Ultratravel Summer 2014

ultratravel SUPPLEMENT OF THE YEAR

100 HINGS

FINEST T Y IN LUXUR TRAVEL

SEDUCTIVE STYLISH

SICILY

Dita Von Teese’s spa secrets Dolce & Gabbana’s island guide

COOL COASTAL TURKEY COSTA RICA RISING ALASKA REFRESHED NICO ROSBERG IN THE SLOW LANE JOHN SIMPSON IN MAURITIUS LCKI8KI8M<C

SUMMER 2014

The Daily Telegraph

Love Travel, Love Luxury...

There’s nothing like Australia MELBOURNE TO SYDNEY

THE GHAN – TOP TO BOTTOM Tourism NT

© jobhopper - Fotolia.com

13 night fy drive holiday from £1,899

7 night luxury rail holiday from £2,499

International fights ■ 3 nights at 5★ The Olsen, Melbourne ■ 8 days Avis car hire 2 nights at 4+★ Glen Isla House, Phillip Island ■ 2 nights at 4★ The Moorings at Metung ■ 1 night at 4★ Robyn’s Nest, Merimbula ■ 2 nights at 4★ The Sebel Harbourside Kiama ■ 3 nights at 5★ Westin Sydney

International fights ■ 3 nights at 4+★ Mantra on the Esplanade, Darwin Kakadu National Park full day tour ■ 3 days onboard The Ghan travelling in Gold Sleeper Service with all meals, local wine, beer & soft drinks 2 nights at 5★ Intercontinental Adelaide The Ghan travels through Katherine, visiting Nitmiluk National Park & Katherine Gorge, and Alice Springs – Australia’s most famous outback town

Prices are per person based on twin share & subject to availability. Valid for Aug/Sep 2014 departures, The Ghan valid for Nov 2014 departures.

020 7408 9020 FIRST & BUSINESS CLASS TRAVEL 020 7408 9030 trailfnders.com/ultraAustralia

TAILORMADE TRAVEL WORLDWIDE

– indulge in a luxury holiday with Trailfinders SOUTH WESTERN ESCAPE

ABSOLUTE LUXURY AUSTRALIA © Jamie Bankstone - Fotolia.com

Australia’s Golden Outback

Australia’s Golden Outback

12 night multi centre holiday from £4,999

International fights ■ 9 day luxury escorted coach tour & transfers Extensive sightseeing & excursions ■ 8 breakfasts, 1 lunch & 6 dinners

International & domestic fights ■ 3 nights at 5★ Sheraton on the Park, Sydney Avis car hire & 2 nights full board at 5+★ Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, Blue Mountains ■ 2 nights all inclusive at 5+★ Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island with guided activities ■ 1 night at 5★ Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina Cairns 4 nights at 4+★ boutique Bloomfeld Lodge, Far North Queensland with scenic fight transfers, full board, guided rainforest walk & river cruise

Tour visits Perth ● Wave Rock ● The gold mining town of Kalgoorlie Cape Le Grand National Park ● Esperance ● Stirling Ranges National Park Torndirrup National Park ● Picturesque Margaret River The markets & busy harbour of Freemantle

© Travelscape Images / Alamy

8 night escorted coach tour holiday from £2,999

JAMAICA

SAINT LUCIA

ANTIGUA

BAHAMAS

GRENADA

BARBADOS

ALL INCLUDED, ALL UNLIMITED, ALL OF THE TIME

GRENADA THE SANDALS OF TOMORROW

Located on the beautiful Pink Gin Beach in Grenada, the newest and most exciting addition to the Sandals Resorts portfolio is beyond the unexpected. An exotic, unspoiled hideaway, Sandals LaSource Grenada Resort & Spa offers guests a romantic, authentic Caribbean holiday while providing Luxury Included® amenities and exceptional service. With three villages each offering a unique ambiance and a variety of luxurious suites including the new one of-a-kind Skypool Butler Suite in the Italian Village. Dine to your heart’s content with 9 anytime-dining gourmet restaurants including Butch’s Chophouse, a world-class steakhouse. Take time to relax in one of the 3 swimming pools or indulge in a treatment at the luxurious Red Lane® Spa*. Expect a resort like you’ve never seen before.

TO B O O K T H E W O R L D ’ S L E A D I N G A L L- I N C LU S I V E R E S O R T S Call 0800 742 742 | Visit sandals.co.uk See your local travel agent FOLLOW US ON World's Leading All Inclusive Resorts

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ABTA & ATOL protected.

OZGUL OZGULE TURAN; 4 CORNERS

Nautical but nice The view from Villa Su, on the Kas Peninsula, Turkey (story, page 30)

CONTENTS

Features

30 Turkish summer As the Turquoise Coast redefines itself as a luxury destination, with a swathe of new marinas and high-end hotels, we review eight of its best boutique properties 40 Sicily in vogue The fashion duo Dolce and Gabbana, who have a house there, give insider tips on the island that inspires them, while Dita Von Teese reveals all at a stylish Sicilian spa 52 Costa Rica rising Long celebrated for its rainforests, wildlife and dramatic coastline, the jewel of Central America has another side to it, says Douglas Rogers: sleek contemporary style 62 The Ultratravel 100 In our annual readers’ awards, we name the 100 finest things in luxury travel, from hotels, airports and destinations to the companies that take you there

52

66 Cruise control In Alaska, Lisa Grainger finds that small is beautiful on a 145ft motor yacht 72 Life through my lens The photographer Steve McCurry recalls a challenging shoot in Iraq

Regulars 10 Editor’s letter Why Sicily and celebrity make a perfect pairing 13 The next big thing Bridges as tourist attractions; hotel shops smarten up; living in a sculpture; a new gourmet destination in Paris

21

17 Ultra experts Fashionable shades for summer; a watch that saves lives; fine jewellery for hippies; natural beauty from the Med 24 Up front with John Simpson After the turmoil of reporting from Crimea, our columnist finds welcome respite in Mauritius 27 Aficionado The hotelier and interior designer Jocelyne Sibuet reflects on places that have influenced her in a lifetime of travel 29 Mr and Mrs Piers Morgan enjoys a culinary awakening at Mexico’s premier beach resort – and Celia Walden is the beneficiary

40

77 Intelligence Our pick of the best carry-on cases; inside the Tokyo National Museum; Balearic hot spots; scented Italian sweets 82 Travelling life The Formula 1 racing driver Nico Rosberg on his Monaco lifestyle, favourite suites, and touring Ibiza on a Vespa

© Telegraph Media Group Limited 2014. Published by TELEGRAPH MEDIA GROUP, 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT, and printed by Polestar UK Limited.

Colour reproduction by groupfmg.com. Not to be sold separately from The Daily Telegraph. Ultratravel is a registered trademark licensed to The Daily Telegraph by PGP Media Limited

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EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LETTER

AN ISLAND OF INSPIRATION

G

ood things come to those who wait. When the pasty Glaswegian front man of a 1980s band began telling me about his love affair with all things Sicilian,

Volcanic beauty Stromboli in the Aeolian Islands, Sicily

I braced myself for the usual banalities. Yet Jim Kerr of Simple Minds (think Alive and Kicking) talked the talk, speaking with passion and knowledge about an island whose history of occupation made it feel at the same time African, Asian and European, in everything from its architecture to its food and fashion.

He also walked the walk, having swapped Toryglen (in Glasgow) for Taormina, a move that was

good for the suntan as well as the soul. Sicily even cured his writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s block: â&#x20AC;&#x153;For the ďŹ rst time in years, I wake up feeling energised,â&#x20AC;? he said. Energised enough to open his own hotel there.

It is a sentiment shared by the Milan-based fashion duo Dolce and Gabanna, who have a home in Sicily. Inside, they explain why the island remains a constant source of inspiration (page 40). But it can also be a source of frustration. When Kerr set about building his hotel, he found that the island was poor in infrastructure and hamstrung by bureaucracy. It took years to build Villa Angela in the hills above Taormina. No shortage of Glaswegian expletives ďŹ lled the air as Kerr battled to cut through the red tape, despite sticking steadfastly to Sicilyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s traditional style and materials. Perhaps this explains why the island is devoid of the big resorts seen elsewhere.

Sir Rocco Forte is one of the few to succeed with his opulent Verdura resort on Sicilyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s west coast, which took 10 years to build instead of three. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If Italian bureaucracy is bad, Sicily is 10 times worse,â&#x20AC;? he told me during a round of golf at Verdura â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but he denies reports of severed horsesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; heads being left on the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doorstep, in true maďŹ oso style, during its construction.

The resort was worth the wait, as the burlesque star Dita Von Teese found during her detox at Verduraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s award-winning spa (page 47). And speaking of good things happening to those who wait, we were delighted to be named National Colour Supplement of the Year in the 2014 Newspaper Awards â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a rare achievement for a quarterly. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gloriously aspirational,â&#x20AC;? said the judges.

4CORNERS

â&#x20AC;&#x153;About time,â&#x20AC;? said the recipients. Ten years on, Ultratravel is very much alive and kicking. Enjoy.

Editor

CONTRIBUTORS Smooth waters The pool and bamboo stand at Norwood House, on the Tea Trails estate, Sri Lanka (page 54)

Photographer James Bedford Shot on location at Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily

FOR THE LATEST IN LUXURY TRAVEL telegraph.co.uk/ luxurytravel

Jonathan Bastable The former foreign correspondent spent much of his twenties, cold and wet, in pre-Glasnost Moscow, so reporting from Turkeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s balmy coast was a treat. Top tip? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Try the tapas-like seafood. Turkish cuisine is due its day in the sun.â&#x20AC;?

Ozgul Ozgule Turan There is no better place to spend a day than the Turquoise Coast, says the Istanbul-based photographer: â&#x20AC;&#x153;an ice cream at Akh Cafe in Kekova, a raki at Buyuk Cakil Bay, then a sunset dinner at Locanda in Patara. Perfection!â&#x20AC;?

Dolce and Gabbana The Italian fashion duo often escape to Sicily: the island of Domenico Dolceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birth, where â&#x20AC;&#x153;women have impeccable style: you notice it as you stroll down the streetâ&#x20AC;?. For Ultratravel, they offer a guide to haunts both fashionable and traditional.

ultratravel

Jocelyne Sibuet The French interior designer ďŹ nds travel essential. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seeing new things stimulates the left part of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brain.â&#x20AC;?

Inspiration might come when least expected. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In Puglia, I might come up with an idea for a mountain chalet.

Creativity isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t rational.â&#x20AC;?

Editor Charles Starmer-Smith Creative director Johnny Morris Managing editor Andrew Purvis Deputy editor Lisa Grainger Photography editor Joe Plimmer Contributing editor John Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ceallaigh Executive publisher for Ultratravel Limited Nick Perry Publisher Toby Moore Advertising inquiries 07768 106322 (Nick Perry) 020 7931 3239 (Andrew Wiltshire) Ultratravel, 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT Twitter @TeleLuxTravel

LCKI8KI8M<C

Nico Rosberg This year, the F1 driver has already travelled to Australia, Malaysia, Bahrain and China â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so he relishes his time back home in Monaco, cycling, enjoying Asian food and, surprisingly, cultivating vegetables. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nothing beats artichokes youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve grown yourself.â&#x20AC;?

S tyle.E levated.

The original â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Grand Hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; has been delighting her guests since 1865. She exudes a timeless elegance, blending a sense of the past with the style of today. She is a legendary hostess that captivates your senses with her engaging fnesse that bears the hallmarks of a rich heritage that spans three centuries.

She will conjure memories that will be talked of for time to come.

Discover The Langham, London: langhamlondon.com 1c Portland Place, Regent Street, London, W1B 1JA T 44 (0) 20 7965 0191

the NEXT BIG THING COMPILED BY JOHN Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;CEALLAIGH

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coming up in the world of luxury travel, from bold bridges and allergen-free ďŹ&#x201A;ights to retail therapy in the Maldives

z BRIDGING THE WORLD

O

pened this month, the Glacier

The 144ft-wide Pont Jean-Jacques

connect the city of Changsha, in Hunan

Skywalk is a horseshoe-shaped,

Bosc in Bordeaux has been conceived by

province, with a newly-built neighbouring

glass-floored bridge that stands

architects OMA as â&#x20AC;&#x153;a generous new public

district. Currently under construction, the

918ft above the Sunwapta Valley in Jasper

space in the cityâ&#x20AC;?, set to open in 2018. Road

as-yet-unnamed bridge should immediately

National Park, Canada. Visitors will have to

traffic will be restricted occasionally to turn

become a landmark when complete. With

drive for four hours from Calgary airport to

the bridge into an overwater plaza and

its audacious ribbon-like design, it serves

reach it, but local authorities expect the

a site for festivals, fairs and concerts.

as a confident symbol of the authoritiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

distinctive development to more than double tourist numbers in the region.

In the Qatari capital, Doha, officials have

belief in this embryonic community.

authorised the development of the Sharq

That a bridge can confer high value on

Crossing. Designed by the controversial

a destination has not escaped the notice of

residents, bridges like this can change the

Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, it

two Portuguese architects who have

aesthetic of an area and create a symbolic

comprises almost eight miles of road and

hatched what they call a â&#x20AC;&#x153;bizarreâ&#x20AC;? plan for

shorthand for a place that will be known

features three bridges that skim the surface

Porto. They have suggested dismantling

and admired internationally. Should funding

of the Persian Gulf before vanishing

a decommissioned 19th-century Gustave

be secured for it, Thomas Heatherwickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

beneath the water into a tunnel. Due to

Eiffel bridge, on the outskirts of the city, and

proposed Garden Bridge in London could

open in 2021, it will link Dohaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s airport to

rebuilding it in the centre. The process will

do just that, creating an elevated parkland

the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main cultural districts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and one

take five months, they estimate, and cost

between the South Bank and Temple,

of the bridges will house a public park that

â&#x201A;Ź10 million. It would, they assert, transform

where pedestrians can amble past

can be accessed by funicular railway.

the bridge from a useless structure into

As well as improving infrastructure for

shrubbery and trees as the Thames surges beneath them. It could be walkable by 2017.

In China, an undulating bridge redolent of a MĂśbius strip will curve over Meixi Lake to

Spick and span (clockwise from top left) Glacier Skywalk, Canada; Pont Jean-Jacques Bosc in Bordeaux, closed to traffic during fairs and festivals; Sharq Crossing, Doha; the undulating bridge over Meixi Lake, China; and Garden Bridge, London

a world-famous attraction â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as recognisable as Eiffelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eternally popular tower in Paris.

LCKI8KI8M<C

the NEXT BIG THING ONtrend:

HOTEL BOUTIQUES

T z ROOM FOR ART

Opening in the autumn, The Beaumont Hotel in Mayfair will boast a truly unique feature: its signature suite, Room, is contained within a three-storey sculpture by Antony Gormley (above).

The bedroom is lined in â&#x20AC;&#x153;fumed oakâ&#x20AC;?, and the enveloping sculpture is built in stainless steel.

A spokesperson for the hotel says the concept â&#x20AC;&#x153;transforms the traditional idea of public art on a plinth into a habitable and fully integrated component of a busy hotelâ&#x20AC;? (thebeaumont.com).

he Maldives is an unlikely shopping destination, but people are going out of their way to visit the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest designer store. Operated by LVMH Hotel Management, Cheval Blanc Randheli (pictured below) features a boutique bedecked with LVMH brands and products that are exclusively available at the resort. During my stay, a guest at a nearby island travelled there by speedboat to buy the limited-edition Hublot Oceanographic 4000 Cheval Blanc Randheli watch, available nowhere else.

There are only 25 in existence and they cost $38,016 (about ÂŁ22,600) apiece.

Other hotels are following suit. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, One & Only resorts has launched a limited-edition fashion collection

z MARKET FORCES IN THE MARAIS To see how one manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambition can revitalise an entire district, head to the Marais in Paris to witness a regeneration project like no other.

Investor and would-be chef CĂŠdric Naudon has created La Jeune Rue, converting dilapidated and forgotten shops into food-related premises designed by lauded creatives. Tom Dixon, for example, has designed a fishmongerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and a greengrocerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s; Ingo Maurer has created a speakeasy bar; and Paola Navone has conceived a Korean restaurant. In total, more than 30 such outlets will stretch along this street, previously known as Rue du Vertbois, and a designer hardware shop and cinema will be among the other venues for visitors to experience once their appetite is sated (lajeunerue.com).

available only in its resort boutiques; Matthew Williamson, Thom Sweeney and Linda Farrow are among those who have contributed designs, all of which are inspired by One & Only properties.

In Venice, the Gritti Palace has launched House of Waris Rare in collaboration with Waris Ahluwalia. Here the designer has sourced hand-crafted products from 14 countries, including pashminas from Kashmir and engraved Murano glasses from Italy that are exclusive to the shop.

Despite the abundance of shopping options in Marrakesh, guests at the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s El Fenn and La Mamounia properties can also benefit from recently opened on-site stores.

zTHE SEASONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEW OPENINGS Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest Firmdale property,

Island opens in the Whitsunday

Ham Yard Hotel (above), opens in

Islands in July. Situated on the

Soho in June. It is surrounded by

Great Barrier Reef, the private-island

West End theatres, of course, but

resort will offer diving, hiking and

also has one of its own, together

indulgent dining for those who

with a 1950s-style bowling alley.

want to get away from it all.

In the same month, Andaz Tokyo

Just steps from the Arc de

Toranomon Hills will capitalise on

Triomphe, The Peninsula Paris will

its setting within the upper levels of

be the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first European hotel.

a skyscraper. It features a 52nd-floor

Opening in August, it will aim to

rooftop bar with open-air seating and

impress with some of the largest

the highest chapel in the capital.

rooms in the city, a rooftop bar and

In Australia, One & Only Hayman

The latter sells own-brand olive oils and marmalades, using ingredients sourced from its own gardens, as well as handicrafts.

At El Fenn, guests can acquire homewares including the kilim blankets and cushions that decorate the hotel, as well as traditional Moroccan products â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ideal for souvenir hunters who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to face the hassle of haggling in the souks.

suites with their own private gardens.

