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Wall Street may be in turmoil, but stylish Scottsdale -- never short on lux -- is spending money on itself like nobody’s business. The upgrade? A new $3.5 billion development project that’s given the city a royal flush of new eateries, bars, hotels and boutiques and spiffed up the surrounding area (not that it was ever unkempt) in ways the founding townsfolk of this former sheep-herding town would never have imagined.
Additions include a new W Hotel (with Sushi Roko and Bliss Spa), an extensive $325 million Spanish-themed Intercontinental Montelucia Hotel (still under construction), a new full moon holistic program at Boulders Resort’s Golden Door Spa and 13 new multi-million dollar private rentable villas run by Bella Palazzo. Big budgeted rehabs are in season too. An exhaustive $17.5 million rehab of the Four Seasons Troon North, a bright new bar/lounge (Edge) at the Sanctuary Camelback, a $50 million overhaul of Camelback Inn (including a new BLT Steak to come in recent months), and fancy new renovated suites at the Phoenician and Royal Palms have been added to the fray.
But the upgrades aren’t limited to places requiring checking in and out. Development has finally moved beyond the tourist path with the Southbridge and Scottsdale Waterfront development projects, two big budgeted concepts of note that have made the resort-stuffed town a bit more resident friendly. The latter project, costing $250 million, has brought women’s boutiques like Estilo, and a handful of higher-end chains stores (think Sur Le Table) to a formerly derelict stretch along the ancient Arizona irrigation canal. The $41 million Southbridge project, headed by developer Fred Unger, is located along the south bank of the canal, and marked by a slew of new chic casual eateries like Foodbar, Estate House, and Digestif (run by Peter Kasperski of Cowboy Ciao and Kazimierz World Wine Bar fame). Another newcomer, Canal, has added fashion shows to their weekend brunches, making them a guaranteed hit among the golfers’ daughters and wives.
I personally recommend dropping your bags off at the Four Seasons Troon North (like I did on a recent visit), on the outskirts of town in a pristine 4,000-acre desert preserve. Unlike some of the area’s theme-y resorts, the 210 refurbished casitas -- led by Dallas-based Paul Duesing Partners -- blend seamlessly into the desert.
Have the concierge arrange a guided hike with local guide partner Arizona Outback Adventures, run by Seth Heald, a dashing but soft-spoken herpetologist, and his equally charming team of guides, all eager to show you the beauty of the desert on a customized hike. Look for desert hares, sororo cacti and vermillion palo verde trees along your trek. The tranquil property has also recently added a lovely open-air restaurant, Talavara, where guests are offered spectacular views of the city while dining on Chef Mel Mecina’s soft pumpkin soufflés, juicy buffalo tenderloins and fresh heirloom tomatoes topped with Burrata cheese, all under a circling swirl of mysterious ghost-white nighthawks who nest in the cliffs nearby. And not to worry if the recent economic woes have hit you hard. Troon is one of the chain’s most affordable Four Seasons properties, at $349/night, plus a “third night free special” running through the autumn, which is cheap enough to put a smile on even the most forlorn Wall Street trader’s face.
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It had been a remarkable rise to culinary distinction for Le Cinq when, in 2003, it captured its third Michelin star in just three years of operation. Under chef Philip Legendre, the restaurant, located in Paris's historic Four Seasons George V hotel, delivered impossibly refined, modern classics like the black Périgord truffle tart, and wood-smoked lobster with chestnuts.
Then, in February 2007, Le Cinq lost its third star. Fourteen months later, Legendre threw in his toque there too. Suddenly, the restaurant that had so quickly shot up the ranks was in need of fresh talent.
Enter new executive chef Eric Briffard, who may be the catalyst for Le Cinq's renaissance. Having earned two stars each at his last two engagements -- the Plaza Athénée's Régence and Hôtel Vernet's Elysées -- Briffard now faces the challenge of recovering Le Cinq's third star.
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of staying in Paris at the George V, and made a reservation for dinner to see Briffard in action. It was lucky timing. My Gourmet Tasting Menu (210 euros, not including drinks) straddled new and old, with Briffard debuts alongside Legendre standbys.
Cultivated under the peerless Joël Robuchon at Paris's Jamin, Briffard's technical prowess was no surprise. Take his answer to Legendre's lobster, served in two dishes side-by-side. The first was an exercise in restraint, with tender claw-meat in a delicately herbed broth of natural juices that resonated with deep, briny notes. The second, in contrast, was a more intricate pairing of lobster tail with brousse cheese gnocchi and vanilla-scented fennel. Other sophisticated combinations popped up elsewhere in the meal: seaweed flavored Breton butter, chilled sheep's milk yogurt brightened with olive oil.
