Only in Dubai

Dubai is an exciting, glittering, sci-fi city. Best seen from over the water from the peaceful and luxurious One&Only The Palm.

This was the view from our plush room...

An oasis of calm on the celebrated man-made island, One&Only The Palm feels as if it has been here forever with its poise and certainty among an extravagant grove of palms. With the city and its attractions within easy reach, you can relax on the beach or by the pool and dine in pleasurable style at One&Only The Palm.

Gracious style

Spacious accommodations

Here are some of my snapshots taken on my visit 11-15 March...

Luxurious welcome with caviar and champagne

Moorthy Mudaliar Executive Assistant Manager welcomes us

Swan towels

Wonderful to get back together with our One&Only Mary Bishara, Director of  Sales and Communications

Fantastic dining - here with Åke and GM Vincent Smarella

Succulent Signature beef just melts in the mouth

Luxury transfers and service by our agent Gulf Ventures

Launching our Collection

Our grand launch of the new luscious Select Collection brochure – the climax of a year of intense work. 

Select Collection 2014-2016
featuring my choice of the world's best resorts

A road show representing some of our wonderful Select Collection resorts began at the Grand Hôtel in Stockholm on Monday, then moved on to Finland, Stavanger (tonight), Oslo (tomorrow).

A good way to start a sparkling evening

In Stockholm we kicked off with champagne, and a workshop where our 320 guests could meet the hotel representatives. Then we moved to the Grand Hôtel’s historical Winter Garden for a 3-course dinner and entertainment by Måns Zelmerlöw. 

Nice smile from Narelle McDougall at the dinner  -
representing Anantara at the Road Show

Måns in action

In the Winter Garden

One highlight of the evening was the delivery of our new brochure to all the tables, accompanied by sparklers to suit the glamour of our publication, which is a fashion statement as well as a guide on the best places to stay worldwide. 

Another highlight was the auction of fabulous luxury holidays in paradise locations. "Haute Couture Holidays"

Måns presents Niclas Forsman the auctioneer
- auctioning luxury holidays

Successful bidding won Marie Klingspor & Henrik Ekberg
 a stay at the Crusoe paradise Soneva Fushi, and
nights in urban luxury at The Arch London.
It was his birthday and Select arranged a cake for him

All the money went to Hand in Hand. Our guest speaker was industrial magnate Percy Barnevik, who explained how Hand in Hand never gave charity but enabled people to pull themselves out of poverty by creating small businesses and ways of being self sufficient. Each business brings a whole family out of poverty.

With Percy Barnevik after his powerful speech

At the auction in Stockholm SEK 406000 was brought in, all of which will go to Hand in Hand.

In my speech I explained:

“You always have to give when you receive, and therefore it is part of my long-term future visions and challenges to help, to an even greater extent, poor and vulnerable people. Percy Barnevik and Hand in Hand are a great inspiration to me.”

Surprise move

I gave my Stockholm staff some surprise news last week. It started with a message to all staff to meet by our display of paradise beach sands. Fredrik and Max stood there with big bottles of Pol Roger, ready to set the corks popping.



And...

 

When we each had a glass of bubbly, I said...

"We are going to move!" To Stockholm’s most desirable address at street level on Grevturegatan 8  in Östermalm. With us will come all the departments at headquarters, along with our popular spa.

Sketch of the premises

Currently in Norrlandsgatan, we have extensive and very beautiful offices. The new headquarters and spa will be just as beautiful, but different...and will enjoy being on street level among exclusive retailers, and Stockholm’s most discerning shoppers.

The move will take place in May and June next year. Hanna will play an important role as project leader...

Hanna with one of the bubblies

 

 

Celebrating happily with Stockholm Sales
Manager Ulrika, who has been with Select
for 18 years

It is all part of the flow. We are going from strength to strength, based on our idea of luxury at every step along the way...

Select strikes oil...

