Gd march april issue 2019 magazine double spread

Global DestinationsMar - Apr 2019 1
Dear Friends
As every year ritual travel fraternity from 180 countries will grace the city of
Berlin for ITB Berlin, the World’s largest travel trade show. From just 9 exhibitors
from 5 countries in 1966 the show today attracts 10,000 Exhibitors from 180+
countries and around 170,000 visitors. This year again 160+ Indian exhibitors will
be there.
Hyderabad, already well known as a tourist destination is fast growing up in
the ranks to be a top MICE hub for global events and this is clearly reflected by
the amount of International events it’s been able to attract. It’s mainly thanks to its
unique location and world class infrastructure including two world class convention
and expo centers HITEX and HICC (with lots of 5 star/4 star hotels in close vicinity).
Our cover story is on Hyderabad and some of its prominent hotels like Oakwood,
Mercure, ibis, Siesta etc.
We have also done an interview with KV Nagendra Prasad, COO, HITEX
Hyderabad as HITEX gears up to launch India’s largest multipurpose MICE venue.
Spread over 8000 Sq.Mt. it will be a pillar-less main plenary cum exhibition hall. It
will also probably be the first platinum rated MICE venue in India.
Hilton Addis Ababa which is celebrating its 50 years recently refurbished it. The
hotel looks magnificent and majestic and certainly awe-inspiring for other hotel to
pursue. The hotel was inaugurated on November 3, 1969 by non-other than Emperor
of Ethiopia Haile Selassie I and Conrad Hilton making it one of the finest hotels in
Africa. The refurbishment designer company Source has done a fabulous job. With
an estimated project cost of $8 million, Source used various design elements like
sand, foliage, sky etc. We have done a pictorial essay
One of the best ways for hospitality professionals and investors from across
the globe to get updated on the latest as well as network, make deals, explore
opportunities, exchange ideas or just simply chill with colleagues friends and peers
are the BHN events and hotel investment conferences around the world. Their
HICAP(Hotel Investment ConferenceAsia Pacific) events in recent years are gaining
prominence. Singapore to its credit holds two back to back events. HICAP UPDATE
that focusses on hotel investment and development opportunities in Southeast Asia
and The Alternative Ownership Conference Asia Pacific (AOCAP) that focusses
on unique hospitality real estate such as timeshare, fractional, clubs and branded
residential products. We have previewed both the events.
Inspite of having been to Berlin several times, the city has always something new
for us be it for tourism or hotels or conventions. In this issue we have covered 3
different categories of hotels and a few new tourist spots as well as MICE and film
tourism locations. We also had the chance to visit Berlins famous Designer Outlet.
Located in Wustermark it is built in a village style with almost all prestigious brands.
There is a never ending quest of finding a good Indian restaurant that has the perfect
blend of spices and does justice to your tummy. This time I found three good Indian
restaurants that I feel Indians should try out – spread over Berlin.
Austria’s Golden Triangle (Salzburg, Innsbruck and Swarovski) has fascinated
many Indians and today it not only attracts Indians for tourism but also for MICE.
E d i t
Chandragupta Amritkar
Editor
chandraguptaa@hotmail.com
editor@globalfeatures.info
Editor - Chandragupta Amritkar, Managing Editor - Chandra Talware, Design - Manoj Durgam
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Global Destinations Mar - Apr 20192 Global DestinationsMar - Apr 2019 3

Global Destinations Mar - Apr 20194
C o n t e n t s
Cover Story
Design
Hilton Ethiopia
........................28
Mercure
........................12
Oakwood
........................14
Hyderabad ibis
........................10
Siesta
........................18
Event Preview
ITB Berlin
.......................19
First Impressions
Austria
.......................30
City Focus
Berlin
.......................21

O
ne of the best ways for hospitality professionals and
investors from across the globe to get updated on the latest
as well as network, make deals, explore opportunities,
exchange ideas or just simply chill with colleagues friends and
peers are the BHN events and hotel investment conferences around
the world. They host events that focus on the United States, Latin
America, the Caribbean, Asia/Pacific, India, Southeast Asia and
Europe.
Though Americas Lodging Investment Summit is their largest
event, it’s their HICAP (Hotel Investment Conference Asia
Pacific) events that is gaining prominence. HICAP events balance
educational sessions with excellent networking opportunities.
Cocktail receptions, networking lunches, breaks, QuickLink, and
interactive workshop sessions present every occasion to make
those essential face-to-face personal connections.
HICAP has expanded over the past decade to include a group of
events each focusing on specific geographic or product markets.
Singapore to its credit holds two back to back events. HICAP
UPDATE that focusses on hotel investment and development
opportunities in Southeast Asia and The Alternative Ownership
Conference Asia Pacific (AOCAP) that focusses on unique
hospitality real estate such as timeshare, fractional, clubs and
branded residential products.
HICAP UPDATE
Launched in 2009, HICAP UPDATE is a hotel investment
event featuring a prestigious lineup of speakers, sessions focusing
on the current issues facing the industry, and great networking
opportunities to create new connections and catch up with
existing relationships. HICAP UPDATE attracts delegates that are
“focused” on hotel development and investment.
Some of the topics this year will include - The hotel review
& performance outlook, Down under (aka Australia) is where
the deals are, Cambodia: one trick pony no more, Sustainability
– are crazy rich Asians going green?, Dragons, lakes, volcanoes,
& beach clubs – indonesia’s new cool vibe!, Malaysia – Kuala
Lumpur: is it one hotel too many?, Singapore: Restoring the roar
to lion city; Thailand: election fever & reaching for greater tourism
heights, The doctor is in: asset manager secrets, Hospitality &
mental wellness – positively impacting guest lives, Myanmar:
making it really happen!, Vietnam: boiling hot or bubble bursting?
Partial list of speakers include - Olivier M. Berrivin, Managing
Director, Best Western Hotels & Resorts; Clarence Tan, Managing
Director SE Asia & Korea, InterContinental Hotels Group,
Lindsay Leeser, Director, Development Pacific, AccorHotels,
Karan Kaul, Assistant Vice President, Development, Langham
Hospitality Group, Chris Anklin, Group Director Development,
Two Roads Hospitality, Bobby Hiranandani, Co-Chairman, Royal
Group, Michael Lee Ming Ong, Vice President, Development, Pan
Pacific Hotels Group, Arthur Kiong, CEO, Far East Hospitality,
Kim Seng Tan, COO, Meritus Hotels & Resorts, Sanjay Singh,
CEO, Fico Corporation Co., Ltd, Brian Tan, CGM, The Ascott
Limited, Ingo R. Schweder, Chief Executive Officer, GOCO
Hospitality, Isabelle Miaja, Managing Director, Miaja Design
Group, Cyndy Tan Jarabata, CEO/President, Tajara Hospitality,
James Montenegro, Country Manager, Chroma Hospitality, CEO,
Gerken Group & Founder, Coral Green Myanmar, Huy Quoc
Doan, Vice Chairman, BIM Group, Ananth Iyer, Regional VP -
Development, Hyatt International.
AOCAP
AOCAP is the only Asia Pacific Conference focused on
Alternative Ownership & Mixed-Use Resorts. This years AOCAP
will highlight why the alternative ownership business models
have significant potential in Asia Pacific and how such market
potential might be realized.
Some of the topics this year will include –Alternative ownership
unpacked – perspectives from the top, the mixed-use development
discussion, Regional trends in resort & residential real estate,
New products & shorter terms, Innovations in resort architecture
& design, The use of technology for marketing & customer
engagement, The China & India discussion
Partiallistofspeakersinclude-DanielCollins,VPDevelopment,
Anantara Vacation Club, Benjamin Hirasawa, Partner, Head
of Hospitality, Asia Pacific, Clyde & Co, William F. Minnock,
Managing Director Asia Pacific, Marriott Vacations Worldwide,
Howard Nusbaum, President/CEO, ARDA, Mark Wang, CEO,
Hilton Grand Vacations, Filippo Sona, MD-Global Hospitality,
Drees & Sommer, Julian Miaja, Head of Business Development,
Miaja Design Group, Paul Dwyer, Founder & Owner, Dusit Thani
Balapitiya Sri Lanka, Sabina Chopra, Managing Director, RCI
India Pvt. Ltd., Bill Barnett, Managing Director, C9 Hotelworks,
Maurizio Bisicky, COO, Anantara Vacation Club, Jonathan Mills,
MD, Asia Pacific, RCI Asia Pacific
While HICAP UPDATE 2019 will be held from 12-13 March,
AOCAP will be from 13-14 March at Grand Hyatt Singapore.
HICAP UPDATE and AOCAP
C u r t a i n R a i s e r

