Shangri-La Hotel, Paris Launches First Vegan, “100% Green Dinners” Of Parisian Palace Hotels

© ©Roméo Balancourt

© ©Roméo Balancourt

Shangri-La Hotel, Paris launches a first in the world of Parisian palace hotels by hosting a series of “100% Green Dinners”. On the first Thursday of each month, La Bauhinia will present a special five-course vegetable-focused menu and invite one of the hotel’s exceptional French market purveyors to meet with diners. To further enhance the evening, La Bauhinia will be transformed by a nature-inspired decor and a DJ will create a celebratory atmosphere.

A 100% Green menu

Shangri-La Hotel, Paris Executive Chef Christophe Moret has been cultivating his nature-driven cuisine since his arrival at the hotel in January 2015. As the grandson of a market gardener, it was natural for him to imagine a “Rooted in Nature” menu that placed vegetables at the forefront without sacrificing taste and pleasure. Guided by values that are dear to his heart – freshness, local, transparent, and ethical – the chef will create each Thursday a different green menu full of vibrant and complex flavours such as Tomato Bloody Mary and Spring Rolls made from watermelon stuffed with soup herbs; Kasha and Green Vegetables En Cocotte with almond milk; Turnips and Red Beetroots roasted in a wood-burning oven and Tofu Ravioli with borsch vinaigrette; Strawberries scented with Sangria, and coconut and lime sorbet. Guests can also enjoy market-driven dishes daily on the a la carte menu at La Bauhinia.

Special drinks and cocktails To accompany this unique menu, Head Sommelier Cédric Maupoint has chosen wines produced through biodynamic agriculture, specific teas, coffees and non-roasted cocoa beans, all hand-picked and distributed through fair-trade channels. Even the choice of sugar has been carefully considered, with Panela produced from organic sugar cane, agave syrup and coconut sugar.

The cocktail menu receives an energy boost with the addition of a shot of cucumber, kale, celery and ginger juice.

Special rendez-vous every first Thursday of the month Sharing this wish to promote terroir products in a new way, Shangri-La Hotel, Paris’ suppliers will join these celebratory events to meet La Bauhinia’s customers. Every first Thursday of the month, a market gardener, wine grower or farmer will explain his approach and how the seasons affect his work while also learning about the preferences and tastes of La Bauhinia’s diners. By creating an opportunity for dialogue between the farmers, the chefs, and the restaurant’s patrons, Chef Moret hopes to highlight the extraordinary quality, variety and taste of France’s vegetables, fruits, and flowers.

Green Dinners at Shangri-La Hotel, Paris will be served every first Thursday of the month. A five-course menu is priced at €68, excluding drinks.

Upcoming dates are Thursday, 9 July, and then the first Thursday of each month from September to December.

**About Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts **

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently owns and/or manages 90 hotels under the Shangri-La brand with a room inventory of over 37,000. Shangri-La hotels are five-star deluxe properties featuring extensive luxury facilities and services. Shangri-La hotels are located in Australia, Canada, mainland China, Fiji, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Sultanate of Oman, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. The group has a substantial development pipeline with upcoming projects in mainland China, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Myanmar, Philippines, Qatar and Sri Lanka. www.shangri-la.com

Shangri-La Website

AAA Adds 14 Hotels And Restaurants To Exclusive Five Diamond List For 2015

AAA has unveiled 121 hotels and 63 restaurants that have earned the AAA/CAA Five Diamond Rating in the past 12 months, qualifying them for the 2015 Five Diamond Award lists. This exclusive group represents just 0.3 percent of the more than 58,000 AAA/CAA Approved and Diamond Rated hotels and restaurants.

AAA inspectors collectively visit approximately 1,200 hotels and restaurants each week, allowing them to identify emerging trends in the industry. "At the ultra-luxury level we're seeing an increasing number of hotels offering guests the choice of high-end service by white glove or touch screen — in person or electronically," said Michael Petrone, director, AAA Inspections & Diamond Ratings. "They're complementing personal delivery with technology options such as in-room iPads and TV menus for ordering and scheduling services, apps for accessing newspapers and local reservations, mobile check-in and text alerts when their room is ready. Some Five Diamond hotels even place a TV within the bathroom mirror to complete guests' high-tech stay."

Of note among the new additions to the 2015 list is the Orlando area's only Five Diamond hotel, the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, marked by numerous upscale service options. Each room is equipped with an iPad that serves as the radio, resort map, event guide and newspaper, as well as a Bose Bluetooth speaker system and high-tech keypads that control lighting, air temperature and even guests' request for privacy. For additional custom luxury, guests can create their own fragrance at the spa's Aroma Design Bar. At the Shangri-La Hotel in Toronto, the guest room drapes, bedside lighting and air-conditioning system are all electronically controlled by the guest. In-room iPads are available to order room service, call housekeeping or contact the 24-hour concierge.

