Make a reservation at Chèvre d’Or

Located in Eze Village, between Monaco and Nice 429 meters above sea level, before the back country and clinging to a hillside overlooking the sea, Château de la Chèvre d’Or is set in a perfect and privileged location. In 1953, Robert Wolf fell in love with what was a private house and converted it into a restaurant. The Château dela Chèvre d’Or met with immediate success and soon after its reputation reached international magnitude.
Upon the advice of Walt Disney who immediately fell in love with the gourmet restaurant and the setting, the then owner followed his endeavours by purchasing private houses in the village and converted them
into bedrooms.

 In 1960, Bruno Ingold, South African Consul to Monaco and Advisor to the Prince of Monaco, partnered with his friend Robert Wolf to develop the hotel division of the Château. At that time there were only 6 rooms. The hotel continues to grow today at the very heart of the village and now has 37 rooms and suites. Guests over the years include names like Lauren Bacall, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, Humphrey Bogart, Roger Moore, Tony Curtis, Clint Eastwood and Robert de Niro.
In 1992, a loyal client of the restaurant and “admirer”" of the Château de la Chèvre d’Or was to purchase it, entrusting the management to Therese Blay. The hotel had 18 rooms at that time.
The talented Chef Fabrice VULIN holds a deep passion for authentic local produce at its very best..Château de la Chèvre d’Or now offers its clientele the magic atmosphere of terraced gardens, medieval buildings, stone houses.

Make a reservation at Chèvre d’Or

Make a reservation at Villa d”‘Este

Set on the shores of Lake Como, Villa d’Este was built in 1568 as the summer residence of Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio. The property has 25 acres of gardens, whose statues and landscape have been photographed for centuries. The design of the lower part of the gardens is from the Renaissance period. The two most outstanding landmarks are the 500 year old plane tree and the 16th century Mosaic with its Nympheum

The favourite playground of an Empress, an English queen and aristocrats,  it was transformed into a luxury hotel in 1873.

Continuously renovated and updated, today  the legendary resort has  152 rooms, all different in decor.  The main house built in 1568 and known as the Cardinal’s building counts 125 rooms while the trompe l’oeil masterpiece known as the Queen’s Pavilion, inaugurated in 1860 has 27 rooms. In 1873 the two Villas combined into one property became Villa d’EsteVilla Malakoff and Villa Cima are available for short term tenancies with services ranging from housekeeping to full private butler and chef service.

A beautiful 18-hole golf  course  winds its way through chestnut, ash and pine trees sheltering golfers even from the intense summer heat.

Make a reservation at Villa d”‘Este

Make a reservation at Mamounia

La Mamounia as a tranquil haven in the heart of Marrakech.  Located on the edge of the walls of the old city of Marrakech, La Mamounia is named after its legendary 200-year-old gardens, originally given as an 18th century wedding gift to Prince Moulay Mamoun.  Today the gardens at La Mamounia cover almost 20 acres with an enviable variety of flora and fauna. The hotel originally opened in 1923 and since has been symbolic of traditional Moroccan hospitality and a classic example of the great age of grand hotels.�
For more than 85 years, La Mamounia has been a  destination for travelers from around the globe, including royals, heads of state, film makers, musicians, actors and fashion designers like  Sir Winston Churchill,Franklin D. Roosevelt Charlie Chaplin, Marlene Dietrich, Kirk Douglas, Charlton Heston, Princess Caroline of Monaco Nelson Mandela, Jacques Chirac, The Rolling Stones,  Nicole Kidman, Kate Winslet, Yves Saint Laurent.  Alfred Hitchcock chose La Mamounia as the site to film The Man Who Knew Too Much with James Stewart and Doris Day.

After years long extensive restoration  led by  interior designer, Jacques Garcia La Mamounia,  re-opened its doors in 2009.  This legendary hotel,  has expanded with 136 stylish guest rooms, 71 Suites and three Riads each with three bedrooms, private terraces, Moroccan salons and a private swimming pool.   Strong use of light and color, marble columns,  vivid fabrics, soft furnishings and colorful wood, combined with theatrical perspectives.  Two 2-Michelin Star chefs, Alfonso Iaccarino and Jean-Pierre Vigato leading two of its signature restaurants.  L’Italien by Alfonso Iaccarino features modern Italian specialties, while Le Francais by Jean-Pierre Vigato specializes in French contemporary cuisine.  In addition, the 27,000 sq ft La Mamounia Spa is a must visit place.

Wake up early and stroll in the gardens before the city starts its busy day..

Make a reservation at Mamounia

Make a reservation at Imperial, Delhi

The Imperial is a legend that offers a unique experience embracing facets of India’s history, and stands witness to the birth of the capital city of New Delhi. Built in 1931 by Blomfield; one of Sir Edwin Lutyen’s associates and inaugurated by Lord Willingdon in 1936, the Hotel is known for its contemporary colonial style. As New Delhi’s landmark Hotel, it is located on Janpath, the erstwhile Queensway, steps away from the renowned shopping district and major attractions of the city.

