Custom Hotel, Los Angeles Just two miles from Los Angeles International Airport but close enough to see the runways, Custom Hotel gives the bigger chains nearby a run for their money. It was remodelled this year in a modern, hip style (sheep in the lobby, an expresso machine at check in, iPod docks). The 250 rooms and suites have some of the city's most panoramic viewsover the sea, Malibu and the Hollywood Hills. It also features the cool (and sometimes loud) Hopscotch bar overlooking a pool with stadium sun deck and private cabanas. Soundproofed windows and a complimentary airport shuttle service comes as standard. Doubles from $109 (Dh400) (www.customhotel.com; 001 877 287 8601).
The Jumbo Hostel, Stockholm Due to open in December, this option might not suit every traveller but you can hardly stay closer to air traffic. Parked right outside Stockholm's Arlanda Airport, a worn out Boeing 747 has been converted into the Jumbo Hostel. It has 25 three-bed rooms - dormitory-style - mostly with shared bathrooms and showers, and all equipped with flatscreen TVs which double as departure/arrival monitors. A "luxury" cockpit suite is bigger, en-suite and offers a stunning view of the runway. There is a basic café, WiFi, and a walkway enabling you to stand on top of the aeroplane's wing. Dormitory bed from $50 (Dh184) per night (www.jumbohostel.com; 0046 8 593 604 00).
Sofitel, London This sophisticated Sofitel - the only hotel with direct access to London Heathrow's Terminal 5 - has recently been responsible for changing the definition of what an airport hotel can be. A reported $278 million (Dh1 billion) has been spent on the huge steel and glass atria filled with a pebbled Zen garden, spa, lobby bar, tea salon, five restaurants including the Brasserie Roux, 45 meeting rooms, a theatre and a conference room that can seat more than 1,000 people. At five floors, the interiors by Khuan Chew - responsible for the interiors of the Burj al Arab in Dubai - have been designed to portray the hotel as the gateway to the world. The lobby, for instance, has an Antarctica theme and includes a fountain cascading from a mirrored ceiling onto floodlit ice blocks. There are 605 rooms; the Imperial Suite features bathrooms studded with Swarovski crystals. Doubles from $184 (Dh676) (www.sofitel.com; 0044 20 8757 7777).
Kempinski Airport Hotel, Munich At Munich airport, located between Terminals 1 and 2, you simply wheel your suitcase 150 metres to the door of this soaring steel and glass structure designed by architect Helmut Jahn of Suvarnabhumi International Airport fame. Met by towering palm trees in the futuristic atrium hall, flooded with light, you'd never know that you are at an airport. The hotel's 389 rooms are equipped with the highest technology, and guests can choose from the Thai-Mediterranean-inspired Safran resturant, the Charles Lindbergh restaurant or Lobby Café. The Fit & Fly Spa with a 17-metre indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna, massage and 24-hour gym is a great place to relax. Doubles from $232 (Dh852) including breakfast (www.kempinksi-airport.de; 0049 89 97820).
Regal Airport Hotel, Hong Kong Voted best airport hotel in the world 2008 by Business Traveller magazine, at 1,171 rooms, the Regal, is also one of the largest. Attached to Hong Kong International Airport's passenger terminal, what sets it apart are the two swimming pools (one indoor, one outdoor), a landscaped garden, six restaurants and an award-winning spa, with outdoor massage beds and a menu of more than 30 treatments. There is also a 24-hour business centre and a gym, and Hong Kong Disneyland is close enough for a day trip. Doubles from $264 (Dh970) including breakfast (www.regalhotel.com; 00852 2286 8688).
CitizenM Hotel, Amsterdam This new luxury-on-a-budget, 230-room hotel attached to Amsterdam's Schiphol International Airport blends good styling with good sense to produce an experience that's low on cost. There's a funky lobby - crumpled light shades, arty design books, Vitra and Eames furniture dotted around. Each compact room comes with wall-to-wall windows, a super-king-sized bed, rain shower, flatscreen TV and a "mood pad" that allows you to adjust the lighting, ambient music and temperature of your room. There's also free internet access and movies on demand, self-service check-in kiosks (so no long lines or waiting times) and fresh coffee, sandwiches and cocktails are available 24/7 in the no-frills CanteenM. Doubles from$89 (Dh327) (www.citizenm.com).
