italian edition 3

ISSUE NO. 03 2015THE OUTDOOR ISSUE

I N T E R N A T I O N A L . C O M

Italia

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Editor-in-chief Ivo Alfonso Nardella

Contributors Italy: Claudio Bonomi, Rossella De Stefano, Andrea Mongilardi, Maria Artiaco, Patrizia Cavallotti, Elisabetta Delfini, Flavia Fresia,

Francesca Maffei, Miranda Menga (translations).

International: Sarah Andrews (editor-in-chief Hotelier International.com), Eric Witham (art director),Gilli Cuthbert (designer), Nick Dall, Boyd Farrow, Ron Gluckman, Anja Mutic, Suzanne Wales, Anton Pretorius, Andy Mark, Melissa Anne Wentzel.

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Issue no. 3 JUNE - JULY 2015

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INSIDEISSUE NO.03 THE OUTDOOR ISSUE - 2015

VOICE WITH THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF .................................................................. 05

CONCIERGE A HOTELIER’S HELP DESK ......................................................... 06

Q&A WITH OLGA POLIZZI Director of Design, Forte Group ........................................................................... 18

Q&A LETTING THE LAND SPEAK Talking with the architect Jean-Michel Gathy ........................................................ 26

Q&A FOR INKATERRA, NATURE IS THE MAIN ASSET Talking with Jose Koechlin, Peru’s eco-luxury pioneer ......................................... 34

Q&A WITH SYMON BRIDLE Chief Operating Officer, Rosewood Hotel Group ................................................. 42

Q&A WITH JOE’S BEERHOUSE An iconic Windhoek watering hole, is a legendary stopover for Africa overlanders and locals alike ................................................................. 52

THE BEST: Outdoor art............................................................................................................58Farm-to-fork experiences .................................................................................... 68Hotels for animal lovers ....................................................................................... 80

PROFILES:VENICE’S SAN CLEMENTE PALACECreating a new luxury playground on the venetian lagoon ................................... 91

AMALFI COAST’S MONASTERO SANTA ROSAA real sanctuary evoking a lost time ....................................................................100

ZURICH’S KAMEHA HOTELA destination property rooted in environmentalism and iconic swiss culture ........108

SAVELLETRI’S BORGO EGNAZIAAuthentic and peaceful this stunning seaside resort is an Italian retreat. Even for Italians. .................................................................................................116

POLES APARTTwo very different polish entrepreneurs visited the Zanzibar Archipelago and fell in love with the tropical paradise ...........................................................124

ABSTRACT/RIASSUNTOOur Italian guide/La nostra guida italiana to/alla The Outdoor Issue ................... 136

LAST LOOK ..................................................................................................... 144

NEXT ISSUE .................................................................................................... 146

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ISSUE NO. 26 - 2015A HOTELIER’S BIMONTHLY INSPIRATION - THE OUTDOOR ISSUE

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The line between indoor and outdoor spaces in hotels is getting fuzzier and fuzzier. Whether it’s architect Jean-Michel Gathy’s view-expanding mirrors in China’s Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay; the new enclosed garden courtyard of the renovated Ritz Paris; or the expansive grounds of the JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa, we’re seeing hotels around the world offer myriad approaches to blending their exteriors and interiors.

Gathy tells us in this issue’s Q&A that his designs are all about making spaces “integrated and seamless.” In the best indoor-outdoor hotel projects, “everything is blended—floor finishing, the floor patterns, the pergolas, the swimming pool, sitting area—everything is totally inter-related,” he says.

Our annual Outdoors issue is dedicated to showcasing hotels that have found interesting (and, we hope, inspiring) ways to give that kind of seamless

experience. And it doesn’t stop with coordinating floor tiles or décor. At Nairobi’s Giraffe Manor, giraffes are known to poke their heads into the breakfast room. At Inkaterra’s Hacienda Urubamba, guests are encouraged to pick produce on the 10-acre organic farm. And at the Four Seasons in Florence, an exquisite sculpture garden provides a privileged space for exhibits.

Some hotels are taking the idea further, literally and figuratively. The Chinese hospitality company NUO has launched an international concierge service that promises to be a door-to-door cocoon for guests, with a network of interpreters, butlers, limos, security firms, private jets and yacht hires.

As always, we hope you find ideas and inspiration in this issue. We welcome your comments, so please join our conversation with an email or letter. We look forward to hearing from you.

S I N C E R E LY,

SARAH ANDREWS — EDITOR-IN-CHIEF —[email protected]

VOICE


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ISSUE NO.03 2015 A HOTELIER’S HELP DESK

CONCIERGETHE WORLDIS YOUR OYSTER BY BOYD FARROW

HOTELS ARE INCREASINGLY OFFERING TRAVEL SERVICESBEYOND THEIR WALLS

New Chinese hospitality company NUO, which is positioning itself as the country’s first truly luxurious hotel brand, finally opens its first property in Beijing this summer. The company claims that guests will enjoy seamless service, not just within the hotel, but at every step of their journey thanks to the creation of

NUO Life, a worldwide concierge system. In addition to providing limousine

and travel services for its hotel properties, NUO claims it is building a transport and travel network that will cover airports in 33 Chinese and 57 international cities, including interpreters, butlers and security firms; providing private jet and yacht hires; and organising “once in a lifetime” trips, such as to the Arctic.

Offering services beyond their gilded gates is increasingly occupying the minds of more established hoteliers as well. Four Seasons has just unveiled its own private jet, available for guests to charter, complete with a 10 person crew which includes a guest services manager. Onboard meals are served on fine tableware and with impeccable Four Seasons service—allowing for turbulence, of course. Four Seasons

has also begun offering several trips involving stopovers at its hotels in destinations such as Los Angeles, Bora Bora, Sydney, Beij ing and St. Petersburg. This sort of point-to-point service is already more commonplace in Asia. Both Oberoi and Taj hotel groups now operate run limo-to-runway private jet charters throughout India, with Taj operating a fleet of Falcons.

But perhaps the most indulgent trips are being offered by Belmond, the aggressively expanding British leisure company, which now owns 35 deluxe hotels, six tourist trains and three river cruises. After a period of recent consolidation, Belmond is now offering “some of the greatest journeys in the world”, which incorporate stays at its landmark hotels and its iconic Oriental Express trains.


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CONCIERGE

GLOBAL VILLAGESHOTELS WORKING TO POSITION THEMSELVES AS COMMUNITIES FOR LIKE-MINDED GUESTS

A 100-acre rural idyll 90 minutes from London. A seven-bedroom farmhouse surrounded by 40 cabins. A barn where meals are served, and a separate barn for kids. If this sound a little like the Amish village from Witness, relax. The Soho Farmhouse, part of the Soho House empire which opens this summer, also boasts a boathouse with outdoor and indoor pools, a spa, gym,

five-a-side football pitch, floodlit astro tennis courts, winter ice rink, and cinema. Hotels like the Soho Farmhouse are keen to position themselves as “communities” and “villages” for like minded people, mixing the pastoral with the pizazz.

Take the Castiglion del Bosco, in Montalcino, Tuscany. Here an 800-year-old estate comprising the ruins of a castle and a medieval church has a rambling collection of buildings housing 23 suites. In addition, 10 villas have been created from restored farmhouses. Management was recently taken over by Rosewood, which also presides over a cooking school, a store, an organic kitchen garden, a spa, an infinity pool and fitness centre, winery and golf course. Rosewood is transplanting some of this

rurality to its other European hotel, in central London, launching a weekly Slow Food & Living Market in the property’s inner courtyard.

While hotel communities are mushrooming, none are as glamorous as Ian Schrager’s new hotel-condo, The Miami Beach Edition Hotel and Residences. The complex features a nightclub, a bowling alley, an ice skating rink, several pools as well as alfresco kitchens, dining areas, fireplaces, lush green gardens and pergolas. If all this sounds a little too grown-up, there’s always the brand-new Enchanted Village, set in woodland close to the Alton Towers Hotel, which includes self-catering tree-houses featuring 50-inch TVs games consoles and private hot tubs. - BF


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IN AND OUT:THE GROWING TREND OF FLEXIBLE AND ULTRA-SHORT STAYS

Check-in and check-out t imes have long been awkward for hotel iers and guests al ike. Starwood has begun to address the problem by offering a

24-hour check-in service to guests who stay for a total of at least 75 nights a year in its properties. Others dabbling with this concept include the Capella group and individual properties such as the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas; the Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte, with its Stay & Play 24 package; and the Hyatt Union Square New York, where guests can bed in for 24 hours between Thursday and Sunday.

Meanwhile, Radisson Blu recently began al lowing guests to check out as late as 6pm on any day. The determinedly innovative Virgin Group, which has just opened its f irst hotel, in Chicago, has mixed the 3pm-11am norm altogether, encouraging f lexible check-ins for al l guests. Marriott’s mobile app al lows for on-the-go check-in, checkout and “room ready” alerts. In theory, this would al low travel lers to sync some travel t imes and avoid the fractious lobby

scenes al l travel lers have encountered. But the most innovative changes are coming from outside the hospital ity sector. Two startups, Spain’s ByHours and the American HotelsByDay, have just launched websites and apps which enable guests in several cit ies to pay for only the t ime they need. ByHours lets hotels to offer rooms in blocks of three, six or 12 hours—so guests can book a room from, say, 9pm to 9am. HotelsByDay faci l i tates mornings or afternoon slots. While these schemes may shake up the industry, the downside is that i f hotels maximise their occupancy levels l ike this, it means less f lexibi l i ty for guests who want to check in for a ful l night. - BF

Christian Rodriguez, founder of ByHours

al low travel lers to sync some travel t imes and avoid the fractious lobby

CONCIERGE


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CONCIERGE

BRAND OF OUTSIDERSSHRUGGING OFF BIG BRANDS TO REACH INDEPENDENT MINDED GUESTS

When is a brand not a brand? Well, in the hotel sector it is when corporations want to connect with more free-spirited travellers. Take Starwood’s new “Tribute Portfolio”, which was launched with the tagline “stay independent”, and is a collection of individual properties made up from a combination of existing and new builds. The hospitality giant aims to

include 100 hotels by 2020. The reason, according to Starwood, is that today’s travellers are more comfortable booking unbranded hotels, using social media and sites such as TripAdvisor, providing peer-to-peer reviews. This apparently has emboldened developers of new hotels to become more comfortable going it as independents.

Of course, Starwood is not the only hotel giant to have realised this. Marriott International tentatively launched its now 81-strong Autograph Collection in 2010, and last year Hilton Worldwide launched its Curio brand. Marriott is chasing “the independent-minded traveler seeking … one-of-a-kind hotels and resorts”. Hilton is offering lodgings that are “handpicked, selected for their unique character”.

The trend is basically a supercharged type of booking and

marketing platform, such as Leading Hotels of the World and Relais & Chateaux. The benefits to both parties are obvious. Individual hotels, such as the Royal Palm, South Beach Miami—the first to get the Starwood Tribute treatment—and an upcoming new property in Savannah, Georgia, get access to a chain’s loyalty programme, technology, global sales force, marketing and design expertise. The corporations, meanwhile, get to reach an increasingly important demographic plus an instant presence in prime locations. They also can get their hands on projects that may not fit easily into any of the brands in their bulging portfolios. There are tangible benefits for guests too—they get to burnish their pioneer credentials while using their loyalty points to swing upgrades. - BF


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UP ON THE ROOFBY SUZANNE WALES

BARCELONA HOTELS OFFER QUIRKY ROOFTOP EVENTS AS A WAY TO DRAW LOCAL CUSTOMERS

As the sun sets over Barcelona’s old town skyline, the rooftop terrace of the five-star Ohla Hotel fills up with a mix of patrons, from smart couples to

young families. They are here to see a short performance from the city’s award-winning synchronised swimming team, who have found the perfect, if not slightly space-challenged venue in the hotel’s glass-sided pool.

It’s just one event within Barcelona’s Terrace Week, which closed its fifth edition this year. Generally held in early June, its aim is to encourage locals to consider hotel rooftops as an alternative to a wine or cocktail bar, says Jordi Clos, president of the city’s hotel association, which organizes the event. Barcelona Terrace Week attracts some

25,000 visitors each year, but the number is modest in comparison to rooftops’ possible reach (59 hotels participate in the initiative). The city’s hoteliers have been sluggish to promote their terraces as everyday places to meet up and relax, with many Barceloneses sti l l of the mind-set that they are domains for tourists only.

To change their minds, participating hotels offer cut-price tapas and cocktails with live music and DJs in addition to more novel attractions like workshops, magic shows, Zumba and yoga classes, sketching classes and outdoor cinema.

CONCIERGE


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CONCIERGE

THE QUESTIONTHE HOTEL ENTRANCE AND FAÇADE IS USUALLY THE FIRST VIEW GUESTS HAVE OF A PROPERTY. WHICH HOTEL ENTRANCE HAS MADE THE BIGGEST IMPRESSION ON YOU?

CONCIERGE

First Impressions: Memorable Hotel Entrances

BOYD FARROW

My favourite New York hotel—for plenty of reasons—is The Greenwich Hotel in the TriBeCa area, My favourite New York hotel—for plenty of reasons—is The Greenwich Hotel in the TriBeCa area, which owner Robert De Niro created as a discreet hideaway. Trouble is, it’s too discreet. Every t ime I stay here I swear they cover the bui lding with an invisible cloak. I walk past it a dozen t imes, convinced it is further down the street. Now I just purposeful ly str ide up to random doors along Greenwich Street unti l one of them opens and a tal l guy in a black suit appears and says “Welcome back sir.”*For this issue, Boyd featured Venice’s San Clemente Palace and Zurich’s Kameha Grand Hotel.

NICK DALL

The Alvear Palace Hotel in Buenos Aires is one of those rare places that seamlessly combines old world glamour and hospital ity with modern convenience, and it does so from the moment you set eyes on the façade. The hotel occupies an entire city block, and the main entrance is str ikingly posit ioned on the corner of the imposing, Parisian looking bui lding. The top-hatted concierges, wooden revolving doors, and ornate marble panell ing continue the theme.*For this issue, Nick spoke to hotel ier Jose Koechlin and reviewed the best outdoor art instal lat ions and the best farm-to-fork experiences.

RON GLUCKMAN

Tucked in a jungle where the borders of Thai land, Laos and Myanmar meet, the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle and Anantara Resort Golden Triangle offers unique immersion in a vast elephant sanctuary. Elephants visit at breakfast, you hear them munch bamboo when you use your outdoor bath, and you interact with the massive pachyderms even before you arrive. Guests can come by local r iver boat through the jungle, then ride an elephant to check in!*For this issue, Ron interviewed Rosewood’s COO Symon Bridle.

SUZANNE WALES

The Mandarin Oriental in Barcelona. It’s an incl ined catwalk that leads straight from the sidewalk through an open atr ium to the lobby. At f irst glance it’s a bit befuddling, but in a good way. Overal l It creates a sense of drama and occasion, which is always a good thing in a hotel! *For this issue, Suzanne reported on some of the world’s best hotels for animal lovers.

ANJA MUTIĆ

Anja adores the lobby of Hotel Monte Mulini in Rovinj, Croatia, with its expansive views of the Adriatic Sea, this visual wow moment makes her return to the hotel regularly.*For this issue, Anja interviewed architect Jean-Michel Gathy.

