NEW NATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE HOTEL ON SPENCER DOCK

The Spencer Dock Development Company has lodged a planning application for a thirty five-story hotel, which will be part of the National Conference Centre complex on Dublin’s North Wall Quay. The proposed hotel will be a landmark indicator of the Conference Centre both locally and in a citywide context.

The Chairman of the Convention Centre Dublin, Mr. Dermot Dwyer said: "The development of the hotel has always been a central part of the overall plan for the National Conference Centre. It’s estimated that 200 events will be held each year in the NCC and with an iconic hotel as part of the NCC there is potential for many additional international conferences. World-class services and accommodation facilities will be a key driver in the success of Ireland’s National Conference Centre".

"Given the international role of the conference centre, and in turn the hotel, it was crucial that the architecture be of a commensurably high quality. This is why the architectural brief placed sustainability and sophisticated design architecture as a central requirement. The hotel brief has been developed in conjunction with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company who operate the recently opened Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt."

The architect of the hotel is the well known Dublin practice – Shay Cleary Architects. Commenting on the leading edge architecture of the new hotel, Mr. Cleary said: "The form of the tower is that of a simple pristine rectangular glazed enclosure. Within this formal concept, complexity and architectural richness is achieved through the proposition of a "building within a building" The general public spaces of the hotel occupy the first five floors. The remainder of the hotel comprises hotel rooms, a fitness centre & spa, hotel suites, clubs, lounges, meeting rooms and winter gardens".

ORGANIC FOOD - FACT OR FICTION?

On 30th January 2008 The Food Safety Authority of Ireland’s (FSAI) Consultative Council hosted an open meeting to discuss current attitudes and findings in relation to organic food.

Over 100 people attended the ‘Organic Food - Fact or Fiction?’ event in Dublin, which highlighted consumer understanding of the perceived benefits of organic food. The open meeting provided an opportunity for a robust discussion on the organic food debate whilst also giving the general public an opportunity to see the workings of the Consultative Council. Speakers at the event included Ms Clodagh McKenna, chef, media presenter and food consultant; Ms Siobhán Morris, Organic food consultant; Dr. Con O’Rourke, Plant Scientist and Dr. Mary Flynn, Chief Specialist, Public Health Nutrition, FSAI. Delegates at the meeting heard that research shows that while 80% of people surveyed understood the benefits of organic food to be free from pesticides and chemicals, some 32% felt organic produce is a healthier option and only 15% believed that organic food is ‘full of flavour and taste’. The survey also showed that more than half of Irish consumers have ‘never’ purchased organic food. The number one reason cited for this was cost, with 54% believing organic food was too expensive.

Ms Clodagh McKenna outlined her view in relation to how people need to be more aware of the food they eat and the need to see it holistically rather than as a plate of calories or a portion of nutrients. She said “This current obsession to view food scientifically I believe further disassociates us from it. We have lost our connection with food. Our relationship to it is by and large passive. We don’t grow it, 99% of the time we have no idea how or where it’s grown; we don’t kill it or milk it often we don’t even cook it. There have never been more celebrity chefs or cook books and yet less of us than ever are cooking food from fresh. It’s like buying a gym membership and never going - we love the idea of being fit but don’t exercise. We love the idea of good food and cooking but we don’t do it.”

BURLINGTON SHUTS ITS DOORS FOR LAST TIME

One of Dublin's best known landmarks, the Burlington Hotel, today closed its doors for the last time. The four-star 500-bed hotel first opened in 1972. The Burlington was most associated with international rugby weekends, the Dublin Horse Show and an array of international superstar guests.

Last April, Jurys Doyle Hotel Group sold the hotel to developer Bernard McNamara for €288 million. Jurys said it was using the proceeds to concentrate on new acquisitions on the US east coast and Europe. A total of 447 employees of the hotel were made redundant. The four-acre site is expected to be converted into offices and apartments. Siptu said the closure of the Burlington, and the Berkeley Court Hotel and Jurys Hotel in the same area in recent months, was a major setback for the tourism industry.

