Owners at Costas Palmas have access to the members-only Beach Club, which serves as the heart of the club community, offering organic cuisine, fitness and locker rooms, full-service pools and proximity to the beach.
Owners can also take advantage of “Aventura” guides, offering jet skiing, paddle boarding, wake surfing, sport fishing, ATV adventures to secret caves or waterfalls, and sunset horseback rides on the beach. The Costa Palmas Marina, a deep-water marina with 250 slips, is located just steps away from the marina village offering artisanal boutiques, dining, music and art. — Kelly Potts
rendering & photos courtesy Costa Palmas
Costa Palmas, a 1,000-acre private beachfront resort community on the East Cape of the Baja Peninsula, will soon be home to the first Four Seasons Resort and Private Residences in Los Cabos. Options for owners include a fully furnished, fully managed golf, beach or marina one- to five-bedroom residence, or one of just 18 private, custom-designed villas of 5,000 to 10,000 square feet located on the beach or marina.
Summer is the season for camping! Or, if you’d rather not sacrifice comfort and luxury during your scenic outdoor expedition, then ‘glamping’ may be the perfect fit. From tiny homes bordering national forests to island excursions for young campers and expansive tents with endless views of Hollywood Hills, here are three ways to glamp all season long.
Beverly Wilshire
Beverly Hills, California
Bringing a touch of the great outdoors with the first urban glamping experience available in Los Angeles, the Veranda Suite is a one-of-a-kind, studio-style suite suite featuring a 2,140-square-food terrace with unparalleled 270-degree views of the Hollywood Hills and Rodeo Drive.
The expansive tent, which is 16 feet in diameter and over 10 feet tall in the center, offers the coveted Four Seasons sleep experience with a queen-size bed and Four Seasons linens, and lavish furnishings including a crystal chandelier, marble lamps, fur rug and antique nightstands. Outdoors on the terrace, oversized lounge furniture surrounding a fireplace and a dining area for eight completes the glamping experience.
Guests can also enjoy an exclusive glamping menu during their stay, prepared on the veranda by the executive chef. Urban glamping in the Veranda Suite is available for a limited time, with rates starting at $3,500 per night.
Snake River Sporting Club
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Situated on 800 acres with nearly seven miles of private access to Snake River, this private club recently began offering luxury overnight lodging to the public.
The Discovery Village, perfect for couples, is an intimate collection of four designer-furnished, 1-bedroom tiny homes, each with their own fire pit and patio surrounding a communal open space. The tiny homes range from $225 to $625 per night, and guests can enhance their stay with outdoor activities such as world-class golf, fly fishing, hiking and biking, or the restored hot springs.
Four Seasons Resort O’ahu at Ko Olina
Kapolei, Hawaii
Located at the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina, the glamping excursion allows young campers to gather under the night sky surrounded by the comfort of a luxurious tent with Four Seasons bedding.
The well-appointed outdoor accommodations are matched by traditional camping experiences for an evening of Hawaiian stargazing and story-telling, games, movies and a “Great Outdoors” inspired dinner.
Overnight glamping is $150 per camper, which includes supervision, dinner, camping materials and breakfast. Glamping without camping is $100 per camper, including supervision, dinner and games until 10 p.m.
From condominiums with Holistic spas to homes with luxurious bathrooms, here are six reasons to spend the day of romance within the comfort of your own home:
Peace and Serenity
In addition to a luxury spa, this residence offers unparalleled ocean views.
At 2000 Ocean, each residence features a private eastern oceanfront terrace and a private western garden-facing terrace —affording residents the ability to watch the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean and set each day over the Intracoastal Waterway. Meanwhile, the spa at 2000 Ocean will feature a tranquil yoga room which opens onto a contemplative courtyard and garden planted with bamboo trees. The indoor space features a suite of treatment rooms, including a heated steam bath, ice room and relaxation room.
Photo courtesy of KAR Properties
Romantic Amenities
This beautiful waterfront oasis offers all of the amenities of a boutique resort within the comfort of your own home.
The Fairchild Coconut Grove is perfect for a romantic evening. Enjoy the holistic wellness spa, which features a steam room, sauna and a Hammam steam bath makes. After indulging in a romantic dinner at one of Miami’s nearby restaurants, residents may wander through the lushly landscaped serenity gardens or follow the jungle rainforest path to the waterfront deck where they may enjoy breathtaking views. Residents may also choose to enjoy a nighttime bicycle ride or a moonlit outing on the bay.
