Author Archive for Carmen

Ritz Carlton Announces New Mobile Apps

The Ritz-Carlton hotel chain has always strived to create the most comfortable and pleasurable experience for guests, so it’s no surprise they have introduced their new mobile app for IPhone and Android devices. The app goes well beyond the basic functions of finding and reserving hotel rooms. It fully integrates with the entire Ritz-Carlton experience to truly enhance your stay.

The app connects you with the Ritz-Carlton World Concierge service, provides push notifications to keep you informed of what’s going on at the hotel, and allows you to easily find out about happenings in the local area. The app also provides you with virtual tours of as many as 20 of the best Ritz-Carlton hotels and Presidential Tips from company president Herve Humler to help you get the most out of your stay. If you’re a regular Ritz-Carlton guest their new app is a must have.

Download the app here.

Virgin Atlantic’s New Clubhouse at JFK Airport

You’ve chosen to fly Virgin Atlantic — a great choice if you’re looking to fly in style — and Virgin wants to reward you with their new lounge at JFK Airport in New York. The lounge combines everything you love about flying Virgin Atlantic with everything you love about New York City.

From the moment you walk in you’ll be dazzled by the ambience and stylish design featuring modern, open spaces, beautiful colours and textures, and just the right lighting to set the mood.

Located beyond airport security, the Virgin Atlantic lounge provides you with the privacy and intimacy you desire. Enjoy a drink at the chic Uptown cocktail bar or relax on our oversized red ball sofa. If there’s still work to be done, the lounge features an Internet bar with a staff ready to assist you in any way they can.

St. Regis Hotels & Resorts Continues Global Growth with Debut of St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort & Residences

Miami Beach is a vibrant destination full of energy and excitement that attracts international travellers from all over the world. Now those travellers have a new destination in the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort & Residences. Starwood Hotels & Resorts announced the grand opening of the world-class resort on January 20, making note of the fact that its opening marks a tripling of the global St. Regis portfolio over the last five years.

At the heart of the resort is a culture of art, design, and world-class fashion. Throughout the property guests will be treated to splendid art works from Santiago Rubino, Candida Hofer, and Sawada Hirotoshi. Rubino, a Miami Beach native, was commissioned to create a mural, which stands as the centrepiece of the hotel’s bar and lounge. The hotel’s interior design, which is largely the work of world-class design firm Yabu Pushelberg, makes use of Movinque wood from West Africa, Chinese God Flower Stone, and plenty of granite from Starwood’s private quarry.

The property offers 245 private residences as well as a resort boasting 243 luxurious guest rooms and suites. Both the residences and guest rooms come with breathtaking ocean views, spacious balconies, and the signature St. Regis Butler service. The property consists of three 27-story towers, with floor to ceiling glass, overlooking the ocean and the sprawling white sand beaches of Miami.

Quebec City’s Luxury Ice Hotel

In January a handful of hotel guests outside of Québec City, Canada did the unthinkable: they climbed into sleeping bags for a long night’s sleep atop giant blocks of ice. It’s a ritual performed every year from January through March at the Hôtel de Glace of Québec.

The hotel is made up entirely of ice and compacted snow; construction typically begins in late November as long as the weather in the Northern Québec cooperates. The 2012 version boasts some brand-new features never before seen as well as what hotel officials describe as “amazing discoveries and lots of fun,” combining the art, culture, and history of the First Nations that once inhabited the area.

Hyatt Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi – Now Open

When your eyes first lay hold on the Hyatt Capital Gate in Abu Dhabi, your mind has a difficult time comprehending what you see. For ascending out of the ground is an architectural structure unlike anything you’ve ever seen. As so much of new the Abu Dhabi construction is designed to be, the Hyatt Capital Gate is as much a work of art as it is a luxury business hotel. It is a modern structure in every sense of the word with a stunning 18° lean that seems to defy gravity.

The hotel’s interior is equally stunning with modern décor, stylish elegant design, and the magnificent architecture. The hotel features 189 guest rooms and suites that could be considered nothing less than five-star. Guest accommodations occupy the 18th through 33rd floors, while the areas below accommodate the hotel’s restaurants, bars, meeting rooms, and ballrooms. Guest rooms and suites all come with 24-hour room service, high-speed Internet access, dedicated work area, comfortable seating and bedding, and floor-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views. 

W Hotels Paris – Sneak Peek

February 14, 2012 will mark the start of a new era in Paris, France. That’s because W Hotels makes its debut on that day with a new property set directly across the street from the historic Opéra Garnier theatre and opera house. The new Starwood hotel aims to create a fusion of the quintessential Parisian neighborhood with the dynamic atmosphere of New York City’s cultural district.

