47 minute read
UPFRONT
THE LEELA PALACE NEW DELHI
HOTEL
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OFTHE MONT H
THE LEELA PALACE NEW DELHI is our hotel of the month. Situated minutes from Lutyens’ Delhi, the hotel’s undertaking of the Suraksha initiative towards health and hygiene has made it the preferred choice for business and leisure travel in the capital. It features a range of rooms and suites including Grand and Royal suites with plunge pool and the imperial Maharaja suite. With internationally acclaimed restaurants like Jamavar for Indian, Le Cirque for French and Megu for Japanese cuisines, the F&B choices at this hotel are sure to spoil you. With grand ballrooms, celebrated art, a temperature-controlled roo op in nity pool, a spa and tness centre, e Leela Palace New Delhi is a premium address in the capital. theleela.com
BOB RUPANI
Bob Rupani is one of India’s pioneering and most senior and respected auto journalists and has been executive editor of magazines such as BBC Top Gear (India), Auto India, Car and Bike International, and Auto Motor & Sport. He is now consulting editor of Overdrive. In this issue, he writes on his favourite five luxury SUVs to hit the Indian market. See page 30 NIKHIL AGARWAL
Sommelier Nikhil Agarwal is the brainchild behind All Things Nice — a platform for knowledge, networking and indulgent experiences for wines, luxury spirits and gourmet food. For this issue, Agarwal takes us through a journey of Tuscan wines. See page 42
TOM OTLEY
Tom Otley is the Editorial Director at Panacea Media, and the editor of Business Traveller global. His expert business travel knowledge and insight is sought after across industries. In this issue, he writes about Mexico’s stunning Caribbean coast and its industrial outlook. See page 54 BENJAMIN BOESCH
Benjamin Boesch is the Chief Digital Officer (CDO) at VFS Global and is responsible for all digital products of VFS Global, handling more than 100 million web visits annually originating from more than 100 countries, managed by teams in London, Dubai and Mumbai. In this issue, he shares his insight on the evolving landscape of technology in travel. See page 76
AIR MILES
We speak to Nikhilendra Singh, MD & Founder, RAAS Hotels to understand his travel choices and his outlook on the future of the industry
Have you begun travelling again for work - if yes, which are the destinations you have visited?
Yes, I've been RAASHopping for work, checking up on our hotels and sta . I've especially been hopping to Jaipur quite a lot to get the latest addition to our group - Rajmahal Palace RAAS Jaipur going.
Which is the country you'd like to visit again - once travel opens up?
I would certainly like to visit Japan for its distinctive gardens, architecture and arts but particularly to draw inspiration from their sustainable development strategies. It's fascinating how Japan's culture is established around the principle of sustainability, and so is the food since most of it is seasonal and locally sourced. Sustainability is a key brand value at RAAS - be it in the form of the ban of single-use plastics from all our hotels or ethical water consumption practices.
What kind of a traveller are you - a busy one or a relaxed one?
A relaxed one, hands down. When I travel, I like to cultivate solitude and that's the same philosophy that I've incorporated in the RAAS Hotels - you have our sta at your service at all times but you also have your own space to decompress.
What are a few things we would find in your carry on luggage?
I like to keep it e ortless. Some T-shirts, shoes and a pair of jeans.
Do you think travel will ever go back to being the same again or will we now live with this new normal?
It's been a rocky road but I believe that we are bouncing back. The pandemic has made people more cautious and has brought in the age of conscious travellers - they care about sustainable practices, environment preservation and safe engagement with the local communities to preserve that human connection.
EMIRATES TO TAKE DELIVERY OF FINAL THREE A380S BY NOVEMBER
OVER THE COMING months Emirates will take delivery of its three nal A380s. e nal superjumbo – which has already been manufactured – will arrive in November, increasing Emirates’ A380 eet to 118 units. All three will be delivered with Emirates’ latest four-class con guration: rst, business, premium economy and economy class. Six A380s already have the new con guration. Some of Emirates’ A380s are back in service operating to numerous destinations including mainland Europe, the USA and Canada. Emirates is one of a handful of carriers who show faith in the superjumbo, the others being British Airways, Singapore Airlines and Qantas.
emirates.com
INDIA
Publisher & CEO Ravi Lalwani Managing Director Julian Gregory Editorial Director Tom Otley Executive Director Meena Lalwani
EDITORIAL Managing Editor Akanksha Maker Production & Design Head Amit Chavan Contributors Nikhil Agarwal, Benjamin Boesch, Ravi Lalwani, Sanchita Nambiar, Bob Rupani, Tom Otley
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THE LEELA GANDHINAGAR OPENS ITS DOORS
THE LEELA PALACES, HOTELS AND RESORTS owned by Brook eld Asset Management-sponsored private real estate fund has announced the opening of e Leela Gandhinagar in Gujarat. e Gandhinagar capital railway station has been redeveloped along with the 318 room ve-star hotel atop the tracks. Located near the Dandi Kutir museum, the hotel o ers stunning views of Central Vista. e property’s interiors are inspired by Gujarat’s rich archaeological and architectural antiquity. e Leela Gandhinagar features 318 rooms and suites. e Royal and Presidential suites are equipped with ultra-modern facilities and luxurious amenities. e dining o erings include the Citrus Junction, an all-day dining restaurant serving Indian, Oriental, and Continental cuisines; Moksha Lounge features an all-day tapas menu with a handpicked selection of teas and co ees along with a patisserie and Diya, the ne dining restaurant that specialises in Indian cuisine. theleela.com
FORTUNE HOTELS ANNOUNCES NEW PROPERTY IN HOSHIARPUR, PUNJAB
FORTUNE HOTELS, A MEMBER of ITC’s hotel group has signed an operating agreement for a hotel in Hoshiarpur, Punjab. Set to be a ‘Fortune Park’, the new property is located on NH3 just six kms from Hoshiarpur town. Its strategic location also makes it an ideal stopover for pilgrims en route to religious places like Mata Chintpurni temple. Poised to open later this year, the hotel will feature 57 rooms and suites, a spa, a swimming pool, multiple food and beverage o erings, and over 1,858 sqm of banquet venues and extensive lawns. Currently, Fortune Park Hotels o ers four sub-brands in the mid-market to upscale segment in India — Fortune Select, Fortune Park, Fortune Resort, and Fortune Inn. With this signing, the chain now has 11 new alliances across 11 key cities of India.
