All posts by Unique Homes Staff

At the Helm of Spanish Beachfront Luxury in Vietnam

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Spanish-born Manuel Ferriol, the general manager of the new five-star Meliá Ho Tram Beach Resort, talks with us about what attracted him to Vietnam, why he’s been with Meliá Hotels International for 15 years, what’s so special about the only Spanish five-star beachfront resort in Vietnam’s south and why Vietnam has so much promise.

1) With substantial hospitality experience in Europe, what brought you to Vietnam and how has your time here treated you?

I always wanted to live and work abroad and a career in hospitality is the ticket to not only see the world but truly immerse yourself in it. After developing my hospitality career in Spain and becoming a resident manager, Meliá Hotels International offered me a number of options to take my career to the next level, including a terrific opportunity as director of operations at Meliá Hanoi, the Spanish group’s flagship hotel in Vietnam and recognized as one of the most luxurious MICE and events hotels in Asia. When I arrived in Vietnam in 2014, I immediately felt I had made the right decision and have never looked back.

After two years at Meliá Hanoi, I then became Meliá Danang’s general manager. My success in establishing the then-newly opened Meliá Danang, combined with my experience managing leisure and business hotels in Vietnam, resulted in my appointment as the new Meliá Ho Tram Beach Resort’s general manager. Vietnam is the land of opportunity on so many fronts, particularly the luxury hospitality industry. It’s so rewarding to be here during Vietnam’s phenomenal rise as the Asia-Pacific’s fastest growing country in terms of tourism.

The best thing about Vietnam is its people. The Vietnamese are welcoming and hardworking, and have been integral to the success of our operations and service due to their diligence and innate, genuine warmth.

 

2) You have been with Meliá Hotel Group for 15 years, an impressive track record.  What is so special about working with the Spanish company and why have you worked with them for so long?   

Meliá Hotels International is a significant part of me after so long. When I first started out in hospitality, I worked with another international company for one year before deciding to move to Meliá Hotels International; not only due to it being the number one Spanish hotel company but also because it’s family-grown and family-run, and offered me exciting career and development opportunities right from the start.

As Meliá Hotels International has a total of seven brands that speak to difference audience segments, career opportunities are boundless. The group rewards talent and dedication with excellent opportunities to grow and surge into the future, professionally and personally. I joined Meliá’s internal management program and I’ve given my absolute best to Meliá. In return the group has definitely given its best back to me, helping me to learn, to develop, challenge and improve myself and has guided me during each and every step of my 15-year career with the group hitherto. I have a strong sense of belonging to a family and this is reinforced every day by my interactions with my fellow colleagues and Meliá Hotels International’s management.

I know many hospitality groups speak about a passion for service but Meliá Hotels International really delivers on this with Spanish warmth and hospitality that none of our competitors can match in a more modern, younger and fresher image. The group is also far-sighted when it comes to corporate social responsibility and its sustainable development goals related to areas such as removing all single-use plastics, and reducing water use and carbon dioxide emissions. So much so we have been ranked as the third most sustainable hotel company worldwide for 2018 by RobecoSAM, a sustainable investment agency responsible for evaluating companies for the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

3) Can you tell us more about Meliá Ho Tram Beach Resort?  Why should we head to Ho Tram and stay at your resort?

The resort is already deemed one of the most prestigious of the Meliá Hotels and Resorts portfolio globally and we aim to establish it as the top resort in Vietnam’s south as well as one of renown in Vietnam and the Asia Pacific. Our 17-hectare resort celebrated its grand opening on April 20 this year, cutting the ribbon on a host of world-class facilities such as three restaurants including a beach club, three swimming pools, a swim-up bar, a coffee shop, a 10-treatment room spa, an executive lounge, a ballroom and conference facilities, a kid’s club, gymnasium, gift shop and more.

All of our 152 rooms and suites face the ocean and afford panoramic views of Ho Tram beach. The 62 villas are mind blowing, ranging in size from 220sqm to 465sqm with no expense spared. The villas have their own private pools, BBQ areas, outdoor showers and gardens, living areas and separate dining areas. Four distinct food and beverage outlets – Breeza Beach Club, Muoi, Sasa and Elyxr café – and a swim-up bar make for a diverse culinary landscape luring casual and fine diners alike. Destined to be “the place to be” in Ho Tram and referencing the beach clubs of Ibiza and Bali, Breeza is situated right on the beach and will host live music, DJ sets, themed parties, and fire and dancing shows.

