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Daily Mirror
13 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'I took my toddler to unique UK 5 star hotel - this is what it was really like'
I'm sure most people would wince at the thought of taking their toddler to a five-star hotel. The image of trying to manage an unwieldy child in the hushed corridors of a plush hotel would put most parents off. However, I recently took my 15-month-old to the gorgeous Grand Hotel in Eastbourne and it was the rest we all needed as a family. We decamped for the weekend to the iconic Grand Hotel Eastbourne which is known as the 'White Palace' of the South Coast and has been serving up luxury since 1875. The hotel has welcomed many famous faces over the years, including French composer Claude Debussy and Charlie Chaplin, and it is one of a very small handful of five star hotels at the British seaside There's hints of that old world glamour throughout with pictures of the hotel orchestra and illustrated images of the stylish Victorian set enjoying afternoon tea. While the hotel is very much 'grand' with tall ceilings, luxurious furnishings and stunning sea views, it wasn't stuffy like some establishments can be. Our sea view suite was large and comfortable with plush furnishings and a gorgeous terrace overlooking the coastline. The hotel facilities were equally luxurious with both and indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Situated at the front of the hotel with its beaming white Victorian architecture, the outdoor pool is truly one of its unique selling points. Heated to a balmy 29C, the outdoor pool is ideal for children and parents alike and my daughter loved splashing around in the sun. The indoor pool is heated to a similarly bath-like temperature and the leisure centre also boasts a steam room, a spa bath and gym for when parents want to take a break. For those hoping for some chill time, the spa has eight treatment rooms and offers a range of treatments and massages. Feeding toddlers can often be a bit of a nightmare and I was a tad concerned about causing a ruckus in a fancy dining room, but I needn't have worried as the staff couldn't have been more helpful. Without even asking, a waitress appeared with plastic bowls and spoons for our little one at breakfast and another server brought her some warm milk at dinner. And no one batted an eye when a substantial amount of Weetabix / mashed potato ended up on the floor. It's so easy to worry about disturbing other diners but most people were delighted to say hello to my toddler as she pottered about waving at everyone and hiding behind the heavy drapes. While being a very grand hotel - please pardon the pun - the atmosphere was really inclusive and we really felt like we got a break. As many parents will know, not having to cook and clean for a few days is bliss and we didn't feel confined to our room whatsoever, enjoying the leisure centre, plush common areas and the Lounge Terrace. We could tag team going to the leisure centre, enjoyed leisurely breakfasts in the stunning Garden Room restaurant and took afternoon naps in our sea view suite. Not only was the hotel wonderful, but it's just metres away from the seafront with stunning views of the English Channel, making it the perfect location for exploring the beach, Beachy Head and the town of Eastbourne. We walked the promenade, which was really accessible for a buggy and also a safe distance from the road if our daughter wanted to walk. We also spent a sunny afternoon pottering up and down the beach and enjoying some music as we sat outside a pub on the pier. My takeaway? Don't be afraid to take your children to a hotel if it's something you're considering. I've often thought it might not be the most practical but the staff were so attentive, we didn't feel like we were in the way and there was lots to do. And what's even better is that we got a bit of a break as well. You can get a breaking travel stories along with some of the most interesting, important and fun travel stories sent to your phone every day by subscribing to the Mirror Travel WhatsApp. It's completely free and takes minutes to do. The Grand Hotel Eastbourne is celebrating 150 years with a special Afternoon Tea – from £36 per person. Honouring The Grand's rich 150-year history, a limited-edition afternoon tea pays fitting tribute to timeless luxury. In addition to delicate sandwiches, and scones served with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry preserve, an exquisite pastry menu - delicacies offering a journey through time – includes an 'Opera Gȃteau' to die for. Book here or via 01323 412345. Stay overnight at The Grand Hotel from £220 per room per night (two sharing), including breakfast.
