Spain

Waldorf Astoria To Open In Seville

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

Just after last week's announcement of Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts has announced it will open in Spain this summer. The Waldorf Astoria Sevilla at La Boticaria will be the brand's fifth property to open in Europe. This property was previously the Hacienda La Boticaria. The Waldorf Astoria Sevilla at La Boticaria will have 133 guest rooms and suites and one of Europe's largest hotel spa facilities. The property is on 40 acres of land that includes an on-site equestrian center with 16 thoroughbred Spanish horses and a driving range for golf enthusiasts close to the Real Club de Golf de Sevilla.

Tags: seville, spain, spanish hotels, spanish travel, waldorf astoria

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Rent The Happy Hooker's Marbella Hideaway

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

In the 1970s Xaviera Hollander rose to fame as the author of The Happy Hooker but now she's an innkeeper of sorts. She owns a bed and breakfast in Amsterdam and is also the owner of Villa Caprice, a bohemian style Bed & Breakfast in the classic part of Marbella, Spain close to the Golden Mile, the beach and all amenities. The villa has a garden with a lovely lawn, swimming pool with fountains and a sun terrace with 8 loungers. There is a large living room, well-equipped kitchen, a bar and terraces for outside dining. The villa's bedrooms include several suites with king-sized beds as well as multiple rooms with twin beds for kids.

Tags: spain, villa caprice, xaviera hollander

Celebrate Christmas in Spain at the Hotel Arts Barcelona

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

A view of the Hotel Arts Barcelona with Frank Gehry's famous Peix d'Or (fish) sculpture in the background.

Experience Christmas in one of the world's most exciting destinations, Barcelona, the second largest city in Spain.

There's a spectacular five-star Ritz-Carlton property worth checking out. Called the Hotel Arts Barcelona, it will be offering several special packages over the holidays, including New Years' Eve.

The Hotel Arts Barcelona offers 483 spacious guest rooms, including a variety of suites including 56 executive suites and 28 sophisticated duplex apartments. It also offers a spa on the 42nd and 43rd floors of the hotel that has stunning views of the city and sea below. The spa features eight treatment suites, a separate sauna and a steam room with color therapy.

Enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner at one of the hotel's many fine restaurants. Paco Perez's Enoteca restaurant, which was awarded one Michelin star in the 2010 Guide, will offer festive gastronomic dishes during the holiday season such as truffle and wild mushroom cream soup with foie gras shots and grilled Grouper loin, followed by Turron, a traditional Spanish Christmas dessert made of chocolate, almond and pine nuts with puffed rice.

Gallery: Hotel Arts Barcelona

The Enoteca restaurant at the Hotel Arts Barcelona

Tags: Awards-main, Barcelona, Christmas travel, Hotel Arts Barcelona, hotel packages, Luxist-Awards, Ritz-Carlton, Spain

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The Classicist: The Summer of Superstars Borrowing Superyachts

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Celebrity Shopping, The Classicist, Wealth

The other day we reported that Madonna has borrowed Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's brand new superyacht, the 377-ft. Luna, while filming the new Duke of WIndsor movie she's directing in the South of France. The yacht is fitted out with two helicopter pads, a covered pool, spa, medical center, hot tub and 40 staff, including butlers and a macrobiotic chef. The middle-aged Material Girl isn't the only celeb cadging a ride on a pal's superyacht this summer, however – everyone from Brad and Angelina to the Beckhams are living it up on the high seas, though some stars are actually paying their way. Here's the full rundown on the famous folk's nautical hijinks:

1. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie: the world's most famous movie star couple have borrowed Johnny Depp's classic yacht, the 156-ft. Vajoliroja (above), which as we noted in April is available for charter at $130,000 per week, JustLuxe reports. The mahogany paneled craft features accommodations for 10 guests and a crew of 8, a formal dining room, library, plush salon and outdoor seating and eating areas, all decorated in Depp's signature version of Art Deco Paris meets the Orient Express.

2. David Beckham and Victoria Beckham: Posh and Becks have borrowed their pal designer Roberto Cavalli's iridescent 133-ft. yacht, the RC, which features a leopardskin interior, 15 bedrooms, a gym, whirlpool spa and locker full of fur coats for when the weather turns cool. Supposedly Cavalli only allows clothes he designed to be worn onboard.

