www.althoffcollection.com/de/althoff-villa-belrose/belrose-villa-rental.
Archiv für den Monat März 2021
Six Senses Ibiza to Offer Authentic Experiences in Hidden Paradise of Xarraca Bay from July 2021
A dazzling white rock with crystal clear blue sea, Ibiza has a long-hidden secret on its northern tip, Xarraca Bay. This magical cove with unobstructed sunset views and special energy is where the golden hour lasts until the Cinderella hour. Sundowner, guitar, or loved one in hand, anything feels possible. Live layers of programming and experiences will constantly evolve to celebrate music, art, sustainable fashion, spirituality, pioneering wellness, culinary exploration and culture, all synonymous with the island.
A place this meaningful needs protecting, which is why when it opens in July, Six Senses Ibiza will be the first sustainable BREEAM certified resort and residential community in the Balearics. In total there are 116 guest accommodations, villas, suites and beachfront caves across a 20-acre (8-hectare) site, blending into the contours of the bay. Available to a handful of owners are a number of Village Residences with intimate terraces, lush gardens and pools.
From the resort’s four organic restaurants to the Recording Studio and showcase Six Senses Spa, a host of amenities are easily bookable through the app to match every whim. All guests and residents also enjoy personalized service through their own Guest Experience Maker.
Community, Spirituality and Celebration
Jonathan Leitersdorf, the architect and developer, explains, “Our vision is to capture the authentic Ibiza experience of community, spirituality and celebration.”
In the hot season (May to October), the community celebrates. From lazy days soaking poolside, enjoying the natural beauty of the bay or meeting an extended family of islanders, to gathering at night on long tables to explore new culinary frontiers, festive pop-up events and full moon dinners.
In the cool season (November to April), the community shares deep spiritual experiences. Six Senses Ibiza is gearing up to feature a series of immersive teaser weekends and longer-stay retreats, initially yoga, cleanse and fitness.
Sustainability
Surrounded by fragrant and unspoiled coves and groves, Six Senses Ibiza is symbolic of the light, beauty and natural rhythms of the seasons that, like a siren’s call, draw people back and back again. The architecture uses locally sourced materials and maximizes the impact of the natural breeze and aspects. The tactile Finca-style aesthetic has a modern and sophisticated design and finish. The Farm at Six Senses Ibiza is a 400-year-old olive press and agricultural estate, where guests will take part in growing the abundance of organic produce that will also supply the resort’s restaurants, café and bars.
“This vision captures an authentic Ibiza experience that really resonates with me on a personal level,” says Neil Jacobs, Chief Executive Officer of Six Senses. “It is aligned with our set of beliefs, particularly around emotional hospitality. Sustainability is a huge part of our company ethos. And when you find a magical place such as Cala Xarraca, it’s something that you work really hard to both showcase and respect. In the case of Six Senses Ibiza, this is what shines so brightly.”
Culinary
Six Senses Ibiza will be the first European outpost for celebrity chef Eyal Shani, founding father of new Israeli cuisine. His sublime menus will follow the Eat With Six Senses guiding principles of organic, seasonal, nutritious and delicious, gathering guests at the exquisite long tables of the Farmers’ Market. Other signature venues including The Orchard, The Piazza, Farmacy Bar and Live Cave will be complemented by grow-your-own veg, chef’s table and cooking lessons at the Farm.
Wellness & Spa
The Six Senses Spa houses single and couple’s treatment rooms, steam room, hammam and state-of-the-art fitness area, café and juice bar. The Rose Bar offers night owls a chance to roll back the years through a range of healing and preventative longevity programs combining diagnostics, biohacking, nutrition and beauty treatments. Outdoors there is an impressive yoga deck and boxing ring on the roof.
Immersive Retreats: Once in a lifetime, twice a year
Transformation happens when many things come together in perfect harmony to enable it: openness, awareness, timing, the people, the place and the experience itself. These immersive retreats will be facilitated by Friends of Six Senses, Visiting Practitioners and partners.
Music
Six Senses Ibiza will add an enticing new spectrum to the Ibiza music scene. Directly on the shorefront, the Beach Caves music venue is the heartbeat of the resort. Hosting live shows, events, emerging artist sessions, and an expansive vinyl collection, the Beach Caves features avant-garde technology from McIntosh and Sonus faber through a partnership with McIntosh Group. There is even a Cave Royale guestroom with a secret door leading to the Recording Studio for when creativity strikes in the middle of the night.
