luxury

Friday, June 12, 2015

Amanjiwo Áman Resort, Java

Resting within a natural amphitheater, Amanjiwo Áman Resort, which means peaceful soul, is one of Indonesia’s most enriching and elegant places at which to lodge.

Situated in Java, the world’s most populated island, Amanjiwo attracts tourists from all over the world and provides them with unforgettable experiences.

A true sanctuary

Amanjiwo overlooks Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist sanctuary, in the rural heartland of Central Java. Located in one of the most scenic parts of the country, Amanjiwo rests within a natural amphitheater; the Menoreh Hills rise up behind and no less than four volcanoes grace the horizon.

Amanjiwo provides the opportunity for immersion in Javanese culture, offering trips to ceremonies, temples and antique shops. Private dawn and sunset visits to Borobudur and other archeological monuments in the vicinity are a highlight of a stay at Amanjiwo.

Amanjiwo’s main building is framed by 36 suites set in two graceful crescents. Limestone walls give shape to stone walkways that link the suites to the main building, the swimming pool and the Dalem Jiwo Suite.

The pantheon-like circular architecture provides the optimal space for an oasis of luxury, with strategically placed pavilions that feature the sweeping views overlooking Borobudur. The complex consists of 10 Garden Suites, 10 Borobudur Suites, 7 Garden Pool Suites, 7 Borobudur Pool Suites and a DalemJiwo Suite.

Amanjiwo’s suites feature domed roofs and sliding glass doors that open onto garden terraces. All suites include a thatched-roof bale with a daybed for outdoor lounging and dining, and 15 suites enjoy private pools. Views from the suites are of picturesque terraced farmland and the Menoreh Hills, or of Borobudur and the surrounding valley.

The Dalem Jiwo Suite is a discrete compound, complete with two free-standing bedroom pavilions, a central rotunda for dining or relaxing and a 15-metre, Javanesestone swimming pool.

A full array of activities

Amanjiwo provides an ideal base for discovery in Central Java allowing guests to explore the region’s unique culture, centuries-old temples, vibrant markets, natural beauty and colorful festivals. Personalised excursions can be arranged by car or by bicycle, atop an elephant, on horseback or in an andong, the horse carts used daily by local villagers.

Within the resort, there is also an outdoor infinity swimming pool, made of limestone blocks, lined with green tiles and surrounded by rice paddies and banyan trees. Next to it is the Pool Club, so guests can treat themselves with light meals and drinks, while in the hotel’s Restaurant they can enjoy traditional Javanese specialties.

For those who want to relax, the Spa Center at Amanjiwo offers high quality massages. Different body treatments are at guests’ disposal: massages and treatments in the privacy of their rooms or in the spa suite. For the more active ones, Amanjiwo offers fitness equipment in the Gym Suite, along with a personal trainer, and a tennis center.

In short, Amanjiwo provides guests with an uniquely cultural and deeply-felt emotional experience.

More info & Online booking

Viceroy Riviera Maya – Mexico

Get away from it all and indulge in laid-back luxury at Viceroy Riviera Maya, a secluded, adults-only getaway with a sensational Mayan inspired spa, gourmet Mexican cuisine, and private pool villas hidden away in the lush jungle

Although close to Playa del Carmen, the resort feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle of city life, and each of its luxurious accommodations is a haven of serenity complete with furnished patio, al-fresco shower, and private plunge pool. The interior design is a tasteful mix of minimalist ethnic décor and high-tech amenities.

More info & Online booking

Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal the founder of Kingdom Holding

The business magnate Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz al Saud was born on the 7th of March 1955 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia as the son of Prince Talal and of Mona Al Solh, who was the daughter of the first Prime Minister of Lebanon.

He was also one of the nephews of King Abdullah, the Saudi ruler.

Prince Talal was the finance minister of Saudi Arabia during the 1960s and then he went to exile when he advocated a political reform. The family separated when Al-Waleed was seven years old and he went to live in Lebanon with the mother. During the time he liked to wander and go away from his home for a while, sleeping wherever he could, so he finally ended up in the Riyadh military school to change his ways.

The discipline Al-Waleed learned here would be followed by him for the rest of his life and once military school was over he went to Menlo College in California, graduating in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in the field of business administration. The social science master was next which he received with honors in 1985 from the Syracuse University.

With graduation Al-Waleed went into business right away, returning to Saudi Arabia right in the middle of the oil boom that began in 1974. He received a $30,000 loan from his father and focused on construction contracts and real estates which would be managed from a small pre-fabricated office in Riyadh.

