TIMESTOPPER

RADO

CAPTAIN COOK HIGH-TECH CERAMIC DIVER

The new Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Diver by Rado embodies Swiss luxury. This classic has ISO 6425 specifications, 80 hours of power reserve and water resistance up to 300 meters. In this skilfully crafted timepiece, a Rado R763 movement is set inside a high-tech ceramic monobloc case which is scratch-resistant, hypo-allergenic and made to endure challenges in the wilderness or everyday life. Rado's new Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic Diver is available in black and in olive-green, with a rubber strap or ceramic bracelet. The timepiece is ideal for those who wish to explore multiple terrains, undeterred. rado.com

The importance of the Executive Lounge

Lounges are preferred over restaurants, for the element of peace and privacy they provide a corporate client

VIPIN KHATTAR GENERAL MANAGER, JW MARRIOTT NEW DELHI

The outlook of a business traveller is a hassle-free space where they can continue to work without any interruptions in the flow of their day. It is no more just the room size, four fixture bathrooms and Michelinrated food and beverage outlets along with superlative services which will put you as a preferred choice of stay by these travellers. What used to be an added feature has now rather become a mandate, the executive lounge in business hotels; a well-equipped space that can cater to the needs of a business traveller with utmost precision and subtleness is seen as a compulsion when choosing a hotel to stay. When I say precision, it is all about understanding your guests and their preferences like the back of your hand - which cheese do they prefer? which wine do they want to be paired with it? how do they like their coffee? is the lunch spread lucrative enough? Ask yourself these questions and you will have loyalists for a lifetime for your brand, only if you find the answers. Also, seek feedback from these welltravelled guests and it will always help you tailor their experience and make it seamless. Executive lounges in hotels have grown in popularity over the years and they are now an essential part of the Marriott Bonvoy benefits as well. Globally as Marriott Bonvoy members, lounge access benefits are for Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite, and Ambassador Elite Members. They are the most practical option for business travellers because all of their needs are conveniently met in one location. In over 22 years of working in the hospitality industry, I’ve noticed that our public spaces, such as bars and restaurants, may not be a perfect environment for productivity, conducive to unwinding with a book or Netflix breaks, finishing the day’s paperwork with a coffee or a cocktail for business travellers. Hence, lounges are preferred over restaurants, for the element of peace and privacy they provide a corporate client. The executive lounge serves as a home base for informal meetings with business contacts as well as an opportunity to interact with other guests and build further networks. It provides an opportunity for the hotel to highlight its finesse. Personally, I am a huge fan of executive lounges in hotels and I do believe that the executive lounge should not only be a home away from home but also an office away from the office. BTI

Executive lounges serve as a home base for informal meetings with business contacts as well as an opportunity to interact with other guests and build further networks