Washington DC: BEYOND POLITICS · 2017-06-11 · beyond politics Tried&Tested • Fairmont Sanur...

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Describet places

EditorialOn Top

• Hotel, restaurant, and airline news

Cover Story• Washington DC

beyond politics

Tried&Tested• Fairmont Sanur Beach

• Soho Sushi • Holidays in the rhythm

of nature • Samsung and a dot

Report• Business class:

creating the perfect seat

Air Travel• Business Travel numerous

benefits for companies

Hotels• Mercurw Fashion more tham a trend • Meetings in style

Destinations• Summer in Paris

• Family holidays: child’s play • 4 hours in… New Orlean

Learning• Mandarin: speak easy

Menswear• Travel in style

Moto&Techno• Watches: timed to perfection

• In constant motion

Ask Peter

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TerazMOŻESZusuwać plamy skutecznie nawet w niskiej temperaturze dzięki technologii EcoBubbleTM

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13926907_Samsung_space_BusinessTraveller_rozkladowka_208x275.indd 1 04/05/2017 16:47 13926907_Samsung_space_BusinessTraveller_rozkladowka_208x275.indd 2 04/05/2017 16:48

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Redaktor naczelna

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Wydawnictwo R&S Media sp. z o.o.

Wydawca

Szef serwisu www.businesstraveller.pl

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Business Traveller Managing Director

Marzena Mróz [email protected]

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ul. Tamka 16 /4 00-349 Warszawa tel.: +48 22 455 38 33 faks: +48 22 455 38 13

Robert Grzybowski [email protected]

Filip Gawryś [email protected] [email protected]

Piotr Grzybowski [email protected] LOTOS Poligrafia sp. z o.o. 04-987 Warszawa ul. Wał Miedzeszyński 98 tel.: 22 872 22 66 www.lotos-poligrafia.pl

Julian GregoryPanacea MediaLower Ground Floor41-43 Maddox StreetLondonW1S 2PDtel.: +44 20 7821 2700www.panaceapublishing.comwww.businesstraveller.com

W ashington DC occupies a

177 sq km plot of land. It is

a compact, low-rise city with grand

neoclassical architecture arranged

around the National Mall, which

stretches between the Lincoln

memorial in the west and the Capitol

in the east. When it was founded in

1790 by George Washington, its four

ten-mile borders created a neat square.

It was designed as a federal entity

distinct from the rest of US.

Even today, when every one of

America’s 50 states has a democratic

voice in the form of representation in

Congress, the capital’s 670,000

citizens do not. It is part of no state and

has limited home rule. It has never had

a senator and it wasn’t until the 1960s

that people were given the right to vote

in elections. All DC has is a non-voting

delegate. As a consequence, residents have little say on issues related to healthcare,

the environment, social security or gun laws.

It is no surprise to hear that locals have been campaigning for Washington DC to

gain statehood. For more details, I recommend reading our cover article, entitled:

“Washington: beyond politics”. Enjoy your reading!

Marzena Mróz. editor-in-chief

CAPITAL WITHOUT VOTING RIGHTS

CLT1718 Business Treveller 208x275+4.indd 1 28.03.2017 09:41

CAPITAL WITHOUT VOTING RIGHTS

CLT1718 Business Treveller 208x275+4.indd 1 28.03.2017 09:41

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B u s i n e s s t r a v e l l e r | O n To p

MODERN TERMY UNIEJÓW COMPLEX

InvestmentUniejów

Where can you go on a warm, summer weekend?The best choice is to try the new spot on the route of the Great Masurian Lakes, by Bełdany lake, in the town of Kamień, near Ruciane-Nida. Mila Kamień Club is a Masurian holiday resort, de-signed for families with children, active leisure aficionado, as well as water sports enthusiasts. It's an eco-friendly spot with the soul and a number of op-portunities for practising sports. The complex comprises 82 fully equipped 3-bedroom wooden family cottages, 14 rooms in the hotel building, as well as 30 rooms in youth huts. There

HolidayMasurian Region

MILA KAMIEŃ CLUB

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For just €149 you can fly with Brussels Airlines from anywhere in Europe to Belgium, travel by trains free of charge, as well as obtain vouchers for free attractions in two selected Belgian cities.Belgium may be small, but it's a very interesting destination, especially for a city break. In addition to Brussels, it’s worth visiting the cities of Antwerp, Mechelen and Bruges. Hi Belgium Pass is a weekend offer, valid from Thursday to Tuesday. Vouchers are available at airports. brusselsairlines.com

Brussels Airlines

Airlines

HI BELGIUM PASS

are also 15 separate spots for vehicles with camper trailers. The complex has two restau-rants, a covered terrace with a panoramic view of the late, two conference rooms, a eco-marina with modern port infrastructure, the headquarters of Mateusz Kusznierewicz Academy, the sports and recreation centre with a rental store, a recreational pool, as well as a private bath-ing beach. Children can have fun on one of the resort’s four playgrounds, while teenagers and adults can play volleyball or beach volleyball matches on pro-fessionally prepared courts.klubmila.pl

Aparthotel Termy Uniejów will be the first such modern and multifunctional complex in Poland, featuring a hotel, a conference centre, recreational facilities, as well as a restaurant area with auxiliary functions and access to the thermal water of Uniejów. The complex is planned to be put into operation in the first half of 2019.

The four-star property will be built on a 1.5 hectare plot of land, situated in the best location of the town, which is the immediate vicinity of the thermal pool complex of the “A” spa zone.

Termy Uniejów is an attractive offer for all those who would like to make an investment in the first thermal spa town in Poland.

The property will be rented throughout the year. The owners of the purchased premises will transfer the management of the property to the investor with a guaranteed rental profit of at least 7.5 percent. Note that for the duration of the contract, apart from the investment in the purchase of the premises, the investor will not incur any costs associated with the functioning of the property. Termy Uniejów is the town’s first property that will be able to accommodate large business groups of up to 400 people. The complex will consist of two five-storey buildings with a hotel, recreation area with a swimming pool, saunas, a fitness centre and a restaurant. The hotel will feature 172 rooms of three different types: standard rooms (25.91 sqm), studio apartments (30 sqm), and suites (35.03 sqm). All the premises will have turnkey interior fitting; price: PLN8,000 for 1 sqm plus VAT (23%).

Wizz Air celebrates the 13th anniversary of its first flight. Over those years, the fleet of the airline has covered one billion kilometres, equivalent to lapping the Earth 25,000 times. Since its launch, the carrier has served almost 135 million passengers. Wizz Air’s fleet of 81 aircraft, comprises mainly Airbus A320 and A321 planes and is one of the youngest in Europe. Each aircrat flies on average for 12 hours a day. In total, all the aircraft have performed 880,000 air operations, spending 1.4 million hours in the air, which translates into 163 years of continuous service. The current, diverse offer of the Hungarian airline consists of 500 routes from 141 airports in 42 countries. The longest route is 4,639 kilometres and connects Katowice with Dubai.

AnniversaryAviation

ONE BILLION KILOMETRES

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B u s i n e s s t r a v e l l e r | O n To p

AirlineLOT

NEW AIRCRAFT

It’s visiting the Czech Republic to follow the trail of baroque buildings listed as UNESCO sites. We especially recom-mend the town of Kroměříž with a baroque garden and the Archbishop's Palace, the Lednice-Valtice complex with Valtice palace and wine cellars, the town of Mikulov with its palace and a beautiful centre, as well as the baroque building of hospital in the Kuks village. Don't miss out on visting such spots as Plo-skovice, Nebílovy, Duchcov Casanovy, the churches of Dientzenhofers in Brou-movsk, or the buildings by Santini near Žďár nad Sázavou. Baroque sights in the Czech Republic are teeming with life. They offer a range of attractions, such as nighttime sightseeing in costumes from the era, theatre performances and con-certs. czechtourism.com

BAROQUE LANDSCAPE

TourismCzech Republic

The first Boeing 737-800 NG has joined the fleet of the Polish national carrier. By the end of June LOT will have four aircraft of that type. Boeing 737-800 NG is the largest narrow-body aircraft in LOT’s fleet and it is used to operate flights on the most popular routes, including to London, Tel Aviv, Frankfurt, Madrid as well as Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan - a new destination with direct flights launched on 29 May. Boeing 737-800 NG is a modern narrow-body aircraft with the capacity of up to 186 passengers, i.e. nearly 20 passengers more than Boeing 737 Classic aircraft currently used by LOT. Boeing 737-800 NG has next generation slim seats which the airlines had also installed in Boeing B737 Classic following the retrofit. There are three travel classes available aboard the aircraft: LOT Business, LOT Premium Economy and LOT Economy. lot.com

WarsawPatio Cosmopolitan

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SUMMER SEASONThe patio at Cosmopolitan apartment building is yet another unique spot on the architectural map of Warsaw, located right next to Grzy-bowski Square, which has become a favourite meeting place for tour-ists and locals alike. You can enjoy a healthy breakfast at SAM, as well as buy there delicious bread with crispy crust, baked on site. For lunch, go to Ceviche Bar offering South American cuisine, or alternatively to Locale restaurant, which specializes in Italian food. Meeting friends? Try Café Nero or Odette patisserie, known for the tastiest and the most gorgeous-looking pastries. For a comprehensive selection of wines and champagnes, including the largest collection of Bordeaux wines in Poland, go to Wine Taste by Kamecki. Most dining venues at Cosmo-politan have now added outdoor tables, which means that summer is round the corner. apartamentycosmopolitan.pl

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Kontakt:Przedstawicielstwo Club Med w Polsceul. Tamka 16, lok. 4, Warszawawww.clubmed.plPrivate concierge:[email protected]+48 664212513

Twój prywatny rajIDEALNE MIEJSCE NA ZIEMI- TWOJA WILLA NA WODZIE!

Mała, prywatna wyspa i nowe przestronne eco chic wille. Każda z własnym basenem, obsługą butlera i wszystkim,

o czym zamarzysz…

022_TT hotel londyn_popr.indd 23 27.04.2015 14:43spis_popr.indd 2 27.04.2017 13:41

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Kontakt:Przedstawicielstwo Club Med w Polsceul. Tamka 16, lok. 4, Warszawawww.clubmed.plPrivate concierge:[email protected]+48 664212513

Twój prywatny rajIDEALNE MIEJSCE NA ZIEMI- TWOJA WILLA NA WODZIE!

Mała, prywatna wyspa i nowe przestronne eco chic wille. Każda z własnym basenem, obsługą butlera i wszystkim,

o czym zamarzysz…

022_TT hotel londyn_popr.indd 23 27.04.2015 14:43spis_popr.indd 2 27.04.2017 13:41

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WASHINGTON DC BEYOND POLITICS

In Washington DC, as across the country, residents are adjusting to the new Trump administration.

But there is more to the US capital than monuments and government, discovers Jenny Southan.

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Opened last September, two months before Donald Trump’s election as the 45th president of the United States, the hotel

occupies the prestigious Old Post Office on Pennsylvania Avenue. The location is prime, being on the street that connects the White House at one end to the US Capitol, home of Congress, at the other. Constructed in 1899, the building’s pièce de résistance is its 96-metre clock tower, the third-tallest structure in DC. The lobby lounge of the new Trump hotel in Washington DC is filled with people seated on blue velvet couches under glittering chandeliers that would look at home in the Palace of Versailles. A bell rings, and, to a ripple of applause, a waiter slices the top off a bottle of champagne with a sabre. The glass-encased cork flies across the room and skids across the polished mar-ble floor.

TRUMP’S GOLDEN PALACEBeneath a row of billowing Stars and Stripes flags, the main entrance is blocked off by

metal barricades (access is from the side, on 11th Street). I see a man stop to stick his middle finger up at the gilded Trump Inter-national Hotel sign, and take a photo on his phone. The fact that the Trump Organisa-tion is leasing this landmark from the gov-ernment has caused controversy, but federal agency the General Services Administra-tion says the agreement is valid.

For a city that is roughly 90 per cent Democrat (only 4 per cent of DC’s votes went to the Republican party), Trump’s win is a bitter pill to swallow, and the fact that his name is emblazoned on a historic building hasn’t helped. One local tells me: “I will not set foot in that place; I will not give him one cent of my money.” Despite rates starting from US$550 a night, none of this has prevented the hotel’s 263 rooms from being sold out since opening. Still, Mickael Damelincourt, managing director of the Trump Washington DC, says other

hotels, such as the Four Seasons in Georgetown, are doing well,

too. “We don’t have enough

luxury hotels in Washington,” he says. With US$200 million spent on renovations, the hotel is arranged around a nine-storey glass atrium, crisscrossed with 19th-centu-ry gold girders. There is a spa designed by Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, a ballroom for 1,300 people, a Macallan whisky tasting room and a fine-dining steakhouse from David Burke.

Upstairs at the back is the US$20,000-a-night presidential suite, the former office of the postmaster general. Damelincourt says: “All the buildings around us belong to the Internal Revenue Service and the FBI is across the road so this is very safe – se-cret service love this room when you have a head of state staying. There is no traffic and you can have snipers on the roof.” Have any presidents stayed here yet? “No,” he says. Not even Donald Trump. “He has a nice house down the road.”

