Italy leases abandoned castles to luxury hoteliers for cash

Two islands in Venice’s lagoon will also go under the hammer.
[http://www.departures.com/articles/t...ands-of-venice]

Agenzia del Demanio, or State Property Agency, which has come up with a list of 63 buildings suitable for conversion into boutique hotels...Negotiations for the lease of 28 of them have already begun...estimated 1,000 other historic buildings on its books.

Robert H. Burns, who until two weeks ago was chairman and chief executive of Regent International Hotels...tendered his resignation at the request of the Four Seasons chairman and president, Isadore Sharp.

adults-only silent beach...Music, children, phone calls and motorboats are banned...and loungers have a call button so guests don't even have to shout for another cocktail...therapists from the spa are available for al fresco treatments.

- In September, London's luxurious One Aldwych hotel opened a private guest lounge that features cozy sofas and armchairs, free Wi-Fi, plus a selection of iPads, magazines and newspapers, says hotel publicist Howard Rombough.

Guests can also receive complimentary neck, back and shoulder massages, canap�s in the afternoon and the services of a lounge host throughout the day who can book restaurants or check people into their flights. Guests can order food and cocktails throughout the day and evening.

The space previously housed a small caf� and the hotel's florist, Rombough says. The hotel created the lounge to gain an edge over rivals.

"Guests have hundreds of very good luxury hotels to choose from in London," Rombough says. "It was apparent — because our guests told us so — that a private lounge would be a big reason to keep them coming back."

- Benjamin in Midtown Manhattan, guests find a quiet, couch-filled lounge...can order food or drinks 24 hours per day.

- AKA Sutton Place in Manhattan, one of nine AKA extended-stay properties, opened its high-design, guest-only lounge last year. Its Central Park location also has a guest-only lounge. Next year, the chain plans to open a guest-only penthouse bi-level Sky Lounge at its AKA Times Square created by international architect and designers, Piero Lissoni and Nicoletta Canesi.

"We decided to develop an exclusive, residents-only lobby-level lounge area as a sanctuary for our long-term residents," said Elana Friedman, AKA's marketing vice president. "We could have explored opening these lounges up to the public, but felt it was more important to ensure (guests) have a tranquil place to unwind as well as experience a sense of community."

- Hyatt 48 hotel in Midtown in August 2011, it opened it with a guest-only lounge

industry analyst Henry Harteveldt..."The hotel is telling the guest that when you stay with us, your experience is not limited just to the room," he says. "It helps support the premium price, and for celebrities or even regular travelers, there's the added promise of privacy and security."

Since the recession, many full-service hotels have sought to transform little-used space ...into more active spaces that produce revenue by catering to a larger audience: the public. The downside to that is that some hotels have become packed with outsiders.

"At the end of the day, the hotel has to remember that it's in the business to attract and provide value to paying guests," Harteveldt says

In the meantime, a.lounge, currently located in two New York City AKA locations, Central Park and Sutton Place, is an intimate gathering place reserved exclusively for all AKA residents and their guests.

June of next year. With 10 bedrooms...In addition to the Gastronomic Restaurant a freestanding Art Caf and Galley will be located nearby. Over 100 pieces of world class art will be featured at the hotel and gallery.

Basque chef Eneko Atxa, whose Azurmendi restaurant near Bilbao has two Michelin stars, and Bangkok-based art consultant Steven Pettifor, who will curate rotating exhibitions of important contemporary south-east Asian artists

26. Four Seasons Resort, Hualalai
Big Island, Hawaii
Food score: 93.2
Restaurants: 5
Rooms: 243
Signature dish: Big Island Surf and Turf ($59)
Don't miss: The Farm-to-Table dinner on Saturdays at 'Ulu Ocean Grill. Local farmers often join the chef for a meal based on that morning's market finds.
(Entr�es from $21; Farm-to-Table dinner, $80

Baillie Lodges is negotiating to acquire Longitude 131, a luxury 15-tent property near Uluru...Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia yesterday confirmed Baillie Lodges, controlled by James and Hayley Baillie, was negotiating to acquire the desert resort, the deal expected to be concluded within months.

"Until then it is business as usual at the property and all sales and marketing inquiries should continue to be directed to Voyages," Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia's managing director Koos Klein said.

Mr Baillie described Uluru as an iconic destination. "It would be on the top of the list for me to control," he said. "It has an amazing location, architecture with a real sense of place and an incredible experiences program that makes it so much more than just staying in a tent. We believe it's a great opportunity to add our own touches to that property and enhance that experience as we move into the next decade."