Service was prompt, personal and genuinely warm -- a Four Seasons signature perfected here by the George V staff.
Briffard (pictured right) premieres his first full menu this fall, providing an exciting opportunity to witness his vision for a renewed Le Cinq. If waiting for Michelin's 2009 ratings has you drumming the table in anticipation, book a meal on your next Paris trip and judge for yourself whether Le Cinq's star is once again on the rise.
Le Cinq
Four Seasons Hotel George V
31 Avenue George V
75008 Paris, France
+33 (0) 1 49 52 70 00
A few blocks off the bustling pedestrian thoroughfare of Karl Johans Gate, in the heart of central Oslo, lies the city's newest luxury hotel -- albeit one with a decidedly different flavor than the traditional (and traditionalist) high-end standard bearers, The Grand and The Continental. 
The most recently added member of the international Design Hotels consortium, the Grims Grenka - which opened in March -- is unabashedly modern, with a stark, art-gallery sensibility that hits guests from the minute they step inside the lobby. With 66 sleekly-designed rooms on six floors, the Grims Grenka bills itself as Norway's "most fashionable hotel," and everything certainly has a patina of cool, with the characteristic Scandinavian twists (think Jensen beds, frosted glass bathroom walls and waterfall shower heads) and slick touches like mirrored walls.
Several categories of rooms and suites offer varying degrees of size and amenities. "Summer" and "Winter" rooms are decorated in subtle shades of green and wintry white, respectively, while larger Garden Suites feature a throne of a bathtub situated on an elevated platform in the main room itself amidst a small, lush indoor garden setting. Among the amenities are the (now obligatory) flat-screen TVs, wireless Internet, and iPod docking stations. Egyptian cotton linens and an incredibly comfortable mattress make it easy to stay in your room and sleep in, though when you're ready to venture outside, the Grims Grenka's smiling, exceedingly friendly staff members are (like most Oslovians) happy to offer suggestions on the best places to eat, drink or hang out.
Be sure to take advantage of the buffet breakfast offered each morning. Smoked Norwegian salmon, herring and an assortment of cereals, breads and pastries provided enough fuel to get me through tours of Akershus Castle, the Royal Palace and the major museums -- all of which are within walking distance from the hotel.
Rounding out the property are the Asian-fusion restaurant MADU and adjacent nightspot, Ghost Lounge, as well as the rooftop Q Lounge (pictured), for those rare balmy Oslo summer nights, all of which are sure to draw after-work patrons from the neighborhood's design firms and galleries. Fitness facilities and an urban spa will be available later this year.
Grims Grenka
Kongens gate 5
NO-0153 Oslo
Tel: +47 23 10 72 00
reservations@grimsgrenka.no
While other visitors are trekking the tourist-lined Inka Trail this summer, those in search of the truly untrammeled Peru should take advantage of last minute specials at the private eco-boutique Inkaterra Urubamba Villas, tucked into the mountain hamlet of Higuspucro in the Sacred Valley.
The oft-overlooked spot is an ideal Andean headquarters for exploring the area's rich collection of historical sites and Inca ruins, which are enough to keep you busy for a week or two. But you'll also want to check out the area's Quechua-speaking villages, like the charming walled colonial-Inca town of Ollantaytambo. Visitors can stock up on chichi morada (blue corn beer) and fragrant banana-leaf stuffed tamales at nearby Pisac's Sunday food market, or browse the vendors' stands for baby alpaca wares at Chinchero's excellent handicraft market.
The spacious Andean-style villas at Urubamba are regional highlights themselves. Each of the five deluxe casitas is named after its respective female caretaker (choices include the Villa Sonia or Villa Berta), and comes with wood-stocked fireplaces and 24/7 maid service, which includes tea, laundry and breakfasts like home-cooked quinoa hotcakes and eggs, which were ideal on chilly pre-hike mornings. The homey but stylish interiors are decorated with local tapestries, crafts and antiques, and offer breathtaking views of a surrounding stream-flanked garden, back-dropped by area's surrounding arid mountains.
The villas are expertly managed by an English-speaking concierge team that happily arranges excursions to the above-mentioned places. But be forewarned: the property is so comfy and cozy, you'll be tempted to ditch the activities and stay home in front of a crackling fire with a bottle of Tacama Brut (an excellent Peruvian sparkling wine), or at the very least spend your evenings gazing at Urabumba's unparalleled nighttime stars...which is, after all, how evenings should be spent in August.