NEW TEAM IN TOWNIt’s commonly said one should avoid dis-cussing politics in social situations, but in

Opened two months before Donald Trump’s election as the 45th president of the United States, the new Trump hotel occupies the prestigious Old Post Office on Pennsylvania Avenue.

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There is a great deal of beauty in DC: the Jefferson memorial framed by pink blossomed boughs; a reflection of the wedding-cake dome of the US Capitol; and the peppermint vaulted ceiling of Union Station

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DC it’s impossible to avoid. I visit Off the Record, a subterranean bar in the Hay Ad-ams hotel that is popular with politicians, dignitaries and journalists, and order a Corruption IPA served on a coaster featur-ing a caricature of Trump. The free snacks are great, but the conversations you over-hear are even better.

Alexandra Byrne is general manager of the 237-room Sofitel Washington DC La-fayette Square hotel, which is located just around the corner from the bar – and the White House. “We host a lot of Capitol Hill visitors, including international delegates, diplomats, lobbyists, activists and top execu-tives of Fortune 500 businesses. This past election came as a surprise for everybody. The air is rife with differing opinions lead-ing to interesting discussions and debates.”

From my corner room at the Sofitel, I hear music blaring below on 15th Street NW. “From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans white with foam, God bless America, my home sweet home.” It’s com-ing from an SUV pulling a float with a giant Trump sign on the back lit up in lights. The so-called “Trump Unity Bridge” is not the creation of a local, though – it’s a hardcore fan from Michigan named Rob Cortis, who has taken it upon himself to drive the length and breadth of the country in a show of sup-port.

Over on 14th Street NW, there are ongoing anti-Trump demonstrations. Brian Kenner, deputy mayor of planning and economic de-velopment, says: “We tend to be a little more progressive than typical US cities – we were one of the first to legalise marijuana, for ex-ample – so [the election] was a little shock-ing, but I think that has done nothing but continue to galvanise the residents of the District of Columbia.” He adds: “We want to make sure that whether you have been here five minutes, five years or five generations that you feel welcome.”

51ST STATE?Washington DC occupies a 177 sq km plot of land wedged between the states of Mary-land and Virginia. It is a compact, low-rise city with grand neoclassical architecture arranged around the National Mall, which stretches between the Lincoln memorial in the west and the Capitol in the east. When it was founded in 1790 by George Washing-ton, its four ten-mile borders created a neat square. It was designed as a federal entity distinct from the rest of US.

Even today, when every one of America’s 50 states has a democratic voice in the form of representation in Congress, the capital’s 670,000 citizens do not. It is part of no state and has limited home rule. It has never had a senator and it wasn’t until the 1960s that

people were given the right to vote in elec-tions. All DC has is a non-voting delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton, who serves exclu-sively in the House of Representatives but is not allowed to vote on the issues of the day. As a consequence, residents have little say on issues related to healthcare, the environ-ment, social security or gun laws.

It’s no surprise to hear that locals have been campaigning for Washington DC to gain statehood. The cause has most recently been spearheaded by Democratic mayor Muriel Bowser. After a meeting with Presi-dent Trump in December, she said: “He is a supporter of the District of Columbia, he’s familiar with the District of Columbia and he wants to be supportive.” But whether or not he is willing to consider granting her wish remains to be seen. Until then, cars will continue to drive around Washington with licence plates reading: “Taxation with-out representation.”

This sense of disenfranchisement has no doubt affected Washingtonians over the decades, and has only been heightened since a return to Republican authority. Ken-ner explains there has never been a Repub-lican mayor of DC. “We have always been under one party – and that is the case today,” he says.

With this in mind, you can understand why it has been a necessity for the city to

For a city that is roughly 90 per cent Democrat. Trump’s win is a bitter pill to swallow, and the fact that his name is emblazoned on a historic building hasn’t helped.

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Washington is a compact, low-rise city with grand neoclassical architecture arranged around the National Mall, which stretches between the Lincoln memorial in the west and the Capitol in the east.

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forge its own identity, separate from poli-tics. “Washington DC’s energy can be felt in multiple forms – we actually operate fairly well regardless of who the president is,” Kenner says. Elliott Ferguson, president and chief executive of Destination DC, agrees: “Politics are separate from the Washington DC that we promote.”

CITY LIVINGUp until 20 years ago, Kenner says DC was “very much a federal town driven by feder-al jobs”. But over the past seven years, job growth has solely been driven by the private sector and, in the past five years, statistics suggest up to 1,000 people a month (many of them young, unmarried and educated) are moving here from other parts of the US. “If you were to call us a state, we would be one of the fastest-growing states in the country,” he says.

DC is one of the wealthiest parts of the country but is seeking to diversify its econ-omy away from the public sector. While the government is a key employer, account-ing for 14 per cent of jobs, Trump’s talk of “draining the swamp” could mean cutting a fifth of the federal workforce.

Tourism is a major earner – more than 21 million visitors came in 2015, spending US$7 billion. New opportunities are also opening up in high-tech, healthcare, educa-tion, green tech and media. “We have a very active start-up scene,” Kenner says.

I meet local Instagrammer Laurie Col-lins (otherwise known as @dccitygirl with 42,000 followers) on a sunrise photography tour of the cherry trees – a gift from Tokyo in 1912 – around the Tidal Basin reservoir. Through the lens of her camera, Collins manages to capture a great deal of beauty in DC: the Jefferson memorial framed by pink blossomed boughs; a reflection of the wedding-cake dome of the US Capitol; and the peppermint vaulted ceiling of Union Station, which is undergoing a US$7 billion revamp, to be completed by 2020.

Collins says: “DC has changed in so many ways. Certain neighbourhoods you would never be caught dead in are becom-ing revitalised. People are making the ef-fort to raise their children here, rather than moving them out to the suburbs once they reach school age. Others are investing in neighbourhoods by bringing their busi-ness into the city, making it easier for us to shop, eat and enjoy local entertainment here in our own backyard.” A major new attraction is the Smithsonian National Mu-seum of African American History and Culture, which opened on the National Mall in September.

Alongside established areas such as quaint Georgetown and upmarket Kalo-rama, where the Obamas now live, there is the Beverly Hills-style City Centre retail complex, unveiled in 2014 (before this there were no designer stores, people tell me). The

biggest upcoming project is new-build “wa-terfront city” the Wharf (wharfdc.com), just south of the National Mall – phase one will be complete this autumn. Eventually there will be 1,400 apartments, a yacht club, three hotels, a concert hall, four piers, 75 restau-rants and shops, a conference centre and a mile-long promenade.

Meanwhile, hotspots such as H Street NW and Shaw are now home to trendy ventures such as All Purpose pizza (allpur-posedc.com), cocktail bar Columbia Room (columbiaroomdc.com) and Kinship restau-rant (kinshipdc.com), which serves inven-tive New American cuisine.

Kenner says: “People are finding an au-thentic Washington experience that did not exist a few years ago – people are not de-manding Starbucks coffee but local chain Compass. When they go to bars, they don’t tend to order a Miller Light; they want a DC Brau.”

This is exactly what I do when taking a seat at the W hotel’s rooftop bar, POV. The sun is going down and there is a perfect view of the White House and the needle-shaped Washington monument. I think of the Latin inscription painted inside the dome of the Capitol: E pluribus unum – “Out of many, one” – and wonder how long it might be un-til a 51st star is added to the US flag.

Visit businesstraveller.com/tried-and-tested for a review of the Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square.

“We tend to be a little more progressive than typical US cities, so the election was a little shocking, but it has also further galvanised the residents of the District of Columbia.”

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THAN


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Twój numer jest zawsze tam gdzie TY!

NOWOCZESNAPLATFORMA

TELEKOMUNIKACYJNA

www.ips-ex.pl

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Tried & Tested

FAIRMONT SANUR BEACHHotel BALI

Fairmont Sanur Beach Bali is a haven of luxury lifestyle experiences on South-East Asia’s fabled

Island of the Gods. Once a fish-ing village, Sanur is today full of historical charm and a hub for Balinese art, culture and tradi-tion well away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the is-

land. Sanur also offers a more traditional, charming and au-thentic atmosphere and lifestyle that has drawn generations of travellers to the ‘old Bali’.

WHERE IS IT?Only 25 minutes from the Ngu-rah Rai International Airport, the property is located along

200m of golden beach in the Sanur district in southeast Bali.

WHAT’S IT LIKE?This all-suite-and-villa resort, complete with concierge and 24-hour butler services, is styled as a sanctuary of peace and re-laxation in four hectares of lush beachfront gardens in Sanur.

CONTACTFairmont Sanur BeachSanur, Denpasar SelatanIndonesiatel.: +62 361 301 1888 www.fairmont.com/sanur-bali

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The resort brings the ultimate in a relaxed, get-away-from-it-all lifestyle, blessed by its own fab-ulous beach, picture-postcard scenery, cultural experiences, fabulous food and exhilarating adventures.

SUITES AND VILLASThe resort’s 94 luxury suites and villas feature custom-made furniture, handcrafted fixtures, carefully curated artwork as well as individual stone and wood pieces produced by local craftsmen. Suites are inspired by the Balinese temple concept of ‘sanctuaries within sanctu-aries’, anchored by expansive 25sqm outdoor terraces with oversized daybeds protected from the sun, yet inviting open-air relaxation. Each unit offers spacious living, unparalleled luxury and unforgettable views that encourage guests to un-wind and relax.

All guest rooms come with complimentary Wi-Fi, 24 hour on-call butler service. compli-mentary non-alcoholic bever-ages from the mini bar, two 42-inch LED TVs, in-room safe, coffee and tea making facilities, as well as iPod docking station and Bose sound system.

RESTAURANTS AND LOUNGESThe resort offers guests a unique culinary insight into the wonders of Balinese cook-ing. Centrally located, the Lob-by Lounge commands stun-ning views of the spectacular tropical gardens and the Indian ocean beyond. Indulge in after-noon tea and sinful delicacies, served with a hint of local Ba-linese flavours. The local name for “kite flying”, the Layang Layang Restaurant specializes in Indonesian cuisine and is a must for all those wishing to experience a truly locally in-spired restaurant. The Nyala Beach Club and Grill, with its stunning pool views, is the in-formal location for a light mid-day meal. You can enjoy here delicious gourmet sandwiches,

Walking along the coast of the ocean, you can reach the village, as well as numerous shops and restaurants, getting to know the real life on the island.

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Tried & Tested

Hotel BALI

The luxurious, all-inclusive hotel is a

true oasis of tranquillity. I was particularly

impressed by the large infinity pool with

a huge pink orchid, where you can rest on

four-poster beds.

healthy salads, sumptuous grilled locally caught fish, shellfish, as well as chargrilled cuts of juicy meat.

SPA SUITEThe resort’s Spa is a perfect sanctuary after a long day of ex-ploring local sights and sounds or basking under the Balinese sun. It’s also a real haven of tranquillity, where you can quickly regenerate to further explore the island and its nu-merous attractions. Guests can choose from a comprehensive menu that offers treatments and pampering from head to toe, including revitalising Balinese massages, soothing facial and body rituals.

MEETINGSFairmont Sanur Beach Bali is primarily a leisure destination, but intimate, small-scale meet-ings and events can be organ-ized in the resort’s Library.Leisure activities

The resort features two chil-dren’s pools, as well as the Kids Club keeping children enter-tained, amused and educated, including lessons in painting, craft making, singing and danc-ing, mini-cinema, playground and Sony PlayStation.Guests can rent bicycles free-of-charge to explore the island like a local, as well as scooters to explore off-the-beaten-track locales are for rent. The concierge team can also arrange canoeing, windsurfing,

sailing, para-sailing, boat trips, scuba-diving and eco-tours.

VERDICTFairmont Sanur Beach is an excellent base for island ex-plorations. The luxurious, all-inclusive hotel is a true oasis of tranquillity. I was particularly impressed by the large infinity pool with a huge pink orchid, where you can rest on four-post-er beds. Sanur is famous for the spectacular sunsets and sunris-es, which guests of the hotel can observe from the adjacent beach. Walking along the coast of the ocean, you can reach the village, as well as numerous shops and restaurants, getting to know the real life on the island.

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Tried & Tested

SOHO SUSHIRestaurant WARSAW

Sushi bistro in the heart of Warsaw. It offers the best quality sushi in venue, that doesn't in-

timidate you. The place is cosy, can hold up to 20 guests inside, and another 20 can enjoy their maki, nigri, ramen and sashimi on the outside patio, opened in May.

VENUEThe Warsaw culinary land-scape has yet another spot, where you can taste the cuisine of the Far East. In addition to sushi and sashimi sets, you can order here a truly delicious ra-men.

"We offer the highest qual-ity fish and hire the best su-shi masters in Warsaw,” says Bartosz Sosnowski, co-owner of Soho Sushi. "Besides, we maintain an adequate quality/price ratio. Our seafood is al-ways fresh and won't ruin your budget,” he adds.

You can also sit at a high chair by a nicely designed bar and relax after a hard day over a cup of green tea.

