1. When soul legend James Brown stayed at the Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul  he took over the shoe-shine stand from Ismail Girtten and demonstrated his own polishing skills. The reason for this nifty footwork? Brown was once a shoe boy himself and claimed he could do a better job than Ismail. He couldn’t.

2. When Ueli Prager was strolling the shore of Lake Zurich more than 60 years ago, he watched a seagull (or Möwe in German) swoop down to skillfully pick up food mid-flight. Inspired, Prager started Mövenpick. Today Mövenpick Hotel Izmir’s most unusual repeat guest is a seagull that visits the roof-top bar Mistral every day. How did she know?

3. A massive search was launched when a mother staying at the Mövenpick Resort Taba in Egypt disappeared after going for swim in the sea. Three days later the hotel got a call from Hafr El Batten city police in Saudi Arabia – 14km away – to say a woman had come out of a 24-hour coma and was claiming to be a resort guest. It was the missing swimmer and she was quickly reunited with her family.

4. A clearly eccentric professor returned late to Mövenpick Hotel Essen and was too impatient to wait for his key. He undressed and put himself to bed on a lobby couch.

5. Mövenpick Hotel Essen’s manager was once alerted to a strange nighttime sport after hearing trumpets. Guests were honking the instruments as they raced their bicycles through the hotel in a unique ‘tour de floor’.

6. Mövenpick Hotel Cairo Pyramids, the first Mövenpick to open in Egypt in 1976, has 15 employees with a record combined working experience at Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts of 452 years. That’s just one hotel! Sabreen Hakeem Basili from housekeeping and restaurant manager Gamal A. Allah El Welaili have been with the hotel from the first day it opened.

7. The Mövenpick Hotel Beirut arranged a truly Olympic-sized wedding proposal for a guest to pop the big question. After finishing a romantic dinner at the VIP Lounge of the Rooftop Lounge overlooking the Mediterranean, fireworks suddenly illuminated the Olympic-size pool and there in huge floating Styrofoam letters were the words carefully  carved by hotel staff: “Will you marry me?” She did.

8. Fourteen-year-old Malonga Dieuveil fled to Germany with his sister to escape the Congo war after the death of his parents. He hated German food, so decided to cook his own. Three years later he started his professional cheffing career with the Mövenpick Hotel Münster and now works in a French Michelin-starred restaurant.

9. Rami is renowned for anticipating what his restaurant guests would like  before they order at the Mövenpick Resort & Residence Aqaba. Profoundly deaf, Rami is a fluent multi-lingual lip-reader.

10. Hasan of the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea is one of the few people who can dive under the sea’s famously buoyant salty waters. His specialty? Retrieving lost guest jewellery.

11. Mr and Mrs Junker have spent three years on holiday at the Mövenpick Resort Hurghada in Egypt. They have visited 40 times in 15 years staying a staggering 1,211 days.

12. Unable to pay promised bonuses in cash due to problems caused by the 1970s oil crisis, Ueli Prager, founder of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, rewarded key staff with shares. At the time Norbert Fontana, the Executive Chef at the Mövenpick Zurich-Airport worried about what he would tell his new wife and financially challenged young family. Years later, the company flourished, stock price soared and Norbert became the General Manager of the Mövenpick Hotel Zurich-Regensdorf.

13. What would you do if you found US$10,000 in a hotel room? Supervisor Yusri at the Mövenpick Resort & Residence Aqaba didn’t think twice. The forgetful guest was immediately reunited with his cash.

14. Egypt’s Mövenpick Resort El Quseir is famous for its olive trees. Why? Every time a guest stays 10 times, a tree is planted and named in their honour. There are now more than 160 trees flourishing around the resort.

15.  A wedding is usually the best day of anyone’s life, but not if the bride leaves her dress in a hotel room. Fortunately, the Mövenpick Hotel Stuttgart acted quickly to make sure her big day was not ruined by a little forgetfulness and delivered the precious gown to the back door of the church.

16. At the Mövenpick Hotel Stuttgart employees are passionate about their job as well as their lives outside the hotel. Two staff members are volunteers for the fire brigade, one is a model and another is an archaeologist.

