Category: The Suite Life

5 Luxury Hotels Hosting a Spectacular Thanksgiving

Gramercy Park Hotel, New York

If you’re taking a bite out of the Big Apple this Thanksgiving, the Gramercy Park Hotel is hosting a Thanksgiving special to rival the parades and holiday hoopla. This Italian-American Thanksgiving takes place at Maialino restaurant, where you choose from two non-traditional, four-course meals. Option one begins with potato and leek followed by butternut squash and sage and heritage turkey, collard greens and sausage stuffing with cranberry mostarda. Option two starts with turkey soup and egg and then on to braised port and arugula, along with roasted lamb, rosemary potatoes, collard greens and romanesco. If you still have room for dessert, it’s courtesy of Executive Pastry Chef Jess Weiss, who captured the comfort and warmth of Rome and reimagined it for New York City.

Park Hyatt, Washington D.C.

The Tony-Chi designed hotel with a stark dining room is the setting for the Michelin-star dinning experience at Park Hyatt’s famed Blue Duck Tavern. This is your all-American fare in high style at the heart of our nation. Newly appointed Executive Chef Adam Howard created the farm-fresh menu showcasing abundant earthy flavors. Starters include kabocha squash soup with cinnamon, croutons and hard cider, and a roast beet salad with blue cheese mousse. The main course showcases regional produce and features roasted prime rib and spiced halibut. As all good things must come to an end, so the meal concludes with something sweet from pastry chef Colleen Murphy.

Ritz Carlton, Chicago

Booked as a “feast without the fuss,” the new deca RESTAURANT + BAR inside this upscale icon even has childcare covered to help you enjoy an uninterrupted feast. You’ll find all the traditional holiday favorites such as roasted turkey with giblet gravy, candied sweet potatoes with a crispy marshmallow crust alongside a few outliers—namely a sushi bar and antipasti. There will also be plenty of apple, pumpkin and pecan pie as well as praline cheesecake, adorning the base of the hotel’s iconic fountain.

The Majestic Yosemite Hotel, California

Maybe you’d rather surround yourself with nature than stare into the faces of relatives eager to talk politics. Located in the middle of Yosemite National Park, this historic landmark has been the destination of queens and presidents and its rustic and elegant design is meant to highlight the tranquil surroundings. This year’s feast will be in the hotel’s grand dining room and will feature all your favorites such as roasted pumpkin bisque and turkey with maple glazed sweet potatoes.

The Driskill Hotel, Austin

 

Every taste bud is welcome at this hotel with a modern take on tradition. This landmark of legendary Texas hospitality will be serving slow-roasted turkey and ham will all the fixings, but also caprese, confit-garlic crusted prime rib and deviled eggs with caviar. Dine in a room fit for royalty and let their attentive staff pack up your leftovers.

 

With any of these delicious choices, you’ll be in close proximity to a comfy bed and a high thread count to nap off your meal in luxury.

 

 

Sophistication in the Second City

Frank Lloyd Wright once said, “Eventually, I think Chicago will be the most beautiful great city left in the world.” Who could argue? Particularly when you step back in time, while simultaneously stepping forward into the mod new St. Jane hotel.

This Michigan Avenue icon is a self-described “historic landmark with a modern perspective.” The name is a nod to civil rights leader and social worker Jane Addams.

Historically speaking, the art deco skyscraper dates back to 1929, designed by the Burnham Brothers as regional headquarters for the Carbide and Carbon Company. In 1994, the building received landmark status. Today, it stands as beautiful reminder of jazz-era Chicago at its peak, with a polished black-granite exterior and 24-karat gold leaf accents and dark green terra cotta on the tower. Legend has it the Burnham Brothers designed the building to look like a giant champagne bottle with a gold foil top.

This is the second major restoration for the building, which was formerly a Hard Rock Hotel. Chicago’s Booth Hansen was tapped as the lead architect for this restoration, while Simeone Deary Design group handled the new interiors, which includes crystal chandeliers, herringboned stone floors and contemporary art culled from Chicago-area artists.

The 365-room hotel is filed to capacity with eclectic style and one-of-a-kind furnishings. The hotel aims to create exceptional, unscripted moments for every guest.  Whether that’s the spacious ceilings and uncommonly large windows, the lustrous marble bathroom countertops or private bars stocked with locally sources items, there’s a sense of mystery that keeps revealing indulgent clues.

