Business Traveller Middle East - January 2023

BUSINESS CLASS WTTC GLOBAL SUMMIT LONDON HOTELS PLUS

Roger Dubuis • Bentley • Global News

VIEWS

In conversation with Chef William Chaaban from e Oberoi Beach Resort Al Zorah 32 ELEVATOR PITCH ibault de Vries, general manager of Andaz Doha

Manchester City footballer Riyad Mahrez shares his top travel tips and goals

4 HOURS IN... NEW YORK CITY From art and culture to nature and architecture, there’s plenty to see 56 LIFESTYLE is month, we’re inspired by workout gear for those on the go 66 POSTCARD Lionel Messi wears the bisht

14 WELC OME, WORLD

We visited the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Global Summit in Riyadh

22 BUSINESS CLASS SEAT GUIDE – MIDDLE EAST Business class seats on airlines ying long haul out of this region

28 ALTI TUDE MATTERS

Leading business jets were on display at the high-pro le MEBAA Show in Dubai

34 LONDON, FOUR WAYS

Four London stays for GCC guests visiting for business, leisure or as is the trend, both

44 THE NEW ICE AGE

Boutique ice is a growing trend in the luxury drinks industry 48 BIG GAINS e stately new Bentley Bentayga EWB is reviewed during a drive in Vancouver 52 ALPH A WATCHMAKING

An exclusive interview with the CEO of Geneva-based watchmaker Roger Dubuis 55 A PERUVIAN PARADISE Peru wins multiple accolades at the 2022 World Travel Awards

BEYO ND THE HORIZON e Jumeirah Gulf of Bahrain Resort and Spa raises the country’s luxury hospitality sector

Welcome to the New Year. If all goes according to plan, this will be the first full year where we won’t have any pandemic-related travel restrictions in most countries around the world. We were confident this day would come sooner than later – and now that it’s here, it’s time to make the most of it. As we learnt at the recent World Travel and Tourism Council’s Global Summit in Riyadh (pg14), the travel and tourism industry is set to grow 5.8 per cent annually, while global GDP is expected to rise at 2.7 per cent – clearly, it’s making up for the lost years.

With several high-profile hotels in key giga projects across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar coming to life this year, travellers will have a wide variety of choices as they explore the GCC countries for tourism or business – or a mix of both. In the following pages, you can also read in-depth about one exceptional property, the Jumeirah Gulf of Bahrain Resort and Spa, in our cover story (pg18).

Helping you along your hectic travel schedule will be the big Middle East carriers. Among these key airlines that currently operate out of here, we’ve put together a guide to business class

seats on them (pg22). The aviation ecosystem here is only set to receive a fillip once the new airport in Riyadh is built – it will reportedly accommodate 120 million travellers by 2030. There’s also informed speculation of a wildly-anticipated new airline in the kingdom, the details of which are still under wraps though.

Besides, in this edition, we’ve got an extensive lifestyle section where we review the new Bentley Bentayga EWB (pg48), speak with Swiss watchmaker Roger Dubuis’ CEO Nicola Andreatta (pg52), and learn more about a boutique ice company based out of Dubai (pg44). Meanwhile, to read our hotel and restaurant reviews – from the region and beyond –turn to our Tried & Tested section (pg59).

Safe travels wherever this year takes you. Enjoy 2023, enjoy the issue.

THIS ISSUE’S PICKS

Business

MOTIVATE MEDIA GROUP

Editor-in-Chief Obaid Humaid Al Tayer

Managing Partner and Group Editor Ian Fairservice

Editor Varun Godinho

Art Director Clarkwin Cruz

Editorial Co-ordinator Londresa Flores

Contributors Gemma Greenwood, Hannah Brandler, Amy Sessions, Melanie Swan, Rob Chilton, Gautam Sharma

General Manager – Production S Sunil Kumar

Production Manager Binu Purandaran

Production Supervisor Venita Pinto

Chief Commercial Officer Anthony Milne

Group Sales Manager Chaitali Khimji

Senior Sales Manager Murali Narayanan

PANACEA MEDIA LTD

Managing Director Julian Gregory

Associate Publisher Middle East Rania Apthorpe

Global Editor-in-Chief Tom Otley

WTTC SUMMIT

The latest updates on the global state of the travel and tourism sector (Page 14)

ALTITUDE MATTERS

Class-leading busines jets made their way to Dubai for the MEBAA Show 2022 (Page 28)

HEAD OFFICE:Media One Tower, Dubai Media City, PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE. Tel: +971 4 427 3000; Fax: +971 4 428 2266, E-mail: btme@motivate.ae

DUBAI MEDIA CITY: SD 2-94, 2nd Floor, Building 2, Dubai, UAE. Tel: +971 4 390 3550; Fax +971 4 390 4845

LONDON STAYS

Four London hotels, in four unique locations that appeal to GCC guests (Page 34)

ABU DHABI: PO Box 43072, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Tel: +971 2 677 2005; Fax: +971 2 657 3401, Email: motivate-adh@motivate.ae

SAUDI ARABIA: Office 452, Regus Offices, 4th Floor, Al Hamad Tower, King Fahad Road, Al Olaya, Riyadh, KSA Tel: +966 11 834 3595 / +966 11 834 3596; Fax: +966 11 834 3501; Email: motivate@motivate.ae

LONDON: Motivate Publishing Ltd, Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London, NW1 3ER, UK E-mail: motivateuk@motivate.ae

Panacea Media Ltd

41-43 Maddox Street, London, W1S 2PD

Tel +44 (0)20 7821 2700 businesstraveller.com

Panacea Publishing Asia Ltd #2408 24/F Dominion Centre, 43-59 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong, Tel: +852 2594 9300, Fax: +852 25196846

SUBSCRIPTIONS: email subscriptions@motivate.ae; tel +971 4 427 3542

Traveller Middle East is jointly published by Motivate Media Group and Panacea Media Ltd

Varun Godinho, Editor

SINDALAH ISLAND IN NEOM

NEOM UNVEILS PLANS FOR FIRST ISLAND DEVELOPMENT

THE FIRST LUXURY ISLAND and yacht club destination within the Saudi giga project of Neom is set to open to the public in 2024. Called Sindalah, it will be spread over 840,000 sqm and will feature an 86-berth marina, 38 culinary o erings and a 5,920m par 70 golf course too. “Three luxury hotels will be located on Sindalah, with 413 ultra-premium hotel rooms including 88 villas and a further 333 serviced apartments. Facilities on Sindalah will include a luxury beach club and a glamorous yacht club, as well as a spa and wellness centre,” Chris Newman, executive director of Hotel Development at Neom told Business Traveller Middle East.

Hilton opens new Conrad property in Morocco

HILTON HAS OPENED Conrad Rabat Arzana, the rst property under its Conrad Hotels and Resorts brand in Morocco. e 120-key hotel is located north of Harhoura, and is a 35-minute drive from Rabat Salé airport. e oor plans range from deluxe guest rooms to the 632 sqm Royal Suite. Culinary options include 99 Sushi Bar and Restaurant and La Brise, among others. e Conrad Spa spans two oors and features six rooms, including a spa suite. e property joins Hilton’s ve operating hotels in Morocco – Hilton Tanger City Center Hotel and Residences, Hilton Tanger Al Houara Resort and Spa, Hilton Garden Inn Tanger City Center, Hilton Garden Inn Casablanca Sud and Hilton Taghazout Bay Beach Resort and Spa – as well as six hotels under development across the North African country.

Emirates initiates loyalty partnership programme with Air Canada

EMIRATES AND AIR CANADA – Canada’s largest airline – now o er frequent flyer members joint loyalty programme benefits. Emirates Skywards members can earn and redeem Miles on all flights operated by Air Canada – accessing a network of more than 220 destinations worldwide. Air Canada’s Aeroplan members meanwhile will also be able to earn and redeem Points on all flights operated by Emirates – with access to more than 130 destinations via the airline’s hub of Dubai. As for lounge access, Emirates Skywards Platinum and Gold members travelling in economy class with Air Canada or Emirates have complimentary access to Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounges and Air Canada Café in Toronto Pearson, along with one guest.

VISTARA COMMENCES SERVICES BETWEEN MUSCAT AND MUMBAI

VISTARA, A JOINT VENTURE between Tata group and Singapore Airlines, has begun nonstop daily ights between Mumbai and Muscat. Vistara said that it is now the only carrier to o er premium economy class on the route, in addition to business and economy seats. e capital of Oman is the carrier’s fourth destination in the Middle East. Also, Muscat is the third Middle East destination that Vistara has added to its network within the previous six months. In 2022, it launched services to Jeddah and Abu Dhabi in August and October, respectively. It already operates daily ights between Dubai and Mumbai.

Diriyah announces 16 additional hotels in hospitality portfolio

DIRIYAH GATE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (DGDA) has named 16 additional global hotel brands which will join its hospitality portfolio in the US$50.6 billion development located in Riyadh. These 16 hotel brands will open across two of DGDA’s masterplan areas – Diriyah and Wadi Safar. The new hotels in Diriyah include Thai brand Anantara, Corinthia Hotels, Marriott International’s Edition Hotels, Taj Hotels, The Langham, Waldorf Astoria, 1 Hotels, Pendry Hotels and Resorts, Treehouse Hotel, Hyatt Place, Moxy Hotels and Radisson Hotel Group’s Radisson RED. The new properties announced for Wadi Safar meanwhile include Faena Hotel, Montage Hotels and Resorts, The Chedi by GHM Hotels and Well Health Retreat. The 16 new properties take the list of confirmed hotel openings to 32, with its first hotel slated to open this year.

Kerzner’s fitnessfocused Siro hotel brand to launch in Dubai

KERZNER INTERNATIONAL will open its first hotel in Dubai under its fitness and wellbeing-focused Siro brand. Siro One Za’abeel is scheduled to open its doors in late 2023 within one of the two high-rise towers of mixed-use development One Za’abeel in Dubai. The hotel will include a fitness club across two floors with a 1,000 sqm gym. There will also be a Recovery Lab with cutting-edge technologies, cryo, infrared and oxygen therapies, physiotherapy, acupuncture and stretching, as well as dedicated mindfulness coaches and nutrition experts. International sports teams AC Milan and Olympic athletes Ramla Ali and Adam Peaty will collaborate with in-house teams to define the guest experience.

Etihad to reintroduce A380s into fleet

UAE NATIONAL CARRIER Etihad Airways will reintroduce four A380s into its active eet starting this summer. Etihad plans to operate the A380s to London Heathrow, freeing up capacity for increased frequencies on existing routes and allowing it to launch new destinations. e airline said that as part of its preparation to bring the A380s back into service, it is in the process of recruiting and training dedicated A380 teams which include pilots, cabin crew and technical ground sta . e A380s’ return will also be supported by the addition of ve of its smaller A320 siblings.

NEW RIYADH AIRPORT TO ACCOMMODATE 120 MILLION TRAVELLERS BY 2030

A MASTER PLAN FOR THE NEW King Salman International Airport to be built in the Saudi capital city of Riyadh has been unveiled. It is expected to become one of the world’s largest airports covering an area of approximately 57 sq km, allowing for six parallel runways. The airport aims to accommodate up to 120 million travellers by 2030 and 185 million passengers by 2050. It will also have the capacity to process 3.5 million tonnes of cargo by 2050. It will reportedly achieve LEED Platinum certification by incorporating green initiatives into its design and will be powered by renewable energy. The airport is projected to contribute SAR27 billion annually to the country’s non-oil GDP and create 103,000 direct and indirect jobs.

FLYDUBAI TO BEGIN DAILY FLIGHTS TO ST PETERSBURG THIS MONTH

DUBAI-BASED CARRIER, flydubai, will launch daily flights to St Petersburg’s Pulkovo International airport starting January 20, 2023. The flights to St Petersburg from Terminal 2 at Dubai International are currently scheduled to be operated by the airline’s fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The carrier first started its operations in the Russian market in 2010 with direct flights to Samara and Yekaterinburg. With the launch of the new service, flydubai will serve nine destinations in Russia. At six hours and 50 minutes, the Dubai-St Petersburg route will be among its longest flights, after Krabi and Pattaya in Thailand.

EMIRATES

A380 SERVICE TO LONDON GATWICK

EMIRATES HAS RAMPED UP operations between Dubai and Gatwick airport with the addition of a third daily A380 flight. It said that the decision to increase the number of flights to the UK was “to meet sustained demand ahead of the holiday rush.” The additional frequency will o er enhanced capacity with more than 1,000 seats between Gatwick and Dubai, every day. Emirates currently serves the UK with 119 weekly flights across seven UK hubs including: six times daily to London Heathrow; thrice daily to London Gatwick; a daily service to London Stansted; thrice daily to Manchester; a double daily service to Birmingham; daily flights to Newcastle; and a daily service to Glasgow.

HYATT HAS ANNOUNCED its pipeline of 13 anticipated openings within its luxury portfolio over the next three years across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). By 2026, these hotels will increase Hyatt’s luxury brand footprint by over 30 per cent in that region. Upcoming Hyatt properties in the Middle East include the Park Hyatt Riyadh Diriyah Gate which will open in 2025 alongside the Al-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site. Andaz Doha in Qatar will open in early 2023, while Grand Hyatt e Red Sea will be a 430-room property on Shaura Island and is expected to open in mid-2024. It will not only be the largest of the 11 hotels planned for the island, but also the second Grand Hyatt hotel in Saudi Arabia and the seventh in the Middle East.

NH COLLECTION DUBAI THE PALM is slated to open in February this year. While there are over 70 NH Collection properties worldwide, this will be the first in the Middle East. Located in a new building on Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, it is situated opposite Nakheel Mall and o ers direct access to the upmarket Palm West Beach. The beachfront property includes 227 rooms and suites, as well as 306 studios and apartments across a total of 11 room categories. Apart from five dining venues, it will also have a rooftop infinity pool, a spa and multiple events spaces too.

First

in the Middle East will debut in Dubai next month

Hyatt to grow EMEA luxury portfolio by 30 per cent

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Global partners with The Ocean Race

Red Sea Global (RSG), the developers of e Red Sea project and Amaala in Saudi Arabia, have become the Regenerative Project Partner for the next two editions of the round-the-world e Ocean Race. “ rough this partnership, we hope to support the e orts of e Ocean Race to raise awareness of the challenges facing our oceans globally today, and protect the outstanding beauty of the marine ecosystems in areas such as the Red Sea. At the same time, we want to nurture the next generation of sailors and build a sailing legacy for years to come,” said John Pagano, group CEO of RSG.

32,000

Total nautical miles covered during The Ocean Race

e 14th edition of e Ocean Race will start from Alicante in Spain on January 15, 2023, and nish in Genova, Italy, in the summer of 2023. It will visit nine destinations around the world including Alicante, Cabo Verde, Cape Town, Itajaí, Newport, Aarhus, Kiel, e Hague, and Genova.

One of the toughest legs in the race that the two eets of mixed crews on foiling IMOCA and one-design VO65 boats will have to navigate is the 12,750 nautical mile, one-month marathon from Cape Town in South Africa to Itajaí in Brazil.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

We need to uphold a fair and equitable global order on biodiversity protection, rmly defend true multilateralism, rmly support the UN-centred international system…and form a strong synergy to protect the Earth”

Chinese President Xi Jinping, during the opening ceremony of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity

ROLLS-ROYCE AND EASYJET TEST

HYDROGEN USE ON JET ENGINE

Rolls-Royce and Easyjet recently conducted the world’s first run of a modern aero engine powered by hydrogen. The ground test took place using a converted Rolls-Royce AE 2100-A jet engine. It used green hydrogen supplied by the European Marine Energy Centre. While this is a major step forward for commercial aviation, there are limitations. As Airbus previously noted, “Hydrogen may provide more energy by mass than kerosene fuel, but it delivers less energy by volume. At normal atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature, you would need approximately 3,000 litres of gaseous hydrogen to achieve the same amount of energy as one litre of kerosene fuel.”

