Stylish city life comes calling at this new Four Seasons property in Montreal, located at the heart of the famed Golden Square Mile neighborhood. And it caters to some of the best aspects of an urban escape: a great location, top-notch dining, and of course, amazing city views throughout
Location:
This 18-floor building is the new centerpiece of the “Golden Square Mile” neighborhood in Montreal, which is also where you’ll find The Montreal Museum of Art, McGill University and lots of shopping and dining options. It’ll take about 30 minutes or so to reach the hotel from Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport—and the hotel can set up transportation (think limo or rental car) for you.
Vibe:
You’ll get major sophisticated city vibes at this property, which is decked out in a modern sensual design, with touches of gold, marble, and dark wood throughout the 169 rooms and suites. All the rooms are on the upper levels (so floors six through 12), which means you’ll get amazing views from the floor-to-ceiling windows. The largest of the suites, the Presidential Suite, has two bedrooms, an 8-person dining table and a whirlpool bathtub.
Why we love it:
With so much to do when visiting a city—especially one like Montreal—it’s easy to see your hotel as just a place to sleep. But that’s not the case with this Four Seasons property. And one of its standout features is one of our very favorites: The “Social Square,” located on the third floor lobby and totally open-concept. What will you find? Let’s start with the food. Chef Marcus Samuelsson—of Harlem’s Red Rooster fame—has expanded his offerings with the signature MARCUS Restaurant + Terrace, as well as MARCUS Lounge + Bar. At the gorgeously-designed restaurant (there’s lots of white marble and greenery), which offers all three meals plus weekend brunch, expect lots of seafood and locally-sourced options. But the real highlight is the terrace, which is open all year, giving you a chance to see and experience the outdoors even deep into the Canadian winter. Shopping is also part of the Social Square, including an entrance to Holt Renfrew Ogilvy department store. And since walking around the city can get tiring, when it’s time to relax you can also retreat to the hotel. The 8-room spa offers everything from treatments like the Rose Gold Hydrating Facial to other features, like Kneipp Water Therapy. Also on the wellness front, there’s a 24-hour fitness center, with celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak at the helm, and an indoor pool. Hosting an event? The ballroom can hold up to 450 people.
Why Go F1RST:
When you book with First in Service, you’ll get breakfast for two, a $100 food and beverage credit—perfect for trying the restaurant—an upgrade, if available, as well as a welcome note at check-in.
Rosewood Bangkok
ROSEWOOD BANGKOK
Bangkok, Thailand
Urban chic
City
“Lennon’s” speakeasy holds 6,000 vinyl records
The 10-story indoor waterfall
Urban meets ultra-luxury at the newest Rosewood property in Thailand, this time in the city of Bangkok. Sleek and contemporary, with nods to Thai culture and art throughout, the centrally positioned property is changing the Bangkok skyline—and offers lots for guests to do while there.
Location:
Located less than 40 minutes from both international airports, the 30-story hotel is right in Bangkok’s busy business and shopping area—so expect lots of lux shops to visit post-meetings. For those who want to check out other areas of the city, there’s direct access to the Ploenchit BTS Skytrain from the hotel, too, making it quick to get to and from the hotel.
Vibe:
If you’re looking for a sophisticated and chic hotel with amenities that are sure to surprise, this 159-room property is a great choice. Outfitted in neutral hues—think whites and creams, with the occasional burst of blue or other bright color—there are nods to that feeling of “home,” with books and art on display in-room. The property also offers suites with up to two bedrooms, as well as three houses, which come equipped with their own pools. (An early morning dip sounds like a great way to start the day, if you ask us.) But there’s also a serene vibe—and both the long driveway that greets you upon entrance and the 10-story indoor waterfall (and other water attributes you’ll find) are examples of this, not an easy feat in a metropolis of 8 million people.
Why we love it:
Along with the calming nature of the space, there are features throughout the property that really set it apart from others. For instance, every floor has a different footprint—so one might have just one room, and another floor might have 12 rooms. Another example? Lennon’s, the speakeasy at the top of the hotel. Sitting on the 30th floor, with amazing floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the city, not only do you enter from a “secret” door as you would in the 1920s, but Lennon’s takes the concept to a whole new level, with over 6,000 vinyl records to choose from. Paired with vintage cocktails and era-specific Cuban cigars, it’s a nod to old-fashioned fun, but with a modern twist. There are three other dining destinations on the property—including the signature Nan Bei, which serves authentic Chinese cuisine. (When you visit, take in the unique and stylish light features in each of the restaurants—they are fantastic.) Art in general is an important aspect of the property: There is work by Thai artists, including Preecha Thaothong and Pinaree Sanpitak, as well as “Art Connection,” a rotating exhibit. You’ll also find an indoor-outdoor saltwater pool, 24-hour fitness studio and Sense, A Rosewood Spa, which offers Thai specialties. Plus, if you’re there on business, there are multiple meeting venues—from private dining rooms to spaces for large crowds of up to 200.
Why you should Go F1RST:
As part of the Rosewood Elite Program—a private, invitation-only program—booking through First in Service means you’ll receive complimentary breakfast daily, a $100 food and beverage credit, 15% savings on spa menu at Sense, a room upgrade if available, and a welcome amenity. Rooms include Frette linens, housekeeping services twice a day, and many offer amazing views of the city.
Culture and Connection in Cuba
Culture and Connection in Havana, Cuba
First in Service co-founder and CEO, Fernando Gonzalez, spends a long weekend soaking up the history, architecture and food scene in the Caribbean Havana.