It is a marvelous mélange of victorian, colonial and art deco styles in its interiors. The spacious high ceiling guest rooms, stunning crystal chandeliers, sparkling marble floors, large mahogany tables along with the impressive wealth of original 18th and 19th century art collection that adorns the corridors of the hotel, are a constant reminder of the elegance of the colonial era. India’s great personalities have walked the corridors of the hotel and shared the most daring ideas over a cup of tea in its restaurant and lounges.

The Imperial has 190 spacious guest rooms and an impressive collection of 43 suites, with high ceilings and thematic décor.

Make a reservation at Imperial, Delhi

Make a reservation at Le Meurice

Hotel Le Meurice, has been around for over two centuries and in 2007 the hotel came to a new establishment phase with Philip Starck and his daughter Ara. Philip Starck created successfully a new atmosphere , one that would exalt Le Meurice’s rich past.

Known as ‘the hotel of kings and queens’, Le Meurice hosted Queen Victoria, Tchaikovsky, King of Spain, Roosevelt, Elizabeth Taylor and many others over the years. The hotel also became Salvador Dali’s home for over 30 years, who had demands like herd of sheep, horse, flies to his room from hotel staff. Picasso and his wife Olga selected  Meurice to host their wedding dinner.

Today, with its great location, overlooking the historic Tuileries Garden, great interiors, created by Philip Starck and impeccable service , Meurice successfully blends classic , history with contemporary. The open reception area affords views of the hotel’s three main public spaces: three Michelin starred restaurant le Meurice, restaurant le Dali and the Bar 228 all with clever touches of Starck. Bar 228 is a perfect place to discover Le Meurice. If you can not decide what to drink, William Oliveri at Bar 228 who is the master of ceremony for thirty year will advise you the best.

With its 160 rooms  Le Meurice offers a true ‘French palace’ with high technology and comfort. Each room is decorated with XVIIIth century style furniture. For those who want to live the ultimate French Experience!

Make a reservation at Le Meurice

Photos by Peter Hebeisen

Make a reservation at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

Mandarin Oriental is a legend, its history is dating back to more than 130 years..It is, the most famous  and grandest of the great colonial hotels.

At the legendary Chao Phraya River, through the heart of Bangkok, the hotel is filled with stories of the celebrated guests through the years like Barbara Cartland,  Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, John le Carre..

The original Oriental building  which was burnt down in 1865 and rebuilt in 1887, gives you a real flavor of those old days with its ceiling fans, carved balconies thick with climbing jasmine, old fashioned shuttered windows, intricately decorated four-poster beds, textured walls,  scent of tropical flowers.

The  new modern addition building, where the rooms, are  more comfortable, is rather standard but whether you are having breakfast or drinks in the evening, its terrace is magical. And the hotels Sala Rim Naan restaurant and its Oriental Spa is only a romantic ferry ride away.

Apart from all the above mentioned features, the most important aspect of this hotel is its superb service and great concierge: always smiling, sweet-faced, attentive, and round the clock.

In this hotel you can ask anything from concierge, anything..

Make a reservation at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

Make a reservation at Raffles Singapore

As one of the legendary hotels in the world Raffles Hotel opened in 1887 in an old bungalow known as the Beach House. It was named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore.

Tropical suites were as much a part of Raffles Hotel’s early style as bentwood tables and rattan chairs. Over the years the hotel has evolved into one of the world’s most beloved grand hotels and welcomed innumerable celebrities, writers and royalty. Declared a National Monument in 1987, the hotel reopened in1991, after a big restoration.

Raffles Hotel features 103 suites, 18 distinctive restaurants and bars, Amrita Spa and Raffles Hotel Arcade housing the best in regional specialities and international brand names. Even if you don’t stay there you must visit to experience the historic Singapore.  

Make a reservation at Raffles Singapore

The Chateau Marmont is not only a hotel in Hollywood, but it is a legend which has served as the backdrop for a number of events in the lives of well-known stars.. Jean Harlow carried on an affair with Clark Gable while honeymooning here with her husband, John Belushi overdosed and died here, When Montgomery Clift was almost killed in a  auto accident Elizabeth Taylor brought him to Chateau, Scott Fitzgerald suffered a heart-attack, Red Hot Chili Peppers recorded his vocals for “By the Way” in this hotel. Colin Farrell was once caught making out with Britney Spears here and it goes on and on and on for almost 70 years..
Built in 1927 and modeled loosely after the Château d’Amboise in France’s Loire Valley by Fred Horowitz, a local attorney. His project turned into the Chateau Marmont, named for the street running across the back of the property.  It opened in February 1929 as an apartment house, but high rents and the Depression kept renters away. In 1931 the building was changed to a hotel. The hotel was bought in 1990 and managed by Andre Balazs properties and it’s been continuing  a hot spot ever since..

Nine cottages were built in the 1930s next to the hotel, which were acquired by the hotel in the 1940s. Two of the 4 bungalows at the Chateau Marmont were designed by Craig Ellwood in 1956 after he completed Case Study Houses. The bungalows are like miniature case study houses
The hotel also has an exclusive, reservations-only restaurant serving California and Eclectic cuisine. The chef is Caryolynn Spence, originally of New York’s Spotted Pig.[3]
The Chateau Marmont has catered to a large celebrity clientele over its 90 year history.

