And now, according to schedule, the gal chooses five greats. Here we have Five Great bathtubs, in alphabetical order.
At Belmond Copacabana Palace, Rio de Janeiro, the views from sixth-floor rooftop suites are sensational. In 601, as shown above, the tub is by the window. There, across avenida Atlantica is Copacabana Beach. From the first hint of daybreak there are people exercising down there, playing volleyball and so on. And all that working out makes YOU feel better as you fill the bath with local Granado toiletries.
Loews Regency, San Francisco, is still benefiting from the publicity the building got when it opened in 1987 as Mandarin Oriental San Francisco – people raved then about the views from bathtubs, especially from the higher floor of the 158-room hotel (the hotel goes up to the 48th floor of the building). Last time I stayed in room 4404 and loved having Bushnell binoculars, and Julien Farel toiletries.
Bathrooms at Ritz-Carlton Millenia, Singapore, have big octagonal windows – and end suites -16 or -26 (overlooking the Singapore Flyer Ferris wheel) have particularly outstanding views. If possible I would always choose floor 32, for its proximity to one of luxury travel’s best executive club lounges, run by the lovely Sheila Benzon. Really regular guests get bathrobes with their initials.
Shangri-La Hotel At The Shard, London, rises to the 52nd floor of the 310 metre-tall building. My last stay was in suite 4802, looking far down to the Thames and, immediately across that river, the historic Tower of London, built by William the Conqueror in 1078 (it looks so tiny down there!). Luxuriate in your Villeroy & Boch bathtub with masses of L’Occitane bubbles.
At W Hong Kong, it seems everything is oversized. The 393-room hotel rises to 70 floors, and even normal rooms have double-length Jacuzzi tubs. For the ultimate, however, take the 220 sq m Extreme Wow Suite, which comes with black walls, and a bathtub for eight, a lucky number for Chinese. If you want yet more water, head for the hotel’s main pool, outside on a sky-high 76th floor rooftop.
