Our round-up of what’s happening in the business world across Europe
Table hopping
Business breakfast
Brussels The Jacqmotte Coffee House at the sophisticated Hotel Silken Berlaymont (11-19 Boulevard Charlemagne, tel. +32 (0)2 231 0909) is the perfect spot to hold a breakfast meeting, or to go solo if you have time to kill before heading to the European Commission building, which is located nearby. The city centre, Conference Centre and railway station are just 3km away. The pastries are good, there’s an extensive buffet to graze on and enough eavesdropping opportunities to give a journalist palpitations.
Business lunch
Stockholm A great place for a sunny business lunch in the Swedish capital is Lux Stockholm (Primusgatan 116, tel. +46 (0)8 619 0190; luxstockholm. com), located on Lilla Essingen, one of the smaller downtown islands. The restaurant is in a former Electrolux building, which has been transformed into a modern gem of Scandinavian design with large, arched windows that open towards Mariebergsfjärden. Open Tuesday to Saturday.
Business dinner
Lisbon The theatrical Kais (Cais da Viscondessa, Rua da Cintura-Santos, tel. +351 21 393 2930, www.kais-k.com) is one of those converted dockside industrial spaces that add to Lisbon’s hipness.
The dramatic interior of this 19th-century tram warehouse has high ceilings with ironwork, pulleys, chains and the original exposed brick. After 10pm, jazz and blues start up among the olive trees. The food is eclectic, with lots of African-influenced dishes, and booking is essential.
Business meeting
Copenhagen Front Hotel (Sankt Annæ Plads 21, tel. +45 3313 3400, front.dk), Remmen Hotels’ renovated boutique on Copenhagen’s waterfront promenade has been glammed up in black and fuschia, and the bedrooms (each with flatscreen TVs with cable, high-speed Wi-Fi and decent showers) are rather nice. But the best bit is the funky, hi-tech conference room, which seats 68 people. If you have to have a brainstorming session, this is a very comfortable and hi-tech place to do so.
A good night’s sleep in… Marseille
Business travellers seeking respite from conspicuous trouser presses and well-worn corridors should try the Radisson SAS Marseille Hotel (Vieux Port, 38-40 Quai de Rive Neuve, tel. +33 4 9191 4993, www.radissonsas.com). Standing between Fort Saint-Nicolas and Théâtre de la Criée, the newly built hotel looks out over the old harbour. Rooms are decked out in either warm oranges and yellows or cool blues and chocolate, and all have high-speed internet access. The hotel’s Business Class service will even provide an espresso machine in each room, free films and a daily newspaper.
CITY LOWDOWN Turin
ITALY Population: 58,133,509; Currency: Euro; Average temperature (Apr): 11°C
Turin is a city geared up for business. Besides the Fiat Group, it is home to Lavazza – an international leader in the coffee sector – sparkling wines and spirits such as Cinzano, and textile brands including Valentino, Cerruti and Ungaro.
The recently modernised Turin International Airport is just 10 miles north-west of the city centre. Taxis take around 30 minutes and should cost €18. Shuttle buses to the central railway station operate between 5.30am and midnight for €3, and depart every 40 minutes.
The Lingotto Conference Centre, the congress and exhibition halls are a little further away; a taxi fare should be about €28.
Turin is an easy city to get around on foot, but it also has a good public transport system consisting of buses, trams and electric trains. Services begin at 5am and end at midnight or 1am. A service charge is usually added in restaurants, but it’s customary to leave a 10% tip. Taxis round up their fares, so a tip isn’t necessary.
Bed down
The quality of Turin hotels can vary enormously. Most are expensive and, although many are classy, few offer a full business service. The best-equipped belong to the international chains and demand is high, particularly during trade shows, so book well in advance. The next big one is the Turin International Book Fair (10-14 May). Many cheap hotels in the sleazy quarter off Via Nizza aren’t advisable for women travelling alone.
A reliable choice is the four-star Grand Hotel Sitea, which boasts an excellent restaurant serving Piemontese food. It’s a 10-minute walk from most places you’re likely to need. Rooms are smallish, but the service is good.
Another solid choice is the Hotel AC Torino, a modern establishment housed in a former industrial factory in the Lingotto business district. The 89 rooms are equipped with satellite television, high-speed internet access, CD players and complimentary newspapers. There’s also a gym and jacuzzi on site.
The Philippe Starck-furnished Le Méridien Turin Art+Tech, which is connected directly to the Lingotto Conference Centre and was originally one of Giovanni Agnelli’s Fiat factories, is also a good bet. You can even go jogging on the roof-top car testing track made famous by The Italian Job.
A brand new (and pricey) alternative is Town House 70 in Turin’s historic centre, behind Piazza Castello and close to the elegant Via Roma. Or try the five-star Golden Palace, a contemporary city centre hotel with executive floors and meeting facilities. Unusually for Turin, it offers early and late check-ins.
Tastes of the city
Turin is famous for its truffles and wines – particular Barolo and Barbaresco – and is the vermouth capital of the world. The city is also well known for its grissini (breadsticks). Naturally, coffee houses abound, which tend to fill up at 7pm – the aperitivi hour.
Open for lunch only is Caffè Baratti, favoured in the 19th century by Turin’s intellectuals and poets, which serves exquisite food in a convivial setting.
