The Residence Zanzibar which was designed by leading global design firm HBA / Hirsch Bedner Associates. The all-villa resort is located on a remote corner of the island of Zanzibar and is the first project on the African continent for HBA’s Singapore office.

All pieces of furniture at The Residence Zanzibar are a mix of cultures reflecting the various influences in Zanzibar’s history. For example, the four poster bed in the villas are reminiscent of British style and is flanked by two nightstands inspired by Indian forms and materials such as beaten metal. In the bathroom, the vanity counter was custom designed to integrate simplified Swahili patterns while the wall sconces were drawn from traditional Omani motifs.

Continue reading “HBA Designs The Residence Zanzibar” »

The 248-room property is located in the picturesque Mediterranean town of Rovinj, in the exclusive Monte Mulini neighborhood. Built to resemble a sleek white ocean liner floating on the hillside, the hotel offers a wide range of places to wine and dine including three restaurants, three bars and a night club. It also features a Mediterranean-inspired wellness center, a 600-seat auditorium and nine other meeting and conference spaces with state-of-the-art technology. Hotel Lone’s design focus, together with first-rate event and leisure facilities, create the perfect symbiosis of work and play.

Continue reading “Croatia’s Hotel Lone Is Now Open” »

25hours Hotel HafenCity, the first hotel to be built in the up-and-coming waterfront area of Hamburg, Germany, opened on July 1. The budget deluxe property offers a modern take on a sailor’s club and is the newest property from the 25hours hotel group, helmed by its passionate CEO Christoph Hoffman. The concept is based on 25 stories collected from sailors interviewed in a local seaman’s club. These stories are woven into the fabric of the hotel and are captured in log books in each guestroom, as well as in illustrations that adorn the walls. The hotel offers 170 cabin-style suites, a rooftop sauna, restaurant, bar, a Mare Kiosk, a Radio Room business center and unconventional meeting spaces, including one housed in a repurposed shipping container. For budding musicians, the hotel’s Vinyl Room is the perfect place to play DJ, and bands can practice free of charge in the Gibson Music Room, in exchange for performing in the hotel. Those on the go can pick up one of the hotel’s bikes or even a MINI to zip around town, both free of charge.

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The passion for environmentalism is shown in the planning process. Interior designer Christophe Pillet, landscape architect Christophe Ponceau and hotelier Shahé Kalaidjian integrated the hotel into the lush surrounding nature and preserved nearly all existing trees on the site. “The luxury at Hotel Sezz Saint-Tropez is not about the usual bling bling you might expect at the Côte d’Azur. It’s about the unique natural settings of this resort. From the start our goal was to respect and preserve the surrounding nature, and to create a hotel that fits perfectly with it,” says Kalaidjian.

Continue reading “Eco-Friendly Luxury at Hotel Sezz Saint-Tropez” »

If you follow me on either social channel (Facebook or Twitter), you may have heard me talk about The Passport Project during my travels and encouraging others to explore the world beyond their reach and see what else the world has to offer. This initiative was launched  by Kenji Summers, who got his passport in 2008. A few months later, while traveling to Barcelona, Spain to celebrate his 23rd birthday, he heard Lupe Fiasco’s “Paris, Tokyo (Remix)” featuring Pharrell Williams, on which he states, “Fly to Paris, and end up in Tokyo. Let’s start a coalition so even the broke can go”. The following line by Pharrell, however, implanted the seed to move vigorously forward with the project: “Let my people go, to broaden their horizons”.

Coupled with the statistic that merely 36% of all U.S. 18-29 year olds have a passport, the vision and purpose crystallized. Since 2009, this project has incubated the hopes and fears of the Millennial generation, particularly in the U.S. We will redefine the coming of age experience, meaning of success, and rebrand the Millennial Generation as the Global (Citizen) Generation.

When I first heard about this from Kenji, this was too precious of a opportunity to address and be apart of. In support of The Passport Project, we will add a tab to our Travel section titled “The Passport Project” where we welcome readers to share any interesting travel experiences they’ve had. Email us at info@freshmediainc.com with the subject “My Story – The Passport Project” and we’ll review it and let you know when it will go live.

Travel beyond borders.

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Designed by the Indian Studio Mancini Enterprises, Mocha – Mojo is a coffeehouse in Chennai with seating for 110. Adopting the early modernists’ philosophy of creating beauty through purity, the interior refers to the era’s reduction of functionalist objects as well as the intensity of its color field paintings. Each layer was generated in 3D, then issued to the site level by level – a simple process inviting an immediate visual satisfaction similar to the childhood joy of playing with Legos.

Continue reading “Mancini Enterprises: Mocha – Mojo” »

As a fan of coastal areas, I thought I’d seen it all. But until a few weeks ago, I’d never seen a dune lake. In fact, I’d never even heard of one, so when I read that the area around Rosemary Beach where I’d planned a long weekend was rife with these rarities, I was excited to check them out. Found only in Australia, New Zealand, Madagascar, Oregon and the Gulf Coast of Northwest Florida, dune lakes are fed by streams, rain and ground water, creating large bodies of calm water right behind ocean dunes.

30A is the main drag through the new urbanist towns of Seaside, Watercolor and Rosemary Beach and Watercolor and dune lakes punctuate the drive. Separated from the gulf beaches by sand dunes ranging from a few feet to 30, they offer yet another way to enjoy the water. Continue reading “YOLOing on Northwest Florida’s Dune Lakes” »

Insolito Boutique Hotel, a tranquil coastal resort nestled in a rocky hillside in Buzios, Brazil, opens a new restaurant, nine new guest rooms and a Parilla, a barbecue from Rio Plata. The new dining areas immerse guests in original culinary experiences that allow them to experiment and discover the Brazilian culture and way of life. The 20 themed guest rooms based around Brazilian history and culture include nine new spaces that reflect Brazilian Modernism, thus giving guests the opportunity to learn more about the country. Continue reading “Insolito Boutique Hotel Opens New Restaurant and Parilla” »

Urban design quietly nestled among an oasis of natural serenity, Casa de La Flora sits in Khao Lak, on the shore of the Andaman Sea. The brainchild of businessman Sompong Dowpiset, this 36-villa resort is an ode to the angular geometries of Brutalist architecture, while simultaneously paying tribute to the surrounding environment. Applying a distinct sensitivity to the adjacent landscape and achieving harmony with the local flora, the hotel by VaSLab Architecture is Khao Lak’s only resort offering contemporary architecture and design. Guests are invited to experience this exceptional retreat in the midst of pioneering interiors, personalised services and discreet, yet sincere eco-credentials. Continue reading “Introducing Casa de La Flora” »

Always nice to show up somewhere and find it to be even more than you expected — which is just what happened to me along the hip strip of towns along 30A in northwest Florida: Grayton Beach, Watercolor, Seaside, Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach.

They all have white sand beaches, cool new urbanist architecture and some nice places to eat, but only Rosemary Beach has Tommy Crow Studios.

His space is spare and sits along the town’s busy Main Street amongst stylish boutiques, home furnishings stores and restaurants. These individually owned businesses (no chain stores allowed) are not the usual resort town fare, making Rosemary Beach a truly great place to not only sun, but shop. Continue reading “Tommy Crow Studios” »