Christiane Reiter

Beginning with archive images of the Big Apple over the past century and blooming with gorgeous photos of the city’s most beautiful and unique interiors, this book explores the real New York inside and out. From high-rise luxury condos with stunning views to industrial lofts, art collectors’ pads, and eccentric, funky apartments, the interiors featured here—in colorful full-page photos—are as amazing and diverse as New Yorkers themselves.

To travel through Italy is as close as one gets to being in paradise. For centuries, writers, artists, architects and merchants have been drawn here, inspired by the beauty of Venice, Florence, Naples and Rome. Countless books, paintings, poems and sculptures are evidence of its undying appeal, and over the past 60 years, the country has become one of the world's top travel and holiday destinations. The loveliness of Italy—its architecture, landscapes, culture and food (some of the world’s finest!) — if not eternal, is certainly enduring, and the easy-going and relaxed Italian lifestyle, il dolce far niente, is still unrivaled. Here, some of Italy's most amazing landscapes are brought to life, like Lake Como (residence of George Clooney), Venice, Florence and Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast, and no less magical, the Aeolian Islands off the coast of Sicily. In these mythical surroundings are legendary hotels full of atmosphere, where novels are set, movies are made, weddings are celebrated and famous love stories consummated: Villa d'Este on Lake Como, the Hotel Splendido in Portofino, the Il San Pietro on the Amalfi Coast and the Villa Cimbrone in Ravello—to name just a few. But in Great Escapes Italy, Angelika Taschen also reveals where to find more secret and hidden jewels—from the Locanda Cipriani, a romantic hideaway on the island of Torcello, to the atmospheric Castello di Vicarello in Tuscany.

What would you say to a tension-releasing massage, a rejuvenating facial or a soak in the healing waters of a thermal spring? Delicious, healthy cuisine and a lovely and comfortable room in which to relax at night? Mmmmmmmm... we thought so. Now the question is: which spa to choose? With TASCHEN's Favourite Spas Angelika Taschen saves you the agony of choice and presents a selection of the most inviting destinations worldwide for the perfect spa holiday. Her journey takes us to heavenly oases such as the historical Pädaste Manor on the island of Muhu on Estonia's west coast; the spa of the Grand Hotel Kronenhof at 5,900 feet, which delivers a picture book mountain view; to the Buddha-Bar Spa at the Hilton Évian-les-Bains in the classical French health resort, that combines treatments inspired by Tibetan medicine with modern east-meets-west design and the Shibui Spa in Robert De Niro's Greenwich Hotel, housed in a 250-year-old Japanese farmhouse relocated to New York. Further dream destinations include the fantastic Oriental Spa at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental with its panoramic view of the Hong Kong skyline, and the Verana Day Spa, tucked away on the Mexican Pacific coast south of Puerto Vallarta, that is only accessible by boat.

Flip through this book and take a trip through 72 of the world's most enchanting, welcoming, and unforgettable hotels. Some are sleek and minimal, others charmingly plush and traditionally luxurious; whether you prefer a secluded rural retreat or the pulsing centre of the urban experience, you'll find a room—or suite—to your taste. However, what all these establishments share is personality, atmosphere, sophistication and a great location. Similarly, though their rooms range from modest to extravagant, all of them represent excellent value, no matter which end of the price scale, from two to five star hotels. The eclectic mix includes the romantic hotel Spielweg in Germany's Black Forest, where everyone should spend Christmas once in their life; the secret jewel Ksar Char-Bagh in Marrakech; the Al Mamlouka in the middle of Damascus, and the most exquisite Spa hotel in Jordan, the Evason Ma’In Hot Springs. Other highlights are the Shigar Fort Residence, a 400-year-old palace saved and restored by the Aga Khan Foundation in Northern Pakistan; a sensitively restored 1930's colonial guest house, the Boddhi Tree Del Gusto in Phnom Penh, for less than 40 dollars a night; or the outstanding Corbusier-style beach villas in Kep, Cambodia, called Knai Bang Chatt resort. To get away from it all, there's Richard Gere's Bedford Post in upstate New York, or the Golden Rock Estate on the Caribbean island of Nevis, owned by American artist Brice Marden. Finally, nobody who has stayed there will ever forget the stunning Remota, surrounded by the mountains, lakes and glaciers of Chilean Patagonia.

Latino luxuryThe finest hotels, posadas, and haciendasFrom crystal-blue glaciers to sun-drenched tropical shores, millenia-old mountain trails to mystery-laden ruins, South America sets one spectacular stage for travel. Home to the world s highest uninterrupted waterfall, the largest rainforest, and the longest mountain range, this beguiling continent promises not only an incredible range and richness of landscapes, but also an intoxicating cultural bonanza of music, dance, magical literature, and vivid histories.With a refined eye for the X-factor in accommodation, this revised and updated TASCHEN guide presents the best hotels across South America. Whether you re looking for an elegant lodge in the Argentinian countryside; a beachside idyll in Bahia, Brazil; or a location like no other in Patagonia, Chile; this is a definitive collection of style and luxury. Each featured hotel is presented with interior and exterior photographs; pricing, service, and contact information; as well as the perfect book to curl up with after a day of sightseeing, trekking, or fresh sea air.Text in English, French, and German"