Park Hyatt Tokyo Announces Hotel Upgrades to Begin in 2024

May 8th, 2023

Just in time for its 30th anniversary, Park Hyatt Tokyo will begin a complete renovation on May 7, 2024, and reopen in 2025! The renovation will encompass all of its guest rooms and facilities. The transformation will be led by acclaimed design agency Jouin Manku who will have a fresh take on the design philosophy of the hotels’ notable original interior designer, John Morford. They are planning to create a fresh, modern feel. (This September also marks the 20th anniversary of Lost In Translation, the movie that made Park Hyatt Tokyo famous.)

In a joint statement, Mr. Patrick Jouin and Mr. Sanjit Manku, co-founder and CEO of Jouin Manku, share, “We are sincerely grateful that our studio has been given the rare opportunity to renovate Park Hyatt Tokyo and set the stage for this prestigious hotel’s much-anticipated future. We are excited to work with the hotel team to create a uniquely elegant design experience for guests, all in keeping with John Morford’s original vision. We thank the Park Hyatt Tokyo team for the trust they have placed in us.” 

“As Park Hyatt Tokyo approaches its 30th anniversary next year, we are delighted to work with the wonderful team at Jouin Manku and our hotel’s associates to make this renewal a success,” said Fredrik Harfors, general manager of Park Hyatt Tokyo. “We are grateful for everyone’s patience and understanding as we embark on a journey to enhance the guest experience at our hotel. Drawing inspiration from the trailblazing legacy of Park Hyatt Tokyo, we are committed to creating an elevated atmosphere that will continue to shine as a beacon of understated luxury for decades to come.” 

About Jouin Manku

A singular multicultural and ambitious duo of designer and architect, Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku, have invented a trade at the crossroads of industrial production and the long tradition of craftsmanship. Along with architect Jacques Goubin and a team of 50 architects, interior architects, and designers, they conceive and orchestrate every element of the projects they create, erasing the lines between architecture, interior space, and objects. Associated with the greatest for exceptional projects, such as Alain Ducasse, Pierre Hermé, and Van Cleef & Arpels, the studio develops a creative dialectic dedicated to space planning and architectural design projects. 

About Park Hyatt Tokyo

Occupying the top floors of a modern skyscraper that towers above one of Asia’s most thrilling cities, the Park Hyatt Tokyo is widely considered to be the city’s most stylish hideaways (a particular feat considering it opened in 1994). It was launched into the mainstream by Sofia Coppola’s 2003 film Lost in Translation, but design aficionados had embraced this design-dream property long before. Alone the fact that it occupied just the top floors of a skyscraper was ground-breaking when it opened). Interiors, featuring a beautifully curated collection of art, exude serenity, much in contrast to the buzzing capital the hotel overlooks. With only 177 rooms, Park Hyatt Tokyo is intimate by Asian standards, and rooms are among the most spacious in the city. Amenities are top-notch and most photogenic, especially the swimming pool encased in floor-to-ceiling windows on the 47th floor, and the three restaurants, which are so in-demand that reservations are often booked weeks in advance (queen of the pack is the New York Grill on the 52nd floor, which sources 3% of the world’s Wagyu beef).

 

Flights of Fancy

May 8th, 2023

A tasting flight of wine or whisky is not unusual to spot on a menu, but what about a honey flight? Several hotels have gotten in on this trend of offering flights of things that don’t contain alcohol. Here are a few spots offering booze-free “flights” in case any catch your eye!

Tenuta di Murlo, Umbria, Italy – Honey Flight

The head gardener on the 18,000-acre estate leads guests in a beekeeping experience followed by a honey tasting flight – the three honeys all created on property:  wildflower honey, acacia honey, and Linden Honey.

Images Courtesy of Tenuta di Murlo: https://we.tl/t-2IjSnt8xC5

Nayara Springs, Costa Rica – Coffee Flight

Adults-only Nayara Springs, nestled in the rainforest below the Arenal Volcano, has a dedicated espresso bar: Mi Cafecito. The expert baristas can create Costa Rican coffee flights for guest, showcasing the different roasts (light, medium, dark), different treatments of the beans (washed, natural, honey), and different growing altitudes. The beans are all roasted onsite.

Images courtesy of Nayara Springs: https://we.tl/t-XDLj701m5o

UXUA, Trancoso, Brazil – Juice Flight

Dr. Jullian of UXUA’s Vida Lab spa can create custom juice flights from locally grown fruits and herbs specifically formulated for the couple and any goals they might have (better sleep, weight loss, stress release…).

Images Courtesy of UXUA: https://we.tl/t-wjszNeuigb

Gili Lankafushi, Maldives – Curry Flight

The chef at Gili Lankanfushi creates a special curry flight for guests with 10 different types of curry from different countries.

Images courtesy of Gili Lankanfushi: https://we.tl/t-ee42rpfZtu

 

The Sidecar at The Westbury unveils a new cocktail menu inspired by the glamour of the 1920s

May 2nd, 2023

The Human Zoo features 16 new, expertly created cocktails alongside quotes from some of the era’s most notable social commentators and the iconic works of 1920s illustrator Anne Harriet Fish – bringing guests back in time to celebrate one of the 20th century’s most glamorous periods.

The team at The Sidecar at The Westbury decided to celebrate this bygone era with a beautifully illustrated hardback menu of iconic cocktails with a twist. The menu features quotes from some of the wittiest commentators of the day alongside the works of iconic British cartoonist and illustrator Anne Harriet Fish. A vital chronicler of the Jazz Age whose work graced the pages of Vanity Fair, Vogue, and Tatler, Fish captured the spirit of the Roaring Twenties while holding an honest mirror to the establishment at play and the inherent pretensions of this most privileged of cohorts. One hundred years ago, members of high society on both sides of the Atlantic were renowned for their decadent style of living. This was a time of unmatched creativity, an age which saw a new appreciation for ‘The Good Times’ and what many saw as freedom from the austere constrictions of the Victorian age.