Allergy sufferers could soon find comfort on flights operated by Swiss. The carrier has committed to serving food and drink that is free of lactose and gluten; banishing flowers and air fresheners, in consideration of passengers

FOR THE LATEST IN LUXURY TRAVEL telegraph.co.uk/ luxurytravel

LCKI8KI8M<C

with nasal allergies; and offering pillows stuffed with synthetic material. Small steps, but enough to make Swiss the first airline to be awarded the ECARF (European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation) seal of quality.

ILLUSTRATION BY ROBERT SHADBOLT; PA; GETTY

zNOT TO BE SNEEZED AT

SLEEP.

OUR MOST POPULAR DESTINATION. Do not disturb. Stretched out on a fully-flat bed. The sumptuous soft mattress and bedtime drink beginning to take effect.

About to touch down on a cotton-wool cloud. From gentle ambient cabin lighting, to soothing pillow mist aromas, see how far weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to bring you some well-deserved sleep at etihad.com/comfortzone Welcome to a more comfortable world.

ULTRA fashion

Super-bright and super-light, these are the sunglasses to pack this season

RED

Cutler and Gross Elton John Aids Foundation in acetate, ÂŁ310 (020 7581 2250; cutlerandgross.com).

BLUE

Tom Ford Grace Cat-eye in acetate and lightweight stainless steel, ÂŁ233 (020 3141 7800; tomford.com).

AMBER

The Row for Linda Farrow Gallery in acetate and stainless steel, ÂŁ255 (020 7499 6336; lindafarrow.com).

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Whether island-hopping off St Barts, strolling along La Croisette in Cannes or shopping in the souks of Marrakesh, let your eyewear reďŹ&#x201A;ect the setting. Opt for rainbowcoloured frames in Caribbean blue, Provençal lavender, paprika red or sunset amber to stand out from the crowd; choose colours inspired by pop art and you will dazzle, even beneath the neon of Miami. Pack glasses made of acetate and stainless steel, materials that are both lightweight and durable

Arabella Boyce

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

HAIR AND MAKE-UP: RACHEL SCALES; MODEL: MADELEINE KARLSSON

The shades of summer

BROWN

Chanel Geometrical SS in acetate, ÂŁ270 (020 7493 5040; chanel.com).

TURQUOISE

Karen Walker Faithful in acetate, ÂŁ165 (020 7022 0828; karenwalker.com).

PINK (worn by model) CĂŠline Round in acetate, â&#x201A;Ź250/ÂŁ205; CĂŠline shirt in cotton and crepe, â&#x201A;Ź980/ÂŁ806 (020 7491 8200; celine.com).

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOE PLIMMER

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ULTRAwatches

International rescue

ULTRAbeauty 4 The high-end quartz movement combines both digital and analogue

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

displays. Functions include a 1/100th-of-a-second

Ever since Gaston Breitling created the ďŹ rst wrist chronograph for aviators in 1915, the Breitling name has been synonymous with pilotsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; watches. In 1930, the Swiss watchmaker was the ďŹ rst to introduce a rotating bezel and slide-rule scale on its Chronomat model, enabling pilots to calculate speed, distance and fuel consumption. Then, in 1995, it launched its Emergency: the ďŹ rst (and only) watch to contain an inbuilt SOS transmitter operating on the international air-distress frequency, for use on land, on sea, and in the air.

Having sold 40,000, Breitling replaced it last year with the Emergency II

chronograph, an alarm, a countdown timer and a secondary time-zone display. There is also a multilingual calendar and a battery indicator (the watch and transmitter use separate power sources).

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Simon de Burtonllng tiiis niii miiillnns niii piiinds wiiith

1 Inside the case of the Breitling Emergency II is a distress transmitter built to the specification of the Cospas-Sarsat satellite alert system. It will broadcast for 24 hours on frequencies of 121.5 MHz, detectable within a 100-mile range, and 406 MHz, enabling the watch both to send an alert and act as a homing device for rescue teams.

3 Designed to be worn in arduous conditions, the watch features a hefty

5 A large knurled crown is linked to a secondary cap on the other side. When the crown is unscrewed, it draws out a 14in antenna for transmission on 406 MHz; the secondary cap contains a 27in antenna for transmission on 121.5 MHz.

case, in 51mm saltresistant titanium, that is water-resistant to five bar (about 170ft). The bezel is marked with a compass

2 The transmitter is powered by a special rechargeable battery. Each watch is supplied with a docking station (not shown) which both charges the device and tests that

scale, and the dial is covered with a thick, glare-proof cambered

The stages of operation are inscribed on

Breitling Emergency II, ÂŁ12,040

the case back and there is a significant

(020 7499 8596; breitling.com)

penalty for deploying the device without good reason.

crystal in black or highvisibility orange or yellow.

ALAMY

it is fully operational.l.

TWO MORE WATCHES FOR ADVENTURERS Bremont Martin-Baker

IWC Aquatimer Deep

MBII ÂŁ3,395 (0845 094

Three ÂŁ14,250 (020 7730

0690; bremont.com)

1234; iwc.com)

Developed in conjunction

The Deep One, the

with the British ejection-

companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first watch to

seat manufacturer Martin-

gauge depth, was

Baker, this watch has a

developed in 1999. Its

soft-iron Faraday cage to

latest version, Deep Three,

protect the movement

has been further refined

from magnetism and a

and features a water

case mount to shield it

pressure-activated depth

from shock. Tests included

gauge capable of providing

ejecting a prototype at

accurate readings down to

speeds of up to 600 knots

165ft. A blue indicator

and attaching it to a

shows the wearerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

vibration device to

current depth while a red

simulate the service life of

indicator records the

a military helicopter.

maximum depth attained.

LCKI8KI8M<C

SAVED BY THEIR BRE

I

ITLING

n 2002, in Galdh opiggen, Norway , climbers Tim Lesley and Mark Pool had a chance to test their Breit ling Emergency watch to its limits. Having se t out in clear, calm conditions, they were sudden ly surrounded by a blizzard and trapped on a treacherous slo pe. The pair, huddled on a pr ecipice, activated the Breitlingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s SOS transmitter.

The signal was tra cked by a rescue helicop ter, and although the pilot was unable to lan d, he managed to guide a local mountainrescue team to th e pair.

They are just two of about 20 adve nturers whose lives have been saved by th is watch.

ULTRA jewels Van Cleef & Arpels Etruscan cuff In the 1970s, while frequenting Mediterranean islands with her Greek shipping-magnate husband Ari Onassis, Jackie O consciously dropped the formal pearl-set jewels befitting a First

H Stern Iris earrings

Lady and embraced a more relaxed

The Brazilian fine jewellerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

style. The ethnic hammered gold cuffs

Iris collection is a creative

she took to wearing with slinky

re-imagining of all things

Halston-style dresses created a new

oceanic. The shape of these

kind of jetset resort look. Etruscan-style

earrings is designed to mimic

gold cuff, below, ÂŁ26,100 (020 7493

the natural curve of sea shells,

0400; vancleefarpels.com).

and the undulating lines of diamonds to replicate ocean spray. Diamond and 18-carat gold Iris earrings, ÂŁ9,300

CORBIS

(020 3141 0233; hstern.net).

Louis Vuitton Emprise ring graphic ring (below), Louis Vuitton fine-jewellery designer Lorenz Bäumer took inspiration from Talitha Getty in the 1970s: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like the idea of a woman who likes to host parties, who likes bold colours, but who is always feminine,â&#x20AC;? he said. Emprise rose gold and amethyst ring, ÂŁ6,575 (020 7399 4050; louisvuitton.co.uk).

ROCK GODDESS

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Fine jewels are an essential element of any elegant travellerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wardrobe. How else to create a stylish look in dusty desert heat or on a hot beach? Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a knack. Take inspiration from 1970s fashion goddesses such as Marisa Berenson (above) and wear ethnic-inspired jewels featuring psychedelic colours and organic forms. Big statement pieces such as Roman cuffs, beaded necklaces and giant rings are the precious details that take kaftans, Grecian-style gowns and linen trouser suits from leisure to luxe Caragh McKay

Pomellato Capri ring The hues of the Italian coastline in summer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from its turquoise waters to its lavender wisteria â&#x20AC;&#x201C; were the inspiration for Pomellatoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Capri collection. Each piece seems to shimmer with light, as though the Italian fine-jewellery house has managed to capture the Mediterranean sunshine in each of its gems.

Rose gold and chrysoprase Capri ring, below, ÂŁ8,590 (020 7355 0300; pomellato.com).

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

When designing his latest collection, including this

Shamballa Jewels bracelets The idea of applying a high-craft ethic to Asian-style ethnic beaded bracelets was an inspired one. By doing so, Louis Vuitton Fernando Jorge earrings The sensual, sculptural forms of Fernando Jorgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fine jewellery leave you in no doubt of his SĂŁo Paulo roots.

brothers Mads and Mikkel Kornerup, from Copenhagen, created one of the most popular beach-luxe looks of the past decade, combining ancient beading, braiding and polishing techniques with 18-carat gold, pearls and gems.

Peach moonstone and pavĂŠ-diamond lock bracelets, below, from ÂŁ3,340 to ÂŁ9,430 (shamballajewels.com).

His bejewelled pieces ooze elegance. Given that Brazil has some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best beaches and is one of the most mineral-rich places on earth, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no wonder he creates gems that are the epitome of contemporary hippy chic.

Double-strand gold, diamond and chrysoprase earrings, right, ÂŁ7,260 (net-a-porter.com).

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ULTRAbeauty OLIVE OIL

Santa Maria Novella Olive Soap, made with pure extra virgin olive oil, is triple-milled to make it very soft and moisturising â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ideal for cleansing in harsh, dry environments. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s authentic, too, each bar hand-moulded using 19th-century equipment, aged for 60 days, then hand-wrapped.

SPRING WATER The French spa Avène leads the world in skincare for sensitive skin â&#x20AC;&#x201C; especially for those prone to eczema and psoriasis. Eau Thermale Avène Skin Recovery Cream contains the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s healing spring water, making it a product everyone should have in their bathroom cabinet.

GRAPE-SEED OIL Bare skin exposed to ultraviolet rays is not only sure to age prematurely but may be vulnerable to skin cancer in later years. Caudalie Anti-Ageing Face Suncare SPF50, made using grape-seed polyphenols by the exclusive Bordeaux vinotherapy spa, gives invisible cover as well as UV protection.

SEA ALGAE Sun ages skin deep down by disrupting the DNA of cells. Thalgo Energising Vitality

LEMON ZEST

Cream, from the spa of the same name on the Brittany coast, is rich in antioxidant marine

Stifling summer heat can affect the

extracts that slow the ageing process as

body in myriad ways â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not least by

well as soothe and hydrate the skin.

making legs puffy. Legology AirLite Daily Lift For Legs is a deep drainage cream, inspired by â&#x20AC;&#x153;Leg Schoolâ&#x20AC;? treatments in Capri and

ALOE JUICE

scented with uplifting Amalfi lemons, which reduces swelling and

Sun, wind and sea are a tough combination for skin,

restores energy from the feet up.

dehydrating it, especially where itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thinnest â&#x20AC;&#x201C; on lips and around the eyes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or hardest-working: on feet, for example. Carthusia Green Aloe Lip Balm not only replenishes these areas with aloe

Bring back the aromas of the Mediterranean and make that holiday feeling last. Kate Shapland picks the best spa products from Italy and France

Natural healing

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Mediterranean spas are unrivalled in terms of their old-school glamour and dedication. On the Italian island of Capri, for example, a clinic at the Capri Palace Hotel is devoted to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Leg Schoolâ&#x20AC;? slimming treatments. Continental women go there every year for three weeks to have their legs beautified (while their husbands visit cardiologists up the road) because no one else treats cellulite and fluid-retention as thoroughly. The focus of Italian and French spas is what makes them so desirable â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and their home spa products, enriched with natural ingredients, carry the same kudos

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

KATE POWERS/AUGUST

vera juice, but cools them, too.

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1 4

2

3

55 3

1 Thalgo Energising Vitality Cream £34.80 (020 7512 0872; urbanretreat.co.uk). 2 Legology Air-Lite Daily Lift For Legs £60 (020 7384 9600; myshowcase.com). 3 Caudalie Anti-Ageing Face Suncare SPF50 £20 (0800 046 1683; caudalie.com). 4 Carthusia Green Aloe Lip Balm £9 (020 7734 1234; liberty.co.uk). 5 Santa Maria Novella Olive Soap £14 (020 7460 6600; smnovella.it). 6 Eau Thermale Avène Skin Recovery Cream £12.50 (020 8731 3322; boots.com).

6

JOHN SIMPSON UP FRONT

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My ideal isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t The Dorchester in London [which hosted this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ultratravel 100 Awards], nor the Burj Al Arab in Dubai [voted Best Hotel in the World by readers], nor the lovely Hotel Montalembert in Paris with its insurpassable champagne bar. No; my ideal for work or pleasure is an unlikely one, and comes from a ďŹ lm. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the HĂ´tel de la Plage in Jacques Tatiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Monsieur Hulotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Holiday. I recognise everyone in it: the exasperated manager, the muttering waiter, the bickering, fauxpolite guests. Over the years, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve managed to stay in a variety of places like that.

Reporting for television news is, you see, essentially a hotel activity. Producer, cameraman and correspondent fetch up at their chosen place with an unfeasibly large number of metal boxes containing the equipment, clocking the look of pain on the porterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face when he sees what he has to carry. (At the Malibu in Simferopol, there is no porter and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re lucky if the blonde at reception looks up from her nails long enough to check you in.)

In Tyre, Lebanon, an army of journalists took over a Plage-like seaside hotel to report on the Israeli attack of 2006. We ate and edited on the beach, and the others even gave me a birthday party there. There was never time to swim, but we could fall asleep to the sound of the waves breaking on the shore, even though jets screaming overhead woke us in the mornings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the date?â&#x20AC;? asked our superb cameraman Jimmy, a Palestinian Christian. I told him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I booked this hotel from today for a holiday with my family,â&#x20AC;? he said, with a distant look in his eyes.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

banon, there th In Lebanon, was never time to swim, but we could fall asleep to the sound of waves breaking on the shore, even though jets screaming overhead woke us in the morning

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

W

hen I woke up this morning I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the faintest idea where I was.

For a moment I thought I was still in Ukraine, in the cold, crappy hotel where I lived for almost a month: with curtains that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stretch across the windows, stains on the carpet, a single thin towel, and two Russian thugs shouting through the paper-thin wall.

Then reality seeped in. I realised I was lying in the bosom of my family, in one of the nicest hotels itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been my pleasure to stay in. My wife was asleep beside me, and at some point in the night my eight-yearold son must have changed beds and burrowed in between us; the vestigial, almost pleasant pain in my calf that woke me up had been his sharp little toenail.

As consciousness returned, ďŹ&#x201A;ashes of green and white came ďŹ ltering through the slats in the door like the ďŹ rst frames of an old home movie. The green was the Indian Ocean, lapping on the shore of the lagoon along which our hotel sprawls; the white was the palm-fringed coral sand which stretches out to it from our French windows. A hard dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lounging, eating, swimming and reading lay ahead. It felt like being on day release from purgatory.

I spend a lot of time in hotels â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but more often like the ghastly, unsuitably-named Malibu hotel in Simferopol than the relaxed and charming Le Touessrok in Mauritius, with its attentive, unobtrusive staff. I have come to love the hotel as a genus â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the professional smiles, the way the waiters walk on the sides of their feet, the delays in answering the phone.

After a hard dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ lming, you edit in the evening. The cameraman downloads the pictures he has shot, the producer suggests a structure, I make a counterproposal while the cameraman drums his ďŹ ngers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the producer wins. Since we wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have had lunch, we call room service. Forty minutes later, while we continue to edit against the clock, the waiter arrives, delivers the cold club sandwich and the cooling coffee, and has to be ushered out because he wants to stay and watch.

Nowadays, when the edit is ďŹ nished, we no longer race through darkened streets to a television station and send our report by satellite link to London. Nor, times being hard, do we often bring satellite equipment with us. Instead, unlikely though it sounds, we email our report over the hotel WiFi and pray the signal stays steady.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what we did at the awful Malibu in Crimea, in what was Ukraine and has now been absorbed into Russia. That is what we do all over the world. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help thinking that Le Touessrok would make a great television news hotel, except that Mauritius is the most peaceable place Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve visited and the chance that something nasty will happen is, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have thought, zero.

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hope so. Frankly, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had enough of bands of thugs roaming the streets, of trying to persuade yobs with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Russiaâ&#x20AC;? tattooed on their foreheads to do an oncamera interview, of racing towards the sound of gunďŹ re.

But after two weeks here, relaxed and brown and overweight, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be looking for trouble again â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and lovely Mauritius will be just another charming memory.

ROMY BLUMEL; GETTY

After a month holed-up in Ukraine, a holiday in Mauritius gives our columnist time to reďŹ&#x201A;ect on hotels good and bad

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The smells, sounds and sights of the dunes around Wolwedans in Namibia (below) are slightly overwhelming because they are so extreme. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re totally surrounded by raw nature; by enormous dunes and huge blue skies.

T

he leading French interior designer Jocelyne Sibuet, co-founder of the Sibuet Hotels & Spa group and creator of its Pure Altitude cosmetics range, travels regularly

to find inspiration and objects for her hotels and beauty products. What she most enjoys, she says, is â&#x20AC;&#x153;mixing styles and crafts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for instance, combining artworks that

At a Chinese market 10 years ago, women told me they used jade (below) in their facial treatments because it has such incredible energy. I brought 15kg back with me and now incorporate it into my cosmetics. It has become huge in facials in New York.

capture the energy of New York with French fabrics (above) and crafts from Moroccoâ&#x20AC;?. The mistake most people make when travelling, is â&#x20AC;&#x153;not keeping an open mind when considering things to take home. You need to look at the shape and style of something, and imagine what you can do with it.â&#x20AC;? She always carries a sketchbook to keep a visual diary of things she has seen, whether that is an item in a museum or an entire garden. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It might be years before I use it, though; you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go away and use everything right away.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x161;â&#x20AC;&#x161;

If you remember the colour of the land, sea and sky on a trip, and store them in your head, you will feel different when you return. The amazing blues and whites of Greece (below) always inspire me. In certain places, the light somehow invades your mind.