3. Simon Cowell: The TV star is one of the few celebs footing the bill for his fun, having shelled out a whopping $975,000 per week to charter the 196-ft. Slipstream. The 12-berth yacht boasts sumptuous leather sofas, mirrors above a giant waterbed, a Jacuzzi, an observation lounge with panoramic views, gym, a sky lounge with a retractable roof and a crew of 14 including a private chef.

4. Paris Hilton: The world's biggest party girl is kicking back on Microsoft magnate Paul Allen's 300-ft. pleasure craft the Tatoosh, which as we recently reported has been put up for sale at $160 million. The yacht, which has a pool, hot tub, cinema, basketball court, recording studio, spa, massage room, gym, games room and helicopter pad, comes with a crew of 30. "The best summer of my life," Paris recently tweeted about the trip. "Our yacht is incredible! I'm in heaven on the water. Definitely the biggest and best yacht everywhere we go. Love it! Huge!" [continued]

Gallery: Superstars & Superyachts

Sir Philip Green's Lionheart - Kate Moss

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Tags: Angelina Jolie, billionaire, Brad Pitt, celebrity, celebrity vacation, David Beckham, Eva Longoria, France, Guy Ritchie, Heidi Klum, Jacqui Ainsley, Johnny Depp, Kate Moss, Luna, Madonna, megayacht, Paris Hilton, Paul Allen, Roberto Cavalli, Roman Abramovich, Simon Cowell, Sir Philip Green, South of France, Spain, supermodel, superyacht, Tatoosh, Vajoliroja, Victoria Beckham, yacht

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Cuervo y Sobrinos Celebrates Spain's World Cup 2010 Victory With Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

The win for Spain's "La Roja" soccer (football) team in the 2010 FIFA World Cup was an extremely joyous occasion for the Spanish people. While not a Spanish brand, Cuervo y Sobrinos has released a new (likely limited edition) watch in honor of the national team. Cuervo y Sobrinos is historically a Cuban brand, but now owned and operated by the Swiss. Special watches made for winning teams are often successful, especially since Spain gets to hold the title for at least 4 years until the next World Cup games.

Based on their Robusto collection of watches, the "La Roja" watch is done with as much as is possible (and not be a silly looking red watch). In an 42-43mm wide steel case, the dial looks to be done in lume with red Arabic hour numerals and a "La Roja 2010" statement printed on the dial to remind you the purpose of the watch. It is matched to a red strap, and the caseback likely features a commemorative engraving. Inside the watch is a Swiss ETA 2895-2 automatic movement. Details are slim at this point, but the price will be 1,500 euros.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: Cuervo y Sobrinos, la roja, spain, watch, world cup

Pita Barcelona Oceana Watch Hands-On

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

I was so happy to get my hands on this watch, but to bad lighting the images I snapped of the very cool Pita Barcelona Oceana timepiece wasn't ideal. So I will have to make due with what I have - I chose the best for this, and the other images in the gallery below. For more details and specs about the Oceana watches, you can refer to one of my previous Luxist articles here, as well as this other article on the Pita Oceana also by me. The 5000 meter water resistant watch become almost mythic for a while because lots of people argued that the unique design of the watch couldn't possibly put up with that type of pressure. Indeed, Pita wanted to make something totally different. A crownless watch that has no gaskets, and is super water resistant. The design is unlike anything else out there. To adjust the time you twist the back plate of the case. The little nubs around the ring help with grip, but also serve another purpose.

When the watch is worn on the wrist, the rubber strap hugs the nubs holding the back plate into place - ensuring that you don't accidentally adjust the time. A really clever little design feature. The construction of the case offers very few places for water to enter, and thus the watch has a gasketless design. A draw back is that the automatic movement does not offer hand-winding - only automatic winding. The movement is a highly modified Swiss ETA 2678, called the Pita-003.

