Author Archive for Carmen
Experience Tropical Paradise Off the Coast of Tanzania at Essque Zalu Zanzibar
Off the coast of Tanzania, in the beautiful Indian Ocean, lies the tropical island paradise of Zanzibar. Sitting gracefully at the north end of Zanzibar is the beautiful Essque Zalu Zanzibar, a world-class resort offering a luxury experience of a lifetime. Guests will enjoy an atmosphere of natural wonders, African mystery, and deep rooted legends. Explore the streets of Swahili, learn about the local people and their culture, and let your senses run while among the areas of many spice plantations.
The Essque Zalu Zanzibar is located in the extreme northern region of Nungwi, in an area known for its exquisite diving opportunities. Guests have access to the region through Stone Town on Zanzibar’s east coast. You may choose between a 20 minute flight from Dar es Salaam to the airport at Stone Town, or a ferry which makes the same trip in about 50 minutes. From Stone Town you’re a mere 50-minute car ride from the resort.
The resort offers 40 suites and 9 villas all designed to captivate you in a world of unparalleled luxury. The suites all include gorgeous views of either the turquoise-blue waters of the Indian Ocean or the resort’s lush, tropical gardens. You’ll find the ambience to be very tasteful with a combination of local materials, indigenous artwork, and traditional Makuti roofing. The resort’s villas are a bit larger than the suites and come in three-bedroom or four-bedroom options. The villas all boast a private pool, kitchen, and private terrace or balcony. Villa guests are also free to enjoy in-room massages and dining options.
Eccleston Square Hotel Opens, Brings High Tech Amenities
In July 2011 the contemporary London hotel scene introduced a new type of property unlike anything the industry has seen to date. It is the high-tech lover’s dream, described by the hotel’s owners as “an ultra high-tech urban cocoon.” The new Eccleston Square Hotel was designed by Woods Bagot to facilitate director Olivia Byrne’s vision of uncompromising luxury and technology. Ms. Byrne is a graduate of the highly regarded Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne.
Central to the Eccleston Square Hotel model is the state-of-the-art technology found in each of the property’s 39 rooms. Guests will enjoy the most advanced technology including 46-inch, 3-D flat screen TVs, HD movie channels, 3-D channels, 3-D Blu-Ray players, and the fastest Wi-Fi connections possible. VOIP technology even allows guests to make unlimited free phone calls anywhere in the world.
The technology continues into the little details like controlling the room’s environment. Want to adjust the lighting? How about closing the curtains and turning on a peaceful and soothing soundtrack? It’s all possible with a simple touch of a button, thanks to the hotel’s electronic control system. The iPad2 is also standard in every room, giving guests access to absolutely everything they could want or need, from the privacy of their own rooms. You’ll be able to use the iPad 2 to request room service, book some time at the luxury spa, order shopping guides, or contact the front desk.
Mandarin Oriental Paris Grand Opening
The City of Lights welcomed a brand-new luxury hotel from Mandarin Oriental with a ribbon ceremony late last month. The new Mandarin Oriental Paris is just the latest in a series of wonderful properties the brand is known for. The hotel is situated on the world-famous Rue Saint Honoré and features 138 guest rooms with world-class service and luxury. With Paris being one of the world’s favorite tourist destinations, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has been anxious to have a presence in the city. Now that they’ve arrived, they face stiff competition from other luxury hoteliers in the city.
The location of the new Mandarin Oriental puts it right at the heart of the city’s most sought after retail and entertainment districts. From this region guests have access to the Paris business center and all the major tourist sites the city has to offer. The hotel fits perfectly in its chosen neighborhood with an Art Deco façade, contemporary interior design, and a chic and up-and-coming ambience. The hotel’s redesign was led by legendary architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte.
Luxury, class, and elegance are the defining characteristics of the hotel’s guest rooms. The rooms are among the largest in the city and feature plenty of light and open space. The design theme is an unexpected mixture of oriental influences and sophisticated Paris touches that will stir your imagination. Upon entering your room you will be greeted with an environment of tranquillity, peace, and total relaxation.
Starwood’s Le Méridien Launch New Lobby Design
Starwood Hotels and Resorts continue their ongoing project to redesign their hotel lobbies; this time with an announcement that its Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts has introduced the new Le Méridien Hub. The new design is intended to spark interaction between hotel guests centred on the topics of art and culture.
According to Starwood, the new hotel lobby at Le Méridien Barcelona redefines the social experience from the moment guests arrive. A combination of select artwork, casual furniture, and the aroma of the coffee bar are all intended to set the mood for conversation, debate, and other forms of social interaction.
The Hub’s design is the brainchild of a group of artistic and cultural innovators, hand-picked by Le Méridien Cultural Curator Jerome Sans, and named LM100. Together this group of brought to fruition their combined expertise in a variety of artistic areas to create a new lobby experience divided into three zones: the Arrival Experience, the Interaction Zone, and the Latitude Bar. All three are designed specifically to encourage a certain thinking and attitude in the minds of guests.
Welcome to the New Tiffany’s Suite at St. Regis New York
Two of New York’s most famous luxury landmarks have joined together to open a brand-new opportunity of luxury. Manhattan’s historic 5th Ave. is home to the St. Regis hotel and Tiffany & Co., and now the new Tiffany Suite at St. Regis as well. With both companies being classic New York institutions in their own right, there’s no other place on earth to combine both into a one-of-a-kind suite experience.