itchotels.com
MODERN ELEGANCE AWAITS AT THE WESTIN GRAND MUNICH
The Westin Grand Munich provides an ideal setting for every travel experience, from restorative relaxation to dynamic gatherings to revitalising retreats
Find the hotel in Munich's Bogenhausen district, around the corner from the English Garden and minutes away from the city centre by subway. When you return, unwind in the hotel's 1500m² spa area including an indoor pool, steam bath and sauna. Stay fit at the WestinWORKOUT® Fitness Studio. Munich has much to offer as a location for a conference. Along with numerous world-renowned sights and attractions, Bavaria's capital city enchants visitors with its traditional charm combined with modern style. "Laptop and Lederhosn", as the locals like to say. The location of The Westin Grand Munich is ideal for discovering the Bavarian metropolis. Just a few minutes from the city centre, so there's absolutely nothing to keep guests from going on an exploratory tour. The Bavarian Castle ‘Schloss Neuschwanstein’, the model for Walt Disney´s Cinderella Castle, is only 160km from the hotel.
Munich is home of BMW with its BMW World and BMW Museum. Regardless of what requirements you have, with the large selection of conference rooms at this hotel, you can get just the right space for your incentive or dinner. From small meeting rooms with fixed seating to spaces that can be divided or combined, all the way to a magnificent 850m² large ballroom for up to 1,200 people. The Westin Grand Munich has a variety of individually customisable options at hand that let you pamper your participants and create unforgettable moments that will be appreciated by the attendees and leads to a shared experience and team memories that last. Give your event in the hands of an expert and let them take care of the rest. The team has conducted a number of incentives from India. Do you want to offer them something special? An unforgettable experience? The creative event planners can offer you a range of ideas to suit every guest. Everything is designed to support your well-being and enhance productivity. Meetings in Munich are no exception.
You have a lot on your plate and they help you and your group achieve your goals through an integrated and meaningful gathering. From healthy dining options to enriching amenities, ensure your event attendees leave feeling empowered and recharged.
CUISINE
Catering plays a key role in the success of an event. Choose from a variety of options to suit every taste. At the Westin Grand you also have the possibility for approved Indian caterers to take over the kitchen, so you can even bring your trusted chef along with you. Or are you looking for something more extraordinary? You can dine in a traditional Bavarian restaurant or a stylish bar and enjoy international cuisine. There are additional spaces available designated for private dining, or you can rent restaurants exclusively for your event.
DISCOVER #BEMUNIQUE
With #bemunique customers get unprecedented flexibility when it comes to choosing the right hotel for their meeting and event in Munich. The Westin conference packages are all about the comfort and well-being of guests. Total relaxation, excellent meals, and coffee breaks for in between. Let them thoroughly pamper you during your event!
WESTIN FEATURES
627 rooms including 30 one and two bedroom suites including separate living and sleeping areas | Heavenly® beds and rainfall showers | Westin Club on 23rd floor with complimentary access for premium rooms | Direct access to parking garage | Car Rental | Two restaurants, the beer garden and Bar can be booked exclusively | Concierge Service
FACTS
l 24 Event Rooms l 15 Maximum Breakout Rooms l Exclusive restaurant spaces and ballrooms available for private breakfasts and gala dinners* for guests l Possibility for approved Indian caterers to take over the kitchen l Minimum of 2 Indian Breakfast items
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR EVENT
l Complimentary bedrooms for site inspections* l Complimentary bedroom for tour leader* l Upgrades for VIP guests* *upon availability
Ask us about “Get Ready Now” and save up to 5 per cent - the earlier the planning, the higher the discount!
