A door. An axe. A red face.
That’s one thing we’ll remember about our Showcase Event, courtesy of the lady who had to be freed from the toilets and who will remain anonymous, at least until her cheque has cleared.
The other highlight was the evening itself, focusing on the delights on Indochina and organised in partnership with our friends at Western & Oriental and Chigwell Golf Club.
The venue — Chigwell Golf Club — was brimming with guests, who got to chat to suppliers and enjoy themed cuisine.
Our Sharron kicked things off, before introducing Nick and Ricky, who wasted no time in transporting the room to the rice paddies of Cambodia and Vietnam. From visiting the old quarter in Hanoi (Vietnam’s capital for the last 1000 years), the emerald waters of Ha Long Bay, to Ricky’s favourite, the UNESCO heritage site of Hoi An — there is much to see and do.
Katerina from Aqua Expeditions shared the delights of a trip on water. Aqua’s third vessel, the 20-suite Aqua Mekong, takes guests to some of the more remote areas of the region - allowing them to leave the tourist hub and get a taste of life with the locals. Travelling along the Mekong River between Siem Reap, Cambodia and Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, guests can enjoy emerald flooded forests, colonial churches and stilt villages all from the privacy of their luxury suite.
Continuing on the water, Hapag Lloyd Cruises introduced us to the ‘world’s most luxurious cruise’, MS Europa 2. With 250 suites and a maximum capacity of 460 passengers, there is almost a 1:1 ratio of passengers to members of the crew… talk about good service! They also have a private jet named Albert Ballin, just in case you needed one.
The night got even more luxurious with the introduction of Song Saa, your very own private Island. 40 minutes from the mainland via a private boat, guests will be welcomed to an all-inclusive private villa with their own chef and view of the water. The Song Saa charitable foundation is working to support the local marine life, making it a fantastic destination for scuba divers and snorkelers. Sunset lovers may also find paradise here, as the island’s very own timezone puts the sun to sleep at 7pm, plus they have Buddhist monks on speed dial should you require a marriage blessing.
With our heads in cloud Song Saa, we said goodbye to Indochina and heard from the latest additions to The Abbotts Travel Golf Collection and our collection of the finest London hotels. Finca Cortesin is home to one of the top five golf courses in Spain, boasting exceptional conditions year-round and a hotspot for celebrities and royalty around the world. As GQ said, ‘the word exclusive doesn’t even do it justice’.
Last but by no means least, The Hari. Tucked away in Belgravia, London, The Hari is steps away from Buckingham Palace, the Natural History Museum and Harrods. Warm, comfortable and homely, it also offers authentic Italian cuisine in their hidden gem of a restaurant, Il Pampero.
The presentations drew to a close with an unbelievable prize draw. A huge congratulations to the winners below, some of whom will be experiencing the wonders of Indochina very soon.
Two nights at La Rose Suite Hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia PLUS two nights at Anantara Angor PLUS a three-night luxury cruise on the Aqua Mekong for two people in a first-deck suite including all onboard meals and excursions — courtesy of Aqua Expeditions (congratulations Jill)
Two return air tickets from London to Vietnam/Cambodia - courtesy of Western & Oriental (congratulations Mark)
One night on Halong Bay Cruise by Indochina Sails PLUS two nights at Fusion Maia De Nang inclusive of all spa treatments and breakfast any time and place (congratulations Ros)
Two nights at Finca Cortesin for two people in a junior suite with breakfast included and one round of golf per person per stay (congratulations Jenny)
Two nights at MGallery by Sofitel in Hoi An, Vietnam PLUS two nights at the JW Marriott, Phu Quoc, Vietnam in the Emerald Bay View room PLUS three nights at Sokha Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia (congratulations George)
Two nights at Boutique Cam Thanh Hoi An Resort, Vietnam PLUS two nights at Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia (congratulations Anne)
Two nights at Boutique Hoi An Resort, Vietnam PLUS three nights at the Park Hyatt Siem Reap, Cambodia (congratulations Gillian)
£250 Abbotts Travel voucher towards an Indochina holiday (including flights & accommodation) with Western & Oriental (congratulations Roberta)
Bottomless afternoon tea for two at The Hari (congratulations Michael)
£50 wine voucher courtesy of Song Saa (congratulations Phil)
A Luxury MS Europa 2 goody bag from Hapag Lloyd Cruises (congratulations Claire)
Jo Malone Candle courtesy of Western & Oriental (congratulations Jacqui)
Thank you to all our speakers for being part of the Abbotts Travel Showcase Event and to everyone in attendance. A special thank you to Leah and Robert for documenting the evening, we can’t wait to share all the photographs and footage they managed to capture.
We hope to see you all at the next event.
