InterContinental Hotels Group & Thai Chareon Corp. Multi-Brand Deal in Asia Pacific

I may have a biased preference towards IHG and its brands because of my association with the company, but I believe that the IHG brand portfolio and its size is at the top of the industry for good reasons.

Source: hotelsmag.com

http://www.hotelsmag.com/article/CA6696658.html?industryid=47562

IHG Signs Multi-Brand Deal With TCC

– Hotels, 9/14/2009 10:39:00 AM

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) announces the signing of a deal with leading Thai conglomerate TCC (Thai Chareon Corp.) to convert and rebrand four existing hotels, which adds nearly 1,500 rooms to IHG’s Asia Pacific portfolio.

The hotels are located in Australia, China and Japan, and will carry the InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts and Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts brands.

“We are confident that the four properties added to our portfolio will do well operating under the various IHG brands. We look to IHG’s management experience, brand portfolio and commitment to the hospitality industry in Asia Pacific to ensure the success of our partnership,” says Khun Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, founder and chairman of TCC.

TCC’s businesses cover various sectors including beverages, property, industrial trading & consumer products and agro-related business as well as insurance and leasing. Presently, TCC is the owner of InterContinental Singapore. With this new agreement, TCC will have a total of five IHG properties in its portfolio.

Additionally, TCC and IHG will finalize a strategic cooperation agreement for future management opportunities in Asia Pacific.

As TCC moves to fortify its property business, this alliance will see IHG working closely with TCC on more hotel assets in Asia Pacific region.

“We are delighted to win TCC’s confidence in our brands. This partnership allows us to bring to bear the strength and scale of IHG brand and systems to drive operational performance of the hotels and deliver returns,” says Jan Smits, managing director, IHG Asia Australasia.

The four hotels in the agreement comprise:

1.      InterContinental Adelaide – conversion from the Hyatt Adelaide. This 367-room property is ideally located in the Adelaide Central Business District. It is adjacent to the Adelaide Convention Center, the Adelaide Casino and the Adelaide Festival Centre. Refurbishment works are planned for the property.

2.      ANA Crowne Plaza Kobe – currently a franchised Crowne Plaza hotel, the 592-room property will join IHG’s Japan managed hotel portfolio.

3.      Crowne Plaza Kunming City Center – conversion from the current Banks Hotel. The 285-room property is 15 minutes away from the Kunming Airport and enjoys a city-center location. An extensive scope of works is planned for the property.

4.      Holiday Inn Kunming City Center – conversion from the current Sakura Kunming Hotel. This property has 235 rooms and will undergo major works prior to branding as a Holiday Inn. The hotel is located in the city’s financial and commercial district.

The Shard – Renzo Piano – London

This is going to be amazing!

source: archdaily.com

http://www.archdaily.com/33494/the-shard-renzo-piano/#more-33494

The Shard/Renzo Piano 

by Karen Cilento (August 29, 2009)

 

 

Renzo Piano’s latest project, the Shard, has recently moved to the construction phase.  The 1,016 ft high skyscraper will be the tallest building in Western Europe and will provide amazing views of London.  The mixed use tower, complete with offices, apartments, a hotel and spa, retail areas, restaurants and a 15-storey public viewing gallery, will sit adjacent to London Bridge station as part of a new development called London Bridge Quarter.  Replacing the 1970’s Southwark Tower on Bridge Street, the Shard is a welcomed addition to the London skyline, and its central location near major transportation nodes will play a key role in allowing London to expand.

More about the tower after the break.

Known for his elegant, light and detail oriented building, Piano’s Shard consists of several glass facets that incline inwards but do not meet at the top.  Inspired by the towering church spires and masts of ships that once anchored on the Thames, the Shard’s form was generated by the irregular site plan and open to the sky to allow the building to breath naturally.

Planned as a “vertical city” to address the city’s growing population and need to maximize space, the Shard’s program varies to provide a functional central structure for London. The ground level will include a public piazza with restaurants and cafes, in addition to areas for art installations.  The 50,000 sqm of office spaces include naturally ventilated winter gardens while the 195 hotel rooms and exclusive apartments located on the upper floors showcase beautiful views.  While the Shard offers luxurious spaces sure to be coveted by companies and residents, the building also caters to the public with  viewing platforms on floors 68-72.   Accessed directly from an entrance on the ground level, these viewing galleries are expected to attract over half a million visitors each year.