ASCOTT REFRESHES SOMERSET BRAND WITH DEEPER FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY

THE ASCOTT LIMITED (ASCOTT) has refreshed its hospitality brand, Somerset, with a more dedicated focus on sustainability. Besides incorporating nature-centred design features at its properties around the world, such as a green wall built on the external side of Somerset Al Fateh Bahrain, it is also undertaking initiatives including creating an organic garden for guests to enjoy farm-to-table vegetables at Somerset City Centre Atyrau, while the gym equipment at its di erent properties is either energy-saving or power-generating. Its Somerset Sustainability Passport Programme also rewards guests with discounts and perks when they make sustainable choices. The second largest brand within Ascott’s worldwide portfolio, Somerset is present across 70 properties, including seven in the Middle East, Africa, Türkiye and Central Asia. Ascott is also one of the first hospitality groups to be conferred with the Recognised Standard status by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Kazakhstan’s Air Astana recycles used aircra parts

AIR ASTANA IS UPCYCLING used aircraft parts and decommissioned spares from B767 and A320 aircraft into furniture and interior decorations. The pieces, which originated as nose cones, luggage compartment lids and seat frames, have been transformed into items such as tables and chairs. There are also backpacks sewn from cabin upholstery fabrics which are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use with the ability to withstand a variety of temperature and climatic conditions.

DUSIT PARTNERS WITH ORGANIC RICE FARMS

DUSIT HOTELS AND RESORTS has become the rst hotel chain in ailand to o er 100 per cent organic rice across its entire portfolio of properties nationwide. Embracing a farm-to-table concept, Dusit has selected four farming communities to work with, including collectives in Surin and Sisaket provinces. Driven by Dusit International’s food business unit, Dusit Foods, and the company’s Sustainability Committee, the initiative sees Dusit work directly with farm collectives and provide support in everything from quality control to training, packaging and distribution, helping to support sustainable development.

ECO-FRIENDLY VILLAS IN VIETNAM

THE HUE ECOLODGE in Vietnam’s former capital, Hue, o ers just 15 thatched villas set within lush, private tropical gardens which are overflowing with seasonal fruits. Guests have the option of sampling organically grown vegetables at the hotel’s onsite restaurant or taking a tour of the local area to experience the authentic charms first hand.

1 Air Canada starts Vancouver-Bangkok route

Air Canada has begun a new seasonal route between Vancouver and Bangkok. The four-timesweekly service is being operated by a B787 Dreamliner aircraft. The Canadian flag carrier is thus currently the only airline o ering regular nonstop flights between North America and Thailand.

2 Hilton opens e Morrow Hotel in Washington DC

Hilton has opened The Morrow Hotel under its Curio Collection brand in Washington DC. The new-build hotel, located in the city’s NoMa district, features four F&B venues by Michelin-starred executive chef Nicholas Stefanelli, as well as 1,060 sqm of meeting and events space.

3 Paris CDG Terminal 1 reopens a er major refurbishment

Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport has reopened its Terminal 1. The terminal closed on March 30, 2020, at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, with operator Aéroports de Paris using the time to carry out an extensive €250 million refurbishment.

4 Tata Group to merge Air India and Vistara Tata Group plans to merge Air India and Vistara, the latter carrier being a joint venture between Tata and Singapore Airlines (SIA). SIA will invest US$250 million in Air India, giving it a 25.1 per cent stake in the Air India group. SIA said that it could potentially spend up to US$615 million.

1 2

5 St Regis brand enters Jakarta

Marriott International has debuted its St Regis brand in Jakarta. The 282-room St Regis Jakarta is situated amongst foreign embassies. New Yorkbased designer, Alexandra Champalimaud, drew inspiration from Indonesia’s musical traditions for the hotel’s interiors.

6 Hong Kong eases restrictions on international arrivals

Hong Kong has eased its restrictions on inbound travellers. The city will no longer restrict the movements of arrivals in public establishments for the first three days after they land. Incoming travellers with a negative PCR test can now roam the city freely.

7 Hyatt’s JDV brand debuts in Taiwan

Hyatt has opened the first property under its JDV brand in Taiwan. The 140-room Episode Hsinchu is located on Taiwan’s northwestern coast, around 40 minutes from Taoyuan International airport. Hyatt added JDV to its portfolio upon acquiring Two Roads Hospitality in 2018.

8 Philippine Airlines to launch Manila-Perth service in 2023

Philippine Airlines will start its new nonstop service between Manila and Perth this year. The service was initially slated to begin in March 2020. The flag carrier will now commence thrice-weekly flights on March 27, operated using its A321 neo.

9 Cathay Paci c to restart rst class on Paris and Tokyo routes

Cathay Pacific will resume first class services on its Paris and Tokyo routes from January 18 and February 1, respectively. First class amenities include Bamford bedding, a pillow menu, skincare products, slippers and an eye mask from Hong Kong brand PYE.

10 Accor outlines 2023 plans for Australia and New Zealand

Accor plans to open nine hotels across Australia and New Zealand this year. It includes properties under its Pullman brand in Sydney and Auckland. Other brands opening in 2023 include its MGallery in Sydney, as well as The Sebel in Wellington, among other properties.

Welcome, world

The annual World Travel and Tourism Council’s Global Summit held in Riyadh recently showcased not only the stellar recovery that the industry has made, but also the roadmap for a promising future in the short- to mid-term

Only a few months ago, alarm sirens wailed as the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) stated that the travel and tourism sector had taken a US$4.5 trillion hit in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. At the time, its contribution to global GDP dropped 50.4 per cent, vastly disproportionate to the 3.7 per cent dip in the overall economy globally. Legitimate questions about the robustness of the sector swirled.

However, at the 22nd Global Summit of the WTTC held at the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Centre in Riyadh from November 28 - December 1 last year, it was clear that all that pessimism from only a few months prior had dissolved to give way to buoyant celebration as the industry made a charging comeback.

Julia Simpson, WTTC president and CEO, took to the stage at the opening of the summit, to outline the

ABOVE: Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism

BELOW: Panel discussions at the WTTC Global Summit 2022

prospects of that recovery. “When travel and tourism thrive, other industries thrive with it. Our ten-year forecast shows that our sector will outpace global growth. We will be growing at 5.8 per cent annually, while global GDP is expected to grow at 2.7 per cent.”

Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, spoke on that same stage just before Simpson and called for “collective action” to build out the future of the industry. “We have to future-proof this industry that

provides one in nine jobs. Tourism will create 126 million new jobs in the next decade – that means one in every three new jobs created will be in our sector. It means we can change many lives, if we do this right.”

Al Khateeb’s remarks were being made in a country that was indeed doing it right. As recently as a decade ago, tourism wasn’t a major consideration for Saudi Arabia. But as an aggressive national economic diversi cation agenda took root, it became among the kingdom’s core agendas with giga projects currently being executed around the country.

At the summit, one of those giga projects – the US$50.6 billion mixeduse development at Diriyah on the outskirts of Riyadh – announced the opening of At-Turaif, the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Diriyah, as well as its adjacent premium dining destination of Bujairi Terrace.

Another major announcement that coincided with the summit was the unveiling of a master plan for a new

six-runway King Salman International Airport which will be built in Riyadh to accommodate up to 120 million travellers by 2030. e con dence that the industry as a whole has in the future of Saudi was only reiterated when Simpson revealed that WTTC members are set to invest more than US$10.5 billion in the kingdom. e calibre of speakers who took to the stage over the course of the summit is enough to convince you about the collective might of those WTTC members. Six of the world’s biggest operators – Hilton, Marriott International, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Accor, IHG and the Radisson Hotel Group – had their CEOs present at the summit in Riyadh. Hilton President and CEO and former chairman of WTTC, Chris Nassetta, was joined by the CEO of the world’s largest hotel group, Anthony Capuano of Marriott International. Hyatt Hotels Corporation president and CEO Mark Hoplamazian, IHG CEO Keith Barr, Accor chairman and CEO Sébastien Bazin, and Radisson Hotel Group CEO Federico J González too showed up in Riyadh. Together, these six major brands are reported to manage over four million hotel rooms around the world. Collectively, they are reported to have around 43,500 new hotel rooms in the pipeline for Saudi Arabia. e summit, held under the theme of ‘Travel for a Better Future’, saw the participation of over 3,000 delegates from 140 countries. e Riyadh gathering had double the number of delegates compared to the previous pre-Covid WTTC summit in Seville, and also had nearly three times as many countries represented within it. Drawing in the crowds at the WTTC were speakers including Ban Ki Moon, who served as the eighth UN Secretary-General from 2007 to 2016, as well as former UK Prime Minister Lady eresa May. ey had the full attention of the approximately 55 government ministers, over 250 CEOs and more than 60 ambassadors and diplomats who attended the summit.

SUSTAINABILITY MATTERS

Among the numerous panel discussions and interviews conducted during the summit, it included e Global Business of Travel, Accelerating the Energy Transition, and Investing in Mega Events. However, the most dominant theme of all was that of sustainability.

In 2019, transport accounted for 38 per cent of emissions. While stakeholders have rushed to address the issue of sustainability, not many are fully aware of the actual impact and climate footprint of the global travel and tourism industry. At the summit, the WTTC released the data of its Environmental and Social Research report, which details the climate footprint of the global travel and tourism sector. WTTC said that its research accurately tracks the impact that various participants of this sector have on the environment. e data covers 185 countries and will be updated annually.

e inaugural report stated that while previous estimates suggested that the global travel and tourism sector was responsible for up to 11 per cent of all emissions, WTTC’s research instead shows that in 2019 the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions totalled 8.1 per cent worldwide. It noted that the emissions were falling consistently since 2010 and attributed it to technological developments coupled with energy e ciency measures across industries. Between 2010 and 2019, the sector’s GDP

BELOW: Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon speaks at the summit in Riyadh

grew on average 4.3 per cent annually whilst its environmental footprint increased by 2.4 per cent.

“Now we know what we are working with. We can compare where we are today to where we were ten years ago. We can track not just greenhouse gases, but everything from energy consumption to water usage. It will give our businesses, the data they require to understand where they need to focus and it will also give governments hard facts on how to meet ESG targets. The great dream here is decoupling growth in travel and tourism from carbon emissions,” said Simpson.

A focus on sustainability isn’t just a moral and social imperative, but an economic reality too. As Simpson noted, “The WTTC’s Nature Positive Travel and Tourism report shows that tourism from nature generates over US$600 billion, and that creates opportunities for the world’s poorest countries to protect their biodiversity and their communities. In Rwanda, for example, tourism is the largest source of foreign exchange earnings invested back into the country.”

Actor Edward Norton, UN Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity, took to the stage at the summit too. Norton has played an important role in conservation financing models which range from forest carbon project development to a new ‘impact capital’ facility for luxury tourism which in

turn funnels 100 per cent of profits back into the community’s health and conservation services.

Another major sustainabilitylinked report released at the WTTC – Better Travel and Tourism, Better World – developed through a partnership between the Saudi-based

Sustainable Tourism Global Centre (STGC) and independent system change advisory firm Systemiq, found that the travel and tourism industry could reduce its emissions by over 40 per cent by 2030 though drastic action. It cautioned that left unchecked, these emissions will rise 20 per cent by 2030. The report is also believed to be the first to estimate a fully-costed roadmap to decrease emissions in the industry to steer it towards a net-positive model by 2050. It states that the sector would require increased investments of US$220-310 billion a year to 2030, equating to two-three per cent of the industry’s overall US$10 trillion contribution to the world’s GDP. The report calls for reform measures to focus on five major priorities: reducing emissions, protecting and restoring nature, strengthening communities, shifting traveller behaviours and increasing resilience to climate change.

THE PATH TO GROWTH

As the conference drew to a close in Riyadh – a city that aspires to be one of the world’s top 10 city economies by 2030 – the findings of another

significant report were released. The WTTC’s Cities Economic Impact 2022 Report, surveyed 82 cities around the world to find that ten of them were projected to surpass pre-pandemic levels in terms of direct travel and tourism contribution to their GDP in 2022. From the 82 cities combined, direct travel and tourism contribution to GDP in 2019 stood at US$734 billion, and was forecast to hit US$582 billion in 2022 and US$1.1 trillion by 2032. “In the decade to come, cities will continue to grow. Growth in travel and tourism GDP will continue to grow with it. This is particularly the case in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, which will witness unprecedented growth,” Simpson stated in the report.

The Middle East’s status as a front-runner is evident when you consider that the contribution of travel and tourism to Doha’s GDP

in 2022 was expected to increase 21 per cent over 2019 levels – the highest increase among the 82 cities covered in the report. Two other Middle East cities – Dubai and Doha – also came out ahead when it came to expected international tourist spending for 2022. International visitor spending in Dubai was forecast to reach US$29.4 billion in 2022, and followed by Doha in the second position at US$16.8 billion. Travel and tourism are also expected to be an engine of job creation in those 82 cities. Over the coming decade, the report states, the sector will directly generate up to eight per cent of all jobs in these cities combined – up from 6.6 per cent in 2019.

The private sector will undoubtedly play a major role in that growth.

Princess Haifa Al Saud, Saudi Arabia’s Vice Minister of Tourism, pointed out during a panel discussion at the summit in Riyadh, that while the government has been proactive in building out its tourism portfolio – she says the Saudi’s tourism development council has 20 government representatives at a ministerial level to ensure delivery with clear KPIs in place – the private sector is being actively courted too. “When we launched the initiatives to deal with the pandemic, we sat down at the table with the private sector and heard from them. We are amending our policies – for example, the criteria for hotel classifications – with the private sector. We had over 1,000 sittings with them this year alone and we’ve heard from them that one size doesn’t fit all, so we’re amending it accordingly based on their feedback. We have 28 initiatives that we will be launching to facilitate the investor journey.”

She added, “In the government, we have the mindset of transforming our economy as a whole. We need to be willing to learn, to see what worked, and what didn’t…and continue to develop what we need to do further.”

As the WTTC summit in Riyadh demonstrated, what is true for Saudi Arabia, is true for the rest of the world’s travel and tourism industry.

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Julia Simpson and Ahmad Al Khateeb; Elle Macpherson with Zeinab Badawi; A panel moderated by Richard Quest

The great dream is decoupling growth in travel and tourism from carbon emissions

JULIA SIMPSON, WTTC president and CEO

Beyond the

The Jumeirah Gulf of Bahrain Resort and Spa opens up the country’s hospitality industry to a new level of luxury

WORDS VARUN GODINHO

Over the rst three quarters of 2022, Bahrain’s Economic Development Board attracted US$291 million in direct investments in the tourism sector. e investments, it added, was by way of eight companies which are either expanding or entering Bahrain for the very rst time. ose investments in turn are expected to generate 1,090 jobs over the next three years.

at determined push in tourism is explained when you consider that the kingdom’s 2022-2026 tourism strategy aims to attract 14.1 million tourists by 2026. e country’s stated goals to increase the contribution of tourism to GDP are centred around four objectives: to increase the contribution of tourism to GDP to reach 11.4 per cent in 2026; increase the number of targeted countries to attract more tourists; highlight Bahrain’s position as a global tourist hub; and diversify its tourism products.

While Bahrain is reported to be investing over US$10 billion into infrastructure projects to support its tourism industry, large hotel groups are turning their attention to the kingdom.

Among them is the UAE-headquartered Jumeirah Group, a member of Dubai Holding, and a company that has a portfolio of over 6,500 keys in 26 luxury properties across the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

In November, it opened the stunning new Jumeirah Gulf of Bahrain Resort and Spa located along the kingdom’s west coast.

e property boasts 196 rooms and suites across several categories. e 44 sqm Deluxe Room is available with either a king-size bed or twin beds and can accommodate two adults and two children. An Ocean Deluxe Room allows views of the azure waters along the horizon from its private balcony. For larger families, there’s the 55 sqm Family Room that can accommodate up to three adults and has a walk-in wardrobe, sitting area and two TV screens.

e suites meanwhile are a step up in the resort’s accommodation o erings. e 93 sqm Resort Suite has a large private balcony, a separate living area, a chaise lounge and dining area, a bathroom with a separate bath and rain shower and a bedroom with a sitting area too. e Ocean Suite o ers all of that, with the additional bene t of views looking out over the sea. e Ocean Terrace Suite trades in the balcony for a terrace where guests can order in-room breakfasts. Staying at any suite in this resort allows you to gain a host of bene ts including co ee machines in the room, a minibar and a pillow menu too for a restful night’s sleep. Importantly, staying at any suite also allows guests to avail of complimentary airport transfers, bu et breakfasts and sundowners, as well as the option of an early check-in and a late check-out.

