Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass Wins Forbes Five-Star Awar

Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass Earns Forbes Five-Star Honors for Kai and Aji Spa

By Nishang Narayan

Published on February 24, 2025

Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass continues to shine in the luxury hospitality scene, with both Kai Restaurant and Aji Spa receiving Forbes Travel Guide’s prestigious Five-Star rating in the 2025 Star Awards. The resort itself maintains its Recommended status, reaffirming its excellence in service and cultural authenticity.

This marks the 17th consecutive Five-Star win for Kai, solidifying its place as the only restaurant in Arizona with this distinction. Additionally, Aji Spa earns its sixth Five-Star rating, recognizing its commitment to providing a unique Native American-inspired wellness experience.

A Legacy of Excellence

Located on the Gila River Indian Community in Phoenix, Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass is renowned for its deep connection to indigenous heritage. The resort’s recent multi-million-dollar renovation has further elevated its luxurious offerings, while maintaining its commitment to cultural authenticity.

Expressing his pride, Bunty Ahamed, General Manager, Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass, shared:
"Receiving Five-Star recognition from Forbes Travel Guide once again for Aji Spa, and for the seventeenth consecutive year for Kai, is an incredible honor. Our commitment to providing every guest with a personalized and exceptional experience is unwavering, and these accolades are a testament to our team’s outstanding efforts."

Kai: Arizona’s Culinary Crown Jewel

With only 79 restaurants worldwide receiving a Five-Star rating this year, Kai’s achievement is particularly remarkable. A James Beard 2025 semifinalist in the Outstanding Hospitality category, Kai merges contemporary flavors with time-honored Native American culinary traditions, featuring locally farmed ingredients from the Gila River Indian Community.

Aji Spa: An Authentic Native Sanctuary

Aji Spa, meaning "sanctuary" in the Pima language, provides a holistic wellness experience deeply rooted in the traditions of the Pima and Maricopa tribes. Offering signature Indigenous treatments curated by Cultural Caretakers, the spa reflects the area’s rich history through art, architecture, and storytelling.

A Resort Steeped in Heritage

Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass is more than a luxury resort—it is a living representation of Native American culture, offering:

36 holes of championship golf at Whirlwind Golf Club
Guided equestrian experiences through the 1,000-acre Koli Equestrian Center
Four swimming pools and a waterslide inspired by ancient ruins
Water activities along the scenic Gila River

Maintaining its Recommended status in 2025, the resort meets Forbes’ rigorous 900-point evaluation, ensuring world-class service and hospitality.

As Forbes Travel Guide’s esteemed Five-Star list continues to set the global benchmark for luxury, Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass proudly represents Arizona with its unparalleled culinary, wellness, and cultural experiences.

Soyi at OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI Brings Pan-Asian Flavours to the Maldives

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on November 13, 2026

OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI in the Maldives brings together Asian culinary traditions and island dining at Soyi, its signature fine-dining restaurant overlooking the turquoise waters of South Malé Atoll. Offering a menu inspired by different parts of Asia, the restaurant combines regional flavours, traditional cooking techniques and elegant presentation in a scenic lagoon-side setting.

Guests can choose to dine inside the intimate, glass-fronted pavilion or on its wooden deck beneath the Maldivian sky. With its architecture, warm lighting and water views, Soyi offers a setting suited to romantic dinners, special celebrations and relaxed gatherings.

The menu draws inspiration from China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan, bringing together a variety of regional dishes, spices and cooking styles. The selection includes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian preparations, allowing guests to explore different flavours from across the continent.

Some of the vegetarian options include Asian Wild Mushroom, Black Fungus Salad and Crystal Vegetables. The non-vegetarian selection features dishes such as Tom Yum, Chicken Shumai, Thai Red Curry Prawns and Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs.

For dessert, guests can choose from Wasabi Brûlée, Mango Sticky Rice and Shokupan Honey Toast, along with a selection of homemade ice creams.

Speaking about the restaurant's culinary approach, Abnash Kumar, General Manager at OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI, said, "At Soyi, we bring together the culinary traditions of Asia through a menu shaped by their distinct flavours, spices and cooking techniques. We want guests to rediscover familiar regional favourites through nuanced preparations, elegant plating and ingredients that reveal the depth of these cuisines. Soyi reflects our approach to dining at OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI, where every meal is conceived as a memorable part of the island experience."

With its Pan-Asian menu and lagoon-side location, Soyi adds to the dining experience at OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI, bringing together regional cuisine, island hospitality and the surroundings of the Indian Ocean.

IHG Hotels & Resorts Celebrates 50 Open voco Hotels Across Europe

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on November 11, 2026

IHG Hotels & Resorts has announced that its voco hotels brand has reached 50 open properties across Europe, marking another milestone in its expansion. Launched in 2018, voco has become IHG's fastest-growing premium brand, attracting guests with its individual character and welcoming hospitality while offering hotel owners a flexible brand model.

The brand continues to expand across major cities, resort destinations and neighbourhood locations in Europe, with another 26 hotels in its development pipeline. Its growth also reflects its position in the premium hotel segment, having won the World Travel Awards' Europe's Leading Premium Hotel Brand title for five consecutive years.

