Catering to your needs at Holiday Villa
TRAVEL may mean solitude to one, and business to someone else. Some crave adventure, some desire peace, while some set out on a journey to seek knowledge.
No matter what motivates anyone to travel, hotels are an indispensable part of the experience.
The Holiday Villa Hotels & Resorts Group, with 20 hotels in eight countries, can cater to all travellers around the world with their distinct travelling needs, whether they want a city hotel, beach resort, or a pool villa.
IN DAYS gone by, spending the night at an airport hotel was considered a humdrum affair, characterised by formulaic chains, carbon-copy hotel rooms, and uninspiring cuisine. But no more. Today, there are a number of great airport hotels worth keeping an eye out for on your travels.
Here are 10 of the best.
Moxy Milan No desks, an ‘Instagram wall’ and artwork comprising semi-naked men doing domestic chores – Moxy was the first millennialfocused hotel when it sprang onto the scene at Milan’s Malpensa in 2014.
Affordable yet stylish, it was the first in Marriott’s affordable chain, which has subsequently been rolled out across the world.
Rooms at the tech-savvy hotel come with 56in displays instead of any real cupboard space. There are no phones – the idea is to get you out in the public areas, making you feel like you’ve already arrived in the fashion capital while still at the airport.
Radisson Blu Stansted The main draw at Radisson Blu Stansted is the Wine Tower Bar, the hotel’s centrepiece: a refrigerated tower housing thousands of bottles of wine which bar staff (wearing harnesses) climb, Mission Impossible- style, to reach customers’ orders.
The hotel also has a British Brasserie and Station 169 for steaks and grilled fish, a wellequipped Pace fitness club, but of course the real draw is the two-minute walk to the terminal – perfect for your average 6am Ryanair flight.
Naumi Auckland ‘Doughnut walls’, mini golf, and inflatable unicorns in the swimming pool – yes, the newly-opened Naumi Auckland really does have it all.
Pronounced ‘know-me’, the Auckland hotel opened on Feb 1 and is as quirky as they come. Paying tribute to the native tui bird, the design has countless intriguing features, including art installations dotted throughout the hotel.
The star of the show is the ‘Habitat Nest’ room, sleeping up to four guests on two lavish queen beds.
Recently, the group has added a few new properties to its portfolio, as well as carried out extensive renovation works in existing properties.
Holiday Villa Cherating, Holiday Villa Langkawi ( below, far left), Wina Kuta Holiday Villa Bali, and Holiday Villa Doha recently refurbished their guest rooms, villas and lobby, and now present a completely fresh new look. There’s even free WiFi for guests at all these properties.
New and recent additions to the group
Hilton Schiphol Amsterdam With a 41-metre ceiling made of glass, the Mecanoo Architects-designed hotel at Schiphol Amsterdam is aesthetically spectacular, both inside and out.
The Bowery restaurant is designed to represent the hotel’s blend of traditional and cosmopolitan, with Asian and Dutch cuisine on offer.
Moreover, visitors can enjoy an interactive dining experience at three live are Holiday Villa Johor Baru ( below, second from left), Holiday Villa Pantai Indah in Indonesia’s Bintan island, and Holiday Villa Bakkah in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Opening soon this year is Holiday Villa Shanghai ( below and right), a modern trendy four-star hotel located in the district of Jiading, China, which has a direct train link to Hong Kong Disneyland.
For more, visit the group’s newlyrevamped website at www.holidayvillahotels. com. cooking stations.
Hotel Verde Cape Town Africa’s greenest hotel offers a carbon neutral stay – ideal for those looking to offset the impact of air travel.
Its grey water recycling system saves an average of 6,000 litres per day, while rainwater is collected in the basement to feed the hotel’s irrigation system.
Hotel Verde Cape Town also has a ‘zero waste to landfill’ goal, while its gym equipment also generates energy. What’s more, it’s all rather lovely to look at too.
Hotel Vagar, Faroe Islands Located in the small village of Sorvagur and a 10-minute walk from Vagar Airport, Hotel Vagar’s best selling point is the panoramic views of the Faroe Islands from the hotel’s many windows.
With the wild Atlantic on its doorstep and small rocky islands jutting out of the sea, this is one of the most beautiful places to wake up – and the Gasaladur waterfall is only a 15minute car ride away.
CitizenM Charles de Gaulle The hotel’s namesake might not have been famed for his internationalist sensibilities, but CitizenM Charles de Gaulle is global in flavour, dotted with books, magazines and other items from all over the world.
Vitra-designed furniture and wall-to-wall windows make CitizenM Charles de Gaulle one of Europe’s chicest airport hotels, while the 24/7 canteenM also makes it wonderfully convenient.
Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport For those after a VIP experience (or just those with early flights to catch), staying at the Westin means skipping interminable security lines, with its own private security checkpoint.
It’s located right inside the airport terminal, meaning you can roll from bed to gate in a matter of minutes.
Courtyard by Marriott Bogota Airport What’s special about Courtyard by Marriott Bogota Airport is its sleek, minimalist design.
The elegant entrance is complemented by marble floors, while bedrooms feature largescale maps and the hotel’s kitchen specialises in a mix of American and Colombian cuisine.
YotelAir London Gatwick Designed for busy international travellers, YotelAir creates a welcoming experience in the heart of Gatwick’s South Terminal.
Its small, futuristic cabins are ideal for rest and relaxation, with atmospheric mood lighting redolent of Blade Runner.
And if you think it doesn’t get much cooler than that, the earplugs they dole out at reception are the best in the noise-cancelling business. – The Independent