â&#x20AC;&#x161;â&#x20AC;&#x161;

Great rooms have an atmosphere that lifts the spirit and soul. I love La Colombe dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Or (below), the legendary hotel and restaurant in Saint-Paul-deVence, which has been home to dozens of artists, who paid with paintings. So you might have dinner with a real Picasso or Matisse.

Rome is the most exotic European city; the essence of la dolce vita. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just the statuary (above) and buildings that are so rich, but the atmosphere, the way people relax and enjoy themselves, sitting on the pavements women are so elegant, too.

§

ALAMY; AP; SHUTTERSTOCK

drinking their coffee. The

Interview by Lisa Grainger

My favourite places for holidays are remote hotels. I love Adrère Amellal (above), in the Siwa Oasis, Egypt, which has no electricity but has real soul; and Le Sauvage Private Island, linked to Hotel Kia Ora in French Polynesia, which has just five bungalows and incredibly clear sea. They offer a different kind of sophistication: pure, distilled and simple.

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© 2014 Hilton Worldwide

THE STORIES BEGIN HERE

NEW YORK CHICAGO GRAND WAILEA THE BOULDERS DUBAI ARIZONA BILTMORE BERLIN JERUSALEM PUERTO RICO SHANGHAI AMSTERDAM BEIJING ORLANDO ROME CAVALIERI JEDDAH KEY WEST NAPLES PARK CITY PANAMA BOCA RATON EDINBURGH RAS AL KHAIMAH LA QUINTA RESORT & CLUB TRIANON PALACE VERSAILLES THE ROOSEVELT NEW ORLEANS

WA L D O R FASTO R I A .CO M / T H E STO R I E S

MR&MRS MORGAN

Having one man in an apron to cater to every whim is pretty appealing. Having two is perfect â&#x20AC;&#x201C; particularly when oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your husband

ANDREW CROWLEY; DAN GOLDSMITH/SCOPE FEATURES

N

HE SAYS

ow, I leave it to you, Monsieur Morgan!â&#x20AC;?

Executive chef Fabrice Guisset slapped me on the back, roared with laughter, and departed the gorgeous Parisian-style herb garden.

It was the crucial moment in my â&#x20AC;&#x153;Men in Whiteâ&#x20AC;? dining challenge at Las Ventanas al ParaĂ­so in Los Cabos, Mexico, where a man romantically cooks for his lady. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d wrongly assumed that Chef Guisset would do the hard bit while I, clad in full â&#x20AC;&#x153;whitesâ&#x20AC;?, would take all the credit. Instead, I was left alone, having to cook a shrimp salad starter, then a rib-eye steak main course, all of which massively exceeded my Spaghetti Morganese culinary repertoire. I managed it â&#x20AC;&#x201C; just. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost edible,â&#x20AC;? sighed Celia, semi-ecstatic with relief.

This was the only thing Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d had to do for myself in seven days â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which was fortunate, considering all I had to do for Celia. But I had help in that regard from a man who had emailed me a fortnight previously with the endearing words: â&#x20AC;&#x153;My name is Roberto, and I will be your personal butler.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be ďŹ ne,â&#x20AC;? I said to him on arrival, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but the Lady can beâ&#x20AC;Ś demanding.â&#x20AC;? Roberto nodded, and smiled knowingly.

The week followed a familiar pattern: as I tucked into a giant slab of exquisite Iberian ham sliced inches from my ravenous face on to mini-toasts, Celia strained her way through 50 laps of the inďŹ nity pool. As I enjoyed a howto-make-perfect-guacamole lesson, aided and abetted by Robertoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mule-kicking margaritas, Celia ran up and down the beach in a 32-degree midday furnace. And while Celia performed excruciatingly painful-looking yoga exercises on our patio, I experienced a far less tortuous tequila tasting, toasting her every agonising, limb-contorting howl.

On our last night, they set up a dining table, a large sofa and a giant TV on the beach, and we watched a movie (Flight, starring Denzel Washington â&#x20AC;&#x201C; mainly because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in it) as the sun set and I toasted marshmallows for us over an open ďŹ re.

There were so many treats laid on by Las Ventanas that we, or rather I, barely had time to recover from one before the next arrived. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d heard all the hype about Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ďŹ nest beach resort. But little prepares you for the magic of a candlelit dinner of red snapper and Montrachet by the tumultuous Sea of Cortez, as a small herd of horses canters across the sand led by a local man in a giant, battered sombrero. This is especially so when you are watching from a spanking new two-bedroom beachfront villa with its own stretch of private sand, a bathroom bigger than a hotel lobby, a large pool, a Jacuzzi, and loo seats that are not only heated but spring up as you walk towards them.

It was just ďŹ ve minutesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; walk to the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s restaurants, but we spent most of our time inside our villa. It was the single most relaxing holiday of my life. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No offence,â&#x20AC;? I said to Celia, as we arrived home and she immediately asked me to put out the rubbish, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but I slightly wish Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d married Roberto.â&#x20AC;?

T Conjugal duties aside, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to confuse the butler with Piers.

Both seem to be two steps behind me wherever I go, determined to turn servitude into an art form â&#x20AC;&#x201C; CELIA

Getting personal A butler delivers treats on the beach at Las Ventanas (above). Top: a Luxury Villa at the resort

SHE SAYS

here was something very soothing about knowing that, at any given time, someone, somewhere, was making me a pitcher of sangria. That someone was probably Roberto, because sangria-making is an integral part of any personal butlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to-do list â&#x20AC;&#x201C; along with delivering fresh coconut juice each day, colour co-ordinating my bikini drawer, scheduling my beach yoga sessions, and booking my four-handed aromatherapy massages.

I had Roberto on speed-dial from the moment we were handed him â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the ďŹ rst of endless unsolicited local delicacies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; on arrival at Las Ventanas. He was one of the highlights of our stay, although, conjugal duties aside, it was easy to confuse him with my husband. Both existed purely to cater to my every whim. Both seemed to be two steps behind me wherever I went, determined to turn servitude into an art form (quite why I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t had Piers liveried yet, after three years of marriage, is anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guess). And both had an uncanny knack of interrupting my ďŹ tness regime with treats such as home-made guacamole and vats of margarita.

This holiday was something of a culinary epiphany for Piers. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d never seen him in an apron until Las Ventanas got hold of him. Now it was hard to get him out of the damn thing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Did you know that if you season a steak after youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve cooked it, it will retain more ďŹ&#x201A;avour from the herbs?â&#x20AC;? he chirped, after a cooking class with the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world-class chef, in preparation for his all-important Men in White night. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No,â&#x20AC;? I exhaled deeply from my warrior pose. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Can we talk about this later?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Or that the heart of the agave plant, from which tequila is made, can weigh up to 100 kilos?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to weigh 100 kilos if you and the empanadas donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t break it off,â&#x20AC;? I whispered tetchily. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Om Shanti,â&#x20AC;? muttered my yoga teacher, peaceably.

It usually takes me three days to relax on holiday. Here, it took three hours. This was largely because it felt like we were staying in a private villa rather than a hotel. I never want to socialise on holiday or even see another person if it can be helped, and Las Ventanas adopts a ďŹ rm â&#x20AC;&#x153;do whatever the hell you likeâ&#x20AC;? policy. We werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bullied into salsa-dancing on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cuban nightâ&#x20AC;? or taking part in dawn boot camps. You could be active or sloth-like, engaged or detached, utterly selďŹ sh (me) or disconcertingly romantic (Piers came perilously close to asking me to renew our vows on our last night â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I think watching himself on screen with Denzel got him all tingly).

The downside of an experience like this is that re-entry into normal life can be harsh â&#x20AC;&#x201C; especially when Roberto isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t among the knick-knacks to take home at the end of your stay.

Piers Morgan and Celia Walden were guests of Las Ventanas al ParaĂ­so. A Luxury Villa costs from $4,500/ÂŁ2,665 per night (0052 624 144 2800; rosewoodhotels.com/en/las-ventanas-los-cabos).

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THE ULTRATRAVEL GUIDE

COOLCOASTALTURKEY Once, the Turkish coast was synonymous with package hotels and brash beach resorts. No more. Twelve new marinas are being built, upmarket hotels are springing up, and stylish bars and restaurants are packed with hip visitors. Here, we select and review eight of the finest boutique properties, from Alaçati to Kalkan

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Mediterranean classic Hotel Villa Mahal, clinging to a hillside with glorious views of Kalkan, is as stylish as its owner, Ipek Tolbas.

Photographs by OZGUL OZGULE TURAN

Like a gulet bobbing in a tranquil harbour, Turkey is moored to dry land at both ends. Europe is at its prow and the Middle East at its stern; but most of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long gunwales â&#x20AC;&#x201C; its 4,970 miles of coast â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are lapped by the waters of three warm seas.

The shorelines of those seas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Black, Aegean, and broad, blue Med â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are natural assets that have brought overseas visitors ďŹ&#x201A;ocking. Already, Antalya â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the gateway to the Turquoise Coast â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is the third most visited city in the world after Paris and London. Now, the aim is to make these coasts as alluring as possible for upscale travellers. More and more marinas are being built, so wealthy visitors have a wide choice of places to park their fabulous yachts. Twelve marinas are currently under construction. Two of them, with more than 1,200 berths, are within easy sailing distance of the unarguably cool byways of Bodrum. And a 700-berth marina is being built at Sifne, close to AlaçatÄą: the pretty village, a skip and a jump from the coast, that is overtaking Bodrum as the hippest summer spot in Turkey for chic Istanbulites and foreign visitors alike.

So it is no surprise that the Turkish coast has attracted the attention of the top-end hotel chains. Aman brought a touch of south-east Asia to this, the north-western corner of the Asian continent, when it planted a resort just outside Bodrum two years ago. Amanruyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appealing little villas will soon have some competition on the Turkish Riviera in the form of a Mandarin Oriental, which comes later this year to Cennet Koyu â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Paradise Bayâ&#x20AC;?. Four Seasons is set to launch its third Turkish property in 2016. The new hotel will stand on the horned Ă&#x2021;esme peninsula, where the views are westward, towards the Greek island of Chios and the sunset.

More than 2.5 million Brits visited Turkey in 2013. Many were drawn by falling costs in the country â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 16 per cent down on the previous year, according to a new Post OfďŹ ce study â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but also accessibility: there are more ďŹ&#x201A;ights to the Turkish coast than ever before. At the same time, Turkey is a luxury destination, now more than ever. Why, Exclusive Escapes has even launched a dedicated terminal at Stansted, from which clients are ďŹ&#x201A;own by private jet straight to Dalaman.

Once in Turkey, where should they stay? We have selected eight charming coastal properties: some wonderfully old-fashioned; some Ăźber-hip; some, run by locals, that epitomise the best of Turkish hospitality and design. On the following pages, our writers check in and check them out.

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The boho bolt-hole ALAVYA Alaçatı

O

nce, most of the high-end hotels on Turkey’s Aegean coast appeared to be trying to

second-guess what would appeal to well-heeled foreigners. Alavya suffers from no such inferiority complex. The decor, by local interiors maestro Hakan Ezer, is a playful mix of Ottoman opulence and contemporary design, lent depth and authority by works from the contemporary art collection of owners Erol and Rama Tabanca.

Flirting with bling, but opting in the end for its own brand of Turkish barefoot chic, Alavya is the biggest thing to happen to upcoming destination Alaçatı, which was discovered by Istanbuli fashionistas and creative types at the turn of the millennium. In this conservation zone, the only way space could be found for a 25-suite resort was to spread the rooms, spa, bar, restaurant and reception area over a whole clutch of the village’s handsome 19th-century stone houses. The areas in between are occupied by chill-out terraces, gardens and a stylish pool lined with mosaic tiles in Paul Smith-style stripes.

The typical Alavya guest is a rich Istanbuli,

ALAVYA IS THE BIGGEST THING TO HAPPEN IN UPCOMING ALAÇATI

well-travelled and cultured but not above showing off his or her new Ferrari; an advertising agency boss, perhaps, or a TV personality (although it’s right in the centre of town, the resort is well-shielded from prying eyes). Italian chef Carlo Bernardini, who “opened” the resort in the summer of 2013, has since moved on, but Alavya’s high-end Mitu (casual) and Fogo (fine dining) restaurants stay true to his Italian-Turkish fusion approach.

With its winding cobbled lanes lined by bougainvillea-draped houses, Alaçatı is so pretty,

Designer oasis Alavya, a 25-suite resort converted from 19th-century stone houses, has gardens and a pool with mosaic tiles laid in Paul Smith-style stripes

and so well-stocked with hip boutiques, cafés and design shops, that many habitués never make it to the beach. The nearest one, two miles away, is strictly for the windsurfers; for the Ibiza-style beach clubs, you’ll need to head towards Çesme (0090 232 716 6632; alavya.com. tr; doubles from £170).

The classic hideaway

HOTEL VILLA MAHAL Kalkan

I

n the 26 years since it opened, Hotel Villa Mahal has

meal at one of the harbour-side or rooftop restaurants (try

become a Mediterranean classic: a contemporary boutique

the Korsan Fish Terrace).

hotel with a chic beach club where you can doze idly in the

Back across the bay, the Hotel Villa Mahal now has 13

shade of olive trees, swim to a raft, have a Balinese massage

rooms and suites, including a Pool Suite and Cliff House with

in a cave, or take a motor boat to glorious Kaputas Beach,

private pools; or book one of two stunning minimalist villas

a strip of white sand at the foot of a ravine.

with three bedrooms and two pools apiece. A moreish Turkish

The hotel’s defining feature is its setting, clinging to a

breakfast is served on a blindingly white rooftop terrace at

hillside with views to the (once Greek) harbour town of Kalkan.

the top of the hotel. From here, cobbled steps lead down

Dressed in crisp blues, greens and whites, it’s also effortlessly

past a triangular infinity pool, glinting like a giant gemstone,

stylish, sophisticated and fun, rather like its owner, Ipek Tolbas.

to the beach club, which becomes a bewitching restaurant at

When the former designer harnessed donkeys to heft

night, with tables right on the water’s edge. Order Ottoman-

the first stones in the 1980s, Kalkan was still a sleepy

style leg of lamb and strike up a conversation with Tolbas or

fishing village: artists would gather at the Lipsos bar to

other members of her family. Then rise early to visit Patara,

play the guitar and watch as the odd celebrity, such as

an 11-mile beach fronting the scattered ruins of a Lycian port

Nureyev, sailed into the bay. The town is now awash with

and the oldest standing lighthouse in the world (0090 242 844

British tourists, so it’s best to visit by water taxi for a sunset

3268; villamahal.com; doubles from £165 b&b).

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The glamorous gulet

MARE NOSTRUM Turquoise Coast Luxury and value don’t often come in the same package, but they do aboard this 144ft gulet, which offers yacht charters on the south-west coast of Turkey (where rates are a fraction of those in the Greek Islands, on the Italian Riviera or on the Côte d’Azur). When she was launched in 2008, Mare Nostrum set a new standard of luxury in the Eastern Mediterranean and forced many to reconsider their view of gulets.

Unlike the modern carbon-fibre yachts which ply this coast, with their sleek, streamlined hulls and practical interiors, this classic wooden boat was built for comfort, with the sort of accommodation normally found on ocean cruisers: six large staterooms, and enormous sunbathing and outdoor dining spaces, all equipped to extremely high standards and featuring imported Italian fixtures and exotic woods.

Mare Nostrum’s cabins, too, were designed to be like mini hotel rooms. Five of the staterooms have king-size or queensize beds, one has twins and all have private en-suite bathrooms, as well as elegant mahogany wall panels, cabinetry and bed frames, and light soft furnishings that add a touch of contemporary style.

Staffed with an English-speaking, internationally-trained crew, and a chef who can cook lamb a dozen ways, the yacht offers guests a chance to enjoy a traditional Turkish experience – but in privacy, and with the sorts of little luxuries that one might find in a five-star beach resort (WiFi, surroundsound, and toys ranging from wakeboards and paddle-skis to espresso makers). A group of up to 12 guests can do pretty much whatever they wish – from sailing along the coast and stopping to swim in private bays to taking guided tours into the bazaar of Marmaris and the amphitheatre at Knidos (020 8144 5834; exclusivegulets.co.uk; from £41,000 per week).

This is my

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The boutique retreat NARS ILICA Ilica

N

ars occupies an 18th-century mansion that stands on the seafront in Ilica, a short taxi

ride from the buzzing centre of Alaçati. The décor is perfectly lovely. The shared spaces are full of deep sofas, weathered objets d’art and intriguing botanical prints. There are stylised artichokes in the wallpaper design, a recurrent motif throughout the hotel. In various corners of the downstairs rooms there are some old wooden stools, eyecatching because their seats are enamelled in bright colours that look like fresh icing on a cupcake; you can’t fail to want to take one home.

Every nook in the Nars has a cosy, cushiony Ottoman warmth to it. This is the kind of hotel where, as soon as you walk in, you feel you might just choose to stay indoors for your entire stay – though at some point you may want to wander down and dip a toe in the inviting thermal pool.

The best room in Nars is the suite at the top of the house. Its standout feature is a wide bay window: just sink into the white upholstery and gaze at the placid sea. All eight guest rooms have a small study containing a writing desk; this is a place to come for a bit of peace in which to make a start on that book. If you do walk out into Ilica village, you may find that the narrow beach and the promenade are sometimes too crowded for comfort. But the hotel has its own private lounge area, directly opposite the main entrance, where you can sit beneath a shady canopy and

The party place MAÇAKIZI Bodrum

T

he first hotel to wrench the Bodrum peninsula away from its origins as a dropout zone for bohemian writers and artists was

have a quiet drink, or listen to some live music as the golden sun dips seaward. That is, if you’re Perhaps because the beaches on the peninsula are nothing

not having a massage in the spa… (0090 232 729

special, the beach clubs in the area are hugely popular. This one, with

the Maçakızı (“Queen of Hearts”). When it opened in the small village

platforms built over the water, is the hottest around, and constantly

of Türkbükü in 1977, it ramped up the glamour on the peninsula

populated with the elite of Ankara and Istanbul who spend summer

by about 300 per cent. Today, in the summer, it’s full of Istanbul

here. In the afternoons, after a late post-hangover lunch (traditionally

socialites lolling on giant cushions at the pontoon beach club, puffing

announced with a bell), in they flock to listen to chill-out music and

on hookahs, chattering and devouring upmarket meze.

dive off the jetties, or relax in the new Nuxe Spa, with its plant-based

Owner Sahir Erozan wanders around his rustic stone and white-

treatments. At night, they dine at chef Aret Sahakyan’s new small-

walled empire sprinkling charm and hospitality like fairy dust, greeting

plate restaurant (featuring such dishes as arroz negro with seared

superyacht owners, whose boats are moored across the bay, like

scallops, fava-bean rissotto and squid with charred aubergine), then

the old friends that they are. From May 16 until October, to make

get on the table to dance. Those wanting a quieter night might head

weekending even easier for them, he has launched a four-times-a-

to Mimoza restaurant in the old seaside village of Gümülük, where

week seaplane service, operated by Seabird Airlines from Istanbul,

tables among the fairy lights are laden with fine seafood and meze

landing just outside the Maçakızı.

