Luxury Hospitality Magazine - August 2023

MAGAZINE

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Making things easy.

It’s how we roll.

Clarity likes to help you work smarter, not harder.

We know that when it comes to running your hotel, there is no off-the-shelf solution that just works from day one. Every new system needs the edges smoothed, sculpted to your needs refined to help take the load off your team. Our local staff are on hand to help do this.

We offer bespoke development and integration to all of your key systems, streamlining your staff productivity and guest experience and all without breaking the bank.

At Clarity we do the things that most other hospitality software providers do. However, we also pride ourselves on being ahead of the game, meeting client’s needs at every level.

It’s these differences that set us apart.

So what is the #ClarityDifference?

• • • • • • • •

Performance - Real-time systems and web integration for instant response Affordability - Low cost of entry or change with Cloud Hosted systems Integrity - Proven technology that is smart, fast and reliable Choices - Cloud or On-Premise hosted systems without any compromise Experience – Exceptional software designers and developers since 1995 Simple - No version upgrade charges Committed - Quality training programs Supportive – Fast-response 24/7 support from our inhouse team

sales@clarityhospitality.co.uk Office +44 330 043 0719 Craig +44 7455 288198 clarityhospitality.co.uk

Editor – Maria Lapthorn maria@lhmagazine.co.uk Editorial Assistant – Francesca Amato editorial@lhmagazine.co.uk Production/Design – Laura Whitehead laura@lhmagazine.co.uk

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Sales Executive – Sophie Evans sophie@lhmagazine.co.uk Accounts – Richard Lapthorn accounts@lhmagazine.co.uk Circulation Manager – Leo Phillips subs@luxuryhospitality.co.uk Publishing Director – Paul Attwood paul@lhmagazine.co.uk Lapthorn Media Ltd 5-7 Ozengell Place Eurokent Business Park Ramsgate, Kent CT12 6PB 01843 808104

CONTENTS Project: Goddard Littlefair Creates a Secluded Sanctuary Steeped in History in The Redesign of The Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At Sultanahmet 32-33, 34-35, 36

Company News 04-05, 06 StableTable 07 Molton Brown Ltd 09

Indigo Awnings 37

Openings 10-11, 12, 54-55, 56

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in Luxury Hospitality Magazine. However, the publishers accept no responsibility for the claims or opinions made by advertisers, manufacturers or contributors.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic (including photocopying) or stored in any information retrieval system without the prior consent of the publisher.

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Hotel & Resort Innovation Expo - Show Preview 38-39

Oliver Hemming 14-15

People On The Move 42-43

Project: Scarpetta Restaurant, WaldorfAstoria Doha 16-17, 18-19

Latest News 44

Enomatic UK Ltd 24-25

Events & Awards News 48-49, 50

Interview: Luxury Hospitality Magazine speaks with Chef Candeias at the Amara Restaurant at Four the Seasons Fairways, about the restaurant expansion and the newly created menus 26-27, 28-29

Review: A Lucky Cat Encounter in Manchester's Culinary Landscape 57 Wellness Feature: The model to help you win at wellness, by Sonal Uberoi of Spa Balance 60-61, 62

BIC Graphic 30-31

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COMPANY NEWS

AWARD WINNING LIGHTING DESIGNERS ‘LIGHT DIRECTIONS’ OPENS STUDIOS IN LONDON AND DUBAI

“Our focus is on targeted sustainable growth in Europe and the Middle East, with the US next on our radar” said Gerard Lee, Partner, Light Directions, Singapore.

Recently, Lighting design consultancy, Light Directions continues its global expansion, launching design studios this year in the United Kingdom (UK) and Dubai, bringing the total number to eight studios worldwide.

April Comerford brings over ten years of lighting design experience to the role, including the last three years at Xavio Design of Mayfair, London.

Given her business development acumen, April’s responsibilities will also extend to identifying and actively supporting client opportunities globally, and driving entry into new growth markets, beginning with the US.

“Light Directions has been active for several years in the UK and Dubai, and our growing volume of work indicated it was the right timing to launch both studios.

This expansion also sees a new generation of design leadership head up the studios, with the appointments of April Comerford, Studio Principal for UK and Europe and Andrea Acciarresi, Studio Director for MENA.

“I am excited to be leading Light Directions’ new London design studio. We have an incredibly talented team of designers, and I am looking forward to working together to create innovative solutions for a diversity of clients around the world”, said April Comerford.

As the Dubai Studio Director, Andrea Acciarresi has over 15 years of experience in lighting design, including ten years in the Dubai market with Light Touch PLD, working on awardwinning international and regional projects, such as the Palazzo Versace, Dubai, the Bujairi Terrace in Riyadh, and on a different scale, the Kazakhstan Pavilion and Science Museum (Nur Alem) at the International Specialized Exhibition EXPO 2017 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Andrea Acciarresi declared, “this is an exciting point to be joining Light Directions. I am privileged to be tasked with driving the brand’s growth and its evolution in the MENA region. Lighting and design are not just my career, but my lifelong passion.”

Luxury Hospitality Magazine

Over its 30-year history, Light Directions have mastered the art of orchestrating ‘light and shadow.’ It is a renowned lighting design consultancy, trusted by the world’s leading brands, delivering projects across the residential, hospitality, commercial and marine sectors.

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TAO GROUP HOSPITALITY EXPANDS PRESENCE AT THE TOP OF LONDON’S DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT SCENE WITH A NEW LUXURY HOTEL PARTNERSHIP Tao Group Hospitality, the global hospitality company known for its distinctive culinary and premium entetainment experiences at more than 80 remarkable venues around the world, has announced a partnership for a first-of-its-kind concept in London with new independent luxury hotel The BoTree. Tao Group Hospitality will oversee all of the food and beverage outlets in the 199-room luxury hotel, including LAVO Ristorante, which will make its London debut when The BoTree opens this summer at the intersection of the affluent Marylebone and Mayfair neighborhoods.

COMPANY NEWS

One of London’s hottest openings of 2023, The BoTree is poised to establish a vibrant and elegant new hub in the city’s West End, and the Tao Group Hospitalityoperated venues will bring its brand of culinary excellence and entertainment-led guest experiences to the area.

LAVO Ristorante, The BoTree’s signature restaurant, will serve up coastal Italian fare. Having perfected their signature style and earned a following of celebrity patrons in Los Angeles, LAVO Ristorante is set to delight guests at their new location with menu highlights including their fresh pasta made in-house; pizzas made with whole grain, single-source flour, the Tagliatelle al Limone created with marjoram, sweet butter, kaluga caviar, the Meatball made with wagyu and topped with whipped ricotta, the Salt-Baked Sea Bass and more. An inspired cocktail program and curated wine collections will complete the dining experience.

Prior to partnering with The BoTree, Tao Group Hospitality acquired Hakkasan Group in April 2021 and is the owner of many of the world’s hippest dining and nightlife venues including Tao, Marquee, Beauty & Essex, Cathédrale, Little Sister, Omnia, Koma and more. Tao Group Hospitality’s corporate headquarters are located in New York City with outposts in each of its global city locations.

TAMIAS MERGES WITH TIME 2 DINE EXPANDING PORTFOLIO AND FUELLING GROWTH POS system provider Tamias has announced a merger with Time 2 Dine, gaining access to Time 2 Dine’s cutting-edge technology, extensive network, and an array of valuable partnerships, as the company leverages its success in FIFA World Cup fan zones.

Following a successful contribution to the first World Cup held in the Middle East, the next stop for the ambitious tech company is the UK, and the joining of forces with Time 2 Dine serves to further solidify the position of their POS systems as part of the dining, retail and hospitality industry.

“We were delighted that the power of Tamias POS was showcased during the FIFA 2022 Qatar World Cup” said Adam Haines, CEO of Tamias. “We’ve been based in Qatar to date, a place that fosters innovation, particularly in tech and smart systems. Now we’re bringing the same advanced technology and its user-friendly interface to customers in the UK, cementing our position as a provider of POS systems globally through this merger with Time 2 Dine.”

The hope of the merged companies is that shared synergies will facilitate the development of a

CEO of Time 2 Dine, Florin Mandache, commented, “We’re excited to join forces with Tamias following their standout success in the Middle East, and are confident that the integration of Time 2 Dine’s expertise and offerings will accelerate the growth trajectory and unlock new avenues for success.”

Clients and partners of both Time 2 Dine and Tamias can expect a seamless transition during this merger. The consolidated resources and talent pool will ensure uninterrupted service delivery and an even greater level of support as they embark on their journey of growth and innovation. As the companies work hand-in-hand, they will strive to redefine industry standards, foster sustainable partnerships, and make a lasting impact on the global culinary landscape.

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The strategic partnership marks a significant milestone for both companies, as they join forces to enhance their offerings and deliver unparalleled value to customers worldwide. It also comes at a prime time in Tamias’ ambitious growth plan, bringing the value of its experience in the UK market and a tried and tested business model, expertise and customer base.

comprehensive portfolio that caters to the evolving needs of the F&B industry. By leveraging these combined strengths, Tamias will continue to revolutionise the way people dine and enjoy exceptional hospitality experiences.

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COMPANY NEWS

OMAKASE, SAKE AND SUSHI: TOKII’S NEW SENSORIAL JAPANESE EXPERIENCES AT THE PRINCE AKATOKI LONDON Luxury Marylebone hotel The Prince Akatoki London is excited to announce the launch of two new gastronomic experiences at its Japanese inspired dining restaurant TOKii, designed to take guests on a sensory journey of exquisite Japanese ingredients and culinary mastery.

Launching on 4 July, the new Omakase Experience offers an immersive 11-dish blind tasting of Japanese cuisine at the restaurant’s intimate six-seat sushi counter.

TOKii has also announced the launch of the first edition of its Supper Club Series on 13 July, with a carefully curated Japanese inspired fine fusion menu and sake pairing led by the restaurant’s expert sake sommelier.

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The new Omakase Experience offers a refined yet inexpensive taste of this revered Japanese dining style, allowing

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sushi, sashimi and sake lovers to watch the experts at work at the restaurant’s intimate sushi counter. For complete authenticity, the 11-dish menu will not be revealed before dining, however participants can expect creative fusions on traditional dishes, built on a foundation of impeccable sourcing of the finest ingredients such as oyster, scallop, seabass, eel, salmon, wagyu, miso and yuzu.

Commencing on 13 July, the Supper Club Series will delight diners with a carefully curated Japan inspired menu with sake pairing for an unmissable and authentic journey through Japanese cuisine.

Hosted at TOKii, the evening begins with a traditional sake barrel experience led by the hotel’s expert sake sommelier, before enjoying a six-course dinner which not only combines the best of what TOKii has to offer but also a meal which is accompanied by flavourful sake.

Menu highlights include Beef fillet tataki with red onion salsa, ponzu and garlic crisps and Grade A5 Japanese Wagyu with spicy ponzu, finished with a Dark chocolate fondant and matcha ice-cream.

Already renowned for immersive culinary experiences including its popular Sushi Making Masterclass, The Prince Akatoki is excited to expand its offering to educate and engage guests on the mastery of Japanese dining, launching the Omakase Experience along with an exclusive Supper Club series.

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“No more wobbly tables!”

BATHROOMS

CABUCHON LAUNCHES THE FUTARI TWO-PERSON SOAKING TUB British bath manufacturer Cabuchon Bathforms has announced the launch of its new Futari two-person deep soaking tub.

The internal depth between the seat and overflow measures 470mm (18½”), while the depth to the footwell is 565mm (22¼”). As in any true deep soaking tub, users adopt an upright, seated posture. Depth is important because deeper water tends to buoy up the bather, thereby promoting a sense of weightlessness and comfort. The upright posture helps to take strain off the neck and shoulders.

The Futari therefore offers the comfort and other benefits of a singleseat soaking tub, and makes the best use of a relatively compact footprint. With external dimensions of 1600 x 1150mm (63” x 45¼”), the Futari is suitable for use in most bathrooms, and will pass through a standard door of 737mm (29”).

“The Futari is built to what we’d regard as the ‘classic’ deep soaking tub design,” explains Cabuchon marketing manager, Jordan Petts.

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It has a sculpted backrest and enough room on the raised seat to slide backwards or forwards so as to vary the effective depth of the water.

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The Futari is the company’s second soaking tub for shared bathing. It was developed in response to the popularity of its original two-seat model, the Xanadu. The most distinctive feature of the new Futari is the seating position; it incorporates two clearly defined seats with sculpted back rests, and bathers sit at opposite ends, slightly offset.

“By that, I mean it is compact and the bather sits in a relatively upright position. It has a sculpted backrest and enough room on the raised seat to slide backwards or forwards so as to vary the effective depth of the water. It’s the result of extensive testing and we regard it as one of the most comfortable baths we’ve ever made.”

The Futari is designed primarily as a built-in bath. It can be set into a raised deck or a tiled surround, and it may be installed either as a drop-in bath (with the rim visible) or undermounted (with the rim set below the deck.) Optionally, Cabuchon can also supply bespoke panels that cover anything from one to four sides.

The company first coined the phrase ‘deep soaking tub’ to describe its Imersa bath, which it launched in 1991. The bath took its inspiration from the Japanese ofuro, but Cabuchon added an integral seat and manufactured it using Ficore® - its own, specially developed composite. In the years that followed, Cabuchon has launched a further six deep soaking tubs, of which the Futari is the latest. All are handmade in Britain using Ficore®.

OBSIDIANA COMPAC 100% RECYCLED 100% RECYCLABLE

Obsidiana COMPAC is a truly pioneering surface material made from 100% recycled glass and is itself 100% recyclable, making it the first worksurface in the World to offer a totally sustainable solution.

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COMPAC have been able to create this unique worksurface without compromising its beauty, versatility or performance therefore, Obsidiana COMPAC can be specified with confidence for kitchen worksurfaces, feature walls and wall cladding, splash backs, bathrooms and shower trays.

Obsidiana COMPAC is available in two extraordinary collections - Volcano and Astral and both offer high resistance to abrasions, impact, chemicals and water absorption.

COMPAC’s commitment to produce safe, circular, and sustainable products is underpinned by a number of prestigious design and sustainability awards Obsidiana COMPAC has won since its launch in 2020.

Website: www.compac.es

08 LHM322014 Compac QP.indd 1

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Cabuchon can produce Ficore® in any colour. Within its standard pricing, Cabuchon will match most other sanitaryware manufacturers’ published colours. For an extra fee, special colours can also be produced - to match, for example, the base colour of a stone, tile or fabric.

Ficore® is more rigid than any non-metal or non-stone bath, and it exhibits superior heat retention. In independent tests, it has been shown to keep water hot more than six times longer than acrylic and more than twelve times longer than vitreous enamelled metal.

The Futari is backed by a 25-year guarantee and, like all of Cabuchon’s deep soaking tubs, it may be purchased with an optional hydrotherapy system, tailored to the size and preferences of the user.

More information about the Futari, including a technical specification sheet, can be found on the company’s website - www.cabuchon.com - or by calling 01524 66022.

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OPENINGS

Nobu Hotel London Shoreditch SET TO OPEN NEW Nobu Shoreditch Bar & Terrace Serving up signature Nobu dishes, innovative small plates & sushi, alongside epic crafted cocktails, the new East London hotspot is sure to impress.

Nobu Hotel London Shoreditch (www.london-shoreditch.nobuhotels.com), the iconic lifestyle hotel in East London, is opening a brand-new destination bar, Nobu Shoreditch Bar & Terrace. Situated at the entrance of Nobu Restaurant Shoreditch, the cool hangout is the ideal spot to grab a post-work cocktail, or enjoy world renowned Nobu signature dishes, small plates and sushi in a relaxed setting.

Open to the public now, the space boasts cool interiors, Japanese artworks and a carefully curated menu of cocktails. Ideal for the summer, the space maps out onto a gorgeous alfresco sunken garden terrace. With four intricate levels flanked with comfortable, refined seating, Nobu Shoreditch Bar & Terrace will welcome guests to catch the summer rays in style.

NEW WATERSIDE RESTAURANT OPENING: The Lightship A High-end Experience Honouring the Nautical Heritage of The Solent. On 30th June, the Solent welcomed its most exciting new opening: The Lightship at Haslar Marina from boatfolk.

