Friday 21st to Monday 24th April.
Please look at the pictures below
I cannot believe that this is now July and am completing this entry now!
Shows that I was right and you do not yet what happened in May I have difficulty reading myself!
This weekend was so packed with good things!
We arrived at the airport of Heathrow terminal 2 and were met by Maria from the Sitges Convention Bureau. On arrival at Barcelona in the evening, there was no time for the wicked as after check in at the splendid Dolce Resort and Conference Destination (www.dolce.com). Nadine Bernhard, International Sales Manager, and Tatiana Rizzo, Conference Sales Manager, greeted us for Dolce and we were whisked away to the Sea Front for a tour and Tapas meal at the Hotel La Nina. Very interesting, basic but adequate meeting facilities and fantastic sea views from the hotel rooms, although basic too, good comfort and amenities would classify this hotel as a good 3 stars. We came back to the Dolce Sitges very satisfied. On Saturday 22nd there was an official welcome at a good time-not too early, 9:30- by the General Manager Francisco José Jiménez, a very good video presentation was shown in the very high tech boardroom before we embarked at viewing the facilities. The breakfast I should mentioned was a gigantic buffet catering for every need, diet and whim, there is also a coffee bar in the conference center. The Dolce Sitges, although the same building, give the very clever impression that there are distinct area of business and leisure, the hotel rooms are at the furthest end with the Spa and other swimming pools.
We were taken after the visit to the IBAI Hotel where Iberico and other tapas and Cava was laid out as we arrive.(www.ibaiosteria.com) .A boutique hotel sporting the very expensive, unusual and quite frankly quite eccentric only horse hair made mattress, the bathrooms were notoriously bigger than the actual bathroom as they recreate the Spa into your own space. Not much for conference except a good cellar set up for seminars, this would be a very good and very unusual incentive venue.
Lunch was taken into a typical incentive venue: Almirall de la Font, where you can invite your guests and best client into your very own ‘Masia’, the property of a young entrepreneur Paul Christoforou you can see more on www.almiraldelafont.com . Fabulous, eccentric throughout, I though that I was transported back to the Embargo off King’s Road when it was first opened. We spent a few very relaxing hour there as was to become the theme of weekend, relax.
Were we to top this afterwards? In a different way the Finca Mas Solers is amazingly big with the longest driveway ever, you are set. This is the place to go www.fincamassolers.com for any big group or conventions. An ex casino once owned by the Lucien Barriere Group, it displays some of the faded opulence the buildings once had and that comes to light on a evening, the gardens are magnificent and have a 1000 years old olive tree and an open air theatre just like the Tropicana in Havana. Most rooms are now refurbished; Sandra Lampe Del Arco and her director, a very eccentric French man that might have been called Henri but not so sure, greeted us on the day… He particularly enjoyed the cakes and tea laid out and so did we.
The Equestrian activity in the afternoon was good and thank you Ionna for being the strong one there. Ioanna had her own boots and caps and she is a very accomplished rider. She taught most of us and was looking after everyone, something that the stables should have done and were not quite prepared to receive so many people in one go. I would not recommend this and would have rather spend more time in the Dolce’s fantastic Spa, which we did as soon as back to alleviate the riding side effects.
In the evening, a surprise awaited us of gastronomically importance. You would understand if you met Miquel Matas i Arnalot President of the Grup Matas Arnalot. (www.matasarnalot.com) Miguel is a larger than life figure who has treated us together with his daughter Natalia who is director of two of his hotels the Maritime www.hotelsuburmaritim.com where we met and the Subur www.hotelsubur.com which is nearer to the nightspots that I understand their group also own – this is a family affair with many sisters, brothers, nephews and nieces. After a visit of the hotel, similar in feel to the La Nina but with the exception of a suite with great views and good value.
