WORLD'S BEST CITY: Bangkok
WORLD'S BEST HOTEL: Singita Grumeti Reserves (Saskwa Lodge, Sabora Tented Camp, and Faru Faru Lodge), Tanzania
WORLD'S BEST ISLAND: Santorini Greece
WORLD'S BEST LARGE-SHIP CRUISE LINE: Crystal Cruises
WORLD'S BEST SMALL-SHIP CRUISE LINE: Seabourn
WORLD'S BEST RIVER CRUISE LINE: Tauck
WORLD'S BEST INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE: Singapore Airlines
WORLD'S BEST DOMESTIC AIRLINE: Virgin America
WORLD'S BEST TOUR OPERATOR/SAFARI OUTFITTER: Micato Safaris
WORLD'S BEST CAR-RENTAL AGENCY: Zipcar
WORLD'S BEST DESTINATION SPA: Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort & Spa Tecate, Mexico
WORLD'S BEST HOTEL SPA: Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa New Zealand

Travel + Leisure World's Best 2011 Hotel Winners by Region:


Continental U.S. and Canada
TOP RESORT: Blackberry Farm, Walland, Tennessee
TOP LARGE CITY HOTEL: The Peninsula Chicago
TOP SMALL CITY HOTEL: Eliot Hotel Boston
TOP INN: Triple Creek Ranch, Darby Montana

Hawaii
TOP RESORT: Four Seasons Resort, Hualalai, Hawaii
The Caribbean, Bermuda and The Bahamas
TOP RESORT: Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, Nevis
Central and South America
TOP RESORT: Posada de Mike Rapu, Explora Rapa Nui Easter Island, Chile
TOP CITY HOTEL: Palacio Duhau - Park Hyatt, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Mexico
TOP RESORT: One And Only Palmilla, Los Cabos
TOP CITY HOTEL: Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City
Australia, New Zealand and The South Pacific
TOP LODGE/RESORT: Lodge at Kauri Cliffs, Matauri Bay, New Zealand
TOP CITY HOTEL: The Langham Melbourne

Europe
TOP RESORT: Hotel Caruso Ravello, Italy
TOP LARGE CITY HOTEL: Stafford London by Kempinski
TOP SMALL CITY HOTEL: Milestone Hotel London
TOP INN/SMALL COUNTRY HOTEL: Hotel Villa Cipriani Asolo, Italy

Asia
TOP RESORT: Oberoi Udaivilas Udaipur, India
TOP CITY HOTEL: Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
Africa and The Middle East
TOP LODGE/RESORT: Singita Grumeti Reserves (Saskwa Lodge, Sabora Tented Camp, and Faru Faru Lodge), Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
TOP CITY HOTEL: Cape Grace Hotel Cape Town, South Africa

Travel + Leisure 2011 World's Best City and Island Winners by Region:

U.S. AND CANADA: New York City/Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada
EUROPE: Florence/ Santorini Greece
ASIA: Bangkok/Bali
AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC: Sydney/Great Barrier Reef Australia
MEXICO AND CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA: Buenos Aires/Galápagos
AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST: Cape Town
HAWAII: Hawaii, the Big Island
THE CARIBBEAN, BERMUDA, AND THE BAHAMAS: Cuba

Travel + Leisure 2011 World's Best Hotel Spas Winners by Region:


CONTINENTAL U.S. AND CANADA: Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, Louisiana
HAWAII: Grand Wailea Maui
MEXICO: (a tie) Excellence Riviera Cancun Mayan Riviera and Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Resort & Spa Los Cabos
EUROPE: Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel Rome
ASIA: Discovery Shores Boracay Philippines
AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC: Sofitel Queenstown Hotel and Spa New Zealand
CARIBBEAN, BERMUDA AND THE BAHAMAS: Couples Tower Isle St. Mary, Jamaica
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA: Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires
AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST: Singita Kruger National Park South Africa
The Twitter conversation about the World's Best Awards 2011 can be accessed with @travlandleisure #tlworldsbest.

For those who wonder how the winners were chosen, the research methodology is described below.

A questionnaire developed by the editors of Travel + Leisure, in association with ROI Research Inc., was made available to Travel + Leisure readers at TLWorldsBest.com from December 1, 2010, to March 31, 2011. Readers were invited to participate through Travel + Leisure magazine (January, February, and March issues), T+L iPad editions (T+L 500 and Romance), and online at TravelandLeisure.com.

