Latest news with #modernity
Skift
12-05-2025
- Business
- Skift
Where Classic Meets Modern: 25 New and Newly Renovated European Hotels and Venues
Looking for properties that blend luxury and modernity, where Michelin-starred chef restaurants and state-of-the-art tech share the same roof? Take a look at these 25 new or newly renovated European hotels and venues. Across the world, planners are being tempted with exciting new entrants to the hotel market; some offer a regal treatment while others all the high-tech bells and whistles; a select few do both. There's plenty on offer when it comes to new convention centers and special venues. Skift Meetings hand-picked 25 of the newest hotel entrants on the European continent ideally suited to meeting and incentive groups. This list includes new builds, expansions, and extensively renovated properties. Highlights include classic hotels such as the Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Dresden, the Fairmont Golden Prague, centrally located in Prague's Old Town, and The Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Madrid, have undergone extensive renovations. Some of Europe's most popular cities have big news, including Berlin, which will soon expand its largest hotel, Estrel Berlin, with a new 45-story Estrel Tower, or the brand-new Maritim Amsterdam Hotel, with almost 600 guest rooms in central Amsterdam. Maritim Hotel Amsterdam There are unique offerings, deep off the beaten track, such as the Anatura Hotel in Weiswampach, Luxembourg and Rheingau Hotel & Retreat in Kiedrich, Germany. Some offer beautiful outdoor settings for events, either on site or nearby. The Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia Hotel in Porto, Portugal, a unique property among the Port-wine cellars in Porto, has almost 100,000 square feet of gardens. The Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Resort in Kotor Bay, Montenegro encourages planners to organize meetings on a mountaintop in the surrounding area or on a yacht in the bay. Meanwhile, the new Cappadocia Marriott Hotel in Cappadocia, Türkiye, offers easy access to natural wonders such as the 'moonscape landscapes' and Göreme National Park, famous for its unique fairy chimney rock formations and rock-cut architecture. Explore these 25 new or newly renovated European hotels, and others all over the world — 135 in all — listed in our just-released What's New in Meetings and Incentive Travel 2025 report. 1. Anatura Hotel Weiswampach, Luxembourg Anatura Hotel is a new hotel close to the region's lakes and nearby forests. Along with 90 guest rooms overlooking the natural surroundings, the hotel offers a variety of dining options, including the Sensa restaurant, whose menu is designed by 2-Michelin star Belgian chef Yves Mattagne. Activities include nature explorations, water sports, and team-building experiences. The property's health and wellness facility is expected to open near the end of 2025. 2. BERNEXPO (Expansion) Bern, Switzerland BERNEXPO is undergoing a significant expansion with the construction of the new Festhalle, scheduled to open in spring 2025. The expanded venue will include a multifunctional hall of more than 46,000 square feet, an event hall that can accommodate up to 4,100 seated, meeting and hospitality zones, eight breakout rooms, and an expansive outdoor event park. The Festhall has been designed to operate without the use of fossil fuels, relying on a 'state-of-the-art' photovoltaic system. 3. Cappadocia Marriott Hotel Cappadocia, Türkiye Cappadocia Marriott Hotel is Marriott's debut property in this region of Türkiye. The hotel is situated near Göreme and offers 298 guest rooms and three dining options. Its location allows for easy exploration of the 'moonscape landscapes' and historical attractions, such as the UNESCO-listed Göreme National Park, famous for its unique fairy chimney rock formations and rock-cut architecture. It is also in close proximity to the area's hot air balloon launch sites. 4. Dolce by Wyndham Versailles—Domaine du Montcel Paris, France This 178-room countryside retreat (photo at top), located about 20 miles from Paris, opened in July 2024 featuring almost two restaurants, a spa, and heated outdoor and indoor pools. A total of 18 meeting venues are offered, including the 6,006-square-foot Baccarat Ballroom. Outdoor event spaces are also available in the property's 35 acres of gardens. 