Fashion
Six Senses Ibiza celebrates sustainable fashion at the Agora, a new retail concept, part entertainment, part education and part shopping experience. Curated by the renowned fashion editors Daniela Agnelli and Tiffanie Darke, it seeks to tell a story in a series of chapters: Reduce, Recycle, Rent and Restore. Highlights of the store will be a “live magazine” experience, a “Cinderella Room” for dress up nights, and an Intention Tree for customers to remember the change.
Arts & Culture
Arts and culture are central to the Six Senses experience. As they wander through the resort’s galleries, guests will enjoy displays by Magnum photographers, curated by Elaine Groenestein to reflect Ibiza’s core themes. Along with photography events and workshops, a larger selection of fine prints is available through the Magnum Gallery. There is also a beautiful library to expand the mind and guide the soul to new horizons.
Six Senses Ibiza is a 35-minute private transfer from the airport. Nostradamus coined Ibiza as Earth’s final refuge and no one who visits would argue with that.
Design hotel opens in Vietnam created by French architects
A new design hotel opens today (Thursday 25th March) in Vietnam. Wink Hotels Saigon Centre is the first of a new urban hospitality brand that is rolling out a series of hotels across Vietnam. The street-life inspired design is aimed at a new young, fashion-conscious and affluent Asian demographic.
The construction of Wink Hotel Saigon Centre, a medium-rise urban hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, comprising 237 hotel rooms has been completed.
The hotel is part of the new Wink brand, which is rolling out a series of hotels across the country. Located in District 1’s Dakao Ward, a hip and upcoming neighbourhood, the twelve-floor, 10,500 m2 hotel has been designed as an extension of Vietnamese street life, bringing local flavour from the outside in.
Architecture Workshop (AW2), led by partner architects Reda Amalou and Stéphanie Ledoux, designed every element of this affordable lifestyle hotel, from the architectural concept through to interior design and furniture, as well as collaborating with the client to create the brand identity across its hotels.
The brand focuses on creating a balance between design forwardness, financial return and construction feasibility while being a fashionable urban destination. AW²’s previous work in Vietnam (FV International Hospital, Four Seasons The Nam Hai and Six Senses Con Dao) with Indochina Capital, who created the development team, placed them in a strong position to respond to the client’s brief requirements.
For the Wink brand, AW2 created a specific locally-inspired colour palette deployed throughout the hotel, from the bespoke sunshades on the façade down to the cushion fabrics. The bold and vibrant exterior design attracts attention from the outside, acting as a beacon for the wider neighbourhood.
The Wink Hotel incorporates blended spaces where accommodation, work and leisure co-exist. The interior design is centred around creating a fun and dynamic environment, using furniture styles based on the street food culture such as food carts for the self-service food and beverage facilities and bicycles repurposed as table legs for the breakfast bars.
Collaborative spaces are made to encourage visitors and the public to use the public areas at their leisure. The shared spaces are composed into different flexible zones consisting of an entrance ‘Wink Space’ lobby, a lounge with integrated library and games area and food & beverage facilities. The food & beverage facilities cater to all needs including the Wink Bar, ‘grab and go’ self-service, breakfast bar and dining areas.
For the hotel guests, the bedrooms have been efficiently designed to be compact, with bespoke furniture that maximises space usage and with a strong brand identity throughout. With three different colour spectrum schemes (each made up of three key Wink-branded colours), the external sunshades act as an extension to the hotel interiors and reflect the colour themes found in each hotel bedroom.
Wink Hotels has also announced a pipeline of 20 hotels within the next five years, including the AW²-designed Wink Hotel Danang Centre and Wink Hotel Hanoi West Lake which is expected to open in Q3, 2023. This property will also feature Wink Suites (serviced apartments) as well as a stunning rooftop pool with panoramic views of Hanoi City. All rooms will have views of the West Lake.
AW² have over twenty years of experience within the hospitality industry, with projects in 40 different countries, working with leading hotel and resort operators such as Aman, Banyan Tree, Four Seasons, GHM, Hyatt Alila, Six Senses, and The Ritz-Carlton. They have drawn upon their extensive knowledge to create a new brand that speaks to the next generation of global travellers.
