Skip to Content

Hot on StyleList:

 

resort

Punta Cana - New Golf Course, Timeless Style

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Events

Tortuga Bay Villa
This month, I headed down to Punta Cana, an elite, glamorous, privately owned resort destination in the Dominican Republic for the launch of their new oceanside golf course: Corales. I had the privilege of staying in a PUNTACANA Resort & Club Tortuga Bay villa designed by Oscar de la Renta (above, see gallery for a peek inside), and even meeting Mr. De la Renta himself at his private Punta Cana home -- which was imaginatively designed and definitely curated with a touch of genius; more on that later.

Though I'm not much of a golfer, I was immediately issued my very own golf cart at Tortuga Bay and a parking space at my villa, as well as a splendid yellow bicycle for getting around the extensive resort grounds. Daily trips to various restaurants on the property and the discovery of natural springs and hidden beaches made the experience somewhat like living on your very own small island and having full rights to explore. There's plenty to do in Punta Cana for non-golfers, from kiteboarding to Segway tours (which I did for the first time and now totally understand what the fuss is all about -- those things are fun!). There's a Six Senses spa, tennis, and a lot of great food, as well as pools and white sandy beaches as far as the eye can see. If you happen to stay at PUNTACANA Resort & Club, you'll even get special, VIP treatment at the airport, the kind where you don't have to wait in any lines, as the resort actually owns the airport.

When I attended the launch of Corales, which was hosted by various Punta Cana officials as well as Oscar de la Renta, Tom Fazio, the designer, and the president of the Dominican Republic himself (who is charming), I was more than impressed by the overwhelming beauty of the course. We sat in an intimate ocean view pavilion right on the green as everyone gave speeches and a Catholic priest blessed the course. The residents of Punta Cana wore white almost universally, which is the custom not only for public events but for every day. Another thing I noticed is that though the weather is hot, they drink red wine, even at lunch. It turns out that a light bodied red pairs quite marvelously with traditional shrimp ceviche and conch salad, both of which were rampantly available. But I digress.

Aviara Resort Switches From Four Seasons To Hyatt

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas


Last year we wrote about the troubles facing the Four Seasons Aviara. The luxury resort north of San Diego has finally left the Four Seasons fold. Hyatt has announced that Broadreach Capital Partners and Maritz, Wolff & Co. have selected Hyatt to brand and manage Aviara Resort as part of its luxury Park Hyatt portfolio.

The resort and spa has a great setting with ocean views but this idyllic retreat has been filled with controversy. Since last year the owners said that the Four Seasons financially mismanaged the Aviara and they struggled to replace it with a new operator. The LA Times reports that an arbitration panel found that Four Seasons did not violate the management agreement but found that both parties had a share in the disintegration of good relations and that it was best that the arrangement be terminated.

Hyatt will assume management of the hotel on June 21, 2010, when Park Hyatt Aviara Resort will become the 25th property operating under the Park Hyatt brand.

The Classicist: A Puerto Rican Renaissance at St. Regis Bahia Beach Residences

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports, The Classicist, Real Estate Developments


One of the Caribbean's finest residential and vacation enclaves is taking shape on 483 pristine beachfront acres in Puerto Rico, at the foot of the only tropical rain forest in the U.S. National Forest System. At the vanguard of what promises to be a true Puerto Rican renaissance is the stunning Bahia Beach community with a St. Regis resort and residences as its centerpiece. Located within 25 minutes driving distance of San Juan, Bahia Beach boasts a magnificent two-mile crescent of sandy beach, a challenging 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., golf and beach clubhouses, and a charming seaside village. St. Regis Hotels & Resorts will operate the intimate St. Regis Resort, Bahía Beach, which will include an ultra-luxurious hotel and spa slated to open this fall. As any visitor to Bahia Beach can attest, its naturally perfect setting inspires dreams of permanent residence. Bahia Beach offers a number of ways to make the dream a reality, with a variety of homes including St. Regis Residences, Las Estancias estate homes, resort residences, golf and ocean view villas, and beachfront townhomes available in advance of the resort's official opening.