“We’re really proud to introduce our new cocktail menu, The Human Zoo,” says Oisín Kelly, Bar Manager of The Sidecar. “When we came to researching the collection, we were inspired by the 1920s illustrator Anne Harriet Fish and went in search of an original copy of her 1920 book, High Society, which she wrote with writer and satirist Dorothy Parker. As a team, we really immersed ourselves in the Roaring Twenties culture and style. Having taken the time to understand the classics of the era, we created our own original and modern twists on the archetypal serves. Just like Anne Harriet Fish put pen to paper, we put liquid to glass to bring our own creative expression to life. With this menu, every cocktail is built around a ‘pillar’ – with the flavors layered in total harmony. We’re also bringing those curious bottles, aromatic bitters, and herbaceous flavors down off the high shelf and into the mix.”

“The idea behind the selection of cocktails within The Human Zoo menu was to present guests with the flavors they already knew, but in exciting and different ways,” adds Oisín Kelly. “High Sobriety, for instance, uses grape, vodka, and elderflower mixed with Strega, a relatively unknown liqueur. The drinks on this menu are intended to give the guests the drinks they know in ways they don’t. Forgive & Forget – our Paloma Twist – uses salted cherries in lieu of a salted rim and mixes in blood orange but keeps the core of the original. In this way, just like Anne Harriet Fish, we hold a mirror to classic cocktails but reflect back our own image.”

Guests are invited to sit amid The Sidecar’s exquisite surroundings and explore new iterations of their favorite cocktails. There are a large variety of drink options, including High Sobriety (Cîroc vodka, Italicus, Strega, elderflower, grapes, lemon and orange bitter), Rockefeller Touch (Gunpowder gin, elderflower, basil leaf, basil citric and mint cordial, The Connoisseur (Teeling Blackpitts whiskey, Plantation 5 rum, Cherry Heering, Drambuie, honey, Angostura and absinthe rinse).

Guests can purchase The Human Zoo hardback menu for $32. The Human Zoo cocktails are priced from $21 up to $25.

About The Westbury

The Westbury blends city living with an oasis of calm in the heart of Dublin. The hotel has unrivaled access to the pedestrian social hub of Grafton Street just steps from the lobby. From the moment guests ascend the hotel’s central staircase, there is a sense of welcome into a home. And what a home it is – Irish heritage abounds, from the exquisite flower arrangements to the inventive cuisine, along with one of the country’s foremost art collections, featuring original paintings by Sir John Lavery and Louis le Brocquy. But it is the warmth of welcome that is most vivid, a tangible service ethos that sets the seal. The Westbury was voted number 1 hotel in Ireland by readers of Conde Nast Traveler. For more details, visit https://www.doylecollection.com/hotels/the-westbury-hotel.

About The Doyle Collection

At the heart of our business is a warmth of service that stems from our family ownership, imbuing our properties with the familiarity and intimacy of a private home. Each of our eight hotels – landmark buildings in unrivaled city locations, has its own distinct personality that is rooted in, and authentic to, its neighborhood. Innovation and ongoing investment ensure a boutique, cosmopolitan yet local feel – as seen in our cool destination restaurants, bars and event spaces – while our heritage lends character to our vision of informal luxury, timeless style and the very best guest experience.

 

Terraces for Spring

May 2nd, 2023

LONDON

The Beaumont

The Beaumont’s new Terrace offers alfresco drinking and dining for the first time at the property, in an enclosed outdoor terrace overlooking Brown Hart Gardens. With 1920s-style rattan armchairs and cafe tables enfolded by lush greenery, The Terrace serves drinks alongside salads, sandwiches and light bites from 8am to 8pm, and can be covered and heated in colder weather.

The Dalloway Terrace, The Bloomsbury

Dalloway Terrace, named for Mrs. Dalloway in the Virginia Woolf novel, is an elegant, poetic and quintessentially English space. Fully heated, this year-round destination restaurant and bar offers the peace and charm of a secluded secret garden in the winter, and a light, elegant and beautiful al fresco space in the spring and summer months. Light breakfasts, brunch, afternoon tea and all-day favorites make up the Dalloway Terrace menu, with a range of cocktails and wines also available.

WASHINGTON DC

The Pembroke, The Dupont Circle

The airy Pembroke restaurant situated in the bustling heart of Dupont Circle features American and international classics with the option of al fresco dining. The Pembroke’s beautiful design by Martin Brudnizki features plush velvet coral-toned banquettes around glossy marble tables, cream-paneled walls with playful artwork, and boasts panoramic views of the neighborhood, while its seasonal terrace offers al fresco dining from spring to fall.

ZURICH

La Muña, La Réserve Eden au Lac

La Muña is the crown jewel of La Réserve Eden au Lac, serving Japanese Peruvian specialties alongside an extensive wine and sake list. Accessible via the glass elevator in the hotel lobby, the rooftop overlooks the city of Zurich and offers unique 360-degree views of the lake. One of the two outdoor terraces can be entirely privatized. Whether out in the sun or under the large umbrellas, guests can enjoy a relaxed yet festive atmosphere while looking out over Lake Zurich with the Alps in the distance.

BARCELONA

Azimuth, Almanac Barcelona

At the Azimuth rooftop bar at Almanac Barcelona, mingle with locals while taking in views of La Sagrada Familia and Mount Tibidabo. The panoramic rooftop terrace also features a guest-only pool for cooling off in the summer. On Fridays and Saturday nights, enjoy live music or a DJ for the perfect chill summer vibe.

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