Ho Tram is fast developing a reputation as Ho Chi Minh City’s answer to New York’s Hamptons, Rome’s Sorrento and Sydney’s Blue Mountains; a go-to retreat where the well-heeled flock for a getaway that’s close by, upscale and restorative. With 500m of ocean frontage, this tropical setting is all the more spectacular as the sun rises to the left and goes down to the right in an incredible arc over the East Sea each day. We can’t wait to welcome you to our sublime piece of paradise.

4) Meliá Hotels International is significantly investing in Vietnam and the Asia Pacific. Why has the group set its sights on Vietnam?

Meliá Ho Tram Beach Resort heralds a new era for Meliá Hotels International as the first property to open in southern Vietnam under the Meliá Hotels and Resorts brand and the fourth for Vietnam. Meliá Ho TramBeach Resort joins Meliá Hanoi, Meliá Danang and Meliá Ba Vi Mountain Retreat as part of the group’s burgeoning portfolio. Plans call for Meliá Cam Ranh Bay, Meliá Ninh Binh and Meliá Saigon Central to open in 2020.

Meliá has grown particularly quickly in Vietnam, where it already had 13 hotels either open or in the pipeline, making it one of the leading international hotel companies in the country. In response to the “bleisure” (business and leisure) travel trend, Meliá Hotels International is particularly focused on the Asia Pacific’s emerging economic zones and key MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, events) destinations, with 75% of our hotels catering to the bleisure market in this region.Meliá Ho Tram Beach Resort is situated in a coastal enclave only a two-hour drive from Vietnam’s economic capital Ho Chi Minh City, offering MICE planners and delegates a reinvigorating ocean-side location with ample space and cutting-edge technology.

 

Upstairs, above our lobby and foyer, the 420sqm ballroom hosts up to 400 people for a cocktail reception and 270 for a banquet with lively themes ranging from Mediterranean and Spanish to Indochine.  An adjacent sprawling terrace with a panoramic vista of the resort and the beach provides a picturesque spot for gala dinners. The ballroom can also be divided into three smaller meeting and function rooms.   

 

Meanwhile, domestic tourists are increasingly traveling to the host of beautiful destinations on their home turf. The numbers of international tourists flocking to Vietnam increase year after year. According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), for 2018, the country welcomed 15.5 million visitors, a 20 percent spike on 2017.

The fact that so much is happening in Vietnam is all the more impressive in light of just how quickly things have progressed here. Vietnam has enjoyed the world’s second-fastest growth rate in GDP per person since 1990, and no doubt tourism has played a role in this positive trajectory. Despite its skyrocketing growth, we believe Vietnam is not an oversaturated market whose most exciting days are yet to come.  

 

Photos courtesy of Meliá Ho Tram Beach Resort

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When Worlds Collide

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Natural stone unites with modern metals in the new Eccentric Stone collection by Australian kitchen and bathware design manufacturer Rogerseller.

 

A celebration of the beauty in balance when two become one, Eccentric Stone is a new collection sculpted from natural stone and highlighted by hints of metal. In perfect harmony, these signature elements explore the power of duality; the raw and refined, subtle and strong, timeless and modern.

Presented in Carrara marble or Emperador Grey stone, the collection features new round and oval basin designs, a shelf and the acclaimed Eccentric Mixer.

“Curved lines and generous proportions add an understated luxury to the pieces, while the refined shapes and considered details continue to demonstrate the craftsmanship Rogerseller is revered for” says Jo Jackson, group manager of

Designed to be paired with Rogerseller’s signature Natural Elements finishes, each piece incorporates metallic hints, making this stone and metal duo truly unique. The metal finishes drawn from the Natural Elements collection include Chrome, Brushed Chrome, Satin Chrome, Graphite, Brushed Nickel, Bright Nickel, Twilight, Matt Black, Bright Gold and Brushed Gold, creating styles defined by the individual.

Finding inspiration from the Earth’s raw resources and the untouched qualities that come from years of metamorphosis, the Eccentric Stone collection shows the result of a “whole made greater by the sum of its parts,” according to the brand. “While individually, the elements of stone and metals are well-known and loved, brought together they create a new harmony, making for an unstoppable duo.”

All photos courtesy Rogerseller.

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Suzanne Somers and Alan Hamel List Their Palm Springs Retreat

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ACTRESS, AUTHOR AND ENTREPRENEUR SUZANNE SOMERS AND HER HUSBAND ALAN HAMEL HAVE LISTED THEIR ONE-OF-A-KIND, 72-ACRE HILLSIDE RETREAT IN PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA.

