A week of paradise at the W Hotel on Vieques Island

Vieques the island is not only a home of beautiful natural attractions, it is also home to a man made one. The W Hotels chain has historically been more of a pretender to the throne of great design than being actual great design. The W Retreat and Spa on Vieques Island throws the previous thought out the window. Really all you need to say is that Patricia Urquiola did the design.  Of spanish descent but working in Milan, her design is of consequent eclecticism; the best combination of organic with modern lines and plenty of whimsy, metered by a touch of seriousness (ie the slate grey walls in the lobby).

My family and I stayed at one of the homes on the W property and were more than excited to have full access to the beautiful resort.  It is located on one of the few beach front plots where construction is allowed, has two private beaches and a very enticing infinity pool overlooking the ocean.  The airy lobby filled with soft light, ocean breezes and deep comfy sofas with lots of pillows was a very welcoming retreat after the long days of adventures around the island.  We ate lunch on their outdoor patio listening to ocean waves and eating the delicious and locally sourced cuisine of Alain Ducasse.  We also came back at night for their irresistible strawberry caipirinhas and for a wonderful birthday dinner for my mom.

I can still smell the sweet tropical scent in the lobby, it feels like just yesterday that I walked through the big wooden W doors and felt joyful and relaxed, and I can vividly remember my mom's smile and bright eyes when she saw the lobby for the first time.  It really is a special place and any others that join it on the island have some pretty extraordinary footsteps to follow.

These are some of our pictures:



Central seating area in lobby (Chaise sofa Patricia Urquiola for B&B Italia, side tables by Autoban).


Outdoor lounge area, which overlooks the ocean (Carnival Daybed by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso).


Sling chairs by Paulo Mendes da Rocha, available at DWR.


Daybeds overlooking the beach (Patricia Urquiola for Kettal).


Back to back sofas in the outdoor lounge, great for eating lunch (Sofa by Patricia Urquiola for B&B Italia).


17th Century style demi-lune tables mix traditional with modern, and I love the brass wire ship!


The bar area at night.


A view through the indoor-outdoor restaurant.


The firepit looks over the ocean.


The pool and its changing lights at night.

La Isla del Encanto

I just got back from an enchanted little island - wild horses roam its beaches and forests,  pristine turquoise waters welcome only you as their guest, it is perennially 85 degrees, and at night their bioluminescent bay, the brightest one in the world, sparkles and glows as you swim in it.  The island is called Vieques, or Isla Nena as the locals call it - it is 8 miles east of mainland Puerto Rico and has remained off the radar for most Caribbean tourists and is therefore as wild and virgin as a Caribbean island gets.  My family and I had an amazing time exploring its coral reefs, sailing to tiny islands on its bays, kayaking among schools of minuscule silver fish and of course swimming in its transparent waters.  We miss it already and can't wait to go back....

Here are some of the pictures I took:


The view while flying to Vieques.


The shore line as seen from our plane.


Trees near the beach.


Wild horses roamed the island.


A short path to turquoise waters.


The beach at Bahia de las Chivas.


View from our sailboat heading to snorkel and swim.


Snorkeling off the boat, I should have brought a more activity-appropriate bathing suit.


Coral reefs as seen by my brother.


The dramatic daily dusk and clouds in the horizon.

Scout

It's no secret how much we like DC artist Kelly Towles, and not just because he's our good friend, but because his art with a genesis in graffiti and a finishing school in anime is simultaneously gorgeous, surprising and playful... One of his latest projects, the 2-story tall "Scout" mural on 12th and W St. NW is portrayed by Sebastien Tobler on this short film. I love everything about it, the beautiful Isabella, the Beirut song, the colors, the angles and most importantly how it made my entire family of 10 smile while watching it in a faraway airport.

Enjoy!



SCOUT from Kelly Towles on Vimeo.
Scout

"A new mural by street artist Kelly Towles in his hometown of Washington DC. The mural and short film explore a DC neighborhood with a child like sense of exploration. A quick take on what most people should do in their own area of the city. Enjoy!"