All posts by ezra

Riot in the Maldives, is it safe to go back?

December 8, 2008 ezra Leave a comment

12/08/2008
Trouble in paradise… It started on November 30th with 13 employees refusing to leave after being fired from the luxury resort island. The situation escalated into a full on riot with over 200 employees clashing with somewhere between 20 and 50 police. Police used pepper spray and electric batons to subdue the crowd and make arrests.

Then Tuesday December 2nd, the employees rose up again with 100 employees protesting. Management says that the strikers have given no specific demands, and that they will be also be fired on Monday with the resort closed, if they do not return to work. 4 days later 200 employees began a hunger strike. Organizers of the protest say that they are following tactics that worked for the employees of similar resorts in Manafaru and Cinnamon.

No resolution has been reported as of yet.

Sources:
Human Rights Commission Defends Report
We Will Close Down If Necessary: Resort Manager

Ski/Snowboard

Hotel Terra at Jackson Hole, an Eco-Luxury first

December 7, 2008 ezra Leave a comment

Wyoming hole? You mean Jackson Hole, Wyoming. You will ski and snowboard it like you mean it! 4,139 vertical feet with 2,500 acres of in bound terrain, and over 3,000 back country. With that much area, Jackson Hole has one of the lowest skier densities in the country.

Okay, after skiing you’ll chill out and put your feet up at a really sweet mountain resort. Hotel Terra at Jackson Hole is one of the best around. At the high end, this and the Four Seasons are your best resort options in Jackson.

Terra offers the advantage of a smaller carbon footprint, as it is one of the first eco-friendly green hotels. What does that mean? Well, to name a couple things: 100% recycled shingles, 90% of interiors capture natural sunlight, made from 80% recycled steel, super high tech water and air filtration systems, and more.

Here are some photos:

jackson_hotel_terra_guest_area

luxury suites

The brand new Chill Spa at Terra
terra_chill_spa

View of the Terra hotel, which is pending LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) at night

hotelterra_snow_night

what you can expect heading into town

jacksonhole_community

here’s the trail map, so that you can plan your day:
jackson_trail_map

allright, now get psyched!

A few more links:
http://www.hotelterrajacksonhole.com/
www.jacksonhole.com
http://www.jhunderground.com/
http://www.jacksonhole.net/transportation.htm

Beach

Mondrian South Beach Miami now open!

December 7, 2008 ezra Leave a comment

The newest phase south beach luxury hotels has just opened. Designed to be “Sleeping Beauty’s Castle” Mondrian is now open in South Beach Miami. The Morgans group does it again, putting fun hotels in beach towns where the glamorous hang out. The grounds are full of secret pathways through lush gardens, plunge pools, pool bars, and cabanas – with a separate area for kids.

The unique thing about this hotel is the condo aspect. Residences at South Beach Mondrian start at $500,000. Owners enjoy the same concierge and amenities as guests, only they never have to leave the renowned FL beach city.

mondrian-pool

mondrian_southbeach_lobby

mondrian_staircase

south-beach-mondrian

MONDRIAN
1100 West Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139
T 305 514 1500 F 305 695 3277
Reservations US 800 697 1791
Reservations International 00800 4969 1780

Rocky Mtns., Ski/Snowboard

Banff Hotel, Alberta Canada

November 23, 2008 ezra Leave a comment

Stay in a castle on your next vacation to the Old World. Set in the Canadian Rockies, this luxury hotel outside of Alberta opened its doors in 1888.

banf hotel offers luxury in the candaian rockies

Get a room with a view of the Bow river, then go relax in their newly renovated spa. Depending on the season, venture out doors for golf, world class fishing, or hit the local slopes at Norquay, Sunshine Village, or Lake Lake Louise.