munich-meetings.com/
MARRIOTT HAS ANNOUNCED the opening of Le Méridien Maldives Resort and Spa. Located on ilamaafushi, the southern pocket of Lhaviyani Atoll, the resort is a 35-minute seaplane journey north of Velana International Airport, Malé. e resort o ers 141 villas that o er unparalleled views across the pristine beaches, the Indian Ocean or the turquoise lagoon. A selection of one, two and three-bedroom villas are available. e design features highlight the concept of “art and industrial design with clean lines, a muted colour palette and a contrast of renewable materials”. Guests can choose from six restaurants and bars, showcasing local and international creations. e signature restaurant Tabemasu features a live teppanyaki counter and a private open-air pavilion where guests will enjoy an expertly prepared Omakase tasting menu. e resort’s adults only bar, Riviera is an ideal place to unwind with friends and family. e Waves Café is a mindful eating space that fosters a healthy and nourishing approach with a focus on organic farm-to-table ingredients. marriott.com
LUFTHANSA OFFERING A TASTE OF HOME WITH NEW BUSINESS CLASS MENUS
LUFTHANSA HAS UNVEILED its new short and medium-haul business class menus which it says have been “inspired by German metropolises”. According to Lu hansa the menus have been inspired by the cities of Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Berlin, Düsseldorf and Leipzig, and feature “German classics with unusual components”. To this end customers will be o ered dishes including: • A shrimp salad with a beetroot and potato terrine, inspired by Hamburg’s sea breeze • Frankfurt’s classic “Grie Soß” (green sauce) with young kale, a poached egg and French Macaire potatoes • An interpretation of the traditional dish “Leipziger Allerlei”, as a chicken salad with celeriac, juniper and black walnuts.
lu hansa.com
ETIHAD ENHANCES VERIFIED TO FLY ETIHAD ENHANCES VERIFIED TO FLY
ETIHAD AIRWAYS HAS upgraded its innovative Veri ed to Fly service to o er a more streamlined and personalised service through its website, etihad.com. is upgrade makes the process quicker and easier for Etihad’s guests to ensure they have all the required Covid-related documents before leaving for the airport. Seven days ahead of travel, all guests will receive a personalised email informing them of the documents required for their destination. ese travel documents can now be uploaded directly to the ‘Manage my Booking’ page of etihad. com, up to 72 hours before departure. e new website functionality replaces the email upload system, which was launched by the airline in May 2021. e new upload process guides travellers through the process of uploading and shows the speci c documents needed to get veri ed for their chosen destination. etihad.com
IHG OPENS HOLIDAY INN SINGAPORE LITTLE INDIA
IHG HOTELS AND RESORTS has opened a Holiday Inn property in Singapore in partnership with RB Capital. e 300-room Holiday Inn Singapore Little India is a rebranding of the former Park Hotel Farrer Park and is set to undergo renovations in due course. e hotel is located in the Little India neighbourhood and has direct access to Farrer Park MRT station through its lobby, while Changi International airport is a 20-minute drive away. e hotel is the rst in Singapore to feature the new Holiday Inn brand design which includes a dining and workspace concept. IHG already manages two of RB Capital’s Singapore hotels – the Holiday Inn Express Clarke Quay and Intercontinental Singapore Robertson Quay. ihg.com
DOUBLETREE BY HILTON ADDS FIRST BELGIAN PROPERTY
HILTON HAS ADDED its rst Doubletree hotel in Belgium, with the opening of the Doubletree by Hilton Brussels City. e existing property previously traded under IHG’s Crowne Plaza brand, and is located on Rue Gineste, sandwiched between the city’s Botanical Garden and Place Rogier, and around ve minutes’ walk from Brussels North rail station. e hotel has been “extensively refurbished” by Swedish design Studio Doos Architects, and features 354 rooms, a restaurant and bar, tness centre, sauna, 17 meeting spaces, and a self-service Wundermart shop. hilton.com
CITIZEN M OPENS FOURTH HOTEL IN PARIS
DUTCH HOTEL BRAND Citizen M has opened its fourth hotel in Paris, located o the world renowned Avenue des Champs-Élysées. e 151-room Citizen M Paris ChampsÉlysées is located on Rue la Boétie, between the Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde and close to shopping and dining outlets on the famous avenue. Concrete Amsterdam has redesigned and converted the existing 1970s building into a modern 151-room property. e hotel features the brand’s living room concept which features hundreds of books, interesting objects and a 24-hour kitchen known as ‘Canteen M’ which serves food, drinks and snacks along with à la carte meals, cra cocktails and co ee. e indoor dining area opens out onto the inner courtyard with Parisian style furniture. citizenm.com
AMERICAN AIRLINES TO INVEST $200 MILLION IN BRAZILIAN CARRIER GOL
AMERICAN AIRLINES HAS
signed a Letter of Intent with GOL, which will see the US carrier take a 5.2 per cent stake in Brazil’s largest airline.
As part of the deal the two carriers will establish an exclusive codeshare agreement, with GOL becoming AA’s sole codeshare partner in Brazil, and GOL becoming American’s sole codeshare partner in the US. e combined networks will enable customers to travel to over 30 destinations served by AA in the US, and more than 20 new destinations served by GOL in South America.
aa.com
SWISS TRIALS “SURPRISE” BAGS OF UNSOLD INFLIGHT FOOD AT REDUCED PRICES
SWISS IS TRIALLING a new initiative aimed at reducing the amount of fresh food items which get thrown away on its ights. e collaboration with anti-food waste app Too Good To Go sees Swiss o er unsold food items at reduced prices on the last ights of the day on its European network from Geneva. Availability is communicated via an in ight announcement, and passengers can purchase bags containing one, two or three fresh food items at one third of their usual price. e catch is that the bag’s content is not revealed in advance, so customers are e ectively taking pot luck – or as Swiss puts it the bags “remain a surprise for the purchaser”. swiss.com
MULTIFACETED MUNICH
DESTINATIONS The Bavarian capital shines on every aspect including tourism, business, architecture and automobiles
WORDS AKANKSHA MAKER
Standing on the banks of the River Israr, Munich lies at the north of the Bavarian Alps. It is the seat of the Bavarian administrative region of Upper Bavaria and is also the second-largest city in the Bavarian dialect area, a er the Austrian capital of Vienna.
