Recommend May 2018 - 42

Hotels Add Urban Experiences
to Luxury Amenities
Carla Hunt

Luxury travel keeps taking off in new directions
in Europe. Just yesterday, the hallmarks of city
hotel luxury ranged from sweet suites with
Frette bed linens and private butlers to signature
spa rituals, top-chef dining, and impeccable
service that goes the extra mile. Today's newest
luxe amenity seems to be urban experiences that
involve guests in the historical, cultural, and
social activities that give a special sense of place
to the hotel and its surrounding neighborhood.
This is certainly true at the Baur au Lac,
Zurich's venerable hotel that boasts a history as
breathtaking as its lakeside setting. Opened in
1844, the property hosted the world premiere of
Wagner's "Die Walkire" and in whose salons the
Nobel Prize was conceived. Today's guestbook
lists a cast of royals, actors, musicians, and
recently this writer: an invited guest, who, on
her very first visit to Switzerland, hit the hotel
jackpot in pitch-perfect, understated elegance
and service. Highlights on my short stay
included historic Zurich right out the door; five
bed pillows plus a pillow menu for other options;
and the beehive-tucked along a path in the
property's lushly landscaped private garden-
accommodating 80,000 bees in a hive replica
of this grand dame hotel. On special request,
beekeeper Felix Schier introduces guests to
the (endangered) activities of the busy bees,
and samples of their labor are for tasting at the
honey bar set up at the breakfast buffet.
The arts are central to guest experiences, and
during Baur au Lac's annual Art in the Park
event, the garden turns into a grand outdoor
gallery displaying the work of major modern
painters; it is held the week before Art Basel
(this year June 14-17), an hour away from
Zurich. For art-loving clients, also consider
the hotel's Marc Chagall package; Chagall
was a regular guest and signed the guestbook
with a drawing. The package includes 2-night
accommodations; a private 1-hour guided tour
of the Fraumunster Church with glass and
design work by Chagall; a 3-course menu at
the Michelin-starred Rive Gauche restaurant;
daily breakfast; and complimentary minibar and
wireless Internet. baaraulac.ch/en
Back home I went looking to see what other
luxury hotels in European cities were in the
"experiences" business, and found dozens of
examples. Here's a sampling...
42 may 2018

In Paris...

In Athens...

'Twas Audrey Hepburn who famously said:
"Paris is always a good idea." And the hotels
of Paris themselves have some new ideas on
ways for their guests to experience the City
of Light, in addition, of course, to their
long-established offerings of curated wine
tastings and top-chef cooking classes. For
instance, Le Bristol Paris, a member of
The Leading Hotels of the World, invites
guests aboard a riverboat built for two for a
romantic sail along the Seine, complete with
champagne, macaroons and a welcome aboard
flower bouquet. lebristolparis.com

Grande Bretagne, a member of Starwood's
Luxury Collection, is the grande dame of
hotels in Athens. Its guestbook reads like a
who's who in politics and the arts. For today's
guests, the concierge steps back in history
during a free Living Museum heritage hotel
tour, describing how the city's and country's
political, economic and social life unfolded in
the hotel's hallowed hall since its founding
in 1874. On Fridays (with a tour charge),
guests can then move out into the city on an
expert-led Culture Walk to the nearby
treasures of Athens. grandebretagne.gr

In Madrid...
Location, location, location! Hotel Villa Magna of The Leading Hotels of the World
family takes advantage of where it sits: in Madrid's Salamanca neighborhood, great
for high-end and alternative-fashion shopping, evening tapas crawls, and, of course,
top cultural experiences. An Arts & Culture package invites guests staying at least two
nights-in a luxury room with daily breakfast (gourmet in restaurant and continental
in-room)-to get acquainted with Madrid during a 2-hour guided tour by chauffeured
Mercedes. Visitors visit the Art Triangle Museums: Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza &
Reina Sofia, with provided tickets in hand. villamagna.es
recommend.com
http://www.lebristolparis.com http://www.grandebretagne.gr http://www.baaraulac.ch/en http://www.villamagna.es http://www.recommend.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend May 2018