Cava and a few tapas were served before we sat in a walled panelled room of conquistador grandeur , there about 19 courses were being served, just small one you understand, before we were served the main course followed by ,cleverly, a very refreshing dessert. I do not have a copy of the menu and if anyone can remind me what we had please post this here. In any case a very memorable dinner, I remember foie gras (very popular in Spain) various fishes, meats and vegetables, dessert was noteworthy sublimely fresh it was a lime and basil ‘syllabub’ with a slightly creamy top. Despite the 20 or so courses we still found some courage to go for a drink in the ‘Sin Alley’ so called as all the bars are in and people go from bar to bar enjoying themselves nicely.
The following day, this was St Georges’ Day or in Spain San Jordi: San Jordi is both the St Valentine of Spain, lovers give each other books and roses, books for the men and roses for the ladies. We started the day by visiting the old town with a few museums and notably the Maricel Palace, the place to really impress your delegate. Built in 1910 to house the art collection of American Millionaire Charles Deering and still preserves the feel of a ‘living’ stately home. Pictures in the album. After a stroll on the seafront promenade we arrived at the San Jordi Book fair where we were all given a lovely hard back book on Sitges by Montse Amau, ‘Directora Area de Promoció
Economica, Comerc, Ocupacio i Turisme’ The Mayor came to join us and we had a lovely picture of the group taken together in front of the Town’s book stall promoting the area. Then it was for a tasting at Celler Can Pujol, a lovely wine shop selling fantastic wines and even producing some of their own; before going on to see the amazing human towers (not to be done at home). Neus Tejedor, Sales Manager of the Melia Sitges www.solmelia.com greeted us and offered a really nice paella for lunch with very good wines. Another stroll and we found ourselves in the sailing port where we were supposed to sail away the afternoon, apparently the forecast was not good at sea so we stayed on board the yacht sipping cava and eating strawberries and other fruits, hedonistic? Perhaps! That actually meant that we were able to come back to the Dolce Sitges and use their fantastic Spa once more. Evening was spend in the Hotel Antemare www.antemare.com that is perfect for groups on budget, not far from town centre with some convenient rooms and a great glass caged lift for dramatic entrance for your presentation, you can actually place a car in it. Perhaps actually the one where we could go back as individuals, there are actually some rooms with sea views but this is two streets away from the sea front.
Sitges is really a lovely place, this was built originally for the Greats of Barcelona coming back from Cuba and having made their fortune build these colonial style villa on the sea front, a lot of them remained private and there is a lot of money around. A few were transformed in Hotels such as the Antemare and the Subur Maritime but had some addition not quite in keeping with the original buildings.
Dolce Sitges is fantastic and you will find the perfect service that Dolce offers in all their properties.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Thursday, April 20, 2006
The Knighthood Experience in MALTA
24TH -26TH March 2006
“Merhba” or welcome to the Maltese Islands was the letter awaiting us in our room at the Hilton. The Malta Tourism Authority together with Airmalta, various DMCs and and 5 stars hotels invited PCOs and various organisers to the ‘Knighthood experience’.
Marie Anne Barthet from the Malta Tourist Office was waiting for us at Gatwick Airport early on the Friday 24th and made us feel very welcomed. In the afternoon as soon as we arrived on the Island, the British contingent (of which I was) was taken to site visits to the Hotel Intercontinental and the Hilton where we stayed. We had barely enough time to get changed for the evening for the Official opening that was held in the conference center adjacent to the Hilton (and part of it) where a brass band welcomed the delegates before taking everyone up to the escalator to what looked like a giant basket ball arena, the lighting didn’t help to alleviate this feeling, however all buffet food and plenty of wines, the basket weaving, the little singers and the general ambience contibuted to a quite nice evening.
Saturday and Sunday seems to have passed so quickly as we were wisked away to through the Cottonera area for a 'Battle of the Nations' ( they were delegates from various countries and Italy won! Althought the British Team finished first) - Team Building - fact finding mission.
