Germany
DoubleTree by Hilton unveiled its first location in Berlin and third in Germany with the highly anticipated opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Berlin Ku´damm. The hotel overlooks Los Angeles Plaza and is situated in the heart of Berlin’s luxury shopping district, putting guests steps away from the city’s exclusive boutiques, restaurants and showrooms on the famous Kurfürstendamm avenue, the Champs-Elysees of Berlin.
DoubleTree by Hilton Berlin Ku´damm has been designed to specifically serve business travelers and groups, becoming one of the largest hotels within the city and offering more than 400 guest rooms and over 8,600 square feet of meeting space. The property originally opened in 1981 as the Steigenberger Hotel and underwent an extensive 16-month renovation to bring a fresh take contemporary luxury, fusing both sophistication and comfort.
The hotel offers 11 state-of-the-art meeting facilities that can accommodate groups of up to 500 guests and feature high-tech equipment all within a 30-minute drive from Berlin Brandenburg Airport.
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Northern Ireland
Situated in Northern Ireland’s Newcastle, County Down is the newly opened Slieve Donard, a hotel rich in history and originally built by the Belfast and County Down Railway in 1898. In 1973, a Provisional IRA bomb explosion extensively damaged the property, but today its doors are open once again, welcoming guests to experience the building’s preserved Victorian elements and characteristics combined with contemporary touches.
The 180-room hotel overlooks Royal County Down Golf Club, one of the oldest in Ireland and consistently ranked one of the best in the world, and pays homage to the destination’s seaside location, rich Irish traditions and building’s history through aspects like the railway-inspired lobby, early images of the hotel and artwork featuring local landscapes and fauna.
Slieve Donard’s 7,750-square-foot Grand Ballroom claims to be one of the largest in Northern Ireland, with a capacity for up to 800 guests, while the 3,020-square-foot Chandelier Room offers views of the Mourne Mountains and space for up to 400 standing.
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Portugal
Marriott Bonvoy’s Renaissance Hotels brand made its debut in Portugal with the opening of Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel, located in Lapa, one of the most historic neighborhoods in Porto. The new hotel offers an urban getaway situated near the iconic Lapa Church and city landmarks like Casa da Música and Clérigos Tower.
Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel offers 163 guest rooms perched on Lapa’s hills and featuring panoramic views of the city’s skyline. The hotel draws inspiration from the surrounding city, a pillar of the Renaissance Hotels brand, through design elements from local architectural firms and interior designers commissioned to make the hotel an “Art House in The Park.” Its color palette reflects the Douro River running through Porto and Gaia, vintage Portuguese tiles used in local buildings and pavements, and original artwork done by Portuguese international artists.
Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel offers more than 5,850 square feet of event space equipped with audiovisual technology including an advanced translator system to accommodate events with multi-language speakers. The hotel’s largest meeting room can host nearly 600 guests.
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Made in Melbourne
For the first time in 100 years, the newly restored Dome Promenade at Melbourne/Warrane’s World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building is available for private functions, offering views of Melbourne that have gone unseen for a century.
The historic Melbourne architectural icon was built for the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition and is best suited for events during the city’s warmer months, putting groups in the heart of one of the world’s most livable cities, according to the 2022 Global Liveability Index.
Groups of up to 100 can book exclusive use of the unique event space, which offers an open-air, two-level upper Dome Promenade with views of the Royal Exhibition Building’s dome, serving as the backdrop for cocktail receptions, social gatherings or corporate functions.
Guided tours are also available through the Melbourne Museum, which take guests through the promenade to experience city views while exploring the building’s history and uses over time.
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