Category: International

The CEO of visitBerlin has labelled the nine-month delay in opening the city’s new airport ‘surprising and annoying’ amid fears the delay could stall new routes to the city, adversely affecting Berlin’s reputation as a congress destination.

The German capital’s new airport, Berlin Brandenburg (BER), was scheduled to open 3 June but will now open on 17 March, 2013, with the Supervisory Board of Flughafen Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH announcing the new airport must pass safety tests before the launch date.

Burkhard Kieker, CEO of visitBerlin, said: “The 10-month postponement of the opening date is surprising and annoying. It is now top priority to ensure that the airport is well prepared for the launch. We look forward to the opening of BER as it will greatly improve the accessibility of our city.”

A statement by Kieker said the delayed opening will not have a foreseeable impact on existing tourism and congress business:  “However, visitBerlin fears that it could have an adverse effect on future long-haul destinations. The postponement of the opening of BER could also lead to delays in airlines committing to new intercontinental routes, which are of great importance to Berlin as a congress location.”

With the existing airports, Schönefeld and Tegel, still in operation, all flights to Berlin are expected to be carried out as scheduled. Extended summer flight schedules for the three largest airlines, airberlin, Deutsche Lufthansa and EasyJet, are being maintained.

Nearly 70 UK buyers from companies including Reed & Mackay, Congrex, BNP Paribas, Group Se7evn Events, Warner Bros. and RBS attended the Berlin Meets London event at the London Film Museum.

Held in recognition of 100 years of film in Berlin – with the venue’s atmospheric brick tunnels under Covent Garden reminiscent of the German city – guests enjoyed popcorn and canapés while watching excerpts of films relating to Berlin and mingling with 20 hotel, airline and city convention bureau partners.

VisitBerlin CEO Burkhard Kieker noted the ever-changing city was “the last metropolis in the making in the old world” – a fusion of German efficiency and creativity that made it perfect for hosting events

RAGUE – Earn Hotel Rewards! Le Hotel Palais is a very elegant boutique hotel located centrally and highly popular for incentives. Palace Hotel Praha is the perfect place to do your business, with state-of-the-art conference rooms offering space for up to 200 attendees. The privacy afforded by the smaller salons is ideal for events with up to 50 people.

 

Le Palais Hotel Prague

September & October 2012 Accommodation from € 159 DDR from € 79 full day / € 69 half day

November & December 2012 Accommodation from € 139 DDR from € 69 full day / € 59 half day

Extra value-added benefits:

Complimentary minibar consumption • Complimentary welcome reception upon arrival (a glass of sparkling wine and 3 canapés) • Complimentary Internet access in the guest rooms • Complimentary use of Health Club • Complimentary individual shuttle to Wenceslas Square • One complimentary upgrade to a suite per 10 paid rooms (based on availability) • Complimentary parking (up to 3 cars based on availability) • 25% discount on staff rate (up to 3 rooms out of 50 rooms) • 10% discount on Pure Spa treatments.


Terms & Conditions

This offer is based on availability and valid for new meetings from September 1st through December 28th, 2012. Minimum of 10 rooms per night to qualify. Accommodation rates are for single/double occupancy, inclusive of buffet breakfast and VAT. Offer excludes closeout and citywide congress dates. Daily Delegate Rates (DDR) are inclusive of 20% VAT and include meeting room rental, standard technical equipment, 2 coffee breaks for the full day DDR and 1 coffee break for the half day DDR, buffet lunch, filtered coffee, tea and water throughout the meeting. Please mention code “Autumn Offer 2012” when sending your inquiry. The hotel reserves the right to amend this offer at any time without further notice.

The Delano Marrakech opened for business on September 21st, 2012. The hotel is a boon to Marrakech’s growing attractions as business destination for Europe and beyond

Starhotels Rosa Grand in Milan is a 4 star hotel located in the heart of the city, just a few steps from the Duomo. The hotel, completely refurbished, is perfect for every kind of event. For meetings consumed from October 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012 with a minimum of 15 rooms the Starhotels Rosa Grand in Milan offers a special room rate starting from Euro 239 per night including VAT 10% and full buffet breakfast with a 30% discount on meeting room rental. Even more profitable rates starting from Euro 199 including VAT 10% and full buffet breakfast could be available on special dates.