To protect the integrity of the data, after March 31, 2011, respondents were screened by Travel + Leisure and responses from any identified travel-industry professionals who completed the survey were eliminated from the final tally. The survey website, TLWorldsBest.com, was maintained, monitored, and kept secure by ROI Research Inc., which collected and tabulated the responses and kept them confidential. The scores are indexed averages of responses concerning applicable characteristics. Respondents were asked to rate hotels, islands, destination spas, and rental-car agencies on five characteristics; cities, cruise lines, and tour operators and safari outfitters on six characteristics; and airlines and hotel spas on four characteristics.

In the hotel, cruise line, tour operators and safari outfitters, and airline categories, respondents could also rate additional optional characteristics; these ratings were not included in the final score. For each characteristic, respondents were asked to rate a candidate on a scale of 1 to 5, where "1" means poor and "5" means excellent. Required component ratings were then averaged, creating an overall score. A minimum response number was necessary for a candidate to be eligible for inclusion in the World?s Best Awards listings. Some companies were rated in both the cruise lines and tour operators and safari outfitters categories, and some properties were rated in both the destination spas and hotel spas categories.

These were the categories and characteristics:
Hotels: Rooms/facilities, location, service, restaurants/food, value
Cities: Sights, culture/arts, restaurants/food, people, shopping, value
Islands: Natural attractions, activities/sights, restaurants/food, people, value
Cruise Lines: Cabins, food, service, itineraries/destinations, activities, value
Tour operators and safari outfitters: Staff/guides, itineraries/destinations, activities, accommodations, food, value
Airlines: Cabin comfort, in-flight service, customer service, value
Rental-car agencies: Vehicle selection, vehicle availability, car-rental location, service, value
Destination spas: Accommodations/ambience, treatments, service, food, value
Hotel spas: Ambience, treatments, service, value
Throughout the Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards, scores shown have been rounded to the nearest hundredth of a point; in the event of a true tie, properties, companies, or destinations share the same ranking.

Canapés et Hors-d'oeuvre Assortis "Le Cirque" paired with 2005 Blanc de Noir Brut Magnum

Langoustines au Caviar - Citrus Marinated New Zealand Langoustines, Osetra Caviar, Apple & Vodka Gelée with 2005 Hawk Hill Chardonnay

Le Flétan d'Alaska - Potato Crusted Halibut, Celery Root & Mustard of Meaux Purée, Sauce Vieux Balsamique with 2007 Westside Road Neighbors Pinot Noir

L'Agneau Du Colorado - Espelette Crusted Lamb Chop, Taggiasche Olive Panisse, Piquillo Purée, Farcie of Spring Vegetables with 2004 Rochioli Vineyard Pinot Noir and 2004 Hirsch Vineyard Pinot Noir

Les Fromages - L'Epoisse, Vieux Comté, Saint Marcellin with 1999 Allen Vineyard Pinot Noir

Pot De Crème Au Chocolat - Chocolate Pot de Crème, Cardamom Emulsion, Pop Rocks Marshmallows
This fall, the pairings continue: In September, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon wines of Husic Vineyards will be paired with cuisine prepared by Prime Steakhouse Executive Chef Sean Griffin. And in November, Araujo Estate wines and Picasso's Julian Serrano (pictured below) take center stage for the final Tuscany Kitchen event of the year on hand also, will be Master Sommelier and Director of Wine at Bellagio Jason Smith along with Daphne and Bart Araujo, owners of Araujo Estate.

Master Sommelier and Director of Wine at Bellagio Jason Smith has been hosting these pairing events. As both educator and sommelier, he said, "We have seen exceptional moments for our guests as we educate them on the meanings behind each pairing. But another great pairing example is our Art And Wine Pairings the second Wednesday of every month at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Arts. The Director of the Gallery, Tarissa Tiberti, and I, host an event that features art from the current exhibit called A Sense Of Place: Landscapes From Monet To Hockney. We pair the appropriate spirits - from Champagne to tequila - with the gallery art, and then have interactive conversations relating the tastes, colors and themes of the wine and the art."

In all of these culinary and wine pairings, the chefs and sommeliers are available to discuss their techniques, food ingredients and cooking processes with the guests.

The 1,170-square-foot Tuscany Kitchen where most of these experiences take place, is also a unique state of the art demo kitchen. Three cameras, positioned above the prep stations and stove tops, capture shots of the chefs at work and broadcast them over 60-inch plasma screens mounted above the cooking area for easy viewing. This, paired with the opportunity to interact with Bellagio's culinary talent, create a singular curated environment, for a fine dining and wine pairing experience.