Today, Munich is one of the foremost global hubs and centres of art, science, tech, nance, publishing, culture, tourism, business and education. As per the recent Mercer survey, Munich’s standard of living was recognised as the highest in Germany — and the third highest in the world! It was also rated as the world’s most liveable city according to a recent Monocle’s Quality of Life Survey. It’s also won the accommodate of being an “alpha-world city” (a global city, also called a power city, world city, alpha city or world centre, is a city which is a primary node in the global economic network). It is not surprising that Munich is also one of the most prosperous and fastest growing cities in Germany.
High tech, the service sector, IT, biotechnology, engineering, electronics and automobiles drive Munich’s progressive economy. e Bavarian city is the headquarters of many multinational companies such as BMW, MAN, Linde, Allianz, MunichRE and Siemens. e metropolis is also home to two world-class research universities and an array of scienti c institutions. e city is also known for its globally acclaimed museums including Deutsches Museum and BMW Museum.
TOURISM HUB
It’s no surprise that Munich’s numerous architectural and cultural attractions, sporting events, exhibitions and its annual Oktoberfest attract considerable tourism. In fact, the Bavarian capital is the German city that receives the highest proportion of foreign tourists. Its attractiveness could be contributed to its easy accessibility,
impressionable sights to see, a plethora of shopping facilities, close by venues for nature-led excursions and considerable number of museums, buildings, restaurants, bars and cafes.
Tourism in Bavaria was on the rise with overnight stays for the rst time exceeding 100 million in 2019. Munich tourism gures continued to rise signi cantly as well. e domestic tourism market particularly showed strong upward momentum with the number of domestic overnight stays rising by 8.6 per cent to a total of 8.5 million year on year.
Overall, 20 new hotel projects in Munich were completed until December 2019. e capacities rose to about 88,000 beds in 470 commercial hotels by the end of the year. At the same time, hotel occupancy rates remained at 75 per cent and at the former price level. ere is a de nite interest in larger international hotel groups to invest in properties in the Bavarian capital.
Overall revenue generated by tourism added up to roughly €8.29 billion in 2019. Out of this, gure, 35.7 per cent was accounted for by retail, 43.2 per cent by hotels and restaurants and the rest by the service sector. →
AUTOMOTIVE POWERHOUSE
Automotive engineering is the single most important industry in the Munich Metropolitan Region, in terms of turnover and the number of employees. e City of Munich and the Munich Metropolitan Region are home to international automotive groups including the BMW Group and commercial vehicle manufacturer MAN (part of the Volkswagen Group). It is estimated that around 50,000 people in Munich are employed in the automotive engineering industry. e BMW Headquarters, also known as the BMW Tower, is a high-rise building located in the Am Riesenfeld area of the city in Germany. It has served as the global corporate headquarters of German automaker BMW since 1973. e building was declared a protected historic building in 1999, and it is o en cited as one of the most notable examples of modern architecture in the Bavarian capital.
ARCHITECTURAL BEAUTY
e city has a dramatic mix of historic and modern architecture because historic buildings destroyed in World War II were reconstructed, and new landmarks were built.
From the imposing Neo-Gothic architecture of the Neues Rathaus that dominates Marienplatz to the many charming Neoclassical churches and contemporary edi ces, Munich is home to many gorgeous buildings. Full of ornate marble work and statues, Asam Church is an unexpected nd tucked in between the buildings on Sendlingerstraße.
You can also bookmark the New Town Hall at the very centre of Marienplatz, that is considered to be one of the most famous buildings in Munich. Constructed in the late 1800s, it covers a staggering 98,600 sq and has over 400 rooms.
Another notable construction is the Catholic HerzJesu-Kirche (Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus) — which houses a massive blue glass cube encapsulating another hidden wooden cube, and the largest church doors in the world. BTI
This page: Herz-Jesu-Kirche
HOTEL VIER JAHRESZEITEN KEMPINSKI
Situated in the city centre of Munich, Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski is approximately a 45-minute drive from the airport. e luxury rooms and suites are all classically styled with modern touches. At Schwarzreiter Tagesbar and restaurant, the focus is on Bavarian and regional products. Enjoy unique cocktail creations at the Jahreszeiten Bar or indulge in delicious cake creations, handmade chocolates and English A ernoon Tea at Jahreszeiten Lobby. Pamper yourself with a wellness service at the hotel’s spa. kempinski.com
WHERE TO STAY
LOUIS HOTEL
e hotel is set in the heart of the Munich city center, directly at the popular Viktualienmarkt. e tastefully done rooms feature handcra ed furniture made of natural materials. e innovative design and minimalistic vibe further enhance the stay experience. e Louis Grillroom and e LOUIS Sparkling Bar are a few F&B options to check out. ree fully equipped meeting rooms make the property a preferred spot for MICE and special events in the city. louis-hotel.com
MANDARIN ORIENTAL, MUNICH
Located in the heart of the picturesque Old Town, Mandarin Oriental, Munich features an ideal blend of luxury, classic appeal and comfort. e rooms and suites adorn a sophisticated look and open to stunning views of the city. e dining venues include Mahjong Roof Garden for Asian and Latin American dishes, Matsuhisa Munich serving Japanese-Peruvian cuisine and e Lounge for co ee, cakes and international snacks. e property houses rst-class venues for hosting conferences and social gatherings.
