Best Business Hotels 2010: the shortlist
Best Business Hotels 2010: the shortlist
Address: 1038 Canada Place Way
Tel: 1.800 441 1414 (Canada)
Web Address: www.fairmont.com/pacificrim
Rates: From C$269 ($253)
Business amenities: In the heart of the financial district, the Fairmont has a direct connection to the Vancouver Convention Center. There’s an on-site business centre; complimentary BMW car service within downtown; in-room laptop plug-ins for the 42in LCD television monitors; free Wi-Fi for members of Fairmont President’s Club; and a loyalty club that offers free membership. The bright lobby is perfect for those who want to meet or work outside the room or business centres.
Rooms: 340 rooms (pictured is a Fairmont room) and 37 suites. The Asian-oriented design by James Cheng comes with harbour and mountain views in most rooms, through floor-to-ceiling windows. All offer surround sound, bedside controls and television mirrors. The Stearns & Foster beds feature Mascioni linens, and a butler-style service presses wrinkled suits and shines shoes.
Leisure: The Willow Stream spa has nine treatment areas and a full fitness centre with a rooftop swimming pool with cabanas and outdoor fireplaces. Opened just in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics, the hotel offers five-star service without five-star rates.
Restaurants: Chef David Wong oversees the signature Pan-Asian bistro which also has the largest sake cellar in the city, a private dining room, a communal table and a front-row chef’s table.
Address: 15 Beacon Street
Tel: 1.617 670 1500 (US)
Web Address: www.xvbeacon.com
Rates: From $325
Business amenities: Most of the hotel’s recent ‘refreshening’ was aimed at adding business features to rooms and public spaces (pictured is the lobby). Each room has a new stereo system and 42in flatscreen television. There’s a multilingual concierge; personalised business cards; free Wi-Fi; direct-dial phones; and free printing and copying. A complimentary in-town Lexus sedan service is available.
Rooms: Set in a 1903 building, the 60 rooms and suites feature Italian-inspired décor in a palette of taupe, coffee and cream; each has a fireplace, an in-room entertainment system and a private bar. The canopy or four-poster beds are made up with Frette linens, and all rooms have opening windows. The one- and two-bedroom suites each has a ‘parlour’with a meeting table for ten.
Leisure: There is a small fitness room on site and guests also have access to the Fitcorp Health Club across the street for a $15 daily fee. There’s no spa but massages can be arranged in-room. The hotel is within blocks of Boston Common and Charles River jogging trails and bike paths.
Restaurants: The signature restaurant is Mooo, a modern steakhouse with a private dining room (the Wine Cellar,seating up to 40) for dinner meetings. The 24-hour room service comes with the complete Mooo menu.
Address: 201 East Trade Street
Tel: 1.704 547 2244 (US)
Web Address: www.ritzcarlton.com/charlotte
Rates: From $249
Business amenities: Fully equipped private offices are located at The Nook, the business centre on the executive floor. The Nook comes with desktop computers and printers, teleconferencing equipment and a technical concierge. If you prefer to work in-room, the Desktop-on-Demand service offers the same technical amenities. A Travel Lite programme provides grooming products at check-in. Wi-Fi is free in the lobby, but there is a charge of $10 per day for in-room use.
Rooms: The 146 rooms and suites come with 42in LCD flat-screen televisions, mirror televisions in the bathroom, dual basins and 400-count Frette bed linens. The hotel’s sustainable design has been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification. A vegetated rooftop provides insulation, and is home to the chef’s herb garden and beehives.
Leisure: The 13,000 sq ft penthouse Wellness Center features eco-based spa treatments, a yoga studio and a fully equipped fitness centre. There is also a lounge with a whirlpool and an indoor, bromine-treated swimming pool. Complimentary hybrid-vehicle transport is offered within city limits on weekdays and there is also a bike valet on hand for those on two wheels. The hotel is located just seven miles from the airport and is within easy walking distance of Charlotte’s main shopping, dining and sports centres.
Restaurants: Chef Laurent Tourondel’s BLT Steak (pictured) is the Ritz-Carlton’s signature restaurant. The lobby lounge provides some food choices and handles room service requests.
Address: Playa Caletilla, Fracc. Las Playas
Tel: 52.744 4 82 78 79 (Mexico)
Web Address: www.hotel-bocachica.com
Rates: From $95
Business amenities: Wireless internet; private events can be booked in the suites; the Coco Wash nightclub doubles as a fully equipped meeting room by day.
Rooms: The 30 rooms and six suites marry vintage charm with contemporary cool thanks to interior designers Frida Escobedo and José Rojas and their team. All feature hammocks, a private terrace or garden and furniture from midcentury masters such as Jean Prouvé. Three Sunset Suites (pictured) offer stunning sea views.
Leisure: If you’re not content with the amoeba-shaped pool, swim to the hotel’s doughnut-shaped floating island,designed by artist Pedro Reyes to emulate a 1950s bathing raft and moored in a private cove; or try kayaking, snorkelling or scuba diving. There’s a poolside massage cabana; a spa, with treatments inspired by folk remedies; a gym with views to La Roqueta island nature reserve; and a dock.
Restaurants: The Japanese restaurant headed by chef Keisuke Harada of New York and Miami’s Bond Street eateries, also supplies sushi takeaways and 24-hour room service. Overhauled and relaunched by its owner, architect Fernando Romero, and the Habita Group, Boca Chica recalls its 1950s heyday as a playground to Hollywood’s elite. With its restored white lattice brickwork, aqua walls and original terrazzo floors, the hotel oozes midcentury chic and caters to business needs without sacrificing boutique style. It’s a half-hour flight from Mexico City, three from LA and five from New York. Arrive by water taxi and arrange your meetings poolside.
Address: 1 Court Street
Tel: 1.800 697 1791 (within US) or 00.800 4969 1780 (international)
Web Address: www.morganshotelgroup.com
Rates: From $225
Business amenities: An entire apartment has been set up for business use, with multi-service function space; there’s wired and wireless high-speed internet access throughout the hotel ($10 fee for in-room use); multilingual secretarial staff; laptops and cell phones; 24-hour business centre.
Rooms: 114 rooms (pictured is a Standard room) and suites, including one apartment. The landmark Ames Building was constructed in 1889 as Boston’s first skyscraper and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A multimillion dollar redesign by the Rockwell Group and Morgans Hotel Group has united old-world aesthetics and contemporary luxury. Korres products are used in bathrooms, while there are flat-screen televisions and down bedding in the bedrooms.
Leisure: In-room massages and spa services are available upon request and there hotel has a 24-hour fitness centre. If location is all, this is the place to be in Boston – it’s within walking distance of Faneuil Hall, Boston Common and Government Center.
Restaurants: Boston impresario Seth Greenberg co-owns Woodward, a modern-day tavern that is the Ames’ signature restaurant and already one of the city’s hottest night-time hangouts.The menu, from chef Mark Goldberg, is Yankee food with modern twists: from bouillabaisse to burgers. There are two bars, one on each of the restaurant’s two floors, specialising in both classic and new cocktails. There is a communal table and, for those who would rather dine in, 24-hour room service.
Elysian, Chicago
Address: 11 East Walton
Tel: 1.312 646 1300 (US)
Web Address: www.elysianhotels.com
Opening date: December 2009
Rates: From $395
Business amenities: In-room conference call capabilities; international television channels; cat-6 wiring; Bowers & Wilkins integrated sound system; laptops, printers, iPods available upon request; 24-hour ambassadors to handle any business issues. Free Wi-Fi throughout hotel, including in rooms. Five BMWs are available for in-town transportation. There is no actual business centre on site, but the Elysian prides itself on bringing the office to the room. Every business request is handled on an individual basis.
