by Tricia Jean-Baptiste
posted February 9, 2007
After many years of male domination, the luxury hospitality market is now experiencing a new trend - luxury hotels, resorts and villas owned and designed by women. From Shambala Estate in Bali, the high-end Lindian Village in Rhodes, Greece and Casa Colonial in the Dominican Republic to the ultra chic Cerulean-Villa on St. Barnes Bay, Anguilla women are now leading the charge in ownership and design of unique luxury hotels and resorts.
This new breed of hoteliers is inspired by a booming luxury travel market, as well as personal experiences as hotel guests traveling for corporate and leisure. The end-result is hotels, resorts and villas that focus on the smallest details and design elements which incorporate comfort and style into communal areas to provide an ‘at home’ atmosphere. Another factor that distinguishes this group from its male counterparts is the commitment to using high-end materials for a truly luxurious experience.
Inarguably, there has been an increase in recent years of luxurious hotels, resorts and villas in the world’s most desirable destinations created, owned and managed by women: Rhodes in ancient Greece is home to Lindian Village, a five-star resort and conference center owned by Marisa Sviriades and her family; Cerulean Villa is the creation of filmmaker Laurie Weltz and is situated on the most coveted strip of beach in Anguilla; Shambala Estate and Parrot Cay offer unique hospitality experiences and are owned by Christina Ong; Hotel Esprit in St-Germain on the Left Bank of Paris, France is owned by Laurence Tafanel and Casa Colonial in the Dominican Republic was designed by Sarah Garcia who also owns the resort with her family.
In addition to purchasing high-end properties, women are also designing hotels with an emphasis on providing the ultimate guest experience along with conveniences and comforts of an upscale home. Attention to detail is the focus among female architects and hotel/resort owners.
Female hoteliers such as Laurence Tafanel, owner of Hotel Esprit St-Germain, specifically requested shower heads positioned in a precise location within the shower, extended shower walls instead of curtains, hairdryers that fit neatly in mirrored medicine chests, along with outlets above writing desks for laptops and PDA’s. Architects such as Sarah Garcia, who created Casa Colonial Beach Spa in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, incorporate cultural artifacts and treatments into their design along with unique touches to transport guests to a relaxed state. Below are the women who have been instrumental in creating some of the world’s most renowned hotels, resorts and villas:
-Sarah Garcia – Casa Colonial Beach and Spa, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
Casa Colonial, which opened in December 2004, stands out from the other all-inclusive resort properties in the Dominican Republic. Owned and managed by VH Hotels & Resorts, founded by Sarah’s father, Don Isidro Garcia, Casa Colonial offers a true five-star experience along the Dominican Republic’s Amber Coast. The boutique beach resort was designed to reflect the rich Spanish-colonial architecture and history of the area.
Sarah Garcia’s inspiration for Casa Colonial came from a family vacation to the scenic beach town of Forte dei Marmi in Tuscany, Italy. While walking on the beach with her daughters, Garcia observed the ornate antique villas and homes on the oceanfront. She began to research the style of villas and how the Europeans lived to create her own version of a sophisticated beach villa in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. She incorporated varying French and Spanish colonial architectural styles and added a Caribbean influence to create a boutique resort that resembles an antique Mediterranean villa with the intimacy of a private home.
When designing Casa Colonial, Ms. Garcia felt that it was important to utilize local Dominican materials in the design. She used Dominican coral stone, iron and mahogany wood throughout the property. Unique sculptures made from restored palm trees damaged by a storm on her father’s farm adorn the entrance of the resort’s lobby. The hallways leading to the guestrooms include a display of simple clay jars once used on her family’s farm to keep water cold. The room numbers are embroidered on pieces of linen that are framed on the guestroom doors, representing an old Dominican tradition. The resort’s suites are also given the names of Garcia family members and the property’s upscale restaurant, Lucia, is named after one of Sarah’s sisters.
Ms. Garcia began her architectural career at the Universita Internazionale Dell’ Arte in Florence, Italy where she studied architecture. Her passion to design resorts and hotels developed while studying in Florence and Garcia focused her university thesis on the challenges of designing a “wellness” resort. At that time she designed her first hotel, Victoria Golf & Beach Resort also in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
After assisting with the design of Victoria Golf & Beach Resort, Ms. Garcia went on to design and remodel ten additional hotels and resorts throughout the Caribbean including the Bahia Principe in Rio San Juan, D.R., her family’s Gran Ventana Beach Resort in Puerto Plata, D.R. the extension of the Sol de Plata hotel in Sosua, D.R., the redesign of the LTI hotel in Punta Cana, D.R., the redesign of the Allegro hotel in Turks & Caicos, the full architectural and interior design of the Hotelpa Caribe Club and the Hotelpa Caribe Tropical in Punta Cana, D.R. the Ocean Blue and Ocean Sands resorts in Punta Cana, D.R. and the full interior and exterior design of Casa Colonial Beach & Spa.
