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ISSUE NO. 5 - 2017

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How do colours affect the flavour of your food?

Colours affect the mood and behaviour of humans. Although there are many aspects within a restaurant that affects the experience of a guest – colour is a critical one.

“Colours make life richer and restaurants are no exception. If you were buying a new car, you would probably spend considerable time choosing the colour. Now, how about the colour of your tableware?” asks Catherine d’Hubert, European assortment manager for Table Top at SCA Tork.

To investigate how colours affect the experience of restaurant guests, Tork created an experiment: 16 guests equipped with brain wave headsets got to experience eight different environments in eight different colours. Each setting was designed with restaurant attributes completely covered in a monochrome colour – from walls and floor to furniture and tableware. For each colour experience the guests were asked to taste a drink and a miniature Macaron cookie – identical in all aspects except for the colour, matched to the surrounding environment. For every setting, brain activity and heart rate was measured, alongside a questionnaire to record the reactions from the participants.

The analysis showed clear and reoccurring patterns in moods and emotions provoked by different colours. For example, red stimulates strong emotional connections and creativity, while blue boosts a calm experience. White prompts a luxurious feeling, and black is more modern and sophisticated.

Colours can have an important impact not only on the guests’ perception of an establishment, but also on how they experience the taste and aroma of a meal.

“How do you make a strawberry mousse sweeter and richer-tasting? The answer isn’t more strawberries and sugar. Instead, try serving the dish with a matching coloured napkin. The colour actually increases sweetness and decreases bitterness, making it perfect for desserts,” says Linda Lundgren, expert food stylist and chef.

For restaurants that want to give the real luxurious look and feel of linen but prefer single-use napkins, Tork LinStyle® is the perfect match. The premium LinStyle® napkins are significantly softer and bulkier than standard paper napkins, and extra absorbent – letting you efficiently create the high-end dining experience that will keep your guests coming back for more.

For more information about tabletop products and the brain wave technology test, visit: http://www.tork.hu/about/ezerterdemes-a-tork-mellett-donteni/horeca/

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INSIDE

ISSUE NO.5 GREEN ISSUE – 2017

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER ........................................................................ 7 CONCIERGE A HOTELIER’S HELP DESK .......................................................... 8 Q&A WITH SÁNDOR ZWACK ............................................................................. 20 Q&A WITH RESTAURATEUR KATALIN PINTÉR Owner Of Hungary’s Michelin-Star Restaurant Onyx ............................................ 22 BUDAPEST’S COOLEST NIGHT BAR The Buddha-Bar Budapest: The City’s Best Night Bar And Lounge ................................................................ 32 Q&A WITH HOTELIER ZOLTÁN ÁRVAI General Manager Of Hilton Budapest ................................................................... 36 INTERVIEW WITH TIBOR MASSÁNYI Managing Partner Of DVM Group ........................................................................ 52 Q&A WITH DAVID THOMPSON ....................................................................... 58 THE BEST: SHOW KITCHENS .......................................................................... 67 BEST HOTEL CONCEPT SHOPS .................................................................... 76 THE BEST AIRPORT HOTELS ........................................................................ 86 YAO NOI’S SIX SENSES ................................................................................. 96 CHINA’S TALLEST HOTELS .......................................................................... 104 LAST LOOK ..................................................................................................... 112 NEXT ISSUE ................................................................................................... 114

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LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Bocuse d’Or success in Hungary and in Lyon, confirmed Michelin stars, new restaurants recommended by Gault & Millau, high class facilities spreading like mushrooms and the renaissance of many traditional restaurants. Top gastronomy is booming in Hungary and that is what makes Hotelier International.com’s fifth issue up-to-date with its central focus on food & beverages.

The Concierge column presents, among other topics, the opening plans for Hungary’s first street food plaza Le Garage, but you can also learn that the five-star Spirit Hotel Thermal Spa superior in Sárvár was awarded with the Signum Virtutis prize, which goes to the best of Seven Stars Luxury Hospitality and Lifestyle Awards, for a second time, and there is also news that the first W Hotel will be established in Budapest.

We have an interview with Sándor Zwack on the success of the family enterprise that bears his name.

The general manager of the 40-year old Hilton Budapest Zoltán Árvai has talked to us about the renewal of his hotel. The owner of ten year old restaurant Onyx, Katalin Pintér, has revealed her view on the past, present and future of the restaurant to us.

You can get a glimpse of what the nights are like at Budapest’s largest bar through our stunning colour photos of Buddha-Bar.

Our international team has also delivered many exciting topics for us. You can read about one of the most successful Thai cooks in the world, David Thomson, then scan through the best and most interesting open kitchens worldwide, and review our great selection of the world’s best hotel shops.

Focusing on traveling, you will find the most special airport hotels included and get to know a luxury holiday resort in the south of Thailand, Yao Noi, by checking out our fantastic photo collection.

Our goal is once again to share the most innovative ideas with you, to inspire you, and to provide our readers with content that both pleases the eyes and that you might also find useful.

Have a great time, and start reading now!

S I N C E R E LY,

THOMAS BOTKA — PUBLISHER

CONCIERGE ISSUE NO.5 2017 A HOTELIER’S HELP DESK

SPIRIT HOTEL BAGS PRESTIGIOUS ACCOLADE, AGAIN Hungary’s Spirit hotel has been awarded for the second time in a row with the Signum Virtutis award by the Seven Stars Luxury Hospitality and Lifestyle Awards, thus finding its way into the elite club of the world’s most special premium brands, the owners say.

The awards aim to identify and to separate the exceptional from the very best by bestowing the Signum Virtutis, its seal of excellence, upon the most exceptional luxury hospitality and lifestyle properties/products worldwide; it is widely considered to be the highest and most exclusive award for the pinnacle in luxury hospitality and lifestyle.

A local hotel being awarded such recognition is thought to give a huge boost to Hungary’s whole tourism sector, as luxury hotels take up a significant role in the image of any country. The ability to claim premier architectural or quality accolades, as well as competition results, lead to news coverage in the international

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media, which in turn boosts recognition of a country, the owners of the hotel say.

Spirit Hotel CEO András Kaisinger called the award a “great recognition”, adding that it is not just a professional appreciation, but really important feedback from customers, as the winners are not only selected by a board of judges, but through the voting of tourists as well. The CEO said the unique harmony of nature and built environment, as well as the high quality spa services and the knowledge of staff are at the core of the success of the hotel. Additionally, the hotel offers a professional health preserving treatment and health program entitled mySPIRIT.

CONCIERGE

IT’S A KEEPER If a wine bar can be measured by the variety of wines it serves, Il Bar, part of the Panorama Restaurant at Penn’s View Hotel in Philadelphia, is the world’s largest. It’s not that it has an overly large floor space or cellar. Il Bar’s claim to fame, which is recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records, is thanks to a custom-made wine dispensing system that keeps 150 de-corked bottles in optimum condition by pressurising each with inert nitrogen gas.

Penn View’s mammoth wine keeper (or ‘cruvinet’) allows for an endlessly changing wine list that spans fine reserves to young, market wines, dessert wines and sparkling, all of which are offered to customers by the glass or as part of a wide range of flights.

“The bottom line is, the wine keeper helps us have a more flexible

wine list,” says W illiam Eccleston, Penn View’s head sommelier. “It opens up a lot of possibilities like buying wines that are good value and small production.

We serve many wines where under 30 cases were produced.”

Il Bar’s wine list is changed weekly, along with the 30-odd flights, which are organised around themes; regions, style, fruity, off the beaten path and so on.

“We serve hundreds of these a week“ continues Eccleston. “As well as countless wines by the glass.”

“It needs steady maintenance,” answers Eccleston when asked how it affects his daily routine. “It has to be taken apart and the valves cleaned.

We can keep wines for days or up to a couple of weeks. They are constantly being poured so we keep an eye on them. Of course some wines get better after a few days; they open up.”

The idea for Penn View’s 7.6-by2.5-metre wine keeper came from the hotel’s owner, who has a background in restaurants. “He wanted to do

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something different, then tripled it,” laughs Eccleston. Has the investment paid off? “It has definitely made us a wine destination and has helped shape the hotel’s identity. And on a personal level it has made my job a whole lot more interesting!” - SW

CONCIERGE

GASTRO MALL LE GARAGE TO OPEN What is said to be Hungary’s first gastro mall, Le Garage, is scheduled to open in the summer of 2018, set in an industrial environment. The mall in the Óbuda area will offer a restaurant, a deli and a coffee house, amongst other attraction, while five food trucks will be parking inside the building. Weekends will feature a growers’ market and a wide array of themed gastro events.

Although the doors of the mall will not open until next year, participants of this year’s Food Truck Rally have been offered the possibility of a peek around in the mall through virtual reality technology.

A dozen retail units will be filled with stores offering premium products in the Le Garage gastro mall. In order to keep refreshing the mall’s street food offer, the five food trucks will change periodically.

The industrial environment offers huge interior spaces for the mall, making the facility perfect to host gastronomy events and growers’ markets, the owners of the project anticipate. The building will have a capacity of approximately 1,000 people with 525 seats.

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CONCIERGE

SIGNATURE COCKTAILS Lobbies may be a hotel’s immediate attention getter, but it’s the bar that’s increasingly becoming the scene-stealer. After all, who wants to hang out in a lobby when they can cozy up to a cocktail? Here’s a look at three watering holes serving up killer signature cocktails that have the locals flocking in.

Bottoms up!

Swanky Balthazar, in the 90room Hotel d’Angleterre in Copenhagen, which reopened May 2013 following a two-year closure, claims to be Denmark’s only champagne bar. Named for the 12-litre champagne bottle, this upscale newcomer features over 160 champagnes and a slew of signature champagne-based cocktails.

The classy Duchess blends Hennessey Cognac, Merlet apricot brandy, fresh lime and honey. For a tipple with a tad more muscle, opt for the Old Smoking Rifle made with Knob Creek bourbon, amaretto and a dash of grenadine syrup.

In central Brussels, the Lounge Bar at the 150-room Dominican Hotel is an oasis of orange fabrics and warm woods. Amongst the long list of traditional cocktails are several inhouse specialties named for the hotel, which sits on the site of a 15th century

Dominican abbey. Try the Dominican Gin Fizz, a heady mix of Plymouth Gin, freshly squeezed lemon juice, sugar syrup, egg white and Chartreuse. Better yet, order the house’s number one specialty, the Dominican Think Pink, a smooth concoction of Hendrick’s gin, St. Germain Elderflower, Apollo 11 and Fair goji berry liqueurs.

One of Manhattan’s newest bars is Henry, located in the lobby of the Hudson Hotel. Named after the

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legendary explorer Henry Hudson, it has an extensive signature cocktail list created by world-renowned mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana (a.k.a.

Mr. Lyan), a two-time U.K. bartender of the year. Among the yummy offerings are the Living Cocktail made with miso caramel, homemade carrot vinegar and reposado tequila. More refined palettes may prefer the Polleno made with fresh sour apple, sweet apple, fino sherry and fennel pollen.

CONCIERGE

W HOTELS WORLDWIDE WILL DEBUT IN BUDAPEST Slated to open in 2020, W Budapest aims to reimagine the iconic Dreschler Palace, bringing visionary design and playful luxury to Hungary’s cosmopolitan capital.

