Sleeper 47 - March/April 2013

HOTEL DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT & ARCHITECTURE

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ISSUE 47 MARCH / APRIL 2013

MARCH / APRIL 2013 ANDAZ – AMSTERDAM / QT – SYDNEY / DAS STUE – BERLIN

ANDAZ

MARCEL WANDERS’ BOOKISH BOUTIQUE 47

QT – SYDNEY

A DEPARTMENT STORE DOWN UNDER CONVERTED

DAS STUE

BERLIN’S DANISH EMBASSY REINVENTED

BALI LOCATION REPORT • TOKYO STATION HOTEL • THE ORCHARD • VANDER – LJUBLJANA

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RECEPTION

Contents Features

Guestbook

024 Bali Location Report 028 DelMango Villa Estate – Bali 034 Anantara Uluwatu Resort & Spa – Bali 040 Luna2 Studios – Bali 047 The Stones – Bali 052 Andaz – Amsterdam 060 Vander Urban Resort – Ljubljana 068 Tokyo Station Hotel – Tokyo 076 QT – Sydney 084 Das Stue – Berlin 090 The Orchard – Nottingham 095 Roomzzz – Newcastle Upon Tyne 100 Drayton Manor – Tamworth 107 The Wood Norton – Evesham 114 Hotel Analyst 128 Dexter Moren Associates 132 Ligne Roset Contracts 136 Outdoor Furniture

Departments 009 Welcome 010 Check-In 012 Drawing Board

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GULLA JONSDOTTIR

Icelandic-born Jonsdottir worked for Dodd Mitchell Design and Richard Meier and Partners, prior to establishing her own practice G+ Design. The firm has since completed numerous hospitality projects including La Jolla Hotel, San Diego; the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel; and Cabo Azul Resort, Mexico.

052 MARCEL WANDERS

© Erwin Olaf

Marcel Wanders has completed several hotel projects in recent years, building on his international reputation as a product designer. He is the co-owner, as well as the designer, of Andaz Amsterdam, the city’s former public library now converted in a hotel packed with references to local culture and heritage.

084 PATRICIA URQUIOLA

© Ruy Teixeira

Another figure to have successfully made the transition from product design to hotel interiors, Urquiola has followed up projects such as the Mandarin Oriental Barcelona and W Vieques Retreat & Spa in Puerto Rico with her latest hotel design for Das Stue – a conversion of Berlin’s former Danish Embassy.

076 NIC GRAHAM

112 Event Diary 150 The Specifier 162 Check Out

Having worked on QT Gold Coast and QT Port Douglas, Nic Graham was appointed to design the public areas and spa of QT Sydney, the first five-star hotel to be built in the city in over a decade. Graham’s interiors are littered with playful touches and quirky curios found on eBay, in vintage and second-hand stores.

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KUBE

BY EG O PA R I S

L EI S U RE P LA N +44 ( 0 ) 1279 816001 SALES@LEISUREPLAN.CO.UK LEISUREPLAN.CO.UK

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BESPOKE DESIGN

Luca Soft By_JEAN-PHILIPPE NUEL For_RADISSON BLU HOTEL Nantes_FRANCE

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RECEPTION

Welcome

As I write this I am about to board a plane for Berlin, where this time last year we launched our inaugural Sleepover event.We are currently gearing up for the next Sleepover which takes place in Amsterdam from April 21-22.

COVER STORY: The Bluespoon restaurant at Andaz Amsterdam features custom handcrafted wooden panels embossed with carved animal heads. Furniture includes Marcel Wanders’ Monster chairs for Moooi, and his Venus chairs for Poliform.

Our Berlin adventure saw a group of 100 hotel innovators – owners, operators, designers, architects, consultants and suppliers – trekking around Berlin in a convoy of Trabants, the two-stroke cars that are a potent symbol of cold war East Germany, before enjoying dinner and overnight stay at the funky Michelberger hotel. The next day, we took our guests to look around some other new hotels, including an exclusive pre-opening tour of Das Stue – Patricia Urquiola’s conversion of the former Danish embassy, which is now complete and has been reviewed in this issue.

This time around, there will be 150 of us, travelling around the waterways of Amsterdam by boat, bus and bike. Guests have a choice of accommodation – CitizenM, which remains for me the most innovative new hotel concept of the past decade; Conservatorium, whose owners Alrov have just relaunched London’s Café Royal, to be reviewed in the next edition of Sleeper; or the hotel featured in this month’s cover story, Andaz. We’ll be checking out the rooftop bar of the newly branded Doubletree by Hilton (formerly Mint Hotel) before setting sail to a secret waterside destination for dinner. There is an enhanced programme of tours, including a canal cruise hosted by Amsterdam’s Hotel Development Intermediary unit, looking at sites earmarked for new hotel projects. The event is rounded off with another exclusive hard hat tour, this time of the forthcoming Waldorf Astoria. Finally, we are delighted that Marcel Wanders, the designer and co-owner of the aforementioned Andaz, will be giving our guests an insight into Amsterdam’s creative history with a talk at the Moooi showroom.

We have a limited number of places left at this exclusive event. If you are actively involved in new hotel projects and would like to climb aboard before we up anchor, please email shipping@sleepoveramsterdam.com or visit www.sleepoveramsterdam.com

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

by Mondiale Publishing Limited, Waterloo Place, Watson Square, Stockport, SK1 3AZ, UK. The 2011 US annual subscription price is $168.00.

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Name: Gulla Jonsdottir Position/Company: Founder G+ Gulla Jonsdottir Design Notable hotel projects: Hotel La Jolla, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, various Thompson hotels, Cabo Azul Resort, Two Bunch Palms Resort Desert Hot Springs www.gplusdesign.com 010

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RECEPTION

Check-In Icelandic-born Gulla Jonsdottir set up G+ Design having worked at Dodd Mitchell Design and Richard Meier & Partners. Her fantasy hotel stay sees her sipping champagne with Ernest Hemingway on an Italian island.

Where are we?

We are on an island outside of Italy. I imagine there not to be many tourists there. It’s a charming hotel overlooking the perfect blue ocean.

How did you get here?

On a yacht after spending a couple of days in Rome. How I got to Rome is a mystery and a blur, but probably on a friend’s private jet, which makes me feel a little guilty for the carbon footprint, but since this is a fantasy, I’m sticking with it because I don’t like to wait in lines at the airport.

Who are you sharing your room with?

Ernest Hemingway.

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

Chocolate covered strawberries, chilled Veuve Cliquot champagne, a piece of jewellery made by local artisans, fresh flowers and a dinner invitation for that evening.

Who’s at the concierge desk?

Brad Pitt.

And the owner / manager?

André Balazs.

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

The hotel is an all white small boutique hotel built partly into a cliff and the natural rock of the mountain makes up for some of the

interior walls. There is an infinity edge pool that floats off the cliff over the ocean with a small built-in bar. The grounds are covered with cypress and olive trees and the view is of a crystal clear blue ocean and small surroundings islands with a couple of white sail boats floating around. My room is a large suite with a charming living room and a large balcony overlooking the ocean. White hardwood floors and local stone finishes make up all the finishes in the room. The bathroom is a large spa like space with a large tub next to a fireplace and an indoor / outdoor shower.

Who designed it?

Salvador Dali.

And what’s on the menu?

Starter: Burrata and prosciutto Main: Branzino Dessert: Affogato Would you like something to drink with that? A glass of champagne to start and a delicious local white wine with the fish.

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

1. Flying Lotus 2. Bryan Ferry 3. Little Dragon 4. Charlie Parker 5. Bonobo

What’s the restaurant / bar like?

The restaurant and bar is a very charming all outdoor space, as my favourite dining experiences are always al fresco. It’s a small wooden deck high up in the cliffs with chandeliers hanging from the local olive trees, a small water feature in the centre, comfortable linen chairs and white tablecloths.

The space is lit mostly by candlelight.

What’s on the movie channel?

1. Pret-A-Porter 2. Funny Face 3. A Single Man 4. La Dolce Vita 5. I am Love

Who are you dining with this evening?

1. Ernest Hemingway 2. Pablo Picasso 3. Audrey Hepburn 4. Valentino 5. Gabriel García Márquez

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

Champagne.

Who’s manning the stoves?

Thomas Keller.

And a book at bedtime? The Paris Wife – Ernest Hemingway.

What toiletries would you like to freshen up with? Hair and skincare, rosewater mist and aromatherapy oils from Erbe made from local herbs outside of Rome based on the studies of 16th century Italian herbalists, physicians and monks.

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THE DRAWING BOARD

THE DRAWING BOARD MIAMI // SINGAPORE // HEATHROW // MANCHESTER // NEW YORK

WATER DISCUS HOTEL DUBAI Deep Ocean Technology (DOT) has announced plans for the world’s largest underwater hotel, slated to open off the coast of Dubai.

With support from Swiss firm BIG InvestConsult AG, the ambitious project will comprise two discs below and above water to allow guests to admire the depths of the ocean as well as make the most of the warm climate.

The two parts of the structure are connected by five solid legs and a vertical shaft containing a lift and stairway.

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The lower disc, located up to 10 metres beneath the surface of the sea, is composed of 21 hotel rooms adjacent to an underwater dive centre and a bar. Each room is integrated with the underwater world offering visual contact with the local flora and fauna. Special lighting of the area around the room and the miniature underwater vehicles which can be operated from inside allow guests to take a closer look at even the most microscopic underwater creatures using macro photography.

The disc and its adjacent satellites located 5-7 metres above the water surface comprise a

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restaurant, spa and a special recreation area. A multifunctional lobby built inside an enormous swimming pool shows the centre of the disc.

Each discus is an independent structure with a usable area of approximately 1000m2 that can serve as an individual module or as a component of a bigger complex.

If any changes in environmental or economic conditions occur, the modules can be transferred to a different place. The mobility makes changes in interior design of the hotel much easier as any disc can be detached and replaced with a new one.

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THE DRAWING BOARD

The Residences at The Miami Beach EDITION mIAMI Ian Schrager has unveiled plans to open 26 residences at The Miami Beach Edition, due to open in 2014, designed by world-renowned architect John Pawson.

These ‘Homes in the Sky’ will sit on the top floors of the existing 1950s building that will be The Miami Beach Edition hotel, as well as in an adjacent, newly constructed 18-storey tower.

The residences will offer the privacy and individuality of a home, while allowing exclusive access to all the services, privileges and amenities of a world-class urban resort, including a range of food, beverage and 014

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entertainment options. Although part of The Miami Beach Edition, The Residences will have their own dedicated private entrance as well as an anonymous ‘celebrity’ entrance.

Custom interiors by John Pawson and the Ian Schrager Design Studio include generous living areas with floor-to-ceiling windows, bleached teak wood flooring, open Bulthaup kitchens, and master bathrooms with Italian white onyx translucent screens and customcast integral concrete bathtubs. Expansive ‘Outdoor Rooms’ feature private lap pools and plunge pools, outdoor kitchens, dining areas, fireplaces and pergolas, along with soaring panoramic views of the ocean and the bay.

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Formerly the Seville Beach Hotel, The Miami Beach Edition is one of two hotels under construction for the luxury lifestyle brand, the other being the conversion of Berners hotel in Fitzrovia, London.

Created by Marriott International in partnership with Ian Schrager, the brand made its debut with The Istanbul Edition in 2011. Since then, plans have been announced for properties in Bangkok, New York, Los Angeles and Abu Dhabi.

The Miami Beach Edition marks the first time Schrager has launched a hotel in the city since the launch of his game-changing Delano 17 years ago.

Introducing the Design Collective, an innovative hospitality collection from 1956 by Tai Ping, featuring the work of three emerging artists.

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THE DRAWING BOARD

SOFITEL SO SINGAPORE Sofitel Luxury Hotels has commissioned Karl Lagerfeld to design the emblem of the new Sofitel So Singapore, scheduled to open mid-2013.

Building on the time-honoured establishment of Sofitel Luxury Hotels and their unique brand blueprint that combines French luxury with the essence of local tradition, Sofitel So is the ‘designer hotel’ label featuring lifestyle hotels in contemporary locations, with a focus on the destination.

Reflecting a strong flare for design, each Sofitel So hotel combines the iconic Sofitel ‘art de vivre’ with a signature of an 016

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international designer from the worlds of fashion or art to present the best of the location. Kenzo Takada provided design direction for the Sofitel So Mauritius, while Christian Lacroix added his touch to the Sofitel So Bangkok.

Karl Lagerfeld’s emblem will symbolise the hotel’s new and original style, unique to Sofitel So Singapore, and appear on a range of exclusive objects available for clients during their stay.

Located at 35 Robinson Road, Sofitel So Singapore’s iconic building was first built in 1927 where it remained a telecommunications and postal building till 1992. The five-star

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hotel property will retain its neo-classical façade and some of the existing building structures, while a new five-storey wing is currently being constructed at the back.

Singapore-based Miaja Design Group is responsible for the overall interior design of the hotel, which will represent modern Singapore while preserving the building’s heritage. It will feature 134 guestrooms, 23 suites, leisure and dining facilities.

The property, which is owned by Royal Group Holdings is currently under construction and will be the third addition to Sofitel So’s portfolio. Further hotels are under way in Mumbai, Rio de Janeiro and Sydney.

THE DRAWING BOARD

VICEROY NEW YORK Viceroy Hotel Group has announced that Viceroy New York, currently under development by Ark Partners with design team Roman and Williams, will debut in September 2013.

Located in Manhattan’s midtown on West 57th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, the 29-storey building will feature a Roman and Williams-designed façade that creatively blends classic modern elements with bold, traditional rhythms in a disciplined grid of black brick and steel.

Bespoke interiors feature a provocative hybrid of fine-crafted metal details with classic woodwork. The striking double-height lobby, glamorous public spaces and guestroom accommodations will feature a transformative décor that incorporates the city’s lifeblood through the strong, timeless, tailored style.

Boasting 240 guestrooms, many with views of Central Park, the hotel’s innovative design features will stand out for those looking for inventive accommodations in a luxury locale.

Viceroy New York’s amenities and culinary program includes a rooftop food and beverage venue in addition to a signature restaurant located off the lobby and fronting 57th Street.

An exciting culinary partnership will soon be announced, said to rival anything currently on offer in New York City, and setting the standard for quality dining and exceptional service in a buzzing, vibrant atmosphere.

“Our vision for this project was to deliver a luxury hospitality product in an iconic building, embodying the Golden Era of New York in an incomparable and irreplaceable location,” comments Ark’s Chairman Brad Reiss. “We believe the Viceroy brand, which embodies innovative design and superior guest service, will bring a hotel experience highly desired in New York City.”

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THE DRAWING BOARD

SUMMIT CENTRE HEATHROW Planning permission has been granted by the London Borough of Hillingdon for the redevelopment of the Summit Centre, a 1980’s warehouse complex to the north of Heathrow Airport. The masterplan,

by EPR Architects for client PRUPIM, proposes a three/four-star 301-bed hotel and 8,500m2 of BREEAM Excellent-rated industrial space.

Located within the Heathrow Opportunity Area, the mixed-use development reflects the growing urban intensification of Bath Road gradually replacing the older, run down buildings with bolder, higher quality 020

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structures. An extensive landscaping scheme

by Viewpoint Associates, which includes over 200 trees, will soften the development against the neighbouring residential areas and greenbelt land.

The existing Summit Centre will be replaced with 8,500m2 of mid-sized industrial units designed by RPS to meet modern operator requirements, together with a newbuild 301 bedroom hotel designed by EPR Architects.

The building will be one of the more striking hotels along this stretch of road and is built upon the successful atrium model that EPR devised for the nearby Marriott. The

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atrium and large overhanging roof canopy will be visible from Bath Road across a landscaped forecourt that provides guest parking, electric charging points and coach parking.

Both the hotel and the industrial units will be clad in various forms of metal to unify the overall character of the development.

The hotel will have distinctive large scale bay windows to the bedrooms and a landscaped inner courtyard for al-fresco dining.

The project has been on the table since 2009. An application was initially submitted in December 2011, but was deferred for a site visit. A new opening date is yet to be announced.

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THE DRAWING BOARD

TRAVELODGE MANCHESTER PICCADILLY Construction has begun on a £20 million retail and leisure development at Manchester Piccadilly, anchored by a 157-room Travelodge.

The project, led by Associated Property Investors (API), will be Travelodge’s twelfth hotel in Manchester and fifth in the city centre, boosting its room count to 763 in the heart of the city.

Featuring 157 guestrooms and a 102seat bar-café, the property will occupy the site of a previous amusement arcade, well known in the city as the location of the Woolworths fire in 1979. Architectural firm 022

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Garnett Netherwood has been appointed to the scheme, alongside contractors GMI Construction Group, while funding has been secured through HSBC bank. Work is expected to complete by December 2013.

“Manchester has traded very well over the past five years, with a thriving leisure offering thanks to its strong retail offer, vibrant social scene, the Manchester Arena and due to the continued success of the city’s famous football clubs, City and United,” comments Paul Harvey, Managing Director for Development at Travelodge Hotels. “When you also account for a strong business sector, boosted by the MediaCity UK development and arrival of the

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BBC at Salford Quays, the demand for good quality, value accommodation in Manchester city centre is growing.”

Chris Dalzell, Managing Director of API, adds: “As owners of the building we are very pleased that after a long period of under use, we have been able to bring forward the refurbishment of this important and well known building in Piccadilly Gardens. The impressive tenant line up is testament to both the quality of the location and the strength of the Manchester economy.”

Also housed in the new development will be supermarket brand Morrisons and restaurant chains Zizzi and Nandos.

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LOCATION REPORT

REBUILDING BALI Increased investment in the Island of the Gods along with a rise in international tourist arrivals has brought about a surge in hotel development which shows no sign of slowing, finds Catherine Martin.

Designed by URBNarc, Alila Seminyak will become the fifth Alila managed property in Bali when it opens in 2014

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K

nown for its cliff top temples, endless beaches and luxurious resorts, the Indonesian island of Bali has long been a haven for those seeking a hedonistic lifestyle fused with culture and adventure.

But, in 2002, Bali’s tourism industry came under threat when a series of bombings rocked the popular district of Kuta, killing 202 people. Described as the deadliest act of terrorism in the country’s history, the blasts and subsequent travel warnings led to a dramatic fall in the number of foreign visitors to the region. In the years that followed, further terrorist attacks and a devastating tsunami hampered what was already a slow recovery.

Yet ten years on, Bali has rebuilt its tourism industry, surpassing previous levels and all expectations. The latest figures from Indonesia’s national statistics bureau BPS, show that the number of holidaymakers coming in to the country in 2012 rose by 5.16% to 8.04 million, above the government target of 8 million. The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy also noted that Bali was one of the key entry points for the region. Here, arrivals topped 2.9 million and are predicted to rise to 3.1 million in 2013. Australia continues to be the largest source of tourists, but the number of visitors coming from China has grown exponentially, rising 37.7% in the first nine months of 2012 compared to the same period the previous year.

In an effort to cope with this increase, Indonesia is investing heavily in its tourism sector. Bolstered by an influx of foreign money, domestic investment rose from $7.3 billion in 2011 to $60 billion in 2012.

The expansion of Bali’s Ngurah Rai International

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LOCATION REPORT

REBUILDING BALI

Airport is one of the projects to benefit.

Designed to increase capacity to 25 million passengers per year by 2035, the masterplan includes new international and domestic terminals, as well as an upgrade of the apron area to accommodate larger aircrafts.

Further investment in infrastructure will see construction of the Benoa-Nusa Dua toll road and Dewa Ruci underpass, both of which will ease traffic congestion on the main routes to and from the airport. The transport links are expected to complete mid-2013 in time for Bali’s hosting of the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit, WTO Ministerial Meeting, and Miss World Pageant.

Increased interest in the region has also spawned three new events for the hotel design, development and investment communities.

