Coming Soon, your luxury destination travel

Empire City, Ho Chi Minh City

Büro Ole Scheeren has revealed its design for Vietnam’s Empire City, a mixed-use, three-tower complex containing a five-star hotel. Located on the Saigon River, at the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, the three skyscrapers will rise from a garden-like podium, encompassing residences, retail elements, co-working and public spaces, offices and an observation deck. Developed by Empire City LLC, a multi-national joint venture between real estate firms Gaw Capital Partners, Tran Thai, Tien Phuoc Real Estate and Keppel Land Vietnam, the project marks Scheeren’s first project in the country, and his fourth in Asia following Bangkok’s MahaNakhon skyscraper, the Duo Towers complex in Singapore and the Guardian Art Centre in Beijing. At 333m tall, the central Empire 88 Tower will host the hotel and observation deck elements. Featuring a series of vertical gardens amidst cantilevered terraces stretching out in different directions from the central axis, the tower and its multi-levelled sky forest will seek to create a journey through Vietnam’s tropical landscape. Topping the structure, the Cloud Space will act as a public area with unparalleled views over the city. Spanning 14.5 hectares, the complex is intended as a city within a city, providing residents and guests alike with an environment combining leisure, work and educational components. Swimming pools, gyms, pavilions and a collection of engaging F&B concepts will complete the offer. Details on the hotel element are currently still under wraps, with more set to be revealed through 2018. Coming Soon, your luxury destination travel

The Retreat at Blue Lagoon, Iceland

The Retreat at Blue Lagoon – a hotel extension of Iceland’s popular geothermal spa – is set to open in 2018. With architecture designed by Sigridur Sigthórsdóttir of Basalt Architects – who has worked with the Blue Lagoon project for almost two decades – the anticipated 62-key expansion will be carved into volcanic earth at the centre of the Reykjanes UNESCO Geopark. The venture seeks to create an experience built upon four pillars: a refreshing spa, luxurious accommodation, a culinary journey, and the concept of exploration. Featuring interiors by Design Group Italia that emphasise the presence of the surrounding landscape through expansive floor-toceiling windows and balcony access to the water, guestrooms will seek to blur the lines between man-made and natural wonders. Envisioned with comfort and wellbeing in mind, the hotel further incorporates Moss Restaurant and its locally-sourced reinterpretation of Icelandic cuisine, and The Suite, a bi-level sanctuary complete with terrace, private lagoon and heli-pad. The spa meanwhile, will be built directly into an 800-year old lava flow and is set offer treatments centred around signature elements including silica, algae and minerals. With Sigthórsdóttir overseeing its design, the extension is set to build on the lagoon’s existing aesthetic combination of natural environment and synthetic forms, surrounding guests with mineral rich waters, whilst enhancing the overall experience through equally considered service. The project will be carried out in phases, and is set to be completed in the first half of the year, with the main visitors’ area remaining open throughout.

Mandarin Oriental Hanover Bond, London

Mandarin Oriental has been appointed to manage a new hotel and residential complex on London’s Hanover Square, marking its second property in the UK capital. Marketed as Hanover Bond and developed by Clivedale London, the venture is situated between Bond Street and Regent Street, one of the city’s most exclusive residential, retail and fashion districts. It will include 80 Mandarin Oriental Residences available for purchase, as well as a fully integrated 50-key Mandarin Oriental hotel. Set to open in 2021, the complex will be housed within architecture by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners and features interiors by Danishborn designer Thomas Juul-Hansen. Facilities include a vibrant finedining restaurant, a lobby lounge, stylish bar and a private roof terrace with bar overlooking Mayfair. An indoor pool, comprehensive fitness centre and an intimate spa providing Mandarin Oriental’s renowned wellness services will also be on offer – all of which can be accessed by residence owners. “We are delighted to be opening a second Mandarin Oriental property in London, and look forward to extending the group’s legendary hospitality to another of the city’s most exclusive addresses,” comments James Riley, Group CEO, Mandarin Oriental. “Operating two complementary hotels in a single destination is something that the group has already done successfully in Hong Kong.” Tarun Tyagi, CEO, Clivedale London, adds: “As a company, we share Mandarin Oriental’s unwavering commitment to quality and service. Together we are setting a new precedent for architecture, design and lifestyle in a world-class location, and we look forward to bringing the best of both worlds to our discerning clientele.”