W Hotels Worldwide, part of Marriott International, Inc., recently announced an agreement with QPR Properties Kft, part of Constellation Hotels Holding Ltd., to introduce the iconic W Hotels brand in Hungary with the opening of W Budapest. With a fantastic location on Andrássy út (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the hotel will be situated on the city’s most luxurious shopping street, located directly across from the famous State Opera House.

The hotel will be housed in the impressive Drechsler Palace, which will be fully renovated to bring the brand’s cutting-edge, contemporary design to life. W Budapest will feature 162 stylish guest rooms and suites, including one Extreme WOW, the brand’s lux-take on the Presidential Suite.

“Budapest has secured a spot as an epicentre of European travel with the convergence of creative communities combined with a thriving economy, making this city the perfect fit for the innovative edge of W Hotels,” said Anthony Ingham, global brand leader, W Hotels Worldwide. “This vibrant city remixes historic tradition with a modern twist – the perfect backdrop to offer guests and locals alike a dynamic scene that shakes up the traditional and embraces the avant-garde.”

The hotel will also offer a restaurant and a destination bar, both sure to be embraced by locals as a place to mix and mingle on what is sometimes called Budapest’s Champs-Elysees, as well as the signature W Living Room, the brand’s

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evolution of the traditional hotel lobby, where guests can go to see and be seen. Three meeting and event spaces, including a Great Room for larger celebrations, are available, along with an Away Spa, FIT fitness centre, and WET pool. Guests can also expect the W brand’s signature Whatever/Whenever service philosophy, providing guests whatever they want, whenever they want it.

“W Hotel’s bold and vibrant take on luxury continues to expand into some of the most exciting destinations in Central and Eastern Europe,” said Carlton Ervin, Marriott International’s chief development officer for Europe. “The signing of this landmark hotel in Budapest matches the rising demand of luxury travellers and underpins our commitment to grow our portfolio in the region.”

Following the success of W Hotels in Istanbul, Barcelona, St. Petersburg, London, Paris and Verbier, W Amsterdam became the seventh W Hotel in Europe when it opened in October 2015. W Hotels now boasts a worldwide portfolio of 50 properties around the globe, and is on track to reach 75 hotels by 2020.

CONCIERGE

BRUSHES WITH LUXURY One of the best ways a hotel can raise its profile is by becoming a hangout for the local art scene. But if hoteliers cannot rely on David Hockney sprauncing around their lobbies, they can become patron to their own Artist in Residence.

The May Fair Hotel in Mayfair publicised its status as the “official hotel partner” for the inaugural Art13 London fair by appointing its first AinR, in the shape of UK fashion and celebrity portrait painter Marc McGreevy. The artist was commissioned to capture the sights and sounds of the property during the event, while guests could take home their own portraits. While the AiR is a popular marketing exercise all over the world, in culture-heavy London, it is practically obligatory.

Claridge’s has retained fashion illustrator David Downton, for

instance, to draw notable personalities during their stay. The Savoy, which has had an AiR programme for longer than a century, recently installed a sculptural work by its most recent AiR, the South African Jonty Hurwitz, in its new seafood bar and grill. And upstart The Corinthia chooses an AiR from a different discipline each year— theatre, film, fashion and design. Some chains appoint an AiR to breathe fresh life into a property.

Fairmont, for example, recently enlivened one hotel in Dallas, Texas

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by introducing an AiR programme and simultaneously opening an art gallery.

Currently this is overseen by former AiR Mikki Mallow, now the hotel’s creative director. The Dallas Fairmont has showcased photographers, sculptors and even a graffiti artist, The Dose One. If this is not quite outré enough, some hotels have plumped for the Tattoo AiR option to inject a little excitement. The Marcel at Gramercy has had a few famous inkers, including Mister Cartoon, who has also enlivened the Andaz Fifth Ave.

CONCIERGE

SWEET TREATS AS BRAND BUILDERS Not only did his chocolate sandwich with apricot jam filling and chocolate icing turn Franz Sacher into a legend in Vienna’s sweet-toothed society, it ensured that the city’s Sacher Hotel — founded in 1876 by his son Eduard — would become one of the world’s most beloved addresses.

Astonishingly, this grand hotel still makes more than 360,000 Original Sacher Tortes each year, many now sold online around the world.

Increasingly hotels are rediscovering how branded treats can be used either to reward favoured guests, whip up publicity or create fresh revenue streams. Private-label

goodies sold in Peninsula gift shops, for example, now run to teas, wines and handmade sweets as well as the hotel group’s ‘special-occasion’ gourmet mooncakes.

Another Asian five-star, The Fullerton in Singapore, does a brisk trade with a premium version of Kueh Lapis cake, a traditional delicacy, in various flavours. Meanwhile Parisian hotels recently have stood as one against American cupcake imperialism, with practically every luxe hotel trumpeting their signature macarons.

Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris recently raised the stakes for romantic packages with a new signature heart pastry by Pierre Hermé.

Several hotels have found branded fare can reinforce their reputations whilst topping up revenues.

Zurich’s glitzy Baur au Lac Hotel, for example, manufactures high-end chocolate bars, while Dublin’s Merrion

Hotel has spun its popular afternoon teas into a line of preserves.

Ritz-Carlton however, aims to raise the bar higher with The Cake, a chocolate-orange confection, which will soon be available at all the hotel’s gift shops. This sliceable log will be presented in an elaborate ribboned box, which the chain’s corporate chef Rainer Zinngrebe says one day could be “as recognisable as a T iffany box”.

If only F. Scott Fitzgerald had written ‘A Chocolate Cake As Big As The Ritz’.

also prompted widespread fraud, he says, with beans being rubbed in animal feces.

Dinkin not only wanted greater control of his quality and supply but influence over the impact to animals, the environment and the people involved. After great study, he chose a northern Thailand elephant sanctuary.

Rescued elephants munch happily

on nutritious feed mixed with Thai coffee berries, which locals collect for processing.

The coffee isn’t cheap. A kilo costs US$1500, or $50 per cup in hotels in Thailand and the Maldives, but a portion of the proceeds goes to the Golden Triangle Elephant Foundation. www.blackivorycoffee.com

BLACK IVORY

(ELEPHANT-POO COFFEE) The world’s most expensive coffee is served in elegant 19th-century decanters in a small group of five-star hotels. You just may not want to know where the beans came from.

Actually, that’s the part of the thrill, a sure-fire top-all dinner topic.

Black Ivory Coffee is traditionally grown, but the beans acquire their unique flavor as they pass through the bowels of elephants. It’s the world’s only elephant-poo coffee.

Lest it sound off-putting, Blake Dinkin, founder of Black Ivory, spent over a decade perfecting his technique, beginning in Africa, where he followed the thriving trade in coffee beans excreted by civet cats. Although long the rage in high-priced coffee, he was put off by how wild cats are caged and force-fed coffee beans. The high prices

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CONCIERGE

CHEF FOR A DAY Hotel-based cookery courses are increasingly diverse and popular.

There are many attractions: the urge to learn regional cookery, to discover the secrets of a celebrity chef, for a different kind of holiday in the low season, family bonding time, or a way of keeping the kids busy.

In an astounding hilltop setting overlooking Florence, former monastery Villa San Michele (Fiensole, Italy) has built up an outstanding reputation for its cookery courses. The combination of setting and high quality lessons gives this place particular cachet. The focus is either seasonal or ingredient-based, for example, specialist pasta packages last four days. They also offer children’s courses. Raymond Blanc Cookery School at Le Manoir (Oxfordshire, UK) allows guests to learn cookery in the recently refurbished, beautifully appointed kitchens of a two-Michelinstarred restaurant. Courses range from one to four days and are pitched to appeal to beginners as well as more experienced cooks. They are themed, with specialisations such as ‘Fish & Shellfish’, ‘Chocolate Heaven’, and the appealingly easy-sounding ‘Learn to Cook in One Day’. They offer children’s courses, as well as an adult and child cookery day.

In Miami, the five-star Biltmore Hotel is an historic coral-coloured monument set in 150 tropical acres.

Like everything else it does, its Culinary Academy is top notch. Lessons led by professional chefs provide hands-on learning in the kitchen, with regularly changing choices such as a day specialising in chocolate desserts or another in homemade pasta. Culinary ‘boot camps’ are an attractive proposition for beginners. They also provide a parent-child cookery class.

Alain Ducasse’s La Bastide de Moustiers is an idyllic, supremely

Unique and Unmistakable

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www.pellinicaffe.hu | hotelier@pellinicaffe.hu | +36 1 477 7020

comfortable 13-room B&B set in Provençal countryside. Lavender and kitchen gardens set the scene. They only offer cookery courses during the low season, and these are intimate affairs, with only one or two guests at a time. Though Ducasse doesn’t teach in person, his associate chefs impart the magic. Guests learn to cook an entire meal in the sunny Provençal kitchen, where gardeners deliver herbs and vegetables freshly picked from outside.

CONCIERGE

QATAR AIRWAYS LAUNCHES NEW BUSINESS CLASS EXPERIENCE Qatar Airways has recently unveiled its new Business Class experience: Business Class QSuite, featuring the industry’s first-ever double bed, at a world exclusive ceremony at ITB Berlin, with more than 7,000 visitors in attendance.

The airline believes ITB Berlin provided the perfect platform for the

introduction of the new patented seat design, luxury amenity kits, designer sleepwear, refined china and cutlery service, and re-envisaged menu.

“This new product offering – an unrivalled enhancement of our already award-winning Business Class cabin – will absolutely challenge industry norms and expectations,” said Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar Al Baker. “This is truly the future of Premium travel, and I am delighted at the reaction from our travellers, media and industry experts. In this, our 20th year, I am proud to still be leading the industry in terms of innovation and ambition to ensure we continue to offer our passengers the absolute best in both product and service.”

Qatar presented a full replica cabin at the reveal ceremony, letting guests see the new QSuite first-hand, accompanied

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CONCIERGE

by Qatar Airways’ cabin crew showcasing the new features. In particular, the unique family-suite offering was a huge draw for guests who wanted to experience the option of travelling with loved ones in a social setting that has never before been offered to families.

In addition to the industry’s firstever double bed available in Business Class, Qatar’s new seat design features privacy panels that stow away, allowing passengers in adjoining seats to create their own private room. Adjustable panels and movable TV monitors on the centre four seats allow colleagues, friends or families travelling together to transform their space into a private suite, giving them the opportunity to work, dine and socialise together, Qatar promises.

KEMPINSKI CELEBRATES LADY IN RED AMBASSADORS IN BERLIN

said Markus Semer, CEO and chairman of the management board of Kempinski Hotels. “We created the Lady in Red tradition to offer our guests a truly personalised luxury experience, and while today she may be imitated by other hotel companies, the original Kempinski Lady in Red can never be matched,” the CEO added.

Launched in 2009, the innovative Lady in Red concept was created by Kempinski Hotels to bring a personal touch to the guest experience. Today she has grown into an enduring feature for Kempinski worldwide, immediately recognisable at each of its destinations.

