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Perched amongst red brick apartment blocks, sturdy warehouses and cobbled streets in the heart of New York City’s trendy Tribeca, The Greenwich Hotel can proudly claim Robert de Niro as the mastermind behind its superior conception.
Opening its doors in 2008, de Niro’s first hotel venture created a buzz at the time, and today has matured into its reputation as a sophisticated, attentive and exclusive New York City hotel experience.
Somehow de Niro has pinpointed the perfect combination of old-world charm, modern convenience, and the kind of friendly service that extends to ‘you-name-it’ requests fulfilled with a smile. With its luxurious blend of multicultural influences – from Moroccan tiles to Tibetan silk rugs and English leather settees – the atmosphere is indulgent and serene, and discreetly exudes this ‘members club’ vibe that makes one feel special just lulling about the hallways and in the elevator.
The rooms
With 88 exquisite rooms and 13 suites across eight levels, it’s amazing to think that each is unique and unlike any other. Complemented by oak floors, sumptuous furniture and antique pieces, and all the classy finishing touches one would expect from an A-grade celebrity, The Greenwich Hotel's roomsare stylish and grand yet fitted with modern technology such as ipod docks, wireless internet and flat screen TVs. The complementary basket of goodies and jar of sweets, as well as an included fridge mini bar (except for alcohol), is just a bonus – especially for foreigners keen to try some Hershey’s and other local treats. Refreshingly, the high ceilings featuring beautiful hand-carved mouldings create a wonderful open and airy feeling of space within each room, and the heavy, motorised curtains are heavenly for an afternoon nap that feels more like night – perfect for jetlag recovery.
Choose from four room types, six different one and two-bedroom suites, and two styles of penthouses. The Fireplace Corner Suites are scrumptious.
The courtyard & drawing room
The Grenwich Hotel lobby is a guest-only retreat offering a drawing room decked out in classic upholstered and leather furniture pieces and garnished with stylish frames, decorative candle-holders, flowers, bookshelves and all kinds of other eye-catching ornamental items. Adjacent is a Tuscan-style outdoor courtyard, enclosed by tall city brick walls covered in crawling vines that reach up towards the blue sky above. Here, you can order a tasty dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or simply enjoy a coffee or wine and absorb the peace from the outside world.
The Shibui Spa & pool
Also exclusive to hotel guests, the Shibui Spa is infused with a calming Japanese influence, with the notion of ‘balance’ at its core. The indoor lantern-lit pool and lounge sit nestled under the roof of a 250-year old wood and bamboo Japanese farmhouse, whilst the adjoining bathrooms feature saunas. For professional spa treatments, there are four separate treatment rooms situated in their own peaceful sanctuary on the same level. Shibui Spa has a shiatsu room, a traditional Japanese bathing room with a large tub for bathing rituals and a tatami mat floor for massage, a wet room that includes a shower for wraps and scrubs, and a treatment room for massages and facials. The Shibui Spa menu is simply divine.
The Greenwich Hotel's other features: Concierge, Locanda Verde Italian tavern, in-house fitness centre located on Shibui Spa level.
Local Grooves
The Greenwich Hotel is nestled in Tribeca, close to Soho, offering easy access to all of the New York City downtown sights and neighbourhoods. In the late 80s the area was popular with artists trying to escape the hefty prices of Soho, but today the neighbourhood has a high profile of its own with great restaurants, classy boutiques and trendy bars to tout. Wander Tribeca’s cobblestone streets and you’ll notice it still hasn’t lost its calm, chilled-out vibe, and certainly hasn’t been overrun with tourists and the ultra-hype of other New York City neighbourhoods.
Greenwich Street 377, New York City, USA
Contact tel: 212.941.8900, fax: 212.941.8600
Services spa, swimming pool, fitness equipment, hotel restaurant, hotel bar, room service, internet access, concierge, air-conditioning
Useful links
Locanda Verde Restaurant
The Greenwich Hotel neighbourhood guide
The Greenwich Hotel website
Reviewed by Tijana Jaksic
Whether you’re a science-hound, a philosophy-queen or a master of literature, New York City’s unique Library Hotel will have not just a room to suit, but a bookcase that caters to your very taste.
