Shangri-La Hotels Opens New Doors in Boracay and Tokyo

World-renowned luxury hotel empire Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has spread its wings even farther, opening two new hotels concurrently in Boracay and Tokyo, and bringing the number of hotels under its management to a grand total of 62.

The first of these, Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort and Spa, Philippines, brings to the table a different sort of holiday experience.

Located in the northern part of Boracay Island, the sprawling resort provides guests with 350 meters of unadulterated beachfront, and ravishing views of the tropical island’s flora and fauna. Designed by Hawaiian firm WATG and Singapore-based LTW Design Works, guests have their pick of 219 finely furnished guestrooms or villas.

Meanwhile, Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo occupies the top 11 floors of Marunouchi Trust Tower Main, a 37-floor building just next to Tokyo Station in downtown Tokyo. The interior of the hotel hints of elegant Old World grandiosity and quintessentially Japanese accents.

Famous Czech lighting company Lasvit was engaged to design more than 50 custom-made chandeliers. Carved glass gingko leaves – the symbol of Tokyo - adorn some of these chandeliers, which are scattered throughout the hotel.

A stunning 10-metre long chandelier illuminates a grand staircase linking the first three floors of the hotel. Flower arrangements by artist Nicolai Bergmann, and more than 2,000 pieces of artwork provide the finishing touches to an aesthetic that is truly reminiscent of heaven on earth.

Guests can already check into both hotels and avail themselves of all facilities.

Westerly, Estate of the Day

These days a $5 million dollar price cut in the Hamptons barely causes a world-weary eyebrow to life, but how about a $14 million price chop? Newsday's Real LI delivers the news that the Westerly estate in Southampton is now with a new agent and a new low price. It was listed at $59 million with Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate who created a snazzy website for the home but it can now be yours for $45 million. What do you get for your money? The 14.5-acre estate is graced with a brick Georgian country house which was built in 1929. The 25 room mansion is surrounded by brick terraces and has a separate carriage house, large swimming pool, tennis court and formal gardens.

Revisiting Chateau Du Lac, Estate of the Day

I covered this one a year ago but since it has had a $4 million price reduction and there are new pictures I figured it was worth a second look. Chateau Du Lac is far and away the most lavish property in Ellison Bay, Wisconsin. In fact when it hit the market it instantly became the biggest and the most expensive home for sale in Wisconsin history.

The 35,000 square foot chateau is located on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. Jaw-dropping features include the grand parlor, two story library, plush red art deco theatre, the indoor pool and spa with Jerusalem pavers and the 5,700 square foot, seven-room master suite. It comes furnished right down to autographed first edition books, and multiple sets of china, silver and crystal. The 100-acre estate also includes a guest house, a separate studio house, and a separate beach house with steps that lead to a sun pier on the shores of Lake Michigan. It is now listed at $25 million but that may still be an ambitious price unless there is the perfect buyer out there with a love of faux finishes and floral wallpaper.

Dan Marino In Weston, Florida, Estate of the Day

Add another to our list of slow-selling celebrities (sports stars edition). Dan Marino has had his Weston, Florida compound on the market for around three years. It was once listed at $15.9 million but now, as the Wall Street Journal's Private Properties reports, the famous quarterback will throw in $1.5 million worth of designer furniture and a signed football, too. Marino and his wife Claire are now asking $13.5 million for the 15,000-square-foot Tuscan home. The couple is looking to downsize but it has been slow going.

The Mediterranean-style villa is on a four-acre spot in the Windmill Ranch Estates community. It is surrounded by a lake with fresh bass. The home's large pool area connects the main house with other areas. The property has two guest houses, staff quarters, an exercise room and a wine cellar. There are ten bedrooms total. Even with the over $2 million discount it may take Marino a while longer to sell this home.

Experience more lush living in luxury homes and mansions or see the stars living large with celebrity homes galleries at AOL Real Estate.

Spruce Mountain, Estate of the Day

Today's estate in Larkspur, Colorado offers something most estates don't, your own private 5000-foot runway and a heated aircraft hanger. This home is on 196 acres and includes both a main house and a carriage house. The main home is approximately 10,000 square feet with five bedrooms. The two-story entrance features stacked stone columns and the home has its own elevator and an indoor lap pool. This home is listed at $15 million (plane not included).