“The Wink Hotel Saigon Centre is designed for a fast-growing, fast-changing society that remains connected to local traditions while simultaneously embracing contemporary trends.”
Located in District 1’s Dakao Ward, a hip and upcoming neighbourhood, the twelve-floor, 10,500 m2 hotel has been designed as an extension of Vietnamese street life, bringing local flavour from the outside in.
Celebrity Announces Summer World Debut in Greece for Highly-Anticipated Celebrity Apex
Celebrity Cruises announced its return to cruising in Europe today, as company President and CEO, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo confirmed that its brand-newCelebrity Apex, the second stunning ship in the brand’s transformational, multi-award-winning Edge Series, will make its long-awaited world debut in Greece this summer beginning June 19.
With luxurious seven-night sailings roundtrip from Athens through September 2021, Celebrity Apex will visit some of the most idyllic destinations in the Mediterranean, including Mykonos, Rhodes and Santorini, Greece; Limassol, Cyprus; and Haifa and Jerusalem, Israel. The sailings will open for booking on March 30.
Celebrity Apex will sail with all crew and guests above the age of 18 vaccinated against COVID-19, and those under the age of 18 with negative PCR test results. The announcement comes just days after Celebrity Cruises announced its Caribbean comeback with seven-night summer cruises departing from St. Maarten also beginning in June.
The company’s return to the Aegean is made all the more special given Celebrity Cruises’ Greek heritage. Founded in 1988 by the Greek Chandris family, the company later became a part of the Royal Caribbean Group. Celebrity Cruises is still rooted in its Greek origins today, with 70% of marine officers across the fleet, hailing from Greece; over 40 of these are Captains and Chief Engineers, including the Captain of Celebrity Apex, Dimitrios Kafetzis.
“Celebrity Apex is such an exquisite ship and for herto finally begin sailing in the beautiful Aegean, where it all began for our fleet, and after so long away, is incredibly meaningful. I actually can’t wait to finally experience Apex and the Greek Isles this September during my rescheduled 30th wedding anniversary cruise,” said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. “This is a very special homecoming for Celebrity Cruises made possible with the strong collaboration of the Greek government. I extend my enduring gratitude and wish them well as they celebrate their country’s bicentennial today.”
“I am proud to be welcoming Celebrity Cruises back to its Greek roots on this special occasion of our Country’s independence bicentennial and am eager for travelers to return to the unforgettable experiences of all of our destinations on one of the world’s newest ships,” said Greek Tourism Minister Haris Theocharis. “The positive economic impact that tourism brings to our country cannot be underestimated and I am very happy Celebrity Cruises is playing an important role in rebuilding this important economic pillar.”
“It is such an honor for me to Captain the newest ship in the Celebrity fleet. I have been anxiously awaiting the day when I can welcome our first guests onboard this magnificent vessel and it will be a very proud moment for me to do this in my homeland,” said Captain Dimitrios Kafetzis.
The Apex of New Luxury at Sea
Like her industry-changing sister ship, Celebrity Edge, named one of TIME Magazine’s “World’s Greatest Places” in her 2019 debut season, Celebrity Apex features innovative outward-facing design and visionary spaces from world-renowned designers, connecting guests to the breathtaking world around them like never before. The ship’s onboard experience also stands apart from anything else at sea, and feeds today’s travel wanderlust with:
- The exclusive The Retreat® with its stunning accommodations, a private restaurant, and an exclusive lounge and sundeck to rival any high-end resort. In addition, a dedicated team of butlers, attendants, and concierges on-hand 24/7, ensures everything is taken care of while on vacation.
- Transformational accommodations, from modern two-story villas with plunge pools to staterooms with infinite verandas, that blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor living, all carefully curated and designed by the award-winning Kelly Hoppen.
- The Magic Carpet®, soaring cantilevered above the sea and offering guests uninterrupted vistas while sipping cocktails or having dinner.
- An unrivaled culinary repertoire of 29 distinct restaurants, bars, and lounges including the brand-new Craft Social Bar, connecting guests to the destinations they will visit like never before. Globally-inspired menus crafted by Michelin-starred chefs bring the flavors of the world straight to the plate, providing an epicurean journey unmatched at sea.
