March 22nd, 2012
Can you picture a more beautiful setting to curl up and read a book?
The extravagantly luxe Royal Mansour, a showcase of Moroccan splendor located in the heart of Marrakech, is everything short of a palace, and what palace would be complete without a library? With a retractable roof and a large telescope for stargazing, the library features over 500 titles in French, English and Spanish. Some titles which grace the shelves include, “Splendor of Quran Calligraphy and Illumination” by Martin Lings and “Impression of the Sahara” by Jean Loic Lequellec. From Moroccan guide books to art, architecture, décor, cuisine, travel, culture, crafts, and calligraphy, Royal Mansour’s collection is as diverse as it is beautiful.
Riad rates start at €1,650 per night.
For more information about Royal Mansour Marrakech, please visit, www.royalmansour.com, and check out their new Twitter page www.Twitter.com/RoyalMansour.
November 18th, 2010
If you have a fear of what’s below you in the ocean, a “new” (man-made and man-shaped) reef in Mexico might not be the place to conquer it. However, if you want to swim among statues and see the latest in coral reef restoration efforts, this is your spot… an artificial reef off the east coast of Mexico made entirely from human statues. Mastermind behind this installment is British artist, Jason de Caires Taylor, who used local Mexican residents to create the ‘life casts’ and shaped each of the 350 statues from materials with a neutral pH to encourage coral growth.
Creepy or awesome?
October 15th, 2010
Nahm, the chic Thai restaurant at the Metropolitan Bangkok is now open. Beyond the joy of its authentic Thai fare it’s turning heads with its dramatic space that was designed by award-winning Japanese interior architect Koichiro Ikebuchi and is in perfect harmony with the hotel’s contemporary aesthetic. (Ikebuchi is also responsible for Uma Ubud and COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali.)
This is the second nahm restaurant – the flagship is in London at The Halkin and was the first Thai restaurant in Europe to be awarded a Michelin star. Chef David Thompson’s Michelin-starred cooking skills are abundant in both locations with such innovative dishes as cured fish and pork simmered in coconut cream with prawns, and grilled catfish and red quail curry with peanuts, ginger, and holy basil. (more…)
October 7th, 2010
Don’t miss the beautiful pictures and property details of Rosewood Mayakobá in the November 2010 issue of Architectural Digest!
A mini-vacation for your mind. Happy reading!
July 27th, 2010
This article makes us want to hop the first plane to Casablanca. See the hotel fit for – and built by – a king. The dazzling tilework and soft lantern light create a magical arabian night and the individual riads are dripping with decadent decor.
July 20th, 2010
Lee Jofa’s Royal Oak Collection prints, inspired by the historic houses of the National Trust of England, graced the set of Sex and the City 2, and now the designer’s style is available in the palm of your hand. The new iPhone app eDesign Assistant gives designers constant access to Lee Jofa and Kravet products. Search over 36,000 fabrics, and take photos with your iPhone for perfect color matching – eliminating the need to carry around multitudes of swatches to see if the print matches the couch and the rug or the curtains and the coffee table. Join the Royal Oak Foundation, travel over to England, and take advantage free access to over 300 National Trust historic houses for your own inspiration. See something you like? Pull out your iPhone and see if you can find Jofa’s interpretation in textiles.
June 21st, 2010
© NTPL / Andrea Jones
Think all stately English country houses are decked out in lace and toile? Think again. In its heyday in the mid-18th century, The Vyne in Hampshire owned by John Chute was a spectacular home full of modern furniture and art. Over time, the home no longer reflected the cutting edge sensibilities of its former occupant. All of that’s now changed thanks to The National Trust and Mark Brazier-Jones. Brazier-Jones is the colorful interior designer for the likes of Sir Elton John and Courtney Love. Upholding Chute’s flair for décor, Brazier-Jones is filling the house with crystal-encrusted tables and hot pink animal hide chaise-lounges. “John Chute certainly wasn’t afraid to stamp his own personality on The Vyne,” said the designer. “In fact, he was pretty daring and adventurous for his time, and if he were a client of mine today I’m sure we would get on famously.”
This mixture of historic and contemporary at The Vyne is in keeping with the vision of The National Trust to view a house as a living and evolving space. Visit the bedazzled abode now through August 1 for FREE as a member of the Royal Oak Foundation (The National Trust’s U.S. affiliate). Membership, just $55 to join, grants access to all of The National Trust properties around England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
December 30th, 2009
What do famed fashion guru Vivienne Westwood and The Royal Oak Foundation have in common? (more…)
August 27th, 2009
Waddesdon Manor is sure to attract the Hoxton hipsters with the addition of a new modern art gallery at the trad manse outside London. (more…)
July 6th, 2009
Park Hyatt just announced the opening of Park Hyatt Jeddah – Marina, Club, and Spa, the second in the Middle East for the hotel chain, and the first five-star property to open in the city since 2004.
The second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital, Riyadh, Jeddah is a major center for Middle East commerce. Business travelers will love the convenient location, just a quick five-minute drive to the financial district (traffic jams abound on the congested streets). Organizations can hold massive conferences, and companies can seal the deal at the adjacent Lazurde Meeting and Conference Center that boasts an over 8,600 square foot ballroom that can be divided up for meetings, an outdoor reception area by the sea, and all the high-tech multimedia gadgets needed for an A+ presentation.
Practically built in the Red Sea itself on the Corniche of Jeddah, it’s hard not to appreciate the view as well. The resort is a remarkable engineering feat that reclaimed prime waterfront land from the Red Sea while retaining the delicate surrounding marine life. It’s the closest hotel in the city to the jaw-dropping King’s Palace, which is located on its own island. It also faces the iconic King Fahd’s Fountain, the world’s tallest fountain, which shoots up water at 233 miles per hour and is illuminated by over 500 spotlights at night.
The restaurant, Nafoura, faces this scene (as do most of the guest rooms) and serves up mouth-watering mezzes and grilled Mediterranean dishes from the open kitchen. Sipping tea (no alcohol allowed) and smoking shisha on the outdoor terrace (the menu has over 20 varieties of the flavored tobacco) will undoubtedly be a popular activity. Cigar aficionados can light up in a separate cigar lounge.
Keeping in line with Park Hyatt’s chic and modern yet understated aesthetic , French interior designer Gilles Quiffet and architect Patrice Hart designed the 142 guest rooms and public spaces to fuse a sleek European style with Arab-Andalusian architecture. Native artwork and crafts adorn the rooms, while intricately landscaped gardens surround the complex. Spa facilities are on the way and will feature separate ladies’ and gentlemen’s areas including the region’s first Hydrotherapy center.
Rates start at 1350 Saudi Riyals.
