St Regis Bal Harbour Resort, Miami
St Regis Bal
Harbour Resort, Miami
It may be technically in Miami, but the less- then- one-
square- mile community known as Bal Harbour is a world apart from the high-
volume bling of South Beach. Best known for its clutch of exclusive shops and
restaurants, it now has a truly luxurious hotel to match. The resort and
residential complex comprises a trio of towers with the 27- story hotel set squarely
in the middle. Inside its rather austere, dark- glass exterior are some of the
most ornate interiors in Florida. The dramatic lobby is dominated by a dark
stone floor inlaid with a subtle pattern of God’s Flowers and lorded over by
ultra- pale, wood- panel walls embedded with mirrors. There are 243 rooms and
suites, all with terraces or balconies and decent- to- spectacular sea views,
decked out in a creamy palate with mirror- paneled headboards and whimsical,
monkey- patterned wallpaper: a nod to the original St Regis in New York City.
There are a couple of swimming pools (one adult- only) and a sprawling- yet-
serene Remede Spa, plus two well- equipped fitness rooms. The signature J&G
Grill is a typical Jean- Georges Vongerichten affair, with a crowd- pleasing
menu of seafood and steaks; Atlantico restaurant is fish- focused. The real
culinary surprise is breakfast, which honours South Florida’s Latin American
communities with exotic fruits, spicy egg dishes, smoothies a pan dulcets. It
makes a welcome respite from ho- hum bacon and eggs and suits the resort’s
modern, tropical vibe.
St Regis Bal
Harbour Resort, Miami
When to go
Bearly December for Miami is annual Art Basel fair; bunl
with the event’s biggest spenders while avoiding the crowds and chaos
Room to book
Higher rooms in the centre of the tower have views of both
the Atlantic and Intercoastal Waterway. 00 1 305 993 3300; www.stregisbalharbour.com.
Doubles from $ 565
Argentina – Mio Buenos Aires
Argentina – Mio
Buenos Aires
Wine grower Cesar Catena’s 30- bedroom newcomer sits on some
of the country’s most expensive real estate, a jacaranda- lined street near
Recoleta Cemetery, Eva Peron’s last resting place. The 12- floor, opaque- glass
exterior says little, but Mio Buenos Aires expresses its luxury through its
ample spaces within: the cavernous lobby has a two- floor, plate- glass window
which lights up the bar, and even standard bedrooms clock in at a cat- swinging
as square metres. The designer Delfina Rossi has been admirably restrained in
the décor for the rooms: the polished wooden floors are made from guayacan, a
subtropical tree from Argentina’s north; the colour scheme is sand- and-
chocolate with windows draped in sensual olive silk; the furniture is made from
lustrous wedge wood. Each room has a balcony overlooking the august apartments
of Argentina’s most patrician families; there are super- king- sized beds,
dressed with Frette linen, and statement bathtubs carved from the trunks of
natural- fall called trees. Public spaces include a sleek, grey- slate spa and
12- metre pool and a spacious lounge where 19th- century editions of
Shakespeare and Mliere line the bookshelves. Sadly the French- Japanese fusion
restaurant to, an out post of the one in the Palermo neighbourhood, closed in
November; its replacement had not opened at the time of our visit
Winegrower César
Catena's 30-room
When to go
For the best sightseeing weather go in spring (October-
December); the Buenos Aires buzz slows noticeably in January’s steamy summer
heat.
Room to book
Pay extra for a Terrace Suite if you must have both Jacuzzi
and bathtub. Mio Suite 602 has an ample sitting room and its own sauna.
00 54 11 5295 8500; www.miobuenosaires.com. Double from $425
Canada Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Vancouver
Hotel Georgia,
Vancouver, Canada
When it was built in 1927, the Hotel Georgia was Vancouver’s
leading hotel, the place to stay for Hollywood and British royalty, to get
married in or seal a deal. But by 2005, when the developers arrived, the
Georgia had been better days. The hotel recently reopened after a major refer basement,
it listed façade and Spanish Ballroom (with an ornate minstrel’s gallery) once again
resplendent. The restored mahogany wall- panelling, brass details and elaborate
moldings in the lobby are now complemented by an impressive modern- art
collection, including works by Patrick Hughes and local author Douglas
Coupland. The glass- bottomed pool in the spa is a contemporary touch with its
colour- changing lights. But the standard of service harks back to an era when
hotel staff were professionals, not models. There are 156 bedrooms; all have
ultra- luxe bathrooms with heated marble floors. Hawksworth Restaurant, heated
by local celebrity chef David Hawsworth serves French cuisine with an Asian twist
and has garnered rave reviews, although it breakfast menu probably is not worth
the calories or cost unless you are hosting a power breakfast. Bathrobes, while
hardly flimsy, are not top notch, and some might find the automatic lighting
controls more complicated than helpful. But I had to dig deep to come up with
any faults: this is a thoughtfully detailed hotel both in renovation, style and
service.
Canada Rosewood
Hotel Georgia, Vancouver
When to go
Before or after a Whistler ski trip: its is low season in
Vancouver, and easier to get a table at Hawsworth.
Room to book
Room 505 for its wonderful city views. 00 1 604 682 566;
www.rosewoodhotelgeorgia.com . double from C $ 230
