Fashion Butlers, Porsche Test Drives, And Other Over-The-Top Hotel Perks

Baccarat Hotel New York 

This opulent Midtown hotel offers guests who book the Prestige, Harcourt, or Baccarat suites complimentary hair blowouts from 5–7 p.m. daily. Suite guests also receive a complimentary package of La Mer beauty products from the hotel’s La Mer Spa, the first of its kind for the luxe skincare line.

Courtesy Baccarat Hotels

Four Seasons George V 

Guests of this iconic luxury hotel in Paris can learn to make expertly crafted cocktails during a private lesson by head barman Grégory Hazac. During the one-hour course, held once a month, Hazac demonstrates how to make both classic and modern cocktails such as Cosmopolitans and Dry Martinis, along with a few of his own personal recipes. The cocktail course is available to guests and diners at the hotel’s Le Cinq restaurant.

Courtesy Four Seasons

Mandarin Oriental Miami  

When packing and unpacking seems like too much trouble, guests of this Brickell Key hotel can simply call up the “Fashion Butler.” The butler will arrange clothing in whatever order the guest prefers, or if a new outfit is needed, can coordinate a personal shopping experience in-suite with Miami boutiques such as The Webster, Joanna Paige, and The Weekender.

Courtesy Mandarin Oriental

Peninsula Hotels  

By the end of the year, all Peninsula hotels will offer Beats by Dre items to guests during their stay, including the Studio Wireless headphones, Powerbeats Wireless earphones, and a Beats Pill speaker. Concierges hand-deliver the items to the room and offer a quick tutorial—though no word on whether they suggest playlists.

Courtesy Peninsula Hotels

Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa  

Guests in the hacienda-style rooms of Rancho Valencia near San Diego have the chance to test drive three different Porsche models during their stay: a 911 convertible, a Panamera Hybrid, and a Cayenne GTS. The speedy cars are available for up to four hours a day, on a first-come, first-serve basis. Guests can then consult with the Porsche-certified concierge on site if they want to drive one home.

Courtesy Porsche

The Connaught, London  

"At The Connaught in Mayfair, the wardrobes in every suite come stocked with Burberry trench coats free for guests to use throughout their stay," Krisanne Fordham reported for Traveler. "'The weather in England has been known to feature rain, wind, cold, or all three,' reads the tag on the coat. 'Fortunately, this country is also home to the classic Burberry trench coat. Here is one to use during your stay.' If the coat provided isn't the correct fit, guests can call reception and the perfect coat will be personally fitted in-suite."

Courtesy Maybourne Hotel Group

Cordis, Hong Kong  

Cordis, a new brand from Langham Hotels aimed at business travelers, gives every guest complimentary "handy"—in name and use—smartphones, with free local service to use during their stay. The phones are also pre-loaded with several apps, including a currency converter and MTR train maps, and are equipped with 3G data connectivity, enabling guests to hop onto Wi-Fi networks anywhere in Hong Kong.

Courtesy Cordis Hotels

The London West Hollywood  

Guests who book the stunning bi-level penthouse suite at the London West Hollywood, designed by fashion icon Vivienne Westwood, will receive his and her leather wallets, each packaged in their own box and delivered in a Vivienne Westwood shopping bag. An hour of private shopping at the designer's West Hollywood boutique with special discounts on purchases is also included.

Courtesy The London West Hollywood

Atlantis, The Palm Hotel & Resort, Dubai  

Splurging on an Underwater Suite at this Dubai resort not only gets you floor-to-ceiling views of the Ambassador Lagoon, which contains more than 65,000 fish and other sea life, but also includes a dining room for six, butler service, a complimentary connecting room, airport transfers, two head-neck-shoulder massages per stay, two 30-minute personal training sessions, two Dolphin Encounters at Dolphin Bay, and unlimited access to Atlantis’ Lost Chambers Aquarium and Aquaventure Waterpark.

Courtesy Atlantis, The Palm

From www.cntraveler.com

Mandarin Oriental Is Planning Another Luxury Hotel In Beijing, China

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has announced that it will manage another luxury property in the heart of Beijing, scheduled to open in 2017, in the Wangfujing district of the capital city. Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, Beijing will be located in the new premier mixed use centre ‘WF CENTRAL’ being developed by Wangfu Central Real Estate Development Company Limited, an affiliated company of Hongkong Land.

Located on the top two floors of the prestigious WF CENTRAL, the hotel will command outstanding views of several famous landmarks in the capital. The hotel is designed by world renowned architects Kohn Pedersen Fox, and will feature garden terraces intended to capture the intimacy of a grand courtyard residence, ideal for guests to socialize, entertain and relax in.