The Indonesia Hotel Investment Conference (IHIC) met for the first time in February, while the second Hospitality Investment World Indonesia will go ahead in March. In addition, the inaugural Indonesia Hospitality & Tourism Investment Conference (IHT), co-hosted by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, the Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) and HVS, will take place in Jakarta in May. These events are expected to attract a host of hoteliers, investors, owners and operators looking for the latest opportunity, further reinforcing Indonesia’s importance in Asia Pacific. In fact, data from Top Hotel Projects ranks Indonesia third behind China and India in terms of in the number of projects under development.

According to the October 2012 STR Global Construction Pipeline Report, the Asia Pacific hotel development pipeline comprises 1,697 hotels totalling 374,523 rooms (the total active pipeline data includes projects in the In 026

Construction, Final Planning and Planning stages but does not include projects in the Pre-Planning stage). Bali was one of just four markets to report more than 20% expected room growth, with 8,595 rooms.

A spate of recent openings – in addition to those featured in Sleeper – includes the Fontana Hotel Bali, a collaboration between environmentalist architect Popo Danes and former Super Potato designer Nobuyuki Narabayashi; The Kuta Beach Heritage Resort & Spa, part of the MGallery collection; and Le Méridien Bali Jimbaran. Meanwhile Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has announced the opening of Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort, which showcases Balinese-inspired architecture by Enviro Tec and interiors by Singapore-based FBEYE International; and Blink Design Group has worked with Regent Hotels & Resorts to create Regent Bali.

Hotel development is equally healthy with several global brands announcing multiple projects in the region. According to the HVS paper entitled Extraordinary Growth Opportunities in Indonesia for Hotel Chains (published December 2012): “An additional 100,000 guestrooms will be required, translating to an estimated 700 to 800 hotels to be built in the next decade, creating tremendous opportunities for both domestic and international hotel management groups.”

The report names Accor as the largest operator in Indonesia with an inventory of 10,800 rooms. In 2011, the group announced further expansion of its network with 21 new hotels, including the 415-room Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach, scheduled to open in September 2013.

Much of the development focuses on the Bukit Peninsula and tourist areas of Kuta, Legian and Seminyak. Alila Seminyak will

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become the fifth Alila managed property on the island when it opens in 2014. The resort, comprising 72 suites and 69 residences, will be distinguished by its innovative design and architecture by URBNarc, with green spaces dominating the interiors and exteriors to create a natural and stylish oasis.

Starwood announced that it will debut three new hotels in Bali by 2014, while Fairmont Hotels & Resorts will mark its entry to the island in 2016 with Fairmont Bali. Designed

by Denniston International the property will feature 170 luxurious guestrooms and suites as well as branded residences. The resort will also be home to the 80-room Raffles Bali.

Also on the boards, Movenpick Hotels & Resorts will open its first hotel in Indonesia overlooking the bay of Jimbaran in the south of Bali; 2014 will see Ritz-Carlton opening a resort in Sawangan; and Jumeirah Group has signed a management agreement with PT Asia Pasific Properti to operate a new luxury resort due to open in 2015. And finally, construction has begun on Stairs, the first top-to-bottom Philippe Starck-designed villa resort in Asia.

The 12-villa property is set to open in the Petitenget area of Seminyak in 2014.

While many of the international hotel groups are focusing on the upscale or luxury segments, there is tremendous opportunity for economy and mid-scale, fueled by an influx of budget airlines and increase in domestic travel, not to mention the fact that Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world.

There are concerns over whether this level of development is sustainable, particularly with Bali’s recent fall in occupancy, but with steady economic growth and the rise of Indonesia’s middle class, hotel development looks set to continue.

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HOTEL REVIEW

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DelMango Villa Estate Seminyak Words: Elly Earls Photography: Courtesy of DelMango Villa Estate and Design Hotels

Balinese architectYoka Sara and Japanese interior designer Nobuyuki Narabayashi have have succeeded in blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor to create 14 villas for developer Selected Estates.

D

elMango Villa Estate, an eco-friendly hideaway in the heart of cosmopolitan Seminyak, is at once an ode to the back-to-nature lifestyle for which Bali first became known. Yet it is also an unashamedly urban retreat offering all the comforts of a luxury resort.

Envisaged by first time hotelier Ronny Tome and his business partner Mario Hintermayer, the project is something of a labour of love for the Managing Director of development firm Selected Estates Pte Ltd. German-born Tome moved to Bali in 1995 and has since become passionate about protecting his adoptive country’s natural beauty. In 2005, he met Austrian entrepreneur Mario Hintermayer and the pair set about creating a series of self-contained villas with eco-friendly credentials.

Brought to life by Balinese architect Yoka Sara and Japanese interior designer Nobuyuki Narabayashi, the concept for DelMango’s design was originally based on one simple form. “The idea was clear from the beginning; there’s a huge mango tree which is over one hundred years old at the entrance of the property, so it was always going to be mango-related,” Tome explains. “But we needed someone who could put that on paper. We were looking for an unusual architect, someone who could create something out of the ordinary, brave and bold, but also organic.”

A friend suggested internationally-acclaimed Balinese architect Yoka Sara, who is renowned for capturing his clients’ personalities and blending them with the natural forces and energies of a site. Perfect, Tome thought. All that remained was finding an interior designer to match.

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“Another friend of mine mentioned Narabayashi’s name and although he had never designed villas before, he used to work for Super Potato in Japan, which specialises in the use of recycled materials. That was exactly what we wanted,” Tome says.

Now, the distinctive lines of Tome’s favourite fruit can be seen in every aspect of the property – from the curved, stone canopies over the villas’ open-air living areas, to the swirling waters of the property’s private whirlpools. Each villa even has its own personal mango tree, a miniature version of the one that inspired Tome’s vision.

In true Balinese style, Sara and Narabayashi have succeeded in merging inside and out, ensuring that no matter where you are in any of DelMango’s 14 villas, there is always a view of the surrounding tropical gardens. “We didn’t 030

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want to have clear definitions of what was interior and what was exterior; everything was supposed to merge somehow,” Tome remarks.

So, not only is the minimally furnished livingdining-kitchen area almost completely open to the elements, protected solely by a stone canopy overhead, guests are constantly treated to the sound of flowing water, courtesy of the automatically controlled waterfall installed in each private pool. There are also cosy outdoor alcoves, complete with colourful beanbags and coffee tables, scattered around each villa, just in case the pool deck gets a bit dull. Although the villas vary in size, their interiors follow the same understated theme featuring earthy slabs of volcanic stone, granite and pale terrazzo along with warm teakwood.

The design duo has also stayed resolutely true to the sustainable principles Tome was

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determined to follow with DelMango. “Before we even started the project, it was set in our minds that whatever we did had to be ecofriendly,” he emphasises. Indeed, before proceeding with the DelMango project, Tome and Hintermayer had originally hoped to establish a fully sustainable resort – the Vita Source Retreat – in the remote mountain district of Tabanan, but funding difficulties put the project on hold. “We were planning to only use green materials up there, and although you can’t be as eco-friendly in Seminyak as you can be in the mountains of Tabanan, we have still tried to be as sustainable as possible,” he notes.

At DelMango, only the bedrooms use air-conditioning (all other areas are cooled by natural breezes), and the private pools are chlorine-free. Moreover, only recycled wood is used for the flooring, pool decks

THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE: In true Balinese style, Sara and Narabayashi have succeeded in merging inside and out, ensuring that no matter where you are in any of DelMango’s 14 villas, there is always a view of the surrounding tropical gardens. The minimally furnished living-dining-kitchen area is almost completely open to the elements, protected solely by a stone canopy overhead

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EXPRESS CHECKOUT ABOVE: Sanitaryware and bathroom fittings from Toto, Grohe and Kohler include an infinity-edge bathtub and rainshower

and furniture, while Philips LED lighting reduces electricity consumption. Even the artwork and soft furnishings are recycled and coloured with organic natural dyes and the impressive 14-metre reception building-cumrestaurant is made entirely from bamboo.

Accessed via a curved bamboo staircase, the MANGOlia lounge showcases customdesigned Muji-style furniture set against a natural black volcanic stone floor.

The newly-opened property – a member of Design Hotels – could almost be nestled in the middle of Ubud’s tropical jungle, save for the many mod-cons installed especially for Tome’s high-end target market. “We’re on the upper level of pricing so we’re hoping to attract a 032

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sophisticated style of guest who chooses his hotel based on stunning design, additional facilities and the excellent services we offer, such as one of the fastest fibre optic internet connections on the island and IPTV, which, again is very new to Bali,” he notes.

Painstaking attention has been paid to absolutely every detail at DelMango Villa Estate, from the top-of-the-range technology available in each villa to the handmade wall finishes designed by Narabayashi. “It’s been very work intensive and has certainly not been cheap,” Tome admits, but it’s all been worth it, he believes, to create an unique eco-friendly property just a stone’s throw from Bali’s teeming cosmopolitan centre.

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DelMango Villa Estate Jalan Raya Seminyak Gang Taman Sari Seminyak, Bali 80361 Indonesia Tel: +62 361 732 208 www.delmangobali.com 14 villas MANGOlia In-villa spa treatments Garden area for private events Developer / Owner: Selected Estates Pte Ltd Operator: DelVision Indonesia Architect: Yoka Sara (villas) Ketut Arthana (back of house building) Interior Designer: Noboyuki Narabayashi Landscape Architect: RDK Contractor: Tunas Jaya Sanur Quantity Surveyor: Davis Langdon, Seah Project Manager: MyProperty Bali

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HOTEL REVIEW

Anantara has increased its presence in Bali with a cliffside hideaway on the Bukit Peninsula, designed by the Indonesian office of Denton Corker Marshall.

Anantara Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa Uluwatu Words: Catherine Martin Photography: Courtesy of Anantara Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa

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nce deemed the backwater of Bali, the Bukit Peninsula has become a breeding ground for new hotels.

To the East, the gated complex of Nusa Dua is home to dozens of upscale resorts as part of a purpose-built tourist village, and to the West, a growing number of properties have opened on the less developed shores of Uluwatu, where a certain rugged charm is still intact.

This stretch of coast first became popular for its surf – ranked among the best in the world – prompting locals to open up their homes to accommodate an influx of swellseekers. While many of these guesthouses continue to operate close by, prime real estate is reserved for developers who can afford the hefty premiums associated with such a location. Bulgari was one of the first to open in 2006, followed by Alila and Banyan Tree. Now, Anantara has added to the mix.

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Spread over 1.7 hectares, Anantara Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa is the second of the group’s properties in Bali, the first being in the lively village of Seminyak. As with all of its properties, Anantara prides itself on designing resorts that draw inspiration from the cultural traditions, historic heritage and natural beauty of their surroundings. In Uluwatu, this comes courtesy of the Balinese artistry and uninterrupted views.

Budiman Hendro Purnomo, Director of Australian firm Denton Corker Marshall’s Jakarta office, was appointed to bring the hotel to life, taking full advantage of its ocean-front location. Topping the site, the hotel’s main building houses the public areas, two Duplex Penthouses and 30 Ocean Suites. At its foot, the lobby is a breath of fresh air, literally, with an open-air front that succeeds in drawing the guest through the space. Deep overhangs protect from the elements while a gentle sea

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ABOVE: Ocean Suites and Garden Villas cascade down the cliff side PREVIOUS PAGE: Deep overhangs protect from the elements while a gentle sea breeze provides natural ventilation in the lobby 036

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breeze provides natural ventilation. Interiors are kept simple with a neutral travertine marble floor, solid wood service desks and wicker chairs: All eyes are, of course, on the dramatic cliffs and endless ocean beyond.

From here, Ocean Suites and Garden Villas cascade down the cliff side. The topography of the site means that stairs are par for the course, but the tiered architecture ensures that all guests have a view. The 74 guestrooms and suites are designed with this in mind, each featuring a private pool or spacious balcony, complete with outdoor bathtub. Inside, the design is once again understated with accents of Balinese artistry intended to complement the natural beauty of the surroundings.

Positioned close to the cliff edge, Ocean Front Suites measure 84m2 and comprise an open plan living and sleeping space. Solid

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wood features in the façades, louvers and wall partitions, often carved with ethnic patterns.

Warm tones and rich textures emerge through the soft furnishings.

The pinnacle of Balinese luxury is found in the two Penthouses, each measuring a princely 336m2. The split-level duplex features a palatial master bedroom and expansive bathroom, which extends outside. A guest bedroom, richly appointed living and dining areas, and kitchen round off the amenities on the main floor.

Upstairs, there is further space for relaxation alongside the crowning glory; a private pool.

Hi-tech creature comforts in all accommodation types include an iPod docking station, a Bose sound system, and Hansgrohe rainshower.

The abundant use of natural materials extends to the hotel’s bars and restaurants,

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furnished in natural colours and rattan textures. On the top floor of the main building, the aptly-named 360 lounge and restaurant faces out onto the coast. An al fresco terrace makes for the perfect spot to watch the sun set, while the fine dining restaurant and adjacent Teppanyaki bar offer a medley of Asian specialities. The poolside eatery, Splash, exudes a more relaxed ambiance.

Although there are business facilities on site, the resort will likely attract weddings and honeymooners thanks to a range of romantic packages on offer. Anantara’s ‘dining by design’ concept enables couples to create their own private dining experience, while the Dewa Dewi Wedding Chapel is a truly spectacular venue to exchange vows. Perched above 038

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the cliff top, the timber framed glass chapel overlooks the coastline in both directions.

Completing the leisure facilities, a split-level infinity edge pool – surrounded by loungers, daybeds and beanbags – appears to flood into the ocean below. The final phase of the resort, due for completion at the end of April, is the Anantara Spa. The detached villa is designed to reflect a traditional Balinese rice barn known as a lumbung, said to express thanks to the goddess of rice and wish for abundant harvests.

Blending ancient wellness rituals with western practices using spices that are native to South East Asia, the spa features single and double treatment rooms, a reflexology suite, and sauna set amongst lush vegetation.

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EXPRESS CHECKOUT Anantara Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa Jl. Pemuith, Labuan Sait Uluwatu, Bali Indonesia Tel: +62 361 8957 555 www.balianantarauluwatu.com 74 suites and villas 360 Lounge 360 Dining, Sono Teppanyaki, Splash Anantara Spa, swimming pool Dewa Dewi Wedding Chapel, meeting room for up to 40 people Operator: Anantara Architect & Interior Designer: Denton Corker Marshall (Jakarta office)

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HOTEL REVIEW

Luna2 Studios Seminyak Words: Elly Earls Renderings: Courtesy of Design Hotels

Nostalgia meets innovation in the latest addition to Melanie Hall’s Luna2 brand, a studiotel with a colour scheme inspired by the works of Piet Mondrian.

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n 2007 interior designer Melanie Hall opened Luna2 Private Hotel, an ultra-modern five-bedroom property named after the first spacecraft to land on the moon.

Aimed at a super-sophisticated target market of ‘jetsetting lunatics’, it was unlike any hotel Bali had seen before and didn’t feature any of the neo-Balinese styling that had become popular on the Island of the Gods. Luna2 Private Hotel was simply a peek into the design ethos of its owner – a quirky mix of nostalgia, futurism and fun.

Six years on, Hall is back with her second project – a ‘studiotel’ located next to its beachfront sister property – and her ‘funked-up modernism’ is still very much alive and well. “I didn’t feel any need to challenge the ubiquitous ‘modern Bali’ approach to design; many are doing that so well,” Hall explains. “This is my thing; I am entirely addicted to nostalgia, by which I’m referring to the great modernism of the past, futurism, and, yes, I do like to have a bit of fun in the process!”

The fibreglass façade of Luna2 Studios, which Hall recalls as the most painstaking part of the hotel to design and produce, epitomises her ethos and offers a glimpse of what to expect inside. “It is inspired by a Verner Panton fabric from the Sixties,” she says. “Of course, we redesigned the pattern to make it our own.” The subtle design was then playfully christened 040

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TOP: Featuring a large artwork inspired by the primary colour motifs of Piet Mondrian, the lobby sets the tone for the rest of the interior MIDDLE: The poolside restaurant, Orbit BOTTOM: The four colours of Mayfair blue, Bond Street green, Piccadilly yellow or Strand red, meet at the pool, colour-blocked with Bisazza mosaic tiles

‘Bubble-icious’ and repeated throughout the building on curtains, carpets and opaque glass dividing screens.

But it is in Luna2 Studios’ lobby, which features a large artwork inspired by the primary colour motifs of Piet Mondrian, where Hall sets the tone for the rest of the interior. “The whole building is in primary reds, blues, greens and yellows, allowing each colour to breathe individually in each space,” she explains. “The lobby and the pool, which is colour-blocked with Bisazza mosaics, are the only spaces where all four colours meet.”

The 14 studios, including three grand studios and one sunset studio, are decorated in one of Luna2’s four accent colours: Mayfair blue, Bond Street green, Piccadilly yellow or Strand red, the four most expensive properties on the Monopoly board. “You will also recognise these four bold colours from Lego, Twister, the Rubik’s Cube and of course Piet Mondrian,” Hall explains. “They’re entirely nostalgic, yet I would like to think I’m using them in new ways.”

Each studio also features modular furniture custom-designed and produced by Hall herself, complemented by hand-picked designer pieces, including Passion dining chairs by Philippe Starck for Cassina, Hal cantilever chairs by Jasper Morrison for Vitra, Louis Poulsen and Tom Dixon lamps, Brionvega retro TVs, and contemporary artwork by artists such as Stuart McAlpine Miller, the artist-in-residence at The Savoy. “Each piece of art was either commissioned by me or it had to match my interiors, by way of colour and mood,” Hall remarks. “My own designs need the timelessness of great classics from the past to add interest, and I’ve also included some respected contemporary designers.”

In the rooms, which can only be booked by members of the exclusive Luna2 club, Hall 042

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BLOW COLLECTION

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HOTEL REVIEW

hopes to open her guests’ eyes to a more colourful life, while at the same time ensuring the vibrancy of the design is balanced with intimacy and privacy. “The colour scheme is vibrant and fairly new because I believe our Luna2 club members are ready for change,” she notes. “But I also do my utmost to make each room feel inviting, adding interest with a multitude of textures: walnut veneers, glossy lacquered paint finishes, stainless steel, leather, woven fabrics, wallpapers and printed glass.”

Of course, if privacy isn’t what they’re after, guests also have access to the 30-seat poolside restaurant Orbit, Hall’s favourite spot. Bright white with splashes of sunflower yellow, it’s the space Luna2’s imaginative owner feels most reflects where she is now in design. “It’s a small tribute to the late Fifties and early Sixties and is refreshingly new without being over the top,” she says, adding that the underground Pop! Lounge Bar, featuring retro shades of purple, 044

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shocking pink and pan-am turquoise, comes in at a close second.

“Pop! allowed me to unearth the ‘groovy baby’ side of myself that is rapidly developing,” she remarks. But more importantly, it’s a heartfelt tribute to her late father, architect Alan Chambers, who inspired her addiction to modernist design. “I am finally re-creating his lit-up dance floor that I remember well as a child.”

Her father may have provided the initial inspiration for the modernist feel of both Luna2 Private Hotel and Luna2 Studios, but there’s no doubt that Hall has added her own unique twist. With its quirky features, up-tothe-minute innovations and, above all, a sense of humour, Luna2 Studios, rather than being prescriptively modernist, is a second look into the imagination of its fun-loving owner. “Life is not meant to be taken too seriously after all!” she mischievously concludes.

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EXPRESS CHECKOUT Luna2 Studios Jalan Sarinande No.20 80361, Seminyak Bali, Indonesia Tel: +62 361 730 402 www.luna2.com 14 studios Orbit Pop! Lounge Bar, Space Poolside & Fuel Station Lunaplex cinema, wine cellar, in-flight dining room service Owner: Melanie Hall Operator: Luna2 Architect and Interior Designer: Melanie Hall

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HOTEL REVIEW

The Stones Hotel Legian Words: Elly Earls Photography: Courtesy of The Stones Hotel

The Autograph Collection’s first foray into Asia Pacific balances traditional Balinese influences with contemporary flair, courtesy of Eco.id.

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hen Singapore-based architecture and design consultancy Eco.id was briefed to design the Autograph Collection’s debut hotel in the Asia Pacific region, they were given almost free reign.

