Elysian, Chicago
Address: 11 East Walton
Tel: 1.312 646 1300 (US)
Web Address: www.elysianhotels.com
Opening date: December 2009
Rates: From $395
Business amenities: In-room conference call capabilities; international television channels; cat-6 wiring; Bowers & Wilkins integrated sound system; laptops, printers, iPods available upon request; 24-hour ambassadors to handle any business issues. Free Wi-Fi throughout hotel, including in rooms. Five BMWs are available for in-town transportation. There is no actual business centre on site, but the Elysian prides itself on bringing the office to the room. Every business request is handled on an individual basis.
Rooms: Rooms and public areas (pictured is the lobby) are by architect Lucien Lagrange. The 188 rooms and suites invoke the grand hotels of Paris in the 1920s. Almost all have a fireplace, terrace, private bar, operable windows and multiple closets. Bathrooms have marble tubs, separate showers, dual basins, televisions and Asprey bath products. Beds feature 460-thread count Rivolta Carmignani Italian linens. Each room has freezer, refrigerator and stove top.
Leisure: From the location in the heart of Chicago’s Gold Coast, guests have access to some of the best of the city’s restaurants and shops. The 14,000 sq ft Elysian Spa & Health Club has facilities including a lap pool and a barber suite. There’s also a Marc Jacobs boutique on site. The Elysian offers affordable luxury travel for the manager looking for creature comforts.
Restaurants: The hotel’s two restaurants, from chef Jason McLeod, are Balsan, a European-styled bistro with wood-burning pizza ovens and late night dining; and Ria, with cosmopolitan cuisine, recently voted best new restaurant by Chicago magazine. Private dining rooms are available.
The Villa by Barton G, Miami Beach
Address: 1116 Ocean Drive
Tel: 1.305 576 8003 (US)
Web Address: www.villabybartong.com
Rates: From $2,500
Business amenities: The Villa by Barton G is the former mansion of the deceased fashion designer Gianni Versace. For those on business, the million dollar-plus renovation includes 24-hour room and concierge service by personal butlers; complimentary Wi-Fi throughout; Sonos music systems; Kindle e-readers with free daily downloads of a variety of newspapers; airport transportation and easy access to the Miami Beach Convention Center half a mile away.
Rooms: Each of the gated mansion’s ten suites, with a separate living room or sitting area and balcony or patios, is custom-designed by events impresario and restaurateur Barton G Weiss. The marble bathrooms have two shower heads; closets are expansive; linens are by Frette; toiletries are the villa’s own. There’s complimentary packing and unpacking.
Leisure: Guests have access to the mansion’s upper floor and two private lounges, including one on the roof with views of the Atlantic Ocean across the street. A pool (pictured) designed by Versace is for guests only. Custom spa services are available poolside, on the roof or in room. Everything from hair and make-up to personal shopping is available on request. Personal training is conducted along the jogging paths of South Beach. The location is only blocks from fine dining options and nightclubs. The villa’s rates may be out of reach for many, but those who can meet the price won’t forget the experience.
Restaurants: The 30-seat restaurant serves refined continental cuisine and has a 100-bottle wine list. In-room and poolside dining is always available.
Capella, Singapore
Address: 1 The Knolls, Sentosa Island
Tel: 65.6377 8888 (Singapore)
Web Address: www.capellasingapore.com
Rates: From S$750 ($533)
Business amenities: Dedicated personal assistants on hand from reservation to check-out; airport transfer in Rolls-Royce Phantom or Mercedes Benz. The three meeting rooms and two boardrooms have views of the gardens and the South China Sea and are especially popular for corporate brainstorming sessions. The Capella’s event planners can arrange special menus and customise settings.
Rooms: 112 rooms, suites and private villas, many with private pools. Bose stereo system; complimentary Wi-Fi; iPod docking station; LCD television; complimentary soft drinks; coffee- and tea-making facilities; control panel for lights, curtains and electronic equipment.
Leisure: Three hotel pools; fitness centre; library. Preferential access to Sentosa golf course, access to Sentosa Island’s beaches. The hotel’s Auriga spa offers various body treatments using Organic Pharmacy products alongside oils of eucalyptus, jasmine and rose petals.
Restaurants: Lubricate negotiations with a cocktail at the open air lounge, Bob’s Bar, overlooking the pool. There’s also fine afternoon teas at The Knolls, and formal dining at Cassia, the Capella’s modern Chinese restaurant. Other: Barely 15 minutes from the downtown commercial centre, the Capella nevertheless exudes the vibe of an idyllic island resort. The 30-acre grounds have been carved up into a series of villas and majestic suites, the latter housed in converted officers’ quarters. Designer Jaya Ibrahim has swathed the spacious suites in a low-key but lush dose of Bali chic, complete with black granite bathrooms and Burmese teak furniture.
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