CubeMe » Travel

Pan Pacific Singapore Transformation

Shan Tara — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:46:56 +0000

Pan Pacific Singapore announced today that it will be embarking on the hotel’s biggest transformation in its 25-year history since its opening in 1987. The extensive S$80 million investment for the 790-room property will see guest rooms, restaurants and lobby undergo a major transformation from mid-April. The highlight will be the spectacular 360O view Pacific Club on Level 38, the topmost level of the hotel.

Pan Pacific Singapore’s transformation amidst a rapidly evolving landscape is a validation of its intrinsic desire and passion for continuous improvement, and its promise to continue creating enriching experiences for guests. The new Pan Pacific Singapore will redefine standards of comfort and convenience from room design, dining choices and its new lobby concept, which are all supported by the latest technology and service innovation to make guest stays effortless and refreshing.

The hotel will close on 15 April and is scheduled to re-open part of its premises and facilities – 150 rooms and public areas on level one – from August 2012. The new Pan Pacific Singapore is expected to be fully operational in September.

“The transformation will enhance our competitive advantage in the Marina Bay vicinity. Pan Pacific Singapore will emerge newly-refreshed and it will spur the momentum of our growth,” said Scott Swank, General Manager of Pan Pacific Singapore.

Wholly-inspired and influenced by guests and associates (staff), the new features and innovative concepts are a result of a robust review of the Pan Pacific brand conducted through in-depth research into their insights. This transformation builds on the strengths and heritage of the award-winning Pan Pacific brand to ensure its consistent delivery of premium accommodation, high quality amenities and service excellence which guests expect of a cutting-edge 5-star hotel.

“The involvement of our guests and associates from start to completion bears testament to our commitment to conceptualise and design enriching experiences relevant to them and their needs. With this transformation, the hotel will embody the qualities — the discreet elegance, personalised and uncomplicated service, and a renewed commitment to quality that guests at Pan Pacific Singapore appreciate,” added Mr. Swank.

Collaborating with a large team of professional consultants for the transformation, at the centre of the unique and contemporary design lies the ‘Pacific Touch’, a sensory expression of the unique culture, geography, design and heritage of the Pacific Rim that is connected by an unmistakable feeling of light and sense of space and calm.

With multi-award winning Australian interior design firm CHADA at the helm, guests can expect the lobby, guest rooms, restaurants and the new Pacific Club to be created with elevated offerings and comfort. Through the refreshed colour palette, business and leisure travellers alike will be able to immerse themselves in the invigorating serenity synonymous with the Pan Pacific brand.

The expertise of Blueplate, a Wilson Associates specialty restaurant and bar design studio, will see the interior design for all the restaurants fully transformed.

“Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to our valued guests and associates for their continued support as we embark on our grand transformation. By September 2012, we look forward to welcoming them back at a new Pan Pacific Singapore that will deliver a refreshing Pacific experience to all,” added Mr. Swank.

From April to July, the Pacific Ballroom, the swimming pool, fitness centre, St. Gregory Spa and pool restaurant will be open and accessible via the Pacific Ballroom foyer, driveway and pre-function area. Additionally, patrons can access the Royal Room and Club Mink via the main driveway.

The Saguaro Hotel, Palm Springs by Peter Stamberg and Paul Aferiat Architects

Ian — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:43:11 +0000

Centrally located at the corner of Sunrise and East Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs, CA, this is boutique hotel company Joie de Vivre’s first property in Palm Springs, and the second in an expanding collection of Saguaro hotels, following the successful opening of The Saguaro Scottsdale in November 2011. Designed to reflect the colorful vibrant spirit of the Southwest, the bold color palette is the work of renowned architects Peter Stamberg and Paul Aferiat who have infused the property with hues that reflect the indigenous flowers of the surrounding desert region.

Saguaro Hotel

Astarte Suites Hotel, Santorini by Aygoustis Krousis

Shan Tara — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:24:38 +0000

Astarte Suites is a spectacular 9-suite complex designed by Aygoustis Krousis and located on a cliff on the beautiful Santorini island in greece. small, but with impeccable services, infinity pool, and unforgettable views, the hotel is perfect for a romantic getaway. here is an excerpt from the official description from the architects: “magic is in the details at Astarte Suites, beginning with the twinkling Swarovski stones that adorn the ceiling above each suite’s jacuzzi pool, ending with the personalized service each guest enjoys.

Surrounded by soothing shades of white and stone, guests are sure to find bliss here. during their precious down time, guests can relax and unwind next to astarte’s stunning turquoise infinity swimming pool, which overlooks the Aegean sea’s tranquil blue waters and nearby rocky cliffs.