For the ultimate accommodation option at the property, you could opt for the 11-bedroom Gulf Summer House, located on the beach.

Curated culinary experiences

Beyond luxury accommodation, the culinary offerings at Jumeirah properties worldwide are noteworthy. The Jumeirah Group has more than 85 restaurants across its portfolio, including homegrown concepts such as Sal, Kayto, Shimmers, Al Mare, Pierchic and French Riviera. There’s external validation for the group’s culinary bastions too – ten of its restaurants are featured in the Gault&Millau UAE 2022 guide, while three – Shang High, L’Olivo and Al Muntaha –were awarded Michelin stars as well.

In Bahrain, Jumeirah has maintained an eclectic mix of food and beverage options to cater to its diverse international guests.

Obab Al Bahar has an à la carte menu as well as a daily buffet. Its creations span Europe, the Middle East, East Asia and India. The restaurant also features a beverage menu that it says is “infused with local ingredients, fragrances and spices to deliver a unique Bahraini experience ”

Open for lunch and dinner is the Sicilian restaurant Due Mari which serves homemade pasta, pizzas, salads and, of course, gelatos, on the alfresco private terrace located alongside the pool.

For great views of the sun going down over the sea, head to Al Sama which is open from 5pm until 1am daily. It not only has an extensive beverage menu, but also has a shisha menu. Meanwhile, the resort’s lobby lounge, Majlis Al Fijiri, allows guests to sample handcrafted chocolates and local pastries created by the hotel’s resident pastry chef.

The resort will soon be opening the uniquely named 25 | 50 bar whose design is inspired by Bahraini boats and will serve tapas and seafood options, alongside a mixologist who will tend to all the beverage requests. Ousoul, also opening soon, will be located along the beachfront and serve cocktails and juices. For those searching for an authentic Middle Eastern experience, Maison Fayruz delivering Lebanese and Levantine preparations, is also expected to open soon.

Wellness and amenities

Wellness is a major focus of the new resort and one that the general manager at the property has focussed on extensively. “We are passionate about wellness, and I am confident that with Jumeirah’s renowned hospitality expertise and the luxurious experiences on offer – and, of course, the resort’s unique beachside location – our guests will walk away feeling revived and refreshed from their stay with us,” said Marco Den Ouden, general manager of Jumeirah Gulf of Bahrain Resort and Spa. Ouden is a veteran in the hospitality industry having worked at several properties around the world including in London, China, the Netherlands, Singapore, Indonesia and Maldives. He has been instrumental in overseeing operations for five-star luxury resorts and city hotels. Prior to joining Jumeirah Group, he held the role of cluster general manager at Patina and Capella.

This new property in Bahrain has wide-ranging wellness offerings. Talise Spa includes 13 treatment rooms – including six female-only and six male-only treatment rooms – as well as a couple’s treatment room with its private hammam, bubble bath and relaxation area. “We are working towards making 90 per cent of our spa filled with our handmade offerings including the oils, scrubs, mignardises, detox drinks and hot tea. There are four key ingredients that you will find in the drinks, oils, mignardises and scrubs,” says Celine Fontenay, Spa and Recreation director at the resort.

The treatments offered here vary from prenatal massages to a four-hands massage where two therapists simultaneously provide a synchronised massage. Another option is the Talise Treatment which lasts for nearly three hours and is perhaps the most extravagant one. Two individuals are covered under this treatment and it includes a body scrub, followed by a 60-minute body massage and capped with a facial treatment. The indulgent massage isn’t complete without complimentary glasses of champagne.

FROM TOP LEFT: Ocean Suite bedroom; Arabian Suite with a private pool; a sitting area; Talise Spa Turkish Bath

CLOCKWISE

“We are also building some well-being and sports programmes that combine meal plans, sports, spa, yoga, sophrology and naturopathy,” adds Fontenay.

Personal trainers are on-hand at the property to offer their services at Society 989’s Technogym-equipped gym and offer packages for 5-20 sessions. “By bringing in the InBody 270 body composition machine

We are passionate about wellness. Our guests will walk away feeling revived and refreshed.

MARCO DEN OUDEN,

general manager of Jumeirah Gulf of Bahrain Resort and Spa

Business class seat guide –Middle East

WORDS TOM OTLEY

Welcome to our round-up of the long-haul business class seats currently available on Middle East airlines. Here, we are focusing on the seats available rather than service elements, such as food and drink, inflight entertainment, amenity products or whether there is wifi available onboard. In part this is because these elements change frequently, and often depend on the length of the flight sector, and also for reasons of brevity. If you visit businesstraveller. com you will find numerous reviews of most of the airlines mentioned here, where all aspects are discussed and assessed in detail.

The good news for travellers is that the majority of airlines offering long-haul flights now have seats that recline fully flat in business class. Most airlines choose from one of several designs, and then, to a greater or lesser extent, add bespoke elements to those seats. This may mean just choosing a distinctive colour scheme to fit in with their brand, or it might mean adding a door to a seat and calling it a suite. The balance for the airline is how to stay price competitive while at the same time differentiating itself from competitors by offering a distinctive experience.

Business Traveller has compiled a summary of business class seats on airlines flying long haul out of the Middle East

El Al

El Al has a long-haul fleet of B777s and B787s with two different types of business class, though it is gradually retrofitting the older aircraft with its new business class seat. The seat being replaced is currently on its B777 aircraft and is an angled lie-flat seat in a 2-2-2 configuration. These are being replaced by a 1-2-1 fully-flat seat – the Recaro CL6710 – which has direct aisle access and a staggered formation alternating in the cabin, so that some seats are closer to the aisle and in the next row they will be closer to the window.

Emirates

Emirates has a huge widebody fleet of over 260 aircraft, including B777200s, B777-300ERs and A380s, but unusually – or perhaps thankfully if you like consistency – has only two types of business class seat.

On its 118-strong A380 fleet the business class is a version of Safran’s Skylounge seat which is in a

RIGHT: El Al BELOW: Emirates

staggered configuration of 1-2-1. Note, though, there are several different configurations of this aircraft, from a two-class (economy and business) version up to a four-class (also including first and premium economy), all of which means the business class cabins vary in size and number. On the B777-300 fleet Emirates has a different 2-3-2 configuration. This means that the middle seat of the ‘3’ and also the window seats do not have direct aisle access. The seat reclines into a 72-inch fully-flat bed. On the B777-200 it is the same seat, but in a 2-2-2 configuration.

Etihad

Etihad’s fleet of over 100 aircraft includes long-haul B777-300s, B787s and A350s, plus a few narrowbody aircraft from the A320 family. There are a number of different business class seats across this long-haul fleet, but all recline fully flat into a bed.

On its B787s Etihad has the Business Studio, which is in a staggered 1-2-1 configuration and unusually has both forward and backward-facing seats. Having recently retired its B777-200 fleet, Etihad is keeping the B777-300ER fleet for the moment, and this has the same Business Studio seat just described for the B787s.

On its A350 fleet Etihad has the Collins Super Diamond seat (the same as the new British Airways Club Suite) in a 1-2-1 configuration. On new deliveries of the B787 the airline is going for the new Collins Aerospace Elements seat which features a reverse herringbone configuration with privacy doors.

Gulf Air

Gulf Air has an all B787-9 long-haul fleet. Its business class is called Falcon Gold, and in that cabin you will find 26 seats with a seat pitch of between 80-89 inches (depending on whether in the front row or not), all of which recline fully flat. The seat is the same across the fleet – it is the Serenity Suite by

AVIATION

TOP TO BOTTOM: Two views of the Etihad seat; and two views of the Falcon Gold seat on Gulf Air

Collins Aerospace (previously known as the Apex Suite by B/E Aerospace), in a 2-2-2 configuration, though these window seats are staggered so all seats have direct aisle access.

Oman Air

Oman Air’s long-haul fleet is made up of B787-9 aircraft and A330s. Like Gulf Air, the airline has a consistent business class seat which is the Serenity Suite by Collins Aerospace (previously known as the Apex Suite by B/E Aerospace). It is in a staggered 2-2-2 configuration, so all seats have direct aisle access and recline fully flat.

Qatar Airways

Qatar has a large fleet (230 and counting) of largely widebody aircraft, and with several different types of business class. The fleet is diverse B777-300ER, B777-200LRs, B787-8, B787-9s, A350-900 and A350-1000, A330-200 and A330300 and A380s, some of which have been brought out of retirement.

On its B787 and early A350 deliveries, Qatar had the Collins Aerospace Super Diamond Seat – a reverse herringbone configuration of 1-2-1 with direct aisle access for all seats and a seat which reclined into an 80-inch bed. In March 2017, the airline introduced the forward and backward-facing Collins-manufactured Q-suite and this has been installed on a wide swathe of the fleet, including the B777-300ER, A350s and B787-9s. These seats (or suites) have sliding privacy doors and depending on where you sit, and your preference, can be arranged so a family of four could spend a flight together in (almost) a private cabin. The seats on the majority of the B777-300ER fleet recline fully flat to an 80-inch long bed, and are 21 inches wide (21.5 on the A350s), but note there are still a couple of B777s that have lie-flat seats.

On these A350s, things get more complicated, though. Qatar has both A350-900 and A350-1000s,

LEFT: Oman Air

BELOW: Two of the different business class seats available on Qatar Airways

though it is also in a well-publicised dispute with the manufacturer over the fuselage, and has grounded around half of its 50-plus fleet. It is one of the reasons the A380 has been brought out of retirement – luckily this has the Super Diamond seat in business class. Some of the A350s have the Q Suite and some have the Super Diamond.

The airline also has another seat on its B787-9 deliveries: the Adient Ascent business class suite. This is in a 1-2-1 herringbone layout, with all 30 suites benefitting from direct aisle access and sliding privacy doors. Features include a 79-inch fullyflat bed, and a dedicated mobile phone holder with wireless charging technology which can be used with compatible IOS and Android devices. Passengers sitting in adjoining centre suites can also “slide the privacy panels away at the touch of a button to create their very own enclosed private space”.

Royal Jordanian

Royal Jordanian has a long-haul fleet of B787-8 aircraft. Its Crown Class business class has the Collins Aerospace Diamond (not Super Diamond) model in a 2-2-2 configuration, and if you are in a window seat, you do not have direct aisle access. The seats recline to a fully-flat bed of 78 inches long and are 19 inches wide with 60 inches of seat pitch (legroom).

Saudia

Saudia’s long-haul fleet includes A330s, B777-300ERs, B787-9s and B787-10s. On the A330s and B777300ERs it is the Collins Aerospace Diamond, in a 2-2-2 configuration, which reclines fully flat with a 21-inch seat width and 60-61 inch seat pitch. Window seats do not have direct aisle access. On the B787 aircraft it is the Collins Aerospace Super Diamond in a 1-2-1 configuration with direct aisle access for all passengers. It reclines fully flat with a 20 inch seat width and 47 inch seat pitch.

■ Many airlines have varied fleets of long-haul aircraft with sometimes several different types of business class seats onboard. We have contacted all the airlines here to check the facts, but it is possible we have made mistakes, for which we apologise and will, of course, keep the online version of this feature corrected.

TOP: Royal Jordanian ABOVE AND LEFT: Saudia

A FEAST FOR ALL

Chef William Chaaban , executive chef at The Oberoi Beach Resort Al Zorah, elaborates on the culinary offerings at the property located within the emirate of Ajman in the UAE

What are the main culinary choices at The Oberoi Beach Resort Al Zorah?

At Aquario, we have designed a concept with specialties from the Mediterranean coastline spanning France to Italy. Respecting traditional preparations and ingredients, we have delivered the dishes with a slightly modern twist of flavours. Vinesse, meanwhile, is our international all-day dining restaurant and serves Indian and Arabic food as well as signature offerings prepared in our Josper oven charcoal grills.

Based on the feedback of our guests, we constantly adapt our menus and raise the level of our dishes with each menu update. I use my personal experience to implement, develop and learn from the best chefs I have worked with previously from around the world.

Are there any food festivals or special experiences offered for the property?

We have started to incorporate dining experiences and promotions mainly in Vinesse, which have been largely successful. Throughout the week we have implemented different dining experiences such as Saturday roasts and mussels nights on Mondays.

A chocolate and honey tasting experience is also available for our guests. The chocolate experience involves our pastry chef explaining the entire process of making chocolate by way of our in-house chocolate production process called ‘’Bean to Bar’’. As for the honey experience, we have built a strong relationship with an organic raw honey farm that provides

us with its best honey. We share honeys from over eight countries with our guests, explaining its health benefits and combining it with different fruits throughout the tasting session.

What are some of the food waste reduction practices undertaken at The Oberoi? The three main aspects that we undertake to limit food wastage include smart measures to control portion sizes; consistent and

efficient practices with regards to stock management; and ensuring that orders and preparations are tailored and continuously adapted to current occupancy levels at the hotel.

What are some of the sustainability practices within the hotel’s culinary operations? Sustainability is at the core of what we do and it begins with the process of searching for the right ingredients and buying them as close as we can, wherever possible. We choose the ingredients that match our sustainability programme to help the environment and we also educate the next generation of chefs on sustainable practices.

Over the last few years, I have seen our guests paying increasing attention to sustainability, and I’m very proud to see that the UAE has undertaken a lot of measures on that front and made investments toward sustainable farming, etc.

How does technology play a role in the hotel’s dining operations? We like to personalise experiences with our guests. Having arrival reports coordinated with the reservations department and front office daily allows us to anticipate the needs of our guests and ensure that we can proactively cater to their requirements. Based on their history of preferences and our internal communications platforms, we can coordinate between departments to meet their needs and enhance their experience during their stay at the hotel.

Do you have plans to introduce new restaurants? Our expansion plan will take place in 2024 with the addition of a third restaurant based on a ‘trattoria’ Italian cuisine concept, serving authentic Neapolitan pizzas, pasta and antipasti.

FROM TOP: Chef William Chaaban; Vinesse; Aquario

At the recently concluded MEBAA Show 2022 in Dubai, class-leading business jets were on display, while mega deals were reached and concrete steps undertaken to enhance infrastructure and secure the future of this sector within the region

Altitude matters

Blockchain, cryptocurreny and AI – the talking highlights at the MEBAA Show 2022, now in its ninth edition, were anything but conventional. The flagship event of the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association took place from December 6-8 at the Dubai Airshow site, with Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, chairman of Dubai Airports, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group, inaugurating the show.

It witnessed participation of representatives from over 95 countries. Leading aviation manufacturers brought their top-of-the-range aircraft to the show. Bombardier exhibited its Global 7500, Gulfstream its G700 and G650ER, Embraer its Phenom

300E, Boeing its 737, Airbus its ACJ 320 Neo, and Cirrus Aircraft its very light Vision SF50.

Meanwhile Dassault also participated with its Falcon 8X. “In terms of programmes, we have two currently under development. The 6X is finalising its certification, and we should have its certification announced in the first quarter of 2023, after which it will enter into service in the second quarter. The second programme is the 10X . The 6X already has the biggest cross section of any business jet. Now with the 10X, it will be even bigger...you will feel like you are in an apartment. It will have a range of 7,500 nautical miles and a maximum speed of Mach .925 – long range and very high speed,” Carlos Brana, executive vice president, Civil Aircraft at Dassault Aviation told Business Traveller Middle East on the sidelines of the show. Dassault’s choice of exhibiting the

Falcon 8X was interesting, not least because the 6,450 nautical mile-ranged aircraft (nonstop from Dubai to New York or Jeddah to Sao Paulo) makes up around a third of the 75 Falcons operating within the region. Dassault says that its upcoming Falcon 6X already has “a significant number” of orders from the Middle East.

