One Kube Hotel, on the rocks: St. Tropez

The Kube Hotel St. Tropez has just recently opened its doors and not a moment too soon. Being touted as the coolest new hotel on the Riviera, the Kube has plenty of ice-themed surprises for guests. Urban Daddy wrote, “It’s not just the ice bar: this party palace is turning just about everything on its head. Instead of a front desk, you’ll pick up your key inside a massive glass cube, suspended on a boardwalk over the place’s indoor pool. At night, DJs preside over the other pool—the one on the roof—and if you get a little too warm there’s always, yes, the ice room downstairs, filled with blocks of glowing frost and lissome resorters. If you get the feeling you’ve seen this in a James Bond movie…it’s because you have. (Die Another Day, to be exact—hey, we didn’t say it was a good Bond movie.)”

Claus Sendlinger, who has only recently returned from his epic Asian journey is double double duty checking out our new hotel as well as vacationing. He will check in from time to time with us about his findings, experiences, and ever-so-high-resolution iPhone pics.

Morning at the Kube and breakfast by the pool…

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Design HOtels Book Sighting, Mendo Shop: Amsterdam

Today´s Design Hotels Book sighting comes courtesy of Michael “Giggi” Schickinger who happens to be our beloved former Creative Director :). He captured this book sighting at the Mendo bookstore in Amsterdam.

Buy your own Design Hotels Book 2009 Edition here!

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Spin Ceramics, Beijing

Upon arrival in Beijing (or Peking depending where you come from) a “must see” is the Spin ceramics store in the Chaoyang district. In only four years, Spin has three showrooms, one each in Shanghai, Beijing and Melbourne and is on a mission to bring traditional Chinese quality and craftsmanship to an affordable level.

Claus forwarded several images…

Open 10.30am ? 9.30pm
6 Fangyuan Xilu,
Chaoyang District
Telephone: 6437 8649

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Shhhhh…! SECRET RESTAURANTS in BErlin

We weren´t about to actually tell anybody, but it seems that the NYT has already let the cat out of the bag. Berlin is home to a number of secret underground restaurants. Namely, Cookies Cream (site of the infamous Design Hotels Xmas 2k8 and ITB 2k9 parties) at Cookies Club, Rodeo, Kochclub at Tausend, and the latest and greatest… The Shy Chef. So in planning your next trip to Berlin, avoid the tourist traps by checking out one of these places, and do try to keep it between us.

Cookies Cream- Vegetarian food upstairs from the über cool Cookies club. The menu was a a joint effort with Michael Kempf who is the chef at the Michelin-starred Facil which is at the Mandala Hotel.

Rodeo- Enjoy a great dinner in the impressively domed room before the tables are cleared and DJ´s get the party started.

KochClub- Tucked behind the bar at Tausend, this is the product of “food artists” foodpol. Currently closed for the summer, visitors to Berlin should make the arrangements to experience food artistry at its best.

The Shy Chef- In true “Berlin” style, the Shy Chef operates out of her living room and allows small groups of international diners the opportunity for a multi-course meal that includes the likes of “vodka-marinated salmon, and a fine selection of wines and the warm company of fellow guests.” Apparently it is similar to attending a dinner party by a bunch of cool people you have yet to meet!

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ALTM WHIRLWIND, SHANGHAI

With ALTM coming to a close, Claus has forwarded a collection of images documenting his recent sojourn in Shanghai. I will do my best as cultural and technological interpreter to explain this series…

ALTM party at Mint (featuring rich sharks swimming in a tank of Dom Perignon)!


After party snacks across from Mint.


Crab Dinner (can´t tell if they are still alive- otherwise why are their claws bound?!?)


Century Egg:, also known as preserved egg, hundred-year egg, thousand-year egg, and thousand-year-old egg, is a Chinese cuisine ingredient made by preserving duck, chicken or quail eggs in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, lime, and rice straw for several weeks to several months, depending on the method of processing. After the process is completed, the yolk becomes a dark green, cream-like substance with a strong odor of sulphur and ammonia, while the white becomes a dark brown, transparent jelly with little flavour or taste. The transforming agent in the century egg is its alkaline material, which gradually raises the pH of the egg from around 9 to 12 or more. This chemical process breaks down some of the complex, flavorless proteins and fats, which produces a variety of smaller flavourful compounds…


After the century egg… Do you think this is the after-effect of the egg?


Alas, ALTM is finished- goodbye Shanghai, or should I say Zai Jain!

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Shanghai, ALTM

Claus Sendlinger, our fearless leader, has finally managed to eat his way out of Thailand and into Shanghai for the ALTM (Asian Luxury Travel Market).
ALTM is an exhibition for the leading global luxury travel indsutry members and focuses on travel products from from Asia Pacific, which happens to be the fastest growing market for the industry.

Upon touchdown in Shanghai, Claus forwarded this pic of the skyline.

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Parking Toys, Bangkok

Another photoworthy stop on Claus´s epic Asian odyssey is the club, Parking Toys, in Bangkok. Known for live music and the coolest Thai scenesters, it is a must see in while in the capital city.

To keep the spot on the down-low, I am not going to publish the address, but if you book your next Thai hotel with Design Hotels, we will let you in on the secret.

Check our our Thai hotels here

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Patpong, Bangkok

As Claus continues his gastronomic journey through Asia, he forwarded a shot from his dinner tonight in Patpong, Bangkok.

Tonights dinner in the most authentic French in patpong, arrival. The overall experience is very patpong, but inside very French mixed with locals - definitely worth checking out. I recommend the artichoke with Parmesan and rack of lamb - thumbs up!”

Patpong (Thai: พัฒน์พงษ์, “Phatphong”) is an entertainment district in Bangkok, Thailand, catering mainly, though not exclusively, to foreign tourists and expatriates. While Patpong is internationally known as a red light district at the heart of Bangkok’s sex industry, the city in fact has numerous red-light districts that are far more popular with Thai men. A busy night market aimed at tourists is also located in Patpong. (Wiki)

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Dim Sum and Then Some in Berlin

I had a chance to finally try Yumcha Heroes, the new chinese dumpling restaurant in Berlin, last night. Excellent food, nice staff, open late, and cool design all contribute to a very cool place!

In a city full of Thai, Japanese, and Vietnamese restaurants, it is nice to have a solid Chinese restaurant to round out the lot.

Weinbergsweg 8
10119 Berlin-Mitte
+49/30/76213035

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Chinatown in Bangkok

Claus Sendlinger, our Design Hotels CEO & Founder and Fearless Leader, is eating his way through Asia, at the moment, en route to Shanghai, took a moment to forward some images from Chinatown in Bangkok. He says, “eating streetfood yao wa raj (streetname) at the corner in front of the jewelery store, go for tom yam and the crab in yellow curry.”

Featured in the picture is the architect and mastermind behind our hotels X2 Kui Buri and Alila Cha Am, Duangrit Bunnag.

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