The mixed program is attractive to many and will allow the Shard to help London’s future development.  The Shard is due for completion in 2012.

As seen on Inhabitat.

 

http://www.archdaily.com/33494/the-shard-renzo-piano/#more-33494

 

Santorini Grace Hotel – Greece

source: Condé Nast Traveller

from The Hot List 2009 :  

Featured Hotel – Santorini Grace Hotel (Greece)

http://www.cntraveller.co.uk/Special_Features/The_Hot_List_2009/Santorini_Grace_Hotel_Greece/#

Santorini Grace Hotel (Greece), Photograph by Grace Hotels

The Santorini Grace sits on the very edge of a cliff; viewed from above, it looks like a sunbather languidly dangling a limb over the lip of the island’s famous caldera. The second property from the Grace Hotels group (its sister hotel is on Mykonos), the Santorini Grace opened in June 2008 in the village of Imerovigli. Carved out of two village houses partially destroyed in the 1956 earthquake, the hotel had nine rooms and four suites at the time of our visit; an additional eight rooms, including three suites, plus a second pool are being added for this summer. All the rooms have terraces and are simply decorated in white (including the polished-concrete floors) and soft grey (the woodwork), with Sony TVs, DVD players and iPod docks. Thoughtful details add to the atmosphere of intimacy and privacy: there is no music by the pool; dining on your terrace is no more expensive than eating in the restaurant (although a token €5 service charge applies); and a Champagne breakfast is included in the price. The hotel is not suitable for the elderly or infirm (there are 149 steps to negotiate), or children (under 14s are not allowed). It’s a two-and-a-half-hour cliff-top walk (or 20-minute taxi ride) from the hotel to the village of Oia, where people gather each evening to admire and applaud the sunset. 

WHEN TO GO September: it is still warm and sunny but the crowds have left. 

ROOM TO BOOK Number 46, a honeymoon suite, for complete privacy. 

Santorini Grace: 00 30 22860 21300; www.santorinigrace.com. Doubles from €250, including Champagne breakfast and transfers

10 Great International Wine Destinations

source: forbes.com

http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/12/wine-tasting-destination-lifestyle-wine-destination.html?partner=forbeslife_newsletter

 

Quinta do Portal, Duoro Valley(Portugal) forbes.com

Wines for the Weekend

Ten Great International Wine Destinations

Eric Arnold, 03.12.09, 04:50 PM EDT

California isn’t the only spot offering fine wines and friendly tasting rooms.

The next time a friend or co-worker says he’s headed to Napa on vacation to do a little wine tasting, don’t get jealous. Go somewhere better.

Visited by well over 3 million tourists a year, Napa can be a hassle, with crowded tasting rooms, near-standstill traffic on Highway 29 and a paucity of dinner reservations (call the French Laundry two months in advance, to the day, but you’ll probably get a busy tone).

To be sure, Napa practically invented high-quality wine tourism. But wineries in other regions around the world have followed its lead and stepped up their game, offering a personal touch, not to mention high-quality hotels, restaurants and tasting rooms that provide connections to their regions’ history and lifestyle. Oh, and they have some great-tasting wines, too.

The challenge is deciding among the many attractive options, from Chile to South Africa to Australia. Each, says George Taber, author of the forthcoming book In Search of Bacchus: Wanderings in the Wonderful World of Wine Tourism, offers a unique experience.

To research his book, Taber spent eight months on the road and visited 12 different countries. Along the way, he discovered that some regions offer great luxury and service, while others are worth visiting for the peace, quiet and spectacular views.

When it comes to the full package,Taber says there are few better places than Castello Banfi in Tuscany. The estate, started by American wine importer John Mariani, is housed in a spectacular castle, with two restaurants, a tasting room and a fun, informative cellar tour.

