Cond 233 Nast Traveler UK January-March 2022

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021
THE
OLD
LIST
2021
EVERYTHING
CLASSIC
EVERYTHING
EXCEPTIONAL
EVERYTHING
TO DREAM
ABOUT
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T H E G OL D L I S T I S S U E H E A D L I N E R S
T H E G O L D L I S T 2 0 21
OUR EDITORS CHOOSE THEIR ALL-TIME FAVOURITE
HOTELS AROUND THE WORLD, PAGE 91
ROME
A NOSTALGIC TRIP THROUGH THE TIMELESS
ITALIAN CAPITAL, PAGE 112
M A L LO RC A
HOW A FRESH CROWD OF CREATIVES IS REVIVING THE ISLAND’S
ARTISAN HERITAGE, PAGE 124
K E N YA
WALKING THROUGH THE REMOTE LOITA HILLS WITH
THE MAASAI, PAGE 136
NEW ENGLAND
ON THE TRAIL OF LITERARY GREATS IN THE HOMESPUN
BERKSHIRE MOUNTAINS, PAGE 146
PHOTOGRAPH: JENNY ZARINS
SANT’ANGELO BRIDGE IN ROME
January/February 2021 Condé Nast Traveller 9

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T HE G O L D L IS T I S S U E C O N T E N T S
THE LONG VIEW VIETNAM, PAGE 23
THE DREAM TEAMS ALL-FEMALE SQUADS, PAGE 24
THE WILD IDEA SLOW SAFARI, PAGE 26
THE TALKING POINT THE ARCTIC, PAGE 28
THE RENAISSANCE BEIRUT, PAGE 30
THE STATELY SPIN-OFF UK TOWNHOUSES, PAGE 32
THE TEMPO CHANGE A NEW JAZZ AGE, PAGE 34
THE WELLNESS SCOOP PARIS, PAGE 39
THE BRIGHT SIDE GOLDEN, PAGE 48
BO OK I T THE ROAD TRIP A CLASSIC TUSCAN P L AN I T

TOUR, PAGE 51
O UR ULT IMATE 21 P L AC E S TO
THE WEEKENDERS GREAT BRITISH BREAKS, PAGE 57
A IRBN B EDIT V IS IT I N 2 0 21
HOMESTAYS ACROSS THE UK THE CULTURE HOPPER CARL BARAT, PAGE 60 OUR LIST OF DESTINATIONS,
AND EUROPE, FROM SEAFRONT BOTH CLOSE TO HOME AND
THE PAL ACE TAKEOVER NYMPHENBURG
COTTAGES TO EPIC CASTLES. AS FAR AWAY AS YOU CAN GET.
CNTRAVELLER.COM/TOPIC/AIRBNB RESIDENCE, MUNICH, PAGE 62 CNTRAVELLER.COM/GALLERY/2021
THE ST YLE NOTES DESTINATION DRESSING, PAGE 67
THE SHOPPING SCENE HONG KONG, PAGE 78
THE ADDRESS BOOK ST PETERSBURG, PAGE 84
THE BEAUT Y REPORT STAR PERFORMERS, PAGE 86
THE MATERIAL GOLD ALLOY, PAGE 88
THE GLOBETROTTER KATHERINE HEIGL, PAGE 156
THE STAYCATION BATH, PAGE 158
PHOTOGRAPHS: AIRBNB; ANA LUI; PACUARE LODGE; TOM WALKER

THE TABLE TO BOOK A NIEMEYER-DESIGNED ORB,
LEIPZIG, PAGE 167
THE FEAST OYSTERS, PAGE 168
THE DRINK NEXT-LEVEL LIQUOR, PAGE 170

H EA R I T WATC H I T
THE CURE FOOD AS MEDICINE, PAGE 172
ES C A PE ROUTE S NEIGHBOURHOOD
THE FL AVOUR HUNTER ED VERNER, PAGE 174
POD C AS T VIDEOS
THE MOST TRANSPORTIVE THE NEW ART MOVEMENT SCULPTURAL A NEW SERIES OF LOCAL
STORIES, READ BY OUR EDITORS ILLUSION, PAGE 212 LONDON GUIDES – INCLUDING
AND CONTRIBUTORS. RAVEN SMITH ON PECKHAM.
CNTRAVELLER.COM/PODCASTS CNTRAVELLER.COM/VIDEO
12 Condé Nast Traveller January/February 2021

THE GOLD LIS T ISSUE EDITOR’S LETTER
OVER THE SUMMER WHILE WE WERE away in Greece, I was

interviewed by Radio 4. I see the BBC station along the same O N T H E C OV E R
lines as Rich Tea biscuits and lollipop ladies; some olden,
spartan, extraneous thing, beguilingly plain yet not without
comfort. So it felt like the lockdown place to be, if not for
the content then for its mumbly, fireside manner. The
interview, on a serious media-news show, took a cheap-ish
turn when the host made a jibe about travel journalists and
their endless freebies. I was taken aback. And I wasn’t ready.
Part of me was also side-tracked at the time by my husband,
a theme that was becoming an issue whenever I had a live
interview. My first one was with Business of Fashion, a
platform I have admired for years for its industry analysis.
I prepared thoroughly. After five minutes, however, just as I
was getting into my stride, the Wi-Fi starting creaking so that
my replies became lagged and stilted until it finally juddered to a halt. End of service. Realising
something I wanted to excel at had gone tits up, I went off to hide in a cupboard. I stayed EL FENN, MARRAKECH
there for a while, long enough to hear my husband on the phone saying he was keeping a low PHOTOGRAPHED BY SIGNE BAY
profile because he’d chosen the wrong time to hook up the Peloton. The interview with Arianna
Huffington, whose book Thrive is a favourite of mine, took place in my kitchen at midnight
on a Thursday. In retrospect, I should have done it at someone else’s house. ‘Going live in
10, 9, 8…’ says Arianna’s producer just as the sound system upstairs is cranked so high the
glasses next to me start crashing into each other and the hooves of my husband and his best SUBSCRIBE
friend thrum on the ceiling like tropical rain. During my lovely chat with A Hotel Life, my
mobile pings. I see his name flash up. I can’t help but look. I see the message ‘Hmmmmmm’ VISIT CNTRAVELLER.
alongside a photo of a pile of my clothes on the bedroom floor. COM/SUBSCRIBE,
It had begun to feel like he was sabotaging on purpose. But then he’d do something with sweet EMAIL CNTRAVELLER@
intentions – even if that too went awry. Just as I am going live on Sky News at a friend’s place in SUBSCRIPTION.CO.UK, OR
Cornwall, I see his reflection in the screen. ‘What are you DOING?’ I whisper, trying not to break CALL 0844 848 5202
my dawn make-up news face. ‘Arranging your background! It’s a mess! This whole area needs
FIXING,’ he replies while pulling flowers wildly out of a vase and strangely arranging the cushions.
And so we return to the scene with Radio 4. I really wanted to do this one well. ‘All I need is
one hour,’ I said to him. ‘No kids, no noise.’ As 5pm approaches, I peek out of my cool, calm lair
to see my children and their friends drinking beer, listening to Slowthai up high. ‘Shoo, shoo!’ I F O L LOW U S O N
shout. But as soon as they’ve disappeared and the recording has started, I watch in disbelief as
Marcus comes bashing through the door, makes himself a drink with ice – such noisy ice! –
I N S TAG R A M
bangs the freezer door and smashes cupboards until he finally sees me, mid interview question, @ CO N D EN AS T TR AV E LLE R
mouthing ‘RADIO 4’, eyes wide like sad apples. ‘But I need to get the show on the road,’ he
says, arms waving. ‘I’ve invited some people for supper and they’re going to be here in 15 minutes.’
And that is the very long tale about why I didn’t answer the question about travel journalists
and their freebies properly. I should have said the following: ‘Before any writer goes anywhere,
we research, investigate, double back, check picture viability, refer to any number of different
platforms, talk to tour operators, drill down on detail, ensure we have the correct person for
the job and pull the plug at any time if we don’t think we can deliver what’s right for the reader.’
In other words, we work on trust. Trust is key. It is really hard to win but can be lost in a
heartbeat. And I believe it will become even more vital as time marches on.
This is the Gold List issue of Condé Nast Traveller. We work with the best people in the
business to give the best quality travel recommendations. Do get out there as soon as you can.
EL CHIRINGUITO, MARBELLA
MELINDA STEVENS MelindaLP
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
All information and travel details are correct at the time of going to press. Due to uncertain circumstances, this may have changed
on the date of publication. Please check businesses’ individual websites for up-to-the-minute details. Unless otherwise stated, hotel prices are
low-season rates and restaurant prices are for a three-course meal for two without drinks

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
MELINDA STEVENS
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T H E G O L D L I S T I S S U E C O N T R I B U TO R S
THIS MONTH, WE ASK OUR HAPPY WANDERERS FOR THEIR MOST EXTRAORDINARY TRAVEL EXPERIENCE
KATHERINE HEIGL The Globetrotter (p156) IAN GRIFFITHS The Address Book (p84)
‘When I was 17 I did a film in Wales and it really stuck with me. ‘I like to immerse myself in every destination I visit, but I’ve never
I’m at peace in nature, so the hills and valleys were very special. felt closer to a place than on my first teenage Interrail trip. As a
Sometimes I catch a scent of trees that takes me straight back. The shock-haired punk, I made my way around Europe from Barcelona
people were so kind, and the way they spoke so lyrical.’ American to Berlin. It formed my view of the world.’ Creative director at Max
actor Katherine has starred in ‘27 Dresses’ and ‘The Ugly Truth’ Mara, Ian has worked at the Italian brand for more than 30 years
CHRISTOPHER BOLLEN Writer, The Berkshires (p146) JENNY ZARINS Photographer, Rome (p112)
‘Staying in a beach hut on Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, a few miles ‘Riding across southern Africa’s Namib Desert on horseback and
PHOTOGRAPHS: ROY J BARON/RETNA/AVALON; JULIEN CAPMEIL; ALEX CAYLEY/TRUNK ACHIVE;
north of Nuweibaa. I’d wake up for sunrises over the Red sleeping under the stars was without a doubt the most incredible
Sea, when all of distant Saudi Arabia turned a golden purple. experience I’ve ever had. Pure magic on so many levels.’ Swedish-
Beautiful.’ New York City-based author Christopher’s latest born Jenny is one of our contributing photographers and has been
literary thriller, ‘A Beautiful Crime’, is out now snapping pictures since being given her first camera aged six
ROBERTO CONTE; JACK DEVANT; ALESSANDRO VILLA; JENNY ZARINS
EDOARDO TRESOLDI The New Art Movement (p212) CARL BARAT The Culture Hopper (p60)
‘Burning Man festival is extraordinary for its installations and ‘Eight years ago I played a gig in Pirenópolis, Brazil, a town popular
unique sense of community, but also for its setting in with hippies in the 1960s. The next day I swam in a ravine with
Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, which has a strong natural and musician Jon McClure, got stuck in quicksand and then encountered
spiritual dimension.’ Milan-born artist, sculptor and set designer a Brazilian wandering spider, one of the world’s most venomous.’
Edoardo works with wire mesh in his architectural pieces The Libertines rock’n’roller Carl once appeared in an opera in Paris

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T H E G OL D L I S T I S S U E 2021
EVERYTHING CLASSIC. EVERYTHING EXCEPTIONAL
THE LON G VIEW VIETN AM

CAREFULLY CONSIDERED ARRIVALS SIGNAL A RESET FOR THE COUNTRY
Like its neighbour Cambodia, Vietnam has been gradually redirecting its compass from backpacking on a shoestring to a slicker
kind of adventuring. For years, hotels such as Amanoi and The Nam Hai have held court, but now the opening of Bãi San Hô
will up the ante. Sibling to Arnaud Zannier’s other thoughtfully placed outposts (in Namibia, Megève and Siem Reap – see
The Gold List, p103), this palm-filled hideout in a secluded bay on the south-central coast draws deeply on Vietnam’s cultural
heritage, with villas referencing the longhouses and seaside villages of the Rade and Cham people. The art of getting
from A to B has become distinctly elevated, too. Anantara is making tracks with a souped-up new train carriage,The Vietage,
pictured, which trundles behind the 9.31am from Da Nang to its beachfront hotel further south in Quy Nhon. The six-hour trip,
passing rice paddies and villages, serves up a snapshot of this captivating coast. As the travel world recasts itself for a
new era, this is a case study for how to do it: meaningfully. KATIE LOCKHART

Brighton basketball court
design by artist Lois
O’Hara, who will appear
on the Glorious website
THE DREAM TEAMS ALL-FEMALE SQUADS

DYNAMIC SPORTSWOMEN GO ON THEIR MARKS TO CONQUER PITCHES AND PEAKS
After decades on the sidelines, women’s sport is finally taking

centre stage, hitting the headlines, getting primetime slots
on TV and scoring big-money sponsorship deals. The profile of
female competitors is on the rise, from the groundbreaking
W Series motor-racing championship to new UK cricket tournament
The Hundred. There’s also LA’s Angel City FC soccer team,
owned by former players and Hollywood stars including Natalie
Portman and America Ferrera, set to join the national league in
2022. And it’s not just the pros. Launching in February, online
platform Glorious will champion award-winning trailblazers
(ice swimmers, cliff divers, jockeys) as well as grassroots groups
(synchronised wild swimmers, rounders teams), while looking
at the intersection with art, culture and design. ‘There’s that
phrase “If you can’t see it, you can’t be it,”’ says editorial director
Alison Root. ‘We want to give women’s sport the spotlight
it deserves by telling positive, empowering stories through
inspiring photography and film.’ glorioussport.com
THE AGE-DEFYING C HEERLEADERS

They began as a troupe for the women’s softball team in an Arizona
retirement community more than 40 years ago; now the Sun City Poms,
whose oldest member is 88, have evolved into two spritely units: the
performing and the marching Poms. The former entertain at about
50 shows every year, with moves that range from baton-twirling to the
splits, while the latter regularly scoop first prize for their parade routines.
‘I love the Phoenix Veterans Day Parade for the costumes and
the enthusiasm of the crowd,’ says Sharon Word, part of the marching
group. ‘You don’t need any experience to join – just stamina.’
Longboard dancer
Marina Correia
Shirley Hoffman of
the Sun City Poms
T H E D I S C I P L I N E - D E F I N I N G LO N G BOA R D DA N C E R S
Within the relatively new sport of longboard dancing, there are many variations. ‘I’m known for
the hippie jump – going over an obstacle while my board goes under,’ says France-based
student Marina Correia of the tricks she performs to funaná and morna music from her native
Cape Verde. She met German pro Giulia Alfeo at last year’s Paris 360° Longboard competition
and the two reunited in Berlin recently to shoot a film for Glorious. In contrast, Alfeo’s
style is more fluid and full of spins. ‘I try to counterbalance the carving motion of the board
with movements inspired by contemporary dance. I’m really aiming to turn it into an art form.’
THE INCLUSIVE
FOOTBALLERS
Founded in 2018 by creative director
Sarah-Jayne Todd, Whippets FC
Whippets FC players Ellie is a Hackney football team with a
Bacon and Mel Round difference. Not only are the players
mostly creatives with a love
of sighthounds, pictured – including
digital artist Rose Pilkington and
The XX’s Romy Madley Croft – they
also represent diversity and the
LGBTQIA+ community. ‘Our matches
in the Super 5 League are the highlight
of the week,’ says midfielder and
photographer Vic Lentaigne of the
squad which has grown so much that
it’s now split into a beginners and
an advanced team. ‘The Adam & Eve
pub in Homerton is our spot for a
post-training drink where we talk about
how well everyone has played. There’s
no negativity, only passion and drive.’
THE MINDSET-SHIFTING CLIMBERS

Climbing Cholitas Not so long ago, Bolivia’s indigenous Aymara women were marginalised – but helping to change perceptions
ascending the Zongo glacier are the pioneering La Paz-based Climbing Cholitas. The group has spent the past five years scaling the world’s
near El Alto in Bolivia peaks, including most recently sending an 11-strong expedition to Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside
Asia (funds permitting, Everest is next). ‘We work in the base camps as cooks and many of our husbands are
guides,’ says coordinator Lidia Huayllas Estrada about how they got started. Along with everyone else, she pairs
boots and an ice axe with a traditional pollera skirt and colourful shawl. ‘We wear these clothes because it
represents our culture. When I’m on the mountain, I am far from my worries and I feel free.’ EMMA LOVE
PHOTOGRAPHS: TODD ANTONY; COCO CAPITAN; AXEL MACHIN FOR GLORIOUS

THE WILD IDEA
S LOW S A FA R I
AFTER AN UNPRECEDENTED YEAR,
AFRICAN STALWARTS ARE RELATING
TO TRAVELLERS IN A DIFFERENT WAY
The collapse of tourism in Africa, and the knock-on
effects on the community and conservation projects
that it supported, has been devastating. And with
the global recalibration of travel, what’s emerging on
this continent is a focus on slowing down, staying
longer in one place rather than racing from camp to
camp, becoming more connected to the place, the
people, the wildlife. Astride the great migration routes
in the western Serengeti in Tanzania, Singita’s much-
loved Sabora Tented Camp has undergone a complete
transformation, as light footed as it is deeply rooted.
For years, Singita has been the gold standard due to
the architectural flair of its lodges and the farm-to-
table ingredients of its kitchens. But there is also a new
emphasis on guests taking more time, allowing them
to engage more meaningfully with its conservation
and community programmes. It is an approach that is From top:
taking hold elsewhere. In South Africa, a drawn-out tents and
stay at recently opened Marataba Conservation surrounding
Camps means an education in how land and species landscape at
can be protected, with guests actively involved in Singita
tracking cheetah, compiling elephant identikits, Sabora in
patrolling for snares and aiding rhino ID notching. And Tanzania,
in Botswana, Jack’s Camp is reopening in the where suites
Makgadikgadi salt flats, a place so vast you can see the have been
curvature of the earth. Of course, there is game – repositioned
cheetahs and lions pursuing wildebeest and zebra – but to put
the silence and the scale is a grounding reminder of the guests at eye
importance of protecting such an epic environment. In level with
the post-Covid era, the communities and wildlife of the wildlife
Africa will need our support. But following a distressing
year, this new meditative pace of safaris may be
what we need too. STANLEY STEWART

T H E TA L K I N G P O I N T T H E A RC T I C
POSITIVE ACTIONS STEP UP THE FOCUS ON OUR NORTHERN POLAR REGION
It’s a place that has revealed itself gradually over the centuries; earth, it’s sadly more accessible than ever, as the ice retreats and wild
indistinctly, like a figure walking slowly out of a blizzard. To the Ancient fires rage. The Arctic Arts Project tracks the changes, using images of
Greeks it was ultima thule, the land beyond all lands; to the Victorians rare beauty to help illustrate scientific certainty. And while intrepid
the North Pole was a holy grail for explorers, a chimeric world of outfits continue to explore it – off-grid glamping at the European Safari
challenge, escape and thought-provoking solitude. We think of it as a Company’s Aurora camp; a Quark cruise into the Russian permafrost
blank space on the map, just an occasional polar bear or tern breaking later this year; bespoke expeditions led by Cookson and Pelorus – it’s
the monotony, but as a current exhibition at the British Museum the projects that seek to educate and inspire the fight against climate
acknowledges, the Arctic Circle has been home to indigenous peoples change that have most resonance. In 2022, the energy-positive
for 30,000 years, spread over eight countries, for whom the rest Svart hotel will open at the base of the Svartisen glacier in Arctic
of the planet will always be regarded as ‘southerners’. There is culture; Norway, while The Whale, pictured, is a low-impact, tail-like new
things are made here. Snow goggles and a straw crafted from walrus museum on the island of Andøya, next to the deep-water route used
ivory for drinking molten iceberg. A whole seal stripped down, nothing by migrating sperm whales. The Arctic, top of the world, land of the
discarded, its gut woven into ghostly dresses that resemble Issey Miyake midnight sun, continues to hold us transfixed. RICK JORDAN
creations. And there is poignancy. As the fastest-warming place on The British Museum’s ‘Arctic: Culture and Climate’ is on until 21 February
PHOTOGRAPH: DORTE MANDRUP/THE WHALE/MIR

Dreaming of summer
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We understand that peace of mind and flexibility are key to ensuring that you feel confident booking a
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after you every step of the way, from start to finish, with 24/7 support wherever you are in the world.
Call us on 0203 1306 908 or visit www.scottdunn.com/cnt

ARTHAUS
THE RENAISSANCE BEIRUT ARTHAUS
INVENTIVE LOCALS BOUNCE BACK TO REVIVE LEBANON’S

VIBRANT URBAN SCENE AS IT EMERGES FROM THE RUBBLE
‘For us, it was a declaration of war. Not physically, but against our culture, what
we’ve been working towards,’ explains Nabil Debs, referring to the tragic ammonium-
nitrate explosion – linked to suspected negligence – that shook the Lebanese
capital last August, killing more than 200 people and leaving 300,000 homeless
while causing losses running to billions of pounds. Debs and his wife Zoe were set
to launch their Arthaus hotel on that ill-fated day. Instead, they found themselves
dealing with massive destruction to the historic 25-room property in Gemmayze,
one of the hardest hit spots. Made up of four architecturally distinctive Ottoman-era
houses that were passed through generations of Debs’s family before the couple
SARAH’S BAG
began restoration a decade ago, it is centred around a large courtyard with a garden
and an ancient water well repurposed as a skylight for an underground lounge. Now
partially reopened, Arthaus is meant to be an experiential creative hub, not least
because of its location.‘This whole district is really avant-garde; it’s a concentrated
area of innovative people who went about rebuilding immediately after the blast,’
says Debs. The art-collecting pair fought back the way they know best: gathering
about 50 artists for a fundraising exhibition in the hotel, Beirut Year Zero, as well as
a charity auction held by Christie’s New York. In the meantime, a few blocks away
fashion designer and activist Roni Helou started a crowdfunding campaign with
Brooklyn-based Slow Factory Foundation. The monies raised by United for Lebanese
Creatives are being distributed to 34 independent Beirut labels, to help cover the
estimated £650,000 in damages to their workspaces and showrooms. Among them
is Sarah’s Bag, whose fans include Beyoncé and Amal Clooney, Sandra Mansour,
who recently collaborated with H&M, in Gemmayze, and concept store and café
The Slow in the neighbouring Mar Mikhael district. ‘Lebanese designers have a big
reach, so I think it’s important that they are showing the country recovering. They’re
helping to make people feel safe enough to return,’ says Helou. One of the
Mediterranean’s most artistic cities is fighting back with flair. NADIA MICHEL
PHOTOGRAPHS: GUILLAUME DE LAUBIER
RONI HELOU

T H E S T A T E LY S P I N - O F F U K T O W N H O U S E S
ESTABLISHED COUNTRYSIDE STAYS WIDEN THEIR BASE WITH SHARP CITY OFFSHOOTS
H E N RY ’ S TOW N H O U S E As out-of-office working life prompts many to

up sticks to the country, traffic is turning the other
way in the hotel world, with top rural addresses
opening urban outposts. These metropolitan
pieds-à-terre are appealingly home-from-home
in scale, for when the escapee exodus realises it
actually rather misses uptown thrills.
HENRY’S TOWNHOUSE
LONDON
The first hotel foray from the team behind
Cotswold rental Temple Guiting Manor is set inside
a Grade II-listed Marylebone terrace that was once
home to Jane Austen’s brother Henry. The styling,
by Russell Sage Studio (the Zetter Townhouse;
Belmond Cadogan Hotel), riffs on those historical
characters: each of the seven bedrooms tells the
story of a different family member, from Cassandra,
Austen’s sister, done out in society glitz and
powder blue, to Eliza, her cousin, with its romantic
tented headboard. One for the new literary set.
Opens December 2020; henrystownhouse.co.uk
T H E M AY F A I R T O W N H O U S E
LONDON
T H E M AY FA I R T O W N H O U S E Although it’s spread grandly across seven
buildings on Half Moon Street, just a block from
Green Park, this sibling to Berkshire’s Cliveden
House and Chewton Glen in Hampshire still
feels tucked away. There’s an Oscar Wilde meets
Alice in Wonderland vibe at play – more in line
with Cliveden’s potential for naughtiness than
Chewton family fun – with the mirror-and-velvet
Dandy Bar acting as the rabbit hole. Opens
December 2020; themayfairtownhouse.com
B E AV E R B R O O K T O W N H O U S E
LONDON
The Surrey Hills pile lands in two Georgian
houses on Sloane Street. Its 14 suites – designed
by print lover and previous collaborator
Nicola Harding – will be named after theatres
in the capital. The curtain will also go up
on a Japanese restaurant with interiors inspired
by artist Hokusai, best known for The Great
Wave. A fresh act for Chelsea. Opens summer
2021; beaverbrook.co.uk
GLENEAGLES TOWNHOUSE
EDINBURGH
Grandee of the Scottish countryside, Gleneagles
has seen a spirited shake-up in recent years
thanks to its forward-thinking new owner
More big-name second acts Ennismore (of Hoxton fame). Now the group
PHOTOGRAPHS: RAY MAIN
has landed a hotel chip on St Andrew’s Square in

Further afield there’s also a crop of extra digs on the horizon. Smash hit The Newt in Somerset the New Town for a 33-bedroom bolthole and
adds The Farmyard in spring 2021, with 17 bedrooms across an old farmhouse, cider mill, apple members’ club, with a roof terrace – wisely glazed
loft and cheese barn, in a quiet corner of the productive estate. Meanwhile, Ivan and Manuela against the east-coast chill – behind the statues
Wirth’s Artfarm outfit is working on the Invercauld Arms near their curio-filled Fife Arms in the of the former Bank of Scotland HQ. The ideal
Highlands village of Braemar (and it will launch The Audley in London’s Mayfair in 2022, too). pit-stop en route to Perthshire. Opens autumn
2021; gleneaglestownhouse.com FIONA KERR

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matching people like you with unique, high-quality accommodation, so we understand what
makes the perfect villa holiday, just the way you like it. What’s more, booking with us means
booking with confidence. We are members of ABTA, are fully bonded with the CAA and
have an ATOL license, ensuring full protection and complete peace of mind. Plus, our Flexi
Promise, which applies to a large number of our villas, means that you can amend your travel
dates for any reason, at any point before the final balance payment stage.
To secure your perfect villa, get in touch with one of our Villa Specialists today.
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GREECE • ITALY • FRANCE • SPAIN • PORTUGAL • CARIBBEAN • MOROCCO • TURKEY • CROATIA • FLORIDA • SRI LANKA
T H E T E M P O C H A N G E A N E W JA Z Z AG E
HAVING LOST ITS GROOVE FOR
A WHILE, THE GREAT MUSICAL
ART FORM OF THE 20TH CENTURY
IS NOW ADDING SWING TO
THIS DECADE, SYNCOPATING WITH
A BROADER AUDIENCE AND
BOUNDARY-CROSSING APPEAL
From left: Joel Ross, Angel Bat Dawid and Makaya

McCraven, key players on the city’s music scene
Nduduzo
Makhathini, on the
piano, and band
JOHANNESBURG
C HIC AGO
From left: Kalle Kalima,

Johannes Metzger, Aki Takase
and Tom Arthurs
BERLIN
From left: Moses Boyd,

Shabaka Hutchings, Alfa Mist
and Nubya Garcia
LONDON
LO N D O N CHICAGO
PHOTOGRAPHS: EVAN DAWSON; PIERRICK GUIDOU; ADAMA JALLOH;
‘British musicians used to play jazz in an American accent,’ says saxophonist ‘It’s the To Pimp a Butterfly effect,’ reckons Scottie McNiece, whose
Nubya Garcia. ‘Now we’ve found our own voice.’ The music’s renaissance International Anthem label is helping redefine the Windy City’s legacy.
in the capital has been fuelled by a growing grassroots scene at clubs such ‘Kendrick Lamar’s album was such an incredible turning point for jazz, and
MAARIT KYTOHARJU; DAVID MARQUES; FRANK SIEMERS
as Dalston’s Cafe Oto and an informed young audience streaming it online people are listening again.’ While the hip-hop classic swung LA-based
– with a sense that it’s being reclaimed by a rising generation of Black talent. saxophone player Kamasi Washington into the mainstream, in Chicago
‘This is a long way from Newham, where I’m from,’ says pianist-producer Alfa artists including drummer Makaya McCraven and clarinetist Angel Bat Dawid
Mist, who came to jazz through grime and hip-hop and appears on the new are ripping up the songbook. ‘There’s also a young cat called Isaiah Collier,’
Blue Note Re:imagined project. ‘The fact I’m making it still makes me laugh says McNiece. ‘He’s rooted in improvisation – I think of him as the next
– it’s like I stumbled into Narnia.’ Listen up ‘2 Far Gone’ by Moses Boyd evolution of the Chicago sound.’ Listen up ‘Mantra’ by Makaya McCraven
JOHANNESBURG B ER L I N
In the 1960s, Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba led the musical charge The best-known place for techno has also become a magnet for global
against apartheid; now names such as Nduduzo Makhathini, the first jazz refugees – ‘like Paris in the 1920s’, says British trumpeter Tom Arthurs.
South African signed by Blue Note, are gaining global acclaim. ‘More ‘Musicians often drift between all sorts of genres.’ New homegrown energy
and more young people are making their mark here,’ says Jo’burg-based can be found with the youthful KIM Collective. ‘They’re pretty bonkers,’
chanteuse and trombonist Siya Makuzeni. ‘A lot are women, and I’m says Chad Matheny, who runs the Donau115 club. ‘Suitcases used as drums;
inspired by the fact so many are avid composers in their own right.’ a trumpet player dressed as a horse. Now that’s Berlin.’ Listen up Torben
Listen up ‘Yehlisan’uMoya (Spirit Come Down)’ by Nduduzo Makhathini Unit’s ‘Free (Get Yourself Together)’ RICK JORDAN & JOHN LEWIS

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ISTANBUL
with the airline that flies to
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YOUR BOHEMIAN HIDEAWAY IN THE MALDIVES
Where you are free to set your own beat.

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T H E W E L L N E S S S C O O P PA R I S
SOPHISTICATION IS A GIVEN IN THE FRENCH CAPITAL. BUT A FLURRY OF HOLISTIC HANGOUTS HAS
BOOSTED ITS ALLURE BY TREATING MIND AND SPIRIT AS WELL AS BODY. BY KASIA DIETZ
PHOTOGRAPH: DAVID FOESSEL
THE ZEN SPACE

This temple to Japanese beauty and wellbeing is like a delicious jewel box. The forest-green-lacquered Saint-
Germain storefront of En Salon nods to the rows of matcha and green tea, sourced from Yakushima Island, that line
the stone walls inside. Architectural firm Archiee had a field day with the ground floor and subterranean space,
creating ethereal gilded curves that wrap around treatment cabins, pictured, and essence-blending rooms, as well as
polished-brass light fittings, to reflect the meaning of the word ‘en’ (circle). Facials are what to book in for, here
combining the best of both Asian and French skincare techniques. Bespoke from the get-go, they start with gently
probing questions about lifestyle and diet, in order for the therapist to whip up a highly personalised selection of

cleansing balms, gels and oils, mixed with
organic plant extracts. Top it off with one of
the especially good signature body massages or
some on-point reflexology. Continue the
journey by buying Sea Mud from Okinawa or
Hot Spring Lotion from the Tateyama
Mountains. 7 rue de Condé; en-spa.fr
THE FACIALIST
A visit to acupuncturist Elaine Huntzinger – if
you can score one – feels like catching up with
an old friend, one who happens to know how to
balance the body while taking what appears
to be years off the face. A favourite of the
global style set, she has a loyal following that
includes Eva Chen and Gucci Westman. They
come for treatments that are better than Botox.
Huntzinger is a devotee of gua sha (a type of
facial massage) and her kit is laden with crystals
and healing stones, jade rollers and rose-quartz
tools. Just watch her fascinating how-to videos
on Instagram. A practitioner of Chinese
medicine for more than 15 years, she continues
to expand her menu. The recent addition of
LED light has gone down a storm, and her latest
wizardry involves seven tuning forks that
correspond with the seven chakras. ‘The
chakras are energy valves or pumps found in
the body. I have had clients who see their
colours during our treatments. In conjunction
with the acupuncture and crystals, the forks
add another dimension to the energetic
aspect of the therapy.’ A rare facialist. 12 rue
de Crussol; elainehuntzinger.com
THE HIGH-END RETREAT

It’s a long way from Tata Harper’s 1,200-acre
organic farm in Vermont, but this pretty little
corner of Le Bristol hotel, one of the grandest
dames in Paris, somehow feels like a fitting
home. This is the beauty expert’s first Europe-
based spa offering, where the floral styling,
a nod to her hand-harvested, all-natural
ingredients, is the work of local architectural
duo Yann Le Coadic and Alessandro Scotto.
Treatments focus on the face – the sculpting
facial is an extraordinary exercise in skin
gymnastics, while the Hydration Booster
iteration, which uses vitamin-rich raw honey to
smoothe and hyaluronic acid to moisturise,
leaves skin brilliantly supple. The end result is a
properly radiant glow, thanks not only to the
deft therapist, but also to Harper’s mantra that
‘the future of luxury is 100 per cent natural and
non-toxic’. For the top-to-toe experience
there are also liquid-gold body massages and
refreshing scrubs, plus lunches in the revamped
garden. 112 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré;
oetkercollection.com
THE CULT BEAUTY LINE

Supplements brand Aime is on a mission to
purify skin from the inside out, starting with
the gut. Mathilde Lacombe, co-founder of
Birchbox, and partner François Morrier set up
the company with the belief that ‘dietary
supplements and a skincare routine go hand

Clockwise from below: interior details, and relaxation area of the
Tata Harper space within Le Bristol’s spa; seating, skincare
products, façade, and stairs, all at En Salon; stone tools for gua
sha facial massage at Elaine Huntzinger’s atelier; Aime shop
PHOTOGRAPHS: JENNI DAWES; AVID FOESSEL
Clockwise from this picture: view across
Paris, tiled exterior, and lobby, all at HOY;
entrance, and counter, both at Buly 1803;
incense, bar, La Floreria shop, and pudding
at Mesa de HOY restaurant, all at HOY
in hand’. So what you have are French-made
face, body and hair products that are all vegan,
gluten- and allergen-free. The unpretentious
Simple Skin range consists of only the essentials
– cleanser, serum and face cream. The latter
contains bakuchiol, a seed-derived alternative
to retinol, for smoothing and plumping
complexions. A dose of Matcha Glow, infused
with the tea as well as collagen and aloe vera,
will also do the trick. Created in collaboration
with nutritionist and pharmacist Valérie
Espinasse, Aime’s capsules pack a regenerative
punch. It’s no wonder the Pure Glow
supplements are said to have a 4,000-person
waitlist. Better to stop at the North Marais
store and Glow Studio spa to pick them
up in person. 3 rue du Pont aux Choux; aime.co
THE MINDFUL HOTEL

Short for House of Yoga, HOY is far less
gimmicky than it sounds. The bustle of the ninth
arrondissement instantly disappears upon
ducking inside here. La Floreria flower shop
sets the tone with its dried and seasonal blooms,
while the aroma of palo santo guarantees
good vibes. The 22 minimalist bedrooms are
kitted out with wellbeing at the fore – no
televisions, no coffee machine; instead charcoal-
laced bottles to mineralise drinking water,
a hi-tech air-purification system and a barre
for morning stretching. The place feels
as if it’s a deep retreat in the heart of the city,
with daily hot yoga at in-house Yuj studio,
treatments including Kobido facials and Chi Nei
Tsang massages, creative workshops and a
plant-based restaurant, Mesa de HOY. Exactly
what Franco-Mexican owner Charlotte
Gomez de Orozco intended when drawing up
the plans. 68 rue des Martyrs; hoyparis.com
THE ORIGINAL APOTHECARY

A couple of years after opening their second
outpost of beauty emporium Buly 1803 in the
Haut Marais neighbourhood, husband and wife
Ramdane Touhami and Victoire de Taillac added
a bijou treatment room. It feels like old-school
pampering, with oils, lotions and soaps plucked
from their 700-product apothecary. The new
lymphatic-drainage facial uses Japanese brushes
handmade in Hiroshima and a tuning fork to
return balance and harmony to the body, while
the freshly prepared, moisturising marshmallow-
root-powder face mask and wild honey applied
to lips are both soothing and spoiling. The
hour-long rejuvenating session ends with a sip of
orange-blossom water at the shop’s Grand Café
Tortoni and a whiff of the latest Eau Triple
PHOTOGRAPHS: SOPHIA VAN DEN HOEK
spritz, which lingers long after leaving the store.

