Wednesday July 01, 2009
Hotel Nikopolis Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki, Greece
If Puglia is the new Tuscany, then maybe Greek Macedonia is the new Mykonos. Bounded by the Aegean Sea on the northern coast, the region boasts a natural beauty that’s similar to that of the south — but without the crowds and the constantly unloading cruise ships. Due to its relative obscurity, Macedonia contains fewer stylish lodgings than elsewhere in Greece — a fact that just might change with a new crop of forward-thinking hotels like the Nikopolis Thessaloniki.
This contemporary aimed just as much at business travelers as beachgoers. Then again, business trip or not, who doesn’t appreciate oversized bathtubs and breakfast served on a private terrace? A sleek minimalist design dominates the spacious public areas and immaculately maintained guest rooms, which are outfitted in crisp whites and neutral tones. Funky details, like illuminated aquariums and modern artworks, enliven the otherwise tranquil guest rooms, while simply furnished marble and glass-filled bathrooms are grand and airy. Cable television and internet capability keep business types and technologically dependent visitors plugged-in to the world outside.
Although the location isn’t quite perfect — the hotel is situated near the airport rather than the old town of Thessaloniki, and sandy beaches aren’t within walking distance — the Nikopolis is a self-sufficient property, much like the major resorts elsewhere in Greece. The Felix restaurant, which specializes in Mediterranean cuisine, is ideal for a relaxed dinner, and the enormous swimming pool is a treat — especially at night, when candlelit-framed palm trees reflect off the clear surface.
Tuesday June 30, 2009
MaMaison Le Regina Hotel
Warsaw, Poland
Not to be confused with the British Malmaison chain — MaMaison, no L, is an Eastern European phenomenon, specializing in converting historical buildings to high-end boutique hotels. The markets they’re in are under-served in that particular category, to put it mildly; there’s nothing else in Warsaw, for example, to match the sleek modernity and first-class luxury of the MaMaison Hotel Le Regina.
It’s the only hotel in Warsaw’s Old Town, and though it’s carved out of an 18th-century palace, its interiors are as contemporary as can be. Neutral-toned fabrics and dark rich woods set a mellow if slightly masculine mood in the guest rooms, and the fittings are top-shelf — LCD televisions, pervasive wireless internet, and bathrooms that’ll have you ruing your return home. There’s an upscale French restaurant downstairs, as well as, surprisingly enough for the historic city center, not just a fitness room but an indoor pool as well. Not to mention that the location, for sightseeing at least, is literally second to none.
Don’t be misled by the price; Le Regina is a surprisingly good value, largely due to Poland’s transitional place in the European economy. This hotel would set you back easily twice as much were it in London or Paris, and it’s probably best seen in the next couple of years, before the currency changeover happens.
Tuesday June 30, 2009
Baby Grand Hotel
Athens, Greece
Hotel designers far and wide strive for interiors that are hip and eclectic, but these days a few zebra-print pillows and some potted bamboo in a minimalist setting hardly qualify as edgy. Enter the Baby Grand, an Athens hotel that’s delightfully avant-garde, splashed with colorful artworks, and, yes, quirky nearly to the point of outrageousness.
The eye-popping entryway is a crash course in the hotel’s art-focused design scheme. The works are contemporary, of course, and there’s not a Rothko knockoff in sight — the Baby Grand is stocked with wall-sized graffiti paintings, cartoon-like murals, and vibrantly hued urban art that lend the interiors a gritty-chic look. Pick up your keys at reception, which isn’t a desk at all, but a pair of gleaming Mini Coopers, and, for the most unique experience, head for one of 55 graffiti guest rooms. Each is individually themed, so you’re just as likely to be surrounded by life-size fairy tale scenes as fantastical images of an enchanted forest. Too trippy for your taste? Sophisticated “classical” guest rooms are significantly toned-down, leaving the art to the public spaces. Down comforters, marble bathrooms, wireless internet, and satellite television are constants throughout the guest quarters, and suites offer separate living and study areas with plush furniture, large bathtubs, and balconies.
Needless to say, there’s nothing exactly ordinary about the Baby Grand’s offerings, not even the name of the restaurant (Meat Me, which serves modern Greek cuisine in a surrealist setting characterized by unusual details like iridescent tree leaves and glowing fluorescent glass panels.) The Moët & Chandon bar, in addition to offering innovative techniques for drinking from mini champagne bottles, is set in a whimsical space that manages to be both fashionable and warm.
Monday June 29, 2009
The Sentosa Resort & Spa
Sentosa, Singapore
Only in Singapore could there be a place like Sentosa Island, a government-established tropical paradise, just fifteen minutes from the financial district, with development (and strategic areas of non-development) controlled by the central bureaucracy. At worst it could be (and in times past has been) a sort of Disneyland version of the Southeast Asia island getaway. These days, though, it’s looking pretty smart, thanks in no small part to the Sentosa Resort & Spa.
