Filed under: Journeys

The Oberoi Mumbai will officially re-open on Saturday, April 24th, after an extensive remodel following the terrorist attacks of November 26th, 2008. The hotel was one of two luxury properties targeted by gunmen — the other was the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower — and hotel guests were among the 163 lives lost in the siege.

The new hotel seeks to banish dark memories with extensive use of white Thassos marble, technology updates in guest rooms, and, naturally, security enhancements throughout the hotel. (See photos below.) The return of these 287 guest rooms (rates start at $700 a night) will be welcome — The New York Times reports that tourism to India is on the rebound — in the first quarter of 2010, the number of visitors increased 13 percent compared with the 2009.

I stayed at the Taj Palace and Tower in Mumbai just a few months before the attack, in the heritage wing which has not yet re-opened. It was definitely a strange feeling to watch the very room I stayed in ablaze on CNN, and I’ve often wondered what it would be like to stay in that room again, now that the exact sequence of horrible events is known. (In case you missed it, the Virginia Quarterly Review ran a masterful series piecing the story together.)

I’m not superstitious about these things — my theory is that bad things and good things can happen everywhere and that the structure itself is innocent — but I wonder how future guests will react.

What do you think?

The Oberoi Mumbai Reopens: First Look at the Renovation originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys, Spirits, Green

Two new tourist attractions opened in Puerto Rico for Earth Day. Bacardi Rum unveiled the first ever industrial scale wind project on the island, two wind turbines which can be seen from miles away. The turbines are expected to generate enough electricity to power tourism related activities at the Casa Bacardi Visitor Center at their distillery outside of San Juan. Now the quarter of a million visitors who come to the Center each year can truly learn about and enjoy rum guilt-free.

Bacardi is no stranger to corporate responsibility and environmental leadership. “Here in Puerto Rico, Bacardi pioneered and patented the anaerobic treatment of distillery wastewater now used by other companies around the world,” said Jon Grey, vice president of global operations for Bacardi. “We use this anaerobic digester technology to treat wastewater which derives energy. In that process, micro-organisms naturally degrade waste materials, creating biogas, or methane, in the process.” These natural biogas are fed into boilers which help power the distillery. The process saves roughly half of the energy required to run them, reducing the need for imported gas or oil.

Continue reading Bacardi Goes Green for Earth Day

Bacardi Goes Green for Earth Day originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 04:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys, Spas

Claridge’s, the iconic Art Deco landmark in Mayfair, has unveiled a selection of beauty treatment designed to recapture the timeless glamour of a bygone era.

Following in the footsteps of Hollywood’s leading ladies and gentlemen, to many of whom Claridge’s was a second home, the beauty therapists at the Spa at Claridge’s have carefully created individual regimes, each with a particular icon in mind, with treatments such as “The Clark Gable” and “The Grace Kelly.”

The treatment menu provides a form of nostalgic escapism, offering an immersive opportunity to experience pampering styles and grooming techniques inspired by the golden age of Hollywood. Should guests crave ‘alone-time’, Claridge’s beauty therapists will recommend “The Greta Garbo”, inspired by the 1930’s Swedish screen siren who was famously known for the line “I want to be alone.” This restorative ritual includes a one hour Swedish massage, a one hour cellular La Prairie facial and a light lunch for one. The cost is £222 ($340).

Continue reading Claridge’s Embraces 1930’s Hollywood Glamour with New Spa Treatments

Claridge’s Embraces 1930’s Hollywood Glamour with New Spa Treatments originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys

Casino mogul Steve Wynn is such a believer in the strength of the Chinese gambling hub of Macau that he said, while promoting the launch of Encore Macau, that he is planning a third major casino there and will consider relocating the Las Vegas headquarters of Wynn Resorts to Macau.

Encore is adjacent to sister resort Wynn Macau and has 414 suites and villas. Encore introduces two new restaurants to the Wynn dining family plus Bar Cristal, the elegant lobby bar. The Spa at Encore offers treatments in eight private therapy suites, each with its own steam room, sauna and aroma-hydrotherapy bath and shower. The Shopping Esplanade is home to three signature stores, Cartier, Chanel and Piaget, which will offer limited-edition pieces unique to Encore.

Wynn told reporters he plans to start construction next year on a hotel and casino on Cotai, an area that’s already home to a casino operated by the Las Vegas Sands Corp. That hotel and casino complex should be completed before the end of 2013.

