January 2009
Obamas checking in to hotel steeped in D.C. history
The hotel that will be home to President-elect Barack Obama and his family for the next couple of weeks offers one of Washington's best views of their future home, the White House, and a past linked with political movers and shakers.
The Obamas will be moving into the Hay-Adams hotel this weekend, aides say. They're doing this in part so that the family's daughters, Sasha and Malia, can begin school when classes reconvene after winter break.
They had hoped to move earlier into nearby Blair House, which presidents-elect traditionally occupy five days before moving into the White House. But the Bush administration said the house, which is used as a guest house for visiting dignitaries, already had events scheduled there and guests who could not be displaced.
The Obamas will move into Blair House on January 15.
According to its Web site, the Hay-Adams takes its name from past residents of the site -- one of whom had close ties with Obama's favorite U.S. president, Abraham Lincoln.
John Hay, a private assistant to Lincoln and later secretary of state, and Henry Adams, an author and descendent of presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, both lived on the site the hotel now occupies.
The two, their wives and geologist Clarence King were a group of friends that dubbed themselves "The Five of Hearts," going so far as to have china and stationary letterhead printed with the nickname.
Hotel room of the future
Over the years I have stayed in some real "shoeboxes" around the world - rooms which have lacked not only size, but also character and comfort.
But thanks to German scientists, the hotel experience is about to be transformed.
At the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering and Organisation, they have developed a "hotel room of the future".
The experimental room has been assembled in a giant laboratory. The idea is to show hotels how new technology can help guests relax.
Park Hyatt Bermuda will open 2012
The luxury 30-acre seafront resort will be located on Bermuda’s exclusive northeast coast in the UNESCO World Heritage town of St. George’s.
A Bermudian development company owned by members of Bazarian International Financial Associates, LLC, announced today the signing of a management agreement for Park Hyatt Bermuda.
Slated to open in 2012, Park Hyatt Bermuda will offer an intimate 100-room hotel, 111 Park Hyatt Residences, and approximately 30 branded Hyatt fractional ownership units, all featuring the contemporary architectural design and modern residential interiors for which the Park Hyatt brand is recognized around the world.
The Park Hyatt resort will also include four unique food and beverage venues, including a Tea Room, a 14,000 square-foot Hyatt Pure spa and fitness center, a private beach club, two swimming pools, tennis courts, and nearly 4,000 square feet of meeting and function space.
Adjacent to the future Park Hyatt Bermuda and an amenity for resort guests, the St. George’s Golf Club will undergo a major redesign to become a superior 18-hole Nick Faldo designed resort golf course.
Hotel Fouquet's Barrière announces a French revolution by E-Solex
The Italians have the Vespa and the French have the Solex.
Hotel Fouquet's Barrière, doing its part for the environment (with style!) is providing a new mode of transportation to its guests with the introduction of the E-Solex, which runs on an electrical engine and produces no noise or pollution. Now, guests can have fun exploring the streets of Paris in a chic and environmentally friendly way.
The first Solex mopeds appeared in France in the 1950s and were an immediate success - over 8,000,000 were sold.
The 21st-century E-Solex, designed by Pininfarina, reaches a maximum speed of 22 mph and has a removable, rechargeable battery.
The new E-Solex still has the original foldable pedals and, for those who have been living like a gourmand in Paris and wish to burn off a few calories, it can turn into a simple bicycle at any time.
What diners do not want !
The secret to running a successful restaurant is to understand what customers want - or do not want - and the Good Food Guide has identified diners' ultimate pet hates.
Here's the top nine (we're not sure what happened to the 10th entry):
Restaurants being unclear about their charges. There's nothing worse than finding out that basket of bread you gobbled down wasn't for free.
Over-attentive waiting staff. Good service is the most important thing next to the food but there are limits and waiters frequently topping up wine glasses or interrupting conversations can really ruin a meal.
Asking diners to add a tip when a service charge has already been added. A big no no - nobody likes to be charged twice.
Small portion sizes. Sending diners home still hungry will almost certainly guarantee that they won't be back.
Charging for tap water. It's free from the tap so don't be cheeky by charging for it.
Bunched-up tables. Being forced to sit too close to other diners and listen to their conversation can drive anyone nuts.
Asking diners to vacate their table before they're ready to leave. Possibly the ultimate gesture of making someone feel unwelcome that won't result in returning customers.
Out-of-season ingredients on menus. Diners aren't stupid: they know strawberries and asparagus don't grow in January.
Lost in translation. Keep it simple; not everyone knows what sauce aigre-doux or cromesquis means.
Open salt and pepper bowls. They may look cool but they're extremely unhygienic.