17. At a new Swiss watch launch at the Mövenpick Cairo Pyramids the company decided to underline its Swiss credentials by having an Alpine cow parade at the pyramids. When farmers refused to bring their animals into the desert heat a hotel employee was sent to farms to pay them cash for their trouble. Soon, the hotel was inundated with animals  – particularly buffalo – all keen to receive a bovine guest appearance fee.

18. While in Zurich during the 1980s Ueli Prager, founder of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, would regularly ask hotel trainee Markus Marti to drive him to the airport in his prized Jaguar car. Now Markus organises his own airport pick-ups as General Manager of the Mövenpick Hotel Al Khobar.

19. Three members of staff at the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket are performance artists and are well-known participants at the Phuket October Vegetarian Festival where activities include fire-walking and body piercing with knives or skewers. Guests would never know, only tiny cheek scars give their secret away.

20. Since 1993 a little yellow rubber duck welcomes guests in the bathroom of all Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts in Europe. The fun idea was, erm, first floated by Jürgen Köhler, general manager of Mövenpick Hotel Stuttgart Airport & Messe. It proved to be a big hit with guests and now 80,000 ducks are replaced every year.

21. Guests and staff at the Mövenpick Hotel Beirut anxiously awoke one morning to the sound of gunfire, soldiers’ landing boats and helicopters hovering. Fortunately, the army was simply on military maneuvers on the green coastal plot next to the hotel and had forgotten to inform the hotel.

22. When reception at the Mövenpick Hotel Essen heard from a guest that there was no bed in his room, they found it hard to believe. It was true -  the guest’s friends had moved it next door.

23. Staying at the Mövenpick Hotel Ibn Battuta Gate in Dubai is an illuminating experience, just look up. Each of those 88 giant lanterns weighs 140kg each. And while you’re in the lobby don’t forget to sample a delicious date or two. You won’t be alone. Dates are regarded as a symbol of local hospitality and more than 100,000 are enjoyed every year at the hotel. Mövenpick Hotel Ibn Battuta Gate is used to big numbers – equally impressive are the 150 individual dishes on offer at the weekend brunch every Saturday.

24. Waiter Hamad knows Wadi Rum like no other employee at the Mövenpick Resort & Residence Aqaba. So, when a guest asked for advice about the famous natural wonder, he took two days off work to prepare a detailed itinerary just for them to explore the 720 square kilometres of dramatic desert wilderness

25.  Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts celebrates its 40th anniversary this summer. As far as the Mövenpick Hotel Beirut was concerned it was the perfect excuse to invite 40 beauty queens from around the world for the “World Top Models” contest in June..

26. At her job interview to join Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, when Laura Perez told the interviewer that she was seven months pregnant, she was offered not just congratulations but also a new job as Director of Communication in the Middle East. That was three years, 55 press releases and two children ago.

27. On his first day Chef Sasha of Mövenpick Resort Bangtao Beach Phuket was asked to organize lunch and dinner for 240 members of the Canadian navy with just 24 hours notice. The hotel had never done anything like it before. Sasha thought it was a ‘first day’ joke. It wasn’t – and it turned out to be a huge success.

28. To see a flock of 10,000 white storks gliding across the sky is an unforgettable experience. The Mövenpick Resort & Residence Aqaba and the Royal Society for Conservation of Nature offers guests the chance to enjoy this natural wonder at the Aqaba Bird Observatory. More than 1.5 million birds migrate across the region twice a year, offering a unique opportunity to see exceptionally rare species.

29. Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts prides itself on a reputation for culinary excellence, but you don’t need to tell that to the famous Swiss sports coach who has visited the Mövenpick Hotel Zurich-Regensdorf every day for breakfast and dinner for 20 years. Naturally, he’s become part of the Mövenpick family and even became patron of the imposing  conifer tree he helped to rejuvenate in the hotel’s courtyard.