Boasting over 6,000 books, each and every volume is organised across the sixty unique rooms spread across ten floors by the Dewey Decimal System.
With a separate floor dedicated to each of the ten classifications of knowledge, first choose your forte or interest between Social Sciences, Literature, Languages, History, Math & Science, General Knowledge, Technology, Philosophy, The Arts or Religion for your stay. Then, narrow it down. Each room is purely dedicated to its theme, adorned in art and a personal library of the topic you choose – whether it’s Poetry, Fairy Tales, Astronomy, Germanic Language, Medicine, New Age, Oceanography or even Money that you fancy.
But whilst this idea to fashion an age-old reference system into a themed hotel is unique, don’t think it’s nerdy. It’s not the slightest bit odd to be a part of. Wandering down the hall reading reference numbers to find one’s room proffers much more mystery and surprise than the average hotel experience, that’s for sure.
The Library Hotel has been created with much class and care in its transformation from a landmark 1900 brick and terra cotta building. Beautifully restored, the boutique hotel now lodged in its remains oozes sophistication, is modern and attracts a broad clientele. After all, whether you experience the Library Hotel once or up to 60 times, you can be guaranteed every stay will be unique.
The rooms
Social Sciences, 3rd floor - Law, Money, World Culture, Economics, Political Science, Communication
Language, 4th floor - Ancient Language, Middle Eastern Language, Asian Language, Germanic Language, Romance Language, Slavic Language.
Math and Science, 5th floor - Astronomy, Dinosaurs, Botany, Zoology, Geology, Mathematics.
Technology, 6th floor - Health and Beauty, Computers, Medicine, Management, Manufacturing, Advertising
The Arts, 7th floor - Fashion Design, Music, Photography, Architecture, Performing Arts, Paintings.
Literature, 8th floor - Mystery, Fairy Tales, Dramatic Literature, Poetry, Classic Fiction, Erotic Literature.
History, 9th floor - Biography, Geography and Travel, Asian History, Oceanography, Ancient History, 20th Century History.
General Knowledge, 10th floor - New Media, Journalism, Museums, Encyclopedic Works, Almanacs, Libraries.
Philosophy, 11th floor - Love, Paranormal, Psychology, Philosophy, Ethics, Logic.
Religion, 12th floor - Ancient Religion (Mythology), Native American Religion, Germanic Religion, New Age, African Religion, Eastern Religion.
Across these rooms, there are still three different room types – Petite Room Full, Deluxe Room Queen, and Junior Suite King with Sofabed. All rooms feature a flat screen TV with 48 digital channels, mini bar, safe, 100% Egyptian cotton linen, MP3 dock, phone lines and high-speed wireless internet access.
The Reading Room
All Library Hotel guests have access to the second-floor Reading Room, lined with a wall-to-wall bookshelf hosting a variety of books on one side, and glass windows overlooking the New York street life below on the other. Open 24-hours, you can come here to sit and read, bring your laptop to do some work, or enjoy the complimentary tea and coffee facilities, cookies and fruits available. A European-style continental breakfast is served in the Reading Room each morning, and each evening from 5.00 – 8.00pm a wine and cheese reception is held for all guests.
The Writer’s Den & Poetry Garden
If these exclusive retreats aren’t booked out for private use, retreat here with your book or your work by day. By night, this 14th floor area transforms intoBoomarks Lounge, an intimate Manhattan Rooftop Bar open to the public. Serving cocktails alongside a full premium bar list, the bar is relaxed but upbeat and operates every night except Sundays.
Midtown Manhatten Local grooves
The Library Hotel is located in Midtown Manhatten, on Madison Avenue nad 41st Street. Fittingly, this is also known as Library Way, with the majestic New York Public Library just around the corner. The Pierpont Morgan Libarary, Bryant Park, Grand Central Terminal and the Times Square Theatre District are all not far away either.
