right time to meet the right specifiers, and BDNY 2012 was the right place at the right time.”

“BDNY has a hip factor that its competitors simply don’t have,” said David Benz, President of Vaughan Benz. “This show has its fingers on the pulse of the industry, and offers an intimacy and scale that allows for us to connect with customers in a unique way.

It’s great to be a part of the New York and BDNY energy.”

Building on the success of BDNY, Hospitality Media Group has announced the launch of BDWest, taking place in San Diego from April 4-5 2013. The show promises “engaging exhibits filled with trendsetting hospitality FF&E, collaborative design spaces, immersive educational sessions, and more.”

Hot off the press as we put this issue to bed was the announcement that HMG has also been awarded the management contract for the adjacent IHMRS show from 2013-2015.

The 4th BDNY will take place from 1011 November 2013 at the Jacob K. Javits Center. See www.bdny.com for further details.

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Sponsors

The 16th International

Hotel Investment Forum 2013 4-6 March 2013 | InterContinental | Berlin, Germany

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Meet the Grand Masters of hotel investment

IHIF paints a picture of the year ahead The International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) brings the hotel industry together in a first-class location to deliver the very best educational programmes, outstanding networking opportunities and the most senior level professionals from all areas of the industry. It has firmly established it’s reputation as the leading and most important meeting place in the world for the industry.

“It [IHIF] is a very good way of meeting Investors in the industry... I am looking to continue the expansion of my business and this is one of the main reasons I come here”

Over 1700 people now attend. However, it’s not just the number of people that attend that’s important, what sets IHIF apart is the seniority of the delegates. IHIF attracts more world-wide Investors , Owners and Hotel Chain CEOs than any other event.

“This is a conference where business gets done. It’s extremely well run and the people who attend are first-rate. I come to this event to get in touch with the industry and to meet with our stakeholders and investors.”

Whatever section of the hotel industry you are in, the IHIF will introduce you to people who can open up business opportunities and partnerships for you.

SIR ROCCO FORTE CHAIRMAN, ROCCO FORTE HOTELS

FRITS VAN PAASCHEN PRESIDENT & CEO, STARWOOD HOTELS & RESORTS WORLDWIDE

To Register visit www.berlinconference.com

Hosted by

In Association with

Founder Patron CBRE Hotels Patron Accor Ashford Hospitality Trust Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group Choice Hotels International Christie + Co Corinthia Hotels Hilton Worldwide Hyatt International (EAME) LLC IHG InterContinental Berlin Jones Lang LaSalle’s Hotels & Hospitality Group Marriott International Inc Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development SMIT PPHE Hotel Group Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Steigenberger Hotel Group The Leading Hotels of the World Vision Hospitality Asset Management Wyndham Hotel Group Sponsors Aecom Barclays Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP BNP Paribas Real Estate BridgeStreet Clifford Chance LLP CMS Law.Tax Colliers International Deloitte DLA Piper UK LLP Ernst & Young ESPA Expedia Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP Goodwin Procter LLP Grand City Hotels GVA Hotels and Leisure Hamilton Hotel Partners ltd Horwath HTL Hotel Partners Africa HVS HVS Hodges Ward Elliott JA Resorts and Hotels Jumeirah Group Leisure Dreams Louvre Hotels Group McAleer & Rushe Group Meliá Hotels International Motel One Group NH Hoteles Orient-Express Pandox AB PKF hotelexperts RBS Group Savills Servotel SNR Denton STR Global Ltd Swisscom Union Investment Real Estate GmbH Viceroy Hotel Group WATG | Wimberly Interiors WorldHotels yoo Sponsors as of 5 December 2012

Helping you expand across the globe… Join us at our other events North America Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference 28-29 November, 2012 Hamilton Crowne Plaza, Washington DC www.nathic.com

International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) 4-6 March, 2013 InterContinental, Berlin, Germany www.berlinconference.com

International Hotel Investment Forum Asia 15-16 May, 2013 Bangkok, Thailand www.ihif.questexevents.net

Turkey & Neighbours Hotel Investment Conference 29-30 May, 2013 Istanbul, Turkey www.cathic.com

Brasil Hospitality Investment Conference 13-14 June, 2013 Sao Paulo, Brasil www.ihifbrasil.com

Russia & CIS Hotel Investment Conference 21-23 October, 2013 Moscow, Russia www.russia-cisconference.com

Tourism Destination Investment Asia Conference 3-4 September, 2013 Singapore www.tdiasia.questexevents.net

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EVENTS

Sleep 2012 Words: Catherine Martin and Shanna McGoldrick Photography: © Richard Simpson (unless otherwise stated)

London’s Business Design Centre once again found itself at the forefront of the hospitality industry as those involved in hotel design, development and architecture gathered for Sleep 2012.

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ttracting over 3,100 visitors, Sleep confirmed its reputation as the premier event of its kind in Europe, offering an unmissable combination of a major trade show exhibition and an impressive conference and seminar programme, accompanied by the prestigious European Hotel Design Awards.

Kick-starting the proceedings on 20 November, the glittering awards ceremony took place at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, and was attended by over 840 international guests. Hosted by BBC World News presenter Mishal Husain, the awards recognised and celebrated a year of exceptional architectural and design hotel projects across Europe.

The judging panel praised the outstanding level of innovation displayed by all of the nominees, but the night undoubtedly belonged to boutique German hostel Superbude St. Pauli, which won awards in the categories of Lobby and Public Areas, and Bedrooms and Bathrooms, as well as the top honour of European Hotel Design of the Year.

The two-day exhibition and European Hotel Design Conference programme opened on 21 November at the BDC, with delegates – many nursing sore heads from the previous night – flocking to discover the newest design trends and network with likeminded professionals.

Additional attractions at the event included The Sleep Hotel – a design-led focal piece comprising five 23m2 room sets transformed into commercially viable luxurious guestrooms by an exclusive selection of top interior designers – and the adjacent pop-up Sleep Hotel Bar designed by NoChintz in association with Sleeper Magazine.

Over 150 hand-picked exhibitors were present to showcase the latest developments in bespoke furniture, creative lighting, luxury bathrooms, fabrics and innovative technology.

First-time exhibitor AKW introduced Triform, its new easy-fit linear shower former WWW.SLEEPERMAGAZINE.COM

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ABOVE: Agua Fabrics showcased its new faux leather Taurus range with the help of a life-sized bull RIGHT: Various brands used Sleep 2012 to introduce their latest collections, with vibrant and contemporary textiles proving a prominent trend

for wet-room installations, while bathroom manufacturer Vado took the opportunity to unveil its new super slim 500mm square Aquablade shower head, which it demonstrated via a fully-working display.

UK fabric company Sekers launched its new Marisol, Sintra, Aros, Volante and Lexi upholstery collections, while Morgan Furniture showed contemporary chair collections Lucca and Modena. Kaldewei revealed its first ever electronic panel for baths, Comfort Select, alongside its latest floor level shower with integrated wall outlet, Xetis.

Meanwhile visitors to the Hansgrohe stand got the chance to see the new Radiance Select E120 shower, and Skopos debuted its new luxury print fabric collection, Erddig & Elle.

Once again Sleep hosted an exceptional two-day conference programme that saw delegates congregating to listen to the industry’s key figureheads discussing the most pressing issues for international hotel design, development and investment. Moderated 106

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by industry journalist and consultant Guy Dittrich and Hotel Analyst Editor Andrew Sangster, the programme included round table discussions, presentations and question and answer sessions.

Richard Seymour, co-founder of design and innovation consultancy Seymourpowell, delivered the opening keynote offering a fascinating insight into his work that has seen him re-invent the horse-riding saddle, create the world’s first cordless kettle, and design interiors for Richard Branson’s commercial spaceline Virgin Galactic.

As one of Europe’s best-known commentators on the future of design, Seymour explained his ethos of “making things better for people” and putting “anthropology before technology”. One of Seymour’s most futuristic projects that is now becoming a reality is Aircruise, a luxury hotel that floats in the sky. As he explained, the kiteshaped structure is over 800 feet tall and will float like a large balloon over cityscapes and

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landscapes. The first model is expected to be moored for up to 12 months before taking to the skies.

