Recommend October 2013 - (Page 10)

COMO hoteldesk Poolside at Uma by COMO, Paro in Bhutan. Hotels and Resorts lane nieset Luxury brand COMO Hotels and Resorts has a knack for setting up shop in some of the most exotic destinations, ranging from a private island in the Turks and Caicos to the Maldives and the Thai island of Phuket. With hotels falling into categories such as urban hotels, island resorts, adventure retreats and wellness resorts, your deep-pocketed clients have their pick when it comes to high-end getaways. Throughout the remainder of 2013, three more properties are joining COMO’s roster: Point Yamu by COMO, a COMO Shambhala wellness retreat in Phuket opening in November; Maalifushi by COMO in the Maldives, opening in December with overwater villas and garden suites; and the much-anticipated Metropolitan by COMO, Miami Beach, opening in December. For its first North American venture, COMO set its sights on Miami Beach—bringing new life to a historic art deco building, and bringing the brand’s refined luxury stateside. “COMO Hotels and Resorts chose Miami Beach for our first U.S. location because it is an attractive destination for families, couples and business travelers,” says Javier Beneyto, the general manager at Metropolitan by COMO, Miami Beach. “Miami has also been a popular stopover city for COMO guests from Europe and Latin America, when they have visited our award-winning sister resort, Parrot Cay by COMO. By having a hotel in Miami Beach, we can now provide our guests with a dual-destination luxury vacation that is seamless, from one COMO property to another.” Metropolitan by COMO, Miami Beach will debut as the brand’s fourth urban property, following other hotels such as The Halkin by COMO in London, and the Metropolitan by COMO, London, as well as the Metropolitan by COMO, Bangkok. As Beneyto says, Metropolitan by COMO, Miami Beach, will complement the award-winning private island estate, Parrot Cay by COMO, located in the Turks and Caicos, offering guests a “haven of tranquility,” as COMO likes to call it. Yet, the Miami Beach property is not joining the ranks of neighboring hotels like the W South Beach or the Delano that cater to the South Beach set with exclusive clubs and a party-like atmosphere. “Metropolitan by COMO, Miami Beach will provide a cocoon of tranquility and seclusion for our guests. ‘Back to Basics’ will be our philosophy, bringing to the U.S. market an excellence in service and barefoot elegance in a manner consistent with the COMO experience,” Beneyto says. Transforming an original 1930s building, the 74-room beachside hotel will feature the COMO Shambhala Urban Escape spa, with four treatment rooms, a rooftop hydrotherapy pool, and daily complimentary yoga and Pilates, continuing the brand’s focus on wellness. 10 october 2013 10-11 HotelDesk.indd 10 If your clients decide to hop over to Parrot Cay after a stay in Miami Beach, the island resort hotspot offers 74 rooms and villas, as well as the Parrot Cay Estates and The Sanctuary, set apart from the main resort. For the ultimate in privacy on this private island, frequented by celebrities such as Paul McCartney and Barbra Streisand, Parrot Cay Estates features two, 3-bedroom Island Villas; three 3-bedroom villas; Tamarind, which has its own private beach and swimming pool; and two villas at The Residence. If your clients are fashion savvy, they can live like fashion designer Donna Karan in the beachfront estate, The Sanctuary. Karan owns the estate, which is made up of a main house and two 4-bedroom guesthouses that can be rented together or separately. The estate channels Karan’s taste with furniture and decor from around the world, making this luxurious setup with ocean-facing windows feel like a home-away-from-home (that is, if your home is decorated by one of America’s top fashion designers). You can check out a photo essay on Parrot Cay online at recommend.com (search for “parrot cay”). Rates start at $475 per night for a Terrace room and shoot up to $11,000 per night for the 4-bed villa at The Sanctuary (including Pavilion). Meanwhile, set in Bhutan, lies another pair of sister properties drawing travelers to this increasingly popular destination. The boutique Uma by COMO, Paro features 29 rooms and private villas located in the Paro Valley, as well as a COMO Shambhala Retreat. Here, your clients can take in the local culture, such as the Tiger’s Nest monastery, or try their hand at archery or camping in the Himalayas. Rates start at $300 for a Forest View room or $700 for a 1-bedroom villa. A 5-hour drive from Uma Paro is Uma by COMO, Punakha, a luxury lodge in the Punakha Valley. The hotel offers nine rooms and two villas, incorporated into the landscape that’s tucked into a hillside by the Mo Chu River. Guests can also find a COMO Shambhala Retreat here with sweeping views of the valley and a hot-stone bath house. Rates start at $475 for a Valley View room and $900 for a 1-bedroom villa. If your clients want to experience both properties and mix in excursions like hiking and biking, recommend one of the Himalayan tour packages. The 5-night Himalayan Explorer package (rates start at $5,760 per room, sharing) features a 3-night stay at Uma Paro and a 2-night stay at Uma Punakha, with guides taking guests through the Punakha, Thimphu and Paro Valleys. ● contact information COMO Hotels and Resorts: comohotels.com recommend.com 9/23/13 7:44 AM http://www.recommend.com http://www.comohotels.com http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend October 2013

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: COMO Hotels and Resorts
Tour Talk: Emirates Vacations
Hail Caesars!
Wine Country + San Francisco: A Perfect Pairing
A Vintage Stay in Mexico
Lais-Back Luxury at La Casa Que Canta, Zihuatanejo
Asia Raises the Bar on Luxury
Guadeloupe islands Travel Planner
Royal Princess
Cunard's Queen Elizabeth
Seaside Swells: Brazil + Uruguay
Moroccan Splendor
Regent Palms Turks & Caicos
It Takes A Villa

Recommend October 2013