Tuesday 12 August 2014

Site Visit - Shangri La, The Shard


The Shangri-La in London is not only the hotels first property in the UK, but is also housed in the tallest and most iconic building, The Shard. Not long after it opened, the EMC3 team were given the exciting opportunity to visit the hotel to see how we could use the spaces for future events.

 
From the moment we walked into the front reception we felt the elegance and Chinese twist to the hotel, and immediately felt at distance from the bustling streets just on its door steps. A couple of members of the team said how the atmosphere reminded them of the Shangri-La in Shanghai! We were then taken up to the hotel itself, floors 34-52, and it is then that we were open to the floor to ceiling windows that showcase the breath-taking views over the vibrant city of London.

 
After a tour of the hotels main facilities we were then to learn that not only does the hotel have 202 beautiful bedrooms and exquisite dining facilities, but also state-of-the-art and purpose built function spaces.

 

We were then taken up to the three rooms; Ren, Li and Yi which are named after the first three of five constant virtues of Confucianism. All of the event spaces are on the same level, with a large and spacious marble floor as the foyer. Immediately from viewing the spaces we realised that the spaces could cater for our client events whether it's for a private dinner, drinks reception, conference, or a smaller and more intimate meeting.

 Ren is the largest private room, with reception space for up to 140 guests. Li is perfect for a group dinner of up to 30 guests so we thought it would be great to use as a private dining experience. And finally, Yi offers an intimate boardroom setting for 10 guests or can be used for a reception of up to 20 guests. All three rooms shared the same unique décor with the Chinese touches and included the advantage of the buildings glass structure, looking out onto London’s main attractions.

 

On the whole the hotel not only offers a perfect getaway from the hectic city, but it also gives you a real sense of exclusivity as you are hidden in the most talked about building in London. It is ideal for smaller scale events, and whether it's for business or Social gatherings you will be taken back by the general Asian-inspired atmosphere to the hotel. We will definitely be recommending this new venue to our clients for future events!

If you have a personal enquiry then please do not hesitate to contact our senior events manager, Stephanie Utting on 020 3468 3902.

Monday 11 August 2014

Africa Centre Summer Festival - Covent Garden, London



A beautifully enchanting day that celebrated all things positive from Africa through culture, colour, languages, diversity, music, performers, dancers, storytellers, textiles, fabrics, fashion, art, culture and food produced by EMC3 for the phenomenon and vision that is the Africa Centre!


See our video - http://vimeo.com/103044508


See Blanck Digital's write up -

Friday 1 August 2014

Madrid FAM Trip


From July 11th - 13th 2014, emc3's Imogen and Aisha had the pleasure of visiting Madrid on a FAM trip organised by Hotel Auditorium. The trip was a great opportunity to visit Madrid and experience it's latest offers in events, restaurants, nightlife and activities. 


Friday July 11th


  • Transfer to the city centre to experience Madrid at night. Our first stop was a terrace bar overlooking the Cibeles Palace, one of the most prominent buildings in Madrid. At night the building is exceptionally stunning with it's boasting uplight arches, a perfect spot for a casual yet romantic night cap. Next we visited Circulo de Bellas Artes, a very famous gallery that has a terrace bar overlooking the city of Madrid. On the 7th floor, this gave some spectacular views of the city lights.

 The Cibeles Palace at night

Saturday July 12th
  •        Lunch at La Cheminée Restaurant. For our lunch here we enjoyed an array of traditional Spanish food out in the sun on the terrace, which of course included a delicious Paella. Spain's signature dish of rice cooked in saffron with either chicken and/or seafood, vegetables and topped of with a lemon garnish!
  •          Drive Tour with Go-Cars. We toured the city enjoying the afternoon sun in our little 3-wheeled cars. Each car is fitted with speakers that give explanations of each destination you drive past. This is definitely one of the best ways to see Madrid in all its glory.
  •          Dinner at Cafe de Oriente Restaurant. An excellent traditional restaurant where we devoured an amazing 4-course dinner including strawberry gazpacho for starter, Panfried hake with oyster mushrooms, gammon pork cured with chorizo spices with melted cheese and boiled potatoes, and a giant profiterole for dessert. 


Go-Cars Around Madrid City Centre

Sunday July 13th
  •         Walking tour around the historic parts of Madrid.
  •          Lunch at La Posada de la Villa Restaurant. Another great traditional restaurant, famous for its succulent lamb.
 Beautiful architecture in Madrid

All in all, it was an informative and fantastic trip, getting to know the city better and understanding the latest developments in Madrid's event industry. For any event enquiries to Madrid please contact, Ellen Lai at ellen@emc3.eu or by calling 0203 468 3901. 

by Aisha Rigley