Kempinski Hotels’ Lady in Red ambassadors from more than ten countries gathered in Berlin to mark the official countdown to the company’s 120-year anniversary.

These iconic representatives of the personalised luxury guest experience joined anniversary festivities, including an exclusive gala event held at the Hotel Adlon Kempinski, attended by hotel owners from around the world, shareholder representatives, and the management board.

“We are delighted to welcome our iconic Lady in Red ambassadors to Berlin as we celebrate 120 years as a pioneering European luxury hotelier,”

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W ith an intimate knowledge of the local culture, and the hotel itself, the Lady in Red works with the hotel concierge to embody the beauty of a grand hotel tradition for today’s discerning guests.

The Lady in Red aims to symbolise the epitome of European elegance, in red attire lightly interpreted to reflect the local and cultural traditions of each destination.

Lady in Red ambassadors having gathered in Berlin shared their savvy with guests attending the anniversary celebrations about the local culture of the hotel destinations they represent in China, Africa, Middle East, South East Asia and Europe.

BEST ADVICE

CONCIERGE

THE BEST CAREER ADVICE, ACCORDING TO MIXOLOGIST RYAN CHETIYAWARDANA AS TOLD TO BOYD FARROW

Twice named UK bartender of the year, R yan Chetiyawardana has been involved with several of the UK’s most successful bars, including 69 Colebrooke Row and The Whistling Shop, for more than a decade. Chetiyawardana is also known as the Heston Blumenthal of drinks — few bars include a sous vide circulator and rotary evaporator among their kit, for instance — and he has given talks in the US, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Azerbaijan, Sri Lanka and Russia on his innovative practices. He can now be found at the White Lyan, which he co-owns in London’s Shoreditch — the world’s first cocktail bar to not use ice or any perishable items — and at Henry, a Liquor Bar at the recently refurbished Hudson Hotel in New York.

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I think I have been successful because I am curious in whatever I do — I’m always keen to learn from everyone around me and also from my surroundings. I love working in New York because the people have a great appreciation of the whole cocktail bar culture, and they are not shy about giving me advice. But London is still the creative hub of the world, it literally is a cocktail. Because the city has embraced multiculturalism so enthusiastically it is easy to soak up knowledge from so many places. But just as important, London is a place that actively encourages people to create new things by mixing up a huge variety of influences. London has always emboldened people to fuse arts and sciences, involving lots of different disciplines, for instance, so I feel that this city — where you can ask questions and challenge conventions — has shaped who I am and taught me a lot.

Much as I love studying and was torn between totally different directions career-wise, as soon as I set foot inside a bar I knew it was going to be part of my life. My parents have always told me I could do whatever I wanted to do, as long as it made me happy, and they never wavered. They never put more value on some pursuits than others, partly because they knew I would always involve myself in a different way, and they expected me to do something interesting in whatever I did. I was encouraged to express myself and experiment, and I wasn’t made to feel that bar work was just a stopgap.

My parents have always encouraged me to travel as much as possible to broaden my influences and recognise and harness real passion.

In the food and drinks industry there a lot of people with genuine passion—people like the Australian Iain Griffiths, who I met at the Bramble bar in Edinburgh, and who is my partner at White Lyan, and Bramble’s owners Mike and Jas. The three of them have taught me, and keep reminding me, that you can never stop trying to improve and to innovate, but that it is equally important to be respectful of traditions, whether with the ingredients, the ambience of the bar, or service — customers are always guests, not just customers.

The wonderful thing about food and drink it that is so local, and it is really exciting to share, which fosters innovation.

You can never stop learning. I’m currently interested in reading about heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables in the US, for example, and seeing how I can apply certain things. You can do that without being disrespectful of history

but rather trying to create something new, ultimately a modern classic. I’ve only met Heston Blumenthal once, briefly. Its lovely to be compared to him as he is such an inspiration in his idea that food and drink can be about both art and science, that preparation should stimulate discussions and people can aspire to reach new levels. There are lots of flavours that don’t always cross over when you’re working on something but they can trigger new ones. That is a good life lesson too.

Everything’s got to be done with honesty. The world of food and drink is not a simple one; it is very hard or it is not worth doing, and you have to find your own niche. There is no point in forcing a circle into a square. You have to put your own stamp on what you’re working on. I think overall my biggest influence is probably my sister Natasha [co-founder of an innovation consultancy, Bow & Arrow, and also a partner in White Lyan], who has an incredible perspective on life. Her best advice to me is to not just look at things with an artistic view when you’re being creative, but with a fully rounded view.

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CONCIERGE Q&A SÁNDOR ZWACK

SÁNDOR ZWACK FAMILY INHERITANCE, NATIONAL TREASURE

AN INTERVIEW BY: ROBIN MARSHALL

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CONCIERGE Q&A SÁNDOR ZWACK

Sándor Zwack took over Zwack Unicum Nyrt., maker of Hungary’s unique bitter liqueur and a slew of other leading spirits, from his father, Péter in 2008. That year was the best in the previous ten, but was followed by the economic crisis. Now business is looking better again. He sat down with editor-in-chief Robin Marshall to discuss how you keep a 225-year-old product relevant for today’s internet generation.

Congratulations: the recently released H1 figures for the business year that started in April show after-tax profits for Zwack Unicum up by 41.6%. How has that been achieved?

SZ: Purchaser confidence has clearly improved; that has certainly contributed to the figures being what they are. What we have seen in the past year or so is that Unicum is growing again, here and abroad, and not just in the mid- to upper restaurants and bars, but also the top establishments. It is the first time in quite a while we have seen that.

Unicum Szilva [Plum] has done a lot for the brand since we introduced it four years ago. It takes about two years for the market to assess any new brand. Initially you almost always do well just because of the promotion and distribution. Szilva is still doing well, so we know it also has a good customer base by now.

The figures are indicating that we are continuing to do well. We are looking at a good Christmas, which is important; we have two peak times, Christmas and Easter, but Christmas is very clearly the biggest. The on-trade is busy, too, with our brand ambassadors doing a lot through their networks, especially social media.

Hubertus is also doing really well because of the new taste variations, as is Kalinka, the second largest Vodka brand in Hungary, which we are “premiumizing”.

We are bringing out a new product, Unicum Riserva, in time for Christmas, which is blended with six puttonyos Tokaj [the sweetest and therefore highest quality version of the wine] and then aged in used Tokaj barrels. It is a bitter aimed at the top, top end of gastronomy.

A lot of our success this year is down to Unicum and Unicum Szilva, and to doing the right activities. We have been very creative on social media. We have done a viral image film only for the internet for Christmas, for which we targeted 500,000 views by the end of December; we had already received 200,000 views in the first two days.

You are a scion of the family whose name is given to the company. Does that sense of family legacy bring an extra dimension of pressure for you?

SZ: I have to watch what I say and do, I can’t just say anything that pops into my head, because of the reputation of the family and the company, because in a way I am responsible in my role for all the people working in this company. So I suppose there is a certain pressure there, especially if you have a public profile. Not that I live my life particularly in public; it is actually very simple. I’m quite traditional, I like my family life; I’ll go out for a drink with friends every now and then, but that’s all.

[Laughs] I guess I never really think about that pressure until I am asked, like now, and then I realize “yes, this is quite a thing”. I am the sixth generation of Zwack, this is by far the oldest company in Hungary, and one of the oldest in Europe in our sector. I am very proud of that.

Sometimes I will go the museum and look at the photos of my grandfather and great grandfather and think about what they achieved and overcame. They had a whole set of different problems: war, the Siege of Budapest, emigration, incarceration, being sent to labor camps.

When I took over my father still came in every day and sat at his desk and did his stuff, even though he no longer had a formal role in the company. Sometimes I would go to him with a problem and he would look at it in a completely different way from me, because he went through a hell of a lot too. These guys were cut from a different cloth.

The company has been around since 1790. How do you keep it relevant, how do you win over new generations to this old Hungarian tradition?

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SZ: That’s a challenge for us. We have a very old brand – 225 years last June – and to keep that relevant for the younger generation is very difficult. Our motto is “Tradition and innovation” and the thing is to find the balance between the two. You also have to be smart about it. We couldn’t combine Unicum with pineapple, say, that would be ridiculous and no-one would buy into it or buy it. But with szilva we are talking about a fruit that is well known in Hungary, part of the Hungarian tradition of szilva pálinka. Unicum Szilva is the only herbal liqueur in the world where we have taken the liqueur and aged it with the fruit.

That is how we can be innovative, but keep an eye out for the tradition too. We have to find new ways of consumption, have to come up with new drinks. That is what we do, essentially, all day, every day; try to figure out where there’s a hole in the market and then fill it. And that’s the most difficult thing in the world. Spirits have been around for centuries; it is very difficult to find something new. And we have to do more and more of that to stay relevant. And we need to do more foreign exports: there is huge potential, especially with Szilva and we are certainly working on increasing that.

What has changed in the time you have run the business?

SZ: We have had to find new communication methods like social media.

TV ads are still very relevant; in Hungary it is still the most cost effective way of reaching the biggest cross section of society, but 18-year-olds to 20-somethings do not watch TV anymore. They are on their computers or mobiles, looking at YouTube, or Snapchat, or Pinterest, or Facebook, or whatever. And you have to be careful with what you communicate; you can’t bullshit them; they’ll call you out straight away. You have to keep up with these trends, to be involved with them. But we are the number one brand in Hungary, so we can’t just keep up, we have to try and preempt them; when the trends come to Hungary, we want to be the first with them, at least in our segment.

In the last three or four years the impact social media has had, and the responses it has required from us, has been by far the biggest change I have seen.

Q&A WITH RESTAURATEUR

KATALIN PINTÉR OW N ER O F H U N G A RY’S M I C H EL I N - STA R R ESTAU R A N T O N Y X

AN INTERVIEW BY: VERONIKA VINCZE

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Q&A KATALIN PINTÉR

One of Hungary’s few Michelin-star awarded restaurants, Onyx is ten years old this year. The owner of the fine dining restaurant, Katalin Pintér tells us about the hardships and pleasures of being one of the pioneers of high gastronomy in Hungary, as well as about operating a familystyle business and the difficulties of finding quality edible flowers close to the capital city Budapest.

Hotelier International: You’ve certainly come a long way since the opening. Were there any hardships along the way?

Katalin Pintér: I don’t think anybody besides us believed ten years ago what

a magnificent fine dining restaurant Onyx would become. It opened on March 8, 2007, preceded by a serious battle with the local council, national heritage officers and regulars because Onyx was set up in the site of the earlier Kis Gerbeaud on the side of the historic building on Vörösmarty tér. These battles continued after the opening. Before the Michelin star arrived, there were moments when I thought if I had known beforehand this would be so tough, I would have never jumped into it.

Today I say, “Thank God we didn’t know beforehand!” Overcoming the hardships nevertheless honed us greatly.

HI: How did you persuade them?