Renderings courtesy of Spine 3D
Breathtaking Views
This quiet island sanctuary is the epitome of elegant island life.
Bijou Bay Harbor is located in the fashionable Bay Harbor Islands, which are surrounded by clam water perfect for boating and water activities. It is also minutes away from the prestigious Bal Harbor Shops. The intimate, 9-story waterfront property offers the best aspects of the South Florida lifestyle.
Photo courtesy of Bijou Bay Harbour
Spa-like Bathrooms
This property brings spa-like relaxation into your home.
Nothing says romance like the relaxing, spa-like bathrooms at One River Point. Complete with walk-in rain showers and free-floating soaking tubs, couples can relax while enjoying stunning views of the Miami River, Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline. Rising on the banks of the Miami River in the heart of Downtown Miami, One River Point is poised to be a landmark addition to the city’s expanding skyline.
Photo courtesy of KAR Properties
Home Movie Theater
Residents at this luxury rental development may enjoy a romantic movie without stepping outside of their home.
This Valentine’s Day at 525 West 52nd Street, love birds can settle into plush seating, grab some popcorn and enjoy watching their favorite romantic comedy on the big screen in 525’s screening room.
Photo courtesy of 525 West 52nd Street
Romantic Bathrooms
This home offers beautiful, marble bathrooms for two.
Enjoy intracoastal views from your expansive terrace and a beautiful bath design at Four Seasons Private Residences Fort Lauderdale. Inspired by the gracious South Florida sunlight, Greek Statuario Marble was selected for the bath experience at Four Seasons Private Residences Fort Lauderdale. The striking interiors and exteriors are designed by an international team of visionaries including Tara Bernerd, Kobi Karp, Martin Brudnizki, Fernando Wong and developed by Nadim Ashi.
Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Private Residences of Fort Lauderdale
Dinner with a View
This luxury penthouse is the perfect spot for romantic, Valentine’s Day dinners.
After enjoying a romantic dinner, residents at Biscayne Beach Residences Penthouse 7 may enjoy a private rooftop pool, sauna or rooftop deck. The Miami building also features a wide variety of luxury amenities, such as premier members-only beach club complete with a bay-front pool, an elevated man made beach, limitless water views, chaise lounges, day beds and private cabanas.
Photo courtesy of Biscayne Beach Residences
Movie Under the Stars
This home offers residents the perfect space for a romantic night in.
Designed by NYC-based architecture and interior design firm, Morris Adjmi, 70 Henry‘s full-floor penthouse offers a private elevator and full private roof deck perfect for a romantic, al fresco dining experience, or an outdoor movie underneath the stars.
Photo courtesy of Familiar Control
The Debut of this Highly-Anticipated Oceanfront Retreat Reinforces the Multimillion-Dollar Masterplan to Re-imagine Luxury Living in Punta Mita’s Residential Communities.
DINE, one of Mexico’s premier real estate developers, has announced the debut of Sufi Ocean Club. The new oceanfront club is located in Punta Mita’s Porta Fortuna community, a luxury real estate community on the Riviera Nayarit. The club will be available exclusively to Punta Mita’s premier members and their guests.
The announcement of Porta Fortuna’s expanded amenity collection follows on the heels of the 2017 launch of Porta Fortuna Ocean Residences, an ultra-luxurious resort enclave. This highly anticipated residential retreat is part of Punta Mita’s multimillion-dollar re-imagination and underscores DINE’s unbending commitment to unveiling one-of-a-kind offerings throughout Punta Mita’s 15 residential communities.
Fully equipped with the finest amenities and boho chic design, the Sufi Ocean Club provides an intimate sanctuary. This expansive retreat is comprised of open concepts that create a relaxed lifestyle, inviting the lush and alluring outdoors in. Overlooking the Punta Mita Pier and the Bay of Banderas, Sufi Ocean Club offers an expansive saltwater pool, a grand reception hall with ocean views, poolside cabanas and day beds, outdoor showers and access to the Punta Mita Pier.