5. Estrel Berlin (Expansion) Berlin, Germany In summer 2026, Estrel Berlin will open the 45-story Estrel Tower with 522 guest rooms. The new tower also brings 40,000 square feet of new meeting space spread across one multifunctional hall, five breakout rooms, and 10 meeting rooms. This expansion will bring the hotel's total guest rooms to 1,647 and total meeting space to more than 350,000 square feet. The new tower aims to achieve LEED Platinum status through innovative construction process and energy-saving features. 6. Excel London (Expansion) London, UK Excel London is expanding its already exhibition and conference facilities by 25% with development expected to be complete in the summer of 2025. The $284 million project will add an additional 270,000 square feet of event space to a total of 1.35 million square feet. The ICC Maritime Suite will offer flexible meeting space for up to 7,000 attendees across 37 spaces. The new ICC Maritime Halls will offer 124,000 square feet of blank-canvas hall space, divisible into six separate spaces. 7. Fairmont Golden Prague (Renovation) Prague, Czech Republic Formerly the InterContinental Praha, the Fairmont Golden Prague is centrally located in Prague's UNESCO-listed Old Town. Opening soon after an extensive renovation, the hotel will feature almost 13,000 square feet of versatile event space across nine venues, including a large pillarless ballroom for up to 550 guests in theater style, complemented by four rooftop lounges, and boardrooms. The hotel will also offer a 15,000-square-foot spa, four dining options, and two bars. 8. GRIDX Luxembourg Wickrange, Luxembourg Expected to open in mid-2025, GRIDX will offer visitors a combination of experiences built around mobility, including showrooms, and glass boxes in which you can admire and exhibit cars. The main event hall will offer 15,000 square feet of flexible event space. The venue is set to provide a 133-room hotel, an expansive food hall, museums, galleries, a business center with fully equipped meeting rooms, offices, retail outlets, and numerous event spaces. 9. Hôtel des Douanes at Tour & Taxis Brussels, Belgium Hôtel des Douanes, the centerpiece of Brussels' Tour & Taxis complex, is available for events until 2027. The venue features a glass-roofed banking hall, steel columns, granite staircases, and flexible configurations for 10 to 10,000 guests. Sustainability efforts include preserving original elements, using renewable energy. The property has achieved an 'excellent' BREEAM rating, and has a gold Well Platinum and a gold DNGB certification. 10. Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Dresden (Renovation) Dresden, Germany The historic and centrally located Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Dresden has reopened following an extensive renovation. The hotel offers 180 guest rooms and 31 suites, nine meeting rooms featuring city views and the Kurfürstensaal ballroom that can hold up to 500 guests. Additional amenities include eight bars and restaurants, and a wellness area with spa and fitness facilities. 11. Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Resort (Expansion) Kotor Bay, Montenegro The Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Resort recently expanded its meetings and event spaces by adding the new 5,500-square-foot ballroom and rooftop to its three existing event spaces. Situated in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the resort has 252 guest rooms and features amenities like an indoor and outdoor pool, a private beach, and wellness facilities. Planners are also encouraged to organize meetings on a mountaintop in the surrounding area or on a yacht in the bay. 12. Hyatt Regency Zadar Zadar, Croatia Hyatt Regency Zadar, located in the heart of Zadar with views of the old town and Adriatic Sea, offers 133 guest rooms and suites. The hotel features versatile event spaces totaling almost 8,000 square feet. The pillarless Regency Ballroom, with natural daylight, sea views, and direct access to a poolside terrace, accommodates up to 355 guests in theater style and can be divided into two separate spaces. Amenities include multiple restaurants, bars, and an on-site spa. 13. Maritim Hotel Amsterdam Amsterdam, The Netherlands Opening shortly, the Maritim Hotel Amsterdam will occupy one of the Y-Towers in Amsterdam's emerging Overhoeks District, just across the water from the city's historic center. The 579-room hotel will be the biggest in the area and the third largest in the city overall. The property includes two large event halls and 25 event rooms of various sizes. Four restaurants and one bar are planned for the property which will also offer a sauna, an indoor pool, and a fitness center. 