“Our brief was simply to develop a hip beach side resort,” recalls Carol Chng, Associate Director of Eco.id. “Other than the requirement for a large ballroom and the number of keys specified, there was a lot of room for creativity.”

For Bali lover Chng this couldn’t have been a better state of affairs, and she jumped at the chance to pour her experiences gained from visiting the island into the project.

“The elements included in the design of The Stones are basically a culmination of the inspirations I’ve acquired over the years,” she confirms. “I’ve visited Bali countless times and every trip made to the island, whether for work or leisure, is always inspiring. It’s a place that is very rooted in its own culture but it also has a unique modern design WWW.SLEEPERMAGAZINE.COM

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THIS PAGE: It was absolutely key for Chng that the indoor-outdoor lifestyle so integral to Bali could be experienced by guests. As such, boundaries between interior and exterior space throughout the hotel are blurred PREVIOUS PAGE: The hotel’s pool-facing façade is partly covered with flourishing vertical gardens

identity; I find it very refreshing and I can’t think of any other place like it.”

It’s this distinctive mix of traditional Asian design and contemporary flair that Chng has brought to The Stones, giving it a more upmarket feel than many of its neighbouring establishments, and allowing it to appeal to both the Kuta party crowd and the high-end clientele that Legian tends to attract.

Located at the southern tip of Legian Beach, The Stones marks the 36th hotel to be added to the Autograph Collection’s rapidly expanding roster of independent hotels. Each property is said to possess its own distinct identity and here, the Balinese influences are evident from the first moment you step into the expansive, open plan lobby. “The feature wall behind the reception counter is a reinterpretation of the Balinese split gate, while the batik fabrics used in the giant poufs 048

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are made from local prints, another trace of Balinese culture,” Chng remarks.

The focal point of the property is the 3,000m2 pool and entertainment deck, where the Balinese theme continues. “The parasols that provide shade for the deck chairs were inspired by the traditional Balinese umbrellas used for religious processions,” Chng continues. “For us, it’s very much a representation of Balinese culture that we have extracted and re-interpreted.”

The lush landscape that typifies the Island of the Gods, as well as its stunning beaches, have also served to inspire much of the hotel’s interior and exterior design. Indeed, despite the fact that The Stones does not have direct beach access, you’re almost fooled into believing you’re by the sea thanks to the organicallyshaped pool, complete with several different platforms and even a hammock village.

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ABOVE: The hotel offers a range of culinary delights at its three restaurants. The Long Rice Table takes on the Indonesian tradition of sharing indigenous plates

The hotel’s pool-facing façade is also partly covered with flourishing vertical gardens, while the natural colour scheme of the open air restaurant adds to the organic feel of the public areas. It was absolutely key for Chng that the indoor-outdoor lifestyle that is so integral to Bali could be experienced by guests.

“The boundaries between interior and exterior space are blurred,” she emphasises. “For example, you’ll notice that the swimming pool tile pattern continues into the lobby floor.”

Moreover, even in the privacy of their own rooms, guests are not limited to staying inside; each room has a cabana style balcony, with a small living area and bathtub. “It’s kind of like an indoor-outdoor space,” Chng notes. “You can close the curtains – inspired by beach cabana style flowing drapes – and have a bit of privacy.”

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Other extra design touches that make The Stones a little bit different include angular, kite-shaped lamps in every room, inspired by the Balinese people’s passion for kiteflying, and a wall-sized blackboard in the hotel’s Indonesian restaurant, which is filled daily with cheeky quotations and limericks.

The hotel offers a range of culinary delights at its three restaurants: Stones Kitchen is a contemporary-designed space serving European dishes; the Long Rice Table takes on the Indonesian tradition of sharing indigenous plates; and Big Fish Bar & Grill is a casual poolside café.

Chng and her team have certainly succeeded in giving the Autograph Collection’s first Asia Pacific hotel the unique character that typifies each property managed by the ever-expanding brand.

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EXPRESS CHECKOUT The Stones Hotel, Autograph Collection Jl. Raya Pantai Kuta Banjar Legian Kelod Legian, Bali, Indonesia Tel: +62 361 3005888 www.marriott.co.uk 286 guestrooms, 22 suites Stones Kitchen,The Long Rice Table, Big Fish Bar & Grill Ditto Celestine Spa, pool, The Stones Gym 8 meeting rooms Developer / Owner: Oso Group Operator: Marriott International Architect: Eco.id Architects Pte Ltd Designers: Eco.id Design Pte Ltd

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HOTEL REVIEW

Andaz Amsterdam Words: Matt Turner Photography: Courtesy of Andaz

Renowned designer Marcel Wanders has worked with Aedas Real Estate and Hyatt Hotels Corporation to launch Andaz Amsterdam.

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t is appropriate that the conversion of Amsterdam’s public library to a hotel is packed with references to the city’s rich cultural history. Designer Marcel Wanders has often delved into his home country’s past for inspiration in his product designs, many of which marry traditional Dutch craftmanship with modern production techniques. In designing the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht, set in the heart of the Dutch capital’s 17th century canal belt, he has brought the hotel’s historical surroundings into every corner of the building. The library books may be gone but shelves in the lobby and guestrooms carry tomes which reference Amsterdam’s past, present and future – not least Wanders’ own work ‘Amsterdam Creative Capital’ in which he tells 100 stories covering 700 years of creative endeavour in the city.

The colour scheme combines a

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contemporary monochrome backdrop with richly detailed flashes of Delft pottery blue and bold strokes of orange – the national colour of the Netherlands. Nautical maps in the flooring and wall designs nod to the country’s rich maritime heritage.

The pièce de résistance is the towering lobby atrium, described by Marcel Wanders as an ‘observatory’. As Wanders explains, the space restrictions typical of Amsterdam’s narrow buildings meant that creating a huge lobby would be impossible. Instead, in a typical piece of Wanders’ playfulness, a series of tiny Alice in Wonderland style doors line the corridor entrance to the hotel. “It looks like a hotel where everything is petite, it’s preparing people for something small, then wow, you see this five-storey high atrium and it comes to life.”

This architectural intervention, punched

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through the full height of the building, brings light into the centre of the hotel, as well as creating a focal point in the centre of the lobby. Referencing the history of Dutch navigation, the observatory combines a giant stretch of Delft-style wall design with a galaxylike cluster of some of the best known lighting designs by Moooi (of which Wanders is co-founder and Creative Director): ‘Random’ lights by Bertjan Pot and ‘Raimond’ fittings

by Raimond Puts float alongside bespoke creations including three oversized bell shaped chandeliers, suspended above the tables where staff greet guests. Large mirrors reflect this constellation of wall art and lighting, further enhancing the infinite sense of space.

“The observatory design goes back to old Amsterdam,” says Wanders, “to the idea of a library as a centre of knowledge, to an 054

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overflow of information. The Dutch would travel all over the world from here so there are old shipping maps, the universe and the stars that they used to navigate.”

Not all the references are historic however.

The hotel is also home to a collection of modern video art by emerging and established artists such as Ryan Gander, Erwin Olaf and Mark Titchner. Depending on the work’s level of intensity and outspokenness, these are showcased in different areas of the hotel – in the public areas of the ground floor, in the hallways throughout the various floors, or via a special video channel available on the televisions in the guestrooms.

As well as the lobby, the ground floor combines open-plan restaurant, bar, lounge and library areas. The Bluespoon restaurant faces the hotel’s landscaped garden,

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ABOVE: Vanity units in all suites were bespoke manufactured

by Ivanka to Marcel Wanders Studio’s design: ball-shaped legs combine with an angled sink and mirror and ‘one minute Delft Blue’ handpainted washbasins. The Amsterdam ‘Triple X’ logo adorns the side. All units were made from pre-cast, highly polished, soft grey Ivanka concrete OPPOSITE PAGE: Marcel Wanders’ bathtub design for Bisazza Bagno features in the suites, alongside mirrored wardrobes, ornate chandliers and Delft pottery

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overlooked by a giant mural of ‘Alice in Amsterdam’. Features include an open show kitchen and chef’s table, where guests can watch Head Chef Julien Piguet’s brigade create seasonal farm-to-table dishes using ingredients sourced from the coastal seaboard from the Netherlands to Northern France.

One wall in the restaurant features a largescale mosaic in ‘one minute Delft blue’ – a technique Wanders uses to personalise his work. Custom handcrafted wooden panels, styled on traditional pieces of Dutch furniture, are embellished with carved animal heads.

Although much of the furniture design in the hotel is bespoke, some of Wanders commercial designs have been specified for the restaurant, including Moooi ‘Monster’ and Poliform ‘Venus’ chairs.

The private dining area is in the style of an old greenhouse executed with “custom decorations in stained glass, making the area 056

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appear like a jewel attached to the building”.

In addition, the restaurant offers a semiprivate dining area and booth seating that provides a view of the lounge and observatory.

The Bluespoon Bar has been designed as a modern interpretation of a typical Amsterdam café – a dark, cosy and intimate space best summed up in the Dutch word ‘gezellig’, which has no direct English translation but conveys a convivial sense of belonging.

Guestrooms range from 24m2 to 36m2 and suites from 55m2 to 141m2, making these some of the largest in Amsterdam. An open plan layout, similar to that at W London, sees the traditional separation between bathroom and bedroom removed (although shower and WC remain separate). The centrepiece of the room is a multi-functional vanity unit made from a 150kg slab of concrete by Hungarian firm Ivanka.

The rooms are full of clever design

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ABOVE: The restaurant features Marcel Wanders’ ‘Monster’ chairs for Moooi, and ‘Venus’ chairs for Poliform. Hakwood’s European oak, deep smoked and natural oiled flooring features throughout the hotel. In total, Hakwood provided 600 m2 of flooring for the restaurant, conference room and gym

Elegance in a warm appearance Exclusive colour choices: Champagne and Mocha are the new shades that shine with a warm impression.

The elegant glass frames blend perfectly with the clean lines of the design A creation. This provides appealing interior accents.

ALBRECHT JUNG GMBH & CO. KG | P.O. Box 1320 | 58569 SchalksmĂźhle | Germany

Phone: +49 2355 806553 | Fax: +49 2355 806306 | E-mail:mail.vka@jung.de | www.jung.de/en For sales contacts in your country please see: www.jung-salescontact.com

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flourishes, many of which continue the references to Dutch history. Striking elements include the hand-painted washbasin, also in Wanders’ signature ‘one minute Delft Blue’ style, an oversized book-shaped desk, and richly detailed wallpaper – similar to the wall feature in the Observatory – in the washroom.

The large photographic wallpaper above the bedhead depicts a surreal half-fish-halfobject image embroidered together with the three crosses of Amsterdam. Each room also features a pair of hand painted clogs, decorated with a yawning mouth.

Even the guestroom corridors have been subject to Wanders’ ever fertile imagination.

Based on the story of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ each floor features large floor numbers illustrating the narrative which unfolds as guests travel from the top to the bottom floor to find out how the story ends. Each guestroom features traditional Dutch hand-painted numbers, 058

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as though guests are coming home to their private Amsterdam apartment.

As Wanders explained to Sleeper Magazine, the project is an unusual one, in the sense that as well as the interior designer, he is also the part-owner of the building, through his partnership with property developer Aedas Real Estate, who also helped Wanders develop his Westerhuis studios where Moooi’s Amsterdam showroom is located.

“I wanted to do a really creative project which speaks of Amsterdam, but also marry it with the right comfort levels and fantastic service through the partnership with Hyatt’s Andaz brand,” says Wanders. “It’s going to be a fabulous property and people are going to be happy to be there. It’s surprising, fun, different, and strange. An interior lives not on one idea, but on a thousand ideas – it’s more than an object, it’s a composition, it’s like a piece of music.”

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EXPRESS CHECKOUT Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht Prinsengracht 587 Amsterdam 1016 HT The Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)20 523 1234 www.amsterdam.prinsengracht.andaz.hyatt.com 117 guestrooms, 5 suites Bluespoon restaurant Bluespoon Bar, Lounge & Library 24-hour gym and signature urban spa 400m2 event space across three studios, Garden

Owner / Developer: Aedas Real Estate and Marcel Wanders Operator: Hyatt Hotels Corporation Interior Design: Marcel Wanders Architect: Kentie & Partners

BY R . & E . B O U R O U L L EC AIM

2013

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HOTEL REVIEW

Vander Ljubljana Words: Matt Morley Photography: © Miran Kambic

Husband and wife Aleksander and Amanda Vujadinovic have worked with design studio Sadar + Vuga to create the Slovenian capital’s first design hotel.

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jubljana’s lively yet low-key design scene probably wasn’t quite ready for the Vander Urban Resort when it opened for business in autumn 2012 but that wasn’t going to stop husband and wife duo Aleksander and Amanda Vujadinovic from launching a hotel on the site of the building they had been living in for ten years.

Located alongside a sharp bend in the Ljubljanica River and just a stone’s throw from the three adjacent bridges that form the Slovenian capital’s central artery, the Vander refuses to fit into almost any category you choose to throw at it. The choice of name says it all. ‘Vander’ in Slovenian means to wander, or as the French say, ‘flâneur’.

Rather than calling their creation a hotel, boutique or otherwise, the owners have opted for an ‘Urban Resort’ tagline.

“We really didn’t want to call ourselves a hotel, people in this city do not go to hotels unless they intend to spend the night there,” says Aleksander, a trained architect. “We wanted to attract outside guests and locals as well as hotel guests – but that’s a completely new concept for Ljubljana, there are very few inner city hotels here and those that do exist have limited services on offer, hardly a bar or restaurant to speak of.”

Compare this with the lifestyle hotel approach common throughout Europe’s hubs where a bar, restaurant and destination spa are all par for the course, and it becomes clear what a giant leap the Vander represents for this city of just 280,000 people.

Originally spread across two, eventually four, protected buildings, the project took 18 months to build with the assistance of main contractor Strabag’s local team

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THIS PAGE: Guestrooms feature bohemian Chesterfield-style chairs designed by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso

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but considerably longer to secure the necessary paperwork and permits from the local council.

According to architect and designer Jurij Sadar of locally based Sadar+Vuga, the concept definition and design phase was “a long, meandering process, we tended to work things out gradually rather than trying to plan every last detail in advance.”

This reactive, free-spirited approach to imagining the owners’ dream hotel not only influenced the eventual naming strategy but also the visitor experience. “As clients, they were very involved throughout and we made a lot of changes along the way with their input”, says Jurij, who was personally responsible for, amongst other things, the last-minute addition of a metal carpet of white scales lining most of the inner atrium

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walls, serving to direct light down from the fourth floor rooftop to the rest of the building.

“Everything’s still evolving too,” says Amanda. “We try to be open-minded, listen to our customers and adjust accordingly.”

An expansion towards the riverbank on the ground and first floors, where a café is still in operation, will happen in three years time, completing the integration of a third entire building into the project.

What exists today is a 16-room property with a restaurant, reception desk and bar on the ground floor all featuring a geometric black, white and beige floor tile inspired by a visit to a café in Greece. That classic, faintly retro tiling is then matched with contemporary mauve Little Tulip chairs, worn burgundy armchairs and antique

HOTEL REVIEW

BELOW: The restaurant features Little Tulip seating and Concha Bay armchairs BOTTOM: The retro style tiling was inspired by that seen by the owners in a Greek café

mirrored glass walls. It’s all something of a mishmash but as Jurij explains, “Ljubljana is located between Vienna and Venice, both culturally and architecturally, so we wanted to reflect that mixed identity in our aesthetic decisions here.”

Grey Moroso furniture, from Udine just across the Italian border, makes frequent appearances in the upstairs bedrooms, often alongside a mirrored ‘wish box’ mini-bar, padded taupe floor-to-ceiling headboards and white bedside lamps by Diesel for Foscarini. Bathrooms feature slate grey tiling, smoked grey sliding doors, white Antrax tube radiators from Italy and white Duravit Puravida washbasins but it is the console in a contrasting slab of natural timber that adds the final flourish; a rare touch of exposed wood in a hotel more at home with concrete, glass, metal and fabric. Small variations in room size and view create opportunities to stratify the rooms; a river view is preferable but the rooms facing an adjacent building are generally quieter at night.

On the top floor a dramatic multifunctional space lined with antique mirrors, ceiling glass and more of those metal carpet scales creates a dramatic finale to the inevitable walk most guests find themselves making within minutes of arriving. Used as a petite yoga studio in the mornings 064

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and an event venue during the day, it is an attractive, light-filled space that instantly drew attention from local businesses looking for an inspirational workshop space.

A pair of glass doors lead out onto a small 7x2m raised pool with decking, loungers and outdoor sound system, squeezing every last drop of urban oasis potential out of what was once just a fairly cramped rooftop.

Discussion of the pool quickly draws a round of wry smiles from both owners and architect. “The pool is actually a piece of clever engineering”, explains Sagar. “It had to be able to withstand an earthquake according to local legislation, so our engineer recommended we use a very large bath rather than build the pool into the structure of the building itself.”

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hilltop, the instant success of the pool deck initially took Aleksander and Amanda by surprise but, true to form, they already have plans to meet the demand by extending the outdoor space onto the adjacent rooftop as part of their take-over of a fourth building.

While the pool is far too small to allow outside guests access, an extended wellness area would offer greater opportunities to let the outside world in, an objective that the owners refuse to shy away from, despite the challenges they face in Ljubljana.

“We’re all about developing a sense of community,” insists Aleksander. “We really want to play a role in the neighbourhood.

Today, we believe that is what design hotels are all about, helping to promote interaction with the local culture and people.”

Claus Sendlinger of Design Hotels certainly agrees with him, and perhaps the people of Ljubljana will soon too.

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ABOVE: Guestrooms feature padded grey headboards, and bedside lights by Diesel for Foscarini

EXPRESS CHECKOUT Vander Urbani Resort Krojaška ulica 6 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia Tel: +386 1 200 9000 www.vanderhotel.com 16 guestrooms Vander Restaurant Vander Bar Meeting room, wine cellar, resistance pool Owner: Aleksander & Amanda Vujadinovic Interior Design & Architecture: SADAR + VUGA Contractors: Strabag

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Tokyo Station Hotel Tokyo Words: Shiraz Randeria Photography: Akifummi Yamabe

A historic railway hotel with interiors by Richmond International offers a stark contrast to the modernity of its surroundings.

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okyo’s newest hotel opening bears instant comparison with another famous station hotel: The success of Marriott’s St. Pancras Renaissance looms heavily over this project. The hotel staff and management talk about it in revered terms and it is telling that there’s a large coffee table book on the London hotel in this hotel’s library. The similarities are obvious. Both are formidable brick-buildings forming the long façades of two very busy stations (Tokyo Station is the terminal for most of Japan’s shinkansen high-speed trains, as well as serving underground and regional lines). Both are old buildings – the Tokyo hotel initially opened in 1915 designed by Meiji-era architect Kingo Tatsuno – and both fell into states 070

of disrepair, in Tokyo’s case due to a 1923 earthquake and the Second World War. It reopened in 1951, but with temporary roof structures replacing the original domes, which lasted until its closure in 2006. After a six-year renovation to restore it to its original design – including the two North and South cupola domes – the hotel debuted in October 2012, owned and managed by Japan Railways.

And similar to St. Pancras, although their architectures are different, they have both been heralded proudly by their cities as successful regeneration projects.

It is Tokyo’s newest tourist attraction, which perpetual scores of people taking pictures outside can attest to.

London-based Richmond International was charged with the project’s interiors:

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ABOVE: A 9-metre atrium located in the roof of the hotel is used as a breakfast room and lounge ATRIUM RIGHT: The living room area of one of the Junior Suites

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“Our brief was to work with the unique Queen Anne style of the building,” explains Richmond’s Principal Fiona Thompson.

“When we started the project, the building had already been completely gutted so all of the interior spaces are new. However, the original architect, Tatsuno, was heavily influenced by this period in English design and the owners were keen to have the interiors relate strongly to the architecture, hence using an English company to determine the design direction.”