While relaxing to the eclectic vibes of new resident DJ Franco Demichelis, owners can enjoy oceanfront or seaside dining at the new Sufito Cevicheria Bar and Sufi Restaurant. A newly introduced Isla Mita boutique pop-up store will also open its doors, providing owners with access to a carefully curated collection of designer resort wear and Mexican accessories.
“Our unyielding commitment to our owners and their guests drives us to continually unveil top-of-the-line offerings that further connect residents to this magical paradise they call home.” — Carl Emberson
“Punta Mita owners choose to live within the exclusive peninsula gates for the premier level of luxury provided within, and Sufi Ocean Club is one of our finest amenities, fully encompassing the carefree yet luxurious Punta Mita lifestyle,” said Carl Emberson, Punta Mita’s director of marketing and operations.
Partnering with well-known Mexican interior design firm Hadad Interiors and famed San Francisco-based designer Antonio Martins, Sufi Ocean Club will include boho chic-inspired furnishings and décor that accentuate the modern, free-spirited vibe of Punta Mita. Through breathable, organic textures and natural cream colors, Sufi Ocean Club will touch on the aesthetics of both Mykonos and Tulum while embracing the authenticity, natural light and good fortune of the surrounding destination.
“When experiencing the Sufi Ocean Club, your mind and body will immediately feel more at ease,” said Martins. “Our team handpicked natural, sand-colored hues to adorn wicker and wooden fixtures in an effort to create an extension of the area’s exquisite natural surroundings. As a regular visitor at Punta Mita, the Sufi Ocean Club will surely become my go-to sanctuary.”
The Punta Mita peninsula is currently home to 15 spectacular residential communities, with wholly owned properties and lots ranging from $500,000 to $20 million.
Photos courtesy of Punta Mita Properties
These two stunning peninsulas make for perfect travel destinations this winter. Both have recently announced transformations, which means both destinations are completely reimagined just in time for the cool weather.
Peninsula Papagayo — Costa Rica’s Exclusive 1,400 private Peninsula
Tucked between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean, Peninsula Papagayo commands 1,400 acres of lush landscape in the Guanacaste province on Costa Rica’s north Pacific coast near Nicaragua. The peninsula features two luxury resorts, the Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo and the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica.
New ownership has recently announced a $100 million re-imagination of the entire Peninsula Papagayo. Beginning in December 2017, the 1,400-acre Peninsula Papagayo will wrap Phase 1 of a more than $100 million capital improvements project toward the creation of the premier luxury vacation and residential destination across the Latin America region. The major metamorphosis of Peninsula Papagayo will bring an unprecedented new level of meaningful eco-luxury to the Latin America region of the Americas while connecting the peninsula from end to end for the first time.
Guests and homeowners will experience the natural beauty and wonders of the peninsula’s 1,400 acres through a combination of new builds, major enhancements to existing spaces, and a collection of new peninsula amenities, adventures and experiences that encourage people to connect with nature, the rich local culture and pura vida lifestyle, and each other.
Credit: Gencom
The Ultra Exclusive Punta Mita Peninsula in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Nestled on a 1,500-acre private peninsula on the southwest point of Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit region, Punta Mita is an unsurpassed luxury coastal enclave surrounded by lush landscape and pristine white sand beaches.
The residential community is home to 15 luxury real estate communities and two five-star resorts: the St. Regis Resort and the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, owned by tech billionaire, Bill Gates.
Launched this year, the Porta Fortuna is an ultra-luxurious resort enclave offering 4-to 6-bedroom, ocean view and oceanfront villas ranging from $2.8 million – $4 million.
The estates blend Italian, Mediterranean and Mexican architecture with a slightly contemporary flair. It offers an enviably luxurious lifestyle and vast ocean views across Banderas Bay, capturing the evening glimmer of Puerto Vallarta’s sparkling lights. Porta Fortuna is home to the acclaimed Sufi restaurant, a private owners’ beach club and the Punta Mita pier.
Credit: DINE
From unlimited scuba diving to a luxurious treasure hunt, this one-of-a-kind vacation to Calala Island will allow a group of 10 guests the chance to indulge for 7 days.
Just off the coast of Nicaragua, the Calala Islands is a stunning, secluded island, which will be made additionally private with the guarantee of a week-long no-fly zone.
The week-long trip offered by VeryFirstTo, houses guests in four luxurious villas while they enjoy access to a plethora of enriching activities, such as scuba diving or motorized water sports.
