The newest Orient-Express property is due to open in Southern Peru on April 15th, 2008:

Located in the heart of the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world, Las Casitas Del Colca is a haven of peace and tranquillity.

The property is nestled on the left bank of the Colca River and boasts twenty luxurious Casitas offering supreme privacy and exclusivity in simple, unpretentious surroundings.

This all inclusive property offers the opportunity to relax and spend time in harmony with nature, the canyon and the community.

Las Casitas del Colca

Since opening its doors in 1899, the Mount Nelson Hotel has borne witness to two world wars and facilitated strategic tactic talks for South Africa’s famous Anglo Boer War.  For it was here, in the heart of Cape Town, that the great statesmen of the time, Lords Kitchener, Buller and Roberts gathered to discuss war stratagem.

Steeped in history and tradition, the Mount Nelson Hotel has continued to embark on its historical journey by acquiring six late Victorian buildings situated in the south extension of Faure Street, on the edge of its existing property. Four of these buildings have been sensitively renovated and adapted to house the luxurious new spa.

Home ownership in Victorian Cape Town during the 19th Century was limited to people of the ilk of successful merchants, high-ranking civil servants and affluent professionals.  Even then these people could not indulge their tastes until late in the century because of local building conditions, shortage of skilled labour and the high cost of imported components and materials. During this period, it was not usual for the vast majority of people in the lower end of the social scale to own their own homes.  These folk did not have sufficient funding to make the initial capital outlay, nor did they have the necessary collateral to borrow capital.
This situation provided fertile ground for the talented entrepreneur.  A capitalist investor would acquire the land by subdividing historic farmland, then build houses and rent them out to produce a handsome return on the money invested.  As the 19th Century progressed, the inner suburbs spread in a wide semi-circle around the old nucleus of Cape Town and were markedly split into two by the Company’s Gardens. The western half tended to continue conservatively in the Cape Dutch, mainly Georgian, tradition of building while the eastern side, which catered for the poorer and probably less influential classes, was developed in the modern English fashion.

It was the speculation that arouse surrounding the architecture of domestic dwellings in which the distaste of the style and design of the housing in that day was voiced, that led to the development of Wilkinson and Faure Streets.  Prior to the early 1860’s architects were not highly regarded in the Cape.  However, many years later, when new-found wealth and land developers made their mark upon society, that two architects destined to make a notable contribution to Cape Town’s cityscape, made their entrée and left their signature on four of the buildings in upper Faure Street.

Fred Cherry MRIA, an Irishman, designed no 34 and 36 Faure Street for William Irwin Esq.  Cherry also undertook alterations at the rear of no 32 Faure Street for the same client. William Black FRIBA, from England, was responsible for the relatively elaborate construction of Carnavon House at 30 Faure Street from Mr A Muller.

To fully appreciate the domestic architecture of Faure Street, it is necessary to understand what the private home meant to the society of the time.  For the Victorian middle class, the house had important connotations – it was regarded as the shrine of the family and was thought to be the focal point of life.

The house was also regarded as an accurate reflection of the social status of a family.  Even their cultural background and aspirations could be read from the choice and style of interior furnishings.

Needless to say, the first requirement in a house of any pretension was a good suite of reception rooms – the minimum being a dining and a drawing room.  In larger houses, additional reception rooms, such as a study and morning room were found.  Most had at least a third room which was usually smaller than the main reception rooms a little more private.

Besides these rooms, there seems to have been a fashion, which started in the 1880’s, for a small lady’s room upstairs.  This occurred in the largest houses and was usually associated with a balcony.  The provision of fireplaces in these rooms varied, but at a minimum the drawing room possessed at least one fireplace.

At least one bay window was required from 1880 onwards. This was found in the drawing room, but often the other reception rooms had them as well.  Bedrooms were not lavish either in size or number.  The single exception was the master bedroom, which also served as the sitting room of the mistress of the house, so it was usually made larger and given a fireplace.

Mr Faure himself resided in a fine old Georgian dwelling “Villa Faure”, at the lower end of Faure Street. This building was modified in 1901 for a Mr C J Muller esq. with two double-storeyed Victorian extensions and today exists as the “Fritz Hotel”. From there it progressed into Wilkinson Street.  The extension of Faure Street was almost certainly instigated by the developer and his intentions seem to have been to create an exclusive enclave in response to the affluence of the 1890’s.

