May 7th, 2012
With the spring weather upon us, we have our hearts set on Europe. Whether you’re traveling to London for the Olympic Games or hoping to stay as far away as possible, we have a suggestion for every traveler’s delight.
For the Olympics:
The Halkin
London, UK
The Halkin is a hidden gem in Belgravia. Clean lines and impeccable service define the London favorite, along with its award winning nahm restaurant serving up authentic Thai fare. Guests can even order this haute Thai cuisine for room service!
What’s New: Celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year, The Halkin has certainly made its mark on the London hotel scene. To celebrate, The Halkin has partnered with William Curley, renowned patissier and chocolatier, to fashion a Couture Chocolate Afternoon Tea. This is a Champagne tea service inspired by the chocolatier’s new book, Couture Chocolate, and will include a selection of chocolate patisserie, homemade scones with clotted cream and preserves, and a selection of freshly made sandwiches.
Rates: Rates start at £260 ($422) per night.
Metropolitan London
London, UK
This well known London hotel is famous for its Met Bar that first opened in 1997 and set the trend for the ultimate great night out in the heart of London! Now the Met Bar has re-opened its doors with a whole NEW look featuring an expanded and innovative cocktail menu and classic seasonal British cuisine. For the first time, the Met Bar ended its “Members-Only” policy, making it accessible to all from early in the day to late at night.
What’s New: The new COMO Shambhala Urban Escape offers key Asian-inspired therapies as well as a resident acupuncturist. Among the treatments on offer are the Dr. Perricone facials (the COMO Shambhala Urban Escape is the only spa in the U.K. to work with this popular U.S. product line) and COMO Shambhala PURIFY facials, suitable for men and women.
Rates: Rates start at £229 ($372) per night.
For the Culture:
Orient-Express Afloat in France
France
Discover the French countryside from a new perspective with Afloat in France, a small fleet of luxury barges ideal for a group of family or friends on vacation. Fashion an itinerary that matches the interests of the crowd (think golf, cycling, or antiques), and relax in Orient-Express style over fine French dining and wine while meandering through the ever-changing scenery.
What’s New: Explore the finest vineyards from the Rhône Valley to Gevrey-Chambertin on the new seven-day “Wine Discovery Tour” aboard the Napoleón, which features instructive tastings, wine-centric French dinners, and guided walks through some of the region’s most famous vineyards. To ring in the new tour, each “Wine Discovery Tour” attendee is rewarded with a free one-night stay at a luxury five-star hotel in Paris.
Rates: Rates start at €4,450 ($5,825) per person, based on double occupancy of a cabin.
Le Pavillon des Lettres
Paris, France
The charming Pavillon des Lettres, an impossibly chic retreat for art and literature lovers, is the perfect alternative to Paris’ traditional hotels. Combining art, literature, and fine design, each of the hotel’s 26 rooms is devoted to a letter of the alphabet and a corresponding international writer (think B for Baudelaire or H for Hugo).
What’s new: Crazy Horse Cabaret, the avant-garde icon of provocative Parisian nightlife, celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2012 with Le Pavillon des Lettres. Together they are offering a package that includes amour-inducing accommodations and VIP tickets to the show.
Rates: Rates start at €265 ($351) per night.
Crystal Cruises Royal Explorer Sailing
Stockholm to London
From the old-world charm of Stockholm’s Gamla Stan to Helsinki’s cutting-edge Ice Bar, revel in the rich cultural life and fascinating museums of these Baltic capitals. From August 14 – 25, spend 11 days exploring these spectacular lands with Crystal Symphony, with calls in St. Petersburg, Russia; Helsinki, Finland; Berlin/Warnemünde, Germany; and Copenhagen, Denmark.
What’s New: Fresh from a $15 million drydock, Crystal Symphony will be showing off her newly redesigned public spaces. Guest chefs Orjan Johannessen and Odd Ivar Sovod will also be joining the cruise, along with wine expert Eugenio Jardim and mixologist Simon Ford to celebrate the Crystal Wine & Food Festival.
