Eden Project in St Austell inspires visitor attraction in China
Mr Jasper said the centre piece of the project was "a huge biome which is modelled on the rainforest biome we have here in Cornwall".The 200-acre site overlooking Jiaozhou Bay had been regenerated by owner-operators Jinmao Holdings, he added.Eden Project founder Sir Tim Smit KBE and chairman of the Eden Project Trust Orna NiChionna were guests at the official opening ceremony of Oriental Eden.Eden Project Morecambe is expected to open in the north of England in 2028.
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The Independent
6 hours ago
- The Independent
Hotel adds option to rent a pet companion during stay
A hotel in Wuhan, China, is offering guests the unique service of sharing their room with a trained dog for 499 yuan (£51) per night. The Country Garden Phoenix Hotel allows guests to choose from breeds such as golden retrievers, huskies, or West Highland terriers, providing companionship without the responsibilities of pet ownership. Launched in July, the service has quickly gained popularity, with over 300 guests signing up in the initial weeks, reflecting China's booming pet economy. The hotel employs 10 temperament-tested and trained dogs, some raised by the hotel, aiming to provide emotional comfort to guests and stimulation for the animals. This initiative highlights the significant growth in urban pet ownership in China, where pets now outnumber young children, leading to a surge in pet-related services.
The Independent
9 hours ago
- The Independent
Chinese hotel launches rent-a-dog services where guests can hire a canine companion for £51 a night
In Wuhan, China, one hotel is offering a surprising twist on the traditional guest experience: dogs as the ultimate room service. For 499 yuan (£51) a night, visitors to the Country Garden Phoenix Hotel can share their room with a golden retriever, husky, or West Highland terrier, all trained and vetted to provide comfort and company to pet-loving guests, a report in China Daily stated. The service, which began quietly in July, has quickly gained traction among domestic travellers, with over 300 people signing up in the first few weeks, the hotel's general manager, identified as Mr Dong, told China Daily. For many guests, it brings warmth to their lonely stays and a brief but meaningful connection with a pet, all without the responsibilities of ownership. The service comes as part of the rapidly expanding pet economy in China, where urban pet ownership has surged in the last few years. As of 2024, the country's urban pet supplies market reached a staggering 300.2bn yuan (£30bn), marking a 7.5 per cent increase year-on-year, reported The Global Times. The number of urban pets has climbed to 124 million and is expected to surge further, with the market predicted to hit 400bn yuan (£41bn) by 2027, according to the China Pet Industry White Paper 2025. This shift has seen a boost in pet-related services and products, including pet cafés, specialised grooming, dog yoga, pet cloning, and now, rentable hotel dogs. 'I was initially concerned that the puppy might be too energetic,' one traveller, who asked to remain anonymous, said. 'But it was gentle and well-behaved. The moment I called its name, it came running.' To opt into the programme, guests must book one of the hotel's 'pet-themed' rooms and then choose their dog for the night after signing a formal agreement. The hotel currently 'employs' 10 dogs, which are a mix of retrievers, terriers, and huskies, all selected for their calm temperament. Some are raised by the hotel itself, while others are brought in by private owners or training institutions. The primary idea behind the programme is to give the dogs a form of meaningful stimulation while providing guests with emotional comfort, particularly those who love animals but cannot keep them at home due to living conditions, work hours, or rental restrictions. The hotel says dogs have health evaluations and assessments for behavioural issues before being used in the scheme, as well as being trained to follow basic commands. The programme was 'perfect' for owner Ms Fang, who sent her 14-month-old Samoyed Naicha to the hotel earlier this summer. 'I used to send Naicha to pet cafés so it wouldn't get lonely when I am at work. Left alone at home, Naicha will get restless, chew furniture and need an energy outlet,' she said, adding that the hotel staff regularly send her videos showing Naicha interacting with guests or playing with hotel workers and other dogs. While the concept is appealing on paper and has generally been well-received, there have been some concerns. Legally, the hotel would bear full liability for any harm caused by the dogs, unless a guest acted with gross negligence or deliberately provoked the animal, lawyer Du Xingyue of Shanghai Yingdong Law Firm told the South China Morning Post. They advised that hotels offering such services should hire professional trainers, improve staff readiness for pet-related emergencies, and ensure that the dogs' temperaments are thoroughly assessed. Despite government efforts to increase the country's fertility rate, pets now outnumber young children in China. In 2024, China officially had more pets than children under the age of four, according to a Goldman Sachs report cited by Xinhua News Agency. The report estimated that one in every eight urban residents in China now owns a pet, underscoring the country's changing demographics and lifestyle preferences.
The Independent
10 hours ago
- The Independent
Gordon Ramsay opens his first restaurant in India with ‘Street Burger' outlet
Michelin -starred chef Gordon Ramsay has made his India debut, opening a Street Burger outlet at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. The 60-seater outlet in New Delhi began serving travellers this week, offering a menu of gourmet burgers, loaded fries, and desserts as part of a global expansion into high-traffic travel hubs. Street Burger Delhi has come to India through a partnership between Gordon Ramsay Restaurants Global and Travel Food Services (TFS), one of India 's largest operators of food and beverage outlets in the travel sector, according to NDTV. The airport was a strategic choice for Ramsay's Indian debut, selected not just for passenger traffic but for its potential to trial high-end fast food in a fast-paced, captive audience setting. 'Indian airports are the new stage for our culinary journey, and we are excited to see how travellers embrace these vibrant, flavour-intense dining experiences,' said Andy Wenlock, CEO of Gordon Ramsay Restaurants Global. Indira Gandhi International airport handled nearly 78 million passengers in 2024 and recently expanded Terminal 1 to accommodate 40 million domestic flyers annually. While the outlet joins a growing list of global food brands entering the Indian market, including Wagamama in July 2025 and PF Chang in January 2024, Street Burger says it brings a chef-driven focus to fast-casual dining. The brand was first launched in London in late 2020, with its first-ever site opening in the St Paul's neighbourhood. Within the next two years, Ramsay opened at least nine Street Burger sites in the capital. Street Burger also ventured into South Korea through a partnership with Samsung Welstory, bringing their food to corporate cafeterias nationwide. The brand is reportedly combining its popular global menu with ingredients tailored to Indian tastes and customs. That means the menu will feature no beef – a staple of most Street Burger outlets in other parts of the world. The slaughter of cows, considered sacred by Hindus, and the sale or possession of beef were made illegal in Delhi in 1994. Instead, alongside the GFC (Gordon's Fried Chicken) Burger and a modified Hell's Kitchen Burger, diners can try the Tandoori Paneer Burger, featuring spiced paneer, Greek yoghurt, and curry mayo, or the Butternut Bhaji Burger with mango chutney and coriander mint yoghurt, reports Elle Gourmet. Other items include 'Hotter than Hell Fries' covered in molten cheese and sauces, crisp vegan bites, sticky toffee pudding, milkshakes, and salads. The launch is reportedly part of a broader rollout planned across several Indian airports; five more Ramsay-branded outlets are expected to open by 2027. 'Indian travellers today expect global-quality dining that's fast, relevant and elevated,' said Varun Kapur, managing director of TFS.