Rooms: Rooms and public areas (pictured is the lobby) are by architect Lucien Lagrange. The 188 rooms and suites invoke the grand hotels of Paris in the 1920s. Almost all have a fireplace, terrace, private bar, operable windows and multiple closets. Bathrooms have marble tubs, separate showers, dual basins, televisions and Asprey bath products. Beds feature 460-thread count Rivolta Carmignani Italian linens. Each room has freezer, refrigerator and stove top.
Leisure: From the location in the heart of Chicago’s Gold Coast, guests have access to some of the best of the city’s restaurants and shops. The 14,000 sq ft Elysian Spa & Health Club has facilities including a lap pool and a barber suite. There’s also a Marc Jacobs boutique on site. The Elysian offers affordable luxury travel for the manager looking for creature comforts.
Restaurants: The hotel’s two restaurants, from chef Jason McLeod, are Balsan, a European-styled bistro with wood-burning pizza ovens and late night dining; and Ria, with cosmopolitan cuisine, recently voted best new restaurant by Chicago magazine. Private dining rooms are available.
Address: 201 N State Street
Tel: 1.312 467 0200 (US)
Web Address: www.thewithotel.com
Rates: From $179
Business amenities: State-of-the-art phone systems with touch-screen options for everything from in-room dining to making a restaurant reservation. Internet access in public areas (including the library, pictured), and in rooms for $10 a day. There is 7,000 sq ft of meeting space and a screening room.
Rooms: Located in the heart of Chicago’s theatre district, this smart, eco-friendly hotel features thermostats that use motion detectors to determine when guest are in the room and then push air in specific directions to eliminate hot and cold spots. There are 256 guest rooms and 42 one- and two-bedroom suites. In-room art is whimsical, from red and grey felt ‘walls of kisses’ above beds to prints featuring Monopoly boards. Instead of chocolates on the pillow at night, guests receive brain teasers such as Rubik’s cubes and other puzzles. The super-sized bathrooms have separates showers and deep soaking tubs, and are stocked with eco-friendly soaps and grooming products. The suites all have fully equipped kitchens.
Leisure: The Spa@theWit has four treatment rooms and an adjoining fitness centre with the latest Precor treadmills and elliptical machines. In terms of amenities, this moderately priced hotel offers plenty of bang for your buck.
Restaurants: There are three restaurants, including Cibo Mato, helmed by chef Todd Stein and serving Italian food; State and Lake, a power-lunch microbrewery with seasonal American dishes; and Roof, a 7,000 sq ft lounge on the roof of the 27-storey Wit, with outdoor firepits flanked by communal tables.
Address: 1033 Young Street
Tel: 1.214 761 0000 (US)
Web Address: www.aloftdallasdowntown.com
Rates: From $125
Business amenities: This small gem of a hotel was designed with the Generation Y business traveller in mind. It is affordable, has free Wi-Fi throughout, including in the rooms, and features wide-open, multifunctional spaces, perfect for those who would rather meet in the lobby. The largest meeting/party/function space is the 800 sq ft ‘tactic room’. Meanwhile, Plug & Play is a one-stop connectivity solution that enables travellers to link multiple electronic gadgets at once to a 42in flat-screen HDTV-ready television. The hotel is just steps from City Hall and the Dallas Convention Center.
Rooms: Occupying the eight-storey former Santa Fe Railroad freight terminal and commercial dry goods warehouse dating from 1924, the hotel has been designed to provide a boutique-style experience in a loft-like, urban-inspired space. All of Aloft’s 193 rooms and suites have large picture windows, calming palettes with touches of blue and purple, an abundance of natural light, simple, cleanly designed bathrooms and oversized walk-in showers. Owned by Starwood, Aloft was smartly designed for those who want to spend more time in public areas than in their rooms.
Leisure: A fitness centre and an outdoor pool (pictured) are located at the back of the hotel. Perfect for busy business travellers.
Restaurants: Though there is no room service or on-site restaurant, the hotel’s bar offers a social scene with live music. There is grab-and-go café open 24/7 and close proximity to city restaurants.
Address: 800 West Sam Houston Parkway North, Building 9
Tel: 1.866 842 0100 (US)
Web Address: www.hotelsorella-citycentre.com
Rates: From $189
Business amenities: Hotel Sorella was created to serve primarily as a business hotel, particularly for workers in the oil business, as many of the country’s largest oil companies are located in the Energy Corridor only three miles away. Work stations in each room; free Wi-Fi; flat-screen television. Each room has a media hub, an in-room entertainment centre that incorporates Bluetooth technology. A complimentary luxury car service runs to the Energy Corridor and areas within a five mile radius.
Rooms: The 244 contemporary rooms, including 30 suites, have floor-to-ceiling windows with layers of sheer curtains or blackout drapes. The décor, including dark hardwood flooring, is Italian-inspired. Closets and bathrooms are spacious with plenty of storage in each.
Leisure: The hotel is the crown jewel in west Houston’s Citycentre, a selfcontained community of shopping, fine dining and top notch office space. The Norris Conference Center and Red Oak Ballroom are connected to the hotel via a sky bridge. There is a pool (pictured), a fitness room and a spa with two treatment rooms on site or, for $15 per day, guests have use of the adjacent 140,000 sq ft LifeTime Athletic Club.
Restaurants: Alex Brennan-Martin of the famed Brennan’s of Houston is in charge of Bistro Alex, the Sorella’s signature restaurant; his aim is to serve classics, but with enough cutting-edge cuisine to please foodies. There is also the more casual 35-seat Café Rose.
Address: 6250 Hollywood Boulevard
Tel: 1.323 798 1300 (US)
Web Address: www.whotels.com/hollywood
Opening date: January 2010
Rates: From $219
Business amenities: With its unique location in the heart of Hollywood, the W is deliberately media-friendly. There is free Wi-Fi in all public areas (pictured is the lobby), but the cost is $14 for in-room service. There’s a multilingual concierge on site and an IT manager. Phones
feature a Whatever/Whenever line for special requests, which promises anything you want as long as it’s legal.
Rooms: There are 305 guest rooms and suites. Each comes with a feather-top mattress, an entertainment system, a flat-screen television and a fully stocked Munchie Box.
Leisure: Nightclub impresario Victor Drai has opened a rooftop pool deck, bar and nightclub, Drai’s Hollywood, within the hotel, featuring sunbeds, sectional sofas around a fire pit and Moroccaninspired cabanas. There is also a 6,075 sq ft Bliss spa, substantial retail space and Sweat, a private fitness centre. A retractable 600 sq ft outdoor screen is lowered for special film showings. If you’re in the movie business or want to be, this hotel is for you.
Restaurants: The signature dining room is Delphine, offering a classic French menu with Mediterranean influences, headed by chef Sascha Lyon, formerly of New York’s Daniel, Balthazar and Pastis.
The Villa by Barton G, Miami Beach
Address: 1116 Ocean Drive
Tel: 1.305 576 8003 (US)
Web Address: www.villabybartong.com
Rates: From $2,500
Business amenities: The Villa by Barton G is the former mansion of the deceased fashion designer Gianni Versace. For those on business, the million dollar-plus renovation includes 24-hour room and concierge service by personal butlers; complimentary Wi-Fi throughout; Sonos music systems; Kindle e-readers with free daily downloads of a variety of newspapers; airport transportation and easy access to the Miami Beach Convention Center half a mile away.
Rooms: Each of the gated mansion’s ten suites, with a separate living room or sitting area and balcony or patios, is custom-designed by events impresario and restaurateur Barton G Weiss. The marble bathrooms have two shower heads; closets are expansive; linens are by Frette; toiletries are the villa’s own. There’s complimentary packing and unpacking.