Rates: Check here for current pricing and special offers
For the Cuisine:
Park Hyatt Milan
Milan, Italy
Cozily situated in the heart of Milan next to the Duomo and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, this hotel is a natural favorite for visiting celebrities, design mavens, and vacation travelers alike.
What’s New: After a recent collaboration with the famous English fashion designer, Paul Smith, Park Hyatt Milan now serves their culinary creations upon beautiful, hand-painted dishes designed specifically for the hotel by Smith.
Rates: Rates start at €540 ($715) per night.
Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme
Paris, France
Recently accepted into the prestigious Palace Hotels Group, the five-star Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme offers a sensual, understated elegance that extends throughout the hotel – from the lavish rooms and suites to the captivating social areas and exquisite spa.
What’s New: Refreshed and ready for spring, guests can enjoy lunch or dinner on the terrace in an intimate and confidential ambience in the most glamorous neighborhood in the city. Make sure to try the chef’s newest creation, the Non-coupable, a guilt-free dessert that features fresh market strawberries, a base of low-fat cheesecake and cream, finished with a tangy spark of crystallized thyme and lemon.
Rates: Rates start at €1180 ($1550) per night.
For the Scenery:
La Réserve Ramatuelle
St. Tropez, France
Located just outside St. Tropez, this stunning property, with 360° views of the Mediterranean Sea, is an intimate, elegant getaway that is ideal for discerning travelers.
What’s new: La Réserve Ramatuelle just added four new health and wellness programs that combine medical assessments, personal training sessions, physical activities, and personalized diets for a total care approach.
Rates: Rates start at €650 ($861) per night.
Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa
Interlaken, Switzerland
Located in the picturesque mountain setting of the Bernese Oberland, this five-star hotel and spa, known as one of the most beautiful hotels in Switzerland, is in the ultimate location for a summer vacation. Whether visiting for a wellness weekend or a family holiday, the unique grand hotel atmosphere is sure to provide memories that last a lifetime.
What’s New: Offering everything from snacks to cakes to tasty drinks, the hotel has recently renovated its outdoor dining area, the Victoria-Jungfrau terrace, adding a new lighting system designed to create the perfect atmosphere for dinners under the starry, summer night sky. With the addition of 110 seats, the terrace can now accommodate up to 150 guests.
Rates: Rates start at 443.10 CHF ($488.16) per night.
January 11th, 2012
Photo courtesy of worldtennismagazine.com
It’s that time of the year again… time for lists. To-do’s, resolutions, and the New York Times 45 Places to Go in 2012, of course. So, if you’re resolved to travel more this year, use this to check a few things off your list. Here are some of our favorites!
#3 Myanmar – After the release of Aung San Suu Kyi from 15 years of house arrest and the lifting of the boycott against the authoritarian regime that kept the country isolated, Myanmar is ready to share cultural treasures and deserted beaches. Experience the remarkable beauty, romance, and mystery of Myanmar aboard the luxurious Orient-Express’ “Road to Mandalay” as it cruises down the Ayeyarwady River.
#4 London – Between the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the Queen’s 60th year on the throne, the summer Olympic Games, and the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens, there is a bevy of reasons to visit London this year. For the ultimate posh location, we recommend the Metropolitan London with its incredible views of Hyde Park and award-winning Nobu restaurant. For a more sanctuary-like hotel, the 5-star Halkin in discreet Belgravia may be more up your alley.
#6 Tokyo – It’s no secret that Tokyo had a tough 2011, which is why there is no better time to travel there than 2012. Due to a decrease in tourism and business travel, rates are down without sacrificing luxury and attention to detail. Staying at the “Lost in Translation” Park Hyatt Tokyo is now better than ever.
#11 Moscow – For those who love history and art, this is the city to visit. Between the reopening of the extravagantly renovated Bolshoi Theater in October and the opening of the Russian Icon Museum, you will find no shortage of things to do here. Located just yards away from the Bolshoi Theater, the five-star Ararat Park Hyatt Moscow is in the prime location to explore this unique city.
