Latest news with #RitzCarlton
CBS News
21 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
This Boston apartment building is using VR goggles to show homes to prospective buyers
VR technology being used to show apartments to people at one Boston building VR technology being used to show apartments to people at one Boston building VR technology being used to show apartments to people at one Boston building Virtual reality is a popular way to play video games, but now a Boston apartment building is using the technology for something a bit different: selling homes. The Ritz-Carlton Residences at the South Station Tower is using the goggles to show fully furnished homes that don't exist yet. Real estate agents for the tower can guide prospective buyers from anywhere in the world. The agents use a tablet to view everything that the VR goggles display, which allows them to virtually jump the user from room to room. "My favorite part is witnessing people experience it," says Manuel Davis. "I haven't not seen anyone say 'wow,' this is incredible.'" The mask is also equipped with safety features, including a red grid that alerts buyers when they may be approaching a real-life object. VR touring apartments The idea stems from a collaboration between the Ritz-Carlton, Williams Papadopoulous Designs and rndr, a VSN company. "I realized people couldn't really view 2D renderings and floor plans, and they needed to be able to see what they were going to buy without necessarily having to go there," the founder and CEO of VSN, Nate Robert-Eze, said. The condos are virtually furnished with high-end pieces, which Mark Williams, the founder of Williams Papadopoulous Designs, helps curate. "That's what's so important about this VR technology," says Williams. "In the virtual reality space, you really do feel it so much more than if you're looking at a two-dimensional rendering." Robert-Eze believes that VR is the future of real estate, allowing house hunters to view a space anywhere in the world. And the technology is constantly evolving. "We've built a software called Path," Robert-Eze told WBZ-TV. "That takes that immersive 3D environment and actually adds an AI component to it. The space becomes intelligent and you can start asking questions about the space, about the area." For more information about the Ritz-Carlton South Station Tower Residences and their VR technology, click here.
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
News Analysis: Arab and Gulf nations fear US attack on Iran will destabilize the region
BEIRUT - Last month, President Donald Trump stood in the palatial ballroom of the Ritz Carlton in Riyadh, and rebuked America's misadventures in the Middle East. As Saudi officials and U.S. business leaders looked on, Trump said that too many of his predecessors were "afflicted with the notion that it's our job to look into the souls of foreign leaders and use U.S. policy to dispense justice for their sins." "In the end, the so-called nation builders wrecked far more nations than they built," he added. "And the interventionists were intervening in complex societies that they did not even understand." A mere five weeks later, Trump appears to be on the cusp of his own Middle Eastern adventure, one with uncomfortable parallels to America's invasion of Iraq in 2003. That conflict - which killed at least 100,000 Iraqis and some 4,400 Americans, lasted almost nine years and destabilized the region for half a generation after. It became the prime example of the "forever wars" Trump railed against during his election campaign, and a lesson in the folly of intervening with no clear endgame. For Trump's Persian Gulf and Arab allies, the prospect of a repeat performance has left them scrabbling for a diplomatic off-ramp. "There are no nations on the face of the Earth working harder than the Gulf countries today to calm the situation and stop this crazy war. They are absolutely against any military confrontation," said Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, an Emirati political scientist and commentator, adding that leaders of the United Arab Emirates have been "burning the phones" round the clock. "I've never seen their diplomacy more active and more engaged than it is today to bring an end to this." Most Arab governments have little love lost on Iran, which they view as an unruly neighbor fomenting unrest in their own backyards. Its nuclear program has long been a concern, but the bigger fear has often been Iran's allies in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria, and their loyalties with a Shiite-majority Iran in a Sunni-dominated Arab world. During the Biden administration, U.S. officials hoped to use that antipathy to forge an anti-Iran coalition that would see friendly nations like Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the UAE cooperating with Israel to isolate Tehran. Instead, rapprochement with Iran has been the modus operandi in recent years, with Gulf countries normalizing and easing tensions with the Islamic Republic under the calculation that regional stability would bring regional prosperity. All were quick to condemn Israel's attacks last week. Saudi Arabia, which for years engaged in proxy matches with Iran and was often seen as its main competitor for regional influence, denounced what it called "blatant Israeli aggressions against the brotherly