all the dish that’s fit to print
marrakech on our minds
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.
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divine e-design
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.
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from obsolescent to fluorescent
© 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.
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décor galore with royal oak
What do famed fashion guru Vivienne Westwood and The Royal Oak Foundation have in common? (more…)
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new with the old
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…)
park hyatt moves into the middle east, again
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.
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six stories of spa
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.
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charitable decorating, english country house style
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…)
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now revealing: ramatuelle
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…)
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mad about marrakech
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.
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