You’d never know you were in Singapore. It’s a Bali-style resort, villas and low buildings scattered across 27 acres of forest and parkland, backing up on the Sentosa Golf Course (home of the Singapore Open). Clean-lined, contemporary rooms and suites look out into courtyards and pools, or out onto the golf course — they’re not over-large but are plenty stylish, paneled in wood and supplied with all the necessities (massive plasma screen, torrential showers, the works).
The Sentosa, for all its charms, isn’t small; the up side of this is an encyclopedic list of luxe-resort services, and plenty of activity — there’s privacy to be had, if you’re thinking of a quiet couples’ escape, as well as a great vast pool deck, the sort of place you can turn the kids loose for an afternoon.
Monday June 29, 2009
Costa Lanta
Krabi, Thailand
Phuket is packed, Bangkok is brimming, even Koh Samui isn’t quite so unspoiled anymore. Where to go for some quiet, some open space, in today’s Thailand? On the northern tip of the island of Koh Lanta Yai, on the Andaman side of Thailand, quite off the beaten path, there’s a little modernist beachfront retreat with the incongruously European-sounding name of Costa Lanta.
Costa Lanta’s 22 boxy bungalows stand just inside the treeline, leaving the soft sand beach delightfully au naturel, and adding to the hidden-colony mystique of the place. And as for the bungalows themselves, they’re quite a departure from the traditional-styled villas of most Thai island hotels — these are made from concrete and from hardwoods salvaged from old Colonial homes, spun together into hard-edged geometric forms, with wide windows opening them to the gardens and the sea views.
Services are kept purposefully simple; just an infinity pool facing the beach, a waterfront restaurant serving fresh and authentic local cuisine, and a smattering of leisure options, including traditional Thai massage and an extraordinarily mellow little lounge. Get away from the crowds and enjoy some stylish relaxation on a refreshingly human scale — just keep it quiet when you get home, lest the crowds begin to catch on.
Sunday June 28, 2009
Taj Malabar
Cochin, India
The Taj group, though perhaps best known for a string of faultlessly competent business hotels, has a healthy sideline in time travel — the kind of meticulously preserved historical properties that make you feel as though you’ve stepped right into another century. Take the Taj Malabar, on Willingdon Island in Cochin Harbor, as an example: aside from a relatively utilitarian Tower Wing (of which more later), this place stays pretty true to its 1935-vintage, Victorian-style roots.
As with any hotel with a modern wing, you’ve got a choice to make. Here it’s between authenticity and views, to put it bluntly; the original rooms, though renovated, feel positively steeped in history, but the tower suites are fine reproductions, and some add the further inducement of a sunset view over Cochin’s waterways. Much depends on whether you’re a stickler for history — an added benefit is that, from within the tower, you can’t actually see the tower.
What all the accommodations have in common is a full complement of modern amenities; the Taj group are no strangers to five-star hospitality. Four restaurants easily keep everyone fed, and the spa and Ayurvedic center look after guests’ less tangible needs.
Saturday June 27, 2009
The Chelsea
Atlantic City, NJ, USA
If you’ve been thinking, as we have, that it would be nice if Atlantic City were a bit less of a punchline and a bit more of an actual destination, then you should be cheered by news of the Chelsea Hotel. Los Angeles hipsters never stopped going to Vegas — so why shouldn’t the Jersey Shore bask in a little reflected New York glamour?
There’s no casino. Best to get that out of the way right up front. That’s bad if you can’t stand the idea of going outside, but good if, like the Chelsea, you’re trying to attract a slightly livelier crowd. Here you come for the hotel itself, for the boutique style and the young, sociable atmosphere, for the rooftop bar, the beach service, the restaurants by Stephen Starr, and the full-service spa.
It’s almost two hotels in one: the Luxe Tower is the high-rise portion of the Chelsea, with a look (and a level of comfort) that’s in tune with what you might find in Manhattan’s — or even Miami’s — high-end boutique hotels. And then there’s the Annex, the retro-style motel-chic wing of the hotel, where a slightly younger and more budget-conscious crowd gathers. If you prize peace and quiet Luxe Tower is probably for you, but the Annex, however sociable, is hardly less comfortable.
Add a saltwater pool, a rollicking rooftop bar, and a pair of restaurants — Chelsea Prime, the tower’s steakhouse, and Teplitzky’s, the upscale diner in the Annex — and you’ve got yourself a fine little hotel. And of course you’ll want to get out and see a bit of the town, as the Chelsea has wisely left most of the kitsch — and all of the gambling — out on the boardwalk.