Islamic Republic of Iran." The UAE said much the same. Despite being an enthusiastic member of the Abraham Accords, the Trump-brokered treaty that established relations between Israel and a raft of Arab nations, the UAE excoriated Israel for attacking Iran. On Tuesday, the Emirati ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, called Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to express his solidarity; the same day, Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed emphasized a diplomatic approach was needed to "prevent the situation from spiraling into grave and far-reaching consequences." That focus on diplomacy, observers say, reflects pragmatism: If the U.S. were to enter the conflict, it's likely Iran - or one of its allied militias - would lash out at American personnel, bases and other interests in the region, including in the UAE. There are more than 40,000 U.S. soldiers and civilian contractors stationed in the Middle East, according to statements by Pentagon officials (though that number has fluctuated since Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023). The Council on Foreign Relations says the U.S. operates military facilities in 19 locations in countries such as Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the UAE. Eight of the facilities are considered permanent. Pro-Iranian groups in Iraq and Syria have in the past regularly attacked U.S. bases. Last year, a drone launched by an Iranian-backed militia on a U.S. base in Jordan near the Syrian border killed three U.S. soldiers and injured 47 others. Also, there is precedent for Iran's allies attacking economic concerns, such as when the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen sent drones striking oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia in 2019 and the UAE in 2022. Iran may also decide to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passageway that handles a fifth of the world's energy flows. Meanwhile, Qatar shares ownership of the South Pars/North Dome field in Iran, the largest natural gas field in the world, which was hit last week in Israel's strikes. The UAE and other Gulf countries "absolutely do not want to be caught in the middle of a broader conflict nor do they want to be targeted by any party, as they have been in the past," said Elham Fakhro, a Gulf researcher at Harvard's Belfer Center. She added governments also fear fallout from a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities could contaminate natural resources they share with Iran. Others, unsure how far the U.S. and Israel will go - whether they still stop at crippling Iran's nuclear and missile programs or push for regime change - fear the impacts of the Iranian state disintegrating. Foremost in their minds are the aftereffects of America's toppling of Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein, which unleashed sectarian rage, saw Iraq engulfed in blood-drenched bedlam and empowered terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. "It's not in the interest of the Gulf states to see their large neighbor Iran collapse," wrote former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Jaber Al Thani in a post on X, adding that the region saw the consequences of what happened in Iraq. He urged Gulf decision-makers to "immediately halt this madness initiated by Israel." "This war will also have profound repercussions for our region and perhaps the world," he wrote. "Ultimately, the victor will not always be victorious and the vanquished will never be defeated." Behind that rhetoric is a growing conviction that Israel, rather than Iran, is the biggest threat to instability in the region, said Abdulla, the Emirati political scientist. Iran, after all, is diminished. In the past, it could rely on the so-called "Axis of Resistance" - a constellation of pro-Tehran militias and governments in Lebanon, Gaza, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and Pakistan - to frustrate adversaries' plans. But the last 20 months of fighting have seen Israel cripple militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah while the U.S. has subdued Iraqi militias. Israel, on the other hand, he said, continues to wreak havoc in Gaza and is planning to annex the West Bank. It has also occupied areas in Syria. "Imperial Iran is probably no longer. OK, that's an opportunity. But imperial Israel is not necessarily good for the stability of the region either," Abdulla said. U.S. intelligence officials say Iran is not pursuing a nuclear bomb - contradicting Trump, who has said the opposite - and intelligence assessment experts quoted by CNN this week said Tehran was at least three years away from building a bomb and delivering it in a strike. (For all his complaints about American interventions in the Middle East - and claims that he had opposed the Iraq war two decades ago - when Trump was asked by radio personality Howard Stern in 2002 if he supported invading Iraq, he replied, "Yeah, I guess so. I wish the first time it was done correctly.") If the U.S. were to attack Iran now, it would likely supercharge efforts to bulk up the militaries not just in Iran but elsewhere in the region. This week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said regional threats necessitated a ramping up of his nation's medium- and long-range missiles, saying they were needed for deterrence. "Soon, we'll reach a defense capacity that no one will dare challenge. … If you're not strong politically, socially, economically and militarily, you lack deterrence, and you're vulnerable," Erdogan said. "We will elevate our level of deterrence so high that not only will they not attack us - they won't even dare to think about it." Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