mandarinoriental.com
SOFITEL MUNICH BAYERPOST
Live the French way at So tel Munich Bayerpost, a contemporary design hotel in Munich’s former Bavarian Royal Post O ce. e guestrooms and suites highlight a chic design, with a mix of leather, natural wood, polished chrome and glass. Savour modern French cuisine at DÉLICE La Brasserie; indulge in a lavish breakfast at Schwarz and Weiz and sip signature cocktails with friends and family at ISArBAR. e hotel o ers a range of event venues for business and celebrations. Head to So SPA for an invigorating wellness therapy.
so tel-munich.com
STEIGENBERGER HOTEL MÜNCHEN
is modern Bavarian hotel is situated in the trendy Schwabing neighbourhood. Enjoy a unique stay in one of their elegant rooms and suites, well-equipped for business as well as leisure guests. e hotel’s F&B venue Valentinum Bar and Terrace serves the best of regional and international delicacies. Enjoy a relaxing time in the wellness area. ere are 14 conference rooms, tted with state-of-the-art tech amenities.
steigenberger.com
THE WESTIN GRAND MUNICH
e property is situated in Munich’s Bogenhausen district, around the corner from the English Garden and minutes from the city centre by subway. If you are looking for an extravagant stay, book the Sky suite that comes with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a walk-in closet, a dining and a living area as well as a separate kitchen. e dining o erings include Paulaner’s Wirtshaus and Beer Garden for Bavarian cuisine; Greenhouse Restaurant and Eventlocation for healthy breakfast options and e Drop - Botanical Bar and Eatery for homemade pastries, co ees, healthy bowls, cocktails and juices. ere are 21 meeting rooms for up to 1,050 people as well as various spacious foyers. marriott.com
THE 30
LIFE
An automobile expert gives his top SUV picks for this season
WORDS BOB RUPANI
As we hopefully move from Covid-19 being a pandemic to an endemic, I am increasingly being asked by people what are the best SUVs to buy. Note I said SUV, and not car. is is because currently SUVs are the most popular and highest selling segment of vehicles, not just in India, but all over the world. e popularity of SUVs just keeps growing with almost every manufacturer having added them to their stables. Even Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Maserati and Lamborghini are making SUVs, and Ferrari, the ag bearer of supercars, is also working on a SUV. Yes, it appears the entire world is in the grip of the ‘SUV Craze’.
While the western world with its good roads and infrastructure may not really need a SUV, India is di erent. Our less than perfect driving conditions actually make SUVs ideal for our country. Because when it rains, along with the broken roads you also have to negotiate ooded streets. A er the rains too, potholes, large dips and bumps, sharply eroded road edges and huge unmarked speed breakers are very common. Broken and un-repaired stretches on the highways are widespread too and to get anywhere, especially far, you need a vehicle with good ground clearance and a rugged suspension. SUVs with their big and strong bodies also o er a sense of security and safety, and as the seating is higher, one has a dominating and better view of the road. Of course most SUVs have more space for both the occupants and their luggage, which is a big boon too.
With so many SUVs ooding the market, there are numerous models to choose from. So when I was invited to write this story and pick my “Five Favourite Luxury SUVs” from what is currently available in India, I really had to do some serious thinking. A er a lot of thought, and weighing all the pros and cons, here are my “Favourite Five”. You may well have your own favourites, as this list is largely based on my personal preferences.
VOLVO XC90
e Volvo XC90 Hybrid is a full size SUV that exudes relaxed power and commands attention with its dapper and distinctive Scandinavian styling. e passenger compartment is also luxuriously laid out with high quality materials, and it’s packed with many useful and innovative features.
While the XC90 impressively carries forward Volvo’s legacy of making extremely safe vehicles, a er driving it, I was truly astonished by its all-terrain capability. Volvo has never positioned the XC90 as an o -roader or even been vocal of its all-terrain ability, and normally people only speak about its superb on-road performance. And it’s so stylish, luxurious and expensive, that it’s one of the last vehicles, one would want to go and play in the mud with. But honestly, I was simply blown away with its excellent o -road manners. It is deceptively accomplished in the loose and in the o -road mode its air suspension raises the height substantially. e traction control, electronic stability control, ABS, and all the other electronic driving aids, combine so very e ectively, that the Volvo XC90 is incredibly sure footed, even on di cult terrain. In fact in my view, it is one of the most comfortable and classy SUVs to drive o -road.
RANGE ROVER SPORT
When the Sport was introduced, it was actually meant to be a sportier and more fun to drive version of the iconic and big Range Rover. e Range Rover Sport almost immediately carved a nice niche for itself and gathered its own set of loyal followers. e entire design of the extremely capable Range Rover Sport is well, sporty, and its substantial dimensions give this SUV a balanced stance. With its signature Range Rover clamshell bonnet, oating roof, long bonnet, side vents and customary solidity, it appears fairly aggressive and agile. In fact when it’s stationery, it almost looks like an athlete waiting in the blocks, for the starter’s pistol. is most dynamic Range Rover ever, the Sport, has a spacious and well-constructed cabin, and I just love what the manufacturer terms as the “Command Driving Position”. You sit nice and high and the elevated position gives you a dominating and wider view, which not only makes driving more enjoyable, but also contributes to road safety.