Madison Avenue 299, New York City, USA
Contact tel: 212.983.4500, fax: 212.499.9099
Services hotel restaurant, room service, internet access, concierge, air-conditioning
Useful links
Library Hotel website
Reviewed by Tijana Jaksic
Alma del Pacifico, on one of Costa Rica's most beautiful stretches of beach, exudes an auto of luxury and privacy in a completely relaxed setting without pretension. The small boutique property of 20 suites reflects Costa Rica’s colorful culture, with spacious villas in a post-modern Californian style and lush tropical gardens right on an incredible stretch of oceanfront. The hotel has created a spot that works for both families and couples on a romantic getaway, with a rejuvenating spa and above-average restaurant. When the sun starts to sink, go for a stroll along the wide glassy sands, order a mojito from the bar and watch the spectacular sunset.
Each of the 20 guest villas is uniquely designed, in the distinctive bold style of architect and former owner Sherrill Broudy: a dynamic open-plan space, flooded with light, with slabs of rich colour. A high curving wooden ceiling echoes the sea and creates a soothing airy feeling, as does the private, walled terrace of each room. The walls are adorned in Sherrill's wife Charlene’s unique paintings and rugs in saturated colours, reflecting her love of the natural tropical world. The effect is warm and welcoming and very individual: the antithesis of bland hotel rooms!
There are 5 grades of villa, starting with Garden Bungalow, which although lovely, don't have sea views. We'd definitely recommend splashing out on one of the beachfront options for that instant uplifting feeling in the morning, and lounging on your private terrace in the late afternoon. Of these, Beachfront Bungalows are the smallest, though these are already huge and include 28 feet of beachfront. Beachfront Villas are even larger and the Deluxe Beachfront Villas feature a private plunge pool on their terraces.
As well as the comfortable kingsize beds (or 2 doubles) each room has a long generous couch that is also a daybed, a desk space and books and magazines to peruse. Lighting is excellent and candles are provided, too - both for atmosphere, and in case of power cuts! All rooms are superbly equipped with all kinds of thoughtful details, from fresh fruit and flowers when you arrive to complimentary snacks, coffee and soft drinks in the minibar.
Bathrooms are particularly generous (most with 2 sinks); we loved the wonderful wide curved shower area in Sherrill Broudy’s signature style, with hand-mosaiced tiles and views to a private garden. There’s air-conditioning as well as fans and blinds, bathrobes, hairdryers, umbrellas, torches for walking around the gardens at night, iPod docking stations, good wardrobe space, and a safe big enough for a laptop.
Best of all? Your view of the ocean from your private patio - a good outdoor space, with perfect views onto the surf. Here there are 2 recliners and a table, outside lights and a blind to shut out early morning light should you require it.
New to Alma del Pacifico are three larger vacation rental options, located one-and-a-half miles from the main property and perfect for families or large groups. Casa Mono Loco and Casa Mirador are both set on the ridge line with breathtaking ocean and rainforest views; they each have three bedrooms and three baths, gourmet kitchen and private infinity pools. There are also several three bedroom luxury condos, with two master suites, expansive verandahs, exotic teak floors and gourmet kitchens. Guests of the vacation rentals have full access to all hotel facilities; a car is highly recommended, or guests would feel quite stranded.
The open-air, thatched roof Pavilion Restaurant offers great views of the ocean surf crashing to shore. Generous space between tables ensures that each group feels private, and there are sweet flower arrangements throughout. A continental breakfast is included in the tariff, including freshly squeezed juice, coffee or tea, a platter of seasonal fruit, and choice of breakfast breads with butter and preserves. Other menu options (at an extra charge) include omelets, pancakes, a nice selection of a la carte items, and a Tico-style local breakfast with gallo pinto, fried plantains and tortillas. The Lunch and Dinner menus offer international and Costa Rican cuisine, with an emphasis on local and healthy ingredients that makes use of sustainable seafood and produce. Many of the fruits, vegetables and herbs are grown in the colourful gardens on-site. There’s a good selection of sandwiches, salads, pizza and pasta, hot dishes and cold options - the salads are particularly recommended. Snacks (bocas) can be eaten all day: the guacamole is excellent.