45 rue de Saintonge; buly1803.com
THE PERFUMERY
Imagine a gallery in which bespoke fragrances
and products replace artwork, and that goes
some way to explaining the Dover Street Parfums
Market. Just a few minutes’ walk from the
Picasso Museum, it was launched last year
by Comme des Garçons, coinciding with the

25th anniversary of the fashion house’s original
scent. Since that first creation appeared in
1994, dozens of unisex CdG perfumes have
taken the anti-fashion spotlight, including
Odeur du Théâtre du Châtelet and the newest
one, Rouge. Designer Rei Kawakubo playfully
curated both the offering and logo-free
minimalist space, with egg-shaped pillars
shipped from Japan. Sculptural vials illuminate
the shelves and range from artisanal labels
Byredo and Ormaie to legendary names
Helmut Lang and Nina Ricci. The vast beauty
section has Gucci’s latest foray into cosmetics
alongside sustainable and organic hair and
skincare brands from around the globe.
For hard-to-find Amazonian oils and charcoal
toothpaste, this is the spot. 11 bis rue Elzévir;
doverstreetparfumsmarket.com
THE EASTERN OFFSHOOT

The Japanification of Paris is in full effect,
especially when it comes to wellness.
Translating to daffodil – a welcome sign of
spring – Maison Suisen feels like a ryokan in the
heart of the Marais and is owner Sandra
Kasparian’s love letter to the country. Organic
tatami mats were flown in from Japan, and the
skilled therapists are dressed in traditional
jinbei attire. Book the shiatsu with aromatic oils
or dive deeper with a stomach massage. The
belief here is that the abdomen is the centre
of intuition – it’s where gut feelings come
from, after all – and this treatment restores
the circulation of energy throughout the body
in order to calm and clear the mind. Green
tea, once used medicinally, is poured
as a post-massage elixir. Options including
sencha, houjicha and matcha are all produced
in Kakegawa near Mount Fuji and served
with a macaron. Those who would like to take
home their chosen blend can pick up a bag
along with teapots from Japan on the way out.
7 rue de Thorigny; suisen.fr
THE WORKOUT
Skip the bar and head to a barre class at
The Studio, where Julie Granger will lift both
glutes and energy levels. Unable to find a
New York-style fitness centre in Paris, the
former ballerina decided to open her own, and
now offers signature lessons including Brooklyn
Flow, Brooklyn Barre and Ballerina Body.
Her upbeat soundtracks keep workout
disciples in the zone. The swish, well-equipped
studio was designed by Granger herself: ‘It is
the exact reflection of the vision I had for
it, my little dream come true.’ She also invites
equally dynamic instructors to lead yoga
and HIIT sessions. Star pupils include the
Paris Opera Ballet’s danseuse etoile Léonore
PHOTOGRAPH: KARL HAB
Baulac and fashion mavens Sabina Socol

and Parysatis Peymani. And any ‘Juju squad’
members who can’t make it in person
should look out for the live online classes.
42 rue Notre Dame de Nazareth; Clockwise from right: massage room, tea and
thestudioparis.com wagashi snack, and façade, all at Maison Suisen;
Dover Street Parfums Market; Maison Suisen

PHU
QUOC
OPENING 2021
PHUQUOC.REGENTHOTELS.COM
THE BRIGHT SIDE
GOLDEN
GILDED INTERIORS ACROSS THE
PLANET ARE A REMINDER
TO LOOK TOWARDS THE LIGHT
Top row, from left: a gilt-framed painting

from the British School peers out at
Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, home
to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire.
At the Palace of Versailles, the grand
Hall of Mirrors glows at sunset. Originally
built as a fruit stand in 1921, the Nut Tree
in Vacaville, California, has since
become a major roadside pit-stop with
restaurants, shops and a nostalgic, lit-up
carousel. In Bangkok’s Tep Bar, shots
of ya dong, a herbal Thai moonshine, are
served on a metallic tray with pickled
mango. With its ornate Art Nouveau
style, the celebrated Train Bleu restaurant
inside Paris’s Gare de Lyon has seen
Salvador Dalí, Coco Chanel and Brigitte
Bardot pass through its doors.
Middle row, from left: the shiny lobby of

Hotel Indigo in Dundee reflects the
Scottish city’s industrial heritage. In Taipei,
rich tones and burnished trims decorate
Staff Only Club, one of Taiwan’s first
PHOTOGRAPHS: JARED CHULSKI; CHRISTIAN KERBER; ROMAIN LAPRADE; MADELINE LU; KARYN MILLET; CHRIS SCHALKX
private-members clubs, hidden in a former
soy-sauce factory. Belgian architect
Jean-Michel Gathy commissioned the
large-scale, textured artworks that cover
the exterior of Bangkok’s just-opened
Four Seasons at Chao Phraya River. A short
walk away is Stella, the amber-accented
cocktail bar of the new Capella Bangkok
hotel. Meanwhile, on the French Riviera,
the honey-hued marble walls at Villa
Kerylos in Beaulieu-sur-Mer are a reference
to the aristocratic houses built on the Greek
island of Delos in the second century bc.
Bottom row, from left: kitsch maneki-neko,

or lucky cats, line a wall at Ho Lee Fook
restaurant in Hong Kong, and are believed
to bring good luck to the owner. Bali’s
bohemian treasure trove The Jungle Trader
sells pieces by local artists as well as
traditional crafts such as crab ornaments
inspired by the island’s wildlife. At Udaipur’s
City Palace, parts of which remain a royal
residence, sunlight filters through colourful
blocks of stained glass to illuminate a
mirrored room. Back in Versailles, smooth
marble, plush velvet and gilded bronze flow
in vaulted symmetry throughout the
palace’s Royal Chapel. At Venice’s Teatro
La Fenice, which has seen numerous
premieres of operas by Rossini, Bellini and
Verdi, 174 boxes covered in gold leaf are a
throwback to the opulence of the city’s
18th-century nobles. KATHARINE SOHN

LUXURY IS A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE
An Art Deco landmark in Berlin’s City West, Waldorf Astoria Berlin is located
at the intersection of Kurfürstendamm shopping boulevard, Berlin Zoo and Kaiser
Wilhelm Memorial Church. Featuring Germany’s only Guerlain Spa, an indoor pool,
ROCA restaurant, Lang Bar, THE LIBRARY and an exclusive panoramic view over
the entire city and beyond, you’re guaranteed an unforgettable stay.
waldorfastoriaberlin.de
T HE ROA D T R IP A C L A S S I C T U S C A N T O U R
SMART HOTEL AND VINEYARD HOPPING IN THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE SUPERCAR
BY TOBY SKINNER
Somewhere beyond the medieval citadel of San Gimignano, I shift the

Aventador’s paddle gears down to second and wait for the apex-predator roar
as the RPM needle spikes furiously. I am not a Car Person, and never knew
quite how glorious this would be, driving a real-life Top Trump. Part of my
prior suspicion of Lamborghinis stemmed from seeing them in West London,
where they appear like Siberian tigers trapped among the marbled terraces. In
the big city, the gull-wing doors seem absurd; the window to the ludicrously
powerful engine like some faintly indecent peephole. But here on a warm
September day, this immodest future-machine feels right somehow, even on
narrow streets watched over by coy Renaissance torsos. Not far from
Florence, an old lady waves her handkerchief as if greeting the pink jersey of
the Giro d’Italia, and at a roundabout near hilltop Ulignano, a group of
children cycle alongside, giving thumbs-ups and approving devil signs. In
Monticiano, a silent little town of thermal waters, rusting Fiat Pandas and war
statues, some old boys leave their espressos on Formica tables and come to
mutter and point. It’s as if these people are appreciating one of the Big Five,
except that in Italy it’s really the Big Three of Lamborghini, Maserati and
Ferrari. Rather than envy, there seems to be a collective pride in these marques;
their almost sculptural creations, and the very human stories behind ®

them. Ferruccio Lamborghini was the son of grape farmers who struck it rich
making the tractors that fuelled Italy’s post-war agricultural boom. He turned
to cars in 1963, and initially produced sleekly curved touring models until a
group of engineers went off-piste in 1966 with the muscular Lamborghini
Miura, widely considered the world’s first supercar. It was the engineering
of speed that always fascinated Ferruccio. And for all that his cars became
increasingly ostentatious, at heart he remained a country boy, eventually
retiring to hunt on his vineyard near the village of Panicale. This is perhaps
why the Aventador makes so much sense on a tour of Tuscany. My route
is a figure of eight around two Belmond hotels: Villa San Michele, once a
Franciscan monastery, in the Fiesole hills overlooking Florence; and
Castello di Casole, a 10th-century Etruscan castle with its own medieval
hamlet. At the end of one day, I stop at the Tenuta Torciano winery to
hunt truffles with Adolfo Moreno, who looks a bit like Stanley Tucci but
with tattoos suggestive of a backstory. Later, we eat Nonna Giachi’s
pancotto soup and lasagna with a roll call of Chiantis served by almost as PHOTOGRAPHS: AYA BRACKETT; NICO SHINCO; TOBY SKINNER
many members of the Giachi clan, who all seem to wear Rolexes and have
a list of metaphors linking wine and love-making. It’s almost too much;
a bit Peak Tuscany, like later watching the pinkish sky over the village of
Casole d’Elsa from Castello di Casole’s pool. But, then, when you’re
behind the wheel of a Lamborghini Aventador, nothing is too much.
The next morning, it growls down the hotel driveway, lined by tall, narrow
cypress trees. I have to press a button so the nose of the low-slung machine
can clear the speed bumps. It seems to strain at some invisible leash.
At the end of the lane, we turn towards Florence and I put my foot down,
ready for a roar I’ve become oddly addicted to. In this place, in this big
beast of a car, it seems like the only proper thing to do. Clockwise from this picture: Villa San Michele;
Ultimate Driving Tours offers a five-day Tuscany Self-Drive from £3,490 the Lamborghini at Castello di Casole; a room
per person, including a choice of car, visit to Torciano Vineyard and at the hotel; Tuscan hills; Castello di
Casole fireplace and exterior. Previous page,
stays at Belmond Hotels. ultimatedrivingtours.com
the gardens at Villa San Michele

Bottom row, clockwise from this picture: Belmond
Castello di Casole; the car near San Gimignano;
sunrise view of Florence; Roccia d’Orcia; statue at
Castello di Casole. Top row, clockwise from top left:
room keys at Castello di Casole; balcony, and bust
at Villa San Michele; Bar Visconti, and the
Lamborghini at Castello di Casole
One village, endless possibilities.
You own your time.
castelfalfi.com
T H E W E E K E N D E R S G R E AT B R I T I S H B R E A KS
JUST OPENED BOLTHOLES FOR COSSETING, CLOSE-TO-HOME KICKS
T H E C O A S T A L H I D E O U T C H YA N N A , C O R N WA L L
Polzeath in August can be one hell of a scrum. But here’s a clever way to be first to the waves. With its feet right in the sand, this
shiny new house, one in a huddle of three crisp, modern structures, is as close as you can get. Huge windows and an upside-
down layout mean that breakfasts and lunches are taken with panoramic views of the white rollers in the bay; at supper, the sun
drops into the Atlantic in front of the west-facing terrace. The four-bedroom space is hotel-level curated but with practical
consideration: a stone-slab boot room for wellies, storage for boogie boards and buggies, as well as stair gates (optional) and a
cocktail bar (recommended). Step outside and you’re on the beach - buzzy in summer with ice-cream vans that arrive like
buses and popular with families bearing windbreakers. Out of season it feels wilder, with rocky coves and sweeping coastal
walks, but surfers come all year round; there are schools here for lessons – the best is George’s. When it comes to food, there’s
Surfside, a Bondi-Brit joint serving up buckets of fresh oysters and local craft beers, as well as The Cracking Crab, a more
traditional fish restaurant. While most holiday homes are designed for getting out and exploring (Rock and Padstow are just
around the bay), this one is built for staying put. CHARLOTTE DAVEY From £216 per night (sleeps eight); latitude50.co.uk

T H E H I S T O R I C R E VA M P
BUXTON CRESCENT HOTEL,
D E R BY S H I R E
WHY STAY?
Rainwater seeps through the doughty limestone
hills of the Peak District and emerges 5,000 years
later as mineral-rich Buxton water – this is a spot
with patience to spare, but locals are mighty
pleased this magnificent Georgian crescent in the BUXTON CRESCENT HOTEL
centre of town has finally been revived after a
£70-million restoration.
WHAT IS THIS PLACE?

A showpiece spa, restaurant and hotel hoping
to kickstart a new era for Buxton, which was a
northern powerhouse (look at its Opera House
and Pavilion Gardens) until the early 20th century.
SLEEP
Bedrooms – some overlooking the pump house,
others the 18th-century Devonshire Dome – aim
for a catch-all sense of contemporary oomph
with chandeliers and minimal four-posters large
enough to perform a jig on. Dual-aspect rooms
such as 202 are best, though attic ones are cosy.
EAT
The menu underlines the point that a stay here
isn’t supposed to be an abstemious experience.
There are oysters and truffle-and-Parmesan T H E FA L C O N A T C A S T L E A S H B Y
chips, roast duckling and treacle tart. The lighter
spa menu (lunch only) still packs a punch, with
superfood salads and barbecued cabbage.
WHO COMES HERE?

Romans, Mary Queen of Scots and a roll-call of
gouty Georgians, historically. Curious locals who
have been waiting decades to step inside. And
it’s hoped Londoners will make the trip to discover
this craggy region known as Little Switzerland.
WE LIKE
Floating in the rooftop pool, steam rising as if from
a Wedgwood tea cup, looking out to the hills. It’s
glorious walking and cycling country, so the hotel
is ideal for warming up after a day spent roaming.
WE DON’T LIKE
A few more healthy food options wouldn’t
go amiss. RICK JORDAN
Doubles from £125; ensanahotels.com
T H E F E E L - G O O D E S TAT E
T H E F A L C O N A T C A S T L E A S H BY,
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
WHY STAY?
Because this fresh arrival in the 10,500-acre
castle grounds is cementing its status as a
community hub while drawing wellness disciples.
WHAT IS THIS PLACE?

A 1594 coaching inn near rolling meadows,
ancient woodland and Capability Brown-
designed gardens, with an unexpected holistic
bent thanks to owner Lady Northampton.
A psychotherapist and yoga teacher, she has
created a refined offering for rebooting: energy-
aligning gong baths, meditation in a former
stable, aromatherapy massages, wild swimming
in one of the estate’s bracingly cold lakes.
SLEEP
Winding stairs lead to eight cocoon-like
bedrooms (a further 14 are in farm cottages),
with tapestry-covered headboards and abstract
art. Picture windows, sloped ceilings and creaking
floorboards reflect the age of the building, while
bathrooms are in chrome and glass. Every detail
is environmentally considered: soaps in recyclable T H E FA R M E R ’ S A R M S
packaging; Oxfordshire-made potions of organic
rose geranium and petitgrain in glass bottles.
EAT
At Eyas, chef Russell Bateman whips up nourishing
plates using hyper-local ingredients. Starters
such as Cornish black-bream sashimi with T H E FA L C O N A T C A S T L E A S H B Y
fermented cucumber are light enough to leave
space for the bigger-hitting mains: line-caught
hake and estate-raised venison that surprise with
their depth of flavour. Puddings of plum crumble
and tarte tatin are tangy, juicy and completely
wicked. Late-night cocktails are sipped in
the Cellar Bar, down 16th-century stone steps. T H E O N E T O WA T C H
W O O L S E R Y, D E V O N
WHO COMES HERE? The first time we drove through, we missed it.
Villagers for laidback coffee breaks and smart
That’s how unassuming the village is – just a little
suppers; in-the-know yogis.
corner of cottage-lined lanes, a school and a
WE LIKE church. But at its heart is the Woolsery Project, a
The vast, squishy beds are wonderful to fall into series of makeovers by British entrepreneur
after hours of wandering and spiritual healing. Michael Birch, of Bebo fame. The hamlet is being
slowly, lovingly restored and transformed.
WE DON’T LIKE Sustainability is at its core. The farm raises rare
Spotlights in the restaurant are a bit intense for and heritage breed cattle, pigs and sheep, as well
those sitting directly under them. LEAH CRAIG as reintroducing plants such as sea buckthorn
Doubles from £140; thefalcon-castleashby.com and medlar, which was once common in the
area. Renovations involve local materials as much
as possible, and 63 per cent of the employees are
Woolsery residents. The Farmer’s Arms pub
is up and running, while Woolsery Fish & Chips is
now a thriving takeaway selling catch of the day,
buttermilk-fried chicken and hotdogs with
sauerkraut. The shop, once a pit stop for Nescafé
and cigarettes, has become an exciting grocery
store. Locals come regularly for essentials,
plus more unexpected goods – the jars of kimchi
sold out instantly. Yet the biggest project is still
underway. The manor house, previously a
family home, has had several revival attempts
over the years – restaurant, bar, hotel – but
Birch sees its future including all of the above.
This is real-life Monopoly with a responsible
mindset. CD woolsery.com

T H E C U LT U R E H O P P E R
C A R L B A R AT
THE CO-FRONTMAN OF ERA-DEFINING BAND THE
LIBERTINES AND RECENT HOTELIER REVEALS
HIS OFFBEAT ADDRESSES AROUND THE WORLD
LEOPOLD MUSEUM PERE LACHAISE PUNK GRANDMA’S, FRIDA KAHLO MUSEUM EL COMPADRE
VIENNA CEMETERY PARIS GUANGZHOU, CHINA MEXICO CITY LOS ANGELES
‘I was gobsmacked by ‘A fabled spot that’s the ‘Lots of people have the idea ‘It’s the house the artist ‘This is a slightly dilapidated
everything here, particularly final resting place of Jim of bands on tour going from died in, and where back in Mexican restaurant on
the Egon Schiele collection. Morrison. I first went on a motor cavalcade to hotel the day, she had Trotsky Sunset Boulevard, and I say
Within the other artworks, French exchange and room to big venues, but it’s over. Her husband turned dilapidated with affection;
you see the type of imperial spent hours following fake not always like that. it into a museum. It’s quite it’s kind of kitsch and feels
opulence that existed signs to try to find his grave. Sometimes you end up in eerie, her calipers are like it’s had no reason to
from the late 19th century I finally did, and you get to funny little places. You can on display, but it allows you change since the 1970s.
up to World War I. We are leave a spliff there, or only find it by asking locals total immersion into her I saw Quentin Tarantino
used to learning about our whatever. Over the years but this has the best Chinese world. I’m a fan of art, but I last time I was there – you
history, but we don’t really I’ve gone back and my food I’ve ever tasted: it’s wasn’t that big on Kahlo. know you’ve arrived in LA
see how others have the artistic loves and influences known as Punk Grandma’s, I didn’t know many pieces when you see Quentin
same experience with theirs have broadened and led me because it is run by a other than the eyebrow Tarantino in the loos.
until we go to their country. to the graves of Oscar woman with a bright-orange picture, yet being there Apparently Guns N’ Roses
And if you take the time to Wilde, Honoré de Balzac, bowl-cut, who looks a bit and getting deeper into it, would come a lot in
meet people who come Sarah Bernhardt… When it’s like Baldrick from Blackadder. I found myself falling in their days of terrorising
PHOTOGRAPH: ROY J BARON
to your gigs, a lot of them silent, and it’s just you I went a couple of times and love with her work. It’s a Sunset Strip, too.
are keen to show you their there, in effect speaking there is always a scene. really immersive, It’s great to sit back with
local culture. It gets to the actual physical Dumplings and Szechuan intoxicating experience.’ friends for a frozen
a bit exhausting, but pays bones of Oscar Wilde or seasoning. After a night museofridakahlo.org.mx Margarita, nachos and
dividends in its riches.’ Jim Morrison, it’s quite drinking Chinese beer, that burn-your-face-off salsa.’
leopoldmuseum.org a surreal thing.’ all went down very well.’ elcompadrerestaurant.com
The Libertines’ debut hotel, The Albion Rooms in Margate, is now open (thealbionrooms.live). Carl Barât was speaking to Francesca Babb

Welcome to Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa.
A place where simple moments become your everlasting memories.
Idyllically serene with spellbinding views to the Santorini sunset,
this is your safe retreat, your own island of calm.
Oia, Santorini, Greece

www.santomaris.gr
#santomarisoia #yourownisland
Clockwise from top left:
the geometric and minimal
conference suite,
circus-inspired wallpaper
in the children’s room,
art in the Gentlemen’s
Living Room, and bed in
the children’s room, all
at the Residence.
Opposite, Nymphenburg
Palace exterior
facing the Residence
PHOTOGRAPHS: BRECHENMACHER-BAUMANN.COM

T H E PA L AC E TA K E OV E R N Y M P H E N B U RG R E S I D E N C E
HIDDEN IN SWEEPING PARKLAND SURROUNDING A FABLED BAVARIAN CASTLE AND PORCELAIN
MANUFACTURER LIES AN ELEGANT MANSION FOR A GLORIOUSLY OPULENT ADVENTURE
BY STEVE KING. PHOTOGRAPHS BY CLAUS BRECHENMACHER & REINER BAUMANN
I almost certainly do not need to remind you that Nymphenburg,

Munich’s Palace of the Nymphs, is an actual palace – built
not for nymphs but for the altogether more substantial Wittelsbach
family, the historic overlords of Bavaria. It is justly admired
for its frontage, which is apparently wider than that of
Versailles, and for its romantically landscaped grounds, which
are large and leafy enough to hide half a dozen or so additional
THE HOUSE IS AT ONCE IMPOSING AND DISCREET – IT’S A VERY MUNICH
mini-palaces. Nymphenburg is also the name under which a world- and basically ignored the others. Partly due to the presence of a
famous brand of porcelain has been produced, in a factory opposite, butler, a chef and a bottomless supply of Bavarian cakes and ales,
since 1761. And now it is the name of a particular house on the the kitchen quickly became a natural hub of sociability.
same site, the Nymphenburg Residence, which is managed by What unifies the whole, of course, is porcelain. There is porcelain
the Langham hotel group.. above your head, beneath your feet, at your fingertips, on your lips.
The Residence is one of 10 outwardly identical buildings along If you are in the slightest doubt about the composition of any object
a broad crescent facing the palace. They are at once grand and in your field of vision, it is safe to assume it is made of porcelain.
discreet – a very Munich kind of trick, to be simultaneously splendid But this is more than a three-storey, four-bedroom showcase of
and unobtrusive. This one was originally occupied by the director of Nymphenburg wares. It is a teacup time machine that transports
the factory. Later it passed into private hands, along with several you back to the birth of porcelain in China around 700 ad before
of the neighbouring structures. Having been unoccupied since returning you to the present via the Porzellankrankheit or porcelain-
2010, today it is once again in Wittelsbach possession. Prince mania that swept through the courts of Europe during the 18th
Luitpold of Bavaria, who owns it as well as the factory, appears to century and allowed Nymphenburg to flourish.
believe – correctly, I would guess – that it will appeal to visitors with The Residence is moments away from the factory. I say factory
an interest in art and history, and especially the art and history of but really this is more like a place of worship. A place of excep-
Nymphenburg porcelain, but also anyone with a fleeting desire to tional serenity and beauty. And expertise. Imagine my astonishment
stay within the gravitational pull of one of Europe’s great houses. when I discovered that the creator of Nymphenburg’s essential
The interiors have lately been transformed by Munich-based ingredient, its porcelain paste – the only man entrusted to blend
firm Mang and Mauritz in a wild diversity of styles. No two rooms the paste for the only brand in Europe still to make it by hand –
are alike: ostrich-feathered Belle Epoque; ebullient Barnum & should be a hulking, long-haired, thunderously scowling fellow
Bailey circus big-top; cool monochrome-contemporary. I suspect called Zeus. Truly. Dieter Zeus. Look him up.
this eclecticism will delight some guests and perplex others. To spend time with Zeus and the other gods and goddesses as
Personally, I adored it. I decided immediately which rooms I liked they go about their labours is a rare privilege available to guests of the
Above from left: the Blue Suite, and sofa and porcelain objects in the Grand Living Room, both at the Residence; the Palace’s vast landscaped

KIND OF TRICK, TO BE SIMULTANEOUSLY SPLENDID AND UNOBTRUSIVE
Residence. Here is a living repository of esoteric knowledge. Here persuading about the wonders the house and factory contain.
was contrived an 18th-century teacup with a delicately flared lip, Others may arrive believing themselves immune to any such
thus formed not merely to please the eye but to direct the tip of the affliction. Yet they are likely to leave, as I did, with a touch of it.
drinker’s tongue so as to create an illusion of sweetness at a time There could be no better introduction to this curious, enduring,
when sugar was difficult to obtain. I would happily have swapped my fussy, magnificent art form than the Residence. One example. In
plush bed for a sleeping bag on the floor in the factory’s painting the bathroom off the master suite is a sauna. An immaculate little
room. A bit fumy, yes, but when the fumes are scented with turpentine, custom-made walnut-panelled sauna. On one wall, slotted into the
clover oil and hints of rose and lavender, that is hardly a criticism. wood, is a plain white rectangle, perhaps four feet long, neutral,
ADDITIONAL PHOTGRAPHY, COURTESY OF THE LANGHAM
Creative collaborations have always been an essential part of pleasant, unremarkable. In fact, that plain white rectangle is a
Nymphenburg’s ongoing ‘relevance’. I have never cared much for piece of – what else? – porcelain, sculpted using the lithophane
PHOTOGRAPHS: BRECHENMACHER-BAUMANN.COM.
relevance. In my opinion, relevance generally takes care of itself technique. Lithophane is a means of creating etched gradations of
– good design is always relevant. As it is here, for instance in the light and dark by altering the thickness of the material on one side
fine pair of Damien Hirst mythological horse sculptures, or – thin equals light, thick equals dark. Seen from the front in normal
the Commedia dell’Arte figurines resplendent in outfits by Karl conditions the surface appears blank. Switch on a light behind it,
Lagerfeld and Vivienne Westwood, or Nick Knight’s statue of a however, and an intricate, quasi-photographic and almost three-
winged Kate Moss in erotic cruciform pose above the bar in the dimensional image is revealed. The effect is magical. When I turned
main living room. I loved the more conventional creatures too – on the light behind that particular plain white rectangle, it became
the owls and the pussycats, the ravens, rhinos, macaws and a sepia-toned panorama of a nearby lake, Tegernsee, so utterly
Dalmatians. I wanted to spirit away the Rachel Feinstein colour convincing and weirdly alluring that I wanted to step to the water’s
chart I saw in the painting workshop, a plate turned into an artist’s edge and jump right in. I will never look at a piece of porcelain in
palette, its bright brushstrokes as marvellous as a rainbow. the same way again.
No doubt there will be those who come here with a long-standing The Langham Nymphenburg Residence is available to rent from
and incurable case of Porzellankrankheit. They will need no about £31,110 per night (sleeps eight). langhamresidences.com
grounds, with the Residence located to the bottom right; winged-horse sculpture by Damien Hirst in the dining room. All at Nymphenburg
T H E S T Y L E N OT E S D E S T I N AT I O N D R E S S I N G
HOLIDAY LOOKS TO WEAR ON THE MOVE AND IN OUR BEST-LOVED LOCATIONS. EDITED BY CHARLOTTE DAVEY
Fashion has always been about escapism, whirling down

the rabbit hole of make-believe. Romantic clothing
cheering up a drab world; elaborate fairy-tale gowns
for the red carpet. And while joggers and T-shirts were
the most popular items in our online baskets in 2020,
designers continued to dream big, taking to the virtual
catwalk with transportive shows; Chanel bringing visions
of Capri, Dior channelling Puglia. Even when it comes to
everyday comfortwear, there’s no reason to stay in the
comfort zone. Burberry and Sies Marjan whisked pyjamas
PHOTOGRAPH: REAL VECTOR/SHUTTERSTOCK
out of the bedroom, while Chloé and Stella McCartney

created quilted coats, so duvet-like they deserve a tog
rating. In the meantime, Wales Bonner made couture-
worthy tracksuits for Adidas. And here is Fendi’s optimistic
take on the jet-set lifestyle: a luxe in-flight kit with matching
gloves, a baguette bag and eye mask all in marshmallow
pink – ready for when the world pinches itself, blinks and
wakes up again. RICK JORDAN & CD Silk-trim bomber
jacket, £2,590; Lycra swimsuit, £360; silk trousers (part of
pyjama set), £2,290; silk-trim eye mask, £329; nappa
baguette, £2,090; leather gloves, £690, all Fendi (fendi.com)

blancbleustbarts.com
L i f e i n a d a y.
ST BARTS
The only villa to rent in St Barts

Vintage Alhambra necklace
in gold and agate, £14,600,
Van Cleef & Arpels
(vancleefarpels.com).
Glass-bead tassel earrings,
£328, Oscar de la Renta
(oscardelarenta.com).
Lambskin sandals, £845,
Chanel (chanel.com)
THE CITY ESCAPE

TAKE CUES FROM SUNNY SINGAPORE WITH JEWEL-BOX
FLORALS AND A SPLASH OF TUTTI FRUTTI
Winston Kaleidoscope High Printed shorts,

Jewellery watch in platinum, £312, Alexis
Paraíba tourmalines, (modaoperandi.com)
sapphires, tsavorite garnets
and diamonds with a satin
strap, POA, Harry Winston
(harrywinston.com)
THE MINI TREND: EMBELLISHED BAGS
Beaded bag,
PHOTOGRAPH: JOHN SEATON CALLAHAN/GETTY IMAGES.
£222, Staud
(staud.clothing)
Embroidered silk dress,

LOCATION: BUGIS VILLAGE, SINGAPORE
£1,710, Johanna Ortiz

(johannaortiz.com).
Cotton-poplin blouse, Fiery Pink Pepper
£440, La DoubleJ Bath and Shower
(matchesfashion.com) Gel, £22, Molton Above left, crystal-and-
Brown (molton satin bag, £1,914,
brown.co.uk) Jimmy Choo (jimmy
choo.com). Leather
Above right, silk-twill scrunchy,
bag, £5,150,
£185, Hermès (hermes.com).
Louis Vuitton (louis
Leather shoes, from £215,
vuitton.com)
Camperlab (camperlab.com)

This is just the opening act .
Nothing takes the edge off a long, dark winter quite like seeing light at the end
of the tunnel. With miles of wide open spaces, warm, clear water and endless
sunshine, there’s no brighter spot on earth than The Florida Keys & Key West.
It’s never too soon to start planning your escape.
fla-keys.co.uk 0208 686 2600
For the latest protocols on health & safety in The Florida Keys,
please visit our website.
Panama and
grosgrain-
ribbon hat,
£540, Hermès
(hermes.com)
Metal sunglasses,
£219, Dolce &
Gabbana (dolce
gabbana.com)
Ruffled bikini top,

£340; bottoms,
£165, both
Johanna Ortiz
(johanna
ortiz.com)
THE BEACH EDIT

EARTHY HUES AND SEA-SWEPT DETAILS SET THE TONE
FOR A LO-FI RETREAT ON MEXICO’S ISLA HOLBOX Linen and leather
sandals, £684,
Jacquemus
(jacquemus.com)
Linen shorts,
£395, Zimmermann
PHOTOGRAPH: OLIVER PILCHER. LOCATION: HOTEL PUNTA CALIZA, ISLA HOLBOX, MEXICO
(zimmermann
wear.com)
D-Lucky Calf-leather
Charms bag, £1,350,
bracelet, Loewe
Linen crop top, £1,400, Dior (loewe.com)
£180, Posse (dior.com)
(theposse.
com.au)
Cotton crochet
top, £186, Vince
(modaoperandi.com)
Cord mules,
£980, Chanel
(chanel.com)
Earrings in gold, shell,
turquoise and chrysoprase,
£1,572, Eduarda Brunelli
(modaoperandi.com)

Carbon, wood
and metal skis,
£7,500, Dior
(dior.com)
THE SKI UPDATE

FOR A WHIRL ON THE SLOPES IN JAPAN’S HOKKAIDO, CHANNEL THIS SLICK
SNOW-GEAR REVIVAL WITH CLEVER ALL-IN-ONES AND BOLD PUFFERS
Panelled jumpsuit, Metal sunglasses,

£1,708, Chloé x Fusalp £295, Saint Laurent
(chloe.com). Polyamide (harveynichols.com)
trousers, £594, Toni Sailer Royal Oak Offshore
(tonisailer.com) Bucherer Blue
watch in stainless
Merino-wool steel and diamonds,
jumper, £264; £33,700, Cashmere trousers,
wool-blend hat, Audemars Piguet Faux-fur-collar £2,990, Brunello
£90, both Perfect (bucherer.com) jacket, £1,638, Cucinelli (net-a-
Moment (perfect Fusalp porter.com)
moment.com) (fusalp.com)
Calfskin phone
holder, £1,645,
Chanel (chanel.com)
Nylon jacket,
£825, Moncler
(moncler.com)
Rubber-sole
boots, £810,
PHOTOGRAPH: LAURYN ISHAK
Fendi x
Moon Boot
(fendi.com)
Oversized sunglasses, £280, Loewe

Paula’s Ibiza (matchesfashion.com)

Discover the dry body oil which delivers hi-tech skin care benefits and
a touch of golden sparkle. Dr Sebagh Shimmering Body Oil deeply
nourishes and moisturises, instantly soothes (aﬅer sun exposure, for
example) and provides antioxidant protection. A unique blend of
pearlescent pigments leaves skin bronzed with a hint of glittering gold.
Available in-store and at drsebagh.com