(0090 252 311 2400; macakizi.com; doubles from £315, half-board).

0001; narsilica.com; doubles from £165 b&b).

The family-run guesthouse TAS OTEL Alaçatı

W

hen Zeynep Özis set up Tas Otel, there were no hotels in Alaçatı, a crumbling village. “The locals thought I was mad,” she recalls. “They

kept saying: ‘Who’d come here? Our village isn’t even by the sea. There’s only one restaurant. And she’s installing bathrooms in every room – a crazy idea!’” That was 2001. Today, almost 300 guesthouses have sprung up in and around town, but none has captured the flair and warmth of the original. Özis, who co-founded the Alaçatı Preservation Society, has restored a 120-year-old stone house with integrity. The seven bedrooms range in size but are similar in style: romantic but not twee, with antique armoires, floral bedspreads and whitewashed walls. Jazz wafts through the living room, which has a roaring fire in winter. In warmer weather, the walled garden where cats laze by the pool is the main attraction. The hotel is child-free, but families can stay at two adjacent houses that share a garden and pool.

What makes Tas Otel special isn’t the trappings of luxury; it’s the authentically Turkish setting (about half the guests are Turkish, too) and the genuinely thoughtful staff. The food is truly indulgent, though. Breakfast is a feast of local flavours that will keep you going until afternoon tea, when an array of complimentary cakes is served with Turkish çay. In Alaçatı, the food is equally good. Last summer Kemal Demirasal, Turkey’s answer to Ferran Adrià, opened Alancha, where local produce is cooked in wood-fired ovens.

Like many of those sophisticated weekenders from Izmir and Istanbul who come to the Çesme peninsula, the chef spends his spare time windsurfing; some of Turkey’s best beaches are a few miles away (0090 232 716 7772; tasotel.com; doubles from £66, including breakfast and afternoon tea).

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S T E AL I N G T H E S H OW. After midnight, near Rosewood London

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*Abridged terms and conditions. This Celebrity ‘World of Extras’ promotion is valid for new bookings of Ocean View staterooms and above (Interior staterooms are not applicable to the promotion) made between 1 May–2 Jun 2014 on selected sailings departing between Oct 2014–Mar 2015. Subject to availability. This promotion is not applicable to transatlantic, transpacifc or Galapagos sailings. The frst two guests in an eligible stateroom can each select from one option of either a Free Classic Alcoholic drinks package or Free Onboard Spend amount. Values are based on duration. For full terms and conditions, visit celebritycruises.co.uk or contact your travel agent. This publicity is presented by RCL Cruises Ltd (UK company number 07366612) with registered ofce address at Building 3, The Heights, Brooklands, Weybridge KT13 0NY as UK sales and marketing agent of Celebrity Cruises Inc. of Miami, Florida t/a Celebrity Cruises.

Thriller villa The infinity pool and the sun-drenched lounge (inset) at Villa Su

The knockout house VILLA SU Kas Peninsula

The refined resort AMANRUYA Bodrum

P

T

erched on a hillside near the ancient

a long infinity pool that seems to flow straight

fishing village of Kas, with its cliffside

into the sea. A steep stone staircase leads to

he arrival of Amanruya on the Bodrum peninsula in 2012 signalled that the

sarcophogi and ancient Lycean amphitheatre,

a private deck from where guests can plunge

this two-storey sea-facing villa on Turkey’s

into the ocean, or lounge on two oversized

resembles a little Ottoman village, with classic, Aman-esque curated ethnic pieces

south-west coast has a spendidly secluded

sofas in a sun-drenched, sea-facing lounge

softening the acres of marble and minimalism. Its villas, overlooking the azure

location. Just a 10-minute drive from the

nook that’s perfect for siestas.

Aegean Sea, are ensconsed in a bucolic valley of olive groves, fig and carob trees

area could now do grown-up, understated elegance. This all-seasons retreat,

which sits in glorious isolation in Mandalay Bay, near the sleepy village of Torba,

buzzy, harbour-facing town square, it is

Although the villa is self-catering, and

close enough to explore the pretty town

kitted out with state-of-the-art appliances,

club shaded in the pine forest. In spring, the area is golden with wildflowers; in

and restaurants such as Bahçe, with its

a private butler can be arranged for those

winter, the landscape is frosted over and, inside Amanruya, fires glow above white,

lantern-lit trees, but remote enough from the

who don’t want to lift a finger, as can services

gently heated Turkish marble floors.

passing trade. It’s the type of place at which

such as a daily delivery of bread, milk,

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie would stay, if

groceries and breakfast. Rental includes

peninsula at large, and the architecture – courtesy of the late Turgut Cansever, who

they were to holiday around here.

such treats as a staffed barbecue on the first

won the Aga Khan award for the resort – sits in the landscape as if it has always

night, a day’s boat trip to an island for lunch,

been there. Each of the 36 stone-and-terracotta, Ottoman-inspired villas (with

evident in a collection of beautifully curated

and daily replenishment of frozen smoothie

their private pools and gardens) celebrates artisanal Turkey. Inside, the marble

art, antiques and artefacts in muted earthy

shots and chilled hand-towels.

bathrooms are hammam-like and the fireplaces are proper ones; outside, the stone

Throughout the villa, the owners’ taste is

tones that complement the pared-back

While Villa Su’s decor and amenities are

and scented pines, through which you walk to reach the tranquil, pint-sized beach

The Aman is the quiet antidote to the newly chic, raucous charms of the

lining the shimmering 160ft-long pool is green Antalya marble and the pathways

palette. It’s all cool and terribly calm. Upstairs,

faultlessy deluxe, its main attraction is its

the all-white decor and pale marble floors

dreamy location: on a steep hillside with

are traditional pebble.

As might be expected from an Aman hotel, the concierge can open up the

extend to three sea-facing double bedrooms

wrap-around views of the Med – an ever-

local area with tailor-made excursions, including a “Blue Voyage” along the coast

with stylish en-suite bathrooms. Downstairs,

changing rhapsody of blues, punctuated only

and an archaeological expedition to explore ruins. The food reflects the Aman

floor-to-ceiling French doors from the living

by the silhouettes of 15 Turkish islets and the

brand’s internationalism: Turkish, Western, Indonesian and Thai dishes are served

area open on to a capacious terrace, perfect

Greek island of Meis in the distance (020 7722

across six pavilions, lounges and dining areas, making use of Turkey’s sensational

for long lunches and late-night parties, with

2288; elixirvillas.com; from £3,900 a week).

produce (0090 252 311 1212; amanresorts.com; doubles from £660).

AP

TURKEY ESSENTIALS How to get there

to the Turkish coast include Easyjet (easyjet.com)

Exclusive Escapes (020 8605 3500; exclusive

and Jet2.com. DialAFlight (0844 811 4444; dialaflight.

escapes.co.uk) is Britain’s prime operator for luxury

com) and the Charter Flight Centre (0844 050 0100;

holidays to Turkey. A seven-night stay at Hotel Villa

charterflights.co.uk) can advise on tickets with

Mahal costs from £1,250 per person, b&b, including

tour-operator charters.

return flights to Dalaman, transfers, a Turkish bath

Visas From April 2014, visas cannot be obtained

and a day’s gulet cruise. The company offers the

on arrival in Turkey; they must be obtained online

only premium-class flights direct to Dalaman,

ahead of departure.

using a British Airways aircraft from Heathrow or

Money £1 = 3.6 Turkish lire

Manchester, or a Titan Airways private jet from

More information

Stansted. Airlines that operate economy flights

gototurkey.co.uk; explorealacati.com

Reviews by Jonathan Bastable, Lisa Johnson, Lee Marshall, Lydia Bell, Rachel Howard, Kim Kavin and Nikki Benatar

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Hot stuff (clockwise from top left) Model Eva Herzigovรก with Dolce and Gabbana in Sicily; gardens in the Hotel San Domenico Palace; an out-take from a D&G advertising campaign; Baroque detail; folded pizza; a painted cart; Stromboli; Valley of the Temples; a coastal road near Erice; handpainted tiles; the trinacria, symbol of Sicily

FANTASY ISLAND

Sicily, rich in history, architecture and natural beauty, has inspired creative minds for centuries.

The fashion designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, who have a house there, reveal their favourite haunts, while Dita Von Teese practises the good life at a contemporary spa

THE FASHION SETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GUIDE TO

**

SICILY

In vogue Stromboli (main picture), the small island off Sicily where Dolce and Gabbana live for part of the year. Below: the fashion duo in the house they own on the island

W

e travel all over the world, but there is nowhere quite like Sicily [where Domenico grew up, in the small town of Polizzi Generosa, near Palermo]. It’s a place we both visit often, and it couldn’t be more different from Milan [where Stefano was born and the duo is now based]. The air, light and sun seem different when you land there, and we start feeling relaxed as soon as we step off the plane. The landscape, traditions and values haven’t changed since the 1960s.

Despite this, Sicily is a place that is constantly evolving and always culturally active. The island’s young people are key to this, travelling abroad and returning home as citizens of the world, with new experiences and ideas. Today, Sicily is alive with art, creativity and entrepreneurship.

But then, it always has been. Because of its strategic position in the Mediterranean, the island has been conquered and governed by Greeks, Romans, Spaniards and Arabs – each of whom left their mark in terms of food, architecture and traditions, creating a unique spirit. Wherever you go in Sicily, there’s something extraordinary to see. That might be a site such as the Valley of the Temples, a complex of Unesco-protected ruins in Agrigento on the south coast, or one of the island’s many festivals. The biggest of these are in celebration of patron saints: in early February, the festival of Saint Agatha in Catania is a huge event with a large procession and fireworks; in mid-July, a colourful parade celebrates Saint Rosalia in Palermo.

Though we like to be in Sicily for the festivals, there is never a bad time to visit the island. Every season is full of surprises, from autumn, when the cities are at their finest, to Christmas, when the light is particularly soft and pretty in the day and an array of festive lights illuminates the towns at night. In spring the orange trees are in bloom, and in summer, you can lie on the beach or in a boat on the sea and enjoy the sun’s enveloping embrace. These magical manifestations of nature often influence our work; it was the heady scents of orange blossom and Mediterranean roses that inspired our latest Velvet Collection fragrances.

When we visit, we usually stay at our home on Stromboli, a volcanic island off Sicily, which you can get to only by boat. It’s a real refuge for us: really small, authentic and local. Fantastic traditional shops can be found in the small streets that run through the village, and on Saturday mornings there’s a market near the harbour full of delicious foods that are typical of the region – we particularly like the spicy sauce we call “bomba vulcanica”, made with chillies, capers and sardines. Some of the views from restaurants are equally wonderful.

L’Osservatorio (Salvatore De Losa) is found at the top of a promontory, 1,300ft above sea level, and is perfect for a romantic candlelit dinner. It’s especially

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THE PASSIONS HERE ARE STRONGER, THE COLOURS ARE BRIGHTER, THE HISTORY IS RICHER

by four ornate Baroque buildings dating from the 1580s.

Each corner features a fountain and a statue representing a distinct season, as well as a statue of a patron saint. The city’s Palazzo dei Normanni (Piazza del Parlamento 1) is a palace dating from the ninth century, when Sicily was under Arab rule, and has impressive Byzantine mosaics. Once we’ve been sightseeing, two of our favourite places to eat in Palermo are Trattoria da Calogero (Via Torre Mondello 22; trattoriadacalogero.com), in the district of Mondello, and Antica Focacceria San Francesco (Via Alessandro Paternostro 58; afsf.it), which dates from 1834 and serves Palermo-style focaccia and traditional Sicilian dishes.

But then, the island is full of treasures, whether man-made or natural. The passions here are stronger than elsewhere, the colours are brighter, the history is richer. It’s a place where it’s still possible to experience rural life and to connect with nature, breathing the scent of wild Mediterranean roses or the seductive balm that wafts up from the lemon groves.

Indeed, it was the Sicilian countryside that inspired our new Velvet fragrances, Rose and Bergamot.

The people, too, provide a constant source of inspiration for our collections. Sicilian women have an impeccable sense of style, which you notice even when you’re just walking down a street or people-watching at a bar. At first, Sicilians can appear reserved and a bit distant, but their generosity and the attention they pay to others are extraordinary.

In fact, the hospitality of the people and their vibrant personalities are what we miss most when we are away from Sicily. They are part of the unique mix that makes the island such a magical place. It is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for us and we discover and fall in love with something new each time we visit. Even if we have been very busy there, and have done lots of exploring, we always return to Milan feeling relaxed and full of fresh ideas.

Interview by John O’Ceallaigh Dolce & Gabbana’s latest Velvet Rose and Velvet Bergamot fragrances cost £150 for 50ml and are available exclusively from Harrods (harrods.com).

Walk through history Models parade the 2012 Dolce & Gabbana collection in a former monastery in Taormina. Top: a 15th-century statue of the Madonna

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JASON LLOYD-EVANS AND GREG KESSLER, COURTESY OF DOLCE & GABBANA; 4CORNERS; ALAMY; AP; GETTY; PHOTOSHOT; GNUCKX/FLICKR

dramatic at night, when you can watch the active volcano shoot glowing plumes of lava into the air. Punta Lena (Via Marina 8) is another restaurant with spectacular views – and its soup of rockfish and grouper is highly recommended. For somewhere to stay, we usually advise visitors to try the six-room La Locanda del Barbablù (Via Vittorio Emanuele 17; barbablu. it), which has views of the volcano from its wooden-framed windows; or if visitors really want to escape, a house in the village of Ginostra. It has Stromboli’s smallest harbour and there is no electricity or fresh water. It’s totally unique.

Of course, there are many wonderful places to stay on Sicily itself. We often go to Caltagirone, a small inland town in the south-east of the island, to buy ceramic objects from the artisan workshops throughout the town. We have countless pieces in our homes. And nobody can resist a visit to the town of Taormina on the east coast, where two of our favourite hotels are found. Hotel San Domenico Palace (Piazza San Domenico 5; san-domenico-palace.com) stands within a 15th-century Dominican monastery and, in spite of its modernisation, still retains that antique soul; walking through its long corridors or gardens is an emotional experience. With its statue-lined reception rooms, terrace restaurant and large outdoor pool, Taormina’s Grand Hotel Timeo (Via Teatro Greco 59; grandhoteltimeo.com) is another ageless classic; the views from here of the snow-capped Etna are fantastic, too. Both hotels are near the Ancient Greek Theatre of Taormina, one of the best-preserved in the Mediterranean and well worth a visit.

When it comes to recommending things to do in Taormina, we always advise taking a boat tour to Isola Bella, a nature reserve on a small island nearby, to enjoy the sun and sea. Or, for a complete contrast, try climbing Mount Etna – it is like being on the moon. After all that, one of the best places for a cocktail in Taormina is the bar at La Giara (Vico la Floresta 1; lagiarataormina.it), a popular haunt with young people.

Another favourite place of ours is the city of Palermo. One of its most famous attractions is the street market La Vucciria (Piazza San Domenico 1), which is full of people and enticing smells, and so vibrant – particularly before 10am. Also worth visiting is Quattro Canti, or “Four Corners”, a square flanked

DITA’S DOLCE VITA

The American burleque dancer Dita Von Teese is a connoisseur of spas worldwide.

At Verdura in Sicily, she found herself revitalised by a programme of nutrition, massage, ‘pulsed light therapy’ – and a bottle of Barolo shared in a picture-perfect Italian town

Spa quality Dita Von Teese in her room at Verdura Golf & Spa Resort in south-west Sicily.

Photographs by James Bedford

THE FASHION SET’S GUIDE TO

SICILY

*

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THA NK YOU FO R VOT I NG US

B E S T R I V E R C R U I S E C O M PA N Y 2 0 1 4 U LT R AT R AV E L AWA R D S

We are thrilled and very proud to win Best River Cruise Company 2014 at The Daily Telegraph Ultratravel Awards. These awards represent the very best in luxury travel, with winners voted for by the public – a big thank you to everyone who voted for us.

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Travel safe, you are fully protected

ON DAY ONE AT A SPA, I WEAR NO MAKE-UP. BY DAY TWO IT’S CORAL LIP COLOUR, THEN FUCHSIA, AND BY THE END IT’S A WHOLE FACE AGAIN AND RED LIPSTICK

M

y friend, the events stylist Fiona Leahy, invited me to go with her to Verdura Golf&Spa Resort, near Sciacca in south-west Sicily.

Wherever she is, I’ll try to get there – and she will do the same for me. We’ve been all over the world together and we love spas. She has a great sense of humour and a love of life, and we have such fun together, trying the most obscure things. We try to go a couple of times a year, if we can, to somewhere new where we can focus totally on our health with no interference from everyday life.

We’ve been to lots of Six Senses spas, to Chiva Som in Thailand and to Canyon Ranch in Arizona. There’s something amusing about detoxing in America – the land of McDonald’s and Coca-Cola, where a lot of people don’t look after themselves.

Canyon Ranch is where American housewives go to try and get a better life, so it’s fun. The classes are in things like water aerobics and striptease aerobics; it feels like everyone is on their one big holiday and ready to have a great time.

Even tough spas aren’t difficult for me because I practise good habits in my everyday life. Nothing’s a real shock to my body. I don’t touch coffee; I don’t drink much alcohol; I don’t smoke; I eat healthily.

