Sherman's Travel

As part of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Johannesburg hosted the opening ceremony and will be the site of several key matches. The energetic city is also home to a burgeoning art scene that’s evolved leaps and bounds since the end of apartheid. At its axis is David Krut (pictured), founder of David Krut Publishing and Arts Resource, which essentially acts as a circuit board connecting the country’s artists, both emerging and established. For those traveling to Joburg this summer, Krut, who also owns a South Africa-centric gallery in New York City, shared a few of his favorite spots in and around the leafy Parkwood arts district where he’s based.

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The official word is that Thailand is once again safe for tourists, according to Thailand Tourism, and hotels like the Metropolitan Bangkok should feel relieved. To encourage travelers to once again experience the invigorating city that combines the ancient and modern in one luscious jumble, the COMO hotel has rolled back its rates to a mere $80 through July, allowing you to experience the smoothly designed rooms decorated with art by Natee Utarit, Michelin-starred restaurant, and the Shambhala Urban Escape spa.

THE VALUE: $80/night (2,600 baht) is 69% off regular rack rates of $260. The rate is for a City Room.

THE CATCH: Most dates we checked actually had rates $82-85 per night.

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SHERMAN’S EXCLUSIVE

The Luxury Noted Latin-American fashion designer Silvia Tcherassi opened her Tcherassi Hotel + Spa last September, and already the opulent mansion turned high-end hotel in Cartagena’s old city has earned rave reviews. Each unique room – named for fabrics used in Silvia’s collections – boasts lofty ceilings, Tcherassi-branded luxury amenities, and private balconies with garden or city views. Read more

Ever since the iPad’s launch, assorted hotels have been rolling out the gadget as an amenity in different forms. At these forward-looking spots, guests are reading the morning paper, previewing rooms before checking in, and booking massages, expeditions, and restaurants using the new gadget. 

And now the iPad (and its ilk) have recently popped up at sea. Read more

With so many hotels touting their “green” credentials these days, it’s hard to figure out which ones are eco-friendly and which are just jumping on the eco-band wagon. Here are our picks for the best “green” hotels, as well as a few resources to find more eco-friendly properties no matter where you’re headed.

The Hay-Adams, Washington, D.C. This historic hotel located across the street from the White House was the first to be awarded the Luxury Eco Certification Standard from non-profit Sustainable Travel International. To earn the award, the Hay-Adams got rid of Styrofoam, paper, and plastic containers; uses eco-friendly cleaning products; and automatically recycles newspapers, white paper, and bottles and cans from guest rooms. To top it off, the luxury hotel recycles its linen by partnering with a local charity called Keys for the Homeless.

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In honor of New York City’s current heat wave (the temp hit 90 degrees yesterday in Central Park!) and in light of our building’s non-functioning A/C, it seems only appropriate to write about some sub-zero amenities around the world. Read more

One can imagine that Mexico City bid farewell to 2009 with considerable relief. The bad economy coupled with spurts of regional violence kept visitors away early on, and in April, when the city became ground zero of the H1N1 pandemic, tourism fell off a cliff.

Fast-forward to the new year. In December, Mexico City became the first city in Latin America to legalize gay marriage and same-sex couple adoption. Also, it’s among seven cities worldwide selected by FIFA to broadcast all the 2010 World Cup games live on giant, public screens. Add to that the city’s humming design scene, its affordability, and legions of innovative restaurants, and the only question left is where to bed down.

After a few delays, Las Alcobas opened January 18 in the city’s affluent Polanco district. Designed by Yabu Pushelberg, whose clients include Four Seasons and St. Regis, the hotel is both modern and homey. Its 35 rooms are softened with hand-knotted rugs and contemporary Mexican art. At the top end are three penthouse suites with wraparound terraces. A small spa grants relief from the urban bustle. Near the hotel, guests can shop Avenida Presidente Masaryk, visit the modern art museum, and dine at the city’s top tables, all without hailing a cab (the traffic has yet to improve). From $415/night; lasalcobas.com

Find more exciting hotels in our Mexico City Travel Guide.

From the February/March 2010 issue of Sherman’s Travel magazine.

Hyatt’s newest brand, Andaz, opened its first New York hotel in the heart of the Financial District on January 18. I manhandled my way down to Wall Street (battling the 5pm exodus from the neighborhood) to check out David Rockwell’s latest digs. Like its boutique sisters in London and Los Angeles, the “Andaz experience” is just as exceptional as its smart, space-conserving rooms (room video preview above). Read more

I recently visited Midtown Manhattan’s The Surrey to check out the hotel’s $60 million renovation. Interior designer Lauren Rottet essentially remade the hotel from top to bottom, bringing The Surrey into the 21st century while sticking with the traditional elegance of the original property. Read more

I recently had the pleasure of overnighting on St. Barts to review its jewel-box hotel, Eden Rock. (Ah, yes, I love my job.) While it’s hard to go wrong with accommodations on St. Barts – the island is filled with glitzy boutique hotels polished to perfection – the Eden Rock stands out from the gang for a few reasons. 

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