Childhood Memories and Love for Croatia

Hamiczech’s love for travel started in her childhood, when her parents took her to former Yugoslavia, specifically Croatia, for their summer vacations. Even though they didn’t have enough money for hotels and slept in camps, they were happy to be near the sea. Croatia remains one of her favorite destinations, and whenever she smells the scent of pines and figs, she reminisces about her childhood.

Difficulties in Traveling before 1989

Traveling was not easy for Czechoslovakians before 1989. The country had only five travel agencies, and most people went on vacation within their own country because going abroad was a complicated process. If someone managed to travel, they would mostly visit the countries of the socialist bloc, such as East Germany, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria. Yugoslavia was forbidden for most citizens of Czechoslovakia because it was considered a dangerous destination as it became too close to the west.

Transformation after 1989

After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, the borders of the Czech Republic opened to neighboring countries, and people started traveling more. However, most Czechs didn’t have enough money for hotels and restaurants, and they were known as a nation of pate makers. Today, the Czech Republic is a nation of travelers, and people enjoy fine dining and stay in luxurious hotels.

Love for Skiing and the Alps

Hamiczech has been skiing since she was two years old and loves it to this day. She changed from skiing to snowboarding when she was a teenager. She didn’t see the Alps until 2001, and she felt like she was in paradise. Long groomed ski slopes, chairlifts, and cable cars with no queues and beautiful weather became her dream. She went to the Alps every year and stopped enjoying skiing in the Czech Republic because they don’t have such high mountains and snow conditions like Austria or Italy.

Work and Travel in the USA

Hamiczech and her friends had the opportunity to visit the USA, specifically Florida, for work and travel when she was studying at the university. However, they were unlucky to be there when Hurricane Katrina hit the US in 2005. They worked as maids in a hotel, and it was hard work, but it helped her understand the efforts of hotel staff. She started leaving tips for maids and keeping hotel rooms tidy after that experience.

Hamiczech’s Travel Blog and Social Media

Hamiczech created a travel account on Instagram to share her travel experiences and recommendations, and people started following her. She also writes detailed reviews of hotels she has visited and promotes them. She writes about the places she has visited in every detail. Her followers appreciate her honest and detailed reviews, and many of them have followed her recommendations and visited the places she has recommended.

Future Travel Plans

Hamiczech’s future travel plans include visiting Canada, South Africa, and Japan. She wants to explore the natural beauty of Canada, go on a safari in South Africa, and experience the unique culture of Japan. She is also interested in visiting less-known destinations and discovering hidden gems that are not popular among tourists.

Overall, Hamiczech is a passionate traveler who enjoys exploring new destinations and sharing her experiences with others. Her love for travel started in her childhood, and she has been fortunate to visit many countries and experience different cultures. Her blog and social media accounts have become popular among travelers who appreciate her honest and detailed reviews, and she plans to continue sharing her travel experiences and recommendations with her followers.

Instagram: @hamiczech

Facebook: @hamiczech.tips

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hamiczech

Blog: www.hamiczech.tips

Four Seasons is the company in question here, and what is its philosophy? Its language of love is that luxury. Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of the company Marc Speichert says, “It’s these little unscripted gestures that create a sense of the bespoke.” He then tells a story about a housekeeping manager who once saw a photo on a table in a guest’s room and went out to find a frame for it. The guest was thrilled. “The instruction to frame any pictures you uncover was not included in the playbook. He was merely being imaginative and driven by a desire to change the world.”

The top 5+ star companies are engaged in a constant arms race with one another over facilities and experiences in order to attract the super-wealthy, thus the market up there has grown pretty saturated. The sky is the limit when it comes to accessing Michelin-starred chefs, lavishly furnished, Insta-ready settings, cutting-edge spas with cryotherapy chambers, and access to locations that commoners wouldn’t even dare enter (or better yet, know existed). How then do you win over the 1% who is no longer susceptible to being won over? Focus on the small actions of kindness. Create couture. Speichert asserts that “often the simplest item can have a significant impact.”
From Philadelphia to Punta Mita, Cap-Ferrat to Chiang Mai, and most surely in the air on the Four Seasons Private Jet, given what the 0.01 percent spend for that experience, this precise attention to detail, service, and care is probably present throughout the Four Seasons hotel portfolio. And in 2025, when the Four Seasons Yacht embarks on her first journey (reservations open in a year), it will all go down on the water as well, joining the exclusive luxury race that has reportedly migrated from solid ground to the high seas.

The first of three ships in the new Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection eventually sailed in October after three years of delays; the 624-foot Evrima transported 298 guests throughout the Mediterranean for a week. With only 95 suites (each of which cost more than $4 million to build) and an embarrassment of riches in amenities, such as 11 restaurants, an outdoor movie theatre, the largest pool deck in its class, and common areas designed by Martin Brudnizki, the Four Seasons boat—the first of three currently under construction—will measure 679 feet and carry a much smaller number of passengers.
The yacht conflicts don’t end here because, in December of last year, Aman revealed it was also developing a 600-foot boat with 50 cabins, a spa with a zen garden, and two helipads that will also debut in 2025. Even the aspirational furniture company Restoration Hardware has made an impression on maritime hospitality by outfitting an expedition yacht it purchased in 2019 with its recognisable caramel-hued California cool style of Carrara marble, Italian leathers, slick lacquers, and reclaimed wood.

