Month: April 2016

  The After Hours Guide to Office 2016 at ExCel London This year we had an exciting time exhibiting our hotel booking platform at Office 2016 in the ExCel Centre. We know the area well so if you’re planning on going, make the most of your trip to London with a sneak peek at our insiders guide to the area. It might be perfect for business events, but the ExCel Centre hasnt got much to offer in terms of entertainment. Thankfully it’s seamlessly connected to the rest of the city, so there’s no excuse not to explore after hours.                                                                                                                                                                                                    Big Ben  Getting Here Fly into City airport if you can, it’s just a stone’s throw from the centre so you’ll waste no time travelling. All the hotels by ExCel are just a five-minute taxi but you can get on the DLR to Canning Town if you’d rather. It’s perfectly possible to walk too, if you don’t mind carrying your bags. If you’re coming from Gatwick it will take about an hour travelling, get a fast train to London Bridge, then use the London Underground and take the Jubilee line and connect to the DLR. From Heathrow Airport you’ll need to get on the Piccadilly Line to Green Park, then Jubilee Line to Canning Town and change for the DLR.                               London Tube Getting Around To plan your routes use the Citymapper app or TFL website. You can use your contactless bankcard to pay for travel, just tap in and out at the barriers. The ExCel Centre is close to Royal Victoria (usually the quieter option) or Custom House stations, so you can rely on the DLR to get around. This connects to the Jubilee line and will take you more central should you wish. The river taxis are a fun way to get over the river, as are the cable cars that depart regularly from The Royal Docks. These take about ten minutes and provide a breathtaking birds-eye view that’s even more fabulous at night, when all of London twinkles beneath you in the darkness.   Local Eateries and Bar Hotspots Grabbing some breakfast on the way to the event? Look no further than the Garden Community Café. For lunch on site there’s a splattering of restaurants to choose from, I’d recommend La Barrique and The Bagel Factory. If you’ve got a little more time to stretch your legs, walk 20 minutes to Trinity Buoy Wharf, home to London’s only lighthouse. It’s currently used as an old school art space and café. For after hours dining get dressed up and go to Canary Wharf; a great place to arrange any business dinners or client entertainment. Watch the sunset over the river from Smollensky’s or Roka. Sticks and Sushi is good for groups, order the miso marinated black cod and thank me later. Alternatively, for a low-key affair, the best curry in town is The Tale of India, on West India Dock Road. All foodie paths lead to Borough Market by London Bridge, it’s about 30 minutes away on the Jubilee Line and packed with artisan snacks and fresh produce. Find the Scotch Tails cart for the best Scotch egg and sweet potato you will ever eat, then grab a coffee at Monmouth.                                                                                                        Burough Market Stalls                                                                                                 Scotch Tails   Evening Entertainment  Camden is easily reachable and great for live music gigs. Catch Hannah Trigwell at BarFly on Wednesday 11th May or, if you’re more rap than acoustic pop, Wretch 32 is playing at hot local venue KOKO on Thursday 12th May. Vue cinema in Stratford is ideal for seeing the latest flicks and is surrounded by cool bars and restaurants to discus the plot in afterwards. Game of Thrones fans can see Rob Stark (aka Richard Madden) in Romeo and JulietatGarrick Theatre. To see him in action get the DLR to Canning Town and hop on the Jubilee line until you reach Westminster. The 02 is another popular choice for shows and Il Divo are in town on Friday 13th. Make a night of it with cocktails at Ny-lon bar, the Vera margarita is guaranteed to help.                                                                                                                                 Camden Town Subway Station       Amy Whinehouse  Street Art in Camden For the Health and Fitness Conscious Stock up on vitamins with a fresh fruit juice in the morning from Naturally Good, the place to go for healthy eating on site. Most..