The hotel itself was built in 1904 as one of New York’s finest of the day. That reputation continues to live on not only in the St. Regis reputation for elegance and customer service, but also in the graceful and grandiose architecture. Beautiful carved crown moldings, elegant chandeliers, and a liberal, but tasteful, use of marble lets guests know they’ve entered a special place. Combined with the Tiffany & Co. reputation for providing the world’s finest jewelry and accessories to the most discriminating buyers, the historic hotel building provides the perfect atmosphere.
The New Four Seasons Hotel Marrakech
Morocco’s former Imperial city of Marrakech is home to the newest and most luxurious Four Seasons Hotel, nestled near the foothills of the glorious Atlas Mountains. The hotel, which may prove to be a destination all on its own, sits on 40 acres of beautiful Moroccan land with architecture that is a unique combination of modern style and traditional Moorish influences. It will captivate your attention as soon as you arrive.
The resort features 141 rooms and suites perfectly appointed to make your stay the best it can be. Each guest room offers a private balcony or terrace with a breathtaking view of the mountains, the Menara Gardens, or the resort. And just to make sure your views are not obstructed anywhere on the property, all the buildings have been designed with a low profile.
Welcome to the New Banyan Tree Macau Resort
Macau’s first 5-star urban resort has just opened, much to the delight of the property’s namesake, Banyan Tree. The new Banyan Tree Macau is the Singapore-based company’s first offering in Macau, considered by many to be one of the top tourist destinations in Asia. The resort has been designed specifically to offer guests a truly unique and enjoyable experience in traditional Asian relaxation.
A brand-new Banyan Tree Spa will open at the resort later this summer as part of Banyan Tree’s USD $1.9 billion Macau investment. The spa features 21 luxurious treatment rooms staffed by therapists who have graduated from the renowned Banyan Tree Spa Academy. Treatments centre on ancient Oriental techniques that concentrate on touch over technology.
The spa is open daily from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM and offers a full range of treatments exclusive to Banyan Tree. For example, the Harmonising Banyan Gui Shi combines natural substances like sesame oil, lotus, and rice with expert massage and heated stones to detoxify, balance qi, and condition the skin. Other Banyan treatments include the Royal Banyan Herbal Pouch Massage, the Tropical Rainmist, and an ancient Chinese foot massage.
Announcing the Mr. C Beverly Hills Grand Opening
Los Angeles California is the first city to welcome a brand-new signature hotel line with the grand opening of the new Mr. C Beverly Hills on June 1. The new hotel chain is being developed by internationally known restaurateurs Ignazio and Maggio Cipriani. The Cipriani’s carry-on a family tradition of luxury clubs, banquet houses, restaurants, and living spaces going back four generations.
The Mr. C. Beverly Hills offers 138 rooms, including 12 signature suites and classic suites. Rooms range in size from 365 sq. ft. to 800 sq. ft. and all include a private balcony. A tasteful mix of old world Italian charm and modern classic includes color schemes of Burgundy and gray with white accents, vintage artwork, well furnished bathrooms with teak flooring, and elegant bedrooms featuring rich, dark hardwoods. For those planning a longer stay, the property offers five residential bungalows with 3000 sq. ft. of living space on multiple levels. Each bungalow provides a private plunge pool, private garden, and its own gourmet kitchen.
Groupon and Expedia Partner for Travel Deals
Over the last 10 years online travel sites offering discounted deals have seen great success. And about three years ago, the new Groupon concept of group coupon shopping deals also hit the Internet, also to explosive success. Now the two industries have come together in a recently announced joint venture between Groupon and Expedia. The two companies are partnering to launch a brand-new website geared at connecting travellers with deeply discounted deals all across the globe.
The new website will be offered in the U.S. and Canada to start, then later in other countries. Right away users will have access to deals from more than 135,000 hotels and resorts already working with Expedia. The service will work similar to Groupon in a model that presents users with new deals at regular intervals. Users can claim those deals, within a limited time frame, in order to receive a voucher to be used sometime in the future. Dates for booking the actual travel are flexible.
It remains to be seen exactly what the final product will look like, but Groupon and Expedia both expect the site to be very successful. With millions of regular users already between them, the two companies are holding out hope that their partnership is one that will set the course for the future of discounted travel online.
Frommer’s Top Airport Lounges for 2011
Airport travel lounges are a godsend to frequent fliers who need a peaceful and relaxing environment while they wait for flights. So much so that even as employers are cutting expenses by eliminating club membership perks, many individuals are paying for it out of pocket. If you find yourself in this position, you might be interested to know Frommer’s Travel Guides’ top airport lounges for 2011.
The Wing, from Cathay Pacific Airways’ Hong Kong terminal earned the number one slot with a 1st-class lounge that offers individual privacy rooms complete with shower, toilet, and deck chair, as well as a 32-seat restaurant and library. The Upper Class Clubhouse from Virgin Atlantic at Heathrow took second place, with a roof-top garden, observation deck, TV room, and billiards.
The remaining three of the top five also went to lounges in cities outside the U.S., including Kuala Lumpur, Munich, and Tokyo. In the States, New York and Houston are tops. Lounges at several of their airports offer everything from massages to free food and drink. Most offer free wireless Internet access, real desks to work at, and plenty of peace and quiet.
