TabletStars
Chip Conley's Favorite Hotels
Chip Conley
Founder and CEO of Joie de Vivre Hospitality
Chip Conley is the founder, President and CEO of Joie de Vivre Hospitality, California’s largest boutique hotel company consisting of 40 award-winning hotels, spas and restaurants.
Also an author, in his latest book PEAK: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo From Maslow, Chip tells his story of survival in turbulent times and illustrates the theory that transformed his business. Recently honored by the San Francisco Business Times as the “Most Innovative CEO” in the entire Bay Area, Chip is the founder of San Francisco’s annual “Celebrity Pool Toss” fundraiser, which has raised more than $3 million dollars for families in the Tenderloin District. Chip received his BA and MBA from Stanford University.
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Eichardt's Private Hotel
Queenstown, New Zealand
This small hotel overlooking the water in this adventurous town has the kind of "how did they think of that" service that is rarely found in traditional, large luxury hotels: quirky, spacious, and a wonderful reflection of the kiwi spirit.
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Library Hotel
New York, NY, USA
OK, OK, this is not one of NYC's most celebrated hotels nor does it have particularly great service, but the concept of numbering the rooms after the Dewey decimal system and having each floor and room be a different subject from Philosophy to Mathematics (with books in the room appropriate for the theme) is quite clever and the rooftop garden is a wonderful oasis. One of the best themed hotels I've seen.
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COMO Shambhala Estate
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
This private estate with 5 luxurious residences is located on abundant, verdant acreage where two sacred rivers come together; the holistic focus of the hotel and the fact that each of the residences has 5 or 6 bedrooms means this is a perfect place for a healthy retreat for you and a few friends.
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The Oriental
Bangkok, Thailand
In 1991, I stayed in this classic riverfront hotel and was truly shocked when I saw gold-embossed stationary with my name on it in my guest suite and everyone in the hotel seemed to know my name. This is the gold-standard for service and a great place for any hotelier to go and get some inspiration about the importance of training an engaged staff.
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The Setai
Miami Beach, FL, USA
While this place can be a bit of a scene and the service can suffer as a result, I adore the sexy Far-East flavor of the design and the moody nature of the restaurants and bars. This feels like the kind of place where I could spend the last 10 years of my life writing novels on the upper floors of the hotel staring at the Atlantic.
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Covent Garden Hotel
London, England, UK
There are many more showy,luxurious hotels in London, yet this home away from home with its slightly-modern Laura Ashley interiors provides the kind of comfort and service that make you feel like the King or Queen of England...plus, it's in an eminently-walkable location.
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Ventana Inn and Spa
Big Sur, CA, USA
Any magical mystery tour of California's coastal Highway 1 that does not include a stop in Big Sur is not complete. This legendary inn, spa, and restaurant (with a clothing-optional pool) introduces you to the mystique and power of nature with awe-inspiring rooms that feel like they grew out of the trees. While Post Ranch Inn across the street is more fashion-forward and sexy, Ventana captures the sense of place you're looking for in one of the world's most sacred places, Big Sur.
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Hotel Vitale
San Francisco, CA, USA
Is it unfair for me to include a hotel that I built? Before the Vitale opened, I always wondered why Financial District hotels had to be so painfully practical and lacking in soul. "Why can't I find a yoga class in the hotel before I go out for my meetings for the day?" "Why can't my business-class bathroom feel like I've been to the spa?" "Why can't I sit in a private bathtub off the spa in a bamboo grove with a view of the San Francisco bay?" Fortunately, I got to answer all of those questions and create a hotel that satisfied my post-W, pre-Four Seasons, BoBo (bourgeois-bohemian) sensibilities.
Travel stars and their hotel picks:
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Actor
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Architect
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CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi
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Architect
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Designer
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Chef
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Designer
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Actor
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Author, Wine Expert
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Supermodel
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Swimsuit Designer
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Designer
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Founder and CEO of Joie de Vivre Hospitality
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Chef
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Chef
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Architect/Designer
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One of the fastest growing, most innovative airlines in the world.
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Architect
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Chef
