Celebrity Life
Lady Of The Lake: Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como
Located on the shores of one most Italy’s most picturesque stretches of water, Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como blends Italian and Asian elegance in a breathtaking historic location. We explore the property...
When George Clooney bought the historic Villa L’Oleandra on Lake Como in 2001, the area and its surroundings garnered renewed global attention. Pictures of Hollywood stars arriving on retro Riva speedboats to attend lavish parties cemented the reputation of the lakeside community and its shore as one of Europe’s most sought-after destinations.
The popularity and exclusivity of the area, however, date back to Roman times, when its green lakeshore was frequented by aristocrats and artists. Surrounded by impressive scenery and overlooking the distant Rhaetian Alps, it’s no surprise that more recently, many of the area’s sumptuous villas, mostly built between the 16th and 19th centuries, have been transformed into upscale hotels and holiday homes.
Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como
Housed in the 18th-century Villa Roccabruna, and surrounded by dreamlike botanical gardens, Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como is one of the latest additions to the area’s array of ultra-luxury hotels. Located in the village of Blevio, just five minutes by car from the centre of Como town, the property combines elegant buildings in exquisitely tended gardens with panoramic views across the lake, with hiking trails in close proximity.
When the Hong Kong-based group took over the property, locals greeted the news enthusiastically. In its previous life as CastaDiva Hotel, the resort’s interiors resembled the life and career of one of its original owners, celebrated Italian soprano Giuditta Pasta, with pompous furniture and details inspired by baroque architecture dominating the atmosphere. But when the extensively renovated property opened in the spring of 2019, it was clear that a breath of fresh air had come to the lake.
While celebrating and accentuating the original features of the historic building, famed designer Eric Egan and his studio focused on light and contemporary interiors and opened up the building to breathtaking lake views with imposing floor-to-ceiling windows.
Egan, who’s originally from Chicago but has worked and lived in Italy for years, gave the majestic property a new life by integrating nostalgic components from the Italian economic boom of the 1950s, as well as classic terrazzo floors, Murano glass and Asian touches.
Throughout the 21 guestrooms, 52 suites, two private villas and communal spaces of Villa Roccabruna, details such as paintings on Japanese cotton by Milan-based Japanese artist Shuhei Matsuyama, reproductions of antique Chinese screens and vintage Chinese wallpapers stylishly honour Mandarin Oriental’s heritage.
All these elements are in perfect harmony with the dramatic scenery of Lake Como and its longstanding reputation as a symbol of subtle elegance and exude a contemporary sensibility that reflects both Italy’s eclectic architectural history and the cosmopolitan evolution of the area as a global destination.
Nestled within an extensive garden, the accommodations, which consist of nine separate structures with Villa Roccabruna as the centrepiece, provide guests with plenty of peace and privacy. Some renovations of the private villas and suites were commissioned to different international architects, a choice that contributes to the hotel’s diverse range of offerings and experiences.
On the outside, not much has changed since Giuditta Pasta was singing, living and spending time at the villa with fellow intellectuals, including composer Gioacchino Rossini, the writer Alessandro Manzoni and the French novelist Stendhal. A stroll through the park, in fact, underlines the fact that the gardens and the building’s facade have been preserved for more than two centuries according to the neoclassical standards that characterise the area’s uninterrupted views.
New additions to the botanical park include a luxurious and highly photogenic floating swimming pool, the trendy Pool Bar and the one-Michelin-star restaurant L’Aria, housed in a lakefront building behind floor-to-ceiling windows. Once again, the contemporary design of these facilities coexists with traditional architectural features and natural elements, such as a 200-year-old Lebanese cedar tree.
As a quintessential feature of the group’s properties around the world, the hotel’s spa has already garnered Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como a spot on the global wellness map. Combining treatments inspired by the lake’s pristine waters with a blend of Asian therapies, the spa has been awarded World’s Best New Hotel Spa in 2020 and Italy’s Best Hotel Spa in 2021 respectively, by the World Spa Awards.
