Luxury Collection

Boston's Liberty Hotel Joins Luxury Collection

The owners of the luxe Liberty Hotel in Boston, a National Historic Landmark built in 1851, have inked a deal to make it part of Starwood's Luxury Collection portfolio, its very first in Boston. Located in a historic former jail at the foot of Beacon Hill overlooking the Charles River, The Liberty Hotel is a 300-room "urban retreat infused with a distinctive personality that honors the building's rich history while imparting contemporary vibrancy." The building preserves the original structure's commanding 90-foot central rotunda, soaring ceilings, exposed-brick walls, and authentic portions of its historic jail cells. Three floors of balconies are restored prison catwalks, and the property includes a landscaped courtyard designed to be a hidden gem in the Beacon Hill neighborhood.

"We are proud to welcome The Liberty into our unique collection of hotels and resorts that celebrate distinctive heritage and authentic character," notes Paul James, Global Brand Leader, St. Regis and The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts. "With the building's rich storied past and mysterious character, The Liberty is destined to be a coveted destination for global travellers and an unparalleled way to discover Boston." The hotel is owned by a joint venture between HEI Hotels & Resorts (HEI), the nation's fastest growing private owner/operator of hotel real estate, and Cambridge, Mass.-based Carpenter & Company, Inc. The Liberty Hotel is anchored by several restaurants, CLINK, Alibi, Scampo, and the Liberty Bar. CLINK is designed with vestiges of original jails cells that create cozy nooks for an intimate dining experience.

Gallery: The Liberty Hotel, Boston

Tags: Beacon Hill, Boston, Liberty Hotel, Luxury Collection, luxury hotel, Paul James, St. Regis, Starwood

Assouline Launches Spain Destination Guide

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Chefs often know more than just where to get a good meal, they are connoisseurs of life. So it makes sense that the Luxury Collection Destination Guides from Assouline and the Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts include a passage and recipe from a celebrated chef. The second issue of the destination guide is being released this month. The Spain guide features celebrated chef José Andrés unlocking the secrets of his country. The Spain guide provides tips including where to find the best Spanish bullfighting costume designer or the best Flamenco school. Spain is also the location of four of the Luxury Collection properties.

As we mentioned earlier this year, other chefs in the guide include Mario Batali for Italy, Francis Mallmann for Argentina and Charlie Palmer for the U.S. There are a total of six guides photographed by the Luxury Collection's Global Explorer Andréa Fazzari and packaged in a vintage inspired travel box. In addition to being available in guest rooms worldwide, these Destination Guides will also be offered as a complete set of six in a unique gift box at Assouline Boutiques in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, as well as at www.luxurycollection.com/assouline and other major retail stores for $140.

Tags: assouline, AssoulinePublishing, destination guide, Luxury Collection, Travel Guides

Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta Set for Sardinia

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Events, Sports

On June 8 – 12 Loro Piana, the Italian luxury clothing company known for the world's finest cashmere, will stage its annual Superyacht Regatta in the billionaire's haunt of Sardinia featuring some of the world's fastest sailing yachts. Hosted by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, sponsors include Perini Navi, builder of the famed Maltese Falcon, in partnership with Rolex and Audi. Last year's winner, Royal Huisman's 105-ft. Gliss, will defend her title against several sailing superyachts looking to pluck the prize from her grasp during five intense days of competition. Among the contenders will be Southern Ocean Marine's 105-ft. Liara; Wally's 100-ft. Y3K.; the Ed Dubois-designed, Fitzroy built 148-ft. Salperton IV; Perini Navi's 125-ft. P2; and more yachts measuring 80 feet and up. Apres-sailing there will be an owner's dinner at the yacht club and a beach party at the opulent Hotel Romazzino, part of the Luxury Collection.

[via JamesList]

Gallery: Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta

Tags: Audi, cashmere, Ed Dubois, Hotel Romazzino, Italian fashion, Italy, Loro Piana, Luxury Collection, Maltese Falcon, Perini Navi, regatta, Rolex, Royal Huisman, sailboat, sailing, sailing yacht, Sardinia, superyacht, Wally, yachting

Assouline Launches Luxury Collection Destination Guides

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Holiday Guides, Books

Luxe publisher Assouline has come out with a passport to the prestigious Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts in the form of limited edition set of guidebooks. The Luxury Collection Destination Guides unlocks the charms of six destinations – Italy, Greece, Argentina, India, Spain, and the United States. The Luxury Collection's world-renowned concierges act as your personal guide, offering an insider view of each locale's most unique restaurants, boutiques, and cultural sites. Each book features a passage and recipe from a celebrated chef including Mario Batali for Italy, Francis Mallmann for Argentina, José Andrés for Spain, and Charlie Palmer for the U.S. Curated by Assouline, the collection is beautifully photographed by the Luxury Collection's Global Explorer Andréa Fazzari and packaged in a vintage inspired travel box. The guides will be exclusively offered as a complete set at Assouline Boutiques in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and New York, as well as www.shopassouline.com and other major retail stores for $140.

