Luxury and uniqueness are two great qualities seen in these new hotels opening around the world. From the takeover by Starwood’s Luxury Collection in Chicago, to a new all-suite luxurious property in Bharat as well as a new boutique Lark property in California, we found three new properties to keep on your radar.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. this week announced it will introduce The Luxury Collection brand to Chicago. The current Conrad Chicago will undergo a conversion, which is expected to be completed by this fall.
After the conversion and renovation, the property will offer luxury and personalized service with direct access to the upscale boutiques on the Magnificent Mile. The hotel’s new name has not yet been disclosed. For more information, visit luxurycollection.com.
ITC Hotels, India’s largest luxury hotel chain, has expanded its portfolio with the addition of ITC Grand Bharat in Gurgaon in the New Delhi Capital Region. This marks the brand’s 11th Luxury Collection hotel in affiliation with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which offers an array of culinary, recreation and wellness experiences including South Asia’s first 27-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course and ITC’s spa, Kaya Kalp, as well as nature walks, hikes to the hills, Segways, bikes, and a private movie theater.
The 300-acre estate is set amidst the Aravali hills and features nationally inspired architecture, interior design and Indian hospitality. The 100 luxury suites and four Presidential Villas are catered by “Retreat Hosts” (butlers) who facilitate the experience for guests. The suites either feature lounging patios that lead to semi-private lap pools, or spacious terraces offering picturesque views; and the living room, bedroom and bathrooms are sectioned off by sliding doors. The four palatial Presidential Villas offer guests service associates around the clock. Each villa’s design is inspired by a dynasty from India’s past—Maurya, Mughal, Maratha and Chola.
The hotel offers a range of dining experiences with onsite restaurants and a bar. There is also a “well-being” chef on the property who serves up low-calorie and Swasthya cuisine—food inspired to obtain a complete sense of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. For those looking to take in the full culinary experience, ITC Grand Bharat offers the Cuisine Classica, a hands-on workshop that allows guests to learn how to cook an array of dishes such as Mullingatawny soup and coriander-mint imbued pan-seared fish from the resort’s executive chefs.
The Kaya Kap spa spans over 35,000 sq. ft. with nine treatment therapy rooms; and the fitness center offers fitness equipment, certified trainers for all forms of fitness, and a Yoga Master who leads private and small group classes with a focus on the Yoga Nidra practice. Rates start at $790 per night.
Another property that recently opened is the Blue Door Group—Inns of Mendocino, a Lark Hotels property, which is better known for its New England boutique properties.
“While our growth has been primarily in coastal cities and resort destinations in the northeast, we are now expanding to similar iconic destinations nationwide. Mendocino is just one of the great vacation locations we are looking at on the West Coast and in other target locales throughout the U.S.,” says Dawn Hagin, partner at Lark Hotels and the Chief Inspiration Officer—the creative mind behind the concepts of each individual property.
This new California property, features 19 chic guestrooms spread throughout three Victorian inns—Packard House, JD House, and Blue Door Inn—all located within a few blocks from each other and each marked with a blue front door. The Blue Door Inn features five rooms with bright interiors with high-end linens and bath amenities, sleek mirrors decorating the walls, and graceful gardens. The JD House offers eight rooms with views of the Pacific and English gardens. Guests can sit by the fire in the lounge or gaze at the rugged coastal cliffs from the back veranda. The Captain’s Room, located on the second floor features the largest private deck in Mendocino. The Packard House, features pops of red and bold art pieces, four spacious guestrooms and two cottages with private entrances. All three properties include Lark’s signature breakfast, fireplaces, complimentary WiFi, Apple TV, and pre-programmed iPads with local attractions. Rates start at $150 per night. For more information, call (888) 453-2677 or visit larkhotels.com.
