August 2010
In This Issue
TRENDS: Business Travelers Are Booking Smarter GERMANY: Courtyard by Marriott Bremen Debuts GREECE: First Doubletree by Hilton Now Open on Island of Kos GERMANY: Weinmeister Berlin-Mitte Reflects City’s Aesthetic ENGLAND: Waldorf Astoria London Syon Park to Open in November ITALY: Ragosta Hotels Opens La Plage Resort in Sicily SWITZERLAND: Radisson Blu Resort Andermatt Will Open in 2013 NETHERLANDS: Hilton Hotel Opens In The Hague PORTUGAL: Yeatman ‘Wine Hotel’ Opens in Oporto GREECE: Westin Resort in Costa Navarino
In The Air
U.S. Approves American/British Airways Alliance
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With corporate travel on pace for a rebound in 2010, cost-saving lessons from the past two years remain top of mind for individual business travelers. In the latest Orbitz for Business/Business Traveler magazine Quarterly Trend Report, 70% of business travelers said they felt personally obligated to save their company money when booking travel. The spring quarterly report, which examined the most prevalent issues affecting the corporate travel industry, was based on a detailed survey of 846 business travelers. After a decline in corporate travel the last two years, the trend report highlights an ongoing commitment by companies and individual employees to reduce travel costs, even as they fly more:
• A Personal Commitment: 70% of travelers felt personally obligated to save their company money when they travel. • Fly Economy Class: 38% of respondents stated they have flown economy class on domestic flights to cut travel costs. • Booking Ahead: To help avoid higher fares associated with last-minute bookings, only 6% of business travelers said they book their flights less than a week in advance, and 30% said they book at least eight days in advance. The remaining 64% book at least two weeks before a trip. • On the Bright Side: Nearly 20% of business travelers said no cost cuts have been made so far in 2010, and the majority of respondents (54%) said they were planning to have the same number of business trips in the next three months as they had in the first quarter. www.orbitzforbusiness.com/news/pr/show_release.cfm?id=49 |
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 Located steps from the Bremen Main Station and the beautiful Bürgerpark, the newly opened, 155-room Courtyard by Marriott Bremen is an ideal location to explore the sights of the Hanseatic city. The Courtyard Bremen was built within the renovated walls of the historic Lloyd Building, which dates back to 1913 and was formerly used as a railway building for emigrants beginning their journey to the United States. Seventy guestrooms are located in the historical building, while a newly constructed wing houses an additional 85 rooms and 380 sqm/4,090 sqft of meeting space. The hotel’s modern lobby extends to a glass enclosed “boulevard” connecting the historical and conference buildings. Guestrooms feature plush bedding, large desks, ergonomic chairs, refrigerators and flat-screen televisions. For dining, the Courtyard Bremen offers Lloyd’s, a modern bar and restaurant serving up international cocktails and cuisine. Additional on-site amenities include a fitness center and business center. Phone: +49 421 696 400 www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/brecy-courtyard-bremen/ |
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 The Doubletree by Hilton Resort Kos sits on a hill overlooking Helona Beach and the Aegean Sea on the southern coast of the Greek Dodecanese Island Kos. The resort hotel is only 15 minutes south of Kos Island Hippocrates International Airport (KGS), which provides daily direct service to major cities throughout Europe. Seven clusters of two-story buildings amidst landscaped gardens offer guests 238 guest rooms, suites and villas. The resort’s modern 799 sqm/8,600 sqft conference center offers three rooms equipped with state-of-the-art audio/visual capabilities that, when coupled, can create event and conference space for up to 700 people. A business center provides computer and business support services, and wireless high‑speed internet access is available in public and meeting areas. The Wellness and Longevity Centre Spa features four treatment rooms, including two VIP cabins, a special chromotherapy room, a double ayurvedic suite and a wet room with a floating bed. The spa also has a hamam and a sauna, as well as a heated swimming pool and fitness room. Phone: +30 224 2045 041 doubletree1.hilton.com |
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 Aimed at business travellers from the music, fashion and creative scene, as well as leisure travellers, the 88-room Weinmeister Berlin-Mitte focuses on what is truly important in life: rest, comfort and simplicity. Design Hotels has created a property with what it calls a “luxury punk” aesthetic where guests are certain to feel part of the true Berlin – a creative, large, and thrilling city that never sleeps. The Weinmeister Berlin‑Mitte will mirror the excitement of Central Berlin’s street life, from the 24-hour clubs to the large gallery spaces. Every room features Apple iMacs instead of television sets, and there are also iPad laptops for hire. On the ground floor, the ClubLounge and Schwarz bar provide a buzzing space for guests and locals to meet and mingle. Guests can also dine in the restaurant serving traditional German cuisine with a modern twist. An invitation-only rooftop area with bar offers stunning vistas of Berlin and the iconic TV tower. The hotel also offers a whirlpool, sauna and 24-hour room service menu and breakfast. Phone: +49 30 755 667 www.the-weinmeister.com |
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 Hilton Worldwide announced the signing of an agreement with the Ability Group to open a new Waldorf Astoria Hotel in London’s Syon Park in November of this year, offering an exceptional blend of parkland tranquility and easy access to the city center. The 137-room hotel will offer state-of-the-art meeting and conference facilities, plus several destination restaurants and bars. Guests will have use of the park grounds, with exclusive year-round access to the Syon House gardens and activities, including trout fishing. Other unique features of the hotel include a butterfly house in the lobby, an ice-cream parlor, seven luxury suites, each with its own exclusive and palatial theme, and 1,000 sqm/10,764 sqft of meeting and event space. There will also be a swimming pool and full sensory spa experience. The Waldorf Astoria London Syon Park will be the fourth Waldorf Astoria property to open in Europe, reflecting the luxury brand’s international expansion. Another new property is due to open in Berlin in 2011. Phone: +44 207 856 8206 www.waldorfastoria.com/search/property-details.cfm?intPropertyId=36 |