Friday June 26, 2009
The Kirketon
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Sydney’s hippest hotel is back. The Kirketon was part of the first wave of Sydney boutique hotels, and the design always turned heads. But while the urban grit of Darlinghurst is a welcome counterpoint to the sunny mellowness of the rest of the city, the Kirketon’s highly polished design was beginning to look a bit cold.
The newly updated interiors trade the old Kirketon’s minimalism for a new, warmer, subtly richer feel — still neutral-toned, sophisticated, and very chic, but with rich textures in wood and leather, atop deep blue or vivid red goat’s-wool carpets. There’s a bit of bohemian detail in the ornate mirror frames and the occasional chandelier — it’s more livable, the look more cultured, than the ’99-vintage original.
Of course there’s still no shortage of nightlife, this being Darlinghurst and all — you can check with the concierge for a comprehensive list of local bars and eateries.
Thursday June 25, 2009
Kahanda Kanda
Galle, Sri Lanka
Much of the buzz around Sri Lanka has centered on the seaside colonial town of Galle Fort, and the beach in general. Perfectly reasonable, and all very well — but there’s more to it than that. For example, a few miles inland from Galle there’s Kahanda Kanda, formerly a private residence and still a working tea plantation, but one whose owner has turned it, to everyone’s benefit, into a small and contemporary boutique-style hotel.
Small is one of the key words — it’s got just five suites, each of them free-standing, surrounded by shady vegetation, all within a stone’s throw of a central infinity pool, on a hillside overlooking Koggala Lake. Interiors are stylish, a blend of contemporary luxury and colonial heritage, and the bathrooms are downright indulgent, as they tend to be these days. The atmosphere could hardly be more private or tranquil, and the no-kids policy certainly doesn’t hurt in that department.
Activities are mercifully few: this is a place to get away, though not a difficult or terribly remote one. The beach is a short drive away, if you’re determined, and sporting options on-site include swimming, yoga, and a small fitness center — an emphasis on health that’s complemented by the hotel’s hybrid Thai/Sri Lankan cuisine.
Wednesday June 24, 2009
Saxon
Johannesburg, South Africa
Impossible to imagine, but the Saxon, on the fringes of Johannesburg, was once a private residence — not bad, considering it now sleeps about fifty. And surrounded as it is by a ten-foot wall, it’s about as private as a boutique hotel can get. This is where Nelson Mandela came to work on his autobiography after his release from Robben Island — quite a step up, from a cell to the suite that now bears his name, a sprawling compound within a compound, equipped with its own reception hall, dining room, steam bath, and colonnaded bedroom.
From there the basic suites are a bit of a step down, though anywhere else they’d be top-of-the-line. They’re open-plan, but come complete with dining and lounge areas, and they’re decorated in an elegant contemporary-African style, with all the modern musts: enormous plasma-screen televisions and remote-controlled everything.
Along with some fine suites the Saxon steps into resort territory, with a big outdoor pool, a stylish restaurant and bar, even a spa, complete with fitness studio and exercise machines. There’s a conference center as well, a reminder that you could do worse than to be sent here on business — get yourself a job in African politics and it could all be yours, at least for a few nights.
Wednesday June 24, 2009
Club Tapiz
Mendoza, Argentina
Foreigners curious about South America have been making the pilgrimage to Buenos Aires for years, but the wine capital of Mendoza is now emerging as an equally popular destination. The air is dry, the grapes are flourishing, the Andes rise dramatically at the city’s edge, and the accommodations generally consist of rustic estancias (ranches) and wine lodges. But that’s changing, as forward-thinking hotels like Club Tapiz open their doors to a style-conscious wine-loving public.
New Age Hotels, the creative minds behind several successful boutiques in the capital city and in the north of Argentina, bring style and sophistication to the Malbec region with this petite seven-room hotel. Surrounded by vineyards and housed in a Renaissance-style estate that dates to 1890, Club Tapiz retains the pine floors, tiled patio, exposed brick, and elegant proportions of the original structure, adding contemporary features from spotless and huge picture windows to a state-of-the-art tasting space. Facing out onto the central courtyard, the minimalist but comfortable guest rooms are dressed in earthy, understated hues and plush linens.
It’s a bit of a trek from the city center: if you’re looking for restaurants and cultural activities within walking distance, Club Tapiz might not be your place. But this boutique is more like a self-sufficient little compound, with evening wine tastings, a classy restaurant, bicycles for the taking, and a pretty swimming pool. The feel here is intimate and chic — you can tell that city-dwellers thought this place up — but at the end of the day, Club Tapiz is nothing if not laid-back.
Tuesday June 23, 2009
Schlosshotel Buhlerhohe
Baden-Baden, Germany
Does anybody really go to Baden-Baden anymore? The answer is a resounding yes — it’s not just for heads of state or 19th-century literary figures anymore. While the rest of the travel world was scurrying about trying to find the next big European resort destination, the town has been sprucing itself up, as has the Schlosshotel Bühlerhöhe: modernizing where it needs to (in the spa, the bathrooms, the room amenities) and staying classic where it doesn’t (the public spaces, the dining rooms, the spectacular historical architecture of this one-time Prussian military hospital).