K P : We w e re re a lly c ha sing t he st a r a n d t h e t it le of t he be st re st a ur a nt in

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t he c ount r y. O ur ope ni ng s l ogan was “ B uda pe st ha s long des erved us ”, a bit a r roga nt I know, but we tur ned out t o be r ight in a few years . In our four t h y e a r of ope r a t io ns we recei ved t he st a r, a nd our c r it i cs real i zed thi s w a s w ha t w e ha d be en tal ki ng about a ll a long. I t ’s diffic ult to prove you’ re a iming t o do some t hi ng great unti l t he re ’s ha rd e v ide nc e . But to hi ghl i ght t ha t K is G e r be a ud heri tage and philosophy liv e s on in Onyx , m ergi ng t r a dit ion w it h innov a t io n, hel ped us to pe r sua de t he m.

HI: What are you proudest about?

KP: Onyx is not just the best restaurant in the country, and one of the best in the region, it’s a workshop. Those who are

Q&A KATALIN PINTÉR

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Q&A KATALIN PINTÉR

talented get an opportunity to show what they are capable of. Most of the people we interview for a position say they want to join our team because they want to learn. Recently, most of the people who applied for jobs are returning to Hungary from abroad. This is a job that requires humbleness, but never submission.

Also, you must be proud of what you produce.

HI: How did you know that Hungary was ready for fine dining?

KP: We were quite sure that the time was right. We’d heard a lot from industry experts and foreign guests seeking quality saying that what Budapest had had to offer was good, but not good enough. Many colleagues had been traveling and we’d learnt a lot out there. Arriving home, we had to realize the world-famous Hungarian cuisine we appreciated so much was only world-famous within the country’s borders.

HI: How did the regulars take the new chef Ádám Mészáros after Tamás Széll’s departure?

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KP: Only for about three minutes were we seriously thinking: “Oh God, what now?” We quickly decided against employing someone from the outside. Pleasingly, there was great interest in the position; foreign Michelin-star chefs were calling on us. However, Ádám has been with us for a couple of years now, and he had practically already taken over the kitchen from Tamás who was preparing for the Bocuse d’Or finals. I don’t think the guests spotted the switch right away.

You can’t notice a change in standards, maybe a slight change in style. The menu is

Q&A KATALIN PINTÉR

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Q&A KATALIN PINTÉR

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Q&A KATALIN PINTÉR

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Q&A KATALIN PINTÉR

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Q&A KATALIN PINTÉR

renewed often, but the highest quality of the ingredients, the high-end technology and the perfect presentation does not. There’s nothing complicated about that, you just serve your guests what’s good.

HI: May Onyx become a chain one day?

KP: We recently opened a family restaurant called Émile and took over the restaurant and bar at the Aria Hotel Budapest. These are our projects for the year, on top of our existing Gerbeaud Café, and the Bistro.

We mustn’t overburden ourselves. So, please ask me this question in a year.

We’re also seeking to collect another star for Onyx. I mean to continue along the same route, with such great staff and by loving and appreciating our guests.

HI: Do you expect any new Michelin stars in Hungary, especially outside Budapest, going forward?

KP: We certainly need further stars in Hungary and Budapest, since a stronger scene higher up has a strengthening effect on the lower levels. But there’s still a lot for the agriculture and suppliers to develop.

It has come a long way, people aren’t so worried anymore to find a two-page menu with fresh ingredients instead of a 22-page one with deep frozen stuff at times.

HI: You’ve started your own farm to provide supplies. How is this project advancing?

KP: So far, we’ve been focusing on poultry and eggs. If things are going well we will be receiving fresh supplies each week in about a month’s time to serve in all our units. There are sheep, cattle and rabbits too, but not many, plus we’re harvesting our own grain. We’re buying an increasing range of meat in Hungary; there are some new quality places to choose from. There

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are a few obsessed people who opt out of the city and start their small quality farms specializing in say, edible flowers. These are difficult to find but there’s a trend of them finding us, thanks to the increasing talk and media appearance. Logistics is still an issue however, but that will also develop.

HI: Are there any new trends in your menu?

KP: I wouldn’t say so. Our philosophy since day one has been to use as many high-quality Hungarian raw materials as possible. At the opening, most of the supplies came from abroad; now most come from local sources. We also look at old Hungarian recipes and traditional cuisine. However, tradition without renewal is history; it won’t go on living with us.

We must see how fashion is changing, for instance. There are new colours or styles all the time, but elegance is timeless.

BUDAPEST’S COOLEST NIGHT BAR

THE BUDDHA-BAR BUDAPEST: THE CIT Y’S BEST NIGHT BAR AND LOUNGE

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BUDDHA-BAR BUDAPEST ON THE GLOBAL MAP

The management’s goal has always been to make it to the global top 50 or 100 bars. The Paris unit has done so before, back in the early 2000s, but from Budapest there has been only one bar thus far to have reached such heights, and that was six years ago. Ever since, the region has been off that map, with the exception of one place in Prague. To have an idea about how ambitious the objective is, it must be noted that there are hundreds of thousands of bars out there, from which some 350 bar managers pick their favourites. In order to jump up in the ranks, an ultra-strong team is a must, as is a rich selection of drinks. Buddha-Bar Budapest fares well on both accounts. The selection is subject to finances, and knowledge needs to be polished to perfection, meaning everybody must be able to perform at the same level at all times. It is great if a creation is served by its mastermind magnificently; however, anybody else on the team should deliver an identical quality with the same enthusiasm; as long as it is not perfect match, you will lag behind competition. And this is what determines whether you get into the top 50 or 100 in the world or not.

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GUESTS ARE PARTICULARLY ATTRACTED BECAUSE THEY CAN HAVE FUN IN A LUXURIOUS AND SPACIOUS ENVIRONMENT

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MUSIC TO YOUR EARS AND FEET

If you don’t already know, Buddha-Bar music is a highly successful genre in its own right. So far 18 double-CDs have been released by the brand, but thanks to other related albums such as Little Buddha or Buddha Spa the choice has widened to 45 compilations. Tracks intended for the restaurant are more of a chill-out nature, whereas bar tunes trigger an unrivalled party atmosphere that has made a solid reputation for Buddha-Bar Budapest in town. Guests are particularly attracted because they can have fun in a luxurious and spacious environment. The three DJs taking turns were selected after an eight-round selection procedure, and they entertain crowds either on their own or in a joint effort with musicians performing live on the spot. The latter method is also something that makes the Buddha-Bar musical experience truly extraordinary.

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Q&A HANS PFISTER

Q&A WITH HOTELIER

ZOLTÁN ÁRVAI G EN ER A L M A N AG ER O F H I LTO N B U DA PEST

AN INTERVIEW BY: LEVENTE HÖRÖMPÖLI-TÓTH

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Q&A HANS PFISTER

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Q&A ZOLTÁN ÁRVAI

Established in 1977 as the first Hilton hotel behind the Iron Curtain, the Hilton Budapest is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. However, no matter how deeply embedded the brand is in the local hotel ecosystem,

intensifying competition and changing industry trends have triggered the necessity to adapt to current customer needs, given the realisation that a picturesque location in the Castle District and unparalleled views

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of the Danube and the Parliament will not be enough alone to stay in the game. As general manager Zoltán Árvai explains, thanks to the ongoing three-phase modernization, Hilton Budapest is stepping up to the next

Q&A ZOLTÁN ÁRVAI

level and long-term profitability is also set to improve.

HI: How will the image of the hotel change following the renovation works launched back in 2014?

ZÁ: Leading brands refresh their image from time to time, so our effort is part of a natural process. Hilton Budapest is reinventing itself, so the venue’s interior is undergoing a beautiful change featuring fancy and exciting design, whilst the medieval heritage of the

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building is preserved. An absolute novelty is a brand new entrance for groups arriving by bus who now can access the building in a much more comfortable manner and without the hassle of going through the protected Royal Castle area. While it is true

Q&A ZOLTÁN ÁRVAI

enough that TripAdvisor users have voted us among the Top Ten Hotels with the most breath-taking view, reality tells us that alone will not be enough in today’s fiercely competitive environment.

HI: So what is your corporate strategy to prevail against the competition?

ZÁ: We constantly monitor the performance of our key competitors and our own stats are analysed in great detail all the time. As a member of Hilton Hotels and Resorts , we get a lot of support from the global brand.

The Hilton sales offices boosts bookings tremendously in our key markets such as

the United States and the U.K. The Hilton Honours loyalty programme generates a lot of traffic as our repeat customers are used to our level of service and they are happy to capitalise on the numerous benefits attached to membership. The Honours app further adds to customer satisfaction, not to mention that our newly refurbished rooms are equipped with cutting-edge technology. Our unique location is further strengthened by the newly renovated Royal Castle area. We are confident that we have a good product and we have always been well-known for particularly strong services.

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HI: Do new developments such as that in Párizsi udvar or the complete restoration of the Ballet Institute, which will both operate as high-end hotels, pose a market threat for you?

ZÁ: Right now there should be enough five-star rooms available in the Hungarian capital. However, there is immense potential for expansion, even regardless of the 2024 Olympic bid; therefore, new developments are more than welcome.

The number of tourists is constantly growing after all.

Q&A ZOLTÁN ÁRVAI

HI: Indeed, according to the latest statistics, overall annual growth of guest nights amounted to more than 6% in 2016 which is significant, even though the migrant crisis in 2015 hit tourism hard and figures were lowerthan-usual that year. Are the upwards dynamics equally spectacular in the premium segment too?

ZÁ: Our occupancy rates have been great and are continuously improving. Top sporting events such as the FINA World Aquatics Championships this summer fuel demand for high-end hotels even more. The countryside, however, has not profited from

this bigger influx of foreigners at all, and this is an issue that needs to be addressed. It is a pleasant trend that domestic tourism is on the rise, not least due to the widespread use of the recreational employee vouchers known as the Szép card. But guests from abroad will need to be given an incentive to widen their horizon and go beyond the boundaries of Budapest.

HI: Let’s get back to the competition issue for a minute. Airbnb inevitably pops up in any conversation discussing hotel industry trends, since it is carving out an ever larger slice of the pie in

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many cities, even at the upper end of the market. Is Budapest affected by this phenomenon in any way?

ZÁ: Airbnb is definitely not driving demand in the direction desired by us. But as long as every player in the hotel industry can charge as much for their service as it is truly worth in its given category, the sharing economy solutions shouldn’t be an issue.

What is very important, though, is to ensure a level playing field so that everybody plays by the same rules. We must fulfil rigorous requirements from safety regulations to hygiene, and all of our employees are employed legally. All that cost a lot.

Q&A ZOLTÁN ÁRVAI

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Q&A ZOLTĂ N Ă RVAI

THE NEED FOR TURNING BUDAPEST INTO A CONFERENCE CAPITAL

Hilton Budapest itself hosts several conferences; however, the economic significance of this type of event cannot be emphasised strongly enough. The Hilton Budapest management is convinced that establishing a large capacity state-of-the-art congress centre is long overdue in the city because best practices of major European cities show that having one generates steady demand and off-peak periods can be compensated by a constant flow of high-profile guests under a projectable schedule. This way not only the whole five-star hotel segment would benefit, but also restaurants, not to mention the government, thanks to higher tax revenues.