PORSCHE CAYENNE
is SUV was the rst ever four door vehicle made by Porsche. It was also the renowned German sports car makers rst SUV, and a very good one at that. Again it has the performance of a sports car and also the o -road ability of a proper all-terrain SUV.
Being a Porsche, the Cayenne has sports car like acceleration and gets from 0 to 100 kmph in about 5.7 seconds, which is extremely fast, especially for a large SUV that weighs almost two tons. e handling and driving dynamics are quite amazing too, and the Cayenne tackles turns and changes direction, almost e ortlessly. e Porsche Cayenne is very comfortable cruising down happening streets, or crunching miles on the highway and it also has the all-terrain capability to let you enjoy life beyond tarmac. And the fact that it’s also capable of outshining many cars on the racetrack makes the Cayenne, a truly exciting and remarkable SUV.
JAGUAR F-PACE
Cars made by Jaguar are known for their sensual style and grace, and when they decided to build their rst SUV, I could not help but wonder, if they would also be able to give it the same kind of persona.
Look at the F-Pace and it becomes obvious that the talented designers have succeeded in inserting the Jaguar DNA, into this SUV. It is handsome and smart looking, and the design has the dynamism, one expects in a Jaguar.
What’s immensely pleasing is that the F-Pace also drives like a Jaguar, and responds beautifully to driver inputs. e responsive steering and eager engine, the well set-up suspension and nely tuned chassis, all ensure that it’s light on its feet, making every drive a delight in the Jaguar F-Pace. e interior is also well cra ed with a sensible design and useful features. ankfully, there is no unnecessary opulence or any over the top stu and the focus is clearly on making passengers comfortable, and giving the driver an environment to properly enjoy the pleasurable performance, and elegant carriage of this sophisticated SUV.
MERCEDES-BENZ EQC
Given the concern over climate change and global warming, there is a serious need to transition to EVs or electric vehicles, having zero tailpipe emissions. In fact many people now look at fossil fuel driven big SUVs, as one of the culprits for polluting our environment.
German luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz’s answer to this is the EQC. It’s big; it’s an SUV, but it also has zero emissions. However, being environment friendly, does not mean being boring. e EQC is packed with state of the art technology and can get from 0 to 100 kmph in just 5.1 seconds. It also has a fully variable 4-wheel drive system and its electric batteries provide a claimed range of about 400 kms. Mercedes says the EQC also has fast charging and many advanced features that let you maximize driving range. Yes, the Mercedes-Benz EQC is a future ready, large luxury SUV, and if you want to be one of the early birds to go electric, this might just be the best choice. BTI
TUSCAN
TIPPLES
An expert from the F&B space talks about wines from Tuscany and why they’re regarded as highly as they are
WORDS NIKHIL AGARWAL
Tuscany or Toscana as it is known locally, located in the centre of Italy is perhaps one of the most iconic regions in the world for gastronomy, wine and sheer beauty. Its landscape, made up of rolling hills, castellos (castles) and other remnants of medieval times makes it really easy on the eye. With cities like Florence and Sienna, Tuscany was at the forefront of the arts as well. All this and more make it a must visit destination for people from across the world who ock to it in astonishing numbers.
Serious food and wine a cionados think of Tuscany’s multiple famous wine regions as the Holy Grail of wine. e wine estates here are a mix of medieval architecture to modern works of art that will have you walking around with your eyes peeled in amazement even before you have had your rst sip. On a culinary front, Tuscany has it all, where fresh produce, slow cooking, humble food make it a culinary destination you would not want to miss. ough Tuscany comes o the tongue so easily we must give individual respect to its equally famous sub regions that together give Tuscany the position it holds.
Tuscan red wine is almost a cult
e millions that ock to Tuscany have had their fair share of tart and generic Chianti sitting at a tratorria in the Tuscan sun. ose wines are not what we are talking about here. A few decades ago it was about the quantity and not necessarily the quality of the wine; now that has changed signi cantly. Certainly people from all over the world think of Tuscan reds as the top of the pyramid and in fact so do the people here at home in India. Tuscan red wine is almost a cult. e grape variety Sangiovese and its many clones rule the roost and o er us wines that display aromas of violets, cherries and earthy notes that have been matured in oak. e degree of oak is carefully balance through centuries of experience. At one end Tuscany is steeped in winemaking tradition and the selection of grapes and other vineyard and wine making practices must be adhered to. On the other end, rebellious winemakers break all the rules to create wines of power and beauty from grape varieties that are considered alien to the region. ese wines are known as Super Tuscans and are coveted across the world and are priced well into the high skies.
It’s the regions of Chianti Classico, Chianti Ru na, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile de Montepulciano and Bolgheri that make Tuscany so desirable on the whole.
This page: ColleMassari vineyard
Wines labeled as simply Chianti are generally inexpensive catering to a mass audience and are light and tart. ere are seven sub regions of Chianti and the one to take note of is Ru na, which produces higher quality wine.