Campaign ME
a day ago
- Business
- Campaign ME
Cannes Lions 2025: Day 3 – Debating human creativity, AI and the ‘force for good'
Day 3 at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025 witnessed conversations getting very real about the balance between artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for growth and the case for creativity. Strong opinions were voiced – for and against each of these – with marketers agreeing that the industry needs to, ultimately, keep its 'eye on the prize' of brand and business outcomes. While, on one hand, CMO panels in The Rotonde and keynotes at the Théâtre Claude Debussy called for brands to lean into the power of human input in creative marketing strategies, on the other hand, conversations down the Croisette and at Carlton Cannes focused on the power of AI-driven tech and automation. A lot of these insights also found their way to Campaign Middle East's MENA Mixer event held at Campaign House, Canopy by Hilton Cannes, which brought the who's who of the Middle East brand and marketing industry together, in partnership with TheVantage and Hearst Global Solutions. Balance between human-inspired creativity, and technology-led automation and innovation Speaking to Campaign Middle East, Nassib Boueri, CEO of VML MENA, said, 'Creativity will always be at the core of this industry. We may navigate towards technology, like we navigated towards social media a few years ago, but this industry has a self-correction that will bring us back into the pure creative realm. Ten years ago, the talk was around the launch of social platforms; today it is AI. However, the industry has always found its way back to focus on the core of creativity.' Sprinkling a healthy dose of business outcomes into the conversation, Fabio Silveira, Managing Director of Havas Creative Middle East, and a jury member on the newly added Creative Business Transformation category at Cannes Lions 2025, said, 'Creativity is still the first and, probably, the most important piece, but business transformation also has a huge role to play.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Campaign Middle East (@campaignmiddleeast) He added, 'This new awards category added in 2025 – as well as CEO panels that we've seen for the first time Cannes Lions – is representative of this shift in conversation from mere creativity to reviewing its very real impact on business outcomes. We've been evaluating and awarding work that demonstrates real impact on operations, research and development, HR, as well as all the other facets of the business chain.' Not mincing words in his chat with Campaign Middle East, Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO and Chairman of Vayner Media, said, 'Most of the people at Cannes should be worried about AI if they're not contributing to business outcomes. A lot of people want to sell the idea of creativity as a disguise to what marketing should be, which is an engine to growth for business. This entire Palais should be disrupted if they've been audacious and delusional and non-contributive to the brands that have been paying them to deliver these outcomes.' Should marketing be a 'force for good'? Leaders also shared differing opinions on creativity and marketing as 'forces for good'. While some called for marketing to drive real-world social impact and catalyse change, others called for marketing to 'do its job' of driving business outcomes. Talking to Campaign Middle East, Siddarth Sivaprakash, Head of Brand & Marketing , Home Centre, Landmark Group, said, 'If we are in a world and in an industry where we believe that creativity can solve world problems to some extent, or atleast bring awareness to it, I think we're really missing out on an opportunity. I feel like at Cannes, this year, we've not heard about that sufficiently from Middle East agencies and what they're doing for clients and used cases around that.' During the CMOs in the Spotlight session on Day 3 at Cannes Lions 2025, Josefien Olij, Senior Director Marketing Communications, Philips, echoed these thoughts. 'We truly need to take a step in the right direction,' Olij said. 'We need to look at technology and creativity for good with strategies that are caring and courageous. AI is a part of that. It needs to be an enabler, and it is not something that replaces. We need to find away to continue finding solutions to real-world problems, truly collaborate, do the strategic thinking, but always with a human touch.' However, Vaynerchuck had a slightly different take on it, calling out agencies who are hiding behind the 'force for good' conversation as a disguise to not being accountable to business outcomes. 'Giving back is meant for non-profits,' he said. 