The couple, who have owned this expansive mountainside compound since the late 1970s, are listing it at $9.5 million and have selected Ron Parks of Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty and Scott Lyle of Douglas Elliman Real Estate to co-list the one-of-a-kind property.

“Alan and I have finally decided to let go of our compound,” says Somers. “It’s been our private paradise; our L.A. getaway for so many years; our kids grew up here. We love entertaining on the grounds; our friends fly in from all over for a surprising south of France experience in Palm Springs. We’re changing things up a bit now and have purchased a Steve Chase-designed mid-century modern home on the other side of town. We don’t need 70-plus acres anymore; time for a new journey.”

Scattered across the main courtyard area are five buildings with 7,200 square feet of private living space, including five fully appointed bedroom suites (one of which is The Rock House by iconic architect Albert Frey), a pool house, a two-bedroom caretaker quarters, and an outdoor amphitheater carved into the mountain that seats 50 and has a dance floor that doubles as a yoga and meditation area, and offers a pool, spa, hiking trails and natural waterfall that spills down the hillside.

The compound is reachable by a private funicular, on foot or by golf cart via a private road. In the late ’70s, Somers and Hamel moved to the property as a weekend retreat; it was a safe haven, very private and an escape from their public life in L.A. Eventually, it became their permanent residence.

There have only been three owners in 100 years including the Hamels. “That says it all about this unique mountainside compound,” adds Somers.

Photos courtesy of Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty.

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Featured Agent: Becky Deutschmann of RE/MAX Twin City Realty Inc.

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Becky Deutschmann

RE/MAX Twin City Realty Inc.

519.841.6511 | www.EliteRE.ca

Featured Listing by Becky Deutschmann

323 Rideau River Place, Waterloo • Ontario

Custom-built executive home situated on a .3 of an acre lot on a court, with a finished walk-out lower level, and backing green space is now available in Conservation Meadows! This home offers approximately 5,000-plus square feet of space.

$1,349,900.

 

Becky Deutschmann originally appeared as an Elite agent in the Unique Homes Spring ’19: Elite edition. 

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Mediterranean Villa On the Market

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This fantastic Mediterranean villa showcases stunning views of the Catalan coastal sea in exclusive of Punta Brava, in Sant Feliu de Guixols, Spain in one of the most beautiful places of the Costa Brava. The property offers total privacy and a very impressive panoramic views of the coast.

Enter the home by the garage, which has an elevator to the solarium terrace with a bar and spectacular views. Going down, the third floor features a suite, a suite with a dressing room plus distributor room, a master suite with office, full bathroom and large dressing room with access to the garden. All suites showcase terrace and sea views.

Descending to the second floor, there are two suites, one with access to garden, living room with fireplace, and kitchen — all with access to the outside and spectacular views. Traveling to the first floor, it includes a cellar, electrical equipment room, gym, sauna, Turkish bath, and a cinema room with access to the private pool with a wooden platform. Additionally, there is an apartment for service with kitchen, living room, one double bedroom and one bathroom with shower. The garage can hold up to four cars.

The house, listed for 7.5 million euros by Coldwell Banker Prestige Begur, was built in 2012 with a modern design and high quality materials. It has a constructed area of 1,110 square meters on a 1,933-square-meter plot.

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Inside Celebrity Closet Designer Lisa Adams’ Dream Closet

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Lisa Adams, CEO and lead designer of LA Closet Design, the Los Angeles-based firm that changed the way we look at our closets, is ready to unveil her very own first-ever dream dressing room and closet, and we’d love to offer you a peek inside.  

After a decade of conceiving, designing and building fantasy-inspired spaces for celebrities, billionaires and tastemakers around the world, she finally put her experience to work in meshing form and fashion with high functionality in the creation of her own master closet, dressing room and handbag closet.

As she does with all her clients, her closet flows seamlessly with her home’s prevailing aesthetic as well as reflects her very own personal style. The result is a chic, elegant and soothing place in which to start her day and house her most precious belongings.

Everything in the closets reflect Lisa’s taste for timeless elegance from the pale palate and soft touches to Hermes ceiling wallpaper, custom Portola paint color created just for Lisa (she even got to name it – Closet Cashmere) and the bold but spare geometric LED brass light fixtures.

As the creative force behind LA Closet Design, Lisa’s vision is to create “personalized dressing spaces to calm the chaos of everyday living.” Her inspiration for maximizing and beautifying closet spaces came about while working for a kitchen design firm.

