Hotel Buzz: Raffles to Open a Hotel in Istanbul in 2012

Raffles Hotels & Resorts is a long established leader in the luxury hotel world. Hotels like the Raffles in Singapore- where the Singapore Sling was invented- and Le Royal Monceau in Paris are benchmarks for excellence in the industry. So when Raffles announces a new project, we pay heed! After debuting a glorious beachfront oasis in the Seychelles this year, the company has turned its gaze to Istanbul- the spellbinding city that famously sits astride two continents. Slated for 2012, the Raffles Istanbul Zorlu Center will overlook the Bosphorus from the new, mixed-use Zorlu Center, where guests will have direct access to the Performance Arts Centre, featuring "world-class dramas and musicals simultaneously with their openings in London and Broadway." What to expect: 130 guest rooms and 50 suites attended to by the famous Raffles Butler Service, a ballroom, two restaurants and bars, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and-- in case you had any doubts about the hotel's level of luxury-- a heliport.

Pictured: The Raffles Hotel Singapore.

Toronto's Hotelier to the Stars, Hans Gerhardt, Pens Memoir Called "Hotel Biz"

Legendary hotelier Hans Gerhardt has published a book called "Hotel Biz" about his tenure (from 1986 to 1993) at The Sutton Place Toronto, when the hotel was the place to go if you were a VIP. A recent article in The Toronto Star describes the days when Gerhardt's "extensive Rolodex meant that he knew just about every mover and shaker in town."

On his first day on the job, Hans Gerhardt met Sophia Loren. And it’s been pretty much uphill ever since. “I was a huge fan. I was completely in awe,” says the former president and managing director of Toronto’s Sutton Place Hotel. “This was pretty good for someone who used to be a cabin boy”... Since his first meeting with celebrity on that April day in 1986, Gerhardt has met plenty of stars at the Bay Street hotel in downtown Toronto. The city has many more luxury hotels today, including a recently opened Ritz Carlton. That will soon be followed by a Trump Hotel this summer, as well as a Shangri La and a new Four Seasons. But in an era when there were few upscale hotel brands in Canada, the now retired Gerhardt himself became the face of luxury in Toronto.

What's particularly fascinating about this book, says The Star, is that Hans Gerhardt "understood the power of celebrity marketing before just about anyone else."

Vivanta by Taj: Kashmir Gets a Luxury Resort by the Taj Group

Some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world can be experienced in the volatile region of Jammu and Kashmir. Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces-- the group behind some of the finest five-star hotels in India-- has decided to take a gamble and launch a stunning new resort called Vivanta by Taj. Tourism is on the rise in the area, and Taj is hoping to generate employment and bolster the local economy, while also introducing a magnificent place to visitors. Perched atop Kralsangri Hill overlooking the famous Tulip Garden, the Dal Lake and the Royal Springs golf course, the 89-room resort features meeting facilities, the Jiva spa, and excellent recreational activities: trout fishing, water skiing, day treks into the snow-capped mountains. Vivanta by Taj is itself a new five-star brand, currently comprised of 19 hotels in India and the Indian Ocean region.

Abandoned Oil Platforms Reborn as Hotels?

File this under wacky, weird, and true. You've got a steel oil rig surrounded by water sunk into the ocean floor. What to do with this piece of real estate once it retires? Word is that designers are plotting to recycle old oil platforms and turn them into vacation rentals- maybe even luxury hotels. And what a praise-worthy project it is. The io9 blog quotes two Malaysian design students thoughts on it:

"This design explores the possibility of living on the oil rig, above and below the ocean level. The general population can live above the water while specialized researchers such as marine biologists will work in underwater labs. The in-between zone will be used for housing and recreational areas. The existing structures could be strengthen with the use of peripheral steel beams that allow for high velocity wind to filter through the platform without obstructions."

Back in 2009, Gadling also reported that a oil rig-cum-hotel project was underway by Morris Architects, "a design firm with offices in Houston, Los Angeles and Orlando who won an international hospitality award with the concept."

Image via io9

Win Cool Stuff with the MINI Countryman Wanderlust Campaign

Got a case of wanderlust? Go on: dream up your next adventure and then take to the open road! MINI is encouraging folks to take a risk and indulge their road trip fantasies with a new marketing campaign called MINI Countryman Wanderlust. Share your idea on how to escape the everyday for a chance to win weekly prizes like a MINI Countryman Picnic Seat Set. Here's the skinny:

The uploaded idea with the most weekly community votes will win and be announced each Tuesday of the following week. If you turn your idea into reality and tell the story here on MINI Space, you’ll have the chance to win the big one – a brand new MINI Countryman! The most impressive and realized event gets selected by our jury as winner of the MINI Countryman on June 6 so stay tuned! MINI Countryman Wanderlust ends May 27, 2011.