Whether it’s for a stay, a meal, a spa day or a sunset aperitivo, Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como is a must-visit spot for anyone exploring the Lombardy region. Much like its location, it’s already synonymous with impeccable taste and timeless elegance. Most importantly, it’s a symbol of the enduring efforts to preserve and elevate the aesthetic that makes Lake Como one of the most charming places in the world.
The post Lady Of The Lake: Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Stopover At Mandarin Oriental Geneva
Mandarin Oriental acquired a worldwide reputation in high-end hospitality since its first opening in Hong-Kong. With many iconic properties such as the ones I visited in Bangkok or Shanghai, this hotel chain proposes an opulent yet discreet luxury to its guests. There was no need for more to book Mandarin Oriental Geneva for my next stopover in the city. Affluent…
The post Stopover At Mandarin Oriental Geneva appeared first on The Luxe Insider.
Mandarin Oriental Opens New Luxury Urban Resort in Istanbul
How Hotels Are Revamping in a Time of Crisis
People may be travelling less — or not at all — but the hotel industry remains innovative, with several properties taking the opportunity to raise standards and revamp offerings aimed at both travellers and local clientele. We find out what's new at Hong Kong's old guard.
There are many instances when words in different languages don’t necessarily carry the same meaning and this is particularly true for the word “crisis”. In English, it means a period of intense difficulty but the Chinese characters – wei ji – translate as danger and opportunity. It’s a telling sign of this city’s mentality from all perspectives: consumers are still spending – now more so than ever – on fine dining, rare wines, unique experiences and staycations. New properties are still in the pipeline and, for the more established hotels, the time for an overhaul is now.
Walking into many local hotels today, you’d hardly suspect they’ve been impacted at all. People still queue
up for afternoon teas at lobby cafes; there are month-long waitlists for top hotel fine-dining restaurants and staycations are still very much sought after. We might be short on overseas travellers but there are so many of us here in the city who used to travel regularly and are now taking the opportunity to discover Hong Kong’s hospitality scene for ourselves. And what an exciting time to do so, with the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong and Island Shangri-La transforming themselves with newly renovated rooms and experiences, while the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong and the Upper House have gutted out dining rooms to bring us brand new food-and-beverage concepts.
The Four Seasons Hong Kong
The Four Seasons has just completed the second phase of its transformation, with newly renovated rooms and suites, and two new F&B concepts. The first major renovation project since the hotel opened in 2005, it was a momentous occasion.
To bring the vision to life, Four Seasons enlisted the help of two Hong Kong-based international design firms. AB Concept was in charge of creating a new lobby for the Four Seasons, as well as designing the new Gallery café and Argo bar, an exciting new offering helmed by Lorenzo Antinori. Remedios Studio took over the responsibility for overhauling the accommodation.
For Ed Ng, co-founder and principal of AB Concept, defining the vibe of a hotel starts from the entrance.
A bespoke set of nine pendant lights at the door brings a new warmth to the area. The seating area is also raised to better define the flow of the lobby. What really caught our eyes, however, is the new café Gallery, with its handmade floating crystal sculpture by Czech glassmakers Lasvit, providing diners with a sense of privacy without obstructing the view of the bustling lobby. “We saw this as an opportunity to create a new hub in the heart of the financial district of Hong Kong for both business and leisure meetings where guests can enjoy the lobby’s spaciousness and an abundance of daylight,” says Ng.
As for Argo, Ng says it was one of the toughest briefs he’s ever been given, as the space had to cater for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and happy hour, right through to nightcaps. AB Concept took a neo-classical approach with a conservatory concept, the highlight of which is the bar area, a structural column that extends to the ceiling, like a church organ, where the pipes would open up to reveal the rarefied spirits that are housed within.
“I always feel the backdrop wall of a bar needs to be a focal point,” explains Ng. “In its previous incarnation, the bar was situated at the far end against a wall, but I always thought that Victoria Harbour is the perfect backdrop, so we used a structural column in front of the large windows as a form to host the bar itself, with the stunning harbour view behind.”
