H&A 10-12 Jun5 2/6/09 11:36 Page 49
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hotels & accommodation knowledge
Refurbishments
Jumeirah Essex House, New York
The classic Art Deco property is located in
the heart of Manhattan next to Central Park
New faces for
and first opened for guests in 1931. Essex
House’s recent $90 million refurbishment
was carried out after the Dubai-based
Jumeirah Group took over the management
of the property. The renovation conserved
old favourites
and maintained the hotel’s historic areas
while updating its rooms and suites with the
latest technology. Other changes include a
spa and gym facilities, plus a new restaurant,
South Gate, which debuted earlier this year.
Some favourites of the hotel world have recently had ■ jumeirah.com
multi million-pound makeovers. Rob Gill looks at how
these landmark properties have reinvented themselves
The Langham, London
When it opened in 1865, The Langham
(below) was the first purpose-built grand hotel
Amathus Beach Hotel Limassol, first to pioneer the all-inclusive concept in in Europe and the seven-floor property was
Cyprus the Caribbean. The renovation has included one of the largest public buildings in Lon-
Following its April reopening, this hotel adding 21 rooms making a total of 226, all don. The Regent Street hotel has just com-
has been given a contemporary upgrade of which have been refurbished, as well as pleted an £80 million makeover, which has
with its new atrium lobby now featuring creating a new restaurant and pool area, included the renovation of the 382 rooms
modern furniture by the likes of Zaha plus a redesigned lobby. and public areas such as the Grand Ballroom
Hadid and Philippe Starck. The €15 million ■ couples.com and the Palm Court, where the
refurbishment and expansion has also tradition of afternoon tea is said to have
included room renovations, the new Asian Grand Hotel du Lagon, Reunion been born. All Langham hotels around the
restaurant Asiachi and the Amathus Spa & This colonial-style resort has just reopened world will be celebrating the restoration of
Wellness Centre, plus a separate gym. for guests following a six-month £12.5 mil- the London hotel by hosting afternoon tea at
■ amathus-hotels.com lion renovation. The property, which is owned their properties on June 10.
by Naiade Luxury Resorts, features a classic ■ langhamhotels.com
Couples Tower Isle, Jamaica colonial lobby, 23 villas and 174 refurbished
The Ocho Rios resort reopened in April rooms. The resort’s decor has been given a Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
following a $25 million renovation that few modern twists by designer Philippe This Far Eastern institution, which opened
has given the all-inclusive property a more Starck. Other additions include a beachside in 1963, occupies a fabulous location on the
modern edge. Formerly known as Couples restaurant, Clapotis, specialising in the waterfront of Hong Kong island. The recent
Ocho Rios, the family-owned resort island’s traditional seafood-based cuisine. $150 million refurbishment has seen the
originally opened in the 1940s and was the
Turn to 50
■ naiaderesorts.com
05.06.2009 49
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