Eco-Friendly Hotels: Four Seasons Vancouver Goes Green

The Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver was recently awarded the Five Green Key rating for environmental and social stewardship. One of only 30 hotels worldwide to earn this honor, the Four Seasons Vancouver gets serious props for advocating corporate social responsibility. They installed a Sempa Hybrid Heating System to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20-50 percent each month; launched a comprehensive recycling program; installed energy-efficient, LED lights; created a sustainable dining menu at YEW restaurant and bar. Guests can also participate in the Eco-Luxury program and get an in-room recycling bin and daily newspaper delivered in an eco-chic reusable canvas bag. We also dig that the hotel donates food, shampoos, soaps, bedding and linens to local charities.

Travel Trends: Hotels Offer Tea Sommeliers & Tea Tasting Menus

The world's Grande Dame hotels have long offered stellar Afternoon Tea services, but now luxury hotels are upping the ante with tea-paired tasting menus inspired by wine tasting menus. The Independent (UK) reports that the Four Seasons Hotel Singapore has "created a Tea & Dine experience at its Chinese restaurant Jiang-Nan Chun, allowing guests to tuck into traditional Cantonese fare accompanied by a perfect range of teas." Each course-- whether stir-fried phoenix prawn or steamed bai ling mushroom and seafood-- is accompanied with its very own tea choice. In this case, a cup of longjing then rain flower tea. Paris' Yam'Tcha restaurant has been making waves for its tea-paired culinary feasts, and other hotels around the world-- from Thailand's Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi to London's Royal Garden Hotel-- have jumped on the bandwagon in offering tea menus. Let's not forget Vegas, where Caesar's Palace has a Tea Sommelier on staff!

Starwood Opens 1st All-Inclusive Resort: The Westin Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal in Costa Rica

Good news for those itching to vacation in style in beautiful Costa Rica. Starwood's just opened their first all-inclusive resort, and it's pretty swank. Formerly called the Paradisus Playa Conchal Resort, The Westin Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal-- centered around a lagoon-style pool-- is starting to redo the 406 suites and all public areas-- a renovation project that will be done in phases until the end of 2011. The advantages of staying at an all-inclusive resort are many, notably, no surprise fees when using the leisure facilities and dining at the restaurants. (Though we imagine that guests must pay for massages at the spa!) The launch of The Westin Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal marks the return of Starwood Hotels to Costa Rica after 20 years.

Chef Yannick Alléno Plans S.T.A.Y Restaurant for Shangri-La Hotel Beijing

Look out, Beijing. A big-time French chef-- a dapper dude named Yannick Alléno-- is coming to town. The Michelin three-starred chef of Le Meurice fame is opening one of his S.T.A.Y eateries at the Shangri-La Hotel Beijing in September. Short for "Simple Table Alléno Yannick," S.T.A.Y has already made a splash at One & Only The Palm in Dubai and Royal Mansour in Marrakech. The concept restaurant reinvents simple French cuisine, made with fresh, seasonal produce, in a stylish, contemporary setting amongst friends. Some nice touches at the Beiing restaurant: chopsticks will be on hand for diners, and a Communal Table will provide the opportunity for sharing-style dining. Like an authentic French patisserie, the Pastry Library will present exquisite, hand-crafted sweets where guests can participate in the process by choosing a final topping for their dessert. Bon Appetit!

Now Open: The Corinthia Hotel London

There's been lots of talk about the brand spanking new Corinthia Hotel London. (Just how many millions of pounds were invested?) But one thing's for certain: the grand hotel has opened its doors in London and it's causing quite a stir. The lobby says it all. Its Full Moon chandelier-- created by Parisian designer Chafik Gasmi and produced by Baccarat-- is composed of 1,001 crystals. Then there's the small matter of ESPA launching its flagship ESPA Life at the Corinthia. A four-floor paradise with a whopping 17 treatment rooms, nail studio, ice fountain, indoor pool, private sleep pods, gym, and Daniel Galvin hair salon... There's two incredible restaurants: The Northall, helmed by starred chef Garry Hollihead, and Massimo Restaurant and Oyster Bar, overseen by the renowned Italian chef patron Massimo Riccioli. We could wax on and on. But you've got to see it to believe it. Check out the photos and start planning your next London getaway.