Christoph Martin Schmid

The Yas Hotel is all set to become the landmark of UAE

Another landmark hotel is all set to make its debut in UAE. Designed by the New York based Asymptote Architecture, the Yas Hotel in Abu Dhabi, UAE is almost nearing completion. Another architectural wonder, this massive 85,000-square-meter complex will boast of 500 rooms. Asymptote’s founders and partners Hani Rashid and Lise Anne Couture claim this architectural landmark has been inspired by the ‘art’ and poetics of motor racing, specifically Formula 1, as well as the celebration of Abu Dhabi as a cultural and technological tour de force. The main feature of this structure is the massive 217-meter expanse of sweeping, curvilinear forms constructed of steel and 5,800 pivoting diamond-shaped glass panels. This Grid-Shell is like a veil that covers the entire hotel including the two hotel towers and a link bridge constructed as a monocoque sculpted steel object passing above the Formula 1 track that makes its way through the building complex. The Grid-Shell is not just a design masterpiece but the optical effects and spectral reflections that it produces against the backdrop of the open sky and desert are sure to mesmerize one and all. A unique structure it promises to become the perfect host to celebrate various events including Formula 1.

Lounge Variation Indoor gives a dreamy illuminated effect to any decor

Here is a perfect lighting object for a lounge, be it for private or commercial use. It can be kept on the floor as it is or mounted up on a wall. Lounge Variation is an elegant piece that is a perfect companion to a sofa, but just as gorgeous on its own. It's a great way to light up any space like a garden or terrace. It will look classy on the walls of high end restaurants and cafes too. It comes with a dimmer, so you can adjust the brightness according to the mood. The colored bulbs give any room a very dreamy effect. The Lounge Variation Indoor can be bought at PID for $1,400.

Kelly Killoren Bensimon In East Hampton, Estate of the Day

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

I'm beginning to think that The Real Housewives of New York City" isn't a reality show about rich New York ladies, it's a real estate showcase in disguise. One of the housewives, Ramona Singer put her Southampton home up for rent this summer already and here comes another one. The modelicious Kelly Killoren Bensimon has put her home on Further Lane in East Hampton for rent for the summer for the lofty price of $335,000. You can also buy it for $10.9 million.

The shingled home has four bedrooms and sits on 1.2 acres that include a gunite pool and a two-car garage. The interior is a bit more modern than many summer homes with dark glossy wood floors, a stainless steel kitchen and plenty of animal prints and whimsical details like a giant shark mounted in the living room. Newsday's Real Li reports that the home was on sale in 2007 for $14.5 million.

Byblos Art Hotel Villa Amista

Situated in Italy, only 7 km from the centre of Verona, Byblos Art Hotel Villa Amistà offers a unique and evocative setting with all the characteristics of a classical Venetian-style Villa.

The large building, featuring a 15th century façade by Michele Sanmicheli, had been abandoned for some time before being carefully renovated.

The villa has now been the object of meticulous historical refurbishment, both in terms of the architecture and the paintings and décor.

Restoration has been carried out on the central and most monumental part of the villa and also on the two towers, the church and the farm buildings.

The extensive gardens offer an evocative setting, with fountains, a swimming pool and a health spa.

Inside, there is a large hall dominated by a Venetian chandelier and other rooms with elaborate ceiling decoration and murals.

There are also three conference rooms, three dining areas where it is possible to enjoy exquisite cuisine (one of which is outdoors) and a large cellar for wine-tasting.

Paris Hilton: Mardan Palace Princess

Showing up sans boyfriend Doug Reinhardt, socialite Paris Hilton continued her trip around the world with a stop at the launch party for the Mardan Palace at the Mardan Palace Hotel in Antalya, Turkey on Saturday (May 23).

Coming to the event straight from the Cannes Film Festival, Paris watched on as Mariah Carey, Seal, and Tom Jones all performed at the launch of Europe’s most expensive luxury resort on the Turkish Riviera.

Mariah Carey Launches the Mardan Palace

Always in high demand when it comes to swank fetes, Mariah Carey attended the launch party for the Mardan Palace at the Mardan Palace Hotel in Antalya, Turkey on Saturday (May 23).

The “Dream Lover” damsel joined fellow acts including Seal and Tom Jones, taking the stage for the launch of Europe’s most expensive luxury resort, which is located on the Turkish Riviera.