Meadowood Resort is one of the few that has many diverse, curated dimensions. To some, it is remembered as a resort, a Relais & Chateaux hotel, a country inn, a spa, a private club, a hub for the activities of local winemakers and grape growers, a wine education center, a culinary destination with a Michelin Three Star restaurant, and/or a great golf/croquet or tennis haven. To others it is the yearly resort where the Napa Valley Wine Auction is held.

Although there is much to explore and experience, Meadowood's locale is secluded. As you drive through the guard gate, in through the canopy of trees, it emanates the sense of a deeply private enclave, which is indeed part of its identity, but not the whole thing. I learned, after visiting Meadowood a second time, there is a private club here, but the resort component is open to all.

"It is understandable that Meadowood might look like a private club, as it does give off the sense of privacy and great beauty," said Alain Negueloua, the General Manager of Meadowood. "But Meadowood is such a varied resort, we want the public to understand we welcome all. It is part of our legacy and our history."

"In the early 1960s," Alain continued, "Meadowood was designed and built as a small club for the local wine growing community. The club changed hands and the current ownership purchased it in the late 1970s with the vision to develop the property into a country resort estate."

"It has become a world-class destination as well as a gathering place for Napa Valley vintners - a place that combines the best of nature and culture in terms of exceptional, one-of-a-kind curated experiences, so that guests can learn and experience food and wine with masters in the field."

The trend of the curated guest experience is one that has recently been discussed at the American Express Luxury Summit. This experience is a unique one, offered to guests from experts either associated with the hotel or resort, or brought in through a strategic partnership, to create a memorable, educational experience of great interest and often of great passion, for the guest. At present, some hotel brands are creating curated experiences, (I will be discussing more of them in part two) but Meadowood is one of the few non-branded, single site resorts doing this now. Two of the most substantial curated experiences that guests can enjoy involve both wine and food, not surprising given its location and the resort's elite agrarian commitments to both.
Wine

The Director of Wine Education at Meadowood is Gilles de Chambure. He is well-known in wine circles, as he is one of a very few worldwide who has an M.S., a Master Sommelier. His philosophy of wine education relates to connecting the wine taster and buyer to a particular place and time, a sensory remembrance of experiences past.

"I have always said wine is very much like music. You don't have to read music or know who the composer is to enjoy it," said Gilles in my recent interview. "To enjoy wine, you don't have to know about fermentation, Malolactic acid, or rootstocks, but if you understand these things, you appreciate it differently." To that end, and for the Meadowood guests, Gilles offers private education experiences in Napa, exploring winery architecture and history, as well as a more educated look at Napa Valley's Cabernets.

"We always start off in the vineyard," Gilles continued, "and it's a personalized experience. I tailor a session to the guests' specific area of interest, and then we cover a broad range of topics - from grape growing, to winemaking, to the history of wine, to the sensory evaluation of wine. It is important they learn the emotional connections created by their olfactic memories. They learn to trust that memory - and it empowers them."

In addition to the local trips, Gilles has also hosted curated wine trips for members of Meadowood Club and of the Napa Valley Reserve, a private wine club on the Meadowood estate. Because his family has deep vineyard roots in Burgundy, Gilles knows the most significant vintners there and in many other parts of France and Europe, and is allowed greater access to private wineries than others.


"Each year, I host discovery trips to the best, and also the lesser known, wine regions of the world. For the Napa Valley Reserve members, we went to Bordeaux two years ago, to Burgundy last year and next year will be go to Argentina. For Bill Harlan (Managing Partner of Meadowood) and his group, who are all members of the Napa Valley Reserve, we also went to Portugal last year, this year to Austria, next year Piedmont, Italy at the time of the white truffle season."
Food

Unlike Gilles, who travels widely and often, Christopher Kostow, a Michelin starred Chef before he was 30, usually stays in the kitchen working with his staff, creating dishes for The Restaurant at Meadowood. It is now a Three Star Michelin restaurant, one of only two in California.

The food I had was exceptional, as it combined the fresh Meadowood vegetable garden produce with aspects of contemporary French cuisine. Christopher says he believes in inspired spontaneity, which, judging by his food combinations, define a unique way of experiencing new tastes. Some combinations from the ever-changing menu display his methods: Foie Gras in black bread, with dark chocolate, apricot, and bacon. Columbia River Salmon with poached rhubarb, potato ice cream, and chickpea hummus. And a dessert: An imaginative concoction with flavors of umami, red cedar and buttered popcorn.

