May 26th, 2009
ESPA introduces its first stand-alone spa with ESPA Riga in an unparalleled six-story spa building. One of the Baltic’s key trading ports, Riga has absorbed many influences, which are visible in the medieval, neo-classical, and, most famously, Art Nouveau buildings that line the cobblestone streets. ESPA Riga lies at the heart of this fusion of culture and pays homage to its surroundings with an impressive landmark exterior. Inside, the spa design is inspired by the opposing elements “Fire & Water,” which is illustrated with deep colors throughout. The dramatic six-story spiral staircase, covered in black Cristallino tiles and bordered by a gold mosaic, serves as a focal point to begin the ESPA journey.
Level 1 (Wet and Thermal Experiences)
Swimming pool finished in black mosaic tiles accented with shimmering gold curves, a sleek granite pool bar, both overlooked by a Sanarium & Rock Sauna with full-height glass windows. Steam of room red and black mosaic is nestled in the corner next to the walk-through experience showers
Level 2 (Café, Fitness, and Nail Care)
Spa Café within the double-height atrium featuring a back-lit, golden ‘woven’ wall offset by curved purple ostrich leather banquet-style seating, black tables, and ivory leather chairs. Fitness Studio including state-of-the-art Technogym and Wellness Expert equipment, as well as a beautiful Chi studio finished with fabric acoustic panels to offer quiet solitude. Nail bar and pedicure thrones for all finishing touches
Level 3 (Changing Rooms)
Changing rooms decorated with Art Nouveau-themed wall coverings of crystal beads and walnut woodwork. Black granite vanity stations and ostrich leather bench seating accentuates the lavish nature of the changing facilities
Level 4 (Treatment Rooms)
14 treatment rooms featuring walnut woodwork with deep purple accent tiles and velvet armchairs. Elliptical purple glass showers in all treatment rooms protrude into treatment corridors, creating an impressive curved wall of illuminated claret glass
Level 5 (Relaxation Room)
Quiet, dark, and cozy relaxation rooms encircled by seven additional treatment rooms offer guests an additional space to further enjoy their ESPA experience
Level 6 (Reception, Male and Female Relaxation rooms, Thermal Suites)
Deep purple mosaic walls, dark tiled flooring, vaulted glass ceilings, two feature waterfalls, and a large black granite fireplace welcome guests to commence their spa journey. Male and female Relaxation Rooms, complete with walnut floors and ergonomically reclining loungers, inspire a therapeutic ambience. Thermal Suite provides guests with the opportunity to enjoy solitude with a choice of individual steam and saunas pods, and the magnificent Rondello Sauna features a skylight of amber glass.
Vitality Pool, a signature feature of ESPA spas, is located on the rooftop.
ESPA Riga offers a range of Ayurvedic-influenced treatments that use ancient techniques of marma point massage and herbal medicinal oils to treat the body’s Dosha and restore balance to mind, body, and spirit. In addition, ESPA has created a selection of highly effective signature treatments specifically for ESPA Riga that include the use of amber, the precious stone of the Baltic Sea.
ESPA founder Sue Harmsworth says, “Entering ESPA Riga is like stepping into Riga’s ambitious future. Creating this spa has been an incredibly exciting project for us. The unique design incorporates a dedication to detail that ensures first impressions are breathtaking and everlasting.”
ESPA is an international spa company founded by Susan Harmsworth that conceptualizes, designs, and manages (from start to finish) hotel spas in luxury powerhouses such as Peninsula and Ritz Carlton, as well as esteemed independent properties like Gleneagles in Scotland and Reethi Rah in the Maldives. ESPA’s standard is carried in over 150 spas in 55 countries, and is currently expanding to India, Dubai, and South Africa. In addition to creating spas, ESPA has a roster of spa treatments and has developed a line of over 80 skincare and body products. The effectiveness of the products’ natural ingredients is backed by scientific research. Based in the U.K., ESPA also has offices in Miami, San Francisco, and Hong Kong. For further information and to purchase products, please visit www.espaonline.com, or call 1877 ESPA USA.
