S t a y
&
P l a y
S w e e t D r e a m s A r o u n d T h e Wo r l d
56
Luxury Hotels...Grand Resorts...Charming B&B...Opulent Villas...Quaint C
New MGM Macau Resort to Place Emphasis Away from Gambling
Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta by Susan Campbell
Rocking It Out In Riviera Nayarit
You can have it both ways at Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta. Bop like a teenager around the property and then dine and sleep like a rock royalty at night. Plus their “Vibe Master” – the one in charge of the musical atmosphere - ensures you’re never assaulted with heavy metal in the morning or sleepy ballads during happy hour. They also lend you an electric guitar during your stay if you play, or a professional mixer if you don’t!
The Resort
Slated to open in the fourth quarter of this year, the 1400-key MGM Cotai is being envisioned as a massive entertainment complex and hotel foremost, but will also offer plenty of the gambling options that visitors to Macau expect. 500 tables and 2500 slots will be spread within 500,000 square feet at the hotel, but a full 2.5 million square feet will be dedicated to nongaming entertainment offerings. One centerpiece attraction will be the “Spectacle”, an atrium with 23 LED walls capable of presenting moving images four stories high. The theater at the space will have changeable seating configurations and a 180-degree 4K screen.
Located in the snazzy new Rivera Nayarit community outside of Puerto Vallarta proper, the hotel sits surfside on an expansive beach. They have an intricate water circuit of pools, hot tubs and waterfalls, and grabbing snacks and cocktails throughout is a breeze. It’s all-inclusive, so you seldom want for anything, including room service. Though the main pool activities can border on spring break style frenzy- think impromptu foam parties- there’s still plenty of space to escape the fray.
The Rooms
Choose from 348 chic, rock-themed rooms and suites in different categories. Mine, a standard, had a great ocean view and a massive marble hot tub bath. The most luxe offering is the rooftop Rock Suite Platinum Suite with its own massive deck, outdoor hot tub and two bedrooms. It’s ideal for privacy as it’s very stand-alone in its design-more apartment/condo than hotel room.
Dining & Extras
There are six restaurants in all including a large buffet, but we particularly enjoyed the seaside Italian Ciao for authentic Mediterranean cuisine and the indoor Zen for its dreamy décor and excellent a la carte Asian fare. Families will appreciate the on-site kid’s club, and outdoor nightly entertainment will please all ages. For live music, true rockers gravitate to the Sun Bar later. We visited just as their new Rock Spa® opened (see Tropical Tidbits page 32) and I thoroughly enjoyed trying their signature “Rhythm & Motion” massage. In all, this is a great stay for all ages- close to Puerto Vallarta’s busy tourist hubbut far enough away to relax in relative peace by the sea.
www.hrhvallarta.com
Waldorf Astoria Opens in Chengdu Located in the new financial district of the Chengdu Hi-Tech Zone, the Waldorf Astoria Chengdu is part of a high-end integrated complex called In99, which also hosts a retail mall, office towers, and apartment towers. It occupies a 52-storey art deco inspired building within the mixed-use development, and its 289 rooms start at a spacious 50 square meters, with marble bathroom, walk-in closets and other elegant touches in addition to modern amenities. There are six food and beverage offerings as part of the hotel, plus a spa and a 24-hour fitness center.figurations and a 180-degree 4K screen.
New York London Paris Tokyo Hong Kong Bali Rome Thailand Monaco Amsterdam Berlin Ibiza Montreal Tanzania Hawaii Rio Ma Buenas Aries Manila Singapore Mumbai Chicago Jerusalem Moscow Egypt Bora Bora China Japan Santorini Osaka Los Angeles Banff Guangzhou Casablanca Cairo Iceland Orlando Beverly Hills Melbourne Mallorca San Diego Crete New York London Paris T