Dubai is known for its outrageous design plans, but the Water Discus Hotel, formally announced last week, could be the wildest thing to come to the city in years. – Via the Business Insider
Tag Archives: Travel
Hotel La Mamounia Reviewed
Winston Churchill called it “the most beautiful place in the world.” The moment you arrive at La Mamounia, you will know why. This famous hotel, situated in the heart of Marrakech, will take your breath away.
Your first impression comes when you are greeted by doormen in traditional dress, including fezzes, as they welcome you into the massive lobby which features gigantic marble pillars and vases filled with exquisite flowers that will have you sniffing with delight.
La Mamounia boasts authentic tapestries, stunning mosaic and intricate woodwork, all done by local artisans, and after a three-year renovation the hotel has been restored and modernized and continues to host royalty, dignitaries and celebrities. alike
Just a five-minute walk from the door you will find the bustle of the Djemaa el Fna, a legendary local marketplace teeming with activity and energy, including acrobats, snake-charmers and local food-stalls. If you need to unwind after your visit, you can relax back at La Mamounia by the stunning, turquoise pool decorated with glimmering fish-scale tiles. Set amidst 20-acre gardens filled with impeccably manicured olive and fruit trees, you will be shimmering in the water with glee. If a bit more activity is what you crave, check out the clay tennis courts, often used to host International tournaments, or the state-of-the-art fitness center. And when you are spent, don’t miss a chance to unwind at the spectacular spa where you will be pampered in an opulent setting fit for royalty, literally; there often is royalty there.
With four amazing restaurants ranging from formal to less formal, and two of them boasting Michelin stars, you will be treated to a myriad of extraordinary culinary cuisine, and to make sure all your cravings are fulfilled there is a charming hut situated in the gardens that serves delicious delicacies for dessert to tantalize and satisfy any sweet-tooth.
Explore the souks, discover the amazing sites of Marrakech, and treat yourself like a king or queen. At La Mamounia, the ultimate, unforgettable, sensational get-away.
The Alpina Gstaad, Switzerland
A small Alpine village, long a favored mountain destination in both winter and summer, will welcome a new luxury hotel in December 2012. Crowning Gstaad’s exclusive hilltop area of Oberbort, just five minutes from the center of the village, The Alpina Gstaad overlooks beautiful Saanenland in the heart of the Bernese Alps. It is the first luxury hotel to be built in Gstaad in 100 years.
Set on five acres, the five-star property is part of a $337 million luxury development that will include private apartments within the hotel and two chalets. The Alpina Gstaad is a contemporary interpretation of traditional Swiss architecture incorporating authentic local materials and time-honored Alpine style. Massive blocks of Ringgenberg limestone, the rich brown stone from local quarries, have been hand carved for the entrance and ground floor. Hundred-year-old fir wood, gathered from old Alpine farm houses, decorates the façade and lines the walls of the public rooms. The gabled roof, embellished with dormers and peaks, is of natural slate. The ground floor’s huge windows allow for plenty of natural light and stunning views of the surrounding mountains.
Bordered by an acre and a half of gardens, The Alpina Gstaad will have three restaurants featuring traditional Swiss, international and Asian cuisines, a bar and lounge, a wine tasting room, a private cinema, a cigar room, a ballroom and several boardrooms. The 21,500-square-foot spa will offer holistic treatments and rejuvenation programs and will include a hammam, a fitness center and an 82-foot lap pool. A large outdoor swimming pool will be set in the gardens.
The luxury hotel’s 57 spacious rooms and suites – all with balconies – range from 333 square feet for a standard room to 4,305 square feet for the Panorama Suite.
Guests will arrive at the main gate and descend into a covered drive enroute to a subterranean entrance. A monumental entryway of natural stone with waterfalls and a skylight is designed to ensure that the sights, sounds and scents of nature will be part of the welcoming experience.
The Alpina Gstaad is owned and developed by Grand Hotel Alpina AG and privately managed. “We have built a hotel in traditional style inspired by our Swiss Alpine culture and the rugged beauty of the Bernese Oberland. It will be a cozy, yet very luxurious, hotel providing an authentic mountain experience,” explained hotel owners Marcel Bach and Jean-Claude Mimran of Grand Hotel Alpina AG. “We both grew up in Gstaad and still live in this charming village. We are very proud of our heritage.”
