Aquapura Douro Valley (www.aquapurahotels.com) in Portugal has named Maurizio Romani general manager. Luxury travel advisors will know Romani from his most recent role as general manager for Hotel L’Andana in Tuscany. He’s also had senior positions at Grosvenor House in London, Hotel Danielle in Venice and Forte Village Resort in Sardinia.

Aquapura Douro Valley opened in Portugal’s World Heritage wine region in summer 2007. We’re told that the Aquapura Hotels has plans to expand with additional property openings in Bahia and Fortaleza, Brazil; Alentejo, Portugal; Prague; Italy; Macedonia and Panama.

For more on the Aquapura Douro Valley resort, visit www.luxuryta.com, past issues, December 2007.

We recently had the pleasure of attending a reception for Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière at Daniel in here New York City. General Manager Eric Boonstoppel and Director of Sales and Marketing Marjane Sabétian were there to extend an invitation to American travelers to stay at the luxurious “palace hotel.” (www.fouquets-barriere.com)

A palace hotel is a property that fits into the “grand Parisian” style of hotel. That is, it provides luxury, as well as high service and modern facilities. Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière is one of seven palace hotels in Paris (the others being, Le Bristol, the Crillon, the Four Seasons George V, Meurice, the Ritz and Plaza Athenée). Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière is the first to open since George V opened in 1928.

If you’re thinking of staying at Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière, we say you couldn’t ask for a better location: It’s on the corner of the Champs Elysèes and the Avenue Georges V. It has 65 luxury rooms and 42 suites and the view from many of these rooms is that of the Arc de Triomphe or the Eiffel Tower. Right across the street is the new Louis Vuitton mega store.

What else is good? Inside, guests will find a combination of styles, colors and textures, combined to create a glitzy, posh, yet intimate ambiance. Marble, gilt, velvet, silk, mahogany and embroidered leather combine seamlessly with technology, such as Wi-Fi and MP3 and iPod docking stations. Rooms are decorated in rich colors of gold, copper and ivory and have adjustable lighting, and triple-glazed double windows make the rooms sound-proof. The bathrooms have double sinks, bathtubs with Jacuzzis and steam showers. Personal butlers and the concierge staff will attend to guests’ every need. The on-site U Spa offers a variety of treatments.

Tip: We hear that the focal point of Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière is its restaurant, Le Fouquet’s, a Paris landmark since 1898. Within a few years of its opening, Le Fouquet’s became Paris’ most glamorous restaurants and “the” place to be seen. A restaurant patron could often be treated to star sightings and the stars would often go there to attend movie premiers. In 1990, it was officially made a landmark.

Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière did well in choosing Daniel (www.danielnyc.com) as the site for its reception. Chef and owner Daniel Boulud’s refined French cuisine uses market-fresh products and creates a meal that is both art and sustenance. We started with white asparagus from Provence, then moved on to Alaskan Wild King Salmon in Spring Vegetable Broth and Lemon Verbena Cream, which was delicate and light. The Poularde with Oregon Morels, Louisiana Crayfish and Spring Peas was tender and flavorful, and we were treated to an array of desserts, from mousses and sorbets to miniature chocolates, madeleines and petit fours. Set in a rich Venetian Renaissance style ambiance, Daniel (danielnyc.com) is the place for a luxurious meal in New York.

— Roberta Roberti

Hotel Fouquet’s Barrière photo by Eric Cuvillier.

Trump International Hotel & Tower New York (http://www.trumpintl.com) has a creative program that will appeal to your foody clients: the Jean Georges Culinary Master Course, which can accommodate two to four people.

The world-famous Jean-Georges Vongerichten provides the private, two-hour cooking demonstration himself, enabling clients to learn some of the secrets behind the cuisine of his New York establishments Jean Georges (French), JoJo (Mediterranean), Vong (Japanese), Spice Market (Asian) or Perry Street (New American).

Luxury Travel Advisor can report first hand that this master chef is an affable and patient teacher. Last year we enjoyed an impromptu cooking demonstration while hanging with an elite group at the Trump International just prior to the lunch hour. We found him to be remarkably down to earth and charming, considering his international acclaim.

By the way, the Jean-Georges experience also includes accommodations in an Executive Park View Suite (Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights; maximum two persons per suite), breakfast for two daily at Nougatine, and a three-course dinner for two at Jean Georges with a bottle of Champagne. Clients will also receive a signed copy of Vongerichten’s new book, Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges, featuring beloved recipes from Spice Market, Vong and 66.

The Jean Georges Master Culinary Course is priced at $8,999.

We hear that a 225-room, Waldorf=Astoria is the key component of The Proscenium, a mixed-use project that’s being built in downtown Sarasota, FL, which should begin construction later this year. Watch for the property to open by the end of 2010.

And that… Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has joined with Silverstein Properties to develop and run a hotel and private residences in a new development at 99 Church Street in downtown Manhattan, one block from the World Trade Center redevelopment site. A 175-room Four Seasons Hotel will occupy the first 22 floors of the eight-story tower. The remainder will have 143 private residences managed by Four Seasons Foundation work for the new tower begins in June, with completion in early 2011.

We also hear that Raffles Hotels & Resorts will manage the historic Le Royal Monceau hotel in Paris, which closes in June for a major refurbishment. When it re-opens in June, 2009, the hotel will have 152 of what management is calling “the most spacious and luxurious rooms and suites in Paris.”