Are you visiting Paris for the Intermat conference from 23rd-28th April? Don’t want to waste the opportunity to experience the highlights of one of the world’s most iconic cities? We’ve rounded up the best places that will fit around your busy schedule. Getting Around Paris  If you’re coming in from Charles De Gaulle Airport (Paris-CDG), your journey to the conference couldn’t be easier. Jump on the RER Line B towards Paris and Pac des Expositions is the first stop. Five minutes and you’re there! From Orly Airport, it’s a slightly longer trip – but still a breeze. Take the ORLYVAL to Antony, change onto the RER Line B going towards Roissy CDG, and alight at Parc des Expositions. The Paris Metro’s 300 stops not only connect up every corner of the city; the iconic Art Nouveau signs and earliest stations are something of a tourist attraction in themselves. This is by far the fastest, easiest and most cost-effective way to zip around the city. But, of course, this is April in Paris: a time of year so lovely that songs have been written about it. Springtime is glorious in the French capital and staying underground means you miss Paris incredible wealth of architectural gems, from Gothic greats like the Notre-Dame and Saint-Étienne-du-Mont to modern classics by Le Corbusier, Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. So get out your Google Maps app and walk wherever you possibly can! Notre-Dame  Cathedral Finally, taxis. These can be hard to track down, aren’t always totally clued up about where they’re going and, if you order one, will charge for the time it takes to reach you as well as your actual journey. Your best bet is to find a taxi rank (marked with a blue sign) the meter starts at 2.10. Most journeys in central Paris shouldn’t set you back more than 10.   Local Eateries and Bar Hotspots Where do you begin? Parisien cuisine is, perhaps, the most famous in the world. Of course, in the most touristy areas, there are plenty of sub-standard eateries lurking around to take advantage of the city’s reputation and the inexperience of new arrivals. But pick one of the best and you’ll enjoy an exquisite meal that you won’t forget in a hurry. The oldest restaurant in Paris, and still one of the very best, is Le Grand Véfour (17, rue de Beaujolais 75001 Paris), which is sublimely situated overlooking the Palais Royal’s gardens. It’s now run by Michelin-starred chef Guy Martin and continues to receive rave reviews. Note that the restaurant is closed at weekends. For something a little less flashy but just as authentically Parisian, head to the much-loved La Tour de Montlhéry-Chez Denise in Les Halles (5 rue des Prouvaires, 75001). This highly carnivorous bistro with its huge casks of wine is about as Gallic as it gets. Again, it’s closed at weekends but during the week you can dine until 5am, should you get carried away on the steak and Côtes du Rhône. Then there’s the laid-back but excellent Frenchie, just down from Opera (5 Rue du Nil, 75002 Paris, France). There’s a focus on fresh, organic, seasonal ingredients and, while it’s primarily French cuisine, it’s not purist head chef Gregory Marchand (given the nickname Frenchie by old boss Jamie Oliver) is open to experimenting with international influences and flavours, too. Or, if you’re out near the 6th Arrondissement, check out local favourite Allard (41 rue Saint-André des Arts), founded by Bergundy peasant Marthe Allard in 1932 and still serving up sensational versions of traditional classics under the watchful eye of chef-turned-restaurateur Alain Ducasse. Finally, for a wonderfully Parisian place to grab a drink, pop into Le Bistrot des Dames (18 Rue des Dames, 75017 Paris), a locally-loved suntrap with the perfect garden for an early evening glass of wine. Or, for something a little more glamorous, try out the phenomenal Experimental Cocktail Club in Les Halles (37 Rue Saint-Sauveur, 75002 Paris).                                                                                                                 Panthéon                                                                                                  Sacre Coeur Evening Entertainment Skip the Moulin Rouge: Paris is a true city of culture. Whether you’re in the mood for a film, a play or musical, ballet or opera, or just an evening of great music, you’re sure to find something to suit your tastes. For a quintessentially Parisian breed of hedonism, don’t miss La Java (105, rue du Faubourg du Temple, 75010, Paris), the famous nightclub/music venue that’s housed performances by everyone from Edith Piaf to Jill Saboule. Film lovers will drool over Accattone, the vintage cinema once managed by François Truffaut, as well as much loved indie cinemas like Action Christine and La Filmothèque du Quartier Latin. The Cinémathèque Française, which comprises a cinema, movie museum and research library, is worth the trip purely to appreciate Frank Gehry’s unique design. For great theatre, check out the lineup from Soif Compagnie and Galerie de Nesle. Both sometimes perform English language plays, as well as French. World-class ballet and dance is on offer at Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, with more experimental theatre and dance housed at Théâtre de la Ville and Théâtre des Abbesses. Opera connoisseurs can choose between a performance at the sumptuous 17th century Palais Garnier, with its ceiling designed by Marc Chagall, or the Opera Bastille a striking Modernist building designed by Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott. Or, for something a little less highbrow, until the end of April you can also catch Carmen..

