Toronto, Canada, hotel features a new kind of art using sexy male athletes

by Jessica Festa on

While you can usually expect a nice landscape painting or maybe even a piece from a well-known abstract artist on your hotel room walls, the Hôtel Le Germaine Maple Leaf Square in Toronto, Canada, puts a new spin on hotel art by featuring sexy portraits of athletic male bodies in the rooms.

Because the hotel is part of the Air Canada Centre, Canada’s premier sports and entertainment venue, the company knew it wanted to have sports images in the rooms of players doing the things they usually do. The trick was combining the elegant and refined ambiance of the hotel with the rougher side of sports.

Matthew Plexman, the photographer behind the project, explains, “The idea was, because it’s a sports complex, to bring some sports figures into this, and not necessarily showing faces but to focus on their bodies. Kind of the engine under the hood, so to speak.”

That’s great for the ladies, but what about for the men? Apparently, the blinds on the shower open from the outside of the bathroom.

For a look at how the photo shoot went, check out this video:


Luxury Vacation Guide 2012: Istanbul

by Meg Nesterov on

Travel like a modern sultan with design-conscious hotels, bespoke shopping, and high-end dining at the crossroads of two continents: Istanbul, Turkey.

In 2010, Istanbul made headlines in every travel magazine and newspaper as it was home to one of the European Capitals of Culture. The influx of cash and visitors meant dozens of new hotels, art galleries, museums, and world-class restaurants. As many European countries’ economies have seen trouble in the last year, the Turkish Tiger is booming. Visitors today can relive the glory days of travel in the restored Pera Palace Hotel, built for the Orient Express passengers, or luxuriate in modern style with a water view at the House Hotel Bosphorus. Marvel at the jewel-encrusted treasures at Topkapı Palace and pick up something for your own royal residence at Paşabahçe, where home goods run from a few lira for a çay glass to thousands for a mosaic-tiled Ottoman-inspired vase; or invest in artisanal, limited-edition jewelry and textiles at Armaggan. Sample Turkish classics with a modern twist at Lokanta Maya for shared mezes or at the Michelin-standard Mimolett restaurant and wine boutique. If you haven’t put on too much weight from all the fantastic food, you can commission a bespoke suit, leather jacket, or customized pair of shoes at the Grand Bazaar or on the back streets of Nişantaşı, Istanbul’s fashion district. While no longer a budget travel destination, Istanbul has something to offer every taste, from an elaborate dinner aboard a private yacht to the simple (and cheap) pleasure of a ferry ride between continents.

[flickr image via Witt Istanbul Suites]

Uniquely designed luxury hotel and office complex in China resembles ocean waves

by Jessica Festa on

It’s truly amazing what architects can do nowadays in terms of innovative design, and the Hangzhou Waves, a new luxury hotel and office complex proposed in China, is a perfect example of this. While the structure is a 5 star accommodation, it is also a work of art, as it actually resembles the natural waves of the ocean.

Hangzhou Waves is a project of JDS Architects, a firm known for its unique approach to design and architecture. In fact, it says right on their website that their approach is “affirmatively social in its outcome, enthusiastic in its ambition and professional in its process. At the core of our architecture is the ability to take a fresh look at design issues through experienced eyes”.

The technique used to create the hotel and office space was to use ascending and descending cubes to create the two buildings, which mirror each from a back-to-back point of view. And just like the ocean, the building plays host to plots of lush plant life.

For a better idea of the project, check out the gallery below.

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Hotel Missoni to add Mauritius location in 2014

by McLean Robbins on
Hotel Missoni, the luxury lifestyle brand of the Rezidor Hotel Group, is set to open in Mauritius, marking the 66th country in which Residor is present.
Rezidor Hotel Group, parent company to Hotel Missoni, has this week announced the addition of what is to be the brand’s sixth’s hotel, Hotel Missoni Mauritius, scheduled to open in 2014. The hotel will join already-open locations in Edinburgh, Kuwait and soon-to-open hotels in Jebel Sifah, Oman (2013), Antalya, Turkey (2014) and Ihla de Cajaiba, Brazil (2014). Ironically, the brand does not have any hotels in Italy.

The hotel, a “bold, contemporary” luxury boutique hotel that draws its name from the famed Italian designer, will boast 80 luxury suites with unobstructed views of the ocean, Hotel Missoni’s signature restaurant “Cucina” with an authentic seasonal Italian menu; “Choco Café”, a further all day dining restaurant, a lounge bar and a beach/pool bar. Leisure facilities will include a 650 meter sandy beach, outdoor pools, a fitness area including gym and tennis court, a kids club and a 900 square meter spa.

“Combining Missoni’s iconic design with the local culture influenced by Europe, Africa and Asia, the hotel will be truly unique in Mauritius”, said Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of Rezidor.
“Having been passionate about Mauritius, an island of beauty and charm, its colourful culture and its wonderful population for over 30 years now, I am delighted to partner with Rezidor to bring a new kind of luxury hotel in Mauritius under the prestigious Missoni brand, which will surely be a great success and a new flagship premium quality hotel of the tourism industry in Mauritius”, added Gilles Bouigue, Executive Chairman of Bouigue Développement, owner of the property.
Each suite of the new hotel will feature Missoni’s signature patterns and fabrics, and will have a large covered outdoor living area, known in Mauritius as a “Varangue”.
The number of tourist arrivals to the island nation continues to grow, reaching nearly one million in 2010. The government plans to further increase arrivals (a new airport terminal is currently under construction, and new airlines and routes are under negotiation) and to focus on high quality tourism products such as 4- and 5-star hotels.

Cambodia’s Hôtel de la Paix tree made of 3,200 white feathers

by McLean Robbins on




Implementing a massive symbol of both peace and sustainability takes time. Ten days, in fact. Cambodia‘s Hôtel de la Paix (The Hotel of Peace), a luxury boutique hotel dedicated to community sustainability in Siem Reap, Cambodia, is currently displaying an eco-conscious Christmas tree composed of 3,200 white feathers hung on individual wires from the ceiling in the hotel’s lobby. More than 3 million people have seen this creation on Facebook and the hotel has recently launched a video explaining the engineering behind this technical feat.

Since 2008, the hotel has created unique holiday trees to bring joy to the community. At each year’s unveiling, the hotel makes a donation to its community partner of choice, this year, the
The Green Gecko Project.

Of course, if you could use a little luxe in your life, the hotel earned Gold List status as Conde Nast Traveller UK’s 2011 Best Hotel for Ambiance and Design.

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