This month’s trending hotels, restaurants and destinations.
The Westin Yokohama
4-2-8 Minatomirai, Nishi Ku, Yokohama, Japan
The new, 373-room Westin Yokohama is set to be the city’s haven of well-being and deliver industry-leading wellness experiences designed to empower guests to be the best version of themselves. With the Tokyo Haneda Airport within a 25-minute drive and Tokyo city centre just a 36-minute train ride away, the Westin Yokohama is strategically set in the new central business district of Yokohama, Minato Mirai, offering easy access to popular sightseeing spots such as Japan’s largest Chinatown and the city’s renowned Sankeien Garden.
Upon arrival, stunning views towards Mount Fuji await as the lobby is located on the 23rd floor and features a soaring indoor garden with lighting representing sunlight streaming through trees, as an expression of the Japanese philosophy of “shinrin yoku”, also known as forest bathing. In the heart of the lobby, the feature fireplace evokes a gracious sense of homecoming.
The hotel features a dedicated wellness floor of over 10,000 square feet, with comprehensive facilities including Japan’s first Heavenly Spa by Westin with four treatment rooms and expert therapists. Guests looking to stay fit while traveling can make use of the indoor swimming pool and the brand’s state-of-the-art fitness studio with TRX training equipment.
Not to be outdone are the variety of dining options. Brasserie du Quai is an all-day dining restaurant inspired by French seaside towns, serving seasonal classical dishes such as Pâté de Campagne and Rilettes. Kissui-sen is a contemporary izakaya-style restaurant with decor and a menu that artfully balances simplicity and exquisite taste, showcasing the finest produce from Japan’s seas, rivers, fields, and forests. Iron Bay is the hotel’s signature restaurant that offers a menu with all-things perfectly grilled to order. Located in the hotel lobby with a picturesque backdrop of Mount Fuji and Yokohama city, Sugar Merchant serves an array of coffees and teas, along with a selection of delicate pastries. At the hotel’s speakeasy bar, Code Bar, guests can explore a range of craft cocktails and artisanal mocktails inspired by the different areas in Japan and named according to their postal codes.
The Moore Hotel
300 W. 22nd St., New York
It’s not just the neutral wood tones that create a calming respite from the buzzing NYC streets outside The Moore. The 81-room lifestyle hotel’s lobby café doubles as an understated wine bar, and its dog-friendly rooms bring the comforts of home to the Chelsea property. Once you’re ready to venture out, Gotham Comedy Club, The Museum at FIT, and neighborhood galleries await a short walk away.
Virgin Hotels New York City
1227 Broadway, New York City
Virgin’s first hotel in NYC, this 39-story, 460-room property opened in February, taking up an entire block of the city’s bustling Nomad neighborhood. You’ll feel right in the middle of the action, staring at the Empire State Building or Times Square from your spacious room’s floor-to-ceiling windows. (Book at New Year’s and watch the ball drop from your bed.) Enjoy breakfast in the all-day restaurant Everdene, and after seeing the sites, go for a swim at the guest-only Pool Club, which feels like a little slice of Miami in the middle of Manhattan.
JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge
Talek River, Masai Mara Reserve, Masai Mara, Kenya
This luxury safari lodge located in the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya offers guests a unique opportunity to experience the beauty and wildlife of Africa in comfort and style. The lodge has 20 tents, each with its own private terrace and en-suite bathroom. There is also a swimming pool, a spa, and a restaurant. The lodge offers a variety of activities, including game drives, walking safaris, and hot air balloon rides.
marriott.com/en-us/hotels/nbomj-jw-marriott-masai-mara-lodge/overview/
The Garden Table at Bellagio
3600 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV
This unique dining experience, perfect for special occasions, allows up to 6 guests to enjoy a delicious meal in the heart of the Bellagio Conservatory. The table is located in the center of the Conservatory, surrounded by stunning, themed floral displays and lush greenery. Guests can choose from a variety of seasonal prix fixe menus for brunch or dinner curated by chefs Michael Mina and Mario Carbone.
bellagio.mgmresorts.com/en/restaurants/the-garden-table.html
Westminster Teak + Merriweather Lakehouse
10209 Wincopin Circle, Columbia, MD
The Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel, part of the Marriott Autograph collection in Columbia, Maryland, is considered a serene sanctuary along the water’s edge and just a short walk from the Merriweather Post Pavilion, where many top musical acts have performed. Rising in stately fashion above the banks of picturesque Lake Kittamaqundi in Columbia Town Center, this 212-room, pet-friendly hotel—with its 78-room addition, rooftop pool overlooking the lake and a luxurious top floor penthouse suite complete with a grand piano—reflects its nature-rich waterfront location. Clean lines, blue, aqua-marine and warm gray tones create an ever-fresh atmosphere to accent wood trims, furnishings and flooring.