Looking to the future of hospitality, Andrew Sangster gave a short presentation on ‘Why The Hotel Industry Will Save The World’.

Quoting statistics from the WTTC, Sangster explained that the travel and tourism industry is currently worth over US $6tn and will to grow at a rate of 4% per year over the next decade. The industry as a whole also accounts for 9% of global GDP and employs 10% of the work force. Examining the repercussions of the shift of economic power from West to East, Sangster addressed the rapid growth of the middle classes in the Asian nations and its positive impact on the global tourism industry, not least for hotel developers and investors.

The first panel of the day examined the design of the back-of-house, in association with The Sleep ReardonSmith Student Award. This rarely seen and often neglected space was the subject of a competition in

EVENTS

ABOVE: Delegates network and exchange ideas during the Round Table session RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM: Tara Bernerd explores the idea of luxury in her keynote speech; Those with access to the VIP lounge were lucky enough to benefit from relaxing massages courtesy of Grohe; The event provided the opportunity for suppliers, designers and architects to discover new products and ventures

which students were invited to design the staff experience for a fictitious 440-key hotel in a major European city centre. Leading professionals from this specialist field were joined on stage by Lisa Visintainer, a member of the winning team from the University of Applied Science in Coburg, Germany. Their concept, entitled ‘Rund um’ (German for ‘all around’) for its holistic approach, included a canteen, recreation lounge, changing facilities and training hub. The concept was praised for taking into account layout, flow and styling and the winning team has been asked to work with Michael Gray on the refurbishment of staff areas at Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill, progress of which will be covered in these pages.

Gray, General Manager of the hotel and Area Director for Hyatt in the UK and Ireland, proved an avid supporter of the happy-staff-equals-happy-guests mantra, believing that employees should have an arrival experience in the same way that guests do, although the panel warned of the difficulty in persuading owners to give up precious front-of-house space for staff facilities.

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A keynote speech from Tara Bernerd followed in which the designer of luxury London hotel Belgraves – which was shortlisted in no less that four European Hotel Design Awards categories – explored the evolution of luxury. Having completed a wide range of projects including the re-design of 4,000 lodges for Center Parcs, Bernerd announced she is currently working on two further properties for Thompson Hotels.

Day two of the conference kicked off with ‘Investment Morning’, a series of panels that brought together experts from different disciplines to examine repositioning and change of use opportunities. Senior executives from Yoo, DLA Piper and Deloitte addressed issues of investment in UK provincial hotels, designing lobbies as commercially viable spaces, and sources of funding. Representatives from hotel groups Rezidor, Hilton, InterContinental and Qbic followed with a discussion on change of use. Andrea Brandenberger, Director of Feasibility, Planning and Analysis at Rezidor, stated the main attributes for assessing the potential of converting office or residential

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space to hotel use: location, flexibility of the building, and cost. Patrick Fitzgibbon, Senior Vice President of Development for Europe and Africa at Hilton, believed that there is a real opportunity for change of use, particularly in the mid-market and economy sectors. In agreement, Miguel Ruano, Vice President Design & Engineering at InterContinental Hotels Group revealed that 30% of IHG’s pipeline are in fact conversions.

Panelists highlighted the huge opportunity in converting office space to hotels as firms move to purpose-built out-of-town

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EVENTS

RIGHT: Suppliers and designers from across Europe displayed the latest in cutting-edge and contemporary hospitality design, encompassing everything from traditional interiors inspired by the outdoors to modern minimalist pieces

business parks. Not to mention the added benefit of speed to market and willingness of banks to lend in these situations. Of course, there were words of warning regarding the unknown horrors often discovered during the conversion of old buildings.

Christophe Hoffmann, CEO of 25hours Hotels, took to the stage in Sleep Talking in which he discussed the recent opening of 25hours Hotel HafenCity, a newbuild property in Hamburg shortlisted for two European Hotels Design Awards. While Hoffman admitted it was no easy feat using different designers for each 25hours project, he believes this is what keeps the brand fresh and individual. He also revealed plans to grow the portfolio but maintained that each hotel would remain unique.

The final panel of the day explored the recent explosion of pop-up hotels with designers and initiators of temporary hospitality experiences. Claus Sendlinger, founder and CEO of Design Hotels and winner of The Outstanding Contribution Award at the European Hotel Design Awards, spoke of Papaya Playa, a pop-up project in Tulum, Mexico. After falling in love with a stretch of coastline, Sendlinger moved his family to the resort and set about creating the 85-cabana project. As he explained, the concept is about selling an experience, rather than just a room.

Jonathan Manser, Managing Director of The Manser Practice and creative mind behind the portable Snoozebox, believed that the concept gives the opportunity for a wider range of hotels in better locations, particularly during one-off events.

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interactive elements of the programme in which they were given the opportunity to question key senior executives from the industry. The Round Tables, hosted by Daniel Englender, Managing Director at FF&E procurement firm Benjamin West, returned for a second successive year following sellout attendance in 2011. Table hosts from Fox Linton Associates, HVS, Host Hotels & Resorts, and Porto Montenegro were quizzed about their current projects, future developments and outlook for 2013 during a lively 90-minutes.

The success of the Round Tables prompted organisers to introduce a new session for 2012, entitled Question Time. Following the format of the BBC topical debate show, the session featured a panel of experienced leaders and decision makers including Chris Luebkeman, Director of Global Foresight & Innovation at Arup, and Rajiv Puri, Vice President of Project and Design Management, Architecture and Construction at Marriott International answering burning questions posed by the audience.

Summing up the success of Sleep 2012, Brand Director Kali Nicholson commented: “The Sleep team are thrilled to have welcomed so many visitors from the UK and across the globe to this year’s event...

The quality of international visitors only strengthens our position as Europe’s most established event for the high-end hotel design industry and perfectly positions us to expand into international territories.”

Turn over for more on The Sleep Hotel, The Sleep Bar, and European Hotel Design Awards...

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I N T E R I O R S U P P LY

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EVENTS

The Sleep Hotel This year saw the reinvention of the show’s design-led focal piece The Sleep Hotel, housed in the rebranded Design Gallery.

On display, a series of five individuallydesigned guestrooms were the result of collaborations between leading interior designers, architects, suppliers and manufacturers working to a brief devised by a panel of judges.

The challenge of creating a five-star luxury guestroom and bathroom within a 23m2 space generated innovative and stylish design solutions, eloquently explained by their designers at a seminar session preceding the announcement of the winner at a networking reception on the evening of day one.

Judges Khristie Gunn-Myles, Head of Design and Engineering at InterContinental Hotels Group, Javier Hortal, Project Leader EMEA at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, 112

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and Conrad Smith, Managing Director at ReardonSmith Architects, selected Scott Brownrigg and Willmott Dixon Interiors as the winning design team with their ‘Shaded White’ concept. Runners-up NOUS Design/ Overbury, Mahmoudieh Design, Bisset Adams/8build and Shaun Clarkson were all highly commended.

Kali Nicholson, Brand Director, commented on the event’s positive outcome: “With the exceptional support from our community, the Sleep Hotel reached a new level and we’re already excited to be working on the 2013 brief which will ensure our visitors are increasingly inspired and challenged when they visit the show.”

©Pip Rustage

©Pip Rustage

Undoubtedly one of the busiest attractions of the show was the Sleep Hotel Bar, created by interior design team NoChintz in association with Sleeper Magazine. Creatives from the Manchester-based studio, known for its innovative work in the pop-up bar and restaurant industry, created an inviting and inspiring environment for delegates to network, refuel and relax.

Working to a brief of creating a bar fit for “a mid-sized European coastal city with a mountainous backdrop”, the bar took the form of a timber structure comprising three interconnecting areas to reflect the geometry of the mountains in a contemporary manner.

Made from untreated wood to highlight the use of natural materials, the light frame leant the space an air of quirky aloofness that provided a simple backdrop for an array of

designer furniture, lighting and accessories.

“We researched pavilion structures which made reference to contemporary geometries and developed these ideas to respond to the brief,” said NoChintz Director Natalie Gray, who worked on the structure with designer Amy Brown. “The inspiration was natural landscape references and materials, Nordic colourways as well as simple and contemporary structures.”

