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Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
A New Hampshire Lakefront Estate Hotel Aims For Five Stars
The Lake Estate on Winnisqaum The Lake Estate on Winnisqaum New Hampshire is renowned for its majestic White Mountains, a sandy seacoast, and the Lakes Region, which gave birth to the beloved film On Golden Pond. While the northern New England state has plenty of resorts, inns, and hotels, it has always lacked a bona fide luxury accommodation befitting its natural splendor. That may be about to change with the August opening of The Lake Estate on Winnisquam, a brand new 114-room luxury resort & spa in the heart of New Hampshire's Lakes Region. The resort is situated in Tilton, a classic New England town on Lake Winnisquam, the state's fourth-largest lake, which is located near its more famous brethren, Lake Winnipesaukee. While the Lakes Region, located south of the White Mountains and approximately 90 minutes north of Boston, has long been a popular summer vacation destination, prime real estate on the most desirable lakes has traditionally been the domain of wealthy summer residents. In this case, the owners have secured an ideal location on 36 acres with 3,400 linear feet of private shoreline along Lake Winnisquam. The Lobby Lounge at The Lake Estate on Winnisqaum. The Lake Estate on Winnisqaum. The resort has been modeled after a private estate and inspired by New Hampshire's 19th-century grand hotels. The stated aim is to become the state's first Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond property. When that happens remains to be seen, but it's safe to say that this is New England's most anticipated hotel opening of the season. There are 96 guestrooms and 18 suites, situated in a new 150,000-square-foot building of stone and cedar shingles, reminiscent of the grand lake estates of a century ago. More than 70 percent of the rooms, which are decorated in soothing blues and greens for their calming effect, will have a water view. Throughout the hotel, a private collection of 19th and 20th-century American paintings, objects, and crafts will be on display. Suite at The Lake Estate on Winnisqaum. The Lake Estate on Winnisqaum. The property will have two private beaches, an outdoor infinity pool, two hot tubs, a tennis court, and four pickleball courts. The Spa is a 5,000-square-foot full-service facility for both resort guests and day spa visitors, offering a comprehensive menu of massages, facials, body treatments, and wellness therapies featuring minerals and botanicals from the local landscape. The Spa will feature eight treatment rooms, dry saunas, two relaxation lounges with a double-sided fireplace overlooking the orchard, an additional 1,500 square-foot terrace with a year-round outdoor heated mineral spa, a meditation garden, and a dedicated spa fire pit. Chef Chris Viaud, Director of Culinary Lake Estate on Winnisquam ERIN MCGINN Two-time James Beard Foundation Award nominee and Bravo TV Top Chef alum Chef Chris Viaud has been picked as the Director of Culinary Arts, overseeing The Restaurant and the poolside Folly Bar. The property will feature amenities that have traditionally been hard to come by in New Hampshire hotels, such as a wine cellar, a beachside bourbon bar, and a library that houses a grand piano. Lakeside diversions will include a small fleet of kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards, on a body of water the owners refer to as 'Lake Winnipesaukee's calmer cousin.' The architects are Samyn-D'Elia Architects of Holderness, New Hampshire, with interior design by Manuel de Santaren, Inc. of Boston. What's unusual about this ambitious project is that it involves no hotel chains, management companies, or investment companies. The Lake Estate on Winnisquam is funded and will be managed by New Hampshire residents. Ed and Patti Rocco are the respective General Manager and Estate Manager, both long-time veterans of the hospitality industry. The primary investors are New Hampshire natives Dan and Elaine Dagesse. The Lake Estate on Winnisquam is aiming for the stars – and the diamonds –with graciousness, luxury, and high design. Only time will tell if they reach that lofty goal.