And I usually want to put weight on rather than lose it, because my normal regime is so strenuous. When I go to a spa, I’m not someone who goes into withdrawal or gets headaches or feels awful. For me it’s a place where I can make my good habits a little better, then take those renewed habits back with me.

What I find most interesting about going to different spas is discovering the new things they do. In Thailand, for instance, they read your irises and can tell you what health problems you have.

There you can also do Watsu, which is like a water massage and so incredible that now I always try and have it wherever I go.

At Verdura, the most impressive things they do are the medical tests. On the first day they take little drops of blood on a blotter – which I photographed, because the line of red dots was

Cool customer The swimming pools, indoor and outdoor, were Dita’s favourite places to relax

so beautiful – and do other health checks, then tell you from the results what you should change in your life. It was fascinating, like being in a science lab. They could tell that I take a lot of vitamins and supplements, and they advised me on what I should take more of, and less of, in my diet. For instance, I take vitamin D because I don’t go in the sun. What I didn’t know is that you need vitamin K to absorb the vitamin D, so I needed to start taking that.

I already follow a specific diet – from a book called The Beauty Detox Solution – and what I liked about Verdura was that they respected what I ate and didn’t try and make me change it.

They’re not militant – although I guess, if I were someone who ate a lot of bread and sugar and carbohydrates, they might be.

During the day I’m generally vegan, so I don’t eat any protein until the evening. That was fine. They made me my normal tea in the morning, which is 70 per cent green tea and 30 per cent fruit, with my normal green smoothie. I had lots of greens and delicious light food for lunch. I find that, if I only eat a vegetable-based diet in the day, I have a lot more energy. I don’t eat dairy or carbs or bread at all. At the end of the day, as usual, I had some animal protein: usually fish or eggs, although about twice a month I might have some red meat.

I stayed at Verdura for five days, rather than the seven to 10 they recommend, because I had to fly back to LA for a show. But I still felt the difference. It was a great place to stay: really beautiful.

The rooms were comfortable and modern, the bathrooms were big, there was lots of green space and gorgeous views of the sea.

The swimming pools, both indoor and outdoor, were my favourite places to relax. The massages were also fabulous. I have been having some problems with my hips, and the masseuse really helped with that. Fiona and I also went on a lot of walks around the property, with a guide, and cycled a couple of times.

We’ve both cycled all over the world, so we enjoyed being able to

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Sicilian style Fish with aubergine and tomatoes; model looks; the spa entrance and lounge at Verdura; bar service; La Zagara restaurant seen across the resort pool

THE OLD TOWN OF SCIACCA WAS LIKE A MOVIE SET, SURROUNDED

BY A LANDSCAPE THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL AND WILD

do that with no traffic around. I also had a cookery lesson where I learnt to poach fish lightly in herbs, with no butter or oil. I’d love to learn more techniques like that.

Fiona and I also tried a water zumba class, which was fun. I always think the key to a successful workout is to make sure it’s amusing. They also recommended infrared saunas, which I tried for a few days then had to give up. Sitting in the heat for 45 minutes was too challenging.

I’m so sensitive to heat and cold, and I just couldn’t stay in there for that long, so I switched to pulsed light therapy treatments on my chest and on my hips instead. As well as being therapeutic, they really helped me sleep. I suffer terribly from jetlag, and if I don’t sleep well I feel awful.

If I’m jetlagged, I might sometimes take melatonin, but I resist taking other pharmaceuticals. I try to eat organic if I can – especially in America, where you have no idea what they’ve put in your food. I don’t eat desserts, but I always carry a small bar of dark chocolate with me in case I crave something sweet. If I crave salt, I’ll have something like eggs with truffle salt or smoked sea salt.

As well as eating well and sleeping well, I take care of myself in other ways. I’m lucky because my mother looks very young, so I have good genes. Wearing sunscreen and not smoking definitely contribute to having good skin.

I look after it, too. I always moisturise, then use a mineral sunscreen with a tint – such as MDSolarSciences, and Sarah McNamara Miracle Skin Transformer, which moisturises, has sun protection and is matt. ven at a spa, it’s important to look good.

I discovered Rachel Pally gowns a while back, and now I have my spa uniform down to a fine art thanks to her. She makes long Grecian-style gowns from luxurious silky cotton fabrics, which are super-comfortable and look amazing. My only problem on this trip was that I forgot to bring flat shoes. I’d come straight from doing a couture show for Jean Paul Gaultier and I didn’t have much room for casual clothes. So I had to buy a pair of trainers – and I’m not fond of them; they’re always such strange colours and styles. The only trainers I have in LA are Louis Vuittons and some plain, white classic ones. When I had to buy some at Verdura, Fiona teased me non-stop.

I can’t stop myself wearing make-up. On day one at a spa, I usually try not to. By day two I’m thinking: “Oh, maybe a little coral lip colour”, on day three it’s fuchsia, and by the end I’m wearing a whole face again and red lipstick. It takes no effort and I love the discipline of putting it on. I don’t like having a shiny face, so I wear mineral powder no matter where I am. To me, skin must be clean, healthy, protected and matt. Then I feel great.

On our last night at Verdura, Fiona and I escaped to the old town of Sciacca, which was incredibly beautiful – particularly the old basilica – and we shared a bottle of Barolo. Sicily is the sort of place I’d love to go for a romantic weekend. I’ve been to lots of cities in Italy, but never to a charming old town like that. It was like a movie set. And the landscape is so wild. Even when you land at the airport, all you see is mountains and cliffs and sea.

Since we left at the end of January, I’ve continued to eat healthily and get some good sleep, which isn’t easy when you’re working mostly at night. What’s good about Verdura is that they offer you a three-month consultation period afterwards, during which you can talk to the nutritionist, Dr Nyjon Eccles, who helps you get back on track. He was so dynamic and knowledgeable, and I will definitely get in touch. I’d love to go back for longer.

In April, Fiona and I went to Coachella [the annual music festival in California], where we rented Frank Sinatra’s Twin Palms estate. I took my own Vitamix blender and made the best green smoothies, and I had fresh coconuts for breakfast every morning. We were on a roll of retox, then detox, then retox, then detox. It was a lot of fun – but a little bit different from Verdura.

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A five-day detox programme costs from €1,950 (about £1,610) per person, including Vita Health treatments and all meals. Accommodation only in a deluxe room starts at €265 double per night (0039 0925 998 060; roccofortehotels.com).

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ULTIMATE AFRICA BY PRIVATE JET A 25 day journey around this vast continent, visiting nine countries and many iconic sites

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frica is a vast and extraordinary continent of which most travellers only see a small part.

Thanks to our Private Jet, on this incredible 25 day adventure you will criss-cross this immense land, and discover its wide range of cultures, landscapes and wildlife while travelling in style, comfort and unparalleled luxury.

Board our all Business-Class Private Jet as one of just 44 guests at the exclusive Harrods Aviation terminal at Luton airport and sit back and relax as we take off to Accra, the first stop on this amazing itinerary. You’ll have time to explore this intriguing city, and visit the stunning Cape Coast before flying south to Namibia, to spend two nights at the Sossusvlei Lodge in the Namib desert, with its unique and spectacular scenery.

Our third stop is Africa’s iconic city of Cape Town, at the continent’s southernmost tip. Ride the cable car up to Table Mountain, sample the legendary local wines and take the ferry to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 27 long years during Apartheid.

Our next stop is Botswana, and the Otavango Delta, with its amazing variety of birds and wildlife.

You’ll stay in a luxury tented camp for three nights before a charter flight to Kasane, and the magnificent Victoria falls, on the border with Zambia. After a two night stay, with plenty of time to enjoy the spectacular views, you’ll travel onward to the Indian Ocean Island of Madagascar. It is a biodiversity hotspot, and 80% of

its indigenous species are found nowhere else on earth.

Heading north, our next destination is Tanzania where, weather permitting, you’ll get a bird’s-eye view of Mount Kilimanjaro before we land. A local flight will then take us to the Serengeti, Africa’s largest game reserve, with the greatest concentration of game anywhere in the world. We have a three night stay here, with plenty of opportunities to spot the ‘Big Five’.

A short flight then takes us into Rwanda, where you will have the unforgettable experience of tracking the elusive mountain gorillas. With luck, you will see them in the wild, a rare treat indeed.

Our final stop in Africa is Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, with its melting pot of cultures and influences where Islam and Christianity mingle with ancient tribal customs. Here you’ll find the 3.6million year old skeleton of ‘Lucy’ which archaeologists believe confirms Ethiopia’s claim to be the ‘cradle of mankind’.

We will also take a local charter flight to Lalibela, with its rock-hewn churches which are regarded as one of the great wonders of the world.

Throughout the tour you will stay in the finest hotels, such as Cape Town’s Cape Grace and the Four Seasons Serengeti, dine on superb local cuisine and discover amazing sites in the company of expert local guides. And of course, our dedicated flight crew and escort team, which includes a tour doctor, will take care of your every need.

There is no finer way to discover Africa.

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Rich coast Manuel Antonio (main picture), a spectacular half-moon beach fringed by black rocks, en route from Andaz Papagayo to KurĂ Design Villas (far right). Centre: a local resident exemplifies pura vida â&#x20AC;&#x201C; pure life

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THEWILDNESSTAMED

Costa Rica is known for its volcanoes, its dramatic coastline and its forests rich in wildlife. What it didn’t have – until now – was hotels that took comfort as seriously as conservation. On a hedonist’s road trip, Douglas Rogers checks in at three of the country’s finest eco-retreats

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A view of infinity The pool at Kurà Design Villas, the coolest boutique hotel in the country, surrounded by jungle filled with squirrel monkeys, below

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t was like a scene from Avatar.

I was on a mountainside in southern Costa Rica, gazing out on dense jungle rolling down to azure ocean. A humpback whale and her calf were frolicking in the waves, and flying low over the forest canopy below me – a dazzling burst of red, yellow and blue against the green – was a pair of scarlet macaws, rare long-tailed parrots of such exquisite beauty that for a second I wondered if they were real. Behind me, squirrel monkeys leapt among the palms and electric-blue butterflies alighted on emerald ferns. I was observing all of this not from some rustic, vine-strangled eco-lodge but from the polished-cement infinity-pool deck of Kurà Design Villas, a six-room “tropical minimalism” boutique hotel.

“Your coffee,” purred a blonde waitress in a skintight zip-up dress, the jaguar paw logo of the hotel embroidered on her chest, handing me a perfectly made espresso. “Enjoy the view.”

It was my final morning in Costa Rica, the last of a seven-day drive through the country, and it wasn’t the first time I’d been rendered punch-drunk by its colour and stupefied by its wildlife. A sliver of a country sandwiched between Panama and Nicaragua, with the Atlantic and Pacific lapping its shores, Costa Rica is unique and other-worldly even for the region.

In 1948 it abolished its military and began pouring money into health, education and conservation. By the 1970s and 80s, when much of Latin America was in the grip of caudillos and death squads, Costa Ricans – Ticos – were declaring vast swathes of their country protected nature reserves, and teaching school kids about biosphere and sustainability. With 0.03 per cent of the Earth’s land mass but 5 per cent of its biodiversity, Costa

Rica was “green” before the term existed. Indeed, so successful was this back-to-nature campaign that by the mid-1990s, when eco-tourism became travel’s new buzz word, the country was a ready-made paradise. Birders, botanists, biologists and adventure sports enthusiasts (especially surfers, white-water rafters and zip-liners) have flooded in ever since. And yet, one thing has long been missing: style.

Aside from a handful of boutique hotels on the Pacific coast, the predominant mode of accommodation has been the forest-bound eco lodge. Which is all very well – but who’s to say that, if you want to save the planet, you have to do it from behind the mosquito net of a bamboo hut?

Fortunately, that is changing. The past year has seen a slate of luxury hotel openings in Costa Rica targeting affluent, style-conscious travellers. I was here to see the natural wonders, but also these new properties. I had

three in mind: Nayara Springs, a 16-villa hotel in the cloud forest and rainforest of the central Arenal Volcano region; Andaz Peninsula Papagayo, a chic 153-room beach resort in the tropical dry forest of the Pacific north-west; and, my final stop, Kurà, that six-suite gem in the tropical “South Pacific”.

It looked like Asia; the jungles of Laos or Vietnam.

I was two hours north of the capital, San José, driving on a winding, mist-shrouded mountain road with dense banks of greenery on either side. Suddenly, the road dropped out of the cloud and I saw it shimmering ahead of me: Arenal, a still-active 5,357ft-high volcano, a necklace of cumulus round her neck.

There are a dozen volcanoes in Costa Rica, but Arenal, part of Arenal Volcano National Park, is the most visited, and dotted around its base are dozens of backpackers’

WHEN ECOTOURISM BECAME THE NEW BUZZ WORD, THE COUNTRY WAS A READY-MADE PARADISE

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lodges, budget restaurants and adventure outfits selling zip-line rides and horse trails. In short: there’s a young, resorty vibe with mid-range hotels to match. The exception is Nayara Springs, launched in December 2013.

“I had a dream to build a luxury hotel in a rainforest,” said Leo Ghitis, a Colombian-born entrepreneur based in Miami. I was speaking to him from the teak sunbed of my Nayara Springs villa, my feet soaking in the bubbling mineral water of the hot tub. Leo was in Miami and we were talking via Skype. “When my kids were old enough, I wanted to take them to Colombia but it was too dangerous. So I took them to Costa Rica instead. I fell in love! It was a paradise, with lovely people – a country almost like Switzerland.”

Ever the entrepreneur, Leo wanted a piece of it and soon became a partner in a popular Arenal hotel, Nayara Hotel Spa&Gardens. But something was missing. “I’d travelled throughout Asia, and stayed at Aman Resorts and Four Seasons, and I’d always thought: why does Costa Rica not have this level of luxury? High-end design, gourmet food, state-of-the-art technology?”

Behold Nayara Springs. It comprises 16 apricot-hued villas made of teak and stone, accessed by a wooden footbridge strung over a creek behind the original hotel.

Mineral springs bubble underfoot and lush rainforest vegetation – palms, pink mimosas, pelican flowers, tree ferns – explode all around. Golf carts silently hum guests down curved slate pathways to the spa, yoga studio, swimming pool and restaurant.

My villa, with its sliding-glass doors, was all handcarved hardwood, marble floors and ceiling fans, with a large outdoor shower. Only the crystal chandelier in the bedroom (and the framed photographs of Hollywood stars on the walls of the hotel’s Moroccan-themed restaurant) seemed out of place. Who needs imported opulence when you have so much natural wonder around?

Costa Ricans’ favourite expression is Pura vida! – pure life – and I took them at their word. I did a yoga class early each morning in an open-sided studio perched over the creek (the only time I’ve heard a toucan mock my downward dog) and, after a leisurely morning on the orange-canopied whicker day beds by the pool (the humidity eased by regular short bursts of rain and fruit cocktails from the bar), joined two guests from a neighbouring hotel for an afternoon horse ride across the slopes of the volcano.

ILLUSTRATED MAP BY TANIA WILLIS

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left early the following morning for the Pacific coast, picked up by a guide and driver from Costa Rican Trails: Alfredo Gulcher, a delightful sixtysomething man with a professor’s knowledge of his country.

How quickly the geography changed: within an hour we had left the rainforest behind and were motoring through semi-arid river-crossed plains. It looked like Texas – but with volcanoes. Cows and sheep peered at us from roadside ranches. We stopped for a plate of fish ceviche (the national dish) at a riverside “soda” – a makeshift restaurant – and watched river rafters shoot rapids on the bend below.

This was Guanacaste, the largest and most visited province in the country, famous for the Peninsula de Nicoya, with its hundreds of beach resorts and surf camps. I was heading somewhere more exclusive: the Peninsula Papagayo, a private, jungle-covered spit jutting into the Pacific near the Nicaragua border. It was here, in December 2013, that Hyatt’s boutique brand, Andaz, unveiled the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo, a 153-room “lifestyle” resort that is easily the most talked about new hotel in Central America.

I had stayed at Andaz Fifth Avenue New York (the brand has a distinctly urban ethos) and this place was instantly different. The first thing I noticed was a futuristic cocoon-shaped pod rising above the tree line, flanked by a series of earth-hued stone and wood structures, with a strikingly blue swimming pool winding in front of it. It all blended so seamlessly with the surrounding greenery as to be almost invisible.

The cocoon turned out to be the reception area: an

Check in and look out The lobby of the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo

THE ARCHITECTURE WAS INSPIRED BY LOCAL FAUNA AND FLORA: THE RECEPTION BY AN ARMADILLO, THE RESTAURANT BY A FOREST MUSHROOM

open-plan lobby of polished cement floors and reflecting pools, the waters of Papagayo Bay below framed by its arch. I was greeted by a young hostess in floral uniform and fedora who checked me in via iPad. “No formality,” she said, smiling. “Pura vida!”

The hotel was designed by Ronald Zürcher, a local “naturalist” architect, and inspired by the fauna and flora of the region: the cocoon represents an armadillo; the meandering infinity pool a river; the multi-layered roof and dining platforms of the main restaurant, Rio Bhongo, a forest mushroom. Even my warehouse-sized suite had local driftwood art on the walls and a rainforest shower with local beach stone underfoot.

I popped a fedora on my head (rooms all come with trendy hats) and wandered on to my deck in time to see a 300ft yacht, the Mayan Queen IV, pull into the marina below. I Googled it. It belonged to the Mexican billionaire Alberto Baillères, the 35th richest person in the world.

The organic, free-flowing aesthetic extends to the restaurants, too. I made my way to the property’s flagship Ostra (Oyster) for dinner. It’s a sleek open-plan space where you help yourself, fish-market style, to oysters and cocktails as you make your way to your table. “All our produce is from within 50 miles of here,” a waiter informed me, handing me three menus, one dedicated entirely to ceviche.

And what food! Wagyu beef from the cattle country I had just driven through; corvina, a delicate local fish similar to a sea bass, with prosciutto and shaved quail’s egg; and a crispy pork belly that tasted so good I ordered it again with a spicy Chipotle Eggs Benedict for breakfast the next morning.