According to Ng, the shift in hotel design post-pandemic is not so much a physical change but rather
a psychological one, as people move towards casual comfort, rather than white-glove luxury. “This pandemic has made it official, proving that formality doesn’t translate to a high standard of luxury or even productivity,” says Ng.
This vision of new luxury is shared by Peter Remedios of Remedios Studio, the firm behind the Four Seasons’ new rooms and suites. Remedios found himself particularly drawn to the design philosophy and silhouettes from the Ming Dynasty, calling that period “the highest form of furniture design in all of China”.
“As a designer, if you take a Ming piece and you try to simplify it, you’ll find that you probably can’t, without losing the character,” says Remedios. “It’s very pared down to the essence of what creates its look. And that’s actually my philosophy at Remedios Studio: how do you create something that captures just the essence, nothing superfluous? We don’t need to overdo the look. I think that’s how to achieve a timeless elegance.
In his redesign, Remedios felt strongly about embracing Chinese values as part of the design, though in a way that’s sophisticated and instinctive. “You don’t create a pastiche of something that looks Chinese, because that’s kind of silly,” says Remedios. “I don’t like the notion of Hong Kong being East meets West.”
Instead, Hong Kong was about old meets new, brand-new buildings next to heritage sites, a juxtaposition that Remedios has thoughtfully put into every room and suite. Traditional Chinese landscape paintings are incorporated into wardrobe doors, and patterns inspired by vernacular Chinese architecture are used on the alcove, with glassware and porcelain carefully placed on open shelving that mimics classic Ming furniture. The “new” comes in the form of contemporary designs like the chaise longue and the dining table in the living room, the bar that lights up like a beautiful jewellery display, and the tech – indispensable light controls, coffee machines and other things that make us feel at ease.
The Island Shangri-La
The Island Shangri-La too, is undergoing the second phase of its renovation project, which will see more room redesigns and an improved Horizon Club lounge. So far, the hotel has renovated three floors for its Horizon Club rooms and suites, comfortable and spacious rooms in neutral palettes that frame the views of the harbour. The new rooms are built with the needs of the modern-day traveller in mind and enhanced to provide a sense of space that can be adapted to guest needs, from elegant day beds to multi-functional in-room pantries and versatile desk tables that can serve as both for dining and as a meeting table.
Helming the rooms’ redesign is renowned French interior designer Tristan Auer, who has married understated style with old-world elegance, an aesthetic that’s always been a characteristic of the Island Shangri- La. It’s hard to miss the 16-storey-high landscape silk painting, Great Motherland of China, that dominates the atrium of the hotel. Said to be the largest silk painting in the world and a wonderful piece of heritage, the work is in full view for all staying guests.
Island Shangri-La’s beloved restaurants Petrus and Lobster Bar remain relatively untouched, however, spearheaded by the acclaimed Uwe Opocensky, who’s now executive chef for Shangri-La hotels. Along with Petrus’ head chef Romain Dupeyre, Opocensky has reinvented the French fine-dining restaurant’s classic dishes and given them all a refreshing and contemporary twist, while the restaurant space retains its ornate old-world charm.
The Upper House
Just a stone’s throw away from Island Shangri-La, the Upper House has gone for something else entirely. After 10 years of success with Café Gray Deluxe, the hotel closed down the space as part of its ongoing evolution and reopened with Salisterra, a Mediterranean-focused restaurant that highlights sustainable creations, utilising bold and bright vegetables, chargrilled meats and fish, and hand-made pasta, created by London-based chef Jun Tanaka and chef de cuisine Chris Czerwinski.
And instead of revamping its rooms, the hotel has redesigned a single suite only, renaming it the André Fu Suite in tribute to the original architect of the hotel and housing his latest collection of decor, homeware and tableware. The suite was designed as a space in which guests can be sociable and relax, and allows for private and more intimate events, which couldn’t have come at a better time than now. There’s a dining table that seats 18 and is serviced by the Salisterra team and a dedicated spa area with twin massage beds.