MENUThe list of dishes is quite mouth-watering. Starting from tuna and salmon steak tartar, through vegetarian tempura-covered spring rolls, to a wide range of hosomaki (with cu-cumber, gourd, turnip, salmon, tuna, wrapped in soy paper) and futomaki (futo Philadelphia, futo sake grill, delicious futo unagi with eel and avocado, or futo with duck meat, gourd and cucumber). Sushi à la California are also highly recommended. The varieties include: California avocado, gold, unagi, ebi tempu-ra. Gourmets will definitely en-joy nigiri: with tamago - the fa-mous Japanese omlette, salmon sake, ibodai with butter fish, or ebi - with a shrimp. I especially recommend ramen vegan ra-men, as well the one served with salmon or duck meat. But it was a dish called tataki maguro, that truly took my breath away. Made with sliced fresh tuna seasoned with spicy sauce (depending on an individual client's prefer-ences), it was shortly fried and served hot with avocado. The

restaurant’s sashimi is also sec-ond to none and as fresh as it can be, which is crucial when it comes to its distinct taste. For dessert, I recommend gyoza dumplings with apples, lychee fruits or green tea- and coconut-flavoured ice-cream.

The restaurant also offers well-designed sushi sets that will sat-isfy the most demanding seafood enthusiasts. Their catering of-fer will also turn heads. You can choose from lunch sets, served Mon-Fri, from 12:00 to 16:00.

What makes the venue stand out, is their Soho Sushi Rice Bier - rice beer produced in one of the Polish small craft breweries.

VERDICTA sushi bar in the best Califor-nian style, with excellent loca-tion and pleasant design. Sofitel Victoria is a friendly place where you want to go back. Highest quality, reasonable prices, pro-fessional and friendly service. Their big asset is the outdoor patio - a nice spot for a summer lunch or dinner.

Rafał Sobiech

CONTACTSoho Sushiul. Chłodna 34tel.: (22) 114 45 92www.sohosushi.eu

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Tried & Tested

HOLIDAYS IN THE RHYTHM OF NATURE

Italy SOUTH TYROL

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You will experience here neither the hustle and bustle of crowded resorts, nor great hotel

comforts. Instead you will learn how to appreciate the local sen-sitivity and live in harmony with the rhythm of the surrounding nature. All of this in the compa-ny of extraordinary landscapes of the Dolomites and the South Tyrol. Come and join us for a tour of Alpine farms.“Grüß Gott!”, Marianna Ki-erbacher welcomes us in the doorway. Her clean house that exudes a vibe of tranquility, is located on a hill just behind Innichen/San Candido in Alta Pusteria valley, close to the Italian-Austrian border. Marri-anna’s farm is an example of a typical Austrian solid simplicity with a hint of Italian flair.

Marianna and her husband Josef offer their guests a few

suites that meet the stand-ard of a four-star hotel. Each comes with a fully-equipped kitchen, a large balcony, as well as a spacious bathroom. Every morning, Marianna serves her guests ecological and traditional dishes, and offers them a range of home-made jams and other preserves. After the warm wel-come, the landlady takes us to a basement kitchen, where together we make traditional Ladin tutres (or ‘tirtlans” in German), which is fried dough filled with spinach, ricotta and potatoes. Dinner is ready.

ROTER HAHN OR THE SOUTH TYROLEAN RED ROOSTERMarianna’s farm is a member of the Roter Hahn association. The organization, whose name means ‘Red Rooster’ in English, brings together more than 1700

farms in South Tyrol and Alto Adige. But the beginnings were far from simple. Suffice to say, that it wasn’t until the opening of a motorway linking Bolzano with Innsbruck in 1960 (the fa-mous Brenner Pass), when the first tourists came to visit the un-spoiled regions of South Tyrol.

Initially, Italian farms offered very cheap accommodation, be-cause their standards were low. All that changed with the estab-lishing of Roter Hahn and the introduction of strict rules. In short: each affiliated farm must offer no more than five suites or eight rooms (no mass tourism). They should also specialize in handicraft and livestock farm-ing, as well as produce organic food or wine.

“Our farmers specialize in more than a dozen of differ-ent attractions. Some of them provide horseback riding activi-

THE FARMMarianna and Josef KierbacherVierschach, Am Troi 139038 Innichen/ Vierschachhuberhof.bz

HANDICRAFTStefan InnerhoferSpitzler 1139030 Ahrntal/ St. Jakob

LOCAL RESTAURANT AND CHEESE FACTORYElizabeth and MichaelOberhollenzerSteinhaus 439030 Ahrntal/ Steinhausmoserhof-ahrntal.com

ROTER HAHNroterhahn.pl

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ties, while others offer wellness treatment, home-made cheese tasting or wine tasting. Every farm is subject to a rigorous evaluation and similarly to ho-tels, we have our own rating that ranges from 1 to 5 flowers,” explains Sandra Knoflach, the marketing manager at Roter Hahn. Note that marketing ac-tivities pursued by ‘Red Roost-er” are very effective. Back in 1999 South Tyrolean farms were visited by 100,000 guests, in 2016 that number grew to 400,000.

UNIQUE CHEESE AND YOGHURTThe local cuisine is undoubt-edly is the biggest advantage of the South Tyrolean farms. It is based on healthy ecologi-cal dairy products from natu-rally-grazing goats and sheep. Take, for example, Moserhof - a farm and inn located in the Ah-rntal Valley. Its owners, Eliza-beth and Michael Oberhollen-zer, produce their own chesses, obtained from a large flock of their own sheep and goats. The product range varies from goat brie, fresh sheep quark, hard ripening cheese, and a real local delicacy - a strongly fla-voured, acid-curd cheese called Graukäse.

“We love nature and treat it with respect,” says Michael. He takes us on a tour of his farm and we see him talking to his animals. Then, in the inn,

Each affiliated farm must specialize in

handicraft and livestock farming,

as well as produce organic food or wine.

he serves us risotto with goat cheese and the South Tyrolean braised fish.

We still need to visist the lo-cal carpenter and sculptor Ste-fan Innerhofer who has been running a craftsman workshop in St. Jakob. In his teenage years, Stefan attended the well-known Woodcarving School in St. Jakob and now has his own business.

“I've always been fond of woodcarving,” he says, showing us his work - wooden vases and

cups. He obtains wood from his own forest - it's one of the con-ditions to become a member of Roter Hahn: all raw materials must come from the farmer's property. They can be supple-mented with other raw materi-als, but only if they are obtained in South Tyrol.

VERDICTAlthough for most of us South Tyrol is strictly a winter-sport destination, it’s worth noting that the region is also a perfect place for a spring-autumn holi-day. Above all, however, it's a dream place for cyclists who can try themselves on the routes of the renowned Giro d’Italia bi-cycle race that rans through the passes of the Dolomites. Both easy and demanding

sections of mountain bike trails provide holidaymakers with a number of opportunities to enjoy the picturesque views of the region, for example on cycling trips on Via Claudia Au-gusta in Vinschgau or along the Drauradweg trail in Pustertal (Alta Pusteria). In spring and summer you must visit Prag-ser Wildsee / Lago di Braies lake, situated on an impressive altitude of almost 1500 meters above sea level.

In spring and autumn you can also go skiing on two South Tyrolean glaciers in Sulda (Sulden) and Maso Corto (Val Senales).

Filip Gawryś

In the past, Italian farms provided

cheap, low-quality accommodation.

All that changed with the establishing of

Roter Hahn and the introduction of strict

rules.

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Tried & Tested

SAMSUNG AND A DOTSamsung TECHNOLOGY

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With QLED TVs, Samsung has once again managed to

leave competition behind. With the combination of ex-cellent image quality, the rich functionality of smart TV and beautiful design, you can enjoy an entirely new visual experi-ence. You can now watch your favourite films in full colour palette with varied bright-

ness levels thanks to the latest Quantum Dot technology. For example, a leaf, depending on the brightness of the light, can be perceived as having various colours, from yellowish green to turquoise. This kind of col-our detail is difficult to repro-duce in traditional two-dimen-sional colour measurement models. In addition, with the new Quantum Dot technology, Samsung Q9, Q8 and Q7 QLED

TVs display dark blacks, as well as a large number of details, re-gardless of lighting of a scene or the brightness in the room.

All TVs from the range (Q9, Q8 and Q7) boast unprec-edented brightness and im-age quality, stunning design, speed of operation, rich smart TV functionality, as well as one integrated remote control for both TVs and other connected devices.

All TVs from the range (Q9, Q8 and Q7) boast unprecedented brightness and image

quality, stunning design, speed of

operation, rich smart TV functionality,

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B u s i n e s s t r a v e l l e r | R e p o r t

BUSINESS CLASS: CREATING THE PERFECT SEAT

From double beds to private suites, Tom Otley reports on the new business class seats taking to the skies.

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What all these forms of seat-ing are trying to achieve is a fully-flat bed in the small-est amount of space. The

fully-flat bed is deemed essential by corpo-rate travellers able to afford business class. They want to maximise their productivity by sleeping on night flights so they can hit the ground running at their destination. For those travellers lucky enough to fly business class on long-haul routes, it’s a fascinating game to compare and contrast the range of seats on offer. There are forward-facing seats that recline fully flat. There is the for-ward/backward-facing “yin-yang” configu-ration of British Airways. Then there are the various forms of “herringbone” – which takes its name from the appearance of the seating when viewed on a plan from above. Virgin Atlantic still has this, and other car-riers have adopted versions of it.

AGONY OF CHOICEThere has arguably never been such a wide choice as there is today, but the airlines rec-ognise that the “real estate” on an aircraft is extremely expensive, and the more room each seat – and passenger – occupies, the more they will have to charge for the ticket. And everyone shops on price to some extent.Of course, there are other factors involved, but in terms of the seating, airlines want to offer a fully-flat product with direct aisle access, so you don’t have to climb over the aisle passenger next to you when they are re-clined. They also want to strip out as much weight as possible from the design, since every extra kilogram adds to the fuel bill of flying these aircraft around the world.

Not every airline follows this – Emirates, for example, has introduced a new business class seat in a 2-3-2 configuration, meaning

the person in the middle has to climb over an aisle seat. Still, by and large, most carri-ers are looking to seat designers to come up with something that is lightweight, fully-flat and with direct aisle access.

Installing a new cabin is an expensive exercise, not only because airlines have to ground the aircraft to fit the new product, but also because the number of seats is usu-ally reduced as a result. Air France, for in-stance, has seen the number of seats it can fit between the first two exits on a B777 re-duced from 35 (in a 2-3-2 configuration) to 28 in its new 1-2-1 layout. It’s good for trav-ellers in terms of comfort, but the airline will invariably try to pass on the extra cost and charge more per seat, since it has seven fewer business tickets to sell.

CROSS-FLEET CONSISTENCYUK design studio Acumen Design Associ-ates is responsible for United’s new Pola-ris seat, currently being flown on its B777-300ER but destined to be rolled out across most of the airline’s wide-body fleet – with some 5,000 of the seats being fitted. The project also involved design consultancy Priestmangoode and United’s own in-house team, along with Zodiac Aerospace, the manufacturers of the seat (in this case, from its UK factory in Cwmbran in Wales).

The term Polaris applies not only to the seat but a whole new class of service on board United (you can read a review of it online at businesstraveller.com). The new seat had to be flexible enough to work on aircraft of varying widths, yet also offer a consistent passenger experience. This high-lights another truth of the business class world – while aircraft differ both in terms of width and interior design, an airline wants to achieve uniformity across its fleet, both

in terms of the advantages to be gained dur-ing procurement and servicing, but also be-cause passengers prefer to know what they are getting when they step on board.

In the case of United, this was particu-larly acute, since the market is currently segmented between high-density business class and “super-business” class – no one is kidding themselves that there is one seat that can satisfy the entire business class arena.

Qatar Airways’ new QSuite, which was unveiled in March and is due to make its de-but between London and Doha next month, is definitely super-business class – in fact, seeing it unveiled at the ITB trade show in Berlin, it could easily rival some airlines’ first class offerings, providing sliding pri-vacy doors and what the carrier says is the first-ever double bed in business class.

Speaking to Business Traveller at the fair, Qatar Airways’ chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said that the airline was “never satisfied in what it offers passengers” and “always wants to be better and [to] improve so that passengers always feel we are above competitors”. He even said that the QSuite would be enhanced in another five years. “We will always get ideas of how to give more space, more comfort, more interaction between groups who want to travel together, but also so they can feel they are in their own territory,” he said.

Yet when asked whether the seating was sustainable across a large wide-bodied fleet, Al Baker’s answer showed how focused the airline was on efficiency. “We try to make sure that we don’t lose numbers,” he said. “So, to give you an example, this seat that we are introducing on the A350 and B777 will still accommodate the same number of passengers. The existing [layout can seat] 42

In terms of the seating, airlines want to offer a fully-flat product with direct aisle access, so you don’t have to climb over the aisle passenger next to you when they are reclined.

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Airlines also want to strip out as much weight as possible from the design, since every extra kilogram adds to the fuel bill of flying these aircraft around the world.

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passengers, and in the same space we will put 42 passengers with this product, so we are not losing on revenue. And we will not raise the ticket price to pay for it.”Delta Air Lines has also announced a new super-business class suite with doors for its A350 aircraft. Billed as the “world’s first all-suite business class” product, and conceived by Factory Design of London, each new Del-ta One seat has a sliding door. Fellow US air-line Jet Blue is the only other carrier to offer sliding doors, in its Mint business class, but this feature is only available in select seats.Delta’s A350 cabin will feature 32 seats split across eight rows, configured 1-2-1. The car-rier will primarily use the aircraft on flights between the US and Asia, although the intention is to retrofit the new product pro-gressively to its B777 fleet.