Seeing the great level of interest both from home owners and investors in making kitchens the new gathering space (and selling point), and a space worthy of living in and showing off, she realized that closets were the next great frontier.

Traditionally seen and used as a space for storage and a place where the door is always closed, Lisa decided to approach the closet as a new living space where homeowners could lounge, prepare, entertain and even “shop” their own closet (a concept she conceived after falling in love with the design of Armani stores).

In her career, she has created spaces for a notable client base, including Christina Aguilera, Reese Witherspoon, Tyra Banks, Khloe Kardashian, Ray Romano and Kris Jenner, among many others.

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Artist Paints 100-Foot Mural to Celebrate NoMad History

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Renowned artist Tristan Eaton, in partnership with The Kaufman Organization, has painted a 100-foot mural celebrating a NoMad icon and the history of the neighborhood during the Gilded Age.

The 97-by-40-foot mural portrays Evelyn Nesbit, known as a 20th Century fashion icon appearing on the covers of Vanity Fair, Cosmopolitan, and Harper’s Bazaar. Evelyn was highly sought after as a model by the top brands of the day, embodying the Gilded Age with the ascension of fashion photography and setting the standard for female beauty. An upscale unveiling party for the mural was held on May 16 in New York City.

Various images depicting the rich history of the NoMad area, the original Madison Square Garden and New York City during the Gilded Age are interwoven in a collage throughout the mural. The images were curated with the assistance of a New York City historian.

The Kaufman team worked closely with local historical and landmark preservation experts to ensure the mural would accurately and appropriately represent Ms. Nesbit’s story and the history of the NoMad area.

Tristan Eaton has been a leader in the advertising and commercial art spheres and is regularly commissioned by a roster of clients that include Nike, Versace, and even Barack Obama. Eaton’s work can also be seen in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection.

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New Options for Wine Storage

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Vinotemp, the recognized leader in architectural wine storage solutions and cooling technology, has announced the exclusive addition of the VinCave Wine Cellar 200 and the VinCave Wine Cellar 450 to its wine storage offering. The unique, modular, underground wine cellar solutions are designed to leverage the cool temperatures found underground to properly – and efficiently – cellar up to 450 bottles of wine.

“Since Vinotemp’s founding over three decades ago we have been dedicated to designing, creating and discovering unique products that add style and next-level function to wine storage,” says India Hynes, CEO of Vinotemp. “We’re excited to exclusively offer VinCave Wine Cellars to wine connoisseurs as it is a testament to Vinotemp’s commitment to providing products that enhance the design aesthetic and functionality of wine storage.”

The minimalist, European-designed VinCave Wine Cellars are engineered to utilize the cooler, consistent temperatures found underground to properly store wine. This environmentally friendly, efficiently engineered design requires the cellars be installed on a flat floor surface at either ground or basement level.

The VinCave Wine Cellar 200 features a glass covering and a push-button elevation function that raises the wine collection above ground for easy access, while the VinCave Wine Cellar 450 features a sleek glass door that both covers and opens electrically to allow access to the cellar. Both versions feature a ventilation system and 100 percent stainless steel chassis and frames.

Photo courtesy of Vinotemp.

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This Floating Home Can Withstand a Category 4 Hurricane

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While man grapples with the fear of the unknown such as stronger hurricanes and solution to rising seas that they worry will eventually turn inland cities such as Orlando and Philadelphia into beachfront property, a Florida company has found a solution for the very wealthy: the houseboat of the future. Equipped to run on shore power or the sun, Arkup’s “first electrical livable yacht” combines a luxury yacht, waterfront villa and self-sustainability into a glamorous floating-motoring home. Able to run completely off grid via 2,300 square feet of rooftop solar panels, the boat has four spuds that can lift it above the water on its automated hydraulic pilings. It can withstand a Category Four hurricane and provide a grand lifestyle off the grid almost anywhere there is water. With no yard work or property taxes.

Measuring 75 feet in length with a 32-foot beam, the Arkup has 4,350 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space divided between the main and upper decks. It can cruise to new locations, tie up at a dock or hydraulically rise and stand above the water. Cutting-edge contemporary design with open floor plan and floor-to-ceiling glass walls bring in unobstructed ocean, bay, lake or river views and extend out to five terraces with glass railings. The main deck contains the main living area and fully equipped Miele kitchen. There is also a two-berth crew cabin that can be used as an office, a bathroom, laundry room with washer and dryer, trash room with compactor, outdoor kitchen and helm station. The upper deck has four ensuite, king-size bedrooms. The master suite has a walk-in closet, balcony and free-standing Jacuzzi.