Leisure: Guests have access to the mansion’s upper floor and two private lounges, including one on the roof with views of the Atlantic Ocean across the street. A pool (pictured) designed by Versace is for guests only. Custom spa services are available poolside, on the roof or in room. Everything from hair and make-up to personal shopping is available on request. Personal training is conducted along the jogging paths of South Beach. The location is only blocks from fine dining options and nightclubs. The villa’s rates may be out of reach for many, but those who can meet the price won’t forget the experience.
Restaurants: The 30-seat restaurant serves refined continental cuisine and has a 100-bottle wine list. In-room and poolside dining is always available.
Address: 20W 29th Street
Tel: 1.212 679 2222 (US)
Web Address: www.acehotel.com/newyork
Opening date: May 2009
Rates: From $209
Business amenities: Free Wi-Fi, including in rooms; faxing printing and copying services; plus a ballroom suitable for corporate events and meetings.
Rooms: 260 guest rooms with soft wool blankets from Pendelton Woolen Mills, latex mattresses, bath products from Rudy’s Barbershop and Pearl Plus and bathrobes designed by Wings + Horns. There is a custom Video on Demand system with independent films found only at Ace. Each room has a Smeg refrigerator and selected rooms have turntables and guitars. There are large writing desks, wireless telephones and custom Ace stationery.
Leisure: The hotel has a gym as well as a great lobby (pictured) with a bar that provides a lively social scene, with DJs often playing.
Restaurants: Michelin-star restaurateurs April Bloomfield and Ken Friedman’s English-style restaurant The Breslin Bar & Dining Room emphasises fresh, seasonal products with handmade terrines, sausages and charcuterie. There’s also an outpost of Portland’s Stumptown Coffee Roasters, committed to sourcing, roasting and brewing the best coffees sustainably, while No 7 Sub sells classic submarine sandwiches.
The Ace is a 12-storey hotel in the heart of midtown Manhattan, near the Theater District. The building is shared with two boutiques (Opening Ceremony and No 8a). The hotel collaborated with designers Roman and Williams, who mixed vintage finds with specially designed furniture; each room has different murals and canvases by local artists.
Address: 79 Crosby Street
Tel: 1.212 226 6400 (US)
Web Address: www.firmdale.com
Rates: From $495
Business amenities: The rooms each feature a large writing desk, dual-line telephones and complimentary Wi-Fi. There are faxing, printing and copying services available, as well as a 99-seat state-of-the-art screening room and three large meeting rooms, all with audiovisual equipment.
Rooms: 86 individually designed guest rooms (pictured), each with flat-screen LCD television with DVD player, iPod docking station, Frette bed linen and Le Jardin 10012 bathroom products by Miller Harris.
Leisure: The hotel has a gym with the latest Technogym resistance and aerobic machines. The screening room hosts a Sunday-night film club. The hotel’s Drawing Room lounge connects to a leafy courtyard garden.
Restaurants: The Crosby Bar, open all day, serves breakfast as well as a large selection of drinks, cocktails and brasserie-style food. Situated in a quiet location in the heart of SoHo, the Crosby Street Hotel is designed by owner Kit Kemp, with an emphasis on colour and texture. The hotel spans 11 floors, featuring floor-to-ceiling warehouse-style windows. It has its own vegetable garden on the roof and, as one of the most environmentally responsible hotels built in the US, is aiming for LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Council.
Address: Madison Avenue at 77th Street
Tel: 1. 212 744 4300 (US)
Web Address: themarkhotel.com
Rates: From $495
Business amenities: 24-hour business centre; complimentary Wi-Fi and local calls; morning delivery of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. The two meeting rooms are supported by the office/business centre, with an iButler available to resolve all inconvenient IT problems.
Rooms: 150 rooms and suites finished in ebony, sycamore and nickel, with fine Italian linens and bedding by Quagliotti. By New York standards, the rooms are spacious, with the entry-level Superior Courtyard Queen clocking in at 400 sq ft. Touch-screen Crestron panels control temperature, entertainment, shades and lighting. The 32in HD television, audio system, MP3 and laptop are all by Bang & Olufson, while the bathroom includes a mirrored flat-screen television, so you need never miss a moment of CNN.
Leisure: The Mark is a short walk to Museum Mile, charming neighbourhood eateries and Central Park. Before unwinding with a martini at the hotel’s Mark Bar, book a primping session at Frédéric Fekkai’s in-house salon.
Restaurants: The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges (as in Vongerichten) has a private dining room for up to 18, while The Mark Suites caters for small gatherings. Located amid the ritzy Upper East Side’s best blocks, The Mark’s austere early 20th-century façade gives way to an unexpectedly modern and sassy interior. The space has been reimagined by interior designer Jacques Grange and hotelier James Sherwin, with a light French vibe, bold geometric shapes, commissioned artwork and comfy oversized furniture (as in the lobby, pictured).
Address: 600 F Street
Tel: 1.619 814 1000 (US)
Web Address: www.sandiego.andaz.com
Rates: From $189
Business amenities: Free Wi-Fi in the lounge; simplified check-in process performed by a host using handheld technology; complimentary downtown transportation. Each room has a separate living area, for business travellers,who want to entertain or hold meetings there. All rooms are also equipped with functional workspaces with full-sized desks and iPod docking stations, and tech support around the clock.
Rooms: The 159 rooms, including 17 specialised suites, have been outfitted with high-thread count Thai linens, Korres toiletries, flat-screen televisions and generously sized glass-enclosed bathrooms with deep soaking tubs.
Leisure: Located in the heart of San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, the Andaz opened this year on the site of the former Ivy Hotel. There’s a complimentary 24-hour fitness centre and a rooftop pool and catering area overlooking the city’s skyline. Also on site is the Ivy Wine Bar, with 88 wines by the glass, and the Ivy Nightclub, with dancers, world-class DJs and bottle service. This is a younger, hipper version of the Hyatt, which owns this Andaz and several others around the world. More are in the pipeline.
Restaurants: The signature restaurant is the Quarter Kitchen with a dramatic dining room, atrium and private mezzanine that can accommodate up to 50 people. The food is American with upscale twists, such as caviar tacos or Kobe steaks.
Address: 1200 16th Street NW
Tel: 1.202 448 2300 (US)
Web Address: www.jeffersondc.coms
Rates: From $375
Business amenities: An enviable location just four blocks from the White House and convenient for the dining and nightlife of Georgetown and Penn Quarter. A brand new multimillion dollar renovation has converted this Beaux-Arts gem into a bona fide business facility. Guests receive free local and long-distance calls, complimentary high-speed internet access throughout, same-day laundry service and one-hour garment pressing. There are iPod/Bose docking stations in suites. Thoughtful touches include basic black belts and dress shoes upon request. Complimentary transportation is subject to availability.
Rooms: All 99 rooms and suites have elegant touches, such as fresh-cut flowers in the bathroom. The custom-designed bedding features high-thread count linens; bathrooms come with oversized showers and some have soaking tubs; there are opening windows; and plenty of counter and shelf space, plus walk-in closets, provides ample storage.
Leisure: The Jefferson is the capital’s only member of the Relais & Chateaux collection. There is a 24-hour fitness room and a spa with three treatment rooms, using herbs and botanicals grown at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello gardens in Virginia. Traditional shaves are available in a vintage-style barber chair.
Restaurants: The signature restaurant, headed by chef Damon Gordon, has been lauded as one of the finest kitchens in DC. Dinner is served in the central lobby, with its original 1923 glass vaulted ceiling (pictured), popular with Washington’s power set. Afternoon tea is served in the Book Room, stacked with leather-bound volumes on the Jefferson era.
