The largest Pullman hotel in Europe reopens its doors........

The Pullman Paris Montparnasse is the largest Pullman hotel in Europe and has reopened on Paris’s Left Bank after a four-year makeover and top to bottom revitalization.

Pullman Hotels & Resorts is delighted to introduce the fresh new style of Pullman Paris Montparnasse, a 115-meter, an avant-garde skyscraper designed by Pierre Dufau in 1972, and a landmark of modern architecture in the heart of Paris. The flagship property sits within a new complex and is part of a larger project that will revitalize the Montparnasse station (which handles more than 60 million commuters a year, transform the Montparnasse Tower (by 2024) and reconnect to the Gaîté quarter and its theatres.

Innovative architecture, vibrant design and immersive art

Design duo Benjamin Clarens and Yann Martin, founders of CUT Architectures, were commissioned to reimagine Pullman Paris Montparnasse as a modern, innovation-oriented place: they have dreamed up an open-plan environment that is decidedly different from the straight, linear architecture of the Montparnasse neighbourhood. Their design vision has created concentric spaces, where areas intended to facilitate interaction alternate with places meant for relaxation. This approach is evident all around the hotel, from the lobby with its circular ceilings to the detail of the bedroom lights and the large structures in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom.

To offer travellers dynamic opportunities for escape and inspiration, Pullman Paris Montparnasse will launch the Artist’s Playground in 2022, one of the pillars of the Pullman brand: an immersive exploration of digital art. Alexandre Toledano, the founder of Visto, a company specializing in curating art within premium and luxury hotels, has assembled an engaging collection of work by contemporary international artists. The works are displayed on a series of screens throughout the hotel and reflect the neighbourhood, its architecture, its daylight and nocturnal rhythms.

In addition to these screens, the property will feature other digital creations, such as a 40-meter outdoor fresco and 3D printed sculptures. The Artist’s Playground and its installations constitute an astonishing art collection that will be continually refreshed.

Inspiring guestroom views

Spanning the eighth to the 32nd floors, the 957 bedrooms, suites and apartments of Pullman Paris Montparnasse offer unparalleled views of the capital. All throughout the property, the hotel offers inspiring spaces where guests can endlessly contemplate “La Ville-Lumière” (City of Lights), admiring the Panthéon, Sacré-Cœur, the Montparnasse Tower, Saint-Sulpice, or the Luxembourg Gardens. The bedrooms, accessible via long corridors with retro-futurist lighting, make full use of their generous dimensions. The classic categories have 22 sq m (240 sq ft) of living space; this increases to 29 sq m (312 sq ft) in Deluxe rooms and 30 sq m (325 sq ft) in Deluxe Executive rooms. Meanwhile, the Suites and apartments offers guests 60 sq m (645 sq ft) of space to make the most of their visit.

Hilton Boosts Eco-Conscious Travel Across Properties in Asia Pacific

Hilton Boosts Eco-Conscious Travel Across Properties in the Asia Pacific

Hilton promotes conscious travel across its properties in the Asia Pacific by making sustainable practices more accessible for guests, as travellers now seek more meaningful experiences. Honouring this year’s Earth Day theme, “Invest in Our Planet”, Hilton has released its latest Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, which emphasizes its renewed commitment to taking real-world actions to reduce the environmental and social impact of its hotels and operations worldwide in pursuit of a better world to travel.

Across its global network, Hilton continues to considerably close the gap toward meeting key sustainability targets from its Travel with Purpose 2030 Goals. In 2021, Hilton recorded:

70% reduction in landfilled waste per square meter from the 2008 baseline (2030 goal: 50%)

49% reduction in CO2 emissions intensity per square meter from 2008 baseline (2030 goal: 61%)

39% reduction in water consumption per square meter from the 2008 baseline (2030 goal: 50%)

$1B+ cumulative savings in energy costs since 2009, monitored through LightStay.

In the Asia Pacific, Hilton focuses on driving responsible and sustainable tourism through a wide range of initiatives aimed at making a positive environmental and social impact - from advancing restoration efforts to reimagining business events as corporate travel makes a comeback. 

Driving Holistic Water Stewardship

Leading river cleanup organization Sungai Watch aims to protect waterways on the Indonesian island by developing and testing trash barriers that prevent plastics from entering the ocean. As Bali’s waterway guardians, the group also documents data on trash found in rivers, to deepen the conversation with companies on how to use more environmentally friendly materials. 

In support of its efforts in leading environmental restoration and providing communities access to clean water, Hilton has named Sungai Watch as one of its 2021 Hilton Effect Foundation grantees. The grant will enable the organization to install more trash barriers to lessen the impact of plastics on the community.

More than a million blooms at Dollywood’s Flower & Food Festival until 5th June

For a third year, Dollywood’s Flower & Food Festival presented by Covenant Health (April 22 – June 5) blossoms against a Smoky Mountain backdrop to deliver brilliant floral hues to guests. During this year’s instalment of the festival, guests can appreciate the vibrant beauty of more than a million blooms, explore the fresh flavours of spring with an immersive tasting pass and delight in unique entertainment offerings.