And indeed the rooms are testament to this “very English and residential quality”, as she puts it. With tall ceilings and windows, and a dark wood and cream palette, the rooms are entirely successful in their heritage remit, a simulacrum of a comfortable English country pad.

Of course this is the opposite of the nearby Tokyo Peninsula with its high-tech accoutrements, because here is a hotel completely inspired by 18th century baroque.

Indeed, there is nothing contemporary about the furnishings – all bespoke and all made in England. The only modernity is to be found in the bathrooms; in their expansive muted beige marble, you’ll find a Toto washlet.

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While 81 rooms have views of the nearby Imperial Palace Gardens, 28 are sited around the domes with interior views of the station concourse. And there are several duplex ‘maisonette’ rooms and suites, which reinforce the residential feel.

There are two very notable design successes in the private guest areas. Firstly, the long handsome corridors, which stretch out to a distant vanishing point. Secondly, the voluminous 9-metre high atrium is a particular delight, situated in the roof of the hotel, and used as a breakfast room and lounge. Richmond implemented a new glazed section to the roof giving an airy feel – “the only contemporary expression of the new interior on the exterior facade of the building,” as Thompson points out.

“The exterior was a heritage restoration in all other aspects, albeit now built on a cushion due to its seismic location. In this space we wanted to mix the tradition of the Queen Anne style but also allow elements of the building fabric, such as the original brickwork, to be expressed to give a direct link to the original construction and heritage. The herringbone timber flooring is again a reference to the industrial

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ABOVE: 81 of the hotel’s guestrooms have views of the nearby Imperial Palace Gardens. Richmond International’s designs have a residential, English feel in keeping with the history of the building

Floor Tiles: Denver Caliza 43,5x65,9cm.

HOTEL REVIEW

heritage of the building. The bespoke furniture has a contemporary twist but again with its roots in classical design with the chandeliers being an interpretation of a colonial light fitting made for the project.”

It is a wonderful space, and pointedly a lot more successful than the hotel’s entrance and lobby. “The true entrance for the hotel is retained solely for the Imperial family and as such the hotel entrance is now secondary,” she admits. Indeed this whole central lobby is so off limits that most of the staff have never been allowed to see it.

“We have done our best within the space but ideally the entrance to such a grand building should have more presence.”

The result is that the public lobby is mercilessly cramped, especially with the steady crowds of architecture tourists, with only one sofa and two chairs on offer, although there is an adjacent tea lounge.

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But that can’t detract from the hotel’s presence as a very welcome and timely addition to the city’s – and indeed Japan’s – hospitality industry.

“The building is quite extraordinary: Being set in downtown Tokyo, the station and Imperial Palace appear to be the only original properties in a sea of highrise. It therefore has a unique character within this environment being very European in style,” Thompson notes.

As each evening progresses and the exterior lights are turned on, the lit-up brickwork contrasts with the brasher neon elsewhere in the city. And it reminds us that its success is precisely due to another type of contrast – that between “the industrial strength and scale of the building and the immediacy of the railway, mixed with the residential, personal scale of the property.”

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EXPRESS CHECKOUT Tokyo Station Hotel 1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo 100-0005 Japan Tel: +81 3 5220 1111 www.thetokyostationhotel.jp 150 guestrooms and suites Blanc Rouge, The Atrium The Lobby Lounge, Bar Camellia, Bar Oak Spa Tokione Three meeting rooms

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A new boutique hotel in Sydney, Australia celebrates the heritage of two iconic buildings, with designs by Nic Graham & Associates, Indyk Architects, Fabio Ongarato Design and Woodhead.

QT Sydney Words: Mandi Keighran Photography: Courtesy of QT Sydney

S

ydney is undoubtedly Australia’s harbour-side jewel. The first city in Australia to be settled

by Europeans, the city crowds around Sydney Harbour, the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House; indeed, alongside koalas and kangaroos there is hardly a more iconic representation of the country.

Accordingly, it seems nearly every high-end hotel in Sydney is competing for a prized glimpse of the water. But there’s more to Sydney than spectacular harbour views, and there is a new player in town determined to showcase another side of the city’s heritage.

The QT Sydney is a much-needed addition to Sydney’s tired hotel offerings – and is the first five-star hotel to be built in Sydney in over a decade.

Established in 1868, Gowings was Sydney’s first department store chain, and for decades, the building housed tailors, barbers, shoemakers, and other artisans.

The neighbouring State Theatre was built in 1927, and is an eclectic mix of Gothic, Italian and Art Deco design. Over the years, the two buildings had been badly refurbished and many of the heritage features had been lost. QT Sydney has reunited the iconic buildings, and WWW.SLEEPERMAGAZINE.COM

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ABOVE: Accessories and decorative items in the Gilt Lounge include mannequins painted by David Bromley, a huge vintage leather rhinoceros found in London, and old theatre stage lights. Italian furniture manufacturer Interna, along with its Shanghai sister company Interna China, was chosen to supply custom-made furniture to selected public areas and guestrooms. Interna supplies tailormade products and installation services to throughout the Asia-Pacific region, including recent projects in Perth and Melbourne

restored many of the heritage features.

The result is a nostalgic nod to Sydney at the turn of the century, a pastiche of Art Deco and Gothic architecture, bespoke and found objects, with playful touches that speak to a young, creative audience looking for something new. “Each of the QT properties has its own feel based on location,” says Stephen Howard, PR Manager for QT. “This is inner city – very New York-style but Sydneycentric.”

A number of local architects and designers were brought on board to bring the QT vision to life. Local architect Nic Graham – who also worked on the QT Gold Coast and W Hotels in Hong Kong and Shanghai – was responsible for the public areas, including reception, bars, restaurants, and spaQ. Indyk Architects, led by Shelley Indyk, designed the 200 guest suites, while Fabio Ongarato Design 078

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(also known for their work with W Hotels) was commissioned to create whimsical nods to the heritage of the buildings throughout the corridors. Woodhead were commissioned as master architects for the project, and interior designers for parts of the building. The brief to all involved: to create an exciting and unexpected five-star plus boutique hotel, the likes of which had never before been seen in Australia.

“As stand alone buildings, the Gowings and State Theatre buildings were not large enough to be economically viable in terms of adaptive re-use as commercial office buildings, retail, or individual hotels,” says Juliette Churchill, Associate Director at Woodhead. “By linking them, we gave both buildings a new future, with a use that is intrinsically attuned with their history and aesthetic.”

QT describes its hotels as ‘playgrounds for

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those who love art, design, fashion, music and food’. From the moment guests step through the Market Street entry, the history of the site is evoked. Greeted by bellhops clothed in dramatic cabaret-style costumes, guests are ushered past the bustling Parlour Lane Café (at the old State Theatre entrance) and into elevators that deliver them to the first floor reception and a guest lounge. The guest lounge is home to ‘QT-ique’ – a retail concept in which guests can purchase quirky items – jewellery, home accessories, even tattoo preserver – which reflect the QT philosophy, and are exhibited in original Gowings display cases.

The 200 guest suites – which are divided into six room types – are spread across the two buildings, with 120 in the State Theatre and 80 in Gowings. Designed by Shelley Indyk, the State Theatre and Gowings rooms are

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

HOTEL REVIEW

slightly different in their furnishings and palette. “There are similar elements,” says Indyk. “But the idea was not to make them so different that it didn’t feel like the one hotel.

The State rooms have a slightly richer feel, while the Gowings rooms feature beautiful restored tallow-wood floorboards.”

The rooms employ an autumnal palette of reds and yellows, are eclecticly furnished, and each features a large bathtub. They speak of the history of the site, and the old Gowings boardroom and chairman’s office have even been converted (heritage protection meant that the bathroom in the boardroom couldn’t be extended to fit a tub, so instead the tub sits on a platform in the room itself). The views from many of the rooms are unusual for Sydney – instead of Harbour views, windows look down city streets, or onto heritage façades. It is astonishing that these New York080

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style views exist in Sydney.

Curator Amanda Love worked with QT Sydney on selection of the artwork throughout. From the digital art in the elevators (a contemporary take on Aboriginal dot paintings by Daniel Boyd) to the Grant Stevens-designed video installations in each room, art is a key feature of the hotel’s design.

As Gowings and the State Theatre were not initially connected on any level and each floor level was different, the connection proved challenging for Woodhead. As a result, the two buildings are linked only on two levels – level one, which includes reception and the Gowings Bar & Grill, and the mezzanine level, which houses two meeting rooms and spaQ. Gowings Bar & Grill shares the same quirky design language as the rest of the public spaces, and careful details pay homage to the history of Gowings. “Even the seats reflect

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ABOVE: Guest suites have an autumnal palette of reds and yellows, with designs which reference the heritage of the two historic buildings within which they are located

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ABOVE: The reception for spaQ includes patterned hexagon concrete tiles, whimsical shopfront displays where ‘apothecary meets science lab’, original vintage barber chairs and hand-painted signs. Many of the items were found on eBay or in second-hand stores

the pinstripe suit material that the tailors who used to work in the Gowings building used,” says Howard. “We also interpreted that history in the rooms,” says Indyk, referring to the pinstriped pattern on the custom carpets in the hallways. “What’s interesting is that we worked entirely separately but it has come together very well as a whole.”

The area around the Gowings Bar & Grill becomes Gilt Lounge after 6pm – a high-end cocktail bar that caters mainly to an after-work and weekend crowd. The space is reflective of the menu on offer, with house made bottles of syrup and spirit-filled barrels hanging above the bar – another element in the artisanal philosophy and aesthetic of the hotel.

Throughout the luxurious spaQ, further nods to the past are to be found. “Nic’s 082

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found things on the side of the street, on eBay, in vintage and second hand stores, and he’s had things made,” says Howard.

The treatment rooms are located in the old barbershop, complete with original tiling on the walls, the patina of which speaks of the history that is inherent in the fabric of the building. A new barber – Tom the Barber – has set up down the hall. Even the barber is suited to the fit-out, with perfectly coiffed hair and rockabilly-style tattoos.

Perhaps Howard best sums up the approach to the design of QT Sydney thus: “Throughout the hotel there is an eclectic mix of modern design mixed with the heritage features of the buildings and nods back to history... That’s what gives it so much character.”

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EXPRESS CHECKOUT QT Sydney 49 Market Street Sydney, Australia Tel: +61 2 8262 0000 www.qtsydney.com.au 200 guestrooms and suites Gowings Bar & Grill Gilt Lounge, Parlour Lane Roasters café spaQ 2 meeting rooms Developer / Owner / Operator: Amalgamated Holdings Limited Principal Architect:Woodhead Interior Design: Nic Graham and Associates (public areas); Shelly Indyk Architects (guestrooms); Fabio Ongarato Design(corridors)

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HOTEL REVIEW

A variety of designers – including German architects Axthelm-Rolvien, Spanish firm LVG Arquitectura and celebrated designer Patricia Urquiola – have been involved in the conversion of Berlin’s former Danish embassy to a luxury hotel.

Das Stue Berlin Words: Guy Dittrich Photography: www.noshe.de

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otel interior design projects are often organised around a central idea that holds the whole concept together. Das Stue, an 80-room hotel in resurgent western Berlin adjacent to the city’s world-renowned zoo, succeeds for the most part in overcoming the lack of such a single concept. Nevertheless the work of many different hands is evident in distinct areas of the hotel.

Firstly, take the involvement of Potsdambased architects Axthelm-Rolvien who were originally appointed to complete all the architectural work and the interior design.

This included dealing with the complicated permissions required to renovate the curving arc of the historic element of the former Danish Embassy, designed by Emil Schaudt in 1938. Columns had to be strengthened to accept the additional load of two new floors of guestrooms. The repair of the damage to the travertine-clad staircase either side of the

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entrance required careful matching. A notable success in the heritage battle was the insertion of a cut-through into the entrance hall wall to connect it with the grander staircase behind.

More striking however is the cubic geometry of their modern insertion embraced by the curved arms of the old building.

“It was our intention to contradict the old architecture, so our addition had to be strong,” explains partner Hanner Rolvien.

Linked to the historic building by a singlefloor extension housing the majority of the hotel’s public spaces, their sculptural trapezoidal tower includes a remarkable cantilevered section. The cantilever “preserved the view of the zoo from the historic building behind,” continues Rolvien, also allowing for the maximisation of the square metres permitted on the plot. Part of this new volume is occupied by the angular yet calming whiteness of a spa with three treatment rooms.

A walkway across the small pool leads to

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OPPOSITE PAGE: The staircase and surrouding landings have been converted to a three-storey library where elegant original parquet floors, French doors, and restored hardware are contrasted with Patricia Urquiola’s eye-catching, comfortable seating arrangements. Guests can read an array of books from Taschen Verlag on the topics of art, architecture, creative culture and zoology

a sauna suspended above the water and disguised as a staircase.

Axthelm-Rolvien’s treatment of the façade of this powerful new architecture was originally to be used as a device to link both buildings. White concrete panels covering the extension have been etched by specialists, Hering Bau, with the crisp detail of a textilelike pattern. This pattern was to be repeated in guestrooms. However towards the end of a lengthy construction process, the owners decided on different interior designers. The guestroom fit out became the responsibility of a second party, Spanish company LVG Arquitectura. They used the cocooning ‘canopy’ arrangement proposed by AxthelmRolvien but replaced the floral pattern from the façade with wood veneer and the link with the modern annex was lost.

Irregular floorplans for rooms in both buildings create a sense of intrigue.

Exploration is encouraged. Suites on the Bel Étage of the original building are vast, with five-metre high ceilings. The pared-down luxury of guestrooms is paired with modern technology such as automated blinds for the floor-to-ceiling windows, and Apple technology played through huge, flatscreen TVs in junior suites. Other positive aspects include the fabulous views, with fully opening French doors, and task seating from B&B Italia.

In places, the furnishings and finishes are not of such high quality and there are areas where functionality has not been fully thought through. For example, an underbasin cupboard door flaps down directly into hanging hand towels. The surfeit of patterns (organic shapes in rugs, striped bolsters, diamond patterned bed throws) can be a little overwhelming.

Public areas are more consistently realised, thanks to the guiding hand of Patricia Urquiola, again a late appointment. She adds a different strand to the design story 086

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LEFT: Guestrooms features bedside table lamps by Metalarte, ESP task seating by Koi Design Ltd, Scantling Standing lamps

by Mathias Hahn for Marset, and bedside tables by Hay OPPOSITE (TOP LEFT) The bar and lounge areas include many of Patricia Urquiola’s own designs for Italian companies such as Moroso as well as those of others (TOP RIGHT) Whimsical animal sculptures in wire and leather reference the zoo next door to the hotel (BOTTOM): Cinco restaurant features a dramatic overhead display of copper pots and pans paired with copper lamps by Tom Dixon. Elsewhere small dot-like tables by Dutch design firm Pols Potten continue the copper theme

with deft touches in the hotel’s public spaces. Her interiors are at once engagingly comfortable and yet sophisticated. Bright splashes of coloured carpet and upholstery enliven a neutral background of the original stone and wood. Many of the furnishings are Urquiola’s own designs. Other objects, like leather animals in the shape of rhinos, hippos and buffalos that reference the neighbouring zoo, were curated by her.

Copper is also used as a signature material throughout the public areas. The hotel’s bar is copper-clad, signage is on copper sheet and the main decorative element of the fine dining restaurant, Cinco, is a ceiling display of ‘cataplana’ copper pots and pans interspersed with Tom Dixon copper shade lamps. The use of verdigris within the hotel’s collateral is evidence this copper theme has been well thought through. The pale green colour decorates the pages of menus that are attached to simple wooden boards by similarly coloured elastic. Other neat design details in the restaurant include an angled mirror above a bright yellow preparation table in Cinco, allowing diners to see the action.

CCTV cameras in the rest of the kitchen allow acclaimed Catalan chef Paco Perez to keep an eye on things when he is not in residence.

Das Stue is the first project outside Spain for Michelin-starred Perez, who also oversees The Casual – a sharply triangular space, where slatted walls and skylights frame a 088

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tapas-oriented, all-day-dining experience.

To the rear of the hotel, a more formally appointed private dining room faces the zoo. Opened in February, the Bel Etage meeting space of four adjoining suites can be connected for an array of private or public uses.

A bronze crocodile sculpture by Paris-based artist Quentin Garel, its jaws gaping beneath a wave-like lighting installation of small globes in the entrance hall, is an odd welcome to any hotel but striking nonetheless. Urquiola’s cosy ‘libraries’ on the landings of the grand staircase are perfect for private meetings or as quiet spots where guests can cosy up with a book from the Taschen-stocked shelves.

Urquiola also helped to curate the original black and white fashion portrait photography, from the private collection of one of the owners, that adds yet another different layer within the hotel.

Das Stue translates directly from the Danish for ‘living room’ although the owners have interpreted this less literally as a ‘Drawing Room’ – “the space in any well-appointed house where people relax, socialise, entertain, and discuss.” The result is a sophisticated hotel in tune with its surroundings in Berlin’s Embassy Quarter.

As with many a diplomatic negotiation, the various design perspectives at play in Das Stue may not be entirely resolved, but they agree to differ in a quiet, grown-up manner.

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EXPRESS CHECKOUT Das Stue Hotel Drakestrasse 1, 10787 Berlin Germany Tel: +49 30 311 722-0 www.das-stue.com 80 guestrooms and suites Cinqo (fine dining) The Casual (all-daydining) Bar, Lounge, Spa & Swimming Pool Bel Etage meeting area (4 suites) Owner / Operator: Hotel Drakestrasse Betriebsgesellschaft mbH Architect: Axthelm-Rovien Architekten Interior Design (guestrooms): LVG Arquitectura Interior Design (public areas): Patricia Urquiola

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The Orchard Nottingham Words: Shanna McGoldrick Photography: Martine Hamilton Knight

A £20 million campus hotel project by The University of Nottingham provided RHWL Architects and Graven Images with the opportunity to collaborate on a truly sustainable design concept.

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ustainable development has long been one of the most pressing issues within the hotel industry, yet although the debate as to the best way to create environmentally friendly projects rumbles on, genuine eco hotels remain something of a rarity. Deterred by the high upfront development costs presented by such projects, many hoteliers prefer to save their sustainable credentials for the interior design of their property, rather than the building itself.

However, such compromise was not an option for The University of Nottingham when developing its debut hotel The Orchard, operated by De Vere Venues. From the outset, the £20million project, which began in July 2011 and was completed in November 2012, was designed to achieve a Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) rating of ‘Excellent’.

Set into the campus hillside – there is a 10m drop

ABOVE LEFT: A dramatically curved timber canopy covers the glass atrium of the hotel ABOVE RIGHT: The public areas feature bespoke Ulster carpets displaying a leaf pattern designed by Graven Images, floor and table lighting by PS Interiors and furniture by Morgan OPPOSITE PAGE: The concrete exterior of the building features horizontal stratified layering in muted tones

from one side of the hotel to the other – The Orchard was built to serve the University’s adjacent East Midlands Conference Centre.

Featuring two guest wings and a central double-height glass lobby, the property has been sculpted to the surrounding landscape, from which architect Corrie Jones of RHWL Architects drew his inspiration. “When we first came to the site, it was stunning,” says Jones. “We wanted to create a building which retained that feeling. That was the idea of the two guest wings and the staggered positioning of the build; to let the natural landscape flow.”

Perhaps the most striking structural feature of the hotel is the dramatically curved timber canopy covering the 155m2 glass-roofed atrium, which encapsulates the naturalistic tone of the building’s design. Fitted with horizontal brise soleils to mitigate heat gain, the canopy features three large curved glulam beams connected by angled fins which mirror the sloping landscape. The sense of location

is also reflected in the exterior of the concrete building, which features horizontal stratified layering in muted tones and natural materials such as stone and wood, representative of the caves of Nottingham.

The hotel’s interior has been equally influenced by its natural setting. Design firm Graven Images has created a light, airy and quintessentially English lobby furnished with contemporary Morgan furniture and a large reception desk made of English Oak. The effect is offset by a soothing neutral palette of glass, plaster, wood and Derbyshire stone.