With an idyllic position on the English waters, this anticipated drinking and dining delight transforms Portsmouth’s historic 1940’s ex-Trinity House lightvessel to offer a restaurant with 1940’s gastronomic flair.

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The Lightship will offer both a high-end dining experience mid deck that combines 1940s retro with contemporary touches and a more relaxed, drop-in spot on the top deck for seafood platters and cocktails with a vibrant atmosphere and

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a sunset backdrop. The boat’s iconic location boasts unparalleled views across The Solent and the historic Portsmouth Harbour.

The perfect spot for intimate suppers, the mid-deck restaurant has an ever-changing seasonal menu designed by Head Chef Jamie Fegan, inspired by The Lightship’s surroundings. Using fresh, locally caught fish and the finest seasonal produce, the menu is packed with an array of simple but perfectly crafted dishes.

Highlights from Jamie’s menu include British oysters served with a selection of dressings, Crab ravioli served with lobster bisque and samphire, Turbot fillet served with The Grange velouté, tempura rock

oyster, pickled radish, asparagus and pea as well as Pig Cheek accompanied by chicory, apple, potato terrine, pea puree, cider jus.

The top deck can accommodate 80 seated guests and boasts a bespoke seating area built within the ship’s iconic tower, as a playful nod to this unique architectural detail of the venue. Meanwhile, the inside mid-deck can host 70 seated inside, with a further 30 outside.

OPENINGS The landscaped garden creates an intimate yet dynamic space to enjoy drinks and light bites, and the Nobu team is working alongside an exclusive designer to create a bespoke installation and décor for the terrace, planned to launch in the coming weeks.

The creative cocktail menu spans robust and diverse options, suitable for all tastes.

The Yuzu & Apple Martini is deliciously fresh, combining Grey Goose Essence Strawberry with lemongrass, citrus, basil and apple, served straight up.

Alternatively, the Stingless Bee Margarita is a fantastic twist on everyone’s favourite summer cocktail. The drink, served on the rocks, mixes Rooster Rojo Tequila with honey liquor, peach, coconut and Mediterranean citrus.

Those looking for an alcohol-free option can relish in the Sakura, a maraschino cherry-flavoured iced tea with blueberries, jasmine tea and lemon juice. A wide range of beers, wines, Champagnes, sake and spirits, including a robust Japanese whisky collection, is also available.

Guests can now enjoy their favourite Nobu dishes in a casual bar or terrace setting, perfect for catching up with colleagues, meeting friends, dating or for a solo visit. Favourites include Crispy Rice with Avocado and signature sashimi including Yellowtail Jalapeño and Whitefish Dry Miso.

The menu is designed to stimulate interesting conversation and good times, with guests able to share family-style sharing plates including Dashi Fries, Beef Tartar Crispy Nori and Salmon New Style Tacos. Nobu’s famed sushi options span Creamy Crab Rolls, Lobster Tempura Caviar Rolls and Shrimp Tempura Truffle Tonkatsu Rolls.

A dish sure to surprise and delight is the newly launched Monaka. Best described as a lightweight flat rice crispbread, branded with the Nobu logo and stuffed with fresh toppings. Visitors can decide between the freshest Tuna, Salmon or Avocado. With the venue set to be buzzy all week, the space will also play host to specially selected DJs – playing live in-house Wednesday to Saturday from 7:00pm and for Saturday Brunch from 1:00PM to 4:00PM. Nobu Shoreditch Bar & Terrace Nobu Hotel London Shoreditch, 10-50 Willow Street, London, EC2A 4BH

Leadenhall Market ANNOUNCES A WAVE OF DELICIOUS NEW FOODIE OPENINGS FOR THE CITY The City of London’s Leadenhall Market has today announced three new food & drink outlets to be added to the market’s portfolio during June. Visitors to the City’s Victorian market will soon be able to enjoy new flavours from Argentina, Lebanon and Taiwan in the spectacular surroundings of the historical London marketplace.

First to have open its doors is Argentinian Grill, serving up various cuts of delicious flame cooked meats alongside popular South American sides including Provenzal fries, sweet potato and empanadas. The restaurant is open on Mondays-Saturdays from 11am-11pm and Sundays from 11am6pm.

From mid-June, Yi Fang will be joining the market with a bubble tea store serving nostalgic flavours of early-Taiwanese hospitality. With its fruit-infused teas inspired by the owners’ grandmother’s secret recipe, Yi Fang’s crafts are made with a commitment to using only the freshest, highest-quality ingredients, giving customers the chance to customise their drinks with their desired sweetness and ice preferences. The store will be open on Mondays-Fridays, 12pm-8pm and Saturday-Sunday, 11am-6pm.

A familiar face will also return to the market in June, as Hoxton Street Monster Supplies reopens its store. Back by popular demand following the success of its Halloween pop-up in the market in 2022, expect gory-flavoured conserves,

Greg Stalcup, Partner at Levy Real Estate who manage the lettings for Leadenhall Market, said: “We’re really looking forward to welcoming these exciting new eateries to one of London’s oldest market places.

Leadenhall Market continues to evolve, now not only being a place to eat, drink and shop but somewhere for people to enjoy a variety of exciting pop-up stores and events, bringing old and new faces to this beautiful destination in the heart of the City.

“These three new openings mark the start of a busy year ahead for the market, as we prepare to introduce more outlets later in the summer. These will complement the eclectic range of existing tenants - from family-owned florists to cheesemongers and high-end jewellers, French and Italian restaurants and the award winning historic Lamb Tavern, there’s something for everyone at this historic gem.”

Located in the centre of the City of London’s financial district, Leadenhall Market marked its 700th anniversary in 2021. Originally a meat, poultry and game market, it is now home to a collection of boutique retailers, restaurants, cafes, wine bars and an award-winning pub, The Lamb Tavern.

The site is owned by the City of London Corporation, who were gifted it in 1411 by the former Lord Mayor Richard ‘Dick’ Whittington. Surviving changes in use, rebuilding and even the Great Fire, its current beautiful Victorian architecture with soaring archways, spectacular painted roof and cobbled streets was designed by Sir Horace Jones (who also designed Smithfield Market and Tower Bridge) and dates back to 1881.

Leadenhall Market’s lettings are managed

by Levy Real Estate. For businesses wishing to enquire about joining Leadenhall Market, contact liv.england@levyrealestate.co.uk

Luxury Hospitality Magazine

Also arriving at the market in mid-June is Lebanese favourites Baba Ghanoush, offering its famous falafels and traditional Lebanese cuisines. Known for their honest, wholesome, modern healthy Mediterranean dishes, including Kibbeh, stuffed vine leaves, chickpea salad bowls and falafel wraps the restaurant will be serving from Monday-Friday, 9am-6pm.

deathly-scented candles, kitchen utensils made from ‘human’ bones and anything else a monster could need. The store will be open Tuesdays-Fridays from 11am-5pm.

For more details on Leadenhall Market, visit: www.leadenhallmarket.co.uk Leadenhall Market is owned and managed

by The City of London Corporation.

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OPENINGS

NEW Moxy Plymouth SAILS INTO MILLBAY REGENERATION AREA Moxy Hotels, the experiential hotel brand part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 extraordinary brands, has today opened the 200-room Moxy Plymouth, marking the second Moxy in the south-west of England, located within the new multimillion regeneration area at Millbay.

The first global lifestyle brand to open in the sea-faring city since 2016, Moxy Plymouth forms part of Millbay, the vibrant new waterfront quarter, within the historic docks. Located close to the city centre, the new hotel is also within walking distance of the Theatre Royal, Royal William Yard, Plymouth Pavilions, Plymouth Sound and The Hoe as well as a whole host of independent restaurants, bars and shops.

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The new property’s inventive design takes inspiration from the historic docks, built by the world-renowned Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1844. On arrival guests are welcomed in a nautically themed lobby inspired by the rich maritime history beyond, where the bar doubles as check-in with a complimentary Moxy signature cocktail or mocktail on arrival. Murals adorn the walls depicting local landmark Smeaton’s Tower as well as ships and

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fishing scenes. Lighting using fishing nets and a star constellation on the ceiling complements the dark blue and muted neutral tones.

Guestrooms are thoughtfully mapped out to maximise on storage, alongside leather headboards, walk-in showers and a smartwork area. A 24-hour gym is available to guests looking to work out with the latest equipment. An all-day snack menu keeps guests fuelled and the bar serves range of hand-crafted cocktails, wines and spirits including a selection of local gins and beers.

As with all Moxy hotels, the hotel is dogfriendly for those looking to take their pooch with them. Parking is also available onsite.

The opening of Moxy Plymouth marks the 15th Moxy Hotel in the UK for management company Hotel Co 51. With more than 40 hotels, spanning 8 countries, it cements the company as Marriott International’s largest franchise partner for the Moxy brand in Europe and one of the fastest growing hotel management companies in the UK.

DOES HOSPITALITY HAVE AN IMAGE PROBLEM? Peter Ducker is an Expert Advisory Council member for P&G Professional and the former institute of hospitality CEO At seventeen, I began to suspect that not everyone shared my view that hospitality is the best career by far. What a shocker.

It was my school career advisor that first made me suspect this. His reaction to my statement that I wanted to go into hotel management was to explain that this was no career for a man, and suggested that I would be wise to consider either chemical engineering or the army. Thankfully I ignored his wise words and spent the next three years at Oxford Polytechnic (now Oxford Brookes) following my dream.

This is not a ‘love letter’ to hospitality - I believe we can, and should, go further in investing in career development for unskilled team members who display potential. I cannot, however, pass up on the opportunity to put forward a different view. “Hospitality is not like a proper job”.

Over the years I’ve encountered the same misguided opinion many times, enough to know that it is a widely held belief amongst the public at large.

reputation, but possibly on the welfare of our clients.

Hospitality is seen as a low income, low productivity industry with lousy hours and no prospects. It is true that a large percentage of staff work at those entry level jobs, and that for many years businesses have endeavoured to de-skill roles by investing in process and supply chain management.

So whilst these are two of the least glamorous areas of a business they are vital.

P&G Professional have developed products and processes to maximise efficiency in these areas, delivering both dishwashing and laundry solutions that operate at lower temperatures and deliver “right first time” quality. Across the many facets of our supply chain, enlightened and trusted partners are helping constantly improve the working practices of hospitality.

If I were King for a day, I’d give two books to everybody in our industry, every career counsellor and every doubting parent. They are ‘Setting the Table’ by Danny Meyer, founder of the Union Square restaurant group in New York and ‘Hotels an Enigma: A Professional’s Insight Into The Hospitality Industry’ by Ram Gupta. Whilst I’m at it, I’ll also give them to every university Vice Chancellor and Business School Dean.

So next time you enjoy a great coffee, or walk into a perfectly prepared, sweet smelling hotel room, remember that you owe the endorphin rush you enjoy to the dedication and professionalism of every member of staff doing a proper job with pride.

If I get a second day as King, I’ll focus on ensuring that the job description of every role across the industry includes “To put a smile on faces, and create happy memories”. If a barista serves a truly great flat white or cappuccino the memory will fade from the client view in a few hours.

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We should all be proud that hospitality as an industry is a meritocracy. We’ve all met people who entered the industry on the ground floor and thanks to perseverance, ability and the bravery to accept challenges they have risen through the ranks to become well respected leaders. Whilst I accept that these days qualifications are a great help, and I would never argue against

the benefit they give, I am still proud of the fact that these opportunities do still exist.

On a domestic level dishwashing and laundry are necessary chores. In hospitality it’s the same, with the added complication that poor performance in those areas could have a massive impact not only on

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Songbird + Monitor Oliver Hemming will be exhibiting his Award-Winning collection of Bluetooth speakers and alarm clocks for luxury hospitality at the Las Vegas HD expo in May at the Mandalay Bay, we hope to see you there! Used by many of the most prestigious hotels in the world, his collection is widely regarded as being both innovative and beautifully detailed.

Songbird is now the Bluetooth speaker alarm clock of choice for many of the world’s best hotels. Made in 2 formats, Uptown and Downtown and in 3 colour ways, ebony wood, black and white. It delivers a beautifully rened classic tone with impeccable good looks and is very easy to use. It’s sibling, the Monitor, is a standalone Hi-Fi Bluetooth speaker with no alarm clock function, for rooms that only require this option.

The Robin is a Bluetooth speaker alarm clock for premium hotels. Specically designed for hospitality, it has a series of features that make it the outstanding product in its class. With good looks and world class engineering the Robin has simple intuitive controls, a rened audio tone and a very competitive price point.

The Jazzman is luxury Hi-Fidelity Bluetooth speaker with wireless charging and an analogue alarm clock. It is in a class of its own, being fully equipped with every necessary feature for hospitality.

With both wireless and USB charging and a one-time alarm function, the Jazzman has been specically designed for the luxury hospitality market. It’s 2-way speaker design delivers a beautifully rened tone for music lovers and it’s unique and stylish looks and simple intuitive controls make it an ideal accessory for any luxury room and provides the perfect guest experience.

Robin

JAZZMAN

Oliver Hemming

Pick me up in Vegas

hd

expo + conferences Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas 2-4 May 2023

PROJECT

RESTAURANT DESIGN PROJECT: Scarpetta Restaurant, Waldorf-Astoria Doha David Collins Studio designs the first Scarpetta restaurant in the Middle East, located in the new WaldorfAstoria Hotel, Doha.

CONCEPT

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Taking inspiration and reference from the brand’s Italian cuisine, the new Scarpetta restaurant at Waldorf Astoria Lusail features a contemporary interpretation of Italian architecture, through use of Palladiana flooring, coloured marbles, and travertine columns.

The David Collins Studio design creates a sense of relaxed luxury and occasion within a newly built hotel by WATG Architects. Mirrors and reflective surfaces are utilised to put the guests at the centre of the dining experience. The design draws inspiration from the work of Carlo Scarpa (the renowned twentieth century Italian architect) and his reinterpretation of ancient Italian public buildings. Traditional Italianate

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architectural details are reinterpreted with a mid-century twist. Simon Rawlings, Creative Director at David Collins Studio, says: ‘‘Tailored elegance, Italian craft and mid-century charm, bringing the relaxed yet refined ambience of Scarpetta to Doha.

Towering travertine, shimmering timbers, sumptuous leathers, and nostalgic lighting create a bar, restaurant, and terrace which capture Italian incantesimo. Having previously created interiors in Doha, I’ve always enjoyed the process, the collaboration, and the exquisite execution, this is no exception. We are thrilled to have contributed to the Waldorf Astoria Lusail, working alongside the amazing teams from around the world.”

Iain Watson, CEO and Founder at David Collins Studio, says: “Scarpetta Doha represents several David Collins Studio firsts; the first LDV Hospitality restaurant in the Middle East, our first project working with WATG Architecture and the first of our

PROJECT with sophisticated use of materials and bespoke elements – the hallmark of David Collins Studio.”

THE BAR Guests enter Scarpetta via glass double doors, with custom triangular door handles in cast brass. The bar floor is inset Palladiana terrazzo with a dark stained European oak timber border.

Waldorf Astoria projects to open. The Studio has worked in Qatar for over a decade, and this combined with our understanding of Scarpetta, from our 2008 restaurant in Miami, was an exciting brief to reconnect with the brand and collaborate on. The project was an opportunity to combine our knowledge and understanding of the location and the Scarpetta experience, in an inspired architectural setting. A contemporary interior that subtly blends periods references

The ceiling is realised in white plaster with perimeter coffer detailing in European white oak, inspired by traditional Italian architectural forms. The coffer detailing mirrors the floor’s perimeter pattern and divide the ceiling into distinct areas.

Handmade in Italy, custom box pendant lights in solid textured cast glass are suspended from the ceiling by antique brass arms.

The room is divided by asymmetric wall transitions in vein-cut travertine as well as travertine-clad columns which provide areas of privacy. Perimeter walls are finished in a white dragged plaster, to give the impression of stucco texture – another nod to traditional Italian materiality.

