The well known hotel company Ritz Carlton wants a go at the tallest hotel in the world. The city is which they plan to erect the massive hotel is non other than Hong Kong, the jewel of China!

Ritz Carlton Hong Kong

The hotel will occupy the top stories (102 to 118) of the International Commerce Center , Kowloon. A plush hotel, it will boast of 312 rooms including a lavish 365sqm Ritz-Carlton Suite. Besides the guest rooms, the hotel is said to feature six dining venues and an alfresco rooftop bar. Like every luxury hotel this hotel too hopes to paper its guests with an 860sm spa christened the ESPA, a fully equipped fitness center and an indoor pool on the 118th floor. Offering scenic views of the Victoria Harbor and Hong Kong Island, this hotel will truly be the place to be when it is ready.

March 18 is the set date for Italian Fashion designer Giorgio Armani to open his fashion labels first hotel in the tallest building in the world at the Burj Khalifa. The Burj Khalifa is formerly known as the Burj Dubai.

Giorgio Armani!

At the opening of the Burj Khalifa it was announced that the exquisite Armani hotel would open its doors on March 18. The Armani Hotel, a £925million ($1,447million) partnership between Armani and Emaar Properties, will occupy 37 floors of this iconic building.

The first Armani Resort is due to open in Marrakech, while ‘Residency Villas’ are underway in Marassi (Egypt).

Overall, Armani “plans to open at least ten hotels and resorts within the next ten years,” according to a statement.

The brand joins the likes of Versace, Christian Lacroix, and Missoni which have all opened fashion hotels in the past, with the latter planning openings in Brazil and South Africa.

Bookings for Armani’s first hotel will be accepted from late January, but eager travelers can already register online to receive updates on the hotel and its special offers.

burj khalifa

Giorgio Armani

The Burj Dubai was started at the height of the economic boom and built buy at least 12,000 laborers. The Burj Dubai is set to open today as the worlds tallest building and will set records as so. The Burj is expected to rekindle optimism after its financial crisis.

Burj-Dubai

Burj Dubai, whose opening has been delayed twice since construction began in 2004, will mark another milestone for the deeply indebted emirate with a penchant for seeking new records.

Dubai, one of seven members of the United Arab Emirates, gained a reputation for excess with the creation of man-made islands shaped like palms and an indoor ski slope in the desert.

The tower’s height has been kept a closely guarded secret until now. Developer Emaar Properties PJSC will reveal the height — known to exceed 800 meters (2,625 feet) — on Tuesday and Dubai’s ruler will inaugurate the opening. Emaar, the Burj’s developer, has said the entire Downtown Burj Dubai development, which includes the tower, will cost $US20 billion to build. What is more, it was reported that at their peak, some apartments in the Burj were selling for more than $US 1,900 per square foot, though they now can go for less than half that. And if developers are to be believed, the entire building is already sold out.

Located at the historic intersection of Hollywood and Vine, W Hollywood Residences is center-stage for Hollywood’s second Golden Age. The iconic property features 143 W-branded residences paired to the amenities and services of the adjacent 305 room W Hollywood Hotel. Residents will benefit from having access to Delphine brasserie by Innovative Dining Group (IDG), Drai’s Hollywood nightclub by Victor Drai, Bliss Spa, Sweat Fitness, in addition to W’s legendary Whatever/Whenever® concierge services.

Marty Collins – W Hollywood Residences Visionaries

Meet Marty Collins, CEO of Gatehouse Capital and the visionary behind the development and creation of W Hollywood Hotel & Residences.

Jim McPartlin – W Hollywood Residences Visionaries

Introducing Mr. Jim McPartlin, General Manager of W Hollywood Hotel & Residences. Discover his passion points for service, scene and style as he shares his vision for this iconic Hollywood address, opening January 2010.

Victor Drai – W Hollywood Residences Visionaries

Introducing Victor Drai, the world renowned nightclub impresario now bringing his signature Drai’s Hollywood to a dramatic rooftop venue at the W Hollywood. Find out why the visionary behind Tryst, XS and Drai’s in Las Vegas is ready to make a triumphant return to LA at the iconic intersection of Hollywood & Vine.

Eddie Abeyta – W Hollywood Residences Visionaries

Introducing Eddie Abeyta of HKS Architects, the award winning Architect responsible for W Hollywood Hotel & Residences. Discover his vision for classic Hollywood glamour in a modern context at Hollywood & Vine, and his passion for the idea of an integrated lifestyle that raises the standard for modern form and purposeful function.