A DELICATE BALANCEFor other carriers, the aim is to improve their products while not pricing themselves out of the market. Ian Dryburgh, chief ex-ecutive of Acumen, says: “A lot of airlines are struggling to make any money at all, and it’s vanity for them to be flying around some of the seats they are doing. What they need are seats that give them a chance of differen-tiating themselves but at the same time have a fighting chance of making some money.”Acumen aims to have its Optima seating – the basis for United’s Polaris seat – adopted

by more than a dozen airlines in the com-ing years. To that end, it has teamed up with Zodiac Aerospace to market it both directly to airlines looking to improve their seating, but also to Boeing and Airbus so that it will be offered as a catalogue option to those buying new aircraft.

“We want to sell it en masse,” Dryburgh says. The Optima’s design is therefore mod-ular, allowing it to be adapted according to what airlines might want without adding too much extra cost, or requiring new cer-tification.

Lastly, business class can’t be consid-ered in isolation. The improvements in this cabin, and the extra seats added to econo-my class as airlines take advantage of new slimline seating to accommodate more pas-sengers at the back of the plane, have led to the widespread introduction of a premium economy option. For travellers either un-able or unwilling to purchase business class seats (many corporations won’t pay for their travellers to fly business), it’s an attractive option, but for the airline, premium econo-my also runs the risk of cannibalising busi-ness class. They therefore need to be careful not to offer too much in business – and risk pricing out valuable customers – or offer too little and drive people to opt for premium economy instead.

Whichever cabin you choose to fly in, seat technology holds out the promise for a more

comfortable journey. While business class is seeing the biggest improvements taking place, the airlines are also hoping that our sky-high expectations will continue to be accompanied by a willingness to pay a pre-mium for the experience. Better have that glass of champagne after all.

NEW ASIAN SEATS● Hainan AirlinesThe Chinese carrier introduced its B787-9 Dreamliner aircraft featuring new fully-flat Super Diamond business class seats in June last year.

The Dreamliner features free wifi and Pa-nasonic’s eX3 entertainment system.

Business class passengers receive Bul-gari amenity kits and Bose noise-cancelling headphones.

The Super Diamond seat pitch on the B787-9 is 73-80 inches, while the IFE touch-screen is 16 inches.● Hong Kong AirlinesThe carrier will be launching a new B/E Aerospace Super Diamond business class seat on its A350-900 aircraft, the first of which is due to be delivered in August.The seat will recline fully flat, offer direct aisle access and feature three storage com-partments.

It is “generous” in width while the “seat orientation paired with unique shell shape provides aisle privacy”, the airline says.

Installing a new cabin is an expensive exercise, not only because airlines have to ground the aircraft to fit the new product, but also because the number of seats is usually reduced as a result.


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B u s i n e s s t r a v e l l e r | A i r T r a v e l

LUFTHANSA GROUP NEW DESTINATIONS

Austrian Airlines has added a new long-haul destination in North America to its

flight schedule in the summer of 2017. Starting on April 10, 2017, a Boeing 777 takes off for Vienna bound for Los Angeles, the largest city in California, up to six times each week.

CONNECTIONS TO THE AIRPORT“After Chicago, Newark and Miami, L.A. is now the fourth new flight destination and the so far biggest leap into the USA”, says Austrian Airlines Chief Commercial Officer An-dreas Otto.

In an initial step, the Vienna-Los Angeles route will be served seasonally in the summer 2017 flight schedule. The metropolis of Los Angeles with its millions of inhabitants is not only in-teresting for point-to-point but especially for transfer traffic. About two-thirds of the passen-gers will transfer flights at the Vienna flight hub.

In its summer 2017 flight schedule, Austrian Airlines will offer a total of up to 44 weekly non-stop flights to North America. This will en-compass up to five times per week to Miami, a maximum of six weekly flights each to Los Angeles and Toronto, and up to

one flight each day to Washing-ton and Chicago.

Austrian Airlines will con-tinue to offer thirteen weekly flights to New York. However, flight times to New York JFK will be adjusted as of March 27, 2017. Of the six weekly flights to New York, four of the depar-tures will be shifted from the morning to the afternoon.

Thanks to the new flight times, customers will have the advantage of being able to choose between a morning flight to Newark and an after-noon flight to New York JFK, and thus the opportunity to travel to New York at different times of day. FO

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FROM FRANKFURT TO SAN JOSÉLufthansa offers a new non-stop service between Frankfurt and San Jose, California (USA). The five-times-weekly service is op-erated using Airbus A340-300 aircraft.

The new westbound LH 488 service operates on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, departing from Lufthansa’s Frankfurt hub in the morning and arriving in San Jose in the early afternoon after a 12-hour flight. The cor-responding eastbound LH 489 service operates as a night

flight, leaving San Jose in the af-ternoon and arriving in Frank-furt the following morning. The schedules have been designed to provide the best possible con-nections with other Lufthansa services from and to Germany, Europe, Asia and Africa at the Frankfurt hub.

The San Jose metropolitan re-gion has a population of around 3.3 million and lies in the heart of Silicon Valley, the major site of high-tech start-ups and cor-porations. Alongside many of the most famous names in the internet world, the area is also home to several leading compa-

nies in the biotech, pharmaceu-ticals and medical sectors. And a number of major car manufac-turers have their research labs there, too.

San Jose is also an attractive tourist destination, serving as an ideal starting point to explore Northern California. Big Sur, Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe and other key attractions are all close by, making San Jose a genuine travel alternative to San Francisco, which is just 70 kilometres away.

And a round-trip ticket is available for as little as PLN2124. lh.com

Flights to LAFrankfurt – Los Angeles Los Angeles – Frankfurt

LH 456 daily 10: 5-12:55 LH 457 daily 15:25-11:20 (next day)

LH 450 daily 14:05-16:40 LH 451 daily 19:15-15:00 (next day)

Munich – Los Angeles Los Angeles – Munich

LH 452 daily 12:00-15:15 LH 453 daily 17:05-13:30 (next day)

Zürich – Los Angeles Los Angeles – Zürich

LX 040 daily 13:15-16:20 LX 041 daily 19:40-15:40 (next day)

Flights from ViennaVienna – New York JFK: New York JFK – Vienna:

OS 087 Tuesdays, Thursday 10:45-14:15 OS 088 Tuesdays, Thursdays 17:40-8:20 (next day)

OS 085 Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays 17:10-20:20 OS 086 Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays 22:05-12:20 (next day)

Vienna – Los Angeles* Los Angeles – Vienna

OS 081 everyday except Sundays 10:00-13:30 OS 082 everyday except Sundays 15:05-12:00 (next day)

* The route to LA is operated by Boeing 777. The duration of the journey from Vienna to Los Angeles at a distance of more than 9,877 kilometres is about 12 hours 30 minutes. Tickets on this route are available starting at PLN2019 for round-trip flights, including taxes and fees (the price is valid until 31 May 2017).austrian.com

A i r T r a v e l | B u s i n e s s t r a v e l l e r

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B u s i n e s s t r a v e l l e r | H o t e l s

MERCURE FASHION MORE THAN A TREND

The series of events named Mercure Fashion, which was launched last year by

the renowned hotel brand, is extremely popular with guests, business partners and local communities. The concept cov-ers a series of events and activi-ties with fashion as the leading theme. By associating Mercure with fashion, it was possible to strengthen the brand awareness and perception, in line with the general principle: “In harmony with people and places”.Mercure Fashion comprises a number of various events and activities held in a number of hotels. As part of the concept, Mercure properties host numer-ous fashion shows, meetings with experts presenting the lat-

est trends in men’s and women’s clothing, as well as design pres-entations by fashion bloggers.

MERCURE FASHIONNIGHT BY… The series was inaugurated with “Mercure Fashion Night by...”, unique fashion shows organized in collaboration with talented de-signers. The shows have already been held in four hotels in Kra-kow, Gdańsk and Warsaw, while the next ones are scheduled in Gdynia and Wrocław. In June, Mercure Budapest City Center will host Mercure Fashion Night by Lakatos Márk.

MERCURE FASHIONGENTLEMEN’S EVENINGThe presentation of trends and designs for men is one of the

activities aimed at male fash-ion lovers. The first meeting of this kind was held in May in Warsaw. Krzysztof Łoszewski, a renowned expert and author of books on men’s fashion, presented several suggestions of stylish sets of clothing for spring and summer. The meet-ing was accompanied by a pres-entation of various designs, as well as chats by a glass of wine served by Winestone restaurant. An added attraction was the presence of the event’s partner - a distributor of luxury Swiss watches for men, as well as at-tractive souvenirs for guests.

MERCURE FASHIONBOUTIQUE SHOWMercure Fashion is also a great opportunity to shop for fash- FO

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“Mercure Fashion Night by...”

are unique fashion shows organized in collaboration with talented designers.

Mercure Fashion Night by Anna Drabczyńska (Mercure Warszawa Grand)

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H o t e l s | B u s i n e s s t r a v e l l e r

ionable clothes, as well as con-sult your fashion choices with an expert in an on-site bou-tique, as part of Mercure Fash-ion Boutique Show. The hotels will invite designers, stylists and manufacturers collaborat-ing with selected fashion show-rooms. The events will also be attended by popular fashion bloggers and owner of small clothing stores. The first such shopping opportunity was pro-vided by Mercure Warszawa Grand in May.

MERCURE FASHIONLADIES NIGHTMercure is always trying to keep track of the latest trends in the fashion world and be abreast of all novelties. One of them is the increasingly popular swap par-ty. The rules of such meetings are simple and Mercure Fashion Ladies Night will be fully based on those principles. Participants bring the things they don’t use any more and exchange them with others. These may include clothes, shoes, bags and even jewellery. The items should be in good condition, stylish and appealing. All the meetings will be held in Winestone restau-rants, serving good wine, tasty snacks and delicious desserts.Mercure and fashion

Mercure is a unique and diverse brand, because each Mercure hotel is different. The brand is known for the highest quality, attention to detail and drawing inspirations from local cultural heritage. Collaborating with the fashion industry, Mercure ex-presses the spirit of the brand, which includes passion, atten-tion to detail and the ability to display the best qualities. Fash-ion is an extraordinary combi-nation of the beauty of fabric, location, detail and movement. It’s the intricacy of design com-bined with a sort of an architec-tural form. It’s undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and per-sonal forms of art.

“With the philosophy un-derlying the Mercure Fash-ion concept, we want to give our guests additional, unique sensations. By creating a vari-ety of activities and engaging in fashion, we would like our guests to bring back home the unforgettable memories,” says Joanna Świerkosz, the Director of Marketing at Orbis S.A. “All hotels of our brand guarantee high quality services and at-tract guests with unique décor inspired by the city or town they are situated in. But we don't stop here. In addition to a com-fortable stay, our guests have

an opportunity to experience unique sensations, which they can’t experience anywhere else. Based on these assumptions, we will build the image of Mercure hotels as trendy and locally in-spired properties,” she he adds.

MERCUREMercure is a brand of hotels owned by AccorHotels, the world's largest hotel operator. Mercure operates 740 hotels in 56 countries worldwide. Each hotel has its own style and per-sonality. The décor and details of the rooms are inspired by local culture. Combining the classic style with the hint of con-temporary design and attention to historical heritage, Mercure hotels guarantee a pleasant stay for even the most discerning guests. Located in city centres, by the sea or in the mountains, Mercure properties offer both business and leisure travellers an experience of genuine hos-pitality. They are an attractive alternative to other hotel chains and independent hotels, com-bining the added benefits of a strong international hotel chain, high quality of service, as well as availability through digital booking platforms.

For more information go to mercure.com

Mercure is always trying

to keep track of the latest trends

in the fashion world and be abreast of all novelties.

Mercure Fashion Night by Dorota Goldpoint (Mercure Gdańsk Stare Miasto)

Mercure Fashion Night by Dorota Goldpoint (Mercure Gdańsk Stare Miasto)

Mercure Fashion Gentlemen’s Evening (Mercure Warszawa Centrum)

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B u s i n e s s t r a v e l l e r | H o t e l s

MEETINGS IN STYLE

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With its excellent location, Krakow has always been a prominent

European trading city. Rich in fascinating monuments, the city has also been listed as UN-ESCO World Heritage Site, while its wealthy creative history has made it a capital of culture. For centuries Krakow has also been a thriving university centre. Not surprisingly, the city has become an important global player on the corporate and business world map, ranking 9th in the “Tho-lons Top 100 Outsourcing Des-tinations 2016”, just behind the East Asian giants. Add to this a wide range of convenient air and land connections. All these fac-tors have made Krakow a desired destination for leisure tourism as well as business meetings, conferences and events.

One of the highlights of the rich MICE offer of the city is Sheraton Grand Krakow with its unique location in the very heart of Krakow, at the foot of the Wawel Castle. The hotel boasts extensive conference facilities, state-of-the-art AV equipment, refined and varied menus, and, most importantly, professional, attentive service. It is the first and only Sheraton in Poland and one of just few in Europe, which has received the honourable “Grand” title.

MEETING WITH A VIEWA successful business meeting does not have to take place in the four walls of an office or a conference room. It is far more inspiring to hold a late break-fast, lunch, dinner or a private event for key customers on the hotel's Roof Top Terrace, which

offers panoramic views of the Wawel Hill, the Vistula, and in good weather even the Beskidy and Tatra mountains.