The bar itself was clad in raised porcelain tiles by Pocelanosa, accentuating the geometric element of the space, while copper branch lighting by Orjso highlighted the Nordic indoor-outdoor ambiance. Kvadrat fabric cloud installations in a teal, white and grey colour palette added a playful touch of irony to the décor and complemented the naturalistic structure.

©Pip Rustage

Contemporary furniture and technology was provided by European manufacturers Diamond AV, Grohe and Pedrali. Hoxton Art Gallery provided photography and video projections of Icelandic scenes by British artist Lucy Wilson which completed the scene, exploring the symbolic relationship between humanity and nature.

“The challenge was designing a bar which would be simple and open enough without taking away from the surrounding stands and so we stripped back some of the material to create a more social space which allowed interaction with the rest of the design gallery,” said Gray. “There are always elements which need to be adapted to site conditions so we designed in enough tolerance and flexibility in the structure so we could overcome any last minute changes.”

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The Sleep Hotel Rooms...

SHADED WHITE SCOTT BROWNRIGG AND WILMOTT DIXON INTERIORS Winning entry Scott Brownrigg’s room was based on the concept of an “urban ski chalet”, with a mountainous city view providing the focal point for the room’s arrangement.

An inbuilt energy-efficient Creston technology system allowed guests to communicate with reception, control lighting levels, blinds and the entertainment system via iPad from any part of the room. But for less technologysavvy visitors, a user-friendly control pad offered the same service in a more traditional manner.

The bathroom featured one-way glass, a hidden surround-sound system and natural daylight, giving the area a deceptive sense of space.

“Carefully considered planning of the room enhances the wonderful view, whilst the refined tonal and textural palette creates a timeless design,” said Una Barac, Director at Scott Brownrigg.

Suppliers included Aliseo, Atrium, Creston, Dometic, Ege, Floriture, Grohe, GX Glass, HSE Building Services, Hypnos, Jona Hoad Design, Mega Marble, Orsjo / Relay Designs, Porcelenosa, Somfy, Tektura, T.Lotts, Viaduct and Yves Delorme.

CLOUD NINE BISSET ADAMS AND 8BUILD Cloud Nine epitomised the concept of complete choice within a hotel room, with guests able to personalise the room’s profile via a hand-held tablet. Crucially, the technology would allow guests to store and reserve preferences via smartphone for subsequent visits.

At the heart of the design was a playful De Sede bed with an adjustable headboard, permitting the surface to double up as a sofa. Another key feature of the room was the backlit fretted Krion lightwall, allowing guests to change the entire ambience of the room at the touch of a button. MagicGlas privacy screens that frosted over lent the room a degree of privacy, making it equally suitable for single or double occupancy.

“What people want is to be able to control everything with their own phone,” said Paulo Ribeiro, Senior Designer at Bisset Adams. “We treated it like a blank canvas and tried not to forget about traditional values.”

Suppliers included Access360, Atrium, Bla Station, Dealerward, De Sede, Flos, GlasNovations, Holmes Group, Kvadrat, Loophouse, Optima, Philips, Porcelanosa, Soltech Systems, SyncLife and Scanomat.

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NOUS BURY NOUS DESIGN AND OVERBURY The Nous Design/Overbury Sleep Hotel capsule was transformed into an innovative multi-levelled space through the application of clever design techniques.

According to Nous Director Nir Gilad, the most important aspect was to create a balance between styles.“Luxury is harmony within a space,” he said. “That is why we chose to elevate certain areas – to divide the space clearly between the functional and the social.”

Suppliers included Aliseo, Bang & Olufsen, Bohemian Works, Grohe, Kohler Interiors Hospitality, Lasvit, Laufen, Lutron, Mosa Tiles, Muehldorfer, Sahco, Soho Myriad, Tradelinens and Wool Classics.

CLASSIC GRANDEUR SHAUN CLARKSON Shaun Clarkson’s modern interpretation of a grand classic hotel bedroom proved luxury can be compatible with limited space.

“When designing I want to create fantasy worlds, not just a home from home but much more,” explained the designer.

Materials were sourced from Clarkson’s recently opened London store, Pitfield, with additional suppliers including And So To Bed, Abbott & Boyd, BluePrint Ceramics, Chase Erwin, C.P. Hart, CTO Lighting, Cut CnC, Ege, Heals, Light Years, Moooi, Victoria and Albert, Vidal and Company.

POETIC LANDSCAPE YASMINE MAHMOUDIEH Sustainability was the key element of Yasmine Mahmoudieh’s Sleep Hotel room, with a focus on luxurious traditional and innovative ecological materials.

A translucent glass wall by Tex Glass separated the bedroom area from the bathroom and was undoubtedly the showpiece of the design.Circular tiles and orange-hued division glass contributed to the room’s elegance.

“Lighting is the most important tool in seeing the texture of the space,” said Mahmoudieh. “Luxury is a feeling.”

Suppliers included Dornbracht, GlassSolutions, Interior Supply, Nya Nordiska and Porcelanosa.

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The European Hotel Design Awards The most influential figures from the European hotel design industry attended a glittering ceremony at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge to celebrate a year of innovation and success for the continent.

The Winners…

Architecture Of The Year CONVERSION AND/OR EXTENSION OF EXISTING HOTEL BUILDING Hotel Valentinerhof – St Valentin, Italy Designed by noa*

Interior Design Of The Year CAFÉ, BAR OR ALL-DAY-DINING Beau-Rivage Palace, BaR – Lausanne, Switzerland Designed by Wilsdon Design Associates

Interior Design Of The Year SPA, HEALTH & LEISURE FACILITIES The Spa, Mandarin Oriental – Paris, France Designed by SM Design

Architecture Of The Year CONVERSION OF EXISTING NONHOTEL BUILDING TO HOTEL USE The Mirror Hotel – Barcelona, Spain Designed by GCA Architects

Interior Design Of The Year RESTAURANT Sur Mesure Par Thierry Marx, Mandarin Oriental – Paris, France Designed by Agence Jouin Manku

Future Design Award SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AWARD Starhotels E.C.H.O – Milan, Italy Designed by Andrea Auletta Interior Design

Architecture Of The Year NEWBUILD HOTEL Hotel Lone – Rovinj, Croatia Designed by 3LHD Arhitects

Interior Design Of The Year BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS Superbude St Pauli – Hamburg, Germany Designed by Dreimeta

Interior Design Of The Year LOBBY, LOUNGE & PUBLIC AREAS Superbude St Pauli – Hamburg, Germany Designed by Dreimeta

Interior Design Of The Year SUITE The Whitehall Penthouse Suite, Corinthia Hotel – London, England Designed by GA Design International

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Future Design Award THE SLEEP REARDONSMITH STUDENT AWARD Rund um Designed by University of Applied Science in Coburg, Germany THE EUROPEAN HOTEL DESIGN OF THE YEAR AWARD Superbude St Pauli – Hamburg, Germany THE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AWARD Claus Sendlinger, Design Hotels

TOP L-R: BBC World News anchor Mishal Husain presents Sanjit Manku with the Restaurant award for interiors of Sur Mesure Par Thierry Marx at Mandarin Oriental, Paris; Big winners of the night Armin Fischer of Dreimeta and Claus Sendlinger of Design Hotels MIDDLE L-R: GA Design International celebrate winning best Suite; Dreimeta picked up three awards for Superbude St. Pauli including the coveted European Hotel Design of the Year; Stuart Wilsdon collects the award for BaR at Beau Ruvage Palace BOTTOM L-R: Sybille de Margerie triumphs in the Spa category for her designs at Mandarin Oriental, Paris; Peter Losch collects Hotel Lone’s award for best Newbuild Hotel

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OPPOSITE PAGE TOP TO BOTTOM: OW Hospitality executives Walt Hartsfield, Michael Riley and Jonathan Young celebrate with some of the night’s prize winners; Chris Turner and Anna Noskoviene of Chris Garrod Partnership; Independent designer Shelly Reiner, Walt Hartsfield of OW Hospitality, and Kate Long of Rethink Interiors FAR LEFT: The OW Hospitality team gets ready to welcome the guests

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EVENTS

OWHat a Night!