Siptu general president Jack O'Connor also bemoaned the loss of skilled well-paid jobs in a key sector of the Irish economy. "There is no thought given to the consequences for 'Ireland of the Welcomes', of driving down pay and conditions, as well as skills and standards in the sector of our economy which most directly engages with those visiting our shores as tourists and business travellers", he said.

John Clifton who has worked at the hotel for 32 years said it was a special place. "It has changed tremendously down through the years. But the core of the business itself hasn't changed. The regulars who come in here love the lobby of the Burlington. It is a real people-watching place. or the price of a cup of coffee you can see the celebrities coming through the door. Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton for example, to have people of that stature walking in the door has been fabulous and it really brings it home to you what a fabulous place it is that we can entertain people of such stature", he said.

International celebrities who stayed in the hotel included Mohammed Ali, John Wayne, Johnny Cash, Omar Sharif, Mel Gibson, Leonardo Di Caprio, Quentin Tarantino and the Brazilian soccer squad. Head concierge Frank Treacy, who has also worked at the hotel for over 30 years, said the closure was tough for the staff. "I have no plans. I'm just trying to get my head around this. It is a sad day. The more I see the regular customers come in the sadder it is."

Throughout the morning local residents and guests sat in the lobby over scones and tea as press photographers snapped pictures of porters and desk clerks going about their business for the final time. One regular was Education Minister Mary Hanafin, who reminisced about her youth when her father used an office in the hotel to fundraise for Fianna Fail. "The Burlington is a very significant institution for Ireland and for Dublin", she said. "It is the place where the largest events, dinners and functions took place for very many years. I spent ten years of my childhood coming in here to the lobby and I remember my daddy coming home with autographs and photographs of people like Pele, Mohammed Ali, Omar Sharif, all of whom had come through the hotel."

Adjoining the lobby, the hotel's bar Buck Mulligan's - normally bustling with customers - was closed. Photographs of sports awards ceremonies and other functions adorned its walls. Coffee cups sat stacked on the bar counter, the stools placed neatly under the tables. Just after midday the Elbilia family from London became the final guests to check out. "It's very sad to see you closing this fine hotel", said Mr Elbilia, to a round of applause from staff before Jury's Burlington hotel closed its doors to the public for the final time.

CAPELLA HOTELS AND RESORTS BRAND DEBUTS

Hotels in Austria, Ireland open in 2007, with four more set for 2008

When Horst Schulze unveiled plans in October of 2005 for a new luxury hotel brand to be called Capella Hotels and Resorts, the hospitality industry took notice. Schulze, after all, was the legendary hotelier who had led Ritz-Carlton to prominence and who was now describing his vision for a hotel brand that would set new standards for personal service and world-class amenities. Less than two years later, that vision has become reality. Recent ceremonies at Schloss Velden, a Capella Hotel, set in a breathtaking lakeside locale beneath the Alps in Velden, Austria, marked the official launch of the Capella Hotels and Resorts brand.

Speaking to guests during June ceremonies celebrating the opening of Schloss Velden and the launch of the Capella brand, Schulze commented, "Capella represents the opportunity to paint my finest canvas. I'm so gratified that this 'artwork' can now be unveiled in such a beautiful setting. Most of all, I'm pleased that you, our guests, can make Capella your own. We look forward to welcoming you at Capella Hotels and Resorts around the world in the months to come."

While Schloss Velden will be popular within Austria, Germany, Italy and other European destinations, many American visitors are expected to be drawn to this stunning Alpine region in Austria. Schloss Velden's historic chateau, with its distinctive "goldenrod" yellow hue reflecting off of Lake Woerth, is comprised of 39 guestrooms, a fine dining room, the reborn Schloss Bar, a wine and champagne cellar, and a private "living room" for guests with stunning lakefront views. A contemporary Jabonegg & Palffy-designed addition houses 66 rooms and 45 private residences. The striking modern structure with wraparound glass views of the mountains and lake is also home to an extraordinary 30,000- square foot spa and wellness center called Auriga, exclusive to Capella Hotels and Resorts.