Dassault’s expansion and reach in the region will only be further solidified once its Execujet MRO Services unit opens its new 15,000 sqm maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at Dubai World Central early this year. The facility will reportedly be capable of servicing 18-24 aircraft simultaneously. It will be qualified to handle a full range of MRO activities, from line maintenance to major overhauls, and will serve Falcon operators as well as owners of other OEM brands. The new Execujet complex will replace the existing

AHMED

service centre at Dubai International Airport (DXB) as Execujet’s regional headquarters as well.

Bombardier also announced last month that it will open a new service centre for business aircraft at the Abu Dhabi International airport (AUH) by 2025. The facility will have the capacity to fit up to four Global 7500 aircraft. It will be able to service the new Bombardier flagship, the Global 8000, when it enters service in 2025, and will provide maintenance solutions for customers of Bombardier’s Learjet, Challenger and Global aircraft families.

Beyond ultra-longrange aircraft, another concept of aircraft that will likely find a growing market within the region will be amphibian aircraft. Not only do all the GCC countries have extensive coast lines, giga tourism projects like the kinds which are being built along the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia will necessitate the use of amphibian aircraft. In fact, the upcoming Red Sea International airport will have a dedicated runway for seaplanes. At the MEBAA Show 2022, Dornier Seawings from Germany signed an agreement with UAE firm Gulf Enterprises to enable the entry of the former’s amphibian aircraft, Seastar, into the Middle East market. Certification flights are expected to be completed this year, followed by which it will likely enter into service next year.

One of the other major announcements to come out from the show was from Dubai-based private aviation specialist Empire Aviation Group, which reached an agreement with Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub (MBRAH) at Dubai South to develop a new, multi-purpose business aviation facility which will serve as the group’s global headquarters, on a plot adjacent to the VIP Terminal. The facility will be owned, managed and operated by Empire Aviation, which will in turn provide 100 per cent of the investment needed to build it. Construction is expected to begin early this year, with the facility set to be operational by the end of 2024. Empire Aviation is already deeply embedded in enabling the regional aviation ecosystem. It extended its current pilot training agreement with CAE until 2024. Empire Aviation’s pilots will train at the Emirates Flight Training Centre (EFTC) located in Dubai, and throughout CAE’s network too, on aircraft including the Bombardier Global 6000, Global 7500, Gulfstream G550, G650, Embraer Legacy 650 and the BBJ. In a further show of support for the industry, Empire Aviation said that its new planned facility in Dubai South will also have office spaces for other companies engaged within the aviation sector.

In more immediate plans, DC Aviation G-OPS confirmed at MEBAA that they will open a new FBO at Nice airport this month. With a lounge designed by Hollin + Radoske, the facility will be located at one of Europe’s busiest airports. DC Aviation says that the amount of

We have seen an industry transition with significant levels of innovation

ALI

ALNAQBI, founder and executive chairman of MEBAA

energy consumption and the materials used to build the FBO were chosen “to provide maximum efficiency while incorporating the use of green energy.” It added that plans are in place to deploy E-VTOL support as well as alternative energy resources for electric and hydrogen aircraft. Michael Kuhn, CEO of DC Aviation, said, “We are looking forward to building a dependable and close-knit cooperation with the airport and our local partners to achieve the set goals – in terms of sustainability as well – while offering our customers facilities that meet our high standards with respect to quality, comfort and discretion.”

With sustainability as a leading theme, the organisers at MEBAA decided to lead from the front. The organisers worked with Air bp as the carbon offsetting sponsor for the MEBAA Show. “As the carbon offsetting sponsor for MEBAA Show 2022, Air bp will offset any remaining calculated carbon emissions via bp’s carbon management business, bp target neutral,” said a spokesperson for Air bp. “Emissions will be offset by purchasing and retiring offset

credits from bp target neutral’s offset portfolio. This offset credit purchase in turn will help compensate for the emissions associated with the event space and promotional materials.”

The BizAv Talks which were a brand new feature for the 2022 edition of the show delivered a number of key speakers who took to the stage to deliver fascinating insights on a number of subjects. On day two, Robert Plhak, CEO of VOO, and Gernot Winter, CEO of AVINOC shared a presentation titled ‘Stay ahead of the curve with cryptocurrencies’. “It’s not just about cryptocurrency. It’s about tokenisation as a whole, and the real goal is to connect the real world – the business aviation world – with the crypto world,” said Winter, sharing realworld examples of how tokenisation and blockchain can be used within the aviation industry for payments, loyalty programmes, aircraft ownership, security for airports, MRO solutions, identity management and ticketing.

By the time the show concluded, there was no dearth of enthusiasm as to the trajectory of business aviation within the region. “The

MEBAA SHOW 2022

The range of aircraft displayed at the show in Dubai included

Bombardier’s Global 7500, Gulfstream’s G700 and G650ER, Embraer’s Phenom 300E, Boeing’s 737, Airbus’ ACJ 320 Neo, and Cirrus Aircraft’s Vision SF50, among others

business aviation industry has grown significantly in the last couple of years, not only in the Middle East region where mega events such as Expo 2020 Dubai and the World Cup in Qatar have led to increased demand, but also in many key international markets. Throughout the three days, we have seen an industry transition with significant levels of innovation, technological advancement and digital transformations right across the show, along with many key deals and new announcements, all showing that this sector growth is set to continue well into the future,” said Ali Ahmed Alnaqbi, founder and executive chairman of MEBAA. With MEBAA stating the global private jet market is projected to reach nearly US$40 billion in 2025, up from an estimate of almost US$26 billion in 2021, that enthusiasm isn’t misplaced.

The human edge

How on-demand seasonal staffing models can address shortages of talent within the region’s hospitality industry

YOANN COULON MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THA STAFFING

According to JLL’s recent real estate market report, the UAE continues to witness a positive trajectory across its residential, office, retail and hospitality sectors in the third quarter of 2022. Most notably, the travel and tourism industry has seen a tremendous increase in visitors, with Dubai in particular welcoming over eight million international visitors in the first seven months of 2022 alone.

In a recent statement made by the Emirates News Agency, Dubai hotel establishments delivered a combined 18.47 million occupied room nights from January through to June this year, demonstrating a 30.4 per cent year-on-year growth. Consequently, several large international hotel groups and F&B operators expanded their operations within the country to respond to increasing demand, presenting a welcome opportunity for those searching for employment within the field.

As one of the most successful hospitality markets in the world, the demand for skilled labour reached new heights with the service industry hiring at an increasingly rapid rate. The pre-opening of the much-anticipated Atlantis The Royal, for instance, has created over 2,000 roles last year alone. Accordingly, staffing agencies have witnessed greater demand to secure top talent with flexible and practical employment solutions to support business needs and overall growth.

A recent study by Colliers identified that the GCC will require more than 90,000 skilled hospitality professionals by 2026. Significantly, the UAE and Saudi Arabia would account for 82,000 of that workforce. With soaring demand for human talent, hotel groups face enormous challenges in

finding skilled employees, especially moving into the busy winter months each year. With high-profile sporting, cultural and business events planned across several locations in the Middle East over the coming months, hotels are expecting extremely high demand in the foreseeable future. Naturally, the demand for talent is consequently high and the support of staffing agencies becomes crucial in finding skilled employees during high seasons.

A dynamic region such as the GCC requires a unique staffing model for the hospitality sector, as demand fluctuates between peak travel seasons and the quieter summer months.

Due to this cyclical nature and the subsequent fluctuating occupancy rates, seasonal staffing solutions offer hotel operators the flexibility to minimise overhead costs by employing top-quality temporary staff, as and when required, and thereby not being forced to lay off staff when many residents and tourists choose alternate destinations during the summer months.

Post the high season demand, staffing agencies are strategically able to redeploy talent to different roles, driving operating costs down for hotels during off-season periods. As an added value, hotels and F&B groups are alleviated from the recruitment processes during the peak season as they are guaranteed top-quality talent on-demand; while simultaneously ensuring freelancers are also offered well-matched roles best suited to their knowledge and expertise.

The challenge that hospitality institutions face today remains finding the right on-demand talent that can adapt to fast-paced working environments. The competitive advantage staffing agencies provide hotels offsets this challenge with the use of innovative databases and specially curated tools that incorporate a comprehensive screening process to match top-quality freelancers to specific client requirements and operational needs. Through this process, clients can hire the right temporary skilled candidates to supplement their permanent staff and thereby increase overall productivity and efficiency.

The GCC will require over 90,000 skilled hospitality professionals by 2026

THE ELE TOR PITCH

Capturing Qatar’s energetic style and heritage, Andaz Doha is a hotel blending oldworld charm with contemporary luxury. Conveniently located in the prestigious West Bay area, it is the perfect location to inspire curiosity and discover hidden gems across the dynamic city. Andaz Doha marks the debut of Hyatt Hotels Corporation’s luxury lifestyle brand in Qatar.

The vision for Andaz Doha is to create a unique property that encapsulates the energy of the locality and pays homage to Doha’s rich heritage. Seamless, unscripted customer service from staff who understand guest needs has allowed us to bring this vision to life through different touchpoints.

The property features 256 rooms, 32 suites, four royal suites, and 56 residences, in addition to three impressive dining concepts: The Salt Road, Mr. and Mrs. Hawker, and Mumble Jumble.

Located on the lobby level, The Salt Road challenges the senses by taking diners on an exploration of one of the earth’s oldest and most vital minerals – salt. The eclectic menu is inspired by global cuisine infused with the complementing flavours of different kinds of salt. Mr. and Mrs. Hawker, located on the third level, draws astounding flavour profiles from Singapore as

the restaurant features open kitchens and encapsulates a market-to-table philosophy. The restaurant also has Doha’s only enclosed outdoor terrace with views of both the city and the sea. Mumble Jungle, located on the third floor, invites guests to embark on a rainforest expedition. The venue offers a variety of cocktails and mocktails, from classics to AfroCuban-inspired masterpieces. Featuring an array of rooms ideal for families and individuals, the property offers a range of facilities for business and leisure travel. On the ground floor is the Andaz Lounge, a space for a private meeting or to catch up on emails. All rooms come equipped with a Chromecast flatscreen TV and a variety of other amenities. Every room

offers spectacular views of either the sea or Doha’s Corniche (some, like the Royal Suite, overlook both).

For those seeking relaxation, the Alara Spa at Andaz offers an idyllic urban escape to relax. Guests can fully unwind with an invigorating hammam that draws on ancient Eastern wellness philosophies, and a variety of treatments including the traditional cleansing ritual, massages, and skincare treatments. There’s also an outdoor pool and the Wahah poolside bar which serves refreshments throughout the day. The Andaz Fitness Centre is a fully-equipped studio which guests can access 24 hours a day.

Andaz Doha’s central location means guests can reach Hamad International in less than 20 minutes and conveniently access major transport routes. The metro connects guests to numerous attractions such as the capital’s financial and cultural districts and Souq Waqif, City Centre Doha, Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, The Gate Mall, and Al Dafna Park.

In short, Andaz Doha enables guests to go beyond the familiar and satiate their curiosity about the local Qatari culture through unscripted experiences that capture the spirit of the vibrant city. We look forward to seeing you soon to experience this exciting new property firsthand.

Business Traveller Middle East gives Thibault de Vries, general manager of Andaz Doha, five minutes to pitch his property to prospective guests

“Unscripted customer service from staff who understand guest needs has allowed us to bring this vision to life through different touchpoints”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The Executive bedroom at Andaz Doha; Mr. and Mrs. Hawker; Thibault de Vries

AIR MILES WITH

Riyad Mahrez

e Manchester City footballer and captain of the Algeria national team shares his top travel tips and goals

WORDS

VARUN GODINHO

You’ve recently visited Abu Dhabi. What are your impressions of the emirate? It’s amazing. e culture is di erent, and the people are so nice. I think it’s a top area to come and spend time in – it’s one of my favourite places to visit. e weather is great in the winter, the food is halal, and so everything is good for me – I can go everywhere and eat whatever I want when I’m there.

Have you got any upcoming travel plans?

Mecca is something special. You can feel it when you arrive there. I’m Muslim and religious, so when I go there I’m happy and I just feel really good. I think I will go again this year, I’ve already been there a few times, but it’s been around four years since my last visit, so I’m planning to go back this year.

Which is the destination that is currently on your bucket list? I’ve travelled to several countries with football – many places in Africa, the Middle East as well as America… but less of South America. I’ve been to Brazil for the World Cup, but otherwise, it’s an area that I’ve never explored, so I’d like to see more of South America.

How do you spend your time on a flight? We really love travelling with Etihad Airways, the facilities are amazing on the plane. I try to sleep to make the most of the time and be fresh when I land, but otherwise, I watch a movie and have a drink – either Coke or water. e most important thing as a footballer is the sleep and the food.

Who are the best teammates to travel with?

ere are a few players like Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish and some others that like to play games and spend time together during our ights, so I enjoy travelling with them. Some other players, Nathan Ake for example, like to put headphones straight on and watch a movie before we’ve even taken o .

What are the three things that you always pack in your suitcase? My clothes, sunglasses and ip- ops.

At what point did you know that becoming a professional footballer was a viable path for you? I always strongly believed that I would be a footballer and I did everything I could to make sure I arrived at this point.

What’s been the biggest career highlight? Any time we li trophies.

What would life after you finish playing professionally look like? I don’t really think about life a er playing football. is is all I ever wanted to do, and I think I have more playing years. A erwards, we will see what the future holds.

Four London stays for GCC guests, in four unique locations, for business, leisure or as is the trend, both

WORDS GEMMA GREENWOOD

BACKGROUND

e Biltmore Mayfair is the rst UK property to launch under Hilton’s LXR Hotels and Resorts. Formerly Millennium Hotel London Mayfair, it has undergone a multi-millionpound redevelopment spearheaded by award-winning interior design studio Goddard Littlefair, emerging as a luxurious ve-star hotel with a stately presence in a desirable location in London.

LOCATION

It’s located on Grosvenor Square opposite a beautiful park, which in the summer o ers deckchairs. Just south of Oxford Street – the Marble Arch end – a retail paradise lies on the doorstep of this hotel.

THE ATMOSPHERE

It is warm and inviting, like stepping into an opulent private residence. It’s sophisticated, but not stu y and there is an upbeat ambience. When I visited, the hotel was accommodating UEFA o cials ahead of the UEFA Women’s football Euro nal at Wembley and there was an exciting buzz. e hotel’s handling of delegates was impressively slick and despite the

excitement, other guests were not caught up in the logistics.

THE ROOMS

Following the £50-million-plus refurbishment, contemporary luxury de nes the accommodation at e Biltmore Mayfair, which comprises rooms, suites and signature suites. Rich colours and fabrics – dark blues, velvets and wooden oors –are comforting. Its interior design is inspired by nature with beautiful touches including an Edwardian chinoiserie mirror behind each bed depicting delicate illustrations of branches, owers and butter ies. In my room, this paired perfectly

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

BEST FOR This is a great destination for a luxury leisure stay, or extended stay – with or without family

Mayfair is the heart of London, surrounded by the capital’s best shops (Oxford Street, Bond Street, Regent Street), parks (Hyde Park and Green Park), galleries (Halcyon Gallery and Gagosian) and several iconic attractions. The hotel can arrange for a Blue Badge Guide to take you on an enchanting walk, curated by the property – from The Biltmore to Belgravia – discovering Regency London at its finest. The back streets of Mayfair, one of London’s most a luent areas, are peppered with chic cafés, sophisticated restaurants, boutique galleries and the stunning architecture for which the city is famous. From pubs to pop-up shops and fairs, there is plenty to discover.

with views of pretty Grosvenor Square through large windows.

e bathroom was spacious, with quality amenities by British brand Penhaligon’s. For longer stays, some of the suites include private kitchens.

THE DINING

ere are three quintessentially English culinary experiences, but with a casual atmosphere and modern air.

Café Biltmore Restaurant o ers an all-day dining menu from breakfast through to dinner. Locally sourced products are a focus, from meat and sh to local champagnes and wines, with a sommelier on hand at dinner to make expert pairings, should you dare to dabble. Executive Chef Luis Campos perfects British classics with a twist and the menu is expansive enough to revisit, again and again.

e breakfast bu et was exquisite with plenty of options to suit guests of all tastes, plus eggs and hot dishes as well as co ee are à la carte thereby guaranteeing quality. ere’s a Tea Lounge too so if traditional a ernoon tea is your guilty pleasure, it’s not to be missed. e Pine Bar meanwhile features live music, a food menu, and an impressive collection of the nest wines, spirits, cognacs and cocktails.

