Tag: Raffles Hotels
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What’s Out, What’s In: Working In Instead of Out
We've started a series of what’s trending in hotels these days: What’s Out, What’s In. Do we like what we see? Think it's a dud? You be the judge!
What's Out: Trekking to the hotel gym
What's In: In-room workouts that rival a personal training session
The hotel gym. We know people use ‘em, but sometimes it’s hard to find that last bit of energy needed to drag yourself out of your room after a busy day of sightseeing or making deals. Or maybe you’re just jet-lagged and are up at 3 a.m. thinking, “Man – I could really go for a workout right now.” At these hotels, the gym comes to you.
Dorchester Collection’s new contemporary hotel 45 Park Lane in London offers you an exclusive in-room workout with fitness guru and trainer to the stars, Matt Roberts, through a bespoke and full-body in-room video program. The hotel committed to get fit during the London Olympics and got Matt to create five workouts, each video focusing on a different area of the body using the furniture at hand. (We’re not suggesting they’re copying us here at HC, but sort of like our Sweat-Worthy Hotel Room Exercises series we brought you about a month or so ago.)
When you leave you’ll also get a freebie Matt at 45 Park Lane Fitness Pack which includes step-by-step training techniques for beginners through pros, a healthy eating plan, and “in the know” tips from the trainer -- things only Matt Roberts and Naomi Campbell knew till now.
At Raffles Praslin Seychelles space is your friend if you want to have an in-room workout. In the privacy of your own 410 sq ft (minimum) villa, with a vast outdoor terrace looking out over the ocean, you can do as many Sun Salutations as you want without bumping into the furniture. All villas already include a yoga mat and, at your mere request, the resort will deliver a fitness kit consisting of a dumbbell set, skipping rope, stability ball, resistance band and a selection of exercise DVDs. If that’s not enough to get you going you can arrange for an in-room personal trainer to take you through your paces with a customized exercise program.
And don't forget, HotelChatter's Sweat-Worthy Workouts: Can't afford to hire a personal trainer to come to your room? Or more likely, are you staying in a property that doesn't have a gym or in-room fitness videos? We've got you covered with our five sweat-worthy workouts, all of which you can do in your hotel room. Watch the videos for instructions on the different body parts to work out. You're very welcome!
Two more fitness-crazed hotels below!
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What’s Out, What’s In: Raiding the Minibar
We've started a series of what’s trending in hotels these days: What’s Out, What’s In. Do we like what we see? Think it's a dud? You be the judge!
What’s Out: Cheetos and johnnie Walker
What’s In: Locally-made or healthy alternatives
Sometimes it’s late in the day, dinner was hours ago and you’ve got the munchies bad, or it’s early and you just want to grab something before you rush out the door to your meeting. Your eyes drift over to the minibar, but that ubiquitous, teensy can of Pringles isn’t going to keep you fuelled, never mind toned. What’s a road warrior to do?
Fifteen Beacon goes beyond the standard M&M's and sodas to include local faves like Boston Baked Beans and Cape Cod all-natural potato chips, plus healthy alternatives including coconut water, protein bars and Emergen-C. To top it off, they even offer pampering products like cucumber eye-cream and Sprayology -- a holistic product for your travel-stressed immune system.
Local products abound at the Fairmont Pittsburgh including Betsy Ann Chocolates, Torn Ranch snacks, Naturally Yours trail mixes and local beers (Penn Pilsner and Yuengling). And here’s the best part: in keeping with the idea of “be good to your body, be good to the earth” they also offer complimentary, refillable glass bottles for you to fill with filtered water from dispensers located on each floor.
For you appreciative craft beer lovers, the minibar at Enchantment Resort in Sedona has swapped out mass-produced beer brands for locally-made Grand Canyon Pilsner. They also keep full bottles of local Arizona wines, chocolates, snacks and full-size bath products atop cabinets and vanities to really tempt you to indulge yourself.
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What’s Out, What’s In: What’s SUP? Wet Workouts.
We've started a series of what’s trending in hotels these days: What’s Out, What’s In. Do we like what we see? Think it's a dud? You be the judge!
What’s Out: Windsurfing and jet skis
What’s In: Stand up paddle boarding (SUP)
As synchronized swimming fell out of favor after the 1950s and windsurfing mania waned in the 1990s, another wet trend has emerged: Paddle boarding. And with so many hotels getting in on the action and upping the game (yoga paddle boarding, anyone?), we think it may just be here for awhile.
