An Australian success story

From a husband and wife business in the the 1920s to sales across Australia and New Zealand, HPM is an Australian success story; one of Australasia’s largest suppliers to the electrical industry.

Founded by Doris and Berthold Hermann in Sydney, HPM went from moulding buttons to creating plastic knobs for transistor radios.  

Now part of the Legrande Group, HPM is part of the one of the leading global specialists of products for electrical installations and information networks servicing the domestic, commercial and industrial markets.

Legrande sells more than 130,000 catalogue items, has a commercial presence in more than 70 countries, sales in over 180 countries, and more than 33,000 employees. 

Nowadays, HPM is probably best known for its range of travel accessories, including a one-size-fits-all solution to reduce cable clutter: the 3-in-1 USB cable featuring a Lightning, Micro B, and USB-C adapter. 

It also markets the HPM World Travel Pack, with an adaptor for just about every country (I've just packed two for my latest trip) and 2 USB ports so you can charge your phone and other devices without the need to carry a dedicated power adaptor. 

HPM’s USB Wall Charger features two USB A and one SB C port allowing the charging of three devices simultaneously. 

For a full range of useful gadgets, see www.hpm.com.au to locate a retailer.

A peek behind the scenes at one of Australia's iconic wine producers

Change happens slowly, if at all, at Ashton Hills, one of Australia's finest producers of boutique pinot noirs. 

Established in 1982 on what was previously a Piccadilly Valley paddock growing brussels sprouts and potatoes, Ashton Hills was started by Stephen George, one of the pioneers in the Adelaide Hills wine region, right on the doorstep of the South Australian capital. 

Brian Croser was one of the few far-sighted vignerons to identify the potential of the region around the same time. 

George, who also makes wines for Clare Valley icon Wendouree, quickly established Ashton Hills as one of Australia's pre-eminent pinot producers, albeit in tiny quantities. 

In 2015 with no succession plan in place, he sold out to McLaren Vale-based Wirra Wirra, another company with a reputation for attention to detail. But George is still the winemaker, oversees the blending and still lives on the premises. 

About the only change is the new deck where visitors to the cellar door can soak up the sunshine, and the addition of talented young Liam van Pelt to the team.

Nowadays there are no fewer than 38 different clones of pinot planted on the three-hectare Ashton Hills site. 

The reserve and estate pinot noir and the estate riesling are all made exclusively from fruit grown on site, while the Piccadilly Valley chardonnay and pinot use fruit sourced from nearby growers. 

"With pinot noir, your first task is to get the fruit ripe," says George. His first vintage produced a wine that looked like dirty tap water. "Fortunately colour almost irrelevant to how pinot tastes."

George says his aim is a simple one: "to produce full-flavoured pinot noir with as little alcohol as possible".

The 2018 Ashton Hills pinots are about to the hit the market.

The 2018 Piccadilly Valley Pinot Noir ($35) is fragrant, long and immediately approachable, probably best consumed within 10 years. 

The 2018 estate pinot noir ($55) is absolutely beautiful; elegant pinot perfection: stylish and supple, while the 2018 reserve ($85) is very complex but still a little closed and deserves a good lie down before being disturbed.  
        
A most impressive trio.   



        

Historic Brisbane pub reopens after fire

One of Brisbane's most historic pubs has reopened after a devastating fire.

The Port Office Hotel, which dates back 155 years, has been closed since January. 

Owners Nick and Megan Gregorski were badly hit by the fire, which followed two years of renovations to the property. 

The pub in Brisbane’s CBD was gutted by a fire that originated in the ground floor dining room kitchen. All patrons and staff were safely evacuated, but the fire quickly spread throughout the ceiling cavities, causing significant damage.

Seven months on the long timber front bar is serving up drinks and the award-winning Port Office Dining Room is open for lunch and dinner, under the guidance of executive chef Graham Waddell. 

On the first floor, the Colonial Bar is once more taking bookings for functions.

“Reopening after the January fire is a massive relief," said Nick Gregorski. "We’re excited now to be open and just so happy to see our customers back and to have things going again, to be working in the pub and doing what we love. 

“It’s such a beautiful pub and we were so devastated and stressed for the last six months, so relief is probably the biggest feeling we have right now.”

The Port Office Hotel has survived three major floods since 1893, and been rebuilt several times. The property is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.

Melbourne Airport to get two hotels in one

Melbourne Airport is to get a new dual-branded 464-room international hotel. 

The $163 million project by Accor will see hotels operating under the Novotel and ibis Styles' brands.

