Business Traveller ME - September 2022 by Motivate Media Group

SEPTEMBER 2022 businesstraveller.com UAE DHS12 OMAN RO1.30 BAHRAIN BD1.30 SAUDI ARABIA SR12 KUWAIT KD1 A KINGDOM’S SOUL Diriyah, a multi-billion dollar mixed-use project on the outskirts of Riyadh, ushers in a new era for Saudi Arabia THE RED SEA PROJECT TALKING WATCHES PEDAL TO THE METAL PLUS John Pagano on the progress of the mega tourism development Breitling CEO Georges Kern is challenging the status quo A closer look at how Ferrari aims to navigate its future Art in AlUla • Elevator Pitch • Etihad’s A350 to NYC

IN A WORLD OF THEREWONDERS...ISONLYONEDIRIYAHKingdomofSaudiArabiadiriyah.sa

CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2022 SEPTEMBER 2022 THE REPORT 26 GALLOPING GROWTH Radisson’s Basel Talal on regional growth plans 28 ENERGYCHANELLING An exclusive interview with e Red Sea Project’s John Pagano 32 AN ART AWAKENING Art takes centrestage in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla 34 GRECIAN GETAWAY As visitors return, Athens is gaining a range of new hotels 44 A VI CTORY LAP What the future has in store for Italian icon Ferrari 48 BREITLING CEO Georges Kern on the businesswatchmaker’sstrategy 52 NICK HENDRIX e English actor checks in to e St. Regis Downtown Dubai REGULARS FEATURES 08 UPFRONT e latest airline, hotel and travel news 14 GLOBAL NEWS An update on international travel 22 SUSTAINABLE TRAVELLER Best practices in sustainability from across the region and beyond 24 ELEVATOR PITCH Greg Moses, hotel manager of e First Collection Business Bay 25 AIR MILES Emirati Rashed Al Fahim, founder of DRVN by Porsche in Dubai 40 OPINION Derek Picot and Richard Tams share their insights 42 4 HOURS IN... MANCHESTER Take a stroll through the Mancunian Innovation District 54 LIFESTYLE is season we are inspired by the sand tones of Saudi Arabia 66 POSTCARD e Line is an upcoming futuristic city within Saudi’s Neom project TRIE D & TESTED FLIG HTS 58 Etihad A350-1000Airways(business class) Abu Dhabi-New York City TRIE D & TESTED HOTELS 60 Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof 61 Paramount Hotel Midtown, Dubai 62 Mandarin Oriental, Milan 63 Radisson Blu Hotel, Abu Dhabi Yas Island 48344461 SMAR T TRAVELLER 64 Our guide to... Donating hotel points to charity 16 A KINGDOM’S SOUL We go behind the scenes of an ambitious mixed-use project being built on the outskirts of Riyadh GATEDIRIYAHIMAGE:COVER AUTHORITYDEVELOPMENT 3

C M Y CM MY CY CMY K

Before I leave you to start exploring the issue for yourself, a quick reminder that we’ve got a great feature on some of the newest hotels to have opened in Greece (pg34), and also had English actor Nick Hendrix check himself into e St. Regis Downtown Dubai (pg52) to report his astute observations on the Hopeproperty.youenjoy this issue as much as we did putting it together.

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THIS ISSUE’S PICKS DIRIYAH ON THE RISE

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BOVET’SBIRTHDAY200TH e Fleurier Orbis Mundi is a tting gi (Page 50)

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t’s an exciting time to be in Saudi Arabia. Stepping out of the airport in Riyadh last month, I could sense the urgency in the way the city operates and the manner in which its residents conduct themselves. is, I’m told by those who live there, is representative of the mood in the rest of the kingdom too.

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All you need to know about the mega development (Page 16)

Saudi Arabia is a er all the world’s largest Arab economy and a G20 member state which has earned itself a seat at the high table – no favours curried in the process. It is a country that isn’t waiting for the future to happen, but is making sure it is actively shaping it with razor-sharp focus and determination. Need proof? Just look at what it aims to do with its Vision 2030 agenda and all the mega projects that are coming up across the length and breadth of the kingdom. From the 170km long emissions-free e Line project in Neom (pg66) and e Red Sea Project that is championing the cause of regenerative tourism (pg28) to permanent art installations being built in AlUla (pg32), Saudi’s time is now. I was fortunate to go behind the scenes of the US$50.6 billion mixed-use Diriyah project (pg16) which is under construction on the outskirts of Riyadh. Diriyah is the historical birthplace of the kingdom, and so it is only tting for it to be one of the rst giga projects to open to the public later this Elsewhereyear.in this issue, we y aboard Etihad’s new A350 from Abu Dhabi to New York City (pg58), take a stroll through Manchester’s Innovation District which is lled with cultural gems (pg42), and hear from Ferrari’s CEO Benedetto Vigna on the direction in which the Italian carmaker is headed (pg44).

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Aboard the new aircra from Abu Dhabi to NYC (Page 58)

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ETIHAD AIRWAYS has declared a record core operating pro t of US$296 million for H1 2022, compared to a US$392 million loss it accumulated in the corresponding period last year. e carrier said that it managed to achieve that pro t despite fuel costs increasing by almost 60 per cent over the same period last year. e airline carried 4.02 million passengers in H1 2022 with an average seat load factor of 75 per cent, over three million more than in H1 2021 when it transported 980,000 passengers. Etihad’s passenger revenues tripled in the rst six months of 2022, climbing to US$1.25 billion versus US$320 million in H1 2021. Its cargo division reported revenues of US$802 million from January-June 2022, an increase of six per cent year-on-year.

SAUDI’S

Etihad posts record H1 2022 profits

WYNDHAM OPENS BEACHFRONT PROPERTY IN DOHA

8 SEPTEMBER 2022 UPFRONT

AMAN GROUP has secured US$900 million of investment to accelerate its global expansion strategy. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and London-based real estate investment fund Cain International are providing the investment, which Aman said will bring the value of the company to over US$3 billion. The funds will be used to construct the pipeline of Aman and Janu properties and support the acquisition and development of additional sites. Aman was founded in 1988 and currently has 34 hotels across 20 countries, 12 of which include branded residences. There are a further nine projects under construction, including three under the Janu brand in Tokyo, Saudi Arabia and Montenegro.

AMANMILLIONINVESTINTERNATIONALFUNDINVESTMENTPUBLICANDCAINUS$900INGROUP

UAE-BASED HOTEL management company Rotana will enter the Algerian market with a new property located in the Algerian port city of Oran. The Azure Rotana Resort & Spa will be built on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and is set to open in March 2023. It will feature 185 rooms and suites, including eight sea view ambassador suites.

WYNDHAM HOTELS AND RESORTS has opened a 278-key beachfront property in Qatar’s capital. e Wyndham Grand Doha West Bay Beach was built in collaboration with Hala Real Estate Development Company. e hotel includes on-site restaurants, a spa bath, steam room, sauna and outdoor pool as well as a tness centre. Business travellers can make use of the property’s six corporate meeting rooms, which have a combined capacity to host nearly 350 people. e Wyndham Grand Doha West Bay Beach is the latest addition to Wyndham’s portfolio of three operational hotels in Qatar, and two further properties which are currently under development. Wyndham’s regional o erings include a development pipeline of 27 hotels. It currently has approximately 9,000 hotels across nearly 95 countries.

ROTANA TO ENTER ALGERIA

The property will have five F&B options including a lobby lounge, shisha terrace, an all-day dining restaurant, pool bar, and a speciality restaurant. The resort will also include a spa, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sauna, and a kid’s club. The grand ballroom will be able to accommodate up to 300 people.

9 SEPTEMBER 2022

RAS AL KHAIMAH’S FIRST music and wellness festival – Raktopia – will take place from October 22-23, 2022, at the 300-metre stretch of the Longbeach Campground in the emirate. e organisers have announced the lineup of activities and performers at the festival. It includes body movement awareness with Raktopia ambassador Allaoua Gaham who will introduce a yoga-meets-breakdancing workout, as well as Systema, a form of martial arts that focuses on physical, mental and spiritual wellness. ere will also be guided meditation sessions with Sarah White and a pilates class with Tamara Khoury. Besides a jamming session with Charl Chaka, several local and international DJs will join live artists to perform at the upcoming festival.

JUMEIRAH GROUP has unveiled its first hotel in Oman, located around 15 minutes from the capital Muscat. Plans for Jumeirah Muscat Bay were first revealed in 2017, with the 206-room property situated within the cove of Bandar Jissah. The hotel features five F&B venues, including multi-cuisine restaurant Peridot, Tarini lounge for afternoon tea, poolside eatery Zuka, and Anzo bar and terrace. Signature seafood restaurant Brezza will open this month. Other facilities at the property include a Talise Spa with a hammam, sauna and steam room, as well as a fitness centre, adults-only and kid's pools, yoga studio, tennis court and water sports centre.

JUMEIRAH OPENS FIRST PROPERTY IN OMAN H1 INTERNATIONALPERFORMANCE2022OFDUBAI(DXB)AIRPORT 27.9 MILLION The volume of passenger tra ic 390,520 TONNES The amount of cargo handled 154,993 Total number of flight movements 175km Length of baggage handling system 27.1 MILLION Total number of bags processed 62.4 MILLION Revised forecast for 2022 passenger tra ic

EMIRATES BEGINS RETROFIT PROGRAMME FOR 120 AIRCRAFT EMIRATES HAS PROVIDED details of what it says is a $2 billion investment in its inflight customer experience. A significant part of this is taken up by plans to upgrade cabin interiors across all classes, with retrofitted or reupholstered seats, and new flooring.

This will see nearly 4,000 new premium economy seats installed, 728 first class suites refurbished and over 5,000 business class seats upgraded by the time the project concludes in April 2025.

Ras Al Khaimah announces its rst music and wellness festival

Emirates has begun upgrading the entire interior cabins of its Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft. The target is to completely retrofit four Emirates aircraft from start to finish every month over a period of two years. Once the 67 earmarked A380s are refreshed and back in service, 53 777s will undergo their facelift.

Kingdom Suite unveiled at Four HotelSeasonsRiyadh 10 SEPTEMBER 2022 UPFRONT

SUPPLY chain services and infrastructure company, Agility, has acquired UK-headquartered John Menzies in a £763 million deal. Agility will combine John Menzies with its National Aviation Services (NAS) business to create a company called Menzies Aviation which will provide air cargo handling, fuelling and ground services at airports around the world. Menzies Aviation is expected to become the world’s largest aviation services company by the number of countries it operates within and the second-largest by the number of airports served. It will have approximately 35,000 employees and operations at 254 airports in 58 countries, handling 600,000 aircra turns, two million tonnes of air cargo and 2.5 million fuelling turns per year. e combined revenues of Menzies and NAS exceeded US$1.5 billion in 2021.

Turkish Airlines flies to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah and connects travellers from Saudi to 335 cities in 128 countries, including 51 cities in Türkiye. Passengers can fly to Türkiye without a PCR test or vaccination proof. With the resumption of the airline’s complimentary Touristanbul service, Turkish Airlines passengers with connecting flights in Istanbul airport, and a stopover of between 6-24 hours, will have the option to visit select tourist sites in the Turkish capital courtesy of a guided tour organised by the airline itself.

Turkish Airlines resumes full operations to Saudi Arabia

TURKISH AIRLINES has fully restored services to Saudi Arabia following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions by Türkiye. The flights to the kingdom have now resumed to pre-pandemic conditions with Saudi citizens able to travel to or transit through Türkiye once again.

OVER THE PAST 18 months, Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre has undergone an extensive US$150 million renovation. One of the highlights of the revamped property is the new Kingdom suite. The hotel’s signature penthouse suite is spread across the 48th and 50th floors and covers an area of 330 sqm. The design of the contemporary ceiling pendant in the main living area references the phases of the moon. The suite is also decorated with Saudi objects d’art from Alwaleed Philanthropies, a US$45,000 Master Innovation turntable handmade in Germany and a selection of rare vinyl records. A dedicated butler is assigned for this suite to o er guests exclusive personalised services during their stay.

KUWAIT’S AGILITY ACQUIRES JOHN MENZIES IN £763 MILLION DEAL

KUWAIT-BASED

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Citadines Abha in Saudi Arabia

MOVEONBACKTHE

LAST MONTH, THAI AIRWAYS began operating four weekly services between Bangkok and Jeddah. It marks the first commercial service to Saudi Arabia by the carrier in 32 years. The airline will allow 40kg of baggage allowance for Royal Silk passengers and a 35kg allowance for economy passengers until December 31, 2022. Passengers on this route can also avail options from the HAL-Q certified inflight menu. Royal Orchid Plus members travelling on this sector will earn 1,000 miles per flight in Royal Silk class and 500 miles per flight in economy class.

THE ASCOTT LIMITED recently launched its newest property, Citadines Abha, in partnership with Almutlaq Real Estate Investment Company. e property features studio as well as one- and twobedroom apartments. Each apartment has a living space, dining area, kitchenette and oor-to-ceiling windows. Citadines Abha also has a swimming pool, gym, resident’s lounge, restaurant, meeting rooms and a business centre. e 140-unit aparthotel is Ascott’s eighth property in Saudi and its sixth regional opening this year alone. Ascott now has an operational footprint of 1,062 keys in the kingdom, and 2,391 keys across the region.

UPFRONT

SEPTEMBER 2022

RADISSON HOTEL GROUP has confirmed that the Radisson Beach Resort Palm Jumeirah in Dubai will open in Q3 2022. Located along the Palm Jumeirah, West Beach, the four-star resort features 315 king- and 74 twin-rooms. It will house 389 units in total, all designed with floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies with views of the sea as well as of the Dubai Marina skyline. The resort will also provide easy access to the beach in addition to a swimming pool. Additionally, a spa will be opened on the property.

There are several other beachfront properties in Radisson’s current portfolio within the UAE – the most recently opened is the Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah Marjan Island.

RADISSON BEACH RESORT ON DUBAI’S PALM JUMEIRAH CONFIRMS Q3 2022 OPENING

Global travel assistance organisation World Travel Protection found that business travel is on the rise 28% of travellersbusinesssay their organisation is encouraging travel for meetingsface-to-face 26% say fortravelinternationalisimportanttheirjob 25% missed travelling for work during the pandemic 24% view travel as one of the best parts of the job 24% have a backlog of trips due to Covid-19 22% are didmoretravellingthantheypre-pandemic 20% refuse to travel to regions with high Covid-19 rates 16% don’t want to travel for work as much they pre-pandemicdid Source: Opinium survey of 500 UK business travellers who travel internationally for business at least once a year, commissioned by World Travel Protection

Ascott unveils 140-unit

Thai Airways launches new service to Jeddah

3 Anantara to expand into South America Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas will open its first South American property in Brazil. The Anantara Mamucabo Bahia Resort is a 500,000 sqm development which will enter into construction next year, with an opening date slated for 2025. Part of the Minor Hotels group, the new Anantara property will include 116 rooms, suites and pool villas.

1 American Airlines to buy Boom Supersonic aircra American Airlines will purchase 20 Overture aircraft from Boom Supersonic. Overture will run on 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel and carry 65-80 passengers. It is designed to fly at speeds of Mach 1.7 – twice that of current commercial jets. It is slated to roll out in 2025 and carry passengers by 2029.

2 3 4 1

2 Jetblue to acquire Spirit Airlines Jetblue will purchase carrier Spirit for US$3.8 billion, creating America’s fifth-largest airline. The combined airline will therefore have a fleet of 458 aircraft and an order book of more than 300 Airbus aircraft. It plans to operate over 1,700 daily flights to more than 125 destinations in 30 countries. It will be headed by Robin Hayes.

5 Emirates reaches codeshare agreement with Aegean Emirates has activated a new codeshare partnership with Aegean, Greece’s flag carrier. The airline currently serves Athens with 12 weekly flights operated by a Boeing 777. Emirates passengers will now be able to access eight destinations via Athens including Kerkyra, Chania, Irakleion, Mikonos, Thira, Rhodes, Thessaloniki and Alexandropoulos.

4 IHG more than doubles its H1 2022 pro ts IHG Hotels and Resorts has reported that its operating profit for the six months ending June 30 rose to US$361 million, compared with US$138 million last year. The group opened 96 hotels in the first half of the year, bringing its global estate to 6,028 hotels. It has also signed 210 hotels, bringing its worldwide pipeline to 1,858 hotels.

14 UPFRONT GLOBAL NEWS SEPTEMBER 2022

9 Voco brand to debut in Japan

15 SEPTEMBER 2022

10 Qatar Airways ramps up services to Melbourne Starting October 1, Qatar Airways will ramp up its operations to Melbourne with a double-daily service. It will also include an onward leg to Canberra, marking the airline’s return to the Australian capital. On commencement, the airline will have 40 weekly flights to Australia across Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

7 e Ascott acquires Oakwood

8 Saudia begins ights to Seoul Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) has begun a new service from Jeddah to Seoul, with a stopover in Riyadh on both the outbound and return leg. The national carrier of the kingdom will operate its Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the route. That aircraft is configured in two classes to include 24 flat-bed seats in business class as well as 274 seats in guest class.