Peruvian Omar Grados is the chef, but the hotel has also imported a specialist barista from Buenos Aires to run its coffee bar, and Costa Rica’s champion mixologist, Clark Jiménez Alvarado, from San José to helm the rustic-chic tapas bar, Chao Pescao. I ended up there for a nightcap one evening, and he made me a ginger and muddled lemongrass concoction with 30-year-old Flor de Caña Nicaraguan rum.

“What’s it called?” I asked.

“I just invented it,” he said. “Call it the Dougalitas.”

There you go – I have a cocktail named for me in Central America.

When you eat and drink so well, you need to work it off. I did so, albeit gently, over three days: at the spa, on the sunbeds at the beach (you don’t get white sand but the ocean is clear, azure blue) and on a cruise around the point of the peninsula one afternoon on the resort’s boat. Howler monkeys leapt from trees on the banks, and devil rays broke the surface of the water. Rounding the point, a humpback and her calf saluted with their tails and went under.

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Scott Dunn (020 8682 5030; scottdunn.com) is offering a 12-night trip to Costa Rica from £4,490 per person, staying three nights each at Nayara Springs and Andaz Peninsula Papagayo, two nights at Rio Perdido in Guanacaste and four nights at Kurà Design Villas. The price includes flights, private transfers and b&b accommodation.

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Natural wonders (clockwise from top) Corcovado National Park, on the the tropical South Pacific coast; fresh salads and seafood at Nayara Springs; a suite at Andaz Peninsula Papagayo; Arenal volcano seen from Nayara Springs; a local surfer

KEN KOCHEY; AP; 4CORNERS; FRANS LANTING/GETTY

lfredo picked me up on day five for the final leg, a four-hour drive to Uvita in Puntarenas Province, in the far south near the Panama border. For the first hour we drove on the PanAmerican Highway – the biggest road in the country, yet still a narrow two-lane thoroughfare. Traffic was smooth, not the chaos I was expecting for Central America. It turns out the government intentionally controls development, keeping roads and airports small, and ensuring hotels comply with strict environmental building codes. “We have an expression: if we don’t build it they will come!”

Alfredo explained – the reverse of Ray Kinsella’s quote in the film Field of Dreams. So far, it’s working.

We made a brief stop for a swim at Manuel Antonio, a spectacular half-moon beach with giant black rocks off its shore. Alfredo showed me a furry three-toed sloth up the oak tree near where we parked. Deer scarpered, monkeys howled. I marvelled at the wildlife. Alfredo grinned. “You should see the Atlantic coast: red-eyed frogs, giant turtles, bigger waves than in Hawaii!”

If Andaz Papagayo is for the big-spending metropolitan, Kurà is its edgier younger cousin – a building of shiny teak, steel and polished black concrete. I stepped from the vehicle on to floors inlaid with glass boxes displaying outlandish Boruca tribal masks. Steps away was the deck, a bento box of a bar to the left, a raised L-shaped infinity pool to the right, and below me that dramatic view of jungle rolling down to ocean – the Marino Ballena National Park.

Tucking into Imperial beer and shrimp tartare at the bar were the owners, thirtysomething marine biologist Alejandra Umana and her equally youthful architect husband Martin Wells, both from San José. Quite what brought them to a mountain in the south they’re still trying to work out, but it started with the idea of opening a backpacker lodge in Uvita. Then they were shown this plot of land and plans changed. It took them three years to build, but they are now owners of the coolest boutique hotel in the country.

My room, an Infinity Villa, struck me as being the size of an aircraft hangar, with giant, two-storey floorto-ceiling glass sliding doors. It felt like stepping into an aquarium. The floor was inlaid with another Boruca tribal mask and the glass shower with solar-heated water had smooth fossil-stone underfoot. On the balcony were an oversized purple hammock and white leather sofas that wouldn’t have looked amiss in a modernist museum.

I took a jungle cruise on the Rio Grande de Térabba (squirrel monkeys leaping over boa constrictors in the trees) and then paid a visit to Hacienda Las Delicias, the elegant palm-oil estate and plantation guesthouse owned by the Italian businesswoman and socialite Donatella Zingone (previous guest: Paul Simon). But mostly I lived the Pura vida at Kurà, reclining on that hammock, tanning by its pool, and gazing out on that Avatar-like panorama, those whales frolicking in the waves.

Costa Rica, I thought. Who knew?

COSTA RICA ESSENTIALS Where to stay Nayara Springs (001 888 332 2961; nayarasprings. com); villas from $590 (about £350) per night.

Andaz Peninsula Papagayo (00506 2690 1234; papagayo.andaz.hyatt. com); doubles from $500; suites from $800.

Kurà Design Villas (00506 8448 5744; kuracostarica. com); doubles from $460.

Hacienda Las Delicias (00506 8912 2222) is a grand six-room mansion with palmfringed pool and butlers; doubles from $26,000 per week, full-board.

Rio Perdido (00506 2673 3600; rioperdido.com) is a funky property with 20 cabins on cliffs around hot springs, and zip-lines through the canyons; doubles from $250 per night.

When to go The dry season, from December to April, is best – but you will still get showers in the rainforest region around Arenal Volcano National Park. The rainy season runs from May to November. Be prepared for lots of showers, even in dry coastal areas; Costa Rica is tropical, so whatever time of year you visit, expect rain.

Body clock Flying time from London to San José is 15 hours, with a time difference of six or seven hours depending on the season.

Visas and vaccinations UK passport holders do not need visas. No vaccinations are mandatory, although there is a low risk of malaria.

Currency £1 = Costa Rica Colon 900.

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SMALL SHIPS - BIG EXPERIENCES WITH NOBLE CALEDONIA

Great Land of Alaska A voyage from Vancouver to Anchorage aboard the luxurious L’Austral – 24th July to 8th August 2015 Few places left on earth offer the traveller as much untamed scenic grandeur as the great land of Alaska and the coastal waters between Vancouver and Seward are amongst the most beautiful on earth. For more than 1600 miles, nature puts on a show with each day presenting new wonders. Cliffs that soar 3000 feet from the water’s edge, spectacular glaciers that press into narrow channels and break into thunderous roars and dense forests which crowd the coastline and cradle entire ecosystems. Witnessing this vast landscape has a humbling effect on those who journey along the dramatic fjord and coastal scenery and viewing the Alaskan wildlife in their natural habitat is a wonderful experience. Words cannot adequately describe what it feels like to see a whale gracefully breach above the sea’s surface or watch a grizzly hunt for spawning salmon in the gushing Alaskan rivers.

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here is no shortage of vessels plying the Alaskan waters.

However, we believe the small ship experience is far preferable to cruising on one of the vast resort ships with their 2000 passengers and have therefore chartered the L’Austral for our voyage. Discerning travellers will appreciate this rich itinerary that explores the many facets of Alaska; and unlike the big resort ships who have a set course on the wide channels, our luxury expedition vessel will be able to navigate narrow fjords and passages and for a real close up experience we will use the onboard Zodiacs. For those who really wish to experience the magic of the wilderness, to come close to nature and enjoy the serenity of the vast landscape, this is the perfect voyage and ship.

Travelling with approximately 200 fellow passengers and an expert expedition team, you will explore in small parties ashore and visit places which the passengers aboard the big ships will never be taken.

Day 6 - Petersburg & Le Conte Glacier.

The Itinerary Day 1 - London to Vancouver. Enjoy a scheduled fight. Arrive this afternoon and transfer to your hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 2 - Vancouver. Enjoy a morning at leisure to explore independently. This afternoon meet at the hotel for a transfer to L’Austral moored in the city.

Day 3 - Johnstone Strait & Alert Bay. This morning we will cruise through the Seymour Narrows and then Johnstone Strait, one of the best orca whale watching waters in the world. At lunchtime we arrive in Alert Bay on northern Vancouver Island. Visit the town and see the colourful totem park and cemetery and walk the short distance to the “Big House” to watch a dance presentation by some Kwakwaka’wakw Dancers.

Day 4 - Fjordland. Off the beaten path on a waterway far to the east of the usual ship route is one of the newest Canadian Parks, Fjordland. Seldom visited and truly magnifcent, this area is packed with wildlife.

Day 5 - Misty Fjords. This morning retrace a portion of Captain George Vancouver’s voyage through this region. L’Austral will cruise into Rudyerd Bay, one of the great bays of Misty Fjords National Monument. Gigantic granite domes, forested hills and huge waterfalls are everywhere in this beautiful spot. If we are lucky, we might glimpse the great Alaskan brown bear, a frequent visitor to these streams whilst in the skies we will see bald eagles.

Over breakfast we will cruise through the spectacular Wrangell narrows before arriving at the village of Petersburg, a commercial fshing harbour. Join one of the nature walks either looking for bears, dear, eagles and other large birds of the area or alternatively discovering the plants and fowers. Continue this afternoon to Le Conte Glacier. Set deep in a steep-sided fjord choked with gigantic icebergs, we will approach it in our Zodiacs and view the massive glacier as it winds its way down from the mighty Stikine Icefeld.

Day 7 - Tracy Arm & Endicott Arm. A journey along the winding Tracy Arm Fjord leads us some twenty miles through an ethereal wilderness of soaring peaks and high cliffs, crystalline icebergs and tumbling waterfalls to the foot of the twin Sawyer Glaciers. These icy blue glaciers are unrivalled in their majestic beauty. Explore in Zodiacs with our naturalists and see calving glaciers, often mirrored in the glassy fjord water.

Day 8 - The Brothers & Kake. This morning we arrive at The Brothers, a group of three small islands off the southern coast of Admiralty Island. These remote islands are a photographer’s paradise and we will keep a lookout for whales, Steller sea lions and eagles. Over lunch we sail to Kupreanof Island and the small Tlingit community of Kake. Here we will walk to the salmon hatchery where black bears feast on the plentiful supply of salmon in the local

stream. We also have time to enjoy the hospitality of the local community and can view the 128 foot totem pole, one of the largest in the world.

Day 9 - Tebenkof Bay & Baranof Island.

In Tebenkof Bay we will use our Zodiacs to explore this complex of fertile fjords carved into 65 mile-long Kuiu Island. Marine mammals thrive in Tebenkof, including humpback, minke, and orca whales, porpoise, harbour seals, northern sea lions and sea otter. Eagles and other marine birds abound whilst on land there are black bears, timber wolves, Sitka black-tailed deer, river otters, mink, martin, beaver and more. Over lunch we sail through the Chatham Straits to Baranof Island, a rugged and beautiful island with many coves, bays and inlets featuring towering peaks with alpine glaciers and waterfalls draining its lush rain forests.

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land for a walk with our naturalists.

Here, Captain Vitus Bering landed in 1741 after crossing the North Pacifc from Russia and we will visit the cave and plaque that commemorate his visit. Enjoy an afternoon at sea as we cruise north.

Day 13 - Prince William Sound.

Day 10 - Point Adolphus & Elfn Cove.

At breakfast time we will arrive at Point Adolphus, across from the entrance to Glacier Bay. Here on the exposed rocks we will see groups of Steller sea lions feeding on the salmon. We also hope to observe the congregation of humpback whales who spend their summer feeding in the rich upwelling which occurs here. This afternoon we anchor off the tiny hamlet of Elfn Cove, a remote village on Chichagof Island accessible only by boat or foat plane. After tendering ashore by Zodiac, you are free to explore this unique and seldom-visited fshing community which has something for everyone: photography buffs can try to capture the picturesque setting and colourful fshing boats on flm; wildlife enthusiasts may be rewarded by the sight of a sea otter, harbour seal or bald eagle.

Day 11 - Hubbard Glacier & Icy Bay. Today cruise the St Elias Range, the tallest coastal mountain range in the world.

Enter Yakutat Bay to view Hubbard Glacier, at over 75 miles long the longest tidewater glacier in North America, with a face six miles wide. This is one of the few advancing glaciers, and our small ship is able to manoeuvre a comfortable distance off the face of the glacier and watch for “glacier calving”. This evening if weather permits we will enter Icy Bay, with Mount St Elias framing an imposing 18,000 ft backdrop.

Day 12 - Kayak Island. This morning we arrive at Kayak Island where we will use our Zodiacs to

Waking up to a vision of massive glaciers and icebergs is a reminder of the advantages of small ship cruising. We will manoeuvre our way past the icebergs and coves of Prince William Sound where opportunities for capturing incredible images with your camera and binoculars are endless as harbour seals and otters bob around in the water and Bald eagles fy overhead.

Day 14 - Seward to Anchorage.

After breakfast disembark in Seward and transfer to Anchorage.

After a local lunch we will enjoy a tour of the city. This afternoon transfer to your hotel and enjoy an evening at leisure.

Day 15 - Anchorage to London.

After breakfast in the hotel transfer to the airport for our scheduled fight to London via Seattle.

Day 16 - London Heathrow.

Morning arrival.

Pre-Cruise Extension For those who would like to experience the Canadian Rockies before joining the cruise, we will be offering the opportunity to join the Rocky Mountaineer on an itinerary which includes Kamloops, Lake Louise and Banff. Full details are available on request.

Prices & Inclusions Special offer prices per person based on double occupancy range from £7445 for a superior stateroom to £11745 for an owner’s suite. Staterooms for sole use from £10945.

Price Includes: Economy class scheduled fights, 12 nights aboard L’Austral on a full board basis including wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner onboard, shore excursions, expedition team, transfers, port taxes, gratuities onboard and whilst on excursions, overnight accommodation in Vancouver and Anchorage on a bed and breakfast basis.

NB: Flight schedules have not been released at the time of going to print and therefore the itinerary is subject to change on their release.

All special offers are subject to availability. Travel insurance and visa are not included in the price. Our current booking conditions apply to all reservations.

Alternatively view or request online at www.noble-caledonia.co.uk

L’Austral We are delighted to have chartered the luxurious L’Austral. This superb vessel with 132 cabins offers a subtle blend of sophistication combined with casual comfort creating the feeling of being on a private yacht, and allows us to explore with ease making use of the onboard feet of Zodiacs. After a day of exploration, you can return to personalised comfort and luxurious surroundings as well as high quality cuisine. Whilst cruising the vessel benefts from spacious deck areas from where you can watch for passing wildlife and appreciate the dramatic scenery. The atmosphere onboard is relaxed and informal with the focus on the wonders of the destination you are visiting, which combined with the luxury surroundings, excellent service, superb cuisine and expert expedition team make for an expedition of a lifetime. Accommodation is spread over four decks and all cabins have a private balcony (with the exception of the Superior Stateroom which has a picture window), en-suite facilities, individually controlled air-conditioning, minibar, fat screen satellite television, video on demand, DVD player, CD and Ipod players. Onboard facilities include a large lounge, lecture theatre, a Panoramic Lounge which leads out onto a terrace, library, beauty centre and internet corner. Outside deck areas are spacious and feature comfortable deck furniture as well as a pool and on the top deck you will fnd the open-air bar. French and international cuisine is accompanied by fne wine and there is also 24 hour room service available.

20 WINNERS + 80 RUNNERS-UP =

Each year, our readers nominate their favourites in the world of luxury travel, from hotels, airlines

BEST CITY NEW YORK

BEST LONG-HAUL BUSINESS CLASS BRITISH AIRWAYS

RUNNERS-UP

RUNNERS-UP

LONDON; PARIS;

EMIRATES; QATAR AIRWAYS;

ROME; SYDNEY

SINGAPORE AIRLINES; VIRGIN ATLANTIC

BEST SKI RESORT WHISTLER, CANADA RUNNERS-UP MERIBEL, FRANCE; VAL Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ISERE, FRANCE; VERBIER, SWITZERLAND; ZERMATT, SWITZERLAND

BEST HOTEL IN THE AMERICAS FOUR SEASONS HOTEL NEW YORK

BEST NEW HOTEL IN THE WORLD ROSEWOOD LONDON RUNNERS-UP

RUNNERS-UP

AMAN CANAL GRANDE, VENICE;

BELLAGIO LAS VEGAS;

BULGARI, LONDON;

THE CARLYLE, NEW YORK;

MONASTERO SANTA ROSA HOTEL & SPA,

WALDORF ASTORIA NEW YORK;

AMALFI COAST; VICEROY NEW YORK

WYNN LAS VEGAS

BEST LONG-HAUL FIRST CLASS EMIRATES RUNNERS-UP BRITISH AIRWAYS; ETIHAD AIRWAYS; QANTAS;

BEST COUNTRY UNITED STATES RUNNERS-UP AUSTRALIA; FRANCE; ITALY; NEW ZEALAND

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

BEST LARGE LUXURY CRUISE LINE CUNARD RUNNERS-UP P&O CRUISES; PRINCESS CRUISES; ROYAL CARIBBEAN; CELEBRITY CRUISES

BEST AIRLINE LOUNGE VIRGIN ATLANTIC CLUBHOUSE, LONDON HEATHROW TERMINAL 3 RUNNERS-UP BRITISH AIRWAYS, LONDON HEATHROW TERMINAL 5; EMIRATES, DUBAI; ETIHAD AIRWAYS, ABU DHABI; QATAR AIRWAYS, DOHA

BEST RIVER CRUISE LINE VIKING RIVER CRUISES RUNNERS-UP AMA WATERWAYS; AVALON WATERWAYS; SCENIC TOURS; UNIWORLD

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BEST HOTEL IN THE WORLD BURJ AL ARAB, DUBAI RUNNERS-UP CLARIDGEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S, LONDON; FOUR SEASONS HOTEL GEORGE V, PARIS; MANDARIN ORIENTAL, HONG KONG; THE UPPER HOUSE, HONG KONG

THE ULTRATRAVEL100

and tour operators to destinations. Below, we list the winners and, on page 65, analyse the results

BEST GOLF RESORT THE GLENEAGLES HOTEL, SCOTLAND

BEST LUXURY HOTEL CHAIN FOUR SEASONS

RUNNERS-UP LA MANGA CLUB, SPAIN;

RUNNERS-UP

PEBBLE BEACH, UNITED STATES;

MANDARIN ORIENTAL;

ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND;

ONE & ONLY; RITZ-CARLTON; SHANGRI-LA

SANDY LANE, BARBADOS

BEST HOTEL IN EUROPE FOUR SEASONS HOTEL GEORGE V, PARIS RUNNERS-UP CLARIDGE’S, LONDON; THE DORCHESTER, LONDON; THE SAVOY, LONDON; GRAND HOTEL KRONENHOF, ST MORITZ

BEST HOTEL IN ASIA THE UPPER HOUSE, HONG KONG RUNNERS-UP MANDARIN ORIENTAL, BANGKOK; MANDARIN ORIENTAL, HONG KONG; THE PENINSULA HONG KONG; RAFFLES SINGAPORE

BEST SMALL LUXURY CRUISE LINE SILVERSEA RUNNERS-UP CRYSTAL CRUISES; SEABOURN; SEADREAM; HURTIGRUTEN

BEST HOTEL IN THE MIDDLE EAST BURJ AL ARAB, DUBAI RUNNERS-UP AL MAHA, DUBAI; THE CHEDI, MUSCAT; EMIRATES PALACE, ABU DHABI; ONE & ONLY ROYAL MIRAGE, DUBAI

BEST LUXURY TOUR OPERATOR KUONI RUNNERS-UP ABERCROMBIE & KENT;

BEST AIRPORT CHANGI, SINGAPORE

COX & KINGS; ELEGANT RESORTS; SCOTT DUNN

RUNNERS-UP DUBAI INTERNATIONAL;

BEST HOTEL IN AFRICA AND THE INDIAN OCEAN CAPE GRACE, CAPE TOWN

LONDON HEATHROW TERMINAL 5; HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL; SCHIPHOL, AMSTERDAM

RUNNERS-UP BANYAN TREE SEYCHELLES; BELMOND MOUNT NELSON HOTEL, CAPE TOWN; LE TOUESSROK, MAURITIUS; ALAMY; GETTY; 4CORNERS

THE OBEROI, MAURITIUS

in association with

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100 ULTRATRAVEL

Transatlantic highs New York was voted the world’s best city by our readers, while the United States won the award for best country

4CORNERS

in association with

RISING ABOVE THE COMPETITION This year, says Charles Starmer-Smith, our Ultratravel 100 awards have a distinctly American flavour

E

very year we ask our readers to nominate their favourites from the world of

rave reviews. The Burj Al Arab, meanwhile, continues to redefine what makes

luxury travel – the people, places, operators and services that meet and

a great hotel, having been voted best hotel in the world for the second time in

surpass their travelling needs. The result is the Ultratravel 100.