Address: Alberi 300A, Savudrija
Tel: 385.52 707 000 (Croatia)
URL: www.kempinski.com/istria
Opening date: August 2009
Rates: From €176
Business amenities: Bypass the traffic with airport transfer by helicopter or boat. The conference centre ballroom seats up to 320 guests with sea views and has state-of-the-art technical equipment. The hotel business centre has two flexible meeting rooms seating up 250 people. The Marina Conference Centre, to be completed in the summer, will have three meeting rooms and a fully equipped business centre. Complimentary wireless internet available throughout the hotel.
Rooms: 186 rooms and suites in creams and blacks with terrace or balcony; complimentary Wi-Fi; Bose sound system; Bang & Olufsen flat-screen television; touch-screen telephones; and integrated mirror television in the bathroom.
Leisure: Cut business deals on the 18-hole golf course, which has Adriatic views from every tee, green and fairway. The Carolea Spa is a 3,000 sq m pleasure dome with indoor pool; Jacuzzi; two heated outdoor pools; 16 treatment rooms; steam bath; and saunas. Gym facilities include Technogym machines and four tennis courts. Private beach and marina.
Restaurants: Kanova offers sea views, an open fireplace and traditional Istrian cuisine; Slice hits a healthy note with grilled dishes and salads, and overlooks the coast and golf course; Diana offers a Mediterranean menu. Croatia’s first five-star golf and spa resort has a great location on the north-western coast of Istria. Roughly a five-hour drive from Milan, Munich and Vienna, and easily accessible from the airports of Ljubljana(90 minutes’ drive), Trieste (90 minutes) and Venice (two hours 30 minutes).
Address: Letenská 12/33,
Tel: 42.266 112233 (Czech Republic)
URL: www.theaugustine.com
Opening date: May 2009
Rates: From €300
Business amenities: Housed in a former brewery building, the 196 sq m ballroom boasts a magnificent vaulted ceiling. Four meeting rooms; three boardrooms; 24-hour business centre. All venues have the latest audiovisual technology and Wi-Fi. Access to the Wallenstein Gardens and courtyards is ideal for summer events.
Rooms: 101 rooms, including 16 suites, most of them with original features, such as timber beams and vaulted ceilings, and views over the Old Town. Each has a desk; internet; flat-screen television; and bathroom music system. The Tower Suite is an unusual three-storey space with a spiral staircase and 360-degree views of red-tiled rooftops and Prague Castle.
Leisure: The basement spa is equipped with a Finnish sauna; steam room; four treatment rooms; relaxation area; hammam; Technogym fitness centre; and two manicure stations.
Restaurants: The Brewery Bar is housed in the cellar of the former St Thomas’ brewery, complete with stalactites, and serves house and speciality beers. The Monastery Restaurant, set in a glass-covered courtyard, serves gourmet European dishes. In the vaulted hall of a 13th century monastery, Tom’s Bar boasts baroque frescoes and outdoor seating in the cloister terrace.
Located in a collection of historic buildings and courtyards, including the monastery after which it is named, The Augustine hotel is the result of a meticulous restoration project by local architects Omicron-K and the Rocco Forte group. It is situated in Prague’s Malá Strana district, just a few minutes’ walk from the Charles Bridge.
Address: Torstrasse 1
Tel: 49.30 4050 440 (Germany)
URL: www.sohohouseberlin.com
Opening date: May 2010
Rates: From €100
Business amenities: The hotel has three private event spaces on the second floor that were at one time home to the Politisches Büro. The middle space leads out to a balcony overlooking Torstrasse; a circular bar and dining area, with original wooden panelling, seats up to 60 and has a range of audiovisual equipment. The hotel’s underground 3D cinema (seating up to 36) and next-door library are available for private hire.
Rooms: The 40 rooms all have wireless internet connections. The largest include free-standing baths, dining tables and seating areas; the smaller, attic rooms have a dormitory feel and feature wooden beds and steel cabinets. Most of the rooms are equipped with a vintage record player and a selection of vinyl LPs.
Leisure: Cowshed Spa with sauna, steam room, hammam and relaxation areas; Cowshed Active gym with large windows overlooking the city; 30 seater cinema fully equipped for digital, HD, 3D and 35mm formats; a library featuring shelving from the original British Library and filled with an assortment of art and design books; rooftop swimming pool.
Restaurants: Hotel guests have access to the members’ Rooftop bar, House Kitchen restaurant, Club bar and Library bar. Cecconi’s restaurant will open on the ground floor in summer, serving Venetian-inspired dishes and Italian tapas. Centrally located in a late-Bauhaus former department store in Mitte, this is the latest and biggest opening of the Soho House private members’ club group. Rooms can be booked by non-members, who will then have access to members’ facilities.
Address: Am Bonner Bogen 1
Tel: 49.228 4334 5810 (Germany)
URL: www.kamehagrand.com
Opening date: November 2009
Rates: From €145
Business amenities: 11 meeting rooms.Up to 2,185 guests can be catered for in the multimedia auditorium when it’s used in conjunction with the adjacent Kameha Dome, while the Kameha Spirit room offers the latest in conferencing technology through a Deutsche Telekom partnership. The first hour of internet access is complimentary in the business centre and throughout the hotel.
Rooms: 190 rooms and 63 suites with high ceilings; large windows; desk; iPod dock; LCD television. The Hero Suites are specifically tailored for the business guest, with full office amenities including a printer, fax and a table seating six. Fair-play Suites come with a Wii and oversized dartboard. Inward-facing rooms receive daylight from a huge atrium that in turn has views towards the river Rhine.
Leisure: A fully equipped, air-conditioned gym; a spa area with saunas, steam bath, four treatment rooms and an outdoor rooftop infinity pool overlooking the river. Restaurants: The hotel has ten food and drink outlets, including the Next Level modern brasserie, perfect for business lunches; the Yu Sushi Club; the Baron de Rothschild wine bar; and the Riverside terrace. The Puregold Bar serves cocktails; the Stage Bar & Lounge and the Zino Platinum Cigar Lounge offer privacy.
The Kameha Grand is unlike any other business hotel you’ve ever seen. By local architect Karl-Heinz Schommer, with typically dramatic and playful interiors by Marcel Wanders, the hotel’s audacious scale is set to energise an urban redevelopment project in its location south of central Bonn. Local airports and motorways are within easy reach.
Address:Viktualienmarkt 6
Tel: 49.89 411 19080 (Germany)
URL:www.louis-hotel.com
Opening date: September 2009
Rates: From €195
Business amenities: Two bright meeting rooms, each suitable for up to 30 people, are linked by a foyer, allowing for joint use. Both receive natural daylight and have views of either the quiet street or quieter courtyard. There is no business centre,but laptops are for hire and reasonable printing requirements are complimentary.
Rooms: 72 good-sized guest rooms with complimentary high-speed internet access; handcrafted wood furniture; French windows to a balcony; unbleached cotton and cashmere bed linens.A beautifully crafted upright travel trunk conceals a flat-screen television and a minibar. The Louis Room (pictured, below right) features two balconies, with views of the Old Town’s rooftops and churches, and a large living area.
Leisure: The hotel has a 60 sq m gym, sauna and rooftop terrace.
Restaurants: Emiko is gaining a reputation as the best Japanese restaurant in Munich. Two Japanese chefs produce exquisite platters of sushi, maki and sashimi that are designed for sharing, as well as Wagyu steaks. Most of the ingredients come straight from the upscale Viktualien fruit and vegetable market, which the hotel overlooks.