Grand Hotel Alpina AG has retained hotel consultancy REMbrandT Management Services GmbH and appointed Onno Poortier as Owner’s Representative and Advisor. Poortier brings over four decades of development, marketing and operations experience with luxurious international hotel brands to his new position. Most notably, he was president for nine of his 20 years with The Peninsula Group.
“Onno inspires confidence among the development team with his in-depth expertise in the hospitality industry and very warm personality. With Swiss education and training, he understands the local culture,” added Bach and Mimran.
Craftsmen from the region and interior designers from Europe and Asia are working with lead architects Jaggi & Partner AG and lead contractor Chaletbau Matti to ensure The Alpina Gstaad is harmoniously integrated with its Alpine environment.
“In a world where many claim to offer the perfect luxury experience, The Alpina Gstaad aspires to a new level of distinction,” explained Poortier. “I am delighted to be working with the owners on their vision of authentic design combined with contemporary inspiration.”
Niklaus Leuenberger, a Swiss hotelier from the canton of Bern, has been appointed Managing Director. He brings more than three decades of experience with luxury hotels in Asia, the U.S. and the Middle East.
Commenting on his appointment, Niklaus Leuenberger said, “I am delighted to return to Switzerland to open The Alpina Gstaad and lead the hotel team. It is personally exciting for me to return to Gstaad since it was a luxury hotel experience here forty years ago that decided my career choice and life and has now taken me back to my roots.”
Original Eden Hotel in Bormio, Italy
Studio Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel and Partners completed the Eden Hotel, opened in February 2012 in Bormio, Italy. The project consists of a series of buildings, characterized by height and narrowness, creating an original visual effect.
The units which make up the hotel are individually covered in wood and feature roof shingles, which adds extra originality to their design. Here is some further information from the architects: “Considering the plan, the aggregation of several units made it possible to distribute the space with exterior two-entrance staircases, thus exploiting the interval between buildings and making transversal crossings more animated. The building technology aims at maximizing the passive heat exchange of buildings through the use of super-insulating packages around the perimeters, through the climate mitigation capability of the loggias in the windows and the top performance glass-panels.”
The interior design blends traditional elements with all the comfort of modern living, creating a welcoming environment for mountain enthusiasts worldwide. To top it all, floor-to-ceiling windows ensure unobstructed views of the surrounding landscape.
Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie Buy $16 Million London Dream Home
Actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reportedly bought a house in Richmond, West London, for an amazing $16.18 million, the Sun said. The Hollywood superstars have taken the opportunity to buy the home, called Whornes Place, after having rented it for $50,000 a month last year.
“They loved it when they were in the UK last year,” a source close to the couple told the newspaper. “They like the culture and are happy for their children to receive schooling here. They think Richmond is a beautiful part of the world.”
The couple, along with their six children, has planned to stay in London for at least two years post marriage, as Jolie would be shooting three movies in Britain one after the other.
“Angelina starts work on her next film, Maleficent, in about three weeks so Brad will look after their brood over summer as he won’t start work on the Ridley Scott film until September,” the source said.
According to the report, the Whornes Place in Richmond has caught the eyes of the couple, where Brad was filming horror thriller World War Z.
The exquisite Richmond property seems to be atop the couple’s list after they rented it for $48,540 in 2011.
“Brad and Angelina hold an affection for the UK so this investment makes sense,” the source added.
According to a recent bit, Brangelina will get hitched by this summer at a private chapel near the village of Correns in southern France.
The source confirmed: “No date has been set [for the wedding] yet but they’ll probably go back to their home in France to get married.”
Coco Palm Bodu Hithi Resort in Maldives
Located on a private island in the archipelago that most people define as the ultimate relaxation retreat, the Coco Palm Bodu Hithi Hotel in Maldives welcomes its guests with 98 lovely villas and services beyond expectations.
A crystal clear emerald lagoon surrounds the resort, contrasting the white sandy beaches and lush vegetation. There are four types of villas one can choose from and each of them comes with spectacular features. Whether you choose to sleep in the thatched homes hidden among palm-trees, or decide to rent a villa immersed in the lagoon, the comfort level is brought to a maximum. High-pitched ceilings, king-size beds and traditional details make the resort welcoming and memorable.
Other features of Coco Palm Bodu Hithi resort include eight restaurants and an impressive Spa with yoga and Tai-Chi. For in more information, reservation and rates, you can get in contact with the hotel staff here.