Cruising the Mediterranean
The new summer season for Celebrity Apex in the Mediterranean features bucket-list destinations on two spectacular itineraries including:
- Greek Islands and Cyprus – guests will have the chance to visit the ancient city of Rhodes, with its stunning classical Acropolis and unparalleled Medieval architecture; the beaches and beauty of Mykonos; and the incredible island of Santorini, a world heritage site and bucket list destination famous for its blue and white architecture and fascinating history; along with the southern coast of Cyprus, a unique island culture influenced by both nearby neighbors, Turkey and Egypt.
- Greek Islands and Israel – In addition to the history and beauty of Rhodes and Santorini, this itinerary offers the growing arts scene in Haifa, with its easy access to Tel-Aviv and the Jordan River; and Jerusalem, one of the world’s most influential cities.
With cruise vacations beginning and ending in Athens, guests also have plenty of time to experience this thriving city, brimming with its deep cultural significance.
A range of tours curated by Celebrity for all interests and price points will be available at every port of call, including Private Journeys and Small Group Discovery Tours for those guests preferring to explore the destinations with just members of their family or traveling companions.
What’s more, guests can sit back and relax in the knowledge that everything is taken care of with the company’s new ‘Always IncludedSM’ approach, simplifying the new luxury vacation experience to include Wi-Fi, drinks, and gratuities. And, Celebrity’s Cruise with Confidence program provides flexible cancellations and best price guarantees.
Healthy at Sea
The company’s first priority is the health and safety of guests, crew, and the people in the places that Celebrity Apex will visit. The ship will sail with comprehensive, multilayered health and safety measures leveraging expert guidance from its Healthy Sail Panel; Royal Caribbean Group’s Global Head of Public Health and Chief Medical Officer; and local Greek health and government authorities. These measures, including vaccination and testing requirements, will evolve along with public health standards.
Details on all health and safety measures across the entire Celebrity Cruises vacation experience can be found at https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea. In addition, guests must follow all Greece travel requirements, which currently include presenting a negative PCR test taken 72-hours prior to arrival in Greece. Details on the additional health and safety measures to be implemented by Celebrity Cruises will be announced at a later date.
For more information on Celebrity Cruises new Greek Isles cruise vacation offerings, visit www.celebritycruises.com/cruise-ships/celebrity-apex/itineraries.
SFAT: Punta Cana All-Inclusive Resorts
No other destination in the world is as closely associated with all-inclusive resorts as Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. The beach destination on the east coast of the Dominican Republic hosts around 5 million visitors in a typical year, and dozens of its 100-plus resort hotels are all-inclusives where you’ll pay one price for your room, meals, and most drinks, activities, and entertainment.
Not all of the resorts in Punta Cana have reopened in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but here are 15 Punta Cana all-inclusive hotels that are welcoming you back to the beaches of Punta Cana, Cap Cana, and Bavaro right now:
Sursa: Carib Journal
The Coolest Caribbean Hotels for 2021
Now in its ninth year, CJ’s Cool List has always sought to inspire different kinds of getaways — to hotels with personality, with purpose. And the latest edition is a journey through a diverse portfolio of places to stay, from mountain retreats at the edge of the Caribbean Basin to hip new beach resorts with world-leading restaurants, some of which you may have heard of — and others which may be wonderful new mysteries to discover. This year, we’ve also tried to focus on properties where you can really get away; hotels that, by their location, design and setting, are perfect for finding some space amid the new realities of travel.
Because cool doesn’t have just one definition. Whether it’s the look, the culture, the service or the sustainability, it’s ultimately about how a hotel makes you feel.
Here are the coolest hotels in the Caribbean for 2021.
Sursa: The Caribean Journal
SFAT: The Datai Langkawi – MALAYSIA
L’hôtel The Datai Langkawi. The Els Club Teluk Datai Golf Course.
SFAT: The Best Luxury Resorts in the Caribbean
In the Caribbean, luxury is different. Of course, any great resort must have excel in the fundaments of luxury: food and drink; interior and exterior design and, most importantly, service. But Caribbean luxury transcends that. In the Caribbean, luxury is also about beauty, about space; about the natural environment; about the sights, the aromas, about the art of experiencing the outdoors. In other words, it’s about all of the things that travelers prize most right now.
