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| New
York, USA |
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Extraordinary |
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| January - 2011 |
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5
Stars & 5 Stripes
Overall - 'Hotel & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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| The Viana Hotel & Spa in Westbury, Long Island
offers a unique blend of luxury and life style balance by combining the ancient
art of “Feng Shui” in a state of the art “green”
environmentally sustainable building. Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice
using the laws of Heaven (astronomy) and Earth (geography) to help one improve
life balance by receiving “qi” (often pronounced in English as chee)
- the flow of energy that sustains living beings. The Viana has integrated
their “green” building practices with the 5 elements of Feng Shui
(fire, water, wood, metal, and earth). Feng Shui is literally translated in
English as “wind-water”. |
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| Travelers will
immediately feel an atmosphere of tranquility as they enter the magnificent
dark wood, marble and glass paneled lobby enhanced with soft peaceful music of
the mountains and valleys. Viana is perfect for those who desire a way to
maintain a personal lifestyle balance away from home. The Viana Hotel is
located in Westbury, Nassau County and was incorporated as village in 1932, and
since the mid-1970's has been referred to as a distinctive “Community for
all Seasons”. It is easily accessible from the Long Island Expressway, and
Northern State Parkway and offers excellent shopping, entertainment, as well as
other superior restaurants minutes from the hotel. After our car was valet
parked we walked past the attractive portico with Fu Dogs, which were guarding
the entrance. The first glimpse of the lobby captivated us with its distinctive
design. |
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Viana Hotel & SPA - Lobby |
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| The inviting lobby incorporates dark wood paneling,
plants, reeds, warm earthenware, marble floors and Feng Shui lighting that
changes the colors of the ceilings and the outside of the hotel as well,
thereby creating a peaceful, almost spiritual mood. A handsome young and
enthusiastic staff of ladies and gentlemen greeted us at the
check
in desk (CLICK HERE), and within minutes we were on our way to our amazing
second floor suite. The lobby features additional seating areas with stylish
sofas and chairs for informal business gatherings. It also has a small but
efficient business center with a bank of computers and phones as well as a
small convenience shop. On our way to the elevator cluster, we passed by the
elegant spiral staircase with an elaborate and decorative metal design leading
up to the Manhattan style bar area and the Marco Polo Restaurant. |
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| Viana
Hotel & SPA - Suite |
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Our suite was simply delightful! A stunningly
decorated bed was covered with a duvet made of the softest, natural bamboo
fabrics and amazingly soft sheets and pillows. Bamboo is a renewable resource
that is abundantly available in many parts of the world. Unlike non-organic
cotton, which requires a large amount of pesticides to maintain growth, bamboo
is naturally pest resistant without using chemicals. Large HD TVs were placed
in both, the living room and bedroom. A two sink marble bathroom had a small TV
built into the large reflective mirrors. Our bathroom was stocked with
luxurious miniature luxury soaps, shampoos, and creams alongside a glass
enclosed marble shower and whirlpool tub. Decorative carpeting, Zen-like wall
decorations, dark wood offsetting gentle earth tones, oriental pictures, soft
lamps, handsome furniture and tapestries gave our suite the feeling of a
luxurious, relaxing, spa like home. The suite also had a small porch
overlooking the courtyard, perfect for some natural vitamin D. |
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| Viana
Hotel & SPA - Suite - Bath |
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After a quick but revitalizing shower, we went
downstairs to the spa for a light workout. The gym offers all the cutting edge
exercise equipment one might need for a full body workout and then some. Off we
went to a swim in the resistance lap pool, the positive ambiance here made this
a most enjoyable experience as well. Afterwards we both settled for a superbly
executed massage and facials. Rita and I highly recommend these massages and
Viana’s signature facials, which included a deep cleansing and exfoliation
and were followed by a deep penetrating steam to prepare ones skin for the
revitalizing face massage. We both felt the lifting effects of these facials
and had a glow on that lasted for days. The Viana’s spa offers only six
treatment rooms that assure a tranquil experience. The Zen-inspired state of
the art spa and salon facilities are providing massages, facials, and all kinds
of internationally recognized body treatments. The entire spa was filled with a
wonderful warm, earthy fragrance and delightful sounds of music, inviting one
to relax! The staff was very pleasant and professional, and seemed to be
expertly trained and very knowledgeable. |
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| Viana
Hotel & SPA - Pool |
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| After our unforgettable time at the spa we returned to
our accommodations for a little nap and to change into casual attire for our
first meal at the exciting ‘Marco Polo’ restaurant. This stunning
venue is where East meets West and Asian Fusion achieves a new meaning.
Executive Chef Phil Rendel, who has a young, energetic presence, has brought
his own brand of Italian and Asian cuisine to the Marco Polo. The dining room
features a delightfully sophisticated bar with sensual Feng Shui lighting
effects and offers intimate and luxurious banquet seating and tables adjacent
to a sparkling and exciting open kitchen where the cuisine is prepared for all
to watch. Rita and I were thrilled by the prospect of dining here and somehow
venturing forth on a culinary excursion to far away places with this chef and
his international team. We were to experience a feeling of adventure and
exploration awaiting every ensuing course. |
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| Viana
Hotel & SPA - Marco Polo Dining |
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| To start with, the first course was Chicken
Francaise Egg Roll, seemingly an oxymoron of conjoined contradictory
culinary terms. To discover tender strips of egg battered chicken breast
wrapped into a crispy won ton was simply fascinating. A refreshingly crisp
2009 Le Rime Pinot Grigio, Castello Banfi brought together a fragrantly
fruit forward but pleasant nose with well-balanced minerality to accentuate the
eclectic starter. The next course of Asian Caesar Salad followed the
fusion theme by combining traditional romaine lettuce with cashews, crispy won
tons tossed with a decidedly twisted Caesar dressing featuring ginger and
cashew nuts. A good wine pairing turned out to be 2007 Vigne Regali (Banfi)
Principessa Gavia. Produced with 100% cortese grapes reflecting pale yellow
in the light while suggesting lemon zest at first sip, this wine offered enough
citrus to effectively pair with the Asian-Caesar dressing. |
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| Marco Polo Cuisine |
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The first two courses
gave us the comfortable feeling that we were in the hands of a capable culinary
merchant used to working with challenging flavors and combinations. We were
greeted with the third course consisting of a chilled crispy skin duck breast
on a fresh wonton layered with a Thai chili sauce and topped with golden
raisins and caramelized onions, called Zen Duck. We pondered the mind of
Chef Rendel but came to the conclusion that the truth lies in the flavor and
unique combinations that work together to produce the delicious end result.