The terrace is located on the 5th floor of Sheraton Grand Krakow, and is accessible to everyone. Simply take a lift to reach the modern, spacious glass-walled interior, where raw concrete walls are the backdrop for simple white furniture, glass tables and unobtrusive plant decoration. Guests can use the outdoor roofless area, as well as the seats located under the roof, which upon request can be par-tially or fully open.

The space can be freely ar-ranged and adapted to indi-vidual needs. The same applies to the menu, which the chef tailors to a specific event. This could be a simple breakfast, a light lunch, a snack buffet or a

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sumptuous dinner. All this is complemented by an excellent selection of wines and specially made cocktails.

CREATIVE BUSINESS LUNCHThe spacious atrium houses The Olive restaurant. The chef makes sure your meals add energy, cre-ating a balanced, healthy and, above all, a very tasty menu, where traditional Polish flavours are perfectly combined with the influences from the interna-tional cuisine. Every day from 12:00 to 16:00 , you can enjoy here a two-course lunch menu (PLN49), since we all know that business negotiations while din-ing are the most successful.

GRAND-STYLE CONFERENCESIn addition to the renovated rooms with beautiful views, the Roof Top Terrace and the impressive business lunch of-fering, Sheraton Grand Krakow

also boasts more than 500 sqm of freely configurable confer-ence space, as well as a flexible offer that matches your needs. Sheraton offers access to state-of-the-art tools, in order to fa-cilitate conferences and booking accommodation. With the SPG® Pro programme you can collect Starpoints® to later redeem them for free nights and other benefits that may further facili-tate your business trip.

The conference centre con-sists of eight rooms that can ac-commodate from 12 to 300 peo-ple. Two rooms are designed for smaller meetings and feature a round table, while the other ones allow for any configuration. The largest ballroom is available for up to 300 guests. Each room is suitable for multimedia presen-tations and is equipped with ap-propriate AV equipment. Most of the rooms provide access to natural daylight, with blackout

facilities. The ballroom features a ramp and a wide door, which makes it suitable for car launch-es. All the rooms have access to a spacious pre-function area. In addition, the hotel features an extensive atrium, which is suit-able for larger ceremonies.

Conference packages include creative coffee breaks, lunches and dinners. Sheraton Grand Krakow can also arrange for outside catering services if the customer needs a unique set-ting for their event elsewhere.

All this is managed by a team of professionals who organize and coordinate meetings, as well as take care of the unique culinary setting. With their deep commitment, experience, flexibility, as well as extensive technical support, the confer-ence offering of Sheraton Grand Krakow is expanding every year, ensuring that every meeting is a true success.

A successful business meeting

does not have to take place in the four walls of an office or a con-

ference room. It is far more

inspiring to hold it on the hotel's Roof Top

Terrace, which offers panoramic

views of the Wawel Hill, the Vistula,

and in good weather even the Beskidy

and Tatra mountains.

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B u s i n e s s t r a v e l l e r | D e s t i n a t i o n s

SUMMER IN PARISThere is no reason, whatsoever, why you shouldn’t visit Paris

this summer, says Marzena Mróz. The election of Emmanuel Macron as the new president of France has evoked in Europe a new wave of optimism, and the choice of cultural events to be held in Paris from

June to August this year, is second to none.


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CULTURAL PARISFrom 2 June, at the Musee d'Art Moderne you will be able to enjoy the exhibition of works by Derain, Balthus, and Giacometti (www.mam.paris.fr ). The Paris Jazz Fes-tival kicks off on 11 June in Le Parc Floral de Paris and will last until the end of the month (parisjazzfestival.fr). At the Musée d’Orsay, there is a real feast for the fans of impressionism - the exhibition of portaits by Cezanne (musee-orsay.fr). Aviation afi-cionado (I’m one of them), shouldn’t miss on the annual International Paris Air Show held from 19-25 June in Paris Le Bourget (siae.fr ). Also in the first month of the sum-mer at Centre Pompidou you will be able to admire David Hockney's paintings - a real bonus for those who didn’t see the London show (www.centrepompidou.fr). All shopa-holics should put in their diaries the date of 28 June, which marks the beginning of big sales in Paris’ shops.In early July you will have a chance to sun-bathe on the sandy beaches of the Seine (quefaire.paris.fr/parisplages), see Chris-tian Dior's exhibition at Misee des Arts Dec-oratifs (lesartsdecoratifs.fr), watch a num-ber of good films screened as part of Open Air Cinema Festival (12 July - 20 August), enjoy firework show over the Eiffel Tower during the Bastille Day on 14 July, cheer cy-clists at the finish of the Tour de France on 23 July (letour.fr), as well as listen to power-ful sounds at Rock en Seine Festival from 25-27 August (rockenseine.com).

ARTISTIC PARISTo truly feel the artistic spirit of this won-derful city, you must take a stroll through Saint-Germain-des-Prés, explore the Mont-parnasse district and the gardens of the Lux-embourg Palace, as well as visit the Musee d’Orsay. That renowned museum housed in the building of a disused railway station, is especially adored by the lovers of impres-sionism. The works displayed there include a series of paintings by Monet entitled “Rouen Cathedral”, “Moulin de la Galette” by Re-noire, and a number of works by other promi-nent artists, such as van Gogh, Cezanne or Seurat. Give yourself at least half a day here, as there is plenty to see. It was at the Saint-Germain-des-Pres that the ideas of existen-tialism flourished to the sound of the Ameri-can jazz, and the tables of the nearby cafés were occupied by the likes of Jean-Paul Sar-tre, Simone de Beauvoir, Juliette Greco and the New Wave filmmakers. Pop in to café de Flore, Les Deux Magots, Brasserie Lipp or the famous Chez Papa jazz club to get a hint of those times. Luxembourg Palace is the city’s tranquil haven with its unique gardens that years ago belonged to the Prince of Provence. Today, you can unwind here after a busy day of sightseeing, admiring the garden’s sculptures and fountains. The area of Mont-parnasse was once home to Hemingway, Gi-acometti, Modigliani, Matisse, Picasso and Cocteau. It’s definitely worth spending some time here and walk around its alleys, looking for the traces of the famous artists.

TRENDY PARISThe glitziest spots in Paris are now argu-ably the district of Marais, Hotel de Ville and the famous Les Halles. Oh, to live in Marais! The district is currently the most hyped area in the capital, and its hotels and apartments are swamped regardless of the time of the year. Abandoned by its royal in-habitants following the revolution of 1789, Marais fell into disrepair. It had to wait for its rebirth until 1960s and now it's experi-encing a true renaissance. Hotel de Ville, the seat of the City Council, is situated in a 19th-century building, reconstructed after the original 17th-century Town Hall was burnt to the ground in the days of the Paris Commune. Visiting the area, don’t forget to do your shopping in the renowned Les Halles, as well as pop in to Centre Pompi-dou to see its latest exhibition. You can’t miss out on seeing the impressive collec-tions at the Picasso Museum, as well as the exhibition on the history of Paris since Ro-man times, which is held in Carnavalet Mu-seum. It’s also trendy to go on a shopping spree in Galeries Lafayette (40 Haussman Boulevard; galerieslafayette.com). It’s here where you can find all the most prominent fashion brands housed under one roof, or rather, under a historic, stylish dome. You can spend here almost a whole day, start-ing with breakfast in Angelina and lunch in Le Premier, while in summer you can dine in the exquisite La Terrasse on the 8th floor. No wonder that each day this huge

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Luxembourg Palace is the city’s tranquil haven with its unique gardens that years ago belonged to the Prince of Provence. Today, you can unwind here after a busy day of sightseeing,

admiring the garden’s sculptures and fountains.

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department store is visited by more than 100,000 people.

SIGHTS OF PARISThe Eiffel Tower, the Trocadero, the Place de la Concorde, the Champs Elysées, the Louvre - these are all the ‘must-see’ sights of Paris. The Champs Elysées with its chic high-end shops that you can reach from Place de la Concorde, is a compulsory stop in the itinerary of every tourist. It will also take you to the most recognizable landmark of Paris. Standing at the height of 319 me-tres, the renowned Eiffel Tower was erected in 1889 for the World Expo that was held in Paris. From here it’s only a stone’s throw to the Trocadero Gardens stretching over 10 hectares of land and offering a fantastic view of the city. For the Louvre Museum you should reserve at least one whole day, because in addition to the famous Mona Lisa, the place houses numerous other mas-terpieces that you can’t miss out.

PARISIAN GLAMOURThose who are keen to see the truly royal, dazzling and delicious Paris, I recommend the following route: the Palais-Royal (the Royal Palace), Église de la Madeleine (the churcho of St. Madeleine), the Paris Op-era and the Great Boulevards. Built in 1624 in the very centre of the city, just 150 me-tres from the Louvre, Palais-Royal is the seat of the French State Council (Conseil d'État), the Constitutional Council and the Ministry of Culture, as well as the French National Theatre. Apart from the build-ing's sheer beauty, it’s also worth visiting this place to see the avant-garde and highly controversial Buren’s Columns - and art installation created in 1986. The neoclassi-cal church of St. Madeleine is located at the square of the same name. Built by Napoleon Bonaparte as a temple glorifying the power of the French army, this impressive struc-ture emerging suddenly from behind other buildings, like Pantheon in Rome. Take a moment to unwind in one of the cafés sur-rounding the square, and to feast your eyes with the charming elegance of the build-ing. The Opera Garnier, which resembles a unique box of exquisite chocolates, stages numerous ballet shows. This Baroque-style building combines perfect symmetry and an extraordinary wealth of ornaments. It was first opened in 1874, and following a thorough renovation in 2006, it can now ac-commodate up to 2,200 spectators. The area around the Opera Garnier is also one of the best locations in Paris. It’s also a perfect base for your city explorations, so it’s a good idea to book a hotel there.

The glitziest spots in Paris are now arguably the district of Marais, Hotel de Ville and the famous Les Halles.

Those who are keen to see the truly royal, dazzling and delicious Paris, I recommend the following route: the Palais-Royal (the Royal Palace), Église de la Madeleine

(the church of St. Madeleine), the Paris Opera and the Great Boulevards.


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FAMILY HOLIDAYS: CHILD’S PLAY

NAMIBIAThis self-drive safari is tailored to families with children. Wisely, the itinerary incorpo-rates plenty of swimming pools – starting with a guesthouse with a pool in Windhoek,

then a drive via the Naukluft Mountains to Sossusvlei. Highlights include a coastal walk to Swakopmund, kayaking with seals (or boat trips to view the seals, as well as dolphins), and trips into the sand dunes to

catch lizards and geckos. Older children can try dune boarding or quad-biking; younger ones can head to the aquarium or beach. The final stop is Etosha and a fenced rest camp in the heart of the park.

Tom Otley rounds up luxury family-friendly holiday options, from kayaking with seals to jeep safaris and Aztec temple tours.


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Audley Travel’s Namibia self-drive fam-ily safari costs from £1,875 per person for 15 nights, based on a family of two adults and two children under the age of 16 trav-elling in May or November. Flights not in-cluded. audleytravel.com

THAILANDOn the famed island where The Beach was filmed, the Phi Phi Island Village Resort has an eco angle mixed with activities. Kids can learn about sustainability while taking part in a “Young Survivor” course that teaches fishing, shelter building and water collec-tion techniques, as well as how to light a campfire. Alternatively, families can ex-

plore the mangroves by kayak and learn about the life they support on the island from an expert guide.

Other attractions include a craft work-shop, where children can help tend the resort’s coral reef nursery, and junior cook-ing classes teaching families to prepare nu-tritious Thai food.

If that all sounds a little worthy, there is the Phi Phi Island Village mini triath-lon and seaside boot camp. Set on the re-sort’s 800-metre beachfront strip, each contest features a variety of activities such as swimming, running, aerobics and Muay Thai boxing. Rooms from £370 per night in August based on a family of four sharing a

two-bedroom bungalow with breakfast and a welcome drink on arrival. phiphiislandvillage.com

ICELANDA year-round destination, Iceland is only a three-hour flight from the UK and offers plenty of outdoor family activites. Reykja-vik is an ideal base from which to explore both the city sights and the country’s natu-ral wonders, including Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir hot springs and Thingvellir National Park. With the Reykjavik and Golden Circle Family Adventure tour, stay at the Hotel Rey-kjavik Natura, which features stylish Scan-dinavian décor and a restaurant serving

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Icelandic specialities. Cox and Kings’ five-day, four-night tour costs from £695 per person and includes flights, accommoda-tion, a Golden Circle coach tour, entrance to the Fontana Geothermal Baths and a 24-hour Reykjavik card, providing free access to museums and city buses. coxandkings.co.uk

MEXICOWith a variety of direct flights to choose from, Mexico offers plenty of culture and history for all the family, with the rich lega-cies of the Mayan and Spanish empires to draw on. The tour includes Mexico City, pre-Colombian sites in the jungle, pyramids and the temples of Uxmal, as well as the superb Ball Court, where competitions were held and the losers beheaded.