#14 San Diego – If you’re looking for good times, good people, and great beer, San Diego should definitely be on your list of places to go this year. If you want to throw in a game of golf before or after your tastings, definitely stay at the Park Hyatt Aviara.
#27 Maldives – It seems that everyone is traveling to the Maldives now-a-days, and it’s no secret why. It’s necklace of 26 tropical atolls in the Indian Ocean make it a place where you can find something that everyone in the family wants to do – scuba dive, fish, surf, or just relax in the pristine sand. There are so many different resorts to choose from – here are our favorites: Park Hyatt Maldives, Anatara Dhigu Resorts & Spas, Anantara Veli Resorts & Spas, Anantara Kihavah Villas, Naladhu, and Cocoa Island.
If you like to “kill two birds with one stone”, you’ll need to check out Crystal Cruises. Their ships plan to drop anchor in each of these destinations in 2012: #1 Panama City; #22 Paraty, Brazil; and #36 Dubrovnik, Croatia.
September 27th, 2011
COMO Hotels and Resorts is giving back to the community with your help! In 2010, COMO partnered with MasterCard for the Purchase with Purpose program which helps raise funds for local community projects. Last year, the project raised $35,580 and COMO has decided to bring the program back for 2011!
For every transaction made with a MasterCard card at a COMO property between 1 October and 31 December 2011, MasterCard will donate $30 to a community project with which the COMO property is closely affiliated. The money raised goes to educational and wellbeing initiatives as well as to local schools to improve nutrition and sanitation. In 2010, the funds helped stock the libraries of Tirta Kumara Kindergarten in Bali and the Maafushi and Guraidhoo schools in the Maldives. The program also helped deliver sanitary essentials to the nuns of Kela Goemba in Bhutan and improve sanitation and cooking facilities in the Wat Bangploeng School in Thailand.
With this program, guests have the opportunity to make a real difference in the communities they visit. As if you needed a better reason to go on vacation!
July 26th, 2011
Want to spin where Kings of Leon have spun? Or slink into a dark booth where Kate Moss has partied away? Well here’s your chance! London’s famous Met Bar, a hangout for celebs and royals alike since its opening in 1997, will be undergoing a complete renovation and selling off every inch of the iconic original. All proceeds go to the “Teens Unite – Fighting Cancer,” the Met’s official charity partner. Turn a boring living room into a piece of history, all for a good cause. Everything is for sale including the famed private booths, the DJ decks used by renowned DJs and artists including Oasis, Roger Taylor, Boy George, and even Bruce Willis, and glassware, tables, chairs, and bar stools.
The bar officially closes on July 31 and is to reopen in September with a new sophistication and London-cool factor as well as the best mixologists, cocktails, and food in the city.
Sale ends August 1, 2011.
The Met Bar is located in the Metropolitan London, part of the COMO Hospitality Group.
June 1st, 2011
Executive Chef at the Metropolitan Nicola Ducceschi is whipping up a sizzling new menu just in time for BBQ season. Discovering his passion for cooking at an early age, Ducceschi has worked at such esteemed restaurants as The Dorchester and Michelin-starred restaurant Chez Bruce. After working in many restaurants and private homes in Italy, he moved back to London and started his career at the Metropolitan.
Lead by Chef Nicola, the Met’s menu is full of savory options. With creative dishes like popcorn and coriander coated prawns, barbecued lamb cutlets, crushed peas and fennel chutney, and deliciously sweet dessert options like Apricot, jasmine and peanut trifle, there’s no way to leave hungry!
The Metropolitan’s luxurious private dining options are also sure to please. Chicly designed, the Met provides multiple dining options for any occasion. Whether choosing from the posh White Room, Met Space, and Met Boardroom, the Met also offers the more sought-after COMO Suite which is the perfect choice for a romantic dinner for two, or elegant dinner party!