14. New Spiral Prague, Czech Republic New Spiral is a circular building that has been transformed into a cultural space to host a variety of performances and events. Its unique 360° auditorium seats up to 800 spectators and has a circular stage with moving segments and elevation. The venue also offers a small hall that seats up to 210 spectators, which features a telescopic auditorium and a separate entrance. Other features include advanced technical equipment, projectors, and a TV broadcast room. 15. Nice Convention Center Nice, France The Nice Convention Center is a new development in the Port of Nice scheduled to open in June 2025 to host the 3rd United Nations Conference on the Ocean. The main meeting space will be a versatile large hall with almost 39,000 square feet for 2,150 attendees, 13,000 square feet of additional event space and a 17,000-square-foot panoramic rooftop. At the heart of this project is a 40,000-square-foot maritime terminal designed to promote sustainable mobility and the electrification of ships. 16. Olympia (Expansion) London, UK London's Olympia is undergoing a $1.68 billion renovation that will add new facilities including a 1,000-seat performing arts venue, a 1,575-seat theater, and a 4,000-capacity music venue. Two new hotels are also planned, set to offer 350 guest rooms between them. The expansion will also upgrade its conference and event facilities adding more than 32,000 square feet of flexible space including a 830-seated auditorium, eight breakout rooms, a business lounge, and a boardroom. 17. Park Hyatt London River Thames London, UK Opened in October 2024, Park Hyatt London River Thames features 203 guestrooms in Nine Elms, near Battersea Power Station, with views of the Thames and central London. The hotel offers 14,337 square feet of event space, including a ballroom with capacity for 500 guests in theater style that can be divided into three rooms, plus seven additional meeting rooms and a large foyer. Interiors blend classic English design with modern elements. 18. Roomers ParkView Frankfurt, Germany Roomers ParkView, the brand's second property in Frankfurt, Germany, is expected to open later this year. Located in Grüneburgpark, Frankfurt's Westend, the hotel will have 136 rooms over 19 floors. Amenities will include a 17th-floor Roomers Bar with skyline views, Roomers Spa on the 18th, and an international restaurant concept on the ground floor. 19. Solo Sokos Hotel Pier 4 Helsinki, Finland Solo Sokos Hotel Pier 4 is a 164-room hotel on Helsinki's waterfront that offers almost 4,000 square feet of meeting space. The hotel, known for its sustainable design and commitment to carbon neutrality, is built mainly from carbon-storing Finnish and Swedish timber and is equipped with solar panels. It also features a striking birch tree atrium and a pollinator-friendly rooftop garden. Other highlights include a wellness area, sauna, rooftop bar, and fine-dining restaurant. 20. The Belfry Hotel & Resort (Expansion) West Midlands, UK The Belfry Hotel & Resort is undergoing a $100 million expansion to add a new event venue, 100+ guest rooms, and a leisure club. The new venue is scheduled to open in September 2025 and will offer an additional 9,170 square feet, including a ballroom with a large pre-function area capable of holding 920 attendees theater style, an executive boardroom, and an outdoor terrace overlooking a golf course. Following the expansion, the resort aims to attain a BREEAM Excellence sustainability rating. 21. The Isolano, Cres, Autograph Collection Cres, Croatia Opened in March, The Isolano, Cres, Autograph Collection is a 49-room adults-only hotel on Croatia's Cres Island. Set in a pine grove overlooking the Adriatic, it features sea-view rooms with private balconies, two outdoor heated pools, direct beach access, and a spa using local ingredients. Interiors reflect Mediterranean style with local materials and art. The hotel offers a tranquil, design-focused environment ideal for executive retreats. 