News Analysis: Arab and Gulf nations fear U.S. attack on Iran will destabilize the region
BEIRUT — Last month, President Trump stood in the palatial ballroom of the Ritz Carlton in Riyadh, and rebuked America's misadventures in the Middle East. As Saudi officials and U.S. business leaders looked on, Trump said that too many of his predecessors were 'afflicted with the notion that it's our job to look into the souls of foreign leaders and use U.S. policy to dispense justice for their sins.' 'In the end, the so-called nation builders wrecked far more nations than they built,' he added. 'And the interventionists were intervening in complex societies that they did not even understand.' A mere five weeks later, Trump appears to be on the cusp of his own Middle Eastern adventure, one with uncomfortable parallels to America's invasion of Iraq in 2003. That conflict — which killed at least 100,000 Iraqis and some 4,400 Americans, lasted almost nine years and destabilized the region for half a generation after. It became the prime example of the 'forever wars' Trump railed against during his election campaign, and a lesson in the folly of intervening with no clear endgame. For Trump's Persian Gulf and Arab allies, the prospect of a repeat performance has left them scrabbling for a diplomatic off-ramp. 'There are no nations on the face of the Earth working harder than the Gulf countries today to calm the situation and stop this crazy war. They are absolutely against any military confrontation,' said Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, an Emirati political scientist and commentator, adding that leaders of the United Arab Emirates have been 'burning the phones' round the clock. 'I've never seen their diplomacy more active and more engaged than it is today to bring an end to this.' Most Arab governments have little love lost on Iran, which they view as an unruly neighbor fomenting unrest in their own backyards. Its nuclear program has long been a concern, but the bigger fear has often been Iran's allies in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria, and their loyalties with a Shiite-majority Iran in a Sunni-dominated Arab world. During the Biden administration, U.S. officials hoped to use that antipathy to forge an anti-Iran coalition that would see friendly nations like Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the UAE cooperating with Israel to isolate Tehran. Instead, rapprochement with Iran has been the modus operandi in recent years, with Gulf countries normalizing and easing tensions with the Islamic Republic under the calculation that regional stability would bring regional prosperity. All were quick to condemn Israel's attacks last week. Saudi Arabia, which for years engaged in proxy matches with Iran and was often seen as its main competitor for regional influence, denounced what it called 'blatant Israeli aggressions against the brotherly Islamic Republic of Iran.' The UAE said much the same. Despite being an enthusiastic member of the Abraham Accords, the Trump-brokered treaty that established relations between Israel and a raft of Arab nations, the UAE excoriated Israel for attacking Iran. On Tuesday, the Emirati ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, called Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to express his solidarity; the same day, Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed emphasized a diplomatic approach was needed to 'prevent the situation from spiraling into grave and far-reaching consequences.' That focus on diplomacy, observers say, reflects pragmatism: If the U.S. were to enter the conflict, it's likely Iran — or one of its allied militias — would lash out at American personnel, bases and other interests in the region, including in the UAE. There are more than 40,000 U.S. soldiers and civilian contractors stationed in the Middle East, according to statements by Pentagon officials (though that number has fluctuated since Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023). The Council on Foreign Relations says the U.S. operates military facilities in 19 locations in countries such as Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the UAE. Eight of the facilities are considered permanent. Pro-Iranian groups in Iraq and Syria have in the past regularly attacked U.S. bases. Last year, a drone launched by an Iranian-backed militia on a U.S. base in Jordan near the Syrian border killed three U.S. soldiers and injured 47 others. Also, there is precedent for Iran's allies attacking economic concerns, such as when the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen sent drones striking oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia in 2019 and the UAE in 2022. Iran may also decide to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passageway that handles a fifth of the world's energy flows. Meanwhile, Qatar shares ownership of the South Pars/North Dome field in Iran, the largest natural gas field in the world, which