Lunch was at the Villa Bighi in a marquee overlooking the Grand Harbour and this was immediately followed by a Harbour cruise where some people came back to their childhood with the most incredible water filled balloon that I have seen (needless to say, I sought refuge inside as many others) we visited afterwards the not quite yet opened Meridien St Julians that has great amenities and the Radisson Sas Baypoint which has a great Ballroom. In the evening we went to the Palazzo Parisio a unique 19C palace in the ancien village of Naxar there we were greeted with really pumps and circumstances! see the pictures of the magnificent gardens
we were treated to dances after we were proclaimed by his most Eminent Highness The Prince Grand Master: members of the order of Melitensia ( Certificate were waiting in our hotel rooms) before being taken to a versailles like dining room for diner on the first floor and then to the cellar for coffee, liqueurs and dancing, a few did stay late!
On the Sunday there was a workshop with all the DMC's and various venues and in the afternoon we were taken to Gozo where we visited the Kempinsky San Lawrenz Hotel where massage and particularly Ayurvedic treatment are a premium ... the alternative was a Kart Building Activity that it seems everyone declined! In the evening we had champagne on the Spinola Quay amongst the Maltese Luzzu fishing boat (where some young gatecrashers tried to join us) the lights reflecting on the water was quite magical! we then had an Italian meal at the Allegro Andante restaurant and a few went to the Fuego Salsa Bar to while away the night.
Early departure on Monday morning seemed easy and everyone sported a smile wanting to come back to see the places that we missed like the Palace of the Mediterannee (the convention centre) and the area of Valetta that according to a DMC should have been shown as a must do in Malta. We will have to come back to this lovely destination.
Pictures
Click on the link above to view the pictures in this album. As the recipient, you can download, re-share and order prints and gifts containing these pictures. Please do not use the owner's pictures in an unexpected way.
Thank you again to Marie Anne Barthet, Suzanne Dimech and Nadine Brincat to have organised such a lovely weekend.
For further information or recommendation please email me on info@jeanfrancoisdor.com and have a look at www.visitmalta.com
“Merhba” or welcome to the Maltese Islands was the letter awaiting us in our room at the Hilton. The Malta Tourism Authority together with Airmalta, various DMCs and and 5 stars hotels invited PCOs and various organisers to the ‘Knighthood experience’.
Marie Anne Barthet from the Malta Tourist Office was waiting for us at Gatwick Airport early on the Friday 24th and made us feel very welcomed. In the afternoon as soon as we arrived on the Island, the British contingent (of which I was) was taken to site visits to the Hotel Intercontinental and the Hilton where we stayed. We had barely enough time to get changed for the evening for the Official opening that was held in the conference center adjacent to the Hilton (and part of it) where a brass band welcomed the delegates before taking everyone up to the escalator to what looked like a giant basket ball arena, the lighting didn’t help to alleviate this feeling, however all buffet food and plenty of wines, the basket weaving, the little singers and the general ambience contibuted to a quite nice evening.
Saturday and Sunday seems to have passed so quickly as we were wisked away to through the Cottonera area for a 'Battle of the Nations' ( they were delegates from various countries and Italy won! Althought the British Team finished first) - Team Building - fact finding mission.
Lunch was at the Villa Bighi in a marquee overlooking the Grand Harbour and this was immediately followed by a Harbour cruise where some people came back to their childhood with the most incredible water filled balloon that I have seen (needless to say, I sought refuge inside as many others) we visited afterwards the not quite yet opened Meridien St Julians that has great amenities and the Radisson Sas Baypoint which has a great Ballroom. In the evening we went to the Palazzo Parisio a unique 19C palace in the ancien village of Naxar there we were greeted with really pumps and circumstances! see the pictures of the magnificent gardens
we were treated to dances after we were proclaimed by his most Eminent Highness The Prince Grand Master: members of the order of Melitensia ( Certificate were waiting in our hotel rooms) before being taken to a versailles like dining room for diner on the first floor and then to the cellar for coffee, liqueurs and dancing, a few did stay late!On the Sunday there was a workshop with all the DMC's and various venues and in the afternoon we were taken to Gozo where we visited the Kempinsky San Lawrenz Hotel where massage and particularly Ayurvedic treatment are a premium ... the alternative was a Kart Building Activity that it seems everyone declined! In the evening we had champagne on the Spinola Quay amongst the Maltese Luzzu fishing boat (where some young gatecrashers tried to join us) the lights reflecting on the water was quite magical! we then had an Italian meal at the Allegro Andante restaurant and a few went to the Fuego Salsa Bar to while away the night.