Continue reading Wynn Opens Encore At Wynn Macau

Wynn Opens Encore At Wynn Macau originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 01:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys, Books

Rising above the city skyline in a dramatic 46-story melding of steel and glass sits the Trump SoHo hotel, New York’s newest luxury property and the latest from the Trump Hotel Collection. The 391-room hotel offers classic décor (sans typical Trump gilding) featuring Fendi Casa furniture, Bellino custom bedding and guest concierge services by Trump Attaché. Rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Hudson River, Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building. Escape the hustle and bustle of the city in these peaceful retreats - with just 12 rooms per floor, the hotel features an intimate, boutique feel. This spring, the place to be is the hotel’s Kastel lounge and seasonal Bar d’Eau, located on the 6,000-square-foot pool deck. April showers keeping you inside? Never fear, guests and visitors alike can catch up or sip cocktails in The Library, outfitted with luxury books by TASCHEN.

Meeting and event spaces total 12,000 square feet, including the 46^th floor ballroom, aptly titled SoHi, accommodating crowds of up to 150. Gastronomes can enjoy dining at Quattro Gastronomia Italiana and spa services from The Spa at Trump, opening this summer and featuring the city’s only authentic luxury hammam. Until summer, guests can enjoy select spa treatments in their guestrooms and suites. Guests visiting the hotel before September 6 will also have access to exclusive shopping discounts courtesy of the Trump Shopping Card, offering discounts at stores including La Perla, Longchamp and Bloomingdales. Looks like the king of “you’re fired,” will be helping the economy with a hiring buzz. Now let’s just see if he can do something about that hair …. 246 Spring Street. 877.828.7080. www.trumpsohohotel.com. Rates start at $389, $489 for suites.

Trump Hotel Collection Opens Newest Property, Trump SoHo New York originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys, Green

The Ritz Carlton, Charlotte in NC opened last October as the first LEED-built hotel in the area and now this summer they’re taking their eco-conscious efforts even further by adding honeybees to the mix. The Ritz already has a rooftop garden, put in place to both insulate the building and provide organic herbs for the kitchen, and this summer that garden will become home to as many as 60,000 honeybees in two fully-contained hives. “Honeybees love herbs, and we’re hoping they will especially enjoy the fresh lavender growing within our rooftop garden,” explained Jon Farace, executive chef for The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte. “Because honey is considered the flavor of the land, it is likely that the bees’ rooftop habitat and pollination of our herb garden will lend a wonderful, unique flavor to their honey.” The hives will also benefit the surrounding city as the bees fly to nearby trees and hanging flowers.

The hives, once they mature later this summer, are expected to produce up to 70 lbs of honey that will be used by the hotel restaurant in special honey-based menu items.

Bees In Business at The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 21:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys, Spas

Your team just won the World Cup, and those who are still conscious are shuffling toward the exits and the airports. But not you - you flew all that way, and now you’ve got a reason to celebrate, so you’re headed to the Cape Town, where brand new Taj Cape Town awaits.

Located in the historic St. George’s Mall, even though it’s brand new, the Taj occupies two rather old buildings: the 114-year-old Board of Executors and the adjacent, 78-year-old South African Reserve Bank. Seventeen stories were added to the buildings, however, to ensure that you don’t lack views of the city and Table Mountain. There are 177 rooms in 11 layouts, all of the tower rooms have walk-out balconies and the Taj Club Floor rooms gain access to a private lounge with butlers.

Of course you’ll need the top-floor, two-bedroom, split-level Presidential Suite with its own massage and steam rooms, kitchen, office, gym and deck. When you’re not busy being presidential, you might make your way down to the Jiva Spa with its Ayurvedic treatments, followed up by yoga and meditation, and if you really need to get out, there are all those world class Cape Town beaches to enjoy. In fact, with all of that to make you feel good, the the Taj Cape Town might be even better for you if your team loses…

Taj Cape Town Opens In South Africa originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys, Spirits

On the day I arrived in Hobart, Tasmania’s harbor-side capital, I was not expecting to hear much about Scotland and whisky.

After all, I’d just traveled about 10,000 miles from New York to Australia, and Scotland is just about the same distance in the other direction; if anything, I was prepared to hear about France because Tasmania has vineyards, and as every luxury traveler knows, wherever grapes grow, conversations about France flourish. But that evening, I gamely battled jet-lag to visit Lark Distillery’s cozy downtown bar, and had a chat with owner Bill Lark, it was Scotland that we discussed the most.