The tour finishes on the beaches of the Mayan Riviera at the Rosewood Mayakoba, which organises yoga classes, scavenger hunts and Spanish lessons for children. Ad-ditional options include visits to the Mayan village of Tixkokob and colonial city of Iza-mal, horse riding on the beach, snorkelling with turtles, zip-lining through the jungle and a meal with a Mayan family.

abercrombie and Kent packages from £2,889 per person, based on a family of four. Includes three nights in Merida, a night at Chichen Itza and three nights on the Rivi-era Maya; flights not included. abercrombiekent.co.uk

INDIAThis 11-night open-jaw trip (into Delhi, out of Mumbai) starts with five-star accommo-dation at the Oberoi Delhi (Gurgaon) and a cycle rickshaw ride through Old Delhi. It continues with a train ride to Agra with private guide (staying at the Oberoi Amarvi-las) and the Taj Mahal, then a jeep safari in Ranthambhore National Park (staying in an Oberoi Vanyavilas luxury tent). Five nights at the Alila Diwa hotel in Goa are also in-cluded – it has three restaurants, a pool bar and lounge plus the Spa Alila, offering Ayurvedic healing treatments.

An 11-night tour for a family of four with two children under 12 costs £9,800 with Greaves India. Includes domestic flights between Jaipur and Goa and a return from Goa to Mumbai. greavesindia.co.uk

OMANFor a beach break in Oman, try the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa. It compris-es three interlinked hotels, of which the Al Waha is child-friendly, with family rooms with DVD players and Playstations, and a kids’ club. The Surf Café, aimed at teenag-ers, has internet-enabled computers and a menu of healthy fast food. The Splashpad water play area is open daily from 9am to 6pm, offering aquatic activities in a shaded area for the whole family. Babysitting ser-vices are available upon request.British Air-ways Holidays is offering seven nights at the

Shangri-La Al Waha from £499 per person in August, based on a family of two adults and two children sharing a one-bedroom suite. Flights not included. ba.com/muscat

POLANDBeautifully located on the Kuchenne lake in Prusim, Olandia is a historic manor and park complex, transformed into a tourist destination. Numerous forests and lakes, as well as the hilly terrain of the Land of 100 Lakes, the Sierakowski Landscape Park, and the Notecka Primeval Forest, provide a wide range of natural attractions for the guests staying here. For families with children the complex offers well-equipped rooms situ-ated in the Stone House, the Manor and the Old Granary.

Olandia also boasts an open-air mu-seum with miniature Olender buildings, a 160-year-old Dutch windmill, a minizoo, several playgrounds, a multipurpose pitch, a tennis court, minigolf, a volleyball and beach volleyball courts, a beach and a bon-fire spot. You can also use the hotel’s bikes and water equipment, practise horse riding, while the youngest can try pony rides or go on a carriage tour.

The surrounding area offers a number of designated cycling, hiking or equestrian trails. You can also forage for mushrooms in the forest, going past several wild nature reserves and viewing points.olandia.pl

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Forests and lakes, as well as the hilly terrain of the Land of 100 Lakes, the Sierakowski Landscape Park, and the Notecka Primeval Forest, provide a wide range

of natural attractions for the guests staying in Olandia.

Situated on a charming lake in the beautiful region of Wielkopolska, Olan-dia is a historic manor and park complex, transformed into an extraordinary themed tourist destination.

Numerous forests and lakes, as well as the hilly terrain of the Land of 100 Lakes, the Sierakowski Landscape Park, and the Notecka Primeval Forest, provide a wide range of natural attractions for the guests staying in Olandia. This unique environment and the desire to preserve it intact, were an inspira-tion for creating in Olandia a local centre of ecology and a healthy lifestyle, with wind and solar power installations, as well as energy obtained from pellets. Oland is the first hotel in Poland offering its guests a solar-powered carport with a charger for electric cars!

The property consists of several buildings located in a picturesque green area, whose design after the renovation harks back to the original architec-ture. The oldest building of the complex is a manor dating back to 1730.

Throughout the whole facility you can feel the atmosphere of the old days, the décor in some of the rooms takes hints from Olęder settlements, while other rooms have a rustic atmosphere. Olandia also offers an excellent

cuisine that consists of traditional dishes based on traditional recipes and locally sourced produce. Try the delicious żur (sour soup) from Wielkopol-ska, served in an onion bread, or smoked meats from the on-site smoking chamber.

Those who want to relax, can enjoy the atmospheric spa, while wine con-noisseurs can visit the manor's wine bar.

Olandia is a green haven with pitches, tennis courts, a beach, stables, a minigolf course, as well as an open-air museum with miniature Olender buildings and a 160-year-old Dutch windmill. The complex has also a wide offer of attractions for children, including playgrounds, ponytail ride or a mini-zoo with goats and donkeys.

Olandia is the ideal spot for a family holiday, a weekend break, or a romantic getaway for two. It is also a perfect escape from everyday life and the hustle and bustle of the city. The unique atmosphere of the place makes it perfect for fairytale weddings, as well as team-building trips and confer-ences.

Olandia is simply a place with something to thrill everyone.

[email protected] 608 467 367 61 29 15 379 www.olandia.plF/HotelOlandia/Prusim 5, 64-420 Kwilcz

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MANDARIN: SPEAK EASY

Nasza brytyjska korespondentka Elizabeth Day przetestowała darmoweaplikacje do nauki języków, aby sprawdzić, czy za ich pomocą można skutecznie

nauczyć się języka chińskiego.

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With a business trip to Shang-hai coming up, Elizabeth Day tests out free language learning apps to see how

easy it is to master Mandarin.For years, the prospect of learning Man-

darin, with its unfamiliar characters and baffling array of pronunciations, has simply been too daunting for most Westerners. We tend to rely on that lazy fail-safe: the ready ability of educated foreigners to speak excel-lent English.

Mandarin Chinese is the world’s fastest-growing language. By 2050, it will be spo-ken by a majority of the global population and is increasingly essential for business travellers. And yet, for most of us, the clos-est we ever get to speaking it is when we or-der a chicken chow mein with a side order of crispy aromatic duck.

It’s also because, until relatively recently, there was a dearth of user-friendly apps for learning it. DuoLingo (duolingo.com), one of the most comprehensive language apps, which offers 68 different courses and has 150 million registered users, still hasn’t de-veloped a Chinese course for English speak-ers because it’s too complicated to achieve this (although a Klingon course is currently in the incubation phase).

Still, with the prospect of a work trip to Shanghai approaching, I was keen to find out whether there were any other ways of learning the rudiments of Mandarin online. My first port of call was Pinyinpal (pinyin-pal.com), which was developed by Chinese-American philanthropist Adeline Mah. Mah and her husband, Bob, are Scrabble obsessives and had been playing the online version, Words With Friends, for years.Piny-inpal uses the same principles: it’s a two-per-son game where the aim is to play words with the highest score. What makes it unique is that it transposes Mandarin characters into the Latin alphabet, so you’re being taught how to pronounce each word as you play.

For beginners like me, there’s a useful “Word Finder” function that automatically shuffles your letter selection into an array of options, each one listed alongside its Man-darin character. Then, when you choose to play the word, you are tested on the Manda-rin character to see if you remember it.

The beauty of Pinyinpal is that it’s enjoy-able: the competitive element means I stay engaged in the game and want to do better and get a higher score using longer words. It’s a great way of being introduced to the subtlety of Chinese. Through this, I learn that, depending on the context, ni can vari-ously mean a Buddhist nun, to daub with plaster or a secondary rainbow.

ber Chinese characters with the help of ani-mations and mnemonics.

It’s cleverly done. When I’m given the symbol for “cow”, the illustration uses the lines of the character to depict the silhou-ette of a cow carrying a neck yoke. That leaves an instant visual reference point and I find it much easier to remember with the associated picture. Similarly, the character for “noodles” is drawn to resemble a bowl of noodles being eaten with chopsticks.

I’m encouraged to review the characters repeatedly so that I commit them to memo-ry. This also helps those who have a stronger visual ability than verbal one to recall them.It’s a great idea, but it’s quite difficult to keep the characters and their pictures at the fore-front of one’s mind. Several times, I invent different pictures and end up confusing my-self. Still, it’s a lot of fun while you’re doing it.

THEMATIC COURSESLess fun but more effective is ChineseSkill (chinese-skill.com), which provides me with a course covering 45 topics and focuses on learning vocabulary and grammar with a basic gaming mechanism. My first “les-son” consists of being shown a series of il-lustrated flashcards for basic words such as “people”, “man” and “woman”. I am given four “pandas” as lifelines. When I answer a question wrong, a panda disappears.

I’m then tested on each word in random order, and am given the opportunity to practise writing them on the touchscreen. It seems deceptively easy at first, but soon I’ve lost all my lifelines and a tearful panda appears on screen. On the second go, I only get one wrong and am rewarded by being told I’ve defeated 92.57 per cent of all other ChineseSkill learners. No tearful pandas. I then move on to grammar and the construc-tion of simple sentences.

Does any of it actually work when I get to Shanghai? Well, yes and no. I’m immediate-ly overwhelmed by the signage and rapid-fire spoken Mandarin. But after a few days, I begin to recognise a few – the sign for “exit”; the character for “man” and “fire”. I can also speak a selection of basic words, including nihao for hello and xiexie for thank you, and I’m even complimented on my pronuncia-tion by a native speaker.

Pinyinpal was the most helpful app and I’m surprised that something that is fun to play can also be so informative. If you were to play the game for half an hour every day for a month, you would garner a fairly exten-sive rudimentary vocabulary. This is what I intend to do. I might never be fluent, but at least, by 2050, I’ll be able to communicate with the global majority.

INTONATION COUNTSOf course, because Chinese is a tonal lan-guage, pronunciation is key. That’s why the audio-play function in Pinyinpal is so cru-cial. When speaking Mandarin, intonation and stress completely change the actual def-inition of words. You might think shuxue means “maths”, but if you place the stress slightly differently, it actually translates as “blood transfusion”, which is not a mistake any traveller wants to make on their first trip to China.Reading is also a complicated business. Lit-eracy in Chinese requires you to recognise at least 3,000 to 4,000 characters of the tens of thousands that exist, so memorisation is vital. That’s where the Memrise (memrise.com) app comes in. It teaches you to remem-

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TRAVEL IN STYLEStuart Husband suggests looks that are both smart and practical for life on the road.

There’s an old Chinese proverb: “He who strikes the best deal will always be wrinkle-free.” Well, ac-tually, there isn’t – we just made

it up – but it’s an aphorism that will strike a chord with any worldly gentleman whose business trip to Shanghai – or San Fran-cisco, or Stockholm – has been blighted by wardrobe malfunctions of the creased, rumpled, or wrong-side-of-the-smart-casu-al-divide kind.

“Lots of friends of mine have impor-tant senior jobs in global companies,” says Mats Klingberg. “And they get quite stressed about the idea of packing for a trip that takes in meetings, fancy dinners and more casual events. How can they put together a series of different looks that en-sures they look fresh and smart enough for each occasion without being too over-burdened?”

PACKING IT UPLuckily, Klingberg is in a great position to help them out. He runs Trunk, a London menswear emporium whose stock is rich in the modern crease-resistant fabrics and formal-informal blurring that can keep men looking sharp from shore to shore. Today, he’s wearing a soft-shouldered navy blazer by Italian brand Boglioli – “It’s cot-ton, with a touch of elastane to allow for stretch; you could fold it into your bag and it would just snap back in place when you took it out.”

He has teamed it with Trunk’s own-brand pale blue Oxford shirt, a navy “ice cotton” crew neck by Japanese brand Zanone, a pair of Trunk beige chinos and brown suede Crockett and Jones chukka boots. “It’s a look that should be smart enough for most occasions, but you can dress it up with a knitted tie or dress it down with a pair of jeans,” he says. “It’s a modern silhouette and it’s quite effortless. Texture and cut play a big part; you don’t necessarily look relaxed if you’re in a very structured Savile Row suit and you just take off your tie. So this is a happy mid-dle ground. And given that dress codes are breaking down, this is the area that men really need to concentrate on.”FO

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TRAVEL SUITOf course, there are some long-haul or short-hop engagements where a reassur-ingly formal look might still be called for, but today’s high-tech fabrics can help to give a little extra bounce to your presenta-tion. Quite literally so, in the case of Paul Smith’s A Suit to Travel In – the designer hired British Olympic gymnast Max Whit-lock to demonstrate its imperviousness to the knottiest flips, whips and cartwheels he could throw at it.

“The yarn comes from the underbelly of a Merino sheep, where the hair is really long,” Smith says. “They twist it so the cloth is woven very tight. This means that when the suit is made, it’s got this lustrous, lively quality.” This season, the Suit to Travel In comes in Smithian shades of turquoise and dark green windowpane check, as well as navy and grey.