Sheraton Airport Hotel, Paris Not the most beautiful hotel in the world, but the best of the three located within Paris' sprawling, notoriously difficult Charles de Gaulle Airport. Located inside Terminal 2, which serves European travel destinations, this Sheraton also sits on top of the fast-train (TGV) station. Stay in one of the 240 modern-looking, soundproofed rooms with internet access - there's an extra charge - and movies for entertainment. The hotel has two restaurants, two bars and an executive lounge for the use of guests in the more expensive Club rooms. Doubles from $221 (Dh812) (www.sheratonparisairport.com; 0033 1 4919 7070).
Changi Village Hotel, Singapore There are closer hotels to Changi Airport but this hotel is still convenient, 15 minutes away by free, hourly shuttle and has the feel of a peaceful island resort. Some of the 380 rooms face the sea and lush gardens, and there's a rooftop pool, spa and bar - the best place to unwind and watch the planes in the distance. For business, there are 17 function rooms; for play, there's a beach, access to a nine-hole golf course and free day trips, like shopping, to occupy your time. Doubles start from $159 (Dh584) (www.changivillage.com; 00656496 7699).
The Airport Hotel, Dubai Emirates airline opened the doors of its swanky Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport in October and the equally smart and shiny five-star Airport Hotel can be found right in the centre of it. Featuring chic rooms with calming colour schemes, a business centre and a beer and whisky bar, as well as a health club including a gym, jacuzzi and swimming pool, two things stand out: the 24-hour fine dining and Timeless Spa, enough to help you cope with any long layover. As a transit hotel, rooms are charged at $46 (Dh176) per adult per hour from 6am to 6pm; rising to $340 (Dh1,254) for two adults sharing a standard double room for 24 hours (www.emirates.com; 04 224 4000).
Aloft Airport Hotel, Montreal There are plans to build 500 Aloft hotels in the next five years but this one is set minutes from Montreal International Airport's baggage claim hall. Think modern, fresh and playful. Certainly the boldly decorated lobby, complete with quirky furniture, exposed pipes, a pool table and colourfully lit bar, sets that tone and feels like a giant lounge. The 136 rooms have 42-inch LCD TVs, walk-in showers, free wifi, workspace, and oversized windows to go with loft-like high ceilings. Instead of a restaurant there's a grab-and-go buffet. There's also a pool and a gym. Doubles from $104 (Dh382) (www.alofthotels.com; 001 514 633 0900).
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
SCHEDULE
Saturday, April 20: 11am to 7pm - Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Festival and Para jiu-jitsu.
Sunday, April 21: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (female) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Monday, April 22: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (male) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Tuesday, April 23: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Wednesday, April 24: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Thursday, April 25: 11am-5pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Friday, April 26: 3pm to 6pm Finals of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Saturday, April 27: 4pm and 8pm awards ceremony.
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Straightforward ways to reduce sugar in your family's diet
- Ban fruit juice and sodas
- Eat a hearty breakfast that contains fats and wholegrains, such as peanut butter on multigrain toast or full-fat plain yoghurt with whole fruit and nuts, to avoid the need for a 10am snack
- Give young children plain yoghurt with whole fruits mashed into it
- Reduce the number of cakes, biscuits and sweets. Reserve them for a treat
- Don’t eat dessert every day
- Make your own smoothies. Always use the whole fruit to maintain the benefit of its fibre content and don’t add any sweeteners
- Always go for natural whole foods over processed, packaged foods. Ask yourself would your grandmother have eaten it?
- Read food labels if you really do feel the need to buy processed food
- Eat everything in moderation
States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press
Arabian Gulf League fixtures:
Friday:
- Emirates v Hatta, 5.15pm
- Al Wahda v Al Dhafra, 5.25pm
- Al Ain v Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, 8.15pm
Saturday:
- Dibba v Ajman, 5.15pm
- Sharjah v Al Wasl, 5.20pm
- Al Jazira v Al Nasr, 8.15pm
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Results:
CSIL 2-star 145cm One Round with Jump-Off
1. Alice Debany Clero (USA) on Amareusa S 38.83 seconds
2. Anikka Sande (NOR) For Cash 2 39.09
3. Georgia Tame (GBR) Cash Up 39.42
4. Nadia Taryam (UAE) Askaria 3 39.63
5. Miriam Schneider (GER) Fidelius G 47.74