Tags: Argentina, Assouline, books, Charlie Palmer, Greece, guidebook, India, Italy, Luxury Collection, Mario Batali, restaurants, Spain, The Luxury Collection, travel

The Classicist: The Equinox, Updating An American Icon in Vermont

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, The Classicist

Presiding over the picturesque Vermont village of Manchester, The Equinox has played host to the well-heeled and well-traveled for nearly 250 years. Established in 1769, the archetypal grand old New England hotel has served as a meeting place for the fathers of the American Revolution and hosted American presidents including Taft, Grant, Harrison and Teddy Roosevelt. Now part of the Luxury Collection, the iconic 195-room resort recently underwent a $20 million restoration, adding luxury amenities, luxe accommodations, and a new restaurant and bar to update an American icon and uphold its legacy going forward.

Designer Geoffrey Bradfield was put in charge of the redecoration, and fitted out the new guestrooms with a muted palette of slate blue, dark brown and beige accented with hand-carved furniture. One wall of each guest room features a large black and white photograph of The Equinox from the early 1900's. Custom-made beds, marble vanities, dramatic floor length curtains and plush leather armchairs add the finishing touches. The lobby seating areas and library, both with fireplaces, have also been spruced up.

The Falcon Bar and Chop House are the new additions to the drinking and dining scene. The Falcon Bar features French doors opening onto a terrace with incredible mountain vistas and an open-air fire pit. Inside there's dark wood paneling and plush leather chairs, as well as an extensive collection of single malt Scotch and a comprehensive wine list. There's also a menu of locally sourced cheeses and gourmet chocolates. The Chop House, located at the original site of The Equinox House Hotel built by Franklin Orvis in 1853, features the original stone hearth and is designed in the manner of a refined hunter's lodge complementing the gourmet steak house fare. Leather banquettes and rugged palette are accented by old hardwood floors.

Gallery: The Equinox, Manchester

The adjacent Marsh Tavern, which has been the favorite watering hole of presidents since 1769, has been given a new menu of sophisticated, New England-style cuisine full of nostalgic flavors and simple, farm fresh ingredients. The bar specializes in an extensive selection of beers and ales and features snacks such as pretzels served with Raye's Mustard from Maine, the last stone ground mustard mill in the country. And of course there's lots to do besides eating and drinking: the indoor pool and spa, for starters.

The Equinox also offers the ultimate outdoor Vermont adventure experience with a variety of activities such as golf, falconry, archery, fly-fishing, shooting and Land Rover off-road driving. You can spend your morning maneuvering a Land Rover on rough terrain, midday practice your aim with recurve bows on the archery field, play golf on the lush course, and in the afternoon try field hunting alongside a majestic hawk, with some of the country's most scenic vistas as a backdrop.

Tags: Geoffrey Bradfield, GeoffreyBradfield, hotel, Land Rover, LandRover, Luxury Collection, LuxuryCollection, New England, NewEngland, The Equinox, TheEquinox, Vermont

New Renderings of SLS Beverly Hills Hotel

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The SLS Hotels brand is scheduled to debut this fall with the opening of the much anticipated SLS Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, and although we'll have to wait a bit to see the real thing we have some computer generated photos to get a sneak peak a couple months early. Big names like Phillip Starck, José Andres, and Moss are associated with the project which is said to offer "an evolved luxury hospitality experience for today's evolved traveler." The SLS Beverly Hills (and all the SLS hotels to follow) will be managed as part of The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts under Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

sls hotels

Gallery: The New SLS Beverly Hills

Source

Tags: Luxury Collection, LuxuryCollection, SLS, SLS Beverly Hills, SLS Hotel, SlsBeverlyHills, SlsHotel

Super Vintage Weekend at the Hotel Marqu�s de Riscal

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wine, Auctions, Charity

The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts group has planned a "Super Vintage" wine auction weekend at the incredible Frank Gehry-designed Hotel Marqués de Riscal in Rioja, Spain in October. To celebrate 150 years of the region's famed wines, the culinary-themed weekend will culminate in a gala dinner and charity auction of local vintages conducted by Christie's - including the Riscal Superlot, a single lot consisting of 131 bottles dating back to 1862, proceeds from which will go to UNICEF. Details on the once-in-a-lifetime event, which will take place from Oct. 24-26, can be found here.