Even the stalwarts of Mayfair are loosen-ing up – particularly the more cutting-edge end of that august area, as represented by Thom Sweeney, which is attuned to the

THOM SWEENEY NAVY WEIGHHOUSE SUITNamed after the street in London where the brand’s flag-ship store is located, this suit is as light, soft-shouldered and crease-resistant as formalwear gets.Price: £1,590thomsweeney.co.uk

▼ BOGLIOLI CASHMERE/SILK “SFORZA” JACKETLuxe materials, relaxed appearance; the Italian brand’s versatile beige blazer definitely errs on the “smart” side of smart-casual.Price: £1,480 trunkclothiers.com

OTHER TRAVEL SUITSCharles TyrwhittA variety of pure wool classic and slim-fit options, in a range of hues.Price: £299ctshirts.com

J CrewThe Ludlow Traveller suit comes in light charcoal or dark navy Ital-ian wool. Jacket £450, trousersPrice: £250jcrew.com

Marks and SpencerTailored-fit Savile Row Inspired suit by Richard James in grey Ital-ian wool.Price: £299marksandspencer.com

Richard JamesClassic Hyde-fit Voyager suit in navy, charcoal or Airforce bluehigh-twist wool.Price: £745richardjames.co.uk

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frequent-flyer needs of clients such as David Gandy, Dermot O’Leary and Michael Fass-bender; its Weighhouse suit comes in crease-resistant wool with a softer shoulder, yet re-mains impeccably smart. “We just got back from Italy,” says co-founder Luke Sweeney, “and I took a navy flannel suit, a grey flannel trouser, jeans, two shirts, a knitted tie, and a roll-neck, all in a small case. Out of that I had, what, five outfit options?”

“Certain fabrics have always worked for travel, like a fresco or a hopsack,” says fellow founder Thom Whiddett. “Something with a springy weave. But there are great tech-infused ones around now, from the likes of Loro Piana. Their high-tenacity weaves are incredibly versatile – any suit or jacket in those would stay completely crease-free and be pack-proof.”

“They’ve come on a bundle,” nods Sweeney. “The very first travel suit I came across felt a bit papery, but now you can have the best of all worlds – something that looks beautiful, feels great, and wears really well. A nice fusion between durability and luxe.”

BREATHING JACKETThat fusion informs whole ranges that big-ger brands now produce with the globetrot-ter in mind. For its spring-summer 2017 collection, the Hugo Boss Travel Line puts lightness, breathability and versatility at the forefront, with softly constructed slim-fit suit jackets in natural wool with mechanical stretch, and formally cut jersey trousers that marry sartorial heft to track-pant comfort.Its single-breasted sports jacket features enlarged internal pockets for passport or tickets, plus interior loops to hold ear-buds in place, and can be packed away into an integrated bag. Business shirts combine stretch-tech, moisture-wicking fabric, and an aloe vera-enriched cloth; the ultra-soft but sturdy result will withstand the harsh-est intercontinental rigours.

Even outerwear is engineered for maxi-mum utility and minimum fuss, with re-versible two-in-one jackets getting a hold-all’s worth of looks out of cabin baggage capacity, and a bomber jacket rendered vir-tually weightless in resilient ripstop fabric.

Klingberg says: “The options for business travellers have definitely improved a lot in the past few years, both in terms of the choices available to them and of what’s now accept-able to wear.” The racks at Trunk are a testa-ment to that, from a cotton-linen navy blazer by cult Spanish brand Man 1924 (“It’s very relaxed, but looks sharp with a polo shirt and pocket square”), to a beige Boglioli jacket in a cashmere/silk blend (“This won’t date, and can be really smartened up or quite slouchy – an incredibly versatile piece”). “It’s all about ease and confidence, and standing out in the right kind of way,” he adds.

“These innovations have all been driven by demand,” says Thom Whiddett of Thom Sweeney, demonstrating a few pieces – a grey wool/silk/linen jacket, a raincoat with detachable gilet – that are tailored to make travellers’ lives that little bit easier, while remaining unimpeachably business-classy. “If you can offer that mix of practicality and style, it’s one less thing for people to worry about.” Or, to put it another way, it’s one more wrinkle ironed out.

▲ MAN 1924 NAVY LINEN BLAZERYou can embrace the crease if it occurs in the cult brand’s “Kennedy” blazer in tactile, vintage-looking linen, as cos-mopolitan as JFK himself.Price: £425 trunkclothiers.com

PAUL SMITH “A SUIT TO TRAVEL IN”Designed specifically to spring into action, no matter how long the haul. It comes in various iterations, including seasonal green windowpane check and turquoise. Blazer £675, matching trousersPrice: £325 paulsmith.com

▼ HUGO BOSS SLIM-FIT TRAVEL LINE “NOAS” JACKETA high-tech finish – it’s made of a du-rable polyamide – combined with an impeccable cut and judicious detailing make this a go-to garment for those on the go.Price: £330 hugoboss.com

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Chris Hall rounds up the latest luxury watches, from retro dive timepieces to high-complication masterpieces.

WATCHES: TIMED TO PERFECTION

In the world of Rolex, there are no small details. Allow me to explain. In what is increasingly look-ing like canniness ahead of caution, modern-day Rolex works largely on a policy of incremental upgrades to its core models – the Submariner, Daytona, Explorer, and so on. When wholly new watches are introduced, the die-hard fans are notoriously cool in their welcome. And anything done to heartland models – in fairness, all of them iconic designs – is therefore Big News.Which brings us to this year’s new Sea-Dweller. Introduced 50 years ago as a hardier upgrade to the Submariner to better serve the needs of professional divers, the original Sea-Dweller was the first watch to feature a helium release valve. This was particularly useful in a pre-digital age for saturation divers, for example, who work underwater and in pressurised conditions for extended periods, but it is arguably less useful nowadays. However, the model existed for four

decades, changing incrementally in that Rolex way, before vanishing from the range for a time in 2009, to be re-introduced as the Sea-Dweller 4000 in 2014.Now it’s just called the Sea-Dweller again (but is still water-resistant to 4,000 feet), and there have been changes. Most controversial is the addition of a “cyclops”, Rolex’s name for the magnifying nodule above the date window for improved legibility. The watch has also got bigger, from 40mm to 43mm, and the words “Sea-Dweller” on the dial are now red (previously white). Inside beats a calibre 3235 mechanism – new to the Dweller – bringing better timekeeping accuracy and reliability.One could debate the necessity and merit of all the aesthetic changes – and rest assured, many will – but for Rolex, it’s business as usual: on and on, constantly improving.Price: £8,350 rolex.com

ROLEX SEA-DWELLER

Star watch

B u s i n e s s t r a v e l l e r | M o t o & Te c h n o

FRÉDÉRIQUE CONSTANT MANUFACTURE FLYBACK CHRONOGRAPH

Quality at a decent prize

If a luxury watch can ever represent value for money, this is it. Flyback chronographs (allow-ing for instant restarting of the mechanism) typically cost multiples of the Frédérique Con-stant’s price, and rarely look as good.Price: £3,750 frederiqueconstant.com

OMEGA SPEEDMASTER RACING

Master of precision

It’s not a purist’s Speedmaster – that would be the Moonwatch – but the new Speedmaster Racing is a colourful, sporty alternative with all the latest mechanical movement technology inside it.Price: £6,240 omegawatches.com

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MONTBLANC 1858 BRONZE

Beauty in the old style

Montblanc’s heritage-inspired chronograph now comes in oh-so-trendy bronze, with a washed-out dial in suitably retro tones to match. Flip it over to see one of the world’s best-looking movements, too.Price: £23,600 montblanc.com

The chronograph remains the single most popular complication on a watch. Here are four for all tastesTo borrow a phrase from a friend – admir-ers of Patek Philippe would happily sell their grannies in order to own one of these watches. It combines two practical functions – a chronograph, in the nested sub-dials at six o’clock, and an annual calendar (needing adjustment just once a year, at the end of February), and it does so without seeming overly cluttered.This year sees it gain a devilish black dial and

bright red seconds hands that lend it a hith-erto absent sportiness. The movement was Patek’s first automatic chronograph calibre made in-house, and the approach it takes to recording elapsed time is still not mimicked with any success elsewhere. The outer ring at six o’clock counts the minutes, and the two inner rings, with the red hand, count elapsed seconds between them (each ring accounting for 30 seconds). Should you be lucky enough to live with one, it rapidly becomes second nature.Price: £37,040 patek.com

PATEK PHILIPPE 5960/1A

Keeping things on track

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Nobody does high-end sophistication quite like Breguet. The enamel dial with blued-steel needle-thin hands balances a power reserve indicator and classical moonphase, all in a 39mm gold case.Price: £22,700 breguet.com

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CARTIER DRIVE EXTRA-FLAT

Pure and simple

When you need to look your best, less is always more. These el-egant dress watches are the epitome of suave sophisticationRegular readers may recall that Cartier launched the Drive last year, in a number of forms – but now we see that it was merely peppering the target before landing the bullseye that is the Drive Extra-Flat. Stripped of the overly baroque engraved dials and unencumbered by complicated extras in favour of a simple satin finish and only hour and minute hands, this is a slice of pure elegance.With the “cushion” case shape, it’s distinctive enough to stand out, but the Roman numerals and simple minute track reassure you that this is still classic Cartier. Inside is a manually wound move-ment, one reason why the watch can be so thin (only 6.6mm). It’s not too wide either, at 39mm – a significant step down from last year’s 42mm Drive. For this year at least, the Extra-Flat is available only in rose or limited-edition white gold (only 200 creations), but we wouldn’t bet against a steel version making an appearance in 2018.Price: Rose gold £12,500, white gold £13,400cartier.co.uk

ZENITH ELITE CLASSIC

For all your life

The new Elite Classic is even simpler and smarter than before – the kind of unimpeach-able choice that could see you get through life with just one watch…Price: £8,200 zenith-watches.com

BREGUET 7787

RefinedCHOPARD LUC XPS TWIST FAIRMINED

Luxury and elegance

The LUC range is Chopard’s premier line and home to some true beauties. The XPS Twist (named for its quirky dial layout) now comes in Chopard’s ethically sourced Fairmined gold.Price: £14,500 chopard.com


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Watch brands have been submerged in their archives for a while now, but when the results are this smart, we won’t complainSuch is its ubiquity, it is easy to assume that the Rolex Submariner was the original diver’s watch. But, no, in fact rival Blancpain got there a year earlier, in 1953, with its Fifty Fathoms. Like the Submariner, it remains in production and enjoys a passionate cult following. Unlike the Sub, however, it has spawned a number of distinctive variants over the years, and it is one of these that Blancpain is harking back to with the new Tribute to Fifty Fathoms MIL-SPEC.When first launched in 1957, it introduced a small orange and white circular patch at six o’clock that would turn red if water penetrated the watch’s case. The modern-day version – measuring 40mm and rated to 300 metres of water pressure – is faithful to the original, although Blancpain assures us there is zero chance of moisture creeping in. Just in case, though, eh?Price: £10,310blancpain.com

PANERAI LUMINOR SUBMERSIBLE 1950 ROSSO

Smaller but still perfect

Hugely responsible for the popularity of over-sized watches in the 1990s and 2000s (via one S Stallone), Panerai is now making smaller versions (42mm)for mere mortals. The Sub-mersible is the latest to get the scaled-down treatment.Price: £21,500 panerai.com

ORIS DIVERS 65

Retro coloursRADO HYPERCHROME CAPTAIN COOK

Newer model

Typically given more to designer-chic ceramic creations, this year Rado has dipped into the ar-chives and recreated a 1960s piece, the Captain Cook, with spot-on sizing (37mm) and 100-me-tre water resistance.Price: £1,430 rado.com

The Divers 65 took Oris from clueless to cool in two short years with a winning combina-tion of retro looks, bold colours and agreeable prices. Now it’s available in a slightly more sophisticated silver-dialled iteration.Price: £1,450 oris.ch

BLANCPAIN TRIBUTE TO FIFTY FATHOMS MIL-SPEC

Diving into the past

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Four high-complication timepieces that show life at watchmaking’s upper echelons has never been busierA Lange and Sohne reserves the soubriquet “pour le merite” for its most horologically pure, incredibly intricate creations – it has spent the past 25 years developing a hotbed of German perfectionism to rival Swiss watchmakers.The Tourbograph Perpetual combines a perpetual calendar, a split-seconds chronograph and a tourbillon – or, in other words, three of the most challenging functions to master. The watch’s hand-wound movement consists of 684 compo-nents (and that’s not even counting a 636-piece chain system that actually drives the whole thing). When you consider that you could examine any one of those under powerful magnification and not find a single unpolished surface or an edge of less-than-perfect sharpness (all achieved by hand, naturally), you start to understand why it costs half a million euros. Only 50 will be made, all cased in platinum.Price: €480,000 alange-soehne.com

www.royalcaribbeancruises.pl ul. Świętokrzyska 36, 00-116 Warszawa

[email protected], tel. 004822 455 38 48

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www.royalcaribbeancruises.plul. Tamka 16, lok. 4, 00-349 Warszawa

[email protected], tel.: 00 22 455 38 48

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A. LANGE AND SÖHNE TOURBOGRAPH PERPETUAL „POUR LE MÉRITE”

Figures of fantasy

GREUBEL FORSEY GRANDE SONNERIE

Time and music

When a watch has been 11 years in the making, you expect it to impress. Messers Greubel and Forsey have delivered with their first chiming watch – at the press of a button, it will ring out the hours and quarters in passing, and the ex-act time on request. And, yes, it can be silenced overnight.Price: £1.1 milliongreubelforsey.com

GIRARD-PERREGAUX PLANETARIUM TRI-AXIAL

Sign of beautyVACHERON CONSTANTIN LES CABINOTIERS CELESTIA ASTRONOMICAL GRAND COMPLICATION 3600

Power of simplicity

Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600The most impressive thing about this one-off creation is not its intense level of inner com-plexity or bewildering array of functions (eve-rything from the length of day and sign of the zodiac to a tidal forecast) but that it achieves so much and still looks (relatively) normal.Price: £POA vacheron-constantin.com

There is something of the 19th century about Girard-Perregaux’s latest masterpiece, which features a hand-painted titanium globe moving alongside a tourbillon that, as its name sug-gests, constantly rotates in three axes at once. Pictures don’t do it justice.Price: £211,000 girard-perregaux.com

www.royalcaribbeancruises.pl ul. Świętokrzyska 36, 00-116 Warszawa

[email protected], tel. 004822 455 38 48

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www.royalcaribbeancruises.plul. Tamka 16, lok. 4, 00-349 Warszawa

[email protected], tel.: 00 22 455 38 48

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An inconspicuous puck-shaped docking station will turn your smartphone into a desktop computer.

IN CONSTANT MOTION

It’s quite a hilarious experi-ence to watch 1980s films, with all those wardrobe-like computers, monitors

that occupied half of the desk, and heavy keyboards which could turn into a deadly weapon if used improperly. The technol-ogy used in the old-school “War Games” or “Tron”, brings back good memories, but is a me-mento of the times long gone.

POWER OF CHANGEThe scientific and technological revolution that has been chang-ing the world since 1940s, has had a great impact on the film industry and the manufacturers of home electronics. However, this constant search for new solutions also influences con-sumers, modifying their daily needs. The progressive minia-turization and easily accessible

Internet, are actively changing our lifestyle and the ways we do our jobs.

The concept of “gig-economy” was coined for some time now, but in recent years it has become a viable solution, not only a theo-ry. In simple terms, the concept refers to the economy created by freelancers, where instant access to information from any-where in the world is crucial. “Gig-economy” is also referred to as “the uberization of work” and is particularly popular with the Millenials and the Genera-tion Z, who prefer a couch in a café or a start-up incubator en-vironment to a regular desk in a company. A job contract is no longer an absolute necessity, as freelancers are more likely to sign short-term contracts. They don’t work nine-to-five, but any time they want and find it most

convenient. But gig-economy wouldn’t exist without the ad-vancement of technology. Mod-ern smartphones boast much more computing power than the rockets that transported people into space in 1960s and 1970s. A personal computer doesn't need to have a large, bulky central unit any more. With a laptop you can now work anywhere in the world, even lying in a ham-mock somewhere on a Balinese beach. But, as it turns out, even the slim, lightweight laptop has found its worthy successor. Technologically-savvy freelanc-ers, will certainly be very keen to try the latest novelty: Sam-sung DeX, a docking station de-signed for mobile work.

COMFORT OF WORKSamsung DeX is a Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ compatible de-

DeX docking station enables you to use

your mobile phone as a desktop computer.

In this way, your work becomes more efficient and

enjoyable.

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vice, which enables you to use your mobile phones as a desk-top computer. In this way, your work becomes more efficient and enjoyable. With the station users have at their hand all the useful tools they need. They can navigate through apps more easily, edit documents, browse the Internet, watch videos or simply reply to email messages. Where is the difference? With DeX you can do all those things on a larger screen, with a key-board and a mouse.

One of the biggest advantages is the fact that you can also run here Microsoft Office applica-tions, as well as Adobe mobile apps. As a result, users receive a fully functional hardware that can successfully replace a desk-top computer. And if you use Windows applications, you can access them, using the remote desktop function. The connec-tion is fully secure thanks to Ci-trix, VMware and Amazon Web Services solutions.

FOR EVERYONEThe device is also easy to use. Simply insert your smartphone into DeX and plug the station to an external monitor via an HDMI cable. Then you just need to connect the keyboard and the mouse and voila! The data transferred from the phone to the station is secured by Sam-sung Knox platform.

The device utilizes a special Android version, which allows for attaching peripherals via Bluetooth, USB or RF.

“The smartphone has become the central point for the modern mobile professional, and when giving a presentation or editing

almost frameless and don’t have any physical buttons or sharp angles. Samsung has also decid-ed to stick to the renowned Go-rilla® Glass technology, which has saved a lot of screens from physical damage. Both the front and rear panel of both models is covered with Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5.

Another impressive element of the new flagships is their camera with the focal length of 1.7. Both devices feature the industry's first 10nm proces-sor, which provides them with an unprecedented computing power. As for connectivity, S8 and S8+ boasts fast LTE and WiFi functionalities, which al-low for quick downloads of large files. In addition, the phones are waterproof, dustproof and come with a microSD slot for up to 256 GB additional memory.

The Korean manufacturer has also introduced the first-generation Gear 360 camera for 4K recording. Two 8.4-meg-apixel CMOS cameras with fish-eye lens (F2.2) along with DRIMe5s processor, make shooting photos and making videos a truly enjoyable activity. The device also comes equipped with a range of editing tools, visual effects and various filters to personalize your video. In-terestingly, Gear 360 (2017) al-lows you to share content in real time, as well as stream a video via social media.

The device is lightweight and easy to use, and perfectly fits into Samsung’s family of mo-bile devices. Samsung DeX, the lastest Galaxy S series smart-phones, and Gear 360 (2017) are now on sale.

documents remotely, it means they can work effectively using just their smartphone. We de-veloped Samsung DeX with the highly mobile worker in mind, giving them a convenient and flexible desktop experience,” says Injong Rhee, CTO of the Mobile Communications Busi-ness at Samsung Electronics.

The DeX Station provides the connectivity professionals need, including two USB 2.0, Ethernet, USB type-C power-in and a cooling fan. The DeX Sta-tion also features Adaptive Fast Charging (AFC) technology.

CORNUCOPIA OF FUNCTIONSSamsung’s latest flagship smartphones are also extremely promising devices. Both Gal-axy S8 and Galaxy S8+ feature the Infinity screen (5.8 and 6.2 inches respectively), which are

The new Gear 360 allows you

to record videos in 4K resolution.

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HOURS IN… NEW ORLEAN4 Tom Otley wanders the southern US city’s colourful French Quarter.

ST LOUIS CATHEDRALNew Orleans is back on its feet in a big way. Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, but the following decade saw investment and re-pairs, and a renewed focus on tourism. The city remains one of the most culturally in-triguing and visually arresting places in the US. The streets of the French Quarter have retained a unique blend of influences stem-ming from its French, Spanish and African roots.

The St Louis Cathedral – or the Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France, to give it its full name – is the standout build-ing. The oldest cathedral in the US and the third building on the site, following earlier churches dating back to 1718, it was rebuilt in 1850. It is beautiful both inside and out, with the galleried interior featuring Rococo decoration. The cathedral is flanked by the Cabildo and the Presbytère, which now form part of the Louisiana State Museum.stlouiscathedral.orglouisianastatemuseum.org

JACKSON SQUAREThe St Louis Cathedral stands on Jackson Square, the highest ground above the river (even during Katrina, it didn’t flood, al-though it suffered damage from the winds and power cuts). Under first the Spanish and then the French armies, it was called the Place d’Armes/Plaza de Armas, as well as being a parade ground where criminals – and slaves – were executed. Additional controversy comes because of its name and the equestrian statue of Confederate Gen-eral Jackson, a slave owner.

Elegant iron railings surround the square, and the Pontalba Buildings on ei-ther side house lovely boutiques and tour-ist shops dating back to the 1850s. They were built by Micaela Almonester, Baron-ess de Pontalba, who had a life story so un-believable you’ll need a guide to recount it. You can wander around with a travel book or app, but a guide is great for answering questions – we used nosecretstours.com

The St Louis Cathedral – or the Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis,King of France, is the standout building.

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FRENCH MARKETThe French market originated as a Native American trading post, and is the reason for New Orleans existing on this site – it’s a good portage between the river and Lake Pontch-artrain behind. It was the home of the oldest meat market in the US, and then a fresh food market, before being turned into a place for tourist boutiques, restaurants and cafés.

If you like jazz, walk along to Frenchman Street and visit the Louisiana Music Factory record shop (number 421) and clubs such as Bamboula’s (516), Maison (508), DBA’s (618) and the Spotted Cat Music Club (623).frenchmarket.orglouisianamusicfactory.com

THE MISSISSIPPIYou may have encountered the Mississippi elsewhere in the US – after all, it is more than 3,200km long and passes through ten

states – but it’s here that it is at its mighti-est. Whether ogling the huge cruise ships or the barges crawling along the river, this is the Big Muddy as it enters its final miles before the Gulf of Mexico, and the reason (along with Lake Pontchartrain) that the na-tive Americans had their trading post here.You get a great view from the bank by the French Market right over to Algiers Point. The river is 60 metres deep at this spot, and it’s definitely not a place for swimming, al-though you can go down to the riverbank and relax in hot weather.

ROYAL STREETLess well known than the bars of Bourbon Street is the infinitely more lovely Royal Street. Here, you’ll find restaurants, art gal-leries, antique shops and beautiful architec-ture, beginning at Canal Street and running through the French Quarter across to the

Lower Ninth Ward. It’s in the French Quar-ter part that you’ll spend your time, and while you won’t find bargains, mementoes of your trip are likely to be of better qual-ity and design. You could spend a couple of hours browsing here – check out Windsor Fine Art, the Angela King Gallery, Sutton Galleries and Naghi’s.

ANTOINE'STry to make time for a meal at Antoine’s, the oldest French-Creole fine-dining restaurant in the city, with a 176-year-old history – it’s owned and operated by fifth-generation rela-tives of founder Antoine Alciatore. There are 14 dining rooms, each of which has its own history. Ask to see the Rex Room, with its walls adorned with photos of royalty and Mardi Gras memorabilia.713 St Louis Street; tel +1 504 581 4422; antoines.comFO

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Touring the French Quarter can be exhausting. Try to make time for a meal at Antoine’s, the oldest French-Creole fine-dining restaurant in the city, with a 176-year-old history

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A flight with a broken leg Best check-in timeI often have issues with the online check-in. A few times my assis-tant failed to print the boarding pass and I had to wait in a queue at the airport. I never ended up with a good seat. What is the best time for checking-in? Ahead of time or at the last minute? I get con-tradictory information about it.

Marcin

Dear Marcin,Traditional airlines usually open their check-in one day prior to the flight, usually 24 or 23 hours before the scheduled time of de-parture. In the case of long-haul flights or connected flights, this might be extended to 36 hours. If you haven't booked a specific seat number ahead of time, this is the best time frame to check-in, due to a large choice of seats available. The closer the departure time, the worst seats are there at your disposal (e.g. the middle seats or ones near the bathrooms). Online check-in closes an hour before the departure.

Checking-in online might not be possible for several reasons. For example, if the flight is operated by another airline under a code-share agreement, or when a passenger changed their reser-vation and exchanged their ticket, the flight was booked at the last minute and the immigration system didn't recognize any passport data. The airport has its own check-in system that is not compat-ible with its online version. There might be several more reasons. In such situations, passengers can check-in and collect the board-ing pass only at the airport. Traditional airlines treat the online check-in as an additional option, and it's still possible to check-in at the airport desk or at a self-service kiosk.

However, budget carriers ( Easyjet, Ryanair, AerLingus, Wiz-zair) have a different policy. Their online check-in is available as early as 30 days before the departure, and this procedure is ba-sically imposed by such airlines. Passengers are usually charged high fees (up to €100) for checking-in at the desk and printing the boarding pass at the airport. If the online check-in is unavailable because of some system error, the carrier can't charge passengers any extra money.

A colleague from my department broke her leg and after remov-ing the plaster she has to wear special bracing. We're flying from Katowice to Geneva for a business meeting and we have a stopo-ver in Munich. Booking tickets, I asked for a seat, where a person with a broken leg would have the most leg space, preferably near the emergency exit. I didn't receive any confirmation, and the boarding pass can only be received at the airport. The people at the travel agency couldn't help me either. My friend needs help when travelling, is there anything I can do?

Grażyna

Dear Grażyna,The extra space by the emergency exit was not designed for the convenience of the passengers, but is dictated by security measures. In case of evacuation, passengers are expected to be able to leave the plane quickly, so the emergency exits must be clearly designated and easily accessible. Luggage can't block the exits, so you mustn’t place them under the seat. The passengers sitting by emergency exits should speak English in order to be able to follow the crew's instructions, and open the exit door and help others evacuate, if necessary. Naturally, such situations are extremely rare. Nevertheless, people with any kind of physical limitation can't be seated next to emergency exits. Therefore, for the reasons mentioned above, your friend won’t be able to take this seat.

Airlines and airports have special procedures for the carriage of passengers with different forms of disability. In case of a bro-ken leg, I recommend ordering a wheelchair. The service is free of charge, and confirmed up to 24 hours before departure. The passenger is transported on the wheelchair to the plane by air-port personnel. At the stopover hub and the destination, your friend can also expect to be seated in a wheelchair and receive similar assistance until she leaves the terminal building.

On the plane, she will have an easy-access seat. These are usu-ally the first row seats (but not by the emergency exits) or by the aisle.

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Piotr Kalita is related with air transport market for almost 20 years. He is specializing in corporate and diplomatic travel segment. Have a question? - ask Piotr. Mail your question to: [email protected]

Washington DC: BEYOND POLITICS · 2017-06-11 · beyond politics Tried&Tested • Fairmont Sanur...

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