Guests will indulge in a remarkable sushi experience when they see fish go from the ocean to plate within minutes. In this activity the group will head out on the island’s fishing boat to catch their supper. The freshly-caught fish will be prepared onboard the boat by the island’s Itamae Sushi chef and guests will be lavished with a spectacular spread of the world’s freshest sashimi and maki rolls.
Another exclusive Calala Island experience includes a caviar tasting and cooking master class. The final culinary offering on the paradise island is a 12-course gala dinner for all 10 guests. This exquisite banqueting experience will be prepared by Calala Island’s executive chef. The food throughout the stay will be complimented with unlimited fine wines and Dom Pérignon champagne.
In addition, $100,000 of the $1 million will be donated toward the building of a Nicaraguan school, built to the purchaser’s specifications and named after them for generations to come. The lead guest will also be invited to meet with the President and Mayor of the region to unveil the new school.
- Exclusive hire of the island for only you and your guests
- A no-fly zone created for the duration of your stay
- A treasure hunt with a hidden treasure chest containing gold bars and coins equaling $150,000
- Unlimited fine wines and Dom Pérignon champagne
- A 12-course gala dinner for all 10 guests
- A fishing trip and sushi tasting on the Island’s fishing boat
- A Caviar tasting and cooking master class
- A firework display
- The chance to design your own cigar brand with Nicaragua’s world-class cigar maker, Joya de Nicaragua
The experience is priced at $1 million U.S. dollars for 7 nights and accommodates up to 8 adults and 2 children.
Photos courtesy of VeryFirstTo. Visit here to find out more about this luxurious trip.
An increased appetite in healthy living and the age-old desire to explore are satiated by companies crafting custom journeys for active travelers.
By Sarah Binder
In his autobiographical book Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness, American writer Edward Abbey wrote, “A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles.”
With an increased focus on health and wellness, a need to unplug from daily life, and a desire to go off the beaten path, more and more travelers are booking active luxury vacations. Once centralized around destinations where physical activity is inherent, such as Machu Picchu or Alaska, active journeys today combine fitness and culture in unexpected locales such as Spain’s Mallorca Island and Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast.
Through their worldwide luxury tours that engage all five senses, award-winning travel providers such as Gray & Co. and Trek Travel live by Abbey’s timeless observation and help their adventure-seeking guests do the same.
To Cari Gray, founder and director of Gray & Co., active journeys surprise and delight, causing guests to wonder what they will see just around the corner.
“When you’re biking and kayaking, you’re actually watching a living museum. You’re listening to the birds, looking at the constellations, looking at the people in all of their glory. You’re wondering what fruit it is that is hanging off of the trees,” Gray says. “The world is unfolding in front of you and you see it in a very flowing and beautiful way.”
Gray, who spent 14 years with Butterfield & Robinson, noticed a developing niche — an opportunity to serve a clientele seeking higher-end active trips than what was available on the market. Gray & Co. hosted its first trip in 2009 and has focused since its inception on luxury-level service and a higher ratio of drivers, vehicles, and guides to guests.
All of Gray & Co.’s trips are private and designed from scratch — from the drinks guests want in their cooler to the type of hotel room they prefer. Throughout their itinerary, guests dictate the pace that works best for them.
“Whether that means only riding in the morning or the afternoon, or only having bistro-style meals, we get to know our travelers very well to anticipate the needs they don’t even know they have,” she explains. “We don’t design a trip for anyone thinking that it will be the only trip they will take with us.”
Gray & Co. regularly visits new destinations so the team is posed to craft well-rounded itineraries. A trip to South Africa in early January featured a visit to Timanfaya National Park to explore the lava fields and an optional round of golf at Arabella Golf Club. Numerous bike rides highlighted South Africa’s picturesque villages, coasts, valleys, and vineyards, with accommodations in Lanzarote, Canary Islands; Hermanus; Franschhoek; and Cape Town.
“South Africa is not highly popular from a biking perspective; however, from our perspective, it has good pavement, amazing hotels, and super-high-quality food,” Gray says. “When we were in Cape Town we managed to go on a behind-the-scenes tour of the new Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. It was a big highlight to see this mega project that is not going to open until September.”