The resort will feature the signature St. Regis Butler and St. Regis Concierge service, a world-class Remède Spa and Fitness Center, a 120-seat Jean-Georges Vongerichten signature restaurant as well as a 90-seat St. Regis restaurant, retail shops and beachfront pool facilities. The tropical, unspoiled splendor of Bahia Beach, located on Puerto Rico's northeast coast at the foot of the El Yunque rain forest and bounded by two scenic rivers, can easily lead you to imagine a remote idyll, yet part of its appeal lies in the community's convenience and accessibility. U.S. residents don't need to bother with passports or worry about currency exchange, while the distance from New York for example is not all that much more than Miami. Once a coconut plantation, Bahía Beach is richly populated with 100-foot palms and other tropical trees, inhabited by myriad species of birds and the vivid green iguanas native to the coast. Over 65% of the property has been preserved as green areas, sanctuaries and nature trails; the Bahía Beach Resort & Golf Club is Puerto Rico's first resort community to become a Certified Gold Audubon International Signature Sanctuary.



All residences sold within Bahía Beach include social membership in the community's private club, providing members with special dining and recreational privileges and services. Upgrades to full golf club memberships are also available. The signature St. Regis Residences, Las Estancias, will offer 25 majestic estate homes introducing an unrivaled dimension of luxury and hospitality to Puerto Rico. Located on a private island within the Bahía community and designed in a tropical plantation architectural style on spacious lots, these residences are available in six different models with floor plans offering large verandas, three-car garages, infinity edge swimming pools and separate maid's quarters. Homes are sized from 6,000 to 9,000 square feet and built on half acre to 1.5 acre lots with stunning ocean and golf course views. The first homes have already been delivered and one well-known major league baseball player has already taken up residence. Owners of Las Estancias will enjoy full access to St. Regis Resort amenities including the signature St. Regis Butler and St. Regis Concierge. Read on for details of the rest of the residences, and check out the gallery for stunning images.

The United Arab Emirates Welcomes Two Anantara Resorts, Special Deals Welcome You

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

antara abu dhabi

The Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort and the Desert Islands Resort and Spa in Abu Dhabi aren't exactly new, but they are Antara establishments and therefore it's probably wise to know about them. The 206-room Qasr Al Sarab was opened in November of last year in the Liwa desert, said to be "designed to leave visitors with a sense of the romance of Arabia." Think, Lawrence of Arabia – the compound is a 90-minute drive from Abu Dhabi proper in an area called the Liwa Empty Quarter, and the Liwa is already a desert to begin with.

The last of that drive is 7 miles of unpaved road, but the reward is a completely self-contained retreat worthy of Zenobia, with poolside villas, three restaurants including a rooftop bar and grill, museum installations of desert and Bedouin artifacts, Desert Excursion Centre to set up camel trekking, desert hiking, and archery, and even a pillow menu with your choice of fluffy things to sleep on. Your failsafe when you need to turn away from the desert is the heated-marble-hammam-equipped Anantara Spa.

The Desert Islands Resort & Spa (pictured) is at the other pole of terrain, built atop one of Abu Dhabi's complex of islands just off the coast. Sir Bani Yas Island is a reserve for endangered Arabian animals, and that was taken as inspiration for Desert Island Resort's safari decor. Outside you'll find hubara birds, oryx and sand gazelles, including the "Dhabi" variety of gazelle that gave the city its name. And again, when the game drives, kayaking among mangrove fields, mountain biking and falconry have got the best of you, there's that rather famous spa with its signature Thai treatments to replenish you.

lebua at State Tower Teaches Luxist You Can Live Well in Bangkok, Too...

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Iebua state tower
When we left off with lebua we were trying to figure out a way to hide out at the company's New Zealand property, Lake Okareka Lodge. That didn't work out, part of the reason being that we were due at the company's other property in Bangkok, and it's difficult to be a stowaway when the commodore himself put you on the ship.

lebua at State Tower hotel in Bangkok is – akin to that of Thailand and New Zealand – an antipodean contrast to Lake Okareka Lodge. Whereas the latter is a grand and solitary lakefront estate, lebua at State Tower is set inside a 67-story concrete pillar, an occasional baobab shot up from the thick tangle of a metropolis usually not more than six stories high. Rotorua, New Zealand, is verdant serenity, Bangkok an assaulting sprawl that tirelessly expands the term "anything goes." We wondered how the same enterprise might deliver this other pole of luxury. Not only did they do it, we left wondering "How come we haven't heard of these people?"


