The Star Diamond Standard

While many East Coast additions were welcomed to our family including the entire City of New York and the State of Rhode Island, for our West Coast readers, I have compiled some of the most luxurious travel destinations from across the globe for your consideration. It is my New Year’s wish that you take the opportunity to experience these first-class venues in the coming year.

Providing the option between breathtaking pine forest view rooms and serene sea view rooms is just one of the many reasons why the Grand Hotel Du Cap-Ferrat is recognized as a leader in hospitality. The entire hotel has been refurbished by Pierre-Yves Rochon who designed a new wing, the “Residence,” created by the Nicean architect Luc Svetchine, which includes a luxurious new spa. The spa offers a wide range of treatments including selections specifically designed for the great outdoors, administered in the five outdoor pavilions. With its awe-inspiring location in the Côte d’Azur, a concierge is on hand to guide guests towards all of the highlights of the area. The hotel will be reopening its Michelin-star restaurant, Le Cap, in April 2010, where Chef Didier Anies offers inventive gourmet cuisine showcasing top-quality seasonal produce.

Grand Hotel Du Cap-Ferrat
71 Boulevard du Général de Gaulle
06230 Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
+33 (0)4 93 76 50 50
www.grand-hotel-cap-ferrat.com

Located just five miles from Rome Urbe Airport, and 15 miles from Rome Ciampino International Airport, the Grand Hotel Via Veneto makes every stylish arrival in Italy easy and memorable. Awarded five Star Diamonds in April 2009, the property features luxurious presidential suites, studio suites, junior suites, and 27 private rooms outfitted with Carrara marble baths and that same vibrant, off-beat Art Deco style that made the 20s roar. The hotel also includes a Royal Suite where VIP guests can fully embrace la dolce vita from the private terrace that measures more than 2,000 square feet with a private Turkish bath overlooking the via, a roof garden, and Bulgari amenities. On site, there are seafood and Italian restaurants, the Wine Bar, and Sky Bar & Grill, located above the via on the rooftop, meaning that not only will you never go hungry, but your palate will be satiated with Italy’s finest fare.

Grand Hotel Via Veneto
Via Veneto, 155-00187
Rome, Italy
+ 39.06.48.78.81
www.ghvv.it

Tunisia may not be one of the first destinations that pops up on radar screens for many luxury travelers, but the development of Kélibia la blanche is giving us all a reason to recognize this Mediterranean land as a locale of choice. Billed as the haute couture of real estate, this property encompasses more than 100 acres along the coast of El Mansourah and is the ideal investment for international lifestyle property purchasers. The development has demonstrated its dedication to world-class standards to such a degree that The Academy has recognized Kélibia la blanche as one of the finest environmentally friendly developments worldwide.

Kélibia la blanche
4, rue Achtart Nord Hilton
1002 Tunis, Tunisia
www.kelibialablanche.com.tn

To truly appreciate the beauty of Italy, you should always incorporate a visit to Tuscany. Once a stately resident of the Grand Duke Ferdinando de’ Medici, the Fonteverde is elegantly set amidst the Tuscan countryside between precious hot springs. The richly decorated residences are reminiscent of a Renaissance elegance combined with the undeniable comfort and luxury deeply ingrained in the hotel itself. This resort and spa is award winning not solely based on its impeccable standard of luxury, but additionally because the Fonteverde offers an experience like none other set in a lush countryside rich with ancient thermal waters, perfect for anyone who is looking to escape into a traditional enclave of pampering.

Fonteverde
Località Terme, 1
53040 San Casciano dei Bagni, Siena, Italy
+39 0578 57241

While the Côte d’Azur remains one of the finest destinations in France, nowhere else in the region can you take that expectation and find a resort that is able to successfully incorporate as many conveniences in one place as does the Royal Mougins Golf Resort. With its exceptional geographic location, the resort luxuriously combines a refined and convivial atmosphere with high-end decorations and amenities. For those who appreciate a room with a view, suites at this resort include views of country gardens, the 18-hole internationally renowned golf course, streams, and waterfalls. The Royal Mougins Golf Club is a private club reserved for members and their guests only, making it one of the most prestigious clubs for the fairways in the world.

Royal Mougins Golf Resort
424 Avenue du Roi, 06250 Mougins, France
+33 4 92 28 58 81
www.royalmougins.fr

As the only five-star hotel in Salerno, Raito Hotel offers a wide range of comforts for those seeking to disappear into epitome of luxurious Italian living with views of the Gulf of Salerno and Vietri sul Mare. The luxe property features an ExPure Spa, whose methodology is based on the principles of phytotherapy, which is said to reactivate the proper health of the body and mind and restore lost harmony. The real show stopper of this hotel is the array of classic terraces with olive and orange trees that overlook the sea, creating the ultimate in Italian experiences.

Raito Hotel, Amalfi Coast
Via Nuova Raito, 9
84019 Vietri sul Mare, Italy
+390897634111
www.ragostahotels.com