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    6 luxury hotels that are one step ahead in the innovation game

    Life

    by Camille Macawili
    8 mins ago

    From eco-conscious concepts to advanced wellness destinations and futuristic hotel architecture, these luxury destinations are one step ahead in the innovation game.
    LOW-TECH LUXE: HOTEL TERRESTRE – OAXACA, MEXICO

    Image: Supplied; Photography by Andrea David
    The latest addition to Grupo Habita’s family of lifestyle hotels, Hotel Terrestre champions slow living aimed for guests to disconnect from technology. This blissful escape in Oaxaca puts the spotlight on Mexico’s beauty through a bold architectural design that beautifully blends with its surrounding environment and is then juxtaposed with low-tech sustainable efforts by operating completely off the grid using 100 per cent solar power.
    terrestrehotel.com
    HIGH-TECH WELLNESS HAVEN: LANSERHOF TEGERNSEE – TEGERNSEE, GERMANY

    Image: Supplied; Photography by Alexander Haiden
    With healing as its core concept, Lanserhof, one of the leading luxury wellness spas in the world, offers a host of holistic and advanced medical-based fitness programmes, detox treatments, and innovative holistic diagnosis such as genetic analysis and capsule endoscopy. This modern health resort situated in the Bavarian Alps leads the way in pioneering regenerative health and wellness.
    lanserhof.com
    SUSTAINABLE STAY: ALILA ULUWATU – BALI, INDONESIA

    Image: Supplied
    Alila Uluwatu sets the standard in sustainable tourism. This picture-perfect property perched on a cliff in Bali, Indonesia dramatically impresses with its savannah-like architectural design aesthetic. Beyond the beauty and luxury it delivers, Alila Uluwatu integrates eco-friendly concepts and practises into place within its daily operations – from the private villas constructed with locally sourced materials such as bamboo and lava rocks that help minimise electric consumption to its on-site Sustainability Lab initiative.
    alilahotels.com
    WELLNESS IN THE CITY: ONE&ONLY ONE ZA’ABEEL – DUBAI, UAE

    Image: Supplied
    Set to open in March 2024, the Longevity Hub at Clinique La Prairie at urban vertical resort One&Only One Za’abeel, combines evidence-based medicine and pioneering aesthetic to deliver ultra-personalised wellness solutions to address the daily stressors of urban living. Spread over three floors, The Hub comprises of 29 treatment rooms for wellbeing and clinical therapies; a Movement Studio with state-of-the-art gym facilities; a Longevity Bar; and the region’s first Longevity Index Lounge, which boasts cutting-edge solutions including the Neuro Wave Stimulation – a tech-guided acoustic and vibrational therapy that enables even the busiest of minds to enter a deep state of relaxation.
    oneandonlyresorts.com/one-zaabeel
    A FUTURISTIC CITY STAY: HOTEL MORPHEUS – MACAU, CHINA

    Image: Supplied
    This futuristic architectural vision by design genius Zaha Hadid combines ultra-luxury and innovation in the form of 772 guest rooms and suites equipped with cutting-edge technology. From its dystopian-like exoskeleton steel frames to best-of-the-best amenities, Morpheus delivers an opulent experience like no other property in Macau or the world.
    cityofdreamsmacau.com
    February’s – The Tech Issue with Christiana Maxion  – Download Now
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    Feature Image: Photography by Jaime Navarro More

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    The Dubai Match Maker on the pivots that led her to build an AI-powered matchmaking app