Leisure and cultural options abound nearby, such as in Akrotiri, an ancient city buried and preserved by volcanic ash-known as the Pompeii of the Greek islands-and at red beach and white Beach, the ultimate locales for a spectacular day of fun in the sun”.

Saguaro Hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona by Peter Stamberg & Stamberg Aferiat Architecture

Shan Tara — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:40:51 +0000

Designed by Peter Stamberg and Paul Aferiat of Stamberg Aferiat Architecture, the Saguaro Hotel based in Scottsdale, Arizona is a desert oasis, a vibrant escape set dramatically against the beiges and sands of Old Town Scottsdale. The design is meant to channel the palette of 12 indigenous wildflowers of Arizona, which both grounds the hotel and sets it apart from the landscape.

All of the 194 guest rooms include outdoor patios or balconies, iPod docking station, work desk, flat screen TV and free Internet for Joy of Life members, while you’ll find soaker tubs and walk-in closets in the suites.

The architects say that it was written in the building code that everything you do has to be natural and about the nature of the desert. That is why everything were in beige and sand color. They work in Newtonian color theory, they like the colors to be complementary to each other without oversaturation. They’re always looked to create light. Once they started with one color, they just moved around the spectrum and kept going.

‘Kameha Bay Portals,’ Hotel in Mallorca by Tec Architecture & Marcel Wanders

Ian — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 08:30:18 +0000

Tec Architecture and interior designer, Marcel Wanders, have teamed up again to create Kameha Bay Portals, a high-style luxury resort hotel in Mallorca, Spain. A little over a full year away from completion, Kameha Bay Portals has recently been admitted by the Leading Hotels of the World into its exclusive hotel association – and I thought you might be interested in taking a peek.

Located on the south coast of the sunny Spanish isle, and within walking distance of the exclusive yacht harbour Puerto Portals, this resort will offer its guests warm service, exclusivity, and a truly unique ambience when it opens its doors in early 2013. The interplay of hotel and nature paired with the highest standards of ecological sustainability and energy efficiency are particularly important in the resort’s design. Because of this, the development of the Kameha Bay Portals will involve a ‘green building’, which, with its own sandy beach and access to a small bay, will blend perfectly into the natural surroundings.

In accordance with the Kameha philosophy of anticipating and catering to the most diverse wishes of the guests, the Kameha Bay Portals will keep transforming its design based on the theme of the changing seasons, a design concept by Marcel Wanders.

Currently planned are 64 rooms and suites between 36 and 240 m² that will extend to the main building and the beach. Spa treatments, holistic programs, and water sports are just a few of the activities one can anticipate from the Kameha Bay Portals resort.

Inspiring architecture by tec Architecture has met the extraordinary interior design of Marcel Wanders and in doing so has created one of the new favourite locations in Mallorca. For Sebastian Knorr, CEO of the tec Architecture architectural firm, the interplay of hotel and nature and the highest standards of ecological sustainability and energy efficiency are particularly important in the design. Because of this, the development of the Kameha Bay Portals will involve a ‘green building’, which, with its own sandy beach and access to a small bay, will blend perfectly into the natural surroundings. The investment volume amounts to 50 million Euros.

In accordance with the Kameha philosophy of anticipating guests’ wishes and catering to the most diverse wishes of the guests, the Kameha Bay Portals will keep transforming -‐ like a chameleon. Based on the theme ‘changing seasons’, the design concept by Marcel Wanders is in line with the seasons: in summer, light fabrics and bright colours dominate, while in winter warm colours have an inviting ‘cocooning’ effect.

Balancing Barn by MVRDV

Shan Tara — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:43:46 +0000

Living Architecture and Dutch firm MVRDV, present the design for the Balancing Barn, a cantilevered holiday home near the village of Thorington in Suffolk.

From the road, the barnisalmost invisible; the front being only 7 metres wide, with a pitched roof, faces the long straight driveway approach, suggesting a small house with a traditional shape. The volume, however, has a length of 30 metres. At the midpoint it starts to cantilever over the descending slope; a balancing act made possible by the rigid structure of the building; resulting in 50% of the barn being in free space, and giving a wide view over the Suffolk landscape, adjacent lake and surrounding gardens. The long sides of the structure are well hidden by trees allowing privacy inside and around the barn. The exterior is covered in a reflective material, resulting in the barn changing its exterior by reflecting the seasons.