Words: Shanna McGoldrick Photography: ©Jim Ellam

OW Hospitality welcomed the design world to its new 700m2 London showroom and creative hub.

Sleeper Magazine went along to the party.

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orthwest London found itself at the centre of the UK design scene on 8 November, as key industry players gathered to admire OW Hospitality’s contemporary new show space.

Covering the entire floor of its London offices, the Axminster carpet manufacturer’s Queen’s Park showroom will act as a creative hub for the city’s design and architectural community; a setting for seminars, shows, and – if the opening night was anything to go by – socialising in style.

The 700m2 space had been pared down by design team Third Way Interiors for the event, hosted in association with Sleeper Magazine, forming a sleek modern interior.

Bold framed carpets from the brand’s range lined the walls alongside hi-spec contemporary art supplied by Elegant Cutter and furnishings by Kesterport, providing the perfect backdrop for 250 architects and designers

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COLUMN, TOP TO BOTTOM: Carina Wan and Adele Birchall of GA Design; Winners of the prize draw are chosen; Guests chat in the auditorium; Carolyn Copley and Pedro de Podest of ReardonSmith Architects; Tyron Ripley and Veronica Sarikova of Areen; Leila Lorenz, Nikkie Vesey, Holly Beazley and Daniel Stringer of Areen

ABOVE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Sara Brincat, Rico Nanty, Emma Masters and Anna Waters of Richmond International; Michael Riley of OW Hospitality, with Nadia Guma and Steve Curtis from Space Design Studios; Mark Poulain of OW Hospitality and Duncan Round of TRAL Resource; Estelle Buckland of Third Way Interiors, Jonathan Young of OW Hospitality, Victoria Minter of Benjamin West, Carina Wan of GA Design and Walt Hartsfield of OW Hospitality

to familiarise themselves with OW’s creative vision and corporate approach.

The evening kicked off with cocktails and a welcome from Global Sales Director Jonathan Young before the DJ took over. An endless supply of canapés and Apple prize giveaways ensured that, by the time the last revellers left in the early hours, OW had given the London design elite a tantalising glimpse of what it has to offer the industry.

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“We were extremely pleased that so many of our friends and colleagues came out for this special occasion,” said CEO Michael Riley. “It was a wonderful time for the London A&D community to meet more of the OW Hospitality team, see what we’re about, have some great food and a little drink while getting a better feel for our company’s personality as expressed in our showplace.”

The brand, part of the Oriental Weavers group, has undergone a major re-structure withinin the last two years, creating a dedicated global hospitality division.

“What we want to show is that we’re fun people to work with,” said Director of Global Marketing Walt Hartsfield. “It’s not all about driving the product, it’s about building strong and lasting relationships.”

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www.chelsom.co.uk

CHELSOM LTD AT 65!

65 years in business is a major achievement for any company. For Chelsom, those 65 years have seen the company evolve from retail roots into one of the World’s leading suppliers of decorative contract lighting with major success stories across international hotel, cruise and leisure sectors.

The Chelsom expansion continues………

A recent move into the USA marketplace has resulted in a robust network of 25 sales people covering all States. Chelsom has concentrated hard on the North American market to recruit and train this team of experienced professionals who are all firmly established in the hotel and leisure market sectors. With UL approval on all decorative lighting products and competitive pricing through Far Eastern manufacturing, Chelsom’s presence in USA is certainly being felt.

In other areas, Chelsom is still considered as one of the major suppliers of decorative lighting to the international Cruise and Marine Sector. Recent months have seen Chelsom lighting designs installed in cabins and public areas on vessels for Windstar Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises, Carnival and Disney Cruises to name but a few.

Chelsom has been designing and manufacturing high quality contract lighting for the hospitality and leisure industry since 1947 so the move into cruise and passenger shipping was plain sailing. Chelsom have developed a great understanding of the specific requirements for lighting on marine projects and they work closely with leading interior designers to take ideas from initial concept to manufacture and completion. Chelsom has in-house manufacturing facilities to produce one-off centrepiece fittings on huge scales as well as capabilities to produce large production runs for cabins.

The company understands the demands of the maritime industry and is skilled at adapting standard products to suit the seafaring environment.

Bespoke design and manufacturing has always been a great strength of Chelsom. In response to the increasing demand for virtual reality in drawings, especially in the cruise ship sector, Chelsom has continued to

invest heavily in interactive 3D design technology, further strengthening its position as a market leader.

To offer clients a fully integrated design service, a dedicated skilled technical projects team has been created at the Chelsom head office.

Through the use of a state of the art 3D drawing package, the Chelsom team is able to offer the most professional level of service and is able to work with designers and architects to help them realise their design concepts and turn them into virtual reality.

The benefits of 3D modelling are vast; the images are more realistic, with the addition of colour, texture and lighting effects; the virtual product can be displayed against a specific background, an in-situ backdrop, or dropped into a 3D model of a building; manufacturing timescales can be drastically reduced as conventional sampling is no longer required and the room for error in product development is vastly reduced.

In a major move forward, Chelsom has now put its entire standard product range on its website www.chelsom.co.uk giving designers and clients immediate access to all product information. High resolution images can be downloaded instantly to include on project specifications and images and specification details can be easily forwarded to colleagues and other parties.

Said Director Will Chelsom “To meet the needs of the global interior design community we redesigned the website making the whole Chelsom range accessible on-line for the first time ever. The response has been overwhelming and we have seen a steep rise in hotel and cruise lighting specifications from clients all over the world. Long may it continue!”

FEATURE

Sound advice Rob Wood of Music Concierge offers some practical, operational tips for creating and maintaining atmosphere through sound in hotels.

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s a music consultant I’m lucky enough to visit hotels across the globe. It’s a privilege to work with some of the industry’s leading people, and to gain an insight into their brands and see their design-led environments firsthand. From boutique properties in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, to the grand hotels of Europe, to underwater nightclubs in the Maldives, to towering F&B concepts in Middle Eastern skyscrapers, to the small and quirky – I’m there to research their interiors and audience, but also to ‘look’ at that intangible but essential element – atmosphere.

In the last edition of Sleeper I explained how music identity and inspiring music content is integral to brand positioning. In this issue we’re going to look at the practical, operational and technical factors relating to sound and music that hoteliers need to create and maintain the perfect atmosphere.

In other words here’s some operational tips for making your hotel sound great, and how to control it so it stays that way.

CENTRALISE YOUR AUDIO SYSTEM For newbuilds, or for hotels updating their AV infrastructure, where possible it is best to have a centrailsed audio system. This is where amplifiers and music player hardware are housed in a back-of-house IT or server room with the music distributed centrally to all hotel zones. Rather than each F&B outlet having its own separate audio system, this centralised method offers significant savings.

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It also provides a more seamless guest experience. For instance, if two zones are sharing the same music identity as a guest walks around the hotel the music will be in sequence, and they won’t hear the same track being repeated ten minutes later in another zone. Or if a private hire wanted the same music across multiple areas it is easy to deliver with a central audio set up. It gives you flexibility.

GIVE YOUR HARDWARE A BREATH OF FRESH AIR Ideally the hardware also needs to be in a temperature controlled, cool and clean environment away from guests and away from dirt. Amplifiers can fail if they get too hot and dirt blocks them up. Give your hardware air con and it will last longer.

UNDERSTAND THE ACOUSTICS OF THE SPACE For newbuilds it’s worth getting an acoustics specialist to analyse how sound will be travel and be absorbed in each zone. Contemporary hotel design tends to use lots of hard surfaces such as glass and metal all of which affects the sound of the space. An acoustics expert can map out problem areas and work with AV suppliers to make sure speakers are the right type and in the right position to prevent issues such as the effect of echo or ‘sound bleed’ between different sources of music.

INVEST IN GOOD QUALITY SOUND The quality of your atmosphere and the

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sound of your hotel is certainly governed by the quality of the music content which needs to be carefully selected to be right for the brand, audience, zone, and time of day.

But that is only part of the equation. There are other important factors in the ‘pipeline’ that delivers music content to people’s ears.

The tracks ought to be in a high quality audio format – digital files at 192kbps sound thin, where as 320kbps or less sounds richer and warmer. The sound system itself needs to be to high spec. Investing in good sound quality pays off by creating far warmer atmospheres that guests will want to return to.

