Paul Revel INTERCONTINENTAL LONDON – THE O2
THE HOTEL HIGHLIGHTS A SPATE OF INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT in the Greenwich Peninsula area, and is sparking interest among event planners – its conference centre boasts the largest pillar-free ballroom in Europe. Located next to the O2 arena, it is connected by Underground and river services to Canary Wharf, the City and other parts of London, and by Emirates airline cable-car to Excel London.
ROOMS: The hotel has 453 rooms, including 59 suites. Rooms start from 29sqm, all feature free wifi (plus high- speed paid-for options), 42in flatscreen TV, granite bathroom with Anne Semonin products, robes, bathtub and separate walk-in rainshower. My corner Studio Suite on the 16th floor was bright and airy with double aspect, full-length windows overlooking the Thames, the O2 dome and the towers of Canary Wharf. A calm neutral palette included wood, teal, greys and creams in both matte and metallic fabrics.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS: We enjoyed a delicious and eclectic tasting menu in the Peninsula restaurant (including yellowfin tuna tartare and slow-cooked featherblade steak with kidney-barley casserole and piccalilli). Breakfast in the Market Brasserie is also excellent. Another highlight is sipping lapsang souchong-infused negronis in the elegant Clipper Bar with its triple-height windows. Head to the 18th-floor Skybar for more cocktails with a view.
Waterview Drive, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0TW
intercontinental.com
MEETINGS FACILITIES: The 3,000sqm Arora ballroom can host a banquet for 2,400 (or 3,000 theatre style). It has a 7m-high ceiling and state-of- the-art tech, load-in and rigging capabilities, and impressive glass-fronted breakout and reception areas. Its modular wall systems can divide it into 20 different configurations. In the conference centre and hotel itself are another 15-plus meeting spaces, with further subdivisions, as well as outdoor options. LEISURE FACILITIES: There’s a 17m swimming pool with
natural light, Jacuzzi and sauna/steam rooms, a well-appointed gym, and a spa with eight treatment rooms and Espa products. VERDICT: Gleaming, design-led decor and attention to detail throughout the hotel, and the abundance of plate glass affording spectacular views everywhere, create a sense of opulence. But five-star credentials (and the area’s dynamic regeneration) aside, it’s those hi-tech meetings and events facilities and mammoth ballroom that have got event planners talking.
Paul Revel VICEROY HOTEL, NEW YORK
120 W 57th Street, New York, New York 10019, US
viceroyhotelsandresorts.com
THE VICEROY GROUP OPERATES EIGHT PROPERTIES IN THE US. This hotel opened in 2013, in a newly built 29-story tower, but you wouldn’t know it: the art deco styling and classic decor give it a classic New York vibe. It’s in a prime midtown location, between 6th and 7th Avenues, and with great Central Park views from its rooftop bar terrace.
ROOMS: My deluxe room on the 15th floor overlooked 57th street, the large picture window flooding the room with light. Rooms are small but well-appointed with clever use of space for a wardrobe and storage. The retro design features plenty of wood, leather and brass. Facilities include an Illy espresso machine, a flatscreen TV with Bluetooth/Anytime+, a workstation with books about New York and old- school stationary, such as stiff invitation cards. Other amenities include bathrobe and slippers, Beats by Dre wireless Bluetooth speaker and Neil George products in the marble-clad bathroom. RESTAURANTS AND BARS: The rooftop bar on the 29th floor is a cool Manhattan hangout with great signature cocktails, small-plate dishes and an outdoor terrace
114 BBT MARCH/APRIL 2016
with park views. Top tipples include the fiery jalapeno margarita, and Clicquot Spritz made with champagne and blood-orange liqueur. On the ground floor, the Kingside restaurant is styled like an upmarket diner, and serves a wide range of modern American/fusion dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. As well as burgers, steaks and salads, distinctive dishes include smoked short ribs, olive oil-poached tuna and breakfast pizza with baked egg, maple bacon and scallion. MEETINGS FACILITIES: Event spaces include a private dining room in the Kingside restaurant, a meeting room for up to 30 and a boardroom for 12, while the rooftop bar can be used exclusively for a range of functions.
LEISURE FACILITIES: A small gym at basement level features Technogym strength- and cardio-machines, cycles, running machines, step machines, a rower and freeweights. VERDICT: The Viceroy is neither the trendiest nor the glitziest place to stay in a town jam-packed with headline- grabbing hotels – but its understated vibe is as part of the attraction as its location. In the competitive Manhattan market, this place feels like a savvy and classy option. For business travellers in a hurry, it’s worth pointing out that when Manhattan traffic is gridlocked (that is, most of the time), it’s a much cheaper and less stressful hour’s journey to JFK airport from the 7th Avenue subway station, via the Airtrain.
BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM
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