It’s a similar experience, minus the pretty views, at Chateau Lynch-Bages in Bordeaux. This is the world’s most heralded wine region, yet it’s notoriously short on good experiences for tourists. Fancy-looking chateaus, yes; welcoming tasting rooms, tours, pretty views, nice hotels and friendly, warm restaurants, not so much. But the owners of Lynch-Bages have built a tourist-friendly destination on the grounds of the wine estate, including a hotel, more than one restaurant, stores, a tasting class and art exhibits.

When it comes to tranquil atmosphere and stunning scenery, two destinations top Taber’s list: Quinta do Portal in Portugal’s Douro Valley and Peter Jakob Kühn in Germany’s Rheingau. Both offer incredible views and some of the best wines in their respective regions, says Taber.

By contrast, Felton Road in New Zealand’s Central Otago region, is not particularly pretty. The drive from Queenstown through the Gibbston Valley to this isolated spot offers nice views of the mountains along twisting, winding roads, but the scenery once you get to Felton Road is a bit raw, says Taber (I can attest, having spent a month living a couple miles away at a nearby vineyard; it’s dry and light on vegetation.).

However, the pinot noirs from this part of the world–and from Felton Road in particular–have begun to turn the heads of critics and consumers alike over the past few years, as they appreciate the wines’ balance of herbal, fruity and acidic flavors.

10 Great International Wine Destinations:

“There’s nothing sexy about it, just the wines,” says Taber of Felton Road.

1. Castello Banfi, Tuscany (Italy) - The Banfi winery was started by John Mariani, an American wine importer. One of the more gorgeous wineries in Tuscany, it boasts a beautiful castle with two great restaurants, a wine tasting room and cellar tour. Wine to try (if you can’t get there right away): Cum Laude, $30. A rich, red Super Tuscan: a blend of sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah.
2. Montes, Colchagua Valley (Chile) –  Montes is among the most well-known Chilean wine producer, but it hasn’t lost its eccentricity. “It’s the only winery in the world I know where the wines are aged with Gregorian chants being played in the background,” says Taber. Wine to try (if you can’t get there right away): Purple Angel, $60. This ripe, plush red is made mostly of the carmenere grape, which is similar to merlot.
3. Ken Forrester, Stellenbosch (South Africa) - Stellenbosch is considered one of the most beautiful wine areas in the world, with a Mediterranean climate and scenery reminiscent of the Napa Valley, absent the crowds. Winemaker Ken Forrester made several trips to France’s Loire Valley before applying his expertise back home in South Africa.Wine to try (if you can’t get there right away): Ken Forrester FMC chenin blanc, $60. Taber calls this one of the best white wines he’s ever tasted, better than the best chenin blancs from France’s Loire Valley.
4. O. Fournier, Mendoza (Argentina) -This winery is only about 10 miles from the Andes, “so in the background you can see the snow-capped mountains all year long,” says Taber. The winery has a modern design, almost like a spaceship that landed in the middle of the desert.Wine to try (if you can’t get there right away): Urban Uco Torrentes, $10. Torrentes is a grape variety similar to viognier–very aromatic and perfumey, with concentrated fruit flavors.
5. Leeuwin Estate, Margaret River (Australia) -Margaret River is closer to Singapore than it is to Melbourne, so it’s a long trip getting there from the U.S., but it’s more than worthwhile. “It’s a little pocket that makes just outstanding wines,” says Taber. The beautiful landscape with old forests “is so isolated it’s not so crowded–you get wonderful service.”Wine to try (if you can’t get there right away): Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay, $65. It may seem pricey, but Taber points out that this wine has been ranked among the best 100 wines in the world by a French wine writer.
6. Felton Road, Central Otago (New Zealand) - Relatively new to the wine world, Central Otago is also the southernmost wine region on the planet. Some areas, like the Gibbston Valley, are more aesthetically pleasing than others, such as the Bannockburn area, the site of Felton Road. But Otago’s pinot noir superstars, such as Carrick, Mt. Difficulty, Akarua and Felton Road are all here in Bannockburn.Wine to try (if you can’t get there right away): Felton Road Block Three Pinot Noir, $70. Felton Road is probably the most coveted pinot noir from Central Otago; it’s balanced, subtle and complex in its flavors.
7. Bodegas Ysios, Rioja (Spain) - The area has become famous in the past few years for architecture by the likes of Frank Gehry. Bodegas Ysios, designed by Santiago Calatrava, resembles the mountains that lie just behind it. “They also make great wine,” says Taber.Wine to try (if you can’t get there right away): Ysios Rioja Riserva, $30. With other Riojas reaching sky-high prices, Taber says this one is a good value.
8. Quinta do Portal, Duoro Valley (Portugal) -Reach this winery by driving along narrow, winding roads. If you’re planning on tasting more than one glass of wine, consider staying the night. “They have a guest house hotel that has beautiful views,” notes Taber.Wine to try (if you can’t get there right away): Grande Reserva, $35. Many port houses have, in recent years, made high-quality table wines from grapes that were traditionally for port. This one is top of the line, says Taber.
9. Château Lynch-Bages, Bordeaux (France) -Bordeaux is known to produce some of the best wines in the world. But until recently, the region did not have a reputation for beautiful views or a friendly tourist experience. Lynch-Bages now offers a hotel, restaurants and shopping.Wine to try (if you can’t get there right away): Château Lynch Bages, $100 (for 2005 vintage; prices vary year to year). This wine has long been known as a high-quality Bordeaux bargain, since the price is lower due to the estate’s lower rank in the 1855 classification of vineyards. But the wines over-deliver on quality, year after year.
10. Peter Jakob Kühn Oestrich, Rhein/Mosel (Germany) -This is one of the world’s most romantic settings, with mountain-top castles and a friendly, welcoming winery. Don’t be put off by the screw caps on all this winery’s bottles, says Taber–the wines are now the best and most consistent they’ve ever been.Wine to try (if you can’t get there right away): Riesling Kabinett, $27. Taber says this is one of the best winemakers in Germany.

