australia

The Henry Jones Art Hotel: Celebrate History, Art and Even Homelessness

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Art

The term "gibetting" doesn't often come up in hotel tours, but it did almost immediately at the Henry Jones Art Hotel, in Hobart, Tasmania.

The hotel is located right on the city's gentrified harbor and in the oldest part of this city -- the place where where convicts would land starting in 1804, the earliest days of Australia. Let's just say it wasn't a place for coddling, so as a warning to convicts who might be tempted to behave badly, the bodies of the executed who'd already behaved badly were hung from a gallows-like structure and allowed to rot right where new arrivals couldn't miss it.

Which happens to be right outside today's hotel, explained Warren Glover, the hotel historian. (Hotel history tours are free whether you're a guest or not, and Glover's an excellent storyteller.) He'd taken me outside to explain the area's history, and as I looked at the spot where the nasty business was once undertaken, a wedding party streamed around outside, taking advantage a sunny and crisp March day.

So yes, things have changed quite a bit in the past two centuries.

The hotel opened in 2004, on the site of a jam factory which was once the biggest employer in Hobart. The jam factory closed in the 1970s, and in the intervening decades, it became something of a homeless squat. When architects Morris-Nunn and associates were transforming the space into a hotel, they not only kept original architectural details -- the structure dates to 1825 -- but they also preserved some of the more decorative damage done by the building's unofficial residents. A fire started accidentally by a squatter left a pretty pattern on the ceiling in one of the hallway's, for instance. But the art you'll find here is far more than just architectural.

Tags: art, australia, boutique hotels, contemporary art, homeless, hotels, tasmania

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Pinctada Resort Launches Australian Beach Polo Cup

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Events, Sports

You've read about polo played in the snow and on elephants; why not on the beach as well? The 5-star Pinctada Cable Beach resort is helping to launch Australia's first beach polo competition, Paspaley Beach Polo 2010. Taking place at the beautiful Cable Beach in Broome on May 23, the inaugural tournament will feature top professional polo players competing for the Paspaley Cup against the scenic backdrop of Australia's Kimberley coast. "Paspaley Beach Polo has attracted interest from around the world and we've designed the Pinctada Polo Experience for guests who want to immerse themselves in the excitement and glamour of this unique sporting event," Pinctada Hotels & Resorts founder Marilynne Paspaley tells Luxury Insider. "Pinctada Cable Beach will be hosting Australia's leading polo players during the tournament as well as a number of polo related events including the 'after party.' We are looking forward to also hosting our guests at these activities as part of the Pinctada polo experience." Pinctada Cable Beach has announced a special Pinctada Polo Experience packages for the event.

Tags: Australia, beach, beach polo, equestrian, horses, Pinctada Cable Beach, polo

Australia's Newest Hotel, Crown Metropol, Now Officially Open

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Melbourne's latest and hippest joint for temporary accommodation has just opened, and it's called the Crown Metropol. It is said to redefine "the word 'nu-luxury' in hotels," which means we need to catch up on things because we weren't aware of the first definition of "nu-luxury." Luckily the Crown Metropol has 658 rooms divided into four categories which will give us plenty of material to study: luxe accommodations including 12 Isika spa rooms, R58 and R60 studio-style rooms, 33 lofts, and an apartment on the 25th floor with its own lobby, butler kitchen, and spa bath.

Gordon Ramsay's Maze is the Metropol's headlining restaurant, serving Australian-inspired French cuisine. Not left alone for dining duties, however, it is joined by 12 other premium eateries that count Nobu among them, as well as 19 casual establishments for more relaxed offerings in the Crown Entertainment Complex. And if you really want to make a statement, there's Level 28, a private lounge on the top floor.

If your own idea of luxury is nu enough then Melbourne's Southbank could be the spot for you, and it's taking reservations now.

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Tags: australia, crown metropol, gordon ramsay, hotel, isika, isika spa, melbourne

Morilla: "A Subversive Disneyland" with Wine, Art, Beer and Atheists

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Art

"Apropos of nothing, it's nice to have you here and thank you we need the money."

I was standing in the living room in "Esmond", one of Morilla's winery's four new guest pavilions, and the black carpet with the red block letters only caught my eye after I'd admired the contemporary art on the wall, had gotten myself oriented to the in room control panel (lights, TV, window shades, music) and had gone out onto the balcony to take in the panoramic view of Tasmania's Derwent River.