You do manage some of the
finest serviced apartments in
India. How do you view the
Indian market and your plans
for expansion and improvisation in India?
Oakwood has a good number of properties in India at the
moment—right after Japan and the People’s Republic of China,
where we have the most number of properties under the Asia
Pacific portfolio. This definitely signals our commitment to
expand the brand’s presence in a country that we know is one of
the largest and fastest growing economies of the world.
In addition to the four properties that we currently have in
Bangalore, Pune and Hyderabad, our newest property, Oakwood
Hotel & Apartments Kapil Hyderabad, which is set to open in
2021, will be the second property in the rapidly-evolving city of
Hyderabad. We will continue to pursue business development
opportunities that will increase our footprint in India.
The concept of serviced apartment is still not as popular as
it should be. Many feel the excitement in staying in a hotel and
giving its address to associates is much better. Your views
While there is a traditional notion to associate hotels with
the glamour of travel, we believe that the serviced apartment
industry has the strong potential to grow and develop as a
mainstream alternative to hotel
accommodations. The job we have
at hand is to narrow the perceived
gap between hotels and serviced
apartments to the point where
the savvy traveller will come to
appreciate the space, flexibility,
privacy and residential comfort
offered by serviced apartments.
This, complemented with the
exceptional hospitality that we
provide to our residential guests
on a daily basis, is why we are
confident that the industry will only
continue to grow in importance.
We are already seeing a slight shift
from a more corporate-dominated
demand for our properties to an
increasingly growing number of
leisure travellers opting to stay
with us.
What type of product tiers do Oakwood have?
Whether it is travel for business or leisure, Oakwood has
five distinct products across Asia Pacific, designed for different
travellers with different lifestyles and needs. This includes
corporate travelers on long- or short-term stays, those relocating
families and seeking community-centric residences, or an
increasing number of independent travellers who prefer mobility,
utility and convenience. Each product represents defined levels of
service and quality, primarily classified as follows:
a. Oakwood Premier: luxury serviced apartments, tailored for
discerning business and leisure travellers.
b. Oakwood Apartments: functional apartments with modern
essentials for independent travellers seeking connection and
value-for-money.
c. Oakwood Residence: spacious and elegant apartments set to
create moments of familiarity and community for relocating
families and travellers.
d. Oakwood Studios: vibrant, curated spaces for global nomads
and experience-centric travellers.
e. Oakwood Suites: private and exclusive residences for jetsetters
and senior executives.
With tech savvy youngsters, how tech-enabled are your
serviced residences?
Oakwood works closely with
app vendor McLaren Technologies
Asia, and with properties such
as Oakwood Premier OUE
Singapore, we have implemented
the Intelity’s ICE Bedside on the
Samsung tablets in guestrooms
and an ICE Mobile hotel app. The
app, available for download on the
Apple App Store or Google Play
Store, allows guests who are going
to stay at the property to check out
information on the property and its
neighbourhood, or Singapore as a
destination, helping them to plan
their stay before they arrive.
A specially curated app with
unique content, it allows guests
convenient access to information
and services such as setting wake-
up calls and finding international
“We are also looking into the management of hybrid
projects, offering hotel guestrooms and apartment
units within the same development”
Spearheading Oakwood’s operations in theAsia Pacific region is Dean Schreiber,Managing
Director, Oakwood Asia Pacific Ltd. Using his 30+ years of experience in the hospitality
industry and numerous contacts developed and nurtured, he has been quite successful in
locating properties suitable for Oakwood management in each of the Asia Pacific countries
as well as building the Oakwood brand. In an e-interview with Global Destinations he
focusses on the present scenario and the potential for his brand. Excerpts
I n t e r v i e w
I n t e r v i e w
radio stations and weather forecast through Intelity’s ICE Bedside.
On the Intelity’s ICE app, guests are able to find out Information
about the property similar to that of a hotel compendium, Request
Items from housekeeping or order In-room dining, Explore the
neighbourhood, find out places to visit in Singapore (museums,
bars, restaurants etc.), purchase Tours/Attraction tickets, order
Food Delivery or shop for Online Groceries. The app also includes
a Handy Guide which features simplified step-by-step instruction
manual videos to guide guests on how to use certain in-room
equipment such as the washer and dryer.
Guests will also be able to rate and provide their feedback
directly to the property through the Comment Card made available
on the app, allowing the team to efficiently and effectively review
the positive and negative reviews from the guests.
Recognising that technology is continually evolving, we
recently launched the Oakwood Showroom in Singapore—a
collaboration with key partners including McLaren Technologies,
as well as ASSA ABLOY, Bang & Olufsen, Electrolux, Equal
Strategy, Honeywell, LaBottega, LIXIL (GROHE, INAX),
Luzerne, Nespresso, Samsung and Serta. The latest products are
showcased here, put together according to Oakwood’s standards
in hardware and fittings. This showroom is used as a test bed for
new building materials and technology, allowing the continuous
pursuit of quality product enhancements, as we look to increase
our portfolio across the region.
Under your charge how has Oakwood expanded?
In the last 12 months, we have opened seven properties across
Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, China and Thailand. Oakwood in Asia
Pacific continues to push forward with expansion plans for the
region, with plans to triple the portfolio by 2023.
Upcoming openings in the next two years include Sanya, Tonglu
and Foshan in China; Hanoi inVietnam; Phnom Penh in Cambodia;
Bangkok in Thailand; Jakarta and Cikarang in Indonesia; and,
Yokohama in Japan. In addition to the abovementioned openings,
our parent company, Mapletree Investments, will add to the
expansion plans with its Mapletree-developed properties.
Seven properties across 5 countries in 12 months is pretty
impressive. But how do you view the growing influence of
Airbnb?
Private homeowners have been renting their places out for years.
Airbnb has simply brought these separate housing options under
one single platform, However, it is only with serviced apartments,
can guests experience the privacy and hospitality services that
they would expect in hotels. At Oakwood properties, guests can
be assured of quality amentities and reliability and do not need
to worry about risks on whether the property they have booked is
legally listed.
How important is the Singapore market?
Singapore has always been highly regarded as a global business
hub with a strategic location that offers a stepping stone into Asia
Pacific. Business-wise, we have a large number of corporate clients
whose regional headquarters are based in Singapore. Having
a presence in Singapore was therefore essential in bringing the
Oakwood brand to life. We launched two Oakwood properties in
2017 alone – Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore and Oakwood
Studios Singapore. From a traveller-demand perspective, the
country continues to show strong tourist arrivals. That means
there will continue to be a market and opportunity for growth in
the hospitality industry.
Oakwood is well known in the Asian market but more about
your presence in Europe?
Oakwood's primary business caters towards providing corporate
solutions for short- and long-term business travellers globally,
focusing on growth and development in gateway cities, as well
as employment-based cities worldwide. We are already present in
Europe and operate from a Regional Headquarters out of London.
We believe Europe has huge potential for us to further expand our
Oakwood brand into and are currently investing more resources to
tap into this market.
What are your global expansion plans?
Oakwood is backed by Mapletree, a leading real estate firm
headquarted in Singapore, with strong capabilities in real estate
development, investment, capital and property management. In
the long run, while Oakwood will grow as a separate business
from Mapletree, the latter will continue to develop and/or
acquire serviced apartments for Oakwood to manage, which will
complement the other units that are managed by Oakwood.
Backed by a long-term strategy to strengthen the serviced
apartment business, Oakwood will continue to set its business
development plans in countries that are poised to benefit from an
increase in corporate and leisure travellers’demand and preference
for serviced apartments. We are also looking into the management
of hybrid projects, offering hotel guestrooms and apartment units
within the same development.

C o v e r S t o r y
H
yderabad, already well known as a tourist destination is
fast growing up in the ranks to be a top MICE hub for
global events and this is clearly reflected by the amount
of International events it’s been able to attract. It’s mainly thanks
to its unique location and world class infrastructure including
two world class convention and expo centers HITEX and HICC
(with lots of 5 star/4 star hotels in close vicinity). Add to this its
pleasant climate, centuries of old heritage - Charminar, Statue
of Buddha amidst the Hussain Sagar Lake, Ramoji Film City,
Falaknuma Palace, Chowmahalla Palace, Salar Jung Museum,
fort of Golconda, masjids, temples, churches, Laad Bazaar etc.
making it ideal for pre and post conference tours.
Hyderabad is also a hub for leading international IT giants,
Pharma companies, world class institutions and research
organisations, top class hospitals making it an ideal MICE
destination and an emerging Medical Tourism Hub. Telangana
Tourism is already recognising both these sectors as key sectors
in the economic transformation and development of the city as
well as state.
Hyderabad also has a world class airport - Rajiv Gandhi
InternationalAirport which is the sixth busiest airport by passenger
traffic in India. In close vicinity is a Novotel hotel making it
ideal for transit passengers and those who have to catch an early
morning flight. “I think we can say we have gone much beyond
just being termed as an
airport hotel. One of the
few hotels in Hyderabad
to have 300+ inventory
and six acres of beautifully
landscaped area. We are
also now considered by
many as a good MICE or
party option – away from
the city but within the city.
Wedding planners can
look at different locations
– poolside, garden etc
for different rituals,”
said the hotels GM, Ravi
Khubchandani.
For those who love
luxury living there is the
world famous and awe-
inspiring Taj Falaknuma Palace
as well as ITC Kohenur, a Luxury
Collection Hotel.
ibis Hyderabad
During this visit to Hyderabad, I
decided to experience ibis Hyderabad
– the only accor property that I had
not stayed in Hyderabad. Another
major reason was the dynamic and
very friendly GM of
ibis Hyderabad, Rubin
Cherian.
Strategically located
near HITEC city (IT Hub)
I felt it was a perfect place
for those on a business
trip. “Absolutely. We
are literally surrounded
by major corporate,
ICT companies, banks,
financial institutions
etc. Also ibis is just a 10
minute drive from the
HICC and HITEX. So
for those who come for
convention we are ideally
located. The new IKEA
Home Furnishing being
close by has become an
added advantage,” said Rubin Cherian as we were enjoying the
batata pakoda on the alfresco open-air sit out - just outside of the
main restaurant.
The hotel has 178 modern, sound proof rooms. Without being
opulent they are neat and clean with all necessary amenities.
The wifi was fast and dependable (unlike some other hotels).
The restaurant Spice IT serves an awesome buffet breakfast. The
best part is that it’s one of the longest breakfast that I have ever
come across – starting from as early as 4am till Noon. “This an
uniqueness with ibis in India. For those who want to take an early
flight can have their breakfast or just pack a few items. For those
who get up late after a late check-in or late night party can come
down leisurely to relish our breakfast. At the end it’s the little
things that matter... ,” said a smiling Rubin Cherian.
Apart from breakfast the restaurant serves lunch and dinner with
local cuisines as well as cuisines from across the globe. You must
try the harabhara kabab, batata pakoda with bread butter, garlic
nan and naturally some authentic Hyderabadi food. They also
have a bar – the Hub in the restaurant offering creative cocktails, a
decent wine list and delicious snacks. For those who are tired out
or a tad lazy in room dining delivery service is available.
The hotel also has space for events. With 861 sq.ft. of conference
area, ibis Hyderabad offers 2 meeting rooms accommodating
up to a total of 50 people. Ideal for board meetings or team
brainstorming sessions, the hotel offers state-of-the-art equipment
and free WIFI access up to 50 Mbps.
Hyderabad: The Leisure, Luxury and MICE Factor
Rubin Cherian