Alma del Pacifico offers the perfect setting to be as active as you want, or simply relax and do nothing. Options for activities include:
Details:
Alma del Pacifico
Playa Esterillos Este, Parrita, Puntarenas
Central Pacific Coast, Costa Rica
888-960-ALMA / (506) 2778-7070
Boquete, Panama has become one of those "it" places that expats have been flocking to relocate to in recent decades. Fortunately, it is still under the radar of places such as Costa Rica and Cuenca, Ecuador; and still retains an authenticity, a low-key vibe, that keep it from simply being gringo-land in Central America. The cool mountain climate, stunning views, great hiking and coffee farming draw short-term tourists, retiring Central Americans and Western expats alike.
Two of these expats are Jane Walker and Barry Robbins from Vancouver, Canada. The couple left their home and stressful lifestyles in high-tech nearly twenty years ago, heading south to Central America yet unsure of where they would finally settle. "As we drove out of the parking lot, I just let go," Jane recalls of their exodus from North America. "The life we were leading was being left behind. I didn't know where we were going, but I knew it would be different."
After a year and a half of exploring the region, they settled in Boquete in 1996 and found six acres of land that was a defunct coffee and orange farm. There, they built La Montaña y el Valle - The Coffee Estate Inn, the first luxury inn in the Boquete area, in a mere 10 months.
The Coffee Estate Inn is exquisite and magical; you can look at the photos and videos online, but they don't prepare you for the riot of flowers and colors and scents that envelop you the second you drive through the gate. Jane and Barry have been avid gardeners all their life, using it as an escape from stresses of the job back in Canada. "We would garden just about as frantically as we worked," Barry says. "So instead of taking the enjoyment and that soul-fulfilling thing of working in the soil, it was just covering up an absence in the rest of our lives." But for the past 18 years, the couple has found their calling and turned their passion for gardening into a labor of love, creating the stunning oasis that is their inn.
"There's no 'growing season' here," Jane says. "You pick up a plant and stick it in the ground, and it simply grows. It's truly a gardener's paradise. It's right for us, right here." Luckily for the rest of us, we have the opportunity to live that paradise if only for a short while. Three very private, luxurious bungalows are the only rooms at the inn, and the couple has thought of every small detail to make the stay wonderful and memorable - right down to heated floors in the bathrooms for those chilly mountain mornings.
There are many very good reasons why VISIONTV out of Canada picked the inn for its "Recreating Eden" television series. The episode featuring Jane, Barry and their Coffee Estate Inn has been syndicated and shown on the Knowledge Network in Canada since January 2008.
The Coffee Estate Inn sits high up on a hill a few kilometers above the town of Boquete, so it is both secluded and peaceful as well as a quick, convenient drive into town as well as local hiking trails and other day trips. Jane and Barry provide loads of detailed information, both during the arrival orientation as well as in the information book left in each guest room; and they always make themselves available to answer questions or provide guests with area information. You can also take a coffee tour of the farm with Barry, who explains the process of coffee farming and roasting, along with interesting tidbits about the gardens in general and life in Panama. The tour is included in stays of three or more nights.
The Coffee Estate Inn remains a small and exclusive hotel by choice. The bright and airy bungalows face the volcano and have spectacular views. All are surrounded and separated by gardens and forest. Each bungalow has a large covered terrace, spacious living room and dining area, kitchenette, separate bedroom with ensuite bathroom, flat screen television with satellite TV and DVD, security safe and free high speed wireless Internet. Windows are screened. Each bungalow also has a fully stocked kitchenette with toaster oven, microwave, mini-fridge and of course - a personal supply of the estate's personally roasted coffee beans, never more than three days out of the roaster.
"Coffee is one of those things that just gets in your blood," says Barry. "This is the place we want to be. This is home."
Rates are $180 per night, per couple using the special internet rate; private breakfast left in the room for each morning is included.
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