The Tower at St. Jane

The Tower offers a singular guest experience that feels like you’re on top of the world. During your stay, a dedicated concierge caters to every whim. While spectacular birds-eye views of the city keep you company and each room is an artfully curated space of wonder. The Tower rooms are on floors 24-36, and those guests have access to The Nobel, the 24^th floor private rooftop bar with its own unrivaled window on the world. Extra perks to reward you for elevating your stay include a welcome gift, dedicated concierge staff, 24-hour check in and out, two free garment presses and a shoeshine.

At the St. Jane, art deco lives on at the epicenter of a new cultural movement, one that brings people together and blends classic luxury with modern comfort.

 

Embodying opulence at its finest, Hotel Mansour delights on many levels.  A palace fit for a king and it happened to be built by one.  Morocco’s King Mohammed VI had this hotel assembled with no budget.  Since money was not an issue the architecture and design were able to achieve things many hotel owners could only dream of.  The King wanted to highlight the country’s rich history and culture, infusing many of the architectural styles of old.  For three years roughly 1400 workers, artisans really, labored over the big projects and little details.

One of those projects was an underground tunnel system (roughly 1 km long in total) to allow the smooth and unobtrusive movement of nearly 500 staff, providing incredible service with the utmost respect for privacy.

Each of the 53 Riads is three stories and complete with ample living space, a bar, and a rooftop with a private pool and lounges. These magnificently appointed Riads spare no expense or detail either.  Unique in design as well as furnishing, the cedar wood doors, intricate mosaic floors, plush cushions, silks and brocades, adorn rooms that would be beautiful without adornment.  The Prestige Riad is an impressive 9,149 square feet and contains three master bedrooms, a bar, private kitchen and designated butler service.  The sundeck provides stunning views of the Atlas mountains.

Another impressive project was the Grand Riad, the ultimate luxury experience.  The website does not allow access to see the details without being previously granted a password from the hotel.  At 35,000 euros a night this kind of discretion and exclusivity is simply one of many details that ensure a royal experience.  There are four bedrooms, marble bathrooms, a pool on the roof and a larger pool on the ground.  Similar to the prestige Riad there are attendants to take care of every need.

Everything at the Hotel Mansour is done well.  Yannick Alléno, the multi-Michelin starred chef, leads La Grande Table Marocaine for a wondrous culinary experience fusing Morrocan and French cuisine remarkably well.  The spa has won multiple awards, housekeeping delights with artistic amenities such as origami on the paper in the bathroom.  Enjoy the luxuries of Morrocan royalty in Marrakech at this unique awe-inspiring hotel.

 

True Tropical Paradise at Conrad Bora Bora Nui

The Conrad Bora Bora Nui, in French Polynesia, is as idyllic as they get.  Envision a tropical island paradise and then try to imagine an even more beautiful place.  The white sand, volcanic rock and wonderful blue water make up the stunning scenery.  A long infinity pool provides a tranquil setting for soaking up the sun or the drinks at the swim up bar.

Conrad, Hilton’s luxury branch, opened the Conrad Bora Bora Nui last year after a multimillion-dollar renovation of the 114-room resort.  Although there are several lovely options to choose from, try to take advantage of one of the King overwater villas.  Everything faces the water leaving you to wake up wondering if you are still dreaming.  During the day the South Pacific Ocean is only a few steps away, but in addition to being over the water, there is a plunge pool on the deck if you want to get in the water at night and still be in your villa.

For the ultimate in luxury travel, the Conrad has two Presidential Overwater Villas that are two stories tall encompassing an abundant 4,300 square feet.  This over the top experience includes two bedrooms, three bathrooms, a sauna, whirlpool, infinity pool, bar and lounge area, outdoor dining space and your own private butler!

While there are a host of activities that you would expect at a resort, there are many that are specific to the unique location of Bora Bora Nui.  Snorkeling by the reef, stand up paddling, kayaking, and bicycle boats make for lovely adventures.  The Conrad has also curated cultural experiences for you in a convenient way.  Their 1-3-5 program allows you to choose from experiences taking roughly 1,3 or 5 hours.  Learn how to open a coconut, or about the history and creation of Tahitian pearls, or hike to the cave in Mount Otemanu.

Enjoy the local cuisine and culture in a feast full of island flavors in an impressive buffet accompanied by a sensational fire and dance show.  The Polynesian Dinner and Show is a must to delight in the history and culture of the islands through a delicious culinary quest.

The most exclusive luxury experience is the resort’s private islet Motu Tapu.  Yes, an entire islet (small island) can be yours for a romantic picnic or dinner.  It might just be the most memorable, incredible place for a proposal or for a wedding ceremony.