5 6 7 8 9 10

6 Bulgari to open property in the Maldives

IHG Hotels and Resorts has announced plans to open the first property under its lifestyle Voco brand in the Asian country of Japan. The newbuild Voco Osaka Central is scheduled to open in 2023, and is the brand’s 75th signing since it launched in 2018.

The Ascott Limited has announced plans to acquire fellow serviced apartment company Oakwood. It will add 81 properties and around 15,000 units to Ascott’s portfolio, with the transaction expected to conclude in Q3 2022. It will increase Ascott’s global portfolio to around 900 properties and over 150,000 units, across 200 cities and 39 countries.

Bulgari Hotels and Resorts will open a new 20-hectare resort in the Maldives in 2025. The Bulgari Resort Ranfushi will be located in the Raa Atoll of the Maldives archipelago. The property will feature a villa on a separate private island, as well as 33 beach villas with individual swimming pools and 20 overwater villas too.

The upcoming property will feature 191 rooms, as well as a restaurant, café, fitness centre and events space too.

Riyadh Rising

DIRIYAH WORDS VARUN GODINHO

The Diriyah project is a grand statement of how Saudi Arabia expects to continue its rapid ascension on the global stage – while never losing sight of its cultural heritage

At present, work is underway on DG1, the northern side of which is being built with a focus on Saudi culture and heritage and will have a total of 24 cultural assets. Meanwhile, the southern wing of DG1 will feature 1,600 residential assets which will house up to 6,000 residents. All the residential, hospitality, and cultural assets being built in DG1 will adhere to the Najdi mud-brick style of architecture that blends seamlessly with the adjacent At-Turaif District. Over 180 million mud bricks have already been made for the project – for scale, if you were to line them up, it would be 3.7 times the length of the Great Wall of China.

“It will be the world’s largest mud-brick city, designed in the Najdi architectural style native to the region and using traditional construction methods and materials where possible. is grounds the project in Diriyah’s history and ensures that we are authentically paying tribute to this 300-year-old city. Diriyah never has and never will be just another destination near Riyadh,” explains Jerry Inzerillo, group chief executive o cer at DGDA.

JERRY

17 SEPTEMBER 2022

Success will be realised once Diriyah adds US$7.2 billion to the GDP and creates 55,000 jobs INZERILLO, Group CEO at DGDA

THIS SPREAD: The At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage site in Diriyah

Along the outer perimeter of Diriyah is the sprawling Wadi Hanifah with its lush landscape of palm trees – for perspective, it is about double the size of Hyde Park, and half the size of Central Park. By virtue of a royal decree, not a single palm tree in Wadi Hanifah can be felled at any stage over the course of the area’s development.

Diriyah features the UNESCO World Heritage site of the mud-brick-walled At-Turaif District which was the former capital of the Emirate of Diriyah and also home to the royal family that ruled the First Saudi State – a direct lineage can be traced to the current-day ruler of the kingdom, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. e Diriyah project was rst announced in 2017 and the current development is spread over 14sq km. It is being developed in three phases – Diriyah Gate 1 (DG1), Diriyah Gate 2 (DG2) and Diriyah Gate 3 (DG3). Business Traveller Middle East was recently given exclusive access to view its masterplan at the headquarters of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) in Riyadh.

W hen the First Saudi State was founded in 1727, it was known as the Emirate of Diriyah. It extended across the entirety of present-day Saudi Arabia and derived its name from its capital located on the outskirts of Riyadh. It was the ultimate seat of power in the Arab world. Wind the clock forward nearly three centuries to Saudi Arabia today, and Riyadh is now the capital of a country that not only has the world’s largest Arab economy, but is also a G20 member state. Riyadh is an economic nerve centre in the region – and one with untethered ambitions. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has stated that he intends to transform Riyadh into one of the world’s top ten city-economies. To get there, plans are being drawn up for the kingdom to spend US$220 billion to transform the city and double its resident population from the current gure of approximately seven million people over the next decade. To augment that strategy, it is undertaking the construction of mega development projects. One of them is the US$50.6 billion mixed-use development at Diriyah on the outskirts of Riyadh.

18 SEPTEMBER 2022 DIRIYAH ABOVE: A bird’s eye view of the historical AtTuraif District RIGHT: SquareDiriyahoices BELOW: TerraceBujairi

“Each hotel pays tribute to the Najdi architecture, but no two will look alike. is is where the design competition that we organised will be the world’s largest mud-brick city, designed in the Najdi architectural style

WELCOMING THE WORLD D iriyah is forecast to host 27 million visitors annually by 2030. To meet those numbers, its hospitality o erings will be key. ere will be a total of 38 hotels across the entire project. However, 18 will open in the rst phase – 14 in Diriyah and four in the nearby area of Wadi Safar. It includes names from around the world including UAE-based Emaar Hospitality Group’s Address Hotels and Resorts, New York’s Baccarat Hotels & Resorts, and a Milan-born Armani Hotel – only the third Armani property in the world. Marriott will be bringing its Ritz-Carlton and e Luxury Collection – the latter of which will be the rst hotel to open in Diriyah next year. Accor will be present in Diriyah with its Ra es and Orient Express brand – it will be the rst Orient Express property within the Middle East. Besides, Rosewood which was previously in Riyadh and exited the city, will now return with a presence in Diriyah, while the Four Seasons which sits in an iconic structure in the centre of Riyadh has also con rmed that it will open only its second hotel in the kingdom here.

Imran Changezi, senior director of Business Development for Hospitality at DGDA, was responsible for onboarding the hotels in a process that he says was expedited by the sheer interest of hotel operators to be a part of the new development. “In July 2020, we gave operators only two weeks to consider and reply to our request for proposals. We got a 100 per cent response rate – that’s how interested the market was in this project. By September, we had signed MoUs with all 18 operators.

came in handy. We engaged over 34 design consultancies from around the world and they churned out renderings and designs keeping in mind the hotel’s location within the project and the unique vision of each hotel,” notes Changezi. Some of the architects working on the Diriyah project across its di erent assets include Aedas, Killa Design, OBMI, Rockwell, Oppenheim Architecture and Denniston, among others. Changezi says that collectively, the rst 18 hotels will add around 6,500 keys to Riyadh – a market that currently has around 18,00019,000 keys, only 10 per cent of which are luxury keys. With a plan to attract over 42 million visitors to Riyadh by 2030, the local hotel market is a long way out from being saturated.

One of the rst hospitality assets to open this year itself is not a hotel but instead the 15,000 sqm Bujairi Terrace dining district in

Diriyah which is located on a terrace that o ers commanding views of the Wadi Hanifah and the nearby At-Turaif site.

Bujairi Terrace aims to attract seven million visitors annually to this dining hotspot, which includes some of the most sought-a er restaurants from around the world – many of them are in Saudi and the wider region itself for the very rst time. Hakkasan enters Saudi for the rst time, while Café de L’Esplanade is opening only its second brand in the world outside of Paris in Diriyah. ere are a total of 20 restaurants opening initially in Bujairi Terrace which range from nedining, and all-day cafès to casual-premium o erings. Michelin-starred restaurants including Bruno, Long Chim and Tatel will also be a part of the mix, as well as Saudi homegrown brands such as Takya and Sum + ings. Interestingly, the space will also feature Saudi Arabia’s rst food hall with the list of brands due to be announced soon.

THE FUTURE OF DIRIYAH US$50.6BILLION Overall cost of the project US$7.2BILLION contributionExpected to GDP by 2030 55,000 Number of supportedjobs MILLION27 Projected number of annual visitors 24,000 Number parkingundergroundofspots PER85CENT employeeSaudisationrateatDGDA SQKM14 Size of the project 19 SEPTEMBER 2022

THE BIG DIG N icknamed ‘ e Big Dig’, there’s a 30-metre-deep hole being dug in Diriyah with over seven million cubic metres of sand being excavated in the process. All the modes of transportation and infrastructure to support it – metro lines, roads, tunnels and parking bays – are strictly subterranean within Diriyah which is conceived as a pedestrian-only zone overground. e excavated sand is taken to a site nearby where it is processed, and around 40 per cent of it reused as back ll for the site itself. A portion of the remaining sand is sent to other projects under construction around Riyadh e logistics of building a mega project at this scale requires some mighty planning – not least of which was the construction of a temporary highway to divert tra c away from the construction site. In October last year, in just 63 days, DGDA built a parallel 3km stretch of an eight-lane highway along the southern ring of Diriyah and diverted tra c to it without a single road closure over the Creatingperiod.acomplex subterranean network requires signi cant engineering feats. In January this year, the DGDA awarded a US$1.06 billion contract to Salini Saudi Arabia to create what is being referred to as a “Super Basement” car park. at one million sqm Super Basement is being built across three levels below Diriyah Square – in the centre of DG1 – and will accommodate 10,000 cars. Eventually, Diriyah will have parking bays for 24,000 cars.

THE BIG DIG 7 CUBICmillionMETRES The amount of sand excavated for construction MILLION180 The number of mud bricks already produced for DG1 US$1.1BILLION The contract value awarded for the construction of the Super Basement 20 SEPTEMBER 2022

we’re actually trying to achieve with Diriyah is to consider how can we bring a population cohesively together as a quality of life proposition. e proposition of life in Diriyah is pedestrian, and the complexity of life for Diriyah is made human scale. If you go to a pedestrian-friendly city like Barcelona or one in a Scandinavian country, you have that opportunity for a true cultural exchange and interaction while you walk through the city. Diriyah looks onto Riyadh city in exactly the same kind of context as Greenwich Village does to New York City.

DGDA’s chief marketing o cer, Kiran Haslam, says that the Super Basement o ers more than just a glimpse of the engineering wizardry of the project, and is more along the lines of serving a grander vision of the project. “Building that car park three levels down is a technological marvel, but what

While the private sector is being courted to participate in di erent aspects of this mixed-use project, the majority of the ownership of the assets in DG1 will lie with DGDA. As Talal Kensara, chief strategic o cer at DGDA explains, there are ve main asset classes across Diriyah where the private sector’s participation can be de ned: culture and heritage, hospitality, retail, education and the proposition of ‘live and work’.

It’s brilliant how His Royal Highness could see that concept so early on and connect Diriyah’s quality of life proposition with Vision 2030,” says Haslam.

“When it comes to culture and heritage, we’re creating opportunities for the private sector to engage in this asset class in the future, but for the moment we are relying on the government and its departments such as the Ministry of Culture. With regards to hospitality, with DG1 we have decided that we will own most of the hospitality assets. However, within DG2 and DG3 we are open to working with investors to build the real estate for it and nd the right operator.

“As for retail, we don’t have the concept of malls at Diriyah. In DG1, we will own all the retail outlets and allow retailers to lease the spaces. But because we are open to private sector investors in DG2, that is where they can actually own the whole building and start selling in it or lease it to big retailers, but always in accordance with our strategy.

“ e ownership of assets for education meanwhile will follow the same principle as that of our heritage and cultural assets, with the exception being K-12 education where the private sector can own as well as operate their assets. Our residential strategy is one that will align 100 per cent with the private sector. At present, we are in the process of striking joint venture agreements between DGDA and real estate developers,” explains Kensara.

e masterplan for DG3 is in the nal stages of preparation. Construction on the di erent stages of the project will continue until 2030. With several other mega projects coming up not just around Riyadh, but in other parts of the country too, Kensara says that there is an ongoing engagement with them to ensure that there is no cannibalisation of asset o erings. ese projects are achieving this by way of opening up individual destination management o ces – Diriyah has set up its own too – through which there will be a coordinated e ort to study how tourists can be encouraged to travel from one destination to another.

21 DIRIYAH SEPTEMBER 2022 AUTHORITYDEVELOPMENTGATEDIRIYAHPHOTOS:

Ultimately, the positioning of Diriyah is of becoming one of the world’s largest cultural and heritage destinations and is not as much a nostalgic look into its past, as it is a peek into the kingdom’s exciting future. As Inzerillo says, “Diriyah carries with it an immense historical legacy and is one of the most important symbols of Saudi heritage and identity. Our mission is to re-centre Diriyah on the global map as a crossroads of culture, arts, science and commerce through a range of initiatives, including tourism. e purpose of Diriyah, as a cornerstone project of Vision 2030, is to ensure that as Saudi Arabia moves into the future, it anchors itself on the kingdom’s vibrant past.” ose roots run deep. mission is to re-centre Diriyah on the global map as a crossroads of culture, arts, science and commerce

Construction of DG1 is on in earnest and one of the biggest highlights will be a new mosque which will be one of the biggest mosques in the world. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture will relocate its headquarters to Diriyah too. DG2 will feature attractions such as a dedicated Saudi museum of culture and arts.

SAUDI FIRST D iriyah is ensuring that the ripple bene ts of the project are felt rst and foremost within the kingdom. “Success will be realised once Diriyah adds around US$7.2 billion to the kingdom’s GDP, creates 55,000 jobs, and attracts upwards of 27 million visitors a year,” says DGDA’s group CEO Inzerillo. “As one of the rst destination projects to open, we are key to the kingdom’s Vision 2030 pledge to increase tourism’s contribution to the country’s GDP from three per cent to ten per cent.” He adds that as part of the Saudisation process, 85 per cent of the sta working for DGDA are Saudi nationals. Also, a deliberate process is being made to ensure that women are well represented within the workforce. “Vision 2030 [has] pledged to increase female employment from 22 per cent to 30 per cent. We are already ahead of the curve, with 36 per cent of our sta being women, and 16 per cent of them holding management roles.” Apart from ensuring that its workforce includes mainly Saudi nationals, the target audience that this is being marketed to is also focused within the kingdom. “It will always be kingdom rst. DGDA has a supervisory area of 194 sq km. We will have hundreds of thousands of people that are living, going to work and school, and going about their daily lives every day in Diriyah. We rst need to look a er our family – and from that, we do everything else. So [our target audience] is a kingdom- rst approach, and we will then focus on the GCC market, followed by the rest of the world,” says Haslam. e development of Diriyah is deeply respectful of the historical signi cance of the area. ere are barriers placed along the length of e Big Dig to ensure at least ten metres of separation between the construction site from the remains of the original mud wall that made up the perimeter of the original At-Turaif District. Sensors placed on the centuries-old mud walls monitor seismic activity and forewarn the teams if there is a risk of it collapsing as a result of the nearby construction work. Before an excavator can enter any part of the terrain and get to work, a special heritage team from DGDA is on-site to inspect whether there are any archaeologically signi cant remains in that particular spot. Understanding the historical signi cance of the area and furthering that narrative is the work of Adam Wilkinson, chief of heritage and culture at DGDA. “In my 20 years of working in conservation and heritage, it’s always been heritage versus development. Here at Diriyah, that’s not the case. Let’s say we nd a piece of archaeology in a location where a road was planned. at road is moved, and that then changes how you perceive the place in the future and how you use it,” says Wilkinson. During our site drive around e Big Dig, we’re shown an area around the southern ank of DG1 where the team found a well and a grave. at speci c area will be preserved and construction will continue around it. Around 40 per cent of the At-Turaif District will be opened to the public this year. Conserving a nearly 300-year-old site, that uses bricks that date back to a quarter of a million years throws up several challenges. “It requires us to step out of a Western mindset to conservation. In the West, we’re used to dealing with stone, bricks and timber. Here, you’re dealing with mud. Mud is delicate, decays quickly and needs constant maintenance,” says Wilkinson. Conservation of the remaining areas of At-Turaif will continue over the next few years. “It will give us a chance to understand more about the origins of At-Turaif. At the same time, we’re doing archaeology work in the wadi agricultural areas and will soon start in Ghasiba too which is one of the earliest settlements in this area,” notes Wilkinson.

OPPOSITE PAGE: The master plan for Diriyah BELOW: The King Salman Square in Diriyah Our

SUSTAINABLE TRAVELLER

The 8.8

SEPTEMBER 2022

“Growing a hyper-local hydroponics farm on the premises of our hotel is our way of supporting true sustainability in an age of increasingly scarce natural resources,” said David Nicholls, group director of F&B at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. “The farm is tended to by a dedicated team of growers. Only the freshest produce is harvested.” That produce includes gourmet lettuce and rockets, kale, pak choi, tatsoi, salanova, Swiss chard, basil, mushrooms, edible flowers and microgreens.

All bottles by the pool and at the beach that total almost 3,300 have been replaced by Tritan reusables – plastic bottles that are free from all bisphenols and made from up to 50 per cent of recyclable materials.

MILLIONTONNES

All bottles will be cleaned and re lled at the onsite plant, with more than 2,350 reusable glass bottles distributed across the hotel.