Lee Maen – W Hollywood Residences Visionaries

Meet Lee Maen of Innovative Dining Group, partner with the visionary firm behind Delphine Brasserie, W Hollywood’s signature restaurant. Find out what the culinary trendsetters behind the LA hotspots Boa, Katana, and Sushi Roku have planned at the iconic corner of Hollywood & Vine.

Main video

Maranda Blanton – W Hollywood Residences Visionaries

Introducing Maranda Blanton, Sales Manager for W Hollywood Residences. Enjoy her description of the lifestyle residents will enjoy at this iconic address, along with an invitation to qualified trendsetters to receive a private introduction to this World of WoW and current purchase options.

We recently did a blog about the amazing Yaz Hotel. It has finally opened its doors to the world on October 30, 2009. The Yas has bragging rights of being the largest LED Project in the World which is controlled though a RDM (remote device management) system. Timed to launch alongside the inaugural 2009 Formula 1 Etihad Airways  Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the hotel is located at the heart of all the racing action.

YAS HOTEL

The Yas Hotel was built by Aldar Properties and designed by the amazing Asymptote Architecture. The hotel is rated 5- stars and boast 500 rooms with 279,000 square feet of amazingness! The outer shell of the Yas is like an exoskeleton which has more than 5,300 diamond-shaped steel panels, and has up to 5000 RGBW LED fixtures.

YAS HOTEL

New York based-lighting design firm Arup Lighting has used a lighting device by ‘e:cue lighting control’ to generate effects through changing colors and pre-defined 3D low-resolution video content atop the grid-shell. The hotel has a vehicle to run on a passing bridge to commute between the two hotel winds even when the F1 races are on.

The Hotel is sited on land and water celebrating both the raceway circuit as well as the Yas Marina. The Yas Hotel will be a key feature of the upcoming grand finale to the Formula One circuit for 2009 on November 1 and seen by over 600 million viewers world wide during the race day coverage.

Situated high on a bluff overlooking the majestic Pacific Ocean, stands a landmark resort of legendary proportions. The five-diamond St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa, built in Tuscan-style, is devoted to the pursuit of service and elegance with a seamless blend of comfort and technology.

It is a resort that is the first of its kind, an ideal combination of luxurious rooms, a breathtaking location, world-class spa, private beach club, and oceanfront golf course.

The luxurious 400-room oceanfront resort features oversized guestrooms, including 74 suites and 21 guestrooms on the Astor Floor, and the finest luxury amenities and personalized services. Guest rooms at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa average a generous 535 square feet and feature dramatic, contemporary décor with custom-designed furniture, wood shutters, marble bathrooms, private balconies, richly textured fabrics, goose down comforters, silky 300-thread count sheets and charming residential touches such as live potted trees and fresh flowers in every room.

A luxury coastal retreat awaits you at The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa, offering spacious guestrooms, a gorgeous view of the Pacific Ocean, an exclusive beach club with “Surf Butlers”, an award-winning Spa Gaucin, on-site championship golf course Monarch Beach Golf Links and six ocean-view restaurants.

The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa

Location:

Orange County/John Wayne (SNA) – 25 minutes, 21 miles. Los Angeles International (LAX) – 58 minutes, 60 miles. San Diego International (SAN) – 64 minutes, 68 miles. Long Beach/Daugherty Field (LGB) 41 minutes, 41 miles.

Get to know Giorgio Armani!

Armani

Giorgio Armani 74, is a billionaire worth around $2.8 billion is a designer and very popular among celebrities sporting his fashions. President and Chief Executive Officer of the Armani Group and sole share holder of Giorgio Armani S.p.A., one of the world’s leading fashion and lifestyle design houses, with 5,000 direct employees, 13 factories, and a direct network of 500 exclusive retail stores in 46 countries worldwide. He dressed more than ten celebs last year for the Oscars. Armani also makes perfume, (I love Armani Code ) baby clothes, home decor, and five-figure watches. He recently opened a 43,000 SQ megastore on Manhattan’s famous Fifth Avenue.