The bedrooms occupy a stylistic middle ground somewhere between contemporary and traditional, but style is perhaps less important than comfort here; there are just 90 rooms and suites, in a building that looks as though it could hold a hundred more, and they’re nothing if not well-equipped. For the famous baths, or a night in the casino, it’s down into the splendid town of Baden-Baden, a good fifteen-minute drive away, which explains why the Bühlerhöhe needs a spa all its own — most impressive, perhaps, is the indoor swimming pool, surrounded by marble columns, framing a view out full-length windows into the Black Forest.
Monday June 22, 2009
Hotel Quinta Das Lagrimas
Coimbra, Portugal
One of Portugal’s best-kept secrets, the Quinta das Lágrimas is an authentic aristocratic residence on a sprawling garden estate in the inland city of Coimbra, the historic capital of the Kingdom of Portugal. Though steeped in history, it’s not all old-fashioned — beyond that stately golden exterior is a state-of-the-art luxury hotel, right down to the very modern Bamboo Garden Spa.
Rooms come in three flavors: opulent antique-style Palace rooms in the old mansion, lower-key but still traditional Garden rooms overlooking the estate’s tranquil gardens, and the contemporary minimalist Spa rooms, in the new modernist wing where the Bamboo Garden is located. And while the styles differ, the underlying experience is more or less the same: plentiful space, plush comforts, and up-to-date amenities, right down to the wireless internet.
The spa is among the Quinta das Lágrimas’ strengths; another is the on-site golf academy, complete with nine-hole mini-course — perfect for golf-mad Portugal, with two full courses within easy reach. Add to that a restaurant that’s been recognized by the Michelin guide and you’ve got the very picture of the modern small luxury hotel experience, all under one roof.
Sunday June 21, 2009
Park Hyatt Saigon
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
The only thing keeping the Park Hyatt Saigon off the list of historic Ho Chi Minh City landmarks is the fact that it’s brand new. But give it time. Not only is it already by a long way the top hotel in town, but its classic colonial-style facade fits seamlessly into the city’s central Lam Son Square, as though it had always been there.
When you see a chain’s name over a hotel’s door you generally know what to expect, for better or worse — in this case it’s for the better, as the Park Hyatt can be counted on to deliver subtly stylish modern-classic interiors, along with first-class facilities, and in-room amenities that are state of the art. Nods to French-era Saigon abound, from the understated to the explicit: there are period details in the décor, and the walls are hung with black-and-white photos of the city.
And the great benefit of a new build is in the physical comforts of the place. There’s room here for a top-end spa and an outdoor swimming pool surrounded by a landscaped garden, and two restaurants: Square One is authentic modern Vietnamese and Opera is an impressive Italian trattoria.
Saturday June 20, 2009
La Suite
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
A chip off the La Maison block, La Suite shares an owner, and a concept — a tiny and impossibly stylish luxury guest house, far enough off the main tourist drag to escape the crowds, but close enough to feel like you’re in on the action. In La Suite’s case, this means Joatinga, one of Rio’s most exclusive residential districts, at the end of a gated street, with some of the best ocean views in the city and access to a well-kept secret: Joatinga Beach.
Seven rooms is about as intimate as it gets, and as rooms, they’re remarkable — well-designed, individual, luxe but not ostentatious, and best of all, all seven take advantage of the phenomenal view, from full-length windows or private balconies. One pool would be enough for a hotel this size, but La Suite has two, not to mention Joatinga Beach, a surfer’s paradise, a couple of minutes’ drive down a cliffside road.
There’s no restaurant per se, and nothing but houses within walking distance, but the hotel’s kitchen is run by a highly accomplished chef — eat on the terrace taking in the view of the beach and the Atlantic, or in the swanky modernist dining room. Getting out means a taxi ride, as Ipanema is a good fifteen minutes away; La Suite’s bar, though, is tempting, open more or less all the time, and it’s a short stumble home.
How to get there:
La Suite is approximately a 30 minute drive from Rio de Janeiro/Galeão - Antônio Carlos Jobim International Airport.
Friday June 19, 2009
Rosewood Mayakoba
Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico
The Riviera Maya has become increasingly appreciated as the escape hatch from Cancún craziness, and the architecturally bold Rosewood Mayakobá raises the sophistication bar up several notches. In a word, this place is refined. The clean white lines of the resort’s pavilions interplay with the lagoons, lush landscaping, infinity pools and a dramatic coast-side golf course, while modern interiors respectfully nod toward the local aesthetic.