300 MILLIONTONNES

Singapore Airlines has teamed up with leather and paper gift retail concept Bynd Artisan to create a range of upscaled items made using leather from retired business class seats. According to the Singaporebased Bynd Artisan, the collection includes products such as a key holder with strap wristlet (featuring the words “Pull for life vest”), a crossbody pouch sling, a watch and valet tray stand, and a phone and name card stand too. The last three items are also emblazoned with the airline’s batik motif. They range from S$98 for the key holder, up to S$315 for the watch and valet tray stand, and can be purchased from the airline’s Krisshop website, Bynd Artisan’s ION Experience Store in Singapore and its website too.

he Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai has installed an on-site glass bottling plant operated by Swedish rm Nordaq. e hotel said that the decision to include a bottling plant on its premises will help shrink its carbon footprint by eliminating the need to burn fossil fuels to transport bottled water from external sources.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES UNVEILS LEATHERBUSINESSRECYCLEDCOLLECTIONFROMCLASSSEATS

amountestimatedofplasticdumpedintheoceanseachyear

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is attempting to reduce the environmental impact of transporting food by either growing produce on their premises itself or by supporting local farms. While progress on this front has been made at its Marrakech and Bodrum outposts, closer home, the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai, too has built its own hydroponics farm. Fresh and sustainable ingredients are being used in the hotel’s menus across its restaurants with the majority of them harvested directly from this farm.

Nordaq’s patented water ltration system reportedly puri es tap water into drinkable water that retains the natural salts and minerals.

All single-use water bottles in the hotel’s rooms and suites have been replaced with reusable glass bottles. ere will be instances where plastic bottles will be used at the resort – but these too will be reusable.

Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai installs on-site bottling plant

MANDARIN ORIENTAL DUBAI EYES SUSTAINABILITY GOALS WITH FARM-TO-GOURMET-TABLE INITIATIVE

The 22

Also, the hotel adds that all the fish and seafood on its menus are sustainably sourced, using responsible fishing practices.

plasticquantityapproximateofproducedeachyear

our

Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of the Neom Board of Directors, Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz

Bustanica has opened the world’s largest hydroponic farm in Dubai, backed by a US$40 million investment. The facility is the first vertical farm for Emirates Crop One, the joint venture between Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC) and Crop One. Located near Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, the 330,000 sqft facility is designed to produce over 1,000,000kg of high-quality leafy greens annually, while requiring 95 per cent less water (15 litres are required to grow 1kg of produce) compared to conventional agriculture. At any point, the facility grows in excess of one million cultivars (plants), which will provide an output of 3,000kg per day. Apart from catering to Emirates passengers, Bustanica also plans to sell to supermarkets within the UAE. The facility currently grows kale, spinach, arugula and mixed greens and plans to grow fruits and vegetables in the future too.

to address

businesses across

Source: SAP Concur APAC Sustainable Business Travel Survey, June 2022 23

ETIHAD AIRWAYS STRIKES

delivering new

EMIRATES FLIGHT CATERING OPENS WORLD’S LARGEST VERTICAL FARM

QUOTE OF THE MONTH say senior leadership is driving of AsiaPacific their

SEPTEMBER 2022

companies are actively managingsustainabilityconsideringwhencorporatetravel86% have specific human resources on their teams ansustainabilitychampioningasagenda55%

say

water outdoortheannuallysavedbynewfacilitycomparedtotraditionalfarming 1,000 MEGAWATT The energy saved annually in productionthe of water at this vertical farm

corporateagendasustainabilitythefortravel56%

the most important projects of Saudi Vision 2030”

PARTNERSHIP WITH JUNK

KOUTURE Etihad Airways has partnered with Junk Kouture, the world’s largest sustainable youth fashion competition. Junk Kouture challenges young individuals to make striking and imaginative outfits out of 100 per cent recyclable materials. Participants often design creations using materials such as orange peels, coffee capsules, Pampas grass and single-use plastic bags. Locally, Etihad will donate obsolete aircraft items such as old seat covers, carpets, cabin crew uniforms and life vests to UAE schools participating in Junk Kouture for upcycling and use in their students’ designs. The first-ever World Final of Junk Kouture will be held at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on January 11, 2023. Sixty designs, including ten from the UAE, and their teams from New York, London, Milan, Paris and Dublin will be flown to Abu Dhabi by Etihad. of We cannot ignore the livability and environmental crises facing world’s cities, and Neom is at the forefront of and imaginative solutions these issues. Neom remains one of

250 MILLIONLITRES The amount

The pitchelevator

Business Traveller Middle East gives Greg Moses, hotel manager of The First Collection Business Bay, five minutes to pitch his property to prospective guests e First Collection Business Bay is a hotel that comes from a UAEfounded and operated brand. is means we have a unique, deep-rooted understanding and appreciation of not just the international hospitality landscape, but crucially the region itself – and with that, the diverse needs and wants of both global and local travellers. I rmly believe that this sets us apart from our competitors and has been a key factor in our accomplishments so far. We launched e First Collection at Jumeirah Village Circle in September 2021 –and this has been a huge success story for us. Not only has it consistently surpassed both commercial and guest expectations, but we also secured a much-coveted place on TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice: Best of the Best list of the 25 Hottest New Hotels in the World – the only in the region to do Sinceso.opening on July 1, 2022, e First Collection Business Bay is on course to enjoy similar success.

travellers”oftheonpridesbrandfocusedlifestyle-whichitselfmeetingdemandsbusiness

“The CollectionFirst is a

At heart, we’re a personality-driven brand that prioritises delivering unparalleled service across the board, from check-in to check-out. For us, that means service with a sense of character: we work o a ‘humanity serving humanity’ ethos, meaning that personality is one of the main criteria we look for when recruiting experienced individuals for guestfacingisroles.allows us to treat each guest uniquely and ensure they feel that speci c needs have been responded to, rather than adopting a one-sizets-all approach. Critical to this is our bespoke in-house learning and training system, e TFG University, which equips our team with a diverse skill set seeing them ourish in a range of di erent roles. Subsequently, both sta morale and retention rates are notably high. It doesn’t end there though. We understand that each of our guests has di erent expectations and requirements from a stay with us. e holidaymaker will still seek a beautiful swimming pool to relax by and a great restaurant to eat at, while a business traveller requires a quiet space to work and a great space in which to unwind. e extensive facilities available throughout the hotel re ect this, from our open-air swimming pool with sundeck and vistas of Downtown including the Burj Khalifa, to the cosy spa, and gym. Plus, our dining options include our agship e Blacksmith Bar & Eatery which serves some of the best steaks I’ve ever had (as a South African, this advice is not given lightly) and Vyne, a laidback family-friendly restaurant serving excellent Levant cuisine. In short, we really do pride ourselves on o ering it all and appealing to all – and we look forward to welcoming you.

e First Collection is a lifestylefocused brand which prides itself on meeting the demands of business travellers, international vacationers and staycationers alike. With that in mind, e First Collection Business Bay was developed as an ‘urban resort’ that caters to all. Each of our 437 guest rooms and suites comes with its own workstation and has been sustainably designed with ease and comfort in mind. Our rates meanwhile are highly competitive and the inhouse amenities have been carefully considered. Furthermore, the hotel’s central location in the thriving Business Bay area is not only close to the nancial district in Downtown Dubai, but also o ers easy access to extensive transport links and the city’s world-famous attractions.

24 ELEVATOR PITCH SEPTEMBER 2022

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Greg Moses; the Premier room; the hotel’s lobby

Emirati Rashed Al Fahim is a former airline pilot turned entrepreneur and founder of DRVN by Porsche in Dubai DRVN Co ee branches in Abu Dhabi, a DRVN by Porsche concept on Bluewaters Island Dubai and a UDN Restaurant in Abu Dhabi. Together, we serve 15,000 customers a week at our peak. Expansion plans are underway with at least 16 branches planned over ve years around the region and possibly further west. Are there similarities between operating within the hospitality and aviation space? e two jobs are very di erent, although the only similarity would be that we try and o er the best service from when the guest arrives to when the guest walks out the door, ensuring that they become a returning client.

WORDS VARUN GODINHO Y ou started your career as a pilot with Emirates. Which was your most challenging flight? I won’t mention the destination, but on one occasion we couldn’t land due to a last-minute runway closure owing to bad weather and had to divert. e destination only used metric units and the diversion airport used imperial units. It was very confusing, but with hard work and concentration, we managed to divert safely. Unfortunately, there was such a high workload that we forgot to inform the purser. She wasn’t pleased.

I’ve used my air miles to stock essentials when moving between houses.

The one travel experience you’d never forget…

What is the current scale of your business? Currently, we have three DRVNs and one UDN (udon noodle) concept. We have two

Why did you decide to move into the culinary business?

Know your seasons, and always prepare for droughts. Have multiple substitutes for supply chain [disruptions] and ensure you always have a backup plan. 25 AIR MILES

SEPTEMBER 2022

My most rewarding travel experience was a personal trip to Fregate private island in Seychelles. It is an island the size of Monaco with just 12 villas and 150 giant turtles, and is located a 20-minute helicopter ride from the capital. It was a sensational experience, like a dream.

Rashed Al FahimWITHMILESAIR

Your most rewarding travel experience to date…

An AeroPress kit, my phones and a portable wi router.

On a Bologna ight, Horacio Pagani was my passenger and subsequently became my good friend. I have been a huge Pagani fan since he came out with the Zonda, and used to play with it on Grand Turismo 3 on my PS2. My family is one of the Mercedes distributors in the UAE, and so we used to service Paganis because they have Mercedes engines within them. Each time a Pagani would come in for a service, the managers would call me just so that I could witness the car’s perfection. e fact that I met Horacio, I believe, manifested the possibility of me becoming an owner of one of its cars – I own a Pagani Huayra Roadster BC.

What’s the toughest lesson that you’ve learnt about the hospitality business?

How have you spent your air miles in the past?

The three things that you never fail to pack in your suitcase…

It was always a dream of mine as I love to cook. I felt that I needed to do something on the side of ying. I started working in this eld in July 2016 and opened our rst DRVN Co ee branch in Abu Dhabi in April 2019.

The two key challenges within the hospitality industry that are being faced by almost all hotels are the implementation of technology and the retention of employees.

What are RHG’s overall expansion plans in the region?

I am currently responsible for our hotels in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Levant where Radisson Hotel Group is rapidly expanding with over 40 hotels in operation and under development. How significant is Saudi Arabia for the group? Our Saudi Arabia portfolio makes up around half of our presence in the Middle East and that’s the reason we focus on this market. To support [our efforts in Saudi], we will open a full-fledged office in Riyadh by the end of 2022. We see great opportunities for further growth of RHG in Saudi, driven by the numerous mega development projects around the kingdom, as well as a more brand-focused presence in secondary cities, and also through extending our relationship with our key Saudi owners for multiple properties at selected locations.

What are the biggest challenges that you are currently facing?

We successfully opened many flagship properties earlier this year, such as the highly-anticipated Mansard Riyadh, A Radisson Collection Hotel, and brought the Radisson brand to Saudi Arabia with the opening of Radisson RiyadhOtherAirport.expected openings over the following months include the Radisson Blu Hotel, Riyadh Convention and Exhibition Center. We have strengthened our position in [other regional] markets with the debut of our second brand in Kuwait with the signing of Park Inn by Radisson Kuwait Hotel and Apartments, and re-entered Jordan too with the signing of Radisson Blu Hotel, Amman Galleria Mall

In line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, we are making sure that we are part of the kingdom’s enormous potential to deliver more hotel rooms and a more diverse branded hospitality offering across the market. The kingdom is a key development area for us. Fifty per cent of our Middle East portfolio in operation and under development is in the kingdom, and we currently operate over 26 hotels, resorts, and serviced apartments with a pipeline that will double our portfolio by 2026. 26

SEPTEMBER 2022

HOTEL VIEWS

FROM TOP: Radisson Blu Hotel, CollectionRiyadh,BaselExhibitionConventionRiyadhandCenter;Talal;MansardARadissonHotel

Over the last two-three years, the use of technology within a hotel’s operations became the norm and was essential to improve the guest experience. The new processes [that needed to be implemented] were challenged by a lack of infrastructure. To overcome them, the key was to ensure the required investments are made and proper training imparted to theEmployeeemployees.retention is another challenge that will continue to impact the hospitality industry over the coming years, and hotels specifically. High turnover margins by nature, growing employee expectations, and hotel expansions are all factors that are impacting the retention abilities at any hotel. Part of the solution is in hiring qualified, skilled employees with competitive remuneration packages, providing clear career progression paths, and ensuring that hotels are up-to-date with market trends in terms of compensation, training, and incentives.

What is the potential for growth in Saudi?

Basel Talal, managing director for Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Levant at Radisson Hotel Group, talks about challenges within the hospitality industry and why the company is bullish about its prospects in Saudi W hat is the scope of Radisson Hotel Group’s operations(RHG)in the region you oversee?

Galloping growth

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CHANNELING ENERGY

Spearheading the project is John Pagano, group CEO of The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) and Amaala. “Everybody talks about sustainability – we believe sustainability is not enough. Sustainability is not making a mess of the place, but it doesn’t undo the damage that we have caused to our planet. Regeneration seeks to go further and make the place better than the way you found it – and that’s the essence of what TRSDC stands for and the approach that we’re taking both at the Red Sea [Project] and Amaala. Our commitment to 100 per cent renewable energy [for example] costs us more money, but it’s for the benefit of the planet. Between those two projects [Red Sea and Amaala] in the first phase, we will save one million tonnes of carbon dioxide that would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere,” Pagano told Business Traveller Middle East recently.

John Pagano, group CEO of The Red Sea Development Company and Amaala WORDS VARUN GODINHO

SEPTEMBER 2022

Five years after it was announced, the Red Sea Project – which is built on the premise of regenerative tourism – is being readied to host its first guests in 2023

n July 2017, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud announced The Red Sea Project. As details emerged over the following months, it became evident that it was being drawn up on a scale that would eclipse traditional tourism developments around the world. Five years on, that belief is only reinforced when you consider what the destination has now achieved.

A special second runway will support hydrogenpowered seaplane variants including eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) and eSTOL (electric short takeoff and landing) aircraft. Hydrogen-electric aircraft developer Zeroavia recently signed a memorandum of understanding with TRSDC. “Mobility is hugely important. We’ve committed ourselves to being net zero from day one. We’re investing in a full green mobility fleet across land, air and sea via a variety of electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles, as well as hydrogen-powered boats. Technology is going to play a significant part in the logistics of moving thousands of people from the airport to resorts, and between the resorts,” says Pagano. Technology was also sought for TRSDC’s Marine Spatial Planning operations that dictated which islands could be developed without tipping the ecological scales of the destination – only one per cent of the total area will

FEATURE:PROJECTREDTHESEAWILL 50 Resorts 8,000 Hotel rooms 1,000 Residentialproperties 22 developedIslands 29 SEPTEMBER 2022 THE RED SEA PROJECT

The Red Sea’s idea of regenerative tourism is being backed up by billions of dollars in funding. In January, TRSDC said that it had closed a SAR14.1 billion (US$3.76 billion) term loan and credit revolving facility with Banque Saudi Fransi, Riyad Bank, Saudi British Bank and Saudi National Bank, touted at the time as the first riyal-dominated green financing credit facility. When the Red Sea Project is completed in 2030, it will comprise of 50 resorts, collectively offering up to 8,000 hotel rooms, as well as over 1,000 residential properties across 22 islands and six inland sites. The first phase of the project has already seen big names come aboard including the likes of Edition hotels, St. Regis Hotels and Resorts, Grand Hyatt, SLS Hotels and Residences and Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts, among others. “There are 16 hotels that will be a part of the Red Sea [Project] in our first phase. We will open the first three hotels at the beginning of next year, and the remainder at the end of 2023. Amaala is eight hotels in the first phase, comprising of around 1,200 hotel rooms, and we’re on track to complete that by the end of 2024. We’re fully capitalised for both projects, fully financed and building at speed,” notesOnePagano.ofthehotels coming up in the destination – the Jumeirah The Red Sea – marks a significant moment for TRSDC. It is the first joint venture that the company announced and it was entered into with Almutlaq Real Estate Investment Company (AREIC), a subsidiary of the Al Mutlaq Group (AMG). The SAR1.5 billion (US$400 million) venture will see a 159-key luxury resort built on Shura Island. It is already under construction and scheduled to open in early 2024. Although the Red Sea Project covers an area that has over 90 islands, only 22 of them will be developed and nine will be designated as special conservation zones. The islands are being developed in coordination with global design powerhouses such as Foster and Partners, Oppenheim Architecture, Killa Design, and Kengo Kuma. The infrastructure to support the mega project – roads, bridges, utilities, and accommodation for those working at the site –is being constructed parallelly too. One eagerly anticipated piece of infrastructure is the Foster and Partners-designed Red Sea International (RSI) airport which will be the first airport in the region to serve amphibious seaplanes with a dedicated water runway for them.