 

InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort

Are you looking for a beautiful and exotic getaway? Then the InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort is perfect for you.

This hotel spans over 300 miles in size with a population of 103,000 and it is perfect for a relaxing and exotic vacation. With more than half of the island covered in evergreen forest and National Parks, the sea homing beautiful marine life and stunning coral reefs, it’s the perfect place to take a swim, or go on an adventure through the trees. At night, when all is calm, watch the sun fade down into the ocean and make a show with its brilliant colors.

This luxury resort that was designed for everyone and anyone, including families, couple, and travelers, has 459 rooms to offer that are decorated with a unique touch and shows homage to village customs and historical views. Adorned with deep set tubs for you to soak in at the end of the night, rain showers, windows that are floor-to-ceiling, and spacious balconies that showcase the beautiful sunset, this resort combines locality with luxury.

With an exclusive beachfront that you can spend your days sunning and swimming in, it’s the perfect way to spend your vacation on the beach. If you’re feeling more adventurous then wanting to relax on the white-sand beach, there are some great options for you.

If you are a big pearl fan, you can go pearl farming. If you want to explore, you can take a tour and gain insight into the island and its history. If you want a day of pampering, head to the HARNN Heritage Spa and treat yourself to their luxury services. If its food and drink you’re looking for, there are four restaurants and two bars for you to try and experience. If you happen to be at this luxury resort for business or you have business to attend to, there are some state-of-the-art meeting facilities for you to conduct your business in.

If excellent dining is on your to-do list on this trip, there are a few different options for you to choose from. Are you looking for a place to sit and have coffee or tea in the morning? Then head to Mercado for a cup of coffee and a pastry. If its comfort food by the beach you’re looking for, head to Sea Shack and enjoy their beachfront view and comforting foods. Are you looking for Italian cuisine? Then Ombra is the perfect restaurant for you. Want authentic Japanese and Vietnamese cuisine? Look for Sora Umi and enjoy their authentic eats. If you’re looking for elegant dining, Lava is the restaurant to try out. Finally, if you are looking for a nightcap and want to watch the sunset from the highest point on the resort, head to INK 360.

There is a lot you can experience on a trip to this luxury Vietnamese resort while you’re there. The resort is fifteen minutes from the local Phu Quoc International Airport and about twenty minutes from downtown, so the accessibility is perfect for your needs.

Luxury Hotel Openings of Summer 2018

In the world of hotels, luxury hotels strive to be different in the way they present themselves to the luxurious side. Here is a list of the luxury hotels opening in the summer of 2018.

Fairmont Hotel Sirru Fen Fushi, Maldives
This new luxry hotel a 120-villa resort on Shaviyani Atoll in North Maldives. The atoll holds a breathtaking lagoon, a ton of marine life, an undersea art piece by Jason deCaires Taylor that is also the first coral rehabilitation project in the Maldives. The entire resort design was inspired by everyday life on the island.

Capella Ubud, Keliki, Indonesia
If you like to camp and be outdoors, this is the newest hotel in Indonesia. Designed by Bill Bensley is nestled in the rainforest, the river, and the paddy areas around Keliki. There are 22 tented retreats with decks, and indoor and outdoor showers that are furnished and curated by the owner Suwito Gunawan.

Montage, Los Cabos, Mexico
This hotel has an emphasis on Mexican contemporary and sophisticated architecture. The Montage matches a sheltered bungalow community. With a theme of water that echoes throughout the 122 rooms and 52 residences, and the design by Bernardi + Peschard, brings in influence from Mexican and pre-hispanic communites with tones of taupe, gold, and beige.

Fauchon, Paris
Richard Martinet designed this luxury hotel donned int macaroon type colors and has unique flooring, and French doors and decks, in collaboration with Atelier Paluel Marmont. Connoisseur bars that are customizable to your liking in each of their rooms, and guests can enjoy a restuarant with 150 seats that serve their siganture afternoon tea.

Viceroy, Los Cabos, Mexico
This beautiful luxury hotel, designed by Miguel Angel Aragones, and it represents a state of water. With a vibe-led resort that incorporated a theatre that screens films and a gym curated by Harley Pasternak, a Los Angeles based celebrity trainer.

The Fontenay, Hamburg, Germany
With doors that opened in March, The Fontenay is poised to recieve guests this summer. With a take on modern classicism, the 130-room is the idea of architect Jam Stormer. The vision of this ‘hotel in the park’ is fluid-like form with porcelain facade boards.

