Le Royal Méridien Place Vendôme Lusail wins double honors at FACT Dining Awards Qatar 2025
Le Royal Méridien Place Vendôme Lusail is proud to announce its double win at the FACT Dining Awards Qatar 2025, taking home two prestigious honors: ADRIFT Anda was awarded Best Casual Dining, while The G.O.A.T. Sports Lounge was named Favourite Sports Bar.
Now in its 10th year in Qatar, the FACT Dining Awards celebrate excellence in the food and beverage industry. Winners are selected either by public vote for the "Favourite" category or by a panel of industry experts for the "Best" awards.
'We are proud to be recognised once again at this year's FACT Dining Awards,' said Mr. Radek Cais, Multi-Property General Manager of Le Royal Méridien Place Vendôme Lusail. 'These awards reflect our unwavering commitment to excellence and our dedication to crafting memorable dining experiences across all our venues. This recognition belongs to our entire team, who consistently strive to be the very best of the very best for our guests.'
This year's results mark a step up from last year, where the hotel took home a single award. It also represents the first-time recognition for both ADRIFT Anda and The G.O.A.T., underscoring the hotel's ongoing dedication to innovation and service excellence.
ADRIFT Anda by David Myers was born from a culinary journey across Italy, with its menu famously sketched on a napkin aboard a train between Rome and Florence. Combining the heart of a Roman trattoria, the soul of a Neapolitan pizzeria, and the boldness of a Florentine steakhouse, ADRIFT Anda offers handcrafted wood-fired oven pizzas, pastas, and Bistecca Fiorentina grilled over charcoal—all in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.
The G.O.A.T. Sports Lounge invites guests to dive into a lively world of live sports, upbeat music, elevated American comfort food, and nonstop entertainment. It's quickly earned a reputation as The Greatest of All Time destination for sports lovers and social seekers alike.
Ideally located and seamlessly connected to the iconic Place Vendôme Qatar shopping destination, Le Royal Méridien Place Vendôme Lusail continues to attract discerning travelers with its elegant accommodations and personalized service. The hotel is also home to some of Lusail's most exciting dining venues, offering a curated mix of global flavors and culinary creativity.
As Le Royal Méridien Place Vendôme Lusail continues to grow its reputation for exceptional hospitality, it remains firmly committed to delivering elevated guest experiences and contributing to the evolution of Qatar's luxury dining and tourism scene.
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ILoveQatar.net
5 days ago
- ILoveQatar.net
Le Royal Méridien Place Vendôme Lusail wins double honors at FACT Dining Awards Qatar 2025
Le Royal Méridien Place Vendôme Lusail is proud to announce its double win at the FACT Dining Awards Qatar 2025, taking home two prestigious honors: ADRIFT Anda was awarded Best Casual Dining, while The G.O.A.T. Sports Lounge was named Favourite Sports Bar. Now in its 10th year in Qatar, the FACT Dining Awards celebrate excellence in the food and beverage industry. Winners are selected either by public vote for the "Favourite" category or by a panel of industry experts for the "Best" awards. 'We are proud to be recognised once again at this year's FACT Dining Awards,' said Mr. Radek Cais, Multi-Property General Manager of Le Royal Méridien Place Vendôme Lusail. 'These awards reflect our unwavering commitment to excellence and our dedication to crafting memorable dining experiences across all our venues. This recognition belongs to our entire team, who consistently strive to be the very best of the very best for our guests.' This year's results mark a step up from last year, where the hotel took home a single award. It also represents the first-time recognition for both ADRIFT Anda and The G.O.A.T., underscoring the hotel's ongoing dedication to innovation and service excellence. ADRIFT Anda by David Myers was born from a culinary journey across Italy, with its menu famously sketched on a napkin aboard a train between Rome and Florence. Combining the heart of a Roman trattoria, the soul of a Neapolitan pizzeria, and the boldness of a Florentine steakhouse, ADRIFT Anda offers handcrafted wood-fired oven pizzas, pastas, and Bistecca Fiorentina grilled over charcoal—all in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. The G.O.A.T. Sports Lounge invites guests to dive into a lively world of live sports, upbeat music, elevated American comfort food, and nonstop entertainment. It's quickly earned a reputation as The Greatest of All Time destination for sports lovers and social seekers alike. Ideally located and seamlessly connected to the iconic Place Vendôme Qatar shopping destination, Le Royal Méridien Place Vendôme Lusail continues to attract discerning travelers with its elegant accommodations and personalized service. The hotel is also home to some of Lusail's most exciting dining venues, offering a curated mix of global flavors and culinary creativity. As Le Royal Méridien Place Vendôme Lusail continues to grow its reputation for exceptional hospitality, it remains firmly committed to delivering elevated guest experiences and contributing to the evolution of Qatar's luxury dining and tourism scene.
Al Jazeera
02-05-2025
- Al Jazeera
How accurate is the movie ‘Conclave' on electing a new pope?