“ e Crown Prince’s support has been invaluable. He supports everything we do, which allows us to succeed. He’s committed to this journey of diversifying the economy and Vision 2030 is hugely important to him.” Pagano isn’t oblivious to headwinds, although he stresses that they are being actively mitigated.

To date, TRSDC and Amaala have awarded over 1,000 contracts worth more than SAR25 billion (US$6.6 billion), with 70 per cent of the total value awarded to Saudi companies.

By 2030, once fully operational, the Red Sea Project is expected to support over 70,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Energy prices and transport costs have gone up. at’s creating some challenges for us. We just have to be a little bit more clever and [for example] think about di erent source markets when we consider where we purchase from. ere used to be a default solution – if you’re going to buy manufactured goods, go to China.

be developed, with plans to achieve a 30 per cent net conservation bene t to the area by 2040. Says Pagano, “We’re going to actively monitor the environment using an array of sensors, the Internet of ings, big data and arti cial intelligence to give us early warning signs if something’s not going to plan so that we can x it before there’s any lasting damage.”

Part of Saudi’s Vision 2030, the giga project is backed by the country’s Public Investment Fund, and is feeding back its fruits to the local economy.

I think with the disruption in the transport side and the higher costs of transport, it has now negated some of their advantages and so we have to look at di erent locations. In ation is here and we are going to have to incur slightly higher costs, but that’s an inevitable consequence of in ation. e main thing is that it hasn’t blown us o course and we’re still driving towards that nish line without any cause for a pause.” at nish line is looking increasingly radically imaginative as more details of the project continue to unfold. For now, while phase one is being fully activated and the destination opens to its rst guests next year, Pagano is working on the ne print of phase two. “Beyond 2023, we’re already thinking ahead about subsequent phases. We’re on the drawing board today, planning the second phase of the Red Sea. Amaala is moving in earnest.

30 SEPTEMBER 2022

THE RED SEA PROJECT

I have another dozen projects up and down the Red Sea coast, all driven by the grand vision of His Royal Highness to put Saudi Arabia on the global tourism map.”

We’re on the drawing board today, planning the second phase of the Red Sea

“In ation is a big challenge that we’re facing right now. A lot of the supply chain disruptions were manifest as a result of coming out of Covid and global economies responding much quicker than anybody anticipated. e recent trouble in Ukraine is not helping.

WORDS VARUN GODINHO

A new permanent art display has been announced for AlUla with the first five artworks spread out across the 65 sq km Wadi AlFann in Saudi Arabia S audi Arabia’s art scene is prospering – from a slew of new museum openings, to high-profile art events and big names collaborating on projects in the kingdom. The spotlight is very much on its cultural offerings nationwide. An example can be found in the historically significant region of AlUla. Back in 2017, the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) was established to specifically develop the arts within this north-west region of the country. Manifesting that vision of the region’s art transformation meant that in June, plans were revealed for new permanent art installations for Wadi AlFann in AlUla. Wadi AlFann translated as Valley of the Arts, spans 65 sq km and will open in 2024. Saudi artists Manal AlDowayan and Ahmed Mater, as well as American artists Agnes Denes, Michael Heizer, and James Turrell were commissioned for the first five artworks in Wadi AlFann which will explore themes such as collective memory, folklore, myth, civilisation, mirage, the materiality of light and“Severalperception.factors have influenced the selection process, such as the artist’s ability to respond to the desert as a geological landscape and complex ecosystem, sensitivity to dessert communities, use of local materials, openness to mentoring local youth and offering masterclasses. Wadi AlFann also works closely with an advisory panel, comprising of internationally recognised arts and culture experts, who review and advise on proposed work,” said Nora Aldabal, executive director of Arts and Creative Industries at the RCU. Although Wadi AlFann is slated to open in 2024, starting later this year itself will be a pre-opening programme that will illustrate what is to come. It will include temporary exhibitions, public symposia and artist residencies too. There will also be tours through the valley, and educational opportunities for local communities within the region including sessions with art professionals and masterclasses with Wadi AlFann’s artists. The commissioning of the first five artworks is only the beginning, as Aldabal notes, and more artists will be invited from around the world to be a part of AlUla’s art renaissance. In an interesting move, Iwona Blazwick was recently appointed as chair of the Royal Commission for AlUla’s Public Art Expert Panel. Eventually, Wadi AlFann will play an integral role in AlUla’s Journey Through Time masterplan which Aldabal describes as “an innovative and environmentally focused project that will transform AlUla into a global destination for heritage, arts, culture and nature.” She adds, “Wadi AlFann is one of 15 new cultural assets including museums, galleries and cultural centres that will open in AlUla by 2035. Other milestones include the opening of the new contemporary art museum, Perspectives Galleries in 2024, as well as the launch of The Water Pavilions, a cluster of experiences and events inspired by the interaction between the people of AlUla and the resources of the Oasis.”

531

An art awakening

32 ART IN ALULA SEPTEMBER 2022

1-4. Render of Ashab Al-Lal by Ahmed Mater at Wadi AlFann. Visualization by Atelier Monolit. Courtesy of ATHR Gallery 5-7. Sketches for The Oasis of Stories by Manal AlDowayan, for Wadi AlFann

2 4 6 7 33 SEPTEMBER 2022

As visitors return, Athens is opening a range of new hotels. From affordable urban options to luxurious seaside resorts, there is plenty of choice for the discerning traveller

Grecian getaway

WORDS PAUL J DEVRIES

fter two difficult years, this summer is one of optimism for Greece. Tourist traffic is on its way back to, and possibly set to beat, 2019 levels – a critical upward trend in a country where one in four jobs is directly or indirectly generated by tourism. Visitors to Athens will have a range of new and refreshed hotels to choose from, with the wave of hotel development sweeping other European capitals making its way to the city. The rebirth of the 1960s Astir Palace in Vouliagmeni kicked things off in early 2019, emerging as a lavish Four Seasons resort with 330 rooms and suites (including the original bungalows nestled in the pine trees) and an endless list of amenities. An outpost of One and Only Resorts is coming to completion just up the coast, and the former international airport – one of Europe’s largest redevelopment projects – will be home to multiple hotels.

There is greater choice in the city centre too, including smaller, boutique options for those who prefer something more intimate. Monsieur Didot opened in late 2019 with only four rooms and two suites, inside an 1880s neoclassical building where John Lennon and Yoko Ono stayed incognito when visiting the Greek capital. Xenodocheio Milos Athens is located opposite the National Historical Museum, and opened at the start of this year with 43 rooms and suites. It is the first hotel venture of Costas Spiliadis, the chef behind the Estiatorio Milos restaurant brand in cities including London and New York. Meanwhile, the 1963 Modernist-style Hilton Athens will nearly halve its room count as part of its transformation into Conrad Athens. Here we take a look at a selection of recent arrivals and upcoming openings in Athens, and some noteworthy additions on the mainland coast and out on the country’s sunlit islands.

34 SEPTEMBER 2022

ATHENS HOTELS

Athens Capital Center Hotel – M Gallery Collection

NEW

In May 2021, Villa Brown Ermou followed, a short walk from the city’s historic Plaka neighbourhood. One of four Villa Brown hotels in the group, the townhouse-style property offers 51 rooms and suites, with a design offsetting black and white with soft pink, sage green and copper. A cocktail lounge and bistro serves food all day. A rooftop with a pool, lounge, a second restaurant, and spa are still to follow. brownhotels.com

Athens Capital Center Hotel marked the introduction of Accor’s M Gallery Collection to Greece, and the first upscale hotel by the French group in the city centre (there is a Sofitel at the airport). In April, it cut the ribbon on a second M Gallery property, the 141-room, adults-only Niko Seaside Resort in Crete. Last summer, it also opened Angsana Corfu, the first European resort under the brand, with 159 rooms and suites, as well as 37 pool villas, overlooking Benitses Bay. mgallery.accor.com

LEFT: Rooftop hot tubs at Brown Acropol BELOW: Athens Capital Center Hotel – M Gallery Collection RIGHT: A room at The Modernist Athens

PHOTOGRAPHYDRAZOSCHRISTOS

The Modernist Athens Inside the former Canadian Embassy in the city’s Kolonaki neighbourhood, The Modernist Athens opened in autumn 2020 with 38 rooms in four categories, ranging from S – with raised platform beds – to XL. Category M rooms and upwards feature terraces; some have private outdoor hot tubs. Minimalist Danish design strikes a balance between light and dark with ash blond wood floors, dark grey ceilings, velvet soft furnishings and black-and-white bathrooms. There is a café off the hotel lobby, as well as a seventh-floor roof garden and terrace. A second Modernist hotel can be found in Thessaloniki. themodernisthotels.com

SEPTEMBER 2022

In September 2020, Athens Capital Center Hotel opened just off Syntagma Square – across the street from and by the same owner of the historic Hotel Grande Bretagne. Its 159 rooms and 19 suites – including a presidential suite with private terrace – are dressed in a contemporary mix of whites, greys, blues and dark wood. Sweeping views of the city are a highlight of Mappemonde rooftop pool and bar – named after an art installation by George Lappas, part of which is displayed in the ten-storey atrium. M Flavours restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine, while Galerie Café is the place for coffee or cocktails.

Brown Acropol Athens

Dave Red Athens In summer 2021, Dave Red Athens opened, part of a sub-brand of ‘affordable urban’ hotels targeting younger travellers. Located in the vibrant Omonia neighbourhood, it has 87 industrial-style rooms, with bare concrete walls, exposed pipes, and ‘punchy décor’ – inside what used to be the headquarters of the Greek communist party.

Founded in Tel Aviv in 2010, Brown Hotels has a portfolio of 24 hotels in its native Israel, alongside a property in Croatia. The opening of Brown Acropol Athens in autumn 2020 began an aggressive expansion into Greece, with the plan to have 40 hotels in the country by 2024. On revitalised Omonia Square, Brown Acropol takes over a 1976 building designed by Emmanuel Vourekas, the architect behind the city’s Hilton hotel. Burned orange, mustard, shades of brown, and patterned wallpaper bring a retro feel to the interiors. The 165 rooms and suites come in different sizes, from small ‘solo’ rooms with single beds to executive suites with separate living areas. Panelled oak, dusty pink and gold set the tone in the cocktail bar, while the rooftop has a gym and four outdoor hot tubs. There is also a spa with sauna and hammam.ThisJune, the group added Isla contemporarySaronicoverlookingdriveCorinthia,Brownanhour’swestofAthenstheGulf.Astrikingbuilding by Elastic Architects, its bright white, undulating façade contrasts with the blue of the sea and sky. There are 166 rooms and suites, a swimming pool, a number of restaurants (including a ‘cave-like’ sushi bar), a rooftop with wet area and bar, water sports centre, and private beach. Next year, an extension will add 110 bungalows with a pool and restaurant in the hills behind the hotel. Two more Isla Brown hotels are coming to Crete and Corfu as well. brownhotels.com

Villa Brown Ermou

ATHENS HOTELS

Vasi Athens Original Greek terrazzo floors can be found in the 18 rooms and suites of Vasi Athens, which opened in autumn 2021, in the Psyri district. There is a range of different room categories, including options for families with extra bunk beds in the room – all feature minimalist décor in light tones. Some suites have terraces with hot tubs and Acropolis views. Complimentary breakfast is served around a communal table on the ground floor. vasihotels.com

Compact rooms – with mirrored walls to enhance the sense of space – marry a moody colour scheme (teal, green, mauve and black) and Baroque elements with contemporary furniture. The requisite rooftop has 360° views, with a pool, hot tubs, and open-air sushi bar. The first floor restaurant and bar offer all-day dining with views over Omonia Square; a large nightclub will follow later this year. brownhotels.com

Located in between Dave Red and Brown Acropol, Lighthouse Athens began welcoming guests at the start of April. Sister hotel to Lighthouse Tel Aviv, Brown’s flagship property, the 220-room hotel takes the group to nearly 500 rooms within a few city blocks around Omonia Square.

PATERAKSVANGELISYLLERA;MANOLO

Lighthouse Athens

Hellenic

Urban rooms are petite, starting at 11 sqm. Foxy rooms come with a circular bed, while Foxy+ rooms have a king-size bed enclosed on three sides by pillows. The rooftop has a pool table, hot tub, massage room, and serves complimentary sparkling wine. The ground floor restaurant and bar, and the underground nightclub, are operated by Six Dogs, a local hospitality group. brownhotels.com

Vibes Smart Hotel

ABOVE LEFT: Cocktail lounge and bistro at Villa Brown Ermou ABOVE: A room with balcony at AthensLighthouse RIGHT: The bar at Gatsby Athens

Walk down Agias Irinis street, around the corner from Monastiraki Square, and you won’t miss Hellenic Vibes Smart Hotel, courtesy of the giant, kaleidoscopic murals flanking the hotel’s entrance. Opened in July 2021, there are 28 rooms and seven suites, accessible by Xenodocheio Milos Athens Opposite the National Historical Museum, Xenodocheio Milos Athens opened at the start of this year as a celebration of Greek philoxenia or hospitality. The first hotel by chef Costas Spiliadis, its restaurant, Estiatorio Milos, serves a seafoodfocused menu in a minimalist space dressed in creams and whites with soaring ceilings. Other Estiatorio Milos locations include New York, Montreal and London. There are 43 rooms and suites –some with private terraces – with wooden floors and curved wooden headboards, sleek furniture, marble bathrooms and warm blue as a contrasting colour. There is also a gym and an Elemis wellness suite for spaFortreatments.aphiloxenia experience closer to its namesake island, Milos mobile key, with minimalist décor and sleek bathrooms. Some rooms have private terraces with Acropolis views. There is a restaurant serving traditional Greek breakfast, and Greek and Mediterranean dishes for lunch. hellenicvibes.gr Gatsby Athens In autumn 2021, Gatsby Athens opened with 33 rooms and suites a few minutes’ west of Syntagma Square. Art Deco-inspired interiors feature pink headboards and dark velvet sofas, diamond-tiled showers in pink and light blue, and brass accents. Some rooms have freestanding bathtubs, while the 52 sqm Party suite has an outdoor hot tub and cinema projector. Gatsby restaurant focuses on sharing dishes and serves food all day, while Gatsby bar runs from early morning coffee and fresh juices through to evening cocktails. Rooftop bar Cloud 9 has a stone fireplace for cooler nights. gatsbyathens.com

SEPTEMBER 2022

BELOW: A room

At the end of March, Marriott expanded its offering in the Greek capital with Moxy Athens City, its affordable-chic design brand. The 200 ‘cosy and smart’ guestrooms come in two main categories: Backstage rooms have limited views, while Center Stage rooms offer city views. The rooftop penthouse can also be used for events. There is a 24/7 Moxy Bar and a fitness centre. This summer, Marriott will also expand in Costa Navarino, the master development in Messinia, southwest Peloponnese, currently home to a Westin Resort and The Romanos, part of its Luxury Collection. When completed, W Costa Navarino will add 246 rooms, suites and villas, as part of the new Navarino Waterfront. There will be a range of F&B options, including a ‘Culinary Square’ food market, and a beach club and sunset bar. The resort will provide easy access to the four Navarino golf courses, as well as an array of water sports. More is to come to Costa Navarino: next year, Mandarin Oriental will open its first resort in Greece, with just 99 rooms – including 48 ‘earthsheltered’ villas, built into a hillside overlooking the Bay of Navarino. marriott.com

at Sea offers the option of two private charter yachts catered by the restaurant group to explore the Greek islands, with the largest accommodating up to ten passengers overnight. xenodocheiomilos.com

ABOVE: Stage room at Athens City MilosXenodocheiorestaurantMilosatAthens at Athens

Having opened in 2018, Grand Hyatt Athens will complete construction on a substantial expansion of its hotel on Syngrou Avenue this summer. An additional 227 rooms and suites – 23 of which will have a plunge pool or private pool – takes the total room count to 548 across nearly an entire city block. Club rooms and suites come with access to the hotel’s Grand Club lounge. The hotel will have four 37

Once the home of Greek actress Ellie Lambeti, a listed neoclassical building in Kolonaki designed by a Danish architect in the 1880s, will open as Athens Flair Hotel this summer. It will offer just six suites, each with a distinctive style and colour palette, along with a rooftop terrace. Run by a small Greek hotel group, it will be a block away from a sister property called Sir Athens, a four-suite hotel set in a building on Kaplanon street dating back to 1800. athensflair.com

A third property is set to join Athens Flair and Sir Athens this summer, on Mouson street at the foot of Filopappou Hill, southwest of the Acropolis. Deriving its name from the Greek word for ‘new moon’ or ‘pleasantness’, Neoma Hotel Athens will have 16 elegantly pared-back rooms and suites, dressed in a neutral mix of warm wood and shades of white. The rooftop bar and pool will have views of the Acropolis. neomahotel.com

