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...

Stavanger opening party

We had a party to remember, to celebrate the opening of the new Select Collection travel boutique in Stavanger, Norway. With a warm and homely interior it just invites people to step in from the street, where it is nestled among designer shops.

An inviting interior seen from the street

Travel Agency and Gallery Boutique

 

Amidst this warmth and beauty, 50 guests got a chance on Wednesday evening to meet our Stavanger office manager Petra Humppila Nordbo and her sales consultant Laila Ånestad,  along with other Select staff.  

Here together with Petra

 

And here guests are listening:

...to a great speech by Petra

And here - just happy...

 

 

 

 

Invited to this memorable  occasion were local clients who have been booking their holidays through our Oslo office, along with other local dignitaries and airline representatives. No shortage of flights from oil city Stavanger – with its North Sea weather and well-heeled inhabitants.

 

Fredrik Ottosson, managing director Select
together with
Terje Grue, Country Manager Norway Lufthansa
Maritha Nerstad, Key Account Manager Lufthansa
Håvard Sveen, Account Manager Norwegian

More Select people to welcome our guests…

 

Erland from our Oslo office together
with my partner Åke

 

Also from our Oslo office, Ada together
with country manager Dag-Åge

The delicious eats added to the sense of  what we stand for .... luxury …

 

All in all a lovely start to our new venture. Satisfied we gather afterwards, enjoying our beautiful homely travel agency and gallery boutique...

Wrapped round by a warm and inviting map of the world.
A great place to be,
and a great place to order a trip to the sun...

Views, shopping, Arabia...

Ritz-Carlton is one of the first beach resorts in Dubai. It has a lovely location next to the Marina with its stunning boats; and there is also great shopping right next to the hotel. You get the best of both worlds: a beautiful low rise building situated among tall skyscrapers. And plenty of atmosphere...

Intimate and personal

A newly renovated wing will open any day, and I was the very first tour operator to have a site inspection…

Stylish and cosy - even the standard room

You can choose to have a view to the lovely bathroom:

Lovely, well-planned ...

Spacious!

View from the balcony

Living room, suite

Four poster bed, suite

Stunning jacuzzi in the bathrooms

The mosaics are beautiful

A very interesting hotel inspection - and I am impressed with where Ritz-Carlton is going.

Afterwards we had a fantastic evening with management - an Arabian buffet by the beach.

With Luca Guerra (left) Director of Sales and Marketing,
 Jay Strokov, Travel Industry Sales Manager and
Fredrik Gyllenhammar (right)

Great atmosphere

Arabic food with magnificent presentation

Dinner and 1001 Arabian nights...

Marvellous Arabian silverware and lamps

A lovely ambience... on the beach in shopper's haven, Dubai.

A dream!

The Dreamliner.

I was very fortunate to experience the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner by Qatar Airways, flying from Doha to Dubai. Since taking delivery of its first 787 four weeks ago, Qatar Airways has been flying the aircraft between Doha and both Dubai and Kuwait, and has already made a debut on the flight London-Dubai.

A dream above the clouds...

Super high tech...

Select Collection has a very attractive business class rate with Qatar from Stockholm to Dubai at the moment approx 13000 SEK, which gives you the opportunity to fly first class in the Dreamliner between Doha and Dubai.

As Qatar flies so many times between Doha and Dubai every day, the Dreamliner will not be possible each time. But when flying from Dubai to Stockholm at night you enjoy the 787, and from Stockholm to Dubai in the afternoon you also connect with the 787.

Qatar have ordered 60 Dreamliners in total, and flies with 3 right now on the route London and Dubai. From Feb 13 also to Perth.

Here the first class with flat beds

...and first class delights

Our flight was 47 min between Doha and Dubai so obviously there was not much time to try the full menu but there will be next time as Qatar is planning to have many new machines on long haul routes.

Fresh and healthy

Great crew

Big screen, wifi, GSM and spacious table for work and meals – USB, MP3 and laptop power:

A whopper screen and space for work, food and play

And its not all high tech - Dreamliner has also got place for romance:

A separate small section (2 seats) in first class
for honeymooners

What have I left out? Quieter, smoother, more spacious, more vision, kinder and cleaner air…

In short  – a traveller's Dream!

The new look Prince Maurice

 

We have just stayed at the newly revamped Constance Le Prince Maurice which opened again two months ago: intimate and charming as ever, but lighter and brighter in feel. The restaurants spill down now to the pool and beachside. So there is plenty of space to have a lovely breakfast with postcard views.

Views...

...cosy corners...

...and long white beaches

 

Here you get your own private sunbed, provided with free bottled water and attentive beach service 

Comfortable sunbed under thatched sunshade...

If you can tear yourself away from here,  lots of watersports, tennis and golf are included. A free shuttle takes guests to the two golf courses at sister hotel Belle Mare Plage.

After lots of sun and fun, a tropical delight for me:

My favourite drink, jumbo size

 

Adding to the charms of the existing wining and dining scene is a new Sushi bar at Le Prince Maurice and a new wine cellar.

We had a great lunch with management:

With Fredrik Gyllenhammar,
Chief Operations Officer Andrew Milton
Sales Manager Agnes Wiehe,
GM Christophe Plantier
 

And a lovely welcome...

Welcome to villa 65...

Personal attention in our room.

 

All the Junior Suites have been refurbished, and there are 12 brand new family suites with an extra room for the kids. That is apart from the 12 villas, 9 on the beach with private pools, and the Princely Suite, where the occasional prince does stay...