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Q&A OLGA POLIZZI

AN INTERVIEW BY: FLAVIA FRESIA

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Q&A WITH

OLGA POLIZZI

TALKING WITN THE DIRECTOR OF DESIGN OF ROCCO FORTE INTERNATIONAL HOTEL CHAIN ABOUT SPACE PLANNING AND LATEST OUTDOOR DESIGN TRENDS

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Q&A OLGA POLIZZI

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Q&A OLGA POLIZZI

Olga Polizzi is deputy chairman and director of design at Rocco Forte Hotels, the luxury hotel company founded in 1996 by her brother, Sir Rocco Forte.

The eldest daughter of the late Lord Charles Forte, the Anglo-Ital ian hotel ier who founded the leisure and hotels conglomerate that ult imately became Forte Group, Polizzi has always been involved in the hotel sector, working as director of bui lding and de-sign at Forte plc from 1983 to 1996.

Hotelier International: You play a very important role as director of design of Forte Group. What is your job description in a few words?Olga Polizzi: I oversee the design and the looks of al l our hotels in the world. We are a very small off ice and we’re currently doing two suites at the Hotel de Russie in Rome, and one at the Brown’s hotel in London. I f we have a major project underway, we work with an outside design company.

HI: Every Rocco Forte hotel is unique. When you begin work on a new project, where do you start from and where do you look for inspiration?OP: I look at the bui lding, where it is, in Rome or Munich or Brussels. I go to that city and I look around. I ask myself “What is Rome, what is Munich”, how I would imag-ine it i f I were a tourist. Then I pick one or two ideas and I go on from there. For instance, when we did the Amigo Hotel in Brussels I didn’t know


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Q&A OLGA POLIZZI

Brussels and I asked myself “How do I give a sense of the place?” I delved into the history of the city, and discovered there’s a strong Spanish inf luence. So I decided to start from that. For instance, I used metal legs for the desks, and a lot of leather. They make wonderful l inen in Belgium and I used that too. I always try and buy as much as I can local ly to give the hotel a local feel. And the pictures are always local. At the Amigo, for in-stance, this meant Magritte and T intin cartoons. I l ike to put in something

playful, to make people smile. Brussels also has wonderful antique shops, and I l ike going around and buying something unusual, one-off pieces, not too expensive but with character.

HI: What is the most important thing a designer must get right in designing a hotel?OP.: I think space planning is the most important thing. And proportions have to look right. Once you’ve got space planning and proportions r ight,

everything else is much easier. And I go for comfort. Comfortable rooms, comfortable beds, good l ights, big bathrooms, easi ly cleaned, with some- where to put down your bag.

HI: When designing a hotel, is there an area you most enjoy doing?OP: I ’m good at bedrooms, and I l ike doing good bathrooms, that’s real ly important. Nowadays people have got more and more spoiled, everyone has more in their own home and they expect


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Q&A OLGA POLIZZI

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SPACE PLANNING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. ONCE YOU’VE SPACE PLANNING AND PROPORTIONS

RIGHT, EVERYTHING ELSE IS MUCH EASIER

Q&A OLGA POLIZZI


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Q&A OLGA POLIZZI

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Q&A OLGA POLIZZI


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Q&A OLGA POLIZZI

more from hotels. So we have always to move on. Now we are always trying and put separate showers and baths, though in some of our hotels we don’t have the room to do that.

HI: How would you define your style? OP: I know it sounds a bit boring, but I would say middle-of-the-road. I always try and design to last, not too bold, not too trendy. If a design is too fashionable, the r isk is that it goes out of fashion quickly. And hotels that look dated are expensive to re-decorate.

HI: How often do you refurbish your hotels?OP: It depends on the hotels. Some

hotels get real ly battered much quicker than others, some last longer. But there is always something. I must say I hate redoing hotels once I’ve done them. But at the moment we are redoing a lot of our hotels, as they are 15 or 16 year old, mostly redecorating bars and restaurants. And renovating the upholstery is a continuous job. At the Brown’s in London we’re recovering sofas, armchairs and headboards; these probably are the things that I change most often. And then, you know, I go and say: “Oh, this room looks a bit boring, I’ve got to make it a l i tt le bit more excit ing” and maybe I change the curtains, move the furniture around. You just have to keep upgrading.

HI: Do you also design outdoor areas and supervise the landscaping of your hotels?OP: No, not real ly. At our hotels, we’ve got a lovely courtyard at the Vi l la Kennedy in Frankfurt and I’ve done al l the seating there, sofas etc. I l ike putt ing in not just tables and chairs, but also nice sofas. A lot of furniture makers now make lovely outside sofas. I put two huge, quite oversized trees in the Amigo in Brussels. Sometimes it’s quite nice to oversize things. I think it’s better to oversize than to undersize. This works indoor, too: instead of a ful l room, just put one big piece of furniture in it to make it look mini. At the de Russie in Rome there’s a lovely garden


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Q&A OLGA POLIZZI

but I real ly didn’t do that. We looked at what was done before original ly, and we had a gardener replant a lot of white roses.

HI: What do you think is the most important thing in designing outdoor areas?OP: It’s al l about proportions, just as with rooms. If you have a long avenue, you have to put something tal l at the end to draw the eye. If you have four walls, you bui ld another one to close it off and make separate “rooms” to make the garden more interesting as you walk from room to room, rather than just one big open space. I l ike mass planting of the same f lower, that always looks

ONE OF THE MAIN TRENDS

IS TRYING TO MAKE THE

OUTDOOR MORE LIKE THE INDOOR

good. And a l i tt le bit of recirculating water. It’s quite nice having the sound of water.

HI: What do you think are the best current outdoor areas design trends?OP: It is trying to make the outdoor more l ike the indoor, with sofas and armchairs that you can leave outside. This helps make outdoor spaces a bit more interesting and colorful. At the Verdura resort, in Sici ly, we’ve redone a terrace bar with sofas and armchairs, and we’ve put in two outside carpets, very well made, because the water goes through and they dry quickly. That again gives a sense of the indoor outdoor.


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Q&A JEAN-MICHEL GATHY

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AN INTERVIEW BY: ANJA MUTIC

GATHYJEAN-MICHEL

A CONVERSATION WITH THE BELGIUM BORN AND INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED

ARCHITECT ON INDOOR AND OUTDOOR RELATIONSHIP

Q&A WITH

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An internationally acclaimed architect, Belgium-born, Malaysia-based Jean-Michel Gathy has won numerous awards for design excellence. In 1983, he founded Denniston, the architectural and design firm specializing in luxury hotel and hospitality design. Gathy is the name behind some of the world’s most renowned luxury hotels, interiors and landscapes including Amanresorts, One&Only, Cheval Blanc, Mandarin Oriental, Park Hyatt, The Setai, Raffles, St. Regis and Chedi. Notable designs include the tented-style accommodation at Amanwana on Moyo Island in Indonesia and the iconic infinity swimming pool located on the rooftop of

Marina Sands in Singapore, to name a few.

JEAN-MICHEL


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Hotelier International: You’ve designed properties in such wildly varied locales, from exotic beachside locations (Amano’i in Vietnam), to urban environments (Aman Canal Grande in Venice) and then the Swiss Alps (Chedi Andermatt). What are some of the challenges you faced working in such diverse environments?

Jean-Michel Gathy: I wouldn’t call it a challenge. When you’re an architect and when you’re creative, that’s where the fun is. The site guides you, telling you what you should develop there. I’m going to make it very simple—if you live in the middle of the Amazon, what car are you going to buy? Are you going to get a 4x4 or a Ferrari? I don’t even need to give you the answer. And that’s the principle. When you walk onto a site, you know automatically, if you are in this business, what sort of product

you can build. Everything about the site is going to tell you—the vegetation, the topography, the orientation, the access. All that guides you toward the right solutions.

HI: You’ve been credited with pioneering hammock-style overwater nets, which were first introduced at One&Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives back in 2005. These are now benchmarks at luxury hotels, designed to bring the guest outdoors. Have you developed a similar concept for any of the recent properties you’ve worked on? JMG: I come up with new things every day, but what I’m really doing more of these days is exercising the relationship between the indoor and outdoor in architecture. That’s really my motto, that’s the particularity of the way I create. When you design pavilion-type hotels or hotels

with large terraces, you try to create a seamless connection between the inside and outside. So you turn the outside into a garden, a courtyard, an outside shower, an alfresco tub, or a privacy area, a dining room. Most architects, they design the building; an interior designer designs the interior of that building; and then the landscape architect designs the outside of that building. What’s special in what we do and what we’re known for is the fact we do all three--that allows us to be totally seamless.

If I ask you: “Tell me, where does the interior design role stop?” you’ll be unable to tell me. Where does the landscape start? You won’t know. Because everything is blended - floor finishing, the floor patterns, the pergolas, the swimming pool, sitting area everything is totally inter-related so


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there is no split between the functions. In that way, our product becomes integrated and seamless.

So I can’t highlight just a feature of the outdoors. It’s the way the property is put together, the way you assemble the components. It’s the way the swimming pool matches the window frames, the way the wall backs the swimming pool, the way the sitting area serves both the inside and the outside shower, the way the access and the geometry of the room is created. Our art is the continual dance between the outside and the inside.

HI: You designed a brand-new hotel, the Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay in Hainan Island, China, which was unveiled in February. You took some interesting approaches to bringing the outdoors

THE SITE GUIDES YOU, TELLING YOU WHAT YOU SHOULD DEVELOP THERE


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WHEN YOU WALK ONTO A SITE, YOU KNOW AUTOMATICALLY, IF

YOU ARE IN THIS BUSINESS, WHAT SORT OF PRODUCT YOU CAN

BUILD. EVERY THING ABOUT THE SITE IS GOING TO TELL YOU—THE VEGETATION, THE TOPOGRAPHY, THE ORIENTATION, THE ACCESS.

ALL THAT GUIDES YOU TOWARD THE RIGHT SOLUTIONS

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in, like adding a perpendicular mirror glass in the rooms that creates a 270-degree view.JMG: What we did in Sanya is interesting, yes. You have a window that’s 6 meters wide horizontally, which is carried on the side wall by a mirror of the same size so you have the feeling your window is endlessly wide, it’s really impressive. That entire property is designed to inspire guests to live on the beach. You retire to your room and you close the door only at night; during the day you live outside. So the restaurants, the terraces, the swimming pool, the beach, everything is designed to be free-flowing.

HI: Do any of the other properties you’ve worked on have a particularly great indoor-outdoor connection?JMG: In terms of the in and out, we’ve done extremely well at the Chedi Muscat. It’s a very good project where the landscape is an integral part of the architecture. The One&Only Reetha Ra and the Cheval Blanc Randheli in the Maldives are also designed as if we entirely forgot about walls. You have this feeling that you’re inside but you’re out. The thing is, you don’t even realize, because the door slides open completely, and disappears.

HI: What are you currently working on?

And what’s next?JMG: I’m working on 35 hotels at the moment, and I will have 12 open by the end of 2017, from Mexico, the Bahamas and New York to many places in Asia and the Middle East.

Author Bio: Born and raised in Croatia, New

York-based Anja Mutic has been travel ing

the world professional ly since 2000. Her

writ ing, which has won several awards has

appeared in The Washington Post, The Wall

Street Journal, New York Magazine, National

Geographic Traveler and BBC Travel. She

has authored or contributed to a dozen

Lonely Planet guidebooks.


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34

Q&A JOSE KOECHLIN

FOR INK ATERRA, NATURE IS THE

MAIN ASSET

AN INTERVIEW BY: NICK DALL

JOSEPERU’S ECO-LUXURY PIONEER

Q&A WITH

KOECHLIN

Q&A JOSE KOECHLIN


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Q&A JOSE KOECHLIN

FOR INK ATERRA, NATURE IS THE

MAIN ASSET

JOSEQ&A WITH

KOECHLIN

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Q&A JOSE KOECHLIN


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Q&A JOSE KOECHLIN

José Koechlin is founder and chairman of Inkaterra. He has pioneered ecotourism and sustainable development in Peru, investing in research and conservation. Chairman of the Sociedad Hoteles del Perú and Emeritus Board Member of Conservation International, Koechlin has also sponsored major f lora and fauna inventories in the Amazon rainforest and the Andean cloud-forest of Machu Picchu.

He has co-produced several f i lms including Werner Herzog’s cult classics Aguirre, The Wrath of God and Fitzcarraldo.

Hotelier International: When you started out no other hotels were ‘green’. Jose Koechlin: When I was 11 I travel led across Peru on school tr ips which opened my eyes to my country’s natural and cultural diversity. After my involvement in Aguirre, the Wrath of God, I wanted to keep working in the Amazon rainforest – in a f ield that would not alter nature. Tourism seemed the only way.

In 1975 Inkaterra’s f irst lodge was established in Madre de Dios. The hotel was bui lt on land which would later be declared Peru’s f irst ecological reserve with tourism purposes, using native techniques and materials. In 1978 we sponsored a team of

researchers to produce our f irst f lora and fauna inventories. This al lowed us to discover a mega-diverse ecosystem, which prompted further research and conservation projects. HI: Inkaterra has won loads of sustainability awards. But what achievements are you proudest of?JK: Improving the quality of l i fe of every l iv ing being in Inkaterra’s areas of inf luence. Inkaterra has produced f lora and fauna inventories in al l the areas it operates in to establ ish a benchmark against which to measure its own long-term impact. 25 ‘new’ species have been discovered within our properties. Inkaterra conserves 15,000 hectares of rainforest in Madre de Dios, has


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Q&A JOSE KOECHLIN

restored 15 hectares of Andean cloud forest in Machu Picchu, and has proposed the f irst marine reserve in Peru. We’ve educated local people about the value of biodiversity and have trained over 4,000 people since 1975, which has helped to reduce migration and preserve native cultures.

HI: What have been the biggest benefits of running sustainable hotels?JK: Ecotourism is such an appealing product, as it showcases a destination’s mega-biodiversity. The biggest benefit is to create added value for rural communities while safeguarding the environment, which also creates a strong positive image and brand recognition.

HI: What advice do you have to other hoteliers who want to grow and respect the environment?JK: We’ve found a hol ist ic approach to be extremely useful. We promote scientif ic research in order to contribute to the conservation of biodiversity, education and the sustainable growth of local communit ies.

HI: Where should they start?JK: The f irst step is to gain knowledge on al l the possibi l i t ies offered by a specif ic area, and the best way to do this is to produce scientif ic research.

HI: And what if their hotels are in urban settings?JK: Urban hotels can also be engaged

in environmental care. Reducing paper use, recycl ing, monitoring energy consumption and conserving water are just a few ideas. An urban hotel can also help to preserve a city’s history and cultural tradit ions. We’ve been lucky enough to do this with Inkaterra La Casona in Cusco: a careful ly restored 16th century manor house of major historical signif icance.

HI: Did you ever regret making the decision to ‘go green’?JK: It’s not a question of going green. It’s about keeping your main asset intact. Nature is your main asset and to quantify your assets you do inventories, as in any business. Bookkeeping is done in numbers of species and specimens,


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Q&A JOSE KOECHLIN

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Q&A JOSE KOECHLIN


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Q&A JOSE KOECHLIN

25 “NEW” SPECIES HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED WITHIN OUR

PROPERTIES

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Q&A JOSE KOECHLIN


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Q&A JOSE KOECHLIN

and in terms of the value of their current or potential use.

HI: What projects are you excited about at the moment?JK: I love the ‘Earth to Table’ program at Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba, our newest property located in the Sacred Val ley of the Incas. The hacienda features a 10-acre organic plantation where guests can pick their own produce. Crops include quinoa, art ichokes, Urubamba giant corn, and a great variety of potatoes and medicinal plants. Al l crops are completely “carbon-free,” farmed with tradit ional hand tools and oxen.