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Alain Chatel has transferred as General Manager to the Mövenpick Hotel & Resort Beirut. He was most recently overseeing the Mövenpick Resort & Spa El Gouna in Egypt. Chatel previously served as General Manager of Le Méridien Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos, Nigeria.
Jean Stéphane Grasset has been named General Manager of the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Mauritius. He was most recently overseeing the Santiburi in Koh Samui, Thailand.
The Four Seasons Amman has named Samer Al-Husseini Director of Finance. He joins the hotel from the Hyatt Amman were he held the position of Assistant Director of Finance for the past six years.
The Four Seasons Alexandria has appointed Xavier Pougnard Director of Food and Beverage. Pougnard, a Lausanne graduate, previously held various food and beverage management positions at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago, the Four Seasons Vancouver, the Four Seasons Atlanta, the Four Seasons Philadelphia and the Four Seasons Cairo Nile Plaza
Laurent Boisdron has moved to Dubai as opening Director of Food and Beverage at the Sofitel Jumeirah Beach. This is a return to the Sofitel brand for Boisdron after serving with the company for five years before taking his most recent position with Norwegian Cruise Line in Miami as Director Corporate Food and Beverage Operations. His past food and beverage background includes Director of Food and Beverage for the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower and the Sofitel Chicago O'Hare.
Barnaby Jones has joined Le Touessrok on Mauritius as Executive Chef. For the past year, he had held the same position for the Hodges Bay Club on Antigua. Jones previously held the Executive Chef title at Carlisle Bay on Antigua, Babington House in England, and Amanjena in Marrakech.
David Chase is the General Manager of the Trump Soho. For the past two years, he had served as Hotel Manager at the Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park. Chase previously served as Area Director of Catering and Conference Services for the Ritz-Carlton Hotels of New York.
Matthew Sterne has been promoted to General Manager at the Fairmont Battery Wharf in Boston, slated to open by year’s end. Sterne has been with the company for over twelve years, most recently as Hotel Manager at the Fairmont Scottsdale. He previously held various positions for the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa and the Fairmont Tremblant in Québec.
The Four Seasons New York has appointed Pascal Forotti Hotel Manager. For the past sixteen years, he had been with InterContinental Hotels, most recently as General Manager of the InterContinental Toronto Yorkville. Previously, he had held management positions at InterContinental hotels in Luxembourg, London, Amsterdam, Washington D.C., Atlanta and Chicago.
Paul Revill has been promoted at the Four Seasons corporate office to Director, Corporate Finance, taking over from Cathy Harris who has left the company after thirty years. Revill originally joined Four Seasons in the role of Manager, Taxation, and subsequently assumed the roles of Internal Auditor and Senior Internal Auditor
Claudio Rossi has moved over as Executive Chef to the Four Seasons Toronto. He joined the company in 2001 at the Four Seasons Shanghai and had previously served as the Executive Chef at the Four Seasons Chiang Mai and, most recently, the Regent Singapore.
Stéphane Becht has moved to New York as Executive Chef of the Pierre. For the past year, he had been with Norwegian Cruise Line in Miami as Corporate Executive Chef. He had previously overseen the kitchen for the Delano in Miami and the One&Only Ocean Club in the Bahamas.
Eric Scuiller is the new Executive Chef at the Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Resort in Cancun. For the past three years, he had served in the same position at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman. He previously served as Executive Chef at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Frédéric Morineau takes over for Scuiller as Executive Chef for the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman. He was most recently in the same position at the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota and had previously overseen the kitchen at the Ritz-Carlton Atlanta and the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead.
Sébastien Archambault has been appointed Executive Chef for the Andaz West Hollywood (the former Hyatt on Sunset) slated to reopen in January. He was previously the Chef de Cuisine at the Michelin One-Star restaurant on Corsica, Le Pirate.
Olivier dall'Oglio has joined the One&Only Palmilla as Restaurant Manager for the soon-to-open Market by Jean-Georges. For the past two years, he had been at the Ritz-Carlton Cancun, most recently as Restaurant Manager at El Café Mexicano.
Hilton Hotels has promoted Simon Vincent to Area President, Europe. He joined the company last year as President of Hilton UK and Ireland. He takes over for Wolfgang Neumann who has decided to leave the company after twenty-four years.
Geraldine Dobey has been appointed General Manager for the Hilton Arc de Triomphe Paris replacing Serge Ethuin, who is now the General Manager of the Rome Cavalieri. Dobey has worked for Hilton for thirteen years, most recently as General Manager of the Hilton Paris. She had previously served in various positions for the Langham Hilton, the Hilton Hyde Park and the Hilton London Park Lane.
Damien Marchenay has been appointed Director of Food and Beverage at the Hotel de Paris in Monaco. He had previously served in various food and beverage positions at the Warwick Barsey Brussels, the Raffles Hotel and the Park Hyatt Paris. |
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