Netherlands' largest hotel will be twisted OMA creation

Netherlands' largest hotel will be twisted OMA creation
The winner of a tender for a major new hotel development in Amsterdam was announced last week. It will be based 
at the   ШУУД ҮЗЭХ Amsterdam

RAI exhibition and conference center. Designed by architects OMA, the Nhow Amsterdam RAI hotel is designed to be an attraction in itself and will have a striking twisted design.
Plans for a new hotel at Amsterdam RAI date back to 2011, whilst the tendering process for the hotel began in June last year. Of the 11 entries submitted, the concept from OMA, developer COD and the NH Hotel Group is said to have stood out because of its additional special facilities. 
Although primarily designed to be a hotel, the Nhow Amsterdam RAI will house a number of other functions including a television studio, a gallery, a sculpture garden, and a spa. Public floors at the top of the building will be home to a skybar and restaurant.
In addition to its facilities, the concept's design was said to have been a factor in its success. OMA has aimed to ensure the building will fit in with the existing RAI complex, whilst having a new and modern look. The structure will be comprised of three main separate sections that will appear to be twisted or rotated on a central vertical axis.
At 91 m (299 ft) tall with 25 floors, the Nhow Amsterdam RAI will be the tallest hotel in the Benelux countries of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, according to a press release. It will have 650 rooms and guests will enjoy a 4-star quality rating.
The construction of the Nhow Amsterdam RAI hotel is planned to begin in mid-2016.

Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara, Qatar

Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara, Qatar

Banana Island Resort Doha is Anantara’s new fantasy island in the Persian Gulf.
Why Go: An alternative to staying downtown, Banana Island Resort
Doha ШУУД ҮЗЭХ by Anantara is

convenient to the city but feels worlds away. The man-made island is strategically placed just offshore, with regular ferry service to and from Doha’s Corniche promenade. The tourist destination, geared for Qatari families, features an impressive range of amenities. Some will be familiar to Western travelers and others will be quite novel. The island destination is equipped with a 30-slip marina, PADI dive and water-sports centers, swimming pools, waterslides, and sandy beaches. There is also a surf pool that caters to all skill levels and is run by a professional surf instructor.
 
What to Expect: Each of the 141 rooms, suites, and villas (from $375) has an ocean view, thanks to the island’s narrow banana shape. All but the overwater villas have direct beach access. The poolside Q Lounge and Restaurant serves specially designed tobacco mixes in custom Desvall shisha pipes, but no alcohol. The policy is resort-wide, mandated by the Qatari government. Among the resort’s eight dining options, try Ted’s for a U.S.-style hamburger or Al Nahham for Arab meze, seafood dishes, and Zam Zam water that has been blessed in Mecca. Twenty-four-karat-gold manicures are on the menu at Anantara Spa, which has eight treatment rooms along with separate hammams and hot tubs for men and women. At the Balance Wellness Center, guests choose among six wellness retreats and access facilities including 14 treatment rooms, an indoor botanical garden, and the Zest café, serving meals and juices made with organic ingredients.

How to Get There: From Hamad International Airport, guests can fly directly to the island by helicopter in 10 minutes. By ferry, the resort is a 20-minute ride from Al Shyoukh Terminal on downtown Doha’s Corniche promenade.

Suzhou Tourism Launches Website For North American Travelers

Suzhou Tourism Launches Website For North American Travelers

The launch of TravelToSuzhou.com, the official website for Suzhou Tourism, enables travelers to virtually experience one
of  ШУУД ҮЗЭХ China’s newest

tourism destinations long before their journey begins. With a theme of “2,500 years of history,” the website features vivid imagery, detailed travel information, tour packages, attraction highlights, and integrated social content, providing all of the information a traveler may need while considering a visit to the “Venice of China,” while simultaneously conveying the unique authentic Suzhou culture and the sense of being in Suzhou.
The website’s intuitive functionality offers quick access to information on the destination, as well as a links to pertinent packages and tours on every page. Smart rollover navigation anticipates users’ needs by providing details on Suzhou’s current festivals and events, news, and an interactive map. Users can use the search function to find tour packages that best suit their travel needs, choosing from a variety of options including escorted, independent travel, cruise, cultural, and adventure. The website also features a dedicated section for journalists including current press releases, an image gallery, and access to the press kit.