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Q&A ZOLTÁN ÁRVAI

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Q&A ZOLTÁN ÁRVAI

REDESIGN RECOGNIZED

2015 London Design Awards, Gold Award, ‘Hospitality’ category Gastro Design 2016, ‘Gastro Equipment and Interior Design’ category Both awards, one international and one domestic, credit the interior design of Goddard Littlefair, which sought to ensure a uniquely Budapest feel whilst preserving the building’s historical features in the course of refurbishment.

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Q&A ZOLTÁN ÁRVAI

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Q&A ZOLTÁN ÁRVAI

FULL-BLOWN FACE-LIFT IN THE WORKS

Hilton Budapest timeline for achieving its brand new image.

Phase 1 – late 2014 to May 2015: the Lobby, the Lobby Café & Bar, the Executive Lounge and the Business & Meeting Centre are renewed Phase 2 – November 2015 to May 2016: renovation of 136 guest rooms in the north wing, together with a new entrance and access point that welcomes groups arriving by coaches who are served by a separate reception desk Phase 3 – late 2016 to May 2017: complete remodelling by DVM group of the Conference & Ballroom, along with some of the meeting rooms and 30% of the guest rooms in the south wing Phase 4 – late 2017 to spring 2018: refurbishment of remaining meeting rooms and guest rooms

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HI: Many harboured high hopes about the appearance of luxury airlines such as Qatar Airways and Emirates on the Hungarian aviation map, as it was expected to deliver a new breed of VIP clientele to Budapest. Has that happened?

ZĂ : We have been talking about this eventual impact with fellow directors of five-star facilities and the overall impression is that, so far, there has been just a tiny increase in the number of such high-networth individuals around here. Budapest still struggles to offer enough high-profile programmes that would satisfy the needs

of such individuals. This includes overthe-top shopping venues and other luxury entertainment. That is why places like London, Paris and New York, where such services are commonplace due to existing demand, are still preferred by them. But, of course, we are pleased about the presence of elite airlines as they do carry potential customers of ours.

HI: According to a 2014 list by hotels. com covering 150,000 hotels, the Hungarian capital is the seventh cheapest in the five-star segment; regionally, only in Warsaw and Pisa is

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less charged. Is it predetermined to sell luxury so relatively cheaply?

ZĂ : We believe there is solid professionalism and great dedication on the part of domestic players and a gradual price increase is a must. In fact, in the case of our renovated rooms, we have managed to apply a surcharge already. It is a longer process, but even now it is hard to accept why people pay double in Barcelona for services that are in no way superior to those available in Budapest. In the case of Hilton Budapest, revenues are back at pre-crisis levels, but profitability has a long way to go. An

Q&A ZOLTÁN ÁRVAI

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Q&A ZOLTÁN ÁRVAI

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Q&A ZOLTÁN ÁRVAI

important way to boost this is definitely a higher price range.

HI: Can the local gastro revolution help achieve those goals? The number of foreigners who come here to do a Michelin star tour is growing, whereas just eight years ago there wasn’t a single place like that in town.

ZÁ: The presence of such excellent restaurants has a great impact on tourism, since they create a buzz and everybody in the sector profits from it. The domestic gastro revolution is real, there is immense work and building effort behind it and

luckily now you can see the long-term thinking necessary for top achievements. The Hungarian triumph at the European Bocuse d’Or, which took place here, is another sign of this. Such happenings have authentic marketing value that generates worldwide interest.

HI: On the basis of your current efforts and the existing market conditions, where are Hilton Budapest and the industry headed?

ZÁ: Our goal is to make it back to the top three hotels in the city, and I believe we are on the right track to make that

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happen. We also pride ourselves on ranking seventh out of Hilton’s total of 150 hotels in the region, according to the brand’s overall guest satisfaction surveys, and we could climb even higher there. The industry would like to see a VAT cut for room rates, which would boost our regional competitiveness, give us some slack in terms of maintenance and CAPEX, and would allow us to pay higher wages. And, in general, if hotels could always charge the rates matching their hotel category, you would witness a healthy market.

CREATIVE CONCEPTS, BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS I N T E R V I E W W I T H T I B O R M AS S Á N Y I, M A N AG I N G PA RT N E R O F DV M G R O U P

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With extensive experience in virtually all market segments, DVM group showcases high-end projects from hotel, retail and office sectors alike. Due to its comprehensive range of end-to-end building services and the priority it places on quality, functionality, aesthetics and customer focus, the company’s unrivalled all-round package has been appreciated by the most prestigious international luxury brands.

How experienced is DVM group in the hotel industry?

In recent years, we have gained wide-ranging knowledge of various hotel developments and refurbishments with clients like Danubius Health Spa Resorts at Margitsziget and Hévíz, as well as Radisson Blu Béke Hotel. Our mandates range from the refurbishment of rooms, through the renovation of entire floors, to the complete redevelopment of an

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apartment house into a hotel – the latter exemplified by the awardwinning project at 12 Révay Hotel. It is a very special sector we are happy to be involved in; that is why we value our clients’ acknowledgements so highly.

What is the nature of your cooperation with Hilton Budapest?

Q&A TIBOR MASSĂ NYI

It is a privilege to have been chosen by Hilton Budapest for the extensive renewal of its premises. The scope of the ongoing work is quite large, involving the renovation of 90 rooms, three meeting rooms, five breakout rooms and the grand ballroom.

Thus, we are currently responsible for construction works on 5,200 sqm.

The Hilton is one of the most prestigious hotels in Budapest: its highlevel features and location within the

Buda Castle District overlooking the capital and the Danube are truly unique.

The current rejuvenation process will further elevate its elegance and style, increase the guests’ user experience and contribute to the high standard of services.

What other types of project do you take on?

Our portfolio ranges from design, project management and environmental

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consultancy to general construction, development management and construction management; so we provide fitting answers for our clients’ varied needs. We have always aspired to deliver results beyond expectations, and focused on the premium segments, incorporating the most innovative solutions and serving prestigious clients in the process, thus creating long-term, trust based, profitable relationships.

We are proud of our prestigious projects from all sectors. As far as retail

Q&A TIBOR MASSÁNYI

is concerned, the opening of the Burberry store on Andrássy út was an important stepping stone for us in proving our capabilities. Design, construction and project management were all our responsibility, and the success of the project proved to be a significant victory. Players in the high-end fashion scene all know each other and a happy client is your best advocate. As luxury retail found its way to the “Champs-Elysées of Budapest”, top brands like Armani and Max Mara charged

us with the construction of their flagship units. As a result, we were also entrusted with the design and construction of the Ferrari showroom at Bank Center.

Likewise, top quality restaurants play a huge part in our portfolio. We executed the construction of many fine dining places in Budapest, such as Baraka, Armani Café, and the renowned St. Andrea Wine & Gourmet Bar, where the interior design is also ours. Our office construction and fit-out works have also

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brought us praise and an array of happy multinational clients.

On top of that, DVM group has made an unmatched reputation for itself in heritage preservation. The remarkable professional success of the multiple award-winning Eiffel Palace office building paved the path for other, similarly challenging and rewarding projects. Váci 1, for example, has awoken from a long sleep as we redesigned its floor structure, opened new horizontal

Q&A TIBOR MASSÁNYI

and vertical routes, and filled it with life.

The multifunctional building – that now houses our new office – became one of the true gems of the city center, elegantly linking the grandeur of a classic highstreet flagship store with modern offices and trendy restaurants.

How do you acquire these jobs?

It is not easy to set foot in the closed and elite circle of luxury brands.

Quality is the only thing that gives you credit – once you gain the trust of one client, they will be happy to recommend you further. Our proven track record and our great number of domestic and

international awards are the reasons why we obtain mandates for top projects.

Naturally, the credit for success must go to our individual professionals and their strong team spirit. Our motivated architects, engineers and support staff take pride in their achievements and we take pride in them. It is the knowledge and attitude of our colleagues that win us new projects and promotes our reputation.

What does the future hold for DVM group?

It has always been our clients’ growing demands that has led the

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expansion of our company. 2016 was a delightfully whirlwind year that brought along considerable growth in our professional team and a new, state-of-the art HQ for our operations. Presently, we may say that we provide the most comprehensive range of integrated building services in Hungary, and have been a prominent player in the real estate sector since our establishment in 1995. It is our aim to continue working on beautiful, exciting projects and to strengthen our position with even more satisfied customers. Whatever we do, our competence originates from our broad expertise and the way in which we strive for excellence.

Q&A TIBOR MASSÁNYI

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Q&A GERGELY BORSOS

Q&A WITH

DAVID THOMPSON T H A I TO D I E F O R AN INTERVIEW BY: RON GLUCKMAN

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Q&A GERGELY BORSOS

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COMO’s Metropolitan Hotel

Meeting one of the world’s most successful Thai chefs can be slightly shocking. David Thompson’s skin is pale, his face dotted with stubble, and despite his fondness for Thai food, culture and history, there is no mistaking the obvious: he’s not Thai.

Yet this Australian has had a lifelong association with Thai food, beginning with his own Darley Street Thai and Sailors Thai restaurants in Sydney in the

1990s. Later, he earned the first Michelin star ever awarded to a Thai restaurant at his Nahm in London. Nowadays, he’s immersed in the ‘delicious environment’ of Bangkok, where for four years he’s run his acclaimed Nahm at COMO’s Metropolitan Hotel.

A scholarly chef, he’s also authored two landmark books, ‘Arharn Thai’ (Thai Food), an authoritative study on the

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origins and history of Thai cuisine, and Thai Street Food, focusing on the simple recipes that are his passion. In February, Nahm was not only honoured as Asia’s best Thai restaurant, but took Number 1 overall at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards in Singapore. We meet this celebrated chef to discuss why Thai food is so delicious, his success, and his new Long Chim restaurant concept.

COMO’s Metropolitan Hotel

Hotelier International: What was your reaction to being named the top restaurant in Asia’s 50 Best? What has been the impact?

David Thompson: Astonished, really.

I honestly bet against myself. I just never expected it. So much of these things are a mix of luck, the number of judges and the location. Since it was in Singapore, with so many wonderful, deserving restaurants there, I had every belief that one of them, or another equally deserving, would win.

I was surprised at the awards last year (Nahm took third in the Asia’s 50 Best, but also ranked 32 in the World’s 50 Best awards), but of course, it’s no surprise that Thai food is getting this recognition. This is

truly one of the great foods in the world.

This award is great for Thailand, and great for Thai food.

HI: You have spent years cooking within a hotel environment. We came from an era and cultures that did not associate fine cuisine with hotels. Are hotels the best places to be for ambitious chefs?

DT: Being in a hotel can be a double-edged sword. There are both constraints and benefits. Of paramount importance is the slowness of decisions made by committee, which can take weeks. When you are on your own, it’s like this (snaps finger).

On the other side, you have the financial aspect, where you have departments that analyze figures and provide data that is

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essential. I always say running a restaurant is a business, the happy and delicious synthesis of hospitality, cooking and business.

In the old days, I’d never eat in a hotel. But things have changed. Hotels realise they are good at renting rooms, but perhaps not so much at running restaurants. Good restaurants need bite, decisiveness, a personality. With the case of [Metropolitan Hotel owner] Christina Ong, who brought me to London, and here at the Metropolitan in Bangkok, she knew this early on. She brought Nobu to London before it was famous. She’s been astute like that.”