was hit last week in Israel's strikes. The UAE and other Gulf countries 'absolutely do not want to be caught in the middle of a broader conflict nor do they want to be targeted by any party, as they have been in the past,' said Elham Fakhro, a Gulf researcher at Harvard's Belfer Center. She added governments also fear fallout from a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities could contaminate natural resources they share with Iran. Others, unsure how far the U.S. and Israel will go — whether they still stop at crippling Iran's nuclear and missile programs or push for regime change — fear the impacts of the Iranian state disintegrating. Foremost in their minds are the aftereffects of America's toppling of Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein, which unleashed sectarian rage, saw Iraq engulfed in blood-drenched bedlam and empowered terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. 'It's not in the interest of the Gulf states to see their large neighbor Iran collapse,' wrote former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Jaber Al Thani in a post on X, adding that the region saw the consequences of what happened in Iraq. He urged Gulf decision-makers to 'immediately halt this madness initiated by Israel.' 'This war will also have profound repercussions for our region and perhaps the world,' he wrote. 'Ultimately, the victor will not always be victorious and the vanquished will never be defeated.' Behind that rhetoric is a growing conviction that Israel, rather than Iran, is the biggest threat to instability in the region, said Abdulla, the Emirati political scientist. Iran, after all, is diminished. In the past, it could rely on the so-called 'Axis of Resistance' — a constellation of pro-Tehran militias and governments in Lebanon, Gaza, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and Pakistan — to frustrate adversaries' plans. But the last 20 months of fighting have seen Israel cripple militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah while the U.S. has subdued Iraqi militias. Israel, on the other hand, he said, continues to wreak havoc in Gaza and is planning to annex the West Bank. It has also occupied areas in Syria. 'Imperial Iran is probably no longer. OK, that's an opportunity. But imperial Israel is not necessarily good for the stability of the region either,' Abdulla said. U.S. intelligence officials say Iran is not pursuing a nuclear bomb — contradicting Trump, who has said the opposite — and intelligence assessment experts quoted by CNN this week said Tehran was at least three years away from building a bomb and delivering it in a strike. (For all his complaints about American interventions in the Middle East — and claims that he had opposed the Iraq war two decades ago — when Trump was asked by radio personality Howard Stern in 2002 if he supported invading Iraq, he replied, 'Yeah, I guess so. I wish the first time it was done correctly.') If the U.S. were to attack Iran now, it would likely supercharge efforts to bulk up the militaries not just in Iran but elsewhere in the region. This week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said regional threats necessitated a ramping up of his nation's medium- and long-range missiles, saying they were needed for deterrence. 'Soon, we'll reach a defense capacity that no one will dare challenge. … If you're not strong politically, socially, economically and militarily, you lack deterrence, and you're vulnerable,' Erdogan said. 'We will elevate our level of deterrence so high that not only will they not attack us — they won't even dare to think about it.'
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Travel + Leisure
3 days ago
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
'The American Riviera' Is One of My Favorite Destinations in California—With a Luxury Hotel That Just Got a Multimillion-dollar Makeover
The resort is perched on a bluff, providing easy access to the beach below, unobstructed ocean views, and trails for scenic walks along the shore. The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge, where guests enjoy all-day access to breakfast, a light lunch, high tea, snacks, desserts, and drinks, is worth the upgrade. The four-story spa features 36 treatment rooms, an adult-only pool, and a serene rooftop lounge with breathtaking views. Friendly, personalized service is a hallmark of the Ritz-Carlton portfolio. Classic California hacienda-style villas with a residential feel house the resort's spacious guest rooms and suites. About 90 miles from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, a.k.a. "the American Riviera," is still a highly sought-after Central Coast escape for world-class hotels, Michelin-level dining, wine tasting, surfing, polo, antique stores, and botanical parks where you might spot a celebrity or even royalty. However, if you venture a little further north, closer to Goleta, the scenery becomes quieter, less flashy, and less crowded. It's here, on a 78-acre coastal bluff along the Gaviota Coast, once inhabited by the Chumash, that The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara awaits. The resort's name is derived from Barbara (the patron saint of Santa Barbara) and Anacapa Island. The sprawling hotel sits atop the former Chumash village of Hel'apunitse at the mouth of Tecolote Canyon, with Haskell's Beach, a renowned surf break, below it. This year, in honor of its 25th anniversary (formerly owned by Hyatt, the hotel's management was taken over by The Ritz-Carlton in 2017), the resort has undergone a multi-million-dollar revamp of the lobby, guest rooms, restaurants, pool experience, and public spaces, overseen by the renowned hospitality design firm Meyer Davis. "What excites us most is the immediate sense of place guests will feel as they arrive,' Gray Davis, co-founder of Meyer Davis, tells Travel+Leisure . 