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 Italy’s Ragosta Hotels Collection has combined “luxury with nature” with the launch of its new boutique resort, La Plage Resort in Taormina, Sicily. The resort is a five-star boutique property with just 61 guestrooms and suites. Built to co-exist with the natural surroundings of Isola Bella, La Plage Resort operates in an environmentally responsible manner, and all design aspects and furnishing showcase natural elements such as stone, woods and plants. A restaurant and two bars feature Italian and Asian cuisine, and there are reception halls that can accommodate up to 200 guests. An on-site ExPure SPA features four-person Jacuzzi, emotional shower, Turkish bath, massage room, relaxation area with tea corner and Panoramic solarium Gym. In addition to various Al Fresco public areas, such as fragrant gardens, solariums and gathering spaces for guests to relax and unwind, the property also features an exclusive Marine and Beach Club, accessible only to guests and housing an extensive menu of water sports and activities. Phone: +39 094 262 6095 www.preferredboutique.com |
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 The Rezidor Hotel Group recently announced that it will open the Radisson Blu Resort, Andermatt in 2013. The resort will be part of the project “Andermatt Swiss Alps,” a master development that includes six new hotels in the 4- and 5-star sector, some 490 apartments in 42 buildings and 25-30 villas. An 18‑hole championship golf course and sport & commercial areas will complement the project, which will turn Andermatt into an exclusive year-round holiday destination. The Radisson Blu Resort, Andermatt will be designed by the architects Burkhalter Sumi, featuring two buildings with wooden façades containing 240 accommodations – regular guest rooms as well as spacious apartments ranging from 1 to 3 bedrooms. In addition to a restaurant and bar, 1,700 sqm/18,298 sqft of conference space is planned, as is a multi‑functional concert hall for up to 700 guests. A spa with an indoor swimming pool, retail shops, game room and children’s club will also be part of the property. www.rezidor.com |
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 Hilton Hotels announces the opening of Hilton The Hague, a new upscale hotel set within the restored 1950s shell of the former Royal Dutch Telecom headquarters. Hilton The 195-room hotel, prominently located in the embassy quarter of the city center, is on the doorstep of some of The Hague’s best shopping, art galleries and high end shops, as well as the rich cultural heritage and architecture of many stately buildings, renowned museums and points of interest. Hilton The Hague boasts ten meeting rooms, including the Mesdag Ballroom, with a maximum capacity of 400 guests, and an atrium designed for pre‑event functions. The Hague is conveniently linked by motorway and train to major European cities, including Brussels and Paris. Both Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and Rotterdam/The Hague Airport can be reached within 25 minutes. Phone: +31 70 710 7000 www1.hilton.com |
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 Oporto has been the home of wine shippers and their families for over three centuries. Inspired by this heritage, the newly opened Yeatman Oporto features 82 guest rooms and suites that open onto large private balconies with dramatic and unobstructed views across the River Douro to the historic center of Oporto. Individually appointed and decorated, each room will be discretely themed with intriguing artifacts and pictures contributed by a different Portuguese wine producer. Food and wine is an essential part of The Yeatman experience. The hotel offers guests an extensive portfolio of Portuguese wines, as well as a varied and comprehensive selection from the classic vineyards of Europe and the New World. Guests can also experience inspired cuisine with the accent on fresh local produce and the imaginative pairing of food and wine. The hotel features a host of facilities and services for meetings, seminars, product launches and incentive travel, with 11 meeting and event rooms of various sizes.Phone: +351 22 013 4200 www.the-yeatman-hotel.com/EN/meetings.htm |
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 The second Westin to open in Greece, the Westin Resort Costa Navarino offers 445 guestrooms and suites, including 123 with infinity pools. Inspired by old Messinian mansions, the resort’s low‑rise villa clusters use natural stone and local design elements to create a motif in perfect harmony with the sandy beach and pristine hillside landscape. Amenities include four restaurants serving a range of international cuisine, several pools and lounges, the Anazoe Spa at Navarino Dunes, and Greece’s first signature, 18‑hole championship golf course. A state‑of‑the‑art conference center can accommodate up to 2,000 guests in its Great Hall and 11 meeting rooms, all of which have high‑speed Internet access and A/V equipment. Event participants also have access to the Anazoe Spa and the Bernhard Langer‑designed championship golf course. Phone: +30 272 309 5000 www.westincostanavarino.com/ |
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In The Air |
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 The U.S. gave final approval on Tuesday to a bid by American Airlines and British Airways to broaden their transatlantic alliance. The U.S. Transportation Department said in a statement that it granted a waiver from antitrust law for the carriers in the oneworld Alliance to coordinate scheduling, pricing, and other services. Other oneworld members covered by the change include Iberia, Finnair and Royal Jordanian. Transportation planners found that the alliance was pro-competitive but required the airlines to make a limited number of landing slots at London's Heathrow airport available to competitors. The carriers won European Union antitrust clearance for their deal on July 14. U.S. officials initially cleared the deal in February, but gave the parties additional time to review the terms. The final order contained no substantive changes. http://press.ba.com/?p=1314 |
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