A
ccor has always been innovative and with Jean-Michel
Cassé, COO, India & South Asia, Accor Hotels at the
helm of affairs Accor is not just seeing rapid growth but
also some great ideas. Their “MyRoom” concepts in five hotels
and 15 rooms across India is getting appreciation. As per Jean-
Michel Cassé, the ‘MyRoom’concept personifies that, by offering
‘one room, one story, one guest’ focusing on ‘selling stories rather
than rooms’.
When these rooms were launched at Mercure Hyderabad
KCP my good friend Soumitra Pahari, Hotel Manager, Mercure
Hyderabad KCP invited me to revisit this wonderful property
and experience the rooms. The hotel has rolled out the concept in
three beautiful themes -Nizami Darbar, Nature’s Nest, and Comic
Room. “The concept is to get guests who generally stay in standard
rooms a unique staying experience. We get our staff involved to
curate room concepts suitable to the city. At KCP we got our
staff to work on suitable themes and ideas. From the themes three
winners were shortlisted. The next
task was for the selected winner to
decorate and plan the room as per
their identified theme and the result
is for you to see,” said a beaming
Soumitra.
My favourite was Nizam Darbar
and it’s truly suitable for the royal.
Infact the room is a tribute to the
royal heritage of Hyderabad and resonates well with the city. With
its stellar interiors, the room takes one on a beautiful journey of
history and indulgence. The stay in the royal room especially
themed with the Nizami décor is designed to help guests relive the
regal style of comfort.
But if you are a nature lover then the green themed room,
Nature’s Nest would be perfect as it makes one feel closer to the
nature. The first thing that caught my attention were the weaver
bird’s nest. “This room actually produces oxygen as it houses
aquatic plants – call it natural air purifiers,” said Soumitra. The
room also has bamboo shoots and beautiful armchairs beside the
window and giving you a fresh breath.
If you are with kids (though I am sure we grownups will also
love) then the Comic Room is a good option. As soon as you
reach the door you are bound to get the feel of Charlie Chaplin
and brings a smile on ones face. As you enter the room it truly
spells cinematic magic
and takes you back to the
era when laughter was
speechless and black &
white were more rejoiced
than the colours. Themed
around the black and
white panorama, the
room features names
of Retro movies on the
wall frame along with a
few of the classic motifs
and posters. To relive
the old-world charm- an
antique telephone, CDs
of black & white movies
and comic books are also
available in the room.
“MyRoom”@ Mercure Hyderabad KCP
C o v e r S t o r y
These personalised rooms are available at five
AccorHotels properties in India with 15 rooms in
total. These include Novotel New Delhi Aerocity
with Bohemian Chic, Chateau de Lille and Eva,
Novotel Bengaluru Techpark with Football, Music
and Fair Trade, Mercure Hyderabad KCP with
Nizam’s Darbar, Nature’s Nest and Charlie’s
Room, ibis Styles Goa, Calangute with Kids room,
Born to Run and a Goan themed room and ibis
New Delhi Aerocity with Kiddo’s cave, Basketball
and Bollywood themed rooms.
Soumitra Pahari

At the 25th annual World TravelAwards for India Oakwood
Residence Kapil Hyderabad was declared the winner in
India's Leading Serviced Apartments category. What were the
main reasons that led to this award?
It is a true honour, to receive the World Travel Awards, three
times in a row for both Oakwood Residence Kapil Hyderabad, as
the best service apartment in India and Oakwood India, as the best
service apartment brand.
These industry votes are a recognition for the standards of
excellence, Oakwood as a brand delivers to its customers and
associates equally. This is the result of our commitment to
consistently deliver an individually customised experience
to our guests, both long- and short-term stays. We are
particularly proud of Team Oakwood Residence
Kapil Hyderabad, which has won this accolade
starting from the first year of its operation.
Such recognition reinforces the efforts
of every team member as we embark on
an aggressive path of growth and expand
into markets to meet the needs of our
globally mobile guests, both for business
and leisure travel.
India is a growing market - what
potential do you see for residence
hotels and how do you plan to promote
Oakwood brand within India?
When the Indian growth story took off a
couple of decades ago, there was a gap in the
hospitality industry - an increasing demand for
accommodation by business travelers with families, but
a dearth of quality spaces. Travelers had to rely on expensive
business hotels or private rented accommodation. Residence hotels
at this time struck the perfect note of combining the facilities and
services of a hotel with the feel of a home.
The continued growth of the IT, ITES, medical and financial
sectors in many areas, has resulted in a proliferation of serviced
apartments in tier I and II cities. Initially the preferred option in the
corporate hospitality segment, service apartments are increasingly
attracting leisure travel business as well, especially for families
and large groups.
Our guests are our brand ambassadors. We take pride in our
operational excellence and our unparalleled customer service,
making sure that people leave with happy faces after staying with
us and spread the word around. We leverage social media to reach
out to customers and earn their loyalty and trust. The brand reach
of Oakwood, globally and in India, along with our local, national
and international sales representatives, helps the brand to flourish
across regions. Already having a pan Asia Pacific presence we are
looking to expand our presence in India.
Yours was the first residence brand in Hyderabad. What is
the current situation in the city?
In the thriving tourism and hospitality sector
in India, Hyderabad is arguably the preferred
destination for some of the largest domestic and
international organisations, strengthening the
corporate hospitality segment. It is also
a major hub for medical tourism. The
Telangana Tourism Department reports
a 76% increase in foreign travellers in
2017 while domestic travel increased by
16%.
Most corporate clients prefer serviced
apartments over hotels due to their cost-
effectiveness and larger spaces where
families can get a home-like experience,
along with value for money. There is
undoubtedly an accelerating understanding
of what travellers want. With the excellent
mileage of Oakwood as a brand, in just a span of 3
years, Oakwood Residence Kapil Hyderabad is the leading
provider for serviced apartment solutions in the city
Our pioneering effort has been followed by a couple of
reputed hotel brands also entering this space. Additionally there
is an unorganised element fuelled by the IT sector and by real
estate developers offering free standing service apartment as an
attractive investment opportunity.
Currently service apartments are on par and largely
undifferentiated from hotels, however, as customers are becoming
more discerning, the value adds we bring are greatly appreciated
and give us a distinct edge.
“Our guests are our brand ambassadors”
Oakwood Has Already Created
A Niche For Itself In The Indian
Market With Its Hyderabad, Pune
And Bangalore Properties Doing
Extremely Well. One Of The Main
Reasons Has Been The Dynamism
Of Hoshang Garivala, Director Of
Operations, India, Oakwood Asia
Pacific Ltd., Who Has Been Using
His 30+Year’s Hospitality Experience
To Build The Brand And On The Way
Win Some Global Awards. Excerpts
From An Exclusive Interview With
Global Destinations
C o v e r S t o r y
As HITEX gears up to launch India’s largest multipurpose MICE venue, we at Global Destinations thought
it the right time to catch up with KV Nagendra Prasad, COO, HITEX Hyderabad. Excerpts
You are constructing a new exhibition-cum-convention
center. What will be the USPs?
Yes and Hyderabad will soon get India’s largest multipurpose
MICE venue. Not just that HITEX’s upcoming 8000 Sq.Mt. will
be a pillar-less main plenary cum exhibition halland will be a new
feather in Hyderabad’s cap. There are several USPs. To name
a few – It’s a Leed Platinum Rated Building, Acoustic sliding
folding partitions to divide space to meet event requirements,
Ancillary meeting rooms of various sizes (10 – 200 pax) VIP
lounges, green rooms, organizer offices, etc., Intelligent Climate
Control System, Smart Lighting Control, Cutting-edge audio and
video-conferencing systems, Utilities at floor-level for ready tap-
off thus saving time and cost to exhibitors, 100% power back-up
and roof-top solar power systems etc.
Green Buildings are the buzz words. What will be the scene
at the new convention center?
Hall 4 will be a Leed Platinum rated facility and probably the
first platinum rated MICE venue in India. As you know achieving
this rating involves complying to green norms to the fullest, which
we are doing w.r.t materials used for construction, waste recycling,
sewerage treatment, smart systems to conserve energy and water,
roof top solar power generation, etc.
What are the major events at HITEX? Any specific events
organized by HITEX itself?
Exhibitions are always the key segments of HITEX’s event
portfolio from its inception. Over the years, HITEX has emerged
as a preferred venue for leading events of different niches and
industries. Major events at HITEX include, Poultry India, India
Lab Expo, ACETECH, India Med Expo, RenewX, Agritex, etc.
In all HITEX has hosted 84 trade fairs in the last financial year.
HITEX also has a
portfolio of successful
events that include
Hyderabad Kids’ Fair,
PETEX INDIA, Sport Expo
India and Kitchen India
Expo In 2018. In addition
to these, we are launching
two new B2B shows in
2019 viz India Commercial
Real Estate Expo and India
Commercial Vehicle Show.
How do you view
Hyderabad as a MICE
destination and what
type of events are more
suitable for the city?
Hyderabad is the most
preferred MICE destination
in India. The Government of Telangana
is progressive in building Hyderabad
as the best MICE city in Asia aims to
attract over one million foreign tourists
to Telangana by 2025, bulk of which
will be MICE visitors coming to Hyderabad. The city is gaining
a huge momentum with the addition of Hyderabad Metro Rail
services, expansion of venues, hotels and other new infrastructure.
Hyderabad has excellent venues with state-of-the facilities that
can cater to events of various sizes. There are 6000 quality hotel
rooms in the neighbourhood of HITEX & HICC, making these the
most preferred MICE venues in India. The resonating success of
recent high-profile events like Global Entrepreneurship Summit,
IEIA Open Seminar, Asia Oceania ORL HNS Congress, MICE
International Conclave, Geospatial World Forum, World Congress
of GI Endoscopy, International Congress on Infectious Diseases,
International Union of Crystallography, Association of Physicians
of and India Conference proved that the city can successfully host
events of all kinds and sizes.
As the President of IEIA, can you enlighten my readers on
the Indian exhibition industry statistics?
Private sector consumption, government initiatives and
increasing infrastructure spending is influencing the rapid growth
of the Indian Exhibition Industry. India is ranked 7 among the
global economies and 13 in the global exhibition industry
standings. With an estimated industry size of approximately INR
25,000 crore and over 750 major exhibitions happening annually,
the industry is growing at a rate of 8.8% per year.
India was identified as the fastest growing large market in
Asia in 2017, up 11% from 1.07 million to 1.18 million square
metres in terms of net space sold. We are trying to increase the
momentum and achieve
greater results in terms of
number of events, space
sold and revenue generated.
All these years, trade
shows and exhibitions
were majorly restricted to
Tier-1 cities of India while
Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities also
have huge potential to host
such events. The scenario
is changing now. With
support from the Union
and State Governments, we
are to create new venues
and adding necessary
infrastructure in Tier-2 and
Tier-3 cities to meet the
growing demand.
“Hyderabad will soon get India’s
largest multipurpose MICE venue”
Left to Right Mr. Kai Hattendorf, MD & CEO, UFI – The Global Association of
Exhibition Industry, Mr. Joerg Uthmann, M&A Director, Deutsche Messe AG,
Mr. David DuBois, President & CEO, International Association for Exhibitions &
Events, Mr. H.S. Bedi, Chairman, International Exhibition Logistics Association
(IELA) and KV Nagendra Prasad, President, Indian Exhibition IndustryAssociation
& COO, HITEX Hyderabad, at the Expo! Expo! 2018, New Orleans, LA
C o v e r S t o r y

