Hotel Eden Roc Ascona

A paradise awakes from its winter slumber : the Hotel Eden Roc Ascona reopens tomorrow.

The complex spa conversion has been successfully completed. Bookings for April and May are already extremely promising. The opening of the Eden Roc Marina with a further 16 rooms and a new restaurant is to follow at the start of May.

For the last five and a half months, visitors to Ascona have strolled past the closed Hotel Eden Roc with great curiosity and conjectured as to what might be going on behind the building site fences. Admittedly, the changes are barely perceptible from the outside on account of the fact that the conversion of the spa area was largely confined to the interior of the two buildings making up the five-star establishment. From tomorrow on, the Eden Roc will again be open to visitors and the management and owners alike are keenly awaiting the response of the many Easter guests to the new developments. A grand total of 20 million Swiss francs has been invested in the transformation of the former Beauty Centre into a luxurious Eden Roc Spa extending over 2,000 square metres that will also be open to non-residents outside the main season. The inspiration for the design of the new water world, sauna area and seven new treatment rooms plus hairdressing salon was provided by the natural beauties of Ticino – more precisely, seven local flower species and the many colours of Lake Maggiore, ranging from silver gray to sky blue.

Hotel Eden Roc Ascona

In addition to the two indoor and outdoor pools, the expanded water world now offers guests a large hydropool with various whirlpool recliners in which to relax. Large mosaics reflect the incident sunlight from the adjoining garden area.  Another new feature is the Kneipp path constructed with stones from the nearby Maggia River. As the stones are not fixed permanently in place, their natural movements convey the impression of walking through a real river bed. In addition, the Eden Roc Spa offers a new sauna world with steam bath, sanarium, Finnish sauna and an exclusive private area for ladies as well as a fitness centre and a hairdressing salon open every day.

In its seven treatment rooms, a wide variety of massages, baths and facial treatments is available with products from the Sensai, Dermalogica, Clarins and ComfortZone lines. In the new nail lounge, the new Eden Roc Spa crew will be specialising in manicures and pedicures with high-quality lacquers from the innovative US brand OPI – after all, open shoes ranging from flip-flops to elegant sandals are part of the unspoken dress code in Ticino from May to October. As his inspiration for furnishing the treatment rooms, Ascona interior designer Carlo Rampazzi used the incomparable Ticino floral environment. A giant blossom, such as a rose, magnolia or hydrangea graces the walls and lends its name to the room concerned.

Hotel Eden Roc Ascona

“The redevelopment of the wellness area was an immense challenge due to the fact that we built it within the existing building” explained Corinne Denzler, Group Director of Tschuggen Hotel Group, who has been intimately involved in the planning of the new Eden Roc Spa for many months in conjunction with Europe’s leading manufacturer of sauna, bathing and wellness equipment, the German company Klafs GmbH. “At times the Eden Roc’s extensive gardens more closely resembled an adventure playground due to the need to transfer all the materials to the appropriate locations by crane and digger.” Nevertheless, the effort put in by the more than 150 planners, painters, tilers and electricians involved in the conversion is already paying off: the number of bookings received for the early season months of April and May is extremely gratifying. The Spa Opening Special launched by the five-star establishment at the beginning of February has already been taken up almost fifty times.

At the beginning of May, the second stage of the major redevelopment project will also be completed with the opening of the new Eden Roc Marina annex featuring 16 new, casually elegant rooms and a lifestyle restaurant in 1970’s retro look on the shore of the lake.

For more information visit : www.edenroc.ch

Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas announced that it will manage two new luxury lodges on Sir Bani Yas island in Abu Dhabi. Due to open in late 2010, both resort lodges will offer unique experiences that capitalise on the impressively diverse beach and wildlife blend of Sir Bani Yas Island.  The dual launch further serves to fill a niche market on the island, answering to the luxury needs of travellers seeking a more exclusive, intimate style of island living.