800-442-5042
Caserio Higuspucro KM 7, Urubamba - Valle Sagrado de los Incas
Dept. of Cusco, Peru
Trump International Hotel & Tower New York invited Town & Country Travel to the kitchen of its famed Jean Georges restaurant last week for a preview of the ultimate experience in cooking courses: a $9,000 private master class with Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
While showing us how to whip up dishes of charred-corn ravioli and lobster scented with mace (see the video below), Vongerichten -- who was in a fine mood following the four-star review of his new noodle restaurant, Matsugen, in the Daily News -- explained that the class was a response to ongoing requests from guests. Diners have been clamoring for more face time with the chef, and advice on recreating the dishes available at his restaurants, which include the Michelin three-star Jean Georges, JoJo, Vong, Spice Market and Perry Street.
The Jean Georges Master Class, designed for two to four people, takes participants behind the culinary curtain to learn the techniques and secrets of Vongerichten's vibrant cuisine, which favors the intense flavors and textures created from vegetable juices and fruit essences over the traditional use of meat stocks.
Along with the demonstration, guests receive Thursday through Sunday accommodations in an executive park view suite, daily breakfasts for two at Nougatine, dinner and Champagne at Jean Georges, and finally, a signed copy of the multi-faceted master's newest cookbook, Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges (Broadway Books; $40). For more information on booking a class, visit trumpintl.com.
When I met Paul Zuest, managing director of the Chatham Bars Inn,
in New York last month, he was going on about the virtues of his newly
renovated resort at the elbow of Cape Cod, especially about its spa and
its fine-dining options.
"You can have all the best dishes from the restaurants of Europe," he
said in his German-accented English (Zuest hails from Switzerland). He
paused. "Of course, you can also order a lobster roll," he said, with a smile, quite bemused at this New England phenomenon that has not extended beyond our shores.
He
needn't have worried that roll-lovers would be settling for less than
the best. Last week, under the blue-and-white-striped awning at the
inn's Beach House Grill,
I took on the $24 lobster roll -- "mound" is a better word for it, with
succulent pieces of meat falling out of a brioche bun. As I stared out
at the harbor seals congregating on a distant sandbar, trying to eat
this lunch with something resembling proper decorum, I couldn't help
but think that I was enjoying the ultimate Cape Cod luxury experience (complete with malt vinegar for the french fries)...
The Plaza, arguably New York's most storied hotel, has come to life once again. In bits and pieces this past spring and summer, the wraps have been taken off the renovated property, which is being operated as a small hotel within what is now a white-glove luxury condo building.
If you'd like an excuse to drop in to see the transformation, I suggest you treat yourself to the hotel's afternoon tea. (Image, right, by Ellen Easton.) Fans of this civilized ritual (whatever you do, do not call it high tea, which will immediately brand you as a rube) will be thrilled by the diverse selection of loose-leaf varieties to sample from Kenya, Malawi, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Japan, among other nations.
Presented in the hotel's heart -- the opulent, domed Palm Court -- the tea is poured from gorgeous teapots as you sit back in one of the room's comfortable and conducive-to-privacy high-back chairs. There are two ordering options from which to choose: $60 for a plentiful menu of sandwiches (like English cucumber with diced mint and peekytoe crab salad), savories and pastries and sweets, or $80 for the same menu, but with sevruga caviar. Champagne and sherry also are available.
The light from the translucent ceiling above is artificial, but you'd be forgiven for not realizing it. The hue changes during the day to reflect the appropriate color of sunshine outside. By the time you've finished your treats (and the attentive staff will be sure to send you home with anything you can't finish), you'll be bathed in a pinkish glow -- the Plaza's homage to a New York sunset. Fortunately, there's no reason to expect the sun to go down on this glorious tea ritual anytime soon. Served from two in the afternoon to five o'clock.
The Plaza Hotel
Fifth Avenue and Central Park South
New York, NY 10019
212-759-3000
"We don't have Vegas envy," says Jeffrey Vasser, executive
director of the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority. You
can excuse Vasser for being a bit defensive. For years, Las Vegas has
been recasting itself as an all-around tourist destination -- luxe
hotels, top restaurants, high-end shops, art galleries -- that just
happens to have casino gambling, and it has done so to great success.
(In what is surely a pitchman's wildest dream, Hollywood even took the
tagline of the infamous What Happens in Vegas campaign and slapped it on a Cameron Diaz movie.)
During most of this time, Atlantic City was relegated to the realm of
the day-tripping slot-machine junkie and not much else.
But
all that is changing. As gambling in its various forms spreads across
the country like kudzu, its novelty is wearing off, and even those
casino-seeking day-trippers from New York and Philadelphia don't have
as much reason to make the trek to the Jersey Shore anymore. So the
city is aiming for another market altogether: the upscale traveler. At
Atlantic City's newest hotels, you may be shocked -- shocked! -- to
discover that gambling isn't going on here...