BMW Deal Makes Ritz Naples Even Better

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

ritz-carlton naplesI don't know about you, but I never need an extra reason to visit the Ritz-Carlton Naples Resorts. I'm not a golfer, so I can't speak with authority about the courses. But, they looked incredible. The spa, on the other hand, I experienced directly, and it continues to be among my favorites. Well, through April 29, 2010, there's another perk. Guests of both the beach and golf resorts will have access to eight BMWs and one MINI convertible. The cars will be available for complimentary use through the BMW/Ritz-Carlton Driving Tour.

Guests will have access to the cars from half an hour to up to three hours, based on availability, from 9 AM to 6 M every day. If you have restaurant plans that take you off-property, you can arrange to pick up the keys to one of the BMWs by 5:30 PM and return the car by 11 PM. To make a reservation, stop by or call the BMW/Ritz-Carlton Driving Tour desk at either the golf or beach resort. Making a reservation a week in advance is a smart move.

Catalina Island does the Island Makeover Thing, Keeps the Roaming Buffalo

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

catalina island

William Wrigley, Jr. bought Santa Catalina Island, off the coast of Southern California, in 1919. Since then the attention paid to the island has waxed and waned, but it looks as if 2010 will be a year of exceptional waxing. The former haven for wealthy cosmopolites is nearing completion of an $11 million refurbish that will put more, and more exciting, offerings on the menu for visitors.

Eleven million doesn't sound like much, but on a small island of just 4,000 people it can go a long way. New exploring options will come via air, land and sea: a GPS ranger-guided walking tour that can take you up the 2,097-foot Mt. Orizaba; a Zip Line Eco Tour with five lines that drop almost 600 feet from top to toe; and a Sea Trek Undersea Adventure during which you actually walk the seafloor using special helmets. It'll be like The Abyss, without having to breathe like a fish. For lighter fare there are still the flying fish, sunbathing seals, foxes, bald eagles, and buffalo safaris.

When respite from the wilds of an idyllic Pacific island is needed, your eye might run to the renovated Pavilion Hotel and its private lanais that is a 17-second walk to the beach, or the redone Descanso Beach Club with its private cabanas and chaise lounges. Meals can be had at the new Avalon Grille restaurant on the water, and post-prandial ports and dessert wines can be enjoyed during a stroll of the green rooms once occupied by Errol Flynn and Cary Grant. Not bad for a lush lump of rock visible from the distinctly buffalo-free Venice Boardwalk.

The renovations will be complete toward the end of Spring. The seals and flying fish are ready for you now.

Vacation Like a Vanderbilt at Revamped Fisher Island Resort

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wealth


Exclusive Fisher Island off the coast of Miami, where the likes of André Agassi, Ricky Martin, Julia Roberts and Oprah Winfrey have houses, is frequently named as the country's most expensive zip code. Now even if you can't afford a chunk of the island's prime real estate you can still vacation like a mogul at the newly revamped Fisher Island Club. The historic Vanderbilt Mansion there (above), centerpiece of the Fisher Island Hotel & Resort, has just been restored to its original glory as part of a $60 million island-wide restoration project. The Mediterranean-style mansion, built by William K. Vanderbilt II in 1925, crowns the 216-acre property housing a luxuriously-appointed 45-room boutique hotel. Other luxe amenities include a brand new private beach club and revamped 9-hole professional golf course, tennis center and marina.

[via JustLuxe]

The Classicist: Learning the Art of Polo at Estancia Vik

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports, The Classicist


In our column on photographer Aline Coquelle's brilliant book about the wide world of polo, we discussed some of the exotic locations where the sport of kings is played far from the the hermetic hemisphere of the Hamptons and Palm Beach. At Estancia Vik, a recently opened, ultra-luxurious private retreat in Jose Ignacio, Uruguay, you can now learn the ancient and noble game while enjoying all the amenities one would expect from a world class resort. A stylish haven of art, nature and design, the Estancia is situated on 4,000 acres taking full advantage of the pristine beaches, spectacular rolling landscape and relaxed, bohemian setting the area is famous for. Designed to be a coveted destination for the curious and design-forward international traveler, it's a sprawling Spanish colonial structure featuring white adobe walls and a red tin roof, designed by Uruguayan architect Marcelo Daglio with some dramatic avant-garde design flourishes.