'There's a quiet elegance throughout, with places defined by natural materials, rich textures, and a deeper connection to the land and its history. The experience is intuitive and grounded, inviting a slower pace and offering a refined kind of escape." Having grown up near the area and lived in Los Angeles for most of my adult life, Santa Barbara is an easy weekend getaway that I take advantage of as often as possible. I have stayed at every top hotel here (and so has my mom), so I picked her up on the way as a mea culpa for missing Mother's Day this year, and we headed off for a staycation adventure. Driving down a lush tree-lined road just off the 101 Freeway, we came upon the resort's grand circular entrance with a large fountain. While the vast lobby wowed us with cream-colored sofas and a stone fireplace, the real star was the Chandon Champagne trolley, where a cheerful greeter offered us complimentary bubbles. Our room wasn't quite ready, so we headed to The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge near the spa and the dedicated adult pool area. I've stayed in many Ritz-Carlton resorts around the world and have always enjoyed the all-day Club Lounge amenities available to members. We arrived during high tea and had a few finger sandwiches and pastries before a staff member escorted us to our oceanfront one-bedroom suite. Sloping pathways lead to 358 rooms and suites located within 19 villa buildings, ranging from one to four stories. Our suite was in Villa Six, not far from the spa and Club Lounge, and close to the lower-level pools and Lulio, the resort's Mediterranean restaurant with an indoor dining room decorated with woven tapestries, rattan chairs, and a warm color scheme, along with a large ocean-facing patio featuring an outdoor fireplace. While we had come to Lulio that first evening just for a snack of pita bread and tzatziki, we ended up ordering delicious black garlic meatballs, seabass, steak, and a spin on pasta alla vodka made with Greek ouzo, tomato, chili, kefalotyri cheese, and rigatoni. However, the surprise hit was the Brussels sprouts cooked in a pineapple liquid. 'The burnt Brussels sprouts work well with the sweet fruit,' chef Ren Weigang says. The dish also paired well with an olive oil martini and ouzo lemonade, as I was trying to stay on theme. I also loved seeing the local wine selection from a few longtime favorite vineyards, such as Alma Rosa, Margerum, Grassini Family, and Story of Soil. Below, my full review of the renovated The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara. A one bedroom King Suite in The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara. Ron Starr/The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara The resort's new design draws inspiration from its natural landscape. 'Our intention was to preserve the property's deep connection to place. Taking inspiration from the land, we created a design language that feels both grounded and elevated, one that honors the property's original hacienda-style architecture while reimagining it for the next generation of travelers," Will Meyer, co-founder of Meyer Davis, tells T+L. Here, accommodations range from king guest rooms to the signature Ritz-Carlton Suite and Channel Islands Suite. The timeless decor features soft earth tones, terracotta tiles, reclaimed wood furniture, and walls lined with modern artworks. The connecting rooms in our oceanview suite allowed my mom and me to spread out comfortably (the two terraces were also a nice perk). The sectional sofa in the living area was converted into a bed, and complemented by another bathroom with a shower, closet space, and a small desk. The main bedroom included a four-poster mahogany bed, a fireplace, a love seat, and a small table, while the bathroom offered dual vanities, ample closet space, and a deep soaking tub. Plush Frette robes and slippers, along with Diptyque toiletries, rounded out the suite's luxe touches. We also got a kick out of the elaborate towel art on the bed—swans one night and dogs the next. Guests enjoy Mediterranean seasonal fare and refreshing cocktails at Lulio. Ron Starr/The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara With three full-service restaurants and bars, a grab-and-go coffee shop, and a poolside snack bar, in addition to The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge, there were plenty of diverse dining options during our stay. Lulio also serves daily breakfast, offering an abundant buffet of pastries, fruits, salads, charcuterie, and an egg station. We ordered duck confit hash from the à la carte menu, a chef's specialty. Light, shareable bites and sandwiches are available at the poolside SunBar menu, which also offers a few fun options for kids, including flatbread, chicken wings, chips, and guacamole. Off the lobby, 'O' Bar & Terrace, named in honor of