Hyatt continues global expansion of Andaz hotels

by Melanie Nayer on

Hyatt’s boutique brand, Andaz, is climbing its way up the hotel chain and making an impact on travelers. The response to Andaz has been bountiful, so much so that Hyatt announced today the company will add three new Andaz properties in Sanya Sunny Bay, China; Delhi, India; and Providenciales, Turks and Caicos.

Andaz, which has only been operating for three years, is Hyatt’s new hotel concept that caters to the urban professional seeking a more trendy experience without luxury prices. The new international properties will join Andaz Liverpool Street, London, Andaz West Hollywood, Andaz Wall Street and Andaz San Diego, the soon-to-be-opened Andaz 5th Avenue New York; Andaz Austin, Texas; Andaz Amsterdam; and Andaz Papagayo, Costa Rica.

The 183-room Andaz Sanya Sunny Bay will be the first Andaz property to feature a resort community. It’s located on the southern oceanside of China’s Hainan Island, and will stand next to the 196-room Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay and branded villas. Andaz Sanya Sunny Bay will offer five restaurants, as well as a 2,500-square-foot ballroom and three meeting rooms. The hotel will share a variety of amenities with Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay, including a Spa Village featuring an outdoor swimming pool, beach club, fitness center, extensive spa facilities and treatment rooms, as well as a restaurant, tea house, and bakery.Andaz Delhi is scheduled to open its 323-rooms and 118 Andaz-branded apartments in 2013. The hotel will feature a variety of amenities including a lounge, theme bar, two restaurants, spa, and fitness center. Additionally, the property will offer a 7,000-square-foot ballroom and seven meeting rooms. This will be Andaz’s first project in India.

The last of the three new properties, the 170-room Andaz Turks and Caicos, will open in 2014 and will include approximately 76 Andaz-branded condominium residences and three villas which owners can choose to place into an Andaz-managed rental program. The hotel will feature a variety of amenities including several restaurants, an outdoor pool, spa and fitness center. Additionally, the property will offer several options for events and meetings, including five Andaz Studios, two trellised courtyards, an event gallery, and a studio display kitchen. The hotel, which will be developed by the Cloisters Group, will be located approximately 15 minutes by car from Providenciales International Airport.

Abercrombie & Kent: Five cinema-cations around the world

by Tom Johansmeyer on

You may not have that look that Hollywood craves, but you still want to get close to the action, right? You want to touch the greatness that comes with being splashed across screens from coast to coast. Thanks to the latest concept from luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent, you don’t need talent. The latest “cinema-cation” packages send you to the locations where some of the hottest movies of the last year or so have been shot. There are enough options that you’ll definitely find something to match your personal style.

1. Sex and the City 2
After seeing this movie opening night on May 27, 2010, dash off to Morocco. A&K Group Managing Director George Morgan-Grenville was actually over there while movie was being filmed at the Amanjena Hotel and in the Djema el-Fna Square souks. The interiors and pool scenes, he says, were shot at the soon-to-open Mandarin Oriental Jnan Rahma and Palmeraie over in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Suggests Morgan Grenvile: “Take a camel ride at sunset and spend the night under the stars in a Bedouin-style tented camp surrounded by the largest sand dunes in the world.”

2. Eat , Pray, Love
Before going to see Eat, Pray, Love on August 13, 2010, check out the treasures of Northern India with this A&K Journey for Women. You’ll take apersonal journey with A&K guide Shagun Mohan, who says, “We spend time with local women at a bead-making workshop in the holy city of Varanasi, witness a spiritual Aarti ceremony on the Ganges at night, see the Taj Mahal at both sunrise and sunset, and visit Khajuraho’s Hindu temples. This kind of journey is a life-changing experience for almost anyone.” 3. Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallow Part 1
Families can get a feel for Harry Potter‘s Great Britain ahead of the November 19, 2010 opening with the A&K Tailor Made Magical Great Britain package. According to Duncan Hambidge of A&K Europe, who has visited may Harry Potter film spots with his family, “One highlight for children is the Great Hall at Oxford University, Hogwart’s Dining Room. Another favorite is crossing the dramatic Glenfinnian Viaduct in the Western Highlands aboard The Royal Scotsman, the route taken by the Hogwart’s Express train in the Chambers of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkaban and The Goblet of Fire.

4. The Hurt Locker
Last year’s Academy Award winner for Best Picture, The Hurt Locker captured the attention of audiences across the United States. A&K suggests following in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia if you’re looking for travel inspired by this movie. The A&K Extreme Adventures Jordan package is the way to go, led by Raed Omar Saleem.

Saleem’s been leading thrill-seeking visitors through Jordan since 1997 and recalls from a recent excursion, “In the middle of nowhere, we pitch our tents and gather around the campfire for dinner, recalling the hikes through ancient cities, the 4X4 treks and mountain climbs that brought us here. Without speaking of it, we all share the same sense of awe, the palpable sense that time passes through this desert yet barely seems to touch it. The moon-like landscape stretches to the mountains, bannered by multicolored striations in the rock. The smooth reddish sand is devoid of stones, and our camels’ toes rouse no dust as they thudded in their steady pace. There is no dust here in the valley of Wadi Rum, once a sea basin and later the place T.E. Lawrence found his calling. That is the beauty of the desert: it is nothing and everything.”

5. Creation: The True Story of Charles Darwin
Trace the history of life with the A&K Wonders of the Galapagos trip. Says A&K’s Ian Mackinnon, “The islands of the Galapagos offer an opportunity to interact with the natural world to a degree that’s virtually impossible anywhere else.”

