Innholdsfortegnelse for February / March 2022 i Business Traveller

Hotels to adopt sustainability THE HOTEL INDUSTRY IS LAUNCHING a Basic Sustainability framework. Jin Jiang International, which has some 25,000 hotels under the brands Jin Jiang Hotels, Louvre Hotels Group and Radisson Hotel Group, is working with the World Travel and Tourism Council and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance on the initiative. The basic standards will be available for all hotels, whether part of the group or not, allowing for clarity and transparency for all travellers. The framework is currently being launched. Partner groups include Accor, Barcelo Hotel Group, Huazhu, including its affiliate Deutsche Hospitality, Indian Hotels Company Limited, Melia Hotels International and Minor Hotels, including NH Hotel Group. BRIEF ENCOUNTER Tumi is relaunching its Alpha Bravo collection with more than two dozen new styles ranging from backpacks to totes and…

Phrase: Tirar o cavalinho da chuva Literally: To take the horse out of the rain Meaning: Don’t hold your breath Origin: Supposedly dates back to when people would tie up their horse when visiting a house – if they tethered them in front of the house, unprotected from the elements, then the visit would be brief. If, however, the horse was sheltered, it would mean that the visitor would stay longer.…

PRAISE FOR ETHIOPIAN With so much press coverage on how many airlines are getting things wrong at the moment, I wanted to shine a light on an airline that has literally kept most of a continent moving, without any fanfare. Ethiopian Airlines was the only airline flying to Southern Africa (and most of the rest of the African continent) when Covid emerged – literally keeping its daily routes flying – even flying its planes empty from Addis Ababa to London when the UK government forbade it to fly in from red list countries, but taking passengers in the other direction. It also flew consistently to countries such as Zambia (where I am based) with fewer than 50 passengers on-board but full to the brim with much needed cargo. And Ethiopian…

At The Peninsula Bangkok’s Sakuntala Ballroom, the message was loud and clear: “Our willpower will generate the force we need to take off,” it said, as images of new generation aircraft and striking Thai landscapes were projected across the lavish room. The mission statement was part of a promotional video for Thai Airways International’s ‘Discover Brand New Sky’ seminar in early December, which reunited the company’s executive management team with local and overseas travel agents, travel trade and tourism partners, and a small number of international media for the first time in 18 months. It was a highly optimistic occasion, with friendly faces (masked, of course) welcoming various delegates, and a sense of anticipation for 2022 following the country’s reopening to vaccinated travellers from 63 countries last November. The Covid-19…

1 ARCHITECTURE The section of Lower Manhattan draws its name from its location south of Houston Street, a boho-chic locale which boasts cobblestoned streets and the world’s largest concentration of cast-iron structures. The area bounded by Broadway, West Broadway, Canal Street, Howard Street, Crosby Street, East Houston Street and West Houston Street was designated the SoHo Cast Iron Historic District in 1973 by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Cast iron was used for construction in the mid to late 1800s as a strong and affordable alternative to granite and marble. The spacious interiors, high ceilings and large windows appealed to artists in the 1960s and 1970s, who transformed SoHo’s abandoned warehouses and factories into loft studios. Nowadays, high-end boutiques and galleries fill the walls. One of the best examples of…

BACKGROUND We flew on the inaugural route from Manchester airport to New York JFK on December 1 (see our review at businesstraveller.com/tried-and-tested). The flight was meant to be operated by the new A321 neo LR but this was delayed due to registration issues, according to the carrier. We got to experience the new aircraft on the return leg on December 4, which was a night flight departing from JFK Terminal 5 at 1815 with a flight time of just under six hours. The aircraft is designed for routes of up to 7,400km and is used for both transatlantic and European routes. The narrowbody aircraft is more fuel efficient and promises a 50 per cent reduction in engine noise. FIRST IMPRESSIONS While I had submitted all my information and received approval…

Singapore introduced the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) in August 2021. The VTL programme permits fully vaccinated customers to travel quarantine-free to Singapore, provided they meet several criteria, and are tested both before departure and after arrival in Singapore The programme started with Germany, Brunei and Macau, was extended to 14 cities and now has been extended to 21 countries with the addition of India, though air ticket sales for Indonesia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have been suspended at the moment (see review on page 72). HOW TO APPLY As an introductory piece of advice – be prepared and have all your information to hand. As an example, don’t start the process until you know where you are staying since you need this information to complete the…

BACKGROUND A couple of years ago Singapore Airlines (SIA) retired its oldest A380s, welcomed five new ones and retrofitted the rest with a new layout, cabin and seats. This flight was operated under the Singapore government’s Vaccinated Traveller Lane programme (VTL) so all travellers on the flight were fully vaccinated and pre-approved. For further details on navigating the VTL programme, see our feature on page 38. CHECK IN While I had checked in online and chosen a seat I was unable to get my boarding pass as all paperwork under the VTL needs to be checked at the airport. I arrived at 0910 for my 1055 flight at London Heathrow Terminal 2 which was busy with queues everywhere. The SIA check-in area had a long queue for economy and I…

