We took a taxi from Arlanda Airport to the Lydmar Hotel and after some confusion as to its location (it recently moved and reopened) found ourselves in an incredibly groovy reception area surrounded by glamorous types who were attending a film premiere on the first floor.
We were greeted by Emma with whom we had made the reservation. She seemed to remember me from our emails, a nice touch and made us feel at home.
The fact that the Lydmar is next to the Grand Hotel should tell you that there is no better address in Stockholm. It is right in the heart of the city on the quay overlooking the water. It is walking distance to the museums, shops and parks. In addition, if you want to venture out into the stunning Stockholm archipelago it is opposite the boats that take you there.
This is where the beautiful people hang out. It is not a hotel to stay in if you're having a bad hair day. Almost everyone (and I include the staff in this) is tall, thin, stunning and blond (yes, the men as well). Guests carry battered Louis Vuitton luggage and hang out in the restaurant chatting about their summer in the archipelago. There always seem to be models around looking gorgeous and blonde. The average age of the punters is well below 40. And even those over 40 look good.
We were in a so-called small room, which by any capital city standards is actually quite big (29 square metres). It was very nicely furnished with a king-size bed and large comfortable sofa. The bathroom was as close to a perfect bathroom as I have seen. Slate tiles (which ensure you don't slip and do yourself in after a bath), a mirror across the whole wall, two types of shower, an ample bath and a stunning view. Added to which the bathroom products which are so often lacking were top notch, in fact much nicer than the Hermès ones you get in hotels all over the world.
The service was excellent and of course made better by the fact that whoever was serving you probably had a day-job as a model. They were always helpful, smiley and efficient. And they all seemed very happy to be there and help with whatever you needed. I would say the only drawback is that there was sometimes a bit of a queue to collect one's room key as some supermodel or other paid her bill.
But they were on the ball. I e-mailed them my boarding passes to print out and minutes later they were at my door, with a smiling male model. What's not to like?
The restaurant is one of the most popular in Stockholm and buzzing. We had to wait until 9pm for a table to become free and that was mid-week. My husband says his steak was excellent at US$43 (Dh158); I didn't much care for my truffle risotto ($32; Dh118) but being half-Italian I am probably fussier than most. You can order a selection of five starters for $33 (Dh122) which seems like a bargain until they show up and you see how tiny they are.
I found the menu a little elaborate. This being Sweden (and me being half Swedish) I was after meatballs or salmon and potatoes. Instead I was offered snails or anchovies; a distinctly Mediterranean menu which I didn't much like.
Having said that breakfast is a veritable triumph. There is everything you could possibly want; from strange Swedish yoghurts to salmon to delicious eggs Benedict, and marvellous breads and homemade conserves. Even if you're not Swedish try the filmjolk with a little granola and some jam; you will be back for more.
The view of the city across the water out of the window visible from the shower. The beautiful books that line the walls in the restaurants including a lovely old edition of Shakespeare's Complete Worksand old copies of National Geographic as well as maps of Sweden and various design books. The free wireless internet with no password and no nonsense - why don't all hotels do this? The dressing gowns - thick and luxurious enough to make you feel special but not so heavy they weigh you down.
The fact that the wonderful breakfast was included in the room rate, even if you opted for cooked choices from the menu - again, something all hotels should do. There is nothing worse than paying a lot to stay somewhere and feeling ripped off when it comes to paying the bill for the internet and breakfast.
The truffle risotto in the restaurant - it felt like a brick in my stomach for hours afterwards. The bands playing on the first floor until quite late - but then again this is the grooviest address in town and it does not happen every night. The pillows are not great, but the bed is very comfortable.
I loved this hotel. I loved the look of it, the location, the staff, the breakfast, the bathroom and the bed, and pretty much everything about it. I have rarely felt as at home in a hotel room and the whole ambiance is welcoming, trendy and happy. My advice though is to go for a makeover before you stay if you want to fit in with the Stockholm glitterati.
Prices start at $368 (Dh1,352) per night for a small room based on two people sharing, including breakfast; and go up to $1,840 (Dh6,758) per night for an extra large room.
* Lydmar Hotel, Sodra Blasieholmshamnen 2, Stockholm (www.lydmar.com; 0046 8 22 31 60)
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
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City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Christopher%20McQuarrie%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tom%20Cruise%2C%20Hayley%20Atwell%2C%20Pom%20Klementieff%2C%20Simon%20Pegg%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 1050Nm
Range: 450km
Price: Dh601,800
On sale: now
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