The inspiration for Living Architecture came from a desire for people to be able to experience what it is like to live, eat and sleep in a space designed by an outstanding architectural practice. Whilst there are examples of great modern buildings in Britain, they tend to be in places that one passes through (eg. airports, museums, offices), and the few modern houses that exist are almost all in private hands and cannot be visited. Living Architecture will start to open its houses for holiday rentals in the spring of 2010.

The Living Architecture team comprises of chairman, Dickon Robinson, director, Mark Robinson and executive architect, Meredith Bowles (Mole Architects). The advisory team are Stuart Lipton, property developer, ex chairman CABE; Tom Bloxham, chairman of Urban Splash; Ambassador Alexis Lautenberg, Swiss ambassador to the UK; Michael Morris, co-director of Artangel; Alain de Botton, writer and architectural critic and Peter Rogers, director of Stanhope.

+ Living Architecture

Nomad Motorcycle Tent

Shan Tara — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 11:49:09 +0000

This Expedition Tent by Nomad is a great thing for adventure motorcycle travelers. The Nomad tent, offers 30 square feet of interior room, weighs just 13 lbs, fits 2 people and the main thing, your bike. Made from coated ripstop nylon with a polyester floor, the Nomad.

We’ve designed a better way of camping. Our expedition tent is comfortable and incredibly functional, with no compromise in design or materials. It is a tent born of years of travel and dedicated to world adventure enthusiasts and their bikes. The Series II Expedition Tent, built specifically for touring travelers, is a real world, 2 person tent, designed to shield your motorcycle from the elements and from prying eyes.

Expedition Tent

‘Anopura,’ the Smallest Luxury Hotel in India by Philippe de Villegas

Shan Tara — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 10:22:02 +0000

The tiny hotel is nestled in the shadow of the ancient Aravali mountains, an hour’s drive from Jaipur,Radjasthan. There are just two bedrooms within the main thatched house in addition to a romantic Rajasthani-tented bedroom in the garden, surrounded by swathes of lush free farmland.

This is a side to India that most tourists never have the opportunity to see; a glimpse of rural life that has not changed for many centuries. Anopura was created by Belgian- born Philippe de Villegas-ex-Honorary consul to Belgium in Marakech and a man to whom the beautiful things in life truly matter. As such, the rooms are all supplied with super king-size beds, superb mattresses and the finest locally sourced linens. Ceiling fans air conditioning as well as plenty of inspirational reading matter help guests to fell more at home.

Built as a traditional Rajasthani country home with a stunning step-well inspired plunge pool, Anopura artfully brings together the ‘necessities’ of the most demanding Western traveler within a landscape and agricultural environment virtually unchanged in a millennia.

Anopura Hotel

‘La Maison Champs-Elysées,’ Hotel by Martin Margiela

Ian — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:47:17 +0000

‘Maison Champs-Elysées’ hotel is located at 8 Jean Goujon in the eighth district has commissioned Maison Martin Margiela redecorates the suites, restaurant, smoking room, bar and reception area into a surreal atmosphere.

La Maison Champs-Elysees combines modern and traditional aesthetics. One of the two buildings of the hotel was built in Napoleon era, formerly a private residence shared by the French Emperor and his wife Eugénie de Montijo’s from 1864 to 1989.

The hotel especially invited Belgium fashion house Maison Martin Margiela to re-design the interior of its seventeen suites, restaurant, lounge bar, smoking room and reception area.
From the floor, ceiling, wall, furniture, ceramic, lighting, window, carpet, mirror to individual art piece display, Maison Martin Margiela is responsible for the overall rennovation. Merging the real and surreal, trompe-loei is a key design element this time.

With white as the main palette, featuring English parquet in aged oak, trompe-loei wallpaper and cloth-wrapped objects are signature Margiela style. Highlight pieces in the restaurant include Louis XV , Louis XVI Salon, Louis XV Lyre Back and Louis XVI Medallion Back chairs, a reminder that this was once a historic site. This collaboration is the biggest interior project for Maison Martin Margiela to this date, and a much welcomed contemporary addition in Paris.

TuboHotel Tepoztlan, in Tepoztlán, Mexico by T3arc

Shan Tara — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 15:36:29 +0000

Designed by T3arc, TuboHotel is located in the Magic Village of Tepoztlan, Morelos about 45 minutes south of Mexico City on the other side of the mountain range.

The recycled concrete tubes are stacked in a pyramid-style adding visually interest and allow the spectacular views to be showcased. The rooms include stairs for the upper units, a queen size bed, curtains and even glass windows.