Introducing…Europe’s Most Expensive Hotel - Mardan Palace Antalya Turkey.

Imagine a hotel with champagne that costs £36 a glass, offers remote controlled toilets (no kidding) when you go for your private business and is situated on one of the most remarkable coastlines of Europe - introducing the very expensive Mardan Palace on the Turkish coast of Antalya. Reminiscent of a European Dubai as the Times Online labelled the area, Antalya is fast becoming the latest tourist hub for sun starving tourists of northern regions.

The fact that the English pound still has some buying power in Turkey also helps to draw a healthy amount of tourists to the regions of Antalya.

Boasting some remarkable hotels already, Antalya is now going to be home to the most expensive hotel in Europe at a cool price of £1bn.

Looking at the pictures of the hotels website Mardan Palace we can’t help but be reminded of the grandeur we often come across in Las Vegas. Hand picked staff will cater to your every whim at all hours of the day and night and the international airport is a short 15 minute car ride.

The hotel is fitted out in so much gold leaf you could probably plaster all the walls of your home with it and more. There are some 10,000 square metres of gold leaf, aided and abetted by 500,000 crystals and 23,000 square metres of Italian marble.

Musicians will entertain the distinguished guests and no expense has been spared when the hotel was built. Just take the pool itself, a full five acres of sparkling blue waters with bridges inspired by Leonardo da Vinci. Guest can enjoy gondola rides to be ferried across the pool and a trip from one end to the other of the pool takes 30 minutes.

In the middle of the pool sits a sunken aquarium with some 2,400 fish.

The waterside Italian restaurant is stocked with Hermès crockery worth £1.35m.

Telman Ismailov, president of the Russian group AST, is the owner of the Mardan Palace. A first time hotelier he has spared no expense to build the best hotel that has ever been seen anywhere in Europe.

The hotel features some 560 rooms and the whole “show” is certainly not for the faint-hearted or low budget minded hotel guest.

There are certainly plenty of “tacky” aspects as the TO called them and also offensive ones like the man made beach that needed sand dredged from Egypt to provide guests with the silkiest beach ever. In sight of the global recession this certainly is a sore eye for many, especially those who can barely feed their children.

What do you think? If you had the money, would you stay at a hotel like the Mardan Palace or do you feel it is not necessary to use luxury in such measures?

Fascinating wellness hotel on the Turkish Riviera: The 5 star hotel Mardan Palace in Antalya

The 5 star hotel Mardan Palace is a fascinating luxury hotel in Antalya on the Turkish Riviera. What is special about it is that despite its large size of over 500 rooms, the brand new spa hotel in Turkey (opened 2008) still manages to appear very personal and individual. At the same time, the provided service of the Mardan Palace leaves nothing out! Perfect for travelers looking for a little bit of high-end pampering on their vacation to Turkey!

The Mardan Palace Hotel in Antalya
The outside of the 5 star luxury hotel is an impressive sight by itself. The bright white building with its Ottoman dome roofs and spacious lush gardens, a huge pool landscape and surrounded with artificial canals. The interior of the Mardan Palace is dominated by modern comfort and oriental luxury. The room design is amazingly beautiful: exotic wood floors, velvet lined furniture, oriental tapestries and luxurious marble bathrooms with golden faucets combine to create a harmonic ambience. As a special tip for a romantic weekend in Turkey – some of the rooms at the luxury hotel in Antalya offer a bathroom with a private Turkish steam bath.

Services at the Mardan Palace Hotel
The exclusive facilities of the 5 star spa hotel on the Turkish Riviera include 11à-la-carte restaurants and 14 bars as well as a huge spa area of 7500 square meter with a sauna landscape, Thalasso therapy center, medicinal treatments, meditation room and fitness area. In addition, the luxury sport hotel also offers activities such as tennis, beach volleyball, squash and badminton.

The Mardan Palace Antalya marks a long return to the days of experiential luxury, paying homage to the elegance of an enchanting past. An awe inspiring world where the royal splendor of illustrious empires meets today’s modern luxuries. A place recreating the extraordinary palatial architecture of ancient ottoman days combined with a great passion for service and quality are the prime ingredients to tailor-make oriental fairytales.