Early departure on Monday morning seemed easy and everyone sported a smile wanting to come back to see the places that we missed like the Palace of the Mediterannee (the convention centre) and the area of Valetta that according to a DMC should have been shown as a must do in Malta. We will have to come back to this lovely destination.
Pictures
Click on the link above to view the pictures in this album. As the recipient, you can download, re-share and order prints and gifts containing these pictures. Please do not use the owner's pictures in an unexpected way.
Thank you again to Marie Anne Barthet, Suzanne Dimech and Nadine Brincat to have organised such a lovely weekend.
For further information or recommendation please email me on info@jeanfrancoisdor.com and have a look at www.visitmalta.com
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Highlands Familiarisation Trip
HighlandsFamiliarisation Trip 14-16th March 2006
Organised by Visit Scotland.
12 very happy Hosted Buyers including ACE Council Member Jean-François Dor were invited to participate to this very exclusive ‘Fam Trip’ to the Highlands, nine actually turned up! Little did they know what they would miss.
Michele Ashby was waiting for us at Heathrow with some surprised ‘goody bags’ that actually included our lunch of smoked salmon bagel and champagne, this was to set the pace for the following days. On arrival in Inverness we were greeted by Moira Unwin and Rebecca Steven from Visit Scotland Business Tourism and Lorna Hutchinson, our Blue Badge Guide. We were taken to Glemorrangie House where we had a lovely lunch of Smoked Salmon and Lamb and visited the House that is very confortable and very much an upmarket Bed and Breakfast with magnificent views of the sea http://www.glenmorangie.com/ . After coffee we departed to be suddenly hijacked by a highlander in full regalia, sword and shield included, and when aboard the coach told us all about Jacobites and more stories on Bonnie Prince Charlie and others, by the time he left us ‘ en route’ we were nearly at Ackergill Tower, there we were greeted by the whole staff in the manner reminiscing of the grand house akin to Howard’s End fame. Situated in the North East of Scotland the tower is just by the sea with its rugged edges. Sloe Gin and Malt Whisky served in the Gun Hall where Barbour Jackets and wellies bore our first name as we signed the visitors book, no keys here as was followed by our other venue called to mind of Switzerland some 30 years ago when people did not trouble to place their luggages in the consigne but merely left their luggages unattended on the platforms whilst you had lunch (incidentally, Michele is half Swiss). Once we were shown our rooms we were whisked away after tea to the local distillery – The Old Pulteney- where the genuine maritime malt is made. In the evening the dinner was served in the Grand Hall where table setting and callygraphed place name were found, we dine with Arlette, the owner, who had designed all the rooms of the tower and other cottages doted around the several thousands acres of land surrounding, Ian the very hands-on manager and his wife Sabine, the daughter of Arlette. Sabine told me the story of the most beautiful ghost in Scotland called Helen of Braemar or the Lady in Green, supposedly resident of the Tower, however not seen for many years. The story as gruesome as it is was that the wicked captain of ackergill in the 1500’s madly in love with Helen came to kill all the men on her wedding day and took her to the tower from whence she thrown herself. I did not see it but apparently there is a patch where no moss of grass ever grow on the spot. Another story was the feuding triangle of the Keith, Sinclair and Dunbar