The secretive process to elect a new Roman Catholic pope begins on May 7, two weeks after Pope Francis's death at age 88. Fans of the Oscar-nominated movie, 'Conclave', which is about a papal election, might think they have a head start on what's to come. But how faithful is the movie to the real thing? Conclave tells the story of Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, dean of the College of Cardinals, played by actor Ralph Fiennes. Lawrence is tasked with leading a papal election or conclave after the pope dies. As the conclave continues, secrets and scandals emerge involving cardinals in the running to be pope. PolitiFact's occasional MovieFact feature reports on the accuracy of nonfiction films, typically comparing their details with historical events. 'Conclave' is fictional, but we decided to examine what the movie gets right and wrong about the real process for choosing the next pope. 'Conclave' sticks close to the logistics of a real papal election, but takes more liberties with how its characters participate in one. As dean, Cardinal Lawrence makes decisions that would not be permissible in a real-life conclave. The movie 'does a fair job' of depicting conclave procedures, said B. Kevin Brown, Gonzaga University religious studies lecturer. But Brown had some notes. Referring to the sets and costumes, Brown said some cardinals wore Roman collars that 'are not entirely correct', and the Mass held before the conclave appeared to have no altar, a raised structure used for ceremonies. Some of its storylines have no public precedent in the Catholic Church's history. We compared movie scenes with conclaves and cardinals' real-life controversies. After a pope dies, the College of Cardinals assumes governance of the Catholic Church. These cardinals, chosen by popes, serve countries around the world. Only cardinals under the age of 80 can be electors. The conclave that begins on May 7 will have 133 electors from 71 countries. Two more electors are eligible but will not participate for health reasons. Before the conclave, cardinals gather for meetings called 'general congregations' where they discuss the Catholic Church's priorities. The conclave takes place at the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, as the film showed. The balloting shown in the film is largely accurate, based on the process outlined by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: Electors vote by secret ballot, walk up to a chalice – which is a large goblet – say a prayer and drop their ballots in the chalice. They conduct four rounds of balloting per day until a candidate receives a two-thirds majority. Ballots are burned after each round with chemicals that produce coloured smoke to signify whether a pope has been chosen – black smoke means no one has been elected and white smoke means the Church has a new pope. In the movie, it takes the cardinal electors three days to elect a pope. That's consistent with recent history; Brown said conclaves in the past 100 years have lasted three to four days. According to a article, 'no conclave has lasted longer than a week' since 1831. The movie shows Cardinal Lawrence communicating with Monsignor Raymond O'Malley (played by Brian F O'Byrne), asking him to check into things such as the pope's final meeting with Cardinal Joseph Tremblay (John Lithgow), and medical history of Cardinal Vincent Benitez (Carlos Diehz). After the cardinals feel tremors in the Sistine Chapel, O'Malley later tells Lawrence there has been an explosion in the Piazza Barberini, a large plaza in Rome. Brown said receiving information about events happening outside the conclave 'would violate the rules of the conclave'. Cardinal electors are sequestered throughout a conclave, and have no access to phones, television or other ways to be in contact with the public. In the movie, Benitez, described as the archbishop of Kabul, Afghanistan, makes a surprise entrance. He was selected as a cardinal 'in pectore' – or in secret – by the pope who died. Senior cardinals debate whether Benitez should be allowed to join the conclave, and Cardinal Lawrence ultimately decides he is 'legally a cardinal' and 'has a right to take part in the election'. In a real conclave, it would be impossible for a cardinal whose identity was not revealed before the death of the pope who appointed him to join the conclave. Canon law, the Catholic Church's system of laws and regulations, says a pope can select a person to be a cardinal and keep that person's identity secret. As long as the cardinal's identity is not revealed, the cardinal in pectore is not bound to carry out cardinal duties but also does not possess cardinal rights, such as participating in a conclave. 'This may be done, as the movie suggests, for safety reasons in situations where the cardinal's appointment may put him at risk due to the political situation where he resides,' Brown said. If a cardinal in pectore did not have his appointment made public before the death of a pope, Brown said, the cardinal's status would expire and 'he is no longer considered a cardinal, even if the name of the cardinal is discovered in the will of the pope or some other writing after his death.' This happened in real life: Pope John Paul II selected four cardinals in pectore, revealing only three, from China, Ukraine and Latvia, before he died. The other cardinal's appointment expired when John Paul II died in 2005. Cardinals would try to learn about scandals before the conclave, but rumours happen. In the movie, Cardinal Joshua Adeyemi (played by Lucian Msamati) and Tremblay emerge as frontrunners to become pope during the balloting, but their ambitions are quashed as Lawrence brings findings about their past to light. Adeyemi had a secret relationship and possibly fathered a child, and Tremblay was accused of simony, or what Brown said involves the 'sale of an office'. In practice, cardinals try to snuff out controversies and scandals before the election. 'There is certainly politicking that takes place and the cardinals will do their best to be sure that no cardinal associated with scandal is elected,' Brown said. 'However, it is likely that the cardinals would do their best to identify any scent of scandal before the conclave begins.' For example, in real life, Cardinal Angelo Becciu resigned his cardinal rights and privileges in 2020 and was convicted of financial crimes in 2023; he claimed he could still vote in the 2025 conclave because Francis did not bar him from participating. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Roman Curia's secretary of state, revealed two letters from Francis saying that Cardinal Becciu could not take part in the conclave, according to reports in Italian media. This happened during general congregation, Brown said, when cardinals are not sequestered. It is 'not unheard of for cardinals to try to raise doubts about a candidate who they oppose', he said. It happened to Francis – then known as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio. As Francis gained momentum during the 2013 conclave, 'rumours began to circulate that he had only one lung,' Brown said. Francis recounted the episode in an interview for a book published in 2024. When a cardinal asked Francis if the rumour was true, he said he had part of his lung removed after a respiratory infection more than 50 years before.