All 74 luxurious guestrooms and suites will be spacious and elegantly styled, and many will have excellent views of the Forbidden City. Mandarin Oriental’s renowned customer-centric in-room entertainment systems will be a prominent feature.

Featuring two restaurants and a bar designed to become a destination in itself, Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, Beijing will offer some of the finest cuisine in the city. Both restaurants will have access to a rooftop garden terrace providing unparalleled views of the city’s famous sites, while the bar will be connected to a private courtyard. Other facilities will include an all-encompassing Spa at Mandarin Oriental providing holistic rejuvenation and relaxation in a serene, meditative setting. Additional wellness facilities include an indoor swimming pool and well-equipped fitness centre.

WF CENTRAL is located on Wangfujing Street, an area that is well recognized as the prime commercial and retail destination in the city. The centre will showcase prestigious international retail and dining, as well as the 74 room luxury Mandarin Oriental hotel. The hotel is within easy reach of Beijing’s major tourist attractions, with both the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square within walking distance.

“Beijing continues to develop in stature as one of the world’s leading destinations, and we are delighted at the opportunity of opening a second hotel in this important capital city. We look forward to collaborating again with Hongkong Land to create another iconic property, as we have previously done with our award-winning hotels, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong and Mandarin Oriental, Macau,” said Edouard Ettedgui, Group Chief Executive of Mandarin Oriental.

“With WF CENTRAL being Hongkong Land’s debut flagship commercial development in Beijing, we look forward to working with Mandarin Oriental again to create a truly exceptional lifestyle experience in the heart of the city, following our inaugural partnership on The Landmark Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong,” said Y K Pang, Chief Executive of Hong kong Land.

Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, Beijing will be the Group’s second hotel to open in the city. Mandarin Oriental will also manage a luxury 241-room hotel as part of the CCTV project, which is scheduled to open in 2016.

Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo Offers Helicopter Tours Of Mount Fuji

 Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo is delighted to announce the launch of its lavish accommodation package, Helicopter Flycation, which includes a private helicopter tour of Mount Fuji. Guests will fly aboard a Eurocopter Hermès Edition from Tokyo above the shoreline of Sagami Bay and over Lake Ashinoko to reach Mt. Fuji, where they can enjoy close-up views of the mountain before turning back for a sighting of Tokyo SkyTree® tower. Within its spacious interior, the helicopter has calf leather seats specially made by Hermès.

The UNESCO world heritage site and national treasure, Mount Fuji, is a 3,776-metre (12,380 ft.) high dormant volcano 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo. Its breathtaking, gentle symmetrical lines and snow-capped summit have come to represent Japanese serenity and made it the country’s national symbol. In spring, blossoming cherry trees create a pink carpet at the foot of the mountain, and from July 1, the official, summer-long Mt. Fuji climbing season begins. The mountain is a favorite destination for international and local travelers in Japan.

Helicopter Flycation package prices start at JPY 775,000. Available from 1 April.

• One night’s accommodation for two in luxurious 100m2 Oriental Suite
• Private helicopter charter cruise to Mt. Fuji (approximately 80 minutes)
• Round-trip limousine transfer to helipad and hotel
• Full breakfast for two, served at K’shiki or Oriental Lounge
• A bottle of Ruinart Brut Rosé Champagne N.V.
• A seasonal pound cake

Package rates are subject to 8% consumption tax, 15% service charge and an accommodation tax of JPY200 per person, per night. Bookings can be made up to three business days before date of flight. Flights aboard the Eurocopter Hermès Edition are subject to availability. For full terms and conditions, and to make reservations contact Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo’s online reservations service at www.mandarinoriental.com/tokyo/hotel-offers/helicopter-flycation/.

ABOUT MANDARIN ORIENTAL, TOKYO

Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo’s visionary design and award-winning service have been recognized as the epitome of sophisticated luxury in the city. Superbly located in the prestigious financial district within the historical and cultural centre of Tokyo, the first Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group property in Japan embodies the best of contemporary and time-honored architectural splendor. The hotel features 178 luxuriously appointed guest rooms and suites, Michelin-starred dining, innovative bar concepts and a award-winning holistic spa all situated within the top nine floors of the soaring, Cesar Pelli-designed Nihonbashi Mitsui Tower, a site offering spectacular views of the city skyline while also providing access to stately banquet and conference facilities within the adjacent Mitsui Main Building, a Japanese cultural-heritage property.

ABOUT MANDARIN ORIENTAL HOTEL GROUP

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the most luxurious hotels, resorts and residences. Having grown from a well-respected Asian hotel company into a global brand, the Group now operates, or has under development, 44 hotels representing close to 11,000 rooms in 24 countries, with 20 hotels in Asia, ten in The Americas and 14 in Europe, Middle East and North Africa. In addition, the Group operates or has under development, 15 Residences at Mandarin Oriental connected to its properties.