Reality Check ➔ HOTEL OYSTER BOX, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA
THE HOTEL: Situated on a site that has been home to a hotel since the 1930s, the new Oyster Box reopened in 2009 in the coastal town of Umhlanga, about 20 minutes north of Durban and with easy access to the new King Shaka International Airport. It is a member of the independent Red Carnation Hotel group, which also includes London hotels Rubens, The Milestone and The Chesterfield. THE CHECK-IN: Arriving early evening I was met in the car park and led into the hotel’s grand reception area. The revolving door at the entrance is an original landmark, as are the distinctive black and white terrazzo tiles and a sweeping spiral staircase. The Mediterranean decorative elements are a nod to more modern-day design tastes. THE ROOM: The hotel’s 86 luxurious rooms, suites and villas are all individually decorated – no standard carpet or uniform colours here. My Classic Sea-facing room – small but well appointed – was decorated in clean yellows and whites and had a king-size bed, shower (no bath), and a balcony with two chairs that offered views of the Indian Ocean and Umhlanga’s iconic lighthouse. The room has energy efficient lights and sensors on the balcony’s sliding-doors that switch off the air- conditioning the moment they are opened.
THE BUSINESS: There’s a 24-seater screening room that can be used for presentations, and meetings facilities for up to 120 people. A fully equipped business centre with complimentary high-speed internet access is available. A sunken wine cellar houses the Chef’s Table and can be booked for private functions for between two and ten people. THE FACILITIES: The hotel has a variety of dining experiences, including casual dining at the Ocean Terraces, fine dining in the Grill Room, or snacks in the Chukka Bar. The hotel’s three bars are very different: the
➔ VENUE KKL, LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND
THE CONFERENCE CENTRE: Lucerne is a festival city so KKL – the Culture & Convention Centre -– was a fabulous replacement for the old facility and stunning landmark to the city skyline a decade ago. Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and acoustician Russell Johnson, it’s perfectly placed on the water’s edge in the centre of the city, next door to the railway station and lake cruise pick-up points. KKL keeps spare dry clothes for those who can’t detect water from floor. THE FACILITIES: KKL has multiple entrances and tight security was in evidence at the formal entryway of the building the evening I attended a concert. The venue hosts everything from concerts and car launches to exhibitions and trade fairs. State-of-the-art audiovisual technology and world-class acoustics are common to all facilities. The shoebox-shaped Concert Hall is its centrepiece. It has five interpreter booths and 1,840 seats or 1,300 theatre-style. There is a fabulously decadent auditorium on the first floor, with 270 comfy leather chairs each with pull-out tables and gold embroidered number, wireless headphones and two interpreter booths. Best for meetings, seminars, lectures and readings. The multi-functional Lucerne Hall on the ground floor has movable
Chukka Bar resembles a Gentleman’s Club from colonial times; the Lighthouse bar has all the casual but smart congeniality of a bar on a luxury train; and the all-white Oyster Bar resembles the trendiest of chic urban bars – guests can enjoy a plate of oysters on ice from the hotel’s own oyster beds. There’s also a spa, two heated swimming pools (including a rim-flow pool with ocean views) a fitness centre and direct access to the beachfront jogging trail that stretches several kilometres in both directions. THE VERDICT: Red Carnation owner Stanley Tollman took his now wife Beatrice to the Old Oyster Box in the early 1950s. It was their first date and he promised to one day buy it for her. He stayed true to his word and has created a sumptuous hotel with a classical charm and understated elegance. Expect a classy contemporary experience wrapped in several whiffs of nostalgia and staff impressively well-informed about the hotel and surrounding areas. THE DETAILS: 2 Lighthouse Road, Umhlanga Rocks 4319, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Rack rates for Classic Sea-facing rooms in January 2011 are around £300 per night. See:
www.redcarnationhotels.com STEVE HARTRIDGE
partitions and can host banquets for 900, with standing room for 1,600 or 450 for a seminar. There's an open-air terrace with a monolithic copper and reflective steel cantilevered roof the size of two football fields above, which frames the entire city. It is an amazing space for receptions and meetings, punctuated with white leather sofas. On a much smaller scale, there are six Club Rooms on the second floor which can accommodate up to 220 and, one floor up, three rooms for between ten and 50, plus a VIP Crystal Lounge. THE RESTAURANT: For elegant dining the Gault Millau-accredited Red Restaurant on the
first floor impresses, with cool grey leather tables to sit at and a backdrop of fine wines. Healthy salads and superb desserts are on offer at the deli-style World Café on the ground floor and more hearty fare at the open- air Waterfront on the side of the building. There is also the stylish Seebar. THE VERDICT: This is a sleek looking and slick operation in the heart of the city, geared up to the MICE industry for half its 600 annual events. THE DETAILS: Europlatz 1, CH-6005 Lucerne. Contact: tel: +41 41 2267070; email: sales@
kkl-luzern.ch; see:
www.kkl-luzern.ch GILLIAN UPTON
80 I FIND MORE REALITY CHECKS AT WWW.THEBUSINESSTRAVELMAG.COM
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