THE FACILITIES

e gym, open 24 hours a day, is fully kitted out and also o ers virtual ondemand Les Mills training sessions. For meetings and events, there’s a ballroom that can accommodate up to 700 guests with a dedicated foyer and a private entrance. It can be divided into ve smaller spaces, plus three other meeting suites which are suitable for more private social and corporate gatherings.

NEED TO KNOW

e Biltmore Mayfair can arrange private activities ranging from the Bentley Experience – with a chau eur driving you around London highlights of your choice – to VIP shopping trips.

hilton.com/en/hotels/longsol-thebiltmore-mayfair-london/

ABOVE: A King Grand Deluxe room with Grosvenor Square views THE BILTMORE MAYFAIR

BELOW: The Club Flat kitchen

THE OTHER HOUSE SOUTH KENSINGTON

BACKGROUND

is new lifestyle concept is the brainchild of real estate maven Naomi Heaton and blurs the lines between hotel, serviced apartment, and private rental. Aptly, it carries the tagline “Your home for as long as you’re in town.” Accommodation is Club Flats, with guests o ered access to Private Club facilities. e rst agship property in South Kensington saw the historic Harrington Hall Hotel transformed into this upscale club, which opened in spring 2022. More Other Houses are planned, with Covent Garden next on the list. ere are membership opportunities with special rates and bene ts, but nonmembers are welcome too.

LOCATION

It is situated on Harrington Road, in the heart of South Kensington, and is a two-minute walk from Gloucester Road tube station. It’s a short walk from cultural hotspots including the Victoria and Albert Museum, Natural History Museum, and the Royal

BEST FOR

This is a hotel, club – your other house –ideal for short or extended stays where you definitely feel at home. You can ‘stay your way’ with packages designed for stays of up to three months or more

Albert Hall, as well as the green spaces of Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park . Shopping destinations including King’s Road and Sloane Square are a short cab, Uber, or tube ride away.

THE ATMOSPHERE

e laid-back residential, but upscale private club vibe is ampli ed by the quirky, eccentric, and cool interior design, masterminded by local studio Bergman Design House. It exudes a distinctively British air, inspired by the South Kensington community. From a peacock feather chair and monkey motifs to tropical jungle-style wallpaper, the design is amboyant and fantastical. ere are even bespoke artworks – updates of more than 100 existing 18th-century oil paintings. Even the toilets are an interior design triumph, and there are plenty of upcycled furnishings too.

THE ROOMS ere are 200 signature Club Flats featuring bedrooms, living and dining spaces, kitchens and bathrooms, in eight di erent con gurations. ey range from the one-bedroom Club Classic to much larger two-, threeand four-bedroom options. Some are duplexes, some are located in turrets and one Club Combo at can sleep 10 people. I stayed in a Club Pro, which had a studio feel – with a king bed, sofa and co ee table, a small kitchen and a bathroom with a walk-in shower and high-quality bulk amenities, rather than small plastic bottles. Design touches include an ornate beaten metal screen dividing the bedroom from the seating area, plus luxurious furnishings for home comfort, including a warm throw.

THE DINING

e Owl and Monkey bar is a lively venue that’s open to everyone, whereas the Keeping Room is reserved for residents and members only and is a quiet space. Reminiscent of a lavish living room it features plenty of sofas and low-level cosy seating, a cinema area, and in winter, an open re. At Keeping Room,

guests can choose small plates from the Club Menu and limitededition wines from its Reserve List.

e Hogsmire meanwhile echoes the 17th-century name of nearby Gloucester Road and is a retreat with an indoor-outdoor setting where guests can grab a drink or light bite.

e Other Kitchen is a street-side café open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

THE FACILITIES

e gym is designed by British track athlete Reece Bowers. A Wellness Concierge is on hand to plan treatments ranging from reiki and re exology to sonic acupuncture and crystal healing. Also, stretching, yoga, healing and meditation sessions are available and there’s a vitality pool with low-level lighting too.

NEED TO KNOW

e Other House is committed to eco-initiatives and environmental responsibility – from the considerate restoration of historical buildings to selecting suppliers of furniture and food within the UK itself to reduce its carbon footprint. Its hi-tech app enables guests to check in and check out, access their Club Flat, summon the li , reserve a spot in the bar, arrange housekeeping, and even track the club’s energy consumption too.

otherhouse.com

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Upmarket South Kensington is a cultural haven, home to museums, colleges, galleries, parks and more. The Victoria and Albert Museum, Natural History Museum and Science Museum are must-visits. An eclectic dining scene ranges from chic Japanese and European restaurants to unfussy chain eateries, plus authentic and historic pubs. For a hidden gem, head to the secret garden at Brompton Food Market.

LOST PROPERTY ST PAUL’S LONDON – CURIO COLLECTION

BY HILTON

BACKGROUND

Curio Collection by Hilton is billed as a collection of “remarkable hotels hand-picked for their distinct character and personality, appealing to passionate travellers seeking local discovery” –hotels with “personalities and stories all their own”. Lost Property St Paul’s London, which opened in August last year, is named as such as it nods to a property that has been lost in the city – a theme that runs throughout the interior design, with ‘lost’ bowler hats joining eclectic artworks.

LOCATION

Located on Ludgate Hill, in the City of London, an area steeped in history and heritage, and today a hive of activity. It is just 100m from St Paul’s Cathedral, making it the perfect base to explore the capital, with Covent Garden, Shoreditch and South Bank all within walking distance.

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

THE ATMOSPHERE

is property has a real sense of place and its interior design enhances this, as well as telling the ‘Lost Property’ story so well. It is designed to feel as if you are lost in an artistic maze, lled with history-rich panels and whimsical artworks. e interiors celebrate the intricacies of lost cra smanship and innovative design, echoing the shapes and architectural forms found in St Paul’s Cathedral and the neighbouring streets. In terms of practicality, I loved the electric doors that open into the lobby, so you can easily juggle your case and your co ee. As you step into the lobby, the front desk backdrop catches your eye, with quotes and facts from London’s greats, including Winston Churchill.

THE ROOMS

ere are 145 rooms across six oors and ve categories ranging from Guest rooms with a queen- or king-bed to a St Paul’s Junior Suite with a super king bed, all of which sleep two people. ere are twin-bed options too and some rooms have cathedral views.

BEST FOR A stylish, unique and a ordable business stay or weekend break – it’s a cosy place to get ‘lost’, away from the hustle and bustle of the city

Ludgate Hill is not necessarily known as a London focal point, yet it is surrounded by history, culture, shopping and dining options – it is the heart of Victorian London. It leads into Fleet Street, one of the oldest streets in London, once an important Roman thoroughfare and also famous in the 20th century as the home of the British press. The Pickwick Co ee Club on Fleet Street is my top tip – it not only serves some of the best co ee in London, but also a tasty flat-white mu in. A visit to St Paul’s Cathedral is a must. In addition to its stunning architecture and the famous Whispering Gallery, the landmark holds a spectacular array of art including delicate carvings, murals and even modern works by Yoko Ono and Antony Gormley.

Every room is in uenced by eclectic artwork and contemporary designs inspired by the city, with its red-andblue colour schemes re ecting its heritage. From tea- and co ee-making facilities to an iron and ironing board and hair dryer, all the practicalities are there. e bathrooms are modern with an industrial feel, featuring walk-in showers with good quality amenities.

THE DINING

e atmospheric ground- oor bar and restaurant called Found o ers a classic food and drinks menu with a nostalgic twist. e bar is 8m long and cra ed out of bright blue resin, with stunning Murano glass pendants creating mood lighting and a cosy feel. Every drink is cra ed to tell a forgotten story, while dishes range from rich French classics such as Bouillabaisse and Coq au Vin to hearty British favourites such as a Ploughman’s and Welsh rarebit. Breakfast is served here too, with a bu et and à la carte options. By lunchtime, the bu et table converts to a co-working desk area. Next to the lobby, premium co ee house Tattle serves artisanal co ee from Monmouth and healthy breakfasts, light lunches and snacks made with locally-sourced organic produce – all of which are available to dine-in or take away.

THE FACILITIES

ere’s a basement gym with ample strength- and cardio-training equipment and quirky wall art –think Peloton of yesteryear.

NEED TO KNOW

If you’re arriving by tube, take the Central Line to St Paul’s station or the Circle and District Line to Blackfriars station – the hotel is a short walk from both stations. What most people don’t realise is that Covent Garden is a short walk from Ludgate Hill, so this is a great option if you’re visiting the area for its theatres, shopping and restaurants.

lostpropertyhotel.com

ABOVE: The room interiors reflect the area’s heritage

HILTON LONDON METROPOLE

BACKGROUND

Hilton London Metropole, the largest Hilton outside of the US, recently completed a multi-million-pound refurbishment with a full renovation of the hotel’s deluxe suites and its penthouses.

LOCATION

is huge hotel is located on bustling Edgware Road. e Paddington rail terminus is also close by and the Heathrow Express service connects to Heathrow Airport in just 15 minutes. One of the oldest streets in the UK and lined with Middle Eastern restaurants and shisha cafés, Edgware Road is known as the Arabic capital of London. For this reason, Hilton London Metropole is already a preferred accommodation option for guests from the Middle East. Marble Arch, Hyde Park and Oxford Street are all nearby.

THE ATMOSPHERE

Because of this hotel’s location, it’s a popular meeting point, so the atmosphere in the lobby is buzzing. It blends into the ground- oor Bow Bar, which is a great place to catch up with friends, family or colleagues. e bar serves late-a ernoon and night-time drinks, including a diverse range of non-alcoholic cocktails

and East London-inspired cra ed beers, as well as small sharing plate bites made from British ingredients. e recent renovation celebrates the best of London, with the new design weaving the city’s history, art, culture, music and diverse food scene throughout, with nods to iconic areas of the ancient city including Borough Market, Covent Garden and towns on the ames.

THE ROOMS

Key guest suites have undergone a major transformation. e Penthouse Suite is worth a mention: sleeping up to eight people, it features a living and dining room, a fully-equipped kitchen, three bedrooms, and panoramic views across London. Guests can choose to upgrade with an in-room chef and butler for an ultimate luxury living experience. All refurbished suites feature spacious showers, kitchenettes and a generous living space to relax. Penthouse, Suite and Executive guests also have access to the exclusive Executive Lounge with complimentary o erings. Set up to cater to families and larger groups, there are several interconnecting options in the newly designed rooms in the West Wing. My room was very spacious, featuring a sofa, co ee table, dining table, a kitchen, plus a separate bedroom with a comfortable bed, plenty of hanging space and a contemporary bathroom with a huge walk-in shower and Crabtree &

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

While Edgware Road is popular among the Arabic community, few people realise that tucked behind the hotel lies a newly regenerated area stretching along the canal. Cafés, restaurants and o ices line the Paddington Basin, which leads into the Paddington arm of the Grand Union Canal. You can hop on a barge that takes you all the way to The Regent’s Park. Electric boats with picnic tables can also be hired. It’s a village vibe in the heart of London – you would never know that Oxford Circus is a stone’s throw away.

BEST FOR Head here for ‘bleisure’ trips with the family. If you can’t bear to leave your four-legged friend at home, there are petfriendly rooms available too

Evelyn amenities. It was more a small apartment than a hotel room.

THE DINING

e property’s newly refurbished ground- oor restaurant, Tyburn Kitchen, serves a bu et breakfast (Middle Eastern options are available) and an à la carte dinner. I was impressed with the menu, which highlighted its links to local producers, with 90 per cent of its ingredients sourced within 100 miles of the hotel. Halal dining requests are accommodated. For lunch, the openplan Tyburn Market o ers ready-toeat dishes throughout the day, from granola pots to bento trays.

BELOW: The bedrooms are cosy and contemporary

THE FACILITIES ere’s a large gym with plenty of cardio and strength-training equipment on o er. As one of the largest conference hotels in Europe, there is space for up to 3,000 guests for social and corporate occasions.

NEED TO KNOW

Because the hotel is so big and so busy, particularly over the weekends, there are plenty of sta members to assist with any queries and many of them speak Arabic too. ose seeking the ultimate retail therapy day out can also visit Bicester Village by train with the hotel concierge able to access discounts for guests at the designer outlet village.

hilton.com/en/hotels/lonmetwhilton-london-metropole

WORDS MELANIE SWAN

NEW YORK CITY

From art and culture to nature and architecture, New York’s eclectic o erings will keep you thoroughly entertained

I

n New York’s Downtown, a stroll around its trendy neighbourhoods blends art, food and culture. I was guided around the city by Bob Gelber, one of over 300 professional volunteers known as e Big Apple Greeters, a group founded in 1992 allowing visitors to see New York through the eyes of locals, hearing the stories rst-hand of what brings this metropolis to life, and getting the chance to see some hidden gems along the way. A er 17 years of guiding tours, Bob is full of stories of the people and places we visit while strolling around the streets of this giant city.

1 CHELSEA MARKET

We started the morning at this iconic culinary destination, Chelsea Market, located in the heart of New York City’s Meatpacking District. Once a biscuit factory, the market now hosts a diverse collection of merchants selling everything from jewellery to clothes and cra s as well as foods from artisanal cheeses and local honey to authentic Italian gelato.

It is also home to some of the city’s most famous bakeries. Amy’s Bread is one of those, so start your trip with a co ee and a scone or a pistachio twist, before hitting the shops. Sarabeth’s, named a er its owner who even in her 80s is still found in the bakery, is another must-visit for baked items and homemade fruit preserves.

e industrial feel of the market’s stripped-down brick building gives it charm and character. Original features such as the gear-controlled windows and the original ooring o er visitors the chance to step back in time to the late 19th century when the factory gave birth to the likes of Oreo cookies. Reopened in the Nineties under the vision of New Yorker Irwin Cohen, it was designed to give small businesses a place to continue working as increasingly high rents were pushing them out of the city. It continues to be a hub for upcoming artists and artisans, drawing around six million visitors each year at the venue which also hosts an array of arts and cultural events throughout the year. chelseamarket.com

2 THE MEATPACKING DISTRICT

is area is named a er the very industry in which it has its roots, the wholesale meat market. Just a few steps around the corner from Chelsea Market, over the last 20 years, fashion and graphic designers, architects, artists, restaurateurs, world-renowned stylists and corporate headquarters have moved in alongside existing meatpacking plants. It is New York’s quintessentially old-meetsnew area, the dynamic and diverse neighbourhood characterised by its quaint cobblestone streets, historical architecture with contemporary structures being built above, and the gritty industrial feel alongside some of the most chic boutiques and dining destinations.

e Standard Grill is a great spot to people-watch and grab a bite. Running o the main streets are tree-lined avenues with the former homes of the wealthy traders who

came in the 1800s to work at the Hudson River which is just steps away. Today, residents include Sarah Jessica Parker as well as designer Diane von Furstenberg. e Whitney Museum of American Art meanwhile attracts the art crowd. Plenty of artists are out in the street selling their work, dotted in between wholesale food markets in this eclectic and vibrant part of town.

meatpacking-district.com

3 THE HIGH LINE

Directly above the Meatpacking District is e High Line which merges nature, art and design. e elevated park, the only one of its kind in the city, stretches 2.3km through the Meatpacking District and Chelsea along the west side of Manhattan. e rst stage opened in 2009, with the nal one opening in 2019, and it is the only park in NYC which closes overnight. Built along a now-defunct 10m high railway line with the original tracks still visible along the path, e High Line weaves between

buildings, apartment blocks such as the Zaha Hadid spectacle at 520 West 28th Street, churches, a school, and o ers vistas as far as the Statue of Liberty across the Hudson River. e park boasts constantly changing art exhibits each season, food and gi vendors, year-round gardens inspired by the plants and grasses that once grew wild on the abandoned tracks and even spots to sunbathe in the Diane Von Furstenberg garden. Dotted with quiet hideaways, the park o ers a respite from the city, while giving visitors a bird’s-eye view at the same time. ere are even high-powered telescopes to stargaze while you’re up there. e High Line stretches from Gansevoort Street to 34th Street in Chelsea along Tenth Avenue, curving west to Twel h Avenue around the Hudson Yards development at its northern end. Entrances every few blocks along its length lead up to the park. With li s throughout the route, the whole park is wheelchair and buggy accessible too. thehighline.org

4 HUDSON YARDS

More than a corporate HQ, Hudson Yards is one of the largest collaborative engineering and architecture projects in the US, as well as a vibrant community space where you can nd everything from cocktail-making classes to spinning sessions. Still an active train yard, it was a no-go area for over 40 years before it was completely redeveloped and now ows right into e High Line.

e complex is a mixed space which includes a shopping mall with plenty of dining options, as well as e Shed, an art collaborative where exhibits by emerging artist showcase local talent, music, live performance, and experimental theatre which is either free or accessible for a nominal fee.

