France is such an exciting and varied place, it’s hard to know where to start. There is the bustling, metropolitan excitement of Paris, and then there is the scenic, provencial cool of Southern France. If the latter is sounding more your speed, try checking out Château de Villeréglan in the Southern department of Aude. With only four suites to choose from, either in the main house or slightly apart in the orangerie, this is true French countryside peace and seclusion — not to mention... (more...)
There is luxury… then, there is luxury. Sometimes you want a posh room at the cultural center of a bustling city, for instance, and sometimes you want to fly to a private state-of-the-art tropical villa in a leather-seated helicopter. Sometimes there are other hotels, and then sometimes there are Bali’s C151 Smart Villas.
This hotel — if you can even call it that, for it is not so much a hotel as twenty-one free-standing villas — is unparalleled luxury. Each bright and spacious... (more...)
Who says you need to hit the biggest city hot-spots to get the most out of a vacation? Some of the most relaxing getaways are a little bit off the beaten path. Take, for instance, Gulevi, the hottest new luxury hotel in Turkey. Though new as a hotel, the two buildings that comprise it are no strangers to the city: the manors (Hacimemisler and Betenler, respectively) date back to the 19th-century, when the Ottoman Empire was still very much alive and intact. Through years of painstaking renovations,... (more...)
There’s a new hotel in London town: this year has seen the opening of Nest, the newest addition to GuestInvest’s string of chic hotels taking the London area by storm.
Nest is certainly a case of not judging the book by its cover — fully refurbished from an Edwardian-era edifice, the grand white stucco-and-pillar façade melt away inside to reveal a relaxed and low-key atmosphere with an emphasis on quiet comfort. From soft beds and crisp linens to acoustically-optimized rooms,... (more...)
Los Angeles has always had a style all its own, but the Fifties and Sixties were something of a Golden Era, and few recapture that magic quite as beautifully as Beverly Hills’ Avalon Hotel. everything from the bright matte beiges and blues of its decor to its Noguchi tables and Eames chairs, the Avalon is a loving ode to the Atomic Age — no surprise, then, that it is another kwid creation, as mastermind Kelly Wearstler seems to have quite the knack for spot-on period pieces. It is difficult... (more...)
Despite it being a fascinating city and a huge destination spot, I hadn’t yet touched on Boston here, so I asked Alyk at Redfin for some info on her favorite pieces of temporary real estate in the whole of Beantown. Without hesitation, she responded: Boston Harbor Hotel — not least, she noted, due to her fascination with the giant gaping arch in its edifice that links Atlantic Avenue with the waterfront of Rowes Wharf. I’m a sucker for interesting architecture as much as Alyk knows... (more...)
Celebrities are always in need of posh escapes; less-expected is the posh escape to the home of a celebrity. Maison 140, named inconspicuously for its location on 140 South Lasky, was once the home of silent film star Lillian Gish. These days the house finds its calling as a bed-and-breakfast of sorts, and though that title may conjure up images of quaintly shabby residential seaside shacks, Maison 140 is anything but. Each of the 43 guest rooms are an original creation, every one awash in bold Parisian-... (more...)
Is it weird to be absolutely fascinated by chemistry? I should say not, and at any rate, it certainly expounds the fascination factor of Midtown Manhattan’s Dylan Hotel. Housed inside the former Chemist’s Club building on 41st St, it still bears the organization’s name on the entryway as well as wonders of science-themed stained glass artwork, making for an intriguing architectural experience. Of course, hotels don’t get by on intriguing architectural experiences alone —... (more...)
If you ever had any doubts about the inspiration for Gotham City, look no further than the American Radiator Building. A towering mass of coal-black brick and bronze, the very picture of industry, it doesn’t take much of a stretch to imagine Batman surveying the land for mischief and malice from atop its gilded spires. Luckily for him, Bruce Wayne would fit in just as well inside the building: no longer a radiator showroom, it is now The Bryant Park Hotel, among the most fashionable and luxurious... (more...)
It’s no wonder that Sex and the City was such a phenomenon: with characters that are so very real on one level, and yet so much more glamorous than life on another, it’s near impossible not to love them. It’s also near impossible to not find yourself wanting to be them — designer shoes, steadfast friends, and the whole bit of being whisked away to Paris in the name of turbulent romance. The Hôtel Plaza Athénée is aware of all this: situated just between the Champs... (more...)
