Catch up TV
Series 2: 5. The Silo, South Africa
In this insightful and entertaining programme, Giles and Monica travel to South Africa - where they experience a land of contrasts through working in two very different hotels. The Silo is an industrial-chic, luxury art-themed hotel in the heart of Cape Town. It sits in the former elevator shaft of a 90-year-old, 187-foot grain silo (once dubbed the tallest building in sub-Saharan Africa) and on top of the new Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa - the African equivalent of the Tate Modern - within the same repurposed historic building. The redesign of the silo building was led by British star designer Thomas Heatherwick, who created 96 stunning windows which contain over 5,300 individual panes of glass overall and cost £50,000 each to construct.\n\nGiles and Monica discover that what looks amazing can be challenging to maintain. Giles puts his best window-cleaning skills to use on the angular panes inside the hotel, whilst Monica draws the short straw and gamely abseils from the 11th floor of the building to clean the exterior, using a mixture of citrus peel and alcohol. The choice of waterless cleaning products highlights a huge challenge for the hotel and for the city - during Cape Town's worst drought in a century. Giles works alongside maintenance man Dean as he checks the hotel's water aerators - special devices fitted to taps and shower heads - and finds that so far they have reduced water consumption in the hotel by nearly 60%.\n\nWhilst there is a severe shortage of one liquid, Monica discovers another is very popular in town. She works with Zimbabwean bar manager, Jonas, who offers 14 different types of gin, many distilled in Cape Town and infused with plants that can only be found locally. She cooks with Chef Zyaad, who draws inspiration from his Cape Malay heritage, and is shown the hotel's own bijou art gallery, The Vault, which features the work of emerging artists.
Source: BBC 2
Most recent episodes of Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Series 6: 8. Wilderness Hotel Inari
Rob Rinder and Monica Galetti visit Wilderness Hotel Inari, an adventure hotel above the Arctic Circle in Lapland. Working in sub-zero conditions, Monica learns about the indige ...
23-12-2024
BBC 2
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Series 5: 8. Hotel Hubertus, Italian Alps
In the Tyrol region of northern Italy lies Hotel Hubertus - a family-run resort which offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains thanks to its panoramic aspect.\n\nTh ...
14-12-2024
BBC 2
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Series 5: 3. Nusfjord Arctic Resort
Nusfjord Arctic Resort is a preserved 200-year-old cod fishing village in the Lofoten Islands of Norway. Working alongside the dedicated team, Monica and Rob learn to appreciate ...
07-12-2024
BBC 2
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Series 6: 7. Stanglwirt Hotel, Austria
Rob Rinder and Monica Galetti work at Stanglwirt Hotel in the Austrian Alps, owned by one family for 300 years and grown slowly over the years to offer world-class boxing and te ...
30-10-2024
BBC 2
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Series 6: 6. Gangtey Lodge, Bhutan
Rob Rinder and Monica Galetti work 3,000m above sea level at Gangtey Lodge, Bhutan, in a remote region that only obtained electricity 11 years ago. This luxury hotel has oxygen ...
23-10-2024
BBC 2
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Series 6: 5. Datai Langkawi, Malaysia
Rob Rinder and Monica Galetti travel to the Datai Langkawi in Malaysia. Beneath rainforest canopies, this hotel is so tucked-away that monkeys will break into the room if the do ...
16-10-2024
BBC 2
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Series 6: 4. The Hassler, Rome
Rob Rinder and Monica Galetti visit the Hassler Hotel, arguably Rome’s most classic and celebrated hotel, which is undergoing a change in management. Family-run for genera ...
09-10-2024
BBC 2
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Series 6: 3. Six Senses Ibiza
Rob Rinder and Monica Galetti work at Six Senses Ibiza on the island’s north coast. They help guests in the hotel’s on-site clinic experience biohacking therapies, f ...
04-10-2024
BBC 2
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Series 6: 2. Argos In Cappadocia
Rob Rinder and Monica Galetti travel to Turkey to work at Argos in Cappadocia, a hotel built into a network of ancient caves.\n\nCombining history with modern luxury, Monica fin ...
25-09-2024
BBC 2
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Series 6: 1. Shanghai Wonderland
Rob Rinder and Monica Galetti visit the Intercontinental Shanghai Wonderland, known as the world’s first 'earthscraper' hotel. Learning about the innovative architectural ...
18-09-2024
BBC 2
Most popular episodes of Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Shorts: 4. Royal Mansour, Morocco
In the fourth episode of this eye-opening series, Giles and Monica arrive at Royal Mansour, one of the world's most discreet hotels, hidden deep in the heart of Marrakech's anci ...
07-07-2021
BBC 2
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Series 6: 1. Shanghai Wonderland
Rob Rinder and Monica Galetti visit the Intercontinental Shanghai Wonderland, known as the world’s first 'earthscraper' hotel. Learning about the innovative architectural ...
18-09-2024
BBC 2
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Series 5: 8. Hotel Hubertus, Italian Alps
In the Tyrol region of northern Italy lies Hotel Hubertus - a family-run resort which offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains thanks to its panoramic aspect.\n\nTh ...
14-12-2024
BBC 2
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Series 6: 8. Wilderness Hotel Inari
Rob Rinder and Monica Galetti visit Wilderness Hotel Inari, an adventure hotel above the Arctic Circle in Lapland. Working in sub-zero conditions, Monica learns about the indige ...
23-12-2024
BBC 2
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Shorts: 3. Fogo Island Inn, Canada
In the fifth episode of this eye-opening series, Giles Coren and Monica Galetti experience the warm embrace of Fogo Island Inn on a rocky, sea-sprayed outpost of remote Fogo Isl ...
17-10-2018
BBC 2
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Series 5: 5. Phinda Game Reserve, South Africa
At Phinda Private Game Reserve in South Africa, Monica Galetti and Rob Rinder join forces with the hotel staff to learn how to deliver a luxury safari experience. The hotel is o ...
25-04-2024
BBC 2
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Series 2: 2. Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Oman
In the second episode, Giles and Monica travel to the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar in Oman. It is the highest five-star hotel in the Middle East and a resort seeking to blend loc ...
26-04-2021
BBC 2
Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond The Lobby
Series 2: 6. Hacienda Vira Vira, Chile
In this insightful and entertaining programme, Monica and Giles travel to South America to work in Hacienda Hotel Vira Vira - a unique hotel near Pucon, the adventure capital of ...
10-07-2023
BBC 2