What’s New! - Cashel Palace Hotel; Chateau Louise de la Valliere; Gondwana Game Reserve Eco Camp, Hotel Barriere Fouget’s New York, Madarin Oriental Palace Luzern, Montage Los Cabos, Raffles Doha

WHAT’S NEW

“Bringing you the finest places around the world is what we love to do here at Upscale Living magazine. In keeping with this tradition, we are focusing on introducing you to new kids on the block or accommodation establishments with a re-looked lease on life. Grab your travel diary as you want to get to these places as soon as possible!”

| BY HELÉNE RAMACKERS

CASHEL PALACE HOTEL

TIPPERARY, IRELAND

Located in the heart of Ireland’s County Tipperary, the five-star Cashel Palace Hotel epitomizes the finest of Irish hospitality. Set within a magnificent Palladian manor built in 1732, the landmark address has been meticulously restored by conservation architects to create a truly desirable destination hotel offering 42 unique bedrooms including 8 opulent suites.

Steeped in history, this former Archbishop’s grand country house became a hotel in the early 1960s and hosted many famous visitors and friends alike.

Optimally located between town and countryside, decadent rooms and suites are impeccably designed for rest and relaxation, while the gardens offer three tranquil acres of rolling lawns, ancient trees, and modern landscaping. Deeply luxurious and palatial, each room draws on the heritage of this great house, celebrating history and championing modern comforts. You will find everything you could possibly need for an indulgent and memorable country escape.

Once home to the Archbishops of Cashel, Cashel Palace sits at the foot of the Rock of Cashel, a dramatic limestone outcrop featuring the most impressive cluster of medieval buildings in Ireland. With a private pathway to this historic site, the gardens, spa, and many bedrooms offer impressive views of this astonishing attraction.

A proud Relais & Chateaux member, Cashel Palace’s dining offering is exceptional in every sense, and the hotel also has two atmospheric bars. With a deep connection to the Golden Vale, the rich pastures that surround the hotel, Director of Culinary, Stephen Hayes serves exquisite modern Irish cooking utilizing a seasonal menu sourcing from the freshest local produce.

The Bishop’s Buttery offers formal dining, with casual dining, outdoor dining, and afternoon tea all served across an array of beautiful settings. Today, Cashel Palace’s lower ground floor proudly houses the original Guinness Bar.

True to their aspirations of excellence, Cashel Palace has followed the best practices in construction, restoration, sourcing, and energy to ensure the blueprint for sustainability stands up to the highest scrutiny. They have embraced the Relais & Chateaux manifesto of making ‘the world a better place through cuisine and hospitality,’ following an ethos that is better for the environment and their guests.

CHÂTEAU LOUISE DE LA VALLIÈRE

LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE

Fancy a truly regal stay at a historical château-hotel in the heart of France’s ‘Valley of Kings’? A new gem in the Relais & Châteaux collection, Château Louise de La Vallière is a hotel offering 5-star services and a gastronomic restaurant, nestled within a forest in the heart of Touraine, one of France’s loveliest provinces and near the royal town of Amboise.

This 16th-century château served as the first holiday residence of the young Louise, future Duchess of La Vallière and the Sun King’s great love. A few centuries later, thanks to the passion of its current owner, Mira Grebenstein, this wonder of the Renaissance has regained all its original splendor and nobility.

This exceptional hotel offers guests a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in French history. This experience is possible through the singular vision of its interior designer Jacques Garcia.

The hotel has twenty rooms and suites, a gourmet restaurant, and a spa will each offer an incomparable setting for an exceptional stay. The staff, entirely dedicated to surpassing travelers’ needs, is in period dress and recreates the historical era’s rituals and customs. An atmosphere of elegance and refinement reigns throughout the hotel, with its period furnishings, paintings, tapestries, and objets d’art expertly assembled from France’s most prestigious auction houses.

The gourmet restaurant will prolong this exceptional experience. Named after the legendary comedy by Molière, Louis XIV’s preferred playwright, L’Amphitryon becomes the theatre of lavish and delicious multi-course meals. The décor and table settings, inspired by the pomp and pageantry of the 17th and 18th centuries, exalt an enchanting ambience illuminated by flickering candles in the evening and when bathed by subdued sunlight during the day.

During the warmer months, meals are served on the terrace, boasting a splendid panoramic view of the Brenne River Valley. Chef Maxime Lesobre pays tribute to the past by faithfully reproducing Grand Siècle dishes. A subtle culinary poem which is worthy of France’s most resplendent and Europe’s most refined monarch. Travelers will discover a menu faithful to this period and spirit, lending center stage to roasted meats, poultry and fish, and vegetables then savored at court—asparagus, skirrets, black salsify—not to mention the most delicate desserts—darioles, benoiles and sorbets.

GONDWANA GAME RESERVE ECO CAMP

MOSSEL BAY, SOUTH AFRICA

The award winning Gondwana Private Game Reserve is a beehive of activity following the re-launch of its beloved Eco Camp experience.