30. Bigger can be better. The arch of the Mövenpick Hotel Ibn Battuta Gate in Dubai is a staggering 60 metres high, taller than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

31. CEO and President of Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Jean Gabriel Pérès, had to check out a hotel anonymously for a potential takeover. He reserved his room under a false name but when he arrived he was welcomed by name and upgraded with VIP amenities – exactly what he did not want. The woman who checked him in was one of his former employees. The hotel is now the Mövenpick Hotel Paris Neuilly.

32. Mövenpick Resort & Residence Aqaba played cupid and reunited a quarrelling couple. Both were arrested by the police following a noisy row, but later released without charge with support from hotel employees who collected the sheepish guests from the police station. Are they still together? Let’s hope so.

33. Roller-skating pool staff at the Mövenpick Ambassador Accra is a hotel highlight, but learning to balance a tray of food and drink while skating is not easy. During training sessions, bottles and plates are the usual casualties, but on a couple of occasions skaters have splash-landed in the children’s pool. We can’t comment on whether the trays stayed together.

34. The Mövenpick Hotel Berlin is the proud recipient of the ‘Tempo Best Toilet Award’, a recognition that was promoted by Germany’s premium toilet paper manufacturer for overall restroom design, friendliness and cleanliness and selected via a Facebook competition. Social Media has a habit of flushing out winners.

35. The Netherlands’ new queen makes a splash – it took a mere 15 days from her coronation at Amsterdam’s Royal Palace for Queen Máxima to make the short journey to the city’s harbourside Mövenpick Amsterdam hotel for her first official public appearance as monarch. She appeared as the keynote speaker at the Annual International Meeting of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor being held at the hotel.

36. Crowded lifts can be annoying, as can noisy passengers, but it’s not often lifts become a mobile gambling parlour. Technicians at the Mövenpick Hotel Essen were surprised by the loud and unusual sounds coming from one of their lifts and discovered a group of guests playing cards, comfortably seated at a high table and bar chairs.

37. Mövenpick Hotel Stuttgart employees by numbers: 22 – the number of letters of the employee with the longest name; 2 –  the number of letters of the employee with the shortest name and 36 –  the number of years of the longest serving staff members.

38. When Mövenpick Hotel Munich Airport opened in 1990 it was the only “airport hotel” in the world without an airport. The new airport in the Bavarian capital opened two years later.

39. In 1996 the world famous Tour de France started in the Netherlands. The new Mövenpick hotel located in ‘s-Hertogenbosch hosted the three top teams with Rabobank, Banesto and Motorola. Banesto’s Miguel Indurain was the super star, and Motorola brought a  then unknown competitor called. But the real star of the day was one of Motorola’s chefs who was accompanying the group – he’d worked formerly in a Mövenpick Restaurant in Zurich.

40. If Jim Martin doesn’t turn up for his daily glass of wine at the Mövenpick Hotel Zurich-Airport, staff want to know why. He’s visited the hotel every day for his favourite drink since 1973. Arab version: If  Jim Martin doesn’t turn up for his daily refreshment at the Mövenpick Hotel Zurich-Airport, staff want to know why. He’s visited the hotel every day for since 1973.

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Read our 40 best stories …

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The collection of islands known as Cebu Province is synonymous with magnificent white sand beaches and sapphire blue waters. It is arguably one of the Philippines’ most picture-perfect locations for a relaxing getaway. Visitors can spend tranquil afternoons on the sand as warm, sparkling seawater laps at their feet and they admire the spectacular view from their Cebu beach resort.

There are over 160 islands within the area to choose for memorable Cebu holidays, but Mactan Island is amongst the most popular tourist spots. As well as being the most easily accessible, as host to one of the country’s largest airports, this coral island also offers some of the best diving and snorkelling experiences available in the world. Colourful underwater reefs and an unparalleled diversity of marine life can be seen. For something a little more active to do at the beach, tourists can also participate in a round of sailing, hire jet skis for the day or get involved in some tow sports.

However, a stay on the island has the potential to encompass much more than just sugar-white sand and tropical lagoons, with lots of things to do in Cebu whether guests are there for business or pleasure.

Whilst more familiar menus are always available at the excellent restaurants in the area (such as Italian, Chinese and Filipino), gourmets will delight at the opportunity to experience some of the exotic local cuisine – holidays to Cebu are not complete without getting to sample the mouth-watering lechòn de leche, a delicious roasted suckling pig dish which is something of a local speciality.

