All Entries in the "Europe" Category

Exclusive Interview With Timbers Resorts CEO David Burden

Timbers Resorts, the developer and operator of boutique, private resorts and residence clubs have been impressing guests with breathtaking properties since 1999. The Timbers Resorts have 9 popular luxury destinations across the globe (see destinations).

We recently caught up with CEO of Timbers Resorts, David Burden. In our interview, we asked what the vision of Timbers Resorts was when it launched, as well as what the future vision of the company is. Enjoy!

LUXGetaway: What other destinations are on your radar?
David: We continue to keep our options open for other partially developed or completed opportunities in what we think are enduring established destinations, but that need a re-positioning, capital, etc. Additionally we are working on a site along the Mexican Punta de Mita coast. We are hoping to find a property in New York, Hawaii, another in the Napa/Sonoma area, south of France, London, Paris …

LUX: In 1999 when Timbers Resorts opened the first resort how many resorts were envisioned? 1?10? 20? 100?
David:1

The New Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel

Starwood Hotels & Resorts continues its tradition of world-class international hotels with the opening of the chic, new Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel & Conference Centre. The new hotel is just 30 minutes from the city centre and provides direct access to the Malpensa Airport’s T1 terminal. Stunning views of the Italian Alps add the perfect backdrop for this amazing new property designed by King Roselli Architects and Saporiti Hotel Design.

Tourists to the area will have a choice of more than 400 rooms, 19 suites, and 58 club rooms; all spacious and well appointed, with Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Beds(R) and the latest in modern technology. The hotel also offers a 21,000 ft.2 Club Lounge with extra amenities for members of the Sheraton Club. For your weddings, banquets, and corporate gatherings, the Sheraton Milan Malpensa has you covered with over 21,000 ft.2 of space including meeting rooms and a large open space that can accommodate up to 1,000 people.

London’s Goring Hotel Plays Host to Future Duchess of Cambridge Katie Middleton

the United Kingdom was abuzz in preparation for the royal wedding, the Goring Hotel in London had more than its share of excitement on the eve of the nuptials. Bride-to-be Kate Middleton and her family occupied the 71-room luxury hotel, with Kate being the guest in a five-room suite overlooking the hotel’s garden. The suite had recently undergone renovation and included silk wallpaper, a historical silk wedding gown, and a classic four-post bed.

The hotel, conveniently located right around the corner from Buckingham Palace, made it easy for Britain’s future queen to emerge gracefully and stroll over to her ceremony. Outside the hotel security was tight; armed police officers, some paired with dogs, patrolled the grounds and kept onlookers at a distance. For a city whose police officers normally don’t carry weapons, it was quite a sight.

Yet now that all the excitement of the royal wedding has passed, the Goring Hotel is free to resume business as usual. Begun in 1910, the property has been owned by the Goring family since founder OR Goring purchased the land from the Duke of Westminster. On that land he built what is known as the “last grand hotel of the Edwardian Era.” Its proximity to the palace and rich history make it one of the most important hotels in all of London.

W London Hotel Offers Cutting-Edge Style

W Hotels are a modern design-oriented brand and a major market innovator with 40 hotels and retreats in the most lively locations and spectacular spots around the world. W Hotels offers the best in cutting-edge style centered around design, music and entertainment. W Hotels offers a full-bodied lifestyle encounter which built into the brand’s individual style through modern restaurant concepts, stunning entertainment activities, fashionable retail ideas and signature spas.

W London’s guestrooms feature a progressive layout with surprising details which are distinctive to W and not exhibited in any other London hotel. The studio living idea does not mean that the bedroom and bathroom are two completely distinct spaces, but instead, they are combined areas which stream fluidly, one into the other. Despite this design unity, the normal level of privacy remains. This layout theory carries on into the general public areas in which large floor-to-ceiling windows attract light and frame the beautiful buildings of Soho behind them.

The hotel features 192 guestrooms, which includes 21 suites along with the UK’s very first Spice Market, a restaurant which is inspired by the lively street life of South East Asia. W London is positioned on the corner of Leicester Square and Wardour Street, situated in between social Soho and the popular square as well as finding itself at the heart of London’s entertainment scene. The building, which was created by McAleer & Rushe of Ireland, is 10-stories tall and is covered in clear windows which alter their coloration with respect to the time of day and various other conditions.

Four Seasons London at Park Lane Grand Re-Opening

The opening of the latest Four Seasons Hotel in London will introduce several innovative features and be a delight to both the casual and business traveler to the area. Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane is a full service hotel with 192 rooms and suites, but cleverly retains the personal experience of staying in a personal private dwelling area. It is a completely new building and contains larger guest rooms and more suites than ever before. In addition, the hotel features a dynamic new restaurant concept called Amaranto along with a complete selection of expertly illuminated conference rooms with even more amenities on the way.

