Dateline Monday 17th July 2023

Good morning to one and all I hope you are well

Happy Summer, I hope you enjoyed the UK summer which was Friday week ago that was the last hot day we had its kind of back to Autum now well it looks like that is the case why? Why? Why? No, not Delilah why can’t we have two or G-d forbid even three nice days in a row, it’s not a lot to ask is it?

Are you are on holiday, if so I hope you are having a great time now that Leyla and Hannah are done with school we don’t have to go on holiday at the end of July and August so I am back to pre-children time staying in the UK regardless of the dodgy weather is great, July and August the roads are quiet, you can park, the streets are not so crowded unless you go to Covent Garden, Soho, Oxford Street or Piccadilly totally bonkers in those places.

The Summer season continues, Wimbledon is done and dusted as is the British Grand Prix, also Ascot, the Cricket continues. Talking of Wimbledon congratulations to Carlos Alcaraz the World No.1tennis player, Carlos Alcaraz beat reigning champion Novak Djokovic, well I guess it had to happen one day, nice little earner as well £2.35 million pounds to the winner. Now I know why strawberries are so expensive at the tennis. Congratulations to Marketa Vondrousova who defeated Ons Jabeur to become the first unseeded Wimbledon's women's singles champion on Saturday.

Heatwaves in Europe, rubbish weather in the UK, no surprise there then, I will book a trip to the heatwave if the weather does not improve, floods killing people in South Korea. Mother Nature at her best, unpredictable.

President Joe Biden was here then he wasn’t, clearly he just popped in for a quick schmooze with the PM and tea with The King.

It’s the summer so the news is rather slow, I guess that is a good thing.

And that’s it, you are up to date from a David point of view.

MM and Company news update

Dubai

Jyoti, Christina, Candy and the team at TRAVCO DMC UAE and Oman have told us that as Dubai is hosting COP 28 from 30th November through to 12th December 2023 they have upped their green commitment. 70% of Dubai’s taxis have been changed to Hybrid vehicles and the destination has just introduced close to 400 Tesla vehicles into its taxi fleet. Did you know that COP stands for Conference of the Parties.

Cancun Mexico

Manuel, Liliana and the team at The EPIC Group DMC have told us that Hyatt Hotels has announced they will open two new properties: Hyatt Vivid Grand Island, an adults-only resort; and Dreams Grand Island, a family-friendly 616-room luxury resort. Both properties are expected to open in Cancun, Mexico in early 2024 Hyatt Vivid Grand Island will have 400 guestrooms. Guests will have access to the adjacent Dreams Grand Island, a family-friendly 616-room resort expected to open in early 2024. Together, the resorts will offer 19 culinary concepts offering Japanese, Mexican, French and Mediterranean cuisine, to name a few. Guests will have access to a 26,000-square-foot spa, complete with 25 treatment rooms, a fitness centre, multiple pools and a beach club.

Budapest

Imola Katinka and the team at Cosmos DMC Budapest have told us that Marriott’s W Hotels has just opened The W Budapest, located in the historic Drechsler Palace, which was previously home to the Institute of Ballet, in the centre of the city. The new hotel has 151 rooms and suites, alongside three dining outlets and a Society25 “speakeasy” cocktail bar and the W Lounge on the ground floor. The hotel has meeting space for up to 200 guests.