There are four dining and drinking options at Mayakobá, including a raw bar and a tequila library. This, to us, sounds like the perfect way to close down a strenuous day of snorkeling in the impossibly clear waters of the Yucatan, or worse, a full day of beachside lounging. Suites come with private plunge pools, roof decks and bathrooms worthy of Architectural Digest, and some borrow a page from the better South Pacific or Indian Ocean luxury resorts, with suites on stilts above the waters of the lagoon.
With the bounty of luxury to be experienced within Mayakobá, it is perfectly respectable to check in, savor your on-arrival tequila, and blissfully chill out until it’s time to go home. However, should the nearby Mayan ruins of Tulum or UNESCO’s Sian Ka’an biosphere preserve intrigue, the resort’s staff will gladly arrange tours, or set you up with a horse to ride, or a yoga session, or a deep-sea fishing excursion. They’ve got all the bases professionally and tastefully covered.
Thursday June 18, 2009
The Iron Horse Hotel
Milwaukee, WI, USA
If you’re in the upscale Midwestern Harley-riding demographic that The Iron Horse Hotel is aimed at (yes, you read that right) then chances are you already know about it. Not only is it a high-end boutique hotel in a contemporary urban-loft style, which is remarkable enough for Milwaukee as it is, but it’s certainly the world’s first such hotel with a motorcycling theme — and it’s definitely no coincidence that the Harley-Davidson museum is just across the street.
It’s not as odd as it sounds. Riders find covered bike parking, plenty of storage space for leathers and helmets, and a general ruggedness to the interiors — no fear of kicking over something delicate with a boot-shod foot. Bike agnostics, however, still benefit from the Iron Horse’s unique personality, and the rooms are as plush as any: 42-inch LCD televisions, spa-like bathrooms, and in-room bars stocked with full-size wine bottles.
A small yet well-equipped gym and spa complete the package, along with a classic oak-paneled bar and grill and a fine contemporary American restaurant. A scary biker bar it certainly isn’t — just a stylish and luxurious hotel that’s bike-friendly to boot.
Wednesday June 17, 2009
Cadogan Hotel
London, UK
It doesn’t get much more picture-book English, much more posh turn-of-the-century London, than this: the Cadogan Hotel, on Sloane Square in Knightsbridge, just around the corner from Harrod’s, down the road from Harvey Nicks, and a (very muscular) stone’s throw from Hyde Park. This is where Oscar Wilde was arrested for indecency, and though it was the beginning of a bit of a bad patch for him, it doesn’t have to be for you — you can still book his old room, number 118, and see how things turn out.
These days it’s owned by the Spain-based Franklyn group, but under their tenure it certainly hasn’t gone Continental. There’ve been some pretty extensive renovations, and rather an influx of Louis-the-something armchairs, but the effect is more a thorough spit-and-polish than a complete re-imagining.
Rooms hang on to their Edwardian charm in varying degrees, but all have been modernized, outfitted with all today’s luxury must-haves, from LCD televisions to top-shelf bathroom amenities. Downstairs there’s Langtry’s, the fine-dining restaurant, named for a former Cadogan resident and mistress to Edward VII, as well as a splendid afternoon tea in the old drawing room.
Tuesday June 16, 2009
Riad Dar One
Marrakech, Morocco
Numbers are important in certain areas of life but they’re close to useless in selecting a riad hotel. Five rooms, ten rooms, what’s the difference? These places are so much more about personality than anything else — and in the case of Riad Dar One it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that that personality is stylish, welcoming, and more than a little bit French.
In that it has a lot in common with its proprietor, an impeccably dressed Frenchman named Jean Peres. The rooms are strikingly contemporary, each one a first-class piece of set design, clean-lined and yet full of rich color and classic Marrakchi character. And while some hotels find it difficult to look good and feel good at the same time, Dar One manages to be as comfortable and cozy as it is chic — a riad with a room named for Le Petit Prince is clearly not taking itself too seriously.
The atmosphere is always casual, with Jean’s two charismatic dogs given the run of the place. It may be light on services — a cocktail bar and a by-request kitchen are virtually the extent of them — but for an intimate little escape in the medina, you couldn’t ask for much more.
Monday June 15, 2009
On the Rocks
Santorini, Greece
There’s no metaphor here. On the Rocks is literally on the rocks. Like the rest of the tiny village of Imerovigli, this elegant hotel balances atop the cliffs that overlook the famous caldera of Santorini. The only danger is in trying to decide when to move the umbrella shielding your deck chair or whether to carry a light cardigan to dinner. Beauty without pretense reigns, as it has for millennia. Even Herodotus thought so: in his histories, he referred to the island as “the Fairest One.”
