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Pentahotels
New World Hospitality , Hong Kong , has aggressive Asian expansion plans for its Pentahotels brand , which it is positioning as a “ neighborhood lifestyle hotel .”
Currently there are 13 Pentahotels in Europe and two in China . Two additional China locations have been confirmed : Pentahotel Guiyang , set to open in 2013 , and Pentahotel Shenyang , scheduled for a 2014 debut . New World Hospitality is planning to have 80 Pentahotels globally by 2020 .
Every Pentahotel features a multipurpose lounge — rather than a lobby — designed as a bistro-style gathering
Life imitates print
The St . Regis Aspen Resort is bringing the pages of one prominent food magazine to life at its new restaurant . Thanks to a partnership with Food & Wine , Chefs Club by Food & Wine is scheduled to open this
Rendering of Chefs Club by Food & Wine , scheduled to open this month at the St . Regis Aspen Resort
Every Pentahotel features a multi-purpose lounge rather than a lobby .
place . The 307-room Pentahotel Beijing , the latest to introduce the neighborhood lifestyle hotel concept , boasts loft-style guestrooms and public areas featuring earth tones , charcoal granite flooring , brick walls and wool rugs .
Future Pentahotels will target urban centers , convention and exhibition complexes , airports and rail stations . New World Hospitality CEO Sonia Cheng describes the target as “ anywhere young-spirited travelers do business or have fun — where they want to feel connected yet forego fluff , fuss and 5-star hotel prices .”
month at the Aspen , Colorado , property , marking the completion of its US $ 40 million redesign .
Chefs Club by Food & Wine will select a group of the magazine ’ s Best New Chefs to create seasonal , regional American cuisine for the restaurant ’ s menu , which will change twice a year . George Mendes of Aldea in New York City and Sue Zemanick of Gautreau ’ s in New Orleans are among chefs chosen to create the first menu .
“ St . Regis ’ commitment to bespoke service and unrivaled luxury combined with Food & Wine ’ s expertise and passion for culinary arts is sure to be a winning recipe for Chefs Club by Food & Wine ,” says Carlos Becil , vice president for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide ’ s luxury and design brands in North America .
Skinny sipping
Beating the heat of summer with a cool cocktail need not be a dietbuster thanks to a variety of lowcalorie , even health-conscious drinks taking the bar scene by storm . Fairmont Hotels & Resorts , Toronto , is serving up a variety of not-so-sinful cocktails such as the Bali Hai at Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver . Pear- and thymeinfused gin , agave nectar , fresh lime , ginseng tincture and coconut water combine for under 200 calories while offering bonus health benefits like stress reduction — from the ginseng tincture — and cancer prevention , from the coconut water ’ s cytokinins .
“ Our guests have become much more conscious of health and wellness and the advantages of staying fit , so our mixologists saw an opportunity to let guests and visitors indulge at the bar while also remaining mindful of their dietary-intake goals ,” says Mariano Stellner , Fairmont ’ s corporate director of food and beverage . “ At the end of the day , it ’ s about being creative and providing a wide array of options for our customers .”
The Bali Hai at Fairmont
Pacific Rim in Vancouver
10 HOTELS June 2012 www . hotelsmag . com