the single-letter Chumash word for water, treated us to one of the best meals: blackened mahi mahi fish tacos, grilled prawn bucatini with zucchini in a beurre blanc sauce, and Goat Bubbles sparkling rosé. For sweeping coastal views, head to Marisella, the newest restaurant by chef Danny Grant of Maple Hospitality Group, who has worked in Michelin-starred kitchens worldwide and was Food & Wine 's Best New Chef in 2012. The California mission-style space, which officially opens to the public at the end of this month, features a large marble bar and several dining areas, including an ocean-view patio, private dining room, a speakeasy-style wine cellar, and a Bluffs Room with an open kitchen view. The menu blends Italian and California coastal flavors, inspired by the Amalfi Coast and Mediterranean cuisine. Highlights include hamachi crudo, carpaccio with caviar, tableside salt-crusted branzino, and spaghetti alla Nerano with summer squash and cheese. The drink options are a nod to Italian aperitivo culture, alongside a wine selection of classic Italian varietals. At the hotel porte-cochere, we discovered a new coffee shop that offers artisanal coffee and pastries, snacks from local businesses like Rori's Artisanal Creamery, along with supplies ranging from sunscreen to candles. The main pool at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara. Ron Starr/The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara The resort features three pools, including one in the spa, along with a gym equipped with workout machines, free weights, and personal training options. Unless you have a specific daily workout routine you wish to follow, you can easily get plenty of cardio exercise by walking around the hilly grounds and climbing the long, winding staircases adorned with Spanish tiles, taking you from your villa to the lobby, pools, spa, and various dining and drinking spots. (We adopted the detox-to-retox approach and regret nothing.) Additionally, I took the beach walk several times at my leisure, but guests can also enjoy it in a group or with a guide—just check the daily fitness schedule. A naturalist-led hike through the resort's nature reserve is also an excellent option for staying active. Classic wellness offerings, such as yoga and Pilates classes, as well as sound baths and circuit training, are also available. Exterior of the spa and spa pool. The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara The four-story spa boasts 42,000 square feet, 36 treatment rooms, a redwood sauna, an eucalyptus steam room, and a whirlpool hot tub. This is also where you will find the adult-only pool, flanked by black-and-white striped umbrellas. While waiting for your therapist at the Serenity Lounge, you can unwind with Therabody LED face masks, jet boots, and smart goggles with virtual reality-guided meditation. Don't leave without checking out the views from the rooftop lounge. While my mom had a pedicure in the salon downstairs, I opted for the Sleep Ritual treatment. It started like a standard massage, but also included a guided breathing segment and a visualization exercise to help quiet my mind and release physical tension and emotional anxieties. The idea is to switch off and restore balance, ensuring a blissful night's sleep. I wish I could say I slept like a baby that night, but I had too much caffeine that day—complimentary teas in my room and The Art of Tea in the Club Lounge, plus a chocolate truffle latte in the coffee shop—so it was my own fault. I also couldn't stay for the entire two-hour treatment because of a work call. What did almost put me to sleep was the deep tissue full-body hot stone massage. The resort has two family-friendly pools and hot tubs. Cabanas with private fridges and TVs are also available for booking. Additionally, a kids' club offers seasonal activities and programming (ages five through 12), including arts and crafts and outdoor games. If you want to stay close to shore and engage in an educational activity, consider the naturalist-led tour of Haskell's Beach, which includes a discussion on local wildlife, neighboring ecosystems, and unique flora and fauna. The resort's Jean-Michel Cousteau-trained naturalist can also take guests on a two-hour Ellwood Bike and Hike through an eucalyptus grove and along ocean bluffs. Birding adventure tours are another good option, while night owls might want to explore the coastal stargazing activities. The hotel has several accessible accommodations, including a Garden-Level Guest Room and a Fireside King, both with large balconies or patios, wheelchair-accessible vanities, hearing kits upon request, lowered night guards and outlets, and roll-in showers. Guests with disabilities can also take advantage of the jitney cart service to navigate the resort's grounds. The outdoor spaces incorporate sustainable landscaping with native plants, reflecting the region's commitment to environmental preservation . During the construction of the original Bacara Resort & Spa, archaeologists collaborated with Chumash descendants of Hel'apunistse to preserve and protect the cultural area, as well as identify areas that Chumash can use today for ceremonial purposes, plant gathering, and community events. The resort's arrival entrance. Jim Bartsch/The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara This is an all-encompassing village-like resort, so