Al Barari Lodge, meaning Savannah, occupies one of the best locations on Sir Bani Yas Island in the west section of the Arabian Wildlife Park. A setting of such natural seclusion entices a myriad of free roaming wildlife, and leads to captivating adventures for guests, as well as rooms with spectacular wildlife views.  Overlooking the Arabian Sea and salt-dome hilltops, 30 luxurious rustic lodges will be surrounded by a lush grass savannah, affording guests’ uninterrupted views of grazing sand gazelles, as well as Arabia’s elusive mountain gazelle and oryx.

Of equal allure, yet achieving a distinctly different set of natural charms, Al Yamm Lodge meaning ‘The Sea’, will comprise island lodges of luxurious beachfront tranquility.  Residing on the beautiful eastern shores of Sir Bani Yas Island, with beaches renowned as the finest on the island, the retreat also edges a tranquil lagoon rich with high mangroves, treating guests to views of the elegant flamingos that favour this verdant sanctuary. Consisting of beach style lodges overlooking the dazzling Arabian Sea, residences will benefit from a shoreline position, and others will be set back with idyllic views over a beautiful salt-water lagoon.

In addition to the opening of these unique lodge retreats, the island will see further development with the launch of the Desert Islands Conference Centre, Desert Islands Dive & Water Sport Centre, and the Sir Bani Yas Equestrian Centre, also to open later this year.

Desert Islands Conference Centre, managed by Anantara, will be located directly adjacent to the Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara on the north side of the island, between Anantara Spa and the Dive & Water Sport Centre. With capacity for 300 guests, the Conference Centre will be the island’s first and only venue to accommodate larger groups. Facilities will include 8 break-out rooms, a reception centre, a large sea-facing courtyard, a business centre and prayer rooms.

For more information on Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, please visit www.anantara.com

Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués, Acapulco

Award-winning Asian hospitality brand, Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts is gearing up to receive its first paying guests at Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués on 15 March 2010. Located in the famed Acapulco region of Mexico, Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués is set to be the only five-star internationally branded all-private pool villa resort in Acapulco, offering the quintessential Banyan Tree service standards and rejuvenating Banyan Tree Spa experience. This is the Group’s second resort in Mexico, following the March 2009 launch of Banyan Tree Mayakoba in Riviera Maya, on the Yucatan peninsula.

To celebrate its opening, Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués is offering one complimentary night for minimum two consecutive paid nights’ stay. Introductory rates start from US$600++ per night in a Valley View Pool Villa, inclusive of daily breakfast for two. Guests who book a villa for three consecutive paid nights and above will enjoy one 90-minute Banyan Tree Spa massage session, usually worth USD$160, per booking.  The opening offer is valid for reservations from now till 30 June 2010.

Designed For Romance

Named for its location in the exclusive residential development of Cabo Marqués in Acapulco Diamante, Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués is a 20-minute drive from Acapulco International Airport and located a short 12 kilometres away from the vibrant Acapulco city centre. Famous since the roaring 1950s, Acapulco made its mark as a glamorous beach getaway for the jetsetter crowd, being just a 40-minute flight from key local cities such as Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara, as well as three-hour flight from primary US states such as Texas and California.

Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués, Acapulco

Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués brings back the romance, adventure and vintage charm of Acapulco, with its luxury collection of 47 private all-pool villas, which includes an expansive three-bedroom Presidential Pool Villa. The Presidential Pool Villa converts to an exclusive compound with the addition of a Spa Pool Villa, turning it into a four-bedroom retreat for large families and intimate groups of friends.

Exclusively designed by Architrave Design and Planning, Banyan Tree’s in-house architecture arm, Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués is uniquely inspired by Acapulco’s long association with the Far East, being a major port of call for China in the 19^th century. Hence, the resort boasts a distinctively Asian flavour, with steeply pitched roofs, wide eaves, and the entire villa built on stilts. Each villa measures at least 189 square metres, with free-standing views on high stilts over the dramatic cliffs overlooking Acapulco Bay. The sense of elevation is heightened by use of wide expanses of glass to give guests the soaring feeling of blue on blue – the merger of sky and sea across the horizon.

