What are your aspirational properties? (merged)
Sep 20, 2014, 6:06 pm
#31
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Location: New York, NY
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Based on experience and some research, I've come up with my preferred/wish list for the best SPG properties around the world. These are either the hotels I'd most likely want to stay in when visiting these locations or the hotels that make me want to visit in the first place. Some will be fantastic award redemptions, while others require so many points that I'd be more likely to pay for a standard room and use a SNA since I'm SPG Plat 75 (and earn more points).
Suggestions for others or replacements or re-ordering on my list will appreciated..and cause me to update the list as appropriate. Thanks! Again, these are for ASPIRATIONAL properties only.
My list:
1. St. Regis Bora Bora, Tahiti
2. St. Regis Lhasa, Tibet*
3. Gritti Palace, Luxury Collection, Venice, Italy
4. The Lanesborough, St. Regis, London, UK
5. St. Regis Bali, Indonesia
6. St. Regis Princeville, Kauai, USA*
7. St. Regis Mauritius
8. Hotel Marques de Riscal, Luxury Collection, Spain
9. The Turnberry Resort, Luxury Collection, Scotland/UK
10. Mystique, Luxury Collection, Santorini, Greece
11. Hotel Imperial, Luxury Collection, Vienna, Austria
12. St. Regis Punta Mita, Mexico
13. The Danielli, Luxury Collection, Venice, Italy
14. St. Regis San Clemente Palace, Venice, Italy (once refurb complete)
15. St. Regis Rome, Italy
16. Tambo del Inka, Luxury Collection, Urubamba, Peru*
17. Palacio del Inka, Luxury Collection, Cusco, Peru
18. St. Regis San Francisco, USA*
19. W Retreat & Spa Maldives
20. W Retreat Koh Samui, Thailand
* indicates I've been to this property
Suggestions for others or replacements or re-ordering on my list will appreciated..and cause me to update the list as appropriate. Thanks! Again, these are for ASPIRATIONAL properties only.
My list:
1. St. Regis Bora Bora, Tahiti
2. St. Regis Lhasa, Tibet*
3. Gritti Palace, Luxury Collection, Venice, Italy
4. The Lanesborough, St. Regis, London, UK
5. St. Regis Bali, Indonesia
6. St. Regis Princeville, Kauai, USA*
7. St. Regis Mauritius
8. Hotel Marques de Riscal, Luxury Collection, Spain
9. The Turnberry Resort, Luxury Collection, Scotland/UK
10. Mystique, Luxury Collection, Santorini, Greece
11. Hotel Imperial, Luxury Collection, Vienna, Austria
12. St. Regis Punta Mita, Mexico
13. The Danielli, Luxury Collection, Venice, Italy
14. St. Regis San Clemente Palace, Venice, Italy (once refurb complete)
15. St. Regis Rome, Italy
16. Tambo del Inka, Luxury Collection, Urubamba, Peru*
17. Palacio del Inka, Luxury Collection, Cusco, Peru
18. St. Regis San Francisco, USA*
19. W Retreat & Spa Maldives
20. W Retreat Koh Samui, Thailand
* indicates I've been to this property
Sep 20, 2014, 6:54 pm
#32
formerly BackSlash3
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: YYZ Realistically, YKZ Aspirationally
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Posts: 452
I don't like being this pedantic, but Bora Bora is an island in French Polynesia like Tahiti, it isn't part of Tahiti itself.
Sep 20, 2014, 9:43 pm
#33
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: SPG,HH,IHG
Posts: 786
IMO base on your list W maybe not your style.
I can comment only Koh Samui SPG property Vana Belle is better than W.
I can comment only Koh Samui SPG property Vana Belle is better than W.
Sep 21, 2014, 12:46 pm
#34
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 361
I think your list is good. Only property I would add is Al Maha in Dubai. Although there is some negative commentary on how service has slipped since the takeover by Starwood, we really liked our stay there.
Sep 21, 2014, 1:03 pm
#35
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: europe
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+ St. Regis Firenze
- St. Regis Roma
- St. Regis Roma
Sep 21, 2014, 4:04 pm
#37
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St. Regis Rome is #15. I did consider St. Regis Florence, and if sufficiently more contributors also mention it, I will add it to the list. Which properties on the list would you remove to make room for it?
Last edited by bhrubin; Sep 21, 2014 at 4:14 pm
Sep 21, 2014, 4:09 pm
#38
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Thanks. I did consider Al Maha (even though I've not been there and know less about it), and if sufficiently more contributors also mention it, I will add it to the list. Which property/properties on the list would you remove to make room for it?
Sep 21, 2014, 4:14 pm
#39
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,990
Haven't stayed at any of these, so in my case they are ALL definitely aspirational.
Cheers,
Cheers,
Sep 21, 2014, 5:32 pm
#40
Join Date: Jun 2007
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BTW: St. Regis San Clemente Palace, Venezia the refurbishment was some months ago completed and it is open now.
Sep 21, 2014, 5:58 pm
#41
Join Date: Dec 2003
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St. Regis San Francisco. One of the weakest representations of the brand.
Sep 21, 2014, 6:16 pm
#42
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Sep 21, 2014, 6:41 pm
#43
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: ECP
Programs: DL Diamond
Posts: 1,658
-St. Regis Rome (just not a good property)
+St. Regis Mallorca
IMO
+St. Regis Mallorca
IMO
Sep 21, 2014, 6:43 pm
#44
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: europe
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What about Schloß Fuschl?
Excelsior Gallia when open
Excelsior Gallia when open
Sep 22, 2014, 12:32 am
#45
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 361
On a more general note, though: I don't follow the sometimes quite strict consensus over in the Luxury Hotels forum, where e.g., a FS or MO would almost always be ranked above the St. Regis in the same location. Still, I feel that Starwood has only very few properties that would qualify as the best in a region, or as a destination in itself.
For example, W Maldives or St. Regis Bali are for sure great hotels (haven't staid in either I have to admit), but given the abundance of high end choices in those places, neither would make it to my top 5 in the region, and I most likely will just never stay there.
So, my list of aspirational Starwood properties where there is not a FS/MO/Aman etc. around the corner would be much shorter (I use your numbering here):
2. St. Regis Lhasa, Tibet
6. St. Regis Princeville, Kauai, USA
8. Hotel Marques de Riscal, Luxury Collection, Spain
9. The Turnberry Resort, Luxury Collection, Scotland/UK
16. Tambo del Inka, Luxury Collection, Urubamba, Peru
17. Palacio del Inka, Luxury Collection, Cusco, Peru
20. Al Maha, Luxury Collection, UAE
+ maybe indeed Schloss Fuschl and St. Regis Mardavall in Mallorca
+ potentially the Haciendas in Mexico (have not staid, but heard good things)