He suggests, “Swim and snorkel with sea lions and turtles. Stroll past colonies of penguins and blue-footed boobies. Imagine yourself as Charles Darwin seeing a tortoise for the first time. Every island is unique; it’s no wonder Darwin was changed by his time there.”

I suggest: “Bring a creationist and ask constantly if he thinks dinosaurs walked the earth 5,000 years ago. Point and laugh.”

Daily Pampering: Seven chances to try a new job around the world

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Do you feel a bit confined by your gig? Sure, the cash is great, but you are held hostage by it. You can’t throw it all away and chase your low-paying dream. Well, now you have a chance to turn the paycheck that keeps you in the office 14 hours a day into the chance to try something new, even if only briefly. Cox & King is offering several packages designed to give you a once-in-a-lifetime shot at living your dream.

1. The Textile Expert
The “Textiles of India” tour takes you to some of the most famous weaving centers in the country, including Varanasi (known for Benarsi silk wedding sarees), Kanchipuram (zardozi embroidery work on Mysore silks) and Jaipur (handmade block printed cotton fabrics). This experience lasts 22 days and comes at a cost of $12,735 per person (based on double occupancy).

2. Painting Papyrus
With the “Splendors of Egypt” and “Discover Egypt” tours from Cox & King, you can satisfy your jones for Egyptology and learn to paint, draw and write under the tutelage of one of the masters. Participate in the rare and fine art that dates back thousands of years (trips start at $4,075).3. Fine Wine … in Lebanon?
The Phoenicians sold wine to Lebanon more than 4,000 years ago, and it’s believed that the Lebanese brought it to Spain and Italy. The fertile soil of the Bekaa Valley is the secret behind Lebanese wine, and you can get all the details on the “Lebanon & Syria: Empires Past” tour. Spend a day at Chateau Ksara, the oldest running winery in Lebanon, and learn the intricacies of the process of making Lebanese wine. This 15-night tour starts at $6,585.

4. South American Shutterbug
Click like crazy in Argentina on the Cox & King “A Photographic Journey: Buenos Aires & Northern Patagonia” tour. You’ll travel with Diego Ortiz Mugica, known as the Ansel Adams of Argentina, and pick up some tips and tricks, against the backdrop of the Argentinean culture. This unique opportunity is only available from November 6 – 13, 2010 and starts at $5,894.

5. Study Primates in the Wild
Startin Kigali, Rwanda on the “Gorillas in the Mist” tour, and you’ll climb into the world of gorillas. After a briefing, you’ll enter Parc National des Volcans, where you’ll enter their habitat and get great views of these massive creatures. The experience lasts four days and starts at $4,195.

6. Jewelry Craftsman
You could make jewelry in your living room … but wouldn’t be more interesting to try it in Mozambique? Go to Ibo Island, and experience classes with traditional silversmiths. You can even bring your old jewelry to melt down and use as a starting point (creating a bridge between old and new) or buy materials from the locals. This trip starts at only $1,585 a person.

7. The Origami Master
Put your fingers to work on an art form that dates back to the seventeenth century. You’ll learn to fold paper into amazing creations and gain an appreciation for the history behind origami on the “Treasures of Japan” tour, which starts at $12,525 per person.

For more Daily Pampering, click here.

India’s Kaziranga National Park has world’s highest tiger population

by Sean McLachlan on

Zoologists studying at Kaziranga National Park in Assam, India, have declared that it has the greatest density of tigers in the world–32.64 per 100 square kilometers, in fact. By way of comparison, Corbett Tiger Reserve, which is in the number two slot, has “only” 19.6 per 100 square kilometers.

Park officials say there’s such a healthy population because of the large amount of tasty wildlife such as deer and buffalo for the tigers to eat, as can be seen in this amazing slide show from the BBC. Less edible for tigers but equally interesting to visitors are the rare Indian Rhinos, of which two-thirds of the world’s population live in the park.

Kaziranga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular destination for safaris. Visitors can ride an elephant through forest and grassland in order to spot the diverse population of animals and birds.

It’s wise to remember that wildlife is truly wild. Back in April a Dutch tourist was trampled to death by a wild elephant at Kaziranga. The park also has large numbers of King Cobra, the longest venomous snake in the world. Acting with caution and listening to your guide will keep you safe from most dangers, however.

The Oberoi Mumbai reopens tomorrow

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Luxury digs are coming back to Mumbai. The Oberoi is set to reopen tomorrow, following a substantial renovation and restoration. The atrium lobby stretches 14 storeys high, features white Thassos marble and serves as the gateway to 287 guestrooms and suites. Ziya is the hotel’s new Indian specialty restaurant and offers the creations of Michelin-starred chef Vineet Bhatia. Other dining options include Fenix (world cuisine) and Vetro, which has Italian dishes. If you’re looking for wine, this is the place to go, with more than 1,200 bottles from which to choose.

Mr. P.R.S. Oberoi, Chairman, The Oberoi Group said, “We are pleased to re-open The Oberoi, Mumbai. We look forward to welcoming guests to the hotel which has been completely renovated to offer the highest standards of facilities as expected at all hotels of The Oberoi Group; this will be complemented by personalized and gracious service extended by our well-trained and dedicated staff.”

Now, be ready to write a big check. Rates start at $700 a night for a luxury room, but you’re worth it … right?