New and improved, Eco Camp offers the same off-the-grid, hands on safari experience, with expanded and upgraded facilities to provide more communal spaces and all-weather comfort year-round with thatch roofs. The addition of a new bar near the pool will be a cool spot to sip a G&T in an open-air space under thatch. The entire camp runs on solar power, sources its water sustainably from a nearby perennial spring and is a plastic free zone.

Gondwana Private Game Reserve is situated in what is arguably the Western Cape’s most breathtaking scenery, and Eco Camp is remotely nestled within the folds of the Reserve’s undulating, Fynbos-adorned landscape. Guests have been blown away to find the luxurious lodge hidden in this gorgeous valley deep in the Reserve.

Two nights off the grid at Eco Camp feels like a week’s holiday recharging the batteries. Guests are able to enjoy a one-of-a-kind Cape Safari experience while rolling up their sleeves to get involved in the Reserve’s conservation work. These activities include elephant dung sample analysis, checking leopard stealth cameras, doing water censuses, partaking in game counting and helping eradicate the game reserve of alien invasive plants, which is a great workout!

Gondwana Private Game Reserve is a conservation-centric organization with extraordinary resource and passion dedicated to protecting its endangered flora and fauna. The Eco Camp guests help to collect important data to guide the Reserve’ s management plan.

Eco Camp is an intimate and exclusive experience with only seven bedroom tents set on raised platforms each with a private bathroom and covered deck area. A wooden walkway over the riverbed links the accommodation to two new thatched recreational tents which house the lounge, dining, and bar areas with a nearby pool and hammock relaxation area.

HOTEL BARRIÈRE FOUGUET’S NEW YORK

TRIBECA, NEW YORK

A joint venture between the iconic French brand Groupe Barrière and Caspi Development, the imposing Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s New York opened in Tribeca at the end of September 2022. Located at 456 Greenwich Street, the property brings a new level of sophistication to the bustling streets of New York.

The hotel is designed by the internationally acclaimed Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, led by interior designer and architect Martin Brudnizki and blends the modern industrialism of Tribeca and the elegant classism of Paris, which is shone through the property’s Art-Deco inspiration.

Brudnizki pays homage to the brand’s Parisian roots through the hotel’s molding, use of elegant fabrics, and the lavender-centric color scheme seen throughout the hotel. Martin Budnizki. “Our design reflects the unique spirit of the Barriere brand whilst feeling relevant and local to the Greenwich neighborhood balancing an elegant Parisian aesthetic with the energy and style of Tribeca,” says Martin Budnizki.

The guest rooms and suites feature Art Deco-inspired furniture, European Style Chandeliers, and the property’s own toile de jouy wallpaper -designed by Schumacher Hospitality, fashioning an experience unique to the property. The hotel’s crown jewel is Le Grand Appartement Terrasse, an expansive two-story suite located on the 7th and 8th floors of the hotel.

The Presidential Suite features unique colors showcasing soft greens, blues, and golds, departing from the primary scheme used throughout the hotel. The suite comprises two and a half bathrooms, entertaining and dining areas, an executive office, a master suite with a private terrace, a king-size bedroom, and three private balconies on the hotel’s east and west. The suite’s interior features glossier finishes, antiqued mirrors, plush fabrics, a massive chandelier, and floor-to-ceiling murals of exotic gardens and landscapes line the stairwell and entry walls.

Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s New York features two French inspired dining destinations, Fouquet’s New York and Par Ici Café. The property will also feature wellness offerings, including Spa Diane Barrière and a fitness center by DOGPOUND, a luxury training gym in 2016. Fouquet’s New York serves as the New York outpost for Groupe Barrière’s iconic French brasserie Fouquet’s.

MANDARIN ORIENTAL PALACE LUZERN

LUZERN, SWITZERLAND

Ideally located on the shores of Lake Lucerne, with breathtaking views over the Swiss Alps, Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern provides contemporary elegance, legendary service and the finest Swiss hospitality in the city’s beautifully restored Belle Époque landmark. The building presents 136 elegant and contemporary rooms and suites, most of which have private balconies or terraces.

Set to become an epicurean destination, the hotel features a wide range of culinary offerings from MOzern Brasserie & Bar for all-day dining, afternoon tea and innovative cocktails; al-fresco dining on the lake terrace at Quai 10; contemporary French haute cuisine at Colonnade and traditional six-seat Japanese restaurant in omakase style dining.

An expansive wellness and fitness area provide well-being opportunities for guests, while SPA Bellefontaine creates a serene and rejuvenating sanctuary with unrivaled treatments. Private and professional events can benefit from the creative settings of four unique rooms, including Salon Alpine with original décor elements from the hotel’s historic past. The hotel underwent an extensive and elaborate renovation, overseen by local architects who have preserved the building’s rich history and heritage while delivering a contemporary design inspired by the beauty of the surrounding Swiss landscapes.