Lark, a former land surveyor who bears an eerie resemblance to Kris Kringle, is Australia’s patron saint of whisky. A decade or so ago, he realized that Tasmania had what it needed for whisky — pure water, barley, even its own peat bogs. (If you’re Australian, you’d giggle at this, since “bog” is slang for a toilet.) Anyway, the only trouble Lark faced was the law: a 1901 distillery law mandated very large stills, and he didn’t want to run a giant whisky operation. So he successfully lobbied the Australian legislature to change its 1901 distillery law, and when he opened in 1996, became the first to open a licensed whisky distillery in 153 years. After that, Lark traveled to Scotland to learn the craft, returned to Tasmania, found a still-maker who could make one small enough for his purposes, and got cranking.

It all worked: the whisky’s award-winning (more on that in a moment), Lark now runs a distillery school and is a distillery consultant. There are now five other whisky makers who have opened in Lark’s wake, and another two getting started in Tasmania, which would very much like to be known as “Australia’s Whisky Isle”.

In an example of things going full circle, Lark’s now a consultant to and an investor in a Kingsbarns Farm Distillery in Scotland, in the beginning phases of start up, just a few miles from St. Andrew’s . “I can’t teach the Scots how to make whisky, they taught me,” Lark says. But Scotch tends to be brewed on a large scale, and Lark’s developed expertise in distilling on a smaller scale. In fact, Kingsbarns is buying its stills from Lark’s Tasmanian supplier. More on Lark and Scotland here.

Want to taste Lark’s whisky for yourself?

Continue reading Whisky’s Next Stop: Tasmania

Whisky’s Next Stop: Tasmania originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is making its first foray into Istanbul, Turkey, having signed an an agreement with Tanriverdi Holding Company to manage a new hotel, slated to open in April 2012.

The hotel will be on the site of a former tobacco company and warehouse which dates to the 1930s, the exteriors are protected by the city’s Cultural and Natural Assets Committee. I’ll be interested to see how this goes, for in order to preserve the historic façade, seven of the hotel’s 14 stories will be built underground. (Presumably, of the 200 rooms planned, these won’t be the rooms that will have private terraces.)

A rooftop restaurant and bar is planned, as well as a health club,spa, swimming pool, business center, ballroom, and conference and meeting room facilities. The hotel will be in the same neighborhood as the beautiful Dolmabahce Palace, and should be well-located for business travelers.

Shangri-La Istanbul to Open in 2012 originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 18 Apr 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys

The Wyndham Hotel chain’s latest addition in New York City, Fashion 26, is geared towards the fashion and art-conscious consumers among us. Fashion 26 has 280 rooms and 22 stories of interior design inspired by the nearby Fashion District, with the lobby featuring a reception desk modeled after a fashion studio cutting-room table and a rotating art program of photography from Fashion Institute of Technology students livening up the hallways. Even the staff will be dressed in uniforms designed by the likes of Pink, Ralph Lauren, and Kangol. There’s also the Rare Grill & Bar that serves specialty hamburgers and the Rare View rooftop bar that offers up ‘creative cocktails.’ Other touches include Crumbs cupcakes at check-in, radio frequency room keys (no swiping, just waving), and all the usual high-class amenities like turn-down service and free wireless internet. Fashion 26 celebrated April 15th as opening day and room rates, discounted to promote the launch, start at $299/night (through June).

New Fashion Inspired Hotel Opens In New York originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 18 Apr 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys

It makes a certain lovely sense that Versailles, Kentucky has its own castle. The CastlePost is the work of Tom Post who spent millions of dollars restoring the property and creating the unique retreat. The CastlePost has 16 professionally luxury rooms and suites, 12 within the main castle and four two-story royal turret suites on the outer wall which offer scenic views of the rolling green countryside.

According to an article published by USA Today, Post bought the home in 2003 for $1.8 million. The previous owner had started building it in 1969 but had never finished it and it was empty for more than 30 years. Post started improving the home but a fire destroyed it in 2004. Undaunted, he decided to build an even bigger castle and turn it into a bed and breakfast. It has 50 rooms total with a library, sitting room, game room and dining room. The grounds are equally lavish with a large pool, tennis courts, formal garden and a dragon fountain. A 2.5 acre garden provides fresh produce for the castle’s kitchen There is also an onsite concierge who can arrange horse farm or bourbon distillery tours. Rates start at $375 for a state room and $1,250 for a turret suite.

Rent A Room In Kentucky’s Castle originally appeared on Luxist on Sat, 17 Apr 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Dining, Journeys, Spirits

Felix at The Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong offers both spectacular service and a stupendous view of Hong Kong, and has been nominated for a Readers’ Choice Award for Best Hotel Bars.