Of course, the idea of Morilla needing money is entirely preposterous. This hotel/winery/brewery/event space and oh yeah, soon-to-open museum called MONA that will be the largest private art collection in the Southern Hemisphere -- is owned by a guy with deep pockets, a Tasmanian named David Walsh.

A math whiz, Walsh made his money gambling -- two years ago, he proposed that a story about him in the Australian newspaper AGE start with "David Walsh is a rich wanker." Morilla is one place where he's been spending some of those riches since he bought it in 1995.

Often, when a rich person gets the idea to go into the hospitality business as a lark, you end up with places that are on the bizarre side of idiosyncratic. But Walsh has not skimped out on hiring experienced staff, so as he's added on to one of Tasmania's most venerable wineries, the result is a place that definitely showcases his personality -- for instance, there's no bible in guest rooms, but there is a copy of The God Delusion -- but also meets standards of a well-run luxury accommodation.

Gallery: Morilla: "Subversive Disneyland" in Tasmania

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Tags: australia, australian wine, contemporary art, hotels, morilla, museum, tasmania, tasmanian wine, tourism, travel

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Whisky's Next Stop: Tasmania

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spirits

Lark Distillery, Whisky Makers in Tasmania, Australia

On the day I arrived in Hobart, Tasmania's harbor-side capital, I was not expecting to hear much about Scotland and whisky.

After all, I'd just traveled about 10,000 miles from New York to Australia, and Scotland is just about the same distance in the other direction; if anything, I was prepared to hear about France because Tasmania has vineyards, and as every luxury traveler knows, wherever grapes grow, conversations about France flourish. But that evening, I gamely battled jet-lag to visit Lark Distillery's cozy downtown bar, and had a chat with owner Bill Lark, it was Scotland that we discussed the most.

Lark, a former land surveyor who bears an eerie resemblance to Kris Kringle, is Australia's patron saint of whisky. A decade or so ago, he realized that Tasmania had what it needed for whisky -- pure water, barley, even its own peat bogs. (If you're Australian, you'd giggle at this, since "bog" is slang for a toilet.) Anyway, the only trouble Lark faced was the law: a 1901 distillery law mandated very large stills, and he didn't want to run a giant whisky operation. So he successfully lobbied the Australian legislature to change its 1901 distillery law, and when he opened in 1996, became the first to open a licensed whisky distillery in 153 years. After that, Lark traveled to Scotland to learn the craft, returned to Tasmania, found a still-maker who could make one small enough for his purposes, and got cranking.

It all worked: the whisky's award-winning (more on that in a moment), Lark now runs a distillery school and is a distillery consultant. There are now five other whisky makers who have opened in Lark's wake, and another two getting started in Tasmania, which would very much like to be known as "Australia's Whisky Isle".

In an example of things going full circle, Lark's now a consultant to and an investor in a Kingsbarns Farm Distillery in Scotland, in the beginning phases of start up, just a few miles from St. Andrew's . "I can't teach the Scots how to make whisky, they taught me," Lark says. But Scotch tends to be brewed on a large scale, and Lark's developed expertise in distilling on a smaller scale. In fact, Kingsbarns is buying its stills from Lark's Tasmanian supplier. More on Lark and Scotland here.

Want to taste Lark's whisky for yourself?

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Tags: australia, scotch, scotch whisky, ScotchWhisky, scotland, tasmania, whisky, whisky tasting, Whisky Tours, WhiskyPeats

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Rare Red Diamond Fails To Sell At Auction

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Auctions

The first auction of a red diamond in Australia gathered a lot of attention but at the end of the day there was no sale. The Sotheby's Australia's April 12 sale featured the first red diamond ever offered for public auction in Australia. The stone in question is a 0.82-carat, fancy purplish-red Argyle diamond set into a ring with a pair of fancy blue diamonds all surrounded by brilliant-cut white diamonds mounted in platinum. It was estimated at between 700,000 and 1 million Australian dollars (between about $645,065 and $921,556) but although there was a lot of interest before the auction the bidding started at $480,000 and stalled out at $490,000.

Red diamonds are exceedingly rare. It's not known exactly how red diamonds are produced in the earth, it is believed that plastic deformation of the stone's crystal is the cause. As diamonds were pushed up kimberlite pipes from deep inside the earth toward the surface they were exposed to tremendous heat and pressure. This can cause areas of deformation in the crystal structure thereby changing it so that it can only absorb light in different areas of the visible spectrum. Instead of a rainbow you get a single color, often a pink, purple or red tone. This is different from other colored stones such as blue diamonds which form because of the addition of boron or green diamonds which are impacted by natural radiation. There are only around 100 natural red diamonds believed to have been discovered and just three over five carats: Moussaieff red, the Kazanjian red and the De Young red diamond.