April 14th, 2009
Longing for the elegant aesthetic of an English country house? Look no further than The Royal Oak Foundation Collection. Each design is inspired by classic British art and architecture found on the properties of the National Trust of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland that The Royal Oak Foundation has supported with over $7 million in grants. The sale of these products generates royalties that support ongoing preservation and conservation of the more than 300 important historic houses and gardens that influenced their design. Available to the trade exclusively at Lee Jofa showrooms in New York, Atlanta, and elsewhere, The Royal Oak Foundation Collection includes Lee Jofa fabrics, Holland & Company furniture, Cole & Son wallpaper, and Katha Diddèl home accessories.
If you’re in New York this spring, stop by the D&D Building where The Royal Oak Foundation Collection will be on display in a lobby window. (more…)
April 13th, 2009
Guess where we’re dreaming of jetting off to this summer? The Grand Canyon? Cold. Ibiza? You’re getting warmer. South of France? Hot. The picturesque hillside community of Ramatuelle on the Côte d’Azur? Sizzling, spot-on! And where to stay? The brand-new La Réserve Ramatuelle, that’s where. La Réserve, the sophisticated hospitality group with a Jacques Garcia-designed hotel on Lake Geneva and apartment flats in Paris will open their third property, La Réserve Ramatuelle, on June 1, 2009. Right outside St. Tropez, La Réserve Ramatuelle is an elegant, intimate getaway with views of the Mediterranean as far as the eye can see. World-renowned architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte-designed Ramatuelle’s new hotel and spa, creating an exceptional streamlined retreat. (more…)
April 7th, 2009
Several years ago, the king of Morocco put forth Vision 2010 announcing the proposal to attract ten million tourists to Morocco by 2010. As a result, hotels have been steadily opening since 2001, and a handful more will open in the next two years. All of these, however, pale in comparison to the crowning development, Le Royal Mansour Marrakech.
One of the few privately-owned hotel properties in Marrakech, Le Royal Mansour recreates a historical medina, paying homage to the architecture and ambience of Marrakech at its height in the 16th century. Built into the historic wall of Marrakech, the property is designed with traditional Morocco in mind, complete with handcrafted wood and antique furniture, ornate tiles, and spectacular water displays and fountains. The project is unique to contemporary Marrakech with no expense spared in aesthetic or service; the finest teams in design, architecture, management, and cuisine were brought in, including the culinary expertise of three-timed Michelin-starred Yannick Alléno.
Le Royal Mansour Marrakech will have a soft opening on September 1 and will be fully open on November 1, 2009.
March 19th, 2009
Sure Greenway was once the haven for the world’s best-selling author Agatha Christie. But the former holiday home also provided a base for a fleet from the U.S. Coastguard preparing for D-Day in the fall of 1943 as mentioned in today’s New York Times.
One member of the Coastguard who was stationed there during WWII happened to read this morning’s paper. He immediately rang The Royal Oak Foundation offices to share his memories of his time in the famed house, recounting a fellow soldier, Lt. Marshall Lee, who used the walls of the library to portray local scenes of the war … and even to depict a female au natural!
(more…)
March 17th, 2009
With spring around the corner – and in the air (New Yorkers are rejoicing at the prospect of 60-degree weather forecasts) – garden lovers are dusting the dirt off their shovels and trowels and sharpening their clippers. Warm weather aside, here’s another reason for excitement: The Royal Oak Foundation’s annual British Garden Tour.
(more…)
February 19th, 2009
One can still hear yodelers calling from the Alps in Switzerland. In a country with such a rich relationship to the outdoors, that’s not surprising.
But who knew that there are three major music festivals a year in Lucerne? The first festival took place seventy years ago, in the gardens of Richard Wagner’s villa. Now an Easter festival, Summer festival, and Piano festival round out the year in this beloved Swiss city.
First up is the LUCERNE FESTIVAL at Easter, from March 28 to April 5. The mix of sacred and secular music, much of it performed in churches around the city, just might lift everyone out of their winter blues. Among the headlining events is the soaring conclusion to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and performances honoring the 200th anniversary of the death of Haydn and the 250th anniversary of the death of Handel. A new spin on a ‘spring awakening,’ for sure.