Gallery: Pita Oceana watches

Tags: Barcelona, hands-on, Oceana, Pita, pita barcelona watch, review, Spain

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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

Legendary Hispano-Suiza Marque Returns at Geneva

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Hispano-Suiza, the famed Spanish ulltra-luxe auto marque which dates back to the early 1900s, is being revived at the Geneva Motor Show with a new $950,000 supercar concept (above) that will bear the legendary name. Once renowned for exquisite hand-built racing and luxury cars, including several one-offs made for King Alfonso XIII of Spain, by the 1920s Hispano-Suiza was considered on a par with Rolls-Royce. Royalty and heads of state from other nations, luminaries such as the Rothschilds and Pablo Picasso were all proud Hispano-Suiza owners. The new vehicle will be powered by a supercharged V10 engine producing 750 hp with a 0 - 62 mph clock of just 3.4 seconds and a top speed in excess of 205 mph. Production is scheduled to start this summer with deliveries beginning in the fall. A revival of the marque on the order of Maybach and Bugatti is the ultimate goal.

Tags: concept car, ConceptCar, Geneva Motor Show, GenevaMotorShow, Hispano-Suiza, Pablo Picasso, PabloPicasso, Spain, supercar

Million Dollar Shoe Honored With A Stamp

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Shoes

Stuart Weitzman's luxury diamond and gemstone embellished shoes always attract attention, usually on the feet of a starlet at a red-carpet event. But Weitzman's "Million Dollar" platinum shoe has received a unique honor, a country postage stamp issued by the Spanish government. The shoe features 464 Kwiat diamonds with a total carat weight of 61.92 mounted on a platinum mesh frame. The creation of the shoe was a collaboration between Platinum Guild International, Kwiat Diamonds and Stuart Weitzman. The stamp bears Stuart Weitzman's name and a picture of the show. Weitzman was celebrated at an event held at the National Shoe Museum in Elda, Spain, marking the 50th anniversary of the internationalization of the Spanish shoe industry. Weitzman's factories have been located in Alicante, Spain's shoemaking headquarters for the past 37 years.

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Tags: diamond shoes, DiamondShoes, kwiat diamonds, KwiatDiamonds, platinum shoes, PlatinumShoes, sandals, spain, stamp, stuart weitzman, StuartWeitzman

Custom Tramontana Supercar "Art" for Sale at $2.9 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Art

A unique customized Spanish Tramontana supercar (above) hand-painted by renowned artist Fernando Leal-Audirac is for sale in Milan via global online luxury marketplace JamesList for €2 million, or about $2.95 million. The twin-turbo Tramontana R, unveiled over at our sister site Autoblog earlier this year, has a V12 engine capable of 760 hp and a 0 -100 kph time of 3.6 seconds. Leal-Audirac used special metallic paints enriched with gold and the powder of precious gems - hence the pricetag - to paint the carbon fiber-bodied exotic auto, designed in homage to the famed Hispano-Suiza marque. The iridescent colors react to movement and light changing them from purple to cobalt blue, and from green to gold. The car is "the synthesis of the artist's poetic vision in which art, tradition, technique, design and technology coexist through a constant research, incarnating the charm, the myth and the dynamics of contemporaneity," the artists notes.

Tags: art car, ArtCar, artist, carbon fiber, CarbonFiber, custom car, CustomCar, Fernando Leal-Audirac, FernandoLeal-audirac, gold, JamesList, Spain, supercar, Tramontana

Pita Oceana Watch Gets Wristed

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

One of the most hotly anticipated indy dive watches of the last few years is the Spanish Pita Oceana. I originally discussed the watch here while pointing out the relative high value of the available platinum version. The Oceana watch has been in development for a while now, and for 2009 there will be a limited edition of just 80 pieces. Remember that the timepiece is available in a number of metals with a broad range of customization options. This includes choosing your own hands, crystal material, strap, bezel, and more. A great array of options from a small and very dedicated watch maker. Did I mention again that it is water resistant to 5000 meters? See the original post for more details. This represents the first time Pita has really shown the world a real version of the watch in a non-prototype form. The watch as seen above will go for about $4,000 - $5,000. Pre-orders are being accepted now.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: barcelona, dive, oceana, pita, spain, watch

A Luxury Spa Opens at Spain's Finca Cortesin

by Paul Rogers (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Much has been written about Spain's tourism woes, particularly in light of the struggling British pound. For high-end travelers still determined to use their passport, here's a bulletin of good news. Finca Cortesin, a boutique hotel and resort on the Costa del Sol that welcomed its first guests last fall and promptly earned a spot on Condé Nast Traveler's Hot List of new hotels, has opened an exquisite 23,000 square-foot-spa. Guests can now indulge in a Turkish hamam (or steam bath) and then cool off in the Snow Cave, inspired by the Finnish tradition of rolling in the snow after a sauna as a way to boost immune defenses. There's also a 114-foot indoor pool that bathed in natural light as well as two outdoor pools, one of which is Olympic-size, that offer sweeping views of the Mediterranean.

