Faces & Places

Salvoni celebrates birthday and long service in the restaurant industry

Swissôtel Nankai staff awaken Osaka commuters to hotel reopening
The management team of the Swiss"tel Nankai Osaka hotel left nothing to chance and made sure Japan's morning commuters at Namba station were aware of their property's official reopening by donning pyjamas and sleeping in at the station last month.To celebrate the relaunch of the 548-room hotel after an eight-month refurbishment, staff were on hand at the station, which is directly below the property, to spread the word and, presumably, get to work in double-quick time.General manager Fran‡ois Cnockaert (sitting on the bed) is seen enjoying a morning cuppa supplied by one of his team, preparing him to greet the busy commuters and focus his mind for the opening banquet later that day, which was attended by 700 guests.The hotel is owned by Raffles International and is its only property in Japan.

Marriott chief in London to view Grosvenor House refurbishment plans John Willard Marriott Jnr came to London recently to review plans for the multimillion-pound refurbishment of Park Lane's Grosvenor House hotel, which the company began managing in February. As part of his whistle-stop tour, the chairman and chief executive of Marriott International, which franchises its name to Whitbread in the UK, checked out developments at the 301-room London Marriott West India Quay hotel, which opens in London's Docklands area in June of this year. Paul Downing (front row, centre), general manager of the West India Quay hotel, is pictured with his executive team welcoming JW Marriott Jnr (front row, fourth from left) to the newest London Marriott property.