The best high-end restaurants are fast becoming international destinations by providing a unique dining experience in which the selection and enjoyment of exceptional food is also an educational event. Typically, Five Diamond restaurants are ahead of trends in farm-to-table and super-local food sourcing. Directed by artistic whims, the chef creates solid, lifelong relationships with farmers, purveyors and producers who can deliver the finest ingredients, whether it's coffee, olive oil or artisan cheeses.

At the Inn at Little Washington Dining Room in Washington, Va., for example, AAA's longest tenured Five Diamond restaurant, Chef Patrick O'Connell uses as many local ingredients and foods as possible, along with bounty from his own garden, applying masterful techniques to create captivating results. At Eleven Madison Park in New York City, diners are invited to build their dinner around specific ingredients instead of predetermined recipes. But it's the service experience that shines brightest as guests are pampered in a manner that is intimate yet relaxed. With personalized service or surprising insight, each staff member adds a special touch to the guest's dining experience, creating a powerful, memorable event.

New Five Diamond Hotels (8):
Four Seasons Hotel Denver – Denver, Colo.
Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort – Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Grand Luxxe – Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
One&Only Palmilla – San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico
Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa – Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
Shangri-La Hotel – Toronto, Ontario
The Langham, Chicago – Chicago, Ill.
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman – Seven Mile Beach, Cayman Islands

New Five Diamond Restaurants (6):
Le Chique – Puerto Morelos, Mexico
Orchids at Palm Court – Cincinnati, Ohio
Palme d'Or – Coral Gables, Fla.
Passion by Martin Berasategui – Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
Saison – San Francisco, Calif.
Twist – Las Vegas, Nev.

"Attaining the Five Diamond Rating is an impressive accomplishment and a point of great pride for these top hotels and restaurants," said Petrone. "Five Diamond establishments stand apart by redefining personalized service, using creativity to enhance guest comfort and providing memorable experiences." Candidates for the rating undergo multiple unannounced evaluations and a final decision by a panel of experts. Inspectors meticulously evaluate guest services and physical attributes, closely examining the level of competence, refinement and hospitality, from reservations to checkout for hotels and from seating to presentation for restaurants.

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Travelore Tips: Guests Of Shangri-La And Kerry Hotels and Resorts Now Offered Complementary Digital Access To 2,500+ Local, Regional & International Publications

Guests and restaurant patrons of Shangri-La and Kerry Hotels and Resorts can now get unlimited, complimentary access to more than 2,500 local, regional and international publications from 100 countries in 60 languages with PressReader.

"We know how important it is for our guests to stay connected, which is why Shangri-La was the first international luxury hotel group to offer complimentary Internet access and the first to extend free Wi-Fi to hotel cars," said Greg Dogan, Shangri-La's president and CEO. "With the introduction of PressReader, not only will we offer more value to our guests, but we will do so in a way that is environmentally-friendly and contributes to sustainable operations."

To access the service, guests connect to the hotel Wi-Fi and go to PressReader.com or download the free PressReader app for Apple, Android, BlackBerry or Windows. Guests can then choose the desired country, language and publication from PressReader. The service will be available in all Wi-Fi accessible areas in Shangri-La and Kerry hotels and resorts as well as in Wi-Fi enabled hotel cars.  In addition to PressReader's digital service, Shangri-La will also offer print editions of select newspapers upon request.

"PressReader offers hotel guests convenient access to a portable newsstand where they can download full editions of their favorite international newspapers or magazines to their own device," said Igor Smirnoff, chief commercial officer for PressReader. "Guests can wake up and read their hometown paper in their native language from the comfort of their room, even before the issue hits their doorstep at home. We're proud to offer an eco-friendly newspaper and magazine service to meet the global needs of Shangri-La guests with the amount and selection of content we provide."

About Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, one of the world's premier hotel companies, currently owns and/or manages more than 80 hotels under the Shangri-La brand with a room inventory of over 34,000.  Over four decades the group has established its brand hallmark of 'hospitality from the heart.'  The group has a substantial development pipeline with upcoming projects in mainland China, India, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Qatar, Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.  For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the website at www.shangri-la.com.

About PressReader

PressReader is an all-you-can-read digital newsstand that connects people through news. More than 30 million people use PressReader to read, share and talk about news. Full issues of 2,500+ global newspapers and magazines can be read online, in print or downloaded via the app. Complimentary access is offered at many libraries, hotels, corporate offices, airport lounges and other businesses, as well as on airlines and cruise lines worldwide. PressReader partners with more than 3,500 publishers in over 100 countries, helping them monetize their content and grow their global reach and readership across multiple channels and platforms.

For more information visit pressreader.com or about.pressreader.com, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and Pinterest.