Tom Fazio

Southern California's Resort at Pelican Hill

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports

Other than Tiger Woods's much-awaited return to the PGA Tour this week, there's been little good news in the golf world of late. Iconic destinations such as Sea Island Resorts and The Greenbrier have been undergoing well-documented struggles in the failing economy. A rare bright spot is the recent opening of the Resort at Pelican Hill, a spectacular cliff-side property in Southern California.

The 500-acre resort in Newport Coast, about an hour south of L.A., is designed in the style of an old Italian hill town. Terracotta-roofed villas and bungalows are terraced into the slopes high above the Pacific, shaded by imported olive trees. The bungalows feature limestone fireplaces, hand-hewn wood-beam ceilings and private terraces. Even more lavish are the two-, three- and four-bedroom villas that are as large as 3,000 square feet and situated in a gated enclave. Villa guests can avail themselves of butler service and access to a private clubhouse and pool. Refreshingly, this is purely a vacationer's resort--there are no home sites for sale.

The golf at Pelican Hill predates the now-encompassing resort by a decade and a half. It consists of two eighteen-hole Tom Fazio layouts that overlook the ocean. Originally designed in the early '90s--and sometimes criticized for failing to make the most of the natural setting--they were renovated by the architect two years ago to improve playability and better expose the seaside views.

Gallery: Southern California's Resort at Pelican Hill

Tags: golf, Newport Coast, Pelican Hill, PelicanHill, Southern California, SouthernCalifornia, Tom Fazio

The Classicist: Sandy Lane's Multimillion $ Makeover

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, The Classicist

Since it first opened in 1961, Barbados' luxurious Sandy Lane has played host to a never-ending stream of royalty, socialites and movie stars. Arguably the Caribbean's plushest resort, Aristotle Onassis and Maria Callas, David Niven, Jackie Kennedy, Frank Sinatra and Queen Elizabeth all took sojourns there in years past, while the list of current habitués is no less impressive, including Tiger Woods who tied the knot there in 2004.

The ne plus ultra in exclusivity, luxury, privacy and white glove service is embodied by the palatial neo-Palladian-style main building of cream coral stone set in a grove of mahogany trees on a beautiful stretch of beach in the middle of Barbados' "platinum coast." A chauffered limousine (a Bentley for high-rollers) picks you up at the airport and you're greeted at the front desk with cold towels and fruit punch, a preview of coming attractions, so to speak.

Sandy Lane was rebuilt in 2001, and it's currently in the midst of a multimillion dollar makeover including upgrades to rooms, the spa, restaurants and public spaces. When it re-opens on October 3, in addition to 16,000-sq.-ft. of new marble, one of the biggest improvements will be an open plan, multi-cultural, all-day dining facility featuring a residential-style kitchen in the manner of a Caribbean Palladian conservatory, with a wine store, beach bar, sushi bar, lobster and live seafood tank, a fresh herb garden and a wood burning oven.

Gallery: Sandy Lane Luxe

The resort's 112 rooms average 900 square feet and feature marble floors and bathrooms, mahogany plantation furniture, private verandahs, plasma TVs and all the bells and whistles. The property features two Tom Fazio-designed 18-hole golf courses, nine championship tennis courts, a 47,000 square foot spa, a John Frieda salon, shops galore (Joan Collins still owes money in one of them) and seven bars and restaurants to choose from. On the beach, attendants will fetch you drinks, clean your sunglasses and even spritz you with Evian water should you so desire.

In addition to the main accommodations, there's also a five bedroom villa that sleeps 14 with a private pool, butler, housekeeper, chef and 24-hr. security guard for $25,000 a night during the holiday season. But if you have to ask, you probably can't afford it.

Tags: Barbados, Bentley, caribbean, Jackie Kennedy, JackieKennedy, Queen Elizabeth, QueenElizabeth, Resort, Sandy Lane, SandyLane, Tiger Woods, TigerWoods, Tom Fazio, TomFazio