HI: In Bangkok, we are seeing more signature restaurants associated with

Q&A DAVID THOMPSON

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Q&A DAVID THOMPSON

RUNNING A RESTAURANT IS A BUSINESS, THE HAPPY AND DELICIOUS SYNTHESIS OF HOSPITALITY, COOKING AND BUSINESS

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Q&A DAVID THOMPSON

GOOD RESTAURANTS NEED BITE, DECISIVENESS, A PERSONALITY

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hotels, often as showcases of established chefs. This is common in cities around the world but seems a new trend here. Your take?

DT: I think it’s great to see so many restaurants focused on cuisine and authenticity, like Apia, which is a true Roman trattoria. We’ve seen a lot of Italian pasta and pizza places in the past. What is happening is that Bangkok is becoming a center of action, as seen previously in Singapore, London and New York. That kind of focus of activity, and excitement, is now happening in Bangkok. It’s like a zeitgeist, so many things happening at once, the affluence here, and all the people coming. I’ve been a few places like this where it happened, in Sydney in the 1990s, in London in the 2000s, and now Bangkok.

Bangkok has always been a wonderful city,

a large city filled with lovely people and great food and history, but now it’s becoming a truly great city, soulful, so cosmopolitan with so much to do and enjoy. It’s attracting people from all over, it’s really world-class.

And there is so much local talent here ready for the opportunities, plus Thais with worldclass talent from overseas are coming back.

It’s a great time.

HI: What about your next project, the Long Chim restaurant in Singapore? What’s the concept? And it’s another hotel restaurant?

DT: The name means ‘Come and taste’, something like that. It’s Thai food, but street food, a restaurant and concept I’ve been thinking about for a long time. I really felt, after Nahm in London, I couldn’t cook this kind of food again outside of Asia.

We are very concerned about flavor and the quality of ingredients, and it is just too

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hard to get some things outside of Asia.

Street food is more transportable. It’s not as dependent on the ingredients as more conventional food. Some recipes have only three ingredients; here at Nahm, dishes may have 20. But it’s wonderful food. I love Thai street food. It’s really the kind of food that most people think of when they think of Thai food.

The restaurant really isn’t in a hotel; it’s part of the Marina Bay Sands, but within the shopping complex. It’s big, maybe 150-160 seats plus a bar; we had 70 seats here in the original Nahm (plus private seating). It should open by October, and this is just the first one. It’s a concept I’ve had in mind for a long time, but now have the right partners.

I’m really excited. We are thinking Hong Kong next, and then other Asian cities.

THE BEST: SHOW KITCHENS A SHOW (OR ‘DISPLAY’) KITCHEN HAS MULTI-FACETED APPEAL. IT GIVES GUESTS A GUARANTEE OF FRESHNESS AND HYGIENE AS WELL AS ENTERTAINMENT WHILST THEY ARE WAITING FOR THEIR MEALS. MORE COMMON IN ASIAN HOTELS (THINK SUSHI BARS AND WOK STATIONS), SHOW KITCHENS ARE BECOMING A STANDARD FEATURE IN ‘DESIGN HOTEL’ RESTAURANTS AND, ON SOME LEVEL, CAN OFTEN BE INCORPORATED INTO EXISTING LAYOUTS. SO DIM THE LIGHTS, FIRE UP THE JETS AND LET THE SHOW BEGIN. BY: SUZANNE WALES

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THE BEST SHOW KITCHENS

THE BEST SHOW KITCHENS

FIFTY FIVE EAST

GRAND HYATT, MUMBAI www.grand.hyatt.com ‘Out of the pan, off the grill and out of the wok’ is the philosophy of Fifty Five East, one of the four restaurants at the Grand Hyatt Mumbai. Its dishes leave few of the major culinary traditions of the near and far East untouched, with Thai, sushi, Lebanese meze, and local Indian curries all on offer.

In Fifty Five East, three gleaming show kitchens replace the dreary queues and clumsy trays that are a feature of ‘buffet restaurants’. Instead, chefs prepare to order, ensuring a lá minute freshness and a good deal of customer interaction. Seating arrangements range from intimate corners to an eight-seat semi-private dining room in a space of muted tones and bold feature walls of colourful laser cut wood created by the Tokyo-based design studio Super Potato. The unusual lighting effects are inspired by sunlight passing through branches in a forest.

THE BEST SHOW KITCHENS

THE SHOP RESTAURANT AND APARTMENT 2E

ANDAZ 5TH AVENUE, NYC www.andaz.com Andaz is a group of boutique hotels that aims to reflect the style of surrounding neighbourhoods and create local experiences. The Andaz 5th Avenue, near New York City’s renowned designer shopping district, does this through sleek loft-style bedrooms with floor-to-ceiling views onto the city’s most famous avenue, service staff that are passionate about New York, and The Shop – a restaurant that sources from state farmers and small producers. The Shop’s chefs can be booked for private dinners and parties in Apartment 2E, where a designer open kitchen forms part of the show. The culinary team preps, cooks and serves right there (there’s no back-of-house or prep kitchen), and in doing so, also become part of the entertainment. Guests are left to interact, nibble or even pitch in if they feel so inclined, just as if they were staying with a friend.

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THE BEST SHOW KITCHENS

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THE BEST SHOW KITCHENS

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THE BEST SHOW KITCHENS

THE GRACE HOTEL

SANTORINI, GREECE www.gracehotels.com The superb boutique hotel Grace Santorini is virtually carved into a cliff face 300 metres above the Greek Island’s volcanic caldera. Conceived by the London- and Athens-based Diversity Architects, and nominated for many awards when it opened in 2011, the design of the hotel has taken inspiration from Santorini’s white-washed cave-like dwellings, with organic forms and domed roofs excavated into the rock face. On top, it has the dreamiest infinity pool to be found anywhere in the Aegean. The hotel’s restaurant is next to the pool and offers both outdoor and indoor seating.

Whilst the latter doesn’t enjoy sea views, the architects have created a visually arresting space whose bold colours contrast with the aquatic and neutral tones found in the rest of the hotel. A discreet open kitchen is placed behind a curved feature wall, where the hotel’s chefs prepare Greek dishes with a modern Mediterranean twist.

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THE BEST SHOW KITCHENS

TANDOOR, THE HOLIDAY INN

ORCHARD CITY CENTRE, SINGAPORE www.holidayinn.com The popular Tandoor restaurant at the Holiday Inn Orchard City Centre has just received a major makeover, and the cooking process of its star dishes has been pushed into the spotlight. A pair of custom-made tandoor ovens were placed behind a floor-to-ceiling glass window, where uniformed chefs can be viewed preparing kebabs and Indian breads.

The custom-made copper and clay ovens are fired by coal (many commercially used tandoor ovens run on electricity), infusing the naans, parathas and rotis with an authentic, smoky flavour. Chefs treat the guests to culinary theatrics as they knead the dough before throwing the flattened pieces onto the oven’s clay interior shell to make it stick and cook.

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THE BEST SHOW KITCHENS

THIRTY8, GRAND HYATT

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA www.grand.hyatt.com Plenty of open space and captivating 360-degree views define THIRTY8, a lounge-bar-restaurant that occupies the 38th floor of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. High-rise city vistas, including the landmark Petronas Towers, are afforded from every angle and every area. With seating for 368 people, and open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, THIRTY8 needs to cater for a wide variety of tastes. Three gleaming show kitchens anchor the restaurant and feature satay grills, tandoor ovens, roti hot plates and wok stations manned and ready for freshly prepared a lรก carte. Culinary techniques are grouped together within each station: sushi with cold kitchen, pastry with Westernstyle roasts and so on. The open kitchen concept of THIRTY8 encourages interaction and constant movement, echoing the frenetic buzz of Kuala Lumpur itself.

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BEST HOTEL CONCEPT SHOPS ONCE A PLACE TO PICK UP A FORGOTTEN TOOTHBRUSH AND A PAIR OF STOCKINGS, THE HOTEL SHOP IS NOW BEING REVISITED, FROM POP UP SHOPS SHOWCASING ONE-OFF RETAIL EVENTS TO GOURMET STORES AND EMPORIUMS OFFERING DESIGNER GOODS. WHETHER THEY SELL A HOTEL’S SIGNATURE PRODUCTS OR A RANGE OF SHOES, THE MOST SUCCESSFUL EXTEND THE HOTEL BRAND AND BECOME DESTINATIONS IN THEMSELVES. BY: SUZANNE WALES

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THE BEST HOTEL CONCEPT SHOPS

HÔTEL DROOG, AMSTERDAM THE NETHERLANDS

www.hoteldroog.com The Droog Design studio represents the avant-garde of Dutch design, with curious and often whacky objects that take the everyday into the realm of fantasy, redefining established notions of luxury and exploring how design can shape the future. When the owners decided to extend their brand into a concept hotel housed in a 17th century building in historic Amsterdam (opened 2012), logically a Droog Shop was included in the project. Along with a 160-square-metre exhibition space, a surreal fairytalelike garden where natural and manmade objects mingle, and a hip café, the hotel’s Droog Store is central to the hotel’s experience. In a space that brims in the sort of organic sophistication that has made Droog famous (simple display elements, minimal adornment and neutral colors) its sells mostly small and overall affordable products that adhere to the company’s value of ‘enhancing everyday life’ as well as limited edition pieces from external designers.

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THE BEST HOTEL CONCEPT SHOPS

THE BEST HOTEL CONCEPT SHOPS

MANDARIN ORIENTAL BARCELONA, SPAIN

www.mandarinoriental.com/barcelona In a city brimming with superb design hotels, Barcelona’s Mandarin Oriental reigns supreme. The dreamy interior is a work by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola, who, inspired by the colonial history of the group, created a beguiling mise en scène that mixes eastern and western antiques, contemporary art and stylistic icons. The hotel has been remodelled from a former bank and is situated on the Passeig de Gràcia, Barcelona’s most luxurious shopping street. In what seems like a homage to five-star Asian hotels, where the retail and hotel experience merge, the hotel’s new architecture has included a handful of small and discreet shopping experiences. Two stores flank the main entrance (including a Tiffany & Co), there is a bijoux Manolo Blahnik boutique next to check in, and perhaps most charming of all, a series of small display windows line a wall near the elevators. Forming part of a feature wall that resembles an orientalist screen, they showcase a changing display of objects from the city’s top jewelry and accessory makers.

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THE BEST HOTEL CONCEPT SHOPS

THE PLAZA HOTEL

NEW YORK CITY, USA www.theplazany.com “I am Eloise, I am six. I am a city child. I live at The Plaza.” So begins the adventures of Eloise, a mischievous and precocious upstart who lives in the penthouse of the Plaza Hotel. One of the most New York-centric book characters of all time, Eloise was created by author/illustrator duo Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight. Since then she has spawned dozens of books, dolls and other merchandising paraphernalia, a TV movie and her own shop. Eloise at The Plaza is a kids’ fantasy come to life.

Decorated in 1950s pink-powder-puff style with candy-stripe chairs and doll house dressing tables, fledgling Park Avenue princesses can try on Eloise-style dresses in the ‘Fashion Room’, connect with a ‘concierge’ in the ‘Living Room’ and read about their heroine’s antics in the library. And what little girl wouldn’t want their mum to book the Eloise Tea Room for her birthday party? Certainly not when the menu includes pink lemonade and jelly and cream cheese sandwiches.