In February of 2010, Christopher garnered a rare four stars in the San Francisco Chronicle and in October was awarded the highest ranking of three Michelin Stars from the esteemed guide. Christopher is only the second American-born chef and third youngest chef ever to receive three Michelin stars.

As regards curated experiences, Christopher does come into the dining room to greet guests and answer questions. If guests are interested, they can certainly ask to see the kitchen and watch Christopher work. Usually Nathaniel, the Restaurant Director, will escort them back so they can meet, greet and ask Christopher questions and discuss flavor combinations.



Christopher is accessible to the guests most of the time, but most especially during Twelve Days of Christmas event. During the hour-long sparkling wine reception, all guests are invited back to the kitchen to meet Christopher and the guest chef of the evening, as well as chat with Christopher's kitchen team.

The curated guest experience is often derived from knowing the guest deep interests and passions - whether it be for food, wine, art, sports, wellness, or some form of passion collecting. In the next article, I will be discussing some of the curated experiences offered by other hotels and clubs that offer these amenities. Stay tuned! 

Photo Credit: Susan Kime

Experiencing Martis Camp allows the visitor to feel the unusual combination of past and present simultaneously. For the present, right now, it is one of the few successful significant gated communities, accruing 62 property sales that include 57 developer home sites and five custom homes in 2010 totaling $53.7 million. Sales volume this year is over $40 million and according to Brian Hull, Director of Sales at Martis Camp, 2011 will be more substantial than last.

Why is the volume so volatile? It seems to appeal to both Boomers, GenX/yers as well as Millennials. It is a true four season destination, where noteworthy golf, skiing, swimming, fishing, and hiking are available to members and owners of elite enclave. The homes already built here run the gamut of architectural styles, from sturdy log homes and Swiss Chalets, to extremely modern/post-industrial.

This style diversity is due in part to the many famous architects who are building client homes here, including Ron Radziner, Marmol Radziner + Associates (MRA), Los Angeles, Greg Faulkner, Faulkner Architects, Truckee & Berkeley, Calif, RKD Architects, Inc., Edwards, Colo, Ted Brobst, Ward Young Architects, Truckee and Lafayette, California, among others.

There are over 300 family homes here already, many from San Francisco, the Pacific Northwest, Southern California, Texas and other areas of the country. There are 653 home sites that range from one to five acres, to the smaller cabin sites range from .3 to .6 of an acre. There is also a sense of ease and happy acceptance - very camp-like - of family in all its variegated forms. One of the members told me, "Here is the way it used to be: our family is welcomed, not just tolerated." Priceless!

But there is another reason for the success of Martis Camp and that is its accessibility. Unlike other high-end mountain enclaves, getting to Martis Camp does not take up one of two travel days. From the Reno airport it is about half an hour by car. From San Francisco, it is a three hour drive. From Portland or Seattle, it is also just a two hour plane ride away. It is only a one hour flight from Southern California.

Martis camp lies in the Martis Valley, near the upper end of North Lake Tahoe, about 6,000 feet above sea level. It is situated on 2,177 acres, with a kind of dazzling topography endemic to a rare four season destination. On property, there's a Tom Fazio, 18 hole, par 72 course, with the front nine taking advantage of mountain views; the next seven holes crisscross Martis Creek and wind through the valley forest; and the finishing holes are framed by the Sierra Nevadas, still snowy when we were there last week in June.

There is a lake where members can fish in the summer, and in winter, there is private ski access, via the Martis Camp Express lift to Northstar at Tahoe. And paralleling these sporting focal points, are the multiple architectural focal points, that further endow the sense of past and present, as well as enrich the interests of those who buy lots and build homes here.

The name alone - Martis Camp - is an homage to the great camps and lodges of the early part of the last century, as does the exterior architecture with interior use. The Family Barn, as one example, was built as a multi-use facility, where families come, play basketball, eat breakfast or lunch, involve themselves in curated art and design experiences in the Art Studio on the second floor, bowl in the bowling alley, or just sit by the fire and read. There is a soda fountain and a movie theatre also, all hearkening to a past and present feel together: having the colors and structure of a barn, but with interior uses of present day.

