HOTELS’ Luxury Collection: Great Suites and Baths

By Karyn Strauss, Associate Editor -- HOTELS Magazine, 8/1/2005

As hotel design turns more residential

to reflect what guests have in their homes, luxury hotels

must take that idea one step further to create aspirational

accommodations to wow even the most discerning travelers.

Luxury today must cross all touch points—from scenery

to service. And as this year’s great suites and

bathrooms illustrate, standout accommodations successfully

blend spacious design with the finest furnishings and

amenities, state-of-the-art technology and 24-hour

personalized attention to create an oasis of indulgence.

Whether in a city center hotel or a lush

beach resort, all the suites and bathrooms presented here

redefine the notion of “a room with a view.” Take, for

instance, the floor-to-ceiling bay windows at the newly

renovated presidential suites at the Four Seasons New

York, which make guests feel as if they are floating

high above the bustling city streets. Or head to Thailand

where nearly every view from the open-style villas at

the new Sila

Evason Hideaway & Spa at Samui looks out toward the

surrounding sea and outlying islands.

In HOTELS’ Luxury Collection, the following pages

offer a glimpse inside some of the newest suites and

baths creating a blissful escape from the

ordinary.

Hotel Cipriani,

Venice

Luxury knows no boundaries at Hotel

Cipriani with the debut of the Dogaressa Suite,

named after the First Lady of the Republic of Venice.

Located on the Piano Nobile of Palazzo Vendramin, the

elegant sitting room of the suite is decorated with

original Coromandel screens, Chinese lamps, Fortuny

and Rubelli silk fabrics and floor-to-ceiling gothic

windows overlooking St. Mark’s Square. An airy

bedroom overlooks peaceful gardens, while a spacious

corridor leads to a pink marble bathroom.

Sila

Evason Hideaway & Spa at

Samui Koh Samui, Thailand

Set among 20 acres (8 ha) of lush

palm trees on a “gently

sloping headland,” this new 66-villa Thai resort

features uninterrupted views of the surrounding seascape.

The thatched-roof accommodations include split-level

layouts, floor-to-ceiling

windows, polished hardwoods, bamboo and lots of white

muslin to create a light and airy ambience. The bathrooms

are fitted with generously oversized soaking tubs,

walls that retract to let in the ocean air and

outdoor showers. All villas feature sundecks with private,

shaded lanai area and most also feature their own private,

infinity-edge pools with personal pool butlers.

Halekulani Resort,

Waikiki, Hawaii

Famed fashion and wedding dress designer Vera Wang

recently opened her namesake suite at this posh Hawaiian

resort. The

honeymoon-perfect, one-bedroom suite

features 2,135 sq. ft. (198 sq. m) of interior space,

plus a 642-sq. ft. (60-sq. m) oceanside lanai providing

uninterrupted views of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head.

The look is tropical chic with a color palette that

reflects sun, sand and sea. The art and

furniture were collected from around the world, including

a Chinese desk and chair set from the 19th-century

Qing Dynasty. The bathroom features an electronically

opening toilet lid and heated seat. A sliding panel

by the whirlpool bath opens to yet another view of

Diamond Head. The suite is adorned with various accent

pieces from Wang’s new home collection. The DVD

library even contains some of her favorite movies.

Four Seasons

New York,

New York City

After a three-and-a-half-year remodeling program, two

new I.M. Pei-designed presidential suites were recently

unveiled at this landmark hotel. Pei began by replacing

conventional

windows with floor-to-ceiling bay windows—with a

center pane of an uninterrupted

10-foot (3-m) expanse of glass. Outside, he transformed

the

balconies to the corners of the building to present

diagonal views of the city.

Each suite has its own décor style. Suite 5101

suggests an opulent, masculine library with oversized

leather club chairs and walls with embossed leather panels.

Suite 5102, known as “the living room,” features

cream-colored credenzas, and customized game tables

and chairs set around a baby grand piano. Every surface

is luxurious, from the rare Chios marble to the 2-inch

(5-cm) thick carpet.

Conrad

Bali Resort & Spa,

Bali, Indonesia

Situated on nearly 7 acres (3 ha) of tropical gardens,

lagoons, waterfalls and white sand is the latest resort

by Hilton’s luxury brand, Conrad. The 313-room resort

features contemporary décor with a bright color

palette, Balinese artwork and numerous Indonesian accent

pieces as well as state-of-the-art technology. The

4,100-sq. ft. (381-sq. m) presidential suite includes

butler service as well as a three large sundecks with

outdoor plunge pool.

Bulgari Hotel Milan

The first hotel by the chic fashion label is as sleek

and aesthetically pleasing as its luxury goods. The

hotel’s contemporary style is brought to life

via a muted color palette, black Zimbabwe marble,

solid teak, durmast and oak, as well as the latest high-tech

offerings and Italian furnishings. Despite its trendy

appeal, the hotel aims to be an urban oasis from

city life. The 58-room property features a 43,000-sq.

ft. (4,000-sq. m) private garden adjacent to the Botanical

Gardens. The deep soaking tubs look out into these

gardens for the ultimate in relaxation.

Grand Hyatt Taipei,

Taipei, Taiwan

Acclaimed designer Tony Chi has created a new collection

of suites with the luxury business traveler in mind.

With the goal of creating a calming haven away from the

busy workday, the residential-style suites feature streamlined

design that is modern but not trendy. According to

Chi, the open-space design “gives a feeling of freedom

and comfort.” Even the heights of the desks and

chairs are lowered to provide a broader visual impact.

Muted tones and richly textured fabrics create an elegant

ambience. Large walk-in bathrooms with deep soaking

tubs are surrounded by mirrors, adding to the spacious

feel.

SKYLOFTS at MGM Grand Las Vegas

Adding a bit of sophisticated glamour to the Las Vegas

Strip are the new bi-level SKYLOFTS at the MGM Grand.

The one-, two- and three-bedroom suites

feature 24-ft. (7-m) floor-to-ceiling

windows providing panoramic views of the famous skyline

and surrounding mountains. In addition to the views,

another standout feature is the bathroom, featuring

decadent shower, steam room and infinity-edge tub with

a “champagne

bubbles” massage function. The experience is all

about personalization—from remote control access

to operate the TV, DVD, radio, draperies, temperature

and lighting, to a customized music program allowing

guests to choose their preferred genre. A personal

butler caters to each SKYLOFT guest.