A must-see is Little Spain, the Spanish food market where you can get olives, cheese and meats from the European country. e plaza is used as a public screening space during the likes of the Tribeca Film Festival and the US Open. e Vessel is a jaw-dropping piece of art that meets architecture and o ers 360-degree views from the top. e seven line on the subway – which itself boast beautifully decorated stations – arrives in the Hudson Yards area and connects travellers to the likes of Long Island all the way across Manhattan or to Times Square which is just minutes away. hudsonyardsnewyork.com

PATRICK TOMASSO/UNSPLASH; MAREMAGNUM/GETTY

TIMOTHY SCHENCK; DANIEL HELPIANSKY/UNSPLASH

THE NEW ICE AGE

Boutique ice is a growing trend in the luxury drinks industry with one Dubai entrepreneur leading the way

WORDS ROB CHILTON

When a drink has been lovingly crafted by an expert bartender using premium ingredients and poured into a beautiful hand-cut crystal glass, why would you then toss in any old ice cube found in the back of the freezer? It’s like wearing a piece of haute couture and pairing it with your scruffy gym sneakers.

For years, ice has been the forgotten component of the beverage industry, a poorly made and often unhygienic product that can impair the taste of a drink and spoil its appearance.

“Ice is the ingredient that no one talks about,” explains John Gillespie, founder of Artisan Ice Co. in Dubai. He established the boutique ice company in Dubai in the summer of 2022 and already counts the likes of Zuma, The Maine, LPM, The Arts Club Dubai and Gaia among his high-end clients. The Arts Club Dubai, for example, orders 1,600 pieces of ice per week. Gillespie says, “People say, ‘Oh, it’s just ice,’ but my ice is a luxury product, and it’s so important to how a drink looks and tastes.”

A comparison can be drawn between boutique ice and the boom of posh tonic water over the last decade. For years, a familiar yellow can of Schweppes was the standard mixer found in bars. But the arrival of flavoured tonic waters (elderflower and rose, anyone?) from brands such as Fever-Tree, Fentimans, and Double Dutch has elevated the mixers market.

From a Dhs3.6 million two-storey lab in Al Quoz, Artisan Ice Co.’s skilled craftsmen wear gloves and puffer coats as they handle 300kg blocks of crystal clear ice onto tables where they are hand-cut with Japanese knives and a motorised bandsaw that slices through the ice with a satisfying buzz. Ice can be frozen into attractive shapes such as rectangular columns, spheres, diamonds and cubes, or customised to fit glasses and cocktail shakers of the fivestar bars that place a bespoke order. On Business Traveller Middle East’s visit to the ice lab, we noticed a copper stamp bearing the Maserati logo that was used at a recent event in Dubai. Cartier and Burberry have also hosted parties serving bespoke branded ice from Gillespie’s lab. While industrially-produced ice using unfiltered water is cloudy and spotty, the stuff Gillespie and his team make is completely transparent because any impurities, bacteria, sediments or residue have been removed in a four-step process. Regular water is filtered through paper and charcoal before reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light conclude the purification stage. Over three days, this water is frozen slowly from the bottom up in large baths, forcing impurities to the surface and resulting in clear ice. “It looks almost invisible in the drink,” says Gillespie. “You want to taste the spirit and mixer in your drink so you need ice that has minimum dilution but maximum chill. Our ice has a lower melt rate because of the filtration process, and so it lasts longer.” Picking up a cube, he adds, “This isn’t just ice, it’s a piece of art.”

Our ice has a lower melt rate because of the filtration process, and so it lasts longer

ABOVE: Customised ice shapes

BELOW: The Artisan Ice Co. lab in Al Quoz, Dubai

Melting Point

The genesis of Artisan Ice Co. came in 2007 in Dubai when Gillespie came up with the idea of a copper stamp that would ‘melt’ a brand name into an ice cube. Using Dhs2,000 of his own money, Gillespie made a copper stamp for The Macallan spirits brand, which caught the eye of the management at Zuma Dubai who commissioned stamps with their restaurant logo.

The novelty ice cube became a talking point for guests at the bar and planted a seed in his head about the untapped potential of boutique ice, an idea that – eventually – has come to fruition with Gillespie as the front-runner. He just can’t believe it’s taken this long for artisanal ice to enter the UAE market. “Dubai is such a dynamic and futuristic city so it baffles me that no one has done this before,” he says.

Dubai’s luxury restaurant and bar scene, Gillespie adds, is the ideal environment for boutique ice. “As a result of things like The World’s 50 Best Bars [Zuma, Galaxy Bar and Bulgari Bar were the Dubai venues that made it onto the 2022 list announced in October], we’re starting to see an injection of bartender talent come into the city and they’re asking their bosses for the best products. Owners are investing in their bar offering because they realise that, nowadays, drinks are just as important as the food.”

Atlantis Resorts and Five Hotels are just two of the major hospitality brands building ice rooms at their properties to latch onto the trend, something that, surprisingly, Gillespie welcomes as he believes it will spread the word of luxury ice and ultimately benefit his operation. He’s signed a deal with MMI to stock his neat packs of ice boulders, pillars, marbles and diamonds, enabling customers to craft their own luxury drinks at home. As well as potential expansion in Saudi Arabia, Gillespie plans on importing Japanese premium Hoshizaki ice machines to Dubai and selling bags of his own-brand

ice in supermarkets. Capitalising on the rocketing no- and low-alcohol beverage industry that is currently valued at Dhs37 billion according to IWSR, a beverage market and data analysis firm, Gillespie aims to open a series of nonalcoholic bars in Dubai that will enable guests to witness the theatrical process of cutting ice by hand. Coffee shops and the growing thirst for iced coffee in the region are also on his ambitious radar.

“Eventually, I want my ice listed on the drinks menu in bars so that customers have an assurance that they’re being served quality ice,” he says. “It’ll be like when people order a bottle of water in a restaurant: do they want luxury water or house water?” He looks around his workshop and smiles: “It’s the new ice age.”

THE MACALLAN M COLLECTION

The Macallan M Collection is a range of limited-release single malt whiskies that celebrate the brand’s Six Pillars.

These pillars are the brand's foundation that account for The Macallan’s distinctive whiskies. It includes Spiritual Home, Curiously Small Stills, Finest Cust, Exceptional Oak Casks, Natural Colour and Peerless Spirt. The first two expressions are the 2022 editions of the previously released M and M Black and the brandnew M Copper, which pays tribute to the unique copper stills utilised by The Macallan since it was founded in 1824.

The M 2022 Release

M embodies Natural Colour, a result of The Macallan’s commitment to craftsmanship and its dedication to using the finest, 100 per cent natural ingredients and sherry seasoned oak casks. Matured in a small number of hand-selected casks, M showcases The Macallan’s rich natural colour, while the transparent decanter reflects the fact that there is no artificial colouring.

The M Black 2022 Release

M Black represents The Macallan’s relentless dedication to its Peerless Spirit and the absolute trust in its craft. Rare, black ended casks holding peated spirit have been carefully selected to create this whisky.

The spirit is matured in the sherry seasoned oak casks, and has gathered depth and distinction over time. The handcrafted Lalique black crystal decanter reflects the distinctive peat smoke within the whisky. It is a fitting decanter for a whisky that deserves to be treasured and savoured.

The M Copper 2022 Release

M Copper is an ode to the Curiously Small Copper Stills that remain key to crafting The Macallan’s spirit to this day. Their distinctive shape and size help to concentrate the new make spirit, creating a rich and robust character.

The handcrafted Lalique copper coloured crystal decanter represents the stills and reflects the brand's dedication to innovative methods.

The Collaboration Visually representing the Six Pillars, the decanters are created in collaboration with renowned creative director, Fabien Baron and French crystal maker Lalique. Envisioned by Baron, they feature six facets while Lalique has drawn on over 130 years of mastery to bring refinement and flawless clarity. The decanters are encased in exquisite outer packaging, also denoting the Six Pillars and is sustainably sourced in Scotland.

The Macallan has also worked with renowned luxury fashion photographer and creative visionary Nick Knight, to create a series of photography and films in his abstract and expressionistic style. Knight’s imagery captures the collection in blocks of ice as an homage to The Macallan’s intrinsic connection to nature and the River Spey which runs through The Macallan Estate.

Available at: The Macallan M Collection is available worldwide in both domestic and travel retail markets including The Macallan Estate, The Macallan Airport Boutiques and select premium retailers around the world.

WORDS GAUTAM SHARMA

We take the new Bentley Bentayga EWB for a test drive in Vancouver, Canada, to discover what makes this a statement piece in the ultra-luxury automotive orbit

BIG GAINS

Bentley has long been synonymous with stately limos, perhaps none more famous than the State Limousines manufactured in 2002 for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. But times change and the hallowed British brand has had to realign its model line-up to cater to shifting tastes among its buyers. A notable trend in recent years is that

motorists across all price segments have been deserting traditional sedans in favour of high-riding SUVs and crossovers.

So, it’s not altogether surprising that the void left by the expansive Mulsanne limo – it was discontinued in 2020 – has now been filled by an all-terrainer. Bentley has supersized its Bentayga, and the resulting new EWB (Extended Wheelbase) model has the dual objectives of not only replacing

the Mulsanne, but also of taking on the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Range Rover Long Wheelbase.

A stretch of 180mm pushes out the Bentayga EWB’s wheelbase to a gargantuan 3,175mm, and all the additional space liberated by the expansion benefits rear-seat occupants.

Company officials are at pains to point out the newcomer is a thoroughly reengineered vehicle, with 2,500 new parts compared

to the regular Bentayga, resulting from a “nine-digit investment” in its development. The new offering is available in five-seat, 4+1 and four-seat configurations, with the latter format going the extra mile by including rear pews that recline by up to 40 degrees.

The EWB debuts soft-close doors, while the sheer length and weight of the rear doors have warranted the introduction of an electronic opening and closing system, activated via push

buttons on the rear centre console. The most obvious clue to the identity of the EWB – apart from the XXL rear doors – is a new vertical-vane grille in lieu of the usual mesh-pattern unit. However, the crosshatch theme is still retained for the lower air intakes.

The EWB will be offered in two core specifications with the base model already bringing a generous quota of standard kit. The range-topping Azure trim focuses on “wellness” – in other words, delivering occupants to their destination in ultimate comfort. The Azure is distinguishable by its chromefinish air intakes, while the car rides on massive 10-spoke, 22-inch alloys that are offered in a choice of three different finishes. It also has badges spelling out its identity on the flanks and embroidered into the backs of the front seats. The seats themselves are trimmed in leather that features a new elongated quilting and perforation

pattern exclusive to the Azure. An interesting trick is the optional ‘Bentley Diamond Illumination’, whereby LED lights shine through perforations in the padded trim. Even your feet are pampered in the Azure, thanks to super-soft deep-pile carpeting, while the two-tone, leatherclad steering wheel has a heating function to get your hands warm on frosty days.

The four-seater ‘Airline Seat Specification’ features a pair of reclining seats in the rear, each of which is complemented by a footrest that deploys electronically from the back of the seat in front. While this seating format is hardly new, Bentley claims it has introduced a couple of world-firsts in the seats. The first of these is ‘Seat Auto-Climate’, which senses the occupant’s body temperature and compensates by either warming up or cooling

OPPOSITE

ABOVE: The Bentayga EWB features a 4-litre twin-turbo V8

PAGE: The SUV offers fourwheel steering

CLOCKWISE FROM

ABOVE: The two-tone, leather-clad steering wheel has a heating function; Rear seats recline by up to 40 degrees; The EWB has a top speed of 290kph

down to bring the occupant’s torso temperature to within the optimum thermal range. The other first, according to Bentley, is ‘Postural Adjust’, which makes proactive microadjustments to the support in the seat (up to 177 changes over a three-hour window), with the aim of stimulating muscles and reducing fatigue.

Back-seat dwellers also benefit from dual ionisers for the rear cabin that filter out airborne particulates, so they don’t go and lodge themselves in your lungs.

The base model comes standard with fluted leather upholstery, 20way adjustable front seats, 21-inch alloys, wood veneer trims and plenty more bells and whistles. The rear compartment in the base model can be configured with either the 4+1 or five-seater layout.

The oily bits are unchanged for the EWB as propulsion comes from the familiar 4-litre twin-turbo V8 that thumps out 550hp at 6,000rpm and 770Nm from 2,000-4,500rpm, while the drive is sent to all four wheels by a

ZF eight-speed auto transmission. The EWB weighs in at 2,514kg, yet it still manages to go from 0-100kph in 4.6 seconds and hit a top speed of 290kph.

As of now, there are no plans for a W12 version, but performance is clearly more than adequate with the V8, so there aren’t likely to be too many customers demanding more cylinders or cubic inches. The powertrain offers plenty of midrange grunt, and it strikes a nice balance between being audible when pushed, yet near-silent at highway cruising speeds.

Even though the Bentayga EWB’s USP is its vast and opulent rear compartment, Bentley says that many buyers will be owner-drivers, rather than chauffeur-driven back-seat dwellers.

It might be a 5.3m long, 2.5-tonne chariot, but the Bentayga EWB hides its girth relatively well, as we discovered during the launch drive programme, as part of which we covered the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler Mountain, and beyond.

A key tech addition to the Bentayga EWB is four-wheel steering, and this feature results in a tidy turning circle of 11.8m, which is 0.6m less than the standard model. The rear-steer also helps greatly in getting the big

KELLY SERFOSS

SUV rotated through tight corners without having to wind on armloads of steering lock.

e 48-Volt active roll stabilisation system also plays its part, keeping the EWB relatively at and free of body roll, should the mood take you to ing it across winding mountain roads.

e EWB is a far more agile and dynamic drive than the RollsRoyce Cullinan, which is much happier sedately wa ing along than it is being driven spiritedly across sinuous tarmac. e Bentley also has the Range Rover LWB comfortably beaten in the grip/ handling department. Straight-line performance is decidedly lively, with the Bentayga sprinting from corner to corner and dispatching overtakes (when required) with e ortless ease.

But what we were keen to nd out is what sort of experience the Bentayga EWB o ers to its rearseat occupants – especially with the Airline Seat Speci cation. e trade-o for the Bentayga EWB’s dynamism (for a vehicle of its size and type) is that ride quality is a bit sharp over high-frequency roadsurface imperfections. As a result, rear-seat dwellers don’t get to bask in the magic-carpet ride you’d get in a Cullinan or even an S-Class.

Luggage capacity is also a bit tight, with the four-seat con guration only o ering 392 litres of stowage space. You may want to opt for the ve-seat layout (it o ers 484 litres) if this is a deal-breaker.

ere are plenty of elements that exude seven-star luxury in this Bentley’s cabin – especially the sumptuously upholstered leather quilted seats, plus the immaculately nished veneer trim on the doors and centre console. e chromed door handles and knurled alloy twist knobs are also a delight to hold and behold. However, it’s a let-down to nd switchgear that’s no di erent to what you’d nd in a previous-gen Volkswagen Golf. is is one area where the Bentayga (which dates back to 2015) is beginning to feel its age. e latest

Flying Spur has addressed this gripe with a rst-class cabin that shows little tangible evidence of parts sharing across the Volkswagen Group. No doubt it will also be resolved in the next-gen Bentayga, due in about three years. e Bentayga EWB is likely to be greeted by a highly receptive audience in our SUV-loving region, and local orders have just opened for the vehicle. A big plus point in favour of the EWB is that it loses nothing in the way of agility or manoeuvrability compared to its shorter sibling, thanks to the addition of its fourwheel steering.

