Forth Worth, Texas
This city often gets lost in Dallas’ shadow. We are currently working on the strategy for a new boutique hotel that will open in the next 18 months, but there is an obvious hole in this market for more small luxury properties. Home of one of America’s architectural gems, the Kimbell Art Museum has buildings by both Louis Kahn and Renzo Piano.
Detroit
The last decade has been tough on Detroit; however, it has also brought opportunity to the city. While working on a restaurant and hotel in a nearby suburb [the Baronette Renaissance Hotel], we discovered a vibrant community of artists has settled in the zone around the Detroit Institute of Arts. Check out the historic art deco Fisher Building, which has a great theater, as well as relatively new restaurant Detroit Vegan Soul.
Art Deco Fisher Building
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge’s downtown center is walkable. Its new city square is being redeveloped with an amazing new public library. There are outdoor concerts for the public on Friday nights and nearby is the very impressive Shaw Center for the Arts, which houses a performing arts center, the LSU Museum of Art, and a rooftop restaurant called Tsunami, which should not be missed.
Santiago, Chile
This is my second home, and I love to spend time there with my partner exploring the vineyards. The Casablanca Valley produces some of the best wines in the world and is only a 45-minute drive from the city center. We often drive to Casas del Bosque for lunch. This vineyard has the best restaurant in the region and is the producer of one of the finest sauvignon blancs in the world. There are no hotels here—only a few B&Bs, which makes me believe there is an enormous opportunity, considering the inevitable growth of the Chilean wine industry and, as a result, tourism to this region.
Casablanca Valley