Global Destinations Mar - Apr 201916 Global DestinationsMar - Apr 2019 17

W
ithin a short time Siesta Hitech has grown in stature
among the hotels in Hyderabad. Leading the growth is
Ashok Satapathy, AVP-Operations, Siesta Hitech who
has been quite innovative in his approach to beat the competition
in his area by not only generating an excellent occupancy rate – an
amazing 90+ but also making sure guests appreciate the food –
having won the coveted Times food award several times. “Siesta
which means an afternoon rest or nap that leads one to have peace
of mind that is what we strive to provide our guests. This is what
brings in repeat customers,” said Ashok Satapathy.
Siesta Hitech Hotel can be reached in 45 minutes from the
airport and cannot be missed thanks to its large signage. “We are
very conveniently located especially for the business traveler.
We are right in the heart of the business hub of Hyderabad with
easy accessibility to most ICT companies. Also hardly a couple
of kms away from Hyderabad International Convention Centre,
HITEX Exhibition Centre. So those guests coming for major
conferences, exhibitions in Hyderabad will find our hotel most
suitable. Over the years we have developed a strong relationship
with most corporate in this locality. A few reputed hospitals are
also within walking distance making us a preferred choice for
medical tourism,” said Ashok Satapathy.
Spread over 80,000 sq.ft. Siesta Hitech has 119 spacious
rooms – 119 contemporary-styled rooms of which 27 are
Palladium Rooms, 60 Gold Rooms, 32 Platinum Rooms and 9
Siesta Suite Rooms. For MICE the hotel has three conference
venues making it convenient for companies would like to have
residential conferences. They have the options of utilizing our
luxurious banquet hall that can fit 100 people for team meets and
company events. For smaller functions and meetings Siesta has
two conference rooms that can hold
up to thirty people each. Especially
IT and pharma which are in close
vicinity find it convenient to have
residential conferences in the hotel.
On the F&B front the hotel
has created a niche for itself by
providing good quality food that
matched individual taste buds. “Our
multi-cusine restaurant is already
well-known in the city and for last 2 consecutive years we have
been winners of the Times Food Guide. Every month we try to
hold a food festival thus attracting the local crowd as well as
people who have come from other states and want to get a taste of
their home food,” Ashok Satapathy.
Being spacious with all the basic amenities the hotel has also
picked up quite a few long staying guests as many companies get
their newly transferred employees, consultants or professionals
from across the globe to visit Hyderabad. They generally stay
from 10 days to 3 months. The hotel has also been able to attract
many International guests. “Most of them are International guests
on long assignments and our chefs try to prepare their food
accordingly. Those with families opt for suite rooms. Certain
Indian guests also who book the room for a month plus sometimes
keep the room even if they go for a weekend to their homes. Also
when staff relocates or newly joins the brief period for him to get
his own accommodation he uses our hotel. For these guests we
provide pick up and drop from their office,” said Ashok Satapathy.
Siesta Hitech: A Corporate-Friendly Hotel
Ashok Satapathy
Lookout for IMEX, Frankfurt special issue
The largest international Trade Fair for MICE - meetings, incentives, conferences and events will again
open doors on May 21st. If you’re a hotel with huge meeting spaces or a convention center or a
convention bureau or a wedding venue the IMEX is the place to be. For those who are meeting and
event professionals then this provides a platform where you can interact with 3,500-plus destinations,
venues and suppliers from numerous countries in one place – from major hotel groups and venues to
the latest event tech providers.
We at Global Destinations plan to bring out a special issue coinciding with this all important
event and look forward to your participation. Please do provide information on your hotels,
convention center, city, smart MICE technologies etc. A dual advantage as apart from our regular print
run of 49,800 copies we will be printing additional copies to be distributed at the event.
IMEX will take place at Messe Frankfurt from 21 -23 May 2019.
C o v e r S t o r y
E v e n t P r e v i e w
Having been to many global travel shows right from WTM,
London to IMEX, Frankfurt toATM, Dubai and PATAat numerous
locations, ITB, Berlin still fascinates me – for its sheer size and
variety that they are able to bring to its visitors. From just 9
exhibitors from 5 countries in 1966 the show today attracts 10,000
Exhibitors from 180+ countries and around 170,000 visitors.
ITB Berlin features a clear, logical structure: Along with the
familiar geographic organization according to Destinations, the
hall layout is also arranged in Segments which correspond to
the most important touristic topics. Segments covered include –
Countries & Regions, Adventure Travel, Responsible Tourism,
Business Travel, eTravel World, Gay & Lesbian Travel (LGBT
Travel), Hospitality, ITB BookAwards, Cultural Tourism,
Luxury, Medical Tourism, MICE Forum, Career Center, Travel
Technology, Youth Travel & Economy Accommodation.
Exhibitors from six continents and 180 countries and regions
will have information on the world’s most beautiful destinations.
India, Asia and Arab countries, whose tourism industries are all
expanding, will again be represented in large numbers at ITB
Berlin. This year is the first time that the Saudi General Investment
Authority is taking part in ITB Berlin. Dubai is participating in
larger numbers with main focus on Expo 2020 Dubai. Oman, the
official partner country of ITB Berlin 2020, is occupying a larger
display area.
But our main attention will be on Hall 5.2b, which features
India.Anumber of exhibitors have enlarged their stands, including
the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. A substantial number
of up-and-coming enterprises have announced their attendance,
including Kesari Tours, Trans Indus Destination Management,
Visit Incredible India Tours, the luxury wellness resort Atmantan
and the Uday Samuadra Ayurveda & Yoga Resort, Kohinoor
Group of Hotels. TourEast, an initiative which promotes
sustainable cultural tourism destinations in rural Bengal and Goa,
is presenting its projects at the Sustainable Travel Pavilion in Hall
5.2b for the first time.
The Medical Tourism segment has reported an increase in
international companies too. In Hall 21.b newcomers include
Viaggiare Sorridere from Albania, A-A Stomatologica from
Romania, Cluster Dalmatia-Health from Croatia, the Indian
specialist in medical ayurveda applications CGH Earth, Dormio-
Med Dorota Kowalczyk, and the online portal MKT Plus from
Poland.
CGH which has been attending ITB for over 20 years will have
two stands for
the first time.
In addition
to the main
stand in the
Asia Pacific
region which
will focus on
the leisure
segment the
second stand
will be in the Medical tourism section promoting their wellness
products. “ITB is a great platform to meet our overseas partners
and make new contacts. Medical tourism section along with Kaladi
Kovilakom, Kakadi Rasayana and Swaswara which is focused on
Ayurveda we will launch our new offering which offers Nature
Cure or Naturopathy at Prakarti Shakti which we opened last
Christmas. We need to reassure all our partners that the Big floods
that almost drowned Kerala last summer is history and life is back
to normal and visitors can enjoy the destination without any fear,”
said George Dominic, ED, CGH Earth, India
ITB Berlin 2019 will be taking place from 6 to10 March.
ITB Berlin 2019: India’s increased presence
As every year ritual travel fraternity from 180 countries will grace the city of Berlin for ITB Berlin,
the World’s largest travel trade show. Now in its 53rd edition Chandragupta Amritkar previews this global event.
An Accor Hotels brand
: 040 – 3009 3009
: h6589-re@accor.com