The speakers need to be expertly installed in the right locations. Don’t let interior designers dictate where speakers are placed, unless they also happen to be an expert on sound!

Chris Gunton from CGA who works with The Dorchester Collection emphasises: “Mount speakers relative to guests’ ears and think about where they are and how they move about so that you get a consistent delivery.”

He advocates using ‘full range’ speakers where possible saying: “a well-designed sound system can help balance how sound is delivered throughout a room to minimise or completely avoid any ‘proximity effects’.”

He also suggests getting a system that is capable of delivering more than your maximum power. ‘The human ear attenuates itself – so what was loud at 8.30pm becomes normal by 9.30pm so you will always need more power than

you think for a good bar system. To get the best sound, get a system that will deliver your target sound at a maximum of 70% so that you have spare capacity.”

Likewise in key trading areas such as bars you might need the speakers and audio system to be able to deliver a ‘background’ sound during the day, but a ‘foreground’ sound during peak trading times such as the evening. Make sure your AV supplier is aware if that is a requirement.

LEAVE IT TO THE EXPERTS Of course I would say it, but use a music consultant to select your content. We all eat food, but we wouldn’t dream of designing a menu. The chef should do that. Likewise we all love music, but knowing where to find great music and how each track affects people should be left to experts. Guests are unlikely to appreciate the F&B staff’s favourite dance tunes especially at tea time.

The music needs to be picked to be perfect for each part of the day. The music should also be tailored to the F&B concept or zone.

DITCH THE CDS! CD players, even those with multiple CDs, won’t provide enough tracks to keep you sounding inspiring. What’s more there will be gaps between each track and a big pause as a CD finishes. It also gives staff an unwelcome opportunity to put on their own music.

The best solution is to use licensed tracks stored on hard disc-based digital music

players. Streaming is not recommended as the stability of your internet connection is likely to be an issue. Use music suppliers with online access to the digital music players on site, so that they can quickly and remotely respond to staff requests, and support and update the content online. You will need regular music updates to keep the hotel sounding relevant and fresh.

CONTROL YOUR ATMOSPHERE The lighting, temperature and smell of the hotel’s public areas needs to be carefully controlled, and so does your sound and music.

Therefore use a music consultant or supplier who has a digital delivery system with playlists timetabled to activate automatically without the need for staff involvement. This means staff do not need to change the music, freeing them up to do what they are good at: serving guests. It also means they cannot put their own music as it is controlled to be ‘on-brand’.

Ideally there should be cross-fades between tracks to prevent the atmosphere dipping between songs. Playlists should be volume leveled as much as possible to prevent tracks suddenly jumping out at guests.

Think about volume control as well. Train staff to monitor and maintain volume levels.

An empty bar will need less volume, compared to a packed bar. Therefore staff need to learn to adjust the volume as each service progresses. This is critical where you use live performers. It’s a common mistake not to turn up the volume of the background music

immediately after a singer or pianist finishes their set. Without careful volume control the atmosphere crashes. I’ve seen bars lose trade because of this as people get up and leave.

You could of course choose to have no music at all! Believe it or not, there are times when I recommend this. At the COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali, the magical sound of the rainforest jungle was the only accompaniment breakfast outdoors needed so that’s what I told them. Getting the audio and music right however is key to creating a great ambience and mood. It can create inspiring or exciting areas within the hotel as music is used to enhance the experience.

The effect of sound is often subliminal though. Get it wrong, people will vote with their feet. Get it right, and your hotel is all the more likely to be a hit. Atmosphere might be intangible, but don’t ignore it.

Rob Wood is Creative Director of music consultancy agency Music Concierge www.musicconcierge.co.uk

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Fabulous Floorcoverings Pic: Courtesy of Strata Tiles

Chic and natural-looking are the new buzzwords in the flooring industry, with an emphasis on crafstmanship and sustainability, according to Sleeper’s panel.

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esire for beautifully crafted sustainable products in naturalistic materials is driving developments in the flooring industry, according to Sleeper’s panel of experts. As production techniques continue to advance, clients are increasingly demanding ethically sound products that will stand the test of time without compromising on design.

“The key trends over the last year or so have continued to be natural designs and effects,” explains Craig Moorhouse, Marketing Manager at Polyflor. “2013 will see the continuation of the current trend for muted colourways, especially incorporating greys, as these tones can offset the more bold colours from fabrics and furniture.”

Design Director at OW Hospitality Damian Roscoe believes pattern remains a key driving force in the carpet industry.

“I think in 2013 we can expect to see more sophisticated looks including motifs such as simple geometrics, large oversized florals and revitalised ikat inspirations,” he says.

It is a prediction Louise Serjeant, Corporate Key Account Manager at Forbo Flooring Systems, agrees with.

“Luxurious patterns, intense colours and opulent designs will always be popular with the industry,” she says. “However,

what I think we will witness more of in the coming months is chic interpretations of natural materials that incorporate individual surface textures – providing an authentic yet wholly distinctive look.”

The trend for replicating natural materials remains popular across the board, whether in vinyl flooring, carpets or tiling. Trevor Horsley, Director at Strata Tiles, believes technological advances in the industry mean consumers are increasingly appreciative of realistic design interpretations, and says he has witnessed a shift away from natural stone towards ceramics and porcelain.

A further advantage of using nonnatural materials is durability. As Horsley explains: “The perfection of advanced inkjet technology applied to porcelain prior to being fired into the body of the product has allowed perfect non-repeating replication of natural stone and wood. The resultant product is more durable and easier to maintain than the natural equivalent.”

In addition to being longer-lasting, the current products on the market are also safer than ever, according to the panel.

“Clarity of detail is an area where flooring will improve as technologies develop, as well as added benefits such as hidden and enhanced slip resistance along with improved maintenance properties,” believes Moorhouse. “Safety is of huge concern and flooring which not only leads with design but also offers added slip resistance and comfort will become the clear choice.”

As expected, sustainability continues to be one of the key factors influencing flooring trends, with our experts agreeing that they have seen a huge increase in eco-friendly specifications. From OW Hospitality’s use of salvage yarn in felt carpet padding to Forbo’s

“What I think we will witness more of in the coming months is chic interpretations of natural materials that incorporate individual surface textures – providing an authentic yet wholly distinctive look.”

Louise Serjeant, Forbo Flooring Systems success in sourcing of 96% of its total energy consumption from renewable sources, highprofile companies are leading the way when it comes to green product development. It is no longer sufficient for the product itself to be ethical – company procedures need to be environmentally sound from start to finish. As Horsley explains: “It is expected by a hotel guest through the client, specifier, contractor, supplier and manufacturer.”

Serjeant believes that clients are now looking for entirely sustainable companies and methods. “We are seeing a big increase in specifications having a strong element of environmental obligation,” she says. “And so the manufacturers that are leading the way in sustainable practices – not just when it comes to product manufacture, but in every element of the company’s activities – will fare well.”

Turn the page for the latest product launches and case studies from flooring suppliers.

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ULSTER CARPETS THE MIX Ulster’s stock contract collection The Mix has been enhanced with the addition of three contemporary new designs. Available in 4m width, each design is woven in an 80% wool / 20% nylon blend. The launch follows the employment of 25 additional staff to meet increased demand, particularly in its export markets. Ulster Carpets also posted impressive annual financial results for the year ending 31st March 2012, in which turnover rose by 13% to £55 million and operating profit before tax was up 72%.

Tel: +44 28 3833 4433 www.ulstercarpets.com

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ICE INTERNATIONAL HANDTUFTED AREA RUGS Dutch flooring designer ICE International supplies custom-designed area rugs and carpets to global highend hospitality and residential projects.

Available in a wide range of colours and styles, all products are handmade at the brand’s facilities in India and Nepal. Specialising in handtufted and handknotted products, ICE has supplied rugs to The Plaza Hotel New York, The Savoy London, Four Seasons Hotel, Guangzhou and most recently The James Palm Hotel, Miami Beach.

