Candy brothers eye London’s Grosvenor March 1st, 2010
The battle to buy London’s Grosvenor House hotel is hotting up with news that the Candy brothers, property developers to the super-rich and famous, have entered the arena.
The brothers, whose clients include Gwyneth Paltrow and Kylie Minogue, are thought to be working on a bid with an Asian financial backer.
According to The Times, they are also interested in buying a serviced apartment block next to the Grosvenor.
The brothers, whose clients include Kylie Minogue and Gwyneth Paltrow, are understood to have shown interest in buying a serviced apartment block next door to Grosvenor House. This would allow them to turn the apartments and hotel into a giant luxury residenti..
Chile earthquake death toll passes 700 March 1st, 2010
The death toll in the Chilean earthquake rose to more than 700 last night as rescue workers struggled to find survivors trapped in the wreckage and powerful aftershocks battered the country. About 350 deaths were in the holiday resort of Constitución, and scores of tourists remain on the missing list.
President Bachelet said that 708 people had been confirmed as dead in “a catastrophe of such unthinkable magnitude that it will require a giant effort for Chile to recover”.
The army have been brought in help the police against looters and would take control of Concepción, the country’s second largest city. The Government would start..
Low-cost carrier Varsity Express launches March 1st, 2010
Europe’s latest low-cost airline has started running services today. Varsity Express, which becomes the only airline to fly between Oxford and Edinburgh, is being masterminded by Martin Halsted, the 23-year-old airline entrepreneur dubbed “Baby Branson” after his attempt to launch a low-cost carrier as a teenager.
Now aged 23, Halstead said: “Varsity Express is a completely different proposition. A well funded operation, running on the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) of established Humberside-based Jetstream 31 LinksAir. This is a small, niche operator that is not setting out to compete with established larger players. Rat..
Hilton New Delhi/ Janakpuri Now Open February 26th, 2010
New Hilton Hotel in the Heart of West Delhi marks the Brand’s Expansion in India
Hilton Worldwide today announced that it has opened the Hilton New Delhi/Janakpuri. The 228 guest room property marks the arrival of the first and only internationally branded full service, upscale property in West Delhi.
Martin Rinck, President – Asia Pacific, Hilton Worldwide, commented, “This hotel opening is significant for Hilton Worldwide. Not only is the Hilton New Delhi/Janakpuri a stunning new upscale hotel in our portfolio, but it also marks the continuation of the Hilton brand expansion in India, a critically important growth market for us, with its po..
New Renaissance Hotel Opens in Bangkok February 13th, 2010
The 333-rooms Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Hotel has opened under a management agreement with Maneeya Realty Company, Limited. The hotel is the second Renaissance Hotels property in Thailand, with a third property set to open in Phuket later this summer. Stefan Gruber is general manager, while Julie Codus is director of sales and marketing.
In celebration of its opening, the Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Hotel is offering a promotion that includes vouchers for current and future stays. For THB 5,999 per night for a Deluxe room, guests will receive THB 1,650 in voucher that is valid for services on property, including the various food and beverage outlets on property, ..
Eurostar criticised following Christmas breakdown February 12th, 2010
Eurostar trains had not undergone sufficient weather preparations, according to an independent report into failures of the service in the run-up to Christmas. Heavy snow storms in northern France saw six trains malfunction in the Channel Tunnel – with as many as 2,500 passengers stranded for up to five hours.
Contingency plans for helping these stranded passengers were also “insufficient” finds the report, commissioned by Eurostar.
A further one hundred thousand passengers experienced disruption over the Christmas period, as Eurostar was forced to cancel all services for three days.
While Eurostar trains undergo a “winterisation” p..
Burj Khalifa closes following lift crash February 10th, 2010
The observation deck on the world’s tallest building has been closed indefinitely after a lift broke down in the Burj Khalifa Tower.
Fifteen passengers were left stranded for 45 minutes inside the lift, which broke down as it was descending from the deck.
The Burj, which opened on January 4, was closed on Sunday after the incident.
Emaar, the building’s developer, initially blamed its closure on “unexpectedly high traffic” in the tower.
However, it later stated that electrical problems could be to blame.
The lifts were billed as the fastest in the world, ascending the 828m building at 25 miles per hour in just less than a minute..
Gatwick’s new owners rule out second runway February 8th, 2010
The new owners of Gatwick Airport have ruled out plans to build a second runway. At a meeting with conservationists, Gatwick chairman Sir David Rowlands said there was “not a shred of interest” in a second runway.
Rowlands met with members of the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign (GACC) to talk about future plans for the airport under its new owner, US-based investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners.
Following the sale in December, the GACC and other groups feared the new owners would pursue plans to build a second runway despite the airport having an agreement with West Sussex County Council not to consider any plans before 2019.
During the meeting, Sir D..
Baby Branson launches low-cost carrier February 8th, 2010
An airline entrepreneur dubbed “Baby Branson” after launching a low-cost carrier as a teenager is back in business following the collapse of his first venture.
Now aged 23, Martin Halstead is launching Varsity Express next month, offering flights between Oxford and Edinburgh.
The airline aims to offer fast, affordable air travel, where the customer always comes first. A blanket charge of £49 single will apply on all flights till 12 March.
Halstead shot to as a 19-year-old when he started Alpha One Airways, a low-cost carrier offering flights between Oxford and Cambridge. However the business folded just six weeks after launch.
He has since held a number ..
Moon tourism by 2020 under new Obama measures February 7th, 2010
Commercial spaceships could be taking travellers to the moon by 2020 under new proposals set by the Obama administration.
The “historic decision” to devote $6 billion over the next five years to commercial spaceflight could create 5,000 jobs in the US and help NASA avoid paying billions of dollars to the space station, said Bretton Alexander, president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, during a Monday teleconference.
He also said that leading space entrepreneurs are also waiting in the wings to fill the US spaceflight gap after NASA retires its space shuttles this year.
Alexander also addressed one of the main doubts in the minds of space tourism scepti..