Make a reservation at Chateau Marmont

Make a reservation at Cipriani
Hotel Cipriani is the most famous hotel in Venice because of its name… Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of the renowned Harry’s Bar in Venice, opened the hotel in 1958 on the island of Giudecca and immediately attracted celebrities and royalty, in much the same way that Harry’s Bar drew Hemingway and Fitzgerald.

In the 18th century, Giudecca served as a retreat for both nobles and common city dwellers, who came here for the fresh air. By the late 1950s, when Cipriani built the hotel, it was still a secluded destination, reachable only by water. The exclusive complex that includes the main hotel, two “palaces”—the Palazzo Vendramin and Palazzetto Nani Barbaro—and lavish Cazanova gardens. The Palazzo Vendramin and connecting Palazzetto are two 15th-century buildings linked to the Hotel Cipriani through an ancient courtyard and flowered passage-way, with magnificent views overlooking the lagoon and St. Mark’s square.
The Palazzo Vendramin, formerly a 15th-century aristocratic residence, consists of seven luxury suites and three double bedrooms with private butler service, and of course the incredible views of St. Mark’s Square.

Hotels elegant restaurant  Cip’s Club was originally created for the two Palazzi of the Cipriani, the Vendramin and the Palazzetto Nani Barbaro. The Restaurant has a splendid view of St. Mark’s Square and is within easy reach of hotels private pier in the Piazza San Marco, just opposite the Doge’s Palace. Just in front of the Cip’s Club there is a wonderful wooden terrace for outdoor dinners and luncheons, decorated in the style of the deck of a private yacht.

Cipriani has the perfect location, it is within easy reach of St Mark’s Square (only a 3 minute boat drive which operates 24 hours) and yet far enough away to ensure peace and privacy. Its heated 600 square meter salt water pool is the only one in Venice and can be used all year long.  The fact that not much has changed since its opening in 1958, Cipriani attracts many celebrities especially during Venice film festival, who come here to drink the best Bellinis in town (invented by Giuseppe Cipriani).
Stay either in one of the suites in Palazzo Vendramin or in the hotels garden suite with a private terrace overlooking to the pool, having in mind that Cipriani is not about in room amenities..

Make a reservation at Cipriani

Make a reservation at One and Only Palmilla

One&Only Palmilla is a very good reason to travel to Los Cabos. The charming resort  is located on the Baja Peninsula where the ocean merges with the Sea of Cortez; at the southernmost point of Baja California along the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez within the Los Cabos Corridor, a 21-mile stretch between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas.
Los Cabos Corridor is well known with its 360 days sun..Only 5 days you may get the rain.. This makes this location very unique.

The resort was built in 1956 as a 15-room luxury hideaway by Don Abelardo Rodriguez, son of the President of Mexico.  It was a tropical hideaway hot spot for people like Ernest Hemingway, John Wayne, Bing Crosby, Dwight D. Eisenhower and was accessible only by yacht or private plane.
Following the construction of the Transpeninsular Highway in 1970, the resort became increasingly popular and grew to 50 rooms by 1984. In 1991, the Palmilla Golf Club opened, and in 1996, the property was again expanded to 115 rooms. The glamorous flavor and ambiance of the original resort were carefully preserved in legendary One&Only Palmilla, for the new generation of travelers and  opened in February 2004 by Kerzner group. The new resorts became an attraction point for Hollywood celebrities and people who want to have an unforgettable wedding.

The resort features expansive ocean-facing, spacious and elegant rooms, each with veranda, balcony, sun beds, and indulgent amenities. All 172 guestrooms allow optimum privacy and 24-hour butler service assures every wish and whim is fulfilled. The service and attention to detail were exceptional. From the moment they pick you up at the airport every moment of your vacation is first class.

Michelin stared chef, Jean-Georges Vongerichten presents a unique dining concept in resort’s restaurant Market, his first outpost South of the Border.  His signature style blended with Mexican overtones using traditional ingredients. Guests will be invited to enjoy ‘couture cuisine’ allowing them to customize their meal through a choice of cooking techniques Market,  designed, by Adam D. Tihany, evokes understated elegance using warm natural colors and a collection of original

One&Only Palmillas spa  is in a village within the resort , consisting of individual charming spa houses. Ancient and modern, Mexican and Asian healing techniques bring body and spirit in harmony with nature..A complete sanctuary we loved so much..

With its historic chapel exuding an aura of romance One&Only Palmilla is a heavenly location for a wedding. Located on a hill overlooking the resort’s tropical grounds and beaches, the chapel is in traditional Mexican style, whitewashed with arched doorways and windows.
The resort also boasts the 27-hole Palmilla Golf Club,  designed by Jack Nicklaus in a very local nature.

Make a reservation at One and Only Palmilla

Pictures by Ozlem Avcioglu and courtesy of One&Only