For travelers who prefer to access TravelToSuzhou.com on the go, the website is built with a responsive design that automatically adjusts to scale based on the user’s device such as the iPhone, Android, Tablet and Blackberry ensuring a seamless user experience. Embracing the online communities of social media, the website also incorporates popular social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, enabling both greater connectivity for fans and followers to engage with Suzhou and the ability for users to share content with their own social communities.

The new website is the latest development from Suzhou Tourism as part of its dedicated campaign to facilitate more travel to the city from North America. 

Suzhou Tourism Launches Website For North American Travelers

Suzhou Tourism Launches Website For North American Travelers


The launch of TravelToSuzhou.com, the official website for Suzhou Tourism, enables travelers to virtually experience one of China’s newest tourism destinations long before their journey begins. With a theme
of “2,500  ШУУД ҮЗЭХ years of history,” the

website features vivid imagery, detailed travel information, tour packages, attraction highlights, and integrated social content, providing all of the information a traveler may need while considering a visit to the “Venice of China,” while simultaneously conveying the unique authentic Suzhou culture and the sense of being in Suzhou.
The website’s intuitive functionality offers quick access to information on the destination, as well as a links to pertinent packages and tours on every page. Smart rollover navigation anticipates users’ needs by providing details on Suzhou’s current festivals and events, news, and an interactive map. Users can use the search function to find tour packages that best suit their travel needs, choosing from a variety of options including escorted, independent travel, cruise, cultural, and adventure. The website also features a dedicated section for journalists including current press releases, an image gallery, and access to the press kit.

For travelers who prefer to access TravelToSuzhou.com on the go, the website is built with a responsive design that automatically adjusts to scale based on the user’s device such as the iPhone, Android, Tablet and Blackberry ensuring a seamless user experience. Embracing the online communities of social media, the website also incorporates popular social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, enabling both greater connectivity for fans and followers to engage with Suzhou and the ability for users to share content with their own social communities.

The new website is the latest development from Suzhou Tourism as part of its dedicated campaign to facilitate more travel to the city from North America.

Lionel Buckett's extraordinary treehouse hotel in Australia's Blue Mountains

Lionel Buckett's extraordinary treehouse hotel in Australia's Blue Mountains
When we visited Australia's Blue Mountains earlier this year to feature this extraordinary clifftop cave, we had no 
idea ШУУД ҮЗЭХ that the cave

itself might not be the most amazing piece of architecture on the property. Almost as an afterthought, Blue Mountains Cabins owner and master builder Lionel Buckett invited us down to yet another secluded pocket of the gigantic wilderness area to discover another gem: his treehouse cabin. Built around a turpentine tree and fireproofed against the harsh Australian bushfire season, it's a magical space with profoundly stunning views. 

Click through into the gallery from any of the photos below to enjoy master builder Lionel Buckett's thoughts on his most popular work to date: the treehouse cabin.

Make mine a Guinness: The Shebeen is a tiny Irish pub on wheels

Make mine a Guinness: The Shebeen is a tiny Irish pub on wheels
Here's a side of the small living movement we'll happily raise a glass to. The Shebeen is a tiny 
bar on  ШУУД ҮЗЭХ wheels that travels

around Ireland catering to parties and weddings. Completed in September 2014, the towable structure measures just 4.2 x 2.1 m (14 x 7 ft), and aims to recreate the atmosphere of an authentic Irish pub. 
 The Shebeen was constructed from the shell of a dilapidated 30-year-old caravan, and took 60 days of work to turn into an authentic-looking pub. It certainly looks the part, down to original memorabilia sourced at antique fairs and auctions, and oak and pine wood that has been distressed and stained to lend an aged appearance. In all, the project cost around €20,000 (US$21,700).

The portable pub comes well-stocked and includes glasses, alcohol, mixers, and everything else you'd need for a good time, including a fully-functional bar, seating for up to 10 people, a cooler and electric stove, a sound system, and LED lighting. Once on location, it takes around an hour to set up and if no mains electricity hookup is available, a generator can be provided.

If you fancy a few pints in a tiny pub, The Shebeen is available to hire and will set you back from €750 ($815) for a day. The firm will also build you your own similarly-proportioned tiny bar from €29,950 ($32,555), plus taxes, and is currently working on the next model, which sports a thatched roof.