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TripAdvisor's Top Ten Hotel Pools

If your thoughts are already vacation-centered let me help you on your way. Travel site TripAdvisor has created a list of the top ten most amazing hotel pools from around the world as ranked by TripAdvisor editors and travelers. What makes a pool a top ranker? The view is a major factor, an infinity edge is a help, basically the pool has to transport the lucky swimmer into another world.

The top spot went to the Hotel Caruso Ravello in Ravello, Italy shown above. The hotel is situated on top of the mountains on the Amalfi coast. The 11th century palace has a heated infinity pool that offers timeless views.

Tags: atlantis, bahamas, bali, banyan tree, best hotel pools, Blue Lagoon, golden nugget, hotel pools, Iceland, las vegas, oman, santorini, seychelles, six senses, thailand, the library, turkey

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LVMH to Open New Luxury Hotels

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

cheval blanc hotel
Luxury Goods conglomerate LVMH, owner of Louis Vuitton, plans to open a series of new luxury hotels starting in Oman and Egypt. The hotels will incorporate LVMH brands such as Vuitton and Dior boutiques and Givenchy spas. The company has created LVMH Hotel Management to "oversee the group's activities in the luxury hotel sector" and "maximize the value of its brands". The two new hotels, named Cheval Blanc after one of LVMH's famed Bordeaux vineyards, are slated to open in 2012. The move follows the successful 2006 opening of the LVMH-backed Cheval Blanc hotel in Courchevel, France (above). The Maison Cheval Blanc in Oman is sited on the 11 square- kilometer island of Al Sodah and will include 32 private villas. The development in Egypt is on the private island of Amoun in Aswan and will include about 40 suites overlooking the Nile. LVMH notes that "other projects are currently under study in exceptional destinations". The company won't own the real estate or finance construction, but will instead run the resorts under management contract.

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Tags: Cheval Blanc, Courchevel, Dior, Egypt, Givenchy, hotel, Louis Vuitton, LVMH, Nile, Oman

The Plans for Oman's Blue City

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

The British architecture firm Foster + Partners has unveiled a new design for yet another planned city in the Middle East. Their latest, Al Madina Al Zarqa, the Blue City, will be a new coastal city near Muscat in Oman. Al Madina Al Zarqa, the Blue City, will be home to 200,000 people. The Blue City is the largest development in Oman and is part of Oman's drive to attract foreign investment to develop its tourism potential and economic growth.

The Blue City takes it is inspiration from traditional Omani architecture, combining local styles with a look that will appeal to potential tourists. The city will be formed of clustered communities with schools, a university, stadia, golf facilities, a marina, hotels, a concert hall, shops and souks with the waterfront developed as a luxury resort. Forster + Partners strives to make sustainable projects and this one will have natural ventilation and careful orientation to minimize direct sunlight and maximize ventilation.

[via Building Design]

Gallery: Oman's Blue City

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Tags: architecture, foster and partners, middle east, muscat, oman, the blue city, urban planning

The Wave, Muscat

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

We've covered a lot of real estate in Dubai but now Oman seems to be making its push to the world. The area offers mountains, dunes and plenty of beaches which makes it a natural draw for tourists. A new real estate development, The Wave Muscat, located in Oman's capital, is designed to tempt foreigners. It will include a Greg-Norman-designed golf course, 300 berth marina, four hotels, shops and restaurants. The first real estate offerings include 100 townhouses, 100 garden villas and 25 waterfront villas. The lakefront villas start at around $428,000. An Indian architect, Asif Parpia, is the first foreigner to buy a property at The Wave and was chosen through a lottery held earlier this year.

[via Dubai Property Center News]

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Tags: dubai, greg norman, middle east real estate, MiddleEastRealEstate, muscat, oman, property, real estate, the wave muscat, TheWaveMuscat