Hospitality Net
11-06-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Igor Morosowski has been appointed General Manager at Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown
Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown announces the appointment of Igor Morosowski as the hotel's General Manager. With more than 18 years of experience in luxury hospitality, Igor brings an exceptional breadth of expertise to the role. In his new position, Igor will ensure the continued delivery of unparalleled service and hospitality for the 189-room property located in the heart of Downtown Manhattan. Igor's journey with Four Seasons began in 2007 at Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris, and since then, he has held various leadership roles at some of the world's most iconic Four Seasons properties, including Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole, Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, and Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel. He most recently served as Hotel Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC, where he helped lead the property to continue being the only Forbes Five Star hotel in the nation's capital. Igor's global perspective, paired with his in-depth understanding of the luxury lifestyle market, makes him a perfect fit to lead the Four Seasons New York Downtown team. Igor's multilingual talents are reflective of his international upbringing in Ukraine and Germany, and his career that has spanned across Europe, the United States, and the Pacific. With a degree in Hospitality Management from Les Roches Marbella, Igor has developed a deep understanding of global hospitality trends, which he applies to lead teams in creating memorable, world-class experiences for guests. In his personal life, Igor is deeply connected to the Four Seasons brand, with his wife Leigh and daughter Gigi also being a part of the Four Seasons family. His love for travel and hospitality, combined with his dedication to leadership and family, serves as a driving force in his career. Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown looks forward to an exciting new chapter under Igor's leadership, continuing to set the standard for luxury and service in one of New York's most vibrant neighbourhoods.
Forbes
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
How This Famed San Francisco Chef Reinvented His Steakhouse For The Big Island
Tyler Florence Miller & Lux Hualālai opened its doors in December 2023 at the luxurious Four Seasons Resort Hualālai, the only Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond Resort on Hawaii's Big Island. Ushering in a new era for steakhouse dining in Hawaii, Chef Florence's Big Island interpretation of the classic steakhouse builds on the number of San Francisco-based restaurants he helms which include Chase Center's Miller & Lux, named San Francisco's 'Best Steakhouse' by San Francisco Magazine, and his original flagship Wayfare Tavern. This is his love letter to Hawaii, told through marbled cuts, fresh island produce, and a memorable setting thanks to the natural beauty of the area. Think: palm trees, golden sunsets, and the 18th hole of the Hualalai Golf Course. If the original Miller & Lux helped define Thrive City as a culinary destination, its Hawaiian sister-restaurant brings that same allure to this esteemed hotel property. At Chase Center in San Francisco, Miller & Lux gained traction by combining old-school steakhouse glamour with exclusive ranch partnerships, tableside service, and a menu built for special occasions. Now, those same standards arrive on the Big Island—infused with island flavors and backed by Florence's signature attention to detail and culinary flare. After a successful holiday pop-up in 2022, the decision to go permanent was easy. 'We saw an opportunity to fill a need on the Big Island for a true, quality steakhouse,' Chef Florence says, 'and it was exciting to bring some of our San Francisco spirit to Hawaii.' The menu offers both the classic San Francisco dishes that his steakhouse is known for, particularly Miller & Lux's famous 45 Dry-Aged steaks, the buttery Dover Sole deboned tableside, and the beloved Caesar for two, but also innovative dishes that can only be found at Miller & Lux Hualālai. Miller & Lux interiors on the Big Island 'The menu celebrates a lot of the classics found in San Francisco, but all of our ingredients are sourced locally on the island," he explains. "We pride ourselves on partnering with local farmers, ranchers, growers and fishermen to give a distinct Big Island profile to the dishes we bring to the table.' That said, it's the local additions that truly set this location apart. Oysters grown on-site at the resort, Kauai shrimp, Big Island beef tartare, and a Bananas Foster made with local apple bananas, rum, sugar, and vanilla show how island ingredients are woven into every course. 