The One. And the Only...

…Lore. We had a cosy evening with Lore Koenig who is Executive Director of Sales for One&Only and Atlantis. So really nice to see this friend of many years.

Select meets the One and the Only Lore (far left)

And great too to hear that Kerzner resorts are thrilled with Select Collection and the interest of our customers in the elite One&Only brand.

“At headquarters they think that Scandinavia is the new America,” she told us. There is such an increase from the Nordic area and in particular from Select to One&Only resorts, with special focus on Dubai.

In Dubai we have three of the resorts Lore represents: Atlantis the Palm, One&Only the Palm and Royal Mirage. I wrote about these recently in my trip to Dubai … so I won’t say more here, just follow the links.

We also have some fabulous specials for an old favourite, the warm and elegant One&Only Le Saint Geran in Mauritius...

Le Saint Geran with its paradise setting

Never forgetting, the iconic One&Only Reethi Rah. Our customers return over and over for the ultimate perfection - see my blog for my experiences of this paradise. Other marvellous properties that bowl over our discerning customers include One&Only Palmilla in Mexico, and One&Only Ocean Club Bahamas.

But back to Stockholm for some foodie news. The restaurant where we dined with Lore is a new one called Nosh & Chow, some 50 metres away from Select Collection in Norrlandsgatan. Wide medieval (Viking)-looking raw wooden tables and soft leather chairs (like home) were part of the look which comes from Lazaro Rosa Violan, well known Spanish interior designer. The establishment runs up and down stairs in so called Town House mode. And the food great…

Venison was my choice...

...and of course Pinot Noir

Some had a little space left for
the lightest dessert

We were just happily together (Max to the left, Lore right)

"Home" with Robert De Niro

One of the special New York Hotels in our Select Collection is The Greenwich, owned by Robert De Niro.  He lovingly decorated the hotel as he would do his own home, and it is a comfortable and intimate place, full of character. 

We had site inspection and lunch at the hotel. The restaurant Locanda Verde is very popular, and has the feel of an Italian neighbourhood bistro –  with very good food, attracting both tourists and New Yorkers.

Here GM Philip Truelove, Katy Horne Director of Sales,
together with Jonatan and me

Great Italian food - scallops

Ravioli with prawns

Continuing on our site inspection...

The lobby, full of character

You can see that De Niro put lots of heart into this...

The whole place is rich in detail

The Greenwich has 88 rooms ...

Each room with its own character

Luxurious details

Comfort and homeliness

Some rooms have a view to the Hudson River

Very removed from the bustle of New York is the Shibui spa. Beside a crystal pool you find a Japanese farmhouse in bamboo, brought stick by stick from Japan.

A refuge in the Japanese spa

Peace on the Palm

Waking up in a lovely room in Mansion Nr 6 at One&Only The Palm with beautiful surroundings and attentive service. This is top luxury, peaceful and serene, on the tip of the crescent on Palm island.

In the beautiful lobby, One&Only The Palm 

And now for the first and best meal of the day. Breakfast!.

The breakfast is a great combination of
buffet and a la carte

Part of the excellent buffet

Understand now why breakfast is the
 most important meal

A feast indeed...and
 more to come

The hotel is stylish with magical hints of Arabia.

Beautiful reception

A warm welcome from management,
Oliver Sturmayr & Sebastian Fleig
 

Magical touches

One&Only The Palm 

On The Palm and plenty of Palms!

View towards the main pool

A great place to be.  On the pier you get the best views of Dubai city, without the bustle.

Scifi views 

Here on the pier lies Restaurant 101...

Restaurant 101 - great restaurant on the pier

Contemporary 101

Sea bass, sallad and broccoli for lunch

Silken service is one of the special things about One&Only The Palm.

Our butler Suresh, such a great and
service minded person

Down by the sea

 Thank you all at One&Only The Palm...

Luxuries of the Lost City

Visiting Atlantis The Palm, Dubai.

Atlantis is not just for kids. It offers a thrill to grownups who feel like kids, and opulence to top luxury customers. The fantastical resort boasts a huge shopping and restaurant area, a sensational water park (Aquaventure), a vast Aquarium, over 1500 rooms and suites and beaches…

For those who find money no object, there  are seven “super suites”. The extraordinary Royal Bridge Suite  takes  up  924 sqm, but my favourite suites are the 165 sqm underwater suites: with walls of glass revealing the underworld of the magnificent Ambassador Lagoon.

Posing in a Poseidon suite with Saskia Schuller Director
of International Leisure Sales at Atlantis

Your bath tub in the Poseidon suite

The view from your bed.

 
 So peaceful, you lie here watching fishes swim by....

One of the rooms in the Poseidon suite

Altogether there are 1539 guest rooms including 166 suites. Actually families can be very happy here in the opening category rooms.

Even the premier rooms are perfect for families:
2 adults 2 children

Now our  tour continues….

... through the Lost
Chambers aquarium

The Lost Chambers Aquarium is beautiful and houses 65 000 marine creatures. It is magically created along the theme of the Lost city of Atlantis….full of tunnels and other mysteries.

Tour continues:

...the colourful Lost Chambers

And now it is time for dinner. A great choice with 18 restaurants  including internationally renowned Nobu restaurant.

We are treated to gourmet dining at the celebrated French restaurant Rostang.

Food for the eyes

Enjoying great food at Rostang

Delicacies from the sea

Beautiful gazpacho

My favourite - sole and vegetables

So much for kids only in the fantasy world of Atlantis...

Happy new year!

New Year’s Eve is a time of celebration, partying all night long, or dining deliciously with friends as we did. We enjoyed  traditional Swedish new year fare at the home of Fredrik’s brother Peter Gyllenhammar, in very good company …

All set for celebration with traditional Swedish
new year food:  lobster and roast fillet of beef

Peter prepares the fillet of beef

Well satisfied

Dessert: lemon mousse

Lalia and Fredrik deep in conversation

Here with Sten, another good friend

I wish all my loved ones, friends, beautiful staff
and valued clients a Happy New Year...

 May all your dreams come true in the year ahead…