101 Hotel, Reykjavik, Iceland
Once a 1930s Icelandic Social Democratic Party office building, the four-star hotel was renovated and is owned by local businesswoman Ingibjorg S Palmadottir. It has Scandi style throughout and modern art and sculptures by local artists with luxurious touches such as marble bathrooms with underfloor heating.
The Landmark London, United Kingdom:
Close to Marylebone station, the Landmark London undoubtedly has a lengthy history. It was the last Victorian railway hotel to be built and originally opened as the Great Central hotel in 1899. It was occupied by the government in both World Wars and after the Second World War it became rail offices. From there it was bought by a Japanese pop star who wanted to convert it back into a hotel. Now it is owned by Lancaster London Hotel Company and it has kept its history throughout.
Chelsea Hotel, Toronto, Canada
With 1,590 rooms, Chelsea is one of the largest hotels in Toronto. The four-star hotel offers over 2,229 sqm of event space and views itself as a full-service urban resort. The hotel was completely renovated in late 2013 and added its Market Green restaurant and meeting spaces, the hotel’s balconies and the addition of the E-Club.
1 Hotel Central Park, New York City, USA
1 Hotel is a new brand that sets out to create a place to stay that is modern and functional while at the same time environmentally sensitive. There are just two for now, the other in Miami with another opening in Brooklyn by the end of 2016. From newspapers available via Press Reader and room service delivered in paper bags, it has many eco-friendly features. It’s a two-minute walk from Central Park and its Great Lawn room has meeting space for up to 75 people.
White Swan Hotel, Guangzhou, China:
Opened in 1983, it has hosted various world leaders such as Queen Elizabeth II, Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping and former US president Richard Nixon. It was recently renovated and its new design offers a mix of Chinese and Japanese influences by minimalist Naoko Horii. It has 2,500 sqm of meeting and conference facilities, including two ballrooms that can seat up to 500 people.
Taj Santacruz, Mumbai, India
Though Santacruz is right next to an airport, it refuses to be termed an airport hotel. Instead it emphasises its proximity to nearby business districts such as Andheri East, Bandra Kurla Complex and the Bombay Convention Centre. The lobby is modern with an aquarium at its centre and its chandeliers, A Galaxy of Stars, are made of 3,504 hand-blown pieces of glass. The rooms are huge as well, with views of the city or runways.
Crowne Plaza Barcelona Fira Centre, Barcelona, Spain
Very close to Fira Barcelona, the quiet hotel claims to have the largest standard rooms of any hotel in the city at around 44 sqm. Features include easy-to-use technology, a separate coffee table and comfortable reclining chairs. Its breakfast-only restaurant, L’Aria, offers a made-to-order omelette station and a large buffet. El Mall is open for lunch and dinner and serves Mediterranean dishes as well as Japanese sushi nights. For business travellers, the hotel has the largest meeting, incentive, conference and exhibition space of any European Crowne Plaza property.
The Langham, Sydney, Australia
After undergoing a four-month renovation last year, the Langham’s 98 rooms and suites, lobby, dining outlets and ballroom are all upgraded. For business travellers, there is a 232 sqm Grand Ballroom and a connected 110 sqm Drawing Room for meetings along with two smaller rooms, the Boardroom and the Parlour fitting up to ten people. Rooms have views of the Western Harbour and are spacious.
Villa Rosa Kempinski
Nairobi, Kenya: Villa Rosa Kempinski
With a peaceful atmosphere, the lobby is clean and polished with a central coffee lounge, a fountain and a verdant garden Located in Westlands in the commercial centre of the city, it’s a solid choice for event organisers with ballrooms that can host 500 people and two Opus rooms that can seat 60 people each. Food and drink options include 88, which serves Pan-Asian cuisine, Tambourin, a rooftop Mediterranean-Middle Eastern establishment, a lounge, patisserie and a cigar lounge.
Park Hyatt, Tokyo, Japan
Easy to find, the property has three towers topped with pyramid-shaped glass roofs. With views of Mount Fuji, it’s located in downtown Tokyo, close to the Metropolitan Government building. The hotel has spacious rooms and the design features a earthy, Zen-like combination of Hokkaido water elm screens, pale green carpets, Washi paper lamp shades, granite surfaces, hemp wall coverings and touches of brown, black and silver.