http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/12/wine-tasting-destination-lifestyle-wine-destination.html?partner=forbeslife_newsletter

 

Caribbean Snorkeling

source: forbestraveler.com

http://www.forbestraveler.com/adventure/caribbean-snorkeling-spots-story.html?partner=alert

 

Puerto Rico © Stephen Frink/ Getty Images

• San Salvador, Bahamas (Riding Rock Inn Resort and Marina)
• La Cordillera Nature Reserve, Puerto Rico (Spread Eagle II)
• Isla Mona Nature Reserve, Puerto Rico (Tour Marine)
• Anegada, British Virgin Islands
• Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles (Renee Snorkel Trips)
• Tobago Cays, St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Tobago Cays Marine Park)
• Whale Sharks, Isla Contoy, Mexico (Delfin Diving)
• Shark Ray Alley, Ambergris Caye, Belize (Hol CHan Marine Reserve)
• Buck Island, St. Croix (Buck Island Reef National Monument)
• Dominica

See our slideshow of Best Caribbean Snorkeling.

 

BEST CARIBBEAN SNORKELING

Greg Breining February 6, 2009

©Nikolas Konstantinou/ GettyImages

Who needs to scuba dive?

Snorkeling is a terrific way to see your Caribbean travel destination from a new perspective. Slipping beneath the surface to swim through corals and spy on reef fish helps a tourist gain some appreciation of the natural world beyond the clubs and casinos.

For such rich rewards, the sport doesn’t ask for much in return. For starters, it requires little skill or athleticism—only the ability to feel comfortable in water. “You don’t even have to swim to snorkel,” says Renee Leach, who guides snorkel tours onBonaire in the Netherlands Antilles. “You float. You can’t sink.” In fact, Leach has guided snorkelers as young as 3 and as old as 93, and has pulled nonswimmers around by the hand.

“If our guests are not experienced snorkelers we go straight to a shallow area where we ‘learn’ to snorkel in waist-deep water and test out the equipment so even people who actually can not swim can participate in the snorkeling,” says Elena Humphrey, who guides trips to Puerto Rico’s La Corillera Nature Reserve.

 “No certification,” says Luis Saez, a dive instructor who manages a guide service that takes snorkelers among the islands of La Cordillera. “It’s something the whole family can enjoy. It’s something really simple to do.”

Not only does it take less training and skill than scuba, it also takes less equipment—a real advantage for a traveler. You can pack a mask, snorkel and flippers in a tote bag. If you don’t have gear or left it at home, you can usually pick up a mask and snorkel at a local dive shop for under $20. (More, of course, if you want good-quality stuff.)

