LUXGetaway » Starwood

LUXGetaway Announces Top 10 Hottest Luxury Travel Brands for 2012

Michael — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 07:29:51 +0000

Our panel of travel experts has chosen the top luxury travel brands of 2012 within each respective category. We call this list the LUXList. And our winners are…

The 2012 LUXList

1. Domestic Airline: Virgin America
Virgin America’s inflight experience continues to be unparalleled by the competition.

2. International Airline: United Airlines
The merger with Continental Airlines is complete, and now provides one of the most complete global route networks in the world.

3. Hotel Company: Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Starwood has had strong growth in new and existing markets within 2011, and continues in 2012 with its luxury brands including St. Regis, W Hotels, Le Méridien, Westin, and the properties within The Luxury Collection.

4. Rental Car Company: Hertz
In a industry with lots of choice, and highly drive by price Hertz themselves with it’s customer service and Hertz #1 Club rewards program.

5. Luxury Travel Reward Card: Platinum Card® from American Express
Lots of travel reward cards promise exclusive access, but the Platinum Card® from American Express delivers allowing you to bypass arrival lines at most U.S. airports when returning from intentional travel, and free access for 3 at airport lounges around the world.

6. Fractional Ownership Network: Timbers Resorts
Timbers Resorts now has 12 properties in their collection luxury boutique resorts. Each one uniquely positioned and engrained within the culture and community of its destination.

7. Vacation Club: Exclusive Resorts
The 10-year-old vacation club has reinvented how luxury travelers view vacation home ownership. Members have access to properties in 40 of the most desired luxury destinations throughout the world.

8. Luggage: Tumi
Tumi continues to design the world’s most attractive and practical luggage for frequent travelers.

9. Travel Accessories: Bose
Bose’s recent additions of their SoundLink wireless mobile speaker & OE2 headphones make Bose an even better companion while traveling.

10. Rookie of the Year: Inspirato
Inspirato, the new travel club already has an impressive 40 destinations within its portfolio. In their first year they have become the fastest growing club in the world.

St. Regis Announces Partnership with Bentley Motors

Michael — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 05:32:11 +0000

St. Regis, one of the premier names in the Starwood Hotels & Resorts family has announced a new partnership with luxury auto maker Bentley Motors. The partnership will also include hotel properties that are part of Starwood’s The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts division.

According to the announcement the hotels will be using Bentley vehicles both for house fleets and special driving programs aimed at residents and hotel guests. Bentley represents the ultimate in luxury vehicles combining unparalleled style and quality, making their cars the perfect match for the unrivalled luxury found at St. Regis and The Luxury Collection.

Last fall the St. Regis Rome and St. Regis Florence hosted a joint Italian driving tour aimed at current Bentley owners and hotel guests. This month Austrian guests will enjoy the Springtime Bentley Grand Tour as they drive from Vienna to Salzburg in classic vehicles like the signature Bentley Continental Flying Spur. The Flying Spur features a hand-crafted leather interior, plenty of natural wood, and the latest technology including Sirius satellite radio, iPod interface, adaptive cruise control, and zoned climate control. Most importantly however, all Bentley vehicles are known for their exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail.

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

Carmen — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 02:40:54 +0000

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.

As for the residences, buyers can choose from a variety of one to five bedroom floor plans starting at 1700 square feet. The most spacious of the residences comes in an astounding 6800 square feet. Units feature spacious outdoor living areas, state-of-the-art technology, private balconies, and access to all of the amenities enjoyed by resort guests. Those world-class amenities include the Remède Spa & Fitness Center.

At the spa you’ll be spoiled with 12 treatment rooms featuring the latest in well-being treatments as well as a fitness centre with an ocean view, separate lounges for men and women, steam rooms, sauna, and a full-service salon. The entire spa experience is designed to provide you with the ultimate in relaxation, tranquillity, and revitalization. Guests can customize their spa experience to indulge in whatever way they see fit.

According to St. Regis officials, the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort & Residences aims to be a destination in of itself. It’s located on the northern tip of Miami Beach, well within walking distance of the city centre and the South Beach area. For discriminating travellers looking for a new home in South Florida, St. Regis Bal Harbour is the place to be.