Another building, smaller, yet equally as unique, is about a mile away in the Ponderosa forest. Called "The Lost Library," it is a log cabin full of books and newspapers, where the members can read, or write, or just sit and have coffee, as they hear the peace of quiet, and the soughing of the pines. Nearby is a meditation rock garden.

But the building meant to encapsulate the Mardis Camp vision of past legacy and future bequeathment combined will open on July 4, and is called the Camp Lodge. From its site atop a 70-foot rock outcropping overlooking the 18th hole of the Fazio course, the Camp Lodge features dramatic 270-degree views of the Carson Range, Lookout Mountain and the Sierra Crest.

When I spoke with John Sather, one of the lead architects of Swabeck Partners and the architect of the Camp Lodge, he said the goal was to create a building that will have a lifetime of 100 years or more. He continued, "We searched beyond the development world and went into 100-year-old buildings to understand and create great spaces. This was an opportunity that couldn't be squandered as we had a chance to design a building to stand the test of time."

Sather's idea was to develop a building that conveyed heritage, rather than on latest design style. The intention was to create a real indoor/outdoor feeling through a floor plan that began with the site itself. The west side of the Camp Lodge hangs right over the edge of a spectacular natural rock outcropping and many of the indoor spaces open themselves to bring the outdoors in. The result is a vision design of past and present, creating a basic timelessness. Using asphalt roof shingles in a varied pattern, green stained cedar exterior wall shingles with indigenous grey granite rock walls and copper trim details, make the exteriors look old, yet inexplicably new.

The interior design, created by Kim Anderson of Vallone design in Scottsdale, throughout the Camp Lodge evokes a feeling of a family past with quilted patchwork upholstered ceilings. Yes, I did say quilted patchwork ceilings. Then, there is The Cliff, an octagonal dining room that anchors the western point of site.

The Camp Lodge will also feature a full-service day spa with a menu of massage and therapeutic treatments, outdoor lap and vitality pools, men's and ladies' locker rooms, fitness area, golf shop and community post office. In addition, the Camp Lodge will have four indoor dining rooms and five patio areas. The hallway leading to the dining spaces is an art gallery. The Gallery Hallway will be full of original artwork of the Sierras in addition to other original works.

Martis Camp was recently (March, 2011) named in the Top Ten of Barron's Best Places For Second Homes.
Related Topics : Lake Tahoe, Martis Camp, Real Estate, Golf, Luxury 

Photo Courtesy of Auction Napa Valley

For the first time in its 31-year history, rain fell on the main event of Napa Valley's renowned charity wine auction held on the lawn of Meadowood Napa Valley in St Helena, Saturday, June 4. While Mother Nature let it rain, the bidders poured $7.3 million into auction revenue that provides for the region's charities.

The fairway at Meadowood, which has served as the venue for the Live Auction since its inception in 1981, has always been blessed with perfect weather, but never rain and temperatures in the mid-50s in June. Originally planning to offer open-air seating, the event organizers quickly rallied to find additional tents. And, all of the expected 800 attendees, chefs, and vintners appeared as planned - inside tents, and many with rain boots.

The Live Auction opened as professional dancers took to the stage to entice bidders to raise their paddles on a collection of wine in magnum from dozens of Napa Valley producers. The lot sold for $70,000 to a bidder from Menlo Park, CA.

Carrying balloons and cupcakes for a high stakes bake sale were 25 children who have benefitted from wellness funding from one of the Live Auction charities. Taking the stage with the youngsters was the Rombauer Family, 2011 Auction Napa Valley honorary chairs, led by patriarch Koerner Rombauer. A total of 132 bidders brought in a total of $1.1 million including five $100,000 bids.

Auctioneers Fritz Hatton and Ursula Hermacinski partnered on the main stage leading bidders often into six figures. By Lot 10 from Chiarello Family Vineyards and Staglin Family Vineyards, the bidding closed at $300,000 and then doubled with two successful bidders capturing a duplicated lot of wine and culinary experiences bringing a total of $600,000 for the lot.

Doubling down became a theme to create the top lots for the day, occurring again at Lot 15's offering from BOND with two bidders doubling the $120,000 bid to $240,000. Then again at Lot 35 with Raymond Vineyard's offering bringing $195,000 times two at $390,000. Proud, first-time father of newborn twins and owner of Raymond Vineyards, Jean Charles Boisset was on-hand to toast the winning bidders.