Redefining service and experience for the perfect event, Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern’s lakefront setting with four stylishly appointed function rooms make it ideal for meetings, weddings, private parties and unforgettable social events. Offering stunning Lake Lucerne and garden views, the charming Edelweiss Ballroom is flooded with abundant natural light and benefits from advanced technology. Encompassing elements from the Belle Epoque era, the historic gem, Salon Alpine, is the perfect venue for intimate boardroom meetings to lavish cocktail receptions.

Dramatically positioned overlooking the shores of Lake Lucerne, the hotel is a stone’s throw from the charming old town and with spectacular views over the Swiss Alps. Set to usher in an era of contemporary elegance and legendary service, the hotel, which is a member of the prestigious Swiss Deluxe Hotels organization, is poised to become Lucerne’s most exclusive venue.

MONTAGE LOS CABOS

CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO

Montage Los Cabos, the premier beachfront resort overlooking the Santa Maria Bay, debuts a new collection of accommodations with private pools, as well as a new Twin Dolphin I Yacht, a custom 56 ft. yacht made in partnership with VanDutch. Blending natural beauty with authentic Mexican culture, Montage Los Cabos is an idyllic sanctuary perched upon the premier beachfront in the destination.

Newly upgraded, 36 of the resort’s rooms, ranging from studio to three-bedroom suites, will now feature their own private pools, honoring the resort’s tradition of indoor-outdoor living.

Adding to the suites’ current patio and lawn areas, this accommodation will provide access to an increasingly luxe oceanfront living experience. Curated to provide best-in-class privacy, families, friends, and couples alike can enjoy a dip in the tranquil waters or opt to bask in the warm, Mexican weather, with coastal views of Baja without disruption.

In addition to the resort’s long list of excursions and grand experiences, the resort’s brandnew Twin Dolphin I Yacht offers access to a cruise experience like never before.

Impeccably designed, this sleek and contemporary vessel combines style with performance and provides an extraordinary experience for up to ten guests.

On the foredeck, sunbathing and lounging areas are available, while the cockpit offers minimalistic designed dining spaces.

Guests are invited to embark on Montage Los Cabos’ VanDutch yacht, a modern vessel suitable for large parties equipped with a slew of unique, luxury accommodations. With three available tour options, that range from four to six hours in length, the resort is now delivering a round-trip exploration opportunity with sights of Los Cabos’ coastal desert landmarks and sea life.

Meeting the needs of adventure seekers, snorkeling and swimming endeavors in the Pacific Ocean waters will be available via the automated hydraulic swim platform. Recreation aplenty, there is also no limit to leisure while on board. This yachting experience is made complete with unmatched onboard service, in addition to a customized bar, wine, and appetizer selections, making VanDutch the ultimate pampering hotspot.

RAFFLES DOHA

DOHA, QATAR

The ultra-luxury Raffles Doha opened for guests on January 1st, 2023, just in time for patrons to kick off their shoes and celebrate the New Year! Housed within Katara Towers, guests can expect exemplary service as is the norm with Raffles Hotels.

For more than a century, Raffles as welcomed seekers of rich experiences and collectors of intangible treasures. Today, that heritage proudly lives on in Raffles Doha, Qatar’s most exquisite hotel, an icon of uncommon artistry and pioneering sustainability in the Lusall Marina District. Come and discover the new global standard in luxury hospitality.

Raffles Doha has elevated and redefined innovative hospitality for the well-traveled. This ultra-luxurious hotel along the Lusall Marina Promenade never ceases to mesmerize, surprise and inspire all who enter. An opulent 132-key ultra-luxury property and Qatar’s only all-suite hotel, offers an awe-inspiring suite experience and décor, paired with views of the Doha skyline. Each suite experience is enhanced with personalized butler service, and bespoke amenities including an exclusive scent from Frederic Malle, a gallery wall with a collection of curated books, and an in-suite boutique.

Featuring the marvelous Katara Hall, a dazzling space at the heart of the hotel, it will set new aspirations for lavish events, with 22-meter-high ceilings, making it the largest ballroom with daylight in the country. The hotel also has advanced beauty & well-being offers with nine spa & fitness suites, each equipped with its own state-of-the-art treatment rooms and some offering private outdoor terraces and plunge pools.

The Raffles Spa Doha combines the time-honored wisdom of Ayurvedic medicine, Moroccan hammam techniques, and top-of-the-line Swiss skincare goods and tools to create an ultra-personalized spa treatment for each guest.

Inspired by the cuisine of Piedmont, Italy, Alba, one of four dining concepts from Raffles Doha, serves as the first overseas outpost for the celebrated three-Michelin-starred chef Enrico Crippa. The restaurant promises only the finest dishes made from luxurious ingredients sourced from around the world, including the tartufo bianco d’Alba, one of the rarest and most sought-after truffles in the world.