Hotel Revival, Baltimore
With an elegant history as the private palace of Mary Elizabeth Garret Hotel Revival is a new luxury hotel that once served as the city’s first municipal art museum. To make sure it maintained its historical factors, 30 artists’ work has gained a home in this 14-story hotel. With rooms designed by SLDesigned that highlights custom pads decorated with the Chesapeake Bay maps.

Al Bait, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Al Bait is established in a beautiful part of the country invested by seawater and forests, and is a combination of four heritage houses once held by local families. With rooms inspired by ancestral majlis, which is Arabic for ‘place of sitting’, filled with dallahs, which are coffee jugs, carpets, pillows, and lamps, it pays homage to the ancestory of Arabic traditions. Within steps of the luxurious hotels, Souq Al Arsah bazaar, the oldest hotel in the United Arab Emirates.

Lora, Stillwater, Minnesota
Right outside the Twin Cities on the river, this hotel, which opened in June, was once a factory that was built in 1886. The 40-room hotel maintains so much of the characteristics that the factory held. Designed by ESG Architecture & Design, with a feel of a brewery, including caverns, stone walls, and a carriageway changed into spacious, but livable places.

Cadillac Hotel, Miami
This luxury hotel is 70 years old and formerly created by Art Deco architect Roy France in 1940, opened its doors this summer. Bill Rooney did the contemporary design details. Even though the hotel will hold on to the strong elements of its original stylings, you can find the contemporary within the classic looks with crisp white stone on the floors and smoky blue accent pieces.

Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa, Champagne, France
The Relais & Chateaux propery is an original 19th-century post house. The interior is brought to life by Sybille de Margerie. The center of this luxury hotel in partnership with Biologique Recherche, is a wellness center that emphasizes a woodlined yoga studio and a hammam.

Six Senses Duxton

Singapore is now home to Six Senses’ Duxton, the first (and stunning) urban hotel from the luxury resort company previously known for beach properties.  The ornate designs of Anouska Hempel in this complete restoration demonstrate their high-class through a color blend of black, gold and yellow. Carefully appointed Chinese screens and calligrafy add exquisite detail. 

There are too many incredible characteristics to mention but there are a couple that cannot be overlooked.  For a truly unique experience Hempel has designed the hotel so that of the 49 guestrooms no two are exactly the same.  Rooted in the history and culture of the area, Six Senses Duxton will have its own medicinal herbal dispensary and a traditional Chinese medicine doctor is available by appointment for readings and herbal therapies for a holistic healing experience you cannot find in other hotels.   

The location in the Tanjong Pagar district, famously known for opium and gambling in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, is full of genuine experiences, socializing, nightlife and fine dining. Neil Jacobs, CEO of Six Senses says, “It’s all about community and being part of the rich, local culture of Singapore.” You can get the real experience and a taste of Singapore within a few city blocks.  The hotel features it’s own unique ambiance for the in house restaurant Yellow Pot, offering classic fine dining as well as innovative Chinese cuisine.  Follow up with a drink in the lobby bar, highly recommended is the signature house cocktail of hot whiskey, brandy and absinth, topped with yellow chrysanthemum.

Although the ecological trend has begun, many hotels still have not joined it yet.  The Six Senses Duxton gets bonus points for filtering their own water and providing glass water bottles that can be refilled to minimize plastic use and waste.  Bath amenities are also in refillable ceramic containers instead of the traditional small plastic bottles.

If you are looking for a taste of history mixed with a blend of opulence and a dash of herbal healing there is no better place than the Six Senses Duxton.  The kind of experiences and attention to detail found here will leave you wondering why Six Senses did not enter the urban hotel scene earlier.

The Opulent Princess Grace Suite at The Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo

Let’s say, you want give your special love an unforgettable present. Now, you know it can’t be something material, she can already pretty much buy anything she really wants. No, forget the jewels…. she wants your attention. She wants your time. Take her to one of the most romantic places on Planet Earth:  Monaco. Your power and your love is strengthened by every moment spent together, and in the beautiful life experiences you can provide for her. And if you and your lady only go for the BEST OF THE BEST, the The Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo’s Princess Grace Suite is the answer to, basically everything.

First, you’re in Monaco. You’re already way ahead of the game. Monaco is a teeny-tiny independent city-state on France’s Mediterranean coastline. Monaco is known for the prestigious Grand Prix motor race, upscale casinos, and a harbor packed with yachts squished tighter than a most mosh-pits. Take your tux, finest clothes, evening gowns, and don’t leave your McLaren 570GT at home in the garage. At least bring the Tesla.