market watch

gerhArd folTin,
general manager

bEacon of GLory
Who Would have expeCted the 300m toWer next to the villaggio mall, WhiCh held the flame for the 2006 asian games, to Be the next 5-star hotel in the Citys luxury market? Well, gerhard foltin, general manager of the torCh - doha, for one, kneW it right from the start. he noW takes it upon himself to let people knoW What the toWers all aBout.

By caSSe y ol i V e i ra

Standing
tall and proud in the 250-hectare Aspire City, The Torch-Doha Hotel had its soft opening last month, offering guests a unique 5-star experience. A 70% occupancy rate already suggests a promising start. But it hasnt been an easy task, says Gerhard Foltin, General Manager. It takes at least six months of preparation before the hotel is ready to open. You have to train the staff accordingly and see if they fit in well or not. Two major factors work in the hotels favour. Given the traffic in this part of the city, people are glad that we have opened a hotel here, says Foltin. This also means fewer competition as the next closest ho-

whAT The Torch offers:

167 modern rooms and suites with state-of-the-art technologies. three signature restaurants namely flying carpet on meZZanine 2 level offering international cuisine and live cooking, three sixty on the 47th floor serving mediterranean cuisine, and panorama on the 50th floor serving cuisine from the far east. four-level spa centre including the swimming pool, sauna, gym and a spa lounge. meeting rooms that can accommodate small business events to large corporate events.

tels would be the Ramada and La Cigale on C Ring road. With several 4-and 5-star hotels predominantly lodged at West Bay, what this part of the city lacked was a luxury hotel, especially with several businesses springing up in and around the Aspire City. Another advantage that Foltin quickly adds is the hotels close proximity to the Villaggio Mall. We have constructed an airconditioned bridge that connects the hotel directly to the mall. Many of our guests use this facility, and can spend their day shopping in the mall. Sport Support The Torch has had a memorable stint in the sports arena. Back in 2006, one could recall how H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad

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Al-Thani lit up the giant cauldron whose flame was then transferred electronically to the Aspire Tower, to mark the start of the Asian Games. The hotel plans on continuing its support to sports in the country by doing what it does best playing perfect hosts to local and international sports enthusiasts. Last month we had the Australian National Football team staying here. In January 2012, we will be having two German teams here for the Winter Camp Tournament, says Foltin. But its not only sportspersons, we also have a lot of businessmen coming in, especially those who are having their businesses in this part of the city and they are starting to re-visit us, he continues. The hotels decor also incorporates sports-inspired elements in innovative ways. For instance, sit in the lobby and you would see beautiful Arabic calligraphy etched on the pillars of the lounge that say a thing or two about sportsmanship. The hotels rooms too exude a subtle sporty feel. The Torch Doha is a sports-oriented hotel, says Foltin. Amazing concepts Foltin is impressed with how the hotel has shaped up. Its a unique hotel after all, and we are not talking of the exterior design alone. The lobby is 16 floors high. The portion that one sees jutting out of the twentieth floor is actually a cantilevered swimming pool, 80 metres high. You will be able to look at the tip of the hotel the torch from here. Its beautiful, he says. The hotels restaurants too are a class apart. The Flying Carpet, an all-day dining restaurant, has a motley of huge beautiful carpets suspended from the ceiling, hence the name. Another restaurant, the Three

Sixty, is a unique revolving restaurant located on the forty-seventh floor that offers a breathtaking 360 degree panoramic view of the city while you dine. What more, whichever room you stay in, we promise you a fantastic view of the city by day or by night, Foltin assures. Brand Handling Foltin has had a history of working with some iconic brands in the country; The Sheraton which was the first hotel in Qatar and now The Torch the tallest tower hotel in the country. In fact, there arent just brands but landmarks adorning the citys landscape the former is a pyramid on the shores of Doha Bay while the latter is a colossal torch-shaped tower in the Aspire city. The Sheraton, for me, is still a very striking place. Being a pyramid, you can see it from any angle. The hotel also houses some of the biggest meeting and conference rooms in the city. We have had numerous conferences over the years, says the man who has been involved with the citys two most cherished shapes. "In Sheraton, we used to walk horizontally from one room to another; in The Torch, I have to walk vertically, he quips. Adjusting to the height is another thing reaching the fiftieth floor means scanning a height of 300metre. In 40 seconds the elevator reaches you to the lobby again; your ears have to get used to the sudden change in altitude pressure! While the Sheraton is a part of one of the worlds largest hotel companies Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Torch is a sole hotel owned by the Aspire Zone Foundation. There are plans of expanding The Torch hotel chain in the country. This is just the beginning, says Foltin

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