19 Jul 2023
Words
Tim Crooks Informer 107
What’s Cool In The Industry
Director of New Developments and Hotels Tim Crooks checks in to check out the hottest hotel experiences.
Dive Bar
In 2010, divers exploring the Åland Islands off the coast of Finland discovered a shipwreck with 46 perfectly preserved bottles of Veuve Clicquot champagne, untouched for 170 years. Inspired by how well this bounty of bubbly aged over time in deep water, Veuve Clicquot decided to do it all over again. In 2014, the Champagne house submerged 300 bottles and 50 magnums of its champagne at the same location.
To showcase the results of this eccentric experiment, Veuve Clicquot is offering its three-day “ v” experience in June. This includes a comparative tasting of the submerged champagne alongside Veuve Clicquot’s regular variety. Certified divers will be able to descend into the depths to see the Åland Vault, where the aging bottles are submerged.
veuveclicquot/en-int/cellar-in-the-sea-experience
Rolling In It
Melbourne keeps bringing it on the hotel front. March saw two 5-star openings: The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne on Lonsdale St, which has bragging rights of being Australia’s tallest hotel (the lobby is on the 80th floor), and Le Méridien Melbourne on Bourke St, which was originally a hotel, then a theatre, then a cinema, then a nightclub … and back to a hotel again. But my pick of Melbourne openings is The Royce Hotel which rolled out the carpet in February. This Art Deco darling on St Kilda Rd in South Yarra was built in 1928 as a dealership for luxury cars, including Rolls Royce, hence the name. Now, it’s reopened as a 94-suite boutique hotel after a two-year reno.
OWO wow
Singapore’s celebrated Raffles chain, part of Accor since 2015, has reimagined London’s Old War Office (OWO) as a swanky hotel. The Edwardian-era OWO, where Churchill once orchestrated Allied forces in WWII, boasts luxury guest rooms and suites. Raffles London at The OWO is the chain’s first UK opening. If these interiors seem familiar, it’s because you’ve seen them before. They’ve featured in every Daniel Craig Bond film from Casino Royale to No Time to Die. Raffles London at The OWO opened May 8 to coincide with the coronation of King Charles.
Tim Crooks, Director
0417 544 562
tim@resortbrokers.com.au
