When tech tycoons become hoteliers
Aoife O'Riordain takes a look at some of the uber-cool hotels - all owned by tech tycoons.
|||London - Aoife O’Riordain takes a look at some of the uber-cool hotels that opened across the globe recently, all owned by tech tycoons.
Arrive, Palm Springs
One of the most hotly anticipated new hotels in Palm Springs has opened just in time to host some of crowds arriving for Coachella festival, held in this Californian desert resort each April.
Owned by former Facebook employee Ezra Callahan, the hotel is firmly pitched at a fun-loving, tech-savvy, socially connected crowd. With a mid-century modern look, the hotel's 32 rooms face onto a central swimming pool edged by the reservoir restaurant.
Needless to say, the wi-fi is fast and free, and there's Netflix, Hulu and Apple TV, as well as smartphones that function as room keys. Ezra has dispensed with some annoying hotel practices such as inflated mini-bar prices and parking fees - and each member of staff has been trained across the whole service spectrum, so can check you in or mix you a cocktail.
1551 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, California, USA (001 760 507 1650; arrivehotels.com). Doubles from $189 (about 2 200), room only.
The Serras, Barcelona
The inspiration for Jordi Serra's 30-room boutique hotel came from his many years on the road as the owner of a global tech firm, Compuspar. His chosen career means that the hotel, just off the waterfront in Barcelona's atmospheric Barri Gòtic neighbourhood, is bang up to date when it comes to staying connected, but it's the simple pleasures that also stand out.
There's the rooftop bar and pool with views over the beach, and 30 stylish bedrooms with a breezy modern feel. The history of the 19th-century building also still shines though, with the Picasso Suite named in honour of the artist, whose first Barcelona studio was here.
Passeig de Colom 9, Barcelona, Spain (00 34 9 316 918 68; designhotels.com). Doubles from €262 (about R1 800), room only.
The Battery, San Francisco
Having made $850m from the sale of their social network Bebo (which they later bought back for $1m), husband-and-wife team Michael and Xochi Birch founded The Battery in 2013. A private members' club initially, it's since expanded to include a hotel, whose 14 rooms are available to non-members. Following a five-year renovation of the once-derelict building, interiors now have a mid-century flavour, with hardword floors, exposed brick and leather furniture. 717 Battery Street, San Francisco, California, USA (001 415 230 8000; thebatterysf.com/hotel). Doubles from £517 (about R10 800), room only.
The Drake Devonshire, Ontario
Located in the small town of Wellington in Ontario's wine-producing region of Prince Edward County, The Drake Devonshire is sister hotel to The Drake, which transformed a down-at-heel Toronto neighbourhood into one of the city's hippest hangouts. Both were founded by Jeff Stober, chairman of Randstad Technologies and founder of Saber Consulting.
With its quirky rooms offering a more modern take on the traditional country inn, the Drake by the lake as its own distinct quirky Canadiana charm. Set gazing out over the sea-like expanse of Lake Ontario, the airy double height bar-cum-dining room buzzes at weekends from dawn to the small hours. 24 Wharf Street, Wellington, Ontario, Canada (001 613 399 3338; drakedevonshire.com). Doubles from C$229 (about R2 600), room only.
Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland
As one of the highest-paid female executives in the US, Zita Cobb cashed out of her highly paid job at fibre-optics giant JDS Uniphase to return to her roots as an eighth-generation Fogo islander. In creating the 29-suite Fogo Island Inn, on the coast of north-west Newfoundland, Cobb placed this remote and rugged place firmly on the travel lust list.
Designed by Newfoundland-born architect Todd Saunders, the extraordinary angular building is set off by the stark beauty of the surrounding landscape. Cobb also set up the notfor-profit Fogo Island Arts charity and installed artists' studios, and guests of the inn are encouraged to buy the locally made patchwork quilts adorning each of the rooms to lend further support to Fogo's rural regeneration. Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada (001 709 658 3444; fogoislandinn.ca). Doubles from C$795, room only.
Ballyfin, Ireland
US electronics magnate and former Molex chairman Fred Krehbiel and his Irish-born wife spent a considerable fortune rescuing one of Ireland's finest Regency mansions and arguably improving on its former splendour. Constructed in 1820 for the aristocratic Coote family, the building opened as a hotel five years ago with 15 stately rooms; a further five were added last year. Each one is decked out with period furniture and art collected by the Krehbiels. Guests can explore the 600-acre estate, set at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, with its lake, 18th-century folly, walled gardens and woodland - in spring the latter is blanketed with a carpet of bluebells. Ballyfin Demesne, Ballyfin, County Laois, Ireland (00 353 58 775 5866; ballyfin.com). Doubles from €560, B&B.
Four Seasons Lanai, Hawaii
In 2012, billionaire Oracle boss Larry Ellison spent a reported $300m to buy about 97 percent of the Hawaiian holiday isle of Lanai. Set just off Maui, this former pineapple plantation is home to a number of hotels including the Four Seasons, which reopened recently following a complete overhaul. Overlooking the exotic allure of Hulopoe Bay, the resort has a cliff-top Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, a Nobu restaurant and a newly launched outpost of Los Angeles favourite Malibu Farm. Lanai City, Hawaii, USA (001 808 565 200; fourseasons.com). Doubles from $1 219, room only.
The Independent