Compared with diving, says Karen Moise, part owner of a Nature Island Dive shop in Dominica, “it’s not as cumbersome. But you can see a lot of stuff, a lot of marine life.” 

And if you don’t have gear and don’t want to buy any, simply sign up for a tour that provides the gear. The key to a good guided experience is finding guides who are involved in pointing out interesting stuff underwater and then, back at the surface, explaining what you’ve seen, Moise says. 

As easy as it is to go snorkeling, some places provide a better experience  than others. Even in the Caribbean—as close to ideal snorkel waters as you can imagine—some sites stand out.  What makes these great snorkeling spots? Whether you plan to spend every waking hour in the water, or only paddle around for a single afternoon, it comes down to four things: clear water (often with visibility approaching 100 feet), mild currents (or none at all), abundant aquatic life (especially healthy corals and diverse reef fish), and the chance to get away from the crowds.

Some of our best Caribbean snorkeling spots are no farther away than a public beach or park. On the island of Dominca, the bizarre bubbling volcanic formation known as Champagne is easily accessed from shore. On the island of San Salvador in the Bahamas, some of the best diving, including a 261-foot shipwreck in 20 feet of water, lies just offshore from the Riding Rock Inn Resort and Marina. 

Others spots are a bit harder to reach. You’ll need a boat—at the very least a kayak—to snorkel La Cordillera Nature Reserve in Puerto Rico. And to explore fabulous Mona Island off the west end of Puerto Rico is a major expedition. You’ll need not only a boat but at least a couple of days. 
 
When it comes to undersea life, some of our sites have a bonus. For example, Hol Chan Marine Reserve on Ambergris Caye in Belize boasts not only coral and small fish, but abundant rays and sharks as well. Mexico’s Isla Contoy stands out for giving snorkelers a chance to swim with whale sharks, the world’s largest fish.

And if snorkeling with a fish that stretches 30 feet doesn’t cast your vacation experience in a new light, nothing will. Here are our picks for the Caribbean’s best snorkeling stops.

Russia: Big Land Mass, Big Buildings

source: inhabitat.com

http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/12/26/tallest-skyscraper-in-the-world-coming-to-moscow/

 

World’s Biggest Building Coming to Moscow: Crystal Island

 

by Karim Yergaliyev (December 2007)

 

Moscow’s rapidly growing skyline will soon feature an eye-popping new addition: Crystal Island, which will be the world’s biggest building when completed. Sir Norman Foster’s mountainous 27 million square feet spiraling “city within a building” will cost $4 billion and it is scheduled to be built within next 5 years.

The Crystal Island will be Lord Foster’s second large scale project in the Russian capital, and his third new building design that resembles a volcano (we’re talking about his two mountainous buildings in Astana, Kazakstan). Although many people are calling this design the ‘Christmas Tree’ of Moscow – we can’t help but be reminded of the utopian and also rather volcanic X-Seed 4000 design for Tokyo. Unlike that pipe-dream project, however, Foster has a track record of getting buildings built, so the likelihood is high that we will see this striking structure towering over the Kremlin within 5 years time.

 

The statistics for the project are absolutely staggering; floor area alone will be four times the size of Pentagon in Washington DC. The incredible 1500 ft. tall multi use structure will feature 900 apartments, 3000 hotel rooms, an international school for 500 students, cinemas, a theater, sports complex and much more. There will also be a 16,500 space underground parking lot for all the visitors. The Crystal Island visitors will be able to enjoy panoramic views of Moscow on the viewing platforms located 980 ft. above ground.

And as we’d expect from Foster + Partners, this soon-to-be world’s biggest building will also incorporate a number of sustainable design features into the overall scheme. The exterior facade will be solar responsive and will include solar panels which, along with wind turbines, will generate electricity for the huge tower. Natural ventilation will be provided thanks to numerous strategically placed large atriums. The internal environment will also have dynamic enclosure panels slotted into the structural framing that will allow daylight to penetrate deep into the heart of the structure; the panels will also be controlled to modify temperature inside the building – closed in winter for extra warmth and opened in summer to allow natural ventilation. Energy management is at the heart of this structure, several on-site renewable and low-carbon energy generation projects are planned.

