The friendliness of the staff at the Mandarin Oriental in Paris fashions an ambience in the property so unlike the unfriendliness of the Parisians I encountered outside the hotel’s entrance.
The Mandarin Oriental provides an Asian-inspired coolness and calm that is so wonderfully welcome after a hard day’s work in Paris. And it is not just the attitude of the staff, but also the Japanese-inspired garden in the courtyard – an excellent place to have meetings. It was the comfort of the bed, the smell of the soap. It all came together to create a level of tranquillity that sits so starkly against the hustle of the street it occupies – Rue Saint Honoré.
The 128 rooms – of which 40 are suites – are some of the most spacious in the city, with a desk that has been designed for the modern businessperson in mind. There are plugs of every kind folded into the desk, which has a leather top so papers do not go flying and one of those comfortable swivelling chairs. There is also free Wi-Fi throughout the property.
The best part of the sleeping experience was the pillow menu – by no means a gimmick. Hotels are primarily places to rest and sleep – having a pillow that can facilitate this is not just a great service, but a necessity.
Take your pick from lavender, rose or memory foam, to name a few, and anticipate some sweet dreams. The Mandarin Oriental brand has succeeded in promoting elegant luxury even in a place as competitive and clustered with hotels as Paris.
Mandarin Oriental is renowned for its spa and the one in Paris does not disappoint. Unlike many European hotels, the spa here provides a far more private and intimate experience in which guests have their own private changing rooms and Jacuzzi.
The hotel has three restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Sur Mesure by Thierry Marx and a cake shop with all the delights and concoctions expected of a Parisian patisserie. Enjoy the cakes with a pot of tea in the garden, where there are many important-looking people busy in meetings, mixed with a healthy dose of laissez-faire socialites taking small bites out of macaroons.
q&a attention to fine details
Guillaume Chapalain, a PR manager, and Philip Mayer, an assistant director of sales, both at Mandarin Oriental Paris, reveal more about the hotel’s business offerings
How do you cater to business guests?
GC: We have very spacious rooms that are great for business travellers. There is a desk with all the adapters. We have five meeting rooms. The fitness centre is open 24 hours and our garden, which a lot of our business clients from the Middle East appreciate very much. It is a bit of quiet in the middle of Paris and is discreet. For our suites, we make sure there is a salon where guests can sit and invite people to their room for meetings.
How do you cater specifically to guests from the Middle East?
PM: Each guest is different; we get princes, official delegations, honeymooners. Our Middle East guests love the suites, so we have 40 different kinds. About 15-20 per cent of our clients are from the Middle East. You can interconnect the rooms, we have three suites that can be interconnected to create one of the region's grandest suites. We have many Arabic TV channels and try to anticipate their needs and work towards them. We cater to their religious needs and ask if they want a prayer mat in the room.
How do you compete with other luxury hotels in Paris?
GC: Mandarin Oriental is a new product in Paris, we opened in June 2011. Our location – being in the middle of Paris – is really what we play on.
thamid@thenational.ae
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In numbers
Number of Chinese tourists coming to UAE in 2017 was... 1.3m
Alibaba’s new ‘Tech Town’ in Dubai is worth... $600m
China’s investment in the MIddle East in 2016 was... $29.5bn
The world’s most valuable start-up in 2018, TikTok, is valued at... $75bn
Boost to the UAE economy of 5G connectivity will be... $269bn
Biography
Favourite Meal: Chicken Caesar salad
Hobbies: Travelling, going to the gym
Inspiration: Father, who was a captain in the UAE army
Favourite read: Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter
Favourite film: The Founder, about the establishment of McDonald's
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs: 2018 Kia Picanto
Price: From Dh39,500
Engine: 1.2L inline four-cylinder
Transmission: Four-speed auto
Power: 86hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 122Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0L / 100km
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
Hales' batting career
Tests 11; Runs 573; 100s 0; 50s 5; Avg 27.38; Best 94
ODIs 58; Runs 1,957; 100s 5; 50s 11; Avg 36.24; Best 171
T20s 52; Runs 1,456; 100s 1; 50s 7; Avg 31.65; Best 116 not out
Fighter profiles
Gabrieli Pessanha (Brazil)
Reigning Abu Dhabi World Pro champion in the 95kg division, virtually unbeatable in her weight class. Known for her pressure game but also dangerous with her back on the mat.
Nathiely de Jesus, 23, (Brazil)
Two-time World Pro champion renowned for her aggressive game. She is tall and most feared by her opponents for both her triangles and arm-bar attacks.
Thamara Ferreira, 24, (Brazil)
Since her brown belt days, Ferreira has been dominating the 70kg, in both the World Pro and the Grand Slams. With a very aggressive game.
Samantha Cook, 32, (Britain)
One of the biggest talents coming out of Europe in recent times. She is known for a highly technical game and bringing her A game to the table as always.
Kendall Reusing, 22, (USA)
Another young gun ready to explode in the big leagues. The Californian resident is a powerhouse in the -95kg division. Her duels with Pessanha have been highlights in the Grand Slams.
Martina Gramenius, 32, (Sweden)
Already a two-time Grand Slam champion in the current season. Gramenius won golds in the 70kg, in both in Moscow and Tokyo, to earn a spot in the inaugural Queen of Mats.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Stree
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