“Mr. Armani’s philosophy of fashion and style, together with his entrepreneurial ability, has been central to the success of Giorgio Armani S.p.A. He oversees both the company’s strategic direction and all aspects of design and creativity. Perhaps best known for revolutionising fashion with his unstructured jacket in the Eighties, after thirty years of running his own label, he now presides over a stable of collections, including his signature Giorgio Armani line, Giorgio Armani Privé, Armani Collezioni, Emporio Armani, AJ | Armani Jeans, A/X Armani Exchange, Armani Teen, Armani Junior, Armani Baby, and Armani Casa home interiors, offering a choice of lifestyles to the marketplace. Today, the company’s product range includes women’s and men’s clothing, shoes and bags, watches, eyewear, jewellery, fragrances and cosmetics, and home furnishings.”

Armani even has his name tied to a string of hotels. The first Armani brand hotel is expected to be opened in 2009 and is under construction as part of the Burj Dubai development.

Burj-Dubai-tower

The Dubai ‘Armani Hotel’ will include 175 guest rooms and suites, five restaurants and a spa, covering more than 40,000m². Alongside the hotel, the Burj Dubai will also offer 160 luxury residential apartments all designed by Giorgio Armani and fully furnished with a specially designed line of products from the Armani Casa home furnishings collection.

The schedule of Armani hotel openings to follow Dubai will be Milan, London, and New York along with the first resort. Giorgio Armani said, “This marks the beginning of a new chapter in the Armani story. In this our thirtieth anniversary year, I cannot think of a more energizing prospect than bringing my philosophy of style and design to a collection of hotels and resorts.

Armani  5th Avenue Store Build Time Lapse Footage with Staircase Construction

During his career Mr. Armani has received many local and international awards. These include the Commendatore dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica, and Grand’Ufficiale dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica (Italy’s highest government awards), and the Award for Best International Designer, Lifetime Achievement Award for men’s wear and for art and fashion from the Council of Fashion Designers of America. He has, in addition, been recognized with an Honorary Doctorate from London’s Royal College of Art, and has an Honorary Degree from Milan’s Accademia di Brera. In 2006 he was awarded an Honorary Degree from London’s Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, and in 2007 he received an Honorary Degree in Industrial Design from the Politecnico University of Milan.

Giorgio Armani is a true entrepreneur and a man to be Envied. We look forward to seeing whats next in the world of ARMANI!

Based in New York Asymptote Architecture is nearing completion of their yas hotel project,
in Abu Dhabi, UAE. the Yas Hotel is a 500-room, 85,000-square-meter complex which is
was due to open on october 30, 2009 to coincide with the formula 1 Etihad airways,
Abu Dhabi grand prix.

the Yas Hotel is part of the ambitious 36-billion-dollar yas marina development
and accompanying formula 1 raceway circuit, which is also near completion.

the main feature of the project’s design is a 217-meter expanse of sweeping, curvilinear
forms constructed of steel and 5,800 pivoting diamond-shaped glass panels. this grid
shell component affords the building an architecture comprised of an atmospheric
like veil that contains 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 visually connects and fuses the entire complex
together while producing optical effects and spectral reflections that play against the
surrounding sky, sea and desert landscape. the architecture as a whole ‘performs’ as
both an environmentally responsive solution as well as an architecture of spectacle
and event.

The Yas Hotel

the yas hotel, abu dhabi, uae 2007–2009
by asymptote: hani rashid + lise anne couture
image courtesy asymptote architecture

Yas Hotel

the yas hotel, abu dhabi, uae 2007–2009
by asymptote: hani rashid + lise anne couture
image courtesy asymptote architecture

The Yas Hotel

the yas hotel, abu dhabi, uae 2007–2009
by asymptote: hani rashid + lise anne couture
image courtesy asymptote architecture

The Yas Hotel

the yas hotel, abu dhabi, uae 2007–2009
by asymptote: hani rashid + lise anne couture
image courtesy asymptote architecture

The Yas Hotel

the yas hotel facade with glass panels
image courtesy asymptote architecture

The Yas Hotel

the yas hotel facade with glass panels
image courtesy asymptote architecture

The Yas Hotel

construction of the yas hotel
image courtesy asymptote architecture

The Yas Hotel

construction of the steel facade frame
image courtesy asymptote architecture

The Yas Hotel

construction of the steel facade frame
image courtesy asymptote architecture

the yas hotel interior image courtesy asymptote architecture

The Yas Hotel Abu Dhabi is a truly remarkable hotel and a place to be Envied!

