This month we’re introducing a new column in which we’ll be reporting on new products and trends across the industry. For the first edition of Travel Talk, we’ve rounded up new properties around the globe—some focusing on wellness—and sprinkled in some airline updates.
New Hotels
Joie de Vivre Hotels (jdvhotels.com) has announced the opening of its first New Orleans location, The Troubadour, owned by Commune Hotels & Resorts. This 184-guestroom boutique hotel is expected to open this fall near the French Quarter. Rates start at $196 per night.
Debuting Nov. 1 on 23 acres in Paradise Valley with views of Camelback Mountain is the Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Spa (scottsdale.andaz.hyatt.com). Here, guests can interact, learn and create alongside local craftsmen while participating in such experiences as photography, painting and pottery through the property’s partnership with Cattle Track Arts. In addition, the onsite Palo Verde Spa & Apothecary features four indoor and three outdoor treatment rooms, outdoor hydrotherapy pools, eucalyptus steam rooms, outdoor relaxation lounges and a private pool for spa guests. Rates start at $450 per night; suite pricing starts at $2,500.
Tribute Portfolio, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, announced its fourth Florida property, The Paramount, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel (tributeportfolio.com) opening in Tampa this November after completing a renovation of its 323 guestrooms and suites.
Meanwhile, Timber Cove Resort (timbercoveresort.com) reopened in Sonoma as a restored and re-imagined retreat, featuring 46 guestrooms including eight newly constructed suites. The property offers guests over two miles of hiking trails, picnic spots, and lounging areas to roast marshmallows or take in the views. Rates start at $250 per night Sunday to Thursday and $370 per night Friday and Saturday.
In Europe, Melia Hotels International (meliahotelsinternational.com) has opened the new four-star, 177-guestroom Innside by Melia Leipzig in Germany, under the brand’s Innside by Melia portfolio. Opening rates start at $99 per night, with breakfast. And the Vienna Marriott Hotel (marriott.com), located right on the Ringstrasse, just debuted newly renovated and more spacious Superior guestrooms, as well as a new fitness club, with new equipment, saunas and pool.
Aman (aman.com/shanghai), meanwhile, will be opening its fourth property in China, Aman Shanghai, in 2017. The property will feature an Aman Spa with two pools, six dining venues, and a serene garden. New suites and villas will complement the 24 restored Antique Villas and will feature
private pools.
Wellness Offerings
Let’s move on to wellness, a booming market in travel. Adding to its wellness programming is Westin Hotels & Resorts (westin.com/movewell), which is expanding its concierge program following the success of the company’s Run Concierge program. Select concierges at many Westin properties will now provide expert insights into surfing, skiing, hiking, tennis and cycling, among other interests. For instance, the Hike Concierge at The Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa in Victoria, Canada, will help guests choose their trail depending on skill level and accompany them on the hike, plus offer an option for a yoga class at the top of Mount Finlayson with views of Victoria to Goldstream Park.
Kimpton Ink48 (ink48.com) in New York, undergoing room renovations, has partnered with Amon Focus to offer guests authentic walking tours of the city. The tours, available in Manhattan and Brooklyn, can be customized for two or four hours with stops at local coffee shops, art galleries, and boutiques. Tour rates are $40 pp; nightly rates are $299.
Airline Update
Delta Air Lines (delta.com) and Seaborne Airlines (seaborneairlines.com) have joined forces to allow customers to purchase a single ticket for select flights between the U.S. and the Caribbean. As an added perk to the new agreement, SkyMiles members can earn miles on Seaborne flights booked through Delta.
Those traveling to Europe can take advantage of airberlin’s (airberlin.com) new business class on domestic German and European flights. Business class passengers enjoy plenty of legroom and a guaranteed free middle seat, a personal welcome by the crew, priority check-in, fast-track security, access to lounges and exclusive waiting areas, and an organic smoothie, plus a hot dish, snacks, and drinks from an extensive onboard menu.
LATAM Airlines Group (latam.com) has added two weekly nonstop flights between Orlando and Santiago, Chile running from Jan. 4 to March 1, 2017.
American Airlines (aa.com) has added a new daily direct flight from Los Angeles to Puerto Vallarta, increasing airlift for both Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit. The new flights begin Dec. 15, 2016; though it’s awaiting government approval, the flights are already open for reservations.