Located just a short drive from Mactan, on the main island, Cebu City is an attractive choice to tourists in search of a metropolitan shopping haven in close proximity to their beach resort. This growing, modern city offers every conceivable convenience and has a large number of shopping malls which provide space for well-known brands and international boutiques. There are also banks, airlines and tour companies, alongside a fantastic selection of cafés and entertainment venues such as cinema screens, games halls and comedy clubs.

Although a relaxing lunch or an afternoon shopping spree in Cebu City might offer all the excitement a tourist might want for the day, the local area comes alive at night-time and should be experienced before visitors leave. There is something to suit all ages, and visitors can enter lavish nightclubs and 24-hour casinos. Or dance to live bands, or even a ballroom waltz, in one of the many music bars which welcome guests come nightfall.

Cultural and sightseeing tours are also easy to arrange, and include entry into some of the area’s best historical museums and locations of special interest. Popular tourist spots in Cebu are a trip to Magellan’s Cross, an architecturally interesting octagonal building which celebrates the locals’ conversion to Christianity in the 16th century. Or visit the Taoist Temple, which honours the inhabitants’ strong Chinese ancestry and reveals some of the best views to be found in all of the Philippines.

In essence, a holiday in the Philippines on the islands of Cebu offers crystal blue water and gorgeous white beaches worthy of the area’s tropical paradise reputation. But it is also a place to eat well, socialise and come to know some of the rich history of the region at the same time – a powerful combination which creates a truly unforgettable holiday experience.

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With less than 50 mm of yearly rainfall in some parts of the country, Egypt hast ten time less rain pouring on its land than England. Needless to say that the Nile is the true gem of Egypt, a source of life, fertility and wealth today and in the ancient world. The Nile flood bringing abundance and luxuriance had even its own hymn and god, “Hapi”, often depicted with papyrus plants or lotus. The river was also largely used to transport goods such as the enormous amount of stones needed for construction. Without the Nile, the ancients would have not been able to erect such monumental temples and leave their footstep in human history.

Nowadays cruising on the Nile is the most pleasant and effortless way to reach many of the wonders of ancient Egypt. It will not avoid you some of the recurrent disagreement as touts and pushers present in most of frequently visited places, but it will surely reduce it drastically. Most of boats cruise between Luxor and Aswan, passing by highlights like the Karnak temple and the outstanding tombs of the Valley of Kings and Queens. Luxor is itself an open-air museum. Called Thebes during the Pharaoh times, it was the capital of the Kingdom and is now UNESCO world heritage site. As conclusion, the Nile cruises end in Aswan for a visit to the High Dam, Egypt’s contemporary example to build on a monumental scale.

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Münster’s city gets ready for the Send, their largest fair which takes place three times a year. There are lots of fun activities, hundreds of rides, stalls and a great culinary choice, too. Be sure not to miss the closing fireworks. The next Send takes place 25-29 October 2012. The Mövenpick in Münster is a five-minute walk from all the happenings, so it’s a great place to stay while visiting the fair.

Nuremberg has also got numerous events going on year round. The best one coming up is the historic city festival (Altstadtfest) which takes place every year in September. Entrance is for free and there are parades, music, food and drink, locals dressed in traditional costumes and challenges on water where fishermen try to knock each other off their boats. Also don’t miss the opportunity to try some of the 60 types of beer at this festival that takes place from 13 to 24 September 2012.

Moving on into the winter months, Munich is known for its great Winter Market at Munich Airport that will definitely get you into that Christmassy feeling. Try yummy gingerbread, sing along to favourite Christmas tunes or try your ice skating skills on the ice rink. It’s also not far from the Mövenpick Munich and there’s a shuttle bus that will take you there for fantastic Christmas shopping.

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We’ve started our first resorts website; if you’re planning your next holiday, follow this link: www.moevenpick-resorts.com.