The spa is just the latest amenity at the Moorish-style resort, 45 minutes west of the international airport in Málaga. The Finca Cortesin has two restaurants, a fountained courtyard and a scenically rolling golf course that hosts the PGA European Tour's Volvo Match Play Championship.

Gallery: Finca Cortesin Hotel, Golf & Spa

Tags: Andalucia, Finca Cortesin, FincaCortesin, Malaga, Spain, tourism

Pita Oceana Will Be 'Bargain' Platinum Metal Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Pita Barcelona is a cool and funky independent Spanish watch makers who will soon release their long anticipated Oceana diver's watch in a limited edition of just 80 pieces. The watch will be highly customizable, with over 2,300 possible combinations. One can choose from many types of parts and features, including straps, dials, hands, crystal materiel, bezel, and of course case metal. While the limited edition of just 80 may seem low, Pita's statement of "2009 limited edition" might mean that more of the desirable watches will be made in the future. The watches will be available in various styles of steel, gold, and even in platinum. Prices start at about 3,200 euros, and top out at around 17,000 euros for the 950 platinum case version. This is an incredible deal for a platinum watch that usually go for before $50,000 and way up. I cannot definitively say that this is the cheapest platinum watch out there, but is is one of the lowest prices - and as part of an incredible overall timepiece.

Many innovations went into the Pita Oceana's design. Notable is the crownless design and water resistance to 5000 meters. The case is 43mm wide and 18mm thick. The watch movement is based on a heavily modified ETA 2671 automatic, while the overall watch has two patents in the design. The small star-shaped seconds hand is also a "chromatic depth meter." Something about the colors changing as you dive deeper. A very cool looking watch that is totally unique from a couple of master watch makers in Barcelona. Check out the online Ocean customization options here.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: 2009, barcelona, diver, limited edition, LimitedEdition, oceana, pita, platinum, spain, timepiece, watch

Oprah's Employees Vacation In Style

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Celebrity Shopping

Working for Oprah certainly has its perks. The AFP is reporting that Oprah Winfrey celebrated her 55th birthday in Barcelona with 1,700 of her employees and their families. The party took place over the weekend at Poble Espanyol, a popular tourist destination with shops, bars and restaurants. Her lucky guests will spend three days in the city before embarking on a 10-day Mediterranean cruise aboard the Norwegian Gem liner sailing to Italy, Turkey, Greece, and Malta. The ship has 11 bars and lounges, 12 restaurants, pool, hot tubs, a beauty salon, spa, casino, cigar club, library and even a bowling alley. Oprah is said to be spending around $5,400 per person on the cruise.

Source

Tags: barcelona, norwegian gem, NorwegianGem, oprah, oprah winfrey, OprahWinfrey, spain

Spanish Hotel Offers Unique Caviar Experience

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

At the Barceló La Bobadilla Hotel in Loja, Andalusia Spain you can have one of the most unique experiences I've ever seen offered by a hotel. The hotel offers guests a chance to learn how caviar is made. The experience begins at the sturgeon farm at nearby Riofrio where guests are given a guided tour of the farm. They can then take part in an optional ultrasound in the water to check the maturity of the roe. Once the fish is chosen it is then taken to the lab for processing. The package sounds like it offers more of a chance to observe the process than participate in the messy, smelly hands-on fish wrangling. Guests will receive the caviar sent to them three or four months later after it matures.

The Barceló La Bobadilla is a luxury hotel on an estate with forests of evergreen oaks, almond trees, and olive trees. The hotel is a replica of an Arab village, with a chapel, courtyards and a marble colonnade. There are 62 rooms , most with a separate living room and Jacuzzi. The hotel's five-star La Finca Restaurant serves gourmet national and international cuisine. The hotel has indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, saunas, a fitness center, beauty salon and the chapel includes a mechanical organ containing 1,595 pipes.

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Tags: caviar, riofrio, spain, sturgeon

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