Recommend February 2018 - 10

"
"

I am a huge friend of the
travel agent, and especially
for the luxury market
they play an unbelievable role.

-- John Vanderslice,
Global Head of Luxury
& Lifestyle Brands, Hilton Worldwide
Accommodations at the
new Conrad Bengaluru
in India.

Traveltalk
Michelle Marie Arean & Laurel Herman

Beyond sumptuous accommodations and
top-notch service, today's luxury travelers
are looking for an experience that takes
them into the heart of a destination.
Hilton Worldwide's luxury brands Waldorf
Astoria Hotels & Resorts and Conrad
Hotels & Resorts deliver on all fronts, says
John Vanderslice, global head of luxury &
lifestyle brands, Hilton Worldwide. "We
have many innovative programs such as
the Conrad 1/3/5," he notes, for travelers
who might be tight on time, but want an
inspired experience in the destination
(can be requested via the Conrad Concierge
APP). Vanderslice also points to the Waldorf
Astoria Driving Experiences and the Taste of
Waldorf Astoria as programs that set Hilton
Worldwide's luxury brands apart.

Engaging Experiences
The Conrad 1/3/5 program is a collection of
curated and customized experiences for guests
whose time is at a premium, but still have
one to five hours to explore a destination.
For example, in Beijing, if a guest has one

10 february 2018

free hour they can learn to read tea leaves
in a market with over 900 tea sellers and
sip organic Jade Sword green tea near the
Temple of Confucius.
The Waldorf Driving Experiences,
meanwhile, affords the opportunity for guests
to get behind the wheel of the newest models
from luxury car makers such as Automobili
Lamborghini, Ferrari, McLaren, and Porsche.
A luxury trip is nothing without a culinary
feast, and the Taste of Waldorf Astoria
program celebrates the brand's continued
commitment to delivering gastronomic
experiences while paying homage to historic
dishes that were invented within the iconic
hotel's walls including The Waldorf Salad.

New Openings Around the Globe
"We have [an array of] properties coming
online," says Vanderslice, "from gateway
cities and resorts on the U.S. west coast to
one in India."
Last month saw the opening of Conrad's
second property in India, the 285-room and
-suite Conrad Bengaluru, soaring 24 stories

above Bengaluru's Central Business District.
Closer to home, the 209-room Conrad Fort
Lauderdale Beach opened in December,
making it the brand's first beachfront resort in
the region. "As Fort Lauderdale Beach heats
up, we recognize that this city is evolving
with a new focus on opulence, style and
sophistication. The resort is at the helm of
this movement," said Chintan Dadhich, the
resort's GM in press materials.
This year, Conrad Hangzhou and the
Conrad Shenyang will open in China; and
for the Waldorf brand, openings include
the Waldorf Astoria Bali, Waldorf Astoria
Bangkok, Waldorf Astoria Doha West
Bay in Qatar, and Waldorf Astoria Dubai
International Financial Centre.
For 2018, the upper upscale brand Hilton
Hotels & Resorts will open Hilton Istanbul
Bakirkoy in Turkey (February); the Hilton
Da Nang in Vietnam (March); the Hilton
Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort in
California (April); the Hilton Antakya
Museum in Turkey (May); and the Hilton
Hangzhou Xiaoshan in China (July). ■
Contact Information
Hilton Worldwide: hiltonworldwide.com

recommend.com
http://www.hiltonworldwide.com http://goway.com/alohaauckland http://www.recommend.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend February 2018