-Deborah Berke – Cerulean Villa, St. Barnes Bay, Anguilla
The concept of Cerulean Villa was developed by filmmaker Laurie Weltz and renowned New York architect Deborah Berke. They wanted to create an upscale retreat in Anguilla, British Virgin Islands that offered five-star service in an exclusive residential setting. The seven-bedroom home comfortably accommodates families traveling with children, yet the design and décor maintains sophistication for adults.
The layout of the 13,000 square foot beachfront property was designed to take advantage of the breathtaking views of the cerulean blue sea. The lavish two-story, white Mediterranean-style home features domed roofs and dots the lush sun-drenched coast of Anguilla. Upon entering the property, the rich blue hues of the sparkling sea peek through the cut-out of the front entrance. Through the front doors lies a 3,000 square-foot stone pool terrace with a sleek 40x25 freshwater pool that reflects the ocean.
Indoor and outdoor living and dining space surrounds the pool terrace, each with views of the sea. The home features a very airy, open design with clean lines, natural hues and comfortable furnishings. The indoor living room of the home resemble a Moorish palace with a high domed ceiling, stone floors, intricate Moroccan mosaics, oversized cushions and a soothing fountain. The intimate dining room can accommodate up to 16 guests.
The seven spacious bedrooms of the home each feature private terraces that overlook the ocean. The rooms include high ceilings, louvered French doors, stone tile floors and furniture designed specifically for the house, and made by craftsmen in both Mexico and Morocco. Each bedroom features an en-suite oversized bathroom with imported marble, deck tubs and glass enclosed showers. Two of the bathrooms also have private outdoor garden showers.
Each guestroom features a different theme that is reflected through the furnishings and artwork. The artwork within the rooms was collected by Weltz and includes antique maps of the Caribbean, paintings by local Anguillan artisans and unique old photographs of Morocco and Asia taken by Weltz’s grandfather and photographer, Arnold Askin during his world travels.
The home also includes tropical gardens throughout the property. In front of the house is a meditation courtyard tiled in cerulean blue tiles surrounded by tropical flowers and lush vegetation. Flowers from the garden are cut daily and placed within the guestrooms. A second garden is located within the villa and includes a soothing waterfall. The garden provides the perfect space for a tranquil massage or spa treatment.
While the entire villa maintains a comfortable and casual elegance, details throughout change from season to season. Each year Ms. Weltz supplies the home with fresh designer table linens, glassware and amenities to ensure that the villa is continually updated providing a five-star experience for all guests.
-Laurence Tafanel – Hotel Esprit St-Germain, Paris, France
When Laurence Tafanel, owner and operator of Hotel Esprit St-Germain decided to open a hotel it came as no surprise, as a descendant from a long line of hoteliers owning a hotel was inevitable. In fact, her grandparents were hoteliers in Paris in addition to owning a beverage distribution company. Today, Ms.Tafanel serves as general manager of Tafanel, the family’s 75 year old beverage distribution company and respected supplier to Paris’ leading hotels. Keeping with family tradition, she also oversees operations for her 31-room hotel.
When Ms. Tafanel began to consider a concept for the hotel she considered her extensive travels and what was most important to her as a hotel guest. Thus the concept of a private residence was born. An avid traveler who has had an opportunity to sample some of the world’s best-rated hotels, Ms. Tafanel drew upon her many hotel experiences, both good and bad, to create a hotel philosophy that sets out to truly exceed guests’ expectations. She also drew upon her experience growing up in an extended family where entertaining for a vast group of people was the norm. It was those cherished memories Ms. Tafanel incorporated into the daily operation of the hotel to make guests feel not only welcome but at home.
Ms. Tafanel’s personal experiences were the inspiration for Hotel Esprit St-Germain. But more importantly, she wanted the hotel to be, in her opinion, the ideal hotel – a home away from home. After a three-year, $8 million renovation, that vision became Hotel Esprit St-Germain. The attention to detail reflects Ms. Tafanel’s desire to provide guests with the very best of everything, including personalized services and the latest in technology and state-of-the-art equipment. The total renovation of two adjoining 18th-century buildings included a stylish interior featuring raw plaster walls, slate tiles, marble flooring, warm leather and rich fabrics. The 31 guest rooms feature flat-screen TVs, wall mounted DVD/CD players, cordless phones, king-size beds, tea and coffee making facilities, mini-bar and luxurious en-suite bathrooms.
Complementing this tireless attention to design is an attitude that always places guests first. Total guest satisfaction is the catalyst for the hotel’s success. As a successful entrepreneur, Ms. Tafanel understands that it takes a team of committed staff to provide the service that meets and exceeds guests’ expectations. That said, Ms. Tafanel has created a working environment that encourages camaraderie, pride and loyalty that resonates in the level of service provided.
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