'If you want to give back, go spend your time, money and energy on non-profits like I do. Don't bull***t me about giving back because you're scared of technology. It's time to hold marketing accountable to what it should be: an engine of growth for business. Everyone, including me, will be disrupted by AI. Either we learn how to deal with it or we go out of business.' MENA Awards at Cannes As of Day 3 at Cannes Lions, the MENA region remains short of a Grand Prix in its collection of wins, despite taking its tally of coveted Cannes Lions trophies to 20, with BigTime Creative Shop, Riyadh still leading the pack and contributing to five of the region's total tally with 2 Gold Lions, 1 Silver Lion, and 2 Bronze Lions. With two days to go in the festival, the region is only two metal cats short of its tally of 22 in 2024. Khaled AlShehhi, Executive Director of Marketing and Communication at the UAE Government Media Office, and PR Jury panel member was also seen handing over the Gold Lion to DAVID, New York agency for their Clash of Clans entry at Cannes Lions 2025. The MENA wins include: AUDIO AND RADIO CATEGORY: 1 GOLD LION, 1 SILVER LION Campaign title: The Second Release Agency: SRMG Labs, Riyadh Client: Billboard Arabia, Riyadh CREATIVE B2B CATEGORY: 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Recipe for Change Agency: FP7 McCann Dubai Client: Arla Foods CREATIVE DATA CATEGORY: 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Recipe for Change Agency: FP7 McCann Dubai Client: Arla Foods DESIGN CATEGORY: 1 SILVER LION Campaign title: Sounds of the Land Agency: SRMG Labs, Riyadh Client: Billboard Arabia, Riyadh DIGITAL CRAFT CATEGORY: 1 SILVER LION Campaign title: The Shaded Route Agency: VML, Riyadh Client: Hungerstation Campaign title: Agency: Client: Hungerstation 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Read Better Agency: FP7 McCANN, Dubai / McCANN, Bristol Client: Waterstones DIRECT CATEGORY: 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Safe at 3AM Agency: VML, Dubai Client: Dubai Tourism ENTERTAINMENT FOR SPORT CATEGORY: 1 GOLD LION, 1 SILVER LION Campaign title: The 4th Judge Agency: BigTime Creative Shop, Riyadh Client: The Ring Campaign title: Agency: Client: The Ring 1 GOLD LION Campaign title: Obsession Agency: BigTime Creative Shop, Riyadh Client: Riyadh Season FILM CRAFT CATEGORY: 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Everything or Nothing Agency: BigTime Creative Shop, Riyadh Client: Riyadh Season 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Obsession Agency: BigTime Creative Shop, Riyadh Client: Riyadh Season HEALTH AND WELLNESS CATEGORY: 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: The Shaded Route Agency: VML Riyadh Client: Hungerstation OUTDOOR CATEGORY: 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: The Shaded Route Agency: VML Riyadh Client: Hungerstation 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Not For First Dates Agency: FP7 McCann Dubai Client: McDonald's PR CATEGORY: 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Sponsored Balls Agency: FP7 McCann Dubai Client: Testicular Cancer Society 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Not For First Dates Agency: FP7 McCann Dubai Client: McDonald's PRINT AND PUBLISHING CATEGORY: 1 SILVER LION Campaign title: NOTES ON NOTES Agency: IMPACT BBDO, Dubai / AdPro& Jordan Client: Capital Bank 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: THE GREAT INDIAN DUNK Agency: LEO Dubai Client: NBA India The festival also welcomed its share of star power with the likes of Jimmy Fallon, Reese Witherspoon, Paris Hilton, Serena Williams, Mo Farah and Noah Lyles, among many others making appearances at Cannes Lions 2025. Tune into Campaign Middle East's social media channels to stay updated on the latest of what's happening at The Palais, the Rotonde, The Carlton Hotel and stay tuned for exciting events at the Campaign House Hilton Canopy.
CairoScene
03-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Abu Dhabi Festival & Paris Opera Announce Historic First Co-Production
The production premiered at Opéra Bastille in Paris on February 28th, 2025, and runs until March 27th. Mar 03, 2025 The Abu Dhabi Festival and Opéra National de Paris have launched a historic co-production of Claude Debussy's 'Pelléas et Mélisande', marking the first collaboration between the Arab world and the French opera house. Directed by Lebanese-Canadian Wajdi Mouawad and conducted by Antonello Manacorda, the production premiered at Opéra Bastille in Paris on February 28th, 2025, and runs until March 27th. 'Pelléas et Mélisande', composed by Claude Debussy and first performed in 1902, is a symbolist opera based on Maurice Maeterlinck's play of the same name. The opera's atmospheric score and impressionistic style explore themes of love, fate, and human emotion. The story follows the tragic love triangle between Prince Golaud, his mysterious wife Mélisande, and his younger half-brother Pelléas, unfolding in a dreamlike setting that enhances the opera's enigmatic and psychological depth. Under the patronage of UAE leaders, the initiative is part of Abu Dhabi Festival's mission to expand global artistic partnerships. Featuring soprano Sabine Devieilhe and baritone Huw Montague Rendall, the opera explores love and destiny with a set design by Emmanuel Clolus.