+ Crystal Island – by Norman Foster

+ X-Seed 400 — City Within a Building Proposal For Tokyo

+ Foster Green Tower in Siberia

Via Skyscrapernews.com via Times Online: Foster plans world’s biggest building

Caribbean Suites

 

from EliteTraveler.com

Elite recommends:

 

• Aquamare, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
• Ananyara, Yurks & Caicos
• Nikki Beach Resort, Turks & Caicos
• Eden Rock, St. Barths, French West Indies
• El San Juan Hotel & Casino, Puerto Rico
• Sanctuary Cap Cana Golf & Spa, Dominican Republic
• Raffles Resort Canouan Island, St. Vincent & The Grenadines
• Reef Atlantis, The Bahamas
• Four Seasons Resort, Nevis

 

 

CORRAL DEL REY, SEVILLE

Andalucian boutique hotel

from cntraveller.com

source: Conde Nast Traveller

CORRAL DEL REY, SEVILLE 

With its iPod docks, organic snacks, contemporary art collection and excellent modern European cuisine, Corral del Rey is setting new standards of luxury in Seville’s hotel scene. With just six rooms, the converted 17th-century casa palacio feels more like a private house than a hotel, albeit a very plush one, and it is superbly located on a quiet, cobbled side street close to bars, shops and the attractive Barrio Santa Cruz. 

The owners, two charming, savvy Anglo-Spanish brothers (one of whom previously worked at London’s Groucho Club), have restored the building with enormous skill, keeping the original wooden beams as well as some doors and windows, and creating an intimate roof terrace with a tiled plunge pool and views of the Giralda. There is also a cosy, vaulted cellar bar with two original wells discovered during the restoration. Rooms – decorated by the owners’ Spanish mother – have eclectic, elegant furniture, soft beds, big bathrooms, and plasma TVs with touch-screen entertainment systems. The hotel is hard to fault on any front. 

Corral del Rey: Calle Corral del Rey 12, Seville. 

 

1.		CASA SACRISTIA SANTA ANA
		SEVILLE, SPAIN
2.		CORRAL DEL REY
		SEVILLE, SPAIN
3.		EL REY MORO
		SEVILLE, SPAIN

 

4.		EME FUSION
		SEVILLE, SPAIN
5.		POSADA DEL LUCERO
		SEVILLE, SPAIN

Los Angeles New Hotel Hopping

One of the things on my To Do List is to spend a week hotel hopping at these new locations, try out the new amenities and accomodations, to see if it’s worth the hype.

from hotelsmag.com

http://www.hotelsmag.com/articleXML/LN900920777.html?nid=3457&rid=1899835782

Hollywood Heights Hotel

Status: Opened in July

Specs: The 160-room hotel, a block from the heart of Hollywood, has been spruced up, but shades of its incarnation as a Holiday Inn (fake wood paneling in the elevators) survive.

The vibe: Midrange chain hotel upgrades the amenities (32-inch flat-screen TVs, upgraded triple sheeting and iPod docking stations) and gets a boutique sensibility.

The deal: From $129 through Jan. 4; regular rates from $169

Information: 323-876-8600; hollywoodheightshotel.com

Montage Beverly Hills

Status: Opened in November

Specs: The first new hotel in Beverly Hills in 16 years, this 201-room Spanish Colonial Revival beauty occupies a prime slice of this tony burg, with three restaurants, a rooftop pool, luxurious 20,000-foot spa and garden.

The vibe: The $238 pink mink shoe trees in the gift shop are a sign that some guests have money to burn. Elegant public rooms have the aura of a 1930s Hollywood estate — china is custom-designed, ceilings are hand-painted.

The deal: From $395 through Dec. 30; regular rates from $495

Information: 888-860-0788; montagebeverlyhills.com

Hotel Palomar Los Angeles-Westwood

Status: Opened in May

Specs: The 264-room lodging, in a former Doubletree Inn in the Wilshire Corridor area, features a comfortable lobby with double-sided fireplace, a bar/restaurant and secluded pool area with outdoor fireplace. Its Tall Rooms have extra long beds.