It’s great to know that Kohinoor Group is participating in
ITB, Berlin. What is the main aim of participation and your
priorities?
The ITB Berlin is the world’s largest tourism trade fair
dedicated to Travel & Hospitality industry. The key objective
behind Kohinoor Hotel’s participation on this elitist platform
is two-fold - to meet & greet visitors & exhibitors from across
the globe and establish new contacts with international travel
agents to understand upcoming international trends prevailing
in the hospitality industry and secondly through ITB we aim to
position our brand on an international platform and to help visitors
quickly find their way through the wide product range offered by
Kohinoor Hotels.
You also participated at ITB Asia. What was the outcome?
ITBASIAwasthemaidenentryofKohinoorHotelsasexhibitors.
We had a 2-side open stall of approx. 90 square feet. The Team
had an excellent response whereby lots of pre-fixed appointments
took place over the 3-day exhibition program. It is heartening to
note here that business materialization started immediately. As a
first timer, this response was overwhelming. Back on the success
of our participation in 2018, we have confirmed our participation
for 2019 as well.
Can you throw light on the type of hotels and segments that
each caters to?
Hotel Kohinoor Continental is a 4-STAR Deluxe property
and a well-established brand in Andheri East consisting of 137
rooms split into various categories. The Hotel is situated at a
landmark location and is well-known for spacious rooms, large
multi-purpose banquets of superior quality, a large pool deck and
very popular F&B outlets. During weekdays, we majorly cater
to Business Travellers and over Weekends its mainly leisure
travellers.
Hotel Kohinoor Elite on the other hand is a 3 STAR Business
Hotel providing 5 STAR quality services. The hotel’s main USP
is its unique single bill concept wherein the guest is offered
accommodation, all meals, laundry and internet service in a single
value package. Being a Budget Business Hotel in Mumbai, Hotel
Kohinoor Elite comprises of a selection of 100 well-appointed
rooms each of which spans over an area of 270 square feet making
it one of the largest rooms in its category. Adjacent to the lobby is
our multi-cuisine restaurant that provides 18 hour buffet service
setting it apart from the rest. The Hotel also has a well appointed
conference space.
Vows Banquet is 3200 square feet, pillar-less stand-alone
banquet hall located at Prabhadevi opposite the world famous
Siddhivinayak Temple. The hall is ideal for corporate, social
and wedding related functions. Key features of the Hall include
mood-lighting, valet services lavish menu offering Indian and
continental cuisines with various themes and experts on the panel
to help facilitate pre and post event requirements like decoration,
make-up, DJ, photography and videography.
What about MICE?
MICE has been a major revenue spinner for the Hotels Division
and foreseeing this Kohinoor Continental has equipped itself with
the latest state-of-the-art facilities making it an ideal destination
to host high-profile business conclaves and seminars. Emerald
Banquets can accommodate up-to 300 people and can also be
divided into three different parts for smaller events. It is equipped
with all business-friendly amenities to make your event a grand
and successful affair. The Ruby hall is quite popular for intimate
social events and corporate gatherings in smaller group settings.
The hotel also features a state-of- the-art boardroom.
As you look to 2020, what are your key priorities?
The Hotel’s Division has identified 2 key priorities for 2020 in
line with Group Priorities. The first is to add various online and
offline facilities to further improve service and offerings and the
second is to identify new areas or segments of growth for existing
hotels and expanding the Kohinoor Brand into new cities pan-
India.
"Through ITB we aim to position our
brand on an international platform"
After a successful ITB,Asia Kohinoor Group is all set to participate at ITB, Berlin.To get an
insights into their plans we spoke to the dynamic Mukund Kamat, Vice-President, Hotel
Division, Kohinoor Group who has been driving the group’s hospitality growth both within
India and globally. Excerpts
E v e n t P r e v i e w
I
nspite of having been to Berlin several times, the city has
always something new for us be it for tourism or hotels or
conventions. Co-ordinating with my good friend Jordana
Goldmann, Media Relations, visitBerlin we planned a schedule
covering 3 hotels and a few new tourist spots as well as MICE and
film tourism spread over 7 days.
Arriving into Berlin I checked into Hilton Berlin. What makes
this hotel a favorite is its location – right on the historic square,
the Gendarmenmarkt which is said to be the most beautiful public
square in Berlin. There are several attractions in and around
Gendarmenmarkt - Konzerthaus, Deutscher Dom, Französischer
Dom (includes Huguenot Museum) etc. Another big advantage for
me was the U station which is right in front of the hotel, making
it convenient to move. As always visitBerlin was kind enough to
provide me with their Welcome Card for public transport around
Berlin – a must for every visitor.
Since I was offered the Junior Suite Domeview, I was able to do
a Private Check-In at Hiltons Executive Lounge, located on the
ground floor of the hotel. This elusive place, spread over 360 sq.
meter, is available exclusively to Hilton Diamond Members and
guests staying in executive rooms and suites. The lounge offers
a wide selection of complimentary food, beverages including a
breakfast buffet. It also has two dedicated meeting spaces with
free use of WiFi and technical equipment upon request.
This hotel with 601 rooms was declared one of Europe's Leading
City Hotel 2017. All guest rooms come with city or dome views.
My room had the stunning view of Gendarmenmarkt. But it’s the
meetingspacesthatcaughtmyattention.Designedtomeettheneeds
of small to medium-sized groups the hotel has 15 flexible meeting
rooms on one floor, grand ballroom with 400 parking spaces. The
fully divisible ballroom holds up to 500 people and features an
adjacent panoramic foyer. The foyer reveals breathtaking views
on historic Gendarmenmarkt and offers space for exhibitions and
receptions. Add to this a fully-equipped business center including
secretarial services. Restaurant Beletage that offers space for up
to 250 guests is ideal for a romantic wedding party. For health and
fitness freaks the hotel has an 800 sq.mt. gym, steam room, sauna,
spa and a 14 mt indoor pool. They also have a relaxation room
equipped with heated water beds.
It was during my earlier visit that Christian Tänzler, Spokesman,
Head of Media Relations, visitBerlin had insisted that a visit to
the Berlin's WWII Tempelhof Airport is a must. So Jordana
arranged a 2 hour tour. Spread over 300,000 square metres it
was designed by Ernst Sagebiel in 1936. Called "the mother of
all airports" Tempelhof has many hats including Germany’s first
aircrafts, quarters of WW II prisoners, a weapons production site,
a famous film location, place for immigrants and now a venue for
tourists as well as MICE.
Tempelhof is a public park and its grounds are used to host
cultural and music events. Entry to the grounds is free but the
airport building is accessible as part of a guided 2 hour walking
tours highlighting interesting facts and parts of the huge building.
Enchanting Berlin: For both Leisure and MICE
C i t y f o c u s
Restaurant Bahadur
There is a never ending quest of
finding a good Indian restaurant
that has the perfect blend of
spices and does justice to your
tummy. This time I found three
good Indian restaurants that
I feel Indians should try out –
spread over Berlin. Restaurant
Bahadur is located in the calm
district of Berlin Wilmersdorf, Bahadur is quite different from a usual Berlin Indian restaurant as you can
notice quite a bit of Indian touches on its walls. Chatting up with the youngster Gaurav Sharma who
owns the restaurant he said it was established only in 2016 and has picked up well in 2 years. I had
mixed food including veg samosa and then different dishes from the tandoor and then the Dal Makhni.
They also have a thali which quite a few guests were relishing.