Done up in Fu’s signature palette of neutrals and mineral-blue tones, the room is a soothing oasis in which to rejuvenate or to entertain. Fu was inspired by Japanese Zen gardens, a theme that’s prominent in both the suite and his latest André Fu Living collection. In a previous interview, he told us that the juxtaposition of Art Deco patterns and Japanese Zen gardens is a cross-cultural aspect that he’s experimenting with at the moment.
Salisterra, however, is a bright and vivid evolution, bringing in rich colours of terracotta orange, mud burgundy, mineral blue, dusty turquoise and golden caramel. The design is mid-century and geometric, incorporating a large five-metre-high chandelier made with more than 80 glowing glass lanterns in the main room. One of our favourite areas is the bar lounge, nicknamed the “green room”, which brings in furnishings in high-gloss racing-green lacquer and vivid Pevla stone.
General manager Kristina Snaith-Lense says that the hotel is constantly refreshing and innovating its space
to enrich the guest experience. “The plan to create a new dining experience at Level 49 and the André Fu Suite had actually been in the pipeline for some time and weren’t a result of the pandemic,” she says.
The local clientele has always been an important segment for the boutique hotel, and working with homegrown brands and local ambassadors has long been part of the mission. “If anything, Covid-19 has reinforced the importance of those relationships with old and new friends,” says Snaith-Lense. The Upper House has a constant rotation of local F&B concepts in the lobby, such as Matchali, Cookie Department, Teakha and Mother Pearl, and has also converted a guest room into a fitness studio, where workouts with local fitness personalities are held.
The Mandarin Oriental
We can’t speak about hotel transformations without touching on the Mandarin Oriental, which has also completely revamped its restaurant offerings, closing Pierre to make way for a renewed Man Wah, its time-honoured Chinese restaurant and the Aubrey, an eccentric Japanese izakaya in collaboration with Maximal Concepts. The Aubrey has made a buzz and quickly become a top spot in the city for drinks and quick bites, but unique experiences keep on coming. The Aubrey’s bar programme is managed by Devender Sehgal, who has recently created the Omakase Cocktail Bar, a drinks-led experience that puts lesser-known liquors and sparkling sake at the forefront, paired with light snacks for a truly rarefied experience.
New rooms, new restaurants and bars, new experiences – crisis or not, it’s an exciting time to be in hospitality.
The post How Hotels Are Revamping in a Time of Crisis appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
Top 7 Most Exclusive Hotel Brands In the World
The luxury hospitality industry have tough time in that COVID period. Since we will all soon be traveling again, I would like to highlight what are the best hotel brands in the world. Anyone looking for outstanding travel experiences should read carefully this article! You may choose your next destination according to one of these exclusive seven hotel brands. Among…
The post Top 7 Most Exclusive Hotel Brands In the World appeared first on The Luxe Insider.
Hotels popular with royalty and film stars
Find out what these hotels and resorts offer that draw the cream of society's crop.
The post Hotels popular with royalty and film stars appeared first on The Peak Magazine.
Hotels popular with royalty and film stars
Find out what these hotels and resorts offer that draw the cream of society's crop.
For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.
The World’s Most Exceptionally Designed Luxury Hotel Lobbies
The World’s Most Exceptionally Designed Luxury Hotel Lobbies ⇒ Experience five-star hospitality in one of these prestigious hotels where the lobby area certainly steals the show!
Without counting the exterior form of a luxury hotel, the very first impression a guest has of a hospitality venue is the lobby area. Normally, hotel lobbies are well-appointed with ostentatious design features, from dramatic chandeliers to exquisite furnishings as well as one-of-a-kind sculptures and grand staircases.
Continue reading The World’s Most Exceptionally Designed Luxury Hotel Lobbies at Luxxu Blog.
Travel with @SupertasterMel
In our latest travel series, we journey the world with some of our favourite frequent fliers — from Abu Dhabi to Zurich, Changi to Heathrow — to find out what they’re like on the go. Warning: travel envy ensues.
