The Luxury Collection

Assouline Launches Luxury Collection Destination Guides

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

EXCLUSIVE: St. Regis Hotels & Resorts Head Paul James' Ten Essential Luxuries

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Timepieces / Watches, Books, Men's Style, 10 Luxuries

Paul James is the Global Brand Leader for St. Regis Hotels & Resorts and The Luxury Collection, Starwood's two world-renowned, luxury hospitality brands. Under this role James is responsible for providing the overall strategic and creative direction for St. Regis, the legendary hotel brand committed to excellence and bespoke service at the best addresses in the world, and The Luxury Collection, a glittering ensemble of one-of-a-kind destinations and indigenous experiences designed for the global explorer. Over the last year, James has been instrumental in creating a long term strategy of meaningful growth for both St. Regis and The Luxury Collection brands in the world's most enviable destinations. Since taking on his current role, St. Regis and The Luxury Collection have successfully debuted properties in new markets including Atlanta, Indonesia, Mexico, Moscow, Peru, and Scotland. Over the next five years, James will oversee their continued expansion with the opening of properties in Abu Dhabi, Bermuda, Buenos Aires, Cairo, China, Japan, Jordan, Peru, and more.

James has more than 20 years experience in hospitality, serving most recently as Starwood's Regional Director of Sales & Marketing, NW Europe. In that role, he was in charge of the sales and marketing teams of 35 hotels in nine countries across seven brands, with revenues in excess of $1 billion. This fall, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts will continue its extraordinary global expansion by opening four world-class properties in Puerto Rico, Osaka, Bangkok and Lhasa, solidifying its position and the leader in luxury hospitality and doubling its footprint in just two years. This global growth will expand the brand's footprint to include the Caribbean with The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort in Puerto Rico, and continuing its growth in Asia with The St. Regis Osaka, The St. Regis Lhasa Resort and The St. Regis Bangkok. Offering the St. Regis' iconic bespoke services and amenities, unrivalled luxury and refined elegance, the spectacular new properties join the brand's distinguished portfolio of quintessential addresses around the world. In the gallery are images of James' essential luxuries; continued below you'll find his explanations about what makes them a must.

Gallery: Paul James' 10 Essential Luxuries

Tags: Bahia Beach, bespoke, Butler, Cole Haan, Dunhill, hotel, Maserati, polo, resorts, Savile Row, Smythson, St. Regis, St. Regis Bahia Beach, Starwood, stationery, The Luxury Collection

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A Peek Inside the Historic Hotel Imperial, Vienna

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

It's a rare treat to stay in a hotel that looks and feels like a palace. Such is the case with Hotel Imperial in Vienna.

This historic property, now part of Starwood's The Luxury Collection, has been serving as host to dignitaries, queens and emperors since its doors opened in 1873. It was commissioned by the Duke of Württemberg for his wife, but, as the legend goes, she didn't like it (something about it not having a garden). Fortunately, the magnificent building was purchased by the enterprising Horace, Ritter von Landau, who wisely decided to turn it into a hotel. The breathtaking, expansive lobby on the ground floor originally served as stables for guests' horses, and in World War II, it was occupied by the Russians, who made it their headquarters until returning it in 1955. The staff famously hid 150 of the hotel's fabulous Persian rugs -- one by one -- in a Viennese bank to keep them safe during the occupation.

Hotel Imperial has naturally undergone several renovations; the most recent was a 10 million euro project in 2000 which converted the hotel's upper floors, once offices and servants' quarters, into additional rooms. The 138 guestrooms now feature flat screen televisions, electronic key access and beautiful amenities from fresh flowers in the unique living rooms to spacious marble bathrooms stocked with Bulgari products. It is the only hotel in all of Austria which offers butler service.

There are a number of reasons to stay at the Hotel Imperial, ranging from its excellent Ringstrassen location to the charm of each room being different, and the appeal of knowing that great composers premiering their work at the State Opera House down the street, as well as dukes, princesses, kings and presidents have slept, perhaps, in your very room. I'd tell you who, but one can really only name drop when the list isn't very long. I've got a Word document seven pages long in front of me, and the names are in small type.

If you don't have the opportunity to stay in Hotel Imperial, it is worth your time to visit the first-rate dining room for dinner, or even the ground floor cafe for lunch -- be sure and get a signature Imperial Torte and the Imperial Coffee Melange. Who knows, you may catch sight of an important visiting celebrity.

Gallery: A Peek Inside The Hotel Imperial, Vienna

My visit to Vienna was sponsored by the Vienna Tourist Board, but the opinions expressed in the article are 100% my own.

Tags: Austria, Hotel, Hotel Imperial, HotelImperial, starwood, the luxury collection, TheLuxuryCollection, Vienna

The Luxury Collection Introduces The Insider's View for Members of A Small World

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The Luxury Collection, a clique of hotels within the Starwood Group, is collaborating with private social network A Small World (ASW) to provide The Insider's View. The Collection already offers concierge services to those who have booked stays and offers guests -- even those who haven't arrived yet -- travel perks such as Luggage Liaison and advance planning. The Collection also maintains a "Cultural Calendar" of noteworthy events happening near Collection properties.

For ASW members, though, concierges will write articles around upcoming events -- such as Greece's Night of the Full Moon and London's Cartier International Polo Day -- that provide an insider's guide on how to have the perfect time. ASW members, whether hotel guests or not, can then interact directly with Collection concierges to get even more specific tips on where to go and what to do.

So while you might not know the best place to buy the best seats for the Venice International Film Festival... at least you'll know who to ask.

[Source: The Luxury Collection]

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Tags: a small world, ASmallWorld, concierge, hotel, resort, starwood, the luxury collection, TheLuxuryCollection