Tel: +31 418 65 1990 www.rugs.nl

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BOLEFLOOR BOLEFLOOR Initially introduced in 2011, Bolefloor hardwood flooring is manufactured with naturally curved lengths that follow a tree’s growth. The flooring uses around 20% more of each sawn plank than standard floors, making it ecologically friendly as well as aesthetically intriguing. Available in five species: oak, ash, maple, cherry and walnut. A plywood range has also been introduced for environments with inconsistent temperatures.

Tel: +31 6205 545 75 www.bolefloor.com

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AMTICO AMTICO SIGNATURE Amtico is set to launch its new Signature Collection to both residential and commercial sectors in January 2013. Featuring 78 new products, the collection showcases the brand’s high quality design aesthetic and includes a new range of wood, stone and abstract finishes that can be cut into unique designs. With a wide range of new woods, stones and abstract products for 2013, Amtico Signature allows customers to cut and combine in infinite ways to deliver individual creative vision.

Tel: +44 121 745 0800 www.amtico.com

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GAN RUGS CANEVAS Gan Rugs, a division of Gandia Blasco, has unveiled a new range of rugs, footrests and cushions by designer Charlotte Lancelot. Utilising a cross stitch and pixel method, the modular pieces are created with a perforated soft felt base and interwoven threads of wool in a range of colours. The playful design-conscious concept is centred around the theme of durable development, which is one of Lancelot’s main lines of research.

Tel: +34 96 291 13 20 www.gan-rugs.com

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BOLON BOLON BY MISSONI Classic Swedish design meets legendary Italian fashion in this collaboration between design giants Bolon and Missoni. Based on the fashion house’s signature patterns and vibrant colour palette, the collection has been reproduced by Bolon using the very latest in weaving technology. Available in three different styles – Optical, Bayadere and Flame – the playful, flamboyant designs come in a range of colours.

Tel: +46 321 53 04 00 www.bolon.com

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PORCELANOSA AVENUE Spanish porcelain tile manufacturer Urbatek has launched a new 120cm format for its Avenue collection, one of Porcelanosa Grupo’s most successful series. A rectangular tile that is generally laid horizontally, Avenue is ideal for large surfaces or for cladding façades.

Tel: +44 800 915 4000 www.porcelanosa.com

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NEWHEY LUSSO Newhey has further strengthened its Graphics Tufted range with the launch of the Lusso collection. The new 40oz/yd2 construction meets a heavy contract performance classification and is designed for use in a variety of areas from public spaces through to guestrooms and suites. Manufactured at a standard width of 4m, Lusso is available in eight colour options and has an 80% wool / 20% nylon pile content using a Twist & Velvet yarn mix.

Tel: +44 7730 764 094 www.newheycarpets.co.uk

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POLYFLOR COLONIA The new Colonia flooring collection from UK manufacturer Polyfloor is an affordable luxury vinyl tile range which has been designed with a clear focus on design, quality and performance. The range encapsulates the natural beauty of wood and stone and offers various colour options whilst achieving the minimum R10 rating for slip resistance.

There are ten wood options available, including oak, walnut and maple, and eight stone products such as marble, limestone and slate.

Tel: +44 161 767 1122 www.polyflor.co.uk

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KARNDEAN DESIGNFLOORING Karndean DesignFlooring replicates the natural beauty of wood and stone, mixing tones and laying patterns to create impact and define different zones. Quieter underfoot than natural wood and stone, it is also lighter to handle and easier to cut and work with. Its durability prevents splitting or cracking, ensuring longevity of up to 15 years in a commercial setting and up to 20 years in domestic locations.

Tel: +44 1386 820 100 www.karndean.co.uk

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TOP FLOOR BY ESTI OTTOMANIA Turkish-born designer Esti Barnes pays homage to her homeland with a collection of six rugs combining centuries of artisanship with an eye for contemporary colour and technique.

Featuring traditional motifs and inspired by 16th century kaftans and calligraphy, geometric designs are brought to life using a technique that gives a threedimensional quality to the embroidery.

“While many of the Ottoman symbols have lost their meaning to modern audiences, their pleasing symmetry and patterns still have a home in today’s interiors,” says Barnes.

Tel: +44 20 7795 3333 www.topfloorrugs.com

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STEPEVI HAREM AND GEORGE Stepevi has added two new products to its collection; Harem and George.

Made from the brand’s composition Blended Silk, a combination of premium quality silk and wool yarns, Harem and George are well suited to both highend residential projects and premium contract carpet needs. Available in Smooth Taupe, Titanium and Stone colour shades and customisable to any size, Harem and George can be used in projects either as area rugs or wall-towall carpets.

Tel: +90 212 327 00 50 www.stepevi.com

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KREOO PICTO Decormarmi’s dedicated design brand Kreoo has revealed its latest contemporary and classical marble floor-to-wall ranges. Picto, designed for the brand by Raffaello Galiotto, features a striking thread pattern unfolding seemingly at random, highlighted by a wide range of contrasting colour tones.

Available in over ten marble types, each tile measures 60x60cm. Kreoo is available in the UK through Alchemy Design Award. www.kreoo.com

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BRINK & CAMPMAN SANDERSON Made from 100% wool, this range of handtufted and Axminster loom woven rugs translates some of Sanderson’s most popular and well-known designs.

Offered in the brand’s colour palette, the rugs complement the fabrics and wallpapers in the Sanderson collections.

Tel: +31 544 390 431 www.brinkcampman.com

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DINESEN HEART OAK Dinesen’s Heart Oak range offers a unique flooring solution that reveals the inner life of the oak tree. Due to the gentle processing of the wood, the natural cracks which appear during the cutting and drying process are preserved and locked by dovetail joints of oak. Available in widths of up to 0.5m and lengths of up to 6m.

Tel: +45 7455 2140 www.dinesen.com

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THE DESIGN NET NANIMARQUINA RUGS Dolce is a hand loomed 100% dyed felt wool rug, available in ivory, grey or red.

London’s Andaz Hotel on Liverpool Street has a selection of different grey and red Nanimarquina rugs throughout its suites, supplied by UK contract distributor The Design Net and preferred partner for Nanimarquina.

Tel: +44 20 7820 7771 www.thedesignnet.co.uk

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HALBMOND VINTAGE STYLE Established in 1880 as a weaving mill for Axminster carpets, Halbmond is now an international brand providing bespoke carpet tiles, rugs and walk-off mats.

Its new Vintage Style range combines subtle charm and strength of material with high-end design. Each design is available in up to 24 colours.

Tel: +49 37421 420 www.halbmond.de

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STRATA TILES ANTIQUE WOOD With over ten years experience in the tiling industry, the Strata Tiles collection has grown to include a wide variety of products, including the Strata Marron Jupiter marble used in the recentlyopened Hilton London Wembley. The brand’s latest product launch is the Antique Wood collection, featuring porcelain tiles cleverly designed to give the impression of wood flooring in a range of colours.

Tel: +44 800 012 1454 www.stratatiles.co.uk

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DESSO HOSPITALIY CHORSU SQUARE Desso’s latest collection consists of bold, ikat-inspired designs. Named after the location of the oldest oriental bazaar in Central Asia, the Eski Juva market in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the Axminster collection offers vibrant colourways and contemporary patterns. Incorporating the traditional fabrics found at the bazaar, senior designer Nicole Bennett has designed a collection as applicable to this season’s fashion runways as it is to hospitality interiors.

Tel: +49 621 8283070 www.desso-hospitality.com

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DEIRDRE DYSON DESIGNS FROM THE DEEP Deirdre Dyson’s 2013 themed collection of contemporary handmade carpets features eight new treatments, including creatures of the underwater world such as Parrotfish, Sweetlips, Angelfish and Triggerfish. The carpets include designs cut in the profile of sea creatures and demonstrate the full scope of the company’s bespoke offer to create carpets to suit any space or individual requirement.

Tel: +44 20 73 84 44 64 www.deirdredyson.com

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THE RUG COMPANY ZEBRA GOLD Textile designer Neisha Crosland has created three new designs for her collection for The Rug Company, including Zebra Gold. Featuring her modern geometric style and clever, understated colour palettes, all three rugs are a combination of wool and silk textures, adding a sophistication to the playful graphic motifs. All rugs are handknotted using Tibetan yarns.