Drawing also from exquisite Mexican artwork, the interior design is filled with sculptures and pieces from strong artisanal locations such as Oaxaca and Guadalajara. The designers also used talavera earthenware as accessories, black onyx as lamp bases, traditional huipil fabric from Chiapas, and tin etchings for mirror frames.

Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués, Acapulco

Dining is always an occasion for celebration at Banyan Tree. Guests will enjoy the choice of three establishments, comprising Saffron – the signature modern Thai restaurant, hill-side Las Rocas Grill and Bar, and all-day dining restaurant La Nao. La Nao is named for La Nao de China, a 16th century trading vessel that brought Mexican gold and Asian treasures across the seas on the vital Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade route. Today, La Nao makes its mark as Acapulco’s most stylish restaurant, pioneering a modern world cuisine based on Latin and Oriental influences, with live local music in the evenings.

Banyan Tree Spa also makes its debut in Acapulco, bringing its rejuvenating Asian therapies and therapists trained at the Banyan Tree Spa Academy in Phuket, Thailand to create a “Sanctuary for the Senses” for guests in Acapulco. Enjoy the Banyan Tree lifestyle in the comfort of home through a gallery that embodies “Shopping as Art”: With exquisite products, aromatic essential oils wafting in the air, and soothing strains of spa music, walking into a Banyan Tree Gallery is a complete sensory experience.

Other facilities at the resort include a meeting room catering to small and exclusive groups as well as weddings. Perched on the cliff-side overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués is a spectacular setting for intimate ceremonies and honeymoons. A dedicated Romance Manager will be on hand to provide inspiration for couples to make the most of their sojourn.

Mexico’s Hottest Playground

In the 1950s and ‘60s, the Hollywood jet set made Acapulco their home – golden stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Clark Gable, and Elvis Presley lent their shine to the formerly sleepy fishing village. With 360 days of sunshine and a deep, beautiful bay, Acapulco also is known for the La Quebrada Cliff Divers, professional high divers who leap 45 meters from the cliffs into the sea below. Now rediscovered as much for its historic monuments like the 17^th-century Fuerte de San Diego, a fort that protected this Spanish port from numerous pirates, as well as exciting nightlife and cosmopolitan culture, Acapulco holds ample charms for the modern-day visitor looking for the best of old and new worlds.

Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués best available rates start from US$600++ per night in a Valley View Pool Villa. For reservations, call the resort directly at +52 744 434 0101, email cabomarques@banyantree.com or log on to banyantree.com.

Li Jiang River, Guilin

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific’s leading luxury hotel group, celebrates the opening of Shangri-La Hotel, Guilin today.  The newly opened hotel is also offering guests a luxury cruise experience along the Li River – the only luxury hotel in the city to provide this exclusive waterborne journey.  From now until 31 October 2010, guests can book the Suite Cruise package and enjoy two nights in an Executive suite, a 90-minute morning or afternoon guided tour, a gourmet four-course meal cooked on-board by the hotel’s executive chef, daily breakfast for two and full Horizon Club access and privileges.

Sailing from Long Chuan Ping Jetty to Die Cai Mountain, guests can enjoy a classical Chinese guzheng (a Chinese plucked zither) performance as the boat journeys across a 10-kilometre natural river gallery, passing 10 of Guilin’s most famous mountains such as Elephant Trunk Hill, Fubo Hill, Seven Star Hill and Laoren Hill.  The waterborne trip is the perfect cruise from which to enjoy China’s famed “finest mountains and rivers under heaven.”  The sheer rock formations of the Li River, the series of mountains shrouded in mist and old villages that the cruise passes have inspired many poets and painters through the centuries.

A stay in an Executive Suite overlooking the Li River and karst mountains completes the journey.

Shangri-La Hotel, Guilin is located on the banks of the Li River and features many of the city’s firsts and superlatives.  These include the city’s largest guestrooms, the largest state-of-the-art meeting and conference facilities, the only hotel to have a wedding pagoda and the first hotel to feature indoor and outdoor swimming pools.