The centrally located bar is oval shaped and free standing, with a central travertine

column featuring cut out display shelves for bottles, the interior faces of which are mirror clad. The bar and joinery are realised in ribbed dark oak, with a Calcutta Oro marble top and polished stainless-steel detailing. Polished stainless steel continues around the bottom of the bar, giving the sense that it is floating within the space.

‘Holm’ table lights by London-based designer Malgorzata Bany sit on the bar, hand-cast in jesmonite. Custom umbrellashaped ceiling lights with parchment vellum shades are suspended above corner seating areas, alongside cream fabric and leather wall lights with brass trim.

Bar stools are custom designed in antique brass, with cognac coloured leather upholstery and polished brass stud detailing.

THE RESTAURANT David Collins Studio created a bespoke two-tiered host station, clad in ribbed Verde Alpi Scuro marble with polished brass details. The restaurant is accessed via the bar, through a unique portal entryway of textured glass panels with dark bronze frames.

Continued >>>

PROJECT The perimeter walls are a neutral textured paint finish.

Focal to the space are two central overlaid travertine-clad columns, mirroring the columns in the bar and inspired by the work of Carlo Scarpa.

Four curved banquettes surround the central travertine column, realised in dark oak with cognac leather upholstery and polished brass trim and feet. Dining chairs are also realised in dark oak with dark brown leather upholstery.

Dining tables have light timber tops, with a mix of green veined marble and dark oak outer frames. Feature dining tables have Verde Alpi Scuro marble tops.

Continuing from the bar, large box pendants in cast glass hang from the ceiling. Floor lamps are dotted around the room, in brass and saddle leather with bespoke vellum pendant shades.

Bespoke rectangular bevelled mirrors with dark oak frames decorate the walls, suspended from signature David Collins Studio-designed brown leather and polished brass buckle straps.

The sommelier and waiter stations are realised in dark oak with Calacatta Oro marble tops and polished brass detailing.

The restaurant also features a working wine room, separated from diners by a brass mesh curtain and glazed partition divides. Stepped travertine architraves lead out to the terrace, again inspired by Carlo Scarpa.

A pair of ‘Ricasso’ mirrors by textile designer Aimee Betts line the walls, with brass frames decorated with Aimee’s signature black leather cord braiding.

PRIVATE DINING ROOM (PDR) The Private Dining Room (PDR) is accessed via a separate vestibule, completely curtained in sheer crocodile crochet fabric from Italian brand Dedar, with contrast orange trim. The space can be hired for private events, with a section of the terrace and WCs in a selfcontained area.

An inset patterned rug in burnt orange is surrounded by a dark timber boarder and polished brass trim. The walls are decorated in a stucco-inspired dragged plaster finish, with reeded timber corner posts in dark oak.

The room is dominated by a statement chandelier, hand-made from thousands of individual capiz shell disks. Suspended 1.4 meters from the ceiling at its longest point, the lighting installation spans the entire width and length of the ceiling.

Luxury Hospitality Magazine

A bespoke dining table and chairs have been created by David Collins Studio for Scarpetta.

The table is a monolithic statement piece, with powder coated black metal base. The tabletop is realised in dark oak and lighter contrasting oak inset top and polished brass trim. Custom dining chairs with dark oak legs and polished brass feet are upholstered in Pierre Frey terracotta velvet. Malgorzata Bany’s handcast jesmonite ‘Holm’ table lights also feature here.

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PROJECT

Double glass doors from the bar lead out to the Cigar Terrace via a custom designed humidor room, created with specialist supplier deART. Clad with Fior di Pesco grey marble, the floor and cabinetry are realised in dark oak with polished brass detailing.

A second set of glass double doors lead from the Humidor to the enclosed and temperature-controlled Cigar Terrace.

The space features a domed ceiling in concrete render finish, which continues to the exposed walls. The remaining walls are covered in a floor to ceiling trellis of faux greenery. A focal faux olive tree sits at the room’s centre.

Bespoke rectangular bevelled mirrors in timber and polished brass are mounted from the trellises, alongside wall lights with cone shaped parchment vellum shades.

The floor is tiled in an Italian-inspired checkerboard of Fior di Pesco Grigio, Rosso Lepanto and Calacatta Oro marbles.

The bar has a dark oak framework with clear glass front panels, displaying potted foliage. The bar top is realised in Calacatta Oro marble, with custom table lights.

A mirror clad cabinet-style back bar displays high end liquor bottles.

Oversized lounge chairs and small sofas are upholstered in embossed brown leather, with black scotch grain strap details to the backs. Cushions are upholstered in mixed neutral fabrics. Oil burners set within timber plinths feature in both terraces.

MAIN TERRACE The restaurant terrace adopts a colour palette of grey, yellow and green. Glass double doors with custom triangular shaped handles lead from the restaurant onto the terrace, where guests are greeted with sea views of the Arabian Gulf.

Torchère lamps in chocolate brown leather with polished brass detailing sit either side of the doors, with milky white glass shades. The floor is a grey stone, whilst a full canopy awning in ecru covers the terrace. Oil burners with wooden plinths provide heat and ambient light to the space at night.

The terrace outdoor furniture takes inspiration from traditional Italian forms.

Bespoke Amalfi round backed dining chairs feature powder coated grey metal frames and yellow fabric upholstery seating.

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Tailored elegance, Italian craft and mid-century charm, bringing the relaxed yet refined ambience of Scarpetta to Doha.

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CIGAR TERRACE

Curved banquette seating in painted grey timber is upholstered in yellow fabric.

Cushions are upholstered in a mix of block and patterned green fabrics.

Outdoor tables feature both circular and square tops, in the restaurant’s signature Verde Alpi Scuro and white Calacatta Oro marbles. Planters filled with faux grasses decorate the space.

WCS The WC walls are tiled in alternating bands of white glazed ceramic tiles and Royal Violet marble. Custom bevelled mirrors with stainless steel frames hang on the walls, alongside stainless steel and milk glass wall lights. Vanity units in light oak and polished stainless steel have step detail counters in Royal Violet polished marble, inspired by Carlo Scarpa.

LUXURY RESTAURANT TRENDS FOR 2023 BY ALLIANCE As we enter the midway point of the year, the hospitality sector is getting busier and beginning to see bookings filling up fast.

As such, we at Alliance Online have spent the first few months formulating the trends of 2023.

Authentic African Our first trend is Authentic African which heavily features earthy and rustic tones along with ceramic textures. Mixed amongst these colours will be pops of more vibrant shades of pink, greens and blues.

Regarding the presentation, the general ambience will be a communal dining atmosphere with a “serve yourself” ethos.

Crockery which can help you obtain this look include Steelite’s Forager along with their Craft Raspberry for a pop of colour.

To inject blue tones, we’d suggest either Emerge from Churchill or the new turquoise colourway of Dudson Harvest.

Easygoing Australian This trend has arisen due to the increasing popularity of casual dining although there is still an element of premium quality regarding food presentation. The food itself will be a fusion of Anglo-American and Asian cuisine as is popular in Australia due to its history and geographical positioning.

Luxury Hospitality Magazine

If you are looking to add an Australian infusion to your casual dining atmosphere the following ranges are great ways of doing so; Churchill Studio Prints has two new ranges (Kintsugi and Kintsugi Accents) which both lend themselves to this trend.

Furthermore, Utopia also have two fantastic ranges in the form of Allium and Murra Toffee.

Contemporary Luxury Understandably, luxury dining is always popular, especially in high-end city centre

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locations but the contemporary luxury trend for this year will mainly focus on premium whiteware with accents of monochromatic colour and nouveau patterns.

A brilliant option for contemporary and luxury settings is the Red Dot Award winning Willow range from Steelite. A fantastic pairing for this range is Elia’s Premara 18/10 cutlery range which exudes excellence and elegance.

Avant-Garde Cocktails Finally, we come to our last trend which follows on from one of 2022s big winners, cocktails. Last year cocktails came back with a vengeance, possibly due to the prolonged popularity the resurgence in gin has had along with rum also beginning to also come back into national favour. For glass styles we would recommend highend, sophisticated options with hints of contemporary design.

Utopia’s recent offering of new products lend themselves perfectly for promoting the avant-garde trend within your restaurant. These include Alkemist, Hayworth, Hayworth Twisted and Praline which all can help elevate the visual of any cocktail.

For all the ranges and trends mentioned in this article go to Alliance Online where you can find all for sale. If you want to discuss the trends or ranges with one of our experienced staff members call us on 01270 252 333 or email us on hello@allianceonline.co.uk.

The UK’s Best Supplier of Quality Tableware

DISCOVER THE LATEST FRONT OF HOUSE RANGES & PRODUCTS FROM THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRIES LEADING BRANDS

www.allianceonline.co.uk

COULD COBOTS BE THE SAVIOUR OF SUMMER TRADING? With the busiest season of the year just getting underway, and a persistent shortage of staff, hotels are unsurprisingly questioning how they’re going to cope: simply how do hotels keep their businesses afloat with growing demand from customers but a skeleton workforce?

One major part of the solution could lie in embracing new technology of the robotic kind.

Summer is just around the corner, and that means busy times ahead for the UK’s hospitality sector.

Hotels are expected to be particularly busy in the coming months, with three-quarters of Brits planning at least one UK break this year, according to a recent poll.

The research, involving 2,000 UK adults who were surveyed during February and March, found that staycations could be worth £28bn to the economy in 2023, up from £15.5bn last year.

An estimated 40 million Britons are planning at least one UK holiday, with some intending to take a staycation three times this year.

But while this should be heartwarming news for hoteliers, the ongoing staff shortages plaguing the hospitality sector are a huge cause for concern.

Trade body UKHospitality has warned that businesses face a “summer slump” after the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirmed the vacancy rate for the sector remains at around 140,000, as it has for five months.

Luxury Hospitality Magazine

UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “Hospitality businesses are now entering the busy summer season but what should be a time of optimism has become one of despair. Staff shortages have plagued the sector for years and the labour market now appears to have stagnated at the worst time for hospitality, with vacancies 48% higher than pre-pandemic levels. There is no doubt that the sector will be going into the summer understaffed, with significant knock-on impacts for consumers.”

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The combined legacy of the pandemic and Brexit has certainly left many industries struggling to recruit: 60% of Britain’s businesses are trying to fill vacancies according to the latest survey from the British Chambers of Commerce.

Businesses in hospitality and manufacturing are struggling the most, with 83% of respondents in those industries reporting hiring troubles, while for hospitality companies the greatest difficulties being experienced are in recruiting unskilled workers.

For hotels - requiring housekeeping, reception, concierge and maintenance staff on top of F&B - the struggle to find enough workers to fill their roles is arguably even harder than for pubs and restaurants.

The shortage of housekeeping staff in particular has meant that even some fivestar hotels are leaving rooms dirty from Sunday to Thursday because they simply don’t have enough people to clean them.

And this is despite some hotels now offering annual salaries of up to £28,000 for cleaners in a bid to lure more workers to take up jobs.

Against this backdrop and with no sign of the picture improving anytime soon, the

TECHNOLOGY

Softbank’s tray delivery robots use similar technology and come into their own in a situation where staff have to carry heavy trays of dishes a long distance from the kitchen, and where communication between front- and back-of-house is difficult.

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With a cobot on hand, menial and time-consuming tasks are taken care of autonomously.

customers are reporting higher levels of staff satisfaction because the robots take care of “the more tedious tasks”.

prospect of robots becoming a hotel’s newest recruits might start to gain appeal.

In a hotel setting robots - or “cobots” as they’ve been dubbed due to their collaborative work alongside humans - can perform a range of manual, time-consuming tasks, from vacuuming floors to delivering room service trays and carrying dishes to tables.

As the name “cobot” suggests, their purpose is not to replace humans but to make life easier for staff and to free team members up so they can give better customer service.

What’s more, embracing new technology like cobots could make all the difference when it comes to attracting tech-loving Gen Z jobseekers to join the hospitality workforce.

Leading cobot supplier to the hospitality industry, Softbank Robotics, says its

Softbank’s cleaning robot Whiz can memorise up to 600 cleaning routes, vacuum 1,500 sq m of carpet on a single charge, and provide reports on its performance.

It is equipped with a 3D camera and a lidar (light detection and ranging) system.

"These are typically the types of components used in self-drive cars," explained Bensi.

"Its compact size is extremely convenient because it can clean in narrow corridors, and it is very easy and intuitive to use which means cleaners can quickly pick up how it operates."

It can also be programmed to clean at any time of day, and it’s much more efficient than manual vacuuming, according to Bensi.

It’s true to say that many hotels adopted technological aids to help them through the pandemic, with hoteliers forced to adopt automated methods to keep guests and staff safe.

Could it be that the time has come for hotel operators to recognise that technology isn’t limited to helping with bookings, ordering and payments? Perhaps it could also provide hotels with new team members - and quite possibly help them stand out from the competition too.

About Softbank Robotics Group Corp.

SoftBank Robotics is driving technology forward by becoming a worldwide leader in robotics solutions.

The company is rapidly expanding, with offices in Tokyo, San Francisco, Boston, London, Paris, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Singapore, Sydney, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.

SoftBank Robotics is constantly exploring and commercializing robotics solutions that help make people’s lives easier, safer, more connected, and more extraordinary.

SoftBank Robotics’ robots are used in more than 70 countries worldwide, offering innovative solutions relevant in the fields of tourism, retail, healthcare, finance, education, facilities management, cleaning, warehouse, and logistics.

Luxury Hospitality Magazine

And as for how staff might take to the idea of working alongside robots, a survey of hospitality employees carried out last year

by CGA may give some indication: three in ten workers said the technology available to staff was not at all advanced, while 88% wanted to see technology in the hospitality sector improve.

Softbank Robotics general manager Stefano Bensi said: “With a cobot on hand, menial and time-consuming tasks are taken care of autonomously. Staff have more time to concentrate on higher-value, more intricate jobs like touchpoint cleaning (in the case of a robotic vacuum cleaner) or spending more time with customers (in the case of tray delivery robots). We know that in the hospitality industry it is a real struggle to recruit and retain staff, and this means that robots can help add additional support to existing teams, plug labour gaps and shortages, and work when necessary to improve processes.”

For hotels offering room service, Softbank’s W3 robots can be programmed to integrate with the lifts and will call the guest to alert them once their order is outside their door.

"When people vacuum manually they tend to go backwards and forwards over the same spot which means each metre is vacuumed around 1.7 times. The Whiz will only do it once," he added.

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sales@enodirect.co.uk | www.enodirect.co.uk | Tel. +44(0)1603 768046 | @EnomaticUK

Second to None Unica ROMA Series Advanced features and elegant design The revolutionary new wine dispensing come together to provide the perfect system. dispenser for either a back-bar or self-service setting.

Advanced features and elegant design come togetherLCD to provide temperature Interactive touch screens, sc the perfect dual temperature control and patented dispenser tapping headfor technology just abar fewor of controlled either aare back the elements that ensure the Elite stands out from the self service setting. crowd.

Combining the Elite with our full suite of software extends functionality, providing further tools to assist in developing your business.

ELITE

System use and activation: Models available: • Unica 4/r Refrigerated • Behind bar (without wine card) (4 bottles in line) • Self-service (with wine card) • Unica 8/r Refrigerated Temperature: Card reader: (8 Elite bottles in line) Each system has a dual temperature compartment managed • SLE4442 chip separately from 6 to 18°C (from 43 to 64°F) in order to serve Bottle compartment • RFID ISO/IEC14443A/B both red and white wines. temperature: (MIFARE) • 4/r 6-18°C Cooling system: By refrigerator Display: compressor.

• 8/r 6-18°C / 12-18°C • Touchscreen • 7” colour LCD screen VRefrigerations: olumes: 1 or 3 configurable volumes with touch • Alternative • Brightness 800cd key display. compressor • Ultra-silent operation • Side viewing angle of 140° • Low energy Display: Each position has an LCD graphic Lighting: touch screen Adjustable consumption interactive display to monitor the dispenser’s functions.

• Internal cool white LED (4000K) ABottles: central LCD graphic screen supplies general information.

• External cool white LED (4000K) • Quick loading with gas Data connection: spring and Finishings: In addition Colours to the Classic stainless LAN (www.ralcolor.com).

