SILENCE IS GOLDEN: Tune in by Tuning Out
Fairmont Knows Where Peace & Quiet Is Hiding
In today’s urban landscape of buzzing Blackberries, glowing iPads and plugged-in smartphones, everyone’s peace of mind is at risk of getting lost in the din. To combat the encroaching march of technology, Fairmont offers destinations that turn down the volume on the ever-humming grind of today’s “connected” world. As computer screens fade to black and gadgets are powered off, quiet enclaves burst with color, dark skies come alive and the lost art of conversation has a chance to take root once again.
Finding Quietude
The cacophony of daily life can drown out even the most stunning landscapes, which is why it’s important to find spots far from the hustle and bustle of civilisation. At Quebec’s Fairmont Kenauk, rustic chalets are off the electrical grid, letting guests tune out and take in each cabin’s own unique location, which feature waterfalls, lake views and more. There is no cell phone coverage at the resort, meaning the only distractions guests will have are the roaming deer and birds that flit through the tranquil scenery. Closer to civilization, but still far from the hum of city life are the quiet floors at Fairmont Vancouver Airport. All guestrooms are soundproofed, but the “Quiet Zone” offers an extra shroud of silence for guests as normal day-to-day hotel operations cease from 8am to 8pm. Available for day use, these rooms can be used by flyers connecting on a layover or those who want to find a Zen moment as they watch planes take off and land against the backdrop of British Columbia’s picturesque mountains.
Urban Retreats
Even in the heart of a lively metropolis, quiet spaces can be found to soothe frazzled nerves. In Los Angeles, where the sounds of traffic and cars seem inescapable, Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows provides 32 secluded garden bungalows nestled amongst tropical flowers, palm trees and tranquil waterfalls that seem a million miles away from the stresses of city life. Further north, The Fairmont San Francisco offers a rooftop garden that is an oasis for guests who want a breath of fresh air in the city. Though it’s on the lobby level, the hotel’s location on Nob Hill puts the garden four stories high, giving it a great view of the city, with cable cars running on Powell Street below. Across the Pacific in Shanghai, Fairmont Peace Hotel offers rooftop Tai Chi upon request that focuses the mind and brings calm to an otherwise bustling city.
High above the glamorous clamour of Monaco, Fairmont Monte Carlo’s 7th Floor rooftop pool offers a respite from the high stakes principality. Views over the Mediterranean Sea, the legendary Opera and the famous Fairmont hairpin turn of the Formula 1 Grand Prix are best viewed from comfy lounge beds that surround the serene poolside setting. Since 1904, Fairmont The Norfolk’s Lord Delamere Terrace has been a popular watering hole for Nairobi visitors who want to contemplate and reflect, and to this day is the city’s preferred spot to sit back and take a break before jetting off on safari.
Around the world, the brand’s Fairmont Gold offering, an exclusive hotel within a hotel, features private residential lounges that give guests a chance to collect themselves before setting out into the urban jungle, or to wind down after a noisy day in the city. Fairmont Gold lounges offer an escape from the bustle of everyday life, complete with indulgences such as a continental breakfast, evening canapés and a selection of newspapers and reading material that are perfect for decompressing stressed nerves.
Turn off the Lights, See the Sights
Jasper National Park was named the world’s largest dark sky preserve in 2011, which means that once the sun goes down, guests of The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge have some of the best sky gazing views anywhere. Whilst the day time views are spectacular, blacking out the scenery can provide an experience that is jaw dropping, as millions of twinkling stars come out to shine. In Kenya, Fairmont Mara Safari Club offers 50 luxury tents with verandas overlooking the hippo and crocodile-filled Mara River. At night, all of the lights go out at the resort and the soothing chorus of the Savannah can be heard and as the Southern Hemisphere stars come into view, the aural landscape can be fully appreciated. At Fairmont Mayakoba in Mexico, pint-sized guests are invited to view galaxies, quasars, and other celestial wonders while listening to mytho-historical narratives from ancient Mayan texts.
In Bermuda, guests of The Fairmont Hamilton Princess or The Fairmont Southampton can discover the magical qualities that inspired the song “Glow Little Glow Worm”, but only once the sun has gone down. May through November during the two to three days that follow a full moon, and exactly 56 minutes after sunset, the mating spectacle of this bio-luminescent sea creature takes place. At that moment, fire worms swarm to the surface of the sea and engage in animated dance, illuminated by their own light.
Sparking a Conversation
As diners thumb their devices over cocktails, couples pop in their headphones as they silently read the morning paper and kids fling Angry Birds rather than join in a conversation, the digital revolution appears to be hastening the demise of dialogue. For a tête-à-tête not far from the bright lights of Shanghai, Fairmont Yangcheng Lake offers picnics on a private island in the resort’s namesake lake as the perfect conversation starter. For a spot where sunsets shine brighter than computer screens, travellers to Fairmont Dubai can spark a conversation after a day in the city at the Sunset Pool, which overlooks the Gulf and outshines any glowing gadget, not to mention the city’s famed skyline. Afternoon Tea is an activity made for catching up over biscuits and clotted cream, and The Savoy in London offers one of the world’s top spots to indulge. Delicate piano music serves as the only distraction from the discussion in the intimate Thames Foyer, where diners while away the hours enjoying the simple joys of food, tea and their own company.
ABOUT FAIRMONT HOTELS & RESORTS
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, which will arrive in destinations as diverse as Jaipur, Kyiv and Manila in 2012, is a celebrated collection of more than 60 luxury properties around the globe, including Shanghai’s Fairmont Peace Hotel, The Plaza in New York, and Makkah Clock Royal Tower in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The luxury brand’s distinctive hotels offer a sense of heritage and sophistication, warm, engaging service and culturally rich experiences. A community and environmental leader, Fairmont is also recognised internationally for its responsible tourism practices and award-winning Green Partnership programme. Fairmont is owned by FRHI Holdings Limited, a leading global hotel company with over 100 hotels under the Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissôtel brands. The company also manages Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel branded luxury private residences club, whole-ownership residences and serviced residences properties.
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