Berlin’s axica Congress and Conference Center offers first-class event facilities that are situated in an exceptional location and designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry. Located within the DZ BANK building on Pariser Platz, axica easily accommodates conferences, receptions, press conferences and gala dinners in an unforgettable two-story setting with a glass roof, natural light and floating glass sculptures.

The Forum caters to 600 attendees in theater style or 320 guests for a gala dinner. The auditorium accommodates 100 delegates; the Gehry Lounge 50 delegates; the Plenum 85 delegates and the foyer 300 guests. The two conference rooms can accommodate 55 delegates each. 

In addition to the dazzling setting, axica also offers first-class dining with an on-site kitchen and culinary staff that prepares everything from fine dining to finger foods to live cooking demonstrations. Off-site catering can also be provided.

Look for axica at EIBTM in December.

E-mail: info@axica.de
Website: www.axica.de

Zara Hotels is opening a luxury property in Budapest in what was once the Hungaria Spa and Continental Hotel. The newly renovated, 4-Star Superior, Continental Hotel Zara will open in June 2010. The property will feature 280 guestrooms and suites, successfully combining the former hotel’s Art Nouveau style with modern design. Event facilities will comprise four meeting rooms and a boardroom. The main conference hall will accommodate 300 attendees theater style and all rooms will be equipped with the latest technology and feature natural light. In addition to the dedicated meeting space, the hotel’s roof garden and two courtyards will be available for events.

For dining, the hotel will be host to a Mediterranean Restaurant, Cocktail Bar and Gallery Café. For wellness, the hotel will offer one of the largest rooftop wellness and fitness centers of all the hotels in the city.

E-mail: info@continentalhotelzara.com
Website: www.continentalhotelzara.com

The Lotte Hotel Moscow, scheduled to open in January 2010, is being billed as a 6-Star luxury property. The ten-story hotel, located on Novinskiy Boulevard near Red Square, the Kremlin Palace and the Bolshoi Theatre will feature 300 guestrooms and suites, a Club Floor with a Club Lounge, three restaurants, six banquet halls and function rooms, a business center, fitness center and spa and underground parking.

The restaurants will include Le Menus par Pierre Gagnaire featuring the creations of 3-Star Michelin Chef Pierre Gagnaire, Megu, New York, a contemporary Japanese restaurant and a Lobby Lounge.

The Wellness Zone is a spa and fitness center this is 1,620 sqm/17,437 sqft in size and which will include the fitness Club, Mandara Spa and the largest hotel swimming pool in Moscow.

Website: www.lottehotel.com

The Hotel Golf Peralada & Wine Spa offers 5-Star luxury in the heart of Spain’s Catalan region of Alt Empordà. This boutique property with its 53 guestrooms, castle, museums and casino is perfect for a top-tier incentive group. The property, voted one of the ten best wine hotels in southern Europe in the 2009 Wine Hotel Awards by ExperienciasyMas, a Spanish publishing company, offers a special wine tasting and matching menu for groups.

The hotel has seven meeting rooms accommodating up to 300 attendees. Gastronomically speaking, the hotel serves the freshest local fare combined with the best local wines in its two restaurants and two bars. 

The Peralada Wine Spa features treatments using grape-derivatives and the Spa health center has a thermal circuit that includes swimming pools, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi and a barrel shower.

Website: www.hotelperalada.com

The Amsterdam RAI just added a sustainable building to the complex, the Elicium. Prince Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, officially opened the new, multi-functional building on 29 September. The Elicium combines meeting, exhibition and congress facilities under one roof, and comprises four conference halls, each accommodating 100 delegates (or two rooms accommodating 200 delegates each). The Elicium ballroom, one of the largest in the country, is ideal for gala dinners, exhibitions, congresses and receptions. The ballroom is pillarless and divisible by sliding walls and accommodates 1,200 guests for a seated dinner, 2,500 for a reception and 2,000 theater style.

There are also twenty flexible meeting rooms catering for groups of 5 - 60 delegates located on the third, fourth and fifth floors. These rooms provide stunning views over the city, making them a perfect location for all kinds of gathering.

E-mail: raimarketing@rai.nl
Website: www.rai.nl

Next year’s Motivation Show, taking place 12-14 October 2010, will have a new format and a new venue. A full three-day program of education, exhibits, and networking is being planned for attendees with a dedicated “Education Day” scheduled for Tuesday, 12 October, followed by two full days of exhibits on Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 October. Keynote Luncheons will take place on all three days and Evening Networking Events will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Having a dedicated Education Day allows The Motivation Show to expand its highly successful Engineering Engagement Conference to include more education sessions that do not conflict with exhibit hours.

The venue for next year’s event is the new state-of-the-art McCormick West Building, which includes over 60 Wi-Fi enabled meeting rooms, six restaurants and cafes and a 2,100 space car park.

Website: www.motivationshow.com

Greek carrier Aegean Airlines is increasing its service to London Heathrow to two flights daily starting 25 October. The carrier is also launching new services to Madrid and Vienna in December. The Madrid service, which begins on 1st December, will fly daily from Athens to Madrid. The Vienna service, which begins on 10 December, will operate five times weekly from Athens to Vienna. Aegean recently added a new service to Istanbul. Dimitris Gerogiannis, managing director of Aegean Airlines said, "Although conditions in the European air transport market are still difficult, we remain focused on implementing our strategic targets... gradually completing the coverage of our European network."

The carrier is also focusing on obtaining the Greek government's state-subsidized routes to and from most island destinations in Greece.

Website: www.aegeanair.com