We’re also working in a marine environment for the first time. Cabo Blanco is a fishing cove in Northern

Peru that sti l l holds two game fishing world records. At its peak, A-listers l ike Hemingway and Joe di Maggio flocked there, but by 1970 the big fish had all but disappeared. Six decades on, Inkaterra is working on Peru’s first marine conservation project. By promoting sustainable fishing methods among local communities and developing ecotourism activities, Inkaterra is helping to recover the mega-diverse sea of Cabo Blanco and its cultural heritage.

HI: Do you think the industry is doing enough when it comes to sustainability?JK: The effects of cl imate change are more visible than ever; both governments and the private sector should be more committed to achieving sustainable economic growth. Ecotourism and other

sustainable efforts are responsible for implementing long-term solutions to this urgent problem.HI: Where do you think the industry will be in 50 years?JK: Already a signif icant part of the travel industry is veering towards sustainable practices. In the near future there should be greater awareness on the value of biodiversity and eco-luxury wil l hopeful ly become a leading industry worldwide, generating more income and better qual ity of l i fe for local populations than the extractive industries we have today.

Author Bio: Nick Dall is a nomadic writer who is particularly fascinated by both South America and sustainabil i ty. View his work at www.nickdall.co.za


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Q&A JOSE KOECHLIN


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Q&A SYMON BRIDLE

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, ROSEWOOD HOTEL GROUP

AN INTERVIEW BY: RON GLUCKMAN

Q&A WITH

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SYMON BRIDLE


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Q&A SYMON BRIDLE

Amidst rapid growth in China and Asia, New World hospital ity of Hong Kong took a quantum leap in 2011, acquir ing Rosewood Hotels & Resorts and management of iconic properties l ike the Carlyle, Las Ventanas al Paraiso, and the mansion on turt le creek. Symon Bridle, chief operating off icer of the renamed Rosewood Hotel Group, discusses Rosewood Beij ing, plans for China, and openings from Thailand

and Indonesia to Paris and the Middle East.

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Q&A SYMON BRIDLE

Hotelier International: What attracted New World to the Rosewood Hotels & Resorts?Symon Bridle: The acquisit ion of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts immediately extended the company’s reach onto an expanded international stage. The acquisit ion added to our market reach across three distinct segments: ultra-luxury, deluxe and mid-tier. Currently we operate 55 hotels across the group in 18 countries, including the Americas, Caribbean/Atlantic, Europe, Middle East and Asia.

HI: New World is best known in Asia. How does Rosewood fit?SB: We recognised that Rosewood did not have a presence in Asia, one of the fastest-growing markets in the world, with of course China being a key driver of that growth, and this presented a key opportunity to bring a new take on luxury into the region, bringing in a brand that had credibi l i ty through its history back to its founding in 1979.

One of the strengths of our company is its knowledge and understanding of the

Asian markets; we have been around a long t ime in the region and this al lows us great insight and, I think, a competit ive advantage. Clearly the Asia region is key to our development plans, but we won’t lose sight of opportunit ies in Europe and the Americas.

HI: What are your projections for growth?SB: We target 130 hotels in operation across our three brands by 2020. The breakdown is shaping up to be roughly 40 percent Rosewood Hotels & Resorts


45

Q&A SYMON BRIDLE

(50 hotels), 20 percent New World Hotels & Resorts (30 hotels) and 40 percent Pentahotels (50 hotels.) Each of our brands offers a distinctive identity. For Rosewood Hotels & Resorts in particular, the opening of Rosewood Beij ing – currently our only property in Asia – has created quite a stir. It’s the “shop window” for Chinese and Asians to discover what Rosewood is al l about.

HI: Is China still a strong market, or oversaturated?SB: China is actual ly entering a stable

growth stage after a period of rapid growth over more than two decades in hotel development. Nationwide, second and third t ier cit ies wil l keep growing in terms of GDP and l iving standards.

We remain focused on bui lding our pipel ine in major China cit ies. Also, we are paying close attention to resort areas, which are growing fast due to the increase of the Chinese middle class, with a greater disposable income and wil l ingness to spend that on unique experiences.

HI: What are the key concerns in introducing the Rosewood – or any new hotel brand to China?SB: We don’t real ly see that any of our target major cit ies have hit the wall in terms of development since the Chinese economy is sti l l growing despite somewhat of a slowdown. For companies looking to make their mark in those cit ies, they need to have a clear brand image and differentiated market posit ion.


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Q&A SYMON BRIDLE

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Q&A SYMON BRIDLE


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Q&A SYMON BRIDLE

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Q&A SYMON BRIDLE


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Q&A SYMON BRIDLE

I t’s also important to note that bui lding brands in China is also about creating exposure for those brands when the China market travels out of the country, so we see that benefit too. We know already for example the credibi l i ty of the New World name, and this wil l drive traff ic into non-China hotels, such as when we open in Bali and Bangkok.

HI: How sophisticated is the Chinese market? SB: The Chinese traveler is increasingly

exposed to international standards since outbound travel is undergoing explosive growth – China outbound travel is the largest in the world, topping 100 mil l ion per year and projections are that it wi l l reach 200 mil l ion travelers by 2020. Chinese are seeing and then applying elevated standards to their domestic travel requirements, which is causing an upgrade in services and faci l i t ies across the board, regardless of different price points so everyone is upping

their game, be it three, four, f ive-star or ultra-luxury hotels. China is a mult i-t iered market and brands have to be distinctive yet know what segments they are targeting; I don’t think you should try to be something to everyone, that doesn’t work.

HI: Any other insights to the New Chinese market? SB: In China, there is quite a lot of peer commentary onl ine, and your onl ine reputation can be very important for


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Q&A SYMON BRIDLE

inf luencing stay decisions. WeChat is exploding as a social media connection in China, with over 800 mil l ion users, so some of the chal lenges are how do you tap into that and “sel l” your brand in these channels. Marketing is changing and gett ing more personalised and targeted, it’s not about the fol lowers, one has to talk more directly to individuals.

I think that every traveler l ikes to be respected as a guest, recognised, and

given that feel ing of attention. I don’t think it real ly matters where you are from. The Chinese traveler is absorbing information incredibly quickly, and they are exposed to so many experiences today that they are fast changing in their expectations and becoming more sophisticated because of that. Of course they also want some comforts of home if outside of China, and that might be as simple as congee for breakfast, some great noodle dishes on the room service menu, but that’s no different

from a Western traveler wanting his comfort food of a club sandwich or hamburger.

Author Bio: Ron Gluckman has been covering Asia for two decades, contributing to Time, Travel & Leisure, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Discovery, Town and Country and Conde Nast Traveler.


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PROFILE ZANZIBAR ARCHIPELAGO

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Q&A SYMON BRIDLE


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Q&A SYMON BRIDLE

Future Rosewood properties include• Rosewood at Baha Mar – Nassau, The Bahamas (2015)

• Rosewood Puebla – Puebla, Mexico (2016)

• Rosewood Dubai – United Arab Emirates (2016)

• Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel – France (2015)

• Rosewood Phuket – Thailand (2016)

• Rosewood Phnom Penh – Cambodia (2016)

• Rosewood Bangkok – Thailand (2017)

• Rosewood Tanah Lot Bali – Bali, Indonesia (2017)

• Rosewood Sanya – China (2017)

• Rosewood Guangzhou – China (2017)

• Rosewood Jakarta – Jakarta, Indonesia (2018)


52

Q&A JOE’S BEERHOUSE

JOE’SBEERHOUSE

A VISUAL AND CULINARY DELIGHT

Q&A WITH

BY: ANTON PRETORIUS

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Joe’s Beerhouse, an iconic Windhoek watering hole, is a legendary stopover for Africa overlanders and locals alike, where one can indulge in Oryx sirloins, roasted boar knuckles, seasoned springbok steak, crocodile on a hotplate or a marinated kudu steak or zebra tenderloin – all the animals you’ll see while on safari in Namibia. Joe’s is also a veritable ‘Raiders of the Lost Arc’ treasure trove of relics and African memorabilia collected by its founder Joachim Gross – each artefact steeped in his adventures. With seating for nearly 600, and two busy kitchens to boot, Joe’s is as big as its reputation, and managing this colossus is no easy feat. We chat to managing director and part owner, Carol-Jean Rechter to find out what it takes to run this institution and maintain its reputation for good food and warm hospitality.

Hotelier International: Why did you decide to buy over this legendary restaurant venue?Carol-Jean Rechter: I’ve always been familiar with the legend that is Joe’s Beerhouse. We are also currently the owners of another restaurant in the CBD of Windhoek, called The Gourmet. We’ve owned that establishment since 1988. My husband, Thomas, is a trained chef from Germany. He did his training in Hamburg at the world-renowned Vier Jahreszeiten hotel in Munich. We met in 1988 and with his sights firmly set on The Gourmet, he asked me to join him. Since then, we’ve been working actively in the restaurant industry and have weathered many a storm. Later, we were approached by the founders of Joe’s Beerhouse, Joachim Gross, and his wife Anette, and asked whether we’d be interested in buying the restaurant from them. After long deliberation and contemplation, we decided to accept the challenge. We are currently three shareholders at Joe’s Beerhouse, namely Manfred Enus as human resources head, my husband Thomas as head chef, and myself as managing director.


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HI: Joe’s Beerhouse has a reputation for warm Namibian hospitality. Does this make it easier going forward?CR: On one hand, our work is made so much easier because it is such an established and legendary brand – not only in Namibia but al l over the world. However, the number of staff (107) and guests (580) can make it a volati le situation on a dai ly basis. To keep up with the high number of guests and managing two kitchens requires constant vigi lance, support, control and motivation. From a management perspective, running Joe’s Beerhouse is chal lenging. Our vision for Joe’s is to continue branding it to the world and maintaining that outstanding level of service standards.

HI: Joachim’s original plan was to expand the business into a franchise. Are those plans still on the cards?CR: The idea to franchise is not in our immediate future, although we are regularly approached by other parties to join them in opening Joe’s Beerhouse branches in other areas.

JOE’S BEERHOUSE IS KNOWN AS “THE MOST FAMOUS BEERHOUSE

ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT” BECAUSE OF ITS UNIQUE LAYOUT

HI: What is the secret to running a restaurant like Joe’s Beerhouse?CR: The secret of running Joe’s Beerhouse is mainly being very hands-on with the dai ly operation and with staff. You have to keep both your eyes and ears constantly open, be adaptable and f lexible to change, as well as be able to f ind quick solutions.


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HI: Are you involved with developing young chefs or giving back to the local communities?CR: Most of the chefs currently working at Joe’s Beerhouse were employed prior to our take-over and are establ ished staff who received on-the-job training. However, we employ people from underprivi leged communit ies as well as a few physical ly disabled persons. The person who monitors our CCTV cameras and footage is deaf. Once a month, we also host a ‘car boot sale’ on our premises. This has a dual purpose. Not only does this offer the community an opportunity to buy quality bargains and recover some costs of items not used,

but it is also a very good marketing strategy for us.

HI: Is the décor in Joe’s Beerhouse a big attraction?CR: Joe’s Beerhouse is known as ‘the most famous beerhouse on the Afr ican cont inent’ because of i ts unique layout. The décor, made up of old rel ics and col lect ions (each with their own story) creates a unique ambience, which makes Joe’s quintessent ia l ly Afr ican. The layout reminds one of being in a rust ic kraal. Even the big bonf ire in the boma sect ion wi l l make patrons feel at home. The restaurant is a whir lwind of visual and culinary delights.


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HI: We were impressed with the food. What’s your speciality and what are some of the more popular items among patrons?CR: Our specialty dishes are usual ly a good mix of tradit ional German food combined with some local f lavour. Specialt ies include Eisbein (gri l led pork knuckle) and lamb shank, in terms of taste and the size of the portions. Our game dishes are also very popular. We receive international guests on a dai ly basis, and they usual ly opt for the game dishes which are, most of the t ime, unfamil iar to them.

HI: Being in Windhoek, do you ever experience problems with food supply?CR: The supply of food in Windhoek is general ly good, but we f ind it is expensive as much of our supply comes from South Afr ica. Vegetables are a good example of that. Fortunately, we make use of some local farmers, but they don’t have a huge variety, so we are compelled to bring in much of our produce from South Afr ica.


5858

MORE AND MORE HOTELS COUNT IMPORTANT ART COLLECTIONS AMONG THEIR ASSETS, BUT ONLY A HANDFUL

HAVE ALLOWED THE CREATIVITY TO FLOW INTO THEIR OUTDOOR SPACES. THE OUTDOOR ART FEATURED HERE

COMES FROM MYRIAD SCHOOLS AND ERAS, BUT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT COMFORTS, COMPLEMENTS, OR AFFRONTS

THERE IS NO DENYING THAT IT ADDS TO THE GUEST EXPERIENCE AND GETS PEOPLE TALKING.

BY: NICK DALL

THE BEST:OUTDOOR

ART

THE BEST OUTDOOR ART


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The Conrad Algarve sets out to chal lenge the stereotypical Algarve experience of sun,

sea and golf by str iving to offer a broad overal l experience in which art represents

an emotional touch point that enriches guests’ experience of the ‘real Algarve’. Since

opening, the hotel has been proactive in bringing a sense of contemporary luxury to the

Algarve through both its permanent col lection and a series of innovative events. For

example, the Off the Wall event in Apri l 2014 encouraged urban art ists to showcase their

graff it i talents on the hotel’s walls. This init iat ive attracted more than 20 of Portugal’s

most talented graff it i art ists and culminated in a three-day street art party that had guests

entranced. One of the highl ights of the permanent col lection is the Kernel, an original

David Harber sculpture which sits outside the hotel’s premier restaurant, Gusto by Heinz.

Kate Long of Rethink Interiors explains why she chose the Kernel: “The simplicity of the

shape is ref lected in the Luna l ight f itt ings inside the restaurant, but the complexity of the

piece with the individual pebbles and different textures adds interest to the

external landscaping.”

CONRAD ALGARVEQUINTA DO LAGO, PORTUGAL

www.conradalgarvecom


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Chic and contemporary, the 86-room Crosby Street Hotel in the vibrant SoHo neighbourhood of

NYC is full of artistic surprises. Their sculpture garden is a quiet sanctuary for hotel residents and

their guests. It is a green, leafy space at the centre of the hotel which is guaranteed to get the

creative juices flowing. It was designed by renowned interiors guru Kit Kemp in association with

Goode Green, a green roof design and installation firm based in New York City. The sculpture

garden is dominated by a tall organic tree sculpture, while pendant lights hang from above. It is

planted with a mix of small trees and shrubs which is a welcome antidote to the hustle and bustle

of one of the world’s busiest cities.

CROSBY STREET HOTELNEW YORK, USA


www.firmdalehotels.com


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Benesse House is a luxury hotel with a difference. As part of the Benesse Art Site

Naoshima, an island dedicated to art and museums, there is world-class contemporary

art everywhere you turn…not least in the outdoor spaces. The vision for the Benesse Art

Site took root in 1985 when Mr. Tetsuhiko Fukutake, the founder of Benesse Holdings,

met with the mayor of Naoshima-cho about the possibi l i ty of creating a haven for beautiful

contemporary art and architecture in a scenical ly spectacular landscape. Work began

in 1989 and the project has evolved since then into a place of pi lgrimage for true art

lovers. In total there are seven different museums on the island and numerous outdoor

art instal lat ions by some of the world’s best art ists. There are four separate small hotels

on the island, each housed in architectural ly arresting bui ldings which encourage their

guests to embrace the spir it of benesse ( l iv ing well ). Benesse House is a not-for-profit

endeavour which is quite unl ike anything else in the world.

