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Intelligence Made Visible: Travel + Leisure Design Awards 2011

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, By Design, Architecture & Design

Great design is intelligence made visible, but great travel design must take this idea to the next level -- it can't just look pretty, it has to combine functionality, strength, and ease of use. Those of us who travel do NOT have time for things that don't work, aren't strong, and don't make our lives easier while on the road.

For seven years, the Travel + Leisure Design Awards have rewarded companies, products, hotels, innovators, and innovations of every type with recognition and gratitude in making the travelers lives better and their travel expereience more memorable. In addition, an overall Design Champion is named.

"The 2011 Design Awards underscore and celebrate the significant impact that good design has on travel," said Nancy Novogrod, Editor-In Chief of Travel + Leisure. "Our judges are not T+L Editors. The jurors look for exceptional function, unqiue statement and inventive reinterpretation."

The panel of jurors include:

David Childs, chairman emeritus, Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill
Paulette Cole, CEO and creative director, ABC Carpet & Home
Fred Dust, partner, IDEO
Norma Kamali, fashion designer
Danny Meyer, CEO, Union Square Hospitality Group
Nadja Swarovski, creative director, Swarovski Crystal
Henry Urbach, curator of architecture and design, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
T+L's Consulting Design Editor Chee Pearlman was the jury moderator.

Winners of these seventh annual awards represent the best new examples of design in a range of categories from hotels and transportation to luggage and travel fashion. They will be honored at the New World Center in Miami on February 23rd.

Below is a list of the Travel + Leisure Design Award winners:

Best Large Hotel: The Yas Hotel (see above) in Abu Dhabi,UAE, is set half on land and half on water, overlooking the Yas Marina & Yacht Club and positioned on the Yas Marina Circuit, which plays host to the annual Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

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Stay In Color At The Pantone Hotel

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Like a little color with your hotel room? Then perhaps there could be no better spot for you than the Pantone Hotel. The experts behind those annual color pronouncements have created the Pantone Hotel in Brussels, Belgium. The hotel was designed by Belgian interior designer Michel Penneman and Belgian architect Olivier Hannaert and each of the hotel's seven floors is given over to a different color palettes to complement guests' emotions with distinctive hues from tranquil blues to fiery reds. Guest rooms have white walls and bedding enlivened by saturated pops of vibrant color. Rooms feature photographic installations by Belgian photographer Victor Levy. There is meeting space as well as a rooftop terrace with a bar.

The hotel also offers selections from the Pantone Universe a line of colorful, design-inspired products that includes mugs inspired by the Pantone color chips. Pantone color consultants are also available by appointment for informal color consultations or to present educational seminars on color psychology and trends. Room rates start around 130 euros.

Tags: boutique hotel, brussels, luxury hotel, pantone, pantone hotel

Magritte Masterpiece Back in Print

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art, Books

To celebrate the recent opening of the Magritte Museum in Brussels, Abrams / Fonds Mercator has come out with a new edition of Magritte, the masterful monograph on the Surrealist genius by the late David Sylvester, the world's foremost expert on Rene Magritte's work. Brought up to date by the Magritte Museum's director, Michel Draguet, the classic work which has been out of print for over a decade features 40 chapters of critical insights and clues to Magritte's poetic painted puzzles, and over 500 lavish full-color illustrations. Magritte's influence has been felt by many artists since the 1960s including Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns and Ed Ruscha. The Magritte Museum, housed in a neo-classical building in Brussels' Place Royale, displays over 200 original Magritte paintings, drawings and sculptures. Another museum is located at rue Esseghem 135 in Brussels in Magritte's former home, where he lived with his wife from 1930 to 1954.

Tags: Andy Warhol, art, art book, Belgium, book, Brussels, Jasper Johns, Magritte, Magritte Museum, museum, painting, Rene Magritte, Surrealism, Surrealist

Godiva: One of the World's Most Celebrated Chocolatiers

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Of the many names associated with fine chocolate, there are few as iconic as Godiva. Founded in 1926 by Joseph Draps, the Belgian chocolatier has since blossomed into one of the world's most celebrated, earning it a Luxist award nomination in the best chocolate candy category.

