Dateline Monday 8th January 2024

New Year greetings from London W10, welcome back to a new year in the Conference and Incentive industry I hope you are well and that you had an amazing end of year break.

Crisp, dry and cold or warm and raining what is your preference? For me I think it is the weather we are having right now even though I am not a fan of being cold. Could there be snow this week there is certainly a chance of a flurry or two.

I wonder what the year 2024 will bring, it’s kind of exciting to be starting a new year. The first week of January is always slow for news and indeed for everything except for the London Sales I mistakenly went into town last Wednesday it was mobbed, I did what I needed to do in town and left as soon as I could vowing not to return till at least the third week of January when hopefully sense would have prevailed.  

Sadly sense has not prevailed in Gaza and Israel, no one has yet come to their sense in Gaza or indeed Israel, as I have said before neither side is innocent, with my well known background I naturally side with Israel however it is hard to see the destruction and death in Gaza but and that is a bit but if Hamas would accept the existence of Israel and lay down their arms and terrorist tactic there would be no more war, death and destruction if on the other hand Israel laid down their arms there would be no more Israel.  

Looks like British politics is hotting up even if the weather is cooling down, will he, Rishi the PM go to the country for a General Election before November or won’t he, who knows? only Rishi does, one thing is for certain he is playing for time.

Here is a bit of good news the planned London Underground strike due to start today, Monday has been called off, I should jolly well think so, when the tube is on strike things grind to a halt, buses can’t cope with the huge increase in passengers and the traffic gets grid locked, let’s hope the totally useless Mayor of London gets his finger out and does the necessary to keep London on the move.   

And dear reader that is about it from a David point of view for this week at least.  

MM and Company news update

Morocco

Lina, Habib, Rachid, and the team at Visit Morocco DMC have told us that Hyatt Hotels has opened the Park Hyatt Marrakech. Located about nine miles from Marrakech’s Medina district, the 19-acre resort is situated in an off-the-beaten-path location at the base of the Atlas Mountains. The resort sits adjacent to the18-hole Al Maaden Golf Resort, The hotel has 130 guestrooms and suites arranged into 16 pavilions around a central patio. Park Hyatt Marrakech has a variety of dining options, including TFAYA, an Arabesque brasserie, and Le Pavilion, offering a light, all-day menu. Guests can also enjoy beverages and light bites surrounded by fireplaces and bookshelves in a signature social space The Living Room The hotel has a spa and hammam, there is an outdoor heated pool; and an indoor heated pool. Park Hyatt Marrakech additionally has seven function rooms, which can accommodate up to 80 guests.

Budapest

Imola, Katinka and the team at Cosmos DMC Budapest have to us that the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has announced the renovation and rebranding of the former Gellért Hotel in Budapest. The renamed Mandarin Oriental Gellert, Budapest is expected to open in 2027. The landmark property first opened in 1918 as one of the Hungarian capital’s most iconic purpose-built grand hotels, located on the Buda side of the city and just a short walk to the Liberty Bridge, connecting Buda with Pest. The Mandarin Oriental Gellert, Budapest will be awesome bearing in mind the quality of Mandarin Oriental hotels around the world added to that the fact that the Gellert Hotel as it is at the moment an awesome Art Nouveau property with an amazing pool area so worthwhile checking out on google. Something to look forward to for sure.