Cotton top, £191,
LoveShackFancy Jacquard bag, £2,700,
(loveshack Dior (dior.com).
fancy.com) Cotton-gabardine
trench, £1,420,
La Collection
(lacollection.be)
Secret Garden
necklace in rose
gold, platinum
and pink and white
diamonds, POA,
Boodles (boodles.
com). Resveratrol
Lift Instant Firming
Serum, £46,
Caudalíe (harvey
nichols.com). Pearl
belt, POA, Chanel
(chanel.com)
THE COUNTRY KIT

A BRACING NORFOLK GETAWAY IN HOLKHAM CALLS FOR COSY STAPLES
Lambskin coin purse, £1,555,

Chanel (as before)
Geranium
Hand and Body
Wash, £24,
Bamford
(bamford.com)
Wool sweater,
£900, Deveaux
(deveaux
Leather-cuff jeans, newyork.com)
£695, R13 Pasha de Cartier watch
(r13denim.com) Wool-blend cardigan, in rose gold and
£492, Anna October sapphires with a leather
(annaoctober.com) strap, £13,000, Cartier
(cartier.com)
THE MINI TREND: TREAD BOOTS
PHOTOGRAPH: LIAM GRANT/STOCKSY
From left, biodegradable-rubber boots, £465, Bottega Veneta (bottegaveneta.com). Leather boots, £495,
Loewe (harveynichols.com). Rubber boots, £940, Dior (as before). Suede-and-rubber boots, £318, Diemme
(diemme.com). Leather boots, £225, Russell & Bromley (russellandbromley.co.uk)

Knit mini shorts,
£270, RaisaVanessa
(modaoperandi.com).
Bracelet in metal and
strass, POA, Chanel
(chanel.com)
THE SEASIDE SPIN

FUN NAUTICAL STRIPES STAND OUT ON NEW ZEALAND’S WAIHEKE ISLAND
Cotton
swimsuit, about
£220, Silvia
Tcherassi
(silviatcherassi.
com). Cotton-
blend kaftan,
Left, Bronze Goddess Azur Eau £530, Etro
de Toilette, £44 for 50ml, Estée (etro.com)
Lauder (esteelauder.co.uk).
Right, cotton beach towel,
£220, Hermès (hermes.com)
THE MINI TREND: ECO-CONSCIOUS SWIMWEAR

From top left, canvas
slippers, £530,
Gucci (net-a-porter. LOCATION: THE OYSTER INN, WAIHEKE ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND
com). Halter-neck
top, about £270, Printed
RaisaVanessa bikini set,
(as before) £710, Etro (as
before). Retro
PHOTOGRAPH: DAN EADY/SHUTTERSTOCK.
sunglasses,
£305, Louis
Vuitton
(louisvuitton.
Left, cotton trousers, com)
£678, Martin Grant
(martingrantparis.com).
From left, recycled-nylon bikini set, £212, Series The Label
Fique-and-leather bag,
(seriesthelabel.com). Recycled-polyester swimsuit, £126,
£744, Hunting Season
Aexae (aexae.com). Recycled-polyamide swimsuit,
(hunting-season.com)
£192, Abysse (abysseofficial.com)

Lucknam Park
Wiltshire, England
FIVE-STAR INDULGENCE
Located near the historic city of Bath, Lucknam
Park is a magnificent Palladian mansion dating
from 1720. Maintained as a family home until
1988, it then opened its doors as one of the UK’s
top country house hotels. Set in 500 acres of listed
parkland and beautiful gardens, Lucknam Park has
been lovingly restored to the elegance and style
of the past era. The distinguished hotel boasts 43
individually styled rooms and suites, Michelin star
dining in Restaurant Hywel Jones, casual all day
dining in The Brasserie, an award-winning spa,
equestrian centre with 35 horses, family play facility
and three country cottages. Lucknam Park is truly
one of England’s finest hotels, providing 5-star
luxury at every turn. To book call 0044 1225 742
777 or visit www.lucknampark.co.uk
��

This fabulous offer is available from Country Rooms and
above and includes breakfast each morning of your stay
and full use of our spa facilities.Offer valid from January
to March 2021 subject to availability. Not valid in con-
junction with any other offer.
PHOTOGRAPH: WARD ROBERTS/GALLERYSTOCK
T H E S H O P P I N G S C E N E H O N G KO N G
ASIA’S OFTEN TURBULENT BIG-BUCKS METROPOLIS DISPLAYS ITS COMPLEX IDENTITY WITH ARTIST SPACES AND
SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPIONS PROPELLING THE NARRATIVE INTO THE FUTURE. BY CHRIS SCHALKX

ORGANIC SKINCARE credentials. The eponymous athleisure label
When Edmund Ip and Gia Fox couldn’t find (pronounced ‘flow’), founded by Hong LOCAL KNOW-HOW
additive-free soap in the city, they took Kong-based Johanna Ho, cuts down on
matters into their own hands and launched waste with transseasonal clothes made
GLORIA CHUNG
FOOD EXPERT AND WRITER
Bathe to Basics, a green beauty line made from sustainable fabrics, and online orders
in Hong Kong. Their shop on the third are collected in person to reduce packaging. ‘Traditional wonton
floor of the PMQ design complex is stocked phvlohatch.com, phvlo.com noodle shops are slowly
with charcoal-mint bars, pomelo-leaf body- disappearing, so I really
wash and beautiful reed aroma diffusers HANDCRAFTED CROCKERY cherish them. Yuen Hing
with essential oils, plus a selection of bath- Yuet Tung China Works, hidden within Lung Noodles has been
room products including gauze shinto an industrial warehouse in Kowloon Bay, around since the 1950s
and its wontons are just
towels. While you’re here, pop into Haustage is a treasure trove of colourful ceramics.
the way they should
on the first floor to browse upcycled home Established in 1928, the factory – one of
be: petite, tight and full
goods and accessories from Japan and the last porcelain manufacturers still of prawn flavour.’
Scandinavia. The other big name on the clean operating in Hong Kong – has received
cosmetics scene is Beautysaur. Its high- bespoke orders from the Peninsula hotel ‘For drinks, I love The Diplomat, a
PHOTOGRAPH: FRANCESCO LASTRUCCI/GALLERYSTOCK
concept flagship is set in futuristic shopping and royal residences around the world. speakeasy at the end of an alley in Central.
centre K11 Musea on Victoria Dockside Inside its crammed workshop shelves are Mixologist John Nugent changed my
and stocks fermentation-focused brand full to the rafters with blue-and-white rice mind about Irish coffee – his version is so
Biophile’s rejuvenating Bio-shroom serum bowls, painted vases and tea sets in a kalei- creamy and light! There are also mini
and lemongrass cleanser. bathetobasics.com, doscope of colours. Alternatively, let the cocktails – great for a sip after work.’
haustage.com, beautysaur.com curators at Wai Chi Street Playground
‘I never thought the old-fashioned Eaton
do the digging for you: this industrial life-
Hotel could transform into such an edgy
ECO-CONSCIOUS CLOTHING style store in nearby Mong Kok has one of design destination. It supports the LGBTQ+
Set in a sleekly renovated former textile the best ranges of retro plates, bamboo community and hosts the Women’s
store in Sham Shui Po, Phvlo Hatch serves steamers and nostalgic kitchen tools in the Festival. Make sure to try its amazing
as a coffee shop, community space and city. porcelainware.com.hk, instagram.com/ Yat Tung Heen restaurant.’
atelier for emerging creatives with ethical waichistreetplayground
Clockwise from top left: The Shophouse; lamps at Kapok; staircase in Fortress Hill; Goods of Desire; Kapok. Previous pages, from left: skyscrapers; Beautysaur

Where family
means freedom
Discover the world’s first and only premium hotel
group catering exclusively to families with children.
Bring your kids,

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TYROL , AUSTRIA . A LLGÄU, B AVA R I A . S A LZKA M M E RG U T, AUST RIA W W W. FAM ILUX . CO M
Kostadinov and fashion legend Martin
Margiela. instagram.com/theshophouse-
hongkong, taikwun.hk
GLOBAL GOODS
Frenchman Arnault Castel moved to
Hong Kong in 1996 to work in finance,
but found his calling in creative retail. Ten
years later, he opened Kapok to bring
smart fashion and homeware labels from
around the world to the city. They include
HAY interiors from Denmark, Sessùn knits
from France and kitchenware from
Barcelona, plus Future Classics, his own
minimalist line of womenswear. Over time,
the business has extended to multiple stores,
but the emporium on Sun Street – where
one half is done up in plywood, the other
in chromatised steel – has the widest
selection. ka-pok.com
AFFORDABLE ART
Part art gallery, part bookshop, Odd
One Out functions as a platform for local
and international illustrators and graphic
designers to showcase and sell their work.
Rotating exhibitions focus on a variety of
styles, from bold prints by Hong Kong-born
illustrator Charlene Man to comic book-like
cyanotypes by Pearl Law. But the evergreen
QUIRKY KEEPSAKES packaging, bearing the signature golden- archive has plenty of postcard-sized
Short for Goods of Desire, GOD is a cult deer logo, hasn’t changed one bit. 188 Nam prints too, following the belief that good art
store that’s as popular with locals as it Cheong Street should be accessible to everyone. There’s
is with visitors in search of one-of-a-kind also a lovely café, making this an essential
gifts. Launched by architects Douglas CULTURE AND FOODIE SPOTS espresso pit-stop. oddoneout.hk
Young and Benjamin Lau, it does tongue- Taking over a colonial-era police station,
in-cheek takes on Hong Kong hallmarks Tai Kwun is a breezy antidote to the
such as colourful letterboxes and fortune narrow high-rise-lined streets of the Central
cats. Bestsellers at the two-storey flagship district. Galleries and artist studios are WHERE TO STAY
on Hollywood Road – there are seven housed in the two large surrounding court- MANDARIN ORIENTAL, HONG KONG
outlets around town – include mahjong yards, 16 meticulously restored heritage This hotel in the heart of Central,
placemats, soy candles shaped like tradi- structures and a pair of new-builds. Among overlooking Victoria Harbour, has
tional teacups and tote bags decorated the highlights are Loveramics, known for been a fixture on the skyline since 1963.
with motifs inspired by the ubiquitous its barista-grade coffee cups, LockCha The vibe is old-school charm with
neon lights. god.com.hk Tea House for superb Chinese brews, and wood-panelled walls and red-leather
Hexadoor for jewellery and playful acces- armchairs, marble bathrooms and silk
dressing gowns. There’s an award-winning
TRADITIONAL SHIRTS sories. On the food front, there’s excellent
spa with traditional Chinese remedies
There are slippers, tank tops and lingerie Thai restaurant Aaharn by chef David and the restaurants include
displayed in the windows of this old- Thompson, The Chinese Library for cross- Michelin-starred Man Wah, which serves
timey undergarment shop in Sheung Wan, cultural dim sum such as laksa-filled xiao Cantonese classics such as dim sum
but most people come to Lee Kung Man long bao and Behind Bars, a cocktail bar and steamed crab with melon and ginger.
Knitting Factory for its white Henley shirts. occupying the former cell blocks. In the For anything else, just ask Danny Lai,
Opened in 1923, this place has provided edgier Tai Hang district, artist hangout and who’s been the concierge here for
Hong Kongers including Bruce Lee with concept store The Shophouse opened last nearly five decades. Elegant Resorts offers
its stylish designs for decades. Renowned year. The building includes a library and four nights from £1,585 per person, including
for their silk-like texture and durability, the garden, and has ceramic installations British Airways flights and transfers.
+44 1244 897514; elegantresorts.co.uk
clothes are still woven on vintage machines and curated archives across four levels,
from the 1950s and even the retro cardboard with pieces by Bulgarian designer Kiko
Clockwise from above left: spiral staircase at Phvlo atelier; stationery at Odd One Out; Bathe to Basics skincare and homeware

T HE A D D R E S S B O O K S T P E T E R S B U RG
DESIGN MAESTRO AT ITALIAN POWER-DRESSING LABEL MAX MARA AND FREQUENT VISITOR IAN GRIFFITHS SHARES
WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL play their part in history. Felix famously menu is typically Russian: borscht, herring,
IMPRESSION OF THE CITY? assassinated Rasputin in a basement and the blinis with salmon and, of course, caviar –
‘I had dreamt of it ever since I read War and pair subsequently fled Russia to escape the it’s eaten with every meal, it seems!’
Peace at school. On my first visit, my guide revolution with a few rolled-up Rembrandts and
was a Russian friend, a bon viveur rather some diamond earrings said to have once THE BEST SPOT TO SOAK UP CULTURE?
like a character from the novel, and I felt as if belonged to Marie Antoinette. Walking around ‘You can’t go to St Petersburg without visiting
I had just wandered onto the set of a BBC the mansion, I can easily imagine them in its the State Hermitage Museum with its
dramatisation. The whole city is very stylised. gilded salons at the height of the belle époque.’ monumental spaces and staggering exhibits.
It was built in little more than a generation, I was lucky enough to go on a private tour of
and most of its architects were Italian, so there ANY GREAT PLACES TO EAT? the archive, where I saw the extravagant outfits
is a singular vision of neoclassical order and ‘There’s a cluster of world-class worn by the Yusupovs and guests at their
harmony that runs through its design, art, food, contemporary restaurants that serve a new take glittering balls and masquerades. Incidentally,
lifestyle – everything. You become on traditional dishes, such as CoCoCo by while I was there, I presented two Max
completely immersed.’ chef Igor Grishechkin, Harvest, which has a Mara coats to go into its costume collection.
modern open kitchen, and Birch. But for The State Russian Museum is also unmissable.
MOST FASCINATING EXAMPLES an old-school feast, I would recommend the Its early-20th-century galleries reflect
OF ARCHITECTURE? classic Literary Café on Nevsky Prospect. the country’s enormous contribution to the
‘The building that enchants me the most is Luminaries including Dostoevsky and Pushkin “isms” – modernism, constructivism
Yusupov Palace. The eponymous family was regularly dined at this spot – in fact the latter and futurism.’
second only to the Romanovs, and their power made his last public outing here in 1837 before
is reflected in the splendour here. Charismatic being killed in a duel. It’s decked out in YOUR FAVOURITE CORNERS?
couple Prince Felix and Princess Irina were elaborate chandeliers and tableware, ornate ‘While reminders of Tolstoy and Pushkin are
the last inhabitants, and they were destined to chairs and polished parquet floors. And the everywhere, in the grand palaces, avenues
HIS GUIDE TO RUSSIA’S ONE-TIME IMPERIAL SEAT, SYNONYMOUS WITH GILT-EDGED GRANDEUR AND LITERARY GIANTS
and squares, the spirit of Dostoevsky THE LOVELIEST SHOP? HOW DID ST PETERSBURG INSPIRE
is harder to find. But it’s worth the effort, ‘The Lomonosov Imperial Porcelain Factory YOUR LATEST COLLECTION?
because those out-of-the-way shabby is exquisite. For me, its neoclassical restraint ‘I think that fashion is about storytelling, and
streets, where characters from Crime and completely encapsulates the city’s look. here I found the narrative I was seeking.
Punishment lived out their lives, are just as It was founded in 1744 under the decree of There’s poetry in the magnificent and
much a part of the story. I once took a Empress Elizabeth, Peter the Great’s daughter. immense beauty, which made me want to
PHOTOGRAPHS: ARCAID IMAGES/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; JACK DEVANT
40-minute walking tour to see the novel’s key There’s no better address to buy Russian unlock the brand’s romantic side. The
landmarks, and went to the author’s former porcelain than the one where it originated. elaborately embroidered costumes I saw in the
apartment on Kuznechny Lane.’ If you only pick up one thing, make it a caviar Hermitage were the direct inspiration for
dish with an elegant, sturgeon-shaped handle.’ handkerchief-hemmed dresses and skirts.
A TYPICAL EVENING HERE? The ceremonial uniforms worn by princes,
‘Spending a night at Mariinsky Theatre AN IDEAL WAY TO SEE THE SIGHTS? counts and generals gave me the idea for the
is a highlight of any trip. It was the leading ‘Provided you’re dressed for the weather, it’s antique-looking braids that highlight the seams
national music theatre in the 19th century, a delight to explore on foot, but to appreciate of tuxedos and wide-legged trousers. In a
where masterpieces by Tchaikovsky, the scenery, go by boat. St Petersburg consists new colour-block take on the kosovorotka
Mussorgsky and Rimsky-Korsakov premiered. of 42 islands connected by waterways. peasant shirt, you can clearly see the influence
For an off-the-beaten-track cocktail, On a summer evening, during the period of the of abstract artist Kazimir Malevich. And the
I love Bar Mitya, the secret room at White Nights when the sun never really Yusupov palace is where I came across Rococo
the bohemian Café Rubinstein. It’s tiny – sets, a river cruise – accompanied by a shot florals in dusty tones that I worked into this
less than 110 square feet – and always of crisp local vodka and a spoonful of black neo-constructivist mix. It’s all about contrast,
busy. A cult hit.’ caviar – is a magical experience.’ just like the city itself.’ CHARLOTTE DAVEY
From far left: Mariinsky Theatre; Ian Griffiths; Harvest restaurant; Room of Antiquities at the State Hermitage Museum

THE BE AUT Y R E P O RT S TAR P E RF O RM E RS
TESTING OUT THE LATEST HERO PRODUCTS WITH CATHERINE ROBINSON
T H E G O - TO F R AG R A N C E
‘Great adventures can be powerful enough to heal a broken heart.
In 1920, Gabrielle Chanel travelled to Venice while recovering from
the death of her lover, Boy Capel. Since childhood she had been
fascinated with astrology and believed her birth sign, Leo, to be a
sign of good luck. Exploring St Mark’s Square, she spotted lions, the
symbol of bravery, looking down from the rooftops. The city and
its emblem gave her strength and marked a new chapter in her life.
Le Lion de Chanel takes its name from that story – it’s a scent
that’s rich and intoxicating with bergamot and amber yet soft and
soothing with top notes of vanilla. Perfect for adding some warmth
– and courage – on a cold day.’ £155 for 75ml (chanel.com)
T H E S K I N I L LU M I N ATO R
‘Glitter body oil is not my thing. Slippery, bedazzled limbs that
smell of tropical flowers? No thanks. So I opened the new
Dr Sebagh Shimmering Body Oil with caution. I couldn’t have
been more pleasantly surprised. Its rising sparkle reminds
me of a lava lamp, and I adore a product that’s dispensed via
pipette – it makes me feel like a secret apothecary. It took
Dr Sebagh 18 months to find the right blend of microscopic
mother-of-pearl pigments to subtly catch the light and give a
natural lustre. Nothing harsh that makes you look like a strobe.
Rapeseed oil and vitamin E are hydrating and nourishing but
also light and bone dry to the touch, and I happily report there
is no fragrance to speak of – or glitter.’ £55 (drsebagh.com)
T H E H A N D S A LV E
‘I’m forever grateful for sanitiser but it has killed
THE ALL-IN-ONE FIX my hands. They’re chapped, itchy and inflamed
from fingertips to wrists and beg to be left alone,
‘I overdid it in the sun this year. On some days, yet I continue to pour on more germ-busting
I didn’t even bother with SPF. But as I stared at gel. Two years ago, Augustinus Bader was a
the pigmentation it caused, I just felt silly. Korean new name in the industry. Now it’s synonymous
brand U Beauty was created by influencer Tina with scientific genius: Bader’s Trigger Factor
Craig who is famous for her staggering 13-step Complex is a patented technology of more than
skincare routine. To simplify it, she developed 40 ingredients that activate the skin’s repair
Resurfacing Compound, a serum that packs the process. And The Hand Treatment is just
same punch as vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, what I need. Luxurious but free of talc, parabens
AHAs, antioxidants and retinol. Most one-stop and mineral oil – which would only irritate further
products leave me feeling short-changed but this – it sinks in fast but builds a satisfying film that
is exceptional. It does what it says, and quickly. comforts for hours.’ £40 (augustinusbader.com)
Sun spots fade, but above all I can see lift,
hydration and healthy skin.’ £138 (cultbeauty.co.uk)
PHOTOGRAPH: JON COMPSON/GALLERY STOCK
T H E S H I N Y H A I R G UA R A N T E E
‘To get the most out of a hair mask it should be kept on for
hours. A quick five-minute application is fine for maintenance, but
rebuilding takes time. The fatty acid 18-MEA forms a protective
layer over the fibres to regulate moisture by controlling how much
water is absorbed and lost. Once damaged, it can’t renew itself.
Known for first-class skincare, Sisley has extended its research into
hair and its Restructuring Nourishing Balm for Hair Lengths
and Ends contains this exact lipid-replenishing ingredient. Use on
dry mid lengths and ends before you go to sleep and shampoo
it off in the morning. Expect mirror-like shine and softness that
makes twiddling compulsory.’ £86 (sisley-paris.com)

T H E M AT E R I A L G O L D A L LOY
MAKERS FROM JAPAN TO SWITZERLAND USE FANTASTICAL FUSION TO REINVENT THE PRECIOUS METAL
PHOTOGRAPHS: JUSTIN CHUNG; PETER YAN
Aurora earrings in Sakura

gold and Akoya pearls,
£2,100, Tasaki Atelier
(tasaki.co.uk)
From left: Genesis
earrings in Noble gold and
diamonds, £9,400,
H Stern (harrods.com).
Seamaster Aqua Terra
150M Co-Axial Master
Chronometer in Sedna
gold on a leather strap,
£6,950, Omega
(omegawatches.com).
Collection I ring in blue
rhodium-plated white
gold and black diamonds,
£5,250, Dauphin
(maisondauphin.com)
Jewellers and watchmakers are often influenced by their surroundings –

there is nothing new in that. But how about taking a key material, such as
gold, and imbuing it with the colours of the local environment? Japanese
house Tasaki has done exactly that by creating its own alloy; the resulting
metal is the prettiest blush colour, warmer than yellow gold, but less
rosy than the conventional pink version. And no prizes for guessing its
inspiration: the cherry blossoms that envelop the country in springtime.
Sakura gold, as it’s aptly called, was developed over 18 months and now
runs through the Tasaki proposition as the perfect accompaniment to the
Akoya pearls it is most famous for. Chanel has been busy too, with
its Beige gold, a soft, gentle yellow that pays homage to the maison’s
Big Bang MECA-10 Full emblematic neutral colour. Gabrielle Chanel used it throughout her designs
Magic Gold in Magic gold (in jersey and tweed suits and signature two-tone shoes with a black toe) as
on a rubber strap, £28,700, it reminded her of the wet sand on Deauville beach where she opened her
Hublot (hublot.com) first fashion store. It was initially used in the Boyfriend watch in 2015, and
now appears in a new bow-inspired fine-jewellery collection; as Chanel
herself said, ‘Beige never goes out of fashion.’ H Stern’s Noble gold, also its
own invention, is an equally understated offering, while cult Parisian jeweller
Dauphin has gone bold with a gorgeous petrol-blue metal that brilliantly
offsets its cool-girl designs. Likewise watchmakers understand the usefulness
of blending their own materials – largely because pure gold is soft and prone Sky-Dweller in
to damage, and therefore won’t withstand the knocks and bashes a Everose gold,
timepiece can expect to endure. Rolex is a master at this. It owns and runs its POA, Rolex
own foundry in Switzerland where Everose gold, a bespoke pink (rolex.com).
Ruban bracelet in
metal, is alloyed by adding copper in precise amounts by
Beige gold and
means of fusion in a crucible with temperatures exceeding
diamonds,
1,000°C. Meanwhile, A Lange & Söhne’s Honey gold
£15,500, Chanel
presents a soft caramel hue that’s patented to the Fine Jewellery
German makers. Named after an orbiting planetoid that’s (chanel.com)
Serpentine ring in often described as one of the reddest in the solar system,
blue rhodium-plated Omega’s Sedna is a blend of gold, copper and palladium
white gold and black that gives a distinct warm colour while remaining
diamonds, £8,950, particularly durable. And it’s this desired durability that
Dauphin (as before). galvanised Hublot to create Magic gold. Components
1815 Thin Honey such as the case and bezel are first pre-formed from
Gold, Homage to porous ceramic (one of the hardest known materials) before
FA Lange Edition, in being injected with molten gold, essentially the world’s first
Honey gold on a
scratch-resistant version of the precious metal. And so with all
leather strap, £29,600,
these creations, the alchemist’s art meets the scientist’s
A Lange & Söhne
knowledge, putting together enticing new compositions greater
(alange-soehne.com)
even than the sum of their parts. JESSICA DIAMOND

There are moments
in life you will always
remember.
Kanufushi Island, Baa Atoll

Republic of Maldives
stay@finolhu.mv
www.finolhu.com
www.seaside-collection.com
THE
GOLD LIST
2021 OUR FAVOURITE
CLASSIC HOTELS TO
DREAM ABOUT
EDITED BY ISSY VON SIMSON
BELMOND CAP JULUCA, ANGUILLA
91
THE ALBATROZ HOTEL
CASCAIS, PORTUGAL
Although once a whitewashed fishing village, Cascais long ago swapped that simple existence for
tangible glamour. Among imposing 19th-century villas where grand European families sought
out a cool breeze to escape the hot summer lies the much-loved Albatroz, a constant in a shifting
seascape. Since opening as a tiny inn in the 1960s, it has blossomed to become one of the first
five-stars in town. Its buildings jut out on a rocky promontory, close enough for the pounding
waves to weave through any pillow talk, with the beach of Conceição just steps away. Inside, there is
an enduring sense of elegance; a hint of mystery from the war era when spies filled the salons.
A 21st-century freshness has just been added by talented designer Gracinha Viterbo, who introduced
hand-painted tiles, limestone and palm-tree wallpaper, with a nod to the country’s maritime past in
sea-blue friezes where monkeys jostle with flamingos. Bedrooms are split between the old palace and
a modern wing; there are also six hidden rooms in Italianate jewel The House of the Yellow Ceilings.
The restaurant, buzzing with ladies from Lisbon who lunch toying with plump scarlet prawns,
overlooks the sand, but the best seat is at the bar. To be here, glass of wine in hand, boats bobbing on
the waves, is as near to perfection as it comes. Doubles from about £135; thealbatrozcollection.com
THE
GOLD LIST
2021
BELMOND CAP JULUCA
ANGUILLA
Rainbows appear frequently on Anguilla, more so than
anywhere else in the West Indies, which is why locals call it
Rainbow City. So it comes as no surprise that Linda and
Charles Hickox called their hotel Cap Juluca, named after the
rainbow spirit of the indigenous Arawak people (who actually
did find gold in these parts). It gained a loyal following
throughout the 1980s and 90s; guests were seduced by the
private villas dotting the shore – it’s the only place to stay on this
mile-long stretch of pristine sand. When Belmond took the reins
in 2017, the group knew it was on to a good thing. What it
didn’t bank on was the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma
just a few months later. But a top-to-toe renovation has seen
the hotel restored to its former glory, and new spaces have been
seamlessly integrated with the charm of the original. Greco-
Moorish architecture in open-air living rooms and palm-lined
terraces neatly frames views of the bay. At Maundays
Club, turquoise mosaics lining the pool reflect the ocean, while
the tables under the arches at Pimms restaurant are so close
to the water’s edge that the red snapper could almost leap right
onto the plate. And Rottet Studio’s design sees local heritage
included on every surface, from the stone quarried at cliffs
where petroglyphs left by the Arawaks were uncovered to the
chairs that showcase traditional weaving styles. Every detail is
considered here. Not exactly a pot of gold at the end of the
rainbow, but not far off. Doubles from about £560; belmond.com
ANGAMA MARA
GREAT RIFT VALLEY, KENYA
It’s hard to imagine how heady the views here are until you flop
into one of the Fermob metal armchairs with a medicinal Dawa
(a Kenyan Caipirinha) in hand. This unique location, 985ft above
the Maasai Mara’s plains, is so extraordinary it brought owner
Nicky Fitzgerald and her late husband Steve out of retirement
after decades spent running many of Africa’s most talked-about
camps. Swahili for ‘suspended in mid-air’, Angama Mara is a clever
distillation of the couple’s lifetime experience, understanding what
their guests really want. A picnic in the spot where scenes for Out
of Africa were filmed, lunch in the kitchen garden, printing the day’s
best shot in the photography studio, crafting in the beading gallery
– or just staying slouched in their seat and staring in awe. The
property is split into two camps of 15 glass-fronted tents, balanced
ALMEIDA DIAS; EMMA JACKSON; RICHARD JAMES TAYLOR
on the rim of the valley. At sunrise, hot-air balloons float by; as the
PHOTOGRAPHS: EDGARDO CONTRERAS; FRANCISCO DE
heat builds, eagles circle on the thermals. It goes without saying

that the game-viewing is superior. Private access to the Greater
Mara Conservancies means that in 10 minutes you’re by the river.
During migration, the predator action of a wildebeest crossing
is less than an hour’s drive away – close by East African standards.
The fact that the staff village was built with the same attention
to detail as the lodge is evidence of a thoughtful approach to
taking care of the female-strong team so they can take care of the
guests. The Angama Foundation’s active role in conservation,
education and healthcare, and its support of small businesses,
backs this up. There’s also a new exclusive mobile camp, providing
all the up-close thrills of fly camping but with the elevated
food and intuitive service of its sibling. This place will leave you
speechless, just like the views. Tents from about £960; angama.com
93
RAYA HERITAGE
CHIANG MAI, THAILAND
There are no ornate rooftops at this hotel along the Ping river.
It’s unlikely that sai oua sausage or khao soi soup, two beloved
staples of local cooking, will appear on the menu. Time-worn
Buddha statues? Virtually none. Yet no other hangout feels more
rooted in place than Raya Heritage, where the typical temple-
inspired teakwood-and-gold look has been eschewed for a
straight-lined approach to let crafts take centre stage. Terracotta
brickwork. Woven reed baskets. Hand-loomed textiles. Jolts of
indigo. It’s a celebration of the ancient culture of Lanna, the
cross-border kingdom of which Chiang Mai was the capital some
700 years ago. Not Disney-fied but fresh and bright, it’s the
sort of place where only your conscience holds you back from
stuffing your suitcase with hand-dyed throws or lacquered
bamboo catchalls (with that in mind, Raya Heritage opened its
Him Gong shop in 2019). But it’s not just the interiors that draw
on the region’s cultural patchwork. At the restaurant, linen-clad
waiters serve noodle salads from Burma, Chinese kung pao
chicken and Shan-style river prawns. The spa focuses on
bone-cracking Burmese massages and a steamroom uses a rare
blend by a master herbalist from a nearby village. Excursions to
meet artisans can be arranged, although the 33 rooms –
some with private pools – are inviting enough to loll around in all
day. This address is exemplary in a country that’s slowly
starting to reappreciate the richness of its crafts, offering a
blueprint for Thai design without the tropes. Doubles from
about £230; rayaheritage.com
MANDARIN ORIENTAL TOKYO

JAPAN
Drop a handkerchief in the lobby and three white-gloved
pursers will sprint to fetch it, likely greeting you by name
when handing it back. This is Japan, so tip-top service can be
expected, but nowhere does it better than the Mandarin
Oriental. Here, on the top floors of a skyscraper in the financial
district, stealth housekeeping staff whizz from room to room to
wrap phone-charger cords into neat bundles with embossed
Velcro straps, slide logoed cleaning cloths under reading glasses
and garnish the in-room bonsai tree with a personal note. They
fill the fruit bowl with those unblemished wonders – Fukuokan
strawberries, peaches from Yamanashi – that cost a small fortune
at the parlour downstairs and leave sleep-inducing essential oils
on the bedside table. The same level of attention extends to
the 12 restaurants: three have bagged Michelin stars and all
draw well-heeled locals in droves, which says something in such
a food-obsessed city. There’s excellent sushi, of course, served
on a counter hewn from a 350-year-old hinoki cypress;
a funky molecular tapas bar with all the bells and whistles; and a
pizza counter with Bib Gourmand credentials. But it doesn’t
matter what plate you have in front of you – it’s all fantastic, and
the views everywhere, of an infinite forest of towering glass
and steel, backdropped by Mount Fuji on a clear day, are reason
enough to book a table. The bedrooms shed any stuffiness
during a 2019 refurb in favour of fresh textiles by Reiko Sudo and
a wrapping of washi paper, granite and lacquered wood. It’s the
sum of these parts, and the absence of stiffness, that makes
this place stand out high above the competition. Doubles from
about £350; mandarinoriental.com
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BUJERA FORT
UDAIPUR, INDIA
A magical toy fort for grown-ups to play in, Bujera is a pure
evocation of an Indian story from One Thousand and One Nights, but
with better plumbing. And what a story this is. Not a thousand years
old, as one might think on arrival at the Elephant Gate, before
turning into the serene green courtyard, but a true labour of love by
Brits Richard Hanlon and Trish McFarlane, who previously worked as
an interior designer and a diamond broker, respectively. Neither had
experience as hoteliers when they began this project in 2008 in a
rural village with views of the city’s fairy-tale lake and the Monsoon
Palace. Partly influenced by These Foolish Things, Deborah Moggach’s
novel on which The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is based, they made
their dream a reality, hoping to attract guests to their mellow,
eclectic English-countryhouse-inspired oasis. Eat breakfast in your
pyjamas – an irresistible purchase from the shop, the best hotel
emporium in India – and wander into the kitchen to see chef Jaswant
PHOTOGRAPHS: SIMON BROWN; CHRIS SCHALKX
Singh at work, armed with his River Cafe cookbooks; Serena Bass,
the chef whose career was launched after cooking for Andy Warhol,
taught Singh to make fried chicken and an exceedingly good
chocolate sauce. There’s a library containing more than 2,000 books,
a garden laid out to a David Hicks design, and a stately drawing room
with antique furniture and a silver grand piano, with the lingering
scent of wood smoke from the fireplace. Yet this is still India: spot
the woman in a brilliant sari up a tree dusting leaves, a snake
catcher on cobra call, arriving on a motorbike and leaving with the
snake stuck on a stick dangling from the back; the whispered
news of a leopard on the village roundabout. You’ll want to stay for
1,001 nights. Doubles from about £120; bujerafort.com
&BEYOND BENGUERRA ISLAND
BAZARUTO ARCHIPELAGO, MOZAMBIQUE
The Bazaruto islands represent the African coast as it once was –
authentic, low key and empty. Relative inaccessibility until as recently
as five years ago prevented a luxury-hotel scene from springing up,
and a civil war that ended in the early 1990s probably saved it from
overtourism. These days, you can fly out of Johannesburg in the
morning and be here in time for lunch. There’s only a handful of lodges,
all of which remain modestly below the tree line, including this
long-time favourite on a sheltered stretch of the north-western shore
of Benguerra, the second largest isle in the archipelago. Since Africa
expert &Beyond took over in 2015 with its inimitable safari-camp style,
this has remained the hippest yet most laidback hideaway in the area,
despite stiff competition from Azura half a mile down the sand. Cool,
dark interiors in the 12 thatched-roof bungalows meld the region’s
Arabic-African roots with Portuguese influences: gleaming mahogany
four-posters with block-printed bed linen, carved wooden doors and
antique chests. The huts have private pools and a gazebo for dining on
prawn curry before retiring to a shaded daybed. Time is deliciously
spent with kayaking, dhow sailing, deep-sea fishing, on boat trips to the
shell-strewn shallows of Pansy Island or a safari drive across the interior,
passing freshwater lakes and coastal dunes on the way to a picnic.
Snorkelling at reefs such as Two-Mile reveals some of the most diverse,
pristine coral and marine life off the continent’s coast, as a result of
conservation project Oceans Without Borders, which tirelessly addresses
the many challenges facing the ecosystem and the communities
depending on it. A stay here adds funds to that pot, so the good work
can continue. Doubles from about £945; andbeyond.com
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THE PENINSULA
HONG KONG
Over the course of its 93-year history, this classic has always
stood tall. From its opening, billed as ‘the finest hotel east of the
Suez’, through the World War II Japanese invasion to a 30-storey
tower extension in the mid-1990s, recent pro-democracy protests
and the trials of Covid-19, it has never once closed its doors.
Doors revealing a bedazzling Hong Kong in all its international
glory, attended by pages in white pillbox hats. A bronze Fu
dog sculpture and matching drawing decorate the gold-trimmed
lobby, and Roman-inspired columns frame the harbour-view
swimming pool. There are ancient Chinese therapies in the
spa and futuristic Philippe Starck design at Felix bar – on a
Sunday, senior bartender Johnny Chung Kam Hung, who’s been
here for more than 60 years, might even be shaking the drinks.
Ask him to tell you about the time he learnt how to make a
Screwdriver from Clark Gable. The restaurants trot the globe, too:
Spring Moon for silver baskets of delicate dim sum and hard-to-
find sesame-toffee apples; Gaddi’s for fine French cooking and
marriage proposals; and Swiss dining room Chesa, which
serves gooey fondue to loyal locals inside what looks like the
workings of a cuckoo clock. The effortless blend of traditional
and tranquil, cool and cosmopolitan, continues in monochrome
rooms decked out with the kind of stealth tech NASA
might envy and special little touches that are not easily
forgotten: lacquered boxes of soap to take home, telescopes to
gaze in wonder at Victoria Harbour. May these doors always
remain open. Doubles from about £460; peninsula.com
THE BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL

LOS ANGELES
There’s money and there’s old money, and in LA it doesn’t get
much older than at the Beverly Hills, built in 1912 on Sunset
Boulevard, four decades before the street would star in an
eponymous film noir. Everyone has stayed at this hotel, from
Charlie Chaplin and Grace Kelly to John and Yoko. Elizabeth Taylor
honeymooned here with six of her eight husbands, and there’s a
bungalow – one of 23 set in lush gardens – inspired by frequent
guest Frank Sinatra, styled to be a replica of his Palm Springs home.
But you don’t come for the stories, or because Yves Montand and
Marilyn Monroe actually did make love here while filming Let’s
Make Love. No, this is the address to choose because, of all the
great hangouts in Tinseltown (and there’s no shortage these days),
there’s nowhere as blue-blooded but simultaneously relaxed as the
Pink Palace. Pull up at the entrance on the crest of the semi-
circular drive, saunter down that impossibly long red carpet and,
hey presto – you know this is the right spot. Meryl Streep could turn
cartwheels in the public spaces and no one would bat an eyelid.
Al Pacino could plop down on a sun-lounger by the vast Hockney-
blue pool and all you’d do is order another Daiquiri. Rooms are
bright and cheery but restrained, never flashy – designer Alexandra
Champalimaud was always going to keep it smart. The food may
PHOTOGRAPH: GRAY MALIN
not be the most cutting-edge in LA, but it’s somehow exactly

what you want: the freshest Californian salads at the poolside
Cabana Cafe, meeting place of the beautiful and the tanned, or
lobster risotto in the famous Polo Lounge, where longtime
manager Pepe De Anda seems to know what guests want to
order before they’ve figured it out themselves. Doubles from
about £490; dorchestercollection.com
RAES ON WATEGOS
BYRON BAY, AUSTRALIA
It’s rare to find a beach scene that sizzles with year-round
energy. Ibiza, Capri, even Mykonos, shift down a gear when
cashmere replaces the kaftans. But this Spanish Mission-style
hotel from the 1960s, on a little pocket overlooking Wategos
Beach, manages to maintain its fizz throughout the seasons.
With unconfirmed whispers that Salvador Dalí designed either
the garden or pool, and that Liberace once played the piano,
there’s always been a mythical glamour embedded here. But
since Raes reopened in 2017, having been revitalised by interiors
mastermind Tamsin Johnson, everyone from stars and
billionaires to fresh-from-the-sea surfers and low-key locals
come to rub shoulders. With its seven supersized rooms, smooth
curves, grand columns, acres of chunky marble and spa with
sweet-smelling Santa Maria Novella products, it could be
mistaken for an opulent Italian palazzo, but the smiley waiters in
their candy-coloured stripes serving filet-o-fish burgers in the
pocket-sized outdoors Cellar Bar will jolt visitors right back to
Australia. It’s the creative clashes that really make the place
stand out: a shell sconce here, a handwoven rattan piece there,
but done in a refined, considered way, steering clear of kitsch.
Nothing feels stuffy and drop-ins are welcome; there are
early-morning queues at the coffee cart in the driveway. And for
those who haven’t made a reservation at the breezy restaurant
upstairs, staff will always cheerily try to squeeze them in. For
all its splendiferous grandeur, this gorgeous hideout manages to
keep a very Byron vibe. Doubles from about £470; raes.com.au
CALANOA LODGE
AMAZONAS, COLOMBIA
A quest for magical realism may well lead to the Colombian
Amazon. A couple of hours’ speedboat ride from edgy frontier
town Leticia – the meeting point of Colombia, Brazil and Peru
– leads to a sea of butterflies and freshly chopped coconut.
Calanoa Lodge’s seven cabins, tenderly built by artist-owner
Diego Samper with his very own hands, are like wooden bones
wrapped in a skin of netting, wearing a hat of woven palms.
The experience is total tree-house immersion – falling asleep
at night to a symphony of frogs and waking at first light to a
chorus of birds. Luxury is a cold shower in the hand-carved
bathroom; necessity is an afternoon nap in a knotted hammock.
The intense heat and humidity enforce a slowly-slowly pace.
Mornings may involve a meditative walk into the steaming jungle
with hunter turned guide Jorge Llerena to search for jaguar
tracks, or learning to make an elastic band from a rubber tree or
which root to beat like a drum should you get lost (forget
reaching for your phone – there’s zero connection, it’s truly
off-grid). An afternoon boat trip heads upriver to a village
where a football is kicked about on a dusty pitch and an ageless,
toothless woman kneads pots from clay. Food includes fish
wrapped in banana leaf and everyone gathers around to eat at
the communal table. Diego and his wife Marlene continue the
tradition of taking in travellers who share news and tales – stories
of pink dolphins while fireflies dance and monkeys chatter, and
the sun sets over the Amazon in this land of shamans and plant
medicine. It’s a scene that could be straight out of a García
Márquez novel. Doubles from about £250; calanoaamazonas.com
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SANTA CLARA 1728

LISBON, PORTUGAL
Stop a local on the cobbled streets and ask for this address
and you won’t necessarily have any luck with directions,
because this tiny space remains strictly for the cognoscenti.
It isn’t one of the imposing palatial edifices on grand Avenida da
Liberdade where modern hotels have, not always seamlessly,
been inserted into old brickwork. Nor is it a tiny, flat-roofed
Moorish townhouse in the labyrinth of narrow streets that make
up the Alfama. But this six-bedroom property in the old cultural
quarter, atop one of Lisbon’s seven hills, removes the feeling of
being a traveller in a foreign city, managing what so many promise
PHOTOGRAPHS: SEAN FENNESSY; ALEX REYTO; ROBERTA VALERIO
but don’t deliver: to be a home from home.The rose-hued,

multi-storied house was one of the few that survived the
devastating 1755 earthquake, its ancient, solid walls tangibly
resonating with history. It’s part of the peerless Silent Living
family (other siblings include sand-floored marvel Casa Na Areia
in Comporta and minimalist temple Casa No Tempo in Evora),
so the interiors are perfectly simple and sedate. Overhead lights
dapple pools of warmth onto a long oak dining table by architect
Manuel Aires Mateus; a richly textured oil painting on the wall
adds colour. This is where breakfasts of crushed avocado and
suppers of fish of the day with market vegetables are spread out.
Upstairs, the rooms are aesthetically minimalist. Open the
curtains, climb into the open-plan bathtub hewn from one piece
of limestone, and watch the moon rise above the National
Pantheon, an integral part of the skyline, placing you right in the
here and now. Doubles from about £360; santaclara1728.com
EL FENN
MARRAKECH, MOROCCO
Anyone with an enduring crush on the
city will recall the Great Riad Gold Rush
of 20 or so years ago. Dot-com
boomers and designer downshifters
began buying up Marrakech’s crumbling
townhouses to rework as boho hotels,
chasing the freewheeling Sixties
Morocco of Jimi Hendrix and Talitha
Getty, although results were mixed.
Today the standouts can be counted on
one hand – or in one digit. El Fenn,
co-owned by Vanessa Branson, sister of
Richard, is an enfilade of acid-bright
spaces that launched with six bedrooms
in 2004 on the edge of the Medina.
Now it sprawls across 12 riads in its
latest expanded incarnation, set to
open in January, revealing a spectacular
new rooftop pool. Mingling with scents
of jasmine in summer and olive-wood
hearth embers in winter, a whiff of
insouciance fills the pulse-slowing spa,
courtyards of bougainvillaea and orange
trees, and the 31 head-turning rooms –
mid-century modern goes to Morocco
– finessed by local craftspeople. Fifties-
futuristic sofas cohabit with beds
sprouting barley-twist poles. Maison
Jansen palm-tree lamps, favoured by
Jackie Kennedy in the White House,
illuminate sheeny tadelakt walls. It
feels like the home of a philanthropic
collector, which Branson is (her
privately owned art is hung up for all to
see), thrown open for rock stars in
retreat. On the vast roof at the violet
hour, the bartender stirs preserved-
lemon gin Martinis as the darkening sky
exposes a cityscape spiked with
minarets. While Marrakech gathers
more big-brand hotels, reassuringly,
El Fenn pursues its rebel-chic streak.
It’s only Maroc’n’roll – but we like it.
Doubles from about £225; el-fenn.com
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2021
SINGLETHREAD FARM
SONOMA, CALIFORNIA
A Périgord black-truffle omelette laced with local Cowgirl
Creamery cheese, cedar-roasted salmon and yuzu-scented rice are
just a few of the breakfast marvels plated up at this wine-country
take on a traditional ryokan. After stints in Japan and the UK,
chef-owner Kyle Connaughton and his wife Katina returned to the
USA and opened SingleThread in 2016, aiming to meld Japanese
sensibilities with a Californian look and feel, via a fine-dining kaiseki
restaurant – one that has quickly earned a place among the world’s
best, along with three Michelin stars. Foodies make pilgrimages
from around the globe to try Connaughton’s seasonal cooking,
using rare ingredients such as hourglass-shaped shishigatani
pumpkins and squat kamo nasu aubergines grown on the couple’s
farm seven miles away. The thread that ties the inn and restaurant
together is omotenashi – Japanese hospitality that goes above
and beyond. While the modern farmhouse might be small, its
diminutive size enables deeply personalised service. Check-in
begins with a welcome of pastries, perhaps an Albion strawberry-
shiso tart. There are just five bedrooms, but each channels the
casual elegance of surrounding Healdsburg, with a calming white,
cream and grey palette and beds prepped with the softest Matouk
sheets. There are glass jars of homemade sesame-seed crackers,
a matcha brewing set, Botnia skincare products using botanicals
harvested on a microfarm and a charcoal toothbrush. And after an
11-course dinner and a little hojicha tea – because that’s the
real reason for coming all this way – it’s nice to know your bed is
only up the stairs. Doubles from about £770; singlethreadfarms.com
LA ISLA
PHOTOGRAPHS: JULIEN CAPMEIL; JACK JOHNS & OWEN TOZER; JAIME KOWAL; WILLEM SMIT; JOHN TROXELL
PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA
If romance is defined as a feeling of mystery, excitement and
remoteness from everyday life, then this tiny outpost in deepest,
furthest Patagonia is the sentiment incarnate. It’s an epic journey to
the private island of South America’s most beloved chef, Francis
Mallmann – a plane, car, dirt-track and boat ride to reach the spit of
land where his must-see episode of Netflix’s Chef’s Table was shot.
The final scud across Argentina’s Lago La Plata is a silent drumroll.
As the phone connection and Wi-Fi vanishes, freedom begins.
There are two cabins; one is for guests and the other often filled
with Mallmann’s band of nomadic cooks. Defying the idea that being
off the beaten track means being inherently practical, the design
decisions were made from an aesthetic and sensory perspective.
Bedrooms have enormous beds with freestanding bathtubs looking
out towards Chile, while the towels are so big they could dry an
entire family. Throughout the cabin the shelves are piled high: in
the kitchen with delicate Astier de Villatte china from Paris; in the
sitting room with books and encyclopedias; in the hall with tools
and tackle; in the store room with huge ageing Cheddars and bottles
of vintage Krug Champagne. Days are spent on wild beaches, pulling
on waders to fish for trout and baking the catch in clay from the lake.
A butler in a Fellini-inspired linen jacket serves dinner on wooden
trays at the water’s edge: a Catherine wheel of chorizo; deboned
and skewered beef ribs; an entire singed pineapple with dulce de
leche pancakes. For the bold it’s a run and jump from the pontoon
for icy swims. Evenings revolve around the Campari-red sunset,
sinking into squashy sofas, reading poetry, playing guitar and listening
to Mallmann sing love songs. True romance. From about £49,875
(sleeps six; available as exclusive-use only); plansouthamerica.com
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SINGITA PAMUSHANA LODGE
MALILANGWE WILDLIFE RESERVE, ZIMBABWE
With its food, wine, dedicated staff and prime locations, Singita has
rightfully earned its stellar reputation for running the slickest safari
properties in Africa, and Pamushana Lodge is no exception. It may
not be as high profile as the ones in the Serengeti or South Africa, but
insiders choose the untrammelled, biologically diverse reaches of
Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve’s 130,000 hectares over and over again
for long, immersive stays and private animal sightings. In comparison
to other destinations in the region, the terrain here is strikingly
different: deep-red soil, colossal boulders, sandstone outcrops, 87
documented rock-art sites and forests of ancient baobab trees. Even
after several days of driving and walking with the excellent Zimbabwean
guides, spotting large herds of elephants and buffaloes, wild dogs and
big cats, there is never a sense that you’ve seen it all. If community
tours elsewhere in the country have felt a little contrived, a visit to
nearby Kambako village is essential. Hands on and interactive, it’s a
living museum of Shangaan culture and customs. The lodge’s hilltop
suites – where the unmistakably elegant stamp of designers Cécile &
Boyd has introduced a lighter aesthetic that is still rich in texture –
overlook Malilangwe Dam, with boat-based birding and game fishing
adding to the already long list of activities. There is a real old-school
sense of occasion to being hosted by the wonderful staff. Food is
modern, nourishing and sustainably sourced. One of the Malilangwe
Trust’s initiatives is providing the seed funding for small-scale
producers of goods, including honey and eggs, which are then bought
by Singita’s kitchens. It also supports equally visible community
and conservation endeavours, from a school-feeding scheme to
anti-poaching patrols. A pioneering property for the new Zimbabwe.
Suites from about £1,835, full board; singita.com
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GOLD LIST
2021
COMO THE TREASURY
PERTH, AUSTRALIA
This city was built on land that has been inhabited for millennia by
the Whadjuk Noongar people, who observe six seasons, rather
than the less nuanced European four. Perhaps the loveliest of these
is djilba, the season of conception, which corresponds with the mass
blooming that transforms much of Western Australia into the
most magnificent display of wildflowers on earth. A different kind
of rebirth occurred with the opening of COMO The Treasury in
2015, which occupies a group of 19th-century government
buildings in the centre of Perth. The area thrums with commerce
during the day, but, after-hours, clumps of spinifex grass tumble
down Barrack Street and St George’s Terrace, past empty
skyscrapers, on and on into the vast desert beyond. Or rather, they
did, until The Treasury threw open its doors – of which there are no
fewer than 11 at street level. And the joint has been jumping ever
since, packed with locals and guests alike. The expansive ground
and lower-ground floors house several of the best restaurants,
cafés and bars in town – though those in the know take the lift to
the roof for a table at the world-class Wildflower. The conversion
was masterminded by the late Kerry Hill, a Perth-born architect
famous for his work with Aman hotels. His trademark lightness of
touch is everywhere apparent; the 48 bedrooms are radiant, pale
and serene. The subterranean spa, in what used to be the colonial
administrators’ vaults, is an unlikely setting for treatments by
COMO’s much-admired wellness brand, Shambhala, named after
its flagship property in Bali. A glorious hangout whatever the
season. Doubles from about £330; comohotels.com
PHUM BAITANG
SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA
Set on 20 acres of lemongrass-scented land on the south-western
edges of Siem Reap, 25 minutes from the wondrous ruins of Angkor
Wat, Phum Baitang looks as if it’s been torn from one of the great
PHOTOGRAPHS: CROOKES & JACKSON; PATRICIA PARINEJAD/ZANNIER HOTELS; MARK ROPER
temple’s murals. A grand old farmhouse and 45 stilted villas are spread
between tropical gardens and bright-green rice fields, resembling the
most idyllic of rural scenes. But don’t be fooled by the outward
simplicity: this is French hotelier Arnaud Zannier’s considered and
expertly coordinated marriage of ancient Cambodian craftsmanship
and contemporary design – you’ll want to run your hands over
everything from the aged timber and smooth bamboo to the naturally
dyed textiles, wrinkled bedsheets, stone bathtubs and antiques. The
restaurants – Bay Phsar (Rice Market) and Hang Bay (Rice Shop) –
use ingredients grown in the hotel’s gardens or supplied by local
fishermen and farmers. Khmer delights include scallops with
asparagus and tamarind sauce, pork ribs marinated in honey and star
anise and crunchy-fresh vegetable spring rolls. Another temptation is
the spa. Both the setting – a fantasia of monolithic stone, creeping
plants and candlelight – and the menu, which focuses on Cambodian
therapies, such as moringa-oil body polishes, coconut-milk hair
treatments and warm herbal-compress massages, are seriously
impressive. There are steam rooms, saunas and a swimming pool,
too – 164ft in length and clad with black stone – plus a bunch of
fantastic eco initiatives. But Phum Baitang is more than the sum
of its very stylish parts. There’s something about this spot, as if there
are narcotics in the air, that makes your shoulders drop and heart
rate slow the minute you cross the threshold. A retreat, not
just from the usual crowds of Angkor Wat, but momentarily from
21st-century life, too. Doubles from about £265; zannierhotels.com
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THE NAUTILUS
BAA ATOLL, THE MALDIVES
The goldness of the Gold List can be translated in many ways,
from remote, rustic ranches to small but perfectly formed city
boltholes. And, of course, the hotels that fall into the realm of
‘anything is possible’. The Nautilus is one of these: a no-expense-
spared, what-you-want, when-you-want-it retreat. A full-blown
escape from reality, where exquisite suppers of Peruvian-
and Mexican-flecked teppanyaki can be eaten on the beach;
where baths infused with petals, American Beauty style, are run for
you; where a private butler works like the very best Ibiza fixer to fill
days with delights, or indeed leave them totally unscripted with
nothing to distract from the jade of the water. You’ll be hard
pushed to find any straight lines here – the whorl of the nautilus
shell inspires everything from the elliptical curving staircases to the
starlit swimming pool, where excellent on-the-house Negronis
are poured in the evenings. There are 26 villas – and the overwater
ones have a distinct advantage over their land-based counterparts
in the theatrical glass flooring, beneath which turtles play
tag. Breakfast on a deserted sandbank, a boat ride away, is
unforgettable. And for those tempted by activity, a spectacular
world lies under the surface – from monochrome manta rays in
nearby Hanifaru Bay to dive sites teeming with colour. With
so much new development threatening the Maldives, and more
glamorous stays than you can shake a fist at, sometimes the
well-loved old faithfuls seem the safest bet. But, occasionally, an
unfamiliar kid arrives on the block, whispering fresh promises.
Doubles from about £1,670; thenautilusmaldives.com
ALCUZCUZ
ANDALUCIA, SPAIN
An antidote to the hectic and brash flashiness of nearby Marbella,
this 19th-century, red-ochre hillside farmhouse close to the
Serranía de Ronda is very special indeed. It has belonged to
the aristocratic Parladé family for six generations, the most recent
inhabitants being the interior designer Jaime Parladé and his wife
Janetta, a watercolour artist from the UK. A dreamy combination
of his extravagant collectibles and her touches of British elegance
have resulted in the kind of tasteful, layered styling that can’t be
faked – tapestries as wall hangings, eclectic paintings, ancient
suzani textiles. The finca is now a boutique hotel, run by Parladé’s
nephew, Andrés, where pan con tomate, jamón Ibérico and freshly
squeezed orange juice are served at breakfast on a traditional
terracotta-tiled terrace, thick overhanging wisteria vines shading
the tables and framing views of the Costa del Sol in the distance.
A hidden, green-hued saltwater swimming pool surrounded
by carob and olive trees overlooks the landscape that inspired
Hemingway and Rilke during their stay in Ronda. The library
has shelves stacked with well-thumbed novels and art books
whose spines have started to crack. Before Moroccan-influenced
Mediterranean suppers at the next-door Alcuzcuz Gallery
restaurant, guests can browse its gorgeous antique shop for
custom wicker trunks, dhurries made in India and jewel-coloured
lamps, all designed by Parladé. The six bedrooms in the main finca
are equally striking but former chapel La Capilla, with its domed
ceiling and Moorish aesthetic, is particularly pretty. This is a place
where interior designers holiday, scribbling and snapping away –
just check out the guest book. The smartest house party you’ve
ever been to. Doubles from about £175; alcuzcuz.es
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2021
COBBLERS COVE
BARBADOS
Alan and Lady Elizabeth Godsal were ahead of their time. When the
couple purchased a mansion on the Caribbean coast in 1968 with
the intent to turn it into a hotel, little did they know that the
property’s colour of choice would become today’s hottest shade.
Now overseen by their son Hugh and his wife Sam, Cobblers Cove is
filled with millennial-pink accents, from the retro, candy-cane-
striped pool umbrellas to the Forties-style main building dubbed
The Great House, where afternoon tea is served. There’s nothing
ostentatious about the set-up, located on a skinny stretch of
platinum beach (although sadly this part of the ocean is choppy,
making it challenging to go for a swim). With 40 bedrooms, the place
is not especially large – two-storey cottages flank The Great House
in a wide U-shape facing the sea – but it is dressed delightfully
like a tropical country club. Little kitchenettes stocked with
PHOTOGRAPHS: RICARDO LABOUGLE; NICK SMITH
Barbadian chocolate, plantain chips and beer are cheery with pastel
patterns, channelling a vintage vibe thanks to plenty of original
Seventies island-made rattan furniture. And the hotel’s refreshed
look, with fabrics designed to mimic the fronds and ferns in the
lush gardens outside, is the culmination of a five-year update led by
interiors expert Lulu Lytle of Soane Britain. In a world where people
no longer dress up for dinner, guests here still throw on silk and
pearls for lemon blinis and mahi-mahi caught by devoted fisherman
Dennis ‘Barker’ Bovell – a fixture for the past four decades. If
it’s not already clear, the ethos is low-key grace, hinged on quality
that comes from supporting everything that’s local. Despite the
many turbo-charged properties that dot this sweep of shore,
Cobblers Cove remains cosy, family-owned and downright lovely.
Doubles from about £325; cobblerscove.com
MACAKIZI
BODRUM, TURKEY
In the 1970s Mick Jagger, Rudolf Nureyev and their pals flocked to
the sleepy fishing village of Türkbükü on the west coast of Turkey,
lured by a boho B&B run by flamboyant host Ayla Emiroğlu. Thirty
years later, her son Sahir Erozan had loftier visions, transforming the
modest guesthouse into Maçakizi – 74 rooms spread across four
bougainvillaea-bright terraces on a sweeping site overlooking a
beryl-blue bay. Today the whitewashed hangout is a magnet for
Istanbul’s soigné night-owls and well-heeled Euros – you can see
why the buzzing peninsula is often labelled the St Tropez of Turkey.
Breakfast (pillow-soft sesame pide slathered with honeycomb) is
taken late. By midday, rows of beach beds are strewn with Hermès
sarongs and everyone seems to know each other. Stealth yachts and
teak sailboats anchor for the night so their inhabitants can come
ashore to feast on chef Aret Sahakyan’s deft cooking: creamy
calamari carbonara and delicate lamb manti (dumplings). It could
be just another frou-frou designer resort. Yet Maçakizi is unlike
anywhere else, because it has identity, personality and a twinkle in
its eye. This is all to do with the wonderfully charismatic Erozan,
who flits between his many friends (Kate Moss is a regular), Cohiba
clenched between his teeth, vodka on the rocks clinking. The
white and taupe bedrooms are lovely but most of the action takes
place outside: the beach deck, the breezy restaurant, the waterside
bar for Bellinis. It has all the signatures you would expect from
a cool independent hotel: a boutique stocking local designers (the
Mae Zae bashed-gold earrings are hard to resist), a Bodyism gym
and its own wonderful boat, Halas 71, a converted 1914 steam
liner. Yet more than that, Maçakizi is simply a club you want to be
part of. Doubles from about £425; macakizi.com
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GOLD LIST
2021
TENUTA DI MURLO
UMBRIA, ITALY
The first thing you notice is the space. In every direction are rolling
hills of deep emerald – and almost nothing else. At this labour of
love spanning thousands of acres, the great outdoors is the point.
Alessio and Carlotta Carabba Tettamanti have spent the past 12
years converting parts of the estate, which has been in Alessio’s
family for centuries, into a project celebrating everything that’s
glorious about the green heart of Italy. Remarkable for being so
intact, the property looks much as it would have before World War II,
when the workers who sustained its upkeep began their exodus
to towns, leaving behind more than 55 ruins: farmhouses, barns,
a water mill, a watchtower or two. The first to be restored was
San Savino, the former parish church, whose reassuringly solid
stone walls date from the 14th century. With four bedrooms, a full
cook’s kitchen, a deconsecrated chapel-turned-living-room and
wide gardens framing a pretty pool, it encapsulates the USP:
smart interiors (Carlotta’s look mixes shades of Kit Kemp with a
dash of Flamant – and the odd flourish of colour), with full
exposure to that timeless landscape. Accommodation ranges
from B&B-style rooms and one-bedroom cottages to Castiglione
Ugolino, a gorgeous castle that sleeps 20 and hollers ‘have a really
fun gathering here’. Larders can be filled with produce from the
estate; chefs can be dispatched, too, if you don’t fancy cooking.
Or wander down the hill to feast at Murlo’s Il Caldaro restaurant;
porcini and cinghiale in autumn, broad beans and sweet-succulent
tomatoes in early summer, wolfed down amid profusions of
hydrangeas and blissful silence. Doubles from about £135; murlo.com
HOTEL ASTORIA
ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA
St Isaac’s Square is one of the most spectacular urban spaces in
the world. The cathedral rises up like a mountainous island in a
granite sea. And the long façade of the Astoria, on the east side
of the broad piazza, is like the hull of some Art Nouveau galleon
moored offshore. It was built to house high-born guests of the
tsar, invited to the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty in
PHOTOGRAPHS: CHARLOTTE BLAND; OLIVER PILCHER; ALISTAIR TAYLOR-YOUNG
1913, and has always had an aristocratic air – even in the grey
days of Soviet rule. When it was acquired by hotelier Rocco Forte,
his sister Olga Polizzi refreshed and restyled every inch of the
interior, giving it back its tiara sparkle. The 21st-century version
could not be more contemporary or refined – and the rooms are
supremely comfortable. Ask for one with a view of the towering
church to feel as if you could reach out of the window and touch
its golden dome. This is a building steeped in culture and history.
Isadora Duncan drank Champagne at the bar with her Russian
husband, the peasant poet Sergei Yesenin, who spoke not a word
of his wife’s language. Mikhail Bulgakov reportedly worked on his
magical novel The Master and Margarita in room 412. Rasputin
is said to have conducted his affairs here, just beyond the baleful
gaze of the tsaritsa in the Winter Palace. And the hotel is only a
jeté and a cabriole from the Mariinsky Theatre: any lunchtime you
might see the cygnets of the corps de ballet wolfing down a bowl
of borscht while on a break from Swan Lake. The ground-floor
restaurant is a fabulous showcase of Russian cooking: Olivier
potato salad with Kamchatka crab; Siberian pelmeni (like money
bags filled with meat or mushrooms); limpid ukha fish soup‥.
Tchaikovsky himself would recognise practically everything
on the menu. Doubles from about £190; roccofortehotels.com
HOSHINOYA BALI
UBUD
Bali has more than its fair share of next-level places to stay – from
world-leading destination spas to dreamy beach hangouts and
cliff-top architectural wonders – by every big name in the
business. So when Japan-based hotel group Hoshino Resorts
splashed onto the scene in 2017, it knew it would have to do
something different. It couldn’t have picked a more suitable plot,
a 25-minute drive from the clutter of Ubud, on a hilltop amid rice
fields and dense jungle. Rie Azuma, the architect behind all
Hoshinoya properties, blended the simplicity of Japanese styling
with local tradition, creating earthy-hued, low-slung structures
bearing thatched roofs designed to fade into the lush landscape.
The cleverly spread-out layout means you can go for days without
running into another guest. Quality is key here and chef Junichi
Sakamaki (formerly of a Michelin three-star in Tokyo) oversees
the food. His intricate, nine-course menu is rooted in kaiseki,
but infused with Indonesian flavours in dishes such as coconut
chawanmushi and beef rendang. Outside, water trickles and
tinkles everywhere, a reference to the moss-covered canals that
irrigate the surrounding paddy terraces. Three long swimming
channels connect the vast villas, which means everyone has their
own slice of pool. Just like everywhere else in Bali, wellness is a
core value. Try a flower-bath treatment in the spa or head to one
of the gazebos for afternoon tea, when health-focused drinks
are laced with turmeric and lemongrass. With its wafting incense
and minimalist aesthetic, this just might be the island’s most
zen escape. Doubles from about £440; hoshinoya.com
THE MIDDLE HOUSE

SHANGHAI, CHINA
Shanghai feels as if it is constantly straddling two worlds; once
fêted as the Paris of the Orient, it’s where East meets West,
where yesterday brushes up against tomorrow. There are
contradictions; it’s the city with the biggest population in China,
yet it’s not the capital. Backstreets redolent with the whispered
memories of secret opium dens face onto a riverside skyline
where towering blocks and The Jetsons-style spindle of the
Oriental Pearl TV Tower flaunt their shiny glass dominance. In
the heart of this dynamic metropolis of boom and bust, history
and heritage, sits The Middle House. It’s set on busy Nanjing
Road West, close to the rarified, leafy streets of the former
French Concession, with multiple floors gazing down on rows of
ancient shikumen houses. While flashy newcomers such as W
and Bulgari jockey for position, The Middle House serenely does
its own thing. Its Asian pedigree is impeccable – it’s part of
the Hong Kong-based Swire Group, which owns several hotels
throughout China – while European credentials come from
Italian architect and designer Piero Lissoni. These elements
fuse beautifully from the moment of arrival, with a jade-green
façade of ceramic tiles moulded from bamboo that wraps around
the lobby interior and serves as the backdrop to a showstopper
Murano-glass chandelier. Elsewhere, the dark tones of the
rooms are punctuated by rugs and wall panels, ornamental
birdcages and hand-painted stools. The complimentary maxi-bar is
a delightful surprise, while art dominates the public areas, with 680
pieces by local and international talent. A perfect encapsulation
of this creative, cross-cultural city which still has the power
to seduce. Doubles from about £275; thehousecollective.com
THE
GOLD LIST
2021
LONDOLOZI
SABI SANDS, SOUTH AFRICA
This family-owned property is one of the oldest private concessions
in the Sabi Sands – still considered the gold standard for safaris in
South Africa. Simply put, there is no better place to tick off Africa’s
most famous species in record time. The high density of leopards to
be seen at close quarters is fact, not fiction. Choosing Londolozi
opens up a choice of five characterful, individually run camps,
PHOTOGRAPHS: JULIEN FENTON/@JULIENFENTON; MICHAEL WEBER; ELSA YOUNG
primely positioned above a stretch of the Sand River, a magnet for

all animals, especially in the dry winter months when other water
sources on the reserve dry up. The magic ingredient is not just the
quality and quantity of the game viewing or the elegance of
the accommodation, but the Varty family and their enlightened
approach to the healing power of nature and an unwavering legacy
of doing good – the charge led these days by fourth-generation
siblings Bron and Boyd. Suspend any preconceived notions of a
typical safari to become hooked on the power of silent, meditative
game drives or waking early to squeeze in a yoga class outdoors
while elephants splash in the river below. Service appears impromptu,
laid-back even, but don’t be fooled. It’s orchestrated with military
precision behind the scenes to ensure every minute counts without
making anyone feel rushed. A crack squad of guides will have the
crankiest guest leaping enthusiastically off the four-wheel-drive to
crouch in the dirt with their Shangaan tracker and discuss the freshness
of paw prints. Offerings at the Healing House wellness centre include
wilderness walking and ancient forms of sound therapy. While
courses to chart your life’s true purpose based on animal tracking
and the annual self-transformation adventure retreat with guru
Martha Beck add to Londolozi’s reputation for putting the soul into
safari. Chalets from about £760 per person per night; londolozi.com
VERANA
PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO
Even the most seasoned traveller may have trouble thinking of the
last time they stayed in a handmade hotel. The reason being, they
are extremely rare. Few places can be as intricately and ingeniously
imagined as Verana. When set designer Heinz Legler and decorator
Veronique Lievre left Los Angeles to purchase a plot of land in Mexico’s
remote Bay of Banderas in 1997, they had one idea in mind – to
build a home surrounded by nature at their own pace. The couple
settled into the lush hilltop, only accessible by boat and mule, and
began constructing, responding to the landscape and seasons,
preserving as much of the natural environment as possible. It may
sound romantic, surrendering to the unknown in the pursuit of
artistic dreams, but the reality required dedication and true grit.
The idea of a single home evolved into 10 casas embedded into the
jungle with spellbinding views of the ocean, many of which are
wall-less structures with modern thatched roofs and outdoor
showers. Some have a private plunge pool or Japanese-style tea
lounge. To stay here is to be immediately transported. Don’t
be surprised to find it fully booked for a wedding or creative retreat.
People come to Verana to become less distracted and more
connected to themselves. To shut out the noise. But that’s not all.
With thoughtfully coordinated colour-blocked walls, an outdoor
library, vintage objects made by Mexican artisans and a spa to
manage any tropical discomfort, the alchemy of inspired
design dissolves any pressures from the outside world. Wake up to
tea and freshly baked bread left on the doorstep, spend dreamy
hours whale-watching and fall asleep to the sound of wind
gently swishing trees back and forth. In one of the most beautiful
parts of Mexico, the real luxury is space to just be.
Doubles from about £170; verana.boutique-homes.com
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GOLD LIST
2021
GRAND HOTEL DE CALA ROSSA
PORTO-VECCHIO, CORSICA
Corsicans get a bad rap for being inhospitable, especially
compared to their island neighbours, but there are two sides to life
here: the one locals enjoy – access to secret beaches and an
enveloping sense of community – and the more polished,
arms-length experience that visitors tend to encounter. What’s
special about this place, near the glitzy coastal town of Porto-
Vecchio, is that it offers both. Run by the Canarelli family since the
late 1970s, it has the lively, everyone-knows-everyone vibe of a
sprawling beachfront villa with white-stucco domed ceilings and
plenty of inviting linen sofas to curl up on. Regulars and newcomers
are embraced like long-lost pals by staff, many of whom have
been here for decades. Such an air of comfort only adds to the
thrill of the experience, which starts, of course, with the unbeatable
location. The hotel has its own lick of sandy beach dotted with
sunbeds and parasols, and its gardens hum with the sound of birds
and insects in the summer months. The blue, blue bay is the
focus of everything, as is the jetty, from which the catch of the day
is delivered directly into the hands of chef Pascal Cayeux, who has
plenty of home-grown produce to work with from the expansive
kitchen garden. The latter is worth a visit. Heady with the scent of
mimosa and native aromatics, it was laid out masterfully by landscape
architect Phillipe Niez. In the evenings, the mood at dinner is always
jolly – guests linger long after pudding is finished and star-gaze
while listening to the guitar strum of local musicians. Old school
and under the radar, just like the best hotels in the Mediterranean
often are. Doubles from about £185; hotel-calarossa.com
ROSEWOOD LITTLE DIX BAY