‘TuboHotel’ was designed to enjoy the good times in one of Mexico’s “Pueblo Magico”. With economical “tubo-rates” at 500 pesos, you can arrive by yourself with backpack in hand, as a couple, with your friends or family.The goal was to have the ability to build a fast and affordable hotel that offered lodging for Tepoztlan tourist. With a projection of 20 rooms, we began building the first modules. Unlike the hotel of Andreas Strauss, we place the rooms (tubes) in three modules to harness the ground as possible much as possible. Our office was commissioned to do a general plan and build the first module 3 tubocretos then Tubohotel administration was responsible for building the remaining modules. The order of the tubes is random with respect to the topography. Construction took place over a period of 3 months.

The Scarlet, Boutique Hotel in Carnwalls by Harrison Sutton Partnership & Bauwerk

Hans — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 08:51:25 +0000

Located on the scenic cliffs of Cornwall, the 5-star Scarlet boutique hotel incorporates luxury and a close affinity to nature.The Scarlet team had a very clear idea of the ‘wow’ factor they wanted to create with the new hotel and chose the architect team at the Harrison Sutton Partnership and the building team Bauwerk to help them realise this dream. Sustainability is guaranteed by the use of durable materials, selected for their eco-friendly luxury and remarkable natural views in an environmentally sustainable manner.

The 37 rooms look out over the cliffs onto the Atlantic Ocean. Each features a private outdoor space in the form of balcony, courtyard garden terrace, or rooftop pod. A restorative hotel spa serves as a quiet, almost spiritual sanctuary for relaxation. There is a room full of tented, lantern-lit and cocoon-like hanging pods.

The spa includes a sauna, Hammam, meditation room, natural reed-filtered pool, and two log-fired seaweed hot tubs perfect for outdoor stargazing at the cliff’s edge. The Scarlet restaurant is headed by Michelin award-winning local chef Ben Tunnicliffe, whose hearty dishes are surprising without being pretentious.

Menus change daily to take full advantage of seasonal local ingredients at their best, and a comprehensive wine list features daily selections to complement Tunnicliffe’s magnificent creations. A low-key deli menu and Cornish afternoon tea can be served anywhere throughout the premises for an in-between snack.

Cafe Vue in St Kilda Road, Melbourne by Elenberg Fraser

Shan Tara — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 07:28:02 +0000

Café Vue is the latest addition to Shannon Bennett’s Vue brand which serves café style French food. The interior by architect Elenberg Fraser draws on the life of Marie Antoinette at the Palace of Versailles; creating a contemporary French café in central Melbourne.

The ornate detailing of Versailles and its period clothing are the inspiration for the bold triangular patterns featured throughout the cafe. The kitchen and wet area facade reflect the Hall of Mirrors, while the Palace Gardens are recreated outside. Cafe Vue’s logo is fashioned out of topiary and provides protection to alfresco diners from the street. The neutral palette with highlights of color stems from the beautiful gowns of Marie as does the Corset which one can dine under. To intensify the experience, Marie Antoinette’s beheading is echoed in the blood red bathrooms.

The Bird’s Nest by Inredningsgruppen

Shan Tara — Tue, 31 May 2011 06:42:52 +0000

Sweden’s boreal forest has a new addition to its seven beautifully incongruous structures that that constitute Treehotel, an innovative project conceived by husband and wife team Britta Jonsson-Lindvall and Kent Lindvall.

The Bird’s Nest , designed by Bertil Harström of Inredningsgruppen intended to establish a dramatic contrast between the exterior and interior. From outside the cabin looks like a large nest, with only the scale distinguishing it from other more conventional birds’ nests in the forest. Small porthole windows are hidden by the thicket of branches. Inside is a highly designed space, lined in timber like coachwork panels. The bedroom is a separated by sliding doors. Access to The Nest is by a retractable staircase.

Lord South Beach Hotel by BH+DM

Shan Tara — Fri, 27 May 2011 11:34:14 +0000

Appropriately oriented and situated in the heart of South Beach on Collins Avenue, Lords South Beach is the first gay hotel brand to open in the US and the vanguard for the modern gay boutique hotel. Sexy, chic, affordable, and fun, it raises the bar for what the discerning gay traveler can expect from a hotel. With 54 rooms, three plunge pools and a variety of exciting hotel venues.

The hotel worked with Out magazine to develop a Concierge App listing top local LGBT hot spots, asked Levi’s to custom-design its gray and white jean uniforms, and is preparing to launch its own social network so guests can check one another out.

Lords is taking over the Nash Hotel’s space — “morphing into a sleek, stylish and sexy look,” said Brian Gorman, the founder. Playful too: a 9-foot tall fiberglass polar bear holding a beach ball will greet visitors in the lobby.