The lobby space opens up seamlessly into a library and networking area offering workstations with Apple Macs for guest use. Freestanding bookshelves and cabinets displaying ceramics by local artists add a loose structure to the space, while a light green bespoke Ulster carpet bearing a repeated contemporary leaf motif designed by Graven runs throughout. Floor-to-ceiling windows

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ABOVE LEFT: Guestrooms feature enlarged images of the orchard behind the hotel, Tektura wallpaper, headboards upholstered by Vescom UK and chairs by Morgan Furniture RIGHT: The bathrooms feature either showers with shower pebbles installed for water conservation, or Kaldewei baths

– something of a recurring theme within the building – provide a constant sense of contact with the outdoors.

Ground floor dining area Bramleys brasserie is a similarly flexible space, thanks to timber partition walls that can be used to separate the bar from the atrium. “The important thing was connecting with the architecture and creating different sub spaces,” says Graven Images founding partner Ross Hunter. “There is a real hierarchy of space within the building and it was all about playing with that and exaggerating it.”

This simplistic and playful approach to the design is also evident in The Orchard’s 202 guestrooms, which feature a palette of oak, accented by felted wool, simple textures and a clean colour scheme. An enlarged photo of a tree canopy taken in the orchard behind the hotel acts as a feature wall, while coat stands resembling tree branches are a quirky reminder of the property’s woodland setting.

“The baseline for the project was built around a three-star model, but the ambition was to do something which felt much more like a four-star product,” says Hunter. “We had a clear vision of the style we wanted to achieve.”

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as possible, Jones and his team focused firstly on incorporating ‘passive’ environmental measures into the building’s design. This included positioning the building on the plot to maximise the natural daylight, installing structural insulated panels (SIPs) in the exterior walls for high thermal performance, allocating expansive window space and constructing 1,600m2 of biodiverse green roof space spread across both wings and the main atrium.

Additional renewable energy features include ground source heat pumps bored 75-100m deep into the earth, photovoltaic panels installed on the roof and combined heat and power (CHP) technology used throughout the building to generate electricity that can be either used within the hotel or sent to the University’s high voltage ring main to serve the other buildings on campus. The photovoltaic panels provide around 4-5% of the building’s energy.

The Orchard is still undoubtedly a commercial adventure – rooms are equipped with air conditioning, for example, yet it automatically switches off if a window is opened. “It is as green as possible but for 21st century users,” says Jones. “We hope the building’s envelope does most of the work.”

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EXPRESS CHECKOUT The Orchard Hotel University Park The University of Nottingham Nottingham NG7 2RJ UK Tel: +44 (0)844 980 8054 www.deverevenues.co.uk 202 guestrooms Bramleys Brasserie Lobby Bar Gym Four meeting rooms, mezzanine level for private hire Developer / Owner: The University of Nottingham Operator: De Vere Group Architect: RHWL Architects Designers: Graven Images

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HOTEL REVIEW

Roomzzz Aparthotel Newcastle Upon Tyne Words: Catherine Martin Photography: Courtesy of Roomzzz Aparthotel

Roomzzz has extended its network of aparthotels with the conversion of a Grade II-listed townhouse in Newcastle city centre.

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ombining the panache of a boutique hotel with the facilities of a serviced apartment, Roomzzz has made quite an impact on the UK’s regional hotel market. Since making its debut in 2006, the Yorkshire-based operator has introduced its aparthotels to the Northern cities of Leeds and Manchester, with more under development in Liverpool and Chester.

While the group has a strong pipeline going forward, it is current performance that has sparked interest amongst owners and operators in the regions. Speaking in late 2012, Mark Walton, Head of Roomzzz Aparthotel UK, reported that occupancy levels had soared to a consistent 87% across the five sites, an increase of 16% on the previous year and way ahead of the UK average.

The fifth location for Roomzzz is Friar House, one of Newcastle’s most historic and celebrated city heirloom residences that has been brought to life back from years of neglect. Located close to the main train station, the hotel neighbours a new business centre with office space WWW.SLEEPERMAGAZINE.COM

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and hot desk rental, and also borders the Stephenson Quarter, a £200m mixed-use development that will breathe new life into this part of the city.

Mawson Kerr and Bentley Interior Design were tasked with converting the Grade II-listed building – formerly the home of 19th century socialite Sir Robert Hopper Williamson – into 14 aparthotels.

While little was done to the façade of Friar House, the interiors posed a challenge for architect Will Mawson, Director of Mawson Kerr. “Working in a listed building requires a great amount of detail to make them successful,” he explains. “The wet and dry rot was a large stumbling block as well as the servicing of such an old building.”

He continues: “Due to limitations on alteration, the interior layout required some creativity to make it work as a hotel. The planners did not want any subdivision of the key spaces so we have employed a ‘Manhattan lofts’ approach to larger spaces using blade walls to differentiate bedrooms and living areas without creating separate rooms. The whole 096

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building had to be used to make the project viable so there are really interesting spaces, such as the bedrooms in the original vaulted stores and a mezzanine penthouse bedroom in the roof space with glimpses of the cathedral.”

The brief to design a modern apartment hotel within the fabric of a Georgian building meant that the existing character of Friar House was retained while creating a modern boutique feel. “Working with the interior designer we have kept as much of the original fabric and features as possible, such as the old range, entrance doors, cornices, the restored grand staircase, venetian windows and timber panelling. The finishes give an air of opulence around the historic elements with new interventions being unashamedly modern to give clear definition between the old and new,” Mawson adds.

Interior designer Rachel Bentley, founder of Bentley Interior Design, has been involved in the development of Roomzzz for the past four years, executing the design of the flagship property in Leeds, and creating the brand’s franchise manual. In Newcastle, the concept

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THIS PAGE: Suites follow two colour schemes enhanced by luscious fabrics and finishes FOLLOWING PAGE: Supplied by Symphony Group, kitchens are designed in line with the interiors, specified in dark walnut with elegant chunky blenders and gloss white with dark wenge worktops

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HOTEL REVIEW

was to combine historic significance with plush furnishings and modern essentials.

The entrance and main staircase have been designed using a feature carpet and chandelier lighting to create a feeling of grandeur, explains Bentley, while suites follow two colour schemes enhanced by luscious fabrics and finishes. The spacious aparthotels come in five categories topped by the Penthouse Suite. Laid out around an open-plan living area, it provides space to relax, dine and work. The suite’s own study comes complete with the use of an Apple iMac, while a glass balustraded staircase leads up to the master bedroom mezzanine.

All apartments feature specialist memory foam beds, lounge space, and kitchens fitted with oven, hob, fridge-freezer and dishwasher.

Supplied by Symphony Group, the kitchens are designed in line with the interiors, specified 098

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in dark walnut with elegant chunky blenders and gloss white with dark wenge worktops and splashbacks. The well-equipped spaces mean that there are no food and beverage outlets on site other than a pantry and complimentary Grab & Go breakfast.

The 14 suites and apartments are just the first phase of development in Newcastle, the complete offering will eventually host 44 aparthotels. News that the Liverpool and Chester will come under the Roomzzz portfolio in 2013 will take the brand up to seven Northern locations, while it has also been announced that sites are secured in Glasgow and Edinburgh. And the expansion doesn’t stop there: Roomzzz is rumoured to be in discussions with two more properties in Southern locations and is actively seeking a franchise partner for a central London site.

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EXPRESS CHECKOUT Roomzzz Newcastle City Clavering Place Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 3NG UK Tel: +44 (0)844 815 0912 www.roomzzz.co.uk 14 apartments Pantry Operator: Roomzzz Aparthotel Architect: Mawson Kerr Designer: Bentley Interior Design Construction: Brims Construction

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HOTEL REVIEW

Drayton Manor Tamworth Words: Matt Turner Photography: © Ashley Carr

Architect John Pass’ last project before retirement has been a 13-year labour of love to bring a new hotel to the grounds of a manor house he has known since childhood.

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rayton Manor has been a labour of love for its architect John Pass. He grew up in Whittington, just six miles from the park, and fondly remembers childhood trips there in the 1950s. More than half a century later, the £20m, 150-room Drayton Manor Hotel, is the last project Pass has completed before retirement.

His practice, John Pass Associates, based in Warwick, was originally briefed on the hotel in 1998 and he has devoted much of the past 13 years to its development.

The original plan was to build an 86-guestroom hotel with a leisure centre. The design team had to overcome sensitive issues concerning the proposed hotel site being on Green Belt land. Many of the trees in the area – some planted 300 years ago by previous landowners the Peel family, others by the current owners of Drayton Manor, the Bryan family – were subject to Tree Preservation Orders in place.

Lichfield District Council approved original planning application in 2003 but a full planning inquiry led to many additional conditions being imposed on the height of the hotel, the building materials, and protection of the trees and other plants.

Pass’ original designs changed before the hotel eventually went

LEFT: The hotel sits in 280 acres of lakes and parkland which was once the home of Sir Robert Peel, and is now host to Drayton Manor Theme Park RIGHT: A full height glazed atrium is at the heart of John Pass’ design for the hotel

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into development in 2005 following a further evaluation of the accommodation within the original 2003 design. Changing market conditions and commercial viability meant the design had to be amended to provide 150 bedrooms.

The completed hotel comprises two accommodation wings with a central glazed atrium, with a full height three-storey planar glazed elevation to the southwest.

Roofing materials consist of natural slate for the bedroom blocks, as well as antique zinc for the atrium and rear service roofs.

The elevations are principally rendered with a buff facing brick sourced from a local manufacturer to closely resemble the original stonework on the adjacent remains of Drayton Manor’s main building and tower.

The turrets hold staircases and provide vertical scale, with a mansard roof, to create more floor space at the third floor level.

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hotel’s design occurred in 2010, when the decision was made to include 11 Thomas & Friends™ themed family rooms, based upon the success of Drayton Manor Theme Park’s Thomas Land™ attraction, which opened the previous year. Each of these rooms has a hand-painted scene on the wall and ceiling, depicting a different character from the popular childrens entertaiment series. There are also unique themed bunk beds, and train track patterned carpets in the corridors leading to each room.

The remaining rooms have Wi-Fi access, air-conditioning, an en-suite bathroom and LCD TVs as standard. Guests can choose from a range of lodgings, including standard, family, interconnecting, executive and deluxe rooms, as well as three presidential suites.

There are two restaurants, two bars, and a large hospitality suite, with floor-to-ceiling windows. There are three smaller executive rooms, each one seating up to 12 people,

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ABOVE: One of the hotel’s two restaurant areas – the Parklands Brasserie and Parklands Restaurant & Bar

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HOTEL REVIEW

making them ideal for board meetings.

Says Pass: “This project is the pinnacle of my forty-year career. Any architect would have loved to work on such an interesting and unique building, so I feel very privileged to have been involved with this development.

“The timeline for this development has been extended and the brief has organically evolved over 14 years. However, despite the timeline, the end product fits the client’s brief and gives a chameleon quality to the hotel so that it can accommodate both families at leisure, and corporate clientele.

“Everyone at John Pass Associates is immensely proud with the finished hotel.

I have no doubt that this development will become incredibly popular amongst park visitors and those looking to organise both private and corporate functions.”

Colin Bryan, Managing Director of Drayton Manor Theme Park said: “John’s experience and knowledge has been invaluable during the past 13 years. He can retire happy in the knowledge that his creation will be seen by more than million people who visit the park annually, and enjoyed by tens of thousands of people who will come to stay each year.”

EXPRESS CHECKOUT Drayton Manor Hotel Drayton Manor Drive Tamworth, B78 3TW, UK Tel: +44 (0)1827 285 551 www.draytonmanorhotel.co.uk 150 guestrooms and suites 2 restaurants 2 bars Hospitality Suite, 3 meeting rooms, games room, Thomas & Friends Theatre Interior Design: Elegant Clutter Architecture: John Pass Associates Contractor: A&H Construction

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HOTEL REVIEW

The Wood Norton Evesham Words: Matt Turner Photography: © Nick Smith Photography

Claridge Architects and interior designer Sean Vassen have completed the £4m refurbishment of a former BBC training facility, since converted to a hotel and now operated by Bespoke Hotels.

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n its 155 year history, Wood Norton has been home to some interesting characters. Expelled French royalty, BBC technical staff seeking refuge from German bombs or nuclear attack, and a bescarved Tom Baker making his Doctor Who debut have all at one time or another been accommodated in this Grade II* listed manor house and outbuildings, set within the Vale of Evesham, near the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire.

Originally built in 1897 as a hunting lodge for Henri d’Orleans, the exiled Duc d’Aumale, the estate was sold to the BBC during World War II to establish a monitoring station and emergency broadcast centre outside London.

Under BBC ownership it became one of the largest broadcasting centres in Europe with an average output of 1,300 programmes a week. When the war was over, it was used as the BBC’s engineering training centre, subsequently being used as a filming location for programmes including the Doctor Who series ‘Robot’, in which Tom Baker made his first appearance as WWW.SLEEPERMAGAZINE.COM

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BELOW: Guestrooms feature furniture by Bampton Design Limited, fabrics and wallcoverings by Vescom, lighting by Chantelle, and carpets by Wilton Carpets Commercial.

Artworks by artists including Addy Gardener, Marie Boyle and Rod Craig also feature

the much loved time lord. Throughout the Cold War it was also designated as a broadcasting centre in the event of a nuclear attack, with a nuclear bunker constructed in its grounds in the 1960s and still partly shrouded in some secrecy.

The BBC converted it to a hotel and conference centre in 1995, which were sold to private investors, with the BBC retaining its training centre on the site.

The hotel eventually closed in 2010, reopening in November 2012 under the Bespoke Hotels banner, following a £4m refurbishment overseen by Claridge Architects and interior designer Sean Vassen.

The design team have realised a carefully conceived refurbishment, reviving the historic interior of the hall in balance with an elegant, calm and modern architectural design for the newly installed elements.

Original oak panelling has been respectfully restored, whilst new insertions such as the pewter-topped bar and glazed bathroom pods provide more contemporary textures, colour, materiality and vibrancy.

According to Vassen, the hotel’s historic interior reflects “the luxurious lifestyle of the exiled French royal family in the period before the First World War.” Despite its later use by the BBC, many original features have survived intact, with finely crafted oak-panelling to all the principal rooms.

“As a designer, I think it is important to understand the character and fabric of the building you are working with, as well as taking into consideration the experience of the guest. My aim has been to enhance the interior spaces through a carefully modulated palette of textures and colours that work with the existing panelling. I have strived for elegant simplicity in the new 108

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Contemporary style room, Kempinski Hotel, Prague - design by RPW Design

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HOTEL REVIEW

furniture and furnishings, so that the original interiors, with their richly-detailed architectural details, can be appreciated for themselves. Traditionally-shaped furniture has been matched with contemporary fabrics, to bring in texture, pattern and colour.

Where it was necessary to introduce new elements, such as the bar and bathroom pods, the approach has been to design these in an entirely modern idiom.”

The Main Hall had suffered many piecemeal alterations over time, and its upper floors were destroyed by fire during the war. Now this room, as well as the Pear Tree Mews and Smith’s House buildings, has been brought back to life with an extensive programme, sensitively restoring the original Edwardian features in combination with modern insertions and high quality interior design.

The Main Hall now provides reception 110

rooms, bar, a British fine dining restaurant, outdoor terrace and function rooms with eight luxury suites on the first floor and twelve double rooms on the second floor.

Pear Tree Mews, formerly a stable block and coach house, has been converted into a more contemporary collection of 30 rooms set around a cobbled courtyard. Smith’s House provides business and conference function rooms for the estate.

The Hall sits within English Heritagelisted landscaped gardens, redesigned by Peter Baldock and Tom Marsh, and inspired by classical ideals of order and beauty from Renaissance gardens of the late 15th century.

Since launching Wood Norton, Bespoke Hotels has continued to expand its portfolio, taking over the management of 34 properties within the Oxford Hotels and Inns group, taking Bespoke’s total worldwide portfolio of boutique hotels to 97.

MARCH / APRIL 2013 WWW.SLEEPERMAGAZINE.COM

EXPRESS CHECKOUT The Wood Norton Worcester Road, Wood Norton, Evesham, WR11 4YB, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1386 765611 www.thewoodnorton.com 50 guestrooms and suites Restaurant & Bar Two meeting rooms, The Boardroom, and Studio One in the Main Hall. Four syndicate/breakout rooms in Smiths House Owner: Private investor Developer: EMA Hotels Operator: Bespoke Hotels Interior Designer: Vassen Design Architect: Claridge Architects Landscape Gardens: Peter Baldock & Tom Marsh Main contractor: ISG PlC Quantity Surveyors: Gardner & Theobald M&E: The Engineering Practice

T: 01928 713330 E: info@ladrape.com W: www.ladrape.com

EVENT DIARY

Event Diary 2013 MARCH-APRIL

APRIL-MAY

MAY

MAY-JUNE

IHIF – International Hotel Investment Forum

Sleepover Amsterdam

HD Expo

Boutique Hotel Summit

Amsterdam

Berlin

21-22 April

Las Vegas 15-17 May

London 22-23 May

4-6 March

www.sleepoveramsterdam.com

www.hdexpo.com

www.boutiquehotelsummit.com

IFFS – International Furniture Fair Singapore

CHRIS – Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit

May Design Series (DX, Interiors LDN, kbb LDN, and The Arc Show)

CATHIC – Central Asia & Turkey Hotel Investment Conference

Singapore

Miami

9-12 March

6-7 May

London 19-21 May

Istanbul 29-30 May

www.iffs.com.sg

www.chrisconference.com

www.maydesignseries.com

www.cathic.com

ISH

Index Dubai 20-23 May

IHT Luxury Hospitality Conference

12-16 March

HOLA – Hotel Opportunities Latin America

www.ish.messefrankfurt.com

Miami

www.indexexhibition.com

www.berlinconference.com

Frankfurt

7-9 May

www.ihtconferences.com

Salone Internazionale del Mobile

www.holaconference.com

Clerkenwell Design Week

Milan

HI Design EMEA

London 21-23 May

9-14 April

Valencia

www.clerkenwelldesignweek.com

http://cosmit.it

9-11 May

Event Focus: May Design Series What?

Organisers of Sleep, Europe’s premier event for the hotel design industry, have announced the launch of the May Design Series 2013.

Comprising four separate shows – DX, Interiors LDN, Kbb LDN, and The Arc Show – the event will serve the sourcing needs of interior designers and architects working across a range of sectors.

The four shows?

• The new DX show explores how the pioneers of design and technology are shaping interiors. The show will host an interactive exhibition space alongside custom installations and an events programme.

• Also new is Interiors LDN, featuring contemporary British and international design for furniture and interiors.

Exhibitors to look out for?

Exhibitors include Moooi, Ligne Roset, Hitch Mylius, Timorous Beasties, Deadgood, Harlequin, Deirdre Dyson, Vorwerk, Astro Lighting and ERCO.

When?

19-21 May at ExCel London.

• Kbb LDN showcases design innovation in the kitchen,

More info? www.maydesignseries.com

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Limited Edition Miami 10-13 June www.limitededitionmiami.com

www.hidesign-emea.com

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• Also returning is The Arc Show, which brings together architectural, retail and commercial lighting suppliers.

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Hotel Analyst

OrientExpress adds associates Hotel group Orient-Express has launched a new associate business model, designed to increase the spread of hotels available to guests under its brand umbrella.

The company has signed its first associate, the Hotel du Palais in Biarritz, France.

Orient-Express will be seeking out other suitable associate hotels to add to its portfolio, looking for high quality independents that will plug gaps in its current “collection”.

The move gives luxury European hotel managers another alternative to signing up with marketing groups such as Leading Hotels of the World.

And it follows on from a similar move by Marriott with its growing Autograph collection, which draws together independents under an umbrella brand giving the properties access to the global giant’s distribution and marketing muscle.

Last autumn saw Marriott sign hotels in Lisbon, Portugal, Rouen and Lille in France to the programme which now has close to 40 hotels globally.