Rates start at over $700 per night at the hotel. The residences range from $1.7M- $11M

St. Regis Bal Harbour
http://www.stregisbalharbour.com/
9703 Collins Avenue
Bal Harbour – Miami Beach, Florida 33154
305-993-3300

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New Program Changes to Starwood Preferred Guest Program

Michael — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:52:20 +0000

Starwood Hotels & Resorts, one of the best-known names in 5-star hotels and travel, is about to turn the luxury travel world on its head. Looking to cater to a small but distinct group of travellers responsible for driving nearly one-third of the company’s profits, Starwood has developed an exclusive loyalty program they call Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG). The program offers unique benefits to what Starwood refers to as “mega travellers”; a group of sophisticated and prolific travellers who long ago were disillusioned by standard perks and points reward programs.

In order to reward this loyal group with an equally loyal resorts program, the hotel chain embarked on three-year pilot project designed to quietly discover what the world’s elite travellers desired in a loyalty program. The result is nothing less than impressive, beginning with the industry’s first 24-hour check-in option. With Your24 check-in, members can choose their own custom check-in and check-out times to meet their schedules. For example, guests who check in at 8 PM don’t need to check out until 8 PM on the departure date. Gone are the industry standard 11 AM check-outs and 3 PM check-ins.

Another unique feature is the hotel’s Personal Ambassador service which assigns an individual ambassador to work with each guest to personalize and customize his or her experience. It is the role of the ambassador to make sure each guest is provided with everything he or she needs for a perfect stay.

Other loyalty rewards are also offered and can be earned through additional stays at Starwood properties. The programs are designed to increase reward options and make them more personal in direct proportion to how often guests stay with Starwood. The most loyal of guests will receive a lifetime Gold or Platinum membership in SPG; memberships that include complementary stays, room upgrades, and Starpoints which can be used toward a long list of products and services.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts raises the bar again with SPG. It’s just what we’ve come to expect from one of the world’s finest hoteliers.

To review all the changes that will take place starting March 1, 2012 visit SPG.com. To see a chart of benefits for Preferred, Gold & Platinum members click here.

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W Hotels Paris – Sneak Peek

Carmen — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:38:02 +0000

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.

As for the hotel rooms themselves, the five-story property will feature a total of 91 guest rooms. Among them will be W Paris – Opéra’s 20 luxury suites and two others is being billed as “Extreme WOW Suites.” All of the hotel’s rooms include three and a half meter ceilings, a spacious and sophisticated design, and unforgettable views of the local neighborhood and the Opéra Garnier. Adding to ambience will be some of the historical elements of the building, which will remain intact throughout the hotel’s public spaces. Guests will enjoy gorgeous stained glass windows, exquisite fireplaces, marble staircases, and second-floor mosaic flooring.

The Parisian reputation as one of the most exciting places to be for fashion was part of the inspiration for choosing the site of W Paris – Opéra. W Hotels hopes their first venture into Paris will provide an exciting experience full of energy and vibrancy guests will not soon forget. To that end, everything about the hotel is meant to capture the attention of guests and stimulate them to experience all that is Paris.

http://www.whotels.com/parisopera

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

Carmen — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:20:06 +0000

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.

For the ultimate in relaxation Starwood has included Europe’s first IridiumSM Spa with three luxury treatment suites featuring Florentine marble, beautiful custom mosaics, walls incorporating gold and silver, and Jacuzzi tubs.

The St. Regis Florence is located in the heart of the city and includes what may very well be one of the most acclaimed restaurants and lounges. Etichetta Pinchiorri combines a sophisticated cuisine with a very impressive wine list, all in the space reminiscent of early 19th century Italy.

Nightly rates start at just over $300 depending on the season.

The St. Regis Florence
Piazza Ognissanti 1
Firenze, 50123, Italy
Phone: (39)(055) 27161

Bora Bora: Visiting Paradise at The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort

Michael — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 08:40:41 +0000

The St. Regis brand is well known around the world for their exquisite service. The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, a Starwood category 7 hotel, is no exception. Set in the tropical paradise that is French Polynesia, it all begins with your arrival.