The Ritz-Carlton iPhone App Unveiled
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has launched a new iPhone app that provides lux travelers with personal tips from their president Herve Humler. Expanding upon basic hotel search and reservation functionality, the new app integrates with other social platform, such as Foursquare and World Concierge, and provides location based recommendations. Guests can also keep up with a hotel’s activity calendar, as well as have push notifications deliver reminders for any upcoming events.
Additional features of the free app:
- Make hotel reservations at all Ritz-Carlton hotels and resorts worldwide
- Access Ritz-Carlton Rewards account or enroll in the program
- View and edit upcoming reservations
- Browse full hotel information, photo galleries and amenities
- View interactive maps and turn-by-turn directions to their hotels
- Receive and view special offers while staying at their hotels
- Learn about events at the hotel during your stay
- Unlock experiences and stories at their hotels with our built-in QR code scanner
- View recommendations and tips from their world-renowned concierges
Download the The Ritz-Carlton iPhone App Here…
One World Trade Center Becomes New York’s Tallest Building
One World Trade Center is set to eclipse the Empire State Building as New York’s tallest building Monday afternoon, officials said. As long as the weather cooperates, the tower will surpass the 1,250-foot Empire State Building at 2 p.m. on its way to a final height of 1,776 feet. “It’s wonderful,” Mayor Bloomberg said Sunday. “It’s taken a long time. This is probably the most complex construction site in any place ever. I think what we’ve shown is that democracy works.” – Via NYDaily News
Fairmont Ajman Coming To United Arab Emirates
The 252-room Fairmont Ajman is expected to open in the United Arab Emirates in early 2013. Here’s the official news from Fairmont Hotels & Resorts:
A new resort property, Fairmont Ajman, will open in the United Arab Emirates in early 2013. Prominently situated on the Corniche, the sleek and contemporary resort fronts 250 meters of unspoiled, sandy beaches, perfect for leisure and incentive travelers.
The property will feature 252 guestrooms and suites, including two luxurious penthouse offerings. Dining options include an all-day dining outlet, with a multi-kitchen format and two private dining rooms, which will transform into an a la carte restaurant in the evenings, focusing on modern Italian fare. Connected to this will be a lobby lounge, where guests can enjoy afternoon tea, pastries and snacks as well as wireless Internet access. The resort will also include a contemporary eatery offering Turkish cuisine, with an adjoining cocktail bar, as well as a shisha terrace and poolside bar.
Event planners can take advantage of 2,000 square meters of indoor function space as well as outdoor facilities. Guests can enjoy a selection of retail outlets and fitness and water sport facilities for leisurely pursuits onsite while shopping and business districts are located nearby in Sharjah or Dubai.
“Fairmont is extremely pleased to add another resort to the region, as it joins Fairmont Bab Al Bahr as well as upcoming properties on the Palm and Fujairah in affording our guests even more variety for travel,” said Jennifer Fox, President, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. “With its close proximity to the Sharjah and Dubai airports, the resort will attract travelers from Europe as well as serve as a popular destination for GCC residents.”
Ajman, the smallest member state of the United Arab Emirates, offers myriad activities for travelers. Beautiful white sandy beaches lead up to an array of water sports and diving, while culture seekers can explore Arabia’s heritage.
Housed in an 18th century fort, the Ajman Museum showcases local history. Visitors to the Dhow Yard, arguably the largest boat building yard in the world, can learn how the ocean-going vessels are built utilizing traditional tools and methods.
Fairmont Ajman is the most recent project to be announced by the brand in the region and joins Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, Abu Dhabi, UAE; Fairmont Dubai, UAE; Fairmont Heliopolis & Towers, Cairo, Egypt; Fairmont Nile City, Cairo, Egypt; Makkah Clock Royal Tower, A Fairmont Hotel, Saudi Arabia; Fairmont Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE (2012); Fairmont Fujairah, UAE (2013); and Fairmont Riyadh, Business Gate, Saudi Arabia (2013).
Hotel Miramar, Barcelona
Hotel Miramar is one of Barcelona’s most luxurious boutique hotels. Perfectly positioned at the summit of the Montjuic Mountain, Hotel Miramar is surrounded by lush gardens juxtaposed with stunning views across the city and the Mediterranean Sea.
