Greenwashing is far too common these days. Shallow attempts at being eco-conscious are expected of just about every business now, and not all of them rise above the bare minimum. I’m cynical about it. I’ve heard the sustainability tagline thousands of times over. But there’s something about the 1 Hotel brand that’s hooked me. Its…
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Wouldn’t it be amazing if every Trump International was reflagged, refurbished and stripped of any and all political connotations to make way for a much better, less divisive hotel? Much like Hilton, Trump International has the immense privilege of location. Look at any Trump International property across the USA and they are almost always in…
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The Golden Age of Hollywood is a well-worn aesthetic that’s often too broad and hard-to-define, written on paper like it’s some magic spell conjuring up enough good-will that designers can afford to be lazy. “it’s just like, Hollywood glamour, ya know?” For some, it means high-waisted and ostentatious with just enough raunchiness to tease the…
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Many will know the Hard Rock brand for having delivered music themed cafes/restaurants around the world for the last 50 years – including recently closed locations in Sydney* and on the Gold Coast. However, the brand’s true star power these days is found in their hotel & casino brand. With locations from Sentosa Island in…
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After success in Sydney and Melbourne, high-end hotel brand The Langham has announced the opening of a 169-room Gold Coast hotel in addition to 170 serviced apartments slated for 2021. Located in the tallest of the three landmark towers of the gemstone-inspired Jewel development, the properties will offer direct beach access and are being described…
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Acclaimed luxury brand Six Senses, with 18 hotels and resorts, and 30 spas in 21 countries, have recently revealed the newest addition to their renowned Six Senses Ninh Van Bay resort in Vietnam. Titled “The Water Retreat,” the new lodging seek to further immerse guests in the resort’s unforgettable location. The brand new property is…
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Singapore’s widely acclaimed The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts has officially stretched outside of the lion city with its debut in Sydney. The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, taking over the historic address of No.1 Martin Place, site of the former General Post Office Building, has been tastefully transformed into a luxury 416-room hotel set to become one…
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Melbourne is just weeks away from its newest luxury hotel, which is part of the prestigious and highly curated M Gallery by Sofitel collection. Titled Hotel Chadstone Melbourne, the $130 million five-star property of 250 rooms, suites and penthouses (2 penthouses to be exact) will welcome guests from the 1st November. Featuring a wellness retreat…
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W Hotels are about to stage a massive comeback in the Australian market, returning down under with three properties, one for each major city across the east coast. While Melbourne and Sydney openings are on the horizon, Brisbane was the first to receive the luxury Marriott brand’s renewed energy when W Brisbane cut the ribbon…
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Marriott International are about to welcome a second Japanese property into their coveted Autograph Collection, announcing the signing of mesm Tokyo. Located at the exciting Takeshiba Waterfront Development Project, the hotel will occupy 10 floors of the multipurpose WATERS takeshiba building, offering guests a highly personal, individualised experience befitting the storied collection of unique hotels…
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The shimmering silver, reflective ripple-like façade of Shadowplay by Peppers looks awkwardly out of place in overdeveloped Southbank. Melbourne’s major entertainment district is no stranger to impressive buildings, but this new apartment hotel really is something else. It’s as if the building has been ripped from the pages of a futuristic graphic novel, standing at…
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From California to South Dakota, new luxury hotels seem to be popping up all over the place in the States, each bringing their own unique character to some incredible locations. Whether that’s in the thick of San Diego, or the wide open spaces of South Dakota, the following properties are making full use of historic…
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One of Sydney’s most luxurious hotel’s (and pet friendly), The Langham, has linked up with Pink Hope to launch the city’s first ever “charity suite”. Basically what that means is that a guest room at The Langham has been completely transformed by the partnership, offering guests a luxurious and immersive experience bathed in dreamy all-pink…
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Marriott has the W, IHG have Hotel Indigo, and Sofitel (owned by Accor) have the rapidly growing “SO/”. Hotel brands known for their warm luxurious embraces have, in the past decade especially, finessed their respective languages and funnelled them into younger, energetic off-shoots that fully commit to the “luxury boutique” label and thrive on individuality….
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Of the four Fairmont properties in Vancouver, only two can claim the distinction of immense waterfront views. Grand harbour vistas that stretch all the way to majestic coastal mountains, promising inspiration for all those who visit the great British Columbian city, immediately connecting them with the sense of adventure that gives Vancouver its allure. Unbeatable…
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There may not be a hotel group as iconic in Canada as Fairmont. From Quebec and Whistler, to Lake Louise and Vancouver, the defining locations of this inspiring country are almost always accompanied by one of Fairmont’s historic properties. The group boasts an enviable claim on location, thanks to its history and position in Canada’s…
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I can’t take my eyes off the bedhead in my Deluxe River View Room. First my phone scans it – vertically and horizontally (because social media demands both orientations now) – and then my eyes. I’m mesmerised. The scene of gold, Elephants and gods painted across dark wooden panels, is the most striking feature of…
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One would reasonably expect that Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver is entirely worthy of the opulent luxury brand and its reliable reputation. It is, after all, Shangri-La’s North American flagship and – so far – only one of two on the continent, with the other being in Toronto. In 2008, it was the first to open; slightly…
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With 671 rooms/suites and an overall aesthetic that has been finessed by three different firms – Rocco Design Architects for the building, AFSO for three dining spaces and public areas, and Hirsh Bedner Associates for guest rooms – the stunning Hotel VIC on the Harbour is certainly an ambitious undertaking, even for Hong Kong. Operated…
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After a highly successful entry into Cairns with recently opened luxury resort Riley, Crystalbrook Collection Hotels & Resorts have today announced that they have acquired Newcastle’s iconic ‘Roundhouse’ Council Administrative Centre with plans to convert the building into a luxury five-star hotel. Set to open in late 2020, the planned hotel, dubbed Kingsley, will stick…
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It’s not everyday you spot a helicopter buzzing around Los Angeles at eye-level. Dramatic and impressive, the check-in at the sky lobby of InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown is an astounding way to usher in the guest experience at this (almost) one-year-old luxury hotel; reception is placed on the 70th floor, surrounded by enormous floor-to-ceiling glass…
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Sri Lanka’s capital city, Colombo, will welcome a new luxury property this month with the opening of Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo, joining the high-end group’s Hambantota Golf Resort & Spa – which opened in 2016 – as one of the most prominent hotel launches in the country in nearly 30 years. Positioned along the ocean-side Galle…
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Not every property can claim a setting which features a genuinely breathtaking 800-year-old ikeniwa (a pond garden), but Four Seasons Kyoto is far from your typical luxury hotel. Fairly fresh-faced in one of Japan’s most historical cities, having opened in October of last year, this property stands perfectly located in Higashiyama-ku, near plenty of temples…
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