Around the world in venues - March

The Crowne Plaza Manchester Airport Hotel has opened its doors to showcase the first phase of its £8 million refurbishment to its public spaces and 299 bedrooms.

The new and improved bedrooms feature high-quality Egyptian cotton sheets, large flatscreen TVs, highspeed WiFi, bathtubs and double-glazed windows for noise reduction.

The Venues Collection becomes the first UK venue chain to remove dairy from all dessert menus.

The move is expected to save more than 42 tonnes of CO2 on event menus alone in 2024.

The near identical dairy-free alternatives have been developed by Sam Morgan, executive head chef of The Venues Collection and include all the classics including sticky toffee pudding, cherry trifle, Biscoff mousse with raspberry compote, seasonal berry cheesecake and salted caramel panna cotta with flapjack crumble.

Morgan explained: “Switching to non-dairy desserts is a bold move that we’re implementing in all our venues and across our restaurants and event menus. The dairy produced for desserts has a substantial carbon footprint, so this change will cut our emissions by half, saving over 42 tonnes of CO2 just on our event menus in the next year. It’s the equivalent of skipping 12 return flights from Heathrow to Sydney; small efforts like this add up, and these subtle changes make a difference without a big impact on our food."

The dairy-free range of desserts is now available on the Meetings for Change Plus event packages – with carbon labelling as standard.

A Cotswolds’ coaching inn, The Lygon Arms, has announced its partnership with The Heart of England Forest.

The Heart of England Forest is one of the UK’s woodland conservation charities helping to reverse centuries of woodland decline by creating and conserving a magnificent broadleaf forest in Warwickshire and Worcestershire, for the benefit of the environment, wildlife, and people.

The hotel has become an official Tree Champion by sponsoring 100 established trees in a defined area of forest, supporting the charity to continue to reach its goal of planting and maintaining 30,000 acres of broadleaf forest.

As part of the new partnership, a contribution to The Heart of England Forest will be included in all delegate rates for meetings and events held at The Lygon Arms.

The Heart of England Forest is now also one of the volunteering charities of choice for the hotel team.

The Victory Services Club attains Gold recognition in Greengage ECOsmart Hotel and Venues Accreditation Scheme.

The Greengage ECOsmart Hotel and Venues accreditation scheme is a leading industry standard that evaluates and recognises hotels and venues for their commitment to environmentally friendly practices, energy efficiency, and overall sustainability.

The Coniston has launched a new meetings package.

The ‘2024 | The Big Four’ package, at The Conistion offers a set price and packaged for planners who book four or more meetings at the Coniston. "With four guaranteed events organised, all you need to do is finalise your date and guest list."

The 2024 Big Four package, based on 10 delegates...

RESIDENTIAL MEETING

• Bacon sandwiches, tea & coffee on arrival
• Meeting room hire with state-of-the-art facilities
• All day tea, coffee & water
• Working lunch
• Two-course dinner
• Overnight stay
• Yorkshire breakfast

DAY TIME MEETING

• Brunch on arrival
• Meeting room hire with state-of-the-art facilities
• All day tea, coffee & water
• Working lunch

TEAM BUILDING EVENT

• Breakfast on arrival
• Clay Pigeon Shooting experience (25 clays)
• Buffet lunch
• Land Rover Off-Roading Experience(2-hr)

CHRISTMAS GET TOGETHER

• Glass of fizz on arrival
• Private dining
• Three-course festive dinner
• Half a bottle of house wine per person
• £499 per delegate

The new Fairmont Doha soars over the Arabian Gulf.

Its location in the heart of Lusail, close to the corporate headquarters and foreign embassies as well as Qatar University, makes the hotel an ideal hub for business travellers, providing easy access to key business districts, top attractions, and major transportation links.

The hotel boasts 270 rooms, 92 suites, four themed suites and one presidential suite.

With more than 1,500 sqm of event spaces, including one magnificent ballroom, Fairmont Doha is the ideal venue for any function.

Convene launches 'Venue 42 by Convene,' a new meeting and conference centre at 5 Times Square in Midtown Manhattan.

Venue 42 by Convene will occupy approximately 2,700 sqm.

Venue 42 by Convene will comprise nine meeting rooms, each of which can be custom-configured to accommodate various event types - from conferences with breakout rooms, company town halls, classroom-style learning, corporate social events, and more; the largest meeting room at Venue 42 by Convene will have a capacity of approximately 240 guests.  It is expected to open March 2024.

Located on the Atlantic coast, The View Agadir has opened its doors in Morocco.

There are 272 rooms and suites at The View Agadir. A palette of blue, white and neutral shades has been tastefully incorporated into the elegant design of the rooms to create a serene environment to unwind.

The Bohemian chic charm includes hand-crafted decor from local artisans. The 59 suites contrast with a fresh beach style with sumptuous furnishings - the pinnacle being the Royal Suite.

Barcelona’s Grand Hotel Central will reopen its doors on 15th March 2024 under new ownership and management.

The property reopens following a refurbishment which sees its 147 rooms and suites, two restaurants and bars, wellness suite, and rooftop pool and terrace, completely reimagined.

Inspired by the building’s storied history and the fascinating life of its founder, Francesc Cambó, the new Grand Hotel Central promises a celebration of local culture right in the heart of the Catalan capital.