Fortuitously situated with an outlook facing Victoria Peak and Hong Kong Harbor, Felix boasts front row seats for a “galaxy of lights” in the evening which they describe as “the most magical show on earth.” As you can see from the photos, the views inside the bar aren’t too shabby, either.

The grand opulence of The Peninsula Hotel is the perfect setting for this luxurious bar experience. Guests of the highest caliber from all over the world can enjoy the beauty of Hong Kong from the uber-contemporary 28th-floor haven over an elegant bowl of Sunchoke and Lobster Soup with Meyer Lemons and Capers, or a Prawn Cracker-crusted Garoupa with a Shrimp Pillow, Scallions and Champagne Butter.

Late night dishes include small yet extravagant fusion offerings like Smoked Beef Tenderloin with Carmelized Onions and Brie on Toast, Salty Five Spices Pork Ribs and Salmon Nachos, and desserts like Rose Champagne Terrine with Seasonal Berries and Peach Reduction and a menu item entited “Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate” (really, who needs a further explanation?).

You’ll find cocktails of both the avant-garde and classic varieties at Felix, and no children under 12. An additional bonus: as no “plastic footwear” is permitted, you won’t see a single pair of Crocs.

Vote for the hotel bar that you believe is the best of breed. The voting period runs through April 30 and winners will be announced on May 1.

Felix: Indulge in a Cocktail for “The Most Magical Show on Earth” originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys, Spas

As with most resorts, the first thing you’ll notice at Bardessono in Yountville, Calif., is the lobby. But this one’s a bit different from the usual. Swaths of plants grow on strings running from the floor to the ceiling, nourished by nothing but the air. A sepia sculpture made from recycled newspaper hangs on a parallel wall. Those might be unusual touches at a normal hotel, but in the Napa Valley’s premier eco-lodge, it’s par for the course.

A Visit to The Bardessono in California’s Wine Country originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys, Spirits, Wine

Le Bar is a simple name for a truly decadent bar in the George V (a Four Seasons Hotel in Paris), and a nominee for a Readers’ Choice Award for Best Hotel Bars.

The bar is elegant and decidedly dressy, with a distinct Parisian air of entitlement. The decor is very French with classic continental details like the rich mahogany wood, the plush and substantial chairs and the obligatory enormous, heavy draperies and chandeliers. If King Louis XIV were here today, this is where he would take his mistresses when away from Versailles.

Located on the ground floor of the George V with a large window facing the hotel’s namesake Avenue (near the Champs-Elysées), the bar is popular with both hotel guests and Parisians — a combination which is a must-have for weary travelers doing their best to be social while running on jet lag and espresso.

Continue reading Le Bar: Start Your Day on Avenue George V

Le Bar: Start Your Day on Avenue George V originally appeared on Luxist on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 12:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys

The closure of the Four Seasons Nevis and the involuntary chapter 11 bankruptcy filed against it has been declared a “national emergency” by the government of the island of Nevis.

Once considered one of the best hotels in the entire Caribbean, the Four Seasons Nevis was severely damaged by Hurricane Omar in October 2008 and has been closed ever since. The Four Seasons offered 196 spacious, luxurious guest rooms and suites in 12 two-story guest buildings just steps from the beach and exclusive two- to six- bedroom residence villas. The privately-owned self-sufficient estate home accommodations as well as a 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones II, were not damaged by the hurricane and are fully operational.

This week, the Sovereign Government of the Island Nation of Nevis filed a motion asking the Delaware bankruptcy court to abstain from hearing the bankruptcy case filed against the hotel’s owner, Hotel Equity Fund V, LLC. The Nevis government believes the resort’s continuing closure, and the potential impediment to the resort’s reopening resulting from the bankruptcy filing, constitutes a “national emergency” for the island, as the Four Seasons resort is the island’s largest employer.

Continue reading Four Seasons Nevis Called a National Emergency

Four Seasons Nevis Called a National Emergency originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys, Wheels

Planning a trip to Munich any time soon? There are plenty of reasons to stop by the BMW Museum, but now we’ve got one more for you. Over the course of the Spring, Summer and into the Fall, BMW Classics is offering chauffeured tours of the city in a range of classic convertibles.

The tours take place in such vintage Bimmers as the 30s-era 326 and 335 Cabriolet, 50s-era 502 “Baroque Angel” Cabriolet and the one-of-a-kind 3200 CS Cabriolet. Tours start and end at the BMW Museum, visit various company facilities and stop at historic sites around the city. The price is 90 euros per person. Details at www.bmw-museum.com.