W Paris – Opéra is being designed in a partnership between Rockwell Group Europe and W Global Brand Design. It will take full advantage of the historic nature of the building to create an atmosphere of sophistication, which plays off of the designation of Paris as the City of Lights. At the centre of the design is a spectacular backlit wall that undulates throughout the core of the building with displays of The Spark; digital patterns creating abstract images that continuously change.

137 Pillars House – Old Building, Modern Luxury in Thailand

Northern Thailand’s historic city of Chiang Mai is home to 137 Pillars House, a unique experience combining modern luxury and elegance in a historic Thai building. This 30 room hotel sits effortlessly on a glorious piece of land along the Mae Ping River, and was formerly used by the Thai government to host visiting guests.

137 Pillars House offers four levels of accommodations, starting with their 20 Rajah Brooke Suites. These suites offer 70 square meters including a suite bathroom, walk-in closet, and tiled veranda overlooking lush tropical gardens. The hotel’s top-tier accommodations are their two Louis Leonowens Pool Suites. At 135 square meters, these one or two bedroom suites feature their own private pools and indoor/outdoor showers. All of the rooms feature four poster king or super king beds with Sealy Posturepedic mattresses and 400-ct. bed linens. Guests will also enjoy personal butlers, concierge service, high-speed Internet, a welcome basket of fruits and local delicacies, and so much more.

Armani Hotel Milano is Now Open

The Armani Group has announced the opening of its second hotel – this one in the fashion-rich city of Milan. It follows closely on the heels of the brand-new hotel chain’s first property, the Armani Hotel Dubai. While Dubai property focused on luxury in a modern, art deco world, the Milan property is a step back in a unique package which combines luxury, old world Italian elegance, and Giorgio Armani’s personal sense of sophistication. It is a hotel designed not only for international travelers on holiday, but also the world’s top business representatives coming to the city. Armani Hotels are operated in partnership with Emaar Properties PJSC

The lovely 95-room property sits atop the historic Manzoni 31 building where Armani’s signature first store is also located. The hotel features three room options including Armani Deluxe, Armani Signature, and Armani Presidential suites. The presidential suites are by far the most sought after ranging up to 2,162 square feet, spread across two floors and joined by an impressive staircase. Among the modern and sophistication design elements are a one-way glass shower enclosure, cupboards that recede and disappear into the walls, and a unique front vestibule separating the bedroom area. Guests are sure to appreciate the sophisticated neutral colors, elegant furnishings, and the abundance of Asian limestone in the bathrooms.

Aulani Disney Resort – The Luxury Hawaiian Getaway

Always known for its first-class accommodations and entertainment venues, Disney opened its latest resort hotel on the island of Oahu, Hawaii to much fanfare and customer anticipation. The first guests arrived the last week of August to enjoy a combination of Disney quality and the gorgeous island atmosphere of Hawaii; an atmosphere that provides an unforgettable holiday getaway for people of all ages.

The Aulani Disney Resort sits on 21 gorgeous acres of waterfront space just 30 minutes from Waikiki. Guests can spend their days soaking up the sun, relaxing in a Disney spa, touring the island with official Disney excursions, and having fun in the resort’s swimming pools. Yet the hotel’s most unique feature is its storytelling theme, which plays off the ancient Hawaiian tradition of carrying on indigenous history through storytelling. And as an added bonus, just like Disney has scattered “hidden Mickey’s” all over its resorts in Orlando, they’ve also hidden an unknown number of Menehune statues for guests to try and find.

The St. Regis Brings it’s Style of Luxury to Florence

The beautiful city of Florence recaptures a bit of former glory in the Starwood Hotels & Resorts restoration of one of its most historic and grand buildings. Starwood has just completed a 10-month renovation of the former Grand Hotel Florence, which they previously operated under their The Luxury Collection brand. With the renovation complete the new property is now known as the St. Regis Florence.

The St. Regis Florence occupies what was once the first luxury hotel in the city designed in 1432 by architect Filippo Brunelleschi. Starwood has returned the building to its former glory careful to preserve both the heritage and historical significance of the structure. The renovation is part of a $100 million effort by Starwood to renovate their most desirable properties across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

The St. Regis Florence is a truly Italian hotel featuring 81 rooms, 19 suites, and a special designer suite from Bottega Veneta. All guest rooms feature luxury appointments, custom furniture, gloriously beautiful paintings, frescoes, and chandeliers, and unique names of noted Italian artists and nobility. Furthermore, each room is decorated with sophistication and elegance, in one of three color themes: Florentine, Medici, and Renaissance. As for the property’s public spaces, guests will appreciate fine antiques and handmade engravings scattered throughout the hotel.