An exciting step forward. On Monday Select Collection opens in Stavanger, the oil capital of Norway. With the highest per capita income in Europe and some of its worst weather, Stavanger supports Travel with a capital T. Here we are on our way to get the last things ready in our new boutique, perfectly placed among all the designer labels...

Next stop Stavanger

Last touches to our Select office

Aiming for perfection

And charming chic interior

At street level among designer shops

Creating desire to travel...

Stavanger here we come - our second Travel Agency and Gallery Boutique opens in Norway on Monday...

Romance on Rails

For the first time ever the celebrated Orient-Express has included Stockholm in one of its glamorous journeys. And as the legendary train glided out of the Swedish capital yesterday bound for Copenhagen and beyond, I was onboard for a lavish overnight experience.

Welcoming us at Stockholm station Platform 10
yesterday were Giulio Stix and Lucy Clark

Welcome

We were in for a journey of exquisite pampering

In art deco carriages that take you back in time
to the 20s and 30s

And now for a welcome drink in vintage milieu...

Enjoying the ambience of the piano bar

Discreet style

Harmonious surroundings

And then for a four course repast in the antique dining car, glassware and silverware glittering

All dressed up and ready for a beautiful dinner

Fillet of veal was the main

Attentive service

White chocolate mousse

Afterwards more time for passengers to socialize in the bar car, where many of the world's rich and famous swapped stories and sipped G&Ts in the 1920s.

Then a night to enjoy our vintage sleeping cars as we glided through the Swedish countryside

Breakfast in our beautiful cabin

The original Orient Express dates back to 1883. The Venice Simplon Orient-Express has carried on the legend in sumptuous style offering a luxury hotel on rails.
.
Our train had three restaurants - this one is called the Lalique:

You can see one of the famous Lalique
glass sculptures in the background

L'Oriental restaurant.

After Copenhagen the train will head for Venice. This fabulous trip between Venice and Stockholm can include 2 nights in an Orient-Express hotel in Venice, making a 7 night journey.

The Venice Simplon Orient-Express is one of 6 luxury tourist trains owned by Orient-Express Hotels, Trains & Cruises taking you to dozens of magical cities and sights, and the classiest of adventures...

Working hard in luxury

Travelling to luxury hotels is part of work for us at Select Collection. This gives important personal experience so we can advise our clients on where to stay, where to eat, how best to travel and….

 

...where the best beaches are..
This one is at Dinarobin Mauritius

 

Back at the Select offices we have beautiful environments.

 

...with attractive objects like this Buddhist icon
in our Stockholm office

At the reception - warmth and peace

Comfort in our Oslo office

And charm in Finland with Marita at her desk

 

The lovely decor adds to the pleasure we have in meeting people and helping them to plan wonderful and unforgettable holidays.
 

Happy to help our customers plan perfect
holidays  - Mariana in Stockholm at the ready

But that is only one part of the story of what we do at Select Collection...

I am full of wonder sometimes at how very hard my staff work, and how passionate and engaged they are. Customers’holidays are so important to them. So the atmosphere in our offices is very tense if anything has happened out in the world – an airline strike, a typhoon– or of course a tsunami (when everyone was in the office round the clock to take care of our customers).

Here are a few more of my wonderful team:

Yesterday (Sunday) Pernilla was hard at work on
a flight difficulty

 

We have an emergency number so that if we are not in the office a message can get to us very soon after. My staff remember a few Christmas dinners when they have got up to fix client’s problems instead of taking it easy over a glass of wine.

Tommy in Stockholm is always at the ready with a
smile and clever ideas on how to fix any problems
that might occur

Erland in Norway knows every way of tackling the unexpected
after nearly 30 years in the travel business



Lars in Oslo concentrates on arrranging every detail so that
his customers will be as relaxed as the couple in the poster

If our customers have a good holiday and everything goes right – we are radiant with pleasure…we share this happy news….as we share our problems, all the better to help us plan perfect trips in the future…

 

Happy moment for Collette - yet another successful
trip for a London client

 

Those are only some of my wonderful staff.

We love our work…