For an associate, there is the benefit of being tapped into the Orient-Express marketing infrastructure, with marketing, sales and PR support across 17 markets, and the global reservations system. Associate hotels appear within the company’s website, directly alongside the company’s own properties. The new partners can also join the company’s Bellini 114

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Club preferred agent programme.

“The associate hotels programme is an opportunity to enhance our portfolio of iconic travel experiences by partnering with independently owned and/ or managed luxury hotels,” said David Williams, chief marketing officer, Orient-Express.

“In return for providing access to our highly valued international sales force and strategic marketing channels, this initiative enables us to curate new destinations for our guests to discover. Our boutique collection is uniquely positioned to work with like-minded hoteliers who wish to preserve their established individual brand reputation, but who share the vision of the Orient-Express umbrella brand, offering an equal standard of authentic experience, revenue return and service as our owned properties.”

Tapping into the OrientExpress marketing presence, not least on the internet, also provides substantial global exposure for associates. “Hôtel du Palais has been a landmark in Biarritz for 120 years, and we were looking for an opportunity to increase our distribution without sacrificing our iconic brand identity,” said Jean-Louis Leimbacher, general manager of Hôtel du Palais. “In Orient-Express we have found a partner with the mindset of an owner-operator that really understands how to preserve our individual personality and at the same time grow our revenue with intelligent marketing and distribution channels.”

Orient-Express management is insisting that associates will be joining by invitation only. Each associate hotel will need to have a strongly established, iconic reputation, and be a market leader within their local market. They will be independently assessed

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for their high standards, and have to be a complementary fit to the existing Orient-Express portfolio of 45 hotels and experiences, across 22 countries.

HA Perspective: The brand landscape for hotels is becoming ever more confused. Quite what an associate hotel is compared to a core brand hotel is a nuance that is often lost on experienced hotel professionals let alone members of the general public.

For example, this correspondent remembers speaking to an adviser to a hotel owner seeking to take on the Waldorf-Astoria brand who had been given a long list of brand standards. This adviser fumed at the fact that several hotels in the same city had been given Waldorf Astoria Collection status while falling short of many of these brand standards. The significance of the word “Collection” had been missed.

What OEH is selling is this same confusion. The promise to the hotel associates is that the public will believe that the hotel is indeed a proper Orient Express hotel. The risk, though, is that in the process OEH dilutes its brand by allowing others to operate hotels where it has no direct control and standards are not met. And like the adviser seeking a Waldorf-Astoria, there is a risk of people fuming at the discrepancy.

At the top end of the luxury segment, which is where OEH likes to position itself, service is everything and this is the very thing that is hardest to police.

For economy, perhaps even midmarket hotels, the physical product plays a much bigger role and leaves a little more room for a brand owner to be hands off.

Through direct ownership, OEH has a model where individual property profitability matters

more than brand distribution.

An increasingly rare approach in today’s asset light world. The new approach cuts right across its previous philosophy as OEH brings in more cash from its associate model by signing as many hotels as possible.

Whether the fees from signingup associates is worth it to OEH remains to be seen. It will certainly make it harder for OEH to argue that its properties are somehow unique and different from all other luxury hotels. Perhaps Taj should apply to join.

Maybourne refinanced December saw the completion of the refinancing of the Maybourne hotel group. After months of wrangling between the two main shareholders, a GBP150m rights issue was fully funded, and a GBP547m loan syndicated to provide fresh debt for the next five years.

The hotel company, which manages luxury hotels Claridges, the Connaught and the Berkeley in central London, is now set fair under new ownership.

However, clouds on the horizon include an outstanding threat from minority shareholder Paddy McKillen to further challenge recent share buying transactions. While a media focus on tax avoidance activities at the Ritz, owned by shareholders the Barclay brothers, could continue to cast an unwelcome gaze on the group’s finances.

The last round of legal challenges between the embattled co-owners was decided in September. McKillen lost his

claim that the Barclay brothers had acted improperly in securing their controlling shareholding, and in the way they had taken control of the GBP660m loan against the hotel group. He has publicly vowed to fight further.

December started with a call on existing shareholders to fund a rights issue of GBP150m, as part of a refinancing proposal advanced by majority shareholders the Barclays. Their funds were never in doubt; and despite media speculation that minority shareholder Paddy McKillen might struggle to deliver his part of the cash call, his portion of the funds was delivered, enabling him to maintain his 36% stake.

In November, McKillen had proposed an alternative refinancing that would have done away with the need to fund the rights issue, replacing the total outstanding debt with fresh funds at a better rate, from a Qatari source.

However, the Barclays, who control the board, turned down the proposition, preferring the rights issue that some commentators suggested was designed to catch McKillen out.

The GBP547m loan was arranged by Blackstone Real Estate Debt Strategies, and will repay a GBP660m bridging loan from Barclays Bank. The total was committed by a number of banks and other institutions, including Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Royal Bank of Canada, Wells Fargo Bank, RBC and Starwood Capital.

“We are delighted to have completed a complex refinancing in challenging market conditions before year end,” said Stephen Alden, Maybourne CEO. “Our own team, the board, our advisors and the lending group have worked extremely hard – and in

close collaboration – to achieve this excellent result. It places us in an ideal position to realise our capital investment strategy and thus to maintain our leadership among the world’s finest hotels.”

Bank of America is understood to have advanced around GBP200m of the total. The loan is the first time the bank has lent to the UK property sector since 2006, indicating that it now feels the market has stabilised.

According to the Irish Times, McKillen still has EUR300m of personal debt and companies controlled by him owe a further EUR1.3bn. But he has committed to repay EUR400m in the next 12 months.

McKillen has also underlined his commitment to the London luxury hotels he worked to improve, telling the Irish Independent in December: “I’ve no interest in selling out in the short term. The proposed deal I have is for another 15 years. I intend to stay involved with them for a long time. There’s still a lot to be done.”

The Barclay brothers, meanwhile, were also under the media spotlight in December as a BBC investigative programme revealed their Ritz hotel in London has paid no corporate taxes for the last 17 years, despite being profitable. The companies through which the hotel is managed have used legal measures to avoid UK company tax, something that other international brands including Amazon and Starbucks have recently been criticised for doing.

HA Perspective: January saw this saga take another twist with McKillen launching a defamation suit against representatives of the Barclays, including Powerscourt Group and Maybourne Finance,

according to Irish press reports.

How far this phase goes remains to be seen but what seems clear is that McKillen is determined to fight for as long as he can.

What is also clear is the appetite for luxury hotels in gateway cities like London. Despite recent fears about over supply, the UK remains as attractive as ever to hotel investors. Even if there is a deterioration in trading in the short-term, it is doubtful that this appetite for the best quality assets will be diminished.

Starwood Capital moves on luxury hotels Starwood Capital has sold four landmark French hotels in a deal worth an estimated EUR700m. The hotels, bought

by Qatar Holding through its vehicle Constellation Hotels, are to be refurbished and converted to Hyatt brands.

The disposal is a further step in Starwood’s unpicking of its 2005 purchase of the Societe du Louvre portfolio, which brought with it Europe’s second largest hotel group, Louvre.

The Martinez in Cannes, Palais de la Mediterranee in Nice and Paris properties the Hotel du Louvre and Concorde Lafayette were sold as a single package to Qatar Holding. According to French newspaper Les Echos, the winning bidders beat Accor, who pitched in partnership with Unibail-Rodamco.

Concurrently with the sale, Starwood announced the first openings for its new, boutique

hotel brands Baccarat and 1Hotel.

Five openings have been promised within the next 24 months, in Morocco, Florida and New York.

Hyatt has announced it will convert the 1,700 room Louvre purchase to its brands from April, and give each a makeover.

The Martinez will become a Grand Hyatt, while the Concorde Lafayette and Nice properties convert to Hyatt Regency. The Louvre hotel will remain under its own name for the immediate future, before being refurbished and relaunched under the company’s Andaz banner.

The deal will more than double Hyatt’s presence in France at a stroke. Peter Norman, senior vice president, real estate and development, EAME for Hyatt, said: “There is significant demand for our brands in Europe, and we are delighted to expand our representation in these highbarrier-to-entry markets with a single transaction. These destinations have consistently high demand – which gives us a fantastic opportunity to increase awareness of all Hyatt has to offer.”

“Completing the sale of a majority of our luxury hotel assets marks an important milestone in the ongoing monetisation of the Groupe Du Louvre portfolio,” said Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital Group. The company is retaining the core of Louvre, which today operates more than 1,090 hotels across brands Première Classe, Campanile, Kyriad and Golden Tulip. “We have sold more than USD3bn in assets since closing, and will continue to maximise the value of our remaining assets to generate attractive returns for our investor partners. In the coming years, we expect to continue our expansion and renovation of our

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Louvre Hotels Group portfolio and to support the growth of Baccarat into new geographies, with a focus on Asia, expanding its presence in the hotel and residential arena.”

Flagship for the Baccarat brand will be the Baccarat Hotel & Residences on 53rd Street, New York. The 50-storey block will have 114 rooms, and a further 61 residences ranging in size from one to five bedrooms. Sales of the residences will begin this March, with a 2014 completion planned.

The second Baccarat will be opening in Rabat, Morocco while further locations are promised in the Middle East and Asia, including Dubai and Marrakesh.

1Hotels, which sets out its stall as “the first ground-up luxury eco-design and living hotel concept”, will launch with a Central Park hotel in New York and South Beach, Florida hotel and residences opening in early 2014; the latter will have 417 hotel rooms, and 167 residences with one to four bedrooms, and is being created with a major refit of an existing 1970s building. These will be followed by a second New York hotel, at Brooklyn Bridge, opening a year later. The first international location for 1Hotel will be in Marrakesh.

“What was once just an idea will soon be a reality,” said Sternlicht.

“With two revolutionary hotel brands entering the marketplace and five hotel openings in the next two years, we are confident that Baccarat and 1Hotels will place Starwood Capital Group at the very forefront of the dynamic hospitality industry.”

Starwood originally planned to sell a portfolio of nine of the Louvre luxury hotels to Middle Eastern buyer JJW Hotels & Resorts. But the deal fell apart in 2009 amid claim and counter claim relating 116

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to funding of the USD2.1bn deal.

Since then, the hotels have been marketed on an individual basis, with earlier sales from the Louvre portfolio including the Lutetia, which Israeli investor Alrov paid EUR150m for in 2010; the Hotel de Crillon, sold for EUR250m to Saudi investors; and the Concorde Montparnasse, which was bought by hotelier Didier Ferre in 2011 for EUR87m.

HA Perspective: Starwood Capital’s acquisition of Societe du Louvre and the champagne maker Groupe Taittinger for EUR2.1bn back in 2005 looks to be at last paying off. The hold period is no doubt longer than preferred and this will impact the returns but compared to some of the transactions struck in the years following it looks a smart deal.

What the deal also highlights is the contradiction between being an opportunistic real estate player and an investor in a brand and operating company. As Starwood Capital seeks to build up its own luxury brands, it appears ironic that it is simultaneously selling out some of the most iconic hotels in Europe, handing rival Hyatt an important leg-up in its own ambitions.

Qataris swoop on Berlin duo Qatari investor Al Faisal Holding has purchased two Berlin hotels, in the latest example of Qatari capital coming into European hotel real estate.

The deal saw Al Faisal buy the Grand Hyatt and Maritim hotels in the German city, through its hospitality subsidiary Al Rayyan

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Tourism & Investment (ARTIC), for an undisclosed sum.

The buys adds to a growing portfolio that last year bought the Radisson Blu Aqua in Chicago, and aims to gather further assets “in prime cities around the world”.

The seller was SEB Asset Management, the property investment arm of the Swedish bank which had been holding the hotels in its open-ended SEB Immoinvest fund.

The Grand Hyatt is a modern, 342 room hotel designed by Spanish architect Jose Rafael Moneo, centrally located opposite the city’s philharmonic concert hall. The Maritim, which opened in 2005 in a 1930s art deco style, is larger still with 505 rooms and a MICE capacity of 5,500.

“We are delighted with the acquisition of the Grand Hyatt Hotel and the Maritim Hotel in Berlin,” said sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani, chairman of Al Faisal Holding. “These two iconic hotels with their unique architectural qualities and prime, city centre locations reflect our clear investment focus on high quality assets and bring us a step closer to our target. We will continue to build our portfolio locally and internationally and I look forward to further expansion all around the world over the coming years.”

ARTIC currently has a portfolio of 25 hotels complete or under construction, including many with major brands including Hilton and Marriott over the door. Its opened estate includes four hotels in Qatar, three in Egypt, the W hotel in London and Radisson Blu Aqua in Chicago.

The pipeline includes six more Qatari hotels and three in Algeria.

News of the deal came hard on the heels of the announcement of

the EUR700m sale of the French Louvre luxury hotel portfolio, to a Qatari investment group.

HA Perspective: Middle Eastern money likes hotels. The security and kudos of a luxury hotel in a gateway city usually counts for more than the modest returns such an investment is likely to generate.

There has been some interest in more modest hotel investments, such as Travelodge, but it is hard to see these investors going too far from their existing stomping grounds.

The really transformational capital looks most likely to come from the US, with opportunity funds and REITs looking to seize bargains in more unloved segments.

Mint hangover The sale of the Mint hotels portfolio was so successful that it raised sellers’ expectations and caused other transactions to drift along, according to Desmond Taljaard, COO at Starwood Capital Europe.

The full price for the deal, an estimated £610m at the end of 2011, caused banks to think they could get full value for other portfolios, added Taljaard, speaking at the Ernst & Young Real Estate Workshop 2013.

The session, a hotel specific break-out from the main conference that focused on general real estate, hosted at London’s InterContinental on Park Lane, examined the outlook for hotel transactions and financing.

Taljaard said financing was taking longer. He cited the locked

box mechanism, which attempts to give an equity value to a deal before completion by working off an historical balance sheet, as a particular problem in slowing deals.

But he argued that the transaction market was close to an inflexion point. “Assets are starved of capital to reposition and banks can’t do it,” he said.

Deals were in part taking longer as standards of due diligence are now set where they should be.

“Deals done in 2006 to 2008 were done without due diligence,” said Taljaard.

Adrian Turner, managing director of Crownway Capital Europe, said: “You always know you’re at the top of the real estate cycle when banks get big into hotels.” Turner contrasted Europe with the US with the latter seeing confidence coming back. “REITs are buying for increased yield. It is starting to change pricing in the US.” Parts of Europe were still scary, said Turner. Ireland still had an intravenous drip in place from the European Central Bank. But the country has taken huge pain already: “If the rest of the world took on in the same way, the crisis would be over,” said Turner.

Taljaard said that his firm had taken part in the Maybourne refinancing which had been led by a US mortgage REIT. “The talk about insurance companies filling [the debt finance] void has not happened,” said Taljaard, adding that for insurance companies to come in to the market it was necessary to synthetically solve the requirements they had in terms of the nature and shape of returns.

Bob Silk, relationship director at Barclays Corporate, admitted that banks generally wanted a “bullet proof codpiece”. The big

fear for buyers was “catching a falling knife” but Silk was confident we are near the bottom: “I’m fairly convinced that in five years we will look back and think ‘I can’t believe it was so cheap’.”

Silk added that he expects to be busy this year and was already discussing “four big deals”.

Domestic UK lenders had worked out that they need to lend more money, he said. There won’t be a return to the “lunacy” of 2005 to 2007 but lending “will slowly but surely ease up”. Derek Gammage, head of hotels EMEA for CBRE, was sceptical that Asian buyers would feature heavily in the near future. “The premise of Asian buyers is that they are going to buy cheap,” he said but there were better opportunities nearer home. More likely buyers were Americans who had access to cheaper debt. More deals were likely to be done as “the stars were now aligned”: interest rate swaps had burnt off; debt was stretched and therefore motivated; equity was realistic; and banks had taken the impairment.

Gammage said that banks were selling packages of debt and there would be pure hospitality debt trading. “Consensual solutions of three years ago are not so consensual today,” he added.

HA Perspective: Are we finally at the point where deals start in earnest? The short answer is no.

But it seems highly likely that there will be more movement than we have seen for some time.

At the outset of this crisis, Hotel Analyst divided the problem loans held by banks into three categories: basket cases, such as GuestInvest, which needed the plug pulling immediately; fundamentally sound businesses that had some issues with the capital structure, such as Mint; and profoundly

indebted companies that needed serious adjustments to their capital stack, of which De Vere Hotels was a case. In this context it made sense for the receivers to go in immediately at GuestInvest, which they did, and for the most robust companies to trade, which was the case for Mint. While the debt holders got out with their cash back in the Mint deal it was, and is, unlikely to be the case in many other deals. Robert Cook, CEO at De Vere, was also speaking at the Ernst & Young event. He said that his bankers Lloyds had been generous to him in terms of capex but “we are playing catchup for the last three years”.

Hugh Taylor, chief executive at Michels & Taylor, said that in general it was hard to look at a capex programme that offered a return. If you were able to reposition and work in an extended or different market then there is an opportunity that makes good business sense. In this context, lenders who are in effective control of assets need to ask themselves whether they are the right people to oversee such a repositioning. Even if existing management can be incentivised to provide “cover”, debt is still taking on equity like risks.

Given that the margins for lending on plain vanilla deals are at historic highs (despite what the lenders might try to tell you) it makes more sense to take a writedown on the bad deals to free up the balance sheet to lend on deals that are much less risky.

It is a quirk of human nature that losses are felt far more than gains. Now looks the time for banks to steel themselves for tough decisions.

Hotel Analyst Having read these four pages of Hotel Analyst we hope you want to find out more.

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COMPANY PROFILE

THIS PAGE & OPPOSITE: DMA has produced a façade design for FC Spartak Moscow’s new stadium. Their remit has expanded to include interiors for the VIP hospitality and executive boxes

Dexter Moren Broadening Horizons Best known for its architectural expertise in the hospitality industry, Dexter Moren Associates is broadening its skills to include interior design, office fit out, and even sports stadia, finds Catherine Martin.

S

ince it was established in 1992, Dexter Moren Associates has built a reputation as one of London’s leading practices for the architecture and planning of hotels.

Its founder, well known in the industry, never expected such a specialism, yet it would seem his calling came early in life.

“I didn’t start out saying I was going to be a hotel designer,” says Dexter Moren as we meet at the firm’s Camden studios. “Over the years we’ve grown incrementally and somehow got thrust into the hotel sector,” he continues, nodding to a wallhung gallery of current and upcoming projects that range from a new destination aparthotel at Tobacco Dock in East London, to three hotels for Hilton’s Hampton brand.

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The firm has completed a wide range of projects including offices, shopping centres and residences, but it is the design of hotels for which it has become best known.

It seems fitting then, that Moren’s very first hotel project as a young director at a South African practice gained iconic status. When it opened in the 1980s, the 30-storey beachfront hotel in Durban, a Holiday Inn at the time, was highly publicised for its Art Deco style and taught the architect the all-important basics of hotel design.

Moren has been designing hotels ever since, putting his success down to solid relationships and repeat clients. Yet the architect isn’t one to take all the credit. That, he saves for his fellow directors, associates and team of designers.

The firm’s most recent project is InterContinental London Westminster, which opened its doors in December 2012.

DMA was appointed to convert Queen Anne’s Chambers, a former government office, into a luxury hotel. The project was a

six-year struggle, not without its challenges.

Key internal spaces were re-planned and reconfigured to maximise their potential and facilitate the necessary upgrade of services, while the public spaces have been designed as a series of rooms that transition seamlessly into one another. Major architectural interventions include the creation of a new porte cochère built within the existing façade, and structural modifications across the lower ground floor to allow for conference facilities.

Amongst a plethora of other projects due for completion over the next 18 months, the team is also working as executive architect on the Shangri-La Hotel, within Renzo Piano’s London landmark, The Shard. But perhaps the biggest progression for the firm is the creation of its interiors division. What started as occasional support for regular clients has developed into a 10-strong team of designers creating interiors for a rising number of international hotel projects. Having built a portfolio in the residential sector, it was

the interior design at The Ampersand Hotel that has won the team recognition amongst the hotel elite. “We were quite excited at the opportunity of doing things at a five-star level and I think with The Ampersand we’ve shown what we can do,” explains Moren. The awardwinning design scheme draws inspiration from the hotel’s locale and demonstrates an ability to translate themes such as botany, ornithology and astronomy into relevant interior features.