Kimpton, Taipei

IHG together with Malaysia’s Cornerstone Partners Group have announced plans for Kimpton Taipei, the brand’s first hotel in Taiwan. Scheduled to open in 2018, the 14-storey property features 129 guestrooms and suites, as well as a 12th floor rooftop deck. Nestled in central Taipei, the hotel’s design will reflect the hustle and bustle of the city through an integration of urban features and soft greenery. Restaurants and bars, meanwhile, will be designed by Hong Kongbased JIA Group. This marks the latest signing for the Kimpton brand in Asia, and follows recent agreements for locations including Shanghai, Sanya and Bali. IHG also signed a Kimpton hotel in Paris earlier last year, and recently opened Kimpton De Witt in Amsterdam, the brand’s first property outside of the Americas. Recognised for its distinctive bar and restaurants, Kimpton hotels channel playful design and a personal approach to service. Kent Sun, Chief Development Officer, IHG Greater China, comments: “IHG has a growing distribution in Taiwan, where we see a rapidly growing demand for boutique hotels. We already have one of the world’s leading lifestyle portfolios and look forward to delivering a sophisticated and glamorous hotel that will become iconic in Taiwan and a landmark property for IHG globally.” Jason Chong, CEO, Cornerstone Partners Group, adds: “Taiwan reflects the holistic integration of cultural diversity, with continuous growth in recent years that has attracted significant foreign capital to return to the Taiwanese market. This cooperation between Cornerstone Partners Group and IHG to introduce Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants will put Taiwan in the spotlight again.”

Curio Olympic Park, London

Hilton Worldwide’s Curio Collection has revealed plans for its third UK hotel, a 285-key project within London’s Olympic Park. Designed by ICA, the 18-storey building will feature neighbourhood bars and restaurants, as well as a sky bar with views across the London skyline. The hotel is being developed alongside a new Adagio Aparthotel – again designed by ICA. Both are set to open in 2020. Drawing inspiration from Stratford’s market town past and the surrounding area’s industrial heritage, the design of the Curio property will blend these elements to create a hotel that reflects historical nuance through materiality, aesthetics and function. “It was great to work closely with a client whose vision was to create a landmark hotel which had the local neighbourhood at its heart,” says Chris Fegan, Director, ICA. “By layering the heritage of Stratford into the design we feel that we have created something that is iconic and will be a unique experience for the guest.” Rising from a curved two-storey podium, the building’s exterior is covered with copper-coloured fins that allow the hotel’s appearance to change throughout the day as shadow and light shifts. Interiors meanwhile, will celebrate the contrasts between raw and luxurious, hard and soft, and rough and pure. Details including a reclaimed chandelier set alongside velvet-clad furnishings will highlight these juxtapositions, with ICA also working to break the grandeur of the space down into smaller, more intimate pockets. Warren Malschinger, Director of Gantry Group, the developers behind the project, comments: “ICA were the only choice for us on such an important project. Together we were able to find expression to a vision that we are immensely proud of.”

Le Relais de Chambord, Chambord

The French government and entrepreneur Frederic Jousset have teamed up to reimagine an historic relais in Domaine de Chambord. Set deep in the Loire Valley and just a stone’s throw from the Domaine de Chambord UNESCO World Heritage Site and its fabled Château, the 55-key Le Relais de Chambord will be designed entirely by Jean-Michel Wilmotte and operated by Marugal Distinctive Hotel Management, the team behind Cap Rocat in Mallorca. Comprising a spa, gym, library and fine-dining restaurant, the estate’s hotel element will reside within an existing 19th century structure, whilst a new wing – constructed from local materials to ensure its integration with surroundings – will expand capacity. Set to open in March 2018, the redesign will see the building injected with a sense of contemporary comfort throughout. The only hotel to reside on the expansive site, design details including floor-to-ceiling windows and a reimagined slate façade inspired by the Château’s original roof, will seek to cultivate a country house atmosphere. The restaurant, meanwhile, will serve up a combination of French country cooking and game-inspired dishes, in line with the structure’s original function as King Francis I’s hunting lodge. Surrounded by a 32km wall, the estate is roughly the same size as central Paris, and the largest enclosed nature reserve in Europe. Guests at Le Relais de Chambord will have access to the Château at all times of the day, as well as a network of canal, cycling and walking circuits. Characterised by its Renaissance-era architecture, the restoration and renovation of the property has been billed as a labour of love with heritage and legacy at its heart.

The Dixon, London

Dominvs Group has announced the 2018 opening of The Dixon, the latest member of Marriott International’s Autograph Collection. Situated in Tower Bridge, London, in close proximity to Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe, the 193-key hotel will seek to incorporate the neighbourhood’s cultural offer through interiors by Twenty2degrees and regeneration work by Northern Ireland-based contractor McAleer & Rushe. Originally designed as a Magistrates’ Court and police station in 1905 by John Dixon Butler, the building will undergo an extensive restoration including the reconstruction of its historic courthouse. Within, a blending of heritage and contemporary elements will feature details including simple brickwork, expansive windows, and modern furniture sourced from British designers, alongside classic pieces and a collection of curated artwork. All guestrooms will be bathed in natural light, whilst the Courthouse Café will seek to establish itself as a social hub for guests and locals. Jay Ahluwalia, a director at Dominvs Group, comments: “Travellers no longer want just a comfortable night’s stay, they want to be immersed in the local community. The Dixon will offer a unique take on the boutique hotel experience offering guests a neighbourhood feel in the heart of the capital.” In addition, The Dixon will work to support a variety of local arts including a diverse cultural programme comprising live events, musical guests, art exhibitions and creative contributions selected by the hotel’s own Cultural Committee. Guests will also have convenient access to the local theatres and studios surrounding the hotel’s Tooley Street location.

sources: Sleeper, 01-02, 2018

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