The hotel wisely lets the rocky landscape and crystalline seascape dominate. The whitewashed exterior reflects the Mediterranean sunshine and sets off the shifting blues of the horizon. This traditional style of understatement continues into the interior’s décor, where only an occasional spiky fern or muted checkered pillow breaks up the pristine white. Some rooms offer private sitting areas or dip pools. Balconies and multileveled terraces ensure tranquil views from almost everywhere.
Couples come to the volcanic islands of Greece in search of stunning vistas and charming comfort. Both desires will be more than satisfied by these quiet accommodations. For those in search of more stimulation, nearby Fira, the island’s little capital, offers bars and nightclubs, in addition to monasteries, museums full of ancient artifacts, and the well-known beaches of unusual black sand. For most guests, however, watching the lapping Aegean 200 meters below or the renowned, intensely chromatic sunsets streak across the horizon will probably provide exactly enough activity.
Monday June 15, 2009
Dana Hotel and Spa
Chicago, IL, USA
There was a Dana Hotel here before, on this very spot, but a very different one — traditional, old-fashioned, maybe even classic, depending on who you ask. But that’s in the past now: the original Dana has been pulled down, replaced by a brand-new tower of modern metal and glass, home to the new incarnation of the Dana Hotel and Spa.
With over two hundred rooms it’s not small, but the look and the atmosphere are pure boutique, from the exclusivity of the nightspots to the forward-looking design in the guest rooms. Floor-to-ceiling windows make the bedrooms feel enormous, and the minimalist décor, including hand-hewn hardwood floors and bare concrete columns and ceilings, wisely doesn’t distract from the views. Best yet, a new building means no compromises when it comes to modern conveniences — not just high technology like LCD televisions and iPod docking stereos, but such concrete luxuries as fully enclosed shower rooms with overhead rain spouts.
The ground floor is given over to a full-service spa and fitness center, surely a big draw. But the Dana’s main attraction is Vertigo, the open-air rooftop lounge. When the weather permits, Chicagoans go mad for a chance to socialize outdoors, so you can expect a very full house.
How to get there:
Dana Hotel and Spa is located two blocks from the Chicago Ave. station on the red "L" line. Taxi prices range from $26-$45 from Midway Airport and $32-$48 from O’Hare. Please contact customerservice@tablethotels.com to arrange airport transfers.
Sunday June 14, 2009
Akasaka Granbell Hotel
Tokyo, Japan
At this point in history an affordable, stylish city-center boutique shouldn’t really be a novelty. But in Tokyo it still is. Here you’ll find some of the finest high-luxury accommodation in the world, as well as a plentiful supply of average and below-average business hotels. But places like the Granbell are out to change that, one hotel at a time — first in Shibuya, and now in Akasaka as well.
It’s located in a fairly typical high-rise building, but this is Tokyo, and that’s what you get. Inside, though, it’s quite a bit more inspiring, projecting a sedate and somewhat grown-up image — the Granbell’s idea of design is closer to chocolate-and-cream luxury than to eye-popping graphic hip. As with the Shibuya location, the Granbell Akasaka begins with some very compact and affordable single rooms, and moves up to suites that are much more substantial — still just this side of enormous, but exceedingly comfortable all the same.
Once you move up the scale you’re in the same bracket as Tokyo’s classic business hotels — the value here is probably in the more affordable end of things. But either way it’s hard to fault the Granbell’s style, not to mention the location; Ginza, Shibuya, Shinjuku and Aoyama are all within easy reach.
Sunday June 14, 2009
Dar Les Cigognes
Marrakech, Morocco
With the seemingly endless array of riad hotels in Marrakech, it takes a discerning eye to separate one from another. In the case of Dar Les Cigognes: this is the one with the bridge. Like a few others, this one is made of two courtyard residences joined into a single small hotel; unlike the others, the two houses of Dar Les Cigognes aren’t back to back, but across the road from each other, and connected by an elevated walkway.
So there’s that. There’s also the matter of the style: the Tunisian-born and Morocco-based architect Charles Boccara has brought an insider’s perspective to the designer-riad genre, and the result is a hotel that’s obviously architect-designed, but extremely classical in style. It’s neither unimaginatively minimal, like so many contemporary hotels, or needlessly opulent, as is the riad temptation.
These places are all about atmosphere and Les Cigognes has it in spades. Endless nooks and crannies for lounging surround the courtyards of the two houses, and the rooms themselves border on decadence, most of them with working fireplaces. And at double the size of an ordinary riad it has space to expand its offerings: the library is well-stocked, the spa and hammam well-equipped, and the restaurant, practically a necessity for foreigners visiting the medina, is far more than just serviceable — it’s a highlight of the experience.
Saturday June 13, 2009
Vila Monte
Algarve, Portugal
The Algarve, Portugal’s southernmost province, is a destination seemingly ready-made for tourism. It’s covered with sandy beaches and sunshine, and just as places like New Zealand get comic mileage out of their ratios of sheep per capita, the Algarve seemingly has at least one hole of golf for every native family. Of course there are plenty of beach resorts, golf clubs, big hotels — and then there are escapes like the much smaller Vila Monte.