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| A buttery, creamy 2009 William Hill Chardonnay,
Napa Valley, fully reminiscent of yellow stone fruit with hints of burnt
sugar and caramel was the wine of choice for the Zen Duck. Next Chef Rendel
takes a classical Sichuan Kung Pao Chicken in which marinated chicken
breast pieces are stir-fried with hot peppers and peanuts together with
zucchini, carrots and roasted red peppers to which is added a special Italian
Gumba sauce and served over rice. The wine of choice is 2010 Natura
Vineyards Organic Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile offering herbal aromas mixed
with campfire smoke followed by dark soft stone fruits and a semi-typical
tannin finish which allowed us to savor it’s similarity to a good
California Cabernet. Course five turned out to be a break from the
extraordinary but equally as competent in redefining Penne Romano by
using fresh vine ripened tomatoes in the light but quick pomadoro sauce
seasoned with fresh basil leaves and topped with mozzarella cheese. This course
required a spicy Red Zinfandel, Rosenblum, Napa Valley to add the
necessary zest to the mix. And now for the amazingly rich grand finale of
marshmallow and chocolate stuffed Smores Egg Roll substituting crispy
wonton for the traditional graham cracker producing an ethereal mind-altering
experience. Afterward, we sipped on snifters of Faretti Biscotti Famosi
liqueur providing that sweet fresh-baked biscotti flavor laced with almonds and
anise. |
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| After Dinner we sat at the bar adjacent to the
restaurant watching some late night HDTV. At midnight we went up to our suite
to take in a movie and went to sleep on our luxurious and extra comfortable
beds. On Day Two of our stay, we awoke to a beautiful sunny morning and went to
the gym for a quick walk on the treadmill prior to a delightful breakfast at
the Marco Polo. We started with a beautifully presented fruit platter and
croissants with imported jam. We then dined on eggs over medium with bacon and
ham and finished with some interesting imported teas and a superb full-bodied
rich Colombian coffee. |
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| Viana
Hotel & SPA - Fitness |
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| It was now time to visit the town of Westbury and to
do some exploring, shopping and people watching. Within walking distance of the
Viana is a beautiful movie multiplex with stadium tiered seating and first run
movies as well as the fabulous North Fork Theater. The theater is where
Atlantic City, Las Vegas and Broadway personalities perform and for years has
been Long Island's answer to Broadway. We first drove onto Glen Cove Road where
there is an abundance of fabulous shops and restaurants. Later we came back
through the town of Westbury where we found luxury condos and beautiful
boutiques, restaurants and office buildings. After a few hours we returned to
the hotel to take a fast dip in the pool and change for an alluring lunch at
the Marco Polo. At lunch we dined on a delicious Sesame Tuna Tataki
consisting of sesame crusted Ahi Tuna layered on top of a bed of baby field
greens mixed with avocados, Mandarin oranges and crispy wontons served with
ginger sesame dressing. We then tried the chef's new sandwich menu served with
house-made French fries and a vegetable medley on the side. I sampled a grilled
Chicken Teriyaki Sandwich consisting of grilled breast of chicken with
teriyaki sauce, vine ripened tomatoes and caramelized onions on a bun while
Rita tried the Turkey Avocado with Sliced Avocados, Melted Provolone Cheese,
& Sundried Tomatoes on Focaccia Bread. Chef Phil sent over a small
special Pizza with Thai Skirt Steak, absolutely mouthwatering and
delicious with medium rare skirt steak, sautéed with caramelized onions
and Thai peanut sauce. |
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| For dinner that evening
we decided to try a lighter comfort food fare, so we ordered Cold Sesame
Noodles in a Rich Peanut Sauce and a traditional Calamari with a Spicy
Marinara Sauce. We then shared an Imperial Mandarin Salad made with
organic romaine lettuce, mandarin oranges, edamame, crispy wontons, peanuts and
Japanese eggplant with ginger sesame dressing. For our main course I had a
Sesame Crusted Pan Seared Tuna served raw with Wasabi mashed potatoes
and vegetables. Rita tried an authentic Kobe Beef Burger with Swiss
cheese and caramelized onions, mushroom and bacon. The burger melted off the
fork and into her mouth. We both finished up with coffee and biscotti.
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Viana Hotel & SPA - Award |
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| Executive Chef Rendel has brought a new excitement,
style and taste treat to Long Island with his Asian Fusion menu and inspired
Italian and oriental cuisine. After some fun conversation with other hotel
guests we left for a good night’s rest. The next morning we headed for
home, feeling upbeat and satisfied about our time at this new and exciting
place. Congratulations to Executive Chef Phil Rendel and the entire management
and staff of the Viana Hotel & Spa. |
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by Barry Kay
Editor: Barry Kay & John
Lomitola
Editor-in-Chief: Ingrid Lemme |
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| © 2011 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes,
Inc. |
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