Munich’s first design hotel, the Louis is centrally located on Viktualienmarkt Square, making it the perfect choice for getting to appointments around the city. Local sights, including the Frauenkirche and Hofbräuhaus, and the designer shops of Maximilianstrasse are all a short stroll away. The interiors have a pared-down simplicity that combines beautifully crafted local materials with more exotic accessories, such as colourful kilim rugs.
Address: San Marco 3247
Tel: 39.041 5284 644 (Italy)
Web Address: www.palazzinagrassi.com
Rates: From €350
Business amenities: One 28 sq m meeting room with capacity for up to 20 people; Wi-Fi; business cards bearing the hotel’s address. Boat pick-up with onboard check-in.
Rooms: 21 rooms and five suites (pictured), with LCD television and Wi-Fi. Designed by Philippe Starck, the rooms feature mirrored bedheads and walls, stencilled lamps, undulating chairs with Fornasetti profiles and marble bathrooms.
Leisure: Use of a private jetty on the Grand Canal, where the hotel’s 1962 Celli boat is kept. Hotel staff will organise everything from cookery classes to dinner in an antique dealer’s home.
Restaurants: Accessible to hotel guests and members only, the private G Club overlooks the Grand Canal and features the first Krug Champagnerie in Italy. Meanwhile, PGs restaurant, a modern reinterpretation of the local osteria, serves up Venetian dishes made using fresh ingredients sourced from the
nearby Rialto market. Located minutes from the museums of San Marco Square and the bars of the Rialto market, this 16th-century Grand Canal palazzo is both a hotel and a members’ club. We love its discretion and anonymity: save for a pair of bull’s heads by French sculptor Aristide Najean, there is no hotel signage. Designed by Philippe Stark, the palazzo’s opulent interiors are filled with quirky touches, such as huge back-lit sepia portraits and ceiling lamps that look as if they were carved from melting wax.
Address:Kupelna 6, Strbske Pleso
Tel: 421.52 3262 222 (Slovakia)
URL:www.kempinski.com/hightatras
Opening date: September 2009
Rates: From €159
Business amenities: Complimentary Wi-Fi; secretaries and translators on request; office equipment rental as well as scanning, copying, printing and binding services. For larger events, the Gerlach Ballroom is set up for 150 people and comes equipped with a business centre, while the smaller Krivan Ballroom holds up to 80 guests. Both conference rooms have good natural light.
Rooms: 98 rooms, each with mountain, lake or valley views. Standard features include marble bathrooms with underfloor heating; desk area; complimentary Wi-Fi; interactive flat-screen television; and 24-hour room service.
Leisure: After a tough round of meetings, recover in the 1,300 sq m spa. Facilities include a lap pool, whirlpool, caldarium, saunas, a VIP Spa Suite, steam rooms, cold plunge pools and fitness centre. Local hiking trails, downhill skiing, bungee jumping and cycling all offer excellent team-building opportunities.
Restaurants: The all-day dining at the Grand Restaurant focuses on classic dishes paired with Slovakian wines – the largest collection of fine wines in the High Tatras region. For those seeking a dose of mountain air, the terrace of the Lobby Lounge has a lake view that’s best enjoyed with a postprandial cognac.
The hotel is housed in a grand hotel built in 1906 on the mountainous border between Poland and Slovakia. With Poprad Tatry International Airport just 28km away, the transfer is a breeze, especially if you take advantage of the limousine, helicopter or private jet service, offered from Poprad, Bratislava, Kosice, Krakow and Vienna airports.
Address: Passeig de Gràcia 38-40
Tel: 34.93 151 8888 (Spain)
URL: www.mandarinoriental.com/barcelona
Opening date: September 2009
Rates: From £279
Business amenities: Four meeting rooms fitted with state-of-the-art technology (allowing for global live broadcasts and simultaneous international meetings), meeting coordinator and IT butler. The rooms cater for up to 18 guests each and can be combined to form a larger space. Free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel.
Rooms: 98 rooms and suites designed by Patricia Urquiola, each with a highquality audiovisual system and 32in flat-screen television; and 24-hour room service. Printer/fax machine on request.
Leisure: Roof terrace with dipping pool and panoramic views; 24-hour fitness centre with personal trainers. The spa includes a 12m indoor pool; 14 treatment rooms; an Oriental herbal steam room; two Oriental rooms with Thai futon; and a relaxation area. There are two boutiques. Restaurants: The Mandarin’s signature restaurant is Moments, where chef Carme Ruscalleda offers a return to the roots of Catalan cuisine. The Banker’s Bar’s walls are lined with safe doors (the hotel is set in a former bank); the Blanc Restaurant & Lounge (pictured, below left) offers an organic menu with both Oriental and Mediterranean dishes; and the Mimosa is perfect for alfresco dining. Bento box lunch service for business meetings.
Situated on the majestic Passeig de Gràcia, right in the heart of Barcelona’s commercial and shopping district and a short walk away from the old town and the Museum of Modern Art, this imposing midcentury bank building was completely revamped by local architects Juan Trias de Bes and Carlos Ferrater, and Asturias-born designer Patricia Urquiola.
Address: 69-71 Dean Street, Soho
Tel: 44.20 7434 1775 (UK)
Web Address: www.deanstreettownhouse.com
Rates: From £95
Business amenities: Private dining room with dark wood panelling, chandelier, Wi-Fi and plasma screen, seating up to 12 guests. You can also book a private room at Soho House next door.
Rooms: 39 guest rooms, all of different sizes and shapes, from the 15 sq m Tiny to the 42 sq m Bigger. Each are individually designed and come with original Georgian features; a Sony flat-screen television with Sky Plus and DVD; Egyptian cotton linen; and complimentary Wi-Fi. Bathrooms are fitted with rainforest showers or antique-style baths and stocked with natural products from the Cowshed Spa.
Leisure: Guests can book treatments at the Cowshed Spa on Carnaby Street.
Restaurants: The all-day Dining Room is a vibrant eaterie serving a weekly changing menu of seasonal British dishes, with food sourced from producers within the UK and Ireland. Classics on the menu include Maldon Rock oysters, fish and chips, Welsh rarebit and lemon meringue. Fitted with comfy sofas and vintage chairs, the Dining Room displays over 60 works by contemporary British artists, such as Peter Blake and Tracey Emin. This four-storey Georgian town house, once home to the Gargoyle Club, is set in the still-thumping heart of Soho, a five-minute walk from Piccadilly Circus. With hand-painted wallpapers, fourposter beds, traditional glass chandeliers and roll-top bathtubs, the interiors by Swedish-born designer Martin Brudnizki draw on the building’s Georgian heritage – but deliver all the comfort and convenience you would expect in the 21st century.
Address: Ebor Street, Shoreditch
Tel: 44.20 7739 5040 (UK)
URLwww.shoreditchrooms.com
Opening date: April 2010
Rates: From £75
Business amenities: A flexible space with its own bar, the Biscuit Tin is available for private hire for business lunches and dinners (up to 80 guests), theatre-style conference (up to 100 guests) and drinks parties (up to 120 guests), and offers a DJ and audiovisual facilities. A rooftop area is now also available for private functions; the fifth-floor bar comes with a wireless printer. Complimentary wireless internet throughout the hotel.
Rooms: The 26 light and airy rooms feature bespoke furniture, including vintage school-style desks, old-fashioned telephones and wooden chests, while bathrooms have Cowshed products and rainforest showers. Bedrooms ranges from Tiny (16 sq m) to Small+ (19 sq m), with four rooms also boasting large balconies.
Leisure: Rooftop bar, lounge and swimming pool; Biscuit Pin, a two-lane bowling alley with bar; ‘Borrow Me’ collection includes vintage books and games. The Cowshed Spa comes with three treatment rooms, gym, sauna, steam rooms, small shop and café.