In August, Capella Castlemartyr, in County Cork, Ireland, will join Schloss Velden and emerge as the second Capella to open to the public. This stunning resort is set on 220 acres in the bucolic country village of Castlemartyr and encompasses a grand, fully restored manor house adjacent to the dramatic ruins of a thousand-year-old castle.

Each of the 109 spacious guest suites - 85 standard suites, 11 manor suites and an extraordinary Presidential Suite - range from 500 to 3,000- square feet. The Knight's Bar will be the hotel's social focal point with its blazing fire, baby grand piano and fully restored Rococo ceiling, and the Bell Tower, the hotel's fine dining room, will serve cuisine prepared with the finest local, farm fresh ingredients.

Auriga, the 16,000 square-foot wellness, spa and fitness center at Castlemartyr - comprises 10 treatments rooms, vitality pools, an ozone treated swimming pool, steam room, saunas, a spa suite, a yoga and Pilates studio and a spa cafe.

For golf enthusiasts, an 18-hole links-style golf course at Castlemartyr, created by renowned golf course designer Ron Kirby, is poised to be another one of the region's memorable courses when it opens in spring 2008.

During 2008, Capella will open hotels and resorts in Mexico, at Capella Pedregal in Cabo San Lucas; in Dusseldorf at Breidenbacher Hof, a Capella Hotel; on Sentosa Island in Singapore, at Capella Singapore; and in Ireland once again, at Capella Dunboy Castle in Castletownbere.

NEW GUIDELINES ON PREPARING BOTTLE FEEDS FOR BABIES

Safefood urges parents and careers to follow ‘30 minute’ rule Safefood and the Health Service Executive (HSE) have launched a new publication on how to prepare a baby’s bottle feed safely. Entitled ‘How to prepare your baby’s bottle feed’, the resource consists of a booklet and practical 10-step poster.

Dr. Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, Director, Human Health & Nutrition, safefood said, “As powdered infant formula is not a sterile product, it has the potential to cause illness if not prepared properly. In rare circumstances, certain harmful bacteria such as E.sakazakii have been associated with it. However water with a temperature above 70°C will kill E.sakazakii and any other bacteria like Salmonella that may be present”.

But because adding just-boiled water to formula can lead to a loss of some of the nutrients in the formula, Dr. Foley-Nolan recommends using the ‘30 minute’ rule. “This is a very practical rule, whereby the water is boiled and then left for 30 minutes before the powdered infant formula is added, at which point its temperature is no less than 70°C”, she continued. “This is the best way to achieve a balance between killing the harmful bacteria and retaining sufficient amounts of nutrients in the formula”.

Powdered infant formula can contain the bacterium Enterobacter sakazakii (E.sakazakii) and this has been implicated as a rare source of illness in infants, with those under two months most at risk from it. The emergence in recent years of this illness has necessitated new risk assessments conducted jointly between The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). As a result, the WHO has issued on infant feeding in collaboration with the Food Safety new technical guidance Authority of Ireland (FSAI).

The Safefood/HSE publication is an easy-to-follow, 10-step poster and booklet based on the technical guidance and is aimed at parents and carers who will be making up bottle feeds. It is also hoped that the resource will be used by public health nurses, dietitians working with infants, environmental health officers and those working at pre-schools when discussing bottle feeds with parents.

6 MICHELIN RESTAURANTS NOW IN DUBLIN

For the first time ever, diners can choose from six Michelin-starred restaurants throughout Dublin. Champagne corks were popping in kitchens across the city recently, as two restaurants, Mint in Ranelagh and Bon Appetit in Malahide, were awarded the coveted Michelin stars for the first time.The fine dining establishments join an elite club, made up of Chapter One on Parnell Square, the French-Irish fusion restaurant L'Ecrivain and Thornton's at the Fitzwilliam Hotel on St Stephen's Green. And the hard work at Patrick Guilbaud's restaurant at the Merrion Hotel has paid off, as the country's only two star establishment remained firmly on the 2008 restaurant guide for it's 13th year. in Belfast, Restaurant Michael Deane was the only establishment with a Michelin star in Northern Ireland.