The 50,000-sq.-ft. Estancia boasts 12 spacious suites each designed by a different Uruguayan contemporary artist, wine cellar, gym, spa, game room, a traditional Uruguayan barbeque pit, polo field, stables, several outdoor patios and gardens, rivers, lakes and a 65-ft. Absolute Nero stone swimming pool overlooking the lush countryside and the ocean in the distance (the beach is a mere five miles away). The property has partnered with with Haras Godiva Polo Management to provide a number of polo packages for all skill levels. Beginners and first-time riders may elect to try an introductory course, while a family who plays can have a group session and intensive, one-on-ones can be arranged as well. Ponies and all equipment except for riding boots are provided. They are currently offering a polo package including two nights at the Estancia and three polo lessons, will also be available from March through October for $1,750.



The Estancia also hosts major polo events on occasion, for those who prefer the role of spectator. On Jan. 4th the La Dolfina team, consisting of Adolfo Cambiaso, Jr., Ernesto Gutierrez, Juan de Dios Cincunegui and Federico Heinemann, played the Fiat Linea team of Andres Cassarino, Fernando Pigni, Cristiano Rattazzi and Bartolome Castagnola, with the highly exciting match ultimately ending in a draw. Following the event which was attended by a the chic sporting set the players' helmets were auctioned to benefit local school, each having been painted by some of the South American artists whose work is represented at Estancia Vik.

St. Regis Deer Crest Open in Park City

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports


The lavish new St. Regis Deer Crest Resort in Park City, Utah, which we first mentioned last year, recently opened its doors in time for the upcoming Sundance film festival. Located slope-side in the exclusive Deer Valley Resort, the 12-acre property is nestled in the elite enclave of Deer Crest and is designed to be an elegant reflection of its dramatic mountain locale. The exclusive resort introduces some of the iconic St. Regis luxury amenities including the St. Regis Ski Butler Service; signature Remède Spa; and a Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant, Utah's first. It also features North America's only hotel funicular and a European style Ski Beach. Known for its exceptional skiing conditions, Deer Valley is easily accessible from both the east and west coasts, with frequent flights directly into Salt Lake City.

The World's Coolest New Bar

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spirits


The world's coolest new bar has just opened at the ultra-luxe Ayana Resort & Spa in Bali. To get to the Rock Bar, towering 46 feet above the crashing waves, you have to take a special lift that traverses the face of a dramatic craggy seaside cliff. There are uninterrupted, 360-degree views on all sides in a setting any Bond villain would love. Designed by Yasuhiro Koichi of Japan's Design Studio SPIN, it's an enviable feat of engineering, architecture and mixology. Designed to ensure maximum seclusion for every guest, the Ayana's 78 free-standing, cliff-top luxury villas are set in traditional Balinese compounds with private pools surrounded by tropical gardens.

[via Duncan Quinn]

Pueblo Bonito Los Cabos Adds Thermage to Your Vacation Repertoire

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas



What if you could go on vacation, and get a tan so profound they would name a shade of 'golden' in your honor -- in the middle of winter, no less -- and skip the part with skin damage and wrinkles? If you're interested, Pueblo Bonito in Los Cabos, Mexico will address the vacation part, and their Thermage spa treatments will attend to your skin.

Thermage -- or radiothermoplasty for you Gray's Anatomy types -- delivers radiofrequency waves to the collagen-producing level of the skin. Collagen, remember, is the stuff that Angelina Jolie has made famous and her synthetically-inclined colleagues have made infamous. The non-invasive procedure's radio waves are meant to make the skin's natural collagen contract and tighten, as well as spur the production of new collagen and its remarkable ability to fill and plump. Voila, wrinkles are no more.

Pueblo Bonito has partnered with the Raquel Sarfati Medical Spa to offer the treatments at all four Pueblo's locations, but only be for a limited time: from December 15, 2009 to January 9, 2010, at Pueblo's award-winning Sunset Beach Spa. They'll even give you a free consultation so you can find out if thermage is the ace you want up your sleeve. Even so, thermage isn't exactly inexpensive, but you didn't expect the phrase "supple bronze goddess" to be, did you?

If nothing else, there's still that mesmerizing tan in the middle of winter for you to work on. You'll get no help with that, but we're sure you and the peninsular sun can work something out between yourselves.