Starhotels Business Palace in Milan is just six metro stops from the centre in the South East business district, only minutes from the highway and Linate Airport. This 4 star hotel is a superb conversion of an old early 1900s industrial building, an imposing facade with dramatic arched windows and the benefit of generous space throughout. We offer 11 large meeting rooms with a maximum capacity of 340 delegates – one of the largest conference rooms in Milan.


For small meetings up to 10 delegates consumed by December 31 2012, the hotel offers a DDR at Euro 51 pp per day net VAT 21%. DDR includes: meeting room rental (studio with natural daylight setup as boardroom or theatre style for 10 pax or meeting room 25 sq.mt with artificial daylight setup as boardoom/Ushape/Theatre for 10/12 pax), LCD projector, screen (or projection to wall), mineral water, candies, note pads and pens, 2 coffee stations am/pm (hot and cold beverages, biscuits), one seated 3 course lunch (including ½ mineral water, ¼ house wine, coffee)


As an additional benefit, the hotel grant complimentary parking spaces in the guarded garage for all delegates.

Starhotels Ritz in Milan is a 4 star hotel located in the heart of the city, just behind Corso Buenos Aires, famous for shopping, in a lively area full of restaurants, theatres and bars. The hotel, recently refurbished, offers for meetings consumed from October 12, 2012 to December 31, 2012 the special room rate starting from Euro 125 per night including VAT 10% and full buffet breakfast and one complimentary meeting room with a minimum of 15 rooms.

A different visit in Madrid… don’t miss the Museum Lazaro Galdiano

The Museum Lazaro Galziano is housed in a palace built by the architect Jose Urioste in following Lazaro Galdiano´s instructions. It is of neo-renaissance style with some classic elements. The ceilings were decorated by Eugenio Lucas Villamilwith images related to the use of each room. The palace was finished in 1909 and became a famous meeting place for intellectuals and artists of the time.

Mr. Galdiano was quite a character and art lover. During his life he collected over 12,000pieces of all different kinds and styles, all of them classical art. He had over 750 paintings and a great book collection with many first editions, but also collected sculptures, jewels, armours and furniture.

Now all the rooms at the museum, where they used to discuss about politics or art in Galdiano’s times, are dedicated to house his outstanding private collection, some can be rented to house private events.

Palacio de Liria – Madrid


Recently opened for very exclusive events, you can now host your dinner in the private residence of the House of Alba. The Liria Palace or Palacio de Liria is a Neoclassical palace in Madrid. Built around 1770 by the Duke of Berwick on designs of Ventura Rodriguez, in the early 19th century it passed to the inheritance of the House of Alba. All but the facades were destroyed during the Spanish Civil War. It has since been rebuilt and still remains a private residence, in part due to the persistence of the 18th Duchess of Alba, Duchess Cayetana de Alba. The interior shows remodeling touches by Edwin Lutyens. The palace contains a remarkable private collection of European art, including works by Dürer, El Greco, Goya, Mantegna, Murillo, Rembrandt, Ribera, Van Dyck, and Velázquez. It also houses the Alba Bible.

The 85 largest and busiest train stations are to get a face-lift, network operator ProRail said on Tuesday.

The platforms will have black and copper-coloured poofs, new benches, waste bins, wind screens with ledges to lean on and waiting rooms.

Platform furniture is 20 years or more old and is in need of renewal, ProRail told the press.

‘For the design, we want furniture that is comfortable and looks good, but it must also be hard-wearing and easy to clean and maintain,’ the operator said.

The first stations to get a make-over are Hoevelaken and Groningen Europark. They will be followed by Arnhem, Breda, Rotterdam Centraal and The Hague Centraal.

The budget for the 85 stations is €125m.