ABC News in Australia reports that all is not lost for this red stone, it will likely sell behind the scenes, albeit for less money. The website reports that Margo Fitzgibbon, a diamond collector from Sydney, will make another offer for the ring and believes that there will be others who will be looking to buy as well. She predicted it will sell for around $800,000 or $900,000 Australian, possibly to an overseas buyer.

Tags: australia, jewelry auction, red diamond, sothebys

Fly in Qantas Business Class Pajamas

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

What good is a lie-flat seat if you're going to muss your outfit as you slumber? That, at least, is the thinking behind international airlines that distribute pajamas to their upper class passengers, and, it's good thinking -- I've noted before that flying business class is like having the best sick day ever, and where would a sick day be without great pjs?

The last time I flew Qantas three years ago, they weren't on the pajama bandwagon, but it's now a standard in-flight amenity in Business and in First. (There are different pajamas by class, naturally, differences I shall delve into after the jump, so come along.) I was in business so the pjs I received were grey cotton, with the Qantas kangaroo logo on the shirt. They come with a little cotton pouch to store the jammies in post-flight, and the inside of the shirt bears this handwritten phrase: "I wish you wonderful travels to dream land - Morrissey, x. " (The x is a goodnight kiss.) I was a little confused about why the one time lead vocalist from The Smiths was involved with Qantas pajamas -- and isn't he a Brit? I've since learned that this Morrissey's first name is Peter, the Australian fashion designer who also handles Qantas uniforms, which makes much more sense.

Tags: airlines, australia, business class, pajamas, pajamas in public, PajamasInPublic, peter morrissey, qantas, toiletries

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Saffire Soon to Open on Tasmania's Freycinet Peninsula

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Sunset on Tasmania's Freycinent Peninsula, Australia

It's been in the works for a very long time, but Saffire, a new ultra-luxury hotel on Tasmania's Freycinet Peninsula is about to open, on June 1st, 2010.

Let's get oriented first. Tasmania is Australia's southernmost state, and it's actually an island, separated from the mainland by the 150 mile wide Bass Strait. But it's not at all wee -- twice the size Switzerland, about the size of Ireland -- and is widely considered one of the most beautiful spots on the planet. (Check out that sunset, above!)

The Freycinet Peninsula juts off right around the middle of the island's eastern shore, and is home to national park, which is popular for its hiking particularly to the white sand, turquoise to cobalt waters of Wineglass Bay. Freycinet, by the way, is pronounced as you would in French -- the first Europeans on this part of Tasmania were from France.

There's a lodging concession in the park, Freycinet Lodge, and it has some more upscale accommodations in addition to the more basic -- but it's nothing compared to what's being planned for Saffire. (The same company owns both properties.)

I was in Tasmania a couple of weeks ago, and had a chat with Matt Casey, general manager, and Hugh Whitehouse, executive chef. The main point they got across about Saffire is that it is going to be intimate. There are just 20 suites all together, with a high staff-to-guest ratio, says Casey -- plus they're not expecting to be running at full capacity at first. The rooms themselves, however, won't be small: the smallest are 860 square feet and the four largest premium suites are just over 1500 square feet. (Chef Whitehouse will prepare custom meals for premium guests in the suite's kitchen.)

And what about the suite rates?

Gallery: Saffire in Tasmania

View of the Hazard Mountain Range from Saffire

Saffire Resort's Dramatic Architecture (Rendering)

Tags: australia, hotel, hotels, new hotels, new resorts, resorts, tasmania, vaccine

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Australia Auctions Off Rare Red Diamond

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Australia is the home of the pink diamond. The Argyle diamond mine provides the world with the finest pink and red sparklers. And yet the Sotheby's Australia's upcoming April 12 sale of antique and contemporary jewelry marks the first red diamond ever offered for public auction in Australia. The stone in question is a 0.82-carat, fancy purplish-red Argyle diamond set into a ring with a pair of fancy blue diamonds all surrounded by brilliant-cut white diamonds mounted in platinum. The ring is estimated at between 700,000 and 1 million Australian dollars (between about $645,065 and $921,556), a testament to the rareness of the reds.