After the Second World War, the US Americans left their mark
on the airport building including a basketball hall built above the
former departure hall. Airport Tempelhof has become a symbol
of freedom because of the airlift of 1948/49. A highlight of the
tour is the view from the visitor terrace - you can see an imposing
panorama of most of Berlin - a spectacular 360° view of Berlin,
the Tempelhof field and the complex of buildings of Airport
Tempelhof.
You also see the basement of the building, various bunkers,
cellar vaults, the air raid shelters beneath, it’s post-war importance
during Berlin Air Lift etc. You can also explore parts of the tunnel
system of the building from 1930s, which was unique for that
time. Our guide shared several historical photos showcasing how
the facility had been used before and during the war. It deserves to
be listed as one of Berlin’s Top 5 attractions. The place is steeped
in history and simply fascinating – I loved it. Thanks Christian
Tänzler.
In the evening I went to the Chamäleon Theater Circa´s
Peepshow. It was visually stunning with talented acrobatics
showcasing athleticism and grace making it truly enjoyable. I got
the front seat and enjoyed the intimate theater setting though felt
a discomfort on the chairs towards the end of the show. It can be
an excellent venue for after-show parties, employees or customers
parties, champagne receptions along with an an extraordinary
evening programme. It can cater to audiences of up to 300 guests.
As I walked out I overheard a person telling his partner that
Chamäleon is his favourite theatre in Berlin.
The next day morning after a hearty breakfast and checking out
of Hilton, I proceeded for
a full day tour of Berlins
famous Designer Outlet.
They had organized a
car to transfer me and
the driver was nice as
he talked about Berlin
showing the highlights as
we travelled.
The Designer Outlet
Berlin (DOB) in
Wustermark is built in a
village style with almost
all prestigious brands.
The best part of Designer
Outlets is an all-year-
reduced prices (30-70%)
providing a unique
shopping destination for tourists. The DOB has 16,500 sq.mt of
retail space (90 shops), as well as picturesque streets and squares.
International brands, including Escada, Guess, Samsonite, Lindt,
Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Stefanel, Marc O'Polo, Diesel, Replay,
adidas, Nike etc are present. I found the Samsonite and the Lindt
stores with attractive prices and options. Apart from shopping
outlets there are a variety of restaurants and cafés and the unique
Panda Kids Club, where kids can play under supervision.
After spending a couple of hours I caught up with Connie
MacFarlane, Marketing Manager, DOB and Oliver Heuchert,
Centre Manager, DOB to get more insights into the outlet and the
group. “We are certainly preferred by many International guests.
The largest group of taxfree shoppers are the Russians and the
Chinese. Indias also love to shop and we are looking forward to
attract them in huge numbers,” said Oliver Heuchert. DOB comes
under McArthurGlen Group, Europe's leading owner, developer
and manager of designer outlets. “We have developed around
6.8 million sq ft of outlet space spread across 24 McArthurGlen
Designer Outlets in 9 countries,” said Oliver Heuchert.
In the evening the same car dropped me to my next hotel Titanic
Hotel Chaussee. Check in took some time as surprisingly the
hotel system was down. But that gave me time to appreciate the
bright and spacious atrium lobby and the adjoining lobby bar. The
hotel has 376 rooms in three different categories - classic room,
junior suite and Titanic suite.
The next day morning along with Robert Luft, Marketing
Manager Conventions, visit Berlin and Jonas Höll, Marketing
Manager, Titanic Hotels I proceeded to see the MICE spaces in
the group’s hotels.
The Titanic Convention Center in Chaussee has 2.500 sq.mt.
suitable for conventions, exhibitions and conferences as well as
dinner parties and weddings upto 1.500 persons. The main plenary
room has a total seize of 1.400 sq.mt. and 7mt high ceilings with
state-of-the-art A/V equipment. All 7 conference rooms are
located on the first floor and can easily be reached from the main
plenary room. The best part is the floor-to-ceiling windows that
provide adequate natural daylight. The foyers and the restaurant
C i t y f o c u s
Alesta are located on the same level and offer space for outside
events of up to 300 guests.
The other hotel - Titanic Gendarmenmarkt Berlin was once
used as a warehouse by the Staatsoper. Today it is a beautiful
hotel with 208 stylish rooms and suites and a 1.000 sq.mt. Befine
Sports & Spa including an original Turkish hamam. The hotel has
a magnificent 300 sq.mt. ballroom – ideal setting for of up to 250
people and 2 elegant meeting rooms with 50 m² each.
From there along with Robert we proceeded to Brandenburger
Tor Museum. And what a location, right across the world famous
Brandenburg Gate and the right place to experience history come to
life. “It literally makes you a time traveler as you get a multimedia
experience of 300 year-old-history of the city of Berlin - the
revolution, wars and peacetime, divided Germany, reunification
and then the developments,” said Bernardus Manders, Team
leader, Brandenburger Tor Museum. The multimedia show was
really wonderful. After that as more through the exhibition with
historical picture collection you get a deeper insight into the
events.
It can be an event location with 87 high-tech screens with 180
million pixels and a 38-channel surround sound. In addition, a 270°
panoramic view, combined with innovative media technology,
provides the best conditions for the screening of image films. “For
event organisers it can be an incentive to visit and relax in our cafe
enjoying the view of the Brandenburg Gate. Even ideal for college
trips, excursions coming in Berlin” said Bernardus.
The Tunnel was our next stop - a modern and historical
location and the only venue with the original location where the
Wall was built and torn down. During the redevelopment of the
Potsdamer Platz area, this impressive venue was also rebuilt,
partly on the site of the historical walls. The Berlin Wall also
divided Potsdamer Platz into an eastern and a western sector, thus
meaning it became meaningless for over 28 years. Today its suited
as a multifunctional location that is extremely flexible be it for
Exhibition, long catwalks, Gala Dinner/Banquet. Conferences/
Workshops, Weddings etc. The rental space is up to 7000sq.
mt with capacities from 10 – 2200 people along with suitable
conference and dinner furniture.
C i t y f o c u s
Buddha Republic
The Buddha Republic is
on Knesebeckstraße in
Charlottenburg and as you enter
you can sense why it’s called so -
adorned with Chinese lanterns,
Buddhist fixtures, and Turkish
paintings it looks pleasing and
appealing. The owner Armand,
who spent his earlier days in
India especially Bangalore,
Karnataka moved to Germany
for his higher studies but as he
was a foodie he decided to start
a restaurant. You can sense his
passion as it has been designed
very tastefully. The authentic
tandoori oven is an attraction.
I tried the peanut chat which
was excellent and the roasted
papads. I left it to Armand to
select suitable veg dishes and he made sure they were authentic in
their infusion of Indian spices and flavours.

From there we proceeded to Panoramapunkt where I got the
opportunity to ride on the fastest elevator in Europe (20 seconds
to reach 24th floor - 103 metres above the city) and then enjoy
breathtaking views of Berlin including the Brandenburg Gate, the
Victory Column and Bellevue Palace. There’s also an open-air
exhibition “Views of Berlin” that showcase how this historic site
has been completely transformed over the years. There’s also a
Panoramacafé on the same floor and a roof terrace on the 25th
floor. Panoramapunkt is also being promoted as an exclusive
venue for conferences, presentations or company parties right
from 20 to 500 people.
A short walk from there brought me to visit Berlin office where
I met up with Christian Tänzler. I was again updated on the latest
projects and statistics for Berlin from the tourism perspective.
My next visit was Mercedesplatz where I was fortunate to meet
the dynamic Kerstin Harms, Cluster GM for tristar hotel group.
She talked about the upcoming the Mercedes Platz which will
be the heart of the new city district on the City East Side Berlin.
Apart from numerous entertainment zones and office spaces it will
also have three hotels - Hampton by Hilton Berlin, Holiday Inn
Berlin and Hotel Indigo Berlin. Promising her that I will cover
these hotels when I am in Berlin for ITB, I departed to my hotel.
The next day morning I moved to my next hotel located at
the other end of berlin - Azimut Hotel City South Berlin. Irina
Kim, Group Marketing & PR Director, Azimut Hotels Company
organized the stay as they are looking at the Indian market in a big
way. A 3-star hotel, an hour from the center of the city but close to
international airport Schönefeld, it offers guests 156 comfortable
rooms in three categories Standard, Superior and Junior Suite. For
me the public transportation was ideal with the bus stop adjacent
to the hotel. Next to the hotel lobby is a bar as well as a billiards
table. They have a nice restaurant with a decent spread. The
hotel has a fitness center and also offers options for conducting
conferences, seminars, workshops and business meetings. It has
two conference rooms with modern multimedia equipment and
catering options can hold up to 50 people, plus there are three
meeting rooms.
Next day after breakfast I met up with Jordana and my guide
Karina Krawczyk at the Museum for Film and Television for a
film tour showcasing Berlin as a film city option. The guide was
superb as she took me around the most popular film locations
explaining in detail along with photographs from her collection.
We covered Potsdamer Platz – Wings of Desire (1986/87),
Gleisdreieck – Bridge of Spies (2015), Gendarmenmarkt – In 80
days around the world (2004), Rotes Rothaus - Babylon Berlin TV
series (2017), Bhf. Friedrichstr. – Unknown (2011)/ Run Lola Run
(1998), Alexanderplatz – Don2-The king is back (2011)/ Berlin
Alexanderplatz (1931).
C i t y f o c u s
Calcutta Restaurant
Located in the Bleibtreustraße area, Calcutta is certainly one
of Germany's oldest Indian restaurants. As I looked out for the
restaurant, I found it was surrounded by Greek, Italian and several
other eateries but found Calcutta packed with both Indian and
non-Indian clientele. The owner Ashok Kachroo from Kashmir was
there to receive me and I spend some quality time with him over
a nice dinner. “Calcutta has been open since 1964 and I have been
fortunate to have served several heads of Indian states including
our PMs and Presidents. Thanks to our quality of food we are the
preferred choice by Indian embassy,” said a beaming Ashok Kachroo.
They had organized an excellent menu with Indian curries, rotis,
dal makhani for me and I was very impressed by the food quality,
taste and service. The restaurant has a large variety of food from
different parts of India. In addition to typical Indian rice and curry
dishes, there are also various kebabs, nans, rotis and paranthas.
As always Oman Air was kind enough to fly me business class and I
decided to try out two sectors – Mumbai to Frankfurt and on return via
Munich. On the way to Frankfurt transiting in Muscat for the first time
I was able to use the boarding bridges to the airport (earlier passengers
were brought to the terminal by bus and also taken to the aircraft by bus)
The new terminal is truly impressive. The airport features Omani-
themed architecture and has been designed to save and conserve energy.
The airport has lounges, an airport hotel, restaurants, and retail outlets
and plenty of duty free shopping zones. Indians will love the Argan
Gold that offers a range of Gold & Diamond Jewellry with designs from
across the globe.
For gastronomy there are several outlets offering a variety of delicious
Indian, Asian and Mediterranean street food items including KFC with
signature combo meals and McDonald's. But my favourite is Spice Kitchen with plenty of Indian options. The Primeclass Lounge
with a reinterpretation of Oman’s traditional architecture and distinctive landscapes is exclusive for contracted airline passengers,
who are travelling first or business class cabins and those who are willing to pay to access the Lounge. The Aerotel Muscat is
an airport transit hotel providing travellers with the flexibility to only book hours that suit their needs. The Airport offers free
WIFI services to all passengers. For medical emergency there’s the primary
Landside Medical Clinic.
Oman Air Lounge
I experienced this amazing two storied lounge on both legs of my journey.
There are two sections - the Business Class area is 2,300 sq. mt. with an
overall capacity of 516 people and the First Class area is 430 sq. mt. for 100
people where you get a personal chef and limousine service from the lounge
to the aircraft. The lounge apart from a wide array of F&B services including
dining areas and bars has a luggage room, entertainment area, a smoking
room, prayer rooms, business centre, kid’s room, nap area, shower facilities
and a wellness area.
A wonderful experience - The Muscat Airport and Oman Air Lounge
Having a heard a lot about the new airport and the new Oman Air lounge from Sunil VA, regional vice-president ISC, Oman
Air, I decided to use the opportunity of my visit to Berlin to experience the airline, its new lounges and the new airport.
C i t y f o c u s
In an informative interaction with Christian Tänzler, Head of Media Relations
and official Spokesman visit Berlin we got some interesting pointers that we
would like to share with our readers
• There has been an excellent growth of foreign markets
• There is a lot of potential from India and overall development is on the
positive
• 2019 will see lots of major events and attractions for tourists
• On November 9, 2019 we will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall and
quite a few events are planned
• Alexander von Humboldt's 250th birthday will see the opening of The Humboldt Forum which is
expected to become a leading European cultural center
• Berlin’s Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an ensemble of five world-renowned
museums will get a new facelift.
• The Berlin WelcomeCard All Inclusive has become quite successful and I am sure Indians will
prefer it. This new card is different from Berlin’s “WelcomeCard” that offers free transit and discounts
at attractions while the new “All Inclusive” card offers you free entrance to over 30 Berlin attractions,
free public transportation, a free 1-day hop-on-hop-off bus tour etc. Admission for many famous
museums and top sights is already being paid for; also you get many discounts on various events and
restaurants. And like the normal WelcomeCard it includes the underground (U-Bahn), city railway
(S-Bahn), buses and trams.
2019: Major events and attractions for tourists