For the luxury crowd, Raffles Praslin Seychelles offers complimentary stand up paddle boarding so guests can take in the stunning Indian Ocean scenery. If your main goal is to simply enjoy the Seychelles' waters aboveboard and not below, the resort also launched hourly lessons for new users, with an expert teaching you the proper way to stand on the board, keep balance and paddle (what -- all at the same time??).
Another luxe resort, the Paresa Resort in Phuket, Thailand offers straight-up SUP, but then raises the challenge level by combining stand up paddle boarding with yoga. Their “Yoga on the Ocean” program begins at sunrise or sunset when you paddle your board out on the indigo Andaman Sea and enjoy a yoga class floating on your watery yoga mat.
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What’s Out, What’s In: Your Roots Are Showing
We've started a series of what’s trending in hotels these days: What’s Out, What’s In. Do we like what we see? Think it's a dud? You be the judge!
What’s Out: Hotel-recommended city tours
What’s In: Hotel-led cultural immersions
Hotels are taking a lead in ensuring guests remember that they’re actually in a foreign city when they travel. Except for some solid holdouts, gone are the days when you walk into your hotel in Amsterdam, say, and you could just as easily be in Istanbul or Portland. Whether through design details, cuisine or cultural tours, hotels are proudly showing their roots.
The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui offers guests a full gamut of authentic Hawaiian experiences led by the hotel’s full-time Cultural Coach. Not only can you explore some historical sites, you can learn the basics of Hawaiian paddling and the canoe's importance to the culture, the uses of native and non-native plants by the Hawaiian people, plus the history of the Hawaiian language, which you can then try to pronounce what seems to be unpronounceable. Rates at the resort start at $519.
The Goring –- the hotel with the Royal Warrant –- is launching their High Days and Holidays walking tours. Six tailor-made tours, all celebrating special occasions (or High Days in London-speak), were designed by Art History UK’s founder Rose Balston. Art’s on the menu but, as Rose says, “Think juicy tales, conversation, challenging ideas and plenty of hidden corners of London, past and present…” We’re talking tours that include dragons, pagan rituals, ghosts and treason. Does it get any better? Rates for the package start at 595 GBP ($902).
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Andaz Will Be Tokyo-bound in 2014 (And Other News)
There's tons of hotel news flying around this week and we don't have time to give each and every story the love and attention it may deserve, so you will have to settle for some news briefs.
· Andaz Tokyo Will Aim High: If you thought Andaz Amsterdam and Andaz Savannah and Andaz Maui were the last scraps of Andaz news for a while, think again. Hyatt has just announced a brand new Andaz property opening in Tokyo's Toranomon business district in summer of 2014. The 164-room hotel will occupy the top six floors of a 52-story tower currently under construction, and, yes, there will be a rooftop bar. The hotel will also take over the 37th floor, which will be dedicated to an infinity pool, spa and fitness center. Though this location will be a first for Andaz, it will be Hyatt's fourth in Tokyo, and its ninth in Japan.
For the rest of today's hotel news, read on!
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Guess Who Snagged Nobu Matsuhisa Until The End Of The Year?
Well, the illustrious Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa and his team of master sushi-makers have decided to winter in Paris, and what a home they’ve chosen: Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris located in the tony 8th arrondissement. The 149-room luxe hotel re-opened in October 2010 after a complete design reno orchestrated by Philippe Starck.
If you too, are wintering in Paris, now would be the time to check out why Nobu is famous around this great big globe of ours. His restaurants can be found in 16 cities, from Vegas to Hong Kong.
Each evening for the next two months, lucky diners at Raffles' La Cuisine restaurant will be able to try some of his inventive dishes that combine Japanese with South American influences. You can choose to eat à la carte or you can grab the chance to experience ‘Omakase’ -- the traditional Chef’s Choice tasting menu. Seven dishes are served for the whole table, including black cod with miso and yuzu, tuna sashimi salad, and a whisky cappuccino dessert, for €150 ($192) per person.
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Stay As Long As You Want At The New Raffles Manila
The luxury and comfort of Raffles Hotels is bringing its brand over to The Philippines with brand new building in the heart of Manila.