The W Hotel is preparing to open in Hollywood! The project is named “W Hollywood” and the residences are designed by HKS  that will include a 300 room hotel, 144 luxury condos and over 40,000 sq ft of street level shopping. Included in this luxurious project is a transit plaza, an upscale signature restaurant and nationally recognized bar, spa, roof-top pool and fitness facility. The hotel will be designed to reflect the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle. Amazing features you can expect are a silver screen that will open and reveal itself as the gateway to Hollywood. There also will be a red carpet at the entrance of this luxurious project!

W-Hollywood-Hotel-and-Residences

Roof top terraces for public and private functions are located throughout the project, giving a hint of the behind-the-scenes activity to which few people have access. The beauty of the seventh art involves your complete and undivided attention with only a small glimpse of reality at the end. This beauty is shared through the public spaces that are completely surrounded by the art and beauty of architecture as you come in and experience a piece of this Hollywood dream.

With upscale shopping, dining and entertainment, the W Hollywood Hotel and Residences will offer hotel guests and condominium owners alike the opportunity to capture the essence of Hollywood glamour and glitz.

W-Hollywood-Hotel-and-Residences

W-Hollywood-Hotel-and-Residences

W-Hollywood-Hotel-and-Residences

If your ever in Hollywood this is a place you have to see and of course stay over for at least one night!

burj-dubai-worlds-tallest-building-property

1. The Burj Dubai is the tallest building and tallest man-made structure in the world.  It surpassed the Taipei 101 in July 2007 and became the tallest building and became the tallest freestanding structure when it surpassed the CN Tower in September 2007.
2. The contractor for the project is the South Korean-based company, Samsung, along with Besix (Belgian firm) and local Arabtec.
3. The Burj Dubai is located on Sheikh Zayed Road at the intersection of Doha Street.
4. The Burj Dubai, a $4.1 billion project, is part of the larger $20 billion Downtown Dubai development project.
5. Groundbreaking took place on September 21, 2004.  Construction is scheduled to complete in September 2009.
6. The height of the tower is estimated at 818 meters (2,684 feet)
7. The Burj Dubai has 164 stories
8. The floor area of the Burj Dubai is 334,000 square meters or 3,595,100 square feet.
9. The spire of the Burj Dubai can be seen from a distance up to 95 kilometers.
10. The Burj Dubai will have the tallest observation deck at 442 meters high
11. The tower’s curtain will be the length of approximately 25 football fields.
12. The total amount of concrete used on the building is the equivalent weight of about 100,000 elephants
13. Condensated water is collected with a pipe and is stored beneath the parking garage and used for irrigation of the landscaping surrounding the tower.  15 million gallons of water, or about 20 Olympic sized swimming pools, are required for the tower’s use.
14. The cooling requirements of the Burj Dubai are equivalent to about 10,000 tons of melting ice
15. The Burj Dubai’s water system supplied about 250,000 gallons of water
16. The building’s electricity is 36mV, which is the equivalent of about 360,000 100 watt bulbs
17. The Burj Dubai has the fastest elevators in the world.  The double deck cabins can travel up to 18 meters per second or 40 miles per hour.
18. The tower also has the highest service elevator in the world.
19. The Burj Dubai has the first controlled and programmed evacuation in the world.
20. The building houses a 15,00 square foot fitness facility
21. The Burj Dubai has a cigar club

San Alfonso del Mar in Chile hosts this man-made wonder which is 1013 meters long covers 80 acres, its deepest end reaches 115ft and it holds 66 million gallons of water. If you want to take a dip in the world’s largest swimming pool you’ll have to travel to San Alfonso del Mar in Algarrobo,Chile, where a computer-controlled suction and filtration system continuously pumps water from the ocean, keeping crystal clear.

COST is around $2BILLION USD to build and $4million USD per year in maintenance.

You spin me right round baby! This Hotel will be the centerpiece of the resort which is located on Šolta Island near Split in Croatia. So yes Croatia can boast that they have Europe’s first rotating hotel WAHOO!!

Europe's First Rotating Hotel

“The building is entered from below at Lower Ground Level which does not rotate with the 22 meter diameter center hub of the building which is also static containing the Reception, circulation stairs and lifts”.

The 61m diameter hotel will have three floors and will rotate 1.3 times per day. Guests will enter from below at lower ground level which does not rotate.

The new resort will also comprise a 170-berth marina, performance stage, yacht club, marine village guest pavilions and villas.

marina-croatia