On the whole, the Bentayga EWB does what it claims, and it opens up the opulent SUV to a whole new demographic, who might otherwise have bought a limo.

AT A GLANCE

Bentley Bentayga EWB

Price: From Dh980,000 (estimate)

Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8

Power: 550hp at 6,000rpm

Torque: 770Nm at 2,000-4,500rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed auto 0-100kph: 4.6 seconds

Top speed: 290kph

Nicola Andreatta, the CEO of Geneva-based Roger Dubuis, is swiftly responding to the growth of the luxury market within the Middle East and further East

WORDS VARUN GODINHO

Our approach has always been that of representing a credible alternative to the classic ne watchmaking world,” says Nicola Andreatta, CEO of Swiss watchmaker Roger Dubuis. e operative phrase within that statement are the words “credible alternative”, for it isn’t that a fair number of manufacturers have eschewed classic watchmaking in favour of avant-garde, but there are only a handful who get it right – consistently. To reinforce that positioning, Roger Dubuis has built its being around the patented term of ‘hyper horology’. “ e word comes from Greek and it means ‘beyond’. We like to say that our purpose is to go beyond, always. We challenge the boundaries of our industry, and we challenge the boundaries of everything we do,” declares Andreatta.

e demand for Swiss watches remains robust. From January-October 2022, Swiss watch exports stood at CHF20.4 billion, an 11.9 per cent year-on-year increase, according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. Roger Dubuis, which is part of the Richemont group, doesn’t disclose production gures or its nancials. But what Andreatta did let on is that the Covid-pandemic has resulted in the brand deciding to narrow its focus to the very top-end category of watchmaking.

“We just prepared our plan for the next ve years and we do not plan to increase [production]. We actually decreased quantities following [the start of the] Covid pandemic. I decided to stop with our entry-level –whatever was below Eur45,000 – because we were not competitive [in that space]. It’s not what we do best,” says Andreatta in a frank admission of the brand’s strengths. “What we do best is hyper horology, and so we needed to give the time and space to our incredible engineers and watchmakers to develop these timepieces. We will make fewer pieces, but these will be more complicated.”

ere are several timepieces where you can see that strategy of ultracomplicated unfold for the brand. Take for example the Knights of the Round Table, which was unveiled at Watches and Wonders 2022 in Geneva. ere are 12 knights – each representing an hour marker – sculpted in pink gold, all of whom look on to the rst central tourbillon movement timepiece for Roger Dubuis. en there was the new 42mm Excalibur Monobalancier made with patented Eon Gold alloy. As far as material innovation goes, earlier this year, the brand debuted a Excalibur Monobalancier Platinum Edition. Platinum is a very rare metal – Roger Dubuis says that 15 tonnes of ore return only as much as 30 grams of platinum, which is three-six times harder than gold. is speci c 42mm piece is a Middle East edition and can be found only within the brand’s agship boutique in Dubai Mall. “Our agship boutique in Dubai is the biggest one we have in the world today. We have 33 mono-brand boutiques around the world, and roughly between 100110 active doors, in terms of partners that distribute Roger Dubuis in multi-brand stores. ere are a few regions or markets where we want to invest and expand more – and de nitely, the GCC is one of them. We are present in Kuwait and Bahrain with a partner and we are working to soon open a presence in Saudi Arabia too. e team is investing more within the region, and in the next few years we will be able to have a much better presence locally [within the region],” says Andreatta.

He adds that the importance that Roger Dubuis is placing on this region is the reason it debuted the latest platinum Middle East model. “ e Monobalancier, as a

ABOVE: Roger Dubuis’ Dubai Mall boutique

BELOW LEFT: Nicola Andreatta

OPPOSITE PAGE: The Excalibur Monobalancier Platinum Edition which is only available at the Dubai Mall boutique

movement and as a collection, is a restyling of our Excalibur – the original Excalibur was launched in 1995. is is a speci c one we created for Dubai. ere is also a speci c colour green to it and we chose that speci c tone of green which is very particular to Roger Dubuis.”

Despite the current geopolitical and in ationary pressures worldwide, the demand for luxury isn’t waning. e world’s Top 100 luxury goods companies generated revenues of US$305 billion in FY2021, up from US$281 billion in FY2019 (before the impact of the pandemic set in), according to the Global Powers of Luxury Goods 2022 report by Deloitte. Andreatta is bullish about growth in the Middle East, as much as he is about growth further East. He says that estimates suggest that the luxury market in Asia will grow 5 per cent over the next few years, while that of the western world will grow only 3 per cent. “We will be opportunistic, but also strategic,” says Andreatta. “China is a key market for Roger Dubuis. China was the only market which was open during a few months in 2020 when all other markets were closed. At the start of the Covid pandemic we had only two boutiques [in China]. We now have six boutiques in China. What’s interesting today is that you don’t have Chinese tourists, but you have a domestic Chinese market which is developing. You don’t have the phenomenon of Chinese owing through Dubai, Paris or other European cities, which is good because that also allows us to further develop our local markets instead of relying on tourists.”

While the pandemic may have given Roger Dubuis a chance to expand in China and focus on domestic markets, it’s also thrown up a set of problems that Andreatta refers to with the acronym of VUCA – volatilities, uncertainties, complexities and ambiguities. “ e only way to face this kind of context is by becoming more agile, more antifragile, and thrive in a situation of disruption rather than being a ected by it. You must learn how to move faster between di erent initiatives and how to allocate resources where you need those resources to be. is is easier for smaller brands like ours.”

Of all the watchmaking collaborations struck, Roger Dubuis’ partnerships with Lamborghini and Pirelli are among the most high-pro le ones. Last month, the Excalibur Spider Huracán Sterrato MB, which combines inspirations from both, was unveiled. Limited to only 28 pieces, its 45mm case is made from SMC carbon which is nine times lighter than gold. Powered by an RD630 calibre, the automatic winding timepiece has a power reserve of 60 hours. e inner strap of this timepiece is made from black rubber with a pattern similar to a Pirelli Super Trofeo R tyre. Separately, to mark Pirelli’s 150th anniversary, Roger Dubuis also showcased the new Excalibur Spider Pirelli Monotourbillon with a 60-second ying tourbillon that also comes with three “kits” which allows you to instantly change the bezel, crown and strap. Like most of Roger Dubuis’ watches, this too is a Hallmark of Geneva-certi ed piece. Cementing its connection to motorsports, additionally, Roger Dubuis signed up as the o cial timekeeper of the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Beyond motorsport, art is a relatively new area that the watchmaker is now striving to break into. “Besides motorsport, we have a second territory of expression which we call urban culture that we launched in 2021. It has to do with contemporary art. We collaborated with three major contemporary artists: Doctor Woo is probably the most famous tattoo artist in the world, Gully is a French gra ti artist and Hajime Sorayama is a Japanese graphic designer and architect. We have already lined up a series of new artists who we will collaborate with over the next few months. We’re going to develop further this ‘urban culture’ territory.” at direction has seen the brand recently release the Excalibur Liu Wei Monotourbillon in collaboration with the Chinese artist. e dial features engraved lines manually lled with UV paint. Only eight pieces are available, each priced at US$150,000.

Much of Roger Dubuis’ product strategy will be dictated by three main shi s that Andreatta has observed. is includes a younger demographic of clients, an omnichannel approach to retail with a focus on digital initiatives for clients in the discovery phase of their watch purchase, and also one eye on emerging Asian economies which can become big markets for luxury in general. However Roger Dubuis chooses to navigate these shi s, hyper horology will be an inseparable component of the brand.

ABOVE: Chinese artist Liu Wei

BELOW: Excalibur Liu Wei Monotourbillon

A Peruvian paradise

WORDS VARUN GODINHO

Peru is rebuilding its tourism industry – helped along the way by the recognition it received once again at the 2022 World Travel Awards

In 2019, the year before the pandemic shut down the world, Peru welcomed 4.4 million international tourists. Its foreign capital revenue from tourism that year stood at US$4.7 billion. The pandemic meant that the third-largest country in South America, and the 20th biggest in the world, was forced to curb tourism. However, in November last year, the country finally lifted all travel restrictions, thereby paving the way for its tourism sector to make a sustained recovery in 2023.

Interest in Peru, specifically from the GCC countries, is on the rise. That was evident from the Peru pavilion which was present at the Expo 2020 Dubai which concluded last year, but not before the Andean nation registered over 1.7 million visitors to its pavilion during the six-month expo. The pavilion was cloaked in textiles and visitors had to make their way across a handwoven rope bridge that paid tribute to Queshuachaca, the last surviving Inca rope bridge. The pavilion also highlighted the natural biodiversity of the country and its rainforests which are rich with wildlife.

The GCC once again rose to prominence on Peru’s radar recently during the prestigious World Travel Awards which was held in Muscat, the capital of Oman, in November. At the 29th edition of the World Travel Awards, Peru came away with three gongs, one each for the World’s Leading Culinary Destination 2022, the World’s Leading Cultural Destination 2022 and the World’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2022 - Machu Picchu.

Peru has previously featured in the awards. In fact, it has been awarded as the winner of the World’s Leading Culinary Destination category on ten occasions, while Machu Picchu has been chosen as the World’s Leading Tourist Attraction five times, and the country has also been recognised as the

FROM TOP: Machu Picchu; Peru’s vibrant culinary scene has attracted a global audience; Peru’s rainforests are rich with wildlife

World’s Leading Cultural Destination on four occasions.

Machu Picchu, surrounded by forests in the province of Urubamba, receives approximately 1.5 million visitors per year. As a construction of the Inca Empire, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983 and remains a major attraction in Peru.

Peru’s vibrant culinary scene meanwhile has attracted a global audience. There are over 2,500 varieties of quinoa that originate in the Andes and superfoods such as purple corn grown in Peru are used to create a drink that is rich in antioxidants. Peru’s culinary expertise has also been successfully exported to countries around the world – not least the UAE, where there are over 15 Peruvian restaurants including the likes of Coya in Dubai, Inka Dubai located in Sofitel Dubai Downtown and Inti Dubai which is housed in The Dubai Edition hotel. Alvaro Silva-Santisteban, director of the Commission for the Promotion of Peru for Export and Tourism (PromPeru) in the GCC, who received the awards on behalf of his country in Muscat, said, “The recognition of our exquisite cuisine validates the uniqueness and diversity of our sustainable products, [and] the evolution of our chefs and their crafts to deliver only the best.”

Gripping natural biodiversity, stunning cultural sites and exquisite culinary creations offer plenty of reasons for Peru to once again become a sought-after destination for GCC travellers this year.

In top shape

As most of us make a firm decision to get healthier in the new year, this month we are inspired by workout gear for those always on the go React

Handcrafted chiming clock by David Galbraith

Photograph by Joachim Guay

Painting by Andrew Vicari

Photograph by Noam Chen

Painting by Mai Majdy Painting by Faisal Abdulqader

Painting by Faisal Abdulqader

Painting by Shadab Khan

Painting by Sonu Sultania

Painting by Liz Ramos-Prado

the eport

Tried, Tested, Tasted.

TRIED AND TESTED RESTAURANTS TRIED AND TESTED FLIGHT

Virgin Atlantic A330 neo (Upper Class)

London-Tampa

TRIED AND TESTED HOTELS

Fraser Suites Le Claridge Champs-Elysées

The Reverie Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City

L’Apero, Dubai Blind Tiger, Dubai

Virgin Atlantic A330 neo Upper Class

LONDON–TAMPA

BACKGROUND Virgin has ordered a total of 16 A330 neo aircraft for its long-haul operations, configured, at least initially, in three classes: economy, premium economy and business (Upper Class). The ‘neo’ stands for new engine option (in this case, Rolls Royce Trent 7000 engines), which along with improvements to the wing deliver an 11 per cent improvement in fuel e iciency over the existing A330 aircraft in Virgin’s fleet, and a 50 per cent improvement in noise.

This was the inaugural flight to Tampa, which started in November, initially four times a week before becoming daily from November 28, 2022. The normal departure time is 1330, but this flight left at 0800 to allow for a press conference on arrival.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS I arrived by taxi at London Heathrow T3 at 0600 for my 0800 departure on VS129, with a flight time of ten-and-a-half hours. I had hand luggage only and had already checked in online, so after getting my boarding card at the Upper Class check-in counter I took the lift up to the Upper Class security and was quickly airside and on my way to the lounge.

THE LOUNGE The Virgin Club House normally opens at 0630, but because of our earlier flight it opened at 0600. We had a reception with breakfast in the far left-hand corner, and though we were among the first to arrive, by the time we left to board at 0715 the lounge was filling up. As an aside, unlike some other airlines, Virgin rightly thinks there is a value in providing magazines and newspapers for its guests.

BOARDING Boarding from Gate 16 was swift with two air bridges. I entered from the front door and turned right into the cabin to get to my seat 3G.

THE SEAT The A330 is too narrow to fit Virgin’s new Upper Class seat, as seen on its A350s, so it has chosen an o -the-shelf seat – the Thompson Vantage XL – which is the same seat its sister airline Delta has on its A330s, along with many other airlines.

The seats are all forward facing in a 1-2-1 configuration of A-DG-K. The seat reclines fully flat with the legroom for the bed being enclosed under the table of the passenger in front. This staggered formation is a common arrangement, though it means that legroom when fully reclined can be quite tight. The airline has distinguished itself by design elements such as the Virgin deep purple/ burgundy colour scheme, the sliding privacy door and the move away from leather in favour of a material which is up to 50 per cent lighter and uses no animal products in its manufacture.

The seat design for the cabin (and the whole interior of the aircraft) is called, internally, ‘New Horizon’, with stitched lines on the seats, subtle horizontal lines up to the lumbar region on the seat, and a burgundy

mesh pattern in the surrounding areas of the seat. There is also mood lighting that changes with each stage of the journey.

Although the seats are fairly standard, there are a pair of middle seats in the front row (D and G) which have garnered all the headlines and which Virgin calls ‘The Retreat’. These two seats will be sold at a premium for couples or those wanting a more roomy experience. They have more storage room, including an area under the side table in-between the seats.

Each seat has a large side table, which has enough room for a laptop if you want to work and then place it to one side when the meal service arrives. There is a tray table that comes out from under this side table, but it is not very robust, vibrating up and down when working on a laptop.

There is mood lighting that changes with each stage of the journey

There is a wireless charging area just above the power, but it was temperamental so I plugged in to one of the USB charging points (there is both USB A and USB C). There is also AC power (universal) for charging larger devices such as a laptop. We had a Virgin Atlantic engineer onboard for our flight home, so I know there are a few teething issues with some of the design elements and power, but Virgin is fixing this and hopefully any problems should be sorted by the time you fly.

As already mentioned, there is a full privacy door, which is locked for take-o

and landing, but thereafter can be closed or opened depending on your preference. If you are in a centre seat (as I was) there is also a central divider which you can raise after take-o to give you privacy from your neighbour.

There are a few storage spaces, including one for shoe stowage (though not for take-o and landing), a small cupboard where the headphones are kept (Virgin refers to this as lockable, which just means it has a latch) and also two more spaces for magazines. The window seat storage is slightly larger than the middle seats – the provided can of water fitted in the window seat storage area, but not in the centre seat’s same area.

The IFE is via a 17.3-inch touchscreen, with Bluetooth audio, a do not disturb light and

customer-controlled mood lighting. There is wifi supplied through Viasat, which was the fastest I have experienced on board a flight. It was £5.99 for 1-hour or £18.99 for the full flight. You can do PED pairing, meaning you can use your own device to connect to the IFE and browse the entertainment library, control your screen and activate the call bell. You can also use

There is wi supplied by Viasat, which was the fastest I have experienced on board

Bluetooth to connect your own headphones, though the ones supplied in Upper Class are of a good quality.