And just shy of the final lot, Lot 39 from Chappellet Vineyard and Winery sparked bidding with yet another doubling with two $200,000 bids bringing $400,000 to the tally. But the Live Auction was just one facet of this event. Another, more virtual, was the Global E-Auction.

With more than 150 lots of wine collections, large format bottles, cellar builders and vintner-hosted getaways to Napa Valley, participation in the online version of Auction Napa Valley was at an all-time high. Bidders hailed from as far away as China, Japan, Canada and the UK to all points across the U.S. - all dueling with those in attendance at the event in Napa Valley.

At the close of the E-Auction on Sunday, June 5 at 6 p.m., tallies of $359,000 brought 93 successful bidders. More than half of all successful bidders, 55 in total, were virtual attendees bidding from Mexico, Hong Kong, Canada and across the U.S.

The offering from Domaine Chandon was the top earning E-Lot bringing $16,600 followed by offerings from Chateau Montelena; a joint lot among Etude, St Clement Vineyards and Stags' Leap Winery; Silver Oak Cellars with Twomey Cellars; Vineyard 29; Pine Ridge Winery; Appellation St Helena wineries; Stags Leap District wineries; V Sattui Winery; Frog's Leap; and Sherwin Family Vineyards.

However, the philanthropic highlight for this year's auction, before the bidding even began, was knowing that this was the year the Napa Valley Vintners would reach and exceed the milestone of giving $100 million back to the community for healthcare, youth services and affordable housing non-profit programs in Napa County.

Auction Napa Valley is the most successful charity wine auction in the world. The auction was founded in 1981 under the vision of Robert and Margrit Mondavi and has grown to be a four-day celebration of wine, food and philanthropy held the first weekend in June, rain or shine.


Have a sense of investment when they buy - a bargain for a NEO is "something that is cheaper today than it will be tomorrow" rather than "something that is cheaper today than it was yesterday"

Have low confidence that discounts and price offers will automatically deliver the quality experience they expect

Will focus on price only when they have low involvement with a purchase - when desire is not in play
Have a preference for premium-lifestyle products - the well designed, high-quality products at the top of every merchandise category

Are inconspicuous consumers - brands are secrets to be whispered to themselves and to others who share their values, rather than external symbols of who they are or what they do

Have a high appetite for all kinds of rich information and rich content - they read more, know more, expect more and will pay more

Are more willing than anyone else to try something new, to take the path least traveled

Are individualists with a high locus of control - they believe success is determined by planning rather than by luck

Regularly use, and are comfortable with, the internet - are happy to adopt new technology, but only when it delivers a service that matches their expectations and aspirations

Are socially active, have a strong sense of social and ethical responsibility, and like to convince others of their opinions

JL: Have you used this messaging in any of your work?

CN: Recently, we worked on an unusual marketing campaign that included many of these NEO messages, for the Four Seasons Residences in Denver. With this campaign it was about revealing what made living at a Four Seasons Residence unique. We relied upon a rich information format and allowed the individual to interpret the information in the way that would be most personally relevant to them. The results have been astounding as web traffic has grown by over 50 percent and the average time spent on the site is up by almost 500 percent. The campaign is "Now This is Your Time."

JL: This is one good example, but how might you be using this research to attract larger audiences?

CN: We do envision profounder and far more extensive uses. I can see retraining many in all aspects of the customer service realm using the NEO ethos. This could drastically alter the economic attitudes of all segments. All types of service methodologies can be changed, from call centers to banks that invest in NEO-friendly companies, to universities. We are talking here about positively fulfilling individual needs. No more putting people on eternal hold, no more transferring callers to another country.

The St. Regis Mexico City is the seventeenth St. Regis Hotel in the world and the first St. Regis to be built in a major city in Latin America. It is 31 stories and contains 189 guestrooms, 35 suites and 108 private residences.

The combined sense of historic and contemporary begins with the location of the St. Regis Mexico City. Designed by Cesar Pelli of Pelli Clarke Pelli, the 31-story tower rises like a sleek metallic pillar at the corner of the historic Paseo De La Reforma. The Paseo de la Reforma, a long boulevard planned by the Emperor Maximillian, was modeled after the great boulevards of Europe - like Vienna's Ringstrasse or the Champs d'Elysees in Paris.

It was the Emperor's wish to directly link his imperial residence, Chapultepec Palace, with the National Palace in the City Center. And from one of the St. Regis terraces, Chapultepec Palace can be seen rising from the surrounding Chapultepec Park, the largest city park in Latin America.

Right outside the St. Regis is a traffic roundabout in whose center is a large fountain with the sculpture of Diana the Huntress. The architect Vicente Mendiola and the sculptor Juan Olaguíbel were commissioned in 1942 to build the fountain, whose subject was Diana, the Roman goddess of hunting. But for this fountain, it was decided that this goddess, instead of hunting animals, would hunt the stars of the northern skies. Thus, the formal name of this dramatic fountain is, the Northern Star Shooter.

It is in this historic area, with the street practicality of the Emperor combined with the hopes of the star shooter, that the St. Regis arises, 495 feet high, currently making it the second tallest building on the Paseo De La Reforma and the ninth tallest in Mexico City. As seen from its exterior, the hotel is a curved, triangular form with an elegant, delicately proportioned wall of clear glass and white aluminum.

"It's a functionally diverse building, full of life," said Pelli recently. "It incorporates beautiful, creative spaces for individuals with relaxing open areas whose sole purposes are for public enjoyment." I remembered this quote as I traveled recently to the luxury hotel. I wanted to see how the diverse culture of the city joined with the high-end urban, United States brand of the St. Regis.

I have been to three St. Regis properties before (in Aspen, Punta Mita and New York) and the uniformity of brand elegance always impresses me. The guests actually do have personal butlers and even at 4:00 a.m. they will bring Capuccino, or anything else you might want or need.

The time quoted for in-room dining arrival is always correct or a little early. Flowers are changed daily, there are no odd bugs in the flowers, and the fruit sent to the room had been recently washed. Also, here, as in other St. Regis locations, the respect for the local culture displayed itself through the exceptional interior designs and pieces of art around the lobbies, meeting areas and in the rooms. Yabu Pushelberg, one of the most famous names in interior design, did the interiors for the St. Regis Mexico City.

"We broke down all of the public spaces into a series of more intimate rooms to create a feeling of a regal home rather than corporate space," said Glenn Pushelberg, recently. "Our design intent was to really capture the essence of Mexico while complimenting the iconic architecture and the floor-to-ceiling glass exteriors."

Silver-plate and green are used in guestrooms to accent the natural light, and all furniture pieces are designed especially for The St. Regis Mexico City. Nepal Sober carpets, handcrafted bronze Mexican elliptical cluster walls and doors, English Sicomoro floors, and decorative screens are just a few of the interior elements that add to the colorful, yet peaceful atmospheres.

Candelabra lighting fixtures by Sharon Marston, for example, compliment the elegant St. Regis style, often inspired by nature. Personally, I have never seen lighting fixtures like these in any ballroom or conference room. They looked like large iridescent, clouds on the ceiling with tiny white lights embedded in them. Further, and still under Yabu Pushelberg's direction, Moss and Lam created the primary walls of the hotel, each unique and inspired by natural shapes like flowers, stars and leaves.

More art pieces are also sprinkled throughout the hotel and include a Ricardo Regazzoni sculpture at the main entrance of the hotel; several paintings by Mexican artist Gabriel Macotela in the Atrium and in the Decanter Room; and an intricately designed 3-D flower wall sculpture designed by artist Helen Amy Murray made with leather by Moore & Gilesin for the hotel's signature restaurant, Diana Restaurant. Also, there is a significant hand-painted mural by Pablo Weisz at the King Cole Bar.

This bar honors a long standing tradition begun at the original St. Regis in New York, where the original Bloody Mary was created. At each St. Regis, the bartender creates its own signature Bloody Mary, and here in Mexico City, this was no exception. The signature cocktail is called the Sangrita Maria, and though it looks like a Bloody Mary, one taste will tell you it is something much more subtle and spicy.

This concoction mixes Mezcal, sangrita and a bold dash of Pasilla chile puree. In addition to the Diana Restaurant in the hotel and the Decanter Room, a large room full of crystal decanters usually reserved for special, more formal dining, is the Jean-Georges Steak House that is set to open later in 2011.

Finally, the St. Regis Mexico City has the Remède Spa. Located on the 16th floor, the spa offers seven treatment rooms and spa lounges with city views as well as a Juice and Tea Bar. I enjoyed the Azteca Regenerating Facial with oxygen treatment. It was something so needed and wanted and quite cooling.

The St. Regis Mexico City, even though a significant high-end hotel, also has the earmarks of a substantial urban resort in the middle of a highly cultured, historic city. Inside the St. Regis, it is quiet and peaceful; outside the business of life, in a city of 20 million, moves quickly on.

Jason Pomeranc is a hotelier who co-founded and co-owns the Thompson Hotel Group along with his two brothers and Stephen Brandman. As the youngest, he has become a symbol of a kind of forward-thinking, multi-tasking, accessible Gen-Xer who is taking traditional ideas of hospitality to a newer, edgier level. He spoke with us recently about the present, and the future, visions of Thompson Hotel Group.

JustLuxe: How do you see the practical and philosophical meanings of luxury evolving and how does your brand reflect these evolutions?

Jason Pomeranc: I see the definition of luxury has been broadened and there is no star system anymore. What has been considered the height of great hotel design with famous names attached just isn't so anymore. There is greater scalability in exterior and interior design, with people willing to try new things, and in locations that would have been questioned, even a few years ago. For us, we see the concept of what the hospitality innkeeper does, has been broadened and with that, the old ideas of what has always been done in standardized ways, has been broken.

JL: What do you think accounts for this broadening and breaking?

Pomeranc: Well, this reason relates not only to the hotel sector, but to the travel sector and others as well - it deals with the growth of information technology and the connectivity it brings. People can see new products, designs, hotels and destinations worldwide and in an instant. They can compare hotels and their service provisions, can see unusual places and how hotels fit into the destinations, they can actually grasp what edginess means, in contrast to more standard travel choices. This way, from such an endless array of choice, they can actually form a tribal patterns of travel and can become global nomads...they can mix and match choice like never before.

JL: You said recently that the Thompson brand is involved in attracting the global nomad population - first, please explain what that is, and second, how does your brand attract them?

Pomeranc: These are the people who seek adventure in travel and innovation in hotel stays. They are explorers and finders of new ideas and designs. These are not the five-star brand types. At Thompson, we are an innovative, urban resort/oasis kind of brand, a different feel in every hotel, not standard. We like to say that our hotels were not created in boardrooms, and each hotel has a different story, and certainly a different neighborhood it reflects. Our brand defines a kind of future-forward practice in our hospitality, exterior architecture and interior designs.

JL: Can you give some examples?

Pomeranc: One of my favorite examples is our taking over of the Hollywood Roosevelt in 2004. It was an old hotel, 80 or so years, with a lot of old Hollywood history attached. Many people, both in and outside the hospitality industry, did not believe that this hotel could be restored in the way it should be - it probably was not a fiscal issue really, it was more of a legacy issue. But there was such soul to the hotel that we thought we would try, and we did it, with a 40 million dollar plus innovation in addition to restoration.

We renovated the Cabana rooms, which surround the famous David Hockney patterned pool and debuted three entertainment venues: Public Kitchen & Bar, The Spare Room and Beacher's Madhouse. This last one deserves a mention because it is a popular, but eccentric Vaudeville-inspired theater on the hotel's lower level, with European influences and echoes of the Folies Bergére, but is not vulgar in any way. After the Hotel opened, it became quite popular and has now revitalized many of the businesses around the hotel. This is what we wanted to do, create new legacy, through restoration and renovation.

JL: What about in other areas of the world?

Pomeranc: Our hotel in Toronto has a similar urban resort feel, which is what we aim for in our hotels. The Thompson Toronto is located in an eclectic arts and design neighborhood of King West Village and adjacent to the financial and entertainment districts. All 102 guest rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows with great views of the city. The three dining facilities cater to diverse tastes: COUNTER, a modern incarnation of a traditional diner is open 24 hours; upscale Italian cuisine by Scarpetta and Wabora Sushi. We also have a rooftop infinity pool, a state-of-the-art screening room, an exclusive lounge/club, a private rooftop bar and event space.

And..our hotel in London, one that will open soon, is Belgraves - a Thompson Hotel. This one will be located in London's affluent Belgravia neighborhood, just minutes from the historic Sloane Square. The hotel blends traditional British hospitality with Thompson's American bohemian attitude. The hotel will feature an 80-seat signature restaurant, an intimate library bar and state-of-the-art fitness center, making it a traveler's urban oasis within Central London.


We are also working on a project in Seoul, South Korea and are seriously looking at China as an important area in the near future. As our tribal nomad population grows, those who are always seeking out a kind of edgy newness, our hotels will be the gathering places for these guests, who have personally deconstructed and reconstructed the meanings of luxury right now and in the future. It is their legacy and ours also.

Photos Courtesy of Thompson Hotels