Restaurants: The club includes the brasserie-style House Kitchen, serving Italian fare (including beef carpaccio, black truffle risotto and tiramisu) with a large bar area. The private dining rooms are ideal for casual business dinners. A ten-minute walk from Liverpool Street Station, within easy reach of London’s Square Mile, Shoreditch Rooms shares its entrance with Shoreditch House, the capital’s most popular members’ club. Shoreditch Rooms guests have access to most of the club’s facilities, from meeting spaces to private dining rooms.
Address: 11 King Solomon Street
Tel: 972.2 548 2222 (Israel)
Web Address: www.mamillahotel.com
Rates: From $390
Business amenities: The 40 sq m ballroom takes up to 300 people and is equipped with audio and video technology. Flexible conference rooms can seat 190 and a new auditorium opening in July will seat 138.
Rooms: Italian designer Piero Lissoni created the interiors of the 194 guest rooms, which feature dark wooden floors, custom-made black leather furniture and liquid-crystal walls separating the bedrooms and bathrooms that turn opaque at the touch of a button. The bathrooms all have separate showers and baths and come stocked with L’Occitane products. All rooms feature flatscreen LCD televisions, wireless highspeed internet and laptops on request.
Leisure: There’s an indoor swimming pool and rooftop sun deck. A spa with a Watsu pool and a hammam, and a gym with a lounge and bar are due to open soon.
Restaurants: The Rooftop brasserie boasts spectacular views of the Old City; the Dining Room serves hearty Israeli breakfasts; the Mirror Bar is a Jerusalem hot spot thanks to its gourmet bar food, resident DJ and adjoining Cigar Lounge; the Winery offers one of the largest selections of Israeli kosher wines in the country. The Mamilla Café is due to open later in the year. Built in local limestone, The Mamilla is located in the city centre at the end of Alrov Mamilla Avenue, a boutiqueheavy shopping street leading to the Old City’s main entrance, Jaffa Gate. This is the second project in the city by Lissoni, who partnered with Israeli-born architect Moshe Safdie to create this first luxury design-led hotel in Israel.
Martyrs’ Square, Central Beirut District
Tel: 961.1 971 111 (Lebanon)
www.campbellgrayhotels.com
Opening date: October 2009
Rates: From $395
Business amenities: The airy boardroom is located on the second floor and seats up to 12 people. It features an LCD screen, a ceiling projector and a fitted screen.
Rooms: The 87 rooms and suites with modern interiors by Gordon Campbell Gray and Mary Fox Linton are all equipped with state-of-the-art technology including complimentary Wi-Fi and iPod docks. Fresh fruit and flowers are delivered daily. Aqua televisions, Ren products and Porthault bathrobes in the bathrooms complete the luxurious experience.
Leisure: The contemporary PureGray Health Club and Spa offers a range of holistic treatments from Spanish skincare specialists Natura Bissé. The gym has a team of personal trainers on hand.
Restaurants: Head to Gordon’s café for a quick lunch of regional specialities and healthy salads, or sample grilled meats and classic dishes at The Indigo Rooftop restaurant, which boasts stunning views over the city, Mount Lebanon and the Mediterranean. The Cigar and Pool lounges are perfect for business meetings, while the Bar ThreeSixty offers panoramic views, live music and great cocktails. Le Gray occupies a four-storey yellow sandstone building perfectly located in Beirut’s historic centre, with the 12th century Al-Omari Mosque, the seaside promenade the Corniche and the designer shops of the Rue Weygand just a stone’s throw away. Designed by Australian architect Kevin Dash, the brand-new building boasts a glass-walled rooftop bar, an infinity pool overlooking the Mediterranean and a vertiginous light well.
Address: Southern Corniche, Al Hamra District
Tel: 966.2 263 9666 (Saudi Arabia)
URL: www.jeddah.park.hyatt.com
Opening date: June 2009
Rates: From SAR1,350 ($360)
Business amenities: A meeting concierge sorts out logistics for your big corporate event. Al Sohba, the hotel’s men-only social club, is furnished with a projection room, five boardrooms and an outdoor, sea-fronted venue for 300 of your closest business associates. The 2,500 sq m Lazurde Meetings and Events Centre has a 750 sq m ballroom, a huge seaside courtyard and eight small rooms.
Rooms: Most of the 142 rooms – with modern décor and light Arab-Andalusian touches – have views of the Red Sea and King Fahd fountain. Separate work area; 32in flat-screen television with cable and satellite channels; DVD player; rainshower; multi-line telephones; broadband internet. 24-hour concierge service.
Leisure: In addition to housing Saudi Arabia’s first hydrotherapy centre, each of the his-and-hers spas, Seba and Evania (pictured below), features a gym, juice bar, restaurant, indoor and outdoor pools, hammam, and tennis and squash courts.
Restaurants: Take a break from the spreadsheets with all-day dining in the Lounge or cut a Cuban in the Cigar Room. For serious entertaining, Mediterranean restaurant Nafoura offers mezzes and meats cooked on a traditional Middle Eastern charcoal grill, while Andalusia serves Moorish fare in a relaxed setting. Though the old city centre and Chamber of Commerce are just a ten-minute drive away, the view of the Red Sea and the flotilla of yachts anchored in the marina provide the light-filled Park Hyatt Jeddah with the seaside vibe of a bijou coastal resort.
Address: Yas Island, PO Box 131808
Tel: 971.2 656 0000 (UAE)
Web Address: www.theyashotel.com
Rates: From AED488 ($133)
Business amenities: Filled with natural light, the six meeting rooms and four boardrooms have terraces overlooking Yas Marina and come with complimentary Wi-Fi, a technology concierge and video conferencing. The 509 sq m ballroom can hold up to 600 people. Break-out rooms can be arranged on yachts.
Rooms: 499 rooms, from 54 sq m Deluxe rooms to 400 sq m Presidential Suites. Customised mood lighting; 42in LCD television; connectivity panel for iPod and laptops; all-glass bathroom. Executive rooms have free Wi-Fi; late checkout; concierge services; airport transfer; use of meeting room and garment pressing.
Leisure: Yas Marina and Yacht Club; golf course; two rooftop swimming pools; state-of-the-art gym. The Espa spa, with ten lavishly decorated treatment rooms inspired by Turkish hammams, is due to open at the end of the summer.
Restaurants: With a staggering 14 bars, restaurants and lounges, finding a quiet corner for a lunch meeting to woo a client is never going to be an issue at the Yas. The pick of the crop include Atayeb’s pan-Arab menu of tajines and grills; Gulf seafood dishes at Nautilus; and poolside cocktails at the circular Latitude bar. Set beneath a shimmering colour-shifting metallic cloud on an island between Dubai (50 minutes away) and the Abu Dhabi coast, the Yas hotel overlooks the Yas Marina and is within easy reach of mega-malls, golf courses and theme parks (including a world’s first by Ferrari), while the city centre is 15 minutes away.
Address: Burj Khalifa Tower
Tel: 971.4 888 3888 (UAE)
URL: www.dubai.armanihotels.com
Opening date: April 2010
Rates: From AED1,700 ($462)
Business amenities: The black ballroom holds up to 450 people, while the boardrooms, meeting rooms and meeting lounges are fully equipped with communication and presentation systems. To really impress, the 400-seater Pavilion is set in a garden at the foot of Burj Khalifa with views of the Dubai Fountain. Floral arrangements can be ordered from the Armani florist and corporate gifts from the Armani Galleria, while the Armani Club offers exclusive concierge service and access to private meetings venues.