In 2021, the Flower & Food Festival was honoured with the inaugural Brass Ring Award for “Best New Food and Beverage Festival or Special Event” by the International Association for Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA). The festival features elaborate floral installations that emerge throughout the park to translate nature into living art, each coming together to create a breathtaking display of more than a million blooms in total. In fact, the Flower & Food Festival grows by 30% thanks to new displays, entertainment and interactive elements.

Mosaiculture icons include a peacock, a beekeeper tending to a hive and a mallard duck. These whimsical new additions join a lineup of beloved displays: the signature butterfly umbrella, woodland animal friends and the touching depiction of Dolly’s mother crafting the Coat of Many Colors. These sculptures are designed in partnership with Mosaicultures International, a Montreal-based company that specializes in the art of elaborate floral decorations.

“Spring has always been so wonderful to me because the flowers start growing, the sun shines for a little longer, and the birds start singing a new song,” Dolly Parton said. “When I was little and the weather started warming up, all us kids would gather on the porch in the afternoon and enjoy lemonade that Mama brought out for us. That’s springtime to me – getting to make memories with my family and taking in the beautiful colours everywhere.”

“I hope that when families come to Dollywood during our festival, they get those same feelings of joy. This year, our guests can take a walk in my special butterfly garden and even see my Mama making my coat of many colours. I think the festival will continue to bloom even bigger and brighter right here in these beautiful mountains.”

While admiring the vivid colours blooming throughout the park, guests can explore a menu crafted with inspiration from fresh spring flavours and Smoky Mountain flair. Returning for this year is the tasting pass, which allows guests to partake in multiple food items at different festival locations.

The tasting pass, which can be purchased in the park or online, is $34.99 plus tax or $31.99 plus tax for gold and diamond pass holders. With this pass, guests can sample five food offerings at any Flower & Food Festival culinary location. This year’s festival menu features a Cuban sandwich with mojo sauce, Reuben spring roll, chicken and andouille skillet, beef bulgogi nachos, seafood mac and cheese, berry and honey funnel cakes, and hand-decorated flower-themed cookies and cupcakes among many other tasty spring dishes.

A highlight of the festival this year is entertainment, including “Dolly’s Butterfly Garden” and the return of a former guest favourite to the park. Dolly’s Butterfly Garden is an immersive experience that allows guests to interact with natural elements in a new way. Created by Montreal, Canada’s Moment Factory, this exhibit will take place in Adventures in Imagination throughout the festival. Performers from Australia combine theatrical elements and acrobatics for a thrilling new show called “Bloom!” that takes place high above ground while performers are situated atop sway poles. Guests will not want to miss this elevated display.

Dollywood’s streets are filled with music during the Flower & Food Festival. The Hall Sisters, an energetic quartet of country-pop performers, will set the stage in Craftsman’s Valley. A returning favourite show, “A Brighter Day,” features five daily performances at the Back Porch Theater. All shows are included with park admission. A full schedule of live performances is available at Dollywood.com.

Back to provide shade along Show street is the mesmerizing Umbrella Sky, which brings together hundreds of colourful umbrellas in a brilliant, suspended arrangement that makes for an “Instagram-worthy” background. Guests looking to capture picture-perfect memories at Dollywood can stop by several locations in the park for an amazing photo. These include the Hillside Carpet Display that brings a florally-crafted sunset to Rivertown Junction, the pathways of Adventures in Imagination that are decorated with creative chalk art portraits, and Dolly’s Butterfly Garden exhibit in Adventures in Imagination.

Festival elements carry over into Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa where guests find festive décor and stunning floral accents. Daily mocktails and cocktails will be served in The Lounge at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, each drawing inspiration from the essence of springtime. Families can enjoy live entertainment in the lobby atrium, festival-inspired cuisine at Song & Hearth: A Southern Eatery and festival-themed activities at Camp DW. Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa hosts a Winemaker’s Dinner for guests on Saturday, May 21 inside Song & Hearth: A Southern Eatery. This unique dining experience pairs festival-inspired culinary creations with exemplary wines. Reservations for the dinner can be made by calling (865) 868-1246.

Dollywood looks forward to a season bigger and better than ever before. This is the perfect year to purchase a season pass in order to create memories with family and friends at the park all year long. Once the Flower & Food Festival is over, the fun continues with Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration presented by Bush’s Beans (June 18-Aug. 7), which features an expanded drone and fireworks show every night. Experience the all-new Hoot Owl Hollow as part of this year’s Harvest Festival presented by Humana (Sept. 23-Oct. 29), then get in the holiday spirit with Smoky Mountain Christmas presented by Humana (Nov. 6-Jan. 1, 2023). The celebration continues all year long at Dollywood.