His first billion dollars was made by selling land and by working as a point man for different multinational companies to seek local contracts. When the oil boom ended he changed the investment portfolio and bought the United Saudi Commercial Bank which was struggling at the time. He put the company back on track and merged with Saudi Cairo Bank and SAMBA to make it one of the most important banks in the Middle East.

He was building his fortune in the country but in 1991 he became the interest of the international investing community when he bought a large amount of shares in Citicorp in a moment that the company was in difficulty. The $550 million spent to bail out Citibank as well as the investment in a lot of publicly traded companies from USA such as News Corp., Disney and Apple made his fortune grow.

In 1995 he acquired 42% of the New York Plaza Hotel. By 1997 he owned 5% of News Corporation and the empire of luxury hotel properties would increase as well. His investments were usually made along with his conglomerate Kingdom Holding.

He gave $10 million to New York after the attacks on 11 September 2001 and the money were later returned. Before the financial crisis of 2007 Citibank was what constituted half of his worth and he started increasing his interest in the company from 1990 when he bought the minimum amount of shares which could be bought without having to declare the purpose (4.9%). In 1991 the new preferred shares were bought for $590 million and this brought his overall stake at 14.9%.

The large amounts of money he was investing made him become the main subject in an article from The Economist in 1999 expressing doubts about his sources of income and they supposed that he was a front man for more investors from the Saudi Arabia.

Massive new investments followed in AOL, Apple, Motorola, Fox Broadcasting, MCI Inc. and other media or technology companies as well as in the Eastman Kodak and the TWA airline. He holds stake in the Four Seasons hotel chain as well as the Plaza Hotel and he invested in the Savoy Hotel in London and the Monte Carlo Grand Hotel as well.

Other hospitality investments followed in January 2005 when he purchased the Savoy Hotel for 250 million GBP and his sister Sultana Nurul also own 16% stake. In January 2006 he acquired the Fairmont Hotels and Resorts for $3.9 billion in partnership with the Colony Capital real estate firm.

By 2009 Al-Waleed was the owner of 35% of the Research and Marketing Group which was the largest media company in the Middle East and as a display of his wealth he contracted the Bin Laden Group to design the tallest building in the world in August 2011 entitled the Kindgom Tower with a height of 1000 meters with a preliminary cost of $1.23 billion and today it is still under construction.

Another impressive purchase was made in December 2011 when he invested $300 million in Twitter by buying secondary shares from various insides leading Kingdom Holding to own over 3% of the company, an amount that was valued at $8 billion during the same year.

His first wife was Dalal bint Saud, one of King Saud’s daughters and before their divorce they had two children together: Reem and Khalid. The second wife was Ameera al-Taweel and later on was separated from her as well, making the statement that “she remains a person that I have all respect for”.

With a current net worth of $22.9 billion, Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal Alsaud is known for his eccentric lifestyle, never shying away from large expenses. Most of the fortune comes from the 95% stake in Kingdom Holding and the other parts come from the real estate, stocks, media, private equity and aircraft.

He travels on a retrofitted Boeing 747 that had two bedrooms, a dining room and only 14 seats. His home in Saudi Arabia has no less than 420 rooms and spreads over 370,000 square feet. He has its own zoo at home with zebras, giraffes and gazelles and this is just one of the five residences he owns in the area of Riyadh. He once stated that his properties are valued at $4.69 billion.

He owned the Kingdom 5KR yacht which was originally built for the Saudi arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi in 1979 and it has a length of 85.9 meters. Later on he sold it to Donald Trump who renamed it Trump Princess but after the second bankruptcy of Trump the yacht was bought back.

Al-Waleed is an active philanthropist offering donations especially for education initiatives and projects that want to fill the gaps and improve communication between the Western and Islamic communities, creating centers of American studies in the universities of the Middle East and centers of Islamic studies in the Western universities.

DUBAI BREAKS VISITORS RECORD

Dubai last year attracted a record number of over 13 million visitors...

This emirate has now become a champion of the growth of the tourism sector. Total of 13.2 million foreigners visited Dubai last year, which is an increase of 8.2 percent compared to last year. They hope that by 2020 they will have around 20 million tourists a year, since then is held the World Exhibition in this city.

The figures presented in March of this year show that Dubai had 9.8 percent more compared to the 6.5 billion Euros that were earned last year. This is the best annual result of Dubai since the global financial crisis of 2009.

Turmoil in other, traditional tourist destinations of the Middle East is what travelers from abroad focused in Dubai and given them the opportunity to earn such a reputation as a very safe place for tourists and business.

The economy of Dubai has experienced a decline of 2.4 percent in 2009, when the global debt crisis has shaken the whole world. Thereafter, Dubai from Abu Dhabi received 10 billion Euros for the restructuring and repayment of debts and since then, the growth of the city does not stop.