Upon arriving at the small, open-air Bora Bora Airport you will be met by a courteous and attentive greeter from St. Regis who will welcome you with a smile and conduct you to your boat transfer. From there you’ll enjoy a mesmerizing boat ride across crystal blue waters to The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort. Along the way you will be awestruck by the scenery surrounding you; it’s the only place in the world that looks better in person than on a postcard.

Overview and Amenities

As you arrive to the resort, you’ll notice is the majestic view of Mount Otemanu rising into the sky. The St. Regis Bora Bora is an equally majestic resort, situated on 44 acres of lush greenery, a white sand beach, and peaceful lagoon. It is adorned with exotic woods, native fabrics, and regional artwork, which makes for an atmosphere of beauty, elegance, and relaxation. As you step off the boat the St Regis staff is awaiting your arrival with a refreshing glass of tropical juice. Check-in is in the form of a private tour of the entire property via a golf cart driven by your personal ‘butler.’ Once the tour is complete, your butler proceeds directly to your private villa or suite to explain all of the features within your accommodation.

The St. Regis Bora Bora offers 100 villas and suites, built over water or on the beach. Every villa and suite has its own majestic view. Some of the units include luxury amenities such as outdoor whirlpools and private swimming pools. For the ultimate in luxurious living, you might want to book a stay at the resort’s ‘Royal Estate.’

The Royal Estate includes two individual living rooms, a dining room with a terrace, a chef’s kitchen, three bedrooms, a private hamam and whirlpool, and a private spa and treatment room. Outdoors there are three pavilions surrounding a gorgeous swimming pool and a private white sand beach where you can relax completely undisturbed. The entire suite is approximately 13,000 square feet of sumptuous, indulgent space.

If you aren’t staying in the Royal Estate, with access to a private treatment room, your stay will be further enhanced by the resort’s Spa Miri Miri, situated on its own private island. At the spa you’ll be treated to traditional Pacific Rim and Tahitian treatments that will leave you relaxed and refreshed. In addition, its state-of-the-art gym facilities boast all of the latest in fitness technology and equipment. The resort also has a full size tennis court, complete with complimentary rackets and balls.

While you’re relaxing in the spa your children will be well taken care of in the St. Regis Kids Club. Here they will enjoy a wide range of activities geared specifically to their age and interests. You’ll be comfortable in knowing they are in the care of trained professionals who will keep them happy, healthy, and entertained.

The main pool is near the beach and has an attached bar, allowing guests to order drinks and snacks while sitting on underwater stools. If you’re looking for a more private experience, the resort also offers a more secluded pool area that is geared toward adults. It has private cabana areas and full poolside butler service.

Dining Options

The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort offers a daily breakfast buffet. One of the highlights of the buffet is the many fresh squeezed juices, including orange, banana, guava, and pineapple, to name a few. The breakfast offerings are extensive, and what isn’t readily available can be made to order.

For your dining pleasure later in the day, the St. Regis Bora Bora offers three different restaurant options. The Sushi Take Restaurant is Bora Bora’s only Japanese sushi and sake restaurant featuring an onsite sushi chef. If you prefer local cuisine, the Te Pahu restaurant is a Mediterranean style experience, featuring all-day dining with an open kitchen and beachside tables. International cuisine and French Polynesia’s finest gastronomic experience is found at the hallmark Lagoon Restaurant, by the famous Jean-Georges.

Services & Amenities

According to the St. Regis philosophy, a luxury resort is more than just wonderful accommodations. St. Regis takes service to the next level by offering guests much more than they experience elsewhere, starting with personalized butler service. The butler service may be called on demand for various needs, including complimentary golf cart pick-up as a mode of transportation to other areas within the property. Twice daily maid service, in-room dining, the kids club, babysitting service upon request, dry-cleaning and laundry, an art gallery, and several premier boutiques, including a Robert Wan Black Pearl Boutique, are all part of the standard services and amenities available. Every night during the turn-down service you can expect a new tin box of delicious, locally made cookies to be left on your bed.