From the moment I landed in Havana, I knew there was something special about the city. Open to U.S. travelers just a few short years ago, Cuba is one of those places I’ve always wanted to visit—and Havana was the ideal starting point. As a Cuban-American myself, the country is a gateway to my own family’s story—and an experience I couldn’t wait to share with my wife, Awilda, and our daughter, Sofia.
OLD HAVANA
Appreciating the architecture
I’m an architecture and design aficionado, and the sheer beauty of the buildings throughout the city was unparalleled—I was blown away. From the colors to the architectural elements, the detail and creativity that went into crafting each one was evident. Walking through the streets of Havana is a great way to take it all in—and booking a tour guide to provide historical context and background information makes it even better.
Taking in the culture
At 13, my daughter Sofia is an avid traveler—she’s been to some 30 countries—but this trip allowed us to take in a culture that was at once familiar and totally new, and see the country from a totally different perspective. From our home base at the Hotel Saratoga in Old Havana, we were able to see and experience much of what makes the city tick. That included going on a tour with a music historian to learn more about the history of Cuban music, visiting amazing art galleries, and shopping at places like Clandestina, a shop where almost all the wares are exclusively designed in the country.
Savoring the cuisine
If you’re a food lover, this is the place to be: the burgeoning culinary scene in Havana is tremendous. In the course of our five-day visit, we ate at about ten different restaurants and they were all excellent. Some to consider on your trip: Al Carbon in Old Havana, El Cocinero, and Otramanera in Havana’s Playa neighborhood. Since we were there over New Year’s, we also enjoyed an amazing gala and dinner at the Plaza de la Catedral.
Overall, if the goal of traveling is not only to enjoy the food and music of a new place, but also to experience the culture and open your eyes to what it has to offer, than going to Cuba—and Havana, in particular—allowed us to do just that. I know my family and I are already planning to visit again soon.
Botswana, Call of the Kalahari
Botswana, Call of the Kalahari
With luxe Botswana lodges, Belmond Safaris take you into the heart of Africa.
When your small plane glides low and slow enough over the green savanna to observe migrating herds, when the rhythm of singing voices and clapping hands brings joy to your daily rituals, when constellations take on new depth and noises take on new dimensions in the lightless night, you realize, no matter where you’re from, that this place is where you’re of. No wonder Harry and Meghan keep coming back.
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
Botswana has the world’s largest population of elephants. Why? Because Botswana alone among its neighbors avoided armed conflict in its half-century of independence. The wars in Angola, Zimbabwe and Mozambique had nothing to do with elephants (though they gave poachers cover). But simply bearing witness was enough. As Rudyard Kipling wrote: “The elephant’s a gentleman.”
Sitting around the Boma, you’ll learn of the myriad ways our lives interweave with theirs. Much more than a campfire, the Boma is where elder tribesmen have received one another with feasts and folk tales, dance and song since long before colonial times. Elephants, music and history will be your constant companions at Belmond’s Botswana lodges. A oneness that begins with the melodious voices of the staff who greet your jeep bouncing up the red-earth track.
Some enchanted eden
Belmond’s Savute Elephant Lodge sits in Chobe National Park, Botswana’s first. The Chobe River flows into the Zambezi and thunders over Victoria Falls into a deep crack on an otherwise uninterrupted expanse of African mesa—an ocean of land teaming with wildlife. At the lodge, herds of elephants and buffalo gather at the stream beneath your terrace pool. On game drives at dawn and dusk, see zebra and giraffe graze on the grasslands, hippo and crocodile wallow in the watering holes, and follow leopard and lion stalking their prey through the brush. Every outing is different, and none predictable.
Victorian-era travelers believed that consuming copious amounts of gin and tonic protected them from malaria (hmm—likely story). Enjoy yours with fellow guests presuming to be Dr. Livingstone lounging beneath lazy fans before dinner, contemplating the sunset over a horizon of low treetops. The lodge’s chef prepares gourmet interpretations of barbecued meats and other regional specialties, paired with fine wines and champagne. For more intimacy, a butler can serve dinner suite-side.
Recently renovated, Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge lends a modern style to skills that define the architecture, furniture, and cosmopolitan and traditional objets d’art. The twelve large, bright, thatched and tented rooms can be as open or sheltering as you wish: French doors, netted canopy beds, air conditioning, and airy bathrooms go well beyond glamping.
Islands in the stream
For a change of scenery, climb aboard a 12-seat Cessna and follow the sun westward to Eagle Island Lodge, another of the Belmond Safaris experiences. Enjoy the isolation of a private island in the unique setting of an inland river delta where the Okavango evaporates into the sky above the Kalahari rather than meet the sea.
By canoe and powerboat explore channels that cover 5,800 unpopulated square miles—roughly the size of Connecticut—classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, along with Mount Kilimanjaro, the Nile and Sahara. In addition to the by-now ever-present lions, elephant and zebra, you’ll see flocks of wading heron and flamingo, and ostriches strutting through hip-deep grass.
With accommodation similar to Belmond’s Savute Elephant Lodge, Eagle Island adds a twist of sensual style—somber mineral tones, private plunge pools outside each room, and sculptural, monolithic, black bathtubs—that melds into the sage-scented morning mists.
“There’s no better way to understand how connected we are with all this,” says F1RST’s Erika Reategui, an Africa veteran. Her experience in luxury conservation excursions includes work with the Jane Goodall Institute. “Something like 77% of wildlife has disappeared since mankind came to be—10% of that just since 1990. There’s no better way to understand how precious this is than to feel it for yourself.”