Families, The Dunbars acquired the Tower from the Keith and John and Arlette Bannister acquired it some 18 years ago from the descendants of the Dunbars whose belongings still fill the house including paintings and furnitures. As the house was left unattented for 30 years, other stories flourish of layers upons layers of mattress much like in another story of the princess and the pea… apparently they all ended in a giant bonfire on the beach, however everything else was there such as paintings, furniture in need of reuphosltery . Other features of Ackergill Tower are the Tree House fully equiped to take seminars for up to 20 people, coffee and whiskies on the beach after dinner around a bonfire, an amphibian tank experience, Wick Gof Club is nearby, a visit to the Opera House where a seminar can be had too, and lunch at the Bothie where Charlie entertained us on the squeezebox… This is really an ideal place for a week long seminar or conference for up to 20 or 25 people. Total tranquillity and knowledge of complete professionalism. Warmth and generosity was felt by the whole group. No one felt as being a stranger and everyone felt like being in a great house party, such was the welcome we experienced, we all departed with wanting to stay a little more as they were all waving farewell… http://www.ackergill-tower.co.uk/
Fantabulosa or something of the like said Kenneth Williams in the rather sad dramatisation of his life earlier in the week, no sadness here at Skibo Castle, house of Andrew Carnegie, the world’s richest man at the turn of the last century, who is still being toasted by all guests at dinner as a tradition. Skibo Castle is the epicentre of the Carnegie Club well known for having held the wedding of Madonna and being the very exclusive club that this is. Check out the pictures of my room on http://www.jeanfrancoisdor.com/ under blog if you are not reading this there already (they are not in the order that originally was intended. The place is magical and still very much developping, all parts are being renovated and am told that the Victorian Swimming pool is about to have her turn. There is an 18 holes golf course where no tee off time is necessary, get on it and play whenever and wherever. Rooms are the size of football pitches with very deep bath tubs, four poster beds and wood pannels thoughout the castle, there also stories abound from the Managing Director Peter who is also very keen singer as shown to us on the evening after our truffled artichoke salad, sirloin steak and plum tarte Tatin served with Chateau Coutet (1er cru de Sauternes). The ambience was again very much of a house party.
The estate is huge and there is a flotillas of the latest Chauffered Range Rover to take you wherever you want on the estate like having lunch in the Club House overlooking the lake and mountain range or Clay shooting, Massages in the very modern Spa, Archery and more…. Just as we left we had the pleasure of a falconry display before being waved goodbye. (there not all the staff did so, after all there is about 300 staff at Skibo for a maximum at any one time of 80 guests)
http://www.carnegieclub.com/
When bidding farewell to our hosts I mentioned that time escaped me completely, we had packed so much in these two and a half days and yet felt very relaxed. Coming back to London though and catching up with urgent matter, I did not again realised the time and did not manage to go the Irish Party at Claridge’s… Ah well, another time!
Organised by Visit Scotland.
12 very happy Hosted Buyers including ACE Council Member Jean-François Dor were invited to participate to this very exclusive ‘Fam Trip’ to the Highlands, nine actually turned up! Little did they know what they would miss.