Even with its heavily researched itineraries, the Gray & Co. team occasionally has to improvise to take its customer service to the next level. “We were touring with a family all around Sydney. To get them out of traffic, we chartered a jet boat to pick them up close to Bondi Beach and drop them off right at the Park Hyatt Sydney. It was a neat opportunity for them to see the harbor and have a jet boat all to themselves, making the transfer a bit of an adventure itself.”
As for new adventures, the team recently took journeys to Bergen, Norway; Sri Lanka; and will visit Australia’s Sunshine Coast Hinterlands this spring. “We’re eagerly awaiting the new lodges that will open in Bhutan; Six Senses is opening up amazing new lodges there later this year. And the Galápagos Islands is definitely on our list as well; we want to check out Pikaia Lodge,” Gray notes.
Photos courtesy of Gray & Co
Suitable for travelers of all riding abilities, from beginners to experienced cyclists, Trek Travel, born of Trek bikes, offers luxury biking vacations around the world. Each guest is provided with an award-winning Trek bicycle, such as the all-new Trek Domane SL 7 carbon fiber road bike with electronic Di2 shifting, the Trek FX hybrid, and the electric-assist XM700+.
Trek Travel’s expertly guided trips can be booked privately and modified to suit guests’ preferences. Alternatively, the company’s trip design team can work with travelers to create completely customized tours. For example, the team recently designed a 22-person trip to Switzerland, intended to celebrate the family’s heritage and introduce everyone, from ages 6 to 80, to the town their matriarch and grandmother hailed from.
“When you slow down and get on a bike you are able to immerse yourself in a region more than if you’re on a bus from point A to point B. You can feel the terrain, stop on the side of the road and take pictures, and smell the lavender fields you’re riding by,” explains Meagan Coates, Trek Travel’s trip design manager. “How you’re welcomed by locals when you arrive in a tiny town in Italy on a bike is a different experience. You’re able to connect more easily.”
While some destinations, such as Yellowstone or California wine country, sound ideal for a cycling vacation, others may surprise. “Time is of the essence to get to Cuba,” Coates explains.
Launched early this year, Trek Travel’s eight-day, seven-night Cuba itinerary welcomes all abilities for a trip that starts in Santa Clara and ends in Havana. One day’s ride, for example, covers approximately 40 miles with 1,200 feet of climbing, pedaling through the Valle de los Ingenios, the lush green valley once the center of the island’s sugar industry. The trip’s wide variety of non-cycling activities includes visits to the Bay of Pigs museum and Manaca Iznaga Sugar Plantation, people-to-people exchanges such as meeting a local author in Trinidad, and savoring traditional homemade dinners at paladars — private, family owned restaurants.
All tours allow guests to set their own pace — it’s encouraged to skip a ride in favor of a spa treatment, if desired. Last May, the company launched a new collection of trips designed to maximize the relaxation portion of one’s vacation. A partnership with Scenic luxury river cruises allows Trek Travel to offer tours on the Danube and Rhine rivers.
“The ships are like floating luxury hotels, and at every port there is a spot where you can get off and ride,” Coates says. Day three of the Rhine River Cruise, for example, features an afternoon ride through Germany’s romantic Neckar Valley to the foothills of the Odenwald Forest, followed by a classical concert in the Baroque Mannheim Palace.
“With the support that we offer, you don’t have to worry about anything,” says Coates. “The biggest thing I tell beginner or non-riders is ‘Just go.’ More often than not, when you want to start doing anything new, the hardest part is just getting started.”
Photos courtesy of Clockwise: Norway ©Tony Ferlisi; Ojai courtesy of Trek Travel; Yellowstone ©Zack Jones Photography; Cuba ©Leanne Welbourne
VeryFirstTo.com presents the perfect gift for your father, an action-packed 16-day journey throughout Europe and the U.S.
From flying a WWII plane to cage diving with sharks, this trip will test your father’s imagination and adventurous spirit.
The trip will begin in Las Vegas at the world famous luxury Wynn hotel and casino.
Then, it will jet you up to San Francisco to cage dive with one of the world’s most feared predators, Great White Sharks. An instructor will lead the way as your father gets up close and personal with the sea creatures.
Also in San Francisco, your dad can enjoy a day tour in tech mecca, Silicon Valley, including the opportunity to test out unreleased products from Android and see the full Apple product line-up.