Rooms: 160 rooms, ranging from a 45 sq m studio to a 95 sq m suite and the 235 sq m signature suite personally designed by Giorgio Armani. All come with bespoke Armani Casa furniture; 40in television with DVD player; and coffee machine.
Leisure: Negotiating can be dusty work, especially if deals are cut on a camel safari. Unwind with a thermal bath followed by a massage in the 12,000 sq ft Armani spa with bespoke oils. Or else, take your business partners to the glitzy Armani Privé nightclub.
Restaurants: A lobby bar; lounge; chocolate shop; Japanese, Mediterranean, Indian and Italian restaurants. Milanese legend Peck Deli also has an outpost here. Fashion legend Giorgio Armani’s first foray into the hotel business is housed, appropriately, in the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. The hotel commands dizzying views of downtown Dubai and its Fortune 500 HQs as well as the ritzy retail strip of Emaar Boulevard.
Address: Woodvale Grove, Westlands
Tel: 254.20 420 8000 (Kenya)
URL: www.sankara.com
Opening date: May 2010 (soft opening)
Rates: Superior room from US$279
Business amenities: En-route check-in in the airport courtesy car lets you glide straight into your meeting with minimal fuss. Three first-floor meeting rooms hold up to 220 guests; ballroom; boardroom; and 24-hour business centre with event planners and state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment. The Club Lounge has two boardrooms and 24-hour butler service. One-hour pressing service; valet parking; complimentary Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel; online preference planner.
Rooms: 156 rooms (including 32 sq m Superior rooms, pictured) furnished in blond woods, large marbled bathrooms and restrained African safari touches. Ergonomic desk and chair; plug and play panel for seamless connection to the flat-screen television; complimentary high-speed internet. The mini-bar is stocked to your preference.
Leisure: Rooftop pool (pictured below); Turkish steam room; sauna; fitness centre with Technogym. The Angsana Spa has seven treatment rooms, two rain mist rooms and a relaxation lounge, and offers treatments with natural ingredients.
Restaurants: Sarabi serves light snacks and fruit juices; global cuisine and wines are on offer at The Gallery and Artisan restaurants, while Muhibbah tempts guests with its South-East Asian flavours. Though it’s in the centre of Nairobi’s commercial and civic life, this five-star hotel never feels particularly urban – especially when you are sunbathing by the rooftop pool. Its prime location puts it just 20km from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, while the UN headquarters is 9km away.
Address: Avenue Bad Jdid
Tel: 212.524 388 600 (Morocco)
URL: www.mamounia.com
Opening date: First opened in 1922, renovated September 2009
Rates: From MAD6,000 ($663)
Business amenities: Small library lined,with art books, for up to ten guests; a Grand Foyer seating 160 guests; and 450 sq m Grand Salon for up to 300 guests, which can also be split into three smaller rooms. The business centre, equipped with computer facilities, seats up to 30.
Rooms: The 207 rooms and suites feature wooden latticework, traditional zellige tiles and marble bathrooms. The suites have the best balconies, overlooking the gardens. There are also three 700 sq m riads, each with three bedrooms, Moroccan salon, private pool and terrace.
Leisure: Outdoor pool; two tennis courts. The 2,500 sq m spa comes with a fitness centre, three hammams, a hair salon, an indoor ozone-treated swimming pool with stunning mosaics, and nine treatment rooms that offer treatments using traditional products such as argan oil, ghassoul clay, black soap, orange flower water and rose water.
Restaurants: Le Marocain serves local specialities in a traditional riad courtyard; Le Français offers French cuisine by Jean-Pierre Vigato; L’Italien by Don Alfonso is set on a charming terrace. For sweet treats head to the Menzeh pavilion, and for late drinks try the Churchill Bar, named after the hotel’s most famous guest. Located in the heart of the imperial city, a five-minute walk from Djemaa el Fna Square, this legendary Moroccan palace is nestled in 17 acres of gardens. It has just been redesigned by Jacques Garcia, whose particular brand of contemporary opulence proved such a hit at Hotel Costes in Paris, and now showcases the best of Moroccan craftsmanship.
Address: Wale Street
Tel: 27.21 819 2000 (South Africa)
URL: www.tajhotels.com/capetown
Opening date: March 2010
Rates: From ZAR4,100 ($515)
Business amenities: Business centre with private office; 24-hour secretarial services; translation; audiovisual equipment; fax and photocopying; security and courier services; conference concierge and technology butler. Complimentary car service to the financial district. Taj Club and suite guests have complimentary access to the Taj Club Lounge with seating for up to 25 guests; in-room check-in; and personal butler service.
Rooms: Each of the 177 rooms is finished in the Taj’s trademark hit of old-world grandeur and boasts Table Mountain or Cape Town views. Standard features include separate workstations with multimedia hub; tea- and coffee-making facilities; international plug sockets; 40in flat-screen television; iPod dock and Wi-Fi.
Leisure: Technogym-equipped fitness centre; heated indoor swimming pool; Jiva spa with relaxation room and eight treatment rooms, which offer Asian, Indian and Ayurvedic treatments.
Restaurants: Dine on classic Indian fare at the Bombay Brasserie. For more relaxed lunch meetings, try Mint, which serves local dishes such as seared springbok loin and grilled ostrich fillet, or The Twankey, where champagne and oysters are the order of the day. Comfortably filling the space formerly occupied by the grand South African Reserve Bank in the heart of historic Cape Town, the Taj makes the most of its central location. Cape Town International Airport is a 20-minute drive away, while Company’s Gardens, the Houses of Parliament, Greenmarket Square and Cape Town’s International Convention Centre are all minutes away on foot.
Address: 32 Zhongshan Dongyi Road, The Bund
Tel: 86.21 2327 2888 (China)
Web Address: www.peninsula.com
Rates: From RMB3,200 ($468)
Business amenities: Airport pick-up in limousine or Rolls-Royce; car pick-up from anywhere in the metropolitan area; high-ceilinged meeting rooms; private dining rooms; 450-seater Rose Ballroom; Palace Suite with 900 sq m outdoor terrace. A meetings consultant advises on everything from auspicious dates to local business customs. Complimentary Wi-Fi available throughout the hotel.
Rooms: 235 rooms with Huangpu River or city skyline views; work desk; silent fax machine and copier; international power sockets; 46in plasma television; iPod dock; Nespresso coffee machine; 24-hour room service. Complimentary local and IDD calls; daily fruit basket, local newspaper and shoe shine; in-room wireless internet access.
Leisure: Stay fit with a personal trainer, relax at the Peninsula Spa by Espa, dive into the 25m indoor pool or just work off that heavy client lunch on the treadmills while watching a DVD.
Restaurants: Toast the completion of a deal with a cocktail at the Compass Bar before adjourning to Yi Long Court for terrific Cantonese fare prepared by Michelin-starred chef Tang Chi Keung. Sir Elly’s Restaurant features a modern European menu and private dining rooms, while the elegant Lobby offers breakfast, drinks and afternoon tea. Set on the Bund, Shanghai’s historic riverfront avenue, The Peninsula is only a short cab ride from the financial district of Pudong. Inspired by the Bund’s art deco and neo-classical architecture, the hotel’s rooms are styled like a 1920s private home and marry comfort with the Peninsula’s trademark efficiency.
Address: 1 Changde Road, Jingan District
Tel: 86.21 3203 9999 (China)
Web Address: www.thepuli.com
Rates: From RMB1,938 ($284)
Business amenities: IP and GSM mobile phones for use in hotel and within Shanghai. Two private rooms, each catering for up to 16, can be converted into dining or conference rooms.