Draps opened his first store on a cobblestone street in Brussels nearly a century ago, its name inspired by the legendary Lady Godiva. As the story goes, the medieval dame grew upset with the onerous taxes that her husband, Lord Leofric, levied upon his subjects in Coventry, England. Leofric proposed a bargain: If she could ride naked through town without any citizens looking at her, he'd ease their financial burden. Lady Godiva did exactly that, and Leofric relented.

Gallery: More from Godiva

The name Godiva still evokes images of graciousness, luxury and sensuality. Draps first expanded the company beyond Belgium in 1958, opening a boutique in Paris. The first North American shop followed in 1966; another in Tokyo came in 1972. Today there are over 450 Godiva stores in 80 countries around the globe. The chocolates can also be ordered at its online store.

Though Godiva is famous for its truffles, the chocolatier also produces a wide range of fine chocolate candy. Delectable offerings include milk chocolate pretzels ($22 per can), caramel pecan bark ($25 per tin) and chocolate bars ranging from white chocolate to almond to raspberry ($70 per 24-piece box). Unlike the original Lady Godiva, all sweets come wrapped in gold foil packaging.

Vote for the company you believe makes the best chocolate. Readers' Choice Winners will be announced on March 1st.

Tags: awards-main, best chocolate, best truffles, BestChocolate, BestTruffles, Brussels, chocolate, godiva, luxist-awards, sweets-main, truffles

All Aboard for Paris and Brussels by Train

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Even though train travel in Europe isn't quite as romantic in reality as it is in fantasy, there's stil something so wonderfully retro about traveling between storied cities via rail. (A first-class Eurail pass will get you to more than 20 countries, in a surprising amount of comfort and style, depending on the train.)

If you're looking for a reason to squeeze in a trip to Europe this summer (and maybe grab some frites), the Brussels Marriott Hotel and the Marriott Rive Gauche in Paris are offering a summer package from now until the end of 2009. Stay two nights at each property at 139 € per night for a double room with breakfast. (From Thursday through Sunday or Friday through Monday.) This summer, the Eurostar is also offering a special between the two cities on its Leisure Select class starting at $119 one way, which includes a 3-course meal and wine.

Tags: brussels, europe, paris, train

Magritte Museum Package at Belgian Luxury Hotel

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Art

The Rocco Forte Collection of boutique European luxury hotels is celebrating Belgium's new René Magritte Museum with a special package at their five-star Hotel Amigo (above) in Brussels. The museum, opening in June, will contain 170 works by the Belgian Surrealist master. The Amigo features copies of Magritte paintings and design elements throughout. Its Magritte Suite is an elegant series of rooms with amazing city views. In addition to tickets to the new museum, a Magritte book, and other perks, the Magritte Museum package includes a special dinner at the hotel's excellent Ristorante Bocconi.

Meanwhile the Rocco Forte Collection just opened their 12th and newest property in Prague, The Augustine. Located in Prague's Mal Strana district in the heart of the city's rich cultural center, a short walk from the majestic Prague Castle, the Wallenstein Gardens and the famous Charles Bridge, the 101-bedroom hotel was created from a set of seven buildings. Many of of them are historically significant, including the 13th-century Augustinian St. Thomas Monastery for which the hotel is named.

Tags: Belgium, Brussels, Europe, Hotel Amigo, HotelAmigo, hotels, Magritte, museums, Prague, Rene Magritte, ReneMagritte, Rocco Forte, Rocco Forte Collection, RoccoForte, RoccoForteCollection

800-Yr.-Old Belgian Castle Will Go to Highest Bidder

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Auctions

On Monday, a famous 800-year-old Belgian castle will be auctioned off by court order to the highest bidder, and it looks as if someone could snag a real bargain. The 13th century Corroy-le-Château located just south of Brussels and surrounded by a moat, was built by nobleman William of Brabant and remains one of Europe's most perfectly-preserved medieval strongholds. The current owners, descendants of Brabant's, have been fighting over the property for years and have now been ordered to sell it with a Monday deadline. The highest bid so far is for a measly $3 million, the International Herald Tribune reports, though it is probably worth ten times that much. However, if no other bidders come forward in time, the 16,000-sq.ft. fortress on 50+ acres will be sold for that amount.

Tags: Belgium, Brussels, Castle, Medieval