view pdf  News Item Details Dorchester Collection Reopens Hotel Bel-Air
October 14, 2011Dorchester Collection’s property, Hotel Bel-Air, reopened its doors on October 14, 2011, after 24 months of extensive refurbishment and redesign. Christopher Cowdray, Chief Executive Officer of Dorchester Collection, appointed two internationally renowned design teams, Alexandra Champalimaud and Rockwell Group, to oversee the thoughtful restoration. Master Chef Wolfgang Puck and his restaurant group, the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group (WPFDG), oversees all of the luxury hotel’s food and beverage operations. Through December 29, 2011, a special preview room rate of $595 will be offered.
Champalimaud was commissioned to set the design style, and great care was taken to keep much of the hotel’s originality. Throughout the process, insightful feedback from valued past guests was taken into consideration when implementing many of the hotel’s design changes. The familiar Spanish Colonial architecture splashed in “Bel-Air” Pink” is still present while a new generation of Hotel Bel-Air aesthetic is reflected through design themes from the glamorous decades of the 1930s, 40s and 50s, all conveyed in a fresh and elegant manner. A total of 103 guestrooms and suites are offered, including new “Loft” and hillside accommodations, many with sweeping canyon views, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, grand pianos, and spacious decks. New to the hotel are a fitness studio and the 4,134-square-foot Hotel Bel-Air Spa by La Prairie with seven treatment rooms, including a private couple’s room with outdoor patio. The renowned oval swimming pool, a beloved element of Hotel Bel-Air for over 65 years, has retained its signature shape and can be enjoyed in its familiar setting.
Rockwell Group redesigned the dining venues and new additions to offer expanded dining opportunities that enhance both the indoor and outdoor elements of the property. The signature restaurant, Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel-Air, features modern California cuisine with European and Mediterranean influences. A spacious indoor/outdoor patio overlooks the garden and lush grounds, and multiple glass wine cellars separate the main and private dining rooms. Guests can enjoy tea and cocktails in the lobby lounge, while the famous hotel bar has maintained its cozy lounge feeling and a separate Terrace bar has been added. Events from 10 to 300 can be accommodated in the redesigned Garden Ballroom and Palm Room. Business and leisure travellers alike will also appreciate the instalment of a new WiFi network to ensure all mobile devices work at optimum speed and clarity.
The signature Hotel Bel-Air swans, which remained at Swan Lake during the entirety of the restoration process, can still be found gliding along the clearest of water thanks to a new circulation pump that will save 1.5 M gallons of water a year.
  Dorchester Collection
Dorchester Collection is a portfolio of the world’s foremost luxury hotels in Europe and the USA, each of which reflects the distinctive culture of its destination. By applying its unrivalled experience and capability in owning and operating some of the greatest individual hotels, the company’s mission is to develop an impeccable group of the finest landmark hotels through acquisition as well as management of wholly-owned and part-owned hotels, and to enter into management agreements.
dorchestercollection.com
OPENING NOVEMBER 30, 2011 PARADISUS PLAYA DEL CARMEN - LA ESMERALDA Playa Del Carmen, Mexico  Located in a stunning little bay, Paradisus Playa del Carmen La Esmeralda is the superior luxury resort in the Riviera Maya, combining a prestigious Caribbean setting with world-class facilities, including Family Concierge, the ultimate in spa treatments, a relaxed ambience, and flexible meeting spaces with state-of-the-art equipment. This elegant resort has a Mayan ecological feeling, and an oceanfront location surrounded by a lush tropical mangrove preserve and with views of Cozumel Island. Take your senses on a culinary tour through eleven remarkable restaurants serving delicious cuisine from all around the world and ten bars serving unlimited international Premium brand drinks. Enjoy life-enriching experiences such as tango dance classes, sushi-making, and sensorial experiences.   This luxury family-friendly All-Inclusive resort is located about 45 minutes from Cancun International Airport and just steps from extraordinary beaches and attractions such as Playa del Carmen’s 5th Avenue, Xcaret, Akumal, Xel-Ha, and near world-famous Mayan archaeological sites such as Tulum, Chichén Itzá and Cobá. Indulge in a world-class spa holiday in the world's most luxurious surroundings. Some Spa amenities include: 
- Zen-like spa sanctuaries with indoor and outdoor treatment rooms
- Whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms, complimentary to all guests *
- Aromatherapy ($)
- Thalassotherapy ($)
- Gaia Signature face and body therapies ($)
- Hydrotheraphy aromatic baths ($)
- 19,267 sq.ft. full-service indoor Spa ($) with beauty salon
- Water Ritual
- 14 massage cabins
- Body and facial treatments
- Spa Boutique
- Dry and wet saunas for men and women with private dressing rooms
- A state-of-the-art Health Club: equipment and personal trainers
- Studio classes
From USA & CA 1 888 741 5600 / From UK 0808 234 1953
Hyatt Regency Lexington Welcomes New Executive Chef
The Hyatt Regency Lexington announced today that Chef Thomas Mackinnon will join the hotel’s culinary team as executive chef. Mackinnon will be responsible for menu planning, provisioning, staff training and food preparation for the Hyatt Regency's high volume banquet operation and BlueFire Bar & Grill. Mackinnon has two decades of experience directing culinary, beverage and banquet facilities for premier, luxury hotels, resorts and restaurants. He was most recently an executive chef for the Detroit Tigers Baseball Club in Lakeland, Fla., home to the Detroit Tigers spring training, year-round minor leagues, a 250-room dorm, 9,000-seat stadium and banquet center. Mackinnon owned a 4-Star restaurant in Northville, Mich., for 14 years before moving to Florida. Mackinnon has received numerous culinary awards and holds several certifications. He has a culinary arts degree from Schoolcraft College and completed European training at Ecole Pierre Romeyer in Belgium. Lexington residents and visitors are invited to meet Mackinnon at a Bourbon dinner, co-hosted by Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris, at BlueFire Bar & Grill in November. Details will be available later this month. BlueFire Bar & Grill, a restaurant concept that opened in 2010 after a $1 million renovation, offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and bar service, free Wi-Fi and seating for up to 250 guests. The Hyatt Regency completed a $16.4 million renovation in 2009 that included all 366 guestrooms, meeting space and the lobby. For more information or hotel reservations at Hyatt Regency Lexington, call 800 233 1234 or visit lexington.hyatt.com. For BlueFire Bar & Grill reservations, please call 859 253 1234.
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