if you had begun staying in luxury hotels sooner than you did
 

what luxury hotels / luxury properties would you have stayed and when ?

i would have started doing aman/zecha properties in 1990s, and most likely would have stayed in all of them after that, as it was nowhere near as many as FS for example. (whereas at this point i will most likely only ever stay at amangiri due to its unique setting.)

i may have also done more historical hotels, although 1990s may have been too late for some, like italian CIGA hotels bought by ITT Sheraton

of course certain countries / areas as well, for example some great comments about FS damascus here

perhaps doing luxury photographic african safaris earlier in their development, or buying out luxury hunting safaris then not hunting

i also recall for example Pausanias talking about hotel bora bora (became aman) before area was developed
soneva fushi maldives opening in 1995 might be similar in terms of being before development
caribbean and to a lesser extent hawaii are similar, dont recall development history
aman managed hana maui possibly for as little as a few months

thought this might be interesting, only came up tangentially in past, like reflagged/closed luxury hotels. (i'm not 'back' in terms of posting.)

I missed out on the “height” of Aman purely due to age (too young to have experienced it). Still a few I’d like to visit - Kila and Jiwo mainly.

On the flip side, I’m forever grateful to have been able to visit Yangon and stay at the Belmond Governor’s Residence - a neat hotel that took me back in time. And Yangon was super cool.

Also, nice to see you around kagehitokiri!

I began global travel in the 1990's and from the first moment I stayed at the Oriental Bangkok, I knew this was what I wanted. And the more I learned about the history, the more I wished I had stayed there years earlier. I'll say the same for the MO HKG.

In London, back then I really enjoyed the Savoy, Claridge and Connaught. Those hotels must have been something special in years past.

In Venise, I have always loved the Danieli and wonder what it was like in the 1960s. I could go on and on...

I'd like to stay in a Motel 6 that was actually $6 :D

Although I do not have personal experience, I can't help but think some of the big names in hostelry like Hilton were far, far closer to luxury than they are today. Curious what a stay at the Kahala Hilton would have been like back when it opened (60s).

I've always wanted to stay in the semi-private hotel in the Armani mansion in Miami South Beach. When I checked, it could be booked through AmEx FHR (PTS/CTS), but has very few rooms and is sometimes closed for a special event.

I wish I had stayed in more LC and StR hotels before SPG merged with Marriott, for example the Palace Hotel in SF.

I wish I had stayed in more Paradors when I was young and living in Europe with a car and they cost only the equivalent of US$20-40 if you could get a reservation.

Similarly, I wish I had stayed in more Relais et Chateaux properties in Europe back when many of them were two- and three-star hotels with Michelin starred restaurants. I also wish I had stayed more in R&C properties during the brief period when they were linked with LHW and offered some nice "elite" benefits.

I also miss the old HGP Diamond welcome amenities in Park Hyatts, for example a bottle of Chablis and a generous plate of smoked salmon at the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue in Philadelphia. WOH rarely does anything similar for Globalists now.

That is very true. I remember back around 1988 staying at Le Meridien in Chicago that had a very chic supper club starring Nancy Wilson that night. Would that the top hotels could bring back those supper clubs with the floor covered with round tables, white tablecloths with immaculately dressed waiters and the top singers of the day joined by a big band orchestra.

in miami the former versace mansion seems bookable. originally restaurant was not public.

a number of the best relais & chateaux for example were probably a lot less hectic before at least social media if not internet

italy >
villa feltrinelli - opened 2001 by bob burns after selling regent
Villa Tre Ville - italian hotelier owner (who bought from opera director Zeffirelli) sold in 2013
il san pietro - opened 1970

mexico >

feb 1 2001 aman / maha - hacienda san antonio

GHM under owner Grupo Plan >
apr 20 1999 > apr 30 2001 Tamarindo 29 bungalows 2,000 acres 15km coastline
apr 20 1999 > oct 31 2001 Careyes 51 rooms

dec 20 1998 > dec 19 2000 Hacienda Temozon 26 rooms, 17th century building
dec 20 1998 > dec 19 2000 Hacienda Santa Rosa 10 rooms
dec 20 1998 > dec 19 2000 Hacienda San Jose 11 rooms

current tamarindo developer got a great deal, doing FS hotel and residences

i knew someone whose experience at the Copacabana nightclub in NYC matched (exactly) the scene in the Scorsese film Goodfellas, in other words available to anyone paying enough, including the host of the person i knew

In the early to mid-1970s my parents regularly stayed at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel when it was still owned by Laurance Rockefeller. It must have been something out of a Slim Aarons tableau.