As an added pleasure for culture-lover, several events will take place at the KKL, the Culture and Congress Center. The KKL was designed by Jean Nouvel, an edgy architect who was awarded the Pritzker Prize in 2008. The KKL has outrageous acoustics and overhangs Lake Lucerne. The spot is so sensational that it may just inspire a little yodeling.
Come home to the Palace Luzern, just across the lake from the KKL. Feast at their Michelin-starred restaurant Jasper and hear a little night music at the bar, where the musicians tend to hang out after-hours. Finally, curl up in the Suite of Arts and wake up to a Swiss spring.
January 21st, 2009
A tranquil haven from the city, New York’s largest luxury spa,
The Peninsula Spa by ESPA, New York opened January 1, 2009, spanning three floors and 35,000 square feet. The spa, designed by New York-based Alexandra Champalimaud, features a Fitness Center, a glass-enclosed pool with panoramic views of the city, and
ESPA‘s signature dramatic design elements, such as the stunning marble ice fountain surrounded by a 24-karat-gold mosaic by Bisazza.
In addition to ESPA’s core line of
products and
treatments, the new spa will introduce
ESPA Super Active, a highly-advanced range of products with pure, potent combinations of 100% natural ingredients. The revolutionary line complements
three new 90-minute facials that offer complex lymphatic drainage massage techniques and use of Rose Quartz Crystal for product application to yield immediate, visible results for specific skincare concerns such as Rosacea, wrinkles, damaged skin, uneven tone, and extremely dry skin.
(more…)
November 21st, 2008
The legacy of the Rockefellers lives on at The Woodstock Inn and Resort, which unveiled its new restaurant, The Red Rooster, this fall. While it’s a well known fact that renowned philanthropist and conservationist Laurance Rockefeller vacationed in Woodstock with him family, a more detailed glance into Laurance’s history at the Inn reveals a whimsical painting of a red rooster that hung in his suite. The painting has since been lost, but it’s playful spirit lives on in the laid-back, Vermont casual atmosphere of The Red Rooster restaurant.
The dining concept, created by New York’s esteemed Blue Ribbon Group, draws from the best purveyors in New England, emphasizing fresh, local ingredients such as specialty cheeses, shellfish, and heirloom fruits and vegetables. The new décor, designed by Peter Guzy Architects, is comfortably chic, with tamarack woodwork in the form of wainscoting and a natural bar, furnished entirely in Vermont marble.
For an appetizer, try the Braised Pork Belly, followed by Blue Ribbon’s Northern Fried Chicken with Maple Syrup. Desserts like the Maple Walnut and Banana Bread Pudding are sure to become instant classics as well. Looking for a family favorite? Stick to the signature Oysters Rockefeller as a throwback to the great John D.
Visit http://www.woodstockinn.com/
November 19th, 2008
As anyone who has ever gone to Art Basel (the Swiss original, not the Miami offshoot) knows, finding a decent hotel room is next to impossible. The good hotels are spoken for months in advance, leaving auction house and gallery assistants scrambling. However, the well hasn’t run completely dry: capitalize on Switzerland‘s stunningly efficient national rail system and consider staying in a nearby town like Bern, a quick one-hour ride to the center of Basel. The only five-star hotel in the Swiss capital of Bern, the Bellevue Palace, is certainly worth the short trip.
Not to mention, Bern is an infinitely more charming place to wake up in each morning. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with medieval streets full of kooky boutiques (Gothic gear, handmade wooden toys, avant-garde kitchen items) set against a backdrop of the River Aare and a perfectly Swiss alpine landscape. The hotel sits next to the Swiss Parliament, and some say that more decisions are made over lunch on the Bellevue Palace terrace than in the halls of its more official neighbor. For more information on the Bellevue Palace, visit www.bellevue-palace.ch/en.
AMPR Calendar: 2009 Fairs in Basel: BaselWorld, Watch and Jewelry Show – March 26 through April 2, 2009 / Art Basel – June 10-14, 2009 / Basel Wine Fair – October 24 through November 1, 2009
