Your choice of hotel can make or break your trip, whether you’re out for work or pleasure; this is definitely a principle Oliver Cheshire has incorporated into his plans for a business trip to Dubai for the regional launch of his sustainable menswear brand, Ché Studios. It’s probably one of those things you pick up from a life on the go; international travel is nothing new for Cheshire, who started out his career as a model before venturing into the fashion business.
For Cheshire, jet lag seems to be a foreign concept. Anyone who can brave an eight hour flight involving the bustling airports of London and Dubai to come out on the other side looking energetic certainly deserves a hearty salute.
Hotels that are near the airport, with spacious rooms that let in a lot of natural light, equipped with “a good gym and great food at my fingertips”, is what gets on Cheshire’s radar when he’s travelling for work. With Dubai becoming a familiar spot for business trips — thanks to Ché’s concession in Bloomingdales at Dubai Mall, SIRO One Za’abeel has become his home away from home while in the city. Considering its location, which puts it a mere 15 minutes away from the airport, in close proximity to the financial district, it’s no wonder that the hotel has become a haven for those looking for a good balance between business, pleasure and self-care.
We were able to tap into Cheshire’s wealth of knowledge on how to strike that perfect balance, and how he makes the best use of his time – all while he completed his check in process at SIRO.
Getting in the zone
Ché’s rapid international growth has made travel something of a regular occurrence for Cheshire and his team. “I’m privileged to be able to travel so much but it does take its toll,” he says.
The first thing on Cheshire’s agenda when he checks in to a hotel is to find and book treatments that can help him reset after a long flight. The Recovery Suite at SIRO One Za’abeel is perfectly suited for that purpose. A sophisticated Japandi interior is made even better with a gorgeous, unobstructed view of the Dubai skyline. The suite serves as a sanctuary for healing, with an environment that prioritises and enhances rest.
Cheshire considers meditation as the fool-proof method to do away with jet lag, accompanied by a good night’s sleep. His sleep schedule is self-professed to be all over the place with the travel, but he’s found, over the past six years, that meditation is a perfect way to wind down after a long day of work. “Just 15 minutes at the end of the day helps to quiet my mind and set me up for a good shuteye.” SIRO’s vibroacoustic therapy, delivered via headset just a couple of floors away from his suite at SIRO’s cutting-edge Recovery Lab, helps augment this routine as it reduces anxiety, regulates the nervous system and prepares the body for rest.
Back at the room, the walls are carefully soundproofed to aid sleep, with a thermo-regulating mattress and blackout blinds you can control at the press of a button. Guests can also enjoy a private treatment room and a recovery bath, as well as access to the Recovery Lab downstairs, as part of the Recovery Suite experience at SIRO.
The Recovery Lab, described by the hotel as a “powerhouse for total healing”, is a dedicated space equipped with cutting-edge treatments, like compression therapy, cryotherapy or the MLX i3 Dome Treatment, which uses infrared, plasma and light therapy to reduce muscle inflammation, fight toxins and improve immune function while boosting metabolism. Holistic therapies such as modular massages, physiotherapy and assisted stretching are also on offer at the Recovery Lab.
Fitness first
As a surprise to no one, you just can’t hope to look as good as Oliver Cheshire without keeping a consistent fitness and wellness routine. “My routine usually involves some form of cardio, some body-weight work and interval training,” explains Cheshire, who finds that exercise is more about preservation and looking after his muscles than anything else in his late thirties.
A great body should not be your only motivation to work out though — studies have shown that regular exercise, especially in the morning, can make adapting to a new time zone easier by helping to rest your circadian rhythm. And regular exercise is made very easy for guests at SIRO with their Fitness Lab, which occupies a floor of the hotel, divided into functional, cardio and weight training zones. Various classes are on offer in a group workout space, which Cheshire opts for, choosing the Boxing Fitness class formulated by Olympian Ramla Ali for SIRO. “If I can join a class and get motivated by a PT and other like-minded creatives and entrepreneurs, that’s a bonus,” he says.
Warm-ups and cool-downs are an important step to any routine — especially if you’re not a fan of DOMS. Cheshire takes this step literally, ordering an ice bath to the recovery tub in his suite.
Cold therapy can be quite a shocker (physically) to anyone trying it for the first time, but it’s been proven to have a whole bunch of benefits post workout by stimulating blood flow and reducing inflammation. It’s also great for mental recovery as it boosts your dopamine and serotonin levels, although you may not enjoy it while it’s happening. “I’m usually a hot-therapy kind of guy. Saunas and steam rooms are my thing,” confesses Cheshire. “But once you get used to the cold, it’s not so bad. It helps me take on the day feeling recharged,” he confirms.
Spoiled for choice
Cheshire describes himself as a foodie, and he loves the opportunity to try out new cuisines that being in a different country provides. “I’m a big fan of Mediterranean dishes and spicy food, and if I’m in a warm country, I like to eat outdoors,” he elaborates, adding that poolside restaurants are one of his favourites for this, owing to their “buzzy” atmosphere.
It’s a good thing in that case, that buzzy is the name of the game in Dubai’s restaurant scene. The city has a staggering amount of restaurants per head (which beats even New York’s number), and One Za’abeel is home to some of its most popular dining spots. Nine sublime restaurants can be found in the Link, a futuristic boulevard (floating 100 metres above Dubai) that’s part of the same complex as SIRO, which is pretty convenient for guests staying just floors away.
Among the aforementioned nine are two Michelin-starred restaurants: Sagestu by Tetsuya Wakuda, and La Dame de Pic by Anne-Sophie Pic, the world’s most awarded female Michelin-starred chef. For a poolside option, there’s Tapasake ,whose daytime pool faces Dubai’s iconic skyline and is accessible to guests at the Recovery Suite, before turning into an Asian fusion restaurant by night. Arrazuna by Mehmet Gürs is also a fabulous option, along with Aelia, which brings the sun-soaked French Riviera to mind.
For those on the go with no time for a sit-down dinner at a restaurant (as regrettable as that is), SIRO provides a 24 hour in-room dining service with a modular meal concept which lets guests build customised meals according to their dietary requirements. This is great for Cheshire, who prefers room service for those times when he’s come in from a late flight. “Especially if I’m travelling alone, I’ll order room service so I can get on with some emails and work calls while I refuel and wind down,” he says.
With such superb comforts, elegant designs and top-notch wellness facilities, it’s no wonder that places like SIRO turn into a home away from home for those travelling for work, creating a wealth of opportunities in what would have otherwise been a simple business trip.
Take hold of those opportunities for your next business trip with SIRO Hotels.