Situated near Yushan Bridge, the seven-storey Shangri-La Hotel, Guilin, is a 35-minute drive from Guilin Liangjiang International Airport and a 10-minute drive from the city centre.  Leading tourist attractions are all easily accessible, including Die Cai Mountain and the city’s largest walking street.

The 449-room Shangri-La Hotel, Guilin features the largest rooms in the city starting at 42 square metres.  There are 17 suites, ranging from an 84-square-metre Executive Suite to the 210-square-metre Presidential Suite. The hotel also incorporates Shangri-La’s Horizon Club guestrooms and lounge, a haven where today’s traveller can experience an even higher standard of accommodation and personalised service complemented with a host of exclusive privileges and amenities.

For meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions, the 1,800-square-metre Grand Ballroom, the largest ballroom in Guilin, is the perfect venue for hosting high-profile events of up to 2,000 people.  With six additional private function rooms and a dedicated VIP room, Shangri-La Hotel, Guilin is able to cater to a diverse range of event needs, from small private gatherings to conferences or large social events.  In addition, Guilin’s first and only wedding pagoda makes the hotel a much sought after location for weddings.

Shangri-La Hotel, Guilin also features a comprehensive range of recreational facilities including indoor and outdoor pools in addition to tennis courts and a health club.

The hotel’s dining includes Shang Palace Chinese restaurant, which offers Cantonese, Hunanese and Huaiyang cuisines as well as local Guilin specialties against a backdrop of the Li River.  Li Café features live food action stations showcasing both Western and Asian cuisine and U Bar offering an assortment of grills and beers. For business or pleasure, the Lobby Lounge is a warm and intimate location that offers desserts and pastries, a Chinese influenced snack menu and high tea sets from afternoon to evening.  Surrounded by lush gardens, the Pool Bar serves fresh and simple snacks and meals as well as a diverse range of cocktails and juices.

The Suite Cruise package is offered at RMB8,888 for two and, also includes round-trip airport and jetty transfers by hotel limousine.  The rate quoted excludes tax and service charge and is subject to availability.  For reservations and enquiries, please contact Shangri-La Hotel, Guilin on (86 773) 269 8888 or e-mail reservations.slgl@shangri-la.com.  Two weeks’ advance reservation is required.  Guests can also take advantage of a special opening offer of RMB688 per night for single occupancy and RMB788 per night for double occupancy for Deluxe category rooms, including buffet breakfast, subject to 15 per cent service charge and prevailing government tax.

www.shangri-la.com

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles

Double the Excitement of the FIFA World Cup™ with a Stay at Four Seasons Resort Seychelles. World Cup package rewards guests with EUR 200.00 Resort credit.

he world will come together when the biggest soccer event on earth kicks off on June 11 in Johannesburg, South Africa. For visitors who are there to support their favourite teams, there’s no better time to double the excitement by extending the trip to Seychelles – a paradise lost in time – with the World Cup Package at Four Seasons Resort Seychelles, available from June 11 to July 11, 2010.

Celebrate the victory of your dream team at the Resort’s restaurants and lounges, or relax after bouts of adrenaline with newly introduced spa treatments that aim to rebalance the body’s energy centres. These activities may be enjoyed with the EUR 200.00 Resort credit that guests receive with a minimum four-night booking at published rates during the promotional period. A daily buffet breakfast for two at ZEZ is also included in the package.

Seychelles, a lush castaway sanctuary comprising 115 tropical islands, is situated off the coast of Kenya and northeast of Madagascar. It is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Vallée de Mai, once said to be the original Garden of Eden. Air Seychelles travels to this paradise direct from Johannesburg in four and a half hours, and Emirates flies six times a week from Dubai to Seychelles.

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles - Royal Suite Terrace

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles is located in Mahé, the capital of Seychelles. Embracing the natural simplicity of treetop living, the Resort features 67 Creole-style villas and suites arranged high on stilts amongst the tropical canopy, overlooking the secluded powder-sand beach of Petite Anse.