SEPTEMBER 2022

Grand Hyatt Athens

Moxy Athens City

Moxy

Vasi

A Center

COMING SOON Athens Flair Hotel

Neoma Hotel Athens

Brown Hotels

Brown Hotels will keep expanding its footprint in Athens over the coming months with at least another three hotels. More details are to follow, but they will include a hotel called Brown Spices and Theodor Athens – sibling to Theodor Tel Aviv, which is a 34-room ‘Bauhaus-themed’ hotel in a listed building at the western end of the city’s Rothschild Boulevard. In addition, the existing Kubic Athens Hotel will turn into Kubic House, Urban Oasis by Brown Hotels. Next to the city’s National Theatre, the eight-floor hotel has 122 rooms, which are being turned into a ‘thrilling jungle’, including wallpaper with birdlife and foliage, and colourful tiling in the bathrooms. Beyond its plans for Greece, Brown Hotels is setting its sights on the rest of Europe with properties to come to Germany and the UK. brownhotels.com

LEFT: Estiatorio

Blu Zaffron, in Kamari, with 103 rooms, suites and villas) and Mykonos (Radisson Blu Euphoria, with 34 rooms and suites). This summer, an 84-room Radisson resort will also open on Skiathos, part of the Northern Sporades islands between Athens and Thessaloniki. radissonhotels.com

TOP LEFT: Kubic Athens Hotel will become Kubic House, Urban Oasis by Brown Hotels

ATHENS HOTELS

Anda Hotel Athens, Radisson Individuals Due to open in August, Anda Hotel Athens will be located on Voukourestiou street in Kolonaki – under the Radisson Individuals ‘affiliation’ brand of Radisson Hotel Group. Greek-Swedish architect firm OOAK is transforming the existing 1960s building into a 24-room hotel with a restaurant, bar, and ‘unique outdoor fitness centre’. In the second half of 2023, the group plans to expand its presence further with Radisson Red Mitropoleos Square Athens, converting an office building into a hotel under its ‘playful upscale’ brand. It will feature 94 small apartments with kitchenettes, along with a rooftop bar and restaurant. With these two openings, Radisson will have three hotels in Athens – there is a 160-room Radisson Blu hotel on the edge of Pedion tou Areos, one of the city’s largest parks. Additional properties arrived in the past year on Santorini (Radisson

One and Only is also working on a resort on Kea Island, the closest Cycladic island to Athens – an hour by regular ferry from Lavrio Port, or a ten-minute helicopter ride from the airport. The resort will have 75 villas (as well as a range of private residences), three restaurants, two bars and an extensive spa. oneandonlyresorts.com

TOP RIGHT: A room at Neoma Hotel CENTRE: A view of Grand Hyatt Athens ABOVE: An artist’s impression of Athens Flair Hotel,

SEPTEMBER 2022 38

One and Only Aesthesis

Conrad Athens Opened in 1963 as the first major international hotel in the Greek capital, Hilton Athens closed at the start of the year for an extensive €130 million redevelopment. The 15-storey, Modernist building will emerge as Conrad Athens in pools: one indoor, one outdoor in the courtyard, one on the roof of the original hotel, and one on the roof of the new extension. New this summer as well is the first outpost of Hyatt’s Unbound Collection in Greece – and ninth in Europe – with the opening of Magma Resort Santorini. On the northeast side of the island in Vourvoulos, its architecture incorporates black volcanic stone and takes inspiration from local traditional dwellings called pezoules. There are just 35 rooms and 24 suites, the majority of which offer private pools and hot tubs. Further Unbound hotels are coming to Helsinki, Mijas (Spain) and Crans Montana (Switzerland). hyatt.com

Promising a ‘bacchanalian celebration of Athens’, One and Only Aesthesis is under development on 21 hectares of seafront in Glyfada, southeast of the city centre. An opening date is to be confirmed, but plans include 127 rooms, suites, and villas with private pools – including a flagship ‘Villa One’. Drawing on a mid-century design, its features include natural stone and timber, muted colours and references to Greek mythology. Two signature restaurants, a Chenot Spa, and a fitness centre with indoor and outdoor spaces are also planned.

ABOVE RIGHT: An artist’s impression of W Costa Navarino by Marriott 39

SEPTEMBER 2022

Pantelikon Athens, Curio Collection by Hilton Meanwhile, Hilton will also bring its Curio Collection of independent hotels to Athens in 2024, renovating the existing Pantelikon hotel in Kifisia, an affluent area about 30 minutes north of the city centre. The hotel will have 117 rooms including 13 suites, a restaurant, spa with an indoor pool, and an outdoor pool in the hotel’s garden. curiocollection.com

Hampton by Hilton Piraeus Mikrolimano In 2024, Hilton will expand further with the opening of an 83-room property in the port city of Piraeus, one of the main hubs for ferry services to the Greek islands. Located in Kastella close to Mikrolimano marina, the Hampton will be a renovation of an existing hotel with an outdoor pool, a fitness centre, and meeting spaces. hamptonbyhilton.com

The Ellinikon One of Europe’s largest redevelopment projects began at the start of this year on the 620-hectare site of the former Athens international airport, along a 3.5km stretch of coastline southeast of the city. At an anticipated cost of €8 billion, the vast mixed-use site – three times the size of Monaco and largely dormant since the city hosted the 2004 Olympic Games – will be developed in phases over the coming years and is expected to attract one million visitors annually when completed. The project by Lamda Development will include an integrated resort featuring a number of different hotels, including one on the beach and one as part of a 400-berth marina. theellinikon.com.gr

2024. The smaller room count (down from 500+ to 280), will create space for 50 private residences – branded under a mix of Conrad and Waldorf Astoria flags. Facilities will include ‘multiple culinary and entertainment venues’ and a wellness centre. Conrad Athens will be the brand’s fifth hotel in Europe – there are properties in London and Dublin, along the Portuguese Algarve and on Sardinia as well. The planned Waldorf Astoria Residences will be the first in Europe; the original Waldorf Astoria New York is due to reopen with a large residential component following its renovation. waldorfastoriacollection.comconradhotels.com;

TOP LEFT: An artist’s impression of a One and Only Aesthesis suite TOP RIGHT: An artist’s impression of the One and Only resort on Kea Island ABOVE LEFT: The iconic Hilton Athens will reemerge as Conrad Athens

SOUTHANBENJAMIN

Set a deadline by when you expect a reply (for business people, time is of the essence).

The art complainingof

Complainants can be very rude. For example, I once received a note which read: “Compared to your hotel in Athens – this place is a cowshed.” I replied by thanking him for his kind remark about the hotel in Athens and then added that I had visited many cowsheds and in my opinion, the particular one I was managing was the most luxurious cowshed I had ever seen.

Another correspondent complained about the programming on the local TV station a er the 9pm watershed, which included some inappropriate o erings. “Do you realise children are up at this hour?” he asked rhetorically. I did, but I wasn’t expecting his next line. “Mine weren’t,” he wrote, “but I got them up especially to see the sort of rubbish that goes on while they are asleep.” I couldn’t think of a reply to this, so instead arranged for his television to be unplugged.

A hotel manager’s mail is always a delight to read. Grumbling letters tumble through the letterbox at a rate of three complaints to every one compliment. It’s quite a ratio, and the petulant correspondence is the full spectrum; the food, the service, lost property, the bill, the room, the people, and even the weather.

“You must have found my jogging leg – I wondered where I had le it.” For once, one guest who wasn’t hopping mad with us.

Sometimes bypassing customer services going straight to the top is to complaint

Let the organisation know you are a valued customer. Tell them how much you spend with them

the only way

Not all problems are so easily solved. One guest wrote: “Dear Sir, I wish to complain about absolutely everything…” And he went on to do exactly that.

CONTACT THE BOSS

Even praise can come with a sting in the tail. One guest wrote in glowing terms about the quality of the hotel linen and at the end of his letter added: “…and the towels were so u y we could hardly pack them into our suitcase”. I didn’t hear from him again, even a er we had levied a late charge on his credit card for sundry items stolen.

Has customer relations o ered a real solution to your problems in a timely manner? If not, what should you do? Well, I would suggest you skirt past the complaints department and vent your frustration directly with the head of the organisation. Marcus Williamson knows how to reach them. He is the founder and editor of CEOemail.com, a site that gives you direct access to the head o ces of a huge number of businesses together with the top man or woman’s email address and telephone number. He reports that CEOemail.com receives up to 11,000 hits a day from However,customers.beforeyou re o your email to the CEO, it is worthwhile considering what constitutes a well-structured complaint. ere are several key points to make. Firstly, act quickly; strike before the iron goes cold. Know your rights and don’t exaggerate what happened. No one died, we hope, otherwise the police would be involved. Before writing, condense your story and list the points you want to make with the most important one rst. Getting everything onto one page helps with clarity and gives the recipient an immediate picture of your grievance. Be as polite as you are able, avoid sarcasm and, most importantly, let them know how the experience a ected you (again, don’t exaggerate) and what you would like in compensation. It helps to let the organisation know you are a valued customer. Tell them how much you spend with them, or why you chose them on this occasion.

and

Finally, make sure you nish your letter correctly. You would be surprised about the number of times unpleasant notes to me have been signed o , “love”. Business travellers constitute an important segment of hotels’ and airlines’ business. If you receive a reply but you still don’t think your complaint has been successfully addressed, there is no point in prolonging an authorityOmbudsmanissueclearcorrespondence.unsatisfactoryIfyouareonyourrights,takethefurther,perhapstoanorsimilarwhereoneexists.

On a lighter note, an astonished room attendant once found a prosthetic leg in a recently vacated room. I immediately rang the client and asked if he was missing anything, perplexed as to how he could have le the hotel without noticing. “Oh!” he replied.

How should we express our comments good or bad to make sure that they get attention?

DEREK PICOT A HOTELIER

Finally, here’s some useful information for those who complain about unreturned lost property. Customers cannot understand why a lost item is never automatically sent on when found. e reason? Hotels can’t be sure who was with whom in a room and what relation they have to one another.

FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS AND AUTHOR OF THE HOTEL DETECTIVE AND HIS LOVER 40 OPINION SEPTEMBER 2022

LOST AND FOUND

resolve a

RICHARD TAMS AIRLINE CONSULTANT AND EXECUTIVE COACH 41 OPINION SEPTEMBER 2022

IS THE PARTY OVER?

In the context of an increasing need to be able to adapt to changing circumstances, what should suppliers in the travel industry do? I suspect that the vast majority will do as BA and others have done – revert to type and go back to loading their most competitive rates with the terms and conditions of the pre-pandemic world, and leave flexibility as a luxury for those who can pay for it. But surely there is a disrupter out there ready to turn the current business model on its head. An airline prepared to allow you to change your flight, and even your destination, a week ahead of travel or a hotel brand that will do the same. They might even be able to make a modest charge or introduce a small deposit scheme for this peace of mind. After all, even when the current surge in pent-up travel demand subsides and the reality of a wages squeeze hits us all, we will all still want something to look forward to, even if we’re not quite sureWe’llwhat.perhaps want to book a wellearned break in the knowledge that we can postpone it if our wallet can’t take the strain. As we all feel less certain about the future than ever before, as the proverb goes, “Better bend than break.”

Better bend than break

REVERTING TO TYPE

J ust about the only silver lining to be found in the chaos of worldwide travel restrictions over the last two years has been flexibility – the ability to chop, change or chuck any travel plans in the face of the changing tide of government Covid regulations.

Surely there is a disrupter out there ready to turn the current business model on its head

It appears that such gratuitous flexibility on the part of travel suppliers may be something that we have increasingly taken for granted, but there will undoubtedly come a time in the not-too-distant future when the party will be over and non-changeable will once again mean what it says. Flexibility will revert to being the preserve of those able to afford a full fare ticket, sizeable change fees or a rack rate room. On June 8, after two years of allowing customers to change their travel plans for free for any reason, British Airways followed Easyjet and Ryanair and ended its ‘Book with Confidence’ policy.

Airlines, hoteliers, Airbnb hosts and conference organisers have had to give the peace of mind required to stimulate us to book trips by offering the flexibility to change our minds and travel at another time or cancel completely. Holidays and business trips that might otherwise have been set in stone by advance purchase flights and non-refundable hotel rooms, have suddenly become changeable and refundable at the click of a mouse, or after two hours on hold. Even now as travel restrictions to most of the world’s top destinations have been lifted, I am paranoid about committing large amounts of money to a business trip, conference or holiday many months in the future. It’s a kind of commitment phobia. As I click the ‘Pay Now’ button, I have an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach and my credit card is shaking in my hand. Will this trip ever happen? Will I ever see this money again? Even if restrictions don’t prevent me from travelling, I might get Covid the day before I fly. Does my insurance cover me if I do?

SOUTHANBENJAMIN

Suddenly, any bookings made from that day forward was governed by the airline’s standard policies. In other words, expect to pay change fees unless you’ve booked a flexible fare and make sure that you are fullyMostinsured.airlines are likely to reintroduce this policy if restrictions are reinstated by individual countries, but it is not clear what will be defined as a ‘restriction’ and you might be presented with a dreaded voucher, rather than a refund. However, in a world of increasing uncertainty, has flexibility become a reasonable expectation of holiday-makers once happy to commit to a two-week summer holiday in Greece on Boxing Day or owners of small businesses once able to nail down a three-day sales trip to the Far East two months out? Has the pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine and the cost of living crisis taught us not to count on anything anymore? Or has it compelled businesses to adapt to the winds of change?

As airlines and hotels reintroduce non-refundable and advance purchase bookings, it’s time to challenge these restrictive practices

2 HATCH

MANCHESTERInnovationDistrict

WORDS HANNAH BRANDLER 1 Take a exhibitionsmuseumpluspop-ups,venues,newdiscoverDistrictInnovationMancunianthroughstrolltheandculturalfoodunusual 1

Museum is set to reopen in February 2023 following a £13 million redevelopment.

Innovation extends beyond academia to exciting dining and entertainment venues. Located under the Mancunian Way yover on Oxford Road lies Hatch, a food, drink and retail pop-up occupies a series of colourful shipping containers. Since opening in 2018, the site has trebled in size and now features 30 independent traders –from hairdressers to a shoe-cleaning boutique and rotating street food stalls. We recommend the plantbased Bondi Bowls for healthy Aussie fast-food – its namesake bowl lled with black rice, kale, edamame, charred corn, hummus and miso dressing is a must – and co ee from Takk espresso bar. ere’s no need to restrict yourself to one cuisine as you can order from multiple vendors via the Good Eats app. Enjoy in the open-air courtyard, or on one of its roo op terraces, accompanied by live music sets. hatchmcr.com

THE WHITWORTH Part of e University of Manchester, this red brick gallery was founded in 1889 in memory of engineer Sir Joseph Whitworth. A £15 million redevelopment in 2015 saw e Whitworth double in size, making space for its 55,000 works of art, textiles and wallpaper, while also integrating into the neighbouring seven-hectare park, with steel and glass wings overlooking the landscaped gardens. Its collection of approximately 10,000 wallpapers has inspired its latest exhibition Open House, which explores the lives experienced within interiors. e gallery is inviting the public to get involved by sharing photos and anecdotes, with the exhibition set to expand into the neighbouring room – get in touch by aexperiencedgivesandManchesterexhibition,Meanwhile,whitworthopenhouse@gmail.com.emailingthepowerfulStillParentsruninpartnershipwithSANDS(StillbirthNeonatalDeathcharity),aplatformtothosewhohavethelossofababy.It’sbeautiful,thoughtragic,display

42 SEPTEMBER 2022

OXFORD ROAD CORRIDOR

Stretching south from St Peter’s Square in the city centre lies the Oxford Road Corridor, a one square mile area which is home to 42,000 residents, 74,000 students and 8,800 businesses – plus accounts for 20 per cent of the city’s economic output. is collaborative project aims to be “Manchester’s cosmopolitan hub and world-class innovation district” by 2025. is shouldn’t be too hard given its pioneering history – it’s where Rutherford split the atom, Alan Turing invented the modern computer, and graphene was discovered. e area has a campuslike feel, featuring various businesses, academic institutions – including the city’s two universities – and contemporary green spaces. Its impressive cultural venues, many of which are covered here, attract more than two million visitors per year. Ongoing projects include the multi-million-pound Circle Square neighbourhood, located on the site of the former BBC building, which opened in 2021 but is still awaiting F&B venues. Plus, the Manchester

2019;POLLARDMICHAELWILLIAMS;BENBRANDLERHANNAHCENTRE;PANKHURST which promotes open conversation through the sharing of personal stories and meaningful artworks or objects chosen by participants. Exit the gallery via the Sarah Pricedesigned garden, and walk along the south side of the building to see the life-size stainless steel tree by Scottish artist Anya Gallaccio – a tribute to a tree felled during the renovation. whitworth.manchester.ac.uk

5 COCKTAILS IN THE CLOCKTOWER

Finish o your four hours with a well-deserved drink at e Refuge. Return to Oxford Road, and make your way towards the Grade IIlisted clocktower building, which originally opened as the headquarters of e Refuge Assurance Company in 1895 and is now occupied by a luxury Kimpton hotel. Pass through its attractive glass-domed lobby and take a le into e Refuge – a stunning 929 sqm area made up of a public bar and dining room, clad with glazed brick, tiles and stained glass, and a leafy courtyard-like winter garden. e bar is a gorgeous setting for daytime co ee and co-working, and, as the night falls, there are DJ sets with delicious cocktails – expect tipples inspired by the area ( e Glamour of Manchester, Tra ord Sour and Salford Sling), some fantastic non-alcoholic options and small plates. refugemcr.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2022 4 HOURS IN...