BENESSE HOUSENAOSHIMA, JAPAN


www.benesse-artsite.jp


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The name says it al l – it’s a museum of 21st century art which also happens to be a luxury

hotel. So far 21c has four Museum Hotels which are “al l anchored by a contemporary art

museum with thought-provoking exhibit ions, interactive site specif ic art instal lat ions and

a ful l roster of cultural programming.” The Bentonvi l le col lection features both emerging

art ists and household names. One of its most important pieces is Cuban art ist Alexandre

Arrechea’s Orange Tree, a 7-metre high lacquered aluminium tree which sprouts basketbal l

hoops and is surrounded by scattered basketbal ls, or ‘oranges’. Like al l the best art it is

both visual ly str iking and thought-provoking, asking as it does al l sorts of questions about

the relationship between urban spaces, rural spaces, street culture and sports. In the hotel

sett ing it creates a unique ‘garden,’ and it is through exhibit ions such as this that 21c

Bentonvi l le wil l continue to push the boundaries of hospital ity.

21c MUSEUM HOTELSBENTONVILLE, USA

www.21cmuseumhotels.com/bentonville



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PROFILE ZANZIBAR ARCHIPELAGOTHE BEST OUTDOOR ART



Most of the hotels on this l ist had to create their own art ist ic legacy, but the Four

Seasons Firenze inherited its from the greatest art ist ic f lourishing of al l t ime, the

Renaissance. Housed in a 15th-century palazzo painstakingly restored to showcase

different periods in the bui lding’s art ist ic history, it is a l iv ing t imeline of Florence’s

past. One of the hotel’s true gems is the 11-acre Giardino del la Gherardesca, the

largest private garden in Florence and a treasure trove of interlacing pathways,

original statues, intr icate fountains and serene ponds. As if this isn’t enough, the

garden is currently hosting an exhibit ion of sculptures which showcases the world-

renowned work of four of the leading names in the contemporary Ital ian f igurative

school. The exhibit ion is aptly named ‘Dialogue’; to see these modern masterpieces

‘converse’ with their art ist ic forefathers in the garden is captivating.

FOUR SEASONS FIRENZEFLORENCE, ITALY

www.fourseasons.com/Florence



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THE BEST:FARM-TO-FORKEXPERIENCES

THE BEST FARM-TO-FORK EXPERIENCES

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TWENTY YEARS AGO THE WORLD’S FINEST RESTAURANTS WOULD SPARE NO EXPENSE IN SOURCING INGREDIENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, BUT THERE IS A GROWING

REALISATION THAT LOCAL, SUSTAINABLY-PRODUCED INGREDIENTS ARE NOT JUST BETTER FOR THE PLANET, THEY

ALSO TASTE BETTER. THESE HOTELS ARE ALL PIONEERS IN SOME WAY, AND THEIR GARDENS, RESTAURANTS, FARMERS AND CHEFS

ALL PROVE THAT THERE IS NOTHING QUITE AS SATISFYING OR SUMPTUOUS AS KNOWING THAT THE MEAL IN FRONT OF YOU

IS FROM THE EARTH BENEATH YOUR FEET.

BY: NICK DALL


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IMAGE: DOS BRISAS CHAPEL HILL, USA


PROFILE ZANZIBAR ARCHIPELAGOTHE BEST FARM-TO-FORK EXPERIENCESTHE BEST FARM-TO-FORK EXPERIENCES

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You get farm-stays, and then you get the Inn at Dos Brisas. Not only is the Inn a Relais

& Chateuax property with the only Forbes f ive-star restaurant in Texas, but the 313-acre

grounds feature 42 acres of USDA certi f ied organic farmland. Under the careful supervision

of head farmer Lisa Roese, the farm is able to produce 65 to 70 percent of the produce used

in the restaurant. The farm defines the Inn’s cul inary program as it provides the freshest

ingredients for the chefs and mixologists, and is only a few steps from the restaurant. It

provides constant inspiration for new menus, dishes and cocktai ls, and guests are urged

to get in on the action. Dos Brisas’ comprehensive farm-to-fork experience teaches guests

about organic gardening before al lowing them to pick their own produce and head to

the kitchen – baskets in tow – for a cooking class where they learn from the best about

preparing fresh-picked produce.

THE INN AT DOS BRISASCHAPEL HILL, USA

www.dosbrisas.com


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Castello del Nero Hotel & Spa is perched on a gentle hilltop in the heart of Chianti, halfway between

Florence and Siena. From it, the eye wanders uninterrupted over the rolling Tuscan landscape.

The medieval castle was originally built in the 12th century and in 2006 was turned into a luxury

“destination spa”; it sits amid a 300 hectares estate, dotted with olive groves, vinyards and woods

where pheasants, deer and wild boars abound. The view is made much of at Castello del Nero.

Many of the 50 suites have a vista. The spa relaxing room, fitness room and outdoor whirlpool

enjoy natural light and face the natural scenery. In fine weather guests can eat and relax either on

the paved terraces, by the outdoor pool or on the lawn beyond, thus fully immersing themselves

in the countryside. Guests willing to explore the surroundings can walk or cycle along kilometers

of trails criss-crossing the estate. Other activities include horse riding, picnicking or going truffle

hunting. For the more adventurous, a balloon ascension can be arranged.

CASTELLO DEL NERO HOTELTAVERNELLE, ITALY

www.castellodelnero.com

THE BEST FARM TO FORK EXPERIENCE

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PROFILE ZANZIBAR ARCHIPELAGOTHE BEST FARM-TO-FORK EXPERIENCES

Only an hour from Shanghai l ies a pastoral retreat that beggars bel ief. Fairmont Yangcheng

Lake’s Yue Feng Island Organic Farm was established in December 2009, two months

after the hotel was opened. The 33-acre farm has an array of different fruit trees including

loquats, pears and pomegranates, as well as myriad seasonal vegetables. Guests can go on

farm tours for a better understanding of how their food is organical ly grown and harvested,

while the Wugu Culinary Studio al lows guests to harvest from the organic farm and learn

to cook in a fun and interactive way. The farm has gained authentication from the Nanjing

Organic Food Development & Certi f ication Centre which stipulates that herbicides, chemical

fert i l izers, pesticides and growth hormones are entirely forbidden while energy eff iciency

and biodiversity are actively promoted.The program has been a huge success, with 1000

seasonal customized room packages sold per year. These packages are especial ly popular

among chi ldren who have never seen a l ive goat or lush f ields of organic vegetables.

FAIRMONT YANGCHENG LAKEKUNSHUN, CHINAwww.fairmont.com/yangcheng-lake-kunshun/

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Gibb’s Farm, one of Afr ica’s most luxurious retreats, has been in the sustainable farming

business for over 27 years. Everything on the farm—30 acres of Arabica coffee, 10 acres

of vegetables and fruit, 5 acres of f lowers and herbs and a working dairy and pig farm –

is grown or raised organical ly with no harmful pesticides and only natural fert i l izer and

compost. Ninety percent of the fruit and vegetables served in the restaurant is grown on

the farm. A particular highl ight at Gibb’s is the Arabica coffee experience where guests

participate in the cleaning and roasting process – before enjoying the fruits of their labour,

of course. Other guest experiences include helping with the dai ly vegetable harvest and

doing an enl ightening – and ult imately del icious – early morning bread-baking class. The

restaurant takes ‘farm fare’ to a new level: it’s healthy, it’s sumptuous and it’s al l organic.

And did we mention the heavenly surroundings?

GIBB’S FARMKARATU, TANZANIA

www.gibbsfarm.com




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Set on a 240-hectare working fruit and wine farm which dates back to 1692, the 16 room

Babylonstoren farm hotel certainly does have space and history on its side. At the heart of

Babylonstoren is an 8-acre formal garden irrigated via traditional gravity-fed waterways.

Every one of the over 300 varieties of plants in the garden is edible and it is divided into fifteen

clusters spanning vegetable areas, berries, bees, indigenous plants, ducks and chickens,

which are all used year round in the two farm to table restaurants. Babel, the signature

restaurant, serves creative but intrinsically honest cuisine which reflects the colours of the

season, while the Greenhouse tearoom and café is housed in the farm’s greenhouse, where

guests can witness their salad being picked before their very eyes. Both guests and day

visitors can join in the daily garden tours while hotel guests can take part in the harvest with

the chefs three days a week. Babylonstoren is a special place, where “your meal is prepared

long before you arrive”.

BABYLONSTORENPAARL, SOUTH AFRICA

www.babylonstoren.com


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PROFILE ZANZIBAR ARCHIPELAGOTHE BEST HOTELS FOR ANIMAL LOVERS


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THE BEST HOTELS FOR ANIMAL LOVERS

MOST HOLIDAYMAKERS THINK “AFRICAN SAFARI” WHEN CONSIDERING GETTING UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH

ANIMAL LIFE. YET SOME RESORTS AND URBAN HOTELS HAVE IMAGINATIVELY INCORPORATED ANIMALS INTO THE GUEST

EXPERIENCE. WHETHER IT’S AN AVIARY IN THE GARDEN OR AN IN-HOUSE CAT, ANIMALS CAN INJECT HEART AND SOUL TO YOUR

HOTEL AND BECOME A SOURCE OF DELIGHT FOR ALL AGES.

BY: SUZANNE WALES

IMAGE: GIRAFFE MANOR, NAIROBI, KENYA

THE BEST:HOTELS FOR

ANIMAL LOVERS



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Listening to shri l ls of monkeys at night may not be something travel lers to Austral ia’s

capital city Canberra would expect. Yet this, and many more ‘out of Afr ica’ experiences,

can be had at the new Jamala Wildl i fe Lodge, luxury accommodation situated inside a

renowned zoo. The privately owned National Zoo and Aquarium provides large enclosures

for many endangered species and has a robust welfare and husbandry programme. The

Jamala Wlidl i fe Lodge wil l provide funds for this, via various types of luxury accommodation

cleverly located inside the enclosures, al lowing maximum, yet always safe and non-intrusive

contact with al l sorts of species. At the Ushaka Lodge on the edge of Lake Burley Griff in,

guests can take a walk on jetty over the shark tank, whilst cheetahs, bears and l ions are on

view (through glass) in the Jungle Bungalows. Stays include tours of the zoo with

expert guides.

JAMALA WILDLIFE LODGECANBERRA, AUSTRALIA

www.jamalawildlifelodge.com.au


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Countless pet-owners ask themselves the same question every t ime they plan a tr ip: ‘What

should we do with the dog?’ The Aff inity Hotel Collection, which has f ive properties in New

York City and one in Washington D.C. says, ‘ just bring them along for the r ide.’ Aff inia’s

VIPaws programme accommodates your pooch in style. For US$50 per stay, pets get to sleep

on an oversized bed from the boutique pet suppliers Jax & Bones, a rope toy, food and water

bowls, as well as discounts on pet products and services in the vicinity. Aff inia Manhattan

goes to special lengths during the famous Westminster Dog Show held in Madison Square

Garden by supplying puppy treadmil ls and recommendations of pet psychics for those with

last-minute j i tters. (The hotel has accommodated numerous ‘best in shows’ over the years.)

Canine guests get to play part in the group’s social media strategy as well; owners can

submit images of their pets out and about in the Big Apple to an Instagram account for a

chance to win prizes.

AFFINIA HOTELSNEW YORK & WASHINGTON DC

www.affinia.com

THE BEST HOTELS FOR ANIMALS LOVERS

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The Ithaa restaurant at the Conrad Rangali Island, a luxury resort spread across two

separate islands in the Maldives, is now a decade old. But that doesn’t hinder it popping

up on l ists of the world’s most spectacular places to eat. Ithaa, which means ‘mother of

pearl’ in a local dialect, was the f irst al l-glass undersea restaurant. Built by a New Zealand

company that special ises in aquarium technology, 85 tonnes of sandbags sank the acryl ic

‘tank’ f ive metres below sea level to the ocean f loor. Guests ascend to the 14-seat dining

room via a stairway above the ground, where they enjoy a six-course menu that includes

caviar, lobster and a 180-degree panoramic of the lagoon’s colourful marine l i fe a few

metres above their heads.

CONRAD RANGALI ISLANDMALDIVES


www.conradmaldivesrangali.com


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‘Riding with the gauchos’ is a dream made true at Explora Patagonia, an eco resort situated

in the jaw-dropping, rugged terrain of Torres del Paine National Park in southern-most Chile.

Even with its modernist design, spa and luxury tr immings, Explora is not a hotel to lounge

around in. As its name suggests, guests come to explore the mythical and raw glaciers, lakes

and mountains of Patagonia. Explora, which has four other properties in South America, is

the only hotel in Patagonia to have its own stable of horses. Over 50 treks are offered by the

hotel, al l led by expert local guides. Each evening, in the hotel’s cosy bar, the guide wil l meet

with guests to plan the next day’s activit ies, which are carried out in groups of no more than

eight. Explora Patagonia keeps 26 horses, al l special ly bred by a local estate. As well as

trekking, guests can experience gaucho culture f irst hand at a nearby ranch: sheep shearing,

horse breaking, driving l ivestock and certain t imes of the year feasting on spit lamb under

the night sky - Patagonia’s most celebrated gastronomic r itual.

EXPLORAPATAGONIA, CHILE


www.explora.com


At Giraffe Manor be prepared to share your breakfast with the hotel’s eight resident giraffes.

Situated in indigenous forest on the outskirts of Nairobi, Giraffe Manor is one of Afr ica’s

most celebrated boutique hotels, and has attracted a fair share of celebrity guests over

the decades. Original ly bui lt in 1932 by a r ich Scotsman, the property became a giraffe

sanctuary in 1974 when Betty Lesl ie-Melvi l le, an American conservationist and author, took

it over. Learning that the lodge was home to three of last remaining Rothschild giraffes,

she set up a sanctuary on the estate. Now cal led the AFEW Giraffe Centre, its aim is to

introduce the species back into the wild and expand its gene pool. The sanctuary is open to

the public, but hotel guests don’t have to wander so far to interject with these elegant and

surprisingly fr iendly creatures. They are a regular sight around the hotel’s manicured gardens

(the property was modelled on a Scottish hunting lodge) and are not shy about poking their

heads through the window at mealt imes. Profits from the hotel go towards the upkeep of

the sanctuary.

GIRAFFE MANORNAIROBI, KENYA

www.thesafaricollection.com



FOR OVER 100 YEARS, MASERATI HAS BEEN PERFECTING THE ART OF AUTOMOBILE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE, PRODUCING SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST HIGHLY ACCLAIMED EXAMPLES FOR A VERY DISCERNING CLIENTELE. TODAY THE FRUITS OF ITS ENDEAVOURS ARE CLEARLY DISPLAYED IN ITS CURRENT RANGE: THE GHIBLI, QUATTROPORTE, GRANTURISMO AND GRANCABRIO. IN THESE INSPIRATIONAL CARS ARE FOUND THE PERFECT BLEND OF BREATHTAKING STYLING, GROUNDBREAKING INNOVATION, PRODIGIOUS PERFORMANCE AND SUMPTUOUS LUXURY – EACH ONE HANDCRAFTED AND PERSONALISED WITH PASSION FOR A NEW GENERATION OF EQUALLY DEMANDING CUSTOMERS.

GHIBLI, QUATTROPORTE, GRANTURISMO AND GRANCABRIO.