• Loading with self- in any RAL• colour steel finish, or available • WIFI centring system • Complete bottle Lighting: Double LED. Light intensity Door: can be set; it changes visibilityto different functions. according • Insulated glazing with magnetic closure Gas supply: Environment Control: A junction box performs a check on all • Food grade nitrogen • Assisted tilt system external conditions (temperature, E941 environment or Food grade • Key lock pressure, humidity) in order auto-adjust the dispenser’s efficiency. This guarantees argontoE943 increased precision of pouring andMaterials: better functionality of the Supply pressure control: • Stainless steel refrigeration system.

• Dispenser inlet • Coloured stainless steel • Dispensing • Glass Use and System Activation: Available for back bar, or with • Optional accessories: Winecard maintenance: wine services for a self-service environment.

• Canister • Separate for each bottle • Regulators for cylinders Integration: EPoS integration possible, Apps for • Angulars finishing Doses: card top-ups, etc.

• 2+2 bottle dividing panel (for • Up to 3 configurable doses for each bottle model 4/r only) Please enquire and we can tailor to suit your

requirements.

For more information please contact us via For more information please contact us via sales@enomatic.co.uk or on 01603 768046, Opt. 2. sales@enodirect.co.uk or on 01603 768046, Opt. 2.

www.enodirect.co.uk

INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW WITH CHEF CANDEIAS LUXURY HOSPITALITY MAGAZINE SPEAKS WITH CHEF CANDEIAS AT THE AMARA RESTAURANT AT FOUR THE SEASONS FAIRWAYS, ABOUT THE RESTAURANT EXPANSION AND THE NEWLY CREATED MENUS

We’ve been extremely lucky to have the ability and space to expand the restaurant, to provide an outside dining area for guests this year.

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Firstly, thank you for taking the time to speak with us, could you please tell us about your journey into the industry?

My career choice was fuelled by my love of food and my journey began by enrolling into a cookery school in Faro where I am from. The school took my passion for cooking to a new level, and I never looked back. I actually started my career at Four Seasons Fairways as a trainee and then headed abroad to learn new skills and refine my style. I was fortunate enough to work at a number of top restaurants in Sweden, Georgia and Amsterdam, including training at the Michelin Starred Rijks Restaurant.

It has been great however to return to where it all started for me at Four Seasons Fairways – it feels like home, and I have a brilliant team surrounding me who are hugely supportive, inspiring and allow my creative juices to flow!

How long have you been working at the Amara Restaurant, and what do you love most about it?

I was privileged enough to be part of the team involved in the conception of Amara, so really from the absolute outset, through to the opening back in 2018 until the present and to oversee the opening of the new outdoor dining area.

Being part of something from the very beginning is a huge privilege and I love how Amara effortlessly twins intimacy with sophistication alongside Portuguese traditions and contemporary cuisine to give guests an unmistakable and memorable experience.

Continued >>>

Luxury Hospitality Magazine

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INTERVIEW

My inspiration and style has certainly evolved over the years but ultimately I would say it never goes far from true traditional Portuguese, simple, local fare – a home cooked style with family and ‘Cataplana’ at its heart – the art of bringing people together. All this but with a twist – an elegance, colour, vibrancy, and an explosion of contemporary flavours. In contrast to my professional cooking, I have simple tastes. Give me some local sardines perfectly grilled, a fresh tomato salad and a nice cold beer – and I am at my happiest!

Talk us through the restaurant expansion and the addition of al fresco dining.

We’ve been extremely lucky to have the ability and space to expand the restaurant, to provide an outside dining area for guests this year. Four Seasons Fairways as a brand is aware that continued upgrading and investment in the resort is crucial to keep ahead in a competitive market. The decision to expand and invest in Amara has been down to the popularity of the restaurant

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It’s an intimate dining experience and one that boasts some of the best views in Quinta do Lago.

What does the new menu feature? What flavours can be expected?

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What is your signature cooking style?

and diverse bird life. The resort is also surrounded by some of Quinta do Lago’s numerous championship golf courses so guests at Amara benefit from beautifully manicured, lush green vistas. The restaurant is located in the main Clubhouse area within the resort, at the very heart of Four Seasons Fairways and the new menus I’ve created redefine traditional Portuguese cuisine.

and I am delighted that we now have more space to welcome both guests and visitors to Quinta do Lago alike where they can relax and enjoy both the gastronomic experience but also the warm Algarve evenings.

Where is the restaurant located and does the menu focus on traditional Portuguese Cuisine?

Four Seasons Fairways is just a stone’s throw from the stunning Ria Formosa nature reserve, a scenic swirl of seawater lagoons, sandy islands, salt marshlands

The starters I’ve created get the meal off to an energetic opening with strong flavours from the beginning with dishes such as Tiger Prawn Salad accompanied by an Avocado Purée, Trout Roe & Mango, Rabbit Terrine with Cranberry Gel or Hamachi Fish Mosaic with Tomato Tartar. Fish dishes are as fresh as can be with sumptuous Fillet of Sole stuffed with Prawns, Carrot Purée, Grilled Courgette & Coconut & Carrot Sauce, Slow Cooked Cod with Vegetable Noisette, Celeriac Purée & a Dashi Beurre Blanc along with Roasted Octopus with Romesco Sauce, Coriander Emulsion, Sweet Potato Purée & Potato Soufflé. Meat dishes include high quality cuts of duck, pork, and lamb with dishes such as Grilled Rump Cap with Salsify, Shallot Purée, Shitake, Padron Peppers & a Chimichurri Sauce and Confit Suckling Pig Belly with Grilled Gem Lettuce, Butternut Purée, Orange Gel, Potato Soufflé & Pepper Sauce while pudding consists of a choice between delights such as ‘Abade Priscos’ Pudding with Toasted Hazelnut, Crumble & Raspberry Sorbet, Mango Cremeux with Coconut & Passion Fruit Sorbet and Portuguese Cheeses.

What is your favourite dish and why?

Luxury Hospitality Magazine

I’d have to say the Roasted Duck Breast which is served with Butternut Squash Purée, White Asparagus, Crispy Egg Yolk and a Duck Sauce with Kombu and Shitake.

The duck is cooked to perfection - tender and juicy and the flavours are well balanced and go so well together.

Vegetarians often don’t have much choice when dining out here in PortugaI – but I am proud of some new dishes I’ve created and am confident will be popular including Topinambur Soup with Truffle Oil & Mushroom Tartlet, a Roasted Butternut Squah with Ricotta Tortellini and a Sparkling Wine Beurre Blanc and a Roasted Celeriac

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INTERVIEW Steak with Granola, Fermented Garlic Emulsion and Potato Foam.

Where do you draw inspiration from and do you use seasonal produce where possible?

Absolutely - there is a big emphasis on combining seasonal produce along with sourcing products from the region as feasibly possible. We are incredibly lucky to have so much local produce to choose from and a number of incredible local suppliers who source the best honey, olive oil, ‘Flôr de Sal’ salt, Almonds and of course the freshest fish which is in abundance in this region.

Tell us why everyone needs to add the Amara Restaurant to their must visit lists Amara pays homage to the locale; from the fresh, seasonal food to the unique lighting clearly recognisable as one of the most beautiful sights in the Algarve – the Almond Trees in full bloom.

It’s an intimate dining experience and one that boasts some of the best views in Quinta do Lago. A huge amount of effort goes into presentation and the dishes feature unique flavours as well as being made from the best quality ingredients available and wherever possible locally sourced. It’s also incredibly good value for money, with the 3-course menu costing €45 and the 4-course tasting menu, €55, both with optional wine pairing to enrich the experience, at €26 and €31 respectively.

ECOLUTIONS® RANGE: INNOVATIVE, SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FROM BIC GRAPHIC EUROPE In recent years, the hospitality sector has rolled out ambitious sustainability programmes in an effort to minimise its impact on the environment and improve the guest experience. Consumers are increasingly conscious that their daily movements and decisions affect the environment and are looking for sustainable alternatives to minimise that impact.

BIC Graphic Europe’s sustainability initiatives

Luxury Hospitality Magazine

Deeply aware of the importance of sustainability for over 25 years, and with a commitment rooted in our values, BIC Graphic Europe has an ambitious program of continuous innovation to minimize the impact of the production process on the environment, which positions us as a privileged partner of the hotel and restaurant industry.

At BIC Graphic Europe, we not only focus on our products, but we also want to help our customers in their daily efforts to contribute to real change in the preservation of the environment.

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All products are manufactured and printed at BIC’s factories in Europe, close to you, which notably reduces their carbon footprint and ensures a fast, reliable service for hotels.

Our day-to-day, a traceable commitment to sustainability includes: 1.

Manufacturing with electricity from 100% renewable sources, which therefore has a low environmental impact.

2. Periodic audits and certifications 3. Low-impact printing with IMPRIM’VERT® sustainability. certification.

4. Sustainable programmes like Ubicuity™, a circular-economy initiative that has been working with Terracycle® since 2011. Our writing instruments become a table, chair, or bench!

Ecolutions® Range: Personalised products to reduce your carbon footprint Our Ecolutions® Range includes a line of products made of recycled materials from various sources, such as fruit and vegetable trays, pharmaceutical packaging, plastic car parts, recycled fridges, or yoghurt pots. They are also made from materials coming from vegetal origin such as, sugar cane and biobased castor oil.

We also offer the highly innovative BIC® Super Clip Origin, which is the result of our dedication to sustainability research over more than two decades. The new BIC® Super Clip Origin is made of

biodegradable materials in a blend of natural polymers without petroleum products, based on organic castor oil and other materials coming from vegetal origin.

All products are manufactured and printed at BIC’s factories in Europe, close to you, which notably reduces their carbon footprint and ensures a fast, reliable service for hotels.

Additional products available through BIC We have a wide range of customisable products for the hospitality sector, to express and reinforce your brand messages while providing added value for your customers, such as our BIC® lighters which are a very useful accessory in everyday life.

Think about writing the future.

Luxury Hospitality Magazine

Think BIC.

If you’re interested in learning more about BIC Graphic’s sustainable product range, please contact us on www.bicgraphic.com.

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PROJECT

Goddard Littlefair CREATES A SECLUDED SANCTUARY STEEPED IN HISTORY IN THE REDESIGN OF The Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At Sultanahmet Brimming with character and local charm, the refurb of Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At Sultanahmet has been impeccably reimagined by multi award-winning design studio Goddard Littlefair. The studio has created a unique city oasis filled with contrasts and diversities. This is a secluded sanctuary in which to relax, unwind and enjoy an authentic experience and be at one with its surroundings.

Luxury Hospitality Magazine

A former prison, the Sultanahmet property is a well-known local landmark featuring a landscaped courtyard surrounded by stone walls, a working masjid and guard towers.

Built adjacent to the Ottoman Darülfünun University and the iconic Hagia Sofia, the location has been a major part of Old Istanbul and remains a destination steeped in fascinating history, having hosted writers, journalists, artists as well as intellectual dissidents in its previous life as a prison.

Continued >>>

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PROJECT

“Our designers researched styling, pattern and details from antiques, fabrics, architecture and distilled these influences through a contemporary filter to create designs that feel completely in tune with the building and setting.” Martin Goddard, Director and Co-Founder of Goddard Littlefair The resultant hotel interiors are layered and residential in style, with much of the

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Our designers researched styling, pattern and details from antiques, fabrics, architecture and distilled these influences through a contemporary filter to create designs that feel completely in tune with the building and setting.

furniture and lighting all bespoke designed for the project. Rich embellishments, mosaic lined walls, cabinetry inlaid with carved timbers and stitched leathers, sit alongside exquisite custom lighting concepts that play with the light and shadows of the sun-filled days. All the depth of detail which the team sought to implement required the calmness of a demure and elegant palette, where light marbles and chic linens are complemented by warm wood, deep burgundy, soft bluegreen tones and brass. No stone has been left unturned to weave the rich history and vibrant culture of the locale into the design language of the hotel.

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There is a protected archaeological site in the grounds of the hotel and through a deep dive into the history of the hotel and specific location, the Goddard Littlefair team discovered that old Istanbul was created by layer upon layer of new build, culminating in the structures we can now see in Sultanahmet. The team wanted to create design solutions that reflected the beauty and history of the site and Old Istanbul, while keeping in step with a contemporary, residential design language that is synonymous with Four Season’s as a brand.

Upon arrival guests will step through oversized old timber doors into a space where the original architecture expresses itself through a series of stone arches.

They will be met with an array of beautiful and tactile materials, lavish craftsmanship and attention to detail, while keen-eyed guests will glimpse the fresh, green space of the courtyard through old timber doors.

It is here that the hotel restaurant, Avlu, is situated at the heart of the property. A contemporary, glazed, hexagonal structure forms the base for an enclosed section of restaurant which can equally open up to the garden through folding metal doors. The ceiling has been re-clad with light timber clapperboard, a feature which echoes local architecture, while bespoke bronze lanterns hang from the ceiling, and white linen sheers soften the frame of the structure.

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Seating groups spill out onto the newly landscaped terrace which has been specifically designed to create zones for dining and lounging that can be both private and peaceful or lively and animated.

From breakfast to dinner, different experiences will be offered throughout the day. The culinary team, led by Turkish Executive Chef Özgür Üstün, will offer the best of Anatolian cuisine with finest

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PROJECT

local produce at the new Avlu Restaurant, beautifully situated at the heart of the courtyard. Perched on the rooftop, the hotel’s renowned bar re-emerges as Süreyya, with a unique and enviable view of the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, Blue Mosque as well as the striking silhouette of the Old City. In addition to these two hubs, the new Hotel bar Lingo Lingo sits back in the main heart of the building, offering a lively atmosphere and contemporary design. An elevated private dining space sits adjacent to Lingo Lingo, offering delicious seafood mezze light and bright space, also convenient for private functions. While La Pistache, the haute couture pâtisserie, offers sweet and unique dishes that will leave a long-lasting impression on your palate.

craftsmanship that the region is known for throughout the reception and changing areas while traditional marble basins perch on vanity tops. The Turkish hammam created was unpretentious yet luxurious, ensuring that even the most reserved yet inquisitive would feel confident to enjoy this high-end experience.

All of the bedrooms have been refurbished with the same language and design intent that filters through the public areas. Of the sixty five keys, there are very few identical spaces which is a usual challenge working in period buildings. Goddard Littlefair has lightened the rooms and created a more

romantic, warm light within the spaces by layering soft textures into the scheme.

A fully upholstered headboard with full, hand-tufted rugs immediately create a luxurious aesthetic, while individually designed pieces of furniture resonate of Turkish influence. Sofa sides are accented with a timber framework that echoes the metalwork patterns found on windows in Sultanahmet, while circular coffee tables and upholstered stools have been carefully designed to overlap together to symbolise the Chintamani pattern found in traditional Islamic design.

Continued >>>

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There was a desire to create a larger focus on wellness areas within the hotel and to find opportunities within the building to showcase a local inspired offering.

Through re-locating the previous gym, the bijou luxury Kurna Spahas been created alongside a Turkish barber, beauty salon and well-appointed gymnasium. Perfectly proportioned, the softly lit marble lined spa pays tribute to the local tradition of health and well-being through offering guests the opportunity to embrace the experience of a Turkish Hammam. A treatment room covered with marble mosaics is at the heart of the space while a social relax room complete with wraparound deep banquettes sit nearby. Warm, smoked tones of oak are accented with copper metalwork highlighting the ancient

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PROJECT The one bedroom suites offer an additional level of luxury with additional lounge areas to further enhance the sense of sanctuary created in the accommodation. Two presidential suites provide the ultimate experience in this elegant property with individual schemes and spaces that truly reflect the splendour of this property.

Besides the obvious lure of beautifully proportioned and refurbished rooms, the hotel has been designed to offer up a number of diverse experiences to suit the mood and desire of each individual.

The designs by Goddard Littlefair have been recognised

by Condé Nast Traveller in their Gold List 2023, with the hotel being included within both ‘The Best Hotels and Resorts in the World’ and within Asia too.

A true ‘hidden gem’ in Istanbul, guests at Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At Sultanahmet will undoubtedly enjoy a deeply authentic and memorable experience in an environment which instils the best of local culture and values.