Consistency may not make for great headlines, but it lends credibility – so if

a row. In its no-expense-spared approach to luxury living, the world’s first sevenstar hotel has even turned its attention to children this month as it launches the

there are familiar names in the results below, it does not reflect a lack of

“Spoilt Rotten” service including 24-carat gold iPads, a personal butler and daily

inspiration from you, our readers, but the persistent hard graft of the companies

visits from a sweet train for your little darlings.

striving to keep their place at the top table.

A key trend to emerge out of this year’s awards is that the United States is

The Cape Grace in Cape Town picks up another piece of silverware to complement its shimmering V&A waterfront position as it takes the award for

firmly back in favour. The pound’s strength against the dollar means it is

best hotel in Africa and the Indian Ocean, while The Upper House in Hong

offering better value for British travellers than at any time in the past five years.

Kong – the small but perfectly formed Andre Fu-designed hotel on Pacific

A new marketing body representing the national interest – Brand USA – is also

Place – upsets the odds in the Asia category by leaving more established names

helping visitors to understand that luxury extends far beyond the major cities, beach resorts and ski resorts and into every facet of this diverse country, from its hotels, cuisine, art and music to its varied landscapes and opportunities to observe wildlife.

The United States is this year nominated your favourite country, while New York picks up the

in its wake: Mandarin Oriental, The Peninsula Hong Kong and Raffles Singapore.

On the airline front, British Airways takes the spoils for its business class but Emirates leads the way in first class (although, with new products from British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Etihad, the competition grows ever tighter). Middle Eastern airlines, in particular, continue to

award for favourite city. In 2013 a record 53 million people headed to the Big Apple, and the target

push the boundaries. Emirates now offers in-flight showers and a private jet service (Emirates

for this year is 55 million. The city continues to up the stakes on the hotel front, with three

Executive), while Etihad’s Residence – a three-room suite complete with butler – is set to take in-

glamorous refurbishments this year – The St Regis New York, The Mercer and the Loews Regency

flight service to a new level.

Hotel New York – plus a glittering new arrival in the form of The Quin, which opened in Midtown Manhattan on November 11 last year.

But it is a tried-and-tested classic, the Four Seasons Hotel New York, that takes the prize for

It is no surprise that Changi – offering the ultimate in stress-free air travel – holds on to its title of best airport, while Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at Heathrow Terminal 3 hits the spot for lounge lizards. Gleneagles, fresh from a Ryder Cup makeover, takes the prize for best golf resort, Kuoni is

best hotel in the Americas, while across the pond the Four Seasons Hotel George V is named best

voted best luxury tour operator, and Whistler remains the only North American resort that

hotel in Europe. Any hotel that spends £1 million on flowers each year, directed by the American

manages to combine Alpine-style gastronomy and charm with outstanding skiing.

florist Jeff Leatham, knows how to stay in bloom. In a triple celebration for the Four Seasons brand, part-owned by Bill Gates, it also takes top prize in the best luxury hotel chain category.

Eyebrows were raised when Rosewood London – part of the Dallas-based group – took the

On the water, Viking is your favourite river cruise line, with 15 new boats due to come into service by 2015 and plans for a luxury fleet of “all veranda” boats. Cunard begins its 175th anniversary celebrations a year early by winning the title of best large luxury cruise line, while

title of best new hotel in the world, beating off stiff competition from the likes of the Bulgari in

Silversea takes the prize for small luxury cruise line. Its third expedition ship, Silver Discoverer,

London and the Aman Canal Grande in Venice. However, its design by Tony Chi has already won

underlines the company’s commitment to pushing the boundaries further for holidays afloat.

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A WHALE OF A TIME

ALASKA REFRESHED From May to September, the glaciers and bays of America’s northern wilderness become more hospitable – especially when explored from an exclusive motor yacht offering five-star service.

Lisa Grainger boards Safari Explorer for a wildlife extravaganza

LISA GRAINGER

Thaw-struck Passengers in kayaks explore the ice fields of Glacier Bay, some of which tower 250ft above the sea

GETTY

SIX WHALES LEAPT AS ONE, THEIR MOUTHS AJAR TO TRAP TONS OF FISH IN THEIR VAST, PLEATED THROATS

G

ood morning, ladies and gentlemen,” said the captain of the Safari Explorer over the Tannoy.

“We’re sorry to wake you, but there are humpback whales in front of the boat, bubble-net feeding. Those of you who have never seen this before might like to come out on deck.”

It was 7am, and having traversed the globe on my journey from London to Alaska, sleep was a priority. But humpback whales? Bubble-net feeding? That was worth getting up for. We leapt from our bunks, wriggled into clothes, grabbed cameras and binoculars and were soon on deck, breathing the bracing morning air.

Having left the Alaskan capital, Juneau, the night before, we had cruised overnight through the Inside Passage into Glacier Bay National Park: an untamed expanse of mountains, trees, sky and sea. Slightly smaller than Wales, with more than three million acres of wilderness and 940sq miles of ocean, the World Heritage-protected park is raw, majestic and breathtaking to wake up to. As we cruised a mile or so from land, snow-covered peaks towered above us, their foothills thick with spruce and hemlock forests. Glass-flat water shimmered with golds in the morning light. Puffins squawked from rocky nests. But whales? Not a sign.

Up on deck, the captain of our comfortable 36-berth motor yacht was scanning the horizon with binoculars, standing alongside the expedition leader. Both had witnessed the whales’ behaviour and could not stop grinning. “Keep your eyes peeled,” the captain urged.

“If they come up again, it could be anywhere.”

Human squeals filled the air as the mammals returned to the surface. Fifty yards in front of the boat, there the humpbacks suddenly were: six of the world’s biggest mammals leaping up as one, their mouths ajar to trap

tons of fish in their vast, pleated throats, water pouring out through their white balleen.

Having stuffed their faces, they breached, showing off their black backs and white undersides. Then, in a final show of magnificence, they puffed spray from their blowholes and dived back into the deep, their T-shaped flukes the last sign they had been there.

This phenomenon, according to our expedition guide, is one that is rarely witnessed. Humpback whales feed like this only in a small area off south-east Alaska, and only in summer, before heading south to Hawaii to give birth. Given that most tourists ply these waters on large cruise ships that don’t stop for wildlife, few passengers ever see individual whales feeding, let alone a whole pod.

But that is what makes Safari Explorer different.

At just 145ft in length, the ice-strengthened cruiser is the ideal size for navigating the smaller bays in which whales feed, where the crew can cut the engines and let

passengers take in the wildlife and the views. With both scale and manoeuvrability on our side, we were able to spot whales not just once, but three times on a six-day trip – once from Safari Explorer, and twice from inflatable dinghies launched from the mother ship.

On one of these, we set off in the hope of seeing more bubble-net feeding – so called because one whale blows out a “net” of tiny bubbles to wall in its prey of herring or krill. On spotting a big shoal, it calls to others, then, circling the fish or crustaceans, entraps them with exhaled air. When the other whales arrive, the group herd the panicking shoal towards the surface, emitting shrieks and trumpets before propelling their 40-ton bodies, and their cavernous open mouths, from the sea.

Listening to the whales through a speaker attached to a waterproof microphone was almost as exciting as seeing them for the first time, because we knew it heralded their return. First came a single, long high-pitched moan, then

Mini cruise At just 145ft in length and with 36 berths, Safari Explorer is small enough to navigate the narrower bays where humpback whales feed

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• Bottled water, soft drinks, speciality cofees & teas

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* Cruise only price, per person, based on 2 people sharing an interior stateroom. All prices and itineraries are subject to change and availability. Terms and conditions apply. Azamara Club Cruises® is a proud member of the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. family of cruise lines. ©2014 Azamara Club Cruises. Ships’ registry: Malta

an orchestra of short horn-like shrieks before the giants launched themselves upwards: monsters of the deep giving the display of their lives.

Whales may have been the most impressive creatures we saw, but they were not the only ones. The whole point of these cruises, as the name Safari Explorer suggests, is to give passengers the waterborne version of a classic wildlife experience. On our second day, we stopped to watch a colony of sea lions at South Marble Island.

Later, in a mountainous bay lined with pebble beaches, we paddled our kayak just 50 yards from a light-brown grizzly bear as it turned over rocks in its search for mussels. On another occasion, from our inďŹ&#x201A;atable dinghy, we spotted through binoculars the white coats of rare mountain goats, skipping over crevices on distant slopes, and saw a ďŹ sh eagle swoop on a basking salmon.

Better still, each of these experiences was in the company of an expert. Throughout the journey, the expedition leader was on hand to educate us about sea life. At Glacier Bay, we collected Linda Liebermann â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a naturalist who lives in the national park â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and, led by her, drifted in kayaks and watched a grizzly bear ďŹ shing. On the last day, it was the turn of John Neary and Kevin Hood, two hardy rangers, to guide us in kayaks through ďŹ&#x201A;oes of ice towards the massive glaciers of the national park and explain how they were formed.

WE ATE BLACK MISO COD OR KING CRAB FOR DINNER, AND THE CHAMPAGNE FLOWED FREELY If the humpback whales were the stars of the sea, the glaciers stole the show on land. In six days we explored ďŹ ve of them â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mendenhall (outside Juneau), Grand PaciďŹ c, Margerie, Lamplugh, and then Dawes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; sailing up to watch them calve, hiking beside them or kayaking beneath them.

Some of these ice ďŹ elds tower 250ft or more above the sea and stretch for dozens of miles, a giant patchwork of pale blue, turquoise and sparkling white, split with inky-blue cracks. Constantly on the move (some travelling as much as 7ft a day) and compacted by the constant snowfall at the top pushing the ice down, they creak and groan, then crack like cannon ďŹ re.

Eventually, as these towering, creeping glaciers reach the sea, the pressure gets too much. They collapse with resounding rumbles as house-sized pieces of ice tumble off in avalanches, pound the sea below and send up thundering clouds of spray and waves that ripple for several miles.

Locals are in no doubt that the glaciers are melting faster than ever. Kevin Hood revealed that 98 per cent of Alaskaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s glaciers are melting â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and that one, the Sawyer Glacier, receded more than a mile in 2004 alone. Despite record snowfalls on some mountains, he said, winter is setting in later than usual and spring is arriving earlier.

The yellow cedar â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which depends on cold conditions to survive and requires its roots to be insulated by layers of snow â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is dying in swathes some 500,000 trees wide. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If anyone knows about climate change, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s American Indians,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They can give you the most eloquent testimonials on climate change youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll ever hear. One grandmother told me she can feel a different warmth in winter, that where once it was minus 50, now it is minus 30. She says the robins are singing a different song, and the texture of moose velvet has changed. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no doubt in my mind that the Earth is warming up. Anyone who doubts it should come up here.â&#x20AC;?

Such debates, rather than chit-chat, formed the backbone of dinner-time conversation. If you wished, you could join a table with rangers to learn about cetaceans, black bears or glaciers; if you preferred, you could opt for a quiet dinner Ă deux or spend the evening

Star turns Sightings on shore trips include grizzly bears (above), seen here in Katmai National Park and Preserve, and the rare mountain goat (bottom).

Left: Muir Glacier, in Glacier Bay National Park. Below: the bar on board Safari Explorer

with new friends: the doctors, bankers, lawyers and other professionals with whom you had shared the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities. These ranged from kayaking, climbing and whale-watching to enjoying a glass of wine in the outdoor hot tub and even swimming (it had to be done â&#x20AC;&#x201C; when else would I get the chance to dive into iceberg-strewn waters in a bikini?).

For those who fancied nothing more than hunkering down in their cabins, the spaces were large enough to relax in, listening to music on the i-Pod provided, watching one of dozens of DVDs on their own ďŹ&#x201A;at-screen television, or taking a nap on the comfortable Tempur bed, invitingly strewn with soft throws. We ate eggs Benedict for breakfast and black miso cod or king crab for dinner, and the champagne and cocktails ďŹ&#x201A;owed freely. Given

all this, we had to stay active and breathe fresh air â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but on Safari Explorer, there is an incentive. In the wilds of Alaska, even on a luxurious ship like this, the deck is the only place to be.

Steppes Travel (0843 778 9926; steppestravel.co.uk) is offering an eight-day Alaska cruise on Safari Explorer, including a one-night stay in Seattle at either end, from ÂŁ5,495 per person, based on two people sharing. The price includes economy return ďŹ&#x201A;ight with British Airways from London to Seattle, accommodation in Seattle, domestic return ďŹ&#x201A;ight to Alaska, and an all-inclusive cruise, with a complimentary on-board massage. Cruises of the Inside Passage run from May to September only. For further details, see un-cruise.com/safari-explorer.

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LIFE through myLENS STEVE McCURRY remembers photographing the Martyrsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Memorial, Iraq, in 1984

I took this photograph on my first visit to Iraq, for National Geographic. I was

â&#x20AC;&#x161;â&#x20AC;&#x161;

supposed to do a story about the whole country, but when I got there I was allowed to shoot only Baghdad â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and a truncated version of it at that.

It turned out to be the most difficult assignment in my life. Had I known what I was getting myself into, I would never have gone on the trip.

We were there for six weeks during June and July, when it was brutally hot, with sandstorms sweeping in over the city. And I could photograph only when I was accompanied by somebody from the Ministry of Information. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d usually come late and have lunch at our hotel, which we would pay for, then weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d go out and take pictures during the hottest, brightest part of the day.

In the end we got enough pictures for the story, but every day was a struggle. There was no cooperation, a bit of hostility, and lots of suspicion. Once, we were arrested for photographing a billboard showing Saddam Hussein. In the station there were pictures of him everywhere. In offices around the world you might see a picture of the president on the wall; in Iraq theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have not just a picture but a Saddam calendar, a watch with his face on it, and something bearing his image on their desk.

Our minder was afraid of us photographing things that might get him into trouble â&#x20AC;&#x201C; he freaked out when I took a picture of a donkey!

But this monument, a memorial to Iraqis killed in the Iran-Iraq war, was one of the things they were happy to promote.

I only had about 30 minutes there, and then we were driven away, but the rewards were huge.

â&#x20AC;&#x161;â&#x20AC;&#x161;

Baghdad is flat, colourless and generally without interesting architecture, so it was like a vision to see this enormous turquoise sculpture appear, like a lotus flower opening up.

Interview by John Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ceallaigh

This picture appears in the threevolume National Geographic. Around the World in 125 Years, published by Taschen (taschen.com) at ÂŁ349. The book is available from the Telegraph Bookshop for ÂŁ220 + ÂŁ2.50 p&p.

To order, call 0844 871 1514 or visit books.telegraph.co.uk

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Twin peaks Visitors at the split-dome al-Shaheed Monument, erected in Baghdad in 1983 by Saddam Husseinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s government in memory of war heroes

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“ASTURIAS, NATURAL PARADISE” a landscape full of contrasts, where only 30 kilometers separate the sea from the mountains, making it possible to combine both trips in the same day.

Asturias, your destnaton in Northern Spain 10,000 km2, more than a third of which is a protected area, 345 km of coastline, 200 beaches, 6 Biosphere Reserves, pit caves over 1,500 m deep and peaks over 2,600 m high are just some of the interestng physical features found in this land known as “Asturias, Natural Paradise.”

Woody Allen has this to say about this paradise: “… I can’t imagine myself leaving Manhatan, but if I ever did, there would be very few places for me to go and Asturias is one of the most interestng ones”

Asturias is, along with the Pyrenees, one of the most popular destnatons in Spain for hiking enthusiasts.

Several trails cross the region; from the coastal route to treks that last an entre week in the Picos de Europa.

It’s the perfect place to discover authentc rural environments filled with traditonal home-cooked dishes, local products, local festvals and rural houses with traditonal architecture in an environment of protected natural areas that stretch from the cliffs of the Cantabrian Sea to a mountain range of more than 2500 m.

And what’s beter afer a busy day than to take in the atmosphere of a cider house to enjoy a tapa of one of its more than 40 varietes of traditonal cheeses?