22. The Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Madrid (Renovation) Madrid, Spain Following a two-year restoration, The Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Madrid has reopened in Madrid's Barrio de las Letras. Formerly The Westin Palace, the 470-room property combines Art Nouveau architecture with contemporary interiors and is within walking distance of major cultural landmarks. The hotel offers 27,500 square feet of versatile event spaces across 20 distinct rooms, with the largest single room capable of holding 450 guests, theater-style. 23. The St. Regis Belgrade Belgrade, Serbia The St. Regis Belgrade is a new luxury hotel featuring 119 guest rooms offering unique views of Serbia's capital including a 360-degree observation deck. The Astor Ballroom, the property's largest meeting space, offers unique river views with a modern crystal ceiling. Amenities include an indoor pool with a jacuzzi, a spa, three culinary venues, and the brand's signature Butler Service. 24. Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia Hotel Porto, Portugal Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia Hotel opened in February 2025 on the southern slopes of the Douro river, a short walk from the historic center of Porto. The hotel is a partnership between Tivoli hotels and Kopke, the oldest port wine makers. It offers 150 rooms, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a gym and spa, restaurants and bars, expansive gardens, and 10 event spaces, including six meeting rooms. The main outdoor terrace can host up to 750 guests, and there are almost 100,000 square feet of gardens. 25. Rheingau Hotel & Retreat Kiedrich, Germany The Rheingau Hotel & Retreat opened in February 2025. Located 30 minutes from Frankfurt in Rheingau, a historic wine region, the hotel is nestled in 44 acres of private forest. The property features 80 guest rooms, four meeting rooms, a restaurant showcasing regional cuisine, a rooftop bar, and a range of wellness activities including yoga, a spa, hiking, and mountain biking.
Geek Vibes Nation
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
‘Bonjour Tristesse' Review – Durga Chew-Bose's Reimagining Of A Thorny Novel Lacks Bite
There is a distinctly timeless quality to Durga Chew-Bose's Bonjour Tristesse, but only just. Near the beginning of the writer-turned-filmmaker's debut, the young Cécile (an excellent Lily McInerny, the Palm Trees and Power Lines standout) is seen holding seashells up to the sunlight to assess their translucency before placing them in an organized pattern on a beach towel, where they sit alongside rocks, shards of coral, and other earthy items that have washed ashore. A few frames on, her father is encouraging her to toss her iPhone into the sea; we had yet to see a cell phone by this point, leaving viewers dangling comfortably in a place without a designated time. Then, later, one character asks another which section of the newspaper they'd like to borrow. No reply comes; is this because we're operating in modern times, where sections of the paper can be accessed via smartphone apps rather than by flipping pages, or more frighteningly, where no one could give a damn about the newspaper whatsoever? The competition between (and within) these setpieces serves as the more enticing element of Chew-Bose's film – a not-so-subtle conflict that poses one's desperation to maintain modernity against their concerted longing for simpler, classic times that we now only see in films and novels – and they help manufacture a complex (albeit uncomplicated) atmosphere in which the movie and its characters can happily exist. Perhaps it should be no surprise, then, that these tableau-focused scenes are the more successful efforts from Chew-Bose than her handling and updated reimagining of the narrative from Françoise Sagan's 1954 novel of the same name, a sensation that Otto Preminger adapted into a thorny triumph of his own in 1958. It's not that Chew-Bose doesn't understand the story, but that her ideal execution of its modern retelling is tripped up by a profound uncertainty regarding what Sagan's text would look like in these times. Fans of Call Me By Your Name – both Andre Aciman's novel from 2007 and Luca Guadagnino's 2017 film adaptation – are likely to feel right at home with Bonjour Tristesse, at