    Life

    by Camille Macawili
    2 hours ago

    Christiana Maxion aka “The Dubai Match Maker”, on how her pivots led her to finding her path, including being the Founder of an AI-powered social matchmaking app.
    What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine?
    I hate to say but the first thing I do is reach for my phone. With clients all over the world and a team in all time zones, I check my phone first to see if I need to address anything critical. This is then followed by walking my toy poodle Toby in the garden then a coffee on my terrace with a view of the Burj Khalifa journaling. I journal every single day — my gratitude list, goals, and ways to contribute/ add value to others. The more you give, the more you receive.
    You’ve been fearless in changing your career – can you expand on this?
    My early studies and career were in Finance, but I changed course into Education. I had a very successful career as a curriculum coordinator, teacher trainer, school leader, and published author. I used to run a former Instagram account. I ran ‘dating in Dubai’ and what l learned from having that account was that people hated dating in Dubai and I was baffled! You can literally date the entire map here and the most incredible, ambitious people I have ever met have been living in Dubai. I’ve always been a solution seeker and took this as my next challenge to overcome… I’m going to solve dating in Dubai! With the introduction of new long-term visas, the amazing way the UAE dealt with the pandemic, and new laws promoting more freedom in dating and partnership, I decided to consult a legal team about the legalities of opening a professional matchmaking business here in Dubai. I got the green light in 2021 and opened my agency: Christiana Maxion Solutions. Only seven months into the launch of my agency, I was contacted by matchmaking giants Patti Stanger’s Millionaire’s Club and Cinqe Matchmaking to join forces to expand globally and enter into a formal partnership. This new affiliation not only marked a significant new milestone for Christiana Maxion Solutions, but also provides our clients with unlimited matchmaking opportunities across the globe, giving our clients an even greater chance of meeting “the one”.
    We work with the most sought-after HNWIs and UHNWIs in the world. Each has built empires with undeniable levels of success. Hiring a matchmaker isn’t their last resort, it’s their only option. The extreme success and high demand of my core business as a matchmaker to HNWI and UHNWI have led to the creation of my app: MAXION: Match & Meet. It is the first AI-powered social matchmaking concierge app, and a way to bring my niche services to the masses. As a first-time tech founder, there have been many highs and some lows, but entering a new world of tech forced me to learn and learn quickly! I’ve had people try to scam me, purposefully lead me down the wrong direction, and steal ideas… but I am so firm in my belief that I am going to change so many people’s lives with the connections that MAXION will create, that I have been so focused and only see success for us.
    MAXION is an AI-powered social matchmaking concierge. How can AI help in analyzing potential relationships?
    AI is a term that is now used too loosely. MAXION is using AI to master compatibility and concierge, so that all our members have to focus on is connection. I can share that our members’ feedback from their meets will curate their entire dating and social experience to help them find success. Our systems are based on the 96% success rate of my core business of matchmaking HNWIs.

    How has this been optimized to ensure the product is user-friendly?
    We are sharing our app with 500 selected beta testers. The team that built the billion-dollar app Calm, Gymshark, Marks & Spencer and many others, is now building MAXION: Match & Meet. This beta testing will ensure we can optimise the UX – we are working with both AI and real-life humans and connections here, so yes, it has to be right, and it has to provide the convenience and concierge we are promising, exactly what time-poor people need. This beta testing with founder members will be crucial for further developments. What metrics do you use to measure a successful match? There are several factors and with the app, there will be an algorithm that I can’t share publicly but I will share that feedback is super important for a successful match. The more you date, the more curated the experience becomes to find success in both your social and romantic lives. Feedback is everything!
    What are new product features that set it apart from other apps?
    Besides our unique compatibility algorithm and AI enhancements, it’s in the tagline: Match & Meet. No more ghosting, flaky daters, and swiping from an endless pool of incompatible partners. All MAXION Members are extensively verified. We are NOT a free-mium product and will ensure that all MAXION Members are of a calibre that is up to your personal standard. We advise all our members to never settle. We love picky people.
    How do you approach scaling without compromising on quality?
    MAXION: Match & Meet is a way to reach a wider audience and to create so much more connection in the region. Our extreme vetting process is still a handpicked process and our tech aides in all other aspects. For the core business of the personalised matchmaking of HNWIs, I am currently expanding my matchmaking team in UAE and UK in order to keep up with the demand for our services at Christiana Maxion Solutions.
    This is The Fearlessness Issue – what is your advice on how to fearlessly approach making real-life connections?
    Be fearless in who you are and what you bring to the table. Your successes, accomplishments, achievements, character, and values are what make you unique and special in every way. Stand firm and be proud of YOU. This will attract your ideal partner. Another bit of advice that I give to daters and entrepreneurs is to be a duck. Everything rolls off your back like water off a duck’s back. Don’t let the ups and the downs get you too low or too high and keep swimming along. Stay focused on your pursuits.
    October – The Fearlessness Issue with Chaumet  – Download Now
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    Images: Supplied More

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    Introducing That Fitness App: An Easy-To-Use Online Gym Connecting Trainers And Students

    That Fitness App, the brainchild of Dominique McFie, a qualified Yoga instructor was launched today. This new app available for Android and iOS mobile devices connects trainers and students at the push of a button to create your very own private online gym. It offers a new level of convenience to everyday training needs on a safe and secure platform.

    That Fitness App benefits both trainers and students who can connect whenever it is most convenient. Trainers can connect with clients through That Fitness App eliminating all the hassles of scheduling, invoicing, and marketing. Likewise, busy individuals who are adapting to new fitness habits, or have limited time for training, can engage with a personal trainer online via That Fitness App.

    “As a Yoga Instructor I grappled with the issue of scheduling classes to suit customers’ busy lifestyles, as well as finding clients looking for the style of Yoga I offer, in the environment they want. Apps make our lives more convenient, and we are all far more familiar with online engagement nowadays, which lead me to the concept for That Fitness App”, says Dominique McFie. Her vision is to build a community for fitness and health conscious people to connect to while helping both trainers and students achieve their goals.

     Benefits To Trainers: 

    Trainers looking to build a solid client base will be visible to a broader community of people seeking fitness training. 

    Trainers set their own class fee structure. Plus, get paid the amount they choose via the safe and secure platform on a regular payment cycle. 