Hilton Frankfurt Airport: Now offers Day-Use rooms
With flight delays so often and frequent many
guests are on the lookout for ways to make their
travel more comfortable and relaxing. Frankfurt
being such a busy airport the Hilton Frankfurt
Airport which is directly connected to Terminal 1,
which features gates for Air India and Lufthansa
makes it an ideal option. The hotel now offers
Day-Use rooms or late checkout for passengers
with delayed flights or late-night flights. This helps
passengers to avoid unnecessary transfers. Whether
you travel for work, a conference or for leisure,
make sure to book your accommodation or meeting venue as close as possible to your arrival and
departure Airport. For extra comfort and style one can book the hotels executive rooms or suites as
they provide access to the Executive Lounge located on the 10th floor of the Hotel. At the recent
International Hotel Awards Gala in London, Hilton Frankfurt Airport received the prestigious award:
Best International Airport Hotel. Also in 2018, Hilton Frankfurt Airport was nominated amongst only 12 other Hotels for “World’s
Leading Airport Hotel” – an award that is the most prestigious and highest coveted price within this business.
Hilton Munich Airport adds an Executive Lounge
Another wonderful airport hotel from Hilton group is the Hilton Munich Airport. Just a few steps walk from the Lufthansa/Star
Alliance check-in (Terminal 2) and directly between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 of the Munich Airport, its ideal for guests. Recently
hotel has made itself more desirable by adding a new elegant Executive Lounge. The 127m² lounge offers comfortable seating for
80 guests to relax or work. The style
compliments the “Mountain Hub”
design of the 162 rooms, which the
hotel had added in 2017. It features
local materials, such as friendly
oak wood and anthracite grey
stone elements. The airport project
manager Werner Kreuzholz also
appreciated the great cooperation
with the hotel and the architects from
“gump.heigl.schmitt” from Munich.
The services of the lounge are complimentary to guests of the executive rooms as well as all Hilton Honors Diamond members. It
includes a delicious breakfast buffet. During the day, guests enjoy small snacks, coffee and soft drinks and can work on one of the many
power and USB outlets installed. In the evening one can enjoy a small dinner buffet as well as a happy hour.
Hilton Cologne with Duplex Suites
Located within walking distance from Cologne Cathedral, the Chocolate Museum, as well as the train station making it a perfect
choice for travellers. Once home to Cologne’s postal savings bank, this hotel has successfully blended design with lifestyle. A grand
ballroom for up to 400 people and a fitness center with gym, sauna and steam room, a stylish bar with counter made of real ice
makes it ideal for MICE events
and weddings. The duplex suites
spread over two floors with 1000
sqft including a whirlpool is the first
choice for top end business men and
entrepreneurs. Conveniently located
in the heart of the business district,
Hilton Cologne is the ideal setting
for corporate meetings and events.
For those coming for events will fall
in love with The Oval Office that
provides a 360° degree panoramic view with the Cologne Cathedral in sight. For guests on the move the kiosk located right next to the
reception desk makes it ideal to grab a snack on the go.
Hilton Hotels in Germany: Going Innovative
C h e c k - I n

The hotel was inaugurated on November 3, 1969 by non-other
than Emperor of Ethiopia Haile Selassie I and Conrad Hilton
making it one of the finest hotels in Africa. Spread across 14+ acre
of land with lots of greenery and its own perimeter fence the hotel
has 372 including Suites and apartments. Apart from meeting
rooms, restaurants, bars, the hotel has a geothermal pool, fitness
center, 4 tennis courts, a squash court, volley ball and basketball
courts, sauna, steam and jacuzzi, spa services, business center.
Refurbishment
The refurbishment designer company Source has done a
fabulous job. With the hotels long and rich history it was important
to honour the existing building and keep true to the original
architecture and design elements. With an estimated project cost
of $8 million, Source used various design elements.
Design element- SAND
1. Corridors: Here a simple, clean & light pallet was used
with strong use of pattern and ochre. Abstracted carpet patters
form the base for the scheme and colour is brought in by use of
the artworks, which are abstracted versions of the landscape and
the salt flats in Ethiopia.
2. Guest Rooms: Here the “Sand” theme is shown in a softer
manner – the carpet pattern is softer and more regular and the
ochre tones are brought in by use of the headboard leather and
ochre accents in the chair, artwork and curtain. Copper accents are
brought into the scheme in small accents.
3. Signage: Here direct inspiration was taken by traditional
Ethiopian weaving patterns.
Design element – FOLIAGE
4. All Day Dining Restaurant (Kaffa House Restaurant) /
Lobby - Bar & Lounge - Here it was important to create a light
and inviting space and here inspiration taken from the Ethiopian
landscape and, more directly, the wonderful gardens that surround
the hotel. Dark timber and a dynamic wallpaper brings the garden
into the space and the flooring pattern grounds the space and
brings in the strong abstract patterns that are used through-out
Ethiopia.
Newly Refurbished Hilton Addis Ababa: A Pictorial Essay
As Hilton globally celebrates 100 years, Hilton Addis Ababa
which is celebrating its 50 years decided it as an ideal
opportunity to refurbish it. With Claus Steiner the GM and
Seifedin Badi the Commercial Director of Hilton Addis Ababa
at the helm of affairs the hotel looks magnificent and majestic
and certainly awe-inspiring for other hotel to pursue.
D e s i g n
Haile Selassie opens Hilton in 1969
Haile Selassie with Conrad Hilton
D e s i g n
Design element – SKY
5. Hotel Lobby / Reception- For these areas inspiration taken
from the existing pattern above the reception desk. Repeated
in screening elements through-out the space – either just the
simple linear elements or by introducing diagonal elements and
abstracting it. One of the main
features in the Hotel Lobby is the
new chandelier. This represents the
sun and the base pattern is again
taken from weaving patterns in
traditional Ethiopian clothing.
For the Carpet designs in
the hotel lobby area abstracted
aerial views of Ethiopia and the
abstracted patterns the contours of
the land have been looked at. These
form a soft base for the custom
manufactured furniture pieces.
Each piece honours contemporary
Africa by its shape and form.
6. Executive Lounge - Renovated and bigger in size now –
can view Addis Ababa – 280 degree.
100 years of Hilton
As Hilton Hotels & Resorts gets ready to celebrate their 100th anniversary on 31 May,
we at Global Destinations thought it an ideal occasion to commemorate this event by
bringing out a special issue. It will have Interviews, success stories, sustainability,
Hilton Honors, CSR, statistics and facts including a century of many firsts accompanied
by hi-res photos. Our aim is to cover all six habitable continents. We seek your inputs
and support to make this a COLLECTORS ISSUE.
Please write to us at chandraguptaa@hotmail.com
Hilton Undersea Bedroom_Architectural_
Night_Credit Justin Nicholas_HRHilton first Hotel