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4 PANKHURST CENTRE is small museum located at 60-62 Nelson Street is dedicated to the Pankhurst women, located within the former home of the namesake family. e building was saved from demolition in the 1980s and opened to the public in 1987, undergoing a refurbishment last year before reopening with its “At Home With e Pankhurst Family” exhibition. e three rooms explore the lives and achievements of Emmeline and her family, and the formation of the su ragette movement. Highlights include an interactive space with a video detailing their ght for the vote, the pristinely kept Edwardian parlour which housed the rst-ever meeting of the Women’s Social and Political Union (later known as the su ragettes) in 1903, and the beautiful ‘su ragette garden’ with themed benches. An additional room traces women’s activism in Manchester since 1918, hoping to inspire the next generation of campaigners. e building goes beyond narrating the past – in 2014 it merged with Manchester Women’s Aid and houses its headquarters, supporting victims of domestic abuse and women’s activism in the community. Entry is free, though donations are encouraged, and by pre-booked tickets. Open ursdays and Sundays 11am-4pm. pankhurstmuseum.com

LAPVICTORYA

Key insights gleaned from the Ferrari Capital Markets Day held recently in Maranello point towards a bright future for one of the world’s mostcarmakersprolific

WORDS GAUTAM SHARMA

“Looking to the future, there will be more car sharing, and cars will be more

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Ferrari has been gaining real-world experience in electric propulsion over the past decade, as the 2013 LaFerrari was its rst road-going hybrid, equipped with an F1-derived HY-KERS system. Since then, hybrid propulsion has ltered down to the mainstream range via the SF90 Stradale and, more recently, the 296GTB, which ekes out a whopping 830hp and 740Nm from its 3-litre V6 hybrid powertrain. However, the upcoming BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) will advance Ferrari’s electri cation strategy to the next level and – in line with this objective – Vigna says Ferrari’s Maranello factory will house a new “E-Building” dedicated to the electric engine, inverter and battery module. “Will we build everything inhouse? No, even our founder, Enzo Ferrari, started the company in 1947 with partners. e battery is a unique component of an EV. We will not be building our own cells, but we will package them in such a way to maximise their potential.”

AUTO SEPTEMBER 2022

Lasalandra says sensors will play a key role in optimising battery life and performance, while other innovations will include enhanced cooling, better insulation, as well as superconductive materials.

Benedetto Vigna, CEO of Ferrari

F errari is synonymous with screaming V8 and V12 engines, but the prancing horse of Maranello is on the verge of a major shi towards electri cation, in line with ever-tightening CO2 emission standards around the world.

Ferrari will launch its rst fullelectric vehicle in 2025, but company CEO Benedetto Vigna says the lack of a combustion engine won’t dilute its“Electriappeal. cation is a must as we need to reduce emissions, but we can also use this to further enhance performance,” said Vigna at Ferrari’s Capital Markets Day event held recently in Maranello. “ e challenge to build a low-emission Ferrari is a challenge we are all embracing.

Ferrari says its rst EV will o er the highest power density of any batteryelectric vehicle, and it’s targeting a further ten per cent increase in power density every two years a er its launch. “ e rst full-electric Ferrari will combine class-leading longitudinal acceleration with driving thrills,” says chief research and development o cer Ernesto Lasalandra. He also promises “much more emotion” than any existing EV o ering.

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Contrary to the general notion, electric engines are not silent; each has its own signature. e engine will speak the language of the car. “We will develop our own core components, so the rst full-electric Ferrari will still be a Ferrari, leveraging the extensive know-how of our Formula One team,” Vigna adds.

Ferrari’s current line-up comprises 80 per cent pure-combustion cars and 20 per cent hybrids. But that mix will rapidly change, to the extent that by 2026 only 40 per cent will

perthemodelsales55accountingwithpure-combustion,behybridsforpercentofandFerrari’srstfull-electricmakingupremainingvecent.emixwillcontinue to evolve, and by 2030 full-electric models will make up 40 per cent of sales, and the same proportion for hybrids. Purecombustion models will account for the remaining 20 per cent.

Electri cation is a must as we need to reduce emissions, but we can also use this to further performanceenhance

ABOVE: Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna Ferrari 296GTB LaFerrari Aperta 45

The arelevantwon’tPurosanguebethemostmodelfromsalesperspective Enrico Galliera, chief marketing and commercial o icer of Ferrari

Some industry estimates suggest there will be 1.8 billion cars on the road by 2030, with only eight per cent of those being pure battery-electric vehicles. Internal combustion engines will certainly continue to be essential to air and sea travel, as well as to the haulage sectors.

SEPTEMBER 2022

autonomous, more connected and more electric,” says Vigna. “Let’s start with the car sharing. We are not a mobility company. We want to continue to provide a unique experience – this is key. When more and more cars are shared in the future, owning a Ferrari will be even more unique. “As for autonomous driving, it’s clear for us that we will stop at L2 and L2+ levels. We will not go L4 or L5. We will have Ferraris with a lot of new technology – I’m talking about sensors and processors – but these will be used always to enhance the driving experience. We always want to put humans at the centre of the experience.” A second lease of life for combustion engines via synthetic fuels In parallel with the development of EVs, Ferrari is also working with partners on synthetic fuels so that its combustion-engine cars can be used a er 2035. Development in this eld will be accelerated as F1 cars will use 100 per cent sustainable synthetic fuel from 2026 onwards. e 100 per cent sustainable “dropin fuel” – meaning it can be used in a standard internal combustion engine without any modi cation to the engine itself – will be laboratorycreated, using components that come from either a carbon capture scheme, municipal waste or non-food biomass, while achieving greenhouse gas emissions savings relative to fossilderived petrol of at least 65 per cent.

The Purosangue SUV is imminent Ferrari’s long-awaited Purosangue SUV will be revealed in September, but company CEO Vigna whetted appetites at the Capital Markets Day, insisting the upcoming debutant is a true sportscar. “I had the opportunity to drive it in the hills near Maranello, and I can tell you it really is a sportscar,” Vigna enthused. “We went with a aspiratednaturallyV12– our most engineevocative–toensure it lives up to its name (Purosangue is Italian for globalderivedtovolumes.modelwillFerrari’ssalesbulknowEventhoroughbred).”thoughSUVsaccountfortheofglobalautomotiveacrossallpricesegments,CEOsaysthePurosanguebean“add-on”ratherthanaconceivedtomultiplyFerrari’sisisinstarkcontrastarch-rivalLamborghini,whichalmost60percentofits8,405salesin2021viatheUrus.

“ e Purosangue won’t be the most relevant model from a sales perspective,” says Ferrari’s chief marketing and commercial o cer, Enrico Galliera, adding that the SUV will account for only about 20 per cent of Ferrari’s sales. e Purosangue’s modular chassis architecture will form the basis for all of Ferrari’s upcoming midfront engine cars. is platform can accommodate V6, V8 and V12 engines, with or without hybrid assistance and with a transaxle dualclutch gearbox; rear or four-wheel drive and variable-wheelbase lengths. Although the initial format of the Purosangue will be a high-riding (by Ferrari standards) four-seater, Galliera let slip that Ferrari’s future portfolio will include models with “two , four and more seats”. is suggests a stretched version of the Purosangue with three-row seating could potentially follow in due course. e Purosangue won’t t the mould of the traditional SUV, as company insiders insist it will be more dynamic than anything currently available even at the top end of the performance SUV segment. Its V12 engine – likely to be derived from the 800hp, 6.5-litre unit in the 812 Superfast – is expected to be complemented by heightadjustable suspension and an active anti-roll system to keep body roll to a minimum, while still allowing leeway for a modicum of o -road ability. Galliera says the Purosangue will slot seamlessly into a four-pillar model line-up that includes mainstream range models, special series o erings (such as the 812 Competizione) and bespoke Icona models (such as the mould-breaking Monza SP). At the top of the pile will be an apex supercar, with a successor to the LaFerrari currently in the pipeline. e forecast for 2022-26 is for range models to account for 85 per cent of sales, ten per cent for special series cars and a combined total of ve per cent for Icona and the upcoming supercar. Peak performance models in the foreseeable future will employ hybrid technology, with the successor to the LaFerrari also featuring a petrolelectric powertrain Ferrari sales and lifestyle In addition to its product diversi cation plans, Ferrari aims to grow its net revenue from a projected €4.8 billion in 2022 to €6.7 billion in 2026 by also broadening the brand’s audience.

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Ferrari SF90 Spider; Ferrari SF90 Stradale; Enrico Galliera; Ferrari Monza SP

“We’ve expanded our customer base by 25 per cent and our new clients are an average of eight years younger than before. We’ve also grown the number of Ferrari collectors by 60 per cent,” says Galliera. “We’re creating di erent Ferraris for di erent Ferraristi. ere’s no reason why owners shouldn’t have more than one Ferrari in their garage. We’re still reaching only 0.3 per cent of our target audience. Around the world, there are 26 million HNWIs. We aim to further grow revenue by focusing on luxury goods (including two fashion collections), collectables and experiential activities (museums, the Cavallino restaurant and theme parks – such as Ferrari World on Yas Island).”

47 AUTO SEPTEMBER 2022

Earlier, the Navitimer Pilot’s watch was a pillar of the brand, and it remains so. But we returned to what the brand was 70-100 years ago

One way of building a strong narrative around the Grenchen-based watchmaker is simply by shining a spotlight on its illustrious history.

SEPTEMBER 2022 WORDS GODINHOVARUN

WatchmakingALegacy

eorges Kern, CEO of Breitling, does not always have an emollient approach to detractors. Frankly, he doesn’t need to. There’s a pugilist somewhere just below that calm exterior, but you never get the sense of him being a rebel without a cause. He isn’t afraid to fracture status quo, but then again he’s got every reason to. “You cannot argue success. At the end of the day, you can have great theoretical knowledge about the markets and solid beliefs and strategies. But ultimately, you need to be successful,” Kern recently told Business Traveller Middle East when quizzed whether his management approach to being the boss of a 138-year-old watchmaking company could come across as unsettling to the brand’s traditionalists.Fiveyearsago, Kern began the process of pushing Breitling towards a more evenly distributed focus on its sea- and aviation-inspired watches. “Today, when you look at our segments with the air and sea and the logos we’ve used, we are more faithful to Breitling than we’ve ever been. Why? Because we addressed the story and history of Breitling. We are covering what Breitling was in its totality much more than what it was in the last 20-25 years.

watchmaker’sofKern,GeorgesCEOBreitling,onthenovelties,itsbusinessstrategyandapproachtosustainability

Take for example the fact that the Breitling Cosmonaute was the first Swiss wristwatch in space in 1962. As Kern explains, Scott Carpenter – only the fourth American in space – was training in Australia when he saw the Australian Air Force pilots wearing Navitimers and he knew it was what Project Mercury needed. Carpenter wrote to Willy Breitling explaining that timekeeping was his specific responsibility for Project Mercury.

to include products like the Premier, Super Ocean Heritage and Chronomat which we relaunched successfully,” says Kern.

ABOVE: Limited42SuperOceanBreitlingKellySlaterEdition

Over the last few years, Breitling has been active in the auction market, snapping up some of its historical timepieces. For example, in 2019, Gregory Breitling acquired a Cosmonaute which was once owned by astronaut John Glenn. Kern adds, “[Acquiring watches at auction] is something we need to do ourselves in the future because we want to build a museum and work on our history. We have a clear focus to buy special watches that were once part of our collection, build a museum and publish books around our brand. theahead,viewedinwatcheslater,theBreitlingprobablyMandelbauminitiative,supportiveBreitlingGregoryisveryofthisasisFredwhoisthebiggestcollectorinworld.Soonerorthese[historical]willbeavailablethemuseumthatcanbebyourcustomers.”AsBreitlingforgessustainabilityinwatchmaker’soperation – be it reducing its carbon emissions or the use of plastic – is a subject that Kern is personally involved with. However, the one aspect of sustainability that he is perhaps most actively engaged with at the moment revolves around the sourcing of materials. “We want to ensure that the consumer has total transparency on where and how we source our gold, diamonds, steel or rubber. is is why we’ve introduced the blockchain, not only for authenticity and traceability, but also for the consumer to understand where the materials are sourced from.” Kern’s taking the long road when it comes to future-proo ng Breitling, but then again that’s the only way to ensure that no one argues its success.

BELOW: The historical Breitling LimitedCosmonautethe1962CosmonauteNavitimerfromalongsidenewNavitimerEdition

Last year, CVC Capital partners sold a minority stake of Breitling to another private equity rm – Partners Group. Breitling has maintained its independence and isn’t part of any watchmaking conglomerate. As Kern says, Breitling will have roughly 250 boutiques by the end of the year and is opening nearly two boutiques a week this year. e Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH) said in a recent report that exports of Swiss timepieces in the rst six months of 2022 grew nearly 12 per cent year-on-year, with a total export value of CHF11.9 billion. One of the world’s biggest markets for luxury, China, accounted for CHF1.105 billion of that amount – a contraction of over 26 per cent. While China remains key for luxury players, Kern says that Breitling is expanding in that Asian country but isn’t overly reliant on it, and hence relatively insulated from what is happening there at the moment. “China still represents a small portion of our business. We’re growing strongly, but we don’t have our fair market share in China yet if I compare it to the US, Europe or the Middle East because we just started to build our presence there four- ve years ago. We are opening 25 boutiques in China this year. We will have roughly 60 boutiques in China, but we should be able to quadruple that number. You don’t have an established distribution network of retailers in China like you might have in Dubai with Seddiqi, for example,” notes Kern. A market that he is bullish about remains the Middle East. “As a region, it’s smaller than Europe, but it’s growing and is a substantial market. For us, the key markets are Europe, the US and the Middle East. We have joint ventures in Saudi Arabia where we have opened a huge boutique in Riyadh earlier this year and are opening more boutiques in the kingdom too.”

He needed a recon gured Navitimer to retain the circular slide rule for calculations. Carpenter wanted a watch with a 24-hour indication and also one that would read like an instrument in his capsule. Breitling developed that timepiece which went on to become the rst Swiss wristwatch in space. is year, Breitling decided to revisit that story and issue the Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Limited Edition that features the B02 movement. “ ere are watches that are icons and which are commercially successful, and then there are watches which are icons but which were commercial failures. e Navitimer was always successful and the Navitimer’s existence as part of our collection was never threatened since it was always a commercial success. It is today, with the Chronomat, the most commercially important line we have,” says Kern. In June, Breitling followed that up with a new SuperOcean collection. It is an extensive o ering – four sizes (36, 42, 44 and 46mm), three case metals (steel, bronze, steel-gold), two strap options (rubber and metal bracelet), and six dial colours (white, orange, turquoise, black, blue and green). Add to that a robust Caliber 17 movement. “We had in the Sixties a diving watch called the Slow Motion which was very much an instrument for diving with big hands and big indexes. So, we took the Slow Motion and added modern features to it, but kept the same broad design elements including a ceramic bezel and the square blocks on the hands,” explains Kern about the new collection. e standout piece of the new collection is the 42mm Kelly Slater edition limited to 1,000 pieces with an orange dial and olive-green rubber strap.

49 WATCHES SEPTEMBER 2022

TOP LEFT: Georges Kern BOTTOM LEFT: John Glenn (left) with Scott Carpenter prior to the flight of MA-7. Scott is wearing his Breitling CosmonauteNavitimer

THE PATH TO GROWTH

50 SEPTEMBER 2022 WATCHES WORDS VARUN GODINHO

This world-timer is incredibly easy to operate – there’s just one crown with a sapphire cabochon that controls all the timekeeping functions and can be found at 12 o’clock. Move the crown clockwise and you will adjust the world-time display, move it counter-clockwise to adjust the hours and minutes.