Whether one’s intent is to contribute to a light footprint on the planet or to assuage fear of getting their foundation wet from the melting ice cap, Arkup offers several options. Charter before making the decision to buy at $6,000 a night for eight guests or purchase starting at $5.5 million up to $12 million. The existing floating villa on offer is priced at $5.9 million completely furnished and decorated. Arkup is co-brokered by Marius Koller of MK Miami Real Estate and Antonio Maldonado, Advantaged Yacht Charters, both located in Miami.

Source: TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.

Photo courtesy of Craig Denis.

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Spring Giving

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In May and June, we take time to show love to Mom and Dad. Thousands of items are marketed to appeal to parents, but for the more impressive, indulgent gifts that go beyond your typical jewelry set or spiffy tie clip, check out these finds!

Picnic Perfect

 

French brand Les Jardins de la Comtesse combines tradition and exoticism in its successful collection of picnic baskets, called Bel Air.

 

Designed in natural honey-colored wicker, these baskets are sold completely with tropical-style plates, stemware, wood-effect cutlery and accessories, salt and pepper shakers, a corkscrew/bottle opener and an additional waterproof bag.

 

With chip/break-resistant dishes, adjustable straps, and a large insulated compartments with inner tabs, this modern take on a classic lunch accessory is ideal for outdoor meals — a perfect addition to any Mother’s Day brunch outside.

Photo courtesy Les Jardins de la Comtesse.

Green Thumbs Up

 

For the parent who loves to cook or grow his/her own produce, Plantui is a futuristic tool that allows you to have a hydroponic garden directly in your home.

 

Plantui revolutionizes the idea of agricultural self-production, synthesizing all that is needed in a handful of square centimeters and in a design object, capable of simultaneously growing up to 12 plants with its patented system that works year round.

 

The growth process, combined with an intelligent irrigation system with nutrients, reproduces the light spectrum of photosynthesis, giving plants the right amount and quality of light necessary for optimal development.

 

The light and the automatic irrigation system are regulated by Plantui Smart Garden during the different stages of growth from the plant, creating the conditions for obtaining healthy, fresh and tasty herbs and salads.

Plantui Smart Garden 6. Photo courtesy Plantui.

Sets to Impress

 

Farrar & Tanner’s collection of personalized gifts let you show Mom or Dad how much they mean to you. The brand’s selection includes premium gins and sparkling wines in personalized wood gifts boxes, beautiful gardening tools and stylish coffee accessories.

 

For Dad – Gins

JJ Whitley have been family distillers for eight generations and still craft their gin in copper pots giving you a smooth and complex flavor. Blended with eight botanicals and hints of juniper, pepper and parma violets this gin is sure to impress any palette. This is the perfect choice for enjoying over ice or with tonic.

For a sweeter palette, Gordon’s delivers a premium gin using all natural flavorings. The sweetness of strawberries and raspberries is balanced with the natural tang of redcurrant for a truly refreshing taste. Gordon’s has produced an exceptional pink gin with an eye-catching color which is delicious served with tonic and fresh strawberries.

For Mom – Gardening

 

Handcrafted in the UK by Burgon & Ball, this gift set is ideal for aspiring and avid gardeners. The centerpiece of this collection is a traditionally shaped, folding pruning blade, delicately treated for superior edge retention. The subtle curvature of the pronounced hook ensures a fine cut is completed in one swift movement. The robust, wooden handle has a rustic finish to suit larger hands. A miniature sharpening steel is included to keep the blade in superb condition. Endorsed by the Royal Horticultural Society and packaged in a unique presentation box, this is a charming, practical gift to inspire green thumbs.

 

This stunning copper set by Haws has a lustrous finish which is beautiful both in use and on display. The premium watering can is a piece of British gardening history based on the original 100-year-old design. Ideal for watering small plants and pots throughout the home, this lightweight design comes with a brass rose making it suitable for a variety of watering locations. The elegant mist sprayer adds moisture in dry environments which is perfect for helping orchids and succulents to flourish.

 

Featuring a splendid bronze blade, the Musca Trowel is the perfect way to add a lavish touch to the gardening experience. Practical for working with loose sandy soil or compost, the signature PKS bronze handle glides through the earth with its scoop design and sharp, resilient edge.

Photos courtesy Farrar & Tanner.

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