Read Day 1: Colony Palms Hotel
Read Day 2: JW Marriott Desert Springs
It's a relief to check out of the giant Marriott mega-resort and slide into a tranquil, service-forward property like Miramonte Resort and Spa in nearby Indian Wells (pool area pictured, right). Refurbished completely in 2005, the $10 million rehab simplified the main courtyard pool area and upgraded the rooms with marble tubs, double vanities, and giant beds with overstuffed comforters that, truthfully, seemed a tad out of place in the desert. Nevertheless, the property now has a AAA Four Diamond Award, a Conde Nast Johansen's recommendation and a new 12,000 square foot spa ranked one of North America's 10 Best Resort Spas in 2008 by Conde Nast, though it was much smaller and a less-relaxing experience than the JW Marriott Spa.
When we pulled into the property's driveway, the valet addressed me by name. "Mr. Graham?" he asked, opening my car door and offering to help with the bags -- something the other properties neglected to do. From that point on during my stay I was addressed by name by everyone on the meticulously gracious staff.
We checked into the spacious Presidential Suite, a 1,038 square foot unit on the second floor, overlooking terracotta tiled roofs and the pool's new rentable cabanas. The rooms were designed by Robertson Group in Los Angeles and furnishings were by turns Tuscan and corporate -- leather dining chairs, large dark wood credenzas and maroon overstuffed couches. Still, the two-bathroom suite came stocked with Sicilian red orange Tarocco products, free wifi, and were spacious and comfortable enough for a small family or couple that needs a lot of breathing room. The room's best feature was the Venetian-style balcony, with expansive views of a courtyard planted with olive trees, and citrus groves trailing off to the dusky Santa Rosa Mountains.
Unlike some of the resorts we visited, there was a good chair-to-guest ratio poolside. There is no "it factor" here, meaning crowds tend to be on the 40-something side. It's a tranquil, no-pressure spot to get some sun. On one side of the pool sat a young French family drinking blueberry smoothies under the cabanas with their toddler daughter; on the other side, a foursome of middle-aged couples from Los Angeles casually dangled their legs in the pool and munched on cool crisp Caesar salads ($10) from the affordable menu's uber-healthy selection of snacks. The Miramonte, it turns out, is best experienced poolside.
Miramonte Resort & Spa
45000 Indian Wells Lane
Indian Wells, Calif. 92210
760-341-2200
The federal government -- not usually known as purveyors of upscale lodging -- may be entering negotiations to open a hotel on Alcatraz Island, site of the infamous prison that emerges from the fog every so often in San Francisco Bay.
The National Park Service administers the island, and the potential
accommodations could wind up being of the same variety as those found
at the renowned (and lovely) Ahwahnee in California's Yosemite National Park.
In
one plan on the table, hotel rooms would be carved out of former
guards' quarters, not the actual cellblocks. But any development on "the Rock" is at least two years
away, and most likely longer.
(Photo from the San Francisco Chronicle/Frederic Larson)
"Prison luxe" is not without precedent...
If your kids are clamoring for Universal Studios, but you are yearning for a calmer summer vacation, the Portofino Bay Hotel in Orlando gives the overworked phrase "fun for the whole family" actual meaning.
It's not so easy to seamlessly integrate relaxation for grown-ups with kid-friendly amenities, but the hotel -- which aims to recreate the seaside village of Portofino, Italy -- manages to pull it off in their six new two-bedroom Dr. Seuss suites (trying saying that five times fast).
The children's rooms (pictured after the jump) are playfully decorated with Horton and other characters from the beloved books, while the parents' portions of the suites are all tasteful European style and elegance. As an added security detail, children do not have their own exit -- so mom and dad can sleep soundly knowing the little ones won't escape into the hallways.
A reservation at the Portofino also means VIP status at Universal Studios Orlando...
(Image from K2 Printables)
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After checking out of the Colony Palms, we made our way to Palm Desert, just a 15 minute drive from Palm Springs, to investigate the JW Marriott Desert Springs, a Mobil 4-star rated resort, ranked one of the country's Best Golf Resorts by Conde Nast Traveler in 2008.
I checked into the 436-acre mega-resort with reservations (of the emotional variety). Though the Marriott brand doesn't usually conjure up images of exclusivity or luxury, this is one of the chain's flagship properties with a fresh $30 million redo by nine-time Hermes Award winner and design firm extraordinaire WATG...
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While in San Diego recently to run that city's marathon, I had the pleasure of staying at the swank Grand Del Mar, a brand-new hotel located in the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Reserve, twenty
minutes north of downtown. The property was developed at a cost of $270
million (more than $1 million per room), making it one of the priciest
California hotels ever erected.
That staggering investment is evident in every nook of the hotel, from the detailing to the doorknobs...
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