IHG's expansion across Europe has been supported by new hotel signings and conversions across its brand portfolio. For voco, its conversion-friendly model, flexible design approach and access to IHG's global distribution network, commercial scale and IHG One Rewards programme have supported its growth.

Recent openings include voco Budapest D8, the brand's first hotel in Hungary, and voco Antalya Konyaaltı, its first property in Türkiye. Another addition is the 114-room voco London Bloomsbury, located in a Fitzrovian building near the British Museum, Tottenham Court Road, Covent Garden and Soho.

The brand's sustainability efforts are also reflected in voco Zeal Exeter Science Park, IHG's first Net Zero Carbon hotel. The property demonstrates how sustainability initiatives can be brought together with premium hospitality while maintaining the guest experience.

Karin Sheppard, SVP & Managing Director, Europe, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said, “Reaching 50 open voco hotels across Europe is a proud moment for IHG and a real testament to the strength of this brand, the confidence of our owners, and the brilliant work of our hotel teams right across the region. Since launching, voco has carved out a distinctive position in the premium segment: it gives guests a warm, charming and characterful hotel experience, while offering owners a flexible, commercially compelling route to growth.

“What excites me most is the momentum still to come and the incredibly positive conversations we are having with owners in every corner of the region. We have a strong pipeline of 26 voco hotels set to open across Europe, including our first hotel in Tashkent which will see IHG expand our premium presence in Uzbekistan and opening our first European voco suites in Cesme, Türkiye in 2027. Owners are looking for versatile and trusted brands, faster routes to market and the strength of IHG’s enterprise behind them, and voco is proving to be a powerful answer to that demand.”

Each voco property follows three brand hallmarks: Come on in, Me time and voco life. These elements aim to create an inviting experience that combines the individual character of each hotel with the consistency and support of a global brand. The model also allows owners to retain the distinctive features of existing properties while benefiting from IHG's systems and commercial network.

With 50 hotels now open and 26 more in development, voco continues to strengthen IHG's presence in Europe's premium hospitality segment. Planned additions include the brand's first hotel in Tashkent and its first European voco suites in Cesme, Türkiye, both contributing to its future expansion.

Saffron Indian Cuisine Appoints Chef Narendra Singh as Specialty Chef in North Carolina

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on November 9, 2026

Saffron Indian Cuisine in Cary, North Carolina, has Chef Narendra Singh as its Specialty Chef, bringing over 15 years of culinary experience across premium hospitality establishments, international cruise operations, restaurant kitchens and catering services in the United States.

Specialising in Indian cuisine, Chef Narendra brings expertise in North Indian and Mughlai preparations, signature curries, biryanis and kebabs. His professional experience also covers menu development, recipe standardisation, production planning, kitchen coordination, food safety and large-scale food production.

He has been associated with Saffron Indian Cuisine since January 2025, contributing to daily kitchen operations and catering services for private events, weddings, corporate functions and community celebrations. His responsibilities include coordinating food preparation, managing kitchen stations and maintaining consistency in flavour, presentation and quality.

Chef Narendra has also contributed to the restaurant's food preparation and service for Cary Diwali, a major community celebration attended by thousands of people. The event involved large-scale Indian food production, detailed preparation planning and kitchen coordination to maintain quality during peak demand.

Speaking about his association, Chef Narendra Singh said, "Cooking is about preserving the authenticity of traditional Indian flavours while ensuring consistency and quality in every dish. At Saffron Indian Cuisine, I look forward to bringing my experience in North Indian and Mughlai cuisine, exploring new preparations and contributing to the restaurant's growth. Being part of community celebrations is equally rewarding because food brings people together and creates a connection with Indian culture and traditions."

Before joining Saffron Indian Cuisine, he worked with Thomas United Company Ltd. / Food Hub in Bermuda, where he prepared Indian speciality dishes and supported restaurant operations. He also gained international cruise hospitality experience with Carnival Cruise Lines, handling kitchen-station responsibilities, standardised food preparation and food-safety practices.

Earlier in his career, Chef Narendra worked at ITC Royal Gardenia in Bengaluru, India, where he developed his skills in North Indian and Mughlai cooking, kitchen organisation and professional food preparation.

His professional achievements include receiving the Master Chef India title from the Royal Bengal Master Chef Organization in May 2026. He was also selected as an International Judge at the Indian Culinary Premier League 2026, organised by the same organisation. With experience across India, Bermuda, international cruise operations and the United States, Chef Narendra brings traditional Indian culinary knowledge and international kitchen exposure to his role at Saffron Indian Cuisine.

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Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass Earns Forbes Five-Star Honors for Kai and Aji Spa

A Legacy of Excellence

Kai: Arizona’s Culinary Crown Jewel

Aji Spa: An Authentic Native Sanctuary

A Resort Steeped in Heritage

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Soyi at OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI Brings Pan-Asian Flavours to the Maldives

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IHG Hotels & Resorts Celebrates 50 Open voco Hotels Across Europe

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Saffron Indian Cuisine Appoints Chef Narendra Singh as Specialty Chef in North Carolina

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