In Barca on Business? Here’s How to Squeeze in the Best of the City in Your Spare Hours…   Want to see a little more of this incredible city than in the inside of a conference hall, some main drag tourist tat and your hotel bar? Well you’re in luck. We’ve pulled together the very best, off-the-beaten-track highlights to help you make your spare time in the city as great as it can be.   Getting there from the airport This year’s Alimentaria is taking place at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via Conference Centre (or just, the Gran Via Venue). From the airport, the easiest route is to take the Aerobus shuttle direct from either Terminal 1 (T1 Bus) or 2 (T2 Bus) to Plaça Espanya. From there, hop on the FGC train direct to the venue, getting off at the stop market Fira/Europa.   Getting Around Barcelona Before you can figure out how to cram in as much as possible into your free hours, you do, of course, need to know how to get from A to B. The Gran Via Venue is a little way out of the main city, but as explained above, is easily reached by FGC train from Plaça Espanya. From Espanya, you can also jump on the Metro to just about any corner of the city, or catch the bus to the airport. Cabs are also surprisingly reasonable. A 15 minute drive in a registered taxi (yellow and black, a green light on the roof when they’re free) should only set you back about 10 euros. Uber was banned in Spain last year, although alternatives like Cabify are still an option. Lastly, if you have the opportunity: walk. Barcelona’s not actually that big but it is beautiful. Strolling through medieval streets and stopping for a gander at a Gaudi is definitely the best way to take it all in. La Sagrada Familia Local Eateries and Bar Hotspots The Cava! The Butifarra! The Suquet de Peix! With its distinctive flavours and its world-famous tapas and wine, Barcelona has long been one of Europe’s most exciting culinary destinations. After all, this is the city that produced two of the best chefs in the world today, brothers Ferran and Albert Adrià, as well as legendary luminaries like Jordi Cruz and master baker Cristian Escribà. But as a popular weekend holiday destination, there are, unsurprisingly, plenty of duds thrown into the mix. It’s not always easy for a new arrival to pick out the real gems from the tourist trail travesties. So just where are all fabulous hidden secrets of the great Catalonian capital? Well, it’s time to ramble away from La Rambla and the central stag party brigade. Because in the more sophisticated corners of the city, there are some seriously memorable feasts on offer.   For a top Michelin-starred experience…Fermí Puig, Balmes 175, 08006, Barcelona Chef Fermí Puig is often credited as the guy who put Barcelona back on the fine-dining map, having launched Drolma way back in the day, but it’s his eponymously-named venture that is really reinvigorating the most classic Catalan cuisine. There are private dining rooms available for meetings and other functions, too.   For an Exquisite Spanish Setting-ABaC Restaurant and Hotel, Avinguda del Tibidabo The second-youngest chef ever to be awarded a Michelin star (he now has four), Jordi Cruz heads up the frankly phenomenal kitchen over at ABaC Restaurant and Hotel. Having been awarded the coveted Best Restaurant in Catalonia prize by the Catalan Academy of Gastronomy back in 2011, it’s held its reputation as one of the best places to eat in the whole region. The food is, of course, exquisite (think Liquid Parmesan Gnocchi in Bergamot Butter with Nuts, Lemongrass and Truffle Mushroom Infusion), with two tasting menus and plenty of a la carte options to choose from. Plus, the wine list is seriously extensive, with over 1000 on offer.   If you’re stuck in the Centre-Passeig Marítim Barceloneta, 1, 08003 Barcelona, Spain Barcelona is blessed with a lively and elegant beachfront, with plenty of restaurants and bars sprawling right out onto the sand. But if you’re looking for something a bit more upmarket, one option truly stands out: Barraca. Set up by Xavier Pellicer of ABaC and Celoni fame, Barraca is a place that oozes both style and substance. Less expensive and more laid back than other high-end eateries in the city, it nonetheless serves up some of the best (and sustainable) seafood and fresh takes on local delicacies in the region. In particular, make sure you have plenty of space to sample Pelicer’s delicious take on Bombas, a Barcelona favourite made from potato stuffed with (usually) pork, deep fried and served up with a spicy tomato sauce.   For something really unique…Los Toreros, Calle de Xuclà, 3, 08001 Barcelona The area along the main tourist drag might be largely uninspired, food-wise, but there are some solid staples tucked away nearby should you need a trusty bolthole. Among the most authentic and un-fussy is Los Toreros, a traditional (and inexpensive) little place with a fantastic atmosphere and top tapas, including classics like chocos (fried cuttlefish), Pimientos de Padrón (spicy green peppers in olive oil and salt) and fabulous calamari straight from Boqueria Market. For local hospitality….Restaurante Pakta, Carrer de Lleida, 5, 08004 Barcelona Kicking yourself that you never had a chance to eat at El Bulli? Ferran Adrià might have (allegedly) hung up his apron for a little while, but his formidably talented younger brother Albert has taken up the reins with a string of incredible restaurants across Barcelona, each with their own unique spin. Most notable of these is Michelin-starred Nikkei restaurant, Pakta. As unlikely a combination as it might sound, the 33-course Peruvian-Japanese fusion taster menu is a thing of beauty. Barcelona might do fine dining to impeccable effect, but the real joy of a meal out in the city is mixing great food with famous Catalonian hospitality. The culture here is all about the nightlife – you eat..