least from an aesthetic standpoint, and especially in the beginning stages when the film's more elaborate ideas have yet to rear their heads. Shots of grapefruit slices and swimsuit-clad teens pepper its early frames, with Cécile and Cyril, her boyfriend for the summer, played by Aliocha Schneider from Angela Schanelec's Music, enjoying short, sweet makeout sessions in many of them. Prior to one, she traces her middle name on his back, giving him the opportunity to learn it should he identify the letters that form it; when he can't, she refuses to tell him what he's missed. Cécile operates on the surface with most people, safely wading in the dangerous waters of relationships by remaining in shallow pools rather than venturing too far into unfamiliar depths. The only person who truly knows her ins and outs is Raymond (Claes Bang), her wealthy widower father, whose latest girlfriend, Elsa (Naïlia Harzoune), has joined them for the summer. Elsa believes she understands Cécile, but misses plenty due to her inability to see her as anything beyond the prototypical young woman. It's only after Anne (Chloë Sevigny), her late mother's closest friend, arrives at their summer home that we begin to understand why Elsa's assessment came up short, as more is revealed about Cécile's darker capabilities and urges, as well as the toxic, codependent nature of her relationship with her father. It all makes for one hell of a summer, with the idyllic, thoughtless nature of a family vacation swiftly turning into an extravagant sociological nightmare of manipulation, only sleeker. At least that's what Chew-Bose seems to be going for, a method that affords Bonjour Tristesse the quality of never being uninteresting. Regrettably, it never warrants much interrogation, either. The luscious textures and well-framed photography by the German cinematographer Maximilian Pittner are worth writing home about – who has an appreciation for two shots that place one character in the foreground and one just behind them, unable to see their expressions – but unlike in other European-set melodramas where romantic intrigue and violent impulses go together hand in hand, there's a fundamental imbalance to Chew-Bose's work here, her narrative flowing more like an unspooled yarn of scattered ideas than a literary adaptation where those ideas have already been formed for the filmmaker to then meddle with. As Cyril says while he and Cécile lounge on the rocks after a swim, 'You're so frustrating. It's like you're reckless and careful. Which usually means the recklessness doesn't come naturally.' Cécile's caution manifests most deeply in her fear of getting too close to anyone but Raymond, one of her defining characteristics in every version of Bonjour Tristesse, but in Chew-Bose's adaptation, their connection feels less obsessive than in the tale's previous iterations, and thus toothless by comparison. Sagan's novel partially reached its level of acclaim because of its author's age – she was 18 at the time of writing and detailed intense connections between family members and partners with both ferocity and ire – while Preminger's 1958 film was serene and twisted in equal measure, depending on how deeply you peered. In attempting to split the difference between the severity of Sagan's prose and the composure of Preminger's filmmaking, the spice that would make you devour what Chew-Bose is serving has been left out of the recipe. You see Raymond becoming more fascinated with Anne as her presence in their home lingers, and you see (and hear) Cécile's frustration burgeoning as the attention once reserved for her lands on an older, maternal figure. But threats must be more than meets the eye to be more than something tactile and physical. Stories like Bonjour Tristesse are not unfamiliar – one's mind may wander to Gia Coppola's Somewhere – but the more probing they are, the more willing to bite we may be. As luxurious as Chew-Bose's adaptation is from a visual standpoint, it rarely delves past the beautiful surface it fashions for itself through its undeniable scenery and the beautiful faces it captures. Much like one of Elsa's early observations of Cécile, it's an easy film to look at, but one that makes itself hard to be truly seen. Bonjour Tristesse is currently playing in select theaters courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment.
