Sir Nikolai, Hamburg, Germany. Courtesy Design Hotels
Sir Nikolai, Hamburg, Germany. Courtesy Design Hotels

Travel briefs: Central Europe expands options for Middle East visitors




Arabic-speaking shopping assistants at Munich Airport
Munich Airport is offering Arabic-speaking shopping assistants for travellers, from this week until September 10. The on-request service is available free of charge at Terminal 2.
"They will be available to bridge any cultural or language gaps between passengers and the personnel serving them in airport shops," said an airport spokesman. "The native Arabic speakers can also guide travellers through the Terminal 2 shopping world and provide detailed information on offers and products. The service will be free of charge for passengers, and is intended to provide them with a pleasant shopping experience."

The shopping assistants can help with questions on sales tax refunds or customs formalities and should be easy to spot, with uniforms embroidered with “Arabic Shopping Assistant”.

Munich Airport is the gateway to Bavaria, which rivals London and Paris as a summer destination for Gulf travellers, attracted by luxury shopping, medical facilities and the destination's safety. For more information, see www.munich-airport.com
 
Le Grand Bellevue reopens in Switzerland, with luxury spa
Hotel Le Grand Bellevue in Gstaad, Bernese Oberland, Switzerland, has reopened for the summer with a new 3,000-square-metre spa. Le Grand Spa, one of the largest in the country, offers 17 different "wellness experiences", including a hay sauna, infra-red sauna and Himalayan salt grotto. There is also a new garden with a yoga space and outdoor relaxation pool and an indoor relaxation area with water beds. Treatments range from goat milk and honey baths with mountain botanicals to Alpine salt scrubs, mineral-rich Egyptian Rasul mud masks. Rooms cost from Chf340 (Dh1,318) per night including taxes (www.bellevue-gstaad.ch/hotel-switzerland).

Two more Marriotts in Poland
Visitors to Poland can now check into the Sopot Marriott Resort & Spa, between Gdansk and Gdynia on the Baltic Sea. The resort has 145 rooms, two restaurants, and one of the biggest spas in the country, with 35 treatment rooms and four swimming pools. Double rooms from Pln546 (Dh549) per night including taxes. In September, Marriott will open a 91-room hotel in the cultural centre of Wroclaw (www.marriott.com).
 
Boutique hotels in Hamburg
Overlooking the shops, cafes and waterways of Hamburg's Old Town is Sir Nikolai, a luxury 94-room boutique hotel. A member of the Berlin-based Design Hotels, the Sir Nikolai is anointed with curated art, vintage rugs, a glass roof and marble, and a restaurant called the Izakaya Asian Kitchen & Bar. Rooms from 155 euros (Dh663) per night including taxes (www.designhotels.com). Also in the German city, The Fontenay opens on October 15. The luxury lakeside hotel will have 131 rooms and suites, with double rooms from 355 euros (Dh1,519) per night including taxes (www.thefontenay.de).

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How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying

Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
​​​​​​​Penguin Press

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Skewed figures

In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458. 

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher:  Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5

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Company%20Profile
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The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

The biog

Hometown: Cairo

Age: 37

Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror

Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing

Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition

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Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

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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
The biog

Hobbies: Salsa dancing “It's in my blood” and listening to music in different languages

Favourite place to travel to: “Thailand, as it's gorgeous, food is delicious, their massages are to die for!”  

Favourite food: “I'm a vegetarian, so I can't get enough of salad.”

Favourite film:  “I love watching documentaries, and am fascinated by nature, animals, human anatomy. I love watching to learn!”

Best spot in the UAE: “I fell in love with Fujairah and anywhere outside the big cities, where I can get some peace and get a break from the busy lifestyle”

At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

Tips for avoiding trouble online
  • Do not post incorrect information and beware of fake news
  • Do not publish or repost racist or hate speech, yours or anyone else’s
  • Do not incite violence and be careful how to phrase what you want to say
  • Do not defame anyone. Have a difference of opinion with someone? Don’t attack them on social media
  • Do not forget your children and monitor their online activities
The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Key developments

All times UTC 4

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young