The small, ancient kingdom of Asturias preserves a culture and traditons that date back to prehistoric tmes. From the footprints lef behind by dinosaurs on the eastern Asturian coast, to the megalithic constructons and the Paleolithic remains found in its numerous caves with cave paintngs (Tito Bustllo, Candamo, El Pindal, El Buxu, etc.), tourists can enjoy this culture that dates back thousands of years, partly through a network of thematc museums that are as rigorous as

they are interactve.

Asturias boasts a rich Castro culture that dates back to pre-Roman tmes (with hundreds of documented castros), Roman ruins, and churches and palaces that cover all artstc periods, from the Romanesque to the most contemporary art. But above all, Asturias boasts the Asturian Pre-Romanesque Art, which is unique throughout the world and has been recognized as a World Heritage Site. Its best examples are found in Oviedo (Santa María del Naranco,

San Miguel de Lillo and San Julián de los Prados) and in the Central Mountain region (Santa Cristna de Lena).

Asturian Pre-Romanesque art is a unique treasure.

Three cites demonstrate the urban, cosmopolitan and modern spirit of Asturias: Oviedo, the capital, Gijón and Avilés, on the coast. Three different styles and personalites that converge in an intense cultural and social life, with an open, excitng atmosphere where no one feels like an outsider. Each shows the vestges of the past: the humble and welcoming art of the kingdom of Asturias (Pre-Romanesque art) in Oviedo, Pre-Roman metalworking and Roman influence in Gijón, and the noble medieval fishing village of Avilés.

barnacles); fish (hake and monkfish), Asturian veal and, of course, a wide variety of traditonal cheeses (more than 40, making Asturias ‘a litle Switzerland’), are just some of the most typical dishes and products.

It’s no secret that you eat well in Asturias. Its great natural pantry (the sea, the countryside and the mountains) offers everything you could possibly want, and backed by the guarantee of the best raw materials.

Fabada (bean stew), potes (traditonal stew), seafood (spider crab and

For those with a sweet tooth, try rice pudding or pastries like casadielles, frixuelos, etc. for dessert, always accompanied by cider, that genuine apple elixir, around which many social events are celebrated and whose ceremonious pouring is considered an art form worth seeing.

t is ex o c rs ea b e er h w e p a sc Land side-by-side with man...

asturiastourism.co.uk

You may have already visited Asturias. You may have even visited more than once.

But, you stll need Asturias!!

Asturias www.spain.info

Direct flight London-Asturias (STN-OVD) with EasyJet Ferry Poole-Asturias with LD Lines

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Perth’s iconic Cottesloe Beach, one of 19 in the city’s metropolitan area.

AuSTRAlIA’S SuNNIEST cITy juST gOT cOOl

in Perth, western AustrAliA, the sun shines for 3,000 hours A yeAr. with A booming food And Arts scene, And new flights from etihAd, the city’s internAtionAl rePutAtion is hotting uP too.

With 19 city beaches and year-round sunshine, it’s not surprising Perth is regularly voted one of the world’s most liveable cities. This uniquely alfresco destination also boasts a city centre park larger than New York’s and the iconic Swan River, home to wild dolphins.

From fashion to art and design, Perth is riding the wave of a creative boom (in summer its beaches are as likely to host art exhibitions as surf schools). The city’s social scene is thriving too. Once sleepy sidestreets now teem with boutique bars and chic eateries, gaining international renown for their creative cooking and artsy ambience.

SEE & DO Cottesloe Beach, just 15 minutes from the city centre, is the most popular of Perth’s 19 beaches. The city’s buff-bodied fock here to swim, surf and marvel at the stunning sunsets.

The vast Kings Park, home to an extraordinary array of wildfowers and an outdoor cinema, is a favourite with picnickers.

Popular day-trip destinations from the city include Fremantle (markets, buskers and stunning colonial architecture), the Swan Valley wine region (wine tasting and gastro safaris)

and Rottnest Island, a car-free paradise of unspoilt bays and beaches just a short ferry ride from Perth’s Barrack Street jetty. For an aquatic adventure to remember, head south of the city to Rockingham to swim with wild dolphins.

EAT & DRINK The Print Hall, one of several venues breathing new life into heritage buildings across the city, embodies the creative quintessence of ‘new’ Perth. Drop in for coffee (roasted on the premises), fresh oysters, Australasian street food and rooftop cocktails.

New hipster-style hangouts offering local food and wine include the Mechanics Institute (burgers and boutique beers), The Classroom (whose liquid nitrogen espresso martini comes with safety glasses), Bad Apples (fne wine and tapas) and Venn (a café/gallery/design shop).

And don’t dare miss Little Creatures Brewery in Fremantle, where you can enjoy craft beers, seafood and kangaroo tapas overlooking fshing boats in the harbour.

warmwelcomes Top Join the locals and cycle, walk or barbecue next to Perth’s iconic Swan River. Bottom Jet to Perth in under 20 hours aboard Etihad’s feet of state-of-the-art aircraft.

whEN TO gO Perth enjoys a Mediterranean-like climate – sunny all year round. December to February are the warmest months. If you’re visiting in summer, don’t miss the Perth International Arts Festival, held in February.

gETTINg ThERE Perth is Australia’s closest gateway to the UK and it’s never been easier to visit. Etihad Airways is launching a daily service from both London Heathrow and Manchester to Perth via their home in Abu Dhabi from the 15th July 2014. The new service is set to be one of the fastest Down Under. Onwards from Perth you can connect seamlessly to 14 destinations using the Etihad Skypass including Broome and Albany.

For more information and to start planning your holiday to Western Australia visit: www.australia.com/etihadperth

intelligence EDITED BY LISA GRAINGER

Ready for take-off SIX OF THE BEST CARRY-ON CASES

THE JETSETTER Alfredo Beretta, founded in 1947 and still run by the Beretta family, is best known for its handmade luggage (top): each piece is cut, sewn and dyed by a single artisan in Milan. The cases are not light – or cheap – but they ooze opulence, with alligator-skin exteriors, buttery soft calfskin interiors, practical pockets and strong brass zips and feet. Bespoke items can be made to order, with matching washbags, trunks and handbags, and monogrammed (£18,000, alfredoberetta.it).

THE TRADITIONALIST Globe-Trotter made luggage for the Queen’s honeymoon, and provided Sir Edmund Hillary with a trunk for his Everest ascent. The beauty of this cream “Safari” suitcase lies in its simplicity: its vulcanised fibreboard body, adorned only with leather protective corners and handles; simple brass locks; and an interior lined with plain cream cotton. Modern additions include an external extendable handle and wheels (£880, globetrotter1897.com).

THE ELEGANT FLYER Serapian has been making handmade leather bags in Milan since the 1920s, for such fans as Audrey Hepburn and Ingrid Bergman. This model is made in shades from orange to pale blue (shown here), with a soft cream leather lining, fold-flat handles and several practical pockets, each with its own leather-covered lock. Smart detailing includes bespoke luggage tags and a deep external shirt-pocket to help keep delicates crease-free (£1,250, serapian.com).

THE URBANITE Zero Halliburton specialises in light, strong polycarbonate and aluminium cases that are both hard-wearing and slick-looking. This bronze metallic spinner case (bottom row, right) includes such features as wheels with sealed ball-bearings, snap-shut clasps, a multi-stage retractable metal handle, an inbuilt combination lock and hard textured-grip handles, as well as two soft-lined internal spaces with mesh pockets (£1,095, zerohalliburton.com).

THE TECH-LOVER TecknoMonster, founded by Giacomo Valentini, blends aerospace engineering and Italian style (bottom row, centre). Cases are virtually indestructible, made of aluminium or woven carbon fibre, with wheels developed by the car industry, an easy-glide aluminium handle and zippulls that slot into a combination lock. Luggage tags, edges and handles are leather-bound and hand-stitched; interiors have removeable nylon pockets (£4,195, tecknomonster.com).

THE PRACTICAL TRAVELLER Tumi makes luggage that lasts, featuring tear-proof ballistic nylon fabric (once used for pilots’ flak jackets), sturdy handles and zips, easy-glide wheels and – best of all – a fold-out removable suit sleeve to stop clothes creasing. The Arrivé De Gaulle (bottom row, left), with calf-skin and chrome details and padded leather hand-stitched handles, is smart

GROUP FMG

but not flash. It has such extras as a sturdy side luggage label and an internal ID tracer number (£1,095, uk.tumi.com).

All cases are available from Harrods’ luxury luggage department (020 7730 1234; harrods.com).

LCKI8KI8M<C

TRAVEL BY NUMBERS

56

Width, in miles, of the world’s largest cave – Son Doong, recently discovered in Vietnam.

Only 220 visitors will be allowed to visit in 2014

Old meets new The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures, designed by Yoshio Taniguchi of MoMa fame

DIRECTOR’S CUT

The inside track on the world’s greatest galleries and museums

Zeniya Masami, director of the Tokyo National Museum, offers his

Which artwork has the most interesting history?

personal tips for exploring Japan’s oldest and largest art institution

The 13th-century celadon-glazed tea bowl known as “Bakohan” once apparently belonged to the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa in the 15th

How should first-time visitors structure their visit?

century, but it got cracked. No replacement could be found in China, so it

You can’t do all six buildings in a day, so start with the Honkan (Japanese

was sent back to Japan with the cracks held together by iron clamps, each

Gallery), which introduces the history of Japanese art chronologically, then

in the shape of a locust; Bakohan means “large-locust clamp”. To foreign

visit the first-floor galleries for Japanese sculpture, ceramics and swords.

visitors, it may just be a damaged bowl, but Japanese people like the

What shouldn’t be missed?

associated story.

Our National Treasures, which range from screen paintings to calligraphy

The institution’s greatest strength?

scrolls. In the Honkan building, visit rooms 5 and 6 for warriors’ swords and

Its collection: it is the best in the country. Unfortunately, because many

armour; room 10 for ukiyo-e (woodblock prints), netsuke (miniature

pieces are so fragile, display periods are restricted. However, we

sculptures) and kimono toggles; and room 11 for Japanese sculpture,

constantly rotate works so there are always new discoveries.

including Buddhist statues. In addition, make sure you get to see The

What is unique about the institution?

Gallery of Horyuji Treasures.

style and period. The Japanese Gallery was built in 1938 to

Spring and autumn, when our gardens are open for a month or so,

commemorate the accession of Emperor Showa and has a tiled

meaning visitors can enjoy the cherry blossom and the changing

roof on a typical Imperial Crown-style concrete frame. By contrast,

leaves, as well as our five traditional tea-houses.

our Gallery of Horyuji Treasures is by Yoshio Taniguchi, who

The 16th-century painting Pine Trees by Hasegawa Tohaku. By using shades of ink to vary the strength of the depicted light, this

Bottles of red wine drunk last year in China, making it the world’s biggest consumer of the drink

25

Michelin-starred restaurants in Chicago: America’s third most gastronomic city after New York (67) and San Francisco (38)

64,500,000

Cost, in dollars, of the new Gulfstream G650: the world’s fastest commercial jet.

Since December 2012, some 50 have been sold

Each of the seven buildings is very different in terms of architectural

The best times to visit?

Which work offers the greatest insight into your country?

1,865,000,000

redesigned MoMa in New York.

What else should visitors see?

Not far away is the Shibamata Taishakuten: an intricately carved

painting captures superbly a pine forest wreathed in mist, with trees

Buddhist temple with lots of lovely restaurants around it, some of

seemingly disappearing from sight.

which are famous for eel. Also the beautiful Yamamoto-tei

Your favourite artwork? I like the dogu (clay figurines) and haniwa

Japanese garden, and the Tora-san Memorial Museum, which is

(terracotta tomb ornaments, pictured right) in the archaeology

devoted to a famous Japanese movie series.

gallery. The expressions of ancient peoples’ beliefs are intriguing.

Interview by Lara Prendergast

SOUVENIR SEARCH

BALEARIC RHAPSODY

‘Cool Escapes Mallorca’, by the design writer Tiny von Wedel, makes one want to emigrate. Illustrated with lavish photographs, the coffee-table tome is not only an informative guide to the most beautiful places to stay, eat, shop and get a culture fix, but also an enjoyable read. The book is enlivened by interviews with local characters and links to downloadable media – from music and slideshows to shopping lists of ingredients for featured recipes. You can almost smell the rosemary and hear the sea. £45, teneues.com LCKI8KI8M<C

DREAM SWEETS Pietro Romanengo has been making confectionery in Genoa since 1780 – and the company’s distinctive “dove of peace” logo was created in the wake of the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815). Nearly two centuries later, its sweets are as sought-after as they were by such fans as the composer Giuseppe Verdi.

Particularly delicious are its Rosolio drops: minute spheres of liquid, encased in sugar with the old-fashioned scents of rose, aniseed, cherry, chartreuse, mint and violet: Italian summer in a sweet. From €6.80/£5.60 (romanengo.it) AP; GETTY

THE BOOK

G

erman racing driver Nico

Rosberg, 28, was born into the sport; his father, Keke, was the Finnish F1 champion. Rosberg was 10 years old when he ďŹ rst raced and, at 17, the youngest person to compete in F1. He has driven for Mercedes since 2010, and in 2012 became the ďŹ rst German since 1939 to win a grand prix in a German car. In 2013, he won both the Monaco and British Grand Prix. He lives in Monaco and speaks ďŹ&#x201A;uent German, English, Italian and French.

How many holidays do you take a year?

Not many. Because my job is intense, and I travel so much, I love to spend my holidays at home in Monaco. I like it there; the climate is pleasant, even in winter, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safe and right on the sea.

Favourite haunts in Monaco?

There are good bars in the harbour, such as La Rascasse (larascassemontecarlo.com), and which serves sushi and Asian-style dishes. I love good food, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s curries in India, mezze in the Middle East or pizzas and pasta in Italy.

Where would you like to go next on holiday?

South Africa, without a doubt. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never

Recently, I rode around Ibiza on a 1969 Vespa scooter; we had to drive slowly because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so dangerous

VLADIMIR RYS/GETTY IMAGES

restaurants including Maya Bay (mayabay.mc),

done a safari or had a wildlife experience, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supposed to be wonderful. I like to take photographs, and a safari would give me amazing images as well as experiences.

TRAVELLING LIFE Nico Rosberg

The Formula 1 driver on Monaco haunts, the most glamorous suite in Dubai and bullet-proof cars in SĂŁo Paulo

Are you a light packer?

The most romantic hotel?

The wildest place you have been?

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the roughest youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve travelled?

I take a normal amount, packed into Tumi bags

The Hotel Splendido in PortoďŹ no (hotelsplendido.

Reykjavik in Iceland, which was like being in

As a small child, we were towing a boat behind

which apparently donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t break.

com). Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in a lovely area, with great atmosphere

another world. One moment youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in the

us in rough seas in Sardinia. I remember looking

Your preferred city for a weekend away?

and food. The rooms are beautiful, as is the sea;

middle of a bustling cosmopolitan city and

behind and seeing the tender on top of a massive

London â&#x20AC;&#x201C; mainly because I have a lot of school

we hire a boat and go for a ride along the coast.

the next youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re completely back to nature with

wave. From memory, it looked like an enormous

friends who are studying there. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of fun,

What luxuries do you enjoy?

not a soul in sight. It was also amazing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and

mountain â&#x20AC;&#x201C; simply terrifying at that age.

and there are so many really cool places, such

Clean rooms and fun design. I like the Crown

rather strange â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that the sun never set.

Any cities you would prefer to avoid?

as Roka (rokarestaurant.com), Soho House

Towers (crownmelbourne.com.au) in Melbourne,

The most glamorous room youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve stayed in?

SĂŁo Paulo during the race weekends â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but

(sohohouselondon.com) and La Poule au Pot

Australia, which is state-of-the-art, a bit Las Vegas

The presidential suite in the Westin in Dubai

unfortunately, I need to go back every year for the

(pouleaupot.co.uk), a tiny French restaurant

in style and has a high level of service. It also

(westinminaseyahi.com), which was the size of

Grand Prix. To get to our hotel, we have to travel

close to Chelsea Barracks. I usually rent a place

serves every type of food you could want.

a football pitch and had every luxury you can

through some of the favelas. A couple of years

in London or stay with friends.

Simple things you love?

imagine on tap. I have never forgotten it. All other

ago, Jenson Button was attacked by some guys

Best spot for a holiday?

Growing my own produce in my vegetable garden.

hotel rooms now pale by comparison.

while he was waiting at the lights. Since then,

Ibiza. There is everything you could want: the best

Nothing beats fresh artichokes that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve grown

Are you a thrill-seeker off the race-track?

weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been given security and bullet-proof cars.

parties, the best people, the best restaurants, the

yourself. Also, sitting on my balcony playing the

Not especially. I do love cycling, but I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

Do you worry about your carbon footprint?

best everything. I try to go there at least a couple

guitar, and then having a delicious meal at home

call that thrill-seeking. A group of us sometimes

No, because I drive fuel-efďŹ cient cars and try to

of times a year.

with my girlfriend, who is a great cook.

cycle up the Col de la Madone, which is

offset carbon in various ways. The environment

If you could have dinner anywhere, where

Do you like driving holidays?

the big mountain just behind Monaco. I am

is important to me and I want to leave a healthy

would it be?

No, I prefer someone else driving, so I can relax â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

the community champion, in fact, with an

planet for the next generation. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m installing a

The Fat Duck (thefatduck.co.uk) in Bray, Berkshire.

in a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, say, which is one

impressive time â&#x20AC;&#x201C; even if I do say so myself â&#x20AC;&#x201C; of

solar system at home, so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m trying to do my bit.

I really like that sort of cooking â&#x20AC;&#x201C; nouvelle cuisine

of the best limousine cars and very comfortable.

44 minutes and 57 seconds. There is deďŹ nitely

or whatever itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s called, that style of presentation

Recently, I rode around Ibiza on a 1969 Vespa

some good-natured competition in the group.

Nico Rosberg is an ambassador for the Swiss

with many small courses and crazy food. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an

scooter. I liked the fact that it was an old one.

We like to think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in our own version of

watch brand IWC Schaffhausen.

unforgettable experience.

We had to drive slowly because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so dangerous.

the Tour de France.

Interview by Lisa Grainger

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www.chanel.com