I
twaswhileinteractingwithKlemensKollenz,Sales&Marketing
Manager, TSG Tourismus Salzburg GmbH when he was in
Mumbai that the idea of doing a feature on the tri-destinations
of Salzburg, Innsbruck and Swarovski Crystal germinated. I felt all
three closely located by road or train can be ideal destinations for
Indians travelling for tourism purpose or for MICE.
As I was going to be in Germany to cover IMEX, I decided to
extend my stay by 4 days to see and experience Austria’s Golden
Triangle. Co-ordinating with Martina C. Trummer, Presse & PR-
Manager, Salzburg Information and Mag. Andreas Reiter B.A.,
Manager, International Marketing & Media, Innsbruck Tourismus
and over a series of e-mails we got an agenda planned.
Salzburg
Arriving into Salzburg, the city of Mozart, in the morning I
checked into Star Inn Salzburg Zentrum where Martina had already
deposited my press kit, a Salzburg Card and a few taxi vouchers to
enable me to move around the city. I was pretty impressed by the
public transport that I landed up using one less taxi voucher which
I left at the hotel reception to be returned to Martina.
MyfirststopwastheSalzburgCongress–animpressivebuilding
near Mirabell park gardens in the heart of Salzburg providing
excellent views across to the old town of Salzburg, Spread over
five floors this ultra-modern congress offers 15,000m² of usable
space that can accommodate up to 2,500 congress participants at
any given time. The rooms can be rearranged and re-equipped to
offer up to 15 conference rooms with capacities varying from 20
guests to 1,300 people making it ideal for international meetings,
conferences, congresses, seminars, motivational events etc.
Located adjacent to the congress is Sheraton Grand Salzburg
that provides premium catering and excellent culinary to the
delight of the congress guests. The hotel with 166 rooms makes
it very convenient for attendees. Infact Salzburg has over 10,500
hotel beds spread over a large selection of 3, 4 and 5-star hotels.
My next tour was the Original Sound of Music Tour, an all-
time favourite for Indians and it has become my favourite too.
Organised by Panorama Tours, the starting point is right across
the street from the congress. I was supposed to meet Stefan Herzl,
the founder and owner of Panorama Tours, but he was not in
town. Located in the picturesque World Heritage City of Salzburg
the Sound of Music Tour takes you to all the unique landmarks
associated with the von Trapp family.
The guide was wonderful and kept the tempo live with all the
fascinating facts about the film along with great anecdotes and
live singing with us all participating. Spread across 4 hours we
got a chance to experience the beautiful scenery around the Alps
and original shooting locations form "The Sound of Music" movie
- Mirabell Garden and Pegasus Fountain, where Maria and the
children danced in the movie, Nonnberg Convent, where Maria
was a novice, Schloss Leopoldskron (the house, where the Trapp
Family lived in the movie), Hellbrunn Palace (singing scenes
in the movie), Gazebo (now placed in Hellbrunn and used for
"Sixteen Going on Seventeen" song), where the Baron von Trapp
kissed Maria for the first time and Church Mondsee, where Maria
and the Baron get married. The guide provides many photo ops
and selfie opportunities.
Later that night I had a nice Indian dinner atTaj Mahal restaurant.
The next day morning I proceeded to Salzburg Residenz Palace
located in the midst of Salzburg's old town. The first documented
reference to the Residenz dates back to 1232. This Baroque palace
was the official residence of the Prince Archbishops of Salzburg
until it was secularised and became part of Austria. The palace
has opulent rooms with a variety of church pieces, relics and
paintings. The Magnificent Hall has spectacular ceiling frescoes
and wall decorations. Today it is a museum and a MICE venue
Austria’s Golden Triangle
Salzburg, Innsbruck and Swarovski
F i r s t I m p r e s s i o n s
with a total of nine rooms, the inner courtyard and the arcades that
are available as event locations and can host celebrations for 20
to 645 guests.
My next stop was Fortress Hohensalzburg. One has to take
the funicular railway from the downtown to reach the fortress that
is at an altitude of 506 m. Built in the year 1077 to protect the
principality and the archbishops from hostile attacks (till record it
has never been captured by foreign troops) it is the biggest fully
preserved castle in Central Europe.
Inside the castle there is a permanent Fortress Museum that can
be visited anytime of the year. Worth visiting are the Salzburg Bull
- located in the Krautturm that houses a large aerophon of more
than 200 pipes, Golden Hall that is richly decorated and also as a
residence, the Chapel of Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach,
The Golden Chamber, The Bedchamber etc.
The castle hosts many events during the year, and it also has
a major concert hall that hosts the famous Salzburg Fortress
Concerts.
In the afternoon I went to Hellbrunn Palace, a little outside
the city but has good public transport (took bus number 25).
This provided me an opportunity to meet charming and dynamic
Director of the Palace - Ingrid Sonvilla. Personally taking me
around, I was pretty amazed by the trick fountains and the surprises
that she kept in store for me – hidden water jets wetting me quite
often. This used to be the pleasure palace and summer residence for
the Salzburg prince-archbishops. The spacious parks and gardens
of Hellbrunn Palace are partially landscaped, partially natural
biotope. The centerpiece is provided by Mannerist trick fountains
(used by Markus Sittikus to entertain, surprise or embarrass his
guests) that are absolutely unique. From a mechanical theater to
water-spewing stags, to a crown dancing atop a spout of water - the
many-and-varied hydraulic attractions spread across the garden.
The mechanical, water-operated and music-playing theatre with
some 200 automata showing various professions at work is
another wonder. Hellbrunn Castle is a place for celebrations and a
perfect location for events as well as weddings.
In the evening I proceeded to Hotel Sacher Salzburg to see
its MICE facilities as well as taste the world famous cake – the
Original Sacher-Torte. Was looking forward to meet Sandra
Artacker but she was in their Vienna property. Later that night had
dinner at Maharaja Indian Restaurant.
Innsbruck
The next day early morning took the train to Innsbruck and then
a taxi to my hotel Grauer Bär. This hotel is quite popular for Indian
guests as during breakfast I saw a good group of Indian travelers.
My guide, Mag. Monika Unterholzner came at sharp 10.30 am to
pick me up from the hotel. A good 6 hour itinerary was planned
starting with the Nordkette - part of Austria’s largest nature
park, the Karwendel Nature Park. The Nordkette is served by the
Nordkette Cable Car and one can enjoy the phenomenal views at
all 3 stops (including the Alpine Zoo) along the way to the top.
The breathtaking 360° view from the top left me mesmerized as I
tried to soak in the beauty of nature. There’s a good restaurant at
the top and we had a good lunch including some good vegetarian
food. The Nordkette is perfect for mountain bikers, rock climbers,
hikers etc as from the cable car I noticed lots of hikers relishing
their way up.
Our next halt was Innsbruck’s Old Town. A stroll through
the streets will showcase many historic and architectural gems
including sturdy medieval houses, street cafes and certainly shops
displaying many exquisite boutiques, traditional crafts etc

The Golden Roof is a sight to behold with its 2,657 copper
shingles, fire-gilded and gold. Its said the Golden Roof’s alcove
balcony was meant for Emperor Maximilian to watch over the
city’s tournaments, festivals and other activities. The Innsbruck
city tower was manned by watchmen for many centuries but today
it’s a viewing platform to get a 360-degree view over Innsbruck
and surroundings.
We then proceeded to the Imperial Palace that is walking
distance from the Golden Roof. A former residence of the
Habsburg Dynasty it has beautifully painted ceilings and portraits
of imperial personalities. This palace is especially meaningful to
the reign of Maria Theresa, the last of the House of Habsburg,
and the only female ruler of their dominions. The Palace has 20
rooms filled with frescoes and murals. The imperial apartments,
the Gothic Hall, and the palace courtyard are equally beautiful.
And finally don’t forget to check out the colourful houses lining
the River Inn.
That day evening I had a wonderful dinner with Andreas Reiter
and then for a good night’s sleep.
Swarovski Crystal Worlds
Who hasn’t heard of Swarovski? Over decades, Swarovski has
inspired jewelers, fashion designers, architects, interior designers,
builders and even we humble house owners. So I was quite excited
to visit Swarovski Crystal Worlds (SCW). The next morning at
10.30 I took the shuttle bus that runs from Innsbruck to SCW.
SCW was opened in 1995 to mark the centennial anniversary of
the company’s founding. Over the years it has attracted 14 million
visitors. As soon as one enters you notice The Giant, an enormous
green head that is the entrance to the Chambers of Wonder.
You will love the Crystal Cloud, a monumental installation
comprising some 800,000 hand-mounted Swarovski crystals that
drift above a black Mirror Pool. I noticed tufts of clouds shifting
from white to grey and making it a sight to behold. The Garden’s
Playtower, Playground & Labyrinth provides lots of physical
activities for kids. The playtower has four different levels arranged
on top of each other and connected by a unique vertical net that
can be climbed up to a height of just over 14 meters. The park
landscape has a green labyrinth in the form of a hand that invites
visitors to explore and play hide-and-seek. I was surprised to see
700 pieces of Antoninianus or Roman silver coins. I was told after
almost 2,000 years of being buried underneath the earth they were
found on SCW property a few years back.
On entering the Giant’s realm are the 16 Chambers of Wonder,
each designed by great artists from around the world. The
subterranean world of the Giant begins in the Blue Hall that
has slanted walls and displays masterpieces including the black
stallion “Chetak”. I also loved the “Mechanical Theatre” that
combines humans and technology. One of the new Chambers of
Wonder is designed by Indian designer Manish Arora - “Life is
Beautiful”. Also don’t miss out The Crystal Dome made of 595
mirrors and eight “spy mirrors” giving guests a glimpse what you
would look like inside a Swarovski crystal.
The final stop is the SCW gift shop including a men’s collection.
I noticed a nice large idol of Lord Ganesha, a Hindu deity.
Later I went to relish a good lunch at Daniels Kristallwelten.
The menu has international cuisine as well as regional delights and
even vegetarian dishes. Don’t forget to try one of their homemade
macarons or choclates/pastries for dessert.
For me SCW is a museum, expo centre, theme park, gift shop
and a world class restaurant all rolled into one.
Returning back to Innsbruck, later that evening I went to Hotel
Adlers (a top end hotel where Bollywood star Salman Khan had
stayed during a movie shooting) to meet the owner Ultsch. It’s
truly a luxurious property with spacious rooms and a roof top
restaurant cum bar.

Gd march april issue 2019 magazine double spread

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Gd march april issue 2019 magazine double spread