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
When Little Dix Bay opened in 1964, it was to a glittering three-day
party of New York’s elite. The host was Laurance Rockefeller (grandson
of oil tycoon John D Rockefeller), whose dream was to create a
smart hideout based on the simplicity of a beachcomber lifestyle.
An early advocate of conservation, he envisaged the hotel blending
unobtrusively into the landscape, giving nature centre stage. Fast
forward to today, and an eye-watering £140 million rebuild following
PHOTOGRAPHS: LAURA AUSTIN; KEN HAYDEN; MARK RABADAN/COLLECTIONISSUE
Hurricane Irma, and that philosophy remains unchanged – despite

the addition of every mod-con and a fleet of boats for easy access
to neighbouring islets and deserted beaches. While starry guests
continue to roll up, the laid-back vibe is worlds away from the glitz
of Barbados. Arrival by catamaran from Tortola airport shows off
the wide bay in which hawksbill turtles feed, the half-mile of powder
sands and the gardens throughout which 80 rooms are scattered.
The beach is never more than a few steps away. But the heart of the
property remains the Pavilion, whose irregular conical roofs have
withstood every hurricane for 57 years. A well as the coppery bar
and its display of 107 rums, it is home to two of the three restaurants
– and this is where Rockefeller’s founding principle is most tastily
expressed in produce from Little Dix’s own farm and other local
ingredients conjured into Caribbean curries and seafood pots. As
pioneers of eco-chic hospitality go, this grande dame has lost none
of her mojo. Doubles from about £1,100; rosewoodhotels.com
CONTRIBUTORS Jonathan Bastable, Alice BB, Jane Broughton,

Alice Cavanagh, Lee Cobaj, Tania Karmeinsky, Steve King,
Teresa Levonian Cole, Mary Lussiana, Catherine Martin, Victoria
Mather, Laura Millar, Jade Moyano, Kat Odell, Nick Redman,
Chloe Sachdev, Chris Schalkx, Jemima Sissons, Jeremy Wayne
T HE FOURT H
DIMENSION
ITALY’S CAPITAL IS A PORTAL INTO THE PAST, WHERE HISTORY IS ETCHED INTO EVERY STONE.
BUT BEYOND THE SPLENDID RUINS IS A PLACE STILL SHAPE-SHIFTING IN THE MODERN
AGE. STANLEY STEWART SEES IT THROUGH THE PRISM OF A DEEPLY PERSONAL CONNECTION
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JENNY ZARINS

000
000
There is a fairground carousel in the parklands of the Villa Borghese. In the
evenings, as we made our way home after a day out, we liked to stop for a ride.
Sometimes it was late, the merry-go-round empty, the horses still. But the
old attendant knew us. He cranked up the motor and, as the lights flickered, I lifted
Sophia onto her favourite mount, a gaudy creature with a golden mane. Standing
in the stirrups, she galloped through the twilight while I sat beneath the trees,
listening to the sound of the fountains. I was thinking about Rome and the way it
unlocked every kind of feeling and that private notion that it belonged to us.
There are many ways to discover a foreign city, to make it a part of your life.
Sometimes it’s a first, a gap-year introduction before others intrude, its impression
deep and lasting. Sometimes it is a love affair, in rooms overlooking rooftops, or
heartbreak in cafés among indifferent waiters. Sometimes, as with me, it is a child.
My daughter was born in Rome. Although there are interludes in England, this
is her home, and so it became mine. From her earliest months she was my companion
in exploring the capital. We travelled by bicycle, then graduated to a Vespa. She
sat behind me, enthroned on her toddler seat, chuckling and chattering, prodding
the small of my back from time to time when she felt I was obstructing her view
of the Colosseum or St Peter’s.
I stopped to point out things in this miraculous place – the lions in the fountains
of the Piazza del Popolo spouting delicate fans of water like panes of glass; the
DARKLY AND RAVISHINGLY BEAUTIFUL, LA GRANDE BELLEZZA IS DISHEVELLED,

UNBUTTONED, WILD-EYED, THEATRICAL, SECRETIVE AND ABSURDLY VAIN
enormous arches of Caracalla like a house of giants; a man on stilts with a silver
top hat crossing the Piazza Navona; the cavalcade of angels on the Ponte Sant’Angelo.
For me, our journeys were about paintings by Caravaggio or fountains by Bernini
or churches far too old to be by anyone. For Sophia, it was about trees and birds and
carousels and ice cream and the full moon appearing suddenly between the pines
of the Villa Borghese. I was merely discovering a city; she was discovering the world.
Rome is grand on the grandest scale, that swagger of an imperial capital and
papal seat, and sometimes just of its bloated sense of self. But it is rarely pretty
and never merely picturesque. It is scarred and ravaged and round-shouldered
with age. Its walls are mottled, patched, distressed. Centuries of paint, layer upon
layer, peel away, a palimpsest of fine intentions measured in the warm earth
tones of the south – terracotta, russet, madder, ochre… colours that were the latest
thing in Caesar’s day. Everyone, from the Etruscans in the first millennium bc to
some modernist architect last year, has had a go at improving Rome, and the result
is a fine old mess.
But what an exquisite mess. It is darkly and ravishingly beautiful – la grande
bellezza, dishevelled, unbuttoned, wild-eyed. It is theatrical and generous, secretive
and absurdly vain, elegant, coarse, stylish, boorish, vibrant, hopelessly lazy and
always endless fun. Rome is unabashedly corrupt and corrupting. It aspires to
sprezzatura, the manner of being effortlessly cool, of bringing style and elan to life’s
moments without ever seeming to try. It rarely pulls it off. It bubbles with passion,
tripping over itself in a headlong rush, getting in the way of that sprezzatura.
While most cities are optimistic enterprises – Paris and London are confident
that the present and future can be greater than the past – in Rome, there is this
Opposite, clockwise from top left: sculptures at the Trevi Fountain; colonnade in St Peter’s
Square; fountain in the Piazza del Popolo; sunrise view across the city from the Janiculum,
the city’s second highest hill. Previous pages, interior of the Pantheon dome
115
romantic melancholy, a vulnerability beneath the shiny veneer of la bella figura.
The old extravagance, the glamour of the city that once ruled the world, is still part
of Rome’s DNA, but the reality is that this glorious past will always dwarf the
present. Here, the living can never fill the shoes of the dead. Rome is forever
the spoilt child, unable to live up to the expectations of its forebears, its fame
due not to merit but to inheritance. Yet somehow this only adds to its appeal.
Vulnerability is so seductive.
I love the melodramas, the barely believable headlines about scandals that out-
scandal any other. I love the boisterous streets and the labyrinthine centro, where
a wrong turn takes you to some intimate piazza you had never seen before. I love
the chat, the charm and the bonhomie of Roman cafés and restaurants; Rome
always makes Paris seem like a city of stiffs, and London a place of cack-handed
innocents. I love the way Italian designers incorporate inspired modern elements
in architecture whose roots lie in the centuries before Christ. I love the fat sensual
vowels, and the aroma of cooking that trails after you everywhere, and the laundry
lines blossoming on balconies. I love the way you suddenly glimpse the mountains
beyond, the dark outline of the Apennines, snow-capped in winter, standing on
the horizon, this reminder of wild landscape seen from ancient urban streets.
I LOVE THE MELODRAMAS, THE BARELY BELIEVABLE HEADLINES ABOUT

SCANDALS THAT OUT-SCANDAL ANY OTHER. I LOVE THE CHAT AND THE BONHOMIE
Everyone has their own Rome, some sentimental map, a personal geography
of streets with meanings, piazzas of fateful encounters, cafés where the world tilted
slightly on its axis. In a place known by millions for well over 2,000 years, Sophia
and I were innocently claiming our own, a network of amusements and delights.
In Piazza di Spagna, at the bottom of the Spanish Steps, we encountered a
military band playing jaunty tunes, and two-year-old Sophia danced on the old
cobblestones beneath the room where Keats had died dreaming of sun and love.
In Santa Maria in Trastevere, in a nave flooded with golden air, I lit candles for my
parents and Sophia laughed and blew them out, imagining it was a birthday. In
the Pantheon, in mid-winter, Sophia thrust her hands into the single column of
falling snow, a white ghost in the middle of the rotunda swirling down from the
dome’s central oculus.
In the Colosseum, we stalked the underground passageways like gladiators; in
the medieval alleys around the Palazzo Cenci we looked for 500-year-old clues
about Rome’s most famous patricide; in the Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta we
peeped through the secret keyhole of the door at Number 4 to see the cupola of
St Peter’s perfectly framed at the end of an avenue of greenery. In the Galleria
Doria Pamphilj, we found Velázquez’s masterful Portrait of Pope Innocent X –
a man who would make Walter Matthau seem cheerful – and Sophia said, ‘I don’t
think he is a happy Pope, Papa.’ She is not completely Roman; understatement is
not a Roman thing.
We felt the city belonged to us, as if it was our own private realm. It is a common
feeling, this proprietorial bond. The literature of Roman travel is a kind of exalted
orgy of enthusiasms and pleasures, of people who feel it has changed their lives.
Montaigne, Stendhal, Chateaubriand, Boswell, Byron, Swinburne, Wordsworth,
Hawthorne, Dickens, Twain – they all went ‘reeling and moaning through the
Opposite, clockwise from top left: espresso stop at a streetside café; arched ceiling in St Peter’s Basilica;
shoppers on via Condotti, near the Spanish Steps; sunset in the park at the Villa Borghese
116
118
‘THE DELIGHTS
OF ROME HAVE HAD
SUCH AN EFFECT ’,
MARY SHELLEY
WROTE, ‘THAT MY
LIFE BEFORE I
SAW IT APPEARS
A BLANK’
streets’, as Henry James put it, eager for culture, art, sexual adventure, for the sweet
sensation of the past. ‘The delights of Rome,’ Mary Shelley wrote, ‘have had such
an effect on me that my past life before I saw it appears a blank.’ From his room
in the Hotel d’Inghilterra, James took up this same idea: ‘For the first time,’ he
wrote breathlessly to his brother, ‘I live.’ And Goethe got rather carried away in
Rome with his new discovery – erotic love – claiming he could only understand
sculpture through caress. When his lover slept, he composed poetry, counting out
the hexameters on her naked back.
Every time I emerged at one of the classic viewpoints – the Pincio in the
Villa Borghese, the Janiculum Hill, the Piazza del Quirinale – I felt my heart swell.
Domes rising like hot-air balloons, each one telling a story. There’s Santa Maria
dell’Anima, constructed in commemoration of a papal pledge made to the Virgin
Mary to bring a successful end to the war with Turkey. Sant’Andrea delle Fratte,
where Bernini’s gorgeous angels hover like confused adolescents, somewhere
between a swoon and a sulk, between ecstasy and misery. And the Chiesa Nuova,
built for Saint Philip Neri, who thought of going to India as a missionary until
friends pointed out that there was probably more sin in Rome.
There’s Santa Maria Maggiore, whose columns were taken from pagan temples,
whose ceilings contain the first gold brought back from the New World after
Columbus’s voyages and whose façade was likened to a dance hall by the disap-
PULL A THREAD, PUSH OPEN A DOOR, TURN A CORNER, LOOK THROUGH

A KEYHOLE, AND COUNTLESS STORIES SPILL OUT LIKE TREASURE
pointed pope who had commissioned it. Beyond them, the most perfect of
domes, St Peter’s, strained at its tethers. It took numerous architects – including
Michelangelo – and almost a century of dithering to refine those elegant lines. This
is Rome. Pull a thread, push open a door, turn a corner, look through a keyhole,
and countless stories spill out like treasure.
Of course, a child is a fast track into the heart of the city. You have the illusion
that everyone takes the same delight in your offspring as you do. The neighbour-
hood florist couldn’t let us pass without presenting Sophia with a flower. The baker
always tucked biscotti into her waiting hand. At the café, the waiter knew her by
name when he brought her orange juice. I feared she began to think that the entire
town was at her personal disposal, eager to cater to her whims.
Rome was the backdrop for the milestones of her life. She was conceived –
probably – in a creaky palace, and baptised beneath soaring domes. She went to
school in the French lycée, whose rambling walled grounds within the Villa
Borghese, familiar to generations of Roman middle classes, form part of the
Napoleonic legacy. She was confirmed in San Luigi dei Francesi, where she read
the lesson, her head only just visible above the tall pulpit, while I sat in
touching distance of those magnificent Caravaggios of St Matthew – arguably
the greatest of his paintings.
Afterwards we walked through the centro. It was a warm spring evening. The
lower parts of the buildings along via della Maddalena still held the cut stones
and memories of the ancient metropolis. Beyond the flower sellers of the Piazza
di Spagna, we climbed the Spanish Steps to have supper at Imàgo in the Hassler,
the grande dame of Roman hotels, a meal so refined that we talk of it still. The
Opposite, clockwise from top left: granite columns in the Pantheon; The Calling of St Matthew
by Caravaggio; shop sign; Castel Sant’ Angelo. Previous pages, from left: façade in the Regola
neighbourhood; Angel with the Scroll by Bernini in the church of Sant’ Andrea delle Fratte
120
staff fussed over Sophia in her white confirmation gown, bedecked with blooms,
while above the rooftops, swallows dove through the gathering dusk.
Food was always central to our Rome. In the Chiostro del Bramante we found
the perfect spot for afternoon tea with a café that served the best carrot cake and
seats overlooking the most beautiful Renaissance courtyard. We loved the scrubbed
tables at the humble Vino e Olio on via dei Banchi Vecchi and the bustle at
Salumeria Roscioli on the edge of the Ghetto. On the terrace of Il Palazzetto, we
had our favourite pizza as we laughed together about the tourists on the Spanish
Steps below. On the way home from dance class, we frequented our favourite
gelateria, sitting outside beneath the plane trees, discussing the world. In bars
across town, we became connoisseurs of the evening aperitivo, always in search
of the perfect array of delicious snacks charmingly served with drinks.
The seasons turn abruptly here, more clearly delineated than at home in England
where high summer has a habit of imitating a dank November. Alien winters
are cold but short, and spring arrives suddenly, an invasion of blameless blue
skies. The vegetable stalls fill with artichokes, fava beans and strawberries.
The Tiber, swollen with snow melt from the Apennines, foams over the lower
embankments, cormorants hunt for small brown eels, and the swallows are back.
In the squares, the locals take to benches in the sun, chatting, cajoling, arguing.
The city is coming back.
IN THESE PRECIOUS MONTHS, THIS IS A QUIETER, MORE MEDITATIVE

CITY, THE BUILDINGS AND SIGHTS REASSUMING A LIFE OF THEIR OWN
But this past spring has been different. The streets were deserted as Romans
survived lockdown by singing to each other from their balconies. And when we
emerged again, it was quieter than it had been for decades, probably for centuries.
Italians are conscientious about social distancing and mask wearing. Visitors have
appeared but in fewer numbers. The lack of crowds means that Rome has returned
to itself. In normal times, it can be a maelstrom – the voices loud, the traffic chaotic,
the queues long. But in these precious months, this is a quieter, more meditative
place, the buildings and sights reassuming a life of their own. Without the multi-
national hordes, the monuments are not mere tourist sights. The Colosseum looms
through the pines of the Parco di Traiano like a galleon, its arches like empty port-
holes. The Castel Sant’Angelo is suddenly a tomb again, gloomy and funereal. On
the altar of Ara Pacis Augustae, the emperor’s handsome family, so exquisitely
carved in stone relief, seem to have assembled on the riverbank just for you.
And all over, you can hear the fountains. It’s the sound that Rome makes, the
sound of water. Hundreds of fountains run day and night with Apennine water
channelled two millennia ago. Too often their sound is drowned out by noise. But
now, standing in the Piazza Navona, crossing the Piazza del Popolo, loitering among
the umbrella pines of the Villa Borghese, this is the sound I can hear, the intimate
and sibilant whisper of water on stone. It is a rare moment – a moment of reflection,
when you may just feel that the city is yours.
British Airways flies daily from London Heathrow to Rome.

britishairways.com. Doubles at the Hotel de Russie start from about £530.
roccofortehotels.com. JK Place Roma has rooms from about £365.
jkroma.com. To get around the city, hire a Vespa from Scooterino.
experience.scooterino.it
Opposite, clockwise from top left: radicchio at the market in Campo de’ Fiori; St Peter’s
Square, in front of the Basilica; a crumbling wall; the Colosseum
123
SING IT BACK,
THERE’S BEEN A SWITCH IN ATTITUDES ON MALLORCA FOR A GOOD FEW YEARS,
EVERGREEN HOLIDAY ISLAND RECASTS ITS IMAGE. MEET THE HOME-GROWN BLUE-SKY
BRING IT BACK
A COLLECTIVE SLOWING DOWN BUT ALSO LOOKING FORWARD, AS EUROPE’S
THINKERS AND CULTURALLY CURIOUS ARRIVALS WHO ARE ACTIONING CHANGE
BY PA U L R I C H A R D S O N . P H OTO G R A P H S BY A N A L U I
125
M
Clockwise from top ore than most places, Mallorca means from a serious case of low self-esteem, by the turn of the
left: Sala Bruno different things to different people. century it was starting to feel better about itself. The old
Balabi and Edu For many the Spanish island is synony- city of Palma, once almost a no-go zone, had begun its
Martínez Gil at mous with the endless trinity of sun, rapid transformation into one of the Mediterranean’s
Brut restaurant;
sea and sangría, since it virtually most desirable destinations. In 2011, the Tramuntana
table setting
at Casa Balandra;
invented European beach tourism in mountains were declared a UNESCO World Heritage
swimming at the early 20th century. In 1929 Gertrude Stein famously Site, suggesting a new impulse towards conservation and
Cala Llombards; wrote to her war-traumatised friend, the novelist Robert restoration at the expense of untrammelled development.
dried palm leaves Graves, recommending Mallorca as the perfect place Now, fuelled by nostalgia for the quiet, easygoing past
at Casa Balandra; for him to down-shift and de-stress. (‘It’s a paradise,’ she and the current yearning for sustainable and slow travel,
scooter in suggested, adding the biting qualifier, ‘if you can stand the latest phase of the fightback is firmly underway.
Pollensa; Alvaro it.’) For while its popularity soared, the Mallorquín culture Revolutions aren’t always full of sound and fury and
Garriga at was becoming ever more marginal. Traditional farming, shouted slogans. Sometimes they’re about a diverse group
Con Alma skills and cooking almost withered on the vine. (The vines of people all quietly heading in the same direction. The
themselves also withered, as ancient grape varieties movement on Mallorca is taking place simultaneously
including Manto Negro and Callet were sidelined to make on several fronts. On the one hand are the incomers: the
way for Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.) designers inspired by a long-established craft ethos,
When I first came here in the 1980s, it was as a foot- the artists and creatives relocating here as a back-to-the-
loose student with a Lonely Planet guide and a fistful of land lifestyle choice, and the high-end hoteliers getting
travellers’ cheques. If in those days the island suffered real with zero-waste and organic. On the other are
the home-grown artisans finding a fresh interest in their winter, exhausted by the pandemic’s rules and regulations, Clockwise from top
work – as well as the cooks, farmers and winemakers or sadly hadn’t bothered to open at all. left: ceramicist
rediscovering a rural gastronomy sidelined for decades Casa Balandra could hardly be described as a hotel. Jaume Roig; terrace
by mass tourism and supercharged consumerism. To name It’s a rambling, beautiful house in the little-visited inland at Casa Balandra;
squid dish at Patiki
but three: chef Maria Solivellas, tireless standard-bearer village of Pórtol (known for its pottery workshops) where
Beach. Previous
for local ingredients at her restaurant Ca Na Toneta; Pep Claudia and Isabella del Olmo spent their childhood. The
spread, clockwise
Rodríguez, maverick maker of natural wines with rare sisters and their associate Cécile Denis, who met Claudia from top left: eggs at
indigenous grape varieties; and Juana Maria Verger, who on a design course at Goldsmiths university in London, Loft supper club in
is adding value to the glossy-leaved carob crop (for years opened the property in August 2020 – emphatically not Palma; Cécile Denis
its chocolate-brown pods were fed to livestock or simply as a conventional place to stay, rather as a homely haven at Casa Balandra;
left to rot on the ground) with her range of gluten-free where creative spirits could come together for informal Ca Na Toneta
flours, syrups and infusions. retreats. When I arrived, it was still in the afterglow of an artwork; flowers
This year I pitched up on the island at the tail end of Indulgence Weekend of banquets, brunches and picnics at Arquinesia
a long, strange summer that those who live here will never in olive groves. Chef Naiara Sabandar had cooked up a Perfumes, Palma;
Con Alma workshop;
forget. Mostly for the near-total collapse of the travel storm with fruit and vegetables in their seasonal prime:
staff member at
sector, overwhelmingly Mallorca’s largest source of fennel, almonds, persimmons, olives. Claudia, also a gifted
Terrae restaurant;
income, but also for the near-empty beaches, the less- cook, shops Palma’s Pere Garau market for island-grown table and chairs
polluted sea and sky, and the locals’ delighted rediscovery produce and stocks up on coconut flour at next-wave at Ca Na Toneta;
of their home as something resembling its pre-touristic grocers NU Market. The bright-white interiors, filled Es Racó d’Artá
incarnation. Most of the hotels had either closed for the largely with vintage furniture from nearby markets, were
127
COOKS, FARMERS AND WINEMAKERS
ARE REDISCOVERING A RURAL
GASTRONOMY SIDELINED FOR DECADES
BY MASS TOURISM AND
SUPERCHARGED CONSUMERISM
129
Clockwise from
top left: garden
at Arquinesia
Perfumes; plates at
Ca Na Toneta;
preserved peaches
at Brut; Alvaro
Garriga at Con
Alma; Can Auli;
Osa Major finca;
hats at Osa
Major; prickly pear
sorbet with almond
cake and mint at
Ca Na Toneta; the
restaurant’s owners
Maria and
Teresa Solivellas
lit up with laughter and big church candles. My hosts at reverence for history. They work with neighbourhood Clockwise from
Balandra were two fine examples of Mallorca’s ener- carpenters and blacksmiths to recreate doors, furniture, left: bedroom at
getic new crowd. Their circle also includes Barcelona-born even curtain rails, prioritising materials such as sustainably Casa Balandra;
flowers at Osa
travel photographer Pia Riverola, Spanish beauty-brand grown woods and conservation-approved colour palettes.
Major; living room
founder Nuria Val and Lena Catterick and Carlo Letica ‘Every house has its soul, and we try not to destroy any-
at Es Racó d’Artá;
of ethical clothing line Yoli & Otis, who swapped thing about it,’ said Christoffer. ‘What drives us is our ceramics and
Australia’s Byron Bay for a house outside Sóller. respect for the island’s architecture and culture.’ dried flowers at
Heading into the foothills of the Serra de Tramuntana, Traditional crafts such as basketry, weaving and wood- OMA Project,
I stopped for a café con leche with two other imports: work are also reappearing from the shadows. Keen to Palma. Previous
Swedish designers Christoffer and Josephine du Rietz. delve into the world of artesanía, I followed a lane out of spread, from left:
The main square of pretty Alaró was bathed in a pinkish, Binissalem towards a huge possessió (country estate) with Casa Grande
autumnal light. A gang of children played by the church a great stone house at its heart. Finca Bellveure is the home Country House;
wall, watched out of the corner of eyes by parents at café of Con Alma (it means ‘with soul’), a design workshop Isabella and
tables. It was a search for improved quality of life that formed by Alvaro Garriga, from Barcelona, and his Claudia del Olmo
and Cécile Denis
impelled the Du Rietzes to sell up in Stockholm and move partner Maria Antònia Marqués, a sixth-generation
at Casa Balandra
to a place they already loved for its expansive natural member of the farming family who own the property. The
beauty, interesting mixture of seclusion and connected- pair were working in London when they hatched a plan in
ness, and the slow-paced rhythms of daily life. a Hampstead café: they would return to Mallorca and
The couple’s main business is buying and doing up old reinvent themselves as makers of simple functional objects,
Mallorcan townhouses, with great attention to detail and using olive and almond wood from the land.
131
brother Joan, also a talented potter, learned the trade at
their mother’s workshop in Palma, but the siblings soon
went their different creative ways: Joan into the rustic-
modern tableware used by restaurants such as Ca Na
Toneta; Jaume into contemporary ceramics with rough
textures and billowing organic forms. Tall and softly
spoken, his diffidence concealing a fierce vein of non-
conformism, Jaume has an interesting take on the island’s
recent history. When he was growing up, Mallorca felt
like it was languishing. At school he was even teased for
speaking the local dialect of Catalan. Recently, though,
he has noticed a volte-face. ‘There’s a movement against
the way things have been managed – tourism, Magaluf
and all that. Our old culture has recovered a little. People
from outside are bringing in fresh ideas. In the last two
or three years, I feel there’s a new love for the place, and
that is making all the difference.’
In the rural heart of the island everything is rich and
earthy. But the coast is also part of this story. Since the 1960s
the prodigious village of Deià has been Mallorca’s axis of
music, art and general alternativeness. Meanwhile nearby
Sóller remained a buttoned-up and bourgeois little town,
busy with the sale of its famous oranges. As rents in Deià
have gone through the roof and the vibe has waned, a
younger crowd has shifted to Sóller. Two pioneers on the
scene are local Barbara Martí and her Dutch husband
Martín Lucas, who opened Ecocirer, the island’s first vegan/
vegetarian bolthole, in 2015. Then, in 2019, came Re
Organic, a Mallorcan-owned food shop and restaurant
whose minimalist interior and superb produce (not to
mention the gorgeous secret terrace out back) have made
it a hub for Sóller’s clean-eating, slow-living community.
own at the town’s harbour it is a quiet
From top: table I found Garriga in his dusty-blue work coat crouching
D autumn lunchtime, the sheltered bay’s clear-blue
waters warmed by three months of relentless
summer sun. At the end of Playa d’en Repic is a
chiringuito with a difference. In a departure from
ubiquitous paella and calamari, Patiki Beach’s English
setting at Can over a workbench in a high-beamed room – by a nice chef, Grace Berrow, cooks deliciously fresh food with
Aulí; reception at coincidence, the estate’s former carpentry shop. Con ingredients supplied by neighbouring growers. A fisherman
Es Racó d’Artá. Alma makes fabulous rustic furniture to order (a recent brings in his oranges and lemons. She nips down to Palma
Opposite,
commission came from Durietz Design), but their biggest to buy sourdough at Thomas’ Bakeshop and visits Sóller’s
Arquinesia
seller so far is the olive-wood chopping board incorpo- agricultural cooperative to see what’s in season. ‘I feel
Perfumes
rating a ceramic tile, handmade and painted by an elderly like we’re in Eden here in this valley. I want people to
potter they discovered in Santa Maria. ‘She’s the last of bring in boxes of whatever they have – I’m 100 per cent
her kind, the technique is almost forgotten. It’s a familiar interested in buying from the smallest producers possible.’
story. But we’re passionate about supporting Mallorca’s Berrow brought me out plates of labneh with caramelised
traditional artesanos,’ said Alvaro. shallots, squid with herb aioli, whole grilled fish with slow-
Using such crafts but taking them as far as they can go braised courgettes, and told me her story, which involves
in the direction of high art is Jaume Roig. A brilliant a freewheeling artistic upbringing in Palma and Deià (her
ceramicist, he lives a quiet life with his partner, carpet father and uncle were Duran Duran’s managers), a stage
designer Adriana Meunié, in a ranch on the eerie flatlands at Skye Gyngell’s Spring in London and a spell as private
of Ses Salines. Their house, a hut built of stone and breeze cook for actor Emilia Clarke.
blocks, with concrete floors and basic furnishings, is Though she returned to the island with ‘no plan’, she
impressive in its artful plainness. Just beyond the front quickly developed one. ‘I wanted a beach club, some-
gate a flock of red sheep, a heritage breed descended from where people could come and eat and drink grapefruit
Berber stock, was dozing under a fig tree. Jaume and his Margaritas and sit for hours.’ When she found this little
132
Clockwise from
left: ceramics
by Jaume Roig;
Josephine and
Christoffer
du Rietz; tomato
and tuna salad at
Can Aulí;Terrae
restaurant, Pollensa;
countryside at
Osa Major.
Opposite, seating
area at the finca
ON-THE-GROUND GUIDE
WHERE TO STAY
Can Aulí
A 17th-century former doctor’s house in the northern town of Pollensa,
this is the latest in the stable of characterful old-town properties from
hotelier Miguel Conde. What’s new here is the emphasis on ecological values
and island-grown talent. The bamboo travel kit in the bathroom comes in a
brown paper packet. Bread at breakfast is made from xeixa wheat. Cups
and bowls are hand-crafted by Jaume Roig, whose giant wall sculpture
also fills the foyer. Doubles from about £160; boutiquehotelcanauli.com
Es Racó d’Artá
Architect and visionary Antoni Esteva has curated some of Mallorca’s
most elegant hotels (Son Gener, Son Penya, Can Simoneta), but his
new wellness retreat is in a different league. A 180-hectare estate and
13th-century house next to the Llevant nature reserve, it’s a thing of
beauty and high ideals. Almost everything is biodegradable, locally
sourced, organic and designed to evoke what he calls ‘the Mallorca we
miss’. This is somewhere, hopes its creator, from which you’ll emerge a
changed person. Doubles from about £360; esracodarta.com
Ecocirer
A one-time ice-cream shop, this six-room guesthouse in a high-
ceilinged Sóller building has a contemporary interior to match its owners’
commitment to ecological principles. And it now offers olive- and
orange-picking experiences, as well as visits to a magnificent finca
outside town, the home of renowned Mallorcan artist (and Ecocirer
owner’s mother) Francesca Martí. Doubles from about £95; ecocirer.com
Casa Grande Country House

Keyholder to some of the loveliest villas in Europe, The Thinking
Traveller has turned its hand to the Balearics, with five new houses on
the books. And Casa Grande, near Sa Pobla, is especially lovely,
surrounded by almond groves and farmland where 200 sheep roam
freely. From £3,634 per week (sleeps 10); thinkingtraveller.com
Casa Balandra
A guesthouse with lush gardens for experiential retreats. Whole house
(sleeps 12) from about £490 per night; hello@casabalandra.com
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