GHIBLI DIESEL - FUEL CONSUMPTION: (COMBINED CYCLE) 5.9 L/100 KM - CO2 EMISSIONS: (COMBINED CYCLE) 158 G/KM. QUATTROPORTE GTSFUEL CONSUMPTION: (COMBINED CYCLE) 11.8 L/100 KM - CO2 EMISSIONS: (COMBINED CYCLE) 274 G/KM. GRANTURISMO MC STRADALE - FUEL CONSUMPTION: (COMBINED CYCLE) 15.5 L/100 KM - CO2 EMISSIONS: (COMBINED CYCLE) 360 G/KM. GRANCABRIO MC - FUEL CONSUMPTION: (COMBINED CYCLE) 14.5 L/100 KM - CO2 EMISSIONS: (COMBINED CYCLE) 337 G/KM

www.maserati.comThe data may not refer to the model represented.

A WORLDOF OPPORTUNITIES.

http://www.maserati.com/maserati/en/en/index.html

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PROFILES VENICE’S SAN CLEMENTE PALACE

VENICE’S

CREATING A NEW LUXURY PLAYGROUND ON THE

VENETIAN LAGOON

BY: BOYD FARROW

SANCLEMENTE

PALACE

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In Venice, luxury hotels are just l ike water buses—you can wait an

eternity for one then two turn up at the same time. However, unlike the

city’s historic grand palazzos—the Danieli, the Monaco, the Bauer, the

Europa, and, of course, the Gritti Palace—lining the Grand Canal, the

latest arrivals are far away from the tourist hordes, each occupying a

private island in the 50km-wide crescent lagoon.

Later this summer the JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa will open

as a modern 40-acre resort on Isola delle Rosa, an artif icial island

created in 1870 which has various municipal buildings. But first to

extend the red carpet down to its twin jetties is the St. Regis San

Clemente Palace, which occupies an entire island that was first used

as a stopover in the 12th century during the Crusades.

“With its exceptional heritage and unique identity, the San Clemente

Palace is poised to be a hospitality landmark,” says Emir Uyar, the

deputy chairman of Turkey’s sprawling Permak Group, which spent €25

mill ion buying the 15-acre island in 2013 and has since turned what

was previously a monastery, military outpost, guest home for Venetian

nobil ity and most recently a hotel, into a new luxury playground.

The result is as sumptuous as one would expect from any St. Regis-

branded property. There are high-ceil ings, imposing hallways and

sweeping staircases lit with enormous sparkling chandeliers, hand-

blown in Murano. But modernity abounds too. Two design firms

have collaborated on the project: Los Angeles-based Hirsch Bedner

Associates, whose portfolio includes the Mandarin Oriental, New York

and The Fullerton Hotel Singapore; and London’s GA Design, which

has earned plaudits for its work on the new St Regis Osaka.


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The 191 guest rooms and suites overlooking the lagoon and gardens

mix contemporary decor—think muted tones, mirrored surfaces and

hideaway tech wizardry—with traditional Venetian craftsmanship,

including terrazzo floors and brocades. Some of the 48 suites,

including the two-bedroom presidential suite, have views of the bell

tower of St Mark’s Basil ica in the Piazza San Marco. But, of course

it is precisely the overcrowded mainland (and the 24 mill ion tourists

who visit Venice a year) that guests staying here are paying to avoid.

Indeed, St Regis, which operates high-profi le hotels in Rome and

Florence, has turned the biggest obstacle to finding a prime site for

an upscale family hotel in what is l iterally a diminishing city into a

marketing triumph. Parent company Starwood already operates

the glizty Gritti Palace and romantic Hotel Danieli under its Luxury

Collection brand, and the Europa is a Westin property. With the San

Clemente Palace, St. Regis can now offer a kid-friendly getaway with

spectacular gardens, a signature spa, an outdoor swimming pool with

cabanas, a tennis court and a children’s club. In short, St. Regis

has nabbed an island destination in its own right, just ten minutes

from Piazza San Marco via one of the hotel’s complimentary boats.

Culinary options here range from relaxed poolside dining to fine

dining at the hotel’s signature Acquerello Restaurant, which features

a “Mediterranean-inspired” menu overlooking the lagoon. Moreover,

adjacent to the hotel is the consecrated 12th-century San Clemente

Church, which has been meticulously restored as part of the overall

renovation, providing an enchanting—not to mention potentially

lucrative—venue for weddings and vow renewals.

Widening the appeal of Venice as a resort destination is something

that Marriott is clearly shooting for, and it f its into a bigger lagoon


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IT IS PRECISELY THE OVERCROWDED MAINLAND

(AND THE 24 MILLION TOURISTS WHO VISIT VENICE A YEAR) THAT GUESTS STAYING HERE ARE PAYING TO AVOID


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PROFILES VENICE’S SAN CLEMENTE PALACEPROFILES VENICE’S SAN CLEMENTE PALACE

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renaissance. For example, last year prosecco magnate Gianluca Bisol

bought a centuries-old vineyard on Mazzorbo Island, seven miles

north of San Clemente, where he opened Venissa, a Michelin-starred

restaurant with six guest rooms. This has already been followed by a

second 16-room guesthouse. With so much sudden interest in “Native

Venice”, and so many islands to discover, it cannot be long before

boutique operators and design gurus start making waves. Perhaps a

floti l la of water buses wil l soon be on the horizon.

Author Bio: Boyd Farrow is a business writer and editor who divides

his time between London and Berlin. Farrow has written about the

hospitality sector for various international publications, including

CNBC Business, the monthly magazine he edited until 2012, and he

reviews hotels for several magazines in the US and Europe.

WIDENING THE APPEAL OF VENICE AS A RESORT

DESTINATION IS SOMETHING THAT MARRIOTT

IS CLEARLY SHOOTING FOR


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THE ST. REGIS VENICE SAN CLEMENTE PALACE

Address: Isola di San Clemente, 1, 30124 VE, Italy

Web: www.stregisvenice.com Number of Rooms: 191

Owner: Starwood Hotels & ResortsGeneral Manager: Lazazzera Alessio

Room rates: standard room begins at $520 a night

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AMALFI COAST’S MONASTEROSANTA ROSA

A REAL SANCTUARY EVOKING A LOST TIME.

THE SPIRITUAL ENCHANTMENT

OF THE TRANSFORMED MONASTERY REMAINS

EVER PRESENT IN THE LUXURIOUSLY CONVERTED

20 ROOMS AND SUITES

BY: FLAVIA FRESIA

PROFILES AMALFI COAST’S MONASTERO SANTA ROSA

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Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel and Spa is perched between sea and sky on a cl i ff edge on Italy’s Amalf i Coast. Built directly into the side of the cl i ff, the former monastery has 20 guest rooms and suites, al l with sea views, beautiful landscaped gardens spread over f ive t iers, an inf inity pool, a spa, a historic herb garden and a private 12th century chapel.

In 1999, American heiress Bianca Sharma caught sight of the abandoned former monastery during a boat tr ip: she fel l in love with the spot and decided to buy and transform it into a luxury hotel and spa. Easier said than done: the planning process was very complex and fraught with diff icult ies. The init ial plan had to be abandoned, but the f inal project was approved and the hotel f inal ly opened in May 2012.



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“Al l through the renovation process - says Bianca Sharma - my main architect Franco de Martino and I worked closely with the local authorit ies to make sure the restoration respected the history and integrity of the bui lding. My goal was to create a sanctuary for guests where they can f ind a chance to escape their hectic l ives, giving them a serene calming atmosphere within the sol id stone structure as well as throughout the mult iple terraced gardens where they can wander and f ind cozy private spaces or ult imately arr ive at the lowest garden to l inger by the inf inity-edge pool.”

Inside the former monastery, vaulted cei l ings and f loors were reinforced whilst keeping the ancient geometry of the interiors untouched. The nuns’ cel ls have been transformed into guest rooms, connecting two or three cel ls to have a bedroom and bathroom or a sitt ing room, bedroom and bathroom suite. Other larger rooms have been created from the common spaces used by the nuns. Attention to

historical detai ls is everywhere. For instance, lanterns and l ighting f ixtures mounted on the walls and cei l ings, made of wrought iron, are inspired by ancient art i facts found in the monastery. The internal and external doors were made of chestnut wood of dark color in imitation of the few sti l l exist ing in the monastery. “Within the large corridors and the thick walls, guests have a sense of the spir itual ity and calm embrace of the structure”, comments Bianca.

Equal care has gone into the planning of the outdoor spaces, to make the most of the narrow tiered terraces fronting the sea, but with no direct access to a beach.

“We were fortunate that our contractor was well-connected with the family that has maintained the Vatican gardens for several generations - reveals Bianca - . One of their family arr ived to our gardens, looked at my wish l ist, which he respected, and then put his own understanding of the space to work. I respected his professional understanding


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and did not micromanage that, and voi la!, he worked his magic. The pathways through the terraces was the inspiration of the local architect, Franco de Martino, who wanted to incorporate the tradit ional local use of “battuto” (pebble f i l led concrete) pavers. Then we worked together to create cozy seating spaces”.

Stone retaining walls, wooden balustrades and reed shades echo tradit ional bui lding techniques along the Amalf i Coast. On the lowest level of the garden is the inf inity pool, created with materials that have no negative environmental impact. The bed of the pool is treated with special resins to give sand-colored water its natural color. Large boulders decorated with plants, posit ioned on the edge of the pool, make the area look very natural.

The unique blend of trees and herbal plants were planted to stay true to the unique mix of medicinal herbs and aromatic plants used by the nuns. The gardens night l ighting

WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES

TO MAKE SURE THE RESTORATION RESPECTED

THE HISTORY OF THE BUILDING


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GUEST CAN USE THE OUTDOOR GYM LOCATED ON THE FIRST LEVEL

OF THE TIERED GARDENS OR ENJOY AL FRESCO SPA TREATMENTS WITHIN

THE PRIVATE WALLED OUTDOOR TREATMENT PAVILION



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was also given careful consideration so as not to disturb the night vision.

The hotel also has an on-site herb and vegetable garden, providing fresh produce that executive chef Christoph Bob incorporates into seasonal dishes which combine the freshest local, organic ingredients of Conca dei Marini.

Much of a stay at Monastero Santa Rosa can be spent outside. Lounge chairs and canopied daybeds dot the gardens. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served on the

pergola-shaded restaurant terrace and lunch is also served by the pool side or among the terraced gardens.

Guests can use the outdoor gym located on the f irst level of the t iered gardens or enjoy al fresco spa treatments within the private walled outdoor treatment pavi l ion.

At the end of the day they can unwind sipping a drink on the Sunset terrace. A corner of the garden with an outside f ireplace al lows people to make the most of the outdoor on chi l ly nights too. Weddings can also be celebrated in a private


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MONASTERO SANTA ROSA HOTEL & SPAAddress: Via Roma 2, 84010 Conca dei Marini (Sa), Italy

Telephone: (+39) 0898321199Web site: monasterosantarosa.com

Mail: [email protected]. of rooms: 20

Rates: sea view superior rooms from €400 to €600, sea view premium terrace suite from

€1,900 to €2,800General manager: Flavio Colantuoni

Restaurant: I l Refettorio, executive chef Christoph Bob

suite with terrace or garden sett ing on the cl i ff. The premium suite has a large terrace, with a dining table and chairs as well as loungers. Another suite has a shal low terrace, and two smaller rooms have shal low terraces, each suff iciently large enough for a table with chairs.

“I often see guests wandering through the terraces, sometimes f inding the spots with the Adirondack chairs to l inger a while with a book or a drink. Sometimes they f ind the swing near the spa and stay there a while. However, most

make a bee-l ine to our award winning inf inity-edge pool and stay al l day. The outdoor spaces have been so appreciated that people often say they are so content that they have decided to forget the action packed it inerary they thought they would accomplish while on the coast, which puts a big smile on my face”, concludes Bianca.



ZURICH’S

A DESTINATION PROPERTY ROOTED IN ENVIRONMENTALISM AND

ICONIC SWISS CULTURE BY: BOYD FARROW

KAMEHAHOTEL

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PROFILES KAMEHA HOTEL

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In 1996 the designer Marcel Wanders became famous for his iconic

knotted chair. Twenty years on, while the Dutchman is now a major

force in product and industrial design, it is his hotel projects in sexy

cit ies that grab the headlines. The statement properties Mondrian

South Beach in Miami and Manhattan’s Hotel on Rivington were

recently fol lowed by the extraordinary Andaz Amsterdam, the former

public l ibrary he transformed into an Al ice-In-Wonderland theme

park of a hotel.

Wanders’ newest hospital ity venture, the Kameha Grand Zurich,

is in a str ikingly less f lamboyant location: Opfikon, a municipal ity

close to the Swiss shrine to high f inance. Yet in many ways it is

the most ambit ious project so far, in the sense that it genuinely

creates a destination hotel in the middle of nowhere. Taking shape

at Opfikon is a residential and business neighbourhood Glattenpark,

Switzerland’s largest urban development project. To prett i fy the

entire area, a 550-metre-long art i f icial lake has been created next

to the forests on the eastern side. The lake is surrounded by sandy

beaches, bridges and parkland. Visitors enjoy outdoor showers and

barbecue and picnic areas. And bang in the middle of this rural idyl l

is a huge, shiny design hotel.

Carsten Rath, whose f ledgling Lifestyle Hospital ity & Entertainment

Group has already opened the Kameha Grand Bonn, on the banks

of the Rhine, bel ieves that Glattenpark can emerge as an important

leisure destination in its own right. Indeed, he says that f irmly

al igning itself to the healthy Swiss outdoor l i festyle, outside of the

winter sports seasons, is as much key to the hotel’s success as its


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decor and the high level of service demanded by business travel lers.

“The green surroundings offer many possibi l i t ies for guests to

immerse themselves in the Swiss l i festyle—cycling, running the

“Kameha trai l” and enjoying the open spaces and promenades,”

says Rath. “Of course, guests can also swim in the lake.”

That said, it is envisaged that the 130,000 square-metre recreation

area, complete with table tennis tables, beach vol leybal l and

basketbal l courts and footbal l pitches, wil l also bring in the

conference crowd and host corporate shindigs outside the tourism

seasons. But the hotel wil l undoubtedly bring in the design-obsessed

too. Wanders’ signature eccentricity, combined with the ecological

hi-tech of Los Angeles-based tecARCHITECTURE and Rath’s ful l-

thrott led enthusiasm, has resulted in a remarkable hotel. Wanders

has layered pastiches of Swissness into the opulent design unti l i t

is impossible to walk through the property without breaking into a

smile. Huge cowbells hang from the reception area cei l ing; in-room

partit ions look l ike chocolate bars; the mini bar is hidden in what

resembles a large bank safe. There is also Toblerone-shaped seating

and Swiss-lace-inspired wall coverings in chi l l i hues at Yu Nijyo, a

restaurant that offers tradit ional Japanese cuisine, with table and

f loor seating.

Make no mistake, despite quirks such as jug-shaped columns and a

humungous plate on the cei l ing of its Ital ian restaurant L’Unico, this

is a luxury hotel, with a plush cigar bar, sleek spa, 245 rooms and

suites and a 1000-person conference space. There is method in the

Mad Hattery too. The Serenity suite has a yoga mat and scented


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candles; the Diva suite boasts movie star mirrors and walk-in

wardrobe; and the conference space is quirky enough to double as

a cool party venue. No market sector is overlooked. Wanders’ track

record earned him the freedom to “go beyond del ivering just interior

de-sign, instead creating a destination which entertains, inspires and

stimulates,” says Rath. “While we were both clearly al igned to the

goal of creating personalised products and reflecting the future of

travel and innovation, openness to Marcel’s ideas has al lowed guests

to have a l i festyle experience by creating a place ful l of surprises

and beauty.” The biggest surprise, however, is the juxtaposit ion

of the contemporary design and such pastoral surroundings. As it

is the only new luxury hotel to open in Zurich in the past couple of

years, there is much buzz surrounding the Kameha Grand. Whether

a l i festyle hotel can f lourish by embracing both the postmodern and

the bucolic remains to be seen. But for now it is surely Europe’s only

design temple with “a lawn which stretches for about 60,000 square

metres”.


