Travel + Leisure magazine has come out with its annual list of the 500 best hotels in the world and Florida has landed 28 on the list from the Panhandle to Disney to the Keys.
Disney landed three of its own hotels on the list including the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Grand Floridian and Wilderness Lodge, and the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress near Downtown Disney was also included. Disney competitor Universal also made the list with the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. Two other Orlando-area hotels -- the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes and Grand Bohemian Hotel in downtown rounded out the Orlando-area hotels.
Orlando led the way for the most hotels in one area with seven followed by the Miami area with five and Palm Beach and Naples each with three.
Ponte Vedra in northeast Florida had two on the list as did the Florida Keys.
Rounding out the state with one hotel on the list each were the cities of Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Bonita Springs, Amelia Island, Santa Rosa Beach and St. Augustine.
Central Florida
Orlando Area -- Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Orlando Area -- Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Orlando Area -- Disney's Wilderness Lodge
Orlando Area -- Grand Bohemian Hotel
Orlando Area -- Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
Orlando Area -- Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando
Orlando Area -- Ritz-Carlton, Grande Lakes
Sarasota -- Ritz-Carlton
St. Petersburg -- Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club
South Florida
Bonita Springs -- Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa
Florida Keys -- Little Palm Island Resort & Spa
Florida Keys-- Pier House Resort & Caribbean Spa
Miami Area -- Four Seasons Hotel
Miami Area -- Mandarin Oriental
Naples -- Ritz-Carlton
Naples -- Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort
Palm Beach -- Four Seasons Resort
Palm Beach -- Ritz-Carlton
Palm Beach -- The Breakers
North Florida
Amelia Island -- Ritz-Carlton
Ponte Vedra -- Ponte Vedra Inn & Club
Ponte Vedra -- The Lodge & Club
Santa Rosa Beach -- WaterColor Inn & Resort
St. Augustine -- Casa Monica Hotel
The magazine's list ranks the Singita Sabi Sand at Kruger National Park Area in South Africa as the top place to stay in the world. The top place to stay in the U.S. (No. 5 in the world overall) is the Triple Creek Ranch in Darby, Mont.
The top Florida entry (No. 12 in the world overall) was also in their top 25 -- the Little Palm Island Resort & Spa on Little Torch Key
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
New MRI CEO looks forward to 2009 with excitement...
20 years in the Real Estate and Finance industry has taught me that it’s all a matter of timing.
2008 was the correction period that was inevitable. That means that 2009 is the year of opportunity.
Over the last few months I have had the pleasure of speaking to, and working with, many of the new ‘movers and shakers’ of the Real Estate industry. They are making the moves right now that will ensure that they will secure their financial future. They are buying at the bottom of the market, knowing that the only way this market can go is up.
Yet many of these people are not the established wealthy. Not yet anyway. They are average investors that have been just waiting for the market to correct itself, so that they can take full advantage.
Over the next few months, we will see many of the transactions take place, that we will look back on in 2 or 3 years time and marvel at what amazing bargains were secured.
MRI has restructured itself during the later stages of 2008. I have taken over as CEO and my aim is to ensure that we continue to bring quality investment products to the market.
With that in mind, we are concentrating specifically on the apartments we build via the Construction arm of our company. History has proved time and time again that Real Estate will outstrip any other form of investment if given enough time, as long as you pick a good location and supply a high quality build. MRI has a track-record of providing both. 2008 saw us complete our first Bulgarian project, Aspen Golf, with 4 other projects hot on its heels, all which will complete on schedule and on budget.
We have also begun acquiring land in many other countries, using the very valuable insight we possess as to which markets are likely to show the most significant Capital Appreciation as the market turns positive again. In addition to just developing Real Estate, we are also launching some ground-breaking rental packages which will mean that investors can have peace-of-mind with regard to mortgage payments for as long as 10 years!
Producing more universally acclaimed developments is what we will continue to do throughout my tenure as CEO.
What you will see less of this year is MRI attending Property Exhibitions. We have decided to leave that to the many partners that we deal with throughout the world; independent companies that have the right ethics and attitude, and that we endorse to promote our products.
On a personal note, after many years in this industry with a variety of different companies, I am very excited to be given the opportunity to be at the helm of the industry leader. Particularly as I believe 2009 will be a pivotal year. It will be the year that we look back on as when the recovery happened, and I look forward to dealing with many clients this year who have the foresight to recognize that ‘now’ really is the time to invest in Real Estate for long-term wealth.
Join me and make this a great year for yourself.
Dominic Pickering
Chief Executive Officer
MRI
2008 was the correction period that was inevitable. That means that 2009 is the year of opportunity.
Over the last few months I have had the pleasure of speaking to, and working with, many of the new ‘movers and shakers’ of the Real Estate industry. They are making the moves right now that will ensure that they will secure their financial future. They are buying at the bottom of the market, knowing that the only way this market can go is up.
Yet many of these people are not the established wealthy. Not yet anyway. They are average investors that have been just waiting for the market to correct itself, so that they can take full advantage.
Over the next few months, we will see many of the transactions take place, that we will look back on in 2 or 3 years time and marvel at what amazing bargains were secured.
MRI has restructured itself during the later stages of 2008. I have taken over as CEO and my aim is to ensure that we continue to bring quality investment products to the market.
With that in mind, we are concentrating specifically on the apartments we build via the Construction arm of our company. History has proved time and time again that Real Estate will outstrip any other form of investment if given enough time, as long as you pick a good location and supply a high quality build. MRI has a track-record of providing both. 2008 saw us complete our first Bulgarian project, Aspen Golf, with 4 other projects hot on its heels, all which will complete on schedule and on budget.
We have also begun acquiring land in many other countries, using the very valuable insight we possess as to which markets are likely to show the most significant Capital Appreciation as the market turns positive again. In addition to just developing Real Estate, we are also launching some ground-breaking rental packages which will mean that investors can have peace-of-mind with regard to mortgage payments for as long as 10 years!
Producing more universally acclaimed developments is what we will continue to do throughout my tenure as CEO.
What you will see less of this year is MRI attending Property Exhibitions. We have decided to leave that to the many partners that we deal with throughout the world; independent companies that have the right ethics and attitude, and that we endorse to promote our products.
On a personal note, after many years in this industry with a variety of different companies, I am very excited to be given the opportunity to be at the helm of the industry leader. Particularly as I believe 2009 will be a pivotal year. It will be the year that we look back on as when the recovery happened, and I look forward to dealing with many clients this year who have the foresight to recognize that ‘now’ really is the time to invest in Real Estate for long-term wealth.
Join me and make this a great year for yourself.
Dominic Pickering
Chief Executive Officer
MRI
Friday, December 5, 2008
Handshake deal gets foreclosure reprieve...
Governor Charlie Crist announced that many Florida banks have agreed to voluntarily delay scheduling foreclosure sales of homesteaded homes for 45 days. The non-binding resolution is a less dramatic action than the 90-day ban Crist sought to impose, but the volunteer effort has broad participation and the backing of the Florida Bankers' Association. Bank of America, Countrywide, JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup already announced similar delays or internal company-wide moratoriums. The delay extends only to banks that are members of the Florida Bankers' Association, which declined to release its roster Monday. [Miami Herald]
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