Each tree-house villa offers chic seclusion, with a large infinity-edge plunge pool and outdoor rain shower, a private deck with dining area and a pavilion with a daybed that is perfect for reading or for an afternoon siesta.

Wake up in the comfort of your tree-house villa to breezes scented by cinnamon trees and the cheerful chatter of the jungle birds. Discover new sights while revelling with barefoot ease along the white-sand beach framed with black boulders. Embark on an adventure in search of the elusive seabird colonies and giant land turtles, or the coco de mer seed famed for its rumoured aphrodisiacal effects. Or dive to the coral plateaus beneath the waves and swim alongside the butterfly and parrot fish.

For more information visit :

www.fourseasons.com
www.finest-spa.com

Hotel Missoni Kuwait

September 2010 will see the debut of the second property for the exciting new hotel brand. A partnership between Missoni and the Rezidor Hotel Group, Hotel Missoni Kuwait channels the unique style of the Milan-based fashion house. And with extensive facilities, this destination resort is sure to delight visitors to Kuwait City.

Decorated in pure Missoni glam (just check out the colorful prints and designer furniture in the photos), the hotel overlooks the turquoise Arabian Sea from its perch in central Kuwait City. It’s all about the Missoni lifestyle, meaning the restaurant, Cucina Missoni, whips up Italian family recipes from Mama Missoni in an open-style kitchen– served on china from Missoni homewares. Hotel Missoni KuwaitA few dishes to tempt the tastebuds: Barolo & Castelmagno cheese risotto, seabass baked with a salt crust, and roast rabbit served with polenta & radicchio. The hotel will also offer the Choco Café, inspired by the Italian passion for coffee. (A hopping scene and bar alternative in non-alcoholic Kuwait.)

What’s more- the Hotel Missoni Kuwait will be home to a 13,000-square-foot Six Senses Spa and an outside pool tiled in the signature Missoni stripe. While sipping a drink on the glamorous pool terrace, take in endless vistas across the Arabian Sea.

Hotel Missoni Kuwait

A little bit about the 169 rooms and suites: All of them have sea views, Missoni linens and scented toiletries, and complimentary Internet access. Designed with gold, turquoise and beige accents, the contemporary rooms stress a combination of form and function, equipped with all the latest technology. Top digs: The Presidential Suite boasts a sprawling outside terrace.

Next up for Hotel Missoni? New openings in Cape Town, Oman, and Brazil.

Anantara Dhigu Deluxe Beachfront Pool Villa

Realise the Maldivian fantasy with simply anyone at Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa’s new 2 Bedroom Pool Villas

Unveiling brand new Maldivian lifestyle experiences that appeal equally to friends, families and couples, Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa launches an exclusive quartet of two-bedroom Pool Villas, culminating in the hottest accommodation choice of the season.

Landing in the world’s most famous natural paradise is undoubtedly a dream come true.  But consider the wider allures of choosing to travel there with any kind of companion.  Escape to Dhigu island in the South Malé Atoll just a 35 minute speedboat journey from Malé International Airport, and this is precisely what awaits, with Anantara Dhigu’s four new two-bedroom Deluxe Pool Villas pioneering the concept of “a Maldivian experience for all”.

Unwind in the ultimate home from home sanctuary in terms of elegant space and luxurious facilities, designed with the diverse leisure preferences of everyone in mind.  Spread out in 400 square metres of beachfront luxury and ingeniously crafted features, sharing a truly remarkable Maldivian life while savouring a true sense of space and freedom.

Imagine taking your favourite couple from home to share the experience of a lifetime in this romantic hideaway.  Swap your usual get together routines for experiences far more exotic, and create countless memories to talk about upon returning home.  Savour privacy with bedrooms separated by an outdoor deck.  Lie in gloriously late as the lazy rhythm of island life gently stirs into action.  Meet up after breakfast to chat while basking under the dazzling Maldivian sun, with endless lounging provided in a spacious beachfront pavilion.  Cool down in a grand ice-green private pool and await a mesmerising sun to sink behind the Indian Ocean’s far off horizon.  Then gather together on the al fresco deck for an intimate BBQ that far outshines any dinner party held back home.