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WANDERS’ TRACK RECORD EARNED HIM THE FREEDOM TO “GO BEYOND DELIVERING JUST INTERIOR DESIGN, INSTEAD CREATING A DESTINATION WHICH ENTERTAINS, INSPIRES AND

STIMULATES”



KAMEHA GRAND ZÜRICH

Address: Dufaux-Strasse 1, 8152 Opfikon, Switzerland

Web: www.kamehagrandzuerich.com Number of Rooms: 22Owner: LH&E Group

General Manager: Jan Langhammer Room rates: standard room begins at $325 a night

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PROFILES SAVELLETRI’S BORGO EGNAZIA

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SAVELLETRI’S

BUILT IN IMITATION OF A TRADITIONAL VILLAGE

BUT WITH LUXURIOUS ADD-ONS, INCLUDING

A CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSE AND

A WONDERFUL SPA, IT’S A REAL

INTERNATIONAL PLACE WHICH

ATTRACTS LEISURE AND BUSINESS

TRAVELLERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD

BY: FRANCESCA MAFFEI

BORGO EGNAZIA

A stay at Borgo Egnazia Hotel real ly reminds of a “tranche de vie” in an Apulian masseria. This luxury resort, described by the payoff “Nowhere else”, is a member of the top-class group San Domenico Hotels and strongly rel ies on its way of doing hospital ity outdoor. This partly because it is located on one of the most beautiful parts of the Apulian coast, in Southern Italy, a terr itory with no lack of attractions and natural beauties, and partly because cl imate helps, of course. But with four room typologies, a tradit ional vi l lage made of apartments and “casette”, private vi l las, three bars,



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f ive restaurants plus one dedicated to chi ldren, spa and swimming pool areas, 18-holes golf course and a series of other faci l i t ies, nothing can be left to chance.

We have asked Stefano Tredici, sales and marketing manager for San Domenico Hotels, which are the points that guests l ike most. “For sure our versati le spaces, the architecture and the activit ies that we propose, together with the quality of service. We try to offer people our so-cal led “nowhere else experiences”. This means that what they l ive here cannot be found or experienced anywhere else in the world, because it is authentic and strongly connected with the local culture”. As a result, t ime seems suspended along the narrow streets and the picturesque corners, whereas in the Borgo’s piazza, ful l of l i fe, there is always something going on, from tradit ional markets to theme parties and local games.

Living in an Ital ian borgo is part icularly appreciated especial ly by foreign guests. Being surrounded by ol ive groves, vineyards and dry stone walls is not that common for them, especial ly i f combined with the characterist ics of the nearby Savel letr i di Fasano (Br), a town of small white houses and colorful clothesl ines, populated by f ishermen and embroidering old ladies. The same scenery portrayed also in Borgo Egnazia, a key factor that dramatical ly inf luences the consumer panel, as the manager confirms: “Indeed,

the national ity and the typology of our target customers do not depend on seasons heavi ly. At a glance, we can say that Borgo Egnazia is a very international place - we have arrivals from Brazi l, France, United Kingdom, Arab Emirates, India, USA - and, at the same time, it attracts couples and both business and leisure travel lers. This thanks to our vast indoor and outdoor spaces, two dimensions suitable for al l kind of needs”.

Fostering the outdoor dimension of a hotel also helps promoting low season periods and al lows the organization of big events, since the spaces which can be exploited are not only indoor. Actual ly, Borgo Egnazia is a preferred location for meetings, conferences and incentives, as well as for exclusive weddings. Last year, the Ital ian press widely dealt with the marriage of an ultra-rich Indian couple, who decided to celebrate their three-day sumptuous wedding ceremony at the Apulian famous hotel. Among the 800 invited guests there was also Shakira, one the most successful Latin-American pop art ists of al l t ime, as part of the entertainment together with elephants, acrobats, f ireworks and special effects, who in the end did not manage to participate. “I am not al lowed to speak about this last topic, due to privacy reasons - answers the manager - but I can state that we managed to turn the complexity of organizing such extensive and mult i faceted open-air areas into a point of success. There is always a


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WE OFFER NOWHERE ELSE ESPERIENCES

STRONGLY LINKED WITH THE LOCAL CULTURE


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WE HAVE RECENTLY LAUCHED OUR NOWHERE ELSE ACADEMIES PROGRAM,

5 DAY INTENSIVE COURSES WHERE PROFESSIONALS IN VARIOUS FIELDS

(COOKING, WINE TASTING, FISHING ETC) SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE WITH GUESTS



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back-up plan ready under any circumstances, and this plan is never a B-solution, but an alternative A-solution”.

Besides other init iat ives to be experienced in the open air, Borgo Egnazia has recently launched its so-cal led “Nowhere Else Academies”, which are 5-day intensive courses where professionals in various f ields share their knowledge with guests. Such areas are cooking, wine tasting, cocktai l preparation, photography, golf playing, f ishing and others coming soon. “Our Nowhere Else Academies - explains Mr. Tredici - have been created in order to give to our cl ients

the possibi l i ty of learning in few days different ski l ls, with very specif ic yet simple goals. To this purpose, we engage our best human resources such as executive chefs, art photographers, sport instructors and so on”.

Promoting outdoor packages also means developing the MICE sector, and this, besides other reasons, al lows a seaside hotel to work al l year round: “Our land is enchanting during al l the four seasons, especial ly for excursions or wine&food tours. Borgo Egnazia is situated at only 2 km from the World Heritage sites of Matera and Alberobello. In


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BORGO EGNAZIA Address: Strada Comunale Egnazia, Savelletri,

Fasano (Br), ItalyPhone: (+39) 080 2255000Web: www.borgoegnazia.it

Ownership: San Domenico HotelsManaging director: Aldo Melpignano

Room rates: from € 580 per room per night Number of Rooms: 183

addit ion, we have created “Indigenus”, a DMC-Destination Management Company, by means of which we are able to del iver some tai lor-made unique it ineraries and non-touristy activit ies, ideal both for singles and groups, incentives and celebrations”.

The outdoor concept is also l inked to the use of 0-km products which are directly cult ivated in the vegetable garden of the property, while the ol ive oi l is produced by the Masseria San Domenico, member of the group. Moreover, the connection with the land is traceable in the bui lding

techniques employed; Borgo Egnazia is entirely made of tuff, a local porous rock that, according to external and endogenous factors, it changes color and shape.

Lastly, the narrow windows have been studied in order to keep the rooms fresh, where a “Be Green button”, when pressed, turns al l the electronic devices to the energy-saving mode. A demonstration that choosing to spend an “outdoor hol iday” means, above al l , respecting the natural environment.


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POLESAPART

TWO VERY DIFFERENT POLISH ENTREPRENEURS VISITED THE ZANZIBAR

ARCHIPELAGO AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THE TROPICAL PARADISE. EACH CAME BACK WITH THEIR ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT ABLAZE AND A PLAN TO BUILD THEIR

PLACE IN THE SUN.

BY: ANDY MARK AND MELISSA ANNE WENTZEL



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PROFILE ZANZIBAR ARCHIPELAGO PROFILE ZANZIBAR ARCHIPELAGO

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Zanzibar, commonly known as the Spice Islands, can be found off the East Afr ican coast. Prist ine beaches dusted in white sand, fr inged by swaying palm trees and surrounded by the warm Indian Ocean; this exotic cluster of islands is a dream destination for those in search of a l i tt le bit of culture and a lot of paradise.

A rich history spanning spice routes, slave trades, and sultans; Zanzibar’s cultural centre is the famous Stone Town in the island’s capital, Zanzibar City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A tour of the town will satiate your wanderlust with sites l ike Beit al Ajaib (House of Wonders), T ippu Tip’s House, Maruhubi Palace and other ruins of former Islamic dynasties.

The archipelago’s main industries are the lucrative agricultural export industry of f ine spices and quality raff ia, and of course tourism, which brings in 80 per cent of Zanzibar’s foreign exchange earnings and accounts for 20 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The influx of visitors to the island has seen a staggering increase since the creation of the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism in the late 1980s and the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Agency to encourage foreign investment in the 1990s. Over 56 000 tourists arrived in 1995 and by the end of 2005 that number had exceeded 100 000 for the first time. In 2011 that figure had doubled and hoteliers along the Zanzibar beaches have been enjoying a l ion’s share of tourists.

Up unti l recently poor infrastructure has hindered the growth of the tourism sector on the islands. Upgrades to the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, f ive ki lometres south of Zanzibar City, are underway and the 102 200 square metre instal lat ion wil l soon receive larger commercial carriers with an estimated annual capacity of 1.6 mil l ion passengers.

The upgrades wil l attract more tourists and improve the tourism sector’s contribution to the country’s f lourishing economic development. Everyone is anticipating an impending tourism boom and international hotel groups have not been slow off the mark.

While foreign investors are welcome, and there is keen interest in infrastructure development, investment in Zanzibar is not without its pitfal ls and authorit ies do not look favourably on projects that do not conserve the islands’ resources and improve the welfare of the local people.

On opposite sides of this idyl l ic island l ie two luxury boutique resorts, each the real isation of Polish entrepreneurs’ investment on the island. On the east coast, the aptly named White Sand Luxury Vi l las and Spa, is a sl ice of serenity nestled along a crystal clear Indian Ocean. On the west coast, where the sun bids adieu, is Zanzi Resort, one of the most private resorts on the island and the very picture of romance and warmth with secluded private beaches and a personal concierge.

ON OPPOSITE SIDESOF THIS IDYLLIC ISLAND LIE

TWO LUXURY BOUTIQUE RESORTS, EACH THE

REALISATION OF POLISH ENTREPRENEURS’ INVESTMENT

ON THE ISLAND


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WHITE SAND LUXURY VILLAS AND SPA

Andre Niznik, software entrepreneur and avid kitesurfer, discovered Paje while on a kite surfing holiday there. Andre quickly recognised a gap in the market for an upmarket boutique family resort. Niznik had been looking for a family investment, for business and recreation and brought in daughter Natalia to assist with developing the resort.

The project was init iated four years ago when the father and daughter team bought an entire Casuarina wood plantation and enl isted the expertise of renowned East Afr ican architect, Nei l Rocher, to create a bui lding that would adapt to the environment.

Rocher designed the whole resort in the sand to blend in with the natural beauty of the sett ing, and accommodated existing palm trees by simply bui lding around them. Andre’s l i fe partner, Katarzyna Kuzminska, drew on the same organic palette indoors for an interior with a natural feel without compromising on high-end luxury and style.

The resort is furnished in top-quality Casuarina and Mango wood, with handcrafted king-size beds that require six men to move, and unique wooden, three-layer rooftops. Al l balustrades are hand-sanded and polished and the resort houses a carpentry workshop, more a factory real ly,

that employs and upski l ls the local community. The factory provides much more than just the furniture for the resort. Uti l is ing the services of a top craftsman from Poland who has painstakingly trained local craftsmen, the factory is now ready to take on external business.

Zanzibar’s White Sand Luxury Vi l las and Spa off icial ly opened in June this year and they cater to active famil ies keen to enjoy the myriad activit ies the island offers.

REVIEW: Spacious and serene, the Zanzibar White Sand exper ience is one of utter peace and uncompromising luxury and sty le. An absolute aesthet ic wonder but combined with exot ic act iv i t ies, th is is a tr ip worthy of a s lot on the bucket l ist .

VILLAS: There are 11 lavish sea-facing vi l las on the resort: f ive beachfront one-bedroom vi l las, f ive family two-bedroom vi l las, and one presidential f ive-bedroom vi l la; each surrounded by tropical gardens and careful ly-grown vegetation providing guests with absolute intimacy.

Each luxury v i l la is on an extensive plot that spans up to 1 660 square metres and is made up of two units connected by a recreat ional garden with pr ivate plunge pool, pr ivate decking and 200m of beach front for the f i rst l ine of v i l las.

The vi l la is spl it into a stunning, high-cei l ing day area with a dining section and lounge, and a resting area where guests wil l f ind their bedroom, dressing closet, bathroom with rain shower as well as an outdoor bathtub.

Outside guests can enjoy panoramic views of the ocean and surrounds on the rooftop terrace or spend the warm evenings stargazing from the hanging bed.

CUISINE: Zanz ibar Wh i te Sand gues ts can t rea t themselves to f ine dining at the resort’s styl ish restaurant overlooking the main pool and vert ical garden. The magnetic cul inary infusion of Asian and Indian inf luences from Thai chef, Somjit Kunkhunthod and Indian chef, Dayasagar, wil l stun and inspire with del icious Indian Ocean seafood and aromatic spices, attracting diners far beyond the resort gates.

Guests may choose to relax with their sundowners at the bar, the pool, or on the rooftop lounge as they witness the breath-taking African sunset.

FACILITIES: Paje is one of the top kitesurf ing spots in the world which is why Zanzibar White Sand Luxury Vi l las and Spa opened their own high-end kitesurf club: Zanzibar Kite Paradise – one of the resort’s main attractions. Located on the resort border, it is accessible yet unobtrusive to guests.


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Marek Bukala is an adventurous soul who has swum with crocodiles and sharks in the Australian rivers. A romantic, he visited Zanzibar 12 years ago and the island stole his heart. Inspired by his wife, he set out to create a resort centred on love and privacy: the perfect honeymoon retreat.

He designed everything himself, from the villas to the furniture, basing everything on the prior six years he spent living in and out of hotels.

The building took three years to complete and includes drinking water straight from the taps (somewhat unique when travelling in Africa), innovative Styrofoam ceiling insulation and specially designed bricks to keep the villas cool in the summer months.

Zanzi Resort has been open for business for the past two years and nearly all the staff are locals. It is the essence of romance and privacy; ideal for honeymooners, couples, and celebrities.

REVIEW: A warm, intimate atmosphere is created by the rich palette of earthy hues and African artworks adorning the villa walls. Eclectic textile prints and artisanal furniture inherent of the African and Arabic architectural influences decorate the resort. Winner of both the 2013 Traveller’s Choice Award and the 2014 TripAdvisor Excellence Award, Zanzi Resort’s friendly, engaging staff cater to your every whim and ensure guests are treated as royalty.

VILLAS: There are only seven lavishly equipped villas on the resort, each completely secluded on a six hectare area and each serviced by a personal concierge. Every villa is secured by a privacy pebble and has a bedroom with a beautiful king-size canopy bed and an en-suite bathroom, a spacious living area, and panoramic views of the sea. Outside there is a private pool complete with swimming machine to create resistance, a romantic private gazebo draped in a flowing canopy, and just down a little path, guests will discover their own secluded patch of the

Indian Ocean where skinny dipping is discreetly encouraged.

CUISINE: Guests may choose to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner in their private villa, on their secluded beach, or at the beautiful Zanzi Resort restaurant, seamlessly integrated into the surrounding lush vegetation.

Deo Job Nyika is the restaurant’s 24 year-old bisque chef. Before coming to Zanzi as a sous chef, he was mentored at Kendwa Rocks Hotel by a Finnish chef who nurtured his passion for cooking with lessons and books. He is now the head chef at Zanzi Resort, mentoring some of the most ambitious, creative culinary talents on the island who will arouse even the most refined palettes with an exciting menu of impeccable seafood, fresh vegetables picked from the resort’s very own ecological plantation, and the famous Zanzibar spices. Nyika oversees the expert crafting and artful arrangement of every meal which is complemented by a large selection of imported wines.

