The business of travelling for work
Andaz to Amsterdam
LOVERS OF the Andaz lifestyle boutique hotel brand from Hyatt Hotels will be happy to hear the Amsterdam hotel will open in the autumn. Located on the site of the former public library on Princengracht in the heart of the fashionable Jordaan district, the hotel will have 122 rooms. Designed by Dutch interior designer Marcel Wanders, it will be edgy, whimsical and interesting. Andaz amenities like free wifi, complimentary mini-bar snacks and drinks and paperless check-in will be standard. Reservations are due to open shortly ( andazamsterdam.com).
Productivity through dance
LUNCH MAY have been for wimps in Gordon Gekko’s day but now the business lunch is for dancing to Lunch Beat. Born in Stockholm about two years ago, when a group of workers decided to dance during their lunch break, the trend has spread across the world. Lunch Beat is dominated by the Scandinavian cities, but has spread to Edinburgh, Manchester, Antwerp, New York, Berlin, Paris and Porto.
Microsoft's HQ in Washington will have its first Lunch Beat tomorrow. Details of Lunch Beat events on LunchBeat.org.
Beat the Games
IF YOU have to be in London during the Olympic Games and the Paralympics there is a new website with advice on travel hotspots, backlogs and getting around quicker. See GetaheadoftheGames.com.
Virtual assistants
BOSTON’S LOGAN airport has come up with an innovative way to remind you of what you need to do before going through security. Carla, the video projected virtual assistant, is at the main security checkpoint reminding you to remove belts, take out laptops, how much 3.4oz of liquid looks like and to prompt you to have your travel documents ready. Over in Washington Dulles, Paige is making an appearance – she is a life-size hologram greeting arriving passengers and reminding them to have travel documents ready.