A new, welcoming lobby. Refreshed suites. And a remarkable new restaurant and bar with excellent food and an interior meant to mimic the inside of a whiskey bottle. Canada’s first St. Regis Hotel opened officially in Toronto on Wednesday, promising “world-renowned, bespoke service, signature rituals and exquisite culinary offerings.” The St. Regis Toronto is at Bay and Adelaide in the heart of the booming financial district, with access to public transit and major amenities, including the Eaton Centre and Roy Thomson Hall. It was formerly The Adelaide. Prior to that it served as the troubled Trump Hotel and Residences. St. Read more
luxury travel
It was expected. But it’s still a harsh blow. My friends at Travel Pulse Canada say Air Canada has announced that it’s cancelling its service to St. Martin/Sint Maarten for the remainder of the 2017/18 winter season. The island, a hugely popular winter destination for Canadians, was severely damaged by Hurricane Irma. Many resorts are still closed following the hurricane, including the lovely Westin Dawn Beach Resort on the east side of the island. It’s not a big issue for Canadians, who have tons of great options in parts of the Caribbean that weren’t hit by Hurricane Irma or by Read more
BARBADOS – There are certain places in the world that just kind of hit me the minute I arrive. One of those is the Crane Resort on Barbados, an island and a hotel/resort I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying for three full stays and a brief day visit. It’s one of the outstanding resorts in the Caribbean; a gracious and beautiful property that sits on a bluff overlooking the quiet and rugged southeast coast of the island. One of the best things about the resort is the way they’ve encompassed so many historical elements. A hotel was originally built here Read more
TORONTO – Bisha Hotel Toronto designer Alessandro Munge of Toronto’s highly successful Studio Munge is talking about his relationship with Bisha owner and developer Charles Khabouth. Munge has been friends with the Toronto nightclub and entertainment impresario for two dozen years and knows what he likes and what pushes his buttons. “It’s a constant push for quality, quality, quality,” Munge told a group of journalists on a preview tour Wednesday afternoon. “If it’s exciting, he’s okay with it. But if not, well, ….” I’m no designer, but I’ve seen a lot of hotels in my day and I can safely Read more
MIAMI – A suite with almost 3,000 square feet of interior space. 493 chandeliers. And two original Picasso drawings. And if you asked for a partridge in a pear tree they’d probably get that for you, too. I had the chance recently to tour the Regent Seven Seas Explorer ship. It’s billed as “the most luxurious ship ever built,” and I’m in no position to dispute it. I’ve only been on a handful of cruises, but if there’s a more elegant, refined and beautiful ship on one of the world’s oceans I can’t imagine it. They also have introduced a Read more