Rooms: 209 rooms and 20 suites with 32in LCD television; DVD player; Bose wave music system; Nespresso coffee machine and complimentary high-speed wireless internet. On the 20th to 26th levels, the Club Floors offer complimentary minibar, laundry and pressing; butler service; complimentary breakfast, evening cocktails and canapés, and free use of a meeting room and outdoor patio.
Leisure: The temptation to just stay put after a gruelling round of meetings is great: The PuLi comes equipped with steam rooms, Jacuzzis and an infinity pool overlooking the greenery of Jingan park. With five treatment suites, the Anantara spa harnesses the healing power of teas and blends it with soothing therapies from China, India and Thailand.
Restaurants: The 32m Long Bar serves up a mean list of wines and champagnes, while the Jing’An restaurant offers seasonal menus mixing Western cuisine with Asian flavours. The PuLi prides itself on being Shanghai’s first five-star urban resort, offering the relaxed vibe of a countryside getaway in the middle of one of the world’s great metropolises. This mix is best experienced in the bathtubs that overlook downtown Shanghai and Jingan park. Location-wise, The PuLi is sensational: it’s within walking distance of a swag of business offices, cultural hot spots such as the Jingan temple, entertainment districts and retail outlets, including Plaza 66.
Address: City of Dreams, Estrada do Istmo, Cotai
Tel: 853.8868 1234 (China)
Web Address: www.macau.grand.hyatt.com
Rates: From HKD1,388 ($248)
Business amenities: Airport limousine service; business centre with standard office equipment, eight meeting rooms, two ballrooms, translation services and meeting planners; complimentary shuttle bus to key locations and pick-up from key terminals; complimentary wireless internet available throughout the hotel.
Rooms: 791 rooms and suites that range in size from 32 sq m to a whopping 275 sq m, including the 64 sq m Grand Suite King with separate living room and bar. In-room complimentary wireless access; 42in plasma television with cable and satellite channels; video on demand; audiovisual panel for iPod, camera and laptop; dual-line phones. Espresso coffee machines in all Club rooms and suites.
Leisure: The hotel’s Isala Spa features 15 treatment rooms with ensuite private showers. If jetlag hits, work it out in the 24-hour gym, or step out of your private< poolside cabana into the 40m heated outdoor pool. And if that doesn’t work, try one of the nearby casinos.
Restaurants: From boardroom to private dining room, the hotel has the culinary bases covered: Beijing Kitchen sends out hand-pulled Shanghainese noodles and Peking duck; Mezza9 offers grill and wok dishes and a sushi bar; the Lobby Lounge offers champagne and live entertainment. Part of the Cotai’s massive City of Dreams complex of entertainment, dining and retail outlets, the Grand Hyatt Macau hotel boasts panoramic views of the area and the Pearl River. With an eye fixed firmly on the business market, its many charms include easy access to Macau
and Taipa ferry terminals (both five minutes away), the Chinese border and Macau International Airport.
Address: Pacific Place, 88 Queensway
Tel: 852.3968 1111 (China)
Web Address: www.upperhouse.com
Rates: From HK$3,388 ($434)
Business amenities: Zip stylishly to your next meeting in the hotel’s Lexus RX450h hybrid car or invite the board up to the 49th floor Sky Lounge for views of the Peak and the historic Wanchai district.
A private dining room seats up to 12. Complimentary wireless internet available throughout the hotel and rooms.
Rooms: 117 studios, Upper suites and penthouses ranging from 68 sq m to 182 sq m. Paperless check-in; iPod Touch pre-loaded with games, music and local information; 400-thread count cotton bed linen; 42in LCD television in bedroom plus 19in television in bathroom; video on demand; complimentary in-room snacks and refreshments; coffee machine; Guest Experience concierge service.
Leisure: If you can be tempted down from your suite, the boutiques and restaurants of Pacific Place will keep you suitably entertained. Or else, relax in the sixth floor garden after working off the previous night’s dinner in the Precor- and Keiser-equipped gym.
Restaurants: Offering dizzying views of Victoria Harbour and a 14m-long open kitchen, Café Gray Deluxe marks the return of chef Gray Kunz to Hong Kong. Located in the heart of Hong Kong’s commercial and retail district, the Upper House was envisaged by local designer Andre Fu as an inner-city bolt-hole. The impressive Bedonia stone portico was created by British designer Thomas Heatherwick, while the public spaces feature a grand mix of limestone and bleached oak. In the bedrooms, upwards from the 38th floors, Fu has dreamed up an eyrie of bamboo, shoji glass, lacquered paper panels and green teaand lilac-coloured upholstery.
Capella, Singapore
Address: 1 The Knolls, Sentosa Island
Tel: 65.6377 8888 (Singapore)
Web Address: www.capellasingapore.com
Rates: From S$750 ($533)
Business amenities: Dedicated personal assistants on hand from reservation to check-out; airport transfer in Rolls-Royce Phantom or Mercedes Benz. The three meeting rooms and two boardrooms have views of the gardens and the South China Sea and are especially popular for corporate brainstorming sessions. The Capella’s event planners can arrange special menus and customise settings.
Rooms: 112 rooms, suites and private villas, many with private pools. Bose stereo system; complimentary Wi-Fi; iPod docking station; LCD television; complimentary soft drinks; coffee- and tea-making facilities; control panel for lights, curtains and electronic equipment.
Leisure: Three hotel pools; fitness centre; library. Preferential access to Sentosa golf course, access to Sentosa Island’s beaches. The hotel’s Auriga spa offers various body treatments using Organic Pharmacy products alongside oils of eucalyptus, jasmine and rose petals.
Restaurants: Lubricate negotiations with a cocktail at the open air lounge, Bob’s Bar, overlooking the pool. There’s also fine afternoon teas at The Knolls, and formal dining at Cassia, the Capella’s modern Chinese restaurant. Other: Barely 15 minutes from the downtown commercial centre, the Capella nevertheless exudes the vibe of an idyllic island resort. The 30-acre grounds have been carved up into a series of villas and majestic suites, the latter housed in converted officers’ quarters. Designer Jaya Ibrahim has swathed the spacious suites in a low-key but lush dose of Bali chic, complete with black granite bathrooms and Burmese teak furniture.
Address: 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank,
Tel: 61.3 9292 8888 (Australia)
Web Address: www.crownmetropol.com.au
Rates: From A$249 ($206)
Business amenities: Four theatre-style meeting rooms, each holding up to 50 guests, with a function area showcasing city views; full-service business centre with two small meeting rooms seating up to four guests and a boardroom for 12; standard office equipment hire; internet work stations; wireless internet access. The adjacent Crown Conference Centre can cater for up to 840 delegates.
Rooms: 658 rooms, including 33 suites and 34 studios with high-definition plasma television and iPod docking station. At extra costs, guests can use the in-room wireless internet connection and access 28, the top-floor lounge and sky bar with concierge service, complimentary breakfast and evening drinks.
Leisure: On level 27, Isika spa features 360-degree views over the city; deluxe accommodation; a relaxation lounge; private treatment rooms; vitality pools; steam rooms; a hot plunge pool, a 25m infinity pool and a fitness centre.
Restaurants: On level one is the Australian debut of Maze by Gordon Ramsay, with Ramsay alumnus Josh Emett at the helm. Expect modern Oz dishes with plenty of European inspiration: Jerusalem artichoke velouté with southern rock lobster or seared leg of rabbit with jicama, olive, almond and brown butter vinaigrette. Designed by Bates Smart Architects, the wave-shaped Metropol is located next to the Crown entertainment complex and shopping centre, which showcases brands previously unavailable in Australia. Local artists and designers, such as David Band and Steven Hennessy, were commissioned to create unique pieces and lighting elements throughout the hotel.