BACKGROUND Open since 2002, in recent years (2016-21) the hotel has undergone extensive refurbishment, including all rooms, public areas, bars and meeting rooms. Last year around €2 million (£1.67 million) was spent on remodelling the entrance and introducing a new restaurant and bar – Pigeon Post. WHERE IS IT? A five-minute walk from the main train station and only five minutes from Cologne Cathedral. WHAT’S IT LIKE? The 296 rooms were refurbished in 2016 and are on floors one to seven. The building used to be Cologne’s postal savings bank and the original building has been retained, though you only really get a sense of it from the exterior (stand on the other side of the road and look up at the listed 1950s design). It does explain the higher…

BACKGROUND City Suites is a serviced apartment brand based in Manchester. We reviewed its first property in 2017 – see businesstraveller.com/tried-and-tested/apartment-review-citysuites-manchester/. City Suites II is located adjacent to this, and the two share a similar design and feel. WHERE IS IT? On New Kings Head Yard in the newly developed Embankment West district, just across the River Irwell from the city centre. It’s a five-minute walk from Manchester Arndale shopping centre, a few minutes’ walk to Manchester Victoria station and a free city bus takes you to Manchester Piccadilly station. There’s a Sainsbury’s opposite, and takeaways can also be delivered to reception. WHAT’S IT LIKE? City Suites II, like the original property, is located in a triangular high-rise new-build, with narrow floor-to-ceiling windows on each floor creating an interesting façade.…

AA AND BA TO LAUNCH JOINT OPERATIONS AT JFK BRITISH AIRWAYS HAS ANNOUNCED plans to join fellow Oneworld member American Airlines to fly out of JFK airport’s Terminal 8 later this year. BA currently operates flights from Terminal 7 but will move to Terminal 8 on December 1, 2022. A redevelopment programme is underway at Terminal 8 to deliver five new widebody gates, four widebody hardstand parking positions, an enhanced baggage handling system, new customer amenities and expanded premium guest offerings, including more than 12,000 sqm of new and renovated space. Plans show that Terminal 8 will feature a co-branded premium check-in area, replacing AA’s former Flagship First check-in area, along with a new check-in area for business class customers. Once through security, there will be three lounges, the most…

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Miracle Mile What do Dorothy’s red slippers from The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars’ R2-D2, and a 7.6m-long fibreglass great white shark called Bruce – last seen in Jaws – have in common? They’re just some of the compelling exhibits at the new seven-storey, 2,800 sqm museum run by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, otherwise known as the people who hand out Oscars. And you’ll see plenty of those little gold figures, too; 20 of them are gathered in a trophy room – including Clark Gable’s best actor award for It Happened One Night – while you can also experience a simulation of what it would be like to receive your own (remember to keep that gushing speech brief ). Permanent and…

BARCELONA, SPAIN The Spanish seaside capital offers a great deal of attractions, from the bustling tree-lined boulevard Las Ramblas to the Barceloneta beach and the remarkable sights of Sagrada Familia and Park Guell from renowned architect Antoni Gaudi. It’s also a foodie spot, with tapas and sangria served until late (or early). What’s new? Last year the city launched the app Check Barcelona, providing travellers and residents with real-time information about the congestion at approximately 280 tourist sites, and allowing them to make reservations at attractions in advance of visiting. Stay: The 120-room Hotel El Palace Barcelona (pictured below) occupies the former Ritz of Barcelona, and as such has inherited its 100-plus years of history. El Palace pays homage to former guests, including Salvador Dali, Josephine Baker and more recently…

BACKGROUND This hotel was originally opened in 1989 as the Radisson SAS and then rebranded as the Radisson Blu Brussels before becoming Grand Place, a member of the Radisson Collection. It was designed by Belgian architects Arib. The Spanish architecture firm Rafael de la Hoz undertook the multimillion-euro renovation of all public spaces. WHERE IS IT? On 47 Rue du Fossé aux Loups, opposite the appropriately named food hall, Wolf. If you have bags it would probably be best to avoid the short walk from Brussels Central railway station since the road is fairly steep. WHAT’S IT LIKE? The hotel is quite forbidding from the outside, though the large floor-to-ceiling glass windows do give a hint of what’s in reception – namely a new, elegant, central bar and the check-in…

BACKGROUND This is a new-build hotel on the north bank of the Thames. Westin is the Marriott brand that focuses on five star ‘wellness, and this is the first Westin to open in the UK. The property is owned by 4C Hotel Group and managed by RBH. WHERE IS IT? The hotel straddles busy, four-lane Upper Thames Street. Taxis can pull in for the south building, but if you are coming by public transport, head for Huggin Hill then Huggin Court; alternatively use the footbridge. WHAT’S IT LIKE? The hotel is two buildings – south and north, with the connecting ‘bridge’ containing the lobby, main restaurant and four floors of rooms. The ‘meaningful wellness’ brand attribute has ‘six pillars of wellbeing – sleep well, eat well, move well, feel well,…

Over the years airlines have partnered with chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants and TV shows to treat their passengers on board. Here we round up some of the programmes on offer across various cabins. AIR FRANCE The airline has a long tradition of working with chefs with Michelin-starred restaurants for its on-board menus. From March it will renew its collaboration with Anne-Sophie Pic, the world’s most decorated female chef in terms of Michelin-starred restaurants, for La Première and Régis Marcon, owner of the three Michelin-starred Le Clos des Cimes in Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid, for business class. Availability: Offered to business and La Première (first class) passengers on long-haul flights departing Paris until June 2022. The menu: Dishes include vegetable lasagne with tangy chive cream; braised veal shank, sage sauce, potato gratin with porcini…