I have a business trip to New York lined up, and when I hop across the pond this time, I’d like to combine my business obligations with the chance to see something more of the surrounding area and relax a little. If I can get to enjoy some art and fine dining too, the trip will be just perfect. I make my plans and decide that, once I’ve finished my stay in New York, I’ll take a trip to the surrounding countryside. Then I’ll fly to Miami where the Arts District has a wide range of attractions for art lovers. To stay in, I choose hotels from the French Relais & Châteaux group.
I start my journey in comfort in American Airlines’ new business class cabin flying direct from Zurich to New York; they also have direct flights from Frankfurt. American Airlines has renewed its fleet entirely, updating it to meet the latest requirements. Instead of fixed screens, there are now tablets that you can take out. You almost feel as though you were sitting on the sofa at home! I arrive in the metropolis fully rested after a pleasant flight. It’s straight off to the first Relais & Château Hotel of my trip: The Surrey situated in Manhattan in the heart of New York. The Relais & Château Hotel group is an association of luxury hotels and restaurants founded in France in 1954 with establishments all over the world. They tend to be small and intimate, often located in castles or city residences and are distinguished by their individuality and excellent cuisine. The Surrey itself is a fairly small establishment by New York standards, a boutique hotel with around 100 not overly large rooms. It is the group’s only hotel in New York. Its location is ideal: the building, a product of the roaring twenties, is right on Central Park. From here you can walk to museums such as MoMa and the Metropolitan or go on a shopping spree in Fifth Avenue’s exquisite boutiques. The Surrey’s Café Boulud restaurant, which has a Michelin star, is under the direction of French chef Daniel Boulud. Boulud is the owner of several award-winning restaurants and in the USA, he is considered an important culinary authority.
But if you fancy a change from the outstanding cuisine on offer at your hotel, then there is the Ai Fiori restaurant on Fifth Avenue offering French/Italian cuisine. The restaurant, which also belongs to Relais & Châteaux, is in the Relais & Châteaux Grand Chefs class, a category assigned to absolute gourmet restaurants whose chefs mostly have one or more Michelin stars. After spending a few days in the city, I’m looking forward to a touch of relaxation in the countryside, in the beautiful Lower Hudson Valley. I’ve booked the Town & Country package: three nights in The Surrey and three nights in a second Relais & Château Hotel, the Glenmere Mansion in Chester in New York State, about an hour’s drive from Manhattan. With transport from one hotel to the other included, it could not be easier. Since 1996, this area has been a designated National Heritage Area, and today it is a popular destination for New Yorkers to spend their leisure time in. Glenmore Mansion was once the home of a wealthy family of American industrialists. As soon as I arrive here, I feel good, just like in Tuscany. This country house was built in the Tuscan style back in 1911. It stands on a hill, surrounded by a magnificent Italian garden with terraces, fountains and beautiful flower beds. This is a fantastic place to relax – I gaze across the hilly landscape and Glenmere Lake, as I soak up the Mediterranean atmosphere.
18 individually furnished suites offer every possible comfort; many have a fireplace, some have a terrace and view of the grounds. There are 125 works of art around the house, including paintings by Robert Rauschenberg and Robert Motherwell. The German hotel proprietor has a lot of time for art, and he loves to share his passion with his guests. Those who want to see even more art should make the thirty-minute journey to the Storm King Art Center. Here in extensive grounds with meadows and woodland set amidst a hilly landscape, there are more than 100 sculptures by some of the best-known contemporary artists. Here art and nature achieve true harmony.
Lovers of shopping will have a great time at the Woodbury Commons Outlet Stores just 15 minutes away. It is one of the world’s largest luxury outlet stores and a popular destination for many New Yorkers too. There are more than 200 shops featuring brands from Burberry to Dior, Nike and Prada. At the end of an eventful day, I relax in the Glenmere Mansion’s Supper Room over a good meal. Three days have passed and my stay is over; it’s time to go back to New York. American Airlines takes me on to the third stage of my trip, to Miami in the southeast of the USA, to immerse myself in the world of art. The last hotel on my trip, The Biltmore, one of the Leading Hotels of the World, was built outside the city of Miami in Coral Gables in 1924. The Biltmore is an establishment steeped in history that has seen a number of well-known personalities, such as President Franklin D. Roosevelt and gangster Al Capone, stay here in days gone by. However a good reputation gained in the past is no guarantee of first-class furnishings and bathroom fittings. And that’s why next time I stay in Miami, I’ll be choosing a hotel on Miami Beach. As in New York, there’s another exquisite restaurant run by French chef Daniel Boulud in Miami: the db Bistro Moderne in the JW Mariott Marquis. But what is really special about Miami is the lively art scene. The Wynwood Arts District is unique, and it’s not just for art connoisseurs. Even those less interested in art are enthusiastic about this trendy, colourful quarter. Art is everywhere you look.
Founded in 2003 by a group of art dealers, artists and curators, today there are 70 galleries in the Wynwood Arts District alone, featuring many well-known artists. But it’s not just inside that you’ll see art here, it’s outside too. This quarter is home to the world’s largest collection of street art. I’m surrounded by art everywhere I go – on houses, walls and pavements. In amongst this, studios, micro-breweries, highly original bars and cafes and lots of other creative businesses jostle for space. I’m simply amazed. I hire an 'Art Concierge' to make sure I don’t miss out on the most interesting locations. He guides his clients specifically to the most important places for art, getting them into the very special galleries. In 2002, the Art Basel fair opened an offshoot in Miami, proof that Miami had already established itself as a city of contemporary art. Every December modern and contemporary art from around the world is displayed here. Other art fairs are held here too, mainly in the winter months. And art attracts more art: in December 2013, the Pérez Art Museum for modern and contemporary art opened, built by Basle’s star architects Herzog & de Meuron. Miami has now become a key cosmopolitan centre for the contemporary art scene, attracting a huge influx of people from around the world. Art, gourmet restaurants and beautiful hotels – l am leaving the US full of impressions, as I take my American Airlines flight back home.