A generous use of elegant teak furnishings—both upholstered and not—from Westminster Teak’s Horizon and Laguna selections grace the large outdoor patio off the hotel’s Lāk restaurant, the ballroom patio plus lounging areas, giving a natural and extra warm ambiance and comfort to those settings. The decision to go with Westminster Teak was not made by happenstance considering the hotel’s renovation process back in 2020 was also during a supply chain-starved pandemic.
Hotel owner David Costello explained that the need for patio furniture was urgent. “When we Googled teak furnishings, Westminster Teak came up and their products looked amazing,” he said. Just as impressive was Westminster Teak’s responsive and accommodating sales team. “I really cannot say enough good things about their people and their products except we’re planning on adding more pieces soon,” Costello said. “All our guests love it.”
Westminster Teak sources its teak wood exclusively from Perum Perhutani, plantations well-managed and credibly certified by the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry, which promotes biodiversity and the livelihoods of the people that depend on them. Westminster Teak’s factory is a certified manufacturer under the Timber Legality Assurance System (TLAS), assuring the legality of products from point of harvesting, transporting, trading, and manufacturing through SVLK verification. SVLK (Wood Legality and Verification System) verification ensures that export of timber products comply with Indonesian forestry laws and is designed to stop illegal logging, establish a culture of using legal products, and contribute to sustainable forest management.
For more information and to check out Westminster Teak’s various collections, visit westminsterteak.com
The Drisco Hotel
Auerbach St 6, Tel Aviv-Yafo, 6811911, Israel
The Drisco Hotel is a 36-room heritage landmarked property, housed in two restored Ottoman-style buildings in Tel-Aviv, that was once home to Mark Twain before being transformed into a luxury hotel. The hotel houses the award-winning restaurant, George & John, serving modern Israeli cuisine in a refined yet casual setting. Chef Tomer Tal draws inspiration from the area’s reputation as a melting pot, serving regional fare from around the world alongside innovative techniques.
The Westin Anaheim Resort
1030 West Katella Avenue, Anaheim, CA
Experience a haven of wellness and renewal in Southern California at The Westin Anaheim Resort, awarded AAA Four-Diamonds. Find respite in signature Westin Heavenly® Beds and amenities. Delight your palate with diverse dining options, including signature restaurant, Tangerine Room and RISE Rooftop Lounge with panoramic views of Disney California Adventure® Park. Our hotel is located just a short walk to the Disneyland® Resort, Downtown Disney® District, Disney California Adventure® Park and the Anaheim Convention Center.
marriott.com/en-us/hotels/snawa-the-westin-anaheim-resort/overview
Jaleo at Atlantis The Royal
Palm Island, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Located on the ground floor of Atlantis The Royal, guests can expect to sample the restaurants award-winning assortment of signature Spanish tapas, cheeses and wines. Savory paellas are prepared in a live cooking station and when its ready, the chef rings a cow bell before the team shouts out “PAELLA!” Sit at one of the many small private bays or on the expansive outdoor terrace where guests can dine beneath 100-year-old olive trees.
atlantis.com/dubai/dining/jaleo
L’Ardente
200 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, D.C.
Restaurateurs Eric Eden and Chef David Deshaies were aiming for glam Italian with the opening of this buzzy hotspot near Capitol Hill that features peacock-hued banquettes, Murano glass chandeliers and Missoni drapes. Lunch is a great time to snag a table, but you’ll have to turn up during dinner hours to order the award-winning chef’s decadently delicious 40-layer lasagna, a stack of housemade pasta, short rib, truffle mornay and Sottocenere cheese.