The Hotel at the LA Athletic Club Hotel Offers Role Play and Workouts in One Place

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas, Sports



In 1880 the Los Angeles Athletic Club became the first private club in the city. This was when Hollywood was little more than a farm and an adobe hut, and the phrase "Malibu Colony" referred to bats. As the city grew, and grew draped in tinsel, so did the club: if you were somebody, you were a member of the LAAC. The fact that any club has lasted 129 years in Los Angeles is incredible; what's more, after throwing a few million at it the owners look to be ready for the next thirteen decades.

The prize draw is the 80,000 square-foot fitness center, where an exhaustive fitness menu offers an indoor Olympic pool, court sports, yoga, squash, and of course a spa and personal training just for starters. After that would come the Trophy Room, where you can sup on a chef's tasting dinner while suffused in the glow of a 1,000 bottle wine cellar and mounted, golden chalices. Say you have a few too many bottles yourself, you can store some of your own collection there, too.

When the running and dining has worn you out you can retire to any of the 72 freshly remodeled rooms, each with custom furnishings, luxurious bedding, roman shades, and flat screen televisions. Nine of those rooms are themed, 1-bedroom suites, in the following flavors: Yacht Club, Country Club, Polo Club, Racquet Club, Beach Club, Athletic Club, Social Club, Bruin Club, and Trojan Club.

No matter which room you choose it will be found down a moody hallway -- the designer calls it "1920s French Moderne with some British Campaign and a touch of Americana," but it's easier imagined as The Shining meets the W meets the batcave. For the moment you can procure one for an introductory nightly rate of $149, which includes a complimentary American breakfast buffet for two in The Grill Room and WiFi. Naturally, you need to be a member to sample the premises, but once you've done the hard work of signing up, where you -- and your yeoman -- choose to get your workout is up to you. Anchors away, fearless voyagers...


Water/Bodies: A New Exhibition by NY Academy of Art and Eden Rock

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Art


The Water/Bodies exhibit kicks off on December 21, 2009 at the Eden Rock Gallery. Located at the Eden Rock Hotel on St Barths, the gallery has hosted shows from the top artists in the world and those who will be in the next few years. The new show, curated by David Kratz, President of the New York Academy of Art, will no doubt be consistent with the gallery's fantastic reputation. This year, Eric Fischl and Jenny Saville, both Senior Critics at the Academy, will be among the Academy-affiliated artists showcasing their work at Eden Rock.

Each of the pieces at Eden Rock this winter will be related to the theme of nature, water and the body. Only small works will be displayed at this event, though a variety of media will be present, including oil, watercolor, drawing and sculpture.

Water/Bodies is the latest in an ongoing relationship between the Eden Rock Gallery and New York Academy of Art. The program includes an artist-in-residence program, in which up to 10 students or graduates of the Academy can visit St Barths and participate. Some of the proceeds from the sales at Water/Bodies will be used to support this program and others at the Academy. Past participants include Richard Prince, whose early 2008 show sold out before the opening.

While we're unlikely to see a replay of Prince's sales at Eden Rock this year, the art market is certainly better than what we saw late last year. Maybe collectors will go back to voting with their wallets.

Relax at the Radisson Blu Resort in Tunisia

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Pack your bags for Tunisia! A new Radisson Blu Resort & Thalasso has opened in Monastir. It's the second Radisson Blu in Tunisia and boasts 280 rooms on beachfront property -- facing the Gulf of Hammamet in the Mediterranean Sea. The resort has 264 guestrooms, 14 junior suites and two senior suites, all equipped with high-speed access (no fee!) and a private balcony or terrace overlooking the pool and sea.

Of course, it's nice to have a comfortable room, but when you really want to unwind, you're looking for the spa. The Radisson Blu in Monastir has a 150,000-square foot facility in the Royal Elyssa Spa Cinq Mondes & Thalasso, with a 48,000-square foot Thal'ion Thalasso center that specializes in restorative treatments using seawater. The spa facilities are set to open early next year and will also have a fitness club and salon. The saunas, hammams and treatment rooms are great, but you'll want to get to the top floor, where you'll find 20 spa suites, many of which will boast private Jacuzzis.

Featured Galleries

A. Lange & Sohne Zeitwerk Striking Time Watch
Amanyara, Turks & Caicos
Pilates in Heels: The Experiment
Greubel Forsey Double Tourbillon Technique Platinum Watch
Bulgari Serpenti Watches
'Silver Zwei' Superyacht
'TV' Megayacht Charter
Villa Volpi
Volvo S60 Style