This unparalleled experience is something which Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts have become renowned for, establishing a new benchmark for hospitality around the world.

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Of the sixty five keys, there are very few identical spaces which is a usual challenge working in period buildings.

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HOTEL & RESORT INNOVATION EXPO 2023 The UK’s Leading Business Event Dedicated to Innovating the Hotel Industry.

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At Hotel & Resort Innovation Expo you, alongside thousands of other like-minded hoteliers and industry professionals will get to immerse yourself in the world of hotels.

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Hotel & Resort Innovation Expo is checking into ExCeL, London on the 10th & 11th of October 2023.

At the UK’s leading business event dedicated to bringing innovation to the hotel and resort industry, delegates will have the opportunity to meet with pioneers from across the sector. You don’t want to miss this chance to claim your free ticket and discover secrets from the biggest players in the industry.

Over recent years, the sector has seen a shift towards high-tech resorts, Hotel & Resort Innovation Expo explores this angle and challenges how the industry can continue to progress and innovate. Now is the time to get your name out there, add contacts to your address book, establish career-long relationships and leave your mark on the hotel and resort industry.

Exploring 6 key verticals, the show will show you how to become an expert in building a brand story, engaging your community, curating a bespoke experience for your guests, and taking your hotel into the future. At the same time, improve your hotel’s physical makeup and flow.

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At Hotel & Resort Innovation Expo you, alongside thousands of other like-minded hoteliers and industry professionals will get to immerse yourself in the world of hotels.

With hundreds of exhibitors hand-selected

by Fortem International showcasing their newest products and services, this is an incredible opportunity to discover the latest trends and advancements you need to stay ahead of the hospitality game. 30 hours of seminars packed into this busy 2-day experience will ensure that you can take insightful tips from a range of businesses.

With hundreds of ideas and ways to set yourself apart, enhance your customer experience and unlock the answers to drive your business forward, Hotel & Resort Innovation Expo truly is the one destination for all your hospitality needs.

Keep an eye on the official show website and social media for updates, announcements and industry news, & register below for your free ticket to the UK’s leading business event dedicated to bringing innovation to the hotel industry…

10 & 11 OCTOBER ExCeL LONDON

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SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES KEY TO ATTRACTING AND RETAINING HOSPITALITY STAFF Better sustainability credentials and communication could hold the key for hospitality operators to attract staff, reduce turnover and ultimately increase retention, according to a report from leading food service technology provider, Nutritics, and hospitality data and insights consultancy CGA by NIQ.

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The report makes it abundantly clear that sustainability really does matter to hospitality workers. More than nine in ten (94%) hospitality professionals say living an environmentally friendly and sustainable lifestyle is important to them, notably more than the 70% of consumers who say they actively try to lead an environmentally friendly lifestyle.

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Employees want to work in an environment that reflects their own ethics and values.

However, with so many potential areas of focus, it can be difficult for operators to know where to start.

The report, Sustainability Matters: What teams want and how brands can win, surveyed UK hospitality employees to understand their perspectives on a range of sustainability issues, and found that an operator’s environmental credentials can have a massive impact on their ability to recruit and retain talent.

While a competitive salary, recognition and job satisfaction are typically key motivators for employees to consider staying in a role, almost all employees surveyed (94%) say that a company’s commitment to social and environmental responsibility is a significant factor when deciding where to work. What’s more, half (50%) have accepted one job over another partly because the company was more sustainable.

Sustainability is also crucial to retention, with 84% of hospitality professionals saying they would be more likely to stay in their job for longer if their employer has, and continues to create a positive environmental impact. With operators looking to reduce costs wherever possible, better environmental practice could help reduce recruitment costs significantly.

Commenting on the findings, Stephen Nolan, CEO of Nutritics, said: "Staff are crucial to any brand’s engagement on this urgent challenge. They are the people who will ultimately deliver sustainability strategies. They are also highly stimulated by environmental issues, and younger workers in particular are much more likely to be attracted to employers who share their concerns. As we show in this report, good sustainability practice can be a very powerful recruitment and retention tool.”

In addition to identifying employee attitudes, the report also provides operators with potential answers and solutions.

Employees want to work in an environment that reflects their own ethics and values.

However, with so many potential areas

SUSTAINABILITY

With operators looking to reduce costs wherever possible, better environmental practice could help reduce recruitment costs significantly.

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of focus, it can be difficult for operators to know where to start. The report seeks to point businesses in the right direction, by asking hospitality workers what they feel are the most important subjects to tackle. Recycling, reducing food waste and sustainable packaging (91%) emerged as the top priorities, so better stock planning and menu management, making recycling facilities easy and visible, cutting the use of plastic and identifying recyclable alternatives are all ways in which an employer can demonstrate their responsibility.

There is also a real enthusiasm for staff training and education (87%), a welcome sign that frontline teams want to be part of the sustainability journey. Plenty of online or in-venue training packages are available, including Knowledge Labs by Nutritics, to

help staff understand more about Net Zero and cutting carbon footprints. 85% want to work with sustainable suppliers, while 84% favour local or sustainably sourced ingredients, showing the opportunity for buyers to work with suppliers and demonstrate responsible sourcing and labelling, both on menus and back-of-house.

An encouraging 82% of hospitality employees see their workplace as a sustainable and environmentally friendly venue, however, only a quarter (27%) think their workplace is proactive in reducing waste and energy and prioritising ethical sourcing. This ‘action gap’ is a common theme, showing that there is currently a gulf between what staff think is important, and what actually happens in practice.

For example, while 82% of team members think that links with community sustainability initiatives are important, only 21% observe them at their business - a huge gap of 61 percentage points. On other issues like providing access to environmentally friendly transport, using local and sustainably sourced ingredients and staff training and education, the number of staff who see action is less than half those who think they are important. More positively, the gap between importance and action on recycling is just nine percentage points, and it’s relatively narrow on food waste reduction too. But these figures are

conclusive proof that team members are not seeing nearly enough progress on the sustainability issues they care about.

Stephen Nolan concluded: “There’s a lot more for operators to do, but what’s clear is that they have real opportunities to engage their people and go on this sustainability journey together. Staff are willing helpers on the mission to make hospitality more sustainable – they’re personally committed and grasp consumers’ concerns, so giving them the freedom to suggest and deliver initiatives can accelerate meaningful change.

Two-way communication with teams on sustainability issues is important, but the businesses who can help educate them as well will be the ones who really notice a step-change in engagement, recruitment and retention.”

Sustainability Matters: What teams want and how brands can win, is available to download at https://nutritics-1741847.hs-sites.com/ sustainability-matters-staff, alongside a sister report, Sustainability Matters: What consumers want and how brands can win. Together, the reports deliver an exclusive and holistic analysis of the issue of sustainability across the hospitality sector.

SURPRISE AND DELIGHT YOUR GUEST WITH SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT We have brought the proven science of aromatherapy into the modern world, making it robustly pre-blended and travel friendly, using the power of scent to change one’s mood.

Scentered gives you the ability to welcome your guests with an amazing portable repeat use gift, customised to your property if you wish (subject to a minimum order quantity) sending the right message to your visitors.

Not only could you welcome your guest with a mini balm, Happy, perhaps, on arrival at their Happy place, there are several fragrances in the portfolio, that could fit with your guests.

Six Aromatherapy Blends For Positive Mental Wellbeing

Invented because of a relentless travel schedule Scentered is built to make every day better.

Contact dawn@scentered.com, or visit www.scentered.com

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Luxury Hospitality Magazine

Given that hotels today mostly offer only dispensed toiletry liquids, there is little take-away value as a reminder of a great stay. Work travellers may benefit from Focus post conference lunchbreak, allowing them to dedicate time, effort and concentration to the tasks in hand. Of course, our Sleep Well is a given, enabling everyone to drift off into a deliciously relaxed slumber. The mini bar could offer gifting items for guests to take advantage of, enabling them to continue on their Scentered journey. For spa, Escape works particularly well, whilst relaxing and delving into that space in order to take full benefit from spa treatments. And for Valentines and all year gifting we offer terrific custom packages for enhancing retreat stay welcomes, or perhaps selling as a VIP room upgrade.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

BELMOND APPOINTS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Dan Ruff, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer, to become Chief Executive Officer from 1st July 2023.

Belmond Ltd and as such will be available to provide support to the organisation on specific projects or advisory topics.

Belmond announces today that Dan Ruff, who has been Chief Operating Officer of the brand since 2018, has been appointed as new CEO, effective 1st July 2023. He succeeds Roeland Vos, who has been at the helm of the company for the past eight years. Roeland Vos will continue his role as Chairman of the board of

“I’m very pleased to hand over the reins of the company to Dan. I have known him for a very long time. He will provide continuity in the journey for excellence that Belmond is on whilst pushing boundaries. I am convinced that he will succeed in taking the team and the brand to the next level.”

Roeland Vos commented.

A proven leader with 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Dan has led Belmond’s strategic focus on operational, commercial and property excellence over the past five years, guiding the teams through the challenges of the pandemic from which Belmond has emerged stronger than ever.

Prior to joining Belmond, Dan held senior roles at Starwood Hotels & Resorts

and Wyndham Hotel Group across operations, asset management, and mergers & acquisitions, and served on the Supervisory Board of Design Hotels AG. He began his career at Credit Suisse First Boston in the investment banking division.

“I’m truly honoured to become CEO of this extraordinary company, with its passionate and genuine people, and legendary properties. Together, we will continue to strive to offer incomparable travel experiences to our guests, and become the world’s most desirable luxury travel brand.” Dan Ruff commented.

Dan Ruff will be reporting directly to Stéphane Rinderknech, Chairman and CEO of LVMH Hospitality Excellence. He will continue to be based in London where he lives with his family. Originally from New York, he graduated from the College Scholar program at Cornell University.

PAN PACIFIC LONDON APPOINTS NEW EXECUTIVE PASTRY CHEF, FRANCESCO MANNINO Luxury hotel, Pan Pacific London, has appointed Francesco Mannino as its new Executive Pastry Chef.

In his role, Francesco will oversee pastry across all aspects of the hotel and its six F&B outlets. He will be responsible for the seasonally changing afternoon teas at The Orchid Lounge, the revolving menu of all things deliciously sweet at SHIOK!, the hotel’s stand-alone pâtisserie and desserts at the Southeast Asian signature restaurant

Straits Kitchen, along with in-room dining and banqueting.

Francesco has almost 20 years’ experience gleaned across the globe in luxury properties including The Connaught, The Mandarin Oriental, The Lanesborough and Claridge’s in London, as well as the Four Seasons Beijing and most recently The Langham Shenzhen. His style is best described as being modern, sophisticated and innovative.

Discovering new flavour profiles and exploring interesting ingredients is what initially drew Francesco to work in Asia.

The refined yet minimalist style of Asian patisserie has greatly influenced his own technique which is never overly decorated and full of fresh flavours.

Francesco Mannino, Executive Pastry Chef at Pan Pacific London comments: “Born in Rome, cooking always played a big role in my family and this has really influenced my work ethos from opening up a bakery in Seoul with my wife to working my pastry kitchens in hotels.

“Similar to a family – collaboration and care is key. I love photography and one of the reasons I became a pastry chef was that I was able to combine my cooking techniques with artistic flair. I look forward to bringing my Western and Asian experience to Pan Pacific London and putting my stamp on the already stellar patisserie offering.”

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Anne Golden, VP Operations, UK & North America and General Manager at Pan Pacific London comments: “We feel very lucky to have Francesco on board. His long-standing experience working in luxury hotels is second to none, and his eye for detail and design makes for some truly incredible pastries!

“We are proud to welcome him to the Pan Pacific London family and are excited to see his passion, precision, and creative flair come to life for our guests to enjoy.”

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

UK’S LEADING SUSTAINABLE CATERERS SOCIAL PANTRY APPOINTS JAMES SPRAGG AS NEW NON-EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN Social Pantry, the leading sustainable events and workplace caterer, has announced the appointment of a new Non-Executive Chairman, James Spragg.

workplace catering to local communities and introduced a fleet of electric vehicles to support a reduction in their carbon footprint.

Spragg will work closely with CEO and Founder, Alex Head, to accelerate the growth of the business, whilst maintaining its core values across sustainability and ex-offender hiring.

Spragg joins with over 25 years of experience working with public and private equity companies across the hospitality sector.

The new appointment comes as Social Pantry’s purpose-led and luxury offering gathers momentum.

FOCUS HOTELS APPOINTS NEW C.E.O. Focus Hotels Management Ltd. is delighted to announce that Devin Grosse has joined the company as Chief Executive Officer.

Devin brings a wealth of hospitality management experience to Focus and is looking forward to working with the Focus team to support the development of the company from its existing strong base to a leading independent “White Label” management company in the UK. Prior to joining Focus, Devin spent ten years as Vice President of Operations at Aimbridge managing an extensive portfolio of luxury hotels across the UK, forging excellent relationships with all the key hotel brands, and managing key stakeholders including owners, banks, asset managers, developers, board members and investors. The development of new hotels from feasibility through design and build to opening has been his speciality over the last 25 years.

CHOICE HOTELS EMEA APPOINTS ARNOUD VINK AS HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT Choice Hotels EMEA, the 100% franchise focused hotel company, has appointed Arnoud Vink as its new Head of Development since May 1st.

Arnoud is responsible for driving the group’s growth strategy across EMEA and the appointment supports the company’s ongoing focus on building a scalable network of high-quality hotels across the region.

Reporting to Jonathan Mills, Choice Hotels EMEA CEO, Arnoud will play a critical role in achieving our expansion and development goals for the region. He will focus on signing new partnerships and franchise agreements in EMEA, alongside working to develop new opportunities with existing franchisees.

Arnoud Vink, Head of Development at Choice Hotels EMEA, added: “This is a truly exciting time to join Choice Hotels EMEA as we continue to re-energise our entire EMEA portfolio. I look forward to managing Choice Hotels’ regional expansion plans, working with the team to further grow our presence across the region, optimising returns on investment for our franchisees and providing exceptional value to today’s travellers.

“I am excited by what the Choice Hotels franchisee-focused approach and dynamic brand revitalisation strategy offers entrepreneurs and investors, alongside its focus on flexibility and robust ROI, and I am looking forward to showcasing these opportunities to investors region-wide.”

With over 15 years experience in hospitality, Arnoud has held various senior leadership positions at the Accor Group in France. Most recently, he managed the development and franchising of all Accor brands in the French market as the group’s Senior Vice President, prior to setting up his own consultancy.

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Devin worked with Chardon Management before its sale to Interstate Hotels & Resorts and subsequent rebrand to Aimbridge, supporting the growth from 13 hotels to the larger portfolio it has today. He spent his early career in country house hotels before joining Forte hotels and IHG corporate covering over 100 hotels across the UK before moving into several General Management and Regional Management roles.

From new workplace menus designed to slash food miles, to a renewed commitment to hiring ex-offenders, Social Pantry is continually stepping up its efforts to ensure its social impact develops hand in hand with its growth. Just last month, the company also launched a new partnership with leading food waste app Olio, to redistribute surplus food from

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LATEST NEWS

MICHELIN STARRED CHEFS, CHRIS AND JEFF GALVIN, ANNOUNCE THEIR EXCEPTIONAL ‘TASTE OF SUMMER’ MENUS AT FIVE OF LONDON’S FINEST RESTAURANTS The five award-winning Galvin restaurants have each created a unique fine dining tasting experience this summer.

The ‘Taste of Summer’ menus are a celebration of summer established by Michelin-starred chefs Chris and Jeff Galvin and use the best of British seasonal produce at accessible prices.

The brothers founded five of London’s finest restaurants and the four and fivecourse tasting menus will be available at each one with a delicious menu specially created by the Head Chefs at Galvin La Chapelle, Galvin at Windows, Galvin Bistrot & Bar, Galvin Bar & Grill, and Galvin Green Man. Chris Galvin, Chef Patron of Galvin Restaurants, says, “The concept behind our ‘Taste of Summer Menu’ is to celebrate the best of British seasonal produce but at accessible price points. Jeff and I love the idea of giving our guests an unforgettable tasting experience, and we collaborate with each of our five incredible Head Chefs to create exciting menus featuring delicious British ingredients. With the ongoing cost of living crisis, we are passionate about offering our guests a fine dining experience that isn’t out of reach, and also continue to support our local suppliers and farmers.