Traveller: Melissa Tse @SupertasterMel
Profession: Food & Travel Blogger
Passport: United States
Countries Visited: 36
Where was your last destination?
Alacati in Turkey.
What were you there for?
My husband is an avid windsurfer and Alacati on the west coast of Turkey is a famous world-class windsurfing spot. The seaside town also turned out to be very picturesque with beautiful stone houses and charming cobblestone streets with tons of little shops and alfresco restaurants.
What was the best and worst thing about it?
The best thing was finding a farm to table restaurant - OD Urla - in a nearby town that surpassed our expectations with its high quality of food and attention to details. The worst thing was accidentally sitting on gum while on the flight to Alacati - it was a nightmare to clean on my cotton pants!
What do you never travel without?
My camera. My love for photography started years before I started blogging about food, so besides taking pictures of food, I also like to take pictures of my travels.
What’s your travel ensemble?
It’s all about comfort. I wear comfortable shoes because I tend to walk around a lot when I am travelling and it allows me to be able to explore more places.
Where is your favourite hotel?
I just had a FANtastic stay at the Mandarin Oriental in Marrakech earlier this year. Most of the rooms are villas in contemporary riad style so there are lots of privacy and space - we even had our own private pool and fireplace!
Who do you normally travel with?
My husband. We have been together for 12 years and most of the travels I have done in my life have been with him. While we may have different interests sometimes, we both love eating so we end up doing a lot of eating trips together.
What’s your favourite airline and why?
I mostly fly with Cathay Pacific because it is our flagship carrier and there are more options for direct flights with them from Hong Kong to the rest of the world. I loved that they opened a new direct flight to Seattle (where my husband and I met) earlier this year.
Tell us your most memorable travel story.
I was in Cappadocia in Turkey for 1 night as part of a gastronomy conference and we were informed that the weather was not ideal for hot air ballooning. Still I set my alarm to wake up at sunrise the next morning just in case and ended up witnessing the most magical scene ever with dozens of hot air balloons floating in mid-air against a beautiful sunrise. Best decision ever!
Show us your favourite travel photo.
I was in Antwerp for a meal and didn't even know gorgeous the train station would be until I got there. I guess that's the best thing about traveling - being able to wander around in completely new places and discover things that you didn't even know existed.
Share a travel tip with us.
Pack light. I almost always just travel with a carry-on suitcase (yes even for long trips) and it’s just easier to be on the go when I’m travelling from country to country in Europe without the need to check in my luggage.
Where are you off to next?
Tokyo! I have a restaurant reservation that I made almost half a year ago so it's going to be an eating trip and catching up with friends.
View this post on Instagram
The many colors of Tokyo Tower. #supermelJapan #supermelTravel #supermelTokyo
The post Travel with @SupertasterMel appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
These are the most luxurious dumplings (bak zhangs) this year.
This year's offerings for Dragon Boat Festival include extravagant fillings like truffles and abalone, and large-format parcels to feed the whole family.
The post These are the most luxurious dumplings (bak zhangs) this year. appeared first on The Peak Magazine.
These are the most luxurious dumplings (bak zhangs) this year.
This year's offerings for Dragon Boat Festival include extravagant fillings like truffles and abalone, and large-format parcels to feed the whole family.
For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.
Spring Arrives at The World’s Only Krug Room with Bright and Fresh Pairings
What happens when one of the world’s most esteemed Champagne houses brings its best bottles to dinner at one of Hong Kong’s legendary luxury hotels? The answer is at The Krug Room.
Hidden away on the first floor of the Mandarin Oriental, The Krug Room is said to be one of the city’s best kept secrets offering an exclusive dining experience like no other. After all, it is the last remaining room of its kind in the world. Here, guests are led discreetly through a series of doors and into an intimate space that can only entertain 12 diners at a time.
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The room is designed to resemble the interior of a luxury train carriage, complete with views of the working kitchen, and (wait for it oenophiles) houses one of the largest collections of Krug champagne in Asia. Of course, gourmands are not forgotten as they buckle up for a culinary journey driven by the hotel’s Executive Chef Robin Zavou, who serves up his elegant yet playful cuisine, paired with Krug’s finest cuvées.