Tel: +44 20 7229 5148 www.therugcompany.com

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FORBO TERESA MIX An innovative random lay batchless carpet tile, Teresa Mix by Forbo combines tone and shade with a subtle geometric design. New colourways include the black and charcoal Obsidian, alluring teal Glacier, a collection of beautifully rich jewel hues including Ruby, Amethyst and Jade, and the strong, natural earthy shades of Sahara, Husk and Stone.

Tel: +44 800 731 2369 www.forbo-flooring.co.uk

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ESTHEC ESTHEC TERRACE Esthec Terrace offers a freedom in colour that allows the terrace to be integrated into an overall design scheme. Durable, splinter free, simple to maintain and comfortable on bare feet, the system provides slip resistance even when wet. www.esthec.com

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INDIGENOUS OAK COLLECTION Indigenous has introduced the Oak Collection to its natural flooring range.

The collection includes Classic, Old Floor, Pavilion and Rustic floors, each available in a variety of designs and finishes. Characterised by vibrant grains and rich colours, the floors are crafted from sustainable European oak and benefit from an engineered construction, making them ideal for use with underfloor heating.

Tel: +44 1993 824200 www.indigenousltd.com

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CUSTOM CARPET COMPANY BESPOKE Custom Carpet Comany offers a range of bespoke products for domestic and commercial projects. Custom colours are available in most qualities, including handtufted, handknotted, passmachine, woven and machine tufted. Materials used include wool, cotton, chenille, silk, linen and synthetic yarns.

Tel: +44 1737 830301 www.customcarpetcompany.co.uk

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GRAVITY FLOORING LUXOR VELVET The latest range from Gravity Flooring offers the plush aesthetic of silk but at a wool price point. Elegant and practical, Luxor Velvet changes colour depending on pile direction, while the bamboo fibres that make up 40% of the pile content ensure the product is as environmentally-friendly as it is stylish.

Available in four colours; Taupe, Mink, Pearl and Silver.

Tel: +44 1784 440184 www.gravityflooring.co.uk

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SLEEPER SPECIFIER

DORNBRACHT HORIZONTAL SHOWER Dornbracht used Sleep as the platform from which to launch its groundbreaking Horizontal Shower. Featuring six WaterBars recessed in an overhead bulkhead, the shower permits the combination of various flow types using preprogrammed choreographies of water temperature and intensity to create a balanced, invigorating or relaxing water experience. A heated reclining surface adds to the comfort of the experience. www.dornbracht.com

BOCCI 28C COPPER Bocci has introduced a flexible copper suspension option for its 28 series chandeliers, designed to create a unique aesthetic achieved by shaping the copper tube during installation.

Seemingly gravity defying, the pendants can be angled any which way, with the potential for the glass to sculpturally tangle with the metal. The copper will intentionally weather and tarnish, registering duration in its patina. www.bocci.ca 134

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MOOOI PAPER CHANDELIER XL The design team at Studio Job has unveiled an extra large version of its striking paper chandelier. Made from wood and cardboard and finished with paper and a polyurethane lacquer, the chandelier is available with or without shades, providing the option of a subtler diffusion of light. www.moooi.com

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MORGAN LUCCA Morgan furniture took the chance to showcase its new Lucca range at Sleep 2012. Led by Design Director Katerina Zachariades, the collection bears the marks of the studio’s contemporary elegance. The versatile Lucca side chair features a continuous piping detail and an elegant wooden base available painted black or in solid oak. Also available as a swivel chair on a chrome base. www.morganfurniture.co.uk

LAUFEN PALOMBA Centre stage at Laufen’s Sleep stand was its new Palomba freestanding bathtub, made from an insulated material that ensures the bath water retains heat for longer. The only solid surface bath in Laufen’s collection, the Palomba is far less slippery than acrylic, ceramic or steel baths, with a lower sound transmission. The ergonomically sloped high back is broader than many slipper-style baths and its natural lines are moulded to the contours of the body. www.laufen.com

HYPNOS LANSDOWNE ROYALE Lansdowne Royale is the latest pocket spring mattress to come from British manufacturer Hypnos. Offering head-to-toe zonal support and featuring a three-zoned pocket spring system, the mattress is upholstered with naturally soft and breathable layers of British wool, cashmere, hand teased hair, natural latex and eOlus – a sustainable fibre made from recycled plastic. Each spring independently senses body shape and weight distribution to provide total spinal and body support. www.hypnosbeds.com

KERAMAG DESIGN CITTERIO Keramag Design’s first designer collection, Citterio, was showcased at Sleep. Created by Italian architect and designer Antonio Citterio, the range comprises four bathroom suites in total. The suites include toilets, basins, vanity units, storage units and illuminated mirrors. Combining innovative materials with an eclectic mix of geometric and organic shapes, Citterio effortlessly encapsulates a true modern elegance with an enduring appeal. www.keramagdesign.de

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AKW TRIFORM AKW has introduced its new easy-fit linear shower former for wet-room installations. With a focus on inclusive and stylish design, the UK-manufactured TriForm accommodates tiles up to 2.5cm thick and features four fall planes, reducing the number of tile cuts required and speeding up installation time. Additional features include a waste clamp to suit vinyl slip-resistant flooring and a pre-finished rough surface, eliminating the need to key the surface for adhesive or grout. www.akw-ltd.co.uk

CARDOLA VIRTUAL HOTEL Cardola made its mark on one of the biggest events in the hospitality world, IHMRS, with VirtualHotel. Displaying the hotel technology of the future, visitors who saw VirtualHotel in action witnessed first hand how touch screen, virtual concierge technology could benefit their businesses significantly and add real value to existing service offerings. www.cardola.com 136

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SYWAWA BLOOM Inspired by summer flowers, award-winning Belgian designer Davy Grosemans has developed the Bloom – an innovative parasol that uses fabric petals and a colour degrade technique to mesmerising effect. A bold summer colour scheme sees the canopy change from a white circumference to a rich raspberry centre. www.sywawa.be

AGUA FABRICS LINETTA Unveiled at Sleep, Agua’s new Linetta upholstery and curtain fabric range features a linenstyle weave and is available in 14 contemporary colours from the soft and mellow shades of cream, sand and grape through to the strong and vibrant shades put forward by orchid, purple and charcoal. Linetta meets stringent contract specifications, including IMO for fire retardancy, >100,00 rubs for abrasion and an antimicrobial treatment. www.aguafabrics.com

one great city. four great shows

For the first time, four separate focused events will combine to serve the broad sourcing needs of the London-based interior design, developers, architectural and retail communities.

Trade visitors will be able to pass freely throughout the May Design Series, giving exhibitors an unrivalled opportunity to reach the widest possible audience of powerful buyers and specifiers.

To apply for a stand visit: www.maydesignseries.com Or contact us at: +44 (0)20 7921 8712 joel.butler@ubm.com

may design series / 19-21 may 2013 excel london

four co-located design events for london

MDS13Ad#1_275x236.indd 1

Organised by

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SLEEPER SPECIFIER

B&B ITALIA TOBI-ISHI B&B Italia has unveiled a new marble version of its Tobi-Ishi table, which was originally introduced in a stucco finish last April. Designed by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, the form of the table is distinguished by its cantilever top and a base which changes appearance according to perspective.

Tobi-Ishi was inspired by the ornamental stones used in traditional Japanese gardens. www.bebitalia.com

TWYFORD VARICOR Varicor is Twyford’s new technology for 2013 and its first surface material. Made of polymeric compounded mineral, Varicor is fully coloured with a silkymatt, easy-to-clean surface. Robust and shockproof, it is also anti-bacterial, porefree, waterproof and resistant against disinfectants and the most commonly used chemicals. Colour and shape are both customisable. www.twyfordbathrooms.com 138

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GROHE F-DIGITAL Grohe has launched a new series of Grohe Spa F-digital shower products.

Transforming showers into a high-tech haven, the product contains a digital water settings controller which can be placed flexibly onto any bathroom surface. Flow volume is easily controlled by an exterior ring containing ProGrip.

F-digital is suitable for washbasins, bathtubs, showers and even bidets. www.grohe.com

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JAKE DYSON CSYS Tall Jake Dyson has unveiled his latest design collection, combining sustainability with sleek styling. Five times more energy-efficient than a comparable halogen bulb light, the CSYS Tall has been designed with refined thermal management and electronics systems ensuring a peak LED performance of up to 37 years.