Nothing beats a British summer, and we hope the ‘Taste of Summer’ menu will inspire people to get out and celebrate the season with delicious homegrown food.”

The ‘Taste of Summer Menu’ features mouth-watering courses created by Galvin’s five award-winning chefs. Each menu has been specially created by each Head Chef.

The ‘Taste of Summer’ menus will be available from July –September and reservations at each restaurant can be made here, prices start from £30.

MASTERCHEF WINNER JAMIE SCOTT BRINGS BRASSERIE STYLE DINING TO BROUGHTY FERRY MasterChef winner, Jamie Scott is bringing his signature style to Broughty Ferry, Dundee as he and wife Kelly open the doors to Sandbanks Brasserie.

The couple who run The Newport Restaurant, several bakeries across Tayside and Fife, and Shipwrecked Seafood are introducing a more casual style of dining than the fine dining experience of The Newport, which was awarded the AA Restaurant of the Year Award 2018-19.

Jamie and Kelly took over the seaside premises just a few weeks ago from owner Adam Newth who successfully ran The Tayberry from the Brook Street location and has decided to step away to pursue other ventures.

Bookings can be made via the website but a number of tables will be held back for walk-in customers, as the eatery aims to make the experience more accessible to a broader audience. Initially opening five days a week Wednesday – Sunday, the team plans to open seven days a week within the coming months.

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With a presence in Newport, Dundee, St Andrews and Arbroath, the entrepreneurial duo have been eager to open a venue in Broughty Ferry that provides an opportunity to bring something new to the area, while driving strong crossover between their existing offering and supporting their zero waste ethos. Every item on the Sandbanks menu is made from scratch, with the Newport bakeries supplying all baked produce including the Sandbanks Burger brioche buns and iconic sweet staples, such as the triple chocolate caramelia brownie which will be given a Sandbanks twist.

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BOTTLE OR BAR? A SOAPY CASE STUDY

The UN Environment Programme states, “The plastic pollution crisis stems mainly from the fact that plastic is currently produced, used (often just once) and discarded. Tackling plastic pollution requires an approach that addresses all stages of plastic’s life-cycle, from production to consumption to waste management, reducing pollution and waste at each stage. A life-cycle approach also helps

balance economic needs with concerns over the effects of plastic pollution.”

With World Environment Day on 5 June having just passed, City Lodge Hotels shares its ongoing efforts to reduce single-use plastic in guest bathrooms that tie in well with this year’s theme of #BeatPlasticPollution. The group made history when it totally overhauled its inroom amenities in July 2020 and introduced the Zero Hair and Body Bar. This was a South African hotel industry first and among the earliest adopters of a new approach to amenities and packaging technology worldwide. Amenities are among the items that every single guest interacts with, so the overall messaging and impact are significant.

The group’s aim was to strip guest bedrooms of single-use plastic, resulting in the now famous The Bespoke Amenities Company (TBAC SA) Zero Bar a standard feature in all its hotels – Courtyard Hotels, City Lodge Hotels, Town Lodges and Road Lodges – replacing the traditional mini plastic bottles of shampoo and body wash.

This is what that looks like in numbers for the period 1 January 2022 to date, reflecting the collective impact of just this one change: Bottle versus bar:

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• 8,843 cases of shampoo bars delivered to City Lodge Hotels totalling 884,300 units • 1 shampoo bar replaces 2 plastic bottles (shampoo bottle and body wash bottle) • 1 shampoo bar weighs 26 grams to transport and shampoo and body wash combined weigh 74 grams • 32ml liquid shampoo and body wash together total 64ml, which is 77.44% water

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The plastic pollution crisis stems mainly from the fact that plastic is currently produced, used (often just once) and discarded.

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Is the end in sight for dinky bottles of toiletries in hotel bathrooms? The European Union (EU) is considering banning miniature hotel toiletries and single-use food containers in a bid to reduce wasteful packaging, reported Euronews. The proposal is part of the European Green Deal, which aims to reach net zero by 2050, separate economic growth from resource use, and promote a circular economy within the EU.

The impact: • 1,768,600 plastic bottles removed from hotels • 43,827.32 litres of water saved • 42,446.40 kilograms reduction in weight transported TBAC SA delivers to several City Lodge Hotels’ properties and collects empty boxes and product discarded by guests, achieving the ideal circular economy for the most effective consumption, recycling and waste disposal of packaging and plastic.

Circular economy The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a UKbased, international charity committed to creating a circular economy for plastic, states, “While improving recycling is crucial, we cannot recycle our way out of the plastic issues we currently face. Wherever relevant, reuse business models should be explored as a preferred solution (or ‘inner loop’ in circular economy terms), reducing the need for singleuse plastic packaging.”

The organisation’s comprehensive website explains: “The circular economy considers every stage of a product’s journey – before

HOTEL AMENITIES

With City Lodge Hotels, we’ve eliminated all unnecessary plastic and where plastic is necessary, found alternative products.

City Lodge Hotels is growing its investment in environmentally friendly operations, which currently includes:

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Sustainability journey

As hotels encourage guests to take their amenities home, recycling becomes the sole responsibility of the end-user. City Lodge Hotels and TBAC SA have gone so far as to use outer packaging that is recyclable cardboard that poses no threat to rivers, oceans and landfills if not recycled.

and after it reaches the customer. This approach is not only vital to stop plastic pollution, it also offers strong economic, social, and climate benefits. When applied correctly, the circular economy benefits society, the environment and the economy.

This means all packaging should be designed to fit within a system, whether it is reused, recycled or composted.”

As hotel groups locally and internationally catch-up to what City Lodge Hotels and TBAC SA have already achieved, Bruce Turner, managing director of TBAC SA, examines some of the options being proposed or adopted: “Many hotel groups are looking for a ‘silver bullet’ solution, but there are factors worth considering to ensure the outcome does what you want, i.e. less waste in the system. You need to design for recyclability – problems arise when you print on PET containers, for example, as it renders them non-recyclable, and coloured PET plastic is not recycled locally either. The use of plastic bottles – even in dispensers – still adds to the problem of waste, regardless of size.

“A hotel group’s responsibility is to make sure what they have is recyclable, and then recycle it, and if they can replace risky material like plastic and there is benefit in doing that, then replace it,” says Bruce. “With City Lodge Hotels, we’ve eliminated all unnecessary plastic and where plastic is necessary, found alternative products. The Zero Bars offer a triple saving – no single-use plastic for starters, coupled with a lower carbon footprint as less water is required in making the product, and it has a lower shipping weight than its liquid alternatives. This is a significant development, leapfrogging over more cumbersome albeit well-meaning alternatives. Together we took a risk and chased innovation, and we continue to do that.”

• Solar systems added to a further 15 hotels in addition to the 25 hotels that have already installed solar panels, and increased focus on energy storage.

• Hydration stations at all the group’s hotels offer free, filtered, magnesiumenriched still and sparkling water for guests to help themselves to at any time, reducing the amount of bottled water purchased.

• Boreholes installed at properties where water is frequently disrupted.

• Commitment to only using eggs laid by cage-free hens from 2025.

• Switching to environmentally-friendly equipment when hotels refurbish, such as washing machines in laundry rooms.

• Online check-in and QR menus to reduce the use of paper.

• Procuring from local suppliers where possible to reduce the distance goods must travel while supporting small and medium businesses.

Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo, chief operating officer at City Lodge Hotels, says, “We are committed to delivering on our sustainability goals, and replacing our bathroom amenities was a big step in the right direction. We know our guests appreciate being part of our journey to lighten our collective carbon footprint while still delivering tip-top, loving and clean hospitality. We make it easy for them to ‘go green’!”

“What City Lodge Hotels did was an authentic, genuine solution by changing the product altogether. Zero Bars are a pure cleansing bar, gentle yet effective on all hair types as well as the body. They contain the key elements of shampoo and body wash just minus the water. They lather up in a similar way to liquid products and require minimal packaging,” Bruce adds. Another great benefit of the bar is guests can pop it in their hand luggage without worrying about declaring it at airports as is required with liquids when travelling internationally.

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Bruce notes that some hotel groups prefer to keep the formula of bathroom amenities as is and purchase products from a supplier committed to sustainability. Discarded bottles need to be disposed of correctly, with the organisation setting up and maintaining a responsible recycling system usually involving reputable external waste collection and processing companies.

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EVENTS & AWARDS NEWS

TITANIC HOTEL LIVERPOOL WINS LARGE HOTEL OF THE YEAR AT THE VISITENGLAND AWARDS Titanic Hotel Liverpool has been awarded Large Hotel of the Year at the prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.

© VisitBritain & Daniela Luquini © VisitBritain & Daniela Luquini

Recognising excellence across the country’s tourism industry and celebrating innovation, quality and best practices, the annual awards took place on 7 June at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, where Gold, Silver and Bronze winners were announced.

Among the 20 categories was Large Hotel of the Year, of which Titanic Hotel Liverpool was triumphant against two other shortlisted hotels that included Bowood Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort in Wiltshire and Rockliffe Hall Hotel, Golf & Spa Resort in County Durham.

The nationally acclaimed award comes after Titanic Hotel was crowned Large Hotel of the Year for a consecutive year at the

Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards in March.

Brian Connor, general manager at Titanic Hotel Liverpool, comments: “It’s an honour to be recognised with Large Hotel of the Year for our exceptional service and iconic Grade II listing setting reaffirming our high standards within the industry. We strive to create an environment where luxury meets heartfelt hospitality, and this coveted award serves as a testament to the dedication and passion of our exceptional team.”

The Grade II listed Titanic Hotel is steeped in both history and style, located on Stanley Dock overlooking the River Mersey. Offering 153 spacious bedrooms with chic industrial interiors along with first-class amenities including Stanley’s Bar & Grill restaurant, the renowned Rum Bar and Maya Blue Wellness Spa, the hotel offers everything needed for a memorable stay, a step outside the city.

CHEF MICHEL ROUX JR TO DELIVER CLOSING KEYNOTE AT AHC 2023 Chef Michel Roux Jr will put hotel F&B on the menu at The Annual Hotel Conference (AHC) 2023 when it returns to Manchester Central Convention Complex on 11-12 September.

The owner of Michelin-starred restaurant Le Gavroche and member of the Roux chef dynasty, will deliver the closing keynote on the AHC Vision Stage, sharing his experience of running a business, sustaining excellence and developing and nurturing talent. He will also host an F&B clinic for hoteliers.

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Last year’s event welcomed more than 1,000 attendees, including hoteliers, investors and developers who spent two days absorbing valuable insight on pertinent topics delivered in keynotes, panel discussions and presentations.

As well as highlighting opportunities around F&B, AHC 2023, the premier event for the UK’s hospitality investment community, will tackle a wide range of pertinent issues facing the industry – from the availability of stock to the use of robotics and AI within hospitality.

The conference’s two-day programme of talks will see the leading minds of UK

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hospitality deliver engaging sessions and share visions of the future and strategies for success.

Delegates will also be afforded the chance to connect with senior decision-makers in UK hospitality through a number of high-profile networking opportunities and find out about exciting innovations and ventures at a dedicated exhibition.

Speaking on the key focuses for the hospitality industry Chef Michel Roux Jr said: “I think that the main focus at the moment is to streamline, and by that, I mean not to just streamline your staffing numbers, but also your offering, making sure that what you offer is 100% what your guests want and need. We also need to connect with local people, using local produce and with that you’ll receive some

very much wanted good will. There is so much that can be gleaned from that.

“Since coming out of the pandemic guests are looking even more for a special experience. It’s not just about the food on the plate, or about great service, it all has to come together, from the moment you book to the moment that you walk out of the door it’s about creating memories.”

Joe Stather, market lead for Questex’s Operational Real Estate portfolio, said: “The AHC has become THE place for the UK’s hospitality industry to come together to share ideas, learn, network and be inspired each year.

“Hotels with F&B can be attractive propositions for investors so we’re looking forward to delving into the topic with hospitality icon Michel Roux Jr in Manchester in September, when we’ll be back with our welcomed platform for industry members to be galvanised into taking necessary actions for their businesses.”

The Annual Hotel Conference 2023 will take place on 11-12 September.

For more information visit https://www.theahc.co.uk/

EVENTS & AWARDS NEWS

SEARCYS IS AWARDED TOP THREE STAR ACCREDITATION BY SRA

HISTORIC HOTEL CELEBRATES PRESTIGIOUS AA AWARD SUCCESS Creative chefs are celebrating award success as it was announced The Old Crown Coaching Inn, based in Faringdon, Oxfordshire has been awarded two AA Rosettes for culinary excellence.

The culinary creations of the historic hotel’s Head Chef Samuel Squires and his experienced team, has been recognised and rewarded by hospitality’s highly coveted prestigious award scheme.

Renowned chef Samuel Squires specialises in fine dining using locally sourced seasonal ingredients for discerning diners who enjoy exquisite, innovative, delicious dishes in the luxurious hotel’s elegant Ballroom.

The Old Crown Coaching Inn has been awarded two rosettes by the AA Guide as well as a 4-star rating for the boutique hotel, which has 14 bespoke rooms and is a popular wedding venue for couples looking for a unique stylish setting for their bridal celebrations.

British caterer and restaurateur, Searcys, is delighted to have retained its three-star rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association. Awarded to businesses at the forefront of creating positive change across the foodservice industry, the accreditation showcases Searcys’ continued commitment to operate sustainably across sourcing, society and environment.

In residence at more than 20 venues in London and Bath, Searcys was applauded for the positive changes across its menus by introducing balanced, healthier dishes which benefit guests and the planet, with a 21% improvement since its pre-pandemic assessment.

Other areas highlighted in the appraisal included its staff benefits and retention, from introducing new employee perks and experimenting with working patterns for a better work-life balance, to expanding its training programmes

with 43 apprenticeship schemes, along with enrolment into Searcys Champagne School.

Searcys has also committed to supporting local communities, raising over £175,000 for charity in 2022, its 175th anniversary year, through a range of initiatives. From a 175-mile ‘Tour De Searcys’ bike ride to hosting the Searcys 175th Birthday Ball for hospitality leaders, the donations were shared across nominated charities, including hospitality-specific ones, the Hotel School and Beyond Food Foundation.

Paul Jackson, Managing Director at Searcys comments “Sustainability is at the heart of the business and we thank the Sustainable Restaurant Association for its stringent process of certification, which has allowed us to take stock of our achievements, but most importantly, outlined our next steps and areas of focus.

“We are very proud of this great result, which is a true testament to the work of our people – from chefs developing the menus to our operational, procurement and support staff who are continuing to drive Searcys’ sustainability pledges.”

Looking ahead, Searcys has unveiled its new provenance pledges for 2023, which include focus on sustainable procurement of fish, guided by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) tarting, alongside working with regenerative farms and the stringent protocol to reduce food and non-food waste across its venues.

Head Chef Samuel Squires specialises in serving modern gastronomy offering guests exquisite fine dining in the hotel’s elegant, ambient stylish setting.

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He said: “We are delighted to have received this prestigious accolade. We enjoy curating culinary creations that delight diners and offer a menu that is produce and flavour driven, using the finest seasonal ingredients to create unique fine-dining dishes with a contemporary twist. I’m extremely proud of the hard work and commitment of the whole team that has made this tremendous achievement possible and looking forward to see what we can accomplish next!”

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EVENTS & AWARDS NEWS Reviews are collected from genuine customers via Feefo (www.ba.com/reviews) – an independent and impartial third-party company. Customers are then asked to score hotels based on location, service, cleanliness, and sleep quality, as well as provide an overall score out of five stars.

British Airways Holidays, as part of its commitment to providing high-quality holidays, gathered over 67,000 independent reviews during 2022 and is awarding 540 Customer Excellence Awards across the globe to recognise the top-rated hotels.

THE WESTIN TURTLE BAY RESORT & SPA SCOOPS BRITISH AIRWAYS HOLIDAYS ACCOLADE FOR CUSTOMER EXCELLENCE

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The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa in Mauritius is delighted to have received a British Airways Holidays Customer Excellence Award for 2022. Based on unbiased guest reviews, this accolade recognises outstanding service, excellent facilities and customer experiences offered by hotels around the world.