Imagine yourself at the beach on a deck chair in natural Mauritius looking out onto the horizon. Or what about that spa resort holiday in beautiful Thailand you’ve always been craving for. For our active guests, we’re presenting resorts that offer diving opportunities such as El Quseir in Egypt. Looking for a round of golf in stunning surroundings? We’ve got golf resorts, too. For those of you who love learning about traditions and culture of holiday destinations, we’ve got resorts near World Heritage sites to satisfy your cultural appetite. And last but not least, families are always on the lookout for child-friendly resorts and great activities – our hotel in Sentosa in Singapore is a great place for family fun.

Enjoy exploring our best resorts!

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This is a city that wakes up to the gentle movements of t’ai chi dawn devotees and goes to sleep after an endless night of designer restaurants, bars and clubs.

But there are some Hanoi essentials to enjoy. The French colonial architecture here is some of the best in the world and it is worth exploring the Old Quarter by chauffeur-pedalled tricycle with stops at shops selling butterfly kites, objets d’art, paintings and cooling linens. When staying at the Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi, you’re only five minutes from the Old Quarter and the hotel building itself is a colonial building.

It is also vital to savour local specialties such as steamed dumplings or pho rice noodle soup or perhaps linger over a gastronomic meal in the heart of a colonial villa restaurant before finishing the day at the Water Puppet Theatre where traditional colours illuminate glittering night waters.

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Ho Chi Minh City – or Saigon as locals will always call it – bristles with energy from its scooter-crushed streets to its confident 21st century skyscraper skyline. Packed between is an organised chaos of French colonial buildings, hidden alleys, temples, mosques, pagodas, markets, ramshackle shops and street vendors peddling everything from clothes to electronics.

Historic architectural highlights include Notre Dame Cathedral, the ancient Old Saigon Post Office, Opera House and Reunification Palace, while the ghosts of war can still be found haunting Remnants Museum and the Cu Chi tunnels.

But no trip is complete without shopping in Ho Chi Minh City – searching for souvenirs in the hustle and bustle of Binh Tay Market or plunging into the narrow streets of Chinatown packed with thriving medical stores, busy calligraphy kiosks and irresistible local restaurants.

And this is all very well and good, but you can never forget that this is a city that is fiercely forward thinking. Springing up with those skyscrapers are the smooth walkways of designer malls, the open-kitchens of chic restaurants, the roasted coffee of French cafés, the confidence of urban bars and the pulsating beat of cutting-edge clubs.

After the intensity of the city has carried you as far as you want to go, don’t forget to take time out for a little contemplation, perhaps pause for reflection at the city’s famous Thien Hau Pagoda or watch the waves of the Saigon River slip by on a gentle cruise.

Experience all the city has to offer from the Mövenpick Hotel Saigon, located in the Phu Nhuan district, just 15 minutes from the bustling city centre.

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The restoration of the tower has been done so sensitively that you barely see the difference. Only with the help of historical pictures do you notice a few features in the tower’s facade which had to be altered.

Tower suites
You can enjoy the unique view from the top of the tower or, even simpler, treat yourself to the pleasure of sleeping beneath Hamburg’s starry sky in one of the two-level tower suites.
Beneath the roof of the water tower we find the two-floor tower suites. The windows in these were designed in a way that does not affect the visual characteristics of the roof construction.

The annex

Almost imperceptibly the octagonal tower has grown during its modification. Where once the cisterns’ construction ended we now find the Mövenpick Hotel restaurant terrace on the second floor.
When the first warm rays of the sun and a light breeze make for a beautiful spring time in Hamburg, you can relax on the terrace with a cup of coffee or have an ice cream while enjoying the greenness of the park and unwinding.

A unique hotel experience

Whether you are coming from the the lift area or down the spiral staircase from the Cave Bar, or up the escalator from outside the view of the reception area is flooded with an exceptional light. Atriums create this dramatic effect, and no guest, either arriving or leaving, will deny that the water tower is a truly unique experience.

Welcome in Hamburg
The calm and quiet atmosphere, which a hundred years ago was accompanied by the soft sound of flowing water, can today be felt again. A pleasant perspective which you can enjoy today in the 21st century is the warm and friendly smile of your hostesses.

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