Featuring a new approach to fine dining, Amaranto is a series of three walk-through areas united by the simple concept whereby visitors are allowed to pick any location they would like to eat without having a constraint on seating periods or specific food selection. Having its very own entry on Hamilton Place, in addition to immediate entrance hall accessibility, Amaranto provides an ethereal conservatory area and personal garden for outside seating, a bar area with a club feel, including a cutting-edge peek-through wine divider that enables visitors to watch the wine steward in action, along with a beautiful atrium brought to life with a hand-moulded sculpture divider with motifs which have as their inspiration nearby famous Hyde Park.

Conservatories feature exclusive closed terrace areas near an interior living space, which evokes the atmosphere of any trendy city residence. The available one-bedroom and two-bedroom Grand Suites incorporate both a sunroom and large outside patio in addition to a dining spot and a hearth within the living space. Some suites and rooms also boast an outside entry to the walk-in wardrobe, enabling unobtrusive delivery of laundry bags and shopping carriers.

LivingSocial Launches Deal Site for Travel: LivingSocial Escapes

LivingSocial, the famous deal site that offers discounts up to 70% off experiences in major U.S. cities is now getting into the travel business. LivingSocial now has handpicked and memorable travel packages at discount prices.

LivingSocial Escapes will deliver one-of-a-kind day trips, packaged ‘nearcations,’ quick escapes that don’t require air-travel, and weekend excursions they might not typically pursue. Upon launch last week LivingSocial Escapes had 8 different vacation packages available.

LivingSocial in October acquired local adventure company Urban Escapes. This move was the first step towards providing its LivingSocial subscribers a chance to experience travel adventures, produced by a team of on-the-ground experts.

“LivingSocial is not just about deals, it’s about creating experiences and memories at a value. People really cherish their vacations – whether it’s an overnight trip to a local Bed & Breakfast or a tropical beach getaway – traveling is special, and LivingSocial Escapes is the best place to find one-of-a-kind travel packages to places you love, have been dying to try, or ones that will surprise you,” said Tim O’Shaughnessy, CEO and Co-founder of LivingSocial Escapes.

Enjoy London’s Modern Hotel With a Park View at Metropolitan

The Metropolitan London is located in London on the corner of Hyde Park. The modern hotel has 150 rooms, and over 50 of these have views of Hyde Park! The interiors of the rooms have glass walls, antique décor and Asian inspired furniture. Metropolitan can work great for leisure or business trip.

Rooms are outfitted with amenities not always standard in luxury hotels including free Wifi large flat screen TVs with DVD/CD players, iPod docking stations in Suites and Studios, yoga mats, a jogging map for the park, umbrellas, Egyptian cotton sheets, down duvets, and bottled water at turndown.

Summer Vacation Ecstasy: Athens Luxury Resort

In the heart of Athenian Riviera at the Astir Palace complex, the Arion Resort and Spa has had exceptional hospitality and superior service for 40 years. The Athens resort is only 25 kilometers away from an International Airport, and close by exclusive shopping district and elite shopping spot of Glyfada. You’ll have access to many eye-catching sites, like atmospheric landscapes, Cape Sounio, and archaeological temples, beautiful beaches, Vouliagmini and Varkiza. Bungalows of the resort are renovated for a privileged service. The luxury rooms and suites are beautifully decorated, a great mixture of classic and modern.

To ease the stress from your body and mind from a busy life, Arion Spa is available at the resort, just relax and let the worries stay back home. Other activities that will keep you busy and fit include indoor and outdoor pools, sports like tennis lessons, water sports, volleyball, and children’s programs to keep them busy as well.

W Hotels Expands International Presence

W Hotels continues to expand it’s international presence, and according to Starwood’s website there are 18 properties that are planned to be opened within the next 3 years. Take a look if your city if one of the lucky cities that will be a recipient of a W Hotel…

Own a Piece of Florence: Palazzo Tornabuoni Resort

Palazzo Tornabuoni, an independent private residence club is managed by Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts. It is the Florence’s first Private Residence Club. Florence is the capital of Tuscany which is famously known for its history, art, architecture, and cuisine. Visitors come from all over the world to view its beauty.

The history goes back to 15th century when Palazzo Tornabuoni was a home to a future pope, later it was restored and reopened as a residence club that is offered only to its maximum 288 members, who receive a transferable and willable membership in the club