Bogota Brilliance: the most informative and widely viewed website around the world about beautiful Bogota, Colombia.
Welcome to the most comprehensive multilingual source of information about Bogota, an extraordinary world centre of culture now also becoming the business capital of Latin America.
Find information about Bogota culture, business, restaurants, travel, tourism, hotels, fashion, and much more.
For a listing of exciting events in Bogota, visit the Events tab and March Events in Bogota
Bogota Brilliance in El Tiempo - Colombia's Leading Daily Newspaper
http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/bogota/bogota-paraiso-para-dos-neoyorquinos_12452170-4#panel-1
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Going Once…Going Twice: Bogotá Auctions Swings the Gavel
How can a world-class art city be without a world-class auction house? It can’t! And that gap will be filled in Bogota on February 19 when a group of six visionary art industry insiders launch their exciting venture, Bogotá Auctions, at the Museo El Chico.
Created by the international team of Camilo Chico Triana, José Darío Gutiérrez, Timothée De Saint-Albin, Pilar Cabrera and Benjamin Creutzfeldt, Bogotá Auctions’ first event - ‘Arte colombiano y latinoamericano moderno y contemporáneo’ – will present the works of Colombian masters such as Omar Rayo, Leo Matiz, Alejandro Obregon, David Manzur, Leo Matiz, Enrique Grau and Ana Mercedes Hoyos, along with international artists Jim Amaral (from the US but has lived and worked in Colombia for decades) Uruguayan Marco Maggi and Leopoldo Richter from Germany.
With the establishment of Bogotá Auctions, the founders hope to expose Colombia arts to a more international circle and to invite everyone to view the masterworks.
7:00 p.m.
Museo del Chico
Carrera 7 No. 93 – 01
To view the complete catalogue, click here: http://bit.ly/1gOrOzy
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Have you Embraced Bogota – Has Bogota Embraced You?
Geared toward the ladies, but enjoyed by everyone, Embrace Bogotá (www.embracebogota.com) is a bilingual lifestyle magazine offering weekly articles on fashion, fitness and fun. With contributors from several different countries, all based in Bogotá, the magazine has a global outlook and a local focus.
It is a great source of inspiration, information and infotainment. Get an Embrace today!
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New Website Promises Lowest Airfares
Escapar, Colombia’s first metasearch flight comparison website, to launch new website and promotional video
Finding the best airfare can be challenging at best. Who likes to sift through different airline websites and create a cost-comparison chart, especially for a quick get away? The founders of Escapar, Colombia’s first metasearch flight comparison website, believe they have provided the solution for local travellers who are trying to find the right option when flying within the country and abroad.
Unlike services such as Despegar, which is a travel agency, Escapar searches the web to find the best price, whether that be directly from the airline or an agency. The traveler is then redirected to the website of the provider where tehy can purchase the ticket.
The new website includes an ultra-fast search interface, filters to customize results based on price, flight duration, time of departure and arrival so that travelers can find the flight that perfectly fits their requirements. Escapar also boasts a similar function for hotels, meaning clients can quickly organize their trip, be it for a vacation or business, according to their personal budget and schedule.
“What we’re doing is unique in Colombia,” said Founder and CEO Thomas Allier, “and we hope that with our new site design, we can become the go-to site for Colombians when they want to find the best fare for their flights.”
A quick video illustrating how the service works can be viewed here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4ImFm5TJCM
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Zona G – for Grazia!
Bogota Brilliance welcomes celebrated Chef Pâtissier Raphael Haasz, former Executive Pastry Chef of the famed Daniel Boulud in New York, to the Bogotano culinary scene with his incredible new patisserie Grazia in the Zona G. While breaksfast, lunch and brunch are served, the stars of the sleek space are the master’s artfully crafted French pastries, chocolates and breads. We recommend that you get there soon before it becomes impossible to find a table – or a crumb!
More delicious details to come....
Grazia
Calle 69 No. 05 – 04
Tel.: 702.1115
A Step Back in Time with Modern Conveniences
There are many hotels in Bogota, and more being built every day, but one shines with Art Deco opulence and service excellence as Lancaster House Suites, which was voted Traveler’s Choice 2012 on Trip Advisor. Constructed from the ground up, with great attention paid to every detail, from the sleek façade, the polished marble lobby, the custom made furniture and specially commissioned art work, the hotel evokes the grandeur of Art Deco palaces, but feels like a home-away-from-home.
Read the entire article here
Colombia is the happiest country on earth! …According to results released in January 2013, from the Global Barometer of Hope and Happiness poll, conducted by WIN/Gallup International Association.
More than 55,817 men and women in 54 countries were asked, “As far as you are concerned, do you personally feel happy, unhappy or neither happy nor unhappy about your life?” 53% said they felt happy; 13% said they felt unhappy; 32% felt neither way and the remaining 2% did not answer. Colombians, the survey results show, are almost twice as happy as the global average.
Although the survey didn’t look at specific happiness factors, those of us living here can attest for the many reasons: incredible weather and light in most of the country, unmatched biodiversity, a huge variety of fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and dairy products that are available to most people, accessible healthcare, the unity of families and friends, a joy of life that finds people dancing in supermarket aisles, on buses and in the streets to wonderful music, the number of public holidays, and a collective spirit that does not give up.
Bogota Brilliance congratulates Colombia on this distinction and we are honored to be part of spreading the good word about the country that has made us very happy!
