HOTELS
Top of Their Class
THEDolDErGrAND/ AG-PETErHEbEisEN (2)
WINTER 2009
celebratedliving.com
94
Three-Bedroom BeachFronT Villa
Banyan TreeMayakoBa
,
RivieraMaya,Mexico
STaTS
: 5,511-square-footvillawith3bedrooms, 3
baths, kitchenette, and living roomwithdaybedand
diningarea
look
:East-meets-West. Lavishuseofwoodand
stone reflectsanAsianaffection fororganicmateri-
als.Mexican references inpalette, furnishings, and
woven fabrics.
ProFile
:For itsfirstNorthAmericanproperty,Asian
hotelierBanyanTreechose the tonyMayakobade-
velopment just40milessouthof theCancunairport.
Muchof theresort liesbehind thebeach, sheltered
among the lushmangroves.But itsbest-of-the-bunch
suite, the three-bedroombeachfrontvilla, encom-
passesgenerous indoorandoutdoor livingareasas
wellasaprivatepool, aJacuzzi, andout-your-door
beachaccess.Anopen-airshowerandbathtub, along
with the indoorvarieties, adjoins themasterbed-
room.Thesmallkitchen isequippedwithessentials
rather thanwhat’sneeded for full-scalecooking.
Aporchhammock, palapason thebeach, andsteady
seabreezesnever letyou forget theMexican
Caribbean locale.
deTailS
: From$5,855, banyantree.com
maeSTroSuiTe
The DolDer GranD
, Zurich, Switzerland
STaTS
: 4,300-square-foot suitewith2bedrooms, 2
baths, dining room, living room, andkitchen
look
:ManlyAlpine club courtesyof rich leathers,
woods, andoriginal beams, alongwith snow-
cappedviewsbeyond.
ProFile
: Closed for fouryears fora $400million
renovationbyBritisharchitect SirNormanFoster,
the 1899-vintageDolderGrand significantlymod-
ernized (thinkgeothermal heating)whilepadding
its reputation forpampering (spaguruSylvia
Sepielli designed the lavishnew spa).Of its four
individuallydesignedTopSuites, theMaestro, in-
spiredby influentialAustrian conductorHerbert
vonKarajan, reigns, featuringa circular living
roomanddining room tucked intoa century-plus-
old tower, anantiquegrandpiano, akitchen clad
inmarble, anda fully stocked library. Eachof the
twobedroom-adjoiningbathrooms featuresa
whirlpool, a steam shower, anda sauna.Abalcony
off the living roomanda spacious terraceoff one
of thebedroomsboth take inLakeZurich, the city,
and the surroundingmountains.
deTailS
: $13,521, thedoldergrand.com