Compiling our annual ranking of the best luxury resorts is always a challenge; and this year, even more so. But the properties that made this list combined exacting quality in the aforementioned technical areas (including, of course, health and safety protocols) with that most important criterion of all: how special a resort makes you feel.
Here are our favorite luxury resorts for 2021.
Cele mai frumoase vile din Mallorca de inchiriat
Brisa Marina, Font de Sa Cala, Mallorca
Casa Grande Country House, Sa Pobla, Mallorca
Mal Pas, Alcúdia, Mallorca
Rural, Búger, Mallorca
Sa Vista, Deià, Mallorca
Seaside Cottage, Font de Sa Cala, Mallorca
INNSIDE BY MELIÁ PREPARES ITS NEXT HOTEL OPENING IN MADRID
INNSiDE by Meliá Madrid Gran Via, the result of the total renovation of the old TRYP Cibeles Hotel, boasts an ideal location in Malasaña, one of the liveliest districts in the capital, with an abundance of local art and culture that connects with the essence of the brand
The hotel will have a spectacular 700m2 rooftop area, an outdoor space providing a safe way to enjoy great leisure and dining facilities, with marine-inspired decoration and facilities operated by the Abica group
Meliá Hotels International is confident its accessible lifestyle brand will help reactivate the destination by meeting two fundamental needs to stimulate demand: safety and space.
At number 34 on the Gran Via in Madrid, just a few metres from Malasaña, one of the most unconventional and dynamic districts in Madrid, the youngest of the Meliá Hotels International brands is preparing to disembark in the Spanish capital at the beginning of spring. The venue is a historic building dating back to the 1920s, designed by Antonio Palacios Ramilo and renowned for its innovative nature, a concept intrinsic to the Meliá Hotels International DNA. This spirit of innovation now continues with the introduction of its most accessible lifestyle brand, perfect for people seeking quality and a new, modern and active service concept, accompanied by avant-garde facilities equipped with the latest technology.
The building was inaugurated in 1923 as the Alfonso XIII hotel, and was always known as the Hotel Avenida. In recent years it was renamed the TRYP Cibeles hotel, and it will now be changing its name to Gran Via due to the fact that its façade is now part of the history of Madrid and one of its most popular streets.
INNSiDE By Meliá Madrid Gran Via will have 117 rooms designed to meet the needs of modern travellers and providing all of the brand’s key attributes, such as sustainable sheets, bathrobes and amenities with a low environmental impact, no single-use plastics, and strict compliance with the new Stay Safe with Meliá health and safety programme. In order to connect with the city itself, the hotel will also have different spaces with work by urban artists thanks to a partnership with the Madrid Street Art Project, an independent organisation which supports art and local urban artists by exhibiting their work to a larger audience, in addition to taking part in the Pinta Malasaña festival, a breakthrough event in the world of art and culture in Madrid.
The hotel will have an Open Living Lounge on its 7th floor, a space for work or play in the order that every visitor decides. This space will host the reception, artistic spaces, the bar, restaurant and DJ area. The perfect space for guests to immerse themselves in the INNSiDE By Meliá brand experience.
INNSiDE By Meliá Madrid Gran Via aims to become a fashion and dining icon for both locals and tourists in Madrid thanks to the Abica group and “A Ollo“, a dining space with a Galician flair and international influences, as well as an incredible rooftop bar, „Le Tavernier“, an oasis in which to enjoy cocktails and the sky over the centre of Madrid.
INNSiDE by Meliá Madrid Gran Via opens after a major renovation and rebranding, reinforcing the commitment of Meliá Hotels International to its youngest brand. The brand is expected to be the fastest-growing brand in the company’s portfolio over the coming years, prioritising sustainability and respect for the environment.
Meliá Hotels International has also used the hotel renovation to implement its new Stay Safe with Meliá health and safety programme certified by Bureau Veritas, which has been very well received during the pandemic and reinforced the trust of customers in the group’s hotels.
In 2021, INNSiDE by Meliá plans to open new hotels in Amsterdam, Liverpool, Newcastle and Luxembourg, adding to the brand’s current portfolio of 33 hotels open in Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, the United States, Vietnam, China and Peru.
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