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Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley launches Private Retreats

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley, wine country’s leading luxury resort, sets a new standard for inspired vacations with the launch of its Private Retreats. The exquisite collection of one- and two-storey luxury residences blend seamlessly with the lush natural surroundings of charming Calistoga, offering guests an idyllic, private home-away-from-home nestled amid the property’s vineyards to reconnect and reunite in wine country.

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley, which recently opened as the region’s first and only resort located on a working winery, is delighted to add these eight extraordinary vacation homes to its boutique offering of accommodations. General Manager Mehdi Eftekari comments, “For discerning travellers looking to escape with their significant others, spend time with family in an intimate setting or celebrate special occasions with friends, the luxury residences at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley present a truly memorable vacation experience where the best of wine, wellness, culinary, and design come together like nowhere else. We look forward to hosting friends and families here to savour precious moments together.”

The residences in the Private Retreats collection are masterfully designed by renowned architects and designers to make the very best of living, hosting, and vacationing possible. The homes’ interiors range from 2,500 to 3,460 square feet (232-320 square metres), featuring one premier four-bedroom residence with a private pool along Napa Valley’s famed Silverado Trail.

Each spacious sanctuary draws inspiration from the California countryside, pairing modern farmhouse architecture with sophisticated yet understated interiors featuring earth-tone colours, board and batten siding, meticulous stone detailing, and pitched metal roofs. The residences feature well-appointed bedrooms, private open-concept kitchens – ideal for entertaining and gatherings large and small – plus five-fixture bathrooms evoking spa-like serenity, walk-in closets, and spacious private outdoor terraces with fire pits to unwind and admire striking views of the vineyards and Palisades Mountains.

For ultimate relaxation and enjoyment – wine country style – a variety of services and amenities are available to book, including pre-arrival grocery shopping, on-site massages, intimate private yoga sessions, and more.

Just outside each residence’s front door, a 4.7-acre (1.9 hectare) vineyard and winery, helmed by winemaker Jonathan Walden and consulting winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, beckons with an authentic grape-to-glass experience. Wine aficionados and novices alike are invited to explore the world of wine and winemaking at Elusa Winery, including harvest activities and guided tasting sessions with expertly crafted cheese pairings. Guests also have the opportunity to enjoy the many other amenities on the grounds of Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley, including TRUSS Restaurant + Bar – a spirited dining destination with farm-fresh cuisine and sweeping views, plus two outdoor swimming pools dedicated for families and adults, CAMPO Poolside restaurant, the fully supervised Kids for All Seasons program, a bocce ball court, state-of-the-art fitness facilities, vineyard barn, meeting and event facilities, and Spa Talisa, a haven for relaxation and indulgence that is inspired by Calistoga’s 150+ years of wellness traditions.

At Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley, guests are treated to an incomparable hospitality experience centred on exceptional food, wine and spirits, wellness-inspired amenities, authentic service, and a distinct approachable luxury environment akin to its locale in the quaint town of Calistoga.

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A world of difference.......

No surprise here - IHG Hotels & Resorts is incredibly passionate about this planet and giving our guests as many opportunities to explore all its wonders. We’re also passionate about doing all we can to make sure those opportunities will be around for a long time. In 2021, IHG unveiled Journey to Tomorrow - a 10-year responsible business plan to care for our planet, people, and communities.

The planet-focused elements span reducing energy use and carbon emissions in line with climate science, maximizing the role of renewable energy, and supporting efforts to conserve water. It also outlined goals to help secure water access to those at greatest risk, drive initiatives to reduce waste, and collectively work towards shaping the future of responsible travel.

This Earth Day, here’s a snapshot of just some of the incredibly cool ways – big and small – that our hotels are bringing sustainable travel experiences to life.

Renowned chef Richard Sandoval has restaurants worldwide, from California to Qatar. Right now, he’s committed to saving the bees through a unique, plant-based menu, Viva Abejas (Save the bees!). It’s being served at more than two dozen restaurants around the globe through April 24, 2022.

Two of those restaurants are at IHG properties –InterContinental Miami and Six Senses Kocatas Mansions in Turkey. “As a restaurant group focused on Latin cuisine, bees are important as major pollinators of the agave plant and avocado – both of which are used frequently in our foods,” says Sandoval. In a playful call to action, the menu also includes cocktails that come with wildflower tags that guests can take home and plant in their yards and gardens for bees to pollinate. In addition, many IHG properties house onsite apiaries and/or rooftop gardens, including voco Oxford Thames, Hotel Indigo Tulsa, and Hotel Indigo Baton Rouge Downtown to name a few. 

There is no replicating an island vacation, especially when all you want to do is soak up some sunshine. However, at Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives it’s not just the guests making the most of those rays – the hotel installed solar panels on a significant portion of its resort (enough to cover seven tennis courts!) in 2020. The coolest part about this hot addition – you can see the solar power in action via its live feed.

“Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives has always been committed to preserving our natural resources and pursuing methods of using renewable sources of energy,” says Executive Assistant Manager Hussain Shahid.