BEST SEATS Definitely The Retreat if you are a couple and happy to pay extra. If that’s not available, then go for a pair of centre seats. For the window seats I’d avoid the back row because the bar area (called The Loft) is there, and might get noisy if you want to sleep during the day.

THE FLIGHT The flight was incident free with the seat belt sign coming on only a few times for light turbulence.

After take-o you can use the communal area – The Loft – at the back of the Upper Class cabin. It has banquette seating with seatbelts, and a maximum capacity of eight (or four if seat belts are required).

For the meal service there was a choice of starters: chicken parfait with an apricot chutney and crostini, or textures of beetroot with a goat’s cheese mousse, served with a selection of artisan breads. The main course choices were chicken and wild mushroom pie with colcannon mash, garden vegetables and a red wine sauce; miso and sesame-crusted salmon with sweet potato purée, bok choi and a honey and ginger sauce; or vegetable korma with Gujarati beans, jeera pilau rice and paratha. The vegetarian option (korma) was delicious – not too spicy, lots of flavours,

and not too heavy. I’m a fan of curries on planes, and this was very tasty.

After a few hours I asked the flight attendants to prepare the seat for sleep, which involves a comfortable padded white undersheet placed over the seat, and a duvet on top. Once fully reclined the seat is comfortable but a little tight, especially in the footwell, but also around your shoulders, since the armrests are fixed. For larger flyers the tight space might be uncomfortable, and for tall flyers there isn’t quite enough room to bend your knees when lying down. (On the return overnight flight I slept for the majority of the flight, though others fared less well.)

The waist seat belts are also too short –several colleagues had to ask for an extension just for take-o and landing. There is also an over-the-shoulder belt to be worn for take-o and landing.

Before landing there was a choice of light bites, including: scones with cream, a fish finger sandwich, or chickpea fritter and vegetable samosa.

ARRIVAL We arrived on time and were greeted by well-wishers and press, before having a press conference with Richard Branson, Shai Weiss and local dignitaries. I didn’t have any checked luggage so after that we were quickly on our way into Tampa.

VERDICT This is a well-thought-out version of the Thompson Vantage XL seat. I was impressed with the design, IFE technology, power options and also the speed of the wifi. The service was exemplary. Tom Otley

FLIGHT TIME 10 hours and 10 minutes CONFIGURATION 1-2-1

SEAT WIDTH 19.2 inches

SEAT RECLINE/BED LENGTH 180 degrees/76 inches

PRICE

Internet rates for a one-way Upper Class London Heathrow-Tampa flight in February started from £4,600

CONTACT virginatlantic.com

Fraser Suites Le Claridge Champs-Elysées

BACKGROUND Fraser Suites is an extended-stay brand from Singapore-based serviced apartment and residence company Frasers Hospitality, which comprises five-star properties in more than 70 cities, including Singapore, London and Sydney. This Paris property opened in 2006 and occupies the Le Claridge building, built in 1914. Renovations began in August and will be completed this month.

WHERE IS IT? On the Champs-Elysées in the city’s 8th arrondissement, on a section close to the Arc de Triomphe. There are four metro stations within a ten-minute walk, and it is within walking distance of the Place de la Concorde and Tuileries Garden.

WHAT’S IT LIKE? The renovations meant that, at the time of my visit, I was unable to appreciate the Belle Epoque façade, which was wrapped in film. The

BEST FOR

A comfortable night’s sleep in a beautiful room

DON’T MISS

Relaxing on a lounger in the open-air courtyard

PRICE

Internet rates for a flexible midweek stay in December started from €490 for a Studio Deluxe Suite

CONTACT 74 Avenue des Champs-Elysées, 75008 Paris; +33 (0)1 44 13 33 33; frasershospitality.com

welcoming doormen, however, maintain the property’s five-star credentials. Lifts and stairs take you to the open-plan lobby on the first floor, which has a 24-hour reception. The property surrounds a peaceful, open-air courtyard, so you can still get a taste of the Haussmann architecture.

The layout of the building means the 117 apartments are labelled by letter (A, B, C, D, E) and have di erent lifts. The main lift from the ground floor provides access to A; the other lifts are located to the right, past the breakfast room.

Check-in is from 3pm and check-out at 12pm. Sta are helpful – accompanying you to your room and calling ahead of checkout to ask if you need a transfer or help with your luggage.

The large bed was so and sumptuous and I had a heavenly night’s sleep

ROOMS The studios, one-, two- and threebedroom accommodations range from 35 sqm to 170 sqm, and come in three options: Deluxe, Executive and Premier. When I visited in October, 21 of the suites had just been renovated. All apartments include well-equipped kitchens with a microwave oven, co ee machine, kettle, toaster, induction hob, a small dishwasher, a large bottle of water and cooking equipment. Amenities include a safe, iron and ironing board, umbrella and hairdryer.

I stayed in a newly renovated one-bedroom Premier suite on the third floor in section A, which features beautiful contemporary design with wood herringbone floors, a grey colour palette and plenty of white marble. These suites normally have fantastic views of the Champs-Elysées but my floor-to-ceiling windows were covered in a wrap during my visit. This obstructed some natural light, but the room’s numerous light fixtures kept it feeling bright.

Suites have a lounge area with a large dining table and sofa bed facing a flatscreen TV, a separate galley-style kitchen, a toilet separate from the bathroom, and a large bedroom. The bathrooms are the most lavish part, with white marble tiling, a

soothing rain fall shower, a separate bath and L’Occitane products in both large-size dispensers and recyclable small bottles. The large bed was soft and sumptuous, and I had a heavenly night’s sleep. I found it easy to work at the dining table and there are USB ports and plug sockets throughout the apartment.

My visit coincided with a power cut from 11.30am to 2.30pm. This was well-publicised in the public spaces and via a piece of paper slid under my door.

FOOD AND DRINK There is no restaurant, but breakfast is served daily from 7am-10.30am (until 11am on weekends) in a small room on the first floor, which is quite cramped. There’s a good spread of pastries, cold cuts and hot dishes, but the price is steep at €29 per person.

MEETINGS There is a business centre and a 65 sqm meeting room on the first floor.

LEISURE There is a 24-hour gym for guests on the first floor.

VERDICT This aparthotel has a coveted address, friendly sta and spacious apartments. My visit was ill-timed due to renovation works. Apartments overlooking the courtyard are recommended during this period of renovations. Hannah Brandler

The Reverie Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City

BACKGROUND The Reverie occupies the upper floors of a 39-storey mixed-use building – Times Square – containing luxury showrooms and o ices. It opened in 2015.

WHERE IS IT? On Dong Khoi Street and Nguyen Hue Boulevard in Ho Chi Minh City’s central urban area - District 1.

WHAT’S IT LIKE? From reception on the ground floor you are quickly whisked to the seventh floor lobby for check-in. It’s an opulent space created almost exclusively by Italian designers. Reception has pale blue carpeting, walls of white-grey marble with multicoloured mosaics, and a five-metre ‘Esmeralda’ sofa designed by Colombostile upholstered in purple ostrich leather with amethyst detailing. There’s a malachite and gold-plated clock weighing 1,000 kilograms by Florentine company, Baldi. There are crystal chandeliers, liveried sta and a baby grand piano in the corner with a live pianist. It’s a level of ostentatiousness that will either beguile or amuse, depending on your taste.

ROOMS There are 286 rooms and suites, with 12 categories of rooms ranging in size from 43-53 sqm and 62 suites ranging from 63 sqm to 313 sqm. All are extremely luxurious with floor-to-ceiling windows, robes and bed sheets by Frette, complimentary minibar including beers, a Nespresso machine and kettle, and Chopard toiletries. The rooms are perfect for those on business – a good-sized desk and o ice supplies including scissors, glue,

pens and paper. On the technology side there are Cisco VoIP telephones, 46- to 55-inch Samsung LED FHD TVs (with 15inch TVs in the bathrooms), complimentary wifi and all-in-one media hubs for optimal connectivity – including universal power outlets, USB and HDMI outlets, and audio and video inputs. There is a 542 sqm executive club on the top two floors of the hotel called The Reverie Lounge reserved for those in suites.

FOOD AND DRINK There are four restaurants. Café Cardinal is the all-day dining restaurant serving breakfast through to contemporary French cuisine in the

It’s a level of ostentatiousness that will either beguile or amuse you

evening. It’s an odd space, reached by a curving staircase down from the reception area, with a double-height ceiling that makes it feel empty even when quite busy, but the food is excellent under chef Paul Pettini and his team. The Royal Pavilion serves Cantonese fine dining in a setting decorated with jade stones and traditional Chinese scenes painted on gold leaf that are juxtaposed with chairs and tableware designed by Provasi of Italy. Da Vittorio Saigon o ers Italian fine-dining with exemplary service in the basement of the hotel. There is also The Long at Times Square, which is a casual restaurant with a 48m bar – it is actually a walkway between two streets but thankfully covered.

MEETINGS There are 15 di erent sized rooms on the 4th, 5th and 8th floors. The largest is the La Scala ballroom, with onyx-framed entryways, fabric-lined walls by Rubelli, and Swarovski crystal chandeliers, while the foyer features a 19th-century Bechstein grand piano with a ‘Russian mosaic’ veneer of malachite and gilded bronze by Baldi.

LEISURE There is a 24m outdoor pool on the sixth floor complete with an underwater sound system as well as two spa baths. On the same level the 1,200 sqm fitness centre and spa has curved corridors of slatted walnut featuring 12 treatment rooms, male and female steam and sauna facilities, a beauty salon and hair salon.

VERDICT The decor may not be to everyone’s taste, but this is a luxury hotel with top class service and fantastic facilities, including excellent restaurants. Tom Otley

BEST

FOR

The views across Ho Chi Minh City

DON’T MISS

Dining in one of the restaurants – if you only choose one – try Da Vittorio Saigon

PRICE

Internet rates for a Deluxe room in mid-February start from US$350

CONTACT

Times Square Building, 22-36 Nguyen Hue Boulevard and 57-69F Dong Khoi Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; +84 (0) 28 3823 6688; thereveriesaigon.com

L’Apero, Dubai

BACKGROUND French cuisine served in restaurants, on most occasions, is accompanied by snobbish and intimidating settings and service that can be o -putting. L’Apero, located in Sofitel Dubai Downtown, is the antidote to that and is a brilliant mix of great French food served within a relaxed and inviting environment.

THE VENUE With a fantastic location just o Sheikh Zayed Road in Downtown Dubai, there’s an indoor area as well as a terrace that can be covered with a retractable roof. There are multiple seating options including couches, full-fledged dining tables as well as bar stools set against high tables which are ideal if you need to use your laptop to shoot o a couple of emails before you tuck into the food. Club Millesime members staying at the hotel can drop in here for their breakfast from 9am-11am, LeGouter (Afternoon Tea) served from 3pm-5pm, or a canapé bu et with alcohol from 6pm-8pm. External guests can avail of the à la carte menu from 12pm until 1am. L’Apero is a spacious venue and is sectioned, so even though there are hotel guests dropping into the venue periodically, at no point did we feel our privacy being encroached upon.

FOOD AND DRINK Sofitel’s parent, Accor, was a partner of the French pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai and as such brought in chefs from France to manage the catering at that venue. Post the Expo, some of those

chefs were transferred to L’Apero – which explains a special section on the menu called Expo 2020 Heritage. We ordered the excellent Paris and Île-de-France - Gratinée à l’oignon. A comforting French onion soup gratin, it was well received considering we were seated outside in the evening and the weather was cool. From the sharing platter section on the menu, we opted for the Assiette de Legumes which included Croquette de Pommes (potato croquettes),

The prices are signi cantly less than other high-end French restaurants in the city

olives, and gougeres with steaming hot cheese inside – the portions are great for sharing. To visit a French restaurant and not order the croque monsieur would be a grave mistake and hence we did so. One of the highlights of our meal, here it is served with shaved tru les, turkey ham and gruyere béchamel served in sourdough bread – if you have to order just one item from the entire menu, you’d do well to make sure it is this one. Although we didn’t have space for the mains, there’s a selection of a fillet steak, or prawns served with a fennel confit, or even a lamb shank, among

others. For dessert, the delicious crème brûlée here is served in true French style with cinnamon cronuts.

HOURS

Club Millesime members staying at the property can avail of their breakfast starting at 9am daily. External patrons can visit from 12pm-1am

LOCATION

L’Apero, Sofitel Dubai Downtown, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai

CONTACT +971 4 503 6666; sofitel-dubaidowntown.com

SERVICE The sta here are properly trained in all the ins and outs of French cuisine, but do not come across as condescending if you ask them to explain the di erent items on the menu or make recommendations. In fact, they’ll go refreshingly o -script and share menu recommendations with anecdotes of their personal thoughts on their experiences sampling the di erent menu items, and how the chef even customised creations for them. Unobtrusive, intuitive and thoroughly e icient – the service here is top-notch.

VERDICT This is a venue with genuinely good French cuisine, where the prices are significantly less than what you’d pay at similar high-end restaurants in the city –the croque monsieur is Dhs70, the onion soup is Dhs45 and the mains are priced at an average of Dhs100. With an extensive beverage menu too, head here for a great French-inspired lounge. Varun Godinho

Blind Tiger, Dubai

BACKGROUND The latest addition to the multiple dining destinations at Jumeirah Al Naseem in Dubai, Blind Tiger o ers something a little di erent with its speakeasy vibe tucked away in Turtle Lagoon, home to dining hotspots such as MayaBay and Il Borro Tuscan Bistro. Part of a new trend of secret style bars popping up in Dubai, bedecked with the glamour of a bygone era injected with 21st-century chic, Blind Tiger evokes images of elegantly clad women wearing flapper dresses and men in braces, like a scene from The Great Gatsby

THE VENUE Across the bridge and up the winding pathways, Blind Tiger is tucked away at the far side of Al Naseem’s dining hub. Hidden among the lush greenery, the venue exudes a sense of seclusion. Set amongst some of the most popular destinations in the hotel such as Pink Flamingo, this new lounge bar is a stylish hideaway for those in the know. Dark greens, gold and heavy woods create an Asia-meets-New-York feel, with low ceilings and verdant surrounds absorbing guests in the subtle ambience which gets taken up a notch with the live DJ who brings the place to life later in the evening. The decor oozes opulence, with plush seats and panelled walls creating a grand setting, while the outdoor terrace overlooks the waterways. This is most definitely a great place to bring colleagues after work or have a casual

Blind Tiger is a stunning place for pre-dinner drinks or light bites

meeting, although its lounge vibe means that this is a place to put the serious talk aside.

THE FOOD Blind Tiger o ers a highend tapas style experience, where guests can savour delicious bites and fine wines, perfect for sharing. We tried a selection of the internationally inspired dishes including the mouth-watering wagyu beef skewers, red shrimp summer rolls, and the notto-be-missed wagyu sliders, all of which were surprisingly filling. Not a place for vegetarians or vegans, the menu is made up of fine-dining finger food, but created with no less quality than one would expect of the competitive Dubai gourmet scene. Full of flavour, each dish packs a punch. The desserts are cool creations ranging from frozen cocktails such as the rum espresso martini to the irresistible selection of mochi to finish things o . A large drinks menu includes cocktails, wines and whiskies, for the connoisseurs to savour.

THE SERVICE As one would expect from a venue at the luxurious Jumeirah Al Naseem, well-trained and enthusiastic sta elevate the experience. They know the menu well and can’t wait to share their recommendations on both food and drinks, which makes it hard to choose from the already tempting menu options.

VERDICT A stunning place for pre-dinner drinks or light bites, it is also a great spot to end the evening and enjoy an upbeat vibe after dinner. Melanie Swan

The making of a legend

Lionel Messi captained team Argentina as they won the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 last month. Argentina beat defending champions France in a tense final that was decided via penalty kicks. As Messi walked onto the stage to collect the most coveted football trophy in the world, he was accompanied by FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar. In a moment that will be recorded in history, the Emir cloaked Messi with a ceremonial Qatari robe called the bisht. The black robe with gold trimming is worn at celebrations – and it was certainly celebration time as Messi made his way towards his teammates to lift the trophy high as fireworks erupted over Lusail Stadium.