Success at The Ampersand has also led to new ventures: “At the moment we have a very big sports project which actually comes out of a happy hotel client,” he continues. The firm was invited by the same developer to produce a façade design for FC Spartak Moscow’s new stadium, an arena that will also serve as a key venue for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. DMA’s design is composed of a series of giant shingles inspired by the Spartak Moscow diamond insignia to create an armour-like effect. Currently under construction, the

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COMPANY PROFILE

© John Sturrock

TOP LEFT: DMA is designing interiors for Tobacco Dock in East London TOP RIGHT: The award-winning design scheme at The Ampersand draws inspiration from the hotel’s locale ABOVE: The firm has been appointed lead architect for The Great Northern Hotel RIGHT: Directors and associates (L-R) Nik Mitens, Wan Yau, Dexter Moren, Jacqui Labb, Herbert Lui and Jonathan Picardo

cladding wraps the stadium façade in a consistent lattice with different panels that vary the solidity, translucency or transparency.

It is the first time the firm has taken on such a project, and as Moren says: “It’s not a question of having the ego to say I can do anything, it’s a question of being honest enough to say this what we’ve done before and this is what we can bring to the table.”

In fact, the project has come full circle for the firm as their remit has now expanded to include interiors for the VIP hospitality and executive boxes.

So why is a renowned hotel architect taking on such ventures? “I don’t want to be the old dinosaur that leads the company to the 130

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graveyard,” quips Moren, having recently guided the company through a difficult stretch. “2009 was a low year because there were quite a few projects that were stopped.

We saw it through by dropping to a four-day week to keep the team together and it worked, by the end of 2009 we were busy again.”

Moren is also keen to offer the next generation of architects and designers opportunities that will expand the firm’s skillset: “Today, hotels count for over 50% of our business but we’re consistently broadening the base of what we do into other sectors.”

That’s not to say its work in the hotel industry will diminish, far from it. Working with many of the large international operators, DMA’s

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list of current projects could be the envy of any design studio: there’s a new five-star development close to St. Pauls Cathedral that will see the firm take on both architectural design and interiors; the 280-key Hilton South Bank; and the redesign of Holiday Inn Camden Lock, which Moren first designed a decade ago. “We’ve built a brand about our hotel expertise and globally we’re exploring that brand, selling an understanding of how to make a hotel work,” he says, concluding, “Hotels are still a major part of the firm and this is something I will be focusing my attention on. We’re going to grow in hotels but we’re also going to grow in other sectors.”

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COMPANY PROFILE

Ligne Roset Contracts: Hotels par excellence

There is more to Ligne Roset than dazzling domestic design, as Shanna McGoldrick finds on a visit to observe the work of the group’s hospitality division, Ligne Roset Contracts.

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or decades, the name ‘Ligne Roset’ has been synonymous with the notion of pure design, evoking images of the brand’s insouciant, revolutionary furniture pieces of the Seventies; items designed in collaboration with celebrities such as Lenny Kravitz which became stars in their own right, taking their places easily in the bohemian lofts of New York and the archives of the most coveted classics of 20th century furniture.

Yet although models such as Pierre Paulin’s Pumpkin and Michel Ducaroy’s Togo remain as instantly recongnisable and relevant as ever, the work of the company’s ever-growing dedicated hospitality division, Ligne Roset

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Contracts, has been proving for years that the brand has more than one string to its bow.

“Ligne Roset started out as a contract business,” says Max Flageollet, Director of Ligne Roset Contracts, referring to the family firm’s modest beginning as a manufacturer of wooden chair frames in the South Eastern corner of France in the 1800s. The brand’s meteoric rise through the higher echelons of residential design has been well documented since then, but a neatly timed re-launch of the hospitality divison in the late 1980s meant the company was poised to make its return to B2B work when the market called for it.

“Twenty years ago, the boutique concept only applied to small hotels,” says Bruno Allard, Ligne Roset UK Director. “But our presence in the domestic market ensured that when the trend took off, we were already perfectly positioned to expand even further into the hospitality world.”

In recent years, the company has worked

OPPOSITE PAGE: A version of the Lucca chair displayed in the restaurant at the Radisson Blu, Nantes THIS PAGE TOP LEFT: Bespoke Ligne Roset Contract chairs on display in the breakfast room of Le Royal, Lyon BOTTOM LEFT: The company added its own contemporary element to the fresh and modern meeting room at Jiva Hill, Geneva ABOVE: Ligne Roset Sala chairs furnish the breakfast room at the Hipark aparthotel Nice

on luxury bespoke hotel projects such as the Mandarin Oriental in Paris, Avenue Lodge in Val d’Isère, Sofitel Essaouira Mogador and Brown’s Hotel London. But it has also brought a touch of glamour to less exclusive enterprises, working with Jean Phillipe Nuel on the recently-opened Radisson Blu, Nantes, and furnishing the public areas and guestrooms of Hipark aparthotels in Nice, Grenoble, Marseille and EuroDisney.

“You have to be very reactive in the contract business,” says Flageollet. “And adaptability is key – you need to be just as capable of furnishing a three-star hotel as you would a five-star. You need to be able to create pieces for the lobby and public zones, furnish the bedroom, or simply provide the curtains.”

Arriving at the elegantly discreet Hotel Le Royal in Lyon, this versatility is immediately perceptible. From the side cabinets and the bespoke headboards right down to the luggage racks, each of the charmingly opulent

guestrooms bears the stamp of the Ligne Roset brand – but not as we are accustomed to seeing it. Perhaps even more surprising than learning that the contract division supplied the metal plaques fixed to the walls to protect the Ralph Lauren wallpaper from suitcase scuffs, is the very reality of seeing the furniture and accessories in such a traditionally genteel context.

“That is one of the advantages of hospitality work,” admits Flageollet. “It displays our pieces in a completely different light and allows us to develop a story. Le Royal shows that we can put contemporary furniture in a classic hotel without it being avant garde or cold or modern.”

This narrative element is equally as present in Jiva Hill, a luxurious hotel complex located at the foot of the Jura Mountains just outside of Geneva, and another Nuel project. In addition to providing the chairs for the African safari-themed guestrooms

and suites, the Ligne Roset design team applied the brand’s philosophy to the concept of a meeting room, providing enormous bespoke glass-topped tables and low-seated armchairs which, when seen in the context of the modern glass atrium, bear none of the connotations of the stuffy and dull business spaces of old. Several of the hotel’s chairs were later absorbed into the main collection – demonstrating perfectly a certain degree of fluidity between the Ligne Roset domestic and contract brands which allows them to offer a truly bespoke hospitality service.

So what are the challenges of taking such a well-known domestic name into the contract division? Inevitably, for a brand known to have such a close relationship with its designers, adding an additional partner required malleability. “When we’re working with hoteliers, naturally the process becomes a three-way conversation, with additional elements to be considered, other than

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ABOVE: Guestrooms at Hotel Le Royal, Lyon, feature headboards, side tables, sofas, armchairs, lamps and even luggage racks supplied by Ligne Roset Contracts. The Valentine desk chairs were designed in collaboration with Jean-Charles de Castelbajac TOP RIGHT: Bruno Allard, Managing Director, Ligne Roset UK BOTTOM RIGHT: Max Flageollet, Director, Ligne Roset Contracts

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merely the design of the product” says Flageollet. “And whereas for our own domestic collection we can develop and evolve our designs, there is only one chance to get it right in contract work. But that is also an advantage; it means finding solutions and delivering a beautiful and high quality product first time.”

An uncertain economy has also been an important factor. “Hotel budgets per bedroom have become more challenging over recent years,” adds Allard. “When working with small spaces and budgets, the function becomes extremely important. But it has allowed us to experiment with production and design methods and adapt ourselves to the needs of our clients, while guarding the philosophy of the Ligne Roset brand.”

It becomes apparent exactly what this philosophy represents on a tour of the Roset group’s headquarters and factories, based one hour from Lyon in Briord, the rural town which is home to the company’s original site.

Every single one of the group’s domestic and contract designs are fabricated here by a team of specialised and highly skilled

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artisans capable of creating bespoke products alongside the brand’s extensive catalogue of classics. The scene perfectly embodies the Ligne Roset ethic; an unpretentious focus on highly skilled and technical design, whether it be the perfection of a table for a budget hotel chain, or the crafting of a boutique sofa for a five-star client.

The group’s immediate vision is to continue making inroads into the contract industry, strengthening and diversifying the presence of Ligne Roset Contracts globally. Upcoming projects include working on Hotel Ibis Geneva Centre Nations, and Soleal – a luxury yacht owned by Compagnie du Ponant.

In the meantime, the contracts division allows the opportunity to both build upon and branch out from the domestic brand. “Ligne Roset Contracts is something of a laboratory, in terms of design,” says Flageollet. “Twenty years ago the design press published the most beautiful apartments. Today, people want that in a hotel. For us, it’s a way of testing ideas while showing that we are avant garde, because in fact we talk about hotels before anything else.”

Subscribe to Sleeper online at www.sleepermagazine.com

Alternatively contact our subscription department on +44 (0)161 476 5580 or email: subscriptions@mondiale.co.uk

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Let’s Take This Outside

Outdoor hospitality spaces are undergoing a very modern makeover, according to Sleeper’s expert panel.

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PRODUCT PROFILE

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he outdoor hospitality scene is changing. As hotels increasingly brand themselves as unique guest experiences, exterior public areas can no longer afford to be treated as an afterthought – being approached instead as a continuation of the project’s overall design concept.

Whether offering more space, serving as a restaurant or simply exploiting a particularly stunning location, outdoor areas offer increasingly varied opportunities to add a further element to a hotel experience. Naturally, the range of furnishing and design options for such spaces has increased accordingly, with designers embracing the concept of outdoor accessories including everything from lighting and shades to rugs and furniture.

“Outdoor spaces are more important each day,” says José A. Gandía-Blasco, President and Art Director of Gandia Blasco. “They always need more innovation, good design, and to create very stylish atmospheres.”

It is a sentiment shared by Roberto Barbazza, Sales and Marketing Manager at B&B Italia Contract Division. “Public areas have to have a ‘wow’ factor,” he explains. “Guests want the lobby and the spa to be spectacular, and outdoor terraces and pool areas have to be much more design-led than before.

Pic: Courtesy of Kettal

“Outdoor areas have exactly the same meaning as other areas these days... there is a necessity to harmonise the building with the design of both the interiors and the outdoor spaces,” he continues.

According to Alex Alorda, Vice President of Kettal, good business sense is the main driving force behind the changing attitude to outdoor landscapes. He says: “Hoteliers are starting to understand the outdoor area as an important source of income – from poolside daybed rental, private pergolas, pergolas for outdoor massages, to sofa areas which, when well defined, entice clients to stay in the hotel.”

Sleeper’s panel of experts predicts a trend towards simplistic outdoor furniture design in 2013, with contemporary, modern styles featuring natural materials such as teak, stone and wood leading the way. “The latest contemporary outdoor furniture designs are light and clean, with nothing ornate,” says Alorda, while Gandía-Blasco anticipates a continued appetite for a “fresh, cool style”.

Yet unfussy designs do not necessarily mean simple design processes, and as the industry focuses its attention on sustainability, research and development – particularly regarding materials – continues to be a priority. According to Gandía-Blasco, the desire for durable and sustainable products has seen a rise in the use of recyclable materials such as aluminium or polyethylene. Kettal uses recyclable furniture paint, whilst B&B Italia continues to test new eco-friendly materials for use in its designs.

“Sustainability is an important factor in outdoor furniture design,” says Barbazza.

“Furniture has to last under the sun, and we have to be able to guarantee sustainability and durability at the same time. It is an ongoing process.”

Certainly, safety and durability are key factors when considering outdoor furniture.

“Outdoor areas have exactly the same meaning as other areas these days...

There is a necessity to harmonise the building with the design of both the interiors and the outdoor spaces.”

Roberto Barbazza, B&B Italia

In addition to being able to withstand all the usual wear-and-tear suffered by furniture in high-traffic public areas, outdoor pieces need to be weatherproof, colourfast and long lasting. Resistance to moisture, rusting, corrosion and salinity all have to be tested vigorously, says Alorda.

“In this sector, ideally furniture requires minimum maintenance,” he says. “Textiles for furniture, particularly outdoor furniture, are extremely important, even more so if they are used in high-traffic public areas.

We work with the finest quality fabrics and removable covers, which are washable and, in some cases, stain resistant.”

The secret to successful outdoor furniture ventures seems to be striking the balance between style and durability without compromising on design. As GandíaBlasco says: “All of these factors are very important, but the most is to be very cool, stylish, and inspire a perfect ambience.”

Turn the page for the latest product launches from outdoor furniture suppliers.

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B&B ITALIA PAPILIO The Papilio armchair by Naoto Fukasawa is the most recent addition to the B&B Italia outdoor collection. It is identical to the indoor version, but its material gives it a lighter appearance. The three size options of Grande Papilio, Piccola Papilio and Mini Papilio feature an anthracite colour polyethylene interlacing.

Tel: +39 031 795 111 www.bebitalia.it

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SYMO BLOOM Inspired by summer flowers, 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.

Tel: +32 50 32 07 95 www.symo.eu

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CANE-LINE CONIC Conic features a conical frame and, with only a few modules, is easy to put together in a variety of different ways.

The novelties in Cane-line’s 2013 collection also include a reinterpretation of the classic swing sofa and chairs with the new pliable material Rope. The collection is characterised by stylish and comfortable quality based on a traditional weave.

Tel: +45 6615 4560 www.cane-line.co.uk

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PLANIKA PYRAMID Pyramid, Planika’s latest bioethanol fireplace, is suitable for both indoor and outdoor areas. Made of fiberglass and polyester laminate, the weatherresistant Pyramid also uses a Commerce Burner filled with highly absorbent ceramic fibres to prevent fuel leaks in the event that the fireplace is moved or disturbed. The system allows a burning time of around six hours and is completely smoke-free and portable.

Tel: +48 52 364 11 60 www.planikafires.com

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TRIBÙ BRANCH Inspired by tree branches, the fluid and organic Branch collection from Spanish trio Lievore Altherr Molina has been created for Tribù using a minimum number of parts. The aluminium coquille-cast frame is combined with a seat and backrest made from recyclable polypropylene, reinforced with glassfiber. Both materials are easy to maintain and are optimally weatherresistant. The design of the back and seat is reminiscent of artisan woven surfaces. The collection includes a stackable side chair and armchair, and a range of tables, and is available in white, linen, and wegné.

Tel: +32 89 61 27 50 www.tribu.com

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VONDOM FAZ Vondom has added the daybed, an elegant and comfortable sun bed with a double function for outdoor, to its Faz collection. Inspired by the mineral forms of nature, the bed has been designed using Batyline technology to offer a distinctive umbrella and sunshade system. An outdoor sound system that connects to a smartphone or blackberry completes the design.

Tel: +34 962398486 www.vondom.com

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FOSCARINI SOLAR A contemporary lamp that also serves as an outdoor table, Solar is distinguished by its hemispherical shape and flat resting surface. The light source is enclosed within a completely translucent hemisphere and appears to be compressed downwards, giving the effect of a diffused glow. The outdoor version of the product has been designed with a flat surface to allow the rain to slide off it. The hemispherical body, made of waterproof and unbreakable polyethylene, remains stable even when tilted by 15 degrees.

Tel: +39 041 595 3811 www.foscarini.com

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JANUS ET CIE FIBONACCI The Fibonacci Collection combines geometric forms found in nature and the couture pattern-making process.

Designed by Michael Gabellini and Kimberly Sheppard exclusively for Janus et Cie, the eight-piece collection features elegant indoor and outdoor, lounge and dining elements. www. janusetcie.com

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THE DESIGN NET NANIMARQUINA PRACKTIK RUG Practik is a handmade waterproof rug made of 100% Recycled Polyester and is washable. It is suitable for use both outdoors and indoors and is available in cream, green and grey and in three sizes.

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

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EGO PARIS KUBE Designed by Emmanuelle Legavre, Kube has the built-in versatility to be transformed from a chair into a sunlounger, table or ottoman. The decorated aluminium frame comes with a choice of either a flower or oriental motif in a range of 20 colourways.

Manufactured in Leisure Plan’s cushion workshop, KUBE can be neatly stored when not in use, yet becomes useable in seconds. www.furniture-egoparis.com www.leisureplan.co.uk

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BARLOW TYRIE AVON The Avon range, created by British designer Tim Fenby, has been extended for 2013 to include a new three-seat settee, armchair and ottoman and fully-rotating swivel rocker. Each piece is made from high grade solid teak, with accents of woven material, aluminium and stainless steel. “Our new teak pieces launched for 2013 clearly present Barlow Tyrie’s quality craftsmanship and design,” says Marketing Manager, David Evans.

Tel: +44 1376 557 600 www.teak.com

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MUNICH – BERLIN – LONDON – PARIS – VIENNA

Designing hospitality furniture with you in mind

NEW outdoor products 2013 Order your free, 450-page, 2013 catalogue at www.go-in.co.uk If you would like to find out more, visit our showroom in Hanwell, order our free catalogue at www.go-in.co.uk or come and see us at one of our trade fairs.

Visit us at NORTHERN RESTAURANT & BAR in Manchester, from 05th to 06th March 2013

LONDON Showroom GO IN UK Ltd. Windmill Place - Unit 4 2-4 Windmill Lane Hanwell · Middlesex UB2 4NJ · United Kingdom CHAIRS – TABLES – BARSTOOLS – MODULAR SYSTEMS

tel: fax: mail: web:

0845 021 4646 0845 021 4647 info@go-in.co.uk www.go-in.co.uk

PRODUCT PROFILE

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KETTAL PARK LIFE Jasper Morrison’s first outdoor collection Park Life is a complete family of furniture, with a clean-cut profile adaptable to a wide range of situations.

Lightweight yet extremely durable, it is easily stacked for transport or winter storage and its technical sophistication and careful consideration of ergonomics have been designed to ensure a long life, both structurally and visually.

Tel: +34 93 487 90 90 www.kettal.es

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POINT DAY & NIGHT The new braided sunshade from Point combines aesthetics and utility in a unique design. Functioning as a sunshade during the day and an outdoor lamp at night, it is made with lacquered aluminium, inox and the exclusive synthetic fibre Shinotex, providing maximum resistance to weather changes, abrasive chemical agents and wear and tear.

Tel: +34 966 480 132 www.point1920.com

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FENDI CASA OUTDOOR COLLECTION Fendi Casa’s new outdoor furniture line was officially unveiled at the 2012 Maison et Objet in Paris. Inspired by the elegance of Capri, the Hamptons and the Cote d’Azur, the collection comprises modular chairs, sofas, chaise longues and tables. Featuring weather-resistant frameworks and padding, pieces are available in two versions. www.fendi.com

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MINOTTI CORTINA The Cortina armchair, launched in 2005, has been given a new lease of life thanks to the introduction of a white painted finish with bush-hammered texture.

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This new version of the armchair considerably expands its range of possible uses, both inside and outside. Its dynamic frame shape and unusual texture form a welcoming background for backrest cushions specifically modified for superior attachment to the frame. All the cushions are covered in white cotton canvas treated with waterproof coating. The completely removable upholstery comes in an exclusive range of fabrics and colours, tested for their ability to withstand outdoor conditions.

Tel: +39 0362 343499 www.minotti.com

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EVO SUN LOUNGER

WELDED ALUMINIUM THERMOLACQUERED

+ INFO WWW.AXTHOR.COM Tel +34 96 334 69 65 - info@axthor.com

PRODUCT PROFILE

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DEDON SWINGREST The ultimate hanging lounge, Swingrest is one of the first products to emerge from Dedon Island Resort, the brand’s lab in the Philippines. Inspired by the location’s high ceilings, the Swingrest functions via an elegant suspension system, a rotating Corian tabletop and specially-created cord that wraps around the exposed tubing. Available in a natural coloured weave, it comes with a fabric curtain cover for optional privacy.