Brut
Buenos Aires-born chef Edu Martínez Gil’s adventures in Mallorquín
gastronomy include foraging for wild chard and carrot, smoking locally
reared meat with carob wood, and fermenting kombucha using
spot it was a down-at-heel Argentinian grill. ‘We threw out
grapefruit and loquat. The restaurant’s garage-like space in Llubí also
the deep-fat fryer, painted everything white and waited.’
houses a craft-beer brewery. About £110 for two; brutrestaurante.com
As she spoke I got the impression of a scene that is
gradually evolving as a raft of musicians, artists, designers Ca Na Toneta
and foodies find their way to Mallorca. There’s an influx Maria Solivellas and her sister Teresa were championing seasonal
from Barcelona and from overpriced Ibiza. Photographer ingredients and sustainable fishing practices when Mallorca’s new
Mario Sorrenti has a house down the road. Knitwear bohemians were still in short trousers. Their delightful restaurant in
designer Zoë Jordan swings by for family lunches. ‘All Caimari makes stylish use of raw materials sourced entirely from the
the restaurant staff are our friends. Vicki, my right-hand island; natural wines are a speciality. About £100 for two; canatoneta.com
lady in the kitchen, is a ceramicist – she’s setting up a studio.’
My gaze turned from the sea to the Tramuntana moun- Dins Santi Taura
Palma’s most extravagantly talented chef shows that not even alta
tains behind the town, looming up dark green in the late-
cocina is above tradition and respect for the terroir. Hard-to-find
afternoon light. Winter would soon be coming, but from
authentic dishes such as sopes mallorquines, island-style snails and fish
what I could see the off-season is also pretty enticing. greixonera are at once elegant and earthy, refined and authentic.
Berrow will be cooking daily plant-based lunches for About £75 for two; dinssantitaura.com
delivery and learning more about fine Mallorcan wine.
There will be feasts on the beach, impromptu art shows Patiki Beach
in friends’ houses… ‘I’m just bristling with what we’re Farm-to-table cooking at a wooden-decked, waterfront chiringuito
going to create,’ she said with a grin. ‘When we look back, in Port de Sóller. About £50 for two; patikibeach.com
we’ll remember what a really exciting time this was.’
135
GETTING INTO THE
STRIDE
IN A DESIRE FOR QUIETNESS AND CONTEMPLATION,
THE REFLECTIVENESS OF PUTTING ONE
FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER, STEVE KING
JOINS THE BEST WALKERS ON THE PLANET IN
KENYA’S LITTLE-KNOWN LOITA HILLS
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JULIEN CAPMEIL
137
I MADE MY WAY
TOWARDS WHERE
I THOUGHT
THE FOREST
SHOULD BE AND
REDISCOVERED
THE TREES,
THEIR GHOSTLY
OUTLINES
MATERIALISING
OUT OF THE
BLANKNESS
D AYBREAK AS COLOURLESS as a daguerreotype. The mist a lumi-
nous silver ocean without edges. We had pitched our camp, the
previous evening, in a glade surrounded by acacias and podocarpus
– luxuriant, imposing trees, some of them more than 100ft tall, diffi-
cult to lose sight of. But at first light it was as though they had van-
ished. Dissolved into the mist. I made my way towards where I
thought the forest ought to be and rediscovered the trees slowly,
one at a time, as their ghostly outlines materialised out of the blank-
ness. The local Maasai call it the Forest of the Lost Child, a name
which might ordinarily prompt a question but which, given the condi-
tions that morning, seemed to require no further explanation.
This was in the Loita Hills, on the western edge of the Great Rift
Valley close to the Kenya-Tanzania border, where I had arranged
to spend a few days walking with Maasai guides. Starting in the Ol
Lasur Valley, not far from the trading post of Entasekera, the route
would involve a brief ascent followed by a long descent of the
hills, across the Nguruman Escarpment and onto the seared plains
between Lake Magadi and Lake Natron.
My reasons for wanting to do so were partly sentimental. My
wife is Kenyan. She and I have been coming here together for more
than 20 years. Her grandparents, Mary and Louis Leakey, made
important archaeological finds in this region – not in the hills but
Clockwise from top left: near Lake Magadi; spears at camp; breakfast;
monkey in the canopy; leopard prints; gloriosa lily. Opposite, en route to
Makalia waterfalls. Previous pages, Maasai walking through the forest
139
FOR THOSE WILLING TO APPROACH THIS DRAMATICALLY BEAUTIFUL
PLACE WITH FORTITUDE, THE REWARDS ARE TREMENDOUS
pangas. The contrast between this landscape and that of more
familiar parts of Kenya is striking. The gently undulating plains
of the Laikipia Plateau, for instance, with their uninterrupted
vistas and endless skies, where getting your bearings is easy and
you can watch the weather change from miles away. In the Loita
Hills the impression is one of congestion and enclosure. This is a
feeling not of smallness – the scale is immense – but of terrific
density and looming vertical pressure. There were so few gaps in
the canopy that I found myself thinking of murky corners of
lower Manhattan where narrow streets are overlooked by build-
ings tall enough to block direct sunlight at any time of day.
W ITH A DISTINCTIVE STYLE of dress and jewellery, the Maasai

are perhaps the most recognisable tribe on earth. They
look as if they exist outside of and untouched by time. But the past
century has been far from easy for them. While other of Kenya’s 40
or so tribes have adapted to post-colonial and post-independence
conditions, the Maasai by and large have not. They reached the
height of their tribal pre-eminence in the mid to late 19th century
when their territory extended north and south along much of the
Great Rift Valley and, intermittently, as far east as the Swahili coast.
In the early years of the 20th century, treaties with the
colonial powers saw their land reduced by more than 50 per cent.
That loss has since been compounded by further fragmentation,
subdivision and changes in land use, as well as a generational
rethinking, by no means unique to the Maasai, that has seen a
broader shift in values away from the collective towards the
individual. Their staunch commitment to a pastoral, semi-
nomadic way of life has become increasingly challenging. It
would be difficult to overstate the impact this has had on a
people for whom land has, historically, been not a private com-
on the plains below, on both sides of the border – discoveries that modity but a common resource through which free movement
fundamentally changed the understanding of human evolution. is both a right and an essential condition of survival.
Various members of the family live nearby. When I think of Awareness of these issues is, predictably, greatest in the parts
Kenya, it is this stretch of Maasailand south of Nairobi that I of Maasailand that receive the most visitors and the most
think of first. Though the Maasai Mara, to the west, and Amboseli, international attention, above all the Maasai Mara. Yet the same
to the east, attract large numbers of visitors, this corridor in forces affect the virtually unknown Loita Hills. During our short
between as a rule does not. The broad, flat floor of the Great Rift walk we crossed several invisible property boundaries, at least
Valley is incredibly hot. The hills that rise from it are thickly one of which was in the process of being redrawn in order to
forested, forbiddingly difficult to access and sparsely populated. settle a dispute among clans.
But for those willing to approach this dramatically beautiful Though a compromise, this seemed to me a practical and
landscape with a degree of patience and fortitude, the rewards are uncomplicated one that was working well for everyone. Much of
tremendous. There is a particular quality to the dust that I love. the land through which we walked is presently held in trust
Its fineness and its faint, delicious scent, for which I know no for the local community, which has an arrangement with a
word. The whole country is for me contained in this unnameable man called Adrian Hughes, who organises the walks under the
dusty perfume. I tap my toes when I am standing still, to raise a name Maasai Trails. Because the ownership and borders are still
little dust and watch it settle on my boots. being formally determined, he pays camp fees to the Maasai by
Much of Kenya has changed beyond recognition since my first means of disbursements to two schools on the edge of the forest.
visit. Parts of Nairobi seem to change beyond recognition from Meanwhile, the Maasai continue to use the land just as they have
one visit to the next. Here, though, hardly anything has changed done for centuries, which is to say as a necessary space through
at all, or not to the naked eye. Almost 50 years ago, in The which they and their cattle pass.
T as Born, Peter Matthiessen wrote of the Loita I walked with two guides, Ntiyani Kamonon and Lemeria Koyati.
Hills as ‘roadless and little known… that epic Africa of hope and Lemeria was forever looking over my shoulder as I made notes.
innocence’. They are as roadless and little-known today as they Occasionally he would take my notebook to correct a word, a
were then, except to the Maasai who live among them. phrase or a place name that I had got wrong. He wrote in a bold,
Through the shadowy lushness of the Ol Lasur Valley we fol- clear hand. When I complimented him on his especially elegant
lowed the habitual paths of wild animals or of Maasai cattle. penmanship, he said this was a benefit of compulsory primary
Where no path existed we made our own by clearing the under- schooling. Lemeria had been packed off to a boarding school in
growth and lopping off low branches with long-bladed Narok. His eldest son was now a pupil at the same school. The fees
Clockwise from top left: making fire; flamingos over Lake Natron; Maasai spears; dry riverbed. Opposite, clockwise from top: the Loita Hills; wildebeest
near Lake Magadi; red-oat grass; Maasai woman and baby; wild berries; camp lunch. Previous pages, dusk further north in Maasailand, at the end of the trip
142
ANIMALS ARE A CONSTANT IF INVISIBLE PRESENCE. THEIR SIGNS
ARE EVERYWHERE AND THEIR SOUNDS INESCAPABLE
were high, he complained, but his son was doing well. I asked if come as a shock to anyone. The Maasai are among the greatest
he saw this as a disruption to a traditional Maasai boyhood walkers on the planet. A young warrior might cover 40 miles
spent outdoors learning to become a herdsman and a warrior – in a day without breaking a sweat. Their gait creates a kind of
another form of compromise. Lemeria shook his head. ‘He puts optical illusion. Nothing about it looks as if it is contrived for
on his uniform and goes away to school and he’s a Kenyan among speed. Though springy, their strides are not unduly long, and
other Kenyan boys. Then he comes home and takes off his there is no hint of bustle or even of obvious effort. Yet glance
uniform and he’s a Maasai again.’ away from a walking Maasai for a minute and he will have
The Maasai believe in a single god, Engai, with a dual nature, disappeared over the horizon.
one red, one black, associated with sun and rain respectively. But this was not a race and the more I pondered it, the more
Apparently the red god had been detained elsewhere at the I came to think of speed as antithetical to the whole undertaking.
time of my visit. The black god was running riot. Though we were There was no need to hurry. As the days passed I became increas-
walking through what ought to have been several different ingly content simply to put one foot in front of the other while
habitats, any clear sense of their distinctness was lost in the keeping my eyes and ears open. I recalled Kierkegaard’s line:
unseasonable greenness. At night the drumming of rain on ‘I have walked myself into my best thoughts and I know of no
the flysheet of my tent was relentless. When, occasionally, the rain thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it.’
stopped between downpours, the silence rang out as if the Something happened shortly after we set off on the last full
forest were drawing breath in the instant after someone had day of walking that I knew immediately would stay with me for
broken a glass at a dinner table. a long time. We were passing through a field of waist-high grass,
glossy and beaded with fresh rain, when a light breeze brought
T HE BLACK RHINOCEROS, once abundant across southern Kenya,

is no longer found in the Loita Hills. But elephant, lion,
leopard and buffalo remain. Hippopotamus, too, which ramble
with it, suddenly and strongly, almost with the force of a slap, the
intermingled fragrances of jasmine and wild basil. The others
walked on ahead. I stopped in my tracks, wanting neither to speak
widely during periods of wet weather with an astounding degree nor be spoken to, neither to continue nor to return, but simply
of dainty sure-footedness. Before I set off, my father-in-law to breathe and remain in that moment indefinitely.
had reminisced about the forest lions, for which he has a special
affection. Their coats are darker than those of their savannah-
dwelling cousins, he told me, and they exhibit certain behavioural
peculiarities. ‘Such as?’ I asked. ‘Well, for one thing they are, for
B
Y MID-MORNING THE RAIN had ceased and the clouds had
parted. The red god was restored. Emerging from the Loita
Hills we scrambled for nine hours, in hard equatorial sun,
lions, very curious. They will follow you closely, sometimes down the face of the Nguruman Escarpment, its surface
for hours at a time. Which’ – he added with a smile – ‘can be quite composed of medium-sized loose rocks rolling around treacher-
disconcerting if you are walking.’ ously on a bed of slightly smaller loose rocks. It was like walking
Animals were a constant if invisible presence. Their signs were on a layer of cricket balls with a layer of golf balls underneath,
everywhere – prints, pugmarks, scat, scratches in bark, patches all set at a delirious tilt.
of flattened grass – and their sounds inescapable. The bleeps My borrowed walking stick proved to be an especially good
and squalls of birdsong were like jazz, the notes either ahead of friend to me on this leg of the trip. A straight, slender branch from
or behind the beat, never on it, never entirely regular. Such a a green-olive tree, stripped bare, flattened at the top and pointed
syncopated soundtrack seemed right for this walk, throughout at the bottom with a few deft swipes of a panga – precisely the thing
which, because of the arduous terrain and wet weather, evenly the Maasai use. Pleasing to touch and as good to lean on in weary
spaced strides and rhythmical footsteps were all but impossible. moments as the zinc counter of a well-stocked bar.
Then there was the chatter of the Maasai. And their numbers, When at last we reached the plains I felt a surge of affection for
like their voices, rose and fell continuously. At times we were the flat silken earth after the steepness and stoniness of the
joined by three or four others, including an elderly Dorobo, an preceding days, the wide-open space after the enfolded forest,
instantly likeable if inscrutable fellow who carried a toy-like bow the dry heat after the wet. There was no epiphany, just a bitter-
and a quiver of poison arrows. When, on our second night, they sweet sense of pleasure tinged with regret that the journey was,
roasted a sheep, the number of our party spiked sharply and for for now, over. We said our goodbyes. I put aside my walking stick
a few hours our camp resembled a small village. and tapped the ground with the toes of my boots, watching clouds
I realised that part of my wishing to take this trip was the selfish of fine powdery dust rise and fall.
desire to be once again among campfires and hurricane lamps,
to be an anonymous stranger among anonymous strangers, to
shower beneath an upended bucket, to lie down on the ground
at night and wake up in the morning and simply take to my heels. GETTING HERE
For the Maasai, this three-day outing was barely a stroll, Abercrombie & Kent offers five nights in Kenya from £4,195
and a leisurely stroll at that. I asked Lemeria whether he took per person, including two nights B&B at Tamarind Tree
pleasure in the act of walking. ‘Oh, yes,’ he said. Then he paused Hotel in Nairobi and three nights in the Loita Hills with Maasai
and added: ‘But this is not really walking. This is sleepwalking.’ Trails, with meals, guides and transfers, and flights.
I tried not to take it personally. He meant, of course, that we +44 1242 547702; abercrombiekent.co.uk
were walking slowly by Maasai standards. Which should not have
Opposite, view of the hills and a flamboyance of flamingos over Lake Magadi in the Shompole area
145
146
OFF TO NEW
PASTURES
LONG SOUGHT OUT BY
EMINENT WRITERS AND JADED
NEW YORKERS AS A RUSTIC BASE,
THE BERKSHIRES HAVE EVOLVED
INTO A VIBRANT NEXUS OF
CHEFS AND ARTISTS REWEAVING
THE TRADITIONAL FABRIC
BY C HR IS TOPHE R BOLLE N
PHOTOGR APHS BY JU LIE N C APME IL
W H E N T H E N OV E L I S T E D I T H W H A R TO N moved to the down a deposit on a tiny hundred-year-old hunting cabin in
Berkshire Mountains at the turn of the 20th century, she framed the woods with a gigantic flagstone fireplace. It had no winter
the drastic lifestyle change in the tone of a personal liberation. In insulation. I didn’t care. I was following a path carved out by other,
her autobiography, amid ecstatic descriptions of the gorgeous far more illustrious artists and writers. Wharton herself was no
scenery she found in Western Massachusetts, she wrote that she geographic pioneer. Half a century before her arrival, Herman
had ‘at last escaped from watering-place trivialities to the real Melville came to the area with similar escapist fantasies. The
country’. Wharton was 40 years old when she left the ‘flat frivolity’ massive hump of the highest peak, Mount Greylock, is rumoured
of society-rich Newport for more than 100 acres of rolling farm- to have been the inspiration for the whale in Moby-Dick. It’s the
land just outside the village of Lenox. It was her attempt to forge rich cross-history of bohemia and money, of creatives and
a second act, a more affirming writer’s life. Still, Wharton wasn’t cultural titans, that makes the Berkshires more than an escape
exactly roughing it. She designed The Mount, a stately 35-room from the city. It’s an escape to one of the liveliest and most vital
white-stucco Italianate mansion that included terrazzo floors, artistic hubs in the USA. I’ve seen more concerts at Tanglewood
IT’S THE RICH CROSS-HISTORY OF BOHEMIA AND MONEY, OF CREATIVES AND

CULTURAL TITANS, THAT MAKES THE REGION MORE THAN AN ESCAPE FROM THE CITY
marble fireplaces, a stable, greenhouse and spree of manicured in Lenox and more Degas paintings at The Clark Art Institute in
flower gardens. It offered her the fantasy of a pastoral paradise Williamstown than I have black bears. It’s country living with a
with enough creature comforts and high culture to delight snooty symphony orchestra for its soundtrack.
friends including Henry James when they dropped in. One warm, blue-skied morning, I meet Mark Firth on his farm
Wharton’s experience mirrors – on a sliding scale of means and on the boundary of the villages of Sandisfield and Monterey.
self-mythology – the story of many who have decided mid-swim I have known him since 1999, when he opened Diner in Williamsburg.
to make a change and call this region home. Including me. In 2015, This not-so-greasy spoon became the hippest restaurant in Brooklyn,
living in Manhattan, I found myself financially flush with a book and soon copies proliferated in all five boroughs of New York.
advance for my second novel. One Friday I drove up to the Southern It is safe to say that Firth, who was born in the UK, grew up in
Berkshires to see a friend with a weekend house. I was floored by Zambia and has lived all over the world, is a master at creating a
the beauty, the dramatic mountain landscape with its horizon scene. Walking the grassy meadows of his property and stopping
of purple-tinted peaks. I, too, had grown tired of the flat frivolity of to sit on a downed tree, where he scratches behind the ears of one
my youth. I was 39, which meant I had beaten Wharton by one of his sheep, it’s hard to think of a more extreme change of scenery
year, although she certainly trounced me in ostentation. I put from the rumbling, potholed streets of Williamsburg. Firth moved
Clockwise from top left: Wyndhurst Manor; scallop panang curry at Cantina 229 in New Marlborough; The Clark Art Institute; Kenmore Hall entrance; woodwork
in Hancock Shaker Village; Miraval reception in Lenox; Berkshire Pottery; Familiar Trees bookstore in Pittsfield; The Prairie Whale bar; Granville House; Great
Barrington shop sign; MASS MoCA installation. Previous pages, clockwise from top left: bar, and exterior at The Inn at Kenmore Hall; cacio e pepe pasta at Cantina
229; Shaker Mill Inn in West Stock Bridge; firewood; Berkshire hills; West Stock Bridge; North Plain Farm; jukebox at Granville House; Tourists private dining room
148
Side table at The Inn at
Kenmore Hall. Opposite,
owner Tess Diamond at
North Plain Farm Store
in Great Barrington
150
here with his family a decade ago, commuting intermittently in the late 1800s – winkingly calling them ‘cottages’ – bringing
to New York. ‘I found that I was unexcited on the drive down to their designers, decorators, artist friends, gardeners and chefs
the city, and so excited for the projects up here on the drive back,’ to share in the aesthetic splendour. And, for decades, it is where
he remarks. Those included rearing pigs, growing fruit and dynamic art organisations including Tanglewood for music,
vegetables, fixing up his farmhouse, and rigging a water-storage Jacob’s Pillow for dance and Shakespeare & Company for theatre
system for his crops and animals. Eventually, Firth became a full- have reigned supreme. If there has been a sense of a new Gilded
time Berkshirite. He then turned his expertise to a new venture Age in recent years, much of that fervour has been built on
that would become the region’s closest approximation of a see- rethinking traditional customs and codes. I’ve never once been
and-be-seen hangout. Opened in 2012 on Great Barrington’s Main asked by a visiting friend to take them to see white-cubed art
Street, The Prairie Whale has a menu that makes use of the galleries. They left New York for a reason.
agricultural bounty of the area. Originally, Firth’s own farm The Berkshires are equidistant from both New York and Boston.
supplied much of the meat – the establishment’s name derives But rather than existing in the thrall of these cities, this is first
from a 19th-century term for pigs. Twenty years ago, I told every- and foremost a county in Massachusetts, spanning the state’s entire
one that they had to eat at Diner – now The Prairie Whale is high western edge, from the post-industrial town of North Adams to
on my list of recommendations. Judging from the difficulty in the rolling farmlands in the south. One of the first geographic
IT TAKES ACTUAL WORK TO REACH THIS PLACE – THE SEPARATION KEEPS IT AN ANIMAL OF
NEW ENGLAND RATHER THAN A FAR-FLUNG BEDROOM COMMUNITY OF THE BIG APPLE
securing a table, I’m not the only one who rates it highly. ‘I moved difficulties – or blessings – I discovered upon moving here is
because I was burned out and wanted peace,’ Firth says with a precisely how disconnected it is from New York City. It takes
laugh, before offering me fresh farm eggs from his chicken roost. actual work, the negotiation of a few knotty highways, and several
‘Now I’m busier than ever.’ moments of questioning the integrity of your GPS and sanity, to
Part of the particular success of this restaurant lies in its youthful, reach this place. Psychologically, that separation keeps it an
cheeky spin on traditional cooking. Other in-demand addresses animal of New England rather than a far-flung bedroom commu-
that have popped up in the past decade, such as hyper-local Nudel nity of the Big Apple. And it is New England, in all of its romantic,
in Lenox and Cantina 229 in New Marlborough, have also found Norman Rockwellian charm that really enchants. Scattered
a niche with their eclectic take on conventional food. This approach through the hills and valleys are hundreds of lakes, mountain trails,
of tweaking the classic is indicative of a broader current of creative ski spots, apple orchards, antique shops and farm stands, and each
thinking in the Berkshires. Its history is rich with cultural activity. season brings a different atmosphere. Autumn leaf-peeping is the
This is where the Gilded Age rich came to build their mansions most famous, but summer is ripe with swimming, kayaking
Clockwise from top left: chickens in Hancock Shaker Village; bookcase at Kenmore Hall; Granville House owners Terri and Terry Coughlin; TP Saddleblanket
& Trading store, and Rubiner’s wine shop in Great Barrington; Wyndhurst Manor in Lenox; Rubiner’s cheese platter; billiard table in the living room at
Granville House; North Plain Farm sunflowers; living room at Tourists; magazine covers at the Norman Rockwell Museum; Cantina 229 owner Josh Irwin
152
154
and camping, and winter offers a run of snow sports. Spring is responsible for maintaining the area’s scenic terrain, including the
often nicknamed ‘mud season’ for a very good reason. trails of Monument Mountain and Naumkeag estate. We hike
I pull into the driveway of Terry and Terri Coughlin’s new B&B, through Ashintully Gardens in the village of Tyringham. Cruey’s
the delightfully unfussy Granville House in Housatonic. I park work is, in my mind, among the most important for safeguarding
next to a car with ‘Just Married’ scrawled on the back window and, the essential character of the Berkshires. ‘I think of the Trustees
sure enough, inside the newlyweds, high on love and a day of as protecting future generations,’ he says. ‘People, animals, the
antiquing, are showing the owners the treasures they’ve picked up. flora – everything.’ We climb a hill and reach a large concrete slab
Coincidentally, the Coughlins also honeymooned in the Berkshires that was once the foundation of a white-marble Gilded Age palace.
and particularly fell for a charming old New Marlborough inn when A fire destroyed it in 1952, leaving little more than four Doric
THIS CROP OF HOTELIERS IS NOT INTERESTED IN CONTEMPORARY COMPOUNDS. RATHER,

THEY’RE REVAMPING SIGNATURE ARCHETYPES – THE HIGHWAY MOTEL, THE GRAND ESTATE
they stopped there one night. On the 20th anniversary of their first columns like sentinels on the hillside. In the bright light, they take
date, they returned, staying at the recently opened Inn at Kenmore on the look of ancient ruins. And if you stand behind them, they
Hall in Richmond, and their dream of living here came flooding frame the green-bearded mountain, which is just on the verge of
back. The couple quit their New York lives, bought Granville House, turning colour into something wild and new.
a property dating from 1825, and went to work combining original
details with idiosyncratic modern touches – each bedroom comes
with a record player and there’s an album library downstairs. WHERE TO BED DOWN
By and large, the new crop of hoteliers is not interested in THE INN AT KENMORE HALL, RICHMOND
creating contemporary compounds beamed in from a chilly archi- Former J Crew menswear designer Frank Muytjens took
tecture studio. Rather, they are revamping signature archetypes over this 18th-century clapboard house with his husband Scott
– the country inn, the highway motel, the grand estate. That ethos Edward Cole in 2018. Historic touches have been carefully
is especially evident at the minimalist Tourists hotel in North Adams, preserved, while the six bedrooms lean more towards modern.
which took the template of a Sixties motor lodge and rejigged Doubles from about £300; theinnatkenmorehall.com
it into a postmodern artists’ utopia. And it’s also visible in the
influx of serious destination spas set in overhauled 19th-century WHEATLEIGH, LENOX
This opulent estate, built in the style of a Florentine palazzo and
buildings, the most recent being Miraval Berkshires in Lenox,
encircled by a Frederick Law Olmsted-designed park, hardly scrimps
with a modernist wellness centre constructed next to Wyndhurst on details, architectural or otherwise. Keep an eye out for the original
Manor, a sprawling Gilded Age mansion turned hotel. Even MASS Tiffany windows. Doubles from about £1,180; wheatleigh.com
MoCA’s contemporary art museum showcases its James Turrells
and Jenny Holzers in an old factory complex in North Adams. TOURISTS, NORTH ADAMS
One afternoon at The Clark I amble through the galleries to A quirky hideout on the site of a once-run-down motor inn,
look at the Impressionist masterpieces. The collectors Sterling and conceived by a team of creatives including bassist John Stirratt,
Francine Clark had originally intended to open a museum behind whose decades on tour with the rock band Wilco made him
the Frick Collection in New York in the 1950s. But at the height an expert on touring pit-stops. It’s inspired by the road signs
of the Cold War, they feared a bomb might ravage the city and that competed for drivers’ attention during the town’s mid-century
heyday. Doubles from about £180; touristswelcome.com
decided the artworks would be safer in the mountains. It doesn’t
seem a stretch to think that such safety – of the writer, the creative
GRANVILLE HOUSE, HOUSATONIC
self, whatever elusive fire needs stoking in order to grow as an Though its stately columns might suggest otherwise, this
artist – was exactly what Wharton was trying to preserve by moving Greek Revival property is remarkably low key. Rooms are cosy,
here. In the end, due to her husband’s flagging health, she only with Malin+Goetz products in the bathrooms. Doubles from
remained at The Mount for 10 years. But that sojourn is a boon about £150; granvillehouseinn.com
to those of us who live nearby today. On summer weekends,
I often visit her house for afternoons of live jazz on the terrace MIRAVAL BERKSHIRES RESORT & SPA, LENOX
and a stroll through the gardens with a glass of wine. Whatever ailments you have, chances are this new retreat will
I’ve been a part-time Berkshire resident for five years now, cure them, offering everything from Ayurveda to crystal energy
and I’ve noticed a startling jump in the number of New Yorkers work, plus art classes and an impressive equine programme.
Doubles from about £460; miravalberkshires.com
willing to take that three-hour highway drive to the mountains.
Maybe it’s the novelty of a talked-about location, or the legalisa- CANYON RANCH, LENOX
tion of marijuana in Massachusetts in 2016, or the chatter in the Bone-tired, puffy-eyed city slickers continue to flock to this
local papers about the railroad potentially being linked to towns destination spa, which opened in 1989, taking over the
such as Pittsfield. One Sunday morning, I meet up with Brian marble Bellefontaine mansion. Doubles from about £650;
Cruey, director for the Trustees of Reservations, a private not-for- canyonranch.com. BETSY BLUMENTHAL
profit that is the oldest land conservation trust in the country. It’s
Opposite, clockwise from top left: shopfront in Stockbridge; apple trees at The Inn at Kenmore Hall; the bar, and living room at Granville House;
firepit at Miraval in Lenox; ribeye steak, napa cabbage, kale, sweetcorn and tomato-and-burrata salad at The Prairie Whale; bedroom at Granville
House; street signs in the Berkshires; Kenmore Hall owners Frank Muytjens and Scott Edward Cole at the property
155
T HE G LO B E T ROT T E R K AT H E R I N E H E I G L
AFTER AN EMMY-WINNING BREAKTHROUGH ROLE IN TV HIT ‘GREY’S ANATOMY’, THE ACTOR MADE HER
NAME IN ROM-COMS SUCH AS ‘KNOCKED UP’. NOW SHE’S THE STAR AND PRODUCER OF A NETFLIX DRAMA
Did you manage to get away this year? A memorable encounter? from the airport. We were so cheap, we
‘My husband, the musician Josh Kelley, and ‘My mother is my producing partner and would order virgin Piña Coladas and then
I just went to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which manager so we often travel together. My spike them ourselves. Hey, whatever works!’
was wonderful. It’s funny because we live in grandfather emigrated from Germany in
Utah and as places they’re quite similar, but the 1920s, and during a press tour there, my Your favourite city?
after being stuck in my home for a while, mom really wanted to see the town where ‘New York. I grew up in Connecticut and
I was dying to view a different landscape for he was raised – Esslingen, close to Stuttgart. travelled in and out for work from the age of
just a second. I’m not much of a sightseer, I’m She was trying to find a recipe for potato nine, so it holds a lot of childhood memories.
more of a shopper/eater, and Jackson Hole salad the way my grandfather made it. We It feels like home in a way. It’s an incredibly
has so many great artisan stores, beautiful stopped into a café but my mother didn’t exciting, vibrant, vital city, and, after moving
candle makers and small-batch whiskeys.’ speak German – her father never spoke it to LA, which is very much a one-industry
at home – so she asked our waitress if she town, trips to New York felt like a relief. There
Name a place that lived up to the hype? could translate, and we talked about the are a million different industries, a million
‘Paris. The first time I went, I was 14, pro- town, and they wrote down the recipe, which different passions and careers and people.’
moting a film I did with Gérard Depardieu meant so much to her. I was probably
called My Father the Hero, which I the most stressed out I’ve ever been at the Item you most like to find in the minibar?
rewatched recently with my kids, thinking time. The film I was promoting wasn’t doing ‘My go-to drink day to day is a Dirty
it would be a fun, kid kind of movie… well. I wasn’t expecting anything from Martini… well, not my day to day, unless it’s
wow… it would not be made today. A very the first three months of lockdown when,
strange concept of a young girl pretending actually, it probably was. But when I’m on
her father is her lover to impress an older
‘THERE’S A KNITTING holiday I want to drink whatever the area
boy… But! I went there to promote it and STORE IN NEW YORK CITY is known for, so in Paris it’s Champagne and
it blew my mind. I was the child who went THAT’S LIKE CRACK in London I order gin cocktails.’
to Disneyland Paris instead of the Louvre,
but I made up for it by doing the cultural side TO ME. I WALK IN AND MY Your road most travelled?
as an adult. I promised my almost-12-year- HEART FLUTTERS’ ‘To Punta Mita in Mexico. We go to a villa
old daughter that for one big birthday, called Casa Tres Soles. The first time I went
maybe her 16th, I will take her to Paris, too.’ the trip, then we got there and it was such with my whole family, thinking, this is so
a meaningful experience. I’m so grateful extravagant and I don’t know that I’ve ever
Where in the world have you felt happiest? I had it, because it defined the trip for me thrown down that much for a vacation. But
‘Here in Utah. We live in a relatively secluded instead of that failing movie.’ it was worth it. I just want to sit by the pool
area, with not a lot of people around. There with a book and have conversations and
is a spot I hike to, where I can look out over What kind of globetrotter are you? morning Margaritas with my mother. We
the whole valley and the mountains, and it’s ‘I’m generally pretty pleased to be travelling have karaoke nights and amazing dinners.’
there I feel most content. We have five unless I find myself getting pushed into
dogs, three cats, and then at our ranch down something I don’t want to do. For example, Restaurant for a blow-out feast?
the road, horses, donkeys, goats, pigs and the first time I went to Jackson Hole was ‘Oh man, this is pretentious. Please forgive
chickens. It’s pretty heavenly. How did we with friends who are more outdoorsy than me, but it’s The French Laundry in Napa. A
end up in Utah? I like the woods, I even like I am. I knew they wanted to hike through meal there is more expensive than an iPad, so
the weather, and it was always really con- Yellowstone and so I “forgot” to bring my you’ve got to really love food to go for it. I like
venient for me to get to from Los Angeles, sneakers. “Sorry guys, you go on, and I’ll the creative genius of its chef, Thomas Keller.’
so we started spending more and more time be at Persephone Bakery having a latte and
PHOTOGRAPH: ALEX CAYLEY/TRUNK ARCHIVE
here, then decided to move.’ reading a book.” As long as I stay true to who How do you relax?
I am, and what I need to get from the expe- ‘Reading takes me out of the daily respon-
The best place to shop? rience, which is generally some peace and sibilities that tend to overwhelm me. I’m
‘There is a knitting store in New York City some beauty, then I’m never disappointed.’ really into crystals, so I love a crystal bath.
called Purl Soho and it’s like crack to me. And then meditation. Well, I’m going to be
I walk in and my heart flutters. There are First trip without your parents? really honest, it’s taking a nap, but I call it
rows and rows of beautiful yarns organised ‘When I was doing Grey’s Anatomy, I trav- meditation and tell myself it was healing.’
by colours and weight. It evokes so much elled with my co-star TR Knight to Mexico.
creativity. I think the woman who owns it It was amazing. We were on a budget, Katherine Heigl stars in ‘Firefly Lane’, out
used to work for Martha Stewart – she has because it was the first season of the show, worldwide on Netflix on 3 February. She
exquisite attention to detail.’ so we bought a bunch of duty-free alcohol was speaking to Francesca Babb

Clockwise from left: Nam
interiors store; The Walcot,
a restaurant on dynamic
Walcot Street; Oak restaurant
owners Richard Buckley and
Beckie Rogers; early-morning
light in Bath; fallow deer at
The Elder; flower stall near
Pulteney Bridge; No 8 Holland
Street furniture shop
T H E S TAYC AT I O N B AT H
AN EDGIER BUZZ IS BUBBLING UP IN
THE THERMAL SPA TOWN AS ITS
CRINOLINE-CURVED GEORGIAN STREETS
NOW HIDE FRESH SECRETS
BY CLAUDIA PUGH-THOMAS.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY TOBY MITCHELL