    Trainers can add as many categories to their profile as they want. Subject to vetting of their training qualifications and credentials. This allows trainers to offer a variety of training sessions thus engaging more clients. 

    Scheduling is done directly on the App based on the training slots made available sending the trainer notifications of new bookings as they are made. 

     Benefits To Students: 

    Students can connect to a trainer of their choice whenever is most convenient and enjoy the benefits of engaging online with a trainer. 

    Students embarking on a new fitness routine will find that the convenience and flexibility the App offers makes it easier to adapt to new habits as it saves time and travelling, plus there is the benefit of having someone knowledgeable teaching you right from the start.

    The range of trainers available on the App means it is suitable to avid fitness buffs as well as beginners because students can connect with any trainers for different types of exercise whenever available. 

    That Fitness App is completely free to sign up! Students only pay for the classes they book via the secure payment gateway. 

    Four Training Categories

    Yoga 

    Pilates 

    Personal Trainer 

    Sports Specialist 

    Reliable and Secure 

    To ensure safety and integrity of That Fitness App, all students and trainers are properly vetted. All trainers have proven their expertise prior to sign up, so students know they have a qualified training professional on their side. Likewise, students’ authenticity is carefully monitored to ensure that trainers can run a professional business. 

    That Fitness App aims to transform how trainers and students connect to achieve fitness goals and healthy lifestyles. Download the app here. More

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    4 Proudly South African Apps For Mental Health Support

    There are very few things in life that we can never tire of talking about. And mental health should top that list. This, in a country where the stigma surrounding mental health challenges is still met with nonchalant responses such as, “you’re being lazy” or “just keep pushing”, therefore making it harder for people to ask for help. At around a R1000 and more for a consultation, quality mental health care has become the reserve of those with deep pockets! 

    South Africa’s mental health culture still sees many people choosing to suffer in silence and embarrassment instead of speaking out. Other than private mental health specialists, there aren’t many free or affordable mental health resources to cater to the population. 

    A 2022 research paper published by the Wits/Medical Research Council Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit found that “South Africans suffer higher rates of probable depression and anxiety than other countries”. This was also a finding recorded by the Mental Health of the World report 2021 which, through the lowest mental health quotient score in the world, concluded that South Africa had a masked mental health crisis. To help you along on your mental health journey, we have compiled a list of apps and social media platforms to lean on when hard times strike. 

    READ MORE: 5 Morning Routines That Actually Work, According To Science

    Fee: Free for individualsAvailable: Android and iOS usersPanda is on a serious mission: to empower people to be proactive with their mental health battles. The user-friendly mobile app features tailored content, assessments, one-on-one therapy sessions as well as anonymous group sessions where you learn on topics ranging from anxiety to depression (and everything in between). The app offers three care packages for individuals, employees and insurers. 

    Fee: R185 per consultation or R120 for an express consultationAvailable: Android and iOS usersWith guaranteed quality healthcare at your fingertips, Kena Health has made it easy to consult a doctor or mental health professional directly. The app connects patients to qualified healthcare practitioners for advice, diagnoses, prescriptions and referrals to specialists or another place of care. Their aim: to make quality health care accessible at a steal.

    READ MORE: It’s Official: Stress Makes Us Crave Junk Food

    Fee: FreeAvailable: Android and iOS users Developed by medical doctors, WHOLE empowers users with ongoing self-care focused on holistic wellness in its entirety. How do they do this? Through a fun way to build healthy habits that can help improve mental health. Experiment with over 100 science-backed activities to boost your happiness. Plus, useful tips that keep you balanced all day and measure your progress. 

    READ MORE: “Social media had me romanticising my mental illness and put me in a hole.”

    Fee: FreeAvailability: Not available as an app yetDeveloped by IT entrepreneur Pieter Oosthuizen, this online support group helps you achieve your mental health and greater self-awareness through sharing and conversations. “The benefit of joining a support group has been widely recognised by mental health professionals around the world,” says Oosthuizen, who was inspired to launch the platform by his own sister’s battle with depression and anxiety.

    “Working with my sister, we started developing a platform that would enable anyone wanting to join any type of support group for a mental health condition or for life coaching generally to do so in a way that’s convenient, secure and affordable. It has also been designed to protect their privacy by allowing them to hide their identity from the host and other group members should they choose to do so.”

    READ MORE: Actress Shannon Esra On Learning To Trust Her Intuition

    More habits to hone

    Over some past few years, several studies have deduced that being constantly plugged into social media increased anxiety and depression. Taking a social media break is helpful for our mental health, as per the research findings of study by the Penn State University, USA and Jinan University, China. If you’re able to silence your mind for a few minutes a day (or more), then meditation also comes highly recommended. Several studies have, in the past, found that practising mindfulness and meditation ultimately leads to decreased stress levels. To get you started, we suggest downloading Insight Timer, Breathe2Relax or Smiling Mind for some guided meditation and breathwork. 

    Click here for some mental health resources and support if you’re in South Africa.  More