The vibe: Old Hollywood with jungle accents — black and white stripes on the lobby’s wood floors and faux snakeskin insets in the dressers.

The deal: From $179 through Dec. 30; regular rates from $249

Information: 800-472-8556; hotelpalomar-lawestwood.com

The London West Hollywood

Status: Opened in April

Specs: The former Bel Age, just off the Sunset Strip, is now a sleek contemporary all-suites hotel done in a cool palette. The restaurant is run by Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay. A signature perk: free calls to London.

The vibe: High Hollywood glam, with shimmering metallic blues and gold lame in the lobby. A chic rooftop pool area sports a white marble fire pit, cabanas and 360-degree views.

The deal: $319 includes lunch for two at Gordon Ramsay, plus a bottle of Champagne and other amenities; regular rates start at $199

Information: 866-282-4560; thelondonwesthollywood.com

Andaz West Hollywood

Status: Opening Jan. 8

Specs: The former Hyatt West Hollywood (a favorite of rock bands in the ’70s and ’80s, known as the Riot House) is the second entry in Hyatt’s Andaz brand (that’s Hindi for “personal style”). The restaurant, RH, will focus on local farm-to-table fare. The rooftop pool deck has great views of the Hollywood Hills and Sunset Strip.

The vibe: Social and sophisticated. There’s no check-in desk; guests are greeted by a “host” who acts as concierge and bellman. The hotel will showcase works by local artists and performers.

The deal: All rooms are $295 through Feb. 18; after that, most rise

Information: 800-233-1234; andaz.com

Palihouse Holloway

Status: Opened in January

Specs: Tucked away on a quiet West Hollywood street, a block off Santa Monica Boulevard, the 36-room hotel is designed for extended-stay guests, with a seven-night minimum. Guest rooms range from 600 to 2,000 square feet and are equipped with all the comforts of home — kitchen or kitchenette, DirecTV, Bose stereo and washer/dryer. The restaurant, Hall, is a French-style brasserie. A sister hotel, Palihouse Vine, opens in April.

The vibe: Contemporary residential. The sprawling lobby is wonderfully eclectic with lots of space to work, read or just hang out. There’s also a rooftop sundeck.

The deal: One-night stays are possible through the holidays from $350 a night; regular rates depend on length of stay.

Information: 323-656-4100; palihouse.com

Hotels, Design, Beach, Perfume, Fashion

from W Magazine, June 2008

 

Nicolas Malleville at the perfumery

 

 

Yucatán Man

MODEL NICOLAS MALLEVILLE IS MEXICO’S HOTTEST HOTELIER.

By Derek Blasberg , Portrait by Flora Hanitijo

Nicolas Malleville, a six-foot-two, sandy-haired model, has shown the world nearly every part of his chiseled physique. For Burberry he posed with Kate Moss, his unbuttoned shirt exposing a sculpted chest. In a Tod’s campaign he flaunted his buff arms and well-manicured nails while tracing model Anja Rubik’s navel. And through his editorial work here and in Europe, the public has been treated to pictures of him in bathing suits and tight trousers. But there’s a part of Malleville’s body that even the most voracious magazine readers haven’t seen—one that casts him in a surprising new light.

No, naughty readers, it’s not what you’re thinking. The area in question is his left ankle, which bears a simple tattoo of a palm tree. “When I was a child, I used to sit in the square of my little town and stare up at the palm trees and dream about the beach,” says Malleville, who grew up in the landlocked Pampas region of Argentina. “Palm trees are the most beautiful trees in the world. They represent paradise to me.” And now, at 32, the model is living out his childhood fantasies, spending most of his time amid the sand and palms of Mexico, where he’s building a mini hotel empire. Just five years in the making, his brainchild, called Coqui Coqui, already includes two chic hotels and spas (with a third on the way), as well as a perfumery, a café and a store. One might call him the André Balazs of the Yucatán Peninsula. Just don’t tell him that.