ZANZIRESORT


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Da antico maniero del XII seco-lo a Hotel&Spa: Castel lo del Nero, nel cuore del Chianti, è un luogo davvero unico. Immersi in 300 ettari di vigneti e ul ivi, si trovano le 50 camere e suite, i l centro benessere ESPA e i l r istorante La Torre che sfodera la sua stel la Mi-chel in. In seguito ad un attento e meti-coloso restauro, i l castel lo è un tesoro r icco di elementi dist intivi original i sa-pientemente r iportati ad antica gloria.

Affreschi centenari, stemmi nobil iar i e incantevol i soff itt i a volta r iportano in vita la grandiosità del r icco passato storico di questa regione.

Castel lo del Nero è anche rino-mato per l’elevato standard del suo ristorante gourmet La Torre, guidato dal l’executive chef Giovanni Luca Di Pirro. “Ogni piatto che presentiamo - spiega lo chef - r ispecchia pienamente la nostra cultura ed è presentato con

grande passione. La provenienza degli ingredienti è molto importante al f ine di esaltare al meglio le nostre pietanze, e per garantire un ott imo risultato abbia-mo profuso molto impegno per costru-ire un forte legame con i fornitori e i produttori local i in modo da offr ire solo i prodotti migl iori e genuini”.

Le due ampie vetrate del r isto-rante si affacciano sul la terrazza pano-ramica e offrono una vista mozzafiato su tutta la tenuta del Castel lo del Nero che, seppur in minima parte, produce i l proprio vino rosso e l’ol io extravergine di ol iva, in vendita presso la struttura.

Inoltre l’executive chef insieme al la sua brigata uti l izza in via esclusi-va prodotti del luogo per ideare i piat-t i t ipici del la cucina toscana, facendo “in casa” tutto i l possibi le, come pasta, pane e dolci.

Sempre a proposito di cucina, l’albergo organizza sessioni ai fornel l i per buongustai e appassionati. Come “A Tutta Pasta”, dove gl i ospit i parteci-panti possono imparare a fare la pasta fatta in casa, dai raviol i r ipieni di r icotta e spinaci con salsa di pomodoro fresco al le tagl iatel le con ragù di Chianina. Tutt i al la f ine del corso si siedono a ta-vola per un ricco banchetto con le de-l izie preparate (220 euro a persona, la classe può ospitare da 2 a 6 persone). Inf ine, tra i moltepl ici passatempi al l ’a-r ia aperta Castel lo del Nero offre: cac-cia al tartufo, tennis, picnic, passeggia-te a caval lo, bici e gite in mongolf iera (testo in inglese a pag. 72).

VERA ESPERIENZA TOSCANA TRA SPA E COOKING CLASS

USCITA N.03 2015 I PRINCIPALI CONTENUTI IN ITALIANO

ABSTRACT

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Olga Polizzi è la f igl ia maggiore di Lord Charles For-te, l ’hotel ier anglo-ital iano fondatore del l’omonima catena di hotel di lusso (scomparso nel 2007). È stata consigl iere di amministrazione e direttore del settore edi l iz ia e design del la Forte Plc. dal 1983 al 1996, anno in cui ha iniziato a col la-borare con i l fratel lo, Sir Rocco Forte, per creare la Rocco Forte Hotels, dove oggi r icopre la carica di vice presidente e di direttore del dipart imento di design.

Hotelier Internationl: Può dirci in poche parole qual è il suo ruolo di direttore del dipartimento di design?Olga Polizzi: Mi occupo del la supervisione del design e dei look di tutt i i nostri hotel. I l nostro è un piccolo uff icio e per progetti di grande portata ci avval iamo di società esterne di design.

HI: Ogni Rocco Forte hotel è unico. Da dove trae l’ispi-razione per un nuovo progetto?OP: Vado nel la città dove si trova l’albergo e mi immedesimo nel l turista. Per esempio, quando abbiamo real izzato l’Amigo Hotel a Bruxel les, non conoscevo la città. A Bruxel les ci sono splendidi negozi di antiquariato dove ho cercato qualcosa di insol ito, pezzi unici, non troppo costosi, ma d’impatto. Cerco sempre di comprare prodotti local i per dare al l ’hotel

l ’atmosfera del luogo. Al l’Amigo questo signif ica Magritte e fumetti di T intin, qualcosa di divertente perché amo far sor-ridere le persone.

HI: Qual è il fattore più importante per un designer nella progettazione di un hotel?OP: Per me è lo spazio, ma anche le proporzioni. Quando spazio e proporzioni sono corrett i, tutto è più faci le. Inoltre, ovviamente, i l comfort: camere e lett i comodi, una buona i l luminazione, bagni grandi e faci l i da tenere in ordine.

HI: Qual è l’area di un hotel che preferisce progettare e realizzare?OP: Le camere da letto e i bagni. Oggi le persone hanno quasi tutto nel le loro case e da un albergo si aspettano qual-cosa di extra al l ivel lo di comfort o di dotazioni e questa è la direzione da seguire. Ora, ad esempio, cerchiamo sempre di avere bagni che abbiamo sia la doccia, sia la vasca.

HI: Come definirebbe il suo stile?OP: Non troppo appariscente, non troppo trendy. Un design troppo di tendenza rischia di passare rapidamente di moda. E la r istrutturazione di hotel datati è costosa.

HI: Con quale frequenza ristrutturate i vostri hotel?OP: Dipende dagli hotel, ma c’è sempre qualche intervento da fare. Personalmente odio i r i facimenti, ma attualmente stiamo rinnovando diversi immobil i costruit i 15 o 16 anni fa, soprattutto le zone bar e r istorante. Al Brown’s di Londra, ad esempio, stiamo rinnovando i divani, le poltrone e le testate dei lett i e sono gl i elementi che cambio più spesso. Quando vedo una camera un po’ monotona e voglio darle un tocco più invitante, cambio le tende, sposto i mobil i , insomma ag-giorno i l suo look (testo in inglese a pag. 18).

Q&A OLGA POLIZZIA TU PER TU CON LA CREATRICE DELLO STILE DEGLI ALBERGHI

DELLA ROCCO FORTE COLLECTION, TUTTI “PEZZI” UNICI

Olga Polizzi è una delle figure più in-fluenti nel campo del design. Teorica del “lusso essenziale” ha conferito a ogni hotel della collezione Rocco Forte una spiccata identità.Tra i suoi interventi più riusciti i l design del Verdura Resort in Sicilia.

INTERVISTA DI: FLAVIA FRESIA

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ABSTRACT

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CAMERE ALL’INTERNO DI UN’ESPOSIZIONE PERMANENTE

UN ART HOTEL “DIFFUSO”

Siamo a Bentonvi l le, negli Stati Unit i , e i l nome di que-sta incredibi le albergo dice già tutto o quasi. Posizionato nel centro cittadino del l’Arkansas a pochi passi dal Crystal Bri-dges Museum of American Art, i l 21c Museum Hotel Benton-vi l le è un original issimo boutique hotel di 104 camere che è, al lo stesso tempo, esposizione permenente di arte contem-poranea, centro culturale civico e “casa” del r istorante gour-met The Hive sotto la direzione del l’executive chef Matthew McClure. In questo albergo-museo le opere d’arte sono dav-

Tutti dicono che non si può an-dare in Giappone senza visitare Naoshi-ma, un’isola nel mare di Seto. E davve-ro Naoshima è una meta unica per chi è innamorato del l’arte contemporanea ed è al la r icerca di location uniche. In pra-tica si tratta di un museo a cielo aperto dove l’arte si fonde al la natura e la na-tura al l ’arte.

I l centro di gravità del l’ intero pro-getto è i l Benesse House Museum di-segnato e progettato dal famoso archi-tetto Tadao Ando, che è un hotel e un museo al lo stesso tempo.

La struttura è costituita da quat-tro edif ici: i l museo, l’ovale, i l parco e la spiaggia. Ogni edif icio dispone di una propria sezione di opere d’arte uni-che e camere per gl i ospit i . L’attrazio-ne principale del la Benesse House è i l museo d’arte moderna, che si trova su

vero dovunque, dal la lobby al la piscina f ino agl i spazi comuni come la sala r istorante. Al 21c Museum Hotel Bentonvi l le è un continuo succedersi di mostre ed esibizioni dedicate ai principal i rapprentanti del le avanguardie art ist iche di questo secolo (da notare che tutt i gl i eventi sono “free of charge” e cioè completamente gratuite). Simbolo di questa piccola ca-tena che ha alberghi a Louisvi l le, Cincinnati e Durham è una scultura speciale, esattamente i l “Pinguino Verde” creato da un col lett ivo di art ist i denominato Cracking Art Group e che è presente a l ivel lo permanente in tutte le strutture.

La storia di questo concept ha inizio a Louisvi l le, nel Kentucky, per iniziat iva di due imprenditori appassionati d’arte, Laura Lee Brown e Steve Wilson.

Nel 2006 aprono proprio a Louisvi l le i l primo 21c Mu-seum che diventa in brevissimo un epicentro culturale che contribuisce a r i lanciare anche turist icamente i l capoluogo del la Contea di Jefferson proponendo un modello di ospi-tal ità al lora inedito che combina arte, design, alta cucina, comfort e creatività. Nel 2012 è la volta di Cincinnati, nel 2013 di Bentonvi l le e nel 2015 di Durham. La proprietà ha in progetto di aprire altr i 15 boutique hotel nei prossimi 5-10 anni (testo in inglese a pag. 64).

una col l ina che domina i l mare. I l museo presenta opere create da diversi art ist i provenienti dal Giappone e dal resto del mondo, ispirato dal lo scenario naturale di Naoshima. Gli ospit i possono godere di 24 ore di accesso l ibero al museo.

Oltre al le opere esposte al l ’ interno del museo, vi sono quasi venti pezzi d’arte situati sui prati e sul le spiagge di tutta la Benesse House, molt i dei qual i lun-go la r iva e le scogliere sotto i l museo, specif icamente progettati per integrarsi nel la natura circostante in cui sono col-locati. Benesse House dispone, come ogni grande albergo che si r ispett i, di un r icco ventagl io di servizi e faci l i ty come ristoranti, caffetterie, negozi e un centro benessere. Riguardo al le came-re, quel le più spettacolari sono nel l’o-vale a cui si accede attraverso un treno monorotaia privato che sembra uscito da un f i lm di fantascienza o di James Bond. La vista sul mare che gl i ospit i possono godere dal le camere è stupen-da e ”vale”, a detta dei giudizi e com-menti dei cl ienti che si trovano in rete, l ’ intero viaggio. Per gl i amanti del le biz-zarrie tecnologiche giapponesi i bagni sono un’altro punto di grande interesse (testo in inglese a pag. 62 ).

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ABSTRACT

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Abbiamo incontrato Jean-Michel Gathy, uno dei più acclamati architett i che lavorano oggi nel mondo del l’ospita-l ità internazionale. Nella sua carriera ha progettato proprietà in luoghi estremamente diversi, da location esotiche ubicate su spiagge altrettanto uniche (Amanoi, Aman Resorts in Vie-tnam) a ambienti urbani (Aman Canal Grande Venice, Aman Resorts a Venezia) f ino al le Alpi svizzere (Chedi Andermatt).

Hotelier International: Quali sfide ha dovuto af-frontare lavorando in ambienti così diversi?

Jean-Michel Gathy: Non le definirei sf ide. Per un ar-chitetto creativo è un divert imento. In fondo è i l luogo stesso che t i guida, che t i dice cosa fare. Semplif icando, se vivete al centro del l’Amazzonia, che auto comprereste? Una 4x4 o una Ferrari? La r isposta è ovvia. Secondo me, per trovare le soluzioni giuste è fondamentale visitare la local ità, far pro-prio i l carattere locale e adattarlo al lo scopo.

HI: La sua fama è legata alla costruzione di ville sull’acqua realizzate nel 2005 al One&Only Reethi Rah alle Maldive, ora diventate standard di riferimento per hotel di lusso. Ha usato un concetto analogo per qual-cuna delle recenti proprietà che sta realizzando?

JMG: Ogni giorno ho idee nuove, ma quello a cui mi

dedico maggiormente è creare una connessione senza so-luzione di continuità tra interni ed esterni. Generalmente un architetto progetta la costruzione, un interior designer gl i interni del l’edif icio e l’architetto paesaggista pensa agl i esterni. Ciò che ci contraddistingue come società di proget-tazione (Denniston, ndr ) è che real izziamo tutt i questi aspetti in perfetta sinergia. I nostri ruol i si intrecciano ed esiste un perfetto connubio in ogni cosa. In questo modo quello che produciamo si integra e diventa omogeneo. La nostra arte è una continua danza tra esterni e interni.

HI: Ha progettato il Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay nell’Isola di Hainan in Cina, inaugurato a febbraio. È ri-uscito a creare un collegamento straordinario tra ester-ni e interni, come l’inserimento nelle camere di una ve-trata perpendicolare che crea una visuale di 270°.

JMG: Effett ivamente quello che abbiamo real izzato al Sanya è notevole. A una f inestra larga 6 metri si contrappone uno specchio con le stesse dimensioni che dà la sensazione di una f inestra dal la larghezza inf inita.

HI: È riuscito a creare questo collegamento tra interni ed esterni in altre proprietà?

JMG: In termini di “ in” e “out” un ott imo progetto è quel lo del Chedi Muscat dove i l paesaggio è parte integrante del l’architettura. Anche i l progetto di One&Only Reetha Ra e Cheval Blanc Randheli al le Maldive è stato real izzato come se non esistessero i muri.

HI: A cosa lavora attualmente?JMG: In questo momento sto lavorando a 35 hotel e

per la f ine del 2017 ne è prevista l’apertura di una dozzina, dal Messico al le Bahamas, da New York al l ’Asia e al Medio Oriente (testo in inglese a pag. 26).

Q&A JEAN-MICHEL GATHY ECLETTICO ARCHITETTO DI ORIGINE BELGA VANTA REALIZZAZIONI

IN TUTTO IL MONDO FACENDO DIALOGARE INDOOR E OUTDOOR

Jean-Michel Gathy è i l fondatore di Denniston, studio di progettazione e consulenza specializzato nel setto-re dell’ospitalità con clienti in tutto il mondo. La società si occupa di piani-ficazione territoriale, architettura, inte-rior design e progetto del verde.

INTERVISTA DI: ANJA MUTIC

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TUTTO È DAVVERO A KM ZERO AL FARM HOTEL

COTTAGE IN MEZZO ALLA FORESTA E MENU BIOLOGICI

Localizzato in un’area verde di 240 ettari che com-prende frutteti e vigne storiche risalenti al 1600, i l “farm ho-tel” di 16 camere Babylostoren è una del le mete sudafricane più gettonate dal la cl ientela internazionale.

Posizionato a sol i 60 km da Città del Capo, occupa una storica fattoria in sti le coloniale olandese elegantemente r istrutturata. Ci sono la vi l la principale, diverse suite, uno spazio dedicato al la degustazione di vini, un forno che pro-duce quotidianamente pane e dolci, un posto dove comprare i formaggi prodotti in fattoria, una spa esterna e una piscina.

I l r istorante gourmet, Babel, è r icavato al l ’ interno di quel le che una volta erano le stal le del la fattoria e tutto ciò che viene portato in tavo-la viene direttamente dal l’orto “di casa” o dal le fattorie vicine.