Located in Makati City, the area of Manila known as the "Wall Street of Manila", the 30-story hotel will offer guests a choice of a short or long stay. No matter your length of stay, you'll sleep in the lap of luxury because this place only offers suites. In fact that's the smallest unit you can get, with 32 suites for short stays, 110 apartments and 127 residences for extended visits.
It's 'firsts' all around as this is the first hotel-residence for Manila and the first new hotel to open in the city in 20 years, so you can imagine how exciting the news is. Interestingly, the building will also house a Fairmont, another first.
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Le Royal Monceau Paris Gets On The Cigar Room Bandwagon
The Long Bar: High style almost overshadows the pricey drinks
In case you hadn’t noticed: cigars and hotels are a combination that’s all the rage right now. Fresh off our visit to London Fashion Week’s epicentre that is The May Fair Hotel, word comes that Le Royal Monceau Paris (part of Raffles Hotels & Resorts) is opening Le Club Viñales this fall.
Before you get your calendar out and start planning a visit, Le Club Viñales will be members-only, a “sanctuary for the happy few”. Those who are lucky enough to get inside will find leather club chairs, books, and international magazines, as well as a private terrace for the summer months.
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Doing High Tea at The Raffles in Singapore
High Tea has become one of the best litmus tests of how a hotel can impress its guests. Singapore's Raffles Hotel is no different. The entire hotel, a vintage colonial building surrounded by gardens and lush tropical plants, is one of the must-see attractions for visitors. Not only is it the original property of the hotel chain, it is a landmark building for the city.
Lots of planning needs to go into partaking in this tea service. No, we're not talking about which hat to wear or whether the finger sandwiches have crusts or not. Although very important, these thoughts can't happen until you make a booking for high tea. And The Tiffin Room at The Raffles takes reservations no more than three weeks before you want to partake in the pomp and circumstance. Fortunately, we planned ahead for our own tea time. Here's how it went:
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How To Make Your Own Millefeuilles at Le Royal Monceau in Paris
HotelChatter Special Contributor Eric Rosen takes us behind the pastry counter at Le Royal Monceau in Paris as he demonstrates the make-your-own millefeuille option diners have for dessert.
Located in an airy private dining room off the lobby lounge area, La Cuisine is the hotel’s main restaurant, which, in addition to the rest of the hotel’s dining outlets including the upscale Italian Il Carpaccio, is overseen by Executive Chef Laurent André who worked with Alain Ducasse for 14 years before joining Raffles. The pastries (which we’ll get to in a moment) are the domain of renowned French patissier, Pierre Hermé.
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Discover the Art of Paris with the Art Concierge at Le Royal Monceau
We love specialty concierges here at HotelChatter so when we learned that the Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris has an art concierge on staff, we had to know more.
Domoina De Brantes holds a Masters Degree from the Sorbonne in Conception and Production of Cultural Projects and will take hotel guests anywhere in the city to learn about the art scene.
Favor the urban vibe and grit of graffiti? View street art and meet the artists. Want to know more about the treasures of the Louvre? Bien sûr, she will accompany you providing illumination and insight. Her complementary guest service is becoming known, so make arrangements with her at the time you book your room.
Ms. De Brantes is part of the fulfillment of Le Monceau's wish to be known as a Parisian domicile infused with an artistic soul. The hotel, a recent Philippe Starck remake in elegant detail includes an art collection, private state-of-the-art cinema and an art gallery that is open to the public. The Arts District Gallery, 90 square meters of space within the hotel is currently showing “HYPERPHOTO,” Jean-François Rauzier's art photography. It is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 8pm, and Sunday 11.30am to 7pm (free entrance).
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At the Raffles Hotel Singapore: Inside the Lobby and a Courtyard Suite
Walk right into the multi-story, Victorian era lobby of the Raffles Singapore and you won't get very far. There's a "residents only" velvet rope reminder, though that doesn't halt half the curious travelers who wander in to either hit up brunch in the Tiffin Room or just snap a photo to say, "I was here."
To be honest, we immediately fell into the same awe from the moment we scratched our name into the heavy registration book at reception. To really be at the Raffles—it's an experience from another time, as anyone will say. However, being actual "residents," we just as quickly snapped into eagle-eyed guest mode. Sure, the Raffles is pretty but is it functional too?