What to do at Berlin’s #appsworld Since opening its doors to the world since the fall of the wall, Berlin has become a bustling, cosmopolitan and hugely popular destination for business and leisure travellers alike. It’s no coincidence that a city with such historical and cultural significance should become a key exhibition hub for industries to showcase their innovations. Few cities in the world have the unique mix of the old and the new with such a vast amount of iconic landmarks and things to do and see if your schedule allows you the time. Apps World (April 20th-21st) is next up on the events calendar.   Apps World, Berlin CityCube Berlin, Messedamm, 26, 14055 Berlin    How to get there… From Berlin Schönefeld Airport, it will take you about an hour to get to the venue. Hop on the RB14 Towards Nauen Bahnhof, change at Berlin-Lichtenberg for the S5 to Messe Süd. If you’re flying into Berlin Tegel Airport jump on the 109 towards S+U Zoologischer Garten, in 10 minutes you’ll be at Berlin Charlottenburg. From here, get the S5 towards Spandau Banhof, and alight at Messe Süd. Getting around Berlin Berlin is a relatively small city, with great public transport that runs like clockwork. There’s the U-Bahn (underground/subway) and the S-Bahn (above ground train) at times you might switch between the two to get where you’re going. Oh and it runs 24 hours, so no excuses for not exploring the city! And remember: STAMP YOUR TICKETS. At each station, there’s a box that you should time-stamp your ticket at before boarding any public transport. Plain clothes ticket officers may pop up and they will fine you. The nearest station to Apps World is Messe Süd, on the S9 (which the Flughafen Berlin Schönefeld is on too, albeit on the other end) and S75. These are great lines to be on, and can whizz you from West to East in no time. Here’s a handy tube map. You can, of course, use Uber whilst in Berlin. Or download the handily named Taxi App, which works in the same way but also allows you to pay in cash (especially good if you’ve got some extra Euros to use).                                                                                                    Berlin in the Distance                                                                                        Fernsehturm Local Eateries and Bar Hotspots House of Small Wonder (Johannisstraße 20, 10117 Berlin, Germany) Climb the twisting staircase through jungle plants and odd paraphernalia. It’s not the biggest café, so make sure to arrive with plenty of time. Foodwise, their Okinawan Taco Rice is delicious and they serve their coffee with a smile.   House of Small Wonder Dr. Pong (Eberswalder Str. 21, 10437 Berlin, Germany) No trip to Berlin would be complete without a trip to the local’s local Dr. Pong. It’s gained a bit of a reputation in recent years with travelers, but the core essence remains the same: beer, and a whole lot of group pong action.   Any bar near Sonnenalle It’s totally worth taking a little trip to Neukölln of an evening. Take a little walk and peek behind any number of doors and you’ll probably find a dimly lit bar serving beer and 2 Prosecco. If locals are to be believed, Neukölln is the new Kreuzberg, and it’s packed to the brim with bars and restaurants.   EAT: Ban Ban Kitchen (Schillerpromenade 32, 12049 Berlin, Germany) Korean Soul Food is totally a thing in Berlin. They’ve got two locations, so whether you’re looking for a quick snack or ready for a proper meal, they’ve got you covered. And simply put, they have the best darn Kimchi Fries ever (yes, they’re a thing!).   THEN DRINK: Das Gift (Donaustraße 119, 12043 Berlin, Germany) This has to be the only Scottish bar in Berlin, and it’s owned by Mogwai keyboardist Barry Burns. It’s a dive bar, in the best possible way and one of the only places in around that knows (and appreciates) what cider is! Klunkerkranich (Karl-Marx-Straße 66, 12043 Berlin, Germany) This shopping centre on Karl-Marx-Allee might look like every other mall around. But hop in the elevator and head to the top of the car-park, and you’ll be rewarded with great views of Berlin, a welcoming beer-garden and an ice-cold Fritz Kola.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    View from the Klunkerkranich                                                                                                          Brandenburg Gate Evening Entertainment  Let’s Go Gaming: IRL or VR? Want to actually get hands on? It’s Berlin International Games Week, April 18th-24th. Head to the achingly cool Urban Spree (Revaler Str. 99, 10245 Berlin, Germany), which is 1700sqm dedicated to art and DIY ideas and just..