Leading the Krug Room kitchen, as well as nine other renowned restaurants and bars at Mandarin Oriental, Chef Zavou has an incredible background that spans the Shangri-la Hotel Group in Hong Kong and Singapore, on top of Michelin-starred restaurants across the UK such as L’Ortalon in Berkshire, Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons in Oxfordshire, and New Angel (now The Angel) in Dartmouth.
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Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong's Executive Chef Robin Zavou leads The Krug Room[/caption]
Chef Zavou, a huge Krug enthusiast himself, has been with The Krug Room for almost three years and looks to create dishes that complement the unique nuances of the champagne, but also shine a light on the season’s best produce. And this spring is no exception, as Chef Zavou delivers a symphony of flavours from land and sea for the new 10-course menu.
The spring menu begins with a glass of Krug Grande Cuvée 166ÈME Édition — the 166th release since the foundation of Maison Krug in 1843 — which is an elegant blend of 140 wines from 13 different harvests between 1998 and 2010. It’s bright in acidity with toasty brioche on the nose, but it’s the fresh lemon overtones that cut through the rich savoury snacks. In which a highlight is Chef Zavou’s surprising take on “KFC” or Korean fried crab in this case, as Alaskan king crab replaces chicken and is spiced with an addictive Korean chilli sauce, white sesame and black sesame paste in a crunchy tempura batter. The fruity accents from the champagne continue to lend a much needed zing for the Japanese ebi, with expressive flavours that bring out the umami of sea urchin custard, soy jelly, garam and shiso.
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Other spectacular pairings include Krug 2004 and the best of spring vegetables. Crafted from a selection of the year’s most vibrantly fresh wines (hence its nickname ‘luminous freshness’) the vintage is bright but well-balanced with warm honey that gives way to plenty of citrus and floral notes. It whets the appetite for the season’s Asparagus, lightly poached in konbu butter and served with crispy buckwheat, slices of speck and, roasted marron — a fresh-water shellfish, with white mushroom and morels.
But the start of spring wouldn’t be quite as fresh without rosé, and so the Krug Rosé 20ÈME Édition is a blushing toast that is welcome with any dish. This time, its partner is the creamy Veal sweetbread that sets the tone with a deep sweetness from molasses, while French garlic, spring leek, fresh morel and roasted onion provide an intense base of flavour to the aromatics of orchard blossom and juicy fruits in tune with the vivacious rosé.
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The finale of impressive desserts also await with Carrot, an artistic impression of carrot sorbet, confit carrots and honeycomb, along with the stunning Strawberry treat that uses pink Japanese strawberries and rosé in fresh, ice-cream and mousse form. This invites a chilled glass of Krug Grande Cuvée 160ÈME Édition as it delivers a fresh bouquet of peach, apple and grapefruit before revealing its elegance with fine bubbles.
The Krug Room Packages:
- Krug Experience for HK$2888 + 10% per guest includes 2 glasses of Krug Grande Cuvée 166ÈME Édition + 1 glass of Krug 2004
- Krug & Krug Rosé (6 guests or above) for HK$3888 + 10% per guest includes 1 glass of Krug Grande Cuvée 166ÈME Édition + 1 glass of Krug 2004 + 1 glass of Krug Rosé 20ÈME Édition + 1 glass of Krug Grande Cuvée 160ÈME Édition
- Krug Soloist to Orchestra (6 guests or above) for HK$5,888 + 10% per guest includes 1 glass of Krug Grande Cuvée 166ÈME Édition + 1 glass of Krug Clos Du Mesnil 2003 + 1 glass of Krug 2004 + 1 glass of Krug Rosé 20ÈME Édition + 1 glass of Krug Grande Cuvée 160ÈME Édition.
- Individual bookings are available on Thursday and Saturday at The Krug Room.
The post Spring Arrives at The World’s Only Krug Room with Bright and Fresh Pairings appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
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