Available in silver/black and all-black colour schemes, the CSYS Tall is fully dimmable with a touch sensitive switch and light level memory. www.jakedyson.com

LYNDON DESIGN ARLINGTON Sleep 2012 provided the perfect platform for Lyndon Design to debut an inspirational seating collection, several new soft seating upholstery ranges and occasional table collections.

The Arlington seating range, complete with separate back and two tiered cushions suspended on a hardwood frame, provides the ultimate in indulgence and luxury. Designed inhouse by Lyndon Design, the new collection will be available in an armchair, and two and three seater sofa options. www.lyndon.co.uk

METHVEN WAIPORI Bathroom manufacturer Methven UK has launched the Waipori collection, which features a modern, sleek design and stylish chrome finish. Satinjet shower technology uses twin jets of colliding water, allowing for lower flows without compromising on luxury. The tapered lines and distinctive arcs are carried through to the whole collection, which includes showerheads, handsets and tapware. www.methven.com

HANSGROHE ECOSMART CHECK Hansgrohe has unveiled a way for hoteliers to reduce water and energy consumption by as much as 33%. The EcoSmart Check package consists of a measuring cup to determine flow rate, two Hansgrohe aerators to fit onto existing spouts and the Crometta 85 Green handshower. The Online Savings Calculator then computes and displays the results for entire hotels and is also available for smartphones and tablets. www.hansgrohe.com

AA CORPORATION SHANGRI-LA MYANMAR AA Corporation has been awarded the contract to complete the interior fit out for the Shangri-La Serviced apartments and public areas located in Yangon, Myanmar, opening in April 2013. Consisting of 240 luxury serviced apartments overlooking the Kandawgyl Lake, the building interior has been completed

by Singapore based interior designer TID. AA Corporation recently completed the InterContinental Da Naang Sun Peninsula Resort, pictured. www.aacorporation.com

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photo Š G.Lizardos

Sunbelievable parasols

www.sywawa.com Frou Frou - design by Davy Grosemans Sywawa is a brand of Symo Parasols www.symoparasols.com

45 Park Lane, London

Designers Directory Below you will find contact details for some of the interior designers of the hotels reviewed in this issue, as well as some of those whose work has appeared in Sleeper Magazine in the past.

We hope that you find this resource useful in allowing you to contact designers you may be interested in working with on your own projects in the future.

THE WYTHE BROOKLYN Workstead 333 Clinton St Brooklyn New York, 12502 USA Tel: +1 401 573 3023 www.workstead.com

HOTEL MARIA CRISTINA The Gallery at HBA London 26 Westbourne Grove London W2 5RH UK Tel: +44 20 7313 3200 www.hbadesign.com

NOMAD Jacques Garcia 212 rue de Rivoli 75001 Paris France Tel: +33 142 974 870

ETT HEM Studio Ilse 4th Floor 41 Great Guildford Street London SE1 0ES UK Tel: +44 207 928 0550 www.studioilse.com

MARTI ISTANBUL Zeynep Fadillioglu Ahmet Adnan Saygun Grove Street Nation Site 1 block No. 2 Apartment Istanbul Tel: +90 212 287 09 36 www.zfdesign.com

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL GUANGZHOU HBA 700 Beach Road Level Two Singapore 199598 Tel: +65 6337 2511 www.hbadesign.com

www.decorationjacquesgarcia.com

HILTON LONDON WEMBLEY The Manser Practice Bridge Studios 107A Hammersmith Bridge Road London, W6 9DA UK Tel: +44 20 8741 4381 www.manser.co.uk PARK PLAZA HISTRIA PULA Scott Brownrigg 77 Endell Street London WC2H 9DZ UK Tel: +44 20 7240 7766 www.scottbrownrigg.com

Advertising Index AA Corporation 015 Agua Fabrics 085 AKW Ltd 059 Aliseo GmbH 029 Atrium Ltd 072 Bossini SpA 002 Boutique Design New York 133 Cardola Ltd 069 Cetis Inc 023 Chelsom Lighting Ltd 004 & 005, 083 Custom Carpet Company 141 Deirdre Dyson 148 Duravit 035 EE Smith Contracts Ltd 142 Ehrlich-Leder GmbH 027 Excalibur Furniture 140

Floriture Hansgrohe HB Design HI Design HOLA IHIF Index Interior Supply Limited Edition LSE Lighting Lutron May Design Series Mille Couleurs Ltd Newhey Carpets Nextep Orsjo Belysning AB

109 039 121 093 & 095 100 103 087 111 099 077 051 137 063 141 079 107

OW Hospitality Polyflor Ltd Protocol Ltd PS Interiors Roset Hotels Sleep Strata Tiles Ltd Symo Parasols The Design Net Ltd The Hospitality Show Top Floor UK Ltd Vado Vincent Sheppard Vitra

006 & 007 031 055 019 008 147 075 140 057 089 021 065 071 017

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ALL WEATHER RATTAN FURNITURE

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T: +44 (0) 1420 82377 E: enquiries@elsteadlighting.com W: www.elsteadlighting.com

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Protect your furnishings with

T I L LY S T: 0 2 3 9 2 2 5 2 5 2 5 E: sales@tillysinteriors.com W: www.tillysinteriors.com

Tillys PO Box 330 Waterlooville PO7 9BX

Help increase the life of your luggage areas and furniture with our contemporary and versatile protector rods. Ideal for use on most surfaces.

T: +44 (0) 191 259 0033 sales@unika.co.uk www.unika.co.uk

TEL. +44 (0) 1902 387000 EMAIL. INFO@VOGUEUK.CO.UK • WWW.VOGUEUK.CO.UK

SLEEPER SHOWCASE

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hotel 99 Talbot Road, London, W11 2AT 020 7985 0474 info@naturalmat.co.uk www.naturalmathotel.co.uk

JONA HOAD DESIGN

Tel +44 (0) 1525 222364

Worldclass / Design-led Illuminated Hotel Room Signage info@jonahoad.com

www.jonahoad.com

CHECK-OUT

Oscar Niemeyer December 15, 1907 – December 5, 2012 Although they were not his best known works, the celebrated Brazilian architect completed several hotel projects during his 70-year career.

© 2012 photo@leonardofinotti.com

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The architectural world was united in mourning the passing of Oscar Niemeyer – widely recognised as one of the key figures of 20th century modernist architecture. Buildings such as the National Congress in Brasilia, the United Nations complex in New York, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Niterói, have been acknowledged extensively in obituaries throughout the world press. Although they were not amongst his best known works, several of the 600 or so projects the Brazilian maestro completed during his 70-year career were hotels. They may not match the daring innovation of his most celebrated projects but these projects still display Niemeyer’s mastery of form and scale, combining sweeping curves of solid concrete with an elegant lightness of touch.

In fact one of Niemeyer’s earliest works, completed in 1938, was a hotel. Elements of his signature style are already visible in the design of the Grande Hotel de Ouro Preto – a curving two-story building on a hillside overlooking this 18th century gold rush town. Another hotel – the Hotel Tijuco in Diamantina – was completed in the early 1950s as a gift to President Juscelino Kubitshek.

But it was his masterplan for the new capital Brasilia which Niemeyer undertook in the 1950s and 1960s which remains his greatest gift to his home country. His designs for key civic buildings throughout the city included those for the Brasilia Palace Hotel – completed in 1958 so that guests invited to view the construction of this brave new city had somewhere to stay. The three-storey, 135-room block, supported by black anodized aluminium clad pillars, appears to float above ground – another familiar hallmark of Niemeyer’s work.

Exiled from Brasil under the military dictatorship of General Branco, Niemeyer moved to Paris in 1966, where he worked on various international projects, including his 1976 design for the Casino da Madeira at Funchal, Madeira. A 19th century hotel was removed to make way for the casino – a hyperboloid structure reminiscent of the Cathedral of Brasília. A new hotel, pictured here, was built alongside the casino. Niemeyer returned to Brazil in the mid 1980s, and continued to work there until his death, ten days before his 105th birthday.

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