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New Recycling Requirements
Did you hear about the new Decree passed down by Bogota’s Mayor to better organize recycling efforts? As of December 18, 2012, all garbage needs to be separated as follows:
Black Bags: Organic and biodegradable such as fruit peels, food residue and egg shells. Other non-recyclables such as toilet paper, paper towels, light bulbs and medicine bottles should also go into this bag.
White Bags: Inorganic, non-biodegradable items such as clean paper, newspaper, books, plastic cups, aluminum cans, glass jars, bottles and packaging for cosmetics and creams.
Please participate and help with Bogota’s recycling efforts.
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Armani Takes Bogota
Young. Urban. Sexy. Those adjectives describe A|X Armani Exchange where fashion conscious Bogotano’s, and visitors, can get a piece for themselves at the newly opened location in the Zona Rosa. The brightly lit space offers two floors of the signature fashion label’s latest casual, yet sophisticated, designs for men and women.
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Colombia won the award of 'long distance destination revelation'
during the London Travel Agents Choice Awards in recognition of its
advances in tourism during the World's Fair in this sector. The award
was given by the British magazine Selling Long Haul, based on feedback
from travel agents and industry professional.
"Receiving this award from the same travel agency tells
us that we are on track and we
ratify the potential of Colombian tourism products and destinations
in the British market," said
Maria Claudia Lacouture,
president of Proexport.
In 2011 Colombia received 25,473 from the UK. In
the first six months of 2012, travelers from the UK to Colombia reached 11,340,
representing 7.5 percent of total European arrivals
to the country.
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Colombia's Economy Outpaces Argentina
Congratulations Colombia!
Outgoing Minister of the Interior, Juan Carlos Echeverry, in an interview with
Portafolio announced that Colombia’s economy had now surpassed that of
Argentina.
With the Colombian nominal GDP weighing in thus far, in 2012, at $362 billion
Dollars, and the Argentine GDP at $347 billion Dollars, Colombia has become the
second largest economy in South America, after Brazil, and third largest in
Latin America after Brazil and Mexico.
It is particularly interesting to note, that Colombia’s economy is also expected
to continue to grow much faster than those other two for many years to come.
Portafolio is Colombia’s leading business periodical see: http://www.portafolio.co/economia/el-pib-colombia-ya-supero-el-argentina-echeverry
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Starwood Hotels to Open W Bogota
On July 23, 2012 W Hotels Worldwide announced it has signed an agreement with Terranum Hotels to debut a new W Hotel in Bogota. Slated to open in 2014, W Bogota will be a part of a larger mixed-use development, which will also include premium office space and high-end retail. W Bogota will be located in the heart of the fashionable Usaquen district in the northern part of the city, just steps away from the neighborhood's trendy restaurants, cafes, and shopping.
"We are delighted to expand our partnership with Terranum Hotels to launch the W brand in Colombia," said Osvaldo Librizzi, Co-President of the Americas, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. "Bogota is one of the fastest growing economic hubs in Latin America and is also renowned for its fashion, music, tremendous gastronomic options, and historical significance in the region."
"This signing underscores our commitment to expansion in Latin America and marks an important milestone in our overall growth strategy to introduce our world-class brands into burgeoning cities around the globe," said Ricardo Suarez, Vice President of Latin America Acquisitions and Development for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. "Colombia, at the crossroads between the Americas, draws a diverse set of cultures for both business and leisure travel, and provides an ideal foothold as we continue to grow our pipeline in the region."
"Our vision is to create a hotel which will set a new lifestyle standard for Colombia," said Javier Pimienta, Managing Director of Terranum Hotels. "Selecting Starwood and its innovative W Hotels brand for this development was an easy decision. We have no doubt that W Bogota will become a must-see for both locals and international visitors to Colombia."
W Bogota will be designed by New York-based Studio Gaia, who has drawn inspiration from Colombia's famous El Dorado legend. According to the legend, during the pre-Colombian period, every time the indigenous Muisca tribe had a new Chief, the people would make offerings to their god by throwing gold, emeralds and semi-precious stones into the Guatavita Lake. The mystery and adventure of the El Dorado legend will come to life in the design of the hotel in innovative and unique ways, using color, light and texture to bring in the vibrancy and glamour of Colombia's varied landscape.
"The W brand's expansion into Colombia is another milestone in bringing the global design powerhouse to the world's most exciting cities and vibrant resort destinations," said Vincent Gillet, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels and Le Méridien. "W will offer a completely new and distinctive experience to the hotel market in Bogota, providing a stylish escape and innovative design in one of the city's most premier districts."
W Bogota will provide an integrated contemporary lifestyle experience, offering 168 stylish guestrooms, including 20 suites and one Extreme Wow Suite (the W brand's interpretation of the Presidential Suite), the signature W Lounge experience (the W take on the traditional hotel lobby), destination restaurant and nightclub, Away® spa, and 3,000 square foot Workout fitness center. The hotel will also be an ideal venue for meetings with more than 12,000 square feet of function space, including a Great Room and five state-of-the-art meeting rooms. Guests will also be treated to the W brand's iconic Whatever/Whenever® service philosophy, providing guests with whatever they want, whenever they want it.
W Bogota will be located only seven miles from the El Dorado International Airport in one of the premium areas in Colombia's capital city, where many of the most prominent companies are based.
For more information, please visit www.whotels.com or www.facebook.com/whotels.