Al Jazeera
01-11-2024
- Al Jazeera
What is Lebanon's ancient city of Baalbek and why is Israel targeting it?
Israel this week issued a citywide evacuation order for the first time since it stepped up its attacks on Lebanon in late September. Tens of thousands of people have fled Baalbek, the largest city in eastern Lebanon, following Israeli forced displacement calls for the city and its surrounding villages. Israel's orders on Wednesday and Thursday saying it was preparing to attack targets of the Lebanese group Hezbollah were followed by strikes on the city. On Wednesday, the initial displacement order caused immediate alarm. 'People are panicking, running around in confusion, bumping into each other, unsure where to go or what to do,' said Roula Zeaiter, programme manager for RDFL (The Lebanese Women Democratic Gathering), describing how crowded neighbourhoods, many housing displaced families fleeing Israeli bombardment in Lebanon's south and the surrounding areas, emptied quickly. 'Minutes after the order to leave came, the streets were filled with people grabbing their things, locking their homes and closing their shops,' Zeaiter told RDFL's partner organisation, ActionAid. 'We're scrambling like scared mice, moving from place to place. Lebanon is becoming like Gaza, with Israeli forces using the same tactics.' Hours after the forced displacement call on Wednesday, air attacks hit the city and its surroundings, confirmed Baalbek mayor Mustafa al-Shall. , including eight women, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health reported. What is Baalbek known for? The city of about 80,000 overlooks the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon. Baalbek is considered part of the Hezbollah group's heartland in the Bekaa Valley. It is believed to be an ancient Phoenician city and is home to some of the world's best-preserved Roman ruins, such as the Temple of Bacchus. Baalbek was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 for its ancient Roman temple complex. UNESCO describes these temples as 'one of the finest examples of Imperial Roman architecture at its apogee' and they draw tourists from around the world. Tourism supports much of the local population, but so too do agriculture and traditional crafts such as rug-making and copperwork. As Israel targets Baalbek, some residents are sheltering at the temples in the hope that the ruins' cultural heritage status could confer protection, NPR reports. Why is Israel targeting Baalbek? Translation: #عاجل Urgent warning to the residents of Baalbek, Ain Bourday and Douris 🔸 You are in a combat zone where the IDF (Israeli army) intends to attack and target Hezbollah infrastructure, interests, installations and combat means, and does not intend to harm you. 🔸 Staying in the red zone puts you and your family at risk. 🔸 For your safety, we urge you to evacuate your homes immediately and move out of these areas via the following routes:‼️ Zahle – Baalbek highway‼️ Nahle – Baalbek Road‼️ Cedar Road – Baalbek 'Earlier today … the air force struck command and control centres and terrorist infrastructure that were used by the Hezbollah terrorist organisation in the areas of Baalbek deep in Lebanon, and Nabatieh in southern Lebanon,' the Israeli military said in a statement Thursday. Has Israel always issued evacuation orders during its assault on Lebanon? No. On Tuesday, before the residents of Baalbek were ordered to evacuate, Israel struck several towns in the Bekaa Valley, killing 60. None of these towns received any warning. While Israel claims to target Hezbollah, residents of the targeted towns, Lebanese officials and rights groups say the air attacks are indiscriminate. There have been other instances of Israel striking civilian targets without warning. Earlier this week, five people were killed and 33 injured in an air attack on Haret Saida in Sidon, in the south of Lebanon. A resident told the AP the victims were civilians. In mid-October, 21 people were killed and eight injured in an unannounced strike on the predominantly Christian village of Aitou in northern Lebanon. The strike hit a house rented to displaced families. Residents said there was no warning. About a week later, 13 people, including a child, were killed in an Israeli attack on an area near the Rafik Hariri University Hospital, Lebanon's biggest public health facility, in the capital Beirut. Though warnings were issued for the southern suburbs before they were hit with heavy strikes, the attack around the hospital came without warning. Israel and Hezbollah started trading cross-border attacks a day after the war on Gaza began on October 7, 2023. Hezbollah claimed it was supporting Gaza and pressuring Israel for a ceasefire. Then, in late September, Israel expanded its assault on Lebanon. In Lebanon, at least 2,867 people have been killed and 13,047 wounded in Israeli attacks since October 2023. The Lebanese Health Ministry says 45 people have been killed across the country in the past 24 hours. More than 188,000 people have been displaced in that time.
