Hotels, Venues & Event news
The Strand Palace – one of London’s largest hotels with 785 bedrooms – has started a multimillion-pound refurbishment. Work on the ground floor of the property on the Strand, including the reception, restaurant, bar and tea room, has just begun and is expected to be completed in the summer, these spaces will operate as flexible lifestyle areas
The bedrooms will then be decorated, with completion expected by April 2020.
As of this coming spring, the five-star Park Hyatt Mallorca Resort located in Canyamel will be offering a new and exquisite menu by the hand of the prestigious chef Álvaro Salazar, who was recently awarded a Michelin Star for his third consecutive year.
This represents a new stage and a new challenge for Salazar, which he says he is anticipating with great excitement and commitment: “The demands I place on myself are my greatest commitment of all, and that’s what brought about the decision to move into the Hyatt. A daring and motivating change that is definitely up to our expectations”.
Salazar, who began his career at prestigious restaurants including Echaurren, Tragabuches, and Sergi Arola Gastro and who was hailed Cook of the Year in Spain and Cook of the Year in Mallorca in 2018, will be landing at the Park Hyatt Mallorca with the team that has been accompanying him for the past few years at Argos: Mario Wolgast as maître d’ and host; María Cano as sous chef; and Sela Priego, who is in charge of baking and desserts.
On 2 January, Protur Hotels will be opening its first urban hotel, the Protur Naisa Palma. A four-star hotel located in the heart of Palma, just a 5-minute walk from the city’s seafront promenade, the Paseo Marítimo, and equally close to the Jaime III shopping district and the cosmopolitan district of Santa Catalina.
The 99 comfortable, modern rooms of this establishment are soundproof and fully equipped with heating, air conditioning, Wi-Fi and smart TVs, amenities, safes and minibars.
Particularly worthy of mention are the Gastrobar, with an assortment of food; two conference halls furnished with cutting-edge audiovisual equipment; and the Living Room on the 5th floor, a multi-purpose space with views overlooking the city. The upper terrace of the Protur Naisa boasts its SkyBar with an outdoor pool and a chill-out area — a very special gathering place for events and afterwork drinks.
Finally, the Protur Naisa Palma Spa features a wellness centre including a steam room and sauna, a heated pool with jacuzzi and a fitness gym.
The Natural History Museum will host Museum of the Moon from 17th May 2019, giving event planners the chance to let guests spend an evening under artist Luke Jerram’s illuminated moon.
The art installation, features detailed NASA imagery to perfectly recreate the moon’s surface and has toured the world since its launch in Bristol in 2016 and has been enjoyed at festivals, sporting events and in public spaces.
From 17 May until 8 September, the art installation will be part of the Museum’s temporary exhibitions in the Jerwood Gallery, which can cater for up to 300 for dinner and after hours, event guests can dance the night away underneath the mesmerising lunar glow.
Hilton is to launch its new luxury brand LXR Hotels & Resorts into Europe with the opening of the Biltmore hotel in London, following the signing of an agreement with Millennium & Copthorne Hotels.
The 308-bedroom hotel on Grosvenor Square, previously the Millennium Hotel London Mayfair, is currently undergoing a £50m redevelopment and is due to launch in the Spring of this year.
Officially to be known as the Biltmore, Mayfair – LXR Hotels & Resorts, the hotel will feature a year-round alfresco terrace and cocktail bar. There will also be a ballroom for up to 70 guests and a fitness suite.
LXR Hotels & Resorts is intended to be a luxury brand for independent hotels, the first of the new breed of LXR Hotels & Resorts opened last year in Dubai at the 234-bedroom Habtoor Palace
With the incorporation of this new hotel, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts has added the Iberostar Llaut Palma to its group, a five-star establishment that only reconfirms the Playa de Palma company’s ongoing commitment to top quality.
The Iberostar Llaut Palma is envisaged to form part of the Selection category, within the chain’s beach hotel segment, while additionally reinforcing the company’s pledge to high quality in Mallorca. The hotel will be reopening its doors at the start of the 2019 season, this time under the Iberostar brand.
Built in 2016, this hotel has 186 rooms distributed among seven floors and offers top-notch services for its guests, including three restaurants and three bars, a spa, a gym, two swimming pools, a conference hall with seating for 110 people and private underground parking.
The Hotel Meliá Palma Marina has recently opened MOSS, a culinary venue that connects with nature through fresh, local products, with views over Palma’s seafront walk, the Paseo Marítimo. Here at this flexitarian restaurant where 75% of the ingredients used are vegetables, all the dishes share a common denominator: the predilection for healthy, local food. This makes for plenty of vegetarian options, as well as meats and fish dishes cooked with utmost respect for the base ingredients.
MOSS offers breakfasts and also has a menu available all day long. Moreover, this eatery can accommodate groups as well. Guests will additionally enjoy the option of a take-away menu that includes smoothies, juices, kombucha, natural yoghurts, fruit, granola, seeds, bagels and more.
What’s more, on the first Sunday of every month, the restaurant will be offering a 100% gluten-free brunch. In a word, this place is a must for healthy diet lovers who seek food with flair in the heart of Palma’s seafront walk, the Paseo Marítimo.
Radisson Blu has opened 2 hotels in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi. Both hotels are located in prominent locations with the Radisson Blu Hotel & Resort, Abu Dhabi Croniche located on the vibrant sea walk AND THE Radisson Blu Hotel & Resort, Al Ain located in one of the countries cultural gems.
Offering 14 meeting rooms including 2 ballrooms and outdoor venues the Radisson Blu Hotel & Resort, Abu Dhabi can offer event space for up to 2000 overlooking the Abu Dhabi coastline. The venue has 327 spacious guestrooms and suites and 9 catering outlets.
The Radisson Blu Hotel & Resort, Al Ain is set within landscape gardens offering a very different experience however it is still only 90 minutes to Abu Dhabi Airport. Stepped in history the Grand Ballroom has 4 addition flexible meeting rooms available accommodating up to 650 guests. In addition to the meeting space the hotel has 210 spacious guest rooms, villas, suites and studios.
The Grosvenor hotel at London’s Victoria is to be re-branded under GLH Hotels’ Amba brand following its refurbishment, the 345-bedroom property, which is at the moment operating under the Guoman Hotels brand, is currently undergoing a redesign ahead of relaunching under the group’s four-star brand. The project is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2019.
The refurbishment will be phased, with the Grosvenor Arms restaurant and Tea Lounge already complete. The hotel’s bedrooms, meetings and events spaces, and additional food and beverage outlets will be fully refurbished throughout next year.
Amba Victoria will join two other hotels in the brands in Marble Arch and Charing Cross.
Boxpark Wembley is now open with more than 20 food and beverage vendors, the North West London site is the largest to date for the Boxpark team.
Boxpark Wembley also features a 20,000 sq ft dedicated events space and a year-round schedule of entertainment. The cultural strategy for the area includes artist studios run by Second Floor Studios & Arts, a public art programme and cultural programming and events.