THE BEST HOTEL CONCEPT SHOPS

THE BEST HOTEL CONCEPT SHOPS

W THE STORE

W HOTELS WORLDWIDE www.whotelsthestore.com A take on the traditional hotel gift shop, W The Store features at 17 W hotels across the world, including New York City, London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Hollywood and Guangzhou (the latest in the line). For a hotel group that is adept at brand extension, each boutique carries a range of goods relative to the W culture: fashion, jewelry, bags, gadgets and spa products generally supplied by Bliss, which has significant partnership with the group. In addition, W The Store sells a special range of products baring the ‘W’ signature. The W range focuses on textiles and echoes the comfort, quality and style of the bedding and furnishings found in the hotels; like sheets, blankets, faux fur pillow cases and of course the ubiquitous black ‘W’ umbrella. These products can be purchased both in-store and online, meaning that those that haven’t paid into the full-blown ‘W’ experience can order a little taster without leaving home.

THE BEST HOTEL CONCEPT SHOPS

THE BEST HOTEL CONCEPT SHOPS

THE STANDARD HIGH LINE NEW YORK CITY, USA www.standardhotels.com/high-line Now with five hotels – one in Miami, two in LA and two in New York City - Standard Hotels is making waves in the hipster niche market, providing slick, affordable accommodation that puts as much (if not more) emphasis on their urban and cultural context as on pillow type. The Standard High Line, the latest in the group, is situated in New York’s meatpacking district, a neighborhood that is synonymous with cutting-edge cool nightlife and the arts. The rooftop terrace, with its views of the Hudson River, has become a local hotspot, as have an outdoor beer garden and grill room. Situated just beyond the front desk, The Shop offers a tightly edited selection of goods and sundries in tune with The Standard’s sophisticated lifestylers. Art books and magazines, gift items by cult producers such as Six Scents, Dita and Comme des Garçon, and a special line of objects conceived by artists especially for The Shop: t-shirts, totes, sunglasses and other ephemera of modern life in the Big Apple. The Standard has incorporated shops into their Miami and LA hotels too – sun and surf accessories in Miami, whilst the LA boutiques focus on vintage frames and designer gadgets.

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THE BEST WE LIST THE BEST OF

AIRPORT HOTELS

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THE BEST AIRPORT HOTELS

BEST AIRPORT HOTELS

TRADITIONALLY THE REALM OF BLAND FORMULAIC ACCOMMODATIONS CATERING TO BLURRYEYED BUSINESSMEN, THE AIRPORT HOTEL IS RETHINKING ITS ROLE. SAVVY HOTELIERS KNOW THAT MODERN TRAVELERS WANT SMART SURROUNDINGS, ENTICING BARS AND CAFES AND SWIFT, EFFICIENT SERVICES DESIGNED TO TAKE THE STRESS OUT OF A LAYOVER. BY: SUZANNE WALES

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PROFILES CAPE TOWN’S VINEYARD HOTEL

THE BEST AIRPORT HOTELS

HILTON HOTEL

FRANKFURT, GERMANY

www.hllton.com Hands up a frequent flyer who hasn’t put in some layover time at Frankfurt Airport? One of Europe’s major airport hubs, the airport was screaming for a luxury layover hotel for all the city’s business and trade fair visitors. In 2012 it got just that with this addition to the Hilton Group. Situated directly above the sleek InterCity Express station with its fast links to the city centre and beyond, and inside the giant, futuristic ‘The Square’ complex, the Hilton Frankfurt Airport has quickly become an award-winning poster child for new-generation airport hotels. It offers a smooth, calming atmosphere whilst still retaining an air of efficiency and mobility. The hotel takes shape via a ‘horizontal’ skyscraper whose curved formation has rendered each of the 249 rooms and suites with a slightly different format, from standard rooms with work desks to the 140-square-metre presidential suite with outstanding views of Frankfurt’s skyline and the runway. The rooms’ décor, which was carried out by the Hamburg-based JoiDesign studio, is executed in warm colors and a mixture of artisan and industrial surfaces in noble materials, with leather-clad wardrobes, stylized high-back chairs, black marble vanity basins and other elements carefully chosen to create a sophisticated, ‘natural meets high tech’ look that German design is famous for.

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THE BEST AIRPORT HOTELS

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PROFILES CAPE TOWN’S VINEYARD HOTEL

THE BEST AIRPORT HOTELS

FAIRMONT VANCOUVER AIRPORT VANCOUVER, CANADA

www.fairmont.com/vancouverairport Vancouver airport’s thrilling ocean-meets-mountain situation makes landing here a special joy. The Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel is one of the few airport hotels that doesn’t try to hide its proximity to the runway, but rather embraces it with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the tarmac and the city’s famous backdrop. Not that this will interfere with a good night’s sleep, as all of the 392 rooms and common areas are triple-pane soundproofed. Like many top-notch airport hotels, Fairmont Vancouver Airport offers rooms for Day Use (8am-8pm) where those with whacked out body clocks can have some shuteye on a special floor that has no sleep-disturbing room service. Other guest perks include being able to check in and print boarding passes in the lobby, and specially prepared meals to carry on board. Those returning from Vancouver’s famed fishing destinations can also rest easy, as their prize catch can be checked into a special ‘fish freezer’, keeping it ready to board when you are.

THE BEST AIRPORT HOTELS

CUSTOM HOTEL

LOS ANGELES, USA www.jdvhotels.com LAX airport has become synonymous with the golden age of air travel, when Pan Am ruled the skies and travelers sipped martinis in onboard cocktail bars. LA’s Custom Hotel, the only boutique hotel that is situated within a few miles of the city’s airport, draws on this retro-groovy vibe with a modish interior and lively pool and bar scene, complete with cabañas and a fire pit. Typically for LA, the Custom has been re-birthed from a lesser hotel that originally opened in 1975. Taken over by the Joie de Vivre group in 2008, the company’s in-house designer injected a large dose of personality into the décor with honey-combed patterned wall coverings acting as backdrop for bright, vintage-inspired textiles and furniture. Common areas include the smart ‘Layover Lobby’ where guests can have their digital portrait taken, which are then inserted into a rotating visual display behind the desk. There are also various relaxation lounges – one featuring electronic games and a screen showing flight information and another with a pair of executive massage chairs. Despite the obvious ‘come fly with me’ references, the Custom Hotel never feels thematic, but rather an airport hotel of choice for the hipster set.

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THE BEST AIRPORT HOTELS

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THE BEST AIRPORT HOTELS

SOFITEL LONDON HEATHROW LONDON, ENGLAND

www.sofitel.com If there are two words that that send a shiver down the spine of any frequent traveler they are London, Heathrow. The airport gets a bad rap for annoying weather conditions and long, slow transits into central London. Opened in 2008 and situated a short walk from the (then new) T5, the Sofitel London Heathrow allows for some creature comforts in the world’s third-busiest airport. The hotel has shunned the formulaic corporate ambiance of most airport hotels for something much more inspiring. The interior was created by the studio of British architect Stephen Williams, who also outfitted Dubai’s Burj al Arab, as well as the Sultan of Brunei’s palace. Luxe, without being overtly showy, the various ambiances are inspired by the continents – from the huge water element at reception representing Antarctica to a Zen-inspired garden situated in one of the hotel’s three atriums. Non-guests can enjoy some sophisticated worldliness too by taking tea in the chic Tea 5 lounge or perking up over a glass of bubbly in the Perrier-Jouët Bar.

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THE BEST AIRPORT HOTELS

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THE BEST AIRPORT HOTELS

CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL, CHANGI AIRPORT SINGAPORE

www.crowneplaza.com Singapore’s Changi Airport is constantly named in the best in world. It hosts a vast array of services, shops and facilities on top of three transit hotels (one in each terminal). As handy as these are, they don’t come within a pinch of matching the luxurious splendor of the Crowne Plaza. Contemporary Asian design is showcased in the hotel, under the themes of ‘tropical plants’ and ‘textiles’. Thus, warm timber walls, woven like fabric, embrace lush common areas where benches are shaped like split papayas and cushions resemble flowering seedpods. Guest rooms display an abundance of natural materials and natural light, with beautiful carpets inspired by traditional Ikat fabric and giant orchid murals. This floral theme extends to the exterior ‘screen’ that is wrapped around the façade, providing shade and protection to two courtyards, which accommodate the swimming pool area in one and a lush garden in another. Feeling more like a resort hotel than a city (let alone an airport) one, the Crowne Plaza seems to have been created as the antithesis to the artificiality of modern day travel.

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GREEN SPOTLIGHT - YAO NOI’S SIX SENSES

YAO NOI’S SIX SENSES SUSTAINABILITY IS PART OF THE DNA AT THIS LUXURY RESORT IN SOUTHERN THAILAND BY: RON GLUCKMAN

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GREEN SPOTLIGHT - YAO NOI’S SIX SENSES

An ice cream bar may seem unusual at a five-star resort; likewise popcorn passed around at an outdoor cinema under the stars. And few, if any, luxury resorts boast a chicken farm. Breaking the mold has been business as usual, and a large part of the appeal, for over a decade at the upscale but unconventional Six Senses.

This small, influential luxury chain based in Bangkok has created some of the world’s most talked-about and celebrated resorts, including Soneva Fushi in the Maldives – a mainstay on the world’s best lists. While comfort and top-notch service typifies Six Senses as much as quirky features, the firm’s commitment to social and environmental responsibility has been a major attraction to its loyal following.

That’s readily apparent on the island of Yao Noi, a Robinson-Crusoe-style getaway in Southern Thailand.

No airports serve the rustic isle; guests arrive by private speedboat from nearby Phuket. The property features an eclectic collection of deceptively rustic-looking villas tucked

amongst lush vegetation, all with private pools and the supreme pampering associated with Six Senses’ creed of ‘Barefoot Luxury’.

No comfort is compromised, yet Six Senses reaches exemplary levels of sustainability. The resort was carefully built among existing forest, using lots of salvaged wood.

Lights are efficient. Water is recycled and purified for drinking. Much of the produce consumed by guests is grown in charming gardens on site. And the chickens not only contribute fresh, healthy eggs, but also munch kitchen waste, producing compost used for the gardens.

These are a few colorful aspects of the company’s matrix of environmental measures, standard to all its resorts worldwide. Every property has its own sustainability champion who not only coordinates chain policies, but also suggests new measures that work locally, and just might yield benefit for other resorts.

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GREEN SPOTLIGHT - YAO NOI’S SIX SENSES

“I want things like this to come out of the box,” says Amber Beard, Vice President of Sustainability at the Bangkok head office. “I want everyone to be involved, and share ideas.

One person cannot do this. It’s about everyone buying in.”

Yao Noi offers a wonderful showpiece. The tiny island has limited fresh water, so the resort produces all its own.

Six Senses was a pioneer in switching from expensive (and highly profitable) imported bottled water to locally produced water. This is stocked in recycled glass bottles, sold in the restaurants, with much of the proceeds going to off-site community initiatives.