BH+DM

Qing Shui Wan Spa Hotel, in Shenyang, China by Nota Design International

Shan Tara — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:51:22 +0000

Qing Shui Wan is a high-end hot spring and spa club with hotel rooms located in downtown Shenyang. This is a 3 store building with a sprawling area of 7000 sqm per floor.
First store consists of solely the main reception hall/ foyer and the hot-springs. The hot springs area is divided into 2 main zone for the different genders.Second store houses 184 seater Japanese Restaurant, in-house buffet area, a VIP buffet restaurant, a cinema lounge, rest lounges, tea appreciation areas, a hair saloon, and massage rooms.

Third store houses the flagship spa with 41 massage rooms, 23 majong rooms, 14 treatment rooms, 2 Turkish Bath, and 24 hotel rooms. The designers are tasked with the Interior Architecture as well as the facade design.

Nota Design International

Cubic Boutique Hotel by Sergey Makhno & Vasiliy Butenko

Hans — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 07:45:08 +0000

Cubic Boutique Hotel by Sergey Makhno & Vasiliy Butenko is rather gorgeous and not boring at all. Its lighting may well be compared to an object of art. The boutique hotel is snuggled into a green hillside, and extends out to the sands of the Dead Sea. On one side, a gorse-covered mountain closely approaches the hotel, on the other side it stands near the coastline of the Black sea.

The hotel itself seems to extend a natural relief of a mountain standing behind it with its structure of polished concrete. Austerity of outdoor attire of concrete, steel and glass is camouflaged with almost homeliness of rooms – a wide cozy bed, Corian furniture designed for this hotel, designer’s light, a TV-set as well as Internet connection.

The Cube Restaurant by Park Associati for Electrolux Pops Up in Brussels

Shan Tara — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 05:11:48 +0000

Electrolux has opened the doors of the Cube designed by Park Associati, a unique restaurant with a very exclusive view.
Crowning the beautiful, 30-hectare Parc du Cinquantenaire, the Arc de Triomphe is the perfect home for The Cube in Brussels. Erected in 1905, the intricately carved arch commemorates the 50th anniversary of Belgian independence in 1880.

The Cube’s location atop the arch will offer diners once-in-a-lifetime views over the park and the Brussels skyline beyond.

The interior of the THE CUBE has been designed to suit different arrangements; the pavilion consists of a large open-planned space with a visible kitchen and a single large table that can be made to disappear by raising it up to the ceiling to form a lounge area for use after eating.

The transparent and semi-transparent structures will be seen atop of buildings, monuments and even on water in Belgium, Italy, Russia, Switzerland and Sweden but only for three months at each location.
The Cube

Until the end of June, guests will literally dine among the stars. Chefs with a Michelin award will spoil the guests with their menu.

Santorini Grace Hotel

Shan Tara — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 04:29:17 +0000

Located in the beautiful setting of Imerovigli in the northwest of the island, high above the Caldera, the Grace Santorini is the perfect vantage point from which to view the famed Santorini sunsets that envelop the Aegean Sea, and the Cyclades Islands.

This graceful boutique property with its individually styled suites and rooms, appeals to those seeking a relaxing and romantic escape.

The hotel has two beautiful swimming pools including a new infinity pool offering uninterrupted views.

There are 20 rooms total at the Santorini Grace and all face the same direction for optimal views. Some have private plunge pools, some are honeymoon suites with his and hers sinks in the bathroom. The hotel is sprawled out over several different levels playing on the “cave” aesthetic.

While there are nooks and alcoves for privacy, there is a general communal vibe amongst everyone lounging by the pool, or the bars, or in the restaurant. Only recently opened in 2009, The Santorini Grace has already been given many accolades and awards: Shortlisted in the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 2011, Included in Tatler Travel Guide’s 101 Best Hotels in the World, 2011, Shortlisted for The European Hotel Design Awards, 2010, Selected for Conde Nast Traveller’s Hot List of the World’s Best New Hotels, 2009, and at the World Travel Awards, it won Greece’s Leading Boutique of 2009.

Name of project: Grace Santorini Hotel
Project address: Imerovigli, Santorini 84700, Greece
Architects: Divercity & mplusm
Principal Architects: Divercity – Nikolas Travasaros // Mplusm – Memos Filippidis / Marita Nikoloutsou
Dates of design: 2007-2008
Dates of construction: 2008- 2009
Total plot area: 1,033.72 m2
Total building area: 621.23 m2
Client: Grace Hotels Group
Interior Designers: Divercity & mplusm
space consultant: Sophia Vantaraki
Photographers: ©Erieta Attali & ©Serge Detalle
Via [Yatzer]