Michele Ashby was waiting for us at Heathrow with some surprised ‘goody bags’ that actually included our lunch of smoked salmon bagel and champagne, this was to set the pace for the following days. On arrival in Inverness we were greeted by Moira Unwin and Rebecca Steven from Visit Scotland Business Tourism and Lorna Hutchinson, our Blue Badge Guide. We were taken to Glemorrangie House where we had a lovely lunch of Smoked Salmon and Lamb and visited the House that is very confortable and very much an upmarket Bed and Breakfast with magnificent views of the sea http://www.glenmorangie.com/ . After coffee we departed to be suddenly hijacked by a highlander in full regalia, sword and shield included, and when aboard the coach told us all about Jacobites and more stories on Bonnie Prince Charlie and others, by the time he left us ‘ en route’ we were nearly at Ackergill Tower, there we were greeted by the whole staff in the manner reminiscing of the grand house akin to Howard’s End fame. Situated in the North East of Scotland the tower is just by the sea with its rugged edges. Sloe Gin and Malt Whisky served in the Gun Hall where Barbour Jackets and wellies bore our first name as we signed the visitors book, no keys here as was followed by our other venue called to mind of Switzerland some 30 years ago when people did not trouble to place their luggages in the consigne but merely left their luggages unattended on the platforms whilst you had lunch (incidentally, Michele is half Swiss). Once we were shown our rooms we were whisked away after tea to the local distillery – The Old Pulteney- where the genuine maritime malt is made. In the evening the dinner was served in the Grand Hall where table setting and callygraphed place name were found, we dine with Arlette, the owner, who had designed all the rooms of the tower and other cottages doted around the several thousands acres of land surrounding, Ian the very hands-on manager and his wife Sabine, the daughter of Arlette. Sabine told me the story of the most beautiful ghost in Scotland called Helen of Braemar or the Lady in Green, supposedly resident of the Tower, however not seen for many years. The story as gruesome as it is was that the wicked captain of ackergill in the 1500’s madly in love with Helen came to kill all the men on her wedding day and took her to the tower from whence she thrown herself. I did not see it but apparently there is a patch where no moss of grass ever grow on the spot. Another story was the feuding triangle of the Keith, Sinclair and Dunbar Families, The Dunbars acquired the Tower from the Keith and John and Arlette Bannister acquired it some 18 years ago from the descendants of the Dunbars whose belongings still fill the house including paintings and furnitures. As the house was left unattented for 30 years, other stories flourish of layers upons layers of mattress much like in another story of the princess and the pea… apparently they all ended in a giant bonfire on the beach, however everything else was there such as paintings, furniture in need of reuphosltery . Other features of Ackergill Tower are the Tree House fully equiped to take seminars for up to 20 people, coffee and whiskies on the beach after dinner around a bonfire, an amphibian tank experience, Wick Gof Club is nearby, a visit to the Opera House where a seminar can be had too, and lunch at the Bothie where Charlie entertained us on the squeezebox… This is really an ideal place for a week long seminar or conference for up to 20 or 25 people. Total tranquillity and knowledge of complete professionalism. Warmth and generosity was felt by the whole group. No one felt as being a stranger and everyone felt like being in a great house party, such was the welcome we experienced, we all departed with wanting to stay a little more as they were all waving farewell… http://www.ackergill-tower.co.uk/
Fantabulosa or something of the like said Kenneth Williams in the rather sad dramatisation of his life earlier in the week, no sadness here at Skibo Castle, house of Andrew Carnegie, the world’s richest man at the turn of the last century, who is still being toasted by all guests at dinner as a tradition. Skibo Castle is the epicentre of the Carnegie Club well known for having held the wedding of Madonna and being the very exclusive club that this is. Check out the pictures of my room on http://www.jeanfrancoisdor.com/ under blog if you are not reading this there already (they are not in the order that originally was intended. The place is magical and still very much developping, all parts are being renovated and am told that the Victorian Swimming pool is about to have her turn. There is an 18 holes golf course where no tee off time is necessary, get on it and play whenever and wherever. Rooms are the size of football pitches with very deep bath tubs, four poster beds and wood pannels thoughout the castle, there also stories abound from the Managing Director Peter who is also very keen singer as shown to us on the evening after our truffled artichoke salad, sirloin steak and plum tarte Tatin served with Chateau Coutet (1er cru de Sauternes). The ambience was again very much of a house party.
The estate is huge and there is a flotillas of the latest Chauffered Range Rover to take you wherever you want on the estate like having lunch in the Club House overlooking the lake and mountain range or Clay shooting, Massages in the very modern Spa, Archery and more…. Just as we left we had the pleasure of a falconry display before being waved goodbye. (there not all the staff did so, after all there is about 300 staff at Skibo for a maximum at any one time of 80 guests)
http://www.carnegieclub.com/
When bidding farewell to our hosts I mentioned that time escaped me completely, we had packed so much in these two and a half days and yet felt very relaxed. Coming back to London though and catching up with urgent matter, I did not again realised the time and did not manage to go the Irish Party at Claridge’s… Ah well, another time!
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