Initially wastewater was recycled in ponds, picturesque aeration providing basic treatment. Then, the resort started using EM (Effective Microorganisms) to purify the water, now reused around the grounds. “We save a lot of water, and money,” says Pimjai Doungnate, who oversees sustainability and quality assurance at the resort.

Many resorts pay lip service to sustainability but Six Senses has a comprehensive Waste-to-Wealth strategy.

The aim is to constantly consider new ways of combatting waste, terming the effort a series of opportunities, rather than compromises. “There is this great misconception about

sustainability,” explains Beard. “People think that it’s going to be hard, and involve sacrifice. That doesn’t have to be the case.”

She concedes there are costs, sometimes sizeable, but they can be offset by long-term gains. Six Senses sprouts in some of the world’s most pristine locations. Often resources are limited, and environmental impact can be huge, compromising the serene ecology that the resort values so highly, and guests come to savor.

Thinking out of the box becomes essential in such settings. Six Senses Zighy Bay is in a remote part of Oman, lacking virtually all services; access is largely from Dubai.

Supplies come at great cost, risk of spoilage and huge carbon footprint. Six Senses responded by renting land nearby to grow produce. They ship organic vegetables fresh to the table, with $80,000 savings in food costs annually, says Beard.

The benefits accumulate. “We’re always looking at new ways to do things better,” says Manish Puri, general manager at Yao Noi. “We don’t put a green flag up. The guests know about this, and we do it for the guests, but we also do it for ourselves.”

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GREEN SPOTLIGHT - YAO NOI’S SIX SENSES

Reactions, he says, are overwhelmingly positive.

Guests tour the organic gardens with chef Anthony Reynolds, who says the resort produces 15 percent of its food, which is healthier utilising fresh, local ingredients. Everything is visible, and shared, including a mushroom-shaped fairytale hut where guests can see how mushrooms grow.

Tours of the resort water plant are also popular, but the main attraction is often the chicken farm, a Yao Noi innovation that could be adopted at other Six Senses.

“Before we spent 50,000 baht (about $1600) per month for organic eggs,” says Puri. “Guests can visit the chickens, pick up an egg still warm, and give it to their butler for breakfast.

“This saves us money,” he says, “and it makes us different. We still have glitz and glamour, but a lot of people want nature, and to be in a sustainable setting. This makes business sense – it saves money and waste. But it’s also part of our DNA.”

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GREEN SPOTLIGHT - YAO NOI’S SIX SENSES

THERE IS THIS GREAT MISCONCEPTION ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY, EXPLAINS BEARD. “PEOPLE THINK THAT IT’S GOING TO BE HARD, AND INVOLVE SACRIFICE. THAT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THE CASE

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YAO NOI’S SIX SENSES Phone: + 66 (0) 76 418 500 Web: www.sixsenses.com/yaonoi General Manager: Mr. Manish Puri Owner: Sustainable Luxury Hospitality (Thailand) Ltd Company Room Rates (Double Room): Pool Villas start at 16,875 Thai Baht (about $525), low season Number of rooms: 55 Pool Villas

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PROFILES - CHINA’S TALLEST HOTELS

CHINA’S TALLEST HOTELS SKYSCRAPERS DELIVER HEAVENLY VIEWS AND EXTREME CHALLENGES BY: RON GLUCKMAN

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PROFILES - CHINA’S TALLEST HOTELS

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong

Hotels have grown enormously over the years, not only in stature and sophistication, but in sheer size. Every few years, another skyscraper supplants the last as the world’s tallest, often with a lavish new hotel coddling guests on its upper floors. Skyscraper hotels take guests a few steps closer to heaven. But for hoteliers, they can be headaches.

“The logistics are extremely complicated,” concedes Nicolas Senes, assistant director of Food & Beverage at Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou, in the top floors of the 103-story Guangzhou Inter national Finance Centre, among the world’s 10 tallest towers. “You really have to plan ahead, and plan well. That’s the critical thing.”

Senes details scores of considerations in moving staff, food and supplies up the nearly 440-metre-tall building. But the main factor?

“We’re completely dependent on lifts. There are 18 dedicated to the hotel, for guests and back house”, he says, “but getting everything up and down is a constant challenge.”

Nobody knows this better than Juan Samso, manager of the Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, the world’s highest hotel.

On the 118th floor is the aptly-named Ozone, highest bar on the planet. Views are literally out of this world, drawing scores of hotel guests and visitors. An estimated 90 percent of customers come from outside, highlighting the huge importance of these iconic properties. On a typical day, the Ritz’s outlets serve 600-700 people. Last New Year’s Eve, the Ritz was rocking, with nearly 1,700 people packing Ozone alone. Such success can be overwhelming.

“Everything in a building like this requires critical planning. In a normal hotel, everyone has a different agenda,” he explains. “Movement is spread out. But here at the Ritz, everyone has the same agenda, to get up, or down.”

Even with 80 high-speed elevators serving the mixed-use building and lightning-fast computer controls, accommodating everyone becomes a balancing act. The lifts are so critical to the building’s operation that elevator maintenance workers are on site 24-7 says Samso, who adds, “I’ve become a master of the elevator!”

Skyscrapers have enjoyed renewed vitality over the last two decades, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, home to 17 of the world’s 20 tallest buildings, according to the Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH).

As lighter, stronger construction materials propel buildings to ever greater heights, lift technology has evolved rapidly to keep pace.

Just a decade ago, double-decker lifts were commonplace, serving pairs of floors simultaneously. Staging areas allowed guests to shuttle between lifts dedicated to different sections of a building, often utilising the same shaft. Nowadays, express lifts race longer distances, without stops, as buildings are sectioned for use. In the Ritz, for instance, you zip straight up to the lobby on the 103rd floor, like on a space lift.

Yet technology cannot eliminate the physical gap confronting supplies and services. As towers grow dramatically taller, the gap broadens. Consider a skyscraper

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PROFILES - CHINA’S TALLEST HOTELS

RITZ - CARLTON, HONG KONG Web: www.ritzcarlton.com/hongkong Address: International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, Hong Kong Phone: +852 2263 2263 Manager: Mr Pierre Perusset Owner Company: Sun Hung Kai Properties Number of Rooms: 312 Rack Rate from: HKD 7,400 + 10% service charge

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PROFILES - CHINA’S TALLEST HOTELS

Park Hyatt

hotel as two distinct parts: an orbiting pod dependent on ground-level services. What guests experience is up top.

But the essentials are down below, in a kind of base station.

Typically, most food storage is at ground level, along with most supplies. Pastries are prepared and breads baked in basement levels. Linen is washed below, since energy is saved by not moving supplies or water skyward unless necessary. Still, outlets above must be stocked and serviced regularly. Making it all work requires military-like precision.

“You develop systems,” says Marco Avitabile, Hyatt’s regional vice president of Food and Beverage for the Asia Pacific Region. He oversees five dozen hotels, many of them skyscrapers, including two in Shanghai that were, for a time, both the world’s highest. The Grand Hyatt earned that honour in 1999, when it opened in the 421-metre Jim Mao, still considered one of the grandest new skyscrapers of modern times. In 2008, the Park Hyatt opened in the 492-metre World Financial Centre, right next door.

You develop skyscraper common sense. Employees take uniforms with them as they depart the high floors, leaving them down below in the laundry room, where they are cleaned, and picked up the next day by staff arriving for the journey skyward.

Like other super-tall hotels, the Hyatt stocks staples and does some food preparation at entry floors. But all restaurants have their own kitchens high above. “You need to have production of food as close to the guest as possible,” he explains.

Behind the scenes, everything moves like clockwork.

Cleaning crews refresh the venues each night, while food ordered for the next day begins moving skyward each mor ning, in time for breakfast. “You lear n to be very well prepared,” he says. “You need to have everything organised.

Every minute counts.”

Improvisation and innovation is critical at such heights. “You have to be creative and work as a team,” says Senes. Four Seasons staff uses WeChat and other message services. “If you need something, like a steak, we message that, and someone coming up can bring it. Otherwise, it could take 20 minutes if you send someone down.”

But it’s all worth it, he says, when he sees the look on the faces of guests. “It gets harder and harder to wow customers these days. They seem to travel everywhere. But when they come up in the elevators, get out, you see that look, the wow factor.”

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PROFILES - CHINA’S TALLEST HOTELS

PARK HYATT SHANGHAI Web: www.shanghai.park.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html Address: 100 Century Avenue, Pudong District, Shanghai, China, 200121 Phone: 4000-220-888 Manager: Etienne Dalancon Owner Company: Mori Building Company Number of Rooms: 174 Rack Rate: 2,500.00 CHINA RMB + Tax, Fees & Service Charges 15.00%

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PROFILES - CHINA’S TALLEST HOTELS

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PROFILES - CHINA’S TALLEST HOTELS

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL GUANGZHOU Web: www.fourseasons.com/guangzhou Address: 5 Zhujiang West Road, Pearl River New City, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, China Phone: 86 20 8883 3888 Manager: Bahram Sepahi Owner Company: Yuexiu Real Estate Investment Trading Company Limited Number of Rooms: 344 (including 42 suites) Rack Rate for a Standard Room: CNY 1780 per night room

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LAST LOOK STREET SMART

GRAFFITI AND EDGY URBAN DÉCOR GIVE A NEW FACE TO HONG KONG’S J PLUS HOTEL BY YOO BY: PAUL EHRLICH

Drawing on spray can and street art, Hong Kong’s J Plus Hotel by Yoo’s recent HK$10 million (US$1.3 million) makeover takes to the street for inspiration and attitude, incorporating graffiti art into its new look from façade to furnishings.

As Hong Kong’s first boutique hotel and Philipp Stark’s first foray into Asia, J Plus (formerly the Jia Hotel) set the local standard for designer style. W ith its edgy, new look by design company Yoo, this urban retreat located in bustling Causeway Bay maintains its funky wow factor among its mainly hip, young guests. A graffiticovered exterior that includes a huge Renaissance-style portrait of a woman created by Graffiti4hire, sets the tone for the new look inside.

Graffiti, once the paint scrawl of abandoned buildings and brick walls, is now a must-have design element for hip hotels as grittiness becomes new the cool. Hipster hotels showcasing the work of street artists include New York’s Ace Hotel, with its lobby wall of 4,000 graffiti stickers; Baltimore-based Brookshire Suites’ streetinspired lobby set off from elevators by a chain-link fence; luxury ME London Hotel, with a nine-story graffiti mural; and Beijing’s Grace Beijing, with graffiti art scattered throughout the property. Graffiti artists let loose can also be found in Copenhagen’s Hotel Fox and San Francisco’s Hotel des Arts.

At J Plus, the street-level lobby features gold chain curtains, floor-to-ceiling windows providing cinematic scenes, and a surreal mix of East and West. T inted glass panels inscribed with Chinese motifs; a coloursplattered, traditional French-styled sofa; masterpiece paintings streaked over with paint; and large graffiti rugs all vie for guests’ attention.

The 56 studios and suites, ranging from 380sqft to 780sqft, reflect the vibrancy of the neighbourhood with bright colours and decorative elements like ceiling graffiti and black-and-white photographs of local street scenes. It’s the urban version of bringing the outside in.

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