Esiste, infatt i, un’area giardi-no con oltre 300 varietà di piante e un orto dove lo staff del l’albergo

“Un santuario per i sensi”. È que-sto lo slogan di presentazione del la Gibb’s Farm, “working farm” o, a se-conda dei punti di vista, “ luxury cotta-ge” posizionato in piena foresta nel la Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Tanza-nia). Cuore pulsante del resort è l’antica farmhouse costruita nel 1929 e comple-

colt iva ogni genere di verdure e frutt i che vengono uti l izzati nel le cucine del r istorante. Vengono al levati anche poll i e oche, le cui carni fanno bel la mostra nei menu per gl i ospit i . L’albergo vanta due ristoranti: i l Babel, dove la prenotazione è obbligatoria e l’accoglienza è aperta anche agl i esterni, e i l Greenhouse, dove invece ogni ospite ha i l proprio tavolo. Esiste anche uno shop digitale dove è possibi le acquistare le produzioni local i, vini compresi.

L’albergo si trova in una posi-zione strategica: nel la Drakenstein Val ley tra i centri di Franschhoek e Paarl e proprio nel cuore del la Cape Winelands, la regione dei vigneti per eccel lenza dove si produce i l vino migl iore del Sudafrica come Merlot, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinotage.

Qui l ’Afr ica dei safari sembra davvero lontanissima. E i l paesag-gio è fatto di f i lar i di vite, ort i e frut-teti (testo in inglese a pag. 78).

tamente r istrutturata con sti le e atten-zione ai dettagl i dove trovano posto le aree e i servizi comuni per gl i ospit i come le due sale da pranzo, un gaze-bo, una boutique ecc. La farmhouse è circondata da 17 cottage, ognuno con un arredo differente e con decorazioni original i che rimandano ai temi del la fo-resta e del la natura.

Uno dei punti di forza di questo buen retiro afr icano è certamente la cucina. Anche in questo caso c’è un motto del la casa a spiegarne la f i loso-f ia: “farm to table”, dal la fattoria al la ta-vola. Ed in effett i è proprio così: tutte le materie prime al imentari uti l izzate in cucina provengono esclusivamente da produzioni local i, a partire dal le verdu-re che vengono colt ivate negli ort i del la farmhouse.

A cortissimo raggio anche le car-ni, i l latte (anch’esso provenienti da al-

levamenti del la regione) e i prodotti da forno. Anche i l caffè del la prima cola-zione - una miscela a base di Arabica - proviene da piantagioni in loco e lavo-rato direttamente al la farmhouse.

Da oltre 27 anni la proprietà del la Gibb’s Farm è impegnata a colt ivare e a produrre sul posto le diverse derrate al imentari, r ispettando la natura circo-stante e osservando le regole del l’agri-coltura biologica. Si tratta, dunque, di un’azienda agricola in piena regola che dispone di 30 acri colt ivati a caffè, 10 acri a frutta e verdura, 5 acri a erbe e f iori. Al l ’ interno del la farmhouse c’è an-che un laboratorio per la lavorazione del latte e un piccolo al levamento di suini. La cucina del la Gibb’s Farm è in mano al la chef Lisa Campbell, professionista d’origine inglese ma fortemente inf luen-zata dai piatt i in sti le tanzaniano (testo in inglese a pag. 76).

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José Koechlin è fondatore e presidente di Inkaterra ed è un pioniere del l’ecoturismo in Perù. È stato co-produttore di alcuni f i lm cult del famoso regista tedesco Werner Herzog come “Aguirre, furore di Dio” e “Fitzcarraldo”.

Hotelier International: Quando ha iniziato a occuparsi di sostenibilità non esistevano hotel “verdi”.José Koechlin: Già all’età di 11 anni mi sono reso conto della diversità naturale e culturale del mio Paese e ho scelto l’ecoturismo per lavorare nell’ambiente incontaminato dell’A-mazzonia. Risale al 1975 i l primo hotel Inkaterra realizzato a Madre de Dios su un terreno dichiarato più tardi r iserva eco-logica turistica. Nel 1978 abbiamo sponsorizzato un gruppo di r icercatori per la realizzazione del primo censimento della f lora e della fauna di un ecosistema unico al mondo.

HI: Inkaterra ha vinto numerosi premi per la sostenibili-tà, ma cosa la rende più orgoglioso?JK: La migl iore qual ità di vita di ogni essere vivente nel le aree di inf luenza di Inkaterra.

HI: Quali i principali benefici di una gestione verde?JK: I l beneficio maggiore del l’ecoturismo è la creazione di valore aggiunto per le comunità rural i .

HI: Il suo consiglio per altri hotelier che desiderano crescere rispettando l’ambiente?JK: Come contributo al la conservazione del la biodiversità e al la crescita sostenibi le è estremamente uti le un approccio ol ist ico e la promozione del la r icerca scientif ica.

HI: Da dove iniziare?JK: I l primo step è conoscere le possibi l i tà offerte da un’area specif ica e i l modo migl iore per farlo è la r icerca scientif ica.

HI: E gli hotel in contesti urbani?JK: Anche gl i hotel urbani possono contribuire al la tutela ambientale, r iducendo l’uso di carta, r iciclando, monitorando i l consumo energetico e r isparmiando l’acqua.

HI: I suoi progetti attuali?JK: I l programma “Earth to Table” al l ’ Inkaterra Hacienda Uru-bamba, dove in una piantagione bio colt iviamo vegetal i e piante medicinal i e i l primo progetto di conservazione marina a Cabo Blanco, nel Perù settentrionale, dove promuoviamo metodi di pesca sostenibi l i e l’ecoturismo.

HI: Ritiene che l’industria dell’ospitalità stia facendo abbastanza per la sostenibilità?JK: Gli effett i dei cambiamenti cl imatici sono più evidenti che mai, quindi per una crescita economica sostenibi le è ne-cessario un maggior impegno da parte dei governi. E grazie al l ’ecoturismo si potranno attuare soluzioni a lungo termine.

HI: Come sarà l’hotellerie tra 50 anni?JK: Parte del settore è già orientato al la sostenibi l i tà e nel prossimo futuro l’eco-lusso s’imporrà a l ivel lo mondiale, ge-nerando più reddito e una migl iore qual ità di vita per le po-polazioni local i (testo in inglese a pag.34).

Q&A JOSE KOECHLINECOTURISMO: PARLA IL FONDATORE DEGLI INKATERRA HOTELS,

“RIFUGI” ECO-LUXURY CHE FANNO CRESCERE LE COMUNITÀ LOCALI

José Koechlin, classe 1945, fin dai primi anni ’70 si è distinto come fi-gura cruciale nell’ambito del turismo ecocompatibile di alto l ivello e cre-ando dei veri e propri relais andini come il pluripremiato Inkaterra Ma-chu Picchu Pueblo Hotel.

INTERVISTA DI: NICK DALL

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AL RESORT C’È UN RISTORANTE SOTTO L’OCEANO

QUI I VIP CAMMINANO A 4 ZAMPE

I l Conrad Rangali Island è uno dei resort più esclusivi del le Maldive. È situato sul l’atol lo di Ari Sud, a 90 km dall’a-eroporto internazionale di Malé.

Diversi i punti di forza: da uno scenario naturale spet-tacolare con i l resort adagiato tra due isole col legate tra loro da un ponti le di legno lungo 500 metri a un ampio venta-gl io di soluzioni r icett ive che comprendono l’al loggio in 150 vi l le e suite con f initure di lusso situate lungo la spiaggia

Tutt i gl i alberghi del la catena americana Aff inia Hotels (strutture resi-denzial i per soggiorni long stay) sono “amici degli animali” tanto che qui vip non fa r ima solo con “very important people” ma anche con “very important pets”. La catena ha infatt i messo a pun-to un vero e proprio programma riser-vato agl i animali domestici denominato VIPaws.

I l programma mette a disposizio-ne degli ospit i a 4 zampe cibo e acqua più una gamma di veri e propri “ lett i” oversize per animali domestici che pro-vengono direttamente da Jax&Bones, famosa ed esclusiva boutique di New York special izzata in prodotti per ani-mali. Tra i benefit di VIPaws anche la possibi l i tà di scegliere un gioco per i l proprio cane o gatto, sconti per l’ac-quisto di prodotti per animali nei negozi

o sul l’acqua. I l resort vanta inoltre 7 r istoranti e4 bar. Ad esempio, i l Sunset Gri l l , situato sul la laguna, offre pesce, frutt i di mare e carni pregiate cucinate al la grigl ia, mentre i l Mandhoo propone menù bi lanciati ed è la soluzione ideale per chi segue regimi al imentari part icolari.

L’organizzazione del resort offre inoltre agl i ospit i la possibi l i tà di cenare sul la spiaggia, sotto le stel le con uno chef personale oppure prenotare la cena in camera tramite l’ iPod touch in dotazione.

Ma la vera chicca è i l r istorante sottomarino Ithaa (“perla” in maldiviano), che si trova cinque metri sotto i l l i-vel lo del l l ’oceano: al locale si accede attraverso una scala che parte a l ivel lo spiaggia e porta verso una specie di tun-nel sottomarino real izzato con lastre trasparenti in materiale acri l ico da cui gl i ospit i possono avere una visione a 180° su pesci e tartarughe marine. C’è così tanta luce che è consi-gl iato indossare occhial i da sole. I l r istorante può ospitare al massimo 14 coperti e i l menu prevede sei portate, inclusi aragosta e caviale. I l r istorante acquario è stato costruito da una società neozelandese a Singapore e poi trasportato sul l’atol lo e calato in mare. La struttura è costata 3 mil ioni e mezzo di euro (testo in inglese a pag. 86).

circostanti l ’albergo, appendiporta che segnalano al lo staff che i l cane o i l gat-to è in camera. I l tutto a 50 dollari “per stay” incluso una donazione di 10 dolla-ri al la Humane Society, una del le più im-portanti associazioni di protezione degli animali degli Stati Unit i .

La catena presenta 5 strutture a New York (Dumont, Fifty, Gardens, Manhattan, Shelbourne) e una a Wa-shington (Liaison Capitol Hi l l ) e si muo-ve in uno scenario metropolitano molto competit ivo per quanto r iguarda tariffe e pacchetti r iservati a ospit i con animali domestici. Un target che Aff inia cerca di f idel izzare anche attraverso i social network: ad esempio i proprietari pos-sono concorrere a premi e a soggiorni gratis offert i dal la catena l inkando a un account di Instagram la foto del proprio Fido a spasso per la Grande Mela.

Aff inia Manhattan, in particolare, gode di un’ott ima reputazione tra i “pet lovers”. Ad esempio supporta i con-correnti del famoso Westminster Dog Show che si t iene ogni anno al Madison Square Garden di New York, fornen-do al l ’organizzazione tapis roulant per l’addestramento dei cani in gara e assi-stenza ai campioni a 4 zampe (testo in inglese a pag. 84).

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Abbiamo incontrato Symon Bridle, chief operatig off icer del Ro-sewood Hotel Group (acquisito nel 2011 da New World Hospital ity, so-cietà di gestione alberghiera con quartier generale a Hong Kong). Con lui abbiamo discusso di Rosewood Pechino, dei piani di espansione in Cina e del le nuove aperture pro-grammate dal gruppo che riguar-dano destinazioni strategiche come Thailandia, Indonesia, l ’Europa e i l Medio Oriente.

Hotelier International: Cosa ha spinto New World Hospitality all’acquisizione di Rosewood Ho-tels&Resorts?SYMON BRIDLE: L’acquisizione di Rosewood Hotel&Resorts ha deter-minato immediatamente un’espan-sione internazionale della società e del nostro mercato in tre segmenti distinti: ultralusso, deluxe e medio. Attualmente gestiamo 55 strutture localizzate in 18 Paesi, inclusi America, Caraibi/Atlantico, Europa, Medio Oriente e Asia.

HI: New World è nota soprattutto in Asia. Come si inse-risce Rosewood in questo contesto?SB: Rosewood non era presente in Asia, uno dei mercati a più rapido svi luppo di tutto i l mondo, con la Cina che è un elemento basi lare di questa crescita, e oggi i l fatto di esser-ci costituisce un’opportunità unica per proporre una nuova visione del lusso nel la regione, proponendo un brand che gode di ott ima credibi l i tà sin dal la sua fondazione, nel 1979. La regione asiatica è fondamentale per i nostri piani, ma non perdiamo di vista le opportunità in Europa e im America.

HI: Quali sono le vostre proiezioni di crescita?SB: L’obiett ivo è la gestione entro i l 2020 di 130 hotel sud-

divisa tra i nostri tre brand. Ha de-stato molto clamore l’apertura del Rosewood Beij ing che è la “vetr ina” per cinesi e asiatici che vogliono scoprire i l mondo Rosewood.

HI: La Cina è sempre un mercato appetibile o forse è troppo saturo?SB: La Cina è in fase di crescita sta-bi le dopo un periodo di svi luppo ra-pido che è durato per oltre due de-cenni. A l ivel lo nazionale, le città di seconda e terza fascia continueran-no a crescere in termini di prodotto interno lordo e di tenore di vita. I l nostro obiett ivo resta la costruzione di hotel nel le principal i città cinesi. Prestiamo grande attenzione al set-tore resort che registra una rapida crescita dovuta al l ’aumento del la classe media cinese, che dispone di un maggior reddito ed è più propen-sa a spendere.

HI: Ci può dire qualche particola-rità del mercato cinese?SB: In Cina c’è molta attività sull’onli-

ne. E la propria reputazione sui canali web è molto importante per influenzare le decisioni d’acquisto di una camera d’al-bergo. Ad esempio, i l social media WeChat sta letteralmente “esplodendo” con oltre 800 mil ioni di utenti e, quindi, una delle sfide è quella di essere presenti in forma eff icace all’ in-terno di tal i contesti. L’obiettivo è conquistare non tanto i fol-lowers quanto i singoli individui (testo in inglese a pag.42).

Q&A SYMON BRIDLELE OPPORTUNITÀ DEL MERCATO CINESE E GLI OBIETTIVI DI SVILUPPO A LIVELLO GLOBALE. PARLA IL COO DEL ROSEWOOD HOTEL GROUP

Symon Bridle è i l coo del Rosewood Hotel Group. Prima di sbarcare nel gruppo di Hong Kong ha lavorato per 18 anni presso il Shangri-La Hotel-s&Resorts, ricoprendo responsabil ità manageriali. Ha iniziato la sua carrie-ra nell’hotel industry nel 1980.

INTERVISTA DI: RON GLUCKMAN

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LAST LOOK In June the Ritz Paris began accepting reservations for

its long-awaited autumn reopening, fol lowing a €200m renovation programme which began in August, 2012. When the iconic property reopens, many signature features wil l look exactly the same: the chandeliers and other antique f itt ings wil l return; the lobby wil l be the exact same shade of blue; even the towels the same shade of peach. Much of the investment has been spent on what the guests won’t see; the latest air condit ioning system wil l be integrated into moulded cei l ing and wall panels, while state-of-the-art plumbing and a whole elevator system wil l have been instal led. What wil l be noticeable however is a series of changes to the hotel’s outside areas. The hotel’s magnif icent garden courtyard and terraces wil l now have a state-of-the-art retractable glass roof so that they can be used al l year round. At the same time, the gardens wil l have a more clement temperature no matter the weather as the courtyard’s f lagstone f loor wil l be heated by recycl ing energy from the hotel’s kitchen and laundry. Meanwhile, for those guests who prefer a discreet arr ival at the hotel, a brand new tunnel has been constructed which connect the hotel to the Place Vendome carpark.

BY: BOYD FARROW

IT’S SPRING YEAR -ROUND AT THE “NEW” RITZ PARIS

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