The Guardian
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Wrong Gods review – absorbing drama tackles dark chapter in India's history
H aving made his name with the hugely successful Counting and Cracking – an epic three-hour work spanning multiple generations and featuring a massive set, 16 performers and many more characters – the Sydney playwright S Shakthidharan has downsized in his latest play. The Wrong Gods covers just seven years over 100 minutes, with four actors on an almost bare stage. But do not be deceived: this is an ambitious work with big ideas on its mind. It tilts at nothing less than the history of capitalism and impacts of modernity. Our setting is riverside in a valley in India, surrounded by a bountiful forest – a kind of prelapsarian paradise. Here we meet Nirmala (Nadie Kammallaweera, the star of Counting and Cracking and its sequel, The Jungle and the Sea), a farmer and the head of her village's council, and her precocious teen daughter, Isha (Radhika Mudaliyar, another Counting and Cracking alum), an aspiring scientist. Nirmala, whose ancestral roots in the valley stretch generations, believes in the old, pre-Hinduism gods – and in particular the goddess: the river. Isha does too, though her voracious mind is already questioning these belief systems and questing for greater truths. Isha longs to escape back to school in the city. Nirmala, newly abandoned by her husband, needs her daughter home to help work their patch of land. The two quarrel over their competing values and visions of the world, as mothers and daughters often do. A greater struggle is afoot: Nirmala is anxiously awaiting the arrival of 'big fat American' developers who have greedy eyes on the village, and prays to the goddess to send them packing. Isha prays to the goddess to let her go with them, back to her teacher and educational champion, Miss Devi (Manali Datar). And then, as if teleported from another dimension, Lakshmi (Vaishnavi Suryaprakash) arrives: a middle-class smooth-talker with an offer too good to refuse – and a magic packet of seeds that promises high yields with low labour. Nirmala can prosper; Isha can go to school. Worshipping different gods: Nirmala (Nadie Kammallaweera), Isha (Radhika Mudaliyar) and Lakshmi (Vaishnavi Suryaprakash). Photograph: Brett Boardman Photography/Belvoir If this smacks of fairytale or myth, it's by design and clearly telegraphed by the play's elemental set (its stone surfaces and moss-tipped concentric circles evoking an ancient amphitheatre) and by the dialogue: Isha, it is explained, is the goddess of destruction; Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth. But there may be other clues here too: in Sanskrit, Isha means strength, guardian or protector; Nirmala means virtuous. The Wrong Gods is doing double duty, working as a fable of capitalism and modernity, and as a primer on a specific chapter of Indian history: the government-sponsored Green Revolution of the 1960s and 70s, and its devastating impacts. Nirmala's village is a microcosm of a devilish pact in which an estimated 50 million farmers and Indigenous people were displaced by a network of dams that promised water for the cities, at the expense of natural environments and civilisations thousands of years in the making. At the same time, the Indian government and foreign companies induced farmers to abandon old crops and methods for new high-yield varieties of wheat and corn, and synthetic fertilisers. This also came at a cost, sending millions of farmers into crushing debt cycles that spawned suicide epidemics, and upended delicate ecosystems with far-reaching consequences. The Wrong Gods was inspired by one of the centres of this modern tragedy: the Narmada Valley, site of the Sardar Sarovar dam network – dubbed 'India's greatest planned environmental disaster'. It was also the birthplace of one of India's most successful civil resistance movements: Narmada Bachao Andolan. Isha, Nirmala and Lakshmi look on as Devi (Manali Datar) takes the floor. Photograph: Brett Boardman Photography/Belvoir Shakthidharan spent time in the valley more than a decade ago, and The Wrong Gods offers an imagined origin story for Narmada Bachao Andolan, which was substantially led by women. Perhaps in tribute to this, not only the cast and characters but almost the entire creative team of this production, which Shakthidharan co-directs with Belvoir resident Hannah Goodwin, are women. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion The Australian Ballet performs Manon – in pictures Like many contemporary plays of ideas, The Wrong Gods suffers occasionally from speechifying and on-the-nose lines, with scenes interrupted as characters spout exposition. The extent to which audiences tolerate this may depend on how much they know of the real-world issues. The play is generally successful, however, in bringing a massive, intractable problem down to the human scale, showing the emotions and interpersonal dynamics – and primal survival instincts – behind this epic tragedy. The performances are great and special credit goes to Kammallaweera and Mudaliyar, who swiftly and surely bring the mother and daughter to endearing life and make us believe the relationship on to which the play's big ideas are scaffolded. Goodwin and Shakthidharan keep the drama dynamic and engaging, and pare back aesthetics and action so as to not overwhelm the text. The result is an absorbing drama – though fans of Counting and Cracking may wish Shakthidharan lent a little less on neat parable and a little more into the human mess.