The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa received an overall score of 4.6/5 Stars.

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Vikash Dawoo, General Manager of The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa, said “We aim to go above and beyond at our resort through providing five-star facilities combined with the highest quality service as well as taking note of the little things that matter for the most memorable guest experience.

It’s incredibly rewarding to see our efforts recognised through this award win.”

HOSPITALITY QUALITY

What makes exceptional quality in the UK’s Hospitality industry today? Simon Numphud, Managing Director of AA Hotel & Hospitality Services, offers valuable insights on what great quality means, how to deliver it and why a hotel’s ‘soul’ is everything today.

For me, quality centres around two key areas: the physical characteristics and the experience.

We have so many great hotels across the UK that live and breathe exceptional quality and it is a great privilege for our inspection teams to observe this first hand, especially in an industry that has always put its people and guests first.

Here are my top three ingredients for quality, consistency and exceptional service that will positively impact hoteliers’ bottom line.

1. Let your venue’s heart and soul shine It goes without saying that delivering great guest satisfaction hinges on the physical establishment itself being in good order, but what really brings a hotel to life is its service and hospitality.

I refer to this as its ‘soul’. In my experience when visiting a truly brilliant hotel, its soul is palpable and is evident through its people too. By developing a culture where every guest is treated as if they are a close relative, delivering great service becomes second nature, rather than simply a process. Quality is not just a process – it’s natural, genuine hospitality that leaves a lasting impression.

2. Cultivate a winning culture Happy, motivated teams foster exceptional customer service. The two are intrinsically linked. We are all well aware of the adage: “If you look after your team well, they will look after your customers” and this couldn’t ring any truer than in the hostel industry.

A great place to start is by having your team go through the guest experience themselves, this helps to ensure they have complete empathy and understanding of a visitor’s perspective. What’s more, they should complement this experience with more formal training and product knowledge sessions by putting in place a dedicated learning programme. In a busy hotel where time is often a scarce

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Happy, motivated teams foster exceptional customer service. The two are intrinsically linked.

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QUALITY IN HOSPITALITY: AN EXPERT SHARES HIS SECRET INGREDIENTS

commodity it can be easy to neglect this, but knowing your product inside out is fundamental to great service.

3. Nurture guest advocacy Guest satisfaction is your golden ticket to success. Getting the guest experience right can have a significantly positive impact on the bottom line, while getting it wrong can have quite the reverse effect. In a fiercely competitive marketplace, the value of a repeat guest is key. Often this can lead to a relationship where guests will book directly with your hotel, owing to the trust and rapport developed through great quality and service. A loyal guest who loves the hotel can also become a great advocate for your business, through recommending the experience to friends and family or posting on social media about their experience.

Fortunately, there are many fantastic hotels across the country that deliver consistently great guest experiences through their committed and professional teams. When we visit a hotel, we assess everything through a quality lens, looking at both the physical quality and the operational aspects of an establishment. Importantly we’ll also observe other guests’ experiences, so we get a consistent view.

Together with VisitEngland we provide assessment ratings, however it’s hugely important to us to work with the industry, empowering people to drive forward quality through ongoing guidance and support.

Ultimately, creating a better experience for those working in hospitality and the guests they serve.

Luxury Hospitality Magazine

For more information or to sign up to one of our quality schemes, please visit: business.ratedtrips.com/get-aa-rated

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FAST GROWING TECH FIRM LAUNCHES EXPERT SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANCY ARM & OPENS NEW LONDON OFFICE

Elbha Purcell, Director, Knowledge Labs

Knowledge Labs will provide Hospitality and Food Service (HaFS) operators with expert advice and support across a range of topics central to their ESG strategy, including food related sustainability, nutrition, employee wellbeing, and compliance. Elbha, a trained dietician and former Director of Dietetics and Wellbeing at Aramark Northern Europe, will be supported by a team of accredited professionals, including Nutritics’ Sustainability

A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO SKINCARE

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Inspired by Gaia, the ancient Greek goddess known as mother nature, GAIA Skincare was developed to offer a range of nourishing products, harnessing the power of natural ingredients.

Since launching in 2016, GAIA has grown their wellbeing treatments and product range, developed at their flagship Gaia Spa at Boringdon Hall Hotel. Their award-winning products are handmade in Britain, using traditional techniques to blend pure essential oils, plant actives, and organic ingredients, blended with the GAIA Elixir - a bespoke crystal infusion to aid emotional balance.

GAIA are excited to announce they have partnered with 28 spas across the UK and Ireland, having recently launched with The Tawny in Staffordshire, Slieve Russell in Ballyconnell and Inhabit Queens Garden.

Find out more: www.gaiaskincare.com

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Lead, Dr Laura Kirwan – vice chair of European Health Systems at the European Parliament; Frankie Douglas – Director of Compliance and Integrity, and Angela Hart, Enablement Director.

Nutritics’ new UK headquarters and client showcase hub, in London’s Liverpool Street, will ensure the company is best placed to service its wide range of UK clients, which include Aramark, Brakes, Compass Group, Fuller’s, LEON, Loungers, Manchester City FC, Merlin Entertainment, the NHS, Public Health England, Starbucks, Stonegate, SSP, Wagamama, and WSH. Stephen Nolan, Chief Executive, Nutritics, said: “We’re delighted to have opened our new London office. As our growth continues in the UK, we wanted to establish a central presence where we can meet prospective and existing clients and create a hub where the finest minds in tech, sustainability and hospitality and food service can come together.”

On the launch of Knowledge Labs, Stephen added: “Our mission is to continue to be a trusted partner to our customers, by working collaboratively with them to develop food-related sustainability, compliance and wellbeing strategies. Knowledge Labs is an important part of that, providing operators with access to the same experts who have helped create our award-winning software solutions, so HaFS businesses can bridge the gap between the knowing and the doing.”

Nutritics operates the Foodprint and Ten Kites technology businesses and helps HaFs operators run safer, more sustainable and more profitable operations, and is used in over 100 countries by a wide range of food businesses. Nutritics Food provides menu management and food labelling solutions for multi-site food service operators, caterers and hospitality sector leaders, and Nutritics is currently the only company in the world to have been awarded the Gold Standard Recipe Calculation Accreditation by the European Food Information Resource (EUROFIR).

Backed by Nutritics’ unrivalled data, Knowledge Labs’ team of experts will provide support to HaFS businesses of all sizes, during their ESG journey, in areas such as regulatory engagement, story development, corporate strategy, customer communication and margin management. Knowledge Labs can help operators in areas such as shaping their Net Zero roadmap, understanding their waste and carbon impact and improving employee education and engagement with sustainability programmes, all of which will strengthen reputation, build trust with consumers, staff and investors, and grow market share.

Elbha Purcell, Director of Knowledge Labs, commented, “We’ve been in food data and impact reporting for the last decade so we know there’s a huge amount of value we can add to hospitality and food service businesses. Knowledge Labs is a ground-breaking solution which blends our personal expertise with best-in-class data to provide expert sustainability counsel and consultancy, and we look forward to helping operators by providing practical strategies that are not only clear, but easy to implement, which will deliver a tangible return on their investment.”

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Our mission is to continue to be a trusted partner to our customers, by working collaboratively with them to develop food-related sustainability, compliance and wellbeing strategies.

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Leading food software (SaaS) company, Nutritics, has opened its new central London office and client showcase venue as it seeks to build on its growth in the UK. The move coincides with the launch of the company’s brand new sustainability consultancy arm, Knowledge Labs from Nutritics, and the promotion of Elbha Purcell to the newly created role of Director of Knowledge Labs.

FOCUS LAUNCH HOLOGRAPHIK FIREPLACES FOR HOSPITALITY DESIGN The French fireplace manufacturer Focus has created an immersive design using a unique holographic system, Holographik, over naturalistic ceramic logs to create a hyper-realistic-looking fire that uses minimal energy. This design is ideal for hotels and hospitality interiors.

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Focus’s Holographik fires generate no live flames and can be switched on/off at the touch of a button, making it easy to control and perfectly suitable for a workplace or areas with high volumes of visitors.

Famous for their fireplaces, Focus has continuously revolutionised their designs for over 50-plus years and is regularly specified by architects and interior

designers globally wanting a statement sculptural design.

New environmental standards are positively impacting the world of traditional fireplaces and as these Focus Holographik fireplaces only require an electrical socket, they can be specified for low-energy building and residential projects too.

Focus’s Holographik fires generate no live flames and can be switched on/off at the touch of a button, making it easy to control and perfectly suitable for a workplace or areas with high volumes of visitors.

Focus has a range of fireplace designs that include glazed wood burners, gas fires as well as outdoor firepits. All their collections are handcrafted in the south of France by skilled artisans and made to the highest standards including DEFRA approved models.

All Focus collections are readily available throughout the UK.

Bath House Luxury Hospitality Magazine Advert.qxp_Outlines 06/04/2023 16:04 Page 1

www.focus-fireplaces.com

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OPENINGS

GOURMANDS AND BON VIVANTS BEHOLD: The Rosarium, AT THE SIDINGS, WATERLOO Norfolk asparagus with soft boiled egg and smoked hollandaise. For the main courses, Ayliffe has taken inspiration from the Big Smoke itself, serving quirky spins on London classics. With a veganised take on pie and mash with liquor - Puy lentil and caramelised shallot pie with colcannon – and a twist on the quintessential Friday night supper - Fish in a Chip served with tartare hollandaise and peas – Ayliffe is serving innovative comfort food at its best.

Step into a quintessentially English garden where the 100-cover restaurant will serve lunch, dinner and a Sunday roast experience. The all-day menu begins with grazing dishes and elevated simple starters; highlights include: Potted Portland crab with buttered muffins and

Other decadent plates include Kentish lamb shoulder with barley and broad bean, Cider-braised Suffolk pork belly with apple miso and Spiced bass with coconut rice.

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Gastronomes are invited to a brand-new opening, The Rosarium; an enchanted dining oasis hidden beneath the bustle of Waterloo Station. With Executive Chef Harvey Ayliffe overseeing the offering, expect a reimagining of elevated British dishes – promising to bring out the inner child in those who dine. With a playful cocktail list alongside a variety of dining spaces, including a central feasting table and private dining room, escape away from the everyday with The Rosarium.

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More information at rosariumlondon.com

Masala Zone PICCADILLY CIRCUS NOW OPEN Pioneers of the London Indian restaurant scene MW Eat, has taken its pan-Indian upmarket informal dining restaurant Masala Zone to the heart of London’s Piccadilly Circus.

The latest opening from MW Eat - the group behind Masala Zone and finedining classics: Chutney Mary, Amaya and Veeraswamy – is the group’s seventh restaurant in London.

Housed in a historic building adjacent to the famous statue of Eros, Masala Zone Piccadilly Circus will be initially open for lunch and dinner; but will soon also offer afternoon tea followed shortly by breakfast, affording Londoners and visitors to the capital alike an authentic taste of India at any time of the day.

Subtle spicing and profound flavours lie at the heart of Masala Zone’s dishes using historic recipes from gourmet homes and generations of India’s street food masters.

OPENINGS

YANNICK ALLÉNO’S LONDON DEBUT, Pavyllon London, IS NOW OPEN Celebrated Chef Yannick Alléno is delighted to announce that Pavyllon London, his debut London restaurant, as well as its dedicated bar, Bar Antoine, is now open.

Set within Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, Pavyllon brings Chef Yannick’s refined neighbourhood dining style to London, offering a British expression of his signature modern French dishes, within one of Mayfair’s most prestigious addresses. Similarly, Bar Antoine also celebrates gastronomy, yet in a more light-hearted way; in tribute to Chef Yannick’s late son Antoine, who was himself an up-and-coming Chef.

Pavyllon London….

Pavyllon, which is the multi-Michelinstarred Chefs first venture in London, features restaurant and counter seating, as well as a private dining room and 30-person al fresco terrace; both of which will open in due course. The focal point of the restaurant is the open kitchen, framed by an expansive wood-framed counter, seating 30 and allowing guests to have a ‘Chef’s Table’ experience within the main restaurant itself. Pavyllon London is the epitome of Chef Yannick’s commitment to blending knowledge and excellence with experimentation and

Masala Zone Piccadilly Circus’ menu will consist of showstopping grazing dishes such as sprouted lentil bhel, vada pao sliders and gourmet grills including Lucknowi lamb biriyani and paneer tikka, alongside regional curries and traditional thalis.

Desserts are no afterthought, with quintessential Indian sweet treats fashioned by the restaurant’s ‘Halwais’ (dessert chefs). Highlights include smooth and flavoursome kulfis and the classic Gujarati shrikhand dessert.

Alongside an array of classic cocktails that have been given a Masala Zone twist, such as chaiinfused Negronis and rose and cardamom-infused almond sours, Masala Zone Piccadilly Circus will have a list of wines that flatter the range of spices

seasonal ingredients, thus modernising the foundations of French cuisine.

Chef Yannick is acclaimed for his revolutionary culinary method, which extends to ‘Extraction’ - a technique he pioneered, largely in relation to sauces. This sees an ingredient cooked in a vacuum to a highly specific time and temperature to harvest the purest flavour from it, before it is cryo-concentrated to capture its very essence. Whilst enhancing flavour, this also results in the final product being lower in sugar, salt and fat, reflecting Chef Yannick’s belief that chefs have a responsibility to care for the health of their guests.

Bar Antoine has been designed to be the ultimate refuge in the heart of Mayfair, with an innovative, culinary-led cocktail list and an extensive menu featuring dishes that evoke a sense of nostalgia. The cocktail list, which has been built around the culinary techniques pioneered by Chef Yannick, has been designed by Michele Lombardi, Head Mixologist, who has joined from The Ritz and Ivan Arena, Bar Manager, in collaboration with the Chef.

Pavyllon London and Bar Antoine are now open. Bookings can be made here: https://www.pavyllonlondon.com/ reservations/

within the menu, alongside a classic selection of beers.

The owners of Masala Zone believe that the interiors of their restaurants should thrill as much as their flavours do. The stunning interior design of the new Piccadilly restaurant exudes inspiration from India at every turn combined with contemporary design, the restaurant’s interior hallmark. This ranges from a vibrant colour scheme of deep purples, bold reds and rich greens to the metallic panels housing sculptures and paintings from India.

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Luxurious banquettes, adorned in rich furnishings will be dotted around the 150-cover venue with tabletops exhibiting a variety of maximalist patterns. A contemporary take on the traditional Jali screens surround distinct seating areas, punctuating the room. In honour of India’s love of luminous displays, showstopping light fixtures will hang from the ceiling. The bar is also set to be a dazzling affair; its luminous LED bar front a design of red onyx, creating a focal point to the room.

The restaurant also offers private dining in the form of ‘The Leopard Room’. Suitable for up to 32, the area has attention grabbing features such as a 10-ft painting depicting a maharaja and maharani with their pet blue leopard alongside a folding screen in a striking leopard chenille design.

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OPENINGS

ISTANBUL’S NEWEST ROOFTOP RESTAURANT Marcello OPENS AT The Stay Boulevard Nisantasi Marcello is the latest addition to Istanbul’s culinary scene, offering rooftop views and a fusion of Italian flavours, the perfect place to experience the essence of Mediterranean life in the heart of the city.

Spanning 425 sqm, Marcello is located on the rooftop of The Stay Boulevard Nistantasi, a space redolent of Italy with olive and citrus trees, and a terracottatiled terrace with Boshphorus views. The interiors, designed by world-renowned design studio Autoban, include a striking entrance featuring bespoke frescoes and rich burgundy marble. The space is elevated by a coveted art collection featuring works by artists such as Jeff Robb, Vahram Davtian, Sedat Girgin, and Erdal Akbaş.

Marcello brings together the finest flavours from all corners of Italy; offering a diverse menu selection with customisable options from the thin-crusted Milanese pizza of the North to the puffy Neapolitan pizza of the South. The menu includes Delizia lemon dessert from the Amalfi coast, and delectable dishes including Tiramisu, Ossobuco and Risotto. The quintessence of Italian cuisine lies in its ingredients, with many sourced directly from Italy, and

combined with the finest ingredients found in Türkiye. As the basis of Italian cuisine is none other than olive oil, Marcello offers a selection of three hand-blended oils ranging from sweet to fragrant, allowing guests to choose what is best suited for their palette.

