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| Sicily,
Italy |
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Society - Extraordinary
January - 2009 |
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6 Stars
& 5 Stripes
Overall - 'Hotel & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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| A trip to Italy in December will grab anyone's
attention and Sicily in the winter is especially worth a visit. We were on the
way to Mazara Del Vallo an ancient town in southwestern Sicily, which lies
mainly on the left bank at the mouth of the Mazaro River but is
administratively part of the Province of Trapani. We flew via Rome to Palermo
and landed in the early afternoon hours of a still relatively warm December
day. To our delight we discovered that there is a non-stop service available
from New York to Palermo in season. At the airport we were expected by a nicely
uniformed lady holding up a customized sign, which read: “Welcome Mr. and
Mrs. Buehrmann, Kempinski Hotel Giardino di Costanza”. Miss Linda inquired
after our wellbeing and guided us to the hotel's limousine parked right at the
exit where a friendly, uniformed driver, Asaro Vincenzo, seemed honestly
delighted to meet us and greeted us with a solid handshake. Asaro stowed our
luggage and after we had freshened up with moist guest towels, we were quickly
on our the way. |
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| GM Paolo
Sanavia & Thorsten Buehrmann |
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Within the one-hour ride from the airport to our
resort in Mazara Del Vallo we were already able to get a little bit of the
feeling for the rustic country sights, its people and their trade. While we
were sipping on a couple of sparkling sodas on board, ignoring the nicely
chilled Prosecco Spumante, we passed priceless historic sights and admired the
enticing winter colors of the Mediterranean. As we came in distant sight of the
hotel we saw two perfect rows of evergreen palm trees flanking both sites of
the long driveway leading us directly to the main entrance. When the doors of
the limousine opened we became instantly aware of the unique, flowery scent of
the Mediterranean, even in the winter. Here General Manager Paolo Sanavia most
graciously welcomed us. |
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| Kempinski Hotel
Giardino di Costanza |
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| Opened just four years ago, this luxury hotel with
over ninety rooms is a small Mediterranean castle, for lack of better words.
Check-in at the marble floored and columned lobby was pleasantly casual. We
received the kind of eye contact that welcomes long gone friends. Quickly I
confirmed our stay with my signature while my wife complimented the fresh scent
of the exotic flower arrangements. Within minutes we arrived in our spacious
accommodations, classy and comfortable, a grand bed, earthy tiled floors,
precious throw rugs and a balcony with pretty views over casually manicured
sprawling gardens, azure colored pools, Moorish fountains and meandering
waterfalls. Another dominating feature of this 25-acre fairytale estate-resort
is the full-service NAKHLAH health and beauty Spa |
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| Kempinski Hotel
Giardino di Costanza - Room |
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| We took quick showers in the luxuriously designed bath
facilities of our suite with spa amenities by Molton Brown. Who would have
known, that when Molton Brown opened its doors first as a hair salon on South
Molton Street in London's Mayfair, that some thirty-five years later their
products would delight the guests of the Kempinski Hotel Giardino di Costanza
in Sicily and then some? |
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| We tried the mouthwatering
delicacies of Pastry Chef Gianni Ciotta, which we took as a sweet promise for
the upcoming 'Back
Stage Culinary Journey and Kitchen Party'. This unique culinary event (CLICK
HERE for additional pictures) showcased the talent of Executive Chef
Salvatore Barbara and his team through cooking demonstrations using his
favorite 'in season, local and fresh' ingredients. Some of the recipes were
already in use by the indigenous people of Sicily. Mazara was founded by the
Phoenicians in the 9th century BC, with the name of Mazar (the Rock) and today
it is an agricultural post and home of one of the largest fishing fleets of
Italy. |
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| Welcome -
Kempinski Hotel Giardino di Costanza |
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| In days gone by, the local people certainly prepared
food in simpler ways, but here we were looking at food art inspired by the land
and sea of the Mediterranean, displayed 'on location' in one of the squeaky
clean kitchens of the resort. After a good night's rest and an opulent, casual
breakfast feast the next morning, we couldn't wait to get to the
spa. |
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| Kempinski
Sicily - NAKHLAH - SPA |
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General Manager Paolo Sanavia
had added medical facilities to the already existing, renowned health and
beauty spa facilities, rather recently. The new medical spa offers DNA
pre-testing, analysis and full body evaluation and basically the entire
repertoire of some of the most acclaimed and long established medical spas of
Europe and Asia. My wife and I were scheduled for Sicilian High Salt Energizer
treatments, which are based on natural local products such as Trapani salt and
extracts of citrus fruits. This couple's treatment allowed us after the
exfoliation process to float together in a pool of high concentrated, deeply
penetrating and energizing salt water. |
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| Later we met Spa Manager Mariella Sforza, a gracious
and knowledgeable lady with a soft-spoken voice. She explained the benefits of
the treatments we had experienced and others we were scheduled for, such as
'The Kempinski head, neck & face massage' and on New Year's Day morning the
unforgettable Nakhlah Spa - Couple's Herbal Massage - and the longevity program
OLIS. OLIS was designed by Professors Giovanni Spera and his team, implementing
the most recent scientific discoveries in age management, medicine and
diagnostic technology. |
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| 2009 Kempinski
NAKHLAH - Award-Hand-Out |
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| The center offers programs that identify your body's
real age and treats it with early diagnostics, therapy, education and
preventative medicine. If you are yearning for a real health, beauty and
medical spa in the countryside, here you are surrounded by the best Mother
Nature has to offer all together in a superb, world-class spa. One of the
classiest New Year's Eve parties we have ever attended started at 4 pm with a
little “Christmas Market with flavors, fragrances and Sicilian
craftsmen” - a charming event and crafts show in the grand
lobby. |
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New Year's Eve gala started at seven (CLICK
HERE for additional pictures) with Spumante cocktails and
canapés with live music and songs - introducing the agenda of the New
Year's Evening Grand Gala to all. And a Grand Gala it was this one of a kind
New Year's eve event: “Shakespeare - A Midnight Sicilian Dream” ! The
staff outdid themselves and so did the performers, dancers, singers and
musicians alike. It was an unforgettably colorful night at the Kempinski Hotel
Giardino di Costanza, the night with … Shakespeare in Love! |
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| The grand balls of the Golden Age came to life through
fabulous costumes, quotes, scenes, songs and dance from the most brilliant of
all his plays within the course breaks of our gala dinner. The New Year's Eve
menu was a delicious show in itself, the service well rehearsed with the
ever-guiding eyes of
GM
Sanavia directing. I shall not readily forget the moment when at midnight a
multitude of perfectly chilled Moet Chandon Imperial bottles 'popped' with
Massimo
Bonafaccia taking on the 'duty' for our table, and a rain of colorful
confetti lit the faces of the well-dressed, cheering, ecstatic crowd welcoming
Baby New Year. |
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| When it comes to Shakespeare in Love, the world
understands just how important those amazing scenes are and we must applaud the
team and the management of the Kempinski Hotel Giardino di Costanza, who
executed a New Year's week par excellence. The week was not only about
celebrating the creativity, the spirit, and especially the magic of the famous
play, it was about this Kempinski team that created an entire week of
perfection and dedication to their guests. It is time for adequate and
respectful recognition for some of the most capable people in the industry. We
are congratulating GM Paolo Savania and his outstanding team. |
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| 2009 Seven
Stars and Stripers® - Award-Hand-Out at the Kempinski Hotel Giardino di
Costanza |
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by
Thorsten & Simone Buehrmann
Editor: Ingrid
Lemme
Editor-in-Chief: John Lomitola |
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| © 2009 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc. |
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