Enter the Bovet Fleurier Orbis Mundi which debuted earlier this year and is available in either 18k red gold or grade 5 titanium. The watch boasts a new manual-winding in-house caliber 15BM01HU which has a seven-day power reserve. On the dial, there is a large disc that dominates the space and is made from aventurine glass. In the centre of it is the world time display that showcases 24 cities –the Middle East is represented by Dubai.

The intrepid globetrotter T wo centuries ago, in 1822, Edouard Bovet founded the Bovet watchmaking house. After leaving his home in Fleurier and spending time in London, he set out for a country that was quite literally at the other side of the world – China. Upon arriving there – a country where Swiss watchmaking was a largely alien concept – Edouard sold four timepieces for an equivalent of over US$1 million each in today’s currency. Edouard, the daring adventurer with cross-continental endeavours to further the awareness of and interest in Swiss watchmaking, was a pioneer. This year, Bovet celebrates its 200th founding anniversary. How then do you pay a fitting tribute to it? A world-timer for a brand that found true international success in its very early years is a great place to begin.

In the case of the titanium version of this timepiece, the world-time disc is salmoncoloured, whereas in the red gold version that disc is made from aventurine glass. In both versions, the world-time disc is surrounded by a 24-hour ring marked by Arabic numerals, and beyond which is another disc with Roman numerals that shows the local time.

The Orbis Mundi is offered with an onpoint blue alligator leather strap, with the red gold and titanium versions limited to just 60 pieces each.

The Fleurier Orbis Mundi is a 200th-anniversary timepiece that celebrates the genesis of Bovet as a watchmaker which found success in far-flung places around the world early on in the 19th century

Also made from aventurine glass is a disc that displays 20 seconds at 6 o’clock. In between the main world-time disc and the 20-second aventurine dial at 6 o’clock is a sneak peek into the movement where the escapement and hairspring are visible – it’s good to remind yourself here that Bovet is one of the very few watchmakers which makes its own hairsprings. In fact, of the 246 components in the movement of the Orbis Mundi, nearly 95 per cent were made in-house, thereby demonstrating the levels of watchmaking self-sufficiency and expertise it has garnered over the last two centuries.

The titanium variant of this timepiece has been shortlisted to compete for the best Ladies’ Complication timepiece in this year’s annual Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Geneve (GPHG) – the Oscars of the watchmaking world. There are a total of six Bovet watches that have been shortlisted to compete for awards across several categories at GPHG 2022. Happy 200th birthday, Bovet – take a well-earned bow.

DESIGN AWARDS 2022 ENTRIES CLOSE ON 7 OCTOBER 2022

THE

DREAM WORDS HENDRIXNICK

LIVING English actor Nick Hendrix checks in to The St. Regis Downtown Dubai and traces the evolution of one of the world’s most iconic hotel brands

53 THE ST. REGIS DOWNTOWN DUBAI SEPTEMBER 2022

It’s the pool that I was particularly fond of as it is partially covered. I feel like Michael McIntyre described Dubai’s heat best when he said it was like that rush of hot air you get when you open the oven – and he’s not far o in its description when it comes to the weather for a few months every year in Dubai.

Because of this scorching reality, I nd that a poolside umbrella doesn’t quite cut it – even the shade here still requires a bit of factor 30. So, by building a pool that slips itself half under the actual building you are a orded a feeling of almost being indoors rather than just ‘in the shade’. e ceiling is high allowing plenty of waterside breeze to blow in and it means that should you want to sit at one of the tables around the bar for a spot of lunch, you can do so without fearing a heatstroke. Of course, should you want a proper blasting from the sun, there are sun loungers aplenty. e wonderful bar sta there are happy to accommodate any request, and the food comes up from the restaurant kitchen, so it is the same standard as that found in the hotel’s main erestaurants.questionis, if Astor was still around and took a stroll along the canal-side promenade and happened upon the towering St. Regis Downtown, how would he feel? Would he be proud of where his legacy has got to? I think he would. is hotel is well located to feel present and connected, whilst remaining an early player in the ever-busy hotel game. e way it’s put together, what it o ers and how it’s all delivered would appeal to his dream of being at the forefront of the industry. He’d be glad that the bar serves a pretty mean Bloody Mary, which was invented at his New York hotel over a century ago, and he’d be happy to know that what he started has continued – every room does have its own telephone.

As for the leisure facilities, they don’t disappoint either. e gym is a decent size for a hotel and has a good selection of kit, plus plenty of oor space – in my experience, these are the thing s that tend to get lost as developers are keen to maximise square footage. e spa is well appointed and o ers all you’d ever need in an environment that both calms and pampers.

I n 1904, John Jacob Astor IV decided to build his second hotel, a sister hotel to his already iconic Waldorf-Astoria. e St. Regis New York was to be a modern hotel with each room exhibiting the heady heights of technology at the time – a telephone in every bedroom, no less. It was also the tallest hotel in New York City at the time and sparked a status battle between the Vanderbilt, Rockefeller and Astor families as they fought to be the most a uent family in Manhattan. You wouldn’t think there would be such an interesting connection between that and the 25-storey e St. Regis Downtown Dubai hotel I found myself staying in earlier this year. Hotel brands love to advertise their history and their heritage and although the St. Regis name has been passed around a few di erent conglomerates since its Astor days, it was right there at the beginning of the modern era of luxury hospitality. So, to be here in Dubai, probably the most globally renowned centre of luxury hospitality in the 21st century, feels like a tting narrative. St. Regis has two hotels in the city – the second is on the Palm Jumeirah – whilst this one is located within a strong stone’s throw from the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa. Just like Astor jostled with Vanderbilt across the road, the St. Regis in Downtown Dubai is surrounded by other brands like Armani, Pullman and Radisson. I found myself in town to review this impressive hotel as well as take the stunning McLaren GT for a thrash through the desert landscape. e physical toll that driving a supercar to well near its limit, not to mention getting in and out of something that is essentially lying prostrate on the tarmac, is quite substantial – so a suitably inviting, restful and comfortable suite waiting for you at the end of the day is paramount. And with that in mind, e St. Regis Downtown Dubai didn’t disappoint.

Hospitality is something that Dubai does better than most – when a city’s trademark is tourism and hotels are its landmarks, then there can be no second prize, no points for e ort. It’s got to be great. What this St. Regis does is to give you all that you hope for from a Dubai experience whilst holding onto its hat. St. Regis is a brand with history and therefore experience (not to mention that its parent company Marriott is an expert in the hotel business). ere are some mind-blowing buildings in Dubai and some staggering displays of wealth – it must be hard to create anything and then a struggle to gure out how to stand out. is hotel, however, has an understated class to it, the nishes are excellent, the service exemplary and the styling lavish without being grotesque. e 298-room tower sits proudly within Business Bay. At the moment, St. Regis stands out with little competition in immediate view It’s clear to see that is an area that is buzzing – with Dubai Mall sitting below the Burj Khalifa within easy reach, it is an area only on the up. ere is a strange quality to Dubai where it’s hard to see where the centre of it is. Is it the Creek or the old trading centre? Is it the Marina, the almost Miamiesque collection of towers, or is it right here in Downtown? e Burj Khalifa feels like a natural anchor at its core. Two key elements of any luxury hotel are its restaurant and its leisure facilities. Does the food make you want to stay in rather than go out? Are you thinking about what to gorge on at the breakfast bu et spread? Can you while away hours by the hotel pool? Is the gym well equipped? All important questions that I interrogated with glee. Dubai is a culinary smorgasbord, so staying in isn’t always the best option. But should you choose to do so, you won’t be disappointed. e delicious Italian restaurant Basta! on the ground oor is a delight. ere’s an international feel to the place and St. Regis nds a great balance with this space. It honours its international guests with a well-cra ed European food culture, whilst also paying homage to the Emirati history of gold souks and the desert culture through its styling cues and artwork.

SEPTEMBER 2022 Business Attire WORDS & STYLING SESSIONSAMY Your answer to smart-casual workwear – this season we are inspired by the sand tones of Saudi Arabia Álvaro 47 Suede Holdall Dhs6,188 Álvaro mrporter.com Straight-Leg Cotton and Silk-Blend Suit Trousers Dhs3,781 Tom Ford tomford.com Jerry Merino Wool Polo Shirt Dhs801 APC bloomingdales.com Kent BomberSuedeJacket Dhs20,384 Loro Piana ae.loropiana.com 54

SEPTEMBER 2022 Wyatt 30 Suede Chelsea Boots Dhs17,842 Saint Laurent ysl.com Clic Card Leather iPhone 12 Pro Case Dhs156 Native Union nativeunion.com Straight-Leg Pleated Wool Trousers Dhs1,685 Stò a sto a.co Aviator-Style Silver-Tone Sunglasses Dhs1,315 Gucci Eyewear gucci.com 55 LIFESTYLE

Social media pizzaiolo star Carmine De Michele joins Media One Hotel’s Ciao Bella’s Chef De Cuisine Anna Alaimo in the kitchen curating an exclusive Italian menu SLI N GS IN T O CI A O B E LL A DECARMINEMICHELE ALAIMOANNA TIK TOK

eportthe Tasted.Tested,Tried, TRIED AND TESTED FLIGHT TRIED AND TESTED HOTELS SMART TRAVELLER Etihad (businessA350-1000Airwaysclass) Abu Dhabi-New York City Midtown,ParamountFrankfurterSteigenbergerHofHotelDubai Mandarin Oriental, Milan Radisson Blu Hotel, Abu Dhabi Yas Island Our guide to... Donating hotel points to charity 58 6160 6362 64

Overall, the lounge is a great space for guests to recharge before their flights, get last-minute emails done prior to take-o and enjoy a bite to eat.

The aircra is highly e cient, enhancing the airline’s sustainability goals BEST FOR Seamless flight experience from start to finish CONFIGURATION 1-2-1 SEAT WIDTH AND PITCH 20.25 inches / 44 inches SEAT RECLINE 180 degrees BED LENGTH 78.7 inches DURATIONFLIGHT 14 hours to JFK PRICE Internet rates for return business class flights from AUH to JFK start at Dhs10,740 CONTACT etihad.com 58 TRIED & TESTED FLIGHT

Etihad Airways A350-1000 (business class) ABU

FIRST IMPRESSIONS With a departure time of 1015, I was picked up from my home in Downtown Dubai by Etihad’s complimentary business class chau eur service at 0600. It was a smooth and quick journey to the UAE’s capital, with ample time for check-in.

I arrived at the airport at around 0715 and was welcomed by the friendly Etihad sta at the business class check-in area. An attendant assisted with my bags and led me to the check-in desk where I was shown to a seat while I waited for my bags to be checked and to receive my boarding pass. I furnished my passport, along with my ESTA (the visa required to enter the US) and vaccine certificate which I had obtained via the Alhosn app. At the Etihad business class and first class check-in, there is a separate immigration and security section which ensured I got through with plenty of time to spare.

SEPTEMBER 2022

THE LOUNGE I then headed to the Etihad Business Class lounge where I enjoyed day.kickstartandheartycould–optionswereoIhelpfriendly,welcomingstaenteredquietItwhateveroptionstablesseatingareas,expansiveThethedowntimesomebeforelong-haulflight.loungeiswithsofaindividualanddining–plentyofforyouneed.wasrelativelywhenIandthewereandreadytowithanythingneeded. ForF&Berings,thereaplethoraofatthebueteverythingyouwantforabreakfastacoeetoyourtravelTherewere

also fully-stocked fridges with soft drinks and other snacks for passengers to help themselves to. The bar was quiet in the early hours of the morning, but it was a welcoming space to relax before a flight.

BOARDING Those travelling to the US from Abu Dhabi need to be mindful of the time when heading to the gate because you’re able to go through US customs whilst physically still in the UAE. This is all done through Etihad’s US pre-clearance, the only United States Customs and Border Protection facility in the Middle East. While it means you need to leave slightly earlier when heading to the gate at Abu Dhabi airport, it saves a huge amount of time and e ort when arriving in the US, avoiding immigration and queues. The whole US immigration process went smoothly and I then headed to the gate where I arrived just as business class passengers were being DHABI-NEW YORK CITY

BACKGROUND On June 30, 2022, UAE airline Etihad Airways celebrated the inaugural flight of its new A350-1000 flying from Abu Dhabi International Airport to New York’s John F. Kennedy International airport (JFK). The 14-hour business class flight o ers a seamless experience from the moment you step into the airport to the moment you touch down at JFK. The newly-launched flight accommodates 371 passengers and is one of five new Airbus A350s. Forty-four of the seats are in the business cabin and “provides a luxurious experience comparable to first class on other international airlines,” according to Martin Drew, senior vice-president of Global Sales and Cargo, Etihad Airways. Not only does the business cabin provide a plush in-flight experience, but the aircraft itself is also highly e icient, enhancing the Abu Dhabi-based airline’s sustainability goals. “This is an incredible aircraft with highly-e icient fuel consumption and CO2 savings, which enables us to support our goals to reduce carbon emissions and deliver an unmatched flight experience for our guests,” Drew explains.

not to worry though, there was no shortage of hand luggage space. The seat pods were designed with technology and style in mind with faux marble finishes and the colour hues of the rest of the cabin echoed in the seats. The fold-out table expands out to be approximately 42cm long and 46cm wide, perfect for those who want to work during their flight. There are also several charging spots including a standard power outlet, a USB-A and USB-C charging ports. The seat itself was incredibly comfortable with huge amounts of space and privacy a orded by the double closing doors of each pod. When fully reclined, the seat turns into a 200cm bed.

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THE FLIGHT I was welcomed by the friendly Etihad flight attendants who were attentive from the moment I boarded. After making myself comfortable, and ready for take-o , I was given a welcome drink and asked to look at the menu to let them know my meal of choice. We took o in great time, with an e ortless transition from the runway and into the air. As for entertainment, there were plenty of in-flight movies from all genres to enjoy, as well as television shows and even a few live TV options, all of which could be watched on the 18.5-inch touchscreen TV. 59

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There was also on-board wifi. However, business class guests only receive a 350MB complimentary voucher. Thereafter, it’s chargeable with a 24-hour session for 350MB priced at US$29.99.

FOOD AND DRINK I ordered from the a la carte menu prior to departure and I could choose the time that I wanted to eat my meal. I opted for the Arabic mezze starter which was a great option – filling but not too heavy on a long-haul flight. I then had the tru le pasta which was superb. However, I was su iciently full, so didn’t opt for dessert.

THE SEAT Business class is the highest cabin class on the A350 and is complete with 44 seats, all with a generous amount of space. The layout is a standard 1-2-1 layout with cream, brown and gold interiors which gives the cabin a relaxing ambience. It also felt extra spacious as there were no overhead bins in the centre of the cabin –

The US pre-clearance at Abu Dhabi airport is the only one of its kind in the Middle East

ARRIVAL The landing was smooth as we touched down at JFK and we made it to the arrival gate ahead of schedule. The whole immigration process was already completed in Abu Dhabi and so we arrived as if we were domestic passengers, heading out through the domestic exit. The whole process was easy and faultless as I headed to get my bags and enjoy a cool 48 hours in New York City.

VERDICT From start to finish, the service of the whole Etihad Airways A350-1000 business class was seamless. If you’re due to travel from the UAE to New York City, I couldn’t recommend flying from Abu Dhabi enough, even if you are based in Dubai. Olivia Morris called to board. My ticket was scanned at the gate, and I then headed down the walkway to board the new A350 to New York City.

BACKGROUND2022

BUSINESS There are 19 renovated function rooms, including the grand Festsaal ballroom. Frankfurt is the financial hub of Germany, and so the hotel regularly hosts business events. It o ers 3D meeting room previews as well as the option to book a personalised virtual tour of the space for clients who want to inspect the property remotely. A Green Meetings initiative by the hotel allows for the use of energy derived from renewable sources and conference equipment made of recycled and sustainable materials.

The Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof opened in 1876. It was the first hotel in Germany to have electricity, as well as the first in Frankfurt to have a telephone landline for long-distance calls. Eventually, it was Albert Steigenberger’s son Egon, who inherited the Frankfurter Hof from his father, and propelled the hotel’s profile to a global stage.

ROOMS The property has 261 rooms and 42 suites. The Superior Single rooms range from 25-35 sqm and o er free access to The Spa. Deluxe rooms range from 36-45 sqm and are a glamorous statement, while the Studio suites are bigger at 60 sqm. The rooms were recently renovated and include large marble-finished bathrooms, a rain shower, bathtub and flatscreen TV. For the ultimate luxury experience, there’s the 300 sqm Royal suite on the fourth floor.