Originally a manor house, it’s now a hotel encompassing a handful of small villas in Andalusian and Moorish styles: the original Villa Indigo, the courtyard-style Riad, the citrus-grove Orangerie. Each one is split into several rooms or suites, mixing contemporary luxuries with traditional aesthetics.
There are some big-resort amenities here, from the Kasbah Spa to the golf club, where a resident pro will help you with your short game on the 3-hole pitch-and-putt course (and help book tee times at one of the thirty 18-hole courses nearby). But what’s most remarkable here is the private-retreat atmosphere — dine on the terrace of the Orangerie, with a menu based on local Algarvian produce, many of them grown organically on the Vila Monte’s estate.
Friday June 12, 2009
Hotel Santa Teresa
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Here’s an entirely new take on the familiar city of Rio de Janeiro. The gentrifying, bohemian Santa Teresa district is an exception among Rio’s most desirable neighborhoods, in that it’s high up on the hillside rather than down along the beach. This is a district full of colonial mansions and artists’ workshops, with charming little boutiques rather than luxury-brand showrooms.
The top hotel in Santa Teresa is, well, the Santa Teresa; and it’s only natural that the hotel should be equally full of personality, a 44-room boutique hotel in a hybrid modern-colonial style. The place is packed with indigenous arts and crafts, and the interior design is nothing if not subtle: though it’s full of iconic design pieces from the likes of Brazilian modernist Sergio Rodgrigues, what’s most noticeable is the focus on materials, namely splendid Brazilian hardwoods, natural fabrics and fibers, and even the odd bit of local stone.
Small though it may be, the Santa Teresa isn’t short on luxuries: there’s an outdoor pool and a full-service spa with an exclusive line of spa products by Natura. The restaurant and lounge are more than perfunctory, which helps make up for the fact that the hotel isn’t terribly close to the traditional centers of Rio — you are, however, very close to the center of Santa Teresa, and you might not even miss trusty old Copacabana or Ipanema.
Thursday June 11, 2009
LUMEN Paris Louvre
Paris, France
A little explanation in order to properly introduce the new Hotel Lumen: Paris is in another league when it comes to hotels — its enormous volume of tourist traffic combined with its general scarcity of real estate places it in the same pricy bracket as London or Tokyo. Combine that with a generally conservative bunch of hotel decorators — no, we don’t get it either — and you’ve got a pretty solid rule of thumb: you can have an affordable hotel, a stylish hotel, or a conveniently located hotel, but rarely two of those, and almost never all three.
We’d be lying to you if we told you the Lumen belonged in the budget category. But to find a hotel this stylish and modern, located literally steps from the Louvre, is a pretty big deal. And the price is really very much in line with the product: this is a top-flight luxury boutique, whose striking contemporary design fireworks are discreetly hidden behind the facade of a classic Haussmannian townhouse.
The thirty-two rooms and suites vary in size, but they’ve all got views of one kind or another, and all look sharp, in custom-made furnishings and marble or Bisazza-tile bathrooms. And the ace in the hole, to add to the location and the look, is the restaurant: Le Passage Saint-Roch operates under the guidance of the famed cookbook writer Frédérick Grasser Hermé.
Wednesday June 10, 2009
Hivernage Hotel & Spa
Marrakech, Morocco
In Marrakech hotels the choice, often enough, is between a contemporary resort way out in the Palmeraïe and a traditional-style riad hotel in the crowded, buzzing medina. But it’s not actually as simple as that. Take the Hivernage Hotel & Spa as an example — it’s in town, though just outside the medina, and in contrast with the riads, it’s a fully serviced boutique hotel, with 85 rooms and suites, served by a spa whose offerings go quite a bit beyond the little hammams of the courtyard mansions.
Here the mid-rise construction offers a slightly uncommon elevated perspective on the city. Interiors are a sensible blend of modern hospitality design and classic Moroccan style — satellite TV and assorted other electronic gadgets alongside soft desert hues and ornate antique-style furniture.
The spa is clearly a major draw, occupying a dramatic space full of colorful flourishes; all the basics are offered, from hammam and massage to aromatherapy and a fitness studio. But the strength of this place might be in the restaurant, La Table du Marche, where the St. Tropez–based chef Christophe Leroy serves an eclectic cuisine — from traditional French pastry and baking to Moroccan specialties and globe-spanning fusion dishes.
Tuesday June 09, 2009
Ace Hotel New York
New York, NY, USA
Our new Tablet Spy program offers the chance to get early looks at the most promising new hotels. If you’re willing to take the risks associated with staying in a hotel that’s not officially open yet — unfinished spaces, noisy construction, inexperienced service — then you’ll be rewarded with deep pre-opening discounts, and the chance to help decide whether the finished hotel will earn a place on Tablet Hotels.
