BEAUTY AS A HABIT
STYL ED ETA IL SAN DG OODFOOD.THE SE ARETWOSTAPL ES FORAR CHI TECT GIORGIO P AL ERMO,WH OHE R ED RAWSTHE TOP LISTO F HI SFAVORITE HOTELS.INHISTH REE CITI ES OF HE ART- PALERMO, PARI SANDDUBAI-BU TAL SO IN MUSCAT, L ON DON, NEW YORK ANDSHANGH AI
«Let’s start from Palermo, my hometown. The Grand Hotel Villa Igiea has two strengths: the location, on the slopes of Mount Pellegrino, and architecture. I love the garden that overlooks the gulf from the small port of Acquasanta, and the Liberty interiors refer to times when the city was an international cultural landmark. And then... Sicilian and fish cuisine is worth the trip! Paris is the city that adopted me at the end of my studies. There I suggest the Hotel du Petit Moulin, a boutique hotel with small staircases and corridors that lead you to discover whimsical and lively rooms, one different from the other. I always have the curiosity to go back there to see the ones I haven’t visited yet. Then let’s move on to Dubai, where
I have been living for 20 years, and the first upscale hotel that has been able to give a reinterpretation of the classic Arabic style in a luxury version, but with no unnecessary excess, is the Royal Mirage One & Only (2,3). I often go there for its several restaurants, from local to international, and with very different atmospheres. On the Palm Jumeirah, we find the W Dubai: minimalist white exteriors in contrast with colorful interiors. Great care of furnishings and lighting, which makes the W a reference point in contemporary interior design. Among the restaurants, Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura. In the Gulf area, The Chedi Muscat in Oman is a hotel that has already distinguished itself a lot for its minimal and refined design. Beautiful long palm-lined pool and corners of absolute privacy in the suites surrounded by greenery, just few steps from the beach. Returning to Europe, in London I must mention Blakes. In one phrase, great personality. Each room is a small masterpiece of design and each single stay will leave you a different memory from the previous one. I think it did influence some of my residential projects. Traditional and high-class, unique for its history and the high level of its clientele is the Dorchester Hotel, a stone’s throw from Hyde Park, where I have spent several business lunches with some of my customers from Dubai. Location and view are the strengths of The James (1), in Soho, New York. Simple and modern, and with a breathtaking view of Wall Street skyscrapers both from the rooms and from the rooftop with swimming pool, where you can go before and after dinner. In Shanghai, your day will best end on the Peninsula’s terrace. Here, the not-to-be-missed architectural detail is the large pool of the Spa, topped by an elegant skylight».