FOOD AND DRINK Oscar’s is a restaurant filled with Art Deco inspirations and a brasserie with great steak options. The oysters that are served as starters come from Germany and France, while for the mains you must not skip the classic German dish of Oscar’s Wiener Schnitzel paired with cranberries, cucumber dill salad, and fried potatoes. Other mains include

LEISURE The 1,000 sqm spa has a Turkish bath for men and women, besides an exclusive sauna facility only for women. It also features a spa suite that can be rented for an entire day. There is the Beauty-Plus booth and Nail Bar, as well as a Hommage Gentlemen’s Barber. The gym meanwhile was recently renovated with new weightlifting and cardio equipment. The hotel o ers the option to engage a personal trainer and is open 24 hours a day.

DON’T MISS The spa PRICE Internet rates for a weekend stay at the hotel in September start from €340 CONTACT 33 Bethmannstrasse, Am Kaiserplatz, 60311 Frankfurt, Germany; +49 69 steigenberger.com21502; pasta options and lamb too. There is a bu et breakfast served every day filled with a generous selection of cheeses and cold cuts.

WHAT’S IT LIKE? The hotel has an oldworld charm to it. The sta are phenomenal, remember your name throughout your stay, and go above and beyond to meet your every need. The main floor includes the reception and concierge, the restaurants as well as Autorenbar.

WHERE IS IT? The hotel is located in the heart of Frankfurt, in its financial district and historical centre. It is only a 10-minute walk to the main train station, and not far from attractions such as the Main Tower, Römer, and St. Paul’s Church.

BEST FOR Its meeting rooms

VERDICT There are great meeting room facilities at the property, but it is also an ideal luxury weekend getaway. The food, mocktails, service, gym and spa are all top-notch. Allyson Portee

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FrankfurterSteigenbergerHof HOTEL 60

There are 19 renovated function rooms, including the grand Festsaal ballroom It includes an electric fireplace, a full-size kitchen and a reading nook in the spacious bedroom – as well as a steam bath and Finnish sauna bathroom.

Paramount Hotel Midtown, Dubai

ROOMS There are 281 rooms and suites that o er up views of either the Burj Khalifa or the coast. The suite we stayed in – Premiere – had views of both since it was along the edge of the building. Its living room opened out onto a balcony that ran the length of the suite. Floor-toceiling windows meant the entire suite was finest tiramisus we’ve sampled in the city. The restaurant excels in presentation – we’d be surprised if the Michelin inspectors don’t have this restaurant on their radar already.

FOOD AND DRINK There’s L-Café in one corner of the lobby and it’s a great place to wait while you check in. There’s the bright and airy Cinescope all-day dining restaurant where a continental breakfast is served alongside regional specialities. The highlight F&B o ering at the hotel is the Paparazzi Tuscan fine dining restaurant on the 14th floor. It organises a Friday night brunch with a set menu which is a musttry. It features live music, muted lights, and an exquisite chandelier in the centre of the room. The menu includes a delightful olive tapenade crostini, crisp calamari, a creamy spinach ravioli and perhaps one of the

The highlight is the pool that nearly wraps itself around the roo op of the hotel

CONTACT Al Mustaqbal Street, Business Bay, Dubai; +971 4 248 3333; paramounthotelsdubai.com/midtown

WHERE IS IT? It’s located less than a two-minute drive from the Dubai International Financial Centre. It takes less than a 10-minute drive to reach other landmarks including the Dubai World Trade Centre, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and La Mer. Located just o Sheikh Zayed Road, it’s a short walk away from the Business Bay Metro station too.

VERDICT If the first Paramount hotel that opened in Dubai was all about a big budget production, think of the Midtown property as an art house production – it’s cleverly designed, accessible for those on a more modest budget, but has an equally riveting storyline with a twist in the plot – in the case of this property, it is that stunning rooftop pool with a separate large spa bath. Varun Godinho lit brightly during the day. There’s a large flatscreen TV set in a wooden cabinet in the living room and another one in the middle of the bedroom. The marbled bathroom with José Eber amenities has a stand-alone bath, rain shower and vanity desk. The well-appointed suite also had a king-size bed and a writing desk. Room service is prompt and the men who came to resolve a technical glitch with the TV were dressed in Tom Cruise-inspired Top Gun overalls.

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DON’T MISS The rooftop pool with stunning views of the city PRICE Internet rates for the rooms start at Dhs520 per night and suites begin at Dhs800 per night

LEISURE If you want to stay in your room itself, the TV features Airtime – an entertainment programming platform that has several paid-for and free content –including, of course, Paramount Pictures releases. Elsewhere in the property, there’s Pause Spa which has collaborated with French brand Château Berger. There’s a kid’s room and gym as well, but the property’s highlight has to be the pool that nearly wraps itself around the rooftop of the hotel on the 64th floor. The infinity pool has breathtaking views of the Burj Khalifa, the coast, and the high-rises along Sheikh Zayed Road.

BACKGROUND It’s the second Paramount hotel in Dubai. It opened in March this year and, according to its sta , has been close to full capacity on several occasions since then.

BUSINESS The 15th floor has a modestsized business centre. There are four meeting rooms that can be configured to accommodate up to 150 guests. Keeping with the Hollywood theme of the property, the hotel refers to the meeting rooms as ‘Business Studios’.

BEST FOR Easy access to the entire Downtown Dubai area

WHAT’S IT LIKE? The reception on the ground floor serves as a welcome area for guests. They are then whisked up in an elevator to the lobby which is located on the 14th floor. The lobby includes images of famous Hollywood stars including Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn, besides a life-size statue of Charlie Chaplin. Marble flooring and hints of gold, as well as a beautiful floral arrangement in the centre of the space, keeps the experience classy.

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The Mandarin Garden serves mocktails as well as dishes such as ceviche di ricciola, seabass with courgettes and several salad options too. You can also order room service from an Asian-inspired menu that includes the likes of dim sums, spring rolls and noodles.

FOOD AND DRINK Seta, by chef Antonio Guida, boasts two Michelin stars. There is an indoor dining option for the colder months, whereas guests can sit in the courtyard when the weather permits.

BUSINESS The hotel can provide customised business meeting setups and support with microphones, projectors and screens. It also o ers various business and secretarial services, which can be organised by the hotel’s concierge. The hotel chef can design a special menu for guests attending these business events too.

Oriental,MandarinMilan

PRICE Internet prices in July showed room prices starting at approximately €1,200 and suites from €1,700 CONTACT 9 Via Andegari, 20121 Milan, mandarinoriental.comItaly;

WHAT’S IT LIKE? The hotel is modern and grand. The doormen and those at the front desk are especially attentive and warm. As you enter the lobby, you will notice the wooden interiors. The colour palette in this space includes cream, purple and green. The room corridors are lit dimly creating a relaxing and inviting feel as you make your way to your room.

DON’T MISS The spa swimmingandpool

WHERE IS IT? Sitting on Via Andegari in the heart of Milan, it makes the hotel centrally-located for business and social gatherings. From the hotel, you can easily reach key sites like Via Monte Napoleone, the main luxury shopping street. From here, you can also head to the Duomo di Milano and tour the church, and then pop into the famous Rinascente department store. And just beside Rinascente is Panzerotti Luini, marble, while a movable desk also functions as a dining table. Family rooms include two spacious connecting rooms that can accommodate up to four people. The Milano suite meanwhile is a onebedroom suite with oak panelling and handcrafted furniture, whereas the Premier suite includes art by Spanish artists and is a tribute to designer Giò Ponti with a living area, bedroom and guest bathroom too.

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VERDICT Its location, excellent service and amenities make it a great option for those visiting the city. Allyson Portee BEST FOR Michelin-star dining

LEISURE The property’s pool will take your breath away. Located on the spa level, the rectangular pool is set in a dimly lit room. The Asian touches of the hotel are found in the spa’s interior with feng shui principles applied for higher levels of relaxation and rejuvenation. The property features six private treatment rooms including two couples’ suites, a dedicated Thai massage room as well as a spacious spa suite.

The Mandarin Oriental, Milan is housed in four 18thcentury buildings where you can taste the famous sweet and savoury panzerotti filling turnovers that melt in your mouth.

BACKGROUND The Mandarin Oriental is housed in four 18th-century buildings overlooking two parallel streets. It was originally a grand manor house, and later became Milan’s tax o ice and then a bank. In the courtyard, you can see the original coat of arms of Lombardy’s historic provinces.

ROOMS There are 70 guest rooms and 34 suites. The Superior rooms are 35 sqm and adhere to the guidelines of feng shui. The bathrooms are designed using Italian 62

BACKGROUND Radisson Blu Hotel, Abu Dhabi Yas Island, is part of the six-property Yas Plaza hotels complex, providing guests with the flexibility of dining at other venues, depending on the room package/deal they have chosen.

SEPTEMBER 2022 with very generous portions, and if you’re into sport, there’s live coverage on the TV screens. I enjoyed a Caesar salad and a club sandwich. The Italian restaurant Filini Garden has a pleasant outdoor seating area. The freshly-grilled catch of the day was prepared table side, served with grilled vegetables and a fresh and crispy salad. At all-day dining venue Assymetri, the bu et breakfast could’ve been a little more generous with the options o ered, but it was ample.

LEISURE If you do have some leisure time, the outdoor pool has plenty of sunbeds and views of the dunes and mangroves around the island, so you can instantly switch o from work. There’s also a good-sized gym, which opens at 0600.

WHAT’S IT LIKE?

ROOMS There are 397 rooms and suites with views of the Abu Dhabi coast on one side and the YMC on the other. Some have private balconies. I stayed in a 36 sqm Standard room with Plaza View, with an Insta-worthy view of YMC. The room was spacious, comfortable and practical with a workspace, king-size bed, chair, mini bar, tea/co ee-making facilities, TV, hairdryer, plenty of complimentary water and ample hanging space in the wardrobe. The shower was in the bath, so it’s something to consider when booking if your mobility is restricted in some way.

Attractions including Yas Mall, Yas Waterworld, Yas Links golf course, and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi are just minutes away too, while a 15-minute taxi ride will get you to Abu Dhabi International airport, as well as Abu Dhabi’s Corniche Road.

The hotel runs a complimentary shuttle bus service to Yas Mall and the island’s public beach.

VERDICT A comfortable business hotel in a central location with a great selection of dining and meeting venues. It o ers quick and convenient access to leisure facilities and local attractions. Gemma Greenwood

There’s a nice atmosphere at this hotel. The lobby is spacious, filled with light and is the focal point, leading to its dining venues and the outdoor pool. Although it’s a business property primarily, there is a leisure vibe, which is relaxing. The sta are very friendly and helpful.

There are three restaurants, poolside dining and room service, plus the option to dine at one of the other hotels in the complex if your stay is longer than a few days and you’re looking for variety. For lunch or dinner, the Belgian Café Yas Island o ers classics like burgers and Belgian fries, and mussels too,

FOOD AND DRINK

BUSINESS There are eight meeting and event spaces plus The Galaxy Ballroom that can be divided into three separate areas and features both a pre-function area and an outdoor terrace overlooking the island. The pool area can also be converted into an events space.

WHERE IS IT?

Radisson Blu Hotel, Abu Dhabi Yas Island

Opposite Yas Marina Circuit (YMC) on Yas Island, if you are attending an event at the circuit, including Formula 1, it could not be more convenient.

CONTACT Yas Island, Yas Plaza, Abu Dhabi, UAE; +971 2 656 2000; radissonhotels.com

BEST FOR Business travellers or events DON’T MISS Dinner at Filini Garden PRICE Internet prices indicate a price starting at Dhs354 per weeknight in September

The room was spacious, comfortable and practical with a workspace

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Donating hotel points to charity Our guide to… SMART TRAVELLER SEPTEMBER 2022 64

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL Marriott Bonvoy allows you to donate points as part of its Serve 360 CSR programme, which has 65

SHANGRI-LA The Golden Circle programme allows you to donate points to Oxfam Hong Kong and Med Art, a Hong Kong charity that cares for people in psychiatric institutions, prisons and hospices, and the medical needs of orphaned children. Donations start at 2,000 points (US$40) and cap at 10,000. The group is also running campaigns to raise funds for Make-A-Wish International. shangri-la.com

With NH Rewards you can contribute your reward points to non-governmental organisations. Let NH Hotel Group know how many points you wish to donate, and it will transfer the equivalent amount in cash on your behalf. nh-hotels.com/nhrewards

HYATT Members of the World of Hyatt programme can support the American Red Cross in its relief e orts in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. Travellers can donate in 1,000-point increments, which the loyalty programme will then convert into US$20 contributions. world.hyatt.com

The Accor Live Limitless (ALL) programme lets you convert your points into a donation to Accor Solidarity, an endowment fund that helps local NGOs in the fight against economic and social exclusion, or the Community Conservation Fund Africa (CCFA) to support projects that help preserve Africa’s endangered wildlife and wilderness areas. The latter requires a minimum donation of 2,000 points (€40). all.accor.com

BEST WESTERN

The Best Western Rewards scheme allows guests to donate points to charities including the International Committee of the Red Cross, Kiva and Project Cure. The hotel group also has The Better World Fund, which supports all of its charitable initiatives and allocates funds to programmes with the most critical need. bestwestern.co.uk

HILTON Hilton Honors has teamed up with Point Worthy to enable you to donate points to a good cause. To take part, you have to open an account on pointworthy.com, which links to your Honors account. Make a donation of at least 3,500 points to one of the charities, which include World Central Kitchen and Project Hope (both of which are helping people a ected by the conflict in Ukraine). hiltonhonors3.hilton.com

IHG HOTELS AND RESORTS

IHG Rewards allows you to redeem points within a 12-month period. On the drop-down “shop all” tab, choose “donations”, which includes 15 organisations, including Care International UK, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Ozharvest, and WRAP among others. You can donate 2,500, 5,000 or 10,000 points. ihg.com/rewardsclub

SEPTEMBER 2022

four pillars, with associated charities for each one. Nurture focuses on aiding communities; Sustain is about reducing the brand’s environmental impact; Empower helps to ensure access to opportunities; and Welcome is concerned with advocating for human rights. There are 31 charities included. Members can donate in increments of 2,500 points to World Central Kitchen and Unicef. Marriott Bonvoy will match donations point for point, up to 100 million points this year, for donations to World Central Kitchen, which provides meals and supplies to people in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, and Unicef, which supports the children of Ukraine through improved access to safe water, nutrition, healthcare and education. giving.marriott.com

RADISSON HOTELS

Radisson Rewards enables you to donate points to carbon o set organisation First Climate, which is working on a carbon reduction project in Madre de Dios, Peru. There is a 3,000-point minimum, with increments of 1,000. To donate, fill in a contact form or call the company. radissonhotels.com

Wyndham Rewards’ online shop lets you donate to Save the Children. Donations start at 400 points and cap at 8,000 points. wyndhamhotels.com

Previously, we looked at the ways in which frequent flyers can transfer unused air miles to charity. Here, we explore some of the main hotel loyalty schemes which allow travellers to donate hotel points to charity organisations.

ACCOR

NH HOTEL GROUP

WYNDHAM HOTELS AND RESORTS

Neom – The Line

66 POSTCARD

SEPTEMBER 2022 NEOM

The Line is a futuristic city which will be constructed within Saudi Arabia’s Neom project. The Line will fundamentally reimagine how a city is built – rather than a sprawling megapolis, it will be only 200m wide, 500m above sea level, and 170km long. It will eventually accommodate nine million residents, and will have a footprint of 34 sq km – around two per cent of a conventional city. It will also feature an outer mirror façade that will allow it to blend with its surroundings and will be created by a team of architects and engineers led by Neom. Conceived around the concept of Zero Gravity Urbanism, The Line vertically layers all the components of a typical city allowing residents to move in three dimensions (up, down or across). It will be designed in such a way that most areas that a resident would require to access in their daily routine – retail outlets, schools, offices and public parks – are only a short walk away. Should the city’s inhabitants wish to travel further, a high-speed rail will ensure that no two points in The Line are more than 20 minutes from each other. The city will be powered 100 per cent by renewable energy and will be free from roads, cars and emissions. The Line is not waiting for the future to occur – it is defining it. neom.com

EXCEPTIONAL Radisson Collection is a unique collection of iconic properties, reflecting an authentic local influence, living design and vibrant social scene. Our newly opened Mansard Riyadh, A Radisson Collection Hotel features luxury rooms and apartments, with trendy dining options in the heart of Riyadh. A COLLECTION OF OUR FINEST HOTELSradissonhotels.com/collectionWelcometothe

Business Traveller ME - September 2022

Articles inside

Our guide to Donating hotel points to charity

Radisson Blu Hotel Abu Dhabi Yas Island

Mandarin Oriental, Milan

Etihad Airways A350-1000 (business class) Abu Dhabi-New York City

Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof

Paramount Hotel Midtown, Dubai

A VICTORY LAP

OPINION

4 HOURS IN... MANCHESTER

GRECIAN GETAWAY

UPFRONT

AIR MILES

ELEVATOR PITCH

GLOBAL NEWS

CHANELLING ENERGY

AN ART AWAKENING

GALLOPING GROWTH

SUSTAINABLE TRAVELLER