After some years making a name for itself on the West Coast, the Ace brand arrives in the East, with a New York outpost on Broadway at 29th Street. And, as you’d expect, this one is a little bit different from other New York hotels. Start with the location: while you’re in the middle of Manhattan, and about three seconds from basically anywhere, this particular section of Broadway in the upper 20s is off most tourists’ radar, and most property developers’ as well. This is one way the Ace manages to stick to its budget-friendly price point, and makes for a bit of colorful street life as well.
Pains have been taken to ensure that the Ace retains a bit of atmosphere from its SRO-hotel past. This is a grittier and less polished take on the boutique hotel, something quite a bit less glossy and aspirational than the Schrager version of decades past. Here you’ll find surplus and salvage furnishings along with vintage turntables (complete with vinyl library) and, in some rooms, a few well-chosen high-end items — Smeg refrigerators stocked with a decent selection of food and drinks certainly come in handy, as do the iPod hookups for those of us who have gone digital.
The funky, minimal décor underlines the point that the Ace has more in common with apartment life than with the traditional hotel experience. The lobby bar is a work in progress, as is the Breslin restaurant, something of a sequel to the West Village’s very fine Spotted Pig. And when it’s open, Stumptown will be a genuine contender for New York’s top coffee shop.
Who’s it for? The prices certainly aren’t off-putting, and the audience is thus a bit broader than you’ll find in New York’s pricier boutiques. With rates starting around a hundred a night, the Ace caters to real live creative types — anyone from freelancers paying their own way to rock bands accustomed to North Jersey motels.
Monday June 08, 2009
St. George Roma
Roma, Lazio, Italy
Rome offers up so much history that it’s sometimes hard for the traveler to remember that, antiquity aside, Rome is a completely current and connected city too. It’s a cosmopolitan town fueled more by academia and the film business than by industry, and top-rate hotels usually aim for grandiloquent historical immersion or a hyper-hip design-house theme. The St. George doesn’t really fit into either camp. Instead, it offers up a polished atmosphere that, despite many Scandinavian design touches, almost feels as if one has just checked into a giant Prada handbag. Everything is stitched just so; no garish colors scream at your senses, just calm precision. The contents are selected more for hushed, buttoned-up professionalism than frivolity — the St. George marries boutique scale and business-travel efficiency extraordinarily well.
The 64 guestrooms are simultaneously modern and classical, with contemporary art hung below elaborate moldings, all united in a somewhat serious color palate and an abundance of travertine. Located on the Via Giulia (an incomplete urban design endeavor of the Renaissance, now a famed antique district) the St. George is in the heart of all things classical, steps from the Vatican and the Tiber with its strollable quays. The hotel offers a full service spa, the decadent I Sofà di Via Giulia restaurant, a wine bar, a library, and a chic, eye-popping rooftop bar, for taking in the sights from a comfortable vantage point. The St. George makes for a seriously sophisticated visit to a seriously sophisticated city, but takes great care to keep pace with the modern world.
Monday June 08, 2009
Pimalai Resort & Spa
Lanta Island, Thailand
The main calculation in traveling to Thailand is where exactly on the continuum between civilization and seclusion you want to end up. Though there’s no real desert-island experience to be had anymore, there’s a compromise to suit just about any taste — from the domesticated ex-wilderness of a Phuket to the nearby and much more tranquil Koh Lanta, home to the Pimalai Resort and Spa.
It’s not Robinson Crusoe, but it’s definitely not the big city either. Here the designers had the sense to stay out of the way, and let the gardens, the woods, and the beach take center stage. No bold design statements, just a warm, contemporary and identifiably Thai style, with full-length windows and wraparound terraces or balconies on all 121 rooms, suites and villas.
You can score a private pool if you feel like splashing out on a villa, or keep it simple with a standard room — even the latter affords plenty of space, close proximity to the beach, and it’s no great hardship sharing the hotel’s central infinity pool. Spa treatments and snorkeling or diving expeditions are an option, as always, and the restaurants offer not just fresh seafood-based Thai cuisine but cookery classes as well.
How to get there:
Pimalai Resort & Spa is approximately a 50 minute drive from Krabi Airport, 3 hours from Phuket Airport and 1 1/2 hours from Trang Airport. In each case this takes you to Baan Huahin pier where, adjacent to the public pier, the resort maintains a private jetty and convenience station. Travel time from Baan Huahin to the resort depends on the season. During the high season from November to April, the boat trip will take approximately 1 hour while traveling during the green season, from May to October, maybe take a bit longer. Please contact customerservice@tablethotels.com to arrange airport transfers.