Then, head off to Nappa for a private luxury wine tour and tasting at the most famous vineyards in America.
“This exceptional fortnight allows one to dispel the myth that mums get the best gifts. Amongst the amazing experiences, you will give dad the gift of flight, firstly allowing him to pilot a T6 Texan WWII plane in Florida, then watch him channel his inner Bond with a Jet Pack flight at the famed Kitty Hawke in Carolina,” says Marcel Knobil, founder of VeryFirstTo, Superbrands and Cool BrandLeaders.
This luxurious Father’s Day trip is organized by the luxury travel company, Hurlingham Travel.
Other highlights of the 16-day voyage include driving a supercar on Germany’s speed-limitless Autobahn, perfecting his BBQ skills at the Grill Academy in London, Whisky Tasting in Edinburgh and a luxurious massage at Asofya Hammam.
The trip, which totals $80,490 per couple, may be taken at anytime during the year. Depending on the month, alternate arrangements may be made.
To view the full itinerary or to find out more, click here.
Photos courtesy of VeryFirstTo
The following article originally appeared in the Spring 2017 issue of ERA Real Estate Distinctive Properties Magazine.
Homeowners are increasingly demanding that their properties accomodate “staycations.”
Photo courtesy Fernando Wong Outdoor Living Design
By Kristen Ordonez
The idea of creating a “staycation” space, whether it exists within a single room or an entire home, is a concept growing in popularity, and can be interpreted differently by interior designers, landscape designers, and real estate professionals.
Designer Meridith Baer of Meridith Baer Home knows more than most people about creating a certain feeling when stepping into a home, as her firm is one of the country’s leading home staging and design companies.
For Baer, “It’s no longer enough to just have a roof over our heads; we want our home to be…
Photo courtesy of Amazon.
The current trend of voice-control technology has inflicted immense change on the real estate industry, creating another set of expectations for high-end homes or spaces to exceed.
This trend has found a new home in hotel rooms and is enhancing the way resorts cater to the needs of guests.
Wynn Las Vegas and Amazon recently announced plans to equip all 4,748 hotel rooms at Wynn Las Vegas with Echo, Amazon’s hands-free voice-controlled speaker. The introduction of this technology into every guest room, beginning this month with installation in suites, will be an industry-first in the world, allowing every guest of Wynn Las Vegas to control various hotel room features with a series of voice commands via Alexa, the brain behind Echo.
“As we have moved through the years, technology has always played an important part in our resorts,” says Steve Wynn, chairman and CEO of Wynn Resorts. “The thing that Amazon has done with Alexa is quite perfect. If I have ever seen anything in my 49 years of developing resorts that has made our job of delivering a perfect experience to our guests easier and help us get to another level, it is Alexa.
“The ability to talk to your room is effortlessly convenient. In partnership with Amazon, becoming the first resort in the world in which guests can verbally control every aspect of lighting, temperature and the audio-visual components of a hotel room is yet another example of our leadership in the world of technology for the benefit of all of our guests,” says Wynn.
Alexa will be fully operational in all guest rooms by summer 2017, and will initially control guest room lights, room temperature, drapery and the television. As the project evolves, future features such as personal assistant functions will be introduced.
“Millions of people already enjoy interacting with Alexa at home via their Echo devices, and now they will be able to experience the same convenience while traveling,” says Steve Rabuchin, vice president of Amazon Alexa. “Wynn Las Vegas is known for its comfort and luxury, and we are excited to work with the resort to enhance its guest experience with Alexa.”
Alexa is a the brain behind Amazon Echo and other Alexa-enabled devices — just ask and she’ll answer questions, read the news, set timers and alarms, recite calendars, check sports scores, control smart devices in-home, and more. Since Alexa runs in the cloud, she is always getting smarter — plus it is simple and free for developers to build Alexa skills and integrate Alexa into their own products. In the U.S., there are already more than 6,000 skills available for Alexa.
Wynn Las Vegas was not the first hotel to install voice-control technology in their hotel rooms, however. In August 2016 Aloft Hotels implemented the “Project Jetson” initiative in several of their hotel locations, which moved to enable control temperature, light and other room settings. Guests could control these settings through a custom Aloft app on iPads included in their rooms.
With people’s increasing desire to have control over their experiences, who knows where advances in technology will lead resort owners in the future.