The property is so large that in addition to the golf cart transportation service, there are also numerous bikes available to ride on the property. Speaking of transportation, if you want to visit the main island of Bora Bora, The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort offers two complimentary round-trip boat rides per day. In addition, if you make dinner reservations on the main island there is also a complimentary boat that will take you to the drop-off area for the restaurant shuttles; the boat brings you back to the resort from the main island at a scheduled time as well.

If you require access to the internet, the resort has three complimentary PC’s within the library. If you want the ability to use the internet in the comfort of your own villa or suite, an in-room connection is available, but there is a daily rate.

Many of the staff members at The St. Regis Bora Bora learn the guests’ names, habits, and preferences, making for a personalized experience for every guest. The concierge staff we worked with started planning adventures for us prior to our arrival, which allowed our special time at the resort to be focused on enjoying the activities instead of planning them.

Nightly rates at The St. Regis Bora Bora start at about $1,000/night and range up to $17,000/night for the Royal Estate.

The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort
Motu Ome’e BP 506
Bora Bora, 98730

Discover the whole trip to Bora Bora here: http://luxgetaway.com/tag/lux-destination-bora-bora/

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St. Regis New York – The Dior Suite

Carmen — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 20:47:38 +0000

The St. Regis New York hotel is proud to announce the availability of their new Dior Suite in collaboration with the famed Parisian fashion house. This is the hotel chain’s a second joint effort with Dior, this time in a 1700-square feet space of decadent luxury. And just like the Tiffany Suite, the Dior was designed to the highest standards the St. Regis brand is known for.

The Dior is normally a one bedroom suite with views of 5th Avenue, Central Park, and 55th St. However; it can easily be converted to a two-bedroom suite. It’s been painted almost entirely in the St. Regis signature colour known as “whispering gray”, with the finest luxury appointments included.

Guests will enjoy a full living room, dining room, one bedroom, and one-and-a-half baths. Conversion to a two-bedroom suite is accomplished by opening an adjoining room with an additional bedroom, living room, and bath. At just $8500 per night this suite may become a destination unto itself.

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Starwood’s Le Méridien Launch New Lobby Design

Carmen — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 07:13:08 +0000

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.

The Arrival Experience
Since the first few minutes a guest spends in the hotel lobby shapes his opinions about the property, LM100 members wanted to present a visual experience that will immediately captivate the mind. They accomplish this through a combination of attention-getting artwork, visual projections, and inviting sounds. Better yet, guests don’t need to wait until they walk through the doors to begin experiencing the Hub; it begins the moment they step out of the car.

The Interaction Zone
The interaction zone uses a variety of seating styles and groupings in order to facilitate both small and large scale conversations. In addition to the creative use of seating, the Interaction Zone also features a cultural library with resources about the city where the hotel is located and special event’s the hotel will create in order to further encourage guest interaction.

The Latitude Bar
Nothing says “welcome” like the smell of fresh espresso. The Latitude Bar features not only an espresso machine, but also the finest signature coffees being prepared by a world-class barista. The coffee house experience is enhanced with local culinary options during the day, and transformed into a wine bar during the evening hours.

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Welcome to the New Tiffany’s Suite at St. Regis New York

Carmen — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 07:55:23 +0000

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 Tiffany Suite will delight guests with 1,700 square ft. of serene, neutral colors, Tiffany blue accents throughout, and a certain air of sophistication that only Tiffany and the St. Regis can provide. From the exquisite handmade wall covering to a silver-leafed accent table to the jewel-shaped wall mirror, you’ll be amazed at both the beauty and texture of the space. A mix of classic, deco, and modern furnishings complement the suite and its decor perfectly.

In the bedroom, you’ll experience a warm, yet playful sophistication with a Tiffany blue striped headboard and an elegant floral love seat. The vanity table provides a grand mirror suitable for everyday guests as well as the bride preparing for her wedding. As you would expect, the Tiffany style continues throughout the suite which includes a foyer, two full baths, separate living room and dining room, fireplace, and stunning views of Fifth Avenue near Central Park.

The St. Regis New York
Two East 55th Street, at Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10022