Share lazy villa days or choose romantic experiences for two.  Indulge in a side by side massage or extended Spa journeys created especially for couples.  Glide in seclusion along glittering waters in stylish authenticity, with an unforgettable sunset dolphin cruise on a traditional Maldivian dhoni.  Return to the ultimate Dine by Design occasion, with a choice of ambient locations and a table just for two, enhanced by a personal chef and butler service.  Retreat to the villa for a late night moonlit swim, mulling over the adventures and making plans for the days to come.

Alternatively picture the scene of escaping on a best friends’ get away, with opportunities to reclaim and deepen friendship in exotically imaginative ways.  Live the high life of long held dreams, which up until now has only been fantasy.  Catch up with one another’s news on decadent poolside sun beds, sipping champagne and nibbling delicious canapés.   Skim across the ocean to the sound of a friend’s pure delight with enthralling water sport pursuits.  Learn more about one another’s talents at an expert cooking class, deciding who should wear the chef’s hat when dining together back home.  Retreat to the villa and develop a connoisseur’s nose with a tempting private wine cellar.  Or simply take time out to unwind with a 40” television and elite Bose sound system, alongside a small in-room library complete with a selection of books, DVDs and CDs.

Why not relax as a family in a tropical wonderland, while still enjoying familiar comforts?  Request extras such as baby cots, and enjoy dedicated kids’ accessories including gift bags, small slippers and children’s bathrobes.  Let little treasures play for hours in a private 6.6 by 2.6 metre pool only 1.2 metres deep, or exhaust their boundless reserves with long days spent frolicking on the beach.  Keep them safely entertained at the Kid’s Club, leaving parents free to discover Spa therapies with a view.  Surrender to the intuitive hands of expert therapists and let imaginations stray, as puffer fish, mantarays and harmless reef sharks glide beneath elegant glass floors of each treatment suite.

Rejoin the tribe for an afternoon stroll along miles of pristine powdery shore, capturing postcard perfect moments.  Refresh with exquisitely concocted cocktails, and let little ones have a try of appealing juicy mocktails.  Then as sunset dims the bright blue horizon to a tapestry of ambient hues, replenish at a common al fresco fine dining area with brand new taste sensations featuring fine cuisine from the far flung corners of the globe.

Open the door to exciting new friends, family and couples’ escapes at anantara.com

Amanjena

Visit Marrakech this summer and explore the African, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences that form the cultural fabric of this dynamic desert city with a three-night stay at Amanjena.

Conveniently located just 15 minutes from the famous Marrakech medina, Amanjena reflects Morocco’s Moresque heritage with graceful architectural flourishes that echo both the Berber villages of the High Atlas Mountains as well as the geometry and elegance of a sultan’s palace. Facilities include two restaurants, a 33-metre swimming pool, two hammams, tennis courts, a gym and a spa. Private tours of Marrakech’s numerous historical sites, gardens, palaces and markets can be arranged.

Stay three nights or more and enjoy:

*Daily breakfast, three-course lunch and dinner (excluding beverages)
*Bookings made for a Pavilion or Pavilion Bassin will receive an upgrade to next available room category (subject to availability at time of reservation)
*Airport transfers to and from Marrakech airport

amanjena’s summer oasis in marrakech
1 May – 30 September, 2010

Pavilion**                  US$1,050
Pavilion Bassin**     US$1,150
Pavilion Piscine        US$1,900
Maison                       US$2,650
Maison Jardin          US$3,100
Al-Hamra Maison    US$3,550

notes

* * Rates are subject to 10% service charge, 10% government tax and a local tourist tax of 45.10 dirhams (about US$6.50) per person per day.
* * Rates and government tax are subject to change without notice.
* * US$ rates are converted to local currency at time of billing.
* ** A maximum of two upgraded rooms per booking applies.

For more information visit Amanjena with Finest SPA