Tour Munich in Classic BMW Cabriolets originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys

The Crane Hotel on Barbados is the oldest operating hotel in the Caribbean. That’s no small achievement for an independent resort competing with the likes of five-stars like Sandy Lane, Colony Club and the Fairmont. Still, somehow this AAA four-diamond, historical property remains a favorite among those who can have whatever they want, like Justin Timberlake, Rihanna and Billy Ocean.

It’s safe to say that at least part of the reason the hotel is kicking along so successfully is its location on Crane Beach, a truly unforgettable sight which has been called one of the “top ten beaches of the world” by Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. The pristine pink sand, the turquoise waters and the big, powerful waves of Barbados’ southeast coast add up to the kind of place people return to year after year, never fully able to describe it to their friends back home.

Continue reading A Stay at the Oldest Operating Hotel in the Caribbean - The Crane Hotel, Barbados

A Stay at the Oldest Operating Hotel in the Caribbean - The Crane Hotel, Barbados originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys

Michigan is about to lose its only Ritz-Carlton hotel. The Detroit Free Press reports that the hotel currently known as the Ritz-Carlton Dearborn has been sold to an investment group. It will be managed by Greenwood Hospitality Group and as of June 2, it will lose the Ritz-Carlton name. A decision hasn’t been made yet as to what brand the hotel will operate under after that. The new owners plan to renovate the property and keep it as an upscale hotel. The hotel has 308 rooms including a 1500-square-foot presidential suite. This is the second time this week we’ve seen an upscale hotel lose one from the fold. Starwood Hotels & Resorts announced that it is selling two of its New York locations, the W Court and the W Tuscany.

Michigan Set To Lose Its Only Ritz-Carlton Hotel originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys, Spirits

I recently had the good fortune of visiting Barbados to see how Tommy Bahama Rum is made. I found myself immersed in a sugar-fueled economy. Sugar cane cultivation began on the limestone-coral island around 1640 after the arrival of the British, and as the making of rum has been going on for millennia, it’s safe to guess that the Barbados rum industry is over 350 years old. There are a number of Barbados rums available, and countless more are created on neighboring islands and throughout the Caribbean. Yet strangely, there is little-to-no quantifiable information about what makes one rum better than another. Anyone can make a list of tasting notes, but there are no international appellations for type and quality.

The region in which the cane is grown and the island on which the rum is made don’t seem to affect taste — just the age, what it’s aged in, whether it’s made from molasses or directly from the cane, and whether anything has been added to it. Rum has long been the common drink of the common people in the Caribbean, and so the concept of a “premium” rum has been somewhat slow to form. So, what exactly makes a rum premium?

I visited the famous Foursquare Distillery where Tommy Bahama and a number of other premium rums are made and had a tour, a tasting and a long chat with Richard Lawrence Seale, a fourth generation distiller whose great-grandfather, Reginald Leon, is the man for which R.L. Seale’s rum is named. Foursquare has been in the Seale family since 1995; prior to that, it was a sugar factory. Parts of Foursquare date back as far as the mid 18th century. Needless to say, a tour is good fun — and it’s one of the only places in the world where you can see the process of making rum from molasses to bottle. The tour is free and open to tourists.

As I mentioned, the source of the molasses doesn’t really have an effect on the taste. Foursquare gets theirs partly from Guyana, as there isn’t enough sugar on Barbados to support the rum industry. The first step of making a premium rum comes from monitoring the fermentation.

Continue reading What Makes a Rum Premium?

What Makes a Rum Premium? originally appeared on Luxist on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Journeys, Water

A few weeks ago, I told you about a fantastic way to explore French Polynesia — aboard the small, luxey Paul Gauguin cruise ship.

Pacific Beachcomber has just released the ship’s 2011 sailing schedule, offering between two and four cruises each month of seven to fourteen nights. You can learn about them in a new interactive preview catalog. (If you find that format as annoying as I do, you can also find the info on the company’s website.)

When I first wrote about this ship, some readers…oh let’s just say, reacted… to my confession that I dislike large cruise ships, which apparently came across as snobbiness, since since large cruise ships tend to be less expensive than ships along the lines of the Paul Gauguin. I contend that a certain amount of snobbiness is sort of my job description, but nevertheless, allow me to redeem myself by discussing a four-letter word: sale.

Paul Gauguin is offering free airfare from Los Angeles (which is a big part of the expense of the entire trip) and two-for-one cruise fares for all 2011 sailings. If the reach of your inner travel snob exceeds the grasp of your particular financial situation, this is good news indeed.

Cruise French Polynesia for Less originally appeared on Luxist on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 06:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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