you really don't need to leave the grounds. There is a wealth of activities, dining options, and a beautiful beach, but when you do decide to explore further, the Sandpiper Golf Course is just next door, and the hotel provides transportation. Grab an electric bike and cruise to the Ellwood Mesa Butterfly Preserve or ride along the bike path. If you decide to travel by rail or plane, the Amtrak Goleta train station and the Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) are about 10 minutes away. The small airport services a handful of major airlines, including Alaska Airlines and American Airlines, which operate from major U.S. cities such as Chicago and Seattle. The Marriott Bonvoy membership perks are vast—from Silver Elite benefits, which include late checkout and complimentary Wi-Fi, to Gold, Platinum, Elite, and Ambassador member benefits, such as a welcome gift, room upgrades (based on availability), and 4 p.m. late checkout (based on availability). Guests who book their stay with certain American Express or Chase cards receive a welcome amenity and breakfast credit for two, a daily $100 credit to be used only in Lulio, priority early check-in, a $100 incidental credit, complimentary Wi-Fi, and complimentary 4 p.m. late check-out, and upgrade based upon availability. Access to The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara starts at $200 per guest and includes a dedicated concierge, as well as all-day meals and drinks. Nightly rates at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara start from $499 based on seasonality and availability. Every T+L hotel review is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed at the property, and each hotel selected aligns with our core values.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Marriott CEO on summer travel demand: We haven't seen any softness
Marriott's (MAR) business isn't succumbing to a cooler economy — yet. "Today, am I seeing any of the softness that you described? No, but ... we've got to be transparent," Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano told Yahoo Finance at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity on Tuesday. "That could change given how short that booking window [is]." He added that group bookings were the strongest segment in the first quarter, and the company has the most visibility into that business because rooms are typically reserved far in advance. Business and leisure travel, on the other hand, are more prone to change as the lead times for booking are usually three weeks. Capuano said the international market remains an area of growth. The company is seeing double-digit RevPAR (revenue per available room) growth in Asia Pacific (excluding China). Meanwhile, southern Europe is projected to have strong leisure summer travel, and many markets in the Middle East remain strong despite conflicts. However, Marriott's first quarter performance and outlook added some fuel to the fire on concerns that a slowing US economy was beginning to spill over to the hotel industry. The purveyor of the Ritz-Carlton and J.W. Marriott brands cut its closely watched RevPAR metric when it reported earnings in early May. It projected full-year RevPAR growth of 1.5% to 3.5%, compared to the 2% to 4% it forecast previously. Read more: Here's how much Marriott points are actually worth (and what you can do with them) In the first quarter, global RevPAR rose 4% year over year, cooling from the 5% growth it clocked in Q4. RevPAR in the US and Canada rose over 3%, versus over 4% in the fourth quarter. Marriott reiterated its full-year earnings per share (EPS) outlook of $9.82 to $10.19. Over the past 30 days, Yahoo Finance data shows sell-side analysts have largely maintained their full-year EPS projection on Marriott at $10.08. Marriott shares are down about 7% in the past month as economic concerns build. Hilton (HLT) and Hyatt (H) are down 3% and 4%, respectively. "Economic indicators such as unemployment, business confidence and consumer confidence all reflect a stable outlook," lodging industry research firm STR wrote in a new note. "Slowing TSA screenings are a concern; however this may be a function of travelers shifting to car travel and slowing outbound international travel due to the falling U.S. dollar." STR expects a slower summer season for the hotel industry, citing weakening booking trends already for July and August. The firm blames fewer blockbuster events compared to last year, such as the Olympics, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, and the EURO 2024. But the economy and Trump administration policies look to be a headwind too. "The falling U.S. dollar may slow the flood of Americans traveling overseas and U.S. immigration policies could possibly deter some foreign-born U.S. citizens, representing around 16% of the U.S. population, from traveling abroad," STR researchers wrote. Read more from Yahoo Finance's coverage of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity Time CEO on embracing AI: It's better to have a seat at the table X CEO Linda Yaccarino rejects claims of advertiser pressure, touts X Money, other progress under Musk Brian Sozzi is Yahoo Finance's Executive Editor and a member of Yahoo Finance's editorial leadership team. Follow Sozzi on X @BrianSozzi, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Tips on stories? Email
