Check out the latest openings and renovations in Europe, North America and the Caribbean
ANN RUPPENSTEIN
A weekly round up of the latest hotel and resort openings, as well as fresh renovations, ranging from close to home escapes to far flung getaways.
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Luxury & Lifestyle Collection, has officially opened the doors to its first resort hotel in Europe. Kimpton Aysla Mallorca is centred around luxury wellness with a full programme of activities, such as morning workouts, guided meditation, yoga classes or road cycling, as well as two outside pools. The extensive onsite spa, Maison CODAGE Paris, features an indoor pool, mud baths, sauna, a salt cave, and seven treatment rooms where guests can experience exclusively formulated treatments.
Kimpton Aysla Mallorca is also home to two restaurants and two bars, housed in warm and welcoming spaces, set to be the gathering places loved by locals and hotel guests alike: ZAYT Pool Kitchen & Garden Deli and SABA Restaurant, Bodega & Bar.
Situated in the town of Santa Ponsa (in Calviá, only 14 km from Palma de Mallorca and 20 minutes from its airport), guests of Kimpton Aysla Mallorca are a stone’s throw away from some of the island’s most prestigious leisure clubs, like the Mallorca Country Club, a regular practice ground for some of the world’s top tennis players, and Golf Santa Ponsa, a large golf complex with two 18-hole PGA European tour courses, a 9-hole course, and a driving range.
2022 continues to be a big growth year for the Kimpton brand, with seven properties in total set to open in new city and resort locations around the world across the year. Recent notable openings include Kimpton Margot Sydney, Kimpton St Honoré Paris, Kimpton Kitalay Samui and Kimpton Vividora Hotel in Barcelona. The brand is also set to make its debut in Bali next year, with more hotels in the pipeline for Germany, Mexico, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, and the Netherlands in the next 3-5 years.
Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa is launching new Oceanfront Private Plunge Pool Suites. Located between two of the island’s most popular tourist towns, Lucea and Montego Bay, Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa is adding 48 luxurious Oceanfront Private Plunge Pool Suites as part of the property’s refurbishments by the end of the year.
Eight of the newly refurbished units will be Master Suites equipped with larger pools, a pergola, and a spacious balcony and patio area. Along with the refurbishment of the suites, Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa’s lobby will undergo an enhancement for a fresh tropical look and feel. The Mobay Show Cooking Restaurant and Infinity Bar will also be refurbished. With this multi-million dollar investment, the classic amenities of Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort & Spa will gain a fresh look and feel.
Coquelicot, A Belmond Boat
It’s better on a barge! Debuting in May 2023, Belmond is launching Coquelicot, A Belmond Boat, with itineraries offering a cinematic journey of Champagne in partnership with Maison Ruinart, the world’s oldest champagne house.
Featuring three spacious cabins with ensuite facilities, an indoor salon with a champagne bar, and an extensive outdoor deck, Coquelicot will set a new standard of sophistication for slow-paced sailing in France. Coquelicot, A Belmond Boat is available for week-long private charters starting from €82,000 (approximately US$79,500).
Belmond has partnered with Maison Ruinart to offer exclusive access to the first established House of Champagne with a private tasting lunch by Chef In Residence Valérie Radou and guided tours of the historic Taissy vineyard to discover the brand’s latest sustainability initiatives.
Back on board, Belmond guests will be treated to a private five-course tasting lunch by Maison Ruinart’s Chef In Residence Valérie Radou and Coquelicot Head Chef.
Personal Guest Experience Executives will help craft customized itineraries depending on guest preferences. Whether an art-focused tour of Champagne, a historic voyage through the mighty castles, an active adventure on two wheels or a series of epicurean visits to Europe’s most celebrated and most secret wine producers, guests will have the liberty to design their own journey. The all-inclusive journeys include table d’hóte meals, complimentary beverages, all planned excursions escorted by a private guide, and transfer from Paris to the barge. Helicopter transfers from Paris are also available upon request.
Aman New York City
Luxury hotel and resort brand Aman has opened the doors to Aman New York, with rates starting at US$3,200-a-night. The 83-suite hotel is located in the transformed Crown Building in Manhattan on the corner of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue.
On entering Aman New York, guests ascend to the hotel’s 14th floor to a double-height atrium. Restaurants include Arva, an Italian restaurant, and Nama, Aman’s interpretation of Japan’s washoku dining tradition, which features a Japanese Hinoki wood counter for omakase-style fine dining, alongside a Wine Library.
Featuring reflective pools and fire pits, the 650-square-metre outdoor space benefits from a retracting glass roof allowing year-round access. Meanwhile, the exclusive Jazz Club offers world-class live performances. The Aman Spa covers three-storeys centred by a 20-metre indoor swimming pool flanked by firepits and daybeds.
Every suite offers a functioning fireplace, a first in New York City, while bathrooms are opulent and oversized with oval soaking bathtubs, marble rain showers and double vanities. On the building’s 11th and 12th floors, 11 Grand Suites can be configured with additional bedrooms to create family-sized spaces, while two Aman Suites offer the pinnacle of urban Aman living with views of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue, living and dining areas with tables for six, kitchenettes with counter seating and large walk-in wardrobes.
The Georgian Santa Monica
A classic Santa Monica hotel dating back to 1933 is getting new life. The Georgian, which has hosted Hollywood stars like Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe as well as Rose Kennedy, is undergoing a renovation set for an unveiling in January 2023. The restoration spans across 84 guestrooms and 28 suites, alongside new and refreshed offerings including the famous ocean-view Sunset Terrace, Dining Room, and Sunset Bar. In addition to The Library and gymnasium, The Georgian will also be home to two private meeting and dining spaces, The Gallery and The Writer’s Room. The Gallery will showcase an evolving curation of work by international artists on a quarterly basis. Additional details around the food and beverage program are expected over the coming months.
Known as Santa Monica’s First Lady due to being one of the first high-rises built along Ocean Ave, the turquoise Period Revival-meets-Art Deco monument offers a rare glimpse into Old Hollywood and golden-age California history. The refreshed concept will embrace much of the hotel’s retained original detailing, while thoughtful materials and an elaborate art program combine to create a series of spaces which brings a new chapter to The Georgian for generations to come. Touches including fully custom Art Deco furniture, ornate lighting, rare imported Italian marble, and the Sunset Bar’s Havana Deco-inspired floor pattern set an architecturally striking stage for a very modern set of operations and service standards.
