The Latest Hotels, Belgrade, Toronto and Shanghai
Over the last decade, collaborations between luxury brands and contemporary artists have gone beyond mere artistic partnerships towards a new kind of luxury branding.
PARIS – Art and fashion have always developed side by side, for fashion, like art, often gives visual expression to the cultural zeitgeist. During the 1920s, Salvador Dalí created dresses for Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiapparelli. In the 1930s, Ferragamo’s shoes commissioned designs for advertisements from Futurist painter Lucio Venna, while Gianni Versace commissioned works from artists such as Alighiero Boetti and Roy Lichtenstein for the launch of his collections. Yves Saint Laurent’s vast art collection, recently auctioned at Christie’s in Paris, testified to his great love of art and revealed the influence of a variety of artists on his own designs.
In the 1980s, relationships between luxury brands and artists were advanced when Alain Dominique Perrin created the Fondation Cartier. In the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain, a book marking the foundation’s 20th anniversary, Perrin says he makes “a connection between all the different sorts of arts, and luxury goods are a kind of art. Luxury goods are handicrafts of art, applied art.”
The Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemparain building in Paris
W Hotels adds Taipei and Leicester Square to it’s 40 strong portfolio, whilst luxe off-duty locations the Seychelles and Los Cabos, get two serious resort & spa getaways
Wyld, The new nightclub space at W Hotel London
W Hotels adds Taipei and Leicester Square to it’s 40 strong portfolio, whilst luxe off-duty locations the Seychelles and Los Cabos, get two serious resort & spa getaways.
In the ramp up to the 2012 Olympic Games, London announced another key luxury property, St Pancras Renaissance, is currently accepting reservations for March 2011. Formerly the Midland Grand Hotel before lying vacant for almost two decades, the restoration of the grand Victorian-Gothic structure cost more than £150 million, adding a 120,000 square foot extension to the original building. With the refurbishment of The Savoy and the Four Seasons Hyde Park, alongside the recent openings of the Corinthia and W Hotels Leicester Square, London is becoming home to some of the best hotels in the world.
On the other side of the Atlantic, Hyatt announced plans for their first Park Hyatt branded hotel in New York City, to debut in 2012. The NYC location will become the US flagship of the luxury Park Hyatt brand and will be a newly constructed hotel designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Christian de Portzamparc.
W Hotel, London
Debuting as the 40th W Hotel globally, W London has been designed by London architects Jestico + Whiles and Dutch interior design agency, Concrete. Veiled in translucent glass that will change colour according to the time of day or happenings in the city or hotel, the 10-story property is set within the epicentre of London’s entertainment scene, on the corner of Leicester Square and Wardour Street, nestled between cultural Soho. It features 192 guest rooms, including 21 suites, offering guests an Away Spa and a glamorous double height curved nightclub space.
Website: W Hotel Leicester Square
Source: Relative MO
Raffles Praslin, Seychelles
A collection of 86 villas with private plunge pools and views of the Indian Ocean, Raffles Praslin Seychelles is slated to be one of the most exclusive resorts on the destination. One and two-bedroom villa suite options are serviced by a round-the-clock Raffles Butler service, complimented by a collection of three restaurants, a rooftop bar and a selection of luxury boutiques. The Spa features 13 spa treatment pavilions close to the water, including two suites fitted with steam showers, Japanese soaking tubs and observation decks to enjoy stunning vistas in absolute privacy.
Website: Raffles Praslin
Source: Elite Traveler
The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto
The first Canadian property for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, the 53-storey Toronto location features 267 guestrooms including 56 Corner suites, 2 Deluxe Suites and The Ritz-Carlton Suite at over 220sqm. Herve Humler, president and chief operating officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company remarked “Toronto is a cosmopolitan city with true international appeal, attracting visitors from all over the world, whether they are visiting for business or pleasure. The opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto helps to put this vibrant destination on the map for discerning luxury travellers.”
Website: Ritz-Carlton Toronto
Source: Elite Traveler
W Hotel, Taipei
Coinciding with the opening of W London, W Hotels Worldwide opened the doors of its W Taipei, located in the buzzing central business district of Xinyi. The 405-room hotel has been designed by London architects G.A. Design International and is encased in radiant glass. Rising 31 floors it is the only hotel in the city with a panoramic vista of the iconic 101 Tower, one of the world’s tallest buildings. “W Taipei marks an important step in the global expansion of the W brand, in particular in Mainland China and Taiwan region,” said Eva Ziegler, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide and Le Méridien. “W Taipei is sure to redefine the meaning of hotel in Taipei and is well equipped to electrify the city.”
Website: W Hotel Taipei
Source: eGlobal Travel Media
Kerry Hotel, Shanghai
Kerry Hotels is a new five-star contemporary brand from Shangri-La which the company says provides “a seamless link between business, entertainment and recreation.” The first property for the brand is located in the heart of Pudong, in the Kerry Parkside integrated complex and within easy reach of the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. 574 guestrooms are complete with DVD players, Nespresso machines, iPod docking stations and 40-inch televisions, all held within in-room consoles that also feature high stools and minibars. Finally a round-the-clock butler service is available on the seven floors of club-class accommodation.
Website: Shangri-La
Source: The Independent
Mondrian, New York
Part of the Morgans Hotel Group, with chic siblings Saint Martins Lane, London and Delano, South Beach, New York has recently become home to the second Mondrian Hotel, joining the Mondrian Los Angeles. The property looms over the Chinatown/Soho/Nolita nexus of Crosby and Howard Streets in downtown Manhattan and has been designed by interior designer Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz.
Website: Mondrian Soho
Source: Black Book Mag
Square Nine, Belgrade
A hotel born from ‘the owner’s desire to be part of Belgrade’s renovation impressing a luxurious but more familiar character to the city’, Square Nine is located within the historical centre of the city, on one of the few remaining sites that allows for new construction. The contemporary space seeks to integrate with the neighbourhood by matching colours and respecting the height of the surrounding buildings, the 45 contemporary elegant rooms and suites have park and inner courtyard views. The interior design applies materials such as stone, bronze mirrors and wood claddings, both light, dark and coloured, to build a cosy boutique ambience, within elegant surroundings.
Source: CPP Luxury
Website: Square Nine
Grand Solmar Land’s End, Los Cabos
119 suites located on the Baja Peninsula’s southernmost tip, the Grand Solmar Land’s End offers unending views of the Pacific Ocean. Amenities include a full-service spa with an extensive treatment menu, beauty salon, fitness centre, tennis courts and 24-hour check-in. Alternatively guests can choose to engage in activities like fishing on Solmar’s own fleet of flybridge cruisers in the turquoise waters of the Sea of Cortez.
Website: Solmar Hotels
Source: Elite Traveler
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Creative Strategist, Digital
Sophie Doran is currently Senior Creative Strategist, Digital at Karla Otto. Prior to this role, she was the Paris-based editor-in-chief of Luxury Society. Prior to joining Luxury Society, Sophie completed her MBA in Melbourne, Australia, with a focus on luxury brand dynamics and leadership, whilst simultaneously working in management roles for several luxury retailers.