I moved to bath in the summer of 2011 after UNUSUAL BAKES contemporary art, pottery, jewellery and
five years in Dubai, seeking everything it Down the road, Landrace Bakery opened textiles. Pick up a striking wood engraving
didn’t have: a small scale, history, country- in 2019, using chemical-free, British-grown of pastoral scenes by Howard Phipps,
side within reach. Museums, theatres, and stone-milled grains for loaves that Cornelius Van Dop’s little hinged boxes
galleries; festivals year round. Wild swim- sell out as quickly as they are made. Winter cast in metal and limed-wood bowls from
ming in the River Avon and paddleboarding brings trays of toasty plum Bakewell Astrid De Groot. Nearby, it’s no surprise
along the Kennet and Avon Canal. tarts and Eccles cakes; in summer, salad that the Francis Gallery, set up by Cereal
By the time I arrived I’d walked up and leaves and fresh tomatoes arrive by bicycle magazine co-founder Rosa Park and
down Walcot Street virtually many times, from nearby Undercliff Urban Farm. But furniture maker Fred Rigby, has a pared-
anticipating getting my hair cut at Melanie it’s the bacon sandwiches – topped with a back vibe. Similar in spirit to Kettle’s
Giles and coffee at Sam’s Kitchen (now dollop of rhubarb ketchup – that the café Yard in Cambridge, it displays works by
Landrace Bakery) while waiting to collect is rightly famous for. Keep an eye out for emerging names from France, Korea, the
my pictures from The Framing Workshop. Landrace Lates, when the scene spills UK and USA in a domestic setting on
After the anonymity of the UAE, the city’s outside with slices of pizza and European the ground floor of a Grade II-listed
independent boutiques and individual wine. landracebakery.com Georgian townhouse (the title’s offices are
shopkeepers were a lifeline. The Roman upstairs), furnished sparingly and painted
Baths and classic architecture, instantly INDIE ROASTERS in muted tones, the elegant cornicing
recognisable from the Circus and Royal As Landrace is to bread, so Colonna and picked out in white. galleryninebath.com,
Crescent, a refreshing shot of antiquity. Small’s is to coffee. Beans change weekly francisgallery.co
Historically, Bath was fêted for this spirit; with the harvesting seasons, their tasting
a city with the feel of a village, grand but notes chalked up on the wall of this airy COOL CONCEPT STORES
compact, traditional but not tiresomely so temple to the brew. The cinnamon and red- At elegant, ever-changing Nam, Sharan
– though more recently that image had been apple undertones of Costa Rica’s Cordillera Kaur curates objects that she loves – black
threatened by the creeping proliferation of del Fuego are just the thing to pep up terracotta vessels by Astier de Villatte;
generic chains, especially at the bottom spirits on a cold, dark morning. Plus, it’s John Derian’s decorative découpage glass
of town near the railway station. But now, possible to recreate the experience at trays; Cire Trudon candles – as well as a
beyond the photogenic edifices and among home with the Opal One capsule machine rotating collection of antique furniture
the labyrinthine cobbled streets, its soul that’s stocked here. colonnacoffee.com against a its plaster-pink walls. It is a
is slowly being rekindled, stoked by a new brilliant spot to, as Kaur puts it, ‘invest in
generation of Bathonians who don’t want INTERNATIONAL INTERIORS the bones of your material possessions –
their home to be a living museum – 18th Housed in a sensitively restored space on both precious and everyday, the things you
century preserved in aspic – but a hub Margaret’s Buildings, Berdoulat is a design carry with you through your life’.There is
where design-minded folk can overlay their practice and family base for interiors whizz a similar ethos at fashion and home shop
own aesthetic while adopting the role of Patrick Williams and his wife Neri. Their Found. It gathers together a clever line-up
custodians of the very essence of the place. collection of homeware, with references to of pieces from niche global brands such as
18th- and 19th-century styles and their own East London-based LF Markey’s colour-
SMART STATIONERY French and Turkish backgrounds, recently pop boiler suits and butter-soft leather
Long the locus of workshops here, Walcot launched online. Desirable items include bucket bags from New Zealand label
Street has an industrious energy that is a Tuscan pepper mill and a set of Irish- Deadly Ponies. instagram.com/namstore_
as alive today as it was in Roman times. linen napkins in keepsake boxes covered bath, foundbath.co.uk
Although blacksmiths and stonemasons with hand-marbled paper. The physical
have now been replaced by bespoke store is set to open here this spring; until PRINTED WORD
letterpresses and artisan traders. At then Tobias Vernon’s 8 Holland Street With more than 55,000 books arranged on
Meticulous Ink, complex origami shapes occupies the spot with its combination of oak shelves, the highest accessed by library
ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPH: RICH STAPLETON
in vibrant shades hang in the window, antique and modern ceramics, lamps, rugs ladders, Topping and Company has such a
while every available surface inside the and paintings. berdoulat.co.uk, 8holland large offering that readers can browse for
tiny space is filled with India calligraphy street.com hours here. It’s something of a cultural hub
inks, foil-embossed correspondence cards, – with reading groups, subscriptions and
German pens and custom notebooks ART AND CRAFTS a packed calendar of author events – never
produced in house on Heidelberg presses. Also on Margaret’s Buildings, Gallery more so than in autumn when the store
meticulousink.com Nine showcases a thoughtful range of holds its own literary festival. A few doors
Opposite, clockwise from top left: seating at The Elder restaurant; Nam homeware; bedroom at No 5 Pierrepont St hotel; honey-coloured
Bath-stone buildings; preparing loaves at Landrace Bakery; cards at Found; the Francis Gallery co-founder Rosa Park; dishes at Noya’s Kitchen
including beef pho, summer rolls, pork dumplings, sweetcorn fritters and chicken curry; artwork at the Francis Gallery

ingredients. Plates are confident, hearty
and unmistakably British: truffles come
from Wiltshire’s woodlands, butter from
Somerset and venison, the axis on which
the menu turns, from Owl Barn Larder in
Gloucestershire. Diners begin each feast
by dipping hunks of crusty bread into
glasses of Bull Shot, head chef Gavin
Edney’s signature beef-and-venison broth.
theelder.co.uk
COUNTRY SUPPERS
On paper, the prospect of dining in a one-
time cowshed not far from a natural burial
meadow might not sound particularly
appealing. But Castle Farm in Midford, a
10-minute drive south of the town centre,
is unmissable. The food, farmed, foraged,
local and sustainably sourced, and served
in a laidback, slightly ramshackle metal
barn, is the work of Pravin Nayar, former
head chef of The Talbot Inn in Mells,
and his wife Leah. Nayar takes inspiration
from his Asian and Scandinavian back-
ground, whipping up roti and coconut
curry as well as Chalk Stream trout with
heritage tomatoes and brown butter.
Meanwhile, supper clubs explore different
themes, from the Middle East to Mexico,
Oktoberfest to the films of Wes Anderson.
castlefarmmidford.co.uk
WHERE TO STAY
Eight by name, eight by nature. This eight-
bedroom hotel, which always has eight
dishes on the menu at its restaurant (slated
to reopen in 2021), was launched in 2018
by Nathalie Brown and her partner, chef
down, Magalleria is further testament to butternut squash, sage and Parmesan, and Fred Lavault, following a stint running
the enduring allure of print. This magazine fat polenta chips with garlic mayonnaise, properties in London and Aix-en-Provence.
nirvana has an extraordinary selection of so moreish that one portion isn’t enough. There are interesting artworks and jars of
international and leftfield editions, current At Noya’s Kitchen, Vietnamese chef Noya homemade shortbread in the rooms; the
and back issues, grouped in subjects from Pawlyn has graduated from pop-up supper highest ones, tucked under the eaves, are
fashion and beauty to maps and guides and clubs to this homely, plant-filled dining the cosiest. History is built into the fabric
piled high on tables and shelves. From their room, where she turns out fresh and zingy of the place, with a deep-blue, candlelit bar
beds by the front door, shop dogs Enzo and summer rolls, Hue chicken salad and bun that was once a medieval refectory for the
Alfie observe with measured detachment. cha. Book ahead for Thursday and Saturday monks of Bath Abbey. Here, regulars and
toppingbooks.co.uk, magalleria.co.uk pho nights and Pawlyn’s cookery classes. visitors sip cocktails beside cavernous open
oakrestaurant.co.uk, noyaskitchen.co.uk fireplaces. For the ultimate experience of
BOLD FLAVOURS Georgian architecture, however, take the
The menu at smart vegetarian joint Oak BRITISH FARE run of No 5 Pierrepont Street – under
(previously Acorn, naturally enough), set The Elder restaurant sits within the newly the umbrella of Hotel Indigo Bath – which
inside one of Bath’s oldest buildings, shifts opened Hotel Indigo on South Parade in mixes period grandeur with flashes of
with the crops of the season, much of a handsome 18th-century terrace designed colour and playful nods to the city’s past,
which is grown at its small, chemical- by John Wood the Elder (hence the name). riffing on debutantes and Austen. Doubles
free market garden just outside the city. It blends energetic bustle with serious from £110; eightinbath.co.uk. Doubles from
Winter dishes include flatbreads laden with cooking, using wild and ethically harvested £149; bath.hotelindigo.com
Above, clockwise from top left: monkfish saltimbocca with slow-cooked red peppers and roasted artichokes at The Walcot; Landrace Bakery owner
Andrew Wokes; speciality chocolate at Found concept store; the minimalist, Korean-inspired interior of the Francis Gallery

TR AV E L L E R PA RT N E R S H I P S
Clockwise from top: Alpine
splendour; elegant rooms;
gourmet cuisine; welcoming
interiors; breathtaking vistas
PEAK PERFECTION
Even with the mighty Matterhorn as a dramatic backdrop,
The Omnia stands out in all its stylish serenity, making it
one of the classiest boltholes in the Swiss Alps
Drawing on the legacy of modernist greats such the stage for the outdoor whirlpool, where you
as Mies van der Rohe, New York-based architect can lie in warm bubbling water, transfixed by
Ali Tayar created a harmonious hideaway that the magnificent sight of the Matterhorn. Then
instantly instils a feeling of utter relaxation. slip into the steam room and Finnish sauna
Custom-made furnishings come mainly from before having a massage on a heated lounger.
local craftspeople in the Valais region, in
keeping with Tayar’s motto, “everything finds its The senses are teased even further in The
way back to its origins”. Warm pale oak, granite Omnia’s restaurant, whose innovative cuisine
and leather dominate the uncluttered modernist using exquisite local ingredients has earned
interiors, creating a soothing effect in the hotel’s the chefs a Michelin star. That will be your
30 exceptionally spacious guest rooms. reward after spending the day skiing on
T
he Omnia is the classy, five-star result Zermatt’s immaculate slopes at the foot of the
of what happens when you take an Curl up in front of the large stone fireplace in Matterhorn. Here in one of the most appealing
American-style mountain lodge and give the cosy library or soak up the mountain views villages in the Swiss Alps, The Omnia shows
it a European makeover in the Swiss Alps. From snuggled under a furry blanket on the huge sun how American modernism and Alpine chic
its wooded perch overlooking the centre of terrace. The pampering continues in the spa, can make the perfect design partnership.
Zermatt, The Omnia’s glass and wooden façade where Zermatt’s captivating mountains are on
easily holds its own against the mesmerising full display as you swim in the indoor pool Further Information
sight of the Matterhorn’s jagged peak. framed by floor-to-ceiling windows. That sets Visit the-omnia.com
T R AV E L L E R PARTNERSHIPS
GREEK
TREASURE
Chic and discreet, Porto Zante Villas & Spa
RQ=DN\QWKRVLVRQHRI(XURSH¶V¿QHVWDQG
most private beachfront hideaways
S
ituated at the south of the Ionian Clockwise from left:
archipelago, Zakynthos – also known world-famous Navagio
Beach; Porto Zante
as Zante – embodies the very best of the
viewed from the
Greek islands, with its sandy shores bordering water; a villa bedroom;
the turquoise waters of the Ionian sea contemporary Asian
and beachfront buzz balanced by pristine restaurant Maya; sun,
wilderness, rolling olive groves, rural villages sea and water sports;
and an easy pace of life. the Royal Infinity Villa
Travel insiders fizz about the discreet gem on

the verdant east coast that is Porto Zante Villas
& Spa, an immaculate villa-hotel with levels of
privacy and service rarely matched in Europe.
Praise for the resort is effusive – fans love the
unrivalled location, the relaxed vibe, the
elegant accommodation – but the secret is well
and truly out: among a lengthy list of accolades,
Porto Zante Villas & Spa was named one of the
Best Hotels in the World on Condé Nast Traveller’s
2020 Gold List.
Porto Zante Villas & Spa’s immediate appeal

is obvious: its epic location above the Ionian
Sea is unmatched. Nine one-, two-, three- and
four-bedroom villas – perfect for couples or
families – are secluded among colourful,
cascading gardens and palm trees looking
out over the sparkling waters to neighbouring
Kefalonia. Inside, the villas befit the heads of
state, business leaders and artists who have Should you wish to venture further afield,
all stayed here. Each is spacious, supremely choose from horse-riding on empty beaches,
comfortable and immaculately furnished in snorkelling trips or private cruises to secluded
Armani Casa, with works by Greek artists, parts of the island. Don’t miss the intriguing
as well as fine cutlery, glasses and porcelain. Venetian villages (the legacy of Zakynthos’s
There are state-of-the-art entertainment one-time occupiers) and Shipwreck Beach, aka
systems by Bang & Olufsen and bathroom Navagio Beach, which is recognised as one of
amenities are by Bulgari. the world’s finest. On Turtle Island, you can
spot protected Caretta Caretta sea turtles; or
The newest accommodation, the 200sq m head north to Skinari and take a boat through
Royal Infinity Villa, sleeps up to seven and the mysterious Blue Caves. One of the best day
has two master bedrooms with walk-in dressing trips is to Ancient Olympia, where you will
rooms, three bathrooms bedecked in antique travel by private speedboat across the Ionian
Dionysian marble and two Jacuzzis. Outside, Sea to Katakolo port, followed by a private
a 60m private, heated swimming pool, limousine to the birthplace of the Olympic
surrounded by yellow umbrellas and sun Games. Always setting the gold standard,
loungers, is a focal point, while private stairs Porto Zante Villas & Spa is a winner.
lead directly to the resort’s sandy beach.
Further Information
As a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the Visit portozante.com, email reservations@
World, Porto Zante Villas & Spa combines the portozante.com or call + 30 210 8218640 or
exclusivity of a private home with five-star-hotel 020 8882 6767 from the UK
services and facilities. The Waterfront Spa offers
more than 20 revitalising therapies inspired and
infused by Greek nature, and you can also enjoy
treatments in the seclusion of your own villa.
Dining is a beachfront affair. The Club

House Restaurant offers relaxed Greek and
Mediterranean fare, with live music in the
adjoining bar, while Maya Restaurant serves
contemporary Asian cuisine, with fillets and
steaks grilled on a charcoal barbecue and sushi
and sashimi made from fish sourced directly
from local fishermen. A la carte in-villa dining
is also available 24 hours a day.
Families are more than welcome, too, with

everything you can think of provided. There’s
a kids’ club offering water sports, a children’s
playground and even a large waterpark just
200m away. Cots, stairgates, highchairs and
pushchairs are available in-villa, free of charge:
there are even armbands and inflatables for the
pools. For older children and adults who like to
keep active, there’s stand-up paddle-boarding,
cycling, diving, table tennis and tennis nearby,
as well as a gym by Technogym.
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STYLE IN THE CITY CASTAWAY BLISS LONDON CALLING

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T H E TA B L E TO B O O K A N I E M E Y E R - D E S I G N E D O R B
HOW THE LEGENDARY ARCHITECT’S VISION TURNED A FACTORY CANTEEN INTO AN INCREDIBLE PLACE TO EAT
A year before his death in 2012 aged 104, architect Oscar

Niemeyer received a letter from Ludwig Koehne, a German
crane manufacturer, requesting he design ‘an intimate yet
spacious restaurant with a special view’ in Leipzig. The letter was
part of Koehne’s plan to hold on to his brilliant canteen chef
Tibor Herzigkeit who was growing tired of cooking for 100-plus
employees daily and wanted to move into the restaurant world (he
was already drawing an excited crowd of paying customers to the
cafeteria set in the factory’s old boiler building). Surprisingly,
perhaps, the Brazilian architect said yes and the space-age
sphere is believed to have been one of his final sketches. It took
almost nine years to create, but now a curved staircase leads
visitors from a lower hemisphere bar to the bright, open room in
the upper half of the gravity-defying space that looks out over
the city. At Céu (sky in Portuguese), Herzigkeit finally has the
opportunity to experiment. Using ingredients from a rooftop
garden next door, he shines a light on vegetables in his seasonal
PHOTOGRAPH: FELIX ADLER
10-course menu that spans the globe – hopping from a local

allerlei pot stew to a black-bean feijoada in honour of Niemeyer
and an exhilarating dish of pear juice with shaved ice and
chilli, which recalls memories of summer popsicles. Not only is
this the region’s most exciting new architectural landmark
but the most talked-about restaurant to open here in a decade.
FLORIAN SIEBECK technesphere.de /ceu

T H E F E A S T OYS T E R S
SIMPLE YET SPOILING, THE GNARLIEST SHELLFISH OF ALL HAS HAULED IN A FRESH CATCH OF FANS
BY JOANNA WEINBERG
YOU NEVER FORGET your first encounter with

an oyster. Mine was on a childhood visit
to my South African grandmother. At a
little clapboard café outside Knysna, on the
Garden Route, a plastic tray of shimmering
pale grey and creamy white in pearlescent
shells. I prodded one – there was no way
I was going in.
In the 1800s, with the arrival of sophisti-
cated farming methods, oysters became a
food for all. In London, sellers would walk
around flogging a couple of dozen to big
households on the servants’ night off. The
city’s legendary fish restaurants J Sheekey,
Rules and Wheeler’s all began as oyster bars.
By 1910, the British government estimated
that the industry was the most important in
the world. In New York the lower Hudson
had 350 square miles of beds producing what
was thought to be half of the planet’s output
– with single specimens measuring nearly a
foot across. Cheap and nutritious, they were
sold on street corners along with corn and
peanuts. The legend that Aphrodite was born
from the sea in the shell of an oyster informed
the idea of its aphrodisiac powers.
Oysters have an extraordinary capacity
to filter water. Left to their own devices, they
were at one point able to clean all the water
in New York Harbor within days, but by 1927
the beds were closed due to pollution and
overfishing. The traditional rule – to consume
them only when there is an ‘R’ in the month
– allows wild oysters to replenish their stocks
during the summer spawning period. But
due to rising water temperatures it’s now
THE PREPARATION widely accepted that October, rather than
September, is the beginning of the season.
You’ll probably mess up about three oysters before you get the hang of it, but In the early 20th century, over-harvesting
it’s worth getting over the fear of shucking. Some bars tip away the briny presented the possibility of extinction.
liquid, while others think it’s key to the experience. Just follow these steps:
However, through careful management and
O Take an oyster knife and a thick cloth, folded, to protect your hand. the introduction of the meaty rock oyster
O Hold the knife close to the blade and give the hinge of the shell a variety from Japan, which grows extremely
little wiggle until you feel a slight release of pressure. fast year round, the global population has
O Twist the knife to open the shell, then run it along the top to
stabilised and is increasingly protected.
cut the muscle so you can open it.
O Wipe the knife to make sure there’s no grit on it.
And so this mollusc has firmly established
O Loosen the oyster by cutting the muscle underneath.
itself at the crossroads of style, sustenance
O Suck into your mouth and chew a couple of times to release the and sustainability. A new generation in search
briny flavours before swallowing. Serve au naturel, with a squeeze of of extravagant but guilt-free dining –the
lemon, a dash of tabasco or a simple mignonette of finely chopped oyster does not have a central nervous system
shallots in vinegar with a pinch of salt and sugar. – has emerged, sealing its reputation as a
cult food for good.

THE RESTAURANTS
Essential pit-stops chosen by Simon Lamont, head chef of
Raw Bar at Seabird, home to London’s longest oyster menu
The Company Shed, Essex

‘An old hut just down the slipway in Colchester, with the farm
a shell’s throw from where you’re sitting. Bring your own
bread and wine and they will supply the rest – Maldon oysters
and a half-pint of prawns.’ thecompanyshed.co
Moran’s Oyster Cottage, Ireland

‘Order a creamy stout at this spot on a weir in County
Galway to accompany the chewy and plump native rock
oysters. Buttery and delicious.’ moransoystercottage.com
Swan Oyster Depot, San Francisco

‘Go for the tasty Olympias – still a working-class meal and part
of the local vernacular – washed down with a beer. It’s a tradition
that dates back to the Gold Rush days.’ +1 415 673 1101
34 Degrees South, South Africa

‘Loiter at this Knysna pub with a crisp glass of Chenin
Blanc and a no-fuss, no-frills tray of oysters. From the deck
you can see the beds down the road where they’re harvested.
Cancel the rest of the day.’ 34south.biz
Ondine, Scotland
‘This Edinburgh classic serves a variety from Cumbrae
with chipolata sausages straight from the grill.
Mushroomy and peaty, they’re the Scotch whisky of the
oyster world.’ ondinerestaurant.co.uk
Clockwise from opposite:

broiled oysters with fennel;
menus at The Company
Shed; Moran’s Oyster Cottage;
half-shell; Seabird; oyster
seasonings including
black sea salt, juniper berry
and poppy seed
THE PAIRINGS
GRAUBART/TRUNK ARCHIVE; ZAIRA ZAROTTI/@THEFREAKYTABLE
SEABIRD MANAGER ALEXANDRE DURAND’S MUST-TRY DRINKS SELECTION

PHOTOGRAPHS: JAMIE CHUNG/TRUNK ARCHIVE; AARON
DOMAINE DE LA PEPIERE Clos des Briords 2018 Muscadet

(£17.25, thegoodwineshop.co.uk)
‘As close to a perfect combination as you can get – fresh, light and crisp.’
CHRISTIAN DUCROUX Prologue 2018 Beaujolais (£19.75, fourthandchurch.co.uk)

‘A juicy red-fruit wine with minerality and smooth tannins that play nicely
alongside the oysters. Refrigerate for 15 minutes before opening.’
LAHERTE FRERES Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature NV Champagne

(£44.95, thewhiskyexchange.com)
‘An unmissable biodynamic vintage full of character. It shows fine
bubbles and has great acidity to cut through the brine.’
THE KERNEL BREWERY Export India Porter (£3.30, noblegreenwines.co.uk)

‘The oysters’ saltiness reduces the bitter notes of the beer and
showcases its flavour, creating a mellow taste.’
T HE D R I N K N E X T - L E V E L L I Q U O R
EX-NOMA DISCIPLES GET DISTILLING TO CREATE ALTERNATIVE TIPPLES WITH OUT-THERE
COMPONENTS INCLUDING CHICKEN SKIN AND WILD BEACH ROSES. BY STEVE KING
The blurring of distinctions is certainly one of the consequences and His Stupid Fucking Wall’, a subtler concoction than its name
of drinking spirits. But it could also be the future of making spirits. suggests, which gets its delicate spiciness from habanero vinegar
A future, that is, in which established practices are abandoned, with and lends itself nicely to a perky, smoothie-like cocktail (see below).
novel techniques and unfamiliar tastes taking their place. Whether or not this is the future of the industry remains to be
No producer is doing more to explore this possibility than seen. At the very least it is a witty reminder of something that most
Empirical, a small Danish company co-founded by Lars Williams of us know perfectly well already but are happy to discover anew
and Mark Emil Hermansen. Not insignificantly, both men come at around five o’clock most evenings: a good drink – however you
from a foodie background. They met at Noma in Copenhagen and, make it and whatever you wish to call it – tastes fantastic.
when the restaurant closed temporarily in 2017, set up their venture Empirical is stocked by Hedonism ine (hedonism.co.uk)
to find out what would happen if they applied Noma-like principles
– local, seasonal, flavour-driven, meticulous, provocative, unbound THE RECIPE
by convention – to the creation of spirits.
PHOTOGRAPH: TIM SPREADBURY
First comes the double-fermented clear koji – the pure essence 50ml ‘Fuck Trump and His Stupid Fucking Wall’ Empirical spirit
of Empirical that draws on Eastern and Western know-how. Then 150g watermelon
comes the real exotica: oysters and plum kernels are just a few of juice of half a lime (about 12ml)
the ingredients to have made their way through the high-pressure, 1 pinch sal de gusano
low-temperature stills. The results resist easy description. They are
Use a blender to mix the spirit, watermelon and lime
alcoholic drinks, yes, but there the similarity with whisky, gin,
juice. Strain into a glass over ice and mix. Add a pinch of salt
rum or vodka – or sake, beer, wine, or any other formally distinct and garnish with a watermelon wedge.
category – ends. Empirical scored a great hit with ‘Fuck Trump

ENJOY THE SILENCE

Serenity is the watchword at Castello di Casalborgone – a grand,
elegant retreat that promises to inspire, refresh and restore
S
et amid the rolling Piedmont hills, close The Castello’s interiors offer a fascinating As you’d hope from an Italian escape, fine
to Turin, Castello di Casalborgone is an experience for design lovers and history buffs. food and an extensive wine library receive
Italian Downton Abbey, a marvel of Its 10 bedrooms have an intimate feel, each top billing at the Castello. Chef Eugenio
beautiful historical details, exemplary service designed individually and furnished with Cannoni has tailored a menu that celebrates
and tranquillity. Once home to Italian distinctive lighting and handpicked antiques. the plentiful bounties of the region with a
aristocracy, it has recently been restored after There is a wealth of period details and focus on seasonal ingredients, to which he
lying empty for decades, and is full of incredible architectural features to explore, including applies innovative techniques to create
treasures, from 300-year-old tapestries and a bell tower, grand hall, a lovingly restored classic dishes with a contemporary twist.
Baccarat chandeliers to candlestick holders library, a cosy bar and an imposing drawing Eat, relax, explore and reboot in style: this
dating back to the last kings of Iran. Owner room. Standing proudly on a hilltop, the truly one-off property will revive your senses
Gary Douglas made it his mission to create a Castello has far-reaching views of the and deliver you back to daily life with a
refined sanctuary with relaxation, indulgence traditional terracotta-tiled rooftops of the sense of peace and equilibrium.
and reconnection in mind, and has achieved village of Casalborgone beneath and the
exactly that. Guests come here to immerse undulating landscape beyond. Its gardens
themselves in this enchanting space, swapping have been thoughtfully planted to provide Further Information
the strains of the urban bustle for the leisurely space to rejuvenate and relax amid fruit Visit castellodicasalborgone.com
pleasures of life lived the Italian way. trees, flowers and pines. or call +39 3456 289 769
TH E C U R E F OOD AS M E D I C I N E
AN ACCLAIMED KITCHEN INNOVATOR FLIPS HIS SKILLS TO COOK UP THE ULTIMATE HEALING DISHES
When chef Mike Bagale left Chicago’s smartest restaurant, Alinea, in 2018 he was ready for something new. After almost a decade
spent creating hundreds of dishes, including his famous edible floating balloon made from sugar syrup and fruit essences, he was done
with gimmicks; he wanted to move on from tasting menus that favoured flavour over nutrition and left diners sluggish. Based on an idea
sparked by the bone broths he was cooking at home, Bagale set up Super Food Concepts and travelled the world developing avant-garde
dishes as a consultant. He believes the pandemic could be the wake-up call needed to embrace ingredients that some cultures have been
using as medicine for centuries. ‘Time and health are the most priceless commodities on the planet. Without health, you have nothing.’
THE BEST HEALTH-ENHANCING INGREDIENTS
ADAPTOGENIC MUSHROOMS all considered good fats providing digestive support, this oil is more
It has been shown that fungi such as cordyceps, chaga and reishi – part concentrated in MCTs for efficient fat-burning. Bagale makes a salad
of the adaptogen family that also includes holy basil and other herbs – help dressing combining it with apple-cider vinegar, olive oil and mustard.
the body to manage the release of the stress hormone cortisol. They
can be added whole to soups or mixed in powdered form into smoothies TURMERIC
with avocado and cocoa. Bagale recommends lion’s mane mushrooms, Long praised in India for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties,
which contain compounds that play a role in stimulating brain-cell this spice has gone mainstream in recent years. What most people
regeneration. Named after their pom-pom-like flowing white fungus don’t know is that it should be eaten with a sprinkling of black pepper,
mane, they grow in North America and taste like seafood. which slows the breakdown of the active ingredient curcumin in the
liver, making it easier for the body to access. Cooking at a high
MARSHMALLOW ROOT heat reduces the effect, so turmeric is best eaten raw or prepared at
Containing antioxidant-rich mucilage, a sap-like substance, this a lower temperature. Bagale juices it fresh before freezing it as
plant aids pain relief and has long been used for skin irritation and ice cubes and mixing it with MCT oil, passionfruit and orange juice.
coughs. A predecessor of the gelatine that goes into the confectionery
of the same name, it has a cool, slightly bitter flavour, sometimes with FRESH FLOWERS
notes of vanilla. Bagale serves his roasted duck with a sauce containing While many restaurants garnish plates with petals for effect, Bagale
marshmallow root as well as ginger, to ease digestion, and liquorice only includes fresh blooms and herbs that have clear benefits. Holy
PHOTOGRAPH: HOLLY FARRIER
root, which has antimicrobial properties and eases stomach pains. basil – which is considered sacred in India – has a peppery taste and can
alleviate anxiety, while chrysanthemum is a staple in Chinese medicine
MCT OIL for everything from cold relief to soothing inflammation. The sunshine-
The term ‘medium-chain triglycerides’ may sound unappetising, coloured pot marigold is full of antioxidants and carotenoids, a type of
but this product commonly derived from coconut oil converts to phytonutrient that’s key to boosting the immune system and reducing the
ketone, a chemical that breaks down fats in the liver, improving energy damage caused by free radicals. Bagale suggests growing herbs at home
levels and brain function. While butter, coconut and olive oil are and adding flowers to salads, teas and tinctures. LAURA PRICE

PURE AND need some encouragement from a personal

trainer to get you going, join one of the
complimentary daily fitness classes and enjoy
SIMPLE the Ionian Sea as your backdrop.

After all that exercise, take a relaxing dip in
one of F Zeen Retreat’s three pools and lap up
Rejuvenate the senses at F Zeen in Kefalonia, those sea views. Those staying in one of the 15
where you can enjoy discreet indulgence in suites will also have their very own pool. And,
an enchanting natural setting of course, the clear waters of Lourdas Beach
are just waiting for you in front of the resort,
where you’ll also find sunloungers reserved
exclusively for guests and waiters on hand to
bring you drinks and snacks.
At the retreat’s two restaurants, the food
F
Zeen has a beguiling way of wrapping has only travelled from as far as the hotel’s
you up in a comforting cocoon of utter garden and the sea to reach your plate. Enjoy
tranquillity. Surrounded by six acres of seasonal, healthy Greek cuisine made from an
fragrant gardens, with the sparkling waters abundance of olives, vegetables and fruit as you
of Greece’s Ionian Sea below, this family-run soak up those Ionian views. Finish the evening
boutique hotel in southern Kefalonia is a place curled up on a huge comfy beanbag at the
of peace. For adults only, and with 61 rooms outdoor cinema and watch films under the stars.
and two private villas, F Zeen revives the mind F Zeen is the ancient Greek for “the good
and body in a sublimely serene setting. life”, and the taste of it at this exquisite retreat
Start the morning with a gently invigorating is about as sweet as you can get.
free yoga class on one of the three outdoor
decks, or head to the beach for a jog along the Further Information
sands. Sea breezes will keep you refreshed while Visit fzeenretreat.com, call 020 7183 5383
you do your workout in the outdoor gym. If you or email reservations@fzeen.net
T HE F L AVO UR HUN T ER E D V E R N E R
HIS GENRE-BUSTING AUCKLAND RESTAURANT THRILLED CRITICS, NOW THE RISK-TAKING CHEF IS FERMENTING
AND PLAYING WITH FIRE AT CONCEPT COCKTAIL BAR BOXER. HERE ARE HIS FAVOURITE GLOBAL FINDS
MUTTONBIRD FROM THE TITI ISLANDS

‘The Maori hunt these a few weeks each year off the coast
of New Zealand’s Stewart Island. I get the meat, which
tastes like anchovies, fresh and then age it for four weeks
before cooking it over flames – similar to what you would
do with a game bird – and serve with acid berries.’
KAWAKAWA FROM AUCKLAND

‘This plant’s flavour is a mix of green peppercorn and citrus.
I salt the berries so they’re almost like capers and use
them to season kimchi and cocktails. Kawakawa is prevalent
around Auckland. I get mine from a nearby forest.’
WOODCRAFT BY JONAS ALS IN DENMARK

‘The chopsticks and bowls used at Boxer come from
this Copenhagen brand. Als makes them from black-walnut
wood and adds a really interesting milk-based paint.
His work is stunning – it’s all slightly irregular.’
SAZAE NO TSUBOYAKI FROM KYOTO

‘A memorable food moment and the highlight of a recent
trip to Japan was standing in Nishiki Market in Kyoto
with an old man, shucking turban-shell sea snails that he
then rough-chopped and served with wasabi.’
IGNI: A RESTAURANT’S FIRST YEAR

BY AARON TURNER
‘Chef Turner’s book focusing on Igni near Melbourne is as
much about the narrative as it is about recipes. He published
it at a time when I was going through hardships at my
Auckland restaurant Pasture, so I related to the struggles he
experienced during his opening year. It is very honest.’
KING CRAB FROM BURNT ENDS, SINGAPORE

‘The ultimate example of how I want to cook is the king
crab leg dished up at this barbecue joint. It’s the best
PHOTOGRAPHS: JOSH GRIGGS; TESS MAREE; AARON McCLEAN; REBECCA THOMAS

ingredient, prepared respectfully and subtly. Straight off the
fire and covered in butter – it’s just perfection.’
Clockwise from this
picture: Ed Verner;
TEAR PEAS FROM SPAIN
‘Nicknamed green caviar, the little peas are indigenous to
snapper, saffron
the coast of the Basque Country. But I first tried them at
and egg yolk;
Somni restaurant in Beverly Hills. They were plated simply in
abalone cooked in
a light broth to celebrate their beautifully delicate taste.’
kombu; pumpkin
carpaccio, and
interior, all at
BLUE ABALONE FROM NEW ZEALAND
‘It’s farmed in Northland and is extremely tender. Our
Verner’s Pasture
raw preparation at Pasture is inspired by Japanese
restaurant
nigiri sushi. We fold thin slices of the abalone over a base
of spinach that’s been on the fire with yuzu kosho, our
house-made citrus chilli paste.’
RELAE: A BOOK OF IDEAS

BY CHRISTIAN F PUGLISI
‘This cookbook has made many chefs think differently. It has
an original approach to food. For instance, in the smoked-beet
“fish” with elderflower, the beetroot is hydrated and dehydrated
so that its texture is reminiscent of tuna.’ LAUREN HILL

S TAY I N S T Y L E
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THE ESCAPE ROUTES PODCAST
IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE THINKING TRAVELLER
I NT R ODUCIN G TH IS MON TH’S ADV E NT U R E S W I T H T HE I MME RSI V E STO RYT E L LI N G OF

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER’S CONTRIBUTING EDITORS AS PART OF OUR NEW SERIES
PHOTOGRAPHS: CROOKES & JACKSON; SERENA ELLER; ANDERS OVERGAARD; MICHAEL PAUL
CATANIA
WITH CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
JONATHAN BASTABLE
In the shadow of brooding Mount Etna, this
ancient port city on Sicily’s eastern shore
is ‘an architectural riot’, says Bastable, shaped
by an eruption and an earthquake that both
took place in the space of 24 years during the
17th century, leaving it squat and solid, dressed up
in limestone froth and frills. ‘That contrast
might have been very odd and incongruous, like
weight lifters in tutus. But Catania pulls it off,’
he says. Feast on pasta alla Norma, explore
laden markets and feel the hypnotic pull of the
volcano in this sensory Sicilian escape.
The Thinking Traveller has stunning villas on the
coast within striking distance of Catania – find
out more at thethinkingtraveller.com/sicily
A SICILIAN ROAD TRIP
WITH CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
ANTONIA QUIRKE
Journey through a quartet of baroque
beauties – Noto, Scicli, Ragusa
and Modica – with author and BBC
Radio 4 presenter Quirke. ‘Picture
four towns yellow as cider held up to
the light,’ she says. ‘Towns cut off
from the rest of Sicily by geography –
rough mountains and deep ravines
– and yet close enough to visit all in
one day, and within reach of the
sea so you never feel trapped.’ A vivid
portrait of a magnificent, theatrical
spot spinning a thousand tales.
The Thinking Traveller has in-depth
knowledge of the island – find out more
at thethinkingtraveller.com/sicily
MALLORCA
WITH WRITER TARA STEVENS
The biggest of the Balearics is a holiday

hitmaker, but in its north-eastern
corner hides a quieter and mellower
Mallorca, says regular Stevens: ‘How
or why it has managed to remain
under the radar is a mystery. It’s here
that you’ll find the most astonishing
beaches on the isle.’ Join her on a tour
of childhood haunts and go-slow
secrets, plus where to sleep, eat and
get lost amid its time-stood-still charm.
Mallorca is the latest addition to
The Thinking Traveller’s address
book – find out more at
thethinkingtraveller.com/mallorca
H OW TO D OW N LOA D O U R P O D C AST
‘ESCAPE ROUTES’ is available to download now at cntraveller.com/podcast.
This podcast is sponsored by The Thinking Traveller, which has exclusive access to 220 of the Mediterranean’s best holiday villas. It has the unmatched inside
track on Sicily, Puglia, Corsica and Greece’s Ionian and Sporades islands – and from spring 2021, Mallorca – which is why, for the past five years, The Thinking
Traveller has been voted the top villa rental company in our Readers’ Choice Awards. For more details, visit thethinkingtraveller.com or call +44 20 7377 8518.