Good restaurants for business dinners include Del Cambio, which provides an opulent 19th-century setting for traditional foods, and La Prima Smarrita, which offers a more modern take on Italian cuisine. Ristorante ‘l Gentilom at Hotel Principi di Piemonte is another good choice.
The Quadrilatero district, which backs on to the food market in Piazza della Repubblica, has been transformed from edgy-seedy to edgy-cool. Among the hip late-night bars, Tre Galli on Via Sant’Agostino is a great lunch spot with outdoor tables.
More Vermouth, anyone?
Grab a nightcap in one of three areas: the Piazza Vittorio Veneto, which has many temptations; the area around Via Sant’Agostino, the oldest part of the city with excellent coffee shops and bars, as well as some interesting ethnic eateries; and the Docks Dora area by the old docks for after-darkers.
Time off
This elegant city has many magnificent 18th-century monuments and a surplus of museums. Via Roma takes in the Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento Italiano in Palazzo Carignano, which is worth a visit, as is the 15th-century Duomo di San Giovanni (Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist), which houses the Turin Shroud.
When the sun shines
Turin is very walkable. The historic centre is crowded with baroque churches, such as the Madonna della Consolata, and grandiose former royal residences. The extraordinary Palazzo Madama on Piazza Castello is a good way to spend an hour. Take a break at Pepino, a famous café-gelateria opposite the Palazzo Carignano.
Honey, you shouldn’t have
Turin’s premier shopping street is Via Roma. Check out elegant furniture and fabrics stores, jewellers, antique shops and craft emporia. In the historical centre, Via Barbaroux, Via San Tommaso and Via Monte di Pietà are full of shops selling haberdashery and local delicacies. There are also master bakers selling handmade grissini.
The Gran Balôn antiques market, which takes place on the second Sunday of every month, is a mix of curiosities, collector’s items, lace, toys and old publications, and attracts people from all across Italy.
For the more modern-minded, 8 Gallery is a trendy shopping centre on the first floor of the Lingotto centre. It boasts chic boutiques and cafés, as well as an elegant art gallery.
The business person’s little black book
Lingotto Conference Centre Via Nizza, tel. 011 664 4111
Grand Hotel Sitea Via Carlo Alberto 35, tel. 011 517 0171
Hotel AC Torino Via Bisalta 11, tel. 011 639 5091
Le Méridien Turin Art+Tech Via Nizza 230, tel. 011 664 2000
Town House 70 Via XX Settembre 70, tel. 011 1970 0003
Golden Palace Via dell’Arcivescovado 18, tel. 011 551 2111
Caffè Baratti Piazza Castello 27, tel. 011 561 3060
Del Cambio Piazza Carignano 2, tel. 011 546690
La Prima Smarrita Corso Unione Sovietica 244, tel. 011 317 9191
Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento Italiano Palazzo Carignano, Via Accademia della Scienze 5
Duomo di San Giovanni Via XX Settembre
Venive
Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal (San Marco 1332, tel. +39 041 520 0211, hotelmonaco.it) is situated just a few steps from Venice’s bustling Piazza San Marco and overlooks the Grand Canal. Formerly a 17th-century palace, this exquisite hotel has recently been refurbished. It retains its old-world charm with antique furnishings and traditional Venetian décor, complemented with a 21st-century twist thanks to Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel, a conference hall that holds up to 250 guests and additional meeting rooms. The hotel also boasts a gourmet restaurant and an idyllic waterfront terrace with memorable views across the Basin of San Marco to Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute and the island of San Giorgio. When you’re not preoccupied with meetings, the hotel is ideally located to make the most of all this fascinating city has to offer, from its museums and galleries to gondola rides, designer shops and the famous Harry’s Bar.
Green housekeeping
Through a partnership between the Rezidor Hotel Group and the CarbonNeutral Company, business travellers staying at Rezidor hotels can offset greenhouse gas emissions from their stay, making their entire trip carbon neutral.
Guests can collect Gold Points through a loyalty programme. One night collects, an average of 3,000 Gold Points; 2,000 points are needed to offset 270kg of carbon dioxide, which corresponds to one to two stays at a hotel, including travel by car. CO2 equivalents will be balanced by donating money to carbon-reducing projects, such as a wind power project in India and energy efficiency projects in Jamaica.
Assault on the battery market
Moixa, the company behind the USBCELL, is close to unleashing batteries for mobile phones, Blackberrys and other PDAs that can be charged from any USB port. These new batteries have all the circuitry and connections built in, removing the need for business travellers to pack plugs, adaptors or chargers. Moixa is yet to announce a release date (or prices), but if you’re interested you can pre-order from www.usbcell.com
Spotlight on… Frankfurt openings
Germany’s financial centre, Frankfurt, has just seen the opening of two notable hotels. Radisson SAS Hotel Frankfurt is a new 400-room hotel on Franklinstrasse, next to the city’s busy exhibition complex. It features state-of-the-art accommodation in a range of styles, and conference facilities. There are also several restaurants and bars, plus a fitness centre. Online rates start at €185 for standard rooms, €220 including breakfast for business class.
Meanwhile, Rocco Forte Hotels has opened the 163-room Villa Kennedy on Kennedyallee, off the south bank of the River Main. It’s constructed around the 100-year-old Villa Speyer and is surrounded by gardens, with a three-level spa comprising a 15-metre pool, sauna and steam rooms. Rates for standard rooms start at €260, with deluxe rooms priced at €320.
Text Boyd Farrow
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