Chianti Classico a separate region and is not part of the above classi cation of areas. On the other hand is the heart of Tuscany, the region between Siena and Florence, where wines of high quality are produced from good to some of the world’s very best. Here the classi cations can range from generic Chianti Classico to Riserva, aged for 24 months, to Gran Selezione, aged for 30 months before release.
Brunello di Montalcino to the south of Tuscany and therefore warmer, surrounds Montalcino, a gorgeous medieval town, responsible for head spinning wines of the highest quality. e charming little town is a great place to spend a few days too. Here a local clone of Sangiovese is called Brunello which shows a higher degree of concentration than the wines from Chianti Classico. e wines are full and generally need time, mostly over a decade to properly show all their attributes. For a glimpse of Brunello at an earlier age, at usually half the price, go for Rosso di Montalcino. is is the second wine of the estate a er their Brunello. Top producers make a great Rosso di Montalcino too. Expect an
Because it’s warmer, the wines are fuller
aromatic bouquet that will give you so much pleasure that you may not need to even drink the wine. Because it’s warmer, the wines are fuller, eshier with more tannin structure, giving you a powerful red that gets better with age.
Montepulciano, a hilltop, walled medieval town is responsible for wines called Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, the town’s main claim to fame. ese do not get the same attention as the wines of Montalcino, which is actually quite close. I am a big fan however, especially of wines made in the Riserva style. You can literally chew into them.
Bolgheri, in the western coast of Tuscany in Maremma, though very young as a wine-producing region, has captured the world’s imagination by storm. e wines here are very di erent from the rest of Tuscany but are exceedingly opulent and prestigious. Some would say Bolgheri is perhaps creating wines of such hedonistic properties that they could compete for the crown for Italy’s nest. Le Machhiole and Gattamacco started the revolution here with the likes of wineries like Tenuta San Guido (classi ed as the region of Bolgheri Sassicaia).
Pictured: Tuscan landscapes
Mama Mia, even their sweet wines are delicious
e wines are broken into the following classi cations of Bolgheri Rosso at the base level and Bolgheri Superiore at the top end. If you have not given the wines of Bolgheri a chance, please drop everything and get yourself a bottle.
It’s not all red. Vernaccia di San Gimignano, a white wine from the Vernaccia grape is perhaps one that needs a mention. Wines are bright, citrusy and crisp with a slight bitterness at the end, a style that I enjoy more and more. Last, but not least, there is Vino Santo, a deliciously sweet sticky wine, made traditionally in Tuscany from partially raisined grape. Mama Mia, even their sweet wines are delicious!
I recently discovered Montecucco a wine-producing region that neighbours Montalcino and is responsible for good and great value wines. ere are still more regions that I have not even mentioned. As I nish this article, I cannot but think of how passionate and dynamic this region is. And the more I think of it, the more I realise that all the applause and claim it gets, Tuscany deserves. BTI
MEXICAN wave
One of the most evocative sites – and sights – of Mexico’s Riviera Maya is El Castillo. Its pale grey stone blocks stand high above a sandy beach edged by palm trees swaying in the breeze, its façade impassively looking out to the Caribbean Sea. e surrounding temples once protected ships with power from a God whose followers have long departed, and whose rituals have been forgotten.
Well, almost forgotten, although experts have made educated guesses. Information boards with QR codes allow you to read in great detail about the past and purpose of the ancient Tulum site. And, just as historians had to clear trees and bushes from the area to reveal its hidden buildings, so, too, do these boards clear away a lot of misconceptions.
For instance, El Castillo isn’t a castle – more probably it was a temple and visual guide for sailors seeking an entrance through the coral reef to the coast. e name of Tulum, meanwhile, merely refers to the protecting wall around the town. e settlement may well once have been called Zama, which means City of Dawn – appropriately enough, since it faces sunrise.
Having a guide, either for the day, for a few hours or simply the pre-recorded kind you can listen to via headset allows you to look for the clues of how these Gods were worshipped. While it’s possible that there was human sacri ce – memorably (and bloodily) depicted in Mel Gibson’s lm Apocalypto – the undulating parkland, sandy coves below and cooling sea breezes make it very easy to forget any such unpleasantness. e virtual guide told me that the style of architecture was called “East Coast”, typi ed by “the use of miniature temples, shrines within shrines [small buildings inside larger ones] and buildings with intentionally collapsed walls”. I liked the idea of the last of these, even if I had no idea what it meant. e plain grey buildings were once decked out in bright colours and wall paintings, now lost,
Visit Cancun’s Zona Hotelera and you will see the planning that has gone into the destination
although some sculptures are still just about visible. e advice for this tourist site, as always, is to get there early, before the heat and the crowds, so you can wander around in a daze, imagining what it must have been like to live here before having all of those daydreams shattered by the research relayed to you by the experts. Leave the impressive but expensive gi shop, as well as the Starbucks, until your departure, swerving the arrival of the tourist minibuses and coaches.
IMMERSE YOURSELF
e Tulum ancient site welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors in 2019. While numbers were hit by the pandemic in 2020, it was still receiving well over 100,000 each month this year. It’s easy to see why – it is charming, has lots of historical interest, enjoys a beautiful setting and also allows you to explore more of the coast if you are staying in Cancun (located 130km north), including the chance to stop o at luxury resort complex Mayakoba on the way back.