Today all six buildings in Upper Faure Street have been identified in the draft Cultural Heritage Strategy as heritage resources, buildings and sites of outstanding local architecture, aesthetic and historical value.  As such the Librisa Spa at the Mount Nelson has been created in such a manner that whilst all new well-being philosophies shall be embraced, the past shall never be forgotten.

The Librisa Spa will be open to hotel-residents from mid December 2007 and to day-visitors from mid January 2008. For bookings call (27) (21) 483 1000.

Casa de Sierra Nevada, an Orient-Express hotel in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, announces the opening of Andanza, its fine dining restaurant, on September 22nd. The Spanish word Andanza translates as “an adventuresome and serendipitous walk,” which will be reflected in Executive Chef Gonzalo Martinez’s dishes, combining traditional Mexican cuisine with a contemporary feel.

This elegant yet lively restaurant will offer dishes featuring seasonal, local produce. The six unique rooms that make up Andanza include: a beautiful open air courtyard with orange trees and a cascading wall fountain; the Art Room, with its cozy fireplace and oversized leather chairs; the decadent Wine & Cava room; and the elegant private Dining Room. When unwinding after a glorious day spent in San Miguel, the Game Room entices guests with its snug chairs and board games.

The stylish wooden interior and antique hand-stenciled walls of the Blue Bar is home to a vast tequila and beer selection. House made sangritas – a tomato-based drink usually spiked with hot chilies and lime that accompanies a tequila – are a must, and live modern Latin music, jazz, and international sounds complete the experience.

It will be open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Andanza is the second of three restaurants that will be part of Casa de Sierra Nevada’s culinary offerings. The current Parque Restaurant offers traditional Mexican cuisine in a garden setting with an adjacent bar. The third, Limon, is scheduled to open in late autumn.

One and a half blocks from the Parroquia and main city square of San Miguel de Allende, the boutique hotel of Casa de Sierra Nevada is a mixture of 16th to 18th century Spanish colonial buildings.  Its 32 rooms and suites are spread amongst nine colonial mansions, including a 17th century fort, and the former residence of San Miguel de Allende’s Archbishop in the 16th century. With the hotel’s buildings situated around the town rather than in one location, the experience is akin to living in a beautiful, historic apartment, but with the fresh, new amenities and genuine Mexican hospitality provided by Casa de Sierra Nevada, making for a true cultural immersion. Founded in 1542, the town of San Miguel de Allende is a National Monument of Mexico. Sitting at 6,400 feet above sea level, the cobble-stoned streets of this colonial town are lined with palasios that today are a mixture of personal residences, galleries, restaurants and boutiques.

Like any other exotic culture, Las Vegas fascinates me. The Los Angeles Times has a great story on the latest trend in Vegas clubbing — the exclusive pool party. With names like Rehab (at the Hard Rock Hotel — and clearly the best name of the bunch), Bare (at the Mirage), the Venus Pool Club (at Caesars Palace), and the Tao Beach Club (at the Venetian), these new “dayclubs” now make the Vegas “nightlife” a round-the-clock proposition:

Since it began in 2004, Rehab has transformed Vegas’ once-sleepy daytime scene into a “Girls Gone Wild” tableau of debauchery. Today, almost every major casino resort has nightclub operators managing its 21-and-over pools. They hire DJs to spin music and demand hefty cover charges. Rates vary by the weekend; on the cheapest days women pay $20, men $30.

Several resorts have separate “Euro-style,” or top-optional, pools, with half-naked women cavorting in the water. This summer, both the Mirage and Venetian — heavyweights in the nightclub arena — have unveiled re-imagined pools.

“It’s done a remarkable thing to the nightlife landscape,” [the Hard Rock Hotel’s Jack] LaFleur said. “Day life? It’s hard to even categorize ! It’s finding those ways to generate revenue. For a town that’s been known exclusively for nightlife, this was extremely daring and off the charts.”

The gamble is paying off.

What will they think of next? Whatever your reaction, you’ve got to admit Las Vegas is a one-of-a-kind laboratory for destination branding. See you at the pool.