Head Chef Luigi Mariconda, former Executive Chef at Scalini, Istanbul’s classic Italian trattoria, creates his Italian specialties for Marcello’s menu including his own blend of limoncello.

Chef Massimiliano Nardo introduces his native Genoese Focaccia di Recco to Türkiye for the first time, an unleavened bread filled with a specialist cheese normally produced in the town of Recco. Due to its unique flavour and short shelf life, the cheese is being exclusively produced in Türkiye instead of being imported, preserving its authentic essence.

Marcello’s wine cellar has a wide selection of local and international labels, while the vegan cocktails are the perfect complement to the vertically grown self-sustaining herbs that adorn each glass.

Named after Marcello Mastroianni, the lead actor in Fellini’s iconic film La Dolce Vita, the restaurant creates a warm and inviting atmosphere, providing a lovely sanctuary for savouring delectable and authentic Italian cuisine.

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The Stay Boulevard Nisantasi is an 82-room property, housed in an elegant building in the heart of the city’s art and fashion district, Nisantasi.

Designed by architect Mahmut Anlar, known for his extraordinary Turkish and international projects, light-filled rooms and suites feature vegan-leather headboards in forest green, cooling marble and warm wood. The hotel recently unveiled its new terrace suites that offer versatile 1+1 and 2+1 accommodation options with lush green terraces.

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Review: A LUCKY CAT ENCOUNTER IN MANCHESTER’S CULINARY LANDSCAPE If there’s one chef who knows how to create a captivating dining experience, it’s Gordon Ramsay.

Lucky Cat, his renowned London restaurant, has gracefully expanded its presence onto the lively streets of Manchester, taking up residence in the majestic confines of a former bank building on King Street.

Located within the grand walls of this historic financial institution, Lucky Cat brings an enchanting blend of Asian cuisine and vibrant energy to the city’s atmospheric streets.

As you step inside Lucky Cat Manchester, the first thing that captures your attention is the high ceilings, creating an open and airy ambiance. The blend of traditional and contemporary design elements perfectly complements the vibrant Asian-inspired cuisine that awaits you.

The menu is a true masterpiece, showcasing the culinary genius of Gordon Ramsay and his team. From small plates to the finest Wagyu sirloin, Lucky Cat Manchester offers a delightful array of delicacies that will leave you craving more. Each dish is meticulously crafted with a modern twist, elevating the flavours to new heights.

But it’s not just about the food; Lucky Cat Manchester knows how to craft a memorable cocktail. Their fashionably concocted drinks are as much a work of art as the dishes. Sip on expertly crafted cocktails that beautifully complement the flavours of your meal, adding an extra layer of indulgence to your dining experience.

Lucky Cat Manchester is a gem that brings a new dimension to Manchester’s culinary scene. With its captivating atmosphere, exquisite cuisine, and fashionably crafted cocktails, this establishment has undoubtedly found its place among the city’s top dining destinations. If you’re seeking an unforgettable gastronomic adventure, make sure to pay a visit to Lucky Cat Manchester – you won’t be disappointed.

Georgie-May Tearle SENIOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Luxury Hospitality Magazine

What truly sets Lucky Cat Manchester apart is the essence of the lucky cat itself. Gordon Ramsay has brought his iconic symbol of good fortune from London, infusing the Manchester restaurant with its charm and positive energy. This playful touch adds a touch of whimsy to the elegant surroundings, reminding guests that luck is on their side as they savour each delectable bite.

The attentive and knowledgeable staff at Lucky Cat Manchester deserve special mention. Their passion for the cuisine and dedication to providing exceptional service ensure that every visit is met with warm hospitality and a memorable dining experience.

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AVIATION

WHY PRIVATE AVIATION PLAYS VITAL ROLE IN THE GLOBAL HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY Kyle Patel, CEO of global private jet provider BitLux shares his thoughts on how the private jet industry works as an enabler and partner for hospitality providers worldwide.

The private aviation industry demonstrated during the pandemic that its main trait is its resiliency to maintain safe operations during uncertain times, especially when commercial aviation was completely grounded. Removed from the pandemic, private aviation has always been an enabler for global tourism activities, working interdependently, especially with the hospitality sector.

While private flights are used by highnet-worth individuals to travel to various destinations around the world, the industry is also a significant contributor to the global economy, generating billions of dollars in economic activity and supporting millions of jobs worldwide. As such, the industry plays an important role in supporting economic growth and development, particularly in regions with a strong tourism and business travel sector.

Private aviation services provide travelers with several benefits, including greater flexibility in terms of flight schedules and destinations, access to smaller and more remote airports, and enhanced privacy and security – in contrast with the rising uncertainty about travel safety and disruption witnessed in many global airports that have made more tourists shift to private flying.

Yet it also plays an important role in connecting remote sectors without commercial airline connections, boosting the tourism industry in diverse continents.

At these locations, private aviation is the only option that travelers have for arriving at a certain hotel or villa. And I’m not talking about fancy and large private jets, but smaller turboprops that have the capability to land in short and remote airstrips and connect travelers with exclusive hospitality locations.

Synergy with the hospitality industry The hospitality industry can benefit from private aviation services by providing its clients with a high level of exclusivity and

luxury, creating a unique and personalized travel experience that meets their specific needs and preferences. Private aviation can also provide a competitive advantage for luxury hotels, resorts, and other hospitality providers, by enhancing their overall offering and reputation as a top-tier destination for travelers.

Private aviation can also support the growing trend of experiential travel, which focuses on providing unique and immersive travel experiences that accommodate the interests and preferences of travelers. Here, private jet providers like BitLux can help to facilitate these experiences by providing access to remote and exotic destinations that may not be easily accessible by commercial airlines.

Furthermore, private aviation can also provide customized in-flight experiences, including personalized menus, entertainment, and other amenities tailored to the preferences of each passenger. This level of customization can help to create a memorable and enjoyable travel experience that can set hospitality providers apart from their competitors.

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Overall, private aviation can provide significant opportunities for the hospitality industry to differentiate itself and provide an unparalleled level of luxury and exclusivity for its clients. By partnering with private aviation service providers, the hospitality industry can enhance its overall offering and provide a unique and unforgettable travel experience for its clients.

BitLux delivers various services across the air charter industry, but Executive Travel is closest to heart. Whether you are flying for business or leisure, BitLux provides a toptier private jet service that actively exceeds expectations.

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THE MODEL TO HELP YOU WIN AT WELLNESS

By Sonal Uberoi of Spa Balance Does this sound familiar? You hire a great wellness director or a star therapist to turn your wellness business around. They highlight all the things you’ve been doing wrong and suggest changes that sound fantastic. You give them the go-ahead.

Things seem great... but one day they leave, and so does your entire concept. I hear about cases like this all the time.

ESSENCE model and show them how to create wellness offerings that work for their hotel’s reality– wellness offerings that add value to the hotel’s ecosystem without breaking budget or building facilities that become outdated before the investment is recouped, or that are part of brand standard but don’t make business sense in that particular hotel.

The ESSENCE model is your fast track to profitability. It is a step-by-step process that shows hoteliers how to build a successful wellness offering – from a rough wellness idea to a profit-generating wellness asset.

When you take your wellness idea through the ESSENCE model, you end up with a wellness offering that: • Is authentic and relevant • Generates healthy direct and indirect revenues • Easily adapts and responds to changing market conditions • Differentiates your hotel from the rest • Future-proofs your hotel.

It is a unique methodology that I created and honed over the years of working with not only some of the best hotel wellness projects in the world but also the boxstandard ones. I tested, tried and learned what works and what doesn’t work with wellness in hospitality, and refined the things that work into a proven process.

Luxury Hospitality Magazine

There are seven key stages needed to make wellness work, irrespective of the type, size and segment of a hotel (new build, refurbishment or already operational). All these stages are pivotal in creating a solid wellness asset. When any of the stages are skipped, you end up with box-standard wellness offerings that underperform, are heavily subsidised, or bleed money.

When I work with my clients, I take them through the seven key stages of the

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You have a happy, committed and motivated team because they are given the opportunity to shine. They have the framework and tools to craft and deliver landmark experiences.

You have happy guests who leave rave reviews and provide repeat business because their wellbeing problems are solved and they get to live their landmark experiences.

Your investors and owners are happy because they gain healthy returns on investment with your strategy. They trust you and are confident in your ability to

WELLNESS create a performance-driven and customercentric business.

the hope of stumbling upon something their customers truly want.

Your hotel becomes a landmark within the community; it becomes a meaningful contributor in terms of not only the local economy and employment, but also the social and environmental wellbeing aspects of your wellness asset.

The first 2 stages of the ESSENCE model deal with creating the right wellness concept for your hotel.

Your life becomes easier. Instead of constantly putting out fires, managing unhappy staff, and dealing with broken equipment, outdated facilities and angry guests, you can dedicate your time to the bigger picture, to the things you want and the things you enjoy doing. Above all, you have the time to craft your legacy in an intentional and meaningful way.

There are two sides to consider when creating your wellness concept: 1. What you as a hotelier want to offer.

2. What your guests, as consumers of those services, want to consume.

In the first stage of the ESSENCE model, Expectation, we focus on you: on your side – what you as a hotelier want, and what you can offer that is truly unique and different from the hotel next door.

Expectation, also known as The Perfect Wellness Concept Framework is about creating the perfect wellness concept for your particular property. It is about being certain you have the right, most profitable and practical wellness concept that you can present to your stakeholders with confidence.

When you get Expectation wrong, you lack clear direction. You lack the confidence to successfully pitch your wellness concept to owners because, deep down, you aren’t 100% sure that the concept you are pitching will guarantee a coherent return on investment.

In the second stage of the ESSENCE model, Story, we focus on your guest’s side of the wellness concept – what your ideal guest will feel in your hotel as they go through their wellness journey.

The next 2 stages, System and Execution, are about how to smoothly and successfully implement your wellness concept.

System, also known as Your Special Way Framework about creating your special way of wellness that differentiates you from the rest.

It is about creating the framework of your wellness concept, the foundation upon which you begin the implementation process.

When you get System wrong, your wellness offering is vulnerable to the shifts and tilts of key personnel change. Each new general manager or wellness director will make changes in the wellness offering to match their personal preferences or past experiences– for example, replacing the product brand partner, redesigning the treatment menu, or hiring and firing staff.

All these lead to an increase in costs, and the investment is often not recouped during the general manager’s or wellness director’s tenure at the hotel.

So In System, we looked at defining how you do things in your hotel. Once the right system and processes are in place, the next step is to look at the team and talent you need to execute them. Which leads us to the fourth stage, Execution.

Execution, also known as The Lean and Ideal Team Framework is about how to pull the right team together that is willing and able to do wellness the way you want them to.

your business around personalities instead of functions, responsibilities and accountability.

You end up adapting job functions and roles according to the personality and skill set of each staff member. These constant changes lead to a lack of clarity as to what each person should do, what they’re responsible for and to whom, and to what standards they’re held. As a result, your operations don’t run smoothly and you worry about finding experienced and skilled staff that might be over your budget.

After you’ve implemented your perfect wellness concept, the next stages – Navigation and Consistency – ensure you are aligned with your big-picture goal and continue to deliver the landmark experiences consistently.

The fifth stage, Navigation, also known as The Course Correction Framework is about how to stay on track with your big picture goals, saving you thousands of dollars in expensive mistakes.

It is about course correction and nudging your operations back on track. Even when we have the right systems and people in place, the daily grind of operations tends to throw us off course.

When you get Navigation wrong, you get easily sidetracked by market trends and distracted by well-intentioned but unhelpful feedback from different sources (even reliable sources). As a result, you unwittingly throw your team and yourself off track and you end up losing sight of your big-picture goals. You get into the danger zone of potentially making costly mistakes that aren’t always easy to correct later down the line.

Continued >>>

It is about how to find, hire and retain the team you need to successfully implement and execute your wellness concept, without breaking budget.

When you get Execution wrong, you organise

Story, also known as The Winning Plan Framework is about how to successfully solve your guests’ wellbeing problems.

Because ultimately, they buy to solve a problem they have. It is about your avatar– your ideal guest. It’s about putting yourself in their shoes and feeling the whole experience as they would feel it. In other words, it’s their story, not yours.

Luxury Hospitality Magazine

When you get Story wrong, you unwittingly set yourself up for failure. You fail to see your offering from your customer’s perspective and, as a consequence, you don’t truly under- stand what they want, need or like.

The biggest mistake brands make (not just hotels) is that they think about what they want to sell, not what the market wants or needs. This means they’re more prone to adopt a reactive approach of trial and error in

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WELLNESS In the next stage, Consistency, we take a ground-level view of your wellness offering.

Consistency, also known as The Service Blunder Pre-Empter Framework is about how to ensure your team consistently delivers landmark experiences to your guests.

It is about searching for patterns of mistakes and failures in your day-to-day operations and putting the necessary checks in place to foolproof your processes.

When you get Consistency wrong, you accept that blunders in service are inevitable in operations, that they’re a norm of the hospitality industry. To achieve perfection in your operations, you fall into the trap of making your team proficient in fire-fighting – successfully handling angry guests and bending over backwards to accommodate guest requests in order to prevent negative reviews. In the end, you have a team that is mistreated by guests, custom that isn’t your ideal demographic, and guests who are unhappy as you unwittingly step into the villain role by creating obstacles for them (and your team).

Luxury Hospitality Magazine

The last stage, Engagement, is the icing on the cake that sets your hotel apart from the rest. It keeps you one step ahead of your competitors.

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ENGAGEMENT, also known as The Exponential Outreach Framework is about how to build a loyal and committed customer base that happily leaves rave reviews about your hotel, saving you thousands in marketing spend.

It is about going that extra mile and getting exponential in your outreach.

When you get Engagement wrong, you fail to systematically build strategic innovation and creativity into your offering, and you risk ending up with an offering that is obsolete or no longer relevant. You essentially decrease the total value of your hotel’s asset ecosystem.

As a result, you have guests who don’t leave rave reviews and don’t actively recommend your hotel to their networks as much as they could. You therefore have to spend thousands on marketing and advertising spend to tell the world how great your hotel is and to pull in new customers.

You can do almost all stages really well, but you skip one of them or do them wrong, you end up with a wellness operation that either barely breaks-even, is heavily subsidised or bleeds money.

When you follow all the seven stages of the ESSENCE model, you end up with a wellness offering that is a substantial value and revenue contributor to your hotel, in other words, you have a wellness asset.

About Sonal Uberoi Sonal Uberoi is a globally wellness expert and the founder of Spa Balance, a boutique consultancy specialising in wellness concepts for luxury hotels.

Sonal Uberoi is the author of the best-seller The Wellness Asset: How to Transform and Futureproof your Hotel as well as the ebook How to Open a Smart Spa, a comprehensive guide on the intricacies of opening a spa. She is also the host of the Wellness in Hospitality interview series where she has interviewed more than 80 hoteliers worldwide. She has sat on the Board of the Spa and Wellness Association of Africa (SWAA), where she helped develop and maintain internationally recognised standards in spa education in Africa. Sonal is also part of the Global Wellness Institute’s Consultants Initiative.

She has deep knowledge and insight of the wellness industry gained from over 15 years of experience of having worked on 40+ projects in 20+ countries and four continents. A unique finance background from Goldman Sachs and a cross-disciplinary skill set combined with worldwide experience make Sonal the go-to expert for business optimisation solutions. Her clients include the award-winning Abadia Retuerta LeDomaine, SHA Clinic’s urban wellness concept Esenza by SHA, Natura Bissé, Indiba, Sofitel Luxury Hotels and Meliá Hotels International.

She is known for delivering award-winning and profitable spas around the world, particularly under her branded concept Spa Sommelier.

Sonal’s proven track record and global outlook make her a popular speaker at international trade conferences. You can follow Sonal on LinkedIn where she regularly shares expert industry insights. www.linkedin.com/in/sonaluberoi

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