'There are classics like our Dover Sole which is deboned tableside and our tableside Caesar Salad that reflect our signature experience, as well as some that are unique the Big Island like the oysters – which are grown on-site at The Resort and served in the restaurant—and specialty fish and steaks that showcase the diverse flavors available just outside the door.' "The entire project is rooted in offering the best of the best," says Chef Florence, who visits the restaurant often and has even relocated several core team members to Hawaii full-time to carry the Miller & Lux ethos forward. Every detail, down to the steak knives hand-forged by local blacksmith Neil Kamimura using petrified wood and semi-precious stones, reinforces a sense of place. We chatted with Chef Florence on his San Francisco projects, Island culture and more. Here's what he had to say. Custom steak knives In San Francisco we have two exceptional experiences with Miller & Lux and Wayfare Tavern. Wayfare Tavern is really special to me. Growing up on the East Coast and splitting my time between New York and Charleston, I was surrounded by Old World America and these architectural buildings that held so much history, and had such a strong presence about them. When I moved to San Francisco in 2007, I began to search for that sense of home in the architecture. So much of that history was lost in the 1906 earthquake, and I wanted to create a nod to those architectural classics of decades past. When I built Wayfare Tavern, we looked at it like building a movie set. Something that resembled the late 1800's and the Gold Rush era. So I studied that time period and really sought out the features and experiences that could create this cozy, Ralph Lauren-esque American Tavern that feels welcoming and authentically American. Wayfare Tavern is now celebrating 15 years, and I love the impact it has had on the culinary community and how it's something the city can truly embrace. Thrive City is starting to become the new epicenter of San Francisco. It's this stunning, $1.6B megaplex, and home to the nicest arena in all of the NBA. We've been partners with the Warriors since they were still in Oakland, and after thinking through that experience we knew we had to create something better than anyone had seen before which led us to Miller & Lux. I can recall the moment I fell in love with steak. I was at one of my favorite restaurants growing up, The Pebbler in Greenville, SC, and I had my first bacon-wrapped filet mignon. I knew then that I would find a way to recreate that experience somewhere in my future. There are those moments that make an imprint on your life, and when the opportunity came to partner with Thrive City and the Chase Center, I knew that was the time to bring that dream to reality. Tyler Florence The entire project is rooted in offering the best of the best. At Miller & Lux, we have an exclusive partnership with a rancher in South Dakota for our own Black Angus Prime Plus Cattle, who are grassfed on the ancient grasslands that the American Buffalos dined on for years. It's a true signature experience that can only be found two places in the world—San Francisco and Hawaii. The community endorsement has just been the most rewarding – as we've been recognized as the Best Steakhouse in San Francisco by San Francisco Magazine the past two years, and I was also recognized as the Best Chef in the City which is truly an honor. We were invited! I've had a long-standing and great relationship with Four Seasons, and we were invited to do a pop-up during the 22'-23' holiday season—and it stuck. There was amazing customer feedback over the 32 dinner services we executed, in just over a month. Through the partnership, we saw an opportunity to fill a need on the Big Island for a true, quality steakhouse on the Big Island and it was exciting for us to be able to bring some of our San Francisco swagger to Hawaii. It also posed a creative interest to meld together our philosophy—great wine, great steaks, great celebrations—with the robust and amazing ingredients of the island. We made plans to move forward with a permanent space, which opened at the start of last year. Since then, we've had five members move out there full-time with their families and they've really brought the experience to life. The ethos of Miller & Lux is embedded into the restaurant wherever it goes, but this location was something really joyous to create—and so many of us now have a special place in our hearts for Hawaii. I try to get out there at least six weeks out of the year. Miller & Lux Hualalai I would go back to our prioritization of local ingredients. In the menu development process, I was looking at these beautiful apple bananas which are notably smaller and sweeter than its more common counterpart. I saw it and said – this is Bananas Foster. While not a Hawaiian dish, I saw the opportunity to showcase the island ingredients—local sugar, local rum, local vanilla—to bring guests something familiar, with a Hawaiian twist. It was an instant hit and now has actually become a signature dish at all of our locations. Diners can expect the impeccable level of service, quality of cuisine and signature flair that we have in San Francisco, and this location in particular has one of the most beautiful sunsets anyone can ever experience, every night, right on cue. We've nicknamed the restaurant the treehouse, as it's perched up above everything between the trees, and offers an unbeatable view of the 18th hole of the Hualalai Golf Course and Pacific Ocean. It's paradise.