Tel: +49 4131 22 44 70 www.dedon.de

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HEVENINGHAM COLLECTION DOUBLE CHAISE LONGUE The Heveningham Collection is the ultimate in stylish, elegant iron furniture custom made in Great Britain. The Heveningham Collection designs have supplied many discerning hotel groups such as The Sandy Lane, The Connaught, Claridges, The Mandarin Oriental, Lime Wood, Whatley Manor and The Fitzwilliam to name a few. Designs include dining sets, armchairs, stools and benches, as well at a double chaise longue.

Tel: +44 1489 893 481 www.heveningham.co.uk

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ASI FLOORING WOVEN VINYL FLOORING A fresh take on high-performance material, Woven Vinyl Flooring is available in two product groupings – 144

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matte finish or metallic with a gloss finish – in both tiles and rolls. Made from raffia on a stabilising backer, certain patterns are suitable for outdoor use.

Tel: +1 212 2061730 www.archsystems.com

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OUTER EDEN SIT The vinytex or acrylic cover on Sit contains a waterproof layer, while the structure is manufactured from extruded and welded aluminium and coated with polyester paint. Available in a variety of finishes of frame and fabric to suit most commercial and residential schemes; bespoke sizing is also an option.

Tel: +44 1858 464350 www.outer-eden.co.uk

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This new event, convened by the International Herald Tribune, and the renowned Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, presents a unique opportunity to learn from the most influential and innovative executives working in the luxury hospitality industry and to network with senior professionals.

Key questions to be addressed include: •

Who will be the guest of tomorrow and how can you make them your brand ambassadors?

•

What will the deluxe offering of the future look like?

•

Who are tomorrow’s luxury hospitality investors?

Luxury Hospitality is a new event designed to provide the information and inspiration required to help create unique experiences and drive your business forward.

Register by April 5 and save £200 quoting LHSM. Special rates are available for hotel owners and operators. For more information visit

luxuryhospitalityleaders.com

or contact Amber Smart at asmart@iht.com or call +44 20 7061 3524 Sponsorship opportunities are available, contact: Carina Pierre Matthew Crudgington cpierre@iht.com matthew.crudgington@ehl.ch +33 (0)1 4143 9257 +41 21 785 1362

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6 June 2013 Lausanne, Switzerland

0 0 il 5 £2 pr E A V r by SAiste

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PRODUCT PROFILE

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GANDIA BLASCO TROPEZ Inspired by the sporting world of the 1920s and 30s, Tropez embodies a lighthearted and unpretentious approach to outdoor furniture. With casual and flexible lines, the range is made of thermo-lacquered aluminium profiles and porcelain plates. The collection includes a bed, chaise lounge, armchair, sofa and modular sofas, high and low tables, a stool and benches.

Tel: +34 902 530 302 www.gandiablasco.com

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GO IN OUTDOOR COLLECTION GO IN’s outdoor collection comprises slats made of high-density laminate combined with aluminium frames and tables and benches made entirely of aluminium, or matched with lowmaintenance Resysta in a natural ‘wood’ finish. This looks and feels just like real hardwood but is an eco-friendly, cost effective alternative that performs well in all climates.

Tel: +44 845 021 4646 www.go-in.co.uk

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KNOLL INTERNATIONAL 1966 LEISURE COLLECTION Over 45 years since the 1966 Leisure Collection was first introduced, it remains a classic. Widely celebrated as the first example of modernist outdoor furniture, Richard Schultz’s design was created at the request of Florence Knoll, who was seeking well-designed outdoor furnishings that wouldn’t corrode.

Tel: +1 800 343 5665 www.knoll.com

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SKYLINE PACIFIC Skyline design by Kingsway Kane has been supplying rattan and all-weather woven furniture for over 35 years.

The collection comprises parasols, umbrellas, rechargeable outdoor lighting and outdoor art.

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FISCHER MOBEL LODGE A system of interchangeable backs and armrests enables Lodge to be configured into any type of arrangement from a classic sofa, single chair, day bed, corner sofa or sunlounger. Designed by Wolfgang Metzger, the product comprises a cream-white powder coated aluminium frame, while the seats and backs are formed by tough, man-made fibres intricately hand-woven into a filigree pattern. Available from Leisure Plan. www.fischer-moebel.de www.leisureplan.co.uk

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Bringing outdoor space to life a truly bespoke service 119 Parker Drive, Leicester, LE4 0JP, United Kingdom Tel: +44 116 2366 726 F a x : +44 116 2366 724 Email: info@sky-linedesign.co.uk www.sky-linedesign.co.uk

PRODUCT PROFILE

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SUMMIT BOOMERANG Boomerang is Alwy Visschedyk’s third collection for Summit and takes its inspiration from the iconic Australian gaming tool the boomerang. Each piece is crafted from plantation-grown teak, with metal fittings constructed from marine-grade stainless steel and polished for a finished appearance.

Tel: +1 831 375 7811 www.summitfurniture.com

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AXTHOR EVO Durability is the key factor of Axthor Outdoor Furniture’s manufacturing process. The materials chosen carry out the technical requirements for public and intensive use in outdoor installations, wet or humid environments. Almost all of the pieces within the brand’s collection are welded with aluminium or stainless steel.

Tel: +34 670 455 895 www.axthor.com

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GLOSTER SOURCE Designed by Mathias Hoffman, Source features smooth, compelling curves to relax into. Made from an outdoor strap over powder coated aluminium frame, it comes in a variety of colour frames for both the seat and scatter cushions.

Tel: +44 1454 631 950 www.gloster.com

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VINCENT SHEPPARD LUCY Lucy comprises 14 pieces made of polyethylene fibre around a powder coated aluminum frame. UV and weather resistant, the collection is non toxic, recyclable and can handle temperature differences from -25C to 70C. Lucy is also light and can be cleaned with a damp cloth or hosed down.

Tel: +32 56 46 11 11 www.vincentsheppard.com

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HI-MACS STATTHOCKER Statthocker is a new chair collection made from classic 1960s street lanterns, designed by Bielefeld product and interior designers Oliver Bahr and Bastian Demmer. Perfectly stackable, the shades feature a seat surface made of high gloss HI-MACS. In memory of its origins the Statthocker can also be illuminated thanks to a stand-alone LED light fitted into a milled recess beneath the seat. The stool is thus not only a seat but also a light sculpture. www.himacs.eu

STONEKAST PEBBLE MINI StoneKast has introduced two new baths into its collection – the Mini and Pebble Mini. With a reduced length of 1500mm, made from an advanced blend of natural limestone and modern resin, the Mini and the Pebble Mini bring an air of spa-like luxury to the smaller bathroom and have been designed exclusively for the UK. www.stonekast.com

HAKWOOD ANDAZ AMSTERDAM PRINSENGRACHT HOTEL Guests of the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht hotel can now dine, converse and entertain on a Europen Oak floor supplied by the Dutch premium wood flooring company Hakwood. Specialising in innovative, durable and easily maintainable high-grade flooring, Hakwood is the supplier of choice for a number of clients in the hospitality sector. www.hakwood.com

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SYMPHONY REVIVE As Britain’s largest privately-owned fitted furniture manufacturer, Symphony has over 40 years experience in the industry. Through delivering the most up to date designs, with new innovative materials, textures and colours, Symphony continues to bring the best in British design and quality to all its hotel, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom brands.

Revive, the company’s brand of specialist hotel furniture, was recently selected to furnish the Roomzzz aparthotel project. www.symphony-group.co.uk

CROSSWATER BROCHURE APPS Crosswater has launched a range of Apple Brochure Apps available free of charge from iTunes Newsstand as well as a range of interactive brochures on the company’s website. The apps allow readers to bookmark multiple pages, save and share notes on any page and download complete brochures as PDF files. Suitable for smart phones. www.crosswater.co.uk

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VITRA WAVER Extreme sports were the source of inspiration for this lightweight, comfortable and allpurpose chair by Konstantin Grcic. The swivel chair’s design incorporates constructive principles from sporting equipment and translates them into an avant-garde design.

Suitable for outdoor and indoor use. www.vitra.com

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ORIGINAL BTC LONDON Original BTC has unveiled the re-design of its London floor light, retaining the product’s elegant lines and Bahusinspired spun aluminium semi-sphere shade with a solid chromed base.

Matching cotton braided flex is woven through the curved arm for a tailored finish. London is available in four colourways: black, grey, yellow and red. www. originalbtc.com

Tel: +44 (0)20 8894 9231 Email: sales@burgessfurniture.com Web: www.burgessfurniture.com

The new benchmark for contemporary banquet and conference chairs BurgessSCOrvia_Sleep_206x120_FINAL.indd 1

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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

SLEEPER SPECIFIER

NOKEN MOOD Porcelanosa’s stunning new Mood bathroom range from Noken has been designed by internationally renowned architects Richard Rogers and Luis Vidal. The sanitaryware combines traditional ceramic with Krion, a new generation material. It is modular and scalable, offering both versatility and functionality, with a strikingly fresh and modern colour scheme. www.noken.com

DESIGNERS GUILD CONTRACTS DIVISION Offering an extensive range of over 5,000 fabrics and wallpapers, the Designers Guild Contracts Division works with leading interior designers, architects and specifiers to furnish a wide range of hospitality projects worldwide. High specification Trevira CS, FR and hard-wearing fabrics are complemented by non-woven wallcoverings and an Essentials range of plains available in broad colour palette. All are tested for usage, flammability, washability and light fastness. The latest addition to the portfolio is Canossa, a collection of four designs featuring satin stripes, jacquard, and a geometric cut velvet. www.designersguild.com

DUCK ISLAND LIFE’S LITTLE LUXURY Duck Island embossed soaps come in 30ml bottles with unique, distinctive, fluted tops and an embossed motif. Ergonomically designed, the Life’s Little Luxury range is free of parabens and mineral oil and has never been tested on animals. Individually boxed, co-ordinated accessories complement the range. www.duckisland.co.uk

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Design by Philippe Starck

STARCK. A CLASSIC REVIVED.

Sanitaryware, bathroom furniture, bathtubs, shower trays, wellness products and accessories: Duravit has everything you need to make life in the bathroom a little more beautiful. More info at Duravit UK, Milton Keynes, Phone 0845 500 7787, Fax 0845 500 7786, info@uk.duravit.com, www.duravit.co.uk

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SLEEPER SPECIFIER

LYNDON DESIGN ARTHUR Lyndon Design has introduced High Back Booth to its flagship Arthur seating collection. The range includes sofa and armchair options, and can be specified in contrasting fabrics and colours. The horizontal paneling and lumber cushion provide a high back support position. www. lyndon.co.uk

VADO TE FALLS Vado’s Té Falls basin mixers blend a striking square design with the allure of a waterfall spout. The mixers, which incorporate a trickle back prevention feature, are available in extended and standard heights and boast a low minimum operating pressure of 0.2 bar.

Té Falls features H2Eco flow regulators fitted as standard making it possible to save water and money on utility bills without compromising design. www.vado-uk.com

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HANSGROHE INTERCONTINENTAL WESTMINSTER The InterContinental Westminister, which opened in November 2012 following a £150 million investment by Shiraz Boghani and the family of Supreme Hotels, chose Hansgrohe to furnish the bathrooms for its 256 guestrooms.

The hotel features washbasins from the Axor Urquiola collection, designed by Patricia Urquiola in collaboration with Axor. Showers and bathroom fittings throughout have been supplied by the German manufacturer. www.hansgrohe.com

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INTERFACE URBAN RETREAT Urban Retreat is available in three distinct styles, with a range of colours for each product. Reflecting the core elements of biophilic design, ranges within the Urban Retreat collection are evocative of traditional stone, dense woodland, and savannah grasses. Each range offers its own take on the natural environment and has been designed to create a relaxed and calming indoor ambiance. www.interfaceflor.co.uk

Eliminate steam from your mirrors forever. Specified worldwide.

Fits any mirror. Internationally approved. The pads are low cost, simple to fit and maintenance free. Various voltages. Low energy consumption. Can be custom made. Manufactured in the UK www.demista.co.uk Email. rd@demista.co.uk Tel. +44 (0)1932 866600 Fax. +44 (0)1932 866688

SLEEPER SPECIFIER

RYAN STRETCH The Stretch seating system has been designed with versatility and comfort in mind. Whilst it is available as a standard two or three seater sofa or armchair, it can also be configured in any single length and joined at 30, 60 and 90 degree angles and reverse angles. It features a solid beech frame with legs in Wenge stained beech or Natural Oak and can be specified in a wide range of fabrics. www.martinryan.co.uk

PRECIOSA INSPIRAL InSpiral made its debut at the One and Only, The Palm, Dubai, and became one of last year’s most popular lighting concepts. Featuring spirals consisting of crystal prisms which encapsulate light sources, Spiral is a contemporary and modern fixture which will enliven any hospitality space. www.preciosalighting.com

DURAVIT ST. TROP Duravit’s St. Trop steam shower was singled out by the judging panel at this year’s iF Awards, winning a distinction in its category.

A simple rectangle designed by Philippe Starck, who was inspired by the structure of a framed painting when creating the product, St.Trop has a footprint of no more than one square metre. www.duravit.co.uk

TAI PING CARPETS DESIGN COLLECTIVE The Design Collective features the visual expression from three emerging artists. Each distinct series of designs showcases a varied range of patterns, from soft and natural to bold and lively, to imperfectly perfect textures. The result is a creative culmination of new and innovative designs meant to challenge and inspire. www.taipingcarpets.com

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SLEEPER SHOWCASE

SM0113

Nationwide and International service Fully fitted and quantity discounts available Any choice of colour and stain finishes.

Bespoke design options.

As fitted at many of the finest hotels

E. W. T. M.

Mattresses made by hand in Devon

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

info@plantationshuttersdirect.co.uk www.plantationshuttersdirect.co.uk 0845 164 5070 07504 188646 - 7 Days

Outdoor furniture and Planters Outer Eden Trading Ltd Zen Building, Airfield Business Park, Market Harborough LE16 7UL

01858 464350

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.

ANDAZ AMSTERDAM Marcel Wanders Studio Westerstraat 187 1015 MA Amsterdam The Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)20 422 13 39 www.marcelwanders.com

QT SYDNEY Nicholas Graham + Associates 4a Boronia Street Redfern 2016 Australia Tel: +61 296986862 www.nicgraham.com

ROOMZZZ APARTHOTEL NEWCASTLE CITY Bentley Interior Design 10 Church Street Keighley West Yorkshire BD16 5HS UK Tel: +44 (0)7977 049737

VANDER URBANI RESORT SADAR + VUGA d.o.o.

Tivolska 50 SI-1000 Ljubljana Slovenija Tel: +386 1 430 56 64 www.sadarvuga.com

DAS STUE LVG Arquitectura Aribau 326 5è1a 08006 Barcelona Spain Tel: +34 93 414 71 46 www.lvg.hydragrafix.com

www.bentleyinteriordesign.co.uk

TOKYO STATION HOTEL Richmond International 9 Dallington Street London EC1V 0BQ UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7490 1901 www.richint.com

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DesignLSM The Bath House 58 Livingstone Road Hove East Sussex BN3 3WL UK Tel: +44 (0)1273 820 033 www.designlsm.com

WWW.SLEEPERMAGAZINE.COM

THE ORCHARD HOTEL Graven Images 175 Albion Street Glasgow G1 1RU Scotland Tel: +44 (0)141 552 6626 www.graven.co.uk

DRAYTON MANOR John Pass Associates 12 High Street Warwick CV34 4A UK Tel: +44 (0)1926 400 645

WOOD NORTON Vassen Design Ltd 30 West Street Chipping Norton Oxfordshire OX7 5ER UK Tel: +44 (0)7811 174 087 www.vassendesign.com

Advertising Index Albrecht Jung GmbH & Co KG

057

Gloster Furniture Ltd

039

Point 081

Aliseo GmbH Germany

065

GO IN GmbH

141

Porcelanosa 073

Atrium Ltd

059

Hansgrohe 067

Preciosa Lighting

Axthor 143

HD Expo

Protocol Ltd

079 & 119

B&B Italia

164

HI Design

Roset Hotels

008

Barlow Tyrie Ltd

063

HOLA 123

Skyline Design Uk

147

Beck Interiors Ltd

149

Hot.E 118

Sleep 131

Bossini SpA

045

IHT Luxury Hospitality Conference

145

Sleepover 163

Burgess Furniture Ltd

153

Imagine Hospitality

109

StoneKAST 151

CATHIC 122

125 120 & 121

027

Index 126

Summit Furniture (Europe) Ltd

093

Symo Parasols

153

Cetis Inc

017

Interface Europe Ltd

Dare Studio

157

Isomi 094

Tai Ping Carpets Americas Inc

015

Dedar SpA

019

Kettal 105

The Design Net Limited

049

Deirdre Dyson

023

La Drape International

The Symphony Group PLC

097

Top Hotel Projects

127

Demista 157

Leisure Plan

033

111 006 & 007

LG 046

VADO 075

Duravit 155

Limited Edition

106

Vincent Sheppard NV

Excalibur Furniture

LSE Lighting

Dominic Schuster

002

103

113

Vondom 043

Forbo 099

Lutron 083

Zoffany 037

Gandia Blasco

May Design Series

157 051

Gira 021

OW Hospitality

124 004 & 005

The 2011 US annual subscription price is $168.00. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named Air Business Ltd, c/o Worldnet Shipping Inc., 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11431. US Postmaster: Send address changes to SLEEPER, Air Business Ltd, c/o Worldnet Shipping Inc., 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA.

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CHECK-OUT

ICEHOTEL Jukkasjärvi After two months of construction, the #23 ICEHOTEL in Swedish Lapland is complete.

Since November 2012, selected artists from around the world have gathered in the picturesque village of Jukkasjärvi to create this exclusive ice art exhibition. Artistic Director Ake Larsson, Architect Arne Bergh, and Structural Engineer Mark Armstrong have designed and built the hotel from 21,500 tons of ‘snice’ (a mixture of snow and Torne River ice) and 900 tons of manufactured ice. Artists from fifteen countries including Greece, Lithuania, Argentina, Mongolia, Japan, and the UK created the 65 guestrooms including one Art Suite Deluxe, 16 Art Suites, 28 Ice Rooms, nine Snow Rooms and two group rooms.

Ten themed Northern Lights Suites, designed to celebrate the Aurora Borealis reaching the peak of its eleven-year cycle, feature a ‘swipe’ of ice with spectacular LED lighting so that guests can enjoy a northern lights show from the comfort of their illuminated ice bed. Pictured is the Whitewater suite carved by Elin Julin and Ida Mangsbo. www.icehotel.com 162

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Photo: Paulina Homgren Artists: Elin Julin and Ida Mangsbo Suite: Whitewater

Sleepover is a new style of networking event for the hotel industry, bringing together like-minded souls involved in creating new hotel concepts worldwide.

Following our successful mission to Berlin in 2012, Sleepover 2013 sees us sail into Amsterdam. Our mission remains the same – for our guests to meet in a less formal environment than other industry events, for the sharing of ideas, experiences and knowledge to help grow each others’ businesses.

So, no seminars, speed dating, or sales pitches, just social networking of the traditional variety – great venues, good food and a bit of grog with industry friends both old and new. After all, we’re all in the same boat.

If you would like to join us on our travels, please email: shipping@sleepoveramsterdam.com

www.sleepoveramsterdam.com

Organised by Sleeper Magazine. Hotel Design, Development & Architecture. Registered

Office: Waterloo Place, Watson Square, Stockport, UK, SK1 3AZ

pc studio - photo fabrizio bergamo

Canasta - Design Patricia Urquiola - www.bebitalia.com

www.bebitalia.com B&B Italia Store London, SW3 2AS - 250 Brompton Road - Tel. 020 7591 8111 UK Agent: Keith De La Plain - T. +44 786 0419670 keith.delaplain@btinternet.com

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