Malleville’s famous friends don’t seem to mind. Sienna Miller, model Daria Werbowy and nightlife queen Amy Sacco have vacationed here, and Kate Bosworth and her boyfriend, singer-songwriter James Rousseau (who knows Malleville from his modeling days), have been repeat guests. “You hardly need electrical lighting at night because Nicolas and his staff fill the hotel with candles,” says Bosworth, who’s planning to return this summer. “It feels like you’re on a magic island.”
“I was superimpressed that a model so young was taking such bold chances,” says Sacco. “And he’s not tough to look at either.”

Last December Malleville invited a gang of friends to Coqui Coqui Coba, which was then still under construction. Eva Mendes and Alexis Bledel were among those who camped out in tents and took part in his candlelit New Year’s Eve fiesta.
The son of a bank officer and a schoolteacher, Malleville, who is of Basque, French, Italian and Austrian descent, grew up on a 25,000-acre ranch outside Córdoba, Argentina. While on a family vacation in Uruguay in his last year of high school, he was approached by a model scout from Paris. The scout, recalls Malleville, “kept talking about Kate Moss—I didn’t know who she was!” At the time, he wasn’t interested.
At the University of Córdoba, Malleville majored in landscape architecture and wrote his thesis on—what else?—palm trees. A couple of years after graduation, he moved to Paris to take landscaping classes at the famous Bagatelle Gardens. Two months after landing in the city, he decided to give modeling a try. At his very first casting—for a Paul Smith campaign shot by Mario Testino—he booked the job. “I was very lucky and kept getting very lucky,” he says. He quickly became one of the industry’s most in-demand male models and a Testino regular. The photographer went on to book Malleville for four Burberry campaigns and a Gucci campaign.

All the while Malleville pursued his interest in landscape architecture. Between modeling gigs he took more classes and eventually designed the gardens of more than a dozen houses in London. He also traveled whenever he could. His close friend Mariacarla Boscono, another model, frequently joined him. As she recalls, he could never resist tweaking his hotel room: “He would move the bed, put scarves over the lights, set up candles—and it would be a cheap version of the Four Seasons.”
Malleville made his first trip to the Yucatán Peninsula in 2001. Upon arriving in Tulum, he says, he immediately fell in love with the region: “It was like paradise.” That December he purchased the beachfront where Coqui Coqui Tulum now stands for $170,000. Soon afterward he bought a house in the slow-paced city of Valladolid. On its ground floor the plant lover opened his first Yucatán business, Coqui Coqui Perfumer, in 2003. At the still-thriving shop, Malleville sells pure extracted oils of local botanicals as well as scent blends and soaps. (Renée Zellweger is a fan of his Floplum blend and bought it in bulk when she visited the shop last year.)

Coqui sounds like the Spanish word for coconut. “When I came down here, everyone thought I was nuts,” Malleville explains. “They said I was coqui coqui.” Before long, however, Malleville developed another reputation: the foreigner obsessed with Mayan handicrafts and traditional building techniques. In Valladolid, where his third Coqui Coqui hotel and spa will be completed this fall, he recently opened a small café and a shop where he sells scarves, baskets, ropes, hats and housewares. At first, area artisans “kept making what they thought an American would like,” says Malleville. “But I didn’t want that. I wanted what they had in their own houses.” In all of his Yucatán ventures, Malleville strives for some measure of authenticity. He used 500-year-old tiles for the floor of his café, for instance, and his design for the Coba hotel was inspired by the nearby Mayan ruins.
Although availability at his hotels is extremely limited, the Coqui Coqui empire is definitely growing. Last fall Malleville and another model pal invested in a property on the French-Italian border, where they plan to build a spa. And Malleville says he hopes to open a hotel back in Argentina one day.
Meanwhile, he’s still very much in demand in the fashion firmament (that was him sandwiched between Jessica Stam and Erin Wasson in last fall’s Roberto Cavalli for H&M ads), with no immediate plans to retire. “Modeling has served me well,” he says. “It’s taken me all over the world, introduced me to amazing people and made me good money.” However, what he says is most fulfilling to him these days is what he’s doing in the Yucatán. “It’s the most important thing to me,” he says. “Quality of life, nature, authenticity, something real.” And that’s not just posing.

http://www.wmagazine.com/travel/2008/06/yucatan

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from theselby.com

http://www.theselby.com/10_5_08_Nico_francesca/index.html