Which leads us back to the original query: how does one differentiate themselves in a market that is quickly growing cutthroat? Maximum flexibility is what Speichert refers to when he says a visitor on the Four Seasons Yacht will be able to do whenever she pleases (within the bounds of the ship’s port schedule, of course), as opposed to being required to select an itinerary in advance, as is the case on the majority of other cruises. “It depends on how you want to learn about our travels. Your choice.”
The brand also benefits from a vast, unmatched worldwide network of hotels with expert concierge staff on hand to tailor on-shore experiences and share local knowledge. Perhaps you add on a few extra nights at the Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat while the yacht is docked off the shore or at San Domenico Palace, the Taormina hotel that recently starred in season two of The White Lotus (the yacht will summer in the Mediterranean and winter in the Caribbean). As the pieces are put together, “everyone can have a completely different puzzle,” Speichert claims. “Scale exists. We are little in the hospitality perspective, but large in the luxury context.”

The Logan Roys of the world may already own their very own superyachts, natch, but Four Seasons (and its competitors) seem to be betting that they would feel just as at home, and just as meticulously looked after, on its vessel should they be feeling sociable (or need to buy out a boat to fit their friends for, say, a milestone celebration on the Adriatic). Few companies can yet boast of dominating the fields of luxury hospitality on land, sea, and in the air, giving Four Seasons an apparent competitive advantage. A Four Seasons spacecraft might not be far off.

We at New York Feature therefore made the decision to compile a shortlist of places to stay in the Big Apple. Some are brand-new establishments, while others are historic haute haunts. Some are located in hip, non-touristy areas, while others are in the centre of everything. Some are good for the scene, while others are perfect for remaining completely unseen. However, what do they all have in common? All of them are quite cool.

The top hotels in New York City without further ado.

The Carlyle, Upper East Side

The Carlyle is so closely associated with the spirit of New York that if it were to ever close, the city would lose an iconic part of itself. Princess Diana stayed there during her official visit in the 1980s, and her son Prince William and Kate Middleton returned there two decades later. The “New York White House” was known as a result of John F. Kennedy’s many stays there. Jackie stayed there for three months following his murder. The most well-known pub in the area is still Bemelmans, which has the name of Madeline creator Ludwig Bemelmans, who painted paintings on its walls. There are books, a documentary, and even a clothing brand around it.

By the way, it doesn’t imply it’s antiquated or stuffy; the Carlyle’s interiors by Thierry Despont and Tony Chi combine old-world elegance with contemporary design.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, The Frick, and Central Park are all close by, so you’re only a few minutes’ walk from the city’s top cultural and recreational attractions.

The Mark, Upper East Side

The Mark’s exterior is certainly familiar to you. Why? Because it frequently appears in the background of paparazzi images taken of celebrities leaving its lobby for events like the Met Gala, including Lady Gaga and Kendall Jenner.

Its interior is as spectacular; the foyer features striking black and white stripes created by Jacques Grange, who previously worked on the Princess of Monaco’s and Yves Saint Laurent’s interiors. The Mark’s elegant calling card is that colour combination, which is displayed on everything from their pedicab to their hotdog cart to their designer swimsuit. Bonus: The Mark by Jean-Georges, the establishment’s restaurant, is exquisite. Specify the black truffle dressing on your cheeseburger.

Similar to The Carlyle, it is adjacent to numerous important museums and is only a half-block from Central Park, which some suites even have a large view of.

Fasano Fifth Avenue (Upper East Side)

Warm beige, clean whites, and views of Central Park’s lush landscape give the Fasano Fifth Avenue’s hotel suites, which were designed by Thierry Despont, an impression of understated grandeur. The Fasano only has suites and duplexes, so many visitors use it as a fancy pied-a-terre, staying there for weeks at a time. They are less concerned with making an overt stylistic statement. They would rather you feel comfortable.

If you want a quieter, more private hospitality experience, here is the place to set up shop. With just a few rooms, there is little opportunity for interaction with other visitors at The Fasano, which also serves as a private member’s club. The food is delicious and elevated without being stuffy, and the front desk staff will remember your name. You’ll also feel in the midst of it all thanks to the proximity to Central Park and the Upper East Side’s major attractions.

The Baccarat, Midtown

Perhaps it should go without saying that a hotel built by the renowned crystal firm will be costly. More than 15,000 Baccarat pieces, from chandeliers to glassware, adorn its mirrored corridors, and its Grand Salon, created by Gilles & Boissier, resembles a space in an opulent European palace. Visitors who want to explore New York’s top attractions will love the location, which is close to the MoMA, Broadway theatres, and Rockefeller Center.

The Mercer, SoHo

The Mercer is located in the centre of SoHo and is housed in a Romanesque Revival building on Mercer Street. After opening in 1997, the hotel quickly gained notoriety among the It-crowd of the then-emerging neighbourhood. In fact, the hotel’s minimalist Christian Liaigre furnishings are so fashionable that Calvin Klein and Rupert Murdoch later hired the architect for their own private projects.
The Mercer has maintained its coolness for close to 25 years and continues to host a variety of famous guests, including Kaia Gerber and Kylie Jenner (as would be expected when your sister hotel is the Chateau Marmont). Oh, and did we also mention that suite 208 was where Jay Z and Kanye West recorded “Watch the Throne”?

The Wythe, Williamsburg

The Wythe is located in a former barrel and rope factory, a nod to the neighborhood’s industrial past in Brooklyn. The rooms are decorated with custom toile wallpaper designed by Dan Funderburg, and modern, vibrant art is shown in many of the public areas, so it doesn’t feel cold or concrete. The New York Times gave their restaurant, Le Crocodile, three stars, so you should probably order room service.