That reminds me of another 80's experience, the old MGM Grand in Vegas. Must have been '83 or '84 when I attended a typical Vegas show in a place like the Copacabana. I remember giving an exorbitant tip (probably $20) to the maitre d' to get a table near the front so I could see the topless Vegas showgirls as they did their dances between acts.

And that reminds me of the Mansion at the new MGM. I had the chance, thanks to Flyertalker Quietlion, to tour the Mansion back before the public knew about it. It was a pretty special place back then. Open only to 8 figure high rollers. So while I would have liked to stay there back in those days, it was impossible for the likes of me. :)

Well , was glad some of us had the privilege of starting young .. like staying at the old Raffles in the ‘ 60s - for a lark .

Was also stumped in the mid ‘ 70s to stay in at least one Motel 6 in Missouri ;) , think it was actually $6 then .. arranged by an uncle on a road trip . He was pleased as Punch in scoring such a bargain .. perhaps even paid less as we took up 3 / 4 rooms every night .

Then with usual buffer of months or about a year after opening , chanced upon Amanpuri .. paid for by this same uncle who did not stay in August ‘ 89 . Was a chaperone along with our mothers to this cousin as orientation for his pre teen son to Asia .

Was hoping for a stay at Bora Bora too but just as were attempting , it disappeared from the radar . Was first in Tahiti but only Papeete in the early ‘ 70s & so was hoping to return to explore more . Did not happen till ‘ 18 where we just saw the “ shell “ from the sea and closed up entrance landslide ( posted think on some other forum / thread )

i cannot be the only one who would have spent on luxury hotels sooner ?

although not great post timing, btw merry christmas and happy new year

Pickles i enjoyed your swimming pool & ice cubes 'story'

one oriental bangkok regular here began staying with family as young child

edit - great post as expected FlyerEC , posting simultaneously

2014 is not too long for aman sale, probably most recent 'major' sale of a brand
2008 was when SanDiego1K noted no more elephant trek from jiwo to borobudur
IIRC was much more recently that dawn at borobudur added non-aman guests

Thanks KagehitokirI .
Thrilled to see you on , lovely Advent / CHRISTmas surprise

Possibly could have stayed at more but with relatives all over the world who prefer us staying with them instead of at these amazing grande dames .. bit tricky working through these family close friends situations .

Like at houses in Penang , the Peak / Tai Tam in in HK , Pacific Heights in SF & such .. in Australia , NZ , Thailand , UK .. Canada

Did not get to stay at MOBKK till mid ‘ 80s , think later for MOHK .. in HK , recall the old Hilton & even Furama ( both demolished ) which had a cake shop which was frequented by many of our relatives & friends when not hanging out at clubs .

While I would love to do many things from the Golden Age of Travel (before I was born), such as a trip on the SS Normandie, or a trip on the California Zephyr, or a stay at a wide variety of famous old hotels… I don’t really wish my travel history had been different. When I think back to my college days backpacking through Europe on a Eurailpass, staying in cheap pensions near the railway station … I also realize that I did not give a darn about the hotels I stayed in. I never had a reservation. It was all about the trip and exploring new things. All I wanted or needed was a bed and a shower (down the hall was fine).

Today? Good grief… I spend more time trying to decide where to stay than the trip itself. Now I still enjoy this new reality, but I also look fondly at the old reality and wish I could capture more of it today.

Would have loved Cesar Ritz's actual hotels; today's Ritz Carltons are a shame.

Love this post. It captures exactly how I feel. Man, those summers with no money traveling through Europe with a backpack and Eurail pass were just magical. I wouldn’t consider staying in those hostels today but it was a moment in my life I recall very fondly.