The sale also includes a double strand of graduated emerald beads accented with diamond-set rondelles, a sapphire and diamond ring and an emerald and diamond ring and a few examples of another Australian export, the black opal. Also up for sale is a Vertu mobile phone set with fancy pink and colorless diamonds, pink sapphires and rubies with 18-karat rose gold and a variety of Rolex, Cartier, Piaget, IWC and Breitling watches. Previews for the auction will be held in Melbourne on April 7 and 8 and in Sydney April 10, right up until the evening sale on the 12th.

Tags: australia, red diamond, sothebys

Luxurious Lingerie from Australia's Victoria & James Sleepwear

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Australian designer Victoria Dwyer has launched a new line of luxurious sleepwear under a new label called Victoria & James Sleepwear.

"With Victoria & James Sleepwear I wanted to create a range that was elegant, comfortable and sensual," says Dwyer. "Sheer, delicate natural fibers were important in creating sleepwear that you would want to wear every night and not just on special occasions."

Dwyer was inspired to launch the range after a recent world tour when even in Europe she found it impossible to find luxury sleepwear. Victoria & James Sleepwear features a range of night dresses, robes and pajama suits that are "the ultimate in bedtime pleasure" according to the company. "I'm the sort of person who if I can't find something I make it myself," says Dwyer. "I enjoy design and creating beautiful things."

Gallery: Luxurious Lingerie from Australia's Victoria & James Sleepwear

Designs are sensual rather than overtly sexy, with fabrics being exquisitely soft and delicate. The line includes beautiful sheer cotton voiles and hand-printed silks edged with delicate French Solstiss lace in a palette of white and gentle pastels. The cut of each garment is flattering to every type of figure and the finish, with perfect French seams, hand-applied lace and ribbon, and even Swarovski crystal buttons, bearing all the hallmarks of a true luxury brand.

"For me, and for so many women who appreciate beautiful things, the essence of a luxury item is in the finishing touches," says Dwyer. "That's why I have chosen to trim these beautiful fabrics in special Guipure laces which I sourced from France and Switzerland. Even the color-fast ribbons have been carefully selected from the best European houses and threaded by hand."

Victoria & James Sleepwear is only creating a limited number of each item, says Dwyer, "making them very special and quite individual."

The luxurious line of sleepwear can be viewed here and ordered online at www.victoriaandjamessleepwear.com.

The exquisite collection of nightgowns, pajamas and robes range in price from AUD $380 ($350 USD) to $780 AUD ($718 USD).

Tags: australia, Australian designers, lingerie, nightgown, nightie, nighties, sleepwear, Swarvorski crystals, swarvoski crystals, Victoria Dwyer, Victoria James Sleepwear

Daintree Ecolodge & Spa: Green in Australia

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spas

Tucked away in a dense rain forest on the northwestern coast of Australia, Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa's location alone suggests harmony with the environment. Coupled with the resort's careful construction and natural relaxation therapies, it's an easy choice for a nomination in Luxist's best green spa category.

Just 90 minutes by car from the city of Cairns, Daintree is nestled in the middle of the world's oldest living rainforest, the Greater Daintree Rainforest, which has existed for some 110 million years. The family-owned and operated resort boasts 15 treehouse villas, bringing guests right into the thick of the primeval forest. The surrounding area is home to 430 recorded species of bird, 200 species of fish and 70 types of crustacean.

The lodge was created under the strictest guidelines of the World Wildlife Federation. All of Daintree's water is drawn from nearby natural springs, and the staff uses only biodegradable cleaning agents. The lodge's Julaymba restaurant serves locally-sourced food with seasonal specials, and many of the products used in the organic spa are grown on-site.

The spa itself offers a range of treatments, all of which have been approved by the elders of the aboriginal Kuku Yalanji tribe. Start with "Purely Bathing" ($80), a half-hour soak surrounded by essences of coconut and lime Continue with Daintree's signature treatment, the Walbul-Walbul ($295), a three-hour exfoliation where you'll be cocooned in warm mud, emulating the transition of caterpillar to butterfly.

Cast your vote for your favorite spa until March 31st. Winners will be announced on April 1.

Tags: australia, awards-main, best green spa, daintree eco lodge, Daintree Eco Lodge Spa, green spa, luxist-awards, spa, spa-main

Have a Glass of Wine at the Bookstore

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine, Books

A nearly 200-year-old bookstore in Sydney is uniting bibliophiles and oenophiles with a simple, yet brilliant idea: serving wine in their reading room.

