St. Kitts has long had a reputation as a sleepy Caribbean island dominated by its 3,792-foot volcano, Mount Liamuiga, with a few small inns and mostly black-sand beaches. Things began to change with the advent in December 2014 of Belle Mont Farm, an imaginative boutique hotel in the ambitious Kittitian Hill development. Now comes the startling news that Park Hyatt St. Kitts will open in 2016 at the southern tip of the island overlooking The Narrows, the strait that separates St. Kitts from neighboring Nevis. The 125 accommodations will feature both contemporary and colonial design elements, while many suites will boast private rooftop pools. The resort will offer three restaurants and a spa with 12 treatment rooms, and guests will have access to a beach club, a 300-acre super-yacht marina and village, and the nearby Christophe Harbour championship golf course, designed by Tom Fazio.
Parts of Ashford Castle in Ireland’s County Mayo date from the 13th century, but much of the huge turreted structure was added in the 1850s when the estate was purchased by a member of the Guinness brewing family. A hotel since 1939, the property reopened in April following a comprehensive two-year restoration. It now boasts a spectacular new spa with an indoor resistance pool, a hammam, a relaxation suite and a scenic terrace with views across the serene waters of Lough Corrib. Guests can choose from product lines that include VOYA, based on seaweed from nearby County Sligo. Ashford Castle has always had a loyal American following — former guests include President Reagan, Sen. Ted Kennedy and John Wayne — and their number seems destined to increase.
December brings two more of my personal travel guides: Asia and Central & Eastern Europe. Updates feature my latest hotel discoveries, regional notebooks, touring maps, restaurants and, of course, a complete list of my recommended hotels with numerical ratings and detailed descriptions. The Andrew Harper Collection books are now available for individual purchase at andrewharper.com/store/harper-collection. They are also mailed bimonthly to Premier subscribers. To upgrade your subscription, contact [email protected].
Personally, I am keen on boats of all kinds, but I freely concede that not everyone shares my enthusiasm, especially not for relatively small ones bobbing up and down in the mid-Pacific. For aquaphobes, or more specifically, ochophobes (those in fear of vehicles), the Galápagos Islands have always represented a quandary. Their dilemma was partially solved by the opening of the Galapagos Safari Camp — which I continue to recommend — on the island of Santa Cruz. The new Pikaia Lodge, also on Santa Cruz, now meets the unresolved needs of tisantaphobes (those in fear of tents). Spectacularly located at an elevation of 1,500 feet next to two extinct volcanoes and surrounded by a private giant tortoise reserve, the lodge provides all the comforts of home — air-conditioning, sleek furniture, generous marble baths, direct-dial telephones and satellite television — plus a sophisticated restaurant for Ecuadorian and Peruvian cuisine, and an infinity pool. Local guides take guests on hikes and lengthier “expeditions.” Oh, and for landlubbers who pluck up their courage, the lodge even has two yachts for day trips.
Given its status as Australia’s boomtown, Perth has had a surprisingly limited selection of upscale hotels. This has now been rectified to some extent by the debut of COMO The Treasury, a 48-room contemporary boutique property housed within the 140-year-old State Buildings in the revitalized historic center of the city. The hotel was designed by noted Australian architect Kerry Hill — responsible for projects as diverse as The Sukhothai hotel in Bangkok and the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia — and its rooms are intended to create an atmosphere of serenity in keeping with the brand’s emphasis on “wellness” and a refined contemporary lifestyle. The Wildflower rooftop restaurant will offer views across the Swan River and a menu showcasing regional produce. COMO is noted for its standout spas, and the Perth property is likely to be no exception.
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