Other day excursions for those based in Cancun or the surrounding area include sailing, diving, snorkelling or deep-sea shing, but it was the cenotes (deep natural pools) that fascinated me, and so we visited one close by called Tankah Tulum (tankah.com.mx).
A cenote is a natural pit or sinkhole that has collapsed and exposed groundwater. ere are thousands across the region, although most are not open to visitors. e advantage of Tankah ecological park is that it is locally run and proceeds go direct to the community, members of whom work as guides and in the open-air restaurant. (You are advised to use biodegradable sunscreen and repellent while swimming since the locals take their water from the cenotes.)
This page: The Cancun coast
Tankah has four cenotes, including one where bats ew overhead while we swam and another with zip lines across it (I passed on that particular thrill). You can also go canoeing. It’s fabulous to cool down from the heat of the day in these pools (some of them are quite cold) – while I oated around, a large and very tatty black vulture watched from a branch, unimpressed by my incursion into its territory.
FLIPSIDE OF GROWTH
We all like to think we are giving something back when travelling, and even when being a tourist it’s important to work out where your money is going. e reality, though, is that not only is this region completely dependent on tourism but it was planned that way by the Mexican government. Fi y years ago, the coastal area was home to a few shermen and some beautiful beaches. Today, if you ask those who work here where they are from, younger people will probably have grown up in the region but only because their parents moved here for the tourism jobs. Anyone middle aged will have been born elsewhere.
While 9 per cent of Mexico’s GDP comes from tourism, in Quintana Roo, the state in which Riviera Maya is located, it makes up 90 per cent of economic activity. Visit Cancun’s Zona Hotelera and you will see the level of planning that went into the destination – still, there are well-documented problems further south as tourism has expanded, especially in areas where infrastructure has not kept pace. Watch e Dark Side of Tulum on Youtube (bit.ly/youtubetulum) or read e Cut article “Who killed Tulum?” (bit.ly/tulumthecut), which charts the history of the eponymous town close to the ancient ruins, and you’ll get a good idea of what has
This page: Fairmont Mayakoba Riviera Maya
happened to the area. en there are the plans for a new airport at Tulum, which, while an environmental disaster, is simply part of greater expansion as developers see the future as more of the same – increase the number of tourists; o er new and “unspoilt” locations.
HOTEL EXPANSION
So what is to be done? ere’s little doubt of the enduring appeal of Mexico for international visitors, and particularly for the North American market. People want to visit this coast, even if, paradoxically, many visitors take pictures of the sea to post on social media but never go in it.
Robert-Jan Woltering is regional vice-president for Accor’s luxury brands in Mexico and Central America and general manager of the Fairmont Mayakoba. He is clear that the US market will always be big for Mexico for the simple reason that “it’s so close and nearby. It’s about two hours from Texas, even less from Florida and direct ights from New York are only four hours.”
Juan Corvinos, Hilton’s vice-president of development for the Caribbean and Latin America (CALA), reports impressive growth here for the group, which currently has 172 properties in the CALA region. “More than 100 hotels are in the pipeline so we have 30,000 rooms [at the moment] and another 15,000 coming,” he says. “Go back to 2013 and we had only 62 properties.” A new all-inclusive Hilton Cancun is due to open in November (the previous Hilton was bought by Iberostar in 2011), with a Waldorf Astoria launching next to it in 2022.
Brian King is Marriott International’s regional CALA president. He says the group’s source markets for the region are overwhelmingly the US, at 80 per cent of visitors, followed by Canada, Colombia, Brazil and then the UK. Pre-Covid, China was in seventh place and rising.
Chris Calabrese, vice-president and general manager of the co-located JW Marriott Cancun (reviewed on page 77) and Marriott Cancun, had spent the previous decade building up business from China. “Before Covid, China was our number-two market for these hotels,” he says. “We went to ILTM [the International Luxury Travel Market trade show] in China and Singapore and had success in attracting major groups. We de nitely want to go back to Asia and help to restart that business.”
For corporate groups as well as leisure travellers, staying in an all-inclusive resort is proving popular and King believes that the pandemic will ultimately accelerate this trend. “I have never taken friends, family and colleagues for granted but I took access to them for granted, so the ability to gather together for a longer period to enjoy time with one another makes this a long-term trend,” he says. is is something that will be seen globally, King
suggests, but is particularly evident in the Caribbean and Latin America. “ ere are about 870 all-inclusive Marriott hotels worldwide, which is about 325,000 rooms, and 56 per cent of those are concentrated in CALA,” he says. “ e demand for those has been unbelievable.” For people organising family holidays it is understandable, since it is easier to keep to a set budget, although it is not so great for the restaurant owner across the road.
Calabrese says his packages allow groups one night o -property for dining but that generally organisers – and their guests – want the convenience of all-inclusive. With his hotels o ering a dozen or more restaurants and bars combined, there’s little reason to leave other than to o er visitors the chance to try a speci c experience. While the Fairmont Mayakoba, which hosts ILTM North America, does not currently have an all-inclusive option, Woltering is planning to o er it in future because of demand.
So the development will continue, and the appeal of Mexico will grow as more and more travellers get to experience the weather, the hospitality, the history and the convenience of getting there, both from North America and further a eld. e challenge for Cancun in particular, and the region more generally, is how to preserve the beauty of this coast for future generations. BTI