The first sod was turned today on the construction site of a hotel designed to serve Melbourne's  conference and tourism markets, It will be located steps from Terminal 4 within a brand new precinct known as 'The Hive'.

The 10-storey hotel will feature brands rated four and three stars, offering guests gym and pool facilities, a café, bar and restaurant plus conference room facilities.

Melbourne Airport's chief of property Linc Horton said the project represents the airport's latest milestone in supporting the Melbourne as it moves toward becoming Australia's biggest city.

“It is really exciting to bring such a great new hotel concept to one of the great travel destinations in Australia – Melbourne, giving travellers more choice and amenity,” said Horton. 

“We believe this new development will bring a much needed social hub to our space bringing visitors and business colleagues together on the doorstep of the airport with access to more than 650 flights per day.

“Importantly, it will also open up around 120 job opportunities for hospitality and tourism staff – a huge boost for the City of Hume.”

Simon McGrath, Accor's Chief Operating Officer Pacific, said: “With more than 650 flights in and out of Melbourne Airport every day, we're confident that this hotel will quickly become a new destination in itself for passengers, offering easy access to a choice of great accommodation, amenities and state-of-the-art conferencing, just steps away from Terminal 4.”

The dual-branded hotel will open in 2021.The hotel is the first major development to kick-start the Hive precinct, which will also feature a childcare facility to cater to the airport's 20,000 strong workforce as well as office space ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 square metres.

Hotel group offers free new Mini car with your room

"Good morning sir. Here's your room key; and here is your car key."

The QT hotels group has added vroom to room service, offering guests their very own Mini to explore free of charge. 

In Australia's first automotive and hotel partnership of its kind, when booking a room at any QT Hotel or resort in Australia, guests can simply ask for Vroom Service to receive a wheeled upgrade.

Parked and waiting at QT's seven design-led hotels around Australia are the either a brand new Mini Countryman, Convertible, Clubman and Hatch in colours ranging from Starlight Blue to Chilli Red and Melting Silver. 

The iconic cars have been chosen for their stylishly compact size and to pair with the quirkiness of the QT brand,

Victoria Doidge, EVENT Hospitality and Entertainment's director of brand and communications said: “At QT we are forever looking for ways to enhance our guest experience and deliver the unexpected. 

"Handing over the keys to a room, with the keys to a Mini, certainly does that and we are excited to see where Vroom Service takes our guests.”

Alex McLean, national marketing manager of Min Australia said: “We are thrilled at Mini to partner with QT. Their hotels and the exceptional experience they offer their guests aligns perfectly with our own Mini style."

QT Hotels and Mini's Vroom Service is available now. Here is the info you need. 

https://www.qthotelsandresorts.com/promotions/qt-hotels-mini-present-vroom-service/

Participating QT Hotels are QT Sydney, QT Bondi, QT Melbourne, QT Gold Coast, QT Canberra, QT Perth and QT Falls Creek. 

Bookings are subject to availability. Bookings can also be made on-site through the front desk of each hotel. 

Farewell to tiny hotel toiletry bottles

The world's largest hotel chain is turning its back on tiny toiletries.



Marriott International has announced that it would be phasing out miniature bottles of shampoo, conditioner and bath gel in favour of larger, pump-topped bottles at its 7,000 properties worldwide by December 2020. 

The end of single-use plastic bottles is promoted as a bid to reduce waste caused by the packaging - but the move could alienate lots of customers, myself included.

I hate the those pump bottles that are the option. They are often hard to use when you have wet hands, and hotels often forget to refill them. 

Also, I am one of my travellers who donates those small bottles of shampoo and body lotion to homeless shelters and other groups in need.

Marriott has 7,000 properties worldwide and includes the brands Sheraton, Westin and Ritz-Carlton.

The company estimates the move will keep 1.7 million pounds of plastic - or about 500 million tiny bottles - from ending up in rubbish dumps each year. Which is admirable - if it works.

“This is our second global initiative aimed at reducing single-used plastics in just over a year, which underscores how important we believe it is to continuously find ways to reduce our hotels’ environmental impact. It’s a huge priority for us,” said Arne Sorenson, Marriott’s chief executive.

Marriott said the small bottles currently used aren't usually recycled. It said that one pump-topped bottle contains as much liquid as a dozen single-use bottles. The new bottles will be made from recyclable materials.

Last month, IHG, which owns Holiday Inn, said it would replace travel-sized tubes with bulk-sized toiletries beginning in 2021.