May 17th, 2011
Ditch the stuffy hoopla of the Royal Wedding and embrace London’s punk rock history instead. From April 22-May 8, the Metropolitan London’s Met Bar will be offering an “An-Tea Establishment” afternoon tea just in time to save us from monarchy overload – a quintessential British tea with a funky Metropolitan twist, including ingredients that satisfy without a huge calorie intake. Cheeky dishes include the “Quiche a la Fergie” with chorizo and spinach on a thin pastry base, along with reimagined classics like no bread cucumber sandwiches with layers of cucumber jelly with a bread foam. Rhubarb and custard cupcakes will be topped with iconic slogans and images to capture the feeling of the era. If tea isn’t quite strong enough, try the Sex Pistol-inspired cocktail “God Save The Queen,” and do a little head banging to the punk rock playlist drifting from the speakers.
Dates: April 22-May 8, 2011, 3-6pm
Rate: £27 per person plus service
The menu will be available in the Met Bar from April 22 to May 8, 3-6pm Monday- Sunday. Priced at £27 per person + service. Reservations must be pre-booked by calling +44(0) 20 7447 4757.
December 1st, 2010
If the seasonal spirit and décor is calling you to London for a Christmas-Carol-esque holiday, The Halkin and the Metropolitan London have some treats to brighten your stay. Before a day at Harrod’s, take advantage of the Met’s complimentary breakfast to fortify you for your day of shopping. The Halkin is offering “Flights of Wine,” perfect for unwinding after a day of museum-exploration or strolling the Thames. This offer is valid from December 19-January 16 for online bookings.
Make sure to check out the festive lights in the West End when perusing the shops on Oxford and Regent streets.
November 5th, 2010
Celebrate the eponymous antihero’s foiled plot to blow up British Parliament to restore a Catholic monarch to the throne. Though Fawkes was executed for his treasonous act, he is celebrated each year with fireworks and bonfires. Tonight and tomorrow night, London has celebrations throughout the city for firework watching and general reveling. Guests at the Metropolitan London and the Halkin can pop over to nearby Hyde Park for an uninterrupted view of the sky. Here are some gatherings if you find yourself in London Town.
November 6
Roundwood Park. Gates open at 6:45 p.m. Show starts at 8. Free admission.
Ravenscourt Park. Gates open at 6 p.m. Bonfire lighted at 7:15. Children’s show at 7:30, main show at 8. Five years old and over, £6; under 5 free; tickets available online.
Battersea Park. Gates open at 6 p.m. Bonfire at 7:30; main show at 8. Since this will be one of the largest of the firework displays in London there are numerous gated entrances, some of which will not be open until late evening. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. tickets will be available at: Albert Gate, Chelsea Gate, Rosery Gate, and Sun Gate. Starting at 6 p.m. tickets can be purchased at: Albert Gate. Alexandra Gate, Beechmore Gate, Chelsea Gate, Ethelburga Gate, MacDuff Gate, Rosery Gate and Sun Gate. Adults, £6; under 10 years, £1.
Morden Park. Gates open at 5:15 p.m. Bonfires at 6:30 and 8:15; shows at 6:45 and 8:30. Sixteen years old and over, £7; under 16, £5; under 4, free; family ticket (two adults, two children), £20.
September 30th, 2010
Looking for something a little different for Halloween? Maybe a ghoulish puppy party or a tasty celebration of Dia de Muertos will do the trick. Go hunting for ghosts or carve a star pumpkin and get in the holiday spirit.
Washington, D.C.
Where: Park Hyatt Washington D.C.
What: Halloween Doggy Happy Hour
When: October 20, 2010
Why: Your tail will be waggin’ at the swanky DC hotel’s Halloween-themed pet costume party. Pooch-loving guests and visitors can strut their dressed dogs down the red carpet before mingling for doggy happy hour. Celebrate Halloween with your four-legged friend in comfort as part of their Paws at the Park package, available year round. (Above are images of Doggy Happy Hour; the first Halloween Doggy Happy Hour is happening October 20 with dressed up pooches.)
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July 27th, 2010
The Metropolitan London was named one of the top 10 party hotels by Sherman’s Travel. As a guest at the hotel, you get access to the members-only Met Bar and can rub elbows with the regular celebrity guests. Unleash your inner rock star with “rockaoke” (karaoke with a live band) or fill up on Michelin-starred sushi at Nobu.