Like languishing in the library of someone's country home, guests at Berkelouw Books in Leichhardt, Sydney, can lounge on plush couches and at comfortable tables with plates of cheese and Australian wines while perusing their selection of rare, out-of-print, secondhand and new books. It's a wonderful way to create community, allowing book-lovers to enjoy a book in their store the same way they would at home.

Berkelouw Books has a rich, six generation history of trading in rare and antiquarian books. "Now that people are getting to know about us, we've had great success with our boutique wines and lots of positive feedback," owner Colin Cappelleri told Reuters.

It makes the Starbucks in Barnes & Noble seem positively vulgar.

[via Reuters]

Tags: australia, Berkelouw Books, BerkelouwBooks, bookstore, rare books, RareBooks, sydney

North Korean Artists Banned from Australia

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

Brisbane, Australia is home to an unusual art exhibition -- the type that's a welcome break from what you typically see in major museums around the world. The Queensland Art Gallery is hosting the 6th Asia-Pacific Triennial through April 2010, and for the first time, art from North Korea has a large presence. Nick Bonner of Koryo Tours is co-curator of the exhibition, which reflects three years of commissioning works.

But, if you're interested in meeting the artists, you'll be disappointed.

Originally, five artists from Mansudae Art Studio were going to attend the show and discuss their work, but the Australian government declined their visas at the last minute, according to Koryo Tours. The artists in question were Pak Hyo Song, Kang Yong Sam, O Song Gyu, Rim Ho Chol, Ri Jong and Pak Yun Chol.

A spokesman for the Australian government explained, according to The Courier Mail, "The studio reportedly produces almost all of the official artworks in North Korea, including works that clearly constitute propaganda aimed at glorifying and supporting the North Korean regime." He continued, "To make an exception in this case would have represented a relaxation of Australia's visa ban and sent an inappropriate message to the North Korean regime."

Tags: art exhibit, art exhibits, Art Gallery, art show, ArtExhibit, ArtExhibits, ArtGallery, artist, Artists, ArtShow, artwork, australia, Brisbane, BrisbaneAustralia, dprk, north korea, NorthKorea, queensland

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New Art Hotel Opens In Melbourne, Australia

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Art

Melbourne Australia will be getting a series of very interesting art-themed hotels over the next two years. There will be a total of six Art Series Hotels, representing a $300 million investment in the city. The name and design of each hotel will be inspired by a famous Australian artist and no two properties will be the same. The Cullen was the first to open its doors in Melbourne last week. The $48 million luxury boutique hotel was inspired by Australian artist Adam Cullen and features more than 450 of his works which are cared for by an in-house curator. Two of Cullen's custom designed cows also grace the foyer. The hotel offers 115 rooms, several eateries (including Hutong, a 140-seat Asian dumpling restaurant, and The Terrace, serving Mediterranean fare) a rooftop garden and a cocktail bar with uninterrupted views of Melbourne's skyline. The entire hotel is dedicated to Cullen's aesthetic, everything from the restaurant menus to the bikes and Smart cars available for hire to guests have received the Cullen touch. Cullen's prints, which are featured throughout the property, are also for sale. Rates start at $208 USD per night.

Next up for the group is the $90 million hotel, The Olsen, slated to open in February 2010. The hotel was named for renowned painter John Olsen and will have 239 rooms and the world's largest glass bottomed swimming pool, which will hang over Chapel Street. The third hotel in the series, The Blackman, is set to open in April 2010.

Gallery: The Cullen

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Tags: adam cullen, AdamCullen, art series hotel, ArtSeriesHotel, australia, melbourne, the cullen, TheCullen

$16.5 Million Warren S120 Sportsyacht from Australia

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing

Australia's Warren Yachts is getting into the high-end flybridge speedster scene with its new $16 million, 120-ft. S120. Twin 2400HP MTU 16V2000 M93 Diesel engines propel the Peter Lowe-designed craft to a maximum speed of 26 knots. Her main entertaining area is on the main deck, in the yacht's large and bright deckhouse. A partition separates the guest areas from the state-of-the-art bridge. The partially shaded aft deck features a bar, lounging area and sunpads. Above the deckhouse is a sundeck and the foredeck features a large outdoor seating area as well. The main salon features an open dining room with seating for eight and a large lounging area. The interior has a four cabin layout with accommodation for up to eight guests.

Tags: Australia, Warren Yachts, WarrenYachts, yacht

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