lhasa

St. Regis Opens First Luxury Hotel In Tibet

Tibet's first luxury hotel is set to open for guests on November 15. The St. Regis Lhasa provides luxury at high altitudes while staying on the "Roof of the World." The St. Regis Lhasa Resort offers refined luxury within easy access of Potala Palace and Norbulingka, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and Jokhang Temple. The once isolated enclave ruled by Tibetan Buddhist monks has changed greatly since the Chinese took over. There are now regular flights to the area and a high speed train service from central Qinghai province to Tibet. The Independent reports that the amount of visitors to Tibet has risen dramatically, up during the first nine months of 2010 to 5.8 million, which is 23 percent more than the same period last year.

The hotel has 150 rooms and villas and 12 suites including a Presidential Suite. The hotel also has restaurants, bars, an Iridium Spa and meeting space. Rooms have plasma televisions, marble bathrooms and high-speed Internet access. The St. Regis Lhasa Resort will be a green hotel using solar energy and underground water. It also operates a fleet of high-efficiency hybrid and turbo-diesel vehicles.

There are several different restaurants and lounges: Social - an all-day dining restaurant offering a wide selection of international cuisine; Si Zi Kang is a gastronomic Tibetan restaurant; Yan Ting Chinese Restaurant specializing in Cantonese and Sichuanese cuisine; the Tea Room, offering different blends of local and imported teas, and serving vintage teas aged from 10-25 years and Decanter by Haut-Brisson, a wine and cigar bar. The spa offers traditional Tibetan herbal treatments and ensures absolute soothing relief from altitude stress. Guests can choose to immerse themselves the gold-leaf immersion pool, or partake in Yoga or Pilates in the Meditation Garden. Rates start around $300 per night.

Tags: lhasa, st regis, st regis lhasa, tibet

China Plans Luxury Train Ride To Tibet

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

China already has a train line to the Tibetan capital of Lhasa but now they are planning to create, according to the AFP, "the most luxurious train in the world." The new train will have 12 passenger cars, two dining cars and a sightseeing car. The passenger cars will have four small suites (108 square feet) decorated like a five-star hotel with a double bed, living room and bathroom area. The five-day journey from Beijing will cost over $5,000 and will leave every eight days. The new luxury trains will start running September 1.

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Tags: beiing, china, lhasa, tibet, train

Starwood Hotels to Open St. Regis Resort in Lhasa

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

If a trip to Tibet is in your future you're not alone -- due to recent upgrades the area is currently experiencing a dramatic increase in international interest and tourism. As a result, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide is planning to open a St. Regis Resort in Lhasa, which will be the first of its kind to open in the area in over a decade. Scheduled to start hosting guests in 2010, the 169 bed luxury hotel will offer the same services guests of the St. Regis New York have become accustomed to, including the famous English-trained butlers who will quietly and efficiently anticipate your every need and personalize your experience around the clock.

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Tags: butler, China, Lhasa, luxury hotel, LuxuryHotel, St Regis, St Regis Resort, StRegis, StRegisResort, Tibet, travel