Discover Milaidhoo
Create your own story of a small island at the heart of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
with a wonderfully vibrant coral reef.
Discover re-invented luxury and spacious outdoor living

in our contemporary, island-inspired villas, where you instantly feel you belong.
Find your place to simply be, to have meaningful experiences
and enjoy barefoot informality.
Start your Milaidhoo Story at www.milaidhoo.com

TRAVELLER PARTNERSHIPS
Honeymoon guide
The best things are always worth waiting for, and your honeymoon
is no exception. From tropical islands to city slickers, whether you’re
seeking adventure, culture or a total escape, we’ve put together our
favourite places for that once-in-a-lifetime trip
WORDS: LAURA ARCHER
Maldives
While the Maldives may have expanded its offering in
recent years to appeal to all types of travellers, it still
remains the quintessential honeymoon destination.
And with its perfect formula of endless white sands,
water so clear it has to be seen to be believed and
exquisite accommodation, it’s not hard to see why
Huvafen Fushi
Approaching its 17th year in the business,
Huvafen Fushi still feels as fresh and in tune
with the needs of modern travellers as many
younger resorts – as its numerous awards
attest. It was the first resort in the country
to have an underwater spa – which still feels
spectacular rather than gimmicky – and has
the world’s only private dining venue beneath
the waves, Immerse...4˚, with views so
jaw-dropping, you might forget to chew.
You can also experience subterranean
gastronomic adventures at Vinum, the
Indian Ocean’s only underground wine cellar
(just wait until you see the Champagne list).
When you eventually surface above ground,
there’s diving, sailing and yoga to enjoy.
Don’t miss a cocktail by the infinity pool,
which at night twinkles with tiny fibre-optic
lights to mimic the star-strewn sky overhead.
huvafenfushi.com
Soneva Jani
Nowhere does fun in the sun quite like Soneva Jani. With
help-yourself cheese, chocolate and charcuterie rooms, walk-in
minibars, retractable bedroom roofs so you don’t need to miss
Joali a minute of sunshine, and even a slide on the side of your villa
If you love the idea of barefoot luxury but don’t want to fully forego for direct access into those beautiful turquoise waters, everything
the chance to get all dressed up – it is your honeymoon, after all – Joali is designed to bring a touch of playfulness to paradise. The decor
offers the best of both worlds. Sip cocktails poolside with your toes in is all sunbleached wood and white linen – the better to bring out
the sand or glam up for dinner in the Japanese restaurant, Saoke, which those incredible blues – and with five islands in this private
floats on the water with endless ocean views. The thatched villas are archipelago, there are plenty of ways to find some quality alone
stylish and contemporary, with hand-carved woods, marble and soft time, whether that’s a sunrise beach breakfast or a midnight
furnishings in subtle sorbet shades, and interactive art installations are stargazing picnic (Soneva Jani has an overwater observatory
dotted throughout the resort. Your jadugar (‘magician’) can arrange and resident astronomers). Simply ask your very own Mr or Ms
dinner à deux on your very own desert island or in Joali’s manta-ray- Friday to arrange it for you. soneva.com
inspired treehouse, a private sunset Champagne cruise on a yacht and
spa treatments in the superb ESPA spa. joali.com
Honeymoon guide
Milaidhoo
Small but perfectly formed, Milaidhoo is one of the more
authentically Maldivian resorts. Neither shouty nor showy,
it aims to showcase small-island living at its finest. Experience
it for yourself at Ba’theli, the main restaurant, spread across
three interlinked replica dhonis (traditional fishing boats) set on
the lagoon and serving up local dishes elevated to fine-dining
standards – think island-spiced yellowfin tuna, lobster curry
and coconut cake with roasted banana ice cream. Work it all
off with a dip in the crystal waters: Milaidhoo is located in the
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll so the marine life is
incredible, with world-class snorkelling and diving on the house
reef just a flipper’s length from shore. And for a lasting memory
of your time here, honeymooners can have a star named after
them – you’ll be given the coordinates so you can find it in the
night sky for all the years to come. milaidhoo.com
Ozen Reserve Bolifushi

This new kid on the block is set to make waves thanks
to its supremely elegant design, vibrant house reef
and ‘anything, anytime’ all-inclusive approach to
ultra luxury. Sybarites will be well and truly indulged,
from the in-villa maxi bar, restocked twice daily with
Champagne, wines and beers, to the overwater spa
where blissful treatments use coconut oil made on the
island. There’s a wine library housing 2,000 bottles,
impressive dining options ranging from haute cuisine
to Indian thalis, every type of water sport you could
think of and even an 85ft superyacht for sailing off
into the sunset. ozenreserve-bolifushi.com
Velaa Private Island

Maldivian for turtle, Velaa takes its design inspiration
from its surroundings with overwater villas laid out in
the shape of the gentle sea creatures and superb service
intended to lure guests back again and again, just as
turtles return each year to nest. There really is something
for everyone here; in addition to the expected water
sports and spa, there’s a golf academy, climbing wall and
insanely good wine cellar, housed beneath a futuristic,
six-storey tower, no less. Velaa is even home to the only
snow room in the Maldives, should the wall-to-wall
sunshine get a bit much for you. Honeymooners are
spoilt for choice with everything from sunset cruises on
a traditional batheli or luxury yacht to dinner under the
stars at a deserted sandbank. velaaprivateisland.com
Fanjove Private Island, Tanzania
The soaring thatched, wooden bandas – designed to represent dhow sails – set
against a brilliant blue sky are the first things that strike you upon arrival at this
island in the Songo Songo archipelago. There are only six, all with uninterrupted
ocean views, and all designed to have minimal impact on this private paradise
(they have no electricity and are solar powered). The communal dining and lounging
area has sand floors and no walls, allowing you to kick back with a homemade curry
and a local beer and feel utterly, blissfully away from it all. If you’re a water baby,
you’ll feel right at home; the ocean really is your playground here, with incredible
diving, snorkelling, fishing and dolphin-spotting excursions. If you’re seeking
a Robinson Crusoe-style experience, you’ll find it here.
Turquoise Holidays offers seven nights full board from £2,799 per person, based
on two adults sharing one banda, including all meals, snorkelling off the beach,
kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, island walks, return international flights from
London, return domestic flights and transfers. turquoiseholidays.co.uk
St Regis, Mauritius
On the south-westernmost tip of Mauritius, beneath
the emerald peak of Le Morne (a UNESCO World
Heritage site) and surrounded by endless turquoise
waters, St Regis seamlessly combines local charm
with international luxury standards. The hotel’s
knockout design – airy Ralph Lauren-style rooms,
all teak and nautical blue-and-white linens, the
vast pool, even a ‘floating’ restaurant – is almost
enough to draw your eyes away from the view.
But not quite, for this is one of the island’s best
spots, combining as it does its lush jungle interior,
rugged volcanic spine and crystalline waters in
one sweeping vista (it’s also world famous for
kitesurfing). Dining options range from Japanese
to Indian – try the food and rum pairings – and
don’t miss the sunset sabrage ceremony on the
beach, where bottles of Champagne are opened
with a flourish by a sword. That’s certainly one
way to add extra sparkle to your honeymoon.
stregismauritius.com
Raffles Seychelles
Of all the destinations to cause the
heart to skip a beat, the Seychelles
is surely the frontrunner. Its very
name sounds like the soft rush of
water over sand, the whisper of
trade winds through palm fronds.
Unabashedly romantic, undeniably
dreamy, this is the stuff honeymoons
are made of. When you put all of
that with one of the most storied
of hotel brands, you get something
really quite special. Located on the
island of Praslin, Raffles Seychelles
features supremely elegant private
pool villas set amid emerald forest
with Indian Ocean views. Pootle
around the island from beach to
beautiful beach in your own Mini
Moke; take a boat to nearby
Curieuse Island, home to giant
Aldabra tortoises; enjoy a private
barbecue under the stars or a sunset
Champagne cruise. And, of course,
don’t leave without enjoying a
signature Singapore Sling or three
– we won’t tell. raffles.com
Honeymoon guide
Islands
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escapes prove that heaven is indeed a place on Earth
Bawah Reserve, Indonesia

A cluster of six tiny green dots in the middle of the expansive South China Sea, Bawah
Reserve has taken the idea of a tropical hideaway to a whole new level. The remote Anambas
Archipelago has remained virtually pristine for thousands of years, and preserving this
natural paradise of 13 beaches and 300 hectares of forest is a key tenet of Bawah’s ethos
– perfect for newlyweds who want to tread more lightly. There are three new inclusive
honeymoon packages to choose from, depending on your interests: Earth has a strong nature
and eco focus, with activities including beach cleaning and a garden-to-plate cooking class;
Explorer features lagoon snorkelling, forest hikes and an island treasure hunt; and Bliss is all
about pampering through daily spa treatments, a Champagne picnic and a movie night under
the stars. Whichever you choose, you’ll be in for a holiday like no other. bawahreserve.com
Six Senses Krabey Island,

Cambodia
A 15-minute speedboat ride from mainland
Cambodia brings you to this gem of a
private island, where giant banyan trees
and palms frame the panoramic ocean
views. As with all Six Senses resorts, the
spa and wellness offering is a huge draw,
with everything from flying yoga to an
outdoor jungle gym. Villas – all with
pools – are set either deep in the jungle
or right on the beach. Slick, modern design
combined with traditional Khmer touches
makes this an authentic sanctuary that
appeals to every sense. The four-hectare
Sandals Grande St Lucian, St Lucia, Caribbean ‘Earth Lab’ organic farm supplies the
Few people do Caribbean romance better than Sandals, the perennial honeymoon experts with two restaurants with eggs, fresh fruit and
all-inclusive, adults-only resorts dotted across several islands. Sandals Grande St Lucian is a vegetables for sensationally fresh pan-Asian
particular favourite, offering sun-soaked luxury and pampering on its own peninsula beneath and Khmer specialities. Go for a romantic
the island’s majestic volcanic peaks. The exclusive ‘stay at one, play at all’ initiative allows you stroll around the boardwalk that encircles
to enjoy the restaurants and facilities at all three of Sandals’ resorts on St Lucia, and whether the island before cocktails and dinner
you fancy scuba diving, tennis, golf or simply working your way through the cocktail menu, beside the Gulf of Thailand, or take a
everything is covered – so you really can switch off in style. nighttime dip to swim amid thousands of
A seven-night stay for two people at Sandals Grande St Lucian in a Caribbean Deluxe Room glowing plankton that light the ocean from
costs from £2,199 per person on an all-inclusive basis. Valid for travel on selected dates between within like tiny stars. sixsenses.com
1 January and 28 March 2021. sandals.co.uk
Europe
These short-haul heroes mean that breathtaking
views, opulent surroundings and magical
experiences are closer than you think
Amanruya, Bodrum, Turkey

Fragrant pines and ancient olive trees surround this serene hillside retreat overlooking the rugged
Turkish coastline. The pavilions and suites, all with private gardens and pools, have been designed in
homage to an Ottoman village, hewn from local stone and finished with Aman’s signature design flair.
Each ‘street’ leads to the show-stopping Olympic-sized pool at the heart of the property, next to which
you’ll find the spa. There’s an excellent beach club, a three-storey library and first-class dining options
showcasing Turkish and Mediterranean specialities. If you can bear to leave this tranquil haven, the
hotel has its own 40ft motor yacht for exploring hidden coves and nearby islands. aman.com
Tur ish Airlines offers flights to Bodrum and beyond, serving more than 200 destinations around the world. tur ishairlines.com
Puente Romano, Marbella, Spain

A traditional appearance – white-stone villas sit
in bougainvillea- and lemon tree-filled gardens
that spill down to the sea – belies an ultra-glam
soul at this elegant beachfront property. Waft
from breakfast (do it the Spanish way with a
slice of melt-in-the-mouth tortilla and a glass
of cava) to the Six Senses spa or one of the three
pools; perfect your forehand at the hotel’s famed
tennis academy; or go horseback riding in the
Il Sereno Lago di Como, Lake Como, Italy Andalusian foothills. Come nightfall, as lanterns
A triumph of contemporary design in one of Italy’s most classically romantic regions, flicker along the paths that wind through the
Il Sereno is utterly gorgeous inside and out. Designer extraordinaire Patricia Urquiola resort, an altogether more electric vibe emerges.
has well and truly worked her magic, with floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows framing Renowned for its dining scene, Puente Romano
the view of Lake Como’s eastern shores at every turn and slick furnishings that wouldn’t attracts the great and the good of Marbella to
be out of place in a hip urban hotel. Just 30 suites make for an intimate ambience and there’s its Plaza, a fairylit square around which you’ll
a knockout spa housed in a converted boathouse. Dining under Michelin-starred chef find a number of top-notch restaurants covering
Raffaele Lenzi is excellent – be sure to try the five-course tasting menu – while the sundeck everything from Italian to Michelin-starred
is an idyllic spot for a long, lazy lunch of spaghetti and spritzes. serenohotels.com Spanish, plus Spanish-Japanese fusion at Nobu.
puenteromano.com
Honeymoon guide
Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood

Hotel, Paris, France
Paris needs no introduction and few places
are better positioned to enjoy it than Hôtel
de Crillon, located slap bang on Place de la
Concorde, with the Champs-Elysées leading
to the Arc de Triomphe in one direction and
the Louvre in the other. When this revered
18th-century palace hotel closed for four
years to undergo a top-to-toe restoration, the
city’s cognoscenti waited with bated breath.
Thankfully, in the capable hands of Rosewood,
who have previous form on restoring historic
gems, the results were suitably fabulous – the
marble! The hand-painted walls! Suites
designed by Karl Lagerfeld! It is opulent
without feeling stuffy, while modern artworks
bring this grande dame further up to date.
Plus, should you decide to say your ‘I do’s
here, they’ll give you a two-night honeymoon
for free. rosewoodhotels.com
Deplar Farm, Troll Peninsula, Iceland

Who says honeymoons have to be all palm trees and tropical seas? Surrounded by
ice-cloaked mountains in winter and wildflower meadows in summer, Deplar Farm
is the kind of deeply magical place that will stay with you for life. Make the most of
Iceland’s midnight sun on hikes through the wilderness, heli-skiing adventures or
fly-fishing expeditions. Or take full advantage of the extraordinary spa, with its
geothermal pools, flotation tanks and outdoor Viking sauna. This also happens to
be one of the best places to view the Northern Lights – you don’t even have to hop
out of the pool to see them, but instead can stay submerged in the warm waters as
the mesmerising colours twist and loop above you. elevenexperience.com
WHERE THE
LIVING IS EASY
Set your watch to island time at Ozen Reserve Bolifushi,
where Maldivian languor meets modern luxury
W
hite sand, swaying palms and residence with its own spa pavilion, Jacuzzi
turquoise waters fringe the new, and gym that’s ideal for families or groups.
super-luxe Ozen Reserve Bolifushi
in the Maldives’ South Malé Atoll. The latest Gourmet dining ranges from romantic suppers
addition to The Ozen Collection by Indian at Origine, a classic-meets-contemporary
Ocean brand Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts, this French overwater restaurant, to an Indian-
paradise resort cleverly combines sophisticated inspired feast at Tradition Saffron and modern
spaces with rustic, barefoot charm. Arabic food at the laid-back Sangu Beach, which
transforms into a nightspot with DJs and belly
Crafted with timber, thatch and marble, the dancing after dark. Ozar bar is perfect for long,
90 secluded villas and suites each come with lazy lunches, while the all-day Vista Del Mar
elegant, airy interiors and a beautiful private offers global cuisine and dreamy lagoon views.
deck featuring a pool and direct beach or lagoon
access. In the Private Ocean Reserve villas, Guests can also choose The Reserve™ Plan, with
standout architectural touches include a playful its ‘anything, anywhere, anytime’ ethos, which
slide and overwater hammocks. The jewel in includes sumptuous Champagne breakfasts and
the crown is the Royal Reserve – a palatial sommelier-selected wines, open-air yoga classes,
a signature ritual at the idyllic spa, a personal
training session in the gym, snorkelling and
water-sports equipment, and your own bicycle
for exploring the island – all complimentary.
You don’t even have to remember your villa
number; every last detail is fully taken care of.
Children can sign up for the Treasure Trail,

make pizzas or just hang out at the Kids’ Club
and Teen Lounge. You can even spend a day
sailing on the resort’s 85-foot superyacht.
Whatever you’re into, a stay at Ozen Reserve
Bolifushi is relaxed island living at its best.
Further Information
Visit ozenreserve-bolifushi.com
or call +960 664 2020
Honeymoon guide
Greece
For a honeymoon of mythical
proportions, bask in the blue skies,
sun-drenched beaches and glittering
seas of these Grecian wonders
F Zeen, Kefalonia
Laid-back luxury is the vibe at this boutique
retreat, with minimalist decor designed to let
the landscape take centre stage. Guests are
encouraged to make the most of the stunning
setting, with outdoor yoga decks, an alfresco
gym and numerous sweet little corners to tuck
yourself away in and gaze out to sea. In keeping
with the hotel’s healthy-living focus (the name
F Zeen is derived from the ancient Greek for
‘good life’), the food is wonderfully fresh, light
Domes Miramare, A Luxury Collection Resort, Corfu and simple – think grilled octopus drizzled
The newest addition to the Domes Resorts portfolio of properties in Crete and Corfu, the with homemade olive oil, salads of vegetables
adults-only Domes Miramare is just made for honeymooners. As you’d expect from the former grown in the organic garden and local cheeses
stomping ground of the Onassis family, the experience is cosseting yet discreet: think private – and the spa delivers expert treatments using
bungalows with a Jacuzzi or pool (some have both), chic decor and dreamy ocean views for all-natural ingredients. By day, stay active with
days. Take a boat trip aboard the resort’s sleek cruiser, Miramaretta, eating dinner as the sun paddleboarding, kayaking and hiking before
sets, or discover the area’s fascinating history on a walking tour of Corfu’s sights, stopping off unwinding with a movie beneath the stars at
at artisans’ boutiques for lasting mementoes of your stay. domesmiramare.com the outdoor cinema. fzeenretreat.com
Caldera View, Santorini

If you want it to be literally just the two
of you on your honeymoon, a villa is
a great option – and Caldera View,
beautifully fashioned out of a cave
on the cliffside above Oia village on
Santorini, is a real find. As its name
suggests, it overlooks the volcanic crater
with views out across the sparkling
Aegean sea. There’s a fully equipped Blue Palace, Crete
kitchen but a concierge is just a phone Sprawling over 143 acres set around a beautiful bay, Blue Palace offers all the space and facilities
call away – and, of course, the waterside of a larger resort but retains an intimate, authentically Cretan charm. Sip cocktails beneath the
restaurants of Oia are on your doorstep. soaring honey-hued arches straddling the main pool, gazing out to Spinalonga island shimmering
Homely yet chic, it’s the perfect hideaway. on the horizon; feast on fresh figs and mountain cheeses or enjoy the catch of the day in a restored
CV Villas offers seven nights from £3,956 per fisherman’s cottage; sail on the stunning Mirabello Gulf on a private caique and fall asleep in your
wee . cvvillas.com bungalow or villa to the scent of jasmine, honeysuckle and orange blossom. Newlyweds can even
plant an olive tree marked with their names and wedding date. marriott.com
PA R A DI S E
FOUND
Fall in love all over again on
a honeymoon like no other from
Sandals Resorts – the tried and trusted
name when it comes to romance
This all-suite hotel set on the beautiful sands

of Maxwell Beach in the spirited St Lawrence
Gap area features a number of Sandals firsts:
the first rooftop pool and bar; the first four-lane
bowling alley and three new restaurant concepts
– American Tavern, Chi Asian and Sweet n’
Salty’s donuts. Then there are the incredible
Skypool Suites, Swim-up Suites and Millionaire
Suites – all of which, as their names suggest,
have the wow factor.
Because this is Sandals, everything is included

– you won’t need to reach for your wallet once
during your stay. That means more time to sip
tropical cocktails crafted from premium liquors
on a hammock for two looking out over the
calm turquoise sea. Spend your days exploring
new coral reefs or having a game of beach
volleyball on the pillow-soft sand, or pamper
yourself in the 15,000sq ft spa that’s a temple
to relaxation. Dine around the world with the
Global Gourmet™ Dining concept, which gives
you access to try all seven restaurants here, plus
S
ome things truly are worth waiting for a further 11 at neighbouring Sandals Barbados.
– and that includes your honeymoon.
When it comes to the trip of a lifetime, For the past four decades, Sandals Resorts has
why settle for second best? Travel may be in set itself apart by steering away from off-the-shelf
a state of flux, but there are no restrictions on five-star package holidays, placing an emphasis
dreaming, so get planning for next year and on personal choice and always aiming to offer
beyond. And while it’s always important to more for your money. At Sandals, every day is
book with companies you trust, it’s particularly yours to enjoy to the fullest – what more could
so at the moment – which is where honeymoon you want from your honeymoon?
experts Sandals Resorts come in. For nearly 40
years, Sandals has been helping couples to plan
their perfect trip to the Caribbean, where its 15
Luxury Included® resorts, designed exclusively
with romance in mind, are located. And there
are few finer places in which to start your Further Information
married life than at Sandals Royal Barbados. Visit sandals.co.uk or call 0800 742 742
Honeymoon guide
England
From urban dazzlers to rural
retreats, these beautiful properties
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VSDH[FHOOHQFHQRMHWODJUHTXLUHG
The Mitre, Hampton Court, Surrey

While the River Thames is a key part of London life, there are very few places to actually stay on its banks, particularly once you
move upstream from the capital. Thank goodness, then, for newly opened The Mitre, which dates from the 17th century but has
been gloriously reimagined by interiors guru Nicola Harding, who has brought a modern country-house sensibility to the traditional
architecture with colourful wallpapers in dazzling prints, copper bathtubs and plush fabrics. Food is high on the agenda, with two
restaurants: Coppernose and the riverside brasserie 1665. Overseen by Claridge’s alumnus Ronnie Kimbugwe, they’re all about
organically sourced local produce and generous hospitality. Don’t miss a glass or two at the Whispering Angel boat-shack bar, on
a private jetty with its own riverboat – the perfect place for watching life float gently by. mitrehamptoncourt.com
The Connaught,
London
One of the capital’s most
timeless and consistently
brilliant hotels, The Connaught
offers proper, grown-up luxury
with a decidedly modern spirit.
There’s marble and panelling
and gilt galore, but also a cute
bubblegum-pink patisserie, a
black granite swimming pool,
celebrity chefs, a two-Michelin-
starred restaurant and what is
officially the World’s Best Bar
(the Martini trolley is the stuff of
legends). Service is personable
and warm, with nothing too
much trouble (you’ll have your
UK
own butler taking care of you,
of course). And, with its location
in the heart of Mayfair, all of
London is on your doorstep.
the-connaught.co.uk
to come
Honeymoon guide
England
Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, Windermere, Lake District
Tucked away on the hillside above Lake Windermere, Gilpin is a haven of peace and privacy.
Actually two properties under one faultless team, the hotel side offers 25 bedrooms in 21
acres of beautiful grounds – look out for the resident llamas and alpacas. There’s a Michelin-
starred restaurant, Champagne bar and croquet lawn, too, while the stunning new Spa
Lodge 100s (so named because they’re a generous 100sq m) feature all kinds of delights, from
a stone-built hot tub, plunge pool and private south-facing garden to a fully stocked cocktail
bar, wine fridge and massage chair. A living wall brings nature in, and couples are invited to
join the ‘spa trail’, an immersive wellness experience that invokes all the senses from taste to
touch. The only downside? Having to return to the real world afterwards. thegilpin.co.uk
Lime Wood, Hampshire

An hour-and-a-half’s drive from London brings you to the
New Forest, the wildly romantic national park spanning
woodland and coastline where horses roam free. In the
Nobu Hotel London Portman Square middle of it all sits Lime Wood, a former hunting lodge turned
Following the huge success of Nobu Shoreditch, the brand has brought its country manor where high end meets homely: think yoga in
coveted Japanese minimalism to leafy Marylebone, overlooking Portman a rooftop herb garden and rows of wellies lined up by the door
Square garden and just a skip away from the chic boutiques, restaurants and for guests to use, while Angela Hartnett and Luke Holder
theatres of London’s West End. Design fans will love the handcrafted interiors helm the restaurant, super-facialist Sarah Chapman lends
and air of contemporary elegance, while foodies can indulge at Nobu Bar and her expertise in the spa and Tracey Emin artworks adorn
Terrace, where beloved classics (including that famed black cod, of course) the walls. Honeymooners should opt for the Forest Hideaway
sit alongside newly created specials. A fabulous addition to London for a Suites which, as the name suggests, are set apart from the
sophisticated urban honeymoon. london-portman.nobuhotels.com main house, with private terraces, four-poster beds and
roll-top baths or waterfall showers. limewoodhotel.co.uk
Stay Exquisite
Experience The St. Regis Mauritius Resort surrounded by 1km of soﬅ white sand, its turquoise lagoon and the stunning backdrop of the iconic UNESCO World
Heritage Site of Le Morne Brabant Mountain. This island sanctuary will transport you to a world of culinary delights, an award-winning spa and direct access to
one of the most exhilarating kite-surfing spots.
For more information or booking, kindly contact us on reservations.mauritius1@marriott.com or call us on

+230 403 9000.
Honeymoon guide
A wild world
Enjoy the ultimate escape at off-the-beaten-track
hideaways where thrilling wildlife, awe-inspiring
landscapes and endless skies await
Longitude 131, Uluru-Kata Tjuta, Australia

Uluru, Australia’s deeply spiritual, blood-red heart, is a bucket-list sight for many and this wilderness camp is certainly the most luxurious way
to experience it. In fact, the term ‘camp’ is a little misleading – yes, rooms are called tents, but this is hardly roughing it, with everything from
a dinky little pool, a splash of bright blue against the ochre desert, to an alfresco decked dining area where you can feast on modern Australian
cuisine of the standard you’d expect to find in Sydney or Melbourne. Floor-to-ceiling glass provides killer views of the star attraction, so you
can lie in bed and watch its colour shift with the changing sun, from terracotta orange to soft purple. Soak up more scenery from the Dune Top
bar or take a helicopter flight or even a camel tour for an alternative angle on this astonishing landscape. longitude131.com.au
Bushman’s Kloof, Cederberg Mountains, S Africa

Just three hours’ drive from Cape Town, Bushman’s Kloof is a
more easily accessible safari option than most, yet still feels utterly
otherworldly, a last link to an ancient land and its people. Its 7,000
hectares of pristine wilderness are dotted with waterfalls and home
to more than 130 ancient rock-art sites, some dating back 10,000
years. You won’t find the Big Five here, but it’s a nature-lover’s
paradise nonetheless, with wildlife including the African wildcat,
Cape mountain zebra, ostrich, aardwolf and Cape fox, and the
highest concentration of floral species in the world. Food is proudly
and authentically South African, with different dining options
ranging from high tea on the banks of the Boontjies river to
a picnic in a wildflower meadow or a candlelit braai in an old
shepherd’s cottage. This timeless place will stay with you long
after you leave. bushmanskloof.co.za
One & Only Mandarina, Riviera Nayarit, Mexico

For those in search of wilder shores, this brand-new resort showcases
a little-known region on Mexico’s Pacific coast. One & Only has
brought its signature elegance to this untamed wilderness where the
rainforest meets the sea, with eco-treehouses and clifftop villas set
amid a dramatic landscape of volcanic peaks, ancient trees and dense
jungle (there are three different microclimates here alone). Kayak
through flatlands or hike to waterfalls and freshwater swimming
holes; unwind in the incredible spa (featuring treatments by clean-
skincare brand Tata Harper) or hang out in your treehouse, the
low-impact design ensuring you’re as much a part of the rainforest as
the inquisitive creatures in the boughs around you. There are four bars
and restaurants – don’t miss the refined Mexican menu at Carao or
botanical cocktails with elevated coastal views at The Treetop. If
you’re looking to start your married life on a high, this is the way to
do it. oneandonlyresorts.com
W
OST
WANTED
OUR NEW-SEASON EDIT OF
THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND
PRODUCTS FOR YOUR RADAR
GO GREEN
For adventure seekers and nature lovers who want to indulge
their passions without leaving a heavy footprint, THE AZORES
is the Holy Grail: the winner of Europe’s Leading Adventure
Tourism Destination at the 2020 World Travel Awards and the first
archipelago to be certified as a sustainable tourist destination. So
you can enjoy spectacular volcanic landscapes, diverse wildlife and
all the climbing, trekking and kayaking you can handle, safe in the
knowledge that this unique environment is being protected for
generations to come. visitazores.com
What’s better than feasting on delicious food by an award-

DRINKS winning chef? How about adding a side of breathtaking views?
cabinet That’s exactly what you’ll find at La Suite Lounge, the rooftop
restaurant at the ST GEORGE LYCABETTUS hotel in
Athens, recently voted ‘Best Rooftop View Hotel In Europe’ at
the World Luxury Travel Awards. A favourite with international
royalty and A-listers alike, this sixth-floor culinary hotspot is not to
be missed, be it for breakfast, dinner or afternoon tea. Executive
chef Vassilis Milios conjures up seasonal delicacies flavoured with
herbs grown in his own garden, and there’s an extensive wine
list to sample as you take in panoramic views of the city or dine
under a sky full of twinkling stars. sglycabettus.gr
No3 London Dry Gin, Louis Roederer Brut Amie White Wine,
£36, bbr.com Premier Champagne, £60 (for four cases),
£49.99, selfridges.com drinkamie.com
HAND-CARE
heroes
Kloris Superior
CBD No-Rinse
Hand Sanitiser, £30,
kloriscbd.com
It’s hard to imagine a property with a more idyllic setting than Margaret Dabbs
Saltee Hands Hydrating Hand
THE GREAT HOUSE in Barbados. Standing in two and Soothing Hand Sanitiser, £25,
a half acres of tropical gardens and along 100m of sugary Sanitiser, £16, spacenk.com
saltee.co.uk
beachfront, this private villa with 12 bright and airy suites is
a delightfully elegant base for your Caribbean escape. With
a dedicated team of staff from chefs to boat captains, and Byredo Vetyver
amenities including a cinema, spa room, gym and floodlit tennis Rinse-Free
Hand Wash, £25,
court, the only thing you’ll have to worry about is whether to spacenk.com
take a cruise on the villa’s private yacht or sip another cocktail
in the infinity pool as you gaze out over the sparkling blue sea...
thegreathousebarbados.com
With five award-winning hotels, SANI RESORT in Greece is one

of the world’s leading beach and family destinations. As well as luxury
suites and excellent dining options, it offers soft, sandy beaches, an
eco reserve and forest trails to explore, plus activities from yoga to
watersports. With zero COVID-19 cases to date, protocols remain in
place to ensure guests’ ongoing safety. Condé Nast Traveller readers
can get an exclusive €100 resort credit for direct bookings through
the official Sani Resort website with the code ‘CNT21’. Plus get up
to 30% off when booking before 31 January 2021.
Visit sani-resort.com/en_GB/cnt21 or call 0800 949 6809.
W
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WANTED
GREEK, HIGH-FLYER
JAMES BELL
C’EST Managing Director,
The Turquoise Holiday Company
CHIC
Make a splash this season with
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Your favourite place to skip the crowds?
The vast South Pacific and, more specifically,
HOLIDAY Set off a tan with
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essentials and green tourmaline

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Cooks, Tahiti – but of them all, my pick has
to be the string of Fijian islands known as the
Yasawas. Head to the most northerly island
in the group, the pristine Yasawa, where there
are nearly as many beaches as rooms at the
The Ritual of beautiful Yasawa Island Resort.
Happy Buddha
Energising gift Best place to toast in the sunset?
set, £39.90, ‘Yes’ rock – a secret promontory, only
rituals.com
accessible by helicopter from Ol Malo, one
of Kenya’s original bush homes in the wild
and beautiful Northern Frontier region. It’s
also a great proposal spot – if you get your
partner here at sunset with a gin and tonic,
the answer has got to be yes.
Best view?
I climbed to the top of Cook’s Look on
Australia’s Lizard Island, before I proposed
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Pretty prints abound in here too to plot his way out and away from
Yolke’s SS21 collection. the Great Barrier Reef. I loved the view and,
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dress, £285, yolke.co.uk
Best beach?
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A MONUMENTAL WORK AT THE SOUTHERN LIMITS OF ITALY BLURS TIME AND DISTANCE
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PHOTOGRAPH: ROBERTO CONTE
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the atmospheric agents alter their perception.’ This eye-catching apparition is part of a fresh movement laying its
foundations in classical ideas but reframing them with a boldly modern perspective. LAURA ITZKOWITZ

Albertina Museum www.vienna.info
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KEIRA KNIGHTLEY WEARS COCO CRUSH RINGS

IN WHITE AND BEIGE GOLD WITH DIAMONDS.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

9 NEW BOND STREET - HARRODS - SELFRIDGES

The secret of how to live a longer, healthier and fuller life

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SANT’ANGELO BRIDGE IN ROME

January/February 2021 Condé Nast Traveller 9

THE LONG VIEW VIETNAM, PAGE 23

THE DREAM TEAMS ALL-FEMALE SQUADS, PAGE 24

THE WILD IDEA SLOW SAFARI, PAGE 26

THE TALKING POINT THE ARCTIC, PAGE 28

THE RENAISSANCE BEIRUT, PAGE 30

THE STATELY SPIN-OFF UK TOWNHOUSES, PAGE 32

THE TEMPO CHANGE A NEW JAZZ AGE, PAGE 34

THE WELLNESS SCOOP PARIS, PAGE 39

THE BRIGHT SIDE GOLDEN, PAGE 48

BO OK I T THE ROAD TRIP A CLASSIC TUSCAN P L AN I T

THE ST YLE NOTES DESTINATION DRESSING, PAGE 67

THE SHOPPING SCENE HONG KONG, PAGE 78

THE ADDRESS BOOK ST PETERSBURG, PAGE 84

THE BEAUT Y REPORT STAR PERFORMERS, PAGE 86

THE MATERIAL GOLD ALLOY, PAGE 88

THE GLOBETROTTER KATHERINE HEIGL, PAGE 156

THE STAYCATION BATH, PAGE 158

PHOTOGRAPHS: AIRBNB; ANA LUI; PACUARE LODGE; TOM WALKER

THE FEAST OYSTERS, PAGE 168

THE DRINK NEXT-LEVEL LIQUOR, PAGE 170

12 Condé Nast Traveller January/February 2021

OVER THE SUMMER WHILE WE WERE away in Greece, I was

14 Condé Nast Traveller January/February 2021

MANAGING DIRECTOR ALBERT READ

CAN’T FIND CONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER IN THE SHOPS?

January/February 2021 Condé Nast Traveller 19

Your escape awaits.

THE LON G VIEW VIETN AM

January/February 2021 Condé Nast Traveller 23

THE DREAM TEAMS ALL-FEMALE SQUADS

After decades on the sidelines, women’s sport is ﬁnally taking

THE AGE-DEFYING C HEERLEADERS

THE MINDSET-SHIFTING CLIMBERS

January/February 2021 Condé Nast Traveller 25

26 Condé Nast Traveller January/February 2021

PHOTOGRAPH: DORTE MANDRUP/THE WHALE/MIR

28 Condé Nast Traveller January/February 2021

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THE RENAISSANCE BEIRUT ARTHAUS

INVENTIVE LOCALS BOUNCE BACK TO REVIVE LEBANON’S

30 Condé Nast Traveller January/February 2021

H E N RY ’ S TOW N H O U S E As out-of-oﬃce working life prompts many to

has landed a hotel chip on St Andrew’s Square in

32 Condé Nast Traveller January/February 2021

020 3944 4566 | cvvillas.com

From left: Joel Ross, Angel Bat Dawid and Makaya

From left: Kalle Kalima,

From left: Moses Boyd,

34 Condé Nast Traveller January/February 2021

Where you are free to set your own beat.

A world of your own making

THE ZEN SPACE

January/February 2021 Condé Nast Traveller 39

THE HIGH-END RETREAT

THE CULT BEAUTY LINE

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