Mardan Palace is located at the beautiful shore of the Mediterranean Sea in the Lara region occupying a total area of 180,000sqm, comprising 560 unique Rooms and Villas.

Luxury Hotel Accommodation

Each of the rooms and suites has various spectacular views towards the pool side, mountain or with partial sea view.

All rooms come equipped with advanced interactive multi-media systems, flat-screen LCD TVs and wireless internet access (including all public areas). Exclusive Hermès amenities will be used for all rooms, while 24-hour Butler Service will be provided to all suites and villas:
271 x Superior Rooms
62 x Premium Rooms
16 x Dolmabahce Deluxe Suite (including 2 Handicapped Rooms)
38 x Grand Hammam Suite (with a Turkish Bath each)
41 x Grand Deluxe Duplexes
41 x Junior Suites
38 x Executive Suite
3 x Grand Junior Suites
4 x Presidential Suites (with panoramic view)
2 x Royal Suites (600sqm and with a private swimming pool each)
44 x Garden Suites (16 rooms at 170 sqm and 28 rooms at 85sqm)

Anatolian Wing at Mardan PalaceThe Anatolian wing consists a total of 225 rooms; Premium Rooms, Superior Rooms, Grand Hammam Suites, Grand Junior Suites, Grand Deluxe Duplex Rooms and Presidential Suite. The amazing characteristic of the Anatolian Wing is the its decoration in a traditional Ottoman style, through majestic colour combinations set in dark wood and finished with gold detailing.
All beds’ head boards are in velvet design.

European Wing at Mardan Palace
The European Wing is crafted in a post modern interior design reflecting simplicity within the total of 203 rooms.
Premium Rooms, Superior Rooms, Grand Deluxe Duplex Rooms, Junior Suites and Presidental Suites.

Dolmabahçe Wing at Mardan Palace
Equipped with the most luxurious furniture, the Dolmabahce wing provides the finest comfort in its spacious rooms. A total of 88 rooms can be found in this wing comprising of the following categories: Premium Rooms, Dolmabahce Deluxe Suites, Executive Suites, Junior Suites and Royal Suites. All rooms have a large entrance and are designed in very stylish Ottoman fashion with rich palatial features and a warm atmosphere. All rooms are equipped with private laptops and most rooms have a spacious terrace.

Facilities

SPA & FITNESS FACILITIES
7500sqm of SPA & Fitness area has been designed by the world famous SPA expert KLAFS.
We will provide the following services:
Steam, Aromatherapy, Turkish and Sole Steam (Salt) baths.
Saunas (Finnish, Sanitarium & Banya) and Hammams.
Variety of showers (tropical, hot, cold, jet).
Thalasso Treatments and Thalasso Pool.
Hydrotherapy.
Indoor pool area provides pools with jet lounger, baby paddling pool, Relaxation area and pool bar.
Relaxation areas (dark, daylight & garden view, with fire place, with heated benches).
Comprehensive list of massages including Hot Stone, Thai, Balinese, and Shiatsu.
Beauty treatment.
Massage area with treatment room and a mud bath chamber.
Medical Spa includes treatment rooms, doctor’s office and a laboratory

AQUATIC ADVENTURES
Dramatic waterfall features with seven different levels of water fountains and beautiful statues will be welcoming our guests.
One of the biggest outdoor swimming pools in the world (16,000 sqm) is surrounded by a waterways and serviced by the Sultans Golden Horn Gondolas. In our lagoon-like decorated pool that stretches down towards the beach, we will also host one of the world’s most famous laser shows together with water animation and sound. Our Swim reef offers an enjoyable adventure for all, where guests can interact with 2500 different fish. The Swim reef is an artificial pool of 900 sqm with a depth of 1.4 meters and 3 deep water pockets of 2.8 meters. Guests will be instructed by a guide before experiencing the underwater wonders of the reef, where they can swim, feed and snorkel with eagles and brown rays. Four Aquariums showcasing 5000 fish reflect the unique atmosphere of the different seas: Mediterranean Sea, Pacific Ocean, Caribbean Sea & Red Sea.

SPORT FACILITIES Located between the hotel and the beach, the following services will be available:
Tennis court, Beach Volleyball, Table tennis, Badminton, Bowling, Snooker & a Squash court.

KIDS FACILITIES
Specially designed facilities are offered for children aged 0-4, 4- 12 and 13- 17 with timings specific to each age group.
The facilities will be staffed by highly trained personnel from 10:00- 24:00 with short breaks for meals.
An especially designed Kids house offers toys & sleeping facilities. The little ones will be looked after in a Mini club.
An extensive children and teenager programme ensures around the clock entertainment.

Istanbul’s -Story Underwater Hotel to Open in 2010

Visitors to Istanbul will soon have a chance to view the most spectacular ocean views on the planet. A seven floor, seven-star hotel is being built underwater on what was formerly a tobacco factory. There will be exhibition halls, and restaurants, and all rooms will be sea facing.

This isn’t the first such underwater hotel complex in the world. That honor goes to the $500 million Poseidon Hotel which is currently being built off Fiji. The Istanbul hotel differs in that it is being built under the city center, which should make for an interesting experience.

The hotel’s inauguration is set to coincide with the city’s taking over from Linz, Austria as the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2010.

The Intercontinental Hotel in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong InterContinental Hotel is internationally acclaimed as one of the world’s top hotels.

The Ciragan Palace Hotel Kempinski- Sultan’s Suite ($7,500 per night)

  The Çirağan Palace Hotel Kempinski in Istanbul, located along the Bosporus, was originally the home of the last Ottoman sultans, and different incarnations of the property have been built (and torn down) since the 16th century. The building was bought by the Kempinski hotel group in 1986 and underwent a renovation in 1991. Today, the hotel comprises two structures (the actual palace and the new hotel), and the Sultan's Suite is the most expensive room there.

The entire hotel is decorated in an opulent Arabic style, with marble, gold and mother-of- pearl accents, together with silk and velvet drapes, gilt chairs and crystal chandeliers. The Sultan's Palace Suite, located in the palace building, is 5,000 square feet. The two-bedroom suite comes with its own butler, and the floor-to-ceiling windows have a direct view of the Bosphorus. The master bedroom is decorated in deep red and gold, with silk-covered walls, a large sitting area and a crystal chandelier. The living room is done in shades of yellow and cream, with mosaic tile accents.

The Fairmont Hotel- Penthouse Suite ($10,000 per night)

Located at the Fairmont Hotel on San Francisco’s Nob Hill, this 6,000 square foot suite takes up the entire eighth floor. It has three bedrooms, a dining room and room for 50 people- enough for you and your celebrity entourage. There’s a pool table, fireplace, and a bathroom made of 24 karat gold. Coolest feature- a secret passageway is concealed behind the bookshelves on the library’s second floor.

Hotel Cala di Volpe- Presidential Suite ($13,879 per night)

The eastern coast of Sardinia became famous during the 1960s when a very rich man bought it and convinced his other rich friends to builds villas and yacht clubs. The area even served as the backdrop to the James Bond film “The Spy Who Loved Me.” This suite has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and two sitting rooms. The highlight is the private, outdoor saltwater pool on the second floor. Because for the price you are paying, you deserve a little privacy.

Westin Excelsior- Villa La Cupola ($14,950 per night)

Located within the Westin Excelsior on the fifth and sixth floor, the suite covers 6,099 square feet and has an additional 1,808 square feet of balconies and terraces. There is a private kitchen, a dining room with an antique Murano glass chandelier, a private wine cabinet. If that wasn’t enough, you get a private cinema with Dolby surround sound and a private elevator to the fitness area and Jacuzzi. This suite is true opulence and is a great way to impress your first date.

The Martinez Hotel- Presidential Suite ($18,500 per night)

The Martinez Hotel in Cannes bills itself as having the biggest, most expensive and only terraced penthouse suite on the Cote d’Azur. It has two bedrooms, a Turkish bath, a kitchen, a personal sauna, as well as a wraparound terrace that can hold 100 people. A private butler is available 24 hours a day. Pure luxury in one of the most expensive regions in the world.

Palms Casino Resort- Hugh Hefner Sky Villa ($40,000 a night)

Located on the 34th floor in the Fantasy tower, the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa has everything you need to feel like the ultimate playboy. There is an an outdoor Jacuzzi, living room, media room, dining room and bar, and, of course, an eight foot rotating bed for when you entertain all your playboy bunnies. This suite is the most expensive room in the world right now but, to live like “Hef” for the day, it might be worth it. Note: Playboy bunnies not included.

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