All articles by Ky Nikitha
Ky Nikitha
A question of sustainability
In October 2019, more than 40 delegates gathered at the Iris Ceramica Group’s London Gallery for a Hotel Management International Dining Club focused on sustainable hotel development and design. A panel featuring Kempinski’s PJ Gilbert, architect Dexter Moren and Giovanni Manfredi of Aermont highlighted the viewpoints and priorities of operators, architects and developers.
Market leader
A serial entrepreneur, investor and media commentator, Jeremy Jauncey founded Beautiful Destinations and has grown it into the world’s largest social media travel community. He is committed to redefining travel marketing in a digitally connected era by working with organisations ranging from national tourism boards to major multinational hotel brands. Speaking at Deloitte’s European Hotel Investment Conference, Jauncey covered the opportunity within social media marketing.
Come on in
In the age of the global nomad, small lifestyle concepts and big global players are making moves to try and harness the potential of co-working within their portfolios, but what impact is that having upon the manner that public spaces are conceived and designed? Abi Millar speaks to the Rockwell Group’s Greg Keffer and Stephane Bensimon, CEO of WOJO, to find out.
Up on the rooftop
A growing number of urban hotels are offering both guests and local clientele outdoor, pan-seasonal rooftop and outdoor spaces in which to wine, dine and mingle. Representing a new area of revenue generation, the al fresco trend could be here to stay, as Ross Davies reports.
Holidays repackaged
The recent demise of Thomas Cook has raised questions about the fate of the organised travel business, particularly the package holiday. With consumers increasingly comfortable booking every facet of their trip themselves, tour operators need to up their game. James Harper sits with Simon Lynch, sales director at Scott Dunn, to investigate what it is doing to face down those challenges.
A world of good
As doyenne of the wellness space and the founder of ESPA, Susan Harmsworth couldn’t be better placed to talk us through the spa and wellness trends affecting hotels in the months and years to come. She speaks to Elly Earls about what operators should be looking out for and what the wellness destination resort of the future will look like.
Plastic not accepted
Across the industry, hotels are committing to single-use plastic reduction by providing bulk-sized, refillable guest amenities. Natalie Healey speaks to Karin Sheppard of IHG and Marriott International’s Hemma Varma, to explore the role shifting guest expectations is playing in driving sustainable solutions and the challenges that come with implementing big changes across a global footprint.
A touch of France
Chef Thomas Keller has been in the business for four decades, and this year celebrates 25 years at flagship California-based restaurant The French Laundry. He tells Tina Nielsen that his love for the profession and a sense of duty mean it will be some time before he hangs up his apron.
Behind the kitchen door
As hotel restaurants are changing, kitchens have to keep up. Andrea Valentino talks to Sascha Triemer, vice-president of food and beverage at Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai, and Frank Wagner, chair of FCSI Germany-Austria, about how a hotel kitchen is designed, how much influence chefs have over development and the importance of keeping on trend as restaurants change.
The circle of lifestyle
Following the acquisition of Morgans Hotel Group in 2016, and entering into a